Sunday, June 30, 2024

Remind Me of My Light by Sharon Musgrove

 

Remind Me Of My Light

by Sharon Musgrove

 

There’s an amazing portrait photographer in the UK whose uplifting work crossed my Instagram feed.  His posts consist of short videos where he stops individuals on the street, asks if he might take their picture for promotional material on social media, snaps a few photos, and then reveals both the portrait and the reaction of his models to their image. 

The portraits are stunning.

And the muses are stunned.

The people the photographer engages are everyday folk, commoners out doing the day.  And it is usual for the somebody he stops to decline the photo-op, initially, claiming to dislike the way they look.  But with the promise that he will delete all content the person wants destroyed, people acquiesce.

This artist sees something in people that many don’t see in themselves . . . a special radiance, and somehow, through the right lens, he captures this light in everyone.  He often brings his subject to tears when they see this version of themselves that they’ve lost touch with.

In viewing the footage, I’m reminded of how Jesus highlighted the characteristics of light in people during His sermon on the mount (Matthew 5).

Jesus speaks to a crowd of people gathered to hear something good.  The times were bleak, and hope was dim.  The doings of each day seemed dismal, and faces wore the hard lines of discouragement. 

But Jesus saw the world through a different lens.  He noticed broken hearts where people judged hard shells.  Christ knew where glowing embers hid.  Thus, He invited them . . . and us . . . back into the vision God had for His children as if to say, may I recapture the person I see?

The Savior’s mountain-message described images of individuals he called blessed.  Those who endured hardship yet remained humble.  People grieving yet grateful.  Those challenged but unchanged.  He gave them a snapshot of what happy looks like.

And then Jesus said,

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”  Matthew 5:14-15 (NLT, emphasis mine)

Those who endure the pains of passage through life and yet continue to hold out hope in God’s love give light. 

So, if we lose our light, what then? 

The world becomes a darker place.

 “I think you look great.”  Says the photographer to his chosen subject.  And worry lines dissipate into a curious countenance.

It’s common that a person photographed, by the fellow that I follow, will give personal testimony of how poorly they felt prior to their portrait experience.  But when invited to smile, and then exposed to that image, it reframes their whole outlook.

Do you know you are light?

Even if your hope has grown dim it’s not too late!  There’s plenty of time to recapture the person God intended you to be.  Just open to letting the Holy Spirit reveal God’s love for you . . . and you’ll recognize the beauty in His image.

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Sharon has been writing and teaching biblically based curriculum, Bible studies, and devotionals since 2007.    

 

She has had the unique position of writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to speak in Leadership camps intended on encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young women.

 

Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

 

Sharon and her husband, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children. 

 

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is working towards a degree in Ministry. 

 

~*~

Connect with Sharon:

Website: Sharonmusgrove.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/

 

 

 

Saturday, June 29, 2024

Welcome to the Mary's Calico Hope Celebration Tour! #Giveaway!!!

 



About the Book

Book: Mary’s Calico Hope (The Heart of the Amish: Book 5)

Author: Anne Blackburne

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release date: June, 2024

Mary Yod er IsContent Despite Challenges Thrown Her Way

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.

If God wills it, Mary Yoder will do it, even if that means using crutches for the rest of her life. She was badly injured in a buggy accident as a child. Still, she is content living in the Dawdi Haus connected to her parents’ farmhouse and with her work weaving baskets and raising specialty roosters whose feathers she uses to make excellent trout lures. She is truly happy at twenty-nine, but. . .she wouldn’t mind finding a husband—if the Lord wills it. Along comes Reuben King, a Mennonite doctor. They are attracted to one another, but how could they ever be together? She’s a baptized Amish woman, so it seems impossible. Also, he wants her to have surgery to improve her mobility and lessen her day-to-day pain. She’s sick and tired of surgeries! But if God wills it, she’ll do it. And just maybe there will be a way for these two unlikely souls to connect.

 

   Marilyn's thoughts:    

Mary’s Calico Hope is a heartwarming story with the strong fortitude, faith and determination found in Mary Yoder. I met Mary in Blackburne’s first book, Ruth’s Gingersnap Surprise, thus I knew instantly I wanted to read Mary’s story to see how her life was progressing being disabled and her new kitten Hope that Lydia had given her.

 

Mary and Ruben’s story is unique with him being a Mennonite doctor and new to the Amish community. The challenges were realistic for Mary but her mother’s faith knew it was not impossible for God to bring answers despite what the busybody of the Amish community was relying to the Bishop. Mary and Lydia faced major decisions that took courage until something unexpected happened that caused one of their decision to be chosen for them. What’s going to happen between Mary and Ruben when he cannot stop practicing medicine? Anne Blackburne presented a delightful ending to this sweet and touching read.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing without any obligation to write a positive review. I have expressed my own thoughts.


.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Anne Blackburne lives and works in Southeast Ohio as a newspaper editor and writer. She is the mother of five grown children, has one wonderful grandchild, and a spoiled poodle named Millie. For fun, when she isn’t working on Amish romance or sweet mysteries, Anne directs and acts in community theater productions and writes and directs original plays. She also enjoys reading, kayaking, swimming, searching for beach glass, and just sitting with a cup of coffee looking at large bodies of water. Her idea of the perfect vacation is cruising and seeing amazing new places with people she loves.

 

 

More from Anne

Hello from Southeastern Ohio, where the sun is shining and it’s good to be alive!

Less than a year ago I wrote a kick-off post for the launch of my debut novel, Ruth’s Ginger Snap Surprise, which was also featured in a Celebrate Lit Book Tour in December 2023.

As a green newbie, I didn’t really understand what this meant, but I was (and am!) very happy for any help with my writing career. Well, the amazing bloggers who work with Celebrate Lit did a bang-up job promoting my book, and it is doing very well. So thanks to all of them, and to all who have read Ruth’s story!

Now, here I am again! I can hardly believe that my second book, Mary’s Calico Hope, is published and available to readers, and that once again I’m blessed to have the help of the Celebrate Lit folks in launching my book.

Mary Yoder will be familiar to anyone who read my first book. She appears several times in that story; you may remember her as the quiet young woman with a great attitude despite the fact that she has been using crutches to get around since a childhood accident injured her spine and legs.

Mary is the heroine of my second book, Mary’s Calico Hope. In fact, Mary is something of a heroine to me. I love her joy in living and her faith that God will get her through any challenge, even if she can’t begin to see how He’s going to do it.

We all face challenges, and would all benefit from a little more faith, and not just when times get tough, am I right?

I am so happy to bring you Mary’s story and can’t wait for you to experience her happy-ever-after. (Which of course is guaranteed, since we’re talking about a romance novel!) But how will she get there? Ah, that’s the question!

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Mary’s story! This book is my second in Barbour Publishing’s new series, “The Heart of the Amish”. It’s actually the fifth book in that series, which also contains great reads from authors Mindy Steele and Lisa Baker Jones.

I’m currently writing my third book in the series, which will feature a young woman you met in both Ruth and Mary’s stories, Elizabeth Miller. Look for Lizzie’s Little Mouse next winter.

Oh! I forgot to mention, each of my heroine’s received a tiny kitten from an elderly friend, Lydia Coblentz. Ruth had Ginger Snap. Mary has her calico kitten, Hope. And Lizzie’s kitten is a little gray one that reminds her of—you guessed it! A mouse!

I hope you’re having as much fun reading about these remarkable young women—and their kitties! —as I’m having writing about them. Thanks for being part of our journey! Without you, it wouldn’t be possible.

As for me and mine, we are all well and enjoying spring in southeast Ohio. In other words, enjoying the sunshine, but carrying a sweater and an umbrella, just in case!

God bless you and yours!

Joyfully,

Anne Blackburne

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, June 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, June 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 28

Lighthouse Academy Blog, June 29 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 1

Lakesidelivingsite, July 2

Splashes of Joy, July 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 3

For Him and My Family, July 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 5

The Lofty Pages, July 5

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, July 6

Stories By Gina, July 7 (Author Interview)

Devoted To Hope, July 7

Bigreadersite, July 8

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, July 8

The Avid Reader, July 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, July 10

Holly’s Book Corner, July 10

Giveaway

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

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2c560/mary-s-calico-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway


Thursday, June 27, 2024

A Friend to Trust: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance (K-9 Companions Book 14) by Lee Tobin McClain (Author)

 


A Friend to Trust: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance 

(K-9 Companions Book 14)


Race to Kindness Hardcover – Picture Book by Orion Jean (Author), Darshika Varma (Illustrator)

 




Race to Kindness 

Hardcover – Picture Book, May 7, 2024

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

A Is for Amish (Amish ABCs) – by Shelley Shepard Gray

 


A Is for Amish 

(Amish ABCs) 

– June 25, 2024





In a heartwarming new series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray, four siblings take a genuine leap of faith when they move to their grandparents’ farm in rural Ohio and decide to become Amish.

Exploring the relationship between Amish and English cultures through the lens of a single family, the Amish Again series is perfect for fans of Beverly Lewis, Suzanne Woods Fisher, and Charlotte Hubbard – and anyone who enjoys uplifting stories about faith, family, love, and the simple life.

SIMULTANEOUS HARDCOVER AND TRADE PAPERBACK RELEASE!


Siblings Martin, Kelsey, Beth, and Jonny are as different as can be, but they have one thing in common. They’re all longing to reinvent their lives. Raised by their divorced lapsed-Amish father and English mother, they only knew real stability and a sense of family when visiting their Old Order grandparents, Josiah and Sylvia Schrock, in peaceful Holmes County, Ohio. Now the four want to try living with them and joining their faith—much to the Schrocks’ surprise . . .

Martin, the eldest, is reeling from a bad breakup, so he’s especially determined to make a fresh start. When he meets his grandparents’ neighbor, Patti Coblentz, he’s immediately drawn to her outgoing, helpful nature—but is so overwhelmed that he appears blunt and rude. Is there any way he can drop his defenses enough to admit she’s captured his heart?

Always self-conscious about the birthmark on her temple, Patti is resigned to never marrying and busying herself with the responsibilities of the large home and property she has inherited. Besides, Martin’s ill-mannered behavior and disconcerting directness make him the last man she’d ever want to wed—no matter how handsome he is.

Yet given time and patience—and adhering to their grandparents’ unexpectedly challenging rules—the whole family might just find what they’re looking for, even Martin and Patti.




Marilyn's thoughts:    

I was enthralled into the story with the unusual plot and dialogue of Martin, Beth, Jonny and Kelsey as they traveled to their Amish grandparents in Holmes County. There were surprises, decisions to be made with twists and turns throughout the story with Martin and Kelsey being the first to commit to a year with their grandparents.

 

Each character is well developed with their own uniqueness and personality. Gray penned a touching tale with realistic struggles for each character, whether English or Amish. I admired the grandparents with their faith, strength and wisdom they provided to the grandchildren. The story ended with a cliffhanger between Martin and Patti, thus I’ll be abiding my time till the next book is release in Amish ABCs series.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author without any obligation to write a positive review as part of her launch team. I have expressed my own thoughts.

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Their Surprise Amish Reunion: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance (Love Inspired) by Jocelyn McClay

 


Their Surprise Amish Reunion:

 An Uplifting Inspirational Romance

(Love Inspired)

 – June 25, 2024

Monday, June 24, 2024

From This Day Forward: Encore Edition (Heartland Homecoming) by Irene Hannon

 


From This Day Forward: 

Encore Edition 

(Heartland Homecoming) 

– October 29, 2022

Hope – A Supernatural Abstraction #Devotional by Laura Poole

  Hope – A Supernatural Abstraction   “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words.” ~...