26 Years Ago

I was in the hospital resting up from labor and surgery that brought forth my first born, my son. I can't believe it was that long ago. So much has happened over the years, and here we are come full circle to living together once again; and once again I am failing him.
Happy Birthday, son. I hope I can learn to show you love over this next year better than I have thus far.

Pre-Wedding Woes and Worries

Sigh, still decompressing a week later, from a grueling couple of days driving to and from Georgia to take my daughter to give her in marriage and then come home. The trip started out on a sour note when my car that had run fine began to act up and eventually die after I took it to the shop to have it checked out for the trip. I took it in Tuesday, asked them to change the oil, winterize and give it good looking over as I was planning long trip Thursday. From where we live to her new home is almost 500 miles. So they did as I asked, pronounced it fit for travel and I went on my way. Thursday morning I went to babysit for our Ladies Bible Study at my church and when I got ready to come home the check engine light came on. I took in back to the shop and they said it was probably just a mis-read and reset it; if it were to come back on bring it back. So I left, went to meet my daughter to run some errands with her. We drove the car she was borrowing and when we finished I got in my car and head home and the light came back on. I drove it to the shop; by now it was 4pm and we were supposed to leave at 7pm. They looked it over and said it needed a complete tune-up. So my daughter shelled out over $260 to get that done and we paid them and left to have dinner with the people she had been staying with and told them we would pick up the car after as they would be closed when we got back. So we went to dinner, came back followed by our dinner companions as Danielle had their other car. Went to start the car and it didn't want to start. Finally got it to run, ran a little rough on the way home but started right back up when we stopped it at home and restarted it. Packed up the trunk and animals and got ready to go, turned the key and nothing...
Called the shop number no answer, no machine, nothing. So I called our wonderful friend Jerry, who was the one who got me the car and he and his wife brought over their car for us to take.
Once we got on the road things went as smoothly as one can expect when traveling with a cat and dog and three women. We had to stop several times to clean up the cat and his carrier; good reminder for Danielle that she may not want a baby right away. Her cat is a house cat and had no idea what to do outside except breathe the fresh air. She cleaned up the messes without complaint though; a real trooper my girl.
It rained the entire way there; sometimes quite hard but most of the time just steady downpour. I drove all the way there since my mom can't drive well and my dear sweet daughter ended up sleeping almost all the way there. She had told me she would drive part of the way, but she exhausted herself so thoroughly before the trip she just wasn't up for it. I didn't mind; sitting in the car would have been harder on me than doing the driving; at least not any easier.
We got to our destination almost an hour before we were expected to arrive; got out and stretched our legs and found our way to where we would leave Danielle so she and her fiance could get all their last minute stuff done before the wedding. My mom and I then went on to get some breakfast and find a motel so we could get some rest.
Prior to our leaving I was told by Danielle that my mom had asked to go with us and said if she could go she would pay for the motel. So this is what I expected would be the case. However, while we were eating breakfast the check came and my mom picked it up and said she would pay for it since I was paying for the motel. I was stunned; still am but didn't, don't know what to say. Thankfully that day was payday for me so I had the funds in my bank account but it was my entire budget for the month for personal money; food I can't get with my food stamps, medicines, etc.
It also ended up that I had to pay for gas to get home as well though I am not sure why that happened except that I did not have the for-site to talk to Danielle about that before the wedding and she didn't have any money on her then.
So there you have the tone of the trip, stress and more stress and God's grace was present and needed through it all. I will write about the wedding in another post.
Once home my dear rescuer Jerry, got the car to the shop and they discovered the intake manifold, made of plastic, had cracked. I don't know if they admitted any fault in that or not; all I know is my car is back and running fine now and I didn't get a bill for it. Thank You God for Jerry and Peg and all Your provision.

A Nook

I just had to share this; check it out


If you can't see the video you can go here

Homeostasis no more

This can be a good thing in our bodies; it is what keeps things running as they should. But God keeps tapping me on the head with this theme of accepting change. It is not something I do well, to say the least. None of us, I suppose really like change. Few relish the thought of it, yet some of us hold on for dear life even the things in our lives that our destructive, rather than embrace the change necessary to make things better. This response to change is what God is bringing me out of, yes kicking and screaming a bit, but I am getting there.
Emergence from the PIT was for me the hardest change I have ever endured. It is the hardest change still. One may think a person would emerge from the mire happy to be out, but not I. I was terrified. This life out of the pit was unfamiliar and scary. This vast expanse of space was strange and not at all comforting or warm. No, this freedom was not my home and I was not at all sure I wanted it to be. Much better, I reasoned to stay close to the edge just in case I needed to dive for cover or something. So I lived this way for many many years. Hanging close to the edge of the pit, loathing it but loving it. Desiring to be free from it but afraid to be to far from it's edge. Slipping back in when things life threw something at me I didn't want to face. Hating myself for falling back in, sighing at the snug fit and familiar air.
Change is hard, but I am learning that I can face it on the outside of the Pit and if I face it with God. Change is necessary for growth and I finally feel like I am reaching for the sun, rather than storing hunkering down and waiting for the storm. I cannot say I embrace change, but I can say I embrace Jesus, and I am ready to go where He takes me; even if it is out of the boat and onto dark choppy waters.

Rainy Days And A Cloudy Heart

My dear sweet daughter came by today and moved my computer into her old room. I was OK when I packed her stuff up, I was pretty alright when a guy came and got her bed. But this; today I filled with such sadness! It's like this act, this moving other stuff back in here is the final proof that she really is leaving me. In less than 2 weeks I will be minus a daughter. I will give her away and she will no longer be mine, but ours; his wife and my daughter. Once I give her to be married to him, I will have lost her. For in marrying, she becomes someone new. This is as it should be, but that doesn't make it easy. Though I look forward to knowing and loving this new person, I grieve the old. I grieve the lost chances to be a better mother, to prepare her better for what she has faced and will face. I grieve for the many hours of wasted time arguing and fighting when I should have been lavishing love on her instead. O God help me let these feelings go and give them over to You.
O God, be what I have not to my daughter, shelter her in Your arms and protect her as she enters this new phase of her life. Fill her with the knowledge of who she is in You so that she will be all she needs to be for her husband. Give her wings to fly on her own, to make her home one of peace and rest where she and her husband can relax and enjoy one another so that they can go out refreshed and renewed in Your service. In Jesus name, AMEN

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

I had no idea this is what today was.
To all of those who have lost babies, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
I don't imagine to understand your pain, but I know God knows and I know you will be reunited with them someday. I pray God's unique comfort and peace envelope you and your families until then.

Relief and Redemption

I feel so much better than I did last week. It is like night and day. I am more grateful than anyone will ever know for all the prayers and encouragement I have received over these last few days THANK YOU and most of all thank God, Who through all is faithful.
I was able to be a part of my local Body of Christ Sunday and stand and praise the One Who gave all for me with renewed joy and fortitude. Praise His Holy Name, Lord God of All!

Primal Screams And Other Horrors

I let the stress of all the changes I am going through get the best of me today. I ended up doing a few primal screams in the basement, threatening to cut my son's hands off and did and said a few other things that mortify me in the recollection of them.
Please Lord, help keep from defining myself by my actions this afternoon. Lord help me remember Your mercies are ever flowing, and never fail. Help me remember that I am not You and that my failures don't define me.

