Cynthia Roemer's Blog, page 6

LOVE’S TWISTING TRAIL INSIGHTS + GIVEAWAY

I’m thrilled to have fellow Scrivenings Press author Betty Woods sharing about her new release, Love’s Twisting Trail. It’s next on my TBR list, so I look forward to delving in soon! Stick around for a chance to win a PRINT COPY!

“If the Lord delights in man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”  ~Psalm 37: 23.24

Have you ever been so sure of God’s leading or direction that you all but ran that direction? You couldn’t get started on the path He’d shown you soon enough. Then you bump into a wall at every turn or trip over so many rocks you lose count.   It’s as if you’re stumbling by faith instead of walking by faith. Maybe you begin to doubt if you heard God as clearly as you thought. Maybe you completely misunderstood Him are going the wrong way.

  GO-TO VERSES

I’ve been there enough over the years that these verses have become two of my go-to life verses. I’ve told or written stories since childhood. I first felt God nudging me to write professionally about fifteen years ago. If I’d known then that I’d have to wait until January 2022 to see my first book published, I might not have started the journey to begin with. God sent wonderful mentors to help me improve my writing. He gave me two wonderful agents. Two, because my first agent lost her battle with cancer. A major setback for a few months until my new agent took over for her former boss.

I’ve won or been named a finalist in a lot of writing contests the last few years. But still no publishing contract I started getting requests for my novel from some well-known publishers, only to get a rejection email. Or an entire line of books was discontinued just as mine landed with one of their editors who loved my story. And I can go on about the ups and downs of trying to break into the world of publication. More than once, I’ve asked God if I heard Him correctly when I thought He wanted me to become a published writer.

GOD’S TIMING

But in God’s own time, He landed my debut novel, Love’s Twisting Trail, with the perfect publisher. When my heroine, Charlotte, starts doubting her choices, I immediately thought of my verses in Psalms. The stumbling by faith idea came from describing her frustrations after running into one obstacle after another when she thought she was doing God’s will.

So once you’re sure of God’s will for you, don’t give up. If or when you stumble, God will pick you up with His own hand.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Betty writes heartwarming romance with a Southern accent. She lives in Texas with her husband and spoiled Chihuahua. RV trips to check out ideas or places for new book ideas are one of her favorite things to do. She can spend hours touring museums or book stores with vintage books. If the kids, grandkids or great grands can clear their schedules to come along, she’s happy beyond words. Tourists in Old Town Cody, Wyoming mistook her for the tour guide when she was explaining nineteenth century life to three of her grandchildren.

 

INSPIRING NOVELS

[image error]

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

 

GIVEAWAY!

Now for the Giveaway!! Betty has graciously offered to give away a PRINT COPY of Love’s Twisting Trail! Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below for several chances to win! (US Addresses only)

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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A GLIMPSE INSIDE ~ UNDER MOONLIT SKIES

This week I’m featuring my third novel, Under Moonlit Skies. Stewart and Esther’s story is centered around 1 Samuel 16:7

 

My hero, Stewart Brant, is a cowboy with little education, few possessions, and a faith that’s been simmering on the back burner for years. When he falls for a refined city girl, Esther Stanton, he feels unworthy of her affections. It isn’t until he learns the true value of a person in God’s eyes comes from within, that his life turns for the better.

Instead of me telling you about the novel, I thought it would be fun to share an excerpt with you regarding Stew’s spiritual struggle. I hope you’ll enjoy this excerpt from Under Moonlit Skies!

 

UNDER MOONLIT SKIES EXCERPT

Stew rapped his fingers on the stone fireplace, unable to rid his mind of Charlotte’s words. Was she right? Had Esther been in earnest about her affections for him? The thought both thrilled and haunted him.

Esther’s Bible seemed to call to him yet again, this time like a forgotten friend. The only remembrance he had left of her, save his memories, he slid the book of Scriptures from the mantel. He opened it at its center, recalling his ma being partial to the eighty-fourth Psalm. He ran his finger down the page, pausing on the final verses to read them through a second time.

“I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Oh Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee.”

Closing the Bible, Stew leaned against the rough stones of the fireplace.

No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee.

Was that all there was to it? Do the right thing and God would bless you? It couldn’t be that simple. Though he’d not done anything too horrific in his past, he couldn’t say he’d “walked uprightly” either. For some time now, he’d known his relationship with the Lord was sorely in need of improvement. Yet, his efforts had been meager at best, mainly prayers pleading for Esther to stay and attending church more out of desire for Esther’s company than the Lord’s.

No wonder the Lord had turned a deaf ear to him.

He clutched the Bible to his chest. Barring some miracle, it was probably too late for him and Esther. And yet, the verse said the Lord withheld nothing from them that walked uprightly. It said right in Psalm eighty-four the Lord blessed those who were faithful to Him. Maybe that’s what Esther had wanted him to learn. More than once she’d inquired about his relationship with the Lord. Was that what had been lacking between them? Had she left her Bible with him in hopes he’d grow in his faith?

Hope stirred in his chest as he returned the Bible to the mantel. From now on, he’d make every effort to be the man of faith Esther had longed for him to be.

 

I loved creating Stew. His character was patterned in part after one of my favorite actors, Jimmy Stewart. He and Esther both face internal and external challenges wrapped in an adventure of intrigue and love. I hope you’ll be blessed by their story.

If you’d like to read more of the novel, you can read the entire first chapter on Amazon. READ CHAPTER

 

INSPIRATIONAL READS

[image error]

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

 

The post A GLIMPSE INSIDE ~ UNDER MOONLIT SKIES appeared first on CYNTHIA ROEMER ~ INSPIRATIONAL AUTHOR.

ACTS OF KINDNESS

Random Acts of Kindness. We’ve all heard of them. Once in a while they break through the myriad of bad news–the murders, kidnappings, jail breaks, natural disasters, political turmoil, civic unrest–and bring a bit of sunshine into our lives. Like the 19-year-old waiter who received a $1000 tip because he took time to visit with a customer.

In a world where wrong seems right and right seems wrong, we need these rays of hope to spur us on. Each of us has the choice to make this world a better place, or a more bitter one. Even small acts of kindness can make a world of difference in another person’s life.

 

WAYS TO BRIGHTEN OUR WORLD

Want to help brighten up your corner of the universe? Here’s my top 20 ways to make the world a better place!

20) Attend your child’s activities

19) Be an informed voter

18) Send your spouse flowers

17) Visit a shut-in

16) Call your parents and thank them for raising you

15) Contact a Congressman to express your feelings on an important issue

14) Make someone laugh

13) Prepare a meal for a grieving family

12) Send a care-package to someone in the military

11) Smile

10) Comfort a hurting friend

9) Speak words of encouragement to a flustered store clerk

8) Invite a non-Christian neighbor over for a cook out

7) Volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center or homeless shelter

6) Hug a child

5) Open your home to a missionary or someone in need

4) Tell someone you love them

3) Sacrifice something you want for someone else’s sake

2) Share your faith

1) Pray!

How many on the list have you tried? I know there are a few I still need to do. What other ways can you suggest to make our world a better place? I’d love to hear your suggestions.

FAITH-FILLED FICTION

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

 

The post ACTS OF KINDNESS appeared first on CYNTHIA ROEMER ~ INSPIRATIONAL AUTHOR.

PRAYER – FINDING QUIET

Have you ever wondered what Jesus prayed about? I mean, He was God in the flesh. He knew everything about everyone and had the power to accomplish anything He wanted. And yet, numerous times in Scripture we read about Him finding a quiet place to go alone and pray. All night at times.

I’m curious. Did He merely drink in the Father’s presence to revive His spirit? Did He have a two-way conversation with God, chatting about how His mission was going? Did He discuss Peter’s over-eagerness or James and John’s quest to be His right and left hand men?

Scripture doesn’t say a lot about His prayer life, but the little it does say is very insightful.

CHOOSING HIS DISCIPLES

By the time Jesus chose His inner circle of disciples, He had quite a following. It would have been tough to pick twelve men out of such a group. How did He go about it? Luke 6:13 tells us He went up on a mountaintop and spent the night in prayer. When He returned, His choices were clear.

It’s imperative we seek the Lord’s guidance on the decisions in our lives. He may not come out and tell us exactly what to do, but He has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us. (John 16:13) When we pray seeking God’s will, His Spirit will lead us in the direction we should go.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

This prayer of Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily necessities–for our needs to be supplied, for strength to ward off temptation, and to praise and honor Him.

PRAYER FOR HIS DISCIPLES

In John 17, we read Jesus’ prayer for his Disciples. He prayed for them to have courage to face what they would be up against when He was no longer with them. For them to understand and accept His mission and what He came to do. And He prayed for their protection, for unity and oneness of spirit.

This prayer demonstrates His love for His Disciples, but not only them but all His followers. It also speaks to us, that we should love and care for one another, lifting each other up in prayer on a daily basis. Relationships were important to Jesus. I venture to guess that much of His time in prayer was spent on behalf of others.

Often we get consumed with our own lives and problems and forget we are called to intercessory prayer. Where we lift others up to the Father and ask Him to meet their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs. During my cancer journey, I can’t tell you what a comfort and blessing it was (and still is) to know many were covering my husband and me in prayer!

GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed for Himself. For strength and endurance to face being scorned, mocked and subjected to a grueling death. He knew what was coming–the pain of taking on the sin of an entire universe. He even asked that if there was another way, God would spare Him. And yet, He prayed for God’s will to be done rather than His own. 

What a powerful lesson for us His followers. No matter what we come up against–disease, persecution, hardship–God will never leave us or forsake us. We can rest assured that He has a perfect plan. It’s our job to trust and choose to follow His will above our own.

In this busy life of ours where everything screams for our attention, it’s easy to allow the cares and demands to squeeze out our quiet time with the Lord. But, I figure if Jesus–God in the flesh, Savior of the world–made prayer a priority, we should to.

 

INSPIRING READS

[image error]

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

 

The post PRAYER – FINDING QUIET appeared first on CYNTHIA ROEMER ~ INSPIRATIONAL AUTHOR.

CHILD OF PROMISE INSIGHTS + GIVEAWAY

I’m thrilled to have author Debbi Migit with us today to share about her book, Child of Promise, based on a true account from her own life. AND THERE’S A GREAT GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY, so read on!

Tomorrow, my husband and I will attend a graduation party for two of our nieces. At the same time, a realtor will host an open house in our home, hoping to attract prospective buyers. The irony isn’t lost on me.

As a new bride, I asked God for this house, and through a series of miracles, He answered my prayer.

Excerpt from Child of Promise: An Amazing True Story of Faith and Family

           Jim and Nancy had retired from full-time ministry several years earlier and often traveled around the country, so I was delighted they were in town for our twenty-fifth anniversary celebration.

           As we reminisced, I reminded them that as a young bride, I’d sat in their living room one Sunday afternoon and asked God to let me live someday in the house they’d built. We were conscious of the intertwining of our lives. Christine and I had first grown to be dear friends, and now we had adopted children who were biological siblings.

           Christine’s sisters, Jackie and Diane, began to admire my wedding dress, which was displayed in the corner of the room.

           “Dad.” Diane looked at Jim. “I don’t remember attending Phil and Debbi’s wedding. Didn’t we know them back then?”

“Oh yes,” Jim answered. “Phil was part of our congregation when he and Debbi met, and even though they married at her church, we were all invited to the wedding.”

           “But we couldn’t go,” Nancy stated.

           I thought back to that day and remembered Jim and Nancy hadn’t been at our wedding, after all.

           “Why not?” Jackie asked.

           “We had a good reason.” Jim’s eyes gleamed. “We had something scheduled that couldn’t be changed, so we had to send our regrets.”

           Jackie seemed embarrassed by her parent’s apparent social gaffe. “Well, you were Phil’s pastor, for goodness’ sake. What was so important that you couldn’t attend his wedding?”

           “Oh, I think Phil and Debbi will forgive us when we tell them what we were doing that day.” Jim smiled fully now, and suddenly I sensed the presence of the Lord surrounding us.

           “You see, twenty-five years ago today, on the day Phil and Debbi were married, we were pouring the foundation for the house where they and their family live today.”

THE NEXT STEP

As you can imagine, leaving this home will be bittersweet. We’ve had twenty-three years here; our two younger children have known no other home. Now, as they leave to make their way into the world, in a sense, Phil and I are also graduating.

It’s fitting that the root word of graduation is ‘step’ or ‘go’. Recently a friend asked what we are going to do now, and I responded, “We’re finally going to find out what we’ll be when we grow up!”

Because the truth is, we have no idea. All through our marriage, we’ve tried to follow God’s leading, including the adoption of our three children. What a blessing they are! Now God is carefully (and maybe a little too slowly) 😊 revealing the next steps. But that’s okay. He’s proven Himself faithful every time.

So tomorrow, as I celebrate our niece’s accomplishments, I’m going to savor one special bite of our graduation cake and anticipate the new adventure He’s prepared for us.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author and speaker, Debbi Migit, lives in central Illinois, surrounded by pumpkin patches and corn fields. Her first book, Child of Promise, is the true love story of a family formed through adoption. After ten years of infertility, Debbi and her husband, Phil, were just months from adopting when God said, “Not this way.” Child of Promise is the story of audacious faith resulting in multiple miracles; it encourages readers to remember their own promises and believe again.

 

FAITH-FILLED NOVELS

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

GIVEAWAY

Now for the Giveaway! Enter the Rafflecopter Contest below for a chance to win an e-copy of Child of Promise, OR a print copy of either of her other novels (US addresses only for print).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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WHEN LIFE KNOCKS US DOWN

Last summer, Tree Swallows attempted to take over our Bluebird house, so my husband put a bucket over the house in hopes they would leave. Instead, they patiently sat atop it, waiting, I suppose, for the house to reappear or the bucket to disappear. They just wouldn’t give up!

We all face disappointments in life that knock us down and make us feel like giving up. Whether it be an unkind word from someone we love, a job loss, dashed hopes, or a severed relationship. Jesus made it clear that in this world we will have trouble. But that we should “take heart” because He has overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

When discouragements come, we need to take a lesson from these persistent birds and hang tough. It’s the rough spots in life that the Lord often uses to mold us into the faith-filled people He calls us to be. Growth happens when we use these setbacks to shift our focus onto what matters most–our usefulness to God.

4 WAYS TO BOLSTER YOUR FAITH IN TOUGH TIMES

PRAY FOR WISDOM: Asking for the Lord’s blessing and wisdom should be a vital part of all we do. If you’re facing difficulties or discouragements, seek the Lord’s perspective. He can take the sourest of situations and turn them for our good if we put our trust in Him.

REASSESS: When we’re discouraged, everything seems a bit grim. Instead of letting the situation get the better of you, take a step back and reassess where you’re headed. Ask yourself, Is this the direction God wants me to go, or is He leading me another way? Be willing to prayerfully try various avenues and see what doors the Lord opens or shuts. Remember, when God closes a door, He’s sure to open a window.

SEEK ENCOURAGERS: I’m blessed to have some faithful friends who regularly speak encouragement into my life. Not through flattering words, but words which spur me to reach into the recesses of my heart and mind and draw out my best. Friends who speak the truth in love, yet whose goal is to build and uplift. Do you have friends like that? If not, I encourage you to pray for the Lord to send some your way. They can prove invaluable assets during life’s rough spots!

NEVER GIVE UP: Among my keepsakes, is a picture of a willowy stork attempting to stuff a large frog down his throat. At the same time, the half-eaten frog’s hands are clutching the stork’s neck, keeping him from being eaten. At the bottom are the words: NEVER GIVE UP! I keep this picture close at hand to remind me to keep trying, even in the bleakest of situations.

When things look grim, don’t let go of hope. When the setbacks keep coming, seek out new possibilities and look to the Lord to provide the strength you need.

~ Who/what encourages you?

FAITH-FILLED FICTION

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

 

The post WHEN LIFE KNOCKS US DOWN appeared first on CYNTHIA ROEMER ~ INSPIRATIONAL AUTHOR.

A GLIMPSE INSIDE ~ UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES

In April, I shared a little about Becky Hollister’s journey and the spiritual message woven within the pages of Under This Same Sky: Book One in my Prairie Sky Series:  READ BLOG

This month it’s Chad and Charlotte’s story in Book 2. Under Prairie Skies (plus there’s a GIVEAWAY)

NOVEL INSIGHTS

If you’ve read Book One in the series, you’ll recall Becky’s cousin, Charlotte Stanton, is not a very nice person. She fits into the Nellie Olsen category on Little House on the Prairie. But when she meets up with handsome stranger, Chad Avery, her whole outlook on life is challenged.

From the moment they meet, theirs is a fire and ice sort of relationship. A man of few words, Chad seems to have a way of seeing right through Charlotte and exposing her inner flaws. Despite the hurt of facing her mistakes, she senses her heart changing for the better–and her longing to know the elusive Chad Avery growing.

 

But Chad has some secrets from his past he would just as soon forget. When Charlotte begins to penetrate the wall he’s built around his heart, he’s forced to face the painful memories and either move forward or stay locked inside himself.

As iron sharpens iron, Chad and Charlotte sharpen each other and become the people God intends them to be. Getting there is a journey I know you’ll enjoy reading!

 

BLURB ~ UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES

Prairie Sky Series – Book Two

~ Beyond shattered dreams lies a realm of possibilities ~
Illinois prairie ~1855

Unsettled by the news that her estranged cousin and uncle are returning home after a year away, Charlotte Stanton goes to ready their cabin and finds a handsome stranger has taken up residence. Convinced he’s a squatter, she throws him off the property before learning his full identity. Little does she know, their paths are destined to cross again.

Quiet and ruggedly handsome, Chad Avery’s uncanny ability to see through Charlotte’s feisty exterior and expose her inner weaknesses both infuriates and intrigues her. When a tragic accident incites her family to move east, Charlotte stays behind in hopes of becoming better acquainted with the elusive cattleman. Yet Chad’s unwillingness to divulge his hidden past, along with his vow not to love again, threatens to keep them apart forever.

 

GIVEAWAY

I’d love to share Chad and Charlotte’s story with one of you, so I’m giving away an e-book copy of Under Prairie Skies!

Simply LEAVE A COMMENT below to enter. To double your chance to win, FOLLOW ME ON AMAZON and mention it in your comment. I’ll choose a random winner by next Wed.

COMMENT QUESTION: Would you like a friend like Chad or Charlotte who is truthful enough to gently “sharpen” you if it helped you grow in your relationship with the Lord? Why or why not?

 

MORE INSPIRING READS

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, GoodreadsBookbub and Twitter.

 

The post A GLIMPSE INSIDE ~ UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES appeared first on CYNTHIA ROEMER ~ INSPIRATIONAL AUTHOR.

CHOOSING NOT TO WORRY

Have you ever noticed when you pray for something like patience or faith, instead of just giving us those virtues, God puts us in situations that require us to use them?

Our sermon one Sunday dealt with worry. After half an hour of being inspired to entrust everything into God’s capable hands, I thought, I can do this! From now on, I’ll give all my cares and concerns to the Lord.

“Who of you by worrying can add
a single hour to your life?”

(Luke 12:25)

Two days later, the threat of severe weather hit our area. I was a half-hour away from home shopping at the time. Several in town were talking about the bad storm headed our way. One look at the radar confirmed it, as did the darkening sky to the west.

Instantly my thoughts turned to my husband who was alone in the middle of nowhere on a cab-less tractor, without a cell phone. So did I trust God with this? No. Instead, I rushed and worried–about getting home ahead of the storm to warn my husband, about safety on the roads, and safety for my sons at school and work.

As it turned out, my worries–as usual–were for nothing. The storm split around us and wasn’t as bad as expected. Once again, I realized how small my faith really is.

INSTEAD OF WORRY LIST

So, I decided to make a list of things I could do instead of worry. Here’s my top 10 picks.

Read Scripture
Pray
Sing praise songs
Call a friend
Listen to Christian music
Visit a shut-in
Ask someone to pray for the situation
Do something nice for someone
Exercise
Get out and enjoy God’s creation

When you’re tempted to worry, remember this Scripture:

What about you? What situations cause you to worry? I’d love to hear your feedback.

 

FAITHFILLED FICTION

 

[image error]

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

 

The post CHOOSING NOT TO WORRY appeared first on CYNTHIA ROEMER ~ INSPIRATIONAL AUTHOR.

THE CORPORAL’S CODEBOOK INSIGHTS + GIVEAWAY

I’M HONORED TO HAVE SUSAN PAGE DAVIS AS GUEST TODAY. SUSAN HAS PENNED OVER 100 BOOKS. SIMPLY AMAZING! TODAY SHE’S SHARING ABOUT HER CIVIL WAR NOVEL, THE CORPORAL’S CODEBOOK.

Jack wasn’t born into the Miller family, but he cares deeply about his adoptive siblings. At the outbreak of the Civil War, his flighty young brother Ned joins the army. Seeing his parents’ distress, Jack volunteers to enlist in the same outfit.

Ned’s death strips Jack of his self-confidence and sense of worth. He must trust God to get him and the rest of the family through this grief and the rest of the horrible war.

As a boy, Jack’s adoptive father taught him Morse Code, and he followed his father into the field of telegraphy. Jack eventually is able to put that skill to good use in the war effort, but it also puts him in mortal danger.

Meanwhile, a grandmother he barely remembers has faith and a deep longing. She hires an attorney to find her three lost grandchildren.

This book deals with a family’s struggles in wartime, and Jack’s conscience and his desperation in a very bad situation. It also touches on the faith journey of the man looking for him, Ryland Atkins. Ryland’s story stretches over all three books of the series, showing his growth as a man and as a Christian.

I enjoy writing stories about forgiveness and reconciliation, and this series has reconciliation at its heart. Ryland’s job is to bring back the three young people who were forced out of the family twenty years earlier and reunite them with their grandmother and cousin.

A symbol of their bond is the “cousin coin” each one possesses. Their grandfather, a New England sea captain, gave each of his grandchildren a round Asian coin with a square hole in the center. Jack and his older brother keep these not just as souvenirs, but as a connection to their birth family. Their young sister, whose story is told in Book 3, The Sister’s Search, also has one of the coins, but doesn’t know its significance.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than one hundred novels and novellas. She writes romance, mystery, suspense, and historical stories, with faith woven in. Susan has won numerous awards, including the Carol Award, two Will Rogers Medallions, and two Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice Awards. A Maine native, she now lives in western Kentucky with her husband Jim, a retired news editor. They’re the parents of six and the grandparents of eleven. Visit Susan at https://susanpagedavis.com.

The Corporal’s Codebook is Book 2 in Susan’s Homeward Trails series. Book 1 is The Rancher’s Legacy, and book 3 is The Sister’s Search. Find the book at:

The Corporal’s Codebook

FAITH-FILLED FICTION

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie  & the Civil War Era

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads Bookbub and Twitter.

GIVEAWAY

 

Susan has graciously offered to give away the winner’s choice of an e-book or print copy (US addresses only) of The Corporal’s Codebook.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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SUBTLE WEAPONS

His ways are very subtle. But then, if his tactics were obvious, we wouldn’t fall for them. He’s the father of lies. The master of deception. He weaves in just enough truth to make his lies believable.  Of course, I’m referring to Satan and his scheme to draw us away from God.

His most effective methods are not those which blatantly try to convince us to leave our faith or deny God. Instead, he chooses to subtly feed us mistruths and slowly but surely steal our devotion away from God. He pokes and prods for ways to infiltrate our lives utilizing these four weapons:

Doubt

 Satan likes to put doubts in our minds about God. If He really cares about you, why doesn’t He cure you of your disease? Why doesn’t He take away your painful circumstances? Why won’t He provide a job, get you that promotion, or heal your broken marriage?

It would be great to live a life free of hardship, but Jesus made us this promise, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Don’t let Satan fool you into doubting God. Keep His Word sealed on your heart and know for certain He is with you, no matter what you walk through.

 

Deception 

Often Satan likes to disguise evil and make it seem appealing. A tidbit of shared gossip, a small tweak on your tax form, a casual luncheon with your attractive boss may appear innocent, yet turn out devastating.

Satan likes to put us in compromising situations and feed us thoughts that say, Go for it. One time won’t hurt. When all along, the Holy Spirit is urging us not to give in, to hold fast to what we know is right.  I Thessalonians 5:22 tells us not to even give off the appearance of evil. Refuse to let your principles be compromised. Stay the course and don’t give the devil a foothold in your life.

 

 

Distractions 

Sometimes Satan simply likes to distract us. If we’re constantly busy and on the go, our time and commitments to God can be squeezed out and our lives become unproductive. Instead, remember to “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)

We can’t afford to let ourselves become sidetracked from the calling God places on our lives. Our time on earth is short, and we must choose wisely how to spend it. By keeping focused on Christ and what’s truly important, we can make each day count for Him.

 

Discouragement

It’s so easy to compare our lives with others and feel we come up short. Or have our hopes and dreams fall through and feel like we’ve failed. Satan is great at getting us to grovel in self-pity, sink into depression, and lose our will to try.

Discouragement is one of Satan’s favorite ways to bring us down. Yet, Scripture plainly states the best antidote for discouragement is thanksgiving and praise. “I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” (Psalm 34:1)

Next time you’re discouraged, call out to the God of the Universe, praise Him for what He’s done and what He’s yet to do. You’ll soon find your heart lighter and Satan blown away!

The best way to safeguard our lives against Satan’s tactics is to know God’s Word, pray, convey the Fruit of the Spirit, and lead a praise-filled life. May we consider each new day a chance to know Christ and to make Him known.

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