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!

Seeking While You Wait

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

Seeking Hope in the Midst of Sorrow (Daily Refresh, 1-24-26)

Lamentations is a book of sorrow, written in the aftermath of Jerusalem’s destruction. The city lay in ruins. Grief covered the people like dust. But right in the middle of this lament, something remarkable happens: a word of hope.

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”
Lamentations 3:25 NIV

Jeremiah, who scholars believe is the likely author of Lamentations, writes this verse not because everything was good, but because he knew God is good, even when life is not. This kind of hope is a deliberate choice to seek God’s presence when things seem dark. It’s trusting in His character when circumstances don’t make sense.

The verse highlights two actions: hoping and seeking. Hope in God fixes our eyes forward, on what He will do. Seeking Him draws us inward into relationship with the God who is already near.

Verse 26 continues the theme: “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” The Hebrew word for “wait” here is “yachal,” which carries the idea of hopeful expectation. It’s not a passive sitting still—it’s an active, trusting posture of the heart. In this context, waiting isn’t doing nothing; it’s doing the hard, soul-level work of trusting in God’s timing even when answers feel delayed.

Waiting means continuing to pray, to obey, and to believe, even in silence or sorrow, because we know the Lord’s salvation is worth the wait. Just as a farmer waits for the harvest after faithfully sowing seed, so we wait with purpose, believing God will bring restoration in His perfect time.

In his waiting, Jeremiah didn’t deny the pain. He brought his pain to God. And in that place of honest dependence, he reminded himself—and now us—that God is still good, still faithful, and still worth seeking.

My Thoughts

The devotional today made me pause and take a hard look at how I am waiting for God’s answer. My response is an honest, “not too well.” I have been impatient, demanding and outright rebellious at times as I wait for God to answer my prayers for relief from the pain in my shoulder. God is always patient, always waiting for me to quiet my heart and then listen. And when I finally did this morning, His words to me were that He is right there, walking through this time with me. He has provided caregivers, a doctor, a physical therapist and a spouse an a granddaughter who show me how much they want me to get better. They are mirroring God to me. So, I continue to pray and believe, knowing that God is always faithful and always worth seeking. It is in the seeking that I find the hope that I thought I had lost.

Review: Severed Ties by Taylor S. Newport

On By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book Review2 Comments

About the Book

ISBN-13:9798349665509

Publisher:Taylor S Newport

Publication date:01/22/2026

Pages:522

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble)

The silence following Tyler Reid’s last mission has him eager for the next job. So when a woman from his past shows up on his doorstep with a new task-extracting a kidnapped Indian doctor from rival mercenaries-he’s ready to move. It’s dangerous. It’s fast-moving. It’s exactly what he wants. The only problem is Alexandra Romanova is going too-the one person who sees the cracks in his armor he’s trying to hide.

Alexandra “Alex” Romanova has returned to Russia, but she’s not ready to step into her father’s legacy. So she seizes the chance to delay that future. Especially when she learns who’s missing-and who’s going after him. But working alongside Tyler again tests more than her training. He’s different. More guarded. And something in him is unraveling.

From Libya to India to Morocco, the team races to find the missing doctor while avoiding the trap the enemy has set. But every step closer to the truth puts more pressure on the cracks already forming. And as the mission begins to spiral, Alex realizes the real danger may not be the enemies chasing them-but the severed ties Tyler leaves behind when he decides the mission is over.

My Thoughts

Aussie mercenary Tyler Reid returns in what may be his most dangerous assignment. Hired by Alexandra Romanova, Tyler has to free a captive doctor from another mercenary group, one which just happens to be led by Tyler’s arch-nemesis. The dynamics between the characters was nothing short of amazing and I learned a lot about Tyler’s past and his reluctance to be called a hero when all he really wants to do is die. Alex is determined to get under the hard shell he has erected all around him and succeeds at times, giving me a look at what makes Tyler tick and why he is such a daredevil. The action was non-stop in this fast-paced military thriller, with exotic settings and untrustworthy allies. This novel had a dual storyline featuring Kenna and Ben who were working in D.C. and the stories dovetailed perfectly together when Alex calls on the two of them to help out with their mission that takes a turn for the worse when a planned extraction goes very wrong. With gun battles and hand-to-hand combat described in fascinating detail and Tyler and Alex at the center of all of the action, this book is not to be missed. It can be read and enjoyed as a standalone, but I highly recommend that readers enjoy the first two books in the series before getting into the intricacies of the cat and mouse game that Tyler and Alex play with each other as well as with their adversaries. This is a suspense thriller with a strong foundation of faith exhibited by Alex who is not ashamed of sharing what and why she believes. Gripping suspense and the engrossing story along with the crisp writing and twists make this novel an absolute five plus stars for me and one of my favorite books of the year.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Christian fiction, clean read with intense suspense, Rated PG

About the Author

Taylor S Newport is an up and coming Christian author. Four years of research has brought her to release her first high-octane novel to the world. In 2024, she placed as a Finalist in the ACFW Genesis Contest. Currently, she resides in the beautiful state of Texas with her family probably writing her next novel. Find out more at Taylor S. Newport

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Dauntless Defenders Series-Other Books

Review: The Lies We Trade by Kristine Delano

On By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book Review2 Comments

About the Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:9798400504921

Publisher:Tyndale House Publishers

Publication date:01/20/2026

Pages:368

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble)

Meredith Hansel should be having the best week of her life. After establishing herself as a portfolio manager at a prestigious Wall Street firm, she’s in the national spotlight for the innovative funds she created. But as Meredith prepares to celebrate, the plates she’s kept spinning for years begin to crash: Her strained marriage reaches a breaking point. Her conscientious teenage daughter acts out under mysterious pressures. Someone vandalizes her home with disturbing graffiti. And Betsey, her most trusted ally at the financial firm, goes rogue, and Meredith is forced to sign a restraining order against her.

Then her worlds collide when she receives a thumb drive and a cryptic note from Betsey threatening to reveal a secret that could have devastating effects on Meredith’s family . . . unless she can figure out what Betsey wants and deliver it in time.

As Meredith begins to dig into the data, however, she begins to suspect that it’s no coincidence her life is crumbling. That maybe what’s happening to her family is connected to what’s boiling beneath the surface at her investment company. Soon Meredith realizes there’s only one way to avoid taking the fall, and it all hinges on Betsey’s true motives. Was she really threatening Meredith or trying to warn her?

My Thoughts

Meredith is a portfolio manager at an influential Wall Street firm and is celebrating her successes with her newest venture when suddenly, everything goes bonkers. There is trouble on the office, trouble at home, a marriage on the brink of failing and Meredith has no idea who to trust. Maybe no one is trustworthy in this fast-paced whodunit/family drama/thriller debut novel. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, both in the firm and in Meredith’s family, but the author does a stellar job of portraying them completely and well so that they are memorable. Meredith is on the fast track to success when she gets information from a friend and colleague that things are not as they seem. Her investigation leads her down a twisted path of deception and Wall Street finagling as well as into the arms of danger. I liked all of the characters as they are all relatable, but I think Erika, her teen daughter was my favorite. She is saucy, intelligent, honest and vulnerable and has a way of behaving just as a real teen would, with the angst along with the flippant confidence she needs to face her challenges. The mystery of who is trying to destroy Meredith’s career is fascinating and the trail to get to the solution led me through a lot of financial information that I had no idea even existed since I am not a big investor myself. Some of the trading information was way over my head, but it was interesting as it floated up there somewhere. Since it wasn’t necessary that I understand all of the wheeling and dealing in order to thoroughly enjoy the story, I just stayed immersed in the main plot instead of all of the trading details. This book is original, creative and suspense-filled as an entire family is involved in finding out the answer to whodunit and why. Breathtakingly complex and gripping, the story was expertly crafted to captivate me with exceptionally crisp writing and unexpected revelations. The novel is a totally engaging read and hooked me from beginning to end with its authentic details and its intricate plot. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books with a lot of action, drama and hard life choices.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I also purchased my own copy to support a debut author. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Clean fiction, with suspense and impending danger, Rated PG

About the Author

Kristine Delano spent over twenty years navigating a career on Wall Street before trading her panoramic city view for her standing writer’s desk. A lifelong fiction lover, she now crafts thriller novels set in the high-stakes finance world, exploring the emotional tension of work-life balance. In pursuit of compelling stories, Kristine hosts the popular podcast We Talk Careers, where she interviews the voices of Wall Street on leadership, growth, and purpose.

She is also a board member, speaker, and strategic advisor for businesses, schools, and parachurch organizations. Her faith fuels her passion for helping women navigate their calling. Kristine’s work has been recognized in fiction-focused writing competitions and she loves to stay connected with fellow authors and readers on Instagram and LinkedIn and through her membership in writers’ groups. When she’s not writing, Kristine enjoys playing
games with friends, scuba diving, and chasing her husband and children down the snowy ski slopes of western Maine—never does she catch them, but with joy she tries. For additional information, check out: Kristine Delano .

Purchase Links

Tyndale

Amazon

Books-a-Million

Christian Book

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Review: The Fair Weather Friend by Jessie Garcia

On By vickleaIn Book Promo, Book Review1 Comment

About the Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:9781250364456

Publisher:St. Martin’s Publishing Group

Publication date: 1/20/2026

Pages: 320

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble)

It’s always sunny in Detroit for Faith Richards. The popular TV meteorologist, endearingly referred to as “The Fair Weather Friend” by her viewers, has the world by the tail. But one night, Faith leaves work on a dinner break and never returns. Her body is found the next morning. 

The town is reeling, suspects emerge, and long-buried secrets are uncovered. While her allies rally, her list of adversaries also grows. Little does anyone know that only the deepest secrets will expose the truth. 

My Thoughts

This book has everything I enjoy in a suspense book with plenty of mystery and domestic drama, too. Faith Richards is the title character, a meteorologist with a news station in Detroit and she is at the top of her game when she is first introduced. Other members of her team are jealous of how popular she is with fans, she has her own fan club and a stalker, too. When she disappears one night between shows, there is a lot of speculation about what happened to her and a host of very unhappy fans. When the medical examiner announces that she is deceased and was strangled, there mystery takes off and doesn’t let up until the very end. There are some secondary characters who seem like supporting characters but who are very important to the twists in the story. There are so many twists and a plethora of possible suspects for who killed Faith. The author does a good job of creating relatable characters for the ones we are supposed to like and an equally good job leading us to dislike others. I enjoyed the well-developed characters, the backstory of Faith and her sister Hope, and the side story of Olivia the intern. Together, these characters led me on a merry chase to figure out what was really going on and who was the real culprit in Faith’s sad tale. The conclusion was so surprising that I had to read several pages twice to make sure that I was not missing anything. This is a brilliantly written domestic suspense with all of the earmarks of bordering on a thriller. I cannot divulge any secrets because readers will have to be mislead just as I was; it certainly added to the entertainment factor of the novel. I found the book informative as well as engaging since it gave some inside scoops about what happens in a newsroom along with some great fictional conflicts. This is one of my top reads for the year and should get more than five stars for creativity and a brilliant plot.
I won a copy of this book from the publisher via a Goodreads Giveaway. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Contemporary Fiction, Rated PG

