If you are still shopping, here are some good last minute ideas for the readers in your family and among your friends!
Shop Amazon – All – New Kindle Paperwhite
Shop Amazon – Get the New Kindle Fire HDX Tablet
Shop Amazon – Free One-Day Shipping on Last Minute Gift Ideas
Shop Amazon – Holiday Gift Cards with a Free Gift Box and Free One-Day Shipping
Hope this helps–Lyn
Here is my only book cover with a Christmas tree!
Do you think the tree on this cover is real or artificial? Well, since the book is set in 1868, I suppose it was real. We always had a fresh tree that my husband cut himself UNTIL our children were school age and we began to drive to Florida each Christmas to spend the holiday with family. That caused us to buy an artificial tree. It was a great one and looked so real. And lasted around fifteen years before we wore it out.
And we moved too and needed one of those new slimline trees to fit in our great room (that is not that big). But this tree is falling apart after only 7 years. We put it up Saturday and it shed more needles than any “live” tree we ever had.
So! I told my dh that we need to do a fresh tree next year. He is not completely convinced-so we’ll see!
My dh and I in front of the slimline tree before it started to “lose it.”–Lyn
To purchase, Her Patchwork Family, click here. Her Patchwork Family (The Gabriel Sisters)
PS-WINNERS!
Jessica Keller’s is
Valri Western
Linda Goodnight’s is
chris granville
Leslie J Sherrod’s is Dana Spille
Thanks for posting comments!
My guest today author Leslie J Sherrod tells a story of an amazing woman, her mother. Leslie is also offering a book for a drawing here. Please leave a comment to enter the drawing. Here’s Leslie:
when my father was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. Prior to his diagnosis, severe fatigue and drastic coughing spells had left him weak, bedridden. The doctors tossed around words like pneumonia, tuberculosis, even lung cancer, until tests exposed the true culprit attacking his lungs: the systemic inflammatory disease of sarcoidosis.
Some people with sarcoidosis improve spontaneously, but a small number have a continuing, life-altering relationship with it. My father is in that number. Over twenty-five years have passed since that initial diagnosis, and the decades have been filled with constant medical appointments, invasive tests, countless hospitalizations, and additional disabling chronic conditions that now have him confined to a wheelchair and the hospital bed set up in his living room.
A quiet woman with busy hands, my mother has been a constant caretaker. When that diagnosis first entered our family in the late 1980s, my mother was working as a nurse on the night shift. With an ill husband and two daughters to raise in Baltimore City, she continued working while caring for him, nurturing my sister and I, and also tending to her father who had Alzheimer’s, and her mother who had a stroke.
and now that I am an adult with a family of my own, I do not know how she balanced it all. Resources were always limited. Sometimes the electricity was off and the food and clothes we had were donated. But she managed. And to this day, now unable to work but still required to serve, I haven’t heard her complain. She shares silly jokes and plays goofy games with her grandchildren, and few would know the trauma, the trials she’s endured, is enduring.
my mother’s compassion and care for others extends beyond her previous nursing duties and ongoing family obligations. She looks for ways to help others, even strangers, while facing her own challenges. I remember as a teen, a young woman with sad eyes, alone and pregnant, happened to sit next to us at church. My mother asked for her name, took down her address, and a few days later we drove to the young woman’s house with bags full of baby supplies. There are many such stories that reveal my mom’s faith and character in action.
To purchase, click here. Without Faith: Book Two of the Sienna St. James Series
a social worker like me, is a woman who faces private pain while working for the public good. Her marriage is in disrepair and the mysteries on her caseload keep her hands full. However, the lessons Sienna learns about faith and hope, sacrifice and joy, are ones I’ve witnessed firsthand through the life and continuing legacies of my mother.
