Laura V. Hilton's Blog, page 192

Thanksgiving in Early America

Thanksgiving in Early America
by Elaine Marie Cooper

When we sit down at our Thanksgiving meal this month, we'll be recreating a celebration that is as old as our country: sharing food with loved ones while thanking the God Who has provided the abundance.

While we understand that the First Thanksgiving was celebrated here by the Mayflower survivors along with the Indians that had helped them, the first official proclamation that was decreed to celebrate such a holiday was in 1777. It was a recommendation to the thirteen states by the Continental Congress to set aside December 18th that year as a "solemn thanksgiving" to celebrate the first major victory for the Continental troops in the American Revolution: the Battle of Saratoga.

The Battle of Saratoga has significant interest for my own family since one of my ancestors was a soldier there. But he was not on the American side—he was a British Redcoat. After surrendering to the Americans, he escaped the line of prisoners and somehow made his way to Massachusetts and into the life and heart of my fourth great-grandmother. *SIGH* L'amour!

This family story was the inspiration for my Deer Run Saga that begins in 1777 with The Road to Deer Run. There is an elaborate Thanksgiving meal scene in this novel as well as in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run.

Some may wonder why such detail was afforded this holiday in my novels set in Massachusetts, while Christmas is barely mentioned. The reason is simple: Thanksgiving was the major holiday in the northern colonies, with Christmas considered nothing more special than a workday. According to Jack Larkin in his book, The Reshaping of Everyday Life, "The Puritan founders of New England and the Quaker settlers of Pennsylvania had deliberately abolished (holidays) as unscriptural."

But Thanksgiving was begun as a way to give thanks to God for His provision. It usually began with attending church services in the morning, followed by an elaborate feast in the afternoon. The food for this meal was prepared for weeks in advance.

Since the individual state governors chose their own date to celebrate the holiday, it was theoretically possible for some family members—if they lived in close proximity—to celebrate multiple Thanksgiving meals with family and friends across state borders. The dates chosen could be anywhere from October to December, according to Dennis Picard, Director of the Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

Chicken was most commonly served, said Picard, as it was readily available in the barnyard. And the oldest woman in the home had the honor of slicing the fowl for dinner.

Pies were made well in advance of the holiday and stored and became frozen in dresser drawers in unheated rooms.

"I like the idea of pulling out a dresser drawer for, say, a clean pair of socks, and finding mince pies," said Picard, tongue in cheek.

Indeed!

Have a BLESSED Thanksgiving!


Author Bio


Elaine Marie Cooper
Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door (www.thebarndoor.net) and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight (ReflectionsInHindsight.wordpress.com). She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.

Conquering Seasonal Depression

Conquering Seasonal Depression

The seasons are changing. We can all feel the warmth and light of the summer months giving way to a bite in the air, later sunrises and earlier sunsets. As our minds and bodies adjust to the darker, colder days, many of us fall into a bit of a winter "funk." We might feel some pervasive sadness and anxiety. Many of us gain some weight, and our sleep cycles may even be affected.

Of course, as we are all trying to keep our spirits up during the dwindling daylight hours, we are also beginning to deal with the stress of the holidays. Christmas shopping, planning for Thanksgiving, and even decorating our houses for the holidays can add to our stress levels significantly.

These all describe what is now known as seasonal depression. While most of us only experience mild symptoms, there is a whole range of severity that we can experience. For most of us, though, managing seasonal depression can be as simple as making some lifestyle changes:

1. Get outside! As the days get shorter, many of us spend entire days never seeing the sun. Try to spend a few minutes outside each day. The sunlight can help to lift your mood.

2. Watch what you eat. Most of us begin craving carbohydrates and fatty foods as the winter months set in. Try making vegetable-heavy soups and stews instead of fatty meat-based meals.

3. Get moving! Even getting 15 minutes of exercise a day can help to raise your heart rate and will give you more energy throughout the day. Try to get some exercise during the daytime – especially first thing in the morning.

4. Spend time with your family and friends. Being with people you care about and who care about you can really help to lift your spirits. Try going for a walk with a friend, or gather your family to cook a healthy meal.

5. Take care of yourself! The season for this seasonal depression overlaps with cold and flu season. Try to avoid getting sick by washing hands frequently and eating lots of Vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits. Also make sure that you get plenty of rest when you need it, and take some time for yourself to decompress when you begin feeling overly tired or stressed.

Seasonal depression can usually be treated with a general orientation toward wellness. Occasionally, however, professional help can really help you to get through the winter months. Talk therapy or antidepressants could be helpful. If you are experiencing persistent feelings of depression that do not get better with lifestyle changes, talk to your doctor.

Emotional health is one part of the Model for Healthy living: Faith life, medical health, work, movement, emotional health, movement and nutrition. On the journey toward wellness, we work to balance each of these areas.

For more information about the Model for Healthy Living, visit www.40DaystoBetterLiving.com.

Dr. Ron McDonald, Church Health Center Pastoral Counselor

November New Book Releases

Lots of good reading abounds for November with these selections from ACFW authors. Think Christmas shopping perhaps???

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander -- Historical Romance from Bethany House; To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.

Bound by Grace by Amber Stockton -- Historical Romance from Barbour. When Charlotte Pringle's father disrupts her idyllic relationship with Richard Baxton by announcing he's been working on a marriage arrangement to secure her future, Richard despairs over the loss of the woman he's come to love, until his niece persuades him to fight.

Fatal Reality by Jonathan Wakefield -- A Thriller/Suspense from OakTara -- In this race only the winner will be allowed to live.

Gateway Weddings; Romancing America by Myra Johnson -- A Romance from Barbour. Three Missouri women enter the gateway to life, love, and longing.

Hope and a Future by Betty Arrigotti -- Romance from OakTara; Will Marjorie Gloriam overcome her fear and trust God to be a Friend with plans to give her Hope and a Future?

I Can Do Better All By Myself by E. N. Joy, --Biblical Fiction from Urban Fiction (Kensington). The singles ministry at New Day Temple of Faith is beginning to unravel, and the pastor is considering dissolving the ministry. Some members believe the only way to hold it together is by getting their pastor to join. And why shouldn't their leader show support by joining, considering the pastor's own single status?

Katie's Way by Marta Perry -- Romance from Praise (Penguin). A quilt shop brings Amish and Englisch together, and trouble follows...

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble -- Romance from Thomas Nelson. Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson's baby was stolen and never found. Eden blamed herself, Clay lost himself in work. Their young and rocky marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.

Mind Over Madi by Lynda Lee Schab -- General Fiction from OakTara; All men cheat. At least, that's what Madi's mother has always told her.

Peril by Suzanne Hartmann -- Thriller/Suspense from OakTara; A top-secret agent must trust God to protect her many secrets when she accepts high-profile assignments but can she trust Him when He leads her to reveal her secrets and takes her to death's doorstep? http://fasttrackthrillers.blogspot.com.

Promise Brides by S. Dionne Moore-- Historical Romance from Barbour; Love is the same, no matter when, no matter where-it never comes without sacrifice.

Protection for Hire by Camy Tang-- Thriller/Suspense from Zondervan; Tessa Lancaster's skills first earned her a position as an enforcer in her uncle's Japanese Mafia gang. Then they landed her in prison for a crime she didn't commit. Now, three months after her release, her abilities have gained her a job as bodyguard for a wealthy socialite and her three-year-old son. But there's a problem or two … or three ….

The Land of Darkness; The Gates of Heaven Series by C.S. Lakin-- Speculative Fiction from Living Ink (AMG); Jadiel is twelve and things couldn't get much worse—or could they?

The Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough-- Historical Romance from Moody Publishers; When Riley Morgan returns home after fighting in the War Between the States, he is excited to see his parents and fiancée again. But when he arrives he learns his life will never be the same again.

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson-- Historical from Zondervan; An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude a recluse. She must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

The Rancher's Courtship by Laurie Kingery-- Romance from Love Inspired; Though Caroline Wallace can't have a family, she can still have a purpose. Becoming Simpson Creek's new schoolmarm helps heal the heartache of losing Pete, her fiancé, to influenza. Then Pete's brother arrives, trailing a herd of cattle and twin six-year-old girls.

Thyme for Love by Pamela S. Meyers--Romance & Mystery from OakTara; April Love has always dreamed of being a chef. But she didn't expect a former fiancé or murder to be part of the recipe for her new job.

Turnabout's Fair Play by Kaye Dacus-- Romance from Barbour; When Maureen O'Connor begins scheming to match her grandson Jamie with Flannery McNeill, the last thing she has in mind is a romance of her own.