About the Author

Jessie Garcia is the News Director at the CBS affiliate in Milwaukee. Her non-fiction books, “My Life with the Green and Gold: Tales from 20 Years of Sportscasting” and “Going for Wisconsin Gold: Stories of our State Olympians” won Midwest Book Awards, and her documentary “Leaps and Bounds: The Men Who Changed Track and Field” was featured in over a dozen film festivals. She also taught journalism at four universities. A native of Madison, WI, Jessie has two adult sons and resides in Milwaukee with her husband, dog and cat. For more information, check out her website at Jessie Garcia

Purchase Links

Amazon

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Kobo

Google Play

Bookshop

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Strong Tower

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

God’s name is our strong tower. We call on it when we are in trouble and He hears us and rescues us. He has already saved us from our sins and daily offers us grace and mercy. We are always safe with Him. Sometimes, we have to wait for an answer, but in the waiting, we find the power of God sustaining us and holding onto us as His beloved children.

The other big thing I got from my Bible verse this morning is that if we are trying to be more like God (as all of us should aspire to do), then we will act as a refuge for others who need a shoulder to cry on, someone to listen and encourage, someone to pray with them. I don’t want to offer meaningless advice as Job’s friends did. I would rather sit silently with the person in anguish and tell them that I don’t have all the answers, but I know Someone who does. Being the person who is there for others is reflecting the character of God to them, and I want to be more like the Lord in all I do and say. God’s being a strong tower to me means that I can be strong for others. Even when I am not feeling strong or particularly wise, I can still be a presence in their lives, just showing up and letting them know that they do indeed have a friend to turn to.

We always have a friend in God. He is the One who sustains us in the hard times and walks with us through all of the valleys. And when the going is particularly rough, He is our strong tower, right there beside us, cheering us on and letting us know that His love never ends. That’s what God is to me and what I desire to be for others.

Extend Mercy

On By vickleaIn Scripture5 Comments

Undeserved Mercies (Daily Refresh, 1-20-26)

When someone hurts you or, worse, hurts somebody that you love, revenge can seem appealing. After all…

They were mean.
They were selfish.
They talked behind your back.
They broke a vital promise.
They lied about you.
They criticized you.
They ignored you.
They did the unthinkable.
They walked away.

They deserve to be punished, right? To feel some of that same pain? They deserve a consequence that will not only help them learn, but will be just as severe as the inflicted wounds.

And yet—because God sees things differently, both His standards and tactics can be surprising. And that’s why the apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Thessaloniki, said:

“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬

Paul’s words sound a lot like Jesus’ words—to love your neighbor as yourself; to do to others what you’d like them to do to you. (See: Matthew 22:38-40)

God’s ways might not always be easy, but they can always be trusted. 

When we choose unforgiveness, hate and anxiety and bitterness will likely take root. But when we choose forgiveness (even though we might need to consider new boundaries), love and peace and reconciliation can flourish.

So, what about you? Have you ever been mean? Have you been selfish? Talked behind someone’s back? Broke a vital promise? Lied, criticized, ignored, or done the unthinkable? Have you ever decided to give up and walk away?

In our unique-to-us ways, we’ve all let someone down. We’ve disregarded God’s instructions and, instead, created our own instructions. We’ve messed up.

We deserve God’s wrath but, instead, He’s offered us His unconditional love. 

Because of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, we didn’t get what we deserve. And even while hanging on that cross, breathing His last earthly breaths, He cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Jesus repaid our evil with extreme mercy, leaving us free to conquer evil with good. So today, let’s honor His sacrifice by treating others the way He treated us.

My Thoughts

None of us deserves God’s mercy, but He gives it to us daily anyway, every time we mess up. He continues to reach out with love. So, who are we to choose to judge others and act out with vengeful behavior? Will that change that person’s actions? No, but it may create a vicious cycle of “getting the last laugh” and bitterness. Is that how you want to live, sowing seeds of discord all along your path in life? How about being like Jesus and start with mercy, compassion and understanding? That person may never change and may always be a burr under your saddle, but you can rest in God’s love, knowing that you chose to do right, to reach out and to forgive. Our victory is not in how many “gotchas” we accomplish daily but in how often we show the love of Jesus to others, especially those who mistreat or abuse us.

Wheat or Tares?

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

I pondered these verses as I read this morning. I know that I am supposed to be producing wheat, or maybe I am wheat. Whatever, I am supposed to be a grain that feeds others. Wheat isn’t in a field just to look good and then die. Rather, it is harvested, ground up and used to make bread, cereal and other good things to nourish people. If I am not being useful to nourish others, then I cannot call myself wheat, can I?

Growing next to the wheat, and sowed by “the enemy” are the tares. What are tares? According to the New Oxford American dictionary, tares are a weed that resembles wheat. And I thought an important part of this scripture was that they are right next to the wheat, hard to discern which is which out in the fields. But when it is time for harvest, the reapers gather the tares first and prepare them for destruction. I don’t want to be a weed that is good for nothing except to be burned.

Instead, I want to be the wheat that can be used to feed others. My testimony is important. The way I grow and keep my life is important. It’s not just the reapers who are watching me; those who hunger for the Lord are watching, too, and if I am doing what I am supposed to, I will be able to feed them exactly what they need so that they can be part of God’s kingdom, too.

Isn’t it interesting that the tares are right beside the wheat, much like many who claim to know the Lord are in the world with us? By their fruits, we can know them. The Lord sends the reapers out and we need to make sure that we are the wheat and not the weeds.

United Under Christ

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

The Importance of Unity (Daily Refresh, 1-18-26)

What does unity mean to you? In a chaotic and divided world, sometimes the word “unity” can sound like something irrelevant, something that just can’t work in the broken world we live in. Division is nothing new. In fact, it was a challenge very early in church history and something the apostle Paul addressed head-on.

In 1 Corinthians 1, we see that Paul had received reports that believers in Corinth were segmenting themselves based on who shared the gospel with them. They said things like, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or, “I am of Christ.” Rather than being united as one body of Christ, they were dividing themselves into smaller groups and factions.

Paul was very moved by this. In 1 Corinthians 1:13 he asks them these simple questions: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” Paul didn’t want the believers of Corinth to get lost in comparisons and separations. He wanted them united under Christ: one King, one Gospel. 

Paul brought them back to the only thing that matters: salvation is from Christ alone. Without Christ, there is no unity. But under Christ, we can be united in a way that the world has never seen or understood. 

In a world of fighting and division, the body of Christ gets to show the power of the Gospel. We are united, focused on Christ and only Christ.

My Thoughts

On Saturday, the state of Virginia got a new slate of officers. The governor is now Spanberger, a liberal who says that Virginia is now a “sanctuary state.” The lieutenant governor is a Muslim who took her oath on the Quran, the first state-elected office ever of a Muslim. And the attorney general, well, he’s the one who said he would like to kill those who didn’t believe as he did. My thoughts? I shook my head in sorrow and disbelief and prayed for my state and our nation. This is all very divisive, isn’t it?

So I am glad to have this devotional this morning. We didn’t make it to church on Sunday because of wintry weather and because I wasn’t feeling well and had to spend much of the morning in bed fighting dizziness. Anyway, here I am, happy to report that I am united with other believers in Christ, and I firmly believe that as Christians, we will be tested in our unity in the days to come. I don’t want to focus on the differences between denominations but on the one thing we have in common if we call ourselves CHRISTians. We are saved because of His sacrifice and because of His great love, we are to love on another. Period. The divisiveness between Christians needs to end so that we can stand together against those in the world who do not believe and who would seek to destroy our faith. If you don’t believe that is where we are headed, then you haven’t read and clearly understood the book of Revelation. Yes, in the end, we win! Hallelujah! But check out the persecution and destruction before the victory at the end. Truly, united we will stand as Christians if we want to make it through the dark days of the creeping takeover of our nation by the forces of unbelieving evil doers. Stand for Christ or fall for all of the lies. The choice is ours…make a good one!