Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Marcia Lee Laycock's latest book, A Tumbled Stone...hmmm, now that sounds interesting, like I will look at this book! A tumbled stone--who hasn't felt like life was in charge and you were the little stone being tumbled about! So here is an excerpt to whet your appetite.



Edna’s long hand rested on the cloth on the tap. Andrea could see the curve of her high cheek bone, a moistness to the curl of her pale eyelashes as her head turned and dropped almost imperceptibly.

Andrea wanted to scream, “Speak to me. Look at me!” For a moment she imagined Edna turning, a smile quick to her lips, her eyes beaming approval of her only daughter, her “chosen one.” Andrea had longed for that look for as long as she could remember.


But then a cloud blocked the light like a heavy curtain, dim reality returned, and Edna didn’t move. Andrea stepped across the doorway and past into the hall, slowly climbing the stairs to her room. Her legs felt like heavy logs, but her feet made no sound.


Maybe I’m invisible already, only a phantom whose footsteps can’t make the floors creak.

Marcia’s inspirational writing has won awards in both Canada and the U.S.  Her devotionals are distributed to thousands and her novel, One Smooth Stone, won the Best New Canadian Christian Author Award in 2006. Marcia is also a sought-after speaker for women’s events. Visit her at www.vinemarc.com
If you are intrigued by A Tumbled Stone, it can be purchased at Amazon. It is also available in Kindle!

Happy reading!

Blessings, Carol Brown

P.S. I am in the process of extricating my children's books from this blog to give them their own space in order to give proper attention to adult interests and to children's interests. You can find me over at www.sassypantsco.blogspot.com.
The blog-hop will happen over there!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

God Thoughts #8

But I say to you...notice that Jesus says this several times. He lays out the law and then ups the ante. What's with that? Is He making pleasing God more difficult or cumbersome? I've been pondering this for several days. I don't think it is about making our lives more difficult, but rather it is pointing out the heart, the spirit of the law that the Jews had not come to understand. They were missing the intent of the law. Here is what I believe,
  • That Jesus was making a course correction. If the Israelites continued in the direction they were headed (legalistic adherence to a code of law) they would miss their destiny.
  • They were destined to be a light to the world, to be a preservative to the world but by robotically following a code they could not be what they were called to be.
  • Their actions (and now ours) need to spring from love and trust rather than duty or adherence out of fear. God wants obedience to be because of love and trust. He wants obedience to be spontaneous, springing up, or spurting out of believers because of His overflowing joy within!
Prophecy says that "the government will be upon HIS shoulders." I believe the Sermon on the Mount was a type of political platform. I have not flushed it all out, but I think He was laying out what is important within His government. Look what He talks about!! Relationship! Quality relationship. This government that Jesus is bringing will be all about relationship.

Another reason I think this is true is because of how hard the enemy is working to destroy relationships--between husbands and wives, parents and children, pitting one board against another in organizations, citizens against the government within communities, one party against another... The fighting is incessent. Fighting is the antithesis of God. God is love. Love is the key to harmonious relationships--love and trust.

I think Jesus was saying that the law was given to be a hand hold to pull ourselves up with but we have unscrewed it and used it as a club to beat each other down! This Easter season, let's grab hold and with Holy Spirit's help to live the spirit of the law.

Comments?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Another Good Book!

I found this review very point on and this chapter excerpt particularly powerful so I had to repost! Hope you enjoy. If you'd like to read the rest, you can get it at Amazon! 

This review is from: Triumph Through Trial "A Story of Renewal" (Kindle Edition)
So often the beauty of life surfaces among the thorns of pain. Triumph Through Trials walks the reader through the stages we face in relationships, chapters of life, and common episodes--so often, taken for granted and unappreciated. Until the day adversity rocks our senses and we're forced to take a second look, wake up to the value and often, for the first time, see life through the eyes of love. Triumph Through Trials reminds us of God's power to restore relationships and rekindle dreams.--Janet Perez Eckles

Read the following excerpt:

