Fascinating Fridays: Christian Fiction – A Tool for Evangelism

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by Patricia Bradley Then the LORD told me: “I will give you my message in the form of a vision. Write it clearly enough to be read at a glance” (Habakkuk 2:2 CEV). The Christian fiction genre accounts for nearly 51% of all faith-based book sales, and I believe it is an awesome tool for evangelizing. Not everyone agrees with me, but think about it. Jesus taught by story—parables—short fictional stories with heavenly meanings, but they were stories nonetheless. Stories that listeners were caught up in because Jesus used characters, items, and events from their everyday lives. His listeners could…

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Fascinating Friday Feature – The Pony Express Tale

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by Donna Schlachter Most people know something about the Pony Express, but few realize it only operated fromApril 1860 through to November 1861. The first ride left St. Joseph, Missouri heading west, andfrom Sacramento, California heading east, on April 3rd, 1860. The idea for a Pony Express was conceived in the minds of its owners because of the possibilityof winning the contract for the overland US mail. Another company, Butterworth, was running asouthern route that took up to three weeks to deliver to the west coast, and Majors and Waddellthought they could beat that time by taking the shorter northern…

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Transforming Personal Stories into Powerful Insights

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Susan Neal Stories have always been a profound tool for connecting, teaching, and inspiring. Jesus himself used parables—simple stories used to illustrate moral or spiritual lessons. I, Susan Neal, have woven personal and relatable stories throughout my latest book, 12 Ways to Age Gracefully: How to Look and Feel Younger, to help illuminate complex health concepts and encourage a proactive approach to aging. One of the most personal chapters in the book, Keep Your Brain Young, delves into the critical issue of brain health through the lens of my family’s experiences. My mother suffered a stroke at eighty-five, which led…

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Fascinating Friday Feature – Glory in the Ordinary

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by Cheryl Schuermann I never entertained the thought of writing a devotional book. That is, until I met the church doors. We discovered them in a lonely metal shed on The Farm, the recreational land my in-laws purchased many years prior. Amid flying dust and a thick curtain of cobwebs, my husband and I cleaned the doors with rags just enough to reveal the arched glass panels and heavy brass handles and hinges. Though the doors were not ornate, we found them to be extraordinary. Before he passed, my father-in-law mentioned how he rescued several doors from the old church…

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Fascinating Friday Feature: More than a Tagline with Ava Pennington

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How often have you ended a prayer with “in Jesus’ name”? We say it so often, it has almost become a tagline. But how did this practice begin? Several verses in the New Testament tell us to pray in Jesus’ name, including: However, this phrase may not mean what most of us think it does! In ancient times before planes, trains, and automobiles, rulers did not have theconvenience of making a phone call or sending a telegram to convey their orders.Instead, the king would send his emissary to a distant location. And the emissary wouldsay, “I come in the name…

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Fascinating Friday Feature – How Fascination Fuels Sarah Hamaker’s Writing

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I’m often asked where my ideas for my romantic suspense books come from, and the answer isinevitably “everywhere and anywhere.” I’m always collecting ideas on what-if questions basedon current events or something I read or heard. I never know what will spark an idea or plotline.Sometimes, those ideas never go anywhere because once I start thinking through the situation, Irealize it’s not enough for a book or it’s too flimsy. Since I write realistic fiction, I also want the storylines to be believable. I’m more of panster (one who writes without outlining the entire book), so I try to spend…

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Who said I wanted to be an author?

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I was in fifth grade when my teacher interrupted my daydream, “Linda, I don’t care if you do grow upto be a famous author, I’m going to teach you math so you can balance your royalty statements.” My classmates turned to stare at me, while I stared back at my teacher in shock, thinking, An author? Who ever said I wanted to be an author? Even though Mrs. Davis’ words foretold my future, I didn’t get it, dream about it, or add ‘writing abook’ to my life’s goals. Instead, when I graduated from college, I got a job in the…

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New Release — Messy Hope by Lori Wildenberg

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“I’m such a failure.” “No one cares about me.” “I don’t want to live anymore.”  If you’ve heard your child utter these words, your fear for their well-being has skyrocketed. But what can you do to help them? Suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people. Our kids must be equipped with more than resilience and positivity. They need hope. Parent and family educator Lori Wildenberg encourages you to foster necessary hope growth in your children’s hearts. More than a self-help book, this is your lifeline to help them overcome depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation to experience a hope-filled life.
Author: Lori Wildenberg
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
Release: August 23, 2021
ISBN-13: 987-1563094781
Genre: Christian Living/ Parenting/ Mental Health

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NEW RELEASE— When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin

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Title: When Twilight Breaks Author: Sarah Sundin Publisher: Revell Release date: February 2, 2021 ISBN: 978-0800736361 About the book: Munich, 1938. American foreign correspondent Evelyn Brand is determined to prove herself in her male-dominated profession—and to spotlight the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. Working on his PhD in German, fellow American Peter Lang is impressed by Germany’s prosperity and order. But when the Reich’s brutality hits close, he decides to use his connections in the Nazi Party to feed information to Evelyn, pulling them deeper into danger as the world marches toward war. About the author: Sarah Sundin is a bestselling…

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New Release: Puppy Ciao by Annette O’Hare

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Title:  Puppy Ciao (Max Tales Mysteries Book 1) Author:  Annette O’Hare Genre:  Middle Grade Mystery Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. Release Date: August 21, 2020 ISBN-13:  978-1649490438 About the book:  How far would you go to save innocent animals? Would you risk your life? In the small town of Kerrville, Texas, thirteen-year-old Jeannie McKay has a notorious reputation for trying to right the world’s wrongs. When Jeannie and her best friend, Jonathan Wooten, rescue two purebred Weimaraner puppies found drowning in Johnson Creek, she vows to find out who is responsible. With the help of her small band of friends,…

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