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Light of Mine : Book 1 of the Towers of Light Series
Description:
Imagine your parents have been lost in utter darkness and only your faith can shine their way home.
The Tower of Light series insightfully examines childlike faith from the perspective of three small children, facing insurmountable problems… and succeeding, by faith and grace alone.
“This little light of mine” never seemed so bright, and keeping it shining never felt so imperative.
Light of Mine, introduces Lauren (12), Aiden (9), and Ethan (5) who bear the responsibility of keeping their Father’s newly constructed Tower of Light shining in his absence.
From the back cover:
Darkness is spreading through Zoura. Beyond the borders of the heathlands, innocent animals are being turned into monsters, and good men into pawns of the Dark One. Father has vanished after joining the Mighty Mercenaries and mother has gone missing in search of him.
Alone on the farm, twelve-year-old Lauren and her brave little brothers, Aiden and Ethan, must guard the Tower of Light that will guide both parents home. But when a hooded stranger is caught trespassing the farm, and a new bishop claims the church, confusion pervades their close-knit community. Will the children be able to recognize who is a threat to the Tower and who is there to help them protect it?
With little else but the aid of a trio of blessed pets, three mysterious weapons, and their growing faith, Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan find it is up to them to stop the agents of The Dark One from putting out the Light and dooming the heathlands to Darkness.
Fans of Little House on the Prairie will feel at home in the series’ classic farmstead setting, and the sincerity of the children’s love for one another— nurtured by the example of their parents—will bring a smile to readers and listeners of all ages.
Read Light of Mine aloud to your family or confidently give it to your middle grade reader, knowing he or she will be ensconced in a wholesome and riveting experience, beginning to end.
Book Takeaway:
The Holy Spirit is a real force in our life and it will guide us to overcome challenges we could not do on our own.
Why the author wrote this book:
When my kids were young there was really nothing better than getting out of my car at the end of a long day at work and having my three little kiddos run up to me and give hugs because Daddy’s Home! As a Father of three young children I was very concerned about the direction society was taking. I wasn’t sure that with how things were going that I had the knowledge or the skill to train them up in the way they should go, as the Bible directs.
Then in 2008 I took a new job that had me traveling four days a week. It was one of the hardest times of my life, the stress of a high pressure job, the loneliness of being on the road, and uncertainty of being a young parent really brought me to the end of myself. However, all of the travel gave me a lot of time to study the scriptures and learn from the writing of great bible teachers. In addition to daily bible reading, I was reading books like A.W. Tozer’s Experiencing God and C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters.
I was also reaching the 4 and 5 year old’s Sunday School each week. So I was learning how hard it was to bring a scriptural principal down to the level of a very young child. At the same time Jesus was clear that children could see his truth better than adults at times. So I was convicted to think about the deep truths I was learning from the great thinkers of our day could be simple enough for a child to comprehend.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it
-.Proversb 6:22 (KJV)
It was during this time that I began to write stories for my children while I was away for work. At first, I brought my children’s stuffed animals to life for silly adventures. But then one day while we were putting together a play fort in our back yard I saw a sunrise pattern in the wood in the top of the tower and thought,
"What if there was a Tower of Light shining God’s goodness over the children and their animals?"
“…Let your light shine
before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to you Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16”
Light of Mine - “After a delicious meal of Mother’s fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits, the parson wiped his mouth and said, “Children, your father tells me you are more diligent than the ants of the field. You have built a solid tower in record time.”
“Thank you, sir!” exclaimed the children.
The parson rose from the table. “There is just one thing missing.”
“What?” asked Ethan, echoing what Lauren was thinking. Father’s plans were so detailed. She couldn’t imagine what they’d missed.
The parson bent over and picked up his sack, then removed a metal lantern and set it on the table. “The Light, of course.”
The lantern was a dull bronze color that reminded Lauren of the brass knockers on the church door. It looked about five hands high and one hand wide. The glass faces had a golden stained-glass cross in the center of each face. She really loved that because it reminded her of the stained-glass window in her grandma’s great room. The lantern held no candle, but a small spike protruded from its center.
