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.
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!
Think About What You Think About (You Version, 7-06-25)
What you tell yourself every day matters. If you believe something about your identity that isn’t true, then you will struggle to believe what God says about you.
But, when you root your identity in God and allow His Spirit to shape your life, you will begin to see yourself the way He sees you—and this will influence the way you treat people, situations, opportunities, and events around you.
So here are three ways you can guard your thoughts and declare God’s truth over your life:
1. Identify the lies you tell yourself.
Your words and actions reveal the narratives you tell yourself. To figure out if a narrative is false, ask yourself: Is this thought marked by fear, insecurity, pride, bitterness, or a lack of confidence? Is this thought leading me to cynical or self-serving behavior? If you can answer “yes” to either of those questions, then the narrative you’re telling yourself probably needs to be addressed and adjusted.
When you can identify where and when you began believing a lie, it’ll be easier to change the way you think.
2. Shift your perspective.
For every lie, there is a truth that can replace it—and those truths can be found in the Bible. Look over your list of lies, and ask God to show you in His Word what His truth is. Create mental space for the Holy Spirit to clearly show you how He sees you.
3. Declare what’s true.
Turn the truths from Scripture into specific, intentional statements you can declare over your life each day.
Here are some declarations to get you started:
– I am enough because I am a child of God.
– I rejoice in suffering because Christ suffered for me.
– I am not ashamed of Jesus because His sacrifice changes lives.
– I am greatly loved, and so I love others like I have been loved.
– Nothing can separate me from God’s love.
As you practice these steps, keep in mind that if God—whose Word is truth—says something about you, then it must be true. So allow His Holy Spirit to transform the way you think. Let His thoughts about you become your thoughts about you.
My Thoughts
For most of my life, I believed the lies that I am not enough. God, however, has spoken the words to me again and again that not only am I enough, He loves me just the way I am. My lack of self-confidence and my reluctance to believe that I am loved stems from a difficult childhood, but my belief in a good and merciful God who loves me more than I ever thought possible has helped me to overcome my doubts. How I perceive myself is changing still. I continually have to remind myself that God loves me and made me the way I am. No fear, no shame, no ridicule…just love.
As leader of a special military unit charged with stopping potential pandemics before they spread, John “Haggs” Haggerty has a front-row seat to the sharp increase in natural disasters that precede the Rapture—including plagues, earthquakes, famines, wars, and rumors of war. And each crisis is becoming more intense.
Meanwhile, his own world feels like it’s falling apart. He’s still caught in the grief of messing up his relationship with his ex-wife, and he’s trying to keep it together so that he can show up for his adult daughter before she wants him out of her life entirely. As both personal and professional situations push him to the brink, Haggs finds himself stretched further than ever in his desire to be the kind of good person he knows he should be.
Just when it seems as if things might turn around, Haggs is forced to decide between his need to find solutions and his need for personal redemption.
This is a story about the end times from the Bible and how different fictional characters in the book are affected by the events. General John Haggerty is a dedicated physician and on the task force to try to stop a global pandemic. Unfortunately, the illness cannot be contained and in his pursuit of trying to save people, he almost loses his beloved daughter Sonya. The novel is over three-fourths of the way done before the Rapture occurs, so it is not the focus of the story. The real focus is what comes before and how people react to wars, famine, earthquakes and rampant diseases. The U.S. government has a task force for everything but what they don’t have is a relationship with God that could help them have the wisdom to get through these times. The characters were realistically portrayed and flawed, and the plot moved quickly to a semi-conclusion. The story isn’t really over because at the end of the story, the Tribulation is just beginning for those who were not rescued during the Rapture. I liked the story, especially the way the scriptures were accurately represented in a way that encouraged people to get right with God before it is too late to do so. This is the first fiction book that I have read from this author and I found it to be well-written and thoroughly enjoyable. Disclaimer: 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.
Christian Fiction about the End Times, Rated PG-13
About the Authors
Founder and host of Turning Point for God and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, David Paul Jeremiah, was born February 13, 1941, in Toledo, Ohio. He is one of four children born to James and Ruby Jeremiah. During his childhood, his family moved to Dayton, Ohio, where his father, James T. Jeremiah, served as Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church. In 1953, the Jeremiah family moved to Cedarville, Ohio, when his father became the President of Cedarville College—which is now Cedarville University.
