The Destiny of One

Book Review; The Everlasting Flame

2012-02-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

The Everlasting Flame by Linda Chaikin

"Courage, conviction, adventure, and romance fill every page of this exciting historical novel. Set in the early days of the Protestant Reformation, this powerful book portrays two people in love with each other and with the Word of God."

I love Linda Chaikin! I discovered her last year while reading her Heart of India trilogy, and she is one of my new favorite authors. I was given about six of her books for Christmas and they are high up on my reading list. The Everlasting Flame was one of the ones I was given and was high on the list.

I was very young when I read my first biography on William Tyndale and was inspired. I read everything I could get my hands on about this man who was willing to risk everything to get the scriptures into the language and vernacular of the common people. In fact 90% of the 1611 King James Bible is Tyndale’s work.

Linda did her research on this book. However, at times she gets a little carried away with her research and forgets the reason everyone is reading her book, Justin. There are two or three chapters throughout the book where she focuses completely on Tyndale and nothing is said of the hero. Also, in order to be historically accurate, there are times where she skips a year or two. Some of these transitions are better than others.

What I loved about this book? It makes you want to read your bible out of sheer joy that you have it. It renewed my interest in the reformers and all their work. I also loved the character of Justin. He was passionate, good with a sword as well as a pen.

As for the romance, there was some but it was not the focus of the book. If I remember correctly, they don’t even kiss until they are married. The focus of this book was truly the amazing power of God’s word, not the power of love.

If you want to be inspired by the work of the reformers, if you want to be amazed at the privilege of having scripture in English, or if you just want a wonderful historical tale, this book is for you.

Multitudes on Mondays; The Bible

2012-02-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading a book called The Everlasting Flame (review coming tomorrow). It was a fiction story that showcased the reformers and their dangerous mission to get the Bible translated into the common language. It made me want to read and memorize more scripture. It is good to be reminded sometimes of what a privilege it is to be able to read the scriptures. So today I am thankful for…

#111. My choices in Bible reading. I can pick a version that speaks to me

#112. For all of those that gave their lives so that I could read the words of God

#113. That I can share the scriptures with anyone without fear of being thrown in jail

#114. For the friends that encourage, bless, and rebuke me with words from the Bible

#115. For the Heavenly Father who breathed the scriptures for us

#116. That Christ speakers to my heart as well as through the Bible

#117. For the church of God, what a blessing it has been to me

#118. That one day, I will live with God forever

#119. That God is with us always, though the good times and the bad

#120. For Tyndale; may his work and sacrifice never be forgotten

Challenge Friday; Catch up

2012-02-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

Books Read;

Golden Palaces

Behind the Veil

The Pirate Daughter's Promise

Verse Progress;

I am sad to say that I am very behind in my memorization. I hope to work hard on it this week and next to catch up

Book Review; The Pirate Daughters Promise

2012-02-01T07:11:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to catch up on book reviews. I did this one for Homeschool Authors.

How far would you go to keep a promise? Skyler McHenry is faced with this question in the thrilling high seas adventure by Molly Evangline.

When Molly agreed to do an interview for Homeschool authors, I went to her website to do some research. When I saw that The Pirate Daughter’s Promise was only 99 cents, I decided to buy it. I am so glad I did.

From the gripping opening to the final, touching page, I was enthralled with Skyler's story. Orphaned and with only two friends in the world, Skyler leads a hard life. She keeps a secret her father had made her promise not to reveal until she finds someone who loves her and she trusts completely. A secret concerning a hidden pirate treasure.

I was skeptical when I began this book, as I have never really liked pirate stories. As a lover of history, I had learned too much about pirates to ever think of them as good guys in films or books. I was delightfully surprised at this book. This was not about a “Christian” pirate, nor was piracy shown as acceptable. The good captain and his crew hunt pirates and return the stolen goods.

I loved the faith and morals displayed in The Pirate Daughter’s Promise. Prayer not only is a normal part of life, it works. The romance will stand up to the highest moral standards. This book is very wholesome and refreshing.

If you are looking for a book full of adventure that is faith building, The Pirate Daughter’s Promise is a wonderful choice.

Authors and Nancy Drew

2012-01-31T17:34:00.000-08:00

Tonight I am snuggled up with my sister Mikayla. We are watching...

While working on interviews for...

What a nice way to spend the evening isn't it?

Multitudes on Mondays; Politics

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it is hard in the midst of all the bickering to count our blessings in the realm of politics. However, there are things I am thankful for. Here are a few of them

#101. That I live in a country where we are still debating the issues, one side hasn't restrained the other from speaking.

#102. I have the right to vote.

#103. I can vote without fear (think of all the countries where people risk their lives to vote)

#104. No matter who wins, there will not be rioting in the streets and unrest for days on end.

#105. There are still good men willing to run.

#106. That I work for one of the best elected officials ever.

#107. That there is a value of life in this country (that is why the death penalty, abortion and things like that are still debate topics).

#108. That our government is set up so no one man can ruin it.

#109. Faith is not only talked about, it is considered an asset by many.

#110. God is in control and is working out his perfect plan, even if my guy doesn't win.

Writing Saturday; Homeschool Authors

2012-01-21T11:55:00.000-08:00

Head over to Homeschool Authors where we now have 31 authors listed and 75 books!!! Let's all support Homeschool authors.

Multitudes on Mondays; A Few of my Favorite things

2012-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it is the little things that we so easily forget, that are the biggest blessings. So today, I am thankful for

#91. Tempting book covers

#92. Hands to hold

#93. Pink flowers

#94. Quiet moments with God

#95. Blank paper and Pens

Source

#96. Laughing with a friend

#97. Working in the Garden

#98. Eating with my family

#99. Memorable Quotes

#100. Walking among the Trees

New Project

2012-01-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of Homeschool authors out there with their wonderful books just waiting for us. So I have decided to launch a blog dedicated to helping readers find books by Homeschool authors. I have just started it and hope to soon have a long list of books, author interviews, giveaways and much more. I need your help!! Do you know of books written by homeschoolers? Let me know

Something Greater

2012-01-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” C. S. Lewis

Today, we watched all three Narnia movies in a row. When we got to the end, the tears came to my eyes. I NEVER cry at movies, yet I was stirred deeply. As Reepicheep is allowed to go into Alslan's country and Prince/King Caspian is compelled to stay behind, I saw a parallel with our life.

Last year, I went the the funeral of a young man who was loved by his family. One of his sisters asked me; "Why we had to live on Earth? Why can't we just go to Heaven?" Like C. S. Lewis said we know we are made for another world. But why are some allowed to enter heaven, while others have to stay behind?

At the end of The Dawn Treader, I think we see the answer, at least for why some of us are left behind; we still have work to do. We may not have kingdoms to run like Caspian, but we do have many people watching us. God has placed us here for a time to shine his light to a hurting a broken world, one that is searching for something better.

PaperBackSwap; An avid readers best friend

2012-01-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

About a year ago, we were about to get rid of a bunch of books when my mom discovered PaperBack Swap. It is an avid reader's dream, thousands of books ready for the taking. We have sent out 191 books and received 178 books. It has been a huge blessing and a big money saver. Here are a few of the books that you can get right now on PaperBack Swap.

Multitudes on Mondays; Challenge

2012-01-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing ~ Helen Keller

What is life without challenges, daring, adventure? This year, I want to be more daring. With that in mind I have joined some challenges. They have already been a huge blessing to me. So today, I'm thankful for

#81. The His Words in Our Hearts Challenge
#82. The 52 Weeks Challenge
#83. Friends that encourage me to challenge myself
#84. The Contentment Reading Challenge
#85. Family who are encouraging me to be more active this year
#86. The blessing of the Bible
#87. For all the books I own
#88. For authors who dared to write
#89. For the blogs that have inspired me
#90. For yet another year

Writing Saturday; Update

2012-01-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

Wow! I cannot believe it has been so long since I have posted a Writing Saturday post. I am working on some real posts but until them, I encourage you to go a read some of the wonderful posts on Go Teen Writers. I have found a lot of helpful tips and tricks on this site.

Challenge Friday; Week 1

2012-01-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

Since I have taken on some challenges for the year, I thought a weekly update was order. This week things have gone rather slowly and I haven’t worked on any of my challenges nearly enough. I am hoping to catch up on my memorizing and reading this Saturday and Sunday.

I did do one thing, I picked out 20 books I wanted to read and took a picture of them.

Are you working on a Challenge? How is it going?

Why not Ron Paul?

2012-01-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

Note: I am very politically active and that spills over onto my blog sometimes. However, I will try not to do to many posts on politics.

"Sarah, how can you be for Rick Santorum when Ron Paul is running?" It is the question many of my friends are asking me, and so I thought I would write a post about it to try to explain.

First of all let me say that I like some of Paul's ideas. Getting the government out of our lives, balancing the budget, and protecting life are all things I am for. Once again, we used to live in Ron Paul's district, and my parents voted for him with pride. So why haven't I chosen him as the man I would vote for? For one simple reason: his foreign policy.

