Month: April 2026
Thursday Thoughts
I am listening to praise music as I sit and ponder this verse. If you think about it, there is no place or no time where God is not. Notice that the verse says the NAME of the Lord is to be praised. I have been watching for different names of the Lord as I read my Bible daily. God is so many things to so many different people. I think I need to focus more on who God is and less on what I expect Him to do for me. So, I am choosing to praise His name, not what He does for me. I am thankful for all He does, but I am overcome with awe by all of His names that mean so much to me.
I think that when I first started worshiping God and attending church, the first name of God that I heard was Adonai. There was a song by Amy Grant that was gaining popularity at that time and our pastor told us about Adonai meaning “Lord, Master.” He is my Lord and Master and I am His servant. Yet He calls me friend and His child.
I have often prayed to Jehovah Jireh, the Lord my provider. I don’t just pray for God to meet my financial needs but also my physical, emotional and spiritual ones. He provides all we need if we just trust Him to do so. I think too often we pray and then walk away and try to do things on our own without God’s provision. We need to consistently show our dependence on God. That’s when He shows just how much He can and will provide for us.
Recently, with health issues piling up on me, I have been faced with the name of Jehovah Rophe, God our Healer. God has told me over and over again that His healing may not look like what I am expecting, but He is still working to bring me to wholeness in Him.
I think the name of God that speaks to me the most is Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. Right there where I am, right when I need Him. Always present, always nearby, always ready to listen and to comfort, to bring peace and restoration.
Is there a name of God that has special significance to you? The more I learn about God, the more I know that I don’t know. I want to learn more every day until one day I am in His presence and will know Him even as I am known.
God bless you as you press into the God who is our rock, the promise keeper and our shepherd in every valley and on every mountain top.
Movie Recommendation: A Great Awakening
I know that you are surprised at this title, but I just have to recommend the movie that my husband and I went to see for our anniversary.
With the Sight and Sound production company behind it, I expected the visuals to be outstanding, but the story itself was an opportunity to celebrate the prayer-filled beginning of our nation. It is the story of a young preacher named George Whitefield who befriended the well-known newspaper printer and inventor, Benjamin Franklin. With a dual storyline, the movie tells the story of the interactions between the two, including Franklin’s insistence that he is a Deist and doesn’t believe in the gospel that Whitefield is preaching.
The story was mesmerizing, although I will confess that I was afraid that it would be a boring documentary. It was so filled with facts that my husband could attest to since he read the very long autobiography of Franklin previously. The songs were stirring and brought tears to both of our eyes. (It was soul-stirring to see my husband cry during a movie.) The actors were perfectly suited for the roles and totally believable.
I am not sure how long this film is still at theaters, but I do know that it will be on Amazon Prime starting May 5th. Rent, buy, whatever you need to do to see this film. Bring friends over to watch with you as you experience the Christian birth of our nation and the sacrifices that made it happen.
I apologize that I cannot include a trailer or photos from the movie but that would violate copyright laws. But here is the official website where you can watch the trailer and get information about tickets if you would like.
From the End of the Earth
Do you ever feel as though you have reached the end of the road and there is no way to turn back? You just have to jump off the cliff and hope that God is there to catch you. That has been my feeling lately, with one health crisis after another and no real solutions. My answer has not been pain medications since I am allergic to all of them. (Hallelujah for that mercy!) No, my answer has been to immerse myself in God’s word and He has been faithful to console, comfort, advise and just listen. I feel as though many are tired of my constantly saying this is wrong, or that is wrong, so I don’t want to weary you with details. I just want to encourage you that when you think you are in a desolate place where no one can help you, God can and will.
May you rest in Him and find your refuge there just as I am doing. My enemy is my own body rebelling against aging. No matter what your enemy is, God is bigger, better, stronger and able to catch you and to guard you until He calls you home.
Review of Witness Protection by Robert Whitlow
About the Book
ISBN-13:9781400352081
Publisher:Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:04/07/2026
Pages:464
Synopsis (Barnes and Noble)
All is finally good. Jon Tremaine has created a new life in Brunswick, Georgia, as part of the Federal Witness Protection program after testifying against the former drug cartel he was involved with. Only his wife, Sarah, and a handler with the US Marshal’s office know his true identity, and he is now the manager of a large commercial tree farm with a baby on the way. But when one of Jon’s employees is arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into the United States, he goes against his better judgment and inserts himself in the middle of the case, believing the man is an unsuspecting mole manipulated by sophisticated drug dealers.
