Suzie's Writing Place

How Do You Handle Your TBR?

2012-01-20T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hardly a week goes by where I don't hear someone mention their TBR stack (pile, shelf, tower, whatever) – be it physical or virtual – and bemoan the fact that there’s never enough time to read everything.

courtesy of nkzs at http://www.sxc.hu/

So let’s talk about our TBRs (that’s what I’m going to call them for the rest of this post).

Over on my group blog, Inkwell Inspirations, Debra E. Marvin once mentioned she was thinking about re-creating Stonehenge with her stack of books. I laughed at the image, but in all seriousness most of us do have enough books that we really could build something out of them. I know I’m happily guilty of the very same thing.

So I was wondering… how do you manage your TBR? Do you organize your books alphabetically, by author, by date of purchase, by genre, or in order of what you think you want to read next?

For my physical TBR, I don’t have an organized system. I have little stacks in the bedroom and computer room, a box in the garage, and some on a shelf in the hall closet. They aren’t in any particular order. Neither are my NOOK books. However, on the NOOK there’s a front page where you can organize the books you want to read by cover for easy access. I love, love, love this feature! I always put the newest most exciting ones there, but if I get a new book that I think I’ll want to read before that one, say a Julie Klassen or Vicki Hinze, I’ll just bump a few back into the NOOK “library”.

I do tend to read by genre first. Inspirational suspense is almost always what I’ll read first, followed by favorite authors, unless there is something so gripping that it has to wend its way up to the top. Like Dina Sleiman’s Dance of the Dandelion or Lisa Bergren’s new YA time travel inspirationals.

I know people who keep lists of every book they’re read, and every book they buy, so they can cross them off and make sure they don’t read them again. I can’t operate that way. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. I just don’t have time to be that organized. I work hard enough being organized at my job, I can’t handle it in my reading life since that’s where I go to relax.

courtesy of nkzs at http://www.sxc.hu/

For those of you who have a Kindle, NOOK, or other reading device (or even those who read on the computer) do you have a virtual TBR as well as a physical one? I do have to say my physical one has shrunk somewhat since I bought the NOOK, but I think it’s always good to have a physical book on hand just in case the battery runs low on the NOOK due to excessive all-night reading sessions. If any of you have ever found yourself without a book to read, you know exactly what I mean.

My next question is the biggie. How many books do you currently have in your TBR? Anyone care to share? Go ahead, go and count. I’ll wait. I’ll share mine, too. It did take me a while to count. Oh, and before you ask, YES you can count your research books but let’s put them in their own category. I think they’re fair game because most of us get as much enjoyment out of doing research as we do reading fiction.

So here’s my list:

Virtual: 151 (NOOK)
Physical: 38 (all I can say is WOW! When compared to the NOOK, I can see I've really depleted my paper TBR since buying it. It's better for my allergies, I suppose.)
Research: 44 (Okay, I know I have many more somewhere, but I'm not digging through dusty boxes in the garage to count them. And chances are, since they're out there, I may not ever use them again. But still...I have to hang on to them. Just in case...)

Wow. I have a lot of reading ahead of me, but I have five more months of heavy-duty schoolwork ahead with little time to read, so I know before I’m finished with school my list will have grown some more.

courtesy of cafe-ole at http://www.sxc.hu/

So why, when we have these huge stacks of books do we continue to buy more? I’ll go out on a limb and say for me I think it’s a little bit of an OCD thing. I’m constantly searching for new books by xyz author because even though I know her next book isn’t coming out for a month or two, I want to make sure it doesn’t sneak out early. There was a time when I’d snatch the books up because if you didn’t buy as soon as they became available, they would be gone. That changed with the advent of Amazon, and you can get most any book now, even if it’s out of print. And then there’re the e-versions. If a book comes out electronically, there’s a fairly good chance you’ll be able to buy it when you’re ready to read it. But it’s hard for me to change that habit of constantly searching. Again, probably the OCD thing.

I’ve asked a lot of questions here, and I hope you’ll give me an answer or two: How do you organize your TBR? Is it virtual or physical or do you combine the best of both worlds? How do you choose what you’re going to read, and how many books are in your TBR?

Megan's Hero by Sharon Gillenwater

2012-01-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

Readers who want to fall in love with a true hero need look no further than Megan’s Hero, by Sharon Gillenwater. If I could give out a hero-of-the-year award, it would go to Will Callahan the dashing, tender-hearted, swoon-worthy hero of Sharon’s latest book.

Megan’s Hero is the third book in The Callahans of Texas series. But don’t worry if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, it’s not necessary in order to enjoy this book. However, I’m willing to bet you’ll enjoy this one so much you’ll make sure to go back and read the other two books.

I was privileged enough to hear the story line for Megan's Hero before it was written. From that moment, when it was still a brainstorm, I've waited to hold the printed book in my hand and devour the story – even more-so after reading the first two books in this series. It was well worth the wait because when I finished this book, I was happily satisfied.

Unfortunate circumstances cost Megan Smith her job. Now, pregnant, unmarried, and down to her last few dollars, she's reduced to living in her van. But when a tornado blows across the road, and destroys her van, her life is about to change forever.

Enter one seemingly too-good-to-be-true hero.

Will finds himself almost immediately smitten with the sweet mother-to-be, but there are things about her that don't add up: her reluctance to talk about her family, a secret past, and the fact that his father's private investigators could find nothing about her. What is Megan hiding, and will the truth about her past be devastating enough to keep them from pursuing a relationship?

With a little help from the rest of the Callahan crew, Will lives up to his title as the perfect hero for Megan’s wounded heart in this incredibly romantic story.

I have had favorite writers let me down with the second or third book in a series before, but not Sharon. Curling up with a book of hers is like curling up in front of the fire with family, friends and hot chocolate. Or maybe with some popcorn, Dr. Pepper, and a warm blanket. Either way, it’s comforting, soothing, and satisfying.

I love the risk Sharon takes with her unwed and homeless heroine. The way Megan struggles to overcome her past as well as her present troubles in order to find a promising future makes this heart-grabbing book the perfect one for a weekend-read.

Click here if you'd like to read my reviews of the first two books in this series.

Sharon grew up on Thompson's Ranch in the Rolling Plains of West Texas, near Colorado City. Her father was ranch foreman, and her parents lived there for over fifty years. The six thousand acre ranch provided pasture for Hereford cattle and an occasional Texas Longhorn, as well as fields of grain and grass to feed the stock and the primary crop, cotton. Love and marriage took Sharon across the country to state of Washington, but Texas is still dear to her heart.

Her books are honest down home love stories with laughter, conflict and sometimes tragedy that carries the reader along. The power of God working in the lives of the main characters is always evident as is their relationship to Him.

She again brings you the wonderful people, small towns and West Texas region she loves in Jenna's Cowboy, Emily's Chance and Megan's Hero in the Callahans of Texas series.

For Sharon, writing romance novels is a ministry. God has given her the talent to write, and she uses it to serve Him. She depends on Him to give her stories that will inspire, heal, entertain and bring her readers closer to Jesus.

Click here to visit Sharon’s website.

Introducing author Dina Sleiman

2011-10-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

Over at Inkwell Inspirations, we recently celebrated fellow Inky Dina Sleiman's debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion. I'm reprinting my interview with Dina here, and including some questions and answers I wasn't able to include the first time. Dance of the Dandelion published by Whitefire Publishing is a work of inspirational fiction, set in Medieval England. I'll be giving away a copy of Dina's book to one person who leaves a comment and their email address so I can contact them. Just leave your comment before midnight on November 1st, 2011.

Dina is a multi-faceted woman who both inspires and fascinates me. In part it’s the wisdom and beauty in her blog posts, in part her poetic nature, and in part it’s the love and joy that shines through her when she’s worshiping and celebrating through dance. Not surprisingly, these elements are infused throughout Dandelion.

“Life is a dance, from the swirling cosmos circling earth, to the subtle harmony of bodies, to the measured cadence of minute particles hidden deep within…”

~~ Dina Sleiman in Dance of the Dandelion

Dina, your poetry is magical, and I absolutely love the poem at the beginning of the book. You incorporated a lot of poetry into this book. Can you tell us a little bit about this?

I fell in love with poetry in college when I had teachers who really helped me to "get it." It's such a lovely form. I define it as the art of words. Like a sculptor uses clay or an artist uses paint, a poet uses words to create a work of beauty. After finishing my M.A. in Professional Writing, I continued to take M.F.A. classes in poetry through a local university. At the time, the head of their poetry department was a Christian man who helped me to understand how to properly convey spiritual themes through poems. He also taught me about the medieval mystics, who are now my very favorite poets. They had such amazing intimate relationships with Christ, and they inspired a collection of poems I wrote in 1999. Several of those poems were published in small journals.

That is part of the reason I chose the medieval period for Dandelion. So it was only natural for me to include some of my poems. I changed them slightly to better fit the medieval form used by poets such as St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Sienna, Thomas Aquinas, and Hildegard von Bingen. Initially I used actual poetry by these historical figures, but I quickly realized there were too many issues with copyrights since I wanted to use contemporary translations. I also wrote some poetry specifically for the book in the style of the Islamic poet Rabia of Basri. You'll have to read the book to see how I incorporated that.

As for the poem in the beginning, at first it was just part of a prologue. Due to some changes in the structure of the book, the editor and I decided the prologue wasn't needed. But I couldn't bear to lose that section. We decided I should rewrite it as a poem. I'm very happy with the results. I hope I'll be allowed to start all of my books with poems.

What is your favorite historical setting to write in?

Definitely Medieval. I’ve tried to think of stories I would like to write set in America, and my mind always runs directly to hard to market topics like slavery, the oppression of the Indians, the early days of the American theatre. Maybe someday I’ll write something like that. I could also see myself writing in the Biblical era.

When did you begin writing?

Probably in 5th grade when I penned a short story about a Venetian alien who came to earth. By high school I was in love with fiction, and knew I would want to write novels at some point. In college I discovered you could actually get a graduate degree in writing, and I couldn’t dream of anything I would rather do. But after earning my Masters, I spent the next twelve years primarily raising (yes, I know it’s supposed to be rearing, but that’s just weird) my kids and being involved in church ministry. Finally, in 2006 I felt that God was guiding me to get serious about my writing. That’s when I wrote the first draft of Dandelion—which would be nearly unrecognizable at this point.

What is your favorite historical setting to read?

The main thing for me is that I want to feel like I traveled somewhere new and learned something exciting. So once I’ve read a few books in any given time and place, I’m ready to move on to the next. Prairie. Been there and done that with Jeanette Oake. Gold rush. Check. Clearly, I am not the typical Christian fiction reader. I love books set in India, Africa, and China. One of my all time favorite ABA romances was set in Afghanistan and India. I love history, but I don’t really enjoy research and nonfiction very much. For me, novels are a lazy way to learn history. LOL. I’m only partly serious. I feel like in a novel you can really absorb the culture and mindset of the people on a deeper level.

I will admit, though, that I do read anything I can get my hands on set in the middle ages.

Could you explain your "tagline" and the meaning behind it?

My tagline is: Dance with Passion. Because I write in several genres, I wanted something that would really capture me. My first try was “Lyrical stories that dance with light.” I shared this with marketing expert, Jim Rubart, in a class one time. He said it was too long, and I should focus in on dance since that’s really different and interesting. I tried out Dance with Passion, and it worked.

I’ve been leading dance worship ministries in churches for most of the last seventeen years, so dance has been a huge part of my life. For a long time, it was the way I best connected to God and entered into his presence. Dance provides an amazing opportunity to discover intimacy with Christ and to worship him with your whole being.

To me, Dance with Passion means to seize life. To do everything with all your might and heart. It means to live free from burdens and hindrances and to flow in the Holy Spirit’s unforced rhythms of grace. I think this is the message that shines through all of my writing.

Once I decided on the tagline, I dragged my husband to the beach for a photo shoot of me dancing along the shoreline. I then built my whole website around this concept. Jim Rubart heartily approved. LOL.

Are there any more medieval books in your future?

Good question. Anytime I write a book, the characters and settings stick with me. So I do have more ideas for medieval novels. Unfortunately, writing them is not necessarily the best career move for me right now (unless of course Dandelion picks up and sells like crazy—so if you like it, be sure to spread the word.)

What I might do, is work on some YA medieval romances. Sounds like this would be a better market for the time period. And, it will allow me to make my characters younger, which is actually more historically accurate.

Dina's lovely family
Her beautiful daughter graces the cover of Dance of the Dandelion

What can your readers expect next?

My next project is actually a contemporary series. Book one is called Dance from Deep Within. It’s the story of a veiled Muslim, a blonde ballerina, and a bi-racial hippie chick. All three are returning college students. They meet over a group project on diversity and search together for meaning and truth. On one hand it is sort of issue driven, but at the same time, each girl has her own romance and story arc, which keeps the plot exciting. The genre is very different than Dandelion, but the themes are similar. In it I explore worship, intimacy with Christ, and inner-healing just like in Dandelion, only against a contemporary backdrop.

I can’t wait to read your next book, Dina. Thank you so much for answering my questions today. I wish you much success with Dandelion, and with your writing career. In the meantime, I want readers to know that Dance of the Dandelion is lyrical, magical, and lovely. I didn’t want to stop reading, even when I’d reached the end.

I’ll leave everyone with the scripture quote Dina used in her book, and a link where you can view some of her awesome dance and worship videos.

“We played a flute for you, and you did not dance…”

~~Matthew 11:17

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?feature=mhee
http://www.youtube.com/user/muzeshn#p/u/13/bLO3w8FMnl0

You can visit Dina's website at: http://dinasleiman.com/
You can visit Whitefire Publishing's website at: http://www.whitefire-publishing.com/

Sharon Gillenwater's The Callahan's of Texas series

2011-07-16T00:03:00.000-07:00

I'm reviewing Megan's Hero, book three of Sharon Gillenwater's The Callahan's of Texas series over at Inkwell Inspirations today (Saturday, July 16th). Stop by and leave a comment before midnight tonight, because I'll be giving away a copy of the book to one lucky person. In the meantime, I thought I'd reprint my reviews of the first two books in this series.

Jenna's Cowboy

Let’s get the important stuff over with right up front. . . .

This is one gorgeous book cover!

If you’re the type of person who buys a book based on the cover…then here you go. This particular cowboy, with those devastating blue eyes, should have this book flying off the shelves. But while it’s fun to dish about cute guys on the front of a book, how many of you would really buy a book for that reason alone? There’s so much more to this book than just the good looking guy. There’s a very believable cowboy suffering from an emotionally painful, very real and heart-wrenching disorder.

