Allowed to think this way, feel these feelings, say these words?

Allowed to express myself this way or that way? To love this person or that?

All my life I've been encouraged to break away from the world, refuse to follow the crowd. Did my encouragers not see? Did they not realise their humanity? Did they not see that a day would come when I might have to reject their ideas in my search for absolute truth? Did they not realise they would one day be the "crowd" I'd break away from?

I've come to see this. What if their ideas are flawed? Should I break from them and the crowd? These encouragers want me to think for myself, to be accountable to God, not men; can they handle it if I am? Can they stand the fruit of their teaching? If I choose and they disagree with my choice, can they accept that as the expression of their teaching in me?

I am allowed. But should I? Paul says everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. In his book Showdown, Ted Dekker tells of children who are taught to base all they do on the discovery of love, its understanding.

The discovery of love. Should I, then, exercise my freedom, my ultimate allowance, my free will, within the limits imposed by love and its discovery? Should I live, then, on a continual quest for a fuller understanding of love, rejecting actions that would turn me from my quest? Should I stop worrying so much about legalistic jots and tittles and instead pierce straight to the heart of law: love?

Yes. And I will.

Saint
by Ted Dekker

Plot: The world's best sharpshooter, hidden in the forests of Hungary, has no goal or identity but survival. Constantly pushed to physical and mental extremes the man known as “Saint” searches for meaning and truth however when he is sent on his first assassination attempt, things get tricky as he begins to discover things he never thought possible.

Good Elements:
Ted Dekker's thrillers are always are treat, even if you don't normally like this style of writing; most likely you'll be hooked.
Dekker's books always carry a central Christian theme; this one is no exception. Saint discusses Belief in depth.

Negative Elements:
It would help to read Dekker's book Showdown before this; however, it's not necessary.

Dekker has an unusual doctrine which may confuse or surprise you if you aren't firm in your beliefs.

Overall:
I enjoyed Dekker's book and highly recommend it--it's gripping and compelling.

Rating: 2 thumbs way up!

-Alison Flanagan

Written in July, 2008

All of these things have brought me to this point in the journey.  And perhaps these next things are what I have wanted to say since the very beginning.

I mentioned earlier that the common perception of the existence of the 'supernatural' for a modern day Christian includes things such as demonic possession, healing, and spiritual gifts.  And though I would agree these are of the 'supernatural' kind, I feel like there is much more.  So my question is, where is the stuff of the Older Testament? or where are the things Jesus of Nazareth claimed were possible?

Oh, how selfish I feel to even ask this question.  But hear me out.  It is one thing if my faith depends on this, if I require to see the supernatural before I can believe (as is the case with Thomas in John 20:24).  Yet, that is not the case here.  Instead I describe it as a craving.  A craving that I feel is essential to our characters as Christian; because we are Christians.  If we accept Christ as Lord, do we not desire to be immersed in His kingdom, which would include all His glory?

Ah, but in Luke 17:21, we discover that the Kingdom of God is within us!

And this idea is revolutionary to the whole discussion.  For I believe we forget this and even the 'awakened' still fail to see the 'supernatural'.  And if we do see the supernatural, another question with this is: why do we see the 'supernatural' around us, but fail to embrace the 'supernatural' within us?

I have heard some people say that God has chosen not to use the same methods of the 'supernatural' in today's world as the ones in past ages.  Okay, that's a theory. But I almost feel as if this is an excuse to our blindness.  What if He does, or better yet, what if He has much more incredible methods of the 'supernatural' happening today?  We wouldn't know because we lack a belief in it, and thus we have become blind to it.  When was the last time you could feel the Kingdom of God?

[sidenote: In an earlier post I mentioned how other religions have very extensive beliefs in the supernatural.  The point I wanted to make was that Christians believe in a God whose history with the supernatural exceeds those of other gods, but Christians appear to hold less value in the supernatural.]

Don't take this the wrong way... I'm not calling for a 'religious experience' here.  I'm saying that Christians are asleep and are missing out on some very important and very wonderful things from and of God! (For more on this, please read The Slumber of Christianity by Ted Dekker)

Have you ever thought about how we as humans live off His breath?  I've also heard, and perhaps this is wrong, that the average human only breathes in a fraction of what their lungs are capable of holding with each breath.  Why aren't we living at our full capacity?