Kelli Quinn, a highly skilled litigator with an Atlanta law firm, has moved to Brunswick to work with her best friend from law school, hoping to rebuild her life after a painful divorce. She and her two children find a temporary home with her aunt Carly, a woman whose great faith is making an impression on her new houseguests. For the first time in a very long while, Kelli sees a future where she can find balance between the job she loves and the family she loves even more.
New to the firm and in need of clients, Kelli agrees to represent Jon’s employee. The unfolding investigation reveals layers of criminal activity and possible connections to Jon’s past, putting everyone at risk of exposure—and even death.
My Thoughts
This legal suspense novel held my attention but I did not find it totally absorbing as the author methodically and sometimes slowly laid out two storylines that ended up dovetailing together perfectly. For part of the novel, I was stymied as to how lawyer Kelli and land manager Jon Tremaine would end up interacting, but when Jon’s employee is arrested on charges of drug trafficking, the stories merged and it was an easy and entertaining read. Cesar, the employee, seems to be a stooge for the drug cartel and in trying to make extra money for his growing family, he puts them all in danger. Jon, a former employee of a drug cartel who is now in WITSEC, is hesitant to tell Kelli the whole truth and thus ends up endangering himself and Kelli, too. The suspense is relentless but not at a fast pace. The characters are all well developed and the faith element undergirds the whole story as Kelli’s aunt Carly assumes the responsibility to showing her faith to Kelli and to her children. Carly’s prayers were definitely remarkable and showed insight into her faith and her relationship with God. In fact, Carly was my favorite character since she never wavered and was a rock amidst the stormy sea of circumstances in Kelli’s life. Jon seemed to be a character who would choose to do the right thing, but his choices seemed somewhat reluctant so I would not say he was a strong character. The plot is relevant and compelling but did not have the emotional depth or the careful plot that I am accustomed to with others who write similar novels. This was the first book that I have read by this author, and I will definitely look for others as it was a satisfying legal suspense noel with intriguing dynamics between the characters and a strong message of hope.
I voluntarily 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.
About the Author (Amazon)
Robert Whitlow grew up in north Georgia. He graduated magna cum laude from Furman University with a BA in history in 1976 and received his JD with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1979. A practicing attorney, he is a partner in a Charlotte, NC law firm. He and his wife Kathy have four children and nine grandchildren.
Robert began writing in 1996. His novels are set in the South and include both legal suspense and interesting characterization. It is his desire to write stories that reveal some of the ways God interacts with people in realistic scenarios.
Purchase Links
Who Is In Control?
Big revelation in church today! (Not really, but actually thought-provoking) I may control my universal remote, but I don’t control the universe…God does!
To go along with this eye-opening, mind-blowing idea, here is something for you to read and ponder, just in case you are not convinced yet.
And if you enjoyed reading this relatively short and conclusive evidence that you can make plans, but God is ultimately in control, you can also watch this video.
You Tube Video: Control of the Universe
Song for the Day from a praise leader whom I listened to regularly over five decades ago.
Prayer from the YouVersion Daily Prayer, 4-18-26.
May your day be blessed, your time be redeemed and your relationship with God be one that speaks to your heart and to others.
Jesus Completes What He Starts
This theme has been recurring in my mind this week, that Jesus doesn’t start something and then walk away and forget about it. The Bible says he finishes what he starts.
This morning in my email I got Grant Fishbook’s devotional from Jesus.net and here is the link:
I like what he says about replacing the old patterns with something new. That reverberated with my spirit and also reminded me that God wants to make all things new.
I hope that you are having a great weekend and taking time to replace old patterns with something new and God-glorifying. God bless you and your family and loved ones!
First Line Friday
Alicia Gilliam is a new-to-me author and this book is absolutely delightful to read! Here’s the first line:
“I forgot to introduce myself to my mother today.”
Releases on 5-08-26. I will be doing a full review that week, but don’t you just love this first line?
Christ Makes Us Worthy
Finding Worth in Christ (Daily Refresh, 4-16-26)
One of humanity’s deepest pursuits is finding our identity–we want to know who we are! It’s often tempting to seek definition and significance in a world that offers a myriad of labels. But when we chase validation in temporary sources, hoping they’ll define us, we only find fleeting satisfaction.
