Ellie’s Redemption Book Tour & Giveaway

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Greetings!  This is my stop on Celebrate Lit’s Book Tour for Ellie’s Redemption.  You will find my thoughts on the book, information about it and the author, an author post complete with a recipe, and a listing of all of the other tour stops.  You will want to visit those to get extra entries in the giveaway.  “To celebrate her tour, Molly is giving away a grand prize that includes an Amish doll, a handmade lap quilt (can be used as wall hanging), an Apple Pie recipe tea towel, a Blessings journal, a handmade quilted potholder, a $10 Amazon Card, Ellie’s Redemption Print Book, a mug, a 2019 Planner, pad and pen set, and a bookmark!”

My thoughts

”Ellie’s Redemption” is Book Two in author Molly Jebber’s Amish Charm Bakery Series.  If you haven’t read Book One you will be fine reading this as a stand alone.  This is a lovely tale set in Charm, Ohio in 1912.  The writing took me to the farms and shops of that quaint area within the first few pages.  I enjoyed the descriptions which were enough for me to visualize but not too much to become bored.

There is a wide array of characters in this historical Amish tale.  From mischievous young lads to cranky mothers secondary characters made this a fun book.  There were animals, too.  The main characters were well defined and rounded, complete with flaws. Some of the Amish were gossips, mean girls, brats, and no different from people in our world.  The author did a good job tackling relevant issues.

The writing style in this book was a pleasant, easy one.  At times it seemed the story was hurried, but for the most part it was well planned and organized.  I loved the bakery and goodies constantly described!

Another thing I loved were the life lessons and spiritual message.  This book speaks about forgiveness, second chances, grace, trusting God, redemption, and the power of the tongue.  It has a strong message against gossiping and for acceptance.  Bravo!

I recommend this book for Amish fiction lovers.  I would also recommend it to a teenage girl group.  The life lessons are timely and would provide for great discussions.  It gets a 4 out of 5 stars from me.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but I was under no obligation to write a review.  These are my own, honest opinions.

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About the Book

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Title: Ellie’s Redemption
Author: Molly Jebber
Genre: Christian fiction, Amish
Release date: January 29, 2019
1912, Charm, Ohio
Ellie Graber is determined to restore her bad reputation in Charm, Ohio. She regrets leaving Amish life and the danger and heartache she caused her family and friends. Ellie loves working with Liza, and her best friend and cousin, Hannah, at Liza’s Amish Charm Bakery, attends church, and obeys Amish law, but the gossip about her past life won’t stop. Joel Wenger’s deep blue eyes tell her he cares for her, but she suspects his parents have warned him to stay away from her. Joel wants to trust Ellie’s changed but his sister, Maryann, who left Amish life broke their hearts. Will Joel ignore his parents and friends, face their anger and ridicule, and give her a chance?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

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Molly Jebber writes Amish Historical Romance. Her latest release, ELLIE’S REDEMPTION, is the second book in her Amish Charm Bakery Series. Molly’s books have been featured in Publisher’s Weekly, USA Today’s HEA, and Romantic Times. Her books have received widespread media attention throughout the US. Her books are sold in print and Ebook throughout the US and United Kingdom. She’s a touring speaker for Women’s Christian Connection, other women’s organizations, and she offers presentations on writing and the Amish. She says the most rewarding part about writing stories is meeting wonderful readers who become friends through social media and at her speaking events. Please visit her website: http://www.mollyjebber.com for a full list of her books (and options stores to buy them), speaking events and recipes.
She loves God, her family, and friends. She says yes to swimming, the beach, golf, and time with her family and friends, and no to coconut, onions, and skydiving!  

Guest Post from Molly

Hi Friends!
Ellie likes newcomer Joel, and he’s the first Amish man to show interest since her return to Charm. She’s afraid when he learns of her rebellious past and the danger she brought to her family before turning her life around, he’ll end their courtship. Joel is frustrated his sister left Amish life before his family moved to Charm. He chooses not to tell Ellie about her, until he has no choice. What does the future hold for Ellie and Joel when their secrets are revealed?
Along with the story of Ellie’s Redemption are recipes!
Here’s one just for you!
Ellie’s Surprise Cookies
1 cup shortening               2 cups rolled oats (quick cook)
1 cup white sugar             1 teaspoon soda
1 ¼ cup brown sugar       ½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon     1 ½ cups chocolate chips
2 eggs                                  2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder        1 teaspoon salt
Sift dry ingredients. Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Stir in dry ingredients. Add oatmeal, vanilla and chocolate chips. Dough will be crumbly. Spoon a teaspoon of dough at a time on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Blog Stops

Quiet Quilter, January 29
Carpe Diem, January 29
Lighthouse Academy, January 30
Bigreadersite, February 2
Mary Hake, February 2
EmpowerMoms, February 3
Robin is Bookish, February 5
Texas Book-aholic, February 6
SusanLovesBooks, February 7
Henry Happens, February 9
Bibliophile Reviews, February 10
Vicky Sluiter, February 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Molly is giving away a grand prize that includes an Amish doll, a handmade lap quilt (can be used as wall hanging), an Apple Pie recipe tea towel, a Blessings journal, a handmade quilted potholder, a $10 Amazon Card, Ellie’s Redemption Print Book, a mug, a 2019 Planner, pad and pen set, and a bookmark!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/da8b/ellie-s-redemption-celebration-tour-giveaway

                     

Forever Loved, Eve’s Story Book Tour & Giveaway

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

 

 

Welcome to my stop on the Celebrate Lit’s Book Tour for “Forever Loved, Eve’s Story”.   You will learn about the book, the author, my thoughts on the book, get dates for the other stops, and have an opportunity to enter the $25 Amazon giveaway.  Who doesn’t need a $25 card?  Let’s start with my thoughts on this book.

My Review

Author Joanna May Chee has written “A Creative Retelling” of Eve’s story.  I am a fan of biblical fiction but don’t like it when they change the story to take too many liberties.  This book is so wonderful it would be hard not to like it.  It is a paperback that has less than one hundred forty pages, so it could be a quick read.  I savored it.

Opening the book is the author’s story.  She has a quaint style of writing that I found to be pleasant,  Sentences are short but meaningful.  I felt as if the author was being transparent and sharing herself.

The beginning of Eve’s chapters talking about this being a book about a Father and Daughter caught me off guard.  I always think of Eve being Adam’s wife and often forget she was the first daughter.  This was a lovely reminder.

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Eve’s chapters are only one or two pages long, but they are powerful.  The emotions felt real.  I smiled, I warmed, I was devastated, and I cried.  This is a thought provoking book for all women.

The last section is “Your Story”.  It includes a reflection, prayers and an invitation. This is a chance to accept Jesus or perhaps deepen your relationship with Abba.  After information about the author is a sample of the accompanying Devotional Bible Study.

I highly recommend this book to all women.  Get a group, read it by yourself, or grab your best friend, just read it!  You will be so glad.  This is a God glorifying book.  It will remind you that you are a beloved daughter of the true God.  Are you smiling now?  I am.  This earned a 5 star rating.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but I was under no obligation to write a review.  These are my own honest thoughts.

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About the Book

Title: Forever Loved, Eve’s Story

Author: Joanna May Chee E6447DF2-9E05-4FDB-832B-A4914EDA9C33

Genre: Christian Inspiration for Women 

Release date: February 20, 2018

Publisher: Heartfelt Publications

Eve. First woman. The First to be tempted. First to sin.

But what if there were more to her story than that?

Forever Loved: Eve’s Story is the story of Father and daughter, as told by Eve. It is a story of preciousness and beauty, of tender love and grace. Through Eve, God reveals his Father heart of love for you, his treasured daughter. He whispers to you now, and calls you closer.

Includes:

  • My Story: The author’s personal story of encountering God as Father.
  • Eve’s Story: A beautifully creative retelling of the Bible story of Eve.
  • Your Story: Encouragement and prayers to take you deeper into God’s presence.

Experience Eve’s story anew. Discover just how loved you are!

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Author of Forever Loved Eve's Story Joanna May Chee gets excited about God! She loves to write and is often awake in the night with a million ideas for her next book or project. Joanna blogs at JoannaMayChee.coma and MumsKidsJesus.com, where it is her heart to encourage and equip women to love their families and meet with God. She is author of Forever Loved: Eve’s Story, a creative retelling of the Bible story of Eve, and a #1 Amazon UK bestseller. Joanna lives near London with her husband, 4 teens, dog and 2 cats! Facebook.com/JoannaMayChee | Facebook.com/MumsKidsJesus | Pinterest.co.uk/https://mumskidsjesus.com/

Guest Post from Joanna

True or False? Eve spent time with God before meeting Adam.

True or False? Eve wasn’t called Eve until after the Fall.

Does the Bible even say?

Until recently, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you, even though I’ve been a Christian many years, and thought I knew the Bible story of Eve really well!

It was during hot, sticky, jet-lagged nights, about four years ago, on holiday overseas, that God started giving me new and wonderful insight into Eve’s life. Words literally started pouring through my head: the story of Eve, but not as I’d heard it before!

I’d always had negative connotations of Eve – the first woman to be tempted, the first to sin. But the story God revealed to me during my sleepless nights was one of preciousness and beauty. It was the story of Father and daughter, of God’s incredible love for Eve, and His equally wondrous love for me.

As Eve’s story unfolded over several nights, I wrote it down; and God gave me a book I did not ask for (but am forever grateful for): Forever Loved: Eve’s Story.

These new insights into Eve’s story have been life-changing. God has brought me deeper into His love than I could ever have imagined. (In the introduction of ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’ I share something of the deep hurt and insecurity I experienced growing up – including the time I got into BIG trouble with my teacher – my cry to know God as Father, and how God’s love has brought healing and freedom.)

It’s my prayer that ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’ touches the lives of women around the world, that women may come into deeper experience of God as Father, and know just how beautiful and precious they are to Him.

So, back to the True/False questions at the beginning of this post!

What do you think?

I’d love to share with you what I’ve discovered by giving you a free copy of a devotional I’ve written called ‘Treasures Hidden in the Story of Eve’.

This devotional explores some of the amazing truths God’s shown me about Eve, and the wonderful implications for us as women today (and includes extracts from ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’). Download the devotional for free here.

I pray God touches you as deeply as He has me, as you explore the Bible story of Eve afresh. May you encounter the love of Father God as never before.

Joanna xx

Forever Loved Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, January 26

Real World Bible Study, January 27

Aryn the Libraryan, January 28

Robin is Bookish, January 28

My Devotional Thoughts, January 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 29

Margaret Kazmierczak, January 30

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 31

Mary Hake, January 31

Godly Book Reviews, February 1

Lights in a Dark World, February 1

Midnight Bookaholic, February 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 2

Bibliophile Reviews, February 3

One Emergent Life, February 4

Pause for Tales, February 4

Texas Book-aholic, February 5

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 6

Janices book reviews, February 7

Carpe Diem, February 8

Forever Loved Giveaway

$25 Amazon gift card

To celebrate her tour, Joanna is giving away a grand prize of a signed copy of ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’ plus $25 Amazon voucher!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops below for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d8d5/forever-loved-eve-s-story-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

The Essence of Humility Book Tour and Giveaway by Celebrate Lit

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to my stop on the “Essence of Humility” Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway. I am glad you stopped by.  Be sure to register to win the giveaway.  Details are at the bottom of this post.  Let’s begin with my thoughts on the book.

My Review

Do you use essential oils?  I use some of them, but I had to cut back because of my dog and cat.  Some oils that I loved were bad for them.  There are still oils I use in different ways, and I believe in their ability to help.  I have read books on how to use them before but never a devotional.  That is until now.

I loved this book!  It is a perfect devotional for women that use essential oils or would like to start using them.  The author has written a delightful book giving information, uses, biblical background, trivia and stories on essential oils and plants.  Her book was well researched.  It was easy to see a lot of work had gone into this devotional.

