Devotionals for the Heart: What true love looks like in our modern world

Love Reimagined
A devotional by Essie Faye

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)

I am convinced that most people in our world today do not know the true meaning of love, nor do they know how to show it and share it in a healthy way.

An example of this is when I watched on as a group of teenage “friends” interacted. They made fun of each other and embarrassed each other. One minute they were cool and the next they were arguing bitterly. Some days I didn’t know if they were friends or enemies. So, I’d tread lightly. Teaching adolescents is sometimes a rollercoaster. One minute, students love each other and the next they hate each other. It is often like riding a rollercoaster. I couldn’t keep up with the relationship drama and frequent changes my students were experiencing.

True love in today’s world is tough to find. People say they love you, but truthfully, most don’t know love. They’ve come from broken families and have had a history of broken relationships. It is safe to say that all of us are broken in some way. True love comes from a healthy place. True love can be freely given when a person experiences healing of their heart. Many people can’t properly love others because they don’t properly love themselves. Or they’ve never truly been loved in a healthy and safe manner. More importantly, many people don’t know love because they don’t have a real relationship with Love Himself: God is Love.

In Romans 8:38-39 the Apostle Paul writes about the persevering and unstoppable Love of God. Love pursues us relentlessly until God captures our hearts and transforms our souls. God’s love is like the love of no other. It is unchanging and unconditional. There is nothing we could ever do or fail to do that would cause God to stop loving us. God’s love provides for us consistently. His love protects us from harm and heals us from pain. His love rescues us from danger. His love hears us when we call. God’s love for us is never ending, overwhelming, incomprehensible, and unfathomable. We don’t deserve His love, yet He chases after us to lavish His love upon us. Nothing and no one can separate us from God’s love.

Call to Action:

1. Thank God for loving you unconditionally and consistently.

2. Learn from the mistakes you’ve made on your journey to loving yourself, God, and others.

3. Treasure the love of God in your life.

4. Look around to see how God loves you and how He proves it.

5. Remember: God’s love must be reimagined. We think we know love. We do not. We must be reintroduced to Him.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

There is no god like You. You are Love. You gave Your only son (Jesus Christ) to save our souls because You love humankind. You sent Your Comforter (Holy Spirit) because of your love for our broken hearts. You sent Your Word because You want us to read The Holy Bible and get to know You. Thank You for loving us passionately, unconditionally, and with abandon. I pray that we can accept this unfathomable love, though we don’t deserve it and we can never comprehend it. Help us to love one another with a love so pure and pleasing to You. Thank You for hearing and answering us. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “No Greater Love” by Rachael Lampa. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Essie Faye is a woman of faith. 

She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter.

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native.

~*~
Connect with Essie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here:
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/58980-grow-through-it-7-healing-practices-that

Devotionals for the Heart: How God used teenagers to help save my life

When God Saved My Life
A devotional by Joyce M. Averils

“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please’.”—Isaiah 46:10 (NIV)

In 1989, I was teaching a Sunday school class for high school-aged students in my church. Those Sunday mornings were the highlight of my week. I loved pouring into those teens, laughing with them, praying over them, and walking beside them as they grew in their faith and navigated life. We weren’t just filling our traditional role as teacher and students. We were family.

One Sunday, I noticed that a pair of 16-year-old twin sisters hadn’t been there for a few weeks. Concerned, I asked the class if they knew what was going on. The students told me that one of the twins had developed a serious alcohol addiction and was now in treatment. Her sister had chosen to stay home until they could come back together.

My heart broke. I reached out to their parents, who confirmed everything the class had said. That following Sunday, I brought the situation up with the teens and asked how we could support the girls. One student said, “We should pray for them.” Absolutely. But then another teen quietly offered, “Maybe we could sign pledges not to drink alcohol until we’re adults.”

I was floored, but in the best way. These kids wanted to stand in solidarity and to commit to something hard as a sign of support. I told them I’d write up pledges and bring them next week. Then someone asked, “Are you signing one too?”

Before I could answer, another student chimed in, “But she’s already old! She can drink if she wants to!” We all laughed. But I said, “You know what? I’ll sign a pledge too. I won’t drink alcohol until each one of you has graduated from high school.”

One by one, they graduated. And I kept my word. For years, I completely gave up alcohol— I had no celebratory glass of wine and no fruity drink at a wedding reception. But then something unexpected happened. When I could finally drink again if I wanted to, I realized that I no longer wanted to.

Fast forward to 2020. At my annual checkup, my doctor sat me down to go over my lab results. My liver enzyme numbers were alarmingly high. A specialist visit and liver biopsy followed that appointment. The diagnosis: autoimmune liver disease. The doctor gently explained that if I hadn’t stopped drinking back in 1989, my condition would have progressed far more rapidly. In fact, he said, best-case scenario, I would have needed a liver transplant, and worst-case scenario, I could have died years earlier.

I sat there stunned, but so thankful. What I thought was a simple act of solidarity with some teenagers turned out to be the very decision that saved my life.

Here’s what I know now: God knew. He knew what was coming even when I didn’t. That’s the beauty of His omniscience. He sees the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:10 (NIV) reminds us, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”

When I made that pledge, it felt like a small sacrifice. But now I know it was God nudging me through the Holy Spirit to do something that didn’t just bless others, it protected me. It wasn’t a rule or restriction. It was grace. Divine foresight wrapped in love.

Sometimes we don’t understand the “no” we get from God. Sometimes the door that closes feels like a loss. But often, God’s “no” is a “yes” to something better, something life-giving or even life-saving. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) reminds us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

That Sunday School classroom was holy ground, not just for the students, but for me too. I look back and see how God used their pain, their courage, and their ideas to plant something in me that would bloom decades later in the form of protection and healing. What a faithful, loving God we serve.

If you’re in a season where God has said “no” or asked you to release something that doesn’t make sense, I want to encourage you: He sees what you can’t. He knows what’s ahead. His plans are always for your good (Jeremiah 29:11), even when the steps don’t feel good in the moment.

That pledge wasn’t just for a moment. It was for a lifetime. And through it, God wrote a story I never could have imagined, a story of obedience, healing, and grace. I’m still in awe, as I’m reminded that God’s answer is always the right answer at the right time.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for seeing the end from the beginning and lovingly guiding our steps, even when we don’t understand the “why”. Thank You for the unexpected ways You protect us, often through small acts of obedience that carry great purpose. Help us to trust Your “no” as much as we celebrate Your “yes” because we know that Your plans are always for our good. Teach us to lean into Your wisdom, rest in Your timing, and remain faithful, even when the road ahead is unclear. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Thank You” by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “The Master’s Hand” by Annie Herring. Listen to it here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Joyce M. Averils is an attorney by education and a retired judge who currently works as a Life Purpose and Business Empowerment Coach. 

She attended the University of South Carolina where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities and Social Sciences, with a concentration in Political Science in May 1981. Upon graduation from the University, she attended The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, where she graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in June 1984. Joyce was admitted to the Georgia Bar in November of 1984.

During her legal career, she served as the legal advisor for an episode of the American television program “Designing Women”. She also successfully argued a zoning case before the Georgia Supreme Court.

Today, she is the founder of Averils Omnimedia, LLC, which includes Her RICH Life Coaching, where she helps high-achieving women of faith create a purpose-aligned life and business through coaching programs, workshops, and retreats.

She recently launched 26th & Alden Paper Design House which will release its first paper product in 2025.

Joyce believes that God created women to do extraordinary things by walking fully in their purpose, calling, and assignment. She knows that each woman has a unique calling that only she can fulfill, and if she doesn’t answer it, that work may never be done. Joyce is deeply aware that there are people waiting for the help only God can give, and He often chooses to work through His people to meet those needs. That’s why Joyce is committed to answering God’s call on her life and inspiring other women to do the same, so together, we can be of greater service to God and one another.

Her life verse is John 17:4 (NIV), “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

She makes her home on the coast of South Carolina.

~*~
Connect with Joyce:
Website: www.herrichlife.com
Facebook Ministry: www.facebook.com/groups/thepurposealignedwoman
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/coachlabforaspiringchristianwomencoaches
Facebook: www.facebook.com/@HerRichLife
Instagram: www.instagram.com/herrichlife
Email address: joyce@herrichlife.com

Stories of Love: A Christmas Hallelujah by Dori Harrell

Today, we're featuring my author friend Dori Harrell's book, 

A Christmas Hallelujah.

~*~

Book Blurb:

Romance is the last thing on their minds—who'd take on their crazy lives anyway? 

When her mom decides it's time to "find herself" and takes off to points unknown, illustrator Piper Castleton is left in charge of her hurting, troubled teenage sister and the family's alpaca ranch. Giving up her job in the city and returning to the farm is a no-brainer, but how is she supposed to raise her sister when all she wants is their mother back? And Christmas? That's off the table.

Alex Saunders's young son was diagnosed with severe separation anxiety disorder after his mother's death a year and a half ago, and he hasn't left Alex's side in months. Alex is stretched too thin to even think about celebrating Christmas this year, so when his mom suggests they spend the holidays in Cranberry Creek, he cautiously agrees.

But when Piper and Alex meet, life takes a few unexpected turns. As a surprising and heartwarming friendship unfolds before their eyes, will Piper and Alex orchestrate a Christmas hallelujah out of the beautiful messes that are their lives?

~*~
Author Bio:

Dori, a lover of red licorice, is an award-winning writer and editor and a USA Today best-selling author—plus she speaks at writers’ and editors’ conferences nationwide.

She owns Breakout Editing and also serves as managing editor of Redemption Press. She edits for indie authors and publishers, including Kregel Publications and Gemma Halliday Publishing.

As an editor, she releases more than twenty books a year.

Dori is the author of A Christmas Hallelujah and Grateful for You. She has published more than a thousand articles in newspapers and magazines nationwide. She loves living in the Pacific Northwest, and she’s an avid Seahawks fan (go Hawks!).

~*~
Connect with Dori:
Website: doriharrell.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doriauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doriharrell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dori_Harrell

~*~
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:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Emma Mae Jenkins (Part 2 of 2) about "Be Loved" (book)

Dear Reader Friends,

Today, as a continuation of yesterday's post, I have a special treat just for you! 