Triumph Through Trial
By Theresa Franklin

Excerpt II
Michael sat in the car staring out at the city lights. The park was dark, but the downtown Christmas lights could be seen even from here. They seemed to be prettier when one sat in the dark. He thought about the argument that he and Cynthia had just had. It was more like Cynthia argued and he stated his opinion when he could, which was seldom. Michael wondered if he had stayed in the marriage because he was strong or because he was too weak to leave. When the kids had been younger, he had felt it his duty to maintain a home with two parents. Now he was beginning to wonder if he had done his children a disservice by allowing them to grow up with contention. He knew that every home had problems, but was it good for kids to live in that type of environment on a daily basis?
Michael was so consumed by his thoughts that he failed to notice that he was not alone in the park.
The street gang had been sitting on the picnic tables in the park discussing what to do that night. It hadn’t been an especially good day for any of them. As a whole, they were too poor to receive material possessions from family, too proud to accept hand outs from the shelter, and too self centered to be a blessing to anyone else.
“I’m bored.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know. But I’m tired of just hanging out here.”
“Do you see what I see?” One of them asked the others.
“Whew wee. A rich guy all alone in the park on Christmas night.”
“Yeah, maybe he would like to share a little of that wealth with us.”
“Isn’t that what Christmas is for? Giving to others?”
“I heard once that it is more blessed to give than receive.”
“Well, let’s go give this guy a blessing and allow him to give to us.” The entire gang laughed.
“Let’s have some fun while he is receiving his blessing.” Another laugh and still Michael heard nothing.
By the time Michael was jarred out of his deep thoughts; his car was surrounded with some of the most menacing characters he had ever seen. One guy opened the door as another one pulled him out of the car.
“I don’t want any trouble, guys. What do you want?”
“Did you hear that? He don’t want no trouble.” The one that opened the door said.
“You being smart with us, old man?”
“No, I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.” Michael tried to keep his cool. He knew showing fear would only spur them on.
“Whew. I’m scared. How about you guys?”
“Oh, please don’t hurt me, Mr. old man.” Another mocked.
“You rich, old man?”
“No, I’m not rich. Do you want money? Take it. Take my wallet.”
“Oh we are going to take more than your wallet.”
“Yeah, that’s a really nice car you have.”
“Fine, take the car too.” Michael said.
“Take my wallet. Take my car. Please let me go.” The door opener mocked.
“You think that’s all we want, old man?” The one that pulled him out of the car asked.
“What else do you want?”
“We’re bored. We want to have some fun.”
Immediately, Michael knew the meaning of real fear. He had barely had time to process it when the first blow came to his left rib cage. Almost at the same time, he felt a blow to his right temple. Then someone kicked him in the back of his right knee and he fell to the ground. Things went from bad to worse. The blows and kicks started coming from all sides. He couldn’t even react to one before another came. He could tell that he had at least one cracked rib and could feel the blood running down his face from his right temple. He could see the faces standing over him, but the blows were coming so fast they seemed to be disconnected from the bodies. He could feel his lips swelling. He rolled over on his stomach to protect himself. Then he felt several kicks to his kidneys. The pain was so severe that Michael thought he was going to pass out. Rolling again, he took more punches to the groin. Several punches were thrown to his eyes. Michael’s eyes swelled shut and he could no longer see anyone. More punches and kicks were thrown to his body. The last thing he felt before losing conscientiousness was a kick to the back of his head.
The gang members saw the lights of the police car as it rounded the curve. One member alerted the others and all scattered in different directions like ants whose bed had been stirred with a stick.
Officer Adams saw the gang scatter and started to give chase, but then he saw Michael lying on the ground…
I want to know what happened and how the Lord restored the family. This will be on my TBR (to be read) pile for sure. There is one thing about being in a large writing community...when there is so much good reading, it is hard to make time for my own writing. Will be spending some time with the Lord to nail down some parameters for balancing being a responsible member of the community and a responsible servant and obedient to my own calling! Is this just me or do others find it difficult to balance the two?
Blessings, Carol

Saturday, April 7, 2012

How Embarrassing!

Really embarrassing! I read someone's blog wrong, remembered incorrectly, got my dates mixed up and thought the John 3:16 Marketing Network Blog Hop starts today! No wonder I could not find a button! It hasn't been made yet! Sheesh. Insert red face. So let's do this again. There will be a blog hop. It will begin on  May 7.

Only one month to go until the John 3:16 Giveaway Blog Hop –

May 7th – 14th!

Join over fifty authors and bloggers who will be offering great books and other prizes on their blogs during that week. As a reader, you just “hop” from blog to blog and sign up to win some great prizes at each blog.
At this blog choose to win either children's books The Sassy Pants Series
or
The Burden Bearing Books
The Mystery of Spiritual Sensitivity and Highly Sensitive
(I will blog about the books so that you know what they are about)

You also have a chance of winning one of two Kindles!
Leave your name and email address along with a comment to enter the drawing.

Tell all your friends and join us May 7th – 14th for the

John 3:16 Marketing Network Giveaway Blog Hop!

See you there!
And there will be a little button right here that will take you to the next blog!
Whew!

Don't Forget!



Only one month to go until the John 3:16 Giveaway Blog Hop –

May 7th – 14th!

Join over fifty authors and bloggers who will be offering great books and other prizes on their blogs during that week. As a reader, you just “hop” from blog to blog and sign up to win some great prizes at each blog.

You also have a chance of winning one of two Kindles!

How’s that for fun?

Tell all your friends and join us May 7th – 14th for the


On this blog you can win one copy of the burden bearing books,

The Mystery of Spiritual Sensitivity and Highly Sensitive

or
 you can choose one copy of

Sassy Pants and Sassy Pants Makes Amends!

Just leave your name and email in the comment box to enter the drawing.
Also indicate which set of books you would like to receive.
For addresses within the U.S. only
(sorry, international postage is excessive)

How’s that for fun?
Know someone who is drolling for a Kindle?
Tell all your friends and join us May 7th – 14th for the

John 3:16 Marketing Network Giveaway Blog Hop!

See you there!
Blessings, Carol

Friday, April 6, 2012

Nervous Nelly

Tomorrow the John 316 Marketing Network blog hop begins. I've never been part of a blog hop. I don't know what they are or how to prepare! What is expected?! I'm nervous! I think I need some kind of button somewhere. Looking...

Here is what I do know. On this site one lucky person will win two books. They get to choose the books on burden bearing, or the children's books.

Leave your name and email address in the comments. When the tour finishes we will have a drawing and I will contact the lucky winner!

Sassy Pants Makes Amends, the second in the series of four, releases on the 17th of April. They will be available at Amazon, B & N, and other retail and online sites, also from the publisher, Tate Publishing. This tale for all ages models how to go about fixing a friendship when you are the one who broke it. In the story Sassy Pants practices her apology and with Molly's moral support delivers it and then asks for forgiveness. With that accomplished she comments that that was just the first part. Then she had to do amends to help the ones she hurt trust her again. It was a lot of hard work!


The Sassy Pants series is a great set for young readers. Each book comes with a code in the back to download a free audio version of the book. Burn you own CD and viola you have entertainment on the road, or read along practice to develop reading fluency. There is also a free parent/teacher manual see downloadables on my website.

Recovery groups have made great use of the story. The explanation of amends helps many in 12 Step programs. For more information you may go to www.fromgodsheart.com and click on Children's Books.

Leave a comment, your name and email in the comment box for your entry for the drawing!

Blessings, Carol Brown