YOUTH AND GOD'S GREAT LOVE

By Ada Brownell

Viewing the underbelly of society as a newspaper reporter affected me.  I can't forget the woman whose teenage son committed suicide; The high school gal I did a story about who excelled in academics as well as sports, who killed herself before she could be valedictorian.

I talked with teen mothers in a high school class designed to train them in caring for their babies, with the emphasis on preventing child abuse. Only one young mom in the class of about 20 still dated the infant's father. I could detect anger against parents, former boyfriends, and even the babies.

I remember the juvenile ward at the Colorado Mental Health Institute. A psych tech told me abuse, physical and sexual, affected many of them. That might explain the obscene gesture one patient made to me when I walked into their television room.

 Serious thought disorders affected other patients. One of the kids killed his parents. The youths hee-hawed about being insane, putting on a show of disgusting faces and actions.

I stumbled into the story where a half dozen 12-year-old boys who gang raped an 8-year-old girl were in court.

Then every year, sometimes more often, I reported statistics on teen pregnancy (kids as young as 11 or 12 gave birth); abortions; and sexually transmitted diseases in our county.

As the mother of five, I wondered why we have these things happening to our children. Are we so busy earning money we neglect our own flesh and blood?

Praise the Lord my children  all serve the Lord. From their births I wanted them to grow up, as I did, knowing God loves them and has a plan for their lives—and they did.

Yet, evil forces work to destroy their faith, so thanks to things I learned in teaching teens in Christian education classes and my other biblical studies, I acquired much needed knowledge to impart to my family. They knew serving the Lord was first in my life, and my most earnest desire for them was and is that they live for Jesus.

Most important, I spent lots of time with them--and  on my knees.

Yet, I knew parents don't have control. Each child has to decide whether to believe God's Word and accept salvation.

Although I've seen effects of sin as a journalist, I don't dwell on wickedness plaguing our society, and I don't advise others to do so. The Lord gives too much joy and things to rejoice about to spend too much time smelling the pig pens in life.

Our children need to know more about the joy unspeakable and full of glory that the Lord provides and the rivers of living water that refresh and strengthen our souls. Paul was in a prison cell, but he rejoiced and told us to rejoice because God is still on the throne.

The good news is our children can be righteousness, even in this wicked society. "For God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might sow the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7NKJ).

All five our children grew up to serve the Lord, be examples of the wonder God creates in His children, and have been or are in Christian ministry, and one of them, Carolyn, is in heaven. What a blessing! What a joy!

©Copyright Ada Brownell February 2014

My book, IMAGINE THE FUTURE YOU, was birthed in part from my esperiences as a journalist.

Here's the summary:

IMAGINE THE FUTURE YOU

By Ada Brownell

Will you be the person you dream of being—or someone from your nightmares?

You don’t need a fortune teller to reveal your future. You are the person who determines who you will be, what your life will be like, and how your hopes and dreams will be fulfilled.

This book will show how to make the right connections, how to grow your talents, and how to begin believing in yourself and things greater than yourself—for a wonderful Future You!

A Bible study available in paper or for Kindle http://www.amazon.com/dp/1489558284

Ada Brownell’s author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06

 Also available in audio at www,audible.com   Free book with new Audible membership

Author Eleanor Gustafson talks about an ornery horse named Dyamo

I LOVE STORIES

By Eleanor Gustafson 

I’m a fiction writer, and my mother’s lap nurtured my love of story. Story conveys Truth, even though we’re talking fiction. Truth is often perplexing to main characters and needs to be sorted out. Real life is like that. As a friend once observed, story allows a reader to try on life like a coat, to test it out before actually having to deal with real-life problems. One of the troubling aspects of today’s younger generation is that they are so caught up in texting and video games that they don’t have a base for learning real life or how to form in-depth relationships. Even though they’re “relating” all day long, it is usually mindless chatter, with no meaningful connection. And because they seldom read, they have no way of trying on life to see how other people have done it, either good or bad.

A writer has other mountains to scale, as well. In a sense, a fiction author plays God in setting up plot and characters. Who are the good guys, the bad guys? Will the story have a happy or tragic ending? How will each of the characters react to their specific situation? The act of controlling characters’ lives becomes a huge responsibility. Add to that a desire to move readers to a higher plane of spiritual involvement, and you begin to feel that playing God is not such a cool idea, after all!

But—speaking Truth in our writing will help readers “try on life” to see the consequences of good or bad behavior before they actually have to face the choices themselves. God willing, our labor will not have been in vain.

