Take a Breath and Pray

Posted on June 14, 2022 by Author Mary Alford

While I love the writing life, sometimes I have the tendency to overbook myself and before you know it, I’m extremely busy.

Last month was a prime example of this. I had to finish a full manuscript to turn in while working on three partials and preparing for a book release. Yeah, I know. But I’m slowly working my way through these tasks and hopefully I will learn my lesson and not overbook myself in the future.

We’re all busy. Whether you’re a writer with too many deadlines, or a mom trying to juggle work and family, it’s easy to find yourself with more things to do than you have hours in a day. Soon you feel frustrated and stressed out. When that happens, take a moment to step away from your busy schedule to take a breath. . .and then pray. Ask God to calm the storm inside you and give you a clear head to focus on what needs to be done in this moment. Then you can move on to the next one, and then so on.

Philippians 4:6-7 says, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

If you ask Him to, God will provide peace of mind.

God does not want his children to live in fear or stress. Ask Him to show you ways that you can eliminate your to-do load so that you can spend more time with Him and less time feeling stressed. I did and He was faithful to answer me while lifting the burden from my shoulders.

Psalms 94:19 says, In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

No matter what you’re facing, don’t let the frustration and stress of what must be done overwhelm you. Take a moment. Step away from the problem and take a breath. And then pray to our Father. He will give you the answers you need to keep going.

All the best. . .

Mary Alford

http://www.MaryAlford.net

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Unanswered Prayers by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Bridget

Many years ago, my husband and I attended a high school baseball game, in which our friend’s son was one of the athletes. I don’t remember a whole lot about this particular game and I can’t tell you who won. But I do remember one incident that dealt with one of the parents. There was a mom who wanted her son to do well. When he came up to bat, she got up from her seat, stood behind the bleachers, and appeared to be praying. When her boy struck out, she let out a frustrated cry and stomped her foot. To this day, I cringe over the lady’s actions. Mainly because of the way she acted when she didn’t get what she wanted. Especially in public and over something that perhaps wasn’t a big deal, in the grand scheme of things.

I am not claiming to be a saint in this area. I am sure I also had times when I was frustrated or sad or disappointed because my prayers weren’t answered.

And the truth is that not all of our prayers will be answered the way that we want. This can be difficult to deal with. Especially when it is something big or meaningful that we would like to see happen in our lives.

But one thing I am learning is that God is a trustworthy God. If He doesn’t answer prayers or if He answers them differently than we wanted – He has a good reason.

Below are just a few reasons why our prayers might not be answered in the way that we had hoped:

  • Sometimes what we we want is not what we need.
  • Sometimes we might ask for something with the wrong motives.
  • Sometimes what we think is right, God can see is wrong. He sees the big picture. The beginning and the end.
  • Sometimes we have to walk through a difficulty in order to grow. Therefore, God might not answer our prayers to remove a particular difficulty right away.
  • Sometimes if we have sin in our hearts, God will not hear us.
  • Sometimes what we want is not God’s will.

Here are some Bible verses to ponder:

  • “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” – 1 John 5:14
  • “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” – James 4:3
  • “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” – Psalm 66:18
  • “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
  • “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28
  • “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:2-4

Of course there are countless times when God does answer our prayers. So please don’t let this post discourage you from praying. We have a priceless gift in prayer. We are able to speak to the Most High God, anytime and anywhere. And He loves to hear from us. That thought alone brings me joy. And it hope it brings you joy too – to know that the Lord of the universe wants to talk with you.

When we have a solid relationship with God, one in which we spend time with daily, getting to know Him and His love – this helps us to rest in the comfort of knowing that He always has our best interest in mind. Then when our prayers aren’t answered the way we want, we still have peace and contentment knowing that the King of kings is on our side.

Image by Aaron Burden on unsplash.com

© 2022 Bridget A. Thomas

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Miracle at the Wedding by Julie Arduini

Posted on June 8, 2022 by juliearduini
The Chosen/YouTube

Earlier this week Nancy Farrier shared wedding thoughts, and it got me thinking about weddings. Our son marries next month and now that our daughter graduated from high school, it’s wedding mode.

There’s a wedding I’ve had on my mind since I saw it.

The Chosen, the crowd-funded project where the Gospels are presented in a “binge-able” fashion, showed Jesus and His first public miracle in Cana. It’s been a while since I’ve watched that episode, but so much stuck with me.

Thomas is the caterer and Ramah is the daughter of the vinter. She presents Thomas with three jars of wine for the wedding. Forty guests are expected, and she feels this is enough.

