Julie Arduini's Blog, page 92

Win Spiritual Warfare with Giving Thanks by Ada Brownell

Win Spiritual Warfare with Giving Thanks

By Ada Brownell

Gratitude changes my attitude.

Sometimes I forget when I pray, seeking God for specific needs, that I should be thankful first. The Apostle Paul instructed us “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

He precedes that statement in verse 4 with “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice.”

I am amazed sometimes at how many things I have to be thankful for. There is no way I can name them all, but at the top of the list is God’s mercy, love and caring. I’m so thankful Jesus came to give abundant life here and eternity.

Then I am thankful for my husband and family and that they have the Word of God planted in their hearts. We’re not a perfect bunch, but we are so blessed with children and grandchildren who love and serve Jesus.

I’m thankful for America and freedom.

I’m thankful for friends, those I know personally and those I’ve interacted with online. I pray for friends I see often who have needs, but also pray for others I seldom see and those I haven’t seen who check out my blog from the United States and about a dozen other countries.

In these perilous times when there are so many refugees around the world, I’m thankful for food, a home, and all our needs supplied. I pray for the suffering church.

I’m thankful most of all for a loving Heavenly Father who gave His only son so that I can have forgiveness of sins and live forever. I’m thankful for the Holy Spirit’s comfort, peace and joy.

Here are a few scriptures on gratitude:

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

“I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8).

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).

“But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

“Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever” (Revelation 7:12).

Although Thanksgiving might not be a holiday in your nation, may God grant every one of you no matter where you live, a grateful heart. In his instructions in Philippians Paul said when we enter the gates to speak to God and are thankful, “The peace of God, which passes understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

ADA BROWNELL BIO

ada-brownell_edited Ada Brownell, a devoted Bible student, has written for Christian publications since age 15 and spent much of her life as a reporter for The Pueblo Chieftain in Colo. She also is a veteran youth Christian education teacher. After moving to Missouri in her retirement, she continues to write books, free lance for Sunday school papers, Christian magazines, write op-ed pieces for newspapers, and blogs with stick-to-your-soul encouragement. She is the author of four non-fiction books, three novels and more than 350 articles and stories published in Christian magazines. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Ozarks Chapter of American Christian Writers. She and her husband have five children, one in heaven, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Her books: Read sample chapters on Amazon. Her Amazon author page is https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrow...

Connect with Ada at:

Facebook

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Amazon Ada Brownell author page

Google

Goodreads

Blog

Free book days info

rancher-cover-1_edited Ada Brownell’s book, Peach Blossom Rancher, an Inspirational Historical Romance, will be free 11/20 to 11/24 on Amazon: A handsome young man inherits a ranch in ruin and hopes to bring it back to its former glory and also marry a beautiful young widow who is an attorney. But she takes up the case of a brilliant doctor committed to an asylum because of one seizure. Will the rancher, the attorney, and the asylum patient achieve their dreams?

Suspense, romance, humor, murder, insanity, hope, fun, wrapped in a Western you won’t forget.

http://amzn.to/2arRVgG

https://www.amazon.com/author/adabrownell

Tags: author, Bible, Julie Arduini, Scripture, spiritual warfare, thankful, Thanksgiving, Win Spiritual Warfare by Giving Thanks by Ada Brownell

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Published on November 18, 2016 21:00

Book Review: The NIV Holy Bible for Girls

NIV Holy Bible for Girls

The NIV Holy Bible for Girls, Journal Edition is the perfect way to apply Scripture to your everyday life. Designed with the thoughtful writer in mind, a whimsical cover and journaling lines inspire reflection in God’s Word. This Bible contains the full text of the bestselling New International Version (NIV) translation.

Features include:

Lines on each page for journaling and notes

Thick paper perfect for any writing utensil

A presentation page for gift giving

A “How to Use This Bible” page to get started on the right foot

Ribbon marker

The complete text of the bestselling New International Version (NIV)

The NIV Holy Bible for Girls has a lot to offer. Space in the margins to journal. Pages that were made so that when girls journal, they won’t bleed through. A Ribbon marker to keep track of reading.

The one concern I have is that the Bible is recommended for girls ages 8+. I think it needs to be a little older. I think at that age girls still need a Bible with explanation and different takeaways. This is the full Old and New Testament, and I’m afraid the journaling aspect wouldn’t be as utilized as much as it could be because the girls will be too young to understand.

That’s my only concern in what is otherwise a beautiful Bible.

To purchase the NIV Holy Bible for girls, click HERE.

I received this Bible for review and the opinions expressed are my own.

Tags: Bible, book review, Book Review: The NIV Holy Bible for Girls, girls, journal, Julie Arduini

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Published on November 17, 2016 21:00

Why Be Thankful? By Sue A. Fairchild

WHY BE THANKFUL?

By Sue A. Fairchild

Ten years ago, if you would have asked me what I was thankful for, I would have provided you with the basics most people list: Family, health, job…I may have even included God at that time, but He probably would have been my last thought. (And only because I would have been pressured, as a Christian, to say so.)

Since then, I met and married a devoted Christian man and began to dig deeper into my own faith. I searched my heart for the things that I was truly thankful for—not just the mundane, everyday things—but the things that Christ has asked me to be thankful for. That’s when I finally began to discover just how much I have to be thankful for.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) says , “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

We should be giving thanks in all circumstances. Do we know what that word all means? Everything. Every minute of our day, every second of our lives, and for every single thing that happens…even the bad stuff. “In” means during all these circumstances. Some people have also stated that this verse also means to be thankful for all circumstances. Think about the differences. “In” is in the midst of it all, the hardships, the heartaches, we need to thank God for all the good things He is providing during those times. But we can also be thankful “for” the circumstances. This means we appreciate those hard times, when they come, because they cause us to grow, learn and lean on the Lord more strongly.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: It’s not that easy. That was my immediate thought, too. How could we possibly be thankful for everything? How can we be thankful when we lose a much-needed job or suffer the loss of a loved one? Who could be thankful when faced with illness? How can we be thankful that those types of times may be headed our way? (That seems really crazy to me.) It’s not an easy task.

My heart was once broken badly and it took me many years to grow from the experience. It was not easy then to be thankful. In fact, I often yelled at God, begged and pleaded with Him, too, trying to figure out how I could ever be happy, and thankful, again. As I look back on that time, I still wish it were different, but I am thankful now. I wouldn’t be with my husband now if it hadn’t happened—a man who has helped me grow closer to the Lord. And I wouldn’t have had those moments with God—the begging and pleading and yelling—that drew me closer to Him. Only when I could say, “Okay, Lord. You tell me how,” was I able to finally find the path to the truth of our Lord. Part of that path includes being thankful for the time and part of it is knowing that if it ever comes again, I’ll know God is looking out for me and using that moment for His greater purposes.

I know it’s different for loss. We can never have those loved ones back. So how can we be thankful then? I look again to the Word.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Yes. This is how I try to see things in the most difficult of situations. As a Christian, I am never alone, especially when I can take things to Him in prayer. Christ is always here with me and ready to listen. When I’m facing situations that seem too incomprehensible to bear, I look to Him. Only Christ can give me peace about it. Only He can heal my wounds, cover my transgressions, patch up my broken heart and guard it as I move forward.

Now that I think about it, I’m thankful for really just one thing: God. Because it is through Him that all other goodness ebbs and flows through my life. Without Him, there would be nothing to be thankful for.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV)

*************************************************************************

Sue A. Fairchild

Sue A. Fairchild is a freelance editor and writer who specializes in substantial edits and Christian writing. She has been published in The Secret Place and The Upper Room devotion magazines as well as numerous other publications. Her blog, Sue’s Simple Snippets, explores the everyday moments of her life in order to find happiness (which is sometimes addressed with snark first.)

Tags: circumstances, guest bloggers, James 1:17, Julie Arduini, November, Philippians 4:6-7, Sue's Simple Snippets, thankful, Thanksgiving, Why Be Thankful? Sue A. Fairchild

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Published on November 16, 2016 21:00

How Many Times Must I Forgive My Brother by Teresa Ives Lilly

How Many Times Must I Forgive My Brother

By Teresa Ives Lilly

As a child, you expect to have fun playing with your siblings, but for me that wasn’t always the case.