Please let me explain, because I didn't jump to this conclusion. Ron Paul has made a great congressman, and if I lived in his district, I would vote for him for congress. However, his ideas on foreign affairs seem to me very simple. Our army has no business outside our borders, we shouldn't be helping anyone with our money, and generally shouldn't be involved in the rest of the worlds affairs. Although I believe in these ideas in part, I think they are disturbing as a whole. His idea in response to 9/11 (if I understand correctly form my research) was to find the people who planned it, deal with them and then come home again, leaving the rest of the Al-Qaeda alone.

It would be nice if we still lived in a world where the enemies were as well defined as the goose-stepping Germans, but they aren't. I fear that Ron Paul's ideas on how to deal with the rest of the world could cause us grief in the end. I do think we should balance the budget, and foreign aid should be some of the first things to go, but is it wrong to send some of our wealth to countries in Africa where the people are starving? Should we keep ourselves safe and watch as innocent people are slaughtered? I know that there is a limit to what we can do, and we might not be able to send aid or armies everywhere they are needed, but to say it isn't an option is not in our best interest.

So, I will vote for Rick Santorum. I think he has a better idea on how to handle foreign policy; I like that he has not only written a book of the importance of marriage but has worked to protect it; he is staunchly pro-life; he has defended the intelligent design; and he is a man of character. It is my personal belief that Santorum would be a much better president. If you haven't made up your mind, I encourage you to do your own research and take a closer look at Santorum.

Please note the these are my political views that I have researched carefully and wanted to share. If you disagree, that is fine, but know that overly negative comments will be deleted.

We are Chosen

2012-01-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

Chosen. We all desire to be chosen, to be picked for the team to make the top list, to be thought to be the best for the job opening. We long for the day when Mr. Right slips that ring onto our finger as a symbol to the world that we are his chosen one... To read the rest of my devotional on being chosen... click here

There is still time to join the His Word in our Heart Challenge!

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

My Resolution

1. To spend more time with God.

2. To memorize 1 Peter

3. To stay active

4. To read 20 or more books I already own.

Do you have any resolutions?

My 10 Favorite Books of 2011

2011-12-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

10. This was my first time to read Emma. It was a Jane Austen book, and of course it was wonderful!

9. After reading another series by the same author (see further up the list) I read this one. Wow. It was so different, yet had the same, wonderful morals and godly characters that I loved about the other series. I think Linda Chaikin is my #1 favorite author for the year.

8. I usually don't like romance unless it is in an adventurous setting, However, Martha Rogers did such a wonderful story of love, redemption, and godly character that this book made my top 10 of 2011.

7. A Novel Idea is a wonderful book for christian writers. Even though I haven't read all the way through the book yet, I am enjoying having it around.

6. For my birthday my siblings gave me Decision Points. It was so fun to read. I never agreed with all his decisions (many/most but not all), however, I came away from this book admiring him even more.

5. My fifth favorite book of the year is a book my dear friend Jessica wrote, but is still working on. I know my readers will love Thomas and Erik and the rest when their story becomes available

4. For my birthday my mom bought me Lady Carliss. I love all the Chuck Black books, but this one has to be one of my favorites! Lady Carliss and I are so much alike.

3. I read this series early this year and I knew that I had found a new author. Her characters were wonderful, godly, and I love her style of writing. The Heart of India series is a wonderful read!

2. My second favorite book this year is a book that is not available to the public yet. Thank you Rachelle for sharing your story with me.. I can't wait for the rest of the world to meet Elizabeth.

1. My favorite book/series of 2012 was, hands down the Charity's Diary series (read my reviews here)

Next year

2011-12-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have taken on some challenges next year that I would like to share with you.

The first on is a reading challenge!!!

I am reading 20 or more books I already own as part of the Contentment Reading Challenge I will be posting reviews of everything I read so check back for lots of reviews.

But the challenge I am most exited about is...

I memorizing the book of 1 Peter as part of Meditations of His Love challenge and the 52 verses challenge!!

Would you like to join me for one of more of these challenges? I would love you too!!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

Remember the reason for the season as you have fun.

Writing Day

2011-12-14T14:50:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Rachelle and I are trying to see who can write the most words today. Right now I'm about 300 words ahead. I am having so much fun with my new characters and stories, which I will be sharing with you soon.

Have you done any writing lately?

Christmas Lights in San Antonio

2011-12-13T04:57:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, Mom and Dad took us to San Antonio. It was a very fun day trip. In the morning/early afternoon we visited the San Jose Mission, and that was amazing. It was so cool to think that monks would leave the comfort of the European monasteries to come to Texas, and build a safe haven for the Indians to live, work, and learn about Christ.

We spent the evening on the Riverwalk. Wow! The Christmas lights were great!

Have a Merry Christmas!!

Multitudes on Mondays; Family Movie Fun

2011-12-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

When my siblings and I were younger, we didn’t watch a lot of movies with magic. However, every once in a while, Mom would let us watch the old BBC Narnia movies or a Disney movie as a treat. A few years ago, since we were all older, my parents introduced us to a film series that has become a family holiday tradition; the Santa Clause movies.

These movies are so funny (although due to the magic and the little boy’s bad attitude I do not recommend them for young children), the acting is great, and they just leave you with a wonderful feeling. I am so thankful for…

#70 Fun movies to share with the family

#71 Movies

#72 Warm blankets

#73 Friends that live with me

#74 Homemade Pizza

#75 Soda

#76 Christmas

#77 Holiday characters

#78 Parents that look out for me

#79 A faith that makes Disney magic look hollow

#80 Laughter

A Christmas Giveaway

2011-12-08T05:52:00.000-08:00

Click here to enter to win the Charity's Diary series from the Meditations of His Love team.

Marry Christmas!!

Multitudes on Mondays; Christmas Time

2011-12-05T06:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. For my family, it means many family centered events and activities, decorations sneaking around buying/making gifts, and celebrating the birthday of Jesus. How fun is that?

I am thankful for…

#61. The release of The Destiny of a Few

#62. Hot tea

#63. An amazing family

#64. Decorations that remind me a of the reason for the season

#65. A wonderful Christmas Party

#66. Rain that will allow us to have a green Christmas after all

#67. A fire place

#68. For time off from work and editing

#69. For the joy of the season

#70. For The child born in Bethlehem who is my savior and LORD

The Destiny of a Few is here!!!

2011-11-21T06:23:00.000-08:00

And save 15% on The Destiny of One

Modest Swimwear

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Okay the summer is over, so why I'm I talking about swimwear? Well, not only am I modest I am cheap. Now is the best time to find the best swimsuit deals.

My mom has made my swimsuit for the past few years. With how busy life is, I am thinking of buying one for next year.

This is my number one choice

I love how your eye is drawn to the face by the bight colors! You can get this from Wholesome Wear and it is on sale!

This good choice is Simply Modest Swimwear

They have custom, lovey swim suites.

Book Review; Land of Calais

2011-11-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

"At the height of the French Revolution...
Jeanne Andole is one of hundreds rescued by the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel almost daily.

Yet only a promise from him that her family will also elude the dreaded death so common these days - Madame la Guillotine - induces her to reluctantly flee to the safety of England before they do.

As soon as she has arrived, however, trouble is already brewing. Living guiltily amidst high society, Jeanne is aroused by a startling truth which cannot go unheeded, and which sends her willingly back into the clutches of Revolutionary France to recover her endangered family.

Inspired by the epic tales of The Scarlet Pimpernel - the well-known character created by Baroness Orczy - The Land of Calais is an adventure that will take you from 18th century England to Revolutionary France in an exciting tale you're sure to love!" ~ from back cover of Land of Calais

This book by Melody Grubb, a young Christian home-schooler, is encouraging and faith building. She has a wonderful way of capturing the time period with her wonderful descriptions of clothes and settings.

For those of you, like me, that have enjoyed the story The Scarlet Pimpernel, this is a wonderful continuation of the story we all loved. It is full of adventure, excitement, with lessons and faith that make it all the better.

Although I enjoyed the story, I kept wishing that is was longer so that there was time to develop the characters better. Although Jeanne learns some good lessons and has faith, the shortness of the book caused much telling and not a slow unfolding which I enjoy.

If you are looking for a nice adventurous story that is faith building, Land of Calais by Melody Grubb is a wonderful choice.

Find this book and others at Literary Maidens Publishing

A Better Blogger

2011-11-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

These past few week have been really crazy, and one of the things I have let slide is blogging. I found, to my surprise, that I have really been missing it. With the rise of social media, blogging is beginning to fade and I think that is sad. Although I am a user of social media, I am finding that I learn so much more about people through their blogs.

I will never be a perfect blogger, posting every day on deep things. But I would like to be a better blogger. I would like to be a blogger that has a blog that people like to sit and not only read, but interact on and become my friends. I know I have some of that, but I would like to get even better.

Well, I’m off to work on my book (The Destiny of a Few is coming out next week and there is so much to do). What do you plan to do today?

The Destiny of a Few trailer!

2011-11-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

Enjoy!

Want to share this but don't like Youtube? It is also on GodTube!

