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Thursday, April 29, 2021

Rooms of a Mother's Heart

 


For thousands of years and in a myriad of cultures, women have forged identity, unconditional love, and vast purpose in the calling of motherhood. From Eve to Sarah, from Ruth to Mary, the Scriptures are filled with the accounts of the heart of a mother who was given a divine opportunity to raise the next generation for the purposes and call of the Father.

Inside the soul of every mother lies a heart that becomes a repository of sweet memories, hard lessons, glorious victories, ordinary days, glaring failures, and God’s grace over the years of mothering. The heart of a mother becomes home to jokes around the dinner table, holiday traditions, the tears of childhood, and the love that only a mother knows. And this tender heart that has given birth to the future of mankind or has lovingly adopted the seeds of the next generation also develops rooms of unsurpassed greatness and quiet strength. These are the Rooms of a Mother’s Heart.

With her characteristic charm, joy, and biblical teaching that she shares like a good friend over a cup of coffee, Carol McLeod examines what it means to be a mother and offers tender encouragement to all women who accept that calling.

 My thoughts: As a mom of littles, it is so easy to get caught up in the day to day crunch and forget about the bigger picture that motherhood paints. I really appreciated the encouragement of this book to remember that one of the most fulfilling and rewarding jobs we can have is to raise children. I loved that this book was like meeting with a mentor mom and talking about the struggles and joys of being a mother. I highly recommend this book for mothers of all ages! 

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

McLeod_Carol2The president and CEO of Carol McLeod Ministries, Carol McLeod is a popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats. She is the author of a dozen books, including Vibrant: Developing a Deep and Abiding Joy for All SeasonsSignificant: Becoming a Woman of Unique Purpose, True Identity, and Irrepressible HopeStormProof: Weathering Life’s Tough TimesGuide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue; Joy for All Seasons; Holy Estrogen; and Defiant Joy.

Carol hosts a twice weekly podcast, A Jolt of Joy! on the Charisma Podcast Network, and a weekly podcast, Significant. Her weekly blog, Joy for the Journey, has been named in the Top 50 Faith Blogs for Women. Carol also writes a weekly column in Ministry Today.

She has written several devotionals for YouVersion, including “21 Days to Beat Depression,” which has touched the lives of nearly one million people around the world. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman’s Heart won the prestigious Telly Award for excellence in religious programming.

Carol was also the first women’s chaplain at Oral Roberts University and served as chaplain on the university’s Alumni Board of Directors for many years.

Carol has been married to her college sweetheart, Craig, for more than forty years and is the mother of five children in heaven and five children on earth. Carol and Craig also happily answer to “Marmee and Pa” for their captivating grandchildren.

 

More from Carol

Evening Conversation …

I am working with my fabulous editor on the edits for my next book that will be released in April.

“The Rooms of a Mother’s Heart” is the title and writing it has caused me to travel back through the memory bank of my heart.

As I was working on the edits for the chapter, “The Nursery”, tonight, I came upon these words and thought that I would share them with all of you in my evening conversation.

It’s a lesson that I am still learning …

“The nursery is filled with little things, isn’t it?

It holds little bears and little clothes, tiny blankets and miniature books.

It is in the nursery of your heart that you develop an appreciation for the little things in life and where you begin to understand that these are actually life’s big things.

The nursery teaches that it is the little things in life that are capable of building a grand and historic life.

So often, during other years of my life, I have made the glaring error of living for the big moments, for the red-letter days of graduations, weddings, and championship ball games. The nursery has taught me that those monstrous occasions, as fabulous as they might seem at the time, do not construct a vital and enchanting existence at all.

A glass of iced tea on the back deck while the children are playing baseball, and the sweet giggle of a child just waking up from a nap—these give birth to a whimsical life.

The smell of the roses as I walk to the front door, a good book and a cup of coffee on a rainy afternoon, and making cookies with the children to share with the neighbors—these build a life of grand and lasting proportions.

A glorious life is built on one small but meaningful and carefully chosen building block at a time.

A wonderful life is composed of long walks along country roads while the children gather wildflowers.

It is pancakes on a Saturday morning and popcorn on Sunday evening.

