Hero Interview from Apprentice Father

Interview with the hero: (Clay Adams, APPRENTICE FATHER by Irene Hannon)

1. Clay, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
That’s a tough one, because I’ve never considered myself to be that interesting. I don’t have any special talents, I’ve never climbed Mt. Everest, I’ve never written a best-selling book. I just get up in the morning, do my job and handle the responsibilities that come my way. Not exactly the kinds of things that make you stand out in a crowd. So I’ll never understand why Cate fell for me. But I thank God every day that she saw into my heart and found something worth loving.
2. What do you do for fun?
Until I met Cate, there wasn’t much fun in my life. As on onsite construction engineer, I work long hours. And I was pretty much a loner, so I didn’t socialize much. If I wanted to relax, I caught a little late-night TV. But all that changed after I met Cate. Now, my free time is spent with her and my little niece and nephew, Emily and Josh. They’ve brought joy and sunshine into my life for the first time in years.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
Before Cate, I would have said getting involved in a committed relationship. I always thought of roots as chains. But thanks to her and the kids and everyone in the Shepard clan, I now look upon them as anchors instead…as a positive force that protects and nurtures and strengthens.
4. What are you afraid of most in life?
Losing Cate and the kids. They’ve become so much a part of me that without them…I can’t even imagine it. Thankfully, I’ve reconnected with the God I rejected as a youth. I’ve learned to trust in His abiding goodness and grace, and to believe that no matter what life might hold down the road, He’ll always be there to support and sustain me.
5. What do you want out of life?
Exactly what I’ve finally found—a loving family and secure foundation of faith.
6. What is the most important thing to you?
The relationships in my life—with Cate and the kids and with God.
7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
BC—Before Cate—I mostly read engineering manuals. Pretty boring, huh? These days, with a wife and young children, I don’t have a whole lot of free time. But on the rare occasion when I do have a few hours to indulge in a book, I’m likely to turn to a suspense novel. And maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but once in a while I pick up one of the romance novels Cate is reading and scan through it. To be honest, they’ve taught me a thing or two about relationships.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
All the wasted years when I hated my father, despised religion and lived the life of a nomad. The only good thing I can say about those years is that they taught me to appreciate—and treasure—the life I have now.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
No pets. My years in the service weren’t conducive to pets, and after that I moved around too much with my engineering job to have a dog—which is the only kind of pet I’d consider.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
I would love to go back for a visit with Jesus. I’m still learning about Christianity, and it would be an amazing experience to talk with the person who started it all. But I figure I’ll have that chance one day anyway, when we meet face to face.

FEATURED THIS WEEK: APPRENTICE FATHER BY IRENE HANNON

His orphaned niece and nephew are depending on Clay Adams. This commitment-phobe substitute dad needs help, and he needs it fast! Nanny Cate Shepard comes to his rescue just in the nick of time. Cate is no stranger to tragedy, and her deep, abiding faith has led her through her darkest days. With God's help, her kindness and nurturing can heal the children…but what about Clay? Will this father in the making abandon his lone-wolf ways to give Cate and the children the forever family they deserve?

A Blogging We Will Go

I've never minded being a last minute blogger. As a matter of fact, I wish it were my turn more often. Why? Well, I like Blogging. True. Really. And, I was a Blogger-Come-Lately. A few years ago, when a master Blogger spoke at my local RWA chapter, I wrote a chapter while she gave her spiel. I even (gasp) threw away her handout.

Then, when I sold to Love Inspired Suspense, suddenly I felt the need to Blog. I had to have a presence, do something. And, whallah (sp?) a Blogger was born. It helped that my friend Lisa Mondello sold when I did, where I did, and got bitten by the Blogger bug also.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about why I Blog. Recently, on a loop I am on, somebody posted that unless you started Blogging in the early 2000s, then Blogging is a waste of time. It's caused a flurry of discussion and I'm reading with interest, but truthfully, no matter the outcome. I like to Blog. It feels like I'm touching base with people I can't see, readers and fellow writers both. There are times when I read the comments or make a comment, where I feel like I'm with my friends - good friends.

My Bad!

It is my turn to blog today and I nearly forgot. My bad! (as my grandson says, but I'm not sure why) Of the many fruitless things I've done today how is it that I can forget to stop for a few minutes and praise God here among my friends? How do we so easily let life run away with us?

Okay, the cat's out of the bag. Now you know I'm not much of a planner. Oh, I mark things on the calendar. I make lists, but I usually forget them on the kitchen table and don't remember them until I'm in the produce aisle at the grocery store. My mind is packed with pointless facts I will never need unless I get a ride in the Cash Cab some day. I hurry from one crisis to another and all the while I think, Why do I do this to myself? Why not slow down and breathe?