My favorite books to read, whether historical or contemporary, are always set in small towns. The cozy hometown feel has such an appeal to me. I love the fact that everyone knows each other, went to school together, and watches each others’ kids grow up. They band together to celebrate the wonderful things and they help each other through the tough times. Yes, you have your quirky characters, snooty characters, busy-bodies, and the occasional bad guy. But those are all the special extras that give a book its flavor.

Lucky for me, Jenna’s Cowboy is set in just such a town. Actually, the setting is based on author Sharon Gillenwater’s actual hometown, in West Texas. Maybe that’s why it curled all the way around my heart as I read it. Or maybe it’s the truly wonderful spirit Sharon creates in her characters. Not that they’re perfect. Like all satisfying books, her characters must experience the ups and downs of life and grow stronger in both in spirit and in faith. It’s because of those characters and the way Sharon shapes them that I always look forward to her books.

Nate Langley is a hometown hero. And he’s a true-blue Christian romance novel hero, the kind of hero that makes even the most cynical heart melt. Of course, he doesn’t want any special recognition for the sacrifices he made while serving his country. He did what any man who loves his country would do. But now it’s time to come home and help his father run the farm, time to be a cowboy, and though he might not know it yet, it’s time for Nate to heal. It might even be time to win the heart of one very special woman—the woman he’s been in love with since he was fifteen years old.

Jenna Callahan Colby is a woman who also has a lot of healing to do. She knows first hand the pain of betrayal. Could Nate possibly be the cowboy who can help her through it?

Right at the beginning of the book as Nate watches Jenna interact with some local teenagers, this book stole my heart. Actually, it gripped me even before that, when I read the very special dedication at the beginning of the book followed by the beautiful passage from Isaiah.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the pain of divorce and betrayal, trusting the Lord to get through it all... All are very serious, very real issues, and Sharon handles them with the tenderness and sensitivity they deserve. She gives readers a deeper understanding for the effect war has on our young men and women, all the while leading us down the path of a blossoming romance.

This book is filled with heart-warming scenes and heart-aching scenes. I found my eyes filling with tears more than once.

When Jenna and Nate meet for the first time in the book, I couldn’t help but smile. It takes a special writer to blend serious issues with heartwarming romance and a touch of humor, and Sharon Gillenwater is just such an author. If you’ve read her books before, you know you’re about to read something special. If you’ve never read one of her books, you truly won’t want to miss this one. Her book Love Song remains one of my all time favorites, but I think Jenna’s Cowboy may have just pushed that one into second place.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of Jenna’s Cowboy, settle into your favorite reading spot, and let the entire world fade away while you escape to Small-Town-USA…my favorite place to be.

Emily's Chance

People in Callahan Crossing have a lot of pieces to pick up after a fire destroys much of the town. Emily Rose Denny is there to work on the town’s historical museum. And though Chance Callahan doesn’t see how restoring the museum will help the town recover after the fire, he’s glad to help, and even more glad that Emily is here to stay for a while.

The romance between these two characters evolves naturally and delightfully, and the book is filled with touching moments between Chance, Emily, and his parents. She doesn’t have the best of relationships with her own parents, and yet she fits into Chance’s family so perfectly.

Emily tries to keep herself from falling in love, knowing she’s only in town for the duration of the job. When it’s over, she’ll pack her suitcase and head for the big city, where she’ll try to land an even bigger job. But will she find that God has led her to this town for a different purpose?

When she makes a shocking discovery while restoring the museum, it causes Chance to question everything he’s ever believed in. And as he helps with the project, he hopes to convince Emily to give up her dream of being a curator at a large museum in Dallas and stay in Callahan Crossing—with him.

I love the small-town feel of this book, as well as every book Sharon writes. The setting is so vivid, I feel like I’m right there. The characters are so real; I can picture them laughing, talking, and interacting with each other. Sharon never fails to bring a smile to my face and evoke at least one tear from my cynical eyes.

Like I did, you’ll fall in love with these characters, and the charm of Sharon’s natural storytelling voice.

Sharon Gillenwater grew up on Thompson's Ranch in the Rolling Plains of West Texas, near Colorado City. Her father was ranch foreman, and her parents lived there for over fifty years. The six thousand acre ranch provided pasture for Hereford cattle and an occasional Texas Longhorn, as well as fields of grain and grass to feed the stock and the primary crop, cotton. Love and marriage took Sharon across the country to state of Washington, but Texas is still dear to her heart

Her books are honest down home love stories with laughter, conflict and sometimes tragedy that carries the reader along. The power of God working in the lives of the main characters is always evident as is their relationship to Him.

She again brings you the wonderful people, small towns and West Texas region she loves Jenna's Cowboy, Emily's Chance and Megan's Hero in the Callahans of Texas series.

For Sharon, writing romance novels is a ministry. God has given her the talent to write, and she uses it to serve Him. She depends on Him to give her stories that will inspire, heal, entertain and bring her readers closer to Jesus.

Visit Sharon’s website:
http://www.sharongillenwater.com/
Read the Romantic Times Author’s Spotlight on Sharon:
http://www.rtbookreviews.com/stage/sharon.html
To read some fun facts about how Sharon created the town of Callahan Crossing:
http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2010/01/02/sharon-gillenwater-excuse-me-may-i-borrow-part-of-your-ranch/

photo credits:
cowboy boots courtesy of scotsxc at http://www.sxc.hu
wild horses courtesy of guitargoa at www.sxc.hu
barbed wire courtesy of DawnAllynn at http://www.sxc.hu

Q&A with Colleen Coble

2011-06-25T03:03:00.000-07:00

Author of The Lightkeeper’s Ball

(I'm reviewing this book today, June 25th, and giving away my copy at Inkwell Inspirations. Visit and leave a comment if you're interested in being considered for the give-away.)

Q: Did you always dream of becoming a writer? Why did you choose the romance genre?

I wrote my first story in the first grade. It was about a horse that had twin colts. The teacher praised it and the writing seed was planted. I love illustrating God’s love through romance. I especially love the suspense I put into all my books as well. I have a strong streak of justice and it plays out in the suspense element.

Q: What inspired you to write a historical series based in the early 1900’s? What would you have enjoyed about living in that time period and what would you have found the most difficult?

I happened to read an article about the Gilded Age and it mentioned how that era was so similar to today’s. I was intrigued with that, plus I wanted to choose a time period that wouldn’t be too much of a departure from my contemporary books. In that era, there were still cars and telephones!

I would have loved the simpler lifestyle. However, I would miss my jeans! How vain.

Q: Society at the turn of the century was very preoccupied with appearances and impressing other people. How is that not so different than our society today and how can we keep from falling into that same trap?

That’s exactly right! The parallels between the two eras are astounding. I’ve been at the cancer hospital this week with a dear friend, and it was a reminder of how fragile this life is. We seek THINGS when God wants us to seek Him. We need to keep our eyes set on eternity and remember that THIS life is the real dream. When we reach heaven, we will finally start to really live.

Q: Bitterness and unforgiveness led to the death of Olivia’s sister. Why is it so important to forgive those who have wronged us?

An unforgiving spirit hurts us much more than the person we hate. It makes us ugly and crowds out the love we want to show other people. God is love, not hate. Bitterness is the very opposite of the attitude God wants us to have.

Q: This is the third book in your Mercy Falls series. Addie and Katie were the main characters in your first two books. Olivia was given a true gift in the friendship of Katie and Addie. What does it take to find trustworthy and loyal friends? Why do you think that we all desire to find friends like these?

You have to first be a friend. You have to be open and giving of yourself to have those kinds of friends. A true friend tells you the truth in love, and that’s an important component of the give and take of real friendship.

Q: What do you hope that your readers will take away from reading The Lightkeeper’s Ball?

I hope the readers who feel they have to earn love will take away the realization that their true worth is that Jesus loves them and died for them. They are valuable beyond comprehension. When we can step into the role of daughters and sons, we can realize our true potential.

Visit Colleen Coble's website at: www.colleencoble.com

Pressing into Thin Places

2011-06-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

It seems that each week another area of the country is hit with tragedy, leaving many hurting people struggling with loss. Whatever the situation or circumstance, author Margaret Wills offers readers hope and encouragement.

Is there sustaining comfort to be found for the suffering, perhaps flailing, faithful? Dr. Margaret Wills, Ed.D, asserts that there is, and in her book, Pressing into Thin Places (Brown Christian Press), she invites questioning, thinking, and hurting readers to recognize glimpses of wonder and to draw strength and find rest in the presence of a loving God.

Dr. Wills knows from her own experiences that life is not simple and that we all need encouraging words and reasons to hang on to hope. With transparency and refreshing gentleness, Wills tackles universal fears, disappointments, wounded relationships, and even death and beckons readers to pull aside the veil and to see into that “thin space,” as the Celtics called it, where all that separates heaven and earth becomes almost transparent.

Wills answers questions like, “How do we keep from falling into despair when pain and suffering weigh heavily upon us?” and answers honestly questions about doubt, mystery, and the experience of not knowing. Wills offers wisdom to cultivate a listening heart, encouragement for the downhearted, reassuring words for the faltering, and comfort and rest for those in any stage of their faith journey.

Q&A With Margaret Harrell Wills, Ed.D

Author of Pressing into Thin Places

Q: Your book is titled Pressing into Thin Places. What is a “thin place”?

In the Celtic tradition, a “thin place” is the place where the veil that separates heaven and earth is nearly transparent. It is a place where we experience a deep sense of God’s presence in our everyday world. A thin place is where, for a moment, the spiritual world and natural world intersect. It can be a sudden momentary awareness or profound unexplainable experience.

Q: Pressing into Thin Places is a collection of stories, experiences, and learned truths expressed through poetry and prose. How are you hoping that readers connect with the experiences shared and those “thin places”?

Through the book I wanted to share a few “thin place moments” and encourage readers to have eyes to see the gifts of thin places through their own experiences. There are moments when we do feel the divine breaking through into our world. We feel unified and connected with God. It is not an intellectual knowing; it is felt in the spirit. Every once in a while, God draws the curtain and lets us see. He gives us reminders that, though we are tethered to this earth, there is another realm of reality just as real. Every once in a while, He lifts the veil. He thins the space between heaven and earth. He lets us experience the “thin place.” Ultimately, He helps our faith.

Q: Pressing into Thin Places gives readers permission to be authentic and to acknowledge doubt, questions, even depression. Often we experience guilt over these sometimes realities, fearing they show a weak faith. But how can facing these circumstances or emotions actually strengthen faith and reveal the presence of God in our lives?

We all have ups and downs. We are emotional beings. This is part of life. But can we dial up different thoughts? Can we change our feelings? Many times, I believe we can. Not too long ago I came across a verse in 1 Samuel 30. The chapter talked about a time when David was defeated by his enemies, rejected by all those around him and discouraged to the core. In verse 6, it says, “And David strengthened himself in the Lord.” How do we strengthen ourselves in the Lord? I believe we do what a verse in Psalms suggests: “And then one day I went into your sanctuary and thought” (Ps. 73:17). We strengthen ourselves in the Lord by going into His presence and letting Him guide our thinking. Many of the Psalms tell us that David worshipped and meditated on the scriptures. This was no exception. He received new purpose, vision, and authority. He waited patiently to become king.

Q: Why do you think we fear admitting doubt or struggles with faith?

Fear wants to rise and speak to the bottom corners of our mind. It will remind us not to be vulnerable. We will remember what happens when we risk psychological safety or abandon feelings of superiority. We will remember our nakedness. We will feel the wash of old fears and the pull of old attitudes and the temptations of old behaviors. But our heart, where our choice and our spirit live, desires our Father and His Kingdom. And our Teacher taught us to pray.

Q: It seems that more and more we all encounter people who profess to believe that God exists, but the crisis of faith arises in God’s goodness. What do you say to the reader who struggles to believe that God is good and loving?

Jesus says we can trust our Heavenly Father. We are safe, we are protected, and we are guided when we cooperate with God’s purpose and God’s way of doing things. We become participants in the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of God’s grace on earth. Jesus reminds us over and over again that we must have faith. We must believe in the fact that we are safe and that “good” will result as we submit our will to His Way. This submission is powerful. It defragments our life and gives us spiritual significance and wholeness of soul. This submission results in the process of spiritual transformation. Along the way, we are rewarded by “faith surprises” as resources of the Kingdom of Heaven are available to make changes in us, in others, and in the way things are.

Q: What do you hope that readers will take away from Pressing into Thin Places?

At the crux of this message of greater connection with God is the gospel message. Jesus encourages us to see our short space of time on this earth in the light of eternity. He instructs us to remember that there are two realities: a physical reality and a spiritual reality. We are first and foremost spiritual beings called to follow Christ’s teachings.

Pressing into Thin Places: Encouraging the Heart toward God

by Dr. Margaret Harrell Wills, Ed.D

Brown Christian Press – May 2011

ISBN 978-1-934812-99-0/208 pages/hardcover/$16.95

www.pressingintothinplaces.com

Loved It, Loving It - A Different Sort of Book Review

2011-06-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

Loved It:

Megan’s Hero – by Sharon Gillenwater

I've been waiting o get my hands on this book ever since I first heard the storyline, and more-so after reading the first two books in this series. I just finished it, and am happily satisfied. This book was well worth the wait. Will Callahan, Megan Smith's hero, truly lives up to his title in this incredibly romantic story. And for all of you who read the first two books, the rest of the Callahan crew are on hand to help Megan through her crisis. I don't want to give too much away, since I'll be doing a complete review of this book at Inkwell Inspirations on July 9^th. But you should know I absolutely loved this book and if you like homespun romance that makes you sigh, you will, too.

The Lightkeeper’s Ball – by Colleen Coble
Set in California at the turn of the last century, this is also the third in a series. I've enjoyed all of Colleen Coble's contemporary suspense novels, and though historical, this series also has a generous amount of suspense woven in. I truly enjoyed this book, the setting, the suspense, and I especially loved the way the heroine, Olivia, throws herself into the goal of discovering the truth behind her sister's death. I also loved the discovering Olivia's secret goal and her longing to fulfill it. I will be doing a full review at Inkwell Inspirations on June 25^th.

Witness on the Run – by Hope White

Hope White is one of the newer authors at Love Inspired Suspense, and I'm so glad she's there. Her novels are true romantic suspense, and I can't wait for more from her. After Robin Strand witnesses a murder, she suffers a head injury and amnesia. Jake Walters, former Homeland Security agent, now private detective, is just the hero to come to her rescue. Since I look forward to well-written Love Inspired Suspense novels each month, I can't help but hope there are more to come from this author.

