Kathy Harris's Blog, page 8

One of those Moments

by Teresa Schweinsberg

Remember the Bible story we heard as children about the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Many of us know it by heart. King Nebuchadnezzar had built a statue of gold they were to bow before each time music was played, or they would be thrown in a furnace of fire. When the king brought them in to explain once again what would happen if they didn’t bow, their reply in Daniel 3:17-18 is so bold, it infuriates the king even more. “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O, King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Have you ever had one of those “even if He does not” moments? Even if He does not get me out of this financial debt… Even if He does not heal my marriage… Even if He does not give me a child… Even if He does not take the addiction away from my son or daughter… Those are the prayers many are praying, but what happens even if He does not?

When you come to a crisis in your life, how will you respond even if He does not do what you are asking Him to do?

I have had several “even if He does not” moments in my life. The one with the greatest impact on the rest of my life came 31 years ago. After a miscarriage at thirteen weeks, three years of infertility, a pregnancy with a mass encasing the baby, an amazing healing, eight more years of infertility and a miraculous pregnancy, I had a moment when I had to decide where I stood.

On May 4, 1991, I went to the hospital at 37 weeks pregnant, because I was not feeling movement. That day, our southern gospel group had set up in our home church for Pastor Appreciation Day the next morning. We rarely got to sing in our home church, but it was not a secret we were our pastor’s favorite group. After being told the baby’s heart was no longer beating, my husband and I went home, per our request, to make calls to family members and friends, before going back to the hospital the next evening to begin the long process of delivering the baby.

As we walked into an empty house with signs of the baby soon arriving all around, I went to lay down on the bed to process what had taken place in the last hours. As I lay there crying, unable to even pray, I heard my husband Rick in the other room on the phone. He was asking another girl in our group to call the church and explain why we would be unable to sing the next day. It was at that moment my thoughts went crazy.

Not sing?  We sang every Sunday somewhere and had for 16 years.  Canceling an appointment was a rarity. What would happen if we didn’t sing? What would I be doing until 6:00 PM the next evening when we would make the trip back to the hospital?  Would I lay in bed, unable to sleep, but unable to move? Would I finally let out the scream which seemed to be caught in my throat since the moment I knew, since I had seen no bleep on the ultrasound screen showing a heartbeat? Would I lay there in anger that others seemed to carry and deliver babies so easily, but I… well, I couldn’t? Would I blame God for not hearing my prayers to be a mother? Would I make up my mind if He didn’t answer my prayers the way I had asked to never sing again?

I felt a surge of strength come over me much like Popeye eating spinach. I heard myself calling my husband’s name and demanding, “NO!  Don’t cancel! I want to sing tomorrow. No, I have to sing tomorrow!” I knew at that moment faith is a decision. It is the decision the Hebrew boys made. It is the belief that God is able to do anything. Nothing is impossible with Him. That is faith… the belief. However, faith is even more than that. It is also the decision, just as the Hebrew boys made, to trust Him, love Him, and serve Him… even if He doesn’t do the thing we want Him to do.

I sang the next morning, because I needed to strengthen my muscles of faith by showing God I would trust Him, love Him, and serve Him, even though He was not going to change the outcome of my daughter’s birth in the next few days. I also needed to show that to the enemy of my soul, to let him know he had not won. I would not be bitter toward God, but would instead depend on Him even more in the days that followed, days of unbelievable hope and peace.

Many amazing things have happened because of my daughter, Canaan Sommer, born May 7, 1991. My father and brother came to Christ. My brother and sister-in-law remarried after being divorced for seven years. My doctor came to Christ and now gives a Bible to the parents of each baby he delivers. I am often contacted by mothers of other babies born sleeping. I get to listen to their stories while we say their baby’s name to affirm they existed and give those mothers comfort.

Many lives have been changed because Canaan existed, even though she didn’t live to be even one-breath-old.

Thirty-one years later, I’ve never been sorry I sang that day… even if He did not.

If you want to learn more of the story and the hope that followed, Canaan Sommer: A Life Unlived is available on Amazon and on Teresa’s author page. For speaking engagements, thoughts, or questions, contact Teresa@teresasauthorpage.com.

Recognizing Our Blind Spots

by DiAnn Mills

I didn’t think I had a blind spot until a well-meaning friend brought it to my attention. Not a pleasant conversation. Denial flew from my lips followed by heated demands of proof. No one wants the stigma of not recognizing the truth about themselves. My friend didn’t have a personal agenda. She saw something about me, a vulnerability that had the potential to harm me emotionally.

Yikes! That hurts.

Once my treasured friend presented me with gut-wrenching facts and convinced me of my problem, guilt replaced my indignation for not seeing clearly. How could I have been so blind not to see the flaws in a person I loved and trusted? I had allowed an altered view of truth to shadow my perception.

We all have faced vulnerability about ourselves and responded with a gamut of emotions: fear, anger, denial, isolation, embarrassment, humiliation, fractured relationships, ignoring the situation, and a host of others. Sometimes all of them. Those feelings are natural, but the danger lies in allowing our emotions to override logic and reality. The courageous choose to discover the truth, be aware of misgivings, and take steps to avoid the same mistake again. Those steps cause positive growth and change. We are better people and can lift our heads high. Someday we can be a lighthouse to another who has fallen into the dark depths of an assumption.

The following are a few typical blind spots:

My child would never bully, steal, or cheat on tests. You’re wrong.My friend doesn’t manipulate me. He or she is genuinely concerned about my well-being.My workplace believes in strong moral ethics. Decisions are made for the good of all.My fiancé tells me everything. Nothing is a secret between us.My employee practices integrity. I trust him or her without reservation.My pastor’s words must be true. He’d never make a spiritual error.

