As
the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it
without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it
yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so
is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I
sent it. (Isaiah 55:10–11 NIV 1984)
Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Verse of the Day
"`Do
not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am
your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will
uphold you with My righteous right hand.' . . . "For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, `Do not fear, I will help you.'" (Isaiah 41:10, 13)
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Pieces of the Heart by Bonnie Calhoun
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bonnie S. Calhoun is Owner/Director of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, owner/publisher of Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Northeast Zone Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), the ACFW ‘2011 Mentor of the Year,” President of (CAN) Christian Authors Network, and Appointment Coordinator for both the Colorado Christian Writers Conference (CCWC) and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference(GPCWC).
For the last six years she has taught workshops in Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, and creating Social Media promotions at both CCWC, and GPCWC, and in 2011 at the Montrose, Pa Christian Writers Conference. She also taught a Facebook workshop at the 2012 ACFW conference.
Bonnie and her husband live in a log cabin in upstate area of New York with a dog and cat who think she’s wait-staff.
Her sites are:
https://www.facebook.com/bonniescalhounsnarkandsuspense
https://www.facebook.com/bscalhoun
ABOUT THE BOOK
Cordelia Grace watched Bernard Howard, the love of her young life, go off to fight for our country in WWII. And she has spent the last three years creating the Pine Cone quilt that will grace their marriage bed when he comes home. Each row of triangles signifies a layer in her life, sets of memories, hopes, dreams, and prayers for her future, enough spoken words to cover them forever. Her image of their “happy-ever-after” grows proportionally as the quilt expands.
But is the man that returns from the war, the same man that she remembered? Are the dark shades of color that she had to use for the outside edges of the beloved quilt prophetic of her life to come? Can love and faith overcome all?
If you would like to read teh first chapter of Pieces of the Heart, go HERE.
Margie's Comments: Ran out of time to read this in time, so review will come before long.
Verse of the Day
"Keep
on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and
you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks." (Matthew 7:7–8 NLT)
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Verse of the Day
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (Psalm 121)
Monday, June 24, 2013
Verse of the Day
My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. (Psalm 62:5–8)
Friday, June 21, 2013
Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel by Melody Carlson
This week, the
is introducing
Lock, Stock and Over a Barrel
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eight years, she has published over ninety books for children, teens, and adults--with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards.
She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.
ABOUT THE BOOK
With high hopes, Daphe Ballinger lands her dream job at The New York Times. But it's not long until writing about weddings becomes a painful reminder of her own failed romance, and her love of the city slowly sours as well. Is it time to give up the Big Apple for her small hometown of Appleton?
When her eccentric Aunt Dee passes away and leaves a sizeable estate to Daphne, going back home is an easy choice. What isn’t easy is coming to terms with the downright odd clauses written into the will.
Daphne only stands to inherit the estate if she agrees to her aunt's very specific posthumous terms -- personal and professional. And if she fails to comply, the sprawling old Victorian house shall be bequeathed to . . . Aunt Dee’s cats.
And if Daphne thinks that’s odd, wait until she finds out an array of secrets about Aunt Dee's life, and how imperfect circumstances can sometimes lead to God's perfect timing.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Lock, Stock and Over a Barrel, go HERE.
Margie's Comments: I love Melody Carlson's books, so I was thrilled to review her newest release, Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel. The author's ability to create believable and lovable characters and to do so even with a fairly large cast of characters is once again evident in this story. I've been to Appleton, Wisconsin, and am familiar with many other small towns in the Midwest. So when Daphne came home in the story, I, too, came along with her. As I continued to read of the many changes Daphne faced with her eccentric aunt's bequest (and secrets), I wished I could have known Aunt Dee. I truly wanted the story to continue, and would have gladly read a much longer book, so I am glad to know there's another book in this series featuring Daphne and her new/old friends. Such a fun read—a great book to take along with you on vacation or to curl up with at home.
Taming Your Worry Habit
Top Ten Ways to Tame Your Worry
Habit
10. Separate toxic worry from genuine concern. Determine if you can do
anything about your situation. If so sketch a plan to handle it. (Commit your works to
the Lord and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3)
9. Don’t worry alone. Share your concerns
with a friend or a counselor. Talking about your fears often reveals solutions.
(The
heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.
Proverbs 27:9 nlt)
8. Take care of your physical body. Regular exercise and adequate rest
can define a lot of worry. Healthy bodies handle stress better and react more
appropriately. (Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who
lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought
you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 nlt)
7. Do
what is right. A guilty conscience causes great anxiety. Do your best to
live above reproach. Confess quickly and seek forgiveness. (In view of
this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before
God and before men. Acts 24:16)
6. Look
on the bright side. Consciously focus on what is good around you. Don’t
speak negatively, even about yourself. (Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good
and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear
them. Ephesians 4:29 nlt)
5. Control
your imagination. Be realistic about problems, but try to live in the “here
and now” not in the “what might be.” (“Energize the
limp hands, strengthen
the rubbery knees. Tell fearful souls, “Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here, on his way
to put things right and redress all
wrongs. He’s on his way! He’ll save you!” Isaiah 35:3–4 msg)
4. Prepare
for the unexpected. Put aside a cash reserve and take sensible measures so
you’ll be ready if difficulties arise. (There is
precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up. Proverbs 21:20)
3. Trust
God. Keep reminding yourself to put God in your equation. When fear knocks
send faith to answer the door. (They do not fear bad news; they
confidently trust the Lord to care for
them. Psalm 112:7 nlt)
2. Meditate
on God’s promises. Scripture has the power to transform our minds. Look for
scriptures that will help you answer life’s difficulties with God’s Word. (For by these
He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you
may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that
is in the world by lust. 2 Peter
1:4)
1. Pray!
Joseph M. Scriven’s hymn says it all: “O what peace we often forfeit . . . all
because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” (Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in
it with an attitude of thanksgiving. Colossians
4:2)
Verse of the Day
Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For
we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against
the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those
mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked
spirits in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10–12 NLT)
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Verse of the Day
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so
that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold
that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in
praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6–7 NLT)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
