Devotionals for the Heart: God's Word

God’s Word
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” –Psalm 19:7-8 (ESV)

I credit my mother for my love of books.

Even before I could remember, she would sit me on her lap with a stack of books and we read together for hours. She always had a book sitting next to her chair. Reading was her favorite hobby. When I grew up and we started reading some of the same books, she and I would have great conversations about the books we loved. What a joy it is to share a love of reading!

My mother also taught me a love for God’s Word (The Holy Bible). She and my dad both made it a priority to read and study the Bible, memorize verses, and discuss them. They ensured my sister and I grew up knowing the importance of reading scripture not just to read it, but to believe and live it.

My own journey with the Bible has fluctuated over the years. During some seasons of my life, I have been in the Word consistently, but when I’m out of the habit, it’s hard to get back into it. I also have had times when reading the Bible felt like an obligation to check off my to-do list in order to be a “good” Christian. In January of this year, I started a two-year chronological reading plan. Right now I’m in the book of Psalms where I was reminded again how David and the other writers talk over and over about their love for God’s words.

Of course, their version of the scriptures was very different than ours. They only had parts of the Old Testament, because they were living and writing the scriptures we have today! It amazes me to think that as God was instilling in them a love for His Word, their response to that love became His own words that we can now meditate on to uplift, encourage, rebuke, discipline, teach, and inspire us today.

Here are just a few verses from the Psalms that tell us about God and His Word. All the following scriptures are from the English Standard Version.

Psalm 1:1-2 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

My Reflection: I believe this shows us a beautiful cycle of growth and maturity in faith because as we meditate, pray, and study God’s words, we will no longer find ourselves following the crowds of sinners and scoffers. And the less we do that, the more we will want to pray and study, which will mature us even more.

Psalm 33:6 says, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.”

My Reflection: We should never forget that the voice we hear when we read God’s Word and when we pray is also the voice that created the earth from nothing. We should continue to be awestruck that God wants to speak to us in a personal way!

Psalm 119:10-11 says, “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

My Reflection: We should strive to continually seek God and learn His words so that we will keep from temptation and sin.

If you are in a season of deep Bible study and meditation, then keep it up! But if you haven’t read the Bible in a while, take a moment and pray for the desire to know God in a deeper way through His Word. He won’t disappoint!

Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, give me a desire to seek You always. Speak to me through Your Word and help me love Your words more and more each day. I pray this in Jesus’s Name. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Thy Word” by Amy Grant. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume. 

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two college-age children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting.

~*~

Connect with Glynis:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckerglynis/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlynisBecker7

Devotionals from the Heart: How to have freedom from fear

Freedom from Fear
A devotional by Alexis Newlin

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have reviewed the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, Abba! Father!”
–Romans 8:15 (ESV)

Let me tell you about something I seriously hate: FEAR. It is by far the worst thing that is out there in this world. It’s running thick in this season in many people around us. It is the very enemy of our souls. Once it attaches itself to you, its bondage can be very difficult to break.

This is my story:

I spent the majority of my life bound up in fear. My mom was a believer but a worrier, and she often expressed her worries to us. She had many worries, mostly financial. There were many times we were facing homelessness, not having enough food, having the lights turned off. It was a high stress environment. Because of our family’s lack in my childhood, I vowed to never struggle financially as my mother did. I would never require help from others and I would do everything myself. I set out to be financially independent.

Everything I did in my life was based upon this fear: that I would not be able to take care of myself and have no one to depend on. There’s a lot of pride in this belief that it is up to me to provide for myself. I was a believer, but my actions stated that I did not believe or trust that God would take care of me.

With my way, I thought I was being safe. I thought I was free.

In reality, I was deceived. I had become a slave to my fear.

And sadly, like fear does, it flows into other things: fear of love, fear of losing loved ones, fear of losing control, fear of sickness, fears about what others think, etc. In my mind, if I didn’t have any of the above fears happen, I’d be okay. Life would be good.

