Back to California

Trans Atlantic journey
A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step...

Tomorrow is the big day (again), I will be making the long journey from Amsterdam to Los Angeles. This time my stay in the USA will have an extra dimension knowing that publishers on two continents are working on my books! Wow, I have waited for this for some years now, and I am very grateful that my book Breath of Life will be released in Holland in the spring of 2010, reason to go back again. My short time goal in the USA is to present my 4th manuscript to Tate Publishing and hopefully I will be able to sign another contract with them. Furthermore I will be working on the weekly newsletters that we send out to our support group in Holland and recently I have started translating newsletters from our friend Brian Slater who works for Chosen People Ministries in Israel. Together we are working and praying to establish a support group in Holland for his work with the poor and homeless in Israel.

I also write a monthly column in a Dutch Christian magazine and started my 3rd season with them! Well, as you can tell, I won't be bored. Hands to the plow!!!

When facing tough situations

Keep it simple

Everytime I face a difficult or tough situation, it seems I need more words to beg and plead my case with the Almighty. I find myself reasoning, debating and desperately trying to find an explanation or answer. Well, maybe that is just me... But isn't it true that we sometimes feel we have to explain things to God? Our prayers get longer and more complicated, sometimes to the point where we don't remember what our initial question was! My mentor always says 'keep it simple', and again and again that proves to be the right thing to do and the inspiration to develop an attitude like that comes straight from the Bible.

As always, Jesus is my ultimate example in this. The other day I was reading in Luke 5:12-16 how He met with a guy who was covered with leprosy. Well, if you've ever been in India, you'll know what leprosy looks like and personally I have never seen anyone being healed from that disease. Now, this certain man asks Jesus to make him clean. If that isn't a tough situation, what is? However, Jesus keeps it simple and uses three words to explain divine healing: I am willing.

Ouch, I wish I had come up with a theology like that! His answer is awesome! The actual prayer that follows His statement is even shorter, more simple... be clean! No discussion, no pleading, no crying, no begging. Just authority!

So much to learn from such a short story. Please, remember this encounter the next time you face something that seems impossible to overcome or conquer, and keep it simple!

Holland contract signed!

Breath of Life will be published in Dutch

Hooray! Today marks another great and exiting step in my writing career. I have signed a contract with Merweboek, a national publisher in Holland, who is planning to publish and distribute my latest book Breath of Life in the spring of 2010. During the past few months I have been working on the translation of this book and I am just thrilled to realize that this moving story will be presented in my home country Holland. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I am sure our joint venture will be pleasant, inspiring and fruitful! Let this be an encouragement to anyone who is currently working on a dream or vision; never give up, never give in. IT IS POSSIBLE!

About customs and such

Jesus was certainly not against all forms of rituals

Jesus spoke frequently against the traditions of men, especially against religious habits without a proper and pure attitude. He endorsed a living relationship with the heavenly Father as the pillar for a life of faith! Although Jesus was commonly known as a revolutionary teacher and preacher in His days, He was certainly not against all forms of rituals. In Mark 10:1 we can read the following,

Again crowds of people came to Him, and as was His custom, He taught them.

As was His custom... It is evident from this account that Jesus had developed some positive habits. We know, for example, that He got up early in the mornings to pray and that He enjoyed solitude in order to speak with His Father. In this scripture we see that it was also His custom to teach, whenever people gathered around Him. Teaching was His passion. While I was meditating on this I wondered: what kind of customs do I have? Have I developed some Jesus-like habits that will set me apart from the rest of the crowd?