Are we afraid?  I mentioned earlier that Love is an element necessary for us to participate in the 'supernatural'.  I brought up the story from Saint about how the main character had to find the ability to love and be loved before they could discover the 'supernatural' in them.  Perhaps we struggle with that idea of being loved.  In fact, John Eldredge says in Wild at Heart:

"How can you know that God loves you until you realize that you are loveable?"

The truth will set you free; a truth of love!

"When you understand and accept that there is an entirety of Creation, a crazy whacked-out irrational universe where the dead rise and worlds are born with a word... Wow!

That's supernatural".  - Tank.

This is my desire, my craving... to become fully awake to Creation!  To see the 'supernatural'.

I have a long way to go.  Everything you read above are just small discoveries I have come across and in no way could I claim to be an expert.  I hope what is above though is helpful to at least one other person who faces a similar journey.  I plan to add more as new discoveries arise, as i awaken to the Kingdom of God.  And perhaps even corrections will be needed, for many a times are we blessed with more information that expands our understanding of something previously experienced.  But now I want to leave you with a quote from Saint by Ted Dekker that has added to the inspiration of this entire study:

"[The Bible] is full of stories that are as crazy as this one. And do you know why they sound crazy? Because they break all the rules that nature sets. They're supernatural. Crazy, unless you understand the rules of the supernatural. Then, they're not crazy at all. Then they're everyday life, and that's what we have here."

ever & anon,

iwersen.

My latest work of fiction [reading] from one of my favorite authors, Ted Dekker, Adam is one of those spiritual thrillers that dives into the occult in a way that twists your stomach and essentially disassembles your faith while, if read to completion, reaffirms exactly what you long to believe about God's power.

Dekker has been getting deeper and deeper into the dark side of spirituality, largely in the vein of Frank Peretti. This book is, in my opinion, his darkest yet. The man is incredible at dissecting the good vs. evil battle in fiction form.

It's a story easy to follow but difficult to press through. For the first 300 pages, you'll begin to wonder if Dekker has started believing in science over spirituality. His immaculate descriptions of the human brain, through his main character, made me question whether "experiencing God" can really happen.

But then, in his final 50 pages, he blows the lid off scientific analysis of spirituality, diving into the nearly suffocating reality of all things spiritual -- particularly demons.

It's intense. It'll get in your head. I'm not so sure the Catholic spin on spiritual warfare was necessary -- seems like he is trying to get a Hollywood deal out of the thing. But aside from that, bravo, Ted Dekker. Job well done.

How does a Child of God use the 'supernatural' abilities given to them?

Unfortunately, I have an incomplete answer for this one.  This question is not easily answered, and I fear it is different to some extent for each person. Still, I am confident enough to say that the two elements I am about to explain are perhaps the main 'ingredients' to one finding the 'supernatural' within them.

The first thing that is required for one to work with 'supernatural' abilities is Faith.

It seems that almost every time Jesus of Nazareth instructs his disciples in ways of the 'supernatural', he always includes one idea: the idea of faith.  In Matthew 17:14-20, Jesus' disciples ask why they couldn't drive a demon out of a possessed child. His response is,

"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

When Peter points out the fig tree Jesus cursed in Mark 11:21, Jesus' reply is,

"Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him."

And in Matthew 14:31, when Peter is sinking after just walking on water with Jesus, Jesus reaches out to him to catch him and says,

"You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Don't you see what Jesus is getting at?  God blesses those who have faith.  In everything spiritual (which is everything), you must have faith!  Without faith you have nothing.  You have the void.  You have doubt, and fear, and ignorance in the foolish sense.  Hold fast in faith with the Truth and you will find yourself immersed in the 'supernatural' more and more each day.  And I have no doubt, the more you discover with faith, the more you will discover new blessings that seem to go against 'natural law'.

But still there is one more element that is just as important as faith when it comes to working with supernatural abilities.  That is the element of Love.

Jesus mentions the two greatest commandments of all time are to love God, and then love your neighbor.  Later on the Apostle Paul would write a letter to the church in Corinth addressing some issues it was facing.  In part of it, Paul addressed the issues of Spiritual Gifts and uniformity amongst the Church.  Followed very shortly by a well known passage on the subject of love (1 Corinthians 13):

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."

(I have only included part of the passage, yet I would like to recommend you read the rest of it for more insight into the idea of love.  As well, the emphasis above has been added on my part; though I really believe one could probably just emphasize the whole paragraph.)

The Newer Testament is littered with the effects of Love.  In fact one of the greatest examples of the 'supernatural' is when a God loved Man so much, that he cast aside all divinity, bent the laws of the universe, and died for our salvation.