I want to change but at 56 I'm not sure that's really an option.
Does anyone else have this trouble or am I the only scatterbrain here?

I think the real reason is that I often feel I'm the one in charge of stuff. I get lost in the "stuff" of everyday life and I forget who is really in charge.

I'm so glad I noticed the Blog in big letters on my calendar this evening. Thanks Craftie Ladies of Romance for giving me a chance to stop and praise Him here among my friends. It does my heart and soul good to be here.

Blessings,
Pat Davids

Life Is Not a Race

I read what Rick Warren said about having margins in your life. I thought about it a lot since then and have realized how important that is. Having margins in your life means having breathing room, taking time to relax and enjoy life. Americans are too driven. We work more and sleep less. We are wearing out our bodies and mind. We run from one thing to the next as if we are in a race.

I am going to work this year to put margins into my life. I know that situations change and some margins I plan will suddenly disappear but that’s what margins are for. If I have a book deadline and a family crisis happens, I hope that I have built in some extra time so I won’t panic on top of having to deal with the crisis. That just adds more stress on top of stress. And stress is not good for our bodies. Last year I discovered that when I ended up in the emergency room with skyrocketing blood pressure.

So take time to breathe, enjoy life and put some margins in your life.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to do this that might help others?

Are you busy or are you busy blessed?

Are you busy or are you busy blessed?

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills--From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.--Psalms 121:1-2

I don't mind staying busy but as we all know, a woman's work is never done.
I've never been a domestic goddess. I'm more of a dysfunctional diva. I don't mind too much clutter and I don't mind dust bunnies dancing at my feet. I can get so
lost in a story that I forget where I am and what day it is. But when I finally
shut down my computer and blink, I see the clutter of life everywhere. And then I
get stressed about the mess. Like a lot of women, I work two jobs, three if you
count the occasional home made dinner and the actual mopping of the kitchen floor.
I write books by day and I moonlight as a freelance magazine reporter by night (and that includes weekends).

In between those two jobs, I try to maintain my household. But I tell you, some days I fall back on a set of rules I created to give to a friend who was fretting
about not being able to do it all. Here are some of those rules:

1. House work--Sweep the room with a glance. (got that one from Mae West)
2. Feeding your family--The best thing to make for dinner is reservations. (Can't remember where I found that one.)
3. Laundry--Wal-Mart has new clothes available all the time. Just go and buy more!
4. Something nice for Sunday night dinner--Chocolate works every time!
5. Quality time--Does grunting while you're searching for Cheetoes in the pantry count?

Of course, I'm not that bad. I manage to have time for my family, church, friends and even the cat. But there are times when I've had enough of the clutter and the mess. Then I have to stop writing and start purging and cleaning. That mound of laundry has finally hit the roof; the dirty dishes are now the only dishes in the house, and even the cat has taken to pushing at the dust bunnies just for fun. It's time to clean house. Once I get started, I become obsessed with getting everything in order. And the order only lasts a fleeting moment, but it makes me feel better.

I like to clean house before I leave for a trip so when I arrive home, I'll feel as if I'm still in a hotel and the maid just left. I like to clean house if my husband has been away, so that when he comes home he won't think I've been out shopping all weekend. Okay, maybe I have done some shopping but cleaning the house distracts him from figuring that out! And I love to clean house for a party or just because it settles me and helps me get away from brain fatigue.

The point of all of this is that we all have times when we feel overwhelmed and cluttered about life, times when we wonder what will happen next. In these scary economic times, I try not to complain. If I have a pile of laundry, that means I have clothes to wear. If I have a sink full of dishes, that means I have food to eat and a nice kitchen to eat in. If I have the clutter of books and magazines and newspapers, that means I am blessed to be able to read and learn and grow. If I have a pet who trusts me and loves me no matter what, that means I know the meaning of unconditional love. And if I have a family that is willing to eat pizza now and then so Mom can work, that means I am one very blessed person.