Book Review; For Life and for Eternity

2011-11-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

The Promises of a new life that have come with spring are touching everyone around Charity Wentworth, but she seems to be left behind. As she looks from a stormy today into an Unknown tomorrow, can Charity release the pain of disappointed hopes and embrace a new life ~ committed to God, heart and soul, for life and eternity? ~ From the back cover of For Life and for Eternity by Elisabeth Allen

I have to say I was sad at when I read The End. I was sad because it was like I was saying good-by to an old friend. Charity Wentworth has become like a friend to me and I was sad that I had reached the end of her story.

This last book in the Charity’s Dairy series was wonderful and exceeded all my expectations. Unlike so many series, the last book was just as thought provoking and faith building as the first two.

I don’t think I have ever read a series that I enjoyed so much. I have read many faith-based books but none of them were as good as this series. Faith building, without being preachy, real, without putting ungodly thoughts into your head, and captivating to the last word.

Thank you Elisabeth Allen for giving the world such an amazing story. You can be sure that I will be telling all my friends about this series.

Please support this amazing series and this wonderful author by buying the books new from her website, or on Amazon.

Book Review; No Matter What

2011-10-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

As her chance for true love grows distant and one of her little sister is diagnosed with a rare medical condition, Charity Wentworth feels like everything most precious to her is being jeopardized. She knows that God wants her to let go and just trust Him. This winter is the longest Charity can remember having lived through. As she waits for spring can Charity trust God, no matter what? ~ From back cover of No Matter What by Elisabeth Allen

We all go through hard times. Times when we ask some of the hardest questions we ever will ask about life, faith, and our calling. This second book in the Charity’s Diary series takes Charity through a hard time and addresses many of the questions we all will face at one point or another. Where is God when bad things happen? Why doesn’t he stop them? And many more.

One of my favorite things about this book is it showed how to deal with heartbreak and hard times in a godly way. Charity makes mistakes, but she is striving to do what is right. As girls, we often catch ourselves forming emotional attachments with guys that may or may not be the one God wants for us. How do we deal with that? This book is a great place to start.

I cannot say enough about this book: It was so life-like and real that I felt that I was sitting in Charity’s living room.

For my friends who don’t read romance books, I think you will love this book.

You can buy the book on Amazon or here at Elisabeth Allen’s website.

The Destiny of a Few Blog tour!!!

2011-10-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek at the cover design!

Yes, the anticipated sequel to The Destiny of One is coming soon!!! Would you like to help promote this book? My goal is to have twice as many blogs participate in this blog tour as did in The Destiny of One blog tour. Would you like to help me? Send me an e-mail or leave me a comment that you want to be part of it, and then ask a blogging friend to join the tour as well.

Are you ready?

After the Rain

2011-10-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

There are times when God seems far away, and spiritual things feel as far away as London is from San Francisco. Other times God, and spiritual truths feel only a heart beat away. These past few weeks have been a time, for me, where they feel a heartbeat away. I’d like to share with you some pictures I’ve taken and illustrate the lesson I got from them.

In Texas right now, we are in the worst drought on record. We have had less rain than we did during the Dust Bowl. As I walked, looking at the brown, powdery earth beneath my feet, a verse popped into my head;

This weekend, we got one and a half inches of rain, and life sprang forth, which got me to thinking.

If you had looked at the ground a week ago, you would have said that it was dead. Nothing living could be in that sorry looking dirt, or could it?

Christ died to plant the seed of salvation, so that all those that believe that he was raised from the dead and confess him as their Lord will be transformed like the dirt after the rain.

Multitudes on Mondays; Through The Bad Times

2011-10-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have been very hard for me. I spent three straight days with a family that lost a 13 year old son and brother, trying to offer support. I subsequently got a nasty cold, fell behind in my editing, and missed work. Not a great couple of weeks. Yet even in these bad days, there were bright spots, things to be thankful for.

#51 An amazing family

#52 A God who hold us when we are broken

#53 CharityWentworth ~ She may not be real, but she helped me thorough this hard time.

#54 Amazing, godly women who were there for me every step of the way. Late at night, early in the morning and praying for me all the time

#55 Books that take me away from everything for a few blessed moments

#56 Sleep

#57 Strength from God to do things I feel unable to do

#58 For the pastor who did a comforting funeral service

#59 For a sustaining relationship with Jesus

#60 For the promise that all things work together for good

For my friends....

2011-10-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

For the David family, in memory of Ben.

Please keep this family in your prayers my readers. The Davids our friends of ours and their son died.

Safe

2011-10-06T06:04:00.001-07:00

Thank you for your prayers! My family and our house are safe.

Please Pray...

2011-10-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

There are fires burning near us. We may have to evacuate! Please Pray!

Multitudes on Mondays; Parents

2011-10-03T05:32:00.001-07:00

God has blessed me with the greatest parents in the world. I am so grateful for the example they have set for me and the love they have showed me through the years. The friendship I share with both my mom and my dad is a wonderful gift that I cherish.

#41: Life. It was the first gift I was given and I am so thankful

#42: An example of faith

#43: An example of a godly marriage

#44: Unconditional love

#45: Encouragement to try new things

#46: Believing I could write

#47: Listening to me

#48: Affection

#49: Lots of siblings

#50: Pointing me to my Father in heaven

Writing Saturday; Weaving Life Lessons Part 2

2011-10-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

Sermons and Soap Boxes

We can all give sermons. We all have lists of the social ills that we would like to fix. We all have causes we are passionate about, but should they be in your book? The key to not only having good lessons but lessons that people will listen to and learn from it to write from your heart, not your soap box and weaving them through the story, not dumping them into sermons.

Attitude

Are you going into a story with an axe to grind or chip on your shoulder? That will produced a story written you of frustration and anger that will more likely push people away then convict them of their sins. Examine you attitude toward the lessons you are trying to teach and make sure you are always writing out of love.

Audience

I cannot tell you how many times I have opened a book marketed to conservative Christians and/or home-schoolers and found that the book had lessons that can best be described at preaching to the choir. When you write a book, make sure you keep in mind your target audience. If you are writing to home-schoolers, they probably already know the down sides to public schools. If you are writing to girls who are planning on doing courtship, they don’t need a lecture on the issues with dating.

Sermons

In one of my favorite series of books, Secrets of Heathersleigh Hall by Michael Philips; one of the characters is a pastor and gives several sermons, which I skipped. Sermons are rarely well received in a fiction book. If people wanted to read a sermon, they would have gotten a theology book, not a fiction book. Even if you have a character who is a pastor, sermons are not wanted most of the time.

Sermons can work though. In one of my new favorite series, Charity’s Dairy by Elisabeth Allen, she has a few sermons. She makes them work by not writing out the whole sermon. You either hear the beginning or the end and it always gets Charity thinking. This is a wonderful example of sermons that work.

Moral of the Story

Let’s all get off our soap boxes and out of the pulpits when trying to conveys our lessons. We might be surprised how much more the reader listens.

Join me next week as we explore writing from the heart…

Cold

2011-09-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking about the weather outside; it is still hot here. I have a cold and I am ready to be over it!

Multitudes on Mondays; Siblings

2011-09-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

They have the ability to frustrate you the most as well the ability to touch your heart. My siblings and I get along well. Yes, we get on each other’s nerves sometimes, but for the most part, we are the best of friends.

We are there for each other in the hard times, and rejoice with each other in the good times. We are good at making each other laugh and smile. A day just isn’t right without giving a hug to each of my sisters and brother (who by the way still lets me hug him even though he is almost 18).

Thank you God for my siblings.

#31: My siblings laughter

#32: Sweet smiles

#33: Inside sibling jokes

#34: Childhood memories

#35: Shoulders to cry on

#36: Never having to be alone

#37: Siblings to rejoice with

#39: Siblings who love me for who I am

#39: Late night sister talks

#40: Shared faith

Writing Saturday; Weaving Life Lessons Part 1

2011-09-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

One Lesson at a Time

We all want our books to be more than just a good story; we want our books to touch people’s hearts and lives. We want it to not only grab their attention; we want it to make them stop and think. We don’t just want to tug at their emotions; we want to pull at their minds. We don’t just want to have amazing characters; we want to compel our readers to examine their own lives.

This week, we are starting a new series for Writing Saturday on weaving life lessons into our story. We will start today talking about only having one lesson at a time. In the following weeks we will talk about teaching vs. preaching, showing vs. telling, relevant messages, and more, so stay tuned.

Unlike in real life, where God may be teaching us sometimes several lessons at once, our books should focus on one lesson. Although this may not be life like if you try to put too many lessons, none of them will make a big impact.

For example in the film The Widows Might, the makers tried to tackle many different issues. Although the film was well done, the point of the film was buried by all the other issues the makers tried to tackle. It wasn’t that there wasn’t a central theme or that the movie was bad, but there were so many issues that the main one was in danger of being lost.

Think of you book as having two levels. The first is the action or surface level. On the level, you see bad guy against good guy, girl likes guy, sword clashing against sword and all that other action. On the second level, you have the emotional and internal struggles. This is where the good guy wonders if he is strong enough to take on the bad guy, the girl wonders if the guy will ever love her and the swordsman is sure this battle will be his last because of his great sin. If you try to add to many struggles, your second level will overwhelm your first level, upsetting the balance of your story.

With that said, it is possible to have more than one struggle in a book. However, if you have a second one, you need to make sure that it doesn’t detract from the most important struggle. like it did originally in my book, The Destiny of One. In the first draft, Maria Morris was struggling all the time with the fact that there wasn’t a “special someone” in her life, and what she was supposed to do with her life. In the end I realized that that the lessons were detracting from each other.

Keep your focus when it comes to lessons. Don’t try to tackle everything in one book.

Join me next week as we discuss sermons and soap boxes (this should be fun)

Wonderful Day

2011-09-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

I spent most of the day either the phone with friends and chatting with the girls of Meditations of His Love. We are having so much fun planning our topics and other ideas for MOHL for the coming year. I thank God for this amazing group of friends.

Multitudes on Mondays; The Gift of Music

2011-09-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

I get stuck on songs, I will admit it. My poor siblings who have wonderful tastes in music will have a few hundred songs on shuffle and won’t listen to the same some for days. I on the other hand will find a song that moves me and listen to it over and over again. I think the only reason they put up with it is the fact that I can put on headphones.

I think my dear sister Rose and brother, Michael are regretting sharing their album, Walking on Air by Chloe Agnew, with me. Her voice to me is one of the beautiful I have ever heard. It is so pure and sounds so natural even when hitting high notes. This is the latest song of hers that I have been listening to:

#11: The still and quiet voice of God

#12: The power of a song

#13: Voices

#14: Chloe Agnew

#15: I Will Lift my Eyes, another song that have been a huge blessing in my life

#16: My MP3 player, allowing me to take music wherever I go

#17: Songwriters

#18: The ability to play the piano

#19: My sister who has a voice as wonderful to me as any singer I have ever heard

#20: The chance to sing with friends in the National Cathedral, our voices blending harmony is a sound I can still hear and treasure

Writing Saturday; 5 Words and their meanings

2011-09-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

Legate ~ One to whom a legacy is bequeathed

Gadding/Gadder ~ A rambler; one that roves about idly

Extraversion ~ The act or the state of being turned or thrown out

Pensive ~ Thoughtful, reflective

Respire ~ To breathe, to catch breath

Join my next week for the start of a new series on weaving lessons into your stories

Movie Review; A Walk in My Shoes

2011-09-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Rated; Unrated

My Rating; (On a scale of 1-10) 8

Age recommendation; All ages

Plot; (from back cover) Ever judge someone just by looking at them? We've all made snap judgments about people. But what if we really got to know them? Would our opinions change? And what if we actually became them ... how would the shoes fit? Stressed-out high school teacher Trish Fahey can't understand her students' lack of effort and why their parents don't seem to care. This is especially true of Justin, a basketball star who is underperforming in her class. All of this changes when Trish wrecks her car and wakes to find herself living in the shoes of Justin's mom, a woman she has personally judged and criticized. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Trish discovers the real reason behind her struggles, teaching her a whole new meaning of compassion. No one is left unchanged.

I really liked this Wal-Mart movie! Although this movie is not as light-hearted as the others, it is deeply moving. The story was very touching, with a lesson that God has been trying to teach me for years; that we shouldn’t judge others – we have no idea what is really going on.

The only thing that kept this movie from being a 10 was two things. One – you are actually following two stories, though one not as close as the other. The guy who they follow just doesn’t seem to really fit into things much until the middle of the story. The last three minutes of the film with this guy don’t fit at all; it is obvious a set up for a sequel. The second thing that wasn’t great was Molly, who you get the feeling is an angel. She was a little strange, but nothing real bad or scary.

Now for some of the great things. As I said before, the message is powerful. It isn’t just about judging others, but also helping others, forgiveness, and living your life without regret. It is a great film to watch and get a family conversation started.

Find it at Wal-Mart for only $13.00.

See my reviews of other Wal-Mart movies like Who is Simon Miller?, The Jensen Project, and Secrets of the Mountain

Multitudes on Mondays

2011-09-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

Our lives our full of blessings, just sometimes we have a hard time seeing them. We get so focused on what we don’t have and how hard our lives, we miss the blessings all around us. We forget the kind words said, the music that surrounds us, the beauty in the sky above us, and the other thousand blessings that we take for granted every day. Today, I am joining a challenge to now forget those thousands on blessings. Would you like to join me? Click here to find out more.

#1: Rachelle, who’s Multitude on Mondays posts caught my attention and reminded me to me thankful.

#2: A beautiful new blog background!

#3: Cooler weather

#4: A home when so many people I know lost theirs this week.

#5: The gift of writing, it truly has been one of the biggest blessings in my life

#6: Hot tea on chilly mornings

#7: A working computer that is so perfect for me

#8: Facebook chats with friends

#9: Gods intervention into history and our lives

#10: Unconditional love

9/11 2011; Ten years later

2011-09-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about September 11, 2001 lately. Some it has to do with the fact that it has been all over the news, but a lot of it has to do with the fact that I can hardly believe it has been ten years.

I can still remember sitting on the couch watching the story starting as a horrible accident, and then in horror watching as a second plane came on the screen. Before any of us had time to react, it went into the building. The day the world changed for so many of us, is now ten years behind us.

Many of my readers were young at the time, like me. We soon knew words that none of us had ever heard before; Terrorist, collapse, World Trade Center, Afghanistan, Jihad, and many others. We went from living in a world that the day before felt so safe, to wondering if a building near us was the next target. Planes were no longer something you ran out to see, they were weapons to run from in fear.

Yet, even in those dark days of fear, there were glimmers of hope and goodness. Flags were everywhere, neighbors pulled together, and churches filled with people looking for answers. There was a massive flag on the pentagon, the president on a mound of rubble giving us hope, a steel cross in the mist of debris, and candle vigils everywhere. For a few weeks, we were a people united.

It was hard to imagine in those few weeks that we would ever get back to normal life, yet we have. We are flying, we are living our lives, we are rebuilding, and we are overcoming. Those terrorists failed in the one thing they wanted the most. They wanted to cripple this nation in fear, but they haven’t. A memorial will be opened today to remember those who died. The new One World Trade Center is moving ever higher in the sky, higher than the old buildings. And we have tracked down the leader that instigated the attacks and punished him, just like we said we would.

May we NEVER forget those people who lost their lives, or the day that changed our nation.

Writing Saturday; The End

2011-09-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

Writing endings is hard for me. Not the last chapter ending, but the last paragraph that says good-bye to the beloved characters forever.

I recently finished the rough draft of the third and final book in the Destiny Trilogy. When I knew I was nearing the end, I thought about the feelings I wanted to leave the reader with. I think that thinking about the feelings you want to leave your reader with is the key to making your ending all you want it to be. Do you want readers to feel excited and ready for another adventure? Do you want them to be pensive and think back on the story? Do you want them to be sad?

As I was getting to the end of the Destiny Trilogy, I was feeling sad at saying good-bye to Maria and the rest. They had become like friends to me. I wanted the reader to have a fulfilling ending but one that captured the idea that Maria continued, even though we weren’t going to be reading about it. She may have found her purpose, but she had a lot of life ahead of her. We may be saying good-bye, but it wasn’t the end for Maria.

Whatever emotions you want to leave the reader with, here are a few things you might want to keep in mind.

First, make sure that the reader is satisfied. No one wants to come to the very end of the book and feel let down. It may not be the climax of your book, but it should tie up any loose ends, unless of course you are setting up for a sequel.

Second, there shouldn’t be any surprises. The end is not the time to put plot twists; it is the time to finish untwisting the plot. Even if you are setting up for a sequel, major plot twists should not, in my opinion, happen in the last chapter. It makes the reader mad.

Another thing you want to keep in mind is to end on a high note. This does not mean it has to be a happy ending. If the main character dies, a high note would be showing that he/she did not die in vain.

Lastly, choose your words with care. How you say things is as important as what you say in the writing world. Nowhere is that truer than in the last words in your book. You want to be creative in your word choice but not use words that will send you reader looking for their dictionary.

On that note I will say good-bye until next week, when I will share five fun words and their meaning.

Blog Makeover

2011-09-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed some changes around my blog. Thank you Julia for the amazing new background, header and blog button.

If you want an amazing looking blog, click on the blog button above.

Encouragement for your day; Pray and Sing

2011-09-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

James 5:13 NIV

Movie Review; Secrets of the Mountain

2011-09-06T05:13:00.000-07:00

Rated; Unrated

My Rating; (On a scale of 1-10) 9

Age recommendation; All Ages

Plot; (from back cover) Can a family survive an ancient mystery? Somewhere between the demands of her career, her ex's wedding and her kids' busy schedules, Dana James is noticing her tight-knit family starting to unravel. An unexpected offer to purchase her family's mountain property sets up a weekend road trip, which she hopes will bring her family back together. But when they arrive, they quickly learn that the mountain is much more than it seems. An ancient secret and a treacherous quest will test the family like never before. It's an edge-of-the-seat adventure that reminds us that when times are tough, families don't run away from problems - they run back to each other.

This was the first Wal-Mart movie made and the first we ever saw. I have to say, this was very fun! It reminded me so much of my favorite movies growing up; treasure hunts, adventure, people overcoming great odds, and bad guys that weren’t too scary. It felt a lot like an old Disney.

