Author: Jessica R. Patch

Blame the Dog!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

This is my dog
Sarah. She’s
a Schnorkie, Schnauzer/Yorkie mix

 

 
 
I admit, I’ve wished my dog dead.

Animal lovers
everywhere will now slander my blog and ridicule me.

 
And yet, I still
admit it.
 
As a child, one of
my favorite Bible stories was Jonah and the Whale. Now, I’ll say right now it
may not have been a whale. It was a big fish, but a child of course relates a
big fish with a whale so…
 
This story of a man
who didn’t obey the Lord, stuck in a fish belly for 3 days until he said sorry,
and then he preached God’s message and everyone said sorry. Strangely, this
story didn’t scare me to get in the water or go out on boats, and it didn’t make
me afraid of God.
 
I also didn’t
understand the story of Jonah in its entirety until I was an adult. Jonah was
never afraid to go to Nineveh but I always thought that as a kid and was
taught, never be afraid of what God asks you to do. Side note: Nineveh was a
hopping and bopping ancient city built by the father of porn–Nimrod. Yeah, he
was a sick son of a gun. Imagine what a city built by an evil man would be
like.
 
Exactly.
 
Jonah wanted Nineveh to go up in flames. He wanted the people punished and that’s why
Jonah ran the other way.
 
And even when he
realized there was no getting out of it, when he did go and share God’s
message, when the people did repent and change their ways, he was still mad.
 
photo credit: free digital photos

“Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at
God, “God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to
happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and
mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn
your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!” Jonah 4:1-2 MSG

 
Jonah didn’t want
God to give forgiveness. The people of Nineveh didn’t deserve it.
 
Neither did Jonah.
 
Neither do we.
 
God decided to teach
Jonah a lesson (not the kind of lesson He taught with the tuna fish or whale…or
some kind of big fish). Jonah took off and sat under a large tree to see what
would happen to Nineveh and while sitting there, God grew a vine up and it shaded
Jonah. The next day, God sent a worm to eat the vine and caused a raging east
wind to blow. Basically, God took a blow dryer to Jonah’s head.
 
And guess what? That
made Jonah mad. Are we shocked? Not really.
 
“Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the
plant?”
 
And he
said, “It is right for me to be
angry, even to death!” Jonah 4:9
 
Jonah
was such a drama queen wasn’t he? I’ve never been so mad I want to die. Have
you? But I get the point–the intensity of anger.
 
And here
is where I weep. Every. Time. Here is where I see the tenderness and compassion
of our great God.
 
” But the Lord said, “You
have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it
grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 
 
photo credit: free digital photos

 And should I not have concern for
the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and
twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and
also many animals?” Jonah 4:10-11

 
I can
relate to the people of Nineveh. Sometimes I don’t know my right hand from my
left. But God is concerned about me. He’s in a hurry to have compassion and
mercy on me.
 
Last
week, I wrote a small passage from one of my mss. It was about a church’s fall
festival and one of the characters comes dressed as if she were modeling for
Penthouse. Though the scene is somewhat humorous, my point came in the lines
afterwards. The lines you didn’t get to see. And I used something my husband
said to me (though I tweaked it for the ms).
 
And that
brings me back to wanting my dog dead.
 
One
morning I headed to the kitchen for my coffee and across the kitchen and living
room floor was chicken and bones. My dog stood there as if, “What? Who
doesn’t love chicken?”
 
I might
have been mad enough to want to die. Mostly, I wanted my dog to. I went into a
rant, hollering and carrying on like a total buffoon as I cleaned up her nasty
mess. I looked up and my husband was casually leaning against the wall with a
cup of coffee in his hand and a smirk on his face. Normally, this stance makes
me swoon. This morning, I might have hoped he spilled the coffee on his bare
chest.
 
“What?”
I hissed.
 
“I
think this might be the most you’ve ever spoken to the dog. A lovely way to
wake up by the way.” Smirk galore.
 
“Do
you not see this disaster! Wipe the grin off your face.”
 
