True Heroes A to Z: S, a Martyr

True heroes are all around us, in our every day lives, but some people stand out. During this A-Z Challenge I hope to share several of my real life heroes, and invite you to share yours in the comments.

mith, Joseph. There has been good and evil spoken of this single individual throughout the world, a man who died at the age of 38, a man who should have proven so insignificant that no one bothered noticing him.

What is it that made Joseph stand out in history? The claim of having seen a vision? That wasn't uncommon. It should have been ignored. He was encouraged to deny it and people went out of their way to tease or mock him--a 14 year old boy who said he had seen God.

But Joseph didn't deny it. Ever.

When he was led by revelation to an ancient book written on metal pages (gold actually) and hidden in a hillside, people mocked him more, but made several attempts to steal the book. A professor in New York refused to verify the authenticity of reformed Egyptian script copied from the book, and the translation Joseph had produced, because he said angels did not appear to men. Other experts did verify both the characters and translation.

Source

From a young man who had never obtained more than a 3rd grade education.

He started a church that has become one of the greatest charitable organizations in the world, and he was martyred at the age of 38 while being held on false accusations in a prison, in the "land of the free," for his beliefs. A mayor and church leader, murdered by a mob.

Joseph sealed his life's mission and testimony with his death.

And yet the church he started lives on. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, known as the Mormons (after the author of the ancient book Joseph translated), has thrived and become the fastest growing religion in American history. So I put this before you: Joseph was either one of the smartest men to ever walk the earth, or there's something more to the church for which he, and countless others, gave everything.

Learn more HERE.

Eight more days to get MOONLESS at $1.99.

Jane Eyre meets Supernatural

An excerpt: 

A body dangled from the rafters, several inches above the dirt floor.

Alexia’s scream froze in her throat.

Soft honeydew tresses spilled loosely over thin shoulders, the child’s eyes heavily-lashed and downturned. Her cheeks were blotched, wide, and white, contrasting with vibrant crimson lips. Scarlet skirts hung about the girl, like the bleeding petals of a rose, still as death.

Alexia swallowed. A child. She couldn’t be more than thirteen. Great wide irons looped her wrists, cutting wicked lines in the little one’s skin.

It wasn’t right. Disgust bubbled through her chest. She covered her mouth and hurried down the steps, anxious to rescue the body, or at least lay it to rest.

The girl’s eyes turned up. Brown, chocolate, swirling.

Alexia tumbled back. She thunked into the stairs and landed on her rump. Hard. She sucked in a breath. The little face watched her, expressionless, innocent, beautiful. Her stomach twisted. No one should be that perfect—not even in death.

What are your feelings on religion? Do you believe in God, in prophets, in revelation? Do you think it's possible to receive personal "revelation" or guidance from a higher power?

True Heroes: O for Osm (Sound that Out)

True heroes are all around us, in our every day lives, but some people stand out. During this A-Z Challenge I hope to share several of my real life heroes, and invite you to share yours in the comments.

lson family, Jeffery and Julie Olson. I met these amazing people shortly after moving to NYC, but they were so important in our lives--more than they may ever know.

In 2006 my husband got a job in New York, on the border of NYC. It was one of those crazy moments where he got in the car, drove cross country, and found work. While searching for housing, he attended church. He had no idea where he was going to stay that night, and we'd mostly dried up the financial reserves. Suddenly, this lovely young lady at church asked if he needed a place to stay. Her father, Jeffery, was the District President and they often invited people to stay in their basement.

That was the beginning.

Over the next year and a half we got to know more about this amazing family, and I have to say, I've never met anyone more inspiring. Nine kids. Living on Long Island. He worked for a Catholic university, even though he was Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), and frequently took trips to Rome. Julie took care of ALL OF THOSE KIDS, was involved in the community, and you couldn't help but feel her love instantly. I wanted to be exactly like her. She remembered all the little details about our conversations and was instantly invested in EVERYONE she met. Just WOW.

I remember clearly a year after we moved out of the city when she and I ran into one another. There was a big hug, some giddy jumping up and down, and excited chatter about everything that had changed in the last year. Even after we left, she continued to love us. They were the same way with everyone, and I suppose that's what impressed me the most.

I'm sure we didn't make that huge an impression on them, but in a time that was beyond turbulent for me, I was embraced by angels.

This is my week of excerpts, so I hope you like this one:

Kiren extended a hand to help her up, and she took it. Her feet were instantly below her—so quickly that she stumbled and landed against his solid form. An arm rounded her back tenderly, her legs threatening to give at the elation of his touch.

He turned in the direction of the house, pulling her forward with him, moving out of the garden and up to solid brick walls. They halted at a window, the study window. Father sat within, gazing at the portrait of Dana, fingers tracing the details.

“He gave her up.” Her attention snapped back to her breathtaking captor, inhaling his oaken tang. “He could have kept her for his own, and he gave her up.”

His eyes met hers. The azure depths broke in a myriad of lighter flecks, like stars reflected in an ocean tide. They consumed her, igniting a fire within her breast—an irrational hunger for the tremor in his arm against her back, the heat of his side against hers, the feel of his hand vacillating ever so slightly...

He released her and took a few steps back. “You need to go now.”

MOONLESS is on sale now for $1.99, but only for another couple days.

Have you met anyone who instantly loved and helped you? Who is it you most aspire to be like? Do you have alternate parent figures?