I am so honored to announce that The Next Target
has been nominated for Book of the Year (fiction) by The Book Club Network. But there is another story here that I want to share. Those of you who are friends on Facebook probably saw this post:
Ack. Have you ever felt that God was calling you to something and then met so much opposition you wondered if you were mistaken? I’m talking about when things are so difficult you don’t know if it is because you are so perfectly in His will, accomplishing something He has ordained that Satan is on the attack, or if it is because you are so far out of His will He is slamming every door shut. It is a dilemma. Besides prayer, what do you do to help figure it out? Would love to hear from you.
Many wrote to me to encourage me. And many more also prayed.
Though I did not state in the post that it was my ministry and novel that were under attack, I’m sure many guessed that. I’ll share a little about how the attacks came. How personal and how destructive they were . . .
I was the sole caregiver of my 90 year old mother and 94 year old father. My 94 year old father was diagnosed as being in kidney and heart failure and mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer (in 2011). Then this March our $245,000 mortgage came due and our house went into foreclosure, my mother had a massive stroke in April and my father became housebound as his heart continued to fail and he progressed to stage 4 kidney failure. When they performed brain surgery on my mother to drain the fluid that caused the stroke they found a tumor and we were told it is brain cancer. With no caregiver I had the full responsibility for both of them at this time. My husband had been out of work since November of 2011 and was just going to start work in April when he had terrible stomach pains and we took him to the emergency room. He was told he would have to have his gall bladder removed. When they took it out they found five stones had escaped and were lodged in his bile ducts and they had to perform a second procedure to get them out. When the bills came in May, after insurance, our part was over $12,000. As I began to pay bills in June, I realized that there was no way we could continue. All of this was going on during the book launch of The Next Target, then in July the Department of Justice decided to investigate me. They wanted an accounting of the money I had given through my ministry to Muslims who are under the threat of death. That investigation was just completed and closed. They found all my actions were legitimate. But providing documentation for that investigation took ever hour of every day for weeks.
As I said, this is only a little of what has been going on in my life, but it helps give context to why I began to question God’s call on my life as I mentioned above. All of these things greatly hindered my ability to write and serve my ministry. Then within days of that posting and hearing from many of you and receiving many prayers, The Next Target received this nomination. I do not believe in coincidences when one is in the will of God. I believe it is God’s way of blessing me for my obedience and of letting people know He has heard the prayers prayed for me. I also believe He has opened a door for The Next Target to reach many more readers.
If you feel led, please take a second to click on this link: http://www.bookfun.org/ . The list of nominees is on the right side of the page. Those of you who have read the book know that it was inspired by my ministry to persecuted Christians who are under the threat of death. Many of you pray for my ministry. Please help me raise public awareness about this issue by voting for the book. If you have a passion for those persecuted for His name’s sake, please share the link with your friends and family. For those who are not on Facebook, please pray that God will bless this nomination.
Thank you so much.
Hi Nikki,
I am so sorry to hear all you have been through. I follow you posts on facebook and the only thing I was aware of was your darling new grandaughter and your new book! What irony Nikki, the title of your book and the fact that you became a target in many respects. Congradulations on your book and nomination!
You asked besides prayer where do we go? I now go to The Word, as my guide and protection. I now know the great deceiver is prowling, always.
In the past I never wanted to look too deeply at the spiritual war Satan was waging, hoping that if I ignored him, he would leave me alone. After I became more serious about following Christ I realized I was wrong. I found myself and others under attack on a continual basis. I now see that even before prayer I must stay in The Word, it is my truth, protection and guide in all things.
I have been reading a book by William Gurnall called The Christian in Complete Armour published in 1664. It is an in depth study of the Enemy of God and his people. The book looks at Satan, his power, seat of his empire, his wickedness, and chief design he has against the Gods children. Satans’ main weapon is deception, it began when he asked Eve, did God really say? Our protection is Gods Word, the sword.
I have to say as hard as my move has been to Montana, and away from everyone, I have given a lot of my time to God. I am thankful for the time I have had to study, pray and make room for the Holy Spirit. We also found a church that is a true Body of Christ and that had been a blessing also. Our country is in a real battle Nikki. I am very concerned for my children and grandchildren. America has turned from God, we are and will continue to suffer the consequences. I recently read that George Washington swore on the bible which was opened to Deuteronomy 28 when he was sworn in as the first president of the United Stated. I read this scripture with this in mind. I think every American should get out a bible and read those promises and the warnings that follow if disobedience occurs!
I try to remember 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I a strong. It is a daily challange for me to remember this.
I have a prayer board and will keep you and your family in my prayers. Are you still in your house or have you moved? I would love to catch up with you over lunch when I am in CDA next.
God Bless,
Pam Agather
So good to hear from you and thank you so much for sharing. Yes, we have moved. Do let me know when you are here. I’d love to meet.
Congratulations on this nomination, Nikki. I was happy to vote for your book, which I loved! God is good, and God is doing a good work in and through you. Yes, we have an enemy of the soul who is alive and active–the great deceiver and discourager. I often forget until I’m physically and emotionally frazzled, but my greatest strength comes when I focus on the trustworthy, immutable character of God. Thank you for encouraging me, and I pray you’ll find great encouragement as you keep placing one foot in front of the other moving forward to accomplish the good work God prepared in advance for you to do! Greater is HE…!! Sue
So good to hear from you. Thanks so much for voting for The Next Target. Hope to see you again soon.