Growing up in a pastor’s home, David was immersed in ministry from an early age. During his senior year at Cedarville College, he felt God’s calling to enter full-time ministry. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1963, and that same year he married his college sweetheart, Donna Thompson. After graduation, they moved to Dallas, Texas, where David attended Dallas Theological Seminary. He received his Master’s degree in Theology in 1967. Completing additional graduate work at Grace Seminary, he was granted the Doctor of Divinity degree from Cedarville College in 1981.
In 1969, David and Donna began a church plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with seven families in attendance. He served as pastor at Blackhawk Baptist Church for twelve years. During that time the church grew to 1,300 members, Blackhawk Christian School was founded, and The Bible Hour television program was launched.
In 1981, the Jeremiah family, which now included four children, followed God’s call and moved to California when Dr. Jeremiah became the senior pastor of Scott Memorial Baptist Church, which is now Shadow Mountain Community Church. Today Shadow Mountain Community Church is one of the largest churches in San Diego county with eight satellite locations including Hispanic and Arabic congregations. The main campus of the church, located in El Cajon, California, is also the home to Southern California Seminary and Christian Unified Schools, a multiple site kindergarten through twelfth-grade Christian school district. Website: Dr. David Jeremiah
With 20 years of experience in the publishing world, Sam O’Neal is passionate about serving authors who write great stories. He launched Write Great Stories, Inc., after working for legacy brands including Christianity Today, LifeWay Christian Resources, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Sam works with A-list authors including Dr. David Jeremiah, Max Lucado, Bishop T. D. Jakes, Louie Giglio, Dr. Dharius Daniels, Kathie Lee Gifford, Charles Martin, and more.
Passionate about God’s Word, Sam has served as the primary editor or content producer for three Bibles: Quest Study Bible, Life Connections Study Bible, and the Bible Study Bible. He also develops curriculum material for authors including David Platt, Tony Evans, Matt Chandler, Michael Todd, John MacArthur, and others.
Sam has a literature degree from Wheaton College and a master’s in Christian studies. He has dedicated his career to making complex ideas approachable for everyday readers.
One of the things that we as Christians need to realize is that confession and cleansing is not a “once and done” action. It is ongoing, a process that gives us transparency before God. That transparency isn’t for God’s benefit. He already sees all and knows all about us. It is for our benefit, so that we can have a clear conscience and stand before the Father pure and holy as He desires for us. I am not getting into the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” I am talking about confessing our sins and being forgiven on a daily basis, sometimes more than once a day even.
I use the acronym ACTS for my prayers. If you are not familiar with it, here is what it stands for:
A=Adoration
C=Confession
T=Thanksgiving
S=Supplication
I used to get adoration and thanksgiving all mixed up together. But I have personally discovered that adoration is being aware of and loving God for His character traits, like His mercy, grace, holiness, etc. Thanksgiving is thanking Him for what He has done for us. So similar, but really not the same, right? Sometimes, it is hard for me not to jump right in and start telling God my prayer requests. But by using this acronym, I slow down and spend the time I need to acknowledge God’s power and love, tell Him how I have failed Him and ask for forgiveness, thank Him for what He has already done, and then I can tell Him my current needs or desires.
Anytime we sin, we let a little darkness into our lives. If we want to live completely in the light and be the light, we have to stay prayed up and transparent before God and others. There is a lot of talk about politicians being “transparent.” Since I don’t think that will ever truly happen this side of heaven, I don’t have a firm grasp on what transparency looks like, but my own thoughts are that I am totally and completely honest with God. It is humbling thing to do, but it is also necessary for my relationship with God to be closer and fulfilling. The door to my heart that God holds in His hand is closed until I open it with the key of confession and humble submission to ask for His forgiveness. It’s hard to hear from the Holy Spirit when I am holding on to unconfessed sin. Here are some reminders from the Scriptures of why the C in the acronym is vital to our walk with God.
Do you recall who in the Bible claimed to be holy and without sin? That would be the scribes and Pharisees, the Jewish leaders, whom Jesus called out and called “vipers.” Why would He do that to the leadership? They had not repented of their sins and they were using their positions of power to oppress the people under a multitude of requirements in order to gain power and wealth. I don’t claim to be holy except with the righteousness of Jesus. He cleanses me each time I go before Him and confess and then I move on and try to do better in the future. My right-standing before God is because of Jesus. My clear conscience before God is because I confess and ask for forgiveness.
Why not take a few minutes now to do the ACTS prayer? It can be as short or as long as you need. Just take time to refresh yourself before the Lord. I can assure you that you will have burdens lifted and be really ready to face a new day with the Lord. God bless you!
To prove her innocence she’ll have to expose a lethal conspiracy. A frantic call from her best friend sends district attorney Paige Grayson running right into a trap–and now she’s being framed for her friend’s murder. With the police after her and evidence against her stacking up, she seeks refuge in Amish country–and the help of her first love, Elijah King, to clear her name. To expose the drug dealer setting Paige up, they must work together while evading a ruthless criminal and the police. With threats closing in and time running out, one wrong move could be their last.
This book has a fast pace right out of the starting gate, like a thoroughbred at the Kentucky Derby who races to win. This second-chance-at-love story includes nail-biting suspense as Paige and Elijah run for their lives from drug dealers who have already killed their good friend. Not knowing who is the head of the drug operation makes the scenario even more frightening because neither of them can figure out how they are continually being tracked. Weaving suspense with a developing romance, this book includes some heart-in-your-throat moments as Elijah and Paige run through woods, into caves, and up a mountain while they constantly encounter danger. I really liked how the Amish community chose to help them as much as they could rather than taking a stance of not wanting to get involved. This is a powerful story of God’s grace in action and second chances as you face what seems to be insurmountable obstacles. I enjoyed how the main characters consistently showed how much they cared for each other and how courageous they were in their determination to expose the drug dealers. The plot is deeply immersive, the characters are rich and realistically flawed as well as original and believable. Some of my favorite characters were the dogs, especially Gunner, Paige’s protector who was willing to lay down his life for his mistress and showed his loyalty and obedience repeatedly. This edgy love inspired story was filled with suspense and the signature style of the author that keeps the story moving as fast as the characters who are running from danger. Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
Love Inspired Suspense, Rated PG
Also Available
About the Author
Mary Alford grew up in a small Texas town famous for, well not much of anything really. Being the baby of the family and quite a bit younger than her two brothers and her sister, Mary had plenty of time to entertain herself. Making up stories seemed to come naturally to her.
As a teen, Mary discovered Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt and knew instinctively that was what she wanted to do with her over-active imagination.
She wrote her first novel as a teen, (it’s tucked away somewhere never to see the light of day), but never really pursued her writing career seriously until a few years later, when she wrote her first inspirational romantic suspense and was hooked.
Today, Mary lives in Texas with her husband and loves to create characters who face dangerous situations with faith on their side.
Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook, X, or any of the social media platforms listed at maryalford.net.
I am participating in a group Bible study online with some ladies from my church. It’s called “Loving God Greatly-Abiding in Jesus: Bearing Fruit that Lasts.” We are only on Day 4 of fourteen days, but this devotional is really speaking to me and in some ways calling me out. Today was one that did the latter. Here is the text from the YouVersion Bible App:
The Light that we are called to shine through our lives is not for others to better see us, but to better see Christ. When we abide in Jesus, our lives begin to reflect His Light, shining in a world that desperately needs to see Him. This Light is the evidence of God’s Love within us, transforming our lives and radiating out to bless those around us.
As we learn to abide in Jesus, something beautiful happens: gratitude begins to overflow in our hearts. We start to see God’s Goodness in every moment. Praise becomes part of our daily rhythm. It’s not just a quick “thank you” here and there but a deep and constant awareness of and gratitude for His Presence.
Our lives become a testimony of God’s Faithfulness, a Light that points others to His Love. It’s shown in acts of kindness, forgiving those who’ve wronged us, speaking comfort into someone’s pain, and choosing humility over pride. When we abide in Christ, we find that our good deeds are simply the natural overflow of His Love in us.
Sweet friend, your Light may seem small at times, but Jesus assures us that God uses every act of faithfulness and obedience to bring Him Glory. The impact of your abiding life goes far beyond what you can see or even imagine. When we choose to live as a Light for Him, we’re part of something Eternal, pointing others to the source of all Light—Jesus Himself, the Light of the World.
This devotional made me see how far I have come, but more importantly how much further I need to go. I have a little, tiny light that I hope is bringing hope to a lost world, but I don’t always see the effects of anything that I do, so I am not sure that I am having any kind of effect at all. I just want people to see Jesus in me and to show gratitude to God for who He is and what He is doing in their lives. Some days I feel pretty good about how I have represented Christ that day and other days I just feel beaten down, like a dry corn stalk in the summer heat. I don’t feel successful but I keep trying. After all, I am representing the King, and anything I do on His behalf is a way that I hope is bringing glory to Him. How about you? Is your light shining?
