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Goodreads Giveaway for The Garden Girls!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Hello friends!

I thought I’d let you know that my publisher Harlequin/Harper Collins is giving away 30 finished paperback copies of The Garden Girls on Goodreads. Hurry over and enter as it will only last through March 15th! 

 

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past.
 
FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.  
Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.
As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

It’s also available on NetGalley if you use Netgalley to read advanced reader copies of books. You do have to have a free account and be approved by the publisher. I have nothing to do with approval/denial. 🙂

 

Enter the Goodreads Giveaway 

Season’s Readings From Harper Collins Means $1.99 SALE!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Season’s Readings, friends. 

I’m so excited to let you know that Yuletide Cold Case Cover-Up is part of Harper Collins’ new Seasons Readings promo. What does that mean? 

It means the book is on SALE for $1.99 from October 1-November 1. So grab it at this amazing sale price and please share the love with friends and family. If you already own a copy, it makes a great gift. Just send it to someone who hasn’t read it! If you don’t like to read books set around the holidays, just pop it on that TBR pile and get to reading in the holiday season months.

Back Cover Copy:

When her sister’s remains are found just before Christmas, cold case agent Poppy Holliday is determined to solve the years-old murder—even if it turns the killer’s sights on her. But her investigation with her straitlaced partner, Rhett Wallace, is stirring up the town’s old memories—and bitter grudges. And this killer will do anything to keep secrets buried…

Link to choose your favorite retailer.

Do you like reading books set around holidays?

 

What Books Are You Most Eager to Purchase?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Hey friend! 

Have you ever wondered why authors keep hounding you to preorder their books?

“I’ll buy it when it comes out.”

“I’ll buy it if it goes on sale.”

“I’ll join a launch team and read it for free and in exchange for an honest review or my own opinion.”

These are things I have said (minus launch teams because I don’t have time to launch my own books let alone someone else’s).

But then I learned about the industry. I learned why authors pushed preorders so hard until it becomes almost, dare I say, annoying. 

Here is why it matters so much to authors and TO YOU! 

Publishing houses are businesses first and foremost, even Christian publishing houses. Yes, they want to put out faith-based books but they are there to make money. Which means books have to sell well past the advance money they pay authors. They want to recoup the money they put into it. Not just formatting and covers but marketing and printing and all the nitty-gritty.

If an author’s books does well, guess what? That author receives more contracts and more books by them are published and if it’s an author YOU love then YOU have more opportunities to read more books YOU love! 

If books don’t sell well–even if the author is a good writer (and this happens), they may not receive another contract. Yikes! 

Publishers track preorders as well as sales. If there are lots of preorders it tells publishers this book is anticipated and worth your LIMITED DOLLARS. It also does something else…

Preorders tell book buyers who put books in brick-and-mortar stores that this book is popular. Readers want it. They will buy a few of those books (maybe a lot ) and put them on their shelves because they want readers to buy from them. But that also opens up a new audience to readers who have never heard of said author. And the readership is widened, the books continue to sell, and it makes everyone happy.

Preorders also help authors reach bestseller lists the first week they release. I’m not so much into accolades, acclaim and such like that but some authors are and there are advantages to being on bestseller lists–more exposure to new readers is the most important and I am for all that!

No! And neither am I. Neither are most authors. None of us can afford to buy every single book we want to read. But you can buy books that you want to read the MOST. Most of us have a small book budget. Use that meager book budget allowance to preorder a few books from authors you love most. Then utilize your library, online libraries, like Hoopla and Libby, and the old fashioned brick-and-mortar library to borrow books to feed that book appetite that’s always ravenous. I do that too! 

Great! But why should I buy a book when I’m on their launch team? The whole point is the free book for a quick review and to share a few graphics.

For my trade launch team, I ask for preorders and I give members at least six months in advance to save up their $9.99 for Kindle/ebook (That’s a dollar a week or so for about ten weeks of saving, forego the Starbies) or $18 paperback. Who wants two ebooks or paperbacks?

No one! 

