Janet Sketchley's Blog: Tenacity, page 86
January 23, 2015
New Guest Blogger!
Who doesn’t love it when a friend comes to visit? I’m pleased to introduce Stephanie Nickel, a friend and writer who’s agreed to share some guest posts with us.
Steph Beth Nickel
(Picture by Sarah Grace Photography)
Stephanie is a freelance writer and editor. She writes under the pen name Steph Beth Nickel. She co-authored Paralympian Deborah L. Willows’ memoir,Living Beyond My Circumstances. Among other places, it is available from Castle Quay Books and Amazon. Steph has been blogging since 20...
January 21, 2015
Jesus’ Authority
I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.
Luke 7:8, NLT*
The Roman officer believed that Jesus’ word at a distance was enough to heal his dying slave, because he understood how authority works. And he believed Jesus had the authority to heal.
Jesus has authority over us by right of creation and by right of rescue. He...
January 19, 2015
Review: Emissary, by Thomas Locke
Emissary, by Thomas Locke (Revell, 2014)
Hyam is an honest and unremarkable farmer in a world where magic is only permitted within the confines of Long Halls: places of training for wizards. He was a Long Hall acolyte for a time, until the wizards threw him out. Not that he wanted to stay. To be an acolyte was much like being a prisoner.
Now, as Hyam reaches his coming-of-age birthday (21), his mother’s deathbed request sends him back to the Long Hall with a message. The unwelcome news he recei...
January 16, 2015
Interview: Suspense Author Lisa Harris
Lisa Harris
Lisa Harris is a Christy Award winner and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. The author of almost thirty books, including Dangerous Passage, Fatal Exchange, and Hidden Agenda, Harris and her family have spent twelve years living as missionaries in southern Africa. They currently live in Mozambique where she leads a women’s ministry and runs a nonprofit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. Learn more at www....
January 14, 2015
Taking God Seriously
So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?
Luke 6:46, NLT*
Jesus’ miracles proved His power, authority and compassion. His message was direct and understandable, except when cloaked in parables. People flocked to Him.
Yet here, after a very practical sermon, He accuses them of not doing what He says. And He warns that putting His words into practice will be the difference between stability and disaster (Luke 6:46-49).
He’s just told them to love, bless, do good, not...
January 12, 2015
Review: Hidden Agenda, by Lisa Harris
Hidden Agenda, by Lisa Harris (Revell, 2015)
Hidden Agenda is book 3 in Lisa Harris’ Southern Crimes series, and it follows the events in book 2 (Fatal Exchange) by about a week.
I heartily encourage you to begin with book 1, Dangerous Passage, and if you plan to do so, don’t read the rest of this review.
Hidden Agenda contains a massive spoiler for the first two books.
Still here?
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
And now for my review:
Contrary to what his family believes, Michael Hunt is not dead. He’...
January 9, 2015
Christian Living in 2015
Can our daily choices actually be spiritual warfare? Read The Battle of 2015 at Other Food: daily devos.
Our choices include what (and if) we believe. I love the opening 2015 post at Beech Croft Tales: Rock Solid.
For more on the challenge to live with the mindset of Christ, read “God’s Word for 2015” at Practical Faith.
And for encouragement that yes, we can make changes in our lives, read Ann Voskamp’s Google+ post.
Janice Dick is starting a new blog series on some of Brother Lawrence’s insight...
January 7, 2015
Belief and Trust
“Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
Luke 5:12b-13, NLT*
Imagine the fervent, desperate hope in the leper’s voice – in his heart.
There was no cure for the disease at the time, and Luke calls it an “advanced case.” He might have been missing fingers, toes… part of his nose.
He believes – he knows – Jesus can heal him.
So he asks. Luke says he begs. The...
January 5, 2015
Review: The Last Toqeph, by Yvonne Anderson
The Last Toqeph, by Yvonne Anderson (Yvonne Anderson, 2014)
The Last Toqeph brings the Gateway to Gannah series to a satisfying close. Because it’s the fourth book, I appreciated the recap at the beginning, as told by Adam, one of the central characters. This means a new reader could start here and not feel confused, although the series is worth reading from the beginning.
Gannah is an Eden-like world, and although to North American eyes some of its customs seem harsh, the people value honesty...
January 2, 2015
Top 10 Books From 2014
‘Tis the season for “best of 2014″ lists, and here are my picks for top 10 books I’ve read this year. (Goodreads tells me I read 64… ouch! And I know I didn’t record everythingthere.) Some were published in 2014, and some are older. These are in no particular order, andeach one is best in its own category.
Non-fiction:
Do Life Different, by Jill Hart (Devotional)
When God Interrupts, by M. Craig Barnes (Christian living)
Fiction:
Veiled at Midnight, by Christine Lindsay (Historical)
Imogen’s Chance...
