Sarah Holman's Blog, page 37

Hooray for Bill Emmons and Pastor Jon! (And other things we don't celebrate)

Social media didn't blow up earlier this year when Bill Emmons died. There's a good reason for that, very few people knew him. He was a man who had been a faithful Christian since his youth and when he died, the church down the street from us was full of lives he had touched, including my family.

"Ladies and gentleman, Today marks another faithful year for Pastor Jon. He has been faithful to his wife, a good dad, and preached the word of God boldly. Wow, I see this moment has gone viral already of social media."

Yeah, this moment never happened. The three pastors that are at my church, including Pastor Jon, quietly live a life of faithful service to the church and his family. Every few social media posts include any mention of the pastors

Recently, a big name pastor that my generation adored announced he was leaving his wife and faith. I've seen so many posts about the topic and it made me said. It made me sad for the guy, but more it made me sad at all the attention we give to the big failures and how little attention we give to the faithfulness of others.

Don't get me wrong, I think when big names fail, it is an incredible opportunity for the church to shine. Also, when some big-name fails, there is a need to process it. It isn't easy when a hero lets you down. In fact, I think all of us have put someone or another on a pedal stool and then watched them topple, it isn't easy. In fact, if you are struggling with that, can I recommend a song to you? It's part of a kids show, but it's powerful. Click HERE and start at 6:36.

It's easy to see the bad in the world. It seems like bad news travels fast, but people don't celebrate the good news or faithful service. A big name teacher who I loved was separated from her husband, it was big news. When God worked a miracle and her husband's heart and they were reconciled? I didn't find out for a few months because the same friends who had been sharing about her heartbreak didn't mention the joyful news.

My dear fellow Christians, this shouldn't be. Yes, there is a lot wrong in the world and even in our church. Why even the church that I love has issues (I mean, they let people like me in so...). It's easy to focus on the fact the music too loud, the pastor to the singles doesn't really get stuff because he was married right out of college or find out a member fell through the creaks. It's easy to see those things and not focus on some of the amazing things that are going on like the consistently good sermons, the servant hearts of those around me, or the daily acts of service that are going on in our church.

With people, it's easy to see their problems. But right at this moment, can we celebrate the quiet lives of faithfulness all around us? Bill lives a very quiet life, yet at his funeral, story after story was shared about how he encouraged and built up those around him faithfully. One of them was my younger sister. During a tough time in her life, she took a weekly bike ride down to the church where Bill always had a hug and positive words to say to her.

Bill loved the Lord and that showed up in everything he did. He was one of the first people to welcome us to the neighborhood. He lent us tools, helped us find the best places to go for things in town, and told us Holman kids how proud he was that we were walking with Jesus.

How about the pastoral team at my church? Jon, Bart, and Aaron are following God and faithfully serve the church. Not a lot of people know about them because, well, they haven't done anything bad to attract attention. I'm grateful for that. I thank God for them and pray for them to continue in faithfulness.

Comment with some of the people who you want to celebrate for their faithfulness!

Holman Writing Adventure: Kate's Christmas Update

Hello, Kate's Case Files fans!
Doesn't Kate's Christmas feel like the book that is never going to come? I know for me it does! Waiting for it to be ready is like waiting for Christmas morning! It can't seem to come fast enough! I'm happy to report after a lot of delays, real progress has been made.
The real challenge in this book has been my life has been in the way of the editing. In a way though, that is helping the editing process go a little faster. I'm coming at this book with fresh eyes and eagerness to be doing anything writing-related. 
All well and good for me, but what does this mean for the reader? Well, I have probably about three more weeks of editing to do. At the end of August or beginning of September, it should be ready for professional editing by my favorite editor, Kelsey Bryant. I have a cover which I will start showing off probably in October when the book will go on preorder. The book  (Lord willing) should release late November. 
Are you excited? I know I am!

Coming to a Stop

I have written and rewritten this blog post. Some concepts are so big, it’s hard for even a writer to get it down to a manageable word count.

My goals for this year included me wanting to have a Joseph perspective on the events that came my way. The first six months of this year gave me a lot of opportunities to practice as I had to lay aside writing for a while to work two jobs, and dealt with some normal life issues and hurts. While I struggled a lot, I really worked hard to see the good that came out of each circumstance. I have to say that while not perfect, I can see that I have been making progress.

