Giving!

I love giving. It's such an amazing gift to humanity. A picture of God's generous heart.

Nothing is gained by being stingy, clinging to our hearts, our money, our "stuff."

Yea, I like my stuff. I like things. But I've found such a freedom and joy in giving.

Especially giving of words. Encouraging others, praising others, esteeming others higher than myself. (A work still in progress.)

So, as we go into fall, approaching the busy season of school, holidays, Christmas, I want to encourage giving.

I've got 3 copies of Dining with Joy to give away. And two audios of The Sweet By and By!

Leave a comment telling me some "giving" you plan to do or have recently done. I'll draw a winner next week!

Happy giving!

More than a 1000 Words

If I could write the emotion this picture displays... Dog mourns the death of his master, Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson, was one of 30 Americans killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 6 when a rocket-propelled grenade took out a U.S. Chinook helicopter.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice Jon, and to your family and dog too. God is the God of ALL comfort.

United we stand, divided we fall.

Which God?

Words from my hubby:

In my last blog I discussed proof of God in general. I did not specify any God in particular. So once you’ve established the existence of God, how do you go about choosing among the many gods available? Can God even be known? The short answer is, “only if He wants to be known."

Consider that any Deity capable of creating the universe can certainly hide from us if He wants.

We can “search for God” diligently, but if He doesn’t want to be found, there is no finding him. My recommendation is that you scratch off your list any religion claiming to have found the way to God. If God can only be known if He wants to be, it makes more sense to look for where God has revealed Himself to man.

Take Jesus for example. He claimed to be God come to earth, backed it up with convincing Godlike character and miracles, even had men write down things about His life ahead of time so we’d know it was Him.

Then He correctly identified that there was no way for us to reach God, explained how God would make a way from His end, and demonstrated unearthly love by suffering to become that way.

Finally, rising from the dead and ascending into heaven visibly...no other religious figure even comes close to the Incomparable One. I guess the choice isn’t that difficult after all.

***

Rachel here: I love this. Yes, some claim there are many gods and they must be known by their character. I heard a Muslim man quoted as saying America is Muslim because we have "In God We Trust" on our money. Allah, in his definition, is God.

For a moment, I pondered. "Okay, Allah is God. In Spanish God is called Dios. In Arabic or Islam, God is called Allah."

But it didn't sit right with me. Jehovah God we meet in the Old Testament is plural. He's the Father, the Spirit. The Son. The God we meet in the New Testament is clearly plural.

Allah, in Islam, is one. In fact, around their temple in Jerusalem the stone is inscribed with, "God is one. He has no son."

So Allah is not the "In God We Trust" on our money because American's founders believed in the triune God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They believe in the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

It's important to know what we believe and why. God is willing and able to reveal Himself to all who ask.

Ask.

I Used To Take A Lot of Pictures

I used to take pictures. Back in the day when we used film and had to wait a week for a roll to be developed.

I started out with in junior high with an Instamatic camera. My grandfather and my great uncle were great photographers.

Then I graduated to a Canon SLR. Finally to a Nikon with a bunch of fancy lenses. In fact, my final quarter at Ohio State sealing up my journalism degree wasn't writing a ground breaking story, but taking pictures. The Lantern advisor gave me an A-. Not a common grade from him. He gave me a C when I was on the copy desk. (snort!)

Sidebar: The Lantern advisor used to collect bad headlines and cutlines to use in class. "Here's what NOT to do."

Well... Winter Quarter of '85 I was a copy editor on the paper. One night the Editor handed me a photo. "Write a cutline for this." He explained what was going on in the photo ending with, "Write Pope releases pigeons of peace or something like that..."

So, it was late. I was ready to go home. And I wrote, "Pope Releases Pigeons of Peace." End of story.

But two quarters later when I'm a photographer on the paper for the summer, our newspaper advisor popped that baby up on the slide saying, "Pope releases doves of peace, not pigeons."

It was hard not to laugh out loud. I leaned to my friend and whispered, "I wrote that!" Oh man, she nearly spewed.

We laughed a lot that summer.

AND, now this is really weird. Seven years later I go to Israel with a team of people from around the world. There was this zany and fun Australian woman who kept us all entertained. One day we were at the Wailing Wall and she said, "Look at the pigeons of peace."

I told my roommates my own pigeon story and tied it with Barbara's and we laughed so hard we couldn't breathe. I must say I felt justified about my cutline! I KNEW they were pigeons of peace!

End sidebar

Taking pictures was synonymous with writing. I wrote and snapped photos. But I have photo albums I never pull out. I go to my old diaries more.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped taking pictures. Maybe it's because I ceased to be photogenic. I had a picture of me on a shelf at one of my "pre married" apartments. A friend came over and said, "Who is that?" Emphasis on "who" and more emphasis on "that." I wasn't at all insulted he didn't recognize me. Or that he looked kind of like "Really?" when I told him it was me. Jaw dropping astonishment is always a compliment, right ladies?

