New!
Author resources • Lorehaven Guild
Podcast sponsors • Subscribe for free
Crew manifest Faith statement FAQs
All author resources Lorehaven Guild Subscribe for free

Into the Darkness
Reviews, Feb 3, 2023

The Chosen Succeeds Where ‘Woke’ Stories Fail
Jenneth Dyck in Articles, Feb 2, 2023

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, Feb 1, 2023

Library

Find fantastical Christian novels

fantasy · sci-fi · and beyond
middle grade · young adult · grown-ups
All novels Search Add a novel
Canaan Sleeps, Daniel Camomile
Silver Bounty, Victoria McCombs
A Sword for the Immerland King, F. W. Faller
Calor, J. J. Fisher
Once Upon A Ren Faire, A. C. Castillo
The Genesis 6 Project, Michael Ferguson
Exile, Loren G. Warnemuende
Aberration, Cathy McCrumb
The Truth Beyond the Lies, Kathleen Bird
Frost, Winter's Lonely Guardian, E. E. Rawls
Dream of Kings, Sharon Hinck
The Change, Bradley Caffee
Quest of Fire: Desperation, Brett Armstrong
Wishtress, Nadine Brandes
Podcast

Get the Fantastical Truth podcast

Podcast sponsors | Subscribe links
Archives Feedback

147. Why Can Christians Celebrate Stories about Merlin and King Arthur? | with Robert Treskillard
Fantastical Truth, Jan 31, 2023

146. How Did Animators Adapt The Wingfeather Saga For Streaming TV? | with Keith Lango
Fantastical Truth, Jan 24, 2023

145. How Did Edmund Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queene’ Shape Christian Fantasy? | with Rebecca K. Reynolds
Fantastical Truth, Jan 17, 2023

144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 10, 2023

143. Which Top Ten Lorehaven Stories Proved Most Popular in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 6, 2023

142. What Christmas Gift ‘Tools, Not Toys’ Helped You Grow As a Person?
Fantastical Truth, Dec 20, 2022

Quests

Join our monthly digital book quests.

Lorehaven Guild Faith statement FAQs

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, February 2023

Prince Caspian
Book Quests, January 2023

Dream of Kings
Book Quests, December 2022

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Book Quests, November 2022

Reviews

Find fantastical Christian reviews

All reviews Request review

Into the Darkness
“Charles Hack’s Into the Darkness summons a close-range science fiction story, focusing on the personal challenges of space warfare among alien cultures with a steady pace and serious tone.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 3, 2023

A Crown of Chains
“A Crown of Chains creatively retells a biblical tale to explore themes of providence, racism, faith, and fidelity.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 27, 2023

Lander’s Legacy
“Lander’s Legacy stacks modern thrills and complex characters on a foundation of biblical what-ifs.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 20, 2023

Prince Caspian
“Pacing starts slow but creature lore grows in C. S. Lewis’s sequel, introducing practical tyrants and talking-beast politics into a Narnian resistance.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 13, 2023

Gifts

Find new gifts for Christian fans

Archives

The original SpecFaith: est. 2006

Speculative Faith | archives

Lorehaven issues (2018–2020)

Order back issues online!
New
Library
Podcast
Quests
Reviews
Gifts
Archives
Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
Subscribe free to Lorehaven
/ Magazines / Fall 2019

How Geeks Can Get Excited About God

Let’s follow our hearts only if our Creator has first re-shaped us.
Paeter Frandsen | No comments

The biblical book of Psalms shares a God-approved collection of poetic journal entries from creatively oriented believers in ancient Israel. They put aside pretense and got real about how they were feeling. In fact, the Psalmists may have closely resembled today’s “geeks” who also value authenticity in our creative works!

Some Psalms also stand out to me as being especially applicable to geeks, given our strengths, weaknesses, and temperaments.

In our summer 2019 issue, we looked at Psalm 16:1–6. This time I thought I’d walk us through the rest of this Psalm, verses 7–11, and offer some reactions and observations.

Psalm 16:7 reads, “I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.”

For over a decade of my ministry, I’ve repeatedly heard various forms of geek entertainment offer advice like, “follow your heart.” Every time I’ve expressed caution and frustration with this sentiment. It’s a vague bit of direction that seems to tell us “just do what feels good,” or “do what you really want to do, deep down inside.” This is a horrible motto to live by. After all, the worst human atrocities in history were the result of someone “following their heart.”

But there is actually one good reason to follow our hearts. That’s when our hearts have been shaped by the counsel of God.

Here, the Psalmist says that even at night, maybe when he is lying awake in deep thought, or perhaps even while he’s dreaming, his heart is instructing him. But this reality only comes after the LORD, Yahweh, gives the Psalmist counsel.

In the same way, I want to develop a heart I can trust, because it echoes what I have already heard from God’s word.

Verses 8–9 say, “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.”

As an imaginative introvert, I can easily stew in my own internal worries. My feelings about my life so easily depend on my circumstances, or whatever I fear my circumstances might become.

But here, the Psalmist shares an antidote to this lifestyle of worry. He makes an intentional choice to keep Yahweh in mind at all times. This Psalmist has become unshakable because of his disciplined and constant recognition that God is always with him. Now his hope is not on the temporal, but on Someone who is eternal, all-powerful, and all-loving.

I’m not only challenged by the Psalmist’s confidence in God, but in how his “whole being rejoices.” Personally, I don’t rejoice a lot, much less with “my whole being.” This limitation could result from my personality. But I suspect it’s also because I have a long way to go in developing the kind of confidence and spiritual self-discipline the Psalmist is modeling for us here. Instead, I jadedly ask myself, “Why is he so excited about God?”

In verses 10–11 the Psalmist answers:

“For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

The Psalmists didn’t have the benefit of New Testament teaching on the afterlife. They often spoke of death simply in negative terms of the grave or “Sheol,” as the writer does here. But the Psalmist rejoices with his whole being, and he is confident his flesh is secure, because of his expected ultimate future in the presence of God.

This life holds so much uncertainty. We can fill our moments with imaginative worry in our attempt to prepare for the worst, or to gain control over our circumstances.

But the Psalmist completely gives up on that endeavor. He recognizes it’s futile to hope in some certainty in life. Instead, he fixes his mind on the reality that this life will not go on forever, and when it ends God will not abandon him to some kind of eternal death. Instead, the God who provides instruction that enriches our lives will one day welcome us into his unfiltered presence. There we will experience our greatest capacity for joy through a variety of pleasures in God that do not become dull with familiarity, but retain their excitement and vibrance forever.

Paeter Frandsen created Christian Geek Central and Spirit Blade Productions. He produces entertainment and resources, and volunteers at his Arizona church.
Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Paeter Frandsen
Paeter Frandsen created Christian Geek Central and Spirit Blade Productions. He produces entertainment and resources, and volunteers at his Arizona church.
Website · Facebook · Twitter

Share your fantastical feedback. Cancel reply

Lorehaven magazine, spring 2020

Wear the wonder:
Get exclusive shirts and beyond

Listen to Lorehaven’s podcast

Authors and publishers:
Reach new fans with Lorehaven

Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
Website · Facebook · Instagram · Twitter