About the Book
When a self-conscious young woman discovers the boy in drama class is actually the immortal who painted the world into being, she becomes the target of another painter who hates humanity.
The Earth Painter is a Young Adult Supernatural Romance set in the small mill town of Chesnee, SC. It revolves around Holly Scruggs, whose family has just moved back to Chesnee after her dad lost his job along with pretty much everything they owned. Her image conscious parents correct her to the point of brokenness until she meets Theo. He is the artist responsible for all the beauty of the land and he thinks Holly is beautiful, too. Together they will fight against Fritz, the water painter, who hates humans and is hiding a secret under the high school.
My Thoughts
Once again I was quite impressed with Melissa Turner Lee's writing! She writes in a beautiful and eloquent way that just draws you in to the story. The plot idea, while not biblical, was definitely unique and took a lot of imagination. Holly and Theo were intriguing characters and it was interesting to experience their lives. Theo's Khai-Ree was a fun character but I could not get the image of Bannakaffalatta (from the Doctor Who episode Voyage of the Damned) out of my head, which actually amused me cause it kinda fit. Holly's mom made me so mad though! How someone could be the demeaning and not think they were doing anything wrong baffles me entirely! I'm quite impressed that Holly turned out the way she did after growing up like that.
About the Author
I'm a stay-at-home mom of three of the CRAZIEST boys ever. And I love them to bits. I'm also a wife to a wonderful man I met when I was 17.
I have a degree in Journalism and Marketing which I have never used because I've been home with my boys. Then one day my man sent me to the local book store for a day to myself. I picked up Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and my life changed. I remembered being 17. I remembered falling in love. But most of all I remembered ME. I'd become "Mommy" and forgotten all about Melissa, the girl who dreamed of being a writer, but suddenly I remembered and the writing started. And It hasn't stopped.
Every week Kathy from I Am A Reader Not A Writer posts five questions from her author interview lists and asks us to answer them.
What story does your family always tell about you?
The story of the fake wedding and the kiss that I told here.
What kind of music do you like?
Contemporary Christian, and select Country.
Would you rather have money or fame?
Money. I had being the center of attention
Do you celebrate Easter? If so what is one of your traditions?
Yep! All the extended family that's in comes to our house and we have a big lunch, hang out, and have leftovers for dinner!
Best April Fools Day Joke you have done or someone has done to you?
We don't really do pranks so I can't think of any!
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
My copy has not arrived yet so I will be posting my actual review later!
***Special thanks to Ginger Chen for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and a national speaker who helps women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and an author of 15 books, including Unglued, Made to Crave, and What Happens When Women Say Yes to God. Her daily online devotional encourages more than 600,000 women, and her remarkable life story has captivated national audiences on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.
Hope TerKeurst finds fulfillment in serving through missions trips to
places like Ethiopia and Nicaragua. During a trip to Nicaragua, Hope led a team that provided shoes for children to enable them to go to school. When she is at home, Hope spends time with her family and friends. She has a passion for building relationships with others and loves to travel. She is currently a college student in North Carolina.
Bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst invites young women on the unforgettable adventure of saying yes to God as she shares real-life illustrations, biblical guidance, humor, and inspiring special sections: “Living Y.E.S.” (Your Extraordinary Story); “YES in Action” stories from Lysa’s teen daughter, Hope, about faith in motion; chapter Bible study questions.
Product Details:
List Price: $11.99
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (March 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736954554
ISBN-13: 978-0736954556
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
As You Set Out on Your
Yes Journey
We are about to discover how God’s love shapes our hearts and our individual paths of purpose. It’s an amazing journey. We won’t want to miss any of the messages He has for us. In this book you will discover the following features. Each is created to make the truths and wonders of faith more three-dimensional in your life.
Yes Factor
The gifts of the yes journey are plentiful. The Yes Factors highlight some of the most amazing treasures you’ll discover along the way. They are ready to tweet so you can share with your friends, classmates, and online communities to encourage them.
You’re Invited
Each chapter has a special invitation to say yes to God in a new way. Take time with these and pray about how you’ll respond to the call to embrace God’s best.
God’s Word for You
God speaks to us through the Bible. Scripture is not a gathering of material meant for people ages ago. It was written for you. This feature includes questions for group or personal study, reflection points, and verse explorations to get God’s Word from the page to your heart.
Living Y.E.S. (Your Extraordinary Story)
Only you can live your extraordinary story. No one else is designed by God to live this moment and all of your tomorrows. These insights and journal questions will help you understand the uniqueness, incredible value, and power of having a yes heart for God.
Yes in Action: A Note from Hope’s Yes Journey
My teenage daughter Hope shares four personal accounts of listening to God and following His lead. My prayer is that these glimpses of another young woman facing the difficulties and delights of obedience will encourage you to put your yes into action daily.
My Yes Journey Notes
At the back of this book are several note pages so you have a convenient place to write down the ideas, challenges, special verses, prayer needs, and discoveries you experience while starting your yes journey.
Ready for Something Better
Most of us long for something better. Different. Special.
Extraordinary.
We desire something more meaningful than day-to-day survival.
And the amazing thing is that even before we can name this desire, God has placed it within us and is drawing us closer to Him through that desire. Our hunger to be special and to do special things is our spiritual hunger to have an extraordinary relationship with God.
But how do we leave normal behind and head toward extraordinary?
We start a journey! It’s the amazing, transforming, anything-but-normal journey you’ll begin the day you say yes to God and to the amazing faith life He has planned for you.
Let’s begin at the starting place—right here, right now. Imagine with me that this is your day.
Beep. Beep. The notification of a text message wakes you up before your alarm. It’s a friend reminding you to bring money for the school fund-raiser and asking if you will make signs during lunch. As you sneak into the kitchen hoping to grab a bagel and glass of cranberry juice without being spoken to, your parents greet you with good-mornings and then insist you walk the dog before school.
You get to school with only a second to wave to friends. You settle into the assigned seat of the first class and do a mental happy dance because you finished your project early. The celebration is squelched because the teacher asks you to help a student who doesn’t understand yesterday’s assignment.
During lunch you finally get a chance to catch up with your best friend, but she still wants to talk through every event leading to her breakup with her boyfriend—five months ago. You listen for a while and pat her on the back for consolation, but you’re thinking, At least you had a boyfriend. My parents won’t even let me date.
The list goes on, right? A regular, ordinary day includes a lot of requests from a lot of people in your life. There are expectations. And even when you know the right thing to do, you don’t have much joy when you follow through. What’s the point? you think. It’s all so ordinary and leading nowhere.
Even if people want good things from you and of you, it’s tempting to say no. Nope. Uh-uh. No, thank you. I helped yesterday. Ask so-and-so. The dog ate my homework and my backpack and my computer.
There are lots of ways to say no.
When God asks you to do something, it can spark the desire to act as if you didn’t hear Him. It’s tempting to rattle off your memorized top five excuses for getting out of something that might be challenging, humbling, or out of your comfort zone.
In fact, sometimes God asks us to do things that seem a bit crazy at the time. We can’t see the big picture the way He does. We can’t imagine how our one yes during an ordinary day can become something extraordinary when He uses it for His purposes.
But, you see, this is where we get confused. When we say yes to God, our days are no longer ordinary or normal. In fact, there is no such thing as a typical day. Once you make the leap of faith to say yes to God, you will discover the power that answer holds in your relationship with Him, others, and yourself. There’s nothing ordinary about what’s ahead for you. Are you nervous? Are you looking around you and thinking, Maybe normal is okay? What is God going to ask of me when I say yes?
Believe me, I understand this as well as anyone. I can be stubborn. I can be resistant to being told what to do. And I’ve had plenty of times when I wanted to do anything but what God was asking me to do. In fact, I was someone who never left home without having my top five excuses list handy. This was me…that is, until God opened my eyes to the incredible, blow-my-socks-off power of saying yes to Him.
It all started the day He told me to give away my Bible.
My ministry as a writer and a speaker gives me the chance to visit churches, women’s groups, and conferences. On this particular day, I was heading home after a long schedule of speaking and I was wiped out. All I wanted was to get to my assigned seat on the plane and settle in for a nap. Imagine my absolute delight at being the only person seated in my row. I was just about to close my eyes when two last-minute passengers made their way to my row and took their seats.
Reluctantly, I decided to skip my nap. The last thing I wanted was to fall asleep and snore, drool, or, worse yet, wake up with my head resting on the guy’s shoulder beside me. I did not need another most embarrassing moment, so I pulled a manuscript out of my bag and started reading.
“What are you working on?” the guy asked. I told him I was a Christian writer. He smiled and said he thought God was a very interesting topic. I agreed and asked him a few questions about his beliefs. Before long I found myself reaching into my bag and pulling out my Bible, walking him through some key verses that dealt with the issues he was facing. He kept asking questions, and I kept praying God would give me answers.
All of a sudden I felt God tugging at my heart to give this man my Bible. Now, this was not just any Bible. This was my everyday, highlighted, underlined, written in, and tearstained Bible. I hesitated, but God’s message was clear. I was to give away my Bible.
I pulled out old church bulletins and other papers I had tucked inside the covers, took a deep breath, sighed, and placed it in the man’s hands. “I’d like for you to have my Bible,” I said.
Astonished, he started to hand it back to me, saying he couldn’t possibly accept such a gift. “God told me to give it to you,” I insisted. “Sometimes the God of the universe pauses in the midst of all His creation to touch the heart of one person. Today, He paused for you.”
The man took my Bible and made two promises. First, he said he would read it, and, second, someday he would pass it on, doing for someone else what I’d done for him.
Before I knew it, the plane landed and we were saying our goodbyes. As I stepped into the aisle preparing to disembark, the women on the other side of the businessman reached out and grabbed my arm. She’d been staring out the window the entire time we were flying, and I thought she’d been ignoring us. But her tearstained face told a different story. In a tone so hushed I could barely hear her, she whispered, “Thank you. What you shared today has changed my life.” I put my hand on hers and whispered back, “You’re welcome.” Then a knot caught in my throat as tears welled up in my eyes. I didn’t have another Bible to give away, so I gave her one of my books and hugged her goodbye. It has been said that we are to tell the whole world about Jesus, using words only if necessary. I saw this powerful truth come to life. Though I never spoke to this lady about Jesus, she saw Him through my obedience. How humbling. How profound.
