Thursday, May 29, 2008

Effortless Change

Well, am sitting here trying to change certain aspects of myself. Attempting to change myself is something I really should not be doing. Paul has a thing against what he calls will-worship and which is basically our attempts to save ourselves from sins, bad habits, the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Paul believes that we are changed by the Word of God. He tells us to rest in the finished work of Christ, rest in the word of God by reading the Bible and allowing the truth itself to change us(because the word of God is living and active and sharp), to rest in the true manna that gives us true food (because communion is God's gift of health to all our spirit, soul, and body), and to rest in the help of the Holy Spirit who is actively working within us changing us. As Jesus said, the spiritual work God has given us is this: BELIEVE

So am gonna attempt to stop attempting. Gonna strive.....to rest....in God's work. And will let God do the work of changing me. -C

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Carole!
Are what you attempting to change spiritual, or mental, or physical?(You don't have to tell me).
It's just that I have just finished my notes on God's Word being a transforming vehicle because the Word is sharp and pierces the soul. I need to touch belief more often so I can experiences the transforming power of the Living Word.
I have finished Windfollower...I never put it down. If you have time, I have some questions for you which I will post later.

Have a Blessed one!

Carole McDonnell said...

Well, am trying to change my health and my son's health definitely. Trying to get healed of some issues that have made me very sensitive and easily-wounded. And trying to change my tendency to be afraid of change.

Wow! Glad you finished wind follower. I bet you're gonna ask me about the ending. But you can ask me anything. Basically, I just had to make Loic disobey God. He was good at fighting all the battles after his conversion..but the power of his culture was so strong and he was a sole believer by himself...the fear of being a paper heart was too strong...and he couldn't change that. Was that one of the questions? Later. Tell everyone about it...and hey, if you have a book club in church recommend it. ::smile::-C

Anonymous said...

I would love to recommend this book to my church(I wish people were more open about books like me); I can probably find some.

I will definitely pray for you that you will be granted understanding and perfect health for you and your son.

One of my questions was actually this: the Arkhai were synonymous with demons? I liked and loved everything about your book...written very well. Also, I enjoy the fact that there was a black woman protagonist/or main character if you will. it did my heart good. Did you come into contact with "religious" people who questioned the sensual scenes? I liked those parts too.

Carole McDonnell said...

Ah, woman! I could tell you stories!!!!! (Except I'm trying to be all mature and remember that the internet is a public forum and I am now a published author.)

If you do some googling for "wind follower" you'll see some reviews. Most Christians liked it. A few had real problems with the sex scenes although I told them that the sex was in no way good sex. After all, they were all temptations...and even the sex scene between Loic and Satha showed that he was a teenager who couldn't even give her that one day. He had to have it immediately, and then he almost divorced her on a technicality.

Most Christians got it, though. So far I have had one person who found it boring and heavy-handed. And two who hated it so much they "couldn't get through it." Aaargh. The Lord had told me not to google reviews of wind follower anymore and did I listen? Nooooo, I went looking for myself like a fame-addict and saw the nasty review. It was so hard returning to my current novel after that little incident. No confidence at all in what I was writing.

Yep, the arkahi are the demons. I really felt God saying that that Wind Follower was made for Christians who are in places like China, India, Latin America, Jamaica, and (giggle) New Orleans. Places where all sorts of spiritualism and demon worship intertwine in Christianity. It's definitely a pentecostal book.

It's also a book about culture and multicultualism and trying to accept the religion of a people who are oppressing you: the white man's religion. Some folks have found it hard to read. Strangely, my hispanic friends found it easy to read. I suspect because they have had to understand American culture by being suddenly immersed in it. And with Wind Follower, the reader is pretty much thrown into the story (and a different culture) and they have to get their bearings.

Some folks totally understand the book -- and weirdly they include a couple pentecostal latino friends, a new age-islamic Buddhist, a totally nihilistic teenaged kid.

But those who have hated it are often folks who hate Christianity, hate the depiction of sex in novels, or who are so addicted to books that don't talk about the spiritual growth of a character. Thanks for liking it. I am SURE some of your Christian sisters in Christ will NOT want to read it. -C

Carole McDonnell said...

Yes!!!! Thank you for the prayers. Was so involved in talking about my fame that I totally forgot to thank you for the offer. Mucho agradacerte. -C

Anonymous said...

No prob, Carole. I, for one, am addicted to books-but I always ask the question: What did I glean from this? what in this book is life changing, or what information is in there that is true/false?

Fortunately in Windfollower I took a few things from it:1)Encouragement b/c for a black woman with a Christian background I am often troubled by what I write(short storiews) and my faith: Christ2)I kind of got that "new Orleans feel from it-the marketplace filled with demons that Loic can see, I have felt things and unfortunately have seen some pretty weird things too, this book had spiritual nuggets in it3)its multicultural and I loved that about it. I fell in love with Loic...him and his crooked teeth.

I saw the sex scenes between Loic and Satha(I think there was one) as beautiful and used to further enhance the story, but I love a good sensual scene does that make me bad?:( Christians have feelings and sensuality too! Thanks for the response and the reason I go by anonymous is because I have no Google site/blog as of yet. But will soon.

Carole McDonnell said...

Ah!!!! Anon, you're a woman after my heart. I looooove guys with crooked teeth.

Yes, I love multiculturalism. Many black folks write African-American stories but I prefer populating my worlds with all sorts of cultures.

Most of Wind Follower is really based in anthropology and in the spiritual beliefs of folks in the Americas and in Asia or other first people's folklore. Like...for instance...Jamaicans and Hispanics and italians all think a dead relative will come to them in a dream. I once saw a Haitian who was a Christian falling apart on a courtroom stand because he had given his son's organ to someone and now he felt his son would be a zombie. Christian or not, that element was there in his spirituality.

I love sensuality. Right now I am sooo in love with Nahas, the hero of my present WIP. He is sooo good...and soo sexy. I think he looks like Chris Isaak. My present crush.

Anonymous said...

I began reading mainly "White/or written by white authors" books: V.C. Andrews, Christopher Pike, "other novels. In high school and beyond I read mainly African American novels because it was new and fascinating to me and it resonated with me. The language, situations, etc.

I don't know when it happened but I began writing my stories and they ended up being multicultural without my knowledge! It was flavorful too.

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