Devotionals for the Heart: Reasons why you should follow God's plan

Following God’s Plan
A devotional by Angela Anderson

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” –Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Mealtimes can be very frustrating in my household.

On this particular day, my youngest son who is five years old, sat down at the table with the expectation of earning the right to dessert as soon as he finished his dinner.

Typically, he enjoys food and appreciates different flavors and textures. He is adventurous and is eager to try new foods. In anticipation of getting the freshly baked cookies that were resting on the counter, he started off eating all of his vegetables and then he began to work his way to the beans on his plate. He really likes beans, but on this particular day, his love for dessert superseded his love for his food. He pushed his plate aside and announced that he was done with his food and he was ready for dessert.

Both my husband and I exchanged strange glances and my oldest son also looked confused since he too knew the rules. We all explained to my youngest son that in order for him to get the dessert that he desired so much, he must first finish his dinner, which meant eating the remainder of the beans that were now getting cold on the side of his plate.

Well, he adamantly refused and he got up from the table to point to the cookies that were enticing him from the kitchen counter. I reiterated that the cookies could be his if he sat back down at the table and finished his meal.

My youngest son did not like that idea at all. He began to cry and then buried his head in the couch in the living room. I could not understand this reaction, especially since he knew the rules and followed them on every occasion up until this point. He picked up his head just in time to see his older brother enjoying the sought-after cookies on the counter because his older brother finished his dinner.

About another 20 minutes went by. While the rest of the family continued on with the evening, I watched my youngest son from the corner of my eye. He wiped away his tears, slipped back into his seat, and began to spoon the cold beans into his mouth without hesitation. Within a few moments, he finished his dinner, and he brought his plate over to me with a smile of accomplishment.

I was a little shocked because he finished his food without any further convincing and he finished all of it, even though the beans were cold and had been sitting for almost 30 minutes. I smiled back at him and invited him to have the long-awaited-for cookie. He gladly accepted the offer and finally sank his teeth into his dessert.

Sometimes in life, your desire for what God has in store for you has to be greater than your displeasure of the struggle it will take  to get there. God is waiting to bless us with something that is beyond what we could ever imagine, but we are so resistant because we do not want to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced in any way. We must let go of our fears, worries, anxieties, and doubts and allow God to move in our lives. He has a plan for each of us, if only we would not delay and follow His lead.

Let’s Pray: Loving Father (God), You care so much about us that You would do anything just to save us, including sending Your Son (Jesus Christ) to die for us. Thank you for leading us through this journey called life and setting us up to receive Your blessings along the way. May we be patient as You work out Your plans for our lives. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Just the Beginning” by Kurt Carr. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Angela Anderson was born in Brooklyn (New York) and raised in New Jersey. 

She started writing at an early age and realized in elementary school that it was both a strength and a passion. She continued writing through high school, college, and into adulthood.

Angela is the author of a devotional book titled Just When I Thought I Knew God, and she is currently working on another devotional book that will be introduced in 2023.

This is Angela's third year as a devotional writer for Alexis A. Goring’s “God is Love” blog. In 2021, Angela was a winner of a devotional writing contest where the entry is featured in a book published by Proverbs 31 Ministries. The book is titled, Hope When Your Heart is Heavy. The following year, another one of Angela’s devotionals was published in another publication from Proverbs 31 Ministries, called Living Unbroken.

Angela has a passion for inspiring and impacting others through her writing and speaking.

Angela is a Mom Life Coach. She empowers mothers who want to identify their God-given purpose and live it fully while taking care of their family. Angela develops mothers into mompreneurs by providing them with the necessary tools to be successful and fulfilled in life. These tools equip them to see their value, understand their importance, and reclaim their identity.

Angela has been married to the love of her life, Duane Anderson for 18 years. Together they have two sons: Thomas (age 10) and Ryan (age 5). Angela’s favorite pastime is journaling.

She treasures spending quality time with her family.

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Connect with Angela:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelanderson1104/
Facebook (personal): https://m.facebook.com/angela.thomasanderson
Facebook (Author page): https://www.facebook.com/jwitikg/
Angela offers free consultations for mothers who want to pursue their dream while taking care of their family. Schedule here: www.ChatWithCoachAngela.com

Interview with Barb Roose about her new book "Breakthrough"

We have a special guest whose book, Breakthrough, releases today! Join me in wishing Barb Roose a "Happy BOOK birthday!" Read on for a proper introduction message and video before diving deep into a Q&A with the author. 

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Introduction: Barb Roose is a speaker, author and host of Better Together Facebook Live Show. She is passionate about teaching women to live beautifully strong and courageous in spite of fear so they experience God's great adventure of faith and purpose. 

Breakthrough–A Women's Bible Study by Barb Roose Promotional Video

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An Interview with Barb Roose about her book,

Breakthrough

For some, Christianity is a long list of rules to be followed, and it’s hard to be a “good Christian” because it always seems you’re breaking one of those rules. In Breakthrough: Finding Freedom in Christ, popular women’s conference speaker and author Barb Roose wants to help readers let go of the feeling they are not a “good enough” Christian and find freedom in Christ by studying Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

In this six-week study, Roose shows women that even the believers in the early church struggled to let go of rule-keeping and performance in order to embrace God’s free gift of grace. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul pours out his heart and faith to set them straight, addressing so many of the same questions and problems we still face today such as: Who has led you to believe you have to follow rules and “measure up”? Why do you think you have to be perfect for God? Does God only show up or love you when you “get it right”?

Read on for this pre-made Q & A with Barb Roose ...

Question (Q): You wrote the Breakthrough Bible study to celebrate God’s amazing grace and unconditional love, especially for Christians who are afraid that they have disappointed God or feel like they have to earn God’s favor or blessing. Did you struggle with this?

Answer (A): Oh yes! I grew up in a religious tradition of lovely people, but there were a lot of rules! While I heard about the gospel at an early age, I remember hearing more “dos” and “don’ts” from Christians around me than God’s love for me.

As a result of their influence and my own thinking, I spent decades judging myself as a Christian by how well I followed the “good” Christian rules such as never miss church, read the Bible every day, and others. Of course, there were seasons of life when I did miss church, I didn’t read the Bible, and I made mistakes. During those times in life, I feared that God was disappointed in me and I felt like a terrible Christian.

Years ago, I shifted my mindset. Instead of focusing on my performance, I decided to ruthlessly believe God’s promises about me and watch out for how He was working in my life. As I noticed where God was working in my life, I stopped feeling the pressure to earn His blessing and favor because I could already see Him giving them to me.

Q: What is the spiritual breakthrough you hope readers will experience by diving into your new Bible study?

A: In a word: FREEDOM! I’m so excited about the opportunity for readers to experience the freedom that comes from knowing that our God is at work in us and that we don’t have to jump through hoops to earn His approval, love or favor. He’s already given it to us in every promise that He’s made to us!

While spiritual breakthrough isn’t a term in the Bible, it is reflected in God’s promise to change and transform us by renewing eternally us in Christ (Galatians 2:20). I’ve seen a lot of descriptions of spiritual breakthrough that put the responsibility for spiritual growth or freedom on human effort, but only God can rescue us from the prisons of our pain, our past and our problems. We might be able to push against the prison bars on our own, but only God can break us free!

In fact, one of the key features of the Breakthrough study is the weekly Spiritual Breakthrough Exercise with unique tools to identify where God is at work. It’s been so much fun listening to women celebrate seeing where God is at work and their confidence in knowing that God is transforming them, and they don’t have to try to make it happen on their own.

Q: We hear a lot about having freedom in Christ, but what does that actually mean for a Christian?

A: In the Breakthrough study, I define “freedom in Christ” as living free from fear and fully alive in God’s joy and purpose.

One of the most tangible examples for me is Jesus’ encounter with the immoral woman in Luke 7. While we don’t know where she came from or what she went through, we know that she cried enough tears at Jesus’ feet that she needed to use her hair to wipe them away. I can relate to that woman’s anguish at certain times in my life.

I love Jesus’ words to her, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” She didn’t say any or to do anything to earn Jesus’ forgiveness. He gives her peace just because she came humbly to his feet and Jesus set her free.

This is a powerful lesson for us, especially when we’ve got big regrets or the whispers from the pit of hell try to remind us of our mistakes. Jesus died to bring us freedom and we don’t have to earn it, only receive it and live in it.

Q: What are your six freedom principles?

A: As I studied Paul’s letter to the Galatian church, I created six Freedom Principles to capture the main themes of his letter. I pray that readers will use these principles as tools to apply to their lives when they feel like they need to do more to earn God’s love or blessing.

1. The gospel is based on God’s perfect promises, not our performance.

2. A relationship with God means that we receive from Him rather than follow rules for Him.

3. Your freedom in Christ cannot be shaken or taken away by anyone who chooses not to live like Christ.

4. Freedom in Christ is living free from fear and fully alive with joy and purpose.

5. Spiritual breakthrough is an ah-ha moment when we recognize that God is at work within us, receive what He’s doing, and respond to it.

