Devotionals for the Heart: What Construction Workers Taught Me

Life Lessons Learned from Observing Construction Workers
A devotional by Desiree Future

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

—Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

One day, I was outside enjoying the nice weather.

Nearby, a bunch of construction workers were working. They had constructed a plank that led to the top of the building they were renovating. I watched them move like a synchronized swim team.

For the purposes of this story illustration, I’ve created first names for each of these men who I observed that day: John drove the pickup truck and pulled in right next to the building. Diego then started to unload the large truck as soon as John put it in park. As he placed the containers onto the ground Donald grabbed them.

Donald walked what looked like five-gallon tubs of something to the scaffolding entryway. He handed it over to Kevin, who then took them up to the second level of the four-story building. This conveyor belt system went on until the truck was empty. By that time, the entire load of five-gallon containers sat on the second floor. Each of the four men then started another system to get the containers to the fourth story of the building. They worked in unison to get their materials to the very top of the structure.

The interesting thing about this was that no words were spoken among them. They knew they had a job to do and did it. John, Diego, Donald, and Kevin all have specialized skills that they used to achieve their goal. That goal was to get the tubs safely to the roof in order to begin using their materials.

A roofer cannot build a house alone. You need someone to build the foundation. Another person to build the walls, then the roofer can add the roof. Then you need an electrician and a plumber to install the electricity and the plumbing. Windows and doors are also needed to make this a suitable house to live in. There’s a lot that goes into building a house.

Sure, someone can build a house alone with their bare hands, but not everyone can do it. God gives us all different talents to use. One person might do one thing better than you. While you do another task better than they can. An individual alone cannot do everything alone.

I understand that you may be single and have to do things by yourself. I’m raising my hand because I am in your shoes, too. However, doing everything is difficult and exhausting. You may want to save money and do it yourself, but hear me when I say you can’t do everything yourself. Just because you have done it before doesn’t mean you still can. When you take on the world alone, some things get left behind. The reason is that you are juggling so many things at once. Just because you can do it by yourself doesn’t mean you have to.

Ask for help and stop making yourself tired. You might feel that asking for help will make you feel less of a capable person. But what it actually does is prove that you know you where you’re lacking the skills to accomplish things on your own.

I’ve been a crafter since I was a child. The first time I was realized it was when my friend and I built a cardboard dollhouse. Mine was a two-story with a chimney and I used cotton to resemble smoke billowing from it. My friend said to me “Wow you’re so crafty.” That was the beginning of craftiness.

Throughout the years, I have created many different things from wall décor, to jewelry, purses, and household items. However, I could never sew at all. If I needed anything hemmed or made smaller, I would ask my mother to do it for me. My next option was to take it to the cleaners and pay them for their services.

Asking for help is a good thing because it allows you to see the talents of others while developing friendships. Having someone or a team of people in your corner is the best thing ever. It allows you to rest assured that someone has your back. Remember, it takes a village to raise a child. I’m blessed to have been raised by one myself, and this upbringing has shown me how truly special and awesome it is.

Let’s Pray: Lord, I ask that you let the person reading this know that everything will be okay. Help them to trust You and accept help when they need it. In Jesus’s Name I Pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “My Help Cometh from the Lord” by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Desiree Future is a self-improvement blogger at “Hope Faith & A Smile” where she pens inspirational and encouraging posts. 

This blog that she started as a place for her upcoming novel turned into something far more than she expected. It developed into a home for conversations with people from all walks of life. By writing about everyday events that occur in her world she makes her posts very relatable. As some commenters have said, “Desiree talks to us and not at us.”

In 2013, she self-published The Pastor’s Heart, a Christian romance novel. The following year in 2014, she self-published its sequel, It’s a New Season.

Desiree has been a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) since 2020. She’s also been a member of a writing critique group through her local ACFW Chapter since 2021. Several of her articles have appeared on the official blog for ACFW. In 2022, she became a contributing author in the encouraging devotional, The Courage to Write.

This child of God may not have a church home yet, but God is first in her life.

Desiree is a cancer survivor who calls New Jersey home. She enjoys traveling to different places to spark ideas for her next article. She likes thrifting and going to the theater to see the latest matinee.

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Connect with Desiree:
Website: https://desireefuture.com/
E-mail: desireefuturewrites@hotmail.com

Stories of Love: The Christmas Family

Today, we're featuring my author friend Linda Goodnight's story,

The Christmas Family.

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Book Blurb for "The Christmas Family": 

Contractor Brady Buchanon can't wait to surprise single mom Abby Webster with his company's Christmas home-makeover prize.

 

Raised in foster care, the struggling waitress doesn’t want to accept charity ever again, but when her dilapidated porch almost injures her child, Abby agrees to Brady's offer. 

As the big-hearted bachelor pushes to finish the house, he starts falling for Abby and her special little girl. But there is trouble on the horizon that could ruin everyone's holiday. 

Can Brady find a way to make his-and Abby's-Christmas wishes come true?

~*~
Author Bio:

New York Times bestseller Linda Goodnight fell in love with words as a young child when her mother took her to a tiny library and let her fill a cardboard box with books.

The next week she was back again, forever hooked on the beauty and power of the written word. Her other passions are her faith and her blended family.

A former nurse and teacher, she lives in Oklahoma with her husband where she enjoys baking and travel. And pie. She loves pie.

~*~
Connect with Linda:
Website: www.lindagoodnight.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaGoodnightAuthor/

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

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12 Days of Christmas Joy: Hope for Christmas by Elizabeth Maddrey

Interview with Elizabeth Maddrey about her book,

Hope for Christmas:

Alexis: What inspired you to write this Christmas holiday story?

Elizabeth: Honestly? I got invited to a Christmas-themed box set and wanted to participate. I’d written about Azure Hewitt recently (in A Heart Realigned, the third book of my Peacock Hill series) and I knew she had more siblings, so I thought making it tie in would be a good plan.

Alexis: Describe the setting in New Mexico for this story. What makes Hope Ranch special to your main characters?

Elizabeth: Hope Ranch is in the mesas and mountains of Northern New Mexico. If you look up the Valles Caldera National Preserve online, you can get a little glimpse of what the ranch looks like. But I moved it to a slightly different place (closer to Taos) and shifted a few things around. The ranch is where the grandparents of the book’s hero live. He’s never met them, because of his father’s decision to cut all ties with them, and he’s curious.

Alexis: Tell me about your story’s heroine Maria. Why does she not believe in love at first sight?

Elizabeth: Mostly because she’s been burned. She’s a single mom as a result of believing assurances of love too soon in a relationship, so she’s skeptical that love at first sight is anything more than an attempt to get someone into bed.

Alexis: Tell me about your story’s heroine Cyan. Why has he always believed in love at first sight?

Elizabeth: He’s a romantic at the bottom of it all. And since he hasn’t really had a relationship that grew into love, he’s decided that maybe it’s going to take the lightning strike for him to recognize it.

Alexis: Why did Cyan choose a career as a cyber security consultant? What makes him good at his job?

Elizabeth: As much as he’s a romantic, he’s also fairly pragmatic. He recognized it as a career that blended something he was interested in with a high demand—so there’s job security. He’s good at his job because he enjoys puzzles and problem solving.

Alexis: How long has Maria been a housekeeper for Rancho de Esperanza? Is there anything that she does not like about her job? Explain.

Elizabeth: She’s been there about eight years now – having come just before her son was born. She actually considers it the perfect job. The Hewitts are very laid back and treat her like she’s part of the family – she can take time to care for her son whenever needed and so it’s provided stability and community all in one shot.

Alexis: How long has Maria been a single mom? What happened to her child’s father?

Elizabeth: She became a single mom basically as soon as she told the father that she was pregnant. He wanted nothing to do with a child and said if she wasn’t going to have an abortion she was on her own. She took him at his word and had him relinquish his rights to keep him from changing his mind. He’s probably still out there in the world, but Maria doesn’t care. She’s realized she’s better off without him.

Alexis: Has Maria always been a strong, independent woman? If not, what caused her to be?

Elizabeth: The roots were there, but having Calvin solidified them. Single moms have to have spine to make it.

Alexis: What are Maria and Cyan’s most challenging struggles that they face alone and together?

Elizabeth: Maria is suspicious of easy. And she doesn’t like accepting help, or even admitting that she needs it. Cyan is a problem solver and he tends to wade in with a solution when he sees one and is able to provide it—even if it’s not really something that’s desired.

