Devotionals for the Heart: How to bloom wherever God plants you

Bloom
A devotional by Wade Webster

The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel.” 
–Ruth 4:14 (NIV)

In April I told you about my desire to help people cope with their isolation during this COVID-19 pandemic by posting pictures of wildflowers on Facebook. It began in late March when I drove to south Texas. I thought I would finish this task at the end of April. Many of my friends voiced disappointment when I posted that I would be ending this series. Then I found new flowers blooming. This kept me going into mid-May.

My job as a truck driver was deemed essential by the government so I was able to get out and about to take these pictures. About the time I thought I would run out of new flowers to post, I would be sent to a new area that had fresh flowers or new flowers would sprout up in some of the spots I had been to previously. I was disappointed many times when there was no safe place for me to pull over to take pictures of all of the flowers I was seeing.

When I did pull over to take a picture of what I could see from my driver's seat I was always surprised. Many smaller flowers awaited me. Flowers that I couldn't see while scanning the bigger landscape. Oftentimes these were more beautiful than the first blooms I desired.

One day I had to wait for my load to be produced so I paced behind the factory. It's a large area closed in by high walls. The loaded trailers are staged here until us drivers are ready to leave. As I walked about I saw an interesting occurrence. The concrete surface I was on had cracks designed throughout to allow for expansion and contraction of the cement during temperature extremes. Out of these cracks grew what most folks would call worthless weeds. What I saw was a new variety of flowers yearning for their time in the spotlight.

I titled that day's pictorial “Bloom Wherever You're Planted.” Many people were inspired by those tiny flowers growing out of seemingly impossible terrain. God blew their seeds there to show that He can use anything anywhere He chooses to.

It makes me think of the book of Ruth and how God helped her “bloom.” She married into a Hebrew family that was vastly different than her Moab lifestyle. There was something about these foreigners that drew her into them. So much so that she swore allegiance to Naomi's God as they moved to her mother-in-law's homeland.

Waiting for them was a man named Boaz, whose mother was born in Jericho according to Matthew 1:5. Boaz apparently never married but was farming the land near Naomi's former home. In a way only God could orchestrate, these two misfits come together while harvesting grain. They use the rights of the kinsman-redeemer to form a legal bond and create a son. In this son's family line would come the greatest king the nation of Israel would ever know, apart from The King, Jesus Christ.

Rahab's son and Naomi's daughter-in-law made the grandfather of King David. Only God could bring such a story together.

I don't know what terrain you find yourself planted in today. I also can't see what chapter of your life is being written at this moment. But I can assure you it is in God's will. He has a plan for every aspect of what's happening. God can make beauty bloom out of the hard places and tough terrains of life.

Bloom wherever you are planted today. Trust Him to bring it all together in His time.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ. 

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Peace

When Jesus Christ speaks peace over your life
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27 (NIV)

My day job involves working with the public so I have seen it all or at least I feel I have. Recently though, after helping someone with a difficult and tricky situation, I got an email back from them that made my jaw drop and not in a good way.

It was a kick to the gut full of anger over an error in their minds, which was actually just an omission on their own part, something outside of my control. The day had already been a rough one and this email, arriving late in the day, was extra painful.

I was utterly overwhelmed and sad as well. I had liked this client and thought I had made them happy with my work. To get an email telling me the exact opposite, with a rather vulgar term thrown in, was gutting. I left the office feeling about as low as I ever had at work. Driving away, I realized what I needed to do was pray for my client. Whatever they went through today had to be pretty bad to have produced an email like that. I had already taken the action needed to address their concern so that part was done. Letting what they said trouble me wasn’t going to help anyone. In prayer, I could unburden my soul.

After praying for them I felt a kind of peace, the kind that only comes from the Spirit. It didn’t take away the disappointment I was feeling entirely, but I was comforted. It reminded me of the verse above. Often I wonder how can I not be troubled in this world full of it? There’s so much to be fear, so much to worry about sometimes and it’s utterly overwhelming. But, people of faith have a God to turn to when the storms of life start to blow. No matter what happens, God is provident. He has us in His hands.

The peace of God's Holy Spirit has been left with us. When life is hard, when we’re troubled, when we feel overwhelmed, that’s the time to pray. From the big stuff to the little, before we react, before we take how we’re feeling out on the world, we can pray and ask for peace. Not the peace of a quiet life and boring news cycle, but the peace of God, which passes all understanding. 

