Bøker av Jeanne Gossett Halsey

After years of working for established, mainstream Publishing Houses as a freelance Writer, Editor and/or Ghostwriter, when JEANNE GOSSETT HALSEY submitted her own bylined manuscripts to them, they turned her down, saying, "We don't know you." What a stupid excuse! So (being the fearless, intrepid person she is), Jeanne promptly started her own publishing company - MASTERPIECES IN PROGRESS Publishing House (based on Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God's masterpieces; He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago") - and quickly proved that most "established publishing houses" are actually dinosaurs, unable to keep up with the quick-paced demand for excellent manuscripts. Many publishers are going out of business due to high costs of manufacturing, storing and warehousing tons of books, unable to get them fulfilled quickly enough ... yet "print-on-demand" online publishers are thriving, especially those capable of distributing through the worldwide Internet. This Spring 2023 Catalogue represents not only Jeanne's published works but the books produced by dozens of other authors, many who are brand-new at publishing ... all with wonderful stories to share!

"The scenario is a year in the lives of four New Soldiers in the Army of God. It is a metaphor for Christian life today."The analogy that Christians are supposed to be warriors for the Kingdom of God is not new. I do not believe our local churches are supposed to be luxurious day-camps for pampering self-indulgent babies; rather, I believe new believers should hit the ground running, learning about spiritual warfare from the outset ... and even with our own mistakes, hurts, frequent breakdowns, we are destined to win others who are caught in the darkness of sin and point them to the light and salvation offered by Jesus Christ. The "militant church" is a favorite theme of mine.

"That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the Sun. Is there anything of which one might say, 'See this, it is new'? Already it has existed for ages, which were before us." (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10; emphasis added)I would like like to say to Solomon: "Surprise! For the first time in Human History, this axiom is not true. In 2020 (a cool 3,000 years since your lifetime), for the first time in Human History, the whole world has ground to a stop because of a rogue biological warfare virus which was released upon Humanity: COVID-19. Yes, we've had plagues circulate throughout the 'known' world several times, but none with the enormous economic impact that we are witnessing today. Since struggle is important for people to improve themselves, Solomon, old buddy, let's see you apply your supernatural Wisdom to fixing this situation!"

In the 1960s and '70s, the JESUS PEOPLE Movement exploded on the world ... and the ground-breaking group "LOVE SONG" was right in the middle of it. 50 years later, their songs - with a strong theme of evangelism - are still powerful and life-changing.Using a simple story (written by Jeanne Gossett Halsey) to showcase 21 songs (written primarily by CHUCK GIRARD), "WELCOME BACK" is a unique two-act Christian Retro Musical that will refresh your memory (if you're old enough) ... or open your eyes to what Jesus Christ still means today. "Sometimes you just don't know what you're missing / 'Til you leave it for awhile ... / Welcome back to what you knew was right from the start." This IS "Music as Evangelism"!"WELCOME BACK: A Retro Rock Musical" is an original publication by Masterpieces In Progress Publishing House.

As we approach the end of the Old Testament - and the conclusion of "the Bible According to Jeanne" Series - these final books seem quieter and less original than many of the previous thunderings of the Mighty Major Prophets. This is an erroneous impression because most of these Minor Prophets lived and worked prior to the advent of the Major Prophets. It is necessary to see these individual Minor Prophets as people in their own right and to read their Prophecies as unique and noteworthy. I'm always eager to dig deeper!

"The Bible According to Jeanne" Series continues with four more Minor Prophets: OBADIAH, JONAH, MICAH, and NAHUM. Most people know a lot about Jonah, but Obadiah, Micah and Nahum have pithy things to say as well.

THE GRAND FINALE ~ I believe during this entire 3-year journey of going deep into God's Word that I have repeatedly experienced this: "When you get in trouble for writing what you have written, for saying controversial things, maybe even slightly irreverent things, just keep writing what I give you to write, for it will not be you writing but the Spirit of your Father writing through you" (Matthew 10:19-20; highly paraphrased). ~ On a very personal note, I believe this Series is the pivotal work of my lifetime. It has been totally delightful to learn more about my Father God through His Word; and it has been an honor to share this journey with you. Therefore I conclude with: "I trust I have earned this accolade from my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ: 'Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in Heaven. ... This is to My Father's Glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourself to be My Disciple'" (Matthew 10:32 and John 15:8).