Alexis: What does Cyan love about Maria?

Elizabeth: Her strength and determination as well as her generous heart.

Alexis: What does Maria like about Cyan?

Elizabeth: She noticed his looks right off, but she also loves that he sticks and doesn’t let her push him away. And she loves how much he loves her son Calvin.

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

Elizabeth: Cyan isn’t a believer when he first comes to Hope Ranch. His dad was very anti-Christianity, so none of his formative years had any exposure to Jesus Christ. But a couple of his siblings have found Christ and are making tentative forays into talking about Him with the family—and that’s what sends him to Hope Ranch. Betsy and Wayne Hewitt, his grandparents, are also strong believers—he wants to get to know them, and they are excited to show him Jesus. Maria is already a believer, and so she struggles with her attraction and interest in a non-believer. But she also sees an opportunity to witness to him in the midst of her struggles.

Alexis: Did you play Christmas music while writing this story? If so, which song was your favorite and how did it inspire your storytelling?

Elizabeth: I didn’t. I don’t actually like listening to Christmas music. I put up with it when my family wants it on during the holidays, but if no one’s around asking for it? I prefer silence.

Alexis: What is your favorite Christmas holiday treat? Did it help you while writing this story? If so, explain.

Elizabeth: I like pumpkin pie. A lot. But I’m pretty sure I wrote this book in June, so there was no pie to be had. I probably could have made one, but it didn’t even occur to me to do that.

Alexis: If you could give one of your characters a Christmas gift, what would it be? Why?

Elizabeth: I’d probably give Cyan a nativity set. Mostly because they are hands down my favorite Christmas decoration (actually I tend to leave mine out all year) and I think everyone should have one. Plus he came to know Jesus at Christmas, so it’s a nice reminder.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Elizabeth. Merry Christmas!

~*~
Author Bio: 

Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. 

When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. 

She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.

~*~
Blurb for Elizabeth's book, Hope for Christmas:

An independent single mom who doesn’t believe in love at first sight collides with a man who does. 

Cyan Hewitt drifts onto his estranged grandparents’ New Mexico ranch in time for Thanksgiving … and stays. As a cyber security consultant, he can telecommute, so why not from here, where his restless soul is soothed and his heart is awakened by the attractive ranch housekeeper?

Maria Sanchez works at Rancho de Esperanza to provide a stable life for her son. She’s content—mostly—in her roles as housekeeper, part-time student, and mom, but when her precocious seven-year-old is diagnosed with diabetes, her world shatters. There’s no time for distractions from the long-term visitor who’s stirring a longing in her for more.

Cyan may think her faith and courage are inspiring, but Maria feels vulnerable. Relying on others has only ever resulted in broken dreams. Christmas might be a season of hope, but does she dare risk everything for love?

~*~
Buy Elizabeth's book Hope for Christmas on Amazon

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Connect with Elizabeth:
Website: http://www.ElizabethMaddrey.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMaddrey
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ElizabethMaddrey
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-maddrey
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Maddrey/e/B00A11QGME/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elizabethmaddre

~*~

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: When He Found Me

Welcome my author friend Victoria Bylin to the blog today!

She's here to share an excerpt from her story When He Found Me.

Enjoy!

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When He Found Me

A book written by Victoria Bylin 

Story excerpt from Chapter 3 

Kim waited for more, but MJ didn’t oblige. Being a single mom no longer carried a stigma, but Cody’s lack of a father embarrassed her. She hated not having the answer to the question he’d someday ask.

Who’s my father?

MJ didn’t have a good answer. She had gone to a party with Nicole and met a guy whose name was lost in a fog of rum and Coke. Disposing of her virginity had seemed like the best decision she ever made—until it happened. At that moment, she had felt violated, embarrassed, and alone. Shaking off the past, she focused on the business at hand. “Did you speak with the renter?”

“He didn’t return my call, but he’ll be here at two.”

MJ glanced at the clock. He’d be arriving any minute, and she wanted to neaten up. “Where the lady’s room?”

“Down the hall.”

MJ stood and called Cody. “Let’s make a pit stop.”

