Devotionals for the Heart: What God wants us to do when we are uncertain

Walking by Faith During Seasons of Uncertainty
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.”

—Hebrews 11:8-9 (NIV)

Fall has always been my favorite season.

Colorful leaves, cooler weather, and pumpkin spice lattes are a welcome change from the heat and humidity. I find nothing more satisfying than the sound of acorns under my feet as I walk through the woods.

Change is inevitable for us spiritually as well. God doesn’t want us to remain stagnant, so He takes us through seasons designed to prune us, promote us, and refine us. Not all seasons feel good, especially when God pulls us away from relationships, habits, and emotional attachments that can't go where He's taking us. When the landscape of your life feels unfamiliar and unsettling, God uses this divine disruption to move you forward.

We’ve all faced seasons of uncertainty when God’s plan seemed hidden. We question why prayers are still unanswered or when things will turn around. But God knows our faith won’t grow if He lays out the entire roadmap.

Imagine how Abraham felt when God called him to leave the comforts of home for a land God promised Abraham would inherit. Without knowing what to expect, let alone the roadmap to get there, Abraham stepped out in faith because he trusted God to keep His promise.

God didn’t expect Abraham to figure out how to reach the Promised Land, but to believe that He already did. Abraham’s faith in the midst of uncertainty reminds us that when everything feels chaotic and uncertain, we aren’t falling apart—we’re falling into place—as God positions us for the promise we’ve been praying for.

True faith isn’t about knowing how our story unfolds but trusting the One (God) who does. Every time we choose to walk by faith and release our grip on the outcome, we’re allowing Him to guide our steps, even when it’s uncomfortable.

God doesn’t keep us in the dark to punish us. He is preparing us for the future that He’s already planned for us. God knows that if He told us too much, we would continue to be burdened with anxiety and addicted to control and clarity.

When my lab tests showed some abnormalities last month, my doctor sent me to a hematologist as a precaution. The moment I realized his office was located at the cancer center, I immediately feared the worst. Later that evening, despite what my mind was telling me, the Lord reassured me I would get a clean bill of health. This experience taught me that instead of trusting my emotions, I must trust God’s voice and the promises He’s spoken over my life.

In the midst of uncertainty, we don’t have to be afraid of the dark, because the same God who led Abraham through the desert to the Promised Land in the Bible story is leading us too in our modern era. When we reach the destination He’s planned for us, we will look back and realize that every step He asked us to take was worth it.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

When I’m faced with uncertainty and my heart is overwhelmed with fear, help me remember to resist the urge to figure everything out myself. Because You are Sovereign, I don’t have to fear what happens next because You go before me, and Your plans for me are always good. I know You are with me, so I will choose faith over fear and prayer over panic as I trust You to take me safely to my next destination.

In Jesus’s name, I pray.

Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Just Be Held” by Casting Crowns. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Walk by Faith” by Jeremy Camp. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Everything Falls” by Fee. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s passion to follow Jesus Christ is woven throughout her writing. She loves using words to encourage women to embrace their identity in Christ so they can experience victory in every area of their life. 

In 2024, Sarah was a featured speaker in the 28-Day Devotional Challenge. She also launched her new Substack newsletter, "A Peaceful Pace", which inspires her readers to let Jesus Christ set their pace in a world that values speed at all costs.

Sarah’s short stories have appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and Mysterious Ways by Guideposts. Her latest short story is featured in a new book published by Guideposts, titled Too Amazing For Coincidence.

Her devotionals have appeared in David C. Cook’s The Quiet Hour and Devotions, The Secret Place by Judson Press, and Pray a Word a Day by Guideposts.

Sarah is a dog sitter who lives in Minneapolis with her dachshund Frank. Her hobbies include cooking and vacationing each year on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

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Connect with Sarah:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.cole.52

Devotionals for the Heart: When you don't know how to help someone

When You Don’t Know How to Help
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

Sometimes when tragedy hits someone you care about, you struggle with how to love them well in the midst of it—especially when there is little you can do. Have you been there before?

A week before Christmas, my amazing and precious niece Kendall, who just turned nine, complained about a bellyache as she fell asleep. Her parents (my husband’s younger brother, Beav, and his wife, Brandy) felt a sizeable hard lump on Kendall’s stomach, just below her sternum, that hurt when they pushed on it.

When they took her to the doctor the next morning, scans discovered their worst fear: it was a massive tumor coming off her kidney.

Beav said it felt like a cold shock ripping through his body.

“In that moment, my entire life changed,” he shared.

As days passed, a biopsy revealed it was a neuroblastoma, an aggressive, fast-growing cancerous tumor on her kidney that was so large it was pushing her spine over. Kendall went through one round of chemo and then the next (with a little break to celebrate Christmas and her birthday in-between). Currently she’s on pause, waiting to begin round three, and a stem cell collection was done yesterday.

The best news is the cancer has not spread beyond the kidney, even though it is what’s called MYCN positive and is a more aggressive mutation of the disease. She’s responding extraordinarily well to treatment so far, getting outstanding care at one of the best pediatric oncology centers in the nation (Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston), and prognosis is positive.

But it’s also incredibly hard—for her, for her parents, and for everyone else in her world. Kendall is the middle child, with an older sister who is eleven and a younger sister who turns two this May, so the diagnosis has caused major upheaval and lengthy hospital stays, with local relatives and friends doing lots of heavy lifting when it comes to childcare and transportation. And the whole situation is terrifying with what feel like hundreds of unknowns…What could happen? What will long-term effects look like?

Family, friends, and acquaintances have been showering the family with well-wishes and other expressions of support. Last week, my husband and I attended an event in honor of Kendall at Jack Brown’s, Columbia, to support a charity called Happy Wheels, which brings brand new books and toys to approximately 400 children weekly at all three children's hospitals in South Carolina. Each child gets to pick out one toy or book of their choice every week for the duration of their admission. They get to keep the gifts and take them home.

All of this is good, touching—thoughtful gestures of love and support to, in some small way, support the care provided to Kendall and kids like her and let them know they are not alone and not forgotten.

But … what else can we do? For me, that’s perhaps the hardest part of all of this—knowing my sweet niece, the fierce firecracker who’s had my heart since her birth, is going through this and there is absolutely nothing I can do to make it better or take it away from her.

For those of us in the family who are Christians, surrounding her with prayer is the only thing we really can do. And so we pray… that God equip her medical team with the skills and knowledge to treat her well, that God enable the medicine to shrink and eventually dissolve her tumor, that she and her parents feel peace, joy, and comfort even on the hardest of days, that she experience a full and complete healing that not only draws her closer to God but also somehow glorifies His mighty name.

We also look for ways to pitch in and help when necessary, whatever that looks like.

That is what we as Christians are called to do. Jesus tells us in John 13:35 (NIV), “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

He says we are to care for each other intimately and lovingly, as if we are caring for the Lord himself, whether that person is sick, in need of clothing, or in prison (Matthew 25:36-40).

Other Scriptures echo this, such as Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

My church is praying for Kendall, as are the churches of a host of friends and family members, including Kendall’s own church. Together as one voice, we lift her up to the Lord, the “great physician” (Luke 5:31), who has the power to do all things.

If you are struggling with illness, or if you have a loved one who is, know you are not alone. This broken world is far from perfect, but one day we will all be together in a place no disease can touch. That place is Heaven. Until then, let’s love one another, care for each other, and pray with all our hearts to the One who made the stars.

Let’s Pray: Lord, please be with Kendall and with all people who are struggling with illness. Help them feel Your love every step of the way. And help us to love them well in Your holy name. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning journalist, author, blogger, editor, writing coach, and devotional writer with thousands of articles to her name. 

Since 2010, she has served as the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 123 journalism awards during her tenure. She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart for Hunger Ministry (2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional Journey (2018) and the editor of a number of other books from her newspaper’s Advocate Press, which she helped found in 2017.

She has won more than 100 writing awards and is a seasoned speaker and frequent contributor to Crosswalk.com, Christianity.com, and BibleStudyTools.com, among many others. She has a weekly faith blog at JessicaBrodie.com and is part of the team at Wholly Loved Ministries, with her work included in many of their devotionals and Bible studies.

Brodie holds a Master of Arts in English, and she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in communications/print journalism from Florida International University. Born and raised in Miami, Brodie now lives in Lexington, South Carolina, just outside Columbia. She has also lived in Ohio and in the mountains of western North Carolina. She and her husband, Matt Brodie, have a blended family of four teenage children and stepchildren.

Brodie has written several novels and is actively seeking publication through her agent Bob Hostetler of The Steve Laube Agency. Her novel The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis contest for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian Fiction Writers, and her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2019. She is finishing the third in the series, Hidden Seeds, now.

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Connect with Jessica:
Website: https://www.jessicabrodie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaJBrodie
Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicajbrodie
Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaJBrodie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicajbrodie/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicajbrodie/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shiningthelightjessicabrodie/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jessicajbrodie

Romantic Reads: Audra, Dying for Life

Welcome Carol J. Nelson to the blog!

She's here to talk about her book, Audra: Dying for Life.

Enjoy her interview!

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Interview with Carol J. Nelson about Audra: Dying for Life

Alexis: Why did you write this book?

Carol: It started with a dream of a teacher in her classroom. When I awoke, I realized it was the plot for a novel. I hadn’t written anything in years, but since my husband was busy constructing a website for our church, I decided to fill some empty time with writing.

I wrote the novel, but it was long and ponderous. I did nothing with it. When my husband died in 2016, the Lord gently spoke to my heart that it was time to embrace my writing, but I knew I had to surrender it to Him and write to His glory. So, I rewrote the book motivated by a new perspective.

