On Mother’s Day, we honour mothers. It is a beautiful celebration of this gift from God called parenthood. We say happy Mother’s Day because mothering to the glory of God is difficult but marvelous.
Here are the three that made me a mom and the two moms God gave me.
But Mother’s Day can be painful for many, so I also hold space for those who have lost a mother, long to be a mother, never got to hold their little one, or have lost a child. God sees you, loves you, and knows you.
Happy Mother’s Day to all spiritual mothers reaping eternal rewards for the kingdom.
You only have to watch the news once to know that we live on a fallen planet, a planet filled with darkness and suffering. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of evil in the world, especially as it seems to be flourishing. So, what are we to do? Stop watching the news is one way to combat the “darkness fatigue,” and that’s not a terrible strategy. If you’re like me, however, you want to keep up with world events. Personally, I have compromised by cutting back on the number of times I watch news programs, from every day to only a couple of times a week.
Another strategy is to watch the news with a different perspective—to observe events unfolding and consider how they might line up with Biblical prophecy or God’s unfolding plans for humanity. And to watch with a deep desire and commitment to pray for the people involved in the stories being told—both victims and perpetrators—as well as for wisdom for world leaders and all those in authority. Ultimately, we pray for peace and justice, even as we know that perfect peace and justice will only be achieved when Christ returns.
My latest romantic suspense series, two sparrows for a penny, delves into one of the darkest issues prevalent today—human sex trafficking. Although this is a difficult topic to read—and write—about, it is an important one for us to be aware of and to be thinking and talking about. After all, unless we acknowledge the existence and extent of the darkness, we cannot comprehend the healing, redemptive power of the light.
The series title comes from Matthew 10:29, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” And that is the theme of these books, that God sees these precious women (and some men and children). He has not abandoned them. He loves and cherishes them and, one day, He promises that perfect judgment will be meted out against those who perpetrate such evil against the weak, the vulnerable, and the exploited.
Join me in praying for that day, and for all those caught up in this heinous practice, that they might personally experience the truth of John 1:5, that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Sara Davison is a Word, Cascade, and two-time Carol Award winner of romantic suspense. She resides in Ontario with her husband, Michael, and their three mostly grown kids. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org
Some fun changes are happening online, and you have a few kind comments from your fellow readers to thank.
First, some context.
Writers can feel like they are speaking into a black hole. It can feel like no one is listening. You write something and hope it resonates with someone, but that someone is often no one. Or so you think.
That’s how I’ve felt lately, until a small spark of connection revealed that I was not only heard, but missed.
In the unending deluge of information we often find in virtual spaces, a reader noticed something was absent from my previous online contributions. My heart leapt for joy as she expressed how she missed it. Her comment delighted me, and I felt validated and energized to keep going.
You see, kind words are like gems carefully sprinkled around for us to find when least expecting them – a sparkle of joy that cheers up bad days and scatters doubts. It’s amazing how a single word can provide strength during moments filled with dark clouds.
I know there’s no guarantee anyone will read my words, much less appreciate them. I’m not owed an audience. A readership is earned. That’s partly what makes it so rewarding to hear that my thoughts have mattered to another. So this post is about saying thank you. Thank you to the people who hit reply on the monthly newsletter. Those one-line responses mean the world to me. Thank you to those who engage on social media with a comment, a smiley face, or a thumbs up. It shows me someone saw me. And thank you to the handful of people who have mentioned how they missed Write the Next Line Wednesday.
Write the Next Line Wednesday
I’m bringing back the word game! Write the Next Line Wednesday is easy to play. I’ll provide a sentence or two, and you write what you think should come next in the comments. We’ll play the game on my Facebook and Instagram pages on Wednesday evenings. I hope to see you there.
Until then, keep reading, and when you have a minute or two to spare, send someone a message of encouragement. It will mean the world to them.
I have a confession to make. I’m a mean person. Yup, it’s true. And you’re probably thinking that being mean is nothing to boast about, especially at Christmastime, when little elf ears might overhear and put me on Santa’s naughty list. But I’ve got to tell you, I’m proud of how hard I’ve worked to cultivate my mean streak. I had to!
After all, no one wants to read about perfect characters that nothing bad ever happens to. We might want to read books with a happy ending, but first, we want the characters to earn the right to get there.
That was the most important lesson I had to learn when I started writing for publication. I had to force myself to be really, really, really mean to my characters.
Of course, ultimately, my goal in making my characters’ lives miserable is to bring them out the other side as better people. There’s a reason why James instructed believers to consider it pure joy when we face trials and tribulations. Because the testing of our faith helps us to mature.
So, if I have such good intentions for my created characters, how much better must the intentions of God—the author and perfector of our faith—be for us?
Now, unlike me, God’s not deliberately being mean.
Even if it can feel that way sometimes.
In a novella I recently finished, my characters were missing out on their happily ever after because of their fears of being hurt. Or at least that was their problem as I—the character’s creator—saw it!
But hey, what do I know?
I came to realize, thanks to Stacey’s insight, that what was really going on is something that happens to a lot of us when our life derails and we get hurt. We attempt to control everything within our power as a means of coping with our fear of the future.
And that quest for some semblance of control can usurp God’s rightful place in our heart and become the thing we cling to instead of God, because we’re no longer willing to trust Him with our future.
Granted, it’s easier for me to tap a few keys on my keyboard to compel my characters to not let fear rule their lives, than it is for us to do it in real life. But if you’re feeling in a dark place this Christmas season, I urge you to trust that God still has an amazing story to tell with your life.
The angels’ proclamation to the shepherds that first long ago Christmas is good news, precisely because our salvation through Jesus is a gift, not something to be earned.
Speaking of gifts, it’s tempting to think if I just had—fill in the blank—I’d be happy. Children sure think that way when they eagerly write a Christmas gift wish list.
Yet, oftentimes, when the stuff we think we want is stripped away is when we finally see what we truly need. For myself, I’ve noticed that when I don’t spend time with God, dissatisfaction can quickly seep into my days. Have you ever had that happen and found yourself blaming your job, or spouse, or children, or the state of your home, or whatever?
The glorious news of the Christmas story is that you were created by a God who loves you. A God who sent his Son in the form of a precious babe to deliver us from the sin that separates us from Him. And finding our hope and purpose in Him alone is the best gift we can unwrap this Christmas.
Jillian Green’s holiday cheer nosedives when her great aunt’s friend, Herbert, is killed while helping them decorate for a fundraiser. But the case is more tangled than a strand of twinkle lights, and if Jillian can’t uncover the killer, Herbert’s night might not be the only one silenced this Christmas.
At the time of posting, Boughs of Folly is part of a three-book bundle. This set of three hardcover books, currently on sale for $9.95 USD at Annie’s Catalog, would make a great gift for the cozy mystery reader on your Christmas list.
Sandra Orchard writes fast-paced, keep-you-guessing stories with a generous dash of sweet romance. Touted by Midwest Book Reviews as “a true master of the [mystery] genre,” Sandra celebrated the publication of her 25th novel, Boughs of Folly, in 2022. Her novels have garnered numerous Canadian Christian writing awards, as well as, an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a Holt Medallion and a Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. She writes for Love Inspired Suspense, Revell, Annie’s Fiction and Guideposts. Connect with Sandra through her website (SandraOrchard.com) or Facebook.
Can you believe Christmas is almost upon us? Didn’t we just put it away? I love this time of year, and when you come to my house, you can tell. I have decorations in almost every room. Yes, it takes lots of time to decorate, but it’s so pretty when it’s finished!
Is it just me, or does Christmas seem to come earlier every year? People start putting decorations up even before Halloween is over. Don’t get me wrong, I love decorating, but the season comes and goes too quickly. I want to savor every moment. Isn’t Christmas the most wonderful time of the year? What’s not to love? Watching Christmas movies, colorful lights flickering under a fresh blanket of snow, spending time with family and friends, etc.
Some would disagree—for one reason or another.
In Explosive Christmas Showdown, Olive Wells is thrust into the season by having to save everyone she loves from the dangerous Jingle Bell Bomber. Everywhere she goes, she’s reminded of the season—one she’d rather sleep through after a tragic event stole her joy years ago on Christmas day. The circumstance also dimmed her light of celebrating Christ’s birth and put doubts in her mind about His sovereignty. She doesn’t feel God is in control any longer.
However, by the end of the story, Olive’s spirit of Christmas is restored, and she’s decorating a tree with those she loves. She’s thankful for her amazing family, but most of all—her renewed trust in Jesus.
It doesn’t matter when we put up our decorations as long as we remember why we celebrate. Like Olive, let’s not forget why we give our houses the “Festive Touch.” Jesus is the reason for the season!
Christmas is indeed the most wonderful time of the year!
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luke 2:10 (KJV)
Merry Christmas, everyone! Have a precious time with your family and friends.
A bomber brings terror to Christmas as the presents go tick…tick…boom.
With criminal investigative analyst Olive Wells at the center of a bomber’s dangerous game, she’ll do anything to catch the culprit—even work with her ex-fiancé and his K-9 detector dog. But with the Christmas rampage drawing ever closer, Zac Turner’s convinced the attacks are personal. Can they piece together their ties to the bomber…before another gift explodes?
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning and best-selling author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene through her website, where there’s suspense beyond borders. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, BookBub, Goodreads, and Amazon.
