Ada Brownell's Blog, page 49
October 7, 2014
Win a free copy of Imagine the Future You
Here's the first question of an interview for Sara Ella's blog for teens. Teens asked the questions. Ada Brownell answered. Other teen questions follow. To see the complete interview go to http://saraella.com/2014/10/ada-brownell.html Tiffanie Lynn asks, “What inspired you to write this book?”Imagine the Future You crawled around in my brain cells for years. I worked with youth and I want them to have the explosive power of the Holy Spirit, a throng of special friends, astonishing wisdom, ability to discern how to have joy on earth and forever and ever, and know true success only comes from knowing God and His love.Every teen should be aware of moral sink holes. As a newspaper reporter I wrote about these dangerous risks and their devastating effects on youth and their future, and along with tips on being your best, looking your best, I detail facts about the mental, physical, and devastating lifestyle risks of sex outside of marriage, as well as the joy of purity and vowing to love your spouse until death parts you.One huge problem among youth is secular brainwashing of belief in God...
October 6, 2014
WHAT'S YOUR BRAIN CAPACITY? What do you want in there?
By Ada Brownell
Your two-pound brain can store more than today’s most advanced computers, according to Kenneth Higbee, author of Your Memory and How it Works and How to Improve it.Paul Reber, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, says the human brain consists of about one billion neurons. Each neuron forms about 1,000 connections to other neurons, amounting to more than a trillion connections. If each neuron could only help store a single memory, running out of space would be a problem. You might have only a few gigabytes of storage space, similar to the space in an iPod or a USB flash drive. Yet neurons combine so that each one helps with many memories at a time, exponentially increasing the brain’s memory storage capacity to something closer to around 2.5 petabytes (or a million gigabytes). For comparison, if your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, 2.5 petabytes would be enough to hold three million hours of TV shows. You would have to leave the TV running continuously for more than 300 years to use up all that storage.
The most important knowledge you can have is contained in the Bible. There you not only will discover how to live, but also how you can never die (John 11:26).
Think. Would you like to know how to succeed? (Look at Joshua 1:8). Find a good mate and make a good, lasting marriage?
What would you like to know that would help with your emotions such as fear, depression, anxiety, anger? Do you need help with parenting? It's all in the Word.
What would you want to recall if you knew you’re probably drawing your last breaths?
My son-in-law and I had the privilege to lead a neighbor to the Lord who had a terminal diagnosis. In about two weeks, lung cancer advanced so much the man struggled to breathe. He was a little hard of hearing, but I don’t think he could have heard me try to encourage him anyhow because his wheezing was so loud people in the room couldn’t hear each other.
I prayed for him, but wished so much I could quote some of the scriptures that bring an extra baptism of peace for the dying. It would have been useless to sing him a wonderful old hymn about God’s love and heaven. Since he never served God his head was empty of scripture and singing.
Every time I’ve been around the dying they were comforted by God’s Word and songs with a wonderful message..The Bible is the greatest book ever written and it has powerful words for every occasion, every age group, every nationality, rich or poor. Every member of your family should know the scriptures.
The first verse I remember memorizing as a young child: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Parents and Sunday school teachers who don’t think little ones can understand and memorize are mistaken. Children learn a big hunk of their language in their first three years, and by the time the tots are five, they not only remember and memorize numerous songs and poems, they have reasoning skills that often surprise others.
I was pretty young when I learned The Ten Commandments, and “Children obey your parents for this is right; Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3 KJ). Temptation to disobey was usually resisted because I wanted a long life.
The Bible isn’t like textbooks that are outdated in 10 years or less. Scriptures we learn as a child are as powerful when we’re 2, 20, 40, 80, or even 108. The Word of God is most powerful information you can put in your brain.
Memorize the Word yourself and teach it to your children and grandchildren.
Here are three important scriptures to teach children:
“God is love” (1 John 4:8).
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
“Honor your father and your mother...so that you may live long and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5: 16 NIV). That’s a shortened quote.
Copyright © 2014
Your two-pound brain can store more than today’s most advanced computers, according to Kenneth Higbee, author of Your Memory and How it Works and How to Improve it.Paul Reber, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, says the human brain consists of about one billion neurons. Each neuron forms about 1,000 connections to other neurons, amounting to more than a trillion connections. If each neuron could only help store a single memory, running out of space would be a problem. You might have only a few gigabytes of storage space, similar to the space in an iPod or a USB flash drive. Yet neurons combine so that each one helps with many memories at a time, exponentially increasing the brain’s memory storage capacity to something closer to around 2.5 petabytes (or a million gigabytes). For comparison, if your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, 2.5 petabytes would be enough to hold three million hours of TV shows. You would have to leave the TV running continuously for more than 300 years to use up all that storage.
The most important knowledge you can have is contained in the Bible. There you not only will discover how to live, but also how you can never die (John 11:26).
Think. Would you like to know how to succeed? (Look at Joshua 1:8). Find a good mate and make a good, lasting marriage?
What would you like to know that would help with your emotions such as fear, depression, anxiety, anger? Do you need help with parenting? It's all in the Word.
What would you want to recall if you knew you’re probably drawing your last breaths?
My son-in-law and I had the privilege to lead a neighbor to the Lord who had a terminal diagnosis. In about two weeks, lung cancer advanced so much the man struggled to breathe. He was a little hard of hearing, but I don’t think he could have heard me try to encourage him anyhow because his wheezing was so loud people in the room couldn’t hear each other.