Dynamo is my fifth published novel, and in it I have tried to speak Truth. Not easy Truth, however. Dynamo is a nasty stallion; Jeth is his trainer. Things do not go well, and God Himself keeps doing bizarre things that keep Jeth off balance. There’s Maybelle, though, an old lady who serves as God’s Witness. She both steadies Jeth and scares him to death with particular Scripture verses. How does it all come out? Seems predictable in the beginning, but halfway through, all bets are off.

Reviews from Goodreads and Amazon:

·         “Nothing is common about this story. It is so full of love, peace, forgiveness, life and loss. It is really, really a book to read.”

·        

·         “For me, the best part is that people's lives are changed by the power of God's Spirit .”

·         “Powerful, gripping, and gritty...these are only a few words to try to describe the wonderful story brought to life by Eleanor Gustafson.”

Bio on the Run:

I grew up in Branchville, New Jersey, population 1000,

in a county that had more cows than people. There, I learned to love horses and the annual County Farm and Horse Show where I saw spectacular five-gaited horses like Dynamo.

God first touched me through a story, and he has molded and kneaded me all my life. I went to Wheaton College, IL, as a music major, then married, had 3 kids and 8 grandchildren. I eventually got weaned off of music, largely after trying on the cloak of writing and finding it quite comfortable.

Eugene Peterson is a writer of huge influence on my life. His books are meaty and challenging, and having endorsed my novel on King David, The Stones, he is my forever friend. The Stones may taste good to you, also.

Death from the Choking Game. Why Be Bitter?

Why Be Bitter?

By Cindy Loven

In our story, Swept Away (releasing November 18^th from Abingdon House) Sara Jane Morgan was an orphan, her parents died when she was just twelve years old. For years their death and the circumstances around their death shaped Sara.

Just as the fictional story shaped Sara and made her who she was, our life stories shape us. In our story, Sara had to choose whether she would allow her life to be bitter. We each face things in our lives that bring us to this decision. Loss of jobs, loss of friends, loss of family members.

Five and half years ago my youngest son died, playing the choking game. To help myself, handle the grief I strived to help parents learn more about this dangerous game. (For more info visit this site http://gaspinfo.com/en/home.html)

We never know from day to day, what life brings us. My son's death brought new friends into my life, friends who too have walked the path of a grieving parent. People I may have never known if my son hadn't died.

I have always been a people watcher, so I have observed these friends, each of them faced with the choice, to be be bitter. Some of them immediately chose not to live with bitterness in their hearts, but too often it is easy to become bitter. Questions are normal, grief is normal, and all of us grieve differently. Yes we have all read the five stages of grief, and none of us can say we grieved the same way. Don't let life and the circumstances surrounding you, make you bitter. Yes it is true I probably do not know what you deal with on a daily basis, nor have I walked in your shoes. The same can be said for my shoes too, we each have the choice to make. Why be bitter? There is a balance in life that often is hard to find. Choose not to be bitter.

My son would be twenty in just a few days, (27^th) it is easy to wonder and ask the “what if” questions. What if he hadn't died?  What would he be like? Would he still be that loveable happy kid? I will never know those answers, but I do know where he is. He loved the Lord and I am sure he is in Heaven, with other family members gone on.

 

Today I choose not to be bitter.Swept Away Blurb:

He survived a life-altering event. She is facing one.

Sara Jane Morgan is trying to balance teaching with caring for her grandmother who doesn’t want to be cared for. When school lets out for the summer, the plans are for Grandma to teach Sara Jane to quilt as they finish up the Appalachian Ballad quilt Grandma started as a teenager. But things don’t always go as planned.

Andrew Stevenson is hiding from his past—and his future. He works as a handyman to pay the bills, but also as an artisan, designing homemade brooms. When Sara Jane’s grandmother hires him to renovate her home, sparks fly between him and his new employer’s granddaughter.

It doesn’t take Sara Jane long to see Drew isn’t what he seems. Questions arise, and she starts online researching him. What she discovers could change her life—and her heart—forever.

Buy Links:

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Swept-Away-Laura-V-Hilton-ebook/dp/B00KIW0M3A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402602371&sr=8-1&keywords=Swept+Away+Quilts+of+Love

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/swept-away-cindy-loven/1118933288?ean=9781426773624

Christian Books.com

http://www.christianbook.com/swept-away-quilts-of-love/cindy-loven/9781426773624/pd/773622?product_redirect=1&Ntt=773622&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

Deeper Shopping

http://www.deepershopping.com/item/hilton-loven/swept-away-quilts-of-love/6154169.html

Cokesbury

http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=1259230&rank=1&txtSearchQuery=Swept+Away+Quilts+of+Love

BIO:

Cindy Loven, an avid reader all her life, is seeing her dreams fulfilled, with the publication of her first novel, Swept Away Quilt of Love.  She co-authored this novel with Laura V. Hilton.  Born and raised in Arkansas, she loves her home state and is happy to live there with her husband of nearly twenty-nine years and her adult son. She and her family are very active in their local church, serving in many volunteer positions. She and her husband are very serious about informing parents about the dangers of the choking, after loosing their youngest son to this dreadful 'game' in 2009.  When not busy with church or her job as a “pr gal” for another author, you can find Cindy in her craft room, ,sewing, crocheting or making cards.