And that means I am "busy blessed." Busy blessed is much better than being lonely and not so blessed. Busy blessed means that my hands are not idle, that my mind is constantly getting some exercise and that I have a family to cherish and friends with whom I can laugh and the hope of a good tomorrow. We can worry about all of these things--dust, dishes, laundry and clutter. But I have found that it will all be there, no matter what I do. So I try to take it as it comes and roll with the punches. We can worry about what we did or didn't do yesterday and we can worry about what might or might not come tomorrow, but today, for this moment in time, we can look up at our home, at our family, at our pets and out into our beautiful, diverse world and know that all the clutter we worry about--death, destruction, war, economics and politics, crimes and storms--these things will always be out there and we will find a way to work around all of our worries--if we lift up our eyes to the hills and know that God in in control. I'm so glad that I'm busy blessed and that the messiness of my life can't overtake the blessings of my life. And I can smile as I hear my son unloading the dishwasher downstairs. Now if he'd just clean his bathroom!

Lenora :)

God's Faithfulness

Hi Everyone!

I loved Lenora's post yesterday. I'm copying her list for future reference :)
As far as my post today goes-it will be fairly short. I just finished a deadline and it always feels so great and satisfying to finish a book. I'm always, always, always crazy at the end of a book--mostly because I'm worn out and partly because I enjoying being a bit crazy! I feel very busy and extremely blessed in my life right now.

I've enjoyed all the post over the last few weeks on faith they have been so timely for me and so inspirational. I think it is so important for us to read about or hear others stories of faith. As an author I write books of hope. Books that I can manipulate any way that I want. I can have as many miracles and happy endings after tests of faith as I want to create for my readerships satisfaction. But it is the real life stories that truly give us hope when we hear them. In these touching true tales of God's goodness in our hard times we know we are truly seeing that God is with us always. These type of stories get us through when we may be faltering. It's easy to look back over our lives and see how God worked everything out so perfectly. But in the midst of what we think is the worst of times it isn't as easy to see His hands at work. Thanks everyone for relating these beautiful testaments of His faithfulness in your lives.

Heroine's Interview from Daddy for Keeps

Heroine's interview from Daddy for Keeps by Pamela Tracy:

1. Natalie, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
That in some ways I had a fairy tale childhood. I had two parents who loved me. I live in a ranch house with personality coming out the door and it was such a fun place with animals, (think horses), and books and so much. I didn’t appreciate them until my mother passed away and then I had a bad accident while riding my horse. So, for the beginning of my life I was a powerhouse child, believing I had the world at my fingertips. My late teens and early twenties, I was a bit reticent. Then, once Robby and then Lucky came into my life, I kinda came into my own again.

2. What do you do for fun?
Oh, for fun I play with Robby. I also design web pages and really love the design work. I have a feeling, thanks to Lucky, life’s about to redefine ‘fun.’


3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
The laundry. I really hate folding laundry and putting it away. I also dreading endings. Remember how long it took me to get to my dad’s bedroom. I dreaded the ending of my book (well, think about it, now you won’t know what happens to me, whether there’s more kids, how our new church goes, etc). I Right now I’m engaged to Lucky. I almost dread the wedding because the dating part is such fun.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?
Honestly, right now, I’m a little afraid of being a preacher’s wife. I mean, the members of the church know more about this wonderful Savior than I do. Lucky tells me I’m lucky because it’s like finding a new author and knowing there’s enough books out there to read for the rest of your life. He tells me the members which embrace me, and that I’ll be teaching them more while they’re teaching me. But, I still fill like I’m a step behind.

5. What do you want out of life?
I want to be the best Christian, the best wife, the best mother, the best friend… Hmmm, I sound like a Stepford woman. It’s just that God has taken so many of my worries away. I get to enjoy ’doing’ for awhile.

6. What is the most important thing to you?
Family and church.

7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
Right now I’m starting to read the Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense books. We Stepford wives need adventures!

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would like my leg to feel (and work) like it did before the accident.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
Robby’s getting a puppy. Guess it will be mine too. Lucky comes with a few horses. I’m thinking I’ll be getting back on a horse.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
I would go back the day before my mother passed away. I would not leave her side for the whole day. I would breathe in her scent, memorize her touch, and make sure that I said “Good night. I love you.”

FEATURED THIS WEEK: DADDY FOR KEEPS BY PAMELA TRACY

The moment Lucas “Lucky” Welch sees the blackhaired, green-eyed boy at the rodeo, he knows. The child is his late brother’s son. But why was little Robby kept a secret? He demands answers from Robby’s adoptive mom, Natalie Crosby. But the pretty, protective woman isn’t forthcoming. And once Lucky learns the truth behind Robby’s birth, he understands. Especially when some family matters get more than complicated. As a bull rider, Lucky knows he just has to hang on tight and keep showing Natalie that his wish is true-blue: to be a daddy—and husband— for keeps.

