Book Review - The Ladies Hall - By Vanessa Miller - Publication Date: 11 August 2026

 Once I read the final words of this novel, I had to sit quietly and absorb the message.  It is an important one, and one the world over needs to hear, I believe.

Events that followed the American Civil War that supposedly freed the Black slaves was only a small start.  The many years that came thereafter were still a brutal, cruel struggle as illustrated in the pages of The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller.

The serious issues regarding slavery and the ongoing climb up the steep and slippery sloped mountain to justice and equality was fought in blood, sweat and tears, as well as many words.  We see this through the eyes of three, true-life stalwart and determined ladies, their names that should not be forgotten.  They were Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper and Ida Gibbs Hunt.

In fact, in an addendum of this book it mentions a book that Anna wrote later in life, and a quotation about freedom, which is in US passports!  I found this wonderful.

Moving on, these ladies, I discovered through reading this book, worked tirelessly and bravely despite the many obstacles stacked against them, namely because of their gender and skin color.  But thank God, for them!

It will be noted that the terms Miller uses like 'Colored' and "Black" are not as insults nor to give offence, rather they were terms used in the 1880's era.  Thus, they reflect the time frame of this historical novel that has been set mostly in the town of Oberlin, Ohio and at Oberlin College.

Some of the story will bring you to weeping - at least it did for me.  The trial and joys created swimming emotions.  I'm real glad though, that I had opportunity to read this work, which, I believe, has been well researched, bringing its awareness of the struggles that many whites would never even think could happen, or at least admit to.

I feel that this book would bring many folks everywhere encouragement and hope to press on in ones' still current color struggles.  I sure hope so!

I was well satisfied and grateful to have been able to read and review this book.  It's been one of those books where I wish there could be more stars to give but the highest rating is 5, and that is a lot.  Therefore, I give it a 5-Star rating!

                                                ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger  ~

                                                                May 2026

Disclaimer:  "I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Read review on Goodreads.

Prayer - O LORD, My Strong Habitation (Psalm 71)

 

Have you ever heard of the place called Goma?  It's in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  The citizens live in constant terror for their life.  Let's say a prayer for them.

OH Lord, we are so heartborken for the people of Goma and for Your family, our brothers and sisters-in-Christ.  But we put our trust in You especially for these people, Your Church in Goma.  They undergo so much trauma and terror at the hands of the M23 and other factions.  Deliver Your people in Your righteousness.  Help them escape, deliver them from the wicked, unrighteous and cruel godless men.

Be a strong habitation for them, in the terrors by night and by the arrow that flies by day (see Psalm 91:5).  

Be their rock and fortress.

In times of great fear help them to sing priase, to stay steadfast in You, all the day long.  Their enemies speak against them and lay in wait for them.  Make haste to help them Father God!  Send Your protecting angels, swift and mighty.  May Your grace, their fears relieve.

Confound and confuse their adversaries, those that seek to hurt and harm them, who outnumber them and come forcefully upon them.  Scatter these enemies.  Be instead, their strong habitation, we ask, once again.

Bring Your righteousness and salvation to rule and reign among them.  Help them to go on with courage and in the strength of the Lord.  You, Oh Lord, who do great and mighty works by Thy great power, rescue them.

May Your name be praised not only among Your people, but among their neighbors and others they meet because of what you do and have done on Your peoples' behalf.

Increase Your greatness among them and comfort them on every side.  May they sing praise again and again and so that their tongues will tell of Your righteouness all the day long, especially when those who seek to harm them are put to shame.

Get the last laugh Father, as through Your people, the terrorists are brought to their knees confessing the name of Jesus!  

It is our hope and would be to Your glory, honor and praise.  We ask all this in Your Son Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                             ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Psalm 71 KJV and at the encouragement of Brother Andrew and Al Janssen in their booklet, PRAYER The Real Battle, Chapter 6.

Sing, Wonderful Grace of Jesus, along with the Browns, and Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow, along with Michael W. Smith.

Prayer - The Good Shepherd (Psalm 23)

 Lord Jesus, You are my Good Shepherd.  You make me lie down in the green pastures of Your word on which I can stand because Your promises are sure.  Your still waters - the water of your Word - of which I can drink, are refreshing and renewing. They restore my soul, and lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name's sake.

