Find hope in a broken world and discover captivating characters and unforgettable journeys through character-fueled fiction, book reviews, and inspirational posts.
David Harlen Brooks: On Writing & Life — Waiting on God with trust and confidence
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Hello, reading friends! For those who missed the explanation of the revamp last month of my newsletter, things remain mostly the same. Just a new name that clarifies what you are receiving—from David's Fiction and Inspirational Newsletter to David Harlen Brooks: On Writing & Life: What I'm writing, reading, and learning along the way. I hope you find words that give your day meaning. What I'm Meditating On: Waiting on God with trust and confidence"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands." — Psalm 138:8 There are days and years that don’t go as I wish. Conflict. Roadblocks. Inertia. Joseph from the Book of Genesis could relate. Jealous brothers sold him into slavery. An Egyptian official’s wife accused him of attempted rape, sending him to prison. And a cupbearer to Pharaoh forgot Joseph’s favorable dream interpretation. While the cupbearer got out scot-free, Joseph rotted in prison for another two years. All of this occurred between the ages of 17 and 30. God’s plan to elevate him to second in command of ancient Egypt took time. However, God never forgot Joseph. God and others saw his integrity and how he approached his tasks with excellence, despite challenging circumstances. What built Joseph’s character? Did he recall the stories of his great-grandfather, Abraham, and father, Jacob? Were stories of Abraham’s faith and failures as well as those of Jacob’s attempts to get ahead, imprinted on his mind? Yet, Joseph looked back over his servitude and said to his brothers, “You intended it for harm, but God intended it for good.” Joseph learned to leave things in God’s hands. Returning to Psalm 138:8, the psalmist’s use of “The Lord” points to God’s sovereignty. As sovereign, God has control over our circumstances. I wrote a note to myself several years ago, “I am not an independent agent, I can’t go toe to toe with God. I exist for His purpose. I am His servant.” Despite troubles, the psalmist says, The Lord will fulfill His purpose for us because His love is steadfast. What does steadfast love look like? It’s solid as a rock, immovable. It will not evaporate, dissolve, or be swept away. It cannot be worn down by the winds of time. It never runs down like a wind-up clock. It never weakens, decays, or dissipates like radioactive isotopes. His love never expires. He sees us. We are the work of His hands. He knit us together in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13,14). Take heart! His love endures forever! What I'm Working On:Coming Soon: A Home for RodneyI'm making updates on the covers of some of my previous short stories, which involves formatting and download links. These will appear in the back pages of A Home For Rodney, so the release will be delayed a bit further. In A Home For Rodney, Rodney must learn to trust adults who will not abandon him. Similarly, we learn to trust God as he proves himself faithful—again and again. Latest Release: Behold, All Things Are Become New—A Short StoryWhen his abusive father appears uninvited on his wedding day, a groom must choose between forgiveness and the bitterness that could poison his marriage. The story explores themes of generational wounding, forgiveness, and inner healing. If you haven’t already, you can download the story here. Discussion questions are now included. What I'm Reading:A Life InterceptedCharles Martin is one of my favorite writers. He is a New York Times bestselling author of 16 previous novels, including his most recent, The Record Keeper. His work is available in 35+ languages. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their three sons. Here's a description of A Life Intercepted from Amazon. Twelve years ago Matthew "the Rocket" Rising had it all. Married to his high school sweetheart and one of the winningest quarterbacks in the history of college football, he was the number one NFL draft pick. But on the night of the draft, he plummeted from the pinnacle of esteem. Falsely accused of a heinous crime with irrefutable evidence, it seemed in an instant all was lost -- his reputation, his career, his freedom, and most devastatingly, the love of his life. Having served his sentence and never played a down of professional football, Matthew leaves prison with one goal -- to find his wife, Audrey, whom no one has seen since the trial. He returns to an unwelcoming reception from his Gardi, Georgia, hometown to learn that Audrey has taken shelter from the media with the nuns at a Catholic school. There she has discovered a young man with the talent to achieve the football career Matthew should have had. All he needs is the right coach. Although helping the boy means Matthew violates the conditions of his release and -- if discovered -- reincarceration for life, he'll take the chance with hope of winning back Audrey's love. That's it for now. Thank you for a moment of your time. David Harlen Brooks Contact MeI'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: broks.d.h@gmail.com (just one "o" instead of two). Previous PostsPulling up the Roots of Bitterness—Practical steps toward forgiveness and the freedom it brings. Jesus Our Example: Forgiveness in the Midst of Pain—By forgiving others, Christians not only obey a command, but act in a way that reflects Jesus. God Forgives Us—And That Changes Everything—God's forgiveness is complete and transforming, moving us to forgive others. The Light of God—How God’s light, first spoken into a dark world, still brings clarity, hope, and transformation today through Christ. Out of the Mire—Psalm 40:1-3 reflects David’s trust in God deliverance and inspires others to recognize His glory. Mary Vs. The Taylor Swifts—You don't have to be famous to make an impact. God chooses faithful and available people. Goals: Hits and Misses in 2024—Two stories finished, one that didn't cross the finish line. AI Takes on My Writing and My Top 3 Movies Trust Your Heavenly Father—What I Learned About Trust in PE Class. Clay Pots—Common with Uncommon Results—God's surprising advertising strategy. |
Hi! I'm David Harlen Brooks
Find hope in a broken world and discover captivating characters and unforgettable journeys through character-fueled fiction, book reviews, and inspirational posts.
Hello, reading friends! I'm revamping my newsletter but not in a terribly big way. Instead of David's Fiction and Inspirational Newsletter, it will be called David Harlen Brooks: On Writing & Life: What I'm writing, reading, and learning along the way. Some issues will emphasize what I'm writing and reading. Some will emphasize what I'm learning. Some may include both. I hope these words give you something meaningful to think about. What I'm Meditating On: Trust “Those who know your name...
Home/Belongingness Hello, reading friends! What I'm Meditating On: Belonging 4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. —Psalm 68:4-6 King David may have written Psalm 68 early in his reign—after defeating his enemies...
Pulling Up the Roots of Bitterness NOTE: This is the concluding post to the series on forgiveness (see previous posts below). See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. — Hebrews 12:15 My wife is the gardener in the family, though I sometimes help. We clear a space, dig a hole, enrich the soil, plant the seeds, and water them. The reward for our labor comes when a tiny shoot pushes through the earth—as long as it's...