But you can preorder a kindle or paperback copy as a GIFT for a family member or friend who loves to read. Now you’ve not only expanded your favorite author’s audience by sharing the love, and helping them launch book but you’ve done all the above for the author, publisher, and bookseller! 

 

Now that you know WHY it’s valuable to everyone to preorder, can I ask you to preorder my upcoming Trade, The Garden Girls if you’re highly anticipating the book? Pick your favorite online retailer and if you’d like to be on my launch team, please join my VIP group and you’ll have access to the launch team application where you can upload your proof of purchase and be sent a super early copy to read before anyone else, plus you get freebies others don’t! 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Join Jess’s VIP Community

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past.

FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.  

Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.

As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

PREORDER MY COPY

 

So tell me: Do you preorder books? And if so, how do you decide which ones to preorder?

Do the Ways of Jeroboam Matter? Spoiler Alert: Yes!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Welcome, friend, to Forward Friday, A Patch of Hope. Feel free to forward this email to a friend that might enjoy occasional Friday devotionals. 

If you’re reading your Bible chronologically, like I am, then you’ve recently entered the Divided Kingdom era. It gets wild, let me tell ya! 

Jeroboam has become king of the Northern kingdom, Israel, consisting of 10 tribes. And Rehoboam, Solomon’s son holds the Southern Kingdom, Judah, with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

The split in kingdoms doesn’t exempt the Northern kingdom from the convent and Jeroboam begins to think (1 Kings 12:26-27): “Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead.”

But is this true? The thought is pretty standard human thinking. How will this affect ME? But are his thoughts TRUE? 

No.

Why?

Back up the bus to when God sent the prophet to Jeroboam to tell him he would be king.

1 Kings 11:28-38 (I’m only including verse 37-38 but you can read it all for yourself)

37 And I will place you on the throne of Israel, and you will rule over all that your heart desires. 38 If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you.

God told him he would be with him and establish him. IF (conditional promise) he would follow him. So had he consulted God and obeyed, God would have worked out the assumed problem from Jeroboam. We are often like this. Thinking God can’t handle the situation and so we have to figure it out ourselves. And that never goes well, does it?

The ways of Jeroboam matter because every single king of the north followed in them. And we too follow in them if we aren’t careful. What are the ways?

 

SELF.

Jeroboam appealed to his SELF. What is in it for me? What do I want? His issue wasn’t that he built shrines for pagan gods; not it wasn’t idol worship. 

It was a heart condition. A kingdom devised by what was in his own selfish heart.

Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Can we trust our hearts? Should we follow our hearts? What else does the Bible say about our hearts?

  • Jeremiah 17: 9-10 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

No. We can’t trust our own hearts. What about our own understanding?

  • Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Jeroboam relied on his SELF and not God. So one of the ways we follow in the way of Jeroboam is when we divide plans according to our own heart’s selfish desires and rely on our own limited understanding without consulting God.

The Second Way of Jeroboam is the Way of Convenience.

Jeroboam appealed to convenience. And let’s be honest, any time we can take the easy way, that’s the way we’re going to choose.

He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!” 29 He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. 30 But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there.”

Yeah, it has been a hard week and do we really want to travel all that way for just a few hours? It’s not very convenient so let’s go with the easier way. 

But was the easy way God’s way?

No.

God set the times of festivals, the prescribed way to worship, the priest who could minister (levites) and the place of worship. But Jeroboam instituted new festivals, new places of worship, golden calves and new priests from any ole average Joe.

Charles Spurgeon said, ““Men are willing to worship God if they are allowed to have a ritual and symbols which they have themselves devised.”

In other words, I will worship God if he meets my lifestyle (sinful habits)  but not if I have to change my lifestyle to meet his holy standards. That’s not convenient for ME.

The levitical priests and godly people then left the Northern kingdom when Jeroboam rejected God’s ways and commands. And the northern kingdom became a free-for-all. The word was no longer taught. And they did evil in the sight of the Lord.

When it comes to self and convenience over living out God’s truth in every aspect of the Word, we are following the ways of Jeroboam. Many false teachers who claim to be Christians say you can have God YOUR way. You can come without any change. Basically, just be a good humanitarian. 