As I got off the plane that day, I could barely hold back my tears. Three people’s hearts were radically changed. I believe the businessman came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. I believe the same is true for the lady. But my heart was changed in a dramatic way as well. I was overjoyed at what God had done, but I was also brokenhearted by the flood of thoughts that came to mind recounting times I’d told God no. How tragic to miss His divine appointments.
Yes Factor
Open your heart to God’s love. Open your life to His calling. Open your mouth to praise Him.
I kept wondering, How many times have I told You no, God? How many times have I walked right past an extraordinary moment You had shaped for me because I was too tired, too insecure, too caught up in drama, or too selfish? How often do I miss out on experiencing You? I lifted up my heart to the Lord and whispered, “Please forgive me for all those noes. Right now I say yes, Lord. I say yes to You before I even know what You might ask me to do. I simply want You to see a yes-heart in me.”
Several minutes after exiting the plane, I was heading toward my connecting gate when I spotted the businessman again. He stopped me to tell me he’d been praying and thanking God for what happened on the plane. We swapped business cards, and, though we lived several states apart, I knew we’d stay in touch.
About a month later he called to tell me his life had totally changed. He’d taken a week off from work to read the Bible, and he’d already shared his testimony with numerous people. God was definitely pursuing this man in a serious way! When I asked him what his favorite verse was, he said it was Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” I thought to myself, Wow! Look at how God has already answered that for my new friend.
He also told me that after reading the Bible he knew he needed to get involved in a church, so he’d decided to visit a large church in his town. On his way there he passed another church, and a strong feeling came over him to turn his car around and go back. So he did. When he got to his seat in the sanctuary, he opened up his bulletin and gasped. Inside the bulletin he saw an announcement that I was to be the speaker at an upcoming women’s conference. He said he felt as though, once again, God was confirming His active presence.
That day on the plane, when God impressed on my heart to give this man my Bible, I did not know what would happen. This man might have thrown my Bible into the nearest airport trash can for all I knew. Normally, I would’ve come up with a hundred reasons not to give my Bible away, but that day something changed in me. That day, for the first time, I truly heard the call of a woman who says yes to God: “Live your extraordinary story of faith.”
This journey we are taking together is life changing.
1
An Extraordinary Life Awaits
The amazing adventure of living your life and faith in extraordinary ways is up ahead. Here is the most wonderful truth: God designed it for you. And this journey cannot be lived out by anyone else. God made you as a special, nobody-else-like-you young woman, and He has a plan for your life. Do you feel it? Do you believe it? When you get up in the morning, do you think about how your day can only be lived out by the incredible you? Your family knows you and your quirky habits, and your friends share common interests, but nobody else is taking your steps through your day.
The extraordinary faith journey begins the moment you say yes to God and yes to the story He is creating through your heart, abilities, dreams, and faithfulness. It’s not just a special story—it’s an extraordinary one you and God experience together.
When we feel a tug on our heart and a stirring in our soul for more, we are often afraid to venture past our comfort zone. Outside our comfort zone, however, is where we experience the true awesomeness of God. But you have to take the plunge. How ready are you?
Notice that I didn’t ask “How perfect are you?” Perfection is highly overrated. I think at this point it is important for me to paint an accurate picture of what my life looks like before you imagine me as this super calm, amazingly organized and disciplined person who spends hours on her knees in prayer. Truth? My to-do list rarely gets accomplished. My emotions have been known to run wild, and my patience can run thin. I get pushed to the limit by everyday aggravations, such as a summer’s worth of pictures getting erased from my digital camera. Or a dog who runs away at the most inconvenient times. And I’ve had times when I step outside my comfort zone and fear causes me to second-guess myself and God’s plan.
Can you relate? Great! No matter what your life is like, you’re a young woman made to say yes to God. Even if you’re juggling all the craziness life can throw your way, when you simply whisper yes, you are equipped to start your extraordinary story of following God. “Yes, Lord. I want Your patience to override my desire to fly off the handle.” “Yes, Lord. I want Your strength to keep my emotions in check when my family and friends drive me nuts.” “Yes, Lord. I want Your courage to accept challenges that intimidate me.” “Yes, Lord. I want to see my great value as Your daughter so I don’t worry about what other people think.”
You don’t need perfect circumstances to say yes to God. You don’t need the perfect religious attitude or all the answers to religious questions. You simply have to give to God all of the thoughts, worries, people, drama, and struggles that occupy your attention and your heart. You simply have to speak the answer God is longing to hear spill from your lips. “Yes, God.”
The Daily Yes Prayer
Each day when I wake up, I pray a very simple prayer before my feet even hit the floor. I encourage you to write your own or use this prayer so you can experience your extraordinary God in extraordinary ways.
God, I want to see You.
God, I want to hear You.
God, I want to know You.
God, I want to follow hard after You.
And even before I know what I will face today, I say yes to You.
This simple act of surrender each morning will prepare your eyes to see Him, your ears to hear Him, your mind to perceive Him, and your heart to receive Him. This is how to live expecting to experience God.
You see, we have become so familiar with God and yet still so unaware of Him. We turn the mysterious into something ordinary, even boring. We construct careful reasons for our rules and sensible whys for our behavior. All the while our soul is longing for a richer experience—one that allows us to escape the limits of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell and journey to a place of wild, wonder, and passion.
