Cathy Bryant's Blog: CatBryant.com ~ Journey Blog, page 99

MONDAY MEDITATION: The Benefits of Drought

"O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." ~Psalm 63:1 (NIV)



I'm a gardener/farmer like my Dad, Nanny, Grandpa, and untold ancestors who walked this planet before me. While I'm no expert on plants, one thing I know for sure--they must have water to survive.



My little corner of the world in northeast Texas has experienced a drought this year. One of my hubby's hobbies is to track our annual ...

Updates, Links & Winners

UPDATES

Nothing new to report on A Path Less Traveled . Just more of the same editing. I'm really liking the way the story is shaping up, and so far I'm on track to publish in October of 2010.





Next week you can catch me over at Write Now, Karen Lange's blog, for an interview and a chance to win an autographed copy of TEXAS ROADS .



I'm enjoying time with my kids and grandson this weekend! Can't wait to get lots of Nana love! =)





LINKS

A thought-provoking post on narcissism and social media...

BOOK REVIEW: Choosing To SEE by Mary Beth Chapman & Ellen Vaughn

I've been a huge fan of Steven Curtis Chapman for a long time. His music touches me, and I sense his heart for God in his songs.



Like the rest of the world, I watched the TV reports about the accidental death of one of his daughters adopted from China. I marveled at the grace and inspiration that flowed from Steven and his wife Mary Beth in television interviews.



When the opportunity arose for me to review a book written about the incident by Mary Beth Chapman and Ellen Vaughn, I didn't hes...

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "A Perfect Blend" by Trish Perry (& Book Giveaway!)

Author Trish Perry has a new book entitled The Perfect Blend, Book One in The Tea Shop series. Here's the back cover copy for the book:



Steph Vandergrift left everything to elope with Middleburg attorney Rick Manfred, who then stood her up at the altar. Too embarrassed to return home, Steph hopes to earn enough to get by until she can decide what to do next. Tea Shop owner Milly Jewel hires her and appreciates the extra help at the tea shop.



Also appreciative of Steph is Kendall James...

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "Surrender the Heart" by M. L. Tyndall (& Book Giveaway!)

ABOUT THE BOOK: Surrender the Heart – M.L. Tyndall.  A young mistrustful lady, desperate to save her family A man, burdened by guilt, desperate to please his

Both caught in the brink of a war that could change the course of history forever

On the brink of the War of 1812, Marianne Denton must marry to unlock her inheritance. Without the money, her mother can't receive medical care and her sister will be destitute. But Noah Brenin needs to sail his cargo to England before the war...

MONDAY MEDITATION: What and Why

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." ~1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)



I've always been the type of person that wants to know why. It's never been enough for me to grasp the intricacies of the "what" when it comes to human behavior. I want to understand "WHY."



But there's a slight problem.



I'm not God. As long as I liv...

Updates & Winners

UPDATES

STILL working on edits to A Path Less Traveled . I hit some story structures snafus this week, which slowed me down considerably, but I'm pressing on toward the 5/8ths mark. Thanks for all the prayers and words of encouragement.



I'm actually on a "writing retreat" today. Hubby is meeting our two sons and his brother for a round of golf and a Texas Rangers game, so I'm holed up in a hotel room buried in edits. I'll meet them for meals and spend some time with them before the baseball g...

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "Close To His Heart" by Leonora Pruner (& Triple Book Giveaway!)

About the Book:

In this eighteenth-century romance, a young and naive Grace Carstares plans a midnight elopement with a handsome stableman with suspicious motives. Their plans are thwarted, however, when Grace discovers a mysterious stranger lying guard at her bedroom threshold. All is explained the next morning when, to her dismay, Grace learns her nighttime guardian is young Lord Buryhill, a suitor approved by her father who caught rumor of her misguided romance and decided to protect her...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Esther LoPresto (& Book Giveaway!)

Please help me welcome Esther LoPresto. Here's her bio: 

I am a Scribe of the King. My desire is to write stories that honor God and tell others about Him. Mainly, I focus on writing my epic fantasy trilogy, Legends of Xenos, but I have many other stories floating around in my mind. I love reading fantasy, therefore, I love to write it and I have a lot of goals for my writing.



In addition to writing, I enjoy reading and puzzle/logic games. I also play flute and co-teach a dance team. This ye...

FWC: "The Berenstain Bears and the Gift of Courage" by Jan & Mike Berenstain

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!



You never know when I...