As I wrote, and later with the help of my editor, the themes of forgiveness, being restored to God, and seeking His will were developed more fully. I wrote this book, first of all, out of obedience to what I knew God wanted me to do. Secondly, I wrote the book with the hope that women, especially, would find a deeper walk with the Lord through Audra’s struggles and the changes God wrought in her life.

Alexis: What makes Chandler’s Grove special to your characters?

Carol: For Audra, it’s her hometown. The most special thing for her is Chandler’s Grove Academy and her sixth grade English class. Her mother taught second grade there. Audra attended the school for eight years and returned to work there after college. Her second most special thing is the autumn colors of the cottonwoods in the fall.

For Dann Day, Chandler’s Grove is a haven. Still hurting from a failed first marriage, he’s recently fled Chicago to escape the clutches of another designing woman bent on rearranging his life. Chandler’s Grove becomes a place of healing for him.

The only special thing Heather finds in Chandler’s Grove is Dann. She dislikes almost everything else. She’s determined Dann will become her special man.

Alexis: Let’s talk about your story’s heroine Audra Knight. What does she look like? Sound like? Act like? Describe her personality and share the dreams of her heart.

Carol: I’ll let Dann describe her looks in a sentence. (He was) enjoying her long-lashed brown eyes as they held his, her pink lips as they curved, and her brunette hair as the ends curled and brushed her shoulders. She’s outgoing and comfortable with her best friend, Tamina York, and can share anything with her—well, almost anything. She has few close friends, but she’s well-liked by students and teachers.

She put men on the back burner of her life, partly because she didn’t want a husband like her father and partly because what her sister experienced scared her off. She has old-fashioned morals with a strong sense of right and wrong. She never considered the anger she’s stuffed for so many years to be a problem until anxiety over her health, old wounds stirred up, and antagonism from Heather all conspire to bring the hidden anger right out into plain view.

As for dreams, they all seem impossible. She’d held onto the hope of someday having a baby, but the visit to the gynecologist might bring that dream crashing down around her. Also, she allowed her father to talk her out of the deepest desire of her heart—becoming a full-time piano teacher. She regrets that. But her life is set and settled now. She’d never earn enough to pay living expenses with a handful of piano students. That dream will just have to remain a dream hidden in her heart.

Alexis: Let’s talk about your story’s hero, Dann Day. What does he look like? What are his life goals? What are his character flaws? What are his strengths?

Carol: Dann has light-brown hair neatly groomed in a conservative side-part cut. He has straight eyebrows over gray eyes that sparkle when he’s happy or excited. Audra calls his handsome face even-featured. His life goals are simple. He wants a family, and he wants a room to set up his model trains.

As far as teaching goes, he feels called to be a mid-school band and orchestra director and has no desire to move up. He likes nothing better than to take a group of fifth grade students and turn them into accomplished musicians by the time they are ready to leave him for the larger world of high school music.

He’s such a nice guy, but he hates confrontations and he’d rather run away than tell a woman the relationship is over and make it stick. He’s hard-working and willing to accept a challenge. But according to Audra’s thoughts: Dann’s different from any man I’ve ever known—unlike any of the men in Chandler’s Grove, for certain. He’s the most honest, forthright man I’ve ever met. He’s divorced—so? 

That hadn’t changed her perception of him as a kind, sensitive, nice guy. 

Alexis: How does a visit to her gynecologist change Audra’s life?

Carol: From the moment Dr. Rhonda says she needs to do a biopsy, Audra’s aware that her life is changed forever. Fear, worry, and anxiety become her constant companion. Even when Tamina vows to stand by her, come what may, Audra can’t make the thoughts go away. It’s exhausting.

Couple that with mounting anger at Heather’s adversarial attitude and the growing suspicion she’s behind a dirty trick played on her, Audra’s frustration finally drives her to seek counseling from the pastor at the church Tamina’s started going to. It’s when the Lord enters the situation that real and permanent changes in Audra’s life take place.

Alexis: Why does Audra have unresolved anger issues?

Carol: They remained unresolved because instead of dealing with feelings of rejection and anger, she stuffed them. For years. Most of the issues centered around her father and not understanding the depth of his grief and descent into bitterness after her mother died. Then he unexpectedly died of a heart attack. It was too late to resolve their differences, and anger was left to fester. Audra laments to Tamina, “My anger has burst out of some secret closet, and I can’t get it back in because it’s grown fat and ugly and it won’t fit anymore. Oh, girl, I’m miserable.”

Alexis: What caused Audra to stray from God?

Carol: It wasn’t rebellion or chasing worldly enticements. She’d faithfully gone to church and Sunday school until her mother died when she was twelve. After the funeral, when she asked her father if she could go back to Sunday school, he said no, they didn’t need God in their lives.