Lawman-with-a-Badge – by Laura Scott

Another premium Love Inspired Suspense by another fairly new author, and I can't wait for more by Laura Scott. This is the story of Megan O'Ryan, former crime scene investigator. Her sister was a victim of the St. Patrick's Strangler, and she helped convict him of the crimes. But someone's trying to kill her, and it appears to be the work of the the St. Patrick's Strangler himself. This is truly is an edge of the seat suspense, reminiscent of the old days of Harlequin Intrigue when they had M.J. Rodgers, Tess Gerritsen and Vickie York writing for them.

…and speaking of Tess Gerritsen…

The Boneyard – by Tess Gerritsen

Though not a Rizzoli and Isles story, Dr. Maura Isles is featured in the opening chapters of this book set in Boston. Not nearly as graphic in the forensic sense as the usual Rizzoli and Isles books, this story takes an interesting twist that I've never seen Tess Gerritsen do before. She skillfully and seamlessly weaves two stories together: one in the present, and one in the past where there’s a killer on the streets of 1830s Boston. To my knowledge, this is Tess Gerritsen’s only historical novel, and though it’s not Christian fiction, I felt as if I was reading a novel by Julie Klaasen. The other day at the Inkwell, Anita Mae Draper mentioned in a review how a particular book stuck with her for days. This one did the same for me. I was so caught up in the story, in the historical details, in the characterization, I did think about this book for a long time after reading it. I even woke up a couple of times while on vacation, thinking about it. I don’t often read books a second time, but this one, like Julie Klaasen’s books, begs to be read again.

Loving It:

Dance of the Dandelion – by Dina Sleiman

I'm currently reading this book, which is not yet available in the print version. I wanted to make sure and tell people about it now, though, because the e-book version is available right now and you can download it for less than $4. That's a great deal, especially for this book, which is beautifully written in Dina Sleiman's trademark lyrical style. She has a touching poem at the beginning, which is a lovely prelude to the book. The cover is gorgeous, and especially special because Dina's daughter is the cover model. Even though I'm reading this on my Nook, I still can’t wait to hold the print version in my hand and celebrate with my fellow Inkwell Inspirations sister on her first sale. Hopefully I’ll be bringing you a full review and interview with this inspirational (literally and figuratively) author very soon. What I can tell you now, even before I've finished this book, is that Dina is destined to become one of my favorite authors.

Making Waves – by Lorna Seilstad

Just in time for the debut of her second book, Great Catch, I’m finally getting to read Lorna Seilstad's first book, Making Waves. It’s been on my virtual TBR for quite some time, and I’ve actually anticipated reading it for even longer...actually since the day I saw the cover in the publisher’s catalog before it even came out. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but when I saw the cover, I knew instantly it was a book I wanted to read. In the two cases where I've bought a book based solely on the cover, I was absolutely right. Courting Miss Adelaide by Janet Dean, and this one, Making Waves. Both covers feature heroines in jaunty hats with a hint of spunkiness in their facial expressions; and both books feature lively heroines and great plots. I'm thoroughly enjoying this book, and looking forward to adding Great Catch to my TBR.

And since I mentioned them...here are the covers from Lorna Seilstad's upcoming book, Great Catch, and Janet Dean's Courting Miss Adelaide - highly recommended if you haven't already read it!

A Cowboy's Touch

2011-05-01T00:33:00.000-07:00

Forced to take a leave of absence from her job as an investigative reporter, due to health issues, Abigail Jones soon finds herself in Moose Creek, Montana spending time with her great aunt. Before long, she's formed a budding friendship with a young girl in need of both a new nanny, and some serious attention from her father.

Abigail is desperate to help save her mother's magazine, so after she hears rumors that Maddy's father was once named the "Sexiest Man Alive" she sees no harm in seeking the truth. After all, if it's true, then Wade Ryan has been hiding from the public for a long time, and an article about him could just be the thing to bump up the magazine sales.

Soon Abigial takes the job as Maddy's nanny, and finds herself falling for Wade in the process. But what will happen when the man who guards his privacy above all else discovers Abigail's true intention. Will love be enough to overcome the secret Abigail's been keeping?

Readers who enjoy Western-set inspirational romances will undoubtedly enjoy this book of love, pain and forgiveness.

Interview with author Denise Hunter:

Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer? When did you first begin to write?

I’ve always been an avid reader, but I didn’t start dreaming about writing a novel until I was in my early twenties. By then I was married and busy pursuing a degree. I put writing on the back burner until my grandfather became fatally ill. While I was visiting him in the hospital, I was struck by the brevity of life and felt God pressing on my heart to take the first step. I started my first novel a couple weeks later. I had two small children by this time, so I wrote while they napped. I wrote my first four books that way. Even if you can only write a page a day, by the end of a year you’ll have a complete manuscript!

Q: Are you a small town or a city girl? What inspired you to write a book about the life of a cowboy?

I’m a little of both. We live in a country setting just outside the city. It’s the best of both worlds. There’s something very earthy and organic about a cowboy’s life. I was drawn by the idea of living off the land. I think it takes us to a simpler time and place—even though the life of a cowboy is not necessarily simple! And Montana is such a beautiful state. I thought my readers might like to journey there with me through story.

Q: Can you tell us a little about what you have learned about the cowboy lifestyle while doing research for this book?

I learned a lot of fascinating details about the workings of a ranch: branding, breeding, cattle disease, etc. But what I came away with is a great respect for cowboys and their families. Those who choose this way of life do it because they love it. It’s not easy, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Q: Abigail’s title at her job is “the Truthseeker.” What is the significance of this title, and what do you think a real truthseeker does?

I thought it would be interesting to write about a protagonist whose job was to seek the truth and have her find out that she was missing the real Truth the whole time. Since Jesus is the Truth, a real truthseeker follows Him.

Q: Forgiveness seems to be a recurring theme in your books. Why do you feel it is so important? Your main characters both dealt with forgiving their past mistakes. Do you think that it is just as important to forgive ourselves as it is to forgive the mistakes of others?

With sin rampant in all of us, this is something we need to get good at! Eventually, someone’s going to do something you struggle to forgive. I think this is partly because forgiveness is easily misunderstood. It’s not saying that what they did is okay. It’s saying that you’re not going to hold it over them anymore. I do think it’s just as important to forgive ourselves as it is to forgive others. Oftentimes, it’s even harder.

Q: Abigail and Wade both threw themselves into their work in order to escape their pasts. Do you believe it is easy to find an escape in work in order to hide from our problems?

No one likes to hurt, so I think the tendency is to avoid it however we can. Throwing ourselves into our work is certainly one way of doing so. But these things have a way of bubbling up to the surface eventually, no matter how hard we try to avoid them.

Q: What would you like your readers to take away after reading A Cowboy’s Touch?

Abigail was essentially trying to work off her guilt. She thought if she could just keep exposing other peoples’ wrongs, it would appease her own guilt. I’d like readers to see that only God can redeem us.

A Cowboy’s Touch by Denise Hunter

Thomas Nelson/March 29, 2011

ISBN: 978-1-59554-801-6/320 pages/paperback/$14.99

http://www.thomasnelson.com/ ~ http://www.denisehunterbooks.com/

**Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.

People Watching and Spiritual Truths

2011-04-14T23:12:00.000-07:00

"But God shows his love for us in that we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ~Romans 5:8

I love watching people enjoy themselves, and often wonder what is going through their mind as they’re doing whatever it is they’re doing. I don’t know if other people do this, and sometimes I just have to wonder about myself. But perhaps that’s part of being a writer. I certainly get some good material from people-watching. And sometimes I even learn some valuable spiritual truths.

One day not long ago, I was standing behind two guys at the bank. I’m ashamed to admit I noticed right away that one or both of them didn’t smell very good. While they were talking together, the one closest to me received a phone call. He stepped out of the line, and I glanced at the guy who was now directly in front of me. I could still smell him, and it was almost overpowering. I put my hand up to my face, upset with myself as I tried to inconspicuously cover my nose.

As I watched him, I noticed two contrasting things. His ragged clothes were as filthy dirty as the rest of him, and the smile on his face radiated joy. Pure joy. It beamed from his eyes as well, and I stopped noticing the smell and wondered what he was thinking. He obviously had just finished doing some kind of manual labor. He must have been exhausted. In one dirty hand, he clutched a check. Was he thinking about buying something with his check? Getting home to his wife and kids? Watching a baseball game?

Or had something wonderful happened to him that day to fill him? And I do believe he was filled. No one can fake a smile that generates from your soul. I felt a tug at my heart, and at the same time, I had a flash of a thought. A basic thought that we all know and many of us learned as tiny children. Jesus loves us all. No matter what we look like, no matter the clothes we wear or how clean we are.

http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/Picture.htm

"By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." ~John 13:35

It doesn’t matter if we’re dirty, if we smell bad, wear rags, or even if we stand in line trying not to breathe because someone smells bad. He loves each one of us the same. I felt so unworthy at that moment, and yet blessed at the same time. I praised God for his profound love and forgiveness, and asked him to grant me some of that forgiveness for my initial thoughts toward the man in front of me. Then I prayed for the man, too, that he would continue to know joy each and every day. If he doesn’t know God now, I pray that one day soon he will.

"And above all of these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." ~Colossians 3:14

After the Darkness, Light...

2011-03-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

The Begotten, The Betrayed, The Blessed.

The Gifted Trilogy by Lisa T. Bergren

An ancient secret. Dark forces that want to keep the secret hidden at all costs. An unlikely group of God’s faithful followers who are willing to stand up to those dark forces…

If you love history, adventure, romance, sweeping landscapes, and spiritual truths, The Gifted Trilogy by Lisa T. Bergren, set in 1339 Italia is a must-read series that sweeps readers from Roma to Provence, and so many wonderful places in-between.

In Corinthians, Paul speaks talks about spiritual gifts. What if there was another letter written by Paul, one that didn’t make it into the Holy Scriptures? A lost letter that once revealed, foretells the gifted, whose powerful gifts include healing, wisdom, miraculous powers, visions and faith?

Lisa Bergren plunges readers directly into the intrigue as the series opens in Constantinople, in 731, where a faithful monk is willing to lose his life over his divinely inspired illuminations of a letter that appears to have been written by the Apostle Paul. The monk's determination sets into motion a series of events that, centuries later, will bring an unlikely group of people together on a holy journey.

1339 Roma…
While Lady Daria d’Angelo is taking refuge at a convent to heal from her broken heart she makes a surprising discovery. She has a gift of healing. A woman of incredible faith, Daria immediately recognizes this is a spiritual gift from God. Father Piero, a priest at the convent, also recognizes the gift and soon takes Daria into his confidence. She is one of the gifted.

Daria agrees to go along with Father Piero on this journey. As they leave the convent, they come upon an injured knight. Gianni de Capezzana, captain of the Knights de Vaticana, was on a mission to find the sorcerer, when he was wounded and left for dead. After his encounter with Daria, Gianni pledges his loyalty to her and withdraws from his service to the church. Gianni has a strong belief that God wants him here, guarding Daria from an unseen, but very real danger.

As the gifted ones begin to slowly discover each other, dark forces converge to conspire against them. Danger lurks everywhere, and Lisa Bergren doesn’t spare her characters with an easy out. After the darkness, light, becomes a concept they use to keep pushing forward as, for the glory of the Lord, they search for the strength to face their evil foe with their eyes focused on Him.

I must confess I’ve been a little apprehensive about presenting this recommendation, simply because this series is so captivating and powerful that I don’t want to risk doing a bit of injustice to the books or the author. The descriptions are breathtaking, the action heart-pounding, and the truth soul-stirring.

The journey begins in The Begotten. The battle is fierce in The Betrayed. Events happen in The Blessed that I never would have expected. Without giving anything away, as cliché as it sounds, the book lived up to the title and I truly felt blessed while reading it. In fact, several weeks ago, Dina Sleiman (from my group blog Inkwell Inspirations) asked if we’ve ever read a book that changed our lives. I was reading The Blessed at the time. It honestly changed something in me and opened my eyes to a new way to think about something I’ve been struggling with.

The Gifted Trilogy is an incredible series, and so worth every minute spent within the pages.

You can visit Lisa’s website at: http://lisatawnbergren.com/, where you can read about her back list, her upcoming books, and so many other fun things. Lisa’s newest book, Waterfall, is the first book in her River of Time series.

The Shy Girl's Guide to Communicating Your Way Through Life

2011-03-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

Bashful. Shy. Timid. Reserved.

Quiet. Cautious. Wary. Guarded.

Do any of these words describe you? Who of us hasn’t experienced at least one instance of intimidation in their life? Or been afraid to speak up in a situation where you really wanted to? If it doesn’t happen to you very often, you’re one of the lucky ones who can explain it away and shrug it off as a one-time thing.

But if you’re even the slightest bit on the timid side, it’s so much more than a one-time thing. Shy girls almost never shrug it off. They carry it around with them, questioning themselves, thinking of all the witty things they wished they’d been able to say. Their hearts are too often filled with regrets. And in some cases, their timidity can be the direct cause of deep wounds.

photo by saavem courtesy of: http://www.sxc.hu/

For those who aren’t typically shy, this can be hard to understand. In fact, shy people are often mischaracterized as being stuck-up. Oh, if those who are blessed with self-confidence only realized how far from the truth that really is. In fact, such a label can strike at the very depths of a shy person’s psyche and make it even harder for them to speak up.

Today I’m sharing tips for the shy ones among us. These tips come from someone who struggled with this for years. I affectionately refer to her as Her Shyness. If you guessed she is me, you’d be absolutely right. Today I’ll give you my personal insight into this often-times debilitating manifestation and share some tips on how I’ve been working to overcome it.

For all of my adult years (and most of my teen years), being shy has been as much a part of me as my height, weight and eye color. It has seriously interfered with my life, and did, in fact, cost me many things. A boy I really cared about in high school, a position in journalism that meant the world to me, friends, missed opportunities when I wanted so bad to speak up but sat paralyzed with fear of opening my mouth, and even respect from people I once held in the highest regard.

But, I must point out something very important. Being shy taught me many things about life, and as much as I want to banish it from my personality once and for all, it’s difficult to dislike a trait that taught me compassion and empathy for others, and strengthened my relationship with God.

… “Be strong and courageous… Do not be afraid or discouraged,

for the Lord God, my God, is with you…” ~~1 Chronicles 28:5

What’s Holding You Back?
This is one of the first things you have to figure out, because that is key to conquering the battle. Do some serious soul-searching. Did something happen when you were a child that dashed your self-confidence? Do you have issues with your self image? Would you be surprised to know people aren’t sitting around analyzing your looks? If they are, they have serious issues themselves. But truly, what does it matter what they think of you? It only matters what you, your loved ones, and your God think of you.

