Peering Through Life's Window

   A Warm Welcome to Kathleen Neely Is Jesus real? Does the Bible change lives? I went to Sunday School as a child because it was the culturally correct thing to do. Mine was not a faith-based home. Somehow little nuggets of truth took root and began to grow. It was a slow journey. Let me rephrase that. It is a slow journey. Still ongoing. I once thought of the Bible as a book of do’s and don’ts. If I wanted to follow Jesus, I must do list #1 and must never do list #2. But that’s not what the Bible is. God’s word is life-changing. When I truly began to spend time with Jesus and study His word, I found my thought processes shifting.  My heart desired Him more than earthly treasures. ‘Doing’ became an overflow of ‘knowing.’ Before He changed my heart, I never thought of myself as a sinner. I didn’t do really bad things, so I viewed myself as ‘good.’ I remember the day that I recognized my sin. Pride. Selfishness. It sent me to my knees in tears. I’d like to tell you that that’s all in th

  Hats... Horns... Congratulations Connie / Mary!!

  We all have it, and we can give it to others for free? What is it? It’s a smile. There are so many different kinds of smiles. There’s the flirty smile that says, “Hey, I really like you.” There’s the friendly smile, and the one that’s reserved for babies that says, “Oh, isn’t he or she just the cutest thing?” There are even half-hearted smiles that seem to say, “I’m obligated to speak to you,” and of course, sheepish smiles that say, “Yeah, I did it.” But one day I received a smile from an unlikely source.  Since I have a back problem, I’m restricted to walking on a flat surface, so most of the time I join the mall walkers. Even on days when I’m not rushed or tired, getting the exercise seems a chore. Sometimes it's a challenge to avoid bumping into folks who stop suddenly to gaze at a window display or those in groups who take the entire aisle. And, that’s not to mention hurrying to get out of the way of the train the kids ride around the mall.  As I made my way through the crow

  A Warm Welcome to Linda Weaver Clarke Hi Linda, tell us about the premise for your new book. Amidst Trials, is there a Light at the end of the Tunnel? All of us have challenges in our lives and we feel so alone. We sometimes wonder if we are the only ones who are experiencing difficulties. Have you ever felt that each trial you have endured was so difficult that you wondered where the “light at the end of the tunnel” was? Many times we try to solve our own problems and don’t bother talking to anyone or asking for help. “No matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf This was Hannah’s attitude as she tried to search for the “light at the end of the tunnel.” How many times do we search for that light, wondering where it is and hoping that the trials in life will soon end? Is God watching ove

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Start 2022 with a bang with one of the new releases from American Christian Fiction Writers. More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website General Contemporary: Grace Across the Miles by Christine Dillon -- How can you belong when you don't know who you are? Gina Reid is surrounded by people getting married or having babies. She's under pressure to settle down but how can she do that when she doesn't even know where she came from? Since the startling revelation that she was adopted, it's felt like there is something missing. But fear has kept her from searching for her biological parents. What if learning the truth is worse than not knowing? Now an overheard comment has propelled her into action. Can Gina find out who she truly is? Or will she discover that some secrets are best left undisturbed? (General Contemporary, Independently Published) Mercy's Legacy by Sarah Hanks -- After

MERRY CHRISTMAS!   Photo Courtesy of Google Remembering Why We Celebrate Christmas “You can’t put a square peg in a round hole.”  The old cliché seems odd for a Christmas blog, but just as we can’t put a square peg in a round hole, God can’t allow evil in His presence. About God, Psalm 5:4 says, “You’re not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.” The Bible tells us in Psalm 100: 5, “For the Lord is good…” Every good thing on this earth comes from God, and He is the origin of all love.  According to the Bible, after He formed the world, He created humans to fellowship with Him, but He gave us free will rather than force us to choose Him. It’s easy to see why when we remember we may compel others to do things they don’t want to, but it doesn’t change what’s in their hearts. God wanted us to love Him with all our hearts and souls. Unfortunately, the first humans made a different choice and let evil into the perfect paradise God had given us. Thus, we were all

  Hats... Horns... Congratulations, Sonja!