Then my biggest fear happened: I lost my mother.

I ran to God, but I also started building a wall. I closed myself inside it. I vowed to not let anyone in for the fear of the pain of losing someone again.

The beautiful thing about God is, that once we are His children, He’ll only let you live in bondage for so long before He comes in and starts shaking things.

That’s exactly what He did to me. He brought a friend to kick a hole in my wall. Then another. And another. I started to venture out, to see what life could be like outside the walls of my self-protection. When scary things happened I would run back inside. Eventually, I would stay outside my walls longer and longer. I’d let more people in, start new friendships, try new things, find new adventures.

My walls were still there until one day, after I had another world rocking moment, God knocked my walls down. I felt exposed, vulnerable. God said, “It’s time to learn how to live free.”

My life has never been the same.

It hasn’t been easy. I still deal with fear daily. I just choose not to live by it. It no longer rules over my life. In fact, I do many things that I fear. But, I am doing them with God. He’s always there. He always will be. He loves me and as soon as I cry out to Him, He’s right there.

Once that truth is realized, there is so much freedom. We are not meant to live in fear. It is bondage. It’s a spirit of slavery and we are NOT slaves. We’re meant to be free, just like God says in the following verses from His Word (The Holy Bible):

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have reviewed the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, Abba! Father!”
–Romans 8:15 (ESV)

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

– 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

In this current season where fear is running rampant and we’re questioning our mortality, remember this: God is bigger. He is bigger than our fears. Bigger than any virus. Bigger than our “what ifs.”

Run to Him. Trust that He cares for you. Choose to live in that freedom.

~*~
Author Bio:

Alexis is a 36-year-old lover of Jesus, loose leaf tea, roller coasters, writing stories and going on adventures. Originally from Marietta, GA, Alexis now resides in Fresno, CA. 

You can always find Alexis outdoors enjoying a walk in her neighborhood, scoping out the newest food truck, hanging out with friends or planning her next trip.

Her church, The Revival Center, and family mean the world to her. They have supported her through the loss of her mother and her own cancer diagnosis.

Alexis enjoys encouraging others by reminding them not to look at what they see, but to always look to God, who is working in the unseen.

Alexis currently writes for several online ministries and launched her first podcast – The Brave Podcast – in January 2020.

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Connect with Alexis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apeachincali/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/apeachincali
Podcast: http://thebravepodcast.buzzsprout.com
Website: www.apeachincali.com

Devotionals for the Heart: Thoughts on why death is not the final chapter

Death is Not the Final Chapter

A devotional by Victoria Bylin

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

– 1 Corinthians 15:55 (KJV)

This devotional is dedicated to my Mom

Darlene Bylin McLeary

12/2/1933 – 7/21/2009

My husband and I recently spent a week with our grandchildren – twin girls about to turn five, and their two-year-old brother. As you might imagine, you never know what’s going to come out of someone’s mouth.

During an Amelia Bedelia bedtime story, one of the girls looked me very seriously in the eye. “Grandma, you’re just a little crunchy now. But you’re going to get a lot crunchy and then you’ll die.”

Great. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger says in Kindergarten Cop, “Thanks for the tip.”

I’ve told that story about dozen times now, and every time I have the same reaction. I laugh and then I choke up with bittersweet tears.

Death . . . no one wants to talk about it, or think even think about it—unless they’re getting “crunchy” and it’s staring them in the face. Yet this is where the rubber meets the road in Christianity. We don’t worship a prophet like Mohammed or an enlightened Buddha. We worship the all-powerful God who raised His Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead. As a result, those who believe in him will receive the gift of Heaven and eternal life.

May I be completely honest here? I believe in Heaven with everything in me, but I’m a little scared of death, the process of dying, and getting too crunchy to take care of myself.

