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!
Fill ‘Er Up
When I was growing up, my dad ran a gas station, which in the south we called a “filling station.” It was also during a time when the employees filled up the gas tank and the customer didn’t even get out of the car unless they wanted to go into the station and grab a soda or a pack of cigarettes. I actually worked at my father’s filling station for several years when I was in high school. I was his unofficial bookkeeper and worked in the office, which was really a desk inside the station. Since there was no air conditioning there, the door usually stayed open and I would hear the bell ring as the cars ran over the alert that there was a customer. I also got used to hearing, “Fill ‘er up!”
Today’s scripture verse reminded me of my time at the gas station. No one ever said, “Just give me a little, please. I just have to make it home.” Some people did ask for half a tank, a feat that I had no idea how the employees figured out how much to put in, but I didn’t ever hear a customer complain that they got too much in their tank. Keep that in mind as we explore today’s verse.
This is a promise to be filled, but did you read what is required in order to be filled? You have to actually hunger and thirst for righteousness! I know food cravings as every day just before dinner, I really want a snack but I know I should not have one because it will spoil my appetite for dinner. I am hungry but not to the point that I just cannot do without it. This last week has been a really hot one here in Virginia, with temperatures in the 100’s daily and humidity high. That has resulted in my feeling extra thirsty. I always keep water with me, next to my chair or in my hands as I travel from room to room. My nephrologist has advised me to drink at least six cups of water a day, and I have been meeting his expectation all week without any problem because I have been thirsty. Physical hunger and thirst are not what the verse is talking about though.
So what does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? I think it means a soul-deep craving to have a closer walk with God, a longing for others to have a relationship with Him, and a deep desire for Jesus to come again and set everything right in this topsy-turvy world. It means that when I am tired and irritable, I open my Bible and read. Or I go to my memory verse cards and work on them. Or I listen to praise music. I need to know that God is close, so I move closer to Him because I am hungry and thirty for more of what He offers, a right-standing and acceptance from Him. I don’t know that I have all of this correct, but it’s correct enough for me to say that I think I am on the right track. I cannot know all things, but I can know what I learn daily from God’s Word, and I know without a doubt that spending time with the Lord gives me peace and gives Him pleasure. So, my words to God are, “Here I am again today, Lord, at your filling station. Fill ‘er up!”
Echoes of Darkness by Darlene L. Turner: Author Interview and Giveway
Welcome to the Blog Tour for Echoes of Darkness by Darlene L. Turner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Echoes of Darkness
Author: Darlene L. Turner
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: June 24, 2025
Genre: Christian Suspense/Romantic Thriller
A serial killer stalks a small town, and a police officer must face her family’s dark past to catch him.
The sleepy community of Kenorapeake Falls in northern Ontario seems like somewhere Constable Oaklynn Brock can finally outrun her violent past. That is, until she’s assigned to investigate a series of suspicious deaths. She can’t reveal that she knows how serial killers think because she grew up with one. Yet the eerie similarities between these murders and those committed by her father, known as the Suicide Slayer, hint at a copycat in their midst. But why here and why now?
Caleb Greene of the Canadian Watchers Squad, a special task force, has his own reasons to be wary of working alongside Oaklynn. But with rumors of a local cult known as the Light Paragons gaining power, the stakes are too high to refuse.
As they explore connections between the killings and cult, Oaklynn and Caleb are forced to confront old secrets…and a terrifying new threat. Someone is watching Oaklynn’s every move. They know exactly who she is and what she might be capable of. And soon her biggest fear isn’t just having her past exposed, but that a killer will turn whatever days she has left into a living nightmare…
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub
Also Available
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About the Author
Darlene L. Turner is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her high-octane stories and riveting twists. Sparked by Nancy Drew, she’s turned her love of solving mysteries into her writing, believing readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. Dubbed “the plaid queen” for her love of everything plaid, Darlene resides with her husband Jeff in Ontario, Canada. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
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Author Q & A
1. What kind of research did you do for this book? What was the most interesting thing you discovered in your research?
DLT: Lots! Haha! I researched writing to inmates within Canada, different types of drugs, guns, law enforcement procedures, cults, K-9s, military, medical information. I think the most interesting—and scary—is just how many cults are out there. Yikes. We need to shine Christ’s light!
2.What was your favorite part of writing this book?
DLT: I loved adding a third POV. With my regular Love Inspired Suspense books, I can only have two, so it was fun to add the Protégé’s POV.
3.Did anything in the story end up surprising you?
DLT: I’m a pantser, so I’m always surprised by some of the rabbit trails my characters take me on. Haha! Sometimes they work out, but not always.
4. When did you know that you wanted to be an author?
DLT: From the time I picked up my first Nancy Drew book as a little girl! I fell in love with not only a good mystery/suspense story, but the idea of wanting to create my own!
5. What is your writing process like? Do you know the ending when you start writing?
DLT: I start with an idea and then decide on my hero and heroine’s vocation. Then brainstorm it into a plot line. I develop my characters through a character sketch, establishing their backstory. I don’t always know how the book ends but have a general idea.
