Most people draw their strength directly from other people. You see it in relationships between spouses, between mothers and daughters, fathers and sons. You see it in some groups. This is good and fitting; the body of Christ exists to minister God’s truth, grace, healing and kindness to those around us.
However, I am not one of these people. As I write this, I am alone in a hotel room, spending two glorious days completely alone so I can write and pour out my heart and Continue reading
Several years ago, on a trip to Disneyworld with the family, I bugged out of ‘Soarin’, a bird’s eye view of California by faux-hang glider. I know a little about California, having visited the state five times, traversing nearly its entire length. I’m scheduled to travel there this fall for a television interview about my work with Northfield and eating disorder.
I really did not choose to exit before riding ‘Soarin;’ my body wouldn’t cooperate. After standing in line for more than an hour, only three rotations of Disney patrons stood Continue reading
I arrived.
I can hardly believe I’m here. Already, there are things about this place I couldn’t know, ways that God is blessing me that is just beginning to unfold.
I picked this hotel somewhat at random, because it’s in a city too far for me to drive home on a whim, but close enough that it’s not an exhausting ordeal when it’s time. I picked this Continue reading
Northfield Ministries has not dealt directly with human trafficking, but the effects of sexual and other abuse result in the issues we see every day. As a co-laborer in Christ, working to set free women held captive to eating disorder, I am honored to promote Kathi’s book series, focused on awareness of this present-day evil and the hope that is only found in our Lord.
CB: Special Delivery is book two in the Freedom (human trafficking) series. For anyone who may not have read book one, Deliver Me From Evil, can you fill us in on the focus of the series in general, and Special Delivery in particular?
KM: The Freedom series is a three-book fiction series built around the horrifying topic of human trafficking. People often ask me why I decided to write about such a dark topic. First, I explain that I’m not writing about a dark topic; I’m writing about the Light that shines in that darkness. And second, I believe the Church should be at the forefront of the modern-day abolition movement to set the captives (modern-day slaves) free. The three books in this series specifically follows the life of a young woman named Mara, who was sold into sexual slavery by her own parents in Mexico, and then smuggled across the border into San Diego by her uncle who then served as her pimp. A strong sub-plot throughout the series tells of two sisters in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Chanthra and Lawan, who are also trapped in a brothel. Finally, a teenage girl named Francesca, kidnapped in Juarez, Mexico, and forced into prostitution, is introduced in book two. Special Delivery picks up two years after book one, Deliver Me From Evil, ends, and continues with the stories of Mara and Lawan, as well as others carried over from book one. Mara hopes she is finally free to pursue her own life because she was rescued from the brothel and her testimony helped lock up her uncle for life. But the man has underground connections and is driven by revenge to reach out from behind bars and deliver the ultimate punishment to his niece.
CB: This isn’t the first fiction series you’ve written on nationwide and even worldwide social issues, the one previous to this being the persecuted Church. What draws you to these difficult topics?
KM: As a Christian, I believe I am compelled to use my God-given gifts to honor God in all I do—and that includes exposing the deeds of darkness, calling sinners to repentance, and taking a stand for righteousness by doing all I can to help rescue those who are suffering. I dare not turn my back on “the least of these.” I also believe that God placed this sort of burden on my heart even before I became a Christian at the age of 26. I’ve always been a champion of the underdog, a “soap-box” preacher, if you will. When I met Jesus, I simply redirected that passion toward His people, realizing I couldn’t effect real change in my own strength anyway.
CB: With your obvious passion to right social and moral wrongs through the power of the Gospel, how did writing and speaking enter into that?
KM: I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since I was a child—never wanted to do anything else. When I was a teenager I told my then boyfriend (now husband) that I was going to be a writer one day. What a blessing that God allowed me to fulfill that dream! After becoming a believer and growing in my faith, it was natural to take my passion to fight for others and incorporate it into my writing. Speaking, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. I was terrified of public speaking when I was young, and the day I received Christ I made a “bargain” with God, promising to do anything He asked of me—so long as it didn’t include public speaking. (Does God have a sense of humor or what???) Now, when I stand in front of audiences where I believe God has called me to speak (and actually find myself enjoying it!), I tell my listeners that if God has called them to do something and they feel it’s impossible, they can consider me their “visual aid” that NOTHING is impossible with God IF we will simply take that first step of obedience and let Him fulfill His purpose in and through us.
CB: With the topics of the worldwide persecuted Church and human trafficking under your belt, what other issues are you dealing with in your writing?
