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May 31, 2023

Romantic Comedy Writer


Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages and Sophie's daughters, and has man other books.

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

Find Mary online at:

Her website: maryconnealy.com

Mary is on Facebook at facebook.com/maryconnealy

And Twitter at twitter.com/maryconnealy



Releasing June . . .  The Laws of Attraction



Can they risk giving in to the attraction between them while their lives are on the line?

If widowed seamstress Nell Armstrong has to make one more pair of boring chaps for the cowboys in her tiny Wyoming town, she might just quit the business altogether! So meeting Brand Nolte, a widower struggling to raise three girls on his own, seems like her dream come true. Brand has no idea how to dress the girls properly, and Nell finally has a chance to create beautiful outfits while also teaching the girls to sew.

But Nell is much more than a seamstress, and the investigative skills and knowledge she picked up alongside her late lawman husband soon become critical when a wounded stagecoach-robbery survivor is brought to town. As danger closes in from all sides, Nell and Brand must discover who has a target trained on them before it's too late.

May 30, 2023

Sweet and Inspirational Romance




USA Today best-selling author Jessie Gussman writes sweet and inspirational romance from her farm in central Virginia. Having attended, but never graduating from the school of hard knocks, Jessie uses real life on the farm to inspire her cowboy, rural and blue-collar fiction.


When she’s not chasing kids, cows and the occasional roll-away haybale, Jessie enjoys wading in Naked Creek and not cleaning her house. Most of the time her main goal is to keep from catching herself on fire…again.


If you enjoy fun stories with vivid characters showcasing strong families with a ribbon of faith tying everything together, you might enjoy Jessie’s books.

Listen to Jay Dyess perform Jessie's books - for FREE - on YouTube HERE: https://www.youtube.com/SaywithJay

Subscribe to her newsletter and find out why readers say, "I eagerly look forward to Tuesday mornings" and "Jessie's newsletter is the only author newsletter that I read every word." https://dl.bookfunnel.com/97elto4gwl

Visit Jessie’s website:https://jessiegussman.com/ 



After losing her husband in the line of duty, Annie Brooks moves in with her mother in Sweet Water, North Dakota with her two small children to try to put the pieces of her life back together.
Hired to book clients for the Dude ranch her husband's best friends started, Annie is completely uninterested in any type of relationship. In fact, she's finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning, let alone care what she looks like. She's heading toward depression and is holding it together - barely - for the sake of her kids.

Zeke hates seeing the pretty, young widow of one of his Air Force buddies struggling so hard, but he doesn't know what to do about it. Until the matchmakers of Sweet Water come up with a plan.

Will a roadtrip with two small children to house sit a cabin in the woods be what Annie needs? Or will they end up with more than they bargained for?

May 26, 2023

A Day to Pay Tribute

 

Our Country has been celebrating Memorial Day for 155 years.


The day is set aside to honor and mourn the U.S. military personnel who died serving our country.


Many people take their vacations while some take a four day weekend. They attend events ranging from community gatherings to large sports competitions such as the The Indianapolis (“Indy”) 500 motor race, relaxing on the beaches, hiking in the mountains appreciating the variouos activities.


And many Americans visit cemeteries, where volunteers often place American flags on graves remembering what they sacrificed for us.


I've often wondered how many of us stop and give thanks for what our brave military men and women did so we would have the freedoms we have in this country. Do you, wonder?


This memorial day, let us remember all those who gave their lives for us and appreciate the freedoms they secured for us.


God Bless Our Soldiers! God Bless Our Country!

May 25, 2023

Reaching A Crossroads



Luke Russert is an author and an Emmy Award winning journalist who served as an NBC News correspondent from 2008 to 2016. Primarily covering American politics, he was seen on popular outlets such as NBC Nightly News, Today, NBCNews.com, and MSNBC.

After leaving media, Russert embarked on a three year, six continent travel expedition that took him to nearly seventy countries. Published by Harper Horizon, his first book, “Look For Me There”, is a reflection of his deeply personal internal journey across many diverse external places.

"I reached a crossroads in my early thirties where I felt empty and unfulfilled. I wanted to know—why? So I set out into the world, hoping to feel something. The reward of travel was that it made me much more aware of my surroundings — the beauty of nature, the weight of history and the common good of the larger human family."

