Linda Brooks Davis's Blog, page 16

Let’s Chat! With Robin Bertram

Welcome, everyone!
#blufftonheadshots © 2016 Kellie McCann Photography; All Rights Reserved http://www.kelliemccann.com/

Faith. Will yours support you when you or a loved one is dying? Has it already done so? Or are you anticipating this inevitable event with trepidation or helplessness? 

Robin Bertram honors us with a visit this week to talk a bit about her latest release, Hidden Treasures, which Abbingdon Press released in August 2018:

Based on experiences derived from 25 years of prayer ministry, Robin Bertram, in Hidden Treasures provides insight and guidance to equip the reader — patient, family member or friend — to walk through these challenging times with foresight, looking for and expecting to see God at work in many miraculous ways. Hope is available. Death with dignity is possible, and there are hidden treasures to embrace along the way.

As an author, conference speaker, former host of the nationally syndicated television program, “Freedom Today,” Vice President for Christian Women in Media Association, and CEO of Bertram & Ross Consulting, Robin Bertram brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to women’s platforms across the country. 

Readers, this a turn onto a path of a different sort—nonfiction—but I think you’ll be glad for this detour. So grab a cup o’ something. Pull up a chair. And prepare for a blessing.

P.S. Robin’s giving away The Power of Joy in ebook to someone who blesses our group with a comment.

Robin, what’s one piece of information you can give a terminally ill person to help them through difficult days?

First of all, life continues after death. You will go on into eternity and you will see Jesus.

It is an unquestionable fact that once you accept Jesus as Lord, you will have a glorified body one day and life eternal. You will not perish, but live on into eternity.

When your loved one feels alone, what can you do to encourage him or her and to help them through periods of loneliness?

This is a time when family and extended family must be present. If possible, have a weekly schedule where loved ones will visit on the same day at the same time. Consistency brings comfort and peace. When you line out a schedule, your loved one will anticipate the visit. This gives them something to look forward to and something to expect.

If you or your loved one is facing long-term or terminal illness, what part does knowing Jesus play in facing long, hard days?  

Sharing the gospel is critical. If they do not know Jesus, tell them or find a pastor or friend who can share the truth with them. When indivuals face such extreme suffering and pain, they are usually more receptive to hear the truth. They need a foundation to stand on like never before. It’s the greatest gift you can give them.

How do you help them through times of great anxiety?

The Bible reads in Isaiah 28:16: See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: One who trusts will not panic. 

If you put your trust in Jesus, anxiety will be greatly diminished. You possess the one certain thing you can trust. God works all things together for your good and His glory. He sees the big picture; we do not. He knows what is best; we do not.

Who is the Holy Spirit and how can he help me?

The Bible reads in Romans 8:26: In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

What did Jesus have to say about the Holy Spirit?

Jesus said, before he ascended into heaven, that he would send his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the God-head. He is the Spirit of God sent by Jesus to help us through great times of difficulty. We pray to God for help and His Spirit helps us.

During times of severe distress, we need more than someone’s kind word. We need the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit flowing through us to survive day-by-day. Also, we need His grace flowing through us, His love to surround us, and His peace to settle our frightened hearts. We need His precious Spirit to comfort us.

You went through a very personal health experience, Robin. How did this help you write your books?

I struggled with a serious health issue for a year and a half. Mayo clinic provided 4 potential diagnoses. Three were taken off the table. One was left: one in which there was no treatment, no medicine and no cure with a life expectancy of 2 years.

It was an agonizing path to death. During the year and a half I battled for my own health, I wrote this book. All the lessons learned from 25 years of prayer ministry came back to me, those I had personally ministered to, and put them on paper.

It was in the midst of utter darkness, I cried out to God and shined His light into the deepest part of my soul. I could see again. He healed me and gave me this work to complete.

People who are facing sickness or long term or terminal illness sometimes feel they are unimportant or unloved. What nugget can you share that will help them change their mind?

We all grew up singing “Jesus Loves Me,” but did we really believe it?

My father was a paster for 50 years. I grew up in church singing that song. But I didn’t believe it. I had to find God for myself and that’s when I felt loved. I had to decide to give my heart to Jesus and believe that He died for me. His love covered me like a blanket. My life changed. I changed. And then I realized I was loved by my Heavenly Father.

How important is communication?

I‘ve heard the most ridiculous platitudes like God needs one more flower in his garden. One objective to this book is to encourage the reader to be honest, direct, and open in communication with their loved one. But to be loving and sensitive also. I once worked with a dying young child whose mother told  everyone, everywhere that her child was terminal. The constant reminder was more than the child could handle. Finally, a major melt down occurred in a place of business between the child and mother.

What are some ways to show love to their dying family member?

Show love by sharing memories. By saving memories. And by making memories. In my book I go into detail and offer suggestions that will help to make lasting memories for the entire family. This is the time to put things on hold and do what will mean the most for your loved one. It might be taking a trip to Disney for a child. Or reminiscing with old friends from the past for an elderly. When facing life’s challenges, acknowledge the differences between young, middle aged and seniors.

How can someone who has no hope grow in hope when the odds are against them?

You can find hope in Jesus because he is the anchor of our soul. You can find hope in words aptly spoken. Hope in faith-filled friends. In this book you will find an entire chapter on finding hope. Truly, hope is what helps the dying survive day-by-day. Hope on to the truth of what is written. Believe it for your situation. God is working. You are not alone.  You can find hope in understanding the sovereignty of God.

Where does our faith come into play?

Faith is a tool for battle and it must constantly be sharpened. We can acknowledge there is a real fight. In the midst of a battle, there is usually a hero that emerges. A hero will choose a side, and refuse to ride the fence. He will make a decision based on his beliefs and stand by that decision. Choose life, no matter the circumstances. If you do, you’ve already won.