Maybe I stopped taking pictures because I stopped putting the photos in albums. I traveled a lot in the first years of my corporate job. I took a lot of pictures. I have a lot of photos in albums. Even more in boxes. Please, no scrap booking recommendations. I've seen that chore. Ain't happening.

I have an iPhone. The "new" Instamatic. I can take pictures anytime. Hubby and I just had three series of house guests. I took not one picture. What's up with that? I thought I should snap one or two. But I never did.

I've made the case to my hubby that I need a new digital SLR. The kind that cost hundreds of dollars. But I'm starting to wonder if I can justify the cost. Anyone have a camera I can buy cheap just to see?

Maybe I don't take pictures any more because I don't like the quality of pictures I get on my "instamatic." Just point and shoot.

I like pictures. They say a thousand words. I love old pictures of my family. But I'm just out of the picture taking mode. I'm less sentimental than I used to be. Could that be part of the reason?

But writing... Oh, such a different story. That expression never left my fascination. It's changed. I don't keep private diaries any longer. I have a book for prayers, dreams, insight from Scripture, but not, "Dear Diary, today I went shopping and...."

I blog. That's what y'all get to read. (Ooo, shouts of joy!) But public blogging had it's limits. And aren't we glad? (snort!)

I used to take a lot of pictures. But now, I form the images in my heart with words. Inadequately. But pictures none the less.

What about you? Do you take pictures? Do you break out old photo albums? Talk to me...

The House is Quiet

It's been busy at the Hauck House. Fun. First Carrie, then Cassie and Sarah, dessert with friends two nights running, good news, sad news, life.

Pause. Before you read farther. I'm in a contemplative mood.

But I won't write what I feel because feelings are not truth. Not always. Having an intuitive nature, I've had to learn to tell the difference between what the Spirit is telling me and what my soul is sensing.

Yeah, the Spirit always wins. Better to listen to Him than me.

I'm pretty okay, more than okay about not having had children. Peace and grace abound. But as I checked family Facebook pages and saw the kid pictures and back to school shout outs, I "felt" it a little bit.

No children. A very permanent state. Nothing to change it.

So, I went to my comfort. He said, "But you can hang out with Me all day. And write."

I wish my human heart could grasp the reality of the living Lord inviting me to hang out with Him all day. To be a place where He can rest. Share His heart as He chooses.

But it's not about busyness, is it? Children or not, we are to be His resting place. Jesus didn't scold Martha for being busy, for not sitting at His feet, He scolded her for being worried, fretting, accusing her sister. Complaining.

It's not externals He's after. It's the internal. The place of belief and rest. Faith.

It has to be enough to sit on the back row with Him and watch the world, resting, being, not letting my heart growing weary or hard.

I love this: Acts 13:52 "... and the disciples were continually filled with joy and the Holy Spirit."

Am I? Are you? JOY! It's the word of the year. The decade. The Lord's joy is my strength.

What's next? I don't know? I have no expectations except He is good. He is faithful.

Hey, what's the line between living a life of a bond-servant, seeking the Lord for direction yet moving forward, doing what we think is right? Taking a leap of faith? Some are praying, waiting and never moving. They feel let down.

Others move forward and succeed.

What's the balance? How do gifting and calling weigh in?

Don't want to waste time, gifting or calling. Don't want to sit idly. Don't want to work in my own strength.

Faith.

"Here I am, Lord."

The House is Quiet.

Forsaken by Leanna Ellis

Hannah Schmidt,a young Amish woman mourning the mysterious death of her beloved Jacob, must decide between two brothers, between good and evil.

When she learns her first love isnow the vampire Akiva, she must forsake him and cling to a new love, a lastinglove, one that will save her soul.

Amish and vampires? Really? Yes, really. I’m asked a lot how this book came into being.

Forsaken actually began as a joke. I was at a book signing and another author and I made a joke about we should write an Amish/vampire story because those were the two genres that were selling so well.

Well, it really was a joke. I didn’t rush home and start writing the book. But I suppose some seed was planted in my warped little brain and took root. Soon a character was speaking to me abouther story and wanting me to write it. I resisted. But there was a very intriguing element that I couldn’t seem to ignore. To me, this was a Phantom ofthe Opera type story, with a love triangle, and a clear dividing line between good and evil.

So I wrote the prologue and first chapter. Then I set it aside because I was busy meeting other deadlines. Besides what was I to do with an Amish/vampire story? I mentioned it eventually to a couple of writer friends.They laughed but in a good way and encouraged me to write it.

