The month is June. The year is 2019. There is no big election until November, 2020, yet you would think that the presidential and congressional elections are imminent if you listen to all of the hubbub on the news or radio. I have decided to remove myself from the conflict. There is a Scriptural reason for this.

When you turn on the water at your faucet, you can easily turn it off because there is a faucet there, a valve that lets water flow freely or turns it off. This isn’t so easy if you are just watching the natural flow of the water from a spring. You can change the course of the water by digging a trench, but you can’t stop its flow. Ask those who have been in the path of a raging river caused by torrential rains. Ask those in Louisiana if you can stop the destructive path of the water once it begins. They know because they lived through the destructive forces of floods. That is what arguing politics is like, a flood that cannot be stopped once it starts.

There are so many online posts that I want to respond to, sometimes with wisdom from above, but usually just from my own nature that cries against lies and deception. But I am holding myself away from the fray. I don’t want to be the one who starts that rolling flood of contention online about one candidate or another. Do I have my beliefs and my favorite candidate? Of course! But that doesn’t mean that I have to toot the horn of my candidate or make him look superior in any way. I have decided to sit quietly, be as active as possible in the local elections and let God help me to keep my spirit quiet. After all, the quarreling online does no one any good but generally causes ill feelings that last a long time. For example, one of my siblings did not speak to me for over a year because of my vote in the last election. She is speaking to me now, but she won’t allow my husband anywhere near her because he is such a staunch supporter of the one who was elected, and she wants no part of anyone who supports him. To me, it’s all like a game. I choose to sit it out and see what happens. I don’t argue online with my liberal sons who consistently post memes demonizing the one whom I support. I don’t answer any online friends who post political memes. Silence, as they say, is golden.

Did you know that when someone tries to start an argument with you and you remain silent, then the argument soon dissipates? It is absolutely true! I listen to my sibling rant and rave without answering her and pretty soon, there is silence. I had tried in the past to reason with her, to point out my reasons for my vote and support of a particular candidate. But that just made her angrier and more determined to show me “the error of my ways.” So now I just patiently (at least I try for patience) listen and wait for her to realize that I am not arguing. In the coming months, as the political campaigns ratchet up to fever pitch, my plan is just to stay calm and not answer. People who know me already know how I feel and I refuse to argue politics with anyone. That’s just how I feel. Water will flow…but I don’t plan to put myself into its destructive path when it starts to rage.

I wish you peace, joy and the love of the Father in your hearts and lives. Blessings!

This is one of those books that is hard to put down but it also a book that moves slowly, so you just want the author to get on with the story so you can find out what happens. Leona is a very protective mother, doing everything with her beloved daughter Beth. In fact, Leona has left her life in London behind to live in the Lake District because that is a better area for Beth. Leona lives with Scott, a tour guide for the area, and she makes a living creating jewelry to sell. Beth is miserable at school, friendless and constantly bullied, but she doesn’t tell her mom what is happening. Instead, she turns to a relationship with an older man, a secret she has to keep from her mother. The book is told from the perspective of Leona, Beth and another woman named Ria, a hapless creature caught in a loveless marriage and pregnant. The tales of Leona and Ria seem to be connected in some way, but the reader doesn’t find out how this is true until near the end of the book. The reveals in the book are done slowly and mostly via Leona talking to her therapist. This is a psychological suspense novel with a twist at the end. Readers of this genre will enjoy it, but I really thought that it moved too slowly to keep most readers interested until the end.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Available now at your local bookseller. This book has a disturbing theme so is not suitable for all readers.

This is a very dark and disturbing book that deals with children murdering a classmate. Charlotte, the female protagonist, has absolutely no memory of the crime and just wants a chance to start over, to rebuild her life without Sean, her partner in the crime. She has frequent visits to her therapist, Dr. Isherwood, and there is much mystery about this woman who takes phone calls in the middle of a therapy session. This is psychological suspense that has a slow start and a lot of flashbacks in the lives of Charlotte and Sean. The flashbacks are necessary to the story, but they do slow down the current action and are somewhat frustrating at times. The plot is interesting and drew me into the story of Charlotte and Sean, making me want to find out the truth about what really happened. Readers of psychological suspense will enjoy this story and will find the conclusion satisfactory.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Available now from your local bookseller. Has a dark theme, so be warned that this book is not for everyone. I would rate it PG-13 for the mature subject matter.