In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul describes an eternal identity gifted to us by Christ: “For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Jesus took on the weight of all sin—absorbing its penalty—without ever sinning Himself. He did this so that we might be reconciled to God with a new identity defined by Christ’s righteousness, not our own and not from this world. Christ has sacrificially given us a new identity and purpose.
Our yearning for identity can only find its fulfillment in Christ. We are recipients of His righteousness. And in Him, our identity is forever secure.
Consider today how this truth shapes your sense of worth. Are you seeking worldly validation, or are you resting in Jesus’ righteousness? How might recognizing your identity in Christ transform how you view yourself and interact with the world?
My Thoughts
I have always identified myself in various ways: wife, military spouse, mother, nanna, Christian. Today’s devotional gave me insight into who I am to God. I am all of those previously stated, but so much more. I am Christ’s righteousness, left in the world to show others the way to that same relationship with God that I have. Striving for recognition from the world means nothing if one doesn’t have an eternal identity with Jesus Christ.
Review: More Than Friends by Denise Hunter
About the Book
ISBN-13:9781400348732
Publisher:Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:04/14/2026
Pages:320
Synopsis (from the author’s website)
Jenna Greene has been very clear with her boyfriend: She is not ready for marriage. Too bad he didn’t listen. Turned out a rejected proposal was a sure way to lose a boyfriend–and a job. Because, yes, he’d also been her boss. But it seems the firing has come at the perfect time. Back on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, Jenna’s widowed mother has returned from a cruise–with a new boyfriend in tow. Something isn’t right, and Jenna decides to return home to find out what’s going on.
Tyson Parker has a pretty great life on Chincoteague. He’s gainfully employed at his parents’ bed and breakfast–in the very home where he grew up with his three brothers, right across the street from his best friend, Jenna. He loves volunteering for the island’s illustrious fire company and being one of the saltwater cowboys who cares for Chincoteague’s wild ponies. If only he could’ve skipped the whole part where he’d married a two-timing woman. Still, he’s elated to have his best friend back when Jenna returns to the island, even if it is only temporary. And he’s happy to help her figure out what her mom’s suspicious new beau might be up to. But soon his feelings for Jenna begin to shift into. . . something different.
Jenna expected to enjoy visiting her mom, Tyson, and his whole family. She’d expected to feel closer to her deceased father on the island where the foal they’d named years ago now roams the wild salt marshes of Assateague like its ancestors have for hundreds of years. What she didn’t expect was for her feelings for her best friend to change. But she’s always sworn she’d never date a firefighter. Plus, Tyson is fresh off a betrayal. And also, there’s that teensy commitment problem she seems to have. Would she even have the courage to finally give her heart away? And should they really risk their beautiful friendship in the hopes they could someday be something more?
My Thoughts
This story was a perfect read from beginning to end, with a fairytale setting, lovable characters and an immersive and magical plot. Jenna Greene returns to Chincoteague Island after a she loses her job in Alexandria and is comforted by family, friends, and her childhood best friend Tyson Parker. Feeling at loose ends, jobless and without a boyfriend, Jenna seeks solace in the familiar routine of working at the kayak business that she worked at in her youth. She and Ty fall into a familiar routine, too, of talking to each other frequently and sharing all of their challenges and dreams. This book has a dual storyline, one being Jenna’s story and the secondary one is the story of Jenna’s mom who meets a new guy on a cruise. Both stories are well crafted, offering drama as well as delightful budding romance. The plot is charming and refreshing and the setting painted a vivid picture of the pony swim from Assateague to Chincoteague, an event that we took our children to and thoroughly enjoyed so I was happy to relive those happy memories as I read this novel. Of course, the romance between Jenna and Tyson was destined from the start, but it wasn’t without a lot of bumps in the road and some possibility of imminent failure. The trope is friends to lovers and is told in a way that is absolutely fun, flirty and made me cheer for all of the characters who found their HEA. This book is a slam dunk winner for me and all that I enjoy about romance: clean, flirty, warmhearted and with appealing characters.
I voluntarily 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.
About the Author
Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 40 novels, three of which have been made into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on The 700 Club and been featured in Woman’s Day and Southern Living.
Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who struggle with real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the experience of falling in love vicariously through her characters and can expect a happily-ever-after sigh as they close the pages of her books.
In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!
When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are currently enjoying an empty nest.
You can learn more about Denise by visiting her FaceBook page and her website at Denise Hunter Books
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Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 