Author: vicklea

I love to read! I’m a retired teacher with a spouse of 45 years, three amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed!

Sunday Is Coming!

On By vickleaIn Scripture, SongLeave a comment

Today is Good Friday and we will see crosses everywhere today to commemorate the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But the cross is not a symbol of death; rather, it is a symbol of new life and hope for each of us who has accepted Jesus into our lives as the Son of God.

If the Roman soldiers who mocked, flogged and spat upon Him can then recognize His deity, how can we deny it?

Jesus left His heavenly home and became a man so that He could die for our sins and destroy the power of Satan once and for all. Satan’s last stronghold is death and Jesus took that away from him. Jesus holds the power over death and the grave and by accepting Him and His power, the chokehold of fear that death has in our lives is vanquished. The last enemy of mankind was destroyed on the cross!

Jesus not only paid for each of our transgressions, purifying us once and for all before the Father, but He also was beaten, wounded horribly, so that we can be healed: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We are made whole because of His sacrifice!

No one made Jesus go to the cross. As he said, He could have called legions of angels to save Him. But He chose to go to Calvary, to die on that wooden stake of torture so that we could be saved. Jesus was obedient to His Father, even unto death. He trusted that God would do just as He said and He would be raised from the dead. Death is coming for each of us…it’s an inevitable fact of life. It is our choice to die knowing that we will live again with Jesus or to face eternity separated from our Creator. Jesus obeyed the Father because He knew and trusted Him. Can we do any less?

Sunday Is Coming-Phil Wickham

Review of WINDSWEPT WAY by Irene Hannon

On By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

About the Book:

Windswept Way  (Book 9 —Hope Harbor)
Revell, ©2023, ISBN 978-0800741914 

Buying a haunted house was never in Ashley Scott’s plans, but when an intriguing opportunity drops into her lap after a major life setback, she finds herself trekking cross-country to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast to launch a new life. Wounded warrior Jonathan Gray isn’t sure what to make of the attractive woman on his reclusive older neighbor’s isolated property, but her presence is none of his business—until she enlists his help with an ambitious project. When Jonathan finds his interest in the new arrival becoming more personal than professional, however, his defenses go up. There’s no room in his life—or his heart—for romance. Yet as these two hurting souls join forces to restore life, laughter, and love to a historic estate, might they also find healing, hope, and happiness themselves?

My thoughts:

Ashley, Rose and Jonathan are three people going though life in survival mode, all of them injured by their pasts and each of them struggling in different ways to forge a new and hopeful future for themselves. When they meet in Hope Harbor, their lives are irrevocably changed and leave a lesson behind for each reader. The characters were lovable as well as relatable. I especially liked the elderly Rose, a recluse who needs encouragement to come out of her shell. The plot is original and thought-provoking, dealing with love and loss as well as with acceptance of one’s injuries and the ability to move past them. The story captured my heart and mind as I was enraptured by the developing romance between two injured souls who hardly dared to hope for a future. All of my favorite characters from previous books in the series made an appearance, and I was especially glad to see Charlie and his taco truck dispensing his wisdom in a timely manner as always. And the seagulls were there, too, playing on the beach near the historic estate that Ashley and Rose are renovating as an event venue. I loved everything about this book, from beginning to end, but nothing more than the tale of being storm tossed but not destroyed. With a well-crafted story and a good pace, this is a book to savor the fruits of its lessons and to share with others, whether it be in a book group or with friends.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. 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.”

A clean read with lots of good feelings and plenty of emotion!

About the Author:

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. Information is from the author’s website at http://www.irenehannon.com

Available Now! Purchase Links:

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I am blessed to get the opportunity to read some of the best books out there! Thank you, Revell!

Faith

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song3 Comments

I haven’t moved any physical mountains lately, but I have seen mountains in my life fall. They are the mountains that keep me wondering what life is all about and why all the pain and suffering and all of the medical tests with no answers. They are the mountains that help me to know that God is alive and working in my life because He is actively involved in all the circumstances. He didn’t put the mountains in my life, but He will help me move them. Faith moves mountains…Jesus said it and I believe it!

“God Who Moves the Mountains”-Corey Voss

Part of the Crowd

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song3 Comments

I generally avoid crowded places because, as an introvert, I am uncomfortable around a lot of people whom I don’t know well. But I am looking forward to being in the crowd that surrounds Jesus in Heaven. He is not a stranger to me since I have come to know about Him in His Word. I am truly looking forward to the day when I will see Him face to face and be able to give Him the praise and honor due His Name.

