I finished the book Friday. I'm a fast reader, but didn't want it to end, so took days reading it. It was a wonderful story - you know I like your writing.

When I finally finished the last 10 pages, I was contemplating the difference between those times - miracles were happening constantly - and these days. I was kind of sad, but resigned.

My faith has always been strong, but after the last 3 years, I've struggled. I thought I was a decent wife - took care of my hubby, the kids, cooked breakfast, packed lunches, made dinner, kept a pleasant home, had SF frequently, cared for his family, made his goals mine, etc. But it didn't seem to make any difference.

So anyway (yes, I'm getting to the point), you can imagine my COMPLETE and TOTAL shock, when he came by and wanted to come back to the marriage. I had not heard from him in several months, and the time before that was several months earlier.

Now, granted, this was not the "and they all lived happily ever after" kind of miracle, but to me it was quite an event. This is what I have been praying about for 3 years, and my friends and family have been praying for too.

What's it called and what's it about? Fact or fiction.

Yes. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'm so glad you liked it, Believer, since it was my idea to send it to you as well as several other people who sent their condolences after Dillon died. It seems like I haven't been having a lot of good ideas lately, for some reason, so it is just so very pleasing to have thought of something that seemed to turn out right. The first time you posted about it, and told about how getting it in the mail made you feel, I got tears in my eyes just reading it. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> I think she probably hasn't seen this yet, or she would've called me to tell me at work, but she'll be as thrilled to hear it as any new mama is to hear her baby called "cute". Goodness knows she labored over this longer than she labored over any actual children!!

The book is the story of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of His enemies. She wanted you tell it from a you_neak
(<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />) perspective, you see, and her protagonist is Malchus, chief servant of the high priest, who spies upon, battles against, and fiercely opposes, Jesus right up until the point where Peter cuts his ear off in the Garden of Gethsemane, only to have Jesus miraculously heal him just before He's hauled off to be condemned to death.

I told Neak, after reading the book, that if Malchus (like Jesus, a real Bible character--fact) didn't actually live the life that was in her book (fiction), it was a shame, because he SHOULD have, and it would be really too bad if he missed it!

I'll have a <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> on my face the rest of the night over this.

t&l

Are you excited or scared?

Yes?

Hope it ends the way you want it to...

t&l

Dearest Believer (apologies on the TJ, Neak),

You wrote:


From Sunday's sermon:



You see? You did it. You became the vessel and tool of God. You (and others on MB) helped ME...you help a lot of other people. Without the storm, you'd not have been the person God wanted you to be.

Romans 8:28 - God causes all things to work together for good.



ALL THINGS Believer...all the things have worked together IN HIS PLAN for GOOD. You, your friends, your family were all brought closer to Him because of this. Since I know only you, I can say you became His tool and reached out and touched others even through your pain.

Would this ministry have touched us all without the storm?

You ARE a miracle, Neak is, T&L is...AW...Jelly...Faith...NCW...BobP...Pep...Mel...all who have weathered the storms that were brought to them and then reached out to minister, counsel and comfort others are.

End of TJ

Where do I get my copy of the book?

- Kimmy

Ok, ok, ok, I am going to restrain myself really hard now and not type in bold underlined italic capital letters.

Wow, thank you, Believer! (Note the restraint: only one ! If I started I don't think I would stop.)

I don't think my deep pleasure at your wonderful, kind words can be compared to just a plain old baby being called cute. Babies are so much easier to make, lol. But I'm so glad you liked it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!woops, better stop there. I hope you have some inkling what this means to me.

Well, about your husband. He is finally in a position to receive God's healing, which is no less miraculous when it occurs over months or years than when Jesus laid His hand on someone to heal them instantly. A WS really reminds me of the demon-possessed men of Gadara. Lost souls, guided and directed by evil, naked and shameful in the eyes of others. And yet when they had reached the lowest point in their existence, Jesus healed them and gave them an important job: go tell others what I have done for you.

They wanted so badly to go with Him, fearful that the evil spirits would return and craving more time to listen to His words, but their obedience prepared the way for Jesus' next visit, when all the angry pig farmers had softened and were ready to hear what Jesus had to say.

Unless your husband allows God to work that kind of miracle in his life, you should not take him back. Even if He does, you don't automatically have to reconcile. But finally your H is at rock bottom, the place from which God can find His wandering sheep and bring them home. "Stand still and see what the Lord can do!" Whether or not you reconcile as H & W, you will be able to take great pleasure in watching your H return to the kind of man God wanted him to be, and you will have greater confidence that God answers prayer. (It was your H's fault it took so long. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />)

Don't worry Kimmy, I even TJ myself....just a side note that in the last times, the very last of the last days, miracles like in Jesus' time will happen all over, some from God's power, and some.........not. It is only by knowing God's word that we will be safe in that time, and not confused by the supernatural fireworks.

BTW, Kimmy, you'd better put yourself on the miracle list, too. What you put up with every day, the way you share, such as the beautiful post above, you are a miracle, too.

Oops, I'm being paged. Be back in a bit to finish...............

I don't want to get in trouble with the mods for setting up The Neak Store here on MB, but hopefully they won't object to the sharing of info, as long as I don't post my Paypal link. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Malchus: Touched By Jesus

It is also on Amazon.com and Walmart.com.

We also have a fair number left of the copies I ordered to sell myself, so if anyone (ahem ahem) should happen to want an autographed copy, you can email me or mom to find out pricing, addresses, and such.

Mom: kangaladoo@yahoo.com
Me: you_neak@yahoo.com (I was you_neak looooooong before I was not_so_you_neak)

Oh, my very first royalty check finally came this week, so I took AJ out for dinner. We had Indian food (east Indian), and I understand why nobody from there ever gets fat...if you eat enough of that food to get fat, your stomach will have already melted away. I'm just glad I asked for "mild", and not "hot". <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> I seldom drink with my meals, and if I do it's not much, so my tummy didn't like having everything washed down with large quantities of lemonade.