He is the son of the late Tim Russert of NBC’s Meet the Press and Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth. Russert resides in Washington, DC. with his pug named Shawkemo.

https://www.lukerussert.net/



In Look for Me There, Luke Russert traverses terrain both physical and deeply personal. On his journey to some of the world’s most stunning destinations, he visits the internal places of grief, family, faith, ambition, and purpose—with intense self-reflection, honesty, and courage."—Savannah Guthrie, coanchor of Today

“Look for me there,” news legend Tim Russert would tell his son, Luke, when confirming a pickup spot at an airport, sporting event, or rock concert. After Tim died unexpectedly, Luke kept looking for his father, following in Tim’s footsteps and carving out a highly successful career at NBC News. After eight years covering politics on television, Luke realized he had no good answer as to why he was chasing his father’s legacy. As the son of two accomplished parents—his mother is journalist Maureen Orth of Vanity Fair—Luke felt the pressure of high expectations but suddenly decided to leave the familiar path behind.

Instead, Luke set out on his own to find answers. What began as several open-ended months of travel to decompress and reassess morphed into a three-plus-year odyssey across six continents to discover the world and, ultimately, to find himself.

Chronicling the important lessons and historical understandings Luke discovered from his travels, Look for Me There is both the vivid narrative of that journey and the emotional story of a young man taking charge of his life, reexamining his relationship with his parents, and finally grieving his larger-than-life father, who died too young. 

For anyone uncertain about the direction of their life or unsure of how to move forward after a loss, Look for Me There is a poignant reflection that offers encouragement to examine our choices, take risks, and discover our truest selves.





May 24, 2023

Why Read? See What Pat Williams Says!

 


Pat Williams



Pat Williams is a basketball Hall-of-Famer, currently serving as co-founder and senior vice president of the NBA’s Orlando Magic.Pat is also the author of 100 books, his most recent title highlighting the secrets to peak performance in HUMILITY.one of America’s top motivational speakers, he has addressed thousands of executives in organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies and national associations to universities and nonprofits.Pat and his wife, Ruth, are the parents of 19 children, including 14 adopted from four nations, ranging in age from 28 to 42. For one year, 16 of his children were all teenagers at the same time. Currently, Pat has 14 grandchildren and counting.Pat teaches an adult Sunday school class at First Baptist Church of Orlando and hosts three weekly radio shows. In the last 15 years, he has completed 58 marathons—most recently, the 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon—and also climbed Mt. Rainier. He is a weightlifter, Civil War buff and serious baseball fan.

To read more of Pat Williams story, his achievements, his fight with cancer and the remission go to https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000AR9E0A/about





'Pat Williams reminds us that reading can transform our lives. But for that to happen we have to turn off the TV and pick up the book. Books give us information, remind us we're human, and above all challenge our imagination. Pat Williams encourages people not to take this gift for granted.'

-- Senator Bill Bradley

"Pat Williams does an extraordinary job illustrating the social and educational benefits of reading."

--David Stern , Commissioner of the National Basketball Association



Have you ever thought, 'I need to read more,' but not known how or where to start? You can start right here! Read for Your Life reignites your love affair with books and shows you how to prioritize reading--no matter how busy you think you are. It's not just about filling that hard-to-find 'downtime.' Books improve your life in every imaginable way and can give you a mental workout guaranteed to keep your brain fit, alert, and active your whole lifetime.

Author Pat Williams is on a mission to help us all fully access and enjoy the power of reading. If Pat--a father of nineteen children, a four-marathon-a-year runner, and the senior vice president of the Orlando Magic--can make time for it, anyone can. With anecdotes and interviews from today's greatest icons in business, academia, and sports--including Alex Rodriguez, Grant Hill, Oprah Winfrey, Rick Warren, and Rudy Giuliani-- Read for Your Life shows you how you can:

  • · Minimize distractions and maximize your reading time

  • · Develop a personalized program for reading more often

  • · Discover the many ways that reading can improve your mental well-being, your outlook on life, and your level of success in your career

  • · Rediscover and reconnect with the real you by reading regularly

The lifetime gift of literacy is inside this book. Unleash it!


May 23, 2023

What About Love?


Mary E Hanks


Can Liv marry a man she doesn’t love for a good cause?

Seven months pregnant, alone, and homeless, Liv sits in a diner in Spokane, crying over her cold french fries. With plans to spend another night in her car at the rest stop, she has no direction for her life. So when Trish North, a motherly stranger, invites her to stay with her, how can she refuse?

