Devotionals for the Heart: Life Lessons Learned from Making Banana Cake

Banana Cake
A devotional by Wade Webster

“While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.” 

– 2 Corinthians 5:4 (NLT)

My life as a truck driver is fraught with many challenges. One of the main ones is the choice on what I'll eat while out on the road for several days at a time. Truckstop food is better than it used to be but can add up quickly in costs and calories. Squeezing a big rig through a fast food drive thru is a challenge I don't even want to think about.

Growing up relatively poor made me appreciate simple solutions for my meals. Sandwiches are a great option for me. I can make enough to last a week before I leave home. The small fridge in my tractor is a fantastic tool, too. Adding some fruit and nuts makes my diet quite healthy in an occupation known for making its minions fat. I fit it all in a cooler to transport it to work.

That is when I remember to pack everything into said cooler before I exit my apartment. One week, I left my bunch of five bananas on the kitchen counter instead of bringing them along for the ride. When I returned home Friday night they were still waiting patiently for me. They just had less of a green tint and much more of a brownish yellow hue. That's the challenge with bananas, they don't have a long shelf life.

My mom did her best to keep all seven of her children well fed as we grew up. Bananas were an important part of that regimen. When she had to buy yellow ones they would go bad before we could eat them all. No, we didn't throw much food away. She always used those mushy fruits in a recipe that would change their consistency and shelf life.

Fortunately, one of my sisters made a cookbook for me that she put some of mom's favorite recipes in. I found the banana cake recipe and fired up the oven. After putting several of those pieces of cake in the freezer, I ate those bananas for several weeks.

God has a similar challenge when it comes to taking His children home to heaven after our shelf life is completed. The first 10 verses of 2 Corinthians 5 explains in detail how we groan in our current bodies but that God gives us new bodies after we die. Yeah, the older we get the more we groan.

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NLT) gives us a great summary and life goal to reach for. “So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please God.”

So, my friend, groan if you must to make it through your day. It's normal and good.

Remember that a new, pain-free body is waiting for all who accept Jesus Christ into their heart, believe in Him and follow Jesus all the way to Heaven!

Do your best to please our Heavenly Father (God) while in this decaying body here on Earth.

Let's Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for seeing me through another day. Use my aches and pains to remind me of the perfect body you have prepared for me when you bring me Home.

~*~
Author Bio:

Wade Webster is a farm boy turned city slicker, heathen turned born-again Christian, truck driver turned writer doing his best to point folks to his best friend, Jesus Christ. 

He currently lives in Plano, Texas.

Wade is the author of 100 Prayers of a Writer, a book that didn't begin as a book, just weekly prayers to a group of writer friends.

He enjoys spending time in nature, running for exercise and dark chocolate, though not necessarily in that order. Apart from driving 18-wheelers for a living he has a part-time job painting houses on the side...and the front and back and inside.

As a teenager, he told his friends he never wanted to be considered normal. So far he's done a pretty good job of living up to that aspiration.

Devotionals for the Heart: Reflections on a beautiful moment with God

When God Comes Near
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” –Psalms 121:1-2 (NIV)

Where does your help come from? In times of trouble, I like to go to a place that brings me comfort. But when I’m really struggling and need to get closer to God for help, He draws me to mountain tops, and to get to the top of a mountain you must first climb.

Yes, you read that right. God calls me to climb for His help. There must be some easier way, right? For you, there may be. But, if you’re stubborn like me, God knows He must get me out of the way first in order to help me. I call it God’s graceful tearing down of the me who is, to the building up of who I must become.

When I was young, my parents took my siblings and I to a place called Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park. The drive spans over 40 miles, and along the way there many trails to hike, marvelous waterfalls to take in, and outlooks for the perfect picture background. My favorite place there was The Big Meadow, where you could ride around it in a big wagon pulled by the most elegant Clydesdale horses. At first, I was scared to pet them. They are large animals in general, but to an eight-year-old they were ginormous—much the way people perceive God, the Maker of the Universe.

So, not surprisingly, during one of my greatest struggles as an adult when I asked God for help, He told me to go to the highest place I could find in Skyline Drive. On an Autumn day in early October, I drove to the highest spot along the drive and stopped. I knew the Big Meadow was not far beyond and a wagon ride sounded like fun, but as I took my foot off the break, I felt in my spirit, “You’re here to climb.”

