Spring into Love: Jenna Victoria's devotional about her book

At the Crossroads
A devotional written by Jenna Victoria, author of Love Among the Lilacs

In my latest release, Love Among the Lilacs, several characters encounter challenges that put them at a crossroads. Do they turn left, towards anger, resentment, and defeat? Do they turn right, towards hope, strength, and resilience–embracing the difficulties of life?

It says in Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

My heroine, Mollie Wright, needs to choose whether or not to forgive her stepbrother Bryce and mother Lucille for deep emotional wounds. Will she remain hopeful when circumstances point her towards being homeless again?

The hero, attorney Sean Grady, had his heart broken by his fiancé and younger brother, who left town together five years before. Professionally, he protects elderly clients from abuse and financial losses by ruthless relatives. He wears his mistrust of others like a shield. Will he forgive and forget or allow his heart to thicken into granite?

Bryce Wright is treading a dangerous path with his ‘gangsta’ friends. His latest theft pulls Mollie and Sean into a no-win situation. Will he repent and turn himself in?

We’ve all been there. Crossroads prompt us to choose the right path, or the wrong one. My own no-win situation occurred in May 2012, with a diagnosis of recurrent metastatic breast cancer. A mastectomy, radiation, lumpectomy, re-radiation and continual chemotherapy followed. I will be receiving chemo every 21 days until Jesus calls me home.

I could have chosen to blame God, to turn bitter and move away from Him. Instead, undergirded with strength from the Holy Spirit, claiming the truth in Joshua 1:9–I moved even closer to Him. At first, my confidence and faith was all “head knowledge.” I was like the father of the mute son in Mark 9:24: “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

Eventually, gradually, through consciously choosing that “right path” over and over - even when I didn’t feel a connection or felt my words were echoes in my empty room - my closeness with the Lord blossomed into a core heart knowledge. In time I experienced the truth and promise found in James 4:8, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” 

Today, my head and my heart are in alignment, and at perfect peace, despite my circumstances.

The most brilliant of diamonds come into being only by intense pressure and high heat. Pastor Greg Laurie is quoted as saying, “Suffering does not create character, it reveals it.” 

May your own trials and crossroads reveal a heart willing to experience whatever is in store, remaining in faith and expectation of His provision.

In Him,

Jenna Victoria

*All Scripture in this devotional is quoted from the King James Version of The Holy Bible.

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Author bio: 

Ever since her grandfather co-created Twinkies, Snowballs, and Hostess cupcakes for Intercontinental Baking Company, circa 1955, Jenna has yet to taste a cake she hasn't liked.

Jenna writes books for readers who enjoy sweet and compelling romances, and also for those who look for her “fiction that feeds your faith” titles. 

She writes happily-ever-after romance and romantic suspense stories with a Christian worldview. Her stories emulate those she enjoys reading, ones with a heroine who is in grave danger and a hero who is smart enough to get out of her way as she kicks butt and takes down names. Jenna also enjoys stories that feature satisfying fairy-tale-endings.

Jenna's clean romances won’t put you into a diabetic coma, and her faith-based romances aren’t preachy or unrealistic. It is her glad purpose to glorify God and His sacrificial love through His Son, Jesus Christ through books that illustrate hope and peace in unbearable situations. Her first triple negative breast cancer diagnosis in 2012 has led to surgeries, radiation, reoccurrences and incurable metastasis. Still, Jenna continues to praise God and trust His oversight in her life, and she continues to write more books.

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Blurb for Jenna Victoria's book: Bookkeeper Mollie Wright knows about living on the streets, and her purchase of sweet Lilac Cottage is a dream come true. She is determined to stay and fight when a legal error puts her ownership at risk. 

Attorney Sean Grady never wanted his great-aunts to sell their cottage in Westchester County, New York, so when a paperwork snafu puts the deal on hold, he moves swiftly to evict the pretty, feisty squatter. 

Mollie finds unexpected allies in Grady Cove neighbors and a member of Sean's own family but knows the clock is ticking. 

Will a theft and her past secrets force a showdown to heartache, or will Mollie and Sean discover home is truly where your heart is? 

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Buy Love Among the Lilacs on Amazon

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Connect with Jenna Victoria:
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/author/jennavictoria/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/jennavictori
Facebook - www.facebook.com/jennavictoriaauthor/
Blog - http://bookishbydesign.com
Book Review Blog - www.jennavictoria.com/category/on-jennas-shelf-reviews/

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Words of Faith: Kristy's story about surviving the storms of life

Washed Over
A Words of Faith story by Kristy Cambron

“Wake up, girls. Get in the hallway. A storm’s coming.”

It was a balmy summer night when our mother came in and woke us with the warning. My sister and I have been asleep in the guest room of our grandmother’s home, which just happened to be in a town at the top of Tornado Alley. Soon we found ourselves crouched in a hallway in the middle of the night, with what sounded like a freight train bearing down outside.

To this day, the tornado that swept through our small hometown is still talked about; there was so much fear when the storm was raging and a huge amount of damage to clean up in the aftermath. Locals say it was survived, but not forgotten.

It’s what storms feel like in our faith journey, isn’t it? There’s uncertainty swirling just past the point where we can see. Our health might be in question. A relationship crumbling. Maybe we never imagined to be standing in an unemployment line or receiving dinner from a food pantry, but suddenly there we are. It may be that our dreams are falling apart right before our eyes, and there’s little we can do to stop it. We might not have expected it, the gale is upon us. Waves are raging and the wind roars. And all at once, we’re overcome with fear.

"Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was calm."—Luke 8:24 NKJV

You’ve likely heard the story before. The disciples were in a boat with Jesus, crossing a lake from one shore to the other. He’d fallen asleep and a terrible windstorm came down upon them. And this is where the uncertainty begins, along with the exhaustion and anxiety and doubt and fear…“What do we do now?” I imagine them crying out against the wind.

The Greek word used for the raging water in Luke 8:24 is [kludón]— it comes from a word that literally means: to wash over. The description we have in this verse is not a ripple of water. It’s not just a wave. In fact, it’s so violent that in the midst of this type of storm, we’re completely submerged.

We’re washed over.

But this is not a post of defeat. This verse stands as a faith reminder that the washed over experiences we have do not end there. In fact, if you read the rest of that verse, you find victory is at our side. Not only was there the Messiah in the boat with the disciples when they were washed over, but He was quick to wake, to speak, and to calm the storm. And here’s the moment of truth – the hope we all look for through the storm clouds of our lives…

The Greek word used for calm in this same verse is [galéné]— and it comes from a root word that means: I laugh, or smile.

During my father’s chemo treatments, our family was facing a storm. And after we had to say a “goodbye for now” at the end, we were emotionally barren and completely washed over. I remember asking my mom after the memorial service if we would ever laugh again.

I wanted to go from being washed over to once again feeling authentic joy.

If you’re washed over today, know that Jesus is the catalyst for calm in the rough waters. He’s always present, quick to action on our behalf, and most important, He’s always in control. If you’re uncertain, if you’re doubting that you can make it through the raging waters, I need to tell you that you’re not alone.

I know this, because I’ve been washed over too.

I’ve been in the boat as it crossed to a distant shore. The wind screamed and the waves raged. I cried out for help. I lacked faith. And now? I smile at least once a day. I feel the calm not because of the lack of storms, but because of His absolute faithfulness through them.

With JOY,

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Author bio: 

Kristy Cambron has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut novel, THE BUTTERFLY AND THE VIOLIN, was named to Library Journal Reviews' Best Books of 2014 and RT Reviewers' Choice Awards Best of 2014 lists, and received a 2015 INSPY Awards nomination for best debut novel. 

Her second novel, A SPARROW IN TEREZIN, was named to Library Journal Reviews Best of 2015 list, and received a nomination for RT Reviewers' Choice Awards Best Inspirational Book of 2015. 

Kristy's third historical novel, THE RINGMASTER'S WIFE, was named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10 and will release from HarperCollins in June 2016.

Kristy is a Speaker and Design Manager at TheGROVEstory.com, and holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

Connect with Kristy:

Facebook: Kristy Cambron | Twitter: @KCambronAuthor | Instagram: kristycambron

Pinterest: KCambronAuthor | Web: KristyCambron.com | TheGROVEstory.com