Each chapter has four or five parts.  A Bible study combines facts about the essential oils or plants and what they symbolize, a Bible story mentioning the plant, scientific and trivia facts about the oils, sometimes a recipe, and then a fictional part are all included.  That is a lot!

The subject of humility is one that definitely needs explored.  In today’s society humility is not a common thing.  It was refreshing reading a book dedicated to that.  I loved the biblical references and examples.  They reminded me that I need to be more kind, loving, and more gracious.  Don’t we all?

This book can be read as an individual or group devotional.  I would recommend reading it once chapter and then letting the information soak in for a bit.  All throughout it I yearned for at least one partner to discuss it.  A group would benefit from doing this study.  It would be fun, too.  I found it to be relevant, engaging, and thought provoking.  Finding book three in this series is a wonderful surprise, but at times I was a bit lost on the people.  Now I want to read the first two books.

I learned so much from this book.  It was an enjoyable read for me.  I love essential oils and plants.  Books with scripture and biblical references are tops on my list, too.  This was a timely topic, also.  After reading the first two books, I will revisit this one.

I highly recommend this and give it 4 out of 5 stars.  A copy was provided from Celebrate Lit but I was under no obligation to post a review.  These are my own, honest opinions.

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About the Book

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Title: The Essence of Humility  

Author: Lynn U. Watson

Genre: Devotional  

Release date: January, 2019

We live in a culture overwhelmed with disrespect, egos, entitlement, rudeness, and offense — lives focused on self, rather than God or others.  The Bible defines love in 1 Corinthians 13.  Every descriptive word included in the list whispers humility.

Patience — humility
Kindness — humility
Not rude — humility
Not arrogant — humility
Rejoices in truth — humility
No envious or boastful — humility
Not irritable — humility
Keeps no record of wrong — humility

Jesus entered our world and walked among us. He placed no importance on rank or position. Jesus life reflected love because it reflected humility, and He invites us to live and love like Him. Journey with our hostess, Cinnamah-Brosia and her friends at The Coffee Cottage. They lead us on a journey to meet real life people — our contemporaries and those on the pages of God’s word, who encountered the same real life challenges you and I face each day. Learn the blessings of a life lived like Jesus lived —- with love and humility.

Click HERE to purchase your copy!

 

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About the Author

Lynn Watson combines many years’ experience in women’s ministry, love of essential oils, and her passion for God’s word to bring her readers freshly inspired encouragement for their walk with Jesus. Her devotional, The Essence of Courage, was recognized as a ‘must read’ by regional publishing industry leaders. Married since 1973, Lynn and Steve have filled their Bartlett, Tennessee home with handmade treasures and lots of love for family, especially their five beautiful (of course) grandchildren. Aromas of freshly baked bread often fill Lynn’s kitchen. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, enjoys sleeping in Lynn’s lap while she writes.

Guest post from Lynn

My first lesson in humility for Volume 3 of Cinnamah-Brosia’s Inspirational Collection came from an assumption. Right. Those are never a grand idea. When God spoke to me about writing this book, he clearly gave me the subject: Love. I immediately headed to 1 Corinthians 13 – The Love Chapter of the Bible. Of course the book’s title would be The Essence of Love. The end material of The Essence of Joy announced the new “Love” title coming in 2018. And God laughed. I read 1 Corinthians 13 over and over again. It whispered “humility” over and over again. I called my dear friend – the one I consult with on every one of these books – and said, “You know what? Listen to this. Love is patient – humility. Love is kind – humility. Love is not arrogant – humility. You get the idea. Every single line of this beautiful passage comes down to the barest bones: humility.” We both laughed a little, too. And we thanked God He clarified His instructions. To live and love like Jesus requires us to humbly trust God and to humbly serve others. In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul presents a lengthy discourse on the humility of Christ. It begins like this: If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ~Philippians 2:1-4 (HCSB) The title morphed to The Essence of Humility. I placed the focus on common everyday botanicals and plants – those familiar to us today – for this third volume in the collection. The fun came as I dug the plants from Scripture. I pray you enjoy the connections as much as I did uncovering them and connecting them to Jesus’ life, and to a whole list of characters who lived on the pages of the Bible, along with our contemporaries here in the 21st century. Thank you for choosing The Essence of Humility. So very many titles out there shout to be read. I am humbled for you to spend time with me here. I have prayed for every one of you. Copyright 2018, Lynn U. Watson

Blog Stops

Carpe Diem, January 24
Splashes of Joy, January 25
A Reader’s Brain, January 26
Creating Romance, January 29
Mary Hake, January 29
Aryn The Libraryan, January 30
Texas Book-aholic, January 30
Older & Smarter?, January 31
The Becca Files, February 1
Godly Book Reviews, February 1
Pause for Tales, February 2
Bigreadersite, February 6

Giveaway

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To celebrate her tour, Lynn is giving away a grand prize of a wire basket that includes a hand-stamped “Gratitude, Kindness, Humility, Love” spoon necklace, Hillhouse Naturals fresh Linen hand lotion, locally hand-crafted Lavender-Eucalyptus body and foot scrub, embroidered “Love One Another” hand towel (nice ‘n soft), cozy Chamomile herbal tea, and a paperback copy of The Essence of Humility!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d93b/the-essence-of-humility-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Forgiving Jar by Wanda Brunstetter

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Amish fiction is one of my favorite genres.  The Amish seem to live their lives for God and family.  Doesn’t that sound perfect?  A simple, idealistic life, but it is no different than ours.  Their lives have troubles and conflicts, too, I’m sure.

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Author Wanda Brunstetter has penned a multitude of books, the majority of them being Amish.  She knows what she’s doing and does it exemplary.  “The Forgiving Jar” is Book Two in her The Prayer Jars Series.  It could be read as a stand alone but I highly encourage you to read book one first.  It is fantastic.

Brunstetter has come up with an amazing story with this series.  She is so gifted!  I was captivated quickly in Book One.  The characters have been well thought and described.  It was easy to visualize each one and befriend them.   Becoming invested in their lives happened in Book One and continued with this one.