What can a twelve-year-old child do in that situation? She couldn’t drive herself to church, so not going to church became the new norm. Slowly but surely, her knowledge of the Bible lagged, became neglected, and left her depending on the few scraps she remembered. It wasn’t that she no longer believed in God, but she had lost her trust. Little did she know that God never left her.

Alexis: What is it about Dann that interests Audra (beside his handsome looks)?

Carol: At first meeting, it’s his friendliness. Never having had much experience with men, she is surprised how comfortable and at ease she feels talking with him. However, with her newly discovered health problem, she absolutely will not allow any further attraction. Except there’s this mutual love of music that stirs her heart, and her own musical ability is probably the one area in her life where she’s genuinely self-confident. Then there’s his honesty, integrity, and love for his family. She feels totally safe with him. Oh, how long can she deny she’s attracted to him?

Alexis: What is it about Audra that makes Dann want to know her better?

Carol: Maybe it’s that refreshing girl-next-door innocence he senses. At least she doesn’t seem the type to dump her husband and run off to chase a career in modeling. Or the designing woman who wants to remake him in her own image or push herself on him like that Heather who’s been on the make from their first day at work. He’s new in town, and he needs a friend. Audra makes him smile.

Alexis: Who is Heather Easton and what role does she play in this story?

Carol: Heather arrives in Chandler’s Grove the same way and time Dann does. She’s been hired to teach sixth-grade math at the academy. She left Minnesota to escape her controlling mother whom she blames for ruining every relationship she’s ever had with a man. Out from under her mother’s thumb, there’s Dann as big as life. He seems to have eyes only for Audra, but she’ll get what she wants.

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in this story?

Carol: One can believe in God and know the blood of Jesus forgives their sin, and we say they have faith. But faith also involves trust. Trusting that God cares for us 24/7. Trusting that God knows what’s best for us and will lead us on the path He wants for us. Trusting that when the Bible says not to lean on our own understanding, that God wants us to depend on him for everything, all the time. Trusting that when God says forgive others, that He will empower us to do it. Audra, Dann, and Tamina all have to learn these lessons.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about Audra: Dying for Life?

Carol: No matter why or how long ago we strayed from God, he always wants us back. God gives us life. He wants us to live it with joy and to the fullest. Seeking God’s will always bring peace. And in the words of 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV): “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”

Alexis: Complete this sentence: If I were not an author, I’d want to _______________ because ________________________________.

Carol: If I were not an author, I’d want to become one because at 81 years old, there’s nothing I’d rather do, and I can’t not write.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Carol! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Carol: Thank you, Alexis, for interviewing me. I think I know Audra better now than when I wrote her story! God bless you in all your endeavors.

~*~
Author Bio:

Carol J. Nelson lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she spends most days writing Christian women's fiction. 

Although she started writing in childhood, it took a lifetime to know what her heart truly desired and needed to write—stories that touch the fabric of women's lives with hope, grace, and faith, combined with the little spice of clean romance women enjoy. 

She has three daughters, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She served as an aid in a nursing home, worked in the purchasing department of a large corporation, spent time as the head cook at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and went full circle to become a care-giver before settling in to her first love, writing. 

When she's not at the computer, church, gardening, cooking, and playing cards and games keep her busy.

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Back Cover Blurb for Audra: Dying for Life 

When Audra Knight's gynecologist says, "I need to do a biopsy," it numbs her to the core of her being. She's young, single, and suddenly a potential cancer victim. 

It's really not the time to notice Dann Day, the handsome new band-orchestra teacher at Chandler's Grove Academy...and Audra's new co-worker. And why should he want anything to do with her? 

With her unresolved anger issues, the way she's strayed from God, and the fact that Heather Easton already seems to have claimed him for her own, getting involved would be stupid. Even if he was able to see past all of that, it could too easily end in heartbreak if she does end up having cancer. She doesn't want to put a man through that. 

But when Dann asks Audra's help on a school project, Heather's jealousy flares. It's the catalyst that amplifies Audra's anger, sending her back to God and church to find peace and the courage to truly live. However, there's on thing that can't be stopped...Audra's growing feelings for Dann. 

But how can she tell a man who wants a family that he might not be able to have one with her? As the pressure mounts, it becomes clear that the only one who can answer the question is God.

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Buy Carol's book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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United States of America residents ONLY may enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Romantic Reads: Love and Other Mistakes (book) by Jessica Kate

Join me in welcoming Jessica Kate to the blog! She hails from Australia! 

I met her at a Christian writers conference five years ago. Since then, she's become a published author! We're featuring an excerpt from her debut book, Love and Other Mistakes on my blog today. 

Happy Reading!

~*~

Excerpt from Love and Other Mistakes by Jessica Kate:

The squeak of rubber soles on the court echoed around Natalie as she froze in the doorway of the recreational center’s basketball court, two weeks after leaving Jem on the hospital sidewalk.