There is a great moment in the book Saint by Ted Dekker which is very closely related to this topic.  The main character is at a moment in his life where he has to believe in the supernatural.  But the problem is that he can't; he is having such difficulty believing, and nothing seems to be working.  Then one of the other characters figures it out.  He says something to the effect of this: "Love."  It was the ability to love and be loved.  The main character had to find that first before he would be able to completely believe in the supernatural.

Perhaps it is the same with us.

At the end of the section Paul wrote on love in 1 Corinthians, he says this:

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

I believe a Child of God will find many blessings of the 'supernatural' kind if they hold fast to these two elements:

Faith and Love.

Ready for Part iv?

So what is supernatural today?

I've asked many of my friends and others this question and the answers cover a wide area of beliefs.  A good umbrella I can categorize the typical answers under is The Spiritual Gifts category.  The Newer Testament has a couple instances where it talks about 'Spiritual Gifts', and most of them are still common today.  So I hear those and then things like Healing, both spiritual and physical, as being supernatural.  Prayer as being supernatural; the whole idea of mortals communing with the Divine is quite 'supernatural'.  And then a major one that people mention as strongly supernatural is demonic possession [side note: I highly recommend the book Adam by Ted Dekker, a great story on spiritual warfare (another topic very nearly parallel with the concept of supernatural)].  And occasionally someone mentions Prophesy, which in the Older Testament covers both foresight as well as forth telling.

Now certainly the 'supernatural' is not limited to this, but this is how most Christians realize supernatural abilities today.  And I don't think I have time to really address the extent of beliefs on supernatural that other religions have, but that does lead to an interesting point (Which you'll have to keep reading further posts to get).

So if the 'supernatural' is occuring, which many people believe it does in some form or another, then how are we involved?

In my personal belief, we are only capable of what God allows us to do, because he is the source of life, and life is living, and living is what we do.  Now don't get me wrong with this... He certainly allows us to do quite a lot, even things against Him.  But He is the giver of gifts and talents, and He has shaped our lives in an appropriate manner.

What I'm trying to say in regards to 'supernatural' capabilities, is that they come from God first and foremost, and that one will be stronger in one area, than in a different area (just like 'normal' talents and abilities).

Unfortunately, this is all I can post at this time in regards to these two points.  There is more to them... but I feel I have some other things to say before I can continue... In part iii, I'll touch upon the huge idea of what I believe needs to be present before the 'supernatural' can take place.

Now I must go ahead and mention right away the statement that intrigues me the most, as I'll be coming back to it later:

"I tell you the truth, if your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." - Jesus of Nazareth.

And that's where it starts for me. That statement has released so much wonder in me. And my soul has chosen to rest upon those words. But my mind wonders if this concept of the supernatural is possible in today's world. Surely this wouldn't have seemed so far fetched in the world of the Older Testament, what with Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and the list goes on. And even into the world of the Newer Testament with Jesus of Nazareth, his disciples, and the Holy Spirit.

But does it still occur today?

From this question I start out on my journey to discover the supernatural in today's world. My findings so far have been strongly based on readings and multiple discussions with friends, colleagues, and mentors.  And perhaps I can share with you what I have found.

So let's begin with the first question I had to tackle on this journey to understanding...

What is supernatural, or also what is the definition of supernatural?

Supernatural derives from the latin term supernaturalis.  super- meaning 'above' and natura meaning 'nature'.

So, to understand what is then above-natural... we have to know what is natural.

Hebrew - This is very interesting... The Older Testament never actually uses the word nature, and only once uses the word natural.  But even that doesn't quite match what natural means in our modern dictionary.  Instead it is used in Deuteronomy 34:7, in reference to Moses' 'natural force' or freshness, vigour at the time of his death.   So no word for nature.  How do they refer to all of these 'natural' things then?  Well, from what I understand, the Hebrew belief is not that there is a 'natural' order of things, but instead that there is heaven and there is earth, and always held in the belief that they are apart of creation.  So no natural. Just creation.  (For some good insights into the Hebrew perspective of creation/nature/everything, I recommend Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell)

Greek - We start to see a development of terms that are similar to our common knowledge of what nature means.  But in most instances, nature still holds onto more of a certain quality and not a set law.  Even in some cases nature would better be translated force.

Latin - So I mentioned the latin term supernaturalis earlier, right? This is good. The part natura, actually derives from natus, which is better translated, 'that which we are born with'.  To make a combined definition of 'above that which we are born with'.