Her son scrambled over the carpeted blocks and together they went to take care of business. As she washed his hands and face, he squirmed and water splattered her tee shirt. Hoping it would dry quickly, she brushed her hair and dabbed on lipstick. She didn’t look like a landlord, but she knew how to be professional. She had done a good job managing SassyGirl. Too bad the chain went bankrupt. She could have taken accounting classes and moved into management.

Sighing, she inspected herself in the mirror, squared her shoulders, and reached for Cody’s damp hand. “Let’s go, kiddo.”

They arrived in the lobby just as the glass door swung wide and in walked a man with startling blue eyes.

Her mouth gaped.

His brows arched.

Yesterday when they met, stubble had covered his jaw. Today he was clean-shaven and dressed in a button-down oxford that matched his eyes. Khakis emphasized his long legs, and his dark blond hair was neatly combed away from his angular face. She couldn’t help but notice his broad shoulders and muscular arms, the way he stood tall with an air of confidence. He looked nothing like the middle-aged history teacher she’d been expecting, though she recalled the stiff way he picked up the coins she dropped.

Kim held out her hand. “Shane, it’s good to see you.”

So “S” stood for Shane.

He accepted Kim’s hand and greeted her, but his eyes darted back to MJ. They were full of questions and bright with undisguised pleasure.

Kim gazed at him with her made-up eyes while apologizing for what she called “a little mix-up.”

To MJ, the mix-up wasn’t little. She was prepared to negotiate with a stranger, not the man who bought the shoes on her feet. She wanted to thank him, of course. But she also wanted out of the negotiations about the house. S. Riley made her want to smile and flirt—and to forget she was facing a hysterectomy. She didn’t need that complication in her life and neither did Cody. She had to terminate the lease, but she was sorry about it. He’d been kind to her, and she was repaying him with a big inconvenience.

Kim moved on to the introductions. “Shane, this is MJ Townsend. She owns the house you rented.”

“We’ve met.” With a twinkle in his eyes, he offered his hand. “L is for Laundromat.”

She clasped his fingers, felt the warmth of his grip, and told her racing pulse to slow down. “S is for shoes. Thank you. It was a wonderful gift.”

His gaze dropped to her feet and her toes curled. He focused back on her face and smiled. “They fit.”

“Perfectly.”

He turned to Cody, who was staring up at him wide-eyed. S. Riley’s face relaxed into a smile. “You have on the cleats.”

“I like them best,” the boy answered.

“Me too.”

Kim interrupted. “So you two know each other?”

“A little,” Shane answered.

Kim waited, but neither of them explained further. With a wave of her hand, she indicated the sofa. “Let’s sit and I’ll clue Shane in to the problem.”

MJ needed to tell Kim she had changed her mind about the arrangement. She also had to get Cody settled again with the toy train. When Shane headed to the couch, she murmured to Kim, “I need to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“There’s a problem.”

Cody interrupted in a loud voice. “Mommy, why is that man here?”

She gripped his shoulder in an effort to steer him to the play area. “I’ll tell you later. It’s time to play with the train.”

The boy glared at her. “I don’t want to.” After three days of travel he was on the verge of a meltdown.

Irritation flickered in Kim’s eyes. “So what’s the problem?”

Cody pulled away from her. “I want to know now. Mommy, who is he?”

MJ gripped both of her son’s shoulders and lowered her chin. “Cody, you need to play with the toys while I take care of business.”

“No!”

“Hey, Cody.” The voice belonged to Shane Riley. “Where’s that train?”

His mouth agape, the boy stared at Shane. MJ had seen that expression before—in grocery stores when they saw families together, in church when a dad carried a child on his shoulders. Cody’s hunger for a father was a like baby’s desire for milk. No way could MJ let her son get close to Shane Riley. Cody would surely get his heart broken. Until she knew where she stood with a hysterectomy, she and Cody needed to keep their distance from men, especially men who were good-looking and kind.

~*~
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. 

~*~

Blurb for Victoria's book, When He Found Me:

Love Discovered . . . Hope Renewed

Once a strong Christian, third baseman Shane Riley lost his faith the night he injured his knee in a freak car accident. Determined to return to professional baseball and to find the sister he treated badly, Shane retreats to Refuge, Wyoming. There he meets Melissa June “MJ” Townsend, a single mom with an adorable son and a troubled heart.