I thank God for the words of Jesus in John 14:2 (KJV): “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

We also have the promise of Hebrews 11:1 (KJV): “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The resurrection of Christ is all the evidence we need of God’s love and power. Jesus Christ is Lord over all. He will never leave us or forsake us.

Those words comfort me. So does the experience of my mother’s passing. She was 75 years old when she lost her fight with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is a combination of emphysema, chronic bronchitis and pneumonia. It’s a long battle with a slow decline, and she fought it bravely for many years. When the end came, she was in the hospital, surrounded by family, comfortable, and at peace.

I’ll never forget her last breath. God’s grace rained down on us all through our tears, and love flooded through the hospital room. There have been a handful of times in my life where I’ve felt the tangible presence of God. This was one of them—the biggest one by far. I can only describe the moment as sacred.

My granddaughter is right. Someday I will die, but hopefully not too soon! While I am in the land of the living, I intend to live well and love people as best as I can. The hope of eternity gives us that desire and the strength to do it. 

Knowing that I’ll see my Mom, Dad, and other loved ones again makes that sacred passage all the more powerful. There will be no more suffering—only perfect peace. No one will be crunchy in Heaven, and that’s good news indeed.

~*~
Author Bio:

Victoria Bylin is the author of 18 traditionally published romances. Known for tackling difficult subjects with great compassion, she delights in stories that shine the spotlight of God’s love on ordinary men and women facing realistic challenges.

Writing has always been a part of Victoria’s life. As a child, she wrote hundreds of letters and scribbled in journals. As an adult, she worked as a freelance journalist and editor before taking on the challenge of fiction.

She had one goal when she started her first novel: to finish a book-length manuscript, good or bad. That first effort will never see the light of day, but it led to a second manuscript and a sale to Harlequin Historical. Since then, she has written westerns and contemporary romances for both mainstream and Christian publishers, with Together With You winning the 2016 Inspirational Readers Choice Award for Best Contemporary.

Writing is a joy and a challenge for Victoria, but faith, friends and family matter to her far more. She’s a wife, mom, proud grandmother, and a dog-mom to a wacky Jack Russell Terrier. Originally from California, she and her husband currently make their home in Lexington, Kentucky. When she’s not writing, Victoria enjoys long walks, travel, and dark chocolate. 

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Connect with Victoria:
Website: https://www.victoriabylin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Victoria.Bylin.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictoriaBylin
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/victoria-bylin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/568102.Victoria_Bylin

Thankful Thursdays: A God Who Holds My Hand through this life

Thankful Thursdays: A God Who Holds My Hand

It’s Thursday and I’m thankful for a God who holds my hand!

Earlier today, I was leaving the grocery store. As I pushed my shopping cart to the side, I heard a woman behind me tell a toddler in a motherly tone of voice, “Hold my hand.”

I watched as the woman carefully guided the child through the parking lot, watching out to make sure that no car or person would hit or hurt her little girl. And I thought, “Wow! Isn’t that how God interacts with us, His children?”

God offers to hold our hand and help us navigate safely through this treacherous life here on Earth. Just like a mother wouldn’t dream of allowing her child to cross the street or walk through a parking lot without holding her hand so that she could keep her child safe, God doesn’t want us to try to make it through this life here on Earth without Him.

God wants us to hold His hand and trust Him to carefully and skillfully navigate us through the trials, obstacles, heartache, pain and other discouraging or dangerous situations we may face. Why? Because He is our Heavenly Father and He loves us will ALL of His Heart. Keeping us safe and saved in His Kingdom is what He wants.

The Word of God says in Isaiah 41:13 (NIV), “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

What a powerful promise from the Almighty God!

Won’t you allow God to hold your hand and help you through life? He is the best person to do so and you can trust Him. He never fails to guide, protect and bless you! And He will always be there for you, even when you cannot sense Him near. He loves you too much to leave you to do life alone.

Always remember that the Creator of the Universe (God) loves you!

