Faith of Our Mothers ~ Theresa Bonney

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

Photo of Linda and Theresa Bonney at Pleasure Island Park This is the only photo I could find of me and my mother when I was a kid. Like me, Ma usually was the one behind the camera, snapping shots of Dad, my sister, and me on our family jaunts to small theme parks in Maine and New Hampshire. This one was taken at pirate-themed Pleasure Island. I was ten years old.

Ma didn’t know it at the time, but back then I didn’t believe in God. I went to Mass and confession and attended eight years of parochial school, but I had no real conviction that God was anything more than a mass delusion, wishful thinking.

But Ma had enough conviction for both of us, with plenty to spare. When I went off to college, she gifted me a subscription to Guideposts magazine, which she has faithfully renewed every year since. And prayers! I joke about how many rosaries she’s ground into fine powder, praying for me and my kids.

If you’ve looked around this website or read much of my writing, you know that God finally got my attention. Now I write for him. Ma is my biggest fan, cheering each accomplishment and commiserating with my struggles. You could say that’s her part of my ministry—a very important part. And yes, the beads are still clicking on my behalf!

Thanks, Ma. And Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,
Linda

Edit: My beloved Ma passed away less than a year after this post was published. I still hear her rosary beads clicking. ♥

The Sacrifice Support Group Goes Paperback

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

12/2/2013: Please note that some publication information in this article is obsolete. See the post dated December 1, 2013, for current titles, contents, and links. – Linda

Home at last! After a six-week sojourn in a house without high-speed Internet service, I finally can post the latest news.

Today The Sacrifice Support Group: Lenten Drama and Discussion made its début in an 8”x10” paperback edition. This large format makes reproducing pages easy and economical. A church or small group can buy a single book and give photocopies of the dramatic comedy script to the cast and photocopies of the handouts to the discussion participants. A bargain, right?

A month after Easter may seem like an odd time to launch a Lent-themed book, but I wanted to experience print-on-demand (POD) publishing firsthand before teaching a couple of related workshops at Montrose Christian Writers Conference in July. I had published the Kindle edition of The Sacrifice Support Group in February, so that material was a handy choice for my first POD venture.

I’m a do-it-yourself kind of gal, so I designed the book cover and interior pages myself and uploaded the files to CreateSpace, Amazon’s POD division. The only up-front expenses were ten dollars for an ISBN (a book’s unique identifying number) registered in my own name as publisher and about seven dollars to have a proof copy of the finished book mailed to me.

Of course, the do-it-yourself method costs time, if not money. I had to adapt the ebook cover to the print edition’s dimensions and add a back cover displaying the requisite back cover stuff. CreateSpace furnished a Microsoft Word template for the interior layout, which needed a lot of customization for this project. Luckily, I found online resources that explained display and text fonts, page numbers, running heads, and other print book elements that I hadn’t had to contend with when formatting ebooks. The most helpful site was Joel Friedlander’s www.TheBookDesigner.com, a mother lode of book design instruction and all sorts of advice for indie authors.

This afternoon I clicked the final button. Voilà! The Sacrifice Support Group instantly went on sale in the CreateSpace online store. Individual books will be printed when they are purchased—in other words, printed on demand. Within a few days Amazon.com and other online book retailers should list it, too.

In spite of the time spent and the steep learning curve, I had fun building a POD paperback. I hope that the finished product reflects my desire to place helpful content into a polished, functional, affordable book.

The Uphill Road ~ Faith Song for Holy Week

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

For your Holy Week devotions, today I share The Uphill Road, one of the twenty-four hymns and faith songs in my Songs for the Lord collection. The Uphill Road is a solemn hymn about the challenge and ultimate victory of carrying the cross. The first five verses focus on Jesus Christ’s walk to Calvary, the last five on our human experience. If ten verses seem long and arduous, well, that’s the whole idea. A melody will ease the journey, though. Click the title here to listen while you read (or sing!) the lyrics: The Uphill Road

(The chords make this file too large to repeat the verses. If you’d like to hear the melody repeated ten times without interruption, you can play the no-chord file on my Audio page.)

The Uphill Road

1. Lord, you took upon your back the heavy cross of Calvary,
fully understanding where that rugged path was going to lead,
and in meek submission to your holy Father’s sovereign will,
resolutely dragged your cross along the road that wound uphill.

2. Roughly jostled by a mob who pelted stones and loudly jeered,
stumbling over ruts and rocks that at every turn appeared,
underneath the shifting weight of the unwieldy load you held,
Lord, you fixed your eyes upon the final goal that lay ahead.

3. Weakened by the painful trials that had brought you to the cross,
you were worn out from the strain and fainting from the blood you’d lost.
In a fragile human body you had come to earth to dwell,
but that body’s finite store of strength ran out, and down you fell.

4. Hands of pity touched your face to wipe the blood and sweat away.
Other hands reached out to haul you up and shove you on your way.
Minutes must have crawled like hours as you tried to keep the pace
to the spot they called Golgotha, to your execution place.

5. At the summit, you were nailed upon a cross of seeming shame,
but surrendering to death, you glorified your Father’s name.
By your suffering and dying, scripture’s promise was fulfilled.
Now you beckon me to walk that rugged road that winds uphill.

6. Lord, I took upon my back a heavy cross to follow you,
little understanding what that rugged path would lead me to.
In reluctant resignation to our holy Father’s will,
now I slowly drag my cross along the road that winds uphill.

7. I’m discouraged by the jeers of those I thought to be my friends,
and I stumble on desire to follow selfish, worldly ends.
It’s so hard to keep my balance underneath this weighty load.
I must fix my wandering eyes upon the One who chose this road.

8. Weakened by the painful trials that had brought me to the cross,
I am worn out from the strain and trying not to count the cost.
Lord, you know I’m only human, so it’s no surprise at all
when my burden proves too much for my own strength, and down I fall.

9. Hands of pity touch my face to wipe my weary tears away.
Other hands reach out to lift me up and help me on my way.
Still, the minutes crawl like hours, but I can’t speed up my pace,
just one foot before the other, toward some God-appointed place.

10. Lord, the path you’ve mapped for me may lead to loneliness and shame,
but if carrying this cross will serve to glorify your name,
I will bear it, in your footsteps, till your promise is fulfilled
of salvation at the summit of the road that winds uphill.

~ Linda Bonney Olin

For the account of Jesus Christ’s road to crucifixion, read John 19:1–30. (Read it on BibleGateway.com)

I’m in an Internet-challenged part of the world these days, so I may be slow to approve and reply to comments, but I’ll be able to read them on my email. Please leave your thoughts about this song if you enjoyed it. That will help me along my journey, which is a bit rocky at the moment.

Easter blessings to all,
Linda

Linda

Designing a New E-Book Cover

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

Book cover - Songs for the Lord by Linda Bonney Olin Songs for the Lord marked its first anniversary as an e-book last month. A whole year! Hard to believe, right? I celebrated by giving the book this new cover image.

Let’s face it. People do judge a book by its cover. The cost of hiring a professional book designer is money well spent. But what about ministry-minded (or just plain broke) writers like me who self-publish on a small budget (a zero budget, in my case)? We, too, want our book covers to look attractive and communicate information about the book’s style and contents. After all, a cover that fails to grab the attention of its target audience or makes a negative impression on them doesn’t help put the book into their hands.

Aside from my investment in a digital point-and-shoot camera (several years ago) and modest photo-editing software, this cover fit perfectly into the budget I mentioned. Want to know how I did it?

Continue reading →

Try a Sacrifice Support Group for Lent

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

Just when it hits you how miserably you’ve failed on your New Year’s resolutions, along comes Ash Wednesday, kicking off another round of self-denial.

That’s the object of “giving it up for Lent,” right? Growing holier through suffering. A little bit, of course, not too much. Maybe promise to knock off the sweets until Easter.

That prospect doesn’t exactly invigorate your spirit? How about a new approach to the old custom of Lenten sacrifice? Maybe put a little more GIVE in “giving it up”?

