D is for Delight on Blog Hop Friday

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Psalm 37:3-6

I've been thinking all week about what the topic should be for this week's blog hop. There are so many wonderful things that start with the letter D. But God kept continuing to place on my heart the word 'delight'.

Dictionary.com defines delight as 'a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture'. 

I ask you, and myself, "How often do I experience joy, pleasure, enjoyment, or rapture when it comes to my relationship with the Lord? Is it something I encounter every day? Week? Month? Or does it only happen when something goes the way I was hoping and planning. Do I only delight in the Lord when he gives me the desires of my heart, or do I also delight in Him during those tough times when I don't think I can handle one more thing going wrong?"

I honestly can say that this is a topic to wrestle with and examine and strive toward. This scripture from Psalm 37 also says that when we commit to the Lord and trust in Him, "He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun."

How are you doing at delighting in the Lord? What do you need to change in your life to get to that point?

 

 

C is for Christ - Blog Hop Friday

For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
The dominion will be vast,
and its prosperity will never end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.
Isaiah 9:6-7


It's blog hop Friday. Welcome!

C is for Christ. He is the reason that I live. If it wasn't for His death on the cross for my sins, I wouldn't have hope for my future. He is the most important thing in this life.

I'm a believer and follower of Christ. I desire to faithfully serve Him and be a witness for Him. It's why I write - it's my way of spreading the word about Him and His abundant love for us.

If you were asked today, "Who do you serve?" what would be your answer?

B is for Blog

Welcome to Blog Hop Friday!

I figured today was a good day to look at B for Blogs. :) Perhaps the topic is more-so on my brain since my critique partner and I have been working feverishly to launch a blog of 25 writers called Stitches Thru Time. If you are interested in checking it out, here's the link. We are having a slew of prizes and giveaways for the month of August.
http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/

What kind of blogs do you read? What kinds of posts pull you in and tug at your heart? Are there any blogs you avoid? Any you recommend?

Share your thoughts this Friday.

Stitches Thru Time

Launching in less than two days. - Thursday, August 1st at 12 AM.

Stitches Thru Time - a blog of 25 Christian writers.
http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/

Whether it's a conversation with a friend, a word that is penned, or a craft that is made, everything we do leaves a stitch in the fabric of time. Join us as we investigate the stitches of the past and present...

A is for Adventure

A is for Adventure. 

Today marks the first day of an adventure that a series of bloggers are working their way through together A-Z. Each week we’ll post something starting with a letter of the alphabet and proceed in sequential order. If you want to join in the fun, check out the blog hop below.

Our lives are filled with new adventures. Graduation, marriage, birth of a child, etc. So many moments that make up and fill our days. Our days overflow with a myriad of emotions, highs and lows, struggles and successes.

As you travel your path and begin a new adventure, don't forget to encourage someone along the way. Who has God placed in your path today for you to uplift and encourage?

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Betrayal by Robin Lee Hatcher

Julia Grace is determined to stay on her Wyoming ranch after her abusive husband dies and carve out a living for herself.

Hugh Brennan made a promise to his mother to find his two sisters. He's on the way to fulfill this promise when his horse comes up lame and needs time to rest and heal. He seeks temporary employment from the attractive widow.

Julia and Hugh carry feelings of betrayal with the things they have had to deal with in their pasts. Can two hearts filled with regrets, pain, and sorrow find a hope and a future together?

This book provided free for review by Zondervan.

Trouble In Store by Carol Cox

Melanie Rose has little options before her after being fired from her position as a governess. With only the promise that a deceased cousin left an inheritance for her, she travels to Arizona not knowing what she'll find.

Caleb Nelson takes offense when Melanie shows up in town and claims that half of the mercantile he owns belongs to her.  He tries whatever he can to persuade her to leave, but she isn't convinced and keeps coming up with ways to improve business.

But as time passes, they both are threatened by someone who doesn't want the store to succeed. Will Melanie stay and fight or will she run for safety in Caleb's arms?

This book was provided free for review by Bethany House Publishers.

Threads of Love by Andrea Boeshaar

Emily Sundberg likes to be in control of her life. It's taken many years to shed the tomboy stigma of her past and instead be known as a proper young lady and schoolteacher.

Jake Edgerton returns to Manitowoc, Wisconsin to bury his grandfather. What he hadn't counted on was meeting his childhood playmate.

Threads of Love is a delightful turn of the century tale that will sweep you away on a current of excitement as Emily and Jake butt heads and rekindle an old friendship.

This book was provided free for review by the author and Realms.

Book Giveaway

Here's your opportunity to escape the heat of summer and settle down with a wonderful book. Any comments posted from July 15-31 will be entered into a book giveaway of A Bride For All Seasons. The winner will be announced on August 1st.


Limited to United States residents only.

Congratulations, Holly, you are the winner! :)

A Bride For All Seasons - The Mail-Order Bride Collection

Are you tired of hot, summer days and need an excuse to stay in an air-conditioned house with a good book? A Bride For All Seasons by Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy, and Robin Lee Hatcher will provide an opportunity to be swept to Kansas in the spring, Texas in the summer, Idaho in autumn, and winter in Wyoming.

Melvin Hitchcock is a matchmaker at heart and sole proprietor of The Hitching Post - a mail-order catalogue for the discerning, lonely or desperate. If the entrant's letters don't suit Melvin, he tweaks them to make them more desirable to the recipient. After all, the success of his business is at stake.

Each of the stories by these well known authors makes for an opportunity to escape to a simpler era. So pick up a glass of iced tea and settle down for a year's worth of mail-order bride stories. You won't be disappointed.

This book was provided free for review by Thomas Nelson,

Book Info

More about A Bride For All Seasons: It All Started with an Ad in a Mail Order Bride Catalogue . . . Melvin Hitchcock of the Hitching Post Mail Order Bride Catalog isn't dishonest---not exactly. If he tweaks his clients' applications a bit, it's because he's looking out for their best interests. This charming bouquet of novellas introduces four Hitching Post prospects in the year 1870, each one eager for second chances . . . and hungry for happiness. Year in, year out, they'll learn that love often comes in unexpected packages. And Then Came Spring by Margaret Brownley Mary-Jo has been unlucky all her life. But who would guess she'd travel halfway across the country to meet her match . . . only to find him dead! An Ever-After Summer by Debra Clopton Ellie had no idea she's not what Matthew ordered. And what's wrong with being a "Bible thumper" anyway? She's determined to show him she's tougher than she looks---and just the girl he needs. Autumn's Angel by Robin Lee Hatcher Luvena would be perfect for Clay if she didn't come with kids. But kids are a deal breaker, especially in a rough-and-trouble mining town. The trouble is, there's no money to send them back. . . Winter Wedding Bells by Mary Connealy David's convinced he's not long for the world. He needs someone to mother his boys when he's gone---nothing more. Can plucky Irish Megan convince him to work at living instead of dying? Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/mL2Ln Meet the Authors: Margaret Brownley is a NEW YORK TIMES best-selling author and has penned more than twenty-five historical and contemporary novels. @margaretbrownley  Robin Lee Hatcher is a Christy and RITA award-winning author. Her books often appear on bestseller lists. @robinleehatcher  Mary Connealy is a Carol Award winner, an a RITA, Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist. @MaryConnealy  Debra Clopton is an award winning author of sweet, heartfelt, western romance that face life with a smile. With over 2 million books in print, Debra has her first book coming as a movie starring LeAnn Rimes. @debraclopton A Bride for All Seasons | Enter to win something new each day!   http://bit.ly/12xZ4SJ http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/BrideBlogButton.png