Steadfast - Guest Blogger, Eleanor Gustafson

It's Wednesday! That means I have a guest blogger and a book to give away. I'm thrilled to welcome the indomitable Eleanor Gustafson.

Why am I suited to write a story about extraordinary horses and an extraordinary God? I grew up loving horses, and God drew me to himself early on. I graduated Wheaton College and have been involved in church life as a minister’s wife, teacher, musician, writer, and encourager. A major writing goal has been to make scriptural principles understandable and relevant through the power of story.

My previous title with Whitaker House is The Stones: A Novel of the Life of King David.


www.eleanorgustafson.com
Blog: www.eleanorgustafson.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/eleanorgustafson

Writing From This Side of Heaven

I have been working on a novel for several years, its working title An Unpresentable Glory. I passed it by three pre-readers, all of whom had serious problems with it. I addressed these issues, rewrote major portions, and put it in the hands of yet another. Took him a long time—not a good sign—but when I offered an easy out, he convincingly wanted to finish—a good sign. One of my earlier readers had serious negatives, but he believed the novel needed to be published, if only for the last chapter. A very good sign.

The book’s diverse threads—gardening, American Indians, and politics—are complex. The characters are strong, the threads hold considerable interest, but the book is challenging to write and to read.

Another obstacle is the potential market for Glory. I write literary fiction, which sort of says it all. Who, these days, is into literary fiction? Easy reads and big-name authors have a ready audience. Lacking those advantages, I aim for page-turners, and those who manage to get past the hurdle of Ellie WHO usually like what they read.

The biggest challenge, though, is not the book itself, but bottom-line realities. I’m getting long in the tooth (aka old) and am nose-to-nose with the Big Question: Will I live long enough to finish this thing and actually get it published? I don’t write fast (The Stones set a record at 15+ years), so the odds are against me. Will my publisher be willing to pick up yet another of my risky novels? Will I be able to negotiate publicity and marketing challenges and actually get readers to buy my book?

I base my writing on a Christian worldview, and that means more than just choosing appropriate Bible verses to inject into my fiction. The Kingdom of God—the base of my operations—has many dimensions. We are familiar with our basic three (length, height, depth), but had we proper glasses, we’d probably see far more. Wild, indescribable colors; precious jewels and metals; creatures with eyes, wings, wheels; deep, untiring worship; love such as we’ve never experienced. But how do we live on this side of heaven, and how does one write from that perspective? Not easily, and certainly very carefully.

And then the matter of time. As I said, I write slowly. But everyday life doesn’t allow time for even minimal creative stuff. I write a lot, but mostly having to do with church (missions and other responsibilities), book-marketing tasks (blog, interviews, asking for reviews), and caring about countless people (church folk, missionaries, via email and phone calls). Love requires time and energy, but that’s what we’re called to do in this complex Kingdom of God.

Be steadfast. Walk in faith. I just read an article* that speaks of faith layers.

1. In basic, easy faith, you ask God to supply a need. He hears, he answers, and you rejoice.
2. You ask, he doesn’t seem to hear but then answers, and you rejoice even more.
3. Then those tough verses in Hebrews 11:35-40: There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

The latter is genuine, raw faith—believing without seeing. Our eyes must not be on what we get here on earth, but fixed on our Lord who promises “something better for us”—himself and his love.

May God give me that kind of steadfast love and faith for whatever amount of time he has allotted me. Finishing An Unpresentable Glory is truly a matter of faith—and in the Long Run is not even all that important.

* “Faith is the thing”—Andrée Seu Peterson (World Magazine, February 21, 2015)

Available April 2

Jeth Cavanaugh is searching for a new life along one of Pennsylvania's mountain ridges when he stumbles upon a stable of show jumpers owned by Rob and Katie Chilton. Throw in a volatile gaited stallion named Dynamo, and Jeth will do anything to work there. He earns his living by training and showing Rob's jumpers, but Dynamo is his primary passion.

Everything changes when God enters his life—in the unconventional form of a hard slap by an old girlfriend—and ignites a new, greater passion within him. But along with fervor comes fear at the undeniable evidence of God's hand on his life. Inexplicable events, both good and bad, make him moan plaintively, "Why does God do this to me? I get the feeling I'm being set up for something."

He is, indeed. Jeth's life is anything but predictable, much like the God he serves. The real Dynamo and his ultimate trainer emerge out of an excruciating mix of disaster and brokenness, which are never beyond the reach of redemption.
This story is God in your face: Who is He, really? What does He ask of us?


Excerpt:

  Jeth rejoiced when Rob stayed home and only Cecil came with him to shows. In the midst of the tension he and Rob were living under, the boy was a calming presence. He even breathed peace on the horses. He talked to each one, nose-to-nose, and fussed over them. Jeth watched. I used to do that.   What happened? He locked his arm around Cecil’s neck. “Hey, lug—you’re good for me.”
  “Ow! Lug yourself! Lemme go!” Cecil laughed and clawed at Jeth’s arm.
  “I won’t let you go till you bless me. No, that won’t work. You bless me every day. What else can I get out of you?”
  “I’ll sic my mama on you!”
  “Oh, no!” Jeth tossed Cecil onto a pile of sawdust and rubbed a handful over the boy’s head. After a brief dust war, they both lay back and laughed joy into the core of their being.

Wow! This is special. I'm getting myself a copy today. And one of you can win a FREE copy. Just leave a comment along with your email address and you'll be included in next week's drawing.

Last week's winner is Deanna Stevens. Congratulations!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Guest Blogger, Teresa Pollard

Another Wednesday and another guest. It is my pleasure to welcome, Teresa Pollard.

Teresa Pollard is from Richmond, Virginia, and was saved at a young age.  She has a Masters degree in English and Creative Writing from Hollins College, and has served as a Sunday School teacher and children’s worker for most of the last forty years.

Married for forty years, she was devastated by divorce and the death of her youngest daughter, but God has blessed her with a new home and another grandson, and she now resides in Dacula, Georgia.  Her website is http://www.TeresaPollardWrites.com.
http://www.Teresatalkstaboo.Wordpress.com




The Breaks

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.  Isaiah 40:31

“Give me a break.”  People have been using that expression all my life (long before they made Kit Kat bars).  But what does it mean? “Have mercy?” Or, “Forgive me?” Or, maybe  ... On the other hand, I’ve also heard all my life, “That’s the breaks,” meaning “Tough luck, you fool.”  

So which is it?  What is a “break”?

I suppose it’s both.  It’s a fork in the road where we have to make a choice.  Do we keep going along the same path we have been traveling or do we turn in a different direction?  Maybe the “big break” is straight ahead, waiting just around the bend where it can’t be seen yet.  But maybe it’s in that turn if we take the risk of making it.  

Sometimes we make the right choice. We find the “big break.”  Or maybe, what we found wasn’t what we were looking for at all, but for us, it’s even better.  

But what if we made the wrong choice?  What if we were supposed to make that turn a few miles back, and we missed it entirely. Are we just supposed to keep trudging on, putting one foot if front of the other? 

I don’t think so.  I think that’s exactly when we’re supposed to cry out to our Heavenly Father, “Abba, Daddy, please give me a break. I’ve lost my way, and I can’t find the path. 

Getting lost is always easy.  Until recently, I thought I was the most directionally challenged person on Earth.  Now I know better.  That “honor” belongs to my roommate!  Finding our way back to the right road is usually much more difficult. But God is good.  He’s merciful, and He has given us His Holy Spirit to help, comfort, and guide us.  

The only problem is we don’t always listen. It’s like we’re little children who babble, “I can do it myself” when we know, deep down, that we really can’t.  

But, maybe sometimes, the problem is that we aren’t lost at all. We’re actually right where He wants us to be, but we’re in a holding pattern (yes, I know I’m mixing my metaphors!) and 
we’re getting frustrated at the wait. We don’t know what lies ahead, and the temptation is to settle for something less than God’s best.  

My prayer is, “Lord, please help me to never again settle for less than Your best.”  

Not Guilty

It's 1974 and Carrie Shepherd, daughter of the minister at Windspree Community Church, is a college senior with plans to be a missionary in Africa. Raped by a masked assailant, Carrie is so traumatized she tells no one until she realizes  she's pregnant. Refusing to have an abortion, she must find the courage to face her family, her fiance, her friends, and a gossiping, angry congregation which m may include her attacker.

This book sounds great and Teresa is offering a free copy of Not Guilty or a copy of her soon to release, Not Ashamed. All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment. Make sure to include your email address so Teresa can contact you.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Cathy Elliott

It's my pleasure to have the delightful, Cathy Elliott as my guest today. We met many years ago at a writing conference. I've never forgotten her open, friendly personality and gentle spirit. Her story is special. I'm not surprised.  

Cathy Elliott is a full-time writer who lives in northern California. Her cozy mysteries reflect her personal interests from quilting and antique collecting to playing her fiddle with friends.
She also leads music at church and cherishes time with her grandchildren.

Cathy’s other plot-twisting works include Medals in the Attic and A Vase of Mistaken Identity.

Website & Occasional Blog - www.cathyelliottbooks.com
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/cathyelliott10/
Facebook – Author Cathy Elliott cathyelliottbooks.com


Unexpected Healing:

When folks ask me, “Why do you write?” I tell them I write for joy.
     Now looking back, I can see another purpose for my writing. Yes, joy is a definite payback for every page of every story. But there is more.
     Thirteen years ago, my writing journey was new. I had just signed with an agent and was hard at work on my first novel, anticipating how God would bless my writer journey.
     A long weekend dawned and I had big plans. Mostly, plans to enjoy time off work while upping my word count ... after I slept late.
     At about 7:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, my phone rang, frightening me awake.
     “Hello?” I said, my voice groggy. Please let this be a wrong number!
     “Your dad won’t wake up. Can you come out?” My mother’s tone was tinged with desperation. “I don’t know what to do!”
     Thus began a very uncertain and emotional time for both of us. After a fall in the night that left him with a brain bleed, Daddy had to be hospitalized. We faced decisions about surgery, and later, witnessed a rehabilitation that didn’t take. It was a great deal for my mother to endure at her advanced age.
     Behind the scene, I fought my own selfish thoughts. Did this mean I must put aside my writing? How could I come alongside my mom when I was writing a book? All the doors that had opened for me seemed as if they must swing the opposite way now.
     After Daddy awoke from surgery, recognized me, and smiled his beautiful smile, I knew I could give up writing. My heart seemed to dance with the possibility of his return to health. Much might be required of me in this season, but I was so glad for more time with him. Whatever it took, I told myself, swallowing hard. I could do it!
     One day, I came home to a message flashing on my answering machine. “I have a publishing house interested in your manuscript. I know you were doing some rewrites, but can you finish fast?” my agent asked. “I want to send the proposal to them right away!”
     What? Interest from an editor in something I’d written? I knew then that God had not asked me to give up writing. I marveled at His kindness, wondering how quickly I could pull these rewrites together. I grabbed my computer to take with me and zoomed
out to pick up my mom for a visit with her sweetheart.
     After that, I took my laptop often when we went on our visits. I’d read emails to Daddy from family, then work a little on my book while he and Mother chatted together.
     Whenever we left the nursing home, we were overcome with sadness. Daddy seemed to be slipping backwards. To cope, mom read books I brought her from the library. I spent joyous time in Thea’s fictive world, writing my first book, A Vase of Mistaken Identity.
     And in the doing, I found healing.
     My dear Dad didn’t live long enough to see it published, but I mentioned him in the dedication, hoping he could see from heaven. I’m sure he had better things to do there, but I know he would have been proud, had he still been here.
     Years passed, I had another book published, and my mother became more and more frail, moving into an assisted living facility. Two years ago, she fell and broke her hip, starting her on a slow downward slide, never fully recovering. That October, her physician counseled me that it was time for Mother to go on hospice. She had lost that sparkle and wouldn’t eat, sleeping much of the time.
     I couldn’t bear the idea, but I knew the doctor was right. And so I filled out the paperwork and waited, trying to tempt her to eat, treasuring every moment in her company, and sad to my core.
     But God had a new plan. I got another call from my agent. The second adventure starring my dear little amateur sleuth, Thea James, had been sold to Abingdon Press as a part of their Quilts of Love series. I had another book to write. A sweet diversion to think
about and to enjoy as I walked alongside my mother in her final journey.
     Again, Thea made me laugh with her crazy antics as she pulled me into her world. I couldn’t stay sad for long. When Mother’s journey was so hard for us both, I could delight in Thea’s British War-Bride Gram and her bumbling ways. When my mom was
sleeping through our visits, I could have an inner chat with Thea and she with me. I plotted her adventures and devised how my clumsy protagonist might stumble out of another scrape. And again in the writing, there was healing for my wounded heart.
     Then, in the middle of what seemed our last days together, my mother began to awaken. She started to eat again, talk to the caregivers, and smile her beautiful, blessing of a smile. Her health returned and to everyone’s amazement, she graduated off hospice
and lived well enough for another two years.
     On this section of the journey, as before, God provided opportunities for me to write about Thea and company, in the form of a book contract. Then, while I found joy and healing in the doing of the thing, He gently healed Mother, too, giving her more time to
cast her sweetness about. And giving me more precious time with her.
     How glad I am that God gave me Thea and her stories to write during those difficult times. It truly gave me great joy. And the unexpected blessing of healing.