Tension builds as they watch the guests dance and drink. Jesus and some of His disciples have arrived, and the guest list increases to eighty. Thomas frets as the wine supply dwindles. Remember, Jewish custom was for weddings to last days. This is only the first day, and the wine is nearly gone.

Also at this wedding is Mary, mother of Jesus. She is aware of the pressure the groom and his family faces if anything goes wrong. Back then, the groom was expected to pay for the wedding, and Mary learns that the bride’s family is less than impressed with the in-laws. They are not a wealthy family, and reputation is everything.

In fact, one thing I read said the wedding in Cana came during an “honor and shame culture.” That sounds familiar, right? I feel like nearly everything I read in current events is about the cancel culture. Well, the groom’s family is scared of being canceled.

And so is Thomas. If word gets out that he didn’t bring enough wine, he’s finished.

Mary approaches Jesus. She asks for His help, and He announces it’s not time. Her response mirrors the response 12 year old Jesus gave when Mary and Joseph could not find him for three days. When they did, he was teaching the elders. Mary tried to scold Him and he said, “If not now, when?”

How can Jesus say no to helping out this family when His mother responds, “If not now, when?”

Jesus gives her a look that Mary knows means He’s going to help. Mary instructs the disciples to do whatever Jesus asks.

The wedding guests are looking for more wine. The groom’s family is looking to the caterer. Thomas is as they say, “sweating bullets.” The bride’s family has spent most of the first day insulting the groom’s family. Mary knows it is going to work out. Jesus asks for the stone jars to be filled with water.

Jesus then asks for privacy. He tells His Heavenly Father He’s ready. Jesus dips His hand in the water, and wine drips as He lifts His hand.

It’s a breathtaking scene, even if it is something I’ve read in the Bible. The pressure Thomas and the groom’s family was under. The numbers game. Three jars and eighty people and the first day of the wedding equals a big problem. Jesus and His love for His mother.

And as we all know, the wine tastes better than what the caterer has already served. The master of the banquet announces,

“Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
— John 2:10

The bride’s father has to find out for himself. He partakes. When his wife asks what’s wrong, he’s contrite. “I was.” He was certain the groom’s family would fail.

But, Jesus.

I’m a visual person so The Chosen has been such a gift to watch, and “The Wedding” really moved me. Those issues the groom’s family and Thomas faced might not feel like a big deal to you, but how about the price of gas and how to pay for it? A medical diagnosis? A marriage conflict? Whatever you’re facing, Jesus is ready. He can meet your needs faster than He dipped His hand in the water that transformed to wine.

—-Julie Arduini

Will you ask for Him today?

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Jesus’ Mother and Brothers by James R. Coggins

Posted on June 7, 2022 by jrcoggins

Mark 3:21 reports a strange thing in the life of Jesus: “When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’”

When they heard about what?

There are two triggers for the actions of Jesus’ family. (We learn from Mark 3:31 that the family probably consisted of “Jesus’ mother and brothers.”) The immediate trigger is that Jesus “entered a house” (Mark 3:20). What was so remarkable about this? The Greek could contain implications of “came home.” Because of the press of the crowds that were following Him, Jesus had been out in the mountains and the wilderness. His family would not have known where to find Him. However, now that He had come back — if not to His home, at least to a house nearby — His family finally saw an opportunity to take control of Him.

Beyond the immediate trigger stood the real reason for the family’s actions. This reason was Jesus’ remarkable claim to be the Messiah, to be able to heal people and to cast out demons. This claim had become concrete when He had appointed His apostles as the first step in setting up the new Kingdom of Israel.

Jesus’ family wanted to take control of Him because they didn’t believe His claims and thus thought Him to be insane.

Mary had been a witness to the virgin birth and all of the remarkable events around that but didn’t seem to understand that Jesus was divine. Perhaps she thought that He would be a prophet like Samuel or Samson. But when, at age twelve, He had stayed behind in the temple to get involved in His Father’s business (Luke 2:49), she didn’t understand. She might not have understood who He was saying His Father was.

Mary had expected Jesus to do something at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11), but again perhaps she was still only thinking of Him as a prophet.

What is also remarkable about this passage in Mark (and the parallel passages in Matthew 12:46-50 and Luke 8:19-21) is that Jesus apparently refused to see His family. They asked Him to come out of the house, but there is no record of Him coming out and talking to them, or of Him inviting them in. Perhaps they were too intimidated to try to seize Jesus in the middle of the crowd of followers and went away. Indeed, there is no record of Jesus’ family ever being near Him again throughout His entire earthly ministry. When Jesus preached in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30, Mark 6:1-6), there is no record of His family being present.

