Cathy Bryant's Blog: CatBryant.com ~ Journey Blog, page 101

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "Hope's Promise" by Tammy Barley (& Book Giveaway!)

About the Book:

Jake Bennett is finally wed to the love of his life, Jessica Hale—but he isn't convinced she won't leave him. Life is a constant struggle for the Bennetts as they battle drought and live in fear of raids on Southerners, and he is not sure that Jess knew what she was getting herself into when she married him. Jess, however, despairs for another reason—she is unable to conceive a child. While trying to prove their unconditional love for each other, the Bennetts must defend...

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "Lost Island Smugglers" by Max Anderson (& Book Giveaway!)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sam, Tony, and Tyler took scuba lessons together. Tony's father owned a marina, so Tony got them in for free. After the boys completed the course, they decided to try their new skills in the ocean. The only problem was, none of them had permission to go, or to take one of the sailboats out for their diving adventure. Everything went well until the biggest storm the boys had ever seen, blew up from out of nowhere, and they found themselves stranded on Lost Island. But, if they...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: C. S. Lakin (& Book Giveaway!)

Please help me welcome C. S. Lakin to WordVessel. How long have you been writing and when was your first book published?



I began writing novels twenty-three years ago, and landed a top agent (the first one I queried) with my first novel. But I only received my first contracts last year as a result of winning the Zondervan first novel contest. I had submitted my sixth novel to that contest, a book I wrote specifically for the Christian market.



What advice or tips do you have for writers who...

God Doesn't Need Our Help

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." ~Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)



Has it ever occurred to you that God doesn't need our help?



Sometimes we get an idea--possibly even a God-ordained idea--and then stumble all over ourselves trying to make it happen.



Why do we do this? Do we think God's not able to bring it about in His timing and strength? Is our sense of self-importance so inflated that we actually believe He needs us to make it happen? Do we not realize that ...

SUNDAY MEDITATION: God Doesn't Need Your Help

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." ~Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)



Have you ever stopped to consider that God doesn't need our help?





We sometimes get a notion in our heads, even a God-ordained notion, then trip all over ourselves trying to make it happen. Why do we do this? Do we think God's not capable of bringing it about in His own strength and timing? Do we have such a sense of self-importance that we believe He actually needs us to make it happen...

Updates & Christian Fiction Survey Results

UPDATES:

A HUGE thanks to all of you who responded to my call for beta readers. I'm so blessed by all of you! By now, you should have received your first installment of A Path Less Traveled. Can't wait to read your suggestions! (A couple of you are fast readers--AKA middle of the night readers!)  =) I'm hard at work on the second act so I can have that ready, and had a phone conversation last night with my book cover designer. It's gonna be awesome...



Instead of a Monday Meditation post next...

The Power of One Word

I recently had a Facebook post where I asked all my friends to describe their day with one word.



It didn't take long for me to realize I had stumbled across a truth. One word can communicate a wealth of information.



Here are some of the responses:



From a new mother: Sleepless



From another friend: Sick



Yet another lady: Miraculous



Here are some other words to ponder: loved, hopeful, peace-filled, blessed. The list could go on forever and ever.



One of the biggest challenges in writing is...

What I Learned From My High-Elevation Hike

"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." ~Matthew 17:20b (NIV)



Last week, Hubby and I had the privilege of spending a week at the remote mountain cabin of some friends of ours and took one afternoon to hike to a lake. Though I've hiked in thin air before, this time I couldn't help thinking of life applications.



Here's what I learned:





Be Prepared

When ...

Survey For Christian Fiction Readers

I recently held a survey for readers to choose the cover of my next book, A Path Less Traveled . (You can see the results here.) We had so much fun (& such a great response) to the survey that I decided to do another one.



This survey is all about Christian Fiction--how you hear about new books, how you choose new books, where you purchase your books, etc.



The survey will run until Thursday, August 5th, so hurry on over and add your response. Please feel free to share the survey link with fri...

MEDITATION MONDAY: Guard Your Heart

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." ~Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)



"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)





We often underestimate the importance of guarding our hearts. Many verses in the Bible (especially 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John 3-4) deal...