Hope for a Broken World by Alexis A. Goring

Hope for a Broken World

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

There’s a song that Andrew Peterson leads a choir in singing, and it is simply breathtaking! The SONG is titled, “Is He Worthy?”

Here’s my paraphrase of the song lyrics: The world that we live in is broken! It can be very dark but that will never stop God’s Light from breaking through! Deep in our hearts, we yearn for our planet to be made new. All of God’s Creation is crying out in pain. We need our Creator to rescue us.

But there is hope because God already put in place a plan to rescue us from this sin-ridden planet. Read John 3:16. He sent His Son (Jesus Christ) to show us the way to Heaven. Jesus was born as a baby (Yes the Christmas story is REAL) in the town of Bethlehem (which is located in the Middle East) to a virgin mother named Mary (it was a miracle) who was engaged to marry a kind man named Joseph. Mary raised Jesus and taught him about His true identity as the Son of God. From the start, Jesus loved spending time in His Father’s House (the temple or synagogue or what we in the USA call “church”). He was devoted to God, rose early in the morning to not only pray to God but to take time to hear Him and get strength for the journey.

Jesus was on a special mission that only He could accomplish: Put the plan of salvation in place to save the souls of humankind. This meant that Jesus, after His ministry on Earth was complete, had to die. He was crucified on the Cross of Calvary (as Christians call it), which is, according to PBS.org, “a spot outside Jerusalem called Golgotha.”

But He didn’t stay in the tomb. After three days, He rose again! Read Luke 24 (in The Holy Bible) for the full story. After seeing the people who He loved while he ministered on Earth, He went home to Heaven to see His Father (God) and serve as the Mediator between God and mankind. To this day, Jesus is still serving as our Mediator and Ultimate Advocate! He is our High Priest. The Bible says that He is able to sympathize with everything we go through here on Earth (Hebrews 4:15) because He’s been through it too! Only He did not sin.

Best of all, He is coming back to take His faithful followers home to Heaven! When? Only God knows the time (Matthew 24:36). All we need to do is to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and then follow Him. The Bible says that as believers in God, we have a “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:16-20) to tell the world about Jesus! It is our duty as Christians to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with every person we meet. Just because we do not know the exact date and time when Jesus is coming back to take us home, that’s not an excuse for us to not live like we’re on fire for God! The time is now to tell the world about Jesus! Tomorrow is not promised to anyone so don’t waste a minute!

If you had discovered the cure to cancer, would you keep it to yourself? No! Of course not! You’d tell the scientists, doctors, family, friends, the news media, and the entire world! Why? Because your discovery has the power to save lives!

Well, my dear friends, may I remind you that followers of Jesus Christ have “discovered” the “Good News” which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! And in that gospel is the truth that Jesus can save your soul! In that Gospel is the promise of eternity for all who give their life to Christ! In that Gospel is the message of HOPE for all the hurting hearts in this broken world! In that Gospel is the revelation of God who loves you, me, and all of humanity with all of His heart (1 John 4:16). In that Gospel are glimpses of the beauty beyond compare of our Heavenly Home (1 Corinthians 2:9). Best of all, in that Gospel is a roadmap of how to make it from Earth to Heaven (John 14:6). Someone once said that the B.I.B.L.E. (acronym for The Bible) means “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.”

Dearest of hearts, don’t you want to see your Lord and Savior break through those clouds to rescue you and all of His children, wake your loved ones who lived for Him from their sleep of death in the grave, change our original, earthly bodies from mortal to immortal heavenly bodies (1 Corinthians 15:52) and take us on the ultimate journey that is completely free of charge (journeying from Earth to Heaven)?

There is so much hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Won’t you share it?

Now let’s return to my mention of that song, “Is He Worthy?” by Andrew Peterson and take one more look at my paraphrase of it. I’d like to simply say that only Jesus Christ is “worthy” to save us because He completed His rescue mission when He conquered the grave. He didn’t stay dead! He lives! We serve a Risen Savior who is very active in our world today!

So don’t lose hope! Always know and remember the beautiful truth that God is Real, God loves you and He is coming again to rescue His children!

In closing, I’d like for you to listen to one more song, “Rescue” by Lauren Daigle.

Remember that you have Hope! His Name is Jesus (Christ).

About Alexis: Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.

Soul Surgery and Thanksgiving by Gail Kittleson

A RE-RELEASE FROM 

Author Gail Kittleson

IS

Soul Surgery and Thanksgiving

~And a Giveaway~

Don’t you love it when life fits what’s happening in a book you’re reading? In the World War II novel I’m re-releasing, my heroine Addie faces “soul surgery,” and caring for a loved one with sudden-onset dementia, I can relate. So on this Thanksgiving, what am I thankful for?

We want to learn and grow, and ask God to change us. But then we must let go of trying to control the outcome. As we feel torn apart, the perceived results may seem impossible to accept, and our goal becomes keeping ourselves from crawling off the altar. 

IN TIMES LIKE THESE

Addie experiences this in her struggles with her husband Harold, who takes out his anger on her when the county draft board refuses to call him up for duty. Living out her mother’s victim posture in response to her father’s selfish choices and neglect, Addie believes she must be doing something to cause Harold’s verbal abuse and prays to be changed.

She doesn’t ask to become a stronger woman or to believe she’s as lovable as everyone says—her best friend Kate, her neighbor down the road, her former teacher, and even her mother-in-law. She doesn’t ask for the Allies to lose their first battles after the Pearl Harbor attack, which only heightens Harold’s fury.

And she certainly doesn’t ask for the courage to stand up to her own personal bully—that’s the farthest thing from her mind. But soul surgery gradually alters her perspective and takes her to places she’d never dreamed. If you’ve ever dealt with a holier-than-thou egomaniac who couches brutish behavior in religious phrases, you’ll cheer for her.

You’ll also journey with Kate as she encourages Addie while searching London for her downed RAF pilot husband, and enjoy the lost art of letter writing. And you’ll see both young women’s gratitude for the little things in life.

My new cover graphics and the release date (scheduled for December) have yet to arrive, but I’ll issue an update on my blog www.gailkittleson.com as soon as I hear. Like many things, it’s out of my hands, but I’m giving thanks anyhow!

About Gail: An Iowa farm girl, Gail Kittleson earned her MA in Teaching English As A Second Language and taught ESL and college expository writing. After publishing a memoir, the World War II bug bit her, resulting in seven Women of The Heartland novels. 

Gail’s husband shares her delight in historical research, their grandchildren and gardening in Northern Iowa.

 The desire to increase appreciation for the tremendous sacrifices made for our freedom motivates Gail’s writing and her book talks. She loves cheering other writers through facilitating workshops, does some freelance editing, and leads women’s programs and retreats.

  

You may connect with Gail on Facebook and discover more about her books at www.gailkittleson.com or on amazon.com. 

Giveaway! Gail would like to offer one free e-copy of the new In Times Like These to one commenter. Giveaway runs for one week, ending next Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at Midnight O'clock Central time. To enter, just leave your name and contact information below so we can contact you should you be our winner.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read, and thanks to you, Peggy, for allowing me to share.

And thank you, Gail, for being my guest today. 

Melody at Midnight, a devotional by Alexis A. Goring

Melody at Midnight

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

God speaks to me through Contemporary Christian and Black Gospel music.

I always know He’s sent me a message through song because often it’s a song that I’ve heard before but all of a sudden, certain lyrics stand out to me.

These are always the lyrics that speak directly to my current situation, lyrics that didn’t mean the same profound truth or provide the much-needed deep comfort as they did when I first listened to the song years in the past.

Sometimes, God sends devotional ideas by highlighting lyrics to the songs. Such is the case with today’s devotional. The title I gave it is borrowed from a lyric from Kirk Franklin’s song, “Why We Sing.”

Somehow, though I’ve heard this song countless times before, this part really stood out to me earlier this November 2019. It’s the line where Franklin declares: “You’re my melody at midnight, Jesus!”

Instantly, my mind began to expound on that line in ways it never had before, and I knew that God wanted me to write this devotional.

Here’s what I realized from that one line: No matter how dark trails in life may be, Jesus Christ is by your side and gives your heart a sweet song to sing! Why? Because you have HOPE when you have HIM in your life! Following Jesus Christ will propel you into the promise of eternal life after human history ends and He returns to take His faithful followers home to Heaven.

Earlier this week, one of my author friends (AngelaRuth Strong) shared that she was recently diagnosed with cancer. It’s a disease that runs in her family so she knew it might be a challenge that she’d face one day but in no stretch of the imagination did she think that it would happen so soon! She’s not near old age yet. But the doctors confirmed that she has breast cancer.

Angela is married to the man of her dreams named Jim and has three young adult children from her marriage to her first husband. She wants to see her children graduate from college, and she wants to be present for each child when they get married. This is definitely a dark time for Angela, but she’s surrounded by the love and support of her family and friends. But most importantly, she’s being held by her Maker (God) who is carrying her through this uncertain time.

As I close this devotional, I’d like to encourage you to listen to the song “Why We Sing” and I’d like to invite you to pray for Angela.

Finally, I’d like to encourage you to remember that Jesus Christ wants to be your “melody at midnight.” No matter how dark and challenging the trails of life are, you always have hope when God is in the picture … and the good news is that God is always in the picture!

Be encouraged, sweet friends.

Love,

Alexis

About Alexis: 

Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ. 

Nancy Naigle and her Hallmark Movie

 It's Timeless Thursday! And today, I'm excited to have the USA Today bestseller author Nancy Naigle here! 

You may remember my interview with her here a week or so ago. (http://bit.ly/2pJ30HS)  This time, she's going to tell us all about her novel-made-into-a-movie-made-into-a HALLMARK Christmas movie!

So, let's get started! Talk to us, Nancy!

Hey, y’all. Nancy Naigle from North Carolina here, and what I love most about Timeless Thursday is that it made me pause and make the time to think about my past. Sometimes this life we live is in fast forward and we forget to pause to appreciate all those old memories we have stockpiled away.

I’ve created an online jigsaw puzzle of the movie poster for my book-to-movie HOPE AT CHRISTMAS. Click on the link below to try your hand at the puzzle. Post your time below the completed puzzle! I’ll admit this little 80-piece puzzle took me a lot longer than I expected, but it was a nice relaxing way to start the day.

http://bit.ly/35pmeBH

My Timeless Thursday moment is HOPE AT CHRISTMAS. The novel released in 2017, but a year ago this week the movie based on that novel premiered on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries as part of their Miracles of Christmas holiday programming. It was so exciting to see Scottie Thompson and Ryan Paevey (Yes! From General Hospital, and Mr. Darcy, no less!) bring Sydney, Kevin and the quaint town of Hopewell, NC to life. The Book Bea was as quaint and special as I’d dreamed. If you’re already a reader of my novels then you probably noticed a lot of my books in the background in the store. Bea actually comes right out recommends Christmas Joy to a customer. I had no idea they were going to do that.

I spent a week on set in Vancouver watching them shoot this movie. They even had a director’s chair with my name on it. That was mind-boggling. For me? Really? I was so impressed by the huge team that worked on this movie. They worked long hours through a rainy week, but there was never a short temper or grimace to be seen. It truly felt like living in a Hallmark movie for the week.  

The movie was great, but of course it’s hard to fit a 90,000-word novel into a 20,000-word screenplay for television, so the book and the movie are different. If you loved the Hallmark movie, then I think you’re going to really love the book where more characters are introduced, there’s a whole new character arc for Kevin who is a single dad in the book, and the ending is different. So, enjoy both! Hope at Christmas is available in print, digital and audio formats at all your local eTailers and can still be found in some stores beside my latest release, Christmas Angels.

Catch HOPE AT CHRISTMAS on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

:

          THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21 5:00 AM

·         MONDAY NOVEMBER 25 3:00 PM

·         TUESDAY DECEMBER 3 11:00 AM

·         FRIDAY DECEMBER 6 7:00 PM

·         THURSDAY DECEMBER 12 9:00 AM

·         MONDAY DECEMBER 23 5:00 AM

Sign up for my newsletter at www.NancyNaigle.com to stay in the loop on new movies, giveaways and book releases. Grab free downloads from BEYOND A BLOG on the website too.

Hugs and Happy Thursday,

Nancy

Millie's Christmas, by Kathy McKinsey, w/Giveaway

MILLIE’S CHRISTMAS

by Kathy McKinsey 

When my kids were little, I loved reading and telling them stories. However, I mostly write for adults, women’s fiction.

Several years ago, I wanted a project to motivate myself to write every day. It was December, so I thought I’d write a Christmas story.

I remembered a story I’d written years ago about a family of dogs. My daughter Rebecca liked it; why not write a story told by a kitten?

I had no idea when I started where this piece was going. But soon, God gifted me with this sweet family story about a kitten, her mama, her friend the family dog, and her family, which, like most families, had some problems.

I wanted to emphasize that Jesus’ coming into the world is what Christmas is all about, and I wanted to remind readers of Jesus’ love.