Well, I wasn’t sosure although I was becoming obsessed with the story. I spent a lot of time inprayer over this book, because I don’t want to write something that God doesn’twant me to write. Also, I knew I’d have to leave the Christian market and sellit in the secular market. I wasn’t about to make that move without God’s clear direction. And he began to show me in more ways than one that this was the book He wanted me to write.

More than a year passed, and I was at a writer’s conference minding my own business and not pursuing this story at all. An editor said the perfect submission would be…you guessed it! An Amish/vampire story. So I made an appointment to meet that editor and just talk about the idea.

It almost felt like when an addict first admits she has a problem. I felt like I was teetering on the edge when I said, “I’m a writer and I’ve written an Amish/vampire story.” Well, she requested it. What I love about this story is that it shows the battle of good and evil.

Evil doesn’t always appear with pitchfork and horns. Quite often, evil is appealing and attractive and hooks usin before we realize what has happened. Such is the case with my heroine Hannah. She simply loved a boy. But she opens her heart and her mind too easily and the consequences could be devastating. Even though this story is published in the secular world, it has a powerful spiritual message, a message the world needs to hear.

Read more and an excerpt here.

Order the book from Amazon.

Note: I was with Leanna at the conference where she pitched the idea to an editor. It's fun to see the story come to fruition! Way to go,Le!

A word from my Hubby: Prove it! God does exist

It has been said, and generally accepted, that the existence of God cannot be proven. I disagree.

It is true that the existence of God cannot be scientifically proven. Since scientific proof requires observation, nothing unobserved can be scientifically proven. Of course, this means that no historical event predating photography can be reliably proven.

Yet we confidently teach thousands of years of history. For this we rely on historical proof, based upon a preponderance of evidence. Incidentally, no historical figure has stronger historical documentation than Jesus, and no historical book even comes close to the reliability of the Bible. But there is an even better proof.

A simple rational proof considers observation, evidence, and clear rules of logic to reach a conclusion through reason. This is the kind of proof lawyers rely on. Ironically, Christians are accused of abandoning reason for blind faith when the existence of a Creator God is the most reasonable conclusion, requiring the least faith. Here we go.

When you see chairs lined up in a row, you conclude someone put them in order. A skyscraper implies both a designer and builder. A painting must have an artist behind it. It would be unreasonable to think these things happen randomly.

Order, design, structure and beauty are proof of an orderer, designer, builder, creator. Even science teaches us that in the absence of intelligent direction, entropy rules. Consider that we have yet to design anything that approaches the order and complexity found in nature. The world screams “intelligent creator”. The proof is everywhere.

(Rom 1:19-20) "...because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse..."

Don't be without an excuse. KNOW what you believe.

Is She Your Daughter?

One of my girls from youth days is visiting. Carrie.

She's been off on her own for a while now. Last year went on a mission trip to 11 countries in 11 months. Graduated from FSU. Worked for the state.

We love having her here.

After a morning chat, then some work for me, we went for pedicures -- down to my "old neighborhood" because I miss my Publix, McDonalds and nail salon.

Carrie and I climbed into the pedicure chairs and the man who typically does my feet nodded toward Carrie, "Is that your daughter?"

I said, "Yes," without really thinking. I probably misunderstood him. I confess.

Carrie and I looked at each other, laughed and shrugged.

When I was checking out, the shop owner asked, "How old is she?"

I made a face. How old is who? I glanced at Carrie who had her toes stuck under the drying machine.

"She's um..." Me, squinting. I'm a great "mom." "Twenty-nine."

"Twenty-nine?!" Shock and dismay. "I thought she was fifteen or something."

Carrie beamed. I signed the debit receipt. Not a word about how I wasn't old enough to have a twenty-nine year old -- thank you very much! ;)

Carrie has yellow toe nails now. I told her she's walking on sunshine.

Going For A Run

I was going to blog. But I'm going for a run instead.

Seriously, my blogging gas tank is on empty. I have lots on my heart and mind to share but it's as if the Lord is asking me to be silent.

So, I will.

Far too often I speak too soon. I speak before the "idea" or the "revelation" is a life seed in my own heart. I go tossing out my treasures before they have a chance to shine.

Silence is a good thing. Really. Setting a guard over our mouth, godliness.

Off to run...

I Case You're Wondering, God IS Listening

I forget all the time that God is listening.

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and esteem His name." Malachi 3:16

Those who feared the Lord spoke to each other. And the Lord GAVE attention to them. Even more, He wrote it down in His memory book!

The Lord is near. He's watching. Listening. I know it feels and seems at times like God is far off, distant, not answering, but the scripture is clear, the Lord is near to those who call upon Him in truth.

Sure, we must be true believers. We must believe in Him. We must believe He's good, He's love and He's who He says He is. So work on that if you're struggling, but otherwise, pick up our faith, lift your head and KNOW God is drawing near to hear your conversations.

