Hear God for Yourself!

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The Message Behind The Steel Wall

As the sequel to “From Woodstock to Eternity,” “The Steel Wall” is a great adventure story full of drama and perils in jail, on coke runs, and stings. It is also a great victory story over all these perils, but the main theme behind these victories is to hear God for yourself. Dustin Morgan tries every spiritual tactic he has heard from teachers and preachers, all to no avail. It is not until he sees clearly from the Bible what God wants him to do in this situation that things begin to turn around.

How can we hear God for ourselves? Here are 4 concepts to understand to truly hear from God

1. God is not all rainbows and butterflies

Contrary to popular opinion, God does not want to “bless” us and give us “favor” the way many preachers portray it. We think it will be all positive things like healing and prosperity, but God is not all rainbows and butterflies. His idea of blessing us and showing us favor is to do in our lives what will ultimately be for our benefit. Romans 5:4 says that perseverance produces character, and an improved character is always to our benefit. But why do we need to persevere? Because we have trials. And Who is behind those trials that cause us to persevere so we build up our character?

2. Total faith means total obedience

Hebrews 11:6 says, “for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” So, to hear from God, we must be completely committed to Him in total faith, and total faith means total obedience. God is not going to reward a milk toast Christian or an unbeliever who thinks he can play some faith game to get what he wants. He wants us to do what he tells us to do. In Dustin Morgan’s case, obeying God required such a gut-wrenching act of obedience that God sent The Steel Wall as a vision to encourage him and put the fear of God in him.

3. Know that God knows what is best for us.

As stated before, God moves on our behalf according to what He sees we need. It is important to know that God knows what is best for us. He may not answer a prayer to be promoted on our job because he sees we need a little more humility and diligence in our character. On the other hand, He may send you a phone call from your boss offering a lead position that you did not expect. The key is to rejoice in what God gives you or tells you to do, knowing that He is in control.

4. Rejoice in God’s answer

This is a hard one, especially when God says, “No.” I know friends in jail now, serving unjust sentences for crimes they did not commit. Did they pray for deliverance? Of course, yet God saw fit to have them serve time anyway. Was God displeased with them? No, He allowed his most faithful apostle Paul to sit in a Roman prison for years. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven,” (Matthew 5:11). If we have total faith and have given ourselves totally over to Him, we can rejoice in God’s answer, knowing we are where He wants us, even if we don’t understand.

5. Not all Doom and Gloom

This is not all Doom and Gloom, however. Sometimes God says, “Yes,” and we are free to celebrate. For Dustin Morgan, after asking, seeking, and knocking on God’s door for an answer, he heard Him. When he heard Him, he obeyed Him, and when he obeyed Him, God moved in the situation and brought about a tremendous victory.

Woodstock 54th Anniversary Price Cut!

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Good News!

45th Anniversary Edition

First, the good news. There is a price cut for the Woodstock 54th Anniversary! The 45th Anniversary Edition of “From Woodstock to Eternity” is now available on Amazon in paperback for only $9.96! That’s almost half off the list price of $16.95. This is a good time to get this book at this price, and also the sequel, “The Steel Wall,” which extends the journey, the adventure, and the adrenaline. Also, if you buy both books, you get free shipping from Amazon and save a few more bucks.

(To read more about The Steel Wall, click here.)

54th Anniversary of Woodstock!

Today, August 15, 2023, is the 54th anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival. Fox News has an article describing this event which inspired the title of my book, “From Woodstock to Eternity.” For us Baby Boomers, it’s hard to believe how the time has passed so quickly. In relative terms, Woodstock was a mere 24 years after the end of World War II. Now, we are 54 years after Woodstock? Yikes!

More Than Woodstock

While the title was inspired by Woodstock, the book is much more than Woodstock. It captures the air and the essence of the culture that spawned the Woodstock festival. It delves into the psyche that evolved at that time of a desire to bring peace and love to the world. Included in the aura of the age were an unquenchable desire for freedom, the urge to form a brotherhood of like minded people, and the spirit of adventure. Some adventures were physical, like hitchhiking out West. Others were in the realm of the mind… to explore unknown entities with psychedelic drugs. All of this is acted out in this book through the journeys of Dustin Morgan.

Freedom From Freedom

The freedom so desperately sought through the wayward lifestyle inevitably led to bondage, requiring freedom from that freedom. The drug usage got worse, the base natures began to reveal themselves, and the dream of Woodstock morphed and twisted and eventually vanished. Now it gets an article on a news app 54 years later. However, Dustin Morgan found the way out. It took a while, and a big whoopin’ stick, but God finally got his attention. The transformation that resulted is in the essence of the title FROM Woodstock TO Eternity. I hope you enjoy it.

The Steel Wall Writer’s Digest Review

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The suspense is intense!

I submitted “The Steel Wall” to a Writer’s Digest E-Book contest and received a great Writer’s Digest Review. For people who have not heard about this book, it is the sequel of a two book series. It tells the story of what happened to Dustin Morgan after the cliff hanger ending in “From Woodstock to Eternity.” This review is similar to the one for the first book, and it is from a very reputable source. It delves into many elements that make up a good book, and the point here is to say that Writer’s Digest feels both of these books are exemplary and intense. Here are some of the highlights of this review.

Structure, Organization, Pacing: Compelling

Great Writer’s Digest Review

This book is exemplary in its structure, organization, and pacing. The structure of the chapters/parts aid in a compelling organization of the story or information. The pacing is even throughout and matches the tone/genre of the book.

Plot, Story, or Topic Appeal: Unique with Strong Appeal

This book is exemplary in its choice of topic or theme of the story. It is unique but still has strong appeal for most readers in its intended genre. If the book is fiction or narrative nonfiction, the book is well plotted.

Character Appeal and Development: Layered Motivations and Traits

Good Guy or Bad Guy?

This book is exemplary in character appeal (or interest) and development. All main characters (including antagonists) are unique and fully fleshed out with compelling, layered motivations and traits. Secondary characters are unique and have a meaningful purpose.

This book is exemplary in its voice and writing style. It has a unique voice, and the writing style is consistent throughout. The style and tone are also consistent with or will appeal to readers of the intended genre.

Voice and Writing Style: Unique Voice – The Steel Wall Offers Hope

Angels Among Us

An interesting read, this is an inspirational story offering hope to those who have turned their lives around and have amends to make with their past. Well told, this story pulls the reader in. It helps the reader develop empathy with the main characters.

The Steel Wall Prologue – What’s it all about?

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What’s It All About?

While an image of a steel wall is powerful and formidable, that one picture, as the saying goes, is worth a thousand words. In this case, it evokes concepts of force, barriers, standards and distinction. It not only implies a clear division between one way or another, but suggests consequences for which one we choose. To give the reader an idea of the principles in The Steel Wall, I composed a “From the Author” page and a “Prologue” as teasers for the rest of the book. The Steel Wall addresses two issues:

1) “What happened to Dustin Morgan?”

This requires a flashback to to the first book, “From Woodstock To Eternity”, to give a glimpse of the early days of hippiedom. For this reason, “From the Author” details the drug culture that accompanied Woodstock Nation and Dustin’s deliverance to freedom. (See: Set the Background: The Mystique of an Era). After Dustin’s conversion, he embarked on the straight and narrow, but was abruptly arrested off the plane he was flying. The book ends.

2) Why Isn’t God Answering My Prayers?

The Prologue brings out the deep spiritual issues facing Dustin Morgan as a dark reality from his past hits him in the face. Even though he had believed in Jesus, repented, and been delivered, God was not answering his prayers. Since everyone can benefit from the hard lessons acted out in this book, I have included excerpts from the Prologue that answer the question.

“What’s it all about?”

Job once said, “Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” As Christians, we often wonder about God’s seemingly indifferent attitude towards our prayers. The apostle James gives the most obvious reason…

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss.”

What does it mean to ask amiss? It means to ask for the wrong things. Asking correctly boils down to one thing… God works through obedience. The rub comes when God tells us to do things that go against our previously held ideas. What if He commands us to forsake family, friends, or deeply held convictions? What if obeying these directives would bring scorn down on our heads, humiliation, and personal loss?

What If God Tells Me To Do Something That Costs Me Dearly?

Consider God telling Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God certainly wouldn’t tell us to kill the son He gave us… or would He? Most of us would stop right there, but Abraham travelled into a deeper realm of faith. If Isaac died, he projected beyond his lifeless body and believed God would raise him back to life. How about Jesus saying that if we leave family and friends for His sake, we will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life? These are hard sayings and require the right responses.

Do I Have To Do What God Says?

When Dustin Morgan was arrested, as a Christian, for crimes he committed in his old life, he found himself facing all these conundrums. His obedience to God would indeed bring down scorn and require him to forsake old bonds. He tried to avoid this with a misdirected faith, but to no avail. Through a chain of harrowing episodes, Dustin discovered a simple truth that explains the mystery of God’s power:

I AM A STEEL WALL FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE FOR ME AND AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU ARE AGAINST ME

From Woodstock To Eternity: Writer’s Digest Review

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I recently submitted “From Woodstock To Eternity” in a Writer’s Digest E-Book contest and received a great Writer’s Digest Review. For people who have not heard about this book, the first in a two book series, this review from a very reputable source delves into many elements that make up a good book. Here are some of the highlights of this review.

Structure, Organization, Pacing: Compelling Organization

This book is exemplary in its structure, organization, and pacing. The structure of the chapters/parts aid in a compelling organization of the story or information. The pacing is even throughout and matches the tone/genre of the book.

Plot, Story, or Topic Appeal: It is Unique

This book is exemplary in its choice of topic or theme of the story. It is unique but still has strong appeal for most readers in its intended genre. If the book is fiction or narrative nonfiction, the book is well plotted.

Character Appeal and Development: Fully fleshed out

This book is exemplary in character appeal (or interest) and development. All main characters (including antagonists) are unique and fully fleshed out with compelling, layered motivations and traits. Secondary characters are unique and have a meaningful purpose.

Voice and Writing Style: Exemplary

This book is exemplary in its voice and writing style. It has a unique voice, and the writing style is consistent throughout. The style and tone are also consistent with or will appeal to readers of the intended genre.

In a few explanatory sentences, please share with the entrant 1-3 things that you enjoyed or that readers will find compelling about this book and why.

This was a well told story which draws the attention of the reader. The suspense was intense. The story flowed well, and you could understand the voice of the storyteller. With all the drama, it was still possible to suspend disbelief.

Judge, 9th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards.

Shooting at the Wrong Target

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The Real Story Behind The Steel Wall

The Real Story

The Steel Wall is not just an exciting sequel to From Woodstock to Eternity with drug stings, Coast Guard chases and intrigue. It is the real story of what happened when Dustin Morgan was arrested, as a Christian, for crimes he committed in his old life. Most importantly, it is a journey through how he found out what God wanted him to do to get through a baffling dilemma. Why didn’t God protect him and deliver him, since he no longer did these things? He was shooting at the wrong target.

In the first chapter of The Steel Wall, “The Arrest,” Dustin wracks his brain in the jail cell.

Man, this just ain’t right. I live a depraved, immoral lifestyle and skate through all my drug busts, then I turn Christian and get nailed for something I did four years ago. I’m not even the same person! What’s up with that? Is this the way it’s supposed to be… believe in Jesus, repent, go straight, and then go to jail? (See: Set the Background: The Mystique of an Era )

Shooting at the Wrong Target

Shooting at the Wrong Target

What does it mean to ask amiss? It means to ask for the wrong things, or with a wrong understanding of God and how He works. In Dustin’s case, his understanding of how God works didn’t jive with what was happening. Even so, he continued shooting at the wrong target with his prayers, hoping for a good answer. The result? Motion denied, shot down and licking his wounds.

He had been told that, as a believer in Jesus, all his sins were forgiven and forgotten by God. If God forgot about them, then why are they suddenly the cause of being arrested and thrown in jail? Something was wrong. God was not looking out for him like he thought He would.

Answers for Unanswered Prayers

Unanswered Prayers

Job once said, “Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” As Christians, we often wonder about God’s seemingly indifferent attitude towards our prayers. So many books have been written about mountains and valleys, why bad things happen to good people, and so on. The apostle James gives the most obvious reason…

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss.”

Hard Sayings

Abraham and Isaac

Asking correctly boils down to one thing… God works through obedience. The rub comes when God tells us to do things that go against our previously held ideas. What if He commanded us to forsake family, friends, or deeply held convictions? What if obeying these directives would bring scorn down on our heads, humiliation, and personal loss? Consider God telling Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God certainly wouldn’t tell us to kill the son He gave us… or would He? Most of us would stop right there, but Abraham travelled into a deeper realm of faith. If Isaac died, he projected beyond his lifeless body and believed God would raise him back to life. How about Jesus saying that if we leave family and friends for His sake, we will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life? These are hard sayings and require the right responses.

The Mystery of God’s Power

Dustin would indeed face scorn, humiliation and personal loss, but these were necessary to achieve ultimate victory. He tried to avoid this with a misdirected faith, but to no avail. Through a chain of harrowing episodes, Dustin discovered a simple truth that enabled him to tap into the mystery of God’s Power.

