Devotionals for the Heart: Finding hope when you're in a dark time

Finding Hope in Dark Times
A devotional by Tema Banner

“For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.”

–Proverbs 23:18 (NKJV)

Some places I drive to in my hometown make me want to bawl my eyes out.

I had a charming, kindhearted, blue-eyed son whose mischievousness got him into hot water with his parents and teachers more than once in his youth. In elementary school, he was known to charm the little girls into doing his classwork, and old ladies in the grocery store could not resist his winsome smile and pleading eyes for fifty cents for a candy bar—much to his mother’s chagrin. Like his grandmother, Steven made friends with everyone he met and never had qualms about asking for directions or help to find items in the store.

That same personality put him in contact with some he should have given a wide berth. Since he chose not to, many years were spent in courtrooms, rehab clinics, hospitals, and eventually, an early rest in the cemetery. During those years of highs and lows, the Lord gave me hope through this scripture (Proverbs 23:18). The first time I read this verse it was in the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, which reads: “There is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” I was convinced it meant Steven would overcome his addictions and be a powerful witness to others.

Standing by his grave, I was disappointed, confused, and a little mad. Other parents’ children had overcome, why had my son not? And what about the hope I was promised? Then I read the New King James Version (NKJV) of this scripture and the word “hereafter” jumped off the page. It was beautiful proof of God’s living word and His gentle reminder that Steven’s life will continue with Him. Because Steven had accepted God’s Son (Jesus Christ) as his Lord and Savior, I knew he had a future hope that did not end in that cemetery with a dash that indicates a life way too short. And because of my faith in God, I know I’ll see him again in Heaven.

The many places that I drive in this city bring reminders of my time with Steven. They are a mix of memories that make me smile and others with a depth of sadness that squeezes my heart and makes me want to cry—sometimes I do. But more often, I see the lives that were touched by my blue-eyed boy and the faithfulness of the God we serve.

There are times in all our lives when we face battles, sorrow, and hardships. We seek deliverance and I have seen miracles and answers to prayers that are everything prayed for, but I’ve also seen times when the answer is no. I recognize in those moments that we live in a fallen world that is often harsh. I encourage you to know that even in hard times, God is still good and He loves you.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness. In our times of distress and doubt, Your Word is ever present to encourage and remind us that You are in control. Help us to remember that You have good plans for your children. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: "God Loves You" by Jaci Velasquez. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey of discovery into a deeper relationship with God through His Son (Jesus Christ), has been a lifelong goal for Tema. She enjoys history and continues honing her knowledge of history and writing skills to create those stories.

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as a former member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as president and secretary of her local RWA Chapter, Carolina Romance Writers. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and four grandchildren who are the delight of her life.

In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temabanner/

Devotionals for the Heart: The Gift

The Gift of Laughter
A devotional by Tema Banner

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”

–Job 8:21 (NIV)

As we turn the calendar to November, we who live in the USA think of Thanksgiving.

Many people in this country favor this holiday. Families and friends gather for the sole purpose of breaking bread and speaking aloud those things for which we are thankful. This holiday, more than any other, speaks to the heart of how God created us: as beings created to glorify Him with praises of thanksgiving and joy and to serve kindness up to our fellow man.

Family, health, and employment usually top the list of items on our gratitude list. But what God placed on my mind and heart to be thankful for today is laughter.

I was surprised to discover that the book of Job is tied with Genesis for the most mentions of laughter. If you have ever read the suffering and sorrow that Job endured, you too are likely surprised. Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday for many years. But now as November arrives, I have other memories that darken my mind ahead of our family gathering. The first day of November marks the anniversary of the passing of my son, Steven.

Thoughts batter my mind of what I could have done differently, with hopes of a different outcome. Laughter is in short supply the week leading up to the first, fighting the threat of tears is more the order of the day. Laughter is one of the many joys that Steven brought into the lives of those he knew. The beauty is that laughter did not leave this world with him. God never promised an easy life or one that would fall into place as we plan. Life can change in a matter of seconds and leave you wondering what happened and asking if you will ever be able to smile again, let alone laugh.