So, though there are some instances that are similar, there is no definitive version of the word nature that claims it as a set law of physical occurrences.  Maybe I'm incorrect, but I'm sensing there is no 'natural' law.  Don't get me wrong, there are definitely commonalities amongst the physical behaviors and actions we experience, but there is no actual law of nature.  From what I gather, the Hebrew perspective is that creation tends to behave in certain ways, but is not limited to those ways.  Not with God at least.  And I believe my friend Tank would say at this moment, "Perhaps "Nature" is a construct of man; a box to explain and contain all that we can see and keep our minds from boggling at every turn."

In summary, there is no 'natural' order of things, which leads me to say that there is no 'supernatural'. Only that what we believe is supernatural is creation, perhaps creation as it was meant to be experienced.

Alright there is much ground left to cover.   You will find the rest of this study published in parts with each containing different discoveries and ideas.  Feel free to leave comments with ideas and feelings.  Or proceed to Part ii, which partially addresses what is considered 'supernatural' and some of the concept of human involvement.

Honestly, I don't expect more than 10 people to ever read this. But if for some strange reason people like it, I would continue it. I don't have a general theme or anything for my blog, it's just going to be about anything and everything that goes on in my life.

In case anyone was wondering, my username is often mispronounced. The first A is pronounced the same way as in "Apple". The second A is pronounced like "Uh". The final AI is usually pronounced as the letter "E", but really it makes the sound of "I" like the word "eye". I chose this from a series of books called "The Circle" by Ted Dekker which can be found here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_Trilogy) . It's a great series and I suggest everyone read it.

Well, that's it for now. I'll probably be posting more in the future. See ya!

Focus:   Ted, can you tell us how many books you have in print in the Christian market?

Ted Dekker:  Seven

Focus:  You've received tremendous positive response about your most recent book, Thr3e, but rumor has it you're pushing forward to even greater things next year.  Can you tell us why 2004 is being called your "Year of the Trilogy"?

Ted Dekker:  The Trilogy, Black, Red, and White, is a huge step for me creatively.

It's my masterpiece if you will allow me that term. When I first received my call to writing fiction, it was for this story which brings to light salvation history in a very unique way. The reason the publisher is calling it the "year of the trilogy," is simply because no one has ever brought an entire trilogy out, all in hardcover, in the same year before. Needless to say, I've had my head buried this year.

Focus:  Your father is Dutch-Canadian, your mother is from Montana, you grew up as a missionary kid in Indonesia, and now you live and write in Colorado.  How has this incredible background affected who you are today?

Ted Dekker:  I've never been rooted in any particular culture, and this has allowed me to peer into various cultures from the outside. They say that a good writer is first of all a good observer -- my background has forced me to observe well. What insight I have comes in part from being bounced around the world as a child.

Focus:  Our lives have all been touched and challenged by various people.  Is there one person who has most influenced your life?

Ted Dekker:  My father, whom I really didn't know well until I was in my twenties since I went to boarding school. He is a true follower of Christ.

Focus:  What motivated you to become an author?

Ted Dekker:  A specific calling to write stories that reveal the character of God. I was in a time of worship and I felt God impress on me his desire that I write a particular story that filled my mind. I've been learning how to do that ever since.

Focus:  Can you describe your average writing day?  Do you have a set schedule, or just work like crazy when the "muses" strike?

Ted Dekker:  I believe that inspiration comes on the back of discipline. My day starts at about seven. After a quiet time and some reflection on what I will write that day, I spend an hour editing the previous day's writing. I then write roughly 3000 words, which usually lands me at six p.m. The evenings are for family only.

Focus:  Is there a particular book among those you've written that you would especially recommend to our readers?  If so, why?

Ted Dekker:  If you want to sink your teeth into a story that will challenge your notion of God and his love, try When Heaven Weeps -- but I warn you, it's not for the timid. If you want a lighter read, try Blink or Thr3e. If you want traditional Christian Fiction, there are plenty of other gifted writers to choose from.

Focus:  Your book, A Man Called Blessed, fueled my longing for a deeper walk with God in a way few stories ever have.  Can you tell us a little about what God was doing in your heart as you wrote this story?

Ted Dekker:  A Man Called Blessed is a story of an adult rediscovering child-like faith. It's one thing for us to watch a child and see what we might want to emulate, it's another thing to watch a man uncovering the passion and faith resident in most unspoiled children. Like all of my novels, this was a journey of my imagination, an ideal drawn in full color. Honestly, it's one of my favorite novels. It's one I would do well to read frequently.

Focus:  What do you feel is the greatest message with which God has entrusted you, and why have you chosen fiction as the medium for that message?

Ted Dekker:  In essence, my books boil down to God's pursuit of man, and man's pursuit of God. My protagonists are rarely Christians, but rather people thrust into extraordinary situations that ultimately lead them to God. Fiction allows me to put flesh on dogma and make this pursuit real.

Focus:  What response do you hope to stir in the readers of your stories?

Ted Dekker:  I would like my readers to close the cover at the end and say, "Wow, I never thought of it like that before." I would love to give readers fresh ideas of God's incredible love and the struggle we all face in receiving that love.

Focus:  The Christian fiction field has rapidly expanded over the past few years.  What would you like to see happen in this field in the years to come?
 

Ted Dekker:  I would like to see the tag "Christian" fiction fade away. When a novel is given this tag, it's automatically put into a very narrow and often misunderstood box that does it and the gospel of Christ no favors. In general, the term "Christian" has much less to do with following Christ and much more to do with being part of a social institution. So it goes in the literary world as well. Most Christians don't even read "Christian" fiction, preferring instead general market fiction primarily because of the stigma associated with the Christian fiction tag. They think of Christian fiction in terms that no longer accurately represent it.

Focus:  We've heard tales of starving artists and writers selling their cars to fund their careers.  Did writing have a negative impact on you financially, particularly at the beginning of your writing career?

Ted Dekker:  I wrote for three years, full time, living off of our savings before I was published. We sold the Suburban. We sold my motorcycles. We sold anything we thought we could live without. And then we sold my first book. You have to understand, writing was a calling for me and I followed it religiously.

Focus:  Many writers are also avid readers.  Do you have any favorite authors?  If so, could you name a few?

Ted Dekker:  Philip Yancey. John Piper. Dallas Willard. Dean Koontz.

Focus:  How can readers and fans encourage you as you pursue what is sometimes a challenging and solitary job?

Ted Dekker:  Hearing positive feedback through my website is the highlight of each day. Connecting with readers through my stories is what my life is all about. Nothing is more encouraging than knowing I've done so.

• Blessed Child (2000) (with Bill Bright)
• A Man Called Blessed (2000) (with Bill Bright)
• Heaven's Wager(2000)
• When Heaven Weeps(2001)
• Thunder of Heaven (2002)
• Blink(2003)
• Thr3e (2003)
• Black (2004)
• Red (2004)
• White (2004)
• Obsessed(2005)
• Showdown (2006)
• Saint(2006)
• House(2006) (with Frank Peretti)
• Skin(2007)
• Blink of an Eye(2007)
• Chosen(2007)
• Infidel(2007)
• Adam
• Renegade
• Chaos

Author's website: http://www.teddekker.com/site.php

Source:http://www.focusonfiction.net/teddekker.html

I'm still reading the Bible and that devotional, Fee is still on my iPod but I don't think it's the big thing I am listening to right now. In fact I would have to say I have taken a break from music all together. I don't listen to anything when I am driving or setting in my office. My iPod has sat in my "man bag" as David Richardson would say, for more then a month.

I am reading a Don Miller book, "Through Painted Deserts" and love it. I actually want to read the "unabridged" raw version if there is one. You know his notes and thoughts, the scribbles etc...

I have the new Ted Dekker novel "Adam" sitting here and I swear to you Ted, if this is anything related to the trilogy I am going to scream. I mean, the trilogy was great but every book since then relates, which is not bad, I get what your doing, but I want another Thr3e. I didn't even pick up Skin. I want new, raw, different. Your the only Christian Fiction author I read. Period.

It is not enough for me simply to keep a clear conscience before God while acting shadily or with a closed hand or a nagging conscience in the eyes of men. In fact, thinking that my conscience was clear before God when it is not clear before men may be fooling myself. Honesty to God is essential to honesty with man, yet honesty with man may be very important to greater honesty with God.

I am a repentant liar, Lord. I confess that I do not live the perfectly self-revealing life that Your Son did. I sometimes lie to my students to keep arms linked with my colleagues. There are dishonest practices that we engage in as teachers to make our jobs easier. Education doesn't need better trained or qualified teachers. No one is qualified to teach. It needs newly born teachers who worship, love, and live for Christ as God, King of this world and all people in it. Only then will we repent of the practices God despises.