In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she’s suddenly in possession of someone’s baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.
As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he’s the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn’t want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he’s in this thing, like it or not.
When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby’s missing mother–all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.
The pace of this book is so fast that I could not flip through my Kindle pages quickly enough! The characters are regular people who are faced with insurmountable challenges and who rise to the task, the biggest one to take care of an infant while fleeing a volcano and avoiding bad guys who want to kill all of them. Kit Garrido is a semi-truck driver who is dedicated to her business and not looking for anything except success. Cullen is fixing a roof of his cabin when he sees Kit wreck her truck, so he rushes to her aid. Thus begins the story of the two intrepid warriors against nature and evil! When Cullen discovers a baby in the living compartment of Kit’s truck, Kit is flabbergasted about how she got there, since the accident that wrecked her beloved truck also stole her memory. Discovering that the accident was a purposeful action of sabotage since a bullet hit the truck, Cullen makes it his goal to keep Kit and the baby safe from whomever is trying to harm her. I loved the way the two of them bonded with the baby whom they called “Tot” and I was totally invested in the realistic character of Archie, a veteran who is a friend of Cullen’s and who is wise and snarky, too. The race to save themselves from the volcano and from the villains is realistically portrayed, with all kinds of extra dangers along the way and problems like no shelter and limited food, along with horrible air quality due to the erupting volcano. The twists keep coming and just when I thought Cullen and company were safe, another threat arose and had my heart pumping and my pulse racing. The plot was complex with multiple layers that were expertly woven together into a satisfying conclusion. The romance is one that simmers since the hero and heroine are a little busy running for their lives and watching over Tot. This is a powerful, breathtaking story of honor and sacrifice as well as a propulsive thriller that took off like a jet plane from the first chapter and flew high for the entire book. With escalating tension and a gripping story, combined with nail-biting suspense and unique, relatable characters, this book is a real winner for me in the Best Books of 2025 category. The author did a remarkable job of including faith and the tough topic of human trafficking all while staying on course to captivate me with the active volcano and the bad guys who were nothing short of pure evil. If I could give this book more than five stars, I would because it didn’t just entertain, but it also educated and made me think about life choices and consequences. Disclaimer: 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.
Christian Fiction with Intense Suspense, Rated PG-13
About the Author
Dana Mentink lives in California where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Her family includes two daughters (affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo.) Papa Bear is retired from the fire department and he met Dana doing a dinner theater production of The Velveteen Rabbit. Ironically, their parts were husband and wife.
Dana writes in two genres, cozy mystery and romantic suspense. She’s a USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon bestselling author as well as a two time ACFW Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion recipient. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. She is honored to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Revell, and Poisoned Pen Press
We can trust God to always provide even when we don’t know how it can possibly happen. God is always there, always desiring the best for His children.
Times can get hard because life is hard. But no matter what, before the hard times come, we need to purpose in our hearts that we will trust God’s provision and continue to rejoice. He has given us a Savior, the gift of eternal life and a relationship with our Creator. Everything else is just extra, as they say, the cherry on top.
Do we look at all we have and have confidence that we will continue to have it tomorrow and all of the tomorrows to come? Do we recognize that all we have comes from the God who is blessing us. Thus we learn to depend on God and not on things. The things we have may vanish, but God remains steadfastly beside us.
Title: Midnight Offensive Series: Toxic Truths #1 Author: Elle E. Kay Publisher: Faith Writes Publishing Release Date: May 14, 2025 Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense / Thriller
Former Navy SEAL Craig Malone is now a Tactical Operations Leader for Homeland Security with a critical mission: protect the only antidote to Viper-X, a stolen bioweapon about to be sold to the highest bidder. But the mission becomes dangerously personal when the investigation leads him to Sadie Kline—an emergency room nurse and his best friend’s little sister. He’s always kept his distance, but now her life is on the line.
As a ruthless enemy closes in, kidnapping their loved ones and setting deadly traps, Craig must protect the woman he can’t get out of his head while stopping a catastrophic attack.
Duty and a decade of unspoken feelings collide in a race to stop a traitor before it’s too late.
This is my first book by Elle E. Kay and I am a definite new fan, hooked by her sharp writing, constant action and satisfying romance that was enchanting and believable. Sadie is an ER nurse caught in the crossfire with a bio-weapon at stake. Her former neighbor is the Homeland Security agent in charge of safeguarding the nation from the bio-weapon and protecting the man who is developing the antidote. Craig and Sadie together make a formidable team to take on the saboteurs, but the head-spinning twists keep coming at them fast and furiously. From one place to another, Sadie and Craig seem to be chasing down leads while danger is chasing them and is right behind them at all times, sometimes catching up with them at unexpected times. This is a gripping story that is addictive and fun to read and try to piece the clues together. Infused with spiritual truth and romance simmering under the surface, this book grabbed hold of my imagination and would not let go. I was captivated by the courage of the characters who were the good guys and thought that all of the characters were realistic, original and dynamic. The plot flowed well from beginning to end in this edgy, page-turner that kept me on the edge of my seat and fascinated with the twists. It is a well-crafted book that hit all of the high notes for me in suspense, drama and romance. Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positives review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Elle E. Kay is an Angel Award–winning Christian author known for her gripping suspense and engaging romance. She lives on a hobby farm in Central Pennsylvania near Red Rock Mountain with her husband, three dogs, and a variety of farm animals. A devoted follower of Christ, Elle is active in her church’s youth ministry and shares her love of Jesus through music.
Since her debut novel Shadowing Stella released in 2016, Elle has written over two dozen books spanning romantic suspense, contemporary romance, historical fiction, and children’s literature. Her award-winning Pennsylvania Parks series blends faith and thrills against the backdrop of the state’s stunning natural landscapes. She’s also the author of the Endless Mountain series and a contributor to several multi-author projects, including the Lawkeeper, Blushing Brides, Heroes of Freedom Ridge, and Christmas in Redemption Ridge collections.
Elle writes children’s books under the pen name Ellie Mae Kay and connects with readers through her blog, newsletters, and social media. Whether writing fiction, singing in church, or caring for her animals, Elle lives out her faith—and crafts stories where love, hope, and perseverance prevail.
Connect with Elle by visiting elleekay.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.
(1) winner will receive a Romantic Suspense Prize Pack which features 5 of Elle’s most recent romantic suspense releases, including Midnight Offensive, along with a tote bag and swag!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 30, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 7, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Isn’t this lovely? Well, that is no thanks to me because I kill all the plants. In fact, I joke that they just go ahead and wither when they see me coming around. My husband Harry is the gardener and this is the rose bush he planted for me after my stroke. He put it just outside the window next to the chair where I sit daily. Since then, he has added all kinds of other flowering plants as well as bird feeders. He is truly a gifted gardener. We also have a bounty of fresh veggies that he plants for us each year. As my dietary requirements have changed, he has changed what he has planted. That means fewer tomatoes and more things like squash and cucumbers and even some melons. He takes what we can’t use to share with the people in our Monday Bible study group, so it all gets used. Anyway, he is the gardener and I benefit from his talent.
Let’s break this verse down in relationship to what I just said about my husband being the gardener around our house. In this verse, Jesus clearly states that He is the true vine. God is the gardener and we are the branches. What does God do as the gardener in our lives? The same thing my husband does to keep things growing properly in our yard. God weeds out the bad things, prunes back the unproductive growth and fertilizes and waters. We cannot produce fruit unless we allow God to be the gardener. We can keep weeds, those pesky little sinful habits that we know we should not have around, but they will keep the plant that God is working on inside our hearts from flourishing. We can say that pruning hurts and we don’t want to cut things out, even if they are killing the plant inside us. But, again, the plant won’t grow properly unless it is pruned, and it may even die without this process, no matter how painful it may be. We can say that today is not a good day for fertilizer and water. Since our plant food (fertilizer) and water is the Word of God, every day is a good day to feed the plant. God is a good Creator who knows just what He is doing in the garden of our hearts. He sowed seed, our mentors watered it until it began to grow and now God is the gardener who continues to take care of it. His desire is for us to produce good fruit for His kingdom, but for that to happen, we actually have to remain still and let Him work on us from the inside out. Our root system has to be healthy for the rest of the plant to grow as it should. We need to keep in mind that we will wither and die without our Father as our gardener. God’s desire is to help us flourish here on earth with Him in charge of weeding, pruning, feeding and watering. Let’s let go and allow God to be the Great and Loving Gardener!
A close up of my a beautiful rose from my rose bush in the front of the house. Harry worked hard on this bush to make it continue to grow and look the way it does. That is what God wants for us, beauty from ashes and a new life in Him.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 