ZEST AND GUSTO

Available on www.smashwords.com

Greetings -

Scriptures are from the King James Bible.

Photo copyright - Sandra Renee Hicks 

Lately, I've been scarce in blog land because I've been working on ebook publications.

Please pray relative to my ebooks. Two of  them are already published on http://www.smashwords.com./

My ebook titles are:

- Zest and Gusto in Christian Short Stories

- Warfare Solutions Loaded with the Lion of Judah

- Championship Conduct - Excel in Care, Courtesy, and Customer Service

Ref: http://www.smashwords.com/

I have my Christian short story book, Zest and Gusto in Christian Short Stories, already published there at the very low price of $2.99.  For quick access, when you go to http://www.smashwords.com/, you can enter Sandra Renee Hicks in their search box area, which is located at the top right of their Home page. Authors post free samples on the smashwords site, which I did. Those who elect to purchase my books need to register with www.smashwords.com as readers and then you can read my free samples and decide whether you elect to purchase the books. People who don't own e-readers can read ebooks online. The registration is free and the site is secure. Our Lord had me to do a very thorough research before going with Smashwords. I read an excellent review by a fellow author blogger and a major computer publication gave the subject blogger a good review...

Note: When you enter my name in the search engine, you can read the book description information and then scroll down on that page to where it says, "Available ebook reading formats."  The first two entries are for those who elect to read online rather than using an electronic reader.  My system is Windows Vista.  I did a test and of the two listings for online reading, the first one works for what I have.  The first online ebook reading format listed there is titled, "Online reading (HTML,...)" That is the one that proved successful for me to use.  In that format, you need to "turn the pages" by clicking on the forward and backward arrows.  It is quite user friendly.

Please, when you get some time, do the free registration at www.smashwords.com so that you can consider my books for purchase on that site.

I expect to have all three of my ebooks published there by the end of March 2012.

Your prayers are requested, please.

Also, I would appreciate it if you would purchase my books.

Note: Before proceeding with these ebook projects, I prayed...and obeyed our Lord. He led me to do some thorough research relative to this venture. I'm confident that it is reasonable to pursue. Last week I sent out links to authors and/or potential authors who may be interested in doing ebooks. If anyone needs me to forward that information to you, I'll be glad to do so. The more of us that do ebooks the better for what our Lord purposes to do.

Of course, sales aren't guaranteed but my belief is that to obey the Lord is what matters most. Relative to the ebooks, my role is to write and publish them. The rest is in GOD'S awesome hands.

It is free to publish ebooks on www.smashwords.com. There are conditions that I don't consider unreasonable. They require a free sample to be published with every ebook. I allowed 30% of my ebook to be viewed as a free sample (their recommendation for a book of short stories.) People who don't own e-readers can read ebooks online.

You may be interested and inclined to seek our Lord about whether this is something for you....

Below is one of the stories that appears in my published ebook, Zest and Gusto in Christian Short Stories:

Short Story - "Circus Change"