You can learn more about me and my novels Like Sheep Gone Astray, Secret Place, Losing Hope, Without Faith, and the upcoming Sacrifices of Joy on my website, www.LeslieJSherrod.com“–Leslie
Facebook: Leslie J. Sherrod
Twitter: @LeslieJSherrod
Thanks, Leslie. I’m so glad you had a godly mother who lived her faith. Too many times I’ve seen spouses abandon their husband or wife because of a life-threatening or life-altering illness. QUESTION: Was there ever a time in your life when you thought you had been pushed to your limits but pushed on anyway? Please share to be entered into the drawing for Leslie’s book!–Lyn
My guest today is author Nancy Mehl who writes Mennonite romance and mysteries–a good combo! Nancy is offering a copy of her book so be sure to leave a comment to enter the drawing. Here’s Nancy:
“In my newest book, Unforeseeable, the third book in my “Road to Kingdom” series, my main character, Callie Hoffman, realizes that rather than dealing with her hurtful past, she’s locked her pain behind an emotional door. Now as a young woman, that choice is causing her problems and may even cost her the man she loves. I created Callie this way because I felt this is a common mistake many people make. It seems to be even more prevalent in women.
Why would women be affected more than men? Women are usually the primary caregiver, whether the care is being given to children or to elderly parents. When we don’t have time to “deal with our mess” we sometimes put it off until “later.” Unfortunately, sometimes later never comes and the “mess” just becomes “messier.”
I’ve dealt with this same problem myself and have learned several things from my mistakes. As one Christian teacher says, “Feelings buried alive never die.” What that means is that ignoring pain doesn’t make it go away. It just burrows down inside, causing us to react to it in ways we don’t understand. We may take it out on others or allow it to paint a picture in our minds of ourselves that is destructive and harmful. I’ve watched different women react to childhood trauma in different ways. One path leads to freedom and the other one can stop life in its tracks. The choice comes to this: Will you seek healing and deliverance from God? Will you allow Him to open old wounds so they can be cleansed and healed? Or will you become a victim, never fully experiencing the joy that God has for you?
To purchase, click here. Unforeseeable (Road to Kingdom Book #3)
Through the urging of a friend, Callie finally begins to face the truth. Realizing that many of the choices she’s made came from wrong motivations, she decides to confront the past and start searching for the life God has for her. It may sound easy, but it isn’t. Many times we’ve allowed others to shape our destiny out of fear or insecurity. Breaking those chains can be difficult.
I pray over every book I write, and my prayer for Unforeseeable is that it will not only provide an entertaining story, but it will also touch readers who may identify with Callie.
I heard a story once about lions. Sometimes the pack will send out the oldest lion to face their prey. This elderly lion can’t run and has lost most of his teeth. But when the old lion roars, their quarry turns and runs, not knowing he could easily escape the lion in front of him. Unfortunately, the young, strong lions are hiding in the trees, and the hapless victim runs straight into their trap. The lesson is this: If we run toward the roar, we will find that our enemy has no teeth. But when we turn and run away, we will be defeated. Real bravery isn’t always facing down a lion. Many times, it’s simply facing ourselves.”–Nancy
www.nancymehl.com
www.nancymehlblogspot.com
www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/nancy.mehl
Wow, Nancy, I never heard that about lions. What a great analogy for us and fear. QUESTION: Do you recall a time when you didn’t want to face something? What happened? Have you ever discovered a secret years later and wondered why no one told you?–Lyn
My guest today has also chosen to share her favorite charity, FMSC. Here’s Author Jessica Keller:
“The idea of a child somewhere in the world hungry and starving has always twisted my stomach into a knot–it’s a thought that’s kept me up at night and driven me to my knees in prayer. That passion drove me to researching organizations that help children in these situations. Many great charities exist, but I fell in love with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC).
utilizes local volunteers to pack meals at one of their many distribution centers. My first time packing meals was life-changing. With one hour of work the group I was working with was able to pack enough meals to feed an orphanage for an entire year. As we loaded the boxes onto the pallet for shipment we prayed over the food and prayed blessings over the children it would feed.
When I first researched organizations to become involved in I was disappointed to find that all too often many of the dollars donated don’t actually reach the people in need. This is not the case with FMSC. They use donations so effectively that they’re able to feed one child for a year on $80. FMSC has received the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator (the nation’s toughest charity watchdog) eight years in a row. This is an achievement that FMSC shares with only 2% of charities in America.
which is included in the Cup of Christmas Cheer collection, the main character, Jane, is an orphan much like the children that Feed My Starving Children strives to help. Jane has had a hard life, but she was lucky to have people in her life that loved and helped her along the way. Despite that, she still wonders about the reasons her mother gave her up all those years ago. Not knowing haunts her, so she finally tracks down her birth mother and shows up at her home on Christmas Eve.To learn more about FMSC: http://www.fmsc.org/“–Jessica
Purchase Link: http://www.shopguideposts.org/a-cup-of-christmas-cheer.html
My website: www.jessicakellerbooks.com
Twitter @AuthorKeller
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JessicaKellerAuthor
BIO: Jessica Keller is a multi-published author. Former editor of her college newspaper and literary journal, she has degrees in both Communications and Biblical Studies. Jessica can be found hanging out on her Facebook author page or on Twitter @AuthorKeller. She lives near Chicago with her husband and beautiful daughter.
Thanks, Jessica. I had never heard of this charity. I also hurt when I think of children going hungry. My favorite charity is Compassion International. If you scroll down, you can find a link to it. And I really love the cover of your Christmas collection. What does everyone else think?–Lyn
My guest today RITA Award-Winning Author Linda Goodnight will share how she became interested in her favorite charity and all about her Christmas book! She’s even offering a book giveaway! Here’s Linda:
“Some years ago I saw a television program about the deplorable conditions in international orphanages, particularly the old Soviet Union. The experience so touched me that I wanted to support ministries that reached out to those children. One ministry, His Kids Too! grabbed my attention. Begun by one very strong, determined woman and her husband, HK2 collects and distributes humanitarian aid to thousands of orphans in Ukraine. The ministry also provides summer Bible camps, aid to shelters and widows, transitional living facilities for orphaned teens who age out with nowhere to go, medical assistance to the poor and elderly and much more, all through a grass-roots effort by the founder and director, Teresa Fillmon.
A few years ago, my oldest daughter had the opportunity to travel with Teresa to Ukraine. The conditions stunned and changed her. A couple of years later she again returned to teach and minister in the orphanages and attests to the fabulous work done by the selfless Teresa and her husband.
The fascinating thing about HK2 is there is no huge staff of workers. This is not a giant charity raking in millions with a large overhead and big administrative salaries. To this day, HK2 remains one woman and her family who rally a team of volunteers from churches and communities who want to make a difference. Next summer, my oldest Ukrainian daughter and I plan to be part of that team of volunteers to work in the Bible camps and distribute aid to the orphans and needy of Ukraine.
To purchase, click here. Sugarplum Homecoming (Whisper Falls)
How, you may ask, does this relate to the heroine in my latest book, Sugarplum Homecoming?
Here’s how: His Kids Too! gives young girls and women a chance, no matter their pasts. Many come from abusive, alcoholic situations and have lived on the streets. Lana, the heroine in Sugarplum Homecoming is no different. Ashamed of her bad girl past, she’s been on the streets. She’s struggled with alcoholism. But faced with the care of her niece, Lana must dig deep inside and find the strength to make a home for a needy child in the very place that brought her the greatest pain and shame. With the help of the Lord and the town “good guy”, Lana just might find her happy-ever-after.
Because I really want you to enjoy this warm, emotional Christmas story, I’m giving a copy away! Leave a comment for a chance to win Sugarplum Homecoming.“–Linda
Learn more about my favorite charity at www.hiskidstoo.org
Thanks, Linda, for sharing about HK2. I noticed that you have an oldest Ukrainian daughter so I know there is more to your story. QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHARITY AND WHY? Please leave a comment to enter the drawing for Linda’s book!–Lyn
Connect with Linda at:
www.lindagoodnight.com
http://lindagoodnight.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/#!/linda.goodnight
Here’s the trailer for a new movie coming out February 28, 2014
I loved Roma in TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.
I know I’ll go see this movie too.
And here’s a Christmas book for you.
A Story of Christmas and All of Us by Roma Downy and Mark Burnett. I have a copy of this hardback to giveaway. I think it would be excellent for a family with children.
BOOK DRAWING
See the question at the end and leave a comment to enter the drawing for the book.
To purchase, click cover.
QUESTION: Do you like to go to movies based on the Bible like this one? Why or why not?–Lyn
I would have liked to show a photo of Karen Kirst here but none of the photos would “stick.” Here’s the link to Karen’s Website and her photo! http://www.karenkirst.com/about.html
BE SURE TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A BOOK! Here’s the interview with Karen:
Talk a little about your writing and real life.
