What Is Your Love Story?

              Hey guys! So last week I finished Karen Kingsbury's brand new book "Love Story" and it was one of the best books I've ever read!  I love how she weaves the love stories of all the characters throughout this book, and faith is always part of her books.  Especially because not many authors (who's books are so popular) don't or won't weave faith into their books, and Karen always does.  My favorite part is on pages 177-179. I won't say what happens, only that it happens in real life! (So if you get the book no skipping ahead. Lol)

   Here is the "Love Story" Summary:

From the moment they met, John and Elizabeth were destined to fall in love.  Their whirlwind romance stared when they were young college students and lasted nearly thirty years—until Elizabeth died of cancer m.

     So when John is asked to relive his long-ago love story with Elizabeth for his grandson Cole's heritage project, he's not sure he can do it.  The sadness might simply be too great.  But he agrees and allows his heart and soul to go places they haven't  gone in decades.  Back to the secret heartbreak that brought John and Elizabeth together. 

     At the same time, Baxter family friend Cody Coleman is working through the breakup of his complicated relationship with Andi Ellison.  He is determined to move on when a chance sighting changes his plans—and heart.  Can Cody convince Andi to give their love another try, or is it time for them to say goodbye for good?

       As school comes to an end, Cole presents his report on the love story between his grandparents John and Elizabeth Baxter.  It is a tale that touches the hearts of the entire family, and one that causes Cole to better understand his own beginning.

      Whether you're meeting the Baxter for the first time or finding them all over again, Love Story will stir your heart and remind you of the generational impact of love and the eternal bond of family.

    I'll say this though, if you haven't read any Karen Kingsbury books read "Love Story".  It's one of the sweetest books ever written and I can't wait to see what she writes next!  Although because there are parts of the story John Baxter tells his daughter, Ashley and grandson, Cole for Cole's school project that are for older teens/adults, I'd recommend it for those ages 18+.  

      To quote part of the letter she wrote to the reader in the back of the book: "A flame so bright all the world might see it.  That's the way it is with love stories. Even fictional love stories.  It's the reason I included not just the love story of John and Elizabeth, but also of Cody and Andi, Brandon and Bailey, Landon and Ashley, and others.  

     I pray that as you read Love Story, you took a minute to think of your own. Or if not yours, then your parents' story or the story of someone you care about.  Real-life love stories teach us much about loyalty and dedication, passion and devotion.  And when the story is so beautiful it takes your breath, love stories teach us about faith."

     So who's love story inspires you?   Is it your parents'?  A friend, a sibling, or another family member like an aunt or uncle or someone else?  Regardless of what we want, God always has a plan for us and He alone can write our love story if only we give Him control of the pen.  

     Even when life seems so painful at times that it feels like your walking into a battle zone, give your situation over to God.  He alone has the power to bring beauty from ashes.  Let God write your love story.  You might be surprised to see the people God brings into your life, or the situations he puts you in.   God is going to use you to do amazing things, but just because other people are doing something doesn't mean you have to do it.  Because then you're conforming to who someone else what's you to be instead of who God wants you to be.  Give God control of your life and ask Him what His plan is for you.  It'll be worth it and it'll bring you closer to Him and allow Him to shine through you so that people will see a difference and want that difference too. 

       So here are the final two things I want to say: 

   1. Give God the pen.  Let him write the story of your life and be open to whatever He has in store for you, even when you don't want to. Do it. Because if you don't you'll spend years wondering: "what would my life be like, had I only done what God asked me to do?"  

    2. Think about the love story that has had the biggest impact on your life.  Society will do anything and everything to make you think "oh I have to do this, this and this to make this happen". Stop it.  This is what the world wants you to think, not want God wants you to think.  He alone will have the answers you need.  But, you have to be willing to leave everything at his feet and give him control.  It may not be easy and it may make you feel vulnerable at times but its freeing.  And when you take hold of God and His plans for your life, you are going to do amazing things and be able to see things from a perspective that people being in and of the world can't see.  So open your eyes to the things that he has for you. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11 (you might be familiar with it) it says "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares The Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."  God has a plan for me and a plan for you.  And He alone knows the where, when, who, and how.  We just have to trust Him.  

    I pray this will open your eyes to God's plan for your life, and you'll allow Him to write your love story. 

God Bless!

One Last Chance....

In her novel, The Chance,  Karen Kingsbury weaves a tale of heart-wrenching loss, the power of faith, and the wounds that only a forever kind of love can heal.  She delves deeply into a theme that resonates within us all: hope lives for those willing to take a chance.

Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury comes a heartwarming story about childhood friends, broken lives, and a long-ago promise that just might offer the hope of love for today.

The day before a teenage Ellie moved from Georgia to California, she and her best friend Nolan sat beneath an ancient oak tree where they wrote letters to each other and buried them in a rusty, old metal box.  Their plan was to return eleven years later, dig the letters up and read them.  But as the date approaches, much has changed.  Ellie has abandoned the faith she grew up with, her days consumed with loving her little girl and trying to make ends meet.  Sometimes she watches TV to catch a glimpse of her old friend Nolan, now an MBA star, whose faith is known by the entire nation.  Few people know that Nolan's own personal tragedies have fueled both his faith and athletic drive, and despite his success Nolan is isolated and lonely, plagued by a void in his heart that has remained since that night beneath the oak tree with Ellie.  For both Ellie and Nolan, the coming date is more than just a childhood promise; it's the chance to make sense of it all—the chance to find out if it's ever to late to find love again.

Karen Kingsbury puts a Godly perspective on difficult issues that people face each day.  Her books touch on topics of faith, forgiveness, love, hope, loneliness, loss, and redemption. 

For your reading enjoyment, I highly recommend her books.  Just be sure to keep a box of tissues nearby!  

I pray that God will bless and if you're struggling with something help you through it.

God Bless!

Hadassah: One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney

              

                   (Esther 1-10)

               

    Hadassah: One Night with the King is a modernized, historical telling of the Biblical story of Esther, a young Jewish orphan raised by her uncle Mordecai after her parents death when she was just a young girl, who saves her people from an annihilation act that the King unknowingly signed into law after being tricked by Haman, an Amalekite who was part of one of ancient Israel's greatest foes. 

  

    But before we get into all of that let's start at the beginning when King Saul is sent out on a commandment from God to annihilate/ or wipe out the Amalekite "tribe". 

     Not long after King Saul's rise to power in Israel he is sent out with a command from God to completely wipe out the Amalekites one of ancient Israel's oldest foes. 

    Unfortunately, for future kings of Israel because of the lack of listening to/doing what God said they would have to deal with what King Saul couldn't/didn't want to do. That's where Hadassah (Esther) comes in, years later after her family is killed by those by those same Amalekites, and she's taken into her uncle's home. She is taken into the palace "contest" to compete to be the kings next queen. But instead of acting like the other girls, Hadassah (Esther) chose to focus on the King and what he would prefer rather than what she'd prefer. 

     A few weeks after she arrives at the palace Hadassah (Esther) is promoted by the Kings Chamberlain, Hegai as the chamberlain's favored candidate. She is moved to a larger suite and given seven handmaidens to serve her. As the chamberlain's favored candidate Hadassah (Esther) is to serve as an example to the other candidates in the "contest".

    As the time for Hadassah (Esther) to go into the King draws near Hadassah (Esther) resolves to follow Hegai's advice/instruction to the letter, including what she'll wear, how she'll present herself to the King and so on. 

      When it was Hadassah (Esther)'s turn to go to the King, she presented herself to the King with grace and poise learned from her preparation's with Hegai. At the end of her night with the King, Hadassah (Esther) entered the Harem where the Concubine's lived on the grounds, and five days later was called into the throne room of the palace and crowned the new queen of Persia. 

     Even after her coronation, Hadassah (Esther) was not as protected as she thought she was, the symbol she had recalled from the horrifying events that had stayed with her since the night her family was murdered stayed with her and had begun to show up around the palace during the queen contest and now the leader of the group that had slaughtered her family when she was but a little girl, was now second-in-command of the kingdom of Persia.

Who is this man? His name is: Haman, part of the Amalekite tribe descended from the Amalekite King, Agag who was captured and killed during Saul's reign as King over Israel. As second-in-command to the throne, Haman now had access to the King and could put his evil plan of destruction towards the Jewish people in the kingdom into action. It was now up to Hadassah (Esther) to fulfill the biggest part of God's destiny in her life: To foil Haman's wicked plan and save her people from being slaughtered. 

     One morning Hadassah (Esther) is told of her dear papa/uncle Mordecai was wearing sackcloth and ashes and mourning, when she inquires why, he sends a message back to her along with a copy of the decree that all Jewish Men, Women, and Children will perish on the 13th day of Adar, along with a message to the queen requesting she go into the throne room and plead for the lives of their people. Hadassah (Esther) sent a message back saying have you forgotten that if anyone man or woman come unto the palace inner court who is not called by the King will be killed unless the King holds out his golden scepter to the person that they may live, but I've not been called unto the King the past 30 days. (Esther 4:11) and Mordecai's reply was this do not think that you will escape by being in the king's house, more than your people. For if you hold your tongue now deliverance for the Jews will arise from someplace else but you and your father's house will surely perish; and Hadassah (Esther) sent this commandment back to Mordecai "Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me don't eat or drink anything for the next three days, my handmaiden's and I will do the same. Then I will go into the King and if I perish, I perish." After three days Hadassah (Esther) put on her royal apparel and went into the King and when the King held out his scepter to her and she touched the tip of it and when asked by Xerxes what she requested; she requested the King and Haman come to a banquet that night and the next night.

     I'm going to go ahead and skip ahead to what happened at the second banquet with the King and Haman because what happens here is an important part of the story. 

    On the night of the second banquet the King again asked Hadassah (Esther) what her request was, and was told this: "Let my life be given to me at my petition and my people at my request, for we are sold my people and I to be destroyed, had we only been sold I would've held my tongue, but the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. The King shocked asked "Who and where is the person that does this?" And Hadassah (Esther) replied "The enemy is this wicked Haman." Haman being afraid for his life fell on the couch where Hadassah (Esther) was reclining while the King was out to plead for his life. When the King came back in he brought with him several of the chamberlains and soldier's and they covered Haman's face and hung him on the gallows which had been prepared for Mordecai. 

     After electing Mordecai as the next Master of Audiences the King allowed a decree to be sent out to all the provinces that the Jews would be allowed to protect themselves and others from the evil that was coming on the 13th of Adar from Haman's wicked follower's. The 13-15 days are known as "Purium" in Hebrew it comes from the word "Pur" meaning the casting of the lot. It's a commemoration of the day of the Jewish destruction and rescue by Hadassah (Esther) and Mordecai's quick thinking and Careful planning. 

      And after all these years after King Saul's failure to destroy the Amalekite clan, Hadassah (Esther) stepped into her role and finally finished what King Saul started and her grief was finally avenged. 

     So what can we learn from Hadassah's (Esther's) story? We can learn to trust God in everything we do and believe that no matter what is happening God will take care of it in His timing. I hope you'll enjoy this story as much as I did. 

God Bless!

Welcome/ New Karen Kingsbury Book

Hello, welcome to Best Christian Books for Young Women!
      I wanted to start this because I want  to share some books I've read that I thought would inspire all of you. If your looking for a new perspective on a situation you're in I'll do my best to help, but ultimately you have to put the situation in God's hands and trust him to take care of you and your situation.

Our first book is going to be "The Bridge" by Karen Kingsbury

    

      I just finished reading "The Bridge" by Karen Kingsbury, and I have to say its a pretty awesome book! 

Here is the synopsis of the book: 

Yeah she's probably my favorite author.

  Here's the synopsis:

The New York Times bestselling author of Learning and Leaving shares a heartwarming Christmas story about a devastating flood, lost love, and the beauty of enduring friendships.

Molly Allen lives alone in Portland, but her heart is back in Franklin, Tennessee, where five years ago she walked away from a man she cannot forget, a rare sort of love she hasn't found since.

     Ryan Kelly lives in Franklin and spends plenty of time at The Bridge, the oldest bookstore in historic downtown Franklin, remembering the long hours he and Kelly once spent there.

     Now, Ryan and Molly's favorite bookstore is in trouble. For thirty years, Charlie and Donna Barton have run The Bridge, providing the people of middle Tennessee with coffee, conversation, and shelves of good books, even through dismal book sales and the rise of eBooks. Then in May a flood tore through Franklin and destroyed nearly every book in the store. By Christmastime, the bank threatens to pull the lease on The Bridge and is about to take the Bartons' house as well. Despondent, Charlie considers ending his life. And in the face of tragedy, miracles begin to unfold.

     So that's the synopsis for "The Bridge" 

   

    In my opinion "The Bridge" is an amazing book about redemption, second chances, and trusting that God will work it all out in the end.

    If you haven't read "The Bridge" by Karen Kingsbury yet and you're curious about the story, I suggest you read it. It's amazing! 

     Once you've read the book let me know you're opinion of it.

         Will write again soon!

                 God Bless!