Crayons and Hope

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

The delicious scent of crayons fills me with hope.

In my elementary years, I owned a large coffee can filled with broken crayons. The tin held every color you could imagine, some with the paper intact, some free of wrap. Instead of tossing the colorful sticks when they crumbled under pressure, mom gave me a can to store them. I loved digging through the pile of color to find just the right one for whatever I was drawing. And the smell—an aroma that signified the beginning of a beautiful creation. 

I scribbled with them until they smashed down to a nub. Some of the tiny pieces, melted with wax, were recycled into candles. That glorious can of broken crayons gave me hours of joy.

I may not be a crayon, put to the test by little fingers coloring vigorously and snapped in two, but I relate because I'm a broken person. We all are in some way. It's difficult to live in this world with all the violence, negativity, distress, and grief. At some point emotions, spirits, and bodies break. I've never broken a bone, but my spirit and emotions have been crushed, sometimes through my own actions and at times by others.

But the good news, yes, the great news is—God loves the broken. He's close to the brokenhearted, He heals the one whose heart hurts. He renews the crushed spirit and offers hope.

I love that about God. He doesn't discard the person whose life looks like a pile of fragmented pieces. Instead He takes the cracked spirit, and the emotional mess and creates a brand-new work of art.

God embraces broken people every day. The love He gives wraps around anyone who seeks Him. He adores His creation and wants the best for us.

God opens His arms to the broken. Run to Him.

Christian Suspense Book Review: Labyrinth of Lies by Irene Hannon (Triple Threat Book 2)

Book Description:
When the daughter of a high-profile businessman disappears from an exclusive girls' boarding school, police detective Cate Reilly is tapped for an undercover assignment. It doesn't take her long to realize that beneath the veneer of polish and wealth, things are not as they seem at Ivy Hill Academy. But the biggest surprise of all? The only man she ever loved is also working at the school.

Zeke Sloan has never forgotten Cate, but now isn't the best time for their paths to cross again. When their two seemingly disparate agendas begin to intertwine--and startling connections emerge among the players--the danger escalates significantly. But who is the mastermind behind the elaborate ruse? And how far will they go to protect their house of cards?

Queen of romantic suspense Irene Hannon invites you to scale the heights of human folly and plumb the depths of the human heart in this second gripping book in the Triple Threat series.

My Thoughts:
Cate is done with undercover work, but her boss says one more time. Zeke is done with travel for the DEA, but he has one last job. Oh, and did I mention Cate and Zeke were once in love? The two come together, quite by accident or is it providence? Cate's character is strong and determined, Zeke has a kind and brave heart. In the midst of discovering the head of the biggest drug runners in St. Louis, the two must sort out their feelings toward each other. Well written and intriguing, Hannon delivers another edge of your seat suspense. The all-girls school was an unusual setting and added an interesting twist to the story. I was happy to continue on the journey of Cate and her sisters. If you enjoy suspense and romance, you'll want to read Labyrinth of Lies. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Broken

God loves broken people.

Healing begins with Him.

 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 

Psalm 147:3

Fiction Review: Since You've Been Gone by Tari Faris (Restoring Heritage Book 3)

Book Description:
Leah Williams is back in the quaint town of Heritage, Michigan, and ready to try again to make her business a success. But blank slates are hard to come by, and a piece of her past is waiting for her there. Heir to the Heritage Fruits company, Jonathan Kensington is the guy who not only made Leah's past difficult, he also seems determined to complicate her present as well.

Jon is trying to prove to the Heritage Fruits board that he, not his manipulative uncle, should be running the business. The board insists Jon find a new owner for the building that will house Leah's business. To avoid forcing a buyout of Leah's part of the building, Jon strikes a compromise with Leah, and the two go into business together. With her vision and his know-how, it might work. And Leah might realize he's loved her since high school. If only he didn't keep on shooting himself in the foot by boxing her out of important decisions.

Sparks fly in this romantic story of two people who must learn to trust both each other and the one who called them to this journey.

My Thoughts:
I've read all three Restoring Heritage novels. I wanted to like Since You've Been Gone as much as I enjoyed books one and two. But I didn't. I didn't connect with Leah or Jonathan. Their back-and-forth, up-and-down relationship drove me crazy. However, I did enjoy Madison's story. She had a lot to overcome. The kindness and encouragement of Colby to Madison was endearing. I did enjoy going back to Heritage, but didn't find Leah's addition of the store she'd closed and reopened compelling. If you've read book one and two, you may want to read book three to learn a bit more about Otis the moving brass hippo. Now that was fun! I will give the book three stars, because even in a story I didn't connect with, Faris writes well. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Joy is...

Psalm 65:8
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
 you call forth songs of joy.

Joy is not necessarily the absence of suffering; it is the presence of God. -Sam Storms

With autumn tumbling toward us, I cut down some of the flowers in my little garden. I've enjoyed the black-eyed Susans since early July, but they were looking pretty ragged. Even though I hated to trim them down, I knew it was time. Funny thing is, when I cut away the battered stems, I exposed another flower. The gorgeous pink blooms of my zinnias waved their lovely heads. Now when I look out my front door, the pink catches my eye, and I appreciate the change.

A flower garden varies throughout the season. This year due to a late frost, my little garden didn't fare as well as usual. Yet, the daffodils, tulips, blazing star, columbines, lavender, black-eyed Susans, and zinnias bloomed their joyous blossoms despite the set-back.

Life shifts, change is inevitable, sometimes with change comes stress and suffering. With all the craziness in the world today, it's difficult to hold on to joy. I like what Sam Storms said about joy being the presence of God amidst the suffering. God doesn't move away from us. If anything, we move away from him. Yet in the midst of some of the most difficult things we experience, He offers joy and hope.

As I attempt to navigate life, I cling to the hope I have in Jesus. He fills my heart with joy, even as I struggle, because He stands beside me and wraps me in a God-hug. He fills my heart with joy through my husband, family, and friends. He fills my heart with joy through His Word. The Bible speaks of joy, a lot. This little three letter word carries a great importance in the lives of believers. Think of joy as a life preserver. Regardless of the circumstances, I can keep my head above water and float with joy and hope in my heart.

My wonder deepens when I understand joy comes from God.

He's in the midst of suffering, reach out to Him and seek His joy.

James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 

Simple Things

The older I get, the more I appreciate the simple things.

I was watching the bees land on 

this "obedient" or sometimes called "dragon" plant. 

They buzzed around and gathered pollen, paying no mind to me.

Observing nature colors my soul with joy.

What simple things do you enjoy?

Book Review: The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox

Book Description:
Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons--but she'll certainly never reveal the real one.

1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she's pregnant with her deceased fiancé's baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.

This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.

My Thoughts:
You know how you bite into a multi-layered cake and taste each sweet ingredient, then savor the last bite. The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery is like that. I sliced through the layers of family and place and tasted an incredible story of love and forgiveness. Amanda Cox is a gifted writer who delivers a beautiful story of women whose lives have been affected by one another as well as circumstance. When Sarah goes home to the Old Depot Grocery, her grandma is excited to welcome her enthusiasm, but her mother, Rosemary, is concerned her daughter's return is a waste of her time and talents. As secrets are revealed and new friendships are made, the characters hearts open to trust again. I absolutely enjoyed the dynamic relationships of Glory Ann, Rosemary, and Sarah as they navigated the waters of truth. This is a book you want to take your time with and think about the sacrifices made to make life better for the next generation. Cox's mastery of the time-slip novel is excellent. If you enjoy a good story about family, this is a read for you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.