Tears And A Tender Heart

I am brought ridiculously easy to tears these last few days and in way I feel like I know who I am again. Since I spent over the first half of my life depressed and untreated for it I had always been one to cry "at the drop of a hat". It really hasn't been until the last few years that medication has eased the flow of those tears. When I was a teenager and pretending to be a Christian, so many people remarked at my tears, that I have a tender heart. It is only in recent years I have come to know that in fact I do not have a tender heart apart from Christ; that on my own I am hard hearted and without compassion. All those tears were psychological pain overflowing and brain chemistry misfiring.
Now, this week I am in the throws of depression medication withdrawal and once again the tears flow and I must remind myself of what is real. I must look into my heart and know it is deceitful above all things and that if the tears are coming because I am tired or saw a sad commercial, it doesn't mean I am so compassionate, or overwhelmed. It simply means my brain chemistry is out of whack. To know who I am I must not rely on how I feel, but who God says I am in His Word. I am more than a conquer in Christ Jesus, I can rise above this trial through His power. I am chosen by before the foundation of the world by Jesus. My name is written in the palm of God's hand.
Thank you God that reality is found in Christ! (Colossians 2:17NIV)

Beating Around The Bush

I wonder why all desire to communicate must be met with the assumption that there is a point. Isn't it possible that one just desires to connect? Isn't is OK to just feel like hearing how someone's day went? Can't I just need to talk without having something to say?

I am in a fragile state of mind today. Once again I am facing changes in my medication and the effects are not something I would wish on my ex-husband (worst enemy). I did as my therapist advised this time and tried to let people know to gain some sort of support. Good news is requests for prayer have been met with faithfulness from my sisters and brothers in Christ and God. This time I have not become suicidal and out of control. Not so good news is I still don't feel like there is anyone I can talk to, and my most recent attempt was a miserable failure. I am trying to keep from saying I am a failure, trying not to feel I am. I just don't know how to receive help.

If this makes no sense I apologize. Just chalk it up to my muddled mind and pray that I can lean on Jesus right now and maybe I can make more sense later.

Stray Affections Blog Review

In Stray Affections, the last thing that Cassandra expects out of her Sunday is to be mesmerized at a collectors’ convention by a snowglobe. She’s enjoying some shopping time, with husband Ken at home tending their brood of four young boys, when she’s utterly charmed by the one-of-a kind globe containing figures of three dogs and a little girl with hair the color of her own. She can’t resist taking the unique globe home—even if means wrestling another shopper for it!

The beautiful snowglobe sparks long-dormant memories for Cassie, of her beloved Grandpa Wonky, the stray she rescued as a child, and the painful roots of her combative relationship with her mother, “Bad Betty” Kamrowski. Life in Wanonishaw, Minnesota is never dull, though, and Cassie keeps the recollections at bay, busy balancing her boys, her home daycare operation, and being a good friend to best pal Margret. But after a strange—flurrious, as Cassie deems it—moment happens with the remarkable snowglobe, Cassie and the people she loves are swirled into a tumultuous, yet grace-filled, and life-changing journey.

“As a believer, I know the power of forgiveness and new beginnings, and of a God, and family and friends, who love me the way I am,” Charlene Ann Baumbich says. “The heartbeat of change flows through those wonderful gifts.”

With the quirky, close-knit Midwestern small-town feel that made Charlene Ann Baumbich’s acclaimed Dearest Dorothy novels so popular, Stray Affections invites readers to experience the laughter and the healing of second chances.

Author Bio:Check out this video of Charlene talking about her book

Charlene Ann Baumbich is a popular author and speaker and an award-winning journalist. In addition to her Dearest Dorothy series of novels, she has written seven nonfiction books of humor and inspiration. A bungee-jumping, once motorcycle-owning grandma and unabashed dog lover, Charlene lives with her husband and rescued dog Kornflake in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She loves telling stories, laughing whenever possible, and considers herself a Wild Child of God
Please visit here to find out how to purchase a copy of this book. You can also leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy from me. Happy reading.

Fibro Fog

I have been walking around in a fog of pain for the last couple of months. This pain has sapped my energy, creativity and will to move. Just getting out of bed is so hard, accomplishing anything once I do is even harder. When I think about writing, it just seems too much to try to string enough thoughts together that make some sort of sense.
On top of that my dear sweet daughter has moved out. She (wisely) decided she needed to have some time before she gets married to see what a marriage looks like. So she prayed and made some phone calls and found a couple from our local body of believers that is willing to take her in and let her live rent free until she gets married. I still see her every couple of days because she is using my car to get to work since their home is in a neighboring town.
I do need to update on much more and I am overdue on a few reviews as well; so I promise I will do so soon, but please don't be afraid to give a nudge, OK?
More later.

A Perfect Mess Blog Tour

God reminded me that I had A Perfect Mess by Lisa Harper right when I needed it. I was getting ready to read another book I am going to review when I looked at the date and realized there should be one before it. What it book it was! Once again God's timing is awesome and this book was just what I needed right now. .
A Perfect Mess's subtitle is Why You Don't Have to Worry About Being Good Enough for God and this is a big issue for me that I is always highlighted by my birthday. Many tears of gratitude grace the pages of my copy of this small yet powerful book.
Breaking down some of the chapter titles will give you a pretty good picture of the subject matter. Chapter One Walk This Way What Psalm I reveals about avoiding potholes in the path of life Chapter Two Leaping over Legalism What Psalm 62 says about wriggling out of the trap of wrong expectations Chapter Three Tumbling Toward Approval How Psalm 139 describes the way God sees the beauty behind our blemishes Chapter Four This Love Story Means Having To Say "I'm Sorry" What Psalm 51 reveals about deep cleaning our dirty cleaning our dirty hearts and much more, there are 12 chapters in all.
What I like most about this book was though the author has sense of humor and encourages us to look at things from a lighter side of things, she doesn't make light of God's Word. I love a book that has me getting my Bible along with it like this one does too. If you struggle at all with what you should be doing or know someone who is, this book needs to be on your list of must haves.
This is the summary the publisher sent:
Caught up in the self-imposed pressure to do and be all the things they think a Christian woman ought to do and be, countless women are working desperately to convince everyone, including God, that they have it all together. Few have any idea that the Creator of the universe looks at them with delight even when they yell at the dog, drive a minivan littered with French fries, or think bad words about that rude clerk at the store.
A Perfect Mess offers hope to every woman who yearns for a vibrant relationship with God but worries she isn’t good enough or doesn’t do enough to merit His affection. With characteristic authenticity, speaker and author Lisa Harper shares poignant stories from her own imperfect life to showcase the real-life relevancy of the Bible in the lives of modern women.
As she guides readers on a story-driven journey through selected Psalms, they will be inspired to experience for themselves how God’s incomparable love transforms the messiness of life into a gorgeous work of grace.
You can win a copy by commenting on this post or you can purchase one here here
Lisa Harper is a master storyteller whose lively approach connects the dots between the Bible era and modern life. She is a sought-after Bible teacher and speaker whose upcoming appearances include the national Women of Faith Conferences. A veteran of numerous radio and television programs and the author of several books, she also is a regular columnist for Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Lisa recently completed a master’s of theological studies from Covenant Theological Seminary. She makes her home outside Nashville.

