Waffles or French Toast

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

Tim and I stopped in for breakfast at a little diner near our home. The menu tempted me with so many choices. When a waitress stopped by our table, we both ordered coffee, then waited for her to return. With coffee in our cups, we placed our orders. "I would like to try the waffle with blueberries and a scrambled egg." I don't often ask for waffles, but I thought I'd give it a try, and with blueberries how could I go wrong. She came back to the table, head hanging, and told me, "We are out of the mix. I'm so sorry, what else would you like? We have French toast with blueberries."

I smiled and ordered the French toast. As we waited on our order, we sipped our coffee, and talked about the Reds, the book I'm working on, and what we planned for the rest of the day. Not long after, the waitress placed a plate of French toast and blueberries in front of me that looked heavenly. Again, she apologized, but I stopped her. "I love French toast and blueberries. I was getting the waffle just to try something different." She sighed with relief and hurried to the next table.

The waitress didn't know me, yet she wanted me to enjoy my breakfast. She had no idea French toast reminds me of my dad, who made it for us on Saturday mornings. Even though, she didn't know me, she was kind and wanted the best for me.

What if I passed along her caring attitude and her desire to make my day better? That's called kindness, folks. Simply caring for the people around me and considering their needs ahead of my own, both those I know and those I don't. Did I mention, she was the only one working the floor, clearing the tables, and taking orders? Yet she wore a smile and spread kindness all over the room.

Paul penned in his letter to the Ephesian church a segment about Christian living. One of the things he mentioned at the end, and I believe he did that to emphasize the point, was to be compassionate and kind to each other. As believers and followers of Jesus I want to show kindness to others, not simply because Paul said so, but because the act of caring creates a better environment for everyone and shares the love of Jesus.

Join me in finding ways to be kinder and more caring.

He Has my Heart

As a believer in God, Jesus is asking me to also believe in Him.

And why wouldn't I? 

As sure as the flowers bloom in the spring, Jesus loves me.

He has my heart and protects my soul.

Life may not be easy, but I have the one who eases the pain and gives me joy.

 

Fiction Suspense Review: The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright

Book Description:

To save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.

Wren Blythe has long enjoyed living in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, helping her father with ministry at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess who is believed to still roam the forest. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coonses' cabin ruins and a sinister mystery she is determined to unearth.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last several years carrying the mantle of mystery since the day she emerged from the woods as a thirteen-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's ax. She has accepted she will never remember what happened to her family, whose bodies were never found, and that the people of Tempter's Creek will always blame her for their violent deaths. And after a member of the town is murdered, and another goes missing, rumors spread that Ava's secret is perhaps more malicious than previously imagined.

Two women, separated by time, must confront a wickedness that not only challenges who they are but also threatens their lives, and the lives of those they love.

My Thoughts:
The Souls of Lost Lake is engaging, intriguing, and at times scared the bejeebers out of me, but it is such a good read. Jaime Jo Wright knows how to craft a suspense story that leaves you thinking for days. I loved how she started with a spooky campfire tale and sprouted the story of two brave women. Ava and Wren, two different women, one from days gone by and the other modern day, grow in their faith as they confront the evil around them. I love the camp setting, the old folktales, and the interactions between the ladies and the men in their lives. This is my favorite book by Wright, so far. The twists at the end are so unexpected. If you enjoy suspense with a bit of romance and a strong thread of faith, read Jaime Jo Wright's The Souls of Lost Lake. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Take Heart!

John 16:32-33
A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I'm never alone. 

Tim and I took Rosie for a walk at the local park. We hiked into an area where we could hear the river water rushing alongside us. As I walked, I spied the three-leafed trillium that sprouts in the spring in Ohio and enjoyed the greening foliage on the trees. For a moment I closed my eyes and listened. No cars revved their engines, no washer or dryer rumbled, no furnace kicked off and on. All I heard was the water, the burble of the river flowing over rocks, the tranquility of the woods. The peace reminded me of the One who is always with me.

The last three months have been hard. At times the burden too much to bear, but the beautiful, most wonderful thing I experienced in my time of grief and stress was the presence of the Holy Spirit. I'm never alone. Yes, my family and I were surrounded by the amazing blessing of friends. For that I'm so thankful, but in those times when I sat by myself in my home while Tim worked, I felt the presence of God. Through scripture and the Spirit, He reminded it would be alright.

Jesus spoke to his disciples before his final days on earth and reminded them that even as they needed to scatter and leave Him on His own, God was with Him. I absolutely love what He tells them. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

As a believer, the Holy Spirit lives inside me, beside me, and gives me peace in this troubled world.

Take heart! Jesus has overcome the world.

She May Be Quiet

Do you have any prayer warriors in your life?

I do, and I am so very thankful for them.

Maybe you're a prayer warrior for your family, friends, and church.

If you are, I want you to know how important your ministry is 

and how blessed your people are.

I wouldn't make it through the day without the folks who pray.

Friends, family, anyone who prays for someone else, you are a huge blessing.

Thank you!

 

Historical Romance Review: Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill

Book Description:
Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves--or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he's been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name--and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors' threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn't all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home--and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career--but that's better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there's no question they're both still keeping secrets--and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed Crystal Caudill's debut novel. Her research on the Secret Service and the Gilded Age shines as she sets the stage for Theresa and Broderick's story on the streets of Cincinnati. Theresa's plucky personality and Broderick's determination create an intriguing and at times dangerous story. The romance, danger, and secrets jump off the page as the characters scramble to figure out who is behind the counterfeiting and to what extent they'll go for love. If you enjoy historical romance with suspense and intrigue, you'll love Counterfeit Love. I look forward to more from this brand-new author. I purchased Counterfeit Love. My opinions are my own.

Check out Crystal's interview: Crystal Caudill

And There Was Light

Genesis 1:3-5

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Such a simple yet powerful word—light.

Try to imagine a universe void of anything except the power of God. A vast nothingness until the Creator put everything in place. He made night and day. Can you even comprehend the largeness of that statement? God called into the void and said, "Let there be light." And the light appeared. The brightness projected from the sun creates an intense contrast from the night. Even though we see stars and the moon, those don't compare to the brightness of day.

I'm not a night owl, I'm not really a morning person either. I joke that I'm the tired pigeon in the middle of the day. Seriously, I am more productive in the daytime, when the light shines through my window, or I'm out working in my tiny flower garden. My plants reach their little leaves up and soak in the sunlight and work through photosynthesis in order to grow. As I work in the sunshine, vitamin D gives me much needed energy.

Aside from the great purpose of the sun, God gave us another light, His Son. Jesus is the light of the world. Sometimes the night falls and with it come fear, anxiety, and depression. Instead of leaning into the darkness and letting the negative suck me in, I want to bask in the light of the Lord and have hope, peace, and truth.

Jesus' light shines this truth on a weary world. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life...  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." John 3:16 & 21

Living a life for Jesus draws me into His light where I find help in troubled times, forgiveness and grace, and lots of love from the One who created me.

Walk in Jesus' light.