Steadfast - Guest Blogger Allie Pleiter

Make sure to read to the bottom for a chance to win a FREE Book!

Life if filled with treasure, not just the monetary kind, but that which builds our spirits and nourishes our lives. Allie Pleiter, my guest blogger, has treasure to share. Please read on and become richer.

An avid knitter, BBC Television geek and French macaron enthusiast, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction.  The enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie spends her days writing books, buying yarn, and finding new ways to avoid housework.  

Allie hails from Connecticut, moved to the Midwest to attend Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Chicago, Illinois.  The “dare from a friend” to begin writing has produced two parenting books, twenty-two novels, and various national speaking engagements on faith, women’s issues, and writing.  

Visit her website at http://www.alliepleiter.com or her knitting blog at http://www.DestiKNITions.blogspot.com



Riches from Allie:

During my son’s four-year bout with multiple illnesses, I learned there are two types of adversity:  One is the full-scale calamity where you must surrender to your circumstances and exist in survival mode.  Those times offer lessons in grace, dependence, humility, and the extraordinary provision of our Lord.The other kind of adversity is a slow and weary trial that goes on for months, where you battle an eroding brand of normal. This trial must be fought by excavating blessings from amid the constant strain.  For that I used my “Fort of Fours.”

  Each morning I fought hard (some days really hard) to list four blessings.  Simple things like a warm cup of coffee, a kind hospital nurse, positive test results, anything that could teach my spirit to find the good even on a bad day.  Then, I allowed myself to list four prayers for only the coming 24 hours—even if that meant one of those prayers was not to freak out about something that could not be solved in 24 hours.  I went back each morning and put a check mark next to each prayer from the previous day that had been answered.  I collected a lot of check marks.

These eight items became my daily spiritual vitamins.  It allowed me to keep going, to carry a lightened workload, and to see my son through to his healing.  He’s fine now, but I still practice this every morning, and probably won’t ever stop.


These survival techniques are just what I need. Thank you, Allie.

Allie is offering a FREE BOOK to one of you. All you need to do to be included in the drawing is leave a comment. Make sure to include you email address so we can contact the winner. 

This sounds like a fun read. And just in time for Christmas.

Charlotte Taylor isn't good at playing it safe. Reeling from the sudden loss of her job and her beloved grandmother, Charlotte knows buying a dilapidated cottage in Gordon Falls isn't exactly practical. Especially since she just hired the one man who may love the property more than she does to help renovate it. Volunteer firefighter and part-time contractor Jesse Sykes can't stay mad at Charlotte for very long. Though she snatched up the home he'd planned on purchasing, Charlotte's dreams are big enough for both of them…if only she'd let him in. Charlotte promised she'd never fall for a first responder, but is it already too late?


I'll announce the winner of Saved by the Fireman next Wednesday.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie