True Heart Girls Devotional: God’s Promises for Me! by Sherry Kyle Hendrickson/Rose Publishing July 31, 2018 ISBN: 9781628627701 About the book: Girls ages 8-12 will discover God’s promises through relatable stories, Bible connections, and activities, such as games, quizzes, recipes, and crafts, that will make a difference in their lives and help them deal with the sometimes-overwhelming emotions that come with growing up. Tween girls will not only identify with the five main characters as they learn and grow through life’s experiences, but the suggested Bible reading will point readers to God’s word and help them dig deeper into each promise. About…
Month: July 2018
This is our archive pageRejection
Lord Jesus, I guess if anyone knows how rejection feels, you do. I know it’s a part of being a writer, hearing “not right for us” and “not right for our audience” and “not a good time” or, worse, nothing at all. Sometimes it seems so few and far between acceptances. I know, I know: You set your face like a flint even when you knew what lay ahead. So, okay. I’m not trudging to Calvary. I’m not carrying a cross. I’m learning to do better, to write to the reader’s need, to study the editor’s requirements, to hone…
New Release: An Unpresentable Glory by Ellie Gustafson
An Unpresentable Glory by Eleanor K. Gustafson Ambassador International July 2018 ISBN: 978-1-62020-842-7 About the book: A noted gardener from snobbish Westchester County in New York, finds a stranger, obviously ill, sprawled near her delphiniums. She takes him into her house and cares for him an entire week and only later learns who he really is. An investigative reporter uncovers the secret week, and both Linda and her guest become a spectacle in the eyes of the world. This series of uncomfortable, off-putting situations unaccountably points to an overarching glory, rising out of pain, tragedy, and love. About the author: Ellie…
Drawing Close
My husband Dale and I have experienced medical challenges—cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple surgeries, hospitalizations, and illnesses. We’ve had challenges in our adult children’s lives—financial stresses, unemployment, school struggles, health issues, and major moves across the country and the world. We’ve had life challenges—job changes, aging parents, home and car repairs, and so much more. Yet all these circumstances have actually brought us closer together because we’ve chosen to lean on each other, to draw strength from each other. You can, too. Sometimes your marriage will be easy. But other times the potholes or detours of life, the circumstances and…
Sunday Reflection: Lost in Translation
. . . let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18 NIV) We have a goal to visit the countries that represent the 15 or so languages our book Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti has been translated into. Because of our desire to cross cultures, we have often been accompanied by translators. They take what we are saying and reword our thoughts and intentions so that a clear message is accomplished. To do this, often they do not translate word for word, but adapt to carry the main…
A Chat with Author Eleanor Gustafson
Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! Today I have the joy of interviewing novelist Eleanor Gustafson. She’s built houses, made her own maple syrup, and she plays with “word plants.” I think you’ll enjoy what Ellie has to share! Ellie, tell us about your book. An Unpresentable Glory is a many-dimensioned love story. A stranger, more dead than alive, shows up in Linda’s garden. She cares for him and only later learns who he really is. Some fascinating story elements are woven together in this complex tapestry that blazons the glory of God.
Find Your Proper Place
Where is home? Is it where your family lives? Where your work’s located? How do you find the comfort of home? Do you sometimes feel out of place? Living in two cultures brings a sense of not belonging anywhere. I not only live in a foreign country but also in a Quechua village in Bolivia where three cultures and three languages collide—making the mix even more interesting. Feeling out of place is an understatement. Yet, somehow I am at home. When I arrive in the States for furlough, I feel at home. I can speak English, my mother tongue. Yay!…
Spiritual Needs
Spiritual Needs By Susan G Mathis It’s always good to revisit your spiritual needs—individually and as a couple—and discuss how each of you can help meet those needs. As we grow and mature, our needs often change, so it’s good to adjust to them accordingly. First, if you haven’t already, find a church and commit to attend regularly. Next, be sure to pray together. For some, this isn’t easy, but start by saying a prayer before meals. Then you can learn to pray at other times and for other things—for safety on a trip, for God’s will, and for His…
Sunday Reflection: The Kiss
One the wall of our bedroom is a beautiful portrait taken by a well known photographer. The photo is black and white then recolorized to highlight certain aspects of the portrait. The picture is of Bill and me. In the photo you can’t see our faces because I am wearing a hat, but you can tell, it was a kiss of love. How? In the photo, I am standing on my tippie toes reaching up to give Bill a kiss. That peck was apparently was so amazing that it caused Bill to rock back on his heels. (I think this…
Did You Hear about This?
I didn’t see it with my own eyes but I heard about it. The Israelites faced a desperate circumstance—the Red Sea before them and the Egyptian army behind them. No way out! Then the Lord sent a strong east wind causing the water to pile up like walls making a path, and turning mud into dry ground for that massive throng to cross. When the army pursued, the waters returned to normal flow and swallowed the Egyptians (Exodus 14). I didn’t see it with my own eyes but I heard about it. After the Israelites had wandered in the…