Julie Arduini's Blog, page 39
July 25, 2020
Before the Wrath + #Giveaway
ABOUT Before the Wrath
While scholars debate the timing of the Rapture, the world has lost why this event is prophesied to occur in the first place; knowledge that was once understood by those in the first century. Today, researchers in the Middle-East have rediscovered ancient anthropological evidence from the time of Christ that reveals exactly how and why the Rapture must occur; unveiling new biblical insight that will reignite hope for believers and prepare the world for what’s coming.
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
AWARD-WINNING
#1-selling documentary DVD on Amazon for three straight months.
#4-selling film in America during a time in April behind JUMANJI, 1917 and FROZEN 2.
#1-selling film on Christian Cinema, even after three months.
Nominated for multiple film awards including best documentary and cinematography.
THEMES
Biblical StudiesProphecy Faith Miracles HopeSalvationBeliefCommunionSacrificial love
MESSAGING
Available on Blu-ray, DVD & digitalNarrated by Kevin Sorbo#1-selling documentary DVD on Amazon for three straight months.
FOR FANS OF
Bible storiesDocumentariesIS GENESIS HISTORY?PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: EXODUSFINDING NOAH
From Julie:
Before the Wrath combines breaking down a Galileen wedding and its traditions and how it pertains to the rapture. It also shares statistics on rapture opinions among believers as well as experts weighing in on the church today.
Kevin Sorbo delivers a Biblical warning and encouragement in a presentation that is under 90 minutes. For me, I was amazed at what I learned about the Galileen wedding backdrop against the return of Christ. The statistics are sobering. As the experts plead, the church has to hear the message. Believers need to read the Bible and tell others. We can’t give the world the fun parts of the gospel. To do so completely waters down what Christ did for us.
For someone interested in the Bible, history, prophecy or their eternity, I think Before the Wrath is an excellent source. I definitely recommend.
My review also includes a giveaway. One US winner will receive a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack of Before the Wrath, so leave a comment with a way to contact you on why you’d like to receive this.
I received a screening of Before the Wrath from Lev3L. All opinions are my own.
July 24, 2020
Before I Review Before the Wrath
If you have studied the Bible and/or a follower of Christ, rapture is not a new term for you. It is an event prophesied in the Bible (where all prophesies up until the rapture and revelation have come to pass, statistically impossible,) where Jesus returns for those that followed Him. It will be an event that happens in a blink of an eye and at the sound of the trumpet. It will remove the Holy Spirit’s presence from the earth and usher the great tribulation. As depicted in the fictional but based on Scripture series Left Behind by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, when the rapture takes place, there will be people left behind who either rejected Christ or faked it. They will see the clothes and accessories of their loved ones, yet the believers will be gone. Planes will be unmanned because there will be pilots who will be with Jesus. It will usher in great destruction on earth.
For the believer? It’s a glorious thought. They won’t be around the destruction or chaos. They will be with Jesus. Heaven is real and not where we sleep on a cloud or play harp. We have a mansion. The streets are made of gold. No pain. It will be perfect.
For those left behind? Take 2020. Multiply 1000 of the heartache/grief/loss/challenges/disasters. Without the Holy Spirit on earth, the true defeated one has a short span of time he gets to do whatever he wants. It will be with lies, promises, and destruction. Those left behind will have the opportunity to ask Christ into their lives and have an eternity with Jesus in heaven, but it will not be easy.
Is all this the same as doomsday cults? NO. For one, those are led by a leader, all human, declaring to be Jesus, something Jesus warned about in the Bible. These are men/women seeking a following for their own gain. That’s how you spot a cult. Jesus is always about loving people and giving glory to God. No man should seek that glory.
It’s also not the same because with the true rapture, not even Jesus knows the time or day. When God says go, Jesus will be gathering His people for an eternity with Him in perfection—heaven. No one, NO ONE knows the exact day or time. If someone says they do, run. They are not someone you want to listen to. Also don’t listen to anyone who says it will be via spaceship or anything else that goes against the Bible. As our church decrees, “The Bible is the bottom line.” And, “No God, no go.” Wise advice.
