Julie Arduini's Blog, page 44

Max Lucado Anxious for Nothing

Last year I received an invitation to participate in an online study featuring Max Lucado’s Anxious for Nothing. I agreed knowing my son struggles with anxiety, and if I could learn anything, great.

The study changed my life.

I had no idea going in how anxious I was, and how desperate my heart was crying for a healing.

Julie Arduini

I’m still practicing the simple yet effective steps Max laid out. I can’t say enough about how helpful the resources were.

FaithGateway.com is bringing this study back as a comfort during this Coronavirus impact across the globe. They are offering all 5 videos from Anxious for Nothing online for free. There are additional resources available by registering, which is free.

I wish I could share in a Max way how amazing the videos were. He has a way of just chatting and sharing wisdom in the simplest of ways. If anyone can speak on anxiety and have God use them mightily, It’s Max Lucado.

You can order the study guide or book, but if your budget is tight, the videos are very effective. If you have to pick one or the other to accompany the videos, the study really helped me.

If you know anyone who struggles with anxiety or because of this new place where social distancing and flattening the curve are our new vocabulary there’s panic and fear, please let them know about this.

Register for Anxious for Nothing Online Bible Study HERE

Lynne Tagawa: Love and Marriage in Colonial America

Love and Marriage in
Colonial America

By Lynne Tagawa

What was romance like in colonial America?

Well, it depended where you lived. Among the first families
of Tidewater Virginia, marriages were frequently arranged, and love was not
required. Divorce was almost impossible. If you’ve ever read a “Regency
romance,” these elements are familiar.

But if you lived in New England, things were different.
These hardy Puritans were practical, but they treasured love in marriage. They
couldn’t conceive of a good marriage without it, and some strange customs arose
to allow young people to have privacy without moral danger. “Bundling” was one
example. A courting couple was sewn into a blanket with a board between them
for moral safety. They spent the night this way.

Marriage required the consent of parents, but otherwise, a
son or daughter was free to choose his or her partner. And the kicker—it was
illegal for a man to beat his wife.

Interestingly, the average age at marriage was higher in New
England than Virginia. I guess girls didn’t feel pressured to marry—the average
age was about twenty-three. True, they were considered “thornbacks” after
thirty—and almost everyone did marry eventually—but I think I’d rather live in
New England, wouldn’t you?

In The Shenandoah Road, John Russell, a Scot from Northern Ireland, courts a young lady born in Boston. The customs of the Presbyterian Scots were mostly compatible with the Congregational New Englanders. But there were interesting differences, so it was great fun to throw these folks together.

Lynne Tagawa

When John Russell shows up at Abigail’s house dressed in
buckskin with a tomahawk tied to his belt, she is startled. But he doesn’t mock
her interest in botany. Will she follow him to the frontier, knowing that his
first wife was killed by an Indian?

Overshadowing this romance is the event that affected all people groups in Colonial America in the mid-1700s: the First Great Awakening. Folks were getting saved everywhere, and stone-cold Christians were waking up. It affected my characters too—but no spoilers!

Lynne Tagawa is an author, editor, educator, and best of all, grandma to four. She loves to write quality fiction with solid gospel content. Her debut novel, A Twisted Strand, is contemporary romantic suspense, but she thinks she’s found a true home in historical fiction. Currently she’s writing the sequel to The Shenandoah Road: A Novel of the Great Awakening.

To purchase from Amazon, print or kindle:

To purchase (print) from Grace & Truth Books:

The Shenandoah Road (Lynne Tagawa)

To sign up for her newsletter and keep abreast of special
deals, go to her website:

https://www.lynnetagawa.com/

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Lynne-Bas...

A Gift for You: Entrusted Download

If you’re like our family in Ohio, everyone is home for the forseeable future. Although we walk in faith, I know I’ve had my fill of the news and it’s tempting to worry and panic. I’m being intentional with walks and reading to stay balanced and find refreshment in healthy ways.

I’d like to do the same for you. Usually Entrusted is only available this way to new subscribers to my newsletter. As long as I’m able to provide this, I’m offering Entrusted via BookFunnel to you. It’s a clean, contemporary romance about surrendering change and loss. It’s written with a bit of ChickLit style, and I loved creating the fun characters who make up the fictional village of Speculator Falls.