Love,

Alexis A. Goring
Founder of “God is Love” blog

Devotionals for the Heart: God's care

Under His Wings
A devotional by Ginger Solomon

“He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.”~Psalm 91:4-8 (NLT)

This chapter in Psalms has long been one of my favorites. I fully understood these verses for the first time a few years ago. When we moved to Alabama, we bought land in order to raise chickens and maybe a few other things as the years progressed. And we did. We had chickens for probably ten years before I got tired of dealing with them.

In that time, we only had ONE hen who took it upon herself to lay eggs and brood (sit on the eggs so they’ll hatch) outside of our nesting boxes. I generally didn’t allow my hens to brood, because other hens would lay their eggs in the same box, and I couldn’t tell which were which. And as soon as you start messing with the eggs, the brooding hen would leave.

Anyway, she had three eggs, only one of which survived. She was a good momma, and whenever I would come around to check on her and the chick, she’d pull that baby under her wing and squawk at me.

Eventually, I ushered them back in with the other chickens. She was very protective of her baby, leading it around and teaching it things a baby chick needs to know. If another hen or the rooster came near, her feathers would plump, and she’d make warning noises. I think they were meant to scare off the offenders, but also to call her baby back to her side, because invariably the baby would hustle toward her.

This Psalm remains one of my favorites. Many times, I’ve been in a spot where I was scared or at the end of myself. I called out to God, sometimes on my face and sometimes just sitting in a chair because I couldn’t work up enough energy to even fall to my knees. He always responded. One time when my kids were still pretty small and needed a lot, I remember being in my room, listening to a Nichole Nordeman song (Holy) and crying out to God. I was on my knees with my face on the floor. It was naptime and I was tired. So very tired. And God met me there. I felt a PHYSICAL hug. Even now the experience brings tears to my eyes. It gave me the strength to get up off the floor and continue being the mom He had called me to be.

I truly think that at that moment in my life, God tucked me under His wing and provided a little protection from the fiery darts aimed at me. Because let’s be honest, having littles (I think at that time I was a homeschooling mom with seven kids, 13 and under) feels like someone is throwing fiery darts our direction. The house is never clean. The clothes are never all washed. Dinner is rarely on time. Someone always needs something. Life is busy. (Don’t get me wrong; I wouldn’t give up that time in my life for anything. I learned so much.)

But it is a season. And all too soon it’s over. My baby is 13 now, and several of my kids have moved away. My house is quieter. It no longer echoes with the pitter-patter of young feet. (Now I hear a few stomps from the size 10+ shoes.) The chorus of laughter from many young mouths is now a distant memory.

These days, God’s wings protect me from different things, but I hope to never “grow” so much that I think I’m too big to need his shelter. And if I do venture forth, I want to always listen to His warning of danger.

What’s your favorite verse and why?

~*~
Author Bio:

Ginger Solomon is a Christian, a wife, a mother to seven, and a writer—in that order (mostly). 

She writes or reads inspirational romance of any genre, and if she’s busy homeschooling, doing laundry, or fixing dinner, books are on her mind.

She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, president of her local writing group, and blogs regularly for InspyRomance.com and at gingersolomon.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Jo's story about God's Healing Power

Equipment for Valley Travel
by Jo Huddleston

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27).

My bedside vigil stretched into days as I watched meningitis suck precious life from the still form of my college-age child. Sunday afternoon I sat alone with my daughter, watching the disease apparently winning its battle. Gone were the twinkle in her eyes and the ready smile on her lips. The nurse had just left, the same one who had been coming in every 15 minutes to take vital signs. Pained and discouraged, I watched when she recorded on her chart a blood pressure reading only half what it should be.

Alone again in the hospital room, each of us experienced our own unique agony. Lying curled in a fetal position, my daughter moved only her eyes. With them almost swollen shut, she looked up at me through her consuming torture. "Mother, this may be my time to die," she whispered. No panic or fear registered in her words or in her fevered eyes.