Excerpt from JEREMIAH 6: ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE BOSS There is a verse that truly jumps out of this chapter, spoken by the LORD God directly to Jeremiah the Prophet, an encouragement meant for him especially: "I have made you an assayer and a tester among My People, that you may know and assay their way" (Jeremiah 6:27). Right in the middle of Jeremiah faithfully reporting the impending destruction of Jerusalem, his Heavenly Father sensed that Jeremiah was cringing a little at the severity of Jerusalem's coming punishment; so God reinforced him by saying: "Jeremiah, My faithful son, even when it is unpleasant news to deliver, I have made you the conduit through which I AM warning My Children. In your own heart, you must weight it, test it, sift it, and then present it, so you are telling the strongest truth you can. This is your responsibility, and I trust you completely with it. Go on, Jer, you can do it" (verse 27; highly paraphrased). As a Scribe for God's purposes, I too could use that kind of reinforcement and encouragement from my Boss.

Excerpt from EZEKIEL 24: No believer in the LORD God will be exempt from Life's difficulties. There are no Ivory Towers in the lives of Christians. We will live in the real world, alongside all the sinners and blasphemers, and we won't be immune from the spatter of their dirt and filth when they wrestle around us, and we won't be free of wounds and scars and worries. Our lives will not be beautiful and perfect, with rewards handed out like candies. "In this world we will have tribulations" but we will not go through them alone: "For Holy Spirit will never leave you or forsake you"!

At first Jeremiah - the son of a village Priest - resisted the call to become a Prophet by complaining he was only a child and didn't know how to speak; God disagreed: "Get yourself ready, Jeremiah!" (Jeremiah 1:17). He knew the qualities of a Prophet included "not being afraid" ... "standing up to speak" ... "speaking only as told" ... and "going where sent" - in other words, a soldier enlisted in the military. Jeremiah started his Prophetic career both well-trained and fully literate. With such strengths within him, it was not difficult for Jeremiah to use his Prophetic gift to condemn idolatry (chapters 3 and 4), and call out the greed of priests and false prophets (chapter 6). We could say that Jeremiah born to fight for the right!

Everybody knows the legendary story of Daniel, the last of the Major Prophets in the Bible; his name means "God is my Judge." His Book was written (in two languages, Aramaic and Hebrew, in the second-century BC (300-200BC), combining History with Prophecy and Eschatology (a portrayal of End Times), cosmic in scope and political in focus. Many like to extract the Sunday School-friendly stories - "the Fiery Furnace Ordeal" (Daniel 3) and "the Lions' Den Trial" (chapter 6) - and avoid the rest of the book because they think it is so challenging to interpret.Daniel's story also covers a stretch of History where he directly served four pagan kings; including Nebuchadnezzar (1119-1098 BC) of the Babylonian rule; and Darius (522-486 BC) the Mede. He was bred for Royal Service, but to the Hebrew King - yet he did not shirk genuine service at pagan Courts. We simply never know where God is going to place us or use our best gifts.

"The Bible According to Jeanne" Series continues through the Old Testament, and zeros in on "the Major Prophets" first spokesman: the beloved Prophet Isaiah. Chapter by chapter, Jeanne takes you through her perspective of what God's Word said then and what it still says today.

EXCERPT: ""Hello."" [WAIT FOR ANSWER] ""Hello."" [PAUSE] I can wait here all day until you say ... ""Hello!"" [LAUGHTER] Raise your hand if you've ever heard Michael Gossett begin a concert or a speech or any kind of public speaking, with that little schtick? [PAUSE] For once, I'm not sorry. That was how I began the Eulogy for my beloved brother Michael Leon Gossett, for the audience seated at Christian Life Assembly church in Langley, British Columbia, Canada; on Thursday, August 15, 2019 - ten days after Michael suddenly experienced ""the happiest day of a Christian's Life"" (as our father always told us) by means of a unexpected massive heart attack at his home.

"The LORD is my Shepherd" - the familiar words of Psalm 23. But now read: "The LORD is my Coach" ... "The LORD is my Caregiver" ... "The LORD is the One Who created you" -- rewritten by Christian authors learning the craft of "targeting your audience." The students of the School of Creative Christian Writing are happy to share their "homework" with you -- maybe you'll find yourself in here!

Contrary to popular (secular) opinion, I believe the most important season of the Christian calendar is not Christmas, but Easter. While it is wonderful to enjoy the festivities surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, there is so much more richness and significance in the last days of His ministry, and the importance of His death and resurrection ? yet much of this joy is overlooked. Many Christians shiver at the horrible details of Christ?s unjust arrest, His brutal beatings, the farcical trials, that humiliating trudge to Golgotha, and finally, His gruesome death. Subsequently, they hesitate to discuss these facts with their children, or even among themselves. Then comes the substitution of twinkly-nosed bunnies, fluffy chicks, curly-coated lambs, colorful eggs, and all kinds of foil-wrapped chocolates ? seemingly benign ?thieves? taking unlawful precedence over the real story. Behold the Lamb is a fresh, enlightening, entertaining, even provocative study on the Season of the Lamb.

I'm a believer in Absolutes. I believe in the Laws of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Mathematics, Logic, Cosmology, and so on ... and in the Word of God, the Bible. I believe in the Law of Conception: that when a female's egg is united with the male's sperm, a human being is created; and immediately upon fertilization, the gender has been determined by the father's chromosomes. The embryo that grows into a fetus that is delivered as a human baby has been carrying its gender identification from its first moment of existence. The child is either a boy or a girl; no more, no less, and nothing in between. This is more than fact - it is truth. The Final Arbiter of Truth is Jesus Christ.

The final book of the great prophet Moses, DEUTERONOMY - which means "final word" - is as relevant for life in the 21st Century as it was 5,000 years ago.

Moses the great Law-Giver wrote five golden books for the whole world to know what Jehovah God ? the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ? had done, from the (literal) Beginning (when the Earth was created), until the day His people entered their Promised Land. From these books ? even those that seem to be all about rules and regulations, long lists of names and places ? we have the foundation for civilization. Humanity is supposed to live by the Word of God, by the Laws of God, under the guidance and teaching of God Himself. Every chapter of the book of Numbers has relevance to the 21st century.

Its possible we psych ourselves out of reading ALL of God's Word when we look at the Old Testament and think, "Oh dear, that's all about laws and rules and things that cannot possibly apply to my life today." But think again -- and read it again! In every chapter, Jeanne Gossett Halsey finds a way to apply the Bible to life in the 21st century. If she can find it, so can you!

From Exodus 7: My imagination takes me to Pharaoh's throne-room where his courtiers are pacing around and muttering, ""That Moses needs to go down! Those Hebrews need to be punished again!"" Only a small percentage of the Egyptian population grumbled against Moses; most of them were friendly with their Hebrew counterparts, and willingly shared their silver and gold with them as parting gifts. (My goodness, prosperity in a time when the world is falling apart ? imagine that!) Shows how out-of-touch with the grassroots that politicians can be. Then there's this ""Tweet"" that Moses sends to Pharaoh as a parting shot: ""All these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves before me, saying 'Go out, you and all the people who follow you,' and after that, I will go out."" And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger"" (Exodus 11:8). Sounds familiar? I guess people haven't changed that much in 5,000 years.

The Bible has many authors, all brought together by the guidance of Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, most people know who wrote the four Gospels, most people know about the prolific writings of the Apostle Paul, but not everyone knows about the Other Apostles! Here are the voices of James, Peter, John, and Jude, one chapter at a time.

After completing the "Through the New Testament In A Year" challenge in 2018, and successfully publishing all 12 books that encompass the "New Testament as a multi-volume devotional" ("The Bible According to Jeanne"), I looked at the Old Testament. I realized a thorough examination of these 39 books would take way longer than 12 months to accomplish; so I found a plan that permits chapter-by-chapter reading, plus a few chapters into Matthew to round off the year ? over two years.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the newly-formed churches he had planted throughout the Middle East and Asia Minor, he could visualize faces and names of real people he had met ... and recalled their challenges and victories as well. These three unique Epistles each bring a different aspect of life as a Christian, both in the 1st century and the 21st century as well. "Jeanne has the courage to tackle God's Word as if it was written for me in my circumstances!" ~ A Dedicated Reader