If this isolation continues, I’ll figure out a way to provide the rest of the series. I want readers to be comforted and encouraged, and if anything I write can assist with that, it’s my pleasure to try.

ABOUT ENTRUSTED

Ben Regan’s family is the backbone of Speculator Falls and he’s made a vow to protect the rural village. When his grandfather passes away and his former girlfriend leaves without even saying goodbye, Ben’s determined to prevent further transition in his life.

But Jenna produces a lot of change for Ben in a book about surrendering the present fears we have about change and wanting to belong.

Access to Entrusted is HERE

A Calming Prayer

We’re in a crazy time in history where things are changing hour by hour. It’s easy and tempting to panic. Freak out. When that’s where I want to go, I turn to Jesus. He is literally Peace. And boy, we could use that right now. Here is a prayer I first read at the Elijah List. Why not pray it out loud?

It brought me comfort, and I believe it will for you, too. —Julie



Prayer of Protection

Lord, Your Word teaches me that when I choose to live in the secret place of the Most High that I shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Father, today I decree and say of the Lord: You are my refuge and my fortress, You are my God; and I choose at this moment to trust in You!

I thank You, Father, that You shall surely deliver me. You will protect me and keep me under Your feathers and under Your wings; and in Your mighty hand I choose to take refuge, and strength. Lord, Your Word and truth shall be my defense, my shield, and my buckler. In You, Father, I will trust.

I shall fear no evil thing nor shall I be fearful of terror by night or of the arrow that flies in the day. No pestilence, sickness (Coronavirus) or infirmity shall come near to me. Only with my eyes shall I see the reward of the wicked. I shall live in an abundance of supernatural provision and health to fulfill my call and God-ordained destiny in You.

Because I choose, this day, to make the LORD my refuge, even the Most High shall be my dwelling place. Therefore, no evil thing shall touch me, nor shall any sickness come near my home. And I thank You, Father, that You give Your mighty angels charge over me and those in my sphere of influence. You shall faithfully keep me in all Your ways.

You order my steps. You take pleasure in my prosperity and health. I thank You, Lord, that I shall prosper and be in health, even as my soul prospers, as I choose to make Your secret place my dwelling place. Thank You, Lord, that Your angels will lift me up and guard me with their hands to protect and help me.

Lord, I choose to set my spirit, soul, and heart upon You; You have promised to deliver me and to set me upon high, because I have chosen to know Your name and nature. You enable and empower me to prosper and be in perfect health through the finished work of Calvary.

Lord, I call upon You right now; and You will answer my prayer. Thank You, Father, that You are with me in times of trouble. You will deliver me, protect me, and release Your glory and honor upon my life. Thank You, Father, that You will satisfy me with long life. Thank You for revealing to me the fullness of Your salvation freely given to me through the finished work of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Kevin Basconi
King of Glory Ministries International

This One’s for the Believers

So, you call yourself a Christ follower. That means you’ve confessed your sins and admitted that Jesus came to earth as Savior and man to make a way for us to spend eternity in heaven. You believe His time on earth was full of temptation, yet, He never sinned. When He was arrested, it was for no other crime than loving us enough to take mocking, beating, betrayal, rejection, whipping, and crucifixion. You know what sets Him apart from religions is that He is not dead. On the third day, He was resurrected and spent 50 days loving, teaching, and forgiving before returning to Heaven. If you believe this, and prayed as much, then you are sure you’re spending eternity in heaven with Jesus and that He will appear on earth again. The first time? He was a lowly carpenter’s son. The second time? King of Kings.

Of course there is much I’m leaving out. But if that’s a summary of your beliefs, then you are categorized as a Christian. Believer. Christ-follower. Brother/Sister in Christ. Son/Daughter of the King. Jesus Freak. One of those.

And this post is for you.

About the Coronavirus.

As I type this, both my children are home from school for a few weeks. They will learn remotely, something their educators are still working through. My husband has received regulations straight from the CEO regarding upcoming trainings, travel, and face-to-face interactions with clients.

Bottom line?

Everyone is home.

