We hope to see you starting tomorrow November 1-7 for this wonderful Christmas interview with Ann. She’s sharing Christmas photos and recipes!! And she will personally respond to each comment made to the post (Nov.1-7) and your comment will enter you into our giveaway.
Ann is also asking people to share their Christmas traditions on their comments, so be thinking!!!
Filed under Featured Author & Book Giveaway
Modern Day Nuclear Disaster Thriller (3.5 Stars)
Critical Reaction by Todd M. Johnson (Bethany House – Publication Date November 19, 2013)
Real time…the book starts on October 16, 2013…A nuclear site, called Hansford Nuclear Reservation…and explosions, strange colored clouds…and cover-ups! This is the start of the book. Kieran Mullaney, 25 years old, is right in the middle of this whole explosion and cover-up. He’s sick, but no one at Hansford believes him. They “tested” all his clothes, his blood work, etc. All is well. But why is he still sick? And there is also a missing guard, and another sick worker. Kieran files a lawsuit, but is quickly realizing that he’s up against a much bigger opponent than he realized. He calls an old friend to take over as his lawyer. She gets involved and soon believes him and calls her estranged father to help her with this trial. Things get tense and more people are drawn into the story and that’s all you’ll get from me. I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
There’s a lot going on in this book, many characters, and not as much dialogue as I like, but finally halfway in the book things started coming together and I got caught up in the intrigue. It’s scary, because it sounds like something that could happen, maybe has happened and it was covered up, who knows!!! If you enjoy a conspiracy mystery, you’ll enjoy this book. If it doesn’t grab you at first, stick with it. Just because it didn’t grab me at the start, doesn’t mean it won’t grab you! This was the authors second book and his first book, The Deposit Slip, is good from start to finish! So, I’ll keep reading books by Todd M. Johnson.
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion and did not receive any compensation for a favorable review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Let’s meet the author:
Todd M. Johnson
Todd M. Johnson has practiced as an attorney for over 30 years, specializing as a trial lawyer. Todd’s career experience blends with his passion for writing in his novels published through Bethany House.
A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Minnesota Law School, he also taught for two years as an adjunct professor of International Law, and served as a US diplomat in Hong Kong.The Deposit Slip, Mr. Johnson’s first novel, debuted in 2012. Todd’s second novel, Critical Reaction, will be released in November 2013.
Todd lives outside Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife Cathy and children Ian and Libby.
Click on these links to connect with Todd and learn more about him and his books:
Todd M. Johnson website
Out Media Center has Todd’s book, The Deposit Slip, so come in and check it out!
Filed under Book Reviews
This is the story of Heather Worth who married a man her father did not approve of because he was a Yankee and was fighting on the wrong side, according to her father. Heather went with her husband, Gideon, traveling with him as the company’s laundress. She was not happy with the war, but she was happy that she was with Gideon. But this was no place for a woman to have a baby, so Gideon talked Heather into going home. She traveled for days and finally, finally she saw home. So excited to see her family, only the closer she got, she realized that things had changed and she was not welcome. One of her brothers and her sister helped her as she was forced to stay in the barn, and they gave her a letter that her mom had written to her. Her mom told her to go see her Aunt Sophrena who lived at a Shaker village and that Sophrena would help her.
With this being Heather’s only choice, she headed out again into the unknown. When she arrived, she immediately discovered that the Shakers were very different from her and she didn’t understand them at all. But it was their policy to help people, so they let her in and since she was pregnant, they let her have a small cabin and let her Aunt stay with her. I can’t tell you anymore about the book, because I love surprises and I don’t want to know what’s going to happen when reading a book. Just know that you will really enjoy this book.
This book is filled with different beliefs and how God works in people’s lives to save them, whether they are on the battlefield, a father who hates his daughter, or a Shaker who is having doubts. And though this is not a typical Christmas story, Ann weaves Christ’s birth into the story beautifully.
Special note: Come back on between November 1-7, 2013 and read a WONDERFUL Christmas interview with Ann Gabhart. She’s sharing Christmas memories, photos, and recipes! And Ann is giving away an autographed copy of this book. You can’t enter to win on this post, so come back during Nov. 1-7 and make a comment at the end of the interview to be entered to win this really wonderful novel. Hope to see you in a couple of days!!!
Filed under Book Reviews
The Beloved Daughter, an inspirational suspense novel by award-winning author Alana Terry, is a story of persecution and triumph set in the oppressive North Korean regime. The audiobook version of Alana’s bestselling debut novel is narrated by Kathy Garver, a four-time Audie award winner and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Motion Picture Council. (You might also recognize Kathy as Cissy from the TV show Family Affair.)
Listen to a sample of Kathy reading from The Beloved Daughter.
Synopsis: In a small North Korean village, a young girl struggles to survive. It is her father’s faith, not the famine of North Hamyong Province, that most threatens Chung-Cha’s well-being. The Beloved Daughter follows Chung-Cha into one of the most notorious prison camps the contemporary free world has known. Her crime? Being the daughter of a Christian.
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Acclaim:
*Winner, Women of Faith Writing Contest
*1st Place, Book Club Network Book of the Month
*Amazon Bestseller (#5 Christian Suspense)
Reviews:
“…an engaging plot that reads like a story out of today’s headlines…” ~ Women of Faith Writing Contest
“Alana is a master storyteller, and I can’t imagine anyone failing to be
captivated by this harrowing tale. What we have here is a compelling
story, but it’s also one of great importance.” ~ Brad Francis, Author of The Savvy Demon’s Guide to Godly Living
“The Beloved Daughter is a beautifully written story that is…both personal and representative of the challenges that many North Koreans still face today.” ~ Sarah Palmer, Rescue Team Coordinator at Liberty in North Korea
“The author does a phenomenal job… HIGHLY RECOMMENDED – but have tissues handy.” ~ Pauline Creeden, Editor AltWit Press
Order your own copy of The Beloved Daughter.
Awesome Prizes!You don’t want to miss out on the month-long Beloved Daughter audiobook launch party. RSVP now on Facebook or see the Alana Terry facebook page to get started. Dozens of winners … Hundreds of $$$-worth in prizes!
ENTER THE DRAWING: In addition to the Facebook party, you can enter the grand prize drawing below for a chance to win a $100 gift card to either Target or Amazon (you choose!), or one of the awesome prizes from the prize gallery (think Christian T-shirts, jewelry, books, CDs, lotions, and more)!
My thoughts on The Beloved Daughter:
I’ll tell you up front that this is not an easy book to read. But it is worth it. Chung-Cha lives in North Korea with her father and mother. Her family are Christians, which is not a good thing to be in North Korea. Chung-Cha’s father helps deliver Bibles and hides other Christians and helps them get across the border to China. It’s a suspenseful novel, full of twists and turns and scares and so much heartache. It touches your heart to think that, yes, there are people like this in the world who fear for their lives just because they are Christians and if they are blessed enough to have a Bible, that it will be found and they will not only lose their Bible but will be put in prison or killed.
As I look around my house I see several Bibles in every room, I’m free to go to church and worship God, I’m free to speak the name of Jesus. I have become so used to these freedoms that I forget how precious they are. I’m ashamed, I’m touched, and I’m encouraged all in one by reading this book. I have read the e-book and have not listened to the audio version of the book, but it would be great to have to listen to on long trips or riding back and forth to work (although you might very well shed some tears along the way) or for someone who has bad eyesight and can’t read – audio books would be great. I love Family Affair, then and now with re-runs, and I was very excited to know that “Cissy” Kathy Garver is the one narrating this book!
Here’s a short interview with the author, Alana Terry:
What inspired you to write this novel?
I’ve always had a passion for Christians enduring persecution. It’s been a great prayer burden of mine. North Korea was just always at the top of my prayer list, so it was a natural progression to write a novel set there.
I know you haven’t visited North Korea, so how did you learn so much about this country? Have you ever visited China?
Unfortunately, no, I haven’t been able to travel much. Most of my research came from reading and listening to interviews with defectors who came out of North Korea. Organizations like Voice of the Martyrs also provided a lot of helpful information.
There’s so much detail and knowledge in this book, I was wondering how long did it take you to write this novel?
I spent about three months researching and planning before I started to write. The actual first draft took less than two months, but it was several years until it was edited and published after that.
You seem to be so in tune with the persecuted church in other countries. Do you know missionaries or Christians in other parts of the world that have inspired you?
My grandma grew up as a missionary kid in China. Since then she’s returned there several times, even into her seventies, to deliver Bibles. So yes, she’s definitely an inspiration of mine! (A little extra info on Alana’s grandma…after I read this I emailed her and told her I figured she had to have had someone in her life that was a missionary. She shared this with me: “Yeah, my grandma’s pretty amazing. I’m working on a book for kids that shows a glimpse of her life growing up in China during the 1930s Chinese-Japanese war. Intense stuff!”)
Do you have any other books in the works? If so, can you share?
I have a follow-up novel to The Beloved Daughter that I need to edit and get ready to publish. Unfortunately, I had to take several months off due to carpal tunnel issues. I hope to get back into it soon, but we’ll see how my wrists hold up.
NOTE: TO ENTER ALANA’S GIVEAWAY CONTEST – YOU MUST CLICK ON HER LINKS PROVIDED ABOVE. DO NOT ENTER HERE BY MAKING A COMMENT – IT WON’T WORK! SO PLEASE CLICK ON HER LINKS AND ON THE “JOIN THE GIVEAWAY” UNDER THE GRAY SQUARE PICTURE “LAUNCH PARTY” TO BE DIRECTED TO HER SITE TO ENTER!
You can leave comments here, but these comments will just be to our Media Center. Tell us if you enjoyed reading about Alana and getting to know her with our interview. But, click on her links to enter her giveaway! Thanks so much. This is our first “Blog Tour” that we have hosted and it’s fun! I hope you enjoyed getting to know Alana Terry and are inspired to read her book.
Filed under Featured Author & Book Giveaway
But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5 NLT)
When I was four, my grandparents moved to New York City from Puerto Rico. One of the first apartments they lived in had stone lions flanking the entrance. The first time I went to visit, I did not want to go in because I was afraid of the lions. Finally, I was told to close my eyes, and with my head buried in my father’s shoulder, I let myself be taken in without being attacked by the ferocious beasts of my imagination.
The next time I came to visit, my uncle explained to me that one of the lions was mean, but the other one was strong and kind and had more power than the mean lion. He said they fought to see which one was going to be the boss. The kind lion won, so now the mean lion had to obey the nice lion. Then he let me get close to the kind lion and pat its head.
After several more visits, I stopped being afraid. I became so comfortable with the kind lion that my brothers and I would sit on it and pretend he was our friend. Somewhere in the many family photo albums there is a picture of me and my brother siting on the kind lion. In the picture, we are smiling, completely at ease and at rest.
In the Scriptures, there are two lions. One of them is Satan. We are told: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NKJV) The other Lion is our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is kind and compassionate and is also the Lamb of God, who was slain for our transgressions. He is also strong and mighty; He is the only one able to save us.
When Jesus speaks to his disciples about his death, he says:““But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:32-33 NLT) Also, as he spoke of his impending sacrifice on the cross for our sins, Jesus said: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31 ASV) Satan is the prince of this world, he is the roaring lion overcome by the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
In the end, there will be a final battle. Jesus will defeat Satan and his angels. In Revelation 12:10, John tells us:“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.” (NKJV)
Dearest Heavenly Father,
You have made provision for us. You have given us a place of safety under the protection of a mighty King, your Son Jesus. We take refuge in Him and rest on His promises till He comes again in glory.
Amen
Filed under Friday Gleanings by Carmen
In this suspenseful historical novel, it’s April 1865 during the Civil War and we have a Confederate sniper, a Union officer, a wounded woman who has amnesia who ends up living in a convent, Little Sisters of Hope, with Mother Helena trying to help her find out who she is. Since she has no memory of what her name is, she comes up with Mercy.
Mercy is obviously upset about her memory loss and Mother Helena gives her a journal to start writing down her thoughts and things she is doing now, so she will have them as memories and maybe one day something will spark her memory. Mercy writes in her journal almost nightly. She writes down things that happen and things she discovers that she knows or is good at. One thing she is good at is horses. The horse that the sisters bought before Mercy came was always giving them trouble, but then Mercy stepped in and the horse immediately calmed down. She even discovered she was a good shot, when after she met Rand Prescott, a local wealthy young man, he brings her to his home for a party. The men were going on a hunt and Rand knew she loved to ride, so he gives her a gun to teach her to shoot. Let’s just say she didn’t need lessons!
This is a wonderful novel full of mystery, and ups and downs for Mercy. Trying to discover who she is and afraid of finding out all at the same time. I totally enjoyed reading this book , and I can’t wait until the second book in this series comes out. This is a great novel for those who like history, romance, and suspense and mystery.
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion and did not receive any compensation for a favorable review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Click here to be directed to the author’s/publishers websites:
Filed under Book Reviews
This is a fantastic series, A Marc Royce Thriller Series by Davis Bunn. And right now (don’t know for how long) but Book 1, Lyon of Babylon is FREE. I’ve included the link to the kindle store, but check your other e-reader store, it might be free there too. There are two books in this series (Rare Earth #2) and I’ve read both of them and LOVED them, and Book 3 is coming out on November 5th, Straight of Hormuz.
Filed under Free E-Books
Here are some great books at great prices. I’ve linked to the kindle store, but check your store if you have a different e-reader…it could be on sale with them also.
Filed under Free E-Books
I did not check with this dear lady if this would be ok, but I know people and churches around Georgia (and I’m sure around the country) are praying, and I want to ask you too, to pray. She is one of our sweet followers, Gwen. Her husband, Ray, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. As I understand it, he will be having surgery tomorrow and I would like to ask for your prayers for this dear couple.
I know that God does not need our prayers for His will to be done, yet, He loves to hear from us, to bring our burdens to Him. He will be glorified through all the prayers and all the testimonies for and about this dear man. He’s a wonderful preacher and one of God’s precious children. Let’s all remember him and his wife and their family as they travel this unexpected journey. God is the Great Physician, He heals, He comforts, He brings peace!
We sang this song at church this morning, He Knows My Name, and it touched me. He does know us, by name, the very number of hairs on our heads! He hears us when we cry and He hears us when we call to Him! We have a wonderful Savior who is there for us even before we call, before we shed our first tear, He’s there…and He will NEVER leave us.
Filed under Just Me!
Wonderful Amish Christmas Novels (5 Stars for each one!)
The Sound of Sleigh Bells: This is a heart-warming story of Beth Hertzler who has been hiding herself from love, ever since her fiancé died. She wears black and avoids all the single’s activities and has resigned herself to never fall in love again. She lives with her Aunt Lizzy, helps her run their store and she takes care of all the ordering and selling. One day her Aunt Lizzy ends up in another Amish community and sees a beautiful wood carving and she buys it and brings it home. Beth is immediately drawn to the beauty of the carving, it’s the most excitement Lizzy has seen in her niece in a very long time. Lizzy uses a bit of creative manipulation in getting Beth and the carver, Jonah “who is called the Old Man” to write each other. This is a wonderful “pen-pal” type of relationship and they immediately connect. But each one thinks they are writing to someone else. What will happen when they discover who they are really writing too? And will the hurt and trickery be something they can overcome? This is a wonderful love story, one of hurts, pain, disappointments and how letting God touch your very soul can heal anything and bring joy in the most unexpected ways. Here’s a wonderful quote from the book:
“Well, time and medicine and family would have eventually helped, but during the worst of it, I caught a glimpse of how Jesus let go of His anger. Just a fraction of a second, mind you, but I saw Him on the cross, looking beyond the people who’d put Him there and to the Father He trusted. It seemed that He didn’t hold the people accountable because He wasn’t looking at them. When in the worst pain, He kept his focus on everything above.”
The Christmas Singing: This was a delicious novel because the main character, Mattie, is the owner of Mattie Cakes. She designs and bakes specialty cakes and all other types of delicious sweets! She has a notebook full of drawings, magazine clippings, and notes that she has been collecting since she was a young girl. And Gideon, her best friend, helped her with her notebook and listened to her talk about her dreams. They were bound to fall in love, then something happened and Gideon broke Mattie’s heart. She left Apple Ridge and moved to Ohio to another Amish community and lived near her brother and sister-in-law and their family. She even met a new man, Sol. He seemed perfect for her. Yet, nothing was like it was with Gideon! Then a tragedy struck Mattie and her life was suddenly turned upside down. Who would really be there for her, Sol or Gideon? Could she trust Gideon and what was he hiding? You’ll love this book! I think this may be my favorite! Could it be all the delicious cakes????
The Dawn of Christmas: This book is about Sadie Yoder. She was marrying Daniel Miller until he broke her heart before the wedding. Then she decided she was through with men and would devote her life to mission work. She’d already been to Peru once and was back home making crafts saving money to go back again. But her family would not let up…they kept trying their best to matchmake and she was so tired of it. Many miles away, back in “The Sound of Sleigh Bells”, there was Levi. He lived with his brother and nephew. He decided women were not worth the trouble either and was tired of his family matchmaking. Then Sadie and Levi met and forged a strange friendship. They came up with a scheme to keep both of their families off their backs about marriage. But would this plan backfire? Probably. And what of Sadie’s old boyfriend, Daniel? This is a great novel, full of doubt, love, distrust, and the learning of how to love and trust again…and who to trust because some people lie so well.
You’ll love each one of these books. They are sold separately, but I loved reading them all together in this order. They are separate books with separate stories, but the characters and communities are the same in all three books and it’s neat to be able to see the lives of the other character’s as you read the next book.
I received a copy of this book for free from Blogging for Books, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for the purpose of this review and for my honest opinion and did not receive any compensation for a favorable review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Please take the time to click on these links to learn more about Cindy and her books! You can even read an excerpt from the first chapter free! You’ll enjoy looking at each one of these links, I know I did.
Filed under Book Reviews
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV)
… the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21 NIV)
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)
The Fitzpatrick Hotel is located in Washington, GA. It was built by John and Thomas Fitzpatrick in 1899. After a fire threatened to drain the life out of their hometown, the two brothers returned home with the intention of giving the economy a boost. Therefore, they not only built the hotel, but used it as a base of operations for their thriving businesses. Their endeavor was a success and brought economic life back to Washington.
Over the years, the hotel has had several owners and several name changes. As the economy dwindled, however, the building fell into disrepair, and would have remained that way, except that new owners rescued the structure, by cleaning, remodeling, and restoring it to its original pristine condition. Mike and Christy Todd, who are part owners, and attend our church, saw potential in the architectural and historical features of the old building. After a labor of love that took over two years, the hotel now sparkles and exudes the charm of ages past along with the comforts and technological advances of the present.
Outside picture of the restoration of The Fitzpatrick Hotel in Washington, GA
This inside restoration of the lobby at The Fitzpatrick Hotel in Washington, GA
When I saw the “before” and “after” pictures of the hotel, I was amazed at the faith and vision it took to believe in a positive outcome for the old building. I was reminded of the vision God has for each of us. He sees our underlying worth, our potential. God takes our dilapidated minds, our burned out lives and our decrepit old bodies and restores them according to His heavenly and eternal plan. We might give up on ourselves, but once we are His, He does not give up on us. Layer by layer and piece by piece He transforms us till our minds are renewed, our bodies are glorified and our spirits are remade in the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Dearest Heavenly Father,
You are our hope. You are the potter, the skilled craftsman, the author and refiner of our lives. With patience and diligence you scrape, polish, refine and rebuild the broken pieces of our existence. Sometimes the process is painful, leaving exposed, those hidden places we do not wish to see. When the work of sanctification is complete, however, we will shine. Forgive us when we run away from you, afraid of the painful process of regeneration. Today, we submit ourselves to you. We invite you to cleanse us, to remove the debris, to make us lovely for you. We even give up to you those secret places so long in need of tending. We open ourselves to you completely, claiming the freedom of full disclosure, and the joy of transformation through your tender mercy and grace.
In the name of Jesus, in whose image we wish to be remade,
Amen
Filed under Friday Gleanings by Carmen
I’ve found two freebie e-books. One I haven’t read and one I have. They are free for a limited time, so get them today. I know the one by MaryLu Tyndall is on kindle, nook, & CBD, not sure about the one by Nancy Rue, so you can check. I have included the link to the kindle store.
Filed under Free E-Books
I think that every woman who has an e-reader needs this book. Randy Alcorn is an excellent writer and I trust his beliefs. So, if you are a women and are under stress (duh!), here’s a book for you. I’m linking to the Kindle store, but it may be free on other e-readers also. I don’t know how long it will be free so get it today.
Filed under Free E-Books
I just came across this on Twitter and wanted to share it with my friends!! It’s been a while since I read this book, but I do remember that I really enjoyed it. It’s a great deal, FREE today and tomorrow. I’m linking to Kindle, but please check your e-reader store, it may be free on other e-readers also. And I’ve linked to the authors websites, so if you have time, check them out. It’s great to get to know the authors better and see what other books they have written!
Filed under Free E-Books
Here are 3 freebies today. I have linked directly to the Kindle store, but hopefully some, if not all, will be available on Nook or other e-readers. I don’t know how long they will be free, so get them now.
Filed under Free E-Books
The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. (Matthew 18:27 NIV)
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8 NIV)
When my husband and I decided to retire, our goal was to be debt free, so that we could live on a reduced income. One by one we have managed to pay off our debts. A few weeks ago I sent off what I thought was the last payment on a credit card. The amount owed was 351.06, which is exactly what I sent the credit card company. I was excited about getting my next statement. I thought of the joy and relief I would feel when I looked at the bill and the amount due was $000.00.
However, a few weeks later, I got my statement and I was terribly disappointed to see the amount due was $2.57. I paid the bill on time, but they still charged me interest. I immediately sent the $2.57 to them and am hoping they don’t charge me interest on that amount.
My experience with the world’s economy made me appreciate God’s economy. In Matthew 18:23-35, we find the parable of the unmerciful or unforgiving servant. A king wanted to collect outstanding debts his servants owed him. One man owed the king 10,000 bags of gold. When the man begged the king to give him more time, the king cancelled the debt and let him go. No sooner was he free than he went after one of his peers who owed him 10 gold coins. When the man could not pay his debt, the servant had him thrown in prison. When the king found out about the forgiven man’s lack of mercy toward his brother, he handed him over to the jailers to be tortured till he paid his own debt.
I am a sinner saved by grace. I did not deserve God’s mercy. God sent his son, Jesus to die on a cross in order that my debt might be paid in full. When I first believed and asked God to forgive me, he cancelled my debt and set me free. The only outstanding debt left to pay is “…to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly…” (Micah 6:8 KJV), or as Paul puts it: “…the continuing debt to love one another…” (Romans 13:8 NIV)
When we are saved by God’s grace, our debt is cancelled, but there is a continuing debt: to love God and to love one another as God has loved us. Every time I remember that bill for $2.57, I will remember the commandment of love.
Dearest Heavenly Father,
You love us with an everlasting and incomprehensible love. You are patient and always ready to forgive us when we cry out to you for mercy. Thank you that our salvation has set us free to love you and one another.
In the name of Jesus, who came to seek and to save sinners,
Amen
Filed under Friday Gleanings by Carmen
I just saw this video and it is SO true. Little girls, tweens, teens, young ladies, even us older ones…we need to know this and we need to share it and we need to do it! Be modest, respect ourselves and our bodies. What you see on TV and movies is not the way we need to be seen ourselves. We are beautiful, worthy, and it has nothing to do with showing parts of our bodies that should remain hidden. Listen to this great group of young men and believe what they are saying.
Filed under Just Me!
Danie Walther from California!
Congratulations, Danie (what a cute name!). We are excited you won, Keeping Faith, I know you are going to love this book. It’s such a sweet historical romance, with elements of medicine and mystery! You just can’t go wrong with that, can you?
Thanks to everyone who made comments and entered the giveaway, you really blessed Cheryl (Hannah Alexander) by your sweet comments!
For those who didn’t win, I hope you’ll find a copy of this book by Hannah Alexander and read it.
Filed under Featured Author & Book Giveaway
Here’s two free e-books that David C Cook is offering today and tomorrow. One non-fiction and one fiction. I know the fiction is great (it’s Book 3 in a series) and the non-fiction book sounds good. I’m linking to Kindle, but I believe these books are offered on other e-readers also, so double check with your e-reader store.
Filed under Free E-Books
Delightful Romance with a Little Mystery & Suspense (5 Stars)
A Talent for Trouble (The Ladies of Distinction, Book 3) by Jen Turano (Bethany House)
Felicia Murdock’s middle name is “trouble”, make that with a capital “T”! She is the most delightful young woman who was in Book 2, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, and now she is center stage in this book, completely run-a-muck!
She has shed her rather flashy wardrobe and settled down to more stylish clothing, and that has brought her much more attention from the gentlemen. But the only gentleman she can’t seem to get her mind off of, is Grayson Sumner (Lord Sefton). He wants nothing to do with women nor marriage, his past has plummeted him with deep regrets and guilt and he can’t seem to get past them. Then along comes Felicia! A most troublesome woman, who can aggravate him and amuse him at the same time. The adventures they, along with some friends and family, get into are sometime so funny you laugh out loud and then sometimes quite suspenseful.
You will quite frequently find yourself laughing at the circumstances that Felicia seems to get involved in and then you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat wondering how they can possibly escape some very dangerous trouble.
I promise, that if you love a great historical, most times amusing, and sometimes a bit suspenseful read, you’ll love this book. I was told that this series can be read as stand-alone books, but since the major characters carry over into the next book as secondary characters with backgrounds of their own, I recommend you read this series in order. I have read Books 2 & 3…and now I’ve got to read Book 1. And I can’t wait!!! Yes, I did what I’m telling you not to do, but when I started I didn’t realize it was a series. But each story is wonderful. Jen Turano is now one of my favorite authors and I will read anything she writes without even looking at the description…I know that she cannot possibly write a bad book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for my honest opinion and did not receive any compensation for a favorable review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Let’s meet Jen:
Jen grew up in the small town of St. Clairsville, Ohio, where she spent an idyllic childhood riding her purple spider bike, ice-skating on a little pond and reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon books in her tree house. High School was, surprisingly enough, fabulous as Jen spent time with her girlfriends. She headed off to college with no idea of what she wanted to be when she grew up, but settled on pursuing a career in fashion because she thought it sounded glamorous. Her parents thought she’d lost her mind, but they resigned themselves to her choice and after earning a BA degree in Clothing and Textiles, Jen set off to take the fashion world by storm, only to discover retail was certainly not the glamorous career she’d imagined it would be. She moved to Buffalo, New York to take a job in the buying office of a large department store, learning all there was to know about cookware, which again, was hardly glamorous, especially to a girl who did not have a knack for cooking. She met her future husband, Al, a few months after taking this job and eight months later, they were married. After moving into management at another department store and working that for a few years, the company went out of business and Jen decided she’d had enough. One year later her son was born and Jen hung up her heels for good and concentrated on being a mom.
She began dabbling in writing when her son, then in elementary school, said he liked her made up stories as much as those in his books. It was then that she fired up the computer and never looked back.
Jen loves to write humorous stories with quirky characters and a dash of intrigue and finds historical romances especially appealing, seeing as how she’s been reading them since she was a teenager. Her mother gave her a copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss, The Flame and the Flower, and Jen was hooked on the genre. When not reading romance, she loves to read mysteries, young adult and her favorite series of all time, Harry Potter.
Besides writing, Jen enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
You can connect with Jen at:
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