My brother was seven years older than me, and all I can say is, he was not a nice person. I have no good Of him, including the fact that we shared a birthday and every year my parents took us to his favorite restaurant and got him a coconut cake (which I am allergic to and HATE).

Years later he became a Christian, met a wonderful young woman and the two of them became Missionaries in Russia and started about 6 of more churches there.

You would imagine, as a Christian I would have been happy and pleased, but I wasn’t. For years, I was angry. I didn’t believe my brother deserved such a sweet wife and I struggled believing he could be trusted.

Finally, after a few years from his salvation, I had to surrender it to God and ask God to heal my hurts because my brother never tried to. Then, once God gave me the peace I needed to forgive, I contacted my brother and asked him why he never tried to make amends to me, etc. He told me, he thought I had forgotten the things and he didn’t want to hurt me by bringing them up.

Once I understood this, I was able to totally surrender.

So, at this Thanksgiving Time, I pray that everyone finds something to surrender and get free from.

Since that time, God has blessed me with the gift of writing and although I don’t usually write about such deep issues as surrender, my novellas are all Christian and the characters all over come relationship issues and find love.

Teresa Ives Lilly lives in San Antonio. She has written over 20 novellas, several chapter books and two hundred unit studies. She loves to hear from her readers at teresaiveslilly@yahoo.com

See all her books at http://www.teresalilly.wordpress.com/

The one book I wrote which really shows how a woman overcomes many issues is called

Orphan Train Bride.

Kelli is a nineteen-year-old orphan, who lives and teaches at a New York orphanage. She is sent west on the Orphan Train to oversee the children. When the train reaches Kansas, the end of the line, and Kelli realizes that she must return to New York, she makes a desperate plea to a golden bronzed cowboy; asking to fill the place as of a mail order bride, he advertised for to raise his little girl. Will God help them develop a loving relationship through the hardship of life on the Kansas prairie. Especially after the land is devastated by grasshoppers?

Purchase Orphan Train Bride on Amazon HERE.

Tags: author, brothers, family, forgiveness, How Many Times Must I Forgive My Brother by Teresa Ives Lilly, Julie Arduini, Orphan Train Bride, reconciliation, thankful

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Published on November 15, 2016 21:00

We Are Not Alone by Toni Shiloh

Thankful post –

In my latest novel, Buying Love, Nina Warrenton deals with the feeling of isolation and aloneness. It’s a prevalent problem among people, especially during the holidays. However, as believers, I wanted to remind others (as well as myself) that we are not alone.

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” – 1 Corinthians 12:27 KJV

Y’all, we are not alone. The moment we accepted Christ as our Savior, we entered into a community. One where there’s a place for anyone who chooses to accept the invitation. One that does not care what you look like or what you’ve done. No, we aren’t perfect, but we have been made perfect by the Love of Christ.

This Thanksgiving, I’m taking the time to be thankful for my salvation and all the blessings that come with it. Knowing that I can call upon another believer if I need counsel. Knowing that if I’m lost or in need of guidance, I have access to the Word. Knowing that no matter what I go through, I have the Great Comforter to see me through it. There are many blessings and benefits of being a believer.

Let’s share the Good News with others. The holiday season is not a time to be alone. If they don’t accept the invite to Christ’s table, invite them to yours.

Be blessed!

Author bio –

Toni Shiloh

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the local Virginia Chapter.

You can find her on her website at http://tonishiloh.weebly.com

Back cover Blurb –

Buying Love by Toni Shiloh

Will money ruin everything?

Nina Warrenton is ready for the next step in her life plan—marriage, but there is one problem. No one has proposed! Taking matters into her hand, she places an ad in the newspaper hoping to entice a willing stranger. But when she begins to fall for the small-town chef, she realizes how much she wants him to love her and not her money.

Dwight Williams needs fast cash to save the family restaurant. When he sees Nina’s monetary offer for a husband, he goes for it. He’s determined to save the legacy his dad left him, but can he let it go to prove his love for her?