The same thought had been silently hammering inside my mind all afternoon. Holding her limp hand in mine, I leaned closer and said quietly, "Darling, it may be." She shared a labored smile with me and slowly closed her eyes.

Amazingly, I did not curse God or offer him any arguments or attempt to bargain with Him to spare her life. I knew without doubt that my daughter believed in God's Son and trusted Him for her salvation and eternal life.

As precious minutes slipped away in that lonely hospital room, I trusted God for his comfort and everlasting strength to support me (Isaiah 26:4). I rested in the assurance that my daughter also claimed these same promises. I saw peace on her swollen face when she closed her eyes. We both accepted God's will.

Our pastor and his wife came by after evening church services. They barely concealed their shock at seeing my daughter’s hands and face twice their normal size. After speaking encouragement to her, they prayed with us in that still, quiet hospital room.

Looking back, I can only believe the Holy Spirit influenced every medical move my daughter's doctors and nurses made. The next day, her health made an unbelievable change for the better. Since she was fully recovered by Wednesday morning, the doctors released her from their care.

On Wednesday evening when our pastor found my daughter's hospital bed empty, he asked about her at the nurses’ station. Later he told us how much the nurses had marveled about her unexplainable recovery. "It's just a miracle that she survived," one nurse told him. We all smile now, knowing what absolute truth that nurse spoke.

Does a Christian experience valleys between the mountaintop experiences? Yes. Those trying days when it was evident I might outlive my daughter was one of the deepest valleys I’ve traveled. God promises His buffering strength and calming peace for valley travel. We can always cling to His promises, "For he himself is our peace" (Ephesians 2:14).

~*~
Author Bio: Jo Huddleston is a multi-published author who writes novels inspired by her fascination with the 1950s and her love of her native American South. 

Novels in her endearing Caney Creek series, her West Virginia Mountains series, as well as her stand-alone release, Tidewater Summer, are sweet Southern romance novels. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, the Literary Hall of Fame at Lincoln Memorial University (TN), and holds an M.Ed. degree from Mississippi State University. 

Visit Jo at www.johuddleston.com. 

Cozy Christmas Reads: Gail's story

Excerpt from Mackinac Island Christmas by Gail Gaymer Martin:

Already Christmas decorations appeared wrapped around the old fashioned lamp posts and garland wound with Christmas lights loop along the shop eaves. The Island closed at the end of October, but that didn’t discourage visitors. Many enjoyed coming to the Island with fewer tourists and at a time that seemed more like a real town from the past—Victorian homes, horse and buggies, bicycles, and forts from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

Her stomach growled as she admired the Mustang Lounge’s Christmas lights ahead of her and smiled with the thought of finding food. Since the lights were on, she assumed they were open. When she reached the door, lights inside greeted her, and she stepped into the warmth and the scent of food.

A waiter motioned to an empty table nearby, and she slipped off her jacket and hung it on the back of the chair before sinking into it. When the waiter handed her a menu, she perused her options and settled on a Mustang Chef Salad with ham and turkey and all the fixings. The waiter returned with a glass of water, a cup and carafe of coffee.

He eyed her, and she nodded. “Yes, regular black, and thanks. She ordered the salad, and then sipped the hot coffee as he headed away. Her gaze drifted to the old hewn wood walls and areas covered with logs, she guessed they had been cut from the Island trees. Much of the Island remained woods with dirt roads winding through to various historical locations. The only thing that ruined the moment was her concern for Carol.

A long sigh emptied her lungs, and she pulled out her phone again and hit Facebook. She scanned the messages of people she knew and most whom she didn’t but had accepted as friends. The idea made her grin. She lifted the coffee again, feeling the swirl of warmth rising from the cup and took another sip.

“Is this your jacket?”

She jumped, hearing someone behind her. When she turned, a man held up her jacket and arched his brow. “It was on the floor behind you.”