For children who may be going through sad times at Christmas, I wanted to show that Jesus is always close, even during troubles.

This is a fun story with a lovable family and lively pets. I believe people of any age can enjoy Millie’s Christmas.

  

Ruthie says Millie will love Christmas. Ruthie is Millie’s best friend, so she’s sure Ruthie’s right, but why does Millie keep finding Ruthie and her brother Jake crying?

Millie, an orange kitten, shares about her first Christmas. Her best friend Ruthie, six years old, teaches Millie about Christmas—food, decorations, music, presents, and Jesus!

Millie’s friend Bruce, the family dog, also helps her celebrate Christmas, and sometimes gets her in trouble.

When Ruthie’s big brother Jake breaks his ankle, Millie learns about sad things, like divorce, when Jake can’t visit his mommy for Christmas. Millie watches Ruthie’s family love each other through the sadness, and find joy in Christmas.

Kathy McKinsey grew up on a pig farm in Missouri, and although she’s lived in cities for nearly 40 years, she still considers herself a farm girl.

She’s been married to Murray for 32 years, and they have five adult children.

She’s had two careers before writing—stay-at-home-Mom and rehabilitation teacher for the blind.

She lives in Lakewood, Ohio with her husband and two of her children. Besides writing, she enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille transcribing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with the cat and dog.

Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com

https://www.kathymckinsey.com

https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey

https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey

https://www.amazon.com/Millies-Christmas-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07YTF53KT


https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Tears-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07P92QZPJ

About the Giveaway:  Kathy is generously offering to give away one eBook copy of Millie's Christmas to one of my readers. This wonderful book would make a great Christmas give to a child on your Christmas list! Entering is easy. Just leave a comment below with your NAME and CONTACT info (so we can notify you if you win) and you'll be entered in a random drawing. Giveaway ends one week from today on Wednesday, November 27, at Midnight O'Clock Central time.  

Kings and Kingdoms ~ Alexis A. Goring ~ Faithful Friday

Kings and Kingdoms

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

— Matthew 24:35 (NKJV)

It was a normal Saturday morning. Except, I didn’t feel like going to church.

I was tired from the week of work and wanted to rest. Another reason why I wanted to stay home was that the weather was too cold for my taste. It felt like the perfect reason to stay home, cozied with a warm blanket and my plush pillow. Sleeping in until the early afternoon sounded good to me!

However, God prompted me to go. Our pastor often says that you’re on time for work because they give you a paycheck; why can’t you be on time for church because the Creator of the Universe, who enabled you to get that job, wants to meet with you?

So I dragged myself out of bed and began the process of getting ready to go to church. I arrived just in time for the worship service. As I walked in and sat in one of the cushioned chairs, the praise team leader was pausing in her performance to make the congregation really think about the lines in the song they’d been singing as I walked in.

The song was “There’s Something About That Name.” Growing up, I heard it so many times before but on that Sabbath morning as an adult, it really resonated with me, especially the lyrics that the praise team leader was emphasizing that day. She said, “Listen to this verse: Kings and kingdoms will all pass away/But there’s something about that name!”

Suddenly, everything clicked! I had what educators call a “teachable moment” because I realized that all of my hopes, dreams, and plans for my life were what Clay Crosse in his song “I Surrender All,” calls “temporary kingdoms on foundations made of sand.”

More than that, I realized that all of the most beautiful, wealthy and influential real estate or kingdoms of this world will pass away but the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ and God Himself still stands!

God always existed and He will always continue to exist (Isaiah 43:10)! He cannot be shaken from His Throne nor can His kingdom be destroyed. His authority, sovereignty and endless heart of compassion for humanity will last forever!

No one can kill Him. No one can make Him not be God! He is the Ultimate Authority. The most wonderful Heavenly Father. He is the King of a Kingdom that is good, just, beyond beautiful and will never stop existing!

The Bible says that the streets in Heaven are made of gold (Revelation 21:21)! It also says that the glory of God and Jesus Christ (the Lamb of God), lights the Heavenly City. (Revelation 21:23). It also says that there will no more pain, sickness and death in Heaven. (Revelation 21:4). And the Bible also admonishes followers of Jesus Christ to remember that Earth is NOT our home. (Hebrews 13:14)!

We are pilgrims passing through this planet (Hebrews 11:13)! So don’t get too attached to the kings and kingdoms of this world. Place your trust in God (Psalm 118:8), not mankind. Put your hope in Him!

You can trust God with your very life and soul. After all, God loves you so much that He sent His Son (Jesus Christ) to rescue you from the king of this world (the devil) and give you the opportunity to save your soul (John 3:16) in His Kingdom so that when human history on this Earth ends, you can have hope of an eternity spent with Him!

Yes, we have some pretty impressive and awe-inspiring places here on this planet but none of it compares to what awaits all those who follow Jesus to Heaven! The Bible says that, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV). All manmade kingdoms and human-led establishments will pass away, but God’s Kingdom will last forever!

Remember these Bible-based truths: God is Good! He is the only true living God. He loves you with ALL of His Heart and He wants to spend eternity with you! That’s why He sent His Son (Jesus Christ) to save your soul. Now all you have to do is to accept Christ into your life, believe in God and follow Him all the way to Heaven.

In closing, I’d like to share this song, “I Surrender All” by Clay Crosse.

God bless you, dear friends.

Love,

Alexis

About Alexis: Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.

When Art Mimics Life ~ It Really Is a Wonderful Life

WHEN ART MIMICS LIFE 

by Linda Rondeau

Please welcome author Linda Wood Rondeau as she shares the re-release of a book from her backlist now titled: It Really IS a wonderful life.

Welcome, Linda ...

I started writing after twenty-five years in the human services field. My first book, of course, was largely autobiographical. I soon discovered that I loved the art of storytelling and switched to writing fiction. But I struggled with deciding what kinds of stories I should fashion.

“Write what you know,” they told me.

What did I know?

I was a wife and a mom. I lived in a small town in Northern New York where winters were so cold the snow actually broke when stepped on. I knew about the complexities of human relationships. A victim of divorce, I knew the trauma of a broken home. As an active member of a local theater group, I knew how plays were produced.

And so, I put all this knowledge to work in my book, It Really IS a Wonderful Life, a somewhat autobiographical fiction.

Dorie’s journey to redefine herself after her husband’s death mirrors much of my experience following my divorce. I moved to my parent’s home in order to receive support as I raised three children on my own. The town of Midville mirrors my adopted home of Malone. Like Dorie, I struggled to make friends apart from my parents’ circle of acquaintances.

I joined a theater group in production for an Irish play, Juno and the Paycock, by Sean O’Casey. I managed to get a one-liner part. And like Dorie, I did publicity. That experience would change my life because I met the love of my life. And I also discovered a love of drama. As I became more active in my church and community, like Dorie, I began to see Malone as “my home” and not the place my parents lived.

Most importantly, like Dorie, I began to see my faith as second-hand, wisdom handed down from Christian grandparents, parents, pastors, and Sunday School teachers. I craved a faith that was truly my own.

We write what we know, not so much from head knowledge but from heart knowledge. The experiences that change and shape our lives dwell deep inside our being. This is the well from which writers draw.

About the book:

Midville newcomer and Iraq War widow, Dorie Fitzgerald, despises the frigid Adirondack wasteland that has now become her home. After twenty failed job interviews, she questions the wisdom of moving to be near her parents. Desperate to belong, she joins the local Community Theater, in production for It’s a Wonderful Life.

Jamey Sullivan has put his professional life on hold in order to run the family business and to help his ailing father. He signs on for Midville’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life, although he hopes to receive a Broadway casting call any day now.

When these two meet, they are instantly attracted to one another. However, ambition, demanding children, and a romantic rival threaten to squash their growing love for one another. Each must discover that the best things in life are found where your heart resides.

It Really is a Wonderful Life is set in the beautiful Adirondack mountains, a perfect backdrop for a Christmas romance.

Author Bio:

It Really IS a Wonderful Life is inspired by the author’s true experiences in a small town Community Theater. During her twenty years as an actor, producer, and director, the author met and married her best friend in life. The couple now reside in Hagerstown, Maryland, where they are actively involved with their local church ministries and spend time with their children and grandchildren. Most of Rondeau’s works reflect the beauty and friendliness of the northern Adirondack Region, where this book is set. Readers may connect with the author through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads. Follow the author's blog, Snark and Sensibility, on her website www.lindarondeau.com and signup for the author’s newsletters.

Buy links: 

• Paperback: https://amzn.to/2CNd05L   
• Ebook:  https://amzn.to/2rIOKQb 

Also, just released, A Christmas Prayer  A Country Music star, a newspaper journalist, and a 12-year-old autistic child each pray seemingly opposing Christmas prayers. How will God answer?

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