Today I got groceries. Most of what I needed was the regular stuff to get us through the week. When I could, I bought extra meat and staples I could put in our deep freezer. There were things I actually put back because I felt I could get to a store again before I truly needed that item and someone else could most likely use it.

Christians? That’s the attitude you should have during this pandemic.

We are the light. We represent Christ. When the dominoes in the world are falling, it’s our job to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and resist the ways of the world. Greed should not be what the world sees from you. If you have so much hand sanitizer others joke you could open a store, I hope your plan is to share it. If it’s between you and a stranger at the store to grab that last item, I hope you let it go. You do trust God as your provider, right?

Julie ARduini

Sure, you can come at me and say I don’t know what it’s like. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Well, I have, according to the CDC, two members of my immediate household who fit the criteria of higher risk. One by age and one by a compromised immune system and chronic illness. I guess if anyone in the Christian world were allowed a free pass to set aside their Christian self and go nuts, I could get in on that. I also have a parent at risk. When I was in town, we ran errands to make sure she had what she needed. We were calm and collected. We didn’t hoard or grab something from someone else. She has what she needs.

I also understand anxiety. Although it’s taken me until recently to realize how much anxiety has played a role in my life, I used to lose sleep as a student worrying about art class because I was not good at it. Same for gym. I worried about what people said in front of me, or their motives behind it. Then there was lost sleep over relationships, infertility, work stuff and more. I realized a lot of choices I made in over eating or how I took care of myself was borne out of nerves. I lost out on a lot of fun situations because I could not stop thinking about the what if’s or the general uncomfortableness I didn’t understand. I’ve even had two panic attacks. So I get it.

But, my peace as a believer sure can’t come from me. Even as I have loved ones in this high risk, and I’ve been tested before when we nearly lost our baby due to doctor error, we have to cling to the peace only Christ can give. It is a promise that He gives peace that all understanding and it’s true. I can’t even explain how I felt as doctors worked to save our child. I had no guarantee she would survive, yet I knew no matter what, I’d be okay. On my own strength, I could not have made it. I struggled for a long time after working through the emotions. But His peace? Still, Jesus.

It’s hard not knowing what’s coming around the bend. Even as I typed this, our oldest came down and announced the president of his college just canceled the rest of the semester. I don’t know what that means. But as a follower of Christ, panic can’t be my go-to. And it shouldn’t be yours. Admitting you’re scared? I think God understands. But others are looking to you for comfort and encouragement.

And we have a Book Full of Promises we can share. And prayers we can offer up—just regular talking to Jesus, nothing fancy, that because of the power of Christ, can transform. Save. Heal. Deliever. We can be the community that sends cards. Texts verses. Checks in. Finds ways to help and build up.

I pray this post is a wasted read because as a believer, you’re there. But if you feel a little nudge reminding you of a choice or attitude that didn’t quite make the mark because you joined the world instead of showingthem the love of Christ, you can because of Jesus, turn it around.

This is a season I think is new for all of us. But what an incredible open door for us. We can hand over that grocery item and be kind. Share a prayer with someone struggling. Send a card to someone isolated. When we’re on the other side of this, let’s be the group remembered for extending love, generosity, grace, prayer, and kindness.

Afterall, as Christians, it’s what we’re called to do.

Inspy Romance 2020 Birthday Bash

Image: https://www.inspyromance.com/giveaways/2020-spring-birthday-bash/

One of the biggest thrills I’ve enjoyed as an author is being one of the Inspy Romance bloggers. I started reading IR when they had their debut, and I remain a huge fan. The fact that I’m able to blog monthly there? I’m still pinching myself.

If you aren’t familiar with Inspy Romance and this is a genre you enjoy, you’ve picked the perfect time to check it out. We’re celebrating the IR blog birthday and we do that the best way—giving away books! Visit the blog, leave comments, and get to know your favorite IR author better.

Learn more about the Inspy Romance 2020 Birthday Bash by clicking HERE. Happy reading!