For me, lately, that means shutting my mouth. As I realized today God hears me, I was in awe of how stupid I can be with my words. Evil even. I'm a venter. I have to work out my emotions or disappointments by... talking.

But what exactly is that getting me? Nothing. Only the negative emotions in my heart coming out of my mouth with the life form of words, then boomeranging back into my heart and creating a vortex of bad seeds that dig deep. I can't let go of what's bothering me because I keep talking about it!

I was worshipping at the piano today, kind of giving this deal to God in song and I came up with a country lyric! I know! Shock and amaze. "What can I do, how can I let go, when letting go won't let go of me."

The answer is letting go to Jesus. Covering it in the blood of the Cross. The blood that stains is the blood that cleans.

This notion of God listening hit me today when I mused back over our recent move. In February or March, I said to Hubby, "Gee, I hope our best days in ministry aren't behind us. Like what happened in youth church in the '90s was it."

"Oh, please, I hope not," he said.

Truly, could our best days in ministry be behind us? We had a mini move of God in the '90s followed by some serious years with some serious worship and serious kids. It was awesome.

Was that all, God?

Then in March our friends announce they're heading back to Pixar. I loved their house so I whispered to God one Monday, "Lord, if there's anyway we could get that house, please do it."

I knew we couldn't afford it, but I knew God could.

On Thursday, four short days later, our friend calls. "Hey, let's talk house." I blogged about it already, so I won't rehash the details.

On Friday, Hubby and I went down to Ft. Pierce to hear a man we know share some things God was showing him. It was a small intimate setting. Even so, the man did not know we were coming. We knew him, barely, and hadn't seen him in many years.

At the end of his sharing he began speaking to Hubs, exhorting him in the Lord FROM the Lord. In the middle he said, "The best is not in the past."

Saturday night we met with our friends to talk about the house.

It's no accident to me that the house prayer and the "best is not in the past" exhortation were answered the same week. God even answered us with our very words.

"I'm listening!"

Beloved, we may go months or weeks, sadly years, without such a kiss from the Lord, but we must continue to press in to hear His voice. He's not far off. He's not distant. He's very near. He does hear.

"Be still," Isaiah writes, "and know that I'm God."

Summer is practically over! School Days Loom.

We're heading into the weekend. It's mid July. Summer is only a few weeks old but already Awesome and I are talking about school starting. He teaches high school math in the mornings and pastors in the afternoons.

Yesterday I rode my bike past a park and pee wee and junior football had started practice. I stopped to watch. I wanted to help coach.

We've been in our new place six weeks. It's lovely. Has a lot of character. I'm comfortable here. But it's not quite home yet. I drove home from lunch the other day... to my old house.

I was way south of my now-house, stopped at a light, my senses coming together as I subconsciously considered my route home. Something felt off. Like, I wouldn't be able to get into the house when I arrived. Then it hit me! I was going home the wrong way. I'd gone on auto pilot.

I have a new book proposal on the table. It's fab. I'm excited about it. But up next is a fourth book with Sara Evans. We've not talked concept yet, but should be fun when we finally get our heads together.

The Wedding Dress rewrite comes next week. I'm looking forward to digging back into that story and polishing it up. Look for it April 2012.

It's been a quiet summer -- other than moving. Other than developing a book proposal, it's been writing-quiet too. I needed it. The winter and spring were deadline focused including a massive rewrite, then I went straight into the move. Isn't God good? To give me time? He knew, He knew...

Being away from writing for two months now, I'm actually enjoying reading again!

But next week, things get busy. I have The Wedding Dress rewrite.

Friends will be in town next week. Then again the first of August. My brother and his family come in September, then I'm off to the ACFW Conference. In October I have a brainstorm weekend, followed by a trip to the North Shore to visit Susie Warren. And hopefully a visit from my mom.

And it's FOOTBALL season. I'll be on ESPN 360 most Saturdays. :) I'm looking forward to the holidays in my new neighborhood. I hear they do things up right.

I'm loving life. Full of God's grace and trusting Him even when I'm not sure what the future holds. Trusting Him when I have this huge expectation yet am not sure it will ever come to fruition. He holds my heart. I'm so glad He loves me!

What's up with your summer? How's it going?

He Blinded Me With Science

Great thoughts from my Awesome husband.

Stephen Hawking, renowned physicist, has recently declared that there is no God. Not surprising since science has been elevated above all other thought or reason.

Two consequences of this philosophy are that science can now speak authoritatively on any topic, and nothing is true unless science says it is true.

What has been overlooked is a logical fallacy. The Scientific Method, taught in every high school in America, requires any hypothesis undergo testing and observation before reaching a conclusion.

