I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
God has been speaking encouragement into my heart and mind this week and I wanted to share some of that with you. There is a lot wrong with our world. We all know it and if you’re like me, you get frustrated over the condition of this fallen world and all of the effects that the rampant sin is having on the younger generation. But God has told me over and over that He is in control and will not allow this debauchery to continue forever. He has also encouraged me to live my life for Him in spite of what others are doing or saying. We are called to just keep on doing good deeds and saying good words until our Savior returns or until we die, whichever happens first. Thus when someone “of the world” annoys me, I want to be able to give them an encouraging and loving word because that is what Jesus would do and that is what He is exhorting me to do. When we think that chaos is reigning, we have to remember that it really isn’t…God is still sovereign and will one day show Himself in all of His righteous glory and power to the world that He created, the world that has fallen away from Him into the sin of following the idol of self-determination. In all of my musings, I am encouraged because in the end God wins. Like a long chess match in which the opponents are trying to determine the next move of their rival, God knows the next move and has an end game in mind…all for our good and for His glory.
May you let these words from this verse sink deeply into your heart and soul, touching you in all of the places that need to be healed from the daily wound of walking in this world. God bless you!
This is a Christmas story to remember and share with others because it is filled with life lessons, love and laughter. Pete Armstrong and Hank Colfax have been best friends for years and decide just before Christmas to switch places at their jobs. Pete is a pastor of a small local church while Hank owns a bar called The Last Call. The predicaments that these two get into are just too funny for words! Pete has to deal with bikers and young women who work at the local strip club while poor Hank has to deal with a stingy old woman who refuses to help the church pay for a new roof. The friendships formed are ones for the record books as they are totally unexpected. The life lessons include not judging others and forgiving others as well as the importance of family values. I enjoyed the quick pace and the credible characters, but mostly I enjoyed the story within the story as Nana told the tale of Pete and Hank to her beloved grandchildren. The tale is well-written with a wonderful happy-ever-after conclusion and all of the loose ends tied up in a bow. A perfect book for the holiday season! 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, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A clean read appropriate for all audiences. Rated G. Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot. In 2022, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publications include The Best Is Yet to Come (July) and The Christmas Spirit (October), a new adult coloring book, Debbie Macomber’s Holly Jolly Christmas Coloring Book (October). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, two adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books. Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons. She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
This magical holiday book releases on Tuesday, October 18th from Ballantine Books. Purchase Links:
With great appreciation to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the ARC to read and review! I don’t remember when I have enjoyed a Christmas book more than this one and highly recommend it for all of its good feels and lessons!
I am a firm believer that God speaks to me daily and I need to be listening attentively. I also believe that He is always doing something in my life although I may not be aware of it at the time. So, my question for you is “What is God saying or doing in your life now?”
I had a pastor many years ago who wisely told me that if I could not hear God’s voice, go back to the last place I was when I was hearing Him, find out where I had gone wrong, repent and then listen for His voice again. Many years have passed and I am still following that advice. God is not silent; He is just waiting for me to turn around and get back on the right path.
So, what God is saying is for me to continue on the path that I am on as long as I am clearly still in tune with Him and His quiet voice. What He is doing in my life is teaching me to trust Him in the small things that sometimes I don’t even want to bother Him with. A lost clip? Ask God to help me remember the last time I had it. If I can trust God for the small things, then my faith is being built up for the big things that may be down the road for me.
Is God speaking to you? Is He doing something in your life? The answer should always be “yes” because God is One who wants to have fellowship with us and to help us become more like His Son. Sometimes I feel stuck in a desert place, wandering, and God speaks to my heart and tells me to turn around because He is behind me, right where I left Him in my quest for my own way or independence. I was not created to be independent. I was created rather to be totally dependent on Him, and He is teaching me that lesson one day at a time.
The inspiration for today’s post came from Dr. Denison’s Forum on October 13, 2022. You can read the entire article here: Dr. Denison’s Forum, 10-13-22
This is kind of a different way of saying “What would Jesus do?” But this quotation made me ponder deeply. None of us knows when we will take our last breath, so it’s worth noting that our choices might be different if we had an inkling that our end is imminent. Food for thought, for sure!