After a bit of grumbling, I parked in the nearest lot and walked to the closest trail. After a mile or two of hiking up and down the winding trail, pausing for strength, contemplating a defiant withdraw, then vowing not to turn back, I made it to the peak where only a young couple and a dad with his two kids had ventured.

The promised, brilliant view was...overlaid with fog. I couldn’t see a thing down below the rocks. So, though I am terrified of open-air heights, I climbed out as far as I could on jagged terrain, settle down with my journal, and wrote, “Ok, you got me here. Now what?” Other responses and feelings flowed, and after a while I looked up to find I was alone.

The fog drifted back at an alarming rate, allowing me to see how high up God had brought me, and how far out on the edge of the cliff I had climbed because the fog had hidden the expanse below me. I was paralyzed with fear. I closed my eyes and prayed to God for help. And God came near. I had no doubt as I felt a tremendous peace wash over me, followed by a sudden warmth lift within my spirit. I could behold all that was before me – a vast, beautiful valley – in complete wonder.

I’ll never forget what God spoke to my heart: “Do you see how far you’ve come? What I can overcome, and how high I can take you when you don’t see with your eyes, but trust me with you heart?” I felt such a hope – the kind that reaches above all understanding – when you know that anything is possible not just with God, but all because of Him. And, that no matter your current circumstances, when you ask His help, the God of the universe will reach down for you.

Have you experienced a “God came near” moment? Tell us about it in the comments.

Do you need God’s help in your current circumstance? You can ask Him for it anytime. He’s always ready to come nearer to you.

~*~
Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer from Northern Virginia, where she teaches television production at her high school alma mater.

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is an alumnus of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program.

Mirachelle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, American Fiction Writers Virginia Chapter, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint.

She is currently working on her first historical fiction novel set during WWII.

~*~
Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan

Devotionals for the Heart: Trusting God to be with you in troubled times

End Strong
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture:

Romans 1:18-32, John 16:33, Matthew 6:34, Philippians 4:4-8, 2 Peter 1:2-4, 

Matthew 22:29, 1 Peter 4:12 (NASB)

The passage the Lord laid on my heart for this blog is not an easy one to read. However, it is pertinent for all believers to know as our world devolves before our very eyes. So many are looking for 2020 to be over, and the 2021 year to be less stressful. Will it be, though, according to the Word of God?

We can read Romans 1:18-32 and think it was just for the time the apostle Paul was living in, but we see so many of these same things happening in our own society. God is not honored, relationships are being promoted in ways the Lord never intended, people are filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, malice, arrogance, and mercilessness. These are not new things just this year. We see more of it now, perhaps due to technology giving us access all the time, however, the root of all of this has not changed. This is the human condition apart from the love and redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

As believers, we need to always be aware this world is not our home. We were made for something much more than this, and when we put our hopes in a better time here on this earth, we are setting ourselves up for needless disappointment. In John 16:33, Jesus says we have tribulation in this world. Not that it will be easy and sunshine all the time. Taking it a step deeper, Jesus tells us that we will have daily trouble (Matthew 6:34). How does that match up with our way of thinking? Do we believe that our Christian life should be trouble free? Many of us live as if the troubles and trials we face are something unexpected. (1 Peter 4:12) From the mouth of the Word of God we are told the opposite, yet so many of us are depressed and anxious when our days do not go smoothly or our plans do not turn out the way we expected.

Jesus was very clear when He gave us the first part of John 16:33, but that’s not the part we remember. “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.” Then He tells us we will have tribulation and that HE has overcome it. We have Philippians 4:4-8 which guides us through how to keep our minds and hearts in peace, yet we do not utilize what God has given us. Instead, we drown ourselves in the tribulation, expecting something to miraculously pull us out. Too many believers have ignored the Word of God, which is life to those who read it. We have 2 Peter 2:1-4 to remind us. We are no different, sometimes, than the Pharisees Jesus was talking to in Matthew 22:29 when He said we don’t understand the power of God.

Will 2021 be a better year? If you are looking for the circumstances of this world to be what makes it better, then it won’t be. If you are looking for your relationship with God to grow deeper and richer, then there’s every reason to believe it will be an amazing year filled with trials and tribulations to bring you closer to the One Who has overcome the world.

