You have probably heard the legend of St Valentine—a young man chained in a Roman prison, writing a letter to the girl of his dreams and signing it “from your Valentine” shortly before he was beheaded for his faith. The actual history of the man is murky at best. There are records of three different […]
Author: clsmithsword
Abihail—a broken heart mended, a character reborn
SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t yet read Trouble in the Ruins, and don’t want to know how Abihail’s story will play out, STOP HERE. Abihail is the only fictional character among the set of seven youthful protagonists in The Stones of Gilgal saga. She was originally created to be a tragic character, the daughter-in-law of the Biblical […]
Sikh Festival, Seeking Insight
“Sikh and ye shall find.” What I learned at the Nagar Kirtan festival in Yuba City last weekend.
Time to Celebrate
At the sound of Joshua’s shofar and the breathtaking touch of Yahweh’s hand, the walls of Jericho fall. But dire trouble rises from the ruins. Trouble in the Ruins chronicles a period just over fifty days, spanning the spring grain harvests of Canaan. The Israelites are eager to celebrate their new life in the Promised Land, and God has already […]
February Reflections ~ “Beloved, let us love one another”
A Valentine Story Tucked Into the Heart of Black History Month I really love Valentine’s Day. Even more than I like getting chocolates and flowers, I love having another reason to say I love you. I want to take every opportunity to tell my husband, my children and grandchildren, and a handful of other precious […]
Hunger Inflicted by a Plague of Locusts
Swarms! Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes . . . the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm —Joel 2:2,25 We all experience times when we are hungry for a word from God, but scripture just seems like so many words on a […]
Rahab—A Name Redeemed
Rahab of Jericho~ the best known of the primary characters in THE STONES OF GILGAL novels. How odd—since she is a foreigner, a Canaanite girl, joining a cast of six young Israelites. Although the lives of these six Israelites impacted the future of their nation in significant ways, their stories lie buried beneath the dust of time. Othniel, Acsah and […]
Acsah—an inspiration for International Women’s Day
The Stones of Gilgal novels retell the powerful stories of the era of Joshua from the viewpoint of seven real (but minor) biblical characters including two very strong women, Rahab and Acsah. In honor of International Women’s Day, may I introduce Acsah (Judges 1:12-15) Daughter of Joshua’s closest friend, the heroic Caleb. Future wife of Othniel, the greatest […]
Othniel – A different kind of hero
The Stones of Gilgal Novels follow the epic adventures of a group of ordinary young Israelites. As they battle evil together, they sink their roots deeper and deeper into the bedrock of Truth and Love, slowing being transformed from a stand of saplings to a forest of giants, Oaks of Righteousness for the display of God’s splendor. […]
When “All I Can Do Is Pray,” Prayer Is More Than Enough!
How often when tragedy strikes, do we say a quick prayer and then flail about, grasping for something we can do to make things better? To human eyes, the physical realm often eclipses the spiritual—even to believers who affirm that God is the ultimate, everlasting, unchanging reality. Prayer too often seems our last resort. The writer of […]