I’m currently in the middle of my first series, Smoky Mountain Matches, which revolves around
the O’Malley family and is set in 1880’s East Tennessee. I live about forty-five minutes from
Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, so setting the series here was a natural
choice. When I’m not writing, I’m homeschooling my three boys, spending time with family
and friends, or planning my next tea party. I love books, café mochas, and tea rooms.
Was there a time in your life God challenged you to become stronger?
Early in my marriage, I had an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in emergency surgery and
ultimately, a miscarriage. I was told that because it wasn’t caught early enough, that my
chances of getting pregnant again were reduced. Although I already had a two-year-old son,
the loss crushed me. While my life had been far from perfect up until that point, losing a child
was the hardest thing I’d ever had to deal with. It made me question my faith. Question God.
Doubts poured in…maybe God doesn’t think I’m a good mother. Maybe He doesn’t want me to
have more kids. I struggled with anger and sadness. Then the day came when I took part in my
first Beth Moore Bible study and, as a result, my relationship with God deepened. He helped me
work through my grief. I learned that God knows best. The loss of that child forced me to trust
His plan, even when I didn’t agree or like that plan. Two years after the miscarriage, I became
pregnant with my second son. My husband and I were overjoyed. And almost two years after he
was born, we welcomed our third son. We are blessed.
What is special about your most recent book, The Husband Hunt?
This book is special to me because it portrays two friends/neighbors who fall in love. The
friends-to-romance story theme is one of my favorites. Something about the journey from
friendship to love fascinates me, so I set out to portray that with Nathan and Sophie. Tomboy
Sophie is strong-minded and independent, but she’s also impulsive. Nathan has had to rescue
her countless times. Because he’s naturally cautious, he disapproves of her antics. He wants her
to act like a lady. Mid-way through the book, Sophie reluctantly submits to a makeover in order
to snag a husband, something she’s forced to do in order to save her farm and keep her younger brother with her. Nathan’s reaction was fun to explore.”–Karen
To purchase, click cover.
Wanted: A Husband
Sophie Tanner gave up hoping for Nathan O’Malley’s approval—and love—long ago.
Getting married is the only way to protect her younger brother and keep her family’s Smoky
Mountain farm. As much as she’d like Nathan to be the groom, he can’t seem to get past their
friendship…or their differences.
Since they were children, Nathan has known Sophie was too impulsive, too headstrong. She’s
forever rushing into situations without thinking them through, like this scheme to snare a
husband in under a month. Nathan always thought he’d fall in love with someone like himself—
sensible, cautious, levelheaded. Sophie is his polar opposite. So why can’t he picture anyone else at his side?
Smoky Mountain Matches: Dreams of home and family come true in the Smoky Mountains
Website: www.karenkirst.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenKirst.author
Twitter: @KarenKirst
Thanks for being my guest, Karen. And I wish you many more books!
To have your name entered into the drawing for a copy fo THE HUSBAND HUNT, here’s the
QUESTION: Do you think that opposites attract? Did you marry someone opposite you?–Lyn
My guest today is author Laura Abbot who has written for Superromance and now for Love Inspired Historical. Today Laura shares about the Strongest Women she knows. Here’s Laura:
I am grateful to Lyn for showcasing strong women and the significant contributions they make as well as the examples they set. We are the richer for it!
We often think of strong women as being those seasoned by years and experience. One of the strongest women I know, however, is my twenty-two year old granddaughter, Katie. In Into the Wilderness, my first book for Love Inspired Historical, Lily Kellogg, the heroine, had long fantasized about the glamorous life she would live in the big city, far removed from rural Kansas. Discovering that her ideal world was tarnished, Lily had to do some deep soul-searching and open herself to other opportunities.
Likewise, Katie had unswervingly set her sights upon becoming a lawyer, marrying, and working ultimately in the high-stress world of politics. Just as Lily’s dreams were altered by circumstances requiring openness to new possibilities, so Katie’s have been.
she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition for which stress is the ultimate enemy. Worried that she would never achieve her lofty ambitions or find a man willing to accept her limitations, she experienced a natural letdown. Yet hardly had the ink dried on her first prescription than her darling Andrew appeared, full of love for his remarkable Katie, whom he married in June of 2013.
Katie prayed for enlightenment concerning a different path for her life, one involving service to others. After graduating from college in December, 2012, she took on a two-month assignment as a substitute teacher in the independent school where she had been a student, grades pre-K through12. True, God had shut one door, but consider the window He opened! Katie currently has a full-time position teaching ninth grade social studies at that same school and is striving to set an example of excellence and resilience for her students.
Lily Kellogg and Katie each experienced the challenge of forgoing long-cherished dreams. They are examples, though, of the fact that strong women not only adapt, they thrive!”–Laura
http://lauraabbot.com
Laura Abbot on Facebook
To purchase, click here. Into the Wilderness (Love Inspired Historical)
Blurb:
Wounded by Love and War
He survived a battlefield massacre and, before that, his fiancee’s betrayal. Cavalry officer Caleb Montgomery is unable to trust in anything now, especially himself. But then he’s stationed in Fort Larned, Kansas, where Lily Kellog, the lovely army surgeon’s daughter, begins to rekindle his faith – and his hope.
Caleb is the kind of gallant, surprisingly sensitive man Lily never expected to find on the Western frontier. Since childhood, she has longed for the stability and culture only the big city can offer, and her most cherished wish is suddenly within reach. Still, putting both their dreams to the test is the one way she and Caleb can find their road home…to each other.
Such a great tribute to a beloved granddaughter. Have any of you had plans that changed? What were they and how did you handle the diaspointment?–Lyn
My guest today is Northwest author Bonnie Leon who shares her mother’s story. Here’s Bonnie.:
I loved stories about her youth and I’d witnessed her generosity and kindness, but I didn’t think much about her being special. It’s interesting how we can have a genuine heroic person in our lives and not know it . . . at least not until something happens to open our eyes.
World War II was raging and she was just eighteen when she left her Alaskan home and headed for Seattle and adventure. She met a handsome sailor named Roy (my dad) and married him in 1946. They remained deeply in love up until his death in 1975. Mom remarried three years later and found another adventure with a man named Orville.Everyone called him Trigger.
I married and moved away from home when I was nineteen and lived far from my mother most of my life. Distance didn’t diminish my love or admiration for her, but I didn’t know her the way I do now.
In September 2011, at age eighty-seven, Mom was told she needed a heart valve replacement or she’d die. The valve had been damaged by a bad case of rheumatic fever when she was fifteen. The doctors had said she’d never live a normal life—they were wrong. Mom wasn’t going to hand over her life then and she wasn’t going to hand it over at age eighty-seven either. Surgery went well, though we weren’t prepared for the intense pain that followed. Evenso, Mom looked like she was on her way toward recovery.
when a fiery red incision sent Mom to the ER. She had staph. Months of IV antibiotics and a wound-vac followed. The incision was opened and cleaned every other day. More than once we were convinced Mom was going home to heaven. But she still had a lot of good humor, thankfulness and optimism to share. After more than five months in rehab, Mom was finally well enough to go home.
Trigger died.Family gathered. We mourned and we fought for Mom. She’d been our strength for so long, now she needed us. It took only a few days for her to rally. She dug down and found strength and courage to do what she must.
Mom had to say farewell to her Washington home and move on to a new way of living here in Oregon. It hasn’t been easy. She never fully recovered from the surgery and staph infection. She lives in an assisted living home near me and every day is a challenge. But Mom rarely complains. Instead, she talks about how blessed she is and how thankful she is for the people in her life. And she tells me every day how much she loves me.
We laugh and cry and pray. And now I really know my mother. Like Anna, in The Journey of Eleven Moons, Mom fought for life, unwilling to give up when most would. She’s a living example of what it means to be courageous. She’s shown me how to live, and her thankful heart reminds me how much I have to be thankful for.”–Bonnie
To purchase, click here. The Journey of Eleven Moons
Bonnie be found online at:
www.facebook.com/BonnieLeonAuthor
http://bonnieleon.blogspot.com
I’m so happy that Bonnie and her mother are growing closer in the later years. I lost my mom and the years before her death were turbulent with dementia and personality change. I loved my mother but wasn’t able to show her my love. She pushed us all away. Have you experienced anything like that–wanting to help but unable to? Or have you experienced what Bonnie has where she is able to help her mother?–Lyn
PS-The winner of Penny Richards’ WOLF CREEK WEDDING is Alisha.
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