Get Moving #devotional by B J Bassett

 

Get Moving

 

God said to Moses: “Why cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites. Order them to get moving. Hold your staff high and stretch your hand out over the sea: Split the sea! The Israelites will walk through the sea on dry ground. Exodus 14:15-16 MSG

Kara was trapped in an abusive marriage, and it took a lot of courage for her to leave the violent situation. There was no way she could do it alone. A compassionate friend provided a place for Kara to stay where she felt safe.

Kara’s story reminds me of the Israelites when they left slavery behind and escaped. When they reached the Red Sea, they felt trapped by the vast expanse of water before them and the Egyptians thundering at their heels behind them. Yet God not only said, “Get moving.” He was with them, providing their escape.

Whatever terrible trouble we are in, we are not alone. God is with us. He goes before us, and He is behind us. Are you in a situation like Kara and the Israelites were? Is God leading you out with the words, “Get moving?”

Every day, my Protector, I seek Your direction of when to stay and when to get moving. Nudge me in the direction You are leading me today, I pray. Amen.

Reprinted from

The King’s Daughters

BJ Bassett

B. J. Bassett encourages others as an author, teacher and speaker. Her books include a contemporary novel, Gillian’s Heart; a historical novel Lily; Sweet Charity; A Touch of Grace—The G.R.A.C.E. Ministries Story; and coauthor of a children’s devotional My Time with God, Focus on the Family, Heritage Builders, with over 55,000 copies sold.

 

As a contributing writer, publications consist of Writer’s Handbook 2000, The Writer, and The Focus on the Family Guide to Growing a Healthy Home, Wolgemuth& Hyatt, Publishers, Inc.—consistently on Bookstore Journal’s Best-selling Christian Books List from November 1990 - February 1991, and voted the 10 Best Books for 1990 by Today’s Christian Woman.

 

Magazines, devotional booklets, curriculum and newspaper publishers include Focus on the Family, Woman’s World, The Quiet Hour, Pathways to God, Devotions, Harcourt Brace, WordAction, Gospel Publishing and Times Standard (newspaper).

 

She teaches writing workshops at Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, OR and at writer’s conferences. As a speaker for Stonecroft Ministries, she tells her story of rejection and acceptance, not only in life, but as a writer as well. She also offers book talks, including discussion questions and shares the journey -- from the seed of an idea to a published book.

 

She enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles, knitting, munching warm scones oozing with butter and strawberry jam and sipping earl grey tea.

Welcome to the All an Act Celebration Tour! #giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: All an Act

Author: Melissa Wardwell

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 27, 2024

Not all weddings end in marriage. Not all hurting hearts remain broken.

In the year since Something Suamalie started, the dynamic trio Kiana, Lulu, and Meilani have accumulated a glowing reputation at home and abroad for brides and their wedding day dreams. But when a triple-booked weekend forces Lulu to manage the wedding of the Onirique events coordinator by herself, panic sets in. Her lack of confidence and ADHD, not to mention the return of a devilishly handsome man, could easily spell disaster.

When André left the Suamalie Islands to pursue a career in Paris, he never dreamed of returning. The islands hold a treasure chest of memories he wishes to keep locked away, but recent changes in his life force him to face those very things. And a choice for his future that will break more than one heart.

With neither of them able to talk about their feelings, how will Lulu and André be able to set aside their pasts and move on?

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

  My thoughts: All An Act is a story about an insecure woman with several different issues trying to find  herself.  There is a hint of a romance and a lot of drama with a bridezilla of a different sort than the usual.  I enjoyed this story set in a different locale than the United States and learning more about the natives there. If you like contemporary romance this is a book to consider. I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Melissa Wardwell resides in Owosso, Michigan with her husband and three teen-aged children.

She doesn’t mind alternating between the world of writing and the reality of being a mother, but she would rather sit with a good book or a good friend and a cup of coffee.

When she isn’t penning works of fiction, she is busy reviewing books for her blog, Back Porch Reads.

 

 

More from Melissa

All An Act is probably the most honest form of self-representation this author has ever created.

How could I say such a thing if I put my heart and soul into every single story I create? It’s a pretty straightforward statement when I have kept most of myself out of the stories. I tried to tell stories about the people I admire around me —my best friend in high school, my first boyfriend, or the men and women who serve our country both at home and abroad. These are the kind of people I typically write about. But when I developed Lulu’s character and found the picture that you see on the cover, my first thought was, “I bet she’s just like me… a little scattered, a lot wounded, and putting on a mask to hide that she fears that no one would like her.”