How do we grow in faith?

We grow in faith by hearing, reading, meditating on the word of God. Reading the Holy Bible will build our faith and our confidence that God does love us and He is watching out for our best interests.

Many battles are won by our faith, believing beyond our circumstances. When all odds are against us and our intellect screams we are wrong, faith stands as the most powerful force one can tap into. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. Faith stands in the face of loss, sickness, or disease and simply says, “No I will not give in. I will not give up. Or accept defeat. I will win either way.”

Choose Life

Choose life instead of giving into the darkness that is meant to destroy you. In a battle, a hero refuses to allow the enemy to intimidate. “This disease is not a friend. Instead, it is an invader.” Rather than run, a hero stands firm in the midst of the battle. Refuses to be moved by circumstance. Declares victory either way. A true hero embraces all possibilities legitimately and refuses defeat. The fight spurs a true hero toward a deeper walk of faith.

A Bit More About Robin 

Robin is former Vice President for Christian Women in Media Association, an organization dedicated to bringing spiritual and professional enrichment within the industry. She is also CEO of Bertram & Ross Consulting, which provides comprehensive training and services to assist and empower other kingdom professionals in the areas of social media, marketing, content generation, customer engagement, and business analysis.

Her passion for the Word, love for people, and heart to serve were developed early on in life as a “PK” and continued through her life’s journey. She often appears as a keynote speaker at women’s conferences, retreats and media seminars. She delivers vibrant messages of encouragement, freedom, and victory in Jesus Christ. Her straightforward approach and in-depth biblical insight heals hearts and transforms lives.

Robin’s Books

In addition to No Regrets (Charisma House Publishing), Robin’s  Hidden Treasures: Finding Hope at the End of Life’s Journey (Abingdon Press) released in August 2018. Impacting, influencing and investing in women, her mission and message are simple: to spread the Gospel across the world.

Links

robinmbertram@gmail.com

919-923-4137

843-815-9089

Website: www.RobinBertram.tv

Facebook: @officialRobinBertram

Email: robin@robinbertram.org

Organization:  https://cwima.org/about/our-leadership/

Roku and Apple TV with Community Bible Church Beaufort SC

~ ~ ~

Dear Lord, we gather around one of Your uniquely gifted daughters, praising and thanking You for Your work in Robin’s heart and spirit. You take us, Your offspring, along pathways often paved with hardship and sorrow. But You’re the essence of love, so we trust You even in the dark valleys, through the troubled waters, and amid the thorns. Please bless Robin’s every effort in behalf of hurting souls. Multiply the power and effect of each word she speaks and writes for You. ~ For Jesus’ sake

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Let’s Chat! Blessings from Caryl McAdoo

Welcome, everyone

Blessings. One of Caryl McAddo’s favorite subjects. This popular Christian historical romance novelist is guest blogging for me this week. Gather ’round for the latest on blessings from Caryl . . . 

P.S. Be sure to check out Caryl’s giveaway below. 

A Divine Idea Blesses All = God’s Economy

How God works astounds me! Far in advance He knows what’s coming and prepares His children, gets everything in motion so that when the time arrives . . . I LOVE His economy!

After participating in my first-ever multi-author series, Lockets and Lace with my SILENT HARMONY (https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Harmony-Lockets-Lace-Book-ebook/dp/B078RT4W63) that debuted in January, my Father suggested I create a new multi-author series. Coming up in November—this is all happening in 2018—would be my 5th Annual “Thanksgiving Books & Blessings” Facebook Party.

Hmm, what if those participating authors wrote a special Thanksgiving story?

Thanksgiving Books & Blessings

In February, I invited authors to participate not just in the November Party, but to write a Thanksgiving story! The rest is history—nineteenth century history to be exact—and romancing pioneers settling the wild west. Doesn’t that just sound like too much fun?

Almighty God arranged everything for me—the authors for starters! I have (in alphabetical order) Heather Blanton, P. Creeden, Lena Nelson Dooley, Kristin Holt, George McVey, Kit Morgan, Lynette Sowell, and Suzette Williams joining me this year for the First Annual Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection!

Our launches begin Thursday, September 6th with my GONE TO TEXAS, book one in the collection and also book one in my personal new Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga. I suspect it will be nine to twelve novels before that’s finished. For my first saga, the Texas Romance series, I wrote a prelude plus nine stories, but loved those people so much, added SEVEN more ‘Companion’ novels! It’s time to start fresh.

After mine launches, one historical romance set in the 1800s will release each day until Friday, September 14th, from eight more best-selling, award-winning authors! The Lord gave me the idea. He called the authors. I count the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection His work; I’m only His hands and organizer-daughter.

(https://www.amazon.com/Thanksgiving-Books-Blessings-9-Book/dp/B07G5K2PQL) 

I’m so excited to see what He will do with it, to watch His plans unfold!

With His help, I’ve worked since February on this project to bring Him glory. It’s been such a pleasure getting to know these awesome folks participating and learning so much from them. A large amount of organizing went in to recording all kinds of information. Then in July, revealing our lovely covers at our Facebook Extravaganza party, and now we’ve come to our Launches!

Gone to Texas

Thursday, September 6, GONE TO TEXAS becomes a book! See how blessed I am? I don’t deserve it, but I am blessed and highly favored every day! It’s wild! It’s so amazing! Pre-orders are available now.

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FPSQGB4/

So please accept my invitation to join our Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThanksgivingBooksAndBlessings/.  

Then come to the Launch Day Celebration by the same name on September 6! It starts at 10 a.m. and each author will have an hour to debut their title, ending at 7 p.m., but the party will stay open with authors dropping back by for all to have an opportunity to participate. Prizes will be awarded the following morning by 10 a.m. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/272343450221011

I am confident God will bless our readers with hours of wonderful entertainment. I believe the authors have been blessed already through the process but will be even more so as the titles are released into the world! The Lord blessed our graphic designer Evelyne LaBelle at Carpe Librum Book Designer with ten print and ebook and audio covers, including the Collection Cover.

I pray that YOU get blessed, Linda Davis, for inviting me to come and share about our new collection. Thank you so much! I’d enjoy blessing one of your readers with a GIVEAWAY of an eBook copy of GONE TO TEXAS! See? From start to finish, everyone gets blessed—and that’s God’s economy!

**To enter, all you have to do is comment! I’d love to hear what your favorite family tradition is for Thanksgiving Day!**

Before I leave, please let me speak on your Thanksgiving Day Gathering this year. May loved ones surround you, the good food fill you, and God’s precious Holy Spirit be in attendance, bringing His peace, joy, and abundant blessings to all!

The post Let’s Chat! Blessings from Caryl McAdoo appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Author Janet Grunst

Welcome, everyone!

Janet Grunst is our guest author this week. Janet and her husband live in beautiful, Williamsburg, Virginia—a perfect environment for writing historical romance.

Janet is offering a giveaway: our drawing winner’s choice of either a digital or print copy of her beautiful novel, A Heart Set Free.

Janet Grunst: Pre-Author Life

I was raised in a Navy family and was blessed to live in many different places around the country. Living in Spain in the 1950’s was particularly interesting because, other than actors, there were so few other Americans there then.

I lived in northern CA and later attended San Diego State. Before I had children, I worked in the banking and mortgage lending business for ten years. When my boys were older, and I needed to return to work, I wanted to work in ministry. Fortunately, Community Bible Study’s (CBS) headquarters was in Reston, VA within ten miles of my home. I was so blessed to work there for almost ten years, several serving as the Executive Director’s assistant. CBS is an internationalministry I have served in since the mid-80s.

After thirty years in northern Virginia, my husband and I retired to Williamsburg, VA, the historic triangle (Jamestown-Williamsburg-Yorktown) twelve years ago.

Janet Grunst: Birth of an Author

When I became a stay-at-home mom, I began columns in local papers which was fun and taught me a lot about writing, but I felt called to fiction writing and wanted to incorporate my love for history. I could do that at home while raising my boys. A story had been germinating in my head so I just started writing.

There was also a lot to learn about writing fiction and the publication process. Back in the mid 80’s Christian publishing was quite different. One didn’t need an agent, so we sent in our queries and proposals “over the transom”. The story came close twice but I also had a number of rejections.

A Time-Out for Janet

Life necessitated I put it aside to raise my sons and work full time. By the time I picked it up again, the industry had changed significantly. I got an agent and did major edits so by the time my debut novel, A Heart Set Free, was born, thirty-one years had passed.  

What’s Up with Jane Grunst Now?

My second book, A Heart For Freedom, releases October 1, 2018. It’s a sequel to A Heart Set Free but a completely stand alone story too. I’m currently working on the third story and a novella. 

How to Connect With Janet and Her Books

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter: @JanetGrunst

Pinterest: Janet Grunst

~ ~ ~

Lord, for all time You’ve moved Your servants from one locale to another to accomplish Your purposes. The same can be said of your writer servant, Janet Grunst. You’ve given her stories to tell, and she has been faithful, even with Your timing. We pray You will bless each word she writes for You. ~ For Jesus’ sake

The post Let’s Chat! Author Janet Grunst appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! All About Mending

Welcome, everyone!

Mending. My mother honed this household task to a fine point in my youth—the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. Nowadays, rips, tears, lost buttons, and worn spots often deem a given piece of clothing unworthy of wear. And relegate it to the giveaway bin or rag basket.

Mother adopted a different position. With “a little mending,” she judged most tattered clothing worthy of wear. Her mending basket was bottomless.

She learned frugality during the Great Depression. She could claim two dresses as her own, one for Sunday morning/Wednesday night church and the other for every other day. So she never strayed far from a needle and thread.

When I think of Mother, I see her at the sewing machine or beside a lamp with handwork. Worn spot on a pair of jeans? No problem. Just sew on a patch. (Not today’s easy-peasy iron-on version but an actual scrap of fabric.) A rip in a seam? All it requires is a stitch or two. And hand-me-downs that drag the floor or hike in the back? Just hand Mother a pincushion, needle, and thread. And prepare yourself for getting “a little more wear” out of your “new” . . . whatever.

The Mending of Lillian Cathleen

Mother’s propensity for mending brings to mind Lily. She’s a secondary character in Book 1 of my historical series, The Women of Rock Creek—The Calling of Ella McFarland. In this 1905 story, Lily is an abused 13-yr-old who by most anyone’s measure belongs on the trash heap. Or a cotton field. Certainly not women’s clubs. But not in Ella McFarland‘s eyes.

Nine years later, it’s 1914. Lily, our heroine of soon-to-be-released The Mending of Lillian Cathleen, is a 22-yr-old ready to take on the world—sort of. She’s the recipient of Ella’s attention and the generosity of Adelaide Fitzgerald, a wealthy neighbor with a bulging heart of generosity. But this former sharecropper’s daughter wonders where she belongs—truly.

Once destitute, battered, and ashamed, Lily asks, “Will my past forever define me?”  Finding the answer plunges her into quandaries, turmoil, and danger. I can’t wait for this story to release in October. Please stayed tuned for more about that.

Meanwhile, here’s a little background for the story . . .

