The word “hope” has particular meaning for me since that is the name of our oldest child and only daughter. We chose that name because we “hoped” that she would be a girl, but we didn’t really think it was possible since my husband was from a family of all boys, for several generations. Anyway, that is how our beloved daughter got her name. Since that time, I have read this word in the Bible repeatedly. But, like many of you, I just kind of skimmed over it. Hope? Yeah, right! What is hope? According to the Google definition, hope is a feeling of expectation and desire that a certain thing will happen. Note that it is expecting something to happen, not just wanting it to do so. How do we get to the place where we expect something to happen? Something that is probably not going to happen without some help? In my case, the hope comes from my belief in our Lord Jesus Christ. Because He can do all things and the miraculous is no problem for Him!

As a Gentile believer, I have hope in Jesus, the descendant of Jesse and the Son of God. Each day, I say prayers to the Lord, knowing that my hope is always in Him. No matter what we are going through, we have hope!

God is a God of hope and He adds joy and peace to that. While we wait for answers to our prayers, we can continue to have joy and peace in Him, trusting that the answer is on the way. Do we always get the answer that we want? Of course not! God is God and answers our prayers for our good always. Sometimes, His answer is “no” and we have to accept that with the same joy and peace that we would have accepted a “yes” reply from Him. Our hope overflows from us to others because we show them that our hope is in the Savior of the world, not in our own powers or riches or abilities, and not in receiving the answer that we want for all of our prayers.

We seek the Lord daily and we rejoice as we seek Him. He is worthy of all praise…He is the One who gives us hope. He is the reason that I am able to get up every day with praise on my lips. It is not because of my circumstances, but because of who He is. We can hope daily in His grace, mercy and love. And for that, we can magnify His name. Forever! Blessings for a day filled with hope!

Thou Art Worthy: First Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi

This is the second book that I have read by this author, and I was really looking forward to a thrilling read. I was not disappointed at all! What a thoroughly engrossing book! It was difficult to put it down once I started it, so readers should be ready to read until you’re done with it. Sarah is the victim of sexual harassment. As a single mother, she cannot afford to lose her job, but that is the threat that Alan makes if she won’t sleep with him. What a horrible man Alan is! He is a sexual predator who is helped with his dark proclivities by being part of a team of men who choose to overlook his evil choices. The book has short chapters which makes it very fast-paced. The twists and turns are compelling and Sarah is a very sympathetic character. She saves a young girl’s life and in so doing, she gets an offer from the unsavory father of the young girl. He will make someone, anyone she wants, disappear if she makes a 29 second phone call. Of course, Sarah is desperate and makes the call. That is just the beginning of her troubles as she chooses to have Alan disappear. This was such a good book that I would give it more stars than five if I could. Readers of thrillers will enjoy this book but should be aware that the themes are adult ones, dealing with a sexual predator as well as pornography.

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. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This thriller will be available on September 10, 2019, but you can pre-order it now. Be warned that it deals with adult subjects like pornography and sexual predators.

Over four decades ago, I gave my life to Christ, but did I really dedicate my whole life to him? A lot of what I do in my life is for my own pleasure. I spend endless hours reading books that I enjoy or watching TV shows that I have on my DVR. As I read this Scripture on Saturday, it has made me reflect on the hours that I have spent doing things that do not matter for the kingdom of God.

I have not been totally asleep, just dozing instead of fully awake and aware of my responsibilities to God. After all, He sent His Son to die for me, so the least I can do is follow His instructions for how I am to be a witness for Him. I don’t go out on street corners. I don’t greet people at the local Wal-Mart with gospel tracts. I am trying to show people how Jesus would have us live, but sometimes I fail. Don’t we all? This Scripture spoke to me because Jesus will return soon. I believe that with all of my heart and I want others to know that salvation is as close to us as our next prayer. Our prayers can and should be for others who need the Lord. We also need to follow up our prayers with actions. We want to be doing the Lord’s work while we wait for His return. That is what I took away from this verse. What insight do you get from this passage? Blessings for a good week!

I have missed sharing scripture with everyone, and I’m glad to be back to my regular routine. I’m a little later today than usual because I went to my doctor today. Believe it or not, I injured myself by sitting in the car on our trip! I have an inflamed tailbone…so all prayers will be appreciated, (after you finish chuckling, of course)! am taking steroids since I can’t take painkillers and I have to sit on a special pillow. It’s a good thing that we have so many parts! Mine keep breaking down. Fortunately, I know the Creator and I’m depending on Him to take care of me until His return.

