Fiction Review: Windswept Way (Hope Harbor series #9) by Irene Hannon

Book Description:
Buying a supposedly haunted house wasn't in Ashley Scott's plans, but when an intriguing opportunity drops into her lap, she's ready to launch a new life. But she can't do it alone, and her reclusive new neighbor Jonathan Gray may be just the person to help--if only there were room in his life for romance.

My thoughts:
I love the Hope Harbor series, and I’ve enjoyed every book. I do believe this one is my favorite. Ashley is a lovely character who is determined to honor her father and make her dream come true, despite her mother’s objections. Jon has suffered wounds from war and is having a hard time adapting, even as he runs his landscape business. And Rose is a lovely 80 something who hides her talents and needs a friend. This is a beautifully written book about people needing each other and overcoming personal obstacles to pursue love. Of course taco maker and artist, Charlie has a role, as do his two pigeon friends, and a few other Hope Harbor folks appear. If you enjoy a story written with elegance and grace, you’ll want to read Windswept Way.

Home Away From Home has Arrived!

Check out the conversation I had with my publishers about Home Away From Home, part 1. 

Podcast with Penny Frost McGinnis

Overwhelmed with Peace and Hope

Daniel 6:25-27
Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: May you prosper greatly! I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God
    and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
    his dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves;
    he performs signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

I felt like I could touch the hand of God.

In Hannah’s Rav-4, we wound around the hairpin curves and climbed the mountain. Surrounded by evergreens and the sweet spring green of budding trees, I soaked in the beauty of God’s incredible creation. The redbuds popped and the white dogwood waved in the breeze. As we drove up the mountain, the clouds drew closer. At the top, beautiful and serene Pretty Place invited us to bow in reverence to the King of Kings.

Pretty Place, built near Camp Greenville, North Carolina, beckoned me to bow my head and thank the Lord for His constant presence in my life. As I stood in the open stone chapel, I watched my grandchildren and children interact. My thanks rose to God for my husband, my beautiful family, and the life I’m living. Most of all, my heart entwined with God’s grace and I thanked Him for Jesus. I bowed in reverence before the Lord and poured out gratitude. It felt good and right.

Pretty Place is a place where the reverence of God overwhelms me with peace and hope.

I’ve only visited the stone chapel twice, and both times I felt the same. I wish I could start my day there every day, but I live in Ohio. Instead, I seek God through scripture reading, devotions, and prayer. We visit the woods and sit beside the lake when we can. No matter where I am though, God is with me. He’s here in my living room, on walks with our dog, in the city, the country, no matter where I am He travels with me. And He’s with you, too.

Seek God where you are. He loves you.

Jesus Gives Peace

Hiking in the mountains of North Carolina with my family filled me with peace. 

Not the peace that resembles satisfaction, but the peace Jesus promises. 

The peace that's beyond my understanding that soothes my soul.

That's the peace I want in my heart every day.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Be Merciful

Luke 6:32-36
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Have you seen the movie Jesus Revolution?

If you haven’t heard of the movie Jesus Revolution, it’s based on a true story of an amazing revival that took place in California in the late 60s and early 70s. In short, a conservative preacher of a small church opened the doors and welcomed in hippies who were seeking truth.

I would have been 11-14 years old at the time and remember hearing the stories and reading the Time magazine article. Even in Ohio the effects of the Jesus Revolution reverberated. A hand with the index finger pointing upward and a cross beside it became the symbol for young Christians across the country. Our church had a vibrant youth group, and it was a time of living on fire for Jesus.

When I walked out of the movie with James, Sara, and Eli my heart overflowed with gratitude to the Californian preacher who saw those who were different, the hippies, as people whom God loved. Then I wondered how often I overlook people because they are different from me.

Did you know the flower of Scotland is a thistle? In our country the thistle is considered a weed. Am I seeing weeds where God sees flowers?

In Luke 6, Jesus minced no words about who Christians should help and care for. He says to love our enemies. I’m guessing the preacher in California looked on the hippies as enemies or at least outcasts, but Jesus opened his heart.

Is it easy to love the unlovable? No. Yet, Jesus is specific. Be kind to everyone.

A Bright Yellow Spot on a Dreary Day

In a large field next to our church, I spotted this daffodil. 

The saying I've heard so many times popped in my head.

"Bloom where you are planted."

This lovely drop of yellow amidst the snow covered winter grass 

filled my heart with joy.

It bloomed in the midst of a field with no other flowers.

God places me in situations sometimes where I'm uncomfortable, 

but I've learned to ask Him to help me grow and serve in that exact spot.

Are you in an uncomfortable place? Seek His help and bloom!

 

The Bridge of Trust

Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Cincinnati has several bridges that cross over the Ohio River and connect the city to northern Kentucky. The Roebling bridge was built in 1866 and at that time was the longest suspension bridge. The bridge itself is a beautiful structure with the arched trusses and light blue paint. Although the bridge has been under repair from time to time, thousands of folks have driven back and forth into downtown Cincy or Covington.

The people who travel across the bridge, John A. Roebling designed and built, trust the structure to carry them across and keep them safe. Much like any bridge or highway, we believe the engineers did their job and created a safe means of transportation.

I remember crossing a causeway in Georgia when I drove down to visit my brother on St. Simon’s Island. Being from Ohio, I’d not encountered such a structure. As it rose into the air, even though it was not as high as I imagined, my anxiety rose a bit too. But I had to trust it to take us to the island.

I tend to trust whatever works consistently. So why is it so hard sometimes to trust the One being who is always the same? God never changes. He’s present in my every day life and has never given me a reason to doubt Him. As I’ve grown older and hopefully wiser, I tend to place my life in His hands more and more. As the psalmist says, “my heart trusts Him.” I’m so thankful God remains the same no matter the circumstances and He helps me as I navigate life. I praise Him for His ongoing presence and reliability.

Trust God with everything. He has our best interest at heart.