LIGMO.
I can picture you all scratching your head. LIGMO? What could that possibly mean?

Let It Go. Move On. I don’t know how many times I’ve said this to myself since I heard it a couple of years ago. When you hold something inside, it doesn’t hurt the other person. It only hurts you. That person who embarrassed you or made fun of you in the past – how is your shyness hurting them now?

Right.

It’s not. So LIGMO.

photo by cempey courtesy of: http://www.sxc.hu/

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~~ Phillipians 4:13

Self-Talk: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the expression “self-talk”. We use it all the time. It only makes sense that when we use self-talk, we start to believe what we’re telling ourselves.

“I’m worthless.”
“No one loves me.”
“This dress makes me look fat.”
“Do I really have anything important to say?”
“How do I even know they really like me?”

These really are bad and ugly, aren’t they? The list could go on and on because we say dozens of things to reinforce our negative feelings. Stop. Self-talk can make or break you.

Turn it around. Find the positive. Repeat it. Believe it. You have something worthwhile to say. Your input is just as valuable as the next person’s. You are worth something. You are smart.

What Language Are You Speaking?
Become a student of body language. What does yours say about you? Do you cross your arms when you’re sitting in a group? Slouch? Sit up straight? Make eye contact? Smile?

Do you project when you speak? Do you speak with confidence? If you speak in a well-modulated confident tone, and use positive body language people are more apt to pay attention to you.

How does a shy person accomplish this? I have a relatively unconventional method, but it works for me.

The Acting Studio
A lot of actors are basically shy people.

Jim Carrey
Kim Bassinger
Nicole Kidman
Tom Hanks

The surprising list of names is endless, proving if you are one of the shy ones, you’re in extremely fine company.
Elvis. Cher. Lucille Ball….

When an actor is playing a part, they’re pretending to be someone else. I used to love acting. Whenever I played a role, I forgot my fear of speaking in front of people and became the character. It didn’t matter how many people were watching, listening, critiquing. But would it work in real life? I decided to give it a try, and to my surprise, over time, it has helped. I’m growing more comfortable with each group setting I’m in. This method does, however, come with a caveat. First, you must be confident that you know what you’re talking about. Make sure you have your facts straight. And second, while pretending to be someone else might help you speak up in a group setting, as a whole, it isn’t constructive and should be used sparingly. Once you’re able to feel comfortable, you should be yourself and no one else.

We do, after all, want to be loved and accepted (and thereby comfortable expressing ourselves) for who we are. To achieve that, we have to learn to love and accept ourselves.

Stretch Yourself
Put yourself out there. Advising the shy person to put herself in a situation where she has to talk seems as unconventional as pretending to be someone else. It’s a bit like aversion therapy. The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become. Start with only one thing; a Bible study group, book club, a committee, a group blog. Get comfortable with those people and you can move forward from there.

The Magic Number
I once heard someone say you have to repeat something twenty-one times before it becomes a habit. That’s twenty-one times of forcing yourself to speak up. Don’t be disappointed if you lack a surge of confidence the first time. Your mouth might be dry and your stomach might feel like a dozen butterflies breaking out of their cocoon. This is perfectly normal, but will get easier each time.

Please don’t be discouraged, and don’t give up. Remember twenty-one times. Before long you’ll be a natural.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~~Isaiah 41:10

Remember, you never go anywhere alone. I know it sounds trite even to some Christians, but the truth is the truth. God is always with you. And through Him we can do all things. If God is with us, how can we fail?

You can be brave because you’re loved. Take courage in that and let it help you find your confidence. You’ll be surprised where it can take you.

Spiritual Nourishment

2011-02-18T23:03:00.000-08:00

by Suzie Johnson
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
~~Psalm 105:4

Everyone knows exercise is good for us. It gives us strength; it keeps us physically and mentally fit. Aerobic exercise pumps oxygenated blood to our heart, and cause endorphins to send out good signals from our brain. Okay, that’s the short and sweet version without mention of mitochondria and all those other little organelles that are working in our cells to keep us healthy. The point is exercise is good for our physical and emotional health.

We all know what we’re supposed to do to get that way. Eat nutritious foods, exercise, and stop indulging in too much chocolate. Oh, wait. Sometimes that doesn’t seem very fair. Let’s just forget I even mentioned that part.

So we know we need to do everything we can to keep our bodies as healthy and strong as possible, but what about our spiritual health? How do we give that healthy boost to our soul? How do we stretch our spiritual muscles?

To me, the obvious answers would be to first and foremost pray, followed by studying and having fellowship with other Christians. These are all good and wonderful things that inspire and edify us.

There are no wrong answers if we’re seeking to know God and make Him known – if we’re trying to strengthen our relationship with Him.

When we stretch our spiritual muscles, we’re energized with something almost supernatural, something that makes us want to keep growing, keep striving for that deeper connection with our Lord.

Personally, I know I need to exercise all of my muscles; spiritual and physical. So I tend to combine my exercise with my praise and worship time. And if you know me at all, you know the very best place for me to do that is at the beach. There’s something about the water – the waves, the rocks, and even the seagulls – that fills me, inspires me, and draws me close to God.

Prayer. Praise. Worship.

For years, I had the best place to experience it all.

There is a trail behind the hospital where I used to work, that winds its way along a bluff overlooking several of the San Juan Islands. It is the most awe inspiring trail, path, bluff, beach I’ve ever walked on. It’s a three-mile round-trip.

For me, the starting point was always in the middle. I have a memory card full of Christian Praise and Worship music. So with my ear-buds in, and my favorite songs queued up, I’d go one direction, double back, and then go the other. One way leads into the woods, and the other way leads further up the bluff before coming down near the beach. I always turned left as I began, and I’d walk along the bluff until I was in the woods. At one point, there is an opening in the trees where you’re right over the water, with eagles flying overhead. As the trail journeys into the woods, it winds around until you’re back at that same spot over the water. But as you’re facing in the new direction, instead of facing windswept bluffs, you see the islands, with mountains far off in the distance.

Here’s where it always got magical for me. I don’t care what song was playing first when I started, or even how fast or slow I walked. It was as if God always orchestrated His perfect timing.

Do you know the song, Majesty? My favorite version is by Delirious? I would be walking along listening to these words:

Here I am, humbled by your majesty.
Here I am, humbled by your majesty,
Covered by your grace so free.
Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man,
Covered by the blood of the lamb.
Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine,
Since You laid down Your life,
The greatest sacrifice.

Now here is where the magic would happen. I’d step out of the woods, often times with the sun beginning to slip behind the mountains, casting gorgeous shadows over the islands, and the music would swell and this same verse would play every time:

Majesty
Majesty
Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed but alive in Your hands
We sing
Majesty
Majesty
Forever I am changed by Your love
In the beauty of Your Majesty.

It never failed. There were a lot of amazing experiences out there, as I communed with God, but the timing of this, the beauty of this…it was just so soul-cleansing, so healing and humbling.

I wasn’t raised in a church where we raised our hands, and I don’t attend a church now that raises hands. But there was something so fulfilling when walking on the trail with the perfect timing of that song and the view and … I just had to raise up my hands every time. I guess you could say I’m a self-taught hand-raiser. I couldn’t not raise my arms up to Him. I know some of the people walking on the trail probably gave me funny looks, but I didn’t care. I did what was in my heart.

I’m not able to walk on that trail any longer, but I am blessed for the years I was able to spend there. I’ve found a new place to walk, also on a bluff overlooking the water, but it’s on the opposite side of the island. Clear or hazy, it’s still breathtaking and my heart delights in every minute I’m able to spend there.

It hasn’t happened yet that Majesty starts to play in a certain special place. Perhaps it won’t again. And if it doesn’t, that’s okay. I’m still exercising my physical and spiritual muscles, still walking along with God, and I know He’ll bring other wonderful experiences into my life.

We’re all unique individuals, each inspired and motivated by different things, so it makes sense that we would stretch our spiritual muscles in different ways.

So I’m curious. Is there something special you do that blesses you and fills your soul with joy as you praise God and stretch your spiritual muscle?

Majesty: Words and music copyright by Martin Smith and Stuart Garrard, 2003
Photos copyright Susan D. Johnson

A Pillar of Cloud

2011-02-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

by Suzie Johnson

How many times have you heard someone say they wished God were standing right in front of them so they could ask him what to do? Have you said it yourself? I know I have.

Would it really make a difference? I know we all want to shout a resounding, “YES, of course it would make a difference.”

But would it really?

Consider Adam and Eve for a moment. They walked with God in the garden. Side by side.

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
~~Genesis 3:8

Somehow, I missed this the first twenty or so times I read this. They walked with God in the garden. They spent time in his very physical presence. At least, we know for sure Adam did, because God brought the animals to him so he could name them. And Genesis 3:9 says God called out to the man, “Where are you?”

It seems as if God was used to interacting with them on a regular basis. Yet they still were faced with temptation and gave in.

Now consider the Israelites as they fled the Egyptians. They were constantly in the presence of God. He appeared to them as a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on their way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light. Exodus 13:22 says, “Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

How reassuring that sounds. I just love the image it conjures up in my mind. A pillar of cloud. Can you imagine walking through your day with God going ahead of you in the pillar of cloud, leading the way? Standing watch over you at night in his pillar of flame?

I wonder sometimes…if Adam and Eve hadn’t of sinned, would God still be walking beside man in the physical sense? Would that make a difference in how we respond to everyday situations? It didn’t make a difference to the Israelites. They still sinned and disappointed the Lord.

When I recently read the scripture of God appearing in a pillar of cloud, I thought back to my childhood. I remember so many times where I would lay on a grassy hill on a sunny day, watching the fluffy white clouds roll by and imagine all kinds of animals in their shapes. I’m sure you did that, too.

I can remember looking for God in those clouds, trying to see him, trying to see his angels, never realizing at that time, that he was right here in front of me. Always with me. And later, living in me.

I pray that my eyes, that your eyes, that the eyes of those we love, will be open wide and able to see him walking with us.

Just for fun…do you ever look for shapes in the clouds? If so, what was the most memorable one you’ve seen? Or what was the most recent one you saw?

2011-02-11T18:16:00.000-08:00

If you’re a fan of a good Texas love story, you’ll want to be sure to read the latest book in Sharon Gillenwater’s The Callahan’s of Texas series: Emily’s Chance.

If you haven’t read the first book, don’t worry. You’ll still be able to pick this one up and read it without being confused. But when you’re done reading, you’ll want to rush out and buy Jenna’s Cowboy, because once you’ve read one book in this series, you won’t want to miss any of them.

People in Callahan Crossing have a lot of pieces to pick up after a fire destroys much of the town. Emily Rose Denny is there to work on the town’s historical museum. And though Chance Callahan doesn’t see how restoring the museum will help the town recover after the fire, he’s glad to help, and even more glad that Emily is here to stay for a while.

The romance between these two characters evolves naturally and delightfully, and the book is filled with touching moments between Chance, Emily, and his parents. She doesn’t have the best of relationships with her own parents, and yet she fits into Chance’s family so perfectly.

Emily tries to keep herself from falling in love, knowing she’s only in town for the duration of the job. When it’s over, she’ll pack her suitcase and head for the big city, where she’ll try to land an even bigger job. But will she find that God has led her to this town for a different purpose?

When she makes a shocking discovery while restoring the museum, it causes Chance to question everything he’s ever believed in. And as he helps with the project, he hopes to convince Emily to give up her dream of being a curator at a large museum in Dallas and stay in Callahan Crossing—with him.

I love the small-town feel of this book, as well as every book Sharon writes. The setting is so vivid, I feel like I’m right there. The characters are so real; I can picture them laughing, talking, and interacting with each other. Sharon never fails to bring a smile to my face and evoke at least one tear from my cynical eyes.

Like I did, you’ll fall in love with these characters, and the charm of Sharon’s natural storytelling voice. And be sure to watch for Megan’s Hero, the next book in The Callahans of Texas series, available in June.

Though she lives in Washington State, Sharon Gillenwater grew up on a ranch in West Texas. It’s hard to take the girl out of Texas, and that’s why she’s so good at creating her small-town Texas settings. You can visit Sharon’s website at: http://www.sharongillenwater.com/

To read my review of Jenna's Cowboy, click here: http://inkwellinspirations.blogspot.com/search/label/Sharon%20Gillenwater

A Heart to Serve

2011-01-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

by Suzie Johnson

I'd like to introduce you to a very special woman: Amy Hauser is a soft spoken physical therapist with a heart and desire for helping others. One day while waiting for a meeting to begin, I heard someone ask her about a recent trip she’d taken. Immediately struck by the love in her eyes and the passion in her voice, I sat transfixed as I listened to her tell of her two weeks spent in Haiti where she was able to work with patients who were injured in the devastating earthquake January 12, 2010. I knew right away that hers was a story I wanted to share with others.

Amy’s heart for Haiti developed long before the earthquake, after she read Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. The book is about Paul Farmer, MD, and Partners In Health (known as Zanmi Lasante in Haiti), and their work with Third World problems. As Amy says, “Third World problems take special understanding, and Dr. Farmer certainly ‘gets it’.”

While keeping a close watch on a friend’s blog after the earthquake, Amy felt pulled to go and help. Her friend is an MD first-responder, and recommended the organization, Children of the Nations, as a good organization to go with. In April, Amy packed and left for Haiti, together with a group of other health professionals – physical therapists, nurses, and social workers. Their destination: Love A Child in Fond Parisian, Haiti.

Love A Child (LAC) is a unique orphanage, medical clinic, malnutrition clinic, school, and center to provide food for over five-thousand people a day. They are also the largest employer in Fond Parisian. Located on sixty-two walled-in secure acres, LAC is run by Sherry and Bobby Burnette. Amy describes them as “very forward thinking, generous people. Two of the coolest people you can find.”

A group called Harvard Humanitarian Initiative set up a field hospital on the front grounds. This is where Amy settled in for two weeks. The staff camped in tents, took showers with buckets of cold water in outdoor ‘stall’ showers. There were four to six patients per tent, as well as their families and caregivers. The patients slept on mattresses on the floor. Later, they received cots to put their mattress on. The patients were of all ages, and many were amputees, or had pelvic/hip, and upper and lower extremity fractures.

Most of Amy’s patients were adults, but she did treat a restavek (Haitian slave), who was also an amputee. The family who owned her were killed in the earthquake, so she was now free. Amy said there were several restavek children at the field hospital. Fortunately, there were also staff members who were there to try and unite families and keep the children safe. As Amy says, “Yes, slavery still exists in Haiti. Sometimes families, who are so destitute and starving, themselves, sell one of their young children, in hopes that somehow they (the child) at least won't starve and would be better off.”