People in today’s world seem to be hung up on diversity and accepting others from all over the world. God already does that because everyone is welcome to come to Heaven. You just have to get the passport that allows you to enter. What passport? The one that says your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. How do you get that to happen? You accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, be baptized and live for Him. May I suggest that if you are seeking salvation that you read the Book of John? It is like a biography of Jesus and the reason He came to earth to be our Savior, how He suffered and died so that we can live forever with Him. He provides the stamp on our passport that says we can be a citizen of Heaven for eternity.

God provides the way to be saved, but it is up to us to accept the free gift that He offers. If you want to be part of the crowd in Heaven, you have to open the gift.

Finally, once you have chosen to follow the path of Christ, to declare that He is your Lord and Savior, you have to follow Him daily. What that looks like for you is different than what it looks like for me. We each have our own cross to bear as we follow Jesus. For some, it may mean rejection from other family members. For others, it may mean a life of sacrifice on the mission field. For still others, it may mean giving up your old lifestyle to accept a new life in Christ. Whatever it means, it will be worth it when we see Jesus!

“I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”-Bill Gaither

Lifted Up

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song3 Comments

God lifts me up daily to face whatever pressures or challenges try to thwart me in my journey towards Him. He puts me on solid ground, but even more, He reaches out His own hand and steadies me there. I have to continue to walk along, to travel on life’s road. But there is no fear or falling back into the mud of sin and shame because God is holding on to me, keeping me beside Him. This is a beautiful word picture of God’s strength, my weakness, His ability to save and keep and my dependence on Him.

“You Raise Me Up”-Selah

A Saturday Blessing

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Remember that God is the absolute source of all hope! I needed this today and hope that it ministers to someone else out there.

Answered prayer: my brother got a job after being unemployed for six months.

Prayer request: our daughter has a melanoma on the back of her right shoulder and is having surgery on Thursday.

Praise report: All of my heart tests came back normal with no irregularities.

Prayer request: I have to meet with a vascular specialist because my veins in my legs are leaking and causing some issues. Also, I have an MRI on my brain Tuesday. The doctors are still looking for the reason why I get light-headed and faint.

That’s it for today. Anything I can pray for you for? I will be glad to agree with you and lift you before His throne.

Looking at the Heart

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

When Samuel was choosing a new king for Israel, the tall and handsome young men seemed to be the obvious choices. But God was adamant that He was looking for someone whose heart was right with Him, not someone who looked good on the outside. God still seeks those whose heart is steadfastly turned to the Lord. All the beauty products and latest fashions cannot change who we are on the inside. God already knows our hearts and wants them surrendered to Him. The outside is a façade, a deceiving look at who we really are. The heart represents who we really are, the secrets we hide from others but can never hide from God.

May our hearts stay ever pure before the Lord, steadfastly seeking His will and His good pleasure and not our own.

Afraid of the Dark

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

Since I was a small child, I have feared the darkness. I always had a night light as I grew up, although my mother wouldn’t allow one plugged into my bedroom socket. Instead, there was a street light just outside my window that shone brightly all night long. When I went to college, I left the bathroom light on when I didn’t have a night light. When I moved into my first apartment, I had a night light in the kitchen and in the bedroom. These days, I have one in the living room and in the bathroom. I just hate it when the electricity fails and I am in total darkness until Dominion Power restores it. I don’t fear the darkness so much these days because I know that God made it just as He created the light. But I much prefer the light and being able to see things instead of stumbling around in the darkness. After all, God called the light “good.”

I feel very bad for those who live in darkness day in and day out. They don’t know about the light that can shine into their world and lead them on the path of eternal life. How difficult it must be for them when they are facing death, eternal darkness! We don’t have to walk in darkness, but some people choose to do so because they prefer not to be seen. They don’t want people to know them as they really are. I’m not sure that they realize that God sees them wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Our sins are always known to the Father who made us and yet He provided a way to save us from the darkness of our sins even before we are aware of His great love for us and His gift of salvation.

The darkness that is in the earth today is because sin is rampant and it doesn’t seem that it’s going to get better. People seem to prefer the darkness of sin and living for the evil one rather than choosing light and living for God. As I stated at the beginning, I don’t like the dark. I am not afraid of what it can do to me these days. Rather, I fear what it is doing in the hearts of mankind, with their permission. They allow darkness in and push the light away, much to the detriment of their souls. I like light. God made it and said that it was good. God separated the darkness and the light for a reason, and He wants us to choose to live in the light. However, mankind wants to confuse the two so that their sin is justified in their own minds. Again, I am afraid of the dark…not for what it will do to me because I am a child of the light, but for what it is doing to sinful man who continues to make the wrong choices and is even leading small children in their sinful ways. God will have the last word just as He had the first ones. He will speak and judgment will fall…darkness on those who chose darkness, for all eternity. I pray that many will repent before that Day of the Lord comes!

May you be blessed with the light of life shining in your hearts and may it reach out to others in the darkness.