Young women who say yes to God will see life like few others.
And you will be drawn in and embraced by a love like no other. You don’t have to wait until the next time you’re in church to experience God because you can sense God’s presence all around you, all through your day. Instead of going through the motions of life, you’ll pursue the adventure of the moment-by-moment divine story and lessons God is unfolding.
When you say yes, you can expect to see God, to hear from Him, and to be absolutely filled by His peace and joy.
The Holy and the Ordinary
Embracing a holy God in the middle of life’s everyday activities will change your life. God’s surprises of good and wondrous experiences will take your breath away, but you might not always feel happy about the changes. I can’t let you think that being a young woman who says yes to God means everything is always easy. There will be times when you experience the sting of heartache, frustration, uncertainty, failure, and loss, but now there will be new ways of dealing with those hard times. A holy way.
I had one of those experiences recently. I simply wanted to throw my hands in the air, throw my computer out the window, and cry out to God, “You have hurt my feelings, and I’m just a little unnerved and upset!”
I was at a friend’s lake house to devote three days to a writing project. After the first night of working hard, I had gone to bed excited about all I’d accomplished. I awakened the next morning ready to have the same kind of success. But as I opened up my docu-ment folder with great anticipation, I saw…nothing. Nothing! The project was nowhere to be found.
Refusing to panic, I asked for my friends’ help. After two hours of searching, one of my friends gently looked at me and verbalized the truth we’d all come to know. “It’s gone, Lysa. You are going to have to start over.”
What!
Wait a minute, I thought. I have said yes to God today and had a great quiet time. I just know He can and will help me find this. But for whatever reason, my document was gone and God had chosen not to bring it back. Tears filled my eyes as bitterness started to creep in my heart. Why would He allow this? My friend could sense my despair and gently replied, “Lysa, recently when something like this happened to me, someone told me to look at my loss as a sacrifice of praise to God. It is so hard in today’s abundance to give God a true sacrifice, but losing two thousand words and a whole day’s work would qualify. Give this to Him without feeling bitter.”
I resisted slapping my well-meaning friend as she then broke into singing praise songs. By the second stanza, I actually found myself joining in with a lighter heart and a resilient spirit.
Have you ever lost something that had required great effort and care on your part? Sometimes it isn’t a school project or a writing assignment we’ve invested in; rather, it’s a relationship. If you’ve ever said goodbye to a friend because of a move or because you find yourself taking a different path, you’ve experienced what felt like an unfair loss of time, effort, and heart. The loss of “what could’ve been” can be very disappointing. When you care about anything, it makes you more vulnerable. The risk is higher because more of your heart and soul is vested in the outcome. This is exactly why these times can be lifted up as a praise offering.
Yes Factor
Saying yes to God isn’t about perfect performance, but rather perfect surrender to Him.
Being a young woman who says yes to God is about trusting Him even when you can’t understand why He requires some of the things He does. It also means that once you’ve said yes to God, you refuse to turn back, even when things get hard.
This kind of obedience invites you to embrace a bigger vision for your life. When you look at your everyday circumstances with God’s perspective, everything changes. You realize that He uses each circumstance, each person who crosses your path, and each encounter you have with Him as a divine appointment. Each day counts, and every action and reaction matters. God absolutely loves to take ordinary people and do extraordinary things in them, through them, and with them.
It’s a Party
Imagine that you’ve planned a wonderful surprise party for your best friend. The guests have all arrived. You’ve loaded the deco--rated dining room table with her favorite junk food and healthy preferences. Everything is ready for the guest of honor. You can barely wait for the big moment of “Surprise!” because you know your friend will feel so loved and celebrated.
Finally, the time has come. And gone. Your friend is late. Your other friends are whispering in the darkened living room and trying unsuccessfully to hold back waves of laughter. Suddenly, your cell phone rings. Your friend’s image appears on the screen. “Shhh!” you say to the others just before answering the call.
“Hey, where are you?” you ask casually.
Instead of saying she’s on her way, your friend says she’s too tired to come over and has decided to watch the last two episodes of her favorite show online. She’s already in her pajamas and will check out whatever you wanted to show her tomorrow. You try to convince her that tonight is so much better and you really want to share something with her. But with a friendly “See you tomorrow, I promise,” she hangs up.
But by tomorrow the guests will be gone, the leftover food will be stored away, and the party that never started will be over.
How sad for the guest of honor, who missed her own surprise party! And how disappointing for you, the party planner who orchestrated the event with the hope of showing a friend how much she is loved.
God must feel the same way when we miss the “surprise parties” that await us each day. These are the divine appointments sprinkled throughout our day for us to experience when we pay attention to God’s leading. He must be so disappointed when we don’t hear or don’t listen to Him redirecting us to hang up the phone and show up at the event He has planned with great care. It must break His heart when we brush aside something that not only would make us feel special and noticed by God, but also would allow us to join Him in making life a little sweeter for others.
Which Invitation Will You Accept?
How many times have you missed your own surprise party?
God reveals Himself and His activity to all of us, but it takes a desire for the extraordinary to embrace these encounters because they can cause extreme changes in our plans, our perspectives, and our passions. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a huge fan of change.