MJ wants nothing to do with the handsome athlete—no doubt a womanizer considering the stories in the news. But when a mistake results in Shane renting her garage apartment, they become friends. That friendship blossoms into something deep and pure, leaving MJ with a painful secret to tell.

Even more complicated, MJ discovers an unexpected tie to Shane’s missing sister—a wounded woman facing a life-or-death decision of her own.

~*~
Review of When He Found Me, posted to Amazon.com by Tracey:

When He Found Me is one of those rare books that touched me to the core. It's an emotional love story on a number of levels, between a man and a woman, a brother and sister, a mother and child, but overall it's the story of God's love for all of us.

When He Found Me doesn't shy away from exposing the reality of modern day issues, alcohol and domestic abuse, unwed pregnancy and abortion, STI's and their treatment, but Bylin handles them all with a delicate hand of honesty and grace always pointing the way to where true healing can be found.

Her characters are real, flawed and broken in every way possible, physically, emotionally and spiritually. They endure the consequences of both their own choices and those of others, wondering where God is in the process. Bylin has expertly woven in the Gospel message amid all her characters life experiences, providing a truly fine example of sharing God's truth with a hurting world. Even the series title, Road to Refuge, has a depth and weight of meaning, as God is our Refuge.

There are plenty of lighthearted and funny moments that keep the story from feeling too heavy while dealing with very serious topics. Some of the funniest moments are Shane's salmon references, particularly "I'm no one special. Just a guy who envied salmon." It has to be read in context, but it's hilarious.

Victoria Bylin has written an important story for our times that will challenge the reader to more deeply contemplate what they believe about others, themselves and God. Simply put, When He Found Me is a stunning and powerful work of fiction from a persuasive and talented writer. I could not have loved it more!

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Buy Victoria's book on Amazon

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Connect with Victoria:
Website: https://www.victoriabylin.com/
Newsletter Sign-up: https://www.victoriabylin.com/contact.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Victoria.Bylin.Author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictoriaBylin

Interview with Jennifer Dornbush, author of God Bless the Broken Road

Welcome Jennifer Dornbush to the blog! She's been here before with a lovely devotional but today, she's here to answer my questions about her debut novel, God Bless the Broken Road.

She's also offering you a chance to win her book! Details about the book giveaway contest are toward the end of her interview.

Enjoy!

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Interview with Jennifer Dornbush, author of God Bless the Broken Road:

Alexis: Tell us about the inspiration behind your book, God Bless the Broken Road. What is this book about?

Jennifer: God Bless the Broken Road is a heartwarming story about a grieving army widow who finds her way back to her daughter, her faith, and a new love. Amber Hill never imagined she would find herself a war widow and single mom. She feels robbed and is angry at God, and she doesn’t know how to help her nine-year-old daughter Bree through her grief. Where, Amber wonders, are the Sunday dinners, the picnics, the bike rides, the time together they should be enjoying as a family? Instead, Amber is left with a folded flag and an empty heart. 

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

Jennifer: The book actually started as a movie script that I co-wrote with Harold Cronk. When we were writing the script, the top two take-aways we kept in mind were first, that God is always with us, even if we don’t feel like He is or aren’t seeking Him actively. He is always there and He is always providing us with amazing blessings, even when/if we don’t acknowledge them. One of the keys to healing and hope on our broken roads are to turn our gaze to Him so that we can start to recognize Him along the path. When we turn to Him and humble ourselves, He can start to guide us and shape our brokenness into blessing.

The second take-away that was important to us as we wrote this story is community. My signature hash tag is #ConnectContributeBelong. I’m huge on the importance of building actual, physical, community (not just having virtual community). We don’t have to travel our broken roads alone. God has given us friends and family to lean for support and encouragement. This can make a huge difference when we are going through trying times. I think so many people suffer from depression and suicide because they think they are alone. Mother Theresa said the greatest poverty we have today is the feeling of loneliness because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

So many people feel like this. They feel alone. The feel that no one understands or cares what they are going through. What a travesty. It’s so simple to be there for someone. You don’t have to be a professional counselor or therapist to help someone heal from a wounding. Sometimes the very best thing is to just to take a moment from your day to pause, listen, and lend a hug or word of encouragement.

