Of Dreams and Faith - Cover Design Sneak Peek

I'm in the beginning stages of the cover design for Of Dreams and Faith, my upcoming non-fiction work chronicling my journey of faith as a writer. My wife has helped me with each of the cover designs for my fictional novels, although this one is a bit different to craft since this is my first non-fiction piece.

One of the two ideas that my wife and I had for the main cover design consisted of two paths diverging, to echo Robert Frost's quote, "“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” The other idea we had was the beach at sunset, to represent dreams (aspirations) and God.

The trail pictures didn't turn out exactly the way we wanted them. Well, that is to say the pictures turned out well, but they wouldn't work well with our cover ideas. The cover would turn out too busy once the book title and author name are added to the pic.

So this leaves us with the beach sunset picture. Plenty of skyline to put the book title on, and when it wraps around to the back cover, we have plenty more skyline to write out the book description. We have many versions of this particular scene to pick from - which I will be sorting through - but here's the general baseline image:

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to tell all of you that I am supremely grateful for your support of my blog, my writing, and my career as a writer. I am a very blessed man to have fans, and even more blessed to have such a great cloud of friends and family who support my God-given calling as a writer. I hope each and every one of you have a great day today! Great things are coming in 2014, so stay tuned to keep tabs on my upcoming projects.

When We Least Expect It

Over the last year, I've really been getting into the Old Testament. I find many of the stories incredibly relevant to our times, and I realize as I read through the OT that I gain a better understanding of God's character and a better view of the plan of salvation He had been putting together to save humanity with the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Last week I read through 1 Samuel. Samuel was a prophet over the Israelites, and by chapters 8 and 9 his sons have turned away from God, and the Israelites themselves are in fear of their future - they don't fully trust that God will continue to lead them once Samuel passes. So, they ask for a king. And after warning them what will come with having an earthly ruler, God rolls out a plan to bring them a king.

The scene shifts to Saul, who has been sent out by his father to find their missing donkeys. After traveling a while from town to town, and finding no sign of the missing animals, he comes upon the the land of Zuph where Samuel resides. It is mentioned that the day before, Samuel was told by God that the same time the next day, the man to become king (Saul) would enter the town Samuel was in.

What I absolutely love about this passage - and about God - is that Saul was busy doing something mundane - searching for missing donkeys - when God decided to interrupt his life and make him king. Saul was going about his day-to-day business when God changed the course of his life forever.

Many of us who are waiting for God to move, to do the miraculous, to pull us out of the mire, to bring us into our next season and give us rest from the harsh weather of this season - sometimes we all stand, stop what we're doing, and look to God, waiting for Him to move. And sometimes that's what God wants us to do. But I think there are many times God chooses to bring about His promises, to fulfill our greatest desires, to open the door to the next season, when we are simply living our lives, day to day, doing what we're called to do.

I remember I was barely a teenager living in New Mexico when a brand new video game system had just come out: the Nintendo Entertainment System, complete with Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt. Having grown up with a Commodore 64 and an authentic Atari 2600 system, I had an appreciation for video games. When the NES came out onto the market, I almost peed my pants with excitement. And I remember begging my parents to get me the system for my birthday.

It was well before my birthday the day my parents left me at home while they ran errands, and I remember sitting in front of the television watching some old black and white horror movie about a giant spider attacking a house. There was nothing magical or spiritual about what I was doing. I was simply watching a movie, holding onto hope in the back of my spirit that when my birthday did come around, I would get the NES I had asked for. That day, while I was in the middle of watching the spider movie, my parents came home and surprised me with an NES. They got a kick out of how much I screamed and jumped and raced around the house, excited to play Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt. It was a day - a moment - that is burned in my memory forever. It was a day that the unexpected and incredible happened while I was living life.

And I think many times, God wants so bad to surprise us. Matthew 7:11 asks if we as human parents know how to give good gifts to our children, how much greater are the gifts that God gives? I think that's why many times our breakthroughs happen when we let go of trying to control the when, the how, the why. When we leave it to God to surprise us, and we focus on the things we're called to focus on - like helping others, working, cleaning, raising our children, loving our spouses, being involved in the church - then God is open to surprise us and bring about a joy we had no idea was coming. He wants to blindside us with gifts, with His promises.

Today I want to go about my life and do what I do best and let God do what He does best.