Trish’s son, Smith, has felt a calling to be a pastor ever since he was a kid. However, the church where he feels led to minister has a strict requirement. Their pastor must be married. When Smith’s engagement disintegrates, along with his dreams of pastoring, he faces a faith crisis.

Trish has a solution. Why doesn’t he marry their houseguest?

A preposterous idea!

Yet, in their unlikely, unexpected friendship—and over baking mishaps—Smith and Liv discover laughter, purpose, and hope. Are those things enough to build a marriage on?

What about love?


If you enjoy lighthearted inspirational Christian fiction with a slow-burn romance, flirting while baking, and a marriage of convenience storyline, try Liv & the Preacher today! This is a standalone novel set in 1988.





Married for 40+ years, Mary Hanks loves to read and write Christian fiction married romances. She has written twelve books in the second-chance inspirational Christian fiction genre so far. Liv & the Preacher is her first standalone marriage of convenience story. She hopes to write many more heartwarming stories!

Besides writing, Mary likes to do artsy stuff, go on adventures with Jason, and meet her four adult kids for coffee or breakfast. Check out her website at https://maryehanks.com/

May 22, 2023

Will She Play Her Part?



Ann H. Gabhart


If all the world's a stage, Jacci will play her part.

She only hopes her story does not turn out to be a tragedy.

In 1881, Jacci Reed is only five years old when a man attempts to kidnap her from the steamboat her mother, Irena, works on. Badly wounded during the confrontation, Irena takes Jacci aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, a showboat tied up beside them. There, Jacci's actor grandfather tends to her mother and Jacci gets a first taste of the life she will come to lead.

Fifteen years later, Jacci is an actress aboard the Kingston Floating Palace, and largely contented with her adopted family of actors, singers, and dancers. Especially Gabe, who has always supported her, and the gruff grandfather she has come to know and love. Jacci's mother has been gone for years, but the memory of the altercation that ultimately took her life--and the cryptic things Jacci has overheard about her past--is always there, lurking in the back of her mind.

When someone on the showboat tries to kill Jacci, it's clear her questions demand answers. But secrets have a way of staying in the shadows, and the answers she craves will not come easily. Gabe only hopes they come in time for him and Jacci to have a future together.




Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she's published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers' Choice Women's Fiction Book of the Year.

Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/anngabhart https://www.facebook.com/AnnGabhart.

May 19, 2023

Family Secrets?


Stephenia H McGee


A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.

Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away--in jail--Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.

When she goes to take possession of her father's house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye--and has put a target on her back.

To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she's always dreamed of, she'll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers--especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.



Stephenia H. McGee is a multi-published author of stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. She lives in Mississippi, where she is a mom of two rambunctious boys, writer, dreamer, and husband spoiler. Her novel The Cedar Key was a 2021 Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice award winner. A member of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), she loves all things books and history. Stephenia also loves connecting with readers and can often be found having fun with her Faithful Readers Team on Facebook. For more on books and upcoming events and to connect with Stephenia, visit her at www.StepheniaMcGee.com.

May 18, 2023

Welcome Back to Hope Harbor

Irene Hannon


Bestselling author Irene Hannon invites you back to Hope Harbor, where hearts heal and love blooms.



Buying a haunted house was never in Ashley Scott's plans, but when an intriguing opportunity drops into her lap after a major setback, she finds herself trekking cross-country to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast to launch a new life.

Wounded warrior Jonathan Gray isn't sure what to make of the attractive woman on his reclusive older neighbor's isolated property, but her presence is none of his business--until she enlists his help with an ambitious project. When Jonathan finds his interest in the new arrival becoming more personal than professional, however, his defenses go up. There's no room in his life--or his heart--for romance.

Yet, as these three hurting people join forces to restore life, laughter, and love to a historic estate that has known too much sadness, they may also find healing, hope, and happiness for themselves.





Irene Hannon is the best-selling author of more than 35 novels. Her books have been honored with the coveted RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, the HOLT Medallion, the Reviewer's Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine and the Daphne du Maurier Award for mystery/suspense. Irene and her husband make their home in Missouri, USA. Irene invites you to visit her at her website, www.irenehannon.com

May 17, 2023

Ties Are Hard To Break

Lynette Eason


She's worked hard to distance herself from her father's legacy--but family ties are hard to break

When FBI Agent Daria Nevsky returns home to an intruder, she's not exactly surprised. She's been on high alert ever since her father, a powerful figure in Russian organized crime, was killed. She is surprised, however, when the man in a ski mask and hoodie tells her that her father sent him.