6. You are God’s beautiful, loveable, capable daughter. You are confident in Christ and worthy of God’s best.

Q: Oftentimes we are hesitant to start the hard conversations about diversity at the risk of offending someone or making a situation worse. What are some ways we can start (and continue) discussions with the correct heart?

A: As part of Paul’s dialogue with the Galatian church, he emphasized that Christ came to break down the divisions between believers, but that doesn’t mean that God intends for us to ignore our differences. God intentionally created humans with differences in color and culture. In Galatians 5:13, Paul writes that we should use our freedom to serve one another in love.

The best way that we can love people who look differently than us is to love them through listening, especially when we don’t know them. Listening begins with inviting people who look differently than us to share their life stories. I like questions like, “Would you tell me about your life?” or “How did your family celebrate special holidays?” or “What’s been hard for you lately?”

When we’re willing to listen to others, it’s a demonstration of humility that we care and respect the other person and their story.

Q: How can we be more supportive rather than judgmental Christians, especially with a friend that has fallen into sin?

A: This is such an important question! I’ve heard from so many hurting Christians who’ve walked away from the church because they made a mistake and Christians were quick to criticize.

We all make mistakes. All have sinned. Paul taught us that our role as believers is to gentle and humbly help those who’ve fallen. We’re not to add to someone’s guilt by telling them how badly they messed up and we’re gossip about them because Paul also taught in Galatians 6 that we’re all prone to faltering.

So, we gently and humbly help people when we follow in Jesus’ footsteps like he did with Zacchaeus the tax collector or the adulterous woman. First, we go to them, not avoid them. Then, we don’t shame them, but rather listen to their story. Finally, we affirm God’s truth and pray with them. We don’t have to save them or force them back on the right path again, that’s God’s job, but not ours.

Q: Can you give us some examples of legalism that hold us back from freedom?

A: In Breakthrough, I tell the story of my conversation with a lovely young believer who felt like she was a bad Christian because she saw other Christians who seemed to read their Bibles more and never miss church. She told me, “Well, I forget to read my Bible sometimes, and I still smoke. I feel like I’m disappointing God.”

My heart hurt for that young believer and so many other Christians who feel exactly like she does. Legalism wants us to believe that we have to earn God’s love and favor by reading our Bibles a certain number of times a week or never missing church. Legalism’s focus is on “what are we doing for God” and the problem is that when the focus is on us, we miss out on receiving what God wants to give us.

When we read our Bibles because we know that God’s truth gives us life, that’s freedom. But when we read our Bibles because we think that will make God happy, that’s legalism. When we go to church because the sermon and music focus us on Jesus’ love, that leads us to freedom. But, when we go to church because we think that God will punish us if we don’t, that’s legalism.

Q: There was a season of your life when, even though you were saved, you decided to disconnect from God because of religious rules. What made you decide to reconnect with God?

A: My mom explained the gospel to me when I was eight years old. I accepted Jesus as my Savior and was baptized when I was nine years old. I was so happy that Jesus saved me that I wanted to be a good Christian and make God happy. I had my list of religious “to-do” rules and worked hard to make God happy. I thought that following all the rules would make me more faithful to God, but I spent so much time in fear. I always wondered if I was doing enough for God and kept pushing myself to jump through those hoops, always trying to do more and do better.

When I got to college, I saw all the other students having fun. I wasn’t having fun while following all of the rules, so I decided to stop. The only problem was that when I abandoned my “good” Christian rules, I felt like I was abandoning what I called my faith.

When I eventually messed up my life so badly that there was nothing I could do to fix it, I experienced an ah-ha moment that changed my life. That moment was realizing that God’s love for me is based on His perfect promises, not my performance. This was when I finally understood the freedom that comes from God’s grace, not following religious rules.

Q: Where can participants access the videos that correspond with each week?

A: In response to the different ways that groups are meeting, I love that my publisher, Abingdon Women, has made a three video formats available: DVDs, digital download, and streaming media. There’s a solution for everyone!

Readers can order DVDs and access to digital downloads from cokesbury.com/barbroose or use the Amplify Media platform for streaming video access at amplifymedia.com.

If you’d like more information on those options, I recorded a video with my friend and fellow Abingdon Women author, Melissa Spoelstra that gives a demonstration of them all at barbroose.com/groupleaders.

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Author Bio: 

Barb Roose is a speaker and author who is passionate about teaching women to live beautifully strong and courageous so that they experience God’s great adventure of faith and purpose for their lives. 

She is the author of five Bible studies including Breakthrough: Finding Freedom in Christ, Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle, and three books including Surrendered: 40 Days to Help You Let Go and Live Like Jesus.

Barb lives in NW Ohio and is proud mother of three adult daughters. Whenever possible, Barb prefers to eat dessert first. Visit Barb’s online home at barbroose.com. 

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Back cover copy for Barb's book, Breakthrough:

Let go of feeling like you are not a “good enough” Christian and find freedom in Christ by studying Paul’s letter to the Galatians in Breakthrough by Barb Roose. 

Have you ever felt that being a good Christian means you’ve got to follow a bunch of rules and measure up?

If so, you aren’t alone! In this six-week Bible study of Galatians, Barb Roose shows us that even the believers in the early church struggled to let go of rule-keeping and performance in order to embrace God’s free gift of grace.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul pours out his heart and faith to set them straight, addressing so many of the same questions and problems we still face today, such as…

- Who has led you to believe you have to follow rules to be right with God?
- Why do you think you have to try to be perfect for God?
- How do we stay free in Christ?

If you’ve ever struggled with these questions or felt trapped by rules or religion, this study will provide a path to discover your freedom in Christ.

Through this study women will learn to:

- Stop trying to measure up and embrace God’s grace
- Distinguish between lies and truth
- Embrace God’s promise of freedom

Components for this six-week Bible study, each available separately, include a Participant Workbook, a Leader Guide, and video sessions with six 25-minute segments (with closed captioning).

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Buy Barb's book on Amazon

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Connect with Barb:
Website: https://barbroose.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbararoose/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbroose/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbroose/

Devotionals for the Heart: Why God's servants should not conform

Nonconforming Servants of God
A devotional by Christa MacDonald

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

–Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Humans are social critters. We like to form groups, clubs, tribes, alliances and then define who’s in and who’s out. Anyone who attended a public high school in America can probably remember the cliques of their day and what was required for membership. Band geeks, nerds, jocks, whatever your crew was, even if it was just you and two others, there was always a code of sorts. Maybe it was dressing a certain way, talking, having the same hobbies or extracurriculars, but belonging meant conforming.

We still have our tribes and clubs as adults, but we also have cultural and societal norms influencing how we live. There’s a great deal of social pressure to conform to what the majority of people around us think is the “correct” way to live. In our age, we have to add to that the pressure from media, everything from Facebook, to movies and television, YouTube, and TikTok. We’re continually being told how to behave, what to consume, what to think.

God calls his children out of the world and all its influences. Instead of being focused on ourselves, He calls us to focus on Jesus and to live our lives as witnesses to his Grace and Mercy. And it’s not easy. Living according to God’s will makes no sense to a world that glorifies the self-indulgent. The temptation to give just a bit here and there, going along with the world, is pretty strong. In the United States and other wealthy nations, we’re insulated from sacrifice by the comforts of our daily lives. We indulge ourselves. We dull our spiritual senses with platitudes and watered-down works. We don’t give of ourselves; we write a check to someone already doing the work while our lives are unchanged, unbothered by God’s great commission.

I’ve noted in these troubled times that some of that comfort has been stripped away. I’m not as complacent as I was before. Life and death feel far more immediate. It’s like waking up from a comfortable doze to see the house on fire. It feels more urgent to share the Gospel. Far more critical to seek God’s will. Have you felt that too?

It’s time to shake off the drugging influence of the world’s creature comforts as well as its influence and remember whose we are. We need to allow the Spirit to renew our minds and change our perspectives, and then dedicate our lives to living our faith.

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Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

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

Devotionals for the Heart: How to live a life led by The Holy Spirit

The Spirit-Led Life
A devotional by Nanci Rubin

“And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air. and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” 
–Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV)

Every human has three parts: body, soul and spirit. We are made in the likeness of God. Jesus Christ said that God is a Spirit. According to John 4:24 (KJV), “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” 

But how do we as Christ-followers live a life led by God's Holy Spirit?

I’ve spent a lot of time wondering how one can worship and live a Spirit-led life in a world fraught with uncertainty, fear, distrust, pain, suffering and evil pushing against the walls of our hearts.

What exactly does it take to live a sanctified life?

I imagined a state of perpetual prayer and never leaving your prayer closet. When stresses of life began to push us to the edge, we need to learn God’s way of coping. I began to read what God’s Word (The Holy Bible) had to say and I also read commentaries on living a Spirit-led life. My research led me to a few conclusions.

I found in my study many questions that I’d never asked.

Does the Holy Spirit condemn you if you do wrong as a Christian?

No, it’s your spirit that condemns you. God said in His Word that He’d send us a Comforter, The Holy Spirit, who is here to help us, not accuse and condemn. I’m certain all of us have felt the pangs of guilt after we’ve erred. Don’t condemn yourself, make the correction then and ask the Father to forgive you. He will. We need not carry so much guilt because God sent His Spirit to help show us the way.

According to John 14:16 (AMP), Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby) that He may remain with you forever.” 

We need to become more conscious of the fact that we are spirit beings, and not just physical or mental beings.

We spend a lot of time on our physical bodies. We diet. We purchase products that make outlandish claims to ensure we look a certain way. We study and make higher education beyond necessity. Often, we place tremendous burdens on our youth by pushing them further than many can go. Even our educational system stresses the importance of having the best grades along with being accepted to the best schools. 

The point that I’m making is, we neglect our spirit while we build our physical and mental beings. There are rules by which you can develop and train your own human spirit. Practice them until they become a part of your day just as bathing and brushing your teeth. Once you incorporate them, living a Spirit-led life will become much easier.

Rule #1 is to meditate on the Word. I read somewhere that if you ever want to do anything great in life, take time to meditate on the Word of God. In other words, think about His Word.

Rule #2 is to practice the Word. There are many “talkers” of the Word but not many “doers” of the Word. We are admonished by God as it is written in James 1:22 (KJV) to be doers of the Word. “But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” You cannot be a doer of the Word and continue to talk unbelief. Speak faith.

Rule #3 is to give the Word first place in your life. There are rich dividends for giving God’s Word first place in your life. His Word is alive and is medicine to our bones.

According to Hebrews 4:12 (KJV), “the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

In Proverbs 4:20-22 (KJV) it is written, “My son attend to my words, incline thine ear to my sayings. Let them not depart eyes, keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

Rule #4 is to instantly obey the voice of your spirit.

The human spirit has a voice. We call that voice conscience. When we get saved and experience the New Birth, our conscience is quickened. We gradually begin to recognize what has always been there. We were born knowing intuitively right from wrong. Before salvation, The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and reveals to us our need for forgiveness and that Jesus is the answer to the forgiveness. After salvation, The Holy Spirit literally comes and resides in us. He is our Counselor and Guide, pointing us to Jesus Christ.

If you have had the privilege of meditating in God’s Word, practicing His Word putting His Word first then The Holy Spirit who lives within you (1 Corinthians 6:19), is an authoritative guide.

If you follow these four rules and practice them, after a while you can know the will of God even in the minor details of life. 

I hope that you have found these rules to be helpful as you strive for success in life and seek to live a Spirit-led life.

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Author Bio:

Nanci is a poet and short story writer published in Cypress News, Family Times E-Zine, Free Verse and the Commonwealth of Poetry. 

She belongs to RWA, ACFW, and Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild where she’s enrolled in his novel writing program.

Nanci lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and cats, Romeo and Juliette, along with their newest member of the family, Roni who is a seven-month-old Goldendoodle.

Recently, Nanci completed her debut novel, A Betrayal in Cross Keys. It is an Amish romance that she has placed in her agent's capable hands. The rest is up to God.

Falling for Books: Pepper's book

Interview with Pepper Basham, author of Jane by the Book:

Alexis: Welcome to my blog, Pepper! I'm delighted to host you today! 

Pepper: Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Alexis! I LOVE talking about stories and characters and…all those wonderful things.

Alexis: Why did you decide to call this story, “Jane by the Book?” 

Pepper: Well, for two reasons: Jane is a rule-follower so she lives ‘by the book’, so to speak, but ALSO, this novella involves a mystery about a journal…so another book is involved. 😊

Alexis: Jane Warwick is the heroine of your story. What are her dreams and fears? 

Pepper: I don’t think she really knows her dreams before the book begins. The hero helps her find them, but her fears are pretty obvious early on. She’s afraid of being hurt again – and being played a fool too. 

Alexis: How is life for Jane after being left at the altar by the man she wanted to marry? What led her to Simeon Ridge?

Pepper: Being left at the altar led her to Simeon Ridge. After the very public wound of being jilted, she wanted to ‘hide’ from the world, so she took a job, at first, as a maid at the inn (unassuming) and then did such a good job she was promoted over the years. Her love for control and tidiness really suits her job as housekeeping manager of the Inn at Simeon Ridge.