Readers of Claire Douglas’s latest mystery/suspense book will want to set aside time to read this book at one sitting because they will not want to put it down. Jess is friends with teen sisters Heather and Flora, that is until one night, Flora just vanishes. No one admits to knowing what happened to her, so it is like Flora vanished into thin air. Jess returns to her small hometown as a reporter, trying to report on the new mess that Heather has gotten into. Heather is accused of killing two people, and Jess is caught between reporting the story and being a good friend. Although there was not a lot of suspense in the story, there was plenty of mystery and lots of characters who could be involved in Flora’s disappearance and in the murder of which Heather is accused. Jess doggedly follows the clues, leading the reader in a circuitous route that finally leads to the truth. This was an entertaining mystery with plenty of questions to be answered, holding my interest to the end. Fans of Claire Douglas and readers of mysteries will enjoy this latest book!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This book will be available on June 27, 2019. TOMORROW!!

I used to take a lot of walks, when I was a child and then later as a spouse living on various military bases. I found that taking walks calmed me, the me that was angry over the things going on in my life over which I had no control. I can’t take as many walks now. One reason is that we live in a wooded area that is very rural and there are no sidewalks or even a safe space for me to walk. Another reason is that my ability to walk is impeded by a leg that doesn’t like to move around for very long without aching. So, I content myself with chair aerobics and going to the pool twice a week for swim aerobics. It just isn’t the same for me, but I am learning to be content with what is the natural course of my life. Everyone who doesn’t die young gets old. Getting older has challenges of its own, but it also has the promise of eternal life that will be coming sooner rather than later.

I love how this verse expresses what my future will ultimately be like…God’s call is UPward! That is the future for all of us who serve the Lord and have purposed to spend eternity with Him.

I don’t know if I will live until Jesus returns or not. I’m not even sure when the Church will be called away. I just know that I plan to be ready whenever it happens. And if I am already dead, then I will awaken to eternal life with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That is the positive part of this verse in Daniel. The negative side is that some will go to “everlasting contempt.” One version calls it “eternal shame.” (MSG) My grandson has been visiting this week and he is very curious about eternal life and what is to come. He asked me the other day, “What happens if I don’t believe in Hell or eternal condemnation?” My reply to him was very simple, “Your belief in the existence of Hell or not doesn’t make it not real. Hell is a very real place, created for Satan and his angels. But if you insist on living your life selfishly and not accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then God will sadly allow you to go there at the end. It wasn’t meant to you, but God will allow you to have your choices fulfilled.” Well, let me tell you that had him really thinking and asking more questions. I wish that I had all of the answers for him, but I honestly could only answer with my limited knowledge. God is God and will do as He has promised. He has promised salvation to those of us who love and worship His Son as our Lord and Savior. He has also promised judgment and condemnation to those who have not. As my grandson said, “That’s harsh!” Yes. Yes, it is. But God lives up to His character and fulfills His Word. If we choose to live outside of His plan for us, then we are choosing a final destination that He did not choose for us.

Yes, I am older. More of my life is behind me than in front of me. But I have no regrets about living for the Lord and making Him a priority of my life. I know that some day I will reap an eternal reward. I pray and hope that each of you has the same hope of salvation, of eternal life.

Made New by Lincoln Brewster

Do you remember when you were young and something bad happened? Your mom or dad “investigated” and then called you to explain what had happened and why you had acted inappropriately? Then you were expected to give an account of what happened, in your own words, of course. As a fan of mysteries since I was a young girl, I am accustomed to this kind of scene. It’s the “Perry Mason” moment when the bad guy is revealed and given a chance to “do the right thing” and confess. As a Christian, I know that one day I will be giving an account before the Father and although that thought intimidates me, I know that I will have Jesus there as my Advocate so I will be okay.