Amy and Guillene

Lifetime connections were cemented for Amy while she was in Haiti, and she went back for a second time in September. Guillene was one of Amy’s patient’s. When leaving Haiti, Amy gave Guillene a few small gifts. She gave her a number of bottles of nail polish in hopes that she could earn some money with them. Then, she noticed Guillene had pierced ears but no earrings. Amy gave Guillene her earrings. To Amy they were no big deal. But to Guillene, and her husband, it was a very big deal. Guillene was overwhelmed, and her husband, Maxim, threw his hands in the air as he went into his tent. Amy was confused, but Jeff (one of her young translators) said Maxim was saying, “She is giving us everything!”

They were overwhelmed with Amy’s generosity. Amy was overwhelmed that a simple pair of earrings meant so much to them.

Amy also became close with Jeff (the young translator), and he is now one of her “adopted” sons (emotional, mutually, but not legally). Another of her “adopted” sons is Neptune. She teased him about the fact that she’s old enough to be his mom, and their relationship soon evolved into him adopting her as his second mom. He calls her Mom2. Both Jeff and Neptune keep in constant touch with Amy via the internet and text messages.

I asked Amy if there was anything she learned about herself through this journey. Here is her response: “How blessed I am. Not only with material things, but certainly blessed by friendships I’ve made with these incredible people, how much joy that giving gives me. I used to think it would be more effective to give money, that’s important, too, but they also need people. They need bodies doing things, and then they have the opportunity to share with others. It means so much to them, how much we have to offer.”

The Haitian people are selfless. Amy describes the people she met as kind, generous and faithful. They don’t complain. They live in tents and own nothing, and yet they don’t complain. They’re kind, generous, and faithful. They appreciate everything that is done for them. Amy saw someone slice a potato, their only potato, into pieces and share it with six other people.

After two trips to Haiti, Amy would like to go back. She said it was wonderful to work in this community of Haitians. “People from all walks of life, thrown together by adversity, have now become a community. There are artists, educated, non-educated, and everything in between. And LOTS of kids. With BIG hearts!”

"It is SOOO important / meaningful to the people of Haiti, when people who were there to help COME BACK again to help! They are so used to being abandoned by the world. I think individually and collectively. I was impressed at how much it meant to those I met, when I returned."

There are some things she’d like to take with her when she does. Along with flip-flops and Crocs (footwear are in great need), Amy would like to take beads and teach the women how to make jewelry so they can earn some money.

For those of us who can’t be there to physically help, I think the situation is truly beyond our comprehension. At least, it is for me. I can’t imagine not having shoes to wear, or splitting my only potato with six people.

There is so much more to say on this subject. I can only hope that in this small space I have been able to do justice to Amy and the incredible gift she’s giving to the Haitian people – the gift of herself.

Thank you, Amy!

Amy Hauser has been a physical therapist for 27 years. She and her husband live on a small farm in Washington State, where they raised there two children.

Some of us are able to give money, some of us are able to give of ourselves. Together, we can all make a difference. I hope you will take the opportunity to read about these different organizations, especially Love A Child and Sherry’s Journal.

Love A Child: http://www.loveachild.com/
Sherry’s Journal: http://www.loveachild.com/blogs/journal/
Children of the Nations: http://www.cotni.org/
Partners in Health: http://www.pih.org/

Photo copyright Amy Hauser 2010

A Life Well Lived, A Tribute to Molly Hightower

2011-01-10T21:19:00.001-08:00

I orginally posted this January 14, 2010, two days after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. I'm reposting it now, a year later, in memory of a young woman who lost her life during the earthquake.

January 14, 2010: Thursday afternoon as I was listening to a podcast of my favorite radio program, I heard about a young Christian woman from Port Orchard, Washington who was missing following the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Molly Hightower, a twenty-two year old with a true heart for service to others was in Haiti because she felt called to work with the orphaned children. Her family and everyone who heard she was missing was praying for her to be found safe. Yesterday as I listened to the program, they again spoke about Molly, but as the radio host began the show, he said he was speaking with a heavy heart. I knew what he was about to say. This sweet, amazing young woman had been found. Sadly, she did not survive.

My heart goes out to her parents, family, friends, and everyone who knew and loved her. I pray they will feel the peace of the Lord surrounding them. Something about Molly’s story touched the deepest part of my heart. I’ve thought about her for hours. I've read about her, read her blog, and have been truly amazed by how much she’s done to help others in her too-short life.

Besides her work in Haiti, she worked with campus ministries, Habitat for Humanity, and other organizations that reached out to help others. Here was a young woman who was affected by the plight of some of the world’s poorest children and went out of her way to offer them everything she could.

On the Dori Monson radio show yesterday, Dave Valle, broadcaster and former catcher for the Seattle Mariners, discussed Molly and the children she loved. He reminded listeners that Haiti is so unbelievably poor and these children, these precious little children are so hungry they eat cookies made from dirt.

The dirt!

Can you even imagine? I can’t. What must it be like to be so hungry you would eat the dirt off the ground? My heart is deeply grieved at the very thought. And that was before their lives were devastated by the earthquake. My spirit weeps to think of what they went through before the earthquake and how much more they’re going through now.

God bless Molly. I know she’s wearing the crown she earned, and is resting joyfully in His arms. She was driven to help, driven to serve. Would that we could all serve others with the same spirit as Molly.

Obviously, we can’t all go to a foreign country and help those who are poor, hurting and hungry. But if each one of us could do what we can with the kind of servant’s heart Molly Mackenzie Hightower possessed, just imagine what kind of world we would live in.

To see pictures of Molly and read more about her, visit her blog at http://mollyinhaiti.blogspot.com/ You can also read the news article about her at http://www.mynorthwest.com/ Before you read her blog, be warned. You’ll need lots of tissues.

Red Ink by Kathi Macias ~ Reviewed by Narelle Atkins

2010-12-04T21:53:00.000-08:00

I'd like to welcome my friend and guest blogger Narelle Atkins, once again, and thank her for sharing her review of Kathi Macias' new release: Red Ink. Thanks, Narelle!

Red Ink (New Hope Publishers, 2010) is the third book in Kathi Macias’ Extreme Devotion series. Set in China and California, Red Ink is loosely based on the true story of Li Ying, a Christian magazine editor currently imprisoned in China.

Zhen-Li marries a Christian, adopts his faith, is disowned by her parents and imprisoned for ten years because she refuses to remain quiet about her Christian faith. Zhen- Li’s husband, their four year old son and her husband’s sister live in poverty and pray that Zhen-Li will survive her harsh prison sentence. Tai Tong is a guard at the prison who is determined to do whatever it takes to force his prisoners to recant their faith.

Julia, a former missionary in China, is living her twilight years in a rest home in a small Californian town. She feels called to pray for the people of China, and the granddaughter of another resident who seems to be heading for trouble.

A parallel story unfolds, and a number of characters are forced to face their worst nightmares and question their beliefs, or lack of faith. Zhen-Li draws strength from her faith as she faces extreme life and death situations.

Red Ink is an inspiring and challenging story that isn’t afraid to tackle tough issues. The true state of the hearts of the characters is exposed in an honest portrayal of the lengths people will go to achieve their selfish agendas. The power of intercessory prayer is masterfully shown as characters stand firm in the face of evil. I recommend Red Ink for those looking for a story that will touch that place deep inside them and lead them to question how much suffering and hardship they would be prepared to endure when standing up for their beliefs.

A complimentary copy of the book was provided for reviewing purposes.

Click here to visit Kathi Macias' website.

Narelle Atkins is a member of the International Christian Fiction Writers group blog. Click here to visit her website.

Catching Moondrops by Jennifer Erin Valent

2010-10-19T04:40:00.000-07:00

This week, my friend Narelle Atkins has dropped in to share her book review of Catching Moondrops by Jennifer Erin Valent. Welcome, Narelle!

Catching Moondrops (Tyndale 2010) is the third book in Jennifer Erin Valent’s Summer series. A confronting and heart wrenching love story set in a small town in Virginia.

Jessilyn Lassiter lives in a town with a dark history. It’s 1938 and racial prejudices resurface after Tal Pritchett, a young black doctor, moves to town. Jessilyn’s best friend, Gemma, starts working for Tal as his assistant. Gemma falls in love with the kind hearted doctor, despite the danger she may face by working with him.

Nineteen year old Jessilyn has loved Luke Talley for many years, and it seems like Luke may soon be ready to act on his feelings. As Jessilyn dreams of a future with Luke, the townsfolk are divided over Tal’s presence. Klan members pursue their hateful agenda and Jessilyn is forced to deal with her own anger and faith issues.

Catching Moondrops provides an insightful and hard hitting perspective into the hearts of those who are full of anger, hate and prejudice. The harsh reality of racial prejudice and injustice, and the devastating consequences for all involved, is brought together in a brilliant climax with a page turning ending. I would recommend Catching Moondrops for those looking for a compelling and honest love story that deals with the tough issue of racial prejudice.

Tyndale House Publishers provided an Advanced Reader Copy of Catching Moondrops for reviewing purposes.

You can visit Jennifer Valent's website at: http://www.jennifervalent.com/

Narelle Atkins is a member of the International Christian Fiction Writers group blog at: http://narelleatkins.com/index.html

You can also visit her website at: http://narelleatkins.com/index.html

The Hugeness of God

2010-10-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended a new Bible study class about the "hugeness" of God.

There is so much that could be done with the concept of God's hugeness; so many lessons that could be taught. But the first class in this study went in a direction I could never have imagined. Even now, almost a week later, I'm still filled with wonder as I think about it.

It was amazing, delightful, and almost overwhelming. I was awestruck as I watched a demonstration of just how big God really is.

We watched a DVD filled with pictures taken by the Hubble telescope. I'd seen a couple of them before. But most were new to me. There were galaxies I'd never heard of. These two, millions of light years away, were my favorites.

The Sombrero Galaxy

The Whirlpool Galaxy

I always knew the universe was big. But I was struck anew at just how huge this universe, called into being by God, really is.

We were asked to write down our immediate reaction after watching the film. My reaction surprised me. After watching this, I should feel incredibly small. But I didn't feel that way at all. Instead, I wrote, "I feel so loved." It was chilly in the room that night, but as I wrote those words a warm feeling encompassed me.

This week, as I've thought back over those amazing pictures taken in the huge expanse that is space, I thought about God and what his purpose was in creating the universe. Could it simply be about showing us the wonders he's capable of? About showing us his power? Maybe.

But then I had another thought. Maybe he wanted to show us that, in spite of how huge he is, God loves us as unique individuals. We're not just minute specks on a blip in this incredible universe. We are loved and adored by the very one capable of breathing all of this into being.

Imagine this. God knew us before we were even born. He knows our names, our thoughts, our hurts, and our laughter. In a universe so large, with so much happening every second, he never forgets about us. He still hears my prayers. He still gives me peace and comfort.

This is a picture of the center of the Whirlpool Galaxy, over twenty milllion light years away:

Wow. This struck me speechless when I saw it the first time. Even now, I'm still humbled by it.

I encourage you to take a look at some of the pictures taken from the Hubble Space Telescope and as you do, think about God and how huge he truly is, and that he loves us so much more than we could even begin to imagine.

Photos courtesy of Hubble Site:
http://hubblesite.org/

HEALER by Linda Windsor

2010-06-26T08:07:00.000-07:00

What happens when the Hunted rescues the Hunter?

Brenna of Gowrys has been hunted by Ronan O’Byrne’s clan since she was an infant. In a cruel twist of fate, Ronan—as a young boy—witnessed the tragic deaths of both Brenna’s parents. His entire life was spent on hunts and raids as his father searched for the girl who grew up to be called a witch and Wolf Woman. To find Brenna of Gowrys would be to end the curse they believe Brenna’s mother placed on the O’Byrne clan with her dying breath.

The first book in the Brides of Alba series, Healer is set in Arthurian Scotland, an era which I’ve never read. In fact, all I knew about King Arthur I learned from two movies: Disney’s Sword in the Stone, and Excalibur. I’m almost ashamed to admit this, since I’m such a lover of history. But it’s true. There are a few historical eras and geographical places where my knowledge is quite limited. This is one of them.

Lucky for me, author Linda Windsor had the foresight to add a history lesson in her book. I don’t mean the usual historical facts weaved through a story. I mean a foreword and an afterward. In fact, her explanation of the era and the Arthurian history was quite extensive and as fascinating as the book itself. The understanding she gave me only enhanced my enjoyment of the book. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but I will say that King Arthur’s connection to the lineage of Christ was most surprising. I highly recommend reading these facts before reading the book. But be sure to stop before you get to the teaser for the next book. You’ll want to save that until you’ve finished this book.

Once I read the history, and absorbed it, I settled in for a nice long read, and this book didn’t disappoint. Healer is what I would consider a “big” book. Epic. A book to be savored over time instead of devoured in one sitting. At times I went back and reread passages. Not because I was lost or confused, but because I wanted to soak up the details. I didn’t want to rush through the book because I simply didn’t want it to end.

When Brenna and her wolf, Faol, rescue Ronan from near death, she doesn’t realize he’s her mortal enemy, son of the man who brutally murdered her father, part of the enemy clan who has terrorized her own kinsmen, the enemy clan she’s spent her life hiding from because they want her dead. But even had she known his identity, Brenna still would have nursed Ronan back to health, because she is a healer.

Settle in for an absorbing conflict-filled tale. You’ll be richly rewarded. The wealth of Linda Windsor’s research is evident in the pages, of this most excellent and highly recommended book.

Visit Linda Windsor's website at: http://www.lindawindsor.com/

Victoria and All Her Charms

2010-05-28T00:05:00.000-07:00

This week, over on Inkwell Inspirations, we talked about Queen Victoria. Here's what I posted on my day of the All Things Victoria week:

Alluring, romantic, breathtaking, sparkling, quaint…words just can’t describe her.

Before we go any further, you should know I’m not speaking about Victoria the Queen. Rather, Victoria the city on an island in British Columbia.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to visit this one-of-a-kind sparkling little gem of a city, you simply must.

Step back from your well developed small town or city and enter a place reflective of quaint old world England. Ivy covered buildings, hidden courtyards, old-fashioned iron street lamps heavy with overflowing baskets of flowers.

Named for the queen herself, Victoria was actually first home to the Coast Salish native people. Over a hundred-and-sixty years after it evolved from Fort Victoria, the city still retains its charm.

