Month: May 2011

Frivolous Friday: Would You Rather…?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I love to play the game Would You Rather? Have you ever? No? Seriously?

Tsk…tsk…

Maybe I love this game so much because of the writer in me. Good writing is putting characters in all sorts of situations, none of them usually ideal, and making them choose.

So…

 Let’s play! I’ll start off easy.

Would you rather…play this game or have all your fingernails pulled out one by one?

Good answer.

I’ll put up 3 Would You Rather questions. You pick one to answer or you can answer as many as you like, but you have to tell why you chose your answer for each question.

1. Would you rather be kissed by someone you don’t love or never be kissed at all?

2. Would you rather dance in the rain during a lightning storm with your lover or get locked in a deep freeze with your best friend (both bringing certain death)?

3. Would you rather fall to your death with the chance to say final goodbyes to loved ones or be ripped away to a deserted island to finish out your days alone, without the chance of saying goodbye and no one knowing why you left or where you are?

I’m looking forward to reading your answers and if you have a good “Would You Rather” feel free to add it to the mix! Have a fabulous Frivolous Friday and see you on Monday!

In the Word Wednesday: Are You a Hearer or a Doer?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Remember this movie? Most of us will say how  much we loved it. We saw a woman in a dead end, saved by a man of power, wealth, and sophistication. What’s not to love? It had a happy ending.

    • 1 million children each year are exploited in the global commercial sex trade.
    • 50 % of all trafficking victims worldwide are children.
    • 2.3 million girls and women work as prostitutes and madams in India
    • 2,000 girls are rescued from sex-slavery each year in India
    • 200,000 persons are trafficked into, within, or through India annually.
    • 95% of the children of prostituted women in  Bombay eventually become enslaved in prostitution.
  • $400 million in revenue is generated each year by Bombay’s red-light district.

These statistics were taken from Beyond the Soiled Curtain by David and Beth Grant, who are missionaries to India and head the Project Rescue ministry which is dear to my heart. You can find links on my site.

Pretty Woman isn’t the life these girls live. Most of them are fooled into believing they’re going to work to help their families, the families themselves many times are duped into believing it and they send their daughters as young as 8 and 9 into the hands of men who will abuse them in ways that would make you shiver. They keep them in cages at times, naked, terrified, beaten.

In a life that seems hopeless, there is hope. There is a light shining. Project Rescue is one of the many ministries out there helping to free girls and women out of this industry and bring them the healing and hope from Jesus Christ.

 

Today, I ask for In the Word Wednesday that you’ll promise to say a prayer for these girls and women enslaved in brothels everywhere–not just India. Pray that God will send people to help them discover hope, free them, save the madams, protect the children who live there and lie under the beds while their mothers work, knowing their life will probably turn out the same.

Pray for income to help build more homes of hope, supplies to take care of them when they’re rescued. Pray for healing–mind, body, and heart. Ask that God would grant these missionaries, who are preaching the gospel, for favor among government officials, brothel owners, and madams. And pray however God would lead you.

“…when a believing person prays, great things happen…” James 5:16 NCV

There are other ways you can help, though prayer is the most important. Another is through a ministry in conjunction with Project Rescue. It’s called The Jubilee Market. They help women and girls rescued out of slavery in India learn a trade to help them economically. For Christmas, my husband bought me a beautiful silk, sling purse. Inside, on the tag, the girl who made my purse had sewn her name. Every time I carry that purse. I pray for her.

The Jubilee Market

Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend! You can get your orders in standard business shipping time.(It might come a little late, but even so…) Pray about it. Wouldn’t this be a wonderful way to remember to pray and purchase gifts with purpose? A bonding time for you and your daughter—who lies safely in her bed, her innocence in tact. Probably unaware, as children should be, that there really are boogey-men out there. 

You may read this blog regularly and never leave a comment. Today, if you would…please at least leave the comment “prayed” and encourage me! Imagine a 100 comments that all say “prayed.” That would amazing!

Today we won’t be just In the Word Wednesday–hearers of the word. Today, we will be doers of the word.

“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:12
 

* Robin Caroll wrote a book dealing with human trafficking called Deliver Us From Evil. I am reading it right now. I’ll review it when I’m finished.  

Must Meet Monday: Sheri Salatin

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Sheri Salatin writes inspirational romantic suspense with a farming flair!  She’s the real deal, folks. A true cowgirl. I met Sheri through My Book Therapy on a discussion board for critique partners. Since we both write romantic suspense, x-nay farming flair with me, we decided to swap stories and give it a go.
Sheri has the coolest style of writing and it turns out we love the same books, authors, and think very much alike. Please still like her! Online, we’ll lol because we’re saying almost verbatim the same thing. She’s great and super savvy–the girl next door you want to know!
Sheri tell everyone a little about yourself.

I’m married to my best friend, Daniel and we have 3 kids – Travis 7, Andrew 5 and Lauryn 3. We are full time alternative farmers in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia on our multi-generational family farm – Polyface. I’m passionate about farming as well as writing. We use creation as our template for raising clean healthy animals.
I’m active in our church, serving as nursery director and AWANA Sparks Director.  When I’m not reading or writing, you can find me baking, sewing, gardening, canning, quilting, knitting and homeschooling.
Sheri, I love baking and covering up with quilts. My birthday is in October. hint hint! I also enjoy eating baked goods. 😉 Tell us when the writer bug bit yah.
I have been writing stories since I was old enough to spell.  I remember as a child, I used to create stories to send to my Great Uncle John every week. He always wrote back and I miss him still.
Another funny thing. I wrote a story about a young girl named Katie Salaton when I was 14. If you notice my current last name (spelled just slightly different) – this was before I met my husband. I had forgotten all about that story until after we started dating and I was looking through my old story notebook. I still get goosebumps with this one.
Oooh…I got goosebumps too. The writer bug and the love bug in one! Who else can say that? 🙂 When you’re writing do you snack?
Nope, I’m not a snacker. Actually, I’m just the opposite. When I get enthralled in something, I tend to forget to eat or drink.  I can go all day before remembering that I have eaten anything yet. I know –  I’m weird.
Nah, you’re not weird. I can’t snack and write either. I need two hands! How do you come up with story ideas?

Lately, it’s been from my dreams. lol.  I usually dream a story, then start asking questions. i.e. Why was she running? Why, why, why.  It all seems to flow from there and by the time I’m done it doesn’t resemble the dream at all anymore.
             If you could be one hero/heroine from a book who would you choose and why?
Hmm. I would have to say Belle from Beauty and the Beast. (maybe I’ve been watching Disney too long with my kids) It would be awesome to be in an enchanted castle and the beast only stays that way for so long. Ha!
So true, then you get a lifetime with a hunky prince! And Belle likes to read at the speed of lightning…just like you! So, if you had to choose a villain, who would you want to be?
Phew, this is a hard question. I’ve never wanted to be a villain before.  Okay, I’m going to go movie/book again. I think it would be fun to be Shere Kahn, the tiger from Jungle Book. How cool would it be to roam the jungles and have no fear of anything other than fire?
Really? You’ve never wanted to be a villain? Wow, I have a top five! ha! What do you love most about writing?
I love the creating part of it. Pulling ideas and stories from mid-air and putting them to words.  I love the fact that no one else has my story – it’s mine until I share it.
        What are you currently working on? Tell us a little about it.
      Laura Taylor is desperate for answers to her past but her sister’s life hangs in the balance if she tries to find them. Determined to save her sister and uncover what really happened to her parents, she will have to trust Matt Knight, a convicted felon and a cowboy who wants to lasso her heart. But he’s not as dangerous as the Servant who will go to any length to keep the truth a secret. Can Laura save her sister and discover the meaning of unconditional love before it’s too late?
      Sounds like a page turner. I’m enjoying the opportunity to watch it all unfold. What would you like to ask everyone reading this post?
      What do you think makes for an interesting blog? That is – what is the first thing that you notice when you visit a blog and what makes you stay to read the articles posted there?
Excellent question. Sheri has just started a new blog and I encourage you to pop over and follow. She always writes interesting things.  Here’s how you can connect with Sheri:
Sheri’s blog
@SheriSalatin on twitter
The Hen house (her polyface farm blog)
Thanks for joining me today, Sheri. I’ve had a blast. Thanks everyone for coming back and listening to my drivel 3 days a week. I appreciate it and LOVE to read your comments. 🙂