The fundamental methods of science limit it to speaking authoritatively only about those things that can be observed and tested. This leaves quite a list of topics about which science has nothing to say, evolution and the existence of God being two notable ones.

When science does speak authoritatively without applying the Scientific Method, I call that faith, and science becomes a religion.

So beware the priests of science. It’s just another cult.

Drawing winners

Thanks to all who comment on my blog and others about This Time. The winners of the book and gift cert are:

Juanita Wickey -- Softy and Tenderly and Gail Kittleson -- $10 to Amazon.

And one more for good measure: misskallie2000 -- $10 to Amazon.

Blessings!
Rachel

What I learned about my faith from a screenwriting book

I'm reading a great writing book, "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. He's a screenwriter, but shedding some great light on how to craft and formulate a story.

Snyder writes he's "shocked to find out how many up-and-comers can not even quote from movies in their own genre much less movies generally."

Trust me, he writes, all the big guys can. Spielberg and Scorsese can talk about movies in detail, quote from hundreds, and explain how each movie works.

This really struck me. As a writer yes. I can't quote from too many novels. ** blush ** I can quote more from movies than books. Snyder's insight challenges me to be more purpose full with my reading and studying of books.

But even more, I'm struck by the passion of men like Spielberg and Scorsese to know their craft, to let their work and art infuse their lives.

As a Believer, I want this to be my way with my Lord. I don't want to be a casual Christian who can spout a few Sunday school verses, or drop Christianese, or think I'm the one follower of Christ who doesn't need to be in the Word daily.

How many Christians are just like the up-and-coming screenwriters Snyder writes about? They cannot quote from the Bible. They don't understand the complexities and layers of the Word. They think it's for the theologians and happily leave it in their intellectual hands.

I dare say intellectuals have done more harm than good to the pure truth of the Gospel.

We must be the Spielbergs of our faith. We must KNOW Him. And the only way to know HIM is to be with HIM.

Jesus prays to the Father in John 17: 24, "Father, I desire that they also whom You have given Me be with Me where I am..."

We want to be disciples of Christ without being disciplined. We want to claim the salvation of the Cross while living full bore for ourselves. I hear many Believers say they embrace the Cross of Jesus but refuse to embrace their own cross. "Deny yourselves and follow me," Jesus said.

They want a social gospel. One that's easy and doesn't require anything of them but showing up. In Snyder's analogy, they want to write a screenplay their way, ignoring the rules of Hollywood, and expect success.

The screenwriter thinks he has something unique and new. But he doesn't. I see this with authors too. Just like Believers of Christ think in 2011 we have to come up with something new and different to pitch the Gospel to the world without knowing the true Gospel of old. (I'm talking Acts and Revelation, not 1850s)

Snyder writes that the more a screenwriter knows about the old movies, the genres, and what the studios want, the more he learns the craft, the greater chance he has of selling his screenplay.

Hmm.. could it be that the more we know the Word, the more we saturate our lives in prayer, the more we embrace the Cross of Christ in all aspects of our lives, the more chance we have of showing the Gospel to the world.

We don't win them by being like them. We when them by being like Jesus.

My take away is to ask Jesus to increase so I can decrease. I want to be more like Him and waaayyy less like myself.

This Time by Rachel Hauck

Long before the Kindle, the Nook, or the Sony reader. Long before the iPad was a spark in Steve Job's eye, I sold an e-book. I'd written this rancher girl story for Heartsong but they had a book very similar coming out by Kathleen Y'barbo (don't think I've let her forget it) so they turned me down.

Writer's-Exchange was leading the way in those days in epublishing, a small venue from Australia my second favorite country, so I sold them Belle and Burke's story.
With the advent of e-readers, this story is finding a new audience and I thought I'd share it with you. As the used cars sales men say, "It's priced to sell!"

Leave a comment on the blog and I'll draw a name to win a copy of Softly and Tenderly, my book with Sara Evans and a $10 Amazon gift certificate.

Here's what a reader said about This Time:
This story made me feel hope, that all wrongs can be righted and that something you believe is gone forever can come back to you. Belle and Burke are great characters. I recommend this book. It's one of my favorite Rachel Hauck books.

Blurb:
Oklahoma Rancher Belle Jamison's world topples when her best friend announces that Burke Benning, their former classmate and an NFL superstar running back, is coming to their fifteenth class reunion to act as Master of Ceremonies. Twelve years earlier the handsome athlete broke Belle's heart by deserting her minutes before their wedding ceremony.

Burke's retirement from professional football brings him home to Haskell for good. While his new career in life is uncertain, he knows he must deal with his hurtful actions toward Belle. A mountain of unspoken words looms between them and only the grace and peace of God can help them overcome.