I'm so very thankful for Your presence with me in the valley of the shadow of eeath.  In times of evil You are with me.  And even though it may not feel so good, the fact that when I go astray, Your rod and staff bring me back and I'm comforted that I'm back and walking with You again.

In the midst of my enemies, You have prepared a table for me despite them.  You anoint my head with oil for I am one of  Your sheep and royal priesthood.  You've set me apart for use in Your service,  Jesus my King.

In this I see Your goodness and mercy which follow me, and that all the days of my life.  I have seen this again and again and so I trust You with my future too.

I do so look forward to dwelling in Your house, LORD, forever though.  Thank You, Good Shepherd, for You did not run away but willingly laid down Your life for me and You never leave me alone.

You are worthy of all honor and priase!

Thank You.

Amen.

                                                    ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Psalm 23 and John 10:1-18 ESV.

Sing, The Lord's My Shepherd, along with New Scottish Hymns.

Lord's Day Devotion - Belonging

 If you have been an outcast, or displaced person or are an alien or foreigner and stranger in a country not of your origin, it can be very trying.  It can be disorienting.  It can be unsettling because one can never ever fully settle, or so it seems.

Even after decades spent in a foreign land, you are still seen as a foreigner and access to certain local citizens' rights, privileges and advantages may be denied.  So sigh ... that caused one to realize, "Hey, I'm not home yet!"  Heaven is my home and I'm just a passin' through, as a line of a hymn goes.

Paul reminded the Ephesians by telling them, 

"So you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household  of God" (Ephesians 2:19 ESV).

They entered, and so does each believer in Christ Jesus, the household of God where we belong.

How precious this is!

Belonging ...

Fellow citizen ...

"We ... have access ..."

This is

 "access in one Spirit to the Father" (vs 18).

And it is, 

" ... built on the foundation of ...Christ Jesus Himself ... the chief cornerstone"              (vs 20 ESV/KJV).

Access and whole-hearted acceptance into God's country and kingdom is a healing balm.  What's more, there's growth

 "into a holy temple in the Lord" (vs 21).

In this temple we are being

 "built together."

I repeat, "built together"!  It is all encompassing.  It is all comforting, too.  In these words is, 'belonging'!

We are

 "being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit".

Does this give you a great sense of rest and peace?  It does for me.

Jesus had had no where to lay his head (see Luke 9:58).  We may find some small flickerings of belonging in certain instances here on earth in an 'adopted country' but we look forward more to that city built without hands (see 2 Corinthians 5:1 ESV).  That city with foundations, whose builder and maker is God (see Hebrews 11:10 KJV).

This is where we belong and will no longer be strangers or foreigners.  I long for that day and that place.

There is a secular song that I came across.  It has an Irish lilt to it.  The chorus' lyrics run like this,

"This is my homeland, the place I was born in

No matter where I go, it's in my soul

My feet may wander a thousand places

But my heart will lead me back home to Donegal."

O course, Heaven is our Home and Jesus will lead us back Home to where He sits even now.

Jesus made this possible through His death and resurrection.  He built it.  The foundations are rock solid.

This Lord's Day, let's remember Him in the partaking of the broken bread and drinking of the wine.  He has made us belong.  Let's remember that and all He went through to give us acccess into His Kingdom and as fellow citizens and saints.

Thank You so much, Jesus!

                                                ~  ERC  August 2026  ~

Based on Ephesians 2:18-22 ESV/KJV.

Sing, On Christ the Solid Rock, I Stand, along with Reawaken Hymns, and This World is Not My Home, along with GleamHarmony.

A Psalm's Prayer (Psalm 70)

 

Oh Lord, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  It is also a sword to be wielded in prayer.  It is an "invaluable tool".  Your word never fails.  Your promises never fail - it stands forever.  Therefore, we can claim Your words and use them even as we speak to You.

On behalf of Your church in Iran that is currently suffering a double whammy, I implore You, Father God, deliver Your people!  Make haste to help them!

Let them not be ashamed, nor confused, rather, those who seek their lives, their possessions, their all, because of their faith in Your Son Jesus, may they be the ones to be ashamed, confused and dishonored because they delight in hurting Your people.

In turn, may all who seek You, rejoice and be glad in You!  May those who love Your salvation that came through Your son Jesus Christ exclaim from their inner beings, 

 "God is great!" (ESV)

 and

 "Let God be magnified" (KJV) [vs. 4]!

May Your name be praised because You hastened to help and deliver them.  O LORD, have mercy, do not delay!