On the flip side, if you are traveling a broken road it can be difficult to let people into your pain. It takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable and ask for help. But here’s the secret… people love you and want to help you and be there for you. Needing to be loved and cared for is not a sign of weakness, it’s the way we humans need to relate to one another to build real and lasting communities. By the way, building community this deep requires that you get off social media, look up from your phone and have actual human contact! Just sayin’….

Alexis: Why is Amber, your story’s heroine, angry at God? How does God respond to her anger?

Jennifer: Amber is angry because she doesn’t understand why God would take her husband away and leave her daughter fatherless. God responds steadfastly. He is always there for her, but she just can’t see it. Eventually Amber hits rock bottom and finally surrenders. It’s at that moment when her life starts to really find hope and redemption.

Alexis: Tell us about Amber’s nine-year-old daughter Bree. What’s her favorite cupcake flavor? How deep is her bond with her Mom? How is she handling the aftermath concerning the death of her dad?

Jennifer: Bree’s favorite cupcake flavor is pink. I don’t know what pink tastes like, but Bree LOVES pink. Bree also loves her mother and wants to be close, but she feels distant from her because of how Amber is handling her grief. She gets angry at her mother for “not being any fun anymore.”

Alexis: If you were a professional grief counselor and you could step into your story to walk Amber and Bree through their heartache, what would you say? 

Jennifer: Ironically, Amber has many grief counselors who step into her life during this story. They all tell her the same thing… “God is with you in your pain. Go to Him. Lean into Him. And let your friends and family help you carry the burden.”

Alexis: In what ways does God work behind the scenes to fill Amber’s empty heart with His Love?

Jennifer: A million ways… But Amber just can’t… or won’t see it right away. She’s very stubborn and has to learn through hard knocks. (Don’t we all!) But in the end, the main way God works through her is the character of Nelson, a man from Darren’s army unit. I won’t spoil it, but Nelson ends up playing a HUGE role in Amber’s transformation.

Alexis: Cody Jackson is the hero of this story. What’s he like? Describe his look, personality, heart, and the reason why he has a death wish.

Jennifer: I wouldn’t say Cody is the hero of this story. Amber is our true hero. When Harold and I wrote the original script of this story, we were very insistent that we didn’t want to create the kind of story where boy saves girl. We wanted the real love story to be between Amber and God. God’s persistent love for Amber (via a very impactful intervention from an unsuspecting character) is what saves Amber.

However, Cody is a strong catalyst in Amber’s transformation. He plays a pivotal role in that he awakens Amber’s heart and mind to things she needs. Cody is country-boy handsome, has a genuine smile, and is a total gentleman. But he has his own demons to fight. He has a death wish because he’s impatient. He wants to reach his goal of being a professionally competing stock car driver – now! And at any cost. This gets him in trouble over and over.

Alexis: What does Cody love the most about being a racecar driver? Why?

Jennifer: He likes going fast. Makes him feel alive. He’s a visceral person. He acts on instinct. This keeps getting him in trouble in the track.

Alexis: Why is it important to Bree for her Mom and Cody to be friends?

Jennifer: Cody gives Bree a new lease on life when she joins Cody’s go kart club. Bree can see the goodness and lightness in Cody and she knows her mother needs that kind of influence in her life right now.

Alexis: Who notices first that love is in the air between Cody and Amber? What made the sparks fly?

Jennifer: Cody. Definitely Cody. Cody has his eye on her from the first time he spots her across the church parking lot! Amber isn’t really ready to try love again until the very end of the story.

Alexis: What role does Cody’s daredevil tendencies on the racetrack and Amber’s guarded heart play in their love story?

Jennifer: There’s a scene where Cody gets Amber to drive his race car on the track. It’s the first moment of “fun” Amber has had in a LONG time. This playful moment is the catalyst that starts to break down the wall around her healing heart.

Alexis: In what ways does Cody’s walk with God grow as this story progresses?

Jennifer: When Cody steps into Clarksville, we learn he isn’t really the church going type. But his mentor, Joe, insists that he attend church with him and sets Cody up leading a kid’s ministry. As Cody starts to get involved, the church community becomes an important part of his new life. His walk with God is directly related to becoming involved in this new community of Christians. I think that’s how it happens for a lot of us. We find God along with finding friends who love and serve God. The devotion of our family and friends to their faith can often become an inspiration for our own personal growth and relationship with God.