Can Nina and Dwight find true love, once money has entered the equation?

Buy links –

http://amzn.to/2deXj91

Social media links –

Website: http://tonishiloh.weebly.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortonishiloh

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/116452363653059921235/posts

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tonishiloh

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tonishiloh

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/toni-shiloh

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonishiloh

Blogs I’m part of: http://puttingonthenew.com ; http://heartwingsblog.com

Tags: ACFW, author, Buying Love, holidays, isolation, Julie Arduini, money, thankful, Toni Shiloh, We Are Not Alone by Toni Shiloh

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Published on November 14, 2016 21:00

Thankful for Teachers by Paula Mowery

Have you ever found yourself considering those people you might not always show thankfulness for? Naturally when we begin to think about people we are thankful for, we usually begin our list with family and close friends. And we should be thankful for those people.

How about that teacher who has helped your child fit into a new school? Or maybe that teacher has shown your little student that learning can be fun. I’m talking about the teacher who encourages your child when she thinks she just can’t do something.

In case you can’t tell, I feel teachers are unsung heroes. I was a teacher years ago and now work as an assistant. I have watched teachers dry tears from kids’ eyes. I’ve seen teachers work miracles with kids struggling with behavior issues or learning problems. I’ve witnessed a teacher giving from her own lunch because a mother forgot to send lunch or money. Many teachers arrive much earlier than their appointed time and most stay much later than they are required. They lug home heavy book bags filled with papers to grade and lessons to plan.

It is sad to me that teachers don’t seem to get the respect they are due. Look at it this way. Teachers deal with any and all body fluids and slurp down vitamin C to ward off becoming sick. They have to be nurses when children expend those body fluids. They have to deal with bloody knees and elbows and noses. They have to deal with bad attitudes, fidgety bodies, and mouths that just won’t turn off. All while trying to educate.

Recently I went to an appointment with my mother when she visited her orthopedic doctor. His condescending attitude made me bite my tongue. I was thinking – It’s because of a teacher who put up with you and taught you to read, write, and study science and math, that you are able to stand there today. I wanted to say – “You’re welcome!”

I suppose I say all of this to nudge you to pray for teachers and give them respect for what they do. Let’s face it. You wouldn’t be where you are today without those teachers you had growing up. You wouldn’t be able to read this.

If you get the opportunity, why not thank a teacher. You’d be amazed at what a simple card and a chocolate bar would mean.

My latest release is a children’s chapter book. The main character, Chloe, got me to thinking about teachers. She is pretty devastated when she has to move right in the middle of her kindergarten year. But she soon comes to love her new teacher, Mrs. Potts. Chloe even characterizes her teacher as being like Mary Poppins. Chloe’s momma says, “You mean she is practically perfect in every way?” Chloe quickly replies that Mrs. Potts is like the really big word used in the movie which she shortens to super-frog-alicious.

Do you know a super-frog-alicious teacher? Let them know.

Paula Mowery has always been an avid reader of Christian fiction, especially romances of all sub-genres. She holds a Master of Education and taught English/Language Arts in public school and then came home to educate her own daughter, first through twelfth grades. She teaches at writing conferences such as the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. TAG, Tomorrow’s Author Guild, is a pilot program she is currently creating in which she teaches and designs writing lessons to encourage young writers as well as assisting teachers with writing instruction.

Paula is a published author in Christian fiction. One reviewer stated that her writing “thunders with emotion.” Her novella, Be The Blessing, won the 2014 Selah Award. Her story, The Prayer Shawl, from the book, Legacy and Love, was a finalist in The Carolyn Readers’ Choice Awards from North Texas Romance Writers of America. Her devotions have also been included in several devotional anthologies. Connect with her on her blog, www.paulamowery.blogspot.com.

chloe_cover-copy_edited THE ADVENTURES OF CHLOE ANN PARKER

Chloe Ann Parker is in kindergarten but must move to a new school right in the middle of the year. Not only does she have to get used to a new teacher and make new friends, but she has to try to get along with her grumpy neighbor, Mrs. Smith. Chloe has the opportunity to become a real hero, learn responsibility, and learn some valuable lessons in this kindergarten adventure.