Yet, when we protect ourselves from change, we’re saying no to God and yes to a life that leaves us unmotivated and directionless. Let’s pause for a second and give that another look. You are accepting an invitation at any given moment, but are you saying yes to whims, desires, and random paths? Or are you accepting God’s invitation to your purposed, powerful faith story?
I can think of several times when I let fear override my faith. I said yes to my insecurities and worries instead of God’s strength and certainty. Has this happened to you? Maybe you felt God leading you to say yes to Him, yet you didn’t go out for a play, you held back from introducing yourself to a new girl at school, or you resisted telling a guy you like about your faith. Every day has chances like these to step forward in God’s leading, but we have to be prepared and ready to notice these opportunities from Him. When we are prepared and we do step out in faith, He will bless our yes!
You’re Invited…
to Attend God’s Surprise Party for You
WHAT:
The party you don’t want to miss! This is a gathering of God’s best for you…love, grace, hope, promises, and the joy of His wonder and will. All the great surprises of faith.
WHEN:
This moment. Forget the excuses. Get ready for something extraordinary.
WHERE:
On the other side of the door. Don’t hesitate. Open the door. God and the incredible surprises of the yes journey are waiting for you.
WHAT TO BRING:
Everything is provided…so leave behind all that is ordinary. You’ll want to be able to receive the extraordinary gifts God has chosen just for you.
How to Make HIStory
I love the word “history” because when we break it down we see that it means “His story.” Your personal history might have times of pain or trouble. There might be moments of sadness or loneliness. And your past might be littered with some mistakes, but God is a God of transformation. He uses each and every part of your history and present to make an extraordinary new story.
As I’ve spoken to a lot of young women from around the country, I’ve been saddened to discover how many miss out on the most exciting part of being a Christian—experiencing God and experiencing their extraordinary story through Him. This is the great gift of being a Christian. The gift isn’t about perfection or becoming the most popular person in school because you are blessed. The gift is being able to live out your extraordinary story with and through God’s amazing love. It’s incredible.
Those who say they want more in their Christian life are often looking outside of their personal relationship with God for the secret. They want their church, their pastor, or someone or something else to be the missing piece. These supports can make your faith stronger, but it is your one-on-one experience with God that changes everything.
You and I are on our way to recognizing and experiencing what that “more” can look like. It’s a relationship with God that allows us to
know His voice
live in expectation of His activity
embrace a life totally sold out for Him
I suspect you desire such closeness with God. This fulfillment of this desire is real and amazing. And this incredible adventure starts with the wild willingness to say yes.
In today’s world, it is radical to obey God’s commands, listen to the Holy Spirit’s convictions, and walk in Jesus’ character. And we’ll experience the amazing blessings God has in store for us when we speak that big, freeing “Yes, Lord.” This response to God’s call, His requests, and His hope for us will lead to a great, unforgettable faith story.
Don’t stumble over the fear you won’t be perfect and you’ll likely mess up. Saying yes to God isn’t about perfect performance, but rather perfect surrender to the Lord day by day. It’s about experiencing the full blessing of God by giving your full attention to God when He asks you to trust Him. It’s having the overwhelming desire to walk in the center of His will at every moment. The life of yes happens when you hear God, feel His nudges, participate in His activity, and experience His blessings in ways few people ever do.
The God of the universe wants to use you in great ways. Are you ready?
There is only one requirement for this adventure. We have to set our rules and agendas aside—our dos and don’ts—and follow God’s command. His one requirement is so simple and yet so profound: Say yes to Me. That’s it. That is the entire Bible, Old Testament and New, hundreds of pages, thousands of verses, all wrapped up in those four words.
God’s Word for You
Psalm 19:7-10 says,
The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries (msg).
What does this passage tell you about God’s nature?
Which of these promises are ones you really needed to hear right now? Why?
Read Deuteronomy 6:5. What might loving God with your heart, soul, and strength look like in your daily life?
Psalm 16:7-9 says,
I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
Describe how these verses ease your worries or concerns.
Living Y.E.S. (Your Extraordinary Story)
Have you ever felt God leading you to do something? How did you respond?
What holds you back from going deeper in your relationship with God? Time? Intimidation? Doubt about the Bible’s relevance to life? Worry about what others will say? Fear that God will let you down like people have? Write down which of these or other barriers come between you and an extraordinary faith right now.
How might God’s love counter these obstacles?
Why are you ready now to experience God’s great surprises for you?
In this chapter we read, “Being a young woman who says yes to God is about trusting Him even when you can’t understand why He requires some of the things He does. It also means that once you’ve said yes to God, you refuse to turn back, even when things get hard.”
List two ways you want to trust God by saying yes to Him this week.
1.
2.
What title would you give your extraordinary story?
Yes Prayer
Your extraordinary story unfolds each time you listen to God and follow His leading. Here is a prayer to lead you to each of God’s sweet surprises for you.
Dear God, I am putting away all my excuses so I can fully celebrate who You are and who I am in You. Thank You for adopting me as Your child and loving me unconditionally. I want to grow closer to You as I trust You more completely. I know You will ask me to grow and to move outside of my comfort zone, but with Your strength and help, I’m ready to experience my extraordinary story. I say yes to You with great joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."
"Trouble's coming." Harriet Kirk looked up from the crate of dishes she was packing. Though Jake's words were ominous, her brother's voice held a note of glee, as if he welcomed the visitor.