Laughter is vital to our recovery, even when it is laughter through tears. The more I remember the laughter my son brought into my life, the more I laugh anew at his antics, and the more my heart heals. I realize that as Sarah said in Genesis 21:6, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Laughter is indeed a gift, and it is not the only one that helps us heal. Proverbs 17:22 tells us that having a cheerful heart is also beneficial to our livelihood and health. These are gifts from God that we do not always think of when we are counting our blessings.

We live in a world that is bent on destroying the good gifts that God has bestowed on us. Therefore, we would be wise to cultivate the laughter and cheerfulness in our lives.

How can we do this?

First, ask God to open your eyes and your heart to the blessings He has given you. Sometimes we become accustomed to what we have, and we no longer recognize it as a gift from our loving Father (God).

Second, our brains are wired to think negatively, but we can change this by taking simple steps, such as writing out a scripture of hope and meditating on it, place it on your mirror so you’ll see it first thing every morning.

Third, recognize negative thoughts, give them to God and replace them with a positive thought.

It won’t happen overnight, but eventually you will create a good habit of positive thoughts which will make it easier to laugh and give you a cheerful heart.

Do you have an activity that brings you pleasure that perhaps has gotten lost over the past two years? My activity is walking. I enjoy nature and it is a special time between me and Jesus. Surprisingly, working from home seems to have curtailed my walking. It is important to push away from the world of work and take a stroll with God. He will refresh your soul and return laughter to your lips, just as He promised.

Let’s Pray: Thank you God for the beautiful gift of laughter! When I hear it flow uninhibited from the mouth of a toddler, I recognize what a beautiful gift you have given us. Thank you, Lord, for the memory of past laughter that still brings us joy. Lord, this Thanksgiving season bind the hearts of those who mourn with Your everlasting, unstoppable, love. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills. 

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions of her local RWA Chapter, Carolina Romance Writers. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and four grandchildren who are the delight of her life.

In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temabanner/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/tema.banner

Devotionals for the Heart: Focus

Where is Your Focus?
A devotional by Tema Banner

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”

 –2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (NIV)

Whatever consumes your every thought, therein is your god and the very thing that will pull you away from God. Our generation has never seen a world more battered than now. On every front we are stressed: marriages, children, finances, the list is endless. The devil uses these situations to pull us away from what is most important. This is nothing new, it is what he has always done.

He can be subtle. You might not initially see the things he uses to pull you away: politics, business, the cares of life, health, even church activities. The devil will use everything that is going on in the world today to get your attention and make you worry when God has told you not to worry about anything, but to take everything to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). As Christians, we love to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, but if you read verse 13 you will see that it is speaking about a country being bombarded by pandemics and famine. Sound familiar?

There really is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Instead of only quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14, why not live it out in our own lives every day? Take our eyes off those things that bring fear, distress and confusion into our lives. It may be the news, strained relationships, children dealing with school issues or addictions, failed finances, an unknown future. The devil deals in fear and confusion, God does not. When you see the world in confusion and when you see yourself being pulled into confusion, realize it is the work of the devil, the one who hates God and hates us. Turn your eyes back to Jesus Christ who is the lover of your soul.

Perhaps you have gotten away from reading scripture, maybe you are focused on watching TV and the most recent news report. The news is the same day in and day out. Instead of watching TV, turn it and social media off. Take that time to open your Bible, read a devotion, pray with a friend, sit in silence, and ask God to speak to you. There is nothing He desires more than to communicate with us. He created us to have relationship and to glorify Him. We do this when we sit in His presence.

It is not always easy to be still. I find it difficult because I allow other things to get in my way: washing clothes, cleaning the house, walking the dog. I make excuses for things that need to be done instead of being still and knowing that He is God and experiencing Him.

The world tells us that we must be busy all the time, but that is a lie. What we need more than anything is to be like Mary and to sit at Jesus feet instead of like Martha – busy and worried about things that are unimportant. (Read the full story in Luke 10:38-42). I can say this because I am a Martha, always thinking I must fill every minute of every day with activity and feeling guilty if I am not industrious all the time.