That said, Before the Wrath shares the current state of the church and where it stands on the rapture, as well as Jesus words and HIs clues about it. It’s an interesting analogy I enjoyed listening to. Stay tuned for my review tomorrow.
My review also includes a giveaway. One US winner will receive a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack of Before the Wrath, so stop back tomorrow!
More Resources:
I did my best to explain this in simple terms because I am a simple person. These resources share the verses to back up my explanation. Any errors are because of me, but my belief in the rapture is solid. Bottom line? If you do not know Jesus in a way that includes Him daily as your lifestyle, you do not want to reject Him. Hell is real. It is eternity without Him. Sound fun? It is not. It is utter darkness. A furnace of fire that does not cease with weeping and gnashing of teeth. If you read this and think Jesus is not for you, you have made your choice. But I love you enough to at least invite you to know more.
Julie
About Hell
Have You Heard the Good News?
July 20, 2020
Janetta Fudge Messmer: Waltzing with a Grease Monkey
Penelope Price contemplates dating her boss (Derek Hamilton) again. But all they talked about the last time was vehicles they worked on at the auto shop that day. Along with her job at Hamilton Auto Repair, Nell also teaches ballroom dancing at her mom’s studio.
And to top off her crazy job schedule, she takes a “Finding Your Spiritual Gifts” test at her church. This sets more things into motion than Penelope ever dreamed of – one being the day her two professions collide. She won’t be able to dance her way out of this predicament.
Will Penelope’s newest dance student (Harrison) waltz into Priceless Dance Studio and steal her heart away? Or will Derek’s gifts of wit and wisdom win her over in the end?
Janetta Fudge messmer
Janetta Fudge Messmer’s tagline is Turning Live into Comedy. The reason being, she loves to laugh and that’s why she writes Christian Comedy (with a touch of Romance). She’s also a speaker and editor. For Janetta, writing and traveling go hand in hand, since she, her hubby (Ray) and their pooch (Maggie) are full-time RVers. Most days you’ll find them sightseeing around the USA in their Winnebago…but first Janetta has to sit down and write a few words. 
July 10, 2020
Before the Wrath Movie Trailer
Julie’s Note: The information below comes from Lev3L Digital. I’ll be reviewing this movie soon, AND HOSTING A GIVEAWAY. Stay tuned!
ABOUT
While scholars debate the timing of the Rapture, the world has lost why this event is prophesied to occur in the first place; knowledge that was once understood by those in the first century. Today, researchers in the Middle-East have rediscovered ancient anthropological evidence from the time of Christ that reveals exactly how and why the Rapture must occur; unveiling new biblical insight that will reignite hope for believers and prepare the world for what’s coming.
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2
AWARD-WINNING
#1-selling documentary DVD on Amazon for three straight months.
#4-selling film in America during a time in April behind JUMANJI, 1917 and FROZEN 2.
#1-selling film on Christian Cinema, even after three months.
Nominated for multiple film awards including best documentary and cinematography.
THEMES
Biblical StudiesProphecy Faith Miracles HopeSalvationBeliefCommunionSacrificial love
MESSAGING
Available on Blu-ray, DVD & digitalNarrated by Kevin Sorbo#1-selling documentary DVD on Amazon for three straight months.
FOR FANS OF
Bible storiesDocumentariesIS GENESIS HISTORY?PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: EXODUSFINDING NOAH
July 8, 2020
Another Summer Read: Jude
A 7-Session Study for Women and Teen Girls
While often overlooked, the Book of Jude remains as relevant today as the time it was written. God has commanded His beloved church to do the necessary work of contending for the faith in a world of unbelief, and as we do, He will keep us from falling into the same deception.
In this 7-session study from Jackie Hill Perry, dive into themes of being called, loved, and kept, and learn how to point others to Jesus in grace and truth. We serve others well when we share the whole gospel with them, not just the parts deemed attractive by our culture.