I'll never get rich out of writing, but what a blessing it has been! !!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Have you ever read This Present Darkness or Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti? In both the townspeople that were giving in to evil could be seen by angels as having demons on their backs with their claws in the person's head....that analogy became almost palpable to me during all this. I could almost see the demons manipulating Wookie's thoughts and words. (shudder)



I know. How exciting/scary!



Thank you! I'm safe now. Finally. No matter what happens.



(tapping foot, examining nails)

WAITING TO HEAR WHERE I CAN BUY MY COPY!

Haven't you thought of nailing the Dervish to the floor yet?

Works for me. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

- Kimmy

We were posting at the same time. Will email you in a minute.

And hon! I know you're excited, but all those exclaimation points are freaking out the text wrap!

LOL!

Well Ms Neak

this is AW's mum
I have to say I am really enjoying your book! You have caught the every day feel of living the times using today’s idiom & it WORKS. Unfortunately I have read some books where its fails miserably, but here it is so natural that I just felt like we were talking.
WONDERFUL
It is really a great skill to craft such words so confidently and with such purpose. Congratulations Neak.
AW and I have been discussing it .. she says she understands Malchus anger very well.
Should I start to worry?

We have been ... um 'sharing' - yes I like that word - the book as I looked after my wonderful little grandson today.
AW took Aussie to the Hospital to get the nerve block done so I had a nice few quiet hours to get into it.
(Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, what am I going to do with you my dear boy? Can you believe it? I mean don’t you think he would have learned by now?
We WILL be discussing your behavior with you, myself, Dr Mands & AW tomorrow wont we! You silly silly boy)
He does make me so angry.

Anyway, the book, up to chapter 13, had to hide it when SHE came home lol I mean put it back.

AW started to look for it until Aussie battered those blue eyes (what on earth was God thinking to give a man like AUSSIE such eyes - its so disconcerting! No wonder he used to be such a scoundrel), so as you can imagine she has been preoccupied since then
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />
But that means I have Michael all to myself!
and the book. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I shall complete it by tomorrow night, perhaps even this morning as AW's dad is working on the night road crew, so much for retirement <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />
I have made the beds, done the washing, wiped the dishes so I am ready now for a nice cup of tea and a long read.
Michael is sound asleep with a bottle he has a grip on Hercules couldn't remove .. now or never. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

So a big thankyou Neak and to your lovely mum as well, what a wise woman she is <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> and so young!!

Oh yes, AW was going to email you today but SOMETHING came along to wreck those plans. As Scarlett O'hara said..Tomorrow is another day! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
dont you just love these little thingies
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

AWMum made me cry....

Aussie is really a lovable guy, huh? We ADORE your kids AWMum...they're some of my most favorite people in the whole wide world.

- Kimmy

I fixed the text wrap. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I just about cried, too, AWMum. I'm just about ready to burst with joy! (I can hardly even type straight, but luckily caught most of the typos as I made them.)

It's good that she understands Malchus' anger, because then she will also be able to understand his love, when it comes. And the part where his mother finally meets Jesus is my favorite in the whole book, now.

PS Mom, Neaksis and I "share" books that way, too. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

AW's mum--I'm just SO glad people like her book. It's all I can do not to jump up and down and post signs on various threads pointing folks towards it...but then, people would say, "Well, after all, she IS Neak's mother. Of course she likes the book!" <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> True, but I'm also the daughter of English teachers, and have never admired bad writing just because I happened to be related to it. I read at stop signs, for Pete's sake, and walking across the street. I know my books! She does have a special way to craft a thought, and there were a number of places in that book where I stopped and said to myself, "Hm-m-m-m. I never thought of it quite that way before."

The book is $14.95 and postage is somewhere around $2.75 (in the continental US) if you want it first class. I'm sure book rate is cheaper, but I don't know exactly what it is. And that's all the commercial I'm going to do.

Neak DOES get thrilled when people like her book. Personally, I like the next one even better, but it's not published yet. It's the story of Peter the apostle, so it tells the same story of Jesus, but from the other side of the fence, so to speak, as He is viewed through the eyes of His friends. Malchus, in his varied disguises, appears throughout Fisher of Men, and Neak finally explains in it something that had always puzzled me...why did Peter hack off Malchus ear? Now I know! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

t&l

P.S. Try to ignore Neak off there in the corner rolling her eyes, OK? I just want to make it clear that the several typographical errors in the book are the responsibility of the typesetters and proofreaders at the publishing company. The manuscript didn't leave OUR hands talking about some Roman "cenurion." <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

I emailed ya Neak <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You've got mail, Dorry. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Mom, <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> falls short of the actual description. Head lolling forward, hand smacking forehead, look of utter defeat on face... At least they promised to fix it if I make it to a second printing.

Kimmy, when I get back on AJ's computer, I will retrieve a post I was making to you when the internet went down for a while.

Mom, I think book rate is around $1.50, but I'd have to double-check. As long as you did the full commercial...<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

I have had the distinct pleasure of an autographed copy of the above mentioned book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Neak has a wonderful writing style and the story draws you in quickly.

{{{{{{FF}}}}}}}}}}

Thank you again, everyone. I am just glowing with warm fuzzies. God put a burden on my heart to write it, and helped me during each moment of it, and it's just so wonderful (I'm running out of adjectives - anybody have their thesaurus handy?) to hear so many sweet things at once.

Oh, the donkey part was largely autobiographical. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /><img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> Our friends had a donkey, and I took it for a spin. The only difference is for me the donkey did eventually stop on its own. But with me clinging to the neck.