Quiet Moments With God - Today

Breathe. That's right. Take a slow, deep breath. Do it now before you read ahead.

Don't think about yesterday. Don't worry about tomorrow. Simply enjoy the pleasure and beauty of this moment.


Do you waste time thinking or worrying about the troubles of tomorrow or the mistakes of yesterday?

I do.

I chronically have difficulty spending my days in the here and now. I spend way too much time thinking about what I should have or could have done differently or I worry about how I'm going to manage something that feels terrifying and is rushing at me from the future.

Something I did last night is a perfect example. I have a sweet puppy, called Misty. She's six months old and well house trained, but she decided she doesn't like the rain and no matter how much we coaxed her, she refused to go outdoors. So, instead of finding an outside place to do her duty she chose what she thought was a perfect place indoors. I knew immediately - you can't conceal that smell. In my haste to teach her and to get her outside I partially picked her up. I should never do that. My back does not like it when I lift anything over ten pounds, especially when I'm bent over.

Ouch! I went to bed worrying about what today would bring.

This morning I awoke, still fearful and wondering what would happen when I moved or tried to stand up. Would I face a day with excess pain? I could feel my heart rate increase and my muscles tense at the thought.

At that moment, I needed to stop my fearful imaginings. So . . . what if I had extra pain today? It's not something new. I've been through it lots of times . . . and lived. And I have medication that helps. And I will get better. 

As it turns out, I do have more pain today, but I'm getting along just fine. I'm going to be fine. Worrying and being fearful is not helpful. In fact it makes things worse because stress makes my muscles more tense.

So this day is one more day of learning . . . from experience. And it's okay. But to harangue myself over a mistake I made yesterday is not okay. And worrying about what the future and what it holds for me is also not okay. When I do that I miss out on the beauty and pleasure of today. God has been teaching me this lesson over and over, only because I can't seem to get it.

John 10:10 says, "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them (that's us) a rich and satisfying life."

If I take into account another verse from Matthew 6:34, which says, So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today," I can see that I'm a thief. I'm robbing myself of the rich and satisfying life God wants to give me.

I'm shaking my head (once more). When will I learn?

I'm still a work in progress, but progress is the key word. I am making headway. That is a good thing. 

Today is gorgeous. Sunshine is peeking through the clouds. The earth is damp and smells delicious from the weekend's rain. I am surrounded by a loving family. And I'm pushing forward on a new book. Plus . . . well there's lots more blessings in my life, things to be thankful for and to enjoy right here, right now.

So, I've decided I'm not going to spend any more time worrying about my back. I'm just going to enjoy the day God has given me. How about you? What's precious about today? About this moment?

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

The Journey - Adventures In Writing

In 1989 I was thrown into the world of writing. At that time, I had an interest but never really thought it was possible that someone like me could become a full-time author. I was one of those "trouble-makers" in school and didn't do well, but I always loved to read and actually enjoyed my literature classes.

The adventure began when I was bitten by the writing bug in 1989. My mind came alive with personal experiences, poems and short stories. And I filled up legal pads with my thoughts. It was fun! 

In 1991 friend knew about my hobby and encouraged me to attend a one day writing conference. I went with great trepidation, but left feeling uplifted and ready to write . . . for real. My dream still seemed to be an impossibility but at least I was willing to admit that I had a dream of one day becoming a published author.

A month later I was seriously side-tracked when a log truck came barreling around a corner and slammed into my van. My life changed. I was left with injuries that meant my life would never be the same, and I needed to find something to do with the person I was, a way to contribute to the world. God challenged me to write. 

My injuries lingered and through bitterness and tears God led me down a new path. Unbelievably, two years after the accident I sold my first novel, The Journey of Eleven Moons, to Thomas Nelson Publishing. It was a startling turn of events. I'd never really believed it could happen.

I remember the day the advance copy of my book arrived via Federal Express. I tore open the envelope and held  it in my hands and for the longest time I just stared at it. I don't even think I breathed. The book was beautiful! Incredible! And my name was on the cover!

That was the beginning. Several years later I was still writing and also teaching and mentoring new writers. I loved that - still do. One day at the OCW Summer Conference I sat across from a mother/daughter writing team - Sherrie Ashcraft and Christina Tarabochia. They were working on a book together and hoping to find direction from another writer.

I immediately fell in love with these two ladies. They were full of energy, grace, joy and fun. And they were good writers. We've been friends ever since.

Life is interesting, offering up surprising turns and unexpected adventures.

After that first meeting, Christina went on to write an award winning novel and the mother/daughter team recently released their first co-written book. I am, once again, working with these two women only the roles are reversed. They are helping me. Sherrie and Christina are co-owners of Ashberry Lane Publishing. 

Here we are today.

About a year ago, I decided to rework my first book, The Journey of Eleven Moons. I've always loved the story, but as a newbie author I had a lot to learn about writing and always wished I could reel it back in and make it better. And so I have. 

Guess who's helping me publish the new version. I'm now part of the Ashberry Lane family! And the new and improved Journey of Eleven Moons will release in mid-November! It has a few new plot twists, better writing and a new cover.

I think re-releasing this book is the perfect way to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of The Journey of Eleven Moons. If you haven't read it I hope you'll give it a try and if you have read it . . . you might want to have another look.

I'll have more details along with the new cover here for you soon. If you want to make sure not to miss out there are two places you can sign up for newsletters -  
http://ashberrylane.com/bonnieleon/ or you can go to my home page and sign up for my Table Talk newsletter.

Life is truly an adventure - enjoy every moment.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Quiet Moments With God - Path To Peace

My weekly blog Quiet Moments With God is supposed to focus on things the Lord is speaking to me about or teaching me. So, this morning when I was reading from my devotional Jesus Calling I felt the last words in the devotion like an arrow that had been shot straight into my spirit. But I felt no inclination to write about it. Why when I knew they were meant for me today? 

When I realized that I'd skipped over the idea of using the lesson, I got to wondering about the why and I'm not certain, but it could have something to do with living transparently publicly. I had vowed to do that, but there are things I'd rather people not know about me and my faith. But as I mulled all of this over I came to the conclusion of what good is transparency if we pick and choose what we're transparent about?

So, the closing words  to the devotion were these. Turn from the path of planning to the path of peace. 

As far back as I can remember I've been a planner. If I can just come up with a better plan everything will work out. And if that plan doesn't accomplish what I want, then there must be something else I can do. And I go to work trying to cook up a solution, all the while worrying and wringing my hands. 

The devotion says in its opening paragraph that planning and trying to control is a way people practice unbelief. Ouch!

I don't like hearing that, but it's true. I know it . . . in my spirit where the quiet voice of God whispers truth to me. And God's Word says in 1 Peter 5:6-7 "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."

In my line of work, waiting is part of the every day. Writers wait to hear back from their critique partners - will they like what I've written? They wait to hear from agents - what do they think about the book idea, will it fly? Editors - will I have major restructuring to do? Publishing houses - do they want to publish my work, the project I sank months into? 

The process is almost never rapid. It can drag out for months . . . sometimes many months. And even when a book is accepted it's not uncommon to have a publishing date that is eighteen months out. And so I've learned to wait, but that doesn't mean I'm comfortable with it. And it doesn't mean I am always in a peaceful place while I wait. I'm there now and my mind is full of what if's, which are not helpful. There is no peace in a worrying place.

That's where trusting God and having faith in His greater plan comes in. He really does know what he's doing. When I think I know the right way and right time I am NOT being humble. I am NOT believing in God's greater wisdom. 

I can trust Him. Really. But if I do, why don't I feel it? I need time with Him, not in my mind and unbelieving heart that wants to come up with a plan. 

And so, I seek out a quiet place to spend time with my Lord. We talk. And when I listen I find the peace that only God can offer. After all, he knows how and when to do all things. I, on the other hand, do not.

If you are waiting or if you're in a hard and hurting place remember God has not taken His eyes off you. He hasn't forgotten you. Trust in Him and in His plan. For there you will find peace.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

The Journey - First Dates

We were just kids.

Along the path of life there are moments that change our future. We often don't recognize them as being significant, at least not until we look back. I remember one of those moments. It was the day I met a handsome young sailor named Gregory Leon. 

My brother Bruce was in the navy during the Viet Nam War and in 1969 he brought a fellow shipmate home to dinner. I was seventeen and on my way out with friends, but I managed to get myself introduced to this amazingly good-looking sailor. We chatted for only a minute or two, but that's all it took. I was hooked. That evening all I could think about was Gregory and his beautiful eyes. I wasn't interested in anything going on at the party. I just wanted to go home and spend more time with that very cool guy.

