Wednesday, September 27, 2017

God Versus The Flag - My Personal Journey to Today





In over 70 years, I have never seen or experienced the chaos and divisiveness which has erupted since the 2016 election.
As with many of you, perhaps, as I did, your past beliefs and basic ideas and ideals have been involved, causing you to look back...




The Apostles' Creed was one of the first questions I had...
Why did we recite this in Church but out church was not a Catholic Church...?
I wasn't satisfied with the answer... It meant a universal church?
Then why didn't it say so?
And if it was to stand for a universal church, then that meant to me
God was over all of us, no matter in what facility they worshiped
My opinions and beliefs were starting to formulate...




In early life, I loved God Bless America...
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Coming of the Lord...
Then I was told I couldn't pray in school anymore...
I didn't understand...

My pledge of Allegiance to the Flag 
said it was "Under God"
(Some versions don't now...?)

A child who is raised in church, 
and talking about God...and praying...
Didn't understand--why not in school.
Nobody explained...
When I got older, I noticed something strange
Congress was opened with prayer
Sometimes multiple religious leaders 
were there to pray or bless a meal...
Why wasn't I allowed to pray in school...
(and now we wonder what happened to our youth...)


But there was a song that became the National Anthem
it was about soldiers, fighting and safely coming home, free...
That was a good song, but if God was over all of us...
Why not choose God Bless America,
or His Truth is Marching On...
Were we no longer Under God, like even our money said

Then I learned of special interest groups...atheists in particular
who then began to question using God anywhere...

History said that immigrants came to gain religious freedom
but now immigrants, especially certain religions are banned
I believed God was supreme in the world...and the United States...
A Nation Under God...
In my thinking, just like a Billy Graham or a Martin Luther King,
or Mother Theresa, or Moses and so many other men and women who spoke of their love of God...that there was indeed only One God, and some spoke of him differently than I did because of my particular religion...
Yes, I knew that the Bible said that only through Jesus can you be saved..
Rational thought said that my God was a God of Love, and that he wouldn't condemn those who did not know Jesus...
It was the beginning of doubting for me

It was when I began to receive cautionary notes...a minister uncle brought us little pamphlets against Catholics... My mother suggested we stay away from them...
I've mentioned before that in the seventh grade, my two new best friends for all of high school was a Catholic and an African American... We loved each other as friends do...We never thought of any religious differences that we may have had...

I couldn't understand why one atheist could cause so much turmoil...
Schools were no longer allowed to celebrate Christmas or Easter...
No public displays were permitted on the streets...
I didn't understand why I was being penalized for being a Christian
no longer being able to share a prayer, no longer able to celebrate the birth and death of Christ...
Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, toys and chocolate
 replaced Baby Jesus
the Crucified Jesus...

Madeline O'Hara

Then when I was just beginning to work on a campus, the government 
declared Separation of Church and State.
For me that meant that no Christian events could occur on campus unless they were sponsored by students (as their home away from home)...
Or other approvals which I negotiated...
To religious leaders with questions about their paying taxes for this State institution, I had no answer other than to point out it was now federal law...

GOD HAD BEEN COMPLETELY ELIMINATED FROM MY LIFE
OUTSIDE OF THE HOME...
This was religious freedom?
Was Christianity the only one being attacked?
Well from an atheist, yes...but what about the rest of America?

But as nearly 40 years on a state university campus flew by
I met many people from different countries, of different colors.
Many became friends; I learned that there was no difference
among that multi-national group...
Some were bad as they chose to be; most were good
Religious differences was not an issue...
Some were Jews, a couple of professor friends,
Indian students and more... Some were Christians, some not...
I could be accused of thinking, they all look alike...
We were a college campus, we were employees, we were students
A group...
College sports were part of that life
multiple races, multiple cultures...became teams...
I was a Christian, yes, but I also was elected to
Staff Council, the Council for Women's Concerns...
I joined and sang various musical pieces 
in a multicultural group of music lovers
God was with me; God was there..

Then One day I no longer felt His Spirit!
It came about because I read a book, something that
contradicted my belief system...
Days were dark; I had pulled away...
Talking to a friend allowed me to consider
I knew the darkness of being without His Spirit
I learned to use the gift of discernment in reading
I didn't want that ever again...