Like most tourist destinations, Victoria has tourist activities. The wax museum features members of the royal family, including all of Henry the VIII’s wives. It’s the coolest wax museum I’ve ever been in. The first time I visited, Diana wasn’t there. But two summers ago, I was happily surprised to see Diana and her young princes as part of the exhibit.

When my husband and I went to Victoria on our honeymoon, he discovered Miniature World, a museum with miniature scenes from history. Great fun!

A couple of years ago, when I went with my friend, Diane, we toured a Scottish castle called Craigdarroch, which was built by Robert Dunsmuir in 1887. The woodwork in this Victorian masterpiece is stunning. The staircase that winds all the way up to the top of the castle is a work of art and features incredible stained glass windows and an amazing view of the San Juan Islands. The stories you learn as you roam the castle are inspiring. Because my pictures can’t do it justice, I’ve included a link so you can see for yourself. Click here for pictures of Craigdarroch Castle.

On my first trip to Victoria, I came across an out of the way little courtyard where I relaxed at an antique table with pastries and cup of Earl Grey tea. Its charm was something I never forgot, and on both of my return trips I searched for it. Unfortunately, I never did find it again.

A place that shouldn’t be missed is the Empress Hotel. The ivy covered hotel, built in 1904, is a tourist favorite that has hosted royalty and movie stars alike. But in my opinion, the most alluring draw for tourists simply has to be the English-style high tea that is served every afternoon.

Across from the Empress is another must-see, the Provincial Museum. The exhibits include lessons in the geography of the island as well as the historical native culture. Across from the museum are the Parliament Buildings where my husband saw Queen Elizabeth when he was a kid on a school field trip.

If you’re lucky enough to stay on the harbor, you can spend a lazy day watching seaplanes take off and land, tourists head out for whale watching trips, and giant ferries as they bring tourists to town. An extra treat on the harbor is a dock that leads out to the most adorable boat houses I’ve ever seen.

On a personal note, I’ll choose to stay on the harbor instead of a Bed & Breakfast. On my last trip to Victoria, my friend Diane and I stayed our first night at a B&B. Um, I can’t really say it was the quaint and charming experience I expected. Instead, it was strange and uncomfortable, and I don’t ever plan to stay at one again. B&Bs might work for some people, but not for me.

Your trip won’t be complete until you visit the one of a kind Butchart Gardens. A gardener’s dream. I’m not a gardener, know next to nothing about flowers, but I felt like I found my way to heaven. Acres upon acres of beauty can only be described as amazing, breathtaking, fabulous. If you’re lucky enough to make it to Victoria, but don’t see the gardens, you truly will have missed out on the experience of a lifetime.

The small city named after a queen is a city fit for a queen.

So what are you waiting for? Bring out your inner queen. Head up to Victoria and enjoy high tea, a Scottish castle, and the most magnificent gardens you’ll ever see.

All photos copyright Suzie Johnson

God’s Most Magnificent Creature

2010-04-15T23:20:00.000-07:00

My opinion only. But it’s an opinion I embrace and believe in. Mankind excluded (because we humans are made in His image, and are not creatures) I believe the Orcinus orcas are the most glorious, magnificent creatures God created.

And I’m so grateful He did.

There aren’t many of us who don’t love animals. Most of us have a favorite, and a whale is a mammal, not a fish, so that makes them animals.

I began my love of the orca whale (technically not a whale, but rather the largest member of the dolphin family) when I was a kid. At what age, I’m not sure. I just remember my dad took me to Sea World in California. If it was before we went to Japan, I was five, but if it was after that, then I was ten. Funny I can remember going there, but I can’t remember how small I was. But when we went to Sea World, I saw Shamu.

I. Fell. In. Love.

Beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, Shamu tied my heart in knots and then promptly stole it.

I wouldn’t see another whale until I was twenty-one and visited an aquarium in Victoria, British Columbia. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so that might sound strange. Especially since some of the orcas who are held captive in aquariums around the U.S., were supposedly captured in Penn Cove, where I lived for many years. I spent hours on the beach of Penn Cove, and I can honestly say I never once saw an orca swimming those waters. Nor have I ever seen one while I’ve ridden the many Washington State ferries.

Years later, when my son was in first grade, his class visited an aquarium in Vancouver, British Columbia. My son got caught up in the anticipation of the trip, and began reading books about orca whales. Soon he was drawing pictures of them, pictures this sentimental mom still has tucked up in the closet. When we finally arrived at the aquarium, it was magical. Kirk’s school had recently adopted an orca logo, which appeared on the name tags the children wore around their neck.

Standing at the bottom of the huge glass (or maybe Plexiglas?) aquarium, looking up through the water, we could see a giant whale on the other side of the aquarium. Kirk took his little name tag with the orca picture and held it up against the glass. Within seconds, the whale swam around the entire aquarium and stopped right where Kirk was standing, and then put his eye up against the picture. He stayed like that for a long time, staring at the picture. My son and all the nearby children were in awe of this magnificent whale. I was in awe of the fact that giant creature was intrigued by, and maybe even recognized, the tiny picture of the whale.

We learned some things, though, during that trip, about whales in captivity that kind of broke our hearts. So as lucky as we felt to have that experience, we were a little sad, too. Thus began my son’s desire to see the whales in their natural habitat. The ocean. As I mentioned before, though I lived near the water, I’d never seen a whale out there. But I’d heard many stories of people who had. Was I just unlucky?

A few years later, my mom bought me tickets for a whale watching tour. I took my son, hopeful we’d see whales, and yet prepared in case we didn’t see any.

This turned out to be a magical, inspiring day—a day where God truly blessed me and Kirk. I forgot my camera, and looking back, I’m kind of glad I did. I think I would have spent more time focusing on getting the right shot instead of enjoying the blessing of the show.

And yes, it was an unforgettable show.

The captain let us sit on the bow of the boat. My son and I had our gazes glued to the water, breathlessly watching, waiting. We didn’t care that it was cold and windy. We didn’t care that it rained. All we cared about was that from out of nowhere, the whales appeared. And they performed. They swam around the boat, leaping out of the water right in front of us. The captain said it was the closest the whales had ever come to his boat. Let me say, he did not chase the whales (which would have been cruel). They came to us. And they didn’t want to leave. The captain said it was best show he’d ever seen.

I like to think God whispered in their ear and told them to give us something special to remember.

I’ve never seen an orca since then, and I wish I could go back to that day and experience the wonder anew. But I don’t think that was the last time I will ever see one. Whenever I’m on the ferry or at the beach, I keep my eyes peeled, hoping, waiting…

And in case I never seen an orca on earth again, I like to think that someday, when I’m in heaven, God will let me swim with His most magnificent creature.

images courtesy of http://photobucket.com

A Week Away From Home

2010-04-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look forward to being by yourself? I mean totally alone, not talking to anyone and just losing yourself in the book you’re either reading or writing?

That’s the way I was feeling last week after finally finishing an extremely difficult Pathophysiology and Pharmacology class. And since I was headed for Reno on the train, to attend a week of training for cancer registrars, I was looking forward to the evenings after class when I could sit back and relax with my book. The one I’m writing, not the one I’m reading.

Little did I know….

The class was intense, and we had a lot of homework each evening. This meant a day that started at 8:00 in the morning usually ended at about 10:30 at night. By then I was much too tired to write. I can’t complain about it, however, because I learned so much and I know I’ll be able to apply it to my job. I learned about new resources and new ways to do the absolute best job I can.

Not only that, but our class was small—twelve students. I’m fairly shy, and it’s hard for me to feel comfortable in a group, but this group…it was different. I’m not sure why, but we all bonded immediately, and even though you would never find me saying so much as “boo” in a group that large (okay, I know I just said it was small, but a group of twelve is about nine people too many for me to feel comfortable saying anything) I found myself asking questions and even cracking an occasional joke. And my jokes must not have been too bad, because people laughed.

So what were the benefits of a week of exhaustion with barely any sleep, and no time for writing? The obvious one was the educational benefit for my job. But perhaps even bigger, was the benefit of knowing I could speak out loud in a group of strangers. I could talk and laugh and (gasp!), be myself and no horrible fate would befall me. That was actually quite an eye opening experience.

But as I bid Reno goodbye this morning, I looked forward to two train rides. Both would be about four hours each, with three hours in-between transfers. Lots of time for writing. Right?

Dream on.

My plan at the station was to stick my ear-buds in and listen to Christian music while I typed away at the keyboard. The ear-buds are actually an effective tool in ensuring you’re left alone when you’re in public. However, God had other plans for me.

I settled myself down to wait for the first train, and before I even had the ear-buds out of my bag, a woman sat down next to me. She looked to be about my mother’s age, and seemed a little lost. I don’t mean physically lost, just…lost. They had just announced the train would be at least an hour late, which meant we’d miss breakfast on the train. I offered the lady a granola bar, and she accepted. At that point, I didn’t feel I could very well turn on my music and ignore her. Besides, I felt this nagging in my heart, a feeling she needed someone to talk to. And at the same time, another voice whispered frantically in my ear, “But I need to write!”

Still, something about the woman tugged at me. I remembered that catch phrase from a few years back, “What would Jesus do?” He certainly wouldn’t ignore someone who appeared to need someone to talk to. Besides, I could always write on the train. We had a pleasant chat while we waited for the train, but Jane never said anything significant to confirm my feeling she needed to talk to someone. When the train finally came, we said goodbye and I went to my assigned car.

I must have misread things. Maybe Jane didn't need to talk after all.

Then, just as I settled in, Jane appeared behind me. And when the train began to fill up, she came to sit beside me. I hadn’t pulled out either my computer or ear-buds yet, and I wasn’t about to in front of her. She needed someone. I felt it again, more strongly than before. God was nudging me toward her.

As we traveled along, Jane started talking again. She was on her way to visit her son. This was her first trip in over ten years. When she said that, her eyes filled with tears. Her husband grew ill ten years ago, she explained. He was diagnosed with emphysema, followed by diabetes, followed by heart problems, and then finally followed by lung cancer.

The tears spilled freely when Jane said, in a choked up voice, “I lost him in March.”

Had I heard her right? March? But wait. This is April 3rd. There hasn’t been enough time for her to even get used to the fact that her husband is gone. My instincts were right. She needed to talk.

My eyes filled with tears along with hers, and I reached out and patted her hand. She clung to me, a stranger. When she let go, I gave her a tissue and thanked the Lord I listened to the still, small voice in my heart and spent time talking with her. Later on the trip, she told me her daughter died of lung cancer in December. First she lost her daughter, and then her husband. How does someone deal with two such terrible losses in a row?

Jane shared a lot of things with me on that four hour trip and by the time we said goodbye, I had a new friend.

As for my missed writing time? I more than made up for it on the next train as we sat on the tracks just outside of Sacramento while they repaired a broken rail up ahead.

All I can say is I’m glad they found the broken track before we traveled over it.

God truly ministered to me on this trip. Though I wanted to do nothing but learn while I was in class and write when I wasn’t, God had other plans for me. I did learn. And I made so many new friends. I learned how to speak up and feel comfortable in a group.

And though I knew it before, I was reminded again that when I take the time to listen to that still small voice inside me, the voice I know as the Holy Spirit, I will be blessed. Today I was. I hope my new friend, Jane, was blessed as well.

Sing Out Loud (Just Don't Embarrass Yourself)

2010-02-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Do you like to sing in your car? Have you ever been driving along and been the recipient of a funny look from someone in the car next to you, only to realize you were singing at the top of your lungs?

It’s happened to me more than once. Some of the songs sweep me up and I tend to forget about the people who might see me singing my heart out. Lucky for me, my window is usually rolled up. Let me just pause right now to put a little extra emphasis on that word: Usually.

One day last summer I was going to Cranberry Lake. It’s part of a state park, so you have to stop at the ranger’s booth. If you’re camping you go in one lane and stop at one station, and if you’re just going to the beach or lake, you take the other lane where no one is ever in the little booth. So I always stop at the stop sign as directed, and then continue on.

However…on this particular day when I did have my window rolled down because it was an unusual 85 degrees, I just so happened to be singing these words from MercyMe's I Can Only Imagine:

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I stopped at the booth and looked to the left before I pulled forward.

“Have a nice day, ma’am,” said the teenaged boy in the ranger’s booth. His brown eyes crinkled in amusement as he leaned out the window smiling at me.

I gave him what I’m sure was a weak smile and responded in kind and continued on my way. As I wound my way up and down the hills through the woods before the lake came into view, I laughed.

So what if I don’t have the best singing voice in the world? So what if I was singing my heart out to God? There’s nothing wrong with that. It keeps me connected to Him. To me, singing to God is akin to praying. It’s important for me to have that spiritual uplifting. And at the very least, I brought a little bit of laughter to that young man’s day.

The next week, as I approached the checkpoint, the radio was playing one of my favorites written by Chris Tomlin and performed by Lincoln Brewster: Everlasting God. Who could help but sing along with such a rousing and truthful song?

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord....
Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God...

Still, remembering last week, I closed my mouth and turned down the radio. Just in case. It was, after all, 85 degrees again and my window was down.

Yes, he was there.

And I’m positive he remembered me because he leaned way out the window to say hello with a smile that was much wider than the week before.

Why am I telling you this embarrassing story? Because for the next couple of weeks at Inkwell Inspirations, we’re doing a Sing-A-Song theme and I hope you’ll join us to see all the different ways myself and the other Inkies are blessed by song. My day to post is February 16th. I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, when you sing hymns or songs of worship and praise, don't be embarrassed if you don't have the best singing voice in the world or if someone else hears you. Simply focus your heart on God. Keep Him in the forefront of your mind and sing directly to Him. I know you’ll be blessed.

Song Credits:
I Can Only Imagine - Bart Millard/MercyMe
www.bartmillard.org/
www.mercyme.org/

Everlasting God - written by Chris Tomlin/performed by Lincoln Brewster
www.christomlin.com/
www.lincolnbrewster.com/

Photo Credits:

Suzie Johnson

A Lady Like Sarah - Book Review and Giveaway

2010-01-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite books are historical romance novels set in the west. There was a time when I couldn’t get enough of them. My favorite authors couldn’t write them fast enough. Then the historical market faded quite a bit, and the types of books I loved to read were few and far between. Before long I was reading contemporary novels exclusively. But historicals are on the upswing again and I’m as happy as I’d be if Sonic Burger would come to my part of the country so I could have a cherry-limeade anytime I’d like.

I’m especially overjoyed with the inspirational market. One of my favorite historical authors, Margaret Brownley, has just made her inspirational debut with a western-set historical, A Lady Like Sarah.