Tomorrow's Garden by Amanda Cabot
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're
eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter
Thomas Nelson-June 4, 2013
About the Book
Madison’s heart has been closed for years. But one summer can change everything.
In the years since her twin brother’s tragic drowning, Madison has struggled with her ability to trust God—or anyone else, for that matter. It was her brother’s dream to win the annual River Sail Regatta in their small harbor town of Chapel Springs, Indiana. And Madison’s determined to honor his legacy by making his dream her own. Maybe then she can finally find closure.
But learning to sail means learning to swim. And her instructor is Beckett O’Reilly, a man who already has two strikes against him in Madison's eyes. Being on the water terrifies Madison. But Beckett’s calming presence and unwavering confidence eases her fear. And as much as she’d like to deny it, the chemistry between them is electrifying.
As her feelings for him grow, a fledging faith begins to take root in her soul, as well. With Beckett, Madison feels alive for the first time in years –carefree and confident she can win the regatta, maybe even find love.
But Beckett harbors a secret that will test the limits of their love and the depth of Madison's faith. Will their love survive summer's challenge? And will achieving her brother's dream give Madison the peace she desperately seeks?
Why I Want It
This is such a cool story idea and has the potential to be amazing! Also I've loved all of this author's books I've read! Title is great too!
MY THOUGHTS: After reading The Chase last year and loving it I have been excitedly waiting for my chance to read this book and I was quite happy to have the chance to review it. Unfortunately this book didn't reach the awesomeness of the first book. I still really enjoyed it, it just wasn't as good. At the end of The Chase Tigo and Kariss's relationship hadn't fully blossomed into a romance so I thought that this book would take place shortly after that with their romance fully blooming. But I was really wrong. It's about a year later and they have had a relationship, broken it off and are now barely speaking to each other. While this worked well for the story it left me feeling slightly robbed of that time. The only other problems with that I had were a few occasions of too much detail and the obsessive mentioning of Tigo's Buzz Lightyear fascination. And now that I've gotten that off my chest I can talk about what I did like! The plot of this book was really cool with some interesting twists added that made for a read that you didn't want to put down (I read it in practically two sittings). I once again enjoyed Tigo and Kariss's characters as well as the returning secondary characters from The Chase, such as Tigo's partner Ryan, Kariss's sister Vicki, and Special Agent in Charge Linc. All in all I really liked this book and would recommend it though you should read book one first! ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010.
DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops.
Kariss meets Dr. Amy Garrett, who survived a brutal childhood attack in which the assailant was never found. Now Dr. Garrett wants her story written in a novel. Kariss wishes she could seek the advice of Special Agent Tigo Harris, but she broke off the relationship a few months prior and seeing him again would be too painful. She interviews Amy and conducts her own research, stepping unaware into a viper's pit of danger. Tigo misses Kariss and wants her back, but he understands why she broke off their relationship. Instead, he concentrates on solving a car bombing and bringing the killer to justice. As Kariss's new story attracts an onslaught of danger that she never expected, can Tigo save the woman he loves and find who wants her dead for writing about an unsolved cold-case?
If you would like to read the first chapter of The Survivor, go HERE.
This is supposed to be books I recommend the most but I tend to recommend authors more so I figured I'd do that, and then say which series/book is my favorite or I think should be read first!
#1. Susan May Warren-Team Hope Series
#2. Mary Connealy-Lassoed in Texas Series
#3. Lisa T. Bergren-River of Time Series
#4. Dee Henderson-The O'Malley Series
#5. Jenny B. Jones-The Charmed Life Series
#6. Karen Witemeyer-Short-Straw Bride
#7. Irene Hannon-Guardians of Justice Series
#8. Cathy Marie Hake-Fancy Pants
#9. Ronie Kendig-Discarded Heroes Series
#10. Jody Hedlund-The Doctor's Lady
Pretty good week of reading! I'm still not quite caught up but I really hope I can rectify that before the end of the month! I enjoyed all of these books by When A Heart Stops was by far my favorite! What I am currently reading:
Tomorrow's Garden is really good so far (I'm halfway) and I've barely started the other two! What I hope to read this week:
I'm really excited to read all of these books! Especially Duchess and The Fairest Beauty!
Every week Kathy from I Am A Reader Not A Writer posts five questions from her author interview lists and asks us to answer them.
What is the kindest thing anyone has done for you?
My brain isn't coming up with any grand thing that could be considered the "kindest" thing anyone has done but rather I keep thinking of the little things. Picking up a McDonald's Sweet Tea for me since they know I love them. Sending me a book that I really want. Paying for my part of a bill. Taking large portions of time out of their schedule simply to spend it with me. Doing some of my chores for me. Picking up one of my favorite snacks at the store for me just because. Listening to me ramble about the book I'm reading or show I'm watching even though they have no clue what I'm talking about. And the list could go on forever. It's those seemingly small things that mean the most!
What is most memorable about your high school years?
Being homeschooled doesn't leave a lot of really big "school" memories. But I'd say the most memorable parts of that time were are super cool AWANA group and the mission trip to Mexico.
Have you ever gotten up early for a "black Friday sale"?
Yes. Not crazy early but earlier than I normally would.
Were you named after anyone?
Sorta. My name was just gonna be Abby but my mom had a friend named Gayle so she named me Abigail. I really don't like it though so I go by Abbi. And my middle name which I abhor was given to me since it's my aunt who was born in the same month's middle name. Not telling you what it is though since it's a closely guarded secret!
Would you bungee jump, skydive or something similar?
Probably not!
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
Books to Review
The Survivor by DiAnn Mills
A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund
Stress Test by Richard L. Mabry, M.D.
The Scent of Lilacs by Ann H. Gabhart
Rescuing Hope by Susan Norris
Books I Bought
Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T. Begren (bought with my gift card)
Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson (bought with my gift card)
Inside Story by Susan Page Davis
The Relucatant Cowgirl by Christine Lynxwiler
Kindle Books
To Rise Above by Julianne Jones
Dandelions on the Wind by Mona Hodgeson
Tempest in the White City by Deeanne Gist
God Built by Steve Farrar
UNSEEN by John Michael Hileman
Prairie by Chautona Havig
Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer
The Calling of Emily Evans by Janette Oke
Distant Dreams by Judith Pella
Beautiful Bandit by Loree Lough
Tangled Ashes by Michèle Phoenix
For Keeps by Chautona Havig
Clockwork Blue by Gloria Harchar
Trauma Plan by Candace Calvert
Molly Lovelace dreams of being a society leader in 1879 Lockhart, Texas, but being smitten with handsome wrangler Bailey Garner doesn't seem the quickest route. If only he would settle down so he could support a family.
Bailey imagines doing great things for God, but his greatest obstacle is Molly. As long as he thought they'd be married, he excused their stolen kisses, but when she keeps refusing, he vows to earn her love. In town, he tries his hand at several different trades, but everywhere he turns he runs into the mysterious stranger Edward Pierrepont. No surprise that Molly's always making calf eyes at the wealthy adventurer.
As pressure from Molly's parents grows she is forced into a hasty decision. Had she weighed all her options and will she find love in the balance?
My Thoughts
After reading this author's first book, Sixty Acres and a Bride, last year I was super excited for the chance to review the second book in the series. I have to say the story went in a rather different direction than I was expecting, which was a really good thing since from the synopsis I was expecting your typical love triangle. And while those can be interesting I really liked how the author really made it unique. In the previous book Molly really came across as the spoiled girl wanting to nab a rich husband, but it was cool to get into her head this time. And I really appreciated how the author didn't just suddenly make her this perfect heroine but rather explained what made her who she was and then slowly made her into a better person. Bailey was...well I tried to come up with a word but couldn't. He was stuck in the awful place of wanting/needing to please/help everyone without being able to and also trying to figure out what God wanted him to do. So over all you really admired him but then you wished he could just ignore everyone else and just have everything perfect between him and Molly. But that wouldn't have been half as much of an amazing story. Molly's parents made me so mad, they always looked down on Molly and constantly belittled her. I don't know how she took it for so long. And then there were the townspeople with their holier-than-thou attitudes-ugh! All in all though this was a beautifully woven, slightly complex, awesome story that I highly recommend!
About the Author
Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
A copy of Regina's Sixty Acres and a Bride and Love in the Balance
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Love in the Balance" Author Chat Party on April 4th. Connect with Regina, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be many fun giveaways -- gift certificates, books, and more!
So grab your copy of Love in the Balance and join Regina on the evening of April 4th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!
What are the top 5 books you would grab in an emergency?
My Answer:
I have always hated this question because I really couldn't pick but if I had to take 5 books with me right now I would pick five that I haven't read yet, but can't wait to read!
Duchess by Susan May Warren
Vanished by Irene Hannon
A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson
The Survivor by DiAnn Mills
"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."
The pew creaked as another sinner rose to unburden her troubled soul. Molly Lovelace twisted around on the slick wooden bench, bunching her tiered skirt against her mother's, and watched as Louise Bradford stood. Bother. As if she had anything interesting to confess.
Love in the Balance by Regina Jennings
My Thoughts
Not bad for a beginning. In these few short sentences we are already given a decent look at our heroine. Tiered skirt implies a bit wealthier than your everyday girl, she's attending church so you can guess at her religious views and from her thoughts you get a glimpse of her humor. All in all a decent start!
My Thoughts
I loved this book as much, if not more than, this author's first book! When I read Wildflowers from Winter, I really liked Robin's character so I was very happy to discover that she was getting her own book. After all she went through she needed a happy ending! After reading the synopsis I was a little sure of whether or not I would enjoy the plot but I still knew I wanted to read it and I'm very glad I did! The thing that worried me most was the whole conflict of buying/not selling the cafe. I was afraid that I would be siding with one of them and getting irritated with the other for not just giving in. But the author did an amazingly awesome job of giving them both legitimate reasons that left you wanting them both to win! Which of course left another whole problem that was also handled really well I just can't tell you how with out spoiling the end!
I really liked the characters of this story. As I said I already really liked Robin's character and this book only improved my opinion. I loved how she stepped out of herself and her grief to help others who were going through similar things. Ian was great too and even though at first he seemed to be the opposite of who you'd expect for Robin to be with he turned out to be perfect for her. I really appreciated his integrity throughout the whole situation and his desire to do the right thing for everyone. All of the other characters were fun as well and it was especially cool to revisit the ones we met in WfW. To summarize this was a beautiful and emotional story that I highly recommend!
About the Author
Katie Ganshert graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her husband and their young son. She is the author of Wildflowers from Winter.
I received an ARC of this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're
eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Trouble in Store by Carol Cox
Bethany House-June 1, 2013
About the Book
Fired from her most recent governess position, Melanie Ross must embrace her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. But Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile, and he's not about to let some obstinate woman with newfangled ideas mess up all he's worked for. He's determined to get Melanie married off as soon as possible, and luckily there are plenty of single men in town quite interested in taking her off his hands.
The problem is, Caleb soon realizes he doesn't want her to marry up with any of them. He's drawn to Melanie more every day, and he has to admit some of her ideas for the store unexpectedly offer positive results.
But someone doesn't want the store to succeed, and what used to be just threatening words has escalated into deliberate destruction and lurkers in the night. When a body shows up on the mercantile steps--and the man obviously didn't die from natural causes--things really get dangerous. Can Melanie and Caleb's business--and romance--survive the trouble that's about to come their way?
Why I Want It
I really enjoyed this author's last book Love in Disguise and this one sounds like it'll be just as good!
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This one was supposed to be books that I HAD to buy but most of my books are ones that I got as gifts, review books, or giveaway wins. And the ones that I bought are pretty much all ones that I found for a couple dollars and wanted to read but wasn't desperate for so the HAD to buy wasn't really appropriate.
#1. The Preacher's Bride by Laurie Kingery
#2. The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen
#3. Tomorrow's Garden by Amanda Cabot
#4. Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz
#5. Love on A Dime by Cara Lynn James
#6. Love on Assignment by Cara Lynn James
#7. The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter
#8. Rekindled by Tamera Alexander
#9. The Reluctant Cowgirl by Christine Lynxwiler
#10. Cowgirl at Heart by Christine Lynxwiler
Yeah in case it wasn't obvious I came nowhere near the 7 books I was supposed to have done. I ended up being busier than I thought and wasn't able to fit them in. What I am currently reading:
Halfway through the two fiction books and they are both really good! Still enjoying gods at war as well! What I hope to read this week:
Every week Kathy from I Am A Reader Not A Writer posts five questions from her author interview lists and asks us to answer them.
What was the last thing that made you cry?
Doctor Who-end of season four-enough said!
What chore do you absolutely hate doing?
Oh so many but I'd have to say ironing is the worst!
What is your favorite form of exercise?
None whatsoever would be my favorite but if I had to pick-even though I've never done it-I'd say a treadmill so that I could do two things at once!
What is your current desktop picture?
The Avengers but I'm in the process of picking a Doctor Who one to replace it!
You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?
Time to take a seat on the director's chair! If you could turn one of your favorite books into a film, who would you cast?
My Answer:
I decided to try to cast one of my favorite series of all time, The River of Time Series. I tend to not be the best at actually imagining characters in my head so forgive me if the actors I pick don't match what you were thinking. Also I can't exactly vouch for the actual acting ability of all four of these but they just look like what I imagined! If you have a better pick I'd love to know who so leave your opinion in the comments!
"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."
If she moved, would she die? Serena Hopkins kept her eyes shut and lay as still as possible in the king-sized bed, doing her best to keep her breathing even.
When A Heart Stops by Lynette Eason
My Thoughts
Great attention grabbing start! I loved it and immediately dived in for more. Lynette Eason does not disappoint when it comes to suspense!
About the Book The Powerful, Epic Romance Continues, Book 2 in Lisa T. Begren's Grand Tour series
For Cora Kensington, the journey of a lifetime takes unexpected twists. And her future-her very life-depends on the decisions she'll make at each crossroad. As her European tour with her newfound family takes her through Austria, France, and Italy, an unseen enemy trails close behind. Meanwhile, a forbidden love continues to claim her heart, putting everyone's plans in danger.
And as Cora stays one step ahead of it all, what might need the most protection is her own heart, torn between the dramatic pursuit of a dashing Frenchman and a man who has been quietly staking claim to her affections all along. Love has dangers all its own. She must escape the bonds of the past and discover the faith to make the right choices, as each one has grave consequences.
Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/i8ZWs
My Thoughts
I loved this second installment in the Grand Tour Series even more than the first! I loved the different settings as the group continued their trek across Europe, and since history is my favorite subject I really enjoyed reading about some of the history behind the places they visited. I once again enjoyed the characters and it was cool to see the relationships of the group grow. Cora's relationship with one of the group reminded me of a similar relationship in my life and it made me smile! Cora grew a lot in this book and it was neat to see. Will was by far my favorite character! I love how much of a gentleman he is and his love for Cora is so sweet! There were many unexpected twists and turns in this book that kept you guessing until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for book three, Glittering Promises, which releases in October.
About the Author
Lisa T. Bergren is the award-winning author of over thirty-five books, with more than 2 million copies sold. A former publishing executive, Lisa now divides her time between writing, editing, parenting three children with her husband, Tim, and dreaming of her next trip to Italy. She lives in Colorado Springs.
Visit http://lisatawnbergren.com
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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#1. Susan May Warren-Team Hope Series 
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