“Thanks. It’s mine.” She leaned forward as he lapped it over the seat back again. “I didn’t feel it fall, but then I was too intrigued with the history in this building.”

He moved around to her side. “It’s one of the oldest buildings on the Island. Dated to the 1780s, and I’ve heard it’s the oldest tavern in Michigan. That makes it very special, I’ve always thought.”

“The Island is very special. Obviously, I’m a tourist and though I’ve been on Mackinac Island many times, I’ve never been here in winter.” She extended her hand. “I’m Josie Ryan from Royal Oak. It’s a suburb of Detroit.”

“I know where it is. I’ve lived in Birmingham for years.” He grasped her fingers in his. “I’m Christopher Banks, but everyone calls me Chris.”

“Hi, Chris. Would you like to join me?”

“I was hoping you’d ask.” He grinned and slipped into a seat adjacent to hers. “Are you here alone?”

Her pulse jumped. “Not by choice. I’m supposed to meet a friend, but as you can see I am alone.”

“I’m sorry. Maybe he—”

“It’s a she.” Josie shook her head. “Carol’s a long-time friend who I haven’t seen in a few years, and we made these plans months ago, so I am at a loss. I keep worrying that something—”

“Lots of things can happen. She missed the ferry. She had a flat on the way, and it takes a while for someone to get to her on the freeway. It could be lots of things that—”

“I know. I keep telling myself the same thing, but it isn’t like her not to call.”

He patted her arm. “Just pray she’s okay and wait and see. I know you’re concerned but now you’ve been sort of stranded here, although—”

“Being alone isn’t really the problem. I can cut my vacation short, and I probably will, since I don’t know anyone—but I hate changing plans.”

“How about this? I’m here for a while visiting my granddad. He had been very ill but is doing much better now.”

“I’m glad he’s doing well.”

“Rather than leave, and have to make decisions, I’m a great Island guide. Gramps has lived here most of his life, and I spent the summers here and sometimes even came for Christmas, so I’m your man and I’m cheap.”

“I’d also love to be here for Christmas, but what’s your charge?”

He tilted his head and chuckled. “What is my charge? Zero. I love the Island and enjoy seeing everything again and again. I was teasing, but then you don’t know my sense of humor.”

~*~
Author bio: 

Best-selling and award-winning novelist of sweet and inspirational romance, Gail Gaymer Martin has 79 published novels and over four million books sold. 

Her novels have won numerous national awards, including: the ACFW Carol Award and two RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. She is the author of Writer Digest's Writing the Christian Romance and a founder of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

Gail is a keynote speaker at churches, civic and business organizations and a workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S. She lives with her husband Bob in Sedona, AZ. 

Readers may send mail to Gail via this address: 

P.O. Box 20054

Sedona, AZ 86341

~*~

Blurb for Mackinac Island Christmas: Josie Ryan arrives on Mackinac Island, looking forward to the Christmas season in the quaint setting with no automobiles and a back-in-time aura, but she learns that her longtime friend has to cancel her trip due to a family emergency. 

Disappointed, Josie decides to stay the day and then cancel her trip since it’s no fun being alone. But her plans change when Chris Barnes, visiting his grandfather, comes to her aid and offers to show her the sites. When she learns that Chris is raising his deceased brother’s child, she is touched. 

Amid snowball fights, snowmen, and snow angels, Josie’s life changes when she falls in love with the little girl, but Ellie wants a mommy. Even though Chris is a great guy with wonderful attributes, Josie has absolutely no plans to marry, or can this four-year-old change Josie’s plans.

~*~
Book Review of Mackinac Island Christmas, posted on Amazon:

"I enjoyed this book and stayed up all night to finish it! I fell in love with the characters and hope there is a sequel to it! I love Mackinac Island so this book brought back many memories."