6. What would be your advice to new authors?
DLT: Don’t give up or compare yourself to other authors. Every author has a different journey. Also, don’t be scared to reach out and ask other authors questions. We can learn from each other.
7. If you could have a luncheon with a group of authors, whom would you invite and why?
DLT: Jaime Jo Wright, Jessica R. Patch, Natalie Walters – we’d have so much fun brainstorming our stories together! Maybe too much fun. haha
8. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing or reading a book?
DLT: Tole painting (painting on wood), watching movies, going on walks with my hubby.
9. If you could travel to anywhere in the world and cost was not a problem, where would you go and why?
DLT: Easy. Hawaii. I love it there. It’s paradise!
10. Your new book is a trade paperback thriller. Was it more of a challenge to write? Do you plan to write more books in this genre?
DLT: I loved writing this thriller. It’s fun to go deeper into relationships, storylines, adding subplots, another POV, etc. Yes, I hope to write more thrillers!
With many thanks to Darlene L. Turner for graciously answering my questions!
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Tour Giveaway
(4) winners will each receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 23, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 30, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Open internationally. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
An Amazing Analogy about Demeaning the Bible
ettingerwriting.wordpress.com/2025/06/23/an-amazing-analogy-about-demeaning-the-bible/
Please go to the original post and follow David. His wisdom and insight may surprise those new to his blog, but he consistently shares it with his readers.
A New View of Mourning
I have always taken this verse as referring to those mourning over a loss, those who are grief stricken when someone they deeply care for has died. And I am sure that applies here, because each time I have lost someone to death, the Holy Spirit has been right there beside me comforting me and letting me know that I am not alone.
In my devotional this morning, Craig Groeschel opened my eyes to a different way to see this verse. What if it also refers to mourning over your sinful state, all of the sins that have separated you from God?
I can definitely see that interpretation, too. I think people today take sin too lightly. “I lied, but it was just a little white lie and it didn’t hurt anyone.” “Yes, I took that from the store without paying for it, but they make tons of money, so they won’t miss it.” “Sure, I am sleeping with my boyfriend! Doesn’t everyone want to try out whether you are compatible before you even think about marriage?” Since sin is rampant, just as it has always been, then we should be fervent in our desire to get others to see the consequences for their sin. We want them to mourn over the fact that their lying, stealing and fornication hurt God’s heart, and ultimately will hurt them for eternity. I would like to think that the everyday people I meet on the street don’t mean to sin; they are just following along with what is accepted in our culture. Nevertheless, sin is sin and it keeps anyone who is a sinner from getting close to the Creator who made them to have a relationship with Him. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of all of my unsaved loved ones who have been duped by Satan and the world into thinking that the little sins don’t count and if everyone is doing it, God can’t send everyone to hell, can he? Why, yes! Yes, He can and He will, even as He cries for those who failed to turn and repent. God is loving, but He is also just. Thus, we should mourn over sin and the condition of the world. Not only do individuals need to mourn over their sin and their lost relationship with God, but we should be mourning with them, in prayer daily for God to show us who is ready to really listen to the truth from His Word. His Comforter is there to help us share the truth and to comfort those who are finally realizing the cost of their sin.
This verse has always been a source of comfort for me when I mourn a lost loved one. Now it will be a source of comfort for me when I see sinners comfortable with their sins. God knows and understands that I cry out to Him for Him to lead them to the knowledge of Him and to comfort them with the joy of His salvation.
Not a Chameleon
We were created by God to be noticed by others, especially non-believers. Our witness to them should stick out, so much so that they want to know why we are “different.” If we are just like everyone else in the world, then how do we convince others that they should be like us and follow Jesus? The answer is that we are living in this world, but we are called to separate ourselves from it. We are called to be different, the spokespeople of the Lord of the Universe.
We are not created to be like a chain of paper dolls, all looking and sounding the same. We each have our own distinct physical features and we are all called to share our own unique testimony about the Lord and His gift of salvation to us personally. God doesn’t want robots; He desires the people whom He created to have a relationship with Him, the Creator. Then, He wants us to share the relationship we have with others so that they can come to know Him, too.
Can you see it? There is a chameleon in this photo. We are not supposed to blend in like this so others don’t notice us at all. We are people, created in God’s image, to represent Him to the world. We aren’t trying to hide from the dangers the world presents, although that might not be a bad idea sometimes. We aren’t supposed to blend in with the sinful people, but rather, we should be representatives of the One who has called us to be holy. We are supposed to be so different that others want to know why we are filled with joy during challenging times, not cursing God because of the weather and giving God the credit for all of our blessings instead on insisting that our own effort brought our success. There is only one me, only one you. And that was planned by our loving Heavenly Father.
Remember What God Has Done
We could all sit around some days and have a little pity party about all of the bad things that are happening in our lives and in the world around us. We could lament the fact that we prayed, but we haven’t gotten an answer yet. (At least, not the one we expected or wanted).
How about instead of a pity party, we have a praise celebration? Instead of thinking about all the negatives, start thinking about what God has already done for you (and for this sinful world). Satan certainly doesn’t want us to remember so I think he tries to block our memory of the good things and puts the bad things at the forefront of our minds. We need to purposely choose to think of the good things, as Philippians says:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/php.4.8.NIV
It is when we start remembering what God has already done that we have a testimony to share and a faith that cannot be quenched! So, let’s get out of the pits of despair and stand on that mountain of faith that God created for us to stand on.
This is my prayer for you and for myself and it is a memory verse that I have been working on this week.
Do you enjoy Crowder songs? This is one of my favorites because it reminds me not to “get amnesia” but to focus on what God has already done!
On a Mission for God
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something. Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building their career, or amassing possessions.
While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation are so great that nothing on this earth is as important as God’s work.
Paul says that nothing in His life matters as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:24 NIVThe mission of God is not opposed to growing families or building careers. In fact, God desires for us to use those opportunities to faithfully accomplish the mission of God. We can raise families in the way of God, and we can tell our coworkers about God’s grace. Any place we find ourselves can be an opportunity to accomplish the mission of God.
Take a moment to consider your own life and where you spend your time. Are you using every opportunity you have to spread the good news of Jesus? Does your life, like Paul’s, point toward God?
Consider a few ways that you can begin to change your perspective and live your life on mission for God.
My Thoughts
My first thought when I read this Daily Refresh today from the YouVersion Bible App was twofold. One, I am too old and tired to even think about being on a mission for God. And two, how can He use me when I can barely stand for longer than a few minutes and seldom see people socially?
Of course, the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to my heart and told me without hesitation that God uses everyone who is available. I just have to make myself available. After all, He has already called each of us to fulfill the Great Commission. I have received my “orders” so now I have to make a plan.
So, I thought to myself. Who needs to hear about Jesus that is someone in my circle of influence? So many names and faces came to my mind! After all, I have been praying for them for a long time. The Holy Spirit is prodding me into action, using the knowledge I have from God’s Word and the testimony that I live daily, to encourage people like my sister, our son and his family and my brother to establish a relationship with God. I don’t know how it will happen, but I know that I am on a mission for God and He will help me speak the right words at the right time.
I’m excited to know deep in my heart and soul that God isn’t finished with me yet and that I have a job to do. I hope that you have discovered this truth, also, and look forward to your testimonies of how God is using you to reach others for Christ.
I don’t know how long I have on this earth, but I do know that God has left me here to do His work, so I plan to do it to the best of my ability. I’m no Paul, but I’m a Vickie with a purpose and a mission!
But God
The word “but” is a coordinating conjunction meaning that it connects words or groups of words. In the case of “but” it shows a contrast, an exception to what has already been said. I cannot possibly include all of the “But God” statements from the Bible, but here are a few of my favorites.
God makes the seeds we plant grow…we can depend on Him to do His part after we have done ours. Instead of trying to take credit for God’s work, let’s give Him all of the glory. But God…
Once again, people build houses, but God has built everything because He created everything. There is no material that a house is made of that was not created originally by God. All of those scientists who keep trying to be the Creator are not. But God…
We cannot save ourselves and never could. God showed us His love long before we even acknowledged His existence or His great plan of salvation. But God…
God raised Jesus from the dead and provided a way for all of us to have eternal life. When this verse says “you” the speaker is talking to the crowd that forced death on our Savior. But I know that I was one of them who caused His death because I am a sinner and He died for all of us. But God…
One day I will die. We all will. It is the end of life on earth, but it is the beginning of a new eternity with God. He promised and I believe Him. But God…
Getting old is not a picnic or much fun some days. But God continues to strengthen me daily and to show me new truths from His word that nourishes my soul. But God…
This verse is from one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament, when Joseph is reunited with the brothers who sold him into slavery. God takes the bad that others intend for us and changes it into a blessing, if we will just look for it. But God…
So, I hope this post has whetted your spiritual appetite to look for it the “but God” statements in the Bible. They are in the Old Testament and the New Testament, so keep an eye out. They mean good things for believers! But God…
Please Vote in the Story Contest
I entered a story contest inspired by The Bitter End Birding Society!
We had to come up with a theory for how Bitter End, TN got its name and I submitted an entry.
Tap the link to read the entries + vote for your favorites. I hope you like mine, but I just want you to vote. You can vote for the same story all 3X or different stories…your choice.
Voting is open through June 30!
Cast your vote here: https://amandacoxwrites.com/the-bitter-end-story-contest-voting/
You get to vote for three. By the way, the prize is a new bird feeder!
Postscript: I am reading an Advanced Reader Copy of this book now, so look for a review in the future. It’s really good, so if you want to preorder, I suggest you use Baker Book House since they offer 40% off and free shipping on preorders. Here is that link: Baker Book House
Thank you for participating! Have a blessed day!
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 