God was there with all races, all nationalities
I never sensed the presence of evil, except through
criminal acts on and off campus... Rape was there, I am sure
Now they call it date rape...
Only one heinous campus crime happened in all those years...

And I had become a member of a society
and happened to be Christian. I lived there
I had a role, a place there...
I fought for staff and women's rights there,
organized conferences, classes, 
to help women and men train for promotional opportunities...

I understood that Christians lived along with others, 
under one God, 
No matter if a different religion was held by some
I began to understand Separation of Church and State
But I never understood the inconsistency in the government
who seemed unable to stand behind their own rulings...
In fact, I had little trust in...government...

Within my family, they knew I worked hard,
continued to be promoted, continued to succeed...
They never knew my friends,
my activities, my professional or personal involvement.
They were busy with their lives, I with mine...
I had become an adult working and living as I chose...
I have gained much sympathy, much empathy
for all women and men who are burdened by just living...
living and trying to survive...
Women's rights were increased...as was minorities
Affirmative Action made us conscious of why we hired 
and made us realize that discrimination was wrong... 
I learned and understood much
Some did not and resented...but still was part of the group, 
striving and trying...working together...

Then it started on campus...A New Administration
Women, myself included, who had entered 
senior administration and a different federal employee classification
were either fired, moved into different positions...
Much happened; I will only say I developed Job Burnout
and was told I had to choose between death and my job
I went on medical leave...and ultimately was fired
although they called it elimination of the position...

Still I wasn't ready ten years later
for a man to be running for President
No, I had never watched the apprentice
knew nothing about Trump...
But I heard this and remembered...
Sexual harrassment, snide remarks,
women's role... I was "on alert"
This man during his campaign was a predator
inciting anger, prejudice, hate
I saw it immediately...others didn't; he was elected
not by popular vote, but through emotional division...

He's still doing it...

His mode of operation:
Deflect the people from his not doing the job
by appealing to emotional insecurities and fears
The majority oppose him now...

So he hits again...
"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."



This is what I think...
The flag is a symbol of unity
People are what it represents
In this case, in the United States...
No matter whether Soldiers, or those who wait for them
No matter what they do for a living
The flag is merely a symbol of the country
 in which Americans live
The flag is not God to be honored above people...
God loves all people and is not 
An Entertainer to be watched for your pleasure
even while some of God's people are hurting...
In the US and all over the world
People have been freed in the country this flag represents,
not just soldiers, veterans...but all people...
And, I thought, the United States was a country,
Under God...
When that country divides over the freedom that the United States
provided for all immigrants that came to find freedom from religion...
Why Now has the United States chosen to allow divisiveness
turning away from why and how immigrants came...
Why now are we saying that God, who reins over all people
has allowed one man and supporters to change 
God's sovereignty over all nations...













God gives us the freedom to worship in many ways
He gives us freedom of choice in all ways...
Yet many people are not equally free...
Why does the flag prevent us from Freedom to Speak/Protest
Why is being Entertained without Disruption
more important than People...

I am again a child trying to understand...
Why is Trump allowed to divide America...
Hitler divided out a specific religion
Trump says there are good guys in 
White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis, and KKK

God Help us...
Guide us to Your path...
Not the path of a false prophet who uses
your people to incite hate, be prejudice,
and use anger to protest...
May we instead
and perhaps in prayer, silently seek the
Freedom You have granted to all Your people
not just a few... who use your Name falsely...
Let those who feel a need to protest against a government
not just seen as spoiling entertainment for some
but rather as a recognition that one man
is forcing us to assume that people hurting
have no rights under that flag, 
to consider how they are being treated...
And God, please let them see their entertainment is not
more important, no matter what kind of money is involved...
And please explain to me why more Americans watch sports
than worship you...
Was it because the government took prayer out of schools
and children no longer see God in all areas of their lives???
I always am wondering...bear with me, Father God...



I have great sympathy for my Black brothers and sisters...

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

The Anguish of Others - What's Happening at Book Readers Heaven...

The Anguish of Others - by Walter Jack Savage 
Used with Permission from Artist


I am one of the Anguished Others... I knew it as soon as Jack posted his latest painting...
In fact, right now, it seems the entire nation is anguished others...distressed by what has been happening...
distressed with the various opinions thrown out...
yet, with no real coherent reality we can adjust to.