Muddled And Jumbled

My heart and mind are a jumbled mass of emotions. I am awash in sadness that has me weighted down as surely as though I had boulders attached to my heart. Some of this sadness in explicable, some is not. Yet amidst all this, I am so filled with gratitude for the provision of my God through His people that I cannot put it in to words.
Denial aside finally, I have had to face the fact that I am depressed. Food has lost it's flavor, yet I crave it, sleep eludes me until I am exhausted then I cannot wake up. I cry about things I don't want to, yet can't cry about other things. I have the energy of a rock and about the same amount of empathy for others. The lies I have been telling myself are that "this is the real me". "That the other person people see is me pretending"; this is the lie I told my therapist last week. Thank God, he knows better and the words he spoke to me are beginning to penetrate my darkened heart. He reiterated the gospel to me, which at first made no sense. Surely he was not listening to me! I wasn't saying I had felt I had sin that couldn't be forgiven; I was saying I am worthless! I make no contribution to society, in fact I am a drain upon it. But he was having none of that. "Who decides worth?", he asked. "Is not the heart of the gospel that none of us are worthy?"
Since then this Truth has been working it's way into my heart; I cannot say it has gotten there yet, but it is getting there.
In the midst of all this, my daughter is in severe crisis and I am not able to be what she needs, crippled as I am at this time. I do not want to tell her business, as I have been guilty of before. I can only say her planned future is being met with tremendous obstacles and opposition.

Should Have Read This Yesterday

I subscribe to several blogs but usually don't have the ambition to actually keep up with them. This is something I have been feeling bad about and hoping to improve upon, so I was glancing at my Google Reader on my homepage and a title caught my eye. I clicked on it and found this . Notice the date, God was trying to communicate with me but I was not listening; better late than never though, right?
Sorry for the pity party yesterday, thanks for your support.

It's My Birthday & I'll Cry If I Want To

I hate my birthday. I usually really do wish I were never born, and hate that on my birthday people actually want to celebrate my birth.
Ya I know it's not a good Christian attitude, but it is how I feel. Most days I can ignore how I feel about myself but this day smacks me right in the face with it.
Now I fear I sound ungrateful for all the well wishes and gifts, and that makes me feel even worse. I'm sorry. I do appreciate everything. I am just glad this day is almost over!

Holy Roller Blog Tour

Julie Lyons was working as a crime reporter when she followed a hunch into the South Dallas ghetto. She wasn’t hunting drug dealers, but drug addicts who had been supernaturally healed of their addictions. Was there a church in the most violent part of the city that prayed for addicts and got results?
At The Body of Christ Assembly, a rundown church on an out-of-the-way street, Lyons found the story she was looking for. The minister welcomed criminals, prostitutes, and street people–anyone who needed God. He prayed for the sick, the addicted, and the demon-possessed, and people were supernaturally healed.
Lyons’s story landed on the front page of the Dallas Times Herald. But she got much more than just a great story, she found an unlikely spiritual home. Though the parishioners at The Body of Christ Assembly are black and Pentecostal, and Lyons is white and from a traditional church background, she embraced their spirituality–that of “the Holy Ghost and fire.”
It’s all here in Holy Roller–the stories of people desperate for God’s help. And the actions of a God who doesn’t forget the people who need His power.

Author Bio:
Julie Lyons is an award-winning writer, editor and investigative reporter who for more than 11 years served as editor-in-chief of the Dallas Observer, an alternative weekly newspaper owned by Village Voice Media. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a B.A. in English from Seattle Pacific University. She and her husband, Larry Lyons Jr., live in Dallas with their son.

You can win a copy of this book by posting a comment on this post or you can purchase one here Thank you and happy reading!

Winner Night Watchman

Congratulations Nicole, you have won Night Watchman. I will get to your book to you soon. Enjoy and thanks for your participation.

The Value Fiction “Grab Bag” blog tour

I was sent two randomly selected books from this list
The Silver Sword by Angela Elwell Hunt,
The Captain’s Bride by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Tommorrow’s Treasure
by Linda Lee Chaikin
Under the Distant Sky
by Al and Joanna Lacy
The Veil by Diane Noble.
A Promise for Breanna
by Al & Joanna Lacy,
Maire
by Linda Windsor,
A Gathering of Finches
by Jane Kirkpatrick.

The books I received were The Veil and The Silver Sword

In The Veil by Diane Nobel, Hannah McClary dares to question the truth behind the shroud of secrecy that cloaks a nineteenth-century sect known as the Saints. Soon she and Lucas Knight, the young man she loves, find themselves fighting for their lives.

The Silver Sword by Angela Elwell Hunt is book one in The Heirs of Cahira O’ Connor series. The auburn-haired O’Conner women push against social limits. Their tale is one of peril, courage, vengeance, love and sacrifice.

If you would like to purchase these books or any of the others listed you can do so here . You can also win a copy of either one the ones I have reviewed by commenting on this post.

Winner Ten Dumb Things...

Congratulations to Brandy Davis winner of Ten Dumb Things Christians Believe. I will get to your book to you soon. Thanks for your participation.

Happy Birthday United States of America

What are you doing for the fourth?

is a question a lot of people ask. My answer has almost always been nothing. We don't have a BBQ, and we don't friends or family that include us in their celebrations and we don't buy fireworks. Occasionally we have gone to see the city's display; we did the first year we moved here as we had arrived earlier that day and it seemed fitting. But for the most part we spend the weekend at home. Yet I don't feel we are really missing anything because today is not about all that to me. To me all that is like baking a cake and throwing myself a party for someone else' s birthday. To me this day is a time to reflect on the great vision of our forefathers in founding this country where freedom reigns. It is a time to thank God for the privilege of being in born in this country and praying for those who must face the harshness of living in countries where I would be considered wealthy and living for Christ means constant fear of imprisonment and or torture of themselves or family members.
Don't get me wrong,I don't have a problem with the other ways of celebrating this day. As I said I have participated in them as well. But I don't want them to be my focus.
I do hope for a safe and fun fourth for everyone, but I also hope for a time of thoughtful gratitude as well.

The Vanishing Sculptor Blog Tour

The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul
I am still reading this book so I am going to publish a summary from the publisher.
Thus far I am enjoying my first time reading this author. If you are a fan and have read the earlier books in this series I have no doubt you are in for a real treat.

Return to the world of the dragon keepers, where the fate of three missing statues will determine the fate of the world. Tipper, a young emerlindian woman, has been responsible for the upkeep of her family’s estate since her sculptor father disappeared several years ago. To make ends meet, she’s been forced to sell off the artwork he left behind. When at last her father returns, accompanied by two strangers from a distant land, Tipper discovers that her actions have unbalanced the foundation of her world, as well as her father’s life, and she must act quickly to undo the threat. But how can she save her father and the world on her own? The task is too huge for one person, so she gathers the help of some unlikely companions—including her guardian, the giant parrot Beccaroon, the wizard Fenworth, and his librarian Librettowit—and sets out on a quest, eventually witnessing the loving care and miraculous resources of Wulder.

Join new characters and old friends on a journey into a fantasy that inhabits the same world as the DragonKeeper Chronicles, but in a different country and an earlier time, where the people know little of Wulder and nothing of Paladin.

