I’m sure that you have noticed how negative everything is in our world. The newsmakers have a saying, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Nice, huh? Well, we as Christians should have a saying, too. “If someone needs, I lead.” What am I leading the needy to? Christ, of course. Now you may be scratching your head and asking what am I talking about. I have noticed myself getting caught up in the negativity of the world. When someone bashes a candidate that I support, I jump into the fray with both feet, hoping that my words will change someone’s mind. You know what? It will NEVER happen. Again, there is an old saying, “Someone changed against their will is of the same opinion still.” So, the only thing that I can do is remain positive in the negative world. I can refuse to argue, to debate, if you will. I have been trying that lately with my sons. They are extremely liberal and I am extremely conservative, so in their liberal, “I know everything” world, they are adamant about changing my mind and baiting me to argue with them, online for all of the world to see. One of them uses really foul language in his debates. My reply? I silence the argument by deleting it. Did you know that you can do that? I found that out and it was like a huge relief to me. They could continue to argue back and forth with others, but not with me, and I would not see the disagreement at all. I continue to post my positive messages and ignore the negative ones. It is no small thing in today’s world to be positive, but it is a necessary part of being a good witness. You aren’t going to touch or change the lives of others by demanding that they believe the way that you do. I think that you just have to maintain a positive attitude and let God do the changing of the hearts. In the end, the change is up to them because they have choices, but if you remove yourself from the middle of the fray, you won’t be stressed about their choice or lack thereof. Or, at least not as stressed. I confess that it bothers me that my own sons won’t listen to reason about not using horrible language online. But, that is their choice. They are adults and they will have to answer to God for their choices, just as I will have to answer to Him for mine. I just want to try to keep my mind fixed on Him. It’s hard in a negative world, but God didn’t say it would be easy. He just gave us the instructions to follow.

I hope that you all have a blessed day, filled with positivity!

Good morning, my friends! I have been nominated/tagged for this new award by Stu at Something to Stu Over. Elisha over at Africa Boy created this award entitled The Future Goals Award.

Here are the guidelines:

Ping back to the creator, Elisha at Africa Boy.

Use the graphic pictured above.

Share five goals for your blog.

Share five goals for your life.

Nominate at least five people.

Goals are very important in life! Without goals, we become complacent and unproductive. And often that leads one to feel unaccomplished in life.

So set goals and strive to meet them with integrity!

Here are five goals for Vickie’s Book Nook and Meditation Corner:

1. To share my faith in God.

2. To share uplifting news and notes about our world.

3. To share my love for reading books by sharing book reviews.

4. To answer God’s call to be honest and direct in my relationship with Him.

5. To establish online friendships with others who enjoy a close relationship with Jesus Christ and who may also enjoy reading.

Here are my five personal goals:

1. To stay close to God, realizing that it is not He who moves away, but that if I am feeling distant, I am the one who moved.

2. To see my grandchildren at least three times per year.

3. To be a good witness to unsaved family members.

4. To help out others whenever I can because I realize that I am Jesus’s hands and feet here on this earth.

5. To do a new Bible study at least once per quarter, in addition to my regular daily Bible reading and study.

I am tagging/nominating the following people for this award:

Kally

Lilly Eves World

It’s All About Love

Michelle

Riverside Peace

If anyone else whom I neglected to nominate would like to participate, feel free to do so. And for those whom I nominated, please do not feel obligated or pressured in any way to participate. I look forward to reading the goals of those of you who choose to do so.

Blessings!

This book is historical fiction, but it is so much more! It is a romance with a story within a story. There is the tale of Ollie, an American crop duster who wants to help fly planes for the RAF in Great Britain. Then, there is the story of Susan, a young woman who dropped out of college to help her grandfather raise pigeons. The most interesting part of the story was how the pigeons that they were carefully tending became war pigeons, flying behind enemy lines to deliver messages. I must say that I normally do not read historical fiction, but when the publisher sent me this book and I read the first chapter, I was totally hooked. It was fascinating to read and to imagine such a time and such horrors of war, with the characters who became like real people to me. The author did a stellar job of presenting the characters in a realistic way and writing a plot that drew me into the story right away. Fans of historical fiction will love this book, and those like me who are reluctant readers of this genre will find this book mesmerizing.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Content: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books. 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 wonderful book is available NOW from your local bookseller and online. It is a clean read, although it does realistically describe the horrors of war and its effects on the civilian as well as military population.

Is your heart determined? What is it determined to do? For some people, your determination is based on your short term goals, things like meeting someone famous or writing a book and selling it to a publisher or even becoming famous yourself. I mention these things as examples because for many years, they were what I wanted to do. I didn’t tell anyone, thinking that if I did it would definitely not come true. So, I just continued living my regular life as a wife, mom and teacher and secretly desired to be a published author who became famous myself, so others would clamor to meet me. Now that I have matured, I have let go of those fantasies and I want one thing. My heart is now focused on God and on worshipping Him. I mean, really, what can be more important than that?

Do you give praise with your whole heart, or do you just half-heartedly say the words of praise without thinking about them and to Whom you are offering them? I desire to give God the best part of me, my whole heart and a total focus on Him and His goodness and mercy.