But they’re wrong. Don’t fall into these traps, lies. 

Separate yourself from false teaching like the godly people and priests did.

2 Peter 2:1-3  “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.”

Acts 20:28-30 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood[a]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.[b] 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.”

 1 Timothy 4:1-3 “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.”

 Jude 2-4 “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Read your Bible for yourself. Learn to rightly divide the word and know what is lies. Follow Jesus. Look to Him. 

Mirror Mirror

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Per usual, I’m reading through the Bible chronologically and we’re in the Exodus era. God had brought the people into the wilderness to build them into a nation, to give them laws and ceremonies and it’s exhaustive because they need them! 

God asks for those who have willing hearts to bring gold, silver, scarlet, blue thread etc… as an offering to build the tabernacle–a place he will dwell with them. And people came! They brought so much (from the wealth given to them by the Egyptians when they left after the death of the firstborn) that they told Moses to tell the people to stop bringing stuff. They had more than enough to complete the tasks God had assigned them.

This is big time giving right here! 

But what I loved most this go-round was this: Exodus 38:8 NLT “Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.”

Women brought their mirrors which they’d taken out of Egypt. According to archaeological resources, Egyptian mirrors were ornate, full of gems and worth quite a bit. And yet these women freely gave these mirrors for the service of God.

They’d rather reflect on God than their own reflections. Their vanity was worth letting go to humble themselves before God.

The Forward Reflection Question of the day is: Who are you reflecting most? Yourself or God? And are you willing to give God all that you have, even what seems terribly valuable, for his kingdom’s causes?

 

What do you find most fascinating about building the tabernacle?

Sale! Her Darkest Secret Audiobook & E-Book!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Hey Friend!

As we gear up for the release of my newest thriller, A Cry in the Dark, my publisher has made the first book in the series (can be read as standalones though) Her Darkest Secret in audiobook on sale today February 1-March 1 for only $5.99! Y’all that’s such a great deal and let me tell you the narrator, Lisa Flanagan is incredible. She nails the characters and brings them to life in such a fabulous way. I couldn’t be happier!

If you love audiobooks, grab this from your favorite audiobook retailer. You can definitely find it on Apple, Kobo, Google and LibroFM

Please tell your friends too. I’d hate for them to miss the sale price too. 

But that’s not all! 

You can grab the e-book for only $2.99 Today, February 1 through February 7th! If you’re not an audiobook fan, you can still get a great deal!

Backcover Blurb: When a cold-case serial killer returns, FBI special agent Fiona Kelly has one last chance to stop him before he claims the prize he’s always wanted—her.

The sight of a goose feather at a murder scene modeled after a children’s poem is enough to make FBI special agent Fiona Kelly’s blood turn to ice. Almost two decades ago, a feather was left with her sister’s body—and with every subsequent victim of the Nursery Rhyme Killer. Now he’s back. Only this time, his latest gruesome murder is a message to the only one who ever got away: Fiona.

Finding “Rhyme” is an obsession that’s fueled Fiona’s career—and destroyed her marriage to fellow FBI agent Asa Kodiak. Now Fiona and Asa have to put their past tensions aside and work together one last time. But Rhyme is watching, and catching this killer may force Fiona to reveal her biggest, darkest secret…the one only he knows.

 

Question for you: Are you an audiobook fan? What was the last book you listened to?

Can We Trust God In Our Suffering?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

If you’re reading the Bible this year Chronologically, you know we’re in the book of Job. It’s a unique book  that wrestles with questions like: If God is all-loving and merciful, why do the righteous suffer? Where is God in my trials. 

We also see the sovereignty of God. He is all supreme and in all control. Of Satan–he tells him how far he can go and Satan goes no further. And over our circumstances. Job isn’t privy to the heavenly conversation. He has no idea Satan has been prowling around looking to devour him, but can’t. So when Satan challenges God that the only reason Job worships him and is full of integrity is because he’s wealthy, healthy and protected. So God allows Satan a certain amount of leash. He knows the truth, but later we find that Job knows he’s being refined and coming out as gold through this testing. When taking all way from him, Job doesn’t curse God and die ie give up on God and abandon his faith in him. Satan says well it’s because you haven’t let me touch his skin. A sick man will curse you. So he’s allowed to harm his body but not kill him–though Job wishes for death. Yet God is protecting his life. 

In Job’s suffering, he makes wrong assumptions about God–which we all do when our pain lead the procession of thought about God. And God is silent. Job begs God to show up and tell him why he’s going through this suffering. 

His friends aren’t friends at all. They accuse him of sin and his children of sinning. Repent! But Job holds fast that he is righteous.

God is still silent.

Job still asks why.

Finally God speaks. He corrects Job’s false assumptions about him. And he rebukes his friends, except the youngest Elihu for their terrible advice. 

But he never answers the question Job wants. Why? But he does answer. 

Many times we don’t get what we want from God. But we always get what we need from him.

Job repents. Job never abandons God even when he thinks God has abandoned him. And this testing refines him. It also speaks to us, as scriptures do–so that we can learn from them as they give us hope while we ourselves wait patiently for God to fulfill his promises. 

Forward Reflection: When I go through suffering, what do I believe about God? Do I make wrong assumptions too? Am I going to give up on God when he doesn’t answer me? Or will I remain steadfast? 

What do you love most/least about the book of Job?

 

 

Two by Two…Nothing to Do with You!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Imagine building a massive boat when there’s never been rain? When no one believes you. Through hard labor, hard mocking, 120 years passing as Noah preached righteousness. No one surrendering their life. The boat is built. The animals were to come two by two. 

Note here that Noah did his part. He worked daily, he followed all the instructions and made sure he had all the specifications right.

God did all the rest. He brought brought what needed to be in the ark, into the ark and he himself closed the door. 

Knowing that two of each kind plus seven for sacrifice needed to be in the boat could have brought distraction and kept Noah from building and doing what God instructed him to do. “How will I get all these animals onboard? Where will I find them all? Ants are small! 

God rounded up the animals. “…two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female…” Genesis 2:9 NLT

Do what you’ve been tasked by God to do.  Don’t let other things distract you. You don’t have to do it all. You only have to do what God asks. He’ll take care of the the rest or He’ll give you additional instructions later. 

Maybe you’ve let the world’s influence distract you from living a holy life? It’s a slow fade. Maybe you’re distracted trying to do God’s part? You can’t ever do his part. You can only do your own!

Forward Reflection: Am I being distracted from what I know God has instructed me to do? Do I need to repent? Do I need to get back on task.

For fun: Which animal would you have “accidentally” forgotten on the ark? Me? Probably wasps. 🙂 

Hope Is Never Out of Reach

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Welcome back to another Forward Friday. We’re moving forward every day in our personal relationship with Jesus. 

Today, I want to quickly look at Hagar. A woman who was a servant to Abraham and Sarah. In a circumstance she couldn’t control. When two people had to wait a very long time for a son of promise, things got scary. Uncertain. And like just like us, they took matters into their own hands to scheme to bring God’s promise to fulfillment.

But here’s the rub, friends. When we aren’t ones giving the promise, we can’t bring it to pass. God gives us steps sometimes, sure. Often it’s WAIT. Wait on Him. This produces trust and faith and dependance on Him.

They didn’t. Sarah decides she’ll give Hagar to Abraham as a surrogate wife which was custom and acceptable practice in that culture. But Abraham was to be set apart from the culture and customs of that day. Are you disobeying God because a practice in culture is acceptable and says you can? 

Once Hagar was pregnant, pride reared its ugly head and she treated Sarah with contempt. Sarah then went to Abraham and blamed him for everything. Sounds about right. We’re more prone to blame others for our mistakes than own up to them. He stays out of it and says do what seems best. She’s your servant. And Sarah treats her like trash. So bad she runs away.

The Angel of the Lord comes to her. He sees her distress and tells her to go back. To submit. To basically repent and humble yourself. This was his protection no doubt. Imagine a young pregnant woman with no protector or provision in the wilderness? And he gives her a promise too. 

She goes back. She submits. We read nothing more about mistreatment but when Sarah’s son Isaac–the son of promise–is made fun of by Ishmael, Hagar and Abraham’s son, it’s time to go (Genesis 21). She leaves and they run out of water. Has she forgotten the God who hears her, who sees her, who has made her a promise to make her son a nation? Maybe. Often in our suffering, doubts and fears we forget who God is, what he’s done and what he’s promised us.

He opens her eyes to see what was likely there all along…a well of water. Life. Salvation. Rescue! She gives the water to her son and they live. 

Hope was there all along. She just couldn’t see it through her fear, panic, dread, anxiety, suffering and uncertainty. 

Jesus is and always will be our hope. Sometimes we don’t see him for all the reasons Hagar didn’t see the water. He’s our living water. Our life. Our salvation. Our rescue. 

Forward Reflection: How do I respond in uncontrollable circumstances? Do I build my hope in nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness? Do I remember that my ground is solid? Do I need to repent? Do I need God to open my eyes to hope? 

 

*I know during these accounts it’s Abram/Sarai but it’s just easier to say Abraham/Sarah.

 

Steadfast Hearts in 2023

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Suffering isn’t a word we get excited about hearing. And what does it have to do with a steadfast heart? Good question. This year, as I read chronologically, the word or thread I’m tracing is suffering. Sounds like a fun time, huh? But the truth is, the world offers up a very different definition on how we should look at that word–as a four letter word. A word for the garbage heap. Sadly, this perception has made its way into many churches in America. God is yours to bring you blessing which typically equates to health, wealth and the “good life” or your “best life now.” But is that true? What does God say about suffering? How can we view suffering biblically and why should it matter.

Often when we tell Jesus to take the wheel of our lives it comes through the vehicle of suffering.

Suffering develops in us steadfastness. James tells us, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2-8 ESV

What is steadfastness? What does steadfast mean?

  • It is a characteristic of a person who is not swerved from deliberate purpose and their loyalty to faith & dutiful devotion to God by even the greatest of trials and suffering.
  • It is a patient, enduring, sustaining
  • It implies a steady, unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction.
  • Some synonyms: faithful, devoted, ardent, passionate, dependable, unfaltering, unhesitating, trusty, determined, serious, avid, dyed-in-the-wool, solid, reliable, and constant.

This remind you of anyone? Yes! Jesus. His heart is steadfast to us. God showed his steadfast love and demonstrated it “in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Christ is called the Suffering Servant, in fact many of your Bible translations have that as a heading in places. We see Christ as the Suffering Servant in the Servant Songs found in Isaiah 42:1–9; Isaiah 49:1–13; Isaiah 50:4–11; and Isaiah 52:13—53:12.

This year I want to challenge you to a steadfast heart. To suffer a little by denying yourself–denying that extra 15 minutes of sleep or the mindless scrolling of social media accounts at lunch or the evening or fill in the blank–in order to read the Word and grow in knowledge and grace, to be transformed into his image and be more Christ-like i.e. applying the Word to your life. 

Paul himself says in Romans 12:1-3, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (bold type mine; ESV)

I’m leading a group of women this year in reading the Bible chronologically. Every story has a beginning, middle, and end including God’s story! Some of us are suffering in body. Some in mind. Some spiritually. Some emotionally and some all of the above. We need a biblical view of suffering for when we go through it and also to help and encourage others who are in the midst of fiery trials. Reading daily will be a living sacrifice. But it will also develop a steadfast heart.

Forward Reflection: Is my heart steadfast? How does my life reveal that truth? Am I daily disciplined in the Word, worship, and prayer? Am I growing in knowledge and grace? Can I tell the story of God if asked? Am I ready at any moment to lead someone to Jesus?

If you’d like to join the Facebook Online Community–Women Who ACT (Abide, Connect, Train in godliness) click the link. Answer the 3 simple questions and note “blog” when asked how you heard about the group. Invite some friends. Mature in the Lord with us.

Click Women who ACT. 

Until Next Forward Friday,

Jess