It is part two of the interview with Emma Mae Jenkins about her captivating nonfiction book, Be Loved. This is a pre-made interview created by the author's publisher. 

Please note that none of these words below are original words written by me
(Alexis A. Goring, founder of "God is Love" blog).

Enjoy your time with Emma Mae today!

~*~

Faith, Freedom and the Love of God

An interview with Emma Mae Jenkins, author of Be Loved

(Part 2 of 2)

…

A Message from the publisher (New Growth Press):

 

Being a teen is hard. Pressures to fit in, conform, and be the best push in from every direction, even from within. Yet, each and every person was uniquely created by a God who loves them. 

Emma Mae Jenkins, a young writer and social media influencer, wants to reach teens with exactly that message. She has inspired thousands of girls online with the freedom she has to be herself—a dearly loved child of God. In her first book, Be Loved, she invites readers to join her on a journey of life-changing faith and the freedom that comes from knowing the love of God.

She chronicles her own high school journey through starting a new school, navigating the typical pressures of school work and sports, going to prom, and even homecoming. Emma Mae faced each new challenge with the confidence that God was with her and was going to make her uniquely useful in the place he had prepared for her.

For Emma Mae, it all starts with her relationship with Jesus. Because she knows she is loved by him, she is free to be herself and to live out her faith no matter what the cost. As a young, passionate, and intimate lover of Jesus, Emma Mae's love for her Savior overflows unashamedly into her unconditional, fierce love for people.

In our interview with Emma Mae, we talk about her about her faith, the challenges she has faced, and the message she wants all teens to hear.

~*~

The Interview 

(continued from Saturday, June 13)

New Growth Press: Bullying is a major problem in schools today, in fact, you experienced your fair share as well. Why were you a target, and how did you handle it?

Emma Mae Jenkins: The bullying I experienced was online via social media, and it continues still in waves. I was and am because the One living in me was not understood, was not known. Sometimes people scoff at what they do not understand. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives within in me and therefore, I cannot contain He Who is joy and peace and power and love and light. 

The people of the world would love me if I belonged to the world, but I am simply in the world, I am not of it. He said that if the world hates you, remember that they hated him first.

I handled it by surrendering it. When my heart is overwhelmed, God leads me to the rock that is higher than myself. I could not handle it on my own—I needed Him and always will. Through Him, it was handled, by me hiding His Word in my heart, trusting that He spoke over me before the world ever had an opportunity to. I had people in my life who walked with me and reminded me of truth. They continued to be the light of the world with me. We were not made to do life alone, so I needed my community. 

Through God’s eyes, I could simply see the people hating on me did not know how loved they were, so it was a beautiful chance to love them. God has said for me to love my enemies, pray for those who curse me, and bless those who persecute me. I can only do this when I know that He loved me first. When I begin to see myself the way that God sees me, I can then see others the way that He sees others too.

NGP: Why is it so important to start the day in prayer and in God’s word? How do you encourage teens to get into that routine, since most young people (and a lot of adults too) are not usually morning people?

EMJ: In Mark 1:35, Jesus rose very early in morning, went to a quiet place, and prayed. Jesus lived in such a way that we are called to live as He did. He set the example. In Matthew 6:33, God says to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, so this means that He is worthy of the first part of my day. How we begin our day determines the posture of our heart as the day goes on, so to be armed with His Word and encouraged in talking with Him in prayer sets myself up for success and deepens our relationship with Him.

As soon as I walk into the day, I know that there is an enemy who has a target on my back and is out to steal, to kill, and to destroy me. He is the father of lies and he is out to devour, so I am setting myself up for believing the lies and being attacked off guard when I do not prepare for battle by spending time in conversation with my Defender and hiding His Word that will not fail me in my heart.

I encourage everyone to cultivate this rhythm. We make time for what is most important to us, so if I truly am saying that God is most important to me, then spending time with Him is more important than the snooze button. It is more important than my feelings of tiredness or morning moodiness. He is simply more important, and the more I do it, the more I will grow in love with this time. Delighting in Him outweighs not being a “morning person.”

NGP: So much of life seems to revolve around being online. What are some tips for developing authentic relationships with those around us?

EMJ: Our generation is definitely immersed in a culture of technology, and there are so many beautiful things about it. I initially got an Instagram account for the purpose of staying in touch with my friends because I moved quite a bit growing up. 

Later, social media became a way to share the gospel with people all over the world whom I have never had the opportunity to meet. It is quite remarkable the impact that technology has provided.

Still, face to face, arms linked relationships are vital. Solomon said, “woe to the man who falls and has no one to pick him up,” and “just as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another.” James said that when we confess our sins to one another we will be healed. Paul said to continue to build up one another. 

Jesus said to love our neighbor as He loved us, and He prayed for us to be united. In the beginning, God said that it was not good for Adam to be alone. Our God is the God of relationships. We were made to be in relationship with Him and with one another.

Here are some tips for developing authentic relationships:
- Seek God first: When I seek His kingdom first, my relationships are going to reflect Him too.