Three guys raced toward the far end of the court, chasing their opponent, whose long legs propelled him down the court at a lightning pace.

Jem.

After another depressing day of job hunting, the last thing she’d wanted to do on her Friday afternoon was play in the weekly social basketball league. But Mom had convinced her to get off the computer—she’d been researching weird M&M flavors to buy—and instead run off the stress, all with a twinkle in her eye Natalie hadn’t quite deciphered.

Now she recognized it—the cunning of a woman determined to get grandchildren. Mom had been single minded toward that endeavor ever since Natalie made the mistake of telling her why she missed the head-office rep meeting.

But if the dream involved Jem, it had to die.

Cheers swelled from the handful of bystanders as Jem leapt through the air and dunked the ball. Even the opposing team members clapped.

“Way to go, Jem!”

The corners of her mouth lifted. She’d practiced with him for countless afternoons till he mastered that move. From that day on, every time he nailed a dunk his eyes would search her out, whether she was beside him on the court or cheering in the stands. His lips would pull into a grin that seemed to combine Did you see that? with Couldn’t have done it without you, babe.

Her mind landed back in the present at the same moment Jem’s gaze locked with hers.

She froze.

He grinned. Did you see that?

The corner of her mouth twitched upward.

Another thought slammed into her mind. He has a baby with someone else.

She whirled and headed out the door. How could he grin at her, like the last seven years hadn’t happened?

Her ire built with each step, threatening to spill over into frustrated tears. He had a baby. She’d felt sick each morning when she woke and remembered that the man she’d thought would raise her children now had one with someone else. And the fact it bit so deep dragged her self-esteem down another three notches. He’d obviously not missed her at all, and here she was still affected by him. After seven years.

Pathetic.

Natalie rounded a corner and pulled her keys from her pocket. She needed time with Jeremy Walters about as much as she needed a cockroach under her pillow.

“Nat! Wait up!” Jem’s voice echoed down the hall.

The open door to the sports equipment storage room presented the perfect hiding place. She flew in and dove behind a pile of dusty gym mats.

“Natalie?”

She fought a sneeze as his footsteps approached, then paused.

“Your foot is sticking out.” Laughter rumbled in his voice.

She wriggled her way upright, brushing a monstrous dust bunny from her blue-and-gold uniform.

“I was just, uh, looking for something.” Like peace and quiet.

He nodded. “There’s a dead moth in your hair.”

“Blagh-eek!”

“Just kidding.” He smirked.

Trying to claw back some dignity, she crossed her arms and surveyed him. How was it fair that, even after so long, those mischievous blue eyes and boyish freckles hadn’t lost one ounce of their charm? Time to go on the offensive. “What are you doing on my team? Don’t you have an article to write or a baby to take care of?”

“Didn’t realize you owned the team. Or still played.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Is it a problem?”

Rats. No good way out of that one. “Of course not. You’d better be able to pull your weight, is all. You’ve got a bit of a dad bod going on.” An utter lie. Curse his physique.

He slapped a hand on his stomach. “Didn’t know you’d been checking my bod out.” The words were laced with laughter, but Natalie just stared. Not going there.

The mirth drained from Jem’s expression under the weight of the silence. “Okay, I can’t do fake nicety-nice with you.” He ran a hand down his face, pulling his cheeks. “I talked to your mom.”

The air left her lungs.

“She told me about Phil. I’m sorry, I knew he was sick, but I didn’t know how bad.”

She flinched at the mention of Dad. He’s in remission. She fought the urge to shout the words. Yes, technically he was in remission. But the writing was on the wall, and barring a miracle, they all knew what the future held. The question was when.

“And she said you can’t find a job and will have to move back in with them.”

Natalie sucked in a deep breath, pressure building in her brain. “Why would—”

“I need someone to take care of Olly.”

She gaped at him. “Have you lost your mind?” The man had told her he loved her. Asked her to marry him. Dumped her and disappeared for seven years.

And now he wanted to be her boss?

~*~

Blurb for Love and Other Mistakes:
Jessica Kate’s heartfelt and romantic debut proves that love always comes in God’s own time.  

           Natalie Groves once had big dreams. But soon after her fiancé, Jeremy Walters, inexplicably broke off their engagement and left town, her father was diagnosed with cancer. Now tasked with keeping her family afloat, Natalie’s grand plans have evaporated . . . and God feels very far away. Fast-forward seven years, and Jeremy is back in Charlottesville with an infant son and years of regrets. When his niece, Lili, lands on his doorstep in need of a place to stay, Jeremy needs help—and fast. 

         An internship opening finally presents Natalie a chance at her dream job, but she needs a second income to work around it—and the only offer available is Jeremy’s. They could be the solutions to one another’s problems, provided they don’t kill each other in the process. When they join forces, sparks fly. But they both know there’s a thin line between love and hate...and that love will turn out to be the best decision—or the biggest mistake—of all.

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Review of Love and Other Mistakes by Erin S. on Amazon.com:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tackling some Hard Topics

Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019

My Thoughts on Love and Other Mistakes:
Love and Other Mistakes is a fast reading cute novel. While it’s a romance it adds other aspects as well that allow for deep thinking.

When I first picked up this book I thought it was just going to be a romance. A cute story about how this couple finds each other after years apart and a broken engagement. Then they realize they’re still in love, a few bumps in the road, and they get married. Cute and sweet mostly.

But instead, I got this book.

It’s. . . wow.

This book is so much more than that.

Here you have this book and yes it’s a romance, but it’s also so much more. Within the pages of Love and Other Mistakes you’re going to see a single dad, an affair, an out of wedlock pregnancy or two, hidden sins, hard lessons learned, lies, and so much more. It’s so much more than a romance book and I think you should read it.

I read the book in an afternoon/evening. It was so good I didn’t want to put it down. So many twists and turns that I was not expecting and so much good food within the pages.

Have you ever struggled to forgive? I know I have. And then I know that forgiving isn’t forgetting as well as forgetting isn’t forgiving are some key things that I’ve thought on before so it’s nice to see a character in a book struggle with this too.

Definitely a new to me author that I’m now wanting to read more from. This is one to watch!

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Author Bio:

Australian author Jessica Kate is obsessed with sassy romances.

She packs her novels with love, hate, and everything in between—and then nerds out over her favorite books, movies and TV in the StoryNerds podcast (official podcast of Reading Is My Superpower!) 

When she’s not writing or discussing fiction, she’s hunting the world for the greatest pasta in existence.

Her debut novel Love and Other Mistakes released July 2019, while A Girl’s Guide to the Outback hit shelves in January 2020.

Receive her sassy shorts "The Kiss Dare" and "The Kiss Thief" for FREE when you sign up for her newsletter at jessicakatewriting.com.

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Buy Jessica Kate's book, Love and Other Mistakes on 

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Christianbook 

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Connect with Jessica Kate:
Facebook and Instagram: Jessica Kate Writing

StoryNerds podcast: Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and at www.storynerds.podbean.com.

The McLeod’s Daughters Podcast: Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and at https://player.whooshkaa.com/shows/the-mcleods-daughters-podcast.

Thankful Thursdays: My thoughts on the power of prayer

It's Thursday and I'm thankful for the power of prayer!

Earlier today, I prayed for a woman in the parking lot of the grocery store. She asked me for money and shared her story of hardship. I told her that I didn't have money to give but I could pray for her. So then and there, I placed a hand on her shoulder, we both bowed our heads and I prayed. I asked God to send her people who could help her and to help her and her family through this tough time.

Hours later, I've already forgotten her name but I know that God knows her name and He heard my prayers for her and He'll answer those prayers according to His will because God loves ALL of His children so I am certain He will send help.

This Thursday, I'm doing something different with my routine "Thankful Thursdays" post. I'm going to share a video of a sermon by Dr. Tony Evans. The sermon is titled, "Prayer That Works." After you watch his message, I ask that you please pray for him and his wife Lois. She is battling a rare form of cancer. You can learn more about her situation by reading this article (click here).

I believe in the power of prayer and I believe that God always answers every prayer that we pray to Him. God's Word (The Holy Bible) advises us in Hebrews 4:16 (KJV), "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Read more Bible verses about the power of prayer by clicking here.

As promised, you can watch the sermon by Dr. Tony Evans by pressing the play button on the video below. 

Be encouraged, friends! God loves you!

Love,

Alexis A. Goring
Founder of "God is Love" blog

When Love Inspires: Sandi's story

When Love Inspires: Sandi's story

I’ve always loved a good romance! Especially if it included adventure and excitement. I try to write what excites me, what I would want to read. So of course, I thought: Who could resist a book that opens with a shotgun wedding?

For me, coming up with ideas and inventing exhilarating scenes is what I love about writing. But what makes me most passionate about my stories is implementing the love of God between my pages. Having the opportunity to share the Lord with my readers in a way that “shows” His true character—rather than preaching to my readers—is what excites me the most! Jesus taught in parables, so clearly we can learn about God through stories, even romantic ones. God is the inventor of romance anyway.

Have you ever read Song of Solomon? That couple had similar issues as us today, and I believe that’s why it was written—so we can all thankfully realize we’re “normal.” Just one small example, Solomon’s lover is self-conscience about her looks in 1:6, “Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, for the sun has burned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me caretaker of the vineyards, but I have not taken care of my own vineyard.” Her “own vineyard” is her “own body.” How many of us have felt that way? Too many, I dare say! But Solomon still adores her. Come now, release that huge sigh, “Aaaahhhh!” And say, “So … romantic!”