Aiden set his elbows on the table and leaned closer. “Mama, will you get a candle, so we can light it?”
The parson patted Aiden on the head. “Son, not for this lantern.”
Ethan looked at the parson with a puzzled look on his face. “What does it use?”
Father pointed at Ethan’s chest. “The light for this lantern is inside of each of us. ”
Ethan’s chin went down, then up, and he threw his hands into the air. “I don’t see the light, Daddy.”
“When you love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and spirit, the Good Book says you reflect the Savior’s Light on the world, which pushes back the Darkness.” Father scooted his chair close to Ethan and patted his head.”
Other thoughts came to me like "What if the children experienced the indwelling of the holy spirit in a real way like Sampson or David?"
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” - 1 Samuel 17:45-47
“Aiden thinks it was the Dark One, ’cause he says Daddy put the lightning rods up, and the lightning hit where it wasn’t supposed to.” Ethan’s chin lifted as he showed pride in his brother. Ethan fisted his right hand and shook it toward the window. “I’m gonna conk the Dark One in his wonkus for making us carry all that water and for taking my Daddy away.”
Lauren’s lips tightened. “Ethan, I don’t think you’ll be going after the Dark One anytime soon.”
“In the Good Book, a little boy, who had God on his side, beat a giant that scared a whole army,” Ethan declared. “If God wants us to go save Daddy, we will.”
“Young Ethan, you are exactly right. The Good Book is full of examples where the Spirit of the Lord helps an unlikely person defeat evil.” The parson pointed toward the great room, where Father’s copy of the Good Book was visible. “If you read carefully, you will discover more miracles like this in its pages. You will see them in your own life only if the Lord calls you to them.” He clasped his hands together. “So, young Ethan, I hope you ask God to go with you before you go conking any wonkuses, OK?”
“Yes sir,” Ethan said as he looked down at his plate with a pout on his lips.
and "What if the full armor of God was physical armor they could use to defeat the darkness?"
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: - Ephesians 6:11-17
Finally, Lauren said, “Let me try.” She reached for the rod, and as her fingers wrapped around it, she felt a sensation like warm water running over her arms. The weapon handle reduced in width to more comfortably fit her hand. Then one end formed a spear tip made of an aquamarine glow around the metal tip. Indeed, the whole spear glowed with a light that flowed like water. As Lauren gripped the weapon with both hands, the radiance ran over her fingers, as did the watery aura.
“Whoa!” Aiden took a step back from Lauren. “That’s amazing.”
“Aiden, I’ll bet that’s for you.” Lauren set the base of the spear on the floor and pointed to the sword with her other hand. “I never touched that, and it didn’t move when E tripped over it. I’ll bet it’s yours.”
Aiden reached for the sword hilt. The instant he touched it, he said, “I feel a fire in my chest.” The sword shrank from a two-handed longsword for a grown-up to the size of a short sword that Aiden could wield in a two-handed grip.
A blue-white flame burst out along the sword handle, startling Aiden, who dropped it. The fire disappeared, and the sword returned to its full size as it clattered to the floor.
“Oops,” he said, red-faced. Then he picked it up more carefully, and the fire returned. He could feel the heat from the flame, but it didn’t hurt him.
“Aiden, that is awesome.” Envy shrilled Ethan’s voice. “I like yours better.”
To distract Ethan, Lauren asked, “Boys, did you feel something when you touched your weapons for the first time?”
“Yeah, Sissy.” Ethan fitted the shield on his arm with its straps. “It made me all tingly up and down my back.”
Aiden swiped the air hesitantly with the sword. “I feel a fire in my heart.”
“I feel a warm wave, as if I put my hand in bath water.” With both hands, Lauren gripped the middle of the spear, watching the light flow over her hands.
These are just a few of the direct scriptural concepts in “Light of Mine”. Ultimately this book is about children reaching out to God for the power to overcome their adversity. This is the first in a series of books that will all have similar spiritual underpinnings. Book 2 in the series, “Still Small Voice” which God willing will come out summer 2020 will focus on connecting to the Holy Spirit.
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