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.
When everything seems overwhelming, the best thing we can do is to kneel before the Lord. He already knows what we are facing and kneeling before Him tells our own hearts that we are submitting our problems and our very being to Him and His will.
In our worship, as we kneel before Him, we are acknowledging that He created us and continues to watch over us. There’s a book I read long ago entitled “He Is There and He Is Not Silent” by Francis A. Schaeffer. It’s a relatively short book but I remember that it is filled with encouragement to trust God even when we are not seeing Him move as quickly as we would like. God is always speaking is the theme of the book; the problem is that many of us, including myself, are not always open to hearing. We get busy trying to solve our own problems and go in our own way, not heeding God’s still, small voice or taking the time to get His opinion before we move out into uncharted waters. Listening to God as we kneel before Him is imperative to being able to let go and allow Him to take charge of the situation. He has wanted to do so all along, but out tight grasp on it doesn’t allow Him to move in our lives. We ask Him to move, to answer prayer, to be God, and then we hinder His movement because we don’t listen. How many troubles could be avoided, how much more for Him could be accomplished if only we would listen to Him every day?
It is very easy to think about our everyday circumstances and the current news cycle and how it affects us. It is even easier to get caught on that merry-go-round of scattering our thoughts every time a new event happens that distracts us. God’s Word, however, is clear in telling us to choose to think about the things above, the things that really matter to God. Spending time in God’s Word will tell us what is important to Him and what should be important to us.
Once we start thinking correctly, then we can follow this admonition to always rejoice, continuously pray and be thankful in everything. After all, God’s will is for us to be joyful Christians who are tuned in to His will and thus our prayers are tuned in, too. In following God’s instruction book, the natural result is that we will be “setting our mind on things above” and giving thanks in all of our circumstances. God knows, He cares and He desires for us to be more like Him.
Wow! My reaction to this book is just go get it and read it for yourself because it is amazing! There are three female protagonists, all searching for happy and fulfilled lives but not really knowing how they expect to find it. Heather has a successful business but is afraid of love, even though she really does have deep feelings for Campbell but she is terrified of commitment. Tori is happily involved in a non-couple relationship with Grant and her walls come tumbling down (literally and figuratively) when she has to share a house with him after their condos flood. Finally, there is Daphne, a mom, a lawyer and a stepmom who is doing a good job of juggling all of her responsibilities, but what she really wants is her own baby with her husband Brody. All of the characters are friends which makes for some very interesting dynamics and advice giving. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the characters and really enjoyed reading about Heather’s coping strategies (hint: it involves kittens). The characters were so realistic that I wanted to shake a few of them to get them to move away from the familiar and take a chance on love. I also wanted to kick Heather’s mom Amber to the moon and just let her stay there because she is thoroughly annoying and needy in a not so pleasant way. Like I said, the characters are completely realistic and present a fascinating character study of young women learning to be independent career women as well as capable of developing a lasting relationship. The plot moves smoothly and although it is plenty complicated with lots of the most intriguing kind of drama, it is easy to follow and laugh-aloud funny at times. The author knows how to tell a story that is captivating while also sparkling with romance. The end result is a powerful story that is delightfully readable. With characters that are rich and relatable and a plot that is brilliantly compelling, this is a book not to be missed. Because who doesn’t need a “happiness plan”? Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I also received a hard copy from the author as part of her review team. I was not required by anyone to write a positive review, and 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.”
Rated PG
About the Author
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the ragdoll cat and adorable poodle who think of her as mom.
Many thanks to MIRA BOOKs and to the author for the advanced copy to read and review. This is a delightfully funny and uplifting book that includes some fantastic recipes at the end!
Title: Her Only Wish, #2 By: Shelley Shepard Gray Format: Paperback Number of Pages: 304 Vendor: Revell Publication Date: 2023 Dimensions: 8.50 X 5.50 (inches) Weight: 9 ounces ISBN: 0800741684 ISBN-13: 9780800741686
Sheltered yet adventurous, Betsy Detweiler is on a mission to get out of Kentucky and experience new things in life. She’s got a list–a life list. What better place to start than with her friends in beautiful Pinecraft, Florida?
From the moment Betsy walks into the Snow Bird Golf Course to sign up for lessons, August Troyer is mesmerized. Betsy is a mass of contradictions–beautiful yet awkward, outgoing yet unsure, joyful yet hesitant. She’s like no one he’s ever met before, and as the only child of missionary parents, he’s met a lot of people.
As Betsy and August embark on a month of enjoying life to the fullest, they’ll encounter several reasons to back off and play it safe. But playing it safe has its own consequences. This tender romance reminds us that life–and love–requires a fair amount of risk.
My Thoughts
This is an uplifting story of an Amish girl who has a health problem but is determined that it won’t stop her from fulfilling her “life list.”When Betsy arrives in Pinecraft to spend a month, she has goals that she plans to carry out, including learning how to swim and how to play golf. Having been sheltered all of her life because of her health issues with her lungs, Betsy wants to live life to the fullest and sets out to do so. At the golf course, she meets golf instructor August Troyer, a kind young man who is willing to teach her. Coincidentally, she also meets a young woman who will give her private swim lessons. Betsy’s life has been filled with “no’ and in this book, she finally discovers people who tell her “yes” and encourage her to reach for her dreams. I really enjoyed the story because it was positive and upbeat as well as realistically possible. The characters were well-developed and relatable, with regular flaws and problems of everyday life. The story moved along quickly and although many of the plot elements were predictable, there were a few twists along the way that kept the story interesting and engaging. Pinecraft is such a perfect setting for the story, with its beach and tourist attractions adding to the realism. This is a quick read and a light romance, clean Amish fiction that inspires as it entertains. Although this is book #2 in the series called “A Season in Pinecraft”, it can easily and enjoyably be read as a standalone. Highly recommend! 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, and 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.”
