Carla Stewart’s writing reflects her passion for times gone by. She believed in Jesus, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. She's a country girl living now in a mid-sized city with her engineering husband who just happens to be her best friend and biggest fan.She and her husband have four adult sons and delight in the adventures of their six grandchildren.
FROM CARLA:
I grew up in the Texas Panhandle with two younger sisters and loving parents. Small town school. Great neighbors. Today, those small-town, fundamental things resonate within me -- the twang in people's voices, the art of being neighborly and just being a decent human being.
Growing up, I preferred the company of books over TV and playing outdoors. I imagined myself in many different careers, but given my down-to-earth raising, I settled on nursing. I didn't faint at the sight of blood and did well in science, so it seemed a natural choice.
I worked as a registered nurse off and on through the years, but primarily I stayed home with my four rambunctious boys and dreamed of the day when I could write the novels I loved to read. When our youngest son was in high school, I quit my job as a nursing instructor and settled in to pen my first novel. It's been quite a journey. One I wouldn't trade for anything.
I'm committed to writing the stories of my heart and am truly thankful to Jesus, my Savior, for allowing me this freedom. May all the glory be His.
Chasing Lilacs is her first book!
ABOUT THE BOOK
It is the summer of 1958, and life in the small Texas community of Graham Camp should be simple and carefree. But not for twelve-year-old Sammie Tucker. Sammie has plenty of questions about her mother's "nerve" problems. About shock treatments. About whether her mother loves her.
When her mother commits suicide and a not-so-favorite aunt arrives, Sammie has to choose who to trust with her deepest fears: Her best friend who has an opinion about everything, the mysterious kid from California whose own troubles plague him, or her round-faced neighbor with gentle advice and strong shoulders to cry on. Then there's the elderly widower who seems nice but has his own dark past.
Trusting is one thing, but accepting the truth may be the hardest thing Sammie has ever done.
I mentioned in my previous post that due to a variety of factors, I am woefully behind on book reviews. My apologies to all involved for not getting these posted on time. I am going to begin to attempt to get caught up on these this week...so please bear with the abnormal number of book reviews here in the near future. I am also going to try to keep the non-book-review posts moving this week in order to break things up a bit. We'll see how that goes. :)
Terri Blackstock’s books have sold six million copies worldwide. Her suspense novels often debut at number one on the Christian fiction best-seller lists, and True Light, published last year, was number one of all Christian books—fiction and non-fiction. Blackstock has had twenty-five years of success as a novelist.
In 1994 Blackstock was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. Since that time, she’s written over thirty Christian titles, in addition to the thirty-two she had in the secular market. Her most recent books are the four in her acclaimed Restoration Series, which includes Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn’s Light. She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 and Cape Refuge Series.
In addition to her suspense novels, she has written a number of novels in the women’s fiction genre, including Covenant Child, which was chosen as one of the first Women of Faith novels, and her Seasons Series written with Beverly LaHaye, wife of Tim LaHaye.
Blackstock has won the Retailer’s Choice Award and has appeared on national television programs such as The 700 Club, Home Life, and At Home Live with Chuck and Jenny. She has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country and the subject of countless articles. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The murder of Krista Carmichael's fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God's justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome?
Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line.
Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Predator, go HERE.
Watch the book trailer video!
My notes: I've been a huge Terri Blackstock fan for years. Her suspense fiction always has me on the edge of my seat (or more often, clutching my pillow in the middle of the night!) Predator was no exception. I wanted to just take the day off and see "who-done-it", but I made myself stretch it out a bit longer than that. :)
I also appreciate that for Terri Blackstock, the term "Christian fiction" doesn't just mean a lack of profanity and gratuitous immorality. The "Christian" element in Predator is much deeper than a few mentions of church or someone saying grace at the table...and the plot is only enhanced by the very real spiritual struggles and victories of her characters.
If you enjoy Christian suspense fiction and/or Terri Blackstock, this one is not to be missed!