Some of the things I enjoy about the author’s writing are the cooking and kitchen scenes.  It is a family tale and families gather in the kitchen cooking and eating.  She also has a strong Christian message along with scripture.  There is no doubt that Mrs. Brunstetter is a Christian writer.  This book has plenty of all of the above.

Forgiveness is the major topic of the book.  This is something we all deal with, and  Amish seem to do a very good job forgiving.  Other issues such as jealousy, acceptance, lying, and acceptance are broached.  Deepening our walk with God and trusting Him are also in the book.

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At the end of the book were two recipes.  I am getting spoiled and was hoping for more.  There is also a section with discussion questions.  Yes!  Questions for deeper study are so important and make it nice for a reader’s group.  This is an encouraging novel.

I enjoyed this book and found I did not want to put it down.  There are a few cliff hangers such as unknown identities that hopefully will be revealed.  This book did have a twist or two making it fun.

Everyone will enjoy this delightful book.  Whether you related to Grandma, Grandpa, Sara, Michelle, or someone else, you will find a friend in this book.  Readers that like Christian, contemporary, Amish, encouraging books will devour it like this reader did.  It is highly recommended along with book one.  I give it a five out of five stars!

About the Book

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Sara Murray had never met her mother’s parents and was surprised to learn after her death that they were Amish living in Pennsylvania. When she is finally able to make the trip to meet them, she is shocked to learn someone else has been living with them and pretending to be Sara. Sara can’t understand how quickly her grandparents are willing to forgive the imposter.

Secrets and deceit seem to follow Sara, and she is so tired of it. Though soon she meets Brad Fuller who is visiting her grandparents for during Christmas. She likes him a lot, but even he seems to pull away from her, not being totally honest.

Struggling, Sara finds an old canning jar hidden in the barn that is full of encouraging prayers. Can Sara find a way to forgive the past and move on to building new relationships?

This is Book 2 in the brand-new series, The Prayer Jars, from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.
Book 1 — The Hope Jar (August 2018)
Book 3 — The Healing Jar (August 2019)

About the Author

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The Lost Art of Relationship Celebrate Lit Tour & Giveaway

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to my stop on Celebrate Lit’s Book Tour and Giveaway for “The Lost Art of Relationship” by author Dan Chrystal.   Please read all of the way until the end where you will find the link to enter the giveaway for an Amazon Echo 2nd Generation Smart Speaker.  Yes, really!  Are you ready to hear about this book?  I am eager to chat with you about it.

In his book, author Dan Chrystal tackles what family and friends of mine have been discussing for a few years now, “The Lost Art of Relationship.”  With the advances of technology our face to face communication skills seem to have dwindled.  That has changed our relationships or our thoughts on them.

This was a “head nodding book” for me.  My husband asked what I was reading because I was literally nodding my head in agreement.  It provides some information for everyone.  The author has written a scriptural based book on relationships no matter what type of relationship.  His book even gives readers a chance to look inward on what type of friend they are.

Chapters are divided into various sections of Foundations of Relationships, Obstacles of Relationships, and Building Blocks of Relationships.  Substantiating his views with personal experiences and Scriptures, the author has researched and planned his book well.  His writing style uses plain language that is easily understood.  However, I found that the book could have been just a bit better organized.

I loved the section discussing friendship during trials.  “We will all go through dark moments or even dark seasons. Those are the times when friends double down on the friendship—to be there for each other.”  Double down on friendship really made an impact on me.  Not just be there for your friend, but double down.  Wise words.

Going through a rough period is when one truly finds out who one’s friends are.  This is totally relatable to most everyone.  Me, included.  True friends will stay beside you and wait out the storm.  They will help you through it and not leave until the weather gets better.  Now I thought about my friends in the midst of storms.  How could I be a better friend to them?

This is a book everyone should read.  It will provide insight into relationships of all types.  Teens would benefit from it as it prompts what to look for in a potential relationship and what to beware of in friends.  I wish it had a few more suggestions or advice on the “how to” side of being a friend.  All in all, it is a really good book.

I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.  I would recommend it to everyone, especially to teenagers and young adults.  They seem to be moving farther away from relationship knowledge.  Anyone will pick up positive tidbits from this.  A copy was provided from Celebrate Lit but I was under no obligation to post a review.  These are my own honest words.

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About the Book:

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Title: The Lost Art of Relationship

Author: Dan Chrystal

Genre: Christian non-fiction, Christian living

Release date: October 15, 2018

Relationship is a journey of discovery—a lost art. In this generation, it has become challenging to deepen and grow personal relationships with each other. Our technology-flooded environment has left many with limited relational experience and a fear of face-to-face connection and meeting new people.

The church has done a decent job of helping people understand the need and importance of a relationship with God, but what about with each other? At the heart of every man, woman, and child is the need for connection—for relationships with people who love them for who they are.

In The Lost Art of Relationship, Dan Chrystal tackles the heart of relationship based on the time-honored instruction to “love your neighbor as you love yourself.” But what does that mean? How do we live out this odd instruction? Who is my neighbor, anyway? What makes relationships healthy, and what makes them fail? Through Dan’s personal stories and difficult life lessons, readers will come away encouraged, inspired, and motivated to love the people in their life more fully. If you desire deep and meaningful connections, now is the time to discover the lost art of relationship.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

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Dan Chrystal has over twenty-three years of ministry and relationship experience. He serves as a pastor for Bayside Church Granite Bay, under the dynamic leadership of founding pastor, Ray Johnston. Dan is a vibrant speaker and a dedicated life, career, and couple’s coach. He holds an MBA in executive leadership from Kaplan University (now Purdue Global University) and is currently studying law at Concord Law School. His extensive ministry background has taken him all over the country, from the east coast to the west, where he has served in varying capacities, including Lead Pastor, Administrative Pastor, Associate Pastor, Worship Leader, and Youth Pastor. An avid student of relationship, Dan is passionate about helping others to love their neighbors as themselves.

“Choose a good reputation over great riches.” (Proverbs 22:1)

Guest post from Dan

For two years, I experienced what many would call a “wilderness experience.” I truly felt forgotten. I had spent twenty years in various aspects of church work having met and coached hundreds of people, and I still felt like I didn’t truly understand why I was put on this earth. I have moved nine times in my adult life. Everywhere I’ve lived, I had to start over—at work, home, schools for kids, and especially in relationship with others.