In the nursery of my heart, I have been taught that the real stuff of life is as close and as dear as the morning song of the bird outside my bedroom window, the companionship of my daughter on my daily run, and the treasure of reading a devotional book that belonged to my grandfather.

Those events may seem small and even in consequential to you, but to me, they deliver joy.

There is no applause in a nursery, nor are there diplomas on the wall or trophies lined up across the changing table, but it remains the most splendid room in the entire home.

The nursery is absent of the rush of adrenaline, but it is filled with the sweet sighs of contentment.

Perhaps living inside a regular day in which nothing of earth-moving significance happens is at the heart of all that is truly meaningful and extraordinary.

The glory of life is found quite simply in the ordinary moments.

The treasure of a life well lived is acquired not in getting but in giving.

The substance of all that is good, rich, and meaningful is found in a thousand inconsequential gifts that are easily overlooked if one is not careful.

I hope that you will treasure the time spent in the nursery of your heart and remember that it is the little things that contribute to a large life.”

These are my thoughts for Sunday, January 31, 2021.

Blessings, my friends.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 28

Splashes of Joy, April 28

Texas Book-aholic, April 29

Inklings and notions, April 30

For Him and My Family, May 1

Mary Hake, May 1

deb’s Book Review, May 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 4

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 5

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 6

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 7

cats in the cradle blog, May 7

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 10

Godly Book Reviews, May 10

Lots of Helpers, May 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbuck’s 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/10b5b/rooms-of-a-mother-s-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Journey to Joy

 


Can she find joy where there has only been defeat and dishonor?

Tricked into indentured servitude, Joy Richards finds herself working for an abusive innkeeper. Her life is so destitute, she feels God has forsaken her. After one last desperate cry to God, a kind stranger steps in to take her away.

Can she trust this new circumstance?

Andrew Lloyd-Foxx abhors injustice. He can’t walk away from it. When he steps in on the young woman’s behalf, his own life is turned upside down. Burdened with his own loss, he has no room for anyone else.

Will the journey prove too difficult?

 My thoughts: My children and I have been reading a lot of early American history lately, so I was fascinated by this fictional story told through the eyes of an indentured servant. Not just someone who was an indentured servant, but a young woman who have seen tricked into servitude. The author does a wonderful job of portraying the emotions of the characters and the difficult situations they are in. It would be so hard not to be bitter about the time stolen from one and to choose joy instead. This is a powerful, well written story that I highly recommend.

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

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Anne Perreault was born and raised in Germany. By the time she was 14 years old, her family moved to Dubai, UAE. While living in this exotic place, she traveled extensively to various countries around the world. After graduating from an American boarding school in Austria, she attended college in England, where she met her husband. She graduated from New England College with a degree in biology, and settled down in Connecticut. Anne became a horseback riding instructor as well as a certified therapeutic riding instructor. She and a group of friends started a therapeutic riding center in Bristol, CT. During that time, Anne also received a masters degree in secondary education and began to homeschool her three children. While raising their three children, she began to write an inspirational story primarily for her daughter. Anne, her husband, and two of their grown children now reside in Southern Vermont, where they are building their home. Besides writing, Anne enjoys reading, spending time with her husband, grown children, and grand-dogger.

More from Anne

This book came about when my youngest son and I were studying the second awakening and some of the preachers that started to talk about abolition. I was fascinated by their passion and could see myself in the crowd, listening to them preach.

 

At the same time, I was probably reading a historical fiction, possibly by Tamera Alexander, and she included horses. I think it was the Bell Meade series. I thought to myself, Myself, you love history more than anything else. Why don’t you write a historical fiction and include horses?

 

Talk about catching two stones with one bird. Believe it or not, even though I spent most of my life on or around horses, taught horseback riding for about 15 years, competed very extensively in both dressage and equitation, and owned an off-the-track racehorse, my knowledge of racing was… limited.

 

But I know horses. And I love history. And, research is fun.

 

So, I thought back to which book had a ton of influence on me, a book that highlighted racehorses. King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry popped into my mind immediately. I have a very special love of the Arabian horse and boy if there was ever a story, I would want to tell something like that one.