As with “Who is Simon Miller?” and “The Jensen Project”, this was a movie our whole family could enjoy together. The kids have issues, but they work together in the end; there isn’t anything offensive; and it isn’t scary.

Things you might want to know before watching: They do show some skulls and bones, but it didn’t scare any of us. The kids have some attitude issues but nothing real bad. It has been a few weeks since I have watched it, but I think that those are the only things to caution you about.

Want a good family movie night? This is a great one for the whole family!

Blessings

2011-09-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

I am sitting outside where it is in the 70's!!!!! What a blessing after all those very hot days.

Another great blessing in our life? A tree fell, right between the storage shed and the electric pole yesterday. What a blessing that it didn't fall even a few inches to the right or the left of where it did.

Writing Saturday; Answer Time

2011-09-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for your great questions! Let us jump right in, shall we?

Q; Julia ~ Hi Sarah! I do have a question, but it's a little complicated. :D Near the end of the book I'm writing, I thought I might have a period of time where the heroine is suddenly convinced that the hero is not in love with her, and in fact is in love with another 'mystery' girl ... and so she struggles through that until finally learning that the report was completely untrue, and the hero's heart belongs solely to her. It sounds good to me, but I'm a little unsure that I can write it without making my readers annoyed at the heroine for being a little dumb, and anxious that the hero might not be in love with her after all. Do you have any tips on how I could write this section of my story? (I can e-mail you with more details if you need them to help you with your advice) :D Love & Hugs, Julia

A; Julia, I enlisted my mother’s help to answer this one, having no real life experience or even much writing experience when it comes to romance. May I suggest a slight shift? If it works for you story, don’t have her doubt the hero’s love, and have her doubt her own. Let me explain. Instead of her wondering if Mr. Hero really loves her, have her wonder if she made up his love to begin with. Did she imagine that he liked her more than the other girls? Had he really ever loved her, or was it something she had imagined.

I think that you will find this slight adjustment makes it believable, doesn’t make your character dumb, and yet creates the desired effect.

Q; Rachelle ~ I'm at the place where I've finished the first draft of one project and ready to pounce on another, but I want to do a little fore-planning to reduce the amount of rewriting that came with my very first novel (which I literally plunked down according to how I felt like it - think NO planning for this plan-oriented girl = lots of work to do after THE END). How much "research" do you conduct prior to diving into a WIP? Do you plot? Outline? Make character charts or journals? Decide on a theme? Just curious. :)

A; Planning? Research? Outline? I am sorry to say I do very little of this. Most of the time, if I do anything, I just take a sheet of paper and write what I want to happen in each chapter. When I run out of plot, that is the last chapter. Not very detailed is it? There is only one book I truly have in the planning stages that I am doing much planning or research on, so I will tell you my methods and hopefully you will find some of it helpful.

My brother and I are working on a project together. We started with just a basic idea, an adventure story, and a name – Salazar – so we needed to do some planning. We cleared off a wall, got a pile of sticky notes and pens, and began to bounce ideas off one another. After a few hours and a lot of rearranging, this is what we had: A string down the middle of a wall. On the top part is the historical side of things, since we decided that this was going to be a historical fiction book. The bottom part is the plot line of the book.

As for research, I look things up as I need the information Wikipedia being one of my favorite resources because it is safe, free, no ads, and good information.

I hope this helped! Thank you Julia and Rachelle for your questions!

Join my next week for a post on great endings….

Welcome September!

2011-09-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

May you bring cooler weather and lots of rain

Book Review; Just Like You; Charity's Diary book 1

2011-08-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

Age group; 12 - Young Adult

Rating; (1-10) 10

When you buy a self-published/small press book, you never know what to expect. To be honest, I really didn’t have very high expectations for this book, but my mind was quickly changed.

The first thing that struck me about the books was how well the words flowed. This was not like many self-published/small press books that are poorly written. Elisabeth Allan has a real gift for writing, and her talent is evident.

Plot; When Charity Wentworth leaves university, she's going to go to India and spend a year living and working there as a missionary. Right? She thinks so, but God has other plans. He wants her to do - and be - something else. His plans for Charity are beyond her wildest dreams, but can she embrace them when they're so different from her own plans - has she got the courage to change?

My thoughts; This has to be one of the best books I have read in a long time. The spiritual lessons are deep and very real. Although I was very convicted by this book to become more like Christ and other things (which I won’t go into, because it would give part of the book away), I never felt like I was being preached at.

I identified with Charity and some of her struggles. I liked it that, though she was a likable person and godly, she was human and made mistakes.

I also loved the sketches in the book. I really felt like I was reading Charity’s Dairy. I also loved the fact that it was a British book and felt very English, different from the American books I am used to reading.

Good things about this book; Godly morals, strong faith, family that likes each other, and much more.

Things you might want to know before reading; Some of my readers might like to know that there is some romance in this book, although I thought that it was one of the struggles that made this book good. Charity’s cousin dates and talks about it some, but I didn’t have an issue with it. Even some of my readers who don’t like romance books will most likely love this book.

You can order the book on Amazon here or at Elisheva Publishing

Friendship

2011-08-29T04:36:00.000-07:00

Friendship. It is a word that made my heart hurt for so long for the lack of it. Now, I feel so blessed by all the people he has brought into my life, many through this blog.

Jessica and Arianna are my writing buddies, as well as kindred spirits.

Rachel understands my older sister “complex” as we call it, as well is being my pal.

Rachelle is my constant source of encouragement, as well as my comrade.

Julia and Melinda complete the Meditations of His Love team, and are good friends.

However, there is no dearer friend than my sister, Rose.

Thank God for the blessing of Friendship

Happy Birthday to My Sister, Rose

2011-08-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

I want to wish my best friend and sister a happy 20^th Birthday by telling her and the world 20 reasons I am thankful God gave her to me as a sister.

1. Her beautiful smile

2. Her big heart

3. Her laugh

4. Her hugs

5. Someone to talk to when no one else will listen

6. Someone who can sing

7. Someone who can keep me from looking dumb when it comes to the music world

8. Someone who can watch Jane Austen movies over and over again with me

9. To have a person who will listen to my story ideas

10. To have someone as eager to read my writing as I am to write them

11. To have someone who is an example of daily time with God

12. To have someone who shines Christ’s love to all she meets

13. For the people she brings into my life

14. For the way she can make people feel special

15. For the wonderful baking she does

16. For the work she does without complaint

17. For putting up with me all the time (that should earn her a big jewel in heaven)

18. Someone who will get up and braid my hair early in the morning

19. Someone who can write touching plays and poems

20. Someone who is the best sister and friend anyone can have

Movie Review; The Jensen Project

2011-08-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

Rated; Unrated

My Rating; (On a scale of 1-10) 8

Age recommendation; All ages

Plot; (from back cover) After a 16-year absence, Claire and Matt Thompson are reintroduced to The Jensen Project – a secret community of geniuses conducting advanced underground research to solve the world’s most difficult problems. But their return is far from a social visit. The former scientist, accompanied by their tech-minded teenage son Brody, are thrust into a frantic pursuit to keep a potentially dangerous technology from falling into the wrong hands.

This movie was another wonderful Wal-Mart movie. Although I thought that the bad guy was inconsistent (hence the 8 rating instead of a ten) this movie was good overall. For those who like Sci-Fi and futuristic movies, the technology and visual effects in this movie are very good and get you thinking about the possibilities. For those who don’t like those genres (which includes some of my family), there wasn’t anything real strange or scary in it. My whole family enjoyed it, including Rebekkah, who is very easily scared.

One of the best things about this movie was that the family has issues, but like with all Wal-Mart films, works together in the end. All the clothing was modest, no bad language, and only a hint of romance. It is just a clean, fun, family adventure movie. If Wal-Mart keeps this up, they will be the next Disney.

So, for the bad things. There wasn’t rally anything “bad” about this movie. There is a little romance between Brody and a girl but they don’t even kiss, and I thought they made fun of the possibility more than anything else. Brody is disobedient a few times in the movie. I thought, though, that it helped convey the theme: that not talking together as a family causes issues. Brody is disobedient because his parents aren’t listing to him or keeping him in the loop.

All in all, another great family movie that you can get at Wal-Mart for only $13.00.

See my review of "Who is Simon Miller?"

Ice Cream and The Jensen Project

2011-08-24T06:34:00.001-07:00

Monday my mom and dad (who was home because of a very bad headache) surprised us and took us out for ice cream after lunch. We went to Dairy Queen, and most of us got dipped cones, which are one of our favorite ice cream treats. They tasted so good on the hot day.

After we finished our special treat, we headed to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things we needed. We ended up deciding we wanted to have a family movie night with a new movie. Thankfully, Wal-Mart has come out with a line of family safe movies, so all we had to do was pick the one we wanted.

I had really wanted to see The Jensen Project, and that is the one we ended up buying. Having already watched Secrets of the Mountain, A Walk in my Shoes, and Who is Simon Miller without any issues, we were very confident that we could watch this movie without previewing it. Thankfully, we were not disappointed.

Rose and Rebekkah made wonderful chocolate chip cookies from our favorite recipe, Mom bought us milk, and we all sat down to the movie. It was a wonderful family day.