2013 - A New Season

Well, here we are at the very beginning of 2013. I feel excited, nervous, and anxious for this new year. 2012 wasn't a bad year, it was just extremely challenging and took a bit more out of me than I thought was even there. It was a year of accomplishments - I self-published two novels; a year of commitment and dedication - my wife and I celebrated our seven year anniversary; and it was a year of family - my son turned one. It was a year that won't be easily forgotten amid the ashes of past years, but I have a feeling - and I know in my gut - that 2013 is going to put 2012 to shame.

For those of you who are waiting or have waited on God for promises before, you know that the waiting is the hardest part. I'm the type of person that loves receiving instructions and carrying them out. I love progressing. Moving forward. Building things. If the blueprints and instructions are clear, I can work endless hours until I've completed the tasks given to me. But when I'm told to wait - or when I think that waiting is what I'm supposed to be doing - I cringe. I want to see movement. I want to take action. But sometimes that isn't God's will, and sometimes taking action when we're not supposed to can seriously derail the plans that God has for us.

Certain, very specific promises have been made to my wife and I over the last seven and a half years of our marriage, and even before that. Specific promises in regards to my writing career and our family. We strongly believe that 2013 will be the year these promises are brought to fulfillment. We don't know the how exactly - which frustrates me to no end - but we know that when God makes a promise, He keeps it.

In the next month or so, my wife and I will be moving to San Francisco to take part in a church plant called Canvas. We have no idea when the money for this endeavor is going to come in, we have no idea of an exact move date, nor do we know exactly where we're going to live (as far as a building goes). When asked how our move to San Francisco is going, we shrug and say that it's going. We don't shrug because we don't believe it's going to happen, we shrug because it's in God's hands, and He's decided to keep some cards close to His chest until His perfect timing. That's usually the way He operates though, so it should come as no surprise.

We are about to embark on a new season, a new chapter, in our lives. It is a scary time, but also exciting because many promises will be fulfilled. And we aren't the only ones entering a new season. The pastor of our church just announced his resignation and that he and his family are embarking on a new season in their lives and ministry. A 'sister' of mine whom I've known since high school has announced her intentions to take part in the Canvas church plant as well, signaling a significant change of season and environment for her.

I can feel the breeze coming in. It is filled with change, and opportunity, and movement. I welcome it with open arms and an open heart.

Our move to San Francisco will also accompany some other promises we were given, but for the time being, we'll keep those to ourselves. In the meantime, while we wait, I will keep my eyes steady on the One who holds my future in His hands.

Photo Copyright Michal C. Alderman

Giving Thanks

With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, I wanted to take a moment and post some of the things that I'm thankful for. These are things I am thankful for all year long, but I figured since it's Thanksgiving, maybe I'd actually go public with them.

My relationship with God.
These last few years have brought me closer to God and further from myself - the parts of myself that need to die and make room for newness and better fruit. It's been a challenging journey through self-publishing, writing, and family matters since I left my '9-5' job back in 2009, but God has seen my family through and shown us miracles and countless proofs of His love for us. I'm thankful that He is a God who is continuously active in our lives.

My family -
I am blessed beyond measure with my wife and my son. My wife and I have grown so very close to each other during this journey, and I cannot imagine my life now without my dear son. Working from home while also taking care of my son has been a challenge, and I've had to learn to grown into certain spots, but overall, I wouldn't trade my family or the experiences we share together for anything in this world.

My Career -
I've been writing stories since I was eleven, and now that I'm thirty-three, I find my passion to write becoming an ever-growing obsession. I have had the ability and privilege to write from home full time and grow into this self-publishing business. At times, this writer's life is frustrating and hectic, but those golden moments when I get chills reading something I toiled over or hearing how my writing changed someone's outlook on life are priceless and make all the struggle worth it.

My hobbies -
This should probably be changed to hobby (singular) - video gaming. I grew up with video games. My dad introduced me to computers at a young age, and I still remember playing Choplifter on my Commodore 64. Video games run in my blood, and I still enjoy them to this day, sneaking in moments of gaming goodness whenever I get the chance. In fact, if I wasn't called to writing, I definitely would have entered into the area of video game design for my career.

I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving, regardless if the retail industry attempts to overshadow it with nonsense.

Giving Thanks

With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, I wanted to take a moment and post some of the things that I'm thankful for. These are things I am thankful for all year long, but I figured since it's Thanksgiving, maybe I'd actually go public with them.