We definitely learn from our choices, both good and bad. I think of life as a test with a steep learning curve. It is up to us to use what we have learned to grow spiritually so that we don’t continue to make the same mistakes over and over. It is not a coincidence that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years; they made bad choices and didn’t learn from them. God was patient in continuing to lead them, in my opinion. It’s a good thing that He is also patient with me because sometimes I get stubbornly stuck in trying to force Him to accept my way instead of accepting that His way is best.
Yes, we make choices daily and those choices have consequences, but I go back to the first question that I asked. “Would you change what you are about to do if you knew it would be the last thing you would do?” Think about it as you listen to the song below. If you read the “Forum” article, you know that this is the last song that a twenty-three year old sang before he died in an accident. May we ever be mindful that tomorrow is not a promise, but a gift.
I got my flu shot on Monday and it seemed to affect how I feel physically and not in a good way. At first, it was just a mild feeling of dizziness and a headache. As the hours passed, the headache got worse and I was extremely dizzy. I had to depend on God to get into bed safely and prayed that the side effects would wear off quickly. My husband had the same injection and was not feeling bad at all, but we both know that medications tend to affect me differently than most people. Anyway, the dizziness is finally better this morning and the headache has subsided. Praise God that I knew He was with me the entire time because I needed to rest and that required His reassurance that I could trust in Him to take care of me.
Every day there is a new reason to praise the Lord. Sometimes, there are big things happening that I know that He is handling for me. Sometimes, it’s just the battle of living daily in a fallen and broken world. Regardless of what the challenges are, the Lord is always right there with me and for that I rejoice and praise Him.
I have a phobia of being left behind. My husband will tell you that when he simply leaves the store to pull up the car, I get anxious about his remembering to come get me. No, he has never left me behind, but over five decades ago, my parents did and I was beyond distraught. I can laugh about the incident now, but I can tell you that I was not laughing then. You see, my parents had a big Cadillac and we were all busy loading the car for them to take me to my first day of college. The trip was about five hours and I was already excited and nervous about my new adventure. The car was packed “to the gills” with all of my clothes and personal items that were on the list that the college had sent. There was room for mamma and daddy in the front seat and a corner for me in the back. I told my mom that I was going to the bathroom one more time and went inside to do just that. Unfortunately, she didn’t hear me, so she and daddy got into the car and drove away to take me to college. Only I wasn’t in the car! This was before the days of cell phones, so when I came outside and saw the car gone, I cried inconsolably, thinking that they would get all the way to their destination before they noticed that I was not in my little corner. However, about an hour later, they pulled into the driveway and wanted to know why I had left the car. I explained what had happened and we all left together. Daddy told me that he or mamma asked me a question and when I didn’t reply, mamma turned around and noticed that I was not there. They had driven to Danville, about half an hour away before they noticed my absence, but thank goodness, they didn’t go even farther. Since that incident, I don’t like to let people that I’m riding with out of my sight. When I get to a place, I want to know that I will be included in the ride home, too. So, yes, I have a phobia.
One thing I don’t fear is being left behind my Jesus. His Word comforts me.
Jesus is not going to get distracted and forget me or His promises to me. He walks with me daily, reassuring me that He is right there beside me and I don’t need to fear being left alone. That helps me get through the anxious moments when my husband or daughter or whomever is my ride gets out of my sight. Jesus is always there!
There is coming a day when I definitely don’t want to be left behind. That is the day when Jesus returns to take us all to be with Him. Like the packed car going to college, we have to be prepared to leave, not running back inside to do something. Just stay and wait for Jesus! He is coming back and that will be a glorious day! I don’t get into the arguments about pre-tribulation, post-tribulation or even mid-tribulation return of Jesus. I just want to be ready whenever He returns and I hope that you want the same thing. We have to be faithful servants, immersing ourselves in His Word after accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. That’s the only way not to be left behind. The truth is that God doesn’t want to leave any of us behind, but He will if that is our choice, to live for ourselves instead of for Him. So, I wait, but I am not anxious like I am in front of a store waiting for my ride. Jesus has assured me that He won’t leave me and that when He comes back, I will get to go with Him. He won’t be turning around, realize I’m not there and come back again to get me. That’s why it’s important for me to be ready…we don’t know when He is coming, but we know that He is coming back and we don’t want to be left behind!