Fiction Finder: March 2020 New Releases

March 2020 New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance:

Love & Liberty by Elsie Davis — A New Hampshire firefighter and an Audubon Society member go head to head when his work involving controlled forest fires threatens a rumored eagle nest. (Contemporary Romance from Sweet Promise Press)

Formula for a Perfect Life by Christy Hayes — College senior Kayla Cummings’ dreams are crushed by an unplanned pregnancy after a one-night stand with her secret crush. When she confronts the baby’s father, Ben Strickland, his destined life spins out of control. With the clock ticking and decisions to make, Ben and Kayla embark on a journey where falling in love might be the biggest surprise of all. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published )

Hill Country Redemption by Shannon Taylor Vannatter — When Rance Shepherd takes a job stocking cattle for a local rodeo, he’s shocked that his new client is his ex-sweetheart, Larae Collins. Now he’s determined to prove to the single mother that he isn’t the restless cowboy she remembers. But when he discovers her little girl is his, they both must forgive past mistakes for a second shot at a future together. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Spring Splash by Denise Weimer — An injured college swimmer volunteers to help with a Special Olympics swim team as a part of her sports marketing practicum and butts heads with the team’s handsome but stubborn coach. (Contemporary Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

Children’s:

Selah’s Stolen Dream by Susan Count — Thirteen-year-old Selah’s perfect life unravels when her beloved horse is stolen. Then ten-year-old Emma buys the dream of a lifetime at a horse auction. When she learns the horse was stolen, even removing her hearing aid won’t drown out the voice telling her to make it right.But two girls can’t divide the horse they both adore. So will life surprise them with an answered prayer? (Middle Grade from Hastings Creations Group)

Historical:

Sorrento Girl by Dawn Klinge — It’s 1938, and Ann Brooks has big dreams of her new life as a Seattle College coed. She’s left the old-fashioned ways of her small country town behind to pursue higher education and a teaching career. But not everyone is ready for change. Society still preaches that a woman’s place is in the home. Some refuse to see Ann as an equal deserving of an education — let alone a career — and Ann’s friends think school is simply a springboard to pursue a marriage of wealth and convenience. When Ann meets Paul, an aspiring journalist with strong ideas of his own, she learns an unexpected lesson in courage and discovers what it really means to live her dreams. Will Ann give up everything she thought she wanted for love? Or can she have it all? (Historical, Independently Published)

The Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear — Based on real events beginning in 1797 — Rachel Taylor lives a rather mundane existence at the way station her family runs along the Wilderness Road in Tennessee. She attends her friend’s wedding only to watch it dissolve in horror has the groom, Wiley Harpe, and his cousin become murderers on the run, who drag their families along. Declaring a “war on all humanity,” the Harpes won’t be stopped, and Ben Langford is on their trail to see if his own cousin was one of their latest victims. How many will die before peace can return to the frontier? (Historical from Barbour Publishing)

Roll Back the Clouds by Terri Wangard — Sailing on the Lusitania is a dream-come-true for Rosaleen and Geoff Bonnard, but their journey turns into a nightmare. Will they ever find their joy again? (Historical, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:

The Heart’s Stronghold by Amanda Barratt, Angie Dicken, Gabrielle Meyer, and Kimberley Woodhouse — Join four brave women making their mark on history at Colonial forts. Faced with tragedy and distrust they will fight to bring civility, family, and love to the frontier. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Hope in the Mountain River by Misty M. Beller — This epic journey is not at all what she expected. Joel Vargas can’t believe he’s lost his older brother in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains after surviving their harrowing voyage across the Atlantic. And he can’t shake the feeling that Adam—his only living relative—is in dire trouble. No matter what the cost, he and his band of friends won’t stop until Adam is found. He’s not sure if two Indian women they meet on the way will be a help or hindrance. After the devastating loss of her daughter and husband to a sickness that swept through their Nez Perce camp, Elan is desperate to find an escape from her grief. As she and her friend journey through the mountains toward the great river, a band of white men is the last thing she expects to find, especially as winter blows in full force. When the dangers increase, accomplishing Joel’s mission becomes the only hope for all their survival. If the elements don’t consume them, Elan has a feeling life will never be the same for any of them. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Out of the Embers by Amanda Cabot — Ten years after her parents were killed, Evelyn Radcliffe is once more homeless. The orphanage that was her refuge and later her workplace has burned to the ground, and only she and a young orphan girl have escaped. Convinced this must be related to her parents’ murders, Evelyn flees with the girl to Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country and finds refuge in the home of Wyatt Clark, a talented horse rancher whose plans don’t include a family of his own. At first, Evelyn is a distraction. But when it becomes clear that trouble has followed her to Mesquite Springs, she becomes a full-blown disruption. Can Wyatt keep her safe from the man who wants her dead? And will his own plans become collateral damage? (Historical Romance from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Woman of Sunlight by Mary Connealy — From a remote Colorado mountain to the bustle of Chicago. Ilsa finds herself married and dragged into rushing wagons and horses, high rise buildings and a ruthless killer who’s followed them across a country. (Western from Bethany House [Baker])