And here
is where he got me.
 
“Jess,
you can’t blame a dog for being a dog.”
He did put his coffee cup down and helped me, but his amusement made me mad
enough to tell him to “just go drink your coffee. I got this.”
 
You
can’t expect someone who doesn’t know Jesus, to act like Jesus. Doesn’t mean we
let them get away with murder (literally sometimes), it just means we don’t
snub (then whisper to our friends) the chic in the micro-mini and wonder where her morals are.
 
 

Or turn
our nose up at the woman reading an explicit novel at the pool. Maybe we should sit down and instead of telling her
why she’s bound for Hell, ask her what she’s reading, what she likes about the
story (you may discover it’s not about the sex scenes at all) and then share
some books we like (not necessarily screaming, “It’s Christian fiction you
should read it and get saved!) It could become a great chance to minister as light not as a gavel.

 
It
means, when the Biker drops an f-bomb at the table next to us, we don’t gasp for everyone to hear and hope he doesn’t show up at our church. And really, what do you expect when you’re eating hot wings at Hooters?
I can
relate to Jonah as well as Nineveh.
 
It takes
God’s strength to help me step back and see things through His eyes–with mercy
and compassion. Two things I fail at often. Probably my biggest two! Yeah, I
admit it. But I’ve been learning and growing. Especially as I’ve been writing
curriculum for a new and growing believers class.
 
No
matter how I feel whether through Jonah’s eyes or Nineveh’s, it still boils
down to one thing:
 
God is
concerned. God wants people to know how much.
 
What about you? Can you relate to Jonah? Nineveh?…
my dog?
 
 
 

