Today’s guest post comes from author M. Jean Pike. It’s a delight to hear about her love for the parable of the Prodigal Son and learn a bit about her upcoming book release. Welcome, Jean!
Think you’ve run too far away for God to find you? Think you’ve messed up too badly this time to ever be forgiven? Think you’ve come to the end of God’s grace? Sweet friend, you haven’t. All those sins and shortcomings, all those terrible mistakes? Jesus paid the price for every one of them. Because his love for you is unfathomable.
I’ve always loved the parable of the Prodigal Son. I love the father, watching and waiting for his son to return home, and finally, seeing him far off in the distance, he runs to meet him. That’s how our heavenly Father is. As badly as you want to reconcile with Him, he wants that even more.
So, I wanted to write a story on this theme, a story that would offer hope to God’s wayward children. And hopefully, in some small way, encourage them to come home.
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103: 10-14
Lord, help me to be mindful of your unfathomable love. Help me to live in a way that honors and glorifies You. And when I fail, give me the courage to seek Your forgiveness and start again. In Jesus name.
A little about M. Jean Pike’s new book, The Little Things
A decade ago, Rochelle Delany made a decision that changed her life forever. Wanting more than just football games and potluck suppers, she boarded a bus for California and didn’t look back. But instead of a glamorous life, she became trapped in a nightmare of labor trafficking. Now, she’s made a daring escape and returns home to Ohio.
Sandy Fairbrother has a problem with trust. Twice betrayed, he now puts his faith only in God. He’s a single dad doing his best to grow his construction business and raise his young son. But haunted by an impulsive kiss Rochelle gave him fifteen years ago, her unexpected return has him rethinking things. He’s been given a second chance to win her heart. And this time, he plans to succeed.
Safe for the first time in years, Rochelle slowly begins to rebuild her life. But when her past catches up with her, she finds herself desperately in need of help from the man she rejected, and the God she’s forgotten how to pray to.
A little more about M. Jean Pike:
Changing seasons. Unexpected blessings. Love that lasts forever. These are a few of M. Jean Pike’s favorite things. With a writing career that has spanned two decades, Jean combines an insatiable curiosity about humans and why they do what they do with a keen interest in the quirky and offbeat things in life to bring readers unforgettable tales of life, love, and the inner workings of the human heart. You can find M. Jean Pike on her website. You can order her book on Amazon or directly from the publisher, Pelican Book Group.
I am thankful for the three fathers in my life. My dad has always been my greatest cheerleader and a man of stability and love. His love for me made it easy to see God the Father as my loving creator. I’m thankful to God that He gave me my dad.
My husband is wise and gentle, showing me his love in a million small ways. I love to watch him with our children and listen to him preach the Word. Finding him every morning sitting in the same chair with his bible open on his lap is a blessing beyond my ability to communicate. I’m thankful to God that He brought us together.
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
1 Corinthians 16:13
I’m thankful that both these men, in their own unique ways, have illustrated the unconditional love of God my Father. I’m thankful for a Father in heaven who pursues me, loves me, and promises to always be with me.
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.
