Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 17

Psalm 24 AudioBible Series

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Win the All-New Paperwhite Kindle from Guideposts Books in the Home to Heather Creek Giveaway!

Guideposts Books is thrilled to announce their brand new series, Home to Heather Creek, by Kathleen Bauer. The first two books, Before the Dawn and Sweet September, launch this month and Guideposts Books is celebrating with a Paperwhite Kindle Giveaway!




One winner will receive:


A Paperwhite KindleBefore the Dawn and Sweet September by Kathleen BauerEnter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 5th. All winners will be announced October 7th HERE .




Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 7th to see if you won! (Or better yet, subscribe to their blog [enter your email in the blog sidebar] and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

Walking Without Crutches

You ever feel that you're supposed to say something and you'd rather not do it? Have you ever gone against the leading of the Holy Spirit...and not do what He's placed on your heart? Yep. I've done that before, and frankly, I hated the feeling afterwards. Once, we were sitting at a fast food restaurant and a stranger was really being ugly about another customer after they left. And I felt that familiar push of the Holy Spirit leading me to witness to the man...and I didn't do it. I still feel awful about it, and I pray God forgives me of that and sent someone else to witness in my place. What an opportunity I missed.

I've had that push again. That same still small voice telling me...leading me...to share some parts of me and my past that are very personal and private.

And hurtful and ugly.

*Sigh*

Sometimes, I'm almost crippled by fear.
And please. I know the Scriptures about fear. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7

"In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me." - Isaiah 54:14

Sometimes it sneaks up on me, and I get this horrifying, overwhelming, knee buckling, heart gripping fear that almost knocks me to the ground.

After the birth of our first child, I privately went to my mother and told her about my problem with being afraid of the dark. I felt stupid. Childish. Irrational, even. I'm a mother now, I shouldn't be afraid of the dark. I'm supposed to be the one who's strong for the children when they have a bad dream, right? 

My mother looked at me and wisely nodded her head. She wasn't surprised at all, and I wanted to know why.

Our conversation went something like this:

Mom: You have a good reason to be afraid of the dark.
Me: I do? Why? (at this point, I seriously didn't know.)
Mom: Don't you remember when you were locked in a basement when you were four?
Me: (stunned silence, then,) I had forgotten about that (and the memory hit me loud and clear.)

When I was young, I was taken by a teenaged neighbor and locked in their basement. There wasn't any lights on, and sadly, I remember not having clothes on. That's where my memory shuts down, and I'm glad that's where I go blank. After a while, the mother came home and heard me screaming in the basement and took me to my own home.

This wasn't a neighbor I was friends with. Come on. I was four, and this was a teenager. Obviously, we weren't the best of friends, and no, they had never, ever babysat for me.

Today, I can sleep without a night light on.
I can drive in the dark and I can walk to our front door in the dark without running and panicking.
I can let our cats out, step outside and knock the coffee grounds into the compost pile in the dark without turning on the porch light.

Because I have learned to walk without crutches.
See, I don't let the crutch of fear and despair get hold of me and cripple me anymore, because I know I have a beautiful Friend Who will help me through each and every dark path and dark step I have to take. I don't let this become something that hinders me or allow it to rule my day and/or night. I have learned this lesson the hard way. I've had to walk a dark, dreary road until I realized I was carrying a burden too great for me to bear.

I've seen/heard so many people say they can't do something because of something that happened in their past.

I can't do______________because when I was a kid...
I don't like dogs, because when I was a kid, I was attacked by a pit bull...
I'm afraid to _____________because once, I...

and the list goes on.

Trust me. There's a lot on my list. I've only told you one thing about myself, and I have tons more. I've walked a dark, terrifying path that has taught me a very, very great lesson.

I have a Friend in Jesus and He will take me through this.

No. I didn't go to counselling with a preacher, psychiatrist, or psychologist.

I went to the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and I told Him that I was afraid.
You know what else I told Him?

I told Him I was tired of being afraid and I asked Him to help me not be anymore. To take my valid fear and make me a confident ~ not egotistical and prideful, but confident ~ young woman that can trust Him to take care of me.

And He did what I asked Him to.

Are you allowing a crutch from your past hinder you in something today? Have you taken that crutch you rely on and given it to God and asked Him to take it away?
Friend, if you're dealing with something difficult that you would like prayer for, email me at amanda38401 at gmail dot com and I'll add you to my prayer list. You don't even have to tell me your name or the problem. Won't you allow Him to take that particular care from your burdened shoulders and carry it for you? He's waiting patiently for it. All you have to do is give it to Him.