What can we do to avoid the same trap?

Pray for guidance.Study God’s Word.Seek truth in all things.Listen to what is said.Evaluate all information and the source.Take nothing for granted.Research the past for fabrications of truth.Explore the need for a counselor.Confide in a trusted friend for accountability.

Life is filled with facts and lies. It’s our responsibility to accept our human frailty and live with our eyes open. Blind spots can hold us back from reaching our God-given potential. We are destined for truth no matter the cost.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and won two Christy Awards, the Golden Scroll, Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and Carol Award contests.

In her new book Concrete Evidence (Tyndale House, October 2022), DiAnn shows the reader how blind spots can not only hurt us but others. From the decisions based on a character’s personality and life experiences, we see how life affects the choices we make.

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For more information about DiAnn, visit her website and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. She enjoys interacting with readers on social media!

To purchase Concrete Evidence and other books by DiAnn, go to —

 

 

Cindy & Erin Woodsmall ~ Yesterday’s Gone

New York Times and CBA bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall, along with her daughter-in-law Erin Woodsmall, recently collaborated on another new novel. Yesterday’s Gone released from Tyndale last month.

Cindy is listed by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top three Amish fiction authors and has written twenty-five works of fiction and coauthored the nonfiction book Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women. Along with being featured on ABC’s Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal, she has received several awards and honors, including Fiction Book of the Year, Reviewer’s Choice Awards, Christy Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, as well as one of Crossings’ Best Books of the Year. 

Erin is a writer, musician, wife, and mom of four. She has edited, brainstormed, and researched books with Cindy for almost a decade. More recently they have coauthored five books, one of which was a winner of the prestigious Christy Award.

 

Yesterday’s Gone (Tyndale, August 2022) released last month. What inspired you to write this particular story ?

Erin experienced the same kind of loss as our beloved character Eliza in Yesterday’s Gone. When we experience a hard loss, our root system to God, to ourselves, to close family members, to friends often sustains trauma. When roots sustain trauma, our family tree may or may not survive it. I thought our family was incredibly strong, but at one point in the grieving process, I wasn’t sure we’d make it out whole. Why? How on earth is that even possible? It didn’t make logical sense. Through a fictional story, Erin and I dared to explore the strengths and fragilities of our closest relationships.

What part does faith play in your story?

Faith is everything, and it plays a huge role, even when the struggle for a character is a lack of faith or anger with the seeming results of their faith. A huge question in life is Where is a person’s faith? Is it in themselves? In their loved ones? In God? In the medical field? In a system (school, political, religion)? If we’re honest with ourselves, faith is usually found in a combination of those things. But if our faith gets unbalanced, we can end up walking by opinion rather than walking by faith.

The Author and Creator of our lives often writes in a twist that ultimately blesses us more than our original plan. Have you ever experienced such a “Divine Detour”?

CINDY: Interesting question!

It brought something to mind that began on the East Coast over three decades ago. Back then, I was a mom who belonged to a countywide homeschool group. We had lots of moms with children of varying ages and lots of activities going on all the time.

A mom with four children came to a meeting for the first time having just moved from the West Coast. She was new to the area and new to homeschooling. I befriended her, but I had a plan to graciously exit her life as soon as she got her feet under her and made some connections with other moms. I was sure she could find someone who was a much better match for her than I was, someone who was skilled and savvy and capable and not backwards. I’d done the same thing numerous times before, and those other moms found someone they could really bond with.

But this time my plan didn’t work, and I remembering talking to God: Seriously, God, I don’t have time or a need for a friend. I’m not good at it. I’m . . . well, You know . . . weird and a soft landing place but also exacting and precise. I’m scattered and yet organized to the hilt. I’m . . . just . . . odd.

But God didn’t seem to hear me, and this mom wanted us to get together to let our children play or go to various gatherings, like attending a ballet, the Center for Puppetry Arts, museums, the zoo, or park days. I would look at the sea of other moms and think, Why aren’t you bonding with one of them? They know what they’re doing. They’re smart and capable and not backwards.

That was long ago. Our kids have long since grown. My friend and I are now called Mimi and Nana by our grands. She and I talk almost daily. We’ve helped each other navigate all sorts of seasons of life, including emptying our nests, moving homes, and orthopedic surgeries.

She needed someone like me, and as God is my witness, I needed someone like her.

One midmorning long ago when our oldest boys were in high school, she called me, just a routine call. I was in bed, and soon I was griping about how lazy I was. I just didn’t understand why I was so lazy that I couldn’t get moving. She asked if I would do her a small favor. Then she asked me to get a thermometer and check my temperature. I did so, and suddenly I realized I was beating myself up for being lazy when I had a pretty high temperature.

She sees me and what’s going on with me even when I can’t. I hope I do the same for her. I dedicated Yesterday’s Gone to her because the story features two young women with strong bonds between them until one makes a decision that undoes the other’s love life and future. Whether in real life or fiction, we can’t avoid the fact that people in our lives will do things that mess with our best-laid plans.

ERIN: I look at life a little differently, and I try to rid myself of expectations. I’m not much of a planner. I saw a great meme a while back that said, “I have no ducks. They’re not in a row. I have squirrels and they’re everywhere!” I think that describes life with small children really well . . . or at least it does for me.

If someone asked you to describe yourself with one word, what word would that be?

CINDY: Seasons. Our souls are the seasons within us, and the depths of us are without measure—the joys and sorrows and wisdom and futility.

ERIN: Hmmm. Late? I have four kids ten years old and under, and we homeschool, so maybe tired! But since no one is going to want to call me those names, perhaps just Erin.