*****************************************************************************
Since I'm a Craftie Lady. I thought I'd go ahead and include an interview about this book that I did over at the Cheaper Than Therapy blogspot. Here it is:

I understand you have a new release out called Daddy for Keeps. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?
I’d love to talk about Daddy for Keeps. It’s my first straight romance for Love Inspired. By nature, I think I’m a comedian, which makes writing suspense so much fun. I get to go against nature. In Daddy for Keeps, I didn’t have to curtail nature. I could write humor. For example, here’s the first paragraph:
The billboard on top of the grocery store featured a picture they'd taken straight from his mother's photo album. Lucky Welch, headliner of this year's Selena Rodeo, shook his head and hoped no one recognized the bull in the background. It had belonged to his grandfather and was a family pet named Whimper.
Here’s the back cover blurb: The moment Lucas "Lucky" Welch sees the black-haired, green-eyed boy at the rodeo, he knows. The child is his late brother's son. But why was little Robby kept a secret? He demands answers from the woman claiming to be Robby's mother, Natalie Crosby. But the pretty, protective woman isn't forthcoming. And once Lucky learns the truth behind Robby's birth, he understands. Especially when some family matters get more than complicated. As a bull rider, Lucky knows he just has to hang on tight and keep showing Natalie that his wish is true-blue: to be a daddy—and husband—for keeps.

Daddy for Keeps is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?
My title was Lucky in Love. I, genius that I am thought that was a snappy title. Harlequin didn’t think so, and they know best. I didn’t arrive at the title. It arrived to me.

What made you decide to write in this genre?
Oh, again, the genre found me. I started writing paranormals, which I dearly love, and even in those – think vampires, ghosts, time travelers – I didn’t write sex scenes. As a Christian, it just wasn’t second nature, and I wasn’t comfortable writing them (yes, I tried). When the Christian market caught up to the twentieth century, I was ecstatic. I love writing about faith issues. To me, the faith issue is plot, black moment, and romance all rolled up into one.

Are you a plotter or a pantser and how did it affect the writing of this book?
I’m a pantser. I always know my beginning and my end. I have a handout that divides chapters that I keep next to my desk. I think of writing as being playdough. I’ve got my green playdough (Go, I’m at the beginning, I love this part). I’ve got my red playdough (Stop, I’m at the end, wrap things up. I love this part). As I write a few colors come to me naturally. Black – controversies. Pink – love. Yellow – good secondary characters who add to the plot. Green – usually the setting is a character. Oh, wait. Some green didn’t wind up where it deserved so now it’s in the middle. Oh, some of the red needed to happen later. That’s how a seat of the pantzer keeps from having a sagging middle. As for this book, the only thing being a pantzer affected was how to truly deal with the real ‘mother’ issue.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book? What are your favorite research books or sites?
I read biographies of bull riders.
I watched two bull riding movies. I went to bull rider sites (someday I might even start a bull riding school. Looks like fun).

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?
This is one of the reasons why I’m glad I had my goal in mind and never strayed. I wanted to write for Harlequin from day one. Daddy for Keeps is an idea that formed almost a decade ago. I don’t remember where I got the idea. I only know that about eight years ago, I started the story, and two years ago, when I had grown as an author, I got to finish it. Which character did you like writing about the most, and why? I think I liked Natalie. I’m an adopted child, and I’ve always been amazed by the emotional attachment that isn’t by blood. There’s a poem that I dearly love:

Not flesh of my flesh,
Nor bone of my bone,
But still, miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute,
You didn't grow under my heart,
But in it.

~Fleur Conkling Heyliger

My dad carried that poem in his wallet because he loved me. I found it when I was going through his belongings after he died. How could I not identify with Natalie. Tell us about how you develop your characters.

Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research affect your character development?
I don’t really have character sheets anymore, although I always mean to. I usually think of movie stars and gauge my h/h after them. Then, I develop personality. No interviews. Research changed Lucky more than Natalie because “I” could be Natalie. I’ve never been a bull rider.

What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book? LOL, I’m doing lots of blogs. Then, too, for this book, I started the Craftie Ladies of Romance blog. Nine other authors joined me, and together we promote.

Hanging In There - with God

Hello again! Thanks to all your prayers and my dh's chicken soup, I not only believe I'll live, I'm looking forward to it!

I was deeply touched by Missy's last post because I, too, lost a baby early in one pregnancy. I could not have expressed my feelings better than she did. But, I now have 2 grown kids and 7 grandchildren, so it has been a while since that loss and life goes on. I became a Christian AFTERWARDS which also makes a big difference in the way I see things. My true peace about that baby who never was, came to me through Jesus, when I was in my thirties, a good ten years after the miscarriage.