Alexis: Paint a picture with words of the Inn at Simeon Ridge. Why is it special?

Pepper: It’s a beautiful mountain inn featuring a stone and wood exterior with tall glass windows. The back part of the house (where the library and breakfast rooms are located) has floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Alexis: In what ways do the members of the Simeon family help heal Jane’s broken heart? 

Pepper: They provide her a ‘family’ and an opportunity to grow into her gifts. There are safety and love in them. We all heal better and more quickly when given those two things – safety and love. 

Alexis: Why does Jane go to Bath, England and what happens there that upsets her “peaceful monotony”?

Pepper: She goes to Bath to help her friend Nora Simeon’s fiancé, train the staff of his new inn. What happens to break her monotony? Titus Stewart

Alexis: Describe the meet cute between Jane and historical detective author Titus Stewart. What were their first impressions of each other? Why?

Pepper: Well, really people would enjoy this more by reading the book. It’s a pretty cute meeting. He ‘sees’ her as a fictional character model. She sees him as the nuisance who lost parts of a centuries’ old journal. It’s not the best first impression.

Alexis: Titus Stewart is the hero of your story. What is he like? Describe his looks, personality, and heart for writing. 

Pepper: Titus is sweetly odd and wonderful good-hearted. As a writer, he tends to see the world in, sometimes, a fictional way – but he’s grounded in his faith and confidence. He’s kind of trying to ‘save’ his writing at the beginning of the story, but you’ll really have to read it to get a better idea of him.

Alexis: Why does Titus work Jane into his fictional novel that he’s writing? How did she become a muse that he cannot forget? 

Pepper: He needed the perfect heroine for his fictional hero and Jane ‘fit’ what Titus was looking for…THEN, her personal mystery drew them together so that Jane became the heroine for Titus’ life.

Alexis: What role does a “mysterious journal” play in bringing Titus and Jane together?

Pepper: Titus LOVES stories and Jane brought this journal along that binds her to Bath, U.K. – so, of course, Titus wants to help her solve the mystery of the journal because he can’t stand an ‘unfinished’ story. 

Alexis: Titus is one of those authors who talks to his imaginary characters from his fictional stories as if they were real people. How does Jane feel about that? 

Pepper: As you can imagine, at first, she thinks it’s pretty weird. I think it begins to grow on her as she sees what a sweetheart Titus is. 

Alexis: Jane is strict and Titus is a total free spirit. How does that affect their relationship?

Pepper: Well, he helps loosen her up and she helps encourage his dream. At first, it’s not the most likely pairing, but they end of seeing how they work well together. 

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this book? 

Pepper: The beauty of stepping out into your fears and being brave enough to try. There’s such a reward (and in this case a romance) in being authentically who you are and then being loved. 

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Pepper! Do you have closing comments? 

Pepper: Again, thanks so much for having me here today. Jane and Titus were so much fun to write – and if any of your readers want to start from the ‘beginning’ of this little series, they can begin with Second Impressions. Bath, U.K. is a wonderful place to visit, both in real-life and through a book.

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Author Bio:

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with a southern Appalachian flair. Her books are seasoned with her Appalachian heritage and love for family. 

Pepper's stories have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, The INPSY Awards, and the ACFW Carol Awards. The Thorn Healer was selected as a 2018 finalist in the RT Awards. 

She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

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Blurb for Jane by the Book:

A Jane Austen-inspired novella

She’s level-headed and ordered. He talks to imaginary characters.

She keeps to the plan. He never has one.

Will true love find a way to color outside the lines but inside God’s love to create a story they can write together?

Four years ago, Jane Warwick escaped the shame of being jilted at the altar by becoming a housekeeper at the secluded Inn at Simeon Ridge. Predictable and quiet, the inn and large Simeon family help Jane find a place to heal but also cultivate her natural strengths for order and planning. But an unexpected visit to Bath, England, upsets Jane's peaceful monotony and sends her out of her comfort zone, directly into the harrowing path of historical detective author, Titus Stewart.

The only plans Titus sticks to are family holidays and the ones that send him careening into his story worlds, but when an uptight innkeeper stumbles into his life - and his latest novel - nonfiction begins to take on a much more interesting gleam.

With the help of a mysterious journal, will they both uncover a romance that stands the test of time?

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Buy Pepper’s book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Pepper:
Website - www.pepperdbasham.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pepperbasham
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pepperbasham/
The Writer's Alley (Pepper’s group blog) – http://www.thewritersalleyblog.com

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