Friday, January 27, 2012

The Necklace...

I received this short story in my email, I did some searching online to see if I could find who wrote it, but did not find anything.  This story stirs up my thinker...this last line really makes me go hmmm...
"God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place"  So I don't know that I can totally agree with that, my child is gone, and I have nothing better in his place....ohhh you may say God didn't take John away from you, but He didn't stop John from dying either, and He could have.  So what you think about that statement?? please share in your comments...



The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box..

"Oh mommy please, Mom my. Can I have them? Please, Mom my, please?"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."


"Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She's my very favorite."

"That's okay, Honey, daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."



"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one.. Daddy loves you."

And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian style.

As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here daddy, this is for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny ....

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure. So it is, with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.


God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Announcement!!

I am so excited to share some news with you all about our favorite author Laura V. Hilton, she has received a 3 book contract for The Amish of Webster County from Whitaker House, first book due to release this coming summer 2012!!! YAY Laura, and YAY for all of us fans who love your books!!!!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

New October ACFW Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.


 A Wedding Invitation by Alice Wisler -- General Fiction from Bethany House; When Samantha Bravencourt receives an invitation to a wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she looks forward to reconnecting with her college friend. Instead her life collides with Carson, a fellow teacher and the man who broke her heart.


 Attracted by Fire by DiAnn Mills -- A Thriller/Suspense from Tyndale. When a Secret Service Agent is assigned to the Vice President's rebellious daughter, danger lurks in every corner - and her heart.


 Deeply Devoted: A Novel; The Blue Willow Brides Series by Maggie Brendan -- A Historical from Revell -- She is staking her future on a man she's never met. Can she learn to love him?


 Freezing Point by Beth Goddard -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired. Casey Wilkes didn't realize her simple human-interest story would put her life at risk—again.


 Lethal Remedy by Richard L. Mabry M.D. -- A Thriller/Suspense from Abingdon; A doctor discovers that the experimental "wonder drug" that offers the only hope of cure for a universally fatal infection can be attacking more than just bacteria.


 Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist, -- Historical Romance from Bethany House. Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.


 Maggie's Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley -- A Historical from Realms (Charisma Media). Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she's adopted and her journey begins.


 Recipe for Deceit by S. Dionne Moore -- Mystery from Barbour. The third LaTisha Barnhart mystery finds the sassy diner owner trying to figure out who put the hit on a hitman.


 Rodeo Dust by Shannon Vanatter -- Romance from Barbour Heartsong; Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?


 Southern Fried Sushi: A Novel by Jennifer Rogers Spinola -- General Fiction from Barbour; Ride the roller coaster of Shiloh Jacobs’s life as her dreams derail,
sending her on a downward spiral from the heights of an AP job in Tokyo to penniless in rural Virginia.


 Ten Plagues by Mary Nealy-- Thriller/Suspense from Barbour; A demon possessed serial killer pits himself against a former ego driven cop, who's found peace as a mission pastor and a tough lady cop with the spiritual gift of discerning spirits.


 The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy-- Thriller/Suspense from Thomas Nelson; To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.


 The Chair by James Rubart-- Thriller/Suspense from B and H Publishing; If you were given an ancient looking chair and told Jesus Christ made it, would you believe them?


 The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight-- Romance from Love Inspired; When a battle weary cop and a Christmas crazy teacher join forces to care for an abandoned, mute boy in a small town, neither is prepared for the shocking revelations waiting...just in time for Christmas.


 The Lady's Maid by Susan Page Davis-- Romance from Barbour; As a lady's maid, Elise will follow her mistress anywhere, even into the Wild West.


 The Wishing Pearl by Nicole O'Dell-- Young Adult from Barbour; Join conflicted sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield on her journey to hope and healing as she leaves her messed-up life behind and moves into home for troubled teens


 There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones-- Young Adult from Thomas Nelson; Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.


 When Love Gets in the Way by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Straight from the heart of the Old West, the Colorado Runaway series is full of adventure, humor, and romance.