Want to win these 10 yet-to-be-released titles from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan?

Who's excited for fall? Changing leaves, cooler temps, warm drinks, bonfires — and new book releases! Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction have a great lineup of new books slated to release this fall, and you have the chance to win them!



Above you'll find ten of the fall releases with their authors and titles missing. Your job is to figure out which book cover belongs to each author and title. Simply follow the instructions on the widget below.



You have until September 30th, at 11:59 p.m. to get your entries and guesses in. The winner will be announced on the Litfuse blog and will receive all ten releases! (Or better yet, subscribe to their blog [enter your email in the blog sidebar] and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)



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Go back to school with Lily Lapp!



Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating the final book in the Adventures of Lily Lapp series , A Surprise for Lily , with a "Back to School with Lily Lapp" giveaway. Enter between 9/16 - 9/30 for a chance to win a year's worth of school supplies ($100 Target gift card), an iPad Mini, a set of the Lily books, and a Lily coloring book! Ten chances to win! (One winner will receive the back-to-school pack, 4 winners will receive a set of the Lily books and a coloring book, and 5 winners will receive a copy of Lily and a coloring book.)



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Psalm 23 AudioBible Series

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Chat with author Mary Connealy about her newest book, Fired Up!

MARY CONNEALY ENCOURAGES READERS TO GET FIRED UP ABOUT UPCOMING WEBCASTAUTHOR TO HOST A LIVE WEB EVENT ON OCTOBER 8 IN CELEBRATION OF HER LATEST RELEASESeattle: Best-selling author Mary Connealy will be hosting a webcast on October 8 at 8:00 PM EDT, where she will be introducing readers to her latest release,  Fired Up  (Bethany House Publishers / September 15, 2013 / ISBN 978-07642-0915-4 / $14.99). Described as a rollicking Wild West adventure and romance,Fired Up is the second book in Connealy’s Trouble in Texas series.During the live online event, Connealy will be discussing the series, previewing her upcoming releases and answering reader questions. Throughout the hour, readers will have an opportunity to chat with other fans, answer trivia about the book and submit their own questions for Connealy to answer during the evening. A number of prizes will be given away to those participating in the discussion, including copies of Connealy’s books and gift cards. At the end of the webcast, the winner of a Kindle Fire HD will be announced. The Kindle giveaway is being held in conjunction with the Fired Up blog tour being coordinated by Litfuse Publicity Group.“A webcast like this is a great chance to connect with readers in a new and fun way.  I’m really looking forward to it,” Connealy states. “Just remember that whatever nonsense comes out of my mouth at a live event . . . that doesn’t change the fact that I think I write a pretty good book!”The webcast will be hosted on Connealy’s Facebook page, as well as the Litfuse Publicity Group website for readers without a Facebook account. Leading up to the webcast, readers can RSVP for the event and sign up to receive an email reminder. From September 17-October 8, fans can also enter the contest for the Kindle Fire HD via the author’s Facebook page.“We are pleased to partner with Mary Connealy and Litfuse for this exciting webcast event,” says Debra Larsen, marketing manager at Bethany House. “To meet Mary in person is to instantly want to be counted as one of her friends, so our desire for this event is that as many people as possible will be able to meet her, too, and will be blessed by her fun spirit, her wonderful sense of humor and her ability to tell a  really good  tale!”Readers can keep up with Connealy via her website  www.maryconnealy.com  and blog  http://mconnealy.blogspot.com .  She is also active on  Facebook ( maryconnealyfanpage ) and  Twitter  ( maryconnealy ).ABOUT THE TROUBLE IN TEXAS SERIES:Bonded through their experiences during the Civil War, three young veterans work together to help one another build new lives after the conflict. But with opportunistic ranchers, vengeful cowboys, and three feisty women vying to have their way, you can bet there’s going to be trouble in Texas!In  Swept Away …Ruthy MacNeil nearly drowned before being rescued at the last second by Luke Stone. Now, alive but disoriented, she’s left with little choice but to stay with him—at least until they reach the nearest town. But is she in any less danger with this handsome cowboy than she would’ve been if she’d stayed on her own?In  Fired Up …Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives. But lately, someone seems determined to end his. He wants to leave the violence of his war days behind and move on—preferably with Glynna Greer at his side. But will he survive long enough to have his chance at love?Coming Next Summer:  Stuck Together  ABOUT MARY CONNEALY:Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Carol Award winner and a RITA, Christy and IRCC Award Finalist. She is the author of the Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages and Sophie’s Daughters series, Cowboy Christmas, Black Hills Blessing, Nosy in Nebraska and was one of three contributing authors to Alaska Brides.Connealy is a contributor to the Seekerville and Pistols and Petticoats blogs. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.

