from Keona's perspective

Our fabulous daughter. Here are a few of her recent one-liners:

"Today I feel like the government," Keona said standing tall. "Wow, do you feel like you are part of the government, like you work for the government?" I asked. "No. I feel like THE government. And one day I'll be the first woman president." (She'll have to hurry.)

"I'm a speaker." Keona explained to her teacher at church in response to a discussion about professions. The teacher looked at me and said with eyebrows raised , "Yes she is!"

"That's evil and hypocrisy!" Keona concluded with her hands-on-hips ready-for-battle stance. This followed her questions of, "Well, did he have blonde hair? Didn't he have special needs?!" (We were discussing Hitler's cruelty and racism.)

"He's adorable," Keona cooed staring at her baby brother. (when he wasn't spitting at anyone)

"Don't even think about it!" Keona said of my effort to kiss her while I was eating sardines. :-)

invitation to partner in prayer

This morning I strongly felt impressed by God to call together a group who would be willing to partner with me in focused intercessory prayer for the next three months over the release of Finding an Unseen God: Reflections of a Former Atheist. Those of you who know me well know that I don't talk about spiritual warfare often or lightly. But I felt a distinct call from God's heart today to gather a team to partner with his purposes for this message in prayer.

If you feel called to that effort, please email me at contact@truthportraits.com. I will be facilitating the prayer group via email instead of facebook or my blog because I don't want to assume that everyone wants to know all the details of the book's release/progress and any challenges we're facing.

I'll also be issuing an invitation to join this prayer group through facebook, so I apologize if you are invited more than once :-).

Thank you!

alicia britt chole

in the final hours

In my daily Bible reading, I happen to be right at the Easter story. Today I watched and listened as people hurled insults at Jesus on the cross.

We often think of Jesus' last words. Satan had last words too, reserved for Jesus' final excruciating hours. He has last words in our lives as well, reserved for dark, troubled times and for the end of our days.

Over the last decade, I've been thinking about the temptations reserved for the end of life. Toward the end we are tempted with bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, self-pity. How nice it would be if the kindgom of darkness retired its efforts when we hit the golden years. But as I observe friends and family members, it seems that the fire heats up, but in unexpected ways.

Jesus stayed true to the end. May the same be said for all of us, whenever "end" greets us.

spit from Louie's perspective

How do you express frustration when you are the youngest and not quite verbal? Our toddler has currently decided that rasberry-esque spittle is his best defense. Picture 2-year-old Louie piercing his lips and then letting his slobber fly to the "ugh"s and "yuck"s of his elder brother and sister--mission accomplished.

Of course we are trying to stop this habit, but sometimes it reduced us to tearful laughter. Yesterday during our morning family devotion, Louie entered the spittle Olympics. Jonathan had woken up on the wrong side of the bed and grumped his way through the hymn. Louie obviously thought that his elder brother should be in a better mood so here's the full cycle: Jonathan grumps, I play a verse of 'More Love to Thee', Louie sprays. Jonathan grumps, I play the next verse of 'More Love to Thee', Louie sprays....

But the fourth verse we were all cackling.

The grumps were gone.

(And we all needed a bath.)

bookmarks for Finding an Unseen God

I do like computer software.

I do like computer software.

I do like computer software.

And it did take me 45 minutes to fiddle, search, and finally download software to convert these images into something that will upload.

Anyway, I thought you might enjoy seeing the bookmarker the publisher just created for Finding an unseen God. (The funky little gear image on the corner is the watermark from the document conversion software.)

my first story

This morning I spoke to a few dozen students from Keona's M/W school about writing and being an author. The most precious part of the whole time was seeing the pride in precious Keona's face. As we were driving into town she said, "Mommy, I'll probably need to stand there with you since you're my mom." Sure enough, she sat down right besides (as in ON) me facing the crowd and glowing like a lightbulb.

