What I Do When I’m Not Blogging

As some of you may have noticed, I did not post on October 7th or Oct 14th, and I will not be posting Oct 21st or Oct 28th, which is unusual for me since normal I post every Monday.

So why this absence you might ask?

Well, I’m in the process of meeting a deadline for my next novel and have therefore taken the month off from blogging. Many of you have probably noticed the novel on my sidebar here on this blog. This suspense novel of mine The Eighth Ransom was published November 2018. I am currently working hard to see my newest novel, a period medieval action/adventure novel, published Spring 2020. It will be the first book in a series focused around the second-born son of a king.

Prince Gage has always been comfortable as the second born. He’s an accomplished jouster, who’s happily forged his own path in life. Knighted young due to his accomplishments on the tournament field, he has been offered the honor of becoming lord of his own manor. Yet he knows traveling with a retinue of knights is one thing, while leading a household is something else entirely. Despite being dauntless on the battle field, Gage fears more than anything a position of leadership where he could make a wrong decision that will negatively impact other people’s lives. When this very fear becomes a reality even within his retinue, the decision he makes afterword will lead him on a journey that will change how he sees everything in life.

I started brainstorming this story years ago and really it’s grown into a constant reminder to me of how desperately the world needs young people who are capable of weathering their fears and accepting the responsibilities and weight of life in order to truly live life. Gage deeply cares about those around him, and he desperately wants to do well. But just like so many young people today, he wants to stick with what he’s comfortable and good at doing. He fears being pushed beyond his capabilities, not because he fears the challenge but because he fears the possibilities of failure that might cost him and others. But until we step out, we never know how far we can go or how much we have to offer.

God’s plans for our lives are often so much bigger and broader than we’re comfortable striving after, but when we are willing to trust Him, living life with God becomes an incredible journey of His faithfulness, provision, direction, and love.

Too many young adults these days don’t even know what it means to be a good friend, a good spouse, or a good parent. They call themselves Christians, but they don’t know the Word of God. They grew up in the church, but they walked out the door knowing only how fun the activities were at youth group. And when the challenges come and they are asked, “Is your faith worth such pain? Is your belief in God’s Word worth so much self-sacrifice? Is being a Godly spouse  and parent worth the fear of failure, the need for repentance, and a life of humility and service? Is being who God asked you to be worth feeling inadequate, uncomfortable and overwhelmed? Are people worth it? Is God worth it? Are you yourself worth it?” their response is too often a painfully resounding, “No.”

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among my generation. And to me this is horrifying, because what it says is that we fear living more than we fear dying.We need to stop teaching young people at church how to have momentary fun and start teaching them how to live life in the hands of an incredible God!

This is the message I want this series of books to pour out. The knowledge of how to live, looking to Jesus the giver of life, who no matter the hardships you face, the mistakes you’ve made, or the failures you’ve had will not and does not stop loving you and who will always be there to point you back to His path where you can  find hope, peace, and life. 

John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (NKJV)(Emphasis added)

I look forward to being able to share this new book with you all in 2020. If you would like to know more about me as an author of young adult books you can visit my website at GivenHoffman.com 

I do not currently have a lot of information on my website yet about this new book. I plan to begin the process of incorporating information about it onto my website in the next several months.

Thank you for being part of my journey here on this blog. I look forward to picking back up posting in November. God bless!