I wonder why people sometimes dwell on the bad things and forget to celebrate the good. I know I'm guilty of doing so way too often. And, as an inveterate story-teller, it comes natural to me to exaggerate, too. In the case of my survival from catastrophic illness seventeen years ago, though, there is no need to add to the traumatic story. I'm here, by the grace of God, and I'll never forget what He did to save me, both spiritually and physically.

As an added bonus, my dh retired and we moved to the Ozarks where I have not only found the perfect atmosphere for creating my stories, I've found great peace. Being so ill was a real wakeup call and I honestly would not go back and change a thing. It wasn't fun. But it was necessary to bring us here, to this place at this time, and to strengthen my focus on our Lord and Savior.

Mature Christians have the advantage of being able to look back and see the miraculous things God has done. I hope I never lose the sense of wonder that those memories bring.

Blessings,

Val

God Reaching Out to Us Through...Flowers

Missy here. After reading Linda’s beautiful story from yesterday, it reminded me of a story about faith through one of the hardest times in my life. When I suffered a miscarriage.

I wish I could say that my faith sustained me, and that I held tight to God and His comfort. But I didn’t. I was devastated and couldn’t even pray. I was angry with God. And I thought what I’m sure most of us have thought at one time or another: God, how could You let this happen?

I truly had a crisis of faith. And when it was over (or I thought it was over), I had decided that God really wasn’t interested in being involved in our lives. I decided that God was way far out there, had set the Earth to spinning, and would take us home to heaven whenever we died. But that in the in-between time, we were on our own.

Friends tried to comfort me. One good friend bought me this gorgeous basket of mixed plants. It was mostly green plants, ivy and such. But there was also a beautiful African violet as well. It was obviously a very expensive arrangement, and I remember feeling bad because I knew she couldn’t afford it. But she said she wanted to bring me something to cheer me up. And it did it bit. Of course, I’m hard on plants, and violets have never liked me. After a few weeks, the blooms were gone, and it became a nice basket of green plants.

I don’t have time in this post to tell all the amazing ways God worked on me. But one major one was that I attended a Walk to Emmaus. And on that retreat, I found out a woman had been praying for me by name ever since I first registered—before the miscarriage. And she always burned a candle when she prayed for me. She was going to give it to me on the retreat, but my candle had burned away. It was so touching to know someone had been praying for me even before the pain of losing the baby. Even through the time when I was refusing to pray.

On that same retreat, my table leader was 8 months pregnant. Oh, talk about pain! When I walked up and saw her, I was so bitter. I wanted to crawl away and cry. But when I eventually shared with her about my loss, she wept. She said she almost hadn’t attended the retreat but felt strongly that someone needed her there, and she went anyway. She shared with me some personal things that helped me to heal. And by the time I got home from that retreat, I was in a much better place. My faith was restored, and I knew God had been with me all along, even through the dark times.

Jump ahead two and a half years. After seeing an infertility specialist, we finally got pregnant again. And this time, I delivered a beautiful baby boy, Tyler. I was so happy. But I have to admit, there was a little twinge of sadness that hung over the joyous occasion. It hurt to think of my other babies (I actually had a second miscarriage a few months after the first one). But I was very thankful as I took my son home from the hospital.

The next morning, I got up and walked through the dining room. And I couldn’t believe what I saw. For the first time in two and a half years, the violet had bloomed! I stopped in my tracks and cried my eyes out. I just knew it was a gift from God, an assurance that my other babies were with Him. It was like they (and God) were sending a welcome gift for Tyler. And a gift for me.

God is good. And He gives us what we need. He cares for us even in times when we don’t think He’s near. He touches us through other people. And He touches us by the simple blooming of a flower.

God's in the Details

This current recession isn't the first one Americans have faced in my lifetime. The 1980's were a difficult time, too, especially for those of us with young families.

My husband and I had four children still at home, three of them very young. I had just gotten my teaching certificate and started a new job. My husband's business was thriving, and we thought we were finally going to get ahead. We had built a new home on an acreage, complete with a long-term mortgage. Then disaster struck. My husband ruptured a disk that required surgery and a very long rehab period. In self-employed construction work, there's no such thing as paid leave or workers' compensation, nor did we have health insurance. All we had was my teacher's salary, a huge mortgage, a giant medical bill, and four children to care for. Add to that, a troubled, floundering economy, rising costs, etc.


I won't lie to you. The next few years were very hard. We had to let go of our dream home and move into town to a less expensive rental. For us, who love the country, and for me who loved my new home, this was especially devastating.


But God hadn't forgotten us in our time of distress. He opened the doors for me to work a second job after school and on weekends. He also opened the doors for my husband to attend college at no cost during his recuperation, a near impossible dream for a former high school drop-out.


But the best was yet to come. Our family longed to move back to the country. We longed for a home roomy enough for all of us instead of the cramped rental, but remember, finances were very tight. One day my husband drove past an empty house on thirty acres that not only was in my school district, but was closer to everything that mattered to us. It turned out to belong to someone we knew, who hadn't planned to rent the place, but was willing to let us have it at less rent than we were paying in town.

We drove out for my first look at the house and as we pulled into the drive, I saw a sight that told me God was definitely in this. I love lilacs and had tried unsuccessfully to grow them. Now, mind you this was October and lilacs normally bloom here in March. But two long hedges of stately old lilacs were in full bloom, sending their sweet smell all over the big, shady yard. I cried, convinced that God was saying very clearly that He had not only been working everything for our good, but that He cared enough to make the flowers bloom just for me.


Oh yes, the farm had four bedrooms AND a shop building for my husband who loves to tinker.


The story of God's faithfulness during that hard time doesn't end here. We learned a great deal about being content with what we have, about praising God in ALL things, about being good stewards of our possessions. Within a short time, we were able to buy that farm and an additional thirty acres. Best of all, God blessed us to the point that we were able to pay off the loan in one-third the time of the original mortgage. Twenty-eight years later, I'm writing this blog from that same home, content and happy to be here.


Why am I telling this story? To remind myself and everyone else, that no matter how bad the economy, no matter what happens in our lives, God already knows what's coming our way...and He's got us covered.

Blessings Through Adversity--Real Life & Fiction

One day my dh looked at me as I was planning a new story.
I use a spiral notebook to write out my hero and heroine personalities, backgrounds, motivations and challenges.
He looked at it and said, "You're kind of like God."
I was speechless for a few moments. Then I asked, "What do you mean?"
He said, "You plan their whole lives and know what will be best for them."
He got it.

When I plan a story, I create realistic characters, meaning they have problems, troubles from the past, and something to learn. That's the tough part--on them. As the author, I can't go easy on them. I have to keep throwing things at them, that demand change and growth. If I'm too easy on them, they won't change and they won't be prepared to receive the blessings (love) God wants for them. (And I won't have a story anyone including my editor will enjoy!)

Sometimes I will actually be too nice to my characters. I mean I'm not a mean person and I hate pulling out rug after rug from beneath my heroes and heroines. But if I'm nice, there is no story.

In my second Love Inspired, NEW MAN IN TOWN, I planned that my heroine's grandmother who raised her was deceased before the story began.

Imagine my surprise when in chapter two my heroine started driving to town to visit her grandmother at the local nursing home. I grabbed the steering wheel and said, "Hey! She's at the cemetery!"
My heroine wouldn't give in and there she was going into the nursing home. Then I knew why I had tried to rid my heroine of her grandmother, her "Mommy Dearest" grandmother. The grandmother was the villain!

And I didn't want her messing with my hero and heroine's lives. And interestingly, that book brought me the most readers letters. Every woman wanted to tell me about a manipulating, conniving, self-centered women in their lives. So without Grandma Dearest the story would not have had the impact it did. It wouldn't have forced my heroine to see her grandmother for what she was and to begin to have a relationship with her dad and his second wife and her half-sister. And she wouldn't have been ready to have a grownup love with the hero.

I don't know what challenges are in your life right now. Illness, unemployment, prodigal children, mourning. Life is never easy for anyone. I've learned over the years never to look at someone else and say--"Oh, she has it easy."

We all have our public faces and our private suffering. EVERYONE. No one gets through this life without paying hefty dues.

The secret is that if you love the Lord, the suffering is always for a purpose.

He doesn't torture us for the fun of it. He loves us enough to force us out of our comfort zones and sometimes He's pretty rough with us.

Especially if we resist change. Better to go with Him and find out in the end what the purpose of the present challenge was.

A friendly warning--learn whatever truth or change is necessary the first time you're confronted with it. Don't make God give you a make-up assignment!

"For we know that all things work together for good for those called according to His purpose"!

God loves us enough, not to let life be so easy we remain immature. He loves us enough to make us grow up! And be more like Him.