Okay, don't anyone have a heart attack, or pass out, or anything like that, but I am actually posting today. For the first time in....EEEEEEKKKK...a MONTH!! And an original post, at that, which I've only done once in the past TWO months. How in the world did THAT happen??? Well, let's see...during that time, we've done a wedding, had VBS, gone out of town, jumped into the youth department with both feet (four feet, actually, with Peter as a student and Mom as a teacher :)), dealt with random health issues and a weird foot injury, and...and...and...you get the picture! It's been a crazy summer. Throw some almost-but-not-quite-totally-resolved computer issues into the mix, and blogging just hasn't happened, despite the fact that it's been on *almost* every "To Do" list I've made lately! (Fortunately, the self-proclaimed blog police-woman has also been otherwise occupied lately and hasn't had much time to harass me....HA!) Hopefully this will be a turning point and I'll do better from here. We'll see how that goes.
Also, keep an eye peeled for a truck-load of book reviews in the near future. I cannot believe how far behind I've gotten on these during all the craziness. Some really great books, a not-so-great one or two, and a couple of just plain...interesting...ones. ;-)
FOR TODAY...August 2, 2010...(How in the world is it August already???)
Outside my window...Hot. Muggy. Hot. Sunny. The forecast keeps teasing us with rain that never quite gets here. And did I mention that it is hot? And no relief in sight... I am thinking...about all that needs to be done today and this week. Lots of catching up to do, lots of planning to be done, and then just plain buckling down and "getting it done". Also trying to come up with a game plan to get this house a bit cooler...it's hot inside as well as out at the moment! I am thankful for...God's protection from fire in the wee hours of the morning today! Billy woke up hearing popping noises, and when he got up to investigate, discovered that the cord/plug/outlet to our trusty bedroom window AC were just about to ignite. The plug is absolutely charred. Although I really wish that it had made it a *few* more weeks...as it is our main nighttime source of cool air, I am *so* thankful for God's protection in waking Billy up, and in Billy's vigilance to get up and check things out! Bayley had actually woken me up just a little bit before that and asked why the air didn't feel as cool as usual. Still half asleep, I mumbled something about it being hotter than usual outside and the air having a hard time keeping up, and then promptly feel back to sleep. :-O From the learning rooms...Our "summer school" has been much more hit and miss this summer than I had planned, and now it is time to get in high gear and get this work done so that we'll be ready to move on in the fall! We're also working on getting back into our routine after a crazy couple of months. I am hoping this will be a calm, productive week! From the kitchen...I have lots of good intentions this week, but our un-air-conditioned kitchen is too hot these days to spend any more time in than I have to! Hoping to make some no-bake and crock pot snacks and desserts this week, and planning several salad-based meals to try to beat the heat. We're using up leftovers today...yay! I am creating...Bayley's birthday party invitations. :) Or I will be, with her help, later today. We're finalizing plans for her Mother/Daughter scrapbook crop birthday party, and then Emlyn and I have to nail down plans for *her* birthday. August is a busy birthday month here! (And as I type that, I realize something else I have to be thankful for today...that I am not dealing with this heat 8.5 months pregnant as I was 9 and 11 years ago this time! :)) I am going...as few places as possible this week! Dropping off and picking up Peter from "Tuesdays at the White House" tomorrow night, church/choirs on Wednesday, an appointment Friday afternoon and a get-together Friday night are the only things on the calendar right now. Hoping to keep errands and such to a minimum in this heat and try to get a LOT done at home this week! I am reading...I am actually "between books" right now...an odd spot for me to be in. :) Other than a book on women's health issues that I am reading a tidbit at a time, I haven't decided what to read next since finishing Evolving in Monkey Town this morning. As I mentioned, I have quite a few book reviews to get done, so I hope to make a big dent this week in reviewing what I've already read, and re-organize my "to be read" stack as I decide what to read next. I am hoping...that maybe, just maybe, we'll get a little break in this heatwave, despite the weatherman's predictions to the contrary. (One can always hope, right?? :)) I am hearing...fans whirring, children finishing up chores, Emlyn and Ammah Grace singing quietly as they work... ♥ Around the house...trying to restore some order after a busy weekend! One of my favorite things...blogging. :) Even though I haven't been able to blog much in the last couple of months, I've *thought* about blogging, and missed posting regularly! I'm looking forward to keeping up better in the days to come, and hopefully posting a bunch of the posts that have been swirling around in my head during this time. :) A few plans for the rest of the week: Getting back to basics with school, house, food prep, etc., the few scheduled events I mentioned earlier, and hopefully getting some planning done for the remainder of the summer and this fall.
