I met Mary DeMuth while she was passing out free copies of her book, Daisy Chain, the first book in the Defiance, Texas trilogy. She gave all those gathered to hear her teaching session a copy. Not one person was missed. Her generosity, enthusiasm for the craft, and evident love of Jesus made me want to know more.

So, I turned the first page of Daisy Chain, and kept turning and turning.

With the new release of A Slow Burn, the second book in this trilogy by DeMuth, I was equally ready to read. I needed to know the rest of the story. So, I signed up to get the book before the official release date for review. I’ll tell you this – DeMuth does not disappoint!

If you have read Daisy Chain and liked it, you will really like A Slow Burn. This book explores the underbelly of societal issues in depth and with passion. And you think you had problems growing up - trying growing up with Emory Chance!

I was not sure how Mary would open up this second book in the trilogy since she surprised me at the end of the first book. I was expecting my typical Disney-dilusions but didn't get 'em. I mean that in a good way. But that's what I like about Mary. Her writing is real. I felt both anguish, anger, sadness, and joy - the kind of joy that only comes with redemption. Ahhh...blessed redemption!

This book keeps your attention as you page through its chapters needing (not wanting, mind you - needing) to know the rest of the story. You will not put this one down and walk away. You'll find yourself up late, reading until you cannot take it anymore. And, if you keep reading, you may well find yourself in the pages of Defiance, Texas.

Buy it on Amazon here. I'm also part of a blog tour reviewing this book. So, please feel free to stop by other blogs to read more or you can look for reviews of the book on Amazon. I've posted a review there as well.

If you want to know more about this desiring-to-make-Jesus-famous, talented author, you can read here.

I have consistently failed at this effort. This one thing dominated my life for years upon years. In my own strength, I could not get the victory over it. This one lesson should have been one of the very first that I learned about life and relationships but no, not me. I had other issues to deal with. I started from a deficit, not realizing my own self worth –which in turn exacerbated this particular issue. So, now you’re asking – what is the issue?

Letting go.

That’s the issue that I struggled with – knowing when to let go and finally letting go. When you hold onto something that you should let go of, you do damage to yourself. It’s of absolutely no benefit to hold on to dead things. If it’s dead and gone, let it alone. Learn to put an end date on dead things.

Now, I don’t want to sound morbid this morning, but the truth is what we need. I’m not trying to offend; I’m just putting some truth out in the atmosphere. Dead things are dead. Stop carrying them around with you. There are three things you will find on a grave marker or tombstone. You may find more but there will be at least these three things: name of the deceased; birth date and death date. Some will even say “sunrise” and “sunset” but you get the idea. In between those dates, life was lived, until it was not.

The same applies to our relationships – particularly these male/female relationships between single men and women. You meet and decide to enter into a committed relationship. That’s birth. You journey through the relationship. That’s life. And then one or both of you decide to end the relationship. That’s death. The relationship that was is no longer. It does not mean that you cannot have some other type of holy relationship. You can. It does mean that this one that you may have planned would go toward marriage has taken the off ramp.

The problem that we often encounter is that once we get to the off ramp, and it is determined that the relationship is over, we don’t know how to let go or we outright refuse to let go. We begin to think that this person was the key to our happiness. News flash – they are not. We begin to think that we cannot live without this person. News flash – yes, you can. We begin to think that this person was the best thing that ever happened to us. News flash – stop tripping – they were not. I can say this with confidence because I am saved – therefore, I believe that Jesus is the key to my happiness. Yes, He is. Jesus is the One that I cannot live without. No, I cannot. And Jesus is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Amen!

Another fallible human being like me does not compare to Jesus.

With Jesus, you can let go of dead things. I’m a witness.

It’s easier to let go if you will put things in the proper perspective. Put Jesus first and examine your life through the lens of His truth. It’s Jesus that we need. So, put an end date on that dead relationship and rest in the will of God. He has a plan for your life that far exceeds anything that we may plan in our own strength.

You may wonder where I’ve been. Well, I’ve been in Defiance, Texas nearly every free moment that I’ve had. As a result, I was lured in by a tricky lady that made me feel both compassion and anger for her.

I will be posting in greater details this week. In fact, I’ll have a review of my trip to Defiance via A Slow Burn, the second book in the Defiance Texas triology by Mary DeMuth.

So, stay tuned. I’m beginning to pack up now and make my return trip home. And boy will I have a lot to tell you!