Seeing Burke stirs the love and pain Belle still has hidden in her heart. As they rebuild their friendship and rekindle a lost love, Belle must choose to forget and trust him once more. Will their desire for love overcome the devastation of the past? This time, will their love last?

Click here to buy the book.

***

Be sure to leave a comment for your name to be entered into the drawing! You can comment on any author site you see posting about the book this week!

Rachel

Journaling, blogging and other drugs

I guess I could say most of my life journaling, or writing a diary, was my "drug." My self therapy, my way of coping.

My first diary was a little red book with a lock and key. I was six. Goodness knows I didn't want my mom snooping among the pages to find out I didn't know how to spell the word "because." Lock that baby UP!

Throughout elementary school and junior high, I kept various forms of diaries. Wrote a few stories. But by 9th grade, journaling became a part of my daily life.

I wrote day my day's events and subsequent emotions nightly. Writing forced me to recognize my own feelings and fears, helped me understand any teen angst I was enduring, or figure out of my heart twitterpations would really lead to love.

The tradition continued until I was married at 31. By age 32, my writing became more spiritual, more prayer and Word oriented. As I matured in my faith and walk with Jesus, I understood more of His Word and journaling became about His insights rather than my own.

And that has to be a good thing!

What I needed all those pining high school and college years was more understanding of Jesus.

In 2002, I discovered Diaryland through a post Deb Raney sent to the ACFW email loop. She wrote that the great and talented Angie Hunt was web logging on her writing process.

So I hopped on over. To be honest, I'm not even sure I got to Angie's post -- oh yeah, she was talking about her taxes -- but I was hooked on writing my own web log.

A few things had to change. Like, I couldn't be quite as honest and raw online as I was off line. I still have all my journals but I might require them to be destroyed upon my death. Or before.

But I loved recording life on Diaryland. I'd just started writing a book that would become my first Heartsong Presents.

In '04, a friend built my first web site off Blogger and I've been here ever since. But here's the crux...

I'm writing more. Much more. I've written 15 novels since '02 when I landed in Diaryland.

I've blogged for Faithchicks. Now I'm intertwined with the lovely southern belles on southernbelleview. I blog there every Thursday, and for My Book Therapy.

By the time I consider my own blog, I'm out of words. Out of energy. Often, out of time. I've considered dropping this blog from my web site. But... I can't quite do it.

There has to be a place to do what I'm doing right now -- thinking out loud. Sharing my heart. My good friend over at girlswriteout, Kristin Billerbeck, also blogs her unique and funny view of the world over on girlygirl. She makes me green with envy at the time and patience she has to chronicle her life and musings.

I feel rather boring. We don't have TV channels so I'm not up to date on the Bachelor or American Idol. Lots of my writer friends blog about those things.

I don't have kids. My sister blogs hilarious stories about her babies (now 17, 15, 7 and 5!)

Awesome-hubs and I are kind of home bodies so I can't blog about my big adventure at the art show or kayaking on the river. I mean I could, but it'd be fiction.

I could blog about the great time we had last night with a half dozen or so folks who came to the house for our "Encounter God" night. We just put on Jesus Culture and worshipped for two hours.

Who needs "drugs" after that?!

What I've realized over time is that journaling or keeping a diary satisfied some deep, inner core need to tell a story. So it was my story. So it doubled as therapy. But putting words to the page reaches to the essence of my soul and makes it go, "Ahh! This is what I was made to do."

If no publisher ever wanted me again, I'd sit in my tower and write blogs. Though I'd rather write fiction any day over real events. I graduated from OSU's J-school but being a reporter never wowed me like being a novelist.

Don't get me wrong. Writing books is hard work. Oy! More than you realize before you start out. It's not enough to be a great writer, you have to be a promoter, a high-concept thinker, and so many other things.

But I do love it. "Ahh, this is what I was made to do."

So I'm blogging today. I've decided to stop feeling guilty that I don't have a bazillion blog followers, or that I don't blog regular, or have some kind of "brand" going on here.

It's just me. Rachel Hauck. My brand is friendship. A little bit of me sharing with a little bit of you. My brand is Jesus. Letting His love shine even in my weakness.

You know, I saw a twitter the other day that sounds sooo good, but in reality for those who follow Jesus, so missed the mark.

"You're stronger than you know."

Truth? We're far weaker than we know BUT Jesus is far stronger than we realize or dare to believe. Our problem is not being strong enough. Our problem is being weak and letting HIM be strong.

Ever see a little kid try to tote something heavy? They are so sure they can do it but the item is too big and bulky, too weighty. You try to help, but the kid says, "I can do it."

Yeah, really? I hope you have steel toed baby Nikes cause that thing is gonna fall and hurt. Despite the kid's best effort, he's not getting the job done.

What we have to learn to discern is the difference of bearing our own load and letting Him bear our burden.

We have to be strong... IN THE LORD, and the strength of His might. We do wayyy too much in our own strength.

Do you want to be strong? Be weak before the Lord. Let Him be your strength.

That's where I am. In everything. Weak before the Lord. If there's a next level, a next place for me, He must do it.

Who needs therapy or drugs when Jesus is in charge? He's the Prince of Peace. Rest in Him.

Forever After by Deb Raney

I'm thrilled to have another good friend and acclaimed author on the site this week!

Please welcome Deborah Raney.

Forever After is the second book in Deborah Raney's Hanover Falls Novels series from Howard/Simon &

Schuster. The first novel in the series, Almost Forever, won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and a

HOLT Medallion Award of Merit.

Synopsis: Lucas Vermontez was a proud firefighter like his father. Now, not only has he lost his father and his best friend, Zach, in the fire at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter, but the devoted rookie can no longer do the work he loves after being crippled in the tragic event.

When friendship with his buddy's beautiful widow turns into more, he wonders what he could possibly offer Jenna. Jenna Morgan is trying to grieve her husband's death like a proper widow, but the truth is, she never really loved Zach.

His death feels more like a relief to her. But that relief is short-lived when she loses her home and the financial support of her in-laws. Now the secrets of her past threaten to destroy her future. Almost Forever, Book 1 in the Hanover Falls Novels series, won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in 2011.

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched her writing career after 20 happy years as a stay-at-home mom.

Her books have won numerous awards including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists.

Deb also serves on the Advisory Board of the 2500-member American Christian Fiction Writers. Her 20th novel released this month from Howard/Simon & Schuster.

She and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy tending wildflowers and native grasses in the Kansas prairie garden in their large back yard. They also love traveling together to conferences, and to visit four children and three little grandsons who all live much too far away.

Dragons of Chiril by Donita K. Paul

It's an honor to have my good friend Donita Paul stopping by today to tell us about her new novel.

Before DragonSpell, on a different continent and a different time, a young emerlindian’s desperate decision threatens to disrupt the foundation of the world. Tipper has been caring for her family’s estate for years now, ever since her father disappeared, making a living by selling off his famous artwork. Then she learns that three statues she sold were carved from an ancient foundation stone, and the fabric of her reality is crumbling. She must find the three statues and reunite them, positioned exactly in the right form. She must free her father and save the world. But she can’t do it alone. Her ragtag band of adventurers includes Beccaroon, a giant parrot; Bealomondore, an aristocratic young artist; a handsome dragonkeeper prince; the Wizard Fenworth; and the tumanhofer librarian Librettowit. Together they travel through valleys and kingdoms and consort with purveyors of good and agents of evil to find and reunite the missing statues. Will they learn to rely on Wulder’s grace and guidance along the way?

Dragons of the Watch will be the last book in this series. It comes out in October.

From Donita:

"The heroine in the first two books of the Chiril Chronicles is Tipper Schope. In her early twenties, she has been in charge of a massive household for the many years following her father's disappearance. In her mind, she has not done a great job. At the time of the first scene, she has been reduced to selling her noted father's artwork in order to pay the bills. Her home is a deteriorating mansion. They have two servants left from the full staff. Her mother's mental health and stability has broken down. The failure of the mansion has caused hardship among those who depended on her father and this establishment. Tipper feels the weight of all the responsibility.

I see strong women face two types of situations those they chose and those that are thrust upon them. I know a young lady who worked hard to put herself through college to become an RN. She showed tremendous strength and determination to meet her goal, one she had chosen herself. But this same young lady had an abusive parent, an alcoholic spouse, and a relative with a debilitating disease. Obviously these burdens were not ones she chose. With each new obstacle that came her way, she continued on the path she knew God had ordained. And not only that, but she remained a cheerful, optimistic person. As a great mom, she has drilled into her kids, "Attitude is everything."

The character in Dragons of Chiril is also challenged by adversity. Unfortunately, three of the statues she sold to acquire money for expenses, turned out to be the cornerstone of the world she lives in. With the statues separated, the countryside has bizarre eruptions that destroy property and life.

As in real life, with each new challenge, Tipper grows to meet the difficulty. That stretching to do the next thing, the thing we think is just beyond our ability, makes us grow stronger. Tipper's character deepens as she handles what I (the author) throw at her. And she also gains a perspective of herself that eliminates the false guilt. I think false guilt weighs us down more than the reality we face. Tipper does reach a happy ending, but the reader is aware that it is not because the road we travel will not smooth out and be bump-free until we reach Heaven. That's okay. We have the hope!"


For more about Donita and her books, click here.

You're Being Followed

A few words from Awesome-hubs:

I love to pray Psalm 23:6 over people.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;” The Hebrew word translated “follow” is very strong, meaning to “chase after”, usually used in the negative, as in a hunter on the trail of prey.

