New Life & Dreams - Farewell Deb

Reluctantly I woke up at 7:30 this morning. I was having a lovely dream. My friend Debbie Note had come for a visit, and I didn't want to wake up. 

Deb has been sick for a long while and in the last weeks we all knew she would be stepping into eternity soon. I went to bed last night and my last thought was of her and her family. So, I don't think it's peculiar that I dreamed about Debbie this morning, except I've never had a dream about her before.

In the dream, Debbie came to my house for a visit. That is unusual. In all the years we've known each other she's never been here. We've attended writing conferences together (I love her writing) and I've stayed at her home in Eagle River several times, but in recent years Deb didn't like to wander far from home. So, this dream visit was special.

In the dream she was sick, but beautiful and full of peace and a quiet joy. She was tired so she took a nap. Someone came into the house and was speaking loudly. I asked them to speak quietly because Deb was sleeping. When she woke up we decided to go sight-seeing. It's beautiful here this time of year. 

We traveled about the countryside and came upon a ranch. We didn't know the people who lived there, but we wandered in anyway. There was a family there, but we didn't talk to them. We just peeked in - saw a couple of children and two men - cowboys. At one time in her life, Debbie was all about horses and horseback outings, so this isn't unusual.

When we started to leave, Deb stopped. She had a small paint brush in her hand and on the wall there were two red smears that I thought were blood. One was pale and lifeless, but the other one was a deeper red. She put the paintbrush to it and blended it with whatever was on the brush. It turned a deep, rich crimson and she said, "This is the blood of the man who eats pure and natural beef." And then we left. As we drove down the road we saw some riders who were herding cattle through a draw that had a creek running through it. It was a beautiful sight, golden and warmed by the sun. We stopped for a moment, then drove on, filled with joy and peace.

I'm not an interpreter of dreams, but I was deeply moved by this encounter with my friend. And I wondered if Debbie had passed on. 

I contemplated the dream and this is what I feel was being spoken to my spirit.  

All through the dream I felt a need for quietness, along with Deb's peace and powerful faith. Through the years, I've seen it many times - her passion for the Lord and His Word. Sometimes, it would just flow out of her, quietly and in Deb's special way. I am comforted to know that on this last day of her life, her heart was at peace. 

The blood on the wall? And beef? Well, our minds are funny sometimes, but I think this is all about how rich our lives can be if we will only feast on the Word of God and not let troubles and fears tread upon our Lord's beautiful provision and love. If we will only place our life completely in His hands it will be beautiful, no matter what tribulation comes our way.

And I'd like to think that the cowboys were all about Deb's ride into the light. She's in the presence of the King now where there is no more suffering and no more tears.

Farewell, Deb. I love you.

Here's Deb and some of the Yadas - Lori Benton, 

Bonnie Leon, Karen Ball, Ann Shorey and of course Deb.

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

Is God Really Good All The Time?

Before I share what's on my heart today, I'd like to announce the winner of my Alaskan Skies series. Congratulations to Jennifer Sauer! I will be contacting you.

"If God cares so wonderfully for the wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"

Often when I hear people praise God for something he's done in their lives or for their loved ones and they include, "God is good", I wonder ... how would they feel if their prayers had not been answered the way they had hoped. Would God still be good? 

My family and I have been through many agonizing days these last months. And I have asked, "Is God good all the time?"

Heartache has a way of driving us to God's Word. Here are a few scriptures that soothed my heart today.

Psalm 100:5 - "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness endures through all generations."

Isaiah 51:6 - "My salvation will last forever."

2 Thessalonians 3:3 "The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 

Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble."

Job 2:10 "Should we accept good from God and not trouble?"

Isaiah 42:16 "I will turn the darkness into light."

The Lord loves deeply, beyond our ability to fully understand. He even provided a way for each of us to spend eternity with Him. He gave his son - what more could he give?

The apostle Paul proclaimed God to be good even when he had been beaten and imprisoned for his faith. He did not waver. 

God's goodness and love is infused in every book of the Bible. If I believe that His Word is true, then I must believe He is good all of the time. 

And I agree with Psalm 27: 13 - 14
  "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."


Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

God's Mercies After Suicide

I cannot comprehend the devastation that follows the loss of a child to suicide, but Jean Williams can. I'm privileged to be part of the launch of her book, God's Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother's Heart. Jean will be posting the devotional on her blog.

Jean Ann Williams lives in Southern Oregon with her husband Jim. Although one of their children has passed on to the Great Beyond, their two remaining children have blessed them with thirteen grandchildren, their Baker’s Dozen.