The last move was different. This time I was no longer looking to connect simply for the sake of connecting. There was a purpose for connection that was brewing inside me. That purpose became the driving force of my life and remains that way today. In fact, it consumes my thought life, relationships, ministry, and every aspect of what I do, think, and say.

Connecting with others has been a part of my life wherever I have gone. This came from watching my mom over many years meet, talk to, and befriend hundreds of people. At her funeral, I had just about that many tell me “thank you” for allowing my mom to be a part of their lives—how she encouraged them and truly got to know them for who they are.

During my two-year “wilderness” period, there was a realization that over all the moves, restarts, connections, coffee appointments, coaching, lunches, and dinners with people, I was learning the essence of what I believe we are called, or actually commanded, to do by Jesus. Such a simple sentence, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” However, it is one of the most difficult things to live out every day. Let’s face it; relationships are messy. They can be downright frustrating at times, but they are a necessary part of life, and the second most important thing to God.

I am by no means an “expert” in relationship. I am and always will be a student of it. I have watched relationships thrive, survive, and some fall away. There are so many divisions that come between us, and during those two years of struggling with my purpose, it became clear—God has designed, purposed, and prepared me to help others discover what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. I am not perfect at this. As a matter of fact, I struggle—sometimes daily. That is what sparked the writing of this book. I have found there is an art to relationship. For most, it is a lost art, one that can be rediscovered. I would love it if you would join me in discovering The Lost Art of Relationship.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 19

Carpe Diem, January 19

Robin is Bookish, January 20

The Becca Files, January 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 21

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 22

Creating Romance, January 22

Real World Bible Study, January 23

Mary Hake, January 24

Captive Dreams Window, January 25

Bigreadersite, January 25

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 26

margaret kazmierczak, January 26

Bibliophile Reviews, January 27

Texas Book-aholic, January 28

Just the Write Escape, January 29

A Baker’s Perspective, January 30

Janices book reviews, January 31

Book World Reviews, February 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 1

Giveaway

Echo-2nd-Generation

To celebrate his tour, Dan is giving away a grand prize of an Echo 2nd Generation Smart Speaker with Alexa!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/d8d6/the-lost-art-of-relationship-celebration-tour-giveaway

Secrets at Cedar Cabin by Author Colleen Coble

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Do you have certain authors you really enjoy?  Fellow Hoosier Colleen Coble is one of mine.  Whenever I pick up a book she has penned I know that I am in for a treat.  Today’s subject is another excellent example of just that.

“Secrets at Cedar Cabin” is a page turning, intriguing tale that had me doing nothing except reading it.  It took very few pages to get captured within its tight grasp.  This mesmerizing tale is a contemporary Christian mystery packed with action, adventure, and romance.  It is 352 pages of emotions that jumped off of the page and right into me.

Author Coble has a smooth style of writing.  It is obvious she is a seasoned professional.  She is one of the best Christian mystery and romance authors I have found.  Her prose weaves a tale that will have readers entertained, guessing, and on the edge of their chairs.

The characters are superb.  They are well written, well described, and relatable.  It is easy to imagine them in real life.  Bailey could have been my buddy.  I wanted to help her and many times found myself giving her advice.  She was great.

The amount of details is enough to picture the scenarios but not too much to become bored.  Dialog is plentiful and realistic.  It doesn’t sound stiff.  The mention of God and faith is sprinkled throughout the novel.  The romance is so good.  It has a great love story.

This book is for mature readers because of its subject matter of human trafficking, kidnapping, abuse, murder, and death.   It is certainly not a light piece of fluff.  The author tackles real life, gritty issues that need to be addressed.   After the story look for a note from the author, acknowledgments, eight discussion questions, author’s biography, and advertisements.  I love it when the author includes discussion questions.

I highly recommend this novel to mature readers.  It would be a superb choice for a reading group.  The author included discussion questions, don’t forget.  If you are a fan of contemporary, romantic mystery you won’t want to miss this one.  Even though it is Book 3, it can be read as a stand alone.  I rated it five out of five stars.

A copy was provided from the publisher but I was under no obligation to post a review.  These are my own, honest words.

About “Secrets at Cedar Cabin”

Book Description:

From USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble comes the third book in her beloved Lavender Tides series.
Her mother lied about her identity and her husband wasn’t who she thought he was—can Bailey even trust herself anymore?
Running for her life in the wake of her mother’s murder, Bailey Fleming escapes to the only place she can think of—a remote, dilapidated cabin in Lavender Tides. Intending to finally get to the truth behind the lies of her past, Bailey only finds more questions when bodies are discovered near her cabin hideout along with traces of a dangerous human trafficking ring. In an unlikely partnership with FBI agent Lance Phoenix, Bailey races to understand the mystery surrounding her life and circumstances before the murderer tracks her down.
Meanwhile, Lance is determined to rescue his sister, Ava, who was abducted after running away from home as a teenager. An unexpected lead brings him to the remote cabin, and he wonders if Bailey—with her suspicious past and strange connections to his sister’s case—is really who she claims to be and if she can somehow lead him to Ava.
Filled with Colleen Coble’s custom blend of suspense and romance, Secrets at Cedar Cabin takes us back to the evocative landscape of Washington’s coast where nothing is quite as it seems.
“Secrets at Cedar Cabin is filled with twists and turns that will keep readers turning the pages as they plunge into the horrific world of sex trafficking where they come face to face with evil. Colleen Coble delivers a fast- paced story with a strong, lovable ensemble cast and a sweet heaping helping of romance.” —Kelly Irvin, bestselling author of Tell Her No Lies
“Once again Colleen Coble has delivered a page-turning, can’t-put-down suspense thriller with Secrets at Cedar Cabin! I vowed I’d read it slowly over several nights before going to bed. The story wouldn’t wait—I HAD to finish it!” —Carrie Stuart Parks, award-winning, bestselling author of Portrait of Vengeance and Formula of Deception

About the Author:

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Best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has over 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.
Visit her website at http://colleencoble.com.