Continue reading →

Footprints on Our Lives

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

Photo of a red rose Yesterday family and friends celebrated the life of Clara Euker, who went home to the Lord at age 95. Naturally, this woman who walked the earth for nearly a century left many wonderful memories.

I knew Clara primarily from church. She laughed along with my son and his puppet pal, raved about my daughter’s singing (Clara loved music!), and patted me on the back when I conducted a worship service. Praise and encouragement for an effort made—even if not a hundred percent successful—flowed from her freely.

But I consider Clara a kindred spirit because of a rather different quality. She knew what to take seriously and what not to. Her faith in the Lord was strong but not blind. She examined everything with intelligent, critical eyes and challenged whatever didn’t sit just right. The pastor, the church administrative board, even the Lord God himself did not escape her questioning. I wouldn’t be surprised to find her grilling one of the scripture writers at this very moment!

All who knew Clara Euker bear the imprint of her loving heart, truth-seeking mind, and heaven-bound soul. Looking around at the loved ones gathered for her memorial service, I could imagine her farewell words sounding much like this …

May my footprints on your heart be deep and lasting

and remembrance of my presence never fade.

May your heart be ever warmed

by the bond of love we formed

and comforted by memories we’ve made.

I’ve left my footprints on your life.

They remain, though I must go.

Look inside yourself and know,

I’ve left my footprints on your life.

May my footprints on your mind always inspire

you to search for what is right and what is true.

As you meet life’s twists and turns,

may the echo of my words

encourage you and guide you safely through.

I’ve left my footprints on your life.

They remain, though I must go.

Look inside yourself and know,

I’ve left my footprints on your life.

May my footprints on your soul lead you to heaven,

like a treasure map that I have left behind

in the hope one day you’ll be

with our Father God and me,

together once again and for all time.

I’ve left my footprints on your life.

They remain, though I must go.

Look inside yourself and know,

I’ve left my footprints on your life.

My Footprints on Your Life — Linda Bonney Olin

If you love music as much as Clara did, you might enjoy listening to the melody as you read the words. Click here.

This song is one of twenty-four in my Songs for the Lord collection. The Kindle version (which can be read on computers and other devices, not just Kindles) can be downloaded on Amazon. And it’s FREE through February 6, 2013. Clara would like that!

Just a Chalk Outline on the Ground: Iain Edward Henn Interview

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

Thriller author Iain Edward Henn

Author Iain Edward Henn lives in Sydney, Australia, halfway around the globe from me. We “met” in the Suspense/Thriller Writers Facebook group, where I was impressed by his low-key humor and thoughtful, positive attitude.

As part of The Next Big Thing blog-hop, Iain answered 10 questions about his novel-in-progress. You can read those on his blog Take It As Read.

But I, of course, had more nosey questions to ask him …

Iain, I read your first two thriller novels, The Delta Chain and Disappear. Good stuff. How would you describe them?

Disappear concerns a man missing 18 years, who turns up as an accident victim in the same place he was last seen, his body still the same age as it was almost 2 decades earlier.

The Delta Chain is about young drowning victims, whose identities cannot be traced – who were they?

Without spoiling any surprises for those who haven’t read them yet, I’ll just say that both books incorporate elements of research science. Is that going to be the “brand” or hallmark of Iain Edward Henn novels?

No, I am interested in all aspects of the mystery/suspense genre. Science, forensics and high-tech may resurface from time to time.

Growing up in the 60’s I loved thrillers set just slightly ahead in time that envisaged future gadgetry and scientific developments. Forty years later I’m living in a world where many of those far-out concepts exist and are taken for granted in our day to day lives – cell phones, the internet, space stations, DNA. I’ve followed and researched scientific developments through the years.

Do you think it’s harder to write a convincing thriller or mystery nowadays? I mean, it’s a pretty short novel if the good guys can track down a crook in three pages, using the Internet and all that scientific technology.

Continue reading →

Taking It to the Streets ~ Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

Michelle Sweeney

When I interviewed social activist Ruth Jacobs here on Faith Songs in November, I joked about a nice church lady like me blogging about prostitution. Well, today Ruth clued me in to a nice church lady in Coventry, England, who’s really taking it to the streets – her faith, that is.