To learn more about Jean Ann Williams visit her on Face Book, Twitter, and her blogs Love Truth and Jean Ann Williams: Author.

http://joshua-mom.blogspot.com/
http://jeanannwilliams.blogspot.com/

Jean's book will release in installments, on her blog, beginning March 16. She will post three times per week - Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The posts will have three parts for each chapter - the devotions, My Mother Memories, and a journal page for the reader. 

Until the book releases in print readers can journal on their own, using the suggested headings below:

• ~Your Mother Memories~
• ~Your Prayer of Praise~
• ~A Scripture of Encouragement~

From Jean Ann Williams: 

On March 16, 2015, it will be eleven years since my son left his family and friends with our grief, questions, and the memories of him.

“When our children die, we want their lives to have mattered. We long for the world to know they were here.”

God's Mercies After Suicide opens with this preface:

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not
perceive it?
—Isaiah 43:18-19

I had a dream. I dreamed the nightmare never happened. Our son Joshua never passed on to the hereafter. He married and had children. Then I woke, and knew the dream was only that—a dream. We live with our reality.

I’ve written these devotions for those of you who have shared the deep heartache of a child’s suicide. Through my writing, I believe God wants me to share from my heart to yours, by encouraging you and giving you ways to cope. You can have hope and peace after a suicide. God has helped me and He wants to help you. The loss is horrific, but God is faithful. He brought me through this dark time, and He wants to do the same for you.

A yearning to write this story came five years into my journey of loss. I sensed a dawn of courage within myself, but I haven’t come this far in a blink, nor on my own. Although I knew I’d lose my nerve, only to gain it back time and again before I completed my story, I also knew I’d have the help from the Lord God, and the folks He sends my way.

Am I full of courage? Yes! Yes, I shout, with God’s hand upon me.

God, when I falter, I pray You will renew my strength. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

God’s Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother’s Heart is a devotional of two hundred and nineteen pages–30,000 words– and is intended for mothers who’ve lost children to suicide. This book is a friendly, approachable, inviting book that helps mothers feel welcome and at ease to allow them a peaceful time to reflect on their loss and the child they miss. Each chapter has three sections. The devotional begins with Scripture and where the author tells the story of her loss and then ends in a prayer. The second part is of the author’s anecdotes and memories of her son. They are short and sweet, with a dramatic style rather than a how-to. The author reenacts moments in her child’s life and recalls how she felt to see the different stages of growth and challenges he faced in life. The concluding part to each chapter is a journal page for the readers to write their memories of their child. It allows them space for both memories and grieving, a prayer of praise, and a Scripture of encouragement.

When a mother has lost a child, there are times when it’s hard to mingle with other people. Each God’s Mercies after Suicide chapter can be read and journaled in the privacy of a mother’s home, giving her a bit of hope and rest for another day. The book is distinctive in that it combines coping with the pain of loss while encouraging mothers to search for their own blessings. The book reaches out from its pages and wraps mothers in the warmth and love of their heavenly Father.

It has been stated by sufferers of loss to suicide that the topic of suicide is taboo, and that the survivors feel they’ve been isolated from the normal hum of life. In truth, the ones left behind after the suicide do have a valid point. Included in the preface of the book is this paragraph: “I’ve written these devotions for those mothers who have shared the deep heartache of a child’s suicide. Through my writing, I believe God wants me to share from my heart to theirs, by encouraging them and giving them ways to cope. Mothers can have hope and a due measure of peace after a suicide. God has helped me, and He wants to help other mothers. The loss is horrific, but God is faithful. He brought me through this dark time, and He wants to do the same for all mothers.”

Mothers of loss from suicide face separate concerns—concerns that are not taught nor thought about when they become parents. No one wants to consider that they’ll give birth to a child who could die by suicide. The mothers who endure this type of pain need a resource that considers their exclusive struggles and offers honest help from one mother to another—not in a step-by-step format but in story form, which draws the reader into a world they may know all too well.


Jean, thank you for sharing from your heart. I know your journey will minister to others who are traveling this painful road. 

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Guest Blogger - Preslaysa Williams

Ever wonder how to balance work and parenting? My guest this week has some helpful hints when it comes to the balancing act. Welcome Preslaysa Williams. 

Preslaysa Williams (pronounced press-lay-suh) is a novelist and expert multi-tasker. She writes and edits fiction while her children nap and reads novels during her (almost) daily walks.

A 2013 ACFW Genesis finalist and a 2014 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist, she writes inspirational romance and middle grade fiction of the happily ever after sort.

Visit her online at
www.preslaysa.com

10 Ways to Nurture a Mama-Writing Life

Life with small children comes with a multitude of challenges. There have been many times I've walked the grocery store aisle with my two energetic children wearing a dazed, deer-in-headlights mama look on my face. Well-meaning people have come up to me and said, “Oh these are the
best years of your life. Enjoy those little ones.” I’d think to myself: Umm, it’s kind of tough to enjoy anything right now when my son is wielding a breakable bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce and my daughter has maneuvered her way out of the child straps in the shopping cart.

But who am I to complain?

Aside from these (very frequent) moments, I enjoy being with my children. They are cute and funny and shockingly wise at times. I also enjoy writing. For me, these two activities have shaped the grown up version of me (Preslaysa: version 2.0). However, it’s a daily challenge to squeeze in mothering and writing in one day. When I awaken each morning an internal clock starts its countdown. This internal clock reminds me I have only so many hours to do the following:

• Fill my daily writing quota

• Fill my daily editing quota

• Do any social media/blog promotion tasks

• Do homeschool lessons with the children

• Read good storybooks to the children

• Oversee and assist my son’s violin practice

• Oversee and train my children to do a simple chore or two

• Manage the inevitable child tantrum(s) or sibling squabble(s).

• Do my daily chores

• Do my weekly chores

• Update the budget, pay bills, etc.

• Read a novel

• And oh yeah, take a shower, brush my teeth and get dressed or something...

I’m pretty sure you, Mama Writer, have a pretty full plate too. Here are 5 ways to ensure you thrive both as a mom and as a writer.

1) Have a dedicated writing space. As moms, we spend a lot of time in giving mode and very little time nurturing our creative spirit. Set aside a space in your home that is off limits to children. A “room of your own” to quote Virginia Woolf. It doesn’t have to be a full room. A small desk or table away from the main activity of the family will do. You don’t always have to write in that space, of course, but knowing it’s waiting for you provides a psychological boost. You are telling yourself that the work you do as a writer matters, regardless of whether you are published or pre-published.

2) Steal time. This is one of my favorite techniques for writing. When my children are playing or eating or napping, I take out my handy dandy notebook and start writing, or I’ll pull out a page from a rough draft and start editing. These little moments add up quickly.

3) Carry a notebook or index cards with you. Collect ideas for stories or blog posts, lines of dialogue, character snippets, and rough scene outlines for later use. This will help guard against that mythical idea called “writer’s block.” When you sit down to write, you’ll have a bunch of ideas ready to flesh out. If you use index cards, make sure they are attached to a ring binder for ease of use.

4) Use a Timer. I love timers. A timer keeps me on track during the day. I have two - one for upstairs and one for downstairs. I also have a timer on my wristwatch. (I’m a little obsessive about timers!) For 2015, I recently found a great Google Extension called Stay Focused which will block me out of social media sites after I fill my daily time limit quota on sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. I tell you, Stay Focused made me quickly prioritize
how I spend my time on social media! These tools alone have kept me more focused and less idle. They’ve empowered me to actually do the work that shapes my greater calling as a wife,

5) Use checklists. I am also a checklist person. It’s not because I am particularly organized; I am quite the opposite. Checklists are my taskmaster. I’ve created a checklist that maps out my normal morning, afternoon and evening routines. I don’t follow my checklists to a T, and that’s okay. I can go to bed with an unfinished checklist guilt free. I have another day to accomplish those tasks. However, if I didn’t have the checklist to remind me, I’d be all scrambled up! Checklists simply tell me to do what matters whenever I am prone to get lost in the World Wide Web. Checklists are a girl’s best friend.

There you have it: five easy ways to manage a writing life and motherhood. What have you done to manage this Great Balancing Act?


Preslaysa, when I first entered the world of writing I had young children. I well remember how difficult it was to balance my writing career and mothering. Thank you for these helpful guidelines.

Although Preslaysa doesn't yet have a book ready to purchase, she is hard at work. She's creating an inspirational romance set in Charleston, South Carolina while also writing a middle grade novel placed in New York, NY.

Cheering for you, Preslaysa!

It's Wednesday 

which means FREE books!

This week I'm giving away a complete series.

To qualify for the drawing, all you need to do is leave a comment. Make sure to include your email address so I can contact you.

Our winner from last week is Deanna Stevens!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Who Am I?

How do we define ourselves? Am I a wife - a mother - a writer - a daughter - sister - sinner - disabled - loser? 

Loser!? I just threw that in to see if you're paying attention. I can't belong to the King of Kings and be a loser.

Let's forget loser, but can we define ourselves by just one title? It would seem silly to do such a thing, but sometimes that's just exactly what we do. I love being a wife, mother, and a writer but I don't much like being a sinner or disabled. And though I can't ignore those descriptions I shouldn't place them at the top of my list, though sometimes I do. 

Above all things, I am a child of God, the Great I Am, the King of King and Lord of Lords. He defines me. 

Just the idea of being the child of The King opens up a realm of possibilities that are incomprehensible. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the daughter of the president or the wealthiest or most powerful man in the country? How would that shape your life or change it? 

How much more amazing, then, is it to be a child of God? I am cared for, sheltered, and loved by The Great I Am. There is no one above Him - no one who is wiser or more powerful or more loving. He's it. And He calls Himself Father. My Dad. 

Nothing is impossible with God.

Just think on that for a while. I am.

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

  

How Do Losers Win?

How can we win when we're "losing"?

My ten-year-old granddaughter plays on a local basketball team. I love to watch her play and go to watch as often as possible. It's been a rough season. Her team hasn't won a single game. In fact, I don't think they've played a game that wasn't a blow-out. The last game I watched, they actually quit keeping score. But that doesn't keep me from cheering as they make their way down the court.

So, why do these girls keep coming back ... to practice every week and to the games? Why do they battle on?

I suppose it could be parents who won't let them quit. Or they'd rather get beat than sit home and watch television. But I'll bet most of them show up because they love to play.

Can you relate? There are so many situations in life where we love what we're doing, but we're still losing the game. It could be a promotion at work we didn't get, a C- in our Shakespeare class, or rabble-rousing kids that make a parent feel like a failure.

A writer's life is full of pitfalls that feel like we're losing. We can't get an agent to sign us. Or find a publishing house who will publish our latest book. In the contest we entered we didn't even final. And of course there is always the poor sales that threaten to sink our careers.

So, why do we keep writing? Why do you keep parenting or continue to work your hardest at that job without a future promotion? 

I don't know. There is no one answer. What I do know is it's a lot harder to stay in the game when we feel like we're losing.  I am so proud of those girls on the basketball team who keep showing up every week.

For me it comes down to one thing - what did God ask me to do? Did He ask me to win? Or did He just ask me to play the game, to show up and do my best. He promises that He'll show up with  me. 

I don't want to let my Lord down. I said, "Yes" to him and I promised not to waver. 

And besides, who decides whether we're winning or losing? There are all kinds of great shots in a game, sometimes they even change lives. And as long as we keep showing up and doing our best, we're winning.

So, keep on getting "out there" and keep playing.

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

A Starry Host

Do you like trials and tribulations? The darkness? 

Not me. If I could have my wishes fulfilled there would be no valleys or dark places. But God loves me and when my mind carries me into wishful thinking He reminds me that He is the One who holds my life in His hands. The One who formed me in the darkness of my mother's womb. The One who created all the universe. The One who numbered my days.

When I step out on my deck on a winter's night, the display in the sky reveals the Creator. And I can see that it is on the darkest night that the stars shine brightest. And that each and every star was set in place by the same One who holds me in His hands. 

Isaiah 40: 25- 26 To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Father God is the One I trust. 

Each valley, every dark night, the excruciating climbs, draw me into relationship with Him, a place where I know His love and faithfulness. I am made stronger. Without His strength in me I would be like a blade of grass that has no spine and cannot stand.

It is you, O' God, who gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Praising Him today in my weakness.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Steadfast - Guest Blogger Paula Mowery

I'm always excited for Wednesdays because it means I get to have a guest blogger. This week it's Paula Mowery and she has an insightful perspective on the valley of the shadow of death. 

Welcome, Paula.

Paula Mowery is an award-winning author, acquisitions editor, speaker, and pastor’s wife. Her published books include two women’s fiction titles and two Christian romances with two other contracted titles due out in 2015. She is a member of ACFW and is on their Featured Author interview team. Her devotions have been included in the published collections, Sweet Freedom A La Mode, Fear Not, and A Walk Through The Valley as well as various blogs. She writes for The Christian Online Magazine where she shares book reviews of her latest favorites in Christian fiction.
 You can connect with Paula through her blog, www.paulamowery.blogspot.com, where other social media links are provided.

Holding Steadfast With A Prayer

My husband is a pastor, so I am used to phone calls at all hours of the day and night. However, I wasn’t prepared for the call he received one Sunday afternoon as we were eating lunch. 

I thought the voice I could barely hear on the other end was my brother which was confirmed when my husband ended the cell phone call. He informed me that my father had suddenly been unable to speak right after their church’s worship service. He actually drove he and my mother home, not stopping for their normal restaurant lunch. 

When my mother questioned my father and found him unresponsive, she called my brother who advised her to rush him to the nearest ER and he would meet them there. 

I stayed home from church that evening awaiting word. I live an hour away from my parents but prepared to rush down if I was needed, but I held off. After praying for God to take care of my dad, I had a peace about waiting. 

Within two hours, my dad’s speech began to return. He was kept overnight and tests were run. The verdict was a bloodclot went directly to that speech center in the back of the brain. He had no lasting effects. 

Later that evening my dad talked with me on the phone. He described how strange it was to not be able to speak but be fully cognizant of what others were saying. He knew how he wanted to respond but just couldn’t vocalize it. 

I have often told others that I don’t know how unbelievers get through difficult or scary situations like this. I truly don’t. But, I knew that my prayers for my father were heard and just as effective whether an hour away or in the same room. Prayer allowed me to have a peace in Who was in control no matter the outcome. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I've had to build on my trust in God. But, He has always proved faithful. That is not to say that in every bad situation everything has turned out fine. Sometimes I’ve had to trust Him to bring a person through surgery, recovery, or even chemotherapy. Yet, He has never left me. I've always felt Him near, comforting and encouraging. 

The Psalmist tells us in the 23rd Psalm that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us. What does this show me? There’s going to be dark times we must endure. But, did you notice it is a shadow? I love this imagery. When was the last time a shadow did you any harm? We can get through because God has promised His presence and the Psalmist plainly states that we walk through. There’s no camping out in that dark valley. God sees us through to the other side. 

My dad is just fine and back to all of his normal activities which means I have another responsibility. Time to praise and thank God for bringing us through that short valley and for teaching me more about trusting Him.  


What a beautiful perspective. We really don't have to fear the shadows. Thank you, Paula.

Legacy and Love

Free to one of you!

The Prayer Shawl

Sean Holland is a magazine reporter always looking for the next story. Hope Weaver is a pediatric nurse who shares Christ through making prayer shawls. The shawls are just the touchy-feely story Sean needs, even though he’ll have to endure Hope’s strong Christian beliefs to get it. An unexpected connection brings them together as a couple. But, can they find love if they don’t share their faith?


Inheritance

Alex Lyndon’s life has been a series of fits and starts with no finishes. She finds herself jobless and divorced. Now her only family, Granny Olivia, is critically ill.

Chase Carson had to step into running the family business when his father died. The time is past due to visit Miss Olivia.

Alex and Chase must go on a treasure hunt. Will each find purpose and love for their lives in the process?

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of Legacy and Love just leave a comment and your email address so we can contact you. I'll draw the winner's name next Wednesday.

Last week's winner of On the Threshold is ... Shannon. Congratulations!

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Happily Ever After?

My husband and I recently took part in a marriage seminar and since then I've been thinking about us. 

We were just kids the day we made forever vows. I was nineteen and Greg was twenty-one. Saying forever at such a young age seems ridiculous now that I look back. What did we know about marriage? We didn't have a clue, but couldn't wait to begin our lives together. 

Even with all the heat and love we shared, when I walked down the aisle I wasn't certain I really wanted to get married. I made that long walk thinking, Well, if it doesn't work out I can always get a divorce. 

We were definitely in for a rough ride.

Our early years together were a mess - we were a mess. After four years together we separated. I was devastated and cried most every day. During those dark days I had other devastating losses, which included a miscarriage and the death of my father. Heartbroken, I handed my life over to the the Lord. That's when I started to pray for us.

Greg and I were separated seven months, but God worked in our hearts and we reconciled and started again, only this time as new believers in Christ. 

Children became part of us. We were a family. 

Life hasn't been easy. We've had the common issues that most couples face - financial difficulties, health issues, differences about how to raise the kids ... and a long list of other things.

Our biggest challenge came when I was only thirty-nine and had a way too close encounter with a log truck. My injuries were life-changing. And those changes affected my family, especially my husband. 

I'd been an active wife and mother. I loved to work alongside Greg, and could use a chain saw with the best of the guys. And I wasn't bad at nailing sub-floor, splitting fire wood, and gardening. 

I loved that life. But in a moment everything changed. 

It wasn't easy adjusting to our new life. With much grinding of teeth and shedding of tears we found a way and discovered our new roles. These days, I do what I can - cook meals, buy groceries, keep the house picked up, and I write. My husband works at his job, then he helps me by sweeping and mopping, doing the dishes when I can't and even taking care of the shopping when I'm unable, all with no complaints.

I've been blessed with a good man, but we wouldn't have made it through this journey called marriage without Christ. He is at the core of our success. He is the reason we can still say, "I love you," after forty-three years ... and counting.

Do you have a happily ever after story to tell or a God's grace story to share? 

God is always good.

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