Instead of welcoming His family, Jesus used the occasion to make a point. He said that the real members of His family were the people who did God’s will (just as the true Israel are the people who love God, not the literal descendants of Israel: Romans 9:6-8, Luke 3:8). What Jesus was saying is that love of God has priority over love of family and all other relationships (Matthew 10:37, 19:29, Luke 14:26). Jesus commands us and enables us to love our families, but without Jesus we can’t love our families. Jesus must come first. Jesus said the greatest command was to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second was to love others as ourselves (Mark 12:28-31). When we try to reverse that, we often end up loving no one.

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Wedding Thoughts by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Nancy J. Farrier
Photo by Tom The Photographer on Unsplash

June is traditionally one of the most popular months for weddings. Summer is here. Kids are out of school. And people want to celebrate something after a long winter and the storms of spring.

Weddings can be elaborate or simple. Either way, the bride takes care with her dress on her special day and the groom also takes care with his appearance as he prepares to meet his bride. Their dress shows off their particular style or personality. Whether the bride walks the aisle in a simple sheath dress or a gown of lace and pearls, there is meaning in what they wear. 

There is hushed expectancy as the bride prepares to walk down the aisle. Friends and family members strain to see, some standing on tiptoe to catch a glimpse or her. They watch the groom as he stands at the front waiting for his bride to join him, wearing his wedding finery. 

My favorite part of the wedding is watching the groom and the utter joy or expectancy on his face. Several years ago I attended a wedding where the tough motorcycle riding groom had tears of joy streaming down his face as he watched his bride walk down the aisle toward him. The picture of his love was so amazing I’ve never forgotten.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10 (NKJV)

What a beautiful verse this is, comparing God clothing us in salvation to the bridal couple in their finery. God’s gift to us surrounds us with beauty for all eternity. He doesn’t see us with all the dirt of our human nature, but clothed in His nature and cleansed from all wrongdoing. 

He covers us in garments much finer than those of a bridal couple. We are covered in His righteousness, adorned in the jewels of His choosing. We have reason to greatly rejoice—to be joyful in our God.

Our salvation is much more meaningful than a wedding and carries greater significance, but the wedding is a picture of our relationship with Christ. I wonder what expression will be on His face as we walk toward Him. Expectancy? Tears of joy? The light of His love? 

I can’t wait to see.

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The Importance of White Space by James R. Coggins

Posted on June 1, 2022 by jrcoggins

In my many years in publishing (books and magazines), one of the first lessons I learned was the importance of white space.

White space is the space on a page where there is no print (and no illustrations). An environmentalist or an overzealous accountant might say that white space is a waste. Why not fill up the space with print? Wouldn’t that be a more efficient use of paper?

The answer is that white space is vital because it makes the book or magazine more readable. That is why a considerable space (an inch or so) is left around the edge of the page. And that is why a new chapter in a book starts on a new page, often a righthand page, which sometimes leaves the lefthand page completely blank. And why the new chapter starts partway down the page with a space left at the top. And why a large enough font (type size, maybe 12-point) is chosen, with reasonable “leading” (space) between words and lines.

White space is vital because without it, the reader feels squeezed and pressured. Reading becomes hard, unrelenting work, with no chance to breathe. White space is as vital in reading as rests are in music. They create separations and maintain rhythm. It is necessary to breathe out as well as in.

White space is as vital as rests in music—and rests in life. That is why God set aside the night for sleeping. And the seventh day as a Sabbath, a day of rest. And the seventh year as a time to let the fields in the Promised Land lie fallow.

Work is important (there are six days for that), but so are times to rest. An efficiency expert or a workaholic might think rests are unproductive, but they are what allow other times to be productive. Rests allow us to stand back and gain perspective. I have an acquaintance who beats herself up whenever she has a day when she doesn’t get much work done. She is still learning that sometimes we just have a letdown and need to lie fallow, unable to work.

I have another friend who was highly productive. Besides a full-time job, he was on many committees, chairing most of them. If something needed doing, he volunteered to do it. If he was asked if he had time to take on one more task, he would say yes. He had the time. But he didn’t have the energy. One day, he could not take any more and collapsed with a nervous breakdown. He was never again able to carry a full workload.

Psalm 127:2 (NIV) says, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he [God] grants sleep to those he loves.” An alternative reading is: “He provides for those he loves while they sleep.”