- Be humble: It is important to consider others above ourselves and to have the heart posture of a servant when building relationships.

- Encourage others: Seek to build up your people. See the beauty in people and speak it OUT over them so that it may benefit them. Celebrate their victories and mourn with them when they are hurting.

- Be vulnerable: The level of vulnerability in what you share with whom comes from discernment the Spirit gives, but I cannot expect authentic relationships to go deep and bloom if I am not willing to be honest and vulnerable. I cannot expect deepening when I stay on the surface.

- Be intentional: In order for authentic relationships to be built, one must be intentional to work and invest into fostering that relationship. That may be sending an encouraging text, planning to get together for a coffee visit, or praying for one another.

NGP: What are some ways teens can be light in the lives of those they come in contact with at school? How can they be an encouragement to others?

EMJ: What we fill ourselves with is what we think about. What we think leads to how we act, and after a while that is who we become. As we think, so are we. Teens can make an impact in the lives of those they come into contact at school by choosing to be in the Word, being intentional about the music they listen, being thoughtful in regard to the shows they watch, and being purposeful in who they hang out with and allow to influence them.

Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV) 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. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

This is basically saying that we are blessed, and we are a blessing when we are particular about who influences us and by meditating on the Word always. I am a light and an encouragement to others when I fill myself with His Word. I cannot expect myself to be like Jesus in the lives of people around me when I am not spending time with Him and am listening to things and watching things that are against His heart.

I am also a light and encouragement to others when I am around those who glorify Him. If I hang out with the foolish, I am going to become foolish. If I hang out with the wise, I am going to become wise. Spending time with friends who encourage and sharpen me will equip me and build me up to be a bold light in the darkness to the precious people that do not yet know Him. When I am intentional about who I let influence me, I can walk confidently in how I influence others.

NGP: What is the secret to not being discouraged and comparing yourself to others?

EMJ: The secret to being content in who you are and where you are is to rest in the truth of what God says about you. It sounds so simple and some say that is cliché, but to say that is to forget the power of His Word. 

Who He says you are is unchanging and never ending. Who He says you are is personal and on purpose. When we begin to see ourselves the way that He sees us, we will then also see others the way He sees others too. God made each of us to be original and reveal His heart in a unique way, so to compare ourselves to one another only leads to discouragement.

Begin to praise God for the beauty that you see in someone else. Celebrate them in ways that they do not even see, such as how you think about them. Ask the Lord to help you be confident in who He made you to be and to also rejoice in how beautiful He made others to be.

NGP: Why is it important for each of us to embrace the unique person that we are?

EMJ: God says we are His masterpiece, so when we embrace who He has made us to be, we are embracing who He Himself made in His image and said was very good. For us to embrace all that He purposefully knitted within us, is to also embrace all that He has for us and wants to deliver through us. 

When I am embrace who God says I am, I am able to lead others to realize the true beauty that God placed within them. I cannot lead from a place I have not been. In this example, I cannot lead others to be who God has called them to be if I myself am not daily surrendering to embrace being who He has called me to be as well.

God wants to be glorified through every part of who we are. He wants to be praised through the strengths and gifts He has entrusted us with. The weaknesses in us are what He sees as opportunities for His glory to shine through. To not embrace all that I am in Him is to miss out on a lot of beauty and excitement that He wants to reveal to me and through me.

It is so important because it glorifies Him for me to embrace the unique person that I am.

NGP: What is the main message you hope young women will take away from reading your book?

EMJ: I pray that young women will receive and respond to the message that God is pursuing their hearts. He desires to be in relationship with them personally, and from an overflow of this relationship, they may they live boldly and freely in Who He says they are. I hope they love others just as they themselves have been loved. May they be loved.

~*~
Author Bio:

Emma Mae Jenkins describes herself as a lover of Jesus and people. 

She is a social media influencer, writer, speaker, and YouTuber with the sole purpose of leading others into a relationship with Jesus, sharing this chain-breaking freedom, and being a vessel of God’s Word. She is excited to share with girls and young women about how much God loves them and has called each to a unique purpose for his glory.

Jenkins began chronicling her journey through high school on social media and in doing so has inspired thousands of young people to live their faith freely and with courage. She is currently a sophomore at Liberty University where she is majoring in Women’s Christian Leadership.

The founder of Son Seeker Ministries, Jenkins’s vision is to lead her generation into having a genuine relationship with Jesus. Her new release, Be Loved, is her first book.

During school breaks, Jenkins makes her way back home to northwest Arkansas where her parents and brother live.

Learn more at emmamaejenkins.com and follow her via social media.

~*~

Blurb for Emma Mae's book, Be Loved:

Emma Mae Jenkins, a young Christian writer, has inspired many with the freedom she has to be herself a dearly loved child of God. In her first book, Be Loved, she invites readers to join her on a journey of life-changing faith and the freedom that comes from knowing the love of God. 

 She chronicles her own high school journey through starting a new school, navigating the typical pressures of school work and sports, going to prom, and even homecoming. Emma Mae faced each new challenge with the confidence that God was with her and was going to make her uniquely useful in the place he had prepared for her.