Lord, I confess dishonesty. I confess to getting lazy with the gradebook in the past come report card time. Frankly, Father, I confess just a general confusion about report cards and grades in general.

Lord Jesus, I thank You that You lived a self-revealing life amidst your disciples and all others. You used perfect discernment in how You revealed Yourself. You didn't keep secrets out of rivalry or conceit.

Lord, I confess that I am tempted by the many shortcuts available to me in education. There are many things I can get away with not doing. And Lord, as this next year approaches and the prospect of teaching 6 periods rather than 4.5 and having 2 preps rather than 1 and having close to a hundred kids rather than forty and having the academically low and angry and burnt out has been a temptation for anxiety that I have fallen to. Anxiety is a sin to be repented of, Lord, and I ask for that repentance.

I know that suffering is an opportunity to bring me closer to You, Lord Jesus, and so I pray that You will ready me for the suffering that is to come. Make me bear it as You did, my mighty King! I alone am wholly unequal to it, but Your Holy Spirit within me is the incomparably great might of the universe.

Prepare me, Lord Jesus, to "take pains." The inclination of the flesh I'm bound in is to avoid pain! The inclination of my sinful flesh is to avoid pain if at all possible. The virtue of avoiding pain and hardship and "undue" suffering is held above the virtue of doing what is right and being honest before You and man.

Lord Jesus, I resist the demonic virtue of cowardice that I have habitually bowed to. I resist Satan's lure here, this lure of cowardice. How true it is that Satan has lifted up an idol for some of my teaching friends and I, that cowardice is preferable to bravery.

Lord, is it brave to teach a curriculum as I'm told? What does bravery in the classroom look like, God?

Thank You, Father, for Crystal and for enabling me to serve and sacrifice for her. Lord, how precious Your design, that what I learn in marriage can be applied to teaching, and that what I learn in teaching can be applied to marriage. It reminds me of Ted Dekker's Circle trilogy. Teach me to sacrifice for my bride as Christ has sacrificed for me, and may it be far from me to confuse any other for Crystal! My sacrifice is to her first, others always an infinite second.

I love you, Jesus, and I thank You, and I desire Your glory to be made known throughout all the land. Thank You for willingly suffering the cross for me. Now, let me suffer for Your name.

Choas is everything the title promises. This is the most intense novel of the series and the action never lets up for a moment. Dekker's writing sizzles as he takes us on an unforgettable thrill ride with numerous plot turns and a shocking twist in the end that is anything but predictable. It's fun to finally see Johnis and company romp around our world for a change and their experiences and encounters are both humorous and engaging. Dekker even dabbles a bit into vampire lore which actually fits right in with the chaotic nature of the plot. Many questions are finally answered, including the mysterious origins of those creepy worms.

In the end Dekker satisfies us with some much needed closure, but as we've come to expect from Dekker, the end is never really the end. The table is now cleverly set for Sinner and I, for one, am hungry for more!

Meanwhile, Billos finds himself in the skin between worlds where he goes head to head with the mysterious and ever elusive, Marsuvees Black. Tempted by the dark power Black offers, Billos must now choose whether to fight for truth or give in to his selfish desires. In the end the choice he makes will affect the fate of two worlds and the one he loves the most.

In Chosen and Infidel, Dekker started us off on a mind-spinning journey set in the alternate universe he created in his groundbreaking Circle Trilogy. Renegade raises the bar even higher as we are treated to a delightful adventure full of tension, suspense, and wonder. Dekker fans will once again love the tie-ins to his previous works (Showdown, Skin) and the return of Marsuvees Black is a trip to be sure. While there is enough action and intrigue to go around, this story is also about finding redemption in the most unlikely places. Once again Dekker knocks one out of the park as he beautifully sets the stage for Chaos.

Ted's going to be talking a lot about what it takes to get published, his thoughts on the Christian Fiction market, and answering questions about his books. Apparently there will be some big wig publishing folks there answering questions as well. There's also going to be a panel of some other writers (I know Eric Wilson will be there...another one of my favorites. He is releasing a brand new trilogy this fall featuring vampires, which is really unheard of in the Christian Fiction world). Ted's book, House, has been made into a film and it was scheduled to release in theaters last fall. For some reason it was held up and is now scheduled to open this fall. I'm really excited because at The Gathering they are showing a sneak preview of the movie! Currently it is rated R because of the violence and the intensity, so I'm real interested to see what that's all about. All the participants will receive an advanced copy of his upcoming book, Sinner, as well.

This is a great opportunity for me and something I hope will give me some more inspiration and insight into being a novelist. I'm still very passionate about wanting to write, but I have really struggled with finding the time and motivation. I have really wanted to give up a few times, but something always happens to encourage me to keep going. Just last week Randy Singer emailed me to thank me for a review and to encourage me in my writing. I've never emailed him before so I was really blown away that he contacted me and took the time to give me some helpful advice. I'm also so thankful for Angie and how supportive she is. I was really hoping she could go to The Gathering with me, but we just couldn't work that out. She's been super great about encouraging me to go anyway. She is so understanding and so good to me. I am blessed!

After the trip I will try to give a little report here on what it was like. Hopefully I will have some cool pictures of me and Ted to share and some exciting Dekker news about his future books. Maybe I can even write about the movie. Stay tuned!

~Glorfindel

Warning: Possible spoilers ahead.  No like, no read.

Over in Saudi Arabia, a young Arab woman named Miriam is forced into a marriage for royal power.  Angry with her religion's constraints, she runs - from her country, from her family, from Islam.  She hopes America can offer her the freedom it is known for; but when a country is at stake, not everyone sees eye to eye with her.

Meanwhile, in California, a college student named Seth suddenly discovers the gift of clairvoyance.  But he's not just seeing the future; he's seeing multiple futures.  This incredible gift throws his religious views into confusion and makes him question everything and everyone around him.

When these two meet and team up, they end up on the run from the governments of both nations.  Along the way, they talk about the weaknesses and fundamentals of Christianity, Islam, and human nature.  Seth has to come to grips with reality, and Miriam has to question what she really believes in.

Their discoveries will rock the modern world.

Ted Dekker is known for his suspense/religious books, and he delivers like no other on this one.  There is enough dry humor in there to keep it from being dull.  If you follow his (Seth's) logic, the implications boggle your mind.  And his revelation at the end is absolutely stunning.  I have read this book multiple times, and it is still amazing.

Possible objectionable content: not really. 13+ from me.

Stardragon's rating: 10 out of 10 butterscotch candies.

Quotes

• "I've learned never to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed person.  Sir." ~Seth
• "You... you can't run from the House of Saud!  You are the House of Saud." ~Hillary
• "No, I don't think you understand this.  And you'll forgive me if it gives me some concern.  A man who has shoved me into the toilet and then dragged me down the street is now asking me into his car.  I might have taken my chances with the mutawa." ~Miriam
• "Look, I didn't exactly plan on rescuing a princess today.  Forgive me if I don't have my handy-dandy Ten Most Efficient Strategies ot Deliver a Distressed Princess to Safety handbook in my back pocket.  Maybe if you'd given me some notice." ~Seth
• "Simple?  Stepping beyond a dimension.  Oh, I see.  How silly of me.  Then at least tell me what stepping beyond a dimension feels like." ~Miriam
• "I'm saying, Peter, that if our friend here had killed the woman in that bathroom, as he probably intended, we wouldn't be here trying to keep the Middle East from blowing up.  And we all know that if the House of Saud is overthrown by militants, sooner or later the Middle East will blow up.  But he didn't kill her, did he?  And frankly, I'm just a tiny bit curious how our fugitive managed to pull one over an accomplished... diplomat's head." ~Clive Masters
• "It's amazing how easy it is to elude the mortals when you see clearly.  It's like playing tag with children who are blindfolded.  They don't have a chance!" ~Seth
• ""We look like a lemon driving down the road.  They'll spot us from Saudi Arabia." ~Miriam
• Did Jesus Christ know the future as a child?  Could he walk up to a marble game at age seven and know precisely how to win?  And yet he was fully God." ~Seth
• "Prayer may just be the most powerful tool mankind has." ~Seth

Good book.  Really good book.  I recommend it to everyone who questions the future.  And all the rest of you, too.

Well, I'm off to clean up the site a little bit.  Ja ne!

EDIT 4.27.08: New knitting tutorial up for everyone.  Enjoy!

If you haven't seen the movie Adaptation, then you shouldn't read this post. But, if you have seen the movie, then here's my point: you've probably already, in a way, seen or red Ted Dekker's Thr3e. I finished watching Adaptation today, and in it, if you've seen it, you'll recall that the Donald Kaufmann writes a movie script called "The 3" about a detective, a serial killer, and a captive woman, whom end up all being the same person.

