Below is my first book review!

1-5-08 Book Review
Secure the Fort (And Remain under God) is one humble woman’s attempt to deliver a mother’s message to America. Author Lucy Cain presents a compelling collection of prayers, quotes, and stories of faith she has collected during her personal writing ministry. She portrays the teachings of Jesus and his followers as they specifically impact military members and their families. She clearly demonstrates a soldier mindset requires knowing one’s inner meaning that comes from God’s presence in the heart. Jesus taught that faith is based on knowing…not hoping that God is at the helm of our individual vessels. Lucy Cain’s Secure the Fort clearly demonstrates the unwavering faith of many of our military families.
Cain’s in-depth knowledge of Biblical scripture and history offers unique perspectives and well-founded premises that weave together the stories and poems and memoirs in this collection. Telling the stories of military men and women from their perspectives, the book provides a glimpse into the fragility of the human condition. The raw and steadfast strength that personal religious faith offers in the face of peril and death is inspiring to even the most passive of reader.
Secure the Fort (And Remain under God) explores the concept that God’s presence is clearly evident on the battle field. Doubt of his presence will ensure failure. Obedience to God is hard to commit to in the heat of battle when one is afraid; however, while God’s way may not always be our way, it is often the only way. Many a soldier has returned with stories where God has provided His divine protection for them in very difficult circumstances.
Cain presents complex theocratic beliefs in simple, straight-forward language through the stories and poems collected from her readers. Jesus taught “Blessed is the Peacemaker” and that by applying these same principals to one’s spiritual life, one’s physical and material needs will be met. Sometimes, being a peacemaker means drawing a line in the sand and standing watch. But as one contributor so eloquently concluded, in the face of danger “…we should without a doubt step up to be the first to pray.”
This book’s intriguing but down-to-earth message will appeal to any reader seeking to broaden their spiritual horizon and support the mission of those who serve both here and abroad.

Shannon Evans
Senior Editor
My Writing Mentor, LLC
Book Coaching, Editing, and Writing
www.mywritingmentor.com
www. mywritingmentor.wordpress.com

Chaplain ministry

Secure the Fort is increasingly finding its way into the hands of our military chaplains! I have been in touch with one of the Navy chaplains who provided information for that segment of the book. He is currently deployed, and we have been helping him with some supplies he needs for his ministry onboard. I sent a book to him today.
My prayer is for this book to be used! For this book to minister to our veterans, our active, guard, and reserve men/women. If you know any military chaplains, please direct them to this blog or my website at www.allgloryishis.com. For each chaplain we can provide a book to, it will reach out to the many men/women they minister to!
Be looking for posts about my upcoming trip to receive the book's award from the Military Writers Society. This is going to be such an honor to me to be able to meet all these veterans turned authors...I can't wait to share it with you!
Lucy

What an Honor!

The Military Writers Society of America just awarded Secure the Fort (And Remain Under God), A Military Mother's Message to America the 2007 Gold Medal Award for Best Anthology! This is a huge honor to me, to be included with some of the authors they have. Many are veterans who have become writers, telling history from a personal perspective. That's what these types of books do. They preserve our nation's history...
To visit their website, go to www.militarywriters.com.
As always, all glory is HIS! :)
Lucy

Secure the Fort GOES TO SCHOOL!

What an honor! Secure the Fort goes to public school! Read the following note I received today by email...from Richard and Shirley Leonard. They bought a copy for their son for his birthday.

"Thanks so much to you and Dad for the copy of the book, Secure the Fort.I enjoyed looking at your contributions and I have taken the book to school in order to use some of the selections in the classroom."

(Written by Ray Malmgren 9/07 to his parents, Richard and Shirley Leonard, who submitted pieces for the book. Ray teaches English in a public school setting, and attained the rank of Sergeant in the Army.)

Wow! All I can say is that God is at work in using this book in ways I never dreamed...keep praying for those who are impacted by God's Word through reading Secure the Fort!
Lucy

Prayer Circles

I saw the above image of praying soldiers in an email I received today and thought I'd share it here with my patriotic poem "When Soldiers Pray." May it touch you in some small way, and please...feel free to share this poem with the link to my "Secure the Fort" blog!

Lucy

When Soldiers Pray

When we call upon our men and women
To step into harm’s way
We should without a doubt step up
To be the first to pray

For soldiers pray out in the field
In circles before the Lord
Each one taking turns in prayer
Before they draw the sword

As soldiers leave their security
And step into the zone
They have the courage given by God
And given by God alone.

The battle is the Lord’s they know
And trust without a doubt
Mentally they get their minds in gear
As they give that warrior shout

Circles of prayer out in the sand
And heat of Iraqi sun
Strengthen our soldiers in the field
Until this war is won

So in circles of prayer we pray
For safety of them all
But we also pray for the families
Of all the ones who fall

Lord, protect our precious soldiers
Bring them home again
Give them strength to endure the fight
For freedom’s sake and then

Protect their minds from all they did
And all they had to see
Let them know You are the Prince of Peace
And keep their minds on Thee
©Lucy Cain

Excerpt, “Secure the Fort (And Remain Under God), A Military Mother’s Message to America” Xlibris, July 2007
http://securethefort.blogspot.com
www.allgloryishis.com

New articles

Below are links to two self-publishing articles about Secure the Fort that you may want to browse, pass along!
Lucy

http://smallpress.typepad.com/selfpubnews/2007/07/author-lucy-a-c.html

http://canblog.typepad.com/canbookmarketing

Power Behind You

Someone sent this image to me today by email and I thought I'd post it here for you....God is opening doors right and left to use Secure the Fort! Keep those prayers going!
Lucy

OFFICIALLY RELEASED!!!

I just got word from Xlibris that Secure the Fort (And Remain Under God) is officially released today, July 4, 2007! I will never forget having this particular book released on the day our country celebrates its freedom!!!! What a treat this is....and what a joy to tell you about!
Here is the link to go to for purchase details from the publisher.
www.xlibris.com/SecuretheFortAndRemainUnderGod.html
*Reminder: if you purchase from the publisher directly, you receive a 15% discount. Price listed online is the discounted purchase price.
The book will also be available through all major online book sellers within 30 days.
Make sure the keep up with ministry opportunities through postings on this blog! Thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers as we launch a book that is very near to our hearts.
Help me spread the message...and ministry!
Lucy

BOOK RELEASE JULY 4th WEEK!

I received a call from Xlibris and the book will be available through them this week of July 4th, the week our nation celebrates Independence Day! I am thrilled to release Secure the Fort (And Remain Under God), A Military Mother's Message to America on this particular holiday...I could not have planned that if I wanted to. Not with all the variables in putting together and publishing a book with over 35 contributing authors! This was just a little gift from God in the journey, and all in HIS timing. I love it!
Do continue praying for the ministry this book can have for those who chose to read it. My devotional and poetry books were "fun" to put together, but this one has a very special place in my heart and I pray daily for God to use it in a mighty way - within our military families in particular.
The next post will give purchase details! I will never forget the people I have met and the experiences I've had in the process of writing this book. I can't wait to discover "the rest of the story!" (What God will do with it!)
Lucy

Author Copy Approved!

Well, we're one step closer to a release date for Secure the Fort (And Remain Under God) ! I approved the author copy this week, and we should be hearing from Xlibris within the next couple of weeks. Keep watching for updates either through here or through my website, www.allgloryishis.com Book page and Under God page!
I just received word that portions of the book will be used by a chaplain with the KY National Guard during an upcoming training for troops about to be deployed to Iraq. I felt humbled and honored. I pray the words he shares will be ones that they need to hear and ones that will bring them closer to the Lord as they are sent forward in service. (I will be talking soon with chaplains serving with the Illinois National Guard about the very same.)
I also have an opportunity to share portions of the book with an upcoming veterans' reunion of those who served on the USS SARATOGA during WWII, the ship my Uncle Buster served on.
I praise God for these open doors and ministry!
Lucy

Author Copy Received!

Xlibris update: I felt very humbled (and excited) today when I pulled into the driveway and saw a mailer envelope hanging out of the mailbox! It came...the author copy of Secure theFort (And Remain Under God)! I couldn't wait to get out of the van and grab the mail. I rushed inside and tore open the package like a toddler unwrapping a Christmas present! I sat there and just stared at it, thanking God for His faithfulness all through this journey. It has been something I will never forget as long as I live.

Pray for the ministry this book involves. I will keep you posted on an "official" release date! It's just around the corner... all glory is HIS!

Lucy

More Progress!

I had another wonderful experience today when going to our KY National Guard Armory to meet some people and share about Secure the Fort's release. I was encouraged and felt it a true honor to meet these Guard men and women.
I was given some contact names and phone numbers of people who may be able to help schedule some speaking engagements about the book's ministry to our troops.
Keep praying for open doors in the direction God wants us to take...
I should be receiving my author copy within three weeks to preview! After I approve that, it's available!
I thanked God again today for allowing me to take part in this journey with Him. It has been incredible. What an honor...
Lucy

What a day!

Wow! God has really been at work today in preparing the way for Secure the Fort's release!
I have been in awe of my God all day long...let me share.

1. I met some incredible people today at various recruiting offices and at our local Armed Forces Reserves Center. When talking to them about Secure the Fort's upcoming release, they were very positive and encouraging! I met with someone involved with the Army Reserves family programs who literally embraced this book's intent and vision to lift up and encourage our military families. I may have some speaking opportunities as a result of this meeting. God is beginning to open doors to share about this book's ministry! I may even have the opportunity to share about this book at Fort Knox. What an honor this would be! Keep praying for God's leading.

2. I just received confirmation of an interview on June 8th with Bob Calvert, host of "Talking With Heroes." He will be doing a live taping for his show at Port Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. What an honor and a blessing for spreading the word about this upcoming release! Pray for this event and all involved that it will be a blessing to our military.

Thanking you as always for your continued prayers.
Lucy

Today's event

I felt honored today to be part of a health and benefits fair for our women veterans. I met some incredible women who still carry themselves with pride and confidence, strength and honor. I was proud to shake their hands.
We forget sometimes that our veterans are not all elderly people! Many have this visualization of an aging, slower paced individual when talking about our veterans. Not so. Many of our vets are my age! I'd like to think I'm not so old yet. :)
Some of our women vets are still raising children. They need to be remembered. So next time you're in line at the grocery, or post office be thoughtful in the fact that the mom of two teenage kids in front of you may very well have spent several years in the service.
It's possible!
I was blessed by the fact that many who learned of Secure the Fort's release in a few weeks are anxious to read it! I gained some military contacts in hopes of being able to speak to these units or support groups at some point, and encourage them through readings from Secure the Fort's manuscript.
Keep praying for the ministry this book will provide to our military families...and I'll keep you updated as I can on the book's release.
Lucy

Praises!

Some praises to share today!
1. Interior galleys are done for the first volume of Secure the Fort (And Remain Under God). All I need to do is read through for any corrections that need making, and then approve them. We're one step closer to printing! Do pray for this series of books and the ministry they will have to our military families and everyone else who reads them.
2. I just spoke to another military mom this week who heads up www.momsofmilitary.com, a prayer circle of military mothers. The group is based out of Yorba Linda, California. I encourage other military moms to contact them to join this prayer circle. Our military "children" need all the prayers they can get. I am anxious to talk to other moms in this circle and hear their testimonies of answered prayers! I'm hoping to get some of these moms to submit their testimonies for the volume of Secure the Fort that will focus on our Christian military moms in action!
Lucy