God is exalted, whether I exalt Him or not. He is on His throne, high above the Heavens and shining His glory for us to capture and be a part of it and His plan for us. We may make plans, but the greatest plan of all is made by Our Creator, the One who knows our hearts and souls because He made us. He desires to shine His glory through us and out to the world that needs Him and the hope that only He can give. I hope that you are planning on being a blessing to someone today, after you have spent some time in praise to the One who loves you more than you can imagine. You are blessed to be a blessing!

If you need a really feel-good Christmas book to read, then you can always count on Debbie Macomber. This is the story of Laura and Zach and their desperate desire to have a baby of their own. They are living with Laura’s grandmother Helen who is suffering from dementia and needs someone to stay with her during the day while the couple works. Enter Mrs. Miracle to the rescue! The book is full of fun and tears and love and joy, just as we have come to expect from this author’s books. Touted as a Christian fiction book, I did see more elements of evangelism in this book than in previous ones, but since I am a Christian, this was a bonus for me.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I checked out my copy of this book from my local library using the Overdrive App. I was not required to write a positive review.

Available now!

Do you know what “longing” is? According to the Cambridge English dictionary, it is “a feeling of wanting someone or something very much.” The Webster-Merriam dictionary adds that it is a deep desire for “something unattainable or distant.” I like the Cambridge definition better because it fits my Scripture for the day.

For what is your soul longing? Is it longing to be healed or to feel complete peace? Is it longing for this suffering in this world to be over so that you can join Jesus in Heaven? We need to consider carefully for that which we long since God’s Word promises to satisfy us. But, at the same time, the Word does not say that God satisfies that longing with the object of our longing, only that we are satisfied. We need to practice being content and long for the things that are in the will of God. In the same verse, God’s Word says that He fills the hungry soul with goodness. Are you hungry for God? For His Word? For His Spirit and His peace? That is how you get filled with His goodness, by being hungry for the things of God that will fill you to overflowing with His love.

There is no doubt that this world is a mess! But God can fill us with His goodness so that we can see life and the world through the loving eyes of the Father of Creation. When I am crying out for all of this madness to end, God gently reminds me that those who are lost in darkness have not yet found the light and that He wants to continue to use His people to shed that light so that as many as possible might be brought into the knowledge of His saving power and grace. My longing is to do the Father’s will, and unlike the Merriam-Webster definition, I think that is attainable if I just stay focused. What is your greatest desire, your longing? Is your soul hungry? Be filled today with His Spirit and know that He is satisfying your longing and your hunger! Blessings, my friends.

When Attorney General William Barr spoke at Notre Dame, he gave some great insight into what is happening in the United States and around the world today. You can read his comments and Dr. Denison’s commentary by following the link below:

https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/daily-article/william-barrs-statement-at-notre-dame-my-perspective-and-gods-call-to-courage/?utm_source=The+Daily+Article&utm_campaign=aabaece3d4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_04_16_05_39_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51f776a552-aabaece3d4-275095033&mc_cid=aabaece3d4&mc_eid=dac620ebcf

My reply to his statements and the commentary is from Scripture.

God is still alive! He is still on His throne and as long as I live I will continue to bless His name. No matter what opposition we may face as Christians, we should still be praising His Name, for He is worthy.

May you all have a blessed day and remember to praise the Lord in the face of all trials and temptations!

Colleen Coble has really written a fantastic book this time that hit all of the right notes with me. First of all, because she is a Christian author, this is a clean read. It is romantic suspense that is is wrapped up in a very clever title and an extremely well-researched plot. The romance and the suspense in this novel come together seamlessly and the author captured my attention from the very first page. Harper Taylor is a sympathetic character, orphaned at a young age when her mom was killed in a car accident. Left with her drug-addled grandmother, she learned at an early age to make her own way in life. She got a degree in marine biology and is studying pen shells. I had no idea what this was or bivalves or sea silk. Ms. Coble explains all of this to her readers in the context of an intriguing plot. When Harper has a DNA test done, she finds a half sister with the same strange background as hers. Annabelle also lost her mother to an accident when she was young. Neither woman knows who their father is and this is part of the mystery. The drama builds when there is a plot to kidnap both of them and harm comes to someone with whom Harper is very close. The puzzle likes in the sea silk and the truth is slowly revealed, just the way I like a mystery to be. This book is fast-paced with an awesome, blow-you-away ending! Fans of romantic suspense will not want to miss this book! It entertains and educates at the same time! Loved it!

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 with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This wonderful book is available now at your local bookseller and online. It is a completely CLEAN read!

Are you redeemed by the blood of the Lamb? Then don’t be afraid to say so! After all, look at all of the benefits of being a Child of the King! We will spend eternity with Him. Praise His Name! We can call on Him at any time because His ear is ready to listen to Him. We are His beloved children.

No more sin! No more offenses! We are free to worship and to be the Creation that He created us to be!

Therefore the Redeemed of the Lord

Blessings for a day filled with thanksgiving and saying that you, yes Y-O-U, are redeemed by the Savior, the Son of God!