Cheryl Wyatt Wants to Know: What Makes a Real Life Hero?

A recent reader letter has me taking care to answer. Because I write romance novels featuring Christian relationships, this reader got the impression I know a lot about them. If she could live in my home for one day! LOL! See me gripe at my husband, who really IS hero material. That's him above in the candid photo with me. We're cheezin' it up as usual.

I confess laughter doesn't ALWAYS rule our home. Especially not when I started my dreadful diet three days ago and feel like throttling someone who eats sweet things in my presence. In hubby's defense, he did 18 (not exaggerating) loads of laundry yesterday because he could tell (by my screeching perhaps?) I was OVERWHELMED with tons of year changeover stuff plus unpacking from THREE (count them!) December trips, plus putting Christmas decorations and gifts away.

Did you know that Polly Pocket parts multiply by the hundreds when they hit the floor?

Anyway, not only did my sweet hubby tackle Mount Laundry so I could catch up from a crazy busy December, he washed, dried and HUNG UP a dolly dress. On a hanger just its size.



See the itty dress and hanger up there? Its Velcro must have hooked it to another article of my daughter's clothing and made it into the hamper.

Anyway, the sweet man actually hung up the little dress for my daughter instead of yell at her for not keeping it in the toy box where it belongs. In the midst of my post-holiday clean-up craze, the sight of that little dress stopped me cold and warmed my heart.

And made me know what a nincompoop I've been to him the past couple days.

Thanksgiving is past but not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for him (even through gritted teeth) especially when I have very close widowed friends who'd give anything to have their husbands back. Sometimes the things that drive us the most batty about a person are the very things we miss most about them when they're not here.

In her letter, the reader mentioned that reading Love Inspired books (YAY!) helped her see how a true Christian man should act toward women. She described her life and current relationship. Her man claims to be a Christian but other respected, known Christian leaders have told her he is not due to his actions and how he treats her. The reader said that all Godly counsel she's received has been from males. While she trusts them, she said she'd like a woman's take on the matter.

I can't get into detail about her man's behavior but it got me thinking HARD of how best to answer her. I prayed and instantly the thought came to mind, "A true Christian man will treat women the way Jesus treated them in the Bible."

While Jesus wasn't romantically involved with women in the Bible, there are lavish examples of his great respect and gentle care toward them. He was the only male present in a near-stoning who took up for the accused woman instead of threaten to stone her to death. After her accusers left, Jesus counseled her to go but sin no more. Which meant His care for her wasn't just for show. He truly cared. Truly respected her. Truly forgave her and He could because He was 100% God in human form in that moment.

I encouraged this reader to seek counsel in four other men. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, whose Biblical accounts offer intimate glimpses into Jesus' dealings with his fellow men...and women. I encouraged her to pray and pay special attention to how Jesus treated women in the Bible and ask herself is her significant other treating her as well. If he is a true Christian, he will be Christ-like. If he is not, my opinion is that her current boyfriend is not a true Christian. Or at least not one being obedient and spending time with God, which is the only thing that will transform the ugliness in our hearts. Harsh words and actions are sometimes more a spirit problem than a self-control issue. We can't change our outward behavior if our inner hearts aren't right.

Likewise, in order to be nicer to my husband during domestic duress aka the house being a disaster, (LOL!) which drives this OCDr NUTSO, it is imperative that I get alone with God and soak in His transforming presence.

My point in telling you all this? I want your opinion.

What do you say? I believe that if a man is a true Christian he will act so and his character and actions are what qualify him to be called a hero. Obviously heroes risk their lives for others, physically and in the every day. That means physical. The reason I write about U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen is because they risk their lives so others can live and I have a strong sense of being rescued by God. I love writing about rescuers. Especially ones as noble and sacrificial as PJs. Trust me, they LIVE their creed, "These things we do so that others may live." Part of their creed mentions putting others' needs before their own comforts and lives.

I think being willing to give up ones life isn't only in the physical death but in every day life, in putting the other person above and before oneself in a Godly manner. Jesus said that greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends. There is NO greater love that what Jesus has for us. Even the most perfect Christian man can't live up to that. But, Christian men (and women) will strive to model that kind of love in the day-to-day. Not being selfish.