I suppose that everyone noticed that I have not been posting regularly for the last two weeks. That is because I had a fantastic trip to visit our children and grandchildren! What a great visit we all had! In Pennsylvania, we played games in the evening…just like in “olden” times. I loved the game Catan, although I needed my little granddaughter Tinslea to tutor me on how to play the first time. We also went to Miracle Mountain Camp’s Open House. This is a wonderful Christian camp with horses for the children to enjoy. One of our granddaughters is attending the camp in July and several have been there previously. The highlight for me was holding a bunny because rabbits are my favorite rodent. I also enjoyed watching the little two and six-year olds riding horses. I think Teagan went on a pony ride about six times at least! From Pennsylvania, we traveled down to Maryland to visit our son and his family there. We enjoyed a family time movie with our son and his wife, watching “How to Train Your Dragon 3”. We also went to an arts festival and to a Splash Pad where I got soaking wet taking the baby Evie through the sprinklers. What a great time we had with all of the family in distant parts! I did continue to read my Bible daily and do a devotional, but I didn’t take much time to do posts for obvious reasons. I was being a busy and doting Nanna, of course! Here are photos of some of the family and our activities.

I hope that you are enjoying the month of June and all of the new blossoms in your life! May God bless you all abundantly!

This latest novel by the inimitable Debra Webb promises to be a real blockbuster. The story is one of loss, love, trust, friendship and family relationships. When Emma Graves, a forensic anthropologist returns home after a disgraceful incident at the university where she is teaching, she has no inkling that this return trip will be more than just a visit to her mother. Her sister and a friend disappeared twenty five years earlier after a bus accident, an accident from which Emma managed to escape physically. However, her emotional and psychological trauma continues and is a vital part of this intricately woven tale. As Emma and her friend, Sheriff Letty Cotton, set out to discover the truth of the girls’ disappearance, dark and powerful forces are at work in Jackson Falls to keep the truth hidden. This novel was one that I will not soon forget because of the drama and the fact that I was quickly involved in the story myself, desiring and yet fearing the truth. Readers of psychological suspense, thrillers and mysteries will want to read this book and will definitely enjoy the web of deceit that is woven into the story and slowly unfolds. What a fantastic book that deserves multiple readings!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Available June 18, 2019!

Sunset Beach is not just a fluffy beach read. Not at all! It includes a disappearance of a young woman forty years before the current time and it also includes an unsolved murder that is two years old. I had expected the whole fluffy beach read since this was my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised to find a multi-faceted novel, one with many layers and a lot of twists. Drue Campbell is having a hard life after her mother’s death. She has lost her job, can’t do kite boarding any more and is now dependent on her estranged father for a job and a place to live. Her new place to live is a tiny beach house that once belonged to her grandparents. You would think that having to depend on her father for a job would be bad enough, but his office manager is a former classmate of hers who taunts her constantly. Brice Campbell, her father, runs an ambulance chasing law firm and Drue answers phones for him. She discovers the mystery of the missing woman from four decades ago as well as the unsolved murder and sets out to investigate both. This book was full of humorous parts as well as parts that made me just want to cry for poor Drue and her situation. I did not like her father or his new wife Wendy at all, and I thought that Drue was a sympathetic but quirky character. Fans of women’s fiction with suspense and mystery thrown in will enjoy this book that was well-written with an engaging 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. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Available NOW from your local bookseller or online retailer!

This is a book that you will want to read in one or two days because it is such a compelling story. Ginny and Ab are married and have one son when Ginny gives birth to Lucy, a daughter with Down’s Symdrome. Because of the stigma attached, Ab;s father insists that Lucy needs to go into an institution. Lucy stays there until Willowridge comes under investigation and it is discovered that the conditions there and their treatment of the children is deplorable. At this point in the story, Ginny is determined to take charge of her child herself, so she and her best friend Marsha set out on a road trip to escape Ab and his father. If it had not been for flashbacks, I would have never guessed that Ab actually loved Ginny and his children because he just seems to follow whatever his father tells him to do. His weak character made him very unpopular with me. I liked the strength that Ginny showed and Marsha’s initiative to jump in and help Ginny out. The themes of friendship and hope are demonstrated in this novel. Fans of contemporary women’s fiction will fall in love with the character of Ginny and her courage in the face of so many obstacles.

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. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This book will be available in August from your local bookseller or online retailer.

Kiersten Modglin is coming out with a brand new book, The Good Neighbors.

It’s a Psychological Suspense that will leave you breathless. 

Releasing – June 23rd 

Blurb: 

Good neighbors invite you over for dinner, bring you baked goods to welcome you to the neighborhood, and wave hello at the mailbox. 

Good neighbors do not destroy your life.

When Bryant and Harper Page move to Lancaster Mills, their first encounter with their new neighbors—Jason and Tori Fuller: beautiful, strange, and terrifying—is anything but a warm welcome. Despite their hesitations, the Pages are intrigued by the people they now share a street with. As their curiosity gets the best of them, they discover that there’s much more to the Fullers than meets the eye. Their new neighbors have secrets, that much is obvious, but just how dangerous could they be?

With two haunting shadows lingering over their house and lives, the Pages’ relationship is tested in every way. What exactly makes a good neighbor? And what makes a good neighbor bad?

Pre-Order Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RPKLSX3/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45728541-the-good-neighbors

#ComingSoon #CoverReveal #Suspenseful #KU