For Emma Mae, it all starts with her relationship with Jesus Christ. Because she knows she is loved by him, she is free to be herself and to live out her faith no matter what the cost. As a young, passionate, and intimate lover of Jesus, Emma Mae's love for her holy Savior overflows unashamedly into her unconditional, fierce love for people.

Readers will experience the chain-breaking liberty of knowing the Lord's presence and the freedom to be unique. This full-color, hardback book includes pictures from Emma Mae's life, along with key Bible verses that God used to strengthen and guide her through the ups and downs of her high school years as a young Christian. Readers will learn to face the challenges of their student years with religion, courage, hope, and lifegiving love for others.

~*~

Buy Emma's book, Be Loved online via Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook

~*~
Connect with Emma Mae:
Instagram (@1corinthians13_love) 

YouTube (Emma Mae Jenkins)
Facebook (@sonseeker.org) 

Twitter (@emmamaej99) 

Pinterest (emmamaejenkins)

~*~

Publisher info: New Growth Press publishes gospel-centered Christian books, small group, and children’s Bible resources for discipleship, biblical counseling, and missional ministry. For more information about Be Loved and other releases from New Growth Press, visit www.newgrowthpress.com.

Interview with Emma Mae Jenkins (Part 1 of 2) about her book "Be Loved"

     

Dear Reader Friends,

Today and tomorrow, I have a special treat just for you! 

It is a two-part interview with Emma Mae Jenkins about her captivating nonfiction book, Be Loved. This is a pre-made interview created by the author's publisher. 

Please note that none of these words below are original words written by me 

(Alexis A. Goring, founder of "God is Love" blog).

Enjoy your time with Emma Mae today!

~*~
Faith, Freedom and the Love of God: 
An interview with Emma Mae Jenkins, author of Be Loved

(Part 1 of 2)

…

A Message from the publisher (New Growth Press):

Being a teen is hard. Pressures to fit in, conform, and be the best push in from every direction, even from within. Yet, each and every person was uniquely created by a God who loves them. 

Emma Mae Jenkins, a young writer and social media influencer, wants to reach teens with exactly that message. She has inspired thousands of girls online with the freedom she has to be herself—a dearly loved child of God. In her first book, Be Loved, she invites readers to join her on a journey of life-changing faith and the freedom that comes from knowing the love of God.

She chronicles her own high school journey through starting a new school, navigating the typical pressures of school work and sports, going to prom, and even homecoming. Emma Mae faced each new challenge with the confidence that God was with her and was going to make her uniquely useful in the place he had prepared for her.

For Emma Mae, it all starts with her relationship with Jesus. Because she knows she is loved by him, she is free to be herself and to live out her faith no matter what the cost. As a young, passionate, and intimate lover of Jesus, Emma Mae's love for her Savior overflows unashamedly into her unconditional, fierce love for people.

In our interview with Emma Mae, we talk about her about her faith, the challenges she has faced, and the message she wants all teens to hear. 

~*~

The Interview:

New Growth Press: Be Loved chronicles your high school years. Junior high and high school are difficult years for everyone, but what are some of the challenges that made it particularly hard for you?

Emma Mae Jenkins: Walking through junior high and high school most definitely do have their difficulties as everyone is discovering who they are and making choices that truly do have a great impact on the future. For me, sometimes it was hard to have people respond to the joy that lives within me, the smile that I couldn’t help but share, and the voice that God has given me with confusion or laughter. 

This may seem small, but I really began to learn how to be who God had called me to be, even when the response was not the most inviting. It is really cool how we never actually know the beauty that God is growing within someone, so to plant the seed of a smile or to water someone’s soul with encouragement is to be obedient to the Father. The response of the person may not show what I would love to see, but I trust that God is doing in their heart what only He can do.

Moving during high school was also pretty tough. I was afraid of not making close friendships worried about what people were going to think of me. But God led me. His grace sustained me, and He gently reminded me that His love casts out all fear. 

Love is not self-seeking, so when I was worried about making friends and worried I was going to be thought of well, I was not operating out of love, but out of fear. I cannot love people that I fear. When His love is what I chose to abide in, I could not help but focus on how I could serve others.

NGP: You write that you tried to be gracious, kind and loving to others, but you didn’t treat yourself the same way. Why are we so hard on ourselves?

EMJ: We tend to be hard on ourselves when we misunderstand grace and misinterpret the voice of the Lord. For it is by grace we have been saved, through faith, and this is not by our own works (so that we cannot boast), but it is a gift from God. Grace is unmerited favor. It is a gift given to me that I do not deserve, so of course we are going to be hard on ourselves if we are living to earn something that cannot be earned.

My life is not a race to earn the love, attention and affirmation from God, but my life is a response of gratitude and obedience because Jesus died for me. This is why I work wholeheartedly. This is why I smile. This is why I don’t quit. This is why I write books and make videos, sing songs and post captions on social media. This is why, it is not to earn, but it is a response to His gift.

The voice of the Lord is a voice of peace and clarity and truth and order. He speaks to us in a way that does not bring us to shame but compels us to walk in the light as He is the light. 