I have been anguished and it has affected my calm, cool, existence as a reader and book reviewer... No longer am I excited to be taken away from reality into the pleasure of a book. Sure I still do that, but, with it, a need has arisen to actually see and participate in the reality that has anguished me...

Many of you have told me, on reviewing your books, that I had seen exactly what you wanted your readers to read. I am gratified when somebody says that, because I try to understand the author's intent rather than rely only on my own opinion. That, to me, is not a review, but rather an opinion statement.

Now I have seen at the national level the reality of chaos in our daily lives. How dare reality interfere with the joy of escaping into books?!!! Yet it has and I can't ignore it...

Now you are seeing me more socially active, especially on Facebook... Now you are also seeing books picked by me to read because of content... I am an Anguished Other that believes this is what I now need to do, although I will continue to read books I have, I will not easily accept new requests...

To complement Book Readers Heaven, I have taken on the responsibility of another group on Facebook. As you know, Reviewers Roundup has been successfully functioning to showcase books, reviews and other publishing-related activities.

Talkin' Bloggin' With Glenda is a place where bloggers, essays and other cultural points of interest may be posted and discussed. I'll be leading with my own questions or issues, but anybody who is interested may also participate... A danger-free zone where discussion and not arguments will occur... We Anguished others want to speak out, even in disagreement but it can be done in a manner that can be helpful, beneficial, even if we do not change somebody else's mind...at least we have spoken out... to help others understand our anguish.

I apologize to those who may not have many reviews and need mine...please write me and let me know...otherwise, I will be doing the best I can to respond to the reality we all face, as well as delighting in all the wonderful books made available to me.

Also of note, right now I am experiencing some sort of glitch/slowdown in outgoing email...I can receive your email, but sometimes stopped from sending...I have reported it, but you should know that I can and do receive emails...

I hope you will give me feedback, negative and positive about what's happening with me here... There will still be a lot to read...but it may be more about stuff of interest, guest bloggers, and things I think needs to be shared and discussed... I hope you'll continue to support Book Readers Heaven...

My next posting will be a personal opinion piece from me...

The Cross Versus The Flag...

I hope you'll take a little while to read and comment or come to Talkin' Bloggin' on Facebook to discuss and ask questions and give your opinions and feedback...



I Take A Knee in Support of Freedom to Speak and Protest...

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Latest Peace Morrow Novel - An Uncertain Path by Sandra Carey Cody



Around her, the voices gradually softened to quiet murmurs and, finally, stilled altogether, letting the soaring tones of the organ fill the space. Familiar melodies that had become trite from repetition in shopping malls became beautiful again, proclaiming a message common to the religious traditions of both families. Peace on Earth.
~~~


Wow! What an extraordinary family drama!



In the last book, and without going into detail for those who haven't read it yet, Peace Morrow, our main character, met a family she had never previously known. Peace who had been abandoned at birth and adopted by Caroline Morrow. had discovered her real parents. Now her mother's family wanted to meet her and had come to Pennsylvania to spend time getting to know their first grandchild... Her grandparents and a cousin, the second grandchild (who had previously been considered first...and had been spoiled) also came.

Note: I was interested enough from Peace's description of her holidays with her mother, that I went out to find out more... This article helped me to understand how Quakers view Christmas. What I found was that, interestingly, my personal views were similar since I cannot accept the commercialism that now surrounds the birthday of Jesus...

With Peace's background life as a Quaker, she immediately found her new cousin, who was obviously doted on my her grandparents, well, spoiled... While she immediately fell in love with her grandparents, who clearly already cared deeply and wanted a relationship with Peace, she was distressed that they had planned on Flannery staying with Peace, so that they could get to know each other better.

By the time the book closes with all attending a Christmas service and hoping for peace on earth, an "almost" unbelievable series  of events had taken place, which included theft and death...

Briefly, a young local athlete had been killed by a car, which had been stolen, and happened to belong to Peace. By this second book, I am enthralled with this main character and already anxious to read the next book in the series. Peace is either a very perceptive person who cares for and watches people, or paranormal to some extent, or...chosen and placed where she needs to be in order to handle a developing or present situation...something like the "Touched by an Angel" television program... At this point, I'm thinking that, since few coincidents actually happen, that Peace is routinely pulled into God Incidents... Now I'm wondering if the author will clarify or just allow Peace to be Peace, no matter what and how she does it... Yes, I'm hooked...

This book provides no mystery for the readers since we are privy to thoughts of all involved characters and know what is going on...No matter, because it is still only at the end that we are to see what actually happens as two girls, caught in their own life actions, struggle to get through being caught... It is Peace who watches all that is happening and pulls out results of her God Incidents, or her keen perception, to know what to do... And, still surprising to me, she actually does what she feels she must do! Such a brave, strong woman we have in Peace Morrow! The climax literally shocked me as, Peace walks into the Lion's Den and leads one of the hardest discussions that could possibly ever take place.. placing herself in danger, but with only a very few people who knew that Peace was the catalyst used to resolve this multi-family dramatic tragedy! 

Many Kudos to the author! Start with the beginning but each can be read independently, with only the characters changing. Check out this series - Highly recommended!


GABixlerReviews



And while the family continued singing traditional hymns, a new relationship was developing for Peace...
She felt a tickle on the back of her hand. ...fingers. Moving. Tracing a shape. She marked its circular path. No. The fingertips strayed from the circle, dipped down, made a sharp point, slanted upward. A heart?
She turned to him. The answer was in his eyes. Yes, a heart.
~~~