My relationship with God.
These last few years have brought me closer to God and further from myself - the parts of myself that need to die and make room for newness and better fruit. It's been a challenging journey through self-publishing, writing, and family matters since I left my '9-5' job back in 2009, but God has seen my family through and shown us miracles and countless proofs of His love for us. I'm thankful that He is a God who is continuously active in our lives.

My family -
I am blessed beyond measure with my wife and my son. My wife and I have grown so very close to each other during this journey, and I cannot imagine my life now without my dear son. Working from home while also taking care of my son has been a challenge, and I've had to learn to grown into certain spots, but overall, I wouldn't trade my family or the experiences we share together for anything in this world.

My Career -
I've been writing stories since I was eleven, and now that I'm thirty-three, I find my passion to write becoming an ever-growing obsession. I have had the ability and privilege to write from home full time and grow into this self-publishing business. At times, this writer's life is frustrating and hectic, but those golden moments when I get chills reading something I toiled over or hearing how my writing changed someone's outlook on life are priceless and make all the struggle worth it.

My hobbies -
This should probably be changed to hobby (singular) - video gaming. I grew up with video games. My dad introduced me to computers at a young age, and I still remember playing Choplifter on my Commodore 64. Video games run in my blood, and I still enjoy them to this day, sneaking in moments of gaming goodness whenever I get the chance. In fact, if I wasn't called to writing, I definitely would have entered into the area of video game design for my career.

I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving, regardless if the retail industry attempts to overshadow it with nonsense. I'll be back on this blog next week, ramping up for the release of Black Earth: Exodus!

Chronicling A Legacy

As I write this post, my wife and I are still patiently waiting for our son, Nolan Bailey Alderman, to be born. He's actually not due until August 26th, but it feels like we've been waiting for years for him to come out of there.

In the meantime, I've found something productive to do that will hopefully benefit my coming son, and me. I've started a handwritten journal where I am going to detail the walk that my wife and I have taken with God these last few years - along with the adventures I've experienced during my lifetime. Hopefully I can drop some gems of wisdom throughout the journal and help my son to learn from some of my mistakes. Hopefully he can marvel at the outrageous things I did in my youth, and appreciate the incredible steps of faith I've taken as an adult. Hopefully he can benefit from the one story I haven't fabricated - couldn't have as big as my imagination is.

Someday, this journal will be considered a relic. I figure the art of hand writing anything seems to be getting more and more lost as we enter the digital age. I'll admit, I'm succumbing to the convenience that computers and smartphones offer. But there's just something ten times better about getting something handwritten rather than getting something typed out or preconceived. A poem, rather than a pre-typed greeting card. A letter, rather than an email. Heck, my grandfather and I write each other and he even keeps to the old tradition of sealing some of the envelopes with wax.

A bygone art that needs to be appreciated more.

I'll give this journal to Nolan someday in the future when he's grown enough to understand - and hopefully appreciate - all that's written in it. In the meantime, I have an adventure to write.Or rather, record.

Gideon's 300

For almost two years, my wife and I have been living on an income of $1200/month. Our bills came close to or exceeded $1700/month, yet God came through with the shortfall every single month. Although that shortfall came in many various forms - royalties from my novels, help from the church, assistance from friends, mysterious monetary findings - we were provided for.

A few weeks ago, my wife's job of 4+ years ended, leaving us with an income of $120/month.

During this walk, I've heard it said many times that because our circumstances change that maybe that's God's way of telling us that He's changed his mind or the plan we thought He laid out for us. I've come to learn that simply looking at your circumstances cannot be trusted as a clear indicator of God's will for your life. If that were true, when things get hard, we'd turn tail and run in the opposite direction God intends for us to go.

No, most times God expects us to follow Him regardless of our circumstances. And sometimes, He works those circumstances to bring us victory and Him glory.

Take Gideon for instance. He had 32,000 men at his disposal to do away with the Midianites and Amalakites that had been tormenting the people of Israel. But God thought that was too many. If they went into battle with that many and Israel won, Israel would credit themselves for the victory.

If you read through the text - Judges 7 - you'll see that God ended up leaving Gideon with 300 men to go into battle against 135,000 Midianites and Amalekites. I love the description in Vs. 12: "Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore."

God could have easily granted Gideon victory with his 32,000 men. But he wanted to show Gideon - and the rest of Israel - that he could grant victory even with only 300 at his disposal. And in doing so, Israel had no choice but to give God the credit.