Did You Know: The Mann Act of 1910

A historical writer like me soon realizes research isn’t an option. It’s a requirement. Thankfully, I love history. In fact, I often wander into the past when I should be bringing the past into the present as a part of my daily word count. 

The Mann Act of 1910—otherwise known as the White-Slave Traffic Act—represents one of the historical tidbits that fascinate me. Turmoil over the abduction of underage girls had reached such a fever pitch that Congress passed this law to control the heinous trafficking across state lines. 

Did You Know: The Suffrage Movement in 1914
(Photo Credit: Bettman/CORBIS) retrieved from http://bit.ly/2PwE52j August 22, 2018

The battle for equal rights for women would live or die in the ballot box. Actually, the struggle began way earlier than most of us realize. The first official gathering of women for the purpose of advancing “the Cause” was the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. 

Progress toward the vote for women waxed and waned. By the time Lily steps onto our stage in 1914, some states and territories have granted women the vote, but national elections are still denied to females. And since there isn’t an amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the vote, individual states can do as they please.

Did You Know: the Great War

Understandably, the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 forced other issues into the background and stalled the women’s cause somewhat. But plenty of the movement’s leaders worked behind the scenes, as well as on street corners and in front of the Capitol and the White House. In addition, women were filling the roles their husbands were forced to vacate to fight in Europe. Consequently, this development fostered the public’s acceptance of women in the workplace—and the ballot box.

So when the War ended in 1918, the stage was set for passage of the 19th Amendment a year later, which granted women unfettered access to the ballot box. And a major mending job was complete. 

Back to Our Lily . . . and the Eternal Mender

I’m excited to share Lily’s story in October. Writing it touched places in my heart I didn’t know existed. I was often reminded of Jesus reaching out to women. Like the woman caught in adultery. Or the ostracized Samaritan woman at the well. The women who wept and worshipped at his feet. And those whose devotion swept them into persecution and even death.

I sometimes think of the scene where He extended his hands to Thomas. Seeing and touching his scars was a transforming event that some say took Thomas to a gruesome death in India or elsewhere. We can’t be sure, but what we do know is the apostle’s response was to fall to his knees declaring, “My Lord and my God.”

I was never deprived or destitute, battered or abused. But I have mended places that once were broken, ripped and torn—scars all the same. So in response to Jesus’ offer to come to Him for rest and Thomas’s worship, all I can say is “Amen!”

The post Let’s Chat! All About Mending appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Author Shannon McNear

Welcome, Everyone!

Shannon McNear is our guest author this week. She writes historical romance from a Christian perspective.

This terrific author is offering two giveaways: (1) The Backcountry Brides Collection in print and (2) the prequel novella, The Highwayman, in digital form.

So join our circle by commenting below, and you may find yourself a winner next Tuesday evening, the 21st.

Who’s Shannon McNear?

I was born and grew up in rural central Illinois and graduated from a small Christian high school. After losing my adoptive dad a month later, I went off to Liberty University. Crazy. I wound up with mono the fall of my sophomore year but managed to finish that semester. And made the move with my mom and brother to northern Missouri, where she remarried.

Then I met a cute neighbor guy named Troy. He had grown up with my stepdad’s kids and did his chores while he was dating my mom. So I tell people that my mom married a farmer, and I married his hired hand. (Click to Tweet!) 

What’s “Life” for Shannon McNear?

After our wedding, Troy and I moved to Lynchburg, Virginia. He attended Liberty, and I worked in the library and later the registrar’s office. Then he enlisted in the Air Force and I gave birth to our oldest. We spent six months in Biloxi, MS. The AF plunked us down in Charleston, SC, where we lived for the next almost-23 years. We have 8 children here on earth and 1 in heaven. Our oldest daughter and two oldest sons are married. So we have 3 amazing children-in-love. We’re blessed with 2 grandbabies on earth with several in heaven.

My husband and I are both bibliophiles, so he’s been amazingly supportive of my writing. Over the years I’ve been a childbirth educator, seamstress for my kids’ ballet and drama companies, youth and worship leader, and a total research nerd. My kids are fond of bragging that they learned South Carolina state history from being dragged to various historical sites (we homeschool too). I respond with, is there any better way?

How Was Shannon McNear, the Author, Born?

I started my actual first book at age 15 and rewrote it probably 20 times in as many years. Setting that story aside while my older children were little, I came back to writing with the intent to get published early in 2003 and managed another six completed novel-length stories in the next ten years.

A Debut for Shannon McNear

My first published story came in the form of a novella contract that was especially fun. A good friend had nudged me to put in for the Pioneer Christmas Collection. Back then the editor had a personal tradition of announcing a first-time author contract at the opening session of the American Christian Fiction Writers conference. I was one of two, in 2012.

Award Spotlight on Shannon McNear

As if that wasn’t magical enough, that first novella, Defending Truth, actually finaled for a RITA® award with Romance Writers of America. It appeared in the middle of a bunch of mainstream romance novellas. I felt like Cinderella at the ball, attending RWA that year! Although mine didn’t win, it was such an amazing experience. I knew that God had made it happen and I was supposed to savor it all. It made waiting for 30 years for that first traditional contract definitely worth it!

My first full-length contract, for The Cumberland Bride, happened last year, again as a result of a good friend’s recommendation. When that editor invited me to submit a proposal for a new series, God flung open a door. Incredible opportunity. I cannot tell you how many times over the years I’ve gotten discouraged. Wanted to quit. And begged the Lord to open a door or show me I should keep going. Every time He sent me encouragement to continue and reassurance that writing is as much a call as anything else I do. And that I’m not wasting time by pursuing it.

What’s Ahead for Shannon McNear?

