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
Jeremiah 17:7-8
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
"Jesus found the muddiest parts of my heart and planted
flowers." -the soul doctor
Crocus, daffodil, hyacinth and tulip leaves have pushed through the
soil in my tiny garden. A few of the daffodils are already showing their pretty
yellow heads and the crocus are waving goodbye to winter. When I planted the bulbs for each flower, I made sure the root of
the bulb turned toward the earth. The roots needed to be where they could shoot
down into the soil and draw up nourishment for the leaves and blossoms. If I
had turned them the wrong way, the bulb would eventually rot.
A few years ago, I had a bush removed from the flower
garden, most of the roots came out, but occasionally a little sprout from the
bush pushes through the soil. Even though the plant went through trauma, the deep
roots survived and still produce foliage.
Plants depend on their roots to provide what they need. With
my feet planted in Jesus' mercy and grace, I continue to grow in Him. When I
bloom, it doesn't matter what I look like on the outside, my roots in Jesus
give me strength inside. No matter what I have gone through, I know Jesus is
with me because I've planted my feet in His Word. Even when I've been cut down,
my roots in Jesus give me strength. I often pray that my children and
grandchildren have their roots firmly planted in Jesus. I pray that for my
readers, too.
Each year my flowers fade as winter comes to visit, but the
roots continue to grow and gather. By spring they're ready to sprout their
green leaves and bloom with joy, like believers who love Jesus.
Plant roots in the truth of Jesus. Soak in His love and
strength.
Description:
Dr. Ivy Collins, founder and CEO of Hedera, Inc., is ready to begin clinical
trials of her company's cutting-edge prosthetic. Her work has been heralded by
government, medical, and advocacy groups and everyone hopes the device will be
a success. Well, almost everyone. Someone is trying to sabotage Hedera and the
launch, but to what purpose--and how far will they go to get what they
want?
Meanwhile, U.S. Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon can't believe he's finally been
reunited with Ivy, his childhood best friend. Now that he's found her again,
Gil intends to spend the rest of his life with her. But it will take all his
skill to uncover the truth in time to save Ivy's life's work, her own life, and
the innocent lives caught in the crossfire.
Perfectly balancing chilling suspense and uplifting romance, award-winning
author Lynn H. Blackburn delivers a story of revenge, greed, and overcoming
that you won't want to put down no matter how late it gets.
My Thoughts:
Blackburn always brings the action and intensity. Gil and Ivy knew each other
as children and vowed to never part, but circumstances tore them away from each
other. Now they meet again under extenuating circumstances. The threats toward
Ivy force Gil to protect her, whether she wants him to or not. I love that the
story brings out how greed and revenge can destroy a person's heart and how
good wins over evil. Gil and Ivy's story is sweet and intense and the
friendship of all the agents is uplifting and encouraging. If you enjoy
suspense, Blackburn is for you. I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Proverbs 31: 25-28
"It's not how you die; it's how you live." -JP
Most of you know my mom passed away on February 25. At ninety-five,
we knew the days grew short, even still, losing a parent is hard. I doubt Mom
ever dreamed she would live as long as she did, but once she passed ninety, she
embraced her age.
Per Mom's request, in her last days we were able to keep her
at home. She wanted to live as independently as possible, and being in the
apartment attached to my brother's home gave her the independence she desired.
There were times in her last days we wondered if she could stay there, but with
the help of hospice, she remained comfortable in her own bed.
As a family, we did this to honor our mom's wishes. I'm thankful
we had so many years with her and the opportunity to learn from her wisdom. Mom
loved Jesus and her family. I remember as a child, and even an adult, Mom reminding
me to wear my coat and to always be careful. She was concerned about our
well-being and questioned us when she thought we needed it. She did that
because she loved us like only a mother can. She loved with a fierceness and
protectiveness.
Her love reminds me of how God loves. He has a deep
adoration for His people and He wants nothing more than for us to love Him back.
When I think about how much Mom loved me and how much I love my children, I
begin to understand God's intense care for me. God loves us so much He sent his
son to live on earth, to teach and to die for our sins. But He didn't stop
there, He brought Jesus back to life.
Why did God do that? So people would have a chance to
repent, be saved and baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, live a faith-filled
life, and join Him in heaven. My mom would want you to know the love of Jesus, His
forgiveness, and His amazing love.
Seek Jesus.
Book Description:
When a spurned suitor threatens her, heiress Alexandra Tarkington flees New
York for Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country, where her father is
building a hotel. But the happy reunion she envisions is not to be as her
father insists she return to New York. Instead, Alexandra carves out a niche
for herself in town, teaching schoolchildren to paint and enjoying the company
of Gabe Seymour, a delightful man she met on the stagecoach.
My Thoughts:
I've enjoyed this series so much. The Spark of Love took me back to
Mesquite Springs where Alexandra goes in search of her father. I love how characters
from the first two books in the series are woven into the fabric of Alexandra's
story. Detective Gabe's job takes him into the heart of deception in Mesquite
Springs. He hopes Alexandra will trust him, even as he uncovers the truth. This
story of trust, redemption, and love is a wonderful read. I recommend the whole
Mesquite Springs series, but each book can stand alone. I received a
complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.