It’s hard to imagine a more powerful and incomprehensible truth than that the God of the universe sees, knows, and loves us intimately. Whenever I think of it, I echo King David’s words from Psalm 8:4, “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”
Two Sparrows for a Penny series
This idea, that God is always with us and sees and knows us, is the theme threading through all my romantic suspense novels, maybe none more so than my series two sparrows for a penny. This series follows the stories of three foster sisters—Tala, Rose, and Jae—who make a rash decision to run away from the foster mother they love, Felicity, after finding out she is dying. Convinced Children’s Aid will separate them, they throw together a plan to leave home in the middle of the night and find a place to hide out for a few months, until Tala and Rose turn eighteen.
The plan does not go well. A few blocks from home, a white van pulls to the curb and four men jump out. Tala and Rose are taken and spend the next eight years being trafficked (not spoilers – all of this happens before the series begins). Jae manages to get away, but she then disappears, and no one sees or hears anything from her during those eight years.
Tala manages to hold on to her strong faith during this horrific time. As she says later:
“I felt him. He was always with me—every time a man came into my room or Brady hit me or another girl disappeared. And God spoke to me, too, through beauty. There were always moments of beauty, even in the midst of all the horror.”
“Like what?” Cole couldn’t imagine beauty surviving in a place like that.
“My room had a window, high up. I couldn’t reach it to look out, but I could see the branches of a tree outside. Every season brought a gift—buds bursting out of their shells, thick green leaves with birds flitting between them, the stunning colors of fall, snow drifting softly from the sky to land on the bare branches and glisten in the moonlight. All of it even more breathtaking in contrast to the ugliness on my side of the window. The beauty of creation resonated deep inside me, as though God was using it to reach through the glass and let me know he saw me, that he hadn’t abandoned me. It gave me hope that one day there would be beauty in my life again, and that hope helped me to survive.”
In contrast, Rose struggles to hold on to her faith, to believe that God has not abandoned her. After she is rescued, she and Tala have this conversation:
They propped their elbows on the top frame of the lower pane of glass and gazed at the moon, the silent fields below glimmering silver. As far as Rose could see, those tiny flickering candles in the sky pushed back the darkness of the night. Tala nudged her gently. “What would you wish for tonight?”
The last prayer-wish Rose had made—for freedom from captivity—had come true. What were the desires weighing most heavily on her heart tonight?
“Peace. Healing. Joy. Hope.”
Tala kept her gaze fixed firmly on the heavens. “Love?”
“I have that already. From you and Felicity and Tag. My family.”
“What about from God? Can you feel his love?”
Rose gazed up at a star twinkling more brightly than the rest. “I think I’m starting to, yes. And maybe, when I look back, I felt it during those years at Brady’s too. Only I wasn’t sure what it was. Or I was scared to trust it.”
Two Sparrow for a Penny: books 1 & 2
The first two books in the series, Every Star in the Sky and Every Flower of the Field, are stories of healing in the aftermath of human trafficking. What Tala and Rose both come to see is that, even in the darkest, most evil circumstances imaginable, God was there, watching over them like He did the flowers of the field. And He saw them and knew their names like He did every star in the sky. That truth allows them to begin their journey of healing and finding love.
Two Sparrows for a Penny: book 3
Book three, Every Bird That Falls, tells the story of Jae, the third foster sister. Jae was not raised with a faith. When she comes to Felicity’s home, she sees faith in God in action for the first time and is deeply impacted by the love and grace her new foster family shows her. What happens to her during those eight years also tests her faith, but looking back she can see that God’s eye was on her, that, as no bird falls without his knowledge, He saw everything that happened to her and He was watching over her.
The awareness that in the midst of their horrific circumstances they were never alone allows all three women to begin to heal, to open their hearts to trust and love again.
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Takeaway from Two Sparrows for a Penny
And that is what I hope and pray for every story I write—that readers will take away with them the reassurance that they are never alone. That whatever they are going through, whatever they may have done or others have done to them, God is faithful and has promised to never leave them or forsake them. And, as Lia, my heroine in another of my stories, The Color of Sky and Stone, reminds the hero, Tane, “What can separate us from the love of God? Nothing. And what can tear us out of his hand? Nothing. Those are promises straight from the Word of God, and he cannot break his promises and still be God.”