When I embarked on this unknown journey into blogging, I had no idea what to expect. Now, over four years in, I am comfortable in this place and appreciate all of the love and encouragement that you have shown me. As I was reading my Bible this morning, I was thinking about friendships and the ones that I have made here at WordPress. No, I have not met you personally, but I count you as friends and some as sisters and brothers in the Lord. My heart bubbled with joy at the hope that one day I will get to meet you all in Heaven and truly get to know you! And for that reason, I felt a love that is unexplainable for each of you, even though I can’t talk to you or see you right now.
I think it is the Lord who causes our love for strangers to overflow, because we are all part of the body of Christ and feel a deep connection there. For the ones who share beautiful photography, those who write poems that touch my heart, the songwriters and the ones who share truth from God’s Word that puts things into a different perspective for me. For each of you, I am thankful and for so many more. We may never see each other on this side of Heaven, but God is faithful and will one day welcome us all together and the rejoicing will resound around the universe.
My blessing for you today comes from God’s Word…Paul always has a word of encouragement that reverberates in the deepest part of me. May you take these words to heart because they were meant for each of you. God bless you!
The final book in the Triple Threat Series by Irene Hannon was well worth the wait! This is a stunning conclusion to the series that kept me glued to my seat as I devoured the book and all of its twists. Dr. Grace Reilly is a forensic pathologist while Nate Cox is the sheriff of the little town in Missouri where they live. Grace is convinced that the deaths of several elderly patients is not natural and decides to investigate, even convincing Nate to join in her quest for the truth. She is a stalwart defender of justice and knows something is killing off the elderly, if she can just figure out how. The characters are credible and the action is fast paced and riveting. Even the secondary characters play a major role in solving the mystery, especially investment agent Dave Mullins who is a very likable if gullible character. All of the roles of the characters flow together seamlessly and it was impossible for me to guess the culprit until the very end. That made this novel a very satisfying suspense since I was not able to predict the ending too soon. The romance is inevitable but so lovely, with Nate and Grace gradually giving in to their attraction for each other. I enjoyed the repartee between Grace and her sisters, Eve and Cait and the teasing they all do together. In fact, there was nothing that I did not enjoy about this spine-tingling romantic suspense and look forward to the next suspense series from Hannon. She is an absolute master at creating at atmosphere of building suspense and making the story believable and dramatic at the same time. Fans of clean romantic suspense will want to grab this book right away and will enjoy the multiple layers of deception hidden within its pages that lead to so many red herrings. A perfect book for fans of this genre! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
With intense action and a dangerous stalker, I would rate this book PG-13. It is clean Christian fiction. Image and the Bio below are from the author’s website at http://www.irenehannon.com
Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author who took the publishing world by storm at the tender age of 10 with a sparkling piece of fiction that received national attention.
Okay…maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But she was one of the honorees in a complete-the-story contest conducted by a national children’s magazine. And she likes to think of that as her “official” fiction-writing debut!
Since then, she has written more than 60 romantic suspense and contemporary romance novels. She is a seven-time finalist for and three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—and a member of the Romance Writers of America elite Hall of Fame. She has also received a Career Achievement award from RT Book Reviews for her entire body of work. Her many other awards include Daphne du Maurier, Carol, HOLT Medallion, National Readers’ Choice, Retailers Choice, Booksellers’ Best, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews. She is also a two-time Christy award finalist.
Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!
In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing. A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri.
With deep appreciation to Revell Books for including me in this blogger program and giving me the opportunity to read and review this book! I have a been a big fan of Irene Hannon for years and I can highly recommend anything that she has written.
I want to think that I am like the tree by the water, just hanging around and growing, receiving nourishment from the roots that have dug deeply into the stream. That’s what I am supposed to be, totally trusting in God to supply al of my needs and not worrying about the next thing to come along that may disturb my peace. That heat that is coming cannot destroy me if I am rooted in the Lord and in spite of the circumstances all around me, I will continue to bear fruit. Is this true of my life all of the time? I could only wish that it were so. But it is what I aspire to…to be like the tree by the water, digging into the water that refreshes and keeps me growing. That’s what trust is. It is digging deep even when the circumstances seem to overwhelm us. It is knowing that the Lord is there to provide even when you don’t feel His presence or hear His voice. He has never left. Just like the stream, His presence is constant and will sustain us if we trust Him in all things. Having confidence in God doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen. It does mean, however, that when they do happen, we will be standing firmly in the assurance of His love and tender care. We stand…He cares.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 