Alexis: Share how your book became a movie. When can we see it in theaters?

Jennifer: God Bless the Broken Road (GBBR) actually began as a feature film script three years ago. My friend and director, Harold Cronk, who is best known for the God’s Not Dead movies, called me one fine summer evening. He pitched me the seed of the idea and asked what I thought? I said I thought it sounded like a solid story. And then he asked if I wanted to write it with him. Of course, I said yes. 

We finished the first draft of the script on Christmas Eve, 2014. Over the course of the next year we refined it while the producers rallied the funds. In the spring of 2016 Harold shot God Bless the Broken Road. 

A few months earlier, as we finished the script version, I talked with the producers about penning a novel version. They thought it would be a great idea. So my agent, Julie Gwinn, put a pitch together and while we were filming I quickly wrote the first three chapters. Within two weeks Julie had procured a couple contracts. We happily chose Simon & Schuster. I spent last summer scribing the novel and here it is a year later. The film version is also “in the can” as we say and will be releasing in 2018.

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

Jennifer: “Turn left and drive fast!” (This will make a lot more sense if you’ve read the book!)

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Author Bio: Jennifer is a writer, speaker, and forensic specialist creating a diverse range of stories that shed light on the dark places of the human experience. 

Her story creation is bred from a very unsheltered childhood as the daughter of a medical examiner whose office was in her home. She investigated her first fatality—an airplane crash—when she was 8-years-old and from there gathered a decade of on-sight experience in death investigation and 360 hours of forensic training through the Forensic Science Academy.

The stories she creates stem from the unique range of human experiences. Because of her background, she does not shy away from telling stories about tough circumstances and how characters choose to deal with them. Jennifer’s characters encounter light in their darkness… redemption where none seems possible…and bits of levity to sweeten the journey.

Her feature film, God Bless the Broken Road, is slated for release in 2017 in conjunction with the novel released on June 6, by the same title published by Simon & Schuster.

Jennifer has several crime-drama series being developed for television and a bilingual kid’s show, Team Abuelita, in production with Baby First TV.

Wanting to share her love of forensics with other storytellers, she scribed non-fiction work, Forensic Speak: How To Write Realistic Crime Dramas, published by Michael Wiese Productions, hailed as a north star to creating authentic crime dramas.

As a forensic specialist, she has consulted with TV writers on network and cable TV shows. She regularly leads seminars and webinars on forensics and crime fiction and has taught screenwriting on the high school and university level and mentored new writers.

Sign up for her newsletter and YouTube channel at www.jenniferdornbush.com.

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Blurb for Jennifer's book: God Bless the Broken Road is a heartwarming story about a grieving army widow who finds her way back to her daughter, her faith, and a new love.

Amber Hill never imagined she would find herself a war widow and single mom. She feels robbed and is angry at God, and she doesn’t know how to help her nine-year-old daughter Bree through her grief. Where, Amber wonders, are the Sunday dinners, the picnics, the bike rides, the time together they should be enjoying as a family? Instead, Amber is left with a folded flag and an empty heart.

Cody Jackson has a death wish. Or at least that is what his manager thinks, as Cody pushes his race car and his luck in every race. Is he hiding something, or just daring God and other racers to end the path of destruction he finds himself on as he rounds the last turn? When Cody encourages Bree to join in a Derby car race for local youth, she finds a way to channel her grief into something good—and she likes that her mom and Cody are starting to become friends—or maybe something more.

Cody invites Amber and Bree to see him race, but as they watch Cody narrowly escape a devastating crash, she realizes she can’t lose another person in her life. It’s better to be alone than feel that type of grief again. But when Amber hits rock-bottom, she cries out to God and asks for help. With her faith, her life, her family, and her heart hanging in the balance, Amber is forced to decide between the broken road she knows so well and trusting that God will provide a new path.

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Buy Jennifer's book on Amazon and AudioBooksNow

Watch the movie trailer for God Bless the Broken Road, https://vimeo.com/191227455

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Connect with Jennifer:
Website - www.jenniferdornbush.com
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.graeserdornbush
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jenniferdornbush/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/jenidornbush/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/JGDornbush

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