When I am walking with a mentality of accusation, confusion, condemnation, chaos and defeat, I know that I am listening to the voice of the enemy, not of my God. Growing familiar with His voice requires time spent with Him. I am hard on myself in a way that brings me to shame when I am not listening and believing the voice of the Lord.

NGP: What’s so wrong about striving for perfection?

EMJ: To have the mentality of striving for perfection is to depend on ourselves to be enough for God to use us, love us, want us, etc. This completely disregards the beauty and power of why Jesus came. We cannot ever be good enough to get to God, that is why He came to us.

This does not mean that I stop working hard and doing my best. God says to live a life in a manner than is worthy of the gospel. He says to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as He gives us the power and the desire to do what is good and what is pleasing to Him. He says that whatever we do, we need to do it wholeheartedly because we are doing it for Him. He says to not grow weary of doing good. 

I am not saying that because I live in the works of Christ, I no longer have to be a hard worker. Not at all. But what I am saying is that I now work hard to glorify the Father, to bless His people, to show gratitude for His love for me. I no longer have to work hard to prove my worth because my worth is in Christ.

Many of us also strive for perfection in order to receive the approval of people. However, if you look at the life of Jesus, He truly was perfect, but there were still those who loved Him and others who hated Him. We are not here for the approval of people, but for God’s. It is only in Him that our worth and identity is solid and whole.

NGP: What are the first steps towards young people developing their own faith rather than the faith of their parents?

EMJ: I remember my dad simply telling me it was important that I personally know Jesus. So, the first step is to ask themselves if they know Him. Have you personally confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that He from the grave? Do you seek Him first and spend time with Him apart from simply going to church with your family on Sunday? Do you pray apart from mealtimes at the table? These are questions that I would encourage anyone to ask themselves because a relationship with Jesus is something that no one, not even my parents, can have for me.

No one’s faith can be lived through the life of another. People will walk alongside me, encourage me, challenge me, and sharpen me in my faith, but they cannot be the source of it. My dad told me that he will not be standing with me, holding my hand when Jesus comes back, it would be only me and Jesus.

... to be continued with Part 2 of 2 on Sunday, June 14. 

~*~
Author Bio:

Emma Mae Jenkins describes herself as a lover of Jesus and people. 

She is a social media influencer, writer, speaker, and YouTuber with the sole purpose of leading others into a relationship with Jesus, sharing this chain-breaking freedom, and being a vessel of God’s Word. She is excited to share with girls and young women about how much God loves them and has called each to a unique purpose for his glory.

Jenkins began chronicling her journey through high school on social media and in doing so has inspired thousands of young people to live their faith freely and with courage. She is currently a sophomore at Liberty University where she is majoring in Women’s Christian Leadership.

The founder of Son Seeker Ministries, Jenkins’s vision is to lead her generation into having a genuine relationship with Jesus. Her new release, Be Loved, is her first book.

During school breaks, Jenkins makes her way back home to northwest Arkansas where her parents and brother live.

Learn more at emmamaejenkins.com and follow her via social media.

~*~

Blurb for Emma Mae's book, Be Loved:

Emma Mae Jenkins, a young Christian writer, has inspired many with the freedom she has to be herself a dearly loved child of God. In her first book, Be Loved, she invites readers to join her on a journey of life-changing faith and the freedom that comes from knowing the love of God.

She chronicles her own high school journey through starting a new school, navigating the typical pressures of school work and sports, going to prom, and even homecoming. Emma Mae faced each new challenge with the confidence that God was with her and was going to make her uniquely useful in the place he had prepared for her.

For Emma Mae, it all starts with her relationship with Jesus Christ. Because she knows she is loved by him, she is free to be herself and to live out her faith no matter what the cost. As a young, passionate, and intimate lover of Jesus, Emma Mae's love for her holy Savior overflows unashamedly into her unconditional, fierce love for people.

Readers will experience the chain-breaking liberty of knowing the Lord's presence and the freedom to be unique. This full-color, hardback book includes pictures from Emma Mae's life, along with key Bible verses that God used to strengthen and guide her through the ups and downs of her high school years as a young Christian. Readers will learn to face the challenges of their student years with religion, courage, hope, and lifegiving love for others.

~*~

Buy Emma's book, Be Loved online via Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook

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Connect with Emma Mae:
Instagram (@1corinthians13_love) 

YouTube (Emma Mae Jenkins)
Facebook (@sonseeker.org) 

Twitter (@emmamaej99) 

Pinterest (emmamaejenkins)

~*~

Publisher info: New Growth Press publishes gospel-centered Christian books, small group, and children’s Bible resources for discipleship, biblical counseling, and missional ministry. For more information about Be Loved and other releases from New Growth Press, visit www.newgrowthpress.com.

Christmas on My Heart: A Christmas Kiss by June Foster

Interview with June Foster about her book, A Christmas Kiss:

Alexis: Why did you write this book for a young adult audience?

