For Freedom on Independence Day
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Listen to Pat's Radio Interview
Patricia Eytcheson Taylor was interviewed by Pastor Randy Garcia of Fortress Church on his radio show Ministry Matters on KDRY 1100 AM.
You can listen to the interview that was aired on June 14th. Click on the links below bring up the file in Windows Media Player.
Booksigning Report
This past Saturday, James and I enjoyed a reading and booksigning at Viva Bookstore in San Antonio. The event was held in the lovely gallery adjoining the bookstore.
Every chair in the room was filled, and we were pleased to see many friends and neighbors in attendance. We got off a slow start because people arrived late, thinking they could show up any time during the two-hour period. Next time, we’ll know to emphasize if we are going to be reading as well as signing books. Hopefully, then people will show up at the appointed time so we can get off to a better start.
But even though we were a little unsure of how to get started, the event went really well after we began. James and I did a tag-team. First one would talk, then the other. We told our story, how I started as a young girl growing up with the Holy Spirit and matured through life. We shared how to look for the Holy Spirit in your everyday life. Learn to listen and wait for him. We talked about the crisis we are in today and the need to reach as many people as possible to bring them closer than ever to the Holy Spirit.
James, who has a wonderful voice, read some of our favorite passages from On the Wings of the Wing. I saw several people wipe tears from their eyes as James read about a ceremony for fallen soldiers from Iraq. The heroes arrived at the base in Germany and were transferred to another plane for the final trip home. On this occasion, there were only two chaplains and a bugler honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Later, fallen soldiers were honored with larger, more elaborate ceremonies. But even on this simple occasion, the haunting tones of Taps sounding in the cold air touched us. James’ reading of this passage, including the words to Taps, touched everyone in the room.
There are no official words to the tune, but the most popular version is this:
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,
May the soldier or sailor,
God keep.
On the land or the deep,
Safe in sleep.
Love, good night, Must thou go,
When the day, And the night
Need thee so?
All is well.
Speedeth all To their rest.
Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day,
And the stars Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.
May you be filled with the Holy Spirit, Patricia Eytcheson Taylor
Serious Business
When I was interviewed on the radio, Pastor Garcia said, “You’re very serious about this, aren’t you?”
Yes, I am very serious about people opening up to God. This world is in serious situation and getting worse everyday. I share how to open up your heart, mind, home, job/business – every part of your life – to the Holy Spirit.
On the Wings of the Wind is different from other books you’ll find in bookstores and on library shelves. You can read it in a day or two, and you’ll find it so easy to open up to God and keep Him always with you. Most of us understand better when someone shows us than just by following a set of instructions. Through my experiences, you’ll learn how to experience God in your own life.
The Bible tells us
Many are invited, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14, NIV)
I want you to be among the few that are chosen.
If you have questions, e-mail me at onwings@onthewingsofthewind.com.
May you be filled with the Holy Spirit, Patricia Eytcheson Taylor
Radio Interview with Pat Taylor about On the Wings of the Wind
Pastor Randy Garcia of Fortress Church interviewed Patricia Taylor on his radio show. They discussed Pat’s book, On the Wings of the Wind, and Pat’s booksigning at Viva Bookstore on Saturday, June 21st, 2-4 PM.
Pastor Garcia particularly liked the book’s subtitle: A Journey to Faith. The book describes Pat’s faith journey and gives guidance for the reader’s spiritual journey as well.
The interview will be aired on Saturday, June 14th at 1 PM on KDRY-Radio, 1100 AM.
Booksigning at Viva Bookstore on June 21st
We will be signing books at Viva Bookstore, 8407 Broadway in San Antonio, on June 21st, 2-4 PM. If you’re in the San Antonio area, we hope you’ll come out and say hello.
In Memory of Our Fallen Heroes
On this Memorial Day, we remember our fallen heroes and honor their sacrifices. We recall an experience in Germany where James was asked to represent the chaplaincy as soldiers who had lost their lives started the final leg of their journey home. Pat described the scene in On the Wings of the Wind.