Remember: Jesus says in John 16:33, "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."

Whatever feels like it will overwhelm you, remember our God is provident, omnipotent, and He loves you. If you believe in Him, He has given you His peace.

~*~
Author Bio:

Christa MacDonald is a 2017 ACFW Carol Award finalist for contemporary Christian fiction.

A native New Englander, she was inspired by her travels through the north woods of Maine to write The Broken Trail, which would become the first in the Sweet River Redemption series published by Mountain Brook Ink.

Christa's writing focuses on the real-life challenges of the modern world, love’s sometimes crooked path, and the redemptive power of Grace.

When not working or writing Christa can be found ferrying her kids around, reading, or attempting something crafty.

She and her husband live with their three kids, two cats, and one dog along the coast of New England. Connect with Christa at www.christamacdonald.com.

Words of Faith: Sandy's story about how to trust God in difficult times

A Lesson from a Difficult Time
A Words of Faith story by Sandra Barela

One day, I was talking to a friend of mine and she asked me some difficult questions. At the end of our conversation, she said I should share my thoughts with others. I immediately put up a wall. There were things that I shared with her that I would be more than happy to keep in my closet. I could share with her because she has known me for nearly 29 years and loved me through all the ugly parts of it, but to share with others? No way! Doesn't pride have a way of doing this to us? When Alexis asked me to share, I decided to share my heart and how God has changed it through a difficult time in my life. It is my prayer that these thoughts encourage you; that they lead you to the Cross and the Truth of the Gospel.

Beginning in April of 2011, I started to have some health issues. In the beginning it was an old ailment acting up. However, that changed at the beginning of May, when I had what was to be the first of many "episodes." At first, these episodes were thought to be seizures but now having a pre-diagnosis of atypical migraines with seizure like activity. These episodes come on at any time, day or night. After these episodes, I have a severe headache and lose most of a day to sleep and fatigue. Many days, I don't have the energy to move from the couch. Since the episodes come on so quickly, my driver's license had to be suspended. The episodes also wreak havoc with my mind. I cannot think straight. I will mix up my words for days, even weeks, and sometimes stutter because I cannot form simple words. I knew it would be detrimental to the school I worked for to continue working so I went out on personal leave. I am unable to make definite plans.

So back to the questions my friend asked me: "How are you dealing with it all? Are you getting depressed?" She was concerned because I have struggled with depression and it is very easy to spiral down that road. However, this time was very different for me. This time I know that God is sovereign – nothing happens outside of his sovereignty. All that happens is for my good and His glory (Romans 8:28-30). This caused me to be thankful. 

I am thankful that God in His providence has shown me the truth of the Gospel. I am thankful that God in His providence has put wonderful people in my life that bring me closer to him. I am thankful that this disability has allowed me to minister to others. I am thankful that God in His Providence, gave me a husband who seeks Him with all his heart; who was patient and shared the Gospel with me even when I didn't want to hear. I am thankful for God's mercy and His grace. Each day that I have is a gift from Him. He could have, and rightly so, judged me on the day I first sinned. I am thankful that God has given us His Word  (The Holy Bible) to learn more about Him. Now I have been given the time to read His Word and do so. God. Thankfulness. His Plan. His Providence.

Before this ailment, I was on what I thought was the high of my life. I had been promoted at work, had a great school year and was beginning to start the next one. My kids were all healthy and doing well in school. My husband and I had a great relationship and even got to get a way by ourselves a few times. By the world’s standards, I was successful. However, I was doing nothing that was for God’s kingdom – nothing that would last eternally. I am thankful that God has shown me that I had put my work before all else, allowing it to become an idol. God has used this illness greatly in my life to bring me closer to Him.

If there is something you are struggling with in your own life – something you don’t understand. Can I encourage you to cling to the Gospel? Cling to the knowledge that God has planned your steps and knows what is best for you. May God bless you richly!

~*~
Author bio: 

Sandra Barela, wife and the mom of three teenagers, received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education at the National University and will soon be awarded her master’s in English with a focus on Creative Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University.

During her program there, she took a publishing class and fell in love with the industry.
That infatuation sparked Celebrate Lit Publicity Group! The avid Christian fiction reader and author enjoys helping other great Christian authors succeed, one book at a time.

