Holding Hands

Holding Hands
I love the Scripture in Isaiah 41:13 that says that God will hold my hand. There have been many times in my life that I have needed Him to do just that. A lot of times I think God held my hand by using people who are near to hold me so that I can feel tangible support. My husband, mom, dad, sisters, brothers, kids, and friends have all extended that hand at various times in my life.

There are also people that I didn't know all that well at the time who have extended a hand of friendship and comfort to me. One person is my new friend that I see most weekday mornings at the post office. She makes the place shine while I go in and get my mail. It had been a few days since she had seen me and she had grown concerned. When I walked through the door, she put down her cleaning rag and put her arms around me. The tenderness and support from that gesture was priceless. Little did she know that I needed to feel the arms of God around me at that time.

There are also those who reach out to me with tender words in emails or cards. Those words literally feel like arms around my heart. They encourage me and tell me that I can do whatever I need to do and that they appreciate the things I have already done. You can't bottle stuff like that up for resale. That is a gift.

If you knew me when I was a kid through high school you would know a different person than the person I am today. I was afraid of everything. I was shy and wanted to pretty much be invisible. I could laugh and talk with close friends but meeting new people was a challenge. Now meeting new people is most of what I do! God has a sense of humor alright. I urge all of us to reach out and be the hands and arms of God to those around us.

Please read this interview with new author, Ren Royal. When I read it I was moved to tears. Her book sounds unbelievable.





1. What is your name and the title of your book?
Ren R. Royal – “Lost Faith to Living Faith”

2. What is one thing you think your readers would
like to know about you?
A bit of personal info: Author Ren R. Royal was a starving orphan from Seoul, Korea, was adopted into a Lutheran preacher’s family, and came to America, where she became a naturalized citizen. Ren pursues her passion for writing and poetry with the support of her church and family. Ren and her husband, Charlie, reside in Garland, Texas. Ren’s husband is a retired Detective with the Dallas Police, and has been awaiting his 2 retirement while working as Sr. Investigator with the State Bar of Texas. Ren is a full-time legal secretary, plus Author, is an Assisting Minster (or also called lay asst.) at her home church, Resurrection Lutheran, enjoys interior decorating, and helping others wherever possible.

3. When did you know that you wanted to become
a writer?
I have written all of my life, as a way of coping and because it was the only way I could
communicate with others. Writing just came
naturally. Adopted and became a naturalized
citizen of the United States, I experienced
racial prejudice and had no friends until the
age of 30. I had become so withdrawn from
life and society. Unable to break down the
walls and barriers within and around, writing
seemed to be the only thing to break down
those walls and barriers. I never even
imagined that I would have a book published.
Encouraged by others in my church, I started
writing and did not stop. I never really
thought of my writing as something good
enough to be accepted by a publisher due to
my education. I only submitted my manuscript
because I thought it would good for me to
receive rejection. However, instead of being
rejected, my manuscript was accepted to my
surprise. That was God’s way of telling me I
need to have this book published that it may
make a difference in the life of another. I had
dreamed of having a book published but I never thought it would be possible, and when I was not even trying, it happened. I feel very blessed to have this opportunity since only 4% of manuscripts are accepted.
Prayer:
Almighty God,
May the tears of pain and suffering throughout the world become
floods of peace in your holy embrace. May the tears of sorrow become tears of love. May the tears of the world become rivers of your overflowing grace, continually touching one soul after another.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

There are many in the world whose tears are left unseen and I hope that my voice can make a difference in those tears. I once was a woman who prayed for years to die, and my prayers have changed drastically. I thank God and embrace life now. My prayers are for the hopeless, the lost, the hurting, the suffering, the victims, those who have found some reason to stop attending church and believe in God, for PK’s who stopped attending church, for those who have been through hunger, homeless, cancer, and illnesses, physical,mental or spiritually.

4. What are your strong points in your writing style
or methods?
People seem to enjoy my poetry. Sometimes I
find poetry alone too boring, and my mix of prose and poetry flow together and that is what I have found people to like the most.

5. Are you a reader?
No

6. What are you reading right now?
It is amazing that I am a writer, because I don’t read very many books. At the library, I would rather look at pictures than sit down and read.

7. Do you have another book that you are working on
and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
Yes. I have written a second book titled, “Lost
Faith to Living Faith, Part II” It has been
submitted and accepted by Tate Publishing.
I am just awaiting the funds to put this book
into action and see how my first book does.
I believe if it is God’s will for this second book
to happen, then it will. It is just a matter of time and patience. In my 2 book, I want to go into a deeper faith, touching those who were raised with the faith, but left. This will include poetic reflections/prayers/stories of lives changed and transformed by God’s love, that faith is alive through Jesus Christ, our Lord. My first book revolved mostly about how I changed, but my 2 book will be more as a devotional with poetry, prose, poetic prayers, that others may too find or come back to the Lord! He does not leave us, we leave Him.

8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and
how do you overcome them?
My biggest obstacle is that I am not near as
educated as many other writers. I do not
have a college degree. I wasamazed that my book was accepted and not having that
amount of education is no longer a stumbling block to accomplishing one’s dreams.
I never thought it was possible to write a book. I only thought lawyers, doctors, preachers, etc. could write books. We all have stories of our lives, dreams, and aspirations within us, and with faith all things are possible! I am not a highly educated woman and I hope that this book inspires others in the world that regardless of education; if we can love, we can aspire, and if we can live, we can take action! I hope this will inspire other women to listen to their inner hearts – that they too have something to give to the world! They too can find their voice, whether a voice of writing, through music, through art, or whatever one’s talent, we women don’t have to aspire, we can inspire.

9. Please put a description of each of your books
here.
Have you been lost or hopeless and wanted to give up in life? Lost Faith to Living Faith is the true story of how Ren R. Royal overcame her struggles through loss, prejudice, rape, abuse, and depression by placing her faith in the God who is able to heal and restore. This is the inspiring story of Ren’s transformation from hopelessness into a life full of love and joy as she went from Lost Faith to Living Faith. This inspirational and uplifting testimony is for anyone who feels hopeless or has lost faith. See how God’s grace and love can take the most tragic of stories and turn them into something more precious than gold.

“It is so difficult for any of us to realize what it is like to be a person without a family and a home. The author has been there, and she tells both the good and the bad in such a way that makes it difficult to put the book down. Every person, young and old, will discover tremendous insights that will benefit them throughout all of life. Lost Faith to Living Faith is a must read for all.”
Pastor Donald C. Ofsdahl

There are books on people who have lived lives of faith throughout their lives. There are books on atheists or agnostics who have come to believe. How about those who were raised with the faith but lost faith? This is a reality in the world today. Millions and millions of people struggle with faith every day in the world, even preacher’s kids.
Many of us feel as if we are drowning in the sins of the world and we don’t even feel worthy of being saved. Have you known such hopelessness? This is not just about a lost faith, but rather, the faith I found. It is my story of finding hope in the midst of hopelessness, of finding faith while being faithless, of finding joy in the midst of sorrow, of finding meaning in love when nothing seems to have meaning in life. This is not a self-help book nor does it contain all the answers. Ultimately, this is a tale of hope.

10. How can readers contact you or purchase
your books? Please put your website or blog here.
http://www.tatepublishing.com/
bookstore/search.php?search=Lost+Faith+to+Living+Faith
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565962532#/profile.php?id=100000177425583&ref=profile or look up facebook Ren Royal, and ask to be my friend.