I'm Just a Child!

We were in the middle of our Algebra lesson. Yes, Algebra. Not Pre-Algebra, but  Algebra  and things weren't working out very well for us.

My son and I were having a...muddy day.

There are certain days that we can surf right through our Algebra lesson without a hitch. He learns it, I'm refreshed, we get along, and all goes well.

This is *not* always the case.
There are some days when our lesson seems to be as clear as the proverbial mud, or, as clear as the blackest of black coffees.

This was one of those days.

It wasn't going well. My daughter had just hit the halfway mark of her entire seatwork, and my son and I hadn't even finished the lesson part. Sheesh! Could it get any worse?!

My son has attention problems. I'm not saying he's A.D.D. because we haven't had him tested, but I am saying...ooh look! A red headed woodpecker just landed in the tree! Is that sirens I hear? I think I left the dog out. Do you hear that backhoe that's a mile down the road? They're working on the ditch again.. all within the space of five minutes. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure of some things, and I've considered calling the Government and requesting a no-fly zone be declared over our house.

Things would just be better that way.

Anyway. I digress.
We were having a muddy day, and it seems that those muddy days are some of the funniest and most endearing days. Oxymoron-ic sounding, right?

Well, I was about to bash my head against the white-board before going over the problem set for the sixth time, when he looked up at me, his big, adorable brown eyes wide, and he says...

"Mom. I'm just a child in these things. A child."

With all the seriousness of a preacher at a funeral.


And I had to laugh.

Because, if you remember, a long while ago, I talked about how the Bible says "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." and I take that seriously. (Praise God for HuMoR)

But while I giggled like a hyena and we did finally get the point of the lesson (I take back all those times I said I was never going to use this...) he did bring me to another thought.

How we should be like children in certain areas.
Like anger. And malice.

You remember the days when you and your best friend were on the outs and you swore you were never going to speak to her again? Then, after only ten minutes, you couldn't stand it anymore and you were the best of friends again? That's what I'm talking about.

Quick to forgive.
Quick to make up and get over it.
Quick to bury the hatchet and knock the chip off your shoulder because life is just better with your friend.

"Suffer the little children to come unto me." See, there's something special about a child. They believe. They forgive. They love.

Isn't it time we were a bit more childish about some of the important things? Like forgiveness and malice?
Yep. That's going to be my New Year's Resolution. But I'm not going to wait to begin.
I'm starting right now. How about you?

Fired Up by Mary Connealy Book Review and Tour!

About the book: Rollicking Wild West Adventure and Romance from Bestselling Author Mary Connealy
Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives, but someone seems determined to end his. It may have something to do with the traitors he dealt with during the Civil War, or it might be related to the recent incident with Flint Greer and the ranch. Whoever the culprit is, he or she seems really fired up, and Dare can't let his guard down for a moment, which is a challenge, since right now he's trying to win the heart of the recently widowed Glynna.

Glynna Greer came west as a mail-order bride and ended up in a bad situation. Now her husband, Flint, is dead, and she's determined to care for her son and daughter on her own. She wants to believe Dare Riker is as decent as he seems, but she's terrified to lock herself into another marriage. She plans to support her small family by opening a diner---never mind that cooking is not her greatest talent. The men in Broken Wheel, Texas, are so desperate for home cooking that they seem willing to overlook dried-out beef and blackened biscuits.

Glynna can't help but notice that danger follows Dare wherever he goes. There's the avalanche. And then the fire. But things really get out of hand when someone plunges a knife from Glynna's diner into Dare's back. Are Flint's cronies still plotting revenge? Is Glynna's son engaged in a misguided attempt to protect his mother? Is a shadowy outsider still enraged over past injustices? And can Dare survive long enough to convince Glynna to take another chance on love?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/oOqGx

Meet Mary: Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.

Connect with Mary: http://maryconnealy.com/



Follow the Tour!

My Thoughts:
As you already know, I'm a die-hard Mary Connealy fan. I adore her writing. She's funny, whimsical, and at the same time, deep. Her stories can make me laugh quicker than almost any other story out there, with the possible exception of Shel Silverstein.

This second book in the Trouble in Texas series, was pretty good. It had the characteristic funny moments that made me laugh out loud (and make my husband wonder if I have finally rounded the proverbial bend), and there were parts that made me irritated. How this writer can write a teenaged boy to such perfection, including his desire to be a man while being an obnoxious brat, made me wonder more than once if she's had to deal with this type of person in reality. 

I had the inkling that her next book in the Trouble in Texas series was going to pick up the story of Dare and Glynna ~ I was right. Glynna wasn't my favorite in the first book, but she grew on me a little in Fired Up. I still didn't like her as much as I liked Ruthy, but she was tolerable. One thing I detested was Glynna's son, Paul. Oh my goodness, there were *so many* times I wanted to reach out and touch someone with the board of education that it wasn't funny. I seriously wanted to teach that rascal a thing or two in a not so nice way and I praised God on more than one occasion that my son isn't like that. Whoo-eee!

The characters that really gained my intense interest and I wanted to know so much more about though, were Vince and Tina. Oh please, please, please tell me there's going to be another Trouble in Texas book that tells their story! Seriously. Sign me up right now and I will finish that book in less than an afternoon. It will be devoured.

My final answer on this book?
Recommend. 
*My thanks goes to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. I was not required they be positive.*

Alone in the Woods by Cheryl Rogers - New Book Alert!

The second in a series of Bible Camp Mysteries by Christian author Cheryl Rogers is slated for release Sept. 15. Called Alone in the Woods, the book set in the Florida backwoods, teaches the power of prayer to heal.


About the Book:
"In the book, the group of campers discover a woman living far off the beaten trail to avoid electricity. When they learn she suffers from a severe immune disorder, they know God has put her in their path," says Rogers. "They pray for her, and she is healed."

The mystery series features a former New York gang leader Chet Harrigan, who leads a fellowship group for 10- to 16-year-old boys attending a Central Florida community church. The group, known as the Boy's Den, puts their faith to the test as they encounter unforeseen difficulties in the woods.

The first book, Lost in the Woods: A Bible Camp Mystery , involves the mysterious disappearance of 13-year-old Zack in the middle of the night. The group battles no-see-ums, a bout of food poisoning, and an impending hurricane as they scour the woods for the missing Zack.

In Alone in the Woods , Chet tries to correct the mistakes they made during that first disastrous trip. He even hires a wilderness guide to join them at camp and build a hut, but he winds up with a novice whose unfortunate blunders only complicate matters. Their dedicated chef, one of the boy's uncles, foils their plan for an elaborate evening feast – when he goes missing.

But two boys who wander off the trail make it all worthwhile when they discover Sandy, a crusty woman who needs some friends pretty badly. Chet tells her about Jesus, the group prays for her, and she is healed.

"It is my goal through the Bible Camp Mysteries to share the biblical path to salvation – and other important truths from God's Word – in a fun and entertaining way," Rogers says.

In the end, Sandy and the group enjoy a sumptuous feast in the wilderness as a forest fire rages at the edge of the park.

Alone in the Woods , aimed at preteens and teens, is available for pre-ordering from Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and Smashwords.com, for $2.99.

About the Author:


Swayed by her love of Nancy Drew Mysteries, Rogers decided as a child she wanted to be a writer. But it wasn't until she came to know the Lord, as an adult, that she knew what she was to write about.

"I was suffering from Environmental Illness, a severe immune disorder," Rogers recalls. "When I surrendered my life to him, he healed me."
A former newspaper reporter, she has dedicated herself to sharing the good news of God's salvation through her writing.

With her Bible Camp Mysteries, Rogers has come full circle. "The Bible Camp Mysteries incorporate action and suspense similar to the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries," Rogers says, "while infusing biblical principles and godly examples of faith."

Cheryl Rogers, who publishes New Christian Books Online Magazine at http://www.songsfromtheword.com/NewChristianBooks , writes fiction and nonfiction to share her faith. In addition to her Bible Camp Mystery series, she has written a short story collection featuring modern Jonahs. Just Like Jonah Wail Tales features wail tales or exaggerated tales of woe involving characters who land in a whale of trouble for their wrong choices. Like Jonah, they surrender their lives to God and receive his mercy. She also has written a parent/teacher guide, Just Like Jonah Wail Tales Workbook, which includes the short stories, plus Scripture citations and discussion questions.