What I need is to hear Jesus speak to my heart to remove the confusion and stress of a world in chaos. Remember all the gifts God has brought into your life, think of the beauty of His creation, rejoice in the salvation He has provided by the gift of His son, Jesus Christ. Know that He loves you deeply and no matter what the future holds, He will be with you every step of the way.

Let’s Pray: Father God, thank you! Thank you for your never ending, unstoppable love for your creation of which I am one. Thank you for the blessings you daily shower on me. May Your Holy Spirit fill me with greater love each day for you and those you put in my path. Keep my eyes and heart focused on you, let my ears be attuned to your voice so that I will not fear or be confused. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills.

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions of her local RWA Chapter, Carolina Romance Writers. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and four grandchildren who are the delight of her life.  

In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temabanner/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/tema.banner

Devotionals for the Heart: Our Superhero is the Savior of the World

Our Ultimate Superhero
A devotional by Tema Banner

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” –John 3:16 (KJV)

You ever wonder why we humans are so enamored with superheroes?

Growing up, Superman was one of my favorites, although I also watched a fair amount of Batman. We always want to see them win! We might think it is the end, and when we fear that they are never going to come back, somehow, they survive.

There is something in us that makes us want a superhero, a savior. Not just someone who can overcome the simple ills we suffer, but one who can overcome insurmountable odds. When it looks like all hope is lost, the end has come, and the world is doomed, when there is no way the world may be rescued, the superhero will come along and make everything right.

It is in our DNA. God has put that desire in us for a superhero, a savior. Someone who can never be killed, never lose, even when it looks like the end has come, and the bad guy has won, our superhero overcomes! He delivers the world from certain destruction. He restores order to our lives and gives us hope.

That is what Jesus Christ did and continues to do for us every day in REAL life! God sent His Son Jesus to be the Ultimate Savior, our hero, overcomer, provider ... and He is unbeatable!

When Jesus came to live and minister on this Earth, He showed us the love of the Father. He healed the sick, the lame, the blind. He taught us to seek the Kingdom of Heaven, and to love others. He fulfilled the Old Testament in living color. Then he died on the cross, and like the true Superhero He is, He rose from the dead.

Can you image how His disciples felt? They had been with Him for three years. Seeing Him on The Cross of Calvary, they must have thought, “This is it; this is the end.” They had wonderful ideas and aspirations that Jesus was going to be a military ruler and king. The one who would set the Jews free from oppression (at that time, the Roman Empire was the oppressor). Then He was hung on a cross and He died. How disappointed they must have been to watch him die. They thought all their hope was gone!

But that was only the beginning of the story. God has a bigger plan than what we have imagined.

The Scriptures tell us that everything that we can see is temporary and it is what we cannot see that is permanent. There is a lot that we do not see. When the disciples saw that Jesus was no longer in the tomb where His dead body had been laid, they were puzzled. It was when they saw Him alive afterwards, that they realized He had been raised from the dead and that all that Jesus had been telling them about was spiritual. He had been speaking to them of permeance, far beyond the simple things they could see. It was not only for their day and time, it was for eternity.

That is what Jesus did for us when He came back. He saved us! He is a permanent Savior. He did overcome death, and all obstacles of sin that separate us from God. Be careful not to let the temporary things of this world blind you to the permanence of the next.

It is simple: When sin separated us from God, God made a way to eliminate the separation. He did that by sending Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice.

When we realize that we are separated by our sin and that we need a bridge to get to God, Jesus becomes that bridge. We are saved by the Grace of God by the death of Jesus and His resurrection and our acceptance of Him as our Savior (John 3:16-17).

Jesus is our Ultimate Superhero! He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, all forgiving and all compassionate. Jesus is, a REAL superhero in a world where all others are imaginary creations made from our longing for a true superhero who will restore us to fellowship with God. Jesus fulfills our true needs and restores hope.

The good news is that Jesus fulfills our true needs and restores hope! Thank God for Him!