Flights of Fancy Celebrate Lit Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Welcome to the Celebrate Lit Flights of Fancy Book Tour and Giveaway.  I am glad you joined us.  You are in for a treat as today I have not just a book review, but also a Q and A section with author Jen Turano, and a giveaway.  Be sure to read all the way to the end for instructions.  Let’s begin with my review of this stellar book. It is Book One in the author’s new American Heiress Series.

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To begin with I love the inspiration for this story.  A real life what if!  So many times I have wondered about how some situations might have turned out differently.  Author took one with her creativity turned it into a wonderful Christian novel.  This historical romance is filled with everything readers enjoy.  I found romance, humor, animals, inspiration, action, adventure, and children along with a nice Christian message.

Author Turano has an enchanting style of writing.  She is a witty and extremely talented storyteller.  Her characters are well described and easily relatable.  The main and even secondary ones were well rounded.  Some were charming and lovable and others downright villains.  Reading this book transported me back to 1885 and dropped me onto a farm.  Within the first chapter I became invested in the book and did not want to stop reading.  I was hooked.  Poor Isadora being pursued by a repulsive older man.  Yes, I could feel her disgust and outrage!  Her emotions transferred to me.

The conversations between characters were plentiful and always a favorite part of any book for me.  Dialogue flowed smoothly without sounding forced.  The descriptions were historically accurate and I even learned a thing or two.  The farm setting was adorable.  This book had me smiling from ear to ear.

This 385 page paperback was extremely well written, well researched, and well planned. Parts of the storyline took me by surprise.  I love twists and turns in fiction.  It keeps me from being bored.  Flights of Fancy also had many moments that made me giggle.  The humor in this is literally laugh out loud great.  Yes, I was well entertained and also inspired.  The lessons of God’s Grace and plans for us, the importance of praying, and of becoming a better person were woven perfectly throughout the story.

Definitely this gets a recommendation from me.  Anyone would enjoy reading this sweet book.  Historical fans, romance fans, inspirational fiction fans all would be captivated.  I certainly was.  This would be another good Book Club read. There is so much to discuss over coffee or tea with friends.  It earned 5 out of 5 stars from me.

A reader copy was provided but I was under no obligation to write a review.  All thoughts are my own, honest ones.

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My Rating: 5-Stars-300x57

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Title: Flights of Fancy

Author: Jen Turano

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Gilded Age

Release date: January 1, 2019

Publisher: Bethany House

Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she’s always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he’s unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner.

Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora’s secret threaten those they love, they’ll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

About the author:

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One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO.

Q & A With Jen Turano

“Flights of Fancy” is the first book in the American Heiress Series. What inspired you to write this series?

The inspiration for this entire series started off with a What If? All of my proposals for new series start off that way, and this time it was – What if Consuelo Vanderbilt had balked when her mother insisted she marry the Duke of Marlborough – and then that led to – What if she’d run away until her mother came to her senses? Just like that, an entire series was born – a bit of a different take on American heiresses because in all three books, my heiresses might decide to go a tad…rogue. We start off with Miss Isadora Delafield – who does run off to avoid marriage to a duke, then we get to meet Miss Poppy Garrison, who is an unexpected heiress but who can’t quite seem to get a handle on the expected social decorum of the day, and then the final book revolves around Miss Beatrix Waterbury – who gets banished to Chicago after she annoys her mother one too many times, and once there, well, gets up to a bit of mischief.

How do you come up with the names of your characters?

I find most of my names as I research the New York Four-Hundred, although I normally take a first name here, a last name there so I’m not stepping on any toes by writing about an actual historical figure – except for some of the main figures in New York society back then, such as Mr. Ward McAllister – who was the social arbiter of the day, or Mrs. William Astor, who was the queen of that society. What I don’t do is simply make up names, no matter how outrageous they may appear. And, no matter how I may love a certain name, if the character decides it doesn’t suit them, that’s it, it’s out and I’m back to the drawing board.

How do you picture your character? Do you use Pinterest, magazines, movies?

Odd as this may seem, I don’t use pictures for my characters. They start off in my mind as a blurry figure, and then, they develop from there – I like to keep my descriptions of them somewhat vague on the pages so that the reader can imagine them exactly the way they’d like them to be.

What are some of your favorite resources for historical research?

I’ve been building up a research library over the past few years and now have over 200 books dedicated to the Gilded Age. My favorites are – “A Season of Splendor” by Greg King, “Society as I Have Found It” by Ward McAllister, “The Gilded Age in New York – 1870-1910” by Esther Crain, and “ ‘King Lehr’ and the Gilded Age” by Elizabeth Drexel Lehr.

The setting for “Flights of Fancy” is a bit of a departure for you since it’s set in and outside of Pittsburgh. Any reason for that?

My mom was born in Pittsburgh, and unfortunately, her father, a prominent attorney back in the day, died when she was only four. I thought it would be cool to set a story in Pittsburgh, which would then allow me to really dive into some research. And get this – while I was doing that research, I found this obscure journal called “Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In that journal was a bit about my great-grandfather, Fred, his wife, Susie, my grandfather, and his brother and sister, but I’d never heard about this brother, who apparently died quite young. One of the most fabulous research tidbits I’ve uncovered to date.

What are you working on now?

I’ve just recently turned in the content edits for the second book in this series, “Diamond in the Rough,” and I’ve also turned in a novella about the Harvey Girls that will be coming out in a novella collection in Fall, 2019. With those out of the way, I’m now starting the third and final book in the American Heiress series, Miss Beatrix Waterbury’s story, but I’m having a bit of a struggle with the hero at the moment – he was supposed to be Edward, but he doesn’t want to be an Edward – I think he wants to be Norman – but, time will tell on that one – don’t hold me to the name – it’ll depend on if he changes his mind or not – pesky characters.

You seem to enjoy adding animals in many of your stories. Will we find any animals in “Flights of Fancy?”