I AM A STEEL WALL FOR YOU WHEN YOU ARE FOR ME AND AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU ARE AGAINST ME

See: The Steel Wall is Here!

Set the Background: The Mystique of an Era

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Most people who have read “From Woodstock To Eternity” want to know the answer to the last line in the book… “Are you Dustin Morgan?” This has compelled me to set the background to round out the context. Some have even become irate that I left the story on such a cliff hanger. After all, they went through the rise of the hippie movement, Woodstock, and pot runs, all to be left hanging. Well, not that I’m sadistic, but that was the point. I wanted to create a great anticipation for the next book, “The Steel Wall,” which is now published and on Amazon. I did this in the From the Author introduction, and I will include some excerpts from it here.

The Mystique of an Era

My previous book, From Woodstock To Eternity, chronicled the adventures of Dustin Morgan through the counter culture days of the 1960’s and ‘70’s. It captured the mystique of an era and why it had such a profound impact on those who lived it. Through the eyes of Dustin Morgan, the reader was able to go to Woodstock, feel the effects of the Vietnam War, and fly over the Atlantic in drug laden planes through real life encounters.

The Spirit of Woodstock

However, the spirit of Woodstock was not all peace and love. It encompassed psychedelic drug use, with all its ups and downs, and the inevitable spawning of a new breed of capitalist… the drug dealer. Dustin embraced this opportunity with open arms, relishing the respect, the adventure, and the money. However, it soon took its toll in jail time and disillusionment with the same old drug fogged routine.

Deliverance

The mystique of an era wore off in time, however. Eventually, Dustin settled down, had a family and accepted Jesus Christ. Through a dramatic deliverance, he made a commitment to raise his family in the Lord. He and his wife, Lisa, went on mission trips, and he was able to regain his career in aviation. Over the next four years, they went to church, started a family, and made honest money.

Then one day, a police officer boarded Dustin’s airplane and asked him, “Are you Dustin Morgan?” The book ended.

The Answer

The implications were not good, and indeed, it was the beginning of Dustin’s worst nightmare. The Steel Wall tells the story of what happened to Dustin Morgan, and it has become a full blooded Christian adventure drama full of heart pounding elements: Intense action, intrigue, inner conflict, and life changing decisions.

It is my sincerest desire that you are blessed with the excitement and revelations contained in The Steel Wall. I want to hear from all who would like to give feedback on either book, so please feel free to comment, and please leave a review on the Amazon book page.

Coming Up: The Real Story of The Steel Wall

See also: The Steel Wall is Here!

The Steel Wall is Here!

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Available on Amazon

Finally, after much effort to get it right, “The Steel Wall” is here! All the action, drama and acts of God you could want just before Christmas! It is now available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle. I know it is a little late, but the Kindle is instantaneous, of course, and the paperback could take a few days to ship.

The Steel Wall Description

“The Steel Wall” is the sequel to the book, “From Woodstock To Eternity.” In that book, I wrote about the excitement of the flower power days of Woodstock and the adventures that came with it through the eyes of the main character, Dustin Morgan. Through a dramatic transformation, Dustin Morgan entered a new Christian life, leaving his mind-numbing hippie days far behind. However, the book leaves the reader with a cliff hanger ending based on an encounter with the law.

In this sequel, “The Steel Wall” answers the question posed by an airport police officer, “Are you Dustin Morgan?” This unexpected visit from his past creates a bizarre dilemma that pits Morgan’s new life in Christ against his old loyalties. It also opens a riveting adventure of cocaine runs, Coast Guard chases, and lawman stings. The intrigue is intense throughout, with drama, double crosses, and internal struggles. Morgan has to rely on God for direction through a monumental trial of kingpins. Through breathtaking visions to visiting angels, Morgan receives guidance, but Legion is there to divert him from the truth. Who will he hear? His life depends on the answer.

Book 2 of 3: Eternal Pioneer

On the Amazon page, there is a link saying, “Book 2 of 3: Eternal Pioneers.” It is now possible to see the page with both books of this series together. Book 1 is “From Woodstock To Eternity 50th Anniversary Edition,” and Book 2 is “The Steel Wall.” Both books in the series are now available in both paperback and Kindle.

Merry Christmas to All

It is my sincerest hope that all of you will have a great Christmas with family and friends as you celebrate the birth of Christ. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

The Steel Wall Progress Report

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The Steel Wall Upcoming Publication

As those who have been following this blog know, I am in the final stages of preparing my book, The Steel Wall, for publication. I previously estimated October 7, 2021 for my publication date, but I would like to give a Progress Report. This book is very special to me, and it contains so many perspectives and insights that I want to get the message exactly right. Therefore, I have been devoting more time and attention to a final edit that will excite, entertain and inspire my readers.

Exciting Adventure

Like my prequel to this book, “From Woodstock To Eternity,” The Steel Wall harkens back to Dustin Morgan’s days as a pot pilot. You will once again find yourself in the cockpit of a drug laden plane flying toward the Bahamas. It is filled with exciting adventure, with heart pounding flights over the Caribbean, encounters with the law, and intimidating jail scenes. All these adventures lay the foundation for why the policeman asked “Are you Dustin Morgan?” at the end of “From Woodstock To Eternity.”

Entertaining Drama

When the law confronts the accused, tensions rise, and every conflict requires a decision. Anytime obstacles come our way, we respond with emotions, reason and internal struggles. There are many such instances in The Steel Wall, and they evoke intense, entertaining drama that I have infused with joy, agony and humor. You will find yourself seeing supposedly black and white issues from both the black side and the white side, and enjoying it the whole time.

Meditation, Inspiration and Revelation

Most of all, this is a Christian Adventure Drama that pulls from real life situations which require a correct understanding of God’s direction. The premise of this book is the true story of a Christian man, living a normal Christian life for four years, who is suddenly arrested for crimes he committed in his past. Most Christians don’t have that problem, and many Christians, including Dustin Morgan, don’t think that is how its supposed to work. You are not supposed to believe and repent and then go to jail.

Dustin knew he needed direction from God, but that was not so easy. It was not going to be a recipe to follow and get the desired result. It took intense Meditation, Inspiration and Revelation for him to finally come to the right understanding of what God wanted him to do. And guess what? He didn’t want to do it. Hence the struggle, and hence the need for him to encounter The Steel Wall.

I am close to publication, and the paperback will come out first on Amazon, followed by the Kindle.

I hope you enjoy it.

The Steel Wall Book Launch

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The Steel Wall is Here!

“The Steel Wall” is the long awaited sequel to my previous book, From Woodstock to Eternity. In that book, after a long walk on the wild side, Dustin Morgan is enjoying a comfortable life as a Christian family man, flying for a commuter airline. But one day, taxiing in from an early morning flight, two police cars greet him, waiting for him on the ramp. The passengers disembark, the captain leaves the airplane, and an airport police officer comes up the stairs and into the cabin. He looks at Morgan and says, “Are you Dustin Morgan?” And then the book ends! No fair, right?

The Steel Wall Book Launch

The Steel Wall

Well, I have good news. After three years of writing this book, “The Steel Wall” book launch is finally here and it will be published soon. After one more proof read (there’s always one more), I will release it on Kindle Direct in both paperback and Kindle editions. I am looking at a target date of October 7, 2021.

What Happened to Dustin Morgan?

Which Direction?

I received a lot of flack from friends and readers who felt I had cheated them on the cliff hanger ending in “From Woodstock to Eternity”. They wanted to know what happened to Dustin Morgan! In this sequel, “The Steel Wall” picks up where that book left off. It shows through gripping adventure and drama the events that led up to Dustin Morgan’s arrest. During the trial, the drama is no less intense, only now it is in the spiritual realm which ultimately affects the physical realm. The long arm of the law has reached out of the past, and Dustin must make a choice. The key lies in finding out God’s direction for him.

Old Ways Against New Ways

For a sample of what From Woodstock to Eternity was all about, check out my blog, “You Get Tired of Steak.” This post shows we are hard wired to hang onto our opinions and impressions of how things should be. This is counter productive, because it obstructs our ability to change. “The Steel Wall” expands on this concept, pitting old ways against new ways and old loyalties against new loyalties.

Why Should You Read The Steel Wall?

  • The action is extremely entertaining, taking you through real life action that leads to a critical trial. It is based on a true story.
  • You get a “behind the scenes” look at the drug smuggling world in the 1980’s and the challenges that realm presented to law enforcement.
  • The story gives you both sides, detailing the points of view of the smuggling culture and the agents charged with catching them.
  • It reveals why people don’t always get the results they prayed for. We miss out on God’s blessings because we don’t know God’s eternal perspective or how God works.
  • The struggle between right and wrong goes deeper – to the point of life and death.
  • “The Steel Wall” shows God in action through Dustin’s obedience, and the blessings that followed.

I hope you will all enjoy my new book. I will post again when it is available on Amazon.

Blessings to all!