A Stitch in Crime

Free to one of you.

  Thea James thought working as co-chair for Larkindale's first quilt show extravaganza would be a natural extension of her antique business. But while organizing the busy week's premiere events would make anyone frayed, she doesn't expect a complete unraveling!
   At the opening soiree, local matriarch Mary-Alice Wentworth is knocked unconscious and robbed of her diamond brooch. Soon a rare quilt - the main attraction and a rumored key to great riches - goes missing. Those who signed up to help Thea are strangely no help at all. What more could possibly happen?

   Amid a cast of colorful characters and a tight schedule of garden galas, tea parties, and televised socials, everything is falling apart at the seams - and nothing is quite what it seems. Can Thea sew everything back together?


"...Fans of inspirational fiction will enjoy the funny, feel-good whodunit."
Publishers Weekly Review - November 7, 2014

“…There is mystery and laughter, and Elliott’s characters are strong, confident and
determined to make their mark….Fans will want to add this gem to their keeper shelf.”
RT 4-Star Review November 12, 2014

This sounds like a fun, fabulous story, Cathy! Thanks for being my guest.

If you'd like to be included in a drawing to win a FREE copy of A Stitch in Crime leave a comment. Please include your email address so Cathy can contact the winner.

Last week's winner of Nancy Mehl's book, Deadly Echoes is ...
Loraine Nunley! Congratulations!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

  

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Nancy Mehl

Welcome to Nancy Mehl, this week's guest. Thanks for joining us, Nancy. It's wonderful to have you here.

Nancy Mehl lives in Festus, Missouri, with her husband, Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored twenty books and just finished a new series for Bethany House Publishing. The first book in her Finding Sanctuary series, “Gathering Shadows” was released in May of 2014. The second book, “Deadly Echoes” became available in February.  The third book, “Rising Darkness will release late in 2015. She is also working on an Amish cozy mystery series for Guideposts.

Readers can learn more about Nancy through her Web site: www.nancymehl.com. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.


Secret Wounds

Some secrets reveal themselves as wonderful surprises. Like finding out your first grandchild is on the way, or walking into a surprise party planned by friends. But other secrets are cloaked in pain and hidden away, just like the secrets that are revealed in Deadly Echoes, the second book in my Finding Sanctuary series.

My main character, Sarah Miller, is confronted by the past when her sister, Hannah, is murdered. Her story is marked by a journey that not only brings physical danger, but also emotional challenges. Her story made me think about how many of us bury painful secrets in our hearts that need to be brought into the light.

As a child, I was unhappy when my parents divorced. My brother and I lived with my mother, who suffered from depression and anxiety. There was no one in my life to talk to about the insecurity I felt on an almost daily basis.

I learned to hide the pain, pushing it behind an emotional door where I wouldn’t have to face it. This trait followed me throughout my life until one day, during a difficult situation at my church, that door burst open.

God was faithful and walked me through a very dark valley until I was able to see the light again. From this painful experience, I learned that we’re not equipped to carry our burdens alone. That our secret wounds will only keep us in bondage. This is why Jesus tells us to cast our burdens on Him–to trade our sorrow for His joy.

Sarah will have to confront the past, just as I did. She will need to find the courage to face the truth – even though it hurts. But as Jesus promised, the truth has the power to set us free. Our healing will come from seeing ourselves through God’s eyes and believing His word over our pain.

One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11. God says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

What a great promise! Looking forward to that future comes when we can finally break free from the chains of the past.

One of you will win a FREE copy 
of Nancy's new book.

After a youth filled with tragedy and upheaval, Sarah Miller's life is finally settled with all echoes of the past silent at last. She happily calls Sanctuary her home and spends her days teaching at the local school.

Sarah's joy at her recent reunion with her sister, Hannah, and meeting the niece she didn't know she had is too soon interrupted when Deputy Sheriff Paul Gleason informs Sarah her sister has been killed.

As she learns more about Hannah's death, the circumstances are eerily similar to their parents' murder. Sarah enlists Paul's help in digging deeper into the murders the police are dismissing as burglaries gone wrong. Paul's concern encourages Sarah's growing feelings for him, but as their investigation peels back the layers of lies almost twenty years old, they get close to uncovering the truth one person will do anything to hide--even if that means coming after the last remaining members of the Miller family.


Wow, Deadly Echoes sounds like one of those books that keeps a reader on the edge of her seat.

If you'd like a chance to win a free copy, just leave a comment. Please include your email address so Nancy can contact you.

And from last week, the winner of Paula Mowery's book, Legacy & Love, is Maxie! Congratulations!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Sherrie Ashcraft

It's Wednesday, and I have a very special guest. Sherrie Ashcraft is my friend, fellow writer, publisher, and a woman of God who has lived out her faith through some very dark days. Welcome, Sherrie.

Sherrie Ashcraft lives on 15-acres of beautiful forested hills in Western Oregon. She and her husband of forty-four years have two children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Sherrie is currently the Women’s Minsitry Director at her church, but in the past was a missionary to Nigeria, as well as a nurse specializing in Alzheimer’s care.

