Julie Arduini's Blog, page 91
December 10, 2016
Book Review: Liked by Kara Kampakis
Liked by Kara Kampakis
For many girls it starts early. The desire to be perfect. The need for approval. The longing for acceptance and being liked by a lot of people.
Thanks to social media, these desires now get channeled online. Girls can curate an image, build a following, and test-drive identities until they find one that draws attention and applause.But in this quest to be liked and noticed, girls often fail to feel loved and known. The result is a generation of girls who hunger for real and authentic relationships – yet are unclear on how to create them.
From popular blogger and bestselling author Kari Kampakis comes a powerful book for girls in the digital age. Designed to empower teens and tweens through the Christian faith, it’s packed with godly wisdom and practical advice related to identity, friendships, social media, and a relationship with God.
Topics covered include:
Living for God’s approval, not human approval;
Cultivating a true identity;
Using social media wisely;
Building a positive reputation online;
Spreading kindness, love, and compassion;
Distinguishing online friends from real friends;
Building deep connections that last;
Handling rejection, criticism, and volatile emotions;
Activating your Christian faith; and
Making an eternal difference, not a temporary splash.
For anyone exhausted by the quest to impress – and ready to rest in God’s unconditional love – Liked is the answer. Written succinctly with thought-provoking questions, it’s an ideal resource for a small group or youth group study, and a conversation-starter that will quickly unite mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends by speaking to the female heart.
This is a comprehensive look at how to successfully navigate the teen years when the world is pressuring girls to focus on being liked. It’s easy to read, full of practical, yet Biblical tips, discussion questions, quizzes, and more. I could see me going through this with my daughter, but it also is a great book to use with a small group. I see too many girls trapped in the lie that having likes and follows determines their love and success. I highly recommend LIKED to empower girls and speak truth into their precious lives.
To purchase LIKED, click here
I received a copy for review.
Tags: Book Review: Liked by Kara Kampakis, confidence, girls, Julie Arduini, Kara Kampakis, self esteem, social media, teen girls, teenagers, youth groupDel.icio.us
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Julie Arduini's Favorite Book of 2014 Book Review: Burning Justice by Helena Smrcek 12 Pearls of Christmas---Sibella Giorello's Advent WFW: What Paul Taught Me (After Reading His Story in Beth Moore's Reflections Series) My Early Christmas Present: JournEzine's 6th Annual Christmas Story ContestCopyright © Julie Arduini [Book Review: Liked by Kara Kampakis], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post Book Review: Liked by Kara Kampakis appeared first on Julie Arduini.
December 5, 2016
Expectations by B.J. Bassett
Expectations
Many years ago, I was expecting our daughter and her family to arrive for Christmas. I’d taken the day off from work to enjoy spending time with them. Shortly after they arrived they left again to do some last minute shopping, and they didn’t ask me to join them. My heart sank. It wasn’t what I’d expected.
The door closed behind them and I slumped into a chair to host a pity party for one. (I read once that a pity party is of the Devil). After a while I stood, brushed myself off, and headed downtown to look in the pretty decorated store windows. I went into our florist shop, and strolled amongst all the lovely gifts and Christmas decorations. I spotted a sign on a stake that read, Santa Please Stop Here. Not a necessary item since I was on a budget, but I was drawn to it, and I thought the grandkids would like it, so I splurged and bought it. All these years later, it is a reminder to me not to expect others to abide by my expectations of them.
Over the years, my expectations of myself have changed as well. I do not stress over the holidays. I do not do things like bake Christmas cookies or make candy, yet our home is filled with goodies others give to us. I don’t accept every party invitation. To help family members on tight budgets, we no longer buy a gift for everyone. Instead, our family exchanges names. Since I enjoy reading, I take time to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea.
I encourage you to put fewer, or no, expectations on others and on yourself. Enjoy the peace and joy God provides during this time when we remember and celebrate our savior’s birth.
B J Bassett
BIO: B J Bassett’s writing is favorably compared to Grace Livingston Hill’s. Her historical novel, Lily, and contemporary romance, Gillian’s Heart, includes the gospel. You are invited to visit her at www.bjbassett.com.
Abandoned as a child by her alcoholic parents, Gillian Grant was raised by her grandmother in a beach house in California. As an adult, in tribute to Gram’s memory, Gillian wishes to restore the house to its former splendor. But she can’t do it alone, and hires Dusty Bradshaw to help her.
Gillian and Dusty have nothing in common, except the restoration of the house. Gillian suffers from anorexia and is in denial. While she has a strong faith in God, Dusty is an unbeliever. Add to the complicated mess Gillian’s confusing feelings for Josh and the sudden, unwanted appearance of Gillian’s mother Betsy, who claims the house is hers. And she intends to sell it.
Gillian always dreamed of her wedding in her grandmother’s garden overlooking the Pacific. Will there be a wedding? Who will capture Gillian’s heart — her stable, longtime friend Josh — or Dusty, a new Christian, who has kept secrets from her? And who holds the deed to the house? PURCHASE GILLIAN’S HEART HERE
LILY
California, 1900-Nestled in the foothills of the northern California coast, the town of Laurel Springs is home to high-spirited Lily Blair, the daughter of Rev. William Blair. Lily delights in being spoiled by her grandmother and father, and even though she lost her mother to childbirth, she glories in life itself and continuously pushes the bounds of propriety. Having her every whim indulged as a child leads to a tough road as an adult. Lily falls in love with James Conti and wants to marry him, but James heads off to fight in the Great War, leaving Lily alone and heartbroken. When her father wants to send her off to boarding school, Lily makes yet another rash decision and marries a man she does not love. In the ensuing years, Lily endures hardship and loss, a sharp detour from the pampered existence she once enjoyed. Yet as Lily struggles to cope with these unexpected changes, she discovers just how powerful God’s love and forgiveness can be. But will it be enough to get her through the darkest days yet to come? Full of vivid historical detail, Lily is an emotional coming-of-age story that celebrates the strength of the human spirit.
Tags: author, Christmas, expectations, Expectations by B.J. Bassett, family, fiction, Gillian's Heart, grandchildren, Julie Arduini, Lily, shoppingDel.icio.us
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ENTANGLED: Surrendering the Past Do You Hear What I Hear by Cynthia Ruchti Guest Blogger Author Susan May Warren: Take a Chance on Ivy Book Review: How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck iBloom Black Friday SaleCopyright © Julie Arduini [Expectations by B.J. Bassett], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post Expectations by B.J. Bassett appeared first on Julie Arduini.
ACFW: December New Releases
December 2016 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.
Contemporary Romance:
Bella Natale! by Marianne Evans — An aspiring American artist and the widowed, Italian owner of a premier art gallery meet and fall in love in Florence when he champions her work, but there are her American family’s expectations and his five-year-old son to consider. (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])
With this Kiss by Marianne Evans — A kiss stolen in a midnight snow. A jealous colleague at Jonathan’s firm is bent on revenge…revenge that puts Isabella’s store into legal peril. Will love be enough to see them through? (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])
Mistletoe Daddy by Deb Kastner — Bubbly Vivian Grainger bids on gruff Nick McKenna at Serendipity Texas’s annual Bachelors and Baskets for one reason–to help her build her hair salon; but once Nick finds out she’s pregnant, he does his best to build a path to Vivian’s heart. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
A Hero for Heather by Marion Ueckermann — When a “homeless” man she’s been helping rescues social worker Heather Blume from a vicious attack, she’s so grateful she violates one of the most important rules in her profession–she takes him home to tend his wounds. But the mysterious Paxton Rathbone is no homeless man…he’s a gentleman. When feelings grow, and Paxton’s past beckons, both he and Heather discover there’s a fine line between gratitude and love. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
A Husband for Holly by Marion Ueckermann — Holly Blume loves decorating people’s homes, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to play house. Believing a house is not a home without a woman’s touch, Reverend Christopher Stewart is in the market for a wife. What woman would consider him marriage material, though, with an aging widowed father to look after, especially one who suffers from Alzheimer’s? Despite their differences, Holly resolves to finish her job of redesigning the Stewart home, while Christopher determines to re-form Holly’s heart. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Rocky Mountain Cowboy by Tina Radcliffe — Twelve years after she married another man, Rebecca Anshaw Simpson is back at Joe Gallagher’s ranch as his physical therapist. But healing his body is nothing compared to guarding his heart from the woman he never forgot. Becca won’t let regret and a surly rancher get in the way of her job and the chance to start over with her little girl. But Becca never expected she’d fall all over again for her first love. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Cozy Mystery:
Christmas Cookie Mystery by Naomi Miller — With Christmas right around the corner, Katie Chupp and The Sweet Shop get involved in a mystery when a certain dear family finds an unexpected package at their door. (Cozy Mystery from S&G Publishing)
Historical:
Michel: The Fourth Wise Man by Katheryn Maddox Haddad — This descendant of Daniel, also a wise man, sacrifices everything – his wife, his father, his home – to do what he is convinced God needs him to do, then finds out he was wrong (Historical from Northern Lights Publishing House)
Five Nights with Pharaoh by Kristen Reed — Shortly after entering Egypt with her husband, Sarai is taken into Pharaoh’s harem as his newest, most favored concubine. The breathtaking, ageless beauty is forced to cling to her faith in God as she prays for the strength to accept her new position and endures a series of mysterious plagues that can only be indicative of a wrathful deity’s divine judgment. Discover a remarkable reimagining of Sarai’s plight in Egypt, where she humbly set aside her own honor to protect the man through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed. (Historical – Independently Published)
Historical Romance:
Seven Brides for Seven Texans Romance Collection by Amanda Barratt, Susan Page Davis, Keli Gwyn, Vickie McDonough, Gabrielle Meyer, Lorna Leslie Seilstad, Erica Vetsch — Meet the seven Hart brothers of the 7-Heart ranch in central Texas. Each man is content in his independent life, without the responsibilities of a wife and children–until their father decides 1874 will be the year his grown sons finally marry, or they will be cut from his will. How will each man who values his freedom respond to the ultimatum? Can love develop on a timeline, or will it be sacrificed for the sake of an inheritance? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
A Pony Express Romance by Misty M. Beller — Pony Express rider Josiah English and the station master’s sister, Mara Reid, fall in love, but when the Express shuts down and Mara’s family home is in peril, the danger looming over Mara’s life may not be half as destructive as that threatening her heart. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)
Military Suspense:
Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig — A former Green Beret is confronted by past mistakes as he and his team battle a centuries-old plague and the terrorists bent on rewriting history. (Military Suspense from Bethany House [Baker])
Romantic Suspense:
Hazardous Holiday by Liz Johnson — Just in time for the holidays, navy SEAL Zach McCloud returns home from deployment–and discovers someone wants his family dead. When he married his cousin’s struggling widow, he vowed to help her and her seriously ill son, and now he’ll risk everything to protect them. Even if their arrangement is only temporary. Kristi’s certain an unhappy client from the law firm where she works is determined to hunt her down. But when a sniper bullet wildly misses its target, they begin to question whether it’s really her someone wants dead. Working together, can they figure out why they’ve been attacked…and keep little Cody from the nefarious forces dead set on making this Christmas their last? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Christmas Conspiracy by Susan Sleeman — When Commander Jake Marsh loses control of a hostage situation and Tessa Long is injured, guilt eats at him. He blurs the line between the professional and personal, and visits Tessa at the hospital. But when a man tries to kill her in her hospital room, Jake disregards all of the rules and regulations that have allowed him to control his world and vows to keep her safe no matter what. Trouble is, the situation brings back memories from his childhood of the loss of his entire family, and for the first time in twenty years, he fears he’s no longer in charge of his life, and knows when he’s out of control bad things happen. Very bad things. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
Tags: ACFW, ACFW: December New Releases, authors, books, Christmas, December, Fiction Finder, Julie Arduini, readingDel.icio.us
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Odyssey Adventure Club: FREE Download on De-Stressing the Holiday Character Confession: The Independence Day Injection Sabbath Sunday: Your New Normal 9/11: We Will Never Forget Sabbath Sunday: I Don't Feel so AloneCopyright © Julie Arduini [ACFW: December New Releases], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post ACFW: December New Releases appeared first on Julie Arduini.
November 29, 2016
COTT: Vote for Ideal Curl Up in Front of a Fire Read!
Vote for your Ideal curl up in front of a fire read!
Scroll through these releases and cast your vote for your perfect idea of a next read.
It’s a tough choice, but it’s up to you to determine our Clash Champion!
Risking Love
Brenda S. Anderson
A play-it-safe bank employee falls for a down-on-his-luck, risk-taking widower.
Can she risk loving a man whose home she may have to take away?
An Unexpected Role
Leslea Wahl
Josie’s island getaway becomes the summer of her dreams as friendships grow,
romance blossoms and a series of thefts surround her with excitement. But as
she sets out to solve the mystery she has become entangled in, she not only
realizes the importance of relying on her faith but along the way also
discovers her true self.
Forest Child
Heather Day Gilbert
Historically based on the Icelandic Sagas, Forest Child brings the memorable,
conflicted persona of Freydis Eiriksdottir to life and is Book Two in the
bestselling Vikings of the New World Saga.
Can’t Help Falling
Kara Isaac
A funny, heartfelt romance about how an antique shop, a wardrobe, and a
mysterious tea cup bring two C.S. Lewis fans together in a snowy and
picturesque Oxford, England.