The Merchant’s Yield by Lorri Dudley — A debutant finds herself in a compromising situation with a Leeward Islander, which lands her in a marriage of inconvenience with the man who then carries her across the Atlantic to his home. When he learns of her weak constitution and believes she can’t survive the hardships of island life, she sets out to prove him wrong. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

A Love Not Forgotten by Linda Shenton Matchett — Allison White should be thrilled about her upcoming wedding. The problem? She’s still in love with her fiancé, Chaz, who was declared dead after being shot down over Germany in 1944. Can she put the past behind her and settle down to married life with the kindhearted man who loves her? It’s been two years since Charles “Chaz” Powell was shot down over enemy territory. The war is officially over, but not for him. He has amnesia as a result of injuries sustained in the crash, and the only clue to his identity is a love letter with no return address. Will he ever regain his memories and discover who he is, or will he have to forge a new life with no connections to the past? (Historical Romance by Shortwave Press)

Romantic Suspense:

Killer Harvest by Tanya Stowe — Can she stop a deadly crop virus from ending up in the wrong hands? Biologist and single mom Sassa Nilsson just witnessed her mentor’s brutal murder by environmental extremists. Now she’s the last link to a deadly pathogen they plan on unleashing—and their number one target! But can handsome border patrol agent Jared De Luca shield Sassa and her baby long enough to find a cure…before the entire world faces the unthinkable consequences? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Traces by Denise Weimer — When a failed romance and a $500,000 prize lure Kate Carson into participating in the reality TV show, Traces, the least she expects is to pick her partner. After all, she’s the PR spokeswoman of the company that derived a thirteen-lens, rotating camera from military use and installed it atop Atlanta’s tallest skyscraper. But she never would have chosen to evade techno hunters for twenty days with “G.I. Joe.” Stoic, ex-military Alex Mitchell is the sort of man she always vowed to avoid, while the shadows of Alex’s past cause him to spurn emotional involvement. When Kate’s insider knowledge makes her a target of someone more threatening than game show hunters, Alex offers her only hope to reveal the dark plans of proponents of The Eye. (Romantic Suspense from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)

Song in the Dark by Jessica White — After graduating from Juilliard, harpist Jenna Fields returns home to Albany to escape her manipulative ex and prove to her controlling mother that she can orchestrate her own life. Homicide detective Dean Blackburn spends his days seeking justice for the dead. But darkness taints everything, including him. When his three Dobermans lead him to Jenna playing in the park, he tries to resist the beautiful musician and focus on his cases. At least until he witnesses Jenna’s ex attempt to blackmail her and learns she’s being stalked, just like one of his homicide victims. When her world crumbles beneath her feet, and Dean learns she has her own dark secrets, he helps Jenna see that the key to escaping her mother’s gilded cage is already in her hands. (Romantic Suspense from Mantle Rock Publishing)

Secrets She Knew by D.L. Wood — Boston police detective Dani Lake dreads returning to her small hometown of Skye, Alabama, for her ten-year high school reunion–and not just for the normal reasons. At only fifteen, Dani tragically discovered the body of her murdered classmate, setting in motion the process that led to the unjust conviction of her dear friend and an unshakable burden of guilt she carries to this day. So when new evidence surfaces during her trip home which suggests the truth Dani’s always suspected, she embarks on a mission to expose the real killer, aided by Skye detective Chris Newton–who happens to be the man Dani’s best friend is dying to set her up with, and also the only person who believes her. But when Dani pushes too hard, someone pushes back, endangering Dani and those closest to her as she unearths secrets deeper and darker than she ever expected to learn—secrets that may bring the truth to light, if they don’t get her killed first. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Suspense:

Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal — Rookie spy Talia Inger goes deep undercover in the world’s first crowdsourced crime syndicate to unveil a monster and rescue kidnapped refugee children. (Techno-thriller from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Kings Falling by Ronie Kendig — Leif Metcalfe and his team, dubbed Reaper, need to recover the stolen, ancient Book of the Wars if they hope to stop the Armageddon Coalition and their pursuit of global economic control. But their attention has been diverted by a prophecy in the book that foretells of formidable guardians who will decimate the enemies of ArC. While Iskra Todorova uses her connections in the covert underworld to hunt down the Book of the Wars, Leif and Reaper attempt to neutralize these agents but quickly find themselves outmaneuvered and outgunned. The more Reaper tries to stop the guardians, the more failure becomes a familiar, antagonistic foe. Friendships are fractured, and the team battles to hold it together long enough to defeat ArC. But as this millennia-old conspiracy creeps closer and closer to home, the implications could tear Leif and the team apart. (Military Suspense from Bethany House [Baker])

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Love & Hope by Elsie Davis, Contemporary Romance

Bite the Dust by Jackie Layton, Cozy Mystery

Jordan’s Arrow by Allen Steadham, Speculative

The Letters by C. Kevin Thompson, Suspense

Taming Julia: Character Interview with Jules Montgomery

Welcome to Trumpet
Tuesdays. I understand you’re the heroine in Taming Julia. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Howdy!
Name’s Jules Montgomery. My proper name is Julia but I don’t ever go by it. I’m
one of those, what do you call it? Oh yes, a mail-order bride, although it took
me a while to figure that one out. Name was Jules Walker until I got hitched.
Don’t have no particular place I can call home afore I moved to Burrton
Springs. Unless you call livin’ along the trail a home.

I can’t imagine
not knowing you were a mail-order bride at first. How did you arrive in Burrton
Springs?

My
brother, Josh, told me I had to get on the stagecoach and a fella would be
waitin’ on me when I arrived. Before I left I signed some paper, somethin’
about proxy.

You were married
by proxy before you even arrived? Wow! What’s it like to be a new bride?

It’s
different than I ever figured it’d be. Kind of nice though. I’m still learnin’
Drew’s ways. Drew, he’s my husband. He’s one fine lookin’ man.

Why did Drew marry
you before you arrived? Can you tell us more about your story?

Why
sure. The author worded it like this:

In
1875, Kansas bachelor Drew Montgomery’s sole desire is to serve God, but his
congregation’s ultimatum that he marry or leave, forces him to advertise for a
wife by proxy.



Jules Walker strides into Drew’s life wearing breeches and toting a gun and
saddle–more cowboy than bride. After years on the trail, she’s not exactly
wife material, but she longs for home and family, and will do anything to
ensure Drew never discovers what she really is.

It sounds like you
weren’t at all like Drew expected. Did that lead to struggles?

You
could say that. I’m guessing I was like a burr under a saddle rubbin’ the horse
raw from time to time. Not that I tried to be that way. Guess it just comes
natural for me to find trouble. I probably was a lot more than Drew ever expected,
but we’re learnin’ how to get along better.

Can you give us a
little excerpt to your story?

Of
course. This is what happened shortly after I met my man.

            “Josh said couples kiss after
they’re hitched. Should we try it? I’ve never done it afore, but I reckon we
could give it a shot.” She puckered her lips and waited.

            Drew took a big step backward.

            Had she used the wrong word? Jules
wrinkled her brow, trying to recollect what her brother had said. Had he called
it a peck? Nah, couldn’t be. That’s what prairie chickens did when they found a
tasty bug.

Chuckle. Sounds
like Taming Julia is an interesting
story. Where can readers find it?

Barnes and Noble

Pelican Book Group

Google Play

Can you tell us a
little bit about the author who created your story?

She
said this is her official bio. Not sure what that is:

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and COMPEL Training. She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. She’s a contributor and co-founder of Stitches Thru Time blog. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Wonderful. Where
can she be found online?

