Find hope in a broken world and discover captivating characters and unforgettable journeys through character-fueled fiction, book reviews, and inspirational posts.
David's Fiction and Inspirational Newsletter -- August 2026
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Hello, reading friends! What I'm Meditating On: Belonging4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, —Psalm 68:4-6 King David may have written Psalm 68 early in his reign—after defeating his enemies and bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He had spent years as a fugitive from King Saul, living under the constant threat of death. Yet God had preserved him and ultimately gave him the kingship, just as He had promised. In this psalm, David celebrates God's power and faithfulness in establishing His people in their home—the Promised Land. David was no orphan, yet he must have known the loneliness of those years on the run. Even surrounded by loyal warriors, he spent many nights without a home of his own, never knowing when he might have to flee again. He knew something of what it meant to be displaced, vulnerable, and without a place to belong. Psalm 68:6 says, "God sets the lonely in families." In its immediate context, the verse speaks of God's care for His people, Israel. But it also reflects a recurring truth throughout Scripture: God cares deeply about those who are alone, forgotten, and without a place to call home. All of us have a longing, a desire to belong. We search for a place where we can be fully known and still fully loved—home. Yet love's deepest fulfillment is found in the God who welcomes us into His eternal family and home. What I'm Working OnA Home For Rodney: A Short StoryI received feedback from my editor and I've begun laying out the story for distribution. It's the story of a young boy's journey through foster care: Will Rodney allow himself to trust another family—and will this family finally keep him. Eight-year-old Rodney has been through enough to know that adults come and go—and that hoping too hard only makes the hurt worse. When he's about to be placed in yet another foster home, Rodney wants love more than anything, but his past won't let him reach for it. Torn between the family he desperately needs and the mother he refuses to forget, Rodney must find the courage to open a door he's terrified to walk through. Here's the book cover. Magazine Article: Stay In Your LaneI've finished the article and preparing to send it to potential magazines for publication. In a nut shell: To reach your destination, you have to follow the rules of the road—or risk getting stopped. Stay In Your Lane is based on Colossians 2:6. It encourages readers to remain rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, rather than take an off ramp that leads them away from their loving, Father God. What I’m ReadingAs a member of Jerry Jenkin's course, Your Novel Blueprint, I received an advance copy (pre-publication version) of his upcoming novel, The Battle For Heaven And Earth, co-written with Mark M. Yarbrough, the sixth president of Dallas Theological Seminary and a professor in the Bible Exposition department. The Novel will be published on November 3, 2026 by Thomas Nelson Fiction. It is available for pre-order at: Amazon (I'm not sure if this is only the link for Amazon Philippines) Here is the Thomas Nelson description: In the beginning–before Earth, before humanity, before sin–there was Heaven. And it was perfect.
This is the story of creation as you’ve never imagined it.
Once united in worship and purpose, the angelic realm is shaken when Lucifer–the most beautiful and exalted of all–questions the authority of God Himself. What begins as subtle pride soon ignites into open rebellion.
As loyalties fracture and one-third of Heaven’s hosts defect, Michael the Archangel is thrust into a role he never imagined: commander of God’s army in a war that was never supposed to erupt. Friendship turns to enmity. Worship becomes warfare. And Heaven itself becomes a battlefield.
From the first spark of dissonance to the thunder of celestial combat, this sweeping epic explores the origin of evil and the agonizing cost of free will. With vivid imagination rooted in deep biblical truth, witness darkness rising against the very throne of God . . . and the divine plan that refuses to be undone, one that stretches from the creation of a new world to a garden paradise, and a fall that echoes through all of human history.
This is not just the story of a rebellion.
It is the story of why it mattered.
And why it still does.
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. For PrayerIf you pray, please join me in the following:
Contact Me I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: broks.d.h@gmail.com (just one "o" instead of two). David Harlen Brooks Previous PostsJesus 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.
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...
Hello, reading friends! For my American friends, I hope you had a fantastic Fourth of July. Here in the Philippines, July 4 is celebrated as Philippine-American Friendship Day. It was once observed as Philippine Independence Day, commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Manila, which granted the Philippines its independence from the United States in 1946. Today, Philippine Independence Day is celebrated on June 12, marking the country's independence from Spain in 1898. Later that same year,...
Ezra: Depending on the Gracious Hand of God I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” —Ezra 8:22 When my wife and I were building our house (with dedicated space for a children's ministry), we expected the construction to happen in two phases. We didn’t have enough money, without touching our...