May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Philemon
1:4-7
I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because
I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord
Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective
in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of
Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because
you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Have you ever wanted to sit with someone one more time?
The older I
get, the more I realize I may not get to see people one more time. Over the
last several years, friends and family have moved from broken bodies on this
earth to perfect, healthy bodies in heaven. I’m rejoicing for them, and I’m
missing them.
The other
day, Tim and I took Rosie to a park to walk. I’d been sick a few days before,
so I stayed in the car, still tired from the bout of illness. I watched them
walk a circular path, then my sight landed on a blue swing with a beautiful
backdrop. Gold and orange trees stood at attention behind the colorful swing. I
thought, what if I could sit on that swing and talk to anyone I wanted to? Of
course, I would sit with Tim and chat about the day. I could take any of our
grandkids or kids and their spouses. Perhaps a friend or two would come by and
we’d laugh and talk. Then I thought—what if I could bring anyone back and
talk to them about heaven—wouldn’t that be a glorious
conversation? They could tell me about the incredible worship and praise of God
and conversations with Jesus.
Since that’s not possible, I had another thought. Wouldn’t that be a lovely place to sit and talk to God? A place to pray for my loved ones and readers. A place to appreciate the beautiful fall weather and thank God for His provision and remember those we’ve loved who have passed. It’s good to sit and thank the Lord for the people He has placed in my life.
I hope as I remember you, you
know you give me great joy and encouragement.
Do you have
a favorite place to ponder and pray?
Book Description:
Two years after her husband’s death, Amanda Whittier has two children to raise
alone, an abandoned dream of starting a business, and a fixer-upper cottage by
the sea. She has no room in her life for anything else and little interest in
moving on after losing the man she loved.
Paul Grant is a relative newcomer to the area, and his work with former
military dogs needing rehabilitation has been good for the town. Though he
loved once before, he’s convinced he’s not suited for romance and is determined
to find meaning—alone—through his work and role in the community.
Widowed Maeve Lindsay was born and raised on Whelk’s Island. Spirited, kind,
and a little mischievous, she pours her life into the town. But she carries a
secret that shapes her every move.
Together, these three souls find encouragement in the most mysterious places
and discover a love that’s bigger than their pain, healing their wounded hearts
in ways none of them could have hoped for or expected.
My Thoughts:
I adore The Shell Collector. This is one of those rare novels that drips
with wisdom in the midst of living and appreciating life. Set on Whelk’s
Island, much of the novel takes place along a gorgeous beach with sea gulls
swooping and sea glass washing to shore. Widowed two years ago, Amanda is
raising two delightful children in a cottage near the beach. She cherishes the
memories of her husband’s love even as she tries to start over. As she and her
children play on the beach, she meets Maeve, a lovely 80 something woman, who
has dealt with her own sorrow. Mauve is the mentor Amanda needs to help her
move forward. I love the respect Amanda and Mauve have for each other. It’s
wonderful to read a book portraying an older adult with such dignity. Then comes
Paul. His story will melt your heart along with his kind personality. The Shell
Collector is a beautiful story of friendship, faith, love, heartbreak, and joy.
Naigle has written a story to be savored and read again and again. 5+ stars. I
received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review
are completely my own.
Book Description:
Sophie Lawson should be enjoying her sister’s wedding day. But nothing could
have prepared her to see the best man again.
After her mother became bedridden and her father bailed on
the family, Sophie found herself serving as a second mother to her twin brother,
Seth, and younger sister, Jenna. Sophie supported her siblings through their
college years, putting aside her own dream of opening a bookshop in Piper’s
Cove—the quaint North Carolina beach town they frequented as children.
Now it’s finally time for Sophie to follow her own pursuits.
Seth has a new job, and Jenna is set to marry her college beau in Piper’s Cove.
But the destination wedding reunites Sophie with best man Aiden Maddox, her
high school sweetheart who left her without a backward glance.
When an advancing hurricane strands Aiden in Piper’s Cove
after the wedding, he finds the hotels booked to capacity and has to ask Sophie
to put him up until the storm passes. As the two ride out the weather, old
feelings rise to the surface. The delay also leaves Sophie with mere days to
get her bookshop up and running. Can she trust Aiden to stick around? And will
he find the courage to risk his heart?
My Thoughts:
I love the beautiful cover of Bookshop by the Sea, set in the lovely town of Piper’s Cove,
along the Atlantic Ocean. Can I say perfect setting? A dream come true for
Sophie who has struggled to finally live the life she wants and needs. Denise
Hunter tells a beautiful story as she delves into abandonment issues. Both
Sophie and Aiden must come to grips with the emotions that have kept them apart
for seven years. A hurricane, a wind storm, and rain tossed on top of the
turmoil in their hearts makes for a captivating story. And the bookstore takes
on a life of its own, as friends help Sophie realize her dream. I love the nod
to Hunter’s Bluebell Inn series. If you haven’t read those yet, you should. If
you enjoy a beautiful setting, a riveting story, and well-written characters,
you’ll love Bookshop by the Sea. I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Psalm 95:1-2
Come, let us sing joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock
of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and
extol him with music and song.
Raise a hallelujah!
In the fall of 1975, I joined several other 18 and 19 year-olds on the campus of Kentucky Christian College. Fresh out of high school, we prepared to join the ranks of freshmen in higher education. I knew a few of my fellow classmates and met a slew of new friends. We gathered at least twice a week for campus worship, where we heard preaching and raised our voices together in praise. One song touched our class more than any other, It is Well With my Soul. To this day it's my all-time favorite hymn.
Fast forward
40 years—several from our class gathered for a reunion. What a joy to
meet with these longtime friends. We ate and chatted, then had a time of
worship. And guess which song we all wanted to sing. It is Well, because even after all these years, we know whatever life
brings, our souls rest in the Lord.
The words of
the hymn may seem old fashioned, but they translate into peace, hope, and joy
for our troubled souls today. With all the grief, frustration, discontent,
doubt, and temptation, God is still watching out for us. Jesus still offers
grace and salvation. The Holy Spirit still lives and breathes in the souls of Jesus'
followers.
When I feel
down, I plug into music that praises the Lord, and then I sing like nobody's
listening. I'm thankful for the music written to praise the Lord, whether a
psalm, a hymn, or a contemporary piece. Thank you, Lord for musicians.
Come before
him with thanksgiving and song!
More than 40 years after living life with the
class of '79, we gathered together on the campus of Kentucky Christian
University, and the years melted away. My dear friends, Helen and Terry, hosted
a picnic. What a grand time of visiting and singing! Even though I had not seen
some of these fine folks since 1977, we fell right into step with one another. You were created to sparkle for Jesus.
Thanks to social media, snail mail, and phone
calls, we've reconnected and found our love for each other and God still holds
true. I'd venture to say that love is even stronger. We discovered, as a group, we've suffered
broken hearts, failed relationships, parents growing old, our children's
heartbreak, health issues, and the oh so human struggle with sin. Our dear friend,
Holly, shared a devotion with us. She talked about the tears of God and how we
shed tears in times of fear, sadness, depression, and even joy. But he takes
them and stores them in his bottle, on his scrolls—Psalm 56:8. He gathers our
tears and heartaches because he loves us. He holds our tears and understands our
sorrows.Psalm 116:8-9
For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
