Real-life Romance: Pastor Greg & Nancy Davis

 

 
 
When I think of love enduring, I think of my Pastor and his
wife. Their story is an inspiration to anyone. I hope you’ll be encouraged
today even though she’s only sharing the nutshell. Thank you, Nancy, for being
here today!
 
Don’t despise small beginnings.  Isn’t that what you’ve always heard?  I would add “or young beginnings.”  I’m sure my mother never had any idea that
when she dropped me off for my first day of second grade at a new school that I
would meet the man I would marry. But there he was. About half way through second grade Greg asked me to marry him, and;
obviously, I said yes.
Despite a couple of short-lived dramatic breakups
during elementary school we were an item. By the time we were old enough to
date there was no turning back.
 
Pastor Greg & Nancy Davis
Cornerstone Church
Newly married right out of high school we moved off to
attend Bible College (and, yes, the above-mentioned mother was a basket case)! Just
me and him and absolutely NOTHING else. We lived like paupers-as most students
do-and those were some of the most fun years of our lives. We discovered you
don’t really have to have much as long as you are happy with each other. Love doesn’t cost anything except time,
thoughtfulness and commitment. 
It’s
a small price to pay for something so rewarding.
 
You know, in 32 (almost) years of marriage I’ve learned some
things that are ageless.  Love doesn’t have to be complicated.  It doesn’t have
to be demanding or smothering.  It does,
in fact, take work and effort.  It cannot
grow on its own without attention and nurturing but it can flourish greatly when fed a constant diet of respect and
consideration.
 
Not to say that marital love is perfect.  No love, other than that of our heavenly
Father, is. But you can certainly weather a lot of storms and face a lot of
“stuff” if you have someone to lean into. And, if handled correctly, the storms of life can make your love stronger –
more solidified.
That’s right! I really did say that! Not that you invite
bad times – absolutely not!  But, you
have to know those times will come.  Just
as sure as life rolls on, those times will come. And how you walk through them
as a couple will make, break, strengthen or weaken your relationship.
 
Our 32 years (almost) has brought with it many “opportunities”
for strengthening: Eight years of infertility eventually resulting in the birth
of our son, Colton, being born with 6 separate heart defects and facing a total
of 6 open-heart surgeries before his 18th birthday; my battle with a
blood disorder that almost killed me and took two years for recovery; our newly
adopted 12 month old Chinese daughter being diagnosed with a large, cancerous,
potentially-lethal brain tumor followed by a 12 hour brain surgery and 1 1/2
years of chemo and radiation; full time ministry for 25 years (need I add to
that one?) with 15 of those being the Lead Pastors; and, much more – but who’s
counting, right?
 
In all of these storms came times of despair.  A moment – even if fleeting- when the
darkness seemed greater than the light. We’ve all been there at one time or
another for one reason or another. 
Without Greg, I might have remained there. He held me close when I
shivered from the fear. He allowed me to process my grief knowing that he would
pull me back to deal with the present. He whispered words of hope and love into
my life and into my heart.  We cried
together. We talked out our frustrations and our fears. We contemplated our
options. We talked about everything-whether or not it was easy to say or to
hear. Then, and this is important, we
celebrated all of the good things in our lives.
We counted our blessings in
our times of want. We agreed that even though we might not understand our
situations we were certainly going to invite God into them. We also agreed that
we could allow our trials to make us bitter or to make us better. It was our
choice and we chose better every time. It’s always the best choice. Bitter gets
you nothing. Ever. That’s how we still handle our storms and we’ve yet to meet
a storm we couldn’t endure together.
 
A lot of our success comes from the little things. He fills
my car with gas because he knows I hate to. I buy whipped cream even though I
hate it because I know he loves it on everything. He buys me flowers on
Tuesdays because he says nobody expects to get flowers on Tuesday. I get up
early to turn the heat up and get coffee ready because he hates to get up to a
cold house. He tells me I’m beautiful
even though I’m constantly getting my hair colored to cover the gray and trying
new face creams to reduce the wrinkles. 
I
tell him he still makes my heart pound and even though he has a little less
hair now I don’t even notice.  It’s an
ongoing cycle of giving.  What happens,
though, is when you continually give you – continually receive. Pretty nifty
how it works out that way!
 
