The Invisible Woman Part 1

Have you ever just wished that you could be invisible for a little while? No one could see you. No one could ask you to do something. You had the freedom to just sit back and observe wherever you were, should you desire to do so. To not participate in life if you didn't want to. To not have to paste on a false smile because someone will ask you what's wrong if you don't.

To be really you. You know the one. The person others wouldn't accept because it's not who they think you are. Or should be.

I'm at that point in my life right now. I'm in this huge spiritual battle, and frankly, I'm free-falling. I'm failing. I'm grasping for the life ropes, and despite my best efforts, I keep missing them. Over and over again. No matter what I do, I don't...quite...reach.

The path is dark, there's not much light that I can see. I'm feeling my way with what little faith I have left.
I'm brokenhearted.
Alone.

And yet I'm not. I'm given a glimpse of what's really happening and going on.

I'm being fought over. I'm in the thick of the battle, and I'm getting bruised, bloody, and beaten up ~ I feel beaten beyond recognition. If my friends and family could see my raw emotions and thoughts, they'd be shocked. Maybe walk away.

This isn't new. This has been going on for a while. It's just getting bigger, probably because I didn't nip things in the bud. I thought I could play a dangerous game with fire. You know what they say about playing with fire? That whole thing about getting burned? It's true. If you play with fire, you will get burned.
Ask me how I know. I had to become brokenhearted before I could...

grow.

Isn't that odd? That oftentimes, it takes something hurtful or hitting rock bottom before you learn something? But what is it they say? The only place to go from here is up? And that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to go up from here.

So the next few weeks, Lord willing, I'm going to share my journey from the Invisible Woman to the Godly woman He wants me to be. I'm inviting you to grow with me. Learn. Become what God has called you to be. Because that's the best there is.

Create in me a clean heart, oh God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

Amanda Stephan~Christian Author

BooksByAmanda.com

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Enter to win a $200 Italian Feast by Lisa T. Bergren!

Lisa T. Bergren is celebrating the release of her new book, Glittering Promises, by giving away a $200 Italian feast from Williams-Sonoma and hosting a fun Facebook party on October 29th.

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Italian feast from Williams-Sonoma delivered to your door
• The three-book Grand Tour set

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 29th. Winner will be announced at the "Glittering Promises" Facebook Author Chat Party on October 29th. Connect with Lisa for an evening of book chat, European trivia, and prizes, and get an exclusive look Lisa's next book.

So grab your copies of the Grand Tour series and join Lisa on the evening of October 29th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the books, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on the 29th!

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Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Margaret Brownley's latest release, Gunpowder Tea, is receiving high praise, and she's celebrating with a Kindle Fire giveaway and a "Tea with Margaret" Facebook party!

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at the "Tea with Margaret" Facebook Author Chat Party on the 7th. Connect with Margaret and friends for an evening of book chat, prizes, and get an exclusive look at Margaret's next book!

So grab your copy of Gunpowder Tea and join Margaret on the evening of November 7th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 11/7!

Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley Book Review and Tour

About the book: In a case that could change her career, Miranda uncovers a love that will change her life.

When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom---an elusive and notorious train robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch.

But she isn't the only one at the ranch with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective

Jeremy Taggart is working undercover as well. Their true identities may be a secret, but it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the sparks flaring between them.
Neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides, Miranda hasn't removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they get to uncovering the identity of the Phantom, the more dangerous he gets---and no one on the ranch is safe.

The longer Miranda and Jeremy spend working together, the harder it becomes to keep their feelings in check. Their careers-and their lives-depend on solving this case. Love will just have to wait.

"In the exquisitely intriguing finale to her Brides of Last Chance Ranch trilogy, Brownley blends faith and romance with a dash of mystery to serve up a cozy, fulfilling story set in the Arizona Territory of the 1890s . . . .This enchanting account of the hardships and wonders of the Old West features many delightful characters. The story stands on its own merits, independent of the first two in the series, drawing readers into a world that is difficult to leave." 

---Publishers Weekly

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/pS1iy

Meet the author: Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this---except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter at the time. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction." So that's what Margaret did. She's now a New York Times bestselling author and a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist with more than 25 novels to her credit. Her first non-fiction book Grieving God's Way: the Lasting Path to Hope and Healing has won much critical acclaim. She is currently working on the third book in her Brides of Last Chance Ranch series. Not bad for someone who flunked 8th grade English. Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.