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Connect with Gail:
Website - http://www.gailgaymermartin.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gail.g.martin.3
Twitter - https://twitter.com/GailGMartin
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83354.Gail_Gaymer_Martin
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailgaymermartin

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Fall into Love: Olivia Rae's story

Attracting Opposites
A Fall into Love story by Olivia Rae

My husband and I met during college. The first date I had with him was at a basketball game. I would say it was far from love at first sight. He wore a red and white-checkered sports coat, which spurred more than a couple of laughs from my friends. I remember asking if his mother had made it from a tablecloth and he nonchalantly replied, “Yes, she did.”

My husband comes from a family of thirteen children and I have only one sister. He came from one side of town and I came from the other side of town. I love to read and go to the ballet while he never cracks a book open and would rather go to a ball game. You get the picture; two people on a path to see if opposites really do attract.

So how did we manage to fall in love and stay married for thirty-nine years? Well, for him it was easy. After that first date he said, “I’m going to marry you.” I laughed and thought, not in a million years.

Before meeting my husband, I had had a few not-so-great relationships with other guys. I was jaded and built up some very high walls around my heart, to say the least. I’m not proud of it, but I was downright mean to my husband the first year we were dating. I’m sure even he wonders why he stuck around. But he did and he made me laugh—all the time. Nobody can be mean forever to a guy who makes you laugh, right?

There was more to it than that, of course. He had another great quality that was important to me and something I had prayed for almost every night before I went to sleep: “Lord, let me find and marry a Christian guy.” Well, God answered my prayers. I don’t know a man alive that has a stronger faith than my husband, even though for the first twenty-nine years of our marriage he went to a Catholic church and I went to a Lutheran church. Like I said, we’re different.

He has been and is a wonderful father to our two children and I think they would agree it you asked them. He coached their basketball teams and he was the lap to sit on when my daughter got in her first car accident. Oh, some things have changed over the years. We now go to the same church. (A brand new one, neither of us went to before.) He will go to symphonies and plays (no ballet, but I’m not giving up) and I am in the process of visiting every baseball park in the United States with him. Of course we do things we both like—hiking and biking and being goofy. 

So you see, we’re living proof that opposites do attract and I love him to pieces—thirty-nine years and counting.

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Author Bio: 

Olivia Rae is an award-winning author who spent her school days dreaming of knights, princesses and far away kingdoms; it made those long, boring days in the classroom go by much faster. Nobody was more shocked than her when she decided to become a teacher. 

Besides getting her Master’s degree, marrying her own prince, and raising a couple of kids, Olivia decided to breathe a little more life into her childhood stories by adding in what she’s learned as an adult living in a small town next to a big city. 

When not writing, she loves to travel, dragging her family to old castles and forts all across the world.

Olivia is the winner of the New England Readers' Choice Award, Book Buyers Best Finalist, Kindle Book Award semi-finalist, I Heart Indie Award finalist, and Grab Me Award Finalist. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.

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Book blurb: They only want what is best for Joshua—but disagree about what that is. 

When Dr. Sam Morgan’s estranged wife dies in a tragic accident, he returns home from a months-long, overseas surgical mission to discover his disabled son, Joshua, does not remember him. Sam is convinced that he and Joshua can only overcome their heartbreaking memories by leaving their decaying small town and starting over somewhere else. 

Nicole James runs a women’s shelter where Sam’s wife fled with Joshua, claiming Sam was not the saint he appeared to be, but a physical and mental abuser. Nicole is determined to protect Joshua by legally preventing Sam from leaving Golden Ridge with his son until she can get at the truth—is Sam Morgan an abuser or the victim of lies in a marriage that went terribly wrong?

As Sam and Nicole are forced to work together on Joshua’s behalf, they begin to gain a grudging respect for one another. But will mutual distrust prevent them from realizing that the best thing they can do for Joshua is to fall in love?

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Buy Olivia's book on Amazon

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Connect with Olivia:
Website - http://www.oliviaraebooks.com
Facebook - Facebook.com/oliviaraeauthor
Twitter - twitter.com/oliviaraebooks

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