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!
Who is your best friend, the one you talk to all the time and tell that person everything that is happening in your life? You tell them how you really feel, the good things and the bad things and everything in between. I think my very best friend is my husband. We have grown together over the last fifty plus years and I can be honest with him without fearing his reaction. But the best friend that I have ever had or ever will have is God.
When Jesus was getting ready to leave His disciples and ascend to Heaven, he commissioned them to go and make disciples of others. One of the last things He said to them was that He would always be with them. That verse is one that I have clung to for many years, especially when troubling times come. I remind myself that I am not alone, that Jesus is right there with me. When my husband was deployed with the military and I was working a full-time job and taking care of three children alone, Jesus was right there. He helped me cope, balance the budget, pay the bills, take children to various activities and appointments and generally keep me sane. I trusted Him to be there for me and He was. Did I have some difficult times? Yes, that is part of life, but Jesus’s presence made all the difference. I was alone, but I wasn’t lonely. I knew then and I know now that Jesus is my friend, the One I can count on to not leave me, ever.
A heartwarming love story set at Christmas time by USA Todaybestselling author Nancy Naigle.
In the enchanting mountain town of Chestnut Ridge, where tree farms blanket the hillsides and the promise of a white Christmas is ever-present, a heartwarming holiday romance is about to blossom. When Sheila’s best friend convinces her to help decorate a tree in the annual Christmas Tree Stroll fundraiser, she embarks on an unexpected journey of self-discovery, all wrapped in the cozy embrace of a tight-knit community. As she immerses herself in the joy of twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and the camaraderie of the townsfolk, Sheila’s world begins to transform, and she finds the sense of belonging she never knew she needed.
Meanwhile, Tucker, the town’s reliable fire captain, is gathering volunteers to help a family with four young children who have just lost their home to a devastating fire weeks before Christmas. Sheila offers her helping hand, and as the town rallies to support the family in their time of need, sparks of love begin to flicker between her and Tucker.
This book is a charming and inviting love story that made me want to visit Chestnut Ridge and visit with all of the residents. Shelia is a successful real estate agent in a big city and responds with enthusiasm when her friend Natalie invites her to Chestnut Ridge for the holiday season. Shelia goes to help Natalie decorate a tree for the Christmas Tree Stroll contest and finds much more in the little town than Christmas trees. She finds friendship, a community that supports each other in hard times and people who genuinely watch out for each other. Shelia finds a sense of belonging as well as unexpected love. I totally enjoyed my stay in this story, with characters who jumped off the page and into my heart as an entire town came together to help a family who suffered a huge loss from a devastating fire. I loved how the characters melded together to tell one delightful story of unity, friendship, and compassion. The story moves along at a quick pace with engaging characters and events that were realistically portrayed and fun to read about. What a heartwarming and memorable story! 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 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated PG, Contemporary Fiction
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. She began her contemporary romance series, Adams Grove, while juggling a successful career as an SVP for Bank of America and life on a seventy-six-acre goat farm.
Now enjoying an early retirement from the financial industry, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she now calls the Blue Ridge Mountains home.
Anyone who knows me knows that I really enjoy reading. I read for pleasure and for knowledge. I read because it takes me away to places I will never be able to go and visit with people I would like to get to know in real life. Sometimes, the books I read have an ending that leave me surprised with a revelation that I didn’t see coming. Other times, I cry at the bitter sweetness of an ending where all did not live “happily ever after.” Did you know that God is writing our story, day by day? And we can already know the ending if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our lives are barreling quickly towards our ultimate destiny…death. But that is not the end of the story. Our story has an epilogue that makes this life worth living. Our epilogue is that after death we have eternal life to look forward to, a new Heaven, a new earth and being with God forever. The end of our story is not meant to be a sad or bitter one full of regrets that we have to leave the earth behind. It is one of hope and promise that what we are going toward is so much better than what we leave behind. So, while I read for pleasure, I live for God, because He is writing my story and He has planned a glorious future for me with Him!
The Truth About Death
No matter what part of this planet you live on, how well you take care of your body, or how much money is in your bank account, there is no escaping death.
Sound a little depressing? Sure. But there’s still good news! Really, really good news.
For those who belong to Christ, we have a hope that’s beyond this world…
“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
Romans 8:11 NLT
Death is the greatest tool of our enemy, which is why Jesus came to defeat it. That’s why He became human, took the ultimate punishment, and put death in its rightful place—under the authority and dominion of God.
Yes, life is fleeting, but death is only temporary. And the Spirit of God can do what no human can—give life to the lifeless and redeem what has been lost.
The truth about death is that it’s not the end of the story.
Soon, God will wipe away every tear and make all things new. Just as a baby is given the miraculous and mysterious breath of life, His Spirit will revive the seemingly perished and bring the dead back to life.
Death is not the end of the story. For all who belong to Christ, that is the really, really good news.
Trauma survivor Lindsey Barnes hasn’t fully recovered from the ordeal that almost took her life, and now she’s in the middle of another crisis. Not only is she the sole witness in a high-profile murder case, but someone is also pushing her to question her sanity.
Police detective Jack Tucker doesn’t know what to make of her story, especially when her elusive enemy leaves no evidence behind to lend credence to her claims. Yet the more he gets to know the appealing personal chef, the more he’s convinced someone is targeting not only her sanity, but her life.
And unless they can figure out who is behind the campaign to undermine her credibility, a murderer could slip away—leaving more than one body in his or her wake.
My Thoughts
The suspense starts at the beginning of the book, ramps up its intensity as the story continues and ends with a surprise revelation that includes even more suspense. This is a perfectly well-written romantic suspense, with characters that are relatable and flawed as well as totally believable. Lindsey Barnes is a personal chef who is in the wrong place at the wrong time and ends up being the only eyewitness to a home invasion murder. Detective Jack Tucker is the lead investigator who has difficulty at first believing Lindsey’s account of what happened and presses her to remember more details so that he has more to go on on order to catch a killer. The story continues with part of Lindsey’s backstory and why she doesn’t particularly trust the police and especially Jack. Fascinating details here! There is a secondary story of a handyman who was at the site of the murder and who is Jack’s first suspect. The author does an expert job of weaving the storylines together, including Lindsey’s need for counseling, her past trauma and Jack’s past as well. This book was hard to put down and an engrossing read with a compelling mystery that begged to be solved. I must confess that I love mystery and suspense and read them a lot, but the surprise revelation in this one had me gasping and loving the story even more. With a fast pace, characters who beg for a good resolution and twists that I never saw coming, this moves up to the top of my list of best romantic suspense books this year. 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 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Rated G, Christian Fiction, Romantic Suspense
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Irene Hannon is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than sixty-five contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. She is also a three-time winner of the RITA award—the “Oscar” of romance fiction—from Romance Writers of America and is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of Fame.
Her many other awards include National Readers’ Choice, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers Choice, Booksellers’ Best, Carol, HOLT Medallion, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews magazine, which also honored her with a Career Achievement award for her entire body of work. In addition, she is a two-time Christy award finalist.
Millions of her books have been sold worldwide, and her novels have been translated into multiple languages.
Irene, who holds a BA in psychology and an MA 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.
When not writing, she loves to sing, travel, hike, garden, cook, spend time with family, and go on impromptu dates with her own romantic hero.
I am absolutely the world’s worst at listening, but God is prodding me to work on that skill, so I will share with you what I am learning so far. First, in order to actively listen, you have to really pay attention to what the other person is saying and look at their facial expressions. I have found myself frequently doing other things when someone (especially my husband) thinks that I am listening, and I really am not. I read, fidget, look at texts, check my calendar, etc. I do a lot of other things instead of listening actively and I need to stop that. Second, I need to practice not interrupting. Who knows what the other person might have said if I had not decided to put in my two cents before it was time? I will never know because I interrupted. I think part of that is because as I age, my thoughts are fleeting and I want to say them before they go away permanently. God is reminding me that if it is important enough for me to say, it can wait and He will remind me of it if I forget. The third thing is to respond appropriately. That is much easier to do if you are being an active listener. I have found myself responding to a question that wasn’t even asked because it was what was in my mind to say, regardless of whether it made sense in the conversation. The respectful thing to do is to listen actively, respond appropriately and don’t interrupt. The whole kindness thing that God tells us to practice in the Bible can be applied to listening, too. I am getting better, but I am not there yet. Stop…look…listen. That’s a good thing to remember, not just for crossing the street, but for being an active listener. Stop whatever you are doing. Look at the person talking. And listen…really listen. You might hear something important to you, to the other person and to God.
Think about what it means to bless the Lord at ALL times. When we are on the mountaintop looking down at all of our past troubles, I think it’s easier for us to bless the Lord. What about when we are in the middle of the valley experience and the top of the mountain seems far away or even unattainable? Do we still bless the Lord then? Are we still praising Him when we walk through the dark forest of our lives, not knowing where our next step might lead but aware of danger or circumstances beyond our control all around us? Note that this verse starts with a choice…I will. We choose to bless God at all times, to never let praise be far from us. With the praise of God continually coming from our lips, the situations we face won’t seem so daunting or scary. We know He is right there with us, in that valley and those dark woods.
I wish I could say that I have arrived at the place where I always make the right choice to praise God in spite of circumstances. But, that wouldn’t be true. I am a work in progress and sometimes the Spirit has to remind me to stop whining and to praise. That’s where the joy is found…right where God is. The Bible consistently exhorts God’s people to praise. So, if you need God right where you are, choose to praise.
Do you know what a mediator does? What is his/her responsibility? What they do is to get between parties who disagree and help them to reconcile differences. That is the dictionary definition. Did you know that Jesus is our mediator? He stands between us and God and reconciles sinful man to our holy God.
Arbiter is a synonym of mediator. Have you ever seen this verse in light of the appearing of Jesus? Job was being assailed by one calamity after another and he recognizes God’s sovereignty. He also acknowledges that he needs a mediator…way back in the Old Testament. Some say Job was written before Abraham and after Noah. I don’t know about that, but I do know it was long before Jesus came and Job noticed that he needed a mediator between him and God. So do we all. That’s why God, in His sovereignty and wisdom sent Jesus.
One mediator…Jesus Christ! He is before the Father always and He always defends us once we know Him as Savior. He is the mediator that Job pointed to (with or without prescient knowledge, I don’t know). What I am thankful for is that there is so much in the Old Testament that points to Jesus in the New Testament. The two parts of the Bible all tell one story, of God’s plan. Aren’t you glad that you are part of it?
If you are like me and get frustrated sometimes about the spiritual growth in your life that you don’t think is coming fast enough, maybe it’s because you have fruit and you aren’t distributing it. I could do a checklist of the fruit of the spirit and say to myself that I feel that I have those qualities internally. But they are not meant to nourish me; the purpose of the fruit of the Spirit is to nourish others, both those inside and outside of our Christian community. It’s great that I am patient with myself and give myself the time to do what I want to get done. But what about when I am waiting for my husband, the Christian closest to me, to accomplish something. At times, I feel like I am patting my foot on the ground and looking at my watch every few seconds waiting for him to “get with the program.” To me, that is evidence that I am not where I am supposed to be. The good news, though, is that since I am aware of my shortcomings and what I am supposed to do with the fruit that God’s Spirit is producing in me, I think I will be more likely to nourish others the way I am supposed to. Christianity is not an overnight change just as fruit does not grow the day after you plant the apple tree. It is a process, and I am thankful that God is still working on me to get my fruit up to par and ready to feed others who need that kindness, gentleness, joy and all of the other fruits. And it’s not one fruit at a time that we are growing but rather all of them so that we can call them up as needed when we are ministering to others or just being a witness to them of Christlike behavior. I want more fruit, don’t you?
The Fruit the Spirit Produces
Paul, the author of the letter of Galatians, spends a large part of his letter explaining what it means to live by the Spirit of God. He describes what it looks like for Christians to live according to the Spirit, and also what it looks like to live apart from the Spirit.
One of the key distinctions for those who live according to the Spirit of God is that they produce certain external qualities. Paul calls these the fruit of the Spirit.
Just like an apple tree produces apples and a vineyard produces grapes, so we as Christians are also meant to produce certain things in our life.
Paul lists nine character qualities that should be evident in someone’s life if they’re walking according to God’s ways. They are:
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control
Just like the fruit of a tree isn’t meant for the tree itself, but for others, so also the fruit of the Spirit in a Christian’s life is not meant for themselves, but for others. We are to love one another, take joy in one another, have peace with one another, and be kind to one another.
The fruit of the Spirit is meant to be grown and harvested within Christian community rather than in isolation. We were created for a relationship with God and others.
Take a look at the list of fruit the Spirit produces in a Christian’s life. Be honest and ask yourself: Which fruit am I producing? Which fruit am I not producing, and why am I not producing it? Take note of a few small steps you can take to grow closer to God in those areas of your life and produce more fruit.
The Levites were the closest people to God of all the Israelites because they ministered before Him. But they had to purify themselves repeatedly. I am not a scholar of Levitical law and practices, but I know that Aaron had to be purified before he first went into the tabernacle. I remember reading that those who were near dead bodies had to be purified and stay away from ministering for a certain amount of time. There were all kinds of laws about purification and offerings that the people made to achieve this goal.
The good news for us is that Jesus paid the price once and for all for us to be purified forever. Our sins were washed away and we are in right standing before God just because of Jesus’s sacrifice. No rituals, no animal sacrifices, just confession, repentance and maintaining that pure heart before the Lord by coming before Him regularly and telling Him where we have failed and need help. I am in awe of God’s plan. What started as so many laws and rituals ended in the cross and therein lies the pure heart that we all want to have before God. Jesus’s death was not an easy one and our daily walk may be filled with uphill battles against our own human nature to sin. But each day, we need to crucify our worldly desires and continue to make the choices to keep our hearts pure. Some days and some choices are harder than others. But it will be worth it…we have the promise to see God!
Is Your Heart Pure?
What do you think about when you hear the word pure?
Do you picture a tall glass of crystal clear water? A freshly washed load of white sheets? Or maybe someone who’s morally wholesome and good?
In the sixth of the beatitudes—a series of promises Jesus made about God’s Kingdom—Jesus said this:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Matthew 5:8 NIV
The word “pure” means clean or blameless, free from corruption or contamination, purified by fire, or unstained by guilt. None of us can truly be pure on our own—despite our best efforts.
Before Jesus showed up, the highest ranking Levitical priests were charged with ministering and mediating in the holiest spaces (inside the tabernacle in the wilderness and, later, the temple in Jerusalem)—where God’s presence dwelled on earth. But even they had to be purified over and over again.
Now, because of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross, He has paved the way for us. His blood covered our sins, and when we accept the sacrifice, He makes us pure. Now and forever, we can “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God,” where we can find mercy and grace when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16). Now, our bodies are the modern-day temples where God’s Spirit has chosen to dwell.
Being pure of heart is not about being perfect, but trusting in Jesus to purify our souls.
As Isaiah once prophesied…
“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.”
Isaiah 1:18 NLT
Have you been made pure by trusting in Jesus? Today can be your day. By believing in Him and trusting in Him, you become a new creation, pure and blameless through faith. He paid the price for you to be made pure. Do you receive it?
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 