One of my beta readers, who was a teacher when I was in high school, picked up in the first two chapters that Lulu had undiagnosed ADHD. I know some people don’t like to put labels on themselves that make them have unusual behaviors, but like myself, being able to put a label on it gives Lulu a little clarity. Lulu and I both understand that it doesn’t give us the OK to get away with certain things or to use them as excuses. However, it shines a light on why we do those things (like knowing fine details from high school, but you can’t find your A5 binder that you just saw the day before).

It’s not just forgetfulness that is an issue; sometimes, we mask how we feel through anger or frustration because those emotions are more accessible for the rest of the world to understand. Again, that doesn’t mean that it’s OK.

Like Lulu, I went through a season of holding onto unforgiveness that lasted 15 years. You can imagine that that unforgiveness quickly turned into bitterness. My bitterness wasn’t towards a man but instead revolved around church hurt. Learning to forgive and let go of the things that hurt me took a long time. Lulu and I both discovered that forgiveness is like peeling an onion. There are a lot of layers to it, depending on how many years you’ve held on.

Lulu also deals with a lot of thoughts in this book. Many of them revolve around her feelings of being inadequate compared to her friends. I’m sure many of us can identify with that. Eventually, she learns that she brings her own kind of knowledge to the Something Suamalie team. This is what makes this trio work – they each bring their own traits to the table to make this wedding planning business top-notch in the islands.

Like An Unexpected Gift, All An Act is loosely based on another one of my favorite romcoms—The Wedding Planner, featuring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey. I wonder if you will be able to see it. Let me know if you do.

I hope you enjoy this one. It really was a joy to write, even when I was faced with some of my own issues.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, September 25

Stories By Gina, September 26 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, September 26

Library lady’s Kid Lit, September 27

Karen Baney Reviews, September 28

For the Love of Literature, September 29 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 1

Through the Fire Blogs, October 2 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Acdemy, October 3

Fiction Book Lover, October 4 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, October 4

Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 5 

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 6

Simple Harvest Reads, October 7 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Guild Master, October 8 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Melissa is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5453/

Welcome to the When the Mountain Crumbled Celebration Tour! #Giveaway

About the Book

Book: When the Mountain Crumbled (A Day to Remember Book 4)

Author: Angela K Couch

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Release date: September, 2024

Though Mountains Crumble, Hope Is Not Buried

Enjoy a series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Discipline and rules are the foundation on which Samantha Ingles has built her life—the life of a spinster schoolteacher in a small mining town in the Canadian Rockies. All that crumbles from her grasp when part of a mountain crashes down on their community.

Constable David Harty has little patience for the strict schoolmarm but has no choice but to leave his three young nieces in her care while he tries to discover the fate of his brother. Already, the girls have lost their mother and brothers to the landslide and require comfort and love while they await the fate of their father, possibly buried in the coal mine.

With the mountain looming over their heads threatening more lives, and the town scrambling to save who they can from the rubble, can hearts find healing—both for their own sakes and the children in their care?

 Marilyn's thoughts:   The historical account of Turtle Mountain landslide in the Canadian Rockies on April 28, 1903 burying part of the town of Frank, ranches, a mine, railroad line and lives is an emotional read with the tragedy.

 

Angela Couch created a realistic read of that horrific day and days following with recovery, burial, trying to make sense of it all with a solid faith message.  Even in the midst of this great tragedy the fictional characters were able to see the miracles only God could of orchestrated around them and even in their own lives. Man’s questions were not answered to why this event happened in the “A Day to Remember” series, but definitely a worthwhile read as it illustrated how individuals grew in their strengths, faith, finding hope and peace despite the great losses that changed them forever.

 

I received an early copy of this historical fiction from Celebrate Lit Bloggers tour. I have expressed my own thoughts.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

To keep from freezing in the great white north, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the 2016 International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and toasty warm) by chasing after five munchkins.

 

 

More from Angela

Around 4:10 am on April 29th, 1903, approximately 110 million metric tonnes of limestone broke from the side of Turtle Mountain and crashed down into the Crowsnest Valley, burying ranches, camps, an active coal mine, and a part of the town of Frank. What has come to be known as “Frank Slide” was the deadliest landslide in North American recorded history, claiming the lives of more than seventy people.

I first visited Frank Slide as a child, as it is located only an hour’s drive from my home. All I remember from that experience was the heaps of rocks and boulders, and the story of the mine-horse named Charlie. When driving through the Crowsnest Pass as an adult, I began to appreciate the terror of that night and the horrible loss of life. Not until expanding my research while writing this story, did the miracles of Frank shine through everything horrible that happened. That became the focus of my story, When the Mountain Crumbled.

I find our own lives follow a similar pattern. Tragedy, hardship, sickness and disappointment… but do we see the miracles?

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 2

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 2

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 3

Betti Mace, October 4

Lighthouse Academy Blog, October 5 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Devoted To Hope, October 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 6

Texas Book-aholic, October 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 8

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 9

Bizwings Book Blog, October 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 10

Holly’s Book Corner, October 11

Blossoms and Blessings, October 11

An Author’s Take, October 12

Cover Lover Book Review, October 13

Mary Hake, October 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 14

Pause for Tales, October 15

Connie’s History Classroom, October 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5456

Target Acquired: (Christian Suspense Thriller with Mystery and Clean Romance) by Lynette Eason

 

Target Acquired: 

(Christian Suspense Thriller with Mystery and Clean Romance) 

August 20, 2024

by Lynette Eason (Author)

Tough-as-nails Kenzie King has finally earned her place as a tactical medic on a SWAT team. But not everyone on the all-male team accepts her. Rumor is, she didn't get the position because of what she could do but because of who she knew. Which means she has to work harder and longer than anyone else to prove herself.

Cole Garrison is a man with deep faith who is finally ready to settle down and build a family of his own--if he can find the right person, that is. Kenzie sure has set off his interest meter, but trouble seems to follow in her wake. Since she joined the team, someone has begun to ambush and pick off team members, one by one.

It's all hands on deck to discover the culprit and end the killing. Can Kenzie and Cole put aside their differences and work together as a team? Or will their budding attraction be snuffed out by a sniper's bullet?

As you've come to expect from bestselling author Lynette Eason's stories, this tightly wound plot unfurls at breakneck speed and will leave you breathless.

My thoughts: Target Acquired is a page turning romantic suspense that will engage you and keep you reading.  Some of the story really surprised me, some was horrific, and others were beyond sweet. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and how they were able to work through the problems. You will definitely want to read this book. Grab your copy today.  I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.

Christmas With You (Home to Heritage Book 3) by Tari Faris

 

Preorder your copy now!!!!

Christmas With You

 (Home to Heritage Book 3) 

by Tari Faris (Author), Susan May Warren (Author) 

What do you get when you have an ex-Navy SEAL, a Christmas tree farm, and first-time nanny? Find out in the third book of the Home to Heritage series, Christmas with You.

Fallon James has lost everything—her husband, her job, and her home. With nowhere else to turn, she returns to her hometown of Heritage, Michigan, only to find her family's once-thriving Christmas tree farm on the brink of ruin. Determined to save the farm, Fallon throws herself into the struggle, but she can't do it alone.

Enter Cole Scott, Fallon's high school friend and now a single dad working odd jobs to support his two kids. Cole agrees to help Fallon in exchange for her watching his children while he travels for a lucrative security job. As they work side by side, old tensions resurface, but so does an undeniable attraction. However, Fallon harbors a secret that could change everything.

Just as the farm starts to see success, Fallon's former company unleashes a devastating lawsuit, threatening to destroy everything she and Cole have built. With time running out and her dreams slipping away, Fallon must make a choice that could cost her the love and family she's always wanted. Worse, a shocking turn of events forces Cole to confront what truly matters most.

Can Fallon and Cole overcome the secrets, lies, and legal battles that stand between them? Or will they lose the farm, their love, and the future they've risked everything to build?

Filled with heartwarming holiday cheer, pulse-pounding suspense, and the magic of second chances, this unforgettable tale of love, family, and the true meaning of Christmas will keep you turning pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of small-town romance, single dad heroes, and holiday happily-ever-afters, this book is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of love to overcome even the darkest of times.

HOME TO HERITAGE
You’re the Reason
Here With Me
Christmas With You

RESTORING HERITAGE
P.S. Goodbye (prequel novella)
You Belong With Me
Until I Met You
While It Was Snowing (novella)
Since You’ve Been Gone
Upon a Midnight Snow (Christmas novella)

My thoughts:   Christmas With you there's a sweet  Christian romance set in an area of Michigan I am very familiar with. I enjoyed getting reconnected with some of the former characters in this series and getting to know to new ones in this story.  I liked how Cole was quick to step in and take care of others. He was a sweet guy. Fallon took me a while to connect to. She is bossy and kind of rude. But characters meshed well, and I eventually was able to connect with both. I never saw the black moment coming. In fact, I thought it was there a lot earlier than normal and then a second black moment, both of which I anticipated and then the third one which came out of the dark and slammed into me. Definitely love the story. I was giving a copy for you and all opinions are my own.