Learn more at Margaret's website: http://margaretbrownley.com

Follow the Tour!

My Thoughts:

This book can stand alone even though it's the third and last of a series. I didn't read the first two, and that didn't detract from it at all. I understood what was going on without any problems. I enjoyed that there wasn't so much back-story tying it to the other two books that I didn't have to read 1/3 of the story before I got anywhere.

The characters were fun and had just the right amount of spark and wit between them to keep me smiling and coming back for more. I liked the fact that Miranda/Annie is a strong woman who can outride and outshoot most men, yet still wasn't so stubborn that she couldn't enjoy and desire attention and affection from Taggert.

The historical elements weren't so overly pushed in your face that you cringed when they arrived, but instead, they whetted my appetite to learn more about both Pinkerton as well as Wells Fargo detectives. As usual, I tried to figure out who the bad guy was before Miranda/Annie, but Ms. Brownley got there first. I always enjoy a story more when I don't figure out who the bad guy is first.

I very much enjoyed this book and will be looking for more from Ms. Brownley!

*My thanks to the publisher who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required it be positive.*

Pray it Forward

Have you ever had a time in your life when you were going along your own merry way, and all of a sudden, wham! a friend's name bursts upon your conscience? And you think about them and think about them and think about them, and no matter what you do, you can't get them out of your mind?

I have. And sometimes, it's scary enough that it'll take my breath away. Other times, I am so very burdened for them, that I must keep them in my prayers until I feel better.

It's my firm belief that these times aren't coincidences.
These friends, these people, have been laid upon my heart for a reason. I may never know what that reason is, but it's my job to pray for them.

I look at these times as being blessed times. A time when I can come before my God and Saviour and ask Him to put His loving arms around my friend or acquaintance, and give them peace, protection, and comfort. Or whatever else it is that has been laid upon my heart regarding them.

See, being a Christian isn't a one man show. It's a network of people that believe like I do ~ that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost, to bring dying and sinful mankind back to Him through salvation through His blood. It's a place where we can get these insider messages and we have the privilege to pray for them.

Why is prayer important, anyway? Oh my word, this is a question so many people ask, and yet it boggles my mind. Where else, and to Whom else, can you open your innermost thoughts, heartaches, discouragements, irritations, secret desires, and the list goes on, knowing you won't be gossiped about or slandered or stabbed in the back by someone? There's only one place that I know of.

At Jesus's feet, of course. Who else can I tell about my hateful attitude about the smelly dog or an unclean house? Or being gone All. The. Time. Or what about that secret sin or temptation that I'm facing at the moment? Or the battle that seems to go on forever and ever?

Now, let's look at the flip side. Have you ever had someone come to you and tell you that you've been on their heart and they've been thinking about? Do you have any idea what kind of a blessing that is? What a tremendous, awe-inspiring thought to know that God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, has asked someone in your spiritual family to go to battle for you in prayer?

I've been going through some pretty troubling times. Nothing that you would even see on the outside if you didn't know what to look for. But let me tell you, when temptation comes knocking, your biggest mistake is in thinking you can handle the situation yourself. Sometimes, things are too personal to talk about, or embarrassment has made you not want to reach out and ask a prayer warrior to pray for you because you don't want to tell them what's going on. I don't know of anyone that wants to face rejection, so we keep it to ourselves.

And that's when He lays you on someone else's heart. Because He's God and He can do that.
What a privilege it is to be a part of God's family. This dirty rotten sinner, who is by no means close to perfection, has been picked up and cleaned off because of His great love and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

So I urge you, next time you have someone's name put on your heart, next time you think suddenly of someone who has since been absent from your life for days, weeks, months, or years, pray for them.

It could mean the difference between falling into sin or being victorious over it. Trust me. I know.

This blog post is dedicated to those prayer warriors whom I know have been praying for me, and those that I know the Lord uses on a daily basis to intercede for His people. I love you and I thank you. I have felt the effects of your effectual, fervent prayer, and disaster has been averted because you hit your knees.

Kristi Burchfiel, you are an answer to prayer.

Darlene Shortridge, your unwavering faith is a blessing and an encouragement.

Beth Brubaker, your laughter and lightheartedness delivered when I needed it.

