Urgent Prayer Request!

My mom had a heart attack yesterday morning. She began to have chest pain and wasn't sure what was causing it. My dad, having had 4 heart attacks of his own, was concerned and persuaded her to go to the hospital. A few hours later, my parents called me to tell me she was being admitted and that she had had a heart attack. 

We were all surprised, but none more than my mom. My mom eats healthy and has been exercising regularly. I've been with my dad through 3 out of the 4 heart attacks he had, so maybe I'm used to it or I've just grown spiritually since then, but I'm not afraid. 

I know Jesus is watching over her, because I've asked him to, as have many other friends and family. But I know you can never have too much prayer.

She's scheduled to have a heartcath sometime this morning. Please pray for her well being. That the doctors doing her heartcath will be wise and that they won't find any blockages in her artery's. That she will heal quickly and come home stronger than when when she left. 

Thank you!

~~~

I also need to ask that you prayer for a dear friend of mine. She's struggling in life and spiritually. My sister has tried speaking truth to her but something is keeping her from hearing it. The devil is doing is best to keep her from God. She is a beautiful person, inside and out, and I know that God has a greater purpose for her. But she's being attacked lately. She feels she's unworthy of God's love and forgiveness. I know it's only the devil deceiving her to believing all these lies to tear her away from God. 

She greatly needs your prayers as well. As the bible says,

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." ~Ecclesiastes 4: 12 (NLT)

Thank you!

In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

God bless.  

It's an Awe-tumn Sunday!

I almost can't believe the month is already half over! It was a beautiful Autumn day last weekend and the sidewalks are filled with leaves now. *deep inhaling* I LOVE AUTUMN! It's my absolute favorite time of year. 

The thing I love about Autumn is that crisp air with its gentle breeze that not only blows the leaves from the trees so I can dance under them, and down to the groun so they can crunch under my feet, but it brushes away all the cobwebs I accumilated over summer in my head and breaths new life into me. That crisp autumn air that says "goodbye summer, we're getting ready for winter!"

I love the smell of cinnamon wafting as I walk into the grocery store. It just warms up all over!

I love the decorations: pumpkins, scarecrows, squirrels, chipmunks, leaves and hay bales! Hay bale rides!!! 

Some of my favorite foods only come around this time or only taste as good. Like Pecan pie, sometime chocolate Pecan pie. Turkey and dressing. Pumpkin pie with whip cream! Oh the foods!

I love the colors of autumn too. Red, gold, orange, brown... It's all so enchanting. If I could live in Autumn forever I'd be happy. 

That reminds me of a quote I found today!

"Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love — that makes life and nature harmonize. The birds are consulting about their migrations, the trees are putting on the hectic or the pallid hues of decay, and begin to strew the ground, that one’s very footsteps may not disturb the repose of earth and air, while they give us a scent that is a pefect anodyne to the restless spirit. Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." ~George Eliot, letter to Miss Lewis, 1st October 1841

So now you know how much I love Autumn! 

I was watching Gilmore Girls with my sister the other night and Taylor Dosey did a Hay bale maze. I have never done a hay bale maze, it's been a while since I've even been on a hay ride, but it sounds like fun! Especially to go with a friend or group of friends! 

I have a lot to do in the coming weeks. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. And I won't even mention the next Holiday in complete respect and joy for the current season! 

I have 7 books to catch up on before holidays start! I'm praying I can do it. 

• Trouble in Texas series (1-3) by Mary Connealy

• Theif of Glory by Sigmund Brouwer

• Tried and True by Mary Connealy

• To Everything a Season by Laura Snelling

I have to finish the first two Trouble in Texas books before November Library books don't like being late. Haha. 

One book a week, I should be able to handle that, right? Heh-heh. 

Then I have another Joshua Harris book coming in from the library soon (it's coming in from another branch when it's current borrower returns it). 

Out of all those books, I'm going to be writing reviews for at least 3/4 of them. Maybe even all of them! 

I'm also excited to be making progress in my novel with Bri from Bri's Literary Giants. We've been brainstorming like crazy! Oh, how I wish my computer still worked! But, never fear, I'm using pen and paper now. Keeping things organized in a beautiful binder I found at Target last month. Robert Benson, Dancing on the Head of a Pen, really inspired me and have me these great ideas for writing without a computer. I'm actually writing more than I usually do on a computer! It's exciting! 

It's Autumn, I'm home. God Bless. 

~*~*~

What do you love most about Autumn? Share your thoughts here! 

Sex is Not the Problem (Lust Is) by Joshua Harris

Book Description

Lust isn't just a guy problem – it's a human problem. And unless we honestly confront it, lust will destroy our relationships and our lives. Joshua Harris, author of the runaway bestseller I Kissed Dating Goodbye,calls a generation bombarded with images of sexual sin back to the freedom and joy of holiness. This "PG-rated" book – straightforward without being graphic – speaks to those entrenched in lust or just flirting with temptation. Honestly sharing his own struggles, Harris exposes lust's tactics and helps readers create a personal plan for fighting back. Men and women will find hope in God's grace and learn the secrets to lasting change. 