Michelle Sweeney says, “I was listening to a late night radio show one night in November 2011. As I listened, I quickly found out that not only did human trafficking happen in our world today but that it happened in the city I lived in. That was it, in that moment, I was convicted that I should be doing something about this.”

But what to do?

Michelle’s research led her to a church-sponsored mission project, which helps young girls, women, and boys exploited by sex trafficking in her local area. With her church, she also does weekly outreach work with a charity named Embrace. “We drive around the local red light area. We offer the women hot and cold drinks, hygiene bags, food, and also condoms. And we offer friendship. We listen to them, we talk with them and we try to help them with their practical issues. Embrace also offers spiritual support for the women, so if they ask for it, we would pray with them.”

To read more about Michelle Sweeney’s many and varied activities on behalf of victims of human trafficking, and about what drives her to serve them, read her full interview on In the Booth with Ruth.

William Eberle

Human trafficking and sexual exploitation aren’t issues that concern only women or only European communities. American William Eberle advocates for trafficking victims here in the USA. What motivates him?

“Too often these people find themselves with little to no hope for bettering their situation. I remember a time when I had lost hope and it was through the caring of friends and family as well as my faith in God that I found hope again. I believe that God will use my efforts to help people, I don’t need to understand how that happens, but it is my faith that says that it will happen.”

Read more about William Eberle’s fight against trafficking, and how you can get involved, in this interview In the Booth with Ruth.

Kimberly Benson

And if you feel unmoved to help victims of sex trafficking because you aren’t too sure the “victims” really are victims, or you doubt slavery could happen in this day and age in your home town, please pay close attention to Kimberly Benson’s reason for becoming an anti-trafficking activist:

“My passion stems from being a victim once myself. When I was 18, I thought I knew it all – enough to keep me from trouble, but didn’t know that trouble would come looking for me. I left home to live on my own. After having been in several negative and abusive relationships, I was all alone. A young lady and I became friends. She was the best, was always there, encouraged me, bought me clothes, took me to get my hair and nails done. We were great friends.”

Until her “great friend” left Kimberly at a house party to be drugged and raped, then tricked her into attending an “innocent, all-girl” party where she handed Kimberly over to a powerful man. For money. In a major American city.

Read the details, and how Kimberly has been working against trafficking since her own escape from enslavement, In the Booth with Ruth.

Angels Cried: A Sandy Hook Tribute

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Linda Bonney Olin

Cover of Angels Cried anthology by Indies in Action Today’s mail brought my paperback copy of Angels Cried, a new anthology dedicated to the memory of those lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, and to their survivors. Proceeds are going to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund, which is managed by the United Way.

The book is a collaborative effort of Indies in Action, a Facebook group of writers and artists, thirty-nine of whom donated work to the project. Poems, short stories, bits of memoir, and drawings fill over 150 pages. Some pieces reflect directly on the Sandy Hook tragedy. Others, like my poem “Through Two Unblackened Eyes,” express the awfulness of violence and fear intruding where security should be a given. Still others are sweet homages to childhood.

Stephen L. Wilson masterminded the book’s production, completing the ebook version within two weeks of the tragedy. The paperback version quickly followed. It is available through several outlets, but it’s my understanding that purchases made directly from CreateSpace yield the best percentage of the purchase price to the charity fund.

Now, I won’t add to the hoo-hah about gun control or funding for mental health treatment. I won’t sermonize about God calling the little ones home.

I just want to express how very, very sad I am for all those whose loved ones were wrenched away.

When my mother lost her favorite sister, she was distraught because she no longer had her dearest friend to talk to. I tried to console Ma with the fact that Aunt Annette was living in heaven, so we could still talk to her. Ma cried, “It’s not the same,” and wept even harder.

Ma was right. It’s not the same.

So, no platitudes from me about my faith in a happy forever home with the Lord. Just my heart weeping with the survivors. For them, it will never be the same.