 

I began researching how and when and why and who imported the Godolphin Arabian to the United States and… I found out some amazing things not just about the Thoroughbreds, who greatly benefited from the influence of the Godolphin Arabian – as he came to be known – but also our very own Quarter Horses. Did you know that the reason they are called Quarter Horses is because they have incredible speed over the quarter mile. That was news to me. The first place to make a home for the Godolphin in this country was in the South, at Fenwick Park. I researched that place and the story started to come together.

 

I had the horses. I wanted to place the story in New England, since I live there. I had the place, pictured what it would look like, but the characters were still illusive. Abolition had to be part of the story. So, what if one of them was a slave? That didn’t quite fit history well. But what if one of them was an indentured servant?

 

Bada-bing bada-bang. Hello, my friends. The characters just jumped out at me and I enjoyed watching them scramble around in their relationship with each other, as well as the relationship with those around them. This book really has an amazing supporting cast of characters. I never imagined them to be so… fun.

I hope you enjoy this peek inside an author’s head. Enjoy Journey for Joy as much as I loved writing it.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 22

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 23

For Him and My Family, April 24

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 25

Connie’s History Classroom, April 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 28

Inklings and notions, April 29

deb’s Book Review, April 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 1

Artistic Nobody, May 2 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 3

Genesis 5020, May 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 4

Simple Harvest Reads, May 5 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Anne is giving away the grand prize package of an eBook copy of Journey to Joy and and a $10 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/10b24/journey-to-joy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Begotten

 

Begotten JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Begotten by Lisa T. Bergren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Begotten Title: Begotten 
Series: The Gifted Trilogy #1 
Author: Lisa T. Bergren 
Publisher: BCG Press 
Release Date: April 26, 2021 
Genre: Christian, Supernatural Suspense 

Begotten is an edited, new edition of a novel previously released in 2006, The Begotten. 

At the height of the Inquisition, a secret half a millennium old is about to be exposed---a lost letter believed to have been written by Saint Paul but never part of the Christian canon. The letter speaks of men and women---the Gifted---with profound spiritual gifts that will strike fear in the heart of a Church dedicated to maintaining power. Now the letter has surfaced and the Gifted are gathering. But so are their enemies... 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & NobleBook Depository | Christianbook


My thoughts: This story pulled me in from the get go, with a mysterious book telling of a group of individuals who would work together to fight evil and show the world God's love. This book wound up being an excellent start to the trilogy, with it being a blend of history mixed with spiritual warfare. The twists and turns had me flipping through the pages quickly to find out what was going to happen next. This book is a wonderful start to the series and left me eagerly awaiting the next installment! I received this book from Just Read tours. This is my honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa T. Bergren

Lisa T. Bergren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 60 books in a variety of genres, from children’s picture books to contemporary romance to supernatural suspense novels. She lives in Colorado Springs in a brand-new home she and her husband just finished building and intend to never leave, because she’s discovered she loathes moving. You can find out more about her at LisaTBergren.com

CONNECT WITH LISA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a signed print copy of Begotten, a custom Gifted candle, and a $50 Amazon gift card!

Begotten JustRead giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 27, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 4, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours 

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Hope Between the Pages

 


Uncover the Story Behind a One-Hundred-Year-Old Love Letter

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Clara Blackwell helps her mother manage a struggling one-hundred-year old family bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina, but the discovery of a forgotten letter opens a mystery of a long-lost romance and undiscovered inheritance which could save its future. Forced to step outside of her predictable world, Clara embarks on an adventure with only the name Oliver as a hint of the man’s identity in her great-great-grandmother’s letter. From the nearby grand estate of the Vanderbilts, to a hamlet in Derbyshire, England, Clara seeks to uncover truth about family and love that may lead to her own unexpected romance.

 My thoughts: I loved the historical side of this story! It had me planning a dream trip to Biltmore to see the setting for part of the tale. I loved the family history that Clara is trying to save, when her beloved bookstore is threatened. Having worked for a family business and wanting to see it and it's legacy thrive, I related to Clara. Also, having been to the UK, I loved the trip that Clara goes on (especially since the current events have kept me from a big trip like that). 

