Erika Mathews's Blog, page 10

Resting Life Book: The Cover, Preorders, and Release Date!

Friends, a gorgeous cover for an encouraging Christian living non-fiction book is being revealed today! Resting Life: Jesus’ Rest for the Busy or Burdened Believer is an upcoming release by Erika Mathews.

But first, all the details.

RELEASE DATE: March 20, 2020! Mark your calendars!

…but you can skip the calendar part if you preorder the ebook on Amazon. You’ll automatically get the best price, and the book will appear right on your device bright and early on release day! (And Amazon is kind enough to notify you, so you can be among the very first to read the book if you wish!)

PREORDER HERE!

But do you actually want to preorder already? What is this new book about? Is it worth your time?

ABOUT THE BOOK

Can your busy, stressful reality truly transform into the abundant, restful reality of the kingdom of God? The Bible says yes. Through rest in Christ, your life can be fulfilled, productive, peaceful, and free to give and receive love. But just what is Biblical rest, and how can it seamlessly fuse with your modern life? In Resting Life: Jesus’ Rest for the Busy or Burdened Believer, Bible teacher Erika Mathews addresses this question. Discover the unification of rest with practical daily life, relationships with others, spiritual warfare, ministry, witnessing, prayer, meditation, fruitfulness, and personal abiding. Through understanding and embracing God’s rest, you too will be uplifted, challenged, encouraged, and freed to live life as He intended—within Him.

Now go preorder.

A Gorgeous Cover Is Coming! (HELP NEEDED!)

The book I’ve been working on for nearly eight years has a cover reveal date!

I can’t wait to share this gorgeous cover (AND the book will be available for preorder!) on February 18, and I’d like you to help with the excitement in spreading it all over the internet. Would you be willing to post the cover for Resting Life: Jesus’ Rest for the Busy or Burdened Believer on social media or your blog? More information here – click to sign up: https://forms.gle/yvrGfuEBbmg5ije98

 

THANK YOU! I can’t wait for you to have this book in your hands!

 

 

270 Christian Books for 99 cents or Free!

All books by Erika Mathews are on sale today through Monday! All ebooks are 99 cents or free!


If you enjoy fable retellings, Christian kingdom adventure fiction with a focus on deeply knowing God, or inspirational poetry to draw you nearer to Him, check these out.




Overrun By Your Love: $2.99 $0.99!



Gather ‘Round the Fables: $0.99 FREE!



Promise’s Prayer: $2.99 $0.99!





This post contains affiliate links.




The paperbacks are also on sale this week! If you have a book-lover on your Christmas shopping list, check this out.









If you’d like something further to read or gift, a large number of indie-published authors have banded together to offer their books for free or 99 cents. I’ve read and loved a number of these, though I haven’t read them all. Check it out here.

When Singles and Couples Are One

Over the summer, I (Erika) had the privilege of reading an advance copy of a little book with a big message. If you’re a single person, this might be greatly encouraging to you; if you’re a married person who’s ever struggled with contentment or with relating to your single friends, this might be for you as well.

In this post, I’m introducing the book and the author, sharing my review of the book, and letting the author speak in her own words on the topic of the relationship between single and married friends. I’m also sharing her giveaway and her generous offer for free copies of her book.

Erika’s Review

This is a beautiful and realistic little story of a single woman’s life and struggles. Although singles will be able to relate to and find encouragement from this story, as a now-married woman, I also fully enjoyed this book. Contentment struggles definitely aren’t limited to singles, and the lessons Stephanie learned in this story are heart struggles of many.

I loved the atypical plot, the realistic up and downs of Stephanie’s life and heart, and her turning to God – not once, but over and over. This book well portrays a believer’s daily walk with God – contentment requires daily abiding. Professionally told and engagingly narrated, this is a story for women who are seeking God.

About the Release

Are you a single who has been in this singleness journey a little longer than you anticipated? This week is the release of Amanda Tero’s contemporary fiction novella Wedding Score. Main character Stephanie is there with you as she’s suddenly thrown into a season of

discontentment and impatience. Told in a whimsical, honest style, Wedding Score is a 1-2 hour short read that leaves readers feeling understood and hopeful.

 

About Wedding Score

Most girls dream of their wedding days. Except me. I’m too busy practicing piano and being the live soundtrack for everyone else’s weddings to think about my own. 

I’ve survived most of my twenties with harmonious chords and pleasant days. So why is it that now, at twenty-seven, a discordant feeling presents itself? 

Is there a solid solution to loneliness when there is absolutely no potential husband on the horizon?



A CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN SHORT READ

Goodreads | Amazon | Signed paperback

In Amanda’s Own Words
Guest post from the author

While everyone around this table had been busy marrying and having kids, here I was, the oldest of the group, still single. I had kids all right—like fifty I saw each week. But I sent them home after a half hour lesson to pound out piano pieces away from me. It wasn’t the same as raising darlings like these sitting around the table.

Who remembers their late-teen/early-twenty years when there seemed a sudden boom of peers getting married… and then having kids? And wasn’t that such a weird thing? It’s when you and your friends stopped walking in the exact same season of life. Life for a single doesn’t usually change drastically, but once your single friend marries, she now has a husband and, for many of them, children. For so many of us, there is this awkward in-between season as we try to adjust to friends who are on a different path than us.

One of the lessons I’ve had to learn as a single is to appreciate friends who aren’t walking in the exact same season as I. In return, I have been blessed by so many of these friends! But then and again, I’ve also had those awkward moments when I’m stuck in a group of people with whom I really can’t identify. Much of this, I realize, was my fault; but some of it could have been helped by those who married before me. I could make an entire list of negative “please don’t do this to us singles,” but instead, I want to focus on the positive things I have found from my friendships with married people and how they have blessed me personally.

1) They don’t act like they’re on a “higher level” than I am, just because they’re married.

We’re all believers, walking the Christian life together. And we can share wisdom from the different paths we’re walking. They were once single, so they know some of the struggles we singles face. I’m not married, but I’m observant, and I have learned things from talking to older, wiser married couples, and can discuss matters that are relevant to married couples. It can really hurt to be viewed as a single who “doesn’t know anything about marriage” just because I haven’t experienced it (and likewise, I can also hurt married couples by pretending they “don’t know anything about being single” because they didn’t have to wait as long as I did). So a mutual respect between singles and married couples is a huge blessing.

2) They are interested in my life.

As a single, it can be difficult to only talk about marriage and raising kids (sometimes emotionally, but also because I can’t identify as closely with those subjects). So when a married couple discusses things that apply to my life and not just theirs, it means a lot to me. At the same time, I have also learned to talk about subjects that don’t apply to me—such as raising children (I kind of had that one easy, as I’m fifth of twelve children)—and how important it is to listen even if I have no clue what to say about a wife whose husband is going through a drastic job change.

3) They aren’t always matching me up.

Okay, okay, I had to add this one. My married siblings and friends totally tease about finding a guy for me or setting me up on a blind date, but I know they’re doing it in fun. Ultimately, they encourage me to stay content and wait on the Lord’s timing.

4) They aren’t afraid to live honestly.

I have observed two kinds of Christian couples: those who gush about how wonderful married life is and pretend that trials never happen, and those who are realistic in portraying that marriage is hard work and they don’t always get along with their spouse. Now, I realize there is a very fine line between living transparently and then women gossiping about and slandering their husbands. I do not condone the latter, but I have been very blessed by the couples who have been open about marriage not being perfect. Because of that, I feel that I have very realistic expectations of marriage—and yes, sometimes it helps me to appreciate the singleness season in which God has me. I know second-hand just how hard marriage can be and it isn’t something I want to just jump into without God leading me there!

5) We journey through life together.

There isn’t anything wrong with having a “singles only” game night or a “married couples” get-together… unless you never merge the two. I mean, take it from a single gal: married couples like to have just as much fun as us singles and just because they’re married doesn’t mean they’ve grown out of loving a good round of Taboo or Scattegories (refer back to point one, where I mentioned I’m observant ;)). I’m going to be openly honest and admit that some of the get-togethers I’ve been at would have been very dull if only singles had been invited. So, if you’re in a group that separates the two, totally merge them together!

I would love to hear thoughts from other married or single women—how have you been blessed by having a friend in a different season of life than you? What would you say to the single? What would you say to the married woman?

About Amanda

Amanda Tero began her love for words at a young age—reading anything she could get her hands on and penning short stories as young as age eight. Since graduation, she has honed her writing skills by dedicated practice and study of the writing craft. She began her journey of publication with a few short stories that she had written for her sisters and continued to add to her collection with other

short stories, novellas, and novels. It is her utmost desire to write that which not only pleases her Lord and Savior, but also draws the reader into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

Connect with Amanda
| Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Blog | Goodreads | Amazon | 
amandaterobooks@gmail.com

Giveaway

Amanda is giving away paperbacks, yes…
But she really wants to share this story with as many readers as possible. So, for release week, she’ll be sending eBooks to anyone who wants one! So hop over and submit your email for a free eBook!
 




