CATHERINE MARSHALL AND I

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. " James 1:22

"I’m sorry, I have no gas. I can’t move my car away from the pumps until you reopen," my husband, Bill, explained.

We had come to the Washington D.C./Virginia area for my interview with the Christian writer, Catherine Marshall. It was during the summer of gas rationing. We had coasted on fumes all the way down the off ramp and around the curb into the station driveway.

"Well, okay," the service station attendant agreed and pumped enough gas to carry us out of town. By the time our tank was full, there was a line of thirsty cars out across the station drive and down the block.

All of the angst and threatening gas gage were worth it. My morning with Catherine Marshall was inspiring. She answered all of my questions with grace and patience, for an article I was to write for a new national magazine. The company’s decision to not launch the new periodical took absolutely nothing away from my trip to the beautiful rolling hills around Evergreen Farm in Lincoln, Virginia.

Before I left, Catherine invited me to take a tour of their new Chosen Books Publishing building in a former eight-room, two-story, red brick schoolhouse just down the road from the home she shared with her husband, Len LeSourd. That visit was another priceless experience. I asked Catherine if she was involved in the publishing business in any way.

"Oh my no," she answered. "Writing and publishing are two entirely different talents in the book business."

Chosen Books was started on prayer, inspiration, and a faith in the Lord’s Guiding, by John and Elizabeth (Tib) Sherrill. The Sherrills invited their friends, Len and Catherine LeSourd to experience the dream and great adventure with them.

It is with that faith and trust that I have decided to offer my novel, Length of Days - The Age of Silence in hardback, on a book distributing website, www.directbuybooks.com. The book is already in e-Book form, so why not offer a real-as-life, hand-held paper form? I had been reluctant to take that next step. I could hear Catherine Marshall’s words, "Writing and publishing are two entirely different talents in the book business."

I am, however, determined to be obedient and follow the will of the Lord as I understand it. I am happy to announce that Length of Days - The Age of Silence is available today in hardback on the Direct Buy Books website.

I know God has also placed a task on your heart. He knows you are apprehensive, maybe even afraid to put yourself out in the public eye where you might have to defend your ideas. If God has given you something to do or say: to write, to create, to sell, He will walk with you as you meet the public in your own store, restaurant, website, or books, whatever it may be. Let us pray for the courage to follow through for God.

"God of all creation, of all new ideas, of all plans you have for us, we humbly bow before you. We know the tasks you have given us are extensions of yourself and for that we praise your name. Success in your eyes may be different from success in our own. We think in quantities and you think in the value of a single soul. May I see the responsibilities through your eyes, not my own. I am just called to be obedient. Only one life blessed may seem like a job failed to me, but it is sung as a song of hallelujah in Heaven. May I reach Heaven’s joy by my own follow-through of the simplest task you lay on my heart. Let me never forget to give you all the praise and glory. I pray for courage to be fully yours, in the name of Jesus, your son. Amen"

Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."
Copyright 2012 Doris Gaines Rapp

Also: http://www.lengthofdays2112.blogspot.com will give a little longer version of the Catherine Marshall and I story.

Also, please visit: http://www.directbuybooks.com