I don't want to give away anything with this story, since you need to read it yourself! It's a delightful blend of history and modern romance. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

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

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

PepperBashamPepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

 

More from Pepper

Books are a uniquely portable magic – Stephen King

Appalachia is known for having a high illiteracy rate. A place of beautiful scenery and rugged landscapes, the people of the mountains developed stories through oral storytelling much more than “book learning”.  As a young girl growing up in this world, I loved hearing my granny share tales from up to five generations ago, filling in the narrative gaps between a birth date and a death date on a tombstone – giving flesh and breath to the stone-etched names.

It’s no surprise then, with a heart cultivated from rich oral stories, I fell in love with reading. Books became that “portable magic” that took me places my little Appalachian community couldn’t provide. I fell in love with the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew. Wept through the end of Bridge to Terabithia and Old Yeller. Traveled to the plains with Sarah Plain and Tall and fell in love with horses with The Black Stallion. But when I was in seventh grade, I read my very first “British” novel, The Secret Garden. In that one introduction, my world expanded into mysterious English manor houses and British classics. Before long, I’d consumed Jane Eyre, Austen’s classics, some Dickens, Dracula, Frankenstein…and the list goes on! And then…I found Tolkien and Lewis – and the ‘real’ world swelled into OTHER worlds.

I’m grateful for true stories of book-loving pioneers traveling into the world of Appalachia to provide books and literacy training to “my people”, because I know some of those books made their way to my tiny elementary school library…and not only brought me the chance to discover stories, but to write them too!

Isn’t it amazing how books can do that?

In Hope Between the Pages, I wanted to bring the same awe and discovery I felt as a child (and continue to feel as an adult reader) to the story of two people whose words had seemed small. Stories stretched their worlds, but the stories also gave them wonderful imaginations and positive perspectives. It’s still amazing to me that ink-and-paper words can make such a lasting impact on hearts and minds. They can lead us to dream, teach us new things, encourage our hearts, help us to think outside the box, swell our imaginations, broaden our horizons, and encourage our hope.

Books are not a replacement for real adventures and relationships, but they certainly provide a beautiful “door” into other lives and worlds that we may never have a chance to experience in real life. Sadie, my historical heroine, and Clara, my contemporary heroine, both have kept close to home but traveled greatly through books…and BOTH are given the opportunity to reach beyond the bindings to discover real-life adventures. I’d like to think that their love for stories helped them have the courage to step away from the page and into their own tales even more prepared than they would have been without stories.

What are some of your favorite books you read as a child? Did any of them influence you to become a more avid reader?

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, April 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 24

Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 24

Worthy2Read, April 24

Texas Book-aholic, April 25

Reviewingbooksplusmore, April 25

Christian Bookaholic, April 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 25

She Lives To Read, April 26

Books and Everyday Life, April 26

For the Love of Literature, April 26

For Him and My Family, April 26

Wishful Endings, April 27

Bigreadersite, April 27

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, April 27

deb’s Book Review, April 27

Inklings and notions, April 28

Connect in Fiction, April 28

Writing from the Heart Land, April 28

Blogging With Carol, April 28

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 29

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 29

Life of Literature, April 29

Pick a good book, April 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 30

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 30

Betti Mace, April 30

Kathleen’s Blog, April 30

lakesidelivingsite, May 1

Connie’s History Classroom, May 1

Fiction Book Lover, May 1

Jeanette’s Thoughts, May 1

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 2

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, May 2

Godly Book Reviews, May 2

Mary Hake, May 2

Older & Smarter?, May 3

Genesis 5020, May 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 4

Melissa Wardwell’s Back Porch Reads , May 4

Blossoms and Blessings, May 4

sodbusterLiving, May 4

Splashes of Joy, May 5

Where Faith and Books Meet , May 5

Simple Harvest Reads, May 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Through the Fire Blogs, May 5

Pause for Tales, May 6

To Everything There Is A Season, May 6

Remembrancy, May 6

Lights in a Dark World, May 6

Live.Love.Read., May 7

Karen Sue Hadley, May 7

Amanda Tero, blog, May 7

The Write Escape, May 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Pepper is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 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/10b27/hope-between-the-pages-celebration-tour-giveaway