Ada Brownell's Blog, page 38
June 16, 2015
WHEN YOUR GET UP AND GO GETS UP AND GOES: FORTITUDE OR ATTITUDE?
By Linda Rondeau
The remarkable thing about spiritual initiative is that the life and power comes after we 'get up and get going.' God does not give us overcoming life--He gives us life as we overcome."--- Oswald Chambers
Oswald wrote these words a long time ago. How did he know that our culture today would be so draining we’d have problems plodding through our days? So what should I do when my get up and go gets up and goes? Should I simply sit and wait for it to come back? There are days I think it has permanently left the building.
That Sinking FeelingSometimes my kids would complain that they didn’t feel like going to school. Of course, I dumbly retorted with, “Well, some days I don’t feel like going to work. So what would happen if I didn’t go to work?” Kids are smarter than that. They equate a job with money. Kids aren’t paid to go to school. So the analogy falls short and the kids’ incentive to attend school is by no means enhanced. I revert to the old
standby sans rationale, ”Get out of bed. You’re going to school because I said so.” After they complied, their agile joints finally got their juices flowing. Often they’d come home saying their day ended up being good after all.Often, the body will eventually fall into sync with the mind. Exercise gurus are quick to point out that the feel- good hormone lags behind the action. In other words, the getup and go will return once my get up and go gets going.
I suppose that is true with our spiritual life as well. There are aspects of the Christian life that demand energy often at times when I feel the most depleted. That is when the Father reminds me, “Let his mind be also in you…”
So which comes first? Fortitude or attitude?
THE OTHER SIDE OF DARKNESS
By Linda Rondeau
SummaryThese are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them (Isaiah 42:16).
After setting out on a forced vacation, and literally running into a moose, Manhattan Assistant D.A. Samantha Knowles finds it’s not so bad being stranded in a quirky but intriguing Adirondack town. But when her three-year prosecution against convicted killer, Harlan Styles begins to unravel, she’s thrust into a whirlwind of haunting memories, fear, and danger. And suddenly, Haven isn’t so safe, after all.
With no future in Haven, and no way to escape the small town, teacher Zack Bordeaux fears he’s doomed to a life of mediocrity. Haunted by the deaths of his wife and son, landscape artist Jonathan Gladstone feels bound to an estate he both loves and loathes. But when Zack and Jonathon meet Samantha, their lives take on a different course.
Three lives intertwined, tied together by dangerous circumstance and the faint echoes of an elusive hope. To make it through, each must find their way to the Light that’s found only on the other side of darkness.
A SELAH AWARD WINNER
Winner of the 2012 Selah Award for best first novel The Other Side of Darkness, LINDA WOOD RONDEAU, writes blended contemporary fiction that speaks to the heart and offers hope to those with damaged lives. After a long career in human services, Linda now resides in Jacksonville, Florida. A Christmas Prayer, (aka A Father’s Prayer) was a finalist for both the 2014 Selah and Carol Awards.
It Really IS a Wonderful Life, inspired by the author’s personal experience, quickly became a Christmas classic. Watch for Fiddler’s Fling and Red Sky Promise, inspirational romances expected to be released later in 2015.
For sci-fi lovers, Rondeau offers a free download of her book, The Fifteenth article, from her website. Feel free to share with friends and family.
Readers may visit her web site at www.lindarondeau.com, her blog, Salt and Light, or email her at lindarondeau@gmail.com or find her on Facebook, Twitter, PInterest, Google Plusand Goodreads.
June 12, 2015
Encouragement for Single Mothers
By Dawn V. CahillCRUMPETS AND TEA – Encouragement for Single Moms
Psalm 68:5 – A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.ABOUT “CRUMPETS AND TEA”
In the far northwest corner of the United States lies an island-studded body of water called Puget Sound. Boats of all shapes and sizes ply the waters of the Sound—from super-sized freighters to stately ferries to skinny canoes. Excursion boats take guests on high-speed tours between Seattle and the English-themed city of Victoria, BC.
One of these tour boats, the now-defunct Princess Marguerite, was once known for its catchy radio jingle. “Take a Princess to sea,” sang a British-accented gentleman. “Have some crumpets and tea.” If you closed your eyes, you could visualize yourself dropping all your cares overboard while you relaxed and indulged in the decidedly British custom of afternoon tea in plush surroundings. Uniformed bodies would hover nearby, waiting to meet your every need. You relish in the sensation of letting someone else do all the work for once.
Isn’t this what most of us single parents, especially moms, dream about? And that’s what I want to do for you…let you sit back and take a short breather from all your burdens. Just as though you were relaxing on the Princess Marguerite like a queen.
I’ll share encouraging Bible verses, nuggets of wisdom that others have passed on to me over the years, and strategies I learned as a single mother that made my job a little bit easier.I’m glad you’ve joined me for crumpets and tea. Now, sit back, put your feet up, and exhale out all your worries. It’s your turn to be queen for a day.
About Dawn
Since I was a small child, I've loved stories, both reading and writing them. One of my earliest stories got high accolades from my third grade teacher. It was about a little Manx kitten whose mother rejected her because she didn't have a tail. Until an older, wiser cat helped the mother understand the importance of accepting her children the way God made them.
Over the years, I cranked out many a story, started and stopped several more. The most memorable one I started as a teenager, and I've promised myself and my sons I'm going to finish it someday. I called it "Mitch and the Martians." A group of Martian buddies visit Earth, just happen to land on the State Capitol building in Salem, Oregon (my home at the time), saw the brass-plated statue of a pioneer on the dome, and assumed all Earthlings looked like that. So they turned themselves into brass men and walked the streets of Salem. Strange adventures ensue!
We know much more about Mars now. When I finish the story, I'll include the premise that the residents of Mars live underground, which is why the NASA explorations never saw them!
I put writing on the back burner once I began raising my sons as a single mom. That was the hardest job I've ever done, but now I feel a nudge from the Lord to encourage other women who are facing the same struggles I did. My blog section called "Crumpets and Tea" is targeted especially for single mothers, and includes personal anecdotes and what I learned from them, as well as Bible verses and how the Lord used them to encourage me during my darkest days.
I started my first novel two years ago, and now have two completed ones to my name. And I'm one-fourth of the way through my third. I'm excited that the Lord reawakened my passion for writing, and am looking forward to seeing what He does through me!
Your readers might enjoy my latest post. It's a recipe with a twist!http://dawnvcahill.com/2015/06/07/recipe-of-a-single-mom/
Dawn's First Published Book
A short story available only in ebook, When Lyric Met Limerick. Here's the blurb:
Aspiring rock star Howard McCreary only wants to be rich and famous. At least that’s what he’d always thought until Luna Rickles, the cute poetess, walked into his life. But when disaster strikes, his rock star career comes to a screeching halt. As his troubles escalate, Howard makes a desperate bargain with God. But as the walls crumble around him, is it too late for Howard? Or can God really redeem his mistakes and turn them into something good?
Here are the links to my book. On the bookshop manager link, all formats are available for download. Bookshop manager - http://my.bookbaby.com/book/dawnvcahillAmazon - http://www.amazon.com/When-Lyric-Limerick-Dawn-Cahill-ebook/dp/B00QMYFHHY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1433714577&sr=1-1&keywords=when+lyric+met+limerick
Here's my Facebook author page:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dawn-V-Cahill/581290478668884?ref=hlAnd my website:http://dawnvcahill.com
Psalm 68:5 – A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.ABOUT “CRUMPETS AND TEA”In the far northwest corner of the United States lies an island-studded body of water called Puget Sound. Boats of all shapes and sizes ply the waters of the Sound—from super-sized freighters to stately ferries to skinny canoes. Excursion boats take guests on high-speed tours between Seattle and the English-themed city of Victoria, BC.
One of these tour boats, the now-defunct Princess Marguerite, was once known for its catchy radio jingle. “Take a Princess to sea,” sang a British-accented gentleman. “Have some crumpets and tea.” If you closed your eyes, you could visualize yourself dropping all your cares overboard while you relaxed and indulged in the decidedly British custom of afternoon tea in plush surroundings. Uniformed bodies would hover nearby, waiting to meet your every need. You relish in the sensation of letting someone else do all the work for once.
Isn’t this what most of us single parents, especially moms, dream about? And that’s what I want to do for you…let you sit back and take a short breather from all your burdens. Just as though you were relaxing on the Princess Marguerite like a queen.
I’ll share encouraging Bible verses, nuggets of wisdom that others have passed on to me over the years, and strategies I learned as a single mother that made my job a little bit easier.I’m glad you’ve joined me for crumpets and tea. Now, sit back, put your feet up, and exhale out all your worries. It’s your turn to be queen for a day.
About Dawn
Since I was a small child, I've loved stories, both reading and writing them. One of my earliest stories got high accolades from my third grade teacher. It was about a little Manx kitten whose mother rejected her because she didn't have a tail. Until an older, wiser cat helped the mother understand the importance of accepting her children the way God made them.
Over the years, I cranked out many a story, started and stopped several more. The most memorable one I started as a teenager, and I've promised myself and my sons I'm going to finish it someday. I called it "Mitch and the Martians." A group of Martian buddies visit Earth, just happen to land on the State Capitol building in Salem, Oregon (my home at the time), saw the brass-plated statue of a pioneer on the dome, and assumed all Earthlings looked like that. So they turned themselves into brass men and walked the streets of Salem. Strange adventures ensue!
We know much more about Mars now. When I finish the story, I'll include the premise that the residents of Mars live underground, which is why the NASA explorations never saw them!
I put writing on the back burner once I began raising my sons as a single mom. That was the hardest job I've ever done, but now I feel a nudge from the Lord to encourage other women who are facing the same struggles I did. My blog section called "Crumpets and Tea" is targeted especially for single mothers, and includes personal anecdotes and what I learned from them, as well as Bible verses and how the Lord used them to encourage me during my darkest days.
I started my first novel two years ago, and now have two completed ones to my name. And I'm one-fourth of the way through my third. I'm excited that the Lord reawakened my passion for writing, and am looking forward to seeing what He does through me!
Your readers might enjoy my latest post. It's a recipe with a twist!http://dawnvcahill.com/2015/06/07/recipe-of-a-single-mom/
Dawn's First Published Book
A short story available only in ebook, When Lyric Met Limerick. Here's the blurb:
Aspiring rock star Howard McCreary only wants to be rich and famous. At least that’s what he’d always thought until Luna Rickles, the cute poetess, walked into his life. But when disaster strikes, his rock star career comes to a screeching halt. As his troubles escalate, Howard makes a desperate bargain with God. But as the walls crumble around him, is it too late for Howard? Or can God really redeem his mistakes and turn them into something good?Here are the links to my book. On the bookshop manager link, all formats are available for download. Bookshop manager - http://my.bookbaby.com/book/dawnvcahillAmazon - http://www.amazon.com/When-Lyric-Limerick-Dawn-Cahill-ebook/dp/B00QMYFHHY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1433714577&sr=1-1&keywords=when+lyric+met+limerick
Here's my Facebook author page:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dawn-V-Cahill/581290478668884?ref=hlAnd my website:http://dawnvcahill.com
June 9, 2015
HOW GOD USED A DEVASTATING ACCIDENT WITH A LOGGING TRUCK TO BLESS BONNIE LEON
God Has a Plan
By Bonnie Leon
We daydream, contemplate our future and make plans. But the plans of man are questionable at best. We decide what we believe is right, but God knows better and sometimes he says, “No. I have a more excellent way.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, says the Lord.”
In May of 1991, after being highly encouraged by an author who’d taught at a writers’ workshop, I drove home with my head full of ideas about my writing career. But God had another plan. And if I’d had a choice I might well have said, “No.”
A few weeks following the workshop I drove my van up a winding road near my home. A loaded log truck approached from the opposite direction and barreled around a corner where he tipped over in front of me and then slammed into my van.
In a moment my life changed. My grand ideas disappeared like a morning mist.
I spent the next year and a half with doctors, every kind of therapist, loss of mobility and loss of spirit. No matter how much I longed for the old me I couldn’t reclaim it.
One day, hopeless and desperate I asked God to give me something to do that mattered. He heard my prayer. He always hears our prayers.
One step at a time he led me forward and flung wide every door toward writing and publishing. All he asked of me was to trust and to step through his opened doors. Two years following my horrific accident I sold my first novel, The Journey of Eleven Moons. I’ve since written and published twenty more.
I live with pain and disability, but God gave me a great gift—servant to the Most High God.He has a plan for you—all you have to do is walk through his opened doors to discover what it is.
Summary of To Dance With Dolphins by Bonnie Leon
Twenty-one-year-old Claire Murray has suffered from a mysterious disease for years. Her social circle has shrunk to a small support group for people with chronic illness and disability. But what if life could be about more than doctors, pain, and medications?
Claire and three others—old grouch Tom, hippy-holdout Willow, and moody Taylor—hatch plans for a cross-country trip to swim with the dolphins in Florida. Only a day into the trip, they unexpectedly need help. And who happens to be hitchhiking along the highway but a young, good-looking loner named Sean Sullivan? However, the last thing he wants is to be harnessed to a bunch of ailing travelers.
Though the journey proves difficult, following God’s plan might be even harder. Will they find the courage to follow their dreams and dare to live again?
Here's more about Bonnie Leon
Bonnie Leon is the author of twenty-one novels, including the recently released Where Eagles Soar, the popular Alaskan Skies and bestselling The Journey of Eleven Moons and bestselling series, Sydney Cove. In 2014 Bonnie branched out into independent writing with her first ever memoir, a story about A Native American woman who grew up in the Alaskan wildnerness where she learned to hunt, trap, and survive. Her greatest foe, however, was not the grizzlies or wolves in the wilds, but rather her father. Bonnie’s books are being read internationally and she hears from readers in Australia, Europe, and even Africa. She enjoys speaking for women’s groups and teaching at writing seminars and conventions. These days, her time is filled with writing, being a grandmother and relishing precious time with her aged mother. Bonnie and her husband, Greg, live in Southern Oregon. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.
You can find bonnie athttps://www.bonnieleon.comhttps://www.facebook.com/BonnieLeonAuthorhttps://www.bonnieleon.blogspot.comhttps://www.@bonnie_leonhttps://www.pinterest.com/bonnieleon/
By Bonnie Leon
We daydream, contemplate our future and make plans. But the plans of man are questionable at best. We decide what we believe is right, but God knows better and sometimes he says, “No. I have a more excellent way.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, says the Lord.”
In May of 1991, after being highly encouraged by an author who’d taught at a writers’ workshop, I drove home with my head full of ideas about my writing career. But God had another plan. And if I’d had a choice I might well have said, “No.”
A few weeks following the workshop I drove my van up a winding road near my home. A loaded log truck approached from the opposite direction and barreled around a corner where he tipped over in front of me and then slammed into my van.
In a moment my life changed. My grand ideas disappeared like a morning mist.
I spent the next year and a half with doctors, every kind of therapist, loss of mobility and loss of spirit. No matter how much I longed for the old me I couldn’t reclaim it.
One day, hopeless and desperate I asked God to give me something to do that mattered. He heard my prayer. He always hears our prayers.
One step at a time he led me forward and flung wide every door toward writing and publishing. All he asked of me was to trust and to step through his opened doors. Two years following my horrific accident I sold my first novel, The Journey of Eleven Moons. I’ve since written and published twenty more.
I live with pain and disability, but God gave me a great gift—servant to the Most High God.He has a plan for you—all you have to do is walk through his opened doors to discover what it is.
Summary of To Dance With Dolphins by Bonnie Leon
Twenty-one-year-old Claire Murray has suffered from a mysterious disease for years. Her social circle has shrunk to a small support group for people with chronic illness and disability. But what if life could be about more than doctors, pain, and medications?
Claire and three others—old grouch Tom, hippy-holdout Willow, and moody Taylor—hatch plans for a cross-country trip to swim with the dolphins in Florida. Only a day into the trip, they unexpectedly need help. And who happens to be hitchhiking along the highway but a young, good-looking loner named Sean Sullivan? However, the last thing he wants is to be harnessed to a bunch of ailing travelers.
Though the journey proves difficult, following God’s plan might be even harder. Will they find the courage to follow their dreams and dare to live again?
Here's more about Bonnie Leon
Bonnie Leon is the author of twenty-one novels, including the recently released Where Eagles Soar, the popular Alaskan Skies and bestselling The Journey of Eleven Moons and bestselling series, Sydney Cove. In 2014 Bonnie branched out into independent writing with her first ever memoir, a story about A Native American woman who grew up in the Alaskan wildnerness where she learned to hunt, trap, and survive. Her greatest foe, however, was not the grizzlies or wolves in the wilds, but rather her father. Bonnie’s books are being read internationally and she hears from readers in Australia, Europe, and even Africa. She enjoys speaking for women’s groups and teaching at writing seminars and conventions. These days, her time is filled with writing, being a grandmother and relishing precious time with her aged mother. Bonnie and her husband, Greg, live in Southern Oregon. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.
You can find bonnie athttps://www.bonnieleon.comhttps://www.facebook.com/BonnieLeonAuthorhttps://www.bonnieleon.blogspot.comhttps://www.@bonnie_leonhttps://www.pinterest.com/bonnieleon/
June 6, 2015
Ada Brownell Summer 2015 Newsletter: The Lady Fugitive on sale and Facts, Faith & Propaganda Free June 11-13
Dear Reader Friend:A couple of days ago good news came to me unexpectedly. Elk Lake Publishing reduced the price of the Kindle version of my book, The Lady
Fugitive from $9.98 to $3.98.I don’t know if it’s a special sale or a permanent markdown. It probably depends on how many sell at this new price. The historical romance has 46 reviews on Amazon.
To celebrate the price reduction of The Lady Fugitive, my new book, Facts, Faith and Propaganda, will be free June 11 to 13, which is Thursday through Saturday. This scripture sums up what Facts, Faith and Propaganda is about: “ Things we have heard and known we will not hide from our children. So the next generation will know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn will tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God” (Psalm 78:4-6 NIV). I’m so blessed our five children serve the Lord (one already is in heaven). I was honored to teach youth a large hunk of my life, and teaching in Christian education made me dig into the truth. Then being a newspaper reporter exposed me to the world as it is, not how we wish it would be. As a representative of The Pueblo Chieftain I could ask any question I needed to reveal truth for a story, and as a result I learned as well as my readers.
When you thoroughly investigate a subject through testimony and evidence, truth comes out. I now understand some of the reasons why many youth reject Christianity. According to the Pew Research Center the number of people who identify with Christianity dropped nearly 8 percent from 2007 to 2014. Most of the dropouts were young adults. Now is the time to learn about some of the problems and understand this happened because truth has been spinned, hidden, or because youth often haven’t been taught what they needed to know at church. Share the facts with your children and grandchildren.Now (deep breath) here’s the short summary for The Lady Fugitive, a fun, suspenseful, entertaining book that readers say made them laugh cry, and sometimes wish they had a gun to help. They love the characters and most say they couldn’t put it down.Short Summary of The Lady FugitiveHow does a respected elocutionist become a face on a wanted poster?Jenny Louise Parks escapes from the coal bin, and her abusive uncle offers a handsome reward for her return. Because he is a judge, he will find her or he won’t inherit her parents’ ranch. Determination to remain free grips Jenny, especially after she meets William and there’s a hint of romance. But while peddling household goods and showing a Passion of the Christ moving picture, he discovers his father’s brutal murder.Will Jenny avoid the bounty hunters? Can she forgive the person who turns her in?Get both books on Ada Brownell’s Amazon author page https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell or at buff.ly/L8up6E
RECIPELillian’s Zucchini BreadNote: Lillian was my stepmother. Almost everyone who tastes this zucchini bread says it’s the best they ever ate. It’s so moist! I wrap cooled loaves in foil and freeze to later give as gifts or share at meetings.1 cup oil 2 teaspoons cinnamon3 eggs 3 cups flour1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon soda1 cup white sugar ¼ teaspoon cloves2 teaspoons vanilla ½ teaspoon nutmeg2 cups zucchini, grated ½ cup walnuts or pecans1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup raisins1 teaspoon saltIn large bowl mix oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla. Add zucchini, then dry ingredients. After well mixed stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F.
Fugitive from $9.98 to $3.98.I don’t know if it’s a special sale or a permanent markdown. It probably depends on how many sell at this new price. The historical romance has 46 reviews on Amazon.To celebrate the price reduction of The Lady Fugitive, my new book, Facts, Faith and Propaganda, will be free June 11 to 13, which is Thursday through Saturday. This scripture sums up what Facts, Faith and Propaganda is about: “ Things we have heard and known we will not hide from our children. So the next generation will know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn will tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God” (Psalm 78:4-6 NIV). I’m so blessed our five children serve the Lord (one already is in heaven). I was honored to teach youth a large hunk of my life, and teaching in Christian education made me dig into the truth. Then being a newspaper reporter exposed me to the world as it is, not how we wish it would be. As a representative of The Pueblo Chieftain I could ask any question I needed to reveal truth for a story, and as a result I learned as well as my readers.
When you thoroughly investigate a subject through testimony and evidence, truth comes out. I now understand some of the reasons why many youth reject Christianity. According to the Pew Research Center the number of people who identify with Christianity dropped nearly 8 percent from 2007 to 2014. Most of the dropouts were young adults. Now is the time to learn about some of the problems and understand this happened because truth has been spinned, hidden, or because youth often haven’t been taught what they needed to know at church. Share the facts with your children and grandchildren.Now (deep breath) here’s the short summary for The Lady Fugitive, a fun, suspenseful, entertaining book that readers say made them laugh cry, and sometimes wish they had a gun to help. They love the characters and most say they couldn’t put it down.Short Summary of The Lady FugitiveHow does a respected elocutionist become a face on a wanted poster?Jenny Louise Parks escapes from the coal bin, and her abusive uncle offers a handsome reward for her return. Because he is a judge, he will find her or he won’t inherit her parents’ ranch. Determination to remain free grips Jenny, especially after she meets William and there’s a hint of romance. But while peddling household goods and showing a Passion of the Christ moving picture, he discovers his father’s brutal murder.Will Jenny avoid the bounty hunters? Can she forgive the person who turns her in?Get both books on Ada Brownell’s Amazon author page https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell or at buff.ly/L8up6ERECIPELillian’s Zucchini BreadNote: Lillian was my stepmother. Almost everyone who tastes this zucchini bread says it’s the best they ever ate. It’s so moist! I wrap cooled loaves in foil and freeze to later give as gifts or share at meetings.1 cup oil 2 teaspoons cinnamon3 eggs 3 cups flour1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon soda1 cup white sugar ¼ teaspoon cloves2 teaspoons vanilla ½ teaspoon nutmeg2 cups zucchini, grated ½ cup walnuts or pecans1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup raisins1 teaspoon saltIn large bowl mix oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla. Add zucchini, then dry ingredients. After well mixed stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F.
June 4, 2015
Bonnie Engstrom and Butterfly Dreams. Are you becoming beautiful inside and out?
MEET AUTHOR BONNIE ENGSTROM
Butterfly Dreams
"Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24 Stories to make you laugh a little, love a lot and believe!
2nd Place Winner ~ Writer's Digest 81st Annual Writing Competition Short Story Category
Link to book on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Dreams-Christian-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B00XZVOYKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432212771&sr=8-1&keywords=butterfly+dreams+engstrom
Biographical Sketch
Bonnie Engstrom holds a BA in English from the University of Southern California and studied Creative Writing at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as post graduate work at the University of California at Irvine. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with husband Dave of fifty years, is the mother of three grown children and the proud grandmother of six grandchildren, four of them who live in Scottsdale and two in Costa Rica!She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an original invited member of Gayle Roper’s Fiction Mentoring Clinic, Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, 2003 mentored by James Scott Bell. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and a member of Christian Writers of the West, the regional Arizona chapter of ACFW.She has judged the ACFW Genesis and the Carol Awards contest numerous times.She proudly promoted Christian fiction by serving as a reader at www.readingwriters.com, where she critiqued manuscripts for both published and non-published writers. Her Reading Writers bio reflects her faith, and she believes she was only one of two Christian reviewers.In addition to giving complimentary critiques to many ACFW writers, she has been an influencer and reviewer for Sharon Dunn, Deborah Raney, Brandilyn Collins, Dan Walsh, Sharon Shrock, Richard Mabry, A.K. Arenz, Kathryn Cushman and Linda Windsor.Her education column, Beyond the Basics, appeared for several years in The Newport Ensign and Costa Mesa News newspapers (CA) as a result of her involvement in education – thirty years in Parent, Teacher Associations and serving as a five time PTA president both locally and school district-wide. She authored several PTA award proposals: one for Outstanding Unit which won top California PTA honors, one for Outstanding Teacher of the Year for which the nominated teacher placed second nationally, and another for a National PTA Outstanding Unit Award that garnered first place and for which she presented workshops at a National PTA Convention. She also co-authored an innovative, updated version of the National PTA Reflections Program (a contest for students to stimulate creativity in broad spectrum arts, including writing). She presented the program with her co-author at two state PTA conventions and numerous Orange County workshops. She has twice been an invited workshop presenter for the Consortium of Independent Studies in California. She also wrote a monthly column for the Christian Media Association newsletter, and several articles for Write On!, the quarterly newsletter for the Orange County Christian Writers Fellowship. When she attended the 2005 ACFW conference in Nashville two editors requested a full manuscript with changes of her women’s fiction Second Chances. Because of a sudden move from one state to another, she was unable to comply within their timeframes. The manuscript was requested again at the 2007 ACFW conference. However, it has been expanded and no longer fits within the word count requirement for Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line.Her entire adult life was comprised of writing and volunteering in education from co-founding a unique parent-cooperative community preschool to writing education columns and publishing hundreds of PTA newsletters that she laid out by hand with a waxer before computers made late nights easier.Almost all of her stories are set in Arizona and in California where she used to live. One is set partly in Sweden in the cities and towns where her husband’s and her ancestors lived.She loves to hear from friends and readers at her website: www.bonnieengstrom.com.
Bonnie Engstrom loves to write and she loves food, especially sushi and salad. She used to love to cook, but since her husband retired he took over as resident chef. Many of her stories are centered around food, two around Swedish food reflecting the couple’s heritage. She grew up in Pittsburgh, he in Chicago, and they met in Washington, D.C when they attended George Washington University. They raised their children in Southern California (that is a separate state from Northern California, isn’t it?), so several of her stories are set in Newport Beach where she was an advocate for education, mostly in PTA, for over thirty years.She lives in Arizona with psychologist husband Dave of fifty years, is the mother of three grown children and the proud grandmother of six grandchildren, four of whom live in Scottsdale and two in Costa Rica on the beach! Pura Vida! Surf on! The couple’s eldest son is an IT expert who taught his mother everything she knows about computer literacy. Unfortunately, he and his wife life in Maryland, too far to fly home for a weekend to help Mom as he used to when she lived in California and he in Arizona.She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted at bengstrom@hotmail.com
Butterfly Dreams
"Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24 Stories to make you laugh a little, love a lot and believe!
2nd Place Winner ~ Writer's Digest 81st Annual Writing Competition Short Story Category
Link to book on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Dreams-Christian-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B00XZVOYKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432212771&sr=8-1&keywords=butterfly+dreams+engstrom
Biographical Sketch
Bonnie Engstrom holds a BA in English from the University of Southern California and studied Creative Writing at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as post graduate work at the University of California at Irvine. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with husband Dave of fifty years, is the mother of three grown children and the proud grandmother of six grandchildren, four of them who live in Scottsdale and two in Costa Rica!She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an original invited member of Gayle Roper’s Fiction Mentoring Clinic, Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, 2003 mentored by James Scott Bell. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and a member of Christian Writers of the West, the regional Arizona chapter of ACFW.She has judged the ACFW Genesis and the Carol Awards contest numerous times.She proudly promoted Christian fiction by serving as a reader at www.readingwriters.com, where she critiqued manuscripts for both published and non-published writers. Her Reading Writers bio reflects her faith, and she believes she was only one of two Christian reviewers.In addition to giving complimentary critiques to many ACFW writers, she has been an influencer and reviewer for Sharon Dunn, Deborah Raney, Brandilyn Collins, Dan Walsh, Sharon Shrock, Richard Mabry, A.K. Arenz, Kathryn Cushman and Linda Windsor.Her education column, Beyond the Basics, appeared for several years in The Newport Ensign and Costa Mesa News newspapers (CA) as a result of her involvement in education – thirty years in Parent, Teacher Associations and serving as a five time PTA president both locally and school district-wide. She authored several PTA award proposals: one for Outstanding Unit which won top California PTA honors, one for Outstanding Teacher of the Year for which the nominated teacher placed second nationally, and another for a National PTA Outstanding Unit Award that garnered first place and for which she presented workshops at a National PTA Convention. She also co-authored an innovative, updated version of the National PTA Reflections Program (a contest for students to stimulate creativity in broad spectrum arts, including writing). She presented the program with her co-author at two state PTA conventions and numerous Orange County workshops. She has twice been an invited workshop presenter for the Consortium of Independent Studies in California. She also wrote a monthly column for the Christian Media Association newsletter, and several articles for Write On!, the quarterly newsletter for the Orange County Christian Writers Fellowship. When she attended the 2005 ACFW conference in Nashville two editors requested a full manuscript with changes of her women’s fiction Second Chances. Because of a sudden move from one state to another, she was unable to comply within their timeframes. The manuscript was requested again at the 2007 ACFW conference. However, it has been expanded and no longer fits within the word count requirement for Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line.Her entire adult life was comprised of writing and volunteering in education from co-founding a unique parent-cooperative community preschool to writing education columns and publishing hundreds of PTA newsletters that she laid out by hand with a waxer before computers made late nights easier.Almost all of her stories are set in Arizona and in California where she used to live. One is set partly in Sweden in the cities and towns where her husband’s and her ancestors lived.She loves to hear from friends and readers at her website: www.bonnieengstrom.com.
Bonnie Engstrom loves to write and she loves food, especially sushi and salad. She used to love to cook, but since her husband retired he took over as resident chef. Many of her stories are centered around food, two around Swedish food reflecting the couple’s heritage. She grew up in Pittsburgh, he in Chicago, and they met in Washington, D.C when they attended George Washington University. They raised their children in Southern California (that is a separate state from Northern California, isn’t it?), so several of her stories are set in Newport Beach where she was an advocate for education, mostly in PTA, for over thirty years.She lives in Arizona with psychologist husband Dave of fifty years, is the mother of three grown children and the proud grandmother of six grandchildren, four of whom live in Scottsdale and two in Costa Rica on the beach! Pura Vida! Surf on! The couple’s eldest son is an IT expert who taught his mother everything she knows about computer literacy. Unfortunately, he and his wife life in Maryland, too far to fly home for a weekend to help Mom as he used to when she lived in California and he in Arizona.She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted at bengstrom@hotmail.com
June 2, 2015
Filled empty nest, hearts and fulfilled dreams--Jubilee!
By Peggy TrotterThanks for having me on, Ada! Such a privilege. I’m extremely excited to share about my debut novel, Year of Jubilee! It’s been a long time coming. I’ve written since I was a child and always dreamed of becoming a writer and publishing novels. But you know, life can get in the way when God places other things in front of your dreams.My family, my children—I was determined to do my best with them and that took most of my energy. Mix in a full-time job of teaching, and my free time literally disappeared. However, God impressed on my heart that my children were my most important responsibility early on. It yearned to raise them in the best possible way, guiding them ever towards Jesus Christ the Savior! Watching them both be baptized set a deep sense of satisfaction in my heart. Yet when they flew the nest, emptiness edged in! I remember praying for God to fill the void my grown children left in my heart. Oh, boy did He!God reminded me of my first dreams and off I went! Only this time, I wasn’t going to just finish another manuscript, I was going to see it published. And here it is! I’ve been dreaming this novel in a variety of ways for probably 20 years.
Then six years ago, I hammered out the final version on the keyboard. And it’s only the beginning! I have another coming out Oct. 9th, entitled, Reviving Jules, a Christian Contemporary.But let’s get back to Year of Jubilee. Here’s a little excerpt for you:
“Ma’am, I have no reason to hide facts. Your former husband cheated at cards and Mose Brown shot him clean through.” He paused to gauge her reaction. When she gave none, he continued. “Mose is in jail now, waiting judgment.”She stood with that pitiful gun. More than likely the weapon was more hazardous to her than him. Her lack of reaction set him to digging, and he was on his way back to start a new row when she finally spoke.“You own this land now?”He stopped again and nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”She let out a shuddering breath.“I apologize about all this being sprung on you, but Colvin never mentioned a spouse. As a matter of fact, he assured me the place had been empty for six months.”Rafe dug the sharp edge of the shovel into the sod with new effort. A wife. Or worse yet, a widow. A very neglected one. Anger roiled inside him. He wished Colvin were alive so he could thump the side of his head with this shovel. Here he’d purchased this land in the middle of nowhere, intending to build a successful farm, recover from humiliation, and avoid female entanglements. Now, he’d inherited a widow.With teeth gritted, he tore into the soil. After turning over another three rows, he paused. She still stood there. Fine. He’d tell her the way it had to be.“Listen, I’ll be glad to pay your fare anywhere. You just let me know, and I’ll go to town and buy you a stage or a steamer ticket. Shoot, I’ll even buy you a horse if that’s how you wanna go. Colvin had no business doing this to you and, as his cousin, distant though we were, the least I can do is get you home.”Rafe had never seen hope slide off of a person’s face quite like it did from hers. Her skin paled and her mouth parted. The small woman’s intense eyes, dark as night, pleaded. For what? For kindness? For understanding? For help? Rafe wasn’t sure. Despite the mixed messages, he recognized the despair in the sag of her body. Uneasiness teemed in his gut.She shook her head, her voice a mere whisper. “There’s nowhere.”“Surely you’ve got somewhere you can go. Your folks’ house maybe? An aunt or uncle or even a cousin?”She glanced away and the shotgun lowered until the barrel stabbed the ground. “I’m an orphan.”
You can purchase Year of Jubilee from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords or any other reputable book sellers. You can catch up with me at these websites! Thanks for having me on your blog, Ada!
Peggy Trotter is a small town Hoosier native who teaches 1st and 2nd grade at a small Christian School and writes Christian Romance in her spare time. God blessed her with a wonderful husband who cooks and helps clean while supporting her crazy dreams. She has two incredible grown kids, one fabulous son-in-law, and two rays of sunshine, commonly called grandchildren.
Her website: peggytrotter.com
Blog: diamondsinfiction.blogspot.comPersonal blog: http://peggytrotter.blogspot.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeggyTrotterAuthorTwitter: https://twitter.com/Peggy_TrotterGoogle: https://plus.google.com/u/0/114013524674058453981/postsPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pegtrotter/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/peggy-trotter/95/29b/44aAmazon: http://amzn.com/B00UZ78ZUAPrism Book Group: http://www.prismbookgroup.com/Inspired.html
May 28, 2015
Author shares miracles of angels, new friends, children, and puppies
My TestimonyBy Caryl McAdoo
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11 KJV
Blessed be the name of the Lord! Thank you Ada for giving me this opportunity to share my testimony! I love more than anything to testify to the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord! I have so many testimonies! Well, I turned sixty-five the third of this month, and I would suppose that anyone who has loved the Lord as long as I have would!We go through seasons in our lives, times of lack and times of plenty, of health and times of sickness, time in the valley and time on the mountaintop, of sowing and reaping. In this world, we will have tribulations. Trials and troubles do come, but we can always be of good cheer for He has overcome the world!
I want to testify to a recent blessing. O’Pa and I still have two of the four grandsons we’ve reared for almost thirteen years now, ages fifteen and twelve, and we wanted to find a church with a good youth group for their sakes. The last we attended regularly was Abundant Life Assembly of God, and ours were about the only children there. We thought First Baptist might be the place to go, especially since a certain young lady went there who Christian, the older one, knew from school.
But alas, it turned out the group only had a few and the young lady mentioned turned her attentions elsewhere, so things were not so good there anymore. I have A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS debuting in November and in September or October, happened to see that another Christian author also had a title with Angels launching in November. Her name was Stephanie Collins.So, I typed her name in Facebook search and several came up. I only knew her name—not even if she was young or old—so, chose a couple and sent a private message: ‘Hello! Nice to e’meet you! I saw where a Stephanie Collins has an Angel book coming out in November, and I have one, too! Are you that Stephanie?’Right away, I got a response. ‘Nice to meet you, too. I see you’re a Christian lady, so I sent you a friend request.’ Well, #1 – this lady could have lived anywhere in the wide world, right? But when I went to her page, I saw she lived in Bogata (pronounced Buh GOAT uh – it’s a long story) which is twenty minutes from Clarksville where I live! WHAT? We both lived in Red River County! Amazing!#2 was that she had a profile photo of herself and a teenage son! My next question…Where do you go to church because my husband and I live in CLARKSVILLE and have been looking for a good youth group for our grandsons. She told me she drove twenty minutes up to the Church of God at Blossom and bragged on and on over their youth. We visited the following Sunday.
The boys love it! The church is well attended and unlike so many where Ron and I’ve visited and were the youngest there, there are many young families! From the nursery to the youth, their busting at the seams, except they’d recently built a new bigger beautiful building after the old one burned down. They had a gym and a ping-pong and pool room, and lots of family activities. J We have a new church home and thank God for leading us there! My fellers are looking forward to going to summer camp with them and the youth director will pick them up on the way to Weatherford on their way through the Metroplex! How wonderful is that?
See just how God cares? He knows our needs and is always so faithful.
Today, I had six of a litter of eight pups I needed to find a home for before the boys went to their other grandmothers for the summer on Friday. A homeless walk-about showed up one day around
Christian and finding puppies homesdinner time, all thin and in need of love. I did my best to find his owner, but far as he was concerned he had a new family. I had two outdoor dogs – a Border Collie, Faith, and Great Pyrenees Zoe. Both females…no males, no puppies. For two years, this worked then Bodark showed up.SO I dropped Christian off at church tonight and Ben (the twelve-year-old) and I drove on to Paris and prayed God would send the new owners of these precious, playful puppies. We parked way out away from the Walmart store, with a clear view of MacDonald’s drive thru and set up our FREE PUPS sign. I took my rocking chair from Gander’s Mountain. He started hollering “Free Puppies, Get them while they’re young!” When a car stopped, he would run to the car and put the puppy through the window. We gave away five and brought one back home. I know that baby has an owner who wasn’t at Walmart. Another testimony of God’s great goodness toward us! His mercies and loving kindness are new every morning, too! I love and adore Him!I have a running testimony of my whole life that I just keep adding to on my Facebook Notes if anyone wants to be encouraged by seeing where I’ve been and where God has brought me. The URL there is: https://www.facebook.com/notes/caryl-...
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:21-26 KJV
Caryl's books:
The widely
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11 KJV
Blessed be the name of the Lord! Thank you Ada for giving me this opportunity to share my testimony! I love more than anything to testify to the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord! I have so many testimonies! Well, I turned sixty-five the third of this month, and I would suppose that anyone who has loved the Lord as long as I have would!We go through seasons in our lives, times of lack and times of plenty, of health and times of sickness, time in the valley and time on the mountaintop, of sowing and reaping. In this world, we will have tribulations. Trials and troubles do come, but we can always be of good cheer for He has overcome the world!
I want to testify to a recent blessing. O’Pa and I still have two of the four grandsons we’ve reared for almost thirteen years now, ages fifteen and twelve, and we wanted to find a church with a good youth group for their sakes. The last we attended regularly was Abundant Life Assembly of God, and ours were about the only children there. We thought First Baptist might be the place to go, especially since a certain young lady went there who Christian, the older one, knew from school.
But alas, it turned out the group only had a few and the young lady mentioned turned her attentions elsewhere, so things were not so good there anymore. I have A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS debuting in November and in September or October, happened to see that another Christian author also had a title with Angels launching in November. Her name was Stephanie Collins.So, I typed her name in Facebook search and several came up. I only knew her name—not even if she was young or old—so, chose a couple and sent a private message: ‘Hello! Nice to e’meet you! I saw where a Stephanie Collins has an Angel book coming out in November, and I have one, too! Are you that Stephanie?’Right away, I got a response. ‘Nice to meet you, too. I see you’re a Christian lady, so I sent you a friend request.’ Well, #1 – this lady could have lived anywhere in the wide world, right? But when I went to her page, I saw she lived in Bogata (pronounced Buh GOAT uh – it’s a long story) which is twenty minutes from Clarksville where I live! WHAT? We both lived in Red River County! Amazing!#2 was that she had a profile photo of herself and a teenage son! My next question…Where do you go to church because my husband and I live in CLARKSVILLE and have been looking for a good youth group for our grandsons. She told me she drove twenty minutes up to the Church of God at Blossom and bragged on and on over their youth. We visited the following Sunday.
The boys love it! The church is well attended and unlike so many where Ron and I’ve visited and were the youngest there, there are many young families! From the nursery to the youth, their busting at the seams, except they’d recently built a new bigger beautiful building after the old one burned down. They had a gym and a ping-pong and pool room, and lots of family activities. J We have a new church home and thank God for leading us there! My fellers are looking forward to going to summer camp with them and the youth director will pick them up on the way to Weatherford on their way through the Metroplex! How wonderful is that?
See just how God cares? He knows our needs and is always so faithful.
Today, I had six of a litter of eight pups I needed to find a home for before the boys went to their other grandmothers for the summer on Friday. A homeless walk-about showed up one day around
Christian and finding puppies homesdinner time, all thin and in need of love. I did my best to find his owner, but far as he was concerned he had a new family. I had two outdoor dogs – a Border Collie, Faith, and Great Pyrenees Zoe. Both females…no males, no puppies. For two years, this worked then Bodark showed up.SO I dropped Christian off at church tonight and Ben (the twelve-year-old) and I drove on to Paris and prayed God would send the new owners of these precious, playful puppies. We parked way out away from the Walmart store, with a clear view of MacDonald’s drive thru and set up our FREE PUPS sign. I took my rocking chair from Gander’s Mountain. He started hollering “Free Puppies, Get them while they’re young!” When a car stopped, he would run to the car and put the puppy through the window. We gave away five and brought one back home. I know that baby has an owner who wasn’t at Walmart. Another testimony of God’s great goodness toward us! His mercies and loving kindness are new every morning, too! I love and adore Him!I have a running testimony of my whole life that I just keep adding to on my Facebook Notes if anyone wants to be encouraged by seeing where I’ve been and where God has brought me. The URL there is: https://www.facebook.com/notes/caryl-...
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:21-26 KJV
Caryl's books:
The widely
acclaimed Historical Christian
'western adventure' Texas Romance series:
Hope Reborn (1850-1851) Book
Three
Hearts Stolen (1839-1844) Book
Two
Vow
Unbroken (1832) Book One
A Little Lower
Than the Angels
Volume
One of The
Generations series, Biblical fiction
Caryl's Website
May 26, 2015
JESUS: SOMEONE FOR KIDS TO LATCH ONTO.
By Ada Brownell
“The police came last night to our house to get Daddy,” the little boy announced. “He hid in the back on the shelf in the closet and they didn’t find him!” His eyes sparkled with triumph. The report came during our opening moments at the Dunamis Academy, an after-school and summers program where I heard similar stories. Dunamis means supernatural power. I started the program at our church daycare after retirement. A number of the elementary children in the class were Social Services children who didn’t attend our church. When I had the idea for the after-school program, I was concerned about latch-key children because I’d written about them in my work as a daily newspaper reporter in Pueblo, Colo. I prayed about it and thought God would raise up a pastor with the vision to use the church’s empty spaces to reach youngsters who needed the gospel, bring the congregation’s children into deeper knowledge of the Word, and help children not doing well in school with tutoring. I hoped spiritually mature teenagers and other volunteers would help. Then I spoke to the daycare director and she also caught the vision because the older children already enrolled in the daycare after school and summers needed something constructive to do. The first summer the director taught the lower grades and I took upper elementary. We continued the program after school and summer for two years. We charged a nominal fee to children not enrolled in day care. There was no charge to students already enrolled. Summers for three hours Monday through Thursday we sang, prayed, played, studied Bible stories, memorized scripture, did skits, saw object lessons, participated in discussion, listened to guest speakers, did crafts and learned how to operate puppets in ministry (the children’s pastor taught puppetry). Daycare children stayed for a leisurely afternoon. On Fridays we went on all-day field trips to ministries in Colorado Springs to show children some of the ministries for which they could prepare. We watched a Christian radio missionary who was broadcasting the gospel around the world. We visited Focus on the Family. At David C. Cook we saw how artists create illustrations for their publications. We visited the Navigator’s castle and others. The next year we visited soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other charities in our city. We had guest speakers, two I’d like to mention. The teenager emigrated from Africa, told about the differences in freedoms there and America and taught a song in Swahili: “Hold on to Jesus.” The other was a public high school teacher through playing a game called “Virus X” taught how quickly sexually transmitted diseases spread. According to the last statistics I gathered, five million elementary-age U.S. children grow up with no supervision after school. Twenty-two million adolescents are unsupervised between 3 and 6 p.m. on a typical day, according to the U.S. Department of Health’s Child Care Bureau. At the same time, thousands of large church buildings are unoccupied except for a few people working in the office. Large numbers of America’s youth have never heard the gospel. The church is losing young people to secularism. Some churches have eliminated Christian education, thereby carelessly dropping their sterling silver youth down the garbage disposal. Churches that emphasize discipleship often have only a small percentage of children and youth receiving training. The first summer of the Dunamis Academy, my two daycare assistants accepted Jesus as Savior. Most of the children also invited Jesus into their hearts. It was a great deal of work partly because I wrote my curriculum, led the music, chose scriptures to memorize and led the training sessions and competitions. But I felt great spiritual reward. If I were young again, I’d love to help establish more programs like it. One note I’d like to add. Quite a few churches have after-school programs, but the ones I’ve seen don’t emphasize the gospel. We informed parents we would teach undenominational Bible classes and had them sign their permission. We didn’t have one parent opt out. In fact, we had great feedback, with parents coming to awards ceremonies. I imagine they were like my dad when our family started going to church. He told my mom who hadn't been born again yet, “Let them go. I heard they teach children to obey their parents.”
May 22, 2015
HELP FOR THE DYING AND GRIEVING
By Ada BrownellAuthor's Note: Several chapter didn't make it into my book, Swallowed by Life. Yet, I believe this information is helpful, so I'm sharing it here. You can purchase Swallowed by Life, an Amazon best seller, Here
When we walk through difficult times, we need physical, emotional and spiritual help. There is plenty out there if you know what to look for and where to go.When Carolyn began to recover enough after chemotherapy, she urgently desired emotional help. I was a thousand or more miles away, and that’s one reason why I wrote this book. I told her about the Cancer Society’s support groups, called her every day, prayed, and flew to see her twice in two months.Yet, a diagnosis of a terminal, debilitating or painful disease is a whopping load for the patient and his loved ones to carry emotionally, even when the Lord walks with you every moment of the day. I have several recommendations picked up through wandering around in the medical community and picking experts’ brains.1. GET A GRIEF-MATE Find a spiritual partner to help you in your fear and grief. Arrange to contact your grief-mate when you feel overcome by fear, you are terribly sick, have a situation you don’t feel able to handle, or a decision with which you need help.Your grief mate can be a pastor, a counselor, a Sunday school teacher, a friend or a relative who is spiritually strong.I have a friend who has battled cancer for years and it recently returned and her husband, Gerald, just discovered he has prostate cancer. Yet, she leads a cancer support group at our church. While she spends much of her time encouraging others, she relies on the love, prayers and fellowship of people filled with compassion. 2. GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO GRIEVE Allow yourself to talk about your loved one, or about your own illness and the doctor's prognosis.Cry. Jesus wept when he heard his friend, Lazarus was dead. When I was grieving, I set aside a devotional time every day when I could get alone with God and talk to him about my grief. During the day and when you're in public, you sometimes have to shove it away. But I felt better knowing I'd have that time in my upstairs bedroom kneeling and crying before God, telling him about my broken heart.Each day I stripped another layer off a part of me that felt as if I had died, too, and helped me keep a focus that I am still living and need to fulfill whatever purposes God has for my life here.It helps to understand the stages of grief and that grieving is normal both for the dying and those left behind.
According to Drs. Frank Minirth and Paul Meier in their book, Happiness is a Choice,
Baker Books, 1983/2007
When we walk through difficult times, we need physical, emotional and spiritual help. There is plenty out there if you know what to look for and where to go.When Carolyn began to recover enough after chemotherapy, she urgently desired emotional help. I was a thousand or more miles away, and that’s one reason why I wrote this book. I told her about the Cancer Society’s support groups, called her every day, prayed, and flew to see her twice in two months.Yet, a diagnosis of a terminal, debilitating or painful disease is a whopping load for the patient and his loved ones to carry emotionally, even when the Lord walks with you every moment of the day. I have several recommendations picked up through wandering around in the medical community and picking experts’ brains.1. GET A GRIEF-MATE Find a spiritual partner to help you in your fear and grief. Arrange to contact your grief-mate when you feel overcome by fear, you are terribly sick, have a situation you don’t feel able to handle, or a decision with which you need help.Your grief mate can be a pastor, a counselor, a Sunday school teacher, a friend or a relative who is spiritually strong.I have a friend who has battled cancer for years and it recently returned and her husband, Gerald, just discovered he has prostate cancer. Yet, she leads a cancer support group at our church. While she spends much of her time encouraging others, she relies on the love, prayers and fellowship of people filled with compassion. 2. GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO GRIEVE Allow yourself to talk about your loved one, or about your own illness and the doctor's prognosis.Cry. Jesus wept when he heard his friend, Lazarus was dead. When I was grieving, I set aside a devotional time every day when I could get alone with God and talk to him about my grief. During the day and when you're in public, you sometimes have to shove it away. But I felt better knowing I'd have that time in my upstairs bedroom kneeling and crying before God, telling him about my broken heart.Each day I stripped another layer off a part of me that felt as if I had died, too, and helped me keep a focus that I am still living and need to fulfill whatever purposes God has for my life here.It helps to understand the stages of grief and that grieving is normal both for the dying and those left behind.
According to Drs. Frank Minirth and Paul Meier in their book, Happiness is a Choice,Baker Books, 1983/2007
May 19, 2015
WHY WILL YOUR NAME BE REMEMBERED?
By Ada BrownellAn excerpt from Ada Brownell's book, Imagine the Future You
Purchase the book Here
“Hey, Joseph!” said the baker, his two chins bobbing in sync with his laughter. “I heard you had a tumble with Potiphar’s wife. Way to go! Who would have thought it?”“Since Potiphar committed all he has into your care, I guess that was all that was left!” the lanky butler added. His cold, accusing eyes mocked.Anger and embarrassment shot through Joseph. His chains tinkled as he shifted position where he sat on the hard stone floor. “You are wrong. I did not do that great wickedness and sin against Potiphar, myself, or God.”“You worried about God when you could have had her?” the baker said, chuckling, his round face showing he didn’t believe Joseph.“I decided long ago to follow God’s will for my life, and I haven’t changed my mind,” Joseph answered firmly as he tried to stand.“You are a fool,” the baker shot back at Joseph as he and the butler walked away, heads together and laughing.Joseph stared after the pair, the chains on his wrists and ankles causing his whole body to ache. He wondered why the two men accused him. After all, they offended the king of Egypt and were sentenced to prison, too. Joseph had no idea what they had done.One day weeks later, Joseph noticed the butler and the baker didn’t pick up their bowls of food when it was time to eat. By now, Joseph’s chains were gone because once again Joseph found favor with his captors. But he was still a prisoner. He picked up the bowls and then slowly walked to where he’d heard the baker and butler talking around the corner.“Here’s breakfast,” Joseph said. “You should eat.”“It’s nothing but swill,” spat the baker, holding his head in his hands.As Joseph held out the bowl, a loud groan rushed from the butler’s throat. His fingers ran nervously through his dirty curly hair.“What’s wrong?” asked Joseph.“We’ve had some terrible nightmares,” the baker answered, adding his cry of anguish. “They seem so real we need to have someone tell us what they mean, but there is no interpreter.”The butler stopped his guttural groans and took two deep breaths. “I’m sure the dreams have a meaning. Do you know anyone…? Hey, Joseph! You talk with God, don’t you? Sure you do!” He got up from the floor and patted Joseph on the back.Quickly the baker tried to stand. His humpty-dumpty body rocked back and forth three times before Joseph reached and pulled him to his feet.Panting, the baker put his arm around Joseph and let out a blast of putrid breath. “Yes, Joe, old buddy. We’ve been stuck together in this prison a long time. You are such a wonderful fellow to keep on speaking terms with God! You’ve been a good cell-block mate. Haven’t even seen you in any of the fights. Now the captain of the guards has you serving us, and you do it well. Would you like to hear my dream?” “And mine?” added the butler.All the noise brought a crowd of other prisoners. They stood, watching expectantly.The butler and the baker stared at each other, then Joseph.The butler stepped forward and whispered in Joseph’s ear for a long time. Then the baker stood at Joseph’s other ear, whispering and nervously shaking one leg.Afterward, Joseph turned away and lifted his hands toward heaven. His lips moved, but no sound came out of his mouth.Finally, Joseph turned to look at the butler. “Within three days, Pharaoh shall give you back your job. Please remember me and ask that I be released from this prison.”“Thank you! Oh, thank you!” A deep laugh rumbled from the butler. He shook hands with Joseph and some of those watching. ‘I will be sure to give them your message.”Then Joseph looked solemnly at the baker. “In three days, Pharaoh will hang you.”The baker stood speechless, his mouth dropped open and his eyes filled with terror. Then obscenities flowed from his fat, drooling lips. When those were spent, his deep, wrenching sobs echoed in every prison cell.Three days later, the butler was back at work and the baker was dead.And Joseph’s release didn’t come. The butler didn’t tell Pharaoh about Joseph’s request.***Three men. The butler and the baker had names, of course, but they were not included in the biblical account. But even if we knew their names, they probably wouldn’t be worth mentioning or remembering.But we won’t forget Joseph. Today’s youth would have called Joseph “hot” in his youth. I despise the term myself, but you know by the way Potiphar’s wife flung herself at the young man his handsome face could put girls’ hearts in a flutter.Some biblical scholars believe Joseph lived about four thousand years before Christ. Our tongues still speak Joseph’s name with respect because of who he was and what he did.
You can read about Joseph and his family in Genesis 30–50. Even the creation account didn’t use this much space! Genesis 5:19–21 NKJ
Purchase the book Here
“Hey, Joseph!” said the baker, his two chins bobbing in sync with his laughter. “I heard you had a tumble with Potiphar’s wife. Way to go! Who would have thought it?”“Since Potiphar committed all he has into your care, I guess that was all that was left!” the lanky butler added. His cold, accusing eyes mocked.Anger and embarrassment shot through Joseph. His chains tinkled as he shifted position where he sat on the hard stone floor. “You are wrong. I did not do that great wickedness and sin against Potiphar, myself, or God.”“You worried about God when you could have had her?” the baker said, chuckling, his round face showing he didn’t believe Joseph.“I decided long ago to follow God’s will for my life, and I haven’t changed my mind,” Joseph answered firmly as he tried to stand.“You are a fool,” the baker shot back at Joseph as he and the butler walked away, heads together and laughing.Joseph stared after the pair, the chains on his wrists and ankles causing his whole body to ache. He wondered why the two men accused him. After all, they offended the king of Egypt and were sentenced to prison, too. Joseph had no idea what they had done.One day weeks later, Joseph noticed the butler and the baker didn’t pick up their bowls of food when it was time to eat. By now, Joseph’s chains were gone because once again Joseph found favor with his captors. But he was still a prisoner. He picked up the bowls and then slowly walked to where he’d heard the baker and butler talking around the corner.“Here’s breakfast,” Joseph said. “You should eat.”“It’s nothing but swill,” spat the baker, holding his head in his hands.As Joseph held out the bowl, a loud groan rushed from the butler’s throat. His fingers ran nervously through his dirty curly hair.“What’s wrong?” asked Joseph.“We’ve had some terrible nightmares,” the baker answered, adding his cry of anguish. “They seem so real we need to have someone tell us what they mean, but there is no interpreter.”The butler stopped his guttural groans and took two deep breaths. “I’m sure the dreams have a meaning. Do you know anyone…? Hey, Joseph! You talk with God, don’t you? Sure you do!” He got up from the floor and patted Joseph on the back.Quickly the baker tried to stand. His humpty-dumpty body rocked back and forth three times before Joseph reached and pulled him to his feet.Panting, the baker put his arm around Joseph and let out a blast of putrid breath. “Yes, Joe, old buddy. We’ve been stuck together in this prison a long time. You are such a wonderful fellow to keep on speaking terms with God! You’ve been a good cell-block mate. Haven’t even seen you in any of the fights. Now the captain of the guards has you serving us, and you do it well. Would you like to hear my dream?” “And mine?” added the butler.All the noise brought a crowd of other prisoners. They stood, watching expectantly.The butler and the baker stared at each other, then Joseph.The butler stepped forward and whispered in Joseph’s ear for a long time. Then the baker stood at Joseph’s other ear, whispering and nervously shaking one leg.Afterward, Joseph turned away and lifted his hands toward heaven. His lips moved, but no sound came out of his mouth.Finally, Joseph turned to look at the butler. “Within three days, Pharaoh shall give you back your job. Please remember me and ask that I be released from this prison.”“Thank you! Oh, thank you!” A deep laugh rumbled from the butler. He shook hands with Joseph and some of those watching. ‘I will be sure to give them your message.”Then Joseph looked solemnly at the baker. “In three days, Pharaoh will hang you.”The baker stood speechless, his mouth dropped open and his eyes filled with terror. Then obscenities flowed from his fat, drooling lips. When those were spent, his deep, wrenching sobs echoed in every prison cell.Three days later, the butler was back at work and the baker was dead.And Joseph’s release didn’t come. The butler didn’t tell Pharaoh about Joseph’s request.***Three men. The butler and the baker had names, of course, but they were not included in the biblical account. But even if we knew their names, they probably wouldn’t be worth mentioning or remembering.But we won’t forget Joseph. Today’s youth would have called Joseph “hot” in his youth. I despise the term myself, but you know by the way Potiphar’s wife flung herself at the young man his handsome face could put girls’ hearts in a flutter.Some biblical scholars believe Joseph lived about four thousand years before Christ. Our tongues still speak Joseph’s name with respect because of who he was and what he did.
You can read about Joseph and his family in Genesis 30–50. Even the creation account didn’t use this much space! Genesis 5:19–21 NKJ