And to the rest who have been praying for me, I thank you. I praise God we're on the same team.

Amanda Stephan~Christian Author

BooksByAmanda.com

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Win a copy of The Journey of Josephine Cain!

The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser follows the adventures of a D.C. socialite as she gets involved with the building of the Transcontinental Railroad right after the Civil War. Be sure to check out Nancy's fun Pinterest board for the book!


Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!

Five winners will receive:

• The Journey of Josephine Cain by Nancy Moser

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 26th. All winners will be announced October 28th at the Litfuse blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the Litfuse blog on the 28th to see if you won one of the books!

FREE Writing Feedback During the WHW Amazing Race!

Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi at Writers Helping Writers (formerly The Bookshelf Muse) have added two more books to their Descriptive Thesaurus Collection: The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Attributes and The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws. To celebrate, they are hosting a race, and not just any old race, either. It's the...

 

Writing is hard, isn't it? Create the perfect hook. Make your first page compelling. Craft an amazing 25 word pitch. Knock out a query that will blow an agent's mind. On and on it goes. And sometimes, well, you just wish someone would help.

WISH NO MORE!

From October 21st until October 27th, Writers Helping Writers is posting an OPEN CALL for writers. You can fill out a form, requesting help with critiques, book visibility, social media sharing, blog diagnostics, advice and more.



An army of Amazing Racers are standing by (ME INCLUDED!) waiting to help with your submissions. How many people can we help in a week? Let's find out! Did I mention there are Celebrity Racers too--amazing authors and editors who know their way around a first page. Maybe one of them will pick your submission to help with!



Each day this week, there's an AMAZING giveaway, too. So stop in at Angela & Becca's new Writers Helping Writers website and find out how to take advantage of this unique, pay-it-forward event for writers. I'll see you there! 


Photo Credit: Tharrin

Banana Bread Recipe

There's something about this time of year.
A major change comes over me, and I must bake something, or I will go crazy.

Any crazier than I already am is a bad thing. Just ask around. ;)
So, I wanted to share some of my favorite recipes with you all.

This one is the standard Banana Bread recipe ~ ooozing banana-y yumminess! You can download it and print it out.

Enjoy!

Lonely Hearts - Banana Bread Recipe Trading Card

I Wanted a Vera

Bradley, that is.

Yes. I've wanted a new purse for a long time now, but I'm cheap. Emphasis on the first syllable. (What? There's only one? Yes. I know this. That's how cheap I am.)

Anyway, the kids and I were at our local Goodwill, and I found a purse by Vera Bradley. Now, normally, I'm not a name dropper, and it doesn't bother me to have the regular White Stag $9.99 special. I don't go buy the name brand stuff. I'm cheap, remember?

But I do like deals. And if I can get a Vera Bradley purse for a cheaper price, then hang on, because I'm running to the checkout and you don't want to be in my way! I just may snatch it out of your hands...

I'm just kidding at that part.

Seriously though, I was super excited to see a purse by V.B., and while it wasn't exactly in perfect condition, it was new to me, and it did still look pretty good. Nothing that a good washing couldn't take care of.

And then I looked at the price.

BOING!

...that was my jaw...

because, even though it was at Goodwill, it wasn't cheap. And I, being the wonderful orator that I am-- *kidding*  --said in a rather shrill voice...

Really?!

So I decided to take it upon myself to dust off my sewing skills and make a new purse. I was even going to go all out and sew an organizer inside, a zippered pocket that would hold necessary stuff like lotion, perfume, hairpins, aspirin, pens, and possibly a small sewing kit. (Don't judge. When that button pops off in the middle of your meeting? Yeah, the one that was keeping you modest? When it pops off, you'll be looking for me and my handy-dandy sewing kit. Haters to the left, please.)

There I was, my grandiose dreams spinning through my head, my several linings laying prostrate on my desk, the zipper having been sewn into the little hidden pocket that I was trying to imitate...

...and then reality hit. Hard.

Especially when my idea to create the coolest hidden pocket ever died right there on my sewing-desk-turned-operating-table.

I was heartbroken. It was a flop. I was going to have to cut another lining piece. Oh wait. Make that two. Well sheesh...

never mind!
And then I thought. You know, praise God that He doesn't make mistakes like we do. Yes, my hair is red and my nose looks like an oinker, and I have a birthmark right there on my...face. (Ick, I know.) And well, let's face it, there's those few pounds (yeah, like 25) that I could stand to lose...but I'm a daughter of

The King.
The Creator of the universe. Yep. I'm His child. He adopted me into His family not because I'm a beauty (HAHAHAHAHAHA...ok. Quit laughing.) and not because I'm witty, pretty, ditty, or silly, either. But because He loved me enough to die for me. And I asked Him to save me from my sins.
I asked.
And received.
How awesome is that?!

Now, dear Lord, about that Vera Bradley purse...

There once was a woman who wanted a Bradley.

She wanted it so terribly badly.

This woman went home

Her sewing skills to hone

That she wasted the day

At her desk in play.

But when that night was come, 

She needed to be done.

Because there on her desk,

Was a horrific mess.

Bits of fabric and fluff

And lots of other stuff.

This did she 

To save a penny

When all was said and done

She whined to her hun

And because she was so cheap

He went to the store without a peep

To get that woman he loved so greatly

The purse so she wouldn't go crazy.

~Amanda Stephan

The Reichenbach Problem Book Review

About the Book:

The Reichenbach Problem, by Martin Allison Booth Arthur Conan Doyle is on the run from his own fame. Taking a much-needed holiday, Doyle escapes to a picturesque village in Switzerland nestled beneath the imposing Reichenbach Falls. There he hopes to find anonymity, but even in this beautiful rural setting, peace eludes him when he finds himself immediately recognized and involved in the investigation of a mysterious death of a fellow traveler.   All too soon, Doyle's somewhat unwilling, gentle probing into the case causes the finger of suspicion to turn towards him. But can the creator of the famous detective actually do the sleuthing himself? As Doyle learns more and more about the famous character he penned, he finds he is less like Sherlock and more like his sidekick, Watson. Can the "sidekick" see enough of the picture to solve the case for once?   Sherlock Holmes has fascinated readers since he first burst into fiction, over one hundred years ago. In this novel, the first in a trilogy, we meet his author and discover the difficult relationship between them. My Thoughts:

This look at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is extremely interesting. Forced to look at his own literary creation and how, if he were to actually meet Holmes, how they would view and react to each other was the satisfying premise of this book.
Well written with just the right amount of detail, Mr. Booth takes us on a most interesting and thought-provoking ride into the psyche of what Doyle might have actually been like - as well as Holmes.

Doyle is a well-mannered gentleman who has the unfortunance to be hounded by the fan - or the fanatic - Holloway who haunts his every step on his much needed vacation away from the pressures of not only his celebrity status, but also of Holmes. Unable to accomplish either, he is unwillingly swept into investigating the death of poor Mr. Brown.

Written much like Doyle's Holmes stories, I found this book to be satisfying in almost every aspect. From the scenery to the end. I would recommend this to those who loved the Holmes stories.
*I received a complimentary book in exchange for my honest opinions. I was not required they be positive.*

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Infernal Gates by Michael J. Webb ~ Christian Book Launch + get a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

Christian Fiction Fantasy

Infernal Gates by Michael J. Webb

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About the book:

“Ethan Freeman, ex-Special Forces Ranger, wakes up to discover he is the sole survivor of a fiery commercial airline crash that killed his entire family. His nightmare is only beginning when he becomes the FBI’s prime suspect. Only Ethan knows he’s not a cold-hearted murderer, but he has no idea what happened to him–and why he alone survived.

He finds an unlikely ally in Sam Weaver, the NTSB Chief Investigator. An ex-military pilot, Sam senses Ethan is innocent. She tries to remain dispassionate in her investigation of the crash even as she finds herself attracted to the man who may be America’s worst homegrown mass-murderer.Neither Ethan nor Sam realize that shadowy spiritual forces are at work which will alter their lives forever.

A monstrous evil, imprisoned since the time of the Pharaohs, has been released by The Nine, a sinister group of powerful men and women who believe they are the direct descendants of the Anunnaki, ancient Sumerian gods. The demon they have unleashed intends to free The Destroyer from The Abyss, the angelic prison referred to in the Book of Revelation, and unleash a worldwide reign of terror and annihilation.

Facing impossible odds, time is running out for Ethan and all of humanity as he is drawn into an ever-deeper conspiracy millennia in the making and learns that he is the key to stopping The Nine. Will he overcome his deepest fears and find reserves of strength he never knew he had as he confronts pure evil in order to save himself and an unsuspecting world?”

Meet the Author:

Christian fiction fantasy writer, Michael J. Webb, graduated summa cum laude from the University of Florida and obtained his J. D. from the same university. Over the past forty years he has travelled the world in search of adventure. He has always been fascinated by the intersection of the supernatural, the historical, the scientific, and the the Judeo-Christian worldviews. He writes stories that ignite imaginations and stir souls, edge-of-your-seat thrillers that combine those elements, and more, with fascinating characters and suspenseful plots.
 

Connect with Michael J. Webb

michaeljwebbbooks@gmail.com

Amazon Author Page

Website

Facebook

Purchase Infernal Gates 

 

Purchase Infernal Gates

 

Flashback by Kevin Mark Smith ~ Christian Book Launch + Get a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

Christian Fiction Thriller

Flashback by Kevin Mark Smith

________________________________________________________________________________________

Wealthy attorney Kenneth Cartwright is haunted by dreams of a simpler life, one with a wife and family but absent wealth and prestige. As the angelic Stacy helps him sort through the meaning of his dreams, the most important case of his legal career implodes as the client and many involved in the case turn up dead. Will Kenneth survive the case? More important, will reality turn out to be what he expects or does God have something else in mind?

 

 

Christian Fiction Thriller Amazon Reviews

“The facinating part of this story for me was the unexpected plot twists. I’m getting pretty good at figuring out the end of a story. That doesn’t keep me from enjoying the book though, because I love this type of challenge. However, this book did not go at all as I expected. And yet the story lingers in my mind. Something every author hopes for and so few succeed.”- Sharon Lavy

“Some books are easily compared to others. Some authors are easily pegged. I really can’t think of any book I’ve read which brings more complexity to the story, yet does it in such a way as you can “almost” always follow it. I say the almost part with kindness. A lesser author who had the same wild imagination could have easily confused his audience beyond hope of redemption.”- Randy

“Mr. Smith writes a very compelling novel.”- Victoria Pitts Caine

“The story weaves its way through plot twists and turns that lead to an unexpected ending.”- Adventure Reader

 

Purchase Flashback

Christian Fiction Thriller writer, Kevin Mark Smith, is an evangelical criminal defense and family law attorney in Wichita, Kansas. He graduated cum laude from Regent University School of Law in 1999 where he served as Issue Planning Editor for the Regent Law Review and clerked with the American Center for Law and Justice. Kevin is a former Assistant District Attorney for Sedgwick County, Kansas, and an Allied attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom. He serves on the Kansas Board of Indigent Defense Services.
 

Connect with Kevin

kmsmith@acelaw.net

Amazon Author Page

Website

Facebook

 

Purchase Flashback

Quitter's Quit

It was me against the world. All of it. I was standing alone. No comforting cushion of friends or family to urge me on and to face my fears.

I was by myself at a writer's conference. My second, in fact. The first was kind of like a dry run to get me comfortable with getting out of my comfort zone (HA!) and learning how these things progress. You know. A much-needed learning experience. A chance to grow.

I had come to do this very thing, and now, here I was, chickening out.
Well. Not exactly. I was positive the Lord was whispering in my ear that I didn't need to go to this one appointment.

See, I had just had one appointment with an agent that I thought went, well, less than desirable. Not that I'm complaining. It was a learning experience, and well, I was there to learn. This agent wasn't mean, hateful, ornery, or anything of the sort. They were very encouraging; just not interested in what I'd written. Which I knew was bound to happen, but still, it does rather shake one up when you receive the news to your face.

So of course, I was wary and more than a little petrified to visit my next appointment. The very last one on my list. This is the one I was *positive* God was leading me away from. My heart wasn't in it, my mind wasn't in it, my feelings weren't in it, in fact, I was ready to go home. Well, all 20 miles back to the hotel we were staying at, anyway!

My stomach churned; palms were sweaty. I clutched my binder with my one sheets and business cards to my chest.

It won't hurt anyone if I don't go, right? The words cascaded over and over again in my mind and I was almost convinced. This isn't the appointment for me. I should just walk away and conveniently forget.

But that's not professional. That's not good business. That's just not right. And then, I heard a small voice in the back of my mind whisper...

You came here to do this. You came here to face your fears and get better, right? This is one of those things you can learn from. Facing someone you're not sure about. Talking to someone that scares you and takes you out of your comfort zone. 

That wee little voice was right.
I had a job to do and I was going to see it through. To the end, and if that meant being more than a little scared and breaking out of my timidity, then so be it.

With God's help, I was going to do this.

I wiped my palms on my pants, clutched my binder tighter, took a deep breath, and faced my fears. I sat down in front of this person whom I'd never met before ~ who I had the audacity to hope would like my book (or me) enough to request I send them a proposal ~ and...

out spewed some of the stupidest stuff I'd ever said.

I know, right? Talk about face palms of gargantuan enormity!
No kidding. I'm not lying. I wish I were, but that's the bare-faced truth of the matter.

In a matter of seconds, I had removed any and all doubt that I was an idiot. Then the strangest thing happened. This person who had instilled a healthy terror into me, leaned forward and asked one simple question. Just one.

"When did you know you wanted to be a writer?"
Well that was an easy one to answer. My response was probably less than desirable.
"Never. I've never lain awake and thought about becoming an author. I just always wrote. It's something I do because I love it."

That was it. I had blown it. I closed my binder, because even I know when to stop. Well, maybe not at the precise moment when I should, but close enough to save the tatters of what's left of my self esteem and slink out a door, at least. The next words out of their mouth?

"Send the proposal to this address. Don't worry about rushing to get this to me. Enjoy the rest of the conference."

With numb, shaking fingers, I reached for that card, sure it was about to be pulled away at the last moment because there was no way on God's green earth I had made any sense whatsoever.

 I stood, my knees buckled, and I offered my hand for a handshake. I thanked them for their time and their kindness in seeing me, walked outside,

and burst into tears because once again, God had seen me through when I was ready to quit.

What would have happened if I hadn't gone to see this person? I would have missed an opportunity to grow and learn and trust that God would be there every step of the way.

I would have been comfortable. But I wouldn't have been happy. I would have missed out, and it would have been my own fault. My own doing. And worse?

I would have blamed it on God because I was operating on my emotions; feelings.

Martin Luther said:

“Feelings come and feelings go,

And feelings are deceiving;

My warrant is the Word of God--

Naught else is worth believing.

Though all my heart should feel condemned

For want of some sweet token,

There is One greater than my heart

Whose Word cannot be broken.

I'll trust in God's unchanging Word

Till soul and body sever,

For, though all things shall pass away,

HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!”

Even if nothing comes of this proposal, this conference that I went to, I'm happy I went. God controls the situations we're in and nothing takes Him by surprise. And I'm happy with that. I'm content in knowing just WHO it is that holds my future in His hands.

I serve a pretty great God.

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Love recipes? I have some FREE recipe cards for you!

If you were to look inside my kitchen cupboards, you would notice that
I'm a nut for recipes.

There isn't anything necessarily bad about that, it just takes up space and sometimes I don't use my books as often as I'd like. Because I become lazy and often revert to a much used recipe instead of seeking new and adventurous ideas to serve my family.

Don't judge. ;)

But this could be a beautiful thing for you.
Both of us, actually.

I took my favorite recipes and turned them into recipe cards so I could share them with anyone who would like to try them out.

Usually, when I go to book signings, I take these with me and pass them out, but with two cars broken down and lots of extras already on my plate, book signings just aren't happening in great amounts this year.
Meh, you take the good with the bad, right?

So here's my offer.

I want to share these recipe cards with you.
FREE

Winter Snow Fudge 

(this. is. AWESOME. Did you see the word 'fudge'?! Enough said.)

Pumpkin Muffins

(Isn't it illegal NOT to make something with pumpkin at this time of year?)

Banana Bread

See? Another MUST have for fall.

and introducing...

Grape Salad

for when you're tired of all the pumpkin, banana, and apple
recipes you're already using.
Or, when you're yearning for spring.
:)

Leave a comment in the box below telling me which cards you would like,
your email address so I can email you for your snail mail
(written out like this - amanda38401 at gmail dot com - to fight against spam)

and that's it.

These are gifts from me to you as a thank you for visiting and for being my loyal friends.