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

CINDY: When the words aren’t flowing, I make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s simple. It’s easy. But its magic is in the memories and emotions it revives in me. I’ve been eating them since I was little, so they feel like the carefree days of childhood and young adulthood when I could talk to my mom and she could answer. I have decades of cherished memories that included eating a PB&J, so making one and eating it slowly does the trick, and soon my mind and heart are flooded with simple words and simple solutions, and the story starts flowing.

ERIN: Anything my husband cooks! He makes great homemade soup of several kinds, spicy fried rice, and brings me coffee. When food is prepared by someone who loves us, it holds extra comfort.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super-heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

CINDY: Well . . . I think through the decades I’ve been each of those archetypes. But for right now, I think I’m still the little girl trying to walk in high heels. Life can be exciting and fun, but it’s never quite the cakewalk I need it to be to not trip and fall on my face.

ERIN: None of the above. I’m just me.

CINDY: I think she’s the strong female lead but perhaps is too busy to realize it.

Thanks, Cindy and Erin! It’s nice to have you both at Divine Detour.

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For more information about Cindy and Erin, visit Cindy’s website and follow her on Facebook.

To order Yesterday’s Gone, go to:

 

Forgiving Father

by Susan G. Mathis

For many of us, forgiving our father is a tough task. And, by extension, understanding the love of our heavenly Father is just as hard. In Peyton’s Promise, Patrick has to deal with that. Here’s an excerpt…

Standing on the Clayton shore facing the castle, Patrick followed the beam of the Calumet Tower across the river as a large freighter came into view and passed back into the darkness.

From light to darkness. Yes, he could relate.

The fireflies that danced all around reminded him of Peyton. Everything reminded him of her, whether he liked it or not. If only he could be with her. If only he was worthy.

But no. He’d smashed to pieces a dream of life with her, and now it was beyond repair. He’d watched her expression change from sadness to anger to resignation. Felt the tingling shiver of finality run down his back. He’d severed their relationship, and it would never be the same. The reality of it grew so strong he choked on the unnerving thought.

Gooseflesh bristled on his forearms, and he rubbed it away. Why did his stubborn bravado hurt the most important people in his life?

“Why, God?”

He jerked at hearing his own bitterness seep out.

“Good evening, Patrick.” Pastor Moreno joined him from the shadows, standing silently beside him for several moments surveying the heavens. “Have you ever wondered at all the eyes that have beheld the moon’s reflection on these mighty waters? Our Lord spoke often of water. He was baptized in it, washed with it, drank it. But He also turned it into wine, walked on it, and promised us living water. And He said we can be cleansed by the water of His word. Do you need that, my friend?”

Did he?

Pastor Moreno placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve been through a lot, and I’m sorry for your father’s passing. But accidents happen, and you aren’t responsible for his demise.”

Patrick glowered at him. “It’s more than that.”

“Then what?”

“I didn’t forgive him.” Patrick’s eyes moistened, but he willed back the tears. “I treated him like a stranger. Avoided him. Hated him.”

His pastor nodded. He knew what his father was like. “You and your mother have had some tough times in the past. But take comfort that your father is in heaven.”

Patrick shook his head. “I don’t think I understand my earthly father or my heavenly Father.”

Pastor Moreno pressed. “I can help with that. Your earthly father was a changed man, and your heavenly Father is more than you can imagine. The Psalms say He’s a father to the fatherless, and that’s you. It also says He never changes. He’s compassionate, merciful, and comforts us in times of trouble. Can you imagine? If you’ll but reach out to Him, He’s there.”

Pastor Moreno interrupted his ponderings. “My favorite passage is John 3:16-17, which you memorized as a child, Patrick. God loves you so much that He gave you His Son—and not to condemn you for your mistakes. Not to beat you up for being angry at your earthly father or punish you for your bitterness or even your hatred. He wants to save you from those feelings. Free you from their power.”

Patrick had to admit that the more he dwelled on his hatred, anger, and unforgiveness, the more powerless he felt—as if those things were taking over his life. He’d pushed Peyton away based on those feelings. He was despondent and hopeless in the wake of them.

“How, then, can I know my heavenly Father, Pastor?”

For more, read…the rest of the story. Smiles.

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Summer 1902 Peyton Quinn is tasked with preparing the grand Calumet Castle ballroom for a spectacular two-hundred-guest summer gala. As she works in a male-dominated position of upholsterer and fights for women’s equality, she’s persecuted for her unorthodox ways. But when her pyrotechnics-engineer father is seriously hurt, she takes over the plans for the fireworks display despite being socially ostracized.

Patrick Taylor, Calumet’s carpenter and Peyton’s childhood chum, hopes to win her heart, but her unconventional undertakings cause a rift. Peyton has to ignore the prejudices and persevere or she could lose her job, forfeit Patrick’s love and respect, and forever become the talk of local gossips.

Rachel’s Reunion, releases October 20. Peyton’s friend, Rachel Kelly serves the most elite patrons at the famed New Frontenac Hotel on Round Island. She has wondered about her old beau, Mitch, for nearly two years, ever since he toyed with her affections while on Calumet Island, then left for the high seas and taken her heart with him. Now he’s back, opening the wound she thought was healed. Mitch O’Keefe returns to claim his bride but finds it more difficult than he thought. Returning to work at the very place he hated, he becomes captain of a New Frontenac Hotel touring yacht, just to be near Rachel. But his attempts to win her back are thwarted, especially when a wealthy patron seeks her attention. Who will Rachel choose?

Susan G. Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. She has been published more than twenty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books.

