Unveiling the Past: A Novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Book Description:

Newlyweds Sean Eagle and Meghan DeFord are no strangers to pain and loss. As cold-case detectives, they know intimately the anguish family members endure after the murder or disappearance of a loved one. But when a new case hits too close to home, it threatens to pull loose the fragile cords of their young marriage.

Sheila Menke was just a girl when her father left for work and never returned. An investigation revealed he had embezzled enough to start a new life elsewhere, but Sheila could never accept the court’s criminalization of her father. Meghan reluctantly takes the case, secretly fearing it will stir up buried feelings about her own biological father. And while Sean investigates the mysterious death of two young brothers, he longs to start a family. But Meghan worries that with a negligent mother and an absentee father as her parenting examples, she might never be fit for motherhood.

As they delve deeper into the past, both Meghan and Sheila must choose to either stumble along the road of bitterness and resentment or walk the difficult path toward forgiveness and healing. When the cases begin to break wide open, these young women are poised to discover that while earthly fathers may fail, there is one in heaven who is a father to the fatherless.

My Review:
Unveiling the Past rings of redemption, forgiveness, and grace. There are a couple of things I especially enjoyed. The author set the book up in short segments featuring the various points of view, which made the story easy to read. And the story focuses on women who no longer have fathers, but depend on their heavenly Father. Following the cold case detectives as they solved old crimes was interesting and fun. One thing I noticed in this story is Kim Vogel Sawyer used her writing to teach of Jesus' love without being preachy. The reader got to glimpse the way these characters might witness to their co-workers and friends. I also loved Sean and Meghan's relationship with each other. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

He Opened Their Minds

Luke 24:36-47

While they [the disciples] were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ”

Easter—the day we remember Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

Prophets spoke of the Messiah, how he would die and on the third day break the chains of death. The Lord himself taught the disciples about his purpose on earth. They traveled with him and witnessed miracles. They heard the Pharisees mock him. Every one of them knew Jesus' story inside and out. But here they were humming and hawing about the very truth he showed them.

They thought they saw a ghost.

They'd witnessed Jesus being drug through the streets and beaten. Yet, the man they loved and missed, the one they'd seen nailed to a cross, and placed in a tomb, dead as could be—stood in front of them in full flesh and blood and declared victory over the grave.

Peter's guilty conscious plucked at him because he had cowered and denied he ever knew him. Thomas shook his head in disbelief. The other disciples stood with their mouths hanging open. Yet, Jesus didn't give up. He opened their minds to the truth.

In this time of pandemic, stop doubting and open your minds to the truth and hope of Jesus. The world is a mess. Not just from COVID-19, but from evil and sin. That's the bad news. The good news is, Jesus opened the doors to hope and heaven.

Jesus stands with outstretched hands in hopes everyone will trust in him.

I thank God for the opportunity to worship my Savior this Easter. Let's sing praises to him from our couches. Lift up prayers from our living rooms. Search our hearts and accept Jesus as Savior. He died so we can live, here on earth with purpose and one day with Him in heaven.

Celebrate Easter with Him!

A Season for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

And a time to take a walk and see the beauty of spring.

As we wait out the COVID-19 virus, Tim and I and many people I know have made walking outside part of their daily activity.

We've trekked around the high school track. Hiked on a trail in the woods and ambled around the neighborhood. I'm happy to report we've witnessed spring's arrival. Regardless of our circumstances, the frustration that eats at us, missing our families, friends, and church, or not working—the tulips peek out with a flourish of color, the bright yellow daffodils wave in the breeze, trees show off their blossoms, robins twitter and tweet, and the sun bursts through the clouds.

This morning in my quiet time, I read a verse in Psalm 43, "Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell." As I read, sunlight spread across my Bible and highlighted the words. Goose bumps raised on my arms. I bowed my head and prayed God would lead me to that mountain where he rests.

His light gives hope in this time of despair. Ecclesiastes tells us there is a season for everything. Good and bad. Regardless of which moment we're in, God remains the same. His light and truth guide us. He offers hope for a hurting world. In him we find peace.

In this season of difficulty, have you prepared your heart? Jesus loves you. He offers peace and hope through forgiveness and grace. Let his light and truth guide your heart.

Want a Second Chance?

U.S. Life Saving Station, Marblehead, OH

Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

He's the God of second chances.

The movie Love Story, starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw, hit the big screen in 1970. As the story goes, A wealthy boy meets a middle class girl, they fall in love, boy gets disinherited, they marry, and she becomes terminally ill. Together they navigate this difficult road.  One catchphrase from the movie is still quoted today. "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

Even as a teenager that quote didn't make sense to me. Jesus is the only person who walked this earth without fault. Everyone makes mistakes,even as we strive to be our best selves. God knows we mess up. That's why he sent his son.

In Psalm 51, King David bowed before God and admitted his sins. He knew he needed mercy. And you know what? God was happy to hear from the wayward king. He wanted David to reach out and seek grace.

David understood that only God could renew his repentant heart. David desired God's love. David wanted to have the Holy Spirit renewed in him. That's why he said he was sorry. He sought out the Lord because he knew only the God of second chances could pour joy back into his heart.

If King David had believed the quote about never saying he was sorry, he would never have been forgiven by God. But he knew God loved him with open arms.

Seek God. He wants to give you a second chance.

He Offers Grace

In 2016, Tim and I visited Marblehead Lighthouse and checked out 

the newly built lifesaving station museum. 

The builders replicated the original 1876 station, previously located a mile away.

The station reminds me that God offers rescue to all who seek him. 

He's the God of second chances.

My Response

Colossians 3:12-15
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

My first response was anger.

I'm not usually an angry person. I prefer to live a peaceful life. But when someone hurts the people I love, I get mad. Sometimes, rightfully so.

But I've learned the anger that fills me, also drains me.

More than once, I've had to tamper down my gut reaction and replace my ire with calm. Instead of agitation, I ask God to bring peace.

During the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, I tend to contemplate what the new year will bring. This week I'm not considering what's going to happen, but how I will respond. You see, I may not like what someone says to me or circumstances that come my way. I may not be able to change what happens. But, I can change my response.

If I truly let Jesus rule my heart, I'll also let him guide my emotions and my reactions. 

"God, fill me with compassion, kindness and peace."

If there is someone you need to forgive, make the new year a clean slate and offer forgiveness. If someone made you angry, go to them and resolve the issues. If someone broke your heart. Consider your response with prayer.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

From Brokenness to Beauty

Psalm 34:17-18
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Waves washed the shore as we ambled on the sand, in the morning sun.

On Kelleys Island, Tim and I searched for lake glass and colorful rocks, along their small coastal beach. I love finding pieces of glass that the waters have tumbled and refined. The bottle, or whatever the glass piece is topples into the lake. Over time the fragile piece falls against the rocks and breaks. The ebb and flow of the lake's water tosses the glass back and forth, bumping it into sand and debris, replacing the sharp, broken pieces with beauty.

When I find an ideal fragment, the jagged edges are smoothed away and a subtle, frosted sheen covers the surface.

The sharp broken edges are transformed into perfection.

Like the jagged glass, the struggle with forgiveness results in broken edges for the soul. Anger results with more sharp edges and brokenness. Life hasn't turned out how you planned. Disappointment sharpens another edge. Friends turn away, church leaves you empty, you've tumbled down a hole of sin and destruction. Rejection and hurt cause the heart to break; the sharp edges to poke and injure.  

God who formed the lakes and oceans, wants to take the broken pieces of our lives and create beauty. Sorrow, sadness, anger, sin, betrayal, hurt; he will take them all and sand off the sharp edges through grace. In that grace, he offers hope. The hope of a new life in him.

God will fill the emptiness and turn the sorrow into joy. He loves the brokenhearted and wants nothing more than to heal the wounded soul. Pray to him for forgiveness, help, and guidance. He will takes the sharp, broken edges and replace them with peace and hope.

What Did Mark Twain Have to Say about Forgiveness?

YA Fiction Review: Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

Book Description:

Willow Lamott’s best friend is a convicted killer, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it. Over four long years, she’s tried to fade into the background—but none of that matters when Ashton Keller comes striding into school, fresh out of juvie and fueled by revenge. The moment their eyes meet, Willow no longer feels invisible. Drawn to the vulnerability behind Ashton’s mask of rage, she sinks deeper into his sinister world and begins to question whether he’s a villain, a savior, or both.

Ashton thought he wanted vengeance, until Willow Lamott stepped back into his life. Now he longs to clear his name and become the person she sees in him. But the closer they get to uncovering the truth, the darker the secrets become, and Ashton wonders if his return to Gilt Hollow will destroy everyone he loves.