Filling our hope chests

As we’ve talked about hope in the last week or so, I got to thinking about hope chests. They’re not as popular today as they once were, but I think of all the hope that goes into preparing a chest for a new phase in our lives – whether it’s marriage, a writing career, or a new baby. While these chests do not always look alike, they all collect things. It might be a drawer in a dresser or a cardboard box in the closet. The hope chest that I worked hardest on was really a file cabinet that I filled with stories in my quest to become a published writer. Many of you know the work that goes into polishing your stories so a publisher will buy them. It is the same solitary, tedious work that girls used to put into embroidering pillowcases for their wedding days. The satisfaction of work like that is that we can pray, and dream, as we go about it. I don't know about you, but I like that quiet steady activity.

What kind of hope chests have you had in your life?

Heroine's Interview from Mommy's Hometown Hero

Heroine's interview from Mommy's Hometown Hero by Merrillee Whren:

1. Rachel Charbonneau, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

One of my ancestors was a Sioux Indian maiden who married a French Canadian fur
trader.

2. What do you do for fun?
I haven’t done much for fun lately. My life has been all about my work. But now that
I’m back on the farm I intend to have fun by enjoying all the simple pleasures of
country life.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

I put off making a permanent decision about what to do with the family farm I have
inherited. I think I want to sell it, but there are a lot of good things about the place that
I have forgotten since I’ve been away. But I also remember the bad times on
the farm. So I push that decision into the future.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?

I’m afraid of losing the people I love. I’ve already lost my parents and my husband. I
don’t think I can take losing anyone else.

5. What do you want out of life?

I want security, but I don’t know where I can find it. Friends here in South Dakota
seem to find security in God, but I didn’t find that security when my father died. So
I’m not sure I can find it now.

6. What is the most important thing to you?

The most important thing in my life is my daughter Becky. I want only the best things
for her. She is making me rethink my priorities.

7. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?

My reading mostly consists of television and movie scripts, but I’m beginning to read
the Bible again, since my friend Sarah has made a bargain with me that includes going
to church. She also gave me an inspirational romance that I enjoyed reading.

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I didn’t worry so much. Although my career has gone well, my personal life
has been a mess. I wish I could have true peace of mind.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

I haven’t had a pet since I was a kid on the farm. After returning to the farm, my
daughter has begged me for one of the kittens that was born on the neighboring
farm. So now we have two of those kittens. And I surprised her with a horse for her
birthday.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I would like to travel back to the time when my Native American ancestors roamed
the prairies in freedom.

This Week's Featured Book: Mommy's Hometown Hero by Merrillee Whren

His objective: marriage. His opponent: a stubborn single mom. After ten years, Rachel Charbonneau is finally back in South Dakota. But she intends to sell her family's farm and rush "home" to the city. Ex-soldier Matt Dalton won't let her go without a fight. Well, a secret fight. He can't let her know he's loved her since they were kids. Or that thoughts of her saved him through the worst of times. And Rachel seems scared to tell him the real reason she wants to leave. So, his strategy: arm himself with all the faith and love necessary to be her hometown hero.

Faith and Prayer: What A Combo!

On Wednesday nights my church is showing a film on the life of Christ, taken from the book of John. So, last Wednesday I'm sitting in my pew, alone because my husband doesn't come on Wednesday nights and my son was in his Bible class, and I'm watching as Jesus deals with the blind man from the 9th chapter. Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud, and put it on the man's eyes. I'd never really thought about the fact that the blind man couldn't see what was going on so was probably sitting there somewhat passively. Then, Jesus said, "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam." The blind man jumped up and went.

Wow, without question, the blind man jumped up and went.

I wonder how many times I didn't jump up and go.

That blind man had faith.

Personally, for me, I've found that my faith is stronger when my prayer life is stronger, so, of course, I'm always working on praying. The strongest my prayer life was, was in the early 2000s. I prayed to God every time I got in the car. I'd turn the radio off and I'd pray. My lips would move; sometimes my hands would, too. I was praying for something I had no control over: something I couldn't fix. Sometimes I felt so close to him it was almost tangible. I wasn't blind, but I did need healing. God answered my prayer, that time with a yes. (That yes is turning four next month!)

I didn't stop praying, but I've yet to recapture the closeness I had when I wanted something that I prayed four years for. Interestly enough, as I sit here staring at this blog, I'm thinking that I still pray just as often, but now so often, I'm giving thanks... and I was closer to God when I laying a huge need at his feet.

A TEST OF FAITH?

God works for the good of those who love him.
Sometimes it doesn’t seem that way, does it? When terrible or unthinkable things happen, do we sometimes wonder if we are being tested?

Years ago in the NICU where I worked, a baby girl was born without a brain. The condition is called anencephaly. It’s rare, and children born with it die, usually within a few hours. This little girl lived for a month. Each day we expected her to die and each day she didn’t. It was emotionally difficult to take care of her--for the doctors and nurses and especially for her family.

One day one of the younger nurses said to me, “Why is God doing this? Why doesn’t He just take her to heaven?”

Now, I was not the wisest or the most spiritual woman working there, but that day I believe the Holy Spirit moved me to speak. I looked at her and said, “This baby is with us because she is a heart tester. She’s an angel sent to earth to test for kindness and faith in the hearts of those who meet her.”

Dozens upon dozens of people cared for that child and for her family. How many of us passed the test? How many saw this flawed, doomed child as a child of God, and in our hearts we cared for her as we would Jesus if He was the one before us.

I don’t know, but God does.

Because our human vision is so narrow, so small, we can’t see the purpose God has for us or the reason behind the trials we face. We must let our faith carry us through the dark times.

Have you met a heart tester? Tell us the story.

Pat

Hope: A State of Mind

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"

What an inspirational verse! And we need it right now. A lot of things are happening in our country that are scary and make us fearful for the future. Uncertainty will do that to a person. We are uncertain of the future more so than usual. The future has always been an unknown, but when you are struggling to pay bills and possibly without a job, that future looks bleak.

We need hope. Hope will help us get up in the morning and face the day. Hope will get us through these hard times. Hope is a state of mind. That’s why a wonderful way to become hopeful is to read the Bible. It is full of verses that are inspiring and hopeful. But think about it. The New Testament is the most hopeful story ever told—Jesus’ sacrifice and death for us in order for us to have salvation and an everlasting life. How can we not be hopeful when we reflect on what He did for us and the love the Lord has for us no matter what? Think of what is waiting for us. Not poverty, not hunger, not pain, not darkness, not evil.

When I get down, I remember a devotional I read from Rick Warren. He stated:
Worship, not worry. Pray, not panic. I sometimes have to repeat that a lot not to do either one of those, worry and panic, because I’ve done them all my life. I’m reconditioning myself to worship and pray when I start to feel worry and panic descend on me.

What do you do to keep your spirits up?

A day late and a dollar short

I'm late! I'm late for a very important date. Can you see me rushing to my computer in my coffee cup embellished PJs, my house booties falling off my feet. It's my day to post and late last night I came up to my office to do just that. But in typical style, I got sidetracked! I had to check out all the great fashions on the Golden Globe runway, didn't I? And I had to read e-mail, didn't I? And ... then my tempermental computer locked up on me and ... after kicking it ... I shut the thing down and went to bed. Then I was reading the paper early this morning and it hit me--Lenora, it's your day to blog!!! So here I am, coffee sloshing all over the floor as I hurry up to get things going. But then, I'm always a day late and a dollar short. That's what my mama used to say all the time. I grew up on a farm and it was a hard life. I was in charge of feeding the pigs. In order to do this, I had to go to the corn bin every afternoon and shovel up a five-gallon bucket of corn and drag that down to the hog pen and go in there with those big, mean hogs and cute little piggies and try to get to the feeder before they ate me alive! But before I had to worry about that, I had to worry about snakes and rats in the barn where the corn was stored. Talk about adventures. I think this is why I became a writer. I'd go into that corn bin pretending I was a famous spy and that I was dressed to kill. If I saw a snake, I'd bat my eyelashes and quickly chop him up with my trusty silver-plated shovel. "Take that, you old snake!" Sometimes this ploy worked and sometimes I'd running screaming out of that barn. All of this is to say, today it seems as if we're all a day late and a dollar short--and pretending things are okay doesn't always work. But knowing that God will provides does work. I have a little sticker in my line of sight on my computer. It says "Abiding Love surrounds those who trust in the Lord."--Psalm 32:10. I read that first thing every day, no matter what kind of mood I'm in. And even though I worry just like everyone about what the future will bring, I do know this--I will survive. I have survived the corn bin. I have survived the sloppy hogs. I survived cropping tobacco and hauling peanuts and not having a lot except a roof over my head and food grown right out my back door. I can make it in this world, because if I'm responsible and hardworking and do my best, God will provide. God is never late because He always knows exactly when we need him. I also have this list near my computer:

Eight Steps to Happier Living
1. Face reality
2. Establish warm relationships.
3. Develop outside interests.
4. Seek new adventures.
5. Guard your health.
6. Take pride in yourself.
7. Learn to relax and laugh often.
8. Look toward the future.
And if I might add my own to this list I've had many, many years--
9. Trust in the Lord.
And 10. Remember, better late than never!

Lenora :)