Let’s Pray: Dearest Lord Jesus, we have put our eyes on the things around us so often, thinking they are what makes us happy or hold our peace. You told us that the joy of the LORD is our strength, yet we have forgotten it too many times. Remind us of Your truth. Keep Your Word ever on our hearts and lips that we may live this life in such a way that others will want to know the hope which lies within us. In the precious name of Christ I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth. 

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

~*~
Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Romantic Reads: Interview with Sara Beth Williams about "A Worthy Heart"

Welcome Sara Beth Williams to the blog!

She's here to talk about her book, A Worthy Heart.

Enjoy her interview! 

~*~ 

Interview Questions about A Worthy Heart by Sara Beth Williams:

Alexis: Why did you write this book?

Sara: This book idea was birthed as a result of writing my first book in the series. In the middle of finishing the early final drafts of When Hearts Collide, I discovered that my characters each wanted their own story! So I actually began working on both A Worthy Heart and book 3 (Anchor My Heart, which releases in the spring of 2021) simultaneously. 

Alexis: What is the moral of the story?

Sara: This story is about worth. Serena struggles with whether or not she’s worthy to be loved at all; she struggles whether she’s worthy of Joel, and then later, whether she’s worthy of God’s love. The moral is that we are all worthy of God’s love, no matter our past, no matter our mistakes, big or small. No matter our history.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s hero Joel Bennett. What does he look like? Sound like? Act like?

Sara: Joel Bennett is a protector. He’s tall, with brown hair, and he’s an introvert who has learned to work well one-on-one and in small groups. He’s a provider, and had to grow up early when his Dad walked out on his family. He’s the calm and steady one generally, but when someone messes with his family, watch out! He will do anything to protect the people he loves.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s heroine Serena Hayes. What are her hopes, dreams and fears?

Sara: Serena Hayes wants to be successful in life. She’s learned in life that success equals value, so she struggles with feelings of unworthiness when her life spirals out of control. Her dream is to find someone who will love her for her. She fears her family will be extremely disappointed in her and she blames herself for the disasters that occur in her senior year of college.

Alexis: Why does Joel feel that he must protect Serena?

Sara: Serena has been Lacey’s friend for years. They’ve only thus far been acquaintances, but when he discovers firsthand that she’s in an abusive relationship, anger from the past rises to the surface. He is a protector deep down to his core. He’s lived his life protecting his mom, and his sister, Lacey, and he refuses to allow her friend to suffer in an abusive relationship when he knows she deserves so much better.

Alexis: What type of part-time job does Serena hold down and why does she need it for support?

Sara: Serena works with Lacey in a coffee shop on their college campus. Her parents aren’t paying her bills, so she has to earn money in order to pay for her bills. At least they’re paying her tuition! 

Alexis: Where are Serena’s parents in this story? Why aren’t they supporting her?

Sara: They believe in hard work and earning your way in life. All of her brothers have been successful throughout college and beyond. She feels she must live up to their standards. Mom and Dad are paying her way through college, and thus they justify not paying for any of her bills. Deep down, they love her and want her to succeed. But they also live several hours away and are busy with their careers.

Alexis: What role does Serena and Joel’s faith in God play in this story?

Sara: Joel’s faith is steadfast and solid. He has deep rooted faith that has weathered his sister’s death, and his father’s abandonment. While he still struggles with his own hang-ups, he knows where his heart and soul truly lie and he knows who he can fall back on in times of trouble.

It’s his stalwart faith that leads Serena to want to know and understand who God is and why she should want to be in a relationship with him. She doesn’t understand the profound love that is agape love, until she witnesses first hand the protective, loving nature of Joel. Only then does she begin to open her heart toward a relationship with Christ.

Alexis: What is it that attracts Serena and Joel to each other? Describe why they care about each other.

Sara: Attraction is multifaceted. I don’t shy away from physical attraction in my stories, but there are always deeper layers. Serena is very pretty and dresses fashionably. Joel dresses professionally and almost always looks his best because he works full time at a bank. They’re opposites in personality and I definitely play to that opposites-attract trope. Joel loves to listen to others, and Serena desperately needs that kind of person in her life at this point. Joel also loves her humor and spontaneity as he’s very much a planner himself. She makes him want to be spontaneous. Part of Joel’s attraction toward Serena also has to do with her vulnerability and he struggles with that in the later part of the novel. Serena is attracted to Joel’s kind, loving, generous, and protective nature.