KM: My Christmas 2011 book, A Christmas Journey Home, dealt with the immigration/border problem, and my Christmas 2012 novel, Unexpected Christmas Hero, will be about homelessness in America. The next issues-related fiction series I have on tap—which I am just starting to write, by the way—is called the “Patches of Courage” series and will begin releasing in late January 2013. Book one is The Moses Quilt, based on the life of Harriet Tubman, and will be followed by The Christmas Quilt and The Impossible Quilt. This series of books will highlight historical American women whose Christian faith enabled them to walk in great courage and make a difference in the lives of countless people.
CB: Where can people find out about you and your books/speaking/appearances?
KM: They can go directly to my website (www.kathimacias.com or www.boldfiction.com) or my Easy Writer blog: http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google, and various other social sites. Would love to hear from all of you!
CB: Where can people find out about free book giveaways on this blog tour?
KM: The blog tour host is giving away a set of two books from the Freedom Series - Book 1 (Deliver Me From Evil) and Book 2 (Special Delivery). Also, readers can follow @ChristianSpkrs on Twitter or follow on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CSSVBT.TheFreedomSeries for more book giveaway locations on the tour.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speakers Services (http://ChristianSpeakersServices.com).
Purity is a big theme in my life. After all, my very name means ‘pure’. But then my last name is Boyle, which conjures images of nasty swollen zit-like eruptions, strategically occurring in less than desirable locations on the body. Does this make me a ‘pure pain?’ God just loves to flaunt that majestic sense of verbal humor right in my face. Just sayin’.
This weekend is shaping up to be entirely focused on purity, pretty much by accident. Tonight, precious almost teenager daughter is having a ‘date’ with Pa. Now Daughter is worldly enough and sassy enough to think this is a truly perverted idea. (I really wish she Continue reading
Today is the 18th anniversary of my marriage to Pa.
On the day before our 18th wedding anniversary, while Pa was hard at work at Northfield, I bought my own anniversary flowers at the grocery store. I arranged them into three beautiful displays, and hope they live long enough so I can use them at the Northfield office this week for our open house. Pa informed me upon his return from Northfield that he had been thinking of taking me to the grocery store to get some flowers. But he didn’t.
Pa started today by singing ‘happy anniversary baby, got you on my mi-hind’. Mere moments later, he told me I smelled like a cow.
What he meant was that I smelled like leather (or so he says), but given his advanced age, he Continue reading
In the midst of wartime, worry
In the midst of suffering, shame
In the midst of chaos, a clarion
Herald the coming of the Name.
In the midst of fury, forgiveness
One, amid obscurity
From tribulation, triumph
Earthly powers behold Purity.
In the midst of malice, mercy
Amid annihilation, Noel
In the midst of grief, God’s glory
Spirit bursts forth, now to dwell.
In the midst of violence, virtue
Begotten gentle dove
In the midst of murders, a manger
No purer form of love.
In the midst of evil, Emmanuel
Freeing souls from their captivity
In the midst of kings, the King
Princes prostrate before Nativity.
In the midst of atrocity, alleluia!
In the midst of pain, relief
In the midst of desperation, deliverance
for this unworthy thief.
In the midst of heartbreak, healing
Amid injustice, joy
Turning sorrows into solace
Greatest gift, sweet baby boy.
(c) Catherine Boyle 2002
Sometimes it takes a little time and distance before I can write dispassionately about significant emotional events. Such is the case right now.
Pa and I and the chilluns spent Thanksgiving in south Florida with relatives. In case this is news to you, Pa hasn’t always lived on the prairie. He hails from seafaring Florida stock, and has repeatedly attempted to kill me with watercraft. Though this post is likewise about a near death experience, Pa is not wholly responsible. Much to my dismay, my lucky fin is partly to blame.
Over the river and through the woods is the wimpy version of our bi-annual trek to tropical Continue reading
I’ve read three books this year that directly pertain to World War II. Following no grand plan, I just read on topics and people who interested me. Well into the third book, I belatedly noticed a trend. My head is full of many very useful brains, but even this big head can be a little slow on the uptake.
My natural bent for quickly devouring and dissecting books took over with Wagon of Continue reading
Pa and I have never bought or sold stock on margin, that is, with other people’s money (OPM). You know from previous posts that we prairie dwellers shun debt. Seems like a pretty risky strategy for managing money. Pretty risky strategy for managing life.
With all the media focus on OPM (pronounced ‘opium’, and just as addictive), whether it’s government graft, Wall Street excesses or the clueless occupiers (almost all of whom are living off someone else’s worked-for funds), it’s no surprise Hollywood has recently Continue reading
Most people draw their strength directly from other people. You see it … Continue reading
Several years ago, on a trip to Disneyworld with the family, I … Continue reading
I arrived. I can hardly believe I’m here. Already, there are … Continue reading
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