One of my favorite books of hers, one of my all-time favorite reads, was a historical romance called Ribbons in the Wind. What I wouldn’t give to be able to get my hands on a copy of that book again. Fun, sweet, down-to-earth and super romantic with a blend of humor, Ribbons in the Wind was about a group of people racing across the United States in Model-T Fords at the turn of the century. Oh, I mean, at the turn of the last century.

My anticipation level for A Lady Like Sarah was high, to say the least. I was on pins and needles waiting for it to arrive, checking Barnes and Noble, checking Amazon and Overstock to see when the release date would be. When I finally found the release date, I went to my local Christian bookstore and ordered it. Two weeks early. I was hoping they’d be able to get it the very instant it was released, and I most likely drove the owner a little crazy since I showed up at least three times before the book came in.

It won’t surprise you that I absolutely loved this book, because it included every little nuance I associated with Margaret’s writing style. And it was made all the more sweet because I’ve missed her historical novels so much.

This is the story of Preacher Justin Wells, as he’s traveling to his new church in Rocky Creek, Texas. Imagine if you will, a preacher, fairly new at his job, traveling to a church in the wild west as a way of punishment for some minor infraction. He comes from Boston, so he’s a little unhappy about heading into the great wild unknown.

Alone on the dusty trail, and thinking about how much he didn’t want to leave Boston, Justin comes across an injured U.S. Marshal and his prisoner. Justin does everything he can to help save the dying man, even though he knows little to nothing about bullet wounds. The prisoner, a female outlaw, is being transported back to Rocky Creek where she’s been sentenced to hang.

Sarah Prescott was raised by her outlaw brothers, and it’s the only life she’s ever known. But when she meets Justin, the pretty girl with the tough exterior finds herself longing for another sort of life…the life of a lady. And yet the only way she can have a life of any sort is if she manages to escape Justin.

Justin, in spite of his growing feelings toward Sarah, is morally bound by his promise to the dying lawman to return Sarah to Rocky Creek.

The dilemma for Justin is huge. It seems there’s no way out for Sarah, and leave it to Margaret Brownley to keep the suspense building. This book kept me on the edge the entire time, wondering if she’d be able to find a way to save Sarah. I absolutely fell in love with these characters…the preacher hero, a baby, a donkey, but mostly with Sarah. Usually it’s the hero who steals my heart, but this time it was Sarah, the outlaw with a tender heart who longs for a life she’s never been able to have—a life she’ll never be able to have if she returns to Rocky Creek.

If you enjoy historical romance, and you love Christian fiction, you won’t want to miss this book. I’m so glad Margaret has found her way to the world of Christian romances. A Lady Like Sarah was a pure joy to read, and I can’t wait for the next book in the Rocky Creek Romance series, A Suitor for Jenny, due out in September.
You can visit Margaret’s website at: http://www.margaretbrownley.com/

Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be giving away a copy of A Lady Like Sarah, so please leave a comment along with your e-mail address so I can contact you Sunday (January 24th) if your name is drawn.

**Visit Inkwell Inspirations today, Saturday, January 23rd, where I'm reviewing and giving away a copy of The Big 5-0H! by Sandra Bricker.

A Life Well Lived - A Tribute To Molly Hightower

2010-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others."
~~Philippians 2:3,4

Thursday afternoon as I was listening to a podcast of my favorite radio program, I heard about a young Christian woman from Port Orchard, Washington who was missing following the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Molly Hightower, a twenty-two year old with a true heart for service to others was in Haiti because she felt called to work with the orphaned children. Her family and everyone who heard she was missing was praying for her to be found safe.

Yesterday as I listened to the program, they again spoke about Molly, but as the radio host began the show, he said he was speaking with a heavy heart. I knew what he was about to say. This sweet, amazing young woman had been found. Sadly, she did not survive.

My heart goes out to her parents, family, friends, and everyone who knew and loved her. I pray they will feel the peace of the Lord surrounding them.

Something about Molly’s story touched the deepest part of my heart. I’ve thought about her for hours. I've read about her, read her blog, and have been truly amazed by how much she’s done to help others in her too-short life. Besides her work in Haiti, she worked with campus ministries, Habitat for Humanity, and other organizations that reached out to help others. Here was a young woman who was affected by the plight of some of the world’s poorest children and went out of her way to offer them everything she could.

On the Dori Monson radio show yesterday, Dave Valle, broadcaster and former catcher for the Seattle Mariners, discussed Molly and the children she loved. He reminded listeners that Haiti is so unbelievably poor and these children, these precious little children are so hungry they eat cookies made from dirt.

The dirt! Can you even imagine? I can’t. What must it be like to be so hungry you would eat the dirt off the ground? My heart is deeply grieved at the very thought. And that was before their lives were devastated by the earthquake. My spirit weeps to think of what they went through before the earthquake and how much more they’re going through now.

God bless Molly. I know she’s wearing the crown she earned, and is resting joyfully in His arms.

She was driven to help, driven to serve.

Would that we could all serve others with the same spirit as Molly. Obviously, we can’t all go to a foreign country and help those who are poor, hurting and hungry. But if each one of us could do what we can with the kind of servant’s heart Molly Mackenzie Hightower possessed, just imagine what kind of world we would live in.

To see pictures of Molly and read more about her, visit her blog at http://mollyinhaiti.blogspot.com/

You can also read the news article about her at http://www.mynorthwest.com/

Before you read her blog, be warned. You’ll need lots of tissues.

Please lift Molly’s family in prayer.

If you’d like to help the victims of the earthquake, Christian author Jen AlLee has a comprehensive list of organizations on her blog, along with their contact information. You can access it at: http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-safely-contribute-to-haiti-aid.html

Goals for the New Year

2010-01-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

I don't make New Year's Resolutions. They never seem as concrete to me as goals, and honestly, I do better at making goals. I don't remember who I heard this from, but someone said goals are really only dreams until you write them down. And so...I'm writing them down.

My goals are for personal and spiritual growth, professional growth, and to make strides in my writing career.

One of my goals this year is to be a more compassionate person. I don't think I'm as compassionate toward others as I should be, and that's something I want to improve on because compassion is a quality I value in others.

I'd also like to be a more diligent prayer warrior. My friend, Sharon, is one of the strongest prayer warriors I know, and I want to be more like her.

For my new job as a Cancer Registrar, my goal is to keep learning as much as I can so I can do the best job possible. I have seven classes that I have to take this year, and I'm going to a week-long class in Reno in March. Sometimes I wonder if there's enough room in my head for everything I have yet to learn.

My writing goals are to not give up, to write something every day - even if it's just one sentence, to try and hang on to the enthusiasm for whatever book I'm working on, to glorify God with my words, and to write the best, most inspiring books I can.

I'd like to finish two books this year, the contemporary inspirational romance that is now a finalist in two contests, and the historical inspirational romance that I've fleshed out on paper. I've written the first chapter, and it's turned into a historical mystery.

Oh, and one FUN goal: I'm making plans to attend five baseball games in Seattle this year. And I hope the Mariners' players have set a goal of making it to the playoffs. I'll be supremely happy then.

What are your goals for the year?

Check out the Petticoats and Pistols Blog...

2010-01-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

My dear friend and gifted author Sharon Gillenwater is guest blogging today and sharing the history of her Texas hometown. Here's the link:
http://petticoatsandpistols.com/

Ready or not, here it comes…

2009-12-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make, and it’s not a pretty one. I’m not ready for Christmas. I’m not ready for it to BE Christmas. Is it really only three days away?

I can’t believe it’s really been a month since I’ve posted. Working full time, learning a new job, studying…it was all beginning to bog me down. Actually, it still is. I have two final exams this week, after I take six quizzes and two chapter tests, and then I have to jump right into class number three.

But that's only part of the reason I'm not ready for Christmas.

Traditionally, at our house, we don’t start preparing for Christmas until after my son’s birthday, which is the 8th. And even though he lives halfway across the country, this year was no exception. Sadly, the morning after my son’s birthday, my father-in-law passed away. What a shocking blow to our family. It’s been a very sad time at our house.

So I haven’t sent out any Christmas cards. I’ve bought a few presents, but didn’t go shopping at the mall. I don’t have the heart to brave the crowds this year. And what’s worse, I don’t have a Christmas tree. That’s right. Here it is, December 22nd, and I don’t have a Christmas tree.

But that’s okay. Because last night as I was driving home from work, my favorite Christmas song came on the radio.

O Holy Night
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of Our dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world In sin and error pining,
'Til He appeared
And the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O, hear the angels' voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
As I listened to these beautiful words, they gave me comfort and I realized something. It doesn’t matter whether we’re ready for Christmas, it comes anyway. And even if we aren’t ready, aren’t we glad it does?

I’m so thankful Jesus didn’t wait for us to be ready before He was born on that holy, long ago, night. I’m so glad He didn’t wait for us to be ready before He hung on the cross. We’d still be waiting for our Savior!

So now, after listening to the words in that beautiful song, I feel ready for Christmas. My heart is still sad about my father-in-law, and I may not have a tree decorated, but I feel spiritually ready. And isn’t that the most important part of Christmas?

I wish you and your family a very blessed Christmas.

Candle graphic courtesy of: http://www.christmas-graphics-plus.com/

Love Finds You in Holiday Florida

2009-11-21T00:03:00.000-08:00

Romantic comedy is one of my all-time favorite sub-genres, and today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite writers of inspirational romantic comedy—Sandra D. Bricker and her newest book, Love Finds You in Holiday Florida.

In case you’re not familiar with the Love Finds You books, they are inspirational romance novels all set in real towns across America. So far I’ve enjoyed every one I’ve read, but none more than Sandie’s, because she never fails to make me laugh out loud. That doesn’t mean her books are full of slap-stick, nor are they light on emotion. Not one bit.

In fact, Love Finds You in Holiday Florida has just the right blend of comedy and deeply-touching emotion.

Disappointed that her daughter finds her predictable, Cassie Constantine decides to do something different for Christmas and go to Florida, to the vacation home she shared with her late husband. She also plans to remodel and sell the house before she returns to Boston. But Cassie’s trip to Holiday Florida turns out to be a trip of self-discovery.

Once she arrives at the vacation home, Cassie is faced with a bittersweet array of memories. Saying goodbye to this close-knit community and her goofy neighbors will be difficult.

Then Cassie meets Richard, a man who turns out to be full of surprises. Though he appears as predictable as Cassie imagines herself to be, he is anything but. Can he be the man to help Cassie realize she’s not so boring after all?

During the process of becoming unpredictable, Cassie is trying to work on a crossword puzzle her late husband gave her on their 25th anniversary.

Author Sandra D. Bricker makes clever use of this crossword puzzle by including a clue in each chapter of the book. Will the answers help Cassie discover who she is?

Love Finds You in Holiday Florida is fun, sassy, romantic and heartwarming—all the ingredients necessary for a great romance. In fact, the book is as lovable as the author herself. Readers won’t be disappointed. After you read it, you’ll want to order a copy of Sandie’s previous book, Love Finds You in Snowball Arkansas. My review of this book is posted below.

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Love Finds You in Holiday Florida, please leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random tomorrow night (Sunday) at 6pm PST. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from getting your e-mail, please use this format with the brackets—you [at] yourmail [dot] com—or something similar.)

To visit Sandie’s blog go to: http://sandradbricker.blogspot.com/ and to visit her website, go to: http://www.sandradbricker.com/.

And be sure to stop by Inkwell Inspirations today, where I’ve posted an interview with Sandie and her co-authors of the devotional book, Be Still and Let Your Nail Polish Dry.

Love Finds You In Snowball Arkansas

2009-11-20T23:05:00.000-08:00

Some women will do anything in the search for Mr. Right. Full of sass and spunk, Lucy Binoche takes her quest to the great outdoors. Readers will enjoy following along with Lucy as her journey for the perfect man turns into one of pitfalls, humor, and self discovery.

Author Sandra D. Bricker excells in adding a little extra something in her books to grab the reader's interest. In this book, readers gain insight into Lucy's character through her honest and refreshing letters to God.

And as for her search for Mr. Right? Is Lucy looking in the right direction, or should she stop and reassess her situation? Not only will readers enjoy the added bonus of the tasty recipes sprinkled throughout the book, they'll turn the pages in anticipation of what might happen next.

Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas is the perfect book to chase away the winter blues.

Sandra D. Bricker is a delightful voice in Christian romace. This book is great fun, and I can hardly wait for her next one. Keep writing them, Sandie, because I can't read them fast enough.

To visit Sandie’s blog go to: http://sandradbricker.blogspot.com/
and to visit her website, go to: http://www.sandradbricker.com/.

The Beginning of the Blues

2009-11-01T16:21:00.000-08:00

Some people, like my husband, take immense pleasure in the shift from summer to fall. He loves the crisp air, the colors of the leaves as they change. My son loves the winter and snow. But for other people, like myself, when the days are shorter and the sun barely makes an appearance, the blues creep in.

Blue is my favorite color, but not my favorite season.
My blue season started to hit me last week—dark when I get up, dark shortly after I get home from work. There’s a little sliver of light on the drive to and from work. But in another couple of weeks I’ll be driving in the dark. The only daylight I’ll see during the work week is through the cafeteria windows for half an hour at lunch time. I’m so thankful there was sunshine this weekend.

Within the next couple of weeks, the blues will hit me full force. No daylight. No sunlight. Dark when I leave for work, dark when I get home. And the weekends will be dark and overcast more often than not.

It doesn’t help that baseball season will be officially over in a few days. Every year, I jokingly blame my blue feeling on the end of baseball—especially if my team doesn’t get to the play-offs.

Of course, I’m only teasing about the end of the baseball season being the culprit. In all seriousness, it really is the lack of sunlight that affects my moods. There’s a name for it: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Some of the symptoms of SAD are:
 Depression
 Hopelessness or sadness
 Anxiety
 Loss of energy or interest
 Withdrawing socially

If, like me, you’re affected by SAD, there are ways to battle it.

First and foremost, though, if you experience feelings of depression and sadness for more than a couple of weeks, I would highly suggest you see your doctor. Seriously. A day or two here and there when you feel sad or depressed can be manageable without medication. But if it goes on for any length of time, seeking medical help is a must. Especially if you have any thoughts of harming yourself.

One of the best things you can do is to get plenty of exercise. Exercise boosts your mood. If you can take walks outside, even better. You’ll be getting a double benefit. Exercise relieves stress, stress increases symptoms of depression. Since lack of sunlight seems to be one of the main factors in SAD, walking outside in natural light is better than walking indoors on a treadmill. Even though the sun might not be out, some of those rays that stimulate our mood will hopefully get through. Plus, there’s always something truly invigorating about fresh air.