Clean Christian Fiction
About the author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray writes Amish and Inspirational romances for Simon & Schuster, and Kensington, Harlequin, and contemporary women’s fiction for Blackstone Publishing. With over a million books in print, and translated into more than a dozen languages, her novels have been Holt Medallion winners and Inspirational Readers Choice and Carol finalists. Shelley has been featured in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Washington Post, Time Magazine, and USA Today. She has also been interviewed on NPR as well as numerous regional radio stations. Publishers Weeklycalls her Walnut Creek series “A slow-burning, enjoyable romance… Embedded in this quaint story is a poignant message about the importance of community, compassion, and doing what’s right rather than what’s easy.” Shelley has hosted several well-attended ‘Girlfriend Getaways’ for Amish reading fans. Her most recent Girlfriend Getaway, hosted with bestselling novelists Amy Clipston and Suzanne Woods Fisher in Sugarcreek, Ohio, was filmed by BuzzFeed and highlighted on NetFlix’s Follow Thisepisode on the popularity of Amish fiction. Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature and later obtained her master’s degree in educational administration. She now lives in southern Colorado near her grown children, walks her dachshunds, bakes too much, and writes full time.
I remember as a child watching out the window for my daddy to get home. He may have a surprise for me, but he always had a big hug and a smile. As I grew older, I watched out the window for a date to arrive, anticipating but also a little fearful. Once I got married, I watched for my husband to come home from deployment. I knew the general time of his arrival, but I never knew how long it would take him to finish the process so he could actually come home. So, I watched and waited. Once we had children, we watched and waited together for daddy’s arrival, making signs to welcome him home and some baked goods that he enjoyed. Now that I am older and the children have moved away, I watch and wait for phone calls, FaceTime and letters or cards. The watching and waiting never stops.
In the last six months, as I have faced numerous medical tests, I have been in a season of watching and waiting. But it is the Lord that I am watching and waiting for. I know that He is always there for me, so I am watching to see what He will do in my life and I wait for His answer. All of the doctors have their own opinions, but it is only God who has the real answer. So, I watch and wait and know that God is hearing me. He hasn’t failed me yet…years of watching and waiting have taught me that He is faithful and the last six months are building my trust. One more test on Monday, an MRA that the neurologist ordered to see if there is something going on with the blood vessels in my brain. Maybe. Maybe not. God knows. So, for Him, I watch and wait. He made me, He has healed me too many times for me to count, and He will also take care of this problem in His own way and in His time. His way and His timing is always perfect. Thus, watching and waiting while I hope in the Lord is a good, encouraging thing for me to do. It’s a blessing to know that God is right there, ready to send the answer to my prayers.
If you have been walking with the Lord for any length of time, you have read the Scripture that says:
Thus if you want to please God, then you know that you need to have faith. But what is faith and how do you strengthen and build your faith?
Faith is putting your trust in God, regardless of circumstances and outward appearances. David had faith when he faced Goliath. Gideon had faith when he took a small band of men with him to defeat a large army. Stephen had faith when he faced those who ultimately stoned him.
How do you build your trust and your faith? The answer has always been there for you. You read the Word. You listen to the Word. You follow His Word. In doing so, you build your faith, that is, your trust in God. It’s hard to stand on God’s promises if you don’t know what they are, so it is imperative to memorize His Word so that you have it handy when you need it. God makes our faith strong by giving His unerring, infallible and eternal message to us. It is up to us to read it, hear it and heed it.
I want to see the invisible God, believe for unbelievable miracles and receive what others say is impossible. I’m spending time in God’s Word so that my faith is stronger. I pray that you are doing likewise.
Please go to the original site and follow Kathy. She does a tremendous service to all of us by standing firmly on God’s Word and only on His word and by encouraging us to do likewise.
What does it mean to exalt the Lord? According to the online dictionary, it means to “elevate with praise, to glorify.” So, why do we exalt the Lord when He is already in the Heavens, the real Master of the Universe? I think we exalt Him because we need to hear ourselves acknowledge His power, His sovereignty and His worthiness to be praised. So much of the time, all day long, we spend giving ourselves and those around us little pep talks, telling them and ourselves what a good job we are doing or how much we appreciate the effort that they are making. Yet, when it comes to God, I think sometimes we take Him for granted, choosing to esteem ourselves rather than our Creator. So, today, I am taking time to exalt the Name of the Lord for WHO HE IS, not for all that He has done for me, although that list is innumerable. I just want to focus on His Lordship, His Kingship, on His character that is unchanging.
We cannot tell of the Lord’s greatness without acknowledging Him as the One who is the Ruler of our hearts. God is God…let’s praise Him and let Him know that although the world may turn against Him, we know that He is and always will be Lord of all.
One of the arguments that I have heard for years about the existence of God and the Holy Spirit is that although you cannot see the wind, you see what its effects. Likewise, we don’t see God, but we see His actions on the earth. I am eternally grateful that God sent Jesus to save me, filled me with His Spirit and continues to guard my heart and mind through Him. It is up to me to continue to walk with God. The wind continues to blow, drawing my attention hither and yon. But the blowing wind is not what I should be focused on. I need to focus on the power that created that wind and how much love is behind all of creation.
I cannot explain my salvation or the change in my heart and my life, but I know that it is a fact. Just as the wind blowing through the trees causes the leaves to move, God’s Spirit moving in my heart causes me to draw closer to Him and away from the world.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 