     Pastor Gordon Breeze has reached his tolerance peak with the lax spiritual attitudes of much of his congregation, including his staff members. He’s at his wits end with the dramaholic atmosphere there at Hallow Ground Assembly Church. 
     Gordon arrives home and tells his wife, Juanita, “I’ve had it with the wayward conduct at Hallow Ground. It has become a circus in that church!” 
     Juanita listens. She strokes his back, and calmly responds, “We need to fast and pray about this, Gordon.” 
     He agrees. 
     Together they go to their home altar area to seek the Lord.
     The Lord speaks, “Did I not promise to keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Me?” 
     “Yes, Lord,” Gordon responds. 
     The Breeze’s purpose to obey the Lord. 
     The next morning at the church office, Gordon calls in his secretary, Monica. 
     “I need to meet some project deadlines today so please inform the staff that I’m not to be disturbed.” He tells Monica that he’ll only accept calls from his wife, children, and parents. 
     Monica exits to inform the staff. 
     Rita, the office clerk, is a recent hire. She’s homeless due to the loss of her previous job. That loss occurred because of her attention to a catastrophic family circumstance. 
     First lady Juanita hired Rita because she’s a firm believer in extending help to the homeless to encourage success in every dimension of their lives. 
     Rita has proven to be a prize hire. She’s a quick study who is pleasant, thorough, and always punctual with a ready-to-work disposition that impresses Pastor Breeze and Juanita. 
     Thomas, the receptionist, and Monica regularly bicker with one another. The office drama is heightened because they both envy Rita‘s godly and honorable character. 
    Rita has been at Hallow Ground for less than a month. In that short period, she’s witnessed the frequent friction between Thomas and Monica. Rita is a true worshipper of God; her demeanor clearly exudes that she’s close to Him. Frequently, she sits at her desk and thinks, What’s up with these people working in the house of the Lord with these unpleasant attitudes? She deems it wise to keep her lips zipped due to her status as a new hire. 
     Betty, the office accountant, is a high maintenance carnal Christian. She’ll tell you in a minute that she’s “saved” but if you expect to observe fruit from that declaration, think again. Betty is on a fast track to dry bones valley. 
     Rita went to high school with Betty. Now Betty holds Rita in disdain because Rita is homeless. The reason for Rita’s predicament is a non-issue to Betty. Recently, she declared to Monica, about Rita, “I won’t subject myself to dead weight associations.” Betty lavishes herself in material consumption, and is fixated on conduct that demeans others. 
     Gordon gets home and settles down with Juanita. 
     The fast was beneficial. 
     Gordon shares with Juanita, “The Lord told me to take the staff, with head Deacon William and Minister of Music Charles, to the circus.” 
     With raised eyebrows, Juanita exclaims, “The circus?!” 
     Gordon laughs, “Yes, the circus.” The Lord gave me the plan. In a few days, I’ll share it in a church meeting.” 
     The meeting date has arrived. 
     The attendees are buzzing because they don’t know the agenda.
     Pastor Breeze and Juanita have not yet arrived. 
     Breeze, for the first time, hasn’t provided the meeting agenda. 
     Betty yawns, “I’m bored.” She decides to stir up mischief.
     She winks at Monica then addresses Rita, “Where do you live, Rita?” 
     Rita is ready. She replies, “On Crescent Street.”
     “Oh, says Betty “Isn’t that where the Gateway shelter is located?” 
     “Yes, Betty, that’s where I live, in the Gateway shelter. You know, every time I go in there I’m reminded that wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and that straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leads to life, and few find it. It makes me so grateful that heaven is my home.” Rita smiles, and asks, “Where is your home, Betty?” 
     Betty is mortified as all present clearly understand that she’s failed to humiliate Rita, but instead made a fool of herself in the presence of her colleagues. 
     The Lord used Rita to manifest Psalm 7:16 upon Betty, “…mischief shall return…” 
     Betty visibly fumes. 
     Deacon William and Charles look admiringly at Rita. 
     Thomas’ eyes bulge. 
     Monica is itching for a continuance of this declaration of war in words. 
     It’s not to be; in walks Pastor Breeze with Juanita.
     Breeze announces, “We’re going to the circus.” 
     The staff exchange puzzled looks.
     Breeze shuffles a deck of odd looking cards. “These cards are going to take us there.” He deals one card to each attendee. Breeze instructs, “One at a time, place your card face up on the table.”
     Charles happily places his card face up first. On his is a lion with the words “Brave heart.” 
     Next is Pastor Breeze; on his card is a ringmaster with the message, “Rein in the sheep.” 
     Rita’s card has on it a pair of stilts with the scripture Psalm 75:7, “But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” 
     The card assigned to William has a tiger on it with a missing paw. 
     The card for Juanita shows a trampoline with the inscription, “Jumping for joy.” 
     Thomas glumly places his card on the table. It has a picture of a ring of fire with the words, “Fire breathing on you; choose life or death.” 
     Betty gets a card with a tightrope photograph that reads, “Teetering Perilously.”
     The last attendee to do card placement is Monica. Her hand trembles as she places the card on the table. On the card is a bear with the message, “Stock is bearish; your days are numbered at Hallow Ground.” 
     Pastor Breeze stands up to speak words from God, “Every card is assigned to each attendee in accordance with My will. I made the calls, not Gordon. He came to me with the complaint that this church had become a circus. I told him to take you all to the circus. Today you went there to learn your featured roles. 
     “I AM the Ringmaster who orchestrates through Gordon. 
     “Juanita is reflected as jumping for joy because she knows that I am going to put a halt to this toxic circus atmosphere. Out with the counterfeit, in with My thoroughbred true worshippers, and whosoever will desire to become of such caliber.
     “Charles is a lion-hearted Minister of Music. Charles, you need to deal with those clowns in the choir. They either get real or get moved aside. 
     “William, the head deacon, is a tiger with a few vultures on the deacon board. Commune with Me, William, and I will advise how to deal with the traitors in the midst. 
     “Rita, you got the stilts for your promotion that I signed.
     “Monica, the bear message does not bode well for you.
     “Thomas, you got a circle of fire. Satan is breathing fire on you; it is imperative that you choose. 
     “Betty, you got a tightrope and there is no net below you. You vainly live your life as a friend of the world. You know that that puts you at enmity with Me. People have been subjects of your ridicule and foolishness. You defined Rita as ‘dead weight associations.’ Know this, Betty, I weighed her, and she weighs more than you. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting (Daniel 5:27). My warning to you is, Repent with godly sorrow and forsake your ungodly ways or suffer the consequences of your rebellious actions.”
    The Lord closes with, “I love you all but will not support any defiance of what is according to My Words. I’ve been sufficiently longsuffering, enough is enough.” 
     Fallout from the meeting resulted in Monica being terminated.     
     Rita became secretary. 
     Minister of Music Charles separated the wheat from the chaff.
     The choir is now immensely anointed and such a pure asset to the body of Christ. 
     Head deacon William communed with the Lord and shifted gears in his ranks. 
     One of the vultures on the deacon board submitted to godly counsel and became a profitable servant of the Lord. 
     The other vulture remained aligned with the devil. He was subsequently devoured. 
     Thomas was placed on probation. 
     Betty has taken on the posture that she can outsmart God. Her game is to, in her words, “Outplay the PLAYER.” She shall soon realize that God ain’t playing. 
     The Breeze’s are in a pasture of delight where out of their bellies are flowing rivers of living water. 
     Gordon smiles and asks his wife, “Baby, can you feel the Breeze?”
     Juanita laughs, “Yea, cool Breeze, I feel you.” 
     The circus changed to a deck of cards that changed to spiritual portraits of the people that exacted change at Hallow Ground that changed into an ace church of God. 
     Ah! Change engineered by the God of all currency. He gets it done, in spades!

Copyright 2012 - Sandra Renee Hicks
Written January 20, 2010