Let’s Pray: Thank you God for showing us Your great love for us by sending Jesus to save us. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide and teach us. May we be filled with Your Holy Spirit and reflect Your love to this fallen world. In Jesus’s Name we pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills.  

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers. 

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life. In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: Instagram.com/temabanner

Devotionals for the Heart: Back to the Garden of Eden with God

Walking with God in the Garden of Life
A devotion by Tema Banner

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” 

–Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

The Garden of Eden was designed to perfection with complete harmony and with no sadness, tears, pain or sickness. Sin was completely absent from this original paradise that God created. Our first parents (Adam and Eve) who were the first humans created by God, spent time daily walking with God in the garden and talking to Him.

Can you image how perfect this place was and how special it was to walk with God and spend time in His Presence face-to-face? Try though I may, I cannot. My feeble abilities to ponder what that experience would be like, I am sure, fall short of reality.

Many times, the thought has occurred that “back to Eden” is God’s plan. He wants us to return to a time of no pain, tears, sickness, or sin. To once again walk with Him in His garden of perfection. God has done a great deal to enable us to return to communion with Him. He has been patient, loving, forgiving, compassionate, and most important of all, sent Jesus Christ to provide the ultimate, permanent sacrifice: His life for our sin. 

Such love I cannot fathom. It is deeper, wider, higher and more encompassing than the human mind and heart can comprehend or conceive.

There is proof of God’s love in every small detail of the world in which we live. The majestic beauty of the earth, even when at times it seems she is coming apart with hurricanes that lash the shores and rip plant life from their roots and homes from their foundations; earthquakes that are untraceable in the destruction they cause, until they have ended with objects, lives, and thoughts turned upside down; tornados, their unknown path of destruction starkly definitive as it wipes one home off the face of the earth but leaves its neighbor untouched. 

The strength of nature in these storms leaves me amazed. I recognize that they represent a fraction of God’s might and power. The majesty of God should make us tremble at the audacity we exhibit in our thoughts and behavior when we barely acknowledge God or spend time praying to Him. How easy it is for us to forget about His Sovereignty as we go about our daily lives in this sin-filled world.

Proverbs 3:6 has pressed on my mind and made me ask myself, “Do I want God to direct my path?” The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” I have tried my way frequently enough to know that it is not the right way. God’s great love for us is once again shown in this verse (Proverbs 3:6): He desires to direct us, to show us His good will for us, which will give us peace, even in the storms of life.

God desires to walk with us for all of our days, both here on earth and in Heaven. God desires genuine friendship with us. But He doesn’t force us to be His friend. God gave us the freedom to choose Him, to acknowledge Him. He wants to be part of all your ways, as God was in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, He wants now to walk with you through the garden of life.

Will you accept God’s invitation to walk with Him and talk with Him? He’s waiting with open arms, eager to guide you through this life on Earth and bring you “Back to Eden.”

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills. 

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life. In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: Instagram.com/temabanner

Devotionals for the Heart: Confidence

Confidence in the God Who Sees
A devotional by Tema Banner

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” – Genesis 16:13 (NIV)

Let’s talk about the Bible story of Hagar who was an Egyptian slave to Sarai and Abram.

Frustrated that she could not have children of her own with her husband (Abram) and not willing to wait any longer on God to fulfill His promise of blessing Abram with a child naturally through Sarai’s womb and make him the “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:1-8), Sarai gave Hagar to Abram in hopes of producing her longed-for son.

In our time that seems anything but honorable, but it was a common practice in Biblical times. But when Hagar becomes pregnant by Abram, Sarai quickly changes her mind when she feels her position is weakened. She mercilessly mistreats Hagar to the point that Hagar flees. She finds herself in a desolate place, alone and with child.

Imagine the distress and treatment that would cause her to flee to a barren, desolate land. How many times have we found ourselves in such a place?

It may have been our own choices and actions that place us there—I know this is true for me. But for others, it is treatment forced on them. My journey to the barren land has always been driven by my own desires instead of being obedient to God. However, had I not known it before, the last few weeks have shown that many in the country in which I live (United States of America) have been marginalized, mistreated, silenced, and ignored all because their skin is a different color.