She lives with her family in beautiful sunny Southern California.
For more information on Celebrate Lit Publicity Group, visit celebratelit.com.

~*~
Connect with Sandy:

Company sites: www.celebratelit.com, www.celebratelitpublishing.com, 

https://www.facebook.com/CelebrateLit/, https://twitter.com/Celebrate_Lit

Join the Celebrate Lit Community Forum to meet great authors, learn about wonderful books, post reviews, and hear about giveaways: https://www.facebook.com/groups/441946782665904/

True Love Stories: It Began with A Song

Fireworks happened on the 4th of July. No, not the kind you see light up the sky in brilliant streaks of red, white and blue. It was the kind that lit a deep love in the hearts of CJ and Deedré. It is a love that led to marriage and a lifetime of happiness between this couple not only committed to each other, but to God and His people. 

Today's featured true love story is a real gem. I hope you will not only enjoy it but be encouraged by the journey God took CJ and Deedré on together. It's a beautiful story. I believe you're going to love it. 

But don't take my word for it, see for yourself...

~*~

It Began with A Song

CJ and Deedré's true love story

Our story begins in Plantation, Florida—a suburb west of Fort Lauderdale—on a Friday night, during praise and worship rehearsal at my local church. 

As the rehearsal was getting ready to start, in walks a new face with one of the members of the praise team. Her name was Deedré and I was immediately captivated by her eyes but tried to stay focused on the rehearsal. She was later invited to join us in a song. After hearing her beautiful voice, I was convinced she needed to be a part of our praise team. Little did I know that she was also trying to recruit me for a singing group with a mutual friend. The next day we exchanged phone numbers, both intending to recruit the other. When I finally called her a week later, we spent hours on the phone laughing like two old friends. It felt like we had known each other for years. This was the start of a friendship that was originally brought together by music. It was at a time when neither of us were looking for a relationship, yet simply enjoyed being in each other’s presence. 

A few weeks later, I invited her to a potluck at the home of family friends. Somehow, everyone left the two of us together and ate in another room. We talked, laughed, played Truth or Dare and by the end of the evening we shared our first kiss. It was 4th of July! 

About a month later, after another potluck, I walked into the living room where Deedré was with a sticky note and a pen stuck to my back. The sticky note said, “Will you be my boo? Yes, no or maybe?” When I walked in, she didn’t see it at first. So I pretended to have an itch on my back and asked if she could scratch it for me. Then I turned around so she could see the paper. She began to laugh and then checked “yes” while hugging me. This was now two months after we met and we were now officially boyfriend and girlfriend.

Not long after we started dating, Deedré got the chicken pox. My family and I took her in and took care of her until she recovered. Whenever we tell this story, Deedré shares that this time meant a lot to her because it showed her that I would be there for her no matter what. This was evident when I had the privilege of meeting Deedré’s mother, Dulcie, who’d been battling cancer. She passed away a year later. One of the last things she said to me was “Take care of my daughter”. It was as if she knew what was coming and wanted me to be there to pick up the shattered pieces of Deedré’s heart. It was later confirmed by God when I asked Him what I should do for Deedré during this time of grief. He stopped me and told me, in a clear voice, “Show her my love!” From that day, I vowed to do just that.

Deedré always told me that if I ever proposed to her, it should be as private as possible. So I decided to make it as public as possible! Our church planned a trip to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida. At the end of the day, I caught Deedré totally by surprise by having her arrested and brought to the Temple mount by very convincing actors who played Roman Guards. With the entire park as my witness, I proposed to her. About 9 months later we had a beautiful wedding filled with friends and loved ones at our local church. 

Our journey has not been easy. We’ve been through things that would’ve broken more seasoned couples, yet through it all, we are there for each other and God was and is the supernatural glue that keeps up together. We’ve been married for over 8 years and are more in love now than we have ever been before. We challenge, yet complement each other and I thank God every day for giving me such a beautiful gift.

~*~
Author bio: "CJ" Claypole S. Cousins Jr. is simply a man who is in love with Jesus. His passion is to live, preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

CJ serves as Associate Pastor for Restoration Praise Center in Lanham, Md. He serves in the areas of evangelism, discipleship and multimedia. He also served as intern pastor at One Place and graduate assistant for grow groups at Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. 

CJ holds a Bachelor's of Business Administration, majoring in Human Resource Management from Florida International University in Miama, Fla. He also has a Master's of Human Resource Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University. He has completed his Master of Divinity with an emphasis in church growth and evangelism at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.

CJ is married to the lovely Deedré Nicole Cousins who is a wonderful support and partner in ministry. 

He is passionate about sharing God's love as seen through the gospel of Jesus Christ in the context of Revelation 14:6-12. In addition to preaching and teaching, CJ also loves to sing and write about Jesus.

--
Mrs. Deedré Cousins' professional bio: Deedré's affinity for multimedia and technology was evident at a very young age. Throughout her childhood, Deedré developed a keen ear for music and a sharp eye for visual art which led to the completion of three degrees—an associate of arts in music, a bachelors in music technology and a masters of art in multimedia communications. 

Her academic and professional achievements have made her passionate about creating innovative and contextual media on multiple platforms. Whether it's producing a news segment for prime time television or creating a human interest web series, recording music projects, capturing still photography, or giving seminars and consultations on social media marketing strategies, Deedré can conceive, create, publish and promote your next big idea.

~*~
Bonus feature: CJ & Deedré's Love Story video on YouTube 

True Love Stories: Heart's Design

"This I Promise You" as performed by the popular boy band from the late 1990's, *NSYNC, reminds me of today's featured story. 

The story centers on JoAnn--a feisty, independent, strong-willed and sweet woman--who met a certain tall, handsome and compassionate man of God named Jim Durgin. How they met is certainly interesting and how they fell in love is beautiful and captivating!

JoAnn and Jim's true love story is proof that when you seek God first in your search for true love, He will not disappoint and you'll become a better person in the process.

So without further ado, here's the story...

~*~
Heart’s Design
JoAnn Durgin’s true love story

Authors always have a story, and the following is the “nutshell” version of my “true life” love story with my husband, Jim. My mother claims this is the story I should write, but in a way I did; there are many parallels between our story and that of Sam Lewis and Lexa Clarke in my debut novel, Awakening. The character of Sam is loosely based on Jim, and Lexa is based on yours truly (including teasing Jim about his old station wagon which I nicknamed “the bomb”).

Before the ink was dry on my college diploma, I moved from Indiana to Dallas, Texas without knowing a soul there. In hindsight, I was either independent or crazy (probably a bit of both). After working in a small advertising agency for a year, I found a great job in a big downtown law firm. Walked five blocks to Neiman Marcus on my lunch hour wearing three-inch heels. Ah, those were the days! This was also back in the pre-fax/pre-email days (i.e., the Stone Age as my children would say) when we used courier services to transport documents across town. When I called Wingtip Couriers, I’d often speak with a lovely girl named Susan from Ohio. One Saturday morning, I was having breakfast with a friend, Margaret, and she introduced me to another girl…Susan. From Ohio. And yes, from Wingtip Couriers.

A group of us, including Margaret and Susan, made plans to go to dinner a few weeks later. I’d been dating someone, but I suspected it wasn’t going to work out. I gave my friends strict instructions not to fix me up. However, like all really good friends, they paid absolutely no attention. Come to find out, both Susan and her then-boyfriend (now-husband) Marshall prayed independently about whom to introduce to poor, lonely JoAnn. They both came up with the same guy: Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) student, Jim Durgin. Wait, it gets better. Jim had gone on a blind date a few weeks before with the runner-up to Miss Texas (no pressure there) who blew him off (her loss). So, he was very reluctant for another blind date.

Our first date was for the DTS Spring Banquet. Jim showed up on my doorstep—six foot two, tall, dark and handsome in a midnight blue tux—and I swooned. Then when I heard him sing in the men’s chorus, oh be still my heart! Turns out, the banquet was held over three nights, and Jim had a different date for each one. Ahem. I’m thankful I didn’t know that until much later! Fast forward. Jim and I became good friends and we often went to dinner together and to the movies. We attended different churches, but I sometimes attended his services.

At some point, our relationship slowly began to change, but Jim wasn’t quite sure I was the girl for him. Frankly, he questioned my spiritual condition. We shared what I call the “infamous Red Lobster dinner” where I basically stomped off, mad and hurt. How dare he? Shortly thereafter, Jim went on a singing tour across Europe and wrote “novels on postcards” trying to explain, grovel, apologize and make amends. I ignored the poor guy even when he brought flowers to my office. And called and left messages. I’d forgiven him, but I was embarrassed to tell him after so much time had passed.