 
There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since he popped
the question way back in 1971 in second grade! 
There is no one in this world I would rather paddle my way through life
with.  Marriage is designed to get better and better every year if that’s how
you build it.
The trick is to get busy building.  
 
Thank you so much, Nancy, for guesting today. I never get
tired of your love story or watching it unfold every day. You inspire me!
 
If you’re
married, what are some things you do, to stay busy building a healthy and
successful marriage? If you’re not married, what are some qualities you’re
looking for in a spouse? (my questions)
 
 
 
  
    
 

Real-Life Romance Stories: Brad & Charissa Kerley

I’m kicking off Fridays with real-life romance stories that are meant to encourage and inspire you whether you’re single, engaged, or married! 

Each Friday during February, you’ll hear from one woman about her real-life romance! Today, I’m honored to have my dear friend (And my midnight Twilight Saga movie premiere partner) Charissa Kerley with us to share her unique story. 

I was so blessed to know Charissa during her teenage years and watch God do amazing things in her life. She’s always been a wonderful role model for my daughter and I couldn’t love her more! Welcome, Charissa! 

For as long as I
can remember I have been a romantic even back to elementary and middle school.
I was always daydreaming about my future husband, how we would meet, how
handsome he would be and how we’d live happily ever after.
 So naturally I was so excited when I
got to high school and would be around a ton of older boys whom I could
potentially date. However, in the 9th grade I strongly felt that the
Lord was asking me to give up dating much to my disappointment.
Unless He
revealed the man I was going to marry with a ray of light and a hallelujah
chorus, I would not be dating anyone until I graduated. This wasn’t to say that
I didn’t have plenty of crushes and even a couple of offers throughout high
school, but I knew that God had asked me to sacrifice those things for Him.
These are not B & C’s hands. 🙂 
All throughout this time, I learned
so much about being secure in my relationship with Christ. I stood on the verse
that said: “For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name.”
Isaiah 54:5.
Knowing that Jesus was the best husband I could ever ask for
taught me so much about who He is and who I am through Him. I look back on that
time in my life so fondly even though it wasn’t always easy when I was living
it.
One of my closest friends in high
school was named Kayla. We had an accelerated English class together and became
fast friends, having similar views and taste in movies and music. Towards the
middle of our sophomore year she began dating a guy who was a junior named
Luke. Luke had a twin brother named Brad and I’d seen both of them around
school before (they both had a notorious style, wearing huge baggy pants and
their hair color changing practically every month.) I got to know Luke through
Kayla, but I didn’t speak to Brad much.
Fast forward to my senior year. Kayla
had moved to Iowa
and Luke and Brad had both moved away after they had graduated high school the
year before. I kept up with Kayla through Myspace (you can see how dated this
story is now) and I had also become “friends” with Brad on there at some point
as well.
Towards the middle of my senior year
I began talking with Brad a little bit on our Myspace pages. He had recently
been through a bad breakup while he had been away in St. Louis and I would get on his page to tell
him jokes and say silly things to cheer him up.
We began to talk more and more,
eventually upgrading to text messages.
As my senior year came to a close,
my choir held a banquet to celebrate all of the year’s accomplishments. Even
though Brad and I had never hung out one on one before and had only just
recently began getting to know each other, I asked him to go with me. He
immediately responded that he would be happy to go because he was coming home
for the summer.
The first day that Brad and I spent
any time alone together was (get this!) my very last day of high school.
He
picked me up from the school and we spent the rest of the day together.
Me and Charissa at her
wedding! I was a bridesmaid!

That summer Brad and I were
practically inseparable. He became my best friend. Every morning that I woke up
I couldn’t wait until I could see him that day and any time we were apart we
spent texting each other constantly. He finally mustered up the courage to ask
me out at the end of the summer and of course I said yes. My family loved him
and Luke and Kayla (who were now married) and the rest of his family were so
happy that the two of us had gotten together.

We had a whirlwind romance, getting
engaged after only four months of dating and then getting married six months
after that (at ages 19 and 20!). We’ve now been married over four years and it
has been an amazing ride. It’s not always easy, but we constantly strive to
grow closer to the Lord and each other on a regular basis.
            Brad and
Charissa Kerley live in northern MS. Brad is currently in grad school at the University of Memphis to be an entrepreneur and they
both work heavily in their church’s missions department. They have a huge heart
for the country of Haiti
and hope to minister there permanently or periodically after Brad receives his
Master’s Degree.

