Welcome back to Facts, Fiction, and Friends, where we learn fun facts about our favorite authors, discover their latest Christian Fiction, and meet new friends.
Please, say hello to Betty Thomason Owens. Betty is a critique partner and friend. I hope you will check out her new Home Found series. I think you will like Lisa Oliver and Jake Bradley.
Facts
Tell us about yourself.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee
Rain or sunshine?
Sunshine
Hiking or walking?
Walking
House plants or flower gardens?
Flower gardens
Cats or dogs?
Dogs
Share your favorite book facts.
Mystery or romance?
Mystery
Historical or contemporary?
Historical
Enemies to sweethearts or second chance romance?
Second chance
What makes you purchase a book? Covers or authors?
Authors
E-book, paperback, or hardback?
Paperback
Share your writing habits.
Morning or evening writer?
Morning
Plotter or pantser?
Pantser
Dialogue or description?
Dialogue
Office or everywhere?
Everywhere
Fiction or nonfiction?
Fiction
Fiction
As much as Lisa Oliver wanted to believe that she could be safe in the small mountain community of Benning, Kentucky, she knew that wouldn’t be the case when Agent Farrow’s car pulled next to the school where she had been working. They’d found her again? Who was stalking her and why?
Jake Bradley uses his widely popular “Jake on the Road” articles to help him continue to follow leads into Lisa’s past, but he didn’t expect the people whom he spoke with to be attacked and killed. How could he possibly protect this woman who had become so important to him when he so miserably failed at learning about her past and why someone had killed her parents?
So many secrets whirl around in this second chronicle of the Home Found series. Lisa and Jake learn more about her past, and about each other, in this dramatic suspense
Friend
Betty Thomason Owens was born in an Army hospital in the Pacific Northwest but grew up in California, Tennessee, and Kentucky. She is a writer of historical romance and romantic suspense, stories that often feature strong women dealing with difficult life situations. She and her husband, Bob, reside in Kentucky. They have three grown sons and eight grandchildren. You can learn more about her at BettyThomasonOwens.com. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Our hymn this month is Cleanse Me by J. Edwin Orr. This past week, I prayed David’s prayer in Psalm 139 and sang the hymn. I also read the prayers of Nehemiah, Daniel, and the Lord. I thought I’d share those scriptures. I will mark the things that stood out to me this week and over the past years.
I hope you will begin your own study!
David’s Prayer
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
Nehemiah’s Prayer
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. Nehemiah 1:4-7 KJV
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Daniel’s Prayer
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. Daniel 9:3-6 KJV
The Lord’s Prayer
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Scriptures on Prayer
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.-Matthew 6:9-13
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:25-26
Family Matters
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 1 Peter 3:7 KJV
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 1 Peter 3:1 KJV
I added 1 Peter 3:7 because it deals with prayer. I shared Peter 3:1 because I didn’t want anyone to think I was picking on the husbands. 😉
Hope in Prayer
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:14-16 KJV
What is your favorite scripture on prayer? What do you think about these scriptures? What are your thoughts on the highlighted portions?
I enjoy pondering on prayer and its benefits! How about you?
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. – Psalm 139:23-24
I like to think I am fully aware when it comes to my heart and mind. But life has taught me otherwise. Only God can plumb the depths of the heart and mind. David understood this truth. He cried out to the only One Who knew him better than he knew himself.
In this world where it’s so easy to compromise, we, too, need to cry out as David did. “Search me. Know my heart. See if there be any wicked way in me. Teach me your way and lead me in a plain path. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight.”
In Psalm 27, “plain path” means a flat and smooth country. Not a rugged trail surrounded by rocks and steep precipices. Such a hazardous route would only prove beneficial to the enemy. It is crucial to stay on the right path.
The Author
I believe J. Edwin Orr knew this same truth. This man was a dynamo when it came to spreading the gospel to all the regions.
J. Edwin Orr MA ThD ED PhD was a husband, father, baker, ordained minister, evangelist, Air Force chaplain, professor, author, and hymnist. To read more, visit https://www.jedwinorr.com/about-j-edwin-orr/
The Song
Search me, O God, and know my heart today; Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts I pray; See if there be some wicked way in me: Cleanse me from ev’ry sin, and set me free.
I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin: Fulfill Thy word, and make me pure within; Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame: Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine: Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine; Take all my will, my passion, self and pride; I now surrender: Lord, in me abide.
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee: Send a revival, start the work in me: Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply my need: For blessing now, O Lord, I humbly plead.
Cleanse Me – J. Edwin Orr – Maori Melody – Public Domain