Book Giveaway & Guest Blogger, Caryl McAdoo

It's Wednesday's book giveaway - make sure to read to the bottom to see who won from last week.

We have a fabulous guest back with us - Caryl McAdoo. Welcome Caryl.

Caryl McAdoo currently writes three series: the historical Christian ‘Texas Romance’; a contemporary ‘Red River Romance’; and The Generations, her Biblical fiction offerings. The novelist loves singing new songs the Lord gives her, and she paints.

In 2008, she and her high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-five years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and fourteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Praying her story gives God
glory, she hopes each one will also minister His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.

Where to find Caryl and her books:
All Books - http://tinyurl.com/CarylsAmazonPage
One and Done http://www.amazon.com/One-Done-River-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B0119YGNSS
Website - http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com (All First Chapters are offered here)
Newsletter - http://carylmcadoo.com/sign-up-to-the-caryler/
(Get FREE books for subscribing!)
Reviewer? - http://carylmcadoo.com/christian-evaluaters/ (Join Caryl’s Street Team!)
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo.author
Blog - http://www.CarylMcAdoo.blogspot.com
GoodReads - http://tinyurl.com/GoodReadsCaryl
Google+ - http://tinyurl.com/CarylsGooglePlus
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoo
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/CarylMcAdoo


Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3: 5-6

This is one of my favorite scriptures, and I committed it to memory many years ago. What a
blessing too have God's divine direction! But like most of His promises this one comes with conditions. When the future doesn't seem certain, and life is falling apart on so many levels, human nature is too try and figure it out.

What’s going wrong, why, and how can it be fixed?

Or perhaps it’s something fervently wanted, desired wholeheartedly. Something prayed for in faith with groanings, and yet it hasn't - or didn't - come to fruition. What do do next? Which way is right? Which direction?

Three actions are required. (1) Trust in God (2) Don’t try to figure it out and (3) Acknowledge Him in everything. If obedient in these areas, He will guide, show which way to go and how to change things for the better. His Word says so, and His Word is True, so that settles it. Pure and simple. No matter what else happens, that never changes.

In the boom and bust ’80s, I founded an asphalt company—I know, a strange sort of business for a lady to start, but I'd been working for asphalt contractors selling repairs and new construction jobs. Bosses kept doing me wrong though, stealing my earned commissions, firing me because I'd brought in too many contracts and booked them to far ahead. So we prayed, and I formed my own company with my husband's blessing.

My third year in business, I grossed a million two. Things couldn’t have been better as I sailed busily through those boom days. Then the bust showed its ugly face, and what could possibly goo wrong, did. Back then, my husband and I prayed every morning at our church from 6 until 7, had for a couple of years, only missing a handful of days.

I truly had no problem trusting in God by that time in my life (mid-thirties). He’d proven Himself over and over, and I had no doubts that He’d see me through—of course, thinking He'd save the company. Leaning to my own understanding was a different story and proved much tougher. I do think I acknowledged Him in all my ways though; since the '70s. I've loved giving Him praise and glory. But I needed to know which way to go, what to do to save the company, and I needed to know fast - I thought.

Though bathed in prayer, God eventually gave me peace in closing the doors. We didn’t go bankrupt, though we did lose some property, equipment, and vehicles to foreclosure and repossession. A humbling experience. And I say we because my husband had quit his job after the rapid growth when it became evident I couldn't handle everything on my own.

Closing the doors meant we were both unemployed with four children from seventeen to four years old.

Then the IRS audited us—of course! The man came to our house every day for a week since we no longer had an office. And I called my poor ex-boookkeeper and accountant several times each day since I'm a salesman and knew little about that aspect. The auditor said he had good news and bad. No shred of fraud, but we owed over forty thousand dollars!

Ha! You cannot get blood out of a muppet! We would’ve still been in business if we had that kind of money! The next months proved to be some of the best in our lives in so much as spiritual growth. God sent cash every day, His faithful provision. He spoke to us more as we drew ever closer in obedience.

Driving a taxi, my Ron read a lot and found a book called Noah. He declared it no good and claimed if that woman could get published, so could he. Instead of reading while waiting for a fare, he went to writing. I got involved. God led us to the DFW Writers' Workshop, and here I am thirty years later with twenty titles published and four more coming this year.

I love writing Christian novels and pray my story gives God glory! He always has a plan, a good plan, one of peace, not evil, and to give me an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11 ) Another of my favorite scriptures! Truth be known, I love them all! 

My twentieth title launched this month ONE and DONE, the third contemporary Red River Romance.

ONE AND DONE

ONE AND DONE is an unlikely love story born of prophesy, nurtured in full view of the probing public eye, and seemingly doomed at its inception due to the condition of Samanthas Danielle's soul. The pitcher follows Christ through, but can his faith that she is God's woman for him carry them through to their happily ever after?

In this love story - sure to be enjoyed by  men as well as women - with its Texas Ranger baseball backdrop and strong pitcher/batter hero, Samantha Danielle, cutest weather girl on Dallas TV, only dreams of sports reporting. Then her station sends her to scoop an interview with a pitcher Rangers' management is hot after. George Herman Walter Johnson is undeniably a phenomenon on the mound, playing for a Mexican team. His charm and debonair owls her over, but turns out, he's such a goody two-shoes she can't even get him to first base.

Conflict flies as the wealthy ex-poker player, oldest Ranger rookie ever lays everything on the line in his quest to win her heart. She remains wary of his resistance. Will her bunt snag the man of her dreams ... or his home run drive her home?

Reviews

Faster than a major league outfielder pulling down a popup fly ball, Caryl McAdoo's romance is guaranteed to snag baseball lovers and romance readers alike. This Christian story is written with wit, verve and Caryl McAdoo’s usual flare for dialect and spicy dialogue. Be warned. Those readers searching for a saccharine, man-meets-woman story will soon discover this is no sanitized
romantic fairy tale.

From the beginning, the reader will identify with real people who live clearly in the mind, so much so clearly, that a person can almost smell locker room sweat or the mouthwatering scent of spicy Mexican food. Identification with the hero and heroine is nearly immediate. With so much to rave about, this review cannot begin to cover all the delightful surprises, so the reader simply must buy “One and Done” to see for themselves.

--Cassandra Wessel, a multi-published author of devotionals


Thank you for sharing your story, Caryl. What an encouragement to trust in the Lord.

Caryl is giving away one copy of her new boook. Just leave a comment with your email address and you will be included in the drawing.

And we have a winner from last week.The winner of Where Treasure Hides is Marie. Congratulations! 

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Wednesday Book Giveaway & Guest blogger, Caryl McAdoo

I love Wednesdays! It's my book giveaway day and the day I set aside for guest bloggers. Today please welcome the prolific and delightful author Caryl McAdoo.

Simon & Schuster, Christian hybrid author, Caryl McAdoo is currently writing three series: her historical Christian ‘Texas Romance’; the contemporary ‘Red River Romance’; and ‘The Generations’, her Biblical fiction.

Caryl loves singing new songs the Lord gives her, and she paints. In 2008, she and her high school sweetheart-husband
Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-five years—to the woods of Red River County.

Caryl counts four children and fourteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Praying her story gives God glory, she hopes each one will also minister His love, mercy, and grace to its readers.

Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county
seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.

Caryl is available across the internet. You can find her and her books at these links:
http://tinyurl.com/CarylsAmazonPage
Sing A New Song http://tinyurl.com/NewSong
Website  - http://www.CarylMcAdoo.com
   (All First Chapters are offered here)
Newsletter - http://carylmcadoo.com/sign-up-to-the-caryler/
  (Get FREE books for subscribing!)
Reviewer? - http://carylmcadoo.com/christian-evaluaters/
 (Join Caryl’s Street Team!)
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/CarylMcAdoo.author
Puzzle - http://tinyurl.com/SingPuzzle
Blog  - http://www.CarylMcAdoo.blogspot.com
GoodReads - http://tinyurl.com/GoodReadsCaryl
Google+  -  http://tinyurl.com/CarylsGooglePlus
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/CarylMcAdoo
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/CarylMcAdoo

Wow! Caryl, you are a busy woman.

BLESSED and HIGHLY FAVORED

Many years ago—I’m unsure exactly when—someone I came upon asked innocently as we all do at one time or another, “How you doing?” It’s a casual question, and you’d probably agree
ninety-eight percent of the time, the most often response is ‘good’ or ‘fine.’ But I wasn’t, my heart hurt over something that happened earlier. But what did I answer? “I’m fine, just fine.”

Now I profess to be a guardian of the Truth, have for decades. I hate lies. Holy Spirit said to nmy heart, YOU JUST TOLD A LIE. I couldn’t argue. I had, an out and out, bold faced lie. I repented and from that day forward, made a conscientious effort never to do that again. 

I prayed and the Spirit and I came up with blessed and highly favored. That is always the Truth. No matter the circumstances, I am always blessed and highly favored. If we belong to Christ, then we all are, no matter what happens.

Highly favored I am among women to be the wife of my wonderful wise and Godly husband; I’m mama to four healthy children; and fourteen grandsugars call me Grami. Forget new cars and houses and food and electric bills. Forget the opened doors and His favor that goes ahead of me. Just to be His, just to be called according to His purpose, I am so blessed.

I’ve made it a habit, for nigh on to thirty years now, ninety-eight percent of the time, I answer I am blessed and highly favored. This response offers many advantages in glorifying God, which is my goal in life—to bring glory to His name. Answering “I’m blessed and highly favored!” brings a myriad of reactions.

Christians will say, “Well, Praise the Lord, I am, too! I like that answer, we are blessed!”

So it gives them the opportunity to speak up and praise the Lord. Others might give a weak smile and say, “Uh, that’s good.” So I give them the short version of my testimony how that’s ALWAYS true where saying good or fine is often a lie. How I’m a guardian of the truth. Some think about it and say, “You know, that’s right!” Others repeat, “Uh, that’s good.”

Another benefit of this positive confession is that Almighty God creates the fruit of my lips (Isaiah 57:19). Think about it. He spoke everything into existence—light, the world, all the fish in the seas, the birds in the air, and all the animals; everything that creeps and crawls, too. All except man who formed and fashioned in His own image, made us to be like Him.

Why wouldn’t we expect the things we say to come into being?

I am here to testify. For all these years, I’ve confessed I am blessed and highly favored—thousands of times, maybe tens of thousands. God Himself has created my words and I AM. BLESSED. And HIGHLY FAVORED.  

You can be, too. Get into the habit. May be hard at first, but try it, you’ll like it!

Let me give a few recent examples.

In 2012, a brand new house – we got to choose the floor plan and paint color and most every detail down to the sinks and light fixtures, but didn’t have to pay one invoice. Our house, The
Peaceable, sits back in the woods on 34 acres a few miles south of Clarksville, Texas.

Also that year in April, I met Mary Sue Seymour, a New York agent who liked my writing and told me if I’d write a historical Christian romance, she’d sell it. I wrote VOW UNBROKEN
in nine weeks, sent it to her, and she sold it to Simon and Schuster’s Howard Books in barely five months after we met.

We moved into The Peaceable in July 2013. VOW UNBROKEN debuted in March 2014 to wonderful reviews that continue to make me cry. Publishers Weekly favorably reviewed it. God opened the doors—and gave me the strength—to twenty-six events, parties and in store book signings in twenty-two cities, over thirty blog interviews and articles, and five magazines, two of which had me on the cover.

Just before that busy month, my car’s transmission died, and I didn’t know how in the world I would make all those events, but I knew God did. My sister let me borrow her car the first week
while she was in Colorado. That next Tuesday I was told to find what kind of car I wanted. I visited different dealerships all over the DFW Metroplex and chose a Green Toyota Corolla.

Then I was told to find the particular Toyota dealer with the best out the door price. When I had, and called God’s chosen servant, she came and wrote a check for the brand new vehicle – paid in
full – and put it in mine and Ron’s name. Isn’t He amazing?

And I already could share awesome 2015 examples, but this is probably too long already! Just anyone try and convince me that I am not blessed and highly favored!

Oh let me tell you, the devil and his minions hate it and try over and again to steal my peace and my joy, try to make me believe I am not blessed and highly favored. People listening to him plot and scheme to bring me down. But when God is for me, who can stand against me? In the midst of their lies and unfounded meanness, I can still say, “I am blessed and highly favored.”

And it is true! It is always true!

Try it. I encourage you to take up answering that you are blessed and highly favored. It takes some getting used to but soon enough, it’s so much fun, and it becomes your normal response.

It’s a testament to our God just to tell others that you are blessed and highly favored. It pleases Him. I think He smiles every time I say it.

So how about it? Are you blessed and highly favored?

Then start telling everyone who asks!


Thank you, Caryl. I'm going to give this a try and so I begin now - I am blessed and highly favored.

Now Available! 

SING A NEW SONG

The untimely death of her father shatters Mary Esther Robbins’ heart and separates her from her grade school best friend, Samuel Levi Baylor. During their twenty years apart, she fulfills her life’s dream of penning new songs and singing God’s praise with a Christian band, while he tends his growing cattle herd and shares the Good News at every opportunity.

The Lord brings her home then throws them back together when Samuel agrees to help Mary Esther move and remodel her childhood home. The two decades lost vanish, and their time together convinces both the other is the true soul mate. But misunderstanding and fear keeps them from expressing their true love. Though jealousy rears its ugly head, can love and commitment hold the two together? And while they’re both committed to ministering the Gospel together, can they do it as husband and wife?


Caryl will be giving away a FREE copy of her book. To have a chance to win just leave a comment and make sure to include your email address so she can contact you.

We have a winner from last week. Congratulations to Janelle. You have won a copy of Cynthia Hickey's The Ranchers Dilemma! Way to go!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie