Becky Wade's Blog, page 142

Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.

I am so very grateful (warmly or deeply appreciative of a kindness or benefit) that in this crazy year God has not been absent. In fact, even though 2020 has often been a hard year in which to find things to be thankful (feeling or expressing appreciative gratitude) for, I think most of us are looking harder and seeing things small and large that God has blessed us with during these days of stress and uncertainty. As we in the United States get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, I wanted to share a few of the ways in which I recognize the kindness and blessing of God:

As of this Friday, we will live closer to our sons and daughters-in-law and granddaughter.

My husband’s new job is much less stressful that his previous one.

The Lord has given us a home we desired but didn’t think possible.

We can’t wait to move in!

During the circumstance of shelter at home this spring, our hearts were being drawn back to the Dallas area and our friends and family long before necessity required the move.

Our daughter is building a life in Boston in spite of moving there in the middle of COVID!

Her dogs checking out their new city.My daughter and I hiking after we got her all moved in!

God’s mercies are new every morning.

God’s love never fails.

Nothing—nothing!—takes God by surprise.

My parents let us stay with them for a few weeks until our house closes.

The grace of God which has brought us all through this crazy year.

Our country, even with all its faults.

Photo by Jon Sailer at unsplash.com

The coming celebration of the Incarnation, that Jesus chose to come and dwell among us and be the perfect sacrifice that grants us access to God Himself.

Photo by Gareth Harper at unsplash.com

My youngest sister and her family moved back from overseas and we will get live near one another for a while.

Technology that allows me to stay close to far away friends.

Me with Austin friends.

What kind gifts from God are you particularly grateful for this year?

Wedding Showers . . . and Bells

Two weeks ago we celebrated our son Kurt’s upcoming marriage to his fiance Kellie Fuselier with a wedding shower here in Nashville.

A dear friend of mine (waving to you Kim Pressley) hosted the shower and oh, she did such a beautiful job. Don’t you just love people who have the gift of hospitality? I mean, everything Kim touches just turns into Magnolia Farms or Southern Living gorgeous!

And Kim is so creative. She bought these cute little white plastic pumpkins, antique painted them, cut the top off, stuck a Solo cup inside and made it a planter!

And she ordered the prettiest napkins from online that matched the invitations she’d sent out.

I think it was Kellie’s mother Leslie who came up with the idea to buy a Bible and have friends and family underline their favorite verse(s) and then sign a note for Kellie & Kurt in the margin. Love that! Talk about a lasting (and living) keepsake.

The lovely couple!

Me with Kellie’s beautiful mom Leslie. Just love her (and Kellie’s dad Phil too, although I never grabbed a pic of him and Joe that day. Mental note: do that at the rehearsal dinner.)

Leslie and I don’t have fun together at all. Nope. Not at all. : }

And still no fun being had here. : ) Oh how I love these people. From L to R: Joe, my better half, our daughter Kelsey, Kim Pressley and her ornery—can’t you tell by his smile—husband Jerry, moi, then Kellie & Kurt

It was a wonderful coed brunch shower and we’re so excited for December 6th to arrive…the wedding day!

Being the mother of the groom, I’m working on the rehearsal dinner and have most of the details confirmed and set. Again, another fun time ahead.

Kellie is the answer to our long prayed prayer for our son Kurt to find a godly woman to share his life with. God answers in his perfect timing and I’m so grateful he brought Kellie and Kurt—and our families—together.

In addition to their vocations, Kellie and her twin sister Kristen also have a passion for leading worship. One of my favorite songs of theirs is the acoustic version of Spirit of God. . .

So tell me all of you former mothers of grooms (and brides), any advice you’d give me for the rehearsal dinner? Or the wedding? Any special memories you have of the day your children got married?

I’m an open vessel waiting to drink it all in!

Love you, friends,

Tammy

~ This month’s GIVEAWAY ~
a favorite read



ENTER GIVEAWAY NOW







MURPHY and BAILEY CAM — “Sun Drunk”
Do your pets have favorite sunning spots in your home?

Courageous Heroines

My two-year-old granddaughter is very active, and often fearless. My daughter sent me a video the other day of her attempting to climb the cat tree in their home. A more cautious, thoughtful child (like her older sister, who is four), might stop and think, first, before attempting such a climb: “Hmmm . . . I’m much heavier than a cat . . . and it looks a little wobbly . . . and . . . what will I do once I reach the top?” But my granddaughter is only two, so she scrambled up the post.

And it did wobble. And she did reach the top. She turned around and grinned in victory . . . And then she looked down. Her eyes grew very wide. Can you guess what happened next?

She didn’t fall. And she didn’t cry. She simply stretched out her little arms and said, “Papa!  Papa! Help me down, Papa!” She knew who to call upon for help.

I love to read novels that feature heroines of great inner strength and courage. I love writing novels with that kind of heroine, too. Often, the main character doesn’t see herself as brave or courageous to begin with. But when circumstances in her life bring her to a crisis point, she finds a source of strength and courage.  

Sometimes that source comes through other people. She finds deliverance through teaming up with others and fighting the battle together. Her friends may offer a variety of strengths, and victory is achieved through teamwork. This type of heroine demonstrates the wisdom in asking for help rather than remaining isolated. It’s a lesson I often need to remember.

This week, I was struggling alone with several worrying concerns. Then I met with my prayer sisters for our monthly Skype prayer meeting. We prayed for each other—for our writing projects, for our families, and for our country. I came away refreshed and restored. And no longer alone. We will continue to pray for each other throughout the month.

Sometimes, a heroine’s journey is about more than overcoming physical danger or other obstacles. In the most memorable novels, an outward crisis sends the heroine on an inner, spiritual journey that will change her in some way. And for that, she must learn to call upon God—much like my granddaughter called to her papa.

When I think back to the times of crisis and uncertainty in my own life, they always turned out to be the times when my relationship with God grew the most. When I cried out to Him in fear, I discovered that He was right there. I learned to trust Him and allow Him to change me through my circumstances. He became my source of strength and courage for the next battle.

 I don’t think my granddaughter will attempt to climb the cat tree again. But the lesson she learned is more than one of caution. She knows that Papa’s arms are strong and loving. She knows that he will help her and rescue her when she calls to him. And maybe, someday, she will become a heroine who has learned to call upon her Heavenly Father the same way.

Inspired by Scripture

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How to Talk an Author off a Ledge

I’m hard at work, editing my next book and trying to meet a tight deadline. Thus, my friends Crissy, Joy, and Amy offered to guest-blog for me! They’re avid readers, active in the Christian fiction community, and wonderfully supportive of authors. Also, they’re experts on today’s topic. Writing despair/stress/fear has pushed me out onto a few ledges.

Reading & Writing Goals

For years I’ve used Goodreads as a way to track the books I read. One side benefit of not going and doing as much this year is that I have read or listened to more than 140 books (you can see them and get the reviews I write here.) I read because it’s like breathing to me. If I don’t have anything else to read, I will literally read the Wheaties box. The book I started listening to yesterday is The Reading Life: The Joy of Seeing New Worlds by C.S. Lewis. In it he writes about how to know if you are a true reader. Here are a few of his thoughts.

A true reader loves to reread books. Ah, yes. There are so many books that I’ve read so often the words are practically embedded in my brain. Danger in the Shadows by Dee Henderson. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery. In His Image by Jen Wilkin. Randy Singer and Lisa Scottoline legal thrillers. Lisa Gardner pyschological thrillers. Books that have characters or writing that pulls me in. Books I need to tear apart, chapter-by-chapter to see how the pages hinge together. Highly values reading as an activity (rather than a last resort). My husband laughs that I read as I blowdry my hair. My neighbors chuckle as I read while walking in our neighborhood. I literally read like breathing. Multiple books. At the same time. Paper. Ebook. Audio. I live for words. Lists the reading of particular books as life-changing. Yes. Sometimes. In the last month I’ve listened to four books that will stick with me a long time. The first was the Splendid and the Vile by Eric Larson, that profiled Winston Churchill through key days of WWII while he was prime minister. Richly written, it added to my understanding of that part of the war. Then I FINALLY listened to Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Oh my word. The beauty yet harshness of the story and the writing. Utterly gripping. That was followed by All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr and then yesterday by The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate. There is a reason these books are being raved about by literally everybody. The characters. The writing. The descriptions. The way the characters start as children and then we travel with them on their journeys…all hard, but all lace with a thin veil of hope.

This is one of the hardest…and best parts of writing. There are always people I aspire to write like…only with my ideas and voice. I cannot arrive. I will always ahve ways to push myself to write better characters, description, dialogue. Why?

Because there is immense power in well-crafted words. In a story that changes us as we experience it. That gives us a fresh way to look at the good…and the bad. That speaks life or shines light. That whispers there is hope even if you’re a blind girl left alone in a city that is being bombed by the Allies while a German takes residence in your home. That even when your family abandons you, you can rise above. That even when your people are torn from you, there is hope of being reconnected with the lost friends. That as we know our history we can change our future.

Which books have wrapped you in a story world that infused you with hope recently?

Inspired by Veterans Day

Hi friends,

Today is a special day. It’s the day our country sets aside to focus on our veterans—on those who served, sacrificed, and fought for freedom. I feel so blessed to come from a lineage of veterans—starting with the Revolutionary War that freed and formed our country, War of 1812, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and Operation Desert Storm.  

I’m so proud of my husband’s service in the Navy. Tears filled my eyes as he was asked to raise the flag over Fort McHenry. The flag flies high above the fort in remembrance, not only of the men’s bravery and courage in holding the fort in the War of 1812, but also in tribute to Francis Scott Key’s penning our National Anthem after watching from a British ship where he was being held as the British fleet bombarded the fort. When the smoke cleared and the sun rose, that flag—our nation’s flag—still flew.

My husband and I are also privileged to know RAF Group Captain Peter “Willy” Hackett who flew side by side with Joint forces in Desert Storm, as well as Apache driver Lt. Col. Tanner Spry, US Army.

I thought a wonderful way to remember and thank our country’s servicemen and women would be to share several veteran-owned and operated companies as well as non-profit organizations that support our veterans.  

Nine Line Apparel:
We purchase a lot of their items as we love to show patriotism, and because it helps support the mission of the Nine Line Foundation, which is:

TO GREATLY IMPROVE AND ENCHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SOME OF OUR NATIONS SEVERELY WOUNDED VETERANS

For more information on the foundation, visit their webpage here.

I also asked the wonderful Ronie Kendig which organizations she believes in and supports. I asked her because not only does she write awesome Rapid-Fire Fiction for Bethany House, but because her husband also served our country. Here’s the list she was kind enough to share with me:

The American Valor Foundation is a Kyle Family Foundation dedicated to supporting our veterans, first responders and their families.Through Green Beans Coffee’s Cup of Joe for a Joe, you can buy a deployed Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, or Coast Guardsman their next cup of coffee and include a personal message! USO The US War Dogs Association supports over 1,000 retired working dogs (both military and civilian) by paying for prescriptions and medical costs. They paid for all of Ronie’s dog VVolt’s cancer treatment and scripts. The MWDTSA (Military Working Dog Team Support Association) supports active-duty handlers by providing gear and toys for the MWDs.Soldiers’ Angels provides aid, comfort, and resources to the military, veterans, and their families.The Battle Buddy Foundation provides “highly trained psychiatric and mobility service dogs to disabled veterans. All efforts are aimed at re-integrating veterans back into society.”

Reader Question: Do you have any family members who serve or have served in the military? Or what would be one, creative way to thank our servicemen and women?

Blessings,

Dani

A Few Fun Updates

My new novel, A Castaway in Cornwall, releases in just three weeks (12/1/20). In anticipation, I thought I’d share a short video trailer a friend made for the book. Hope you enjoy it!

Trailer by Rayna Zima. Hope it piques your interest in the book!

The book is available for pre-order now and early reviews have been great:

Klassen delights with a winsome love story between an orphaned young woman living on the coast of North Cornwall, England, in 1813 and the shipwreck survivor she nurses back to health. Klassen steeps their romance in atmosphere and intrigue. The result is an entertaining and satisfying romance.” —Publishers Weekly

Danger abounds on the wild Cornwall coast and so does romance. With a perfect blend of intrigue and tender moments, A Castaway in Cornwall is my favorite Klassen title to date.” —Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author

 I can’t wait to share this story with you!

One more update. If you haven’t yet signed up for Christmas Regency Bingo, you have until 11/15 to do so. I hope you will join Michelle Griep, Erica Vetsch, and me for some festive fun and prizes.

Jump over to the Inspirational Regency Readers group on Facebook for all the details. I’ll look forward to seeing you there!

It’s Fall, Y’all (plus, a free e-book!)

We’ve had such a gorgeous fall here in Southeast Missouri. I thought I’d share some photos from our evening walks and bike rides. Our week of sunshine has made for some glorious colors!

[And be sure to scroll to the end of this post for how to download your free e-book copy of my novel A Scarlet Cord!]

Sunrise on the Mighty Mississippi is the epitome of fall color!
Is it still autumn where you live?

And before you leave, if you follow me on BookBub, you’ll be getting notification that my novel A Scarlet Cord is FREE to download as an e-book today! I hope you’ll grab your copy and tell a friend!

Inspired by Scripture

This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashEntertainment.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.