“The long passage stretched into a forever of lines, diminishing to a point in the future that could never be reached.”

(The Restorer’s Journey-Expanded Edition by Sharon Hinck, Marcher Lord Press, 2012)

Hmmm. That’s how my “To Do” list makes me feel some days. 🙂

Hope your journey today is eased by God’s grace!

Blessings,
Sharon

Bookshelf Wednesday: Devotional Classics

 What could Christians of the 1100’s, 1300’s, 1600’s, or even 1930’s have to share that would be relevant to our current daily challenges of living for Christ in modern society? Turns out they have quite a bit to say.

I’m constantly amazed when I find my own questions, journeys and struggles reflected in the writing of Christians whose era and life situations are so different from my own.

This volume of Devotional Classics edited by Richard Foster and James Smith gives a rich sampling of Christian thinkers through the ages. The chapters create groupings by themes such as “The Prayer-Filled Life” or “The Word-Centered Life.” In addition to selections from the writings of great men and women of faith, each section includes Scripture, reflection questions, and suggested exercises.

The copy from my shelf is a bit dog-eared, but as I paged through it today to write my recommendation, I decided I’d like to dog-ear it even more. As much as I love the work of contemporary authors, there is a wealth of blessing to be discovered from Christian writers of past generations.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Hooray!
The Restorer’s Journey-Expanded Edition releases today in paperback.
(Kindle/Nook/Kobo versions to follow soon)

Creating the expanded editions of the first three Sword of Lyric books has been a labor of love for me over the last several years…love for the stories, the characters, and love for the readers who have told me how much the books have meant to them.

But until I was proofreading the galleys last week, I didn’t even realize there were over 60 pages of new content in RJEE. Wow! Deleted scenes, an alternate opening, bonus scenes, a devotion guide, links to a professional audio interview, bonus articles, music, and more. I hope you enjoy returning to Lyric with Jake and Susan!

This photo shows why I love hiking so much. We caught the sun breaking through on a recent amble on the Superior Hiking Trail.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

A photo from sunrise up north, and an opening line of a scene from The Restorer’s Journey-Expanded Edition (which releases next week).

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” (Psalm 57)

My hubby and I recently spent a week up north. The beauties of Lake Superior, of ridgelines covered with fall color, and secluded trails through pine forests all gave us glimpses of God’s glory and refreshed our hearts.

Good timing for me, as I returned to the intense work of proofreading the galleys for The Restorer’s Journey-Expanded Edition, which is about to release. I’m so excited to have the third book of the series back in print, and the new expanded version has over 60 pages of new material. I’ll be visiting some blogs, doing a special contest, and other fun things throughout October as the book releases. Stay tuned!

And as I prepare for the release of RJEE, I’m continued to feel blessed as people discover the first and second books, as well. The Christian Manifesto recently posted an indepth review of The Restorer-Expanded Edition (book one in the Sword of Lyric series) which you can read here.

It’s tempting to get swept into the work of a book release and lose perspective on other aspects of life. While we were enjoying fall color, I kept meditating on Psalm 127. “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.”

Whatever projects are requiring our attention, let’s take time to step aside, look up, and catch some glimpses of God’s glory over all the earth.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

One of my favorite authors, Calvin Miller, recently graduated to heaven. His poetic The Singer trilogy enlivened my imagination when I was in high school. His non-fiction book Into the Depths of God challenged my Christian walk. But the volume I treasure most has a personal story behind it.

Several years ago, I was at the International Christian Retail convention, doing a book signing for The Restorer when it was first released. As I was meeting people and signing books, a sweet woman greeted me and said, “My husband has written some fantasy, too.”

“Oh, what’s his name?” I was familiar with many Christian fantasy authors and wondered if I’d heard of him.

“Calvin,” she answered.

I stared at her name tag, with the last name of Miller. “Calvin Miller?” I sputtered. “THE Calvin Miller?” I became incoherent as I stammered out how much his work had meant to me over the years. I attended my first writer’s conference in part because he was the keynote speaker. She was gracious as I was a babbling basket case of enthusiasm.

That alone would be a cherished memory of the convention. But a few minutes later she was back, slipping me a book. “Since Calvin is signing at the same time as you, and you won’t be able to get over to his booth, I had him sign a copy for you.”

I will always treasure my autographed copy of The Path of Celtic Prayer.

The book is a celebration of a life where prayer is as integral to each day as breathing.

I’m so grateful for God’s gift of language, for the printed word, and for writers like Calvin Miller whose books can mentor us from afar.

Blessings!
Sharon Hinck

Are you a fan of the Restorer books? I’m looking for a few enthusiastic readers to be “influencers” for The Restorer’s Journey-Expanded Edition. You’ll receive an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) and then you get to help spread the word when the book releases in October. Email me through the contact page at my website if you are interested!