Sherrie loves to speak at women’s events, where her wacky sense of humor and the truth of God’s Word intersect. She and her daughter, Christina Tarabochia, have co-authored an award-winning Christian novel, On the Threshold. The two women have formed a small, traditional press—Ashberry Lane Publishing. 

If you’d like to know what books are being released, including a new one by Bonnie, sign up for their newsletter at http://www.ashberrylane.com 

Whatever it takes

Most of us think that when we get our kids through their teen years and they marry and settle down, the hardest part of parenting is behind us. But I’ve learned that’s not necessarily true. 

My son, Mark, had a heart for the Lord when he was a little boy. His teen years were challenging, but we got through them with no collateral damage, and he married and had four kids. By age 36 he was well-established working in law enforcement and distinguishing himself in the National Guard. But through the years his heart had changed. It wasn’t that he was anti-God, but just seemed to have no time for Him. Long hours working the night shift made church attendance a hard thing for him to choose. Always being on call meant he was often away from his family. He was extremely well respected and I saw pride creeping into his life. I began to pray God would do whatever it took to bring Mark back in a right relationship with the Lord. I knew there was the potential of danger in his life because of his job, and I figured God might answer my prayer by allowing Mark to get hurt in the line of duty (doing something heroic, of course) and his life would hang in the balance. At that point he would turn back to God, his wounds would be healed, and everything would be perfect. 

I’ll never forget the day in the summer of 2009 when I received the phone call that would forever change our lives. And yes, it involved Mark. But it wasn’t a call saying he’d been injured doing something noble. Instead, I was informed that my police officer son had just been arrested! I was shocked to the core of my being. How could this be? It made no sense at all. My husband was out of state on business, so it was up to me to make the five-hour drive to be with my son’s family and support them during this time. 

Those hours driving through the dark night were long. I could hardly draw my next breath, as disbelief and disappointment swirled through my heart. You might think that having been a Christian for over fifty years would make it easy for me to just pour my heart out to the Lord during those long hours. Instead, I found it impossible to put many words to my prayer. I do remember asking God to just read my heart. Over and over again I told Him a couple different things. One was that I immediately knew  this was God’s answer to the prayer I’d been praying for Mark during the last couple years. I knew I had no choice but to thank Him for answered prayer. And the other thought that I kept expressing to God was, “Please don’t let this be wasted, in my life or in Mark’s. I don’t want to go through this depth of pain and not get everything out of it that I’m supposed to. I want to wring this experience dry.” I knew that as terrible as this situation was, it would be even more terrible to experience this grief for naught. 

Five-and-a-half years have gone by since that phone call. I’ve continued to see God’s hand through everything we’ve had to go through. It took two years before Mark actually went to trial for accusations that were untrue. His heart turned back to the Lord right away, and he took full responsibility for the wrong things he had done, but stood firm in not saying he’d done things he hadn’t. My husband and I were with him every day during his week-long trial, and by the end of it, I was certain the truth would prevail and he’d be found innocent. But that was not God’s plan. Instead, he was sentenced to years in prison.

Once again, I had a choice to make—would I trust that God knew 100% what was best for Mark, or would I choose to question His authority? Was a prison sentence really a necessary part of that answer to my prayer concerning Mark’s heart? I realized I did not need to understand what the Lord was doing, or why He was choosing to do it that way. My job was one of simple obedience—to trust Him.

The past 3-1/2 years have been challenging at times, but so many blessings have come from this experience. Mark has grown into the man of God that I’ve always longed for him to be. He has no bitterness toward God or toward his accuser, and understands that the Lord had to do something extraordinary to get his attention, as well as his heart. As odd as it might seem, we all feel this injustice is worth it, though it was never what we would have prayed for. At the same time, it is what I asked God to do in my son’s life, though it came in a completely unexpected form. 

Some people say, “Be careful what you pray for, as you may get it!” I’ve learned to be careful what I pray for, because I may get something that’s even better than what I asked for!


Sherrie, thank you for sharing your incredible story. You are a woman of courage and an inspiration to me.

Sherrie and Christina are giving away one

FREE copy of
On the Threshold.

Suzanne—a mother with a long-held secret. Tony—a police officer with something to prove. Beth—a daughter with a storybook future. When all they love is lost, what's worth living for?

Suzanne Corbin and her daughter, Beth Harris, live a seemingly easy life. Suzanne has distanced herself from her past, replacing pain with fulfillment as a wife and mother, while Beth savors her husband’s love and anticipates the birth of their child. But all that is about to change.

Like a sandcastle buffeted by ocean waves, Suzanne’s façade crumbles when her perfect life is swept away. Tragedy strikes and police officer Tony Barnett intersects with the lives of both women as he tries to discover the truth. Left adrift and drowning in guilt long ignored, Suzanne spirals downward into paralyzing depression. Beth, dealing with her own grief, must face the challenge of forgiveness. Can these two women learn to trust each other again? Will they find the power of God’s grace in their lives?


If you'd like to have your name included in the drawing for a FREE copy of On the Threshold please leave a comment and your email address. Did you catch that? AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. We need a way to contact you.

Last week's winner of With Music in Their Hearts is Jayne! Congratulations! Carole will be contacting you.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Blogging Guest Carole Brown

It's hard to believe it's February already. And it's Wednesday. Welcome to Carol Brown, this week's guest. 

Brown not only has her award winning (Nominated for an Epic Award, RWA International Digital Awards finalist in Inspiration, Laurel Award finalist, Selah finalist; Genesis semi-finalist) debut novel, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman, available for purchase now, but a companion book called West Virginia Scrapbook: From the Life of Caralynne Hayman, filled with tidbits of information about West Virginia, quotes, recipes from West Virginia and from Caralynne’s life, pictures and discussion questions for the novel.

November, 2013, the first book in her mystery series, Hog Insane, released. It’s a fun, lighthearted novel introducing the characters, Denton and Alex Davies. Look for the second book, Bat Crazy, late 2014 winter.

Released November 1, 2014, is the first book in a new WWII romantic suspense series: With Music In Their Hearts. Three red-headed sisters. Three spies. Three stories.

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

Connect with her here:
Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/browncarole212
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown

Carole is also am part of several other blogs:
Stitches in Time:  http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/
Barn Door Book Loft: http://www.barndoorbookloft.net/


Some good advice from Carole -

No, she couldn’t leave the boarding house to Papa and her sisters to run. She would have to stick it out. ~~from With Music in Their Hearts

Discontented? Discouraged? Facing more than you think you can handle?

I was feeling stressed out, tired and over anxious about nothing and everything. Snappish at the one person I adore in this world--my husband, offended at the slightest provocation at others’ supposed slights, and trying to hide the impatience I felt at my friend’s “unimportant” complaints. 

Couldn’t they see how overworked I was?
How could they ask me to do another task?
Why couldn’t I get this long list completed?

Ever feel like you were the proverbial camel eyeing that last straw a big hand was getting ready to lay on your back?

No matter whether you’re an author/writer or a fellow-laborer for the God we serve, at times we take on too much, we try to be super-human, when what we really need to do is:

• Say no. We are not the only person who can coordinate that needed project! Pick and choose what’s right for you, what interests you, and/or what will benefit you or you feel is really important. You will sometimes be made to feel you are failing because you won’t or can’t do the project being handed you. Don’t let anyone control you like that. When a project interferes with your happiness and peace, or your family time or God’s time, then it’s wrong for you. Say no.
• Remember that the list will still be here tomorrow. If you cross off one or two items, you’re an accomplished person. Lots of people ask more of themselves than they can reasonably accomplish. Don’t do that. Set accomplishable goals.
• Take time to relax.

This past weekend we took a few days to go camping with family and friends. We invited our two-year-old grandson to go along. There’s not a lot of things that can get me to relax as well as the presence of family and friends. Yes, I’ll have to admit I worked all the way down the interstate with occasional glances up to see the scenery my husband and son were pointing out and enjoying.

But once there, I turned off the laptop, saw I had NO reception to my cell phone, and gave in to a time of fun and laughter.  

How did it go?

I came away more relaxed. On the way home, I joined in with my husband and grandson as we worked to see who could find the next bridge or the next horse. My husband and I discussed and talked and laughed and snacked together all the way home. 

How to relax?

• Take a vacation. An hour, a day, a week. Whatever you can work into your budget--do it! Go to local amusements or parks or museums. (We took the grand boys to our local Airforce Museum--free, and good bonding time! And we‘ve also put down the deposit for our summer time at the beach!)
• Choose a hobby or something you’ve always wanted to do, and begin. Don’t put it off untill tomorrow for as the old saying goes, it never comes. Doesn’t matter whether you’re a master at it or not. If it gives you a sense of peace and satisfaction, it’s well worth it. (I’ve just recently picked up a new hobby: fairy gardens. Can’t wait to get started!)
• Spend time with those you love. Take a walk. Play with the kids or dogs. Do something really, really silly - ride down the slide, swing, skip, climb a tree. Take a day to pass out some extra hugs. (Feed the animals with the kids and watch their faces light up!)
• Soak in a bubble-filled tub. Read a book. Eat some chocolate or your favorite dessert. Splurge on a drink you love. (Hot tub time!)
• Invite a friend or your hubby out to dinner. Doesn’t have to be expensive. Relax and forget your problems. They’ll be there to solve later! (looking forward to hubby’s annual birthday dinner with his brother and his wife)
• Take time out for communion with God. Think. Pray. Study. It gives one a sense of strength and encouragement.

I’m sure you can find five minutes, thirty, or even an hour to squeeze in time to do something to pep your spirits! 

As the excerpt from my recently released novel says, Emma Jaine wanted to escape her problems, but realized she couldn’t. And we can’t always escape. But we can schedule a much-needed retreat for however long.

Jesus went up in the mountains to commune with God and become stronger. He and his disciples went out in the boat to get away for a bit. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to take needed time for yourself. For however long, for whenever, for whatever, do it! Your body -and your family and friends - will thank you!

Great advice, Carol. I needed to hear it.

Carol's New Book

Angry at being rejected for military service, Minister Tyrell Walker accepts the call to serve as a civilian spy within his own country. Across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio, a spy working for a foreign country is stealing secret plans for newly developed ammunition to be used in the war. According to his FBI cousin, this spy favors pink stationery giving strong indications that a woman is involved.

He’s instructed to obtain a room in the Rayner Boarding House run by the lovely, spunky red-haired Emma Jaine Rayner. Sparks of jealousy and love fly between them immediately even as they battle suspicions that one or the other is not on the up and up.

While Tyrell searches for the murdering spy who reaches even into the boarding home, Emma Jaine struggles with an annoying renter, a worried father (who could be involved in this spy thing), and two younger sisters who are very different but just as strong willed as she is.

As Tyrell works to keep his double life a secret and locate the traitor, he refuses to believe that Emma Jaine could be involved even when he sees a red-haired woman in the arms of another man. Could the handsome and svelte banker who’s also determined to win Emma Jaine’s hand for marriage, be the dangerous man he’s looking for? Is the trouble-making renter who hassles Emma Jaine serving as a flunky? Worse, is Papa Rayner so worried about his finances and keeping his girls in the style they’re used to, that he’ll stoop to espionage?

Will their love survive the danger and personal issues that arise to hinder the path of true love?


With Music in Their Heart
Kindle Link:   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OVFWA5S?pldnSite=1
Print Link:    http://www.amazon.com/Music-Their-Hearts-Spies-World/dp/1941622038/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415113865&sr=1-1&keywords=With+Music+in+Their+Hearts


You could win a FREE copy of Music in Their Heart. Just leave a comment and your email address and your name may be drawn. I'll announce the winner Wednesday, February 11th.

Our winner from last week is ... Ruth Ann Dell. Congratulations!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie Leon

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Sunni Jeffers

This Wednesday's guest blogger is Sunni Jeffers. Thank you for joining me in my little corner of the blogosphere. You have an incredible story to share.

Sunni Jeffers is the award-winning author of 15 books. Her life has taken many turns, from Navy wife and mother, to business owner and office manager, to rancher—all of this in partnership with her wonderful husband of 48 years. Now she writes as she and her husband travel the country most of the year, living in a motorhome. Visit her at http://www.sunnijeffers.com.


God Does Answer Prayer

I’m a Pollyanna sort of person. Not that life has always been rosy, but I tend to see the bright side of any situation. It’s nearly gotten us in trouble a few times. My husband is a bit of a risk-taker. I’m not. But if he says to me, “Do you think we could…?” my response is always, “Sure.” In truth, I’m not sure at all.

Back in the 1970s, after ten years in the Navy, my husband got out so we could move to Denver, Colorado. We had promised his parents we would come run the family business so they could retire. The business was only six years old. As neither of us had a business background, it was a leap of faith—or a jump into a pit without looking.

Our retail locksmith business sold and installed residential and commercial security. We had an expiring lease on a store in a strip mall, and several step-vans that did residential and commercial calls. When an old, small building and vacant lot came on the market across the street from our store, my husband said, “Do you suppose we could…?” and I said, “Sure!” Our banker was a lot like me and he said, “Sure, and we’ll lend you the money.” Oh boy, we were off and running.

We hired a contractor with a good recommendation (who ran out on us 2/3 way done, and he had not paid the subs, but that’s another story). Our landlord assured us that we could stay there on a month-to-month until our new shop was built. We tore into the old building, ripped it back to studs, and open three sides (leave one side and it’s a remodel). Then we started to build on a two-story addition. We’d just gotten started when the business owner next door came to tell us we had two weeks to get out, because she had leased our space.

We were devastated. Now what? It was the end of November. We had a dozen employees to pay, customers who counted on us, and Christmas was coming. We could not use the new store, as it was a construction zone and a hazard. We faced the impossible. We could keep our trucks operating out of the back of the unfinished building, but a big portion of our business relied on walk-in retail.
We prayed and asked our employees to pray. Some were believers, but others were not—yet. Then we pushed forward. Everyone worked overtime to move our merchandise and equipment into the basement of the old building and set up a makeshift work area against the one intact wall. We parked a step van in front of the new building, right next to a 2 Hour Parking sign. We put a locksmith and a space heater in the van, even while temperatures outside dipped into the teens, and ran a big extension cord from the shop to keep him operational. Another locksmith ran back and forth between the van and the shop to do work or deliver merchandise. Meanwhile, the other store employees worked days and evenings and weekends to get the old side of the building finished.
The local police departments and cities purchased locks and safes from us, and they would walk right by the 2 Hour Parking sign to do business in our van. For an entire month, until we were able to open the main part of the store, our only shop sales were done out of that van.

At the end of the month, I added up the sales totals. And re-added the totals. I couldn’t believe it. We had had one of our best months ever! Shop morale was at an all-time high. We’d survived and thrived during the impossible. And everyone—even our non-believers—gave credit to God. There was no other explanation. God heard our prayers and answered, working in and through us to accomplish the impossible.

This was not my first experience, nor my last of God intervening in my life and answering prayers. Some were painful situations or hard lessons that have shaped my character, deepened my faith, and given me life experiences that fill pages and characters in my books. This one was amazing and affirming.

Have you experienced something in your life that you know was God answering a prayer? I’d love to hear about it.

Sunni is offering a free copy of her new book!

Spiritual forces are at work to destroy mankind…

Dr Ellen Larson has heard myths of fallen angels, but she has no idea they exist—or that they’re after her. She has enough on her mind--her research and her own strange DNA, which she’s kept secret since she discovered a mutation in medical school that’s never been seen before.

Then the impossible happens. Two patients admitted to the University Medical Center—Rafe Zacharias and Homer Wilton--have the same genetic mutation! Without transfusions, the men will die. Ellen can’t withhold what may be their only hope: her blood. She has no choice…

Her secret must come out.

Unseen, a battle rages around them. A battle to bring an ancient curse to life. Ellen, Rafe and Homer are pawns in a war mankind can't afford to lose...

This sounds so good! I can't wait to read it!

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of this book just leave a comment and your email address. I love Sunni's question at the end of her story. Answered prayer anyone?

Last week's winner is Patti Iverson! Congratulations!

Grace and peace to you,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Roger Bruner

Happy Wednesday! And welcome Roger Bruner. Thanks for being my guest. I love your story and, readers, so will you.

Roger Bruner worked as a teacher, job counselor, and programmer analyst before retiring to pursue his dream of writing Christian fiction full-time. He sings in the church choir, plays bass guitar on the praise team, and participates in the weekly nursing home ministry. He enjoys reading, writing songs and playing his guitar, web design, mission trips, photography, and spending time with his wonderful wife, Kathleen. 

Roger’s new novel, The Devil and Pastor Gus, released this past November. His two Young Adult novels, Found in Translation and Lost in Dreams, came out in 2011. He’s also published a small book of his shorter, older works, Yesterday’s Blossoms. Eight completed novel manuscripts are waiting to be discovered by some discriminating acquisitions editor.

Roger's story - A God thing.

For many years I wanted to write a novel someday, but thought it probably wouldn’t happen until I retired, and that was years in the future. But then my unexpected downsizing from a company I’d worked at for nearly nineteen years left me filling in the time to retirement at the register of a nearby Target store.

But the part-time hours gave me the time I needed for writing, and God provided a novel-worthy story idea. Writing the novel was fun. I was hooked.

I knew that finding a traditional publisher might take years, though. As an award-winning English major, I felt competent to self-publish. I doubt seriously that I consulted with God before proceeding.

That novel may have had very few grammatical errors, typos, and misspelled words, but what a mistake I’d made self-publishing it. I was too interested in writing the next novel to work hard enough at marketing the first one, and it wasn’t until I started consuming writing books by the dozen and attending Christian writing conferences that I realized how horrible the first book was. Novels had changed quite a bit since I graduated from college in 1968.

Not wanting future readers to judge my writing by that book, I withdrew it from availability and pretended it had never existed.

I kept reading writing books, attending conferences, and writing. Although my writing was improving, I wasn’t making much progress using my appointment times at conferences to land an agent or an publisher.

I talked to a Harvest House acquisitions editor who invited me to submit some sample chapters of whatever I was pitching at that conference. But Kimberly Shumate, a different editor who’s no longer at Harvest House, wrote back and told me they didn’t publish that kind of Christian novel.

However, God used her to encourage me over the next few years by graciously reading a sample of this and a sample of that. Even though she couldn’t use those manuscripts, either, she kept telling me how good my writing was and assuring me that my day would come.

At one writing conference, I was pitching a Young Adult novel called Found in the Translation, based very loosely on my daughter’s mission trip to Mexico when she was eighteen. When I asked popular writing instructor James Scott Bell to look at the first page or two, he told me I hadn’t even started with a scene. Bummer!

God urged me to take Jim Bell’s comments seriously, and I ended up cutting the first fifty pages—oh, did that hurt!—and writing a new beginning. But the result was much stronger.

Not long after that, I asked Kimberly if she would look at Found in the Translation.

“Sure, send me fifteen pages.” That was on a Monday. “ On Wednesday she asked for the whole manuscript, and I gladly emailed it to her. On Friday, I received a message that said, “Roger, read this message from the bottom up.”

I did. It consisted of a number of back-and-forth messages between her and several other people and the news that Mr. Terry Burns of Hartline Literary had read Found in the Translation, agreed with Kimberly that it needed to be published, and became my agent without my having to go through the usual submission procedure.

I couldn’t believe it! God had used an editor who couldn’t publish my manuscripts to find an agent for me when I had failed so frequently to find one myself. Definitely a God-thing.

Although it took Terry a year to place Found in Translation with Barbour Publishing—they kept my original title, but dropped the “the”—I never lost sight of the fact that not only was my writing “for God,” but everything about it was in His hands.


What a beautiful example of a teachable spirit. You worked, you listened, and then you worked some more. Way to go!

Roger's Newest Book

B.L.ZeBubb became the laughingstock of Heaven when he failed to win Pastor Gus Gospello's soul years earlier. He's determined to succeed this time.

Gus is obsessed with leaving a legacy—a satire making fun of B.L.ZeBubb's foolish pride. He feigns friendship with the Devil to learn back story for his novel.

When B.L.ZeBubb discovers that he's being used, he starts wrecking Gus's life in every imaginable way and ultimately tricks him into willingly signing a contract for his soul.

Gus has some tricks up his sleeve, though. But the Devil is still the Devil, and Gus has no guarantee of success. Who knows where he'll go when he dies?

For a chance to win a FREE copy of The Devil and Pastor Gus just leave a comment along with your email address.

You can find Roger at these sites on the internet:

o http://RogerBruner.com
o http://OnAgingGracelessly.com
o http://AsIComeSinging.Wordpress.com
o https://www.facebook.com/roger.bruner https://twitter.com/RogerBruner


Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Jennifer Slattery

I'm so excited about my guest, Jennifer Slattery. Welcome. And thank you for teaming up with me today.

I started reading Jennifer's blog and couldn't stop. Do you like transparency? Do you want to be encouraged? Inspired? Then read on. 

Jennifer Slattery writes soul-stirring fiction for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. She also writes for Crosswalk.com, Internet Café Devotions, and the group blog, Faith-filled Friends. When not writing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her teenage daughter and coffee dates with her handsome railroader husband.

Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.



The Day I Wanted to Quit:

I felt terrible. Like electrical wires had been attached to my nerve endings and every muscle had been pulled through a taffy machine. I was exhausted, only I hadn’t done anything. Except get out of bed, an action I was quickly regretting. Sitting at my desk, staring at my computer screen, I seriously considered going back to bed. Indefinitely.

Closing my eyes, tears welling behind my lids, I turned to God. “I’m tired, Lord. I’m done.”

I’ve often said, my greatest hindrance in this daily battle of chronic illness I fight is the fact that I don’t need to work. I don’t have to get out of bed, if I don’t want to. My husband has a great job, supports me in every way—whether I’m productive or a lump, and our bills get paid. Even if I camp out on the couch.

But sometimes, there’s more at stake than a paycheck and an electric bill. Sometimes there’s more to live for than feeling well. This was what God showed me that day, and in the week that followed.

It started with a verse; a passage, actually:

“I said to myself, ‘I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.’ But as I stood in silence—not even speaking of good things, the turmoil within me grew worse. The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words: ‘Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will by. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is’” (Psalm 39:1-4 NLT).

Remind me how fleeting, how short, my time on earth is.

Life on earth is short, but eternity will last forever. One day, when I stand before my Savior, I want to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. I saw your pain. I saw your fatigue and discouragement, but more than that, I felt you lean hard on Me as you sought to serve Me with everything you had.”

That Sunday, as if cementing the truths and passion God had infused into my heart that early morning, our pastor’s daughter sang a song. You can listen to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFFberbflbU  (You really want to listen to this)

The words that penetrated the deepest: “You said life’s not meant to be wasted.”

I had been asking God for permission to waste the life He’d given me. To let me finish my fleeting days on earth in autopilot. But God created me for so much more!

I learned something that day, something I’ve known for some time but never truly grasped until I’d been there. Until I’d been at the end of myself.

My momentary troubles, no matter how hard or long lasting, are nothing compared to the glory of eternity. More than that, my struggles here on earth can actually impact someone else’s eternity, if I’d but surrender my whole self, weaknesses and all, to Christ. Because when I do, He uses every struggle and every tear to bring about His glorious, grace-filled, miraculous purposes.

And it is when I am weakest that Christ’s strength in me is most revealed.

Christ in me, the hope of glory.

What about you? What struggles are you facing? Are you tempted to check out; to end your days on cruise control? Or are you ready to surrender it all—every trial, frustration and set-back—to you sovereign, loving, eternal Savior?


Thank you, Jennifer. Your words have touched my heart. 

Jennifer is giving away a copy of her book, 

When Dawn Breaks.

As the hurricane forces Jacqueline to evacuate, her need for purpose and restitution motivate her to head north to her estranged and embittered daughter and into the arms of a handsome new friend. Dealing with his own issues, Jacqueline isn’t sure if he will be the one she can lean on during the difficult days ahead. And then there are the three orphans to consider, especially Gavin. Must she relinquish her chance at having love again in order to be restored?

