First Printing of Roses in Kiev Done!

 When I called Country Pines Printing about my books today, they verified that my first printing of five hundred books has been printed, and the books are set to be delivered to IHC [Interchurch Holiness Convention] at Gatlinburg, TN, Monday or Tuesday!

A couple days ago in my devotions these words stood out to me, "Bring the cloak that I left...at Troas when you come--and the books." II Tim. 4:13 

 Bring the books!

I sat down just a bit ago to read my Bible, and instead of reading in I Thessalonians where I was, I opened to Psalm 56. There I was reading and suddenly, there in verse 8 it says, "You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?"

I sat there and I looked and looked. "Are not my tears in Your book?"

I thought about the tears I wrote about in my book Roses in Kiev. 

The waiting.

The wondering.

The working. 

The way God worked for me in exactly the right way and time.

If our tears are important enough for God to write each one down in His book,

do you think He wastes any of them?  

If our tears are that important, He has a purpose for every tear we shed. 

The tears I shed in Kiev 27 years ago have turned into rich fulfillment!  

I have my display table cover and decor put together and price signs made. Our friends the Goodwins have been after us for years to come to their church to tell about going as laymen to help on missions. So they arranged two services at two Church of God Holiness churches in Fordland and Ava, Missouri, this Sunday, (at our friends the Goodwins' church, and then at Mt. Zion with our friends Ward and Naomi French, a church which has services live-streamed in case you want to watch all our flubs Sunday night!--on the other hand, maybe you DON'T want to watch) our family is planning to be at IHC by Tuesday around noon. Musical instruments are being practiced and packed; clothes figured out and ironed (and unboxed from the basement when I find out Danny only has two good shirts and no good pants except black jeans!) ironed, and hung on the hooks on the back seat of the van. 

Crystal is driving down from Pennsylvania, where she has been attending the Penn View Missions Convention, to join us at IHC. And Sam is staying home to do the chores.

I wish he could come, too. But he decided to stay home.

Thoughts about my book from my sister Dorcas

"Good morning! Just can't say enough about your book! I sat down before breakfast and couldn't stop reading. The eggs got cold and the coffee perked for 1/2 an hour instead of 10 minutes! :)

 

My sister Dorcas got one of my proofs of my book, Roses in Kiev,a few days ago, and that was what she had to say. She is eager to share the book with her German Baptist neighbor who has a bulk food shop and a shelf for books that she shares out. I may soon have my first seller of books, thanks to my sister! Dorcas felt that this book would appeal across denominational lines--something I also hoped it would do. I did not write this book just for people who share my own personal beliefs in doctrine and standards. I wrote it for anyone who loves God and loves a unique love story in a unique setting with unique happenings!

I was also blessed to hear Dorcas say that the gospel was shared so simply in this book. It just went into the story so simply as I told story after story of what happened that year in Kiev as an English and Bible teacher. I want to be able to give this book, for example, to some friends from Malaysia for whom our daughters worked. If our friends read our love story, they will also read about the gospel--and all without preaching!

Well, I must get back to packing!