Postcards, Smooching Llamas, and Beth K. Vogt!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Connect with Beth!
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Today, I am ecstatic to hang out with the wise, lovely, talented author, Beth Vogt. I read her debut novel, Wish You Were Here and I gotta say, it was so much fun to read. I laughed out loud, I swooned, and I’m pretty sure I laughed and swooned some more!
Beth K. Vogt is a
non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the
wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she’d
never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said
she’d never have kids. She’s discovered that God’s best often waits behind the
doors marked “Never.” Her inspirational contemporary romance novel, Wish You Were Here, debuted May 2012 (Howard
Books.) Her second novel, Catch a Falling Star,
releases May 2013. Beth is an established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS
International.
JP: You said
you’d never write fiction. The world is a better place because you do! Tell us
why you chose romance?
BV: God turned a
season of burnout into a bend in the writing road and I found myself on the
“Dark Side” writing a novel. I’ve always loved to read romances – contemporary,
historical, even some suspense – so it was a natural choice for me to try
writing one.
JP: In your debut
novel, one of your male characters, Daniel, has spent years sending your
heroine, Allison, postcards. Are you a postcard fan? Do you collect them? How
did this idea come to you? It was one of my favorite things about the book,
among so many others!
BV:The title Wish You Were Here came first – after several
misfires – and then the idea for the postcards came after that. It just seemed
natural that Daniel would send Allison postcards – glimpses of all his travels.
Most of the postcards are based on places that my family has lived or visited
through the years.
JP: Can you share
with us one of your favorite lines from this novel and tell us why?
BV:This is some
dialogue between Seth, Allison’s ex-fiancé, and her stepfather, Will:
“I’m sorry about how
things ended between you and Allison. But that doesn’t give you the right to
get physical with my daughter. Do I make myself clear?
Seth closed his
eyes, searching for a way to make amends. “Look, Mr. Denman, Allison and I had
a bit of a disagreement before Christmas. I assure you that I didn’t hurt—”
“The only thing you
can say at this time is ‘Yes, sir.’”
Seth gritted his
teeth. “Yes, sir.”
When I wrote this
scene I imagined what my husband would say if he were talking to Seth – I think
I even asked him. Will represents safety for Allison – and he comes through for
her again. I believe fathers can (should) play a crucial role in their daughter’s
life – and one facet of that role is to protect them.
JP: I remember grinning at this snippet! Daniel is a
big-time outdoorsman. What about you? Indoor girl or Outdoor? Have you ever
done any of the things he did in the book?
BV: I’m an indoor
girl who married an Eagle Scout-outdoor guy. I love to watch my husband camp.
My husband and I enjoy snowshoeing and we’ve gone snowmobiling. The scene where
Daniel breaks his knee cap? That one is taken from real life. Several summers ago,
my husband broke his knee while we were hiking. After our daughters headed down
the mountain to alert the rescue team, he splinted his leg with two tree
branches, bandanas and a rolled up T-shirt and with the help of two guys,
started hiking down the mountain. We met the rescue team halfway down.
JP: Oh, wow! You
married the real MacGyver! So tell us, did you try on wedding dresses for fun,
you know as inspiration for the novel!? What kind of research, hands-on/off,
did you do?
BV:The only one
trying on wedding dresses was my oldest daughter, who got married in 2011. I
did visit a llama ranch to get up close and personal with llamas. I even shared
a few kisses with some of them.
JP:  Um…I’ve done lots for research, never
smooched a llama! Okay, now a couple of fun questions before you have to go! If
you could be a character in any book you’ve read, who would you choose and why?
BV: Oh. My. Word.
That’s a tough one. I’ll go with Anne of Anne
of Green Gables. I love that girl’s spunk and intelligence and
imagination and sense of adventure!
JP: Fill in the
blank: If I were out for the day, I’d be lost without __________ and
__________, but I could make it without __________________.
BV:  If I were out for the day, I’d be lost
without my sunglasses and my iPhone, but I could make it without breakfast or
lunch..
JP: I could make it,
but I wouldn’t want to! Before you go, what would you like to ask the readers
today? They love to comment!
BV: I’ll offer them
two questions: If you could be a character in any book you’ve read, who would
you choose and why? And here’s an easier one: What 2 things do you need to make
it through the day?
Good questions!
Thanks, Beth, for hanging out today!  
Here’s a sneak peek of Wish You Were Here
Purchase
Wish You Were Here
HERE! 
 Kissing the wrong
guy days before her scheduled
wedding leads Allison to become a runaway bride. But can it also lead to
happily ever after?
Allison
Denman is supposed to get married in five days, but everything is all wrong.
The huge wedding. The frothy dress. And the groom.
Still,
kissing the groom’s brother, Daniel, in an unguarded moment is decidedly not the right thing to do. How could she
have made such a mistake? It seems Allison’s life is nothing but mistakes at
this point. Daniel’s adventures—chronicled through a collection of
postcards—have always appealed to Allison’s well-hidden desire for something
more. But how can betraying her fiancé’s trust lead to a true happily ever
after?
Can
Allison find her way out of this mess? Recognizing she doesn’t have all the
answers won’t be easy because she’s used to being in control. To find her way
again, she will have to believe that God has a plan for her—one outside her
carefully defined comfort zone—and find the strength to let Him lead.

Write That Book! But First….!!!!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

So today’s question comes from  Beth Vogt who will be here on Monday to chat about her debut novel, Wish You Were Here! 

Enjoy the vlog and have a great weekend! My son’s birthday is today! He’s 8! 

Also, I think I was supposed to ask Do you NOT mind..blah blah blah, not do you Mind…blah blah blah. Whatever, just go with it! 