Then I injured my tendon.

I didn’t handle this as well as I had some of the other things. I was in pain, I couldn’t use my right arm, and I knew I was facing three to twelve weeks of not using it. I had a lot of time to sit and think. It was in one of those quiet moments that it started to happen: I started having to deal with some emotional issues that had been building within me.

My sister Rose and I are very different. I’ve often compared our friendship to that of Captain Kirk and Spock (any Star Trek fans out there?) Kirk (like my sister Rose) is a person of great feelings, an adventurer, who interacts with everyone in the room. Spock (like me) is always bringing up logic, standing in a corner, and pretending his emotions don’t exist. I too often, because I do feel things pretty deep, shove my emotions into a corner so I don’t deal with them.

The downtime forced me to deal with a lot those things that I’ve been struggling with. Most of it can be boiled down to two root things. One, I didn’t feel valuable or needed. Two, I wasn’t really trusting that God was good and would give me the best. I had been trying, I had been saying the right words, but that truth hadn’t been sinking into my heart. I found I was thinking a lot more about the hardships or the past and the dreams that were slowly dying in the present then I was about the fact I could trust God with all of it.

I had to repent of and seek to destroy the lies I had allowed to come into my mind. Many of them were spoken by people who cared about me but didn’t understand what was going on in my life or what God had called me to. They said things like:

“Maybe it’s time you get a real job.”
“It’s not to late to get a good education.”
“Have you tried online dating?”
“You don’t want to be single forever, do you?”
“Maybe you need to rethink your ideas about that.”

None of those were horrible things to say, but I allowed doubts to take hold and then the lies started to become a pattern of thinking.

Maybe I can never make this author thing work. I’m a failure at it. Look at how many books this new author is selling compared to my years of work for so few.

Maybe I did make a mistake and not go to college. What was I thinking?

There is probably something wrong in me. Something that makes me unattractive and the kind of girl no guy wants for me to still be single. 

I’m stuck and I’m not going anywhere.

I’m not doing anything of value with my life.

Because I haven’t been picked as a wife, as a big author, or the first person that friend thinks of, people must not value me.

Lies! All of these thoughts were lies! I had started repeating them to myself and others seemed to affirm them. I was at a low place in the month of June. My injury caused me to stop everything. Instead of shoving my feelings aside because it was too emotional to think about, I started to see those lies for what they were.

My value and worth are exactly what God says they are. I might not be where I thought I would be at twenty-nine. I may not even be where I would like to be. However, I have full confidence that I’m exactly where God wants me to be. I’ve been spending my life on the things that matter for eternity.
My books have touched lives and turned hearts toward Jesus, does it really matter that I’ve never had a bestseller flag next to a book?

I’m not a wife and mom, but I have a full, rich life now. If God hasn’t given me those things, its because that is what is the absolute best thing for me right now. He withholds no good thing from me. Best not to try to reach out and grab what He hasn’t given

I have amazing friends. Friends who have shown in so many little and big ways that I matter to them. I mean, anyone who has stuck with me for several years after hearing my many opinions and my bad days probably deserves a medal. I’m so grateful that I’m part of their lives and they are part of mine.

I cannot express how deep the peace in my heart is. I’m grateful for my tendon injury because I had to confront the lies that were keeping me from trusting and resting in Jesus.

There has been a change in my heart for the better. I pray you too find peace in Jesus.

Red Rover, Red Rover by Parry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick

Appropriate for: All Ages
Best for ages: 13 and up
Things you might want to know: Mild violence, spy action, non-graphic wound 

It’s been far too long since I wrote a proper review for a book, I decided that this story really deserved a full breakdown. Yes, it was really good.

First off, I have to say that all of Perry’s books are hard for me to fit into age brackets. While many of them have the feeling that they are written for a younger audience, they are witty and interesting enough that I, at almost twenty-nine, really enjoy them. I feel like these are stories for people of all ages, at least as long as you’re an adult who doesn’t mind squeaky clean and doesn’t need movie-quality action in every sentence.