Since Miss Isadora Delafield ends up on a farm, I do believe you will find a few animals, such as an adorable cow by the name of Buttercup, a few goats that seem to have a great liking for laundry, and…there might be some chickens.

Thanks for stopping by today, everyone! Always enjoy visiting with all of you – in fact, that’s the best part of my job!

All the best,

~ Jen ~

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, January 10

Among the Reads, January 10

Through the Fire, January 10

To Everything A Season, January 10

Reflections From My Bookshelves, January 11

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 11

Blogging With Carol, January 11

Southern Gal loves to Read, January 11

Back Porch Reads, January 12

KarenSueHadley, January 12

Godly Book Reviews, January 12

Daysong Refections, January 12

Livin Lit, January 13

The Christian Fiction Girl, January 13

The Becca Files, January 13

Texas Book-aholic, January 13

Rebekah’s Quill, January 14

Blossoms and Blessings, January 14

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, January 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 14

All-of-a-kind Mom, January 15

Just the Write Escape, January 15

Stories By Gina, January 15

God’s Little Bookworm, January 16

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, January 16

Splashes of Joy, January 16

Janices book reviews, January 16

Happily Managing A Household of Boys, January 17

Mary Hake, January 17

Maureen’s Musings, January 17

Bibliophile Reviews, January 17

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, January 18

Baker Kella, January 18

Simple Harvest Reads, January 18 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 19

Captive Dreams Window, January 19

Robin is Bookish, January 19

Carpe Diem, January 19

Have A Wonderful Day, January 20

Life with the Tribe, January 20

Inklings and Notions, January 20

Rachel’s Back Talk, January 21

Inspiration Clothesline, January 21

amandainpa, January 21

A Baker’s Perspective, January 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 22

Pause for Tales, January 22

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 22

Raining Butterfly Kisses, January 23

Live Love Read, January 23

A Rup Life, January 23

Bigreadersite, January 23

Giveaway!!

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To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a grand prize of a trunk filled with all of Jen’s full-length novels released to date!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Giveaway

 

Unsolicited Advice

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Since my husband has retired we spend almost all of our time together.  Good thing we still love each other very much!  Honestly, it is what I have been anticipating for many years, our time.

He never was one to do anything in the kitchen except lick the spoons or steal some cookie door off of the sheet right before I popped it into the oven.  It made me ponder how my friends had gotten so lucky to have husbands that cooked.  Not mine.  He is a self proclaimed “eater”.  Without eaters the world would not need cooks is his logic. (lol)

Last week I was preparing dinner.  A simple beef roast with vegetables in my Rockcrok, a slow cooker.  All of a sudden I had a supervisor.  “Those potatoes need to be cut in quarters instead of halves.” my husband gingerly stated.  Having gotten away with that a minute later he stopped me and said “Whoa, you have enough carrots in there.”  Now I was getting a bit irritated.  The final straw was when he asked “Do you always use that many herbs and keep the celery leaves on?  Maybe that’s too much.”

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I don’t tell him how to run things in the yard or take care of the vehicles, because I have no experience.  He knows so much more than I do in those areas.  Just like I know so much more about cooking than he does.

As soon as that comparison came to my mind, so did something else.  How many times have I done the same thing with God?  Ouch!  Have I really tried to give advice or tell the Creator of the Universe what to do?  Well, yes, I guess I have.

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There have been times I have taken things to Him in prayer, and instead of asking that His will be done or for His help, I have listed what needed to be done.  Have you ever done that?  I would pray asking Him to do specific things so that the end result would be what I thought I needed.  How ridiculous is that?  The child giving instructions to the all knowing Father? Unsolicited advice being given to the One that directs us?

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

Abba doesn’t need a work order from me.  His way is perfect.  He already knows what needs done and what will happen.  All I need to do is lift my request to Him.  God knows exactly what needs to be done.  He is not waiting for my suggestions on how to solve a crisis.

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My prayers now take a different tone.   I know God knows and does what is best.  When I pray I take my concerns to Him, thank Him for being bigger than any issue I have, and leave it with Him.  Believe me, it isn’t always easy.  Sure I would love to include my suggestions but that would be silly.  Jehovah is our powerful God.  He isn’t our God that needs help.

Think about this the next time you pray for something.  Don’t make the same mistake I did.  Ask Him for help not if He needs any.

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Atoning for Ashes by Author Kaitlin Covel

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Don’t you love finding a new author that has penned a book that is so captivating it grabs your attention within the first few pages?  Me, too!  Even better, how about if that novel pulls you so deeply inside that you just have to finish it in one sitting?  Now you know it is a fantastic book, a page turner.  That’s right.  That’s what we are discussing today.   Let the hubby fend for himself and the dishes pile up, I am reading author Kaitlin Covel’s “Atoning for Ashes” Christian historical romance and cannot be bothered.60889CEE-D8F5-41D3-9181-9A24CAF92CBF

Author Covel is a delightful find for me.  She is an exquisitely talented wordsmith that weaves a mesmerizing tale.  Her characters are well rounded, flaws and all, and relatable.  We became fast friends.  Emotions were transferred from her characters to me through the author’s extraordinary writing ability.  At times I was a nervous wreck and others giving advice to fictional characters or rejoicing with them.

Everything in her book was well researched, well organized, and extremely well written.  I loved how she surprised me sometimes with various twists and turns.  The author’s style of writing is nothing short of poetic.  Even the conversations flowed smoothly.  Covel writes English Regency romance as if she has experienced it first hand and passes the experience along to readers.  This is a book to get lost in, but then some dark things happen.  It is grabbed my attention early and held it all the way through until the end.

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Even though it is a God glorifying book, it tackles some adult issues.  Expect fornication, attempted rape, alcoholism, pregnancy outside of marriage, murder, abuse, and struggles of self worth among the more difficult subjects in Atoning for Ashes.  On the other side, look for redemption, forgiveness, grace, restoration, hope, love, trust, and family to shine brightly.

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There are too many favorite quotes to list.  I adore Christian books that do not shy away from discussing God and His mercy.  It is especially refreshing reading about grace and redemption.  If it is a Christian novel, please don’t make me hunt for the lesson and inspiration.  This one did not make me search.