Most of my stories before Out of the Ashes have been deeper, heavier. Really, had it not been for the Lord and the many thousands of people who prayed me through cancer, Out of the Ashes never would have been written. If you’re one of the people who prayed for me, thank you. Mere words aren’t enough to express my gratitude.

Having emerged back onto the writing scene after the two-year battle, and feeling rather beat up after the long fight, I needed something with a happy ending. Like a fairytale. Think Cinderella. That’s what Out of the Ashes is, something light and cheerful. Just as I got my happy ending with cancer, I want to leave my readers with a happy ending that makes them sigh and wish for more.

I’m thankful to God that He’s given me the chance to write a story of adventure and fun, a story that I pray will put a smile on someone’s face. What a blessing it has been for me to have had the strength to write Nathaniel and Amelia’s story. 

~*~
Author Bio:

Sandi Rog is the founder and acquisitions editor of Tulpen Publishing, www.tulpenpublishing.com. She has been editing since 1999 and believes her readers deserve stories that take them beyond the bookshelf of "ordinary." 

Sandi is also an international and award-winning author of The Master’s Wall, Yahshua’s Bridge (DeWard Publishing, https://deward.com), and Walks Alone (White Fire Publishing https://www.whitefire-publishing.com).

Finally, Out of the Ashes was the First Place winner of the 2016 FHLRCA contest: http://www.faithhopelove-rwa.org/fhlrca-contest/2016-fhlrca-contest-winners/.

Sandi knows what it's like to want to lose oneself in a delightful story. She lived in Holland for thirteen years and now lives in Colorado with her husband, four children (one is married and living elsewhere now, sniff), a cat, and too many spiders.

You can learn more about Sandi Rog at her personal website, www.sandirog.com and her blog about her cancer story, https://beatcancerwithb17.weebly.com. 

~*~

Blurb for Sandi's book, Out of the Ashes:

A stranger. A kiss. A shotgun wedding. 

NATHANIEL WARD, wealthy entrepreneur, needs a wife. But he’s not interested in the preening, high-society women who are offered to him on a silver platter. He wants one woman, and one woman alone: the girl who gave him all the money in her reticule years ago when the Great Chicago Fire left him destitute. He sets out to find this woman and discovers she’s unattached. There’s only one problem, a shotgun wedding may be able to bind them, but will he ever be able to win her heart? 

AMELIA E. TAYLOR blows a kiss to a street rat. Little did she know, years later that kiss would follow her to Green Pines Colorado. When a handsome stranger arrives in her hometown, she guards her heart from the stirrings this man ignites. Despite society’s disapproval of spinsterhood, she is determined not to marry, having witnessed first-hand the lack of love and horrors that accompany marriage. But will a shotgun wedding reveal blessings that arise out of the ashes?

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Connect with Sandi:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Sandi-Rog-Author-Page-113283882063182/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/sandirog

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Devotionals for the Heart: Lessons learned on love for God and animals

On ruling well and loving Fido: Honoring God through National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

If I’m sick, the rest of my family will steer clear and let me sleep, but not my cat. She’ll sit on my pillow and gently knead my head, purring loudly as though she alone can drive the illness away. Instead of me caring for her, dumping food in her dish and scratching her kitty-chin while she gives me sweet-eyes, the tables turn and she’s Mama Cat, tending to her neediest kitten.

My mom’s cat was her superhero when she battled aggressive cancer decades ago and chemotherapy knocked her flat in bed. Today a survivor, she still talks about how Rusty was right there every day, never leaving her side.

It’s not just cats. Dogs and even hamsters and bunnies have this uncanny sixth sense like they know on a wholly different level than we humans do when their loved one is ill and exactly what they need to get well. My cat even looks at me differently when I’m sick like she sees right through me and straight to the illness beneath my skin like she’s some fierce guardian angel there to battle on my behalf with The Evil Flu or The Dreaded Sinus Infection.

It’s both stinking cute and incredibly comforting.

The love we have for animals—and our animal friends have for us—is a beautiful thing and, I’d argue, a biblical call. As Christians, we know Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21), and we are commanded to love God above all and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-49).

But who’s to say God doesn’t want us to love our animal neighbors just as we do fellow humans? While humans are made in God’s image for His glory, the rest of creation is also made for God’s glory and pleasure, including animals of the forest, fish of the sea, and our beloved pets. In the Book of Genesis, God created animals, fish, and birds. He saw it was good, then created man and woman to care for them.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’” (Genesis 1:26, NIV).

But “rule” doesn’t mean control with brutality. Rulers don’t get to say “my way or the highway.” Good rulers, godly rulers, are to lead with love and kindness with an end-goal of modeling our ultimate ruler, God. Just because animals are not created in God’s image doesn’t mean they are not important to God, and I believe we are obligated to nurture, respect, honor, and care for them with the same sort of loving care our Father God gives to us.