Lifeway is presenting the videos for this study for free, and I am all in. Jude is one of those books in the Bible that I know where it is if I have to find it, but that’s about it. It’s a short book, yet Jackie Hill Perry dissects it with so much detail that it’s a 7-week study.
And an amazing one.
I love a challenge. When I read that the daily readings take a minute, I’m often unimpressed. I don’t want a snack, I want a meal. And Jude delivers. There are daily readings that enhance the video experience. They challenge and make you explore His word. In this lockdown season, you no longer have the excuse to say you don’t have the time. You do. The question is, will you use it wisely?
I think this study is exactly what we need to be reading. If you love a rich Bible study, Jude is it.
Julie ARduini
Learn more about Jude: Contending for Faith in Today’s Culture HERE.
July 6, 2020
Jennifer Slattery: Finding Eternal Significance in Christ
In my young adult years, I wasted so much energy, so much peace, trying to prove my worth. Driven by a hidden fear of insignificance, I chased after one goal after another and defined myself by external and subjective standards. As a result, I developed a rather shallow sense of purpose and believed the lie that I was what I did. Therefore, my heart inevitably shifted toward pride or insecurity, and it often bounced between the two numerous times each day.
But then, sickness temporarily robbed me of my ability to perform all those tasks I thought defined me. Roles shifted rapidly in our home as the caretaker became the one receiving care. There were days I felt worthless, like a burden and a drain. I hadn’t learned to live anchored in my Christ-centered identity.
It took temporarily losing myself—who I thought I was—to recognize and rest in where my true significance lay. One afternoon, battling pain and fatigue, I asked God, in frustration, why He wouldn’t heal me. After all, couldn’t I serve Him better well—strong and energetic? Just imagine all the studies I could lead, the women I could mentor, the outreach events I could help plan!
But as I sat in His presence, He spoke heart-soothing truth to my soul. He hadn’t created me to launch ministries, raise perfect children, or even to embark on oversea missions. Now, He may indeed call me to do those things, but that wasn’t why He gave me breath. Instead, He formed me by His loving hands for His pleasure and His glory. That’s where my true significance lies—in Him—and I can live that out, no matter my circumstances or limitations.
When I was sick, that meant sitting in His presence every day and connecting, Father to daughter, and knowing in those moments, that was enough. I didn’t have to perform, impress, strive, or to stress. I simply needed to live loved and to love God and others in return.
As a mom, I get this. I’m crazy proud of my daughter, of all she’s accomplished and overcome, but her external achievements aren’t what bring me greatest pleasure. Rather, my heart fills with joy whenever she turns off her phone, sets her agenda aside, and simply sits with me. Those are the moments I cherish most. She doesn’t have to impress me or present a polished image of herself. She doesn’t have to check off numerous sacrificial tasks to enter my presence. She simply needs to come, and when she does, I welcome her near. In fact, were she to forfeit time with me to achieve what she hoped might impress me, I’d be saddened.
I suspect God would say the same. Though He longs for our obedience, of course, and for us to live our lives surrendered to Him, He desires us most of all. He paid a high price—death on the cross—to remove the sin that separated us and to draw us close. Ephesians 1:5 says, “God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure” (NLT, emphasis mine).
Can anything be more glorious, more fulfilling, more significant than that—to bring all mighty God, Creator and Ruler of all, pleasure? According to Scripture, that’s precisely what we did the moment we received Christ’s grace.
During my time of illness, as I daily rested in Him, simply connected with Him, I sensed and echoed His pleasure. I received pleasure not from anything God had done or might do but simply through my union with Him.
During those soul-to-Christ encounters, God reminded me of my second yet equally important purpose—to make Him known. Though I’d always assumed I did that best through some grand act of service, perhaps leading Vacation Bible School or speaking from a stage, He helped me see how my weakness, my steady leaning on Him, could provide the purest proclamation of the gospel.