Now for something that did not sit well with me.  First let me say that I am a grandmother so age may play into this, but I did not like the use of the word hell.  If you are talking about the place where Satan inhabits, then it is fine, but if you are frustrated, don’t use it in a Christian novel.  This seemed out of place in Christian fiction to me.  Just my opinion.  It might not bother you.

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I would highly recommend this jewel of a Christian romance fiction that has mystery, intrigue, inspiration, and action.  Because of the adult content I would say an older teen (18) or young adult should be the youngest age to read this.  A mature women’s group would certainly find a lot to discuss using this.  Even with the one thing that I did not like, it earned a 5 out of 5 stars from me.   I expect we will be hearing a lot about author Kaitlin Covel in the months to come.  Watch for her.  Mark your calendars for when this sure to be best seller comes out next month.  You will be glad to have read the debut from this budding new author.  I absolutely was.

i received an advanced reader copy but was under no obligation to write a review.  All opinions are my own, honest ones.

My Rating: 5-Stars-300x57

 

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About the Book:

Josie Chadwick dreams of marrying for love in Cornwall, England, but with her father’s debt threatening to destroy all she holds dear, her romantic options are dwindling. When her elder sister Delia is disowned, Josie finds herself heiress of Chadwick Park, torn between dreams and duty. After sacrificing her heart to atone for Delia’s sin, Josie clings to the hope she will learn to love a distant husband, whom she fears is incapable of requiting her affection.

Charles Radcliffe’s heart has been scarred and hardened by rejection. He fears hurting his new bride, but his fears of betrayal and rejection are stronger, making it impossible for him to trust her love―let alone the love of her God.

As Josie and Charles face their new life together, ominous events warn of dark family secrets that could shatter them both. More than a loveless marriage is at stake if they cannot stand as one. Will they learn to trust God and each other before it’s too late?

Preorder your copy today! Releasing on February 14th.

Purchase Link:https://www.amazon.com/Atoning-Ashes-Novel-Kaitlin-Covel/dp/1632694840/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kaitlin Covel has a thirst for adventure much like the heroines of her stories and resides in her beloved state of Maine. She is an old-fashioned romantic, and if she could time travel to any historical period, it would be the Regency Era. Kaitlin is a certified Nutritional Therapist Technician, but writing is her passion. Her debut novel, Atoning for Ashes, releases on February 14th, 2019 from Deep River Books.

Visit her official website at http://www.kaitlincovel.com.

Happy Birthday Mom, Our Own Proverbs 31 Woman

Posted on by abbasprayerwarriorprincess

Today is the birthday of a very special lady.  It is my sweet, dear Mother’s birthday.

She has been one of the best gifts God has ever given to me.  I have loved her every day of my life since it began.  Yes, it was love at first sight for us.  Hearing her voice is like a soothing balm to my soul.  In fact, I would venture to guess that melodious voice calmed me while she was carrying me safely inside of her over sixty years ago.

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Everyday we talk.  We begin our days with a check-in call.  Throughout the day I can’t count the number of calls.  I depend on her for so many thing.  “Mom, how do I…..” or  “what was the name of that ….” or even “do you remember what recipe Mammaw used for…” are some of the normal lead-ins.  Let’s not forget the ever popular “Mom, I need to know what you would do….”  To be honest, sometimes I just want to hear her voice.  Before we go to bed each evening, we call to say “good night, I love you” and sincerely mean it.

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This beloved, exceptional woman gives sage advice to whomever asks.  It is never unsolicitated.  Mom waits until she is sought.  Her counsel is biblically based and comes from experience.

She is very loving.  Whether via gifts, words, hugs, or kisses, Mom makes certain we know that she loves us all, and equally.  There are no favorites with her.af019dec-b67e-4e33-a91a-e2f2a758f2a2 Through her guidance I was lead to the Lord at an early age and taught to follow and obey Him.  I love that we still talk about Him – what He does for our family, how He answers our prayers, what we need to take before Him, and how we should serve Him by serving others.  A big smile overtakes my face as I remember her holding my hand for bedtime prayers.  We would go through the family asking our Heavenly Father to bless each one as we named them.

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My Mother provides the best living example for a Proverbs 31 woman.  She worked full time, kept a spotless house that was a loving home, and made delicious meals. If a friend needed help or school needed a sponsor, she volunteered.  Besides all of that, she was and still is a member of a community organization, has been on others, helps those in need, is an active member of our church, is a shrewd businesswoman, and is the best wife, Mother, Grammy, family member, and friend you will encounter.  Yes, maintains a sparkling clean home and is a fabulous cook still today.  I have never seen her drink any alcohol, smoke a cigarette, or heard a curse pass her sweet lips.  Absolutely, she is a true jewel and Proverbs 31 woman, not to mention a role model for many.

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Her life has touched a multitude.  People have told me stories of how she helped them in various ways.  When I was a young girl I remember going with her to take meals to  shut-ins.  We did not just drop the food off.  We visited, tidied up, and read the Bible.

I know how to take care of my husband and children because of her.  A lot of the fun things we did were activities she did with us.  Those trickled down and I see my children doing them with their children now.  She makes everything fun, exciting and memorable.   Our family still quotes things she said years ago and mimics things she has done.  She is the Queen of our family and glue that keeps us together.

By example she showed me how sisters love each other, how mothers treat their children, and how to maintain lifelong friendships as she has two that are older than I am.  Those ladies are like family now.  Family is important to Mom, second only to God.

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Happy Birthday to you, Mama.  I wish you many more happy ones.  Thank you for everything you have given me, given up for me, taught me, and for being the beautiful Christian lady you are.  You are adored and cherished.  I am blessed beyond measure that I was given the honor of being your daughter.  There are not enough worlds to express my love and gratitude to you.

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Sometimes I wonder where or what I would be if you had not been chosen as my Mother, but that thought is quickly dismissed.  You were chosen, and I was abundantly blessed.  You are absolutely perfect for me and our entire family, but God already knew that.  Lord, we are so thankful for her and the choice You made when you gave us our own Proverbs 31 woman.