Dr. Ryker Donahue knows he's heard the name Daria Nevsky before. As he tends to the young woman's wounds, he tries to put the pieces together. No sooner does she show up at his hospital than it becomes painfully clear that whoever she is, she's in trouble. He feels a strong pull to protect her--but he quickly realizes that this is a woman who knows how to handle herself.

It will take both of them--and a handful of their skilled friends--to figure out who's after her, what they really want, and how to make it out alive.



Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher's Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.

May 16, 2023

The Intelligence was Rock-Solid or Was It?

From New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg comes the fifth military and international political thriller in the Marcus Ryker series.



The world’s most wanted terrorist is dead. Marcus Ryker recommended the drone strike himself. The intelligence was rock-solid. But what if it was wrong?

Abu Nakba—the man responsible for lethal attacks in Washington, D.C., London, and Jerusalem—is finally dead. Marcus Ryker has been tasked with hunting down and destroying what’s left of the terror group Kairos.

But before Ryker can mobilize his team of CIA operatives with their new assignment, a disturbing report from Libya suggests all may not be as it seems. The U.S. bombing that should have taken out Nakba’s headquarters now appears to have been a disastrous mistake—and Ryker himself may be responsible.

With Kairos gearing up for a major retaliatory strike against the U.S., time is short, and terror cells may already be inside American borders. But Ryker won’t be able to stop this threat until he clears his own name, and his closest ally inside the White House can no longer help him.

The Libyan diversion threatens to leave Ryker on the sidelines just when his country needs him most.

Packed with action and intrigue, this thriller novel is everything Joel’s fans have come to expect.

  • A high-stakes suspense novel for fans of Jack Carr, Ryan Steck, and Kyle Mills
  • Perfect for fans of geopolitical thrillers




Joel C. Rosenberg is a New York Times bestselling author of seventeen novels and five nonfiction books with nearly 5 million copies in print.

Rosenberg's career as a political thriller writer was born out of his filmmaking studies at Syracuse University, where he graduated with a BFA in film drama in 1989. He also studied for nearly six months at Tel Aviv University during his junior year. Following graduation from Syracuse, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for a range of U.S. and Israeli leaders and nonprofit organizations, serving variously as a policy analyst and communications strategist.

He has been profiled by the New York Times, the Washington Times, and the Jerusalem Post and has appeared on hundreds of radio and TV programs in the U.S., Canada, and around the world. As a sought-after speaker, he has addressed audiences at the White House, the Pentagon, the U.S. Capitol, the Israeli president's residence, the European Union parliament in Brussels, and business and faith conferences in North America and around the world.

The grandson of Orthodox Jews who escaped out of czarist Russia in the early 1900s, Rosenberg comes from a Jewish background on his father's side and a Gentile background on his mother's side.

Rosenberg is the founder and chairman of The Joshua Fund, a nonprofit educational and humanitarian relief organization. He is also the founder and editor in chief of All Israel News (allisrael.com) and All Arab News (allarab.news).

He and his wife, Lynn, are dual U.S.- Israeli citizens. They made aliyah in 2014 and live in Jerusalem, Israel. They have four sons, Caleb, Jacob, Jonah, and Noah.

For more information, visit joelrosenberg.com and follow Joel on Twitter (@joelcrosenberg) and Facebook (facebook.com/JoelCRosenberg).

May 15, 2023

What Is Waiting Just Around The Corner?

 



Tracie Peterson


From the Yukon to Seattle, the hope of a new beginning waits just around the corner.

Addie Bryant is haunted by her past of heartbreak and betrayal. After her beau, Isaac Hanson, left the Yukon, she made a vow to wait for him. When she's sold to a brothel owner after the death of her father, Addie manages to escape with the hope that she can forever hide her past and the belief that she will never have the future she's always dreamed of.

Years later, Addie has found peace in her new life as a photographer, training Camera Girls to operate and sell the Brownie camera. During the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle, Addie is reunited with Isaac, but after the path her life has taken, she's afraid to expose the ugliness of her former life and to move toward the future they had pledged to each other.

When her past catches up with her, Addie must decide whether to run or to stay and face her wounds in order to embrace her life, her future, and her hope in God.




Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Visit Tracie's web site at: http://www.traciepeterson.com

May 12, 2023

Are You Weary?


Sarah J. Hauser


The comforting bid of Jesus to the worn and weary soul:

Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest.

You’re tired. Tired in your body. Tired in your soul. At times, life feels hard, chaotic, or just mind-numbingly ordinary. But what if our souls could find rest even amid the onslaught of chaos and confusion? What if we could exchange that heavy dread and disquiet for a peace that passes understanding? Author Sarah J. Hauser believes that while our outward lives are falling apart, our inner lives can grow stronger. All Who are Weary was born out of Sarah’s own story—her depression, grief, and tears. Sarah, no stranger to weariness, invites us to join her in bringing our heavy burdens to Jesus and taking the light burden He offers instead.

Readers find deep, lasting rest by throwing off nine soul-crushing burdens: worthlessness, condemnation, worry, self-sufficiency, insecurity, comparison, perfectionism, insignificance, and despair. We were never meant to carry these things in the first place. Christians who feel stuck, strained, and discouraged will be equipped with Scripture and encouraged by personal stories that help us identify the burdens we need to release. Because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can live with joy and endurance, come what may. If you’re craving rest for your soul, Jesus invites you to come to Him, because only there can true rest be found.




Sarah J. Hauser is a writer and speaker living in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, four kids, and overexcited rescue dog. Through theology, stories, and the occasional recipe, she helps others find nourishment for their souls. She loves cooking but rarely follows a recipe exactly, and you can almost always find her with a cup of coffee in hand.

Sarah completed her B.A. in Christian Education and Biblical and Theology Studies from Wheaton College as well as her M.A. from Wheaton in Intercultural Studies. She’s a member of the Redbud Writers Guild and has written for Coffee + Crumbs, Risen Motherhood, The Rabbit Room, The Gospel Coalition, (in)courage, and more. Find her at http://www.sarahjhauser.com/



May 11, 2023

Check Out Patricia Bradley's Heart-Stopping New Series

 Patricia Bradley



A brand new heart-stopping series from a USA Today bestselling author

No sooner has Alexis Stone been sworn in as the interim sheriff for Russell County, Tennessee, when a serial killer dubbed the Queen's Gambit Killer strikes again--this time in her hometown. Pearl Springs is just supposed to be a temporary stop along the way to Alex's real dream: becoming the first female police chief of Chattanooga. But the killer's calling card--a white pawn and a note with a chess move printed on it--cannot be ignored.

Pearl Springs chief of police Nathan Landry can't believe that his high school sweetheart Alexis (he refuses to call her Alex) is back in town, and he can't help wanting to protect the woman he never stopped loving. But as the danger mounts and the killer closes in, can Nathan come through on the promises he makes to himself to bring a killer to justice before it's too late.




USA Today best-selling author, Patricia Bradley is the recipient numerous awards, including an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in suspense, a Selah winner, was a Carol and a Daphne du Maurier finalist. Her romantic suspense novels include the Logan Point series, the Memphis Cold Case Novels, and the Natchez Trace Park Rangers. She is now hard at work on the second book in her new Pearl River series set in the Cumberland Plateau area above Chattanooga. The first book in the series, Counter Attack will release in mid-2023.



She has conducted writing workshops for American Christian Fiction Writers, the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference, the KenTen and Scrivener retreats (where she was the keynote), the Memphis American Christian Fiction Writer group, and the Bartlett Christian Writers group.

She and her two cats call Northeast Mississippi home--the South is also where she sets most of her books, and when she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens. https://ptbradley.com/


May 10, 2023

What About Your Dreams?

 

Rick Warren



God has a dream for your life--and in this concise yet powerful volume, beloved pastor and trusted teacher Rick Warren explains the process God uses to fulfill the dream he gives you.

The Bible is full of stories of people whose God-given dreams became reality--but not without first going through the six phases of faith. In Created to Dream, Pastor Rick will help you understand how God uses these phases to grow people to spiritual maturity while fulfilling the dreams he gives them. Each phase is a test of your faith.

The process God uses to grow your faith:Phase 1: Dream--God puts an exciting dream in your heart.
Phase 2: Decision--You make the decision to go after the dream.
Phase 3: Delays--God allows delays to get you ready for the dream.
Phase 4: Difficulties--You face problems that grow your character.
Phase 5: Dead Ends--Your situation becomes impossible.
Phase 6: Deliverance--God miraculously fulfills the dream!


Knowing these biblical six phases of faith will allow you to stop wondering, "Why is this happening to me?" and begin cooperating with God's process of growing you and your faith. You'll find yourself thinking, "So that's why that happened!" and you'll be prepared for all that God has dreamed up for your future.

This one book can lead to big changes in your life. Read it, then share it with a friend.





Rick Warren is often called "America's most influential spiritual leader." He and his wife, Kay, founded Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, which is now one of the largest and best-known churches in the world. He also wrote the #1 all-time bestselling hardcover book, The Purpose Driven Life. https://pastorrick.com/

May 9, 2023

What's Your Sweet Life?



Suzanne Woods Fisher





Escape to Cape Cod--where you just might find the secret to happiness

Callie Dixon had the world by the tail . . . until it all slipped away. Fired from her dream job after making a colossalmistake, she's escaped to her aunt's home on Cape Cod for time to bounce back. Except it isn't a home, it's an ice cream shop. And time isn't going to help, because Callie's bounce has up and left. There's a reason she made that mistake at work, and she's struggling to come to terms with it.

Things go from bad to worse when Callie's cousin Dawn drags her to a community class about the secret to happiness. Happiness is the last thing Callie wants to think about right now, but instructor Bruno Bianco--a curiously gloomy fellow--is relentless. He has a way of turning Callie's thoughts upside down. Her feelings, too.

Bruno insists that hitting rock bottom is the very best place to be. But if that's true, how is it supposed to help her figure out what--or who--has been missing from her life all along?

 suzanne@suzannewoodsfisher.com





Suzanne Woods Fisher loves stories worth telling about people worth remembering. With over a million copies of her book sold worldwide, this bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 books is always on the lookout for the unsung hero with an untold story.

Readers are invited to stop by Suzanne's website at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com


May 8, 2023

Help For Introverts

 

Holley Gerth


A Guided Journal to Help Introverts Step into Their God-Given Strengths

When God created you as an introvert, he didn't make a mistake. You're exactly what he had in mind all along. As an introvert, you have unique strengths that the world needs--now more than ever. But that doesn't mean those strengths are always easy for you to see.

Building on insights she introduced in her popular book 
The Powerful Purpose of Introverts, bestselling author and counselor Holley Gerth leads you through an interactive adventure of personal discovery. Designed to take you from insecurity to holy confidence in who God made you to be, each daily reading includes inspiration from Scripture, practical advice from Holley, and writing prompts to help you

· examine your thoughts and feelings in this moment
· process the experiences of yesterday
· and step boldly into what God has for you today

You don't have to change who you are to fit someone else's expectations. Discover new freedom, confidence, and clarity in the pages of this beautifully designed guided journal.



Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, licensed counselor, and life coach. She imagines a world where we all become who we’re created to be, use our strengths to serve, and grow for a lifetime. Holley cofounded the groundbreaking blogging community (in)courage and cohosts the popular podcast More Than Small Talk. Find additional resources and connect with Holley at holleygerth.com.

May 5, 2023

A Daylong Adventure~ Promises made

 Carly Fortune

A Most Anticipated Book by Today ∙ Oprah Daily ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ BuzzFeed ∙ SheReads ∙ Zibby Mag ∙ PopSugar ∙ BookRiot ∙ Culturess ∙ Her Campus ∙ The Everygirl ∙ and more!

A random connection sends two strangers on a daylong adventure where they make a promise one keeps and the other breaks, with life-changing effects, in this breathtaking new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After.

Fern Brookbanks has wasted far too much of her adult life thinking about Will Baxter. She spent just twenty-four hours in her early twenties with the aggravatingly attractive, idealistic artist, a chance encounter that spiraled into a daylong adventure in the city. The timing was wrong, but their connection was undeniable: they shared every secret, every dream, and made a pact to meet one year later. Fern showed up. Will didn’t.

At thirty-two, Fern’s life doesn’t look at all how she once imagined it would. Instead of living in the city, Fern’s back home, running her mother’s lakeside resort—something she vowed never to do. The place is in disarray, her ex-boyfriend’s the manager, and Fern doesn’t know where to begin.

She needs a plan—a lifeline. To her surprise, it comes in the form of Will, who arrives nine years too late, with a suitcase in tow and an offer to help on his lips. Will may be the only person who understands what Fern’s going through. But how could she possibly trust this expensive-suit wearing mirage who seems nothing like the young man she met all those years ago. Will is hiding something, and Fern’s not sure she wants to know what it is.

But ten years ago, Will Baxter rescued Fern. Can she do the same for him?


Carley Fortune is the New York Times and #1 Globe and Mail bestselling author of EVERY SUMMER AFTER. Her second book, MEET ME AT THE LAKE, comes out May 2, 2023. Carley is an award-winning journalist and worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life, and The Grid. She was most recently the Executive Editor of Refinery29 Canada. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons. Follow her on Instagram @carleyfortune.

May 2, 2023

P.S. It's Gonna Be Good


Heidi Lee Anderson


How can I hope for a good future with my bad past?Why them and not me?
Why me and not them?
What if I just don’t know what to do?

In our current climate of rising anxiety, we frequently run through worst-case scenarios. So many questions constantly circulate in our minds, and despite our best intentions and honest efforts, fear seems to be winning. We know the Bible repeats, “Do not fear,” but how do we do that? What do we do after we’ve cast our cares on the Lord, memorized Scripture, pumped worship music through every speaker, and yet still feel stuck?

In P.S. It’s Gonna Be Good, writer and popular Instagram content creator Heidi Anderson offers a hope-filled response to these questions by using her own journey, as well as pointing us to God’s people who have come before us. In each chapter of her insightful, conversational, and highly relational book, she focuses on a different Bible character as if we were walking behind their footsteps in real time, looking at the deep questions that plagued their minds and hearts―the same questions we face today. We will encounter:
Gideon: “What if I don’t have what it takes?”
Esther: “What do I do when God feels silent?”
Joshua: “What if God’s promises don’t line up with my reality?”
Martha: “What about when the worst-case happens?”
And more!
Join Heidi as she walks us straight into the heart of God’s Word, where we will experience His peace, find confidence in His good plans, and be set free to meet the future we were made for.

And P.S. . . . It’s gonna be good.


About the Author


I had cancer 8 years ago + wouldn’t you know, that ONE weekend I talked about it at church?🎤 A super handsome guy just SO HAPPENED to be visiting.😏 #Godsplansprevail




Facebook DMs turned into a 1st date, which snowballed into an engagement + farm wedding—then along came our 3 littles. My doc said they probably wouldn’t happen, so they’re literal walking reminders that God alone holds the final word + has such good plans up His sleeve.


That’s why I’m here. Life is hard + when curveballs are thrown, it can be a battle to keep hoping, praying, believing. So in every post, course + square, my hope is to encourage + BUILD YOU UP in the Lord (1 Thess. 5:11)—because He is with you, His promises are true + He will work ➡️all⬅️things for your good and His glory.


May 1, 2023

Stuff I'd Only Tell God



Jennifer Dukes Lee

Welcome to your own little confession booth.
What would you say if you were completely honest with yourself and with God? It's time to find out.

With daring questions, provocative lists, and quirky charts and illustrations, this journal is a place to record all the stuff you'd only tell God: ideas, beliefs, secrets, memories, wonderings, and wishes--things that might seem outlandish or outrageous to anyone else but are what make you you. You'll find the space, the courage, and the help you need to unearth the real you, the you that is sometimes buried deep beneath a layer of self-protection.

Where to begin? With your beautifully ruthless honesty.


About the Author



I write books. I embarrass my kids. I was once a mime. (True story). I attend a small country church where some Sundays you’ll find me spinning tunes as the church deejay.

I'm a big fan of dark chocolate, emojis, eighties music, bright lipstick, and Netflix binges. My husband and I are raising crops, pigs, a herd of cats, and two beautiful humans on the Lee family farm in Iowa.

I'm the author of Growing Slow, which includes a companion Bible study.

I’m a journalist at heart. I used to cover crime, politics, and natural disasters as a news reporter for metropolitan daily newspapers. Now, I use my reporting skills to chase after the biggest story ever: the redemptive story of Christ. (That’s front-page news.)

I cling to the hope of a cross, and I’m passionate about sharing the Good News through story. I believe in miracles; I am one. I marvel at God’s unrelenting grace for stumbling sinners like me, who have been made whole through Christ. I believe in scandalous grace, and that the cross is the most priceless and costly gift the world has ever seen. I believe that it really is all because of Jesus.

Connect with me online at my website (www.JenniferDukesLee.com) or on any of these social media platforms:

Facebook.com/JenniferDukesLee

Twitter.com/dukeslee

Instagram.com/jenniferdukeslee