Well, when I saw what he titled his screenplay, "The 3", I thought to myself, "Huh, that's kind of like that really really crappy movie that came out last year, or maybe the year before that. I can't remember. In fact it's starting to make my head hurt. I'm gonna start thinking about this awesome movie before my brain explodes from thinking something too dumb for too long." Okay, so maybe I did not have that thought in its entirety, but you get the idea. I noticed the similarities. So when that wonderful movie finished, I looked up the plot for Thr3e, yes, including the spoiler. And I was surprised to learn that it had almost exactly the same ending and premise.

Before any Ted Dekker apologists go ranting on me that the book came out after the movie (and I know how many millions of you out there read this blog), I researched that as well, and Thr3e, the novel, came out in 2003, and adaptation came out in 2002. I know that authors can have similar ideas (I commented on this in my Family Guy vs. The Simpsons post), but this seems a little ridiculous, that both Dekker and Adaptation screenwriter Kaufman should have the exact same idea so close in conjunction with each other.

And seeing Kaufman's originality in other works has me believing it was Dekker who ripped him off. Everyone is always singing me the praises of Dekker as a writer, but I tried reading one of his books, and for the life of me, could not get caught up in the story, despite reading thirty or so pages. When the movie three came out and looked like absolute crap, my confidence didn't swell for him either.

Anyone out there want to defend Dekker, or, perhaps, comment on this whole plagiarism thing? I know I'm a little late on the uptake, but I'd still be interested to hear anybody's thoughts on this, because I looked around the web and was unable to find anything besides random blog posts relating to it.

http://www.amazon.com/Adam-Ted-Dekker/dp/1595540075/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206645271&sr=8-1

Well I finished it last night and while I'm a newer fan of his work (I plan on catching up on all his novels this year) I've got to say it's one of my favorites of his.  Of course I've only read 3-4 of his so that may not mean much.

Anyways I'm not here to do a book review.  I'm not going to spoil anything but actually want to just make a brief comment about a quote that was put on the back pamphlet of the book.  It reads:

"The detail is stunning, pointing to meticulous research in FBI methods, forensic medicine, and psychological profiling.  We have to keep telling ourselves that this is fiction.  At the same time, we can't help thinking that not only could it happen, but that it will happen if we're not careful."   -   David M. Kiely and Christina McKenna authors of The Dark Sacrament

The book focuses on demonic possession.  And as I read what I just posted above I thought to myself.  They're right.  I mean there has been cases about demon possession and some can be easily cast aside as bogus but others have to be seriously looked into.

And I think what really sparked my interest with this book was that this was not just another book that had a villain that just didn't seem real.  While this does.  I'm no expert with demon possession or anything (and on that matter I wouldn't want to be.  I probably wouldn't be able to handle watching an exorcism take place.) but I know that this is something that has happened and will happen again.  We're warned in the Bible that Satan's minions are all around us.  Waiting.  And what I liked about Adam was that it showed just how worried we should be about demonic possession and the sort.

Not to mention it's really got me interested to learn more about real life cases and the effects that it's had on people.  Throughout the book there are references to another book called.   Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans.  References were made to the book and to the author and I didn't think it was real but turns out it is.  Which makes me want to read that book now.

And lastly I'm left with this as I finished that book last night.  I really truly am happy to know that Satan loses in the end.  

“These zombies floated through life as if nothing would ever matter in the end.”

“The smell of rotting flesh was more a scent of wholesome humanity than a stench.”

The first quote is when Thomas, the main character, is in traffic looking around at the other drivers. He just tells it like it is – our current culture in a nutshell.

The second quote to me was brilliant. Basically it’s set in the alternate world where the effects of sin and atonement are physically seen. In this instance, sin and rebellion are evidenced by dry and diseased skin, while healthy skin, resulting from bathing in the lakes given by Elyon (God), represents atonement...or something like that.

Anyways, so if you just substitute “rotting flesh” with “sin” you get this:

“The smell of sin was more a scent of wholesome humanity than a stench.”

...which, to me, I see is the exact attitude so many people have today. People scoff at those who hold any specific moral standards and say you’re “closed-minded” or something ridiculous, while they experience all the desires humanity offers and creates.

Oh! It’s just like Vronsky and his friends from Anna Karenina:

“But there was another sort of people, the real ones, to which they all belonged, and for whom one had, above all, to be elegant, handsome, magnanimous, bold, gay, to give oneself to every passion without blushing and laugh at everything else.”

[emphasis added]

“Wholesome humanity.” What a contradictory statement! It’s so un-subtle and brilliant. I love it.