God wasn’t asking me to be a super-hero Christian displaying super-human strength. Rather, He was asking me to demonstrate a super-hero, ever-present, ever-loving God able to carry me through every struggle and triumph. That’s what it means to bring Him glory. The gospel is most clearly revealed through our dependence on Him, and sometimes that dependence shows clearest when we feel as if our significance, at least as our culture might define it, has slipped away.
My identity is in Christ—I am loved by and belong to Him, and that will never change.
My significance is in Christ—He defines my worth and assigns my purpose.
What’s more, my purpose is to know Christ and make Him known, and I can do that when well, when sick, when energetic, and when tired.
Let’s talk about this! In what ways have you allowed your identity, value, and purpose to become tangled? Have you based your significance on the roles you fill or tasks you perform? How might God be calling you to go deeper—in Him?
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and national speaker who has addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible studies, and other writers across the nation. She hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and maintains devotional blogs found JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com and on Crosswalk. As the founder of Wholly Love Ministries she and her team partner with churches to facilitate events designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with maximum impact. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband. Contact her through her website to book her for your next women’s event.
Building a Family
Can love for two little matchmakers unite their reluctant hearts?
Worried that Noah Williams is still the reckless bull rider she remembers, Kayla Fisher is convinced he isn’t the right person to care for their orphaned niece and nephew. Now she’s back home, determined to fight for custody. But Noah is a changed man, and he intends to prove it. When Noah and Kayla start falling for each other, could raising the children together be the perfect solution?
Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081D64GLL/
July 4, 2020
Summer Read: Beauty by the Book
This year has been weird to say the least. We’ve been home most of it, and the kids learned via computer for months. The last thing I wanted to do this summer is throw a book at my daughter and announce we’d be reading.
But that’s kind of what we’re doing.
Although we found it through Right Now Media, author Laurie Cole also has all the videos to her study, Beauty by the Book for teens available for free on YouTube. Although not a new study, boy is it a gem. We’re watching the videos and going through daily discussion via the study book.
It’s about Proverbs and the five types of women Solomon shares. There are examples we don’t want to emulate, and examples we do.
So far we find the videos and books easy to understand and informative. Last night while watching Hamilton she asked about a character and what was her purpose and I was able to say, I think she’s the immoral woman. Referencing the study helped her understand.
If you have a teen daughter and want to spend some quality time with her this summer, we’re enjoying Beauty by the Book by Laurie Cole.
July 2, 2020
FREE KINDLE READS by Julie Arduini
Whether you want to call it Christmas in July or July 4th Freebies, I’m excited to offer TWO of my romances as FREE for KINDLE.
RESTORING CHRISTMAS: Inspy Romance
Two broken hearts. One amazing God.
Holly Christmas left Geneseo Valley and her family’s holiday tourist attraction, The Christmas Mansion, as soon as she graduated. Now both her parents have passed, and Holly returns when her uncle needs her help running the mansion. On Holly’s first day back, a blunt middle-schooler proclaims Holly hates Christmas. His comment forces her to reconcile the past while planning for the mansion’s future.
Kevin Holt is invested in offering hope to students with challenges. His best friend’s son is in Kevin’s class, and Nathan needs guidance. Their community project placement at The Christmas Mansion is an opportunity to make a positive difference. When Nathan blurts out his thoughts to the beautiful co-owner, Kevin wonders if he has what it takes to help restore the mansion to its former glory, mentor Noah, and convince Holly Christmas she’s exactly where she needs to be.
This story first appeared in the A Christmas to Remember Boxed Set released October 2018.
MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN: Christian Romance
She’s afraid to mess up. He already has. Can these two surrender their fears and discover a Match Made in Heaven?
Beth Prescott wants to make a difference with the senior citizens she serves as a volunteer coordinator, but their matchmaking efforts leave her guarded. She’s experienced too much pain to make that leap again.
Dean Kellerman returns to the Finger Lakes area to help his grandfather and heal his own broken heart. He’s recommitted his life to Christ, and doesn’t want any distractions.When his grandfather needs assistance with a senior program, it places Dean right in Beth’s path. Can these two surrender their pasts to Christ and have faith in each other and their future?