God can do what He needs to with $120 as easily as he can with $1700. And He has. For the last couple weeks God brought in enough to pay our bills, either with spare jobs that came up or assistance from unlikely sources.

Don't get me wrong. This walk is difficult. To trust that God will be faithful with the promises he made - it can be hard when the waiting gets long like it has. We live in an age of instant gratification. But God does not change. He doesn't operate on our schedule. He has a master plan, and that plan will come through in His timing, which is perfect.

I am happy to say that my wife did find a great job last week that should bring in enough to pay the bills completely. We walked through the fire of trial and came out holding a crown of victory. Not just because we believed. Faith is crucial, because without faith we cannot please God. But we came through unharmed because God is faithful. Ever faithful, ever true.

At the Base of the Mountain...

I set my bag down on the ground and take a seat in the dirt, tired from the journey. I have finally reached the base of the mountain, the towering monstrosity that I have been dreading most of my life. I knew this day would come eventually. It was only a matter of time. I knew that in order to reach my dream of becoming a bestselling writer, of walking out God's promises, I would someday have to face this mountain.

I find myself gazing up at the towering Goliath. This large, immovable beast seems to taunt me as I stand in its shadow, telling me that I will never overcome it. I will never overcome the odds of becoming a bestselling author, I will never overcome my family issues or the difficulties of my own existence. If I squint, I can make out a sneer carved into its face. How frightening. How discouraging.

In the shade of this great beast, I find that I have time to ponder where the beginning of this journey started, back when I decided to take a stand in my workplace for what was right. I had the chance to sit down and be quiet, to work peacefully and ignore the things that were wrong within my own environment. To be complacent. But I felt God calling me to something so much greater. My own ethics, my own morals and principles were tested to the limits. The company eventually fired me through unethical means. That seems so long ago.

I guess that would be where the second half of my journey started. The part of my journey where I was called to rely on God for all of my financial needs. Everyone around me asked me if I was going to look for another job and I replied with a nervous no. God made me a promise at the beginning of my employment with that company, a promise stating that would be the last conventional job I would have to work in before my writing career would take off. One thing I have learned in life is that if God makes a promise, we can all count on Him to follow through with it, no matter how long it lingers. No matter how long...

Through the last couple of months, God has supplied every one of our needs. Bills have been paid, the fridge has been full, all with the part time pay that my wife has been bringing in and the generosity of others around us. And yet, God has at the same time been setting us up to make the way for Him to perform a miracle. Unemployment insurance hasn't come through, neither has state aid. We had a couple hundred dollars in our savings account that my wife and I both felt that God wanted us to give to those that have been a great influence in our lives.

At a time like this, some would urge me to cash in my chips and call it a day. To fold would be my next move at the poker table, disappointment etched on my heart for the rest of time. But then I stop and wonder if I am being set up for God to do the miraculous. It reminds me of a Bible passage that was brought to my attention earlier last week, where Gideon (who's army consisted of 32,000) was fighting the Midianite army (which consisted of 135,000), and God asked Gideon to filter out a considerable number of his men so God Himself could get the glory for the battle:

Judges 7:1 So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.2 The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.3 Therefore, tell the people, 'Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.'" So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. 4 But the LORD told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not."5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream."6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. 7 The LORD told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home."

Is my own life a reflection of what God did back then? When all of my financial opportunities are cut off at their sources, when all hope looks lost, will I persevere? If I have the faith of a mustard seed, can I really point to this mountain and tell it to move?

I look up at my Goliath again. That sneer is still etched in its face. How can I, a mere human being, a nobody persay, move this mountain out of my way so I can reach my destiny? Let alone have the faith to move this mountain? Rent is due in a couple days and I don't have a dime of it. Our cars are wearing out, everything we have needs an upgrade. And yet God has me in His hands. God is whispering in my ear, reminding me of the promises He made me so long ago. So very long ago. He tells me to stop concentrating on my circumstances and start focusing on Him. He tells me to stop concentrating on what can go wrong or is going wrong and tells me to focus my gaze on the goal He set forth before me.

My goal is on the other side of that mountain.

I begin to build myself a campfire, for the sun is setting and the wind is growing cold. I feel alone here at the base of this mountain, but I know that God is here with me. He has promised me that He will move this mountain out of my way. All I can do until then is be patient and try not to figure out how to move it on my own.

The mountain rumbles, as if it's laughing at me. How peculiar. I wonder if it will still be laughing when God smashes it to pieces before me and paves a new route to my dreams...