The world can wait

On Christmas Eve in 1965 something unusual happened in Barwell in Leicestershire.  Suddenly there was a blazing light in the skies.  A deafening crash boomed across the countryside.  People were alarmed.  Strange things started to land on the ground.  And then, as quickly as it began, it ended. What had happened?  A meteorite had struck.  Appropriately, astronomers think that it was about the size of a turkey when it broke through the earth’s atmosphere.  It was followed by a sonic boom as the rock became a fireball and exploded into thousands of pieces.  So there was light.  There was noise.  There was alarm.  It was all very unusual. Luke 2:8-20 tells us about another occasion when there was light in the sky, when there was noise, and when there was great alarm.  A crowd of angels appear.  There’s a blazing light in the sky as they come.  The countryside reverberates to the explosive roar of their words as they ascribe glory to God.  The shepherds who see them are scared ou

Blurb: After her grandparents as forced to live apart through assisted living, and then die within nine days of each other, intrepid entrepreneur Calissa Ladd is devastated. She's always wanted to experience the same lifelong love modeled by her grandparents, but her heart isn't where it needs to be as she clings to the past for answers and then starts having vivid dreams of a long-ago time period. Deferential banker Monte McQueen has loved Calissa since they were children, but he procrastinates making a commitment to her. He stands by as Calissa gets stuck in the past. Calissa clings to the decrepit homestead that belonged to her family, searching and seeing visions into the past. Will she overcome her skewed beliefs and reclaim her relationship with the Lord as Monte pushes his love of Christmas on her? Or will she forfeit her happily-ever-after? Extract: The girls blew into Calissa’s apartment from the patio entrance, where they toed off their boots. Had

Book Blurb: While the Israelites struggle to occupy the Promised Land of God, Mahlah bat Zelophehad is orphaned and left to care for her four sisters. But daughters of the dead are unable to inherit land, and it will take a miracle for Mahlah to obtain the means to care for her sisters and uphold the vow she made to her dying mother. Mahlah must seek Moses, the leader of her people, and request something extraordinary—the right for a daughter to inherit her deceased father’s land. A right that will upset the ox-cart of male inheritance and cast her in the role of a rebel. But, God is the protector of the orphan and the widow, and five orphaned daughters need His help. With God, anything is possible. Even changing man’s tradition. Excerpt:        Back and forth inside their tent, Mahlah paced. “God of Jacob, give me wisdom. Is this what You would have Your servant do? I see no other way to save my sisters and carry my family name into Canaan, Your Promised Land.” Swe

Can she trust his charming smile, or is he working with the enemy? Christmas is a time for miracles, and Dessa Courtland desperately needs one. The widow of an outlaw, and with two small children and another on the way, she’s been shunned by neighbors who believe she is still consorting with outlaws. The leader of her husband’s gang has been visiting because he thinks she has a pile of his ill-gotten gains, and he’s given her until Christmas Eve to turn it over—or else. When a deputy falls down her chimney, her daughters think St. Nick has arrived early, but Dessa thinks the lawman is the answer to her prayers. Deke Elliot is on the trail of a notorious outlaw who also happens to be his uncle. Deke is sent to watch Dessa and catch his uncle, but when he is injured chasing a man off the roof of her dugout cabin, his plans go awry. He’d always thought Dessa Courtland wasn’t the type of woman to have dealings with outlaws, and after spending time with her, he’s certain she's

Christmas Favorites             My mother had the gift hospitality. Not only did she enjoy cooking and entertaining, but she was good at both. One of my favorite possessions is her recipe book. I love looking at the stained pages and wondering how old I was when those markings were made. Or if I was even born.             Some of my fondest holiday memories are the times she and I made Christmas cookies together. My favorites were her cookie canes, maybe because my special job was using a hammer or meat cleaver to crush the peppermint sticks for the topping. (What child wouldn ’t love such a noisy activity?)             Her cookie canes were her masterpieces, and over the years, she probably made tens of thousands to give as gifts.             In The Unexpected Christmas Gift , Holly and her mother follow my Mom’s tradition and make these very same cookies to take to first responders and shut-in’s over the Christmas holidays.             I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Mistletoe Mission / Stacey Weeks Book two set in Mistletoe Meadows. Blurb: While her own relationships always end up doomed, Emily Colt is still determined to create happily-ever-afters through her wedding and event planning business. In hopes of expanding, she enters her latest project--staging the Christmas wedding of the year--into a town-wide contest. But between crossing paths with the first man to break her heart and dodging a saboteur, she doubts success is within her grasp. Jilted pastor, Luca Wilson, fled to the mission field to escape a broken heart. All the hurt rushes back when he returns home to officiate his cousin's wedding, and he finds Emily--the girl to whom he once promised forever--organizing the celebration.  Despite Luca's lost faith in love, their unforeseen reunion rekindles a spark, and Luca vows to help Emily save her struggling business. But to succeed, they will have to learn what it means to trust each other and believe in the God

Johnny Rocker believes he's doesn't need anyone or anything—especially God because after all he is a rock & roll god. When the floor beneath his feet crumbles—literally—he hurtles toward a different truth. Since the death of Maddie's family, she's run from life and love and become the best bodyguard she can be. But, with God's help, she's ready to step out of her comfort zone and into a different life. When her boss asks—no begs—her to take on one last job, she finds it hard to refuse. Someone is trying to kill mega-star Johnny Rocker. It's Maddie Cotton's job to make sure that doesn't happen. Even under Maddie's protection the threats continue. As Christmas approaches the danger escalates—someone doesn't want Johnny Rocker to see the new year, and they are willing to kill Maddie as well. Johnny and Maddie will have to set aside their differences and learn to lean on each other and God if they want to see Christmas day.      

Blurb Crazy Creek, Wyoming saves Leah Hanes's life. Running on fumes and bald tires, she thanks heaven for Cookie and Jeanette Wimmer who recommend her to the Rocking J Ranch as a winter cook. Leah arrives to discover the ranch and the people need more than a cook. Noel Johansen, heir of the Rocking J, happily left for the big city years ago. When he loses his family in a terrible accident, the best thing for everyone is to sell the place, ditch the memories, and move on. But his brother-in-law has other plans, and the beautiful new cook they've hired for the season threatens Noel's desire to remain detached. The ranch represents Noel's future and selling it becomes more important than ever when one more tragedy leaves him with nothing. But memories can't be bought and sold, nor can a broken conscience heal itself. Home, heart, and future are irrevocably tied in Crazy Creek. Excerpt Cupcake was a liar. The vision before him was not some hardened w