Neither sex nor sexuality is our enemy. We need to rescue our sexuality from lust so we can experience it as God intended. 

My Review

In a world saturated with immorality, lust is easy to find but with Christ it is defeated. In Joshua Harris's book, Lust is what we're fighting! 

When I first saw this book, some 3 odd years ago, I thought, "Seriously? I bet you my mind will turn to mush reading it." Most books on these kind of topics make you think more on the subject than you ever wanted to and you feel like your mind was dragged through the mud with details. Let me tell you, if you thought the same as I did, we were both 100% wrong! This is not only the cleanest, you won't mind telling your friends about it either. Like his previous books, I Kissed Dating Goodbye  and Boy Meets Girls, it's all about coming back to Jesus and honoring Him. This time it's just about sex and how we can conquer the lust that perverse what God intended sex to be for us. 

Joshua Harris talks not just to the men, he talks to the woman too. That lust is not just a problem with men but women experience it as well. Who would have ever guessed, right? I know, as a woman, lust is not just for men. That's why I picked up this book. Our world is so full of lustful things, it's not a surprise women too are having trouble with it. 

"When we lust, we take this good thing--sexual desire--and remove from it honor towards fellow humans and reverence from God." ~ Joshua Harris

When we let sin and lust take over our lives we're saying "I don't care what you want, I'm going to do what makes me happy, right now." Lust is a creature that will never be satisfied!
One of the wonderful things about Joshua Harris, he points things out plain and clear but always points you to Christ and reminds you "Jesus has already won". So even if you have problems with lust of any kind in your life, it's not hopeless because we have Jesus. Because, sex, really isn't the problem. One of the quotes he uses describes lust perfectly:

"Lust is sexual desire minus honor and holiness." ~ John Piper

Joshua Harris shares his own struggles, as well as from others, with lust, even now as a married man. And what he does to fight it and how we can fight it too. With God's word and continuous devotion to Him. Reclaiming sex the way God made it.

He really wrote this book to help people like you and I. I've never seen an author tell you "if you can't afford it, just go to the bookstore and read the chapters." It really made me feel he was truly genuine in his message and desire to help other fight against lust.

Dispelling the pleasure of lust with the pleasures of God and the promises of superior happiness.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Even if you have not experience lust in the same way as others, it's a good insider how to help your fellow brothers and sisters in the world. It had already helped and changed my life.

Checkout his other two books I reviewed:

• I Kissed Dating Goodbye
• Boy Meets Girl

You will love them as well!

I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris

Book Description

Tired of the game? Kiss dating goodbye.

Going out? Been dumped? Waiting for a call that doesn't come? Have you tasted pain in dating, drifted through one romance or, possibly, several of them?

Ever wonder, Isn't there a better way?

I Kissed Dating Goodbye shows what it means to entrust your love life to God. Joshua Harris shares his story of giving up dating and discovering that God has something even better-- a life of sincere love, true purity, and purposeful singleness.

My Review

Timeless is the only way I can describe Joshua Harris's books.

Almost 18 years ago, Joshua Harris decided to write a radical book on dating or saying goodbye to it. Now I know what some of you might be thinking "giving up dating? How am I supposed to find the love of my life?"
Here's the thing, he's not saying goodbye to the love of your life, he's saying "find the love of your life God's way, not the worlds way"! This book is not filled with rules and regulations on what to do and not do but rather opens our eyes to the way the world is dating.

"The world takes us to the silver screen on which flickering images of passion and romance play, and as we watch, the world says, "this is love." God takes us to the foot of a tree on which a naked and bloodied man hangs and says, "This is love." 

~ Joshua Harris. 

 I kissed dating is about God and how we can honor Him and love the people he has graced us in our walk on this earth. Worldly dating is selfish and hurtful. Not just for you, but the people you are involved with too. How are we to show the love of Christ to others if we're in such a hurry to take the very hearts intended for God and unwrapping them like they were just a simple candy wrapper for this amazing piece of chocolate? If we're not committed to eating the chocolate then why are we unwrapping it before it's time?
Joshua Harris covers just about everything, even questions I hadn't quite reached yet he answered. Like, "how should I get to know someone if I'm not dating?" And he goes beyond that. Treat all people of the opposite sex as brothers and sisters first and foremost and then if you are interested in someone, pray about he/him and see where God leads you.
He even asks you questions like "where are you in life? Are you ready to be in a committed relationship? Are you ready for marriage?" He even covers commitment and recreational dating and staying pure in the relationships we do/will have.

"Just because something feels good doesn't mean we should pursue it now. We have to remember that the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing." 

~Joshua Harris 

What I loved about it all was I didn't feel pressured to follow, rather I was inspired to follow and honor God! It made me realize how much I want a relationship that will glorify and make him happy. I almost forgot I was reading a book on dating, which is a good thing. So many people focus on  one aspect in a book that you don't learn what really matters and why it's important. Joshua Harris widened my spectrum to God's love and what I can do to love him back, as well as love and cherish that special someone I have yet to meet and take as my own.

"I encourage you to write a love story with your life that you'll feel proud to tell." 

~Joshua Harris

I am encouraged.

Checkout his second book I reviewed Boy Meets Girl. Saying hello to courthship. You will love it. A beautiful continuation, yet stand alone book, to this wonderful book. You won't be able to put either of them down!

When I Fall In Love by Susan May Warren

Book Description

Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she’d vacation, much less fall in love. But when her family surprises her with a cooking retreat in paradise, she is pulled—or maybe yanked—away from her predictable, safe life and thrown headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime.

Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence, and perseverance. But just when Grace dares to dream of a future beyond her hometown, Max pulls away.

Wrestling with personal demons, Max fights against opening his heart to a love he knows he should never hope for. And as his secrets unfold, Grace is torn between the safe path in front of her and what her heart truly desires. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace’s faith will face its toughest test yet.

My Review

My first trip to Deep Haven is not one I will ever forget, I can't wait to return! I am aching to get back there!

I saw the title and instantly began humming the beautiful, romantic, melody of "When I Fall in Love" by Nat King Cole. We all probably know that song from Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Buble keeping such a timeless song alive. But I'm here to tell you, this book is just as amazing!

As soon as I started, I was sucked into the world of Deep Haven and the Christiansen family. Grace is back in the kitchen (more like hiding away), catering for her brother Darrek's wedding. Grace is a home girl, she never wants to leave Deep Haven (though I can't blame her; I don't want to leave Deep Haven!) but its fear that is holding her back not the deep love and connection she has with her home. When she gets to the reception, she's surprised with a trip to Hawaii. I instantly felt like I became Grace. She was so relatable, because like Grace I don't like venturing out on my own. I'd rather stay at home where I know its safe and familiar. I loved what I learned from Grace's story. As she grows, she learns that she needs Christ first before she can even dream of Max, but that she will also need Jesus if she has to let Max go. She finds strength in Him to do what's best and right and that included loving Max. 

Max Sharpe was such an amazing character. You saw two different sides to him. This funny, charming, caring man and the man who was afraid of living because there might not be enough time. I saw him do things I've never really seen other characters do in the stories I've read but that you would see in real life. I don't want to spoil for you. But Susan May Warren knows how not only how to write but make her characters and stories believeable and relatable and addicting. Not like soap opera drama, but you genuinly love the entire book and all its characters.
Speaking of characters. I love how Susan May Warren preps everything for the next book. That's right, this book was not solely about Grace and Max, but a few other characters had their own stories. Specifically, Grace's brothers Owen and Casper, and friend Raina. Their stories were just as captivating and don't end with this book. Oh no, those are just the tidbits to get you hooked so you come back for more.

All these other pieces are just in perperation for the next book! Always On My Mind comes out January 1, 2015 and I will most definitely be getting it some way, somehow!

I didn't know this was the third book in a series, I almost couldn't tell it wasn't a stand alone except for all these characters that just kept popping up and I wondered who they were. You could read this alone and almost not miss a thing. But I am dying to read the previous two novels!

Thank you Susan May Warren, you have captured me into your beautiful world!


I received this book for free from the publisher’s in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part of Tyndales Blogging Review program.

Featured Fig: ME!?

You probably won't believe this, and I was so excited I was almost too nervous to do it, but, I am thrilled to announce

I am this weeks Featured Fig: Victoria W.!! Figment reached out to me a couple weeks ago and gave me some interview questions. It took me nearly a week to get through the nerves I had. Figuring out your own voice is harder than it looks. Do I try to be witty? Do I try to be serious? When is serious too serious and silly too silly? But, finally towards the end when I prayed and asked for the Lord's help did I find my voice and I was so proud in the end.

Please, feel free to check out the interview on Figment.com by clicking the link above or the picture below and leave a comment here on my blog. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Featured Fig: Victoria W.

I actually wasn't sure how Figment chose who to Feature each week but I discovered that Figgies like myself came and requested, voted, for me! You have no idea how much that meant to me. 

Thank you figgies! You are amazing!

One Year Anniversary!

It's October. Wow I can't believe it! One year since I embarked on my journey into the blogging world. One year since I realized there was so much more to blogging than just writing and clicking post. One year for my heart to grow in Jesus Christ's love and have more Faith in Him.

It's been such a growing experience both mentally and spiritually, I couldn't have asked for a better year. 

Thank You. To all my followers, my readers, and passer-byers (I know, not a real word! Haha)

May God bless you and touch your hearts. Keep pursuing Him in faithfulness and righteousness! He hasn't stopped pursuing you!