Weekend Worship—Righteous Prayers

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:16b-18 NASB

I fought so many fears while our son was deployed to the Middle East. Probably the greatest was that somehow my prayers wouldn’t be enough to keep him safe. I remember one night in particular. I awoke from an unknown dream, screaming in my mind. I was drenched with sweat and had tears running down my cheeks. I couldn’t remember the dream—only the terror, that horrible feeling of helplessness. I looked over and saw 2:52am blinking on the clock. I could hear my husband’s soft snores and they reassured me I hadn’t disturbed him. Too often he lost sleep because of my fears.

I knew sleep wouldn’t return anytime soon, so I grabbed my Bible and once again headed downstairs. I settled into my chair in the den and began to thumb through the pages, searching for comfort. I tried to focus enough to pray for my son, but my prayers seemed common, not good enough to inspire God to go great lengths to keep him safe.

In my page turning, I found myself reading these verses in James. As I read I felt even worse. Did I have to be Elijah to pray effectively? I would never consider myself in the same category of righteousness as him. Even more discouraged I thought about these verses. As I did, God brought something to mind that I’d never considered. I remembered that early on in Israel’s history God had warned them that if they didn’t obey Him, He’d withhold blessings, specifically the blessing of rain. I felt hope begin to blossom. I immediately turned to Deuteronomy 11 and there it was—God’s warning that He would shut up the heavens if they turned from Him.

My heart leapt. Righteous prayer wasn’t based on my goodness, but on God’s! Elijah’s prayer was effective because he knew God and he just prayed God’s own words back to Him. God would always be true to His word. I felt a floodgate of possibilities open up. I could pray scripture over my son and know that God would hear and answer.

Clash of the Titles—Five New Releases You Gotta See

*guest post by April W Gardner

This week, Clash of the Titles is featuring five novels new to bookstore shelves. You don't want to miss a single one! They're already getting great reviews. Check them out on Amazon by clicking the cover images. You can also use the survey below to let us know which you're most likely to read first. Which one is going to the top of your TBR pile?

COWGIRL TRAIL by Susan Page Davis
Alex Bright is torn between supporting the cowboys who want to strike or the rancher who gave him his start. The boss’s beautiful daughter complicates matters when she organizes an all-woman outfit to replace the striking men.

THE RESTORER'S SON by Sharon Hinck
Cast out by those he trusts and preferring to cross swords with the One rather than yield to His will, Kieran flees to enemy Hazor, only to find that the One knows no borders. Pursued by his calling, Kieran finds a boy without a home, a king with burning questions, and a nation torn by darkness. 

THE CHASE by DiAnn Mills
To FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, it's a cold case, but to writer Kariss Walker it's a story that she has to write despite the danger. 

LEAVING LANCASTER by Kate Lloyd

When Holly Fisher's mother reveals a long-kept secret, that Holly's mother abandoned her Amish community where relatives still live, will Holly's yearning for family be strong enough to overtake her conflicted feelings of betrayal? Set in the heart of contemporary Amish country, Leaving Lancaster explores the power of forgiveness, reconciliation, and love where least expected.

THE IRISH HEALER by Nancy Herriman

Accused of murdering a child under her care, Irish healer Rachel Dunne flees the ensuing scandal while vowing to never sit at another sickbed. When a cholera epidemic sweeps through London, she feels compelled to nurse the dying daughter of the enigmatic physician she has come to love. 

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Thursday Review—Fact or Fiction: Know the Truth to Protect Yourself Online

I’ve been giving out information about  how to stay safe online and today I want to share some of the top myths I’ve run across. First take the short quiz, then I’ll give you the information.

True or False Online Safety Quiz

1. I’m not on a public network, so my computer isn’t at risk.
2. Dial-up connections are just as vulnerable as wireless connections.
3. The best anti-virus software is the one you pay for.
4. No hacker would bother with my computer because I don’t have anything on it worth stealing.
5. With all the online security it takes a lot of technical know-how to hack a computer, site or network.
6. Macs are just as vulnerable as PCs to hacking.
7. My password is secure.
8. I should never use the same password for different sites.
9. I know a link is safe because a friend sent it or posted it on Facebook.
10. If my browser displays the locked padlock icon I know the website is safe.

Here are the Answers:

1. False: the Internet is a public network. If you’re on the Internet you need to take precautions.
2. True: unless you have a permanent IP address (and homes don’t, usually) your just as much at risk as someone using a wireless connection.
3. False: according to the June 2012 issue of Consumer Reports one of the highest rated anti-virus software is free. (Avira) 
4. False: personal computers are much easier to hack and contain lots of info that’s worth stealing.
5. False: yes there are some things that are hard to hack, but most don’t take as much knowledge as you would think.
6. True: I’m a Mac user and this one surprised me. The only difference is that there are fewer Macs in use so there aren’t as many viruses out there.
7. Only you can answer this, but you might be surprised. I’m a frequent visitor to friends homes and you’d be amazed at the number of them who don’t know the password to their home’s wireless system...and how often I can get in by just a few guesses.
8. True: and if you’ve been following this series you know this. Did you miss the first post? Catch up on What to do if You've Been Hacked here.
9. False: again, if you’ve been keeping up, you know this was a gimme question. Not sure what I mean? Here’s the link to Steps You Can take to Prevent Yourself Online.
10. What you want to look for is ‘https://’ not just ‘http://’. The padlock icon is easy to duplicate and it takes an experienced hacker (with lots of knowledge) to duplicate the ‘s’ in the URL.

Now it’s your turn. What questions or tips do you have for online security?

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Steps to Protect Yourself from Online Hackers

Last week I shared What to do if You’ve been Hacked. This week I want to give you some tips to help prevent it from happening. Unfortunately, nothing is foolproof. Inevitably, the more wise we become at protecting ourselves, the more cunning those wishing us harm become. 

The majority of times we get hacked it’s because we clicked a link that uploaded a virus which opened us up to hackers. 

This is the bad news, but there’s also good news. This kind of hacking is preventable, and here are some steps to take to stay safe online.

• Be wise. This seems basic, but so many times we just ignore our better judgement. How many of us have been sucked in by direct messages like these? “Have you heard the rumors your fiend is spreading about you?” or “This is a hilarious video just uploaded about you.” Stop. Think. Then DON’T click that link!

• Assume it’s a lie. About six months ago I got an email from an online company confirming a large purchase with my credit card. I knew I hadn’t made any purchases, but still had to fight the urge to panic. I took a step back and looked more closely at the email. I noticed several things that made me suspicious. I immediately did an online search for scams involving that company and came up with pages of recent victims. I contacted the company directly (not through the info in their email) and confirmed the email was a ruse.

• Never give out sensitive information. Let me repeat, NEVER GIVE OUT SENSITIVE INFORMATION! Companies don’t ask for bank account info, passwords or other information over the internet. First, if you’re a customer, they already have all of your information they need. Keeping up with personal passwords is a liability for companies. 

Now, a quick word about passwords. I know you don’t want to hear it, but your password should be different for every account you have. If you’re like me you probably have dozens of accounts, so how can you keep up with all those passwords? Trust me, it’s not with sticky notes or a file on your computer. 

Instead, take advantage of some wonderful programs. Some charge a small fee, others are free—all have the highest security rating available. 

LastPass

PassPack 

1Password 

Keepass X (for Mac) and Keepass (for PC)

There are also blank booklets available for those of you who are old school and want something you can hold in your hand. I’ve seen them at local discount stores, as well as high end specialty stores.

Now it’s your turn, what are some tricks you use to stay safe online? Be sure to check back on Thursday when I’ll debunk some of the online safety myths we all have fallen for.

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Clash of the Titles

 

**Guest post by Michelle Massaro

In the recent Leading Ladies Clash, Life on the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux and High Desert Haven by Lynnette Bonner  went into the ring on Clash of the Titles.

After the public vote, the winning title was....

 HIGH DESERT HAVEN by Lynnette Bonner!!  

 We're happy to announce that High Desert Haven has been added to the list of COTT Champ titles! And we also want to extend our congratulations to the author. I'm sure we're all eager to add this book to our summer to-be-read pile! 

 In response to her win, author Lynnette Bonner said:

It was an honor just to have been chosen as a clasher, in the first place, and then to have won… wow, I’m totally blessed by that. I’m still fairly new at this, and putting my stories out to the public is, to say the least, a daunting experience. So every little bit of encouragement and affirmation gets tucked away for days ahead when I will need to draw strength from them. I so appreciate COTT for giving me this opportunity to interact and connect with their readers.

Some of the comments left by readers were:

• Great job!!
• Both excerpts make me want to read the rest of the story. It was hard to choose!
• I think they both did a good job of presenting their books.
• Both leading ladies were believable and presented with skill.
• Looks like a whole lotta fun!
• I found it very hard to select only ONE excerpt. They were both great! Keep up the great work!
• Both excerpts have great leads! Would like to read both books!

Curious to read the winning excerpt? You can both contenders' entries here.
An interview with the winning author can be found here.  

Want to congratulate the author? Leave a message in the comments. Have a question about future Clashes on COTT? Email them at contactCOTT@gmail.com

Thank you! 

**Michelle Massaro is the Assistant Editor for Clash of the Titles, a mother of four, and a wife of nearly 17 years. She bakes, crochets, cross-stitches, sings, writes, and cries during movies. She champions for Biblical authority, leads a Jr. High girls' Bible study, and plays a mean game of backgammon. She spends way too much time on the computer, but makes it up to her family (she hopes) with prayer coverings and chocolate chip cookies. The best place to connect with her is on Facebook, naturally.

Weekend Worship—Embracing the Legacy

Thoughts for Mothers Day
by Edie Melson

If you notice in the picture on the left, Embracing the Legacy is the tagline on my business cards. It's right below the words writer... editor... wonderer...


I worked hard coming up with this description of who I am, and I'm pretty darn pleased with it. The idea started with the way I've described myself for years, "creative in self-defense."

You see, I grew up in an amazing family. My mother, Monita Mahoney, is an internationally known artist and my dad, Jim Mahoney, is a classical musician and well-known black-and-white photographer.


Being creative came naturally while I was growing up. Some of my earliest memories are of playing dolls under my mother's easel as she worked on paintings for a gallery, upcoming show or client. But one thing my mom didn't do was push me to express myself her way. She was one of the first to encourage me to explore my love of words. I remember one day complaining that I couldn't draw like her and I'll never forget her response. "Edie, you paint your world with words."

I was reminded of her encouragement this past week. She had a handmade book in a traveling show and I went with her to our local bookstore, BookQuest, where it was on display locally before beginning its travels. Instead of spending time with the bookstore owner talking about her own work, she couldn't quit talking about mine. 


This is the same attitude I've found in God, the first to bestow a creative legacy on me. In Him, through the parents he's given me, I've found the strength and the inspiration to follow the dream He planted in my heart. 


In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Thursday Review—A Review of What to Take to a Writers Conference Part 2

A Guest Post by Lynn Huggins Blackburn

Last week we covered my personal list of must have items for all writers conferences. This week, I’m going to share with you my list of really want to have items, especially for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. 

These are optional, but if you’re driving and space isn’t an issue, you might want to pack some of this in your car. 

(Or, if space is an issue, you could always sweet talk one of your new friends who will be driving her own car and will have plenty of room, to help you out. I’m pretty sure she’ll say yes.)

• Bottled water. I tend to be a bit thrifty. Yes, there are vending machines. But bringing bottled water from home leaves me more cash to spend on mochas. (Priorities!)

• Favorite soft drinks. If you are headed to Blue Ridge this year you should know that a recent call to a helpful registration clerk confirmed that Ridgecrest is still a Pepsi product facility. (My helpful informant is a Coke drinker and shared my frustration. She also earned my life-long gratitude for not making me feel like a goober for being concerned by this). Anyway, if you have a Diet Coke addiction—as many writers do—bring your own. You need to be at your best. This is not the time to try to go cold turkey.

• Gym clothes. You may not have time for a workout, but if you do, it might make you feel better, help you burn off stress, etc. Pack a pair of tennis shoes and go for a quick walk each day. You’ll be glad you did.

• Coffee/tea maker. Depending on your accommodations and preferences, this might make your stay more enjoyable. (It also might make you very popular with the people who need a cup of coffee to get their eyes open in the morning). Blue Ridge note: “Deluxe” accommodations do have coffee makers. “Standard” accommodations do not.

• Pillows. I’m the kind of girl who sleeps best with my own pillow. So mine will be making the trip, even if I have to smuggle it in under the cover of darkness to avoid being laughed at.

• Sewing Kit/Hem tape. Buttons do pop off. Hems do rip. (I’ll have mine in my bag in case of emergencies).

• iPod. Have you ever seen professional athletes before a big game? They almost always have earbuds in as they tune out the rest of the world and focus on what’s ahead. If you think you may have a panic attack before your critique, maybe some praise and worship or Scripture would soothe your soul. Or, if you worry that your roommate may not realize that she snores like an elephant seal, an iPod could save your relationship!  

• A map. Find your classes before you need to go to them. If you can plan to arrive early, do so. Give yourself time to acclimate to the hotel/conference center so you aren’t panicked trying to find a restroom. And if you get lost, don’t worry about it. I got completely turned around on my first day at Blue Ridge. Wandered hallways for fifteen minutes while trying to act like I was just “exploring the facility” rather than what I really was, which was “hopelessly lost and hyperventilating.” If I’d quit telling people about it, no one would have ever known.

• New friends. You can make these before you arrive. Sign up for the Yahoo! Group. Participate on email lists. Comment on blog posts. These new friends are going to make your conference experience unforgettable. You can get through the week without them, but you’ll cherish the week if you find them and hang on tight!

Lynn Huggins Blackburn has been telling herself stories since she was five and finally started writing them down. She blogs about faith, family, and her writing journey on her blog Out of the Boat. Lynn is a member of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and the Word Weavers, Greenville. She lives in South Carolina where she hangs out with three lively children, one fabulous man, and a cast of imaginary characters who find their way onto the pages of her still unpublished novels. She drinks a lot of coffee.