My Review:
Wow-I'm not sure where to begin with Gilt Hollow. First of all, it's obvious Lori Langdon poured her heart into her writing. She's created a funky college town as a perfect setting for the town of Gilt Hollow. Her characters are vibrant and deep. And the story left me breathless at times. All of that being said, it's been awhile since I've read young adult literature. I was somewhat surprised to find a sprinkling of curse words and a few heated kissing scenes since I received this book from a Christian publisher (Blink, Zondervan). I'm not going to get on my soapbox, but felt the cursing wasn't necessary and the kissing scenes could have been toned down. I was pleased with the theme of forgiveness and how it played out including some references to God. The book is written for older teens (15+) and deals with violent circumstances and teen romance. Lorie is also the co-writer of the Doon series. I received Gilt Hollow in exchange for a fair review.

The Fog Settled

Romans 4:7-8
“Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

September, the time of year when the temperatures are dithering between summer and fall. On a cool morning this week, the dip in temps resulted in a soft fog that settled over the village. As I drove to work I enjoyed the beauty of the low hanging cloud as it touched the trees still green with summer and covered the surrounding hills with a blanket of dew. 

The fog reminded me of the times I've asked God to pour his peace over my family, friends, or someone I don't even know. Or the times I've prayed for a person to feel God's arms around them and his love enveloping them. As I looked at scripture about how God covers people, I read Romans 4 and discovered this quote from the Psalm. God surrounds me with much more than his love and peace. He rains down his grace on me. He's forgiven me and continues to forgive. I am blessed to know my Savior has given me a fresh start and left my past behind. Praise God for grace! 

The Stinky Weed

2 Timothy 1:8-10
So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (Letter written to Timothy from Apostle Paul)

As Tim and I walked the dogs near a meadow, I noticed pretty purple blooms. I grabbed my camera and clicked. As I focused the lens, I realized I was snapping pictures of ironweed. Yes -- a weed, not a flower. God creates beauty in unexpected places.

The Apostle Paul's life, before he met Jesus, was ugly. He killed Christians. But when he traveled on the road to Damascus and fell before God and declared Jesus as his Savior, he lost his ugliness. Through grace and forgiveness, love and faith God transformed Paul into a beautiful weed. No one expected Paul to have a change of heart. He'd been persecuting Christians for a long time. Yet God's love changed him. 

God's grace can change any sinful, stinky weed of a human into a beautiful bloom. While sin resembles the stinging nettle weed; crowding out good plants, irritating, burning, annoying, and harmful. Grace is more like chicory, the pretty blue weed that blooms along the roadside and brings joy. God can change any heart if the person is willing. Praise God for his grace and forgiveness.

Book review: As Waters Gone By by Cynthia Ruchti

http://bit.ly/1LpxVbR

About the book:
As Waters Gone By (Abingdon, May 2015)

How can a marriage survive when separated by hundreds of miles and impenetrable prison walls?

Emmalyn and Max Ross may have to endure the fight of their lives to mend the tattered fabric of their marriage. His actions ensured she could never be a mother and put him in prison, giving their relationship a court-mandated five-year time-out. On a self-imposed exile to beautiful but remote Madeline Island, one of the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior, Emmalyn has just a few months left to figure out if and how they can ever be a couple again.

Nudged along by the exuberant owner of the Wild Iris Inn and Café, a circle of misfit people in their small town, and a young girl who desperately needs someone to love her, Emmalyn restores an island cottage that could become a home and begins to restore her heart by learning what it means to love unconditionally. Yet even as hope begins to find a place within the cottage walls, Emmalyn still wonders if she's ready for Max's release. She may be able to rebuild a cottage, but can she rebuild a marriage?

My Review:

"Bougie's smile bloomed and spread...'Grace always outweighs gravity'." Words I want to engrave on my heart. Cynthia Ruchti has written a beautiful tale of confusion, fear, love, forgiveness, and grace. As soon as I opened the first chapter and started to read, I wanted to climb in the book and get to know the characters better. Take Emmalyn's hand and walk with her along the beach. Sit and drink tea with Bougie, the quirky innkeeper and even climb on the roof to work with Cora. The story comes to life immediately and holds on until the satisfying end. The author's incredible description paints an inviting setting from the Wild Iris Inn on Madeline Island to the cottage by the lake. I just can't say enough good things about this powerful story. If I could give more than five stars I would.

Disclosure:

I received a free copy of As Waters Gone By from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.

About the author: 

Cynthia Ruchti has more than three decades of radio broadcast experience with Heartbeat of the Home radio and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers.

Find Cynthia online: website, Twitter, Facebook

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1Gs5M3Q