Where to find me on the web:

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/authorcindyloven

Twitter handle: @cndloven

Blog: http://cindylovenwrites.blogspot.com

Pinterest:http://www.pinterest.com/cndloven/

Amazon Page:http://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Loven/e/B00J54NEQY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

A HEART ATTACK HE WOULDN'T TRADE.

By James Wilcox

I dearly love this saying. “It isn’t of great concern…a child who fears the dark. But this is tragic…an adult who fears The Light!”  I can assure you…The Light is nothing to fear. 

                                                                                                                            September 21, 2011 started out like most mornings. Even though I had been having some chest pains off and on over the last several days, the past thirty six hours had been pain free. Yet getting up that Wednesday morning, I somehow knew the pain was going to return. Nonetheless, I went outside a little before seven to do my chores. By the time I finished, the pain was the worst it had ever been. My chest felt like it would explode!  Approaching a tractor, I leaned on it, my vision beginning to blur. 

I suddenly realized that death was very near and it frightened me. However, the fear quickly left and never returned as I became aware of a caring light that enveloped me. It was paper-thin but was enough to keep the utter, unbelievable, coal black darkness away from me. I was not seeing any colors, only white and black. I didn’t see Him, yet I knew with all certainty it was Jesus who asked me if I wanted to live. Immediately, I answered, “Yes.”

There were many things that began to happen. The light pushed hard against the endless darkness, moving it back several feet. Until then, I felt I was suffocating because the blackness was so heavy and seemed so determined. I thought about lying down but knew for certain, if I voluntarily lay down, I would surely die! I decided to try and make it to the car, which was about eighty feet away. Without realizing it, I was beginning my journey through ‘The Valley of the Shadow of Death.’

During this walk and for a short time afterward, I have no memory of the relentless pain in my chest. When I began to walk, the sinister darkness attacked the light, battering against it constantly. As the protecting light was pushed in at various spots, it repelled the single-minded darkness every time and maintained its posture. Walking on, this action continued and was now occurring at a faster pace than when it began. Many times, the harsh darkness formed a cone, ramming into the light, attempting to penetrate it. 

I reasoned from the beginning of this battle, if there were even a hole smaller than the size of a tiny pin in the serene light, the ruthless darkness would get through and I would be engulfed in complete blackness. Suddenly, I heard a voice asking. “What if you fall down?” There is no doubt in my mind; Satan himself had asked this question! 

Without any misgivings, I quickly and confidently answered. “If I can’t help it, I needn’t be worried.” The constant, persistent, ramming and repelling was even faster now. I ignored the possibility of involuntarily falling as I continued to walk, not fearing what might happen, should I fall. 

Reaching the car, I stood against it. The raging battle began to subside, and then stopped altogether. Jesus inquired once again. “Do you want to live?” My mind said, “Yes,” but I really didn’t give an answer, being certain my response needed to be delayed. I now saw a door. An image behind it was obscure through a glass but nonetheless there…Jesus Himself! Suddenly, I realized I was in a very unique room.

This rectangular room was not large but had a ceiling, hardwood floor and walls. The door Jesus was standing behind was at one end. The other end was completely open to the world I knew. Gazing at it, I even saw colors! Having no desire to go to that familiar world, this one-of-a-kind room quickly drew my focus back to itself. I was awestruck, at great peace, very content and felt totally secure in this extraordinary room which was full of wondrous light. The soothing light was comforting beyond description! 

Somehow, I could see the darkness was confined on the outside of the two walls and ceiling. This matchless room had no roof. All of a sudden, I was sure, if I chose to die, Jesus would be a bit disappointed in me, yet I would still be welcomed into heaven. It made me realize God must still have something for me to do in the world!                                                                                                                                        

The moment was now upon me to respond to the all-important question Jesus had asked. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, I discerned the answer I needed to give Jesus was not a simple “yes” or “no,” but involved a great deal more. Was my faith and relationship I professed with my Savior a facade or was it real? Without any concern about the outcome, it was with complete sincerity, release, trust and peace I answered His question saying, “You decide. It’s up to You.”                                                                                                                        

Instantly, the darkness cowered away in retreat to a point I could no longer see it being replaced with that marvelous, all-encompassing light. Next, the door, image and room were gone as life started to become normal again, except for the Herculean pain deep in my chest. I managed to get the car in front of the yard, made my way into the house and in a few minutes was taken to our local hospital by members of my family.