So I will ask you what the LI reader asked me: How can you tell if a man is a Christian? What do you think makes a man deserving of the hero's role in a Christian romance novel?



I think Jesus would have taken the time to hang up a little dolly dress for a young girl who didn't even realize it was dirty. Somehow that reminds me of many of the women Jesus forgave. By His very word, he cleansed them of sin they had no idea cloaked them in soil so strong it carried the capability to separate them from Jesus forever were it not for the robe of eternal righteousness He wrapped around their shoulders when he draped that death cloth on a cold tomb floor.

Forever is a very long time.

What do you think? What makes a true life hero? All the little things? One big thing?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts today in the comment section below. Please share!

Happy New Year!

Cheryl Wyatt

DREAMS COME TRUE Series - Gail Gaymer Martin

Blessings from Love Inspired novelist Gail Gaymer Martin at http://www.gailmartin.com/

Writing a series is exciting but difficult. The longest was my seven book Loving series that took place in a fictitious town, Loving, Michigan. I based the setting on a real tourist town, Grand Haven, and my characters visited numerous events and businesses there. I loved that series, but never again will I do one with involving seven novels. :  )

My last three book series was Man's Best Friend, based on 3 women involved in a dog shelter. I hope you enjoyed those novels: Dad In Training, Groom In Training and Bride in Training.

A true series occurs when one story is finished, these characters will continue into the next book now focused on another character or two who appeared in the previous novel. It's challenging and interesting but not without it's difficult moments.

The hardest part about writing a series is keeping information straight. What kind of car do they drive? Are the parents of the hero and heroine living and if so where do they live? Do they have siblings? What caused them to be single: death, never married, or divorced, and if it's divorced, how do we handle this as Christians? What church do they attend? Where do they work? And it goes on and on. The author must be on her toes to keep all the details accurate.


Now I'm working on another three book series, Dreams Come True. It's not a series I would have chosen, but my editor encouraged me to write creat this kind of series because she thought I could. They love my emotional stories so I guess that's a compliment. These stories are based on the same concept as Make A Wish Foundation, about parents with a child who has a very serious illness. I know it sounds depressing, but my job is to give the readers a wonderfully emotional story with good  times and diifcult moments but always a happy ending.

Each of these books can stand alone. The story has a satifying ending but leaves the doors open for another character to step into the spotlight. In fact it might be fun for readers to try and guess whose turn will be next. I've asked myself if readers enjoy reading books writing as a series or do they prefer single titles so they don't have to wonder what will happen next. I know some readers purchase the novels and then wait until they're all released so they can read them in a row. That's something I've never done.

I'd love to hear from you and your thoughts on series. Do you enjoy them? Do you wait until you have the whole series before reading them? 

Questions from Readers

I had the nicest email from a girl (about 12 years old) who is reading my book. And I think she's a budding author, because she had the best questions for me. Things like: How do you come up with your characters? How do you think of your story ideas? Do you ever get writer's block? What was your favorite book to write and why? Do you ever get nervous to see how your book will turn out? What made you want to write and why?

So I thought I'd share some of my answers to her, in case anyone else is curious or thinking of writing.

What was your favorite book to write and why? I love each of them and wouldn't be able to pick one! To me, there's something special about each one.

Do you ever get writer's block? I don't get true writers block to where I can't write at all. But I do have trouble thinking of ideas sometimes. It helps if I get away from the computer and spend some time thinking.

Do you ever get nervous to see how a book you just wrote will turn out? I do get nervous! The last one I worked on was very difficult to write. And I worried that it wouldn't be as good as the others. But the editor helped me make it better so that I really like the way it turned out! :)

How do you come up with ideas for your stories? I write down ideas all the time and keep them in a file on my computer. I get ideas from TV shows, the newspaper, and watching people out in public.

I love to hear from readers, so if you ever have any questions or comments for me, please contact me through my website, www.missytippens.com or by email missytippens [at] aol.com.

Missy