Picture thought I'm sharing...Sunset at Lake Catherine last time we were there...wish we were there now!!!
I really am going to actually blog again soon...I promise. But tonight I "happened" to be searching for something I thought I had posted before, and ran across this post from almost two years ago in the process. God has continued to teach us about His sovereignty and show us His glory and faithfulness in the intervening two years, but I needed to re-read this tonight, and thought I'd share it again here.
Like waves from the sea, sometimes washing in gently, sometimes crashing mightily against the shore...reminders of His sovereignty continue to bombard me. It seems like I need those daily, hourly, and sometimes even minute by minute reminders these days as the battle continues to rage between trust and fear. As long as my eyes are on those glimpses of His sovereignty, His goodness, His love, and His mercy, trust triumphs and peace...however fragile it feels at times...reigns. But the minute my eyes go back to the threatening storm...I feel myself begin the tumble toward the pit.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning;
Great is thy Faithfulness.
~Lamentations 3:22
Every day, He is faithful to send new reminders...scripture, books, songs, even blogs...that He is in control, that nothing that comes to us can come without first passing through His hand, and that He *is* working for our good and for His glory. I am so thankful for that.
Yesterday I meandered over to the blog of an online friend...and quickly realized that my "meandering" had been no accident, but God's direction. As I read, I felt something I've felt a time or two before in reading a book, a blog, etc....a feeling that, despite the fact that we have never met, we've been students in the same class: "The Sovereignty of God 101". Julie's blog, In Light of Eternity, has in and of itself already been a tremendous encouragement to me. Her post There are no Accidents is an absolute must-read. She says, "Contemplating the Sovereignty of God is an amazing exercise." I agree, and I so identify with her thoughts on "a sideline God".
While perusing her blog, I came across a link she had posted to this article on Adversity. The article is actually a sample chapter from the book, When Grace Comes Home, by Terry L. Johnson, which has now been added to my "Want to Read" list. In the meantime, the sample chapter is excellent. He says so well what God has been teaching me lately. Instead of asking "Why is there suffering?", we should be asking, "Why is there blessing?" (he uses the words pain and pleasure.) I *love* this quote...
"Only when we understand that God has ordained our suffering can we begin to make sense of it. Only then can we be certain that He has a purpose in it.
When tragedy comes, when adversity strikes, we will not be shaken.
Yes, we will cry. Yes, we will grieve.
But we will move on confidently
knowing that God is on His throne,
that we are in His hand,
that our circumstances are His doing,
and He is working them for our good."
~Terry L. Johnson
And in some sort of "link to link" exercise, I traveled from Julie's blog to Annemarie's The Days Fashioned For Me. I look forward to reading more there, but right now I am pondering her post To Lie or To Tell the Truth. Ouch. I think there are certainly times when answering with the ever-expected "Fine" is, well, fine. They're being polite, we're being polite, and all is...fine. But then there are those times when we know someone is asking the deeper question, and our answer is not motivated by courtesy, but rooted in pride. She suggests that in those times, we are actually stealing the glory of God. OUCH, again. Quote for thought:
"That's right. Go ahead, steal God's glory.
What?!? Yep, it's by far easier to fake it, than admit that we are only existing by the sheer grace of God. When does God get glory in our life? When we suffer and yet praise Him. Therefore I ask, can He get glory if we don't admit that we suffer?"
~Annemarie, The Days Fashioned for Me
Am I thankful right now for the underlying circumstances God is using as our classroom in the School of Suffering and Sovereignty? To be honest, no. I'm not there yet. But...am I thankful for the lessons He is teaching us through those circumstances...lessons I know could not have been learned any other way? Definitely yes. Through the storm clouds, He has graced us with glimpses of His sovereignty that are beyond amazing. For those glimpses, I am thankful.
Eeeeekkk. I just realized that it has been 23 days since I last blogged. I think that may be a record, even for me. :) It's been a bit of a busy month, with wedding prep & the wedding, VBS prep, teaching a new Sunday School class, Peter starting youth activities, and then VBS this week.
I'm way overdue on some book reviews...I don't even want to think about how many!...and I have a list of blog posts half a mile long for "someday"....but for tonight, just a few quick "back seat snippets" until I can get back into the groove again. :)
It's always interesting to me how much the dynamics of things change when the two "big kids" are gone, and it's just the younger girls and mom. Tonight was one of those nights...Dad, Peter, and Bayley went to help some friends paint, and the little girls and I had to make a quick run to Wal-Mart to pick up VBS pictures for tomorrow.
All of my children are...hmm, what word shall I use?...rather talkative. Ammah Grace is not so talkative in a group, but get her one on one and she can talk non-stop for hours. (Trust me, I know from experience. Hours. Literally.) Emlyn is the quietest of all our children...but while she seems quiet compared to her two older siblings, had she been a firstborn or only child I think she would definitely have been considered a talker. :)
So...it is always fun (and sometimes just plain sweet) to hear the conversations that occur when the more "aggressive" talkers are away. Here are a few snippets from tonight...
***
Emlyn: Mom, I love Peter and Bayley and all, but it would be a lot of fun if it was just Gracie and me. We wouldn't ever fight or argue if Bayley and Peter were gone.
Mom: Oh, really?
Emlyn: Well, once a week. That's all. Once a week. See? That would be MUCH better!
***
It looked like it was about to rain when we left, and we had seen a bit of lightning. Ammah Grace was very afraid of being "struck". Emlyn was trying to make her feel better...
"It's okay, Gracie...the worst thing that can happen if the lightning gets us is that we would die. And if we are Christians and we die, we'll go to Heaven. And Heaven is wonderful! Besides, Mrs. Lucy is there, and Aaron, and Great-Papa, and Papaw. So, see? There's no reason to be afraid of the lightning!"
( I was glad I was in the front and they were in the back and it was beginning to get dark...that one made me teary.)
***
Ugh! There was a third conversation...a really funny one...that I had planned to post...and I can't remember what it was!! Maybe tomorrow. How frustrating. *Sigh*
“God delights in using ordinary Christians who come to the end of themselves and choose to trust in His extraordinary provision. He stands ready to allocate His power to all who are radically dependent on Him and radically devoted to making much of Him.”
Thank you for joining us for today's In "Other" Words. I'm excited to be hosting this week, and looking forward to seeing what others have shared on today's quote! Please link directly to your IOW post (rather than your main blog page) in the Mr. Linky below...this will enable everyone to find your post more easily. And be sure to visit the others who have shared today!
It's funny sometimes...not in a "haha funny" way, but an "interesting funny" way...how God works...and even funnier how much it still surprises me sometimes even though I have watched God work in strange and amazing ways for many years.
When I chose this quote for today, I was in a bit of a rush...I keep a file of quotes for use in various ways, and I went through it and quickly thought, "Oh, I love that one, and that is one I really need to think on more deeply." Plus, it's from one of my recent favorite reads, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream , by David Platt.
I had no idea at the time that I would also be sharing from Radical in last week's IOW post, or that last week's post would be on the necessity of the Holy Spirit's power in our lives. I also hadn't really given thought to the date I'd be posting...which was good, because if I had, I'm afraid it would have caused no end of anxiety! I've looked toward this week ever since December with much excitement, but also with the awareness that it would be an incredibly challenging week. Since that time, a few additional (exciting but challenging) opportunities have been added to the calendar as well....leaving me going in several directions at once, in a time when I don't multi-task as well as I used to! In addition, God has been slowly drawing...pushing? :)...us toward the idea of a possible ministry opportunity that at this point seems to be on the far distant horizon, but yet seems to be becoming more clear every day.
In the midst of it all, Satan bombards with doubts. Doubts about physical abilities, schedule issues, financial issues, and just plain old fear of failure.
Right now, physical abilities are a big concern. That's been a huge area of struggle for the past few years. This past week, I was hit hard there again. I was heading into a weekend full of heavier responsibilites than I generally commit to these days, and already praying for strength to fulfill them, knowing that this week would be very demanding as well, and I wouldn't really have "down time" in between to recuperate. Then mid-week, a major pain flare hit. And then on Friday I woke up with numbness and spasming in my right hand. I've had occasional issues with that before...usually when I am practicing the piano more than usual in preparation for a children's musical. However, the last few weeks I'd barely touched a piano. This was completely out of the blue. By evening, my left hand was affected as well.
And...the most important items on my list for that day and for the coming week all involved detail work with my hands.
My initial response was panic. My next was prayer. Not just my own, but asking several people I knew would pray faithfully to pray as well. As I did, I kept thinking "What on EARTH is going on? Why does this always happen when I need my hands the most?? And what is up with this NOW of all times? When I am having marathon piano practice sessions, I understand, but I haven't done anything to cause this now."
And then I realized. The other times that this has happened have been times...like this week...when I have desperately needed my hands. They have been times when I have had to say, "Lord, you know the task ahead, the responsibilities I have, the need to fulfill them so as not to let others down. These are your hands...you use them. You are going to have to make them work, because I can't." And He has. And it has been obvious that it was "all God" and none of me accomplishing those things.
There have been so many times over the last few years that God has used my physical abilities...or temporary lack of them...to remind me that I can...quite literally at those times!...do *nothing* without Him....that anything that is accomplished is *only* through His power. I realized Friday, as I sat watching my fingers look like they were playing a non-existent keyboard on my desk (when I wasn't "moving" them at all...eek!), that this was going to be another one of those times.
God has already, between Friday and today, shown His immeasurable power in my weakness. A friend and I were talking last night about the fact that my physical issues always seem to be the worst right before periods of larger than usual responsibilities. I said to her, "It's as though God is saying, 'I want you to know beyond ANY shadow of doubt that it is ME doing this...not you.'" It's so easy to forget that, but in those times He makes it crystal clear.
The "events" involved...then and now...are not earth-shattering ones. Important, yes. Exciting, yes. World-changing, no. :) But as I've pondered David Platt's quote, I have realized something. Those events...things like children's choir musicals and this weekend's wedding...and the faithfulness and power God has shown and is showing through them...have been a training ground for other things.
As I look toward more "serious" and long-term responsibilities and ministry opportunities...beginning to move into the jr. high/high school years of homeschooling, the youth girls' Sunday School class I begin teaching this week, and other ministry opportunities on the distant horizon...I realize that the same power that has gotten me through those events, the same power that is going to get me through the events of this week, is the power God offers for the "bigger" things as well.
God has definitely brought me to a realization of my own limitations...and not just in physical ways, but in other issues as well...over the past few years. But during those same years, He has taught me *so* much about who HE is...how big, and sovereign, and sufficient, and powerful, and the list goes on and on. David Platt's quote sums up where He has brought me and where I want to be right now. He has shown me my ordinary-ness, my limitations, has brought me often to "the end of my rope". I want to be radically dependent and radically devoted, so that His glory can't help but shine as He demonstrates His provision and His power in my life...not only in the "small things" that often *seem* so big at the time, but in bigger things than we can dream or imagine.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9
Thank you for joining us today! I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's quote. Post on your blog and add the link to Mr. Linky below, or feel free to share in the comments about what you are radically depending on God for today. And be sure to visit the other In "Other" Words participants to see what they have shared as well!
I'm excited to be hosting today's In "Other" Words. Please come back in just a bit and share your thoughts on this week's quote:
“God delights in using ordinary Christians who come to the end of themselves and choose to trust in His extraordinary provision. He stands ready to allocate His power to all who are radically dependent on Him and radically devoted to making much of Him.”
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