Friday, May 29, 2020

OUT OF THE FOG ~ Leslie L. McKee ~ Devotional ~ Faithful Friday

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Out of the Fog
A devotional By Leslie L. McKee

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Eph. 3:17-19 (NIV)

I woke up this morning to find a “fog alert” on my phone. Sure enough, when I looked out the window, I couldn’t see beyond the edge of my front porch. It reminded me of years ago when I used to work downtown in a large city.

I loved seeing the skyline as I approached the city by bus. I had to walk a number of blocks to get from the bus stop to my office building. I’m barely over 5 feet tall, and I was always in awe of the buildings around me. Their height was impressive. I enjoyed seeing them rise up into the sky before seemingly disappearing into the clouds. Some of the buildings had very distinct architecture, which I found helpful. I’m quite directionally challenged, so I would navigate with the assistance of some of the buildings. If I could see them in the distance, I knew I was headed in the right direction.
On foggy days, however, it was another story. The magnificent skyline changed. Sure, I logically knew the buildings were still there, but the view was totally different. Instead of looming, they now appeared short and cut off. Their benefit in my navigation suddenly disappeared. Things felt unfamiliar, and perhaps a bit scary, as I was now left to figure out the direction I needed to go by other means. I felt lost, even though I was in a place I had been in time and time again for over a year.
This challenge to navigate is somewhat similar to some people’s spiritual journeys.
1 Peter 2:25 states, “Once you were like sheep who wandered away.”
Without a shepherd leading the way, it’s easy for sheep to get lost. The same can be said of humans, as well. Just as I used those buildings to navigate, Christ-followers rely on their Shepherd to lead the way … and to help them find their way when they wander or get lost.
We may not always know which way to go or what step to take next … but the Lord does. His love, grace, and strength (and so much more!) are always available to us. He will provide clarity when we’re confused, peace when we’re anxious, and guidance when we feel lost.
He is with us … always … no matter how many foggy days we encounter along the way.

Dear Lord, thank You for your clarity, guidance, and love, which is deeper and wider and greater than anything we could ever encounter.

Author Leslie L. McKee

Friday, May 22, 2020

ONE MAY DAY ~ LoRee Peery ~ Faithful Friday


Hi, everybody, It's Faithful Friday here on Whispers in Purple and I'm delighted to present a thoughtful devotional offering from author LoRee Peery.

Enjoy.

One May Day

by LoRee Peery




I went out at 10 a.m. to pull a few daisies. And pulled a lot more than a “few.” I also yanked up sage that had spilled amongst rocks. Then I transplanted a pot of prolific moss rose. At 11:30, I felt the heat of the sun. It dawned on me that I wore no hat to protect the encroaching crow’s feet.

Bogey, our 90-pound yellow lab mix alerted that he needed a walk, so I scrubbed my hands and we had a romp.

Unleashing him, I recognized that my feet needed attention. Inside, I also readied writing materials related to my present project to work on while my feet soaked. I set a jug of sun tea on the porch, along with foot scrub tools, a towel, my work in progress, a pen and paper.

With the lavender foot salts, the pan, and soothing warm water just waiting for my tired feet, I slipped them into the scented soothing soak. I reached for my highlighter to mark research notes and specific topics on my printed pages. Stretched my fingers a bit farther because I was already reading, and…my pen rolled out of reach.

I also had no green highlighter.

My first thought: what do I do now?

Duh.

How long had it been since I did NOTHING but sit in the fresh air? I LOVE my home in the country. I inhaled the breeze, absorbed the birdsong concert, and smiled over two distant p’cawing peacocks as they called back and forth down the road. I feasted my eyes on glorious flowers along with the sun shining through cobalt and green glass decorating my rock gardens.

An epiphany struck. The Lord knew I NEEDED to do nothing but sit and concentrate on deep breathing. I was meant to listen to the God speak to my soul and count my blessings for longer than a few fleeting prayer words. I called up a song… let my mind go…

And wondered. When had I redeveloped the habit of always having something to read and/or a pen in my hand when I sit?

Prayer: Lord, forgive my multi-tasking, preoccupied busyness. Help me set everything aside and praise You. Help me concentrate on the life You have given me. I long to be still and know You are God. You are the Creator of a calm soul rather than inner turmoil of spiritual chaos. I ask that You remind me to rest in You. In Your Holy Name, amen.

 Nebraska country girl LoRee Peery writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective, focusing on the romance. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Historical, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother and great-, sister, friend, and author. 


Wednesday, May 20, 2020

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR LOREE PEERY ~ Repurposed ~ Giveaway


It's "What's New Wednesday" and Whispers in Purple is delighted to bring you author LoRee Perry who has graciously consented to answer some interview questions.


Welcome , LoRee. Thanks so much for agreeing to this interview.

 First, let’s talk about your writing. What sparks your creative juices when feeling drained?

Coffee and chocolate. Seriously, there are a variety of things that work. Prayer, soft music, watching the bird feeders, a short walk outside. Sometimes my brain is more drained than my body and even blanks. At those times, I’ll sit down and start typing “I don’t know what to write, I don’t know what to write; how do I know what happens next?” In other word, gibberish. Before long, just because my fingers are moving, I’m into the characters and they’re speaking/acting through my fingertips. Coffee and chocolate do work.

I’ll have to try that free-writing trick. And I do agree about the coffee.
How do you go about finding names for your characters?

I consult a go-to list of names. Then I make sure I haven’t used any of them in the past. Next, I check online and search for the meaning of the names as well as characteristics. If they’re listed in a book on my shelf, I’ll have a biblical meaning and a Bible verse to go with the character names.

Interesting. Now, let’s talk about you. When reading, what is your favorite genre?

Romantic suspense. There were old jokes about how the couple can fall in love so fast while running for their lives. All a reader has to do is put themselves in that position. If there are sparks, why not follow up on them if lives are threatened? After all, they may not see tomorrow. I have a long list of favorite authors in this genre, but I’ll just list a few that pop into my mind. H.L. Wegley, Sharee Stover, Tanya Stowe, Christy Barritt.

I just finished reading an H.L. Wegley book. Captivating.  
If you could travel to any time or place, where/when would it be? Why?

I lost my desire to go to Israel or Europe quite a while ago. Virtual tours are a blessing. There are many places I haven’t visited in the USA, and I have a bucket list. The only one I’ve marked off is Niagara Falls. I drool over pictures of the Grand Canyon. I prefer arid over humidity, so Florida is out (I’ve been there several times anyway). I would like to visit New Mexico during a spring or fall, especially see the hot air balloons. I dream of spending time in the Black Hills of South Dakota during Nebraska’s hot months of July and August. As for the when, I’ll read time travel novels.

About Your Book
Title: Repurposed
Author: LoRee Peery
Publisher: Grace and Victory Press
Release Date: April 9, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Christian romance
Stand-Alone:
Target Audience: women of any age, especially those with body-image issues


Talia Ashby is a perfectionistic data analyst who, on occasion, sees her “fat” self when she looks in the mirror. As a svelte former obese girl, she reunites with her secret teen crush, now a pastor in the church she attends.

Cooper Valiant is dazzled upon meeting a high school friend he doesn’t immediately recognize due to her drastic weight loss. Since his sister had an eating disorder, he’d often felt empathy toward Talia as classmates teased and bullied her. In his pastorate position, he asks her to help girls in the youth group come to grips with body-image.

While working with the girls, Talia's recollections of youthful hurts stir up past insecurities. She must reassess her spiritual journey, and what bothers her in the present.

Added to the mix are her reawakened emotions toward the man who once came to her rescue. Will their joint journey include a personal relationship?



Do you have a favorite character in your novel? If so, who, and why?

Talia Ashby is the heroine of Repurposed. Except for her great weight loss, I can identify with most of her insecurity and weight-based issues (as most women probably do). I am presently overweight, and according to BMI charts, even obese. Many days it doesn’t matter that I’m a great-grandmother. It bothers me if I don’t feel good in my clothes. Some may ask, “Why should you even care at your age?” I just do.

What take-away value do you want readers to gain from your novel?

What we see in the mirror is extremely personal and can be damaging if dwelled on too long. It’s common for teenagers to wish they had curly hair if theirs is straight, straight if they were born with curly hair. Sometimes noses and ears are seen as too big. Whatever. It’s human to find the faults. But that’s not healthy.

I grew up during a time when pressure to be thin was everywhere. Since I’m not very tall, have a short waist, and a broad ribcage along with wide shoulders, I’ve always felt too big. (Even when I was thin, and that’s a shame.) Unfortunately, I voiced my negative body image in front of my daughters. The enemy used that to impact them both, but their stories are not mine to tell.

It took a long time to recognize, based on Psalm 139, how I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God knows every cell and atom of my body. If I criticize my outward appearance, I’m slamming God because I am the way He made me. If I diet and think about ways to take off pounds, I’m not focusing on the Lord. He loves me as I am, and I am one of His creations. HE DOES NOT MAKE JUNK.

About LoRee

 Nebraska country girl LoRee Peery writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective, focusing on the romance. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Historical, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. Her Frivolities Series and the book based on her father’s unsolved homicide, Touches of Time, are available on Amazon. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother and great-, sister, friend, and author. Connect with LoRee through these
links:



Find her publications at Pelican http://tinyurl.com/kwz9enk



Giveaway: LoRee is offering a gift print copy of Repurposed to one of this post’s readers. Entering is easy: Just leave your name AND contact information (so we can let you know if you’re the winner), in the comments section below. Giveaway runs for one week from today, ending on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at Midnight, Central Time.


Wednesday, May 6, 2020

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ELISA MARIA HEBERT with Giveaway


Please welcome author Elisa Maria Hebert who has graciously agreed to answer a few interview questions about herself, her writing, and her newest book release, A BETTER PLAN.

Thank you, Elisa, for sharing some time with us. Ready? Let's go!


Hi, Elisa. Welcome. How long have you been writing?
As a young child I constantly used my imagination and told stories before I could write them. My third grade teacher submitted. Story I’d written to the newspaper and they published it. Sadly, I don’t have a copy because a few years later we lost everything in a flood.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how did/do you overcome it?
The first chapter of anything I write. I have an idea of the story and where it will end up, but I find the beginning to be a great challenge. I never get it ‘right’ the first try. The only way to ‘overcome’ it, is to keep rewriting.

Besides writing, what other things do you enjoy?
So many things. Cooking, baking, quilting, yard work, creating flower gardens, hiking, exploring, being with friends and family, singing.

When reading, what is your favorite genre?
I’m fond of reading Christian fiction in a number of genres. Historical, contemporary, YA. I especially appreciate when I learn about new to me places and accurate history.

About Your Book  
  • Title: A Better Plan
  • Author: Elisa Maria Hebert
  • Publisher: Elisa Maria Hebert          
  • Release Date: October 26, 2019
  • Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction
  • Series/Stand-Alone: Stand alone
  • Target Audience: Christian, women (or men) over forty


From the back cover:
She’s got a plan. God has another. Will she hear His call to love?
Widowed nurse Amelia Montgomery has her world on a tight leash. An obsessive list-maker, she carefully plots her departure when harsh Alaskan winters start biting at her beloved dog. But when she breaks her ankle slipping on the ice, it forces her to postpone her trip.
Stuck in the Land of the Midnight Sun until she recovers, Amelia continues to connect with a handsome ER doctor. And then there’s the man who keeps crossing her path. She wonders if God has a different plan…
Can Amelia let go of her need for control and accept God’s call to love?


Is there a theme verse that holds this story together?
The Scripture for this story is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Is research something you enjoy? To what extent do you go to find answers?
At times I enjoy it immensely and find myself researching rather than writing. Little of what I learn makes it into my work, but I believe my story is stronger because of the knowledge I gain.

 What take-away value do you want readers to gain from your novel?
My prayer each time I sit down to write, is that God will use my words to encourage, strengthen, and offer hope to my reader.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?
No Elephants in Africa is a sequel to A Better Plan to release this fall. I’m excited to share the next portion of Amelia’s story.



About Elisa:
Elisa Maria Hebert is a mom and a grandmother who grew up in the Last Frontier, Alaska. She draws much of her inspiration from the place and people. Her first book, Secrets Under The Midnight Sun, released in 2010 under the author name Elisa Maria Crites and won the Grace Award in the Young Adult category. Her third book, No Elephants In Africa, is the sequel to A Better Plan and is due for release in the fall of 2020.
She married her sweetheart, a medical missionary, seven years ago and has served alongside him in Africa caring for AIDS orphans, and in Israel caring for Syrian refugees. Lately they consider it a joy to serve with domestic mission organizations as first responders to natural disasters.
She, her husband, an exuberant Labrador and a charming Doodle, share a cottage in Kansas where she delights in feeding her neighbors baked goods, writing, quilting, and creating flower gardens. One of her favorite things is spending time each morning snuggled on the sofa next to her husband as they read and discuss the Word, followed by praying together.
Her quest is to love others in the name of Jesus, however possible. Sometimes she succeeds.
Elisa loves to hear from her readers and will answer anyone who contacts her through her website. She also invites you to sign up for her occasional newsletter for updates, prizes or special offers.


 About the Giveaway:
Elisa is offering to give away a copy of A Better Plan, eBook or print (US only, please), winner's choice. Entering is easy: simply leave your name and contact information (e.g. you (at) 123xyz (dot) com (so we can notify you if you're the winner) in the comments section below. Giveaway runs for one week from today on Wednesday, May 13 at Midnight, Central Time. Thank you.



Friday, May 1, 2020

DADDY,, I FELLED ~ Linda Wood Rondeau ~ devotional


It's time for this week's Faithful Friday devotional. 
Please welcome author Linda Wood Rondeau who also shares a peek into her brand-new release.
Welcome, Linda!



Daddy, I Felled
By Linda Wood Rondeau

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).


In my social work career, I often came across families who taught me important lessons in my spiritual journey. Sometimes, in everyday occurrences, God enlightened me through a child’s eyes.

The two-year old darted around the apartment like a butterfly in a flower garden, touching this and climbing that.
“Kaylee, get down. You’re going to get hurt,” the father repeatedly warned.
Kaylee’s desire to explore her world proved insatiable, every chair and stool a challenge waiting to be conquered.
The father used diversion, stern threats, and still Kaylee refused to listen.
“Kaylee, sit down now while I fix your soup,” the father said.
Hungry and always asking for her favorite soup, the father hoped she would settle down. Kaylee scurried to her favorite chair. But while her father’s attention was turned away, she stood and rocked it, tumbling unto the floor with a loud bang. Her father rushed to her side, swooped her up and checked for injuries.
Tears streamed her cheeks as she sobbed, “Daddy, I felled.”
The father knew the fall was the child’s fault. In her stubbornness, she pursued the course of disobedience. But rather than chide, the father simply kissed her tears and said, “It’s alright, Kaylee. Daddy’s here now.”  
From that moment on, Kaylee sat in her chair as a proper young lady should.
As I witnessed this father’s tender interaction, I thought of how many times I’ve tempted God with my disobedience, even though He has repeatedly warned me that I will fall if I’m not careful. How many times, have I run to Him with watered eyes, “Daddy, I felled.”
Yet, whenever I seek Him in my contrition, He picks me up, wipes away my tears and reminds me with all the love a father has to give, “It’s alright, Linda. Daddy’s here now.”



SECOND HELPINGS is perhaps one of my favorite books to write. I can so relate to Jocelyn’s crazy world. My three children were close in age and their antics crowded our days. A veteran social worker, I have counseled many dysfunction families. Perhaps there is a little of me in my character Naomi. Written in a you-are -there mode, the first-person present tense point of view will allow you to journey with Jocelyn as she zips through her forty-fifth birthday. I trust you will identify with her dilemmas and perhaps laugh a lot. It’s okay. Jocelyn won’t mind.


Today is Jocelyn Johnson’s 45th birthday. Unhappy with her marriage of 22 years, the parenting talk show host has planned a noonday tryst with her cohost. A phone call from her college daughter, a peek into her teenaged son’s journal, a sick preschooler, a Goth daughter’s identity crisis, a middle-school son’s prank, and her husband’s inflamed suspicions, not only interfere with her hopeful birthday plans but throw her family into more chaos than a circus on steroids.

In desperate need of counsel, Jocelyn invites a Christian to dinner, her guest from her morning talk show segment. However, the evening holds little promise of calm. In the midst of bedlam, a forgotten faith rekindles causing Jocelyn to rethink her life and her marriage.
You will laugh and you will cry from the first page to the last as you journey through the day’s events and Jocelyn’s search for Second Helpings.  

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lLinda Wood Rondeau

A multi-published, award-winning author, I am the Managing Fiction Editor for Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. I live in Maryland with my spouse of over forty years, a patient man if ever there was one. I enjoy hearing from my readers. Contact me at lindarondeau@gmail.com