Then may this witness of Your love, care, protection and deliverance also be magnified, bringing many more sons and daughters, even from among their tormentors, into Your Kingdom and family.

May Your Kingdom reign and rule!  

In Jesus' name I beseech You.  Amen.

                                               ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on Psalm 70, Psalm 119:104; Hebrews 11:12, Ephesians 6:17 and Isaiah 40:8, and PRAYER - The Real Battle by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen.

Sing, Psalm 70 Song - Help Me, along with Jason Silver Music and Come Quickly, O Lord God along with The Psalter's Voice.

Re-Escalation Prayers (War)

 At the re-escalation of the USA-Iran conflict, my heart shuddered in helplessness and concern and even fear for my brothers and sisters-in-Christ in Iran.  There has apparently been an upscaling of persecution against the Christians since the war began.  The conflict has added greater heart to what had already been ongoing oppression and abuse.

Crackdowns on churches.  Seizures of churches.  Threats of arrest of church leaders and so forth escalated.  AI Overveiw, if it is to be believed, which I do believe is true for the most part, blames some of abuse on religious stances and the regime's belief that those who turn from the mainstream religion are apostates.  Underground, rapid church growth is seen as conniving with the enemy.  The war emboldens efforts to stamp Jesus and His people out.

If you do not have a favorite country, where believers are persecuted for their faith in Jesus, to pray for, you might pray for our brothers and sisters-in-Christ in this country.  As Brother Andrew and Al Janssen encourage in their booklet, keep abreast of the news, secularly as well as through Christian channels, when and where available.

Interceed for them until you are even sacrificing your time and energy.  Be devout in these prayers and pray without ceasing for our 'family members' and for those who would come into the kingdom of God.

Heavenly Father, make a way for them.  Put Your covering over them Lord.  Have mercy upon them.  Give them courage to steadfastly hold Your name and continue to be faithful to You.  Give them light in their nightmare of persecution.  I beseech You in Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                ~  ERC  July 2026 ~

Based on John 15:13 ESV and PRAYER The Real Battle by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen.

Sing, More Than Tongue Can Tell, along with Mike Masubo Jr.

Committed to Persistent Prayer

 Have you ever cried because of suffering or because of some loss?

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has been attributed to having said,

"You see things differently through eyes that have wept."

She'd had her share of suffering and loss despite being a Queen.  She knew the heartache firsthand.  She'd lost a husband and a son.  And also on her and her family's account, someone trying to harm them in a crowd, fatally struck bystanders just a few feet away from them (see AI Overview).

We can read this and feel some kinship at the tragedy.  Our imaginations can help with some of it too.  And when we think of what's going on in Goma where the M23 continues to strike terror into the population, cutting down innocent citizens, slaughtering them and/or beating them near to death; going into private homes in the middle of the night and snatching young men straight out their beds, forcing them to join their ranks.

Or in the Ukraine with the continued conflict with Russia.  And now in Iran being mercilessly bombarded.  Can you imagine all the fallout:  all the injured, maimed, wounded physically, mentally, and emotionally?!

And we cried, "Abba Father, WHY!?"

"Lord, have mercy!!"

And hopefully we cry out on the behalf of the suffering Church in these places.  Give them courage to remain faithful due to these travesties and when the furnace of persecution is turned up seven times hotter because the brothers and sisters-in-Christ get blamed for the wars, pray our brethren, the family of God - will continue to faithfully and with great courage, stand firm and be a light shining in the darkness to lead others to Christ.  No doubt they are crying and weeping.

Remember to weep with them.  Weep and watch and pray.  Pray too for any of the pastors and the missionaries that walk among them.  Uphold them in prayer.

What is your country and people you want to pray for?  Perhaps there's even a people group in your own country that are looked down upon and bullied.  Pray for them.  Pray for those who wish to bring the true gospel of Jesus Christ to them, that they can enter the Kingdom of Heaven that does not ostracize them.

Will you be willing to consistently, persistently persevere in prayer for them, daily?  Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:11).  Weep with those who weep until He comes (Roman 12:15 ESV).

                                                     ~  ERC  July 2026  ~

Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Romans 12:15 ESV and PRAYER - The Real Battle by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen.

Sing, A Tribute Song To All Persecuted Christians, along with and Pray Without Ceasing Pray - Hymn along with Tabernacle Cardiff.