Author Bio:

Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and author of numerous novellas, short stories, and eight novels, including the best-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles, a series which has sold more than a quarter million books to date. The winner of multiple awards, she lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she spends time mentoring and encouraging young writers. Visit her online at donitakpaul.com.

You may purchase this book here or you can leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy. Happy reading!

Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes Blog Tour

My apologies to the author and publisher for the tardiness of this post.
Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes by Robin Jones Gunn
Summer Finley makes a decision to realize a lifelong dream when she is faced with the news of an abnormal mammogram. She heads for Holland where she enjoys tulips, wooden shoes, and her best friend, Noelle,
Noelle and Summer have been pen pals since fourth grade, but have never met face-to-face. Through decades of correspondence, they have developed an abiding friendship. A week of together helps both of them release anxiety and develop a deeper trust in God. When Summer finally reveals the news of her abnormal medical report, Noelle finds the freedom to share a her own deep heartache,and both women discover they needed each other more than they realized.
This book made me laugh so hard at times I cried but also touched my heart tenderly and deeply as well. Summer's exploits in Holland were funny and the descriptions of the flowers and shops and things made me want to go to Holland for myself. That is not easy to do for this homebody. I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy this book in the Sisterchick series. This was my first foray into this particular author's works. I had heard of the Sisterchick books but dismissed them as frivolity. I was quite mistaken in that opinion and plan to catch up on the series as well as the other books this author has written.
Publisher note
Women ages 35 and up, readers of Christian Boomer Lit, and fans of books such as The Yada Yada Prayer Group will enjoy Robin Jones Gunn’s humorous and uplifting style. True-to-life characters and moments of poignancy bring a deeper understanding of the value of life and the gift of true friends. Readers guide and bonus material included.
Robin Jones Gunn is the best-selling and award-winning author of over seventy books, including the Glenbrooke, Christy Miller, Sierra Jensen, Katie Weldon, and Christy and Todd.The College Years teen series. The Sisterchicks® series has sold more than 300,000 units, bringing her total sales to more than 3.5 million books worldwide. A Christy Award winner, Robin is a popular speaker, both at home and abroad, and is frequently interviewed on radio and on television. www.robingunn.com www.sisterchicks.com

For a chance to win your own copy leave a comment on this post. You can also purchase here
Happy reading!

Stealing Home Blog Tour

I must admit I had my doubts about this book when I heard about it. I didn't think I would really enjoy a book about a baseball player. I am happy to report I was wrong. This book is about so much more than baseball and yet made me appreciate the game and those who love it too. Stealing Home transported me back to the early 1900's so effectively I felt a bit of culture shock at coming back to reality when I finished the book. The writing in this book makes reading it a delight and putting it down a disappointment. The characters are quite believable and likable. Duke Dennison, Ned Clovis, Ellie and Morris were as real to me as my own daughter for the time I was reading this engaging book and linger with me still. I see in my mind, the tilt of Ellie's head as she observes people coming off of the train and the frustration of Ned's brow when someone turns away while talking to him. Even now I can see Duke's cocky grin the first time he meets Ellie and Morris' smile as Duke deposits "a whole" five dollars in his hand.
I look forward to finding more books by this author; whose bio follows.
Allison Pittman spent seventeen years as a high school English teacher, and then shunned the advice of “experts,” quit her day job and set out to write novels that bring glory to God. She relishes inspiring other writers and leading the theater arts group at her church. She and her husband and three sons live in Universal City, Texas.
If you would like to own a copy of this book go here to purchase or you can leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy. Happy reading!

Saints In Limbo Blog Tour

I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it; but I am running out of time to come up with my own review so I will use the summary from the publisher. I know you will enjoy it too. So please click here to order your own copy.
Ever since her husband Joe died, Velma True’s world has been limited to what she can see while clinging to one of the multicolored threads tied to the porch railing of her home outside Echo, Florida.

When a mysterious stranger appears at her door on her birthday and presents Velma with a special gift, she is rattled by the object’s ability to take her into her memories–a place where Joe still lives, her son Rudy is still young, unaffected by the world’s hardness, and the beginning is closer than the end. As secrets old and new come to light, Velma wonders if it’s possible to be unmoored from the past’s deep roots and find a reason to hope again.

Author Bio
River Jordan is a critically acclaimed novelist and playwright whose unique mixture of southern and mystic writing has drawn comparisons to Sarah Addison Allen, Leif Enger, and Flannery O’Connor. Her previous works include The Messenger of Magnolia Street, lauded by Kirkus Reviews as “a beautifully written, atmospheric tale.” She speaks around the country and makes her home in Nashville.

Amish Love

Amish Love

What’s all the hubbub about Amish fiction? Major media outlets like Time and ABC Nightline are covering it, and authors like Cindy Woodsmall are making the New York Times bestseller list regularly. What makes these books so interesting?

Check out the recent ABC Nightline piece here about Cindy and her titles When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and When the Soul Mends. It’s an intriguing look at Amish culture and the time Cindy has spent with Amish friends.

And don’t forget that Cindy’s new book The Hope of Refuge hits store shelves August 11, and is available for preorder now.

Closing Out Old Blog Tours

There are still a few books I have reviewed that have no comments on them. I will be getting rid of these of these books soon if no comments so please check back and see if there is anything that catches your eye. Same rules apply, leave a comment on that post; if comments are not allowed on a post, that book is no longer available.
Thanks for your faithful readership. God Bless You.

Winner Dear Mom

Once again Brandy Davis wins for the only comment on Dear Mom. Thanks for your faithfulness in commenting Brandy, hopefully some others with catch on too. Happy reading, you can never prepare too early!

Winner Mama’s Got A Fake I.D

Congratulations to brandy davis who wins her a copy of Mama's Got A Fake I.D. I will be contacting for arrangements to get the book to you. Happy reading Brandy!

Winner: Clutter Free Christianity

My apologies for taking so long to do this, the winner of Clutter Free Christianity by Robert Jeffress is bmd please contact me with an address so I can send you your book. Thanks for your comments. Happy reading!

Night Watchman Blog Tour

The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir is a great story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! In fact I have not enjoyed a book as much as I enjoyed Night Watchman in quite some time. The author had me hooked on the first page and it just kept getting better from there on.
Quinn is the hero of the book, but I didn't like him at first. He is rude and mean and drowning himself in Jim Beam and self loathing. There were times I wanted to slap him for the way he treated people, but as the story progressed I couldn't help but begin to like him a little. After all, someone had loved him and died defending his life, so he must have something going for him.
From the gritty dialogue, to the apt descriptions and believable characters, Night Watchman sings with emotion. The tension and drama start on the first page and continue through to the last.
I have never read this author before, but will be looking for more from him and really hope he continues the exploits of Detective Quinn and the lovable Crevis into another book or two at least.
Kudos to Mark Mynheir for a fantastic escape into the story of Ray Quinn. Keep them coming!

Author Bio:
A detective with the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Palm Bay Police Department, Mark Mynheir investigates violent crimes and writes riveting Christian fiction. A U.S. Marine with a passion for martial arts and firearms training, Mark has worked on narcotics units, SWAT teams, and myriad high-risk situations. His four novels offer a realistic glimpse into the gritty world of law enforcement and the rarely seen raw emotions behind the badge. Mark lives in Florida with his wife and three children.

