Vanessa Hall's Blog, page 10
April 9, 2023
Happy Easter!
Matthew 28:5-8 (KJV) “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.”
“Christ the Lord is Risen Today” (Charles Wesley)
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
April 7, 2023
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the death of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them through his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
(Isaac Watts, 1707)
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5
April 4, 2023
New Release: Clarion Hope by Laurel Luehmann
dare to dream that there’s more than this broken road,
and that beauty may lie on tomorrow’s edge…
A sequel of sorts to the author’s debut collection, Clarion Hope takes the spark of courage held out in This Will Not Last and fans it into a roaring flame. Over and over again, scars are healed, brokenness is bathed in tears, and fear is buried in the name of the truth and hope of the highest order.
For the boldest warriors and the faint-hearted alike, Clarion Hope is a battle cry to live in the light of the coming Kingdom.
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoodreadsAuthor Bio
Laurel Luehmann has a passion for capturing the raw beauty and emotion of life in words to share with the world.
Some of her happiest moments are spent chatting with kindred spirits, mashing potatoes, singing and playing the guitar with gusto, and dairy farming with her family in the Midwest.
Connect:
April 3, 2023
Cover Reveal: Trouble in Dry Springs by Kristina Hall
Even the peaceful town of Dry Springs is not without trouble.
When Eliza McCoslin’s brother sends for her, she exchanges war-torn Mississippi for Dry Springs, Texas. Settling into a new way of life proves difficult though, despite the arrival of the man she’s long admired.
Jesse Carrigan comes to Dry Springs seeking work and a place to start the ranch he’s dreamed of ever since his parents lost their farm. What he doesn’t expect to find is the woman he’d like to court—or his former colonel on the run from a deadly threat.
Given the circumstances keeping Jesse and Eliza apart and the danger looming on the horizon, he and Eliza find themselves facing the loss of future love—and life. When trouble comes to Dry Springs, who will be left standing?
Goodreads BioKristina Hall is a sinner saved by grace who seeks to glorify God with her words. She is a homeschool graduate and holds a degree in accounting. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, arm wrestling, lifting weights, and playing the violin.
March 31, 2023
New Release: Key by Madisyn Carlin
When Nerissa Wessen finds an unconscious man near her village, she knows one thing: trouble is on its way. What she doesn’t anticipate is the stranger’s charming smile—or the reason why he’s in her land in the first place.
Detective Denton Yindell wants only to put his past behind him and make good on a failed promise. When unforeseen circumstances place him on the doorstep of the very people who can help, Denton must convince the distrustful villagers to assist him.
But good intentions can bring about disastrous consequences, and when Denton’s past hunts him down, Nerissa’s family and village are threatened. Can two hearts—one wary and one wounded—learn to trust before evil eradicates those who oppose it?
AmazonGoodreadsAbout the AuthorMadisyn Carlin is a Christian, homeschool graduate, blogger, voracious bookdragon, and author. When not spending time with her family or trekking through the mountains, she weaves tales of redemption, faith, and action.
Want to connect? https://linktr.ee/madisyncarlin
March 27, 2023
Review: The Guardian by Abbigail Raine B.
The Guardian by Abbigail Raine B.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A well-written Western romance from this debut author! Westerns can be one of those super cool genres that usually have something in them for everyone, and this book is certainly not the exception!
Characters: Felix, the narrator, worked really well for the single POV style of the book. I never really felt as if I needed another character’s POV. Her struggles and trials really explained why she was so cynical and miserable to the world, and the poor girl just needed a lot of hugs. I wanted to tell her to stop doing the things she was doing because she was only harming herself! But her arc had quite pleasant resolution, I’m happy to report. Stacey, one of her younger sisters, wasn’t my favorite, but Millie, her other sister, seemed like such a sweetheart. And of course, I must mention Jack. He was kind guy, and I appreciated that the gentle romance between Felix and Jack was very clean and relaxed. (I will say there could’ve been a little bit more of an inclination in Felix’s mind toward liking him romantically, but maybe she just didn’t want to share that part of her mind with readers. Don’t blame her for that one!)
Writing Style/Plot: The writing styles was well done – distinct and beautiful yet not overwhelming. It was the perfect fit for this simple, yet genuine, setting of the Western plains. The plot wasn’t action packed, though there were a few suspenseful moments throughout. However, Felix’s character arc was the main focus, and that definitely afforded some intrigue. I was nervous for her!
Theme: The overall theme was surrendering to the Lord and trusting Him to care for you. That’s certainly an important and sometimes hard to learn truth in life. I will say I wasn’t the biggest fan of how some of the theology was presented in the book, but this author has a beautiful heart for writing godly fiction, and how badly we need that in this world.
Overall, this novel shows the talent of this new author – be on the lookout for more promising reads from her in the near future!!
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
March 24, 2023
Spotlight: The Guardian by Abbigail Raine B.
God only gives so many wake up calls… Will she answer?
Survival on the prairies of 1850s Texas is full of hardship and tragedy. Felicia “Felix” Taylor would know. Raising her sisters, running the farm, and connecting with her neighboring friends keeps her grounded. But when the providential and the coincidental occur, how will she respond? Will she acknowledge that it may be the God she turned her back on? Will she let Him in? Or will she steel her heart against the faith that betrayed her?
Amazon – United States
Amazon – Canada
About the Author!Abbigail is a dreamer who explores past worlds through the pages of imagination. She desires to write and glorify God in all she does and invites readers to join creative adventures through the written word. When she isn’t writing, she can be found reading, enjoying her earl grey tea, and jamming out to music. She lives with her crazy but amazing family in Alberta, Canada.
If you want to chat about books, writing, or even just say hi, feel free to connect with her at her website at: abbigailraineb.wordpress.com. Or connect with her through social media.
March 20, 2023
Cover Reveal: The Healer of the Brigade by Michaela Bush
A mysterious healer and an injured soldier, both caught in the crossfire of war.
Aurelie was exiled to Absricht at a young age, cast away by a father who swore she was cursed. Now, with no one to trust but herself, her life is thrown into upheaval when war approaches. But Aurelie knew the war would come.
Word of Princess Evangeline’s return has swept the globe, and a mysterious enemy soon emerges, bent on conquering Lanaria and its surrounding nations. Horace is the first to board the warship sent to aid Absricht, determined to find out why the little country landed in the crosshairs so soon.
When Horace arrives injured at Aurelie’s doorstep, she has a decision to make. Does she hold the key that will end the war? How many secrets will she need to sacrifice in the process? Meanwhile, Horace is quickly flung into deeper waters as he realizes there is more than meets the eye behind the war: as both prophecies and traitors emerge surrounding Lanarian soil, will he unravel the enigma in time?
GoodreadsAmazon
March 17, 2023
Cover Wars: Midnight Will Come
Click here to vote for Midnight Will Come in Cover Wars! You can vote once a day throughout the week, so be sure to come back to the site if you’d like to cast your vote again.
March 13, 2023
Seasons of Life
Ecclesiastes 3:1
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven …”
Nothing in life stays the same for very long, does it? One moment you feel as if you’re stuck (or happily sitting) in a place, and then within a few weeks, a few months, a few years … everything is different.
Nearly three years ago, most of our lives drastically changed with the goings-on of 2020 that shall not be mentioned. Very few of us—if any—had an idea what would happen that March and how long it would last. For me personally, that March heralded a sudden change of pace in my life. No longer did I trot off to university every week, play music with bunches of other people, or scramble to get homework done amidst all the other aspects of college.
I sat at home, did classes over Zoom, and worked furiously on homework. (And yes, that was a wild semester!) Then the next semester continued, much the same—filled with Zoom and homework. Outside of church and those Zoom classes, I did little more than sit at home and work. (Writing was included in that, and I had a blast with that!)
But I’ve got to admit—I felt pretty useless during that 2020 through early 2021 era. I felt as if I had no real way to serve people in meaningful ways. After all, what did it do for anyone while I sat at home and happily typed away at my stories?
So I asked God to give me ways to serve.
And you know what? He didn’t immediately answer me with some grand plan to dramatically serve other people. But there were little things—serving my family, doing some things at church, encouraging friends.
And then in that fateful 2021 (wow that sounds dramatic), I decided to publish Unknown and therefore eventually decided to start this blog. I got to meet so many other authors and people who I would never know on this earth otherwise. And through my writing, I’ve been able to communicate and hopefully encourage and minister to people who I might never speak to.
Now fast-forward to today, and I’m struggling to even keep my head above the water with how many opportunities I have to be a blessing and encouragement to others. And none of this is because I’m remotely capable or worthy or deserving of any of this. Every day is truly a lesson in leaning on God’s grace, because without him, I’m useless and empty and nothing.
So what’s the whole purpose of this monologue about my not-that-exciting life? Well, it’s a story showing that God does answer prayers, and He leads us in His timing, not in ours. During that time when I was at home feeling as if I were able to be a blessing to anyone, the Lord was teaching me many things. He was giving me time to develop my writing. He was teaching me patience and showing His perfect power.
Maybe you’re in one of those seasons of life where you’re just stuck. But this time is not wasted. It’s not useless. God redeems our time, and He will use it for our good.
And this time will pass—so treasure it. That’s something I have been reminding myself when I’m not so excited about going to school at 6 AM (and it’s cold outside.) Every day is a day the Lord has made, and He has put you in exactly the place you need to be. You are right where you are for a reason, and it’s the best place you could be.
So rejoice in this season of life that you’re in, whether it’s incredibly busy or seemingly empty—your labor is never in vain in the Lord, no matter how small it might seem. Do all for the glory of God, and rejoice in Him.
1 Corinthians 15:58
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
