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| Sara Evans and meWow, I haven't been by Xanga in so long. Sorry, old friend.
The first book in the fictional series with Sara Evans comes out this September. It's been a fun process working with her, taking her ideas and melding them with mine to make a great story.
Here's what Publishers Weekly said,
"In this heartwarming collaborative debut from country music star Evans and Christian romance veteran Hauck (Sweet Caroline), antique dealer Jade Freedom Fitzgerald of Whisper Hollow, Tenn., must make peace with her hippy mama, Beryl Hill, before she can marry her lawyer fiancé, Maxwell Charles Benson. But wait, there's more: she also needs an annulment from an elopement at 16, to resolve her anger at the father who abandoned her, to learn how to get along with a pushy mom-in-law-to-be and take responsibility for a dire choice she made 13 years before. The arrival of Jade's mother and her tempestuous little sister, Willow, before the big day shakes things up further, especially after Beryl reveals an unhappy secret of her own. Comforting in that Southern way and inspirational without being too saccharine, Evans and Hauck's first outing together shows promise."
Nice review, but I sense some sarcasm from the reviewer. Don't you? What is meant by, "but wait there's more." Sounds like a Ginsu knife commercial, "It slices and dices, but wait, there's more. It saws through brick and steel." :)
The Sweet By and By is a great book. I am excited for it to get out to readers, and the second book is even more exciting.
Sara's new album comes out this fall too, and her first single, "Feels Just like a Love Song" is fantastic. It's going to be a number one hit and my prediction? It'll be used in a romantic comedy! :)
Have a great summer. Read a lot. Pray more. | | |
| Cut Loose!From my hubby:
Pastor Gary gave us an article to read on the “emerging church”. If you’ve heard anything about this movement, it may sound appealing at first glance.
Some of their strong values are living a missional lifestyle, social activism, being contemporary and non-legalistic, using current technology, conversational teaching methods, being accepting (non-condemning) toward non-christians; sounds pretty good doesn’t it?
Well here comes the other shoe dropping. In their desire to relate to the unchurched, they are willing to question anything, including the bible. And not surprising, they’ve become accepting of much the bible calls sin, and critical of the “established” church. Any End Time verses coming to mind?
Now more than ever we need strong commitment to the Bible as the word of God and the only anchor for humanity. It may have started with good intentions, but the moment the “emerging church” cut their anchor loose, they lost the ability to even know where they will end up.
Remember, Satan really only has one trick, and he’s been using it ever since it worked so well in Genesis 3:1 – “Did God really say...?”
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| A lovely blog from my hubbyGlory and Beauty
I’ve been reading in Exodus, and this morning I was learning how to make a tabernacle as well as priestly garments. I don’t know about you, but since I’ve read this before, and it doesn’t have a lot of practical application, I tend to skim over the details. But something caught my eye.
Moses was instructed to make elaborate garments for Aaron and his sons “for glory and for beauty” (Ex 28:2, 40). Hmmm. It was important to God that His priests were beautiful. We can infer from Job 40:10 that God arrays Himself with glory and beauty, so I guess He just wants His priests to reflect both His glory and His beauty.
Of course we’re His priests now, and we know there are many ways we can be beautiful beyond our outward appearance. But what stuck out to me was that God appreciates beauty, so I guess we should too.
With that in mind (and Valentine’s Day being this weekend), I want to take this opportunity to say how much I appreciate having a wife who carries God’s glory and is beautiful both outwardly and in so many other ways. What more could a guy ask for?
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| Are you ready to lose everything?Thoughts from my hubby (who asked if I agreed.)
Glenn Beck told a story today about his friend who lost a lot in the market, and was looking to Glenn for encouragement.
He was angry when Glenn asked him, “Are you ready to lose everything?” He then went on to explain how freeing it is to come to that place.
Now Glenn is pretty pessimistic regarding our political and economic future, and certainly with good reason, but I’m not writing to convince you that we’re all going to lose everything.
I’m writing to tell you his perspective is a good one whatever your financial situation. But it’s also an eternal perspective, and you won’t be able to embrace it without faith.
So what if you lose everything? If you’re “storing up treasure in heaven” (Mt 6:19-21), that can’t be taken away. (We’re told that very thing later in the passage.)
So anything of real value, eternal value, can’t be lost. And if your heart is where your treasure is, and your treasure is in heaven, then losing everything on earth can’t even affect the issues of your heart, your peace, joy and confidence.
Would God really allow you to lose everything? I don’t know, but I do know that as long as we have food and clothing we’re to be content (1 Tim 6:6-8). That doesn’t even guarantee us a home. And I know that Glenn is right. It really is freeing to put it all in God’s hands and be ready to lose everything.
And with that perspective, if we don’t lose everything, how much more thankful will we be for God’s bountiful provision? | | |
| One ManIn a few days President Elect Barak Obama will be inaugurated the 44th President of these United States. I’ve been thinking about how in one day he will suddenly wield tremendous power and influence.
I on the other hand feel pretty helpless to effect change in our nation. What can one man do?
The truth is the only difference between the President’s power and mine is his sphere of influence. And isn’t it clear in scripture that it’s God who determines our sphere of influence?
So I’ve decided one man can, and should, do his best with what he’s been given. President Obama will have to answer to God for his very large responsibility just as I’ll have to account for my relatively small one. I may not be able to do much about our nation, but I can have influence on those around me.
Let’s decide to fully use the influence God has given us for His Kingdom this year. The scriptures also promise that if we’re faithful, our sphere of influence will increase.
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