Pepper Basham's Blog, page 27

Guilded and Gracious

My husband and I went to tour The Biltmore House for our Valentine’s Day celebration. It was such a fun time and there was a special exhibit – the costumes of Downton Abbey were on display. Hubs bought me a Valentine’s gift too – a Downton necklace ;-)

But among the beautiful costumes and fantastic information about the changes in styles from Edwardian to post World War 1, I found something else much more interesting. Actually…someONE more interesting.

Edith Stuyvesant Dresser Vanderbilt.

I’m fascinated by her – and George Vanderbilt. Though she married into the wealth and opulence of a millionaire’s world, she kept a gracious spirit, adventurer’s heart, and overcomer’s will. Her story needs to be told!

She’s inspired my writing. She created schools, supported literacy for adults, created a school for African American boys to have a free and quality education. She visited mountain women, far back in the woods and hollers of the Blue Ridge, and trained girls and boys in skills such as sewing, knitting, and carving.

She had a healthy curiosity for the workings of the Biltmore Estate as well as the people who lived there. She often visited the families of the estate, providing food or clothes as the need arose.

I want to know more!

As one of the first people in my Appalachian family history to attend college, I love that she celebrated education and teaching skills. I love that she was more than the millionaire’s bride, but a true ‘lady’.

A great inspiration for life…and story.

When God Opens a Window

and you don’t think you’ll fit through it?

What do you do? :-)

Ever been there?

Sometimes God’s best way to refine us is to challenge us. It automatically tosses us ‘out of control’ and (if we’re good little kids of the King) we have to run to Him for the answers.

So many times in my life, God used situations that looked way too impossible to stretch my faith and trust in Him. It’s a good moment to resize our thoughts and remember His plans are best.

As a child of the King of Kings “we KNOW that all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose”

even if the window looks small :-)

Blessings,

The Beginning of Something….Beautiful – COVER REVEAL

Well, on Wednesday, Feb 11th (my Mom’s BIRTHDAY!) I introduced the world to my debut novel cover! The Thorn Bearer is set to release on May 7th – 100 years after the sinking of the Lusitania. Wow! What an honor to be able to have this book come to the world on such an anniversary!

The novel isn’t about the Lusitania per se – but my characters spend the first 1/3 of the book aboard the beautiful ocean liner. Having the opportunity to write about it, during the time when transatlantic voyagers were near their peak, was amazing.

The Thorn Bearer is the first book in a 3-book series about three strong women who must learn the power of forgiveness.

As an intro, here is a little about The Thorn Bearer.

Can love survive a battlefield of the heart when forgiveness isn’t an option?

Ashleigh Dougall is running away.

When her fiancé leaves her three months before their wedding, the unexpected blow ignites a battalion of insecurities stemming from her father’s intimate betrayal. Her worst fears are confirmed – who could ever love a soiled woman?

In an attempt to escape the shame and disappointment of her past, Ashleigh boards the ill-fated Lusitania to cross the war-torn waters of Europe. Much to her dismay, she isn’t traveling alone.

Sam Miller is always making up for his younger brother’s mistakes. Determined to help his friend, Ashleigh, he offers his compassion and companionship as she ventures across a perilous sea. With the faint hope of renewing his lost love for Ashleigh’s sister, Sam never expects to find the woman of his dreams in his best friend.

As they travel across the Atlantic, neither is prepared for the life-altering and heart-breaking journey of their friendship.

When the truth of Ashleigh’s past explodes in the middle of the trenches of Europe and Sam rejects her, Ashleigh must decide if God is enough – or if the double weight of her betrayal and past will crush her life forever.

From the decks of the ill-fated Lusitania to the smoke-filled trenches of France, Ashleigh must choose between the loss of her past, life in the present, and a Savior who can redeem both of them.

Thankful Hearts

It’s pretty easy to take New Year’s Resolutions too far.

Most of the time that’s not my problem. I don’t take them far enough. But sometimes the reason behind most New Year’s Resolutions is that we’re not satisfied. There’s something we need (or want) to change and we make a resolution to do it. Why do we wait until Jan 1? It looks cooler, I guess.