Well … when I began answering these questions, I was completely open to God’s leading. I was waiting for Him to make the next part clear. Now, I’m hoping to have an announcement to make very soon! God is so amazing. He keeps opening doors. And showing His graciousness in letting me continue to write historical fiction.

As kind of a sideways answer … Of those seven novel-length stories already written and waiting on a publishing home, only one is a historical—a Revolutionary War story set in South Carolina. One is a contemporary romance set, of course, in my former hometown of Charleston, SC. The others are from what has long been the story of my heart, a fantasy saga told from a solidly Christian viewpoint.

A Potential Change of Direction?

Incidentally, even my fantasy has a historical feel, as opposed to the elves/dragons/

wizards type. I call it “theological” fantasy, very similar in tone to works by Jill Williamson, Tricia Mingerink, and Patrick Carr. Editors like an author to stay within one genre, so it might be a long time before these see print. But I’m still praying for that.

In the meantime, I’m trying to stay obedient to God’s leading—which would seem to mean at least another “new” historical or two, first!

How to Find Shannon McNear and Her Books

Facebook

Twitter  @ShannonMcNear

Pinterest  (I use this for my own visual reference while I’m writing, so some of my boards have more pins than others)

The Backcountry Brides Collection

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Christian Books

The Cumberland Bride:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Christian Books

Giveaway Offers

Shannon is offering TWO giveaways this week, so join our chat circle!

(1) The Backcountry Brides Collection, in print

(2) The Highwayman, a prequel novella, in digital

~ ~ ~

Lord, You are Lord of All Seasons of Life! We acknowledge Your providential hand and thank You for affirmations, reassurances, and directions. We pray You’ll use Shannon’s books to point others to You. Please bless each word she writes for You! ~ For Jesus’ sake

The post Let’s Chat! Author Shannon McNear appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Author Tara Johnson

Welcome, Everyone

Tara Johnson is our guest author this week. Tara writes historical romance. Tyndale House Publishers recently released Tara’s debut novel, Engraved on the Heart. 

Tara is offering a copy of Engraved on the Heart in either print or digital form to someone who comments below. So join the chat, ya’ll!

Tara Johnson Before Authoring

I’m a preacher’s kid from Arkansas. I love to travel to churches, ladies retreats and prisons to share how God led me into freedom after spending years living shackled as a people-pleaser. (Click to Tweet!) But that’s a whole other story…

I was always in love with books and story worlds growing up, but my passion was music. When I signed with a small Christian record and management label, I thought I had God’s plans for my life all figured out.

Unexpected Developments

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a disorder that keeps the stomach from pumping. It’s a vagus nerve problem which involves pain, nausea, esophagus spasms, reflux and a host of other issues. This nerve dysfunction has now progressed into my larynx. In short, I am losing my ability to sing.

When He began whispering hints of change, I was confused. The plans that seemed so certain to me suddenly shifted and I was reminded of this important truth…the more you build your identity on something other than Christ, the greater the pain when that identity crumbles. (Click to Tweet!) 

A Change of Directions

So, I began to write out my thoughts on a blog. A way to express myself on the days when I couldn’t find my voice. God showed me a great creative beauty in writing. I fell in love with it. As I began to immerse myself in the craft, I learned professionals call an author’s unique way of writing the author’s “voice”.

Letting Go of the Old

Sometimes we cling with white knuckles to our own plans so tightly, we fail to realize God is trying to give us something far better. But in order to receive it, we must relinquish our hold on the old before we can receive the new. (Click to Tweet!)

God may heal my singing voice. He may not. Either way, I’m content. I’m happy. God never takes away without giving something better in return. I have a voice, and I’ll use it for Him as long as He gives me breath.

Because you can have a voice and still not have a voice.

Tara Johnson: A Debut Experience

Several years ago, I signed with the remarkably talented literary agent Janet Grant of Books & Such Literary Agency and my debut novel Engraved on the Heart was just released by Tyndale House Publishers. During each of the milestones—signing the contracts, holding that first book in my hands—-I felt equal parts wonder, gratitude and terror.

It’s a very vulnerable thing to put a piece of your heart out there for the world to see. I particularly wrote a lot of my own struggles into the heroine Keziah. She struggles with epilepsy, people-pleasing and feelings of worth, all during the backdrop of the Civil War.

What’s up with Tara Johnson now?

I just turned in edits on my next story, set to release during the summer of 2019. Where Dandelions Bloom focuses on the life of a heroic young woman during the Civil War who fled abuse at home only to find herself in the middle of our nation’s greatest conflict.

History is crammed full of larger-than-life characters. Doc Holliday, Annie Oakley, Helen Keller, Daniel Boone, George Washington, Amelia Earhart and Frederick Douglass are just a few examples of flawed, wounded humans who battled their demons with determination and left an indelible mark on the pages of history. I suppose that’s why people are so fascinating.

Insight from Tara Johnson

No matter the era, we all battle the same wounds. Abandonment, abusive fathers, overprotective mothers, loss, grief, rejection, addiction, crippling anxiety, loneliness, or the yearning for unconditional love, to name a few. We all battle the same junk and have to decide whether to fight or cave. Run or stand. Cry or smile. That’s what great characters do. They are a reflection of our struggles, our own wounds. Our own need. And, when written well, they remind us to Whom we need to turn for healing.

 

How to Find Tara Johnson

Website

Twitter: @TaraMinistry

Facebook

Instagram

Amazon

~ ~ ~

Lord, how You surprise us! Your ways aren’t our ways, so what do we expect? You’ve woven unexpected threads into Tara’s life and handed her a pen and a keyboard to write stories rooted in her unexpected journey. We praise You, Rapha God, for Your healing touch.

Please bless each word Tara writes for You.

~ For Jesus’ sake ~

The post Let’s Chat! Author Tara Johnson appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Hidden Places of the Heart

The Heart’s Hidden Places

Ever find yourself guarding hidden places in your heart? Maybe several? I do. Are you ashamed to have felt certain emotions? How about a physical flaw? Too embarrassed to expose it even to those who love you? Oh, yeah.

Might your hidden places include spiritual struggles? Those nagging, pesky, and sometimes debilitating battles that take you to your knees in abject remorse? Yup. Too many to count. 

*Join our chat below and qualify for next Tuesday evening’s drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card. It’s easy-peasy.* 

Hidden Places Covered in Dust

When I close my eyes and allow my memories to drift to the surface from their hidden places, I see a school girl and even a college student of the ’50s and ’60s. She’s pushing a wheelbarrow of insecurities. The weight of her load keeps her from expressing herself freely. Oh, she’ll happily write some lines that sound good but don’t scratch the surface of what’s lurking in the dark corners of her inner self. 

She comes across as mature and confident. But she knows the truth. She’s just a country girl, a farmer’s daughter, who lives on a dusty road miles out of town. Her school friends are daughters of ranchers, bankers, doctors, and store owners. Even those whose fathers are farmers own homes in town, not out in the sticks where the wind stirs up dust clouds that can blind a girl to all but what’s at the end of her nose. Hidden places abound in dust storms.

Hidden Places: A Girl’s Attire

This girl dons clean, neat, well-maintained clothing each morning. But her outfits can’t rise to her circle of friends’ standards. To the contrary, her girlfriends frequent the little boutique on Main Street where the racks and shelves bulge with the latest fashion, sassy dresses and skirts and blouses cut from the highest quality fabric and trimmed just so. You see, this girl’s clothes are handmade. Her mother seldom purchases an article of clothing. She sews and teaches her daughter to do the same. But the old sewing machine is locked up tight in a hidden place.

Hidden Places: A Girl’s Ride to Town

Her friends’ parents deliver them to school in brand-spanking-new, clean-as-a-whistle Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles, Buicks, and Chevrolets. They drive over city streets and rarely venture into the countryside. But this girl’s father buys second-hand family cars in whatever color is available–and affordable. She lives down an unpaved road where cars and the school bus stir up dust clouds that choke the passengers. She feels dusty–and a bit embarrassed–when she steps off the bus next to one of those new, clean cars delivering her girlfriends with not a speck of dust.

Hidden Places: A Girl’s Home and Hearth

Her friends live in homes with central air conditioning and “help” who become invisible when guests are around. They chat about what’s going on in the neighborhood–a mysterious place where she can’t imagine living. Her friends share a bond she’ll forever be denied, a familiarity borne of shared streets and playgrounds, riding bikes, service clubs, private swimming pool memberships, Sunday dinner at the one fancy hotel, and vacations in distant locations. 

Hidden Places: A Girl’s Privileges

This girl’s mother is as old-fashioned as they come. Not only does she sew–eegads–but she won’t allow her daughter to wear a bathing suit in a “mixed” crowd. Take dancing lessons or attend dances. Wear hemlines above the knees. Play basketball or try out for cheerleader or twirler, not with uniforms above the knee, for pity’s sake.

Nor is this young girl permitted to miss Sunday morning and evening or Wednesday night church, not even for an end-of-school-year or slumber party or a ball game. Her friends’ll go to church with her first, or there’ll be no party. And forget more than a handful of dates with anyone who refuses to go to church with her. Em-bar-ras-sing!

Hidden Places: Bringing Them to the Light

Hearts can hide anything from anyone–even oneself. But never from God. Six decades down that dusty road of the ’50s and ’60s, that girl finds herself throwing open the windows of her heart more and more often. Fresh wind gusts through, flinging dust to the trash pile where it belongs. 

What changed? For one, years. Decades of them. For another, a new pair of spectacles with lenses that correct faulty vision. Gradually this girl’s world came into focus. Homemade clothes? Evidence of love beyond measuring. Hems to the knee and below? A sign of a mother who cared more what she believed her God expected than twittering teens. And that second-hand car covered in dust? A possession made noble by the driver who held her head high and thanked God she didn’t have to walk.

Above all, the girl’s concept of God’s grace came into focus. And with it, the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit, whose dust bin is bottomless. I should know. I kept an extraordinarily dusty house for a very long time.

Would anyone have guessed? Not for a minute. But that’s the idea when you’re all about hiding your faults, missteps, and outright defiance. Isn’t it?

Hidden Places: Another Girl, Another Time

Which brings to mind the heroine of my coming novel, Book 2 in The Women of Rock Creek series–The Mending of Lillian Cathleen–which follows The Calling of Ella McFarland. Once destitute, battered, and abused, Lily has reason to hide. But can she live that way forever? Can she rise above the lowliness of her young life? Or will her past forever define her?

Stay tuned for coming news on the release of Lily’s story … 

~ ~ ~

Dear Lord, we praise and honor Your holy name. You are holiness itself. Strength. Sustenance. Understanding. And love. Infinitely kind, You’ve provided the cleansing agent required for every dusty house–Jesus Christ, who takes away the sin of the world.

We’ll thank and praise You throughout all eternity.  

~ For Jesus’ sake

The post Let’s Chat! Hidden Places of the Heart appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Mending Lily

Welcome to Readers! And Lily!

Lily, my latest heroine, stars in my soon-to-be-released novel, The Mending of Lillian Cathleen, Book 2 in The Women of Rock Creek series. (The working title, Where Healing Waters Flow, faded into the woodwork when The Mending of Lillian Cathleen showed up.) Watch for a fresh, new cover for The Calling of Ella McFarland, an equally lovely cover for The Mending of Lillian Cathleen, and news about the series in weeks to come. Here’s a smorgasbord of tidbits from this story that touched my heart.

Setting

1914: The Great War has just broken out in Europe.

Needham, Oklahoma—an imaginary town with real-life characteristics

Fort Worth, Texas—otherwise known as Cowtown (or Where the West Begins)—known for its stockyards and infamous Hell’s Half Acre with its illicit business transactions conducted in saloons and brothels.

Characters

Our heroine Lily appeared as an abused thirteen-year-old girl in The Calling of Ella McFarland. She grew up in a shanty on a horseshoe of land created by two hairpin curves in Rock Creek. Thickets and brambles obscured the property from the curious stares of Needham’s townsfolk. Lily’s father Walter conducted his unholy business and took out his drunken rage on his daughter and wife Ruby on the five-acre piece of sod. Rock Creek has come to known as the dividing line between prosperity and poverty and our heroine, as “the girl from the other side of Rock Creek.”

Now twenty-two and setting out as a woman in her own right, Lily faces life-altering choices that force her to evaluate her values, faith, and aspirations. She’s swept into Fort Worth’s underworld of saloons and brothels where she confronts evil and uncovers mysteries about her past.

The men who love—and hate—Lily

Lily doesn’t understand why her father Walter has never loved her. She can’t remember a time when she wrapped her arms around his neck. Or crawled onto his lap. She never heard “Well done” or “I’m proud of you.” Certainly, never “I love you.”

Why? She can only guess. (However, answers are coming.)

But Cade McFarland—her friend Ella’s twin brother—has loved Lily since they were children. A prince in Lily’s eyes, Cade is big and brawny and voices his opinions in as big and burly a voice—with everyone but Lily. He handles her like a fragile lamb. He tends a flock of sheep and looks at Lily with such love and tenderness that she finds herself looking away—for reasons she keeps to herself.

The women who love and hate Lily

Ella McFarland Evans loves Lily and always has—since the first time she caught sight of her in a McFarland cotton patch. Lily drew Ella like a moth to a flame, and Ella’s wings scorched a few years ago. But their friendship endured, deepened, and strengthened. That friendship plays a part in our heroine’s journey of discovery and healing.

Adelaide Fitzgerald, a wealthy heiress whose grand property—Broadview—borders Rock Creek and McFarland property—dreams of an opera career in Italy. She postponed her dream nine years ago when Lily needed her, but she believes her time has come at last.

Maggie Gallagher, Addie’s former wet-nurse and lifelong housekeeper, serves as a mother figure to Addie and Lily both. She emigrated from Ireland and brought her Irish bromides with her. Maggie is a rock of faith and good sense in a household in need of both.

But Sabina Gallagher, Maggie’s daughter, despises Lily. Is there no limit to her spite? Perhaps … and perhaps not.

Why?

The characters’ motivations vary as surely as the characters themselves. The players and the forces that drive them develop over time and through unique experiences that sculpt the characters into who they are in 1914.

Watch for the release of The Mending of Lillian Cathleen in the next few months to learn more about Lillian Cathleen, her loved ones, and her fascinating discoveries that send her world spiraling.

~ ~ ~

Dear Lord, I thank you for the power of words and story. Yours is the greatest story ever told, but You’ve given us stories, as well. I pray You’ll bless each word authors write for You and that You’ll multiply their power for good in the lives of readers everywhere.

~ For Jesus’ sake

The post Let’s Chat! Mending Lily appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! About Beauty and Beholders

Beauty and Beholders

Beauty. Most of us can agree beauty is as subjective as beholders themselves.

What’s the origin of the well-known idiom, Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder? I looked it up. 

Irish romance novelist, Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, coined the idiom in her 1878 novel, Molly Bawn. 

We may apply this truism to the latest beauty pageant: “No! Not Miss Tall and Dignified! Miss Petite and Sassy should’ve won!”

Or to a “find” on Antiques Roadshow: “Egads! That piece of junk is worth more than the national debt!”

Memories of Beauty and Beholders

Which reminds me of living as a military family in Germany in the 1970s. Not long after arriving, we began hearing about American couples going “junkin’.” On those Wednesdays, German locals would set out on sidewalks any items they considered junk. And Americans flocked to them.

One couple might come home with a gorgeous 100-yr-old “shrunk”. (Think hutch on steroids!) Another, a finely carved, 150-yr-old grandfather or grandmother clock. And another a set of generations-old hand-painted plates. To the locals, “old” meant “ugly”, but to Americans, the older, the more beautiful.

But that was before Antiques Roadshow debuted in 1979 and we learned the truth of a similar idiom: One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

A Family of Beholders 

No better illustration exists than this one from my family history.

My mother and father both came from impoverished backgrounds. Mother had two dresses–one for Sunday and another for every other day. Daddy finished high school at 16 and struck out on trains heading in the direction of one harvest or another, sending his paycheck home to help out.

When Mother and Daddy met, 16-yr-old Mother lived with her widowed mother and brother in an uncle’s barn. They would have lived in the uncle’s house, but there wasn’t an inch of space after the rest of the Great Depression-deprived family moved in.

Beauty in the Great Depression

When they married, Daddy was working for a local farmer for $5 per week. He borrowed $5 for his and his bride’s wedding clothing and paid his employer back $2.50 per week.

Daddy made a deal with his employer to live in an old farm house situated on a piece of land he worked. Some would call the house a shack. But considering where Mother came from, she called the old shanty a castle.

Beauty Reborn

Decades later, after Daddy was a landowner in his own right and had built Mother the brick home she always dreamed of, she took up oil painting. Their first home had deteriorated by then to nothing more than weathered clapboards on the verge of collapse, unlivable.

Mother decided she’d paint the old place the way it looked when she and Daddy claimed it as home—to preserve the truth about what it looked like. The two of them “worked” on the painting for months, angling their heads left and right, recalling details, Daddy noticing something not quite right, and Mother making an adjustment or two, adding a little something here or there, their memories guiding her hand. 

The above painting is the thing of beauty the two of them came up with.The reality, however, was something altogether different, to which the photo below attests. 

Beauty Goes Full Circle

You might say Mother was as subjective a beholder of beauty as you could find. But I wonder … Is that so bad? Consider this: Romans 3: 11-18 paints an ugly picture of humankind.

“There is no one righteous, not even one … no one who understands … no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.“ (NIV)

However … Zechariah 2: 8 paints an altogether different picture:

“For this is what the Lord Almighty says [to you, His people]: ‘…  whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye …”

Beauty, Up Close and Personal

I love this photo of my grandson Braden when he was 3. When I look closely enough, I can see myself in his eyes. I’m so close and my love so intimate that it’s as if I’m a little person within his eyes. 

That’s the intimate picture Zechariah paints of God’s love for His pitted-with-flaws people. He holds us so closely … treasures us so deeply … we’re embedded—implanted— within Him … the apple of His eye.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll take that subjective view of me. I’m pitted with flaws, scarred, bruised and covered in the scabs of sin. I’m every bit of the ugliness the apostle Paul lays out in Romans. Just as unrighteous. Willful. Bitter and despicable. Yet in God’s eyes, I’m … if not an apple, for sure I’m a peach! 

I’d be a fool to reject that kind of love.

~ ~ ~

Dear Lord, please give us eyes to see You as our Eternal and Holy Beholder

and ourselves and others as the Apple of Your Eye.

~ For Jesus’ sake

The post Let’s Chat! About Beauty and Beholders appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Author Carlene Havel

Welcome, Readers! And Welcome, Carlene Havel!

This week we’re welcoming Carlene Havel as guest blogger. Carlene and I have been writers-group friends for several years. 

Carlene Havel writes historical stories set in Biblical times. This week she’s sharing some background on the creation of her latest release, Song of the Shepherd Woman.

**Join in the conversation below to be entered into a drawing for a print copy of Song of the Shepherd Woman.**

In Her Own Words: Carlene Havel

Readers almost always ask authors two questions.  First, how on earth can you write a whole book? And then, where do the ideas come from?

How Carlene Does It

The first question is simple: perseverance.  I’ve realized, to my regret, that the fairytale of the shoemaker elves does not play out in real life. Books don’t write themselves!  Therefore, if I want to be an author (and I do, oh, I do!), the price tag is sitting in front of my computer, transferring the thoughts in my head onto a manuscript. I sometimes visualize each word as a snowflake, small and insignificant in and of itself. Yet when enough of them accumulate, they can become an avalanche.

Where Carlene’s Ideas Come From

For me, inspiration comes suddenly, unexpected, for no obvious reason. Most often, I imagine a dramatic scene. For no particular reason I can figure out, I see some characters, hear them speak, and feel their emotions. When I see this “method” on paper, it seems crazy. Maybe it is, but it works for me.

For example, my latest release Song of the Shepherd Woman began at Christmastime, although it’s not a Christmas story per se. As I read through the familiar verses from the second chapter of Luke, the shepherds abiding in the fields captured my imagination. How amazed they were to receive Christ’s birth announcement from an angelic choir.  What joy and hope they must have felt as they ran to the stable in Bethlehem.

But then, how did others react to their story afterwards? Was it possible people thought the shepherds drank too much wine? Or simply fabricated a fantastic story? And what if one of the shepherds had a child, a baby boy, who happened to be in Bethlehem when Herod’s henchmen came looking for the Christ child?

Totally without my consent, a character took shape, a disappointed idealist, a man whose life and dreams were shattered early in his life. But suppose, after years of hopelessness, this man was given another chance? What if . . . 

How Carlene Havel Crafted The Shepherd Woman

I didn’t start writing immediately.  Instead, I bought a book on raising sheep. When I couldn’t put the book down, I knew I was hooked. I kept thinking about the old shepherd, somehow reluctantly accepting responsibility for an innocent child. I felt his conflicting emotions, and I knew I had to tell his story.

Writing Song of the Shepherd Woman, like all of my books, was a labor of love. Sharon Faucheux wove her historical research into my narrative, resulting in a story we hope readers will love as much as we do.

Song of the Shepherd Woman

In the first century, Channa’s stepfather gives her to her maternal great-uncle Avram to raise. He is known to be a peculiar, perhaps dangerous, man with a wife who cannot speak.  Nevertheless, they are kind to Channah and teach her how to care for sheep. When her stepfather unexpectedly announces her betrothal to a Jerusalem tanner, the girl is forced to leave the only home she knows. 

Channah looks forward to a loving husband, but soon learns she is to be Enos the tanner’s second wife. The beautiful first wife is barren, and she resents her youthful rival. Channa struggles to adjust to marriage and city life, cherishing the hope of someday having her own child to love.

How You Can Connect With Carlene

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarleneHavel

http://www.chavelbooks.com   

https://twitter.com/authorcarlene

You can purchase Song of the Shepherd Woman on Amazon.

~ ~ ~

Dear Lord, we bow before you in submission, trusting You as our Good Shepherd You feed us, sustain us, and protect us. You and You alone are worthy of our praise. As authors and readers, we thank You for the gift of words and the messages they transmit. We thank You for calling Carlene to write messages of the Savior. Please bless each word she writes for You.

~For Jesus’ sake

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