In the Zone

Matt Todd is a graphics designer who helped with the Sheep Among Wolves book series I co-wrote with Tony Harmon. The second book, The Gathering, is out now.  Click here for the Kindle version. As part of our promotion, Tony interviewed Matt for the my blog.  Here's the interview. Question 1:   How did you get into graphic design? Answer: I remember drawing became my first passion. I would draw Disney comics, super heroes like the Hulk , and even my favorite cars like the General Lee  from the Dukes of Hazard  television show. I knew early on that I wanted to do something related to creating art in some form. After high school and working various jobs, I looked back to my art for some direction. After some research, I discovered that Graphic Design was a perfect niche for me as it encompassed so many aspects of the art world that I enjoyed. I went to Eastern Kentucky University, graduated, and have been busy in the field ever since.  Question 2:   What exci

"I believed in Jesus.  I went to church all the time.  Then my dad got sick.  I prayed for him to get better, but he never did.  So I stopped praying." I have heard a version of this story many times.  I'll ask people about their faith or spiritual beliefs and sometimes I come across stories similar to this one.  Something happened--an illness or job loss or a death--and it caused the person to abandon their faith.  For some reason, they didn't believe God existed or cared or had the power to intervene.  Maybe they never did. Far too often in our society, we take the easy way out.  As human beings, we like the path of least resistance.  If it doesn't fit with our own ideology, we drop it instead of seeking a great understanding of what is happening. Or, as the popular phrase goes, when the going gets tough, we go. In our society, we have the universal belief that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.  If something bad hap

Isn't amazing then when eyes are on us, we always work a little harder, clean a little better and pay attention just a little bit more? I always make the joke that we host a lot of people in our house because it forces us to clean house often.  It's a joke because we do clean house regularly.  But there is also some truth in the joke.  You see, if you know someone is coming to your house, you make sure it is extra clean.  When eyes are on you, you do a better job.  (And truth be told, we do clean more thoroughly when we know company is coming over.) It's not only like that in our homes.  We have the same work ethic in our jobs.  In our superiors are coming around, we make sure to look busy at our work, clean up our stations and do everything by the book.  We want to impress our bosses, so we work extra hard when their eyes are watching what we do. Paul, though, says that's not the way believers in Christ should operate.  In Ephesians 6:5-9, Paul address slaves a