Inspired by my youngest daughter,  I keep a lifelong resolution every year. It’s not something I can keep on my own. I have to have help.

Here’s the gist:

Every day, at some point in the day, my youngest daughter used to say this phrase “I love this day”.

Every day. For almost an entire year.

The memory of this sweet response reminds my heart of a ‘deeper’ call. …This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

So many times we allow everything else expect the Lord to rule our hearts and direct our emotions. Instead of having a thankful heart, we find so many ways to be discontent.

This year, with the Lord’s help, I want to take on the attitude of my daughter and ‘love the day’. This day. I’ve started it off by posting a ‘thankful memory’ from 2014 every day in January – as a reminder.

It doesn’t mean trials, pain, and difficulties will not come. Those are a given in this world. But it does mean that my attitude should reflect the hope of Christ. My vision should be from heaven-shaded glasses. My choices should reflect someone who rejoices in the Lord.

And when I fail to ‘love the day’ (as most of us fail at our resolutions at one point or other), I can rejoice in the knowledge that I cannot ‘rejoice in the day’ without God’s help (and his constant reminder).

There is so much to find hope and joy in when you are loved with so GREAT a love as God’s love.

So – to quote the historically great thinker Junior Asparagus from the acclaimed movie Madame Blueberry ;-) :

A thankful heart is a happy heart

I’m glad for what I have – that’s an easy place to start

For my home on the ground for God’s love that’s all around

That’s why I say thanks every day.

I love this day.

Blessings,

Fingerprints of Grace

So, it’s been a long week of work and family. Some of the fam have some sort of cough/congestion/sore throat, so it can make the days get a little longer – but for the most part, everyone has kept the complaining low and hugs high. :-)

In the middle of this tiring week, something else happened besides crazy coughs and sniffly nights. Four amazing ladies read (or are reading) my debut novel and sent me encouragement. Some times it’s easy to get lost in the middle of the everyday struggles, and I’m always in wonder by God’s gracious touches of his grace. What those little words of encouragement can do to change the tone of an entire week!

Maybe even an entire life!

Years ago I was having a talk with one of my nieces as she was struggling with some personal challenges and she said, “But I don’t see God. I don’t feel Him. How can you tell me that He loves me.”

Good question. What person hasn’t asked that at some point or other.

I said – “Well, his little fingerprints are all through your life if you look. In my love for you. In your uncle’s love for you. In your parents’ love for you. In the way your teachers spend extra time trying to encourage you. In the laughter you bring to your cousins, and the laughter they send back. Maybe we both need to start looking for his fingerprints and we’ll remember that God is right here – always working in our lives.”

So Laura Frantz, Julie Lessman, Dawn Crandall, and Jean-Marie VunCannon – Thank you for being those fingerprints of grace in my life this week!

Hurry Up and Wait

Ever feel like that phrase describes your life?

It seems like it might describe a lot of people’s lives during this time period. Everyone’s in a hurry, but most things are ‘fast food’. Life is filled with rush, rush, rush – and then….waiting.

And we certainly don’t like the waiting.

But there’s something to be said for the waiting. It’s usually through ‘waiting’ that amazing things happen.

There are LOADS of verses in the Bible that talk about ‘waiting for the Lord’. Here are a few:

Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my request before you and wait expectantly.”

Psalm 27:14: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait on the Lord.”

Psalm 37:7:  “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him;”

Psalm 38:15: “Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.”

Isaiah 26:8: “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,   we wait for you; your name and renown  are the desire of our hearts.”

Isaiah 30:18: “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;  therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Have I made my point yet? :-)

We may not like waiting, but it serves a very distinct purpose or God wouldn’t have put it in His Word so many times.

Waiting not only refines us. It not only builds anticipation, but it also gives us more opportunity to give up our control and trust God for the outcome.

It’s usually not easy.

Waiting 9 months for a baby.

Waiting for the diagnosis from a doctor

Waiting for the right person God has planned for you to marry

Waiting for publication

Waiting to purchase a new house (I REALLY understand this one right now)

Waiting for Christmas morning, or the end of the school day, or the chocolate bar stashed away in your desk drawer ;-)

But God uses all of our waiting to prepare us for the ultimate waiting…

His return.

So, for what are you waiting?