Let’s Chat
What verse or passage of Scripture reminds you most powerfully that God is with you and will never abandon you?
Sara Davison has a passion for writing stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats—and maybe swooning a little. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, including the Christy Award, Davison is a Cascade, Word, and two-time Carol Award winner for romantic suspense. She lives in Ontario with her husband, Michael. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better and subscribe to her short, monthly newsletter at www.saradavison.org.
Light shone through the distant trees. Daybreak was on the cusp of presenting itself—but would it bring the sun or more clouds? She needed a ray of hope after the darkness.
Buried Grave Secrets
What is your worst fear? I know you have one. I do.
After my father passed away, I was terrified of losing my mother. The thought of life without her was unbearable.
In 2006, Mom was diagnosed with the unthinkable. A fast-moving cancer invaded and seized her brain. My worst fear became reality. I wanted to crawl back into her arms and never let her go.
That wasn’t the end
Then a few years later, the other shoe dropped. My dear brother was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. Really, Lord? You’re going to take us through more darkness…so soon?
Again, I wanted to curl up in a ball, hide under the covers, and let the pain pass.
But God had other plans. He opened the door of my fears and let in a ray of light.
Hope and Light
After wrestling with Him, I began to learn I couldn’t run away from my fear. I had to walk through the darkness into the hope of His light.
If we don’t face our fears and learn to rely on God, we become stale and this inhibits our growth. We skirt around issues and try to live thinking they will go away. We run in circles and don’t get anywhere. Do we really want to live like that?
No. We need to face our fears and learn from them. Of course, this is not easy and I don’t have all the answers on how to do it, but I do know the One who can help. Our Savior. All we need to do is ask Him to turn on His light. Let it shine through the cracks to get us to the other side of the darkness.
In Buried Grave Secrets, Dr. Jordyn Miller battles her fears and in the end comes face-to-face with them in a cold, dark place. However, as a light emerges, so does her hope in God. Jordyn struggles with being a light in a darkened world, while Constable Colt Peters wrestles with his own inadequacies. Thankfully, they both were able to trust God, put their pasts behind them, and forgive not only others but also themselves. In doing so, God’s light lit a spark and soon illuminated their world.
What darkness are you going through today? I encourage you not to walk in circles around it but ask for God’s Light, and walk through it.
It’s the only way.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
When bones are found at an unmarked grave site—and then shots are fired—forensic anthropologist Jordyn Miller knows someone wants old secrets to remain buried. She’ll do anything to uncover the truth about these suspicious deaths, including accepting the protection of her ex-boyfriend, Constable Colt Peters, and his K-9. But with targets on their backs, can Jordyn stay alive long enough to bring a serial killer to justice?
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 at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
For many years of my Christian walk, I thought God answered prayer with either yes or no. Then about ten years ago, I heard a wonderful sermon and learned there is a third possible answer. It’s not “maybe,” it’s wait.
It’s all about God’s timing
Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes tells us, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (NIV). In my own experience, waiting stretches my faith muscles. I am assured that if the answer I’m hoping for is best for me, it will come in God’s time. And if it’s not in His will for me, He will firmly shut that door. Even if I am disappointed, I can have peace knowing that the Master Designer sees the bigger picture and will bring about the best answer at the right time.
I heard a great object lesson once that illustrates this. We’re watching a parade through a knothole in a fence, seeing only the present frame. God is at the end of the parade, seeing the entire thing from beginning to end.
In Sisters Ever After, the main theme is trusting God’s timing. Gianna seeks answers to the reason for her husband’s recent death. Brock is on the run with his daughter, looking for safety. When Gianna and Brock meet, they begin to unravel the mystery of Gianna’s husband’s death but keep running into walls. Soon, their friendship takes a turn. Both fight the attraction. It’s too soon. What will people think? A threat causes Brock to prepare to flee again. Why can’t they find the answers they need?