Notice that this verse uses the word “each.” That is a singular word. We will stand before Father God alone, just one person at a time, giving an account of all we have done in our lives to Him. Makes it sound ominous, doesn’t it? Again, I am a great believer in Jesus being my Advocate and that He will be my Defender. Are there things that I have done wrong? Yes! A resounding yes, of course! But all is covered by the blood of the Savior and so I need not fear. I used to be afraid of all of this “giving an account” thing. I knew that my siblings had probably already been questioned and my story needed to match theirs. The truth won’t make you afraid when you stand before the Lord because the Bible says it is the truth that sets us free! So many years, so many half-truths or lies in order to protect others. I can’t say that I am looking forward to this judgment, but since I know that it is inevitable, I am trying to be realistic about it and know that I just have to give God a truthful account. The Loving Father would expect no less. Blessings to you as you contemplate standing before God. Are you fearful or trusting?

This book is absolutely the best devotional book that I have ever seen. With activities that will grab the interest of the kids and make them look forward to the devotional, the Biblical teaching is sound and Biblically centered for each lesson. Some lessons take more preparation than others but they would be definitely worth it. As a grandmother who used to do devotions with my children, I am excited about the possibilities for this book in the hands of today’s Bible believing parents. I also think that the book would work well to pull some lessons from it for Sunday school, Children’s Church or VBS. It is multi-purpose tool to get children interested in the truths of the Bible and guiding them to explore their faith and what it personally means to them. I highly recommend this book and encourage kids’ leaders and parent to just have fun with it!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Available today at your local bookseller! Try it out! You will be pleasantly surprised at how practical and Bible-based it is!

I have joy, peace and hope because of my trust in God and because I know that there is power in Him through His Holy Spirit. Does that mean that I am totally healed now? No…I could be, but I’m not. Regardless of the outer appearance of my wounds, I know that God is working on me from the inside out and that knowledge fills me with joy, peace and hope. I am expecting God to work, and in that expectation lies my joy and peace. Blessings to you all!

This past week was a real week of trials and tests for me. It started out okay, with a lot of texts and photos from the children. Those grandchildren photos always make me smile! And since last week was Father’s Day, that was good. However, last Sunday, I didn’t get to go to church because I was nauseous and vomiting. I had a low grade fever the night before, starting about five p.m., but I didn’t think much of it. Then I started getting achy all over. Yuck! The really bad news is that the fever continued to develop daily. But I was thankful that I was no longer nauseous. On Thursday, I started getting a red, blotchy rash all over my chest. I was thankful that it didn’t itch. I knew that I needed to see my physician, but my husband had plans for Friday and we only have one car, so I just took Tylenol for the recurring fever and checked myself for other blotches. I didn’t find other red blotches, but I did discover a black looking sore behind my knee. I knew that I had a bug bite of some kind there a couple of weeks ago and had treated it with hydrocortisone for the itching. Then, when it didn’t disappear, I had put neosporin on it, thinking it was getting infected maybe. I asked my husband to look at it and he said it looked like a bad bite on top of a blood vessel. That was last week. Well, by Friday, the black sore was concerning to say the least, and I continued to get a fever daily, so I went to the ER yesterday. I have been diagnosed with a strep or staph infection on my leg and a rash of unknown origin. They treated me with antibiotics and antihistamines as well as a breathing treatment with lots of steroids in it. They prescribed steroids, antibiotics and antihistamines. I’m thankful that I’m not allergic to any of my medicines! They also suggested that I call my regular doctor on Monday if my sore has not improved. I’m thankful that my regular doctor can be depended on to diagnose well and to send my for further treatment somewhere if she thinks it’s warranted! I haven’t seen any improvement in the sore so far, but I’m thankful that it hastn’t gotten worse either! Meanwhile, I have to confess that my anxiety has been off the charts at times because my best friend Heidi died last March from a staph infection in her leg. You can imagine how I have been feeling! Or maybe you can’t? Anyway, it hasn’t been a pretty face of faith. I have argued with God, remonstrating with Him that I just went though surgery, followed by a tailbone injury and now this! Nevertheless, His answer is the same as always…”Trust Me!” I’m honestly trying, folks, but I need some prayer here. And encouragement would be nice, too. My husband is the kind who ignores the problem until it is life-threatening. In fact, he was complaining about going to the ER yesterday because of the wait time. I’m thankful that there was no wait time…none! They took me right back to a room and saw me within about ten minutes. Treatment took several hours, but I have never been seen that fast before! Anyway, that being said, my husband is not the great encourager. He is more like the great “ignore it and it will go away” kind of person. So, I come to you asking for the prayer and encouragement that I need. And I am thankful that you are there for me!