Find things that interest you. When baseball ends, I start watching figure skating. The season actually started a couple of weeks ago, and with the return of Russian skater Evgeni Plushenko, and the excellence of Japanese skater Nobunari Oda, it’s shaping up to be a great season. It soothes my soul to watch these talented skaters jump, spin and glide on the ice.

Try not to shut yourself off from your friends and family. This is one of the fastest ways to give in to SAD and sink into an even deeper depression. While it can be hard to socialize with others when you’re feeling this way, it’s vital to your mental health. Talking, laughing, simply being with others can lift your spirits.

Do things that stimulate your mind and make you happy. Reading a good book serves both purposes for me. (If you need a recommendation, just let me know!) Writing, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and weekend drives are all great activities. If I could take a vacation to sunny California every winter, I would. But since I can’t, I try to get outside as much as I can during the weekend. The days I don’t are the days I feel the worst.

Talk to a doctor before trying any herbal medications. Many herbal drugs interact with other medications you may be taking.

I don’t know a lot about the full spectrum lights that are available, other than they are supposed to help by exposing you to the natural light you’d normally get on a sunny day. They’re a bit pricey, but they’re supposed to work, so I’m going to try and buy one this year.

Last, but in no way least, pray. Talk to God. Sometimes when we’re depressed, it’s hard to even summon the words. But God knows what’s in our hearts. The Holy Spirit interprets for us when we can’t find the words. So don’t ignore this most important and wonderful resource.

Also, it never hurts to have your friends and family pray for you. If you want me to pray for your, if you want to pray for me, send me an e-mail and we can support each other.

(glorybooks [at] yahoo [dot] com)

Knowing the problem, recognizing the problem, is the biggest part of the battle. When we’re armed with knowledge and a plan, we have the ability to fight our way through it.

Please be aware that this is not medical advice. This is merely my experience, my opinion, and my offer of moral support.

God bless you, and I pray we can all get through these fall/winter blues and rejoice and take pleasure in these darker months. Then, before we know it, it will be spring again.

Is Fear Holding You Back?

2009-10-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (New International Version)

For most of my adult life, I’ve let fear keep me timid. There were times when I would take a step forward and be bold. But most of the time, I didn’t. It wouldn’t matter how excited I was, or how much I longed to be a part of something special. Fear would hold me back. I would often ask myself, “Am I good enough? Am I smart enough, interesting enough?” And sometimes I’d even wonder, “Am I spiritual enough?”

If you’ve ever given in and let fear hold you back, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Fear will crush your dreams. It can cripple you, and keep you from doing the things you want to do most.

Then something changed. Something happened in my life a couple of years ago and I had to face some very frightening realities. I knew the only way I could face them was with Jesus by my side.

A dear and wise friend told me God did not give us a spirit of fear. She’s absolutely right.

The Bible is full of wonderful, hope-filled scriptures that I pray will help us all come through our fears with the peace that only He can give us.

If you’re hampered by fear, I would encourage you to pray about it and remember this scripture.

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1

Know that you aren’t alone. Who knows what can happen when you let God be your wings. You can SOAR!

I wouldn’t presume to say nothing bad will ever happen, or that you won’t experience pain along the way. But Jesus can give you the courage to face your deepest fear and come out the victor. I know He did for me.

We all have something from our past to explain why we let fear get the better of us. But there comes a time when we have to conquer it. At least, that time came for me. I made the commitment to overcome my fears, and with God’s help, I’m doing fairly well. I won’t lie and say I’ve been able to obliterate all fear from my spirit. I still have this little germophobic thing I’m trying to deal with. But I’ve come a long way. Just a couple of months ago, I did this:

And this:

And I’m so glad I did. I had the best day with my son, a day I’ll treasure forever. If I had let my fear get the better of me, I don’t think my memories of that day would be as precious as they are.

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Genesis 15:1
God gave Abram the best reason of all not to fear: He promised to be his shield, and He promised to be his very great reward. He’s promising the same for us.

So take a chance. Spread your wings and fly, knowing you won’t be alone. God is with you, and He’ll bless you.

Ooh, La La. Seattle, France, Romance, Pasteries...and Whidbey Island, too.

2009-10-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when I came home from work yesterday. Not because it was the end of the work week—an intense week where I started three classes and wasn’t able to write a single word on my manuscript—but because a cardboard carton from Amazon was wedged in my mailbox. I love boxes from Amazon, B&N, and Overstock. They always contain my favorite things…books.

Hooray for books! My husband says I have way more than I need. But I don’t think there’s such a thing as too many books.

As I scrambled to get the carton out of my mailbox, scraping my fingers in the process, I realized it was too small to contain both of the books I ordered. Only half my order had arrived. But my disappointment quickly faded when I pulled the book out of the box and saw the delicious cover. My treasure? An inspirational novel, Pièce de Résistance by Sandra Byrd. Book number three in the French Twist series featuring an adorable heroine, Lexi Stuart.

If you’ve read the first two books in this series, then you’ve probably been waiting for this book just so you can feast your eyes on the drool-worthy cover. Each book cover in the French Twist series is enough to make the most dedicated dieter waver.

If you haven’t read the first two books, you’re in for a treat. Let me recap them for you.

Book One: Let Them Eat Cake
Lexi Stuart is fresh out of college and unable to find a job. Her love life isn’t so great, either. But the course of her life changes when she accepts a job at her favorite French bakery. The inner-workings of the bakery are enough to keep the reader engaged, but author Sandra Byrd mixes romance with an inspirational journey amidst a bustling Seattle setting. Oh, yes, and Lexi visits Whidbey Island, too.

Book Two: Bon Appétit
This book follows Lexi to a small village in France where she will apprentice in a family owned bakery. Your mouth will water over more than the cover since the author has included several recipes. I found this to be my favorite of the first two books because I could so easily imagine myself in Lexi’s place as she struggles to please everyone around her. Things get difficult for Lexi as she finds herself torn between the man she left behind in Seattle and the French single dad who is her boss.

Book Three: Pièce de Résistance
That brings us to Pièce de Résistance and Lexi’s return to Seattle, (notice the Space Needle on the background of the cover?) where she’s put in charge of a new high-end French bakery. She only has a few months to prove herself and make the business a success, but it won’t be easy. Romance proves to be a challenge as well, since both men are still in her life, but Lexi is relying on God to show her the way.

I started reading Pièce de Résistance last night, and was thoroughly hooked—especially after the author mentioned Lexi’s vacation on Whidbey Island. Since I can’t wait to see how Lexi’s romantic dilemma untangles, I’m headed the beach where I can spend the day reading and soaking up the last of the bit of sunshine.

The French Twist series is the perfect recipe for a satisfying read: Seattle, France, pastries and romance. Oh, with a dash of Whidbey Island, too.

I suppose you don’t have to have read the first two books to read Pièce de Résistance, but for purposes of personal pleasure, I would highly recommend it.

Okay, I’m off to finish this yummy book. But before I go, I want to know, have you ever been to Whidbey Island?

Book Review: A Texas Ranger's Family by Mae Nunn

2009-09-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I received my score sheets from a writing contest I’d entered. Judges don’t always sign their names on the score sheets, but one of my judges did and she included her e-mail address in case I wanted to ask her any questions about her comments.

This was a wonderful opportunity, so I sent her an e-mail full of questions—after thanking her, of course. Not only did she answer my questions and offer me encouragement, her comments helped me strengthen my writing. In fact, when I tweaked a scene based on her advice, it sent my mind in an entirely new direction and I ended up with three new scenes and a much stronger opening. Oh, and I like my book again. For a while I was beginning to have my doubts. Now I’m happily working on it once more, with a goal of finishing the book before the year is over.

But enough about me.

This is about my superjudge, Mae Nunn.

I'm ashamed to say this, but at the time she signed her name on my score sheet, I hadn’t read any of her books. Then after her kind words and constructive input, I decided to watch for the next one. A couple of weeks ago, while out shopping, I was delighted to come across her September inspirational romance release from Steeple Hill's Love Inspired: A Texas Ranger’s Family. I didn’t waste any time grabbing it off the shelf, and since it was a nice sunny Saturday, I took it with me to the beach where I spent a wonderful afternoon reading and soaking up the sunshine.

Injured in a bomb blast in Iraq, photojournalist Erin Gray is brought back to the United States to recover. After three weeks in a medically induced coma, she wakes to the sound of a familiar voice: her one-time husband, Daniel Stabler—the man she ran out on when she found herself unable to deal with the nightmares of her past. Daniel isn’t alone at the hospital, though. At his side is his—their—sixteen year old daughter, Dana. But when the bandages are removed from Erin’s eyes and she finally sees the daughter she abandoned, Erin realizes she must still face the pain of her past.

In A Texas Ranger’s Family, readers will find an unpredictable story with layers of depth—a truly inspirational story of love and the many ways it can heal the human heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was excited to find out it’s the first of a three-book series. The next one is due out in April. I may have missed the first several of Mae’s books, but you can be sure I won’t miss another one.

To learn more about Mae Nunn and her inspirational romance novels, check out her website at: http://www.maenunn.com/

“Thank you. Have a nice day!”

2009-09-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school I worked in a hobby shop. It was my first experience working in a store, dealing with people, offering customer service. My boss, Marge, taught me from the very beginning, “The customer is always right.”

Even when they buy a model airplane, break it on the way out the door and then want to exchange it for a new one?

“Yes,” Marge would say. “Even then.”

And so I learned to smile even when the customer was mean or grouchy.

A couple of years later a popular burger chain opened in my town. I was hired as part of their very first crew. Before opening day, there were several evenings where we all went in for group training. Not only did we learn never to put hot fries in the same bag as a milkshake (yes, if you can imagine it, they really used to put the drinks in a bag), but we also spent entire evenings going over different customer-relations scenarios and learning those all important words: “The customer is always right.”

Even when they ordered extra pickles on their burger and then insisted they really wanted a chicken sandwich?

"Yes, even then," Bob or Wally would say. "You smile and thank them, no matter what."

I don’t know about where you live, but here in my hometown that notion is no longer in existence. Where did it go? Is it really so difficult to smile and act friendly even if you don’t feel like it? Or are they simply too busy to take just a few seconds for courtesy?

Apparently so. The fast-food restaurant I worked at all those years ago is still here, along with several others that have sprouted up over time. In spite of the varying menus, they all have one thing in common: The fancy headset that lets them take your money while taking someone else’s order.

The other day I went to a drive-thru for an iced tea. When I arrived at the window, the girl was talking into her headset. She reached out for my money then handed me my change and my tea, all without ever saying a word. I thanked her, but she just turned away and kept talking into her headset.

The next day, my husband and I went to the fast-food place where I’d worked all those years ago. Our experience was almost identical to the one I’d had the day before. The exception came when the girl looked at us and said something. My husband answered her, but she just looked at him like he was crazy and continued talking…into her headset.

It's painfully clear the customer is no longer right because the customer isn’t even worthy of a simple, “Thank you. Have a nice day.”

Or so I thought.

The next evening we decided to forgo fast-food and went to our favorite Mexican restaurant. (Yes, I know we eat out too much. That’s a problem to be solved another day.) While we were eating, we heard the waiters and waitresses singing “Happy Birthday” to someone nearby. No big surprise. People have birthday celebrations in restaurants all the time. But this time when we turned around to see who was having a birthday, we were surprised to see them singing to the owner. Looking a little shy, but pleased, he blew out his candles before he and his staff disappeared with the cake. A few minutes later he came back and set the table across from me with a stack of plates, forks, and napkins. Then, with a huge grin on his face, he put the cake on the table. He turned to me and asked if I’d like a piece of cake. Then he proceeded to serve everyone in the room.

Clearly, customer service is alive and well. Just not in the fast-food restaurants where I live. Now I’m not saying they have to give cake to all of their customers, but is it really so hard to thank them for their business?

My radio station likes to encourage people to make a difference in the lives of others. They call it the drive-thru difference. The idea is to make another person's day a little brighter when you're in a drive-thru line by paying for the order of the car behind you. Then when they get to the window, they receive a flyer that you've given the order-taker, letting them know their order has been paid for and why. I haven't tried it yet because I don't think the person taking my money would know what to do. I don't think they'd give the flyer to the person behind me. And given their preoccupation with their headsets, I think I'd have a hard time even trying to pay for the person behind me.

I realize the purpose of the headsets is to push as many cars through as possible. Keep ‘em moving, don’t hold up the line.

But really, where are we more likely to spend our money? At the drive-thru where the girl reaches out the window to slap a bag of fries into our hands all the while never acknowledging our presence? Or the cozy restaurant where the owner is always happy to see us and is so thankful for his customers that he generously shares a slice of his yummy birthday cake?

Inspired Writing Places

2009-08-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

or ... Have Writing Tablet, Will Travel

Like most other writers, I can usually pick up a napkin and pencil and write anywhere. And I’m certainly never without a pen and a writing tablet. My purse is always filled with odd bits of paper with indecipherable scribble that was important when I wrote it down.

But a writer’s office is their sanctuary—a peaceful environment where their muse feels safe to come out and play. The special kind of environment that’s conducive to creativity, someplace inspiring.

I’ve done everything I can to add inspiration to my office. It has plush carpet, freshly painted walls, pretty curtains, a basket of rocks, a huge sandstone from the beach on the Oregon coast, and a picture of an Orca whale. Perfect. All the things I need to feel relaxed and comfortable while my muse comes out to play.

But there’s something else in my office. Something that can derail my thought process before I’ve even realized what’s happened. I know I’m not the only writer who struggles with this.

E-mail.

Internet.

Spider Solitaire.

Oh, that last one is bad. I can click away two hours in less than fifteen minutes. When I go to my office to write, I’m forever saying, “Really? It’s 8 o’ clock already?” Then the wail heard around my neighborhood sounds something like this: “But I was only going to play one game while I work this scene out in my head!”

Back in the day of “dial-up” and before they started putting Spider Solitaire on every computer, I was much more productive and would go wash laundry or vacuum while I worked out scene related problems. Now, however, Spider Solitaire is sabotaging my new book.

Hence my need for a new office!

So every Saturday, and on Sunday after church and lunch with my mom or my husband, I take my writing tablet and favorite pen to my new office. There are no electronic distractions here. And if I get to a point in a scene where I’m stuck, God knows exactly what I need because he knows where I get my inspiration.

I just take a little walk along the beach. Writing problems have a way of working out here. Inspiration is all around me and I tend to accomplish a pretty decent word count. Not only that, but some of my best work is done here.

There’s just one problem. When I finally sit down at my computer to type in all I’ve written, I can’t read my handwriting!

But with an office like this…

…can I really complain?

God’s creation is so inspiring, and I’m so blessed to be able to experience it in this special way.