My Title

I've finally succombed. I have become a blogger. Thus with this first post, I thought I would explain my title "The King's Historian."

The most basic reason is that I am an historian. I study, research, write, and publish history. I am a little lacking on the publishing part, but very soon, the KnowLA on-line encyclopedia will publish an article of mine on the Christian Woman's Exchange (1881-present), a New Orleans women's philanthropic group. This probably seems strange to most people; in fact, my own parents asked me what I would do with a history degree. My answer to them, and to you, brings about the most important reason for the title. History is my God-given passion. History is not linear; it is alive and breath-taking. There are always new avenues to search. As I live my life using this gift, I do it for Him. Thus I am His, the King of Kings', historian.

2 Kings 18:18

"Then they called for the king, but Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebnah the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, came out to them." (HCSB, emphasis added)

As I discovered this passage one day in reading the Bible, I found the recording of history was, as it is today, very important. Yet history, as Christians know it, is not simply the passing of time, important figures, and fantastic battles. History is the story of God redeeming man-kind. God has given me a passion for the study and public presentation of history. I seek academic integrity and excellence in studying all historical aspects, but I also view everything through His lens.

I am currently working on my Master's Thesis focusing on the CWE, the group I mentioned above. However, it is not a study of the group's religious affiliation (which happens to be Protestant). In fact, I never actually mention anything about their beliefs because while they all prided themselves on providing a "Christian" service to working women, they never really did anything in the Name of Jesus. Theirs was more of a charitable endeavor, and I focus mainly on their contribution to the labor movement among New Orleans single women during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries through the operation of a boardinghouse and creche (a nursery). Yet even in something as secular as this may sound, I can see our merciful God using snobby, elite women to provide for those in need.

Acts 3:15 in the ESV translation calls Jesus the "Author of life." You see, the past is not simply history; it is His story. It is already written from beginning to end. I am merely a tool, a vessel, to study and proclaim God's glory through His story, be it labor movements, ancient archaeology, geneology, or archival preservation. Did you ever think history could be this cool?

Image found at http://www.jesuswalk.com/christian-symbols/chi-rho.htm