What has your family done for fun lately?

No rain in sight...

2011-08-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

The ground is powdery, and every time you take a step, you stir up dust. The creeks and pounds are dry, and, everywhere you look, vegetation is dying. The heat is almost unbearable, and there is no relief from it.

I wish that this description was from one of my books or a scene in a movie but it is the harsh reality in Texas right now. In the area I live in, we haven’t had measurable rain in months. There are daily brush fires and reports of cattle dying from thirst, heat, and lack of grazing ground.

Yes, it is sad and sometimes scary to live in an area that is in an exceptional drought. You pray for rain daily and look to the sky, hoping every cloud no matter how small is getting ready to unload its valuable cargo over you.

I will keep praying, knowing that God hears and that the rains will return, someday.

Writing Saturday; Question Time

2011-08-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

All right, here is your chance to ask me anything that relates to writing. Are you writing a book and having a problem? Do you want to know something about my book? I’m all ears, ask away. Next week I will post my answers.

Go Teen Writers and The Destiny of One

2011-08-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

Today, I am being featured on Go Teen Writers, an excellent resource for young writers.

Go check out my article as well as enter to win a copy of my book, just click on the button below or click

Here!

Writing Saturday; Sequels Part 4

2011-08-13T01:00:00.001-07:00

10 Things to Keep in Mind

1. Keep the events of the previous book(s) fresh in your mind; after all, that is why there is a sequel.

2. Make sure you keep the same style from the first book. For example; if you let your reader see what the main character is thinking a lot in the first you should do the same in the next book.

3. Don’t forget to show the changes that have happened between the books.

4. If you think there ought to be a sequel but can’t figure out what you want to do with it, take a break for two weeks or so.

5. "What would happen if…. " This phrase is a writer's best friend. I you find yourself stuck, use it! Come up with silly and wild ideas, you never know what is going to spark a really good idea.

6. What has God been teaching you lately? Could you hero or heroin use learning the same lesson?

7. Change the setting; taking your characters somewhere new is always a good plan in a sequel.

8. Have someone read your first book and then the sequel right after it so that they can catch any inconsistencies.

9. Have fun! Sequels should be as fun or more fun to write than the first book.

10. Don’t be afraid of failure.

Join me next week for a Question time….

Movie Review; Who is Simon Miller?

2011-08-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

Rating; PG

My rating; (On a scale of 1-10) 10

Age recommendation; safe for any age

Our family doesn’t watch many things first time all together. Most of the time, either mom and dad or some of us older kids watch the movie before the younger kids do, to make sure it is okay. Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, we all sat down to a movie we hadn’t previewed, on that was airing on TV.

Who is Simon Miller? Is the newest movie by Walmart and P&G. We have watched two other movies and they have been so good and clean, that we decided we could trust them. They did not disappoint us.

Plot: Simon Miller is a family guy, but with a job that takes him away from home a lot. One on of his business trips, Simon Miller disappears. When his family starts to look for him, they find he is not who they think he is; he is a spy. Who should they trust? Where can they go? Can they save Simon before someone kills him? Who is this man who they have called husband and father? Who is Simon Miller?

This movie was overwhelmingly good, clothes were modest, family relationships were good, and though you were sitting on the edge of your seat, wondering what was going to happen, it wasn’t scary.

I can’t say enough about this movie. Buy it on DVD as soon as you can!

Encouragement for your day

2011-08-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2

What is modesty?

2011-08-08T01:00:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of debate about modesty out there. Some believe that you can only be modest in ankle or floor length skirt and a shirt with a high neck line and certain length sleeves. Others believe that is an extreme, that as long as you have your certain areas covered, you are good to go. So what is modesty? Where should we draw the lines?

My brother recently was reading a book and showed me a quote that I think is a perfect guideline.

“To God obscenity in not uncovered flesh. It is exposed intention.” ~ The Singer Trilogy by Calvin Miller

In the summer, many like me look down at the girls running around in scanty clothing. But do we need to pause a moment and think about why we are choosing the clothes we are. Are we trying to fit in? Are we trying to attract a guy’s attention by our modesty?

A hard thought, isn’t it? Most of us, including me, would like modesty to be something just on the outside, but it isn’t. What we wear on the outside, though it is part, it is only a part. True modesty comes from the inside and radiates out.

Writing Saturday; Sequels Part 3

2011-08-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

Old and New Friends

In the pages of a sequel you will meet old friends and new ones. Some of your characters will return for book two, while others will not, and still others will appear for the first time. Today we are going to explore the work of secondary characters and how they work in sequels.

Some more change

Likely as not some of the secondary characters will return for book two. However, like your main character, they have changed. The first book and its story affected them just as much as your main character, we just didn’t follow them. It is important to show that change in them to give an authentic feel to the book.

Let us go back to the story about the boy who played with matches and ended up burning his family home down in book one and in book two he developed a paralyzing fear of fire. One of the secondary characters that is in both books is his father. Let us say that boy’s father was frustrated with his son in the first book, but in the end, he forgives him. In the second book, we should see that not only the father-son relationship has been restored but he is trying to help his son overcome his fears.

With that said, don’t forget that things from the past can make an appearance. The boy’s father might still have a moment every once in a while that he struggles with forgiveness. His frustration might show from time to time, especially when things lost are remembered.

When you leap, where do you land?

What if you take a big jump? What if you skip months or even years? How do you show major changes within your secondary characters without spending too much time on them? In the last book of the Destiny trilogy, it opens three years after book two. The opening scene is a Christmas party in which all the main characters from book two are guests. This gave them the perfect setting to reminisce and to show the readers how they have changed. If your sequel skips ahead, make sure you have a good setting to show the change.

New friends

Most likely, you are going to introduce some new characters in your sequel. One of the things you should think about is not only how they interact with your main character but also with your secondary characters. For instance, if you introduce a strong-willed man, what effect will that have on the pliable child? Will the beautiful girl and the plain one get along, or will the plain girl be jealous. Exploring the interaction between existing characters and new ones can make your book so much better.

Join me next week for the last in our series on Sequels; Things to watch out for

What I am reading

2011-08-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

I read the first in this series not long ago and really enjoyed it so I'm now working on book two.

I just started this yesterday, and already I'm loving it!

Very good (although I will admit that two of the middle chapters were more for church leaders, so I skipped them)

Meditations of His Love update

2011-08-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

My latest post on MOHL; My Prayer for you

Read all the posts from our study of the book of Philippians by going here

You can also join our new Facebook page here

Writing Saturday; Sequels Part 2

2011-07-30T01:00:00.001-07:00

Changes in Your Main Character

Between book one and book two your main character has gone through some big changes whether three hours, three weeks, or three years has passed. In your first book, your main character learned lessons, overcame challenges, and met people that have changed them. Those changes need to show in the sequel. Today, we are going to explore what has changed about your main character and how to show it.

Change? What Change?

Between The Destiny of One and The Destiny of a Few, the upcoming sequel to The Destiny of One, not a lot of time has passed. It is hard to think that there have been any changes, but there have. Between book one and book two of the Destiny trilogy, there is a shift in focus. In the first book Maria is struggling to find what God wants her to do with her life, in the second book she is struggling to accept the plans God has for her.

As I said in part one of this series, the sequel will make you dig deeper into your character and explore aspects of them. Before you start in on your sequel, figure out what has changed in your character.

Digging deeper

Digging deeper into your character can be a tricky business. You may have thought that you knew a lot about them from your first book but in the second book, you are forced to learn even more about them. Let us go back to the story about the boy who played with matches and ended up burning his family home down in book one and in book two he developed a paralyzing fear of fire.

In book one you explored his guilt and how he is forgiven. In book two, you have to big deeper into this boy. Why does he have a paralyzing fear of fire? Has he not forgiven himself? Did one of his siblings almost not make it out of the building? Was he dared to play with the matches? Was the reason that he played with them in the first place that he had started hanging out with the wrong crowd? Dig into your character and explore. You will, most likely, find plenty of material for a sequel.

Jumping years

In some sequels you jump ahead in the story by many months or even years. In my own trilogy there is going to be a three year jump from the second to the third book. These kind of jumps can be very hard on your characters. Think back three years in your life and how much you have changed. Think back even six months and you will most likely to see a change in yourself. If you jump large amounts of time, you need to make sure that you think about the changes in your character and a way to show them to your readers? Have they developed fears? Have they overcome some defect? Are they jealous of someone? Do they have romantic feelings for someone now? What has changed?

Emotional changes

Perhaps your main character has yet to learn their lesson. So how could they have changed? Perhaps what is needed is just a change in emotion. If they haven’t learned their lesson or reached their goal, maybe it is just their emotional state that has changed. Maybe they are angry that they haven’t learned their lesson, or frustrated that they haven’t reached their goal. They might be sad that they continue to do the same thing wrong, or they could be worried that the villain might catch up with them.