Tags: author, children's book, fiction, Julie Arduini, kindergarten, TAG, Teachers, thankful, Thankful for Teachers by Paula Mowery, The Adventures of Chloe Ann Parker, Tomorrow's Author Guild

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Published on November 13, 2016 21:00

Why I Write by Candice Sue Patterson

Why I Write…

Books aren’t material objects to me–they’re a passion. My love for the written word began before I could read. As a child, I’d surround myself with stacks of books and pretend I was either the librarian or the patron, looking for that special book guaranteed to whisk me away to another time and place. On a rainy summer day, I could be found in my bedroom with my Casio radio and a blank cassette tape, recording audio books for my own enjoyment.

As I grew older, I began to dream of seeing my own books in print. Time passed as I studied the craft of writing. I met the hero of my life’s story, started a career, and had three energetic–and wonderful–boys. Though I set my dream aside, it never died. Shortly after my third son was born, God told me it was time to unearth that dream, blow off the dust, and use it for Him.

My husband and I are very nostalgic. We prefer antiques and odds-and-ends over anything modern, and we love the stories and lessons that can be learned from the past. That’s why I write Modern-Vintage Romance–a contemporary setting with raw, modern characters and threads of nostalgia. Why not have the best of both worlds? I love to hear from readers. You can contact me via my contact page. God bless!

Visit Candice here.

How to Charm a Beekeeper’s Heart is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, IPG, Pelican Book Group, Books-A-Million, Walmart, and Target.

Read the first chapter here!

Watch the book trailer!

Tags: Candice Sue Patterson, how to charm a Beekeeper's heart, Why I Write by Candice Sue Patterson, writing

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Published on November 11, 2016 21:00

Don’t Miss This: how to charm a Beekeeper’s heart

how to charm a Beekeeper’s heart by Candice Patterson

Weddings are the last thing beekeeper Huck Anderson wants to be associated with, considering his past. So when he inherits a building occupied by a bridal boutique, he aims to evict the failing business and open a sporting goods store. Until his tenant ends up being Arianne Winters, a woman he’s indebted to from a mistake made years ago.

When a life-threatening injury derails Huck entirely, Arianne offers a compromise to keep her boutique, and her life, out of bankruptcy—she’ll aid in his lengthy recovery if he’ll allow her to remain in his building. But nursing her adversary proves challenging when her adolescent crush resurfaces.

Amidst a battle-of-wills, their lives intertwine in unexpected ways, providing opportunity to overcome their pasts and start anew. Will this confirmed bachelor consider holy-matrimony, or will Huck’s choices sting them a second time?

Author bio:

Candice Sue Patterson studied at The Institute of Children’s Literature and is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in southern Indiana with her husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by books. When she’s not tending to her chickens, splitting wood or decorating cakes, she’s working on a new story. Candice writes Modern-Vintage romance–where the past and present collide with faith. Visit her website at www.candicesuepatterson.com.

Tags: author, Candice Sue Patterson, Don't Miss This, Don't Miss This: how to charm a Beekeeper's Heart, Julie Arduini, women's fiction

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12 Pearls of Christmas | Day 1 - God with Us . . . And Us with Him by Susan May WarrenCopyright © Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues & Chocolate [Don't Miss This: how to charm a Beekeeper's heart], All Right Reserved. 2016.

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Published on November 10, 2016 21:00

Thankful: Excerpts from My Memoir by B.J. Bassett

My Story

Excerpts from my Memoir

“Mom, you should write your story . . . about how you broke the cycle of alcohol addiction in your family. You’re the transition generation,” my daughter, Melanie, said.

“It’d be too painful.”

Yet, I was between writing projects. Maybe I’ll give her suggestion a try. If it becomes too hard, I can always stop. Maybe it will even be a catalyst for more healing.

So I began.

My beautiful mother, Launalee (later she changed the spelling to Launalei) had a Betty Grable figure and auburn hair. An extravert with oodles of friends, she was scared by her parent’s divorce when she was fifteen. Her three brothers were also marred by it. Divorce was not the norm in 1930s Bremerton, Washington.