The Cautious Maiden
Dawn Crandall
In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with
a taciturn acquaintance; Vance Everstone. With danger stalking her and a new
fiance who hides both his emotion and his past, Violet must decide who to trust
and who to leave behind.
The Thorn Healer
Pepper D. Basham
A wounded nurse battles resentment against a German prisoner as the two work together to save an Appalachian town from deception and disease in the wake of World War 1.
VOTE BELOW!
If you have trouble viewing the entire survey Click Here to load a dedicated page to the survey.
October/November 2016 Clash of the Titles
Tags: An Unexpected Role, books, Brenda S. Anderson, Can't Help Falling, Clash of the Titles, COTT, Dawn Crandall, fiction, Forest Child, Heather Day Gilbert, Kara Isaac, Leslea Wahl, Pepper D. Basham, Risking Love, The Cautious Maiden, The Thorn HealerDel.icio.us
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An Act of Surrender by Paula Mowery Guest Blogger Susan May Warren: Meet the Christiansen Family COTT: Rachel Hauck's Once Upon a Prince Latest Clash Winner Side by Side in God's Battle by Holly Hrywnak A Hibiscus "Hug from Heaven" by: Margaret McSweeneyCopyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [COTT: Vote for Ideal Curl Up in Front of a Fire Read!], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post COTT: Vote for Ideal Curl Up in Front of a Fire Read! appeared first on Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate.
November 28, 2016
2016, A Year of BIG Surprises, by Janetta Fudge Messmer
2016, A Year of BIG Surprises, by Janetta Fudge Messmer
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18
These verses are favorites of mine, and I’ve used them as my blog heading for years. They remind me of what the Lord expects of me each and every day. To rejoice. To pray. To give thanks.
2016 has been a year of all years. One for the record books for thankfulness, and one I’ll never forget. I’m almost sure I told the Lord “thank you” a million times. A slight exaggeration, but He blessed the socks right off my feet. Let me give you a few examples of his lovingkindness:
I’m a published author of three books (Early Birds, Southbound Birds, and Chords of Love). And it happened this year.
The Lord continues to bless me with a great husband. This year he also rocks as my CEO of Marketing and Daily Operations.
I turned 60 years old in January (not an easy age to reach when you still feel 16, and act like it most of the time)
I’m over-the-top thankful for our pooch, Maggie. She’s the one who gave me the great idea for my debut novel, Early Birds. (Piece of advice: Always listen to your pet when they ‘talk’ to you. Might surprise you what they have to say).
As you can see, I could go on for days about what I’m thankful for. But, I do have days that it takes every bit of my energy to see past the problem in my path. To even utter a coherent prayer. To proclaim victory in His name.
It is at those tough times that I pick up my Bible and reread (as many times as it takes to get it through my head) I Thessalonians 5: 16-18. These three verses are where I find the remedy to what ails me. They help me to realign with what the Lord is trying to teach me through His word.
What about you? Has life thrown you a few curve balls (illness/extra doctor bills, car not running right, job ended, relationship, etc.) Take it from me, read the verses in I Thessalonians and follow His instructions: Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances.
Trust me, if you do these three things, it’ll be a life changing experience. Won’t you give it a try? The Lord is waiting for you.
Janetta Fudge Messmer Bio:
Janetta Fudge-Messmer is an inspirational author, editor and speaker. She’s received Honorable Mention for fiction and nonfiction articles from Byline Magazine. She also received Honorable Mention for a fiction article from Writer’s Digest Magazine. Her article, “A Working Relationship” was published in Guideposts Magazine. Guideposts Books published, “Shorthaired Miracle”. Along with writing, Janetta also speaks at seminars, helping others to “Tell Your Story”. Janetta, her husband Ray and precious pooch Maggie, became full-time RVers in 2013 and love traveling around the USA in their Minnie Winnie.
Book #2 in the Early Bird series finds Rose and Larry Wilford hitting the highway on their next RV adventure. Ben and Betsy Stevenson are right behind them in their 5th wheel. The other two Early Birds, Jeff and Mary Miller, promise to hook up with them as soon as they finish some ‘business’ in Colorado.
On their way to Florida, they make a stop in Mississippi. Soon Rosie wonders if they’ll ever get On the Road Again. The RVs have stalled in Biloxi and it has nothing to do with mechanical issues in any of their rigs. They’ve found another church that needs their help.