June: I had never written a Young Adult (YA) book before, and I'm always ready to explore a new genre. I had plans to write a story about the heroine after she'd grown up, so I decided to first pen a story about when she was a teen. The story which features Haley Flannery all grown up and working as an RN is Someone to Call His Own. If anyone signs up for my newsletter on junefoster.com, I will send you a free PDF copy of that book!

Alexis: What inspired you to create this story?

June: Most of my stories contain difficult issues we encounter in our society today such as drug use, abortion, and uncontrolled anger. I decided to veer away from the heady problems my characters face and write a lighthearted story. 

Alexis: Tell us about Haley, your story’s heroine. What is she like? What does she not like? How does her personality affect how people interact with her?

June: Haley is a popular young woman who's active in her high school. She is raised in a Christian home but is not totally sold out to the Lord. In the story, she believes that the hero, Brett Sanford has a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde personality. When she thinks he's lied to her, she wants nothing more to do with him. Her best friend loves Haley's enthusiasm about football and participation in the student council. Most people feel free to interact with Haley—all except Brett when he's in his Mr. Hyde mode.

Alexis: Tell us about Brett, your story’s hero. What is he like? What are his strengths, weakness, dreams and goals in life?

June: Brett is an unselfish, Godly young man who puts the Lord first in his life. He plays football and wants to help Haley when she asks him to play Santa Clause for the Christmas dance. Brett's primary strength is loyalty and unselfishness, but when he automatically assumes his brother will help him out, he's sadly mistaken. Brett wants nothing more than to serve God with his life.

Alexis: How does Brett being the quarterback for the school’s football team affect his relationship with Haley who is student council secretary? 

June: At first, Haley is afraid to ask him to help her with the student council dance. She's afraid he might tell her no because he's too busy with football and wouldn't have time for the likes of her. 

Alexis: Why does Haley ask Brett to play Santa for their school’s Christmas dance? 

June: She wants to get to know him better, and she believes this would be a good way.

Alexis: What is it about Brett that makes Haley want to kiss him? 

June: When Brett came to her house to pick up the Santa suit, he gave her a peck on the cheek. Later, Haley decides she's going to give Brett a real kiss—but it will be Santa she kisses, of course.

Alexis: How does Haley and Brett’s faith in God affect their outlook on life and interactions with each other? 

June: Brett is ready to forgive when others betray him. He's always ready to lend a helping hand, but when he does toward the end of the story, it gets him in trouble. Haley's faith is weak but when she witnesses Brett's Godly attitude, she's drawn closer to the Lord.

Alexis: If you could spend Christmas Eve with Haley and Brett talking over hot chocolate, what would the conversation center on and why? 

June: I'd love to ask Brett more about his faith and how he came to the Lord. I'd like to talk to Haley about her aspirations for the future since I wrote a book about what happens to her when she grows up.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about A Christmas Kiss? 

June: Wrapped in a good story, the tale about Brett and Haley reminds readers that a life surrendered to the Lord is most important.

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

June: Thank you, Alexis, for allowing me to share about A Christmas Kiss. I'd like to remind readers it is a short story. So if your holidays are busy, you'll have time to read this book.

~*~
Author Bio: 

June Foster is an award-winning author who began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. 

She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her contemporary romances. 

June's characters find themselves in precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately freedom. 

~*~
Book Blurb for A Christmas Kiss:

When student council secretary Haley Flannery volunteers to find someone to play Santa for the school Christmas dance, she quickly decides to ask the football team's quarterback, Brett Sanford. 

But when he's Dr. Jekyll one minute and Mr. Hyde the next, she's supposed to believe his explanation that he has a twin brother. 

When Brett plays "Santa" at the school dance then shoves her away after she tries to kiss him, can she forget about the gorgeous guy and concentrate on the true meaning of Christmas?

~*~
Buy June's book on Amazon

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Connect with June:
Website: junefoster.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/junefoster
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vjifoster
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster

~*~
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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Summer Love: Interview with Laura Jackson, author of "Worth the Time"

Interview questions for Laura Jackson about her book, Worth the Time:

Alexis: What inspired the title “Worth the Time” for your story?

Laura: Lindsey, the main character, is the mean girl in the first book in the Waltham Academy series. Behind her catty attitude and conniving schemes is a girl who just wants to be noticed, a girl desperate for those she loves to have time for her. 

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s heroine Lindsey Hamilton. What makes her tick? What brings her great joy? What breaks her heart?

Laura: Lindsey is a girl in hiding. When she’s embarrassed and has her heart broken in front of her entire school, she’s determined not to ever be hurt again. She has built a cold fortress around herself, but like most people, she just wants to be noticed and loved.

Alexis: What is it about Lindsey that allows her to get whatever she wants? Would you say that she’s ruthless? Why or why not?

Laura: At the beginning of the novel, Lindsey is ruthless. She knows what she wants and uses her good looks and popularity to get what she wants. She has little regard to how her schemes affect anyone else.

Alexis: Who is Ellie Lansing and what role does she play in this story?

Laura: Ellie is the heroine in Worth the Wait, which is the first book in the series. She’s dating Dylan Grant, and Lindsey wants him. She also wants Ellie’s seemingly perfect life.