Next week on Writing Saturday we are going to explore: Sequels; New and Old Friends/chara

Jane Austen; Favorite Quotes

2011-07-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

“A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” ~ Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice

“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors and laugh at them in our turn?” ~ Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice

“Perhaps it is our imperfections that make us so perfect for one another.” ~ Mr. Knightly in Emma

"My idea of good company...is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.' 'You are mistaken,' said he gently, 'that is not good company, that is the best." ~ Anne and Mr. Elliot in Persuasion

"Better be without sense than misapply it as you do. " ~ Mr. Knightly in Emma

Jane Austen; My favorite Movies

2011-07-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

Pride and Prejudice

I like this version the best because 1. It is closest to the book and 2. They develop the characters so well.

Emma

This one was so funny as well as very close to the book. I loved the girl they got to play Emma, and I loved the way they started the movie.

Persuasion

The cinematography was amazing in this one. Very different from any I had ever seen. You could really feel and see Anne’s heartache. I also loved what they did with Captain Wentworth’s character.

Mansfield Park

I love this story! It is so sweet. This version doesn’t have the best leading lady in it but until I can find a better, clean version, this is my favorite

As for Northanger Abby I have yet to find a version I like of it, and I didn’t care much for Sense and Sensibility.

I've been featured on...

2011-07-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

Whatever State I Am blog!

Jane Austen; Book Review

2011-07-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

If you have never actually read one of Jane Austen’s books, they are as good as, and maybe even a little better than, the movies. I have read three of them and hope to read all of the eventfully.

Northanger Abby

I loved this book, but I have yet to find a movie of it I like. Unlike in the movies, if you have seen any of them, the book does not focus on the novels she is reading. Although it does mention that she is reading gothic novels, it is not bizarre in the book like it is in the movies I have seen. I thought the book was fun and one of Jane Austen’s more humorous works.

Pride and Prejudice

This was the first Jane Austen movie I ever watched, and I quickly got the book and read it. I loved the book! If you don’t read anything else, the last chapter is worth it. It is like an epilogue that none of the movies that I have seen used.

Emma

Okay, I thought this was one of the best Jane Austens. The book was so good, although there were one or two times I was a little confused, but not many. My favorite thing about this book is that Emma has some issues, but they are shown as bad things. In today’s work, faults are often shown as a good thing.

What is your favorite Jane Austen book?

Jane Austen; Why she still moves us

2011-07-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

I am a Jane Austen fan. I can sit for hours reading her books or watching the movies that were made of her books. As a writer I find it amazing that Jane Austen’s books, written years and years ago, still move us to this day. How did she do it? What did she weave into her books that make them as relevant and as readable today as they were back when she first wrote them? The answer lies within the heart of every story; the heroin and hero.

You can say all you want to about the plots, manners, and what not, but what brings people to each and every one of her stories is the main character. Elizabeth, Emma, Fanny, Anne, and the others each have a unique personality and struggle that appeals to us. Each of us has our favorite, that one we identify with.

Whether you are more like the sweet Fanny, trouble making Emma, outspoken Elizabeth, or heartbroken Anne, Jane Austen somehow makes us feel like we can be them. The stories are timeless and feel like they could happen tomorrow.

This week, join me as I take a look at Jane Austen and the stories that inspire so many of us.

Writing Saturday; The Sequel Part 1

2011-07-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the sadly neglected Writing Saturday posts. Hopefully, there won’t be a lot of empty Writing Saturdays’ in the future. Today, we are going to start a series on Sequels that I hope you all will enjoy.

Part 1; Should there be a sequel

For those of you who have not finished a book yet, let me prepare you for something; it is always hard to say good-bye to your characters. You grow to love your characters almost as if they were real people and it is hard to let them ride off into the sun set not knowing what happens next? Authors are always asking the question, what happened next of a story and no story is that more true of then their own.

But should there be a sequel? Should your main character sick around for another book, or should they fade into the mist? This isn’t easy question and there are many factors, so let us explore some of them together, shall we?

Is there more to the story?

The first and most important question is, of course, is there more of the story to tell. If everything has been resolved in the first book, why would someone like to read the sequel? If you are planning of writing a sequel, a good plan is leave something unfinished in your first book.

In my Book, The Destiny of One (www.thedestinyofone.com), Maria Morris is searching for what she is supposed to do with her life, and is caught up in an amazing adventure. When the book ends, she has found what she is supposed to do with her life (at least for the moment), but the adventure hasn’t ended setting up the next book.

So, is setting up a sequel in the first book the only way to make a second book possible? No! However, if you don’t set it up in the first book it should at least tie in with what happened in the first book. Just another story about the same character, rarely works.

Can I make the next book original, or will it feel like a repeat of the first book?

I cannot tell you how many sequels I have read and watched that it appeared the writer/maker had gone; “Oh, that worked great in the first one, let’s do it in in the second.” However, it really works as well the second time. Before embarking on the sequel, you need to give some thought on how you are going to make it different.

Think about what your character(s) learned in the first book. How will that effect their designs in the second book? For example, if your first book is about a young boy who played with matches and ended up burning his family home down, in book two he might have developed a paralyzing fear of fire.

Are that characters up to the challenge of a sequel?

Your characters did a lot in the first book, but can they handle a sequel? In your sequel you will likely have to delve deeper in to your main characters thought process or, if you are using a new main character, you will have to dig deeper into the plot. This can be a challenge especially if your character went through a big change in the first book.

If you want to write a sequel, you will need to spend a lot of time figuring out your character and digging deep into their inner workings. By doing this, your sequel has the potential to be even better the your first book.

Do I want to write a sequel?

Never write a book, much less a sequel just because someone wants you to. There will always be people that want to know what happens next, including yourself. However, it is better to let a story end before someone wants it to then to drag it on until no one wants to read it.

Next week on Writing Saturday: Sequels part 2; Changes in Your Main Character

Repost; Ambassador of… What?

2011-07-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

By Sarah H.

“Have you met Tracy?” Rachel asked one of the five girls standing in a little huddle in the fellowship hall.

“Tracy who?” Karen asked

“Tracy Smith,” Rachel replied.

“I think I have,” Hannah responded. “Isn’t she the one that is always wearing the really low-cut dresses?”

“That’s the one,” Rachel responded.

“Oh, so she was the girl sitting in front of me who couldn’t keep her hands off her boyfriend. Didn’t that girl hear the pastor’s sermon on purity last week?” Karen asked, shaking her head.

“Well, she does go to public school,” Emily said with a knowing tone. Emily looked over at Bethany, who remained silent with her arms crossed.

“Public school is ruining that girl,” Karen agreed. “Did you see her this morning? She had on so much make-up I don’t think you could see her face.” This brought giggling from all the girls; all that is, except Bethany, who sat just listening.

“I sat behind her two weeks ago, and she kept talking through the whole service. She has a horrible mouth. Well, she didn’t say that many bad words, but she was disrespectful to her mom and she was criticizing every one,” Hannah said.

“Oh, I know it,” Rachel said with a nod. “My mom says that she is a manipulator and can get her mom to do anything.”

“Maybe her mom needs to learn who is in control,” Emily interjected. “Why, if Tracy were my child she would be leaning a few of life’s hard lessons right now.”

“That girl needs to be out of the public school system and in her home or she will end up getting herself in jail or something,” Karen remarked.

“I don’t think Tracy would …” Bethany started to say but was interrupted.

“And to think that she signed that pledge of abstinence a year ago,” Rachel said shaking her head.

“It is sad, but she is ruining her life,” Hannah said. All the other girls agreed, and there was a pause for a moment.

“Excuse me, girls, but whose ambassadors are we?” Bethany asked, and four sets of eyes turned to her with questioning looks. “I mean, listen to yourselves! You are all going on and on about how bad Tracy is and what she needs to do, but not one of you is even close to fixing the problem.”

Hannah, Rachel, Emily and Karen looked blankly at Bethany. Bethany sighed.

“It would seem from this conversation that Tracy’s crime is that her parents have not chosen to home school her and that her greatest issue in life is that she has chosen to date. But is that her real issue? The four of you are so busy looking at her make-up, low-cut dresses, and her boy friend that not one of you sees the real problem.

“Rachel, whose ambassador are you? Or for what? Homeschooling? What about you, Hannah? Are you now the official advocate for modesty? How about you, Emily? Are you now part of the purity police force? And you, Karen, when did you begin to listen to what was going on behind you instead of the sermon?

“Really, you girls you ought to be ashamed. Whose ambassador are we supposed to be? Homeschooling’s? Courtship’s? “Respect’s? Well, I don’t know about you, but I am not an ambassador for homeschooling, courtship, honoring your parents, or even the pastor. I am not even the advocate of abstinence, prayer in schools, modesty, or any of the other things that you have mentioned. I am an ambassador for my lord Jesus Christ, and nothing else, I hope.

“You guys, Tracy has issues, I know. But you are talking about masking symptoms of a disease, not finding a way to cure it. Tracy’s problem is not that she is going to public school, or that she is dating, nor even that she is wearing revealing clothes. Tracy’s problem, Tracy’s disease, is that she doesn’t have God.

“Which one of you has tried to be her friend? Which one of you has tried to love her and show her the way to God? Until you lead her to the point were she is broken at the foot of the cross, nothing will change Tracy. It isn’t that homeschooling isn’t a good thing. It’s not even that I wouldn’t like to see her stop dating and start having godly relationships. Rather, it’s that until you give her God it won’t make any difference.