I’ve been hearing about this series for a while, I’ve wanted to read it so badly. In some ways, I’m glad I waited until when I did because I needed it. I needed something light, fun, happy, and with mystery. It is a perfect cheer-me-up type book. It made me grin like an idiot as I fell asleep because it was just fun.

Anyone who has watched older spy/mystery series will love this. It makes fun of many of the stereotypes in the movies while keeping a couple just for fun. I mean, seriously, who wouldn’t all those code names? They had me laughing.

One of the reasons I also like this book? It felt a little more realistic than your typical spy movie/tv series, yet was still fun and interesting. Setting it in Phoenix, Arizona? Brilliant and refreshing.
The characters were so cute and had so much personality. I can’t wait to get to know them more in the rest of the series. In fact, I went ahead and preordered all the books I could because I don’t want to wait for long.

The faith element was very light. Emily obviously believes in God and prays and goes to church. It’s not a huge element of the story, but for the length of the story, it was just right. I look forward to seeing how this element progresses with the rest of the series.

I hope this series continues for a long, long time. I could read 40 or more novellas about this duo. Red Rover. Red Rover is perfect for those who love fun mysteries, squeaky-clean fiction, and feel-good reads.

Reaching Health Goals

At the beginning of the year, one of my goals was to make healthier eating choices. Well, I stink at making great choices when it comes to food. I'm good for a little while, and then I mess it up and I give up on my goals.

I was talking this over with my mom and she suggested the app she's used for about six months that has helped her make better choices and meet her weight loss goals. It's a calorie counting app. I decided to give it a try, but I didn't have very high hopes. Why not? Time for a confession:

I'm a wimp when it comes to changing my eating habits.

I like my food. I like my Dr Pepper, my bread, my Mexican food, my treats. I'm a wimp when it comes to suffering in the food department. By suffering I mean to go without what I love. I know, I know, now you know what a weak person I really am. The only reason I decided to try this app was that it didn't tell me what foods I could and could not have.

I put in my name, birthday, and wight, and it gave me a suggested calorie count. I prepared to stick it out for two weeks even if I was miserable before dumping this idea. I'm now on week two and I'm excited about what I'm seeing. Which is why I wanted to share it with all of you! The main thing this app is helping me do is to think about my food. It's cut out a lot of eating that was because someone offered me something. I'm starting to see progress toward my goal of making healthier choices and some weight loss, without being hungry or having whole food groups I can't eat.

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in and share that with you, as I know some of my readers also expressed their desire to make healthier food choices this year. What is your biggest challenge when it comes to making diet changes?

Lose it! App linksLose it! WebsiteApple AppGoogle App

Need some good Kindle Unlimited Read?

I don't know about you, but summer always makes me think of those reading programs the library put on when I was a kid. I already loved to read, and it only made me want to read more. Getting a month or two of Kindle Unlimited turns into a reading program for me. As I'm a cheapskate, I never keep these subscriptions around for months on end, but I use them to the fullest while I have them.

I've seen several people recently asking for recommendations for what they should read while they have Kindle Unlimited. So, I decided to put together some of my favorite suggestions. Ready? Here we go!

Light MysteriesLike a little mystery but don't want it to be graphic or scary? Here are some great choices
I'm obsessed with this accidental spy series right now. It's so much fun. If you enjoyed the Scarecrow and Mrs. King series, it's like that, minus the language and plus more lovable characters. All but the first book are on Kindle Unlimited HERE.
If I may be so bold as to recommend my series? After all, It's free to read each book with Kindle Unlimited! You can find the whole series HERE.
What about a historical novel with a mystery? Perhaps one set in England? Wish granted! Check it out HERE.
Summer feeling booksPerhaps you would like a book that is set on the beach or has more of a summer theme. Here are a couple of great ones.
I read this soon after it came out. It's a great book for teens and those young at heart. It's set on the beach! Check it out HERE.

I had a lot of fun writing this Cinderella story, and it also takes place near the beach. Grab it HERE.

Historical Reads
I devoured this series! Book two was my favorite. Each one had charm and they felt like they could have been written by Jane Austen! Start reading them by going HERE.
I had so much fun being a part of this next series. Jane Austen's stories set in America of the 1930s. You can pick which novel you wish HERE.

Finally, one of my favorite books from last year. This book was inspiring and brings historical characters to life. Start reading it HERE.

Summer, Audiobooks, Toy Story, and other bits of my life

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Well, I’ve been working on some posts for the blog that cover some deep thoughts. You will see at least one of them soon, however, I thought that I would just pop in today and share some of what has been going on in my life this last week.
As I'm back to working on writing (more on that in a moment) I haven't been reading as much this week. I did manage to finish two shorter Audiobooks recently. The book by Max Lucado I got on sale a few months ago (thank you Audible) and I really enjoyed it.  Uncover Exciting History has been on my to-read list for years. I bought the audiobook for myself as a birthday gift. You can click on the image to see the Amazon page.
  
Summer is in full swing here in Texas. We've been blessed with a pretty mild summer. Some might laugh and the humidity has been pretty high the last couple of weeks, but I've still loved it. I've always loved summer and, as crazy as it sounds, I've really enjoyed being outside and working in the garden in the heat. I've also spent some time just enjoying the sky.

I probably hadn't mentioned that I got a new computer. When I wrapped up working six days a week for the first part of this year, my parents encouraged me to use a good portion of the last couple of checks and get a new computer, as my other one was glitchy. I did it, but I wondered if it was really the best thing to spend my money on. Besides, I loved my other computer. Well, turns out I'm grateful I listened to my parents as my computer killed over about a month after I got my new one. The new one has some pretty cool features, like the fact it can fold and act as a tablet.


My church's young adults group went to see Toy Story 4... which meant that I had to educate myself on the first three movies. I know, I'm way behind the times. I really enjoyed watching these movies for the first time and getting to see the forth one. I think that #4 is my favorite, although #2 is pretty close.

Now about writing. Trying to pick up after almost six months of not writing much is pretty hard. I know there are a couple weeks in there when I wrote a novella (details on that coming soon) but now I want to work on everything at once. Right now, my highest priority is getting Kate's Christmas ready for a December release. I know, this book has been delayed far too long. I'm excited to say I'm making real progress in the editing. Even better? I'm also in the early stages of working on the next book.  I've picked a town and college (finally) for the story. I'm going to try to outline this novel a little more so hopefully, the turn around time will be quicker.I've also been working with my editor and cover designer to give Adventures and Adversities a facelift. By mid-August, You should be able to update your kindle copy and have a typo-free story and a delightful new cover to look at. Subscribe to my newsletter to be one of the first people to see the new cover!
What have you been up to?

I'm back...again

Sometimes, God has to do something drastic to get our attention. The thing that amazes me is that he does it not just when we are sinning or need a major life change, but also so we can live the abundant life we were meant to live.
I went suddenly away from everything because I woke up one morning with my arm in intense pain. Thankfully, I have a brother who is a nurse and was able to diagnose it easily: I had damaged a tendon in my right hand. The cure? Complete rest for three to twelve. I am very grateful that while I still have to watch it, I landed in the middle of that healing time, not the end. The thought of twelve weeks without the use of my right hand was enough to make me cry and I don’t cry often.
During that time, I had a lot of time to think. I mean, I wasn’t able to write, sew, work on hobbies, or even do a lot of chores. Even holding a book was hard for the first couple of weeks. I was forced to take a lot of time off to relax. Which for me meant a lot of time to think. Which in turn means there will be a lot of upcoming blog posts here sharing some of those thoughts.
In between a lot of thinking, I listen to a lot of audiobooks. I bought myself a month of Audible Escape package where they have a lot of books you can borrow and listen too. I listened to some great new books but mainly listened to some old favorites like the O’Malley series and The Messenger (more about that in an upcoming blog post). I found some books were as good as I remember and a couple others not so much.
I will still have to take it easy on my hand for the next two to three weeks. I’ll have to limit my typing time to an hour or two a day. However, I’m looking forward to catching up with all of you and writing more.
What have you been up to?

Hymns in the Hills Blog tour

Hi there! Today, I have a treat for you! I'm part of blog tour Rebekah Morris' latest book, Hymns in the Hills! I love all the books by Morris that I've read. This one looks like another good one.


Hymns in the Hills synopsis:
“Could you not teach them what you do know?”

Separated from her parents and sent to live with unknown relatives for the summer, Belle Standish clings hard to the promises found in her dear Bible and her beloved hymns. As she grows to love her newly discovered family, she finds much work to be done for her Lord in this neglected field.

But when danger threatens those she loves, Belle's faith and courage are tested in ways she never imagined. Will God's promises hold true even in the midst of the storm? And what can she possibly accomplish with just her one little light?

Add it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45837454 
Buy it on Amazon *affiliate link*: https://amzn.to/2WjF4ZY
Rebekah's Blog: http://readanotherpage.com/blog/

Join the other stops on the tour!

Rebekah – Introduction post – http://readanotherpage.com/2019/hymns...
Leona – Review and Author interview – https://greatbooksforgodsgirls.wordpr...
Amanda – Book Spotlight – https://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com...

Tuesday, May 28
Kaitlyn S. – Review and Author Interview – www.maidensformodesty.com/hymns-in-th...
Rebekah Ashley – Book Spotlight – http://rebekahashleigh.blogspot.com
Rebekah – Names – http://readanotherpage.com/2019/hith-...

Wednesday, May 29
Erika – Review – https://www.writtenrest.wordpress.com
Sarah – Book Spotlight – http://www.thedestinyofone.com/
Rebekah – Hymn Books – http://readanotherpage.com/2019/hith-...

Thursday, May 30
Kaylee – Review – https://kayleeskindofwrites20.com/
Rachel – Review – https://musingsofagodgirl.blogspot.com
Rebekah – Editing – http://readanotherpage.com/2019/hith-...

Friday, May 31
Esther – Author Interview – https://wevegotpockets.wordpress.com/
Jessica – Book Spotlight – https://www.jessicagreyson.com/
Rebekah – Setting – http://readanotherpage.com/2019/hith-...

Saturday, June 1
Kassie – Review and Author Interview –  https://soldiergirlstories.com/?p=630
Rosalyn – Book Spotlight/Review – https://www.instagram.com/rosysbookis...
Penny – Review – https://asouthernbellewithstoriestote...
Rebekah – Final post + book covers – http://readanotherpage.com/2019/hith-...

Code word from this blog: Your

Author Bio:

Rebekah A. Morris is a homeschool graduate, an enthusiastic freelance author and a passionate writing teacher. Her books include, among others, Home Fires of the Great War, The Unexpected Request, Gift from the Storm and her best-selling Triple Creek Ranch series. Some of her favorite pastimes, when she isn’t writing, include reading and coming up with dramatic and original things to do. The Show-Me state is where she calls home.


Oh yes! and there is a giveaway HERE

Back and going strong

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April was a crazy, busy month for me. There were some tough moments in it, but May has brought some wonderful things. The biggest being the end of my job at the thrift store so I can spend more time writing! For the first time in over a year, I'm spending more time with my writing work than anything else.

Honestly, this week has been off to a slow start. The last couple of days I've felt anything but motivated. Yet, I'm pleased with the progress I've already made the last couple of weeks. I've finished a novella for a secret project (details coming in July) and I've made some progress in Kate's Christmas. The first draft is now full of notes and I'm about to dive headlong into editing. 


This past weekend, I was very blessed with some time with my friend Kelsey (the beautiful girl with the red hair). She is a dear friend as well as a fellow author. She is also is the reason I've ventured into the world of classics. We read one a month together. We had a lot of fun going back over the books we've read together. We might be working on a project to bring those conversations to you, so stay tuned.

I've been enjoying getting back to doing something that I enjoy and some things that I don't love but feel good in the long run. Running is one of those things. I was very blessed with some perfect weather this last week as I started back.

Speaking of other things I'm really enjoying getting back to is reading!

I celebrated my return to having reading time by one of my all-time favorite books, The Heavens Before. This book is so compelling and...well I can't say enough good about it. You can read my review about it HERE.

While I'm enjoying catching up on some of my reading, I've been on a Perry Kirkpatrick kick. Her books are clean and so much fun. I started The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott series. Red Rover, Red Rover was so much fun. You can read my review on Goodreads HERE. I also I'm catching up on her cute series, The Kitten Case Files.

Well, I'm off to have pizza and a movie with my siblings. Catch you all soon!