The Hidden Gifts of Helping: Do Good Things for Others This Holiday Season

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The Hidden Gifts of Helping:
Do Good Things for Others This Holiday Season
Article by Stephen G. Post,
Author of The Hidden Gifts of Helping,a Wall Street Journal bestseller
(www.StephenGPost.com/HiddenGifts)

Ebenezer Scrooge begins in The Christmas Carol with a "Bah humbug!" He is both miserly and miserable. As the story unfolds, he eventually discovers the "giver's glow," as I like to term it. He is dancing on the streets in the enduring joy of his newfound generosity of heart. I compare the giver's glow to a glow stick that children get at parades and fairs. These are the translucent plastic tubes containing substances that when combined make light through a chemical reaction. After the glass capsule in the plastic casing is broken, it glows. The brokenness is part of the process. Give and grow, give and glow. Scrooge discovered this before it was too late.

Human beings are wired to give of themselves for noble purposes, regardless of circumstances. Recently, I delivered a sermon in an African-American Baptist church in Coram, New York. The subject was how we benefit when we love our neighbor. Afterwards, a wonderful elderly woman, who was full of vitality, said to me, "You know, that giver's glow is how we African Americans have been getting through hard times for two centuries!"

On the inside cover of a copy of The Book of Common Prayer, given to me in 1986 by the Rev. William B. Eddy of Tarrytown, New York, is an accumulating memorial list of twenty people I have known closely as models of kindness and generosity over the years. To get on the list a person must have passed on and, by all accounts, remained generous even in their final days. These are people who understood that happiness is not to be found just in the getting, but in the giving, and they taught by example. Have you noticed the warm glow in your heart that comes when you act kindly? They had a deep sense of common humanity, and they all had a certain happiness about them—a sort of gaiety that comes with a life well-lived and rightly inspired.

In my most recent book, The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times (Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint), I describe a bit of an upheaval in my own life, and how helping others got me and my family through the inevitable tough times that come everyone's way.

"After twenty years of being 'at home' in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, my job disappeared. Maybe we were too attached to Cleveland, and maybe God wanted us to move on. But as a family we never anticipated just how challenging up-rootedness is, especially when it is not something that you would have opted for in better times. So in June of 2008, we sold the house and moved east on Route 80 from Ohio to the George Washington Bridge, landing in Stony Brook. What a great place! But still, we just had not quite imagined how stressful such a move would be and how hard we would have to work to find renewed peace of mind and heart.

"Suddenly cut adrift from friends and community, we felt painfully uprooted—out of place, stressed out, disoriented and at odds with each other. Most movers suffer from a lack of companionship and intimate friends, at least temporarily, and doing this repeatedly is really tough. Fortunately, we had those twenty good years in Ohio. We struggled to find our footing with the move, determined to recreate the good life of community and friendships we all so keenly missed. The key turned out to be something we knew quite well, but learned to remember daily in our upheaval: the healing power of helping others. The medical prescription is this—Rx: Helper Therapy.

"Simply put, helping others helps the helper. Research in the field of health psychology, as well as all the great spiritual traditions, tells us that one of the best ways to get rid of anger and grief is to actively help others. Science supports this assertion: Giving help to others measurably reduces the giver's stress; improves health and well-being in surprising and powerful ways; renews our optimism about what is possible; helps us connect to family, friends and lots of amazing people; allows the deep, profound joy of our humanity to flow through us and out into the world; and improves our sense of self-worth. These are valuable gifts anytime and particularly in hard times. If there is one great secret to life, this is it."

After all was said and done, this move worked out. My wife found a grade school where she could continue her work as a teaching assistant for especially needy children, my son Drew volunteered at the hospital and I started working with families of individuals with autism. We eventually realized that wherever we are, we are at home when we can contribute to the lives of others. We got back in touch with the things that matter most, and maybe that is what hard times are for. We helped others in ways that we felt called to, we used our strengths so as to feel effective and we shared our experiences with family, faith community and like-minded others.

Eventually, of course, everyone stumbles on hard times, and no one gets out of life alive. Today, even those who had considered themselves protected from hardship are being touched and their lives changed by volatile economic markets, job uncertainty and the increasing isolation and loneliness of modern life.

Here are four things to keep in mind. First, as Washington Irving put it so well: "Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart." Second, love often does beget love, just as hate usually begets hate, and so good givers need to be good receivers. Third, we should never count on reciprocity because this is sure to be frustrating and ultimately small-minded. Better to take joy when those upon whom our love is bestowed do not "pay it back" to us, but rather "pay it forward" to others as they move through life remembering our good example. Or to bring this to the kitchen table, as I heard one Italian mother in Cleveland tell her son, "Love and forget about it!" And fourth, in I Corinthians Paul linked "faith, hope and love," and he proclaimed that "love never fails." What is faith but having confidence that no matter how harsh a particular scene in the drama of our lives or of history might be, it is love that wrote the play and love that will be revealed in the final act.

Do a little good this holiday season. The 2010 Do Good Live Well Survey,released by United Healthcare and VolunteerMatch (www.VolunteerMatch.org), surveyed 4,500 American adults. 41 percent of Americans volunteered an average of 100 hours a year. 68 percent of those who volunteered in the last year reported that volunteering made them feel physically healthier. In addition:

89% reported that "volunteering has improved my sense of well-bring"
73% agreed that "volunteering lowered my stress levels"
92% agreed that "volunteering enriched my sense of purpose in life"
72% characterized themselves as "optimistic" compared to 60% of non-volunteers
42% of volunteers reported a "very good" sense of meaning in their lives, compared with 28% of non-volunteers

How wise it is to do what one can to contribute benevolently to others!

Some individuals on my The Book of Common Prayer list were well known and others lived quiet lives out of the limelight. Some were appreciated and some not. We might prefer to think that loving servants of goodness would, after a long and successful life, die peacefully in their beds and all people would speak well of them at their funerals. But this is too simplistic. Everyone on my list experienced an enduring joy as a by-product of their generosity. Thus, the motto of my independent Institute for Research on Unlimited Love (www.unlimitedloveinstitute.com), founded with the help of Sir John Templeton (who happens to be on my list!), is "In the giving of self lies the discovery of a deeper self."

Interview with Lisa Jordan and giveaway

answer Lisa's question to be entered into a drawing for an amazing giveaway.
Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I'm an incurable romantic who wants to give promises of hope and happily ever after to her readers.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day I married my husband, twenty-two years ago at the end of this month.

How has being published changed your life?

It added more to my to-do list. My life hasn't changed that much more, except trying to juggle deadlines, revisions, blog tours, and preparing for my upcoming book launch party. Internally, it has given me a sense of satisfaction that I succeeded in achieving a goal I set for myself many years ago—to become a published author.

What are you reading right now?

Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside

What is your current work in progress?

I'm doing revisioins on my second novel, Lakeside Family that will be released in August 2012 by Love Inspired.

I'm plotting my third novel in preparation for NaNoWriMo.

What would be your dream vacation?

Any place with my family, preferably near a nice beach. Every other year, my family vacations on Sanibel Island, Florida, but Hubby and I are planning a cruise for our 25th anniversary.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My current series is set in the same location—a fictional town named Shelby Lake that is set in Northwestern Pennsylvania. I love the area where I live, so I created a fictional town loosely based on the area to share with my readers.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Right now, probably my sweet agent Rachelle Gardner to just get to know her better, laugh over dinner, and do long-term career planning. And if my wonderful editor, Melissa Endlich, decided to show up, I'd definitely scoot over to make room and pull her in on the career-planning conversation.

What three things about you would surprise readers?

Hubby and I eloped 22 years ago, I'm older than I appear, I have an intense phobia of snakes—I can't even see pictures of them.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Crafting—sewing, scrapbooking, knitting

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it

Plotting is hard for me. Thank God I'm partnered with an amazing critique partner who has a terrific talent for brainstorming and plotting. She helps me to flesh out my story ideas.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Find your voice—don't try to emulate another author, constanly ask "why?" to get to your characters' core motivations, and don't give up when you get rejected.

Tell us about the book.

Bed-and-breakfast owner Lindsey Porter prays she won't run into Stephen Chase when she returns to Shelby Lake. Five years ago, the cop jilted her to marry another woman, and Lindsey fled town. But no sooner does she hit city limits than Stephen pulls her over for a broken taillight. Despite the past, he's still able to stir up Lindsey's old feelings for him. Now a widower and single dad, Stephen recognizes a second chance when he sees one. And he'll do anything to make Lindsey trust in God and take a risk for love—again. Read an excerpt of Lakeside Reunion


What one question would you like us to ask your readers?

My question for readers is what are your favorite breakfast foods?


Tell us about the giveaway you're offering.

I am holding a scavenger hunt and lakeside photo contest to promote my Lakeside Reunion release. Visit my Lakeside Reunion Contest page for more information.

*Please note the Scavenger Hunt form has been updated to include more bloggers.
The token for this blog is a leg cast.

Bio: Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories that feature both comes naturally to her. She has been writing contemporary Christian romance for more than a decade. Her debut novel, Lakeside Reunion, will be released in November by Love Inspired. Her second novel, Lakeside Family, will be released in August 2012 by Love Inspired. Happily married for over twenty years, Lisa and her husband have two young adult sons. When she isn't writing or caring for children in her in-home childcare business, Lisa enjoys family time, romantic comedies, good books, crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. Connect with Lisa on Twitter, Like her on Facebook and sign up for her newsletter on her Website.

Teens and Their Supernatural Pursuits

Teens and Their Supernatural Pursuits

By Melody Carlson


Have you even wondered why some teens are drawn toward things like Ouija boards or psychics? Or why séances are still popular at sleepovers? Does it just have to do with Halloween and that spine-chilling need for a good scare? Or could it be something more? And, as a Christian, should you be concerned?
Those questions, as well as some confused reader letters, prompted me to tackle the "supernatural" in one of my teen novels (Moon White, TrueColors, Nav Press). And whenever I write an issues-based novel, I'm forced to research—and often in some dark places. So I began scouring websites, learning more about Wicca and the occult, trying to grasp what was really going on with today's teens—and how I could write about it in a helpful and relevant way.
But, as usual, when I write a teen book, I go back to my own adolescence...trying to connect with my inner teen...and I suddenly remembered a short era when a friend and I got very interested in witchcraft. I had honestly forgotten about this time and was fascinated to recall how we scoured some witchcraft stores on a local campus—I think we even purchased a few things. Fortunately, this interest was short-lived and I became a Christian not long afterward.
However, as I reconnected with my inner teen, I had to ask myself—why had I looked into witchcraft back then? Why do teens dabble with it now? Suddenly the answer became crystal clear. I was searching. I'd been calling myself an atheist for several years by then, but I was spiritually hungry—starving in fact. Consequently I was looking for spiritual answers—something that would fill that empty void within me. I wanted a supernatural force in my life and I didn't even care where it came from. I needed something bigger than me, more powerful than me, something to hold onto. I had no idea at the time that I was really searching for God.
This realization changed the way I viewed my research. Instead of feeling disgusted and dismayed by the witchcraft/Wicca sites (which are not particularly enjoyable) I began to recognize that these people (mostly girls) were simply searching too. They wanted a power source in their lives just like I wanted one in mine. They just hadn't found God yet.
This led to another discovery. A girl who's attracted to a religion like Wicca is usually seeking to gain some control over her life. Something is wrong and she wants to change it. To do so, she's often enticed to purchase something—like "magical herbs"—to create a potion that will give her some control over her situation. Unfortunately, she doesn't even realize she's being tricked.
But think about it, wouldn't you love to have control over a bad situation sometimes? Wouldn't you love to be able to change the circumstances that make your life unpleasant? So what if someone offered you the "power" to do just that? Perhaps if you're fifteen, you wouldn't see that person as a charlatan and you would fall for it.
Which brings me to another important factor in understanding this generation's attraction to the supernatural. Follow the money. The more I researched, the more it became painfully obvious that Wicca and witchcraft and the occult are money-making enterprises. Thanks to the internet, these savvy distributors sell anything imaginable—and many things you can't. That leads to some serious motivation—these marketers want to hook their unsuspecting young customers and reel them in. Of course, these potions and trinkets and how-to books don't come with a money back guaranty. Nor are they approved by the FDA. Yet they are a multi-million dollar industry.
So, in a way, it's a perfect storm. Teens that are insecure, lost, unhappy, and searching...meet up with an unregulated industry that offers supernatural answers and power and control...for a price. And, oh yeah, I never even mentioned how this opens a door for Satan to slip in and wreak havoc. For that...you'll have to read the book.

Ginger Pumpkin Bread

In celebration of all things Fall, we're posting this delicious autumnal treat from The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook. Enjoy!
Ginger Pumpkin Bread
12 T. butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)
Whisk together the butter, pumpkin, and eggs.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, ginger, salt, sugar, and brown sugar and add to the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide batter between two greased loaf pans and bake at 375 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes then turn out on a rack to cool completely. Glaze with Sugar Glaze, if desired.
Sugar Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 T. water
Mix together until well blended and to desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled bread.

Pumpkin Bars

Ok- my kids look forward to these every year during the fall- Mom's pumpkin bars- so yummy! You might have your own recipe for this one, but for those that don't, I think you'll love it. :)

Pumpkin bars
Mix:
4 eggs
2 C sugar
1 C oil
2 C Pumpkin(16 oz)
1 tsp vanilla

Mix in medium bowl and then add to the pumpkin mixture above:
2 C flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp Ground cloves

Mix, pour into 1 well greased 15x10 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. I like my pumpkin bars thin so I often use 2 pans -one a 9x13 and one 15x10, fyi.

Frosting- Mix 3 oz cream cheese
3/4 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbls. Milk
3 C powdered sugar.
Delicious!!- Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chicken Soup

Pumpkin Chicken Soup
I c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
1 tsp. minced garlic
2T olive oil
2 cans or 1 box chicken broth
1 can pumpkin
2 c. cubed chicken
1 can diced tomatoes
1 3/4 c. cooked wild rice mix (I used Uncle Ben's box mix)
2-3 T. ketchup
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. pepper
Parmesan cheese (to top/garnish with at the end)

In large sausepan saute' onion, celery, and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in broth, chicken, pumpkin, tomatoes, ketchup, rice, seasonings.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 2 quarts. This is even better the next day!

Why is forgiving ourselves so hard?Kim Cash Tate shows ho...

Why is forgiving ourselves so hard?
Kim Cash Tate shows how God cherishes us and provides our hearts' desires.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Kim Cash Tate explores Psalm 103:12 as she takes her readers down the path to God's forgiveness and reconciliation in her newest novel, Cherished. Readers will discover that God can still use them in spite of their worst choices. And He doesn't just forgive them, but they are truly cherished!

Tate's story will show her readers how God can bring beauty from ashes. She has a unique way of weaving her characters' lives together, leading back to one great point—God's tremendous mercy and grace. In the words of one of her characters, "I wasn't sure what to expect. I felt like it would take a while to work my way back into God's good graces, but it was like…"—she flung wide her arms—"…He just embraced me." We too can be embraced by the same great love when we learn that true forgiveness for ALL of our sins is right before us.

Growing up in Saint Louis, Kelli London dreamed of becoming a songwriter and glorifying God with her songs of praise. But after falling into sin, she walks away from her dreams. Heather Anderson's life has spun out of control—first an affair with a married man and then a one-night stand with the drummer of a popular Christian band. Broken and alone, she discovers the only one who can save her. Brian Howard grew up as a science geek. But after making the worst mistake of his life after high school, he finds forgiveness in Christ and is being led down a completely different path. Now he must choose whether to continue pursuing his PhD in biochemistry or to become a full time Christian rapper.

In her interviews, Tate discusses topics such as:

· Learning to forgive ourselves
· Choosing to forgive others and allowing God to change them
· Following the dreams God has for us
· Surrounding ourselves with Christian friends who will pray for and encourage us
· Understanding God's unchanging love

Tate was a speaker for Women of Faith in both 2010 and 2011. She appeared as the cover girl for the May issue of Empowering Everyday Women and will be featured in the September edition of Significant Living. A song based on Cherished will be featured on the newest album for Da' T.R.U.T.H., a Christian wrapper. Tate is also the founder of Colored in Christ Ministries. Her appeal as a Bible teacher and a "big sister" in ministry, as well as her messages of hope, is what attracts discerning fiction lovers worldwide.

Tate's characters bring a reflection of our own poor choices. Readers walk away knowing that despite their worst mistakes, they are cherished by their Creator. "The enemy will try to make you feel guilty about your past, and he'll use your own thoughts or he'll use other people. But if you know who you are, he won't succeed," says Tate.

Cherished by Kim Cash Tate
Thomas Nelson/September 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59554-855-9/336 pages/paperback/$15.99
www.kimcashtate.com