Time limited offer. Please check price before ordering.
June 30, 2020
Fiction Finder: July New Releases
July 2020 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.
Contemporary Romance:
How Sweet It Is by Robin Lee Hatcher — A businessman trying to reconnect with his brother returns to his hometown and rents the apartment where his great-great-grandparents lived during the late 1920s. He never suspects his attractive landlady, a struggling restaurant owner who works with women at a local shelter, is the one person who might help him reach his brother. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
Love’s Autumn Harvest by Patricia Lee — A widow, a divorcee, and a widower find themselves in a love triangle that gets complicated as each one finds themselves drawn into the tangled web they weave. (Contemporary Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)
Ready to Trust by Tina Radcliffe — Rancher Reece Rainbolt’s shocked to learn he’s inherited half of Claire Ballard’s family farm—and that he’s a father. Now Claire’s determined to break ties with the man who once left her behind. But Reece will buy her half only on one condition: she must stay in town to help with the harvest…and let him get to know his little girl. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
The Truth About Fame by Toni Shiloh — When a superstar’s bodyguard pretends to be her fiancé to flush out her stalker, the woman starts falling for a happily ever after that’s just as fake as her tabloid life. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Falling for the Innkeeper by Meghann Whistler — Single mom Laura Lessoway won’t accept her mother’s plan of selling her late grandmother’s inn without a fight. But when big-city attorney Jonathan Masters arrives to arrange an offer from his client, she’s drawn to him. And working together as he helps with repairs only brings them closer. With his career and her home on the line, can they ever find common ground? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Historical Romance:
A Place to Call Home by Susan Page Davis, Susanne Dietze, and Erica Vetsch — Duck for cover in the Superstition Mountains as a woman flees her capture and a marshal pursues his prisoner while the couple is handcuffed together. Exit a stagecoach in an Idaho boom town, where a mail-order mix-up has everyone scrambling to right an embarrassing mistake—or was it really a blessing? Gallop into Fort Bliss, Texas, where a battle wages between an eastern fashion artist and a US Cavalry surgeon for the custody of two orphans. Delight in the journey as faith and romance intersect in these three full-length novels. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
The Gentleman Spy by Erica Vetsch — A bluestocking and a newly minted duke join forces to unravel a mystery…but the greatest mystery might be the duke’s true identity. (Historical Romance from Kregel Publications)
Mystery:
A Bitter Brew by Elizabeth Ludwig — The cousins are thrilled when Jan is invited to compete in a nationally televised baking contest. Things go awry, however, when the prize money disappears. Worse, Jan and Elaine find themselves as the prime suspects! Certain they are being framed, the cousins seek out clues that will lead them to the thief. Can they do it before the contest ends, or will they fall faster than Jan’s award-winning souffle? (Cozy Mystery from Guidepost Publications)
Murder at Madison Square Garden by Linda Shenton Matchett — A private investigator helps a scrappy, female photojournalist, who is accused of murder after an assassination attempt on Charles Lindberg at the America First rally leaves another man dead. (Historical Mystery from Shortwave Press)
Romantic Suspense:
Explosive Situation by Terri Reed — With his K-9 partner at his side, can he survive false accusations and a bomber? Detective Henry Roarke’s determined to prove his innocence to internal affairs officer Olivia Vance—but first he must survive the bomber targeting him and his bomb-sniffing K-9, Cody. With a coming baby to protect and an investigation to pursue, Olivia has her hands full…until she becomes a target, as well. Can they catch the bomber before they all lose their lives? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Rocky Mountain Revenge by Rhonda Starnes — To survive her deadly homecoming, she’ll need to trust a man from her past… Temporarily home to help at her family’s vet clinic, Grace Porter has no intentions of staying—but someone’s determined she won’t live long enough to leave. With both Grace and her sister in the crosshairs, her ex-boyfriend, Police Chief Evan Bradshaw, must protect them. But can the single dad lawman uncover the truth about why a killer’s out for vengeance before time runs out? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Suspense:
Relative Silence by Carrie Stuart Parks — Forensic sketch artist Tucker Landry and American heiress Piper Boone form a bond after surviving a mass shooting on Curlew Island. Amid rumors of the Curlew Island Curse which whispers say has taken the lives of several members of Piper’s family, the pair must unravel the Boone family’s true history before Piper becomes the next victim. (Suspense from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
Young Adult:
Heart of a Princess by Hannah Currie — Behind the smiles and designer clothes, Princess Alina has a secret. She’s barely holding it together. After a moment of panic almost ends in tragedy, Alina is sent to a refuge far from the palace to recuperate. Her family claim it’s for her own good but – faced with cows, knife-beaked ducks and far too many of her own insecurities – Alina is pretty sure it will kill her first. And Joha Samson, infuriating man that he is, will laugh as it does. Only there’s more to Joha than she realizes, and more to herself too. When the time comes to make a stand, will she find the courage? (Young Adult from WhiteFire Publishing)
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
Before Summer’s End by Johnnie Alexander, Brenda S. Anderson, Eleanor Bertin, Sara Davison, Deb Elkink, Stacy Monson, and Marion Ueckermann, A collection of stories of faith, family, and forgiveness. (General Contemporary)
Honor Bound by Carol Ashby, Honor had forced him to act. Time would tell if he’d regret it. (Historical)
Ralley Point: Place Of Refuge by Daniel Bishop, The Baskins overcome the loss of their unborn child and come to a place of refuge, redemption, restoration. (General Contemporary)
Two Autumns, One Spring by Elizabeth Ann Boyles, A deceitful mother-in-law, Nagasaki’s vengeful official, conflicting beliefs—all work against a near-perfect marriage in 1861 Japan. (Historical)
The Sugar Baron’s Ring by Lorri Dudley, A ring is her only tie to a distant homeland, until a marooned Englishman anchors her heart. (Historical Romance)
Let Him Go by LuAnn K. Edwards, Keedryn and Blake acknowledge their love in this wholesome romance, only to find trouble brewing at the office and turmoil bursting in their hearts. (Contemporary Romance)
Afraid of the Light by Cynthia Ruchti, Clinical psychologist Camille Brooks vows she’ll never let another family suffer from the fallout of a hoarding disorder like her mom’s, but soon discovers that she has her own collection of hurts to confront. (General Contemporary)
Deadly Hideaway by Marissa Shrock, A relaxing getaway. A rocky romance. And a dead body. Will life ever be normal? (Cozy Mystery)
The Cowboy’s Missing Memory by Shannon Taylor Vannatter, He needs to remember and she’s his best hope to help him reclaim his past and build a future. (Contemporary Romance)
June 19, 2020
My Dad is…
Earlier this week I was working outside and realized my entire time was accompanied by the sound o f a neighbor’s chainsaw. The more I focused on it, the more comforting it was. Clearly, my mind isn’t geared to the horror movie genre. Anyway, I wanted to figure out why was that sound pleasant to me?
It reminded me of my dad.
I took that train of thought further. What senses do I use that have memories attached?
I thought I’d share what I came up with. My dad’s been gone for 16 years. I know not everyone has a great relationship with their dad. If you feel that “burn in your belly” to reach out, I hope you do. If there’s someone who has been a great father-figure, be sure to tell them.
Julie Arduini
My Dad is…
The sound of a chainsaw
A glimpse of a snowmobile
The victory of a turkey hunt
The sound of a turkey call
The sight of shredded wheat
The smell of peanut butter on crackers
A snowplow at work
The remote landing on The Weather Channel
Any old country song
The memory of t-shirts with a front pocket
A donut shop
The shiver of a cold morning
The giggle behind any stupid-funny movie
The chat between good neighbors
A walk by the MouseTrap game
The feel of a deck of cards
A NASCAR race
The smell of a mowed lawn
***
How about you?