I love that story! And I love you, Charissa and Brad! 
*Next Friday, you’ll hear from a very special lady to me…my Pastor’s wife! You won’t want to miss this incredible journey of love!
Were you best friends with your spouse before you dated? 

Burn Calories by Kissing: Guest post by Lynda Schab!

 You read that right! But you almost didn’t because at first I had the title, Burn Calories by kissing with Lynda Schab! I’m sure she’s glad I proofread my stuff! 
Lynda does list some interesting facts about kissing, but she’s talks about
marriage and romance and how that ties into her second novel, Madily In Love.
I’ve had the privilege of reading both her books and I’m begging, begging you to buy them. Today. Seriously. Fun and light-hearted, yet deep spiritual messages. I laughed, man did I
laugh, and I even cried at times. So enough gushing and let’s hear what Lynda
says about real romance!
Romance: A
feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.
Who doesn’t want
that? I mean, do you know anyone who doesn’t want
to feel excited about spending time with the one they love? If I had to guess,
I’d say 98% of us crave or desire romance.
Now for my next
question: Who actually has that? Who can say their marriage is bubbling over with romance?
My best guestimate would be 5%? Maybe 10%? Okay, 15% tops.
So maybe it’s not all about the romance. Love is an action,
blah, blah, blah. But, come on. There’s a reason God created romance. He wired us to have a desire for thrill and adventure
(don’t believe me? Read The Song of Solomon). Marriage without romance is sort
of like eating a slice of cake without frosting. The cake may taste good, but
the frosting makes it all that much better.
As a side note, kissing is a major romantic act. Here are three
interesting facts about kissing:
  • Men who kiss their wives in
    the morning live five years longer than those who don’t (tell your
    husbands!). 
  • A team of medical experts in
    Virginia contends that you’re more likely to catch the common cold virus
    by shaking hands than by kissing (great news!). 
  • A fairly passionate kiss
    burns an average of 9 calories (that’s equivalent to six M&M’s!)
In my book, Madily in Love, Madi McCall is just coming out
of a marital rough patch (you’ll have to read Mind over Madi for that story)
and is determined to get back the romance she’s lost with her husband over the
years. But that’s not so easy. Especially when she’s just re-entered the
workforce, is dealing with a rebellious daughter, a son who is dating a girl
who is not exactly Madi’s idea of the perfect choice for him, and a
mother-in-law who has (temporarily) moved in and seems to have…um…criminal
tendencies. But Madi isn’t letting that stop her.
She bites the bullet
and attends a romance class at church, which offers great suggestions… that
fail miserably. All she wants is to find the peace among the chaos, and
rekindle the fire that has gone out of her marriage.
Although this book
has to do with the importance of adding romance to marriage, the main thing I
hope readers can take away is that even though
life seems unmanageable, disorderly, and chaotic, God is always in control.
One of the recurring
phrases throughout the book—as mentioned by Madi’s counselor—is “Embrace this place.” In other words, no matter
what you’re going through, recognize that it won’t last forever. And down the
road, you might just look back and see just how that “unbearable” season was
essential in moving you to a place of growth and necessary change.
And most of all, I
hope to show the fun—and not the frustration—of trying to add a little zest to
your marriage. There are a few good tips to take away, along with fun quotes
throughout, beginning with this one, which pretty much sums it up:
“Happy
marriages begin
when
we marry the ones we love,
and
they blossom
when
we love the ones we marry.”
-Tom Mullen
Lynda Lee
Schab got her writing start in greeting cards (Blue Mountain Arts, Dayspring)
and from there went on to write articles and short stories (Mature Living, Christian Home & School)
and in many places online. As a freelance writer, she works behind the scenes
at FaithWriters.com and is a regular book reviewer for FaithfulReader.com, as
well as a staff writer for www.SharedSorrows.com
Both books in the Madi series have finaled or semi-finaled in various contests.
Lynda admits she has a lot in common with the character of Madi. Not only are
they both addicted to ice cream, chocolate, and computer games, they struggle
with the same types of insecurities and continually require a hefty dose of
God’s grace. Lynda lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in Michigan.
Connect
with her on her blogs, On the Write Track (for writers) and
ThePrincessMentality (for princesses everywhere whose lives are not a
fairytale). Also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. The Madi series
is available through OakTara.com, and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes& Noble, Christianbook.com, or ordered from any brick and mortar bookseller
around the country. Lynda also has signed copies available for purchase on her
website.
All Madi
Lee McCall wants is to fall madly in love again…
with her
husband.  
After a
rough patch, Madi’s determined to get her marriage back on
track.
She’s even taking a romance class at church and getting great
suggestions…that
fail miserably. The distractions are plenty. She has just reentered
the workplace as a health spa receptionist. Her 16-year-old daughter,Christina,
is pushing the limits, and Christina’s twin, Max, has fallen hard for a girl
who isn’t Madi’s picture of a perfect match for her son. Even younger
daughter, Emily, is developing a teenager-ish attitude.  
When her
mother-in-law moves in—temporarily, of course—the stress starts to drive
Madi a little crazier than normal. What she wants, more than anything, is some
peace among the chaos. 

Postcards, Smooching Llamas, and Beth K. Vogt!

Connect with Beth!
Twitter
facebook
blog

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.

Must Read Monday: Sunburn, Cupcakes, and Good Reads

Well, I hope you all had a great weekend. We spent most of it at the pool. I can’t seem to get my sunblock on correctly and have odd shaped burns in random places on my body.

I told my husband I was going to have to go to the tanning bed to even out the pasty white places to the golden areas (and the cherry red burns of course). He joked I’d probably be the only one in a tanning bed wearing sunscreen.
He might be right.
I ate a German Chocolate Cupcake from one of those fancy cupcake bakeries. Edible glitter, German chocolate filling and a mound of chocolate icing. About 5,000 calories later, I thought I might be sick. Oh but that one moment! And it was a moment indeed.

Okay, so here’s a couple of books I’ve read lately.

Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason

“Samantha Cash is the FBI’s secret weapon. Her methods are invisible, and she never stops til the case is closed. When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, Samantha is assigned to help local Detective Connor Wolfe find the killer. And he has two problems with that. There’s her faith—in God and herself. And then there’s the fact that she looks exactly like his late wife. As they get close to an answer, the case becomes personal. The killer seems to be taking an interest in Connor’s sixteen-year-old daughter, who thinks her dad is getting way too protective. Can’t a girl just have some fun?”

My Opinion

I liked this book. It’s the first book I’ve read by Lynette Eason. I figured out early on why the killer was doing it, but wasn’t sure who it was until about 75% in. Then I didn’t guess the “boss” until it was almost over. I liked the characters and the romance that blossomed.

Both characters struggled with their faith. I think the author made their spiritual joureneys realistic and touching.

I took a keen interest in the sister and want to read the next book that’s about her. I think it will be even better!

3 out of 5 stars

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer
2011 RITA® Finalist for Best First Book

“When a dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity, the sparks begin to fly!

Jericho “J.T.” Tucker wants nothing to do with the new dressmaker in Coventry, Texas. He’s all too familiar with her kind–shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothes, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner, while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?
When Hannah decides to help Jericho’s sister catch a beau–leading to consequences neither could have foreseen–will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?”

My Opinion

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book. I don’t often read historicals, but lately I’ve read several and I’m coming to realize, I enjoy most of them. I happen to like a lot of romantic tension and some spice, not all inspirational historicals meet my expectations.

This one did.

I fell in love with J.T. and Hannah immediately. I loved their banter, internal conflicts, and wit.  I felt like I was living in this time period and it was rather fun to spend a few hours, since I read it in two sittings, with these characters.

I predicted the villain, but I’m not sure that she was trying to conceal it. That didn’t matter to me, though, because I just loved everything else. Especially the romance. No wonder she won a RITA for first book.

I also think it’s a great parallel of the Proverbs 31 woman and a healthy look at beauty and nice things.

4 out of 5 stars

So have you read a book lately that you were unsure of, then turned out to be a pleasant surprise?

No?

Okay then…what’d you do this weekend?