Take a Chance!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

No I am not
referring to the Abba song, although, yes…yes I have their Greatest Hits and
that’s before the musical came along.
A few weeks ago, I
took my kids to Target. Now, let me preface by saying I rarely take them
shopping, as I’m always in a hurry and whiners get smacked in the face.
Kidding.
But anyway, as we
were leaving Myles (8) said, “I’ll get the cart.” He proceeded to
take it to the cart holding area and shove it inside another cart, you know,
like they go.
Apparently, he had a
hard time, so Bailey (13) said, “Just give it here. I’ll do it.” And
a small eruption broke out. As I made my way over to see what the fuss was, I
realized Bailey was right and I said, “Myles, just let her do it. You’re
too little to push that cart in and I don’t have time for you to figure it
out.”
Bailey handled it
and off we went into the parking lot. My son was quiet for a few steps and then
he said, “Mom, there’s always time to take
a chance.”
In that moment,
burning hot in the parking lot, my son became the teacher.
Now, I’d like to say
I marched him back inside and let him push the cart inside the other, but I
didn’t. I’m a work in progress.
The point is, I’m
thankful that God isn’t like me. In a hurry and not willing to give me time to
figure out how to “put the cart in the holding area”. He doesn’t tell
me I’m too small or weak to accomplish anything!
Sometimes, I think I
don’t have time to pursue a dream or a task because of time. But really, it’s
fear. I’m afraid to try something new. To take a chance.
To
everything there is a season,
A time
for every purpose under heaven:
 A time to be born,
    And
a time to die;
A time
to plant,
    And
a time to pluck what is planted;
 A time to kill,
    And
a time to heal;
A time
to break down,
    And
a time to build up;
 A time to weep,
    And
a time to laugh;
A time
to mourn,
    And
a time to dance;
 A time to cast away stones,
    And
a time to gather stones;
A time
to embrace,
    And
a time to refrain from embracing;
A time
to gain,
    And
a time to lose;
A time
to keep,
    And
a time to throw away;
A time
to tear,
    And
a time to sew;
A time
to keep silence,
    And
a time to speak;
 A time to love,
    And
a time to hate;
A time
of war,
    And
a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Would
you say “not having time” is sometimes a way of saying, “I’m
afraid.”
I’m over at Living By Grace, because it’s Wednesday! 🙂 Come by! 

Super Star!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Ok, it’s possible that I’m not a Super Star but let me and Mary Catherine Gallagher have our moment. Last week I was awarded the Versatile Blogger award by the super sweet, Barbara Hartzler! We both attended Central Bible College, but years apart. Fine. I went first. Sigh. I’m old. So what! Barbara is a YA novelist and her blog covers writing, faith and entertainment. She’s very funny! 

The dealio for receiving the award is you have to thank the one who gave it to you. 

 
Thank you, Barbara! You are awesome!
 
Then you have to write 7 things about yourself. Well…I write stuff about myself all the time. In fact, I keep 10 random things about myself posted on its own page every day. 
 
So I’m going to mix my award with a tag I received from the fabulous, classy, super fit, (and vegetarian…let’s not hold that against her) author, Jennifer Shirk. Jennifer writes sweet romances for Avalon Books and Samhain Publishing. She has all kinds of fun stuff on her blog including guest authors, recipes, and tips on writing. She’s hilarious too! She tagged me in the Lucky 7 Meme  and so did the ever sarcastic and witty (also adorable new mom…again) Jaime Wright! which means I have to:
 
Go to page 77 in my current manuscript
 
Go to line 7
 
Copy the next 7 lines/paragraphs and post them as they’re written (no cheating!) 
 
Pass the meme on to 7 other writers
 
 
Please, for the love of all that’s good and decent don’t hold this against me! These lines come from the piece of trash, wonderful story in the erotica  romantic suspense genre that I’m trying to re-create from a pitiful first draft, with the tentative title Fifty Shades of Red Pigeon’s Blood.
 
 
 
“Who
forgot to send me the memo about no costumes?” Lee folded her arms and Heather
reached over and pushed them back to her sides. It was obvious she was a woman,
but crossing her arms exposed it more than necessary.
 
“I told
you it was a Fall Festival. For his church.”
 
“You never said church!” She glared at Asher.
“You’re religious? I knew you had to
have a flaw somewhere.” She frowned and looked at Heather again. “Fall
Festival, Halloween. Same thing.”
 
“No, Fall
Festival is in place of a Halloween party. Remember? Halloween-like party I said.” Heather glanced at Lee’s
head and giggled. “Nice horns by the way, Temptress.”
 
Maddox
tried to give her his jacket and she shoved it back. “I’m not cold.”
 
He pursed
his lips as if to hold back a fountain of words. Could he? Tonight was not the
night and Lee was already furious with him. “Penthouse called. They want their
costume back.”
 
No such
luck. Asher would kick them all out for their crass behavior. Amelia hadn’t
even had the chance to go on her first ever hayride. 

 

 
So there you have it. FYI, Asher did not kick them out. 
 
And now I am tagging the following writers to post their Lucky 7! 
 
 
If you’re a writer and feeling brave, go ahead and post yours too, just let me know so I can come read it! 
 
What’s your favorite flavor of Popsicle? It’s summer and my youngest is barreling through them. Mine’s banana! 

Would You Rather Wildflowers from Winter Style!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
Today is another fun day with author, @KatieGanshert! I’ve asked
her, Bethany, and Evan (her main characters) to play Would You Rather…! So let’s
get started.
 
 
Would You Rather…
 
Eat cookie dough or brownie batter?
 
Bethany:
Brownie batter. It’s the only thing I can bake without ruining. And it brings
back some good memories with my mom, before things flipped inside out. Whenever
she made brownies, she’d give one beater to me and one to my brother to lick.
 
Evan:
How about a nice pork tenderloin instead? Or one of Robin’s pies?
 
Katie:
Brownie batter! Sometimes I make brownies just so I can lick the bowl. Yum,
yum, yum.
 
live in a rockin treehouse or a  sweet underground lair?
 
Bethany:
The tree house. It would probably feel a lot like the loft I live in now. And
I’d love to design it. Evan would probably never believe it, but I was a big
tree climber when I was a little girl.
 
Evan:
Tree house. My brothers and I built a really sweet treehouse when we were kids.
Sometimes I’d go up there at night and listen to the crickets.
 
Katie:
A sweet underground lair with lots of tunnels that I could explore.
 
fly or read minds? 
 
Bethany:
Fly. Life would have been a lot easier when I was a kid if I could have left
all the junk on the ground and taken to the sky.
 
Evan:
Read minds. I’d love to know what Bethany is thinking beneath that front she
works so hard to put up.
 
Katie:
Fly. Edward Cullen can keep his super power. I think I would hate to hear
everybody’s private thoughts.
 
Thanks, Katie, for spending the week with us. We’ve laughed, been challenged and have had a great time all around!
 
What
say you? Answer the questions in the comment section!  
 
 
A young architect at
a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her
trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother
reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is
called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any
emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected
inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces
Bethany to come up with a new plan.
 
Handsome farmhand
Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left
the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he
disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps
so carefully locked away. 
 
For Bethany, making
peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to
freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not
even sure exists? 
 
Author, Katie Ganshert
Purchase Wildflowers from Winter HERE! 

 

Guest Devotion: Katie Ganshert

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today, I’ve asked Katie to share a devotion that goes along with some of the spiritual themes in her debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter. 
Don’t forget to come back on Friday when we play Would You Rather with Katie and her main characters, Bethany and Evan!
Take it away, Katie, and thanks so much for sharing your heart with us today! 
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. Romans 8:28
I have
to tell you, this verse used to confuse the crud out of me. I’d hear
well-intentioned Christians quote it at each other and my forehead would go all
wrinkly.
Because
in reality, Christians suffer. Their spouse has an aneurysm. Or they struggle
through infertility. Or they fall off a silo and end up in a wheelchair. Or
(insert any number of bad things here).
And the
whole idea of patting their shoulder and saying, “Don’t worry. God will work
this out for your good” feels a little insensitive to me.
Especially
since sometimes, the spouse doesn’t recover. Sometimes they’ll never get a
positive pregnancy test. And sometimes they never leave the wheelchair.
So how
can we possibly say God’s working for their good? It doesn’t make any sense.
At least
not by our definition of good.
And
there’s the crux of the verse. That one simple word.
What
is good?
We know
the world’s definition. To the world, good equals comfort. Good equals
prosperity and health and popularity and independence and getting what we want.
That’s how my main character, Bethany Quinn, sees it.
But
maybe that’s not what good means to God.
Maybe to
God, good means becoming more like Jesus. Relying more on Jesus. Discovering
that all we really need is Jesus.
And
maybe that doesn’t happen during times of prosperity. Maybe it’s during those
times of grief, or helplessness, or failing health, or unmet expectations, that
we take our eyes off the temporary things this world has to offer and draw
nearer to Him.
Let’s Talk: What do you think God means by
“good”? Have you grown closer to the Lord because of hard times?
Here’s a sneak peek at Wildflowers from Winter! Click HERE to purchase the novel!
A young architect at
a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her
trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother
reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is
called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any
emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected
inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces
Bethany to come up with a new plan.
Handsome farmhand
Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left
the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he
disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps
so carefully locked away. 
For Bethany, making
peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to
freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not
even sure exists?
 I’m hosting Living by Grace today on facebook! Come over and let’s talk!  

Faith Readers Review: Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

The excitement was over-the-top! Not only was our rockstar, Jan Kerley, bringing Surprise Strawberry cupcakes (the surprise was a cream cheese and chocolate chip center…uh yeah, awesome) but we had the amazing opportunity to skype with author, Katie Ganshert–her first book club group to chat live with! Yay! You can see our picture on her book club page HERE! She has the cake from the story (which had I been on my A game, I’d have baked) as well as discussion questions and a youtube video for bookclubbers! So cool!  

We spent the first 30 minutes of our time discussing the book–yah know before Katie’s turn! 🙂  
Our rating 1-5 stars: 4 stars!

I think for the first time ever, everyone liked this book! Here’s some of the things we said pre-Katie:
“I connected with Bethany from the very get-go.”

“I didn’t connect with her at first but then I realized how insecure she was, and by the end I forgot she was a fictional character.”

“I loved the romance! It wasn’t too much but just enough that it didn’t overpower the real story.”

“I want to meet Evan! Whoo–that kiss!”

“Whoo–that dance!!”

“I thought Robin’s grief was real, too real. It hit home and that’s all I could focus on.” 

“I think the author wrote beautifully but not over my head.”

“I want that cake recipe!”

“I’d like Evan!”

And then we had the chance to skype with the beautiful, smart, and funny Katie Ganshert! She was very personable and interactive with us which is fabulous!  She even asked us questions! I loved that and so did our Faith Readers. It made us all feel valuable. I can’t quote everything said because I don’t want to give anything away! But here’s a few things I can share!
Katie sent us a picture of who she thought Evan looked like! 

She explained some of the changes her editor asked for, which was amazing how she pulled off those feats! 

She talked about some of her inspiration, people she talked to about grief and a book she read.

Everyone took turns on the camera asking questions and laughing. It was a great night! 


Katie’s debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter is an amazing book and I encourage anyone to read it! In honor of her release, I’ve invited Katie to spend the rest of the week on the blog!
Wednesday, she’ll be sharing a powerful devotion with you and on Friday we’ll play Would You Rather with Bethany and Evan, her main characters and Katie herself! It’s going to be lots of fun so make sure you come back and visit! 
Here’s a sneak peek at Wildflowers from Winter! 
A young architect at
a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her
trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother
reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is
called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any
emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected
inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces
Bethany to come up with a new plan.
Handsome farmhand
Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left
the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he
disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps
so carefully locked away. 
For Bethany, making
peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to
freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not
even sure exists? 
What’s your favorite cupcake? Have you ever made a recipe an author included in the novel? 

What Had Happened Was….

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Here’s a little look into what happened on June 1st back in the days! 

 

1533 – Anne
Boleyn crowned queen of England
And we all know how
that turned out. Shame on you, Eric Bana!
 
 
1813 – Capt
John Lawrence utters Navy motto “Don’t give up the ship”
I only included this
because I read “ship” wrong and then giggled.
 
1933 – Charlie Chaplin weds Paulette
Goddard
I would have loved
to have seen their silent wedding. And did he waddle with a cane when they
exited the aisle? Check out with the make-up and without! Meow!  
 
 

 

 
 
1940 – Coffee
& tea rationed in Holland
If you ever try to
ration my coffee or tea, I’ll straight up punch you in the face.
 
1949 – Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz wed
for the second time
I guess they thought
their wedding was a joke. Badump bump ching! 
 
 
1968 – Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs
Robinson” hits #1
I will never hear
this song again and not think of a particular fictional character. 
 



1970 – “Everything
Is Beautiful” by Ray Stevens hits #1 Seriously? #1? Wow.
 




1991 – Roseanne
Arnold & Tom Arnold wed again, they divorced later
I’m seeing a pattern
with comediennes and the men who ride their coat tails. 

 

 
1992 – Snowfall in Colorado
Um…doesn’t it always? 
 
If you could go back in time and give advice to a celebrity couple, who would it be and what would you say? 
Have a great weekend, everyone! 
 

Lame But Accepted

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

One of my favorite
relationships in the Old Testament belong to David and Jonathan. Jonathan was
the son of King Saul. Next in line for the throne.

But
David was anointed king.
Not because Jonathan
would have been a pitiful choice. He wasn’t like his father, Saul–arrogant,
prideful, selfish.
“Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his
armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be
that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by
many or by few.” 1Samuel 14:6
Jonathan knew the Lord,
knew His power and knew He was in charge. He respected God’s choice.
And
Jonathan loved David.
“Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he
loved him as his own soul.” 1Samuel 18:3 I don’t know what it is about
this verse, about these men who loved each other as brothers but when I read
this, I cry. Every time. Every. Single. Time. It moves me. So much so, I wrote
a novel using this parallel.
Maybe because I know
how it ends.
“Then
the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines
killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons.” 1Samuel
31:2

And a servant came…
Then
David said to him, “How did the matter go? Please tell me.” And he answered,
“The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead,
and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” 2Samuel 1:4
Denial
cloaked David. Maybe…maybe it was a rumor. Not Jonathan. Not his beloved friend.
… “How
do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?” 2Samuel
1:5

The servant told him what happened.


“And
they mourned and wept and fasted…” 2Samuel 1:12
David
wrote a song and lamented about Saul and Jonathan, with fierce sorrow. In
public. Jonathan, a friend who loved him enough to save him to be king. When he
could have killed him.
David
never forgot Jonathan and his friendship or their covenant with each other.
“Now
David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may
show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 
2Sameul 9:1
 “And
Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame
in his feet.” 2Samuel 9:3
That’s
right! 

“Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son… He was
five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his
nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he
fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.” 2Samuel 4:4

Mephibosheth.
“Now
when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to
David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said,
“Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” 2Samuel 9:6
Servant? Did he think David was going to put him into bondage–a slave/servant?
Mephibosheth
a boy, who beyond his own control, was
hurt. Ruined. His father ripped from him.
His legacy…destroyed. Unable to walk. Unable to be king.
No one.
Broken.
Forgotten.
But David….a man after God’s own heart…

Not a slave. Not forced into servitude. 

Saved.

Remembered.

Taken care of.

“So Mephibosheth dwelt
in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in
both his feet. ” 2Samuel 9:13

The
king’s table. A place he had no business being. Not with lame feet. Not someone
who should be the king’s enemy.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.” Romans 5:8
“For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17
 “He
heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
Like
Mephibosheth, maybe you’ve been hurt, broken. Things spiraled out of control
and you found yourself forgotten, alone, your future gone.
God has not forgotten you.
He wants
to bring you to His table.

Time is
valuable, but one of my very favorite bands of all time, Leeland, says it so much better
than I ever could. Please take a minute and listen.

Have you felt lame? 
Unaccepted? Lost?
 How has God made a place for you? 


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