God’s goodness and favor pursue us relentlessly. We don’t have to get God interested in us. We just have to accept Him as He is, and probably quit doing the hundreds of things we do to hide from His relentless love.

Why not let His goodness overtake you today?

Meet Me In St. Louis

Meet me in St. Louie, Louie, meet me at the Conference!

It's fabulous!

You should come! Really!

St. Louis is a grand city! They have an arch in plain view from the hotel.

The hotel has cool carpet.

I'll be there!

Listen, I know what it's like to feel lost, alone, stupid, clumsy, and like an outsider at a conference. In 2002, I attended the first ACFW conference and I felt completely on the outside. I left saying I'd never go to another conference again.

Ha! I was the Vice President of ACFW and conference coordinator two weeks later and heading the charge to Houston 2003.

But 11 years later, I still have moments when I feel like the third wheel, or the unwanted step child. I think my agent or my editor doesn't want to talk to me. Or, that my friends are busy with other friends. I lose a contest. No one likes the worship songs I picked.

(Here I am with the fab Diann Hunt, Kristin Billerbeck and Colleen Coble!)

It's always something. But really? It's nothing! The conference is worth all those momentary feelings of "being left out."

Look, if I can feel left out -- an advisor, teacher, mentor, worship leader, published author who's attended every ACFW conference -- then surely you can brave a moment or two of feeling the same. Right?

I tell you all of this to let you know you're not alone. Come to the conference. I can guarantee you there will be folks to love on you, put an arm around you, pray with you. At the very least, you come to the worship sets and connect with the One who loves you more than His own life and get your attitude and perspective straightened.

(with Cheryl Hodde of Hannah Alexander!)

Chin up now. Attitude toward the Lord. Hearts open to give and receive. Here's what you will get from the conference:

1. Excellent teaching.

2. Excellent accommodations.

3. Sparkling and inspiring keynote address.

4. Worship with 500 brothers and sisters in Christ.

5. St. Louis! Me me there!

6. My Book Therapy Pizza Party.

7. Connecting with old and new friends.

8. Meeting editors and agents, those who can help guild you along your publishing journey.

9. Four of the most frenetic days you'll be glad to go home to the hubby/wife, wild banshee kids and barking dogs. Two days later you'll miss the conference so bad you'll ache!

10. Investing in your dream to be a published author is the first right step you'll take!

I'm glad the Lord had other things in mind for me than quitting the conference in 2002. What joy I would've missed if I'd let my fears keep me back.

In all my conference years, I didn't know what I'm doing half the time. I botched more editor and agent appointments than I care to consider. I missed workshops. I offended people. I got offended. Come on, we're people.

But I go every year with the core value: to love others and seek to esteem them higher than myself. With that as my main goal, the conference becomes easy. It's not about me! Sigh of relief.

Surely you can join me with the same high calling? Let the Lord see to our careers, our writing destination. He's good at handling those things.

Conference is too easy to get discouraged if our eyes are on ourselves. Someone else seems to be so favored while you feel like a log of knotted pine.

At one conference, I'll never forget the reaction of one author when her editor appointment produced the words, "your work is incredible."

I can still see the author smiling from ear to ear, bouncing around, celebrating with her friends. The rest of the conferencees were whispering, wondering. Lucky girl. She scored.

Yeah, I was a bit green. But I put my head down, focused on myself and got to work doing what the Lord had given me to do.

Do you know that author's career has yet to land a major house book deal? I know... hard to believe.

You just never know! Don't judge. Don't think you're a loser before you even get started! Don't think that one over there will get a book deal or favor and not you.

Yet, rejoice with those who do and wait for God's perfect timing for you. Do you know I met the lovely, gracious and talented Susan May Warren at the 2002 Conference.

She was Miss Thing that year having just signed with Tyndale. Her star was rising. I never thought she'd be friends with me. But guess what? Conference after conference we became friends. We served on ACFW board together. We found a kindred heart. She's been instrumental in my writing career. All because I accepted the invitation to put my insecurity and fears behind me.

So, how should you prepare for the conference?

1. Adopt my core value: Esteem others above yourself. Think the best of every one. Forgive easy. Don't be offended. Be humble! Jesus loves humility!

2. Prepare as best you can. Get your pitch ready. Study the craft. Editor your story. Get that hook set so you can converse with an editor or agent about your work.

3. Adopt a casual professional look. Don't spend a bunch of money you don't have, but go through your wardrobe and figure out what looks good on you. It doesn't have to be the latest styles, but try too look as professional as possible.

4. Pray, pray, pray.

5. Reach out to others before hand. It helps break the ice the first day. ;)

Can't wait to see you in St. Louis.