But God whispers to both of them, “Trust my timing.” When the still, small Voice speaks to us, we need to stop striving, and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10, NASB) and that He will work all things for good according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Can God work in the hearts of two single parents so their daughters can be Sisters Ever After?
Gianna Harper is living on borrowed time. Newly widowed, she’s struggling to hold things together at home and keep her business afloat while dealing with her late husband’s effects. But something’s not right, and now, Gianna is convinced he was involved in something a lot more sinister than questionable business dealings.
Brock Hennessey fled California to make a fresh start in northwestern Montana. He hopes he’s put enough miles between him and danger—banking on a promised job to give his family a new start in a safe place.
Circumstances pit Gianna and Brock against one another, and neither one is willing to give an inch. As their professional dealings grow more acrimonious, their daughters become best friends, and suddenly, the four of them are thrown into situations that have them acting, looking, and sounding like a real family.
But there are hurdles to overcome, and danger threatens. Can God work in the hearts of two single parents so their daughters can be Sisters Ever After?
The Bible tells us all who live godly in Christ will suffer. Trials are inevitable. As Christians, we should expect them. If you are not facing a trial now, I can guarantee at some point, you will encounter one. In my Christmas romantic suspense novella, 12 Days, the hero, Scott Newton, has trust issues stemming from growing up in a home with an alcoholic father. With God’s help, Scott’s faith grows.
Trials in 12 Days
Scott works as a deputy with the fictional Chanckoc County Sheriff’s Office in Blanchardville, Ohio. He and his partner, Cole Linville, are shot by a suspect. Scott is injured and recovers, but Cole dies. Cole’s death tests Scott’s faith again. As the story progresses, Scott will have to learn to trust God again as he faces yet another trial—the disappearance of his girlfriend.
Trials in my Life
In my own life, I have faced many trials, including experiencing infertility. Trusting God can be hard because unlike some Bible characters, like Hannah, for instance, we may not have a specific promise from God. We do have wonderful promises such as God’s promise never to leave us or forsake us. But when we pray about a specific situation, we usually don’t know the outcome. We have to trust God no matter what. When we read the Bible, we find sometimes God was there with His people and rescued them miraculously, like with the parting of the Red Sea. At other times, God didn’t provide a rescue, like with Stephen being stoned to death. Stephen died, but even in the face of death, God was still with him. Sometimes, when we feel let down by God, it’s because we trusted God, but only to provide the outcome we desired. We have to make sure our faith is in God regardless of the outcome of our situation.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
12 Days by Heidi Glick
Scott Newton retires from the sheriff’s office after a fellow officer is killed. Wracked by sorrow and the need for justice, Scott grows distant from his girlfriend, aspiring crime writer, Lindsay Billings. But, when Lindsay goes missing, and Scott discovers her research on the missing person cases thought to be the work of a serial murderer known as the Christmas Killer, Scott vows to find her at all costs. Police have never found the bodies of the people who went missing many Christmases ago, and Lindsay won’t become just another statistic.
Then, someone kills again in Blanchardville. Police locate a corpse atop one of seven inflatable swans on a pond, and another body in a pear tree. Scott receives odd texts from Lindsay’s phone and deduces they’re from the killer.
In order to save Lindsay, Scott agrees to meet the madman and play his game. As time runs out, Scott must learn to trust in God again, no matter what.
Author Karen Malley writes on adjusting our expectations, even at Christmas.
We’ll decorate the house with lights, I’ll make a ridiculous number of Christmas cookies, we’ll attend the candlelight service on Christmas Eve, we’ll set up a tree and exchange presents, we’ll gather with family…
We set expectations for Christmas, and frankly, for most things in life. We think we know what life is going to hand us, but sometimes God surprises us. In my new Christmas release, the main characters attend a church service where the pastor says the following:
“How many of you have certain expectations for Christmas?” Pastor Micah took a moment to gaze around the congregation. “I’m sure Mary and Joseph did, too. I can’t imagine Mary ever expected to deliver the Savior of the world amongst animals. She certainly didn’t expect shepherds to be the first to greet her newborn child, or for him to be laid in a feeding trough miles and miles from home.” “We have certain expectations about Christmas as well. And some of those are good. But keep in mind, God’s plans for you might be different. Life isn’t always about our plans. I encourage you this Christmas to open your heart to what God has planned for you.”