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When God Calls You Back

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Author Mary Alford

Growing up, I was the youngest of four kids and there was quite a bit of an age gap between my two brothers and myself. Though my sister was only a few years older, when she started school, I was left to my own devices until I was old enough to start school.

I remember many times I would be so engrossed in playing that I’d lose track of the time. Sometimes I would end up in one of my favorite spots to play and my mother would have to call me back because she’d be worried.  

We lived in a very small town, and I was surrounded by family all around, so I never worried about getting into trouble, but she didn’t like for me to wander too far from her watchful eyes.

As a grownup, I understand her concern completely. I’ve been there.

Her parental concern reminds me of how God loves us and cares for us. When we get off track, He calls us back to Him. He always watches out for us like the loving Father that He is.

Psalm 103:13 says, As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

What an amazing Father we have.

All the best…

Mary Alford

www.maryalford.net

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Running Ahead of God by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on May 26, 2022 by Bridget

My husband and I enjoy watching college baseball and softball games around this time of year. A few years ago there was a girls softball game between Alabama and Ole Miss that left an impression on me. These aren’t teams that we normally follow. But we like the sport so much, that we will often watch any game we can find on TV. In this particular game, Alabama was losing until they got a home run and tied the game. The player ran around the bases, as her team cheered. The girls all came out of the dugout to congratulate their teammate. It was an exciting moment for them. Until things took a turn. The girl’s teammates were surrounding home plate and as she came around to home, she jumped into the crowd of friends to enjoy the celebration. Sadly, she actually jumped over home plate. And since she didn’t touch home plate, she was out. The home run didn’t count. Alabama wound up losing that game. What a difficult lesson to learn.

This story makes me think about the times when I have run ahead of God. Perhaps I saw something “shiny” and thought I had to run and grab it before the opportunity got away from me. There is a saying called FOMO and it means Fear Of Missing Out. Do we think we are going to miss out on something if we don’t hurry up and capture it?

But here is the problem – not all good things are meant for us. And some things that appear “pretty” on the outside are actually bait to pull us in the wrong direction. When Eve took a bite from the fruit in the Garden of Eden, I am sure it was pretty and shiny and appeared to be just what she needed to satisfy her. But it led straight to destruction. And not just for herself, but for every single human being who walked the face of the earth.

Before we run ahead to grab that thing that is mesmerizing us, we should slow down and seek God’s guidance. If the girl running the bases had slowed down for one moment, would she have remembered to step on home plate? And if Eve had sought God’s words first instead of grabbing what the serpent waved in front of her face, would she have made a better choice?

As Christians we have a special helper living inside of us – The Holy Spirit. He can help guide us with decisions and steer us clear of danger. I can think of a few instances in my own life where I felt the Lord nudging me in a certain direction or pulling me back when I was tempted to run ahead. And I see how His guidance kept me from making mistakes, and led me to the best option. Perhaps you have had some of those situations in your life too. Take a few minutes today to think about times when the Lord’s quiet whisper guided you in the right direction. And offer Him a prayer of thanks. In some cases, we might not even realize it is God’s hand at work, until we look back.

I pray we all can learn to lean into Him and seek His guidance. May we slow down to match God’s pace, so that we will see the best path ahead. How comforting it is to know that God is there, waiting to guide us in the right direction.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” – Isaiah 30:21

Photo by Samuel Theo Manat Silitonga on Pexels.com

© 2022 Bridget A. Thomas

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A Hodge-Podge of His Goodness by Julie Arduini

Posted on May 25, 2022 by juliearduini

We’re entering our super busy season with a graduation and wedding in the works, so I thought I’d share a snippet of what’s going on with our family. My hope is that as you read this update, you see God’s goodness and that He is just as present for you!

Our Daughter: She graduates in June and is enjoying those senior “lasts.” One that really blessed us was she was chosen as one of twenty some students across our county for a scholarship based on academics and character. As I watched her name called and she was asked to accept her award and announce her plans, I thought about the team of professionals who sat me down when she was six months old. Because she had congenital hypothyroidism, she was behind in speech, and that triggered Early Intervention.

She also had several illnesses that set her back, including near death from doctor error. After that, that team prepared us that our daughter would be mentally retarded and never see a regular classroom. She graduates as a member of the National Honor Society and her peers chose her as “Most Christlike.”

Our Son; He completes his first school year as a teacher in the very school he was a student. He’s passionate about seeing the students soar past their potential because quite often he’s a rare voice in their lives rooting for them. He’s also getting married in July, and every plan for housing they have had so far has fallen through. It’s stressful.

Yet, as we talked about all that hasn’t happened, we’ve noted how God has spared them from disaster in the ones that didn’t pan out. I also mentioned that wherever their address is, Jesus is already there. He goes before us. As I pray, I can picture Him on a couch, stretched out, in complete peace. I love it. He’s already there. We just have to wait on His timing to reveal that address. Would you join us in prayer?

My Husband: He’s in a relatively new position that has him much busier than previous positions, but he shared it is way less stressful and he loves every aspect of it. He has support and encouragement. There will be changes in the next year, and already the powers that be have made it very clear they consider him an essential part of the changes and future. We both know there aren’t a lot of people who are paid to do what they love, and he does. God is good. So good.

Me: I’m starting to hear from readers about Anchored Hearts, and it touched them exactly as I prayed it would. I’m not about bestseller lists, I’m passionate about readers finding freedom in Christ through surrender. Yes, I write romance, and I love that God uses that to change lives. He’s the ultimate Author, and yes, He loves romance! Isn’t His Son the greatest love story?

It is busy and I know there are going to be moments I feel overwhelmed. I pray they are just moments and that my focus is on the praises. Because there are many. How about you? Do you see God’s hand at work?

***

Anchored Hearts will be FREE for Kindle Friday, May 27-Sunday, May 29. (Check price before purchase. Sale starts Friday at 3am Eastern.)

Can two go-getters surrender their need to control and find a happily-ever-after?

Jordyn Bell Hart succeeds in everything she does. Her promotion to morning show co-anchor blossoms her career in the same way her mother’s work had. Jordyn keeps tabs on her family and enjoys helping them grow. When life around her starts to change, can she surrender her desire to control?

Spencer Collins knows how to balance a busy life. He has his work as a reporter, his time caregiving for his grieving father, and looking out for his little brother. When he learns he’s the new co-anchor of a morning show with Jordyn Hart, can he handle working with a celebrity who brings a lot of challenges to life on and off the set?

What Others are Saying:

“Anchored Hearts (Surrendering Hearts Book 1) is wonderful, it catches you from page one. This author’s writing is amazing. I’m a huge fan of Julie Arduini, and Anchored Hearts tops my favorite book list for 2022! Do yourself a favor and read this one. It is definitely Julie at her very best! I’m looking forward to reading the other stories in the Surrendering Hearts series.” Dr. Rita Garcia, author, The Serenity Cove series

“Julie Arduini fans will be delighted to read her newly released Anchored Hearts, book 1 in her series, Surrendering Hearts. With well-developed characters and action-packed scenes, readers won’t want to put the book down.” BJ Bassett, author, Sweet Charity

“The Anchored Hearts plot is full of twists and turns that makes for a wonderful read as you follow Jordyn, and her siblings, through difficult and happy times. Arduini has a wonderful writing style and a knack for storytelling that promises a great word.”  Marie Bast,  Publishers Weekly bestselling author of The Amish Baker’s Rival

“Anchored Hearts is a wonderful story of surrendering control, something I have a hard time with. The struggle is real with the main characters, but Julie skillfully takes the reader on their journey. When the control issues are dealt with, they’re free to live and love. I highly recommend this book.” Linda Hoover, author, Heart’s Desire.

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The Place of Apostles by James R. Coggins

Posted on May 24, 2022 by jrcoggins

The Gospel of Mark reports that “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted…He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:13-15). Why did Jesus do this? What were the implications?

In a practical sense, the appointing of the apostles must be looked at in the context of the massive crowds that were following Jesus, seeking healing and deliverance (Mark 1:45, 3:7-12). By giving the apostles authority to cast out demons and to preach, Jesus dispersed the crowds and increased the number of people who could be reached.

In a larger sense, Jesus teaching the twelve apostles from the mountain is reminiscent of Moses on Mount Sinai giving the Word of God to the twelve tribes of Israel. It signaled that the followers of Jesus would be the new chosen people of God. The appointing of the twelve apostles is also reminiscent of Moses appointing assistants to help him guide the Israelites (Exodus 18:13-26). This looked like the first step in Jesus establishing the new Kingdom of God. Perhaps the apostles expected to see the Romans expelled from the Holy Land and a new political Kingdom of Israel established. Perhaps they were looking forward to having positions of power and prestige in that new Kingdom.

We might envy what Jesus gave the apostles and even want the same things for ourselves. At the very least, Jesus giving the apostles authority and miraculous powers might shield them from some of the earlier criticism they had received (in Mark 2:23-24, for instance, when they had been accused of unlawfully harvesting grain on the Sabbath). How could people now criticize those who obviously had divine power? But this was not the case, for Jesus or the twelve. When the opponents of Jesus saw Jesus’ miracles and heard His teaching, it did not mute their criticism of Him but intensified it¾it made them want to kill Him (Mark 3:1-6). The same thing happened with the twelve. Appointing the apostles and giving them power did not provide the apostles with divine protection. It put them on the firing line. We must remember that, in the end, many of the apostles were martyred.

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Day Trip by Tara Randel

Posted on May 23, 2022 by tararandel

As we do every year, my daughter and I went to EPCOT for the Flower and Garden Festival. We always have a lovely day at the park, strolling around the countries to look at the gardens and the amazing topiary. Since pictures can tell a story, I’ll share with you my favorite sights of the day.

I’m always so amazed at how creative these topiary are.

If only the hedges were taller and they let us in!

There are always unexpected visitors.

This is just a snapshot of the day. We were able to get in a concert featuring Mercy Me, a nice surprise. And the best laugh of the day? A T-shirt that read; Let’s wear matching shirts- Said No Man Ever. My hubby would be on board with that.

Hope you are having a lovely spring no matter where you live!

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her next Harlequin Heartwarming romance, HIS SMALL TOWN DREAM, available August 2022. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter

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An Honest Look at Life in the Church by James R. Coggins

Posted on May 18, 2022 by jrcoggins

I will start at the rather ordinary beginning and assure you that the more extraordinary matter later on is worth waiting for.

I first met Dawn Miller by mail many years ago. I was an editor with a church denominational magazine called the Mennonite Brethren Herald. Dawn was a volunteer “church reporter” for her local church. Her role was to submit news from her local church to the magazine—birth and wedding announcements, obituaries, pictures of baptisms, etc. Never one to “color within the lines” or limit herself to her prescribed role, from time to time Dawn would also send in thoughtful reflections on church life and the Christian life. We received dozens of such submissions every week—from professional writers, theologians, seminary professors, and pastors—and also amateurs such as Dawn. We rejected about 99 percent of these submissions. There just wasn’t room in the magazine for all that we received. But Dawn’s submissions often made the cut. We published several of them over a number of years.

So, when Dawn contacted me about a year ago and asked if I would publish her autobiography through my Mill Lake Books imprint, I readily agreed.

What Dawn had in mind was a short memoir to pass on to her family and friends. But what she wrote was a thoughtful little book (110 pages) deserving of a much wider readership.

Dawn’s life has been intricately bound up with the church. Her grandfather was a Methodist preacher and her father a United Church minister, and she herself has served in a number of church roles from pianist to Sunday school superintendent and Bible study leader. She started out in the United Church but gravitated to a Mennonite Brethren congregation, in a sense returning to the evangelical roots of her grandfather (hence the title of her book, Granddaddy’s Granddaughter: My Life in the Church). Her life has been a spiritual journey of discovery.

Dawn’s book is not a traditional biography with the focus on herself. Instead, it is a recounting of her life through the lens of her interaction with the various Christian churches she attended. The book thus offers a fascinating look at the church—but not from the usual perspective of a theologian or pastor looking down on the church from above. Instead, it presents a view of the church from the bottom up, through the eyes of a little girl, a restless teenager, and an ordinary church member.

Therefore, Granddaddy’s Granddaughter presents a frank and realistic picture of the church, warts and all. And yet the book is in one sense a tribute to the church. In spite of their imperfections (and maybe even because of them), Dawn found the various churches to be purveyors of truth and meaning and purpose and sources of comfort, healing, encouragement, and community.

Beyond that and along the way, Dawn offers insightful comments on what churches have done right and how they can do better. This book can thus be a useful tool for church leaders to read and ponder. Among her insights are the following:

• “I will always be thankful to that church. Everyone there treated me as a valuable, lovable little person. They built me up.”

• “Children need more than entertainment and teaching. They need to feel loved. They need to feel useful and important. We must include children in the everyday work and mundane operation of the church. Programs and worship times are only a small portion of what the church family can offer children when they are young.”

• “Future life storms would rock my life. However, [that church] helped me build inner strength and purpose so I would never completely disintegrate in times of strife.”

• “Often, some children come into Sunday school or church activities and present various problems to the leaders. I am convinced that churches must genuinely seek to adjust their programs to suit the needs of each child and family.…The main thing that churches need is not fancy media, but individual love and concern.”

• “I’d later learn that not all ministers were as willing or as gifted as Dad, to be able to involve themselves with other people’s struggles. His passion for people made me see that it was important for everyone within a congregation to carefully watch for people who are suffering hurt, confusion, or pain.”

• “Many people have been hurt in various ways by church people. However, within that same church, others can offer compassion and healing.”

• “Churches are not perfect. However, it is even educational for our young people to see Christian people wrestle with problems together. In time, churches resolve many human errors.”

• “A strong connection to the church is essential in maintaining and strengthening a personal connection with God.”

Granddaddy’s Granddaughter is distributed by Ingram and is available via online retailers and local bookstores.

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Quiet Your Mind

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Author Mary Alford

Do you ever feel as if you’re running in a dozen different directions and not accomplishing anything? I’ve felt this way a lot lately. With numerous writing deadlines approaching, it’s hard to stay focused on what is my most urgent priority.

We all have times in our lives where it feels as if we’re a hamster on a wheel and we can’t slow it down enough to get off.

When you feel yourself getting stressed out with work overload try this:

Take time to rest.

No matter how busy your day is, taking breaks to rest is critical. If you are too frazzled to think, you are probably not going to finish the tasks you need to complete.

Psalm 37:7 says, Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.

Find time alone to pray and let God speak to you through His word:

Jesus often went off by Himself to pray and speak to the Father. We need to do the same. Find time each day to pray and read God’s word. There is comfort and strength to be found in both.

1 Chronicles 16:11, Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.

Reach out to others:

When you reach out to friends, even if it’s only for a little while, it takes you out of your own problems. Sometimes focusing on someone else’s needs gives you the space necessary to clear your head and prepare to go back to work again.

We are to strengthen each other. By helping others, we actually help ourselves.  

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  

So, no matter what your facing, remember, you’re human and you need to find the time to recharge with the One who is able to not only strengthen you, but who will also guide you through whatever you are facing.

All the best…

Mary Alford

www.maryalford.net

Among the Innocent – Coming June 2022

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Why Am I Struggling So Much? by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Bridget

What is wrong with me? I asked myself this question recently. I was feeling irritated, frustrated, depressed, and angry. On the surface, there seemed to be no good reason for the turmoil of emotions. It went on for days and I was miserable. I hated feeling this way. I felt as though I was in a wrestling match.

God, please help me, I begged. 

Thankfully, the Lord is faithful and He answered me. He gave me what I like to call “God nudges.”  Through advice from a friend, God encouraged me to dig deeper. Not everything can be seen on the surface. When a seed is planted deep within the soil, on the surface we only see a lot of dirt. But inches below the ground there is a struggle going on. It takes time before we see a plant breaking through the soil.

Similarly, I was struggling too. On the surface, it looked like a lot of dirt. But deep down, there was something else going on. I was facing some things in my life that I felt incompetent to handle. God showed me that what I was dealing with in my life was causing my tumultuous emotions. Just like a seed has soil pressing in, I had pressure all around me. And like a plant fighting to push up and out of the soil, I was fighting to break free from the difficulties in my life.

But God is God. Couldn’t He just remove the hard things from my life? Oh how we wish it would work that way, but it rarely does. God revealed something else to me about this situation. My pain had a purpose. Through another nudge, I realized that God was pruning me through this process. I have often asked God to change me and to help me be more like Jesus. But I suppose I thought He would just snap His fingers. I didn’t want or expect to walk through a trial as an answer to prayer.

But this is how it works many times. In our yards, we pull weeds, we remove the dead plants and branches, and we sometimes even have to cut away living growth as well. All of this is done to help our plants flourish, to bring more growth, and to produce fruit. In the same way, God will pull weeds from our lives. He will remove things that aren’t benefiting us. And He will sometimes even cut away good things in our lives, if they don’t fit our purpose.

James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Sometimes we might cringe when we hear these verses. Consider it pure joy when we face a trial? Really? Our flesh definitely does not enjoy going through anything difficult.

But from a spiritual perspective, especially if the the difficulty is part of a pruning process, imagine the result if we humbly seek the Lord and open our hearts to whatever it is He is trying to teach us.

I have found that some of the richest times of my life have also been when I was walking through something hard.

This is because when we are broken we tend to run to the Lord and seek Him more than ever. We cling to Him like never before. He lovingly guides and cares for us through our crisis, if we allow Him to.

This is where I found myself recently when I was walking through this pruning process. Pruning can be painful, especially if we don’t realize what is going on. This is how my situation started. I fought the pruning process, kicking and screaming. But now that I am aware of what’s going on, I am more at peace. But one key factor that I learned in all this is that I need to cling to Jesus. If I hold tightly to Him during this process, I will be guaranteed to flourish and produce lasting fruit.

Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

How beautiful and amazing that our Heavenly Father loves us that much to prune us and to help us grow. That is true love. If He didn’t love us, He would turn away from us, rather than help us. But He loves us enough to teach us and mold us.

If you are going through something difficult, I encourage you to look below the dirt to see what might be going on under the surface. Is there more than meets the eye? Pray about it and ask God if He is trying to teach you something or mold you in some way? 

If you feel what you’re going through is a pruning process, I know it’s painful. But remember that this is also a sign of the Lord’s love. And remember to cling to The Vine – Jesus. In the end, you will see beautiful growth in your life.

Photo from Pexels

This first appeared as a guest post on peacefulwife.com.

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In His Time by Julie Arduini

Posted on May 11, 2022 by juliearduini

Authors often refer to their work as their “book babies.” I marvel at my peers who can crank out multiple releases a year. Me? Anchored Hearts released yesterday, and that pregnancy lasted nearly five years.

When the idea first came to mind, definitely God’s hand at work, I had a question that created the entire series: What if a family with a unique birth story stayed in the national spotlight due to tragedy? My sister has a passion for donor families and we talked about creating that. I didn’t feel I was ready to tackle that, so I thought about multiples. As in sextuplets.

Each sibling will have their own book and surrender story. With Jordyn as the oldest, I knew because of her tragic background, she was going to struggle to let go. Control is her problem.

Apparently, it is mine as well.

If the process had gone my way, Anchored Hearts would have released three years ago. Why didn’t it? First, a Christmas collaboration came together and that was a bucket list goal. From what experience came Restoring Christmas. Then, my daughter went through a tough season where out of it she had a message to encourage girls to not believe the lies about themselves. That message was a three book series, Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’. As much fun as it was to write You’re Beautiful, You’re Amazing, and You’re Brilliant, that meant Anchored Hearts sat aside, no viable life as far as I could see.

I finally thought during the pandemic I’d be able to get back to it. I still had You’re Brilliant to write, and then my mom became ill. When she didn’t fight me to drive 300 miles to help her out for a few days while she recovered, I knew she was sick. Turns out, she was within hours of passing.

And I stayed two months.

Even after returning home, the transition was traumatic and my family was struggling. I was struggling. Nothing of those months were things I’d planned, and I was in an emotional tailspin. I still made trips back to take mom to specialists. During the holidays, she improved. By New Year’s, she was back to her old self, shopping, driving, getting a haircut. She was a force!

And then she was gone.

That shock numbed every part of me—mind, body, soul. There was quite a lot of her business to attend to and many, many trips back and forth. Writing was the last thing on my mind and the last thing I could have done. I had zero creative juices. I was barely upright.

When things sort of calmed down I thought now I can get back to Jordyn and Spencer. Still, the words would not come. I wanted them to. I felt like a fraud calling myself an author when I had not had a romance release in a couple years.

Yet, as those days blended into weeks, and then a few months, I started to heal. The trauma of how sick she had been, how great she had improved, and how fast she left this earth was a complete shock to my system. My body needed healing. My faith needed healing. And I had to completely surrender everything to Jesus.

My health. My family. My writing. Everything.

When I opened the file to start writing, something had changed. The words not only came, they flowed. I knew Jordyn in a way I had not, and telling her story was pure joy. The surrender issue was one I could intimately share through Jordyn and Spencer because I had lived it.

—Julie Arduini

Although I consider myself a slow writer, I went from 11k to just under 80k in about nine weeks.

One of my favorite songs is a Southern Gospel one called “Four Days Late”. My husband has sung this before and I love it because I can feel the heartbreak Mary and Martha must have had when Jesus “finally” shows up. Their brother is dead. This is a done deal and He, in their eyes, couldn’t bother to have shown up and healed Lazarus.

But we know the story. Jesus came not just to heal, but resurrect. And with a command, Lazarus bust out of the tomb and stinky grave clothes very much alive. Something had Jesus shown up when Mary and Martha wanted Him to, would not have happened.

The chorus says to the effect, “You were four days late but You were right on time.”

I don’t understand everything about why it took years to get Anchored Hearts to you. But I know this, what I considered late, I now see as right on time.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’d love for you to check out Anchored Hearts. If you enjoy it, please leave a review at Amazon/BookBub/Goodreads. The more reviews a book receive, the more visible it is with Amazon. Thank you!

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