OK folks, if you want to read this book you can purchase it here or you can leave a comment on this post for a chance at winning a copy. Happy reading!

They Call Him Taishi

Bet you can't guess where I am right now? I am roughly 500 miles from home is a place called Suwanee,Georgia. Now you may be asking why am I so far from home? Well it is a very long story but I will begin to tell you here, but you must promise that you won't judge until you have read the whole story which may take a few posts. Just be patient, OK?

Sigh,it all started roughly 5 years ago. My daughter had started an online journal to keep up with her, then, best friend that she had met in 5th grade and and had to leave when we moved at the end of 6th grade.
I made sure she was careful about it; at the time we didn't have a home computer so she had to go to the library to update. When she was 19 she got an apartment of her own with her new best friend and had moved her journal over to a section for Christians. Not long after this guy from Georgia left a comment on one of her posts and they began to talk back and forth through email. He called himself Taishi, but his name is Joshua, and within a few weeks they exchanged phone numbers.
Things went on like this for a few months and then things began to change. They started to argue a lot; he was getting away from Christ and questioning his beliefs and starting to party and do drugs and stuff. Eventually she and him stopped talking at all because he said some really hurtful things to her and she was grieved by that and his unwillingness to give up his lifestyle.
I think it was over a year that they didn't talk then somehow the lines of communication were opened back up. I am not sure who initiated it but she had grown a lot in her faith and maturity and was now able to handle things better and he was learning that he didn't have all the answers as well. At this point we are probably over 3 years into the relationship.
Things went along kind of up and down for about a year of more, her trying to gently nudge him away from his lifestyle, arguments ensuing and apologies and so on.Then her got arrested. Not only was he caught with drugs, but with enough to get charged with posession with intent to distribute, a felony. Waiting for his court day was a nightmare for him and I believe this is what turned him back to Christ. He was really scared he would have to go to prison and very well could have. On his court date he pleaded no contest and got probation, I am not sure how long in total but he got over 6 months of extremely strict probation, he has to be in his house by 7pm!
More later. Remember, don't judge.

That Dog Stole My Underwear!

The above is one of the many shouts to be heard in this house over the last couple of months as we have a new addition to the household; Dharma.

Dharma is a Dorkie ( a Yorkie, Dachshund mix) I found on this website at the first of the year. I had to have them hold her for me until I had the money; which they were nice to do with a small deposit. They had already named her, I would not have chosen her name but it's OK. I would have named her Gobo or Wembley which don't mean much to anyone who is not a fan of Fraggle Rock . She really does resemble a Fraggle which my daughter was the first to notice by sayi8ng she looked like a Jim Henson character. It wasn't until I took her to get shots and the vet called her Fraggle that we made the connection to the show we used to watch when she and her brother were toddlers.


She is now 5 months old and at last weigh in about 3 weeks ago she was 5.5 lbs. A real porker eh? She is not at all spoiled or anything ;)
Maria is great with her, very gentle and patient. Of course Betty doesn't like her but we were planning on giving up Betty anyway, we just haven't found her a home yet. Betty has done better with her than expected though. So far she has not even come close to hurting her, only growled at her for getting to close. I make sure and praise her well for this.
I have tons of pics and will be posting them as well as video. It has been interesting around here for sure. She steals anything she can get her teeth on, even things bigger than she is! When she as just 3 and half months old and all of 3 pounds,I had my vacuum cleaner taken apart and she took the dirt catcher and took off with it. She steals socks, shoes, trash, pens, pill bottles, books, toilet brushes (yuck) and more. If something hits the floor it's a race to get it picked up before she comes and grabs it.
More later. Have great week!



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Happy Mother’s Day Blog Tour Book 3

Enduring Justiceby Amy Wallace When an FBI agent is pressed into action by a loved one’s childhood secret and a racial killer, he learns the difference between vengeance and justice is the choice to heal. (Publisher promo)

Enduring Justice us a compelling drama that I really wanted to like. The main themes running through the book have the potential to be powerfully emotional yet somehow, the author lets them fall flat.
I was pretty sure I knew Hannah's dark secret and I was right, but I was disappointed in the shallowness this powerful subject matter was dealt with.
The other main character, Micheal's conflicted emotions and bitterness were again rife with potential which was left, for the most part, unrealized.
Instead of seeing people deal with problems with prayer and God's Word; we see people whose issues and problems are all wrapped neatly in a trite happy ending.
Also, the dialogue in this book, especially the internal dialogue of the main characters, does not only not right true, but lends a choppy disjointedness to the tale.
I am not, like some, one to quibble over proper sentence structure and grammar to the point of banality. I don't demand excellent writing in order to enjoy a good story. But I do demand good writing , which in my opinion, this book sorely lacks. I was actually surprised to find this was not the authors first book.
It frustrates me that so many poorly written books get published when I know good writers who want to get published and can't.
As I said earlier, I really wanted to like this book. I hope you will like it more than I did, and if you would like to challenge my opinion, please leave a comment for a chance to read it yourself and let me know what you think.
You can also purchase it here .
Happy reading and get to commenting please!

I Will Praise Him In This Storm

I believe God is Who He says He is and I believe God can do what He says He can do. I keep telling myself this over and over again as I absorb the news that, once again, my daughter has lost her job. The boss had made an agreement with the employee that she replaced that if she ever wanted to come back she could have her job back. Tomorrow will be her last day.
Already I am seeing her fall into destructive behavior, and I lift her to the God of All and pray that He will lift her up. I pray He will pick her up from the pit and put her feet on the solid Rock, and give me wisdom, to know what to say and when to say it, or when to just not say anything at all. I pray god fills her heart with His joy and her mind with peace.
Thank You God, for You are Faithful.

Happy Mother’s Day Blog Tour Book 2

Encouraging and practical, Dear Mom looks at the heart, instead of just outward behaviors, to help you communicate without the angst, know what your teen daughter’s really thinking—and reconnect.

Though I have not read this book because I have no need of it; from the summary below I think it bears looking into for those of you who have teen daughters or will have soon. 4 turns to 14 in the blink of an eye ladies, be prepared! Post a comment for a chance to win a copy or check out this link to purchase a copy. Once again, happy reading.

Every mom knows how communicating with a teenage girl can be difficult, even impossible at times. One-word answers. Defensive conversations. Daily arguments. How typical for teens to put up such barriers. All the while, moms truly long to know what their daughters really think.

Best-selling author Melody Carlson, whose books for women, teens, and children have sold more than three million copies, bridges this chasm with trusted insight. She speaks frankly in the voice of the teen daughters she’s written for and she tells it like it is: struggles with identity, guys, friendship, and even parents—it’s all here. The straight-talk to moms covers such things as “I need you, but you can’t make me admit it,” “I’m not as confident as I appear,” and “I have friends. I need a mother.”

Instead of focusing on outward behaviors, Dear Mom looks at a young woman’s heart and reveals to moms:

· how to talk to teens so they hear,

· how to connect despite the differences of perspective or years and experiences,

· and how strengthen the bond every mom and daughter ultimately wants.

The lively chapters in Dear Mom can be dipped into topically or used as a read-through tool by moms and daughters alike to understand what motivates or deflates, troubles or inspires—and just in time for Mother’s Day and all the Mother’s Days ahead.

Author Bio:

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than one hundred books for adults, children, and teens, with sales totaling more than three million copies. Beloved for her Diary of a Teenage Girl and Notes from a Spinning Planet series, she’s also the author of the women’s novels Finding Alice (in production now for a Lifetime-TV movie), Crystal Lies, On This Day, These Boots Weren’t Made for Walking, and A Mile in My Flip-Flops. A mother of two grown sons, Melody lives in central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. She’s a full-time writer and an avid gardener, biker, skier, and hiker.

Mama’s Got A Fake I.D Blog Tour

Happy Mother’s Day
from WaterBrook Press/Multnomah Books!

Mama’s Got A Fake I.D. shows women that being a mom doesn’t mean losing yourself. If you’re wondering what happened to the talents and abilities you made use of before kids came along, get ready to find yourself again.

I haven't read this, so here is the summary from the publisher. I am sure there are many of you who will enjoy this book. Look for more books for Moms this week, and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of each one or go here to purchase. Happy reading!

Formula for identity loss:

1. Take one multifaceted, intriguing human being.

2. Bless her with a child.

3. Mix with today’s cultural assumptions.

4. Add the demands of motherhood.

5. Presto! All identity except Mom disappears.

For every woman wondering what happened to the unique combination of gifts and abilities she was known for before kids came along, Caryn Dahlstrand Rivedeneira has good news: in Mama’s Got a Fake I.D., Rivedeneira helps moms reclaim their full identity as creative beings, gifted professionals and volunteers, loving friends, children of God—and mothers.

This inspiring and practical guide shows women how to break free from false guilt, learn a new language to express who they really are, and follow God’s lead in sharing their true self with others. After all, motherhood doesn’t have to mean losing one’s identity. Instead, being a mom makes it possible for a woman to discover a more complete identity as the person God made her to be.


Author Bio

The former managing editor of Marriage Partnership and Christian Parenting Today, Caryn Dahlstrand Rivedeneira has been a trusted voice writing and speaking to women for more than a decade. Today she is the managing editor of GiftedForLeadership.com, an online community for Christian women in leadership. Rivadeneira works from home in the Chicago suburbs, where she lives with her husband and their three children.

Perspective

I think we all could a change in our perspective once in awhile. Check out this to get a change in yours today. It pierced my heart pretty good, let me tell ya!
Have a blessed day and a good weekend. It will be raining here; hope someone gets some time in the outdoors with sunshine.

A Jane Kirkpatrick Duet Blog Tour

Check out these books, I haven't had time to read lately but here are the summaries from the publisher.

The perfect pairing of a heart retrenching tale and a real life view of a Utopian community, both set in the1800s, any fan of Jane will be sure to love! Even if you are new to Kirkpatrick’s work, you can certainly expect to be captivated and longing for more while discovering new fascinations you never knew you had. Her extraordinary experiences mixed with her rich history have given her the ability to draw you in and make you feel like you are experiencing her unique stories as they happen. This rare gift has helped her to become one of today’s best selling authors. Be prepared to be blown away by her words as you get a glimpse into an entirely new world.


Returning to her Midwest roots, award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick draws a page from her grandmother’s photo album to capture the interplay between shadow and light, temptation and faith that marks a woman’s pursuit of her dreams.

She took exquisite photographs,

but her heart was the true image exposed.


Fifteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele loves nothing more than capturing a gorgeous Minnesota landscape when the sunlight casts its most mesmerizing shadows. So when F.J. Bauer hires her in 1907 to assist in his studio and darkroom, her dreams for a career in photography appear to find root in reality.

With the infamous hazards of the explosive powder used for lighting and the toxic darkroom chemicals, photography is considered a man’s profession. Yet Jessie shows remarkable talent in both the artistry and business of running a studio. She proves less skillful, however, at managing her growing attraction to the very married Mr. Bauer.

This luminous coming-of-age tale deftly exposes the intricate shadows that play across every dream worth pursuing—and the irresistible light that beckons the dreamer on.




Wrap yourself in a fantastic journey,
a remarkable commitment, and a spare and splendid story

Master storyteller Jane Kirkpatrick extols the beautiful treasures, unknown to a wider public, rediscovered in the Old Aurora Colony of Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley. The people and legacy of Aurora, a utopian community founded in the mid-1800s, will stir your imagination, hopes, and dreams; and remind you that every life matters—that our lives are the stories other people read first.

~Featuring~

Unique and treasured quilt pattern variations

More than 100 photographs, many never-before published, from 1850 to today

Cherished stories from Aurora descendants

Rich images of fine crafts from the Aurora Colony and private collections

An introduction by renowned American artist John Houser

Aurora is about the difference every ordinary life can make—and a beautiful celebration of a time and place in which people expressed their most cherished beliefs through the work of their imagination and hands.

Author Bio:
Jane Kirkpatrick is a best-selling, award-winning author whose previous historical novels include All Together in One Place and Christy Award finalist A Tendering in the Storm. An international keynote speaker, she has earned regional and national recognition for her stories based on the lives of actual people, including the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Hall of Fame. Jane is a Wisconsin native who since 1974 has lived in Eastern Oregon, where she and her husband, Jerry, ranch 160 rugged acres.

My" Dream" Son in Law

My Dear Sweet Daughter asked me a question this week that has been on my mind for quite some time. I was driving at the time, and because it has been on my mind I put her off. I wanted to make sure I had time to devote to her answer. The question she asked me was what do I want for her in a husband?
For reasons to be explained at a later time, this is an issue I have felt the need to address soon, and had even thought about writing a blog post about it. I think her question was conformation for me that I was on the right track.
What do I want in a husband for my only daughter, my baby girl, my Sweetpea? Perfection of course!
OK, not possible, I know, so more realistically; he must be a Believer in redeeming grace bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. The man I want my daughter to marry would love Jesus first and foremost and care more about serving and obeying Him than anything, even her. That said he would treasure her above riches or fame and never cease to honor and cherish her. He would be motivated to provide an income as well as serving in church, which he would attend regularly. He would a hungry student of God's Word studying daily and would pray with her every morning before work and every evening before bed. The man I would hope to have marry my little girl, would understand her weaknesses, and work with her to improve on what she wants and needs to improve while maintaining her dignity. He would readily notice her strengths and help her find ways to utilize her gifts and talents for the Body Of Christ as well as her own edification. He would understand her genetic concerns and wholeheartedly embrace her desire to adopt children and work hard to make that happen at the right time. This man would love her and give his life for her, just as Christ loved him and gave Himself for him, and through this Danielle would know the love of God so clearly it would fill the hole she has had in her spirit ever since her father abandoned her.
Now, please understand, I don't expect all of these qualities right off the bat. I understand maturity needs to develop. But I do believe he should be close to the same level of spiritual maturity as she is. I say this because God's Word says we should not be unequally yoked; see 2 Corinthians . While this says unbelievers I think it also sound advice period. If you yoke two animals with a large difference in strength, over time the animal pulling harder ( the weaker one) will balk. The same is true of people of different maturity levels etc. This reference in Corinthians goes back to a prohibition of yoking animals of different species together, which is what we and unbelievers truly are, and I don't mean to take away from that basic meaning of this verse. I mean only to add an application to the one already obvious.
There it is dear child, I pray you will take this in the spirit offered. Not one of judgment, criticism, or cynicism, but one of caring, concern and hope for the the very best. The rest of you can just wonder about why I chose to write about this at this time. I can tell you, that if there is something to know, it will be revealed in due time.
That said I just want to add that I am very proud of my daughter. I have not always liked her choices, because I knew those choices would end up hurting her. I have not always, in fact more like seldom, done a good job of communicating my unconditional love to her, but it is there. There is absolutely nothing she could do that would make me stop loving her or love her less.
I thank God every day for my children, for they have been my hope, my reason for living, in the days before I knew Christ they were what kept me alive. I do not deserve the boundless blessings they have been to me, I cannot take credit for their kindness and generosity. They got the raw end of the deal in the parent department, yet in spite of that have learned love and taught; are teaching, me to love better. Thank You God, thank You!

Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe Blog Tour

Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe by Larry Osborne

Just Because “Everyone Believes It”

Doesn’t Make It True

People don’t set out to build their faith upon myths and spiritual urban legends. But somehow such falsehoods keep showing up in the way that many Christians think about life and God. These goofy ideas and beliefs are assumed by millions to be rock-solid truth . . . until life proves they’re not. The sad result is often a spiritual disaster—confusion, feelings of betrayal, a distrust of Scripture, loss of faith, anger toward both the church and God.



But it doesn’t have to be so. In this delightfully personal and practical book, respected Bible teacher Larry Osborne confronts ten widely held beliefs that are both dumb and dangerous. Beliefs like these:



• Faith can fix anything

• Christians shouldn’t judge

• Forgiving means forgetting

• Everything happens for a reason

• A godly home guarantees good kids
…and more.

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of this book. I have two copies this time so get to commenting!

Of course if you don't win you can also purchase this book here and here or here .

Gardening Eden blog tour

Gardening Eden by Michael Abbaté

Before the snake, the apple, and the Ten Commandments, God created a garden, placed humans in it, and told them to take care of it.
“Spiritual environmentalism” did not start out as an oxymoron—it was an invitation. Yet today, many believe God’s original job description for humankind has been replaced by other worthier pursuits. So when did this simple instruction become so controversial? How does one sort through all the mixed messages? Is making the world a healthier place for the next generation really a responsibility—or even possible?
Gardening Eden is a new understanding of how the spiritual dimensions of life can find expression and renewal through caring for our incredible planet. Empowering, simple, and never polemical, Michael Abbaté outlines the Bible’s clear spiritual benefits of caring for creation, exploring new motivations and inspired ideas, and revealing the power of our basic connection to all people and living things through the growing interest in spiritual environmentalism.
Green living is no longer a fad—simple lifestyle solutions are now available to everyone. Gardening Eden shows readers how this shift transforms not only our world, but their very souls as they’re drawn into deeper harmony with the Creator. This book invites them to discover the powerful spiritual satisfaction of heeding the call to save our world.

Author Bio:
A nationally recognized expert in “green” development strategies, Mike Abbaté is a founder of GreenWorks, an award-winning landscape architecture design firm. He frequently speaks to students and leaders about practical ways to minimize the impact of building and landscape design on natural resources. Abbaté’s work has been featured in national magazines such as Metropolis and Landscape Architecture and in many local newspapers and trade publications. He and his wife, Vicki, have two adult daughters and live near Portland, Oregon.

Time Marches On

My baby turns 24 today! I can't believe it! Where has the time gone? Wasn't it just a only 5 or 6 years ago that I held her in my arms in the hospital and gazed into her bright blue eyes filled with knowing? Just a few years ago that she was getting into the pantry and taking cocoa mix and cereal and dumping them in her brother's closet? Surely it has not been over 20 years since I was thinking one of us would not survive another year of this!
Had I known this day would come this fast, would I have treasured those days of testing her limits and pushing the line? How many times would I have said I love you instead of NO or DON'T? How many times would I have just let the housework go and instead sit and hold her in my arms, smelling the sweetness of her baby skin and feeling her heart beat next to mine?
Those of you who have small children, I implore you, treasure each moment, let them make messes, snuggle all you can, because you will turn around one day and see them graduating high school, blink and they have graduated college or moved across the country for a great career opportunity. Close your eyes and the phone will wake you to hear I'm getting married. Hold on to them, for tomorrow, they will insist you let them go.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETPEA;
I am so very humbled to have been given the privilege of being your mother and proud to call you my roommate and friend. I pray you will be as blessed as you have blessed me; for I could not wish you anything greater than this. I love you.

Praying For One Another

This story put me in mind of a Scripture passage that has been convicting me over the past few months. It was sent via email forward; I cut out all the yakked yak and copied it here. Enjoy.

I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both especially good that day.
As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, 'I will work for food.' My heart sank..
I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and disbelief.
We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and quickly set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that seeing him again would call some response. I drove through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my car.
Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: 'Don't go back to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square.'
Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town.. As I turned the square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store front church, going through his sack.
I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's newest visitor.
'Looking for the pastor?' I asked.
'Not really,' he replied, 'just resting.' 'Have you eaten today?' 'Oh, I ate something early this morning.'
'Would you like to have lunch with me?' 'Do you have some work I could do for you?'
'No work,' I replied 'I commute here to work from the city, but I would like to take you to lunch.'
'Sure,' he replied with a smile. As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions. 'Where you headed?' ' St. Louis '
'Where you from?'
'Oh, all over; mostly Florida .'
'How long you been walking?' 'Fourteen years,' came the reply.
I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a bright red T-shirt that said, 'Jesus is The Never Ending Story.'
Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought.

He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over to God
'Nothing's been the same since,' he said, 'I felt the Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now.'

'Ever think of stopping?' I asked.
'Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me. But God has given me this calling. I give out Bibles That's what's in my sack. I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads.'
I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission and lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and then I asked: 'What's it like?'
'What? 'To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show your sign?'
'Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's concepts of other folks like me.'
My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said, 'Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a stranger and you took me in.'
I felt as if we were on holy ground. 'Could you use another Bible?' I asked.
He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. 'I've read through it 14 times,' he said.
'I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and see' I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he seemed very grateful.
'Where are you headed from here?' I asked.
'Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park coupon.'
'Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?'
'No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next.'
He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his mission. I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things.
'Would you sign my autograph book?' he asked. 'I like to keep messages from folks I meet.'
I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a verse of scripture from Jeremiah, 'I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you; Plans to give you a future and a hope.'
'Thanks, man,' he said. 'I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but I love you.'

'I know,' I said, 'I love you, too.' 'The Lord is good! 'Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?' I asked. A long time,' he replied And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, 'See you in the New Jerusalem.'
'I'll be there!' was my reply.
He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, 'When you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?'
'You bet,' I shouted back, 'God bless.'
'God bless.' And that was the last I saw of him..
Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car. As I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night without them.
Then I remembered his words: 'If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?'
Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry... 'See you in the New Jerusalem,' he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will...

What's Good About A Tortuous Death?

It is Good Friday. When I was not a Believer, I thought people were crazy for calling this day Good Friday. "How could they call a day marking the murder of an innocent man good?" What I did not understand, because my eyes were closed to the things of the Spirit, was that is was not only good, but necessary. Only in God's economy could such a horrible day, become celebrated as good. This is the hallmark of a God's character; He is paradoxical. Do you want to be rich? Give all you have away, do you want to to strong? Then you must become weak. Do you want to be ruler of kingdoms, bow down and serve others. Do you want to live forever? Then you must die; to your sin, your selfishness. Do you want the world to have hope? Then You must die for them.
Thank You God, for not making sense.

Enjoy this Good Friday folks, and rejoice that it didn't end on that cross!

Clutter- Free Christianity Blog Tour

Clutter-Free Christianity
by Dr. Robert Jeffress

This book was different than I was expecting it to be; which turns out to be good. I was expecting a book that talked about the busyness of today's average Christian. What I got was just what I needed at this time in my life.
This book is a call to get back to the basic tenants of Christianity. It is a call to stop theorizing, speculating, and ministering for sake of ministry, and get ask ourselves if we are prepared for eternity.
Mr Jeffress opens up with the analagy of preparing for international travel and reckons that if we take such extreme care to prepare for a trip such as thisl how much more so should we take care to prepare for the most important destination of all. While a trip overseas may be subject to rescheduling or cancellation, the time we will leave for eternity is fixed in God's calendar and if we don't prepare now, we won't get another chance when it is time to go.
Realizing his own mortality was slipping by quickly, Mr Jeffress asked himself

What must I do to please God?

While understanding we are saved by grace and grace alone, we must also realize, says Jeffress, that the Bible is clear that God is interested in more just our justification,,we must also have a changed heart as suggested in Luke 10 . Our hearts must be transformed, and this is what the book goes on to address; broken down into 10 chapters that cover Connecting your heart to God's power on through to Prayer, communicating with God and ending with Creating a plan to change your life.
I have found Mr. Jeffress book refreshing, timely, and challenging. It is one of the few books of it's kind I have seen that delivers what it implies to promise, which is spiritual and personal growth.
If you think there is nothing you can do or must do to please God beyond accepting His gift of Salvation, I challenge you to read this book and find renewed focus and purpose for your life. Even knowing that I must do more, this book helped me, is helping me, to sort through the clutter of day to day struggles and frustrations and failures, and get to heart of what pleasing God really means. If you lead a small group, I would encourage you to consider this book for discussion, it has a study guide included.

Author Bio:
Dr. Robert Jeffress is the senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, one of the most historic churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. The author of sixteen books, he is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, live broadcasts of Dr. Jeffress’ weekly messages reach millions of listeners and viewers each week, while his daily sermon series airs on 1,100 television stations and cable systems nationwide. Dr. Jeffress and his wife, Amy, are the parents of two adult daughters.
I am grateful to God for leading me to this book, for Mr Jeffress for writing it and to the publisher for making it available to all of us.
I hope you will check here to get a copy of your own and make your Christianity Clutter Free

Yikes, update indeed!

My last update was the 14th?! No wonder I got a request for an update. Tsk tsk tsk, shame on me!

Sigh, I really don't know what to say for myself except that I have been laboring under the side effects of new medication. Some my recall a post a while back about an embarrassing incident in the Health Food Store. Well the incidents became more and more frequent until I was forced to start wearing a protection almost all of the time and certainly if I were planning on being out of the house. I finally decided it was time to talk to my MD about it. I had been hoping it would get better as I lost weight but such was not the case, in fact I think it was getting worse with the weight loss. Of course he wanted me to try a medication, the main reason I had waited so long not to say anything was that I did not want to add another medicine unless absolutely necessary; but he said it was, especially to rule out other causes of the problem. But ever since I started the medicine I have become increasingly tired and sluggish. It has been long enough that it is obvious by now it is not going to go away, so I contacted my MD. I go back on Wednesday afternoon. He was going to just change my prescription but all the medicines in the class carry the same side effect, so now we need to come up with another approach. So this is why I have not posted, and have not done a whole lot of anything for the last couple of weeks. I just can't get enough sleep and when I am not sleeping I feel like I moving through half dried cement so I don't got a lot done. Seems like this is one the things that goes by the wayside when I am not up to par.
I will try to get on the ball and get back on here and get caught up with what is going on in my life.
Like getting a new puppy and my latest attempt at becoming independent.
I will also be doing more blog tours for some interesting books so stay tuned and please don't hesitate to poke me.

So This Is Why I Stopped Eating "Regular" Food!

I went to a Home Party for a popular kitchen gadget company last night and I decided to live a little and just eat what was being prepared instead of eating at home and refraining as usual. The demonstration dishes were a fake lasagna dish made with tortillas, canned sauce, etc. and a dessert pizza; which used a sugar cookie dough crust, whipped topping with cream cheese, pineapples, bananas, and strawberry ice cream topping. I only had a little slice of the dessert and a small serving of the main dish. I didn't even eat all the dessert. I felt like I had just poured a bag of sugar down my throat afterwords and today? Today I feel awful! OK part of it is the chair I sat in, and part of it is the weather changing but still- I feel like a giant slug, moving through freshly poured cement! I don't think I will be tempted to "cheat" again anytime soon, if ever. I don't like feeling this way!

On a diffrent note, I found this messing around online earlier today.
If you insert Jesus Christ where she says inside it is pretty right on. The direction our nation has taken is certainly scary, and if we stay on this course our future looks pretty bleak. If you don't regularly pray for our nation and our youth, I hope you will consider changing that. I know I will.
Yet still I praise God, for He is Worthy and He is our Hope and Help.

The Echo Within Winner

I only had one winner on this and it is Brandy; congratulations! Please contact me to arrange delivery of your book.

Dinner With A Perfect Stranger Blog Tour

Dinner With A Perfect Stranger by David Gregory is a large blessing in a small package.
Only 100 pages long, this little book does a great job of presenting Jesus and His Father to would be critics and detractors.
A man receives an invitation to dinner with none other than, Jesus of Nazareth and goes simply to play along with what he feels is an obvious joke on him by one of his colleagues. What he finds when he gets there is only the first surprise of the evening as he converses with a man who knows a lot about him and has some very interesting answers to his questions.
Well told, historically and Biblically accurate; this story will warm the hearts of the devout to the skeptic. It is a well written, interesting and perfectly paced while also being informative and even fun. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the companion, A Day with A Perfect Stranger.

What if a fascinating stranger knew you better than you know yourself?

When her husband comes home with a farfetched story about eating dinner with someone he believes to be Jesus, Mattie Cominsky thinks this may signal the end of her shaky marriage. Convinced that Nick is, at best, turning into a religious nut, the self-described agnostic hopes that a quick business trip will give her time to think things through.

On board the plane, Mattie strikes up a conversation with a fellow passenger. When she discovers their shared scorn for religion, she confides her frustration over her husband’s recent conversion. The stranger suggests that perhaps her husband isn’t seeking religion but true spiritual connection, an idea that prompts her to reflect on her own search for fulfillment.

As their conversation turns to issues of spiritual longing and deeper questions about the nature of God, Mattie finds herself increasingly drawn to this insightful stranger. But when the discussion unexpectedly turns personal, touching on things she’s never told anyone, Mattie is startled and disturbed. Who is this man who seems to peer straight into her soul?

David Gregory is the author of the best-selling books Dinner with a Perfect Stranger and A Day with a Perfect Stranger, and coauthor of two nonfiction books. After a ten-year business career, he returned to school to study religion and communications, earning graduate degrees from The University of North Texas and Dallas Theological Seminary. A native Texan, David now devotes himself to writing full time.


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