This week (the first full week in November) is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. It kicked off yesterday, Nov. 4. Animal shelters are places where stray, lost, abandoned or surrendered animals are kept and, often, rehabilitated. Some also help sick or wounded pets and wildlife. While not all shelters are equal, I’ve never seen a shelter or encountered a shelter worker that doesn’t love and care passionately for animals.

In honor of our furry (or scaled, or winged) “neighbors,” I urge you to take a moment today to think about how you can love them in a way that honors God’s love for us, as well as think about how you might be able to love and honor animal shelters, who are tasked to care for these creatures. If you are able, consider adopting an animal from your local animal shelter, or donate or volunteer your time.

After all, God is love. Let’s follow suit.

~*~
Author bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. 

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.

Learn more about her fiction and read her blog at http://jessicabrodie.com/shiningthelight.

My Review of the "Before I Go" Online Bible Study from Sarah Koontz

Dear Blog Readers,

Today, I'd like to share my review of a FREE Bible study with you!

The Bible study is called "Before I Go" and it's authored by Sarah Koontz. It focuses on Jesus Christ's final teaching and prayer for His people before He left Earth. 

This study spans for three weeks and is worth every minute that you spend in it!

Read a word from Sarah below then proceed to read my review of Before I Go.

God bless you!

Love,

Alexis

~*~
A Word from Sarah Koontz:

If you have ever wondered who Jesus Christ REALLY is or questioned His relevance in your life, I invite you to join us for the “Before I Go” study. All you need to complete this free online Bible study is 15-minutes per day and an e-mail address.

The detailed account of Jesus’ final teaching and prayer in John 14-17 reveal the heart of the Man, the Messiah, and the Redeemer. 

They are the gospel truth that brings freedom, joy, and transformation into our lives.

THE “BEFORE I GO” BIBLE STUDY WILL HELP YOU:

● Understand Who Jesus Christ Is

● Receive the Free Gift of Salvation

● Invite others to Accept Jesus’ Invitation

● Study and Apply God’s Word to Your Life

● Pray With Absolute Confidence

As you go through this three-week study, you will notice every day is titled with an action verb. They are actions you can do right now! And every single one of them is a reaction to what Jesus Christ has done for you.

When we get to know who Jesus Christ really is—understand why He came to earth and humbled himself to the point of death upon the cross—we are completely transformed.

This study will be offered free of charge to anyone who wishes to participate. Reserve your spot today at LivingbyDesign.org/Jesus.

Study Format

Throughout the study, you will receive daily e-mails including a brief Scripture reading and devotional along with shareable quote graphics. We are excited to announce that we have included an audio version of the daily devotionals in each Before I Go e-mail—making it easier than ever to learn on the go! We encourage you to set aside a minimum of 10-15 minutes per day to complete the study but don’t be surprised if you are tempted to linger a while longer over Jesus’ powerful words.

My Review of Before I Go Bible study:

This Before I Go online Bible study is amazing! The author, Sarah Koontz, does a delightful job of showing what it means to follow Jesus and take His Truth into the world. She carefully and effectively explains His Mission and shows how it relates to our purpose in life. 

Powerful points are found throughout this study. Early on (page 8), Sarah writes,

“Knowing the character of God helps us believe in the promises of God.” 

She also draws inspiration from movies to help make her points clear such as when she shared a reference to Miss Congeniality and emphasized how the beauty contestants' go-to answer was world peace. Regarding this popular desire for world peace, Sarah says, “Social change will not bring peace. Economic stability will not bring peace. Absence of war will not bring peace.”

Sarah pulls quotes from famous pastors like Dr. Warren Wiersbe, who said, “People in the world walk by sight and depend on externals, but Christians walk by faith and depend on eternals.”

This entire study is perfectly punctuated with powerful words from the author herself, The Holy Bible and popular thought leaders from our modern times. Most of all, it's short and very easy to navigate! Three weeks will fly by when you start this study and at the end, you will not only be encouraged but refreshed by the gems within these 32 pages.

Toward the end of the study on page 31, Sarah wraps up her main points with a quote from American actor Kirk Cameron. He said, “If you had the cure to cancer, wouldn’t you share it? You have the cure to death, get out there and share it!” 

Don't delay. Sign-up here to receive your copy of Before I Go! 

Note: There is an audio version available too! See the promo photo for it below.

~*~
Author Bio:

Sarah Koontz invites Christians of all ages to explore the beauty of God’s design through her writing at LivingbyDesign.org. She is a passionate storyteller who enjoys using illustrations to communicate deep spiritual truths. Before I Go is Sarah’s fifth free online Bible study, and she hopes to write many more in the years to come.

Sarah lives on 13-acres in South Dakota with her husband, two daughters and a rowdy flock of chickens. She revels in their simple, uncluttered life.

You can also find Sarah on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Read Sarah’s full bio here.