Happy New Year! A sneak peek into my goals for 2019

How has a year gone by already? It seems like just a month ago that we were talking about resolutions and goals and now we’re doing it again.

If you’ve followed me for very long, you’ll know that I don’t personally do resolutions. I do goals. Every single month. But I also do them for the year. So how did I do last year? (You can read the whole post here).

Piano

I didn’t do very well with these goals. I was able to perfect some hymn arrangements, but not the other two songs. I never made enough time for piano practice which is something I aim to change this year.

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One year ago…

One year ago, I began to suspect I was pregnant.

One year ago, I was researching things online.

One year ago, I was eagerly waiting for the days to pass before I could finally use my home pregnancy test.

One year ago, I was filled with surprise and wonder.

 

Today, I wonder if I will ever feel that joy again.

Today, I wait for those suspicions to return.

Today, I become jealous of those who announce their own pregnancies.

Today, I am filled with longing to have my arms filled.

 

God knows my pain. He knows my longing. Someday.

Book Review: Picking Daisy by Valerie Howard

Title: Picking Daisy
Written By: Valerie Howard
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Recommended Ages: 13 & up

Introduction:

For a while now, I’ve been interested in the whole foster care/adoption types of things. But I didn’t know a lot about it. My parents did foster care for babies when I was young, so we never had to deal with the “problems” of the older kids. This book was very eye opening, but at the same time entertaining.

Trust and Obey: The beginning of a new series

I have a new book out! And it’s not a western! What?!?! Why would I do that? Well, I’ll share more about how I decided to write this series and what inspired this particular book. But first, here’s a little more about the book. And you also get to see my new author picture!

About the Book

A wicked priestess, a morally corrupt king, and two children stuck in the middle…

Hadassah and Gidal love their parents and will do anything for them. When Priestess Basmat tell Ehud and Jerusha to pay their debt, they cannot and she takes Hadassah and Gidal as her slaves for two years.

The priestess works them hard, but there are two other servants to divide the load with, so they cope as well as they can. Then King Saul comes in disguise requesting the priestess’s other services—as a medium.

Will Hadassah and Gidal trust Adonai to take care of them? What will happen after Priestess Basmat comes face-to-face with the prophet Samuel?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D939ZPL

God CAN take care of you

Everyone faces hard times in their life. Some are harder than others. Some seem hard at the time, but in the long run aren’t that hard. Other things feel like they will break you and that life can never get back to normal. Today, I would like to share a little bit of encouragement in the form of a true story. The names have been changed for safety purposes.

SUV + electrical fire + 30 gallons of gas

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. My brother-in-law, John, decided to bring his family to town. They stopped at the gas station and filled the SUV up with 30 gallons of gas. Next on the agenda was a stop at the local Tire and Lube place to see if there were any openings for an oil change.

John went inside and was waiting in line when his wife, Jane, ran in and said there was smoke coming from under the hood. John ran outside and popped the hood. A small fire had started. He ran back inside to get the 20 pound extinguisher the Express had while Jane got the kids out of the car.

John tried to put out the flame, but the extinguisher did nothing and soon the SUV was engulfed in flames and burned to a crisp.

Praising God

All my husband and I could think of after being told of this was how gracious God was. Bill has said a few times that this weekend could have been the worst in his life. But it wasn’t.

God took care of our family and He can take care of you no matter what is happening in your life. I would be honored to pray for you if you have a situation you need prayer for. If you do, please comment below or email me (author [at] faithblum [dot] com).

Love Can Be Hard Sometimes

Have you ever had a hard time loving someone? I think everyone probably has at one time in their life. But what would your life be like if you’ve never had the courage to love anyone? I explore that idea in my new book, He Hideth My Soul. 

Love can be hard, but it is always rewarding. As I wrote this book, I knew I wanted love to be part of the theme of the book. And not necessarily romantic love, though there are a couple love stories in the book.  I had written three books already where Otis Miller was a minor character and wanted to tell the rest of his story. This book is that story.

Otis has had a hard life. Due to many of the events in his childhood, he has never had the courage to truly love anyone. He likes many people, but doesn’t love anyone. Many people ask where the inspiration for my books comes. I can’t honestly say where the inspiration for this book came from or why I chose this theme, but I hope it touches you when (if) you read the book.

About the Book

He’s never had the courage to love anyone…

The only thing Otis Miller has ever wanted to be is a doctor and he wants to be the best. A surprise talk with his Aunt Eleanor days before his twenty-first birthday leads to a visit from his grandfather’s lawyer and the discovery that he is the heir to a large fortune. With all the papers signed, Otis heads to Chicago to follow his dream.

After graduating from Jenner Medical School, Otis goes to the mine he owns in Colorado to see how things are and to provide medical care for everyone in town. He finds horrible working conditions and learns to make difficult decisions that will be best for all

Will Otis learn to let God cover him in the depths of His love? Can Otis hide in God’s presence whenever he doesn’t know where to go next?

Note: 50% of my income from this series will go to the World Orphans organization.

http://books2read.com/HeHidethMySoul

About the Author

Faith Blum is a 20-something author of multiple books in various genres. She loves to write, read, play piano, knit, crochet, sew, watch movies, and spend time with her husband.  She lives in Wisconsin in a small town with her husband and cat where she can write to her heart’s content during the day. Faith’s goal in her writing is to encourage Christians in their walk with Christ.

Giveaway

Faith is giving away three prizes! The grand prize is a paperback of her new book. First and second prizes are both an eBook of He Hideth My Soul. Enter here for the chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt/Review

He sighed and turned away, leading Blaze the rest of the way to Dr. Benson’s office. He wasn’t there when Otis arrived, so he worked on organizing the supplies—something he cared about and Dr. Benson didn’t.

The bell over the front door tinkled, and he went to see who it was.

“Is Dr. Benson in?” the man asked.

“No, he isn’t. Can I help you?”

“You a doctor?”

“Basically. I’ve trained under Dr. Benson for about three years.”

“You’ll do. My little girl is bad sick. My wife’s tried all sorts of things and it ain’t helpin’.”

Otis grabbed the extra doctor’s bag and left a quick note for Dr. Benson. “Lead the way.”

All day, it seemed like Dr. Benson and Otis barely missed each other. When Otis got back, there was a note from him saying where he was, then Otis left and Dr. Benson came back, and so on and so forth. It was mid-afternoon before they finally crossed paths.

“There really is someone behind the notes,” Dr. Benson said.

Otis laughed. “Yes, there is. Good news is, people apparently trust me to treat them even without you there.”

“Good, excellent, marvelous. But I do still need to know who you treated for what in case they come when you aren’t here.”

Otis handed him the list he had made a few minutes earlier.

“Johnny on the spot today,” he said. “Well done, good treatments, and excellent work. I approve you to go anywhere you find a place in need of a doctor.”

“About that,” Otis said. “You mentioned Jenner Medical School once. Is Dr. Tyler still there?”

“Yes, yes, yes, he is. In fact, I wrote to him about you. Without your permission, I know, but when you have the territory’s best doctor as your pupil, you tend to lose your head while helping him.” He blinked rapidly and stared at the space beside Otis’s head. “Where was I? Oh yes, well, I told him about you and how you want to be a doctor and how hard you worked and all that. He’s incredibly excited for you to go. They don’t have scholarship funds at the moment though, unfortunately.”

Otis cleared his throat. “So he wants me there?”

“Yes, definitely; he was most emphatic about it. Even offered to let you borrow the money from him.”

“I don’t need it. Most likely, anyway.”

“Say again?”

Tour Schedule

February 20
Bookish Orchestrations – Introduction Post
Creating Romance – Book Spotlight
Rachel Rossano’s Words – Book Spotlight

February 21
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Book Spotlight
Rebekah Lyn Books – Book Spotlight

February 22
Ruth’s Real Life – Book Spotlight
Kandi J Wyatt, Where Fantasy and Reality Meet – Book Spotlight

February 23
With a Joyful Noise – Review
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae – Book Spotlight

ebruary 24
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections – Post from the author

February 26
Bookish Orchestration – Giveaway winner post

It’s been awhile

As I prepared to publish this novella, I felt very rusty. And then I realized why. The last book I published was All the Way My Savior Leads back in MAY! That is a long time for me in recent years. It’s good to be back in the publishing realm again.

My current book was inspired by a couple of minor characters who first showed up in Lily of the Valley. It was first published in an anthology I was part of entitled Where the Light May Lead. I have since updated and edited it. A few things are different, but not many. And all the changes were made after I started writing He Hideth My Soul (Orphans of the West #3)

And now here we are. I am excited to present this novella. It was fun to write and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Of course, as with all of my blog tours, there is a giveaway, so make sure you scroll through and enter it. I’m also including an exclusive excerpt you won’t want to miss. But first, here’s a little bit about the book.

About the Book

Trusting God is hard

Eleanor Miller has never lacked for anything, but she wanted to become a schoolteacher anyway to instill the love of learning into other children. Unlike what happened with her brother, Grover.

Grover hated school and authority. He rebelled any change he could. When he almost killed a man, their family was torn apart and he was disowned.

Eleanor understands her father’s decision, but she worries she will never see Grover again. Will she find out how sweet it is to trust Jesus in everything no matter what happens or will she stop trusting Him completely?

Buy on your favorite eBook platform: http://books2read.com/TisSoSweet

Have a Fruitful New Year!

 

Last Sunday, December 31, Pastor Stephen preached a sermon entitled, Have a Fruitful New Year. It was the perfect sermon. The sermon was based on John 15:1-8 and talked about abiding in Christ so we can bear fruit for Him. After the news we got the Thursday before, I needed to hear it.

Here are some of my favorite points from the sermon, summarized by me.

There are two different kinds of people. Those who bear no fruit and those who do bear fruit.

Knowing that tribulation produces perseverance

I’m always amazed by how God often provides the teachings you need before you need them.This blog post connects many things that have happened the last four months of 2017 with what I have learned through Bible Study and from two sermons our pastor preached. This will be a long two-post blog series full of many difficult things, but in the end, and intermingled through it all, is peace that only God could provide.

The Honeymoon

Hi! I’m back! I made it through the wedding, married my beloved, disappeared from the internet world (mostly) for about 2 weeks, and now I’m back. And still not online much because I have a house to put together. But I took today off of house work for the most part. So here I am to post a bit about my honeymoon. And yes that is coming before the wedding pictures because I don’t have those yet. You can get those pictures later.

I’ll give a few more details as we get to the pictures, but for now, a summary. We took three days to drive out to Montana starting in Wisconsin, going through Minnesota, North Dakota, and finally getting to Montana where our final destination was in Great Falls. We never saw any wildfires, although they did prevent us from going to Glacier National Park as well as Yellowstone. We stayed in Great Falls for three days before making our way slowly back via Deadwood, Mount Rushmore, seeing a few people in Minnesota, Niagara Cave, and Wisconsin Dells.

From North Dakota Plains…