“We have been sent to this earth to bring salt and light to a world that desperately needs it. We have been called to live radically different lives to be a witness to a country that is going downhill. But if we start preaching step sixteen before we have even said anything about step one, they are going to be confused and not listen to us any more.

“Have we forgotten that we are the privileged few? Not many kids are raised in radical churches and radical homes. We have been given much but we must remember that to whom much is given, much is expected. God did bless us with believing, homeschooling parents, not so that we would walk around with a holier-then-thou attitude. He gave it to us so that we could be his lights in a dark room.

“Tracy does not need to hear a sermon from you on how to dress; she needs to know that there is a white robe waiting for her in heaven if she will believe in Jesus. She doesn’t need us to tell her about how she is being brainwashed in school; she needs us to tell her that there is a God willing to wash her sins away and make them white as snow. She doesn’t need to be told that her love life is wrong; she needs to be told that there is a God that loves her and will fill the emptiness that is obviously in her heart.

“We will have many Tracys in our lives, girls, and they need us to be ambassadors from God to them. In order for us to do that, though, we have to deicide whose ambassadors we are. I am my Lord and Savior’s, for even though I have never been ‘as bad as most,’ I killed Jesus with my sins, and he spilled his blood for me as much as he did for the murderer and the adulteress. It will be hard, I know. I don’t like Tracy and girls like her, but Christ spilled his blood for them, and he wants her to know that. Can I despise one to whom God extends his love?

“Let us decide today, girls, for whom or for what we are ambassadors.”

Would you like to share this with your readers? You my copy this to your blog as long as it still has my name on it and a link back to my blog.

Another Givaway

2011-07-11T07:23:00.000-07:00

Enter to win a copy of The Destiny of One, here!

Day 5 of my trip to Delaware

2011-07-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

We were all pretty tired from our trip to D. C. but we got up and headed to Valley Forge.

First stop; the Washington Memorial Chapel

The ceiling

The Justice bell

The view

The visitors center

Rose Vs. the Red Coats

Going into Washington's headquarters was amazing.

What a great day!!

Day 4 of my trip to Delaware

2011-07-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

My favorite day trip we took was D. C. It was so amazing!

The capitol building

All of us around the Washington Monument (one of my favorite shots)

World War II Manorial

We ended the day at the National Cathedral

Happy Birthday to my little sister

2011-07-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

To my little sister Mikayla who I helped welcome into this world 12 years ago today.

Happy Birthday!!!

Day 3 of my trip to Delaware

2011-07-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Poor Rachel and Jessica, they found out on the third day that Rose and I had never been across a big bridge. Yes, we are Texas girls to be sure. So they decided to give us an education.

After crossing the bridge into New Jersey, we got ice cream and ate it on the banks of the Delaware river.

After a lovey day we crashed and watched Prince Caspian

Happy Birthday

2011-06-30T05:55:00.000-07:00

I am 21!!!

A cookie cake that my co-workers got me. They are so sweet.

And my blog is three years old

Me, three years ago.

I praise God the 21 years of life I have been given and the three years he has blessed me with this blog. My Destiny had taken many turns during the past three years. I have new friends (many thanks to this blog), a stronger faith, a published book, and much more.

Day 2 of my trip to Delaware

2011-06-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

On day two of our trip we spent the morning playing games

We strolled around some amazing gardens

Then made so tasty treats

And ended the day with watching the first Narnia movie

Day 1 of my trip to Delaware

2011-06-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

We were all a little nervous about meeting in person for the first time but as soon as we saw each other, we lost all our shyness and went straight for a hug.

After Jessica and I hugged, we wanted to switch partners but Rose and Rachel had other ideas ;)

Headed for the beginning of two wonderful weeks together!

Sisters, Friends

2011-06-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6 NIV

Every time I read this verse now, I think Jessica and Rachel. In the coming days, I hope to share some of your wonderful time with my readers. All those years I had of being lonely were made up by the friendship I now share with these young ladies. They are truly like sisters to me now. I pray that I will be able to visit them again soon.

Just for fun

2011-06-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

I laughed so hard at this, I though you might enjoy it.

In D. C.

2011-06-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Friends and Flowers

2011-06-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

Movie Review; Tangled

2011-06-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

Rated PG

My Rating (on a scale of 1-10) 7

Age recommendation; All Ages

I have to say this has to be the best family Disney in years! The humor in not crude at all, the characters are nice, and it isn’t scary at all. I have a lot of good things to say about this movie but first, a little bit about the plot.

It is the delightful retelling of the fairy tale, Rapunzel. Rapunzel lives in a tower hidden away in the wilderness. She has been raised by a woman that she calls mother but stole her from her parents, the king and queen, for her magic hair. Just before her 18^th birthday, Rapunzel decides to go and see the “floating lights” that appear in the sky every year on her birthday.

Enter Flynn a thief who climbs into the tower to hide from his pursuers. He agrees to act as Rapunzel’s guide to see the floating lights, out of necessity. The journey, which seems simple enough, ends up being quite an adventure.

The bad parts of this movie? Well there were two. Number one is that Rapunzel’s hair is magical and that magic plays a key role in the film. It goals when she sings a certain song, it heals, and makes people young. Number two is that whole movie revolves around her bring rebellions and leaving the tower even though her “mother” has told her not to.

Good things about the movie? 1. There is NO crude humor. I have not seen an animation in a long time that didn’t at least have some. 2. Flynn starts out as a selfish thief but by the end he has truly changed. 3. I thought Rapunzel was very sweet, despite her rebellious moments. She also seemed very feminine. 4. Our whole family can watch this movie and no one will be scared, board, anything like that.

I loved this movie! I hope you will enjoy it too.

I'm in...

2011-06-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

Delaware with my sister Rose!!! We are visiting Rachel and Jessica of Young Homemakers!! Yes, I will post pictures later.

The Check list

2011-06-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

Clothes? Check

Suitcases? Check

Clean room? sort of check

Plane Tickets? Check

Cell Phone with plenty of minutes to call home? Check

New Camera? (I didn't need it but Wow!) Check

Yes I am really going to…. I’ll tell you tomorrow ;) Check

A Walk in Garden

2011-06-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Blog of the Month; Christ is Write

2011-05-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Christ is Write for a while now and am often inspired by the posts. Tessa Hall, a teen writer, has a way with words that can't be denied. I love her devotionals for writers as well as her very thought provoking posts on the writing craft.

I encourage you to check out Christ is Write today!

“The One Who Gave the Vision Still Calls”

2011-05-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Some of you might recognize the title of this blog post from one on my favorite movies Pendragon; Sword of His Father. I have been thinking about this phrase a lot lately concerning my writing.

God gave me a vision several years ago for my life. He showed me that he had given me the gift of writing and that I was to use it for his glory. It was then that I started my blog and was writing lots of articles for various magazines. I sit here now, looking at a pile of books, my books and stand amazed. Yet, I hear that phrase in my head; “The one who gave the vision still calls.”

At the end of Pendragon; Sword of His Father, after the battle is won, Artos says the phrase as he dismisses his troops. Odd, no? The battle is over, the fight is won, and the mission is accomplished. Now is the time to live happily ever after, right?

I don’t know if the Makers of the movie intended it, but the hit on a very important lesson; even when we reach the goal, God still has more for us to do. Just because I now have a book in print doesn’t mean that God has stopped calling. He isn’t up there saying; “Well, you did it kid, have fun with the rest of your life.” No! He is calling to me saying; “Great job! Now, let’s start on the next part of my vision for you.”

I pray that I will never lose sight of the vision, or stop listening for the sound of his voice. I hope that you and I will always remember that the one who gave the vision still calls.

Enter this Great Giveaway!

2011-05-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

What some fun hair clips? I know I do, and these are so cute! Enter to win here

2011-05-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

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Today the blog tour stopped at Christ is Write

When Success Brings You to Your Knees

2011-05-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

As I sit here, I realize how little I have posted to this blog in the past few months. Oh, there are posts, but not many of any substance. They are all bits about my writing, my book, and snippets about what is going on in my life. But this post I want to talk about something that I have been experiencing spiritually recently that I find wonderful.

Most of you have probably gone through a hard time in your life, one that has brought you to your knees before God. In hard times, sometimes the only thing that gets you through the day is prayer and the knowledge that God has a plan and a purpose, even when we can’t see it. But what about in times of success? What happens when things are going well? I don’t know about you but I tend to not pray as much and depend on God less.

The past few months have been amazing for me. I am working part time in my Representative’s office, our family was given a car, my book was published and much more. Life could not be better if you ask me. My cup, like David says in the Psalms, is running over. Yet, during this time of great success, I have found myself driven to my knees.

Why? One of the things that I have seen so often is that successful people and people who are doing well seem to drift from God without meaning to. When You don’t have to depend on God for your daily bread, often you begin to lose sight of him. I know that is how I have been in the past. But the last few weeks, though they have been full of success, have driven me to my Heavenly Father.

Sometimes I am just praising him, sometimes I am asking for strength to handle my success, and sometimes am telling him about what is going on in my heart. All of the time, I am learning to be dependent on him even in the midst of success.

What has God been teaching you lately?