Alexis: Who is Dylan Grant and how did Lindsey steal him from Ellie? What does she need to do to keep him as her boyfriend?

Laura: Dylan Grant is the stereotypical popular guy in high school. To Ellie, he’s her childhood friend and long-time boyfriend. To Lindsey, he’s a status symbol. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot of Worth the Wait to say how Lindsey gets him, but once she has him, she realizes sometimes what we want isn’t what we need or expect.

Alexis: Snagging Dylan made Lindsey the most popular girl at Waltham Christian Academy but her heart is still empty. Why? 

Laura: Lindsey is a desperate girl—longing to be popular, to be accepted, to be noticed. But those things don’t fulfill us. Only Christ can, and like many of us, Lindsey struggles to see that.

Alexis: Who is the “real” Lindsey? What does it take for her to stop being fake, heal and become a whole person?

Laura: There’s a guy. Sutton. Lindsey has to complete volunteer hours, and Sutton works at Covington House, where Lindsey is serving. He’s the first guy who doesn’t fall for her, so he intrigues her. He’s a Christian like many at her school claim to be, but he’s different—his faith is real. Because she spends so much time being fake, Lindsey is desperate to cling to something real. 

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in this story? Explain how it affects the lives of your characters.

Laura: Sutton lives out his faith. He loves Christ and serves at Covington House out of that love while Lindsey is there because she won’t graduate without volunteer hours. Through her friendship with Sutton and her new relationship with the father she never knew, Lindsey learns that the One who created her not only loves her but also has time for her.

Alexis: What role does high school counselor Mrs. Santana play in turning Lindsey’s life around? Explain.

Laura: Mrs. Santana sees beyond Lindsey’s walls to notice the girl desperate to be loved. She uses Lindsey’s volunteer requirement to build a relationship. When her mom doesn’t have time for her, Lindsey turns to Mrs. Santana for advice.

Alexis: Who is Sutton McCoy and why does he have a bad first impression of Lindsey? Is his first impression his last? Explain.

Laura: Sutton McCoy works at Covington House, where Lindsey is required to volunteer. He sees her as another snobby girl forced to volunteer. Because he serves weekly, Sutton cares deeply about the kids who come to Covington House. He doesn’t want to see another person come into the kids’ lives just to walk away again. Luckily for Lindsey, his first impression isn’t his last. 

Alexis: Sutton’s been through trauma in his personal life. How do the effects of that trauma prevent him from pursuing a romantic relationship with Lindsey?

Laura: Sutton judges Lindsey some—he sees her as a pretty, popular cheerleader from a ritzy private school. What could she possibly know what it feels like to have lost a father at a young age and to have a mother battling drug addiction? So, first, that causes him to not even want to be friends. His past has also given him a strong desire to make something of himself, and he can’t be distracted with a flighty girl.

Alexis: What role does Lindsey’s biological father play in her life? How does he affect her character arc? Explain.

Laura: Lindsey always thought her dad walked away before she was born, which wasn’t true. When her biological father finds her and wants a relationship with her, Lindsey’s world is rocked. All these lies she’d told herself were no longer true, and she learns that maybe she didn’t need those walls to protect her heart after all.

Alexis: Why doesn’t Lindsey believe in a loving God? What makes her change her mind?

Laura: Our earthly fathers play a big role in how we see our heavenly father. It’s hard to imagine God as a loving father when your own father never wanted you. As Lindsey gets to know her father—as he pursues a relationship with her—she begins to see how much God loves her too.

Alexis: What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book? Why?

Laura: Lindsey was such a mean girl in book one that I struggled to convey her wounded heart. In my mind, I loved her because I knew her, but I worried readers wouldn’t see her like I did. In the beginning of the book, she’s broken and angry. She lashes out. I prayed readers would give her a chance because I do think Lindsey’s story is an example of the transformation that happens when Jesus comes into our lives.

Alexis: What do you want your readers to remember most about Worth the Time?

Laura: I want them to know that they are loved. The One who spoke and created galaxies not only loves us but pursues a relationship with us.

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

Laura: Thanks for having me!

~*~

Author Bio: 

Laura Jackson loves books—reading and writing them. 

A life-long reader, Laura studied English in college and taught 7th-grade language arts before earning her Master's degree and becoming a school librarian. 

Now, she spends her days sharing great books with kids and her evenings writing books about teenage girls discovering God and His plan for their lives.

~*~

Blurb for Laura's book, Worth the Time:

Doesn't anyone feel she's worth their time?

Routinely ignored by her single mother, high school senior Lindsey Hamilton hides her loneliness behind a mask of flirtatious self-confidence that has many boys wrapped around her finger. However, during community service required for graduation, she meets a shy guy with a haunted past who barely gives her the time of day. Why doesn't he like her?

Then the father she thought had abandoned her before birth wants to meet, and she discovers everything she believed about him is a lie.

How will Lindsey learn to trust so she can realize that she has been loved all along?

~*~

Buy Laura's book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Laura:
Facebook - https://facebook.com/laurajacksonwrites
Twitter - https://twitter.com/LauraJackson80
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ljack80/
Website - http://authorlaurajackson.blogspot.com

~*~

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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