Unmet Expectations
There have been many times in my life when things didn’t go according to my expectations. Losing my dad, job loss, a cancer diagnosis, dear friends announcing a divorce… None of these were things I expected to happen. But God is faithful. He never says He won’t give us more than we can handle. But He does say He’ll be with us in the midst of it all.
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Sometimes, we have certain expectations, and God goes beyond them. I’m on the other side of my diagnosis, I’m in a job I love, and I’ve been blessed to be able to write multiple books! We don’t know the future, but God does. There’s such comfort in that. He knows exactly how to guide us because He knows the way. He’s never surprised by what happens to us. So why do we fight to try to figure it out for ourselves? I’m so grateful God is willing to stand by our side. Not only that, He wants to be there with us. The Creator of the universe wants to walk with us through our struggles and our blessings. I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty amazing, in my opinion!
New Christmas Release
In my latest Christmas book, Lucy has to adjust her expectations of what Christmas will look like. I hope you are blessed by the story, and maybe learn a thing or two about God along the way!
Lucy loves her familiar Christmas traditions. Why shouldn’t she? At sixty years old, they’ve become a part of her. But this year, they’re all thrown out the window when she drops everything to drive across the country to care for her sister in Arizona. So much for a white Christmas! Between her anxious dog, her sister’s thieving kitten, and a way too attractive ice cream truck driver, will she learn that trying something new might just be what God has planned for her?
Cactus for Christmas is on sale for only 99 cents! Purchase at Amazon
Author LoRee Peery is writing about how it pleases God when we care for widowed mothers. It warms my heart to read of Christian love lived out so practically. Welcome, LoRee!
Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
1 Timothy 5:3-4
The spiritual theme for Christmas in Garland, my 2023 contribution to Pelican Book Group’s Holiday Extravaganza, is “It pleases God for children to care for widowed mothers.” This story is the sequel to Christmas House. Just when Foxx and Pepper are excited to get on with their lives as a couple, they are torn because their mothers need attention.
A Lack of Control
More and more as I grow older, I realize how little control I have over most things that touch my life. What I can possess is the ability to accept those life circumstances I can do nothing about. For example, I recently invited twenty-seven family members for a gathering to celebrate our recent six-room remodel. Seven people showed up.
Except for a second-grader and great-grandchildren, my grandchildren are grown. Three worked that day, along with one son-in-law, another grandson had worked since early morning and needed to go home and sleep. One son’s family had Covid in the house. Two other grandchildren were ill. I couldn’t get upset. Those present sat around one table and we had a lovely time of reminiscing and fellowship.
Then, I bagged up, handed out, and froze three and a half of the four purchased pizzas. I had no reason to feel disappointed or sad. Those select few around my table were there according to God’s plan, not mine.
Real Life Meets Fiction
That real-life day amounts to nothing compared to the ongoing situation of my story people. Foxx and Pepper have quite the tough backgrounds. This year’s Holiday Extravaganza, Christmas in Garland, continues Pepper and Foxx’s story, which began in Christmas House.
Pepper Rainwater is thriving in newfound faith, blooming love, and her own Christmas house. But the appearance of her mother brings back all the ugliness of growing up in a storage unit. Can she face family issues from a new perspective and forgive her parents for the past?
The discovery of Foxx Haven’s true beginnings shattered his sense of security. For the first time, he questions his father’s love and now his birth mother has entered his life. Did God really plan this mess for him? He’s such a wreck inside, how can he be the man of faith Pepper deserves?
Their mothers bring challenges and time constraints on Pepper and Foxx. He longs to show his love, she yearns to bask in his attention. How will they help their widowed mothers, make life easier for one another, heal appropriately, and look toward a bright future?
Next will be Pepper’s sister’s story in Christmas Fulfilled.
Before the busty holidays hit us, take time to be thankful for family. And always pray for the people God surrounds you with.