But there is hope because Elohim Roi (The God who sees) is our God. He is just and has told us to “act justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly” with Him (Micah 6:8).

Despite my unfaithfulness and foolish choices, God saw me in my isolation, and He did not leave me alone. He is ever faithful. How much more will He see those who are mistreated and alone all for the way He created them? He will surely rescue them and deliver them from oppression. He is the God who sees. If you follow Him, you will be part of that rescue by His Holy Spirit working in you and through you.

God told Hagar to return to Sarai, but He also told her that she would give birth to a son. Hagar would find herself back in the desert when Abram, at Sarai’s insistence and God’s agreement, sends her and her son, Ishmael, away. Again, God sees her, alone, afraid, expecting to die for lack of water. He provides for her needs and promises that her son will live and become a great nation.

God always sees us, though sometimes we struggle to feel His presence. It is most often in our times of greatest distress, when situations are beyond our control, when we are at our weakest, that He reminds us that at such times His strength is there to lift us up.

When the world seems the most out of control, have confidence that God is not surprised by any of it and He sees you.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you that You see me, that You love us so much that You sent Jesus, your son, our Savior to rescue us. May your peace and love fill our hearts to overflowing, spilling onto all those who come near. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills.

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life. In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: Instagram.com/temabanner

Devotionals for the Heart: Trusting Jesus Christ to guide us through life

Trusting the Shepherd in Troubled Times
A devotional by Tema Banner

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil.”

– Psalm 23:4a (NIV)

I have been in Israel with my daughter and a wonderful group that I now call family. 

When we left for our trip, the first week of March, spring was not yet here, daylight savings time had not begun, and the Coronavirus had not reached the fever pitch that it would soon reach. In fact, it was something that was taking place on the other side of the world and even though a cruise ship had been infected, there was no real concern to most Americans.

The trip was amazing, a spiritual journey that I will treasure the rest of my life.

As we flew home, Psalm 23 came to me, given the condition of our world as it relates to the concern over the Coronavirus, it reverberated with me as I am sure it does with you.

During our time on our trip, we were immersed in the word of God, walked the streets that Jesus walked, visited the towns of His ministry and saw the Bible come live! We knew what was happening in the rest of the world, so we took precautions, but we did not allow it to dampen our enthusiasm for the trip and our spiritual pilgrimage. Even when our planned excursion to Petra was canceled, we knew God was in control. 

There were many God moments along the way: those who miraculously received the funds for the trip, airplane schedules fell in line, the necessary rooms we required when our Petra trip was cancelled, became available, and many other instances in between that told us God was, and is, in control.

As I journeyed home, returning to the reality of everyday life, seeing the soft green, yellow fuzz on the tips of the trees that tell me spring has arrived, to the clock on my car dashboard that has yet to be sprung forward, I am reminded that Jesus is my shepherd, He loves me, He loves you, and carries us on His shoulders. He protects us no matter the path we tread.

Relax in His love and be secure in His everlasting, everyday protection. Let His words seep into your ear and settle in your heart. God is not surprised by anything that is going on in the world, nor anything that happens in your life. Trust that He is with you, even if you walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

~*~
Author Bio:

Writing stories that take the reader on a journey to parts unknown has been a lifelong love for Tema. She enjoys all history and continues daily to hone both her knowledge of history and her writing skills. 

God is her guiding light and the reason for every endeavor in her life. She is a member of the South Carolina ACFW chapter as well as an active member of her local RWA chapter, Carolina Romance Writers.

Tema has served as past President and Secretary as well as holding various chair positions. She is the honored recipient of the Harold Lowery Service Award, presented by the Carolina Romance Writers.

God has gifted her with a loving husband, two children and three grandchildren who are the delight of her life. In her spare time, she gardens and digs into genealogy for nuggets to use in her stories.

~*~
Connect with Tema:
Website: https://temabannerauthor.com
Blog: www.temabannerauthor.com/blog
Instagram: Instagram.com/temabanner