Broken Vessel

By Susan Marlene

I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise Thee among a mighty throng. Psalm 35:18

Oh, the pain of being broken like a vessel shattered against bricks; the scattered pieces too many to count or replace. And suffering rude individuals who behave as though they have forgotten or merely ignore one’s presence is harsh indeed. King David experienced hostilities from friends and enemies alike throughout his lifetime. At times, terror and scheming hounded him—even from close family members. He’d cried out to the Lord against their threats and advances for they were as smiters he’d not known, slanderers who would not cease. Like godless jesters at a feast they gnashed…with their teeth…how long wilt Thou look on…

Even so David purposed in his heart to praise the Lord. No matter how ugly and fearsome the crowd, this king eventually focused on our magnanimous Lord to praise and expound His attributes! His determination to honor God instead of speaking hasty, unfaithful blame and criticism endeared him to our Father. I must admit that I’ve not been quick to praise in the midst of difficulties as David was apt to do. He has become my inspiration and I admire his devoted affection to the Lord. King David proved how he could stray and make huge mistakes, but he’d bounce back and express the loveliest heartfelt praise and trust in the Lord. 

Within the winds of trouble even a king isn’t saved by the might of horses or strong armies. Such advantages are false hope…victory that dissolves into vapor. Try as we may, our strength will fail to overcome, unless we rely upon God who is our ever-present help in times of trouble. We don’t know Him only with intellect for He purposed that the simple things would confound the wise. We can know Him with the intimacy of relationship and heartfelt gratitude. Oh, how slandering lips can ravage the most honorable reputation to ears willing to hear reproach aimed at others. Laughter follows the stumbling of good men or women as critical individuals gnash their teeth and sharpen their mocking attacks. Yet, David shares that when we cry the Lord hears and delivers us out of all our troubles. When the worse comes, may we trust Him.

When we are dashed cruelly to the brickworks of mistreatment and disrespect my hope is that we would arise with undivided hearts to luxuriate and honor His name above all else.

O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord and He delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:3 and 4

Father, may You fill us with Your love and grace to combat the evil and negativity that can attack us. Accusations may fly easily off the tongue of those who do not guard their lips. May we arise with vigor and strength that only comes from You to be a blessing and bring honor to Your name that is above all other names. 

Amen

All Italics - quoted from Psalms. 

Yes, Roseanna, how does someone steal a family’s history and their name? What a fun adventure to read! This unique 1914 London, England historical delighted me through and through!

 Rosemary Gresham is the protagonist who stole my heart, and not just like any common thief, but one who captured my full admiration and sympathy! Anyone who knows me would gasp to read this declaration for I don’t condone stealing. So, if you want to know why I highly recommend this novel—I suggest that you purchase a copy or request it at your local library. 😊

Peter Holstein—the romantic interest and family member with the name at risk—has secrets of his own and Rosemary is out to find them. This novel has a personality and freshness that appeals to me. I find the diverse characters amusing and or entertaining and can say they are perfectly fitted for the intrigue that began brewing near the onset of the World War I. I delight to share this wonderful novel and would be thrilled if you came back and told me how you felt about it also!

Questions for Roseanna:

1. How did you stumble upon the idea of having a thief for the protagonist of this novel? (I’m so glad you did since you did share Miss Rosemary with us!)
   
   The credit for that goes to my best friend/critique partner, Stephanie. She’d been working on a story about a thief, and it was so much fun to read! I began wondering how the life of a street thief might change during the Great War. Of course, I would want a noble thief. One with a big family she was fighting for. And one who found herself engaged in a task far bigger than merely stealing…from there, the idea just snowballed!
   
   
2. What time period do you like best of all? I adore your Culpur Ring series.
   
   This is always a tough question for me! Honestly, I just adore history. Each era has its unique characteristics that set it apart and make it come alive. I love learning what those things are and diving into different periods. That said, I’ve also enjoyed really digging deep into one era with my books for Bethany House and not having to completely restart my research on each book, LOL.
   
   
3. I appreciate how you brought out the strengths in the hero that some would pass over and ignore. How did you come up with anonymously written stories! I love this thread of Peter’s story! How perfectly it fit and moved with this story.
   
   When I got the first inkling of who Peter Holstein would be, I knew only that he would be of German descent and consider changing his last name, as the royal family of England ended up doing. But as I kept reading up on the unexpected effects of the war, I also saw that novelists played a role I’d never realized, and I definitely wanted to feature that! (No spoilers, LOL.) So I decided that Peter needed to be a writer. But that, if his surname caused him problems enough that he was considering changing it, he certainly couldn’t write under it. Hence, the need for a pen name.
   
   
4. What theme would you like your readers to benefit from with this novel and/or with your novels in general?
   
   A theme that I highlight in A Name Unknown and in many of my stories is that our true identity rests in the Lord. When we feel like we don’t know who we are in the world, the best way to discover it is to find who we are in Him. When we rest secure in our faith and explore the path He’s called us to, then our place in this world around us solidifies too—because we’re going about His business.
   
   
5. What is your favorite scene from the beginning of this novel?
   
   I enjoyed pitting these two very different characters against each other all through the book, but I had especial fun in the scene where they went to St. Michael’s Mount. My family had the pleasure of visiting this castle in the sea, and as we drove the same roads they would have driven, I could just imagine Rosemary and Peter’s dialogue—and of course, had to make them constantly challenging each other with their oh-so-different views of the world!
   
   
6. What is the next novel on your publisher’s schedule?
   
   With the final book in the Shadows Over England Series now out in the world (An Hour Unspent), my attention is now on the next series I’m writing for Bethany House, The Codebreakers. I’ve just turned in my revised manuscript for book one, The Number of Love, and am diving into the writing of book 2, currently titles The Wings of Devotion. Readers of the Shadows Over England and Ladies of the Manor Series will recognize the characters and settings, but The Codebreakers focuses on the intelligence wing of the Admiralty in England during the Great War, combining the escapades of the secret agents with the mind-power of the codebreakers. It’s proven to be great fun thus far! The series will begin in June of 2019.
   
   

 Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

http://www.roseannamwhite.com/