Friday, September 22, 2017

Debut Plus a Short Prequel Starts Fantastic New Series from Sandra Carey Cody


Just seven pages which you could indeed overlook if you weren't planning to read the new series by Sandra Carey Cody but if you find the descriptions for the first two books interesting, I highly encourage you to add the short story, which, in a way, is the prequel to the first novel.

Establishing the setting immediately, we move into a small town where a annual festival is taking place...

And we meet the main character, Caroline, a Quaker who led a very active life in support of her faith and realized she needed a break...


She was enjoying listening to a dulcimer being played among the crowd when suddenly a dog started barking on and on...Of course, somebody said that somebody should do something... And, of course, active Caroline got up and went to find the dog... Right then, I began to feel this was meant to be...

But, I hadn't a clue what it was that would change her life! So much said in so few pages, and yet the perfect scene was set. And It only took a little over 20 years to discover the full story... I loved it! And, by the way, it does stand alone as a sweet short story about God's plans and how they might work... 


Author Cody Reading in Mercer Library
MAY 1987 He stood at the crest of the hill, already shamed by the act he was about to commit. Could he go through with it? No choice. He studied the workers scurrying around the base of the building. No one seemed to notice him–or the bundle he carried. He moved closer, seeking accessible shelter. Behind the castle-like structure, a three-walled shed hugged the side of the hill. A half dozen steps put him in position to see that the interior was filled with antique carriages and farm wagons. There was no security guard in sight. A sure sign of a safe town. The decision made, he walked away. He came back in the darkest part of the night, slipped through the opening in the fence, and moved, step by irrevocable step, toward the shed. A wooden sign suspended from a thick rope proclaimed the area off limits. He ducked under the barrier and squeezed past the conveyances. A twig snapped. He stooped low and squinted into the shadows. A dog. He tensed when the animal approached, nodded when it ignored him. Yes, safe. Stray dogs don’t fear strangers here. He set his burden in the corner and stepped back, but remained poised, ready to intercede. He watched the animal sniff, then curve itself harmlessly, even (he told himself) protectively, against the basket’s side. The deed done, he slipped back through the opening in the fence and paused only momentarily to stare into the dark void that was the shed’s opening before he walked away. He returned when the sun was high to observe from outside the fence. The festival was in full swing, with celebrants swooping over the lawn like flocks of earthbound swallows. Strains of a dulcimer floated in the intervals between blacksmith hammer blows. Voices rose and fell in an easy-going hum. The dog began to bark in the shed. And didn’t stop. Someone will check on that. Again, he walked away and, this time, did not allow himself a backward look.
~~~


Twenty-two years had passed and Peace was now living in Doylestown, PA, involved in actually working on the preparation of the annual Festival she and her adoptive mother had visited so often! She was so excited but it was for more than that... Peace thought she might have met her father... One of the parents who had abandoned her at birth...



Right here on the property where she was now working at the Mercer Museum. Fonthill Castle was also there located . But Peace had been left in a storage shed and may not have been found if the dog had not come in when she was placed back behind some equipment and stayed there, only to soon start barking, obviously seeking help, for someone
to come and find the child... 
Shed where Peace was found as a baby and where Jack was found murdered...
in the exact same place...
Now Peace would often visited the little building and discovered that a homeless man was sleeping there now--in the exact place where her basket had been found!  Could it be? Soon she realized as they had talked and become friends, that she looked very much like the man she knew only as Jack...

Strolling through the crowds at the festival brought personal memories back to Peace...of that time when, once, her mother had heard a dog bark and went to find it... But this time, the disruptive noise was not a bark, it was a scream! Someone was shouting, "Blood! All Over Him!" Jack had been murdered...

Just like the old story of Hansel and Gretel who had planned for trouble by taking little white pebbles to be dropped, Sandra Corey Cody has masterfully dropped little pebbles of her story, bit by bit, moving from character to character, without identification of all those who are adding their personal story... The mystery actually becomes quite complex as Peace plays our amateur investigator and works parallel to the police activities taking place. But Cody refuses to give too many hints in this particular book and so, happily, I read through to the end without even guessing who had killed Jack... Wonderful! I love not being able to solve a mystery... This one keeps you moving from one possible option to another one...but I didn't even come close...

But the solving of the murder was minor for Peace...she had lost her father, perhaps, but could not even be sure enough to grieve for him! Nevertheless, when the ambulance came, it was Peace who demanded she ride with Jack to the hospital...

I love the character Peace and hope this series continues on for quite some time. Her faith and teachings from her adoptive mother have very much made Peace the woman she became and, no matter what had or would be happening, she firmly believed that Truth will come out... And if she could help make that happen, she persuasively helped to have that happen. But it is in her openness and willingness to care for people that we are moved as she started to bring food for Jack, even before she had gotten to know him... And when Jack had become friends with a young man who seemed to be a loner, especially after Jack had died, Peace worked frantically to help him deal with the loss, pain, and fear she found he had...

This is a special story, one I will long remember. Along with the prequel short story, it is totally satisfying for readers of mysteries and those who want to become involved with character lives.  I'm now reading the latest in the series, so watch for my review soon... I already can say that all three are highly recommended!


GABixlerReviews





http://www.sandracareycody.com
http://www.birthofanovel.wordpress.com
http://www.avalonauthors.blogspot.com

Sandra Carey Cody was born and grew up in the Midwest (the St. Louis area). She attended Washington University, met the love of her life when she cut an algebra class to go ice skating, married him not too long after that, and has since lived in various cities in different parts of the country. Wherever she's gone, books have the bridge to her new community and new friends.

She is the author of the Jennie Connors mystery series. The most recent entry in the series is Left at Oz, a prequel to Put Out the Light, Consider the Lilly and By Whose Hand, all of which are currently available in book stores and libraries. The Jennie Connors books take place in a retirement community where the residents are mobile, alert, and just bored enough to welcome a little excitement in their lives. If this involves helping Activities Director Jennie solve the occasional murder ... well, that's a lot more fun than bingo. In addition, the books explore the challenges facing a young mother as she learns to balance independence with family and career responsibilities.

Love and Not Destroy is a traditional mystery set in a museum of tools and folk art in a small town near Philadelphia. Peace Morrow is a young woman trying to learn the identity of a homeless man murdered on museum grounds, a quest that quickly becomes entangled with her own search for family roots. It is available in print and as an ebook.

A Perfect Wedding and Beyond the Fairy Light are both trios of short stories about the bump and jostle of day-to-day life in a family. More Than Words Can Say is a short romance. All are available available for your Kindle.


Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Want to be More Street Smart? Consider Study of Proverbs...


I sincerely believe God used Proverbs to restore my life, leading to the sale of my business to eBay in order to earn my master's and doctorate degrees in religious studies, allowing me to become a carrier of Christ's message of grace and wisdom. He has made me a better father to my four daughters and husband to my wife, Susan...


I liked the title of this book - the idea of considering Lessons from Proverbs in relation to present day life...

Mitch Kruse has an exceptional life story to share. While this is somewhat of a self-help by which the author has shared that personal story, it is also easy to apply the references and concurrent narrative as you think about your own life... I have found this the best way to deal with study guides rather than to review the book simply as written...


Indeed, this is a resource book that should be kept in your personal library for immediate access. Because of the chaos in today's world, however, I am choosing to dwell on the Chapter on Justice... By the way, you will find study videos on each of the points covered in the book, such as the following:







The thrust of the book, or subtitle, is to help readers understand how to navigate through conflict to community. The justice system itself is under scrutiny and I found this chapter helpful. I would recommend the book if only to help us live through each day when truth, lies, and lack of wisdom seem to be so prevalent and divisive.

Key points to resolution is to consider the person with whom you are in conflict. Then: Pray...Define the Conflict...Examine... Reflect...and...Determine. Many of you may realize this process is close to the scientific approach to any research and may already be routinely following the steps... But have we been praying before we start??? Whoa! Have we been neglecting that? I admit I have too, too often...

The simple fool is gullible. "A simple man
believes anything, but a prudent man
gives thought to his steps. 14:15.
~~~
Now none of us want to think of ourselves as fools, do we? Yet right there in Proverbs 1:7, we are confronted with the options... And we are told over and over in Proverbs to seek wisdom...knowledge...
Next we find out that there are different types of fools: The gullible fool and the stupid fool. 

The second stage in the progression toward a hardened heart is the stupid fool. He repeats his gullible behavior "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." 26:11 This fool repeats anger, strained family relationships, wickedness, deceit, slander, and shame. Unlike the gullible fool who learns from his mistakes and doesn't make them again, this fool's repetitive folly carries deeper consequences...

And then there is the stubborn fool, the scorning fool, and the Godless fool... Quite a number of options to see if we fit in anywhere...or maybe just sometimes, does that count? Well, the point is that this book is full of content that makes us think...to attempt to understand... and hopefully gain knowledge...and wisdom...

At that point, readers begin to consider the key to unlocking wisdom, using the acronym WISE: Will, Intellect, Spirit, and Emotions. By considering the revelation in Proverbs of twelve words to the wise: righteousness, equity, justice, wise behavior, understanding, wise communication, prudence, discretion, wise counsel, discipline, knowledge, learning...and readers will proceed on to study each word, beginning with a chapter on righteousness...


Interesting to me was that the first section in that chapter was "Listening to Others." I have known all my life I was better at listening in a conversation/conflict than I was to extemporaneously respond. Many have found they start thinking about their response before they actually listened and that just leads to further the conflict. You know, though, as I grew older, I found I had grown hesitant to voice my own opinions but now that I am, that has, for the first time in my life, increased conflict...with comments like, "You've changed..." I mention this because each of us must know ourselves sufficiently to see what the real issue is we must address...


Somehow Proverbs 16:11 in the New American Bible started me thinking about this issue in my communication norm... A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; All the weights of the bag are His concern. Had I created my present situation since I had not applied equal balance in my listening and talking? Spotlighting "Be Impartial" seemed to expand my thoughts. When it comes to interpersonal conflict, do you tend to be one sided? Do you favor a particular kind of person or behavior over another? I found I had favored the listening role in relationships because it was easier to maintain equilibrium with the individual(s) and save myself from potential arguments... But God tells us that justice is of paramount value for our relationships: "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." 21:3


I included this personal experience with the book to show that each of us will be reading and receiving knowledge that we will learn, for ourselves, and for our communication with others.  Or, through continued reading, reevaluate our communication choices.  May you read Street Smarts openly and honestly. In my opinion, you too will find advancement of your knowledge and wisdom. Highly recommended because of that...



GABixlerReviews



MITCH KRUSE is known for his contribution to the collector car and real estate auction arenas. For seventeen years, he was owner, CEO, and auctioneer of the world's largest collector car sales organization. Kruse and his father developed the world's first auction park, home to the annual Auburn, Indiana, collector car auction that attracted three hundred thousand collectors each year. Mitch and his wife, Susan, live in Auburn, Indiana, just 15 minutes north of Fort Wayne, IN, on their family farm, first homesteaded by Kruse's great-great-great grandfather in 1854. They have four daughters.

D.J. WILLIAMS has been in the entertainment industry and nonprofit sector for twenty years. His writing credits include Restoration Road with Mitch Kruse, The Disillusioned, Waking Lazarus, and contributing writer for Holy Bible: Mosaic. Currently based in Los Angeles, Williams continues to add to his producing and directing credits by continuously developing new projects for television, film, and print.