#TuesdayTreasure: Guest Post by Lynn Austin!

Good Morning and Happy Mardi Gras!

Yep, it's Fat Tuesday...the day when we eat, drink and be merry too much then settle in for the Lenten season leading up to Easter. I pray whatever you do to celebrate today, you do it safely and consciously so that everyone involved will have a happy and fun time.

Today I am pleased to bring you a guest post by Lynn Austin.

Bestselling author Lynn Austin has sold more than one million copies of her books worldwide. She is an eight-time Christy Award winner for her historical novels, as well as a popular speaker at retreats and conventions. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and live near Chicago.

Find out more about Lynn and her books by visiting her website.

Now on to her treasure.....This little clay bowl doesn’t look like much, but it’s one of my favorite treasures and sits on display in a place of prominence in my office. It’s an ancient oil lamp, more than 2,700 years old! I traveled to Israel to research Keepers of the Covenant (the story of Ezra), and my other biblical novels, and even worked as a volunteer on an archaeological dig there for a month. These are just a few of the finds I unearthed and was allowed to keep.  

The pottery and jar handle are from Ezra’s time. The glass is from Roman times. And the little jug is a reproduction that I brought home for my children—it came in pieces as a “junior archaeology kit” and my kids had the fun of piecing it back together.

When I worked on the dig, I was researching Gods and Kings, the story of King Hezekiah, and I wanted a souvenir from his time period. I bought this oil lamp from 700 BC in an antiquities shop in Jerusalem that was licensed to authenticate and sell artifacts.  What amazes me is that the lamp has survived intact for so many centuries! Jerusalem was completely destroyed at least two times during those centuries—once by the Babylonians in 586 BC and again by the Romans in 70 AD. Yet this simple oil lamp, made from fired clay, managed to survive. It has also survived my three children and at least 3 moves that my family has made!

My treasured oil lamp sits where I see it every day and reminds me of Jesus’ words:  “You are the light of the world . . . let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).  Like my lamp, I hope I can keep on shining through all the good times and the bad.

Find out more about Gods & Kings and other books in Lynn's "Chronicles of the Kings" series HERE.

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this Tuesday Treasure!

Tomorrow begins the annual EggCerpt Exchange but before that, I'll have one more Rocking Romance read for you on Thursday in place of our normal Thursday Thoughts. 

IMW, as we prepare for the Lenten season where most people incorporate fasting, praying and almsgiving into their life, I pray you take time to really consider what you're going to give up or do extra and make this Lent/Easter a true celebration!

Until later...take care, God Bless and Remember: What you believe in your heart & confess with your mouth you create in your life! 

Something to think about....

Inspirational with an Edge! ™