Read a free, 36-page excerpt here: http://issuu.com/newhopedigital/docs/slattery_sampler/1

You can buy a copy here:

On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/When-Dawn-Breaks-A-Novel/dp/1596694238/

On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-dawn-breaks-a-novel-jennifer-slattery/1120694122?ean=9781596694231

On CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/when-dawn-breaks-a-novel/jennifer-slattery/9781596694231/pd/694231


I read the opening of this book.Wow! Jennifer can write! I'm definitely going to get a copy.

Would you like to know how you can win a copy of When Dawn Breaks? All you have to do is leave a comment along with your email address and you will be included in a drawing. I'll announce the winner next Wednesday - January 14th.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Camille Eide

It's guest blogger Wednesday! And I have a treat for you! Camille Eide is  my guest. And she's giving away a copy of her debut novel, Like There's No Tomorrow. 

More about that later. First let's meet Camille.

Camille Eide writes heart-tugging tales of love, faith, and family. She lives in Oregon with her husband and is a mom, grammy, church office manager, bass guitarist, and a fan of muscle cars, tender romance, and Peanut M&Ms.







Camille’s Website: www.camilleeide.com
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Camille-Eide-Author/134301859999367
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CamilleEide
Email: Camille@camilleeide.com for interview questions or other info
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/ctXKoiwRvxY


Thoughts from Camille:

“Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest.

I would flee far away

and stay in the desert;

I would hurry to my place of shelter,

far from the tempest and storm.”

Psalm 55:6-8

I have heard people say, “If I could just get over this health issue,” or “If only I had more money.” If only I had less stress, more help, less pain, more support, etc, etc.

Have you ever been there?

If only . . .

If I could just . . .

Behind these words is a cry for relief. Not only relief from difficult circumstances, but also from fear and hopelessness. What if I become so sick or anxious or overwhelmed or so deeply in debt that I can’t function? What if my circumstances never change? What if it gets worse?

Thanks to our Adamic inheritance, we live in a fallen world, full of sin, disease, dysfunction, injustice, abuse, brokenness—the list is endless. You may be dealing with something that could wreak more damage than a hurricane. Whether from external circumstances or inner struggles, the weight of constant suffering can be unbearable and make us hopeless for a way out, no end in sight. No hope for relief.

My pastor suffers terrible migraines. These are horribly painful to the point of making him physically sick. He can’t think or do anything but lie still in silent darkness. With a family and a loaded plate of pastoral responsibilities, he doesn’t have time to be sick, and yet he somehow presses on, with the diligence of a faithful, caring shepherd. He asks God for healing and asks others to pray, and yet the headaches continue. When a migraine strikes on a Sunday, we’ve seen God answer prayer many times by giving him enough strength and relief to deliver his sermon. What amazes me is that in spite of this suffering, this man is absolutely unwavering in his faith in Christ. His life is an inspiring example of steadfast confidence in and obedience to God. The fact that God has not yet healed him doesn’t stop him from serving the Lord with his whole heart, with truth and grace, every minute of every day.

He continues to ask God for healing. And we should keep asking God to relieve us and others of suffering. I know he can. And many times, he does. But what if immediate relief isn’t part of his plan for us right now? What if God has his reasons for our weathering a storm (or an entire hurricane season) instead of rescuing us from it?

The Apostle Paul talked about his “thorn in the flesh.” I think Paul came to terms with the fact that relief from this trial would not be soon coming. I also think that at some point, he became grateful for the thorn, because it drove him closer Jesus.

How does being close to Jesus help when we face difficult circumstances?

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

So I’ll never fail to bear fruit. Awesome. But what good is a bunch of fruit when I’m suffering?

When we turn our lives over to Christ, his Spirit moves in and begins the work of making us more like him. God’s word and presence feed, sustain, and transform us. This transforming work is evident by spiritual “fruit” such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Not a pretense worn outwardly like a “goody-hoody,” but a God-kind of gentleness and peace that springs from the center of our soul where God, the Maker of the universe, lives and works in and through us. This fruit not only lets others see God in us, it’s presence in our lives reminds and assures us of his power and love. This assurance comes from experiencing God in a way that teaches us we can trust in his goodness, his provision, and his constant faithfulness.

If storms feel endless and unbearable, maybe we need to stretch our roots deeper into God’s stream. When we make him our daily Source, nothing can destroy us. No drought, famine, wildfire, (debt, depression, pain, cancer) can steal our love, joy and peace when we are nourished by The Stream.

Yes, storms may shred our bark, and our fruit might be knocked off and crushed, but we will never wither. We might be battered for a season, but God will be our strength and sustenance. If he is allowing us to go through difficulty, he will provide what we need. And he won’t let us weather a storm alone! He is a “friend who sticks closer than a brother” and will stay beside us all the way to the other side, whatever that may be. He will never leave or forsake us! We will sprout new leaves and blossom again. What tremendous hope we have!

Are you in a season of suffering? Can you share a time when circumstances felt too unbearable? Have you “reached your roots” into the stream of God’s daily provision and strength?

======================
Camille’s new contemporary novel, Like There’s No Tomorrow, (ow.ly/BKbm9) released Sept 30, 2014 from Ashberry Lane Publishing (www.ashberrylane.com). It’s a mildly amusing yet tender love story about two young, single caretakers, two quirky old Scottish sisters bent on reuniting, and too many agendas. It’s a love story with a tug-o-war over a daft old woman, family drama, faith testing, and the gift of each new day.

I love this story. You will too.

And you have a chance to win a free copy. All you need to do is leave a comment. Make sure to include your email address so we can contact you.

Book Links:
Kindle: ow.ly/BabHj
Paperback: ow.ly/BKbm9
Barnes & Noble: http://ow.ly/C3il1
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/like-there-s-no-tomorrow-1
iTunes: http://ow.ly/C3ffA
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/477970
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23173345-like-there-s-no-tomorrow

Camille blogs about God’s grace at Along the Banks
http://camilleeide.wordpress.com/


We have a piece of business from last week. The winner of Angela Strong's book, The Snowball Fight Professional.

And the winner is ...

Amy Davidson.

Congratulations!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie