Monday, May 31, 2021

Prairie

What if you could literally wish your life away?

My name is Jessa Davidson, and I awoke one day in the place of every dream I’ve ever had—the prairie. I don’t know how I got here or where here even is, but I know one thing for certain. I can’t go home again. Ever.

If I’ve learned one thing being in this beautiful place, it’s that no matter how perfect it and its people seem, sin lives in the hearts of men and women in Prairie, too. The differences between Prairie and Pittsburgh? There are too many to count.

I grew up hearing the words of the Apostle Paul. “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

Here in Prairie, they’re not a lesson. They’re a warning.

I’ve been given a gift—the greatest desire of my heart. A life in the place of my dreams, a chance at love and family, a sense of real belonging.

Can I hold onto it? Time will tell—time I may not have if I can’t learn to be content.

Prairie is the first book in the Journey of Dreams, a series of related but stand-alone contemporary Christian fantasy novels exploring truths in a whole new way.

My thoughts: Where to start with this one? Where would you go if you could live in the world of your dreams and imagination? For Jessa, she finds herself in a world that resembles Little House on the Prairie, and yet isn't. A unique town, Jessa finds herself liking certain aspects of this new place and wondering if she will mind living out her life there.

I enjoyed the message of this story and getting to know the characters. It's a very unique, interesting story that I enjoyed immensely!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Author of the bestselling Aggie and Past Forward series, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

More from Chautona

When Your Novel Teaches You an Important Lesson

I’ve told the story before, but I’ll tell it again. Prairie began as a dream. For several days in a row, I fell asleep and found myself lost in the sway of prairie grasses undulating to the strains of “Theme from a Summer Place.”

It’s a bad habit of mine, but despite being in the middle of a writing project, I wrote down my thoughts—my impressions. Two strange things happened.

First, the story came out in first person. Folks, I don’t write in first-person perspective. Not my novels, anyway. I don’t enjoy reading it, and I really don’t enjoy writing it.

Jessa, however, demanded I let her tell her story… her way. So I did. And it’s one of the fastest novels I’ve ever written.

There’s irony in that.

You see, I didn’t know where that story would go. My dream only replayed the scene of Jessa waking up on the prairie and not knowing how she got there—only knowing she could never go home. Beyond that, I hadn’t a clue.

And though I wanted to rush through so I could see where the story would take me, and though I wrote at breakneck speeds, the story unfolded at its own pace.

The people of Prairie live a different life from anything you’ve ever seen—and yet it is mostly very familiar. One thing, however, sets it apart.

Time.

Only in Prairie does time not work as it does here, and that changes everything. The story begins slowly and for a reason. Line by line, observation by observation, step by step through the grasses and down rutted lanes, the story draws you out of the breakneck speed of modern life and into a world that, if you aren’t careful, will whiz by faster than is even possible.

Here in our world, that is.

There… you’d better watch out.

Has anyone ever warned you not to wish your life away? It’s just a gentle reminder that if you’re always eager for today to end in hopes of a more exciting tomorrow, you may find you never lived.

In Prairie? It might actually happen.

Blog Stops

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 28

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 29

For the Love of Literature, May 30

Blogging With Carol, May 30

Texas Book-aholic, May 31

Inklings and notions, June 1

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, June 1

For Him and My Family, June 2

deb’s Book Review, June 3

Spoken from the Heart, June 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 4

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, June 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 7

Pause for Tales, June 7

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 8

Lots of Helpers, June 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 9

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, June 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of the book & a $25 Amazon gift 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/10ca2/prairie-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Be More than a Christian, be a Disciple

Be More Than A Christian began as weekly devotional text messages to the members of Disciples Tabernacle Church with added thoughts of the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and experiences of Pastor Oscar Walker. Overtime, these devotional were transitioned to emails due to the abundance of information. The devotions included in this book are revelations and illuminations given to Pastor Walker by the Holy Spirit. These 52 devotions focus on 52 aspects of our journey with the Lord. A thought and a devotion for each week of the year. Pastor Walker believes devotions are mediation books. Something written in these devotions may lead you into prayer; however, the goal of this book is to lead you into meditation.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2).

One important problem among believers today who call themselves Christians is their poor witness in the world. They present a weak commitment to living by the precepts and teachings of Christ and the Apostles.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22-23).

My thoughts: I liked how this devotional has a slightly different format than what I am used to, since it is set up to be a once a week devotion. I see the pros and cons of that, since I liked that it gave me something to think about for the week, and didn't get over whelming or redundant with having a devotional every day. But, it can also be hard to remember to set apart time once a week, when it's not a daily habit. I think it would be a great devotional for a small group or Sunday school to go through. I appreciated the scripture verses that are paired with stories from the author's life experiences. This is a wonderful, unique devotional to pick up!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Pastor Oscar Walker has been in ministry for over 30 years and is the founding pastor of Disciples Tabernacle Church in Houston, Texas. Prior to becoming a full-time pastor, Pastor Walker worked 35 years in the airline industry and for several years as a high school teacher.

Pastor Walker surrendered to the call of ministry in April 1997 and has been running for the Lord ever since. In 2000, Disciples Tabernacle Church was founded and has birthed ministries, such as Ministers Training College, to help equip leaders and ministers for ministry work. Pastor Walker’s call is to make disciples who continue to make other disciples following his influence and his primary ministry assignment is to teach God’s people how to have a personal relationship with Him through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

Pastor Walker has been married to his wife, Joyce, for 54 years and has 3 daughters, 2 granddaughters, 2 grandsons, and 4 great granddaughters. His hobbies are auto mechanics, reading, gardening, and fishing. Now he tends to, “God’s garden”, and is a, “fisher of men.”

More from Oscar

Need to connect with God on a deeper level? Want to have a relationship with Christ that is beyond the surface level? Be More Than A Christian, Be A Disciple was born out a desire to help fellow believers develop a deeper relationship with Christ through studying His Word and applying biblical principles to our everyday lives. Originally, the devotions in the book were weekly devotionals sent to our church membership for encouragement throughout the week. Over the years, the devotionals became a path to grow in your relationship with Christ and now a book. Each month focuses on an aspect of your relationship with Christ and each week takes you step by step through how to mature in your belief and faith. From the beginning of the year, starting fresh and focusing on Christ, through the middle of the year learning about the power of prayer and trusting God, to the end of the year setting your eyes on your destiny, the devotions are meant to spur your fervor and thirst for knowledge about Christ. My prayer is this book inspires you to be more than a Christian but a devoted disciple of Christ.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 26

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 27

cats in the cradle blog, May 27

Lighthouse Academy Blog, May 28 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

deb’s Book Review, May 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 30

Inklings and notions, May 31

Texas Book-aholic, June 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 2

CarpeDiem, June 2

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 3

For Him and My Family, June 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 5

Spoken from the Heart, June 6

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 8

Mary Hake, June 8

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Oscar is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift 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.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10c9f/be-more-than-a-christian-be-a-disciple-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, May 29, 2021

7 Divine Mysteries

God’s abundance is waiting for you. Are you ready to go deeper?

There comes a point in our spiritual journey when we must no longer sit and wait. Instead, we need to stand up and walk boldly in God’s purposes for us. We have to progress toward the blessings and provision He has shown us in the glory realms.

There isn’t a single area of your life for which God does not have a promise of victory. He has proclaimed breakthroughs, blessings, and, yes, miracles. In 7 Divine Mysteries: Supernatural Secrets to Unlimited Abundance by Joshua Mills, you will find out how to connect to the manifest promises of God as you stretch your faith, work the Word, and allow the Spirit to lead you into overflowing abundance for spirit, soul, and body. The seven mysteries include the mystery of divine vision, the mystery of the seed, the mystery of working with angels, the mystery of gratitude, the mystery of divine connection, the mystery of divine placement and positioning, and the mystery of divine timing.

There is an entire realm of supernatural abundance just waiting for you to explore and put to work in your life. In these days, God is opening untapped abundance for restoration, healing, deliverance, relationships, finances, creative ideas, and more. Many people have been waiting for God to move in their lives, but He is waiting for us to move in faith toward His promises. We must activate what He has spoken to us about—or risk losing the opportunity. God is looking for men and women who will rise up and choose to receive every promise He has given.

As God’s children, we can confidently ask Him for miracles and provision in areas where we have experienced difficulty or lack in the past. We just need to give Him permission to upset the daily routine of our lives and let His glory flow from heaven to earth. Then, we need to take hold of our portion as it comes down from the throne.

Joshua Mills and his wife, Janet, have proven these seven scriptural principles in their own lives, and this book is filled with faith-building testimonies, practical keys, and activations for readers to apply directly to their own circumstances.

My thoughts: This book gave me a lot to think on, since it deals with some difficult subjects. Here are the list of 7 mysteries that this book goes over:

Divine Mystery 1: Heavenly Vision Is a Pathway for Provision
Divine Mystery 2: What You Say Creates a Way
Divine Mystery 3: The Word You Work Will Work for You
Divine Mystery 4: What You Sow, You Will Grow
Divine Mystery 5: Generous Believing Produces Generous Receiving
Divine Mystery 6: Angel Power Makes Abundance Shower
Divine Mystery 7: Generational Investing Brings Generational Blessing

There is a lot to ponder in this book, though I will say that I didn't agree 100% with some of the mysteries he addresses. I don't think that God wants us to be wealthy, though I also don't think that money is evil. I've just seen how destructive it can be to think that we have only found favor with God if we are rich. But, I do think that Jesus calls us to be good stewards over what we have, both in our finances and with our gifts.

This is a good book to read through and get to thinking about some interesting topics.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Joshua Mills is an internationally recognized ordained minister of the gospel, as well as a recording artist, keynote conference speaker, and author of more than twenty books and spiritual training manuals. His recent books include Power Portals, Moving in Glory Realms, Seeing Angels, and Encountering Your Angels. He is well known for his unique insights into the glory realm, prophetic sound, and the supernatural atmosphere that he carries. For more than twenty years, he has helped people discover the life-shifting truths of salvation, healing, and deliverance for spirit, soul, and body. Joshua and his wife, Janet, cofounded International Glory Ministries and have ministered on six continents in over seventy-five nations. They have also been featured in several film documentaries and print articles, and have ministered to millions around the world through radio, television, and online webcasts. Their ministry is located in both Palm Springs, California, and London, Ontario, Canada, where they live with their three children: Lincoln, Liberty, and Legacy.

More from Joshua

There is an entire realm of supernatural abundance just waiting for you to explore and put to work in your life. In 7 Divine Mysteries: Supernatural Secrets to Unlimited Abundance by Joshua Mills, you will find out how to connect to the manifest promises of God as you stretch your faith, work the Word, and allow the Spirit to lead you into discovering overflowing abundance for spirit, soul, and body. The seven mysteries include the mystery of divine vision, the mystery of the seed, the mystery of working with angels, the mystery of gratitude, the mystery of divine connection, the mystery of divine placement and positioning, and the mystery of divine timing.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 27

Artistic Nobody, May 28 (Spotlight)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 28

Texas Book-aholic, May 29

Inklings and notions, May 30

Simple Harvest Reads, May 31 (Spotlight)

For Him and My Family, June 1

deb’s Book Review, June 2

Fiction Book Lover, June 3 (Spotlight)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, June 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 5

Booksy, June 6 (Spotlight)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 7

Spoken from the Heart, June 8 (Spotlight)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 9

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Joshua is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card, a copy of the book, and an additional surprise book!!

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/10ca1/7-divine-mysteries-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, May 28, 2021

The Silver Shadow

A Shadowy Figure Is Intent on Harming Denver’s Women

Book 11 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Denver of 1900 is still a dangerous place to be following the silver crash of 1893. And of out of the dark comes a shadow intent on harming women. Ambitious young Denver newspaper reporter Polly Blythe is searching for the big story that’s going to launch her career. On Friday evening, August 24, 1900, she gets her break when two women are cracked over the head within a two-minute walk of each other. But policeman Edwin Timmer thwarts Polly’s ideas of a serial criminal. . .until the shadowy figure strikes again. Will the reporter and the policeman team up to find the culprit before he strikes too close for comfort?

My thoughts: While I have enjoyed this whole series, I found that this one was quite unique from some of the others in that it was based on a series of crimes that have all but been forgotten about. I enjoyed how Liz Tolsma took what was historical facts and wove it into a creative story. I thought that it was interesting to get inside the criminal's head for parts of the story, causing the flow to be quite suspenseful! This is an excellent story to pick up.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

One of the most popular questions I’ve gotten from many readers of the True Colors Crime series is how do I come up with the ideas for the books? For the first two, Becky Germany, acquisitions editor at Barbour Publishing, had the ideas. That made my life easy. I just had to fictionalize it, and I had a book. But when I was putting together the proposals for The Gold Digger and The Silver Shadow, it was up to me to find the true crimes I wanted to use.

I went online and scoured historical crime blogs and books for ideas. I wanted crimes that I could work easily with, that made for compelling stories. As I was doing this, my husband and two daughters and I were driving home from Georgia. We were somewhere in Indiana. Don’t ask me why I remember this when I can’t remember what I had for dinner last night, but I do.

And then on Google Books, I discovered a book about crimes the world had forgotten. The first one in there sounded so good. Not too grisly, something that no one would be able to guess the culprit very easily. It was perfect. Imagine my excitement when Becky told me they would be publishing The Silver Shadow.

Then I sat down to research it more. And I could hardly find anything! What? Where was all the information on this? There had to be more. That chapter in the one book couldn’t be all there was. He had to get his information from somewhere.

Eventually I did come across some articles from various Colorado newspapers with a few details. Not many at all. None from any of the Denver papers, even though that’s where the crimes were committed.

In the end, that’s all the information I discovered. In a way, it was freeing. I could write whatever I wanted, and no one would be the wiser. Even if they did some research and some digging, there wasn’t much to find. I was able to take the facts that I did have, combine that with what I found out about Denver in 1900, and put it together in a story. I tried to use historical details wherever I could, but of my four True Colors Crimes books, this is the most fictional of them all.