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Visit Amanda’s blog for a complete list of bloggers and special tour information.

Book Reading Opportunity

Is your life too busy? Are you overwhelmed and burdened? Do you ever wonder if life in Christ really has to be this way? Six years ago, God gave me a non-fiction book on biblical rest – and today, YOU can read it!

If this sounds like a book God could encourage or challenge you with, I’m opening up applications for advance readers for this book. You’ll receive a digital pre-publication copy of the book in a week or two, and you’ll have until the end of the year to read it and give me your feedback and comments on the content. It’s about 47,000 words long.

Resting Life: Jesus’ Rest for the Busy or Burdened Believer

 

 

Status: in the midst of a final proofread. Cover design and formatting coming up next – then publication!

 

Forever With the Lord! (Now!)

At Home in Heaven
For Ever With the Lord
James Montgomery (1771–1854)

Tune: This is My Father’s World

Tempo: Fast, upbeat, joyful

“For ever with the Lord!”

—Amen; so let it be;

Life from the dead is in that word,

’Tis immortality.

Here in the body pent,

Absent from Him I roam;

Yet nightly pitch my moving tent

A day’s march nearer home.

My Father’s house on high,

Home of my soul, how near,

At times, to faith’s foreseeing eye,

Thy golden gates appear!

Ah! then my spirit faints

To reach the land I love,

The bright inheritance of saints,

Jerusalem above.

Yet clouds will intervene,

And all my prospect flies;

Like Noah’s dove, I flit between

Rough seas and stormy skies.

Anon the clouds dispart,

The winds and waters cease,

While sweetly o’er my gladden’d heart

Expands the bow of peace.

Beneath its glowing arch,

Along the hallow’d ground,

I see cherubic armies march,

A camp of fire around.

I hear at morn and even,

At noon and midnight hour,

The choral harmonies of heaven

Earth’s Babel-tongues o’erpower.

Then, then I feel that He,

(Remember’d or forgot,)

The Lord, is never far from me,

Though I perceive Him not.

 

 

Part II

In darkness as in light

Hidden alike from view,

I sleep, I wake within His sight

Who looks all nature through.

From the dim hour of birth,

Through every changing state

Of mortal pilgrimage on earth,

Till its appointed date;

All that I am, have been,

All that I yet may be,

He sees at once, as He hath seen

And shall for ever see.

How can I meet His eyes?

Mine on the cross I cast,

And own my life a Saviour’s prize,

Mercy from first to last.

“For ever with the Lord!”

—Father, if ’tis Thy will,

The promise of that faithful word,

Even here to me fulfil.

Be Thou at my right hand,

Then can I never fail;

Uphold Thou me, and I shall stand,

Fight, and I must prevail.

So when my latest breath

Shall rend the veil in twain,

By death I shall escape from death,

And life eternal gain.

Knowing as I am known,

How shall I love that word,

And oft repeat before the throne,

“For ever with the Lord!”

Then, though the soul enjoy

Communion high and sweet,

While worms this body must destroy,

Both shall in glory meet.

The trump of final doom

Will speak the self-same word,

And Heaven’s voice thunder through the tomb,

“For ever with the Lord!”

The tomb shall echo deep

That death-awakening sound;

The saints shall hear it in their sleep

And answer from the ground.

Then, upward as they fly,

That resurrection-word

Shall be their shout of victory,

“For ever with the Lord!”

The resurrection-word,

That shout of victory,

Once more,—“For ever with the Lord!”

Amen; so let it be.

 

 

 

 

 

All images sourced from Pinterest and credit belongs to the original artists.

Promising Prayer (or, Don’t Buy My Books Today)

Promise’s Prayer has been published for two years! This calls for a celebration, so as a gift to you this week, I’ve reduced to the ebook price to less than a dollar in case you’ve been interested in checking it out.

But I have something to share on the theme of Promise’s Prayer that’s far more important. If you can only help me on my writing journey in one way, don’t buy my books, review them, or even share them with others. Do this instead.

Life as a writer-mama of cute small people is full, including all the unexpected interruptions, sudden messes, and daily rearranged priorities.


 


Disappointments? Unmet expectations? Difficult people? Little pressures and struggles?


 


There’s a spiritual battle, and that spiritual battle is now.


 


We wrestle not against flesh and blood, the Bible says.





 


And those powers and principalities we do wrestle against can only be fought through prayer.


 


Whether it’s focused prayer-closet prayer or little prayer-sentences spoken in the midst of daily tasks, prayer is the answer.


Prayer grounds us in the chaos. Prayer breathes peace in circumstances out of our control. Prayer reminds the enemy that he has lost.





With the two-year anniversary of publishing Promise’s Prayer this week, I’ve been pondering all God has been revealing to me on this theme over the past several years.


 


Victory’s Voice (Book 2) has been a struggle to write. It’s about the power of spoken words in the spiritual realm, a theme the enemy doesn’t want revealed, doesn’t want touching people and changing lives. In order to continue penning this message, I need prayer. I want God to write this book, not me. I want His thoughts, not mine.


 


In other words, I can’t write Victory’s Voice. It must be prayed into being.


 


Another theme in Victory’s Voice is the power of standing together in speaking against the enemy. Biblically, there is spiritual strength in numbers.


 


And so I’d like to ask: Will you stand together in prayer for me for Victory’s Voice?


 


THIS is the most crucial way you can support my writing. If you can only help in one way, do this. Don’t buy my books. Don’t review them. Don’t tell your friends about them. Don’t tell me you enjoyed them. PRAY.




 


For Victory’s Voice, pray that God will:



– reveal His message and truth


– bind the enemy


– develop the characters, especially Ellisia and Caeleb


– reveal the details of the plot


– infuse His power


 


For me as I write, pray that God will:



– keep me open, humble, and listening to Him


– give me endurance


– open my eyes and ears to receive from Him – especially Himself as my wisdom


– keep me meditating on His Word day and night

 



If you will pray with me, could you let me know? Leave a prayer emoji or write “Praying” in the comments, or feel free to message me if you prefer.
Let’s not let the enemy win!

Introducing . . . Restful Readers!

This month I’ve been participating in #WIPJoy, a social media event where I post daily about my Work In Progress, responding to a specific prompt. I’ve been posting about Victory’s Voice, Book 2 in Truth from Taerna.

Yesterday’s prompt was quite difficult for me.

It isn’t that I don’t have supportive family. It isn’t that I don’t have awesome online writing friends and blog followers. I do. I could shout out to all of you. You truly add something to my life as an author. Some of you in particular have been extremely encouraging and supportive for various writing projects I’ve done as well as in my spiritual life. Thank you! I thank God for you.

It’s just that upon careful pondering, there really wasn’t anyone in particular who stood out as a reason I keep writing Victory’s Voice specifically.

Victory’s Voice is a unique book. It wasn’t supposed to be at all. After starting and scrapping at least four or five different plots and sets of characters, the entire month was a struggle just to get words on the page. Plot problems abounded. Since then, it’s been a mess of editing, re-classifying (it’s no longer fantasy, and none of my books will be fantasy, but that’s a post for another time), re-editing, and now re-plotting and rewriting. Plot elements don’t want to fall into place. The ending is elusive. It’s been three and a half years of hauling this wagon uphill by hand.

So . . . what does keep me going?

Wanting to publish future books in the series. Specifically, Sustainer’s Smile (Book 4), though Memory’s Mind (5) is also high on the list. I can’t wait to get Sustainer’s Smile out into the world, but first comes Victory’s Voice.
The importance of the message. The power of spoken words isn’t widely addressed in this culture, and it deserves to be known.
Most importantly, God. I believe this is a book He’s called me to write, and I will not let the enemy win.

That said, it’s still an uphill road.

A road that would be easier with a team to keep cheering me on. A team who loves my books. A team who periodically reminds me why I do this crazy thing called writing.

God created community, and God created fellowship.

And that’s what inspired me to finally take the plunge and create Restful Readers.

(Never mind that I intended to do so two years ago but was afraid no one would be interested. I’m still a bit afraid of that, to be honest, but I’m doing it anyway.)

Introducing . . .

Restful Readers!

My brand new author street team! I’m excited about this and can’t wait to connect there. There are several options for joining; you can join one or all! We’re headquartered in a closed Facebook group, we’ll chat in a private Google Hangouts group, and there’s an email list – plus I’ll add a Goodreads group if there’s enough reader interest.

Click Here to Join!

Restful Readers Is For You If:

You’ve enjoyed a book of mine and are willing to spread the word!

(Bonus if you’re looking forward to more books from me!)

What Restful Readers Get:

First Access to:

Short stories, tie-in Taerna stories, devotionals, and more!
ARCs (Advance Reader Copies – reading my books pre-publication)
Beta reading
Big news: titles, covers, ideas, and secret projects
Sneak peeks! Excerpts and perhaps even whole chapters
Sales, discounts, and free books


Bonus content: behind-the-scenes information, day-to-day glimpses of my writing process, freebies, and more
Exclusive contests
The opportunity to influence book content: vote on a poll, suggest a character name, and more!
Your name in print: shout-out in the acknowledgements section of my books (with your permission)
Your blog/social media supported and promoted on my channels (as you wish)
Fun, relaxing bookish chat!

What To Expect:

Periodically I’ll post “missions” for you to complete. I’ll let you know exactly what to do and what to expect, and I’ll make it as easy as possible for you to complete. I am motivated as an author by reader feedback. Supportive readers can push me through a few thousand more words!

I need both ongoing support and event support; that is, support leading up to and during a book release as well as ongoing support.

You can support my books any way you prefer, but here’s a few ideas to get you started. You’re free to do any of them at any time, and I’ll also periodically pick specific ones to highlight and simplify for you if you prefer to just follow along with me.

TALK TO ME. Ask me when the next book is coming out, say what you’re looking forward to, ask for writing updates, or just talk about my books in general. This motivates me to keep writing!
Leave reviews. Amazon. Goodreads. Your blog. Anywhere and everywhere. Extremely important for an indie author.
Sign up for my newsletter at restinglife.com
Word-of-mouth. This is the best way to help me get my books out there!
Like, comment on, and share my social media posts to help them reach more people.
Request that your library carry my book.
Beta read, or sign up for a blog tour or cover reveal.
Gift my books for Christmas, birthdays, or other occasions (buy directly from me).
Share your reviews. Tell other people why you liked my book.
Share others’ reviews or posts about my book.
Random shout-outs. Fangirl or fanboy over my books over the internet. Instagram my books.
Host me for an interview or guest post on your blog.
If you really love my books, get extra creative: post fan art, write fan fiction, make a YouTube review, have a Taerna-themed party, pester your bookstore to carry my books, read my book for a book club—the ideas are endless . . . basically make noise about the book!

Click Here to Join!

I’m excited to connect with those who have loved my work!

Your turn! Have you had a project as stubborn as Victory’s Voice? Do you have good support and fellowship? What makes you want to read Victory’s Voice? Will you be joining Restful Readers?

Victory’s Voice Chapter One Sneak Peek

1

She was quite lost to her surroundings. A blur of images paraded before her mental vision, sprung from the slightly-yellowed page open on her lap. Curled in the corner chair, Ellisia let her imagination travel as rapidly as her eyes. Dukes and drama, intrigue and investigation, foiled plots and feisty populace—every word seized her fancy as her mind rapidly painted each scene in vivid pictures. Her only focus: what the next chapter might hold.

She stuck her thumb under the corner to begin the page turn. Wishing to reread a particularly mysterious sentence, she wavered between pages for a brief instant.

Rap, rap.

Ellisia started, raising her head to glance towards the front door. Judging by the insistent force of the knock, someone had been trying to gain her attention for some time. She sighed, stuck a crumpled bit of paper between the pages, closed the book, and went to the door. Evidently she wouldn’t be finishing her story tonight.

Fumbling with the rusty metal, she lifted the latch.

“Reading again.” The dark-haired girl on the step didn’t even bother with a question mark. “Of course.”

Ellisia sighed and grinned at the same time. “Of course,” she echoed. “Come in, Dresie.”

The neighbor girl slipped her slim form through the doorway and past Ellisia. “Carita’s not home?”

“Not just now. And she took the baby.”

“Ah, how convenient for me. I hoped we could chat a bit.” The dark eyes roved the sitting room before landing on the book Ellisia had been reading. “And I don’t suppose you’d like to slip outdoors any more than you usually would.”

“Not really.” Ellisia slipped back into the chair. “It’s just on the brink between ‘too warm’ and ‘too cold,’ and every insect in Taerna seems to have gathered in our yard.”

Dresie threw back her head, a gilded laugh emerging. “You didn’t used to mind the insects,” she reminded Ellisia. “Remember when we’d play outside for hours as children? With Dixaen? And remember how you’d out-garden both of us?” She paused as her eyes flitted across the bookshelf in the corner. “We used to write about such times in our story journal . . . you still have that, don’t you?”

Ellisia murmured assent. “I can’t tell you where it is though . . . I haven’t looked at that for an eternity.”

Dresie’s fingers moved quickly across the titles. “It used to be back in this corner.” She pulled out several volumes, then reached back for a thin, worn cover wrinkled behind them. “Here. Just see.”

The lids fell open, and crooked letters sprawled faintly across the pages. Ellisia scanned the page, all of a sudden transported back to that autumn afternoon.

~~~

Nine Years Earlier

“Books? You’d better believe there are books, Ellisia. Why, whole roomfuls of books—you can’t even begin to imagine. Rooms bigger than your whole house. And shelves up to the ceiling.”

Dreamy wonder shone in her eyes as she gazed at Caeleb’s animated expression. A whole roomful of books at once! “Have you read them all?”

A laugh rang out. “No, I haven’t. Even you couldn’t possibly read all those books in one lifetime. One of my favorite BookHalls is in Amadel Academy—we call it the Palace Academy.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a school where students can learn about anything they want to—and get a certificate in that particular field.” Caeleb leaned back on his hands, his gaze trained on the sky for a moment before returning to Ellisia’s rapt expression. “They have a BookHall, though, and I enjoy going there because I can usually find a book more easily than at the Palace BookHall.”

“The Palace BookHall.” Ellisia’s words were an awed whisper.

“You’d love the Palace BookHall.” Caeleb plucked a blade of grass and tossed it at her. “You wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. Or rather, you’d have more to read than you’d know what to do with. You’d never leave. Shelves floor to ceiling. Three stories, at least. All filled with books. And, guess what?” He leaned forward conspiratorially.

“What?” She forced the whisper out, hardly able to breathe. Three stories of books! What next?

“They’re all lined up by color. Each topic is a different color. So when you walk in, it’s a stunning rainbow array of blues, greens, reds, oranges, yellows, purples, browns—floor to ceiling, mind you. And you’d tire yourself out before you reached the other side of the room.”

“Tire myself out . . .” The echo drifted into nothingness. “Caeleb, I’m visiting that BookHall someday.”

“I’m sure you will, princess.” Caeleb grinned before pushing to his feet. “Looks like Dresie and Dixaen are back again. Want to play Captured Bases again?”

“Of course!” She leaped up.

Several rousing rounds later, sunlight stretched the shadows into comically tall versions of their noontime selves, and Caeleb had disappeared inside to talk grownup business with Kaelan.

“We need to go back home now, Dixaen,” Dresie called, black braids flapping as she dashed around the yard scooping up the bases. “Grandfather said we must come when the sun touched the hilltops, and there it is now.”

“Get the ball, too, Dresie,” Ellisia returned. “Put it in the kitchen lean-to.” Taking a stick, she began erasing the lines they’d drawn in the dirt to mark the boundaries.

She’d reached the other edge of the yard when Dresie came flying back, panting heavily and braids flying. “I can’t open the lean-to. It must be locked.”

“Locked? No, it can’t be. We just got the things out of it earlier. And Carita never locks it while we’re still playing.” Ellisia followed her friend to the lean-to and took a deep breath as she tried the handle.

It wouldn’t budge.

“Can you go through the front door?” Ellisia asked.

Dresie disappeared, only to return a moment later. “That door’s locked, too.”

“What? No, it can’t be.” Ellisia breathed deeply once again as tightness welled up inside her. They couldn’t be locked out of the house. Carita would never do that.

Yet testing the door confirmed Dresie’s words, and Ellisia’s heart sank yet further. Knocking loudly produced no response, and Dixaen’s strength added to the girls’ efforts still failed to move the door handle.

“What will we do?” Dresie bit her lip, her face drooping. “You have to get in for the night.”

Ellisia thought rapidly. There was no other way in. One of these doors had to open. Where was Carita? Why didn’t she hear?

A text Carita had often sung to her shot into her mind. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock . . .” And there was that other song from Adon Olam’s Word: “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Adon Olam had said it. It must be true. Ellisia couldn’t open the door, and Carita wasn’t there, but Adon Olam was there always. Softly Ellisia sang the words, then louder and more boldly as she banged on the firmly-shut door. “Open!” she commanded the door. “Adon Olam says it shall be opened. So open, and let us in!”

Her right hand reached for the handle as her left hand continued to pound—and the door slipped open. “Thank you,” Ellisia said, stepping in.

Dresie brought the bases in and silently dropped them in the box where they belonged. “It opened,” she whispered. “It opened. It was locked.” She gazed around as if expecting to see Carita standing there somewhere.

“Adon Olam opened it for us,” Ellisia said matter-of-factly. “Or He sent one of His angels to do it. I knew He would. He always does when I say it for Him. He knew we needed to get in.”

Dresie nodded, wide-eyed. “That must be it.”

~~~

Ellisia blinked at the words in the journal. Nine years ago, and she still remembered the relief when that door had opened. Carita had been busy upstairs and hadn’t even heard their knocking. And that conversation with Caeleb . . . she hadn’t penned much of it in the journal, but every word had been seared into her heart. She’d dreamed regularly of Academy and the BookHall since that day.

“Remember when you told the door to open?” Dresie’s voice cut into her musings. “It just did. I almost couldn’t believe it.” She flipped a page.

Ellisia shrugged. “I remember. And I wasn’t surprised. That wasn’t the first time something like that happened.”

“I know.” A note of seriousness laced Dresie’s tones now. “I remember a few other occasions later on. Ellisia, honestly, did it happen a lot?”

“Some. Not regularly, but I certainly noticed it. Just seemed like part of life to me.”

“And do you remember when Grandfather was ill, and you told his disease to go away? I thought you were being too optimistic and unrealistic.”

“And then you couldn’t believe it when he recovered.” Ellisia sank into the green-backed chair and clasped her thin white hands in her lap. “I expected that, too.”

“Ellisia, there has to be more to this.” The whisper was earnest. “You know my cousin just married a teacher from Doekh. Those Doekhans know so much more about things than we do here, and my cousin says some of them have studied the effect words have and why.”

Ellisia’s dark eyes caught Dresie’s black ones. “Oh? It’s a matter of study there?”

“I hear so.”

The clasped hands tightened. “Then I’m going to learn. And find out.”

“How?”

Ellisia shrugged. “I have no idea. But some way or another, I’ll find someone who knows. You have no clue what it’s like, Dresie. It’s true—I sometimes say something, and, good or bad, later I see it happening. I’ve tried not to dwell on it too much, but now that you say it, I do believe you’re right—it has to be more than mere coincidence. I guess I’ve thought it’s like praying—you know how Carita prays. She prays; things happen. But if there’s more to it, I’m finding out.”

“Be careful, though.” Dresie shut the journal and shoved it onto the shelf. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with. And I don’t know how much I trust most of those people from Doekh. You know most of them don’t follow Adon Olam.”

Ellisia nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

~~~

Scarcely had Ellisia returned to her book after saying farewell to Dresie than a second knock sounded at the door. A sigh escaped her as she again rose to answer—no reading for her today. Was everyone in town out on social visits this afternoon? Her hand again sought the rusty latch.

Then she barreled forward, launching herself into the arms of the stocky man who stood outside. “Caeleb!” she exclaimed. “It’s so good to see you again! What are you doing here? How’s your grandfather? And your parents? What’s the news? How long can you stay?”

“Ellisia.” He returned the embrace with a broad grin. “Good to see you, too. You know, you’ve still grown since the last time I saw you.”

“Cae-leb . . .” she scolded gently.

“Not really.” His grin melted into a teasing chuckle. “But truly, it’s good to be back. Syorien’s social expectations do get tiring.”

“I’m sure they do.” She pulled back through the open door. “Won’t you come in?”

Caeleb entered, swinging himself easily into the room and towards the chair that Ellisia had deserted. “Reading again, I see,” he commented.

“Am I ever not?”

“Sometimes I wonder.”

He picked up the green-covered novel. “Is it a good book?”

“One of the best I’ve read! Especially this year. Though I certainly haven’t had many new books this year.” She sighed, biting her lip as her eyes again ran across the pitifully small collection on the corner shelves.

“And why is that?”

She shrugged. “Not enough new books in town here, I guess. I’ve read them all. Either borrowed them from those who have them, or I own them myself.” She plucked the book from Caeleb’s hand, thumbing through it. “This one was one the storekeeper’s wife picked up from a travelling merchant a month or two ago and saved for me until I could buy it. I’d love to be able to read a few more.”

Caeleb eased onto the low divan and stretched his arms behind his neck. “Well, what would you say if I told you that I could give you a chance to do just that?”

The book clattered to the table as she whirled to survey him. “You can? You didn’t bring more books, by chance?” She eyed the bag at his side with a slight frown—it hung as though stuffed with food and clothing, not books.

“Better than that.” Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Ellisia.

“What’s this?” She unfolded it.

“A listing of the certificates they’re offering at the Amadel Academy now,” Caeleb explained. “There’s one in particular that brought you to mind.”

She scanned the list quickly, her heart racing. She well knew that Amadel Academy—the “Palace Academy,” as it was commonly called—was open only to select scholars, and not penniless ones like she was. And it was so far from her home here in Frydael . . .

A title jumped out at her. “World Literature?” she exclaimed. “There’s such a thing?” Never in all her seventeen years had she heard of someone who was certified in literature.

Caeleb leaned back, his hands again resting behind his head. “It’s a new whim in Syorien. Don’t know who decided to offer it or why, but there it is.”

“Truly.” She was whispering now. A trembling excitement seized her, and her hand still holding the list shook. Grayness swirled about the edges of her vision, but the words WORLD LITERATURE stood emboldened with crystal clarity before her eyes.

“I know how much you love books, and I know how much you want to continue your education. You’ve done an excellent job teaching yourself all these years, and I’d love to see that continue.”

“But you know I can’t . . .” she began, still in a whisper. Oh, how she wanted this.

“I know Carita can’t afford to send you anywhere,” Caeleb went on, plucking the list out of Ellisia’s trembling fingers, “though I know she wants you to get all the learning you can. But I have a proposition.” He grinned as he tucked the list back into his bag and folded his hands around his raised knee. “How would you like to come to Syorien with me and go to Academy?”

Ellisia’s mind whirled. “With you? I couldn’t just . . .How?”

“It’s simple. You know that I’ve been back in Syorien with my grandparents for a while. My parents are in the country currently. We’ve been living next door to one of my sisters.” He paused. “And now for the news you asked for.”

“What news?”

“Family news, of course. What else would you want to know?” His eyes twinkled.

“About Academy.” The words tumbled out before she could think. She clasped her hands tightly, trying to be patient. Could she truly attend Academy? What did Caeleb have in mind?

Caeleb grinned. “All in time. Family news first.” His smile tantalized her. What about Academy? He went on, seemingly oblivious to her excitement. “My sister just had triplets. Healthy babies, all three of them. But she needs assistance, and for some reason she won’t trust the daytime care of them solely to me.” He sighed, rubbing his palm across his bag, his nose wrinkled at Ellisia. “So—would you come to live with Mae, help her with the babies, and go to Academy?”

Ellisia’s eyes widened. “I’d do anything to go to Academy. But what does she want me to do?”

“Mostly just the ordinary housework, I think,” he replied. “She’s been having a neighbor girl help her with the babies during the daytime, and she is adjusting to the care of them, but the other work could use a hand. I figure Carita’s given you plenty of practice.”

Ellisia wrinkled her nose. “Sure.” She’d never enjoyed housework as her sister had, but she’d accompanied Carita many times on missions of mercy to neighbors’ homes in Frydael. She knew how to work, anyhow. “I’d do that. And—do you think I would be qualified to enter for the World Literature line? What does it involve? Can I get certified in that?”

“I’m sure you can do it easily if you set your mind to it,” Caeleb encouraged her. “I’m not certain what it involves, but I assume it involves books in some form.”

“Of course.” Ellisia chuckled, nervous excitement bubbling over.

“And yes, you can get certified in that field. It’s a three-year program.”

“When does it begin?”

“Beginning of summer,” Caeleb answered. “That’s just two weeks away. Are you interested?” He grinned once more.

“Interested? Is that even a question?” Ellisia flew out of her seat and seized his hand, then released it and sat down again. “I’ll go. If Carita will let me. When are you returning to Syorien?”

“I hoped to make a week’s visit here . . .” He trailed off. When she didn’t answer, he went on. “But they won’t let me off that long. I’m leaving in five days. Can you be ready that quickly?”

“Can I? I could be ready tonight! I just have to pack my books . . .”

“There are plenty of books in Syorien, Ellisia.” Caeleb laughed.

She shook her head, an arch smile across her face. “You wouldn’t understand. I certainly need to bring my favorites. There’s something about a particular book you’ve read over and over. There’s simply no other copy that will do.”

“Can’t argue with that one.” Caeleb stood. “Now where is Carita, anyway, that we’ve been left to ourselves so long?”

“She and the baby are over visiting Mrs. Jaelrven and her little flock. I suspect they’ll be at it a long while yet.”

“I suspect so.” Caeleb agreed. “In the meantime, want to play a game of Trux?”

“Most certainly,” Ellisia stated with alacrity. Skirts spinning, she headed for the cupboard and removed the game board and pieces. “If I can calm my mind that long. Are you sure I shouldn’t start packing right now?”

“And leave my lonesome self to laze away on one of the sole four days of the only vacation I’ve had in months? Yes, Ellisia. Go pack. I’ll manage.” He pulled a despondent face, and wooden pieces slipped from Ellisia’s hand as she doubled over in laughter.

“No, Caeleb. Trux it is. You are stuck with it now.”

After an intense game—in which Ellisia came off the winner amid much back and forth bantering—Caeleb excused himself. Laughing goodbyes were exchanged, then he touched his hat and moved out of the doorway, waving.

She waved back, unable to wipe the smile off her face.

She was going to Academy!

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Copyright (c) 2019-2020 by Erika Mathews. All rights reserved.

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