I never dated another man after that evening. Greg was it for me. He started coming to the house regularly and my family loved him. So did I. Our first date was nothing much, an evening at a drive-in movie. Greg set a standard that night that I didn't realize would be part of my life and still is. I made us a big bag of popcorn to take along. We snuggled down together in the dark and shared the movie and popcorn and then . . . he fell asleep. 

Our first date was not romantic, but that's okay because sleeping during a movie really doesn't matter. What does is the kind of man you date. And I got a good one. To his credit, Greg doesn't sleep during movies at the theater . . . unless it's really a lousy one. 

That first date was forty-four years ago and last month Greg and I celebrated our forty-second anniversary. I had no idea that the young sailor I met at seventeen would become my life partner, but I'm sure grateful we met. And even though he slept through part of our first date I cherish the memory of that night. 

Our 42nd Anniversary

Since that time, we've shared lots of dates, lived through all sorts of joys and sorrows and we have three children and seven grandchildren. We've lived life together. There will be more good days and bad days, but even if this is our last day I'm grateful for that first meeting and for all the days we've already shared. 

Do you have a first meeting or first date story? I so want to hear about it. Just click on comment (if you don't have a website or blog, just sign in as anonymous) and share your story.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Quiet Moments With God - The Cross

Today is 9/11. 

Images of the enemy's attack are etched into my mind. My heart aches for those who lost loved ones on that terrible day. I'm familiar with sorrow, but I can't truly comprehend the heartache of losing a father or mother, son or daughter, sister or brother, husband or wife . . . when the Twin Towers came down.

Like the rest of America I watched the footage, again and again. I wept and ranted and I prayed. How does one go on? How can you take another breath, another step? And how do you douse the flames of rage?

Righteous anger is not sin. But hanging onto our fury hurts - it doesn't help. However, there is one who takes up our cause.

Isiah 61: 1-3 says this, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes.   

The brokenhearted are set free . . . 

to trust again, to love again and to live again,

 for the Lord God comforts those whose hearts have been broken. 

The enemy was destroyed at the cross of Christ. 

And even in the midst of rubble the cross rises up. 

God offers beauty for ashes. He is The One who makes us - stronger, wiser and more determined to stand against evil. Reach out and take His hand. He will lift you up.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

The Journey - Teen Mama

Some of the best and most promising moments of our lives come when we least expect them. And often we don't recognize how precious they are, not right off at least. There are times when we need to pause and wait and to reflect before we understand that something shocking or even frightening may be a gift.

That was us nearly fifteen years ago . . . the day our seventeen-year-old daughter said, "Mom. Dad. I'm pregnant."

It was a Fall evening when Sarah drove down our driveway. Her boyfriend's car followed. And next our pastor's. I knew something was up and it couldn't be good.

Our daughter and her boyfriend barely looked at us as my husband and I greeted our pastor. We all sat in the front room and waited, I didn't know for what. 

I'm sure the pastor began our time with a prayer - to be honest I can't remember. I was scared about what was coming. My memory begins when Sarah said the words parents never want to hear from their teenagers.

"I'm pregnant."

She could have told us something worse, like she had AIDS, but at that moment being pregnant was bad enough. I looked at my husband. What did we say? We didn't say anything at first. We were trying to process. Now what would her life look like? And what about ours? What would our friends think?

I felt as if I'd been caught unprepared, but that wasn't true. God had prepared me for this time. And the Holy Spirit was with us and made Himself known that night. Although we were faced with a heart-wrenching and difficult situation, God was faithful.

The pastor helped get us started talking. The 'kids" of course were very sorry for what had happened, but we didn't tarry there long. We needed to move forward and figure out what to do next. 

First off we recognized that the "kids" had made a good choice by going to our pastor. It revealed wisdom and maturity. Thank you, Lord!

By the grace of God my husband and I did not go off on a tirade against the "kids".  Although I'll admit there was a sorrowful storm going on inside my heart. My daughter's childhood had been snatched away. I knew what was ahead would be difficult and painful, no matter what path she chose.

We listened while our daughter and her fellow talked. They asked for forgiveness and guidance. And told us that they'd already decided they wanted to keep the baby. We did discuss adoption, but that was an absolute, no. They were determined they could be good parents, although at that time they didn't really have a clue what that meant. 

They were about to learn.

That night was one of the most disappointing of my life. It was one of great heartache. I went to bed reeling from what I'd just learned, trying to grasp what it would mean to us all. And I wondered what I had done wrong. Why had my child strayed? My husband and I had strived to be good parents. We'd provided a stable and loving home - a place where truth and love were shared openly. It was a home filled with grace and we lived out our faith in the open without pretense.

What had gone wrong?

I have no answers, except to say that every one of us is tempted by sin. And as it turns out, we are all sinners and there are consequences for our sins. But our loving Father has a way of redeeming and creating something beautiful out of our messes.

Although that "awful" night was filled with disappointment and heartache it also brimmed over with love and grace. 

What could have been one of the worst nights of our life was transformed - it became beautiful and precious. We shared tears and prayers. We found peace and better understood the depth of God's love for us and our love for one another.

That night our seventeen-year-old daughter climbed into my husbands lap and he held her close as they wept together. I've never forgotten the gentleness and love my husband offered our daughter nor her need to be loved and forgiven. To this day, it is one of my most cherished memories.

I'm sure there are those who believe that abortion would have been a good solution to Sarah's dilemma. And that it would have been better if she could have quickly resolved the issue of her pregnancy and moved on. We don't agree. 

We heard from a few who thought we were unwise not to force Sarah to give up the baby for adoption. Certainly a seventeen-year-old was not mature enough to be a mother. Adoption is a good answer for some, but our daughter chose another way. She chose to grow up early, to become a mother. 

Her choice meant she would lose her youthful freedom and Greg and I would have obligations we hadn't counted on, but I'm so thankful she made the choice she did. We got a little fellow named Corey who has blessed our lives.

It's been nearly fifteen years and Sarah grew up. She was and is a good Mom. She did have to let go of all the fun of high school and college, though she did manage to finish her education later. And I know she would never recommend becoming a teen-age parent, but she shares a special relationship with her first son and even trying to imagine life without him in it would be impossible for her. She found joy and fulfillment in the role of mother . . . even at seventeen.

My husband and I have been blessed with seven grandchildren . . . so far. We love them all, but we know that it's possible we might never have known our first. That would have been a tragedy.

We've never regretted having Corey in our lives, not even for one moment. He's always been bright and fun and full of love. He's made our lives better. 

Sarah & Corey now.

Life is precious. Our children are precious. They are gifts from God. 

Our family has had its share of sorrows and sometimes life has handed us things we felt we couldn't bear, but it's still been good. And it's been made richer because of people like Corey and our daughter Sarah.

Love each other.

Bonnie

Books & Writing - Changing My Mind

I haven't entered a writing contest in many years, not since a fellow author, who also happened to be a good friend, and I were entered in the same contest. I didn't know how to feel about competing with friends and colleagues. It didn't feel right and so I decided not to enter contests. Besides, I told myself, they are "so subjective".

And then a funny thing happened this summer. I was asked to be a judge for the OCW Cascade Writing Contest.  I'm not sure what convinced me to do it, but I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did.

I read each book on my list and did my best to be objective. It's not easy. When I completed the reading and had filled out the forms with my scores I felt conflicted. All the books were good - each had their perfections as well as their flaws. I wished I hadn't agreed to be a judge. It was too difficult. Trying to be objective rather than subjective was no easy task. After all, I have my own preferred writing styles and genres. I was determined to remain objective, however.

When I'd completed my score sheets and turned them in, I'd decided I had been right not to enter contests. They can't present a complete picture of a book and its story. As a judge I could only offer a snapshot. 

Maybe all my hesitancy has good reasoning behind it, but all that went out the window when I attended the awards ceremony. 

I've changed my mind about contests. I like them . . . even with their flaws. 

It was such fun to see so many writers given credit for their hard work. The top three in each category were celebrated for their literary creations. They were brought up on stage and given an award certificate and credited for fine writing. After that, a winner in each category was selected and honored for their entry. 

The room seemed to spill over with joy as we linked arms (metaphorically) as comrades in an industry that asks much of its craftsmen. While I sat there clapping and smiling - thrilled for the winners - I remembered something similar that happened to me years before. It may well have changed my life. Though small in scale, the acknowledgement gave me the boldness to move forward and write my very first book.

From here on out, I'm going to support writing contests. I may even judge one here and there. It's a privilege and offers an opportunity to read some great books. I might even enter one now and again.

Bravo to all the winners this year at the OCW Cascade Writers Contest. And hooray to everyone who entered. May you all continue to work at your craft. I can't wait to read more of your books, stories, articles and poems. Good job!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Quiet Moments With God - The Light of Truth

It is September already. Fall is nearly here. 

I can barely believe summer is coming to a close. It seems to have swept by in a blur. I had lots of plans, things I wanted and intended to do. A lot of them didn't happen. And to be honest, I'm kind of grumpy about  that. However, if I take my mind off myself I can see more clearly that God placed lots of blessings into this summer season that I hadn't planned on, lots of special moments. 

I'm faced with a choice.  I can focus on what I missed out on or I can be grateful for what I received. There's an easy way to find the right choice. Just ask, "What would Jesus do?"

Okay that's become cliche, but I don't care. I love it because . . .

Asking this simple question is like shining a light into a dark place. 

It reveals the truth. 

Sometimes what I see in the light is not pretty. I personally fall so short of Jesus' example. He would never have his heart and mind on what mattered most to Him, but would always be thinking about what mattered to His Father. And He would be thankful for every blessed moment and every season, no matter what it brought. He would find ways to share the love of His Father with those he met and would search for opportunities to love people. He'd never be afraid to speak the truth.

Being like Jesus puts a whole different light on how we live and the way we plan out our days. Even our hopes and dreams change when they are ignited by the light of Christ.

We are stepping into a new season. I don't know what it will hold, but my prayer is that I will become more like Christ, embracing the truth and unafraid to tell others what I've learned. 

It's going to be great! 

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

The Journey - Family & Summer Fun

Families are messy. Sibling rivalry can linger into adulthood and there's plenty of that squabbling going on between youngsters. Brothers, sisters, mothers and daughters let one another down . . . sometimes. We worry and sometimes we argue. We may or may not agree on religion or politics. And the array of interests can be vast. But . . . I can't imagine life without my family. 

Family makes my life sweeter.

There was a lot of sibling rivaly in my home when I was growing up. There were five of us kids and we knew how to squabble. I'm glad to say we've grown out of that . . . mostly. We do let one another down from time to time, but always if one of us is facing something really tough we can count on each other. And yep, we worry about each other and we even argue, but not often. We have varied opinions about religion and politics and occasionally wander into emotional land mines. Mostly we've agreed to disagree and live in a comfortable truce. As to our passions, I see our wide variety of interests as a plus.

I'm feeling sad today because my sister, who has been visiting from Alaska, headed home. I miss her already. We spent lots of good time together. She even taught me how to make pickles. In all my sixty-one years I've never made them. Now I know how. Thanks Myrn. More pickles on the way! 

This summer has been extra special with lots of family time.

We had birthday parties and family gatherings.

Roamed the beach town of Bandon.

There was music in the house again.

And treasures discovered at garage sales.

A new puppy joined our family.

And a new baby!

We made a trip to the butterfly pavilion.

And the men fell some trees.

Greg and I celebrated our 42nd anniversary with friends.

And there's so much more, but there's not time or space here to share. Thankfully, my mind is filled with lots of new memories. Yay!

My family blesses me. Their love warms my heart.

Family's don't have to be perfect(perfect families don't exist anyway) to be beautiful. We cheer each other on in good times and bad. We pray together, laugh and cry together. We remember years gone by . . .together. For me, life is about family.

Whether your family is large or small or made up of people you've come to know along the way I pray the lives you share will be full of love, joy and laughter.

Do you have a precious moment from this summer that you shared with special people - something fun or funny or an experience that touched your heart? We want to know. I want to know! Please tell us about it.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Books & Writing - The Train Baby's Mother - A Must Read

I was honored to be included as a judge for the first ever OCW Cascade Writing Contest. I'll admit to being skeptical about contests, in general. They tend to be subjective, and therefore difficult to gauge. But they can also be fun, educational and encouraging. 

As it turns out, the awards banquet for the Cascade Writing Contest was amazing and fun. This year's winner in the category of the published fiction was Sharon Bernash Smith's book, The Train Baby's Mother. 

While reading, I was impressed with this writer and touched by the story.  I highly recommend The Train Baby's Mother.

A time of great evil.

Unfathomable betrayal.

A desperate act.

Hadassah Jensen, a Holocaust survivor of Ravensbruck has spent twenty years trying to forget her haunting memories. Worst of all is the dark day the train hurled through the snow-covered countryside of Nazi Germany, throwing her life into a tumult from which she has not recovered. But when a piece of the puzzle from her past returns, she's confronted with her deepest shame.

Professor Fritz Miller will always remember the fierce protectiveness he felt the day he, as a twelve-year-old German farm boy, found the Jewish baby lying in the snow, next to the train tracks . . . and then had to give her up. When a shocking revelation emerges, he wonders, Is it possible to change destiny? And, If so, will there even be time to do so?

Sharon calls what she writes Reality Fiction: Where life meets imagination. "I'm willing to tackle the tough subjects that relate to the human struggles we all face. There are no "pat" answers in life and you won't find them in my books."

Sharon loves spending time with friends and family, especially her four granddaughters, as well as land sailing in the beautiful Columbia River gorge. She and her husband attend a large, Evangelical Church in Vancouver, Washington.

She'd like you to know that she's a cowgirl at heart.

I chatted with Sharon Bernash Smith the night of the awards and asked, "Why this story?" Her answer is included on the introduction of her book - thought provoking  words.

Here is what she says.

It is impossible to summarize within the pages of one book the level of destruction perpetrated against humanity during the Holocaust when Europe became Adolph Hitler's hunting ground. Anyone possessing a minute drop of Jewish blood was meant to be wiped off the face of the earth, along with those who dared interfere with his diabolical plan. He meant to exterminate them all, in order, he said, to create a "pure" race, worthy of preserving his chosen species.

Though all the stories can never be told (there are over six million), I've written a fictional account of one woman's imprisonment, survival, and fulfillment of her personal destiny. I've called her Hadassah.

My introduction to the Holocaust came when I discovered a book, Adolf Eichmann, a high ranking officer in the German Army, in my high school library. Every page held the most hideous details of his evil involvement in the mass exterminations. This was only fifteen years after World War II had ended, yet not one of my history classes had mentioned this vast debased atrocity.

I never forgot the book or the impact of its contents. Through the years, more and more information came to the forefront, and I began to glean a deeper insight, though I've yet to comprehend the evil behind it. I wonder, can anyone?

As an adult I saw The Hiding Place, a movie based on Corrie ten Boom's experience while hiding Jewish refugees in Holland during the German occupation. Tragically, her family was betrayed and all were sent to prison. Corrie and her sister, Betsy, eventually ended up in Ravensbruck, a German prison camp for women. Betsy died there, but Corrie was miraculously released to become a world wide speaker, called to "tramp for the Lord", until her death in her nineties.

After becoming a Christian myself, I read every book she wrote, and every book written about her. She became my mentor and to this day I am grateful for the life she lived and so graciously shared with others.

In 2008 I wrote a story "The Train Baby", based on information from a friend (she is the real Elllie in this book) who grew up in Germany during the war.

More than once her brothers took babies from Jewish captives held in cattle cars on the way to extermination camps. Each infant had been hidden in her family's basement and fed the only substance 
available . . . water from soaked bread. When it was safe, and arrangements had been made, the infants were moved to the Jewish underground by their sympathizers.

Later, I realized I wanted to tell a story about the train baby's mother. How did she die or how did she live?

I'm excited to share this story of God's plan and intimate participation in human destiny. I'm hoping and praying that the reality of God's grace will cause people to love him with deep affection, honor him more openly and trust him with gratitude. For as the Jews have always been God's chosen people, so, dear reader are you.


After reading this book all I could think of was, who can I share it with first? It's so good. Not because it's a pretty story. It's not. It's real and gritty and surprising. It changes hearts and minds. 

As a fellow writer I was impressed with this authors style. She is courageous, inventive and introduces you to characters so real you feel you know them.

I encourage you to read this book. It is well worth your time.

You can connect with Sharon -
on her blog at sharonbernashsmith. blogspot.com. 
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sharonbs2?fref=ts

Quiet Moments With God - Baking With God

Years ago my pastor taught me how to use God's recipe to find peace and joy. He explained that when reading or studying my Bible that I should watch for words like therefore, so and then. Words like these link themes and topics. They connect verses with the ones to follow. 

These connective words and phrases help us achieve a more complete understanding of scripture and what the results of following or not following God's instruction can mean to us and to those we love.

Today I saw a then in my scripture reading in Philippians 4:8 & 9.

     And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me - everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

I would guess that most all of us are seeking peace. Sometimes, life can feel like a maelstrom. 

The then in the portion of scripture in Philippians points us to the how of finding the peace of God. We need to keep our hearts and minds focused on the truth of God's Word, on those things that are not corrupted by the world. And we should be thinking about the beauty around us in nature and in the people we know. Also, we must contemplate on the things that are splendid and beautiful. And then to actually include what God has taught us in our lives, not just talk about it. We need to live like Christ lived and do the things He did. THEN we will know peace. It will become part of who we are.

     Fix your thoughts on what is . . .
          True
          Honorable
          Right
          Pure
          Lovely
          Admirable
          Excellent
          Worthy of praise

          Do . . .
          What we learned
          What Christ did

It's not easy. The world pulls at us. It keeps telling us how ugly life is. Television focuses on corruption and hopelessness. There are games, books and movies filled with violence and evil. 

But life is about more than all of that.

We get to choose what we include in our personal life. We choose how much of our time is spent in front of the television. We choose our entertainment. We choose what sites we visit on the internet - what blogs we read or don't read. We choose our friends. 

The world seems to be filled with hate. We can take part in all of that . . . or not. But we need to remember that what we put into our spirit is what will dominate who we are.

I'm not advocating ignorance. Knowledge is profitable. However, there is so much ugliness and evil swirling around us and we are the only ones who can choose our focus. 

If we have a friend who makes the most scrumptious chocolate chip cookies we've ever eaten it makes sense to use their recipe - right? Well, God gives us a recipe for discovering joy and peace. He has the only recipe that offers outstanding results every time. 

I want to bake with God, using His ingredients. How about you?

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie


         

The Journey - Oregon Christian Writers Conference!

Why the exclamation point? Because Oregon Christian Writers deserve to be exclaimed over. Twenty years ago, OCW helped launch my writing career and propped me up many times along the way.

Writers need one another. All the writers who are part of OCW are part of an exclusive family, a fellowship of writers who love the Lord. 

God's Word says we are to fellowship with one another. My years of experience tell me that if God says something I need to listen. When God speaks He has something important to say. It's not just because He likes to hear himself talk.

Wednesday my husband and I checked into the Red Lion Inn at Jantzen Beach, Oregon and after getting settled in, we set out to find some of my OCW buddies. Almost immediately we ran into Karen Ball. In her usual gregarious way she welcomed us with hugs, a big smile and a story to tell.  We were immediately caught up in the exhilarating and sometimes turbulent world of the OCW summer conference.

I was swept into the loving, enthusiastic and encouraging arms of friends - Bobbie, Linda, Ann, Mary, Judy, Miriam, Christina, Hillary, Sam, Kristen, Bob, Pat, Mesu, Jeannie, Sherry and so many others that there isn't room on this page to hold them all. I had missed them all so much! 

It was fabulous to finally introduce these precious people to my dear husband. None of them had met him before. He got a kick out of meeting them all - these people he's been hearing about throughout the years. And though this was a world foreign to him, he had a great time chatting with new friends and people watching. He loved getting a glimpse into why I love OCW.

It had been three years since I'd seen most of them. And it was breathtaking to be reminded of the wealth I possess in these friends and writing comrades. We've worked together, laughed together, cried together and prayed together. Not to mention all the fun we've shared. 

Conferences are like a party that includes learning and lots of work. There's good food, time with friends, lots of fun, even games and entertainment.  And every year we have wonderful speakers. This year Liz Curtis Higgs was our Keynoter. All I can say is Wow!

I'm already thinking about next year. I will be there. I hope to see all my friends and make some new ones. If you've thought about taking that scary leap and jumping into a writing conference I encourage you to "just do it". You'll be happy you did.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie