Friday, October 23, 2015

Christmas Mail-Order Angels Feature: MISTLETOE MISTAKE by Lynette Sowell



Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all!), we have Lynette Sowell here today answering a 1-Question interview to satisfy our reader-curiosity!


Matthew Thomas cooked up the whole idea of the Mail Order Angels, but when his own angel appears in the form of Sophia Webster, at first his feet get colder than a Wyoming blizzard. Sophia tries to make a new start in Wyoming by staying true to her word and helping Matthew establish the newspaper, but come spring, it’s back East for her--unless Matthew’s change of heart can convince her otherwise.


Question:
What personal experiences have you drawn from in writing this book?

Answer:
Oh, this is a fun one for me! My regular job is as the editor of my city's hometown newspaper. We cover local news, from the big stories to small. Our city paper started in 1894, later than the newspaper in Angel Vale. But I drew on some of the experiences of the excitement I feel in discovering a new story to report and the fun I've had while learning a new vocation—writing the news—just as my heroine, Sophia, learned when she moved to Angel Vale.





Lynette Sowell is the award-winning and best-selling author of more than 20 titles for Barbour Publishing, Heartsong Presents, and Abingdon Press. In 2009, Lynette was voted one of the favorite new authors by Heartsong Presents book club readers. Her historical romance, All That Glitters, was a finalist in ACFW's 2010 Carol Awards. When Lynette's not writing, she works as a newspaper editor and columnist for the Copperas Cove Leader-Press. Lynette was born in Massachusetts, raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but makes her home on the doorstep of the Texas hill country with her husband, their dog, along with a duo of cats who have them well-trained. She loves reading, cooking, watching true crime dramas, and is always up for a Texas road trip.

Up for grabs today is an e-copy of Mistletoe Mistake! To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.
Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly
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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Christmas Mail-Order Angels Feature: A HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Patty Smith Hall & COOKING UP CHRISTMAS by Teresa Ives Lilly

Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all!), we have Patty Smith Hall & Teresa Ives Lilly here today answering 2-Question interviews to satisfy our reader-curiosity! 

Great heavenly days! There are FOUR giveaways happening in this post. Check out the red writing next to each author bio.

First off, here's Patty:


Is she cursed?

All of her life, Margaret Cobb has felt cursed, the port wine stain on her cheek a punishment for her mother’s death. But she dreams of a home and family. When the opportunity arises to be a mail order bride for a man in Angel Vale, Wyoming, Margaret risks everything familiar for her chance at happiness, only to be rejected once again. That is until assayer Avery Waldwin offers to marry her. 
Or the answer to Avery’s prayers?

Avery Waldwin needs a mother for his young daughter, even if it means marrying a woman he’s never met. A marriage of convenience was all he’d hoped for, but there’s something about the kind, Godly woman that draws him to her. As the Christmas season approaches, both Avery and Margaret discover there’s only one present they each want—the gift of love!

Question #1:
Hi, Patty! How did you decided on this title for your book?

Answer:
I chose this title because my heroine, Margaret has never had a place where she felt safe and accepted just for who she was. Her entire life, she’s been judged based on what she looked like physically and has never had the opportunity to show people who she really is. It’s not until she meet Avery and his daughter that Margaret finally feels comfortable enough to let down her guard.


Question #2:
If your life were a book, what would be the title of it?

Answer:
Good question. Probably something like ‘Beauty among the Ashes.’ For some odd reason, most people think I’ve had an easy breezy life, that I’ve never had any troubles or struggles. I think its because I’ve always had this positive attitude toward the world in general. The truth is I struggled over the years—with physical pain, with depression. Both of our daughters were born premature and we almost lost them. We lost our home in the housing market crash a few years ago. But God has used those times in my life to shape me and to grow my faith—without the hard times, I wouldn’t be the person I am today and more importantly, I wouldn’t have been ready for the writing ministry God had planned for me.




Patty  Smith-Hall is a multi-published  author with Love Inspired Historical and Heartsong.   She currently serves as president of the ACFW-Atlanta chapter. She calls North Georgia her home which she shares with her husband of 30+ years, Danny; two gorgeous daughters and a future son-in-love. Her next release, A Home for Christmas is now available on Amazon.

Giveaway!! Patty is giving away a copy of her E-book A Home For Christmas. To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom. 






Also with us today is Teresa Ives Lilly:






When Henrietta agrees to become a mail order angel for Benjamin Capel, she moves to Angel Vale Wyoming eager to begin working in the town’s eatery. Although happy with her job and attracted to her husband-to-be, she discovers that Benjamin has several secrets. What does he do for a living, why does talking about money upset him so much, and who actually owns the Angel Vale Eatery? Will these questions be answered so she can freely say, " I Do," or does God have a different plan for her life in Angel Vale?



Question #1:
Hi, Teresa! What sparked the idea for your particular story in the series? Answer:
I was so excited to be included on this series and once I knew the over all story, I brain stormed until the story just popped into my mind. I'm not a cook, so it's a bit strange that I wrote about a cook. However, I was trying to think of a job she could have in town, little did I know that her cooking would end up to be the central theme of the whole book. 
Question #2:
What personal experiences did you draw from to write the story?

Answer:
Not a thing since I do not cook. She's very clumsy and that's not me, although I was trying to be humorous and the only thing that makes me laugh is when someone falls down. My character does it several times. 
 

Teresa Ives Lilly lives in Texas with her husband, near her grown children. She loves to write Christian Historical Novellas, although she dabbles in contemporary as well. You can see all her books at www.teresalilly.wordpress.com. She loves to hear from her readers at teresaiveslilly@yahoo.com

Giveaway!! Teresa is giving away one Amazon copy of her E-book Cooking Up Christmas and THREE PDF copies!!! To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.




Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly




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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Christmas Mail-Order Angels Feature: THE EVERGREEN WREATH by Tanya Stowe

Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all!), we have Tanya Stowe here today answering a 2-Question interview to satisfy our reader-curiosity! 




Twenty-year-old Levi Harper needs help. Life is difficult after his father and brother die in a mine cave-in but when pneumonia takes his mother, Levi can't manage the mine and his four younger siblings alone. He signs up for a mail-order-bride. Virginia Pepper is determined to escape her fathers unrelenting anger and all-too-ready fists. Shell do anything to get on that traineven agree to marry a stranger. But she has no intention of trading one abusive man for another. Paper marriage or not, shell be on her way first chance she gets, no matter how sweet and kind Levi seems. 

As Christmas approaches, Levi counts down the days with a waiting, hopeful spirit. Can the Christmas season create a path for Levi into Virginias heart?

Question #1:

Hi, Tanya! What sparked the idea for your particular story in the series?

Answer:
Darlene Franklin put out a call for authors to participate in a mail order anthology with a different twist. I love writing westerns so I jumped at the chance to research the period and also, to meet some new authors. I’ve always been fascinated by mail order brides. I wondered what terrible circumstances would force a woman to leave everything and go into the unknown, placing her fate in the hands of the stranger. Also, what circumstances would force a man to offer marriage to a woman sight unseen? My imagination went to work and Virginia and Levi were born. Both are in dire circumstances and both are looking for a way out.


Question #2:
What personal experiences did you draw from to write the story?

Answer:
Advent wreaths have been a part of my family’s Christmas tradition ever since my children were little. Lighting a candle and saying a prayer about the hope the birth of Christ brought to world has always been a special joy. I wanted to write about hope, especially for characters in a desperate situation. Researching the meaning behind the leaves and colors of the Advent wreath has added depth to this rich tradition. Our Christmas wreath will be even more special this year.





Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusualgifts of the spirit and miracles, mysteries and exotic travel, even an angel or two. No matter where Tanya takes youon a journey to the Old West or to contemporary adventures in foreign landsbe prepared for the extraordinary.



Tanya is generously giving away a copy of her E-book The Evergreen Wreath.

To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.






Enter to win Christmas Mail-Order Angels Volume 1 via the Rafflecopter below.


Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly




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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Christmas Mail-Order Angels Feature: CHRISTMAS GOLD by Cynthia Hickey

Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all!), we have Cynthia Hickey here today answering a 1-Question interview to satisfy our reader-curiosity!


When Phoebe Ross's employer dies, leaving her with a wedding gown, Phoebe feels she has no choice but to answer the call for mail order brides to Angel Vale, Wyoming. When she arrives her groom-to-be is nowhere in sight. With the other brides claimed, she sets off to find her groom. He is nothing what she expected.

Question:
What was your inspiration for your

Answer:
When the call came out for the stories and it was mentioned that I would make the covers, I began looking at stock photos and came across the woman in the fancy dress. I already associated Wyoming with Black Hills gold, so I wondered what such a fancy woman might be doing there and the plot line of an inherited wedding dress came to me.





Question #2:
What personal experiences have you drawn from in writing this book?" Cindy, Lynette

Answer:
Not very personal, considering the time period, but I believe we’ve all been in circumstances where we felt very out of place and alone. In the story, Phoebe Ross takes the only path she believes is available to an educated single woman with no job prospects. Marriage to a man she’s never met. During the story, the reader is taken along as Phoebe and Alex get to know each other and discover what matters most.


 
Multi-published and Amazon Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre. She had several historical romances release in 2013, 2014, 2015 through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold half a million copies of her works. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference. She is active on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery Magazone blog and Suspense Sisters blog. Her and her husband run the small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs and two cats. She has five grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”. Visit her website at www.cynthiahickey.com
























Giveaway!! Cynthia is giving away a copy of her E-book Christmas Gold. To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

 
Enter to win Christmas Mail-Order Angels Volume 1 via the Rafflecopter below.


Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 19, 2015

Christmas Mail-Order Angels Feature: THE RELIABLE COWBOY by Susan Page Davis

Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all!), we have Susan Page Davis here today answering a 1-Question interview to satisfy our reader-curiosity! 

Isabella Johnston lost her husband to the sea, and she wants to get as far from the coast as she can. When she leaves Maine to marry a cowboy in Wyoming Territory, she reasons that Edwin Gray will be safe on the ranch. But every time he is late for an engagement, she finds herself worrying. What could be horrible enough to make him late for their wedding?


Question:
Hi, Susan! What personal experiences did you draw from to write the story?

Answer:
The Reliable Cowboy is a classic mail-order bride romance. The heroine, Isabella, is a little bit like me. She left her home and friends in Maine and ventured west. I did that, too, when I married my Oregon-born man. But ours was different in that we had met several times and gotten to know each other. We had corresponded for about four years.


Susan Page Davis is the author of more than sixty published novels. A Maine native, she now lives in Kentucky. She’s a two-time winner of the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, and also a winner of the Carol Award and the Will Rogers Medallion, and a finalist in the WILLA Awards and the More Than Magic Contest. Visit her website at: www.susanpagedavis.com .

Giveaway!! Susan is giving away 2 copies of her E-book The Reliable Cowboy, or winners may choose a paperback copy of another of her westerns: Almost Arizona, Protecting Amy, or The Oregon Escort. 

To enter, leave a comment telling us which book you'd like to win. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.


Enter to win Christmas Mail-Order Angels Volume 1 via the Rafflecopter below.

Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sunday, October 18, 2015

Christmas Mail-Order Angels Feature: JACOB'S CHRISTMAS DREAM by Darlene Franklin

Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all! There'll be a new book featured every day until the 23rd!), we have Darlene Franklin here today answering two questions to satisfy our reader-curiosity! 



Becky Patterson escapes the stifling life at her father’s parsonage for an exciting life as a mail-order bride. . .only to learn her potential groom is a part-time preacher, Jake Underwood. Her dreams of working alongside Jake in his store stall when an itinerant preacher wants to ordain Jake as pastor of the growing church. Will Becky accept God’s calling on her life—or will she reject Jake’s love and the future God has planned for them?




Question #1:  
Hi, Darlene! How Did You/and or Your Publisher Come to This Title?
Answer:
Jacob’s Christmas Dream is a deliberate play on Jacob’s dream of a ladder. However, my hero doesn’t dream at any point in the book. He doesn’t even dream about marriage. But he does sign up for his Christmas angel, and Becky is his dream come true. Available on Amazon.com.


Question #2:
If Your Life Were a Book, What Would Be the Title?


Answer:
I might call my autobiography “Living at the Crossroads of Love and Grace.” That’s my tagline, and it’s how I see my life. Wherever life takes me, God is in the middle of it.



Best-selling author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over fifty books and more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont. You can find Darlene online elsewhere at her website, darlenefranklinwrites.com, her Amazon Author Page and her Facebook Author Page.




 

Darlene has generously offered to give away an e-copy of Jacob's Christmas Dream! To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to be entered. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.
Enter to win Christmas Mail-Order Angels Volume 1 via the Rafflecopter below.

Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly



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Saturday, October 17, 2015

Christmas Mail-Order Angels Feature: A CHRISTMAS BLESSING by Martha Rogers

Hi, everyone! 

Today through October 23, we're having Christmas In October here on the Sweet South Blog!

Several kind authors from the Christmas Mail-Order Angels series have agreed to appear on the blog and give away an e-copy of their novella. Also, we'll be running a Rafflecopter giveaway for an e-copy of the entire Volume 1 set, which includes the first six books of the series.

Here is the schedule for the week:


October 17th Martha Lou Rogers -- A Christmas Blessing
October 18th Darlene Franklin -- Jacob's Christmas Dream
October 19th Susan Page Davis -- The Reliable Cowboy
October 20th Cynthia Hickey -- Christmas Gold
October 21st Tanya Stowe -- The Evergreen Wreath
October 22nd Patty Smith Hall -- A Home for Christmas and Teresa Ives Lilly -- Cooking Up Christmas
October 23rd Lynette Sowell -- Mistletoe Mistake

***All winners will be announced November 1.***


To start us off, we have the lovely Martha Rogers, author of A Christmas Blessing. She's here answering a 1-Question Interview about her novella.




Riley Thornton needs a mother for his three children. Annelle Pugh needs to get away from her domineering father. She knows nothing about children, but answers the call for mail-order brides to Wyoming thinking she can learn on the job. Despite cooking and housekeeping disasters, tries hard to win the hearts of the children and Riley. Will Christmas bring the blessing the entire family needs to be complete?
  
Question:
Hi, Martha! What was your inspiration for your hero's occupation in this book?

Answer:
Although I’m a true city girl in Texas, horses and ranch life have fascinated me since childhood. Whenever possible, a rancher or a cowboy will be my choice for a hero. Although I live in Texas where ranches abound, Wyoming is a place with as many if not more cowboys than Texas, so having my hero be a rancher seemed quite logical to me. I grew up watching John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and Gene Autry, and others portray cowboys in the movies and James Arness on TV. I wanted myhero to be as brave as John Wayne and James Arness. 


Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and the author of the Winds Across the Prairie and Seasons of the Heart series as well as the novella, Key to Her Heart in River Walk Christmas and Not on the Menu in Sugar and Grits. Her latest series, The Homeward Journey, has three books, Love Stays True, Love Finds Faith, and Love Never Fails. She was named Writer of the Year at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in 2009 and is a member of ACFW. She writes the weekly Verse of the Week for the ACFW Loop. ACFW awarded her the Volunteer of the Year in 2014. Her first electronic series from Winged Publications, Love in the Bayou City of Texas, debuted in the spring of 2016.. Martha is a frequent speaker for writing workshops and the Texas Christian Writers Conference. She is a retired teacher and lives in Houston with her husband, Rex. Their favorite pastime is spending time with their eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Martha has generously offered to give away an e-copy of A Christmas Blessing! To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to be entered. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

Enter to win Christmas Mail-Order Angels Volume 1 via the Rafflecopter below.

Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

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Thursday, October 15, 2015

12 Brides of Summer Novella Collection #3 ~ Reviewed



Dog Days of Summer by Margaret Brownley

When Jed and Merrilee discover they co-own the same dog, mayhem--and a little bit of match-making--breaks loose. What do you get when you involve a match-making dog, a piano teacher, and a stargazing, "womanizing" blacksmith? A shoo-in for animal-lovers and romance fans alike. A light, fluffy romance, but the author's voice makes this story sing.


Dogwood Blossom Bride by Merrilee Ferrell 

A beautiful tomboy and a cowboy scarred by his adventurous sister's death lock horns when his niece begins to emulate the pretty woman's reckless ways. The characterization is delightful and skillfully done, especially with the main characters and the niece, who displays very believable behavior for a child her age. On the other hand, the emotions between the hero and heroine seem a bit rushed and melodramatic as the romance propels virtual strangers to confessions of love and marriage plans within a few short days. Also, the hero tearfully pours out his deeply personal past wounds to the heroine within hours of meeting and deciding he doesn't trust her. The faith element came across a bit forced. Overall, though, a sweet, clean story.


The Lumberjack's Bride by Pam Hillman

City girl Lucy Denton takes cooking lessons from a lumberjack's elderly mother whose kind, over-protective son becomes a threat to Lucy's Chicago-bound heart. This story took me back to the time of brawny lumberjacks, outdoor cooking ranges, logger’s games, and mess hall tents. The hero starts out a bit grouchy--which I loved. He’s super protective, and when he sees anyone in danger, he turns all bossy and command-man. It’s flat adorable. Then there’s the heroine. She’s delicate and feminine, coming from “up north.” No one thinks she’ll last long in the logging camp, but she cinches up her boots and gets to work learning how to trek the woods and cook with the rest of the women. Ending with a twist I didn’t see coming, this story had me at, “Timber!” and I couldn’t put it down.


***I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest opinion.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Encouragement for the Waiting: Waiting Is a Time for Preparation

Preparation: (n.) the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration.

  • Preparation involves Strengthening (Psalms 27:14, 31:24, 71:16; Ps. 16:11; Is. 12:2-3)

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Nehemiah 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is our strength. The Bible also says, “In His Presence is fullness of joy.” God himself gives joy. Joy comes from our relationship with Christ and our closeness with him. Our salvation is a well of joy we can continually draw from. When nothing else goes right, we can rejoice because our name is written in heaven (Luke 10:20). If your name isn’t written in heaven, it can be. The gospel is how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures in I Cor. 15:3. Jesus loves you and desires to save you. Find out more HERE

  • Preparation also involves Stepping Out On Faith (Heb. 11:6; Mk. 10:52; Lk. 8:48, 17:14, 19).

Mark 10:52  And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

Luke 8:48  And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Luke 17:19  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

This next verse speaks of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed:

Luke 17:14  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

The ten lepers in the Bible were healed “as they went.” This is not talking about getting ahead of God, but when we pray, believing, we should prepare our life for the answer. Ask it, and act like it. If you’re praying for rain, carry an umbrella.

  1. If praying for or saving up for new musical instrument, learn how to play as much as you can before. 
  2. If you're praying for a publishing contract for that awesome book you've written, keep writing new material and meeting potential readers and studying the craft!
  3. If praying for a husband, consider all the things you’d be doing to care for and respect a husband and give God, your dad and your brothers the same time and courtesy. Start scheduling “dates” with God. See more HERE.
  4. If praying for a family of your own, learn to cook, plan meals, and baby-sit. If you live at home with parents and siblings, volunteer to help your mother out and take charge of keeping house for a week.
  5. If praying for a job, start keeping that schedule, filling that time with volunteer work at your house, church, or a local nursing home until you get an interview.

A great example of this stepping out in faith is my friend Terri who prayed for a child for eight years. I’ve been following her on Pinterest for a while, and she would always be pinning little baby things to a board called “Faith Is the Substance…” from the verse Hebrews 11:6, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

I would see her pinning those baby things, knowing for years they had hoped for a baby, yet it hadn’t come to pass. And oh me of little faith, *face palm* I’m ashamed I thought it now, but I kind of felt sad for her, you know. She was still hoping for a baby after all this time.

Well, let me eat a piece of humble pie here, and confess that in February of this year I got to see Terri and meet her gorgeous baby girl, Gracie, for the first time.  

My inner dialogue as I browse Gracie’s precious baby photos on Facebook:
Me: I’m sorry, God.
God: Isn’t she beautiful?
Me: Yes, she’s beautiful.
God: I knew all along when she would be born, and she came in my perfect timing. 
Me: Yes sir, God.
God: You didn’t think I could do it did you?
Me: *biting my lip to keep from grinning* I’m sorry God.

Another cool example of preparing while praying, is the couple Eric and Leslie Ludy. They wrote a book together about their courtship—a sweet love story and an EXCELLENT book on relationships—When Dreams Come True. Reads like a novel, but it’s a true story. Love that book.

In the book, Leslie talks about how before they married, when they were just pals, she was jealous of Eric’s future wife, because even before he knew who she would be, he wrote poetry to his future wife. He wrote a song for her. In all his interactions with other ladies, he behaved as if he was already married. In his heart, he already belonged to the wife he’d asked God for, and he was protecting their relationship even though he didn’t know who she was. How romantic is that? Seriously.

Eric prayed and Eric prepared, believing God would answer. What a beautiful gift when they finally married and Leslie knew how well he had guarded his life as a single man and had saved himself for her.

We also should ask God for what we’re waiting on, then prepare for the answer. But use common sense. If you pray God will heal your broken leg, don’t go river dancing before it’s well. If you pray “even so come quickly, Lord Jesus,” don’t go jump off the roof so you can get a head start on the rapture. We have to use common sense. :P


Preparation involves Separation.

You may feel you’ve been “passed over,” while you watch your friends enjoy blessings you are still praying for. The waiting means God is preparing you for something wonderful. Stay faithful to Him. Don’t settle. While we are waiting, God is working. Working on us, on others, on our circumstances.

James 4:10 says, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.



James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.