Placing my arm around Keona, I started by sharing a quote from Eric Liddell that describes how it feels when we discover how God designed us to know Him and make Him known. Liddell said, "When I run, I feel God's pleasure." Then we spoke about how some feel God's pleasure as artists, doctors, parents, musicians, lawyers...

A few minutes later I brought out my first writing which has been carefully preserved by my mom for decades. It is a single piece of lined paper stapled on a large blue sheet of construction paper. The date is September, 1972 which means I was 6 years old. Evidently our assignment was to write about ourselves and title our piece "Me."

Here it is, unedited:

My name is Alicia.
I Like to ride the bus.
I Like to take My lunch
But sometimes I like to eat here.
I Like to writ.
I have a dog He is a bad dog.

I like to write.

Amazing. Even then, there was this seed in me, this longing, this love to use words as a form of art.

Mom also kept my first two books. At the age of 7 I wrote a book (complete with a black cover secured by staples) called "Sloppy" about a "sloppy boy who had yellow hair and long blue socks." Then at the age of 9 I wrote and illustrated, "Greedy Gary" about a man who would not share his water supply with the world. It sports a 70's avocado green binding with yellow flowers...

Dad is gone now, but I want to thank my Mom for always encouraging me to write, for always thinking that every scribble should be published, for never belittling and always bragging, for seeing the small and treasuring it.

Thanks mom.

on armadillos, books, and facebook

Yes, an odd combination, but an accurate one...

1. My dogs ALL smell like armadillos and there's squirrel fluff on my porch. No, no spiritual application as of yet. I just find it disturbing.

2. I found out today that Finding an Unseen God goes to print tomorrow! They are hoping it will be available in time for a conference I'm doing early April, but it should definitely be available by mid-April. This stage in the process always leaving me feeling a wee-bit sensitive, or perhaps vulnerable is a better word. But I think I'm feeling that much more deeply this time. Finding an Unseen God is my personal journey from atheism to Jesus. It contains very personal reflections on faith and atheism. My questions did not disappear when Jesus interrupted my existence, they actually increased. But now, my mind has a Mentor. Now, the unknown is an invitation to rest in God more deeply. Please pray as this book begins its next phase.

3. Friends finally convinced me to launch a facebook group. I'd like to invite you to join! It's truthportraits tribe and that's where I'll be posting information about new resources, book video trailers, discussions on spreading the word, and also advance notice of speaking engagements in your area.

Little Louie's choice

This morning Louie kept pointing up to the stuffed animal net in his room saying, "beep, beep." Picture Dad patiently touching dozens of stuffed animals one by one in an attempt to discern which one was "beep, beep."

Finally, Louie's eyes lit up as Dad pointed to a beige bear with a t-shirt on. Pulling it down, Barry offered the bear to Louie who immediately pressed its paw: "Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so."

Over and over, the boy, the bear, and the song went dancing around the house.

A BEAUTIFUL way to wake up.

a day

Memories from the last 24 hours:

• Viewing the book trailer video for Finding an Unseen God: Reflections of a Former Atheist--it's almost done and I'm very pleased with it!
• Reading a dear friend's foreword for the women's devotional book I just wrote and tearing up in response to her love for and belief in me.
  
• Bear announcing that he had a surprise for me. He arranged for the kids to have time with the grandparents and he took me to Branson for a restful and fun afternoon and evening.
• Dinner, a movie at the IMAX, and shoe shopping!
  
• Coming home from the date to an empty house and missing kissing the kids good-night and tucking their blankets in.
• Being surprised that I slept until 8am!
• Watching Louie waddle down the driveway in too-fast-of-a-run. Holding my breath when he wiped out, got up, and kept going.
• Smiling at Keona who LOVES to wear Louie's clothes. As you can imagine they are a tad small on her. Today she was sporting his camouflage PJ pants and a yellow tank with her pink snow boots.
• Jonathan running up to me just to say, "I love you, Mom."
• Anticipating shutting off the computer in a few minutes to go downstairs for Friday night movie night. The first Friday of each month we spend the night downstairs on the mattresses. Pizza and popcorn ahead!