 When Two Hearts Meet by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Rachel Garrett finds that attaining her dream of becoming a nurse is fraught with peril, and a deputy sheriff with a wall around his heart doesn’t help matters,

Sunday, September 25, 2011

2011 Carol Awards winners...

Congratulations to all the winners...

Debut Author

Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes (Tyndale Publishers)
Long Contemporary
Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate (Bethany House)
Long Contemporary Romance
Plain Paradise by Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson)
Long Historical
Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren (Summerside Press)
Long Historical Romance
Love Finds You in Homestead Iowa by Melanie Dobson (Summerside Press)
Mystery
The Camera Never Lies by Elizabeth Goddard (Barbour)
Novella
A Trusting Heart by Carrie Turansky (Barbour)
Romantic Suspense
The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson (Summerside Press)
Short Contemporary Suspense
Night Prey by Sharon Dunn (Love Inspired Suspense)
Short Historical
Her Healing Ways by Lyn Cote (Love Inspired)
Speculative Fiction
König’s Fire by Marc Schooley (Marcher Lord Press)
Suspense/Thriller
Predator by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan)
Women’s Fiction
Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett (Tyndale Publishers)
Young Adult
Anything But Normal by Melody Carlson (Revell)


Visit www.acfw.com   to see who the nominees were....

Monday, August 1, 2011

AFCW August Releases

These late summer releases promise some good reading from ACFW authors. Check out the list. There's bound to be something to meet anyone's taste in reading.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Horseman’s Heart by Myra Johnson -- Romance from Barbour/Heartsong. When Kip Lorimer shows up with a horse to donate to the family's equine therapy program, Sheridan Cross can't help but be suspicious. A cowboy a thousand miles from home and living out of a horse trailer? What's wrong with this picture?

A Most Unsuitable Match by Stephanie Whitson -- A Historical from Bethany House. They are opposites in every way. . . except how neither one can stop thinking about the other.

Agent Undercover by Lynette Eason -- Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired. A little boy with a secret, a killer with a vendetta, and a man and a woman who will stop at nothing to protect the child while catching the killer.

Aquasynthesis by Grace Bridges, Fred Warren, Caprice Hokstad, P.A. Baines, Adam Graham, R.L. Copple, Travis Perry, Mike Lynch, Keven Newsome, Kat Heckenbach, and Ryan Grabow. -- Fantasy from Splashdown Books. From classic-style fantasy and science fiction stories, through speculative tales that delve deeper into motivations and meanings, we move from humor to sacrifice by a linking story that connects many very different themes.

Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin -- General Fiction Historical from Revell. In a time of peril, can they find the courage to confront their fears and embrace a love that lasts?

Edge of Grace by Christa Allan -- General Fiction from Abingdon. Unable to cope with her brother’s news that he is gay, Caryn Becker rejects him. But when he is attacked and nearly killed, she is forced to make hard choices that take her to the very edge of grace.

Lost in Dreams, Book Two; Altered Heart Series by Roger Bruner and Kristi Rae Bruner -- Young Adult from Barbour. Eighteen-year-old Kim Hartlinger discovers the victory Jesus provides during the most trying of circumstances as she learns to lean on other Christians.

Marrying Miss Marshall by Lacy Williams -- Romance from Bethany House. Her job is to protect the town... but who will protect her heart?

Out of Control by Mary Connealy -- Romance from Bethany House. Rafe Kincaid controls everything in his life . . . until he meets Julia.

Ransome’s Quest by Kaye Dacus -- Historical Romance from Harvest House. Romance, intrigue, and swashbuckling leaps of faith create a wonderfully heroic close to this beloved series.

Something Old by Dianne Christner -- Romance from Barbour. Love is rarely plain and simple.

Surrender the Dawn by Mary Lu Tyndall -- A Historical from Barbour. You’ll be swept away in this seafaring romance between a plucky damsel-in-distress and a nefarious rake who’s selling out his country amid the War of 1812.

The Matrimony Plan by Christine Johnson -- Historical Romance from Love Inspired. A rich girl falls in love with a poor boy -- until the tables are turned.