I’m
guessing online isn’t like somethin’ you hang your clothes on to dry. Jodie
says you can find her here:

Website:
https://www.jodiewolfe.com

Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jodie-wolfe

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Jodie-Wolfe-553400191384913

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JodieAWolfe

Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/JodieAWolfe

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15220520.Jodie_Wolfe

Amazon
Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jodie-Wolfe/e/B01EAWOHXO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Thank you kindly for visitin’ with me and the gal who wrote my story. We’re much obliged. We hope you’ll pick up a copy of Taming Julia so you can find out more.

Book Review: Ishamael Covenant by Terry Brennan

His marriage in tatters and his career ruined by lies, Diplomatic Security Service agent Brian Mullaney is at the end of his rope. Banished to Israel as punishment by his agency, he’s assigned to guard a US ambassador and an insignificant box. Little does he know that this new job will propel him straight into a crisis of global proportions.

Inside the box is a messianic prophecy about the fate of the world. And a dark enemy known as The Turk and the forces of evil at his command are determined to destroy the box, the prophecy, and the Middle East as we know it. When Ambassador Cleveland gets in the way, his life and his daughter’s life are threatened–and Mullaney must act fast.

Now agents of three ancient empires have launched covert operations to secure nuclear weapons, in direct defiance of the startling peace treaty Israel and its Arab neighbors have signed. And a traitor in the US State Department is leaking critical information to a foreign power. It’s up to Mullaney–still struggling with his own broken future–to protect the embassy staff, thwart the clandestine conspiracies, and unmask a traitor–before the desert is turned into a radioactive wasteland.

Fans of Joel C. Rosenberg, Steven James, and Ted Dekker will relish the deadly whirlpool of international intrigue and end-times prophecy in Ishmael Covenant–and will eagerly await the rest of this new trilogy.

The description is true. If you enjoy Joel C. Rosenberg, Steven James, and Ted Dekker, Terry Brennan can carry his own among these names. A great storyteller, Ishmael Covenant is everything you want in an end-times thriller. There’s a mysterious box with a Messianic prophecy that a lot of people want access to. People are dying a cruel death over it. There are law enforcement agents, like Diplomatic Secret Service Agent Brian Mullaney, caught between family, job, and global peace. There are religious figures, villains, and political figures like Ambassador Cleveland and his daughter.

Ishmael Covenant moves fairly quickly given the amount of characters and the plot revolving the box, the politics, and everything going on in between. It’s full of intrigue and adventure, and definitely leaves you wanting more. This is the first book in the series, so know not all ends are tied up in this book. The switch of point-of-view, POV, was a lot, but I knew it was essential to the story.

If you love political stories, end-time thrillers, and action packed fiction, I definitely recommend Ishmael Covenant. There’s even a giveaway. Check out my right sidebar to learn more.

I received Ismael Covenant from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, and all opinions are my own.

March 3: Regan’s Acts of Kindness

Regan’s parents are friends of ours from our days when we all lived in the same area in Upstate NY. They were so good to our young son and we knew when they married and had children, they would be excellent parents.

And we were right.

Tragically, Regan lost her life January 4, 2017 in her nursery school parking lot, while her father was holding her hand and they were in between two parked cars. She was three years old and left behind her parents, her big brother Gavin,grandparents, and many more family members and friends.

Regan’s birthday is March 3. Regan’s parents have asked that we all perform an act of kindness on March 3, and I’m issuing that challenge to you. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, just kind. If you can, please like the page and post a picture of your act on Regan’s Acts of Kindness Facebook page.

Regan Shetsky

I encourage you to learn more about Regan and her family’s plan to honor and always remember her. They have an online store with “Choose Kindness” shirts, and are raising funds for an interactive story corner in DeWitt, New York called “Regan’s Reading Garden.” This project will encourage literacy and imaginative play, and costs between $200,000-$300,000. Their “kindness rocks” have included all ages, with a global impact.

Julie Arduini, information from regansactsofkindness.com

If you’re not familiar with my books, since 2017 all of my books include a page about Regan. In Restoring Christmas, a news reporter was named after her.

Please spread the word along with your kind deed on March 3!