Standing beside my husband, in the cold, but bright and sunny, morning, I looked at the nearly vacant airstrip. Only the honor guard, a bugler, and another chaplain waited to meet this flight. We watched a tiny speck in the distance grow larger and larger, then a camouflaged military jet landed and taxied to a stop in front of us.
The tailgate ramp was lowered, and the military honor guard and the chaplain walked into the back of the huge transport. The honor guard followed the chaplain out, carrying our dead soldiers wrapped in what looked to me like black leather bags.
A lump formed in my throat and tears filled my eyes as the haunting notes of “Taps” filled the air. Our fallen soldiers were then loaded onto a carrier and taken to a hearse to await the next plane and their final trip home. Later there would be military honors at their hometowns and military cemeteries, but for now there was only the stark view of death.
Tears flowed down my face as I realized I was seeing the results of the beginning of this new war on terrorism. The war would continue long after we left Europe. How many more of our brave military men and women would make the trip these soldiers were making in coffins?
Yes, sometimes we wonder where God is, but He knows all, sees all, and hears all.
New Cover for On the Wings of the Wind and the Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
In addition to being Mother’s Day, today is Pentecost, celebrated by Christians in liturgical traditions as the birthday of the church.
The Bible (Acts 2) describes the first Pentecost:
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit …
Though He does not come to us as tongues of fire, the Holy Spirit does come to dwell in our bodies, for our bodies are his holy temple.
On the Wings of the Wind is a series of snapshots of how the Holy Spirit interacted with us during critical times in our lives. Our goal is to provide a spiritual road map that shows how anyone can come to a closer relationship with God.
This is a fitting time to introduce our new book cover, which shows Jesus Christ along the seashore with footprints as described in the poem “Footprints In The Sand.” Two sets of footprints in the sand behind Jesus become only one set of footprints. The poem tells us that the single set of footprints illustrates the times in our life when Christ carries us. These crises in our lives give us opportunities to feel the presence of the living Christ through his Holy Spirit for it is in our weakness that He makes us strong.
Interview at Start with the Facts
We’ve been interviewed at Start with the Facts. We were asked some interesting questions about the book and about the creative process.
Here is one of the questions and answers:
What do you think ignites a person’s creativity? The inspiration of the Holy Spirit
You can read all the questions and answers at Start with the Facts.
Are You a Spirit-Filled Christian?
Have you ever been asked, “Are you a Spirit-filled Christian?”
I believe there is only one kind of Christian, and that is “Spirit-filled.” To give ourselves to Christ is to have the Spirit come and dwell within us. Imagine Christ knocking at the door of our heart – maybe picture him beating it down with a cross as a battering ram.
He wants to come in. We have the freedom of choice to open the door. Then one day we do open the door – we trust Christ and invite him into our lives. You can picture this as an invitation into our homes. Christ comes into the living room and sits on the sofa, but He wants to take a tour of our whole house.
Of course, we don’t want that. We want to keep Him in the living room, but Christ is not satisfied until we give Him a tour of our whole house. He wants to go into the dining room, the kitchen, the bedroom … even the bathroom. He wants to see all the secret hiding places in our house. He insisting on seeing everything, until we finally give up. The Spirit of Christ comes into every corner of our lives and dwells with us.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
… those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. – Romans 8:9, 16, NIV
The Spirit wants total control of us and keeps pressing for it. Life for us as Christians becomes a continuous process of letting the Spirit have more and more of us as we grow more Christ-like – the experience of becoming more holy and drawing closer to him.
If we give ourselves sincerely to Christ, the Spirit is there to give us life, hope, love, and in the end, death will be defeated. Each day we need to remind ourselves and others that our bodies are the holy temple of the Spirit of God.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? – 1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV
May you be filled with the Holy Spirit, Patricia Eytcheson Taylor