Daddy, an introvert, came from a very different childhood as the third son growing up in a small town in Minnesota. His mother wanted a girl. His sister Phyllis was born seven years later and they always shared a close relationship.

Jobs were scarce in 1937, so Daddy joined the Navy. He met my mother at a dance in Bremerton, Washington.

When my parents planned to be married, Granddad Harkness put a stop to it. “My daughter will not marry a sailor.” So they waited until Daddy was out of the Navy. They married in 1939 and I was born the following year. I always felt loved.

When I was ten and my little brother Danny was two, my parents came home in the wee hours of the morning. Mama woke me and pushed the car keys between my mattress and box-spring. “Don’t tell Daddy where the keys are.”

So it began—Mama putting me in the middle of my parent’s fights.

I don’t remember if Daddy found the car keys or not that night. What I do remember is it was the only time I ever saw him drunk, and it frightened me. He left that night and returned the next day.

There were also many happy times during those years. I attended Sunday school and church with neighbors. I loved everything girly and motherly—especially dolls and my baby brother.

When I was in junior high it was my responsibility to pick Danny up at the baby-sitter’s after school. Mama had told me to put potatoes in the oven before she got home from work. I forgot. When she got home, and realized I hadn’t done what she asked, she slapped me across the face and called me a cross-eyed baboon. Her words hurt worse than the slap. If my own mother thought that of me, what must others think? (I had a lazy eye.)

Later, when I was a teenager, I came home from one of my church youth events, Mama was drunk. The living-room was full of people. She draped her arm over my shoulder and slurred, “You’re such a good girl. I’ll give you anything you want. Do you want a car? I’ll buy you a car.”

“No, Mama.”

I never took advantage of her generosity during those times. I knew she was drunk and wouldn’t remember what she’d said the next day. She was a happy drunk. It was years later that she became a mean one.

So Melanie, I took your suggestion and wrote about how I broke the cycle of alcoholism in my family. God gave me the gift of not liking the taste of alcohol, and I’d witnessed how it destroyed lives. He also pursued me from the beginning of my life. He put saints in my life to minister to me. He never gave up on me, and has never left me in all these years. I am grateful.

I don’t want to paint Nana and Papa as all bad. While growing up there were more good times than bad, and they had some wonderful qualities. I wish I had inherited Nana’s generosity and Papa’s playfulness. He was always a good provider, even when money was tight. A hard worker, he balanced work with play. Although they were both somewhat selfish, they were also giving. (If that’s possible.) I felt loved by them, yet it seemed conditional—if I was a good girl and obeyed. It was from God that I felt unconditional love.

I believe I am who I am because God never let go of me. He saved my soul, put Christian saints in my life, and I learned from my parents—the good and the bad. I was, and am, blessed.

B J Bassett

BIO: B.J. Bassett encourages others as an author, teacher and speaker. Her books include a historical novel Lily; A Touch of Grace—The G.R.A.C.E. Ministries Story, and coauthor of My Time with God which sold 55,000 copies while in print. Her recently released contemporary romance, Gillian’s Heart, is now available.

Email: bassett106@charter.net

Website: www.bjbassett.com

Blog: http://bjbassett.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bunny.bassett

Gillian’s Heart

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 her childhood friend 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

Tags: alcoholism, author, family, Gillian's Heart, guest blogger, Julie Arduini, memoir, November, thankful, Thankful: Excerpts from My Memoir by B.J. Bassett, Thanksgiving

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Published on November 08, 2016 21:00

A Historic Day

A historic day. Our son votes for the first time. We as a country have not given him much to feel patriotic about, but because of freedoms others fought for, our family feels blessed to vote.

Can we do something as we learn the results? Walk in humility. Tomorrow half the country will be upset. Don’t gloat. Don’t go after those that disagreed with you, even if they were a jerk to you.

Start change both sides are promising by building others up. Shake hands. Buy that person a coffee and agree to disagree.

Let’s give our new voters something they want to model: class.