I prayed for him, but wished so much I could quote some of the scriptures that bring an extra baptism of peace for the dying. It would have been useless to sing him a wonderful old hymn about God’s love and heaven. Since he never served God his head was empty of scripture and singing.
Every time I’ve been around the dying they were comforted by God’s Word and songs with a wonderful message..The Bible is the greatest book ever written and it has powerful words for every occasion, every age group, every nationality, rich or poor. Every member of your family should know the scriptures.
The first verse I remember memorizing as a young child: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Parents and Sunday school teachers who don’t think little ones can understand and memorize are mistaken. Children learn a big hunk of their language in their first three years, and by the time the tots are five, they not only remember and memorize numerous songs and poems, they have reasoning skills that often surprise others.
I was pretty young when I learned The Ten Commandments, and “Children obey your parents for this is right; Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3 KJ). Temptation to disobey was usually resisted because I wanted a long life.
The Bible isn’t like textbooks that are outdated in 10 years or less. Scriptures we learn as a child are as powerful when we’re 2, 20, 40, 80, or even 108. The Word of God is most powerful information you can put in your brain.
Memorize the Word yourself and teach it to your children and grandchildren.
Here are three important scriptures to teach children:
“God is love” (1 John 4:8).
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
“Honor your father and your mother...so that you may live long and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5: 16 NIV). That’s a shortened quote.
Copyright © 2014
WHAT'S IN YOUR HEAD? 3 Scriptures Children Need to Learn
By Ada Brownell
Your two-pound brain can store more than today’s most advanced computers, according to Kenneth Higbee, author of Your Memory and How it Works and How to Improve it.Paul Reber, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, says the human brain consists of about one billion neurons. Each neuron forms about 1,000 connections to other neurons, amounting to more than a trillion connections. If each neuron could only help store a single memory, running out of space would be a problem. You might have only a few gigabytes of storage space, similar to the space in an iPod or a USB flash drive. Yet neurons combine so that each one helps with many memories at a time, exponentially increasing the brain’s memory storage capacity to something closer to around 2.5 petabytes (or a million gigabytes). For comparison, if your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, 2.5 petabytes would be enough to hold three million hours of TV shows. You would have to leave the TV running continuously for more than 300 years to use up all that storage.
The most important knowledge you can have is contained in the Bible. There you not only will discover how to live, but also how you can never die (John 11:26).
Think. Would you like to know how to succeed? (Look at Joshua 1:8). Find a good mate and make a good, lasting marriage?
What would you like to know that would help with your emotions such as fear, depression, anxiety, anger? Do you need help with parenting? It's all in the Word.
What would you want to recall if you knew you’re probably drawing your last breaths?
My son-in-law and I had the privilege to lead a neighbor to the Lord who had a terminal diagnosis. In about two weeks, lung cancer advanced so much the man struggled to breathe. He was a little hard of hearing, but I don’t think he could have heard me try to encourage him anyhow because his wheezing was so loud people in the room couldn’t hear each other.
I prayed for him, but wished so much I could quote some of the scriptures that bring an extra baptism of peace for the dying. It would have been useless to sing him a wonderful old hymn about God’s love and heaven. Since he never served God his head was empty of scripture and singing.
Every time I’ve been around the dying they were comforted by God’s Word and songs with a wonderful message..The Bible is the greatest book ever written and it has powerful words for every occasion, every age group, every nationality, rich or poor. Every member of your family should know the scriptures.
The first verse I remember memorizing as a young child: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Parents and Sunday school teachers who don’t think little ones can understand and memorize are mistaken. Children learn a big hunk of their language in their first three years, and by the time the tots are five, they not only remember and memorize numerous songs and poems, they have reasoning skills that often surprise others.
I was pretty young when I learned The Ten Commandments, and “Children obey your parents for this is right; Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3 KJ). Temptation to disobey was usually resisted because I wanted a long life.
The Bible isn’t like textbooks that are outdated in 10 years or less. Scriptures we learn as a child are as powerful when we’re 2, 20, 40, 80, or even 108. The Word of God is most powerful information you can put in your brain.
Memorize the Word yourself and teach it to your children and grandchildren.
Here are three important scriptures to teach children:
“God is love” (1 John 4:8).
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
“Honor your father and your mother...so that you may live long and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5: 16 NIV). That’s a shortened quote.
Copyright © 2014
Your two-pound brain can store more than today’s most advanced computers, according to Kenneth Higbee, author of Your Memory and How it Works and How to Improve it.Paul Reber, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, says the human brain consists of about one billion neurons. Each neuron forms about 1,000 connections to other neurons, amounting to more than a trillion connections. If each neuron could only help store a single memory, running out of space would be a problem. You might have only a few gigabytes of storage space, similar to the space in an iPod or a USB flash drive. Yet neurons combine so that each one helps with many memories at a time, exponentially increasing the brain’s memory storage capacity to something closer to around 2.5 petabytes (or a million gigabytes). For comparison, if your brain worked like a digital video recorder in a television, 2.5 petabytes would be enough to hold three million hours of TV shows. You would have to leave the TV running continuously for more than 300 years to use up all that storage.
The most important knowledge you can have is contained in the Bible. There you not only will discover how to live, but also how you can never die (John 11:26).
Think. Would you like to know how to succeed? (Look at Joshua 1:8). Find a good mate and make a good, lasting marriage?
What would you like to know that would help with your emotions such as fear, depression, anxiety, anger? Do you need help with parenting? It's all in the Word.
What would you want to recall if you knew you’re probably drawing your last breaths?
My son-in-law and I had the privilege to lead a neighbor to the Lord who had a terminal diagnosis. In about two weeks, lung cancer advanced so much the man struggled to breathe. He was a little hard of hearing, but I don’t think he could have heard me try to encourage him anyhow because his wheezing was so loud people in the room couldn’t hear each other.
I prayed for him, but wished so much I could quote some of the scriptures that bring an extra baptism of peace for the dying. It would have been useless to sing him a wonderful old hymn about God’s love and heaven. Since he never served God his head was empty of scripture and singing.
Every time I’ve been around the dying they were comforted by God’s Word and songs with a wonderful message..The Bible is the greatest book ever written and it has powerful words for every occasion, every age group, every nationality, rich or poor. Every member of your family should know the scriptures.
The first verse I remember memorizing as a young child: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Parents and Sunday school teachers who don’t think little ones can understand and memorize are mistaken. Children learn a big hunk of their language in their first three years, and by the time the tots are five, they not only remember and memorize numerous songs and poems, they have reasoning skills that often surprise others.
I was pretty young when I learned The Ten Commandments, and “Children obey your parents for this is right; Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3 KJ). Temptation to disobey was usually resisted because I wanted a long life.
The Bible isn’t like textbooks that are outdated in 10 years or less. Scriptures we learn as a child are as powerful when we’re 2, 20, 40, 80, or even 108. The Word of God is most powerful information you can put in your brain.
Memorize the Word yourself and teach it to your children and grandchildren.
Here are three important scriptures to teach children:
“God is love” (1 John 4:8).
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
“Honor your father and your mother...so that you may live long and that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 5: 16 NIV). That’s a shortened quote.
Copyright © 2014
October 3, 2014
THE LADY FUGITIVE 99 CENTS THRU OCT 4--READ EXCERPT
THE LADY FUGITIVE
BY ADA BROWNELL
CONCLUDING EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 13
BUY THE LADY FUGITIVE HERE FOR .99 NOW! SALE ENDS OCT 4
“Why don’t you cook up dinner? The kitchen stove looks usable.”Jenny shivered. Mister MacDougal probably died on the living room floor. When she recalled the burned spot on the floor, she could almost hear a man groaning in pain.“That could take awhile. Aren’t you in a hurry to get on down the road?”“I’m in a hurry to find Benjamin, and you might be able to help me. But first, let’s look at the cook stove, see if there is anything left in the cabinets, and get a meal together. Can you make biscuits and gravy? I have food products in my wagon, too.”The small kitchen pantry was full: baking powder, flour, lard, cornmeal, wheat cereal—even sugar. “They even left coffee.” William stuck his head into the pantry door. “Amazing. You are blessed. I told you they were nice people.”While William cleaned the stove top and started a fire, Jenny ran to the cellar, retrieved the bucket of milk and jars of peaches and corn.William looked at the milk bucket. “Their cow’s still giving milk?”
“Yes. I milked her last night and this morning.”“Christian told me he put a bull with her not long ago. You should leave a little milk in her bag each time so she’ll dry up.”“Oh. That will be a relief. I like milk, but I hate milking her.”Jenny found a bowl and stirred up biscuits and then made cream gravy.When the food was on the table, William sat on a wooden chest, and she used the only chair that wasn’t at least partially burned.After a quick prayer and a few huge bites, the man swallowed. “Now help me figure out where Benjamin might be.”Jenny searched her memory trying to remember the different stops along the railroad. Nothing surfaced, so William got pencil and paper from his wagon and drew the railroad.Studying his drawing, Jenny pointed to the route. “I would guess he got off about here, two or three towns before Yucca Blossom.” Standing so close to his shoulder, she inhaled the fragrance of tangy soap or aftershave.William tapped his pencil against the drawing. “I’ll stop in Yucca Blossom again, and if Ben isn’t there, I’ll head on out to these little communities along the railroad. Our pa needs us. He sounded pretty desperate in his last letter. Either he’s going to kill the young buck who’s hanging around his new wife, or the young feller’s going to kill him.”“What difference would it make if you and Ben went home?”“Pa thinks the fellow would think twice about hanging around the farm with Ben and me there. Also, if he wasn’t so lazy, Ben has a knack for farming. I think Pa plans to give the land to him. Poppa burns with the desire for me to travel with the passion moving picture show and wants me to continue. That’s what I feel I should do. But right now, he needs us to chase off that young man. He’s too old to lock horns with him.”Jenny wondered why Pa’s wife wouldn’t show the young man the road, but she held her tongue.William picked up his pencil and paper, took another swig of coffee, and turned toward his wagon. “It was nice seeing you again. Thanks for dinner.”“Wait!”Jenny hurried to the cellar and nabbed two jars of peaches, a jar of pears, and one of strawberry jam. She thrust them at William. “You never know when you’ll need a quick meal.”William smiled, bent, gave her a little squeeze, and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, lass. You’re the greatest!”Ire flamed in Jenny, but perhaps she shouldn’t claim to be a woman when she was dressed like a man and hadn’t bathed for a week. She touched her skin where his puckered lips left the feel of whiskers, and smiled.William’s eyebrows crunched into a frown. “I don’t know if I’ll be back. I’ll look at your mailbox and see if I can tell what the address is here. Maybe I’ll let you know if I find Benjamin.”Jenny’s heart skipped a beat, and pain shot through her chest. She might never see him again. “Write if you can. I’d like to see you find Ben. Thanks for everything.”William said nothing until he reached for her and wrapped her in his arms. “I won’t forget you, either. Remember what Jesus said about tribulation and trouble. We are to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. ”
He loaded himself on the wagon and urged the mules forward. Then he sang so loud it echoed among the hills, “There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No not one! No not one!”
BY ADA BROWNELL
CONCLUDING EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 13
BUY THE LADY FUGITIVE HERE FOR .99 NOW! SALE ENDS OCT 4
“Why don’t you cook up dinner? The kitchen stove looks usable.”Jenny shivered. Mister MacDougal probably died on the living room floor. When she recalled the burned spot on the floor, she could almost hear a man groaning in pain.“That could take awhile. Aren’t you in a hurry to get on down the road?”“I’m in a hurry to find Benjamin, and you might be able to help me. But first, let’s look at the cook stove, see if there is anything left in the cabinets, and get a meal together. Can you make biscuits and gravy? I have food products in my wagon, too.”The small kitchen pantry was full: baking powder, flour, lard, cornmeal, wheat cereal—even sugar. “They even left coffee.” William stuck his head into the pantry door. “Amazing. You are blessed. I told you they were nice people.”While William cleaned the stove top and started a fire, Jenny ran to the cellar, retrieved the bucket of milk and jars of peaches and corn.William looked at the milk bucket. “Their cow’s still giving milk?”
“Yes. I milked her last night and this morning.”“Christian told me he put a bull with her not long ago. You should leave a little milk in her bag each time so she’ll dry up.”“Oh. That will be a relief. I like milk, but I hate milking her.”Jenny found a bowl and stirred up biscuits and then made cream gravy.When the food was on the table, William sat on a wooden chest, and she used the only chair that wasn’t at least partially burned.After a quick prayer and a few huge bites, the man swallowed. “Now help me figure out where Benjamin might be.”Jenny searched her memory trying to remember the different stops along the railroad. Nothing surfaced, so William got pencil and paper from his wagon and drew the railroad.Studying his drawing, Jenny pointed to the route. “I would guess he got off about here, two or three towns before Yucca Blossom.” Standing so close to his shoulder, she inhaled the fragrance of tangy soap or aftershave.William tapped his pencil against the drawing. “I’ll stop in Yucca Blossom again, and if Ben isn’t there, I’ll head on out to these little communities along the railroad. Our pa needs us. He sounded pretty desperate in his last letter. Either he’s going to kill the young buck who’s hanging around his new wife, or the young feller’s going to kill him.”“What difference would it make if you and Ben went home?”“Pa thinks the fellow would think twice about hanging around the farm with Ben and me there. Also, if he wasn’t so lazy, Ben has a knack for farming. I think Pa plans to give the land to him. Poppa burns with the desire for me to travel with the passion moving picture show and wants me to continue. That’s what I feel I should do. But right now, he needs us to chase off that young man. He’s too old to lock horns with him.”Jenny wondered why Pa’s wife wouldn’t show the young man the road, but she held her tongue.William picked up his pencil and paper, took another swig of coffee, and turned toward his wagon. “It was nice seeing you again. Thanks for dinner.”“Wait!”Jenny hurried to the cellar and nabbed two jars of peaches, a jar of pears, and one of strawberry jam. She thrust them at William. “You never know when you’ll need a quick meal.”William smiled, bent, gave her a little squeeze, and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, lass. You’re the greatest!”Ire flamed in Jenny, but perhaps she shouldn’t claim to be a woman when she was dressed like a man and hadn’t bathed for a week. She touched her skin where his puckered lips left the feel of whiskers, and smiled.William’s eyebrows crunched into a frown. “I don’t know if I’ll be back. I’ll look at your mailbox and see if I can tell what the address is here. Maybe I’ll let you know if I find Benjamin.”Jenny’s heart skipped a beat, and pain shot through her chest. She might never see him again. “Write if you can. I’d like to see you find Ben. Thanks for everything.”William said nothing until he reached for her and wrapped her in his arms. “I won’t forget you, either. Remember what Jesus said about tribulation and trouble. We are to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. ”
He loaded himself on the wagon and urged the mules forward. Then he sang so loud it echoed among the hills, “There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No not one! No not one!”
October 2, 2014
THE LADY FUGITIVE 99 CENTS THRU OCT. 4--READ THE EXCERPTS
THE LADY FUGITIVE
CHAPTER 13, CONT.
Purchase at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
William didn’t act as if he heard, but Jenny looked back at the ornery animal as she walked. Rocky had climbed on top of the cellar again, reminding her of kids who liked to play king of the hill. Maybe that’s why they named him Rocky.He thinks he’s a mountain goat.She stood beside William and stared at the grave, marked by a small wooden cross. A breeze sang in the trees, more beautiful than any organ music. A tiny gray bird lit on a high branch and joined the chorus.William took her hand. “Let’s pray.”He thanked God for the MacDougal family and prayed in such a loud voice Jenny worried Grouch might pop out of the trees, wanting to know what the yelling was about. With a catch in his voice, he prayed for Mrs. MacDougal, her family, and the baby. Then he prayed for Jenny.“Lord, you know how happy I am to see Jenny again. But she’s sick. She’s so pale and thin. She needs somebody, Lord. Send good folks to her.”He whispered then, and the name Benjamin was loud enough to hear. When he lifted his head, tears pooled in his eyes. He looked at her and gave her hand a squeeze.She smiled. He grinned back.When their eyes connected, Jenny’s heart danced. William leaned toward her, pulling her closer. Is he going to kiss me?Then he blinked, pulled away, and dropped her fingers. They stumbled down the steep hill together, back toward the house.
“I don’t want to, but I’m going to look at what the fire did.” William entered the log structure, scanning the ceiling, the burned out wall, damaged furniture and the hole in the floor. “This wasn’t just a house, it was a wonderful home,” he said, a catch in his voice.Jenny stood beside him, and he reached for her hand again. He bowed his head, and Jenny guessed he was thinking about Christian. Then he opened his eyes, looked up, and let his gaze fall on her. He led her outside.“I met your brother on the train.”He turned, his eyes huge, mouth hanging open. “What?”“He rode in the caboose with me. His horse and Leather traveled in the same stock car.”Their hands dropped apart. “How do you know it was Benjamin?”“He looks like you. But what revealed his identity to me was how he acted when I mentioned your name and told him you are looking for him because of a family crisis.”“Did he seem interested in going home?”“I don’t think so. He seemed emotional about it, but he used the name Cameron and denied he’s your brother. He told me he was a businessman going to Yucca Blossom, but while I was asleep, he got off early and stole my satchel with all my money in it.”“He didn’t!” William kicked a good-sized rock. It flew across the yard. “How much money did you have?”“Over three thousand dollars sewed into the satchel lining.”He threw his arms wide. “And he took it? Where did you get it?”“Mama saved it from the sale of peaches and horses after Daddy went to the sanitarium. John took his half when he ran away to Minneapolis to live with Aunt Betsy.”“When did he do that?”“Shortly after the judge took over the ranch. Uncle Danforth beat John with the horse whip. My brother tried to interfere with the judge’s violent way of training horses. John doesn’t believe a whip ever should be used on a horse, especially in training.”“Sorry.” William placed his arm over her shoulders. He bent to look into her eyes.Rocky trotted down off the cellar, working his way toward them.William turned. “What was it you said about a goat?”Rocky pawed the ground.“Look out. I think he’s coming our way.”Rocky raked his hooves then dashed toward William.A grin on his face, William pulled out his red handkerchief and dangled it like a bullfighter waving a red flag.Rocky smashed his head into the brilliant cotton then collided with the fence.William shook the hills with laughter. “This could be fun. That’s what you could do. Become a goat fighter and charge admission.” He laughed until he doubled over.Rocky took advantage of the situation and rammed, headfirst, into the tempting backside.Still laughing, William slowly got to his feet. “The first thing I’d do with this animal is pen him up.” He pointed. “He’s probably supposed to be in the pen with the chewed post. He needs a mama goat. You could raise goats and sell them.”“I wouldn’t have another goat on this property for anything. Why don’t you take Rocky into town and sell him? Or take him along while you peddle your household goods and give him to a farmer who needs a daddy goat?”William studied Rocky for a minute. “Seems one time when I was by here, Valerie MacDougal was upset because a neighbor—I think she called him Grumps—mistook the nanny goat for a deer and shot her. I think she was talking about Mister Anderson.”“Sounds like him, but she called him Grouch.”William picked up a big stick, herded Rocky into the pen, and shut the gate. “Did you say Mrs. MacDougal gave you this property?”“Well, actually, I bought it.”Jenny ran into the cellar and retrieved the paper Valerie’s father drew up. She handed the document to William.“This looks legal. Do you mean they sold it to you for one dollar?”“That’s what it says, and I gave them a dollar. Valerie’s pa is a lawyer, and he said it was legal, only I did need to pay the dollar. Valerie told me if I sold the farm to Grouch Anderson she’d really be angry.”William lifted his hat and scratched his head. “Strange. The land and the burned out house aren’t worth much. It might be valuable to Mister Anderson, though, because of a nice stream that runs behind the house.”Jenny hadn’t paid much attention to the creek since she’d used the windmill for water. The thick cellar walls must have muffled the sound of water running.ll to investigate. Her stomach growled. “You want to stay for lunch?”“What you havin’?”“I’ve been eating jerky and fruit from the cellar.”
September 30, 2014
THE LADY FUGITIVE 99 CENTS UNTIL OCT. 4--Read the excerpt
THE LADY FUGITIVEBy Ada Brownell~~~ CHAPTER THIRTEEN ~~~The next morning Jenny awoke more rested than she’d been since leaving home. She didn’t feel feverish anymore.“Good morning, Jenny.” No, she wasn’t over the laryngitis. All she could do, even in talking to herself, was whisper.Maude’s bellow sounded urgent. Jenny missed the rooster’s crow, but there was no way she could not hear the cow’s voice. Then a chugging overpowered Maude’s bellyaching. It sounded like one of those automobiles Jenny saw occasionally in Peachville. She opened the cellar door a bit. A shiny new Model T Ford like she’d seen in pictures rumbled past, its red paint and black leather seats glowing in the sunshine.Awestruck, she opened the door wide and stood outside looking. Swirls of dust billowed in the wind, but the car disappeared.She pulled her fingers through her hair. How could a machine be as safe as horses? The thing ate gasoline! Gas was dangerous.Knees wobbly, she dropped back into the cellar. Since she hadn’t changed out of the dandy clothes, she took them off, put on her brother’s pants, the shirt she got from William, and her boots. She pulled up her hair, mashed on the cowboy hat, and headed for the barn. Today she’d ride Leather around the pasture and make sure it was secure. If it was, Leather could go free. But first, Jenny had to get the milk out of the cow and shut her up.She no more than opened the barn door when Rocky’s head bowed, aimed right at her stomach. All four hooves kicked up dust and speed. How had she forgotten the goat?For a moment, anger surged from her head and out her fingertips. “Okay, billy goat, maybe you’ve met your match.” She jumped out of the way. How she wished she could yell instead of whisper.Rocky burst out of the barn. His head crashed into the back of the chicken house. Chickens and feathers flew in the air, and Jenny would have liked to know what they said to each other with their loud squawking.Rocky appeared a little dizzy when he picked himself up, but he eyed Jenny again. She stood ready. A coward in disguise, he backed up, stared at her again, and trotted away, head high, like a show animal instead of the baaing idiot Jenny believed him to be.“You like to shoot your victims in the back, but I got you this time!” Oh, how Jenny needed her voice. A whisper couldn’t make any impact.She kept an eye on him as she walked to the windmill and washed out the bucket. She sat down. Oh, no, she didn’t wash the cow’s udder the previous night. After two trips to the water tank to fill the bucket so she could wash the teats, then rewashing the bucket, she went to milking.Would Grouch buy the cow? After all, Jenny would need more money than she had to feed the animals, and Maude was a pain.As Jenny milked, she kept from getting too close to the cow’s rear end. She congratulated herself when Maude left a significant cow pie, but it didn’t splash. Yet Maude’s tail kept whacking Jenny upside the head. Pure joy filled her when the bucket was full and the cow empty.She strained the milk into large jars she found in the kitchen then took them down in the well house to cool.It was past time to feed the chickens and gather eggs, so she found a basket and went into the henhouse. Several of the chickens sat on multiple eggs and tried to peck Jenny when she reached under them.Okay, ladies, I’ll leave you to sit on those eggs. She only needed a few anyway. Let the hens raise big families!Three days later, she walked through what remained from the burned-out house. A huge hole gaped where the fire blazed through the roof around the fireplace. But a nice kitchen stove was intact, and one bedroom still had a bed and a dresser. But everything had been rained on. With the headache remaining from her recent illness, the house looked like a disaster.If that thief hadn’t swiped her satchel, a little lumber and a good carpenter could fix the house in no time. Window glass even remained. She might be able to chop down trees and shore up the walls. But the roof? Not without money.Having no heart to cook, she picked up a fork and spoon from the kitchen cabinet and went back to the cellar for jerky and canned goods. This time she saw a section of pearly white pears packed into jars and surrounded with clear syrup. Her taste buds celebrated as she chewed.She searched the trunk for something to read, but none of the books interested her today. She lay back on her pallet to rest.Hoof beats pounded and a wagon rattled outside. “Mister MacDougal! Hello! Mrs. MacDougal! What on earth happened here?”Should she answer? Maybe it was Grouch.“This is William, the peddler. Anybody home?”William? Here?She crept up the steps and peered out the cellar door. The familiar wagon was parked beside what was left of the house.“They’re not here,” her throat squeaked out the words.William almost fell off his perch on the wagon. “What? Jenny! What happened here?”“Mister MacDougal is in the grave up on the hill. He died in the fire. Mrs. MacDougal went back to Boston to have her baby and live with her parents. She gave me this property. Do you know what you’re supposed to do with a billy goat?”William blinked. “Jenny, you look and sound terrible. Are you all right?”She couldn’t stop the grin. “Is that a compliment?” A little of her voice came back.“What are you doing here?”“I told you.”He jumped down and tied his mules.“You mean they gave you their homestead? They loved it here.”Jenny walked closer into the sunshine where she wouldn’t need to try so hard to be heard. “Not anymore. She never wants to see this place again. What are you doing here?”William turned, his face freshly shaven. He removed his hat. Except for the ring the hat squashed around his head, his auburn hair lay attractively combed. “Mrs. MacDougal was one of my first customers when I came to this part of the country. Almost bought me out. They were great people. This is a tragedy.”He walked up the hill toward the grave, his face solemn.Jenny followed. “You might keep an eye on the goat. He’s a dirty sneak and attacks from behind.”
© 2014 Ada B. Brownell
Purchase the Lady Fugitive for .99 thru Oct. 4 here:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
Buy here for 99 cents through Oct. 4Buy here: 99 cents thru Oct. 4irty sneak and attacks from behind.”
September 29, 2014
NEED A FAITH LIFT?
By Harriett Ford
Help Lord. I need a faith lift. Why is it that my husband and I can irritate each other so at times? Daughter, as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Prov. 17:17) and sometimes the sparks just fly.
You've got to change him, Lord. I think I need an anointing oil job before I start to screech. You said to love one another, and I'm trying. What is Love, for goodness sake? Love is giving. I so loved the world that I gave my only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
I see. I can give without loving, but I cannot love without giving.Lord, will you show me one thing I can do to bless my husband today?Okay, leave him alone.
But Lord, You don't understand. Being unequally yoked is no laughing matter, especially when the yoke's on me. Please correct my husband when we're each pulling our cart in a different direction.My daughter, let's start by changing you.
Me! What's wrong with me? You would be so impressed if You only listened to my prayers of dedication and adoration. . . Oh, I see. I'm not Your advisor. And I don't have to be in control when I know the ONE who is. But please, just remind my husband that it's not really him either, okay Lord?
Father, could You please assign angels with the names Goodness and Mercy to me today? First you get Patience and Endurance to perfect your faith. (James 1: 3-4).
(Is that why you instituted marriage?)
That's how my walk with God began. I wanted instant results. I wanted my husband to be as fascinated with God as I was. I was also just 25 and barren. My desperate prayers for a baby went unanswered. Hannah and Sara became two of my favorite women in the Bible. Then one day I heard a still small voice speak to my spirit. “Why don't you fast?” Being a babe in Christ, I did not recognize it as a prompting from the Holy Spirit for three whole disappointing months. When I finally did decide to fast, I found such a glorious moment of peace and joy that I surrendered my desire on the symbolic altar, saying,” Lord if I never have a child of my own that's okay.” You are all I want and all I need in this world.” I had learned to seek the Giver and not gift. I sincerely meant those words. You may have guessed that God smiled on my sacrificial offering and gave it back, just as He so often does. Nine months later, my dear husband John and I welcomed our baby girl into our world. (I have since recommended fasting to many women seeking to have a baby of their own.)Today John and I are enjoying our grandparent roles, and we are enjoying studying God's word and praying together—something I despaired of ever happening years ago. He also completely supports my avocation as a faith writer. When I asked the Lord for a title to my latest book, He dropped the word “supervention” into my mind. “Is that in the dictionary?” I asked. It was not in three of the dictionaries I keep on my desk, however I found it in the Oxford American Dictionary . It means to interrupt a change in some condition or process. That is exactly what God did in my life. He changed my focus, my direction, and then he gave me my very heart's desire for a child and also for a believing husband.And He did it by changing me! Now whenever I find a new wrinkle or an age spot, I remind Him that He said He's coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle, so “Please hurry, Jesus.”My faith lift is in looking up for our redemption draws near. I'm so glad I married John Ford! What a journey we have shared. We're actually pulling together these days.
MEET HARRIET FORDHarriett Ford is an award-winning author of numerous features, articles, short stories, and is a devotional writer for Faith Writers. She is also an inspirational speaker for Stonecroft ministries and a member of the Marla Woodmansee Kingdom Xperience ministry. Visit her blog at www.harriettford.blogspot.com
HARRIET FORD'S BOOK, SUPERVENTION
Review: Supervention is a captivating faith builder. Harriet Ford has chosen stories of encounters with God that range from miraculous healing to life-changing personal words spoken to the heart; from personal protection in physical crises to supernatural release from addiction. If you ever were in a situation where you doubted God's love, the chances are you'll find a story here to reassure you. I found myself late at night finishing one story and thinking, "Just one more!". Then, "One more!" Finally, I'd turn out my light with a deep sense of the security of a God who cares and involves Himself in the lives of His children.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to bathe in the love of a God who cares enough to supervene or as a gift to someone who is struggling with life issues on their own and needs to know the powerful, active love of God.
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September 27, 2014
ARE YOU DEAD INSIDE?
BACK COVER In 1858 New England, orphaned, indentured servant Sophie Stalz stabs her master to protect herself from rape. Now she must rely on her brother and his friends to protect her. Escaping through the Underground Railroad, Sophie finds herself stranded on an island in the hands of a stranger.Surrounded by the sea and occupied with the duties of a lighthouse keeper, Jackson Scott just wants to be left alone with his memories. His fortress is about to crumble when his friend deposits Sophie on his doorstep. An old debt needs to be paid and the cost is dear.As her master is Seeking Sophie, will Sophie and Jackson find a life together free from their past? http://melodysperspective.me and www.melodybalthaser.com
MELODY BALTHASER lives in rural Pennsylvania with her husband and their three children. She has traveled to Africa to help orphans in Zambia and worked in children’s and women’s ministry. She enjoys traveling, hiking, camping and canoeing, but when winter settles in she heads indoors to sit in front of the wood stove, while a classic chick-flick plays on the T.V. and homemade soup simmers on the stove. Melody’s passion is to encourage people to let God’s love free them of fear and rejection to live the adventurous life their Creator intended.
DON'T BE DEAD INSIDE
LIVING MOMENTS
By Melody Baltaser
If a lifetime is made up of moments then each moment counts. Living in the moment must be key. For some, living in the moment means throwing caution to the wind and giving in to whatever instant gratification is available, but I think there is a much deeper concept here. Webster defines the word living as having life, alive, not dead and the word moment as a very short period of time, an instant. If we take these definitions and put them together we could say that living in the moment is not being dead in each instant. It sounds ridiculous but take a closer look.
How many times do we find ourselves dead to what is really happening around us? We are tuned out from the current frequency because we need to escape the intensity. We miss the sights, sounds, smells, touches and emotions as we retreat into our safe cocoon. Then, when we flat line, in order to survive the boredom that is our existence, we sit in front of a screen and watch intensely violent, sexually graphic, or terrorizing scenes. Our adrenaline and endorphins rush through our bodies and we feel alive. It is an artificial high as well as someone else's adventure.
To be awake each and every instant of our journey, whether intensely sad or mad, peaceful or passionate, is to feel the emotion deeply. Do we turn away from the suffering of others because we don’t want to be stirred to weep? Is there a list of reasons not to try something adventurous or risky? Do we wait for the moment that our lottery numbers will be drawn because THEN we will have the means finally enjoy life?
God intended us to have the abundant life in Christ. If we let Him, he comes into those dark caverns of hurt and self-preservation and awakens us like a lover's kiss at dawn. When our spirit is in union with Holy Spirit, we can live with intensity every single moment. Each second pulsates with potential and possibility. We are truly aware of everything in us and around us!
We can look at the celebration of Jesus' death and resurrection and consider our own resurrection in Christ. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” Are you letting the thief steal the abundant life that Jesus died to give you? I pray this day is an awakening of mind, soul andMay the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope! Romans 15:13
www.melodybalthaser.com and www.melodysperspective.me.
September 26, 2014
FREE ADA BROWNELL BOOKS HIT BESTSELLER RANK ON AMAZON
FREE days Ranks
Swallowed by Life9 a.m. 9/26· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Education o #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Bible Study > Guides Imagine the Future You9 a.m. 9/26· #1,202 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Bible Study > Guides o #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Parenting & Relationships > Parenting > Morals & Responsibility
Joe the Dreamer· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,155 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #19 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Religious & Inspirational Fiction > Christian > Mystery & Suspense
Confessions of Pentecostal· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,315 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #9 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Christian Living > Inspirational o #12 in Kindle Store > Kindle Short Reads > Two hours or more (65-100 pages) > Religion & Spirituality
THE LADY FUGITIVE
· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,555 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)o #99 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns > Christian
Swallowed by Life9 a.m. 9/26· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Education o #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Bible Study > Guides Imagine the Future You9 a.m. 9/26· #1,202 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Bible Study > Guides o #2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Parenting & Relationships > Parenting > Morals & Responsibility
Joe the Dreamer· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,155 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #19 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Religious & Inspirational Fiction > Christian > Mystery & Suspense
Confessions of Pentecostal· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,315 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)o #9 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Christian Living > Inspirational o #12 in Kindle Store > Kindle Short Reads > Two hours or more (65-100 pages) > Religion & Spirituality
THE LADY FUGITIVE
· Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,555 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)o #99 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Westerns > Christian
September 25, 2014
FOUR ADA BROWNELL BOOKS FREE TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY
Dear Reader Friends:
Fall. A season showcasing God’s glory in nature and His eternal power. For some all they see is the dying—beautiful flowers , productive vegetable gardens, green leaves falling from trees like a generation of friends and family passing away.
But wait! The naked tree arms stretch heavenward. They are not dead. Come spring, life bursts through every bony branch. Buds, flowers, seeds and leaves erupt. Just like the dead in Christ will awake, a new eternal body will come forth, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.What glory! What wonder!
The hope we have in Christ is the reason I write, and I pray each of my books will be stick-to-your-soul encouragement.
To celebrate the release of my historical novel, The Lady Fugitive, all four of my other books are FREE Sept. 25-28.Imagine the future You, The Castle and the Catapult, Swallowed by Life, Confessions of a Pentecostal. See all on my Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
The paperback edition of The Lady Fugitive should be available soon. The Kindle version has already received 20 reviews.
The Lady FugitiveBy Ada BrownellHow 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? Will she find peace, joy and love? One reviewer: Jenny will you laughing, biting your nails, wishing you had a gun to help.buff.ly/L8up6E
FREE BOOKS
IMAGINE THE FUTURE YOU By Ada Brownell
This motivational Bible study will help you discover evidence for faith; how to look and be your best; who can help; interesting information about dating, love and marriage; choosing a career; how to deposit good things into your brain you can spend; and how to avoid hazards that jeopardize a successful life on earth and for eternity, all mingled with true stories that can make you smile.
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
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SWALLOWED BY LIFE: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal By Ada BrownellAda Brownell Author Page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06Do you believe you could live with someone else’s heart or kidneys, but not without your body? Evidence shows we’re more than flesh. The author, a prolific religion writer and retired medical journalist, talks about the evidence; the wonder of life with all its electrical systems; the awesome truth about cell death and regeneration; mysteries surrounding the change from mortal to immortal; where we go when our body dies; resurrection; and a glimpse at what we will do in heaven. Questions and answers make this non-fiction inspirational book a great text for group study. It’s written for support groups, religion classes, people with chronic or terminal illness, individuals who fear death or are curious about it, the grieving, and those who give them counsel.Review: “It was wonderful how the author merged the medical with the spiritual.”
Amazon: http://amzn.to/Jnc1rW
Joe the Dreamer: The Castle and the CatapultBy A.B. BrownellEnter an area where people are missing and radicals want to obliterate Christianity from the earth. Joe Baker’s parents are missing and he finds himself with someone after him. Joe joins a gang committed to preventing and solving crimes with harmless things such as noise, water, and a pet skunk instead of blades and bullets Praying for his parents’ return, in his dreams Joe slips into the skin of Bible characters. He ends up in a mental hospital. Will he escape or be harmed? Will he find his parents? Does God answer prayer?
No fantasy. No wizard, but suspense. Christian payload. Joe the Dreamer: The Castle and the CatapultReviewer: “A.B. Brownell weaves a tale of intrigue and faith which captures the reader from the opening page.” http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06 or https://www.createspace.com/3962829
CONFESSIONS OF A PENTECOSTALBy Ada BrownellAda tells what it was like to grow up in a Pentecostal home, miracles she witnessed, and then of her own journey following the Lord. Her inspiring confessions of faith will encourage and bless believers everywhere.Originally published by the Assemblies of God in 1978, the book was listed in 2011 and many other years among 10 recommendations on Pentecostalism by The Library Thing. It was converted to an e-book in 2011.Review: Confessions Of a Pentecostal is more than just a book or a story; it is an ultimate look inside another person's faith. Truly remarkable, a book that I will reread time and time again, I recommend this to anyone who ever wonders about who we are: who are the Pentecostals.
http://buff.ly/KmLPMi or http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
YOU'LL FIND ALL THESE BOOKS ON ADA BROWNELL'S AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
All but The Lady Fugitive are free! Enjoy!