Rose, Betsy and Mary spend their days as fashion consultants, dressing young women for success (or as Rosie says, “Playing dress up.”). Larry, Ben and Jeff, they’re up to their eyeballs in sheetrock and drywall mud, and any other handyman task they can find to do.
The one thing Rosie has decided, if and when they start traveling toward the Sunshine State, she’ll still occupy the passenger seat of their dually. No driving for her. Larry can pester her all he wants.
And the fact her bestest friend, Betsy, drove their albatross on I-10 and lived to tell about it, won’t change her mind either. The only way Rose will get behind the wheel is if the Lord, Himself, figures out a way to put her there. ‘Cause at the moment, F.E.A.R. is her middle name.
Instead of legally changing her name or letting trepidation win, Rosie does what she does best. She PRAYS. Larry, on the other hand, is having troubles too. His prayer is that their 5th wheel survives his driving and he’s not sure it will. One more mishap and he’s handing the keys to his wife.
The Early Birds continue to have as many surprises as the state of Florida has palm trees. So why don’t you come along, if you dare. Rose, Larry, Ben, Betsy, Jeff and Mary (and some new friends) would love to have you join them on their travels across the U.S.A.
Connect with Janetta at:
Early Birds, Southbound Birds, and My Secret Love, are Available on Amazon: https://goo.gl/SX7mfP
E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com
Website: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/
Blog: http://www.nettie-fudges-world.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge
Tags: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Bible, 2016, A Year of BIG Surprises, by Janetta Fudge Messmer, Early Birds, Julie Arduini, life, marriage, pets, Southbound Birds, thankfulnessDel.icio.us
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September 11: We Will Never Forget CCOTT: Jennifer Slattery Shares a "Stupid, Cheek-Burning" Story (and wants to hear yours) COTT: Get a Head Start on Summer Reading Mother of Pearl: Water Spot Mothering by Cynthia Ruchti Book Review: From the Library of A.W. Tozer compiled by James Stuart BellCopyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [2016, A Year of BIG Surprises, by Janetta Fudge Messmer], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post 2016, A Year of BIG Surprises, by Janetta Fudge Messmer appeared first on Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate.
November 26, 2016
Thankful for Perspective
I’m thankful for perspective.
I don’t know how to explain it, but I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach 2016 was going to be a long haul.
Some things I knew were happening—a wedding in the same time frame as a graduation. A child’s genetic testing. Another child transitioning from high school to college.
But, as the year unfolded, there were plenty of surprises.
I felt a stirring I attribute to God that I was to my own ministry/business as an author and speaker. By February, I was moving forward with Surrendered Scribe Media. By March, ENTRUSTED was re released and ENTANGLED was released.
My husband changed his job. I had a feeling this was coming, but what I didn’t anticipate was his working from home much of the time.
My father-in-law passed away in July. The kindest man, talk about a huge void.
Grief from loved one’s choices I couldn’t control (and still can’t!)
A complete flip in health that was hormone/menopause related. It hit me HARD.
It was rough, and I honestly wanted to define the year that way. However, the word for my year is perspective, and I’ve really tried to apply that. I see why it is the word for me, because I learned a lot.
The absolute fear and anger I had over my husband being home on “my” schedule also offered a lunch partner at times, and help when I wasn’t able to get our child from school.
Watching God grow our loved ones closer through as they listened to us share with transparency regarding choices. Had I stayed grief-stricken, I don’t think God could have used us. Seeing it in time as an opportunity instead of devastation changed everything.
I’m sure there is more I’m not seeing yet, but perspective definitely helps me move forward and not dwell on the negative. As we wind the year down, we also had a very thankful Thanksgiving. Not only are we surviving all these things, but we learned Tom’s oldest daughter is expecting. It’s the first grandchild for us, and we are thrilled for her and her husband.
What are you thankful for this year? Do you think of perspective at all? How?
Tags: anger, business, children, college, death, family, fear, graduation, grief, high school, Julie Arduini, perspective, stay at home, thankful, Thankful for Perspective, Thanksgiving, weddingDel.icio.us
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COTT: Karen Witemeyer's Stealing the Preacher Book Review: Shellie Rushing Tomlinson's Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy BookSneeze Valentine's Book Review: Couples Who Pray ACFW New Releases: October Book Review: Imperfect Wings by Elizabeth NoyesCopyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [Thankful for Perspective], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post Thankful for Perspective appeared first on Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate.
November 25, 2016
iBloom Black Friday Sale
The iBloom Black Friday sale has everything 20% off.
I’ve mentioned more than once that I have benefited from the people and resources at iBloom for years. Last year I bit the bullet and bought the planner. I was always unsure about it, because it cost a little bit more than others.
Now I know why. It’s not only sturdy, it includes space and places for goal setting, reflection, finances and more. Lots of room to include activities and goals. Birthdays. Mileage. Accountability. Best of all, they make sure it is an American made product, AND they pray over each planner before they send it out. That sold me for life. The iBloom planner is the only planner I’ll use. I already have mine for 2017.
You have the opportunity to check it out for yourselves. Black Friday through 11:59 pm Saturday, all iBloom resources are on sale. Everything in the iBloom store is 20% off. At checkout, type GRATEFUL as the coupon code and you are set.
If you click on the links I provide, the website link will show you all products. I also included the planner link because that is the product I’m most familiar with. If you purchase, I receive a percentage as an affiliate. This is something I’ve turned down from many businesses over the last decade. iBloom is a product I truly believe in. I think once you purchase and see for yourself, you’ll agree!
Tags: 2017, Black Friday, business, Christmas, direct sales, Essential Oils, iBloom Black Friday Sale, iBloom Inner Circle, iBloom Planner, iBloom social media, Jamberry, Julie Arduini, LuLaRoe, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, planner, Scentsy, Shaklee, womenDel.icio.us
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Sabbath Sunday: Ah, Temptation Sabbath Sunday: No Matter the Waves A2Z Meme: Nuts for NASCAR Book Review: Love Finds You in Glacier Bay by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss The Least Likely Heroine Part 2Copyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [iBloom Black Friday Sale], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post iBloom Black Friday Sale appeared first on Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate.
November 22, 2016
Thank God for Memory by Patti Shene
THANK GOD FOR MEMORY
Two deaths in the space of four months—first my mom in February, then my husband in June—labels 2016 a tough year in my history book.
Death of a loved one is never easy, but to experience two losses in such a short period of time is like having the ambulance transporting you after a car wreck you just survived T-boned on the way to the hospital.
You’ve barely had time to catch your breath from the first gaping wound when another is inflicted.
Grief is nebulous, yet poignant; crippling, yet cleansing; personal, yet universal.
The last word that comes to mind when hearing the word “grief” is “thankfulness.”
Yet, would grief exist if joy, happiness, and love had not precluded it?
When I struggle to put grief in perspective with the goodness of God, I am drawn to the book of Job. We all know of the misery he suffered, the unspeakable sorrow he bore, the devastating despair that enveloped him. Yet, how did he respond?
His wife said to him, “You are still as faithful as ever, aren’t you? Why don’t you curse God and die?”
10 Job answered, “You are talking nonsense! When God sends us something good, we welcome it. How can we complain when he sends us trouble?” Even in all this suffering Job said nothing against God – Job 2:9-10
It was harder to accept my mom’s death than I thought it would be. I was so sure I was “ready” when Mom passed. Although mentally keen as a knife drawn across a sharpening stone, physical maladies, pain, and exhaustion warned us her days on earth were nearing their end. To be honest, my sister and I prayed for her relief from suffering.
Since her death, too many moments have come and gone that I wish I could share with her. The fact that I can’t produces a dull ache, kind of like the nag of an arthritic joint on a cold, cloudy day.
Although we had been forewarned of the gravity of his condition, my husband’s passing was much more difficult to bear. Reports from the surgical suite were optimistic, so much so that I went to the hospital chapel and thanked God for his mercy in bringing Manuel successfully through yet another surgery. It was upon my return to the waiting room that I was informed he had suffered cardiac arrest and was unable to be revived, despite heroic efforts by the surgical team.
Kind of reminds me of Job in a remote way. I’m sure that iconic Biblical character asked more than once how life could be so good one moment and so bleak the next.
The loss of my husband has inflicted a more acute, more frequent pain that throbs like a knife slash to the gut. His death has forced me to examine myself as a widow, a self-sufficient woman, and a child of God.
The drug that renders my pain bearable through both of these losses is memory. Sure, photographs, videos, greeting cards, and conversations with others whose lives they also touched trigger vivid recall of the part these loved ones played on my life stage.
Yet, it is the intimate moments of laughter and tears, triumphs and failures, dreams realized and hopes dashed, shared within those relationships that bind me to Mom and Manuel across the span of time. Without that treasure trove of deep seated memories that allows me to drink my fill, the pain would be so raw that it would surely crush my spirit under its weight.
There is much in my current circumstance that I have to be thankful for, but the one gift from God that stands out most prominently for me during this stretch of my life journey is memory.
My sentiments about this blessing are reflected in the following poem, recited by me at my mom’s funeral service and printed on my husband’s memorial card.
God gave us memory,
A dear and precious gift,
That on our darkest day
We could receive a lift.
He knew we’d suffer pain
Along life’s rocky fall,
And so He gave our brain
The power to recall
Our loved one’s tender smile
Or kind, devoted touch,
The guidance thru each trial
That fueled our love so much.
Though gone from here below
And where we cannot see,
Love leaves our heart aglow
Thanks to our memory.
So when your day is long
And sadness in you burns,
Your loneliness is strong
And there seems nowhere to turn
Take a moment from the day
To get down on your knees,
Bow your head to pray
“Thank you, Lord, for memories.”
Patti Shene
Can you find thankfulness in any grief you may have experienced this year?
Patti Shene is thankful for memories.
BIO: Patti has had short work published in two anthologies and local publications. She has three novels in progress. She has conducted workshops at Christian Writers conferences and served as an editor with a small publishing company. Patti loves to promote writers, both published and unpublished, on her two blogs, Patti’s Porch and The Over 50 Writer. She shares stories through personal interviews of those who have found their way from a dark place back to light or those who help others back to light on her weekly Blog Talk Radio show, Step Into the Light.
Patti lives in Southeastern Colorado and is fortunate to reside in the same town as her daughter and fifteen year old granddaughter, her only grandchild. Still, her heart brims with memories of the Adirondack North Country of New York, where she spent many childhood vacations and still returns periodically to visit family.
Website-www.pattishene.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/PattiShene
Facebook – http://ow.ly/QN1u306koqf
Facebook (Step Into the Light page) – http://ow.ly/CRNS306koSJ
Blog talk radio show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stepintothelight
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Featured Video of the Week: Max Anderson The Weight of Love by Cleo Lampos COTT: A Miracle of Hope by Ruth Reid Wins Laurel Award The Benefits of Playing Wii: A Lesson in Encouragement The Internet Cafe Has a New Counter!Copyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [Thank God for Memory by Patti Shene], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post Thank God for Memory by Patti Shene appeared first on Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate.
November 21, 2016
My Thankful List by Jean Ann Williams
My Thankful List by Jean Ann Williams
I’m thankful for my Lord and Savior Who drew me from the pit of suicide loss and remolded me to need Him for everything.
I love my husband of forty-six years, and who I’ve known since I was eleven when he took me on motorcycle rides with me sitting on the tank of the bike. And, yes, after we married, we rode together on his motorcycle for over thirty years.
I adore my thirteen grandchildren of age’s twenty-two to three, and my three children, of which two are still here on Earth.
The friends who did not leave after my son, Joshua’s, death by suicide, I’m so very grateful to them. And to the acquaintances who drew closer because of my loss.
Does being thankful for God’s beauty on Earth count? Yes, I love the mountains surrounding our tiny valley. The fox sparrows when they sing. They seem to sing at the perfect moments when I’m struggling with difficult people and or with my own sins. Fox sparrows in our part of the country are rare, and I don’t take them for granted.
My health is something I’m thankful for, since I’ve been ill for over five years. Two years ago, I even prayed for the Lord to take away some of my old injuries pain. He did. Right away. And I’m grateful. I had struggled with intense pain in both shoulders and my neck from a long ago car accident. After I began praying for God to heal me from some of my pain, I fell one evening outside with palms down and my neck jolted forward and backward. Even though I was extra sore the following morning, by the evening my neck and shoulder pain disappeared and has never returned as a constant pain.
God’s free adjustment and it cost me to only trust Him and to understand it had to come as His perfect will.
I’m thankful my two remaining children are in good health and they are still here and not gone to the Great Beyond like their brother. But, God taught me to not place anyone, including my children, above Him. This is a gift of extreme relief and abiding in Him.
My thankful list would not be complete without my acknowledgement of God’s Word. I’m grateful for the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for my sins, and I look forward to Heaven with Him.
Jean Ann Williams
Bio: Jean Ann Williams is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She writes regularly on Putting on the New blog and her own Love Truth blog. Jean Ann and her husband of forty-six years have thirteen grandchildren from their other two children. They live on one acre in Southern Oregon where they raise a garden, fruit orchard, goats, and chickens. Her favorite hobbies are practicing archery, hiking through the woods, and big game hunting with her bow.
See the Trailer: https://youtu.be/yvNDlNHEyok
God’s Mercies After Suicide:
What if your child shot himself while you were in the next room? What if you held him as his heart beat for the last time? What if Satan whispered in your ear, “Now where is your God?” Find out how Jean Ann Williams reached out with her spirit and mind to the one true Father. Discover how the Lord God answered her, and walked alongside her in the most difficult grieving journey of her life.
My Thankful List by Jean Ann Williams
Purchase links for God’s Mercies After Suicide
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Mercies-after-Suicide-Blessings/dp/0997701609/
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/6569595
Jean’s Blog: http://Joshua-mom.blogspot.com/
Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Jean-Ann-Williams-848295125269670/?ref=hl
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Book Review: John Ward and Rene Gutteridge's Heart of the Country Sabbath Sunday: When You're the Purple Tree Julie Arduini's Favorite Free-at-the-Time Kindle Reads for 2012 The Bachelor by Stephanie Reed COTT ANNOUNCES CONTEST FOR UNPUBBED WRITERSCopyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [My Thankful List by Jean Ann Williams], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post My Thankful List by Jean Ann Williams appeared first on Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate.
November 20, 2016
Thankful for What God’s Taught Me in 2016 by Darlene Franklin (GIVEAWAY)
Julie’s Note:
Darlene has graciously offered to give away one physical copy of her book below. Please leave a comment on what you’ve learned this year and I’ll draw one winner on November 28.
***
I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings, all the things God has done that need praising, all the generous bounties of God, his great goodness to the family of Israel—Compassion lavished, love extravagant. (Isaiah 63:7, MSG)
Oh, my, the list is endless, as infinite as God Himself. But I’ll limit my list to a couple of things God has taught me over the last twelve months. They seem to state opposite things:
God wants me to want Him. “I’m after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.” (Hosea 6:6, MSG)
Two things came together. I’ve spent a lifetime wanting to spend more time in prayer. Also, living in a nursing home gave me a glimpse into my potential future. If I get Alzheimer’s or dementia, what will spew from my mouth? I decided to cram my brain as full as possible of Bible verses as possible.
A little more than a year later, I’ve memorized almost 400 verses. (Try https://scripturetyper.com/). The regular review recommended on the website takes me an hour a day and most of Sunday—and I wish I could do more.
As I’ve spent more time memorizing God’s word (and hearing Him speak to me), I’ve spent more time talking to Him. My barely ten-fifteen minutes a day, maybe fill up a page of a prayer journal has grown to an hour a day, sometimes as many as five pages—often filled with prayers inspired by the verses I’ve memorized. I wish I could spend more time in prayer.
Do I sound like I’m bragging? It’s more like, I wish I had discovered this years ago! But years ago, I didn’t have this kind of time, a reward for living in a nursing home.
Here are one some of those scripture prayers: See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:24 NIV) What a burden lifted to learn my anxious thoughts aren’t automatically offensive to You. You test them and weigh them, and then show me the better way. May I take your anti-anxiety pill by following the path You have made clear and straight before me, one step at a time.
Lesson #2: God is a Fire and He burns away impurities in my life. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire! (Hebrews 12:29, MSG) He refines us in the furnace of affliction. (Isaiah 48:10, MSG)
This is something I’d rather not be thankful for. I’ve been terrified of fire ever since I saw Bambi’s mother die in the forest fire. But from heaping burning coal on our enemies’ heads to the burning coal from the altar cleansing Isaiah’s sins and this passage from Hebrews, I’ve been running into the image of fire as an instrument of sanctification.
God only disciplines His children. So, burn, Darlene, burn—until I shine as pure gold, see through so that God’s glory shines within
My theme for this coming year: hope. I can’t wait to see what God has to teach me.
Bio:
Author Darlene Franklin
Best-selling author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over forty books and more than 250 devotionals.
Blurb of Blue Ribbon Brides, which has my story, A Taste for Honey:
Meet nine men and women whose competitive goals take them to state and county fairs between 1889 and 1930. From baking pie to polishing pigs, from sculpting butter to stitching quilts, everyone has something to prove to themselves and their communities. But in going for the blue ribbon, will nine women miss the greatest prize of all—the devoted heart of a godly man?
Physical Giveaway copy is possible if you do that kind of thing.
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COTT: After by Joy Ohagwu Christmas Idea for Dad: The 21-Day Dad's Challenge Book Review: Courageous Teens by Michael Catt and Amy Parker Book Review: Be the Blessing by Paula Mowery Sabbath Sunday: When I See a CaveCopyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [Thankful for What God's Taught Me in 2016 by Darlene Franklin (GIVEAWAY)], All Right Reserved. 2016.The post Thankful for What God’s Taught Me in 2016 by Darlene Franklin (GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate.
