Skip to main content

Looking Out the Window: Nike Chillemi Talks about Finding Protection and Peace in Dangerous Times





Protection in Dangerous Times

Psalm 91: 1-2

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust !"

The 1940s, the time-period BURNING HEARTS is set in, were dangerous times. World War II had ended and the Cold War and a great global arms race was beginning. Today we're living in dangerous times, an era of global terrorism.

We all have a desire to protect those we love. We face this every time we, or someone we love, goes off to work in the morning. Our streets today are not as safe as they once were. It's a reality for us when our children go off to school, or our teens get into a car with their friends.

Yet, we have an all-powerful and loving God, who's desire for us is the best, not the worst. He is our refuge and our fortress. In Him we shall trust.

But this doesn't make God into a Santa Claus up in the sky to whom we shoot off a wish list of prayers, not the least of which are prayers for protection. We are to abide with Him. That means we are to live in His love for us, to walk with Him and have a glorious type of peace in our lives. This is our fortress.

Out of this, we model our love for our family and other relationships and the walk through life we have with them. Can something bad happen to us and to our loved ones? Yes, it can. Sorry. But even in the midst of bad stuff, we have His love, His grace, and we can have a peace that passes all understanding.

There is a terrific way to pray the 91st Psalm for protection and it can be applied to nearly any portion of the Bible by personalizing it to ourselves, loved ones and friends…We who live and walk in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. We will say to the LORD, You are our refuge and our fortress. You are our God in whom we trust. Amen.




                                                                                   

 READ ABOUT NIKE'S NEW BOOK, BURNING HEARTS (arson/murder, action, and romance in equal measure)

Can a sheltered young seamstress, disillusioned by the horrors of WWII, escape an arsonist/murderer who has killed her employer and mentor, while trying to decide if she can trust the dashing war hero who’s ridden into town on his Harley—who some say is the murderer?

Erica Brogna’s parents doted on her and taught her to think for herself. Many boys she grew up with have fallen in the war, shaking her childhood faith. In rides a handsome stranger, at the hour of her most desperate need. A woman who is her best friend and mentor is trapped in a burning house. After making an unsuccessful rescue attempt, Erica stands by as this man rushes into the inferno and carries her friend’s lifeless body out.

Lorne Kincade can’t out run his past on his Harley Davidson WLA, the civilian model of the motorcycle he rode in the war. He’s tried. He’s been a vagabond biker in the year since the war ended. His Uncle Ivar bequeathed him a ramshackle cottage in Sanctuary Point, on the Great South Bay of Long Island, NY and now he’d like to hope for a future again, repair the miniscule place, and settle down. The only problem is, a young woman with hair the color of mink is starting to get under his skin and that’s the last thing he needs.

BIO

Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning). She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes monthly book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. BURNING HEARTS is the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, published by Desert Breeze.

Comments

Unknown said…
NIKE--you are so right about this being a dangerous world. I have learned that it can come at us anywhere at anytime. It's bad enough to have a car wreck or something similar, as we expect those things to happen. But for a man to fall off a few steps, hit his head, get up, brush himself off and say, "Don't worry...I'm fine"--and he's dead two hours later from a brain hemmorage.
Protection and Peace--two worthy goals for our prayers. Thank you for the lovely way to begin my mornng.
Congratulations on your release, and best wishes for its success.
Celia
Gail Pallotta said…
Hi Nike,
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on protection in dangerous times on my blog, for reminding us that God is with us in the bad times.
Miss Mae said…
This book/blurb sounds absolutely wonderful! And the cover is beautiful!

The world has never been a safe place, unfortunately. But since WWII and the invention of the A-bomb, we know it got a whole lot worse!

Wishing you much success,Nike, and it's great to meet you! :)
June Foster said…
Nike,Your words ring so true to me. God is all we have in this world, but He is enough. June Foster
Finbar said…
Interesting setting and a time frame often overlooked, the war ended and all was well...briefly. Good thinking, the storyline sounds great and yes, all we have is Him to lean on...
DanielleThorne said…
Great post, Nike. You have been on my radar for quite some time and I'm glad for the reminder that your book is on my TBR list. Also, you have some very cool glasses!
I have read a few books set during World War II and I was so intrigued about the history and what brought the war about. This book sounds intriguing, as well. Congratulations on your book release.
Anonymous said…
Great reminder to place our trust in God, resting in His arms which can carry us through ANYTHING! Love how you encourage us to personalize Scripture. I often personalize and pray Scripture, knowing when I pray God's Word, I am praying His perfect will. Love it!
Rita Garcia said…
God will never leave us and He never forsakes us. Praise His name! Thanks for this reminder that in Him we can find protection and peace, even in dangerous times.
B. J. Robinson said…
Yes, bad things do happen to good people, even God's people, but He is our rock, and we can turn to Him knowing we are never alone. He will be there with us through it all. Blessings for success with Burning Hearts. I love that novel. BJ
Nike Chillemi said…
Thank you ladies for all the wonderful and thoughtful comments. You have touched my heart.

I'll pray for each of you to be safe in these difficult and often dangerous times.

Blessings and shalom to you one and all.
Jenny Milchman said…
I was struck by the article you posted yesterday about the brave girl who shooed her friends away from an SUV. Here's hoping for protection and peace for all.

Popular posts from this blog

Looking Out the Window: Memories on the Heart

Several weeks ago my husband, Rick, and I ate at a restaurant we frequent fairly regularly. The cute, young waitress who usually waits on us took our orders for burgers and fries. I’ll call her Mandy. As usual Mandy’s smile and bubbly personality brightened our day. We giggled and confessed to her that we shouldn’t eat the fries, but we were going to do it just this once. She joked. “Okay, you’re being bad today.” Not long after we got our food a couple came in and sat in the booth behind us. Mandy walked up to the table with her big grin. “Hi, how are you?” she asked. The man, who had salt and pepper colored hair and a pudgy face, spoke in a harsh tone, “I want the steak.” “Sure, which one would you like?” Mandy asked. “I don’t want you to put it in the microwave. That will make it tough. Do you understand?” Mandy’s lips turned down. “Yes sir, which one do you want to order?” “I want it medium rare. I don’t want blood oozing out of it. I want it cooked right.” “Yes sir, which steak di

Looking out the Window: Karen Malley Talks about Her New Book, Moonlight and Mystery. Giveaway.

  A Warm Welcome to Karen Malley Karen will give away an eBook of Moonlight and Mystery .  To enter to win leave a comment and email address below and enter the Rafflecopter contest. She also gives away a free short story each week for a newsletter sign-up. See below for her Website address. Hi Gail, thanks so much for having me on the blog today. It's my pleasure.  I’m happy to share with you a Bible verse and a recipe, and tell you about my newest book! One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 10:9.  “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” I love this verse because it distills down the message of Christianity to its simplest elements. So often people add to the gospel, but it really all comes down to our belief in Jesus’ saving work on the cross. This verse tends to make its way into my writing. It’s in my latest novel, Moonlight and Mystery, when the heroine, Beth attends a carnival at a

Looking out the Window: Penny Zeller, Known for Heartfelt Stories of Faith, Talks about Her New Book, Dreams of the Heart. Giveaway.

  A Warm Welcome to Penny Zeller Penny will give away either an e-Book or a print copy (U.S. residents only) of Dreams of the Heart. Winner’s choice.  To enter to win join the Rafflecopter contest below, leave a comment and an email address. Hi Penny, Lots of writers were avid readers as children. How about you? If so, what did you read? I was an avid reader as a child, which I credit to my mom, who read to us and encouraged a love for books. Two of my favorite books were Wacky Wednesday and Harry the Dirty Dog. When I was older, I enjoyed reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Little House on the Prairie. Why do you write? Because I can’t not write. It is my ministry and my passion. Tell us about your latest book, Dreams of the Heart   Sometimes the hardest battles take place in the heart. Poverty and abuse at the hands of her drunkard father leaves Hannah Bane trapped and alone. Without hope, she prays for a miracle just on the off-chance God will hear her. Will the handsome new