Alexis: Why does Serena think that she might be “destined” to be alone?

Sara: She’s made so many mistakes. Not seeing the warning signs and walking right into an abusive relationship. She can’t seem to decide what she wants to do with her life and feels increased pressure from her parents to find a successful major and thus find a successful career. After experiencing a series of stupid mistakes, and disasters that weren’t her fault, she feels she’s too much of a mess to be wanted by another man.

Alexis: You’ve tackled a tough topic in this story: abuse. What life lessons are you hoping to impart?

Sara: We hear so many devastating stories of victims of abuse. I wish there were more positive stories broadcast online because they are out there. I wanted to write a story of someone who survived and who succeeded in finding her second chance at love. The longer I worked on this story, the more I wanted to promote a sense of hope for people who might have experienced abuse, mild or moderate, or for people who know others who have experienced such things. I could’ve touched on a lot more trauma, but I chose to focus more on the positive second-chance romance instead of the traumatic aftermath.

Alexis: If you could step into your story as a professional counselor to Serena, what would you tell her?

Sara: That’s a good question – and hard to answer if I am honest! I’ve been thinking a lot about counseling and therapy lately – both during the writing of this story, and afterward. I’d tell her that there is no shame going into therapy. That is something she struggled with and that I struggled with growing up in a religious upbringing. I think many people both Christian and non-Christian see it is a sign of weakness, but in reality, it takes incredible courage to seek therapy. I would tell her that she’s a survivor. That she’s incredibly brave, having left her relationship before it grew much worse. Because many victims do stay in relationships much longer than she did.

Alexis: What role did your real-life faith in God play in writing this fiction story?

Sara: I definitely looked to God constantly while writing this story. Like an invisible critique partner. So many times, I’d sit and listen to sermons and discover pieces of God’s word that directly related to A Worthy Heart. Every time that occurred, I felt this spiritual nudge, like, “Yes, you’re going in the right direction.” For me, it is important to stay connected to God’s Word while writing and to stay connected to the community of the church. It helps me to stay connected with God, and to hear much more clearly what He wants me to say on behalf of Him through writing my stories.

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

Sara: Thanks so much for featuring me on your blog, and for such thought-provoking questions!

~*~
Author Bio:

Sara Beth Williams is a wife, mother of two daughters, and temporary caretaker of a lovable old lady pit and a spunky Pomeranian-Shih Tzu mix. She lives in Northern California. 

When she's not held hostage by the keyboard, she enjoys music, teaching, reading and spending time with her family. 

She is all about connecting with readers! Find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub and AllAuthor.

~*~
Book Blurb for A Worthy Heart:

A 2020 SELAH AWARD FINALIST 

Joel Bennett has always known Serena Hayes as his sister's gregarious best friend. In the three years since Lacey began college, Serena became a regular houseguest, but lately, she's absent more than not. When Joel discovers she's in an abusive relationship, protectiveness from within roars to life.

With only a part-time job to support her and nowhere to go, Serena fears leaving her current relationship would jeopardize her chances of graduating college. After a brutal attack leaves her no choice, she courageously moves out. On her journey toward regaining confidence, self-worth, and independence, Joel falls in beside her, encouraging her. The way he emulates Godly love and compassion draws her close--not just to him, but to the God who can satisfy her longing for love better than any man,

Attraction sizzles between them, but events from their pasts cast shadows of doubt. When the unthinkable happens, can Serena open her heart to a second chance at love, or is she destined to be alone?

~*~
Connect with Sara Beth:
Amazon / Goodreads / Bookbub/ Facebook / Instagram / Twitter/ Website / Newsletter

~*~

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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Devotionals for the Heart: Generosity

Giving our all—no holding back
A devotional by Jessica Brodie

When I was young, I was a major tightwad. I’d save my money in my piggy bank and, later, in my wallet and junior savings account.

“You should have used your money wisely,” I’d shrug when my little sister asked to borrow a few bucks because she’d frittered her cash away on bubble gum and dollar-store trinkets.

But later, my tight fist began to relax. My heart began to expand. I knew I really cared for someone when I’d take some of my hard-earned money and use it for them in some way, whether that was buying them a gift, treating them to lunch, or offering a loan. I started giving a dollar to the homeless guys who’d approach my car asking for a handout. I began to soften.

In His Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus told the crowds, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV).

Back then, before my heart began to soften, I guess my “treasure” was me. I didn’t trust God would provide. I thought it was up to me. I thought I had to make my own way, fill my own heart, take care of me because no one else would. Jessica came first, then everyone else.

But somewhere along the line, I began to realize I was not an island unto myself, to paraphrase the English poet John Donne. I was part of a family, a community, a town, a people. As my faith deepened, I realized my “family” was so much more than my mom and dad, my sister and grandparents—my family included all my brothers and sisters in Christ, those already believers and those not yet believers.

That understanding worked its seed of generosity into my heart, and my former tightwad status began to change, shift, transform, until it was gone like fog misting away on a warm autumn morning. I learned that to give without ever expecting anything in return was the real blessing.

In the Gospel of Mark, there’s a touching story about a widow who gave all she had—everything she had to live on—to God.

As the story goes, “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on’” (Mark 12:41-44).

Why did she do such a thing? Had she given up on life? Did she think her extravagant gift would attract attention?

I don’t think so. I think she gave because she loved God, and she knew He’d take care of her. I think she gave out of an abundance of the heart. She gave her all to God, no holding back.

Money comes and goes. People, jobs, lives, they all come and go. But God is forever. God has always been and will always be.

If you have a problem with being generous, take a good look inside and ask yourself whether you are storing up treasure on earth or in heaven. Ask yourself whether you are living for you or for the Lord.

Sometimes, the way we give can reveal the depth of love we feel for God and for others. Do you need a generosity reset?

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. 

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com. She has a weekly YouTube devotional, too.

You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

Interview with Teresa Tysinger about her NEW novel, "Suddenly Forever"

Please welcome my author friend Teresa Tysinger to my blog today! 

She's here to talk about her new story, Suddenly Forever. Teresa is also going to give away one e-copy of her book for the Kindle of the reader who wins the book giveaway contest! 

Remember to enter the contest via the Rafflecopter widget toward the end of this blog post. 

Enjoy your time with Teresa! 

~*~

Interview with Teresa Tysinger about her book, 

Suddenly Forever (Laurel Cove Romance): 

Alexis: Describe the setting for your story, Laurel Cove. What makes it special to your characters?

Teresa: Laurel Cove is directly influenced by the hometown of my best friend from college. Burnsville, North Carolina sits tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, just twenty minutes or so from where we attended college, so I made many visits to my best friend’s parents’ house there. It’s quiet, charming, and very “small town America” with little shops, family-owned restaurants, and lots of character. I believe the characters in my Laurel Cove Romance Series books find peace and comfort in this place. Much like I do when I get to revisit Burnsville.

Alexis: Why did you make your story’s heroine, Cora Bradford, an author? What genre does she write?

Teresa: Cora is a New York Times best-selling author of mystery/suspense novels. I wanted her to have a career that would be possible to step away from during her grieving process but also re-engage with without much trouble as she drew closer to healing. Her huge level of success as an author with a lucrative contract helped make this possible.

Alexis: In what ways does your real-life experience as an author play into this fiction story?

Teresa: Well, I’m most certainly not a New York Times best-selling author like Cora. But, I do know what it’s like to have to set writing aside when other parts of life take higher priority. At the beginning of the book, Cora hasn’t written since experiencing tragic loss. I took about two years off in between writing my first book and Suddenly Forever because my husband’s job took him on the road. I essentially became a single mom and it wasn’t time for writing. Both Cora and I had to find a way to rediscover inspiration and trust our talents weren’t too rusty to use again. That takes tapping into faith! I think I really connected to Cora in that way.

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in your characters’ lives in this story?

Teresa: Faith is Cora’s lifeline as she still struggles with the grief of losing a dear loved one. She prays often, asking God for mercy and healing. For Luke, faith is something he’s maybe always had a little bit of but never cultivated. When he finds his deceased mother’s prayer journal, it awakens within him the need for prayer and faith in his own life. And, Cora and Luke’s elderly neighbor Ina offers up a lot of wisdom based on many, many years of a fine-tuned faith that has seen her through many of life’s ups and downs.

Alexis: Why did you make Luke an award-winning journalist? How does his career affect his character and show his personality?

Teresa: Having lived a life as a photojournalist for nearly twenty years speaks to Luke’s nomadic life, not only literally but probably also emotionally. He’s never really been grounded by a close-knit family. Similar to Cora’s writing career, Luke has achieved great things with his job, so his financial security makes it believable that he can take some time off and move to Laurel Cove. I think his career also highlights Luke’s natural curiosity and ability to observe people. He sees a lot of Cora’s pain early on and I think it helps him be more empathetic.

Alexis: What – or who – draws Luke and Cora together, and what threatens to tear them apart?

Teresa: Literally speaking, their proximity as neighbors on the small lake just outside of Laurel Cove brings them together. Even though Cora isn’t interested in making friends, she keeps running into Luke. Eventually, she warms to him and an instant and much-needed friendship blossoms. I won’t give away any details of the challenges they face, but I think it’s safe to say that Cora and Luke have to find ways to work through their fear and past disappointments to trust in the hope of new love. 

Alexis: Who is Ina McLean and what role does she play in this story?

Teresa: I absolutely adore Ina McLean, an elderly widow who is the only other resident on the small lake other than Cora and Luke. Having only recently lost her husband, Ina is grieving in a way much different than her younger neighbors. Her long years of experience with loss and disappointment, plus a deep and tested faith, give her the unique ability to be a voice of reason and comfort. She’s spunky, wise, and speaks her mind. She absolutely loves Luke and acts as a bit of a matchmaker between him and Cora, though maybe a bit clumsily. I think Ina adds a much-needed layer of humor throughout the story, too. She’s just great. In fact, most of my favorite quotes from the book belong to Ina.

Alexis: Why did you want to write about the themes of restoration, hope and love for this story?

Teresa: Even if every reader may not relate to the loss of a family member, everyone has dealt with disappointment, hurt, or hopelessness at some point. This side of heaven, we all need hope of being restored in our times of need. Love, at the root of Christ’s power to restore us, is the best way to show that. I felt so strongly about writing about loss in an honest, real way so that the restoration was also deeply real.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Teresa!

~*~
Author Bio:

Teresa Tysinger is an author of Southern Contemporary Romance inspired by grace. 

She writes on the fringes of being a wife, mom, and full-time communications and public relations professional. Her acclaimed debut novel, Someplace Familiar, released in 2017.

Teresa is a member of ACFW, the Association for Women in Communications, and the Religion Communicators Council. She loves coffee, traveling, and prides herself in knowing and loving almost every genre of music.

Born in Hawaii, raised in Florida, and educated in North Carolina, she now resides in Texas with her husband, daughter, and dog.

~*~
Book blurb for Suddenly Forever:

On the outskirts of Laurel Cove, North Carolina sits a quiet lake tucked into gentle mountains carpeted with the brilliant colors of autumn. Grief binds the lake’s only residents into an unlikely family, where old and new love build a bridge between loss and hope.

For years, best-selling author Cora Bradford has worked tirelessly to tread the unrelenting waves of grief in solitude. That is until a new neighbor moves in down the road and threatens to disrupt what she’s carefully preserved of the life she once knew. Will God ever answer her prayer for peace and calmer waters?

Following a scandal, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Luke Bassett escapes to the one place in the world he’s ever experienced peace—his mother’s cabin on the lake where he spent childhood summers. But the memory of her and the mistakes he made are hardly peaceful. To make matters worse, he gets off to a rocky start with his bitter, but breathtakingly beautiful, neighbor. Was running away from the life he’s always known the biggest mistake of all, or the beginning of something he never knew he wanted?

Spunky, opinionated, and recently widowed Ina McLean is alone for the first time in over ninety years. When Cora and Luke come together to care for their only other neighbor, Ina’s belief in God’s goodness through life’s ups and downs works to restore their hope in learning to live—and love—again.

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Connect with Teresa:
Website: https://teresatysinger.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresatysingerauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teresa_tysinger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresatysinger_author/
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16536072.Teresa_Tysinger
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Devotionals for the Heart: Life Lessons

Lessons Learned
A devotional by Temeka Borden

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” –James 1:2-4 (KJV)

Trials are inevitable. We will have to go through some things. We must be tested, and we will continually be tested until we “pass the exam.”

We often forget that God is trying to teach us some things. Perhaps it’s to have more faith. Maybe He is trying to teach us to have more patience. It’s possible He wants to show us how to really love others. Maybe He wants us to forgive more swiftly. We must remember that our trials are our opportunities to learn some important lessons and to grow.

I can’t help but to think of my past trials and reflect on what I learned and how I matured. It wasn’t easy. Many days were challenging, but I didn’t give up and I learned much. I often talk about how I was in one situation in particular—a situation in which I had to “grow up” very quickly. Although, I faced many difficult days, it was a great opportunity to learn and continually build on my leadership skills, my people skills, and my life skills in general. 

In the aforementioned role, I had to learn patience. I had to know when to bridle my tongue, and I had to learn when to speak up. The bridling my tongue part was more difficult than the speaking up part, however, and it took patience. In the aforementioned role, I had to train others, be trained by others, and train myself. That took patience. In that role, I had to learn how to listen to others, even when I knew (or thought I knew) I was right. That took patience.

In the aforementioned role, I had to learn how to better love others. It’s easy to love those who love you, but to love those who don’t love you? That took some maturity and some strength. Although I was shown much respect in this role, there were some instances when I was not. I had to show love to several individuals who not always showed love to me, and for the few who looked down on me, I had to love them too.

In the aforementioned role, I had to learn how to grow in my faith. Some days were tough. I had to work with limited funds and squeeze what felt like $100.00 out of two cents. I had to have faith that regardless of what I faced that day, that every challenge I faced would be overcome. I had to have faith that when I spoke up on what was important and what was right, that God would have my back.

In the aforementioned role, I had to learn how to forgive more swiftly. I often teach on the importance of forgiveness and how it is liberating. It’s a great example of Christ’s love and it is something we are expected to do. But let’s be honest, forgiveness is not always easy to do. Some people will do some very evil things, and the very thought of forgiving those individuals may seem extremely difficult. However, learning how to forgive is an absolute necessity and is a hallmark of a mature Christian.

Don’t despise your trials. I know it gets tough at times. It may seem as though things will never get better, but always remind yourself that the pain you are experiencing is due to your growth. They’re called “growing pains” for a reason. Keep growing. You’re only positioning yourself to be better used by God.

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Author Bio:

Temeka Borden, better known by her pen name, Positivity Inspires, is an author, speaker, minister, and servant of the Lord. 

She was introduced to Christ at a very early age and was raised in the church. Her ministry focuses on encouraging Christians to love God first, to love all people, to continually strengthen their bond with Christ, and to study His Word, and live His Word daily.  

After recently experiencing what she describes as the "lowest point in her life," Positivity Inspires wrote the following about herself to serve as an encouragement and reminder of who she is in Christ:

"I am a child of God. He loves me unconditionally. Although I have my shortcomings, He has blessed me with a desire to do what is right. I have been blessed with many natural and spiritual gifts. I am an author. I am a speaker. I am a teacher. I am a runner. I am a drummer. I am a singer (when I’m in the mood), and I have a strong 'fashion sense.' I am loved. My family and friends are my heart, and I know they will support me no matter what. I am educated. I currently have two degrees (one of them a doctorate), and with God’s help, I will complete a third degree soon. I am a multi-state licensed medical professional who completed a specialty residency, which prepared me for the workforce (and made me a FORCE to be reckoned with). I am a leader. I have served in administrative roles and was successful in those positions because I made a difference (with God’s help). I am ambitious, and I know that with God, all things are possible. I know He is going to do great things through me."

Positivity Inspires loves God and she loves people. She strongly encourages others to show kindness, respect, and love to everyone. Positivity Inspires loves and welcomes diversity and flourishes in culturally diverse environments. She also is passionate about giving back to the community, and her favorite mantras are: "Speak Up!" and "Watch God Work!"

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Connect with Temeka:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/positivity_inspires/
Facebook - www.Facebook.com/positivityinspirespage
Twitter - https://twitter.com/PInspires/