I will always remember the peace that continued to dwell deep within me on arrival at our local emergency room. There was never any uncertainty in my mind that God would see me thorough whatever lay ahead. Since our small rural hospital isn’t equipped to handle a major heart attack victim, a Flight for Life helicopter was called to take me to a hospital in Colorado Springs. Given the way our medical system works, I should have been taken to a hospital in Pueblo. Was it oversight? I’m sure it wasn’t! It was unbelievable how every event of that day fell into place like a well-fitting puzzle. Only God could have orchestrated it. Later that same day, I had triple bypass surgery and spent six days in the hospital.

Am I bitter because I had to endure the pain, trauma, expense and inconvenience that accompany heart surgery? Not in the least. God allowed me to encounter Him in an unprecedented way and took me on a spiritual adventure I wouldn’t trade for the entire universe!

Learn more about James

James has been a life long rancher in southern Colorado. He and his wife, Bobbie, have been married nearly forty five years. They have three adult children and enjoy being grandparents. James has held various church offices throughout the years. He was also an officer on the local 4-H fair board for ten years and has been active in various school and other community functions. In 1994, James was involved in a tractor accident that left him with a broken neck. He knows first hand that God does give people second chances and is very aware of His love for us.  

                                      

Bullrider's wife's historical novel, Romancing the Widow by Davalynn Spencer.

By Davalyn Spencer

My recent release, Romancing the Widow, is the third in a 3-book historical series for Heartsong Presents. It tells the story of Martha Hutton, daughter of Caleb and Annie Hutton from book one. Interesting how I met these people.

A couple of years ago, another publisher sent out a call for historical Christmas novellas, so I wrote one set here in Cañon City, Colorado. This area is rich with history, from the 1800s buildings still lining Main Street to the aspen-flecked mountains and canyons around the town.

However, that publisher did not take the story.

Earlier I’d sold a novel to Heartsong Presents, and the editor wanted to know if I had a historical series in me. Well, I had the start of one, so I said yes, and the wheels started turning. I signed a 3-book contract and introduced myself to the Hutton family. The first, The Cowboy Takes a Wife, told how my characters Annie Whitaker and Caleb Hutton met in the fledgling Cañon City in 1860. Branding the Wrangler’s Heart explored the life of their son, Whit Hutton and his sweetheart, Livvy Hartman. By that time, Whit’s sister, Marti, needed her own book, and boy did I have fun with her story. Especially the hero, a dark and mysterious Colorado Ranger.

Research led me to a couple of modern-day, real-life rangers and the group’s history which you can read more about on their website. https://www.coloradoranger.org/index.php/history

Looking back over that year, I am amazed at how much better things turned out than I had hoped for—even in rejection. The Lord turned a “no thank you” into a “yes, please.”

He’s good at that.

Book blurb for Romancing the Widow:

Martha Stanton isn’t looking for love. The light went out of Martha's soul when her husband fell to a bullet in St. Louis. Now, back in her hometown of Cañon City, she's convinced she'll never know happiness again. Until she crosses paths with a darkly mysterious Colorado Ranger.
Haskell Jacobs has a mission. And the beautiful, flame-haired widow sure isn't it. But Martha is somehow mixed up in the crime that brought Haskell to the rough-and-tumble town…and soon, she's entangled in the lawman's heart. But the danger that lurks around them is all too real. Can they find strength and love in each other before it's too late?

Author bio:

Wife and mother of professional rodeo bullfighters, Davalynn Spencer began her writing journey in the national rodeo market and as a newspaper journalist, winning awards in both arenas. Today she continues to win acclaim with her inspirational western romance placing second in the 2014 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, and finaling for the Selah Award and the Holt Medallion. Davalynn teaches writing at Pueblo Community College, and with her handsome cowboy, has three children and four grandchildren. They make their home on Colorado’s Front Range with a Queensland heeler named Blue. Connect with Davalynn online at www.davalynnspencer.com, www.Facebook.com/AuthorDavalynnSpencer.com and on Twitter @davalynnspencer.  

CIVIL WAR NOVEL: STRANGER ON MY LAND and AN AFTERNOON WITH MY DAD

An Afternoon with my Dad – Sandra Merville Hart

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” 1 Kings 19:11a (NIV)

As I crossed the covered bridge into the prayer garden, the serenity immediately welcomed me. I drank in the beauty of the blooming flowers in the midst of the Mountain Laurel. The brook sang as it skipped over smooth stones.

How I wished I could share this moment with my dad! Seven years ago, he had joined my mother in Heaven a mere five months after her death.

Always most comfortable outdoors, this peaceful garden and the beauty of the surrounding mountainside would have fed his soul.

If I could spend one more afternoon with him, what would we talk about?

On second thought, I wouldn’t bring him to this mountain. I would take him instead to a clear stream near his childhood home in the Smoky Mountains. Maybe we’d hike along those paths he once loved as he talked of old memories.

I’ve often wished for his wise council in the past year. His words had a way of pointing me in the right direction. He helped me consider the costs. Even so, if there was a way to spend an afternoon with him, I wouldn’t ask questions. I’d simply listen to whatever he wanted to say. I’m sure we’d stop talking to enjoy the gentle rush of the stream as the birds serenaded us.

Even though my dad couldn’t meet me in the garden, God did.

God joins us wherever we are - serene gardens, neighborhood parks, and quiet times on our knees. He offers wisdom from His Word and from His heart, freely given to His loved ones – each one of us. Like a parent with a toddler, He gently guides faltering steps. In times of prayer, He helps us count the cost of our decisions. Our choices matter since answering 'yes' to something may mean closing the door on another opportunity. God's instruction is always just what we need.

God will be with us not only for an afternoon in the garden, but for all our days.  

A Stranger on My Land by Sandra Merville Hart

Back Cover

Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find a wounded soldier on their land after a battle which later became known as "The Battle Above the Clouds." Adam, a Union soldier, has been shot twice in the arm. Though Carrie is reluctant to take Adam to their cave where her family hides their livestock from both armies, she cannot turn her back on him.

But her Aunt Lavinia, bitter over what Yankees have done to their land, urges Carrie to allow Adam to die. Carrie refuses, but cannot remove the bullets. Adam's friendship with Jay softens her heart toward him. It's not long until his gratitude and teasing manner spark a friendship between the young couple. Even though Carrie's father fights for the Confederacy in far-off Virginia, her feelings for the handsome young soldier begin to blossom into love.

When Adam's condition worsens, Carrie knows a Union surgeon is needed to save his life. How can she accomplish this and keep her family's hiding place a secret?

Book summary:

Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find Adam, a wounded Union soldier, on their land after a battle near their Lookout Mountain home. Carrie takes Adam to the cave where her family has been hiding from the soldiers. Before long, she falls in love with him, but she can't save his life. He requires a surgeon. Carrie weighs the potential danger of revealing her family's hideaway with saving Adam's life. 

Bio:     Sandra Merville Hart loves to find unusual facts in her historical research to use in her stories. She and her husband enjoy traveling to many of the sites in her books to explore the history. She serves as Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com where she contributes articles about history and holidays. She has written for several publications and websites including The Secret Place, Harpstring, Splickety Magazine, Pockets Magazine, Common Ground, Afictionado, and ChristianDevotions.us. Her inspirational Civil War novella, A Stranger on My Land, released on August 21, 2014. It is available at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-My-Land-Sandra-Hart/dp/1941103278/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405606746&sr=1-1&keywords=A+Stranger+on+my+land.

A SAMPLE BOOK PROPOSAL

NEW BOOK PROPOSAL

 

TITLE:                          THE LADY FUGITIVE

______________________________________________________________________________

BYLINE:                                 Ada Brownell

COPY LINE:                                    A novel--Completed

CONTENT:                             A 17-year-old stage performer (elocutionist and singer) runs away from her physically abusive uncle, but she is caught in a perilous web. Could the peddler who constantly appears be a venomous spider in her life, or the one to help her untangle her problems?

AUDIENCE:                            Anyone who loves historical romance from a Christian viewpoint with elements of suspense, mystery and historical details.

CATEGORY:                           Inspirational historical romance.

TONE:                                     The tone of the book reflects the emotions of a young woman on the run. If she does not get away, she will be abused by the razor strap. Because he is a judge, he will find her. But on the first page Jenny meets William, a young peddler, and there’s a hint of romance as they run to each other while she runs trying to avoid capture, and he sells household goods, shows a Passion of the Christ moving picture, and searches for his brother. Humor trickles in early in the book and splashes here and there throughout the novel. William’s romantic notions are interrupted when his father is murdered and he goes after the killer. Jenny finds strength to quit running and face whatever happens, only to discover the man she loves is going to collect the reward for her capture.

SPIRITUAL PAYLOAD:         Although Jenny doubts God cares about her since she lost her parents, her home, and her twin brother had to run away to avoid the judge’s whip, in the end she learns God will go through anything with her--the brambles of grief, the thorn bushes of despair, and He will even reach over unbelief’s precipice to hold her in his arms as a shepherd does his sheep. “The Ninety and Nine,” a new song in that era, is William’s favorite hymn and she often hears him singing.

LENGTH                                 101,569 Words

ADDITIONAL TITLES FOR THIS WORK:                        

·         The Peddler and Peachville’s Belle

·         Love Comes over the Mountain

·         Yucca Blossom Bride

·         Love finds her in Yucca Blossom

ISSUES OF UNIQUE INTEREST:

 

• The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ moving picture is a remarkable relic from the dawn of cinema. First released in 1902 by France’s Pathé film company, it was expanded and tinkered with for the next three years, reaching its complete form in 1905. The author’s grandfather traveled about the country showing a similar, or perhaps, the same picture.

• How an orphaned young woman has to run away from the judge (now her caretaker) who attempts to spank her with a razor strap and barely misses hitting her with his fist. Her brother already left because the uncle tried to take a horse whip to him. An underlying message is she doesn't like the way the judge stares at her body. Girls need to fight against abuse, and leave that environment, if necessary.

• The popularity of elocutionists in that era. Jenny, an elocutionist, had performed on stage in Peachville before she had to run. She draws on this experience in a later part of this book. The author’s grandmother was an elocutionist who performed on stage at an opera house in the late 1800s.

• The intense advice William receives from a traveling minister about anger management and how William finds strength to keep from killing his father’s murderer.

HISTORY OF THIS WORK:

Portions of this book have been read by critique group members of American Christian Fiction Writers, judges for the ACFW genesis contest, Kim Moore of Harvest House. The book was edited by Deirdre Lockhart.

COMPARATIVE INSPIRATIONAL HISTORICAL NOVELS

NOTE: I have reviewed more than 40 books in the last couple of years for publishers and authors who are members of American Christian Fiction Writers.

• THE MERCHANT’S DAUGHTER by Melanie Dickerson

 I didn’t expect to be so impressed by a book set in 1352 in Glynval, England. I like historicals, but the 1300s?

       What I discovered behind the intriguing cover of The Merchant’s Daughter was perhaps the most uplifting novel I’ve read in years. Annabel may be one of the most lovable characters created by a writer. Her prosperous family slid into poverty after Father died and now the Glynval lord demands her family work in the fields.

       Annabel’s mother, her siblings, pampered by servants all their lives, refuse to work like the impoverished, but Annabel gladly prepares meals, cleans and goes to market.

       A new lord is coming and a court decides the penalty for her family’s neglect to do their duties in the harvest. Annabel’s brother thinks the only solution is for Annabel, age 17 and the youngest in the family, to marry someone with money who will pay their fines. Bailoff Tom, as round as a pregnant cow and Father’s age, has asked for Annabel’s hand. He will pay the family’s fines so they don’t need to work—if she will agree to marry him.

       Her brother informs her she has no choice—but she refuses, accepting servitude to the new lord instead of marriage, which will save her family. Annabel’s greatest desire is to be a nun so perhaps she’ll have access to the Bible and be able to read about God.

       Her trouble is just beginning. When she leaves home, she sticks a kitchen knife in her pocket for protection. She barely escaped from Bailiff Tom’s advances earlier.

The new lord is younger than expected, his arm mangled by a wolf when he rescued a child. He’s full of bitterness, is demanding, and yet he has a Bible and requests Annabel to read the scriptures to him at night.

One of the most touching moments is when she goes through Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth with the lord. She is thrilled at the wonder of the virgin birth, showing nothing is impossible with God. She is astounded that Mary’s spirit “rejoiced,” at the child to be born by the Holy Spirit and that God announced the birth of the Messiah to lowly shepherds instead of rich folks and kings.

While she works faithfully in servitude and reads to him each night, the lord’s anger tames and they become friends. But then crises erupt which could destroy them both.

As in life, they must discover for themselves if nothing is impossible with God.

.

·         FAITH’S REWARD, by Tammy Barley, Whitaker House, 2011. Jessica and Jake Bennett struggle to protect each other and their unborn child, but severe weather, men who murdered her parents, and those who stole her inheritance threaten their financial survival and their lives. Jessica is a fighter, though, and frequently disobeys others’ advice and goes out on her own to solve problems. Sometimes it gets her into trouble, like the dangerous visit to an Indian village to ask for pneumonia remedies. The author knows how to paint a scene, set you down in it, then makes you wonder how Jessica could put herself into so many dangerous situations. But then you know the answer. Jessica needs these criminals to be unmasked and possibly hang. But how can a pregnant woman bring them to justice?

·         HEAD IN THE CLOUDS, by Karen Witemeyer, Bethany House, 2010. Adelaide Proctor expects a marriage proposal from Henry Belcher in 1883, but finds he doesn’t expect to see her again because the traveling salesman will no long travel to Cisco, Texas, to see her. She quits her teaching job, follows him and discovers he’s married. Led by a cloud like the Children of Israel, in Fort Worth she notices an advertisement for a governess for a ranch owner’s daughter. Adelaide needs employment, so she answers the ad, and lands the job despite stiff competition. The rancher’s mute daughter creates a challenge, but Adelaide fashions a learning atmosphere, adding fun and laughter. Then she discovers evidence of two murders and the murderer is stalking more victims. Karen Witemeyer artfully wraps romance so tightly with suspense it’s difficult to put the book down. I loved living with her characters a few days, and breathed a sigh of relief when she brought them to a satisfying ending.

The proposal continues with a two-page summary, vitae, and sample chapters. 

HERE'S THE COVER OF THE LADY FUGITIVE--RELEASED JULY 18 BY ELK LAKE PUBLISHER. NOW AVAILABLE AT http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06

A ROMANCE REKINDLED: FORGIVE AND FORGET

Forgive and Forget

By Kimberly Rose Johnson

Mark 11:25

There are many instances in the Bible where we are told to forgive. Sometimes following that command is easy, and other times not so much. I guess it all depends on the reason for the pain.

I am reminded of my character, Susan, in A Romance Rekindled. She had her heart broken without explanation. She held onto the pain for years without even realizing it was still there. Then this person came back into her life and then she needed to find it within herself, and with the Lord’s help, to forgive.

I suppose there’s not a person on earth who hasn’t been emotionally injured by another. If someone has caused you pain, I hope you will be able to forgive this person. I know some rotten stuff happens and forgiveness isn’t easy—not even close to easy. But, it’s possible with the Lord’s help.

There’s a saying that holding a grudge only hurts the person hanging onto the pain. Our hope is in the Lord. He is our comfort and He is there when we call on Him.

I pray today that wherever you are on your life journey, that you may find peace and hope in the Lord and that you will be able to let go of the hurts inflicted by others on you.

 Number 6:24-26

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%206:24-26&version=NIV

Bio:Kimberly Rose Johnson holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two teenage sons, and their yellow lab. She writes sweet Christian romance for Heartsong Presents and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys taking long walks with her husband and dog, reading, dark chocolate and time with friends.
You may contact Kimberly via her website at http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

Blurb:

SUSAN HILL ISN'T READY TO FORGIVE 
The small-town CPA can't forget how Blake Mitchell jilted her and left their hometown without an explanation. But when her first love returns to Leavenworth, the ruggedly handsome writer evokes conflicting emotions, especially when Susan meets the child she assumes is his daughter.
Since his parents' deaths six years ago, Blake's been raising his little sister on his own. But he's never forgotten the woman he left behind. Now, he can't undo the past, but maybe he can change the future…if he can convince Susan to give him one more chance.

Links: Christianbooks.com, Amazon.com, Barns and Noble

JESUS CAME DOWN--THE HOPE FOR AMERICA

By Ada Brownell

      I stood before George Washington’s burial site in a beautiful garden at Mount Vernon. Chills crept over me as I read the inscription in the inner tomb—Jesus’ words: “I am the resurrection and the life, He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

Later thinking about our first president and controversies surrounding his faith, I wasn’t sure I’d  sit down and talk to George “over there.” But who knows except God?

The truth is, there is scripture all over Washington, D.C.’s memorial sites. Whether our country’s forefathers lived exemplary Christian lives, documents and much of what they left is filled with references to God and Bible quotes.

I thought about how different the legacies our nation might leave today for the next generation. In our public schools, students are taught they appeared on earth without a Designer, and they are no more than animals. The Ten Commandments are banned, but filthy books assigned. No wonder we have mass killings, millions of babies aborted, thousands of teens infected by sexually transmitted diseases every year, drug and alcohol addiction, suicides, cheaters among students, half the people unable to make a marriage work, and a good percentage of children growing up without two parents.

Instead of teaching children moral values and that they are loved by the God who designed their DNA, Christianity is treated as the nation’s biggest enemy, and the name of Jesus can’t even be mentioned with respect at the same colleges like Yale and Harvard—started by Christian organizations.

Other nations are becoming serious threats to the United States and our economy is in serious danger of collapsing. But instead of falling to our knees in repentance and asking for God’s mercy to heal our land, we saturate our minds with amusements to make us forget. We live for today and forget tomorrow.

In contrast to the foreboding darkness obscuring our future, I think of Easter sunrise services I’ve attended when the church ventures out in the cool morning before daylight and watches the sun rise as it did near a garden more than 2,000 years ago.  We recall the words of the angel who appeared: “He is risen!”

A couple of weeks ago a scripture jumped out at me: “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me…. And this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the son and believes in him may have everlasting life” (John 6: 38, 40).

That’s good news! He has come down from heaven to give abundant and eternal life.  The sun still rises over America, and it has risen since the day we joined the Indians on this wonderful continent. I believe there is hope for those who want it.

-Ada Brownell, a retired reporter for The Pueblo Chieftain, is the author of the book, Swallowed By Life: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal.

Amazon Ada Brownell author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06

© Ada Brownell

Giving Away three Audio copies of Imagine the Future You

To enter the drawing, leave a comment on this blog or send an email to ada@adabrownell.com and sign up for my newsletter. Use this book to build your faith, the faith of your family, or those in a Sunday school class. The book;s Q/A makes it easy to use for a Bible study textbook.

                                  IMAGINE YOUR TOMORROWS

                               By Ada Brownell

What could I imagine I would be like when I grew up?

Here I was, a scrawny freckled-face redhead, poor, wearing my brother’s hand-me-downs. My brother’s union-alls had a button up flap in the back that had to be unbuttoned by one of the big people in the family before I could go to the outhouse. I think I had a flower sack dress or two to wear to church.

We wouldn’t have had enough to eat had we not had a cow, a huge irrigated garden and chickens.               

When I started school, Daddy gave Mama permission to buy me three new little cotton dresses from Montgomery Ward. The new pair of shoes had to last until the next school year.

I always knew my parents didn’t have an extra penny, and being the eighth child I often felt a little guilty for barging my way into the already crowded house, among four sisters and three brothers who weren’t that excited about another mouth to feed.

Yet, that wonderful family helped me to catch an eye for the future at a young age. I watched the excitement in the house when my oldest sister, Marjorie, went to church with a high school friend and became a Christian. One by one all the older siblings, and finally my parents, accepted Jesus as Savior and I soon learned Jesus loved me, too, and God had a plan for my life.

God's love was a little secret I held close to my heart even while being ridiculed by other children because of my freckles and my red hair. The pretty little girls in frilly dresses never wanted to be my friend.

But all this time something wonderful grew inside me: an intense desire to learn in school, to know how to sing and play the piano (all my siblings were musicians), and tell the world the message of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world he gave his only Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Our family squeezed every drop of joy from each day, but we always thought about tomorrow in the backs of our minds. My siblings were all achievers. I saw myself playing the piano for church someday and singing in gospel groups like my sisters did.

I had no grandiose ideas about what else I would do, except someday I would meet my Savior and live forever because He died and rose again. I wanted to tell everybody.

I studied the Bible, listened to our pastor’s sermons and teachings, and found myself in my early teens teaching children, and then leading youth. I hadn’t expected  those opportunities. I prepared. God opened doors.

My writing career started like that. I had no idea I would become a writer, but I had something to say I thought needed sharing and discovered editors thought it was worth reading.

Working as a newspaper reporter showed me there still was much to share. In gathering news a journalist touches almost every aspect of society. We report on the achievers, reveal life’s disasterous complications, and what happens when wickedness grips the heart and threatens to blow apart the hope of the eternal soul.

My burden is for the youth of America. So much potential! So much opportunity! But Satan lurks everywhere seeking whom he may devour.

How can I not show them the path to wonderful tomorrows? How can I not show them how to prepare for the exciting journey of abundant life? How can I not show them how to avoid those who would steal their faith, rob them of their health and talents, and destroy their loved ones and eternal future?

So, I have a book filled with practical helps on developing your talents, being and looking your best, how to make the right connections, guarding your name’s fame, and much more with many inspiring examples and illustrations.

Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow, but we’re told to prepare for what is ahead. The theme of my book is close to Solomon’s advice advice quoted here from The Message: “Don’t for a minute envy careless rebels; soak yourself in the Fear-of-God— That’s where your future lies. Then you won’t be left with an armload of nothing” (Proverbs 23: 17.

                                                           

IMAGINE THE FUTURE YOU: SUMMARY

Will you be the person you dream of being—or someone from your nightmares?

You don’t need a fortune teller to reveal your future. For the most part, you are the person who determines who you will become, what your life will be like, and how your hopes and dreams will be fulfilled.

Today is the time to IMAGINE and to create an action plan for your future.

 Harnessing your will (guiding it) will make you a champion.

 How to make valuable deposits into your mind and avoid brainwashing.

How to look and be your best.

How to connect with Somone who will make a difference in your life—forever.

How who you marry changes everything.

How to avoid traps that jeopardize your future.

Where you want your name to appear.

Why you can believe God created you and loves you.

Examples of people who grabbed their future and held on.

This book will show how to make the right connections, how to grow your talents, and how to believe in yourself and things greater than yourself—for a wonderful future you!

Amazon Ada Brownell author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06           Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AdaBrownellWritingMinistries

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