May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Book Description:
The Safety of the First Lady Rests in Shirley’s Hands
Psalm 96:11-12
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Autumn dresses up in gold, the richest season of the
year. -Angie Weiland Crosby
I sat with my daughter at Trunk-or-Treat. In the corner of
the parking lot, a tree glowed golden. The sun's light, as it faded from the
sky, lit up the leaves as if gold dripped from the branches.
There is a rhythm to nature—a time to hold on and a time
to let go. Leaves tumble to the ground as the trees let go. As I watch the
branches drop their red and orange gems, I think about the things I want to let
go. Fear, worry, doubt, guilt. I want to hold up my arms like tree branches, and
let those things that plague me drop into God's hands.
After the leaves fall, the deciduous trees nap in winter.
Their trunks and branches adjust to a time of rest and prepare for regrowth. I
seem to remember God rested on the seventh day of creation, and Jesus said, "Come
to me and I will give you rest."
I've let go of the negative burdens, now I can rest in Jesus'
assurance, his promise of renewal and strength.
Let go—then rest sounds like good advice from the golden tree and
from the Father who created me. Release the overwhelming and rest in his
arms. Then in spring, or after renewal, rise stronger than before. With my arms
up, I rejoice and sing with joy like the forest.
In this month of November, as I enjoy the vibrant colors and
the cooler temperatures, I thank God for so much. The golden tree reminds me to
look at creation and appreciate the incredible gifts God has given. Because of
the rhythm of nature, I know the leaves will return after they rest for the winter.
Because of God's promises, I know my faith is renewed daily.
Stop and appreciate God's creation, rest in his beauty, and
thank Him.
Book Description:
Investigative Services Branch (ISB) ranger Ainsley Beaumont arrives in her
hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, to investigate the murder of a
three-month-pregnant teenager. While she wishes the visit was under better
circumstances, she never imagined that she would become the killer's next
target--nor that she'd have to work alongside an old flame.
After he almost killed a child, former FBI sniper Lincoln Steele couldn't bring
himself to fire a gun, which had deadly and unforeseen consequences for his
best friend. Crushed beneath a load of guilt, Linc is working at Melrose Estate
as an interpretive ranger. But as danger closes in on Ainsley during her murder
investigation, Linc will have to find the courage to protect her. The only
question is, will it be too little, too late?
My Thoughts:
I've enjoyed the books in the Natchez Trace Park Rangers series. Crosshairs is
the best one yet. Filled with suspense from start to finish, Bradley kept me on
the edge of my seat, as I kept turning pages. Ainsley is a strong protagonist,
set on making things right for her aunt and grandmother, even though she is in
danger. Linc is scarred by his past, but he cares for Ainsley and wants to
protect her, even when he thinks he can't. The many twists and turns kept me
guessing who the killer was up to the end of the book. If you enjoy a good suspense
story in a unique setting, you'll enjoy Crosshairs. I received a complimentary
copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Luke 1:1-4
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been
fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who
from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With
this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the
beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most
excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the
things you have been taught.
Our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we touch. -Judy Blume
For the last few weeks I've been a member of the launch team
for a book called Heirloom: Living and Leaving a Legacy of Faith by
Kathy Howard. As I read through stories Kathy included in her collection, I was
inspired and encouraged. Many wrote of their grandparents and the example of
faith which left an imprint on their lives. I like that Kathy suggests ways to
impact our families.
My grammy lived to ninety-two years old, so I enjoyed knowing
her into my late forties. She worked as a dorm mom at KCC, where I went to
college, managed a trailer park in Florida, and worked in hospital food
production. She read and studied her Bible every day and prayed for everyone.
She played piano at church and loved listening to Billy Graham. Her faithful fingerprints
touched my life. Looking back, I know she influenced me in ways I didn't understand
until years later.
The Bible holds four accounts of Jesus life. Luke's writing
is the one I read time and again. Known as a physician, he was also a follower
of Jesus, and he chose to capture the events he witnessed about his Savior in
writing. He says himself other accounts have been drawn up or written, but he
wants to leave a legacy of Jesus life for his friend Theophilus.
Luke chose to tell Jesus' story again so others could read it
long after he was gone. And we have. The book of Luke, written so many years
ago still bears truth and inspires today.
So my question comes to this: What do I want to leave for my
family and friends? What fingerprints do I want to leave behind? What
footprints? Ones that follow Jesus or the world?
I pray the words I leave on my blog influence others to seek
Jesus. I hope my words and actions inspire folks to look to God. I also hope my
grandchildren see Jesus in me.
What legacy are you leaving today?
P.S. The photo was taken on the beach at East Fork Lake. Even
the animals leave their footprint.