In April of 1986, I was in a bad car collision with a large truck on my morning drive into Dallas. Put it this way: I walked away with my car nearly totaled and showed up at work with glass hanging in my hair (I was probably in shock but didn’t know it). The Lord protected me, but I knew the accident was His wakeup call.

At this time, I was in a Bible study with—you guessed it, Margaret and Susan—and I needed a workbook. I knew Jim worked in the DTS Bookstore on campus, so I stopped in a few days later to see if they had the workbook. They told me they’d order it. I inquired about Jim and they said he still worked there but would be graduating soon. That information hit me, and I knew I had to see him before he left Dallas. He was my friend, and I missed him. When I went to pick up the workbook, guess who waited on me?

We made up, started dating, but were we crazy? He was leaving Dallas and I had no plans to leave! He confided that—although he’d dated a lot—he’d never kissed a girl and promised the Lord the first girl he kissed would be “the one” he’d marry. I found that incredibly precious. Jim did kiss me not long before his graduation, but we were both confused. Where could it lead? At his graduation, I knew I had to let him know I was there for him (his parents weren’t able to attend). Three rows of graduates filed into a large auditorium and the Lord led me straight to Jim. I’ll never forget the "You’re Here!" expression on his face. The next day, I walked into the law firm and lost my job. A month before, that loss would have devastated me, but I had a complete peace about it and knew it was God’s will—He was opening the path for me to leave Dallas by removing the one thing in my life that was keeping me there.

Jim went home to Newport, Rhode Island, and then found his first position in a small church in Visalia, California. We talked, we wrote, I visited him in Newport, he visited me in southern Indiana. My mom and I were booked on a trip to Europe where we’d fly between four cities: London, Paris, Rome and Vienna. That year was one of the worst for terrorism in Europe and we cancelled our trip on the last day. The travel agent “happened” to have cancellation on a Royal Caribbean cruise, so we took that spot. On the cruise ship, we met a lady and her children, and her husband was home in California “stomping on the grapes” in ...Visalia, California. I planned on joining Jim in California so we could see if the relationship would work. Two weeks before my move—out of the blue—the vice president of the winegrower’s company called and offered me a job. I’d always despised girls who “followed” guys, but Jim and I both knew this was something we needed to do. And again, the Lord had paved the way.

We were engaged on Valentine’s Day 1987, and we married on his birthday on September 5, 1987 (you marry a man on his birthday, he won’t forget his anniversary). 

The Lord has blessed us immeasurably with three wonderful children: Sarah, Chelsea and Matthew. 

I love writing contemporary Christian romance, and it’s my high honor and privilege. I believe in putting God first in a romance and, without fail, I believe in happy endings!

Blessings, friends.

Matthew 5:16

~*~
Author bio:

JoAnn Durgin is the author of five novels (and counting) in the popular Lewis Legacy Series and the series prequel, Prelude, as well as Catching Serenity, a standalone novel. Her novellas include Meet Me Under the Mistletoe; Starlight, Star Bright; Sleigh Ride Together with You, and Echoes of Edinburgh. 

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and the Louisville Christian Writers, JoAnn lives with her husband and three children in southern Indiana. She recently retired from her paralegal position to write full-time. 

JoAnn loves to hear from her readers at www.joanndurgin.com or www.facebook.com/authorjoanndurgin.

True Love Stories: The Blonde and the Boy Scout

Such a sweet story is featured today about a woman who realized the man for her was better than a billionaire or Prince Charming. She met an ordinary man who accepted her for who she was and whose love for her was not only true but extraordinary!

I hope Linda's true love story inspires you as much as it has me.

Here it is...

~*~
The Blonde and the Boy Scout
Linda Wood Rondeau’s true love story

“He seems real nice,” I told my mother. “We’ve only been going out a few weeks, but I really like him.”

In the seven years since my divorce, I discovered that the Marines had taken whatever few good men were left. Demoralized, I moved to the redneck community of farmers and shoe factory workers to be near my parents.

“I’m glad to be close to you and Dad,” I told my mother, “but I doubt I’ll find a husband in these here hills.”

“Don’t be so quick to give up. You’ll find someone.”

When I’m so old, it won’t matter?

The ad leapt out at me—“Casting call for Annual Irish Play.”

I landed a one-line part. Hey, even Meryl Streep had to start somewhere. Since I learned my line within five minutes, I signed up to do publicity. My first interview was with a lanky major character who always wore his auto parts uniform. Imitating a psychiatric patient, he stretched out on the carpet. “So what do you want to know? I’m single, and I haven’t had a date in a year and a half.”

“I only need a few personal bits, like where you live.”

Our first date was the cast party. I wasn’t used to dating nice guys—only pretend nice guys who used children and pets to steal a girl’s heart. I didn’t trust nice guys. I married a nice guy, and he deserted me. Nice guys were myths—like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

“It won’t last,” I said aloud while alone watching the wind blow against the curtain.

Nevertheless, I agreed to a second date. There was a third and a fourth. Who could say no to a boy-scout leader, a member of the prestigious Order of the Arrow?

“Have a nice night, Dear,” Mother said as we concluded our conversation.

It seemed silly to be exited over attending a Scouting banquet. Steve was to be the recipient of a prestigious award, and he’d asked me to be his date. He even asked me to sew a new patch on his scout uniform and never complained that I had stitched the pocket shut in the process, the first clue that I was indeed a natural blonde.

I’d hired a sitter who would arrive at six and feed the children their dinner so I could at least comb my hair in peace. At six forty-five, the sitter had not yet arrived. I called the teenager’s home. “Oh, I forgot to call you. I’m grounded for a week. My mother says I can’t baby-sit tonight.”

As I hung up the phone, feeling like I’d found the lucky lottery ticket after the prize had been claimed, Steve arrived in his highly decorated uniform, looking like a Norman Rockwell painting of the Last American Boy Scout. What would I tell him?

I took out a box of spaghetti noodles and placed a filled pot of water on the stove while I gave him the bad news. “You go on ahead. I’ll feed the kids and then try to find another babysitter.” It was the best out I could provide—convinced the romance was doomed. I had ruined a very important moment for him.

While three pre-school children clung to his neatly pressed khaki’s, he gave me the only order he has ever spouted in our nearly three four together. “You get on the phone and find a sitter. I’ll make the spaghetti.”

Any other man would have run like Peter Rabbit out of Mr. McGregor’s garden. Instead, he chose to stay through the worst of the crying, spilling, and saucy mess.

I fell in love that night. Not with a handsome prince or billionaire. It was not my fantasy—it was better. I had found a man who loved me as I was—a blonde who wanted only one thing out of life: acceptance for who she was. 

No pretensions—simply a blonde and a Boy Scout. 

~*~
Author bio: 

Winner of the 2012 Selah Award for best first novel The Other Side of Darkness, LINDA WOOD RONDEAU, writes blended contemporary fiction that speaks to the heart and offers hope to those with damaged lives. After a long career in human services, Linda now resides in Jacksonville, Florida. A Christmas Prayer, (aka A Father’s Prayer) was a finalist for both the 2014 Selah and Carol Awards.

Other books include: It Really IS a Wonderful Life, Joy Comes to Dinsmore Street, Days of Vines and Roses and her non-fiction book, I Prayed for Patience God Gave Me Children, also part of a compilation (Uplifting Devotionals).A sequel Joy Comes to Dinsmore Street, (Snow on Eagle Mountain) is expected to be released soon. Watch for Fiddler’s Fling and Red Sky Promise, inspirational romances expected to be released later in 2015.

Rondeau’s, Jolly Angel, is also part of a compilation, Blue Heaven Romances.

Readers may visit her web site at www.lindarondeau.com, her blog, This Daily Grind, or email her at lindarondeau@gmail.com or find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus and Goodreads.

~*~
Blurb for Linda’s book, A Father’s Prayer:

Award-winning author Linda Rondeau returns with a tender romance about a country singer, a father's plea for forgiveness, and a woman's heartbreak. 

A year after learning of a son’s existence, Country music legend, Ethan Jacobs returns to Jasper Falls, a place of bitter memories, to help the his twelve-year-old autistic child, given up for adoption at birth. Orphaned after the death of his adoptive parents, the boy is at risk of institutionalization due to probation violations and alleged inadequate guardianship of his current caregiver, an older, adoptive sister. In view of his son’s delicate emotional state, the court advises Ethan to keep his relationship to Gib secret for now.

True Love Stories: How We Met

Who knew that connecting with kindred spirit family friends over Sunday dinner and a later on, a romantic date blooper involving a milkshake would make two people know they were meant for each other and lead to marriage?

God knew! Read on to find out how God's providence was in the details of making a marriage dream reality for Julie Arduini. 

~*~

How We Met
Julie Arduini’s true love story

I was a recent college graduate definitely not looking for romance. I had a job I loved and was trying to find my place as a fairly new Christian. Looking back, I can see God’s hand clearly in our getting together.

Before I met Tom, I was friends with his family. Before I graduated college I worked in a shoe store and got to know the assistant manager. As we became friends, she talked about the Sunday dinners she enjoyed with her in-laws. She invited me and my sister and suddenly we were loving the Sunday dinners, too.

The Arduini family would mention the second son, Tom, but because he lived an hour or so north of us, he wasn’t there. My sister and I joked he didn’t exist. With six siblings, we knew all of them but him. We were friends with four of the Arduini “boys” and the only daughter. “Tom? Who’s he?” I joked through the dinners.

On April 30, 1995, I was running late, late enough I missed a dinner the family invited my sister and me to. I arrived to find everyone had left for the next activity, but there was Tom with his two children from his first marriage. I had vacation pictures with me from the cruise I took with my sister and felt awkward showing a stranger, but he asked to see them. We talked and when I looked at the clock, it was three hours later. That made me even later for the other plans I had for the day.

That night I met up with his family at the bowling alley, still running late. Tom was there, a surprise, and didn’t tell his siblings we’d talked, so they wondered where I was. Frustrated, I continued with the evening, laughing with this fun family. Later, I returned home and my mom asked why I was late.

“Ugh. I’m not happy. I finally met Tom, the older brother, who never bothered to tell the others we’d been talking and made me even later, so the rest of them were worried.”

Mom smiled. “Do you think he’s interested in you?”

I laughed. “Mom! He’s ten years older, divorced, with two kids. There’s no chance.”

I went upstairs to bed and heard mom laugh. She somehow knew he was “the one” and wrote our meeting on the calendar.

After that weekend, he kept showing up for weekend visits. I thought he missed his mom, but his sister-in-law, my friend that I had worked with, called to tell me the truth. Tom called her, wondering if I was seeing anyone. He told her he had feelings for me and wanted to ask me out. Imaging her shock when I admitted I too was interested.

When he finally asked me out, I was scared we’d break up and I’d lose the friendship with his family. A Christian all of one week, he said there’d be no breaking up. He knew we were going to marry. He felt God had showed Him this during prayer.

How did I know he was “the one?” There was his bold faith, and even bolder proclamation of love while visiting a dirt racetrack. But for me, it was solidified during a date when we were watching a movie on the couch and I had laryngitis. I’d guzzled a milkshake he bought me, chocolate of course, and I let out a burp I never saw coming. I was mortified at first, then when I saw him smile, we laughed and laughed. I knew he was it. He tells the kids that was the day he lost his hair because my burp blew it all away.

He first asked me out July 15, 1995 and proposed on September 15th. We married August 31, 1996.

His two children are adults, both in Wisconsin, and we now have a son-in-law. We also have two children of our own, a junior in high school and a fifth grader.

God has been so good to us.

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Author bio: 

Julie Arduini is an author with a passion to encourage readers to find freedom through surrender. Her first Adirondack contemporary romance, Entrusted, gives readers hope to surrender fear. A Walk Through the Valley will soon be available as an infertility devotional with five other authors. She blogs every other Wednesday at Christians Read and is a frequent contributor to Jasmine’s Place. 

To learn more about Julie’s writing and love of chocolate, visit http://juliearduini.com. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children.

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Blurb for Julie’s book Entrusted: 

Jenna Anderson, sassy city-girl from Youngstown, Ohio, plows–literally–into Adirondack village, Speculator Falls, with a busted GPS. She gets a warning from the sheriff but has ideas for the senior center to prove she belongs in town as their director. Town councilman Ben Regan is as broken as the flower box Jenna demolished. He’s grieving and wants to shut down the center before there’s too much change and heartbreak. They work on community projects and build a slow relationship, but the council needs to vote on the senior center’s future. Can Jenna show Ben both her and the center are worth trusting? 

See more at: http://juliearduini.com/books

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Buy Julie’s book Entrusted:

Amazon.com- http://amzn.to/1zDWq04

Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1zUDkWN

Barnesandnoble.com - http://bit.ly/1AxyePM

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