For more information about Susan, visit her website and/or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  To order her books, go to:

 

 

Ryan Steck ~ Fields of Fire

Ryan Steck is an editor, an author, and the founder and editor-in-chief of The Real Book Spy. Ryan has been named an “Online Influencer” by Amazon and is a regular columnist at CrimeReads. His website, The Real Book Spy, has been endorsed by #1 New York Times bestselling authors Mark Greaney, C. J. Box, Kyle Mills, Daniel Silva, Brad Thor, and many others.

A resident of Michigan, along with his wife and their six kids, Steck cheers on his beloved Detroit Tigers and Lions during the rare moments when he’s not reading or talking about books on social media.

. . .

If someone asked you to describe yourself with one word, what word would that be?

Driven.

Now keep in mind that if someone else was asked what one word best described me, you might get a lot of different answers. Ha!

I’m a big believer that in life nothing is ever given—everything is earned—and that, for the most part, you’ll get out of it what you put into it. There are exceptions, certainly, and unforeseen circumstances that are sometimes far outside of our control. As a father, though, with six kids, I firmly believe that we should worry only about those things within our control and work hard to succeed at whatever we’re doing. My family, including my wife and kids, drive me each day to not only work hard, but to be the best version of myself that I possibly can.

When did you first know that words, i.e. reading and writing, would play such an important role in your life?

I’ve always loved stories in general, from movies to books to the ones told round campfires. Moreover, I’ve always loved telling stories, and I think I realized fairly early in life that words—and even just expanding my vocabulary by learning new ones—gave me more ammunition when telling my own stories or adventures. Later in life, as an adult, I really fell in love with the thriller genre, primarily Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series, and knew then I wanted to do something that involved books. In 2014 I launched The Real Book Spy, a website dedicated to all things thriller.

The Author and Creator of our lives often writes in a twist that ultimately blesses us more than our original plan. Have you ever experienced such a “Divine Detour”?

This is so true! Okay, so for me, it’s crazy to look back to my high school days, because I actually created Matthew Redd, the hero in my debut novel, Fields of Fire, in tenth grade. There was an intern who gave us a writing assignment, and she told the class that we could write anything we wanted. She said we could use violence, language, whatever we felt necessary to adequately tell the story we were about to create. So I went home and, like most teenagers, took that freedom way too far. I turned in a short story about a teenage vigilante named Matty Redd that was so action-packed and filled with over-the-top language and whatnot, that I was suspended from school for a week.

The thing is, though, Redd never left me. And all these years later, when I was an adult and thought about how much my life had changed through new experiences like marriage and fatherhood, I found myself wondering what Redd might be doing in his adult life. About a year later, I had the first (albeit rough) draft of Fields of Fire written. The big joke I like to tell is that Redd is the gift that keeps giving. He got me a week off school and a book deal!

What are some of the themes that you wanted to explore in your new book Fields of Fire (Tyndale, September 2022)? Why were those specific themes important to you?

Redemption was a big one. I’m not someone who believes in throwing people away, so to speak. We’re all imperfect and need a little help sometimes, and I’m fascinated with how far some people can go in life when they put their mind to it. I also wanted to explore things like forgiveness, going back home, dealing with the loss of a loved one, and then obviously revenge.

In the story that is your life, are you the tall, dark stranger; the romantic lead; the mythical warrior; the mad scientist; or the child in an adult’s body?

Oh, man, this one’s tough. Kind of like the first question, this answer would definitely change depending on who you asked and when. Heck, on any given day my wife’s answer might change from “romantic lead” to “child in an adult’s body.” I’m half temped to say “all the above” for that very reason . . . but if I had to pick just one, I think I’d choose the mad scientist.

Mythical warrior sounds way cooler, don’t get me wrong, but when I think of a mad scientist, I think of someone building something from the ground up and dedicating themselves to that even when others don’t necessarily believe what they’re doing is possible. That’s how I felt when I was building up The Real Book Spy and writing Fields of Fire, among other things. So maybe that’s the best fit.

Thanks, Ryan! It’s nice to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.

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For more information about Ryan, visit his website and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. To order Fields of Fire, visit this buy link page. 

Robin W. Pearson ~ Walking in Tall Weeds

Robin W. Pearson’s writing sprouts from her Southern roots, her faith in Jesus Christ, and her love of her husband and seven children. All lend authenticity to her novels.

Since graduating from Wake Forest University, Robin has corrected grammar up and down the East Coast in her career as an editor and writer who began with Houghton Mifflin Company more than twenty-five years ago. Both her Christy Award-winning debut, A Long Time Comin’, and her second novel, ’Til I Want No More, have earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

 

When did you know that books and writing would become an important part of your life?

Even as a child, books served as a retreat for me, and as a true introvert, I’ve always communicated best through my writing—poetry, letters, papers. I’m able to take my time and process what I want to say, do that self-editing you can’t do when you’re speaking. I’ve used my writing to reveal parts of myself that I struggle to communicate otherwise.

Great novels almost always have a plot twist that makes the story better. Have you ever experienced a real life “plot twist” that made your life better?

Hubby and I had “compromised” on having three children—I’d always wanted four and he thought two. But then came number 4, a total surprise. That precious little firecracker turned the tables and showed us that we needed to trust God with our family size. If we’d listened to our heads and stopped with three, we’d have missed out on four more little heartbeats that completed our family. Seven little people. Talk about a major plot twist!

Let’s talk about your new book, Walking in Tall Weeds ( Tyndale, July 2022). What inspired it?

My faith and my family always inspire my brand of fiction. My husband and I met in college and married soon after we graduated. We brought lots of personal history into our relationship, yet we’re constantly discovering something new that stretches our perception of and love for each other—things about ourselves, our pasts, and our children. Our entire family has been learning what to hold on to and what to let go of, exciting and painful lessons. These changing personal dynamics birthed the relationship between my characters, Frederick and Paulette Baldwin, and with their only child, McKinley, and enabled me to tell their complicated story.

What part does faith play in your work?

As writers of Christian fiction, we are called to walk alongside others in their distresses. By drawing from my own experiences, I seek to minister to, inspire, and help readers untangle their families’ “knots,” not merely entertain. In this way, I live out 2 Corinthians 1:3-5: “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.”

Love, forgiveness, marriage and family, walking in truth. These tenets of my Christian faith serve as both the foundation and the framework of Walking in Tall Weeds. The way God loves and sees us should affect how we love, see, and relate to each other, no matter what we look like, where we come from, or where we worship.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

I try to give readers a mirror they can use to accurately view themselves and their relationships. Long after they close Walking in Tall Weeds, I hope they feel challenged to examine their heart and motivations and ask themselves hard questions such as “How do I love people who don’t think or look like me? Have I chosen bitterness over forgiveness? Can others tell who and what I believe by what I say and do?” I hope readers walk away feeling inspired to share this book because they connected to these characters and their story.

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Buttered, salted popcorn is my go-to comfort snack when I’m writing or stewing over not writing. It’s filling, quick to make, and I can munch and type/edit simultaneously. Since it takes my whole village to “raise” a novel, we celebrate with food that everybody loves, like collard greens egg rolls or chocolate bread pudding. They’re crowd-pleasers.

Your books encourage and inspire readers. What encourages and inspires you?

Bible study, Scripture. I love seeing how the Word applies to my daily life, how reliable and unchanging it is. In Esther, one of my favorite Bible books, neither “God” nor “prayer” appears, yet you know He’s present and orchestrating all the events that occur, just as in life. And talk about a page-turner! I want my own work to read this way: though it’s considered fiction, I want readers to find God and truth from cover to cover.

Thanks, Robin! It’s nice to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.

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For more information about Robin, visit her website and follow her on Facebook, on Instagram, and on her blog, Mommy, Concentrated, where she shares her adventures in faith, family, and freelancing.

To order Walking in Tall Weeds, go to:

 

Sandra Byrd ~ Heirlooms

The author of more than fifty published books, Sandra Byrd has received numerous awards and accolades for her writing. She has been honored with the Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice award, two Christy Award nominations, Library Journal Best Book selections, and inclusion on Booklist’s Top Ten Inspirational Books of the Year list.

Sandra lives in Seattle with her husband. Her adult children live nearby.

 

If someone asked you to describe yourself with one word, what word would that be?

Creative. It extends to writing, of course, but also cooking and party planning and ways to reach out to those who need encouragement.

The Author and Creator of our lives often writes in a twist that ultimately blesses us more than our original plan. Have you ever experienced such a “Divine Detour”?

Many times. I’ve come to enjoy those detours because when God shows up in an unexpected way, in a way I could never have imagined or expected, I know He’s paying close attention. Those unexpected paths remind me that He knows things I could never know and can solve things in a glorious way I could never have imagined. He is the ultimate creative.

Have you seen this poem? It’s been floating around for years, but I love it, and I think it speaks of those Divine Detours.

A Tandem Bike Ride with God

I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn’t really know Him.

But later on, when I met Jesus, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Jesus was in the back helping me pedal. I didn’t know just when it was He suggested we change, but life has not been the same since I took the back-seat to Jesus, my Lord. He makes life exciting.

When I had control, I thought I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it often looked like madness, He said, “Pedal!”

I was worried and anxious and asked, “Where are you taking me?” He laughed and didn’t answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into adventure. And when I’d say, “I’m scared,” He’d lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey, my Lord’s and mine. And we were off again.

He said, “Give the gifts away; they’re extra baggage, too much weight.” So I did, to the people we met, and I found in giving I received, and still our burden was light. I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He’d wreck it, but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages.

And I am learning to pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus. And when I’m sure I just can’t do any more, He just smiles and says . . . “Pedal.”

 — Author unknown

That’s delightful! Let’s talk about your new book, Heirlooms (Tyndale House, July 2022). What inspired it? What faith lesson do you incorporate into the story? 

That God plays the long game, and if we can help ourselves stop focusing on the short game, as most of us do, and trust that He really will bring good for everything in one way or another, life will seem less fragile. That it’s okay to be angry with Him. That it’s okay to falter in your faith. That faith is best seeded and germinated in honest soil. That He faithfully answers prayers, even though it may not always be in our lifetime.

I love the intersection of one generation impacting the next—positively or negatively, knowingly and not. I wanted to bring a broader understanding of the intrinsic worth of every person. I wanted to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and bring home in our money-driven world that the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life are the most valuable of all.

How do you hope it will inspire others to live out their faith?

One character asks, “What are you doing today that fulfills the hopes and prayers of someone yesterday?” Each of us might consider that, and if the answer isn’t readily at hand, adjust our lives a wee bit.

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Potato chips are my kryptonite. Happy? Let’s eat chips and clam dip. Sad? Let’s eat chips and ranch. Super celebration? Lay’s with crème fraîche and caviar. You get the idea!

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the superheroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

I’m definitely the girl next door, 100 percent.

Thank you, Sandra! It’s nice to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.

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For more information about Sandra, visit her website or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.  

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Kelly Irvin ~ The Warmth of Sunshine

The author of more than thirty Amish romance and romantic suspense stories, Kelly Irvin’s latest Amish romance, The Warmth of Sunshine, releases from Zondervan today. Kelly has also written seven critically acclaimed romantic suspense novels and is the author of a number of Amish romance series, including the Amish of Big Sky Country series, Every Amish Season series, and Amish of Bee County series, among others. She is a two-time finalist for the ACFW Carol Award and the winner of the RWA Faith, Hope & Love Readers Choice Award. Her other works include novellas published in eight anthologies with other best-selling Amish romance authors.

Kelly is a Kansas native and a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She is a retired newspaper reporter and public relations expert. She and her husband live in Texas.

 . . .

If someone asked you to describe yourself with one word, what word would that be?

Creative

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Almost as soon as I learned to read. My sister and I made our own little newspaper in grade school. I always wrote poems and short stories. I escaped life by making up stories in my head.

Is what started you on your writing journey what keeps you on your writing journey… or have your motivations and ambitions changed?

A mixture of both. I love words. I love to make up stories. I love my imaginary friends. Writing is like breathing for me. I can’t imagine not doing it. But I also recognize now that my ability to write is a gift from God. He has blessed me with stories that help hurting people find their way closer to Him. Without beating people over the head, I try to incorporate a spiritual theme readers think about even after they close the book.

You said in an interview on Divine Detour ten years ago that you were a “worry wart.” What do you wish your experienced-writer-self could go back and tell your younger-writer-self?

I can’t believe you still have an interview with me on file from ten years ago! I still worry, but for different reasons. Now that I’m older and dealing with serious health issues, I have to fight off worry that I won’t be able to tell all the stories I still long to tell. So what would I tell a younger me: First I would tell her to hone her craft more before submitting manuscripts to editors and publishers. Then I would tell her not to measure her success by what other writers are doing or the accolades they receive. To enjoy the ride. To savor each book. That life is too short to waste on worry. (Easier said than done!)

Let’s talk about your new book, The Warmth of Sunshine (Zondervan, July 2022). Please tell us about it.

The Warmth of Sunshine is the second book in my Amish Blessings series set in Yoder and Haven, Kansas. The stories revolve around three ways families are affected by adoption. In this particular instance, a young Amish woman’s world is rocked when she discovers she’s adopted and her biological mother is English (non-Amish). I love this series for several reasons, but in the case of The Warmth of Sunshine, I was able to incorporate my hometown of Abilene, Kansas, into the story line. It was fun to visit some of the town’s tourist attractions with my heroine. Here’s the story blurb:

Abigail’s Amish life has always followed a certain path . . . until an Englisch woman disrupts all she’s known to be true.

Growing up Amish, Abigail Bontrager often felt like a square peg in a round hole. Her pie crusts always turned out tough. Her stitches always ran crooked. She was clumsy. Not ideal for an aspiring Amish wife and mother, but her faith and love of her family, which are so much more important, are solid. Plus, her relationship with the attractive and kindhearted Owen Kurtz is moving in the right direction.

Owen is part dreamer, part entrepreneur. His friendship with Abigail has gradually blossomed into a sweet and loving courtship. Inspired by the hope of a future with the girl of his dreams, he decides to take the next step in building a business of his own—in the promising new industry of growing sunflowers.

When an outsider claiming to be Abigail’s birth mother abruptly enters her life, Abigail’s world comes crashing down. Confused and upset, she determined to discover who she really is. Her journey of discovery leads to the possibilities of a new life waiting for her in the Englisch world. But is this new life really worth giving up everything and everyone she’s known? How can Abigail and Owen follow their hearts—and God’s plan—when these new paths now lead them into the unknown?

In this second book in the Amish Blessings series, bestselling and award-winning romance novelist Kelly Irvin shares an inspiring story of following your heart while trusting God to lead you into your future.

What was your real-world inspiration for this story? 

I subscribe to an Amish publication called “The Budget Newspaper” in which scribes from Amish communities across the United States (and the world) report on happenings in their districts. A scribe mentioned that an Amish couple was hurting because they had made arrangements to adopt a baby, but the birth mother decided at the last moment not to go through with the adoption. They were devastated. This prompted me to do some research into how adoption is viewed by the Amish (very much the same as in the mainstream world). One important aspect, I think, is that babies are always, in all circumstances, considered gifts from God. That strongly held belief informs these stories. The result was this three-book series Amish Blessings.

Thank you, Kelly! It’s always great to have you as a guest on Divine Detour.

Thanks for having me! 

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For more information about Kelly, visit her website and/or on Facebook , Twitter , and/or Instagram .

To order The Warmth of Sunshine and other books by Kelly, log on to:

 

Disappointment with Unanswered Prayer and Trusting God’s Will

by Lynn Austin

My newest novel, Long Way Home, tells the story of World War II veteran Jimmy Barnett, who suffers from PTSD after returning home. His anguish is deepened by the crisis of faith he also experiences. How could a loving God allow the suffering he has witnessed? Why have his prayers gone unanswered? In trying to help, Army Chaplain Bill Ashburn, offers these thoughts:

I don’t think you and I ever questioned God very much before we went away to war. . . . We were a little too certain about what we believed, as if we had God all figured out. But over in France, it became harder and harder to reconcile God’s goodness with what we were experiencing. If He was loving and all-powerful, why did He allow such suffering? Was He powerless to stop it? It was as if those bombs blew up our belief system when it clashed with reality.

We’ve all faced times of suffering when our prayers have gone unanswered and God seems far away. How do we continue to trust that He hears us and cares for us? This question is as old as Scripture itself, expressed in the words of David’s psalm and repeated by Jesus while suffering on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” As my characters wrestled with this theme in Long Way Home, I was unwilling to give easy answers to a complex question or to a horror as overwhelming as the Holocaust. Perhaps some understanding can be found in God’s words to the prophet Isaiah: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways . . .” God has unseen purposes and reasons that we can’t know about. Chaplain Bill says it this way in the novel:

Of course, the spiritual realm is invisible. God’s actions behind the scenes are invisible. So all we had to rely on was what we were seeing. But our enemy wasn’t just the Nazis. Satan’s ploy is to spread evil throughout the world and let it drive a wedge between us and God. His evil is most painful and most dangerous when it seems purposeless to us. When we can’t see how God can possibly bring anything good from it.

Christ’s suffering on the cross seemed purposeless to His followers as they witnessed His crucifixion. The reason for His “senseless” death wasn’t visible until His resurrection on Easter Sunday. It’s in those in-between times of anguished waiting that our faith often wavers. Satan’s goal in the book of Job was to destroy a righteous man’s faith and cause him to curse God. Job wrestled with God, asking why He’d made him suffer so much loss. And from Job’s example we learn that God doesn’t condemn us for asking questions in our times of pain. We also learn that we may never fully understand God’s reasons until we reach heaven. Chaplain Bill explains:

Job wanted to know why God had made him suffer so horribly. Instead of giving His reasons, God asked Job a series of unanswerable questions, like “Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?” and “Does the rain have a father?” The answers are beyond Job’s understanding. Besides, Job doesn’t need to know because he isn’t in charge of the darkness or the weather—God is. God never did tell Job the reason for his suffering. Job just had to trust that God was at work. . . . And for now, we are left without answers for what the Nazis did. But Job didn’t turn away from God in spite of not receiving any answers. The only light we’ll ever have in this dark world comes from God. If we turn away from Him, we’re left with darkness and despair.

We can look to Christ’s cross during our own times of suffering and trust the love of the One who was willing to die in our place. As Chaplain Bill says, “I can’t explain why millions of people suffered and died. But I do know that death never has the final word. Easter Sunday brings life in all its triumph. We just need to trust and wait a little longer. God is at work. We will see His redemption and restoration one day.”

About the Author

[image error]Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction and was one of the first inductees into the Christy Award Hall of Fame. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. Lynn and her husband have three grown children and make their home in western Michigan. Visit her online at lynnaustin.org.

To purchase Long Way Home, go to —

 

 

Karen Ferguson ~ Guess How Much God Loves You

Karen Ferguson is an author, content creator, and the owner of Illuminate Communications, LLC. She is also a lover of words, family, animals, and Jesus, which makes her perfect for penning a children’s picture book. Her new book, Guess How Much God Loves You, releases in July.

Karen, who also holds an MBA and has a background in sales, accounting, education, and Human Resources, resides with her family in Tennessee.

 

What started you on your writing journey?

I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember, and I secretly wanted to be a writer since middle school, but just didn’t think I was that good. Writing seemed to come easy for others, but not so much for me. Looking back I realize it was my perfectionism and fear of rejection that made it so hard because I second guessed myself and was my own worst critic.

It was in college when I realized I actually could write. I enjoyed writing those long research papers and received generous support, encouragement, and positive feedback from my professors. This was a huge boost to my confidence, so I began writing in many forms for personal enjoyment, and to help friends and non-profit organizations.

It wasn’t until a career crisis more than ten years ago that I considered the possibility of writing professionally. At the time, I had a diverse professional background, having worked in several different industries, but I had grown burnt out from the traditional 9-5 scene. After a layoff due to the recession, I went deep with God to see if there was another path He had for me. Something that would fit my personality and lifestyle better. Something I would find more fulfilling.

I kept coming back to writing.

Lucy from Guess How Much God Loves You

It’s a long story you can read more about on my BLOG but, basically, I put out the fleece and God answered in a big way. It was then I knew I wanted to be a published author. I believed it was a calling from Him.

Quite a few years passed before I self-published my first book, a 21-day wellness devotional, and now I’m signed on with Ambassador International for my first children’s book, which will be released in July.

Just as all good novels include a plot twist, the Author and Creator of our lives often writes in a twist that ultimately blesses us more than our original plan. Have you ever experienced such a “Divine Detour”?

Oh yes! After starting a family, my original plan was to be an elementary school teacher. I’ve always enjoyed working with kids and looked at this as more of a ministry than a career, as I understood from personal experience the importance of a caring and kind teacher.

I made it all the way to student teaching and was unexpectedly faced with a detour. There had been a mix up with my school records and I was informed I wasn’t supposed to be student teaching at all because I did not take one of the key courses at the beginning of the program. The fact that I had my final project sitting in my closet, with my instructor emailing the administrator saying she remembered me well didn’t matter. My request for review would have to go through a lengthy board approval process which would delay graduation and add more expense to my already expensive college degree.

It was unbelievable! I was shocked, but I can’t say I was devastated. I had been questioning my decision to teach for a while. I just didn’t know if it was overwhelm that was causing me to question this path, or if it was divine discontent ordained by God to move me in another direction.

After much prayer, a series of circumstances that only God could orchestrate revealed He was indeed directing me to a different path. So I dropped out of the program, much to the surprise of my professors and mentors.

Although that decision was extremely difficult, and a hit to my ego (I never wanted to quit or drop out of anything), I really believed I was following the Lord’s plans. Looking back, I see that it was a blessing in disguise.

I switched my major to business and earned my MBA degree through distance learning. This gave me much more time, flexibility, and breathing room to raise my young daughters, and to spend more precious time with my mom before she passed away just one year into the program.

The skills I learned also proved valuable when I started my own business, Illuminate Communications.

Now I’m writing exclusively, and loving it, with my first children’s book Guess How Much God Loves You scheduled for release in July. I’m still ministering to children but in a different way!

Let’s talk about your new book, Guess How Much God Loves You (Ambassador International, July 2022). Please tell us about it.

Guess How Much God Loves You is a picture book series that teaches young children biblical principles important to building a strong faith in God, and an understanding of His great love for all people, including them! This first book is about the Creation Account as revealed in Genesis.

The main character is seven-year-old Lucy Lu, a colorful, creatively curious first grader who is starting to have serious questions about God. Questions like: How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all – does God really love me?

After one particularly hard day at school, bullied by her classmates and feeling like she doesn’t matter, Lucy sits with her Papa Joe who has promised to answer these questions and more, launching them onto a journey through the Bible to discover God’s never changing, never failing, never ending love.

What follows is an exciting adventure, where Lucy and her Papa literally find themselves in the middle of it all. On each page of the powerful story of God’s love and faithfulness for ALL people throughout ALL of history!

What was the inspiration for it?

Frustration. I was seeing too many children’s books promoting anti-biblical principles. I remember how important it was for me to teach my girls about God in a way that was engaging, easy to relate to, and Bible based, and now that I’m a grandmom it seems even harder to find these types of resources. Young children are so impressionable and unfortunately they are bombarded with ungodly messages every day, in ways that would have been unbelievable ten years ago.

I wanted to be part of the solution and create something dynamic, fun, and creative – grounded in the truths of the Bible – for parents and grandparents to share with that special child in their life.

As far as the format of the book, I wanted to draw kids in and hold them through a series. I didn’t want to just present facts from the Bible, I wanted those facts to be part of a personal story they could relate to. And I wanted to create an experience for readers, something along the lines of the Magic School Bus series, so kids feel like they are living it firsthand.

My mission was to create a book that upholds the authority of God’s Word. I want children to know these aren’t just ‘stories’ from the Bible, but historical accounts. Something that really happened. Something they can depend on.

While Lucy’s character is a compilation of several people, Papa Joe is modeled after my own dad who went home to be with the Lord in 2019.

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Oooooh, that’s a hard one! My all time favorite comfort food is mashed potatoes, but I don’t go to that too often (it takes too long to make ;-). So I will have to go with dark chocolate. That could be in brownies, chocolate chip cookies, or the very best snacking chocolate on the market…barkTHINS Dark Chocolate, Almond and Sea Salt.

Stories and/or parables are an integral part of both the Old and New Testaments. Is there a Bible story, parable, or passage that has been particularly important to you and/or describes your personal journey of faith?

Yes, without a doubt it’s the prodigal son in Luke. I was a prodigal myself. I accepted Jesus at seven years old, but went through a rebellious period beginning at age 12 that led me to some very dark, scary places. It wasn’t until I hit rock bottom at 20 that I rededicated my life to the Lord. At first, it was hard for me to accept His love, because I was carrying so much shame for turning my back on Him and choosing a life very far from Him. But thankfully, He didn’t leave me in that place.

Over time, as I read His Word, I discovered that no matter how often I had ignored His voice and rejected His ways, He had been waiting with open arms to receive me as His beloved child. The whole time.

He had been waiting for me to return to Him, and once I did He covered all my sins. I was a new person in Jesus! Perhaps the most life-changing revelation I had at that time was that there was nothing I could do or not do that would make Him love me any more or any less, because He IS love. That’s just WHO He is.

The Prodigal account was a big part of that understanding.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

Love this question! When I first read it, I figured I would choose only one, but as I gave it more thought, I suppose you could say I’ve played each role in different seasons of my life.

As moms (of young children particularly), I feel like we all must play that strong, female lead, even when we don’t feel like it. Our kids look to us for guidance and an example to follow, and we are faced with so many daily decisions and tasks to juggle that we naturally take on that lead role.

The girl next door? That was me in middle school. I was a people pleaser so I did my best to remain pleasant and easy going. I didn’t express my opinions unless asked, and I certainly didn’t make waves. I also didn’t feel special in any way. In fact, at the time I preferred to blend in. I didn’t want attention. Or at least that’s what I told myself. Unfortunately, I believed too many of the enemy’s lies that kept me quiet and insecure for far too long.

I played the mysterious woman behind dark glasses in my late teen and early adult years. I was detached and often somber because of some heavy life choices that caused a lot of pain and shame. I tried to hide my true emotions and tried to hide the way I was living from close family members.

Now, super heroine is a bit of a stretch! But I will say I went through a season as a young mom where I enjoyed being stretched both physically and mentally. I was juggling many things that felt outside my comfort zone but at the time felt great. It was exhilarating! I served as a leader in several capacities and, honestly, I think I got a little too full of myself. I acted as if I were irreplaceable (and outside being a mom and wife, we all know that’s just not the case… ;-). I prided myself in taking care of everyone and everything, knowing that if I didn’t ‘do it’ then it wouldn’t get done. Or at least it wouldn’t get done right. This led to a season of burnout and anxiety that caused some significant health issues. It was a wakeup call. I had to repent of trying to control circumstances, people, and outcomes.

I learned in that season that I’m not meant to be the super-hero. That’s God’s job and He’s more than capable.

And that little girl trying to walk in high heels? That’s one way to describe how I feel in this season, navigating some big life changes. We recently moved across the country after 23 years in the same house, same church, and same community. Now everything is different! I’m also on a huge learning curve in my career, and while I do consider myself a lifelong learner, it can be overwhelming at times. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt like an ‘expert,’ which is humbling. But I continue to cling to one of my favorite promises in God’s Word that says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

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For more information about Karen, visit her website or follow her on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram . 

To preorder Guess How Much God Loves You, go to: