author interview Archives - Heart Talk with Linda Rooks

PRAYING PERSONALITIES: AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH JANET HOLM MCHENRY

November 15, 2023 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

IS THERE A “right’ way to pray? Many of us have heard various prescriptions about how to make our prayer life more meaningful and effective. But when we try it out, it may seem complicated, awkward, or unnatural. Certain prayer approaches seem to work well for some people but not for others. But maybe, just maybe, that’s to be expected. In author Janet Holm McHenry’s new book, Praying Personalities, Finding Your Natural Prayer Style, Janet helps readers identify the more comfortable style of praying that fits their own personality. In our interview, Janet, who is the author of 26 books—six of them on prayer– gives you a glimpse of what you might discover in her new book.

Linda: Janet, I know you’re a woman of prayer and a leader in a number of prayer ministries. Tell us how prayer became a passion of yours.

Janet: Some might say I literally fell into prayer. One day I walked out my back door and found myself in a crumpled heap because my knee had given way. So right there on the concrete I decided to do something about my health—that I would get up a little earlier the next day and walk, and while I walked, I would pray. There was a lot of my-ness in those initial prayers—my kids, my job as a high school English teacher, my marriage—but that all changed one day when I saw what I call a Single Daddy’s Ballet. That early, dark morning I watched as a man parked his pickup truck in front of the daycare center and sweep his little blanketed bundle over into the arms of the daycare worker waiting on the sidewalk. At that moment the little girl said, “Bye, Daddy. I love you!” And I knew right then that God had me out on the streets of my community less for the my-ness of my prayers but more for the needs around me. So I prayed for him and began to pray for whatever God put within my eyesight—my neighbors, the business people in my little town, and even commuters heading off to work in Reno.

Linda: How did prayerwalking grow into a passion and life’s study?

Janet: It was a progression of understanding. First, I began to understand that wherever we are, there’s a need for prayer, so a praying-without-ceasing lifestyle is possible for us. And then a hunger developed in me to learn more about prayer, so I began combing God’s Word for biblical people’s prayers and any teachings on prayer—marking my Bible up with circled Ps. Then when my book PrayerWalk came out, I began speaking about prayer and prayerwalking.

Linda: You’ve also written many other books on prayer, including The Complete Guide to the Prayers of Jesus. But how did the idea come for your newest book, Praying Personalities: Finding Your Natural Prayer Style?

Janet: God laid a thought on my heart starting years ago. Because I was such a crazy advocate about prayerwalking, I encouraged others to pick up the practice when I spoke. But invariably a lovely woman would come to me afterwards and say, “But Janet, I can’t walk. What should I do?” And frankly, I’m not sure my answer was always adequate. Then a couple years ago I was speaking to a group of writers about how to incorporate more prayer into their lives—dozens and dozens of ideas—and I heard myself say, “Perhaps it has something to do with personality.” That was a mic-drop moment for me . . . especially when one of those writers said, “Janet, you should write a book about that.” So I began combing scripture again—looking for various ways biblical people prayed—looking at their language and perspective and attitude.

Linda: And what did you discover?

Janet: I found that those biblical folks prayed in many different ways. Moses argued with and complained at God. Job was a thinker and simply wanted to know the WHY? behind his pain. Hannah poured out her grief at not having a child in 1 Samuel 1, then a chapter later we see her beautiful poem of praise. David wrote half of the psalms—many of which were laments. Then we have those who fasted while they prayed—Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther—a very physical accompaniment with prayer. Paul wrote out summaries of his prayers to the various churches throughout the Mediterranean area. Seeing those differences in how people prayed provided the inspiration to consider various praying personalities and how each might pray in a natural way.

Linda: What kind of personalities did you find for prayer . . . and how might all of this give hope and guidance to us in our own prayer lives?

Janet: I identify four different praying personalities—Problem Solver, Friend of God, Organized Pray-er (also called Lamenter), and Peace Seeker. And people can take the Praying Personalities Quiz I created (https://prayingpersonalities.com) to help them learn more about how they can develop a praying lifestyle that blends with their God-given personality. I simply want to help readers shed the guilt about what they think they’re doing or not doing. I used to feel I was a prayer failure! I didn’t have a prayer closet. I didn’t journal my prayers. I couldn’t keep up with an organized prayer notebook or other categorial system. But God led me to a praying style that helps me stay in touch with him all day long—one that has helped me overcome fears, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. And I simply want to share that hope with others too.

Linda: What process did you go through to identify the different praying personalities? Was it only by looking at the way people prayed in the Bible?

Janet: I started with examining how people prayed in the Bible, as well as the spiritual gifts and how they connect with prayer. Then I took a journalistic look at many of the personality theories to find the underlying questions that would determine the various personality types. I don’t advocate for any of those but simply state what they are: the Greek temperaments, Jung’s theories (even Elisabeth Elliott studied Jung), Myers-Briggs, Keirsey, 16 Personalities, Strengths Finder, Big 5, and the Enneagram. I also did studies of the generations to see how they prayed and discuss the learning styles also. It was a fascinating journey! And it may interest readers to know that the creators of these theories may not have created the questionnaires people take to identify their personality.

Linda: Is there any connection between the praying personalities and the personality profiles we’ve heard about in other places – like the sanguine, the choleric, the melancholy, and the phlegmatic?

Janet: Yes, readers will see a connection between the praying personalities and the temperaments. I am a certified LINKED Personalities trainer, so I worked mostly from that framework, which connects with the temperaments.

Linda: Could you give us an example of what these four different praying personalities look like? How would each of them pray differently?

Janet: Here’s a quick look at the Praying Personalities, which readers can discover by taking the Praying Personalities Quiz:

Problem Solver

Approaches prayer quickly from a problem-solving perspective.
Keeps prayers purposeful, succinct, and focused.
Prayer suggestions: go on a prayerwalk, pray while exercising, post reminders, fast.

Friend of God

Approaches prayer as relational time with God.
Loves praying with others.
Prayer suggestions: use worship music, round up the family to pray daily, speak to God out loud.

Organized Pray-er (Lamenter)

Sees prayer as an emotional, yet disciplined practice.
Needs to have a quiet place to pray away from the world.
Prayer suggestions: use a notebook system, keep a journal of prayers, create a prayer spot in your home.

Peace Seeker

Goes to prayer to restore personal peace.
Sees prayer time as an informal but steady practice.
Prayer suggestions: consider using prayer books to jumpstart a quiet time, use prayer apps, develop a simple prayer routine using an acronym such as ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication)

Linda: Where can readers find out more about you and your ministry?

Janet: They can find me at www.janetmchenry.com and my books here.

Filed Under: BOOKS, Hope, Interviews, Peace, Prayer, Time with God, Uncategorized Tagged With: author interview, Feeling lost, hope, New Directions, peace, prayer

NOW I SEE:: AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH JANET PEREZ ECKLES

September 29, 2023 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

SOME PEOPLE ARE AN INSPIRATION. Not only have they overcome overwhelming challenges in their life, but their face radiates love and joy. Whenever you meet them, the warmth of their graciousness creates a sweet and welcoming encounter. This is Janet Perez Eckles, author of her new book, Now I See: How God’s Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy What makes this book so amazing, the title so enticing, and her story so special is that Janet is blind.

I believe Janet’s story in Now I See and the following interview will inspire you to keep going when life plunges into chaos and God seems to have forgotten you. This woman is the real deal and her story an honest revelation of how God can step in and bring us from heartache to victory. Janet has been featured on the cover of Hispanic Woman Magazine, 700 Club, Desperate America (Good Morning America), Lifestyle Magazine and Focus on the Family I hope this interview encourages your heart and shows you a path to hope.

Linda: Janet, what did you do when God seemed to have forgotten you?

Janet: I was 30, ready to live my happily ever after. While I stayed home, caring for our three beautiful boys, hubby worked as a CPA and provided a comfortable life for us. . .

Until the day a retinal disease robbed my sight completely. In only 18 months, I went from an active mom, driving, shopping and preparing healthy meals for the family to a blind woman. Blindness was never in my plans. I ate self-pity for lunch and horrifying fear accompanied me to bed at night.

Linda: But I know that wasn’t the only devastation that happened to you. There was more around the corner. Tell us what happened that caused your heartache to be compounded by rejection and more pain?

Janet: Hubby who was also 30 didn’t expect his life to turn out this way. He married a healthy woman, vibrant, full of life and counted on a lifetime of happiness.

But now he was married to a blind woman, restricted in so many ways.

His answer was to find that happiness somewhere else—in the arms of another woman.

Linda: Where did you initially turn when the world crumbled into despair for you?

Janet: While I was living in physical and emotional darkness, my spiritual darkness was the most devastating. As a good Catholic girl, I repeated memorized prayers, obeyed rituals and doctrines. But none of them soothed my pain or erased my sorrow.

In desperation, I searched for answers in doctors, herbal healers, new age practices. My reasoning was if my blindness was cured, my husband would love me again, my boys would have a “normal” mom and my life would be like before.

Linda: So what changed for you?

Janet: God stepped in. And he revealed his answer. One verse at a time. A series of events led me to a Christian church where I found the Bible verse that shook me enough to realize my mistake, to recognize the wrong order of my priorities and my incorrect way of measuring my security. It was Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Linda: How did God create changes for you?

Janet: I had to change first. I vowed to change my focus. With diligence and commitment, I chose to look to God, His Word and His promises. The more I listened to His Word, the clearer it became that although I had blindness, blindness didn’t have me.

In Matthew 6:33 God states He would add things unto us if we sought Him first. I embraced that truth and He began to add beautiful transformation, sweet changes and emotional healing.

In Ephesians 3:20 scripture tells us that God, by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we can think or imagine. Looking back now, do I think this is true? My answer is a resounding Yes! This was true in my physical darkness, in my marriage and my role as a mom. My husband saw the difference in me and after a series of events, He chose to come back. We became friends and God healed our marriage that lasted 42 years.

Linda: And now you’ve written a book that tells your story. How did this come about?

Janet: Why did I write my story? Statistics indicate that nearly every 11 minutes someone commits suicide. Life became too much. They’re overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, stress and despair.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Christ Jesus promises the freedom from our anguish (Psalm 118:5). He turns our weaknesses into strength and contentment (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Some say I should be living a life of misery—blindness, the murder of my youngest son, the acquittal of the man responsible would speak of a life of tragedy. But my story is one of joy found within glorious victories.

Linda: Your story includes something else that many women are dealing with today. What message would you have for today’s woman who’s facing infidelity?

Janet: To hang on, hang on tight to God’s truth—your husband is not the source of your joy. He’s not the one who makes you whole. He’s not the one responsible for your security or happiness. When you realize that only Christ Jesus is the one to provide all for you, your confidence increases, your peace comes back and your wisdom dictates your reactions and responses.

Obeying God and embracing His promises will strengthen you enough to recognize God’s power at work on your husband.

Linda: Amen to that! That is a message I continually want to share with people as well. So with all the tragedy you’ve experienced in your life, what do you believe is the secret to living with joy?

Janet: Choosing gratitude, always. Every circumstance has something for which to be grateful. I thank God I can see with the eyes of my heart. I thank God that I will see my son again in heaven. I thank Him for showing me the way to forgive the man who killed him. And although my husband chose divorce after 42 years of marriage, I thank God for new beginnings, new chapters, and beautiful horizons!

Linda; Janet, you are such an inspiration. I know you well and the light shining in your face every time I see you is a testimony to the truth of everything you are sharing here. How do you think your new book, Now I See, will help people whose lives are in turmoil?

Janet: When the world is in turmoil, what happens to your peace amid that chaos? The headlines foretell gloom and doom and personal suffering threatens to break you, yet God’s promises speak of hope and glorious victory? How is this possible?

My book, Now I See will strengthen your resolve!

Tragedy cannot stop you. My transition from being a sighted mother to complete blindness at the pivotal age of 30 proves you can rise above pre-conceived limitations.

Grief cannot defeat you. My path to healing after the murder of my son proves that even loss is no match for God’s healing power.

Injustice cannot bring you down. When my son’s killer was acquitted, I discovered freedom still lives in forgiveness.

Relationships cannot stifle you. Despite the end of my decades-long marriage, God’s work in my life afterwards proves life still holds promises of joy with fresh, new horizons!

Now I See will stir the reader’s heart as they’re reminded that God is alive, that He sees their tears, hears their sobs, knows their fears, and is ready to calm their storms.

Linda: Where can readers find out more about you and your ministry?

Janet: People can learn more about me, my speaking, and my five books at www.janetperezeckles.com. Now I See is also available on Amazon.

Filed Under: Adultery, BOOKS, faith, Fear, health issues, Hope, How to win, Infidelity, Interviews, joy, Pain, Problems, Rejection, Uncategorized, Where is God? Tagged With: author interview, difficult life, faith, fear, Feeling lost, invisible God

Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? – Rising Above the Fear of Rejection – Interview with Author Gail Porter

July 18, 2023 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

BECAUSE THE PAIN and insecurities we experience in life often affect us in ways beyond our immediate understanding, many of us develop a fear of rejection that can hold us captive and keep us from enjoying meaningful relationships. In her book, Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? – Rising Above the Fear of Rejection Gail Porter openly addresses the issue of rejection by sharing her own story of escaping the shackles of the fear of rejection to embrace the freedom and joy of becoming the woman God created her to be.

Linda: You had nice parents. They provided for you. They didn’t scream at you. They weren’t abusive physically, verbally, or sexually. But you still grew up with the fear of rejection. Can you tell us what was missing in your home and why this made you fear rejection?

Gail: Looking back on my childhood, I realize that neither of my parents knew how to create a loving emotional connection with my brother and me. It’s not that they didn’t love us; they didn’t know how to show love because neither of them had parents who expressed their emotions or their love to them.

I don’t remember their hugs or kisses while I was growing up. I can’t recall ever hearing, “I love you.” I would have cherished a hug when I bounded into the kitchen each morning. Or a kiss when I left for school. If I could have seen their smile or look of delight when I talked to them, I would have felt they treasured me as their child.

They could have created a sense of togetherness by asking my brother and me questions while we sat around the dinner table in the evenings. Typical questions, like “What did you learn at school today?” “What was one fun thing that happened today?” “Do you need any help with your schoolwork?” Those kinds of questions would have made us feel like they were interested in listening to us. I wish we could have laughed together, which would have helped bond us as a family.

In my adult life, I realized my mother and father didn’t know how to express their emotions to each other. I never learned to express my emotions either. I didn’t feel free to tell them when I was hurt, or disappointed, or afraid. I simply chose to become a well-behaved daughter, who didn’t make a fuss and had few demands. I didn’t identify this in my growing up years, but now I see I tried to be the person I thought they wanted me to be so they would love me and never reject me as their daughter.

Linda: How can the fear of rejection affect future relationships?

Gail: When you allow a fear of rejection to rule your life, you subconsciously hold back from expressing your thoughts and emotions. You stay aloof, even in adult relationships, because you don’t want people to know the real you.

I enjoyed meaningful relationships in college and during my career, and I loved those people as much as I could. However, now I see I didn’t emotionally engage with them. I couldn’t relax and simply be the person God created me to be. I was too concerned they might not accept what I said and did.

Linda: In your book, Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? you talk about fear of rejection causing you to build emotional walls of protection around yourself. Can this kind of behavior also affect your relationship with God? If so, can you tell us more about this?

Gail: Yes, it can, and I discovered that in a very unusual way. While attending a conference, the speaker talked about the invisible walls we build to protect ourselves from possible rejection. For the first time, I realized that I purposely refrained from sharing much about myself, or my thoughts and ideas, because I feared people wouldn’t like me.

After that session, I went to my hotel room, I began talking with God about my inability to fully engage with people. During that time, I sensed God saying to me, “Gail, you have built walls to protect yourself from people, but you have also built a wall that keeps you at a distance from me.”

His words devastated me because I loved Him so much; yet, those words helped me realize the truth. I cried as I confessed my sin of not being open and honest with Him. From then on, our relationship grew deeper and more genuine. Our personal times together each morning became the highlight of my day.

Linda: Do you think some of us have a fear of rejection and don’t even know it?

Gail: I am solid proof that this is true. I had no idea that my home life was causing a fear of rejection to form inside of me. It took years for me to recognize that fear of rejection had motivated my responses and reactions to people and situations, and prevented me from saying yes to any new opportunities that I thought might lead to failure.

Linda: How does the fear of rejection cause us to live in “captivity,” as you call it?

Gail: I like the term “captivity.” We convince ourselves that by hiding who we are, we are safe from the rejections of others. In reality, we isolate ourselves and live a life of deception.

We don’t want to risk saying what we’re thinking, sometimes even to our best friends. Fear hampers our relaxed and free interaction because we’re concerned that what we say may not be acceptable. For me, staying in my emotional hiding place made me feel safe from rejection, but that decision caused me to miss many wonderful opportunities that would have expanded my life and built my confidence.

Linda: How can a person release the fear of rejection and find freedom?

Gail: First of all, they need to be willing to let go of the emotional defenses they’ve built.

In my book, Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? I list the common ones:

Seeking love and acceptance
Building a wall
Wearing an invisible mask
Creating a persona
Striving for perfection

It’s difficult to release our defenses, because we’ve always relied on them. But we need to recognize our isolation is something that has prevented us from spending time with people who could have encouraged us and given us strength to live our lives as our authentic selves.

My decision to come out of my hiding place came when I finally admitted I no longer wanted to exist as the person I thought everyone else wanted me to be. In my heart, I longed to be the real person God created me to be.

We all need to remember that the enemy wants to keep us bound to our fear; but God wants to set us free. He will be delighted when we tell him, “I want to exchange my life of fear for a life of freedom.” He will lead us to the path where we can be free to be our authentic self.

Galatians 5:1 is a wonderful verse to memorize. “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

Linda: I know you have a new book that just came out that is a follow up to this one. Could you tell us briefly how it adds to what you’ve written in Will the Real Person Please Stand Up?

Gail: My new book, Living on the Path of Freedom: Leaving Fear of Rejection Behind, shows readers what life can look like if they choose to release their fear of rejection and walk on the path of freedom. Their new freedom will build gradually as they uncover characteristics of their authentic self. Instead of hiding, they will experience a desire to engage with others and a willingness to show who they are inside. By opening themselves to others and becoming the person God created them to be, they are able to live an authentic life. An important part of this book chronicles the experiences of ten real life people who were able to escape gripping rejection in their past and present lives to find hope, healing, and a life of freedom.

Linda: Where can people find your book, Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? and learn more about you?

Gail: People can find my book on Amazon at https://gailporterauthor.com/Amazon-rejection-book I also invite your audience to visit my website at gailporterauthor.com/

Filed Under: BOOKS, Fear, Feeling unworthy, friendship, How to win, Interviews, Lonliness, Rejection, Surrendering to God, Uncategorized Tagged With: author interview, fear, Lonliness, New Directions, rejection

Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose – Interview with Author & Mental Health Counselor, Tina Yeager

March 14, 2023 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

WHEN WE FEEL lonely and disconnected, it can be hard to find connection again. Author and mental health counselor, Tina Yeager offers us a creative answer to find our way back into community. In her new book, Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose, Tina urges readers to revaluate their imperfections as opportunities for God’s upcycling artwork.

Linda: What inspired you to write Upcycled?

Tina: On a prayerful walk through a park with the Lord, I felt concerned about the way so many of us have grown disconnected from one another. I asked God what might draw us back into relationships and experience healing together. Images of upcycled crafts came to mind as ways to tangibly work through restoration while gathering together around a shared project.

Linda: I sense an analogy here. How would you define the word Upcycled? And how does that relate to relationships and people?

Tina: Webster’s definition of upcycle is “to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item : to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value).” Our Creator, the Ultimate Upcycler, redeems us from our brokenness and frailty and makes us better than new. As new creations in Christ, we have the fresh purpose of living out his will empowered by the character and gifts of the Holy Spirit. If we choose to submit ourselves to living in alignment with this renewed identity, we can love others with divine grace and purity. Guardedness no longer impedes our intimacy. Self-interest no longer blinds us from seeing others’ needs and ministering to them.

Linda: What is your book, Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose, about?

Tina: Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose takes readers on an interactive journey to discover how God reinvents rusty and flawed folks like us into cherished masterpieces who glorify him daily. Each chapter includes a gift or décor project which illustrates one of the ways the Great Artist remakes us to serve a beautiful purpose. Readers will encounter the loving craftsmanship of a Savior who makes all things new. The projects will serve as tangible reminders and opportunities to share hope of renewal with the world.

Linda: You talk about loneliness and people being disconnected. How would you describe the issues of loneliness in today’s culture?

Tina: Online work and social connections have replaced in-person fellowship as the new normal. It takes less time to respond to a post or text message than to have a conversation. Families even text one another when at home together. People who do share a table for a meal spend more time scrolling on their devices than conversing with those seated around them. Instead of increasing our spare time, the urgency of online connection demands more of our attention. We’ve grown so comfortable living through our virtual avatars, we now find it challenging to engage in authentic, personal communication.

Linda: Why is this, Tina? Since you’re a mental health counselor, why do you think our reliance on technology has hurt our personal communication and perhaps even our emotional health)?

Tina: Face-to-face conversations can prove risky. Messy. Awkward.

Yet well-being depends upon human contact, not just digital communication. The Creator declared as good all the things he made, but cited one critical exception. “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18, NIV). Elohim, a relational and triune God, created us for relationship. He did not design us to exist in emotional, spiritual, or physical isolation.

Science supports this ancient scriptural truth. The National Institute of Health “has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death.”

Our physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness require us to connect and engage in person. We need to upcycle our broken fellowship practices.

Linda: Has isolation affected marriage relationships?

Tina; The practice of disengaging socially seeped into our most intimate relationships. Couples busy themselves with projects to consume the time which might have required them to face hard conversations or express painful emotions. Spouses gaze at screens during meals instead of making eye contact. They focus on digital content during shared travel rides instead of engaging with one another’s hearts. When bored or stressed, our first remedy is to find a game or other escape online.

But these solutions cause more neurological harm than benefit. The dopamine response to digital activity operates in a similar way to chemical addictions and ensuing compulsions as well as dopamine crashes and increased anxiety can result from dependence upon online engagement.

God offers us the gift of human relationship as a superior remedy to our stress and need for engagement. When centered in faith, our marriages can serve as ways to relieve anxiety and stress without the side effects caused by digital overexposure. We can renew together those places in our hearts that decay when neglected.

Linda: How can craft projects help us heal and grow?

Tina: To begin with, human beings learn best by doing. Experiences move learning across that immense space from mind to heart. Tangible projects root our growth into our hearts at a deeper level.

Also, we heal by connecting with the Spirit wrapped in the skin of our believer-friends. Renewal and growth occur in community. And relationships are based upon play. As we laugh and play together in art projects, our hearts draw closer to one another.

Linda: How does your book, Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose, help draw people into relationship?

Tina: The crafts included in each chapter can gather people into fellowship circles. Even those reluctant to join discussion groups might feel more comfortable connecting with others for a project-centered meeting. The message of inner renewal transforms readers into vessels of loving grace. The book also provides lists of mission opportunities, through which families or groups can share the message by donating the projects. Ministering to others bonds those working together. We also experience heightened growth through the messages we’ve learned and shared. This Christ-designed discipleship model also strengthens our connections with those who share our faith journey.

Linda: How might couples, families, or groups increase the growth and blessings they experience together?

Tina: We fulfill our spiritual growth by sharing the blessings we received with others who need hope.

Paul describes those to whom he writes his messages as “my joy and crown” (Philippians 4:1, NIV). Paul encountered Christ in a tremendous upcycling moment on the road to Damascus. While still bearing his original name, Saul of Tarsus, he persecuted followers of Jesus. The Lord whitewashed his eyes with blindness and its cure, then proceeded to reinvent him as Paul, an evangelist of redemption. As profound as the physical and spiritual renovation, fulfillment of his purpose was completed as he conveyed his blessings to others.

When we pour out the renewing truth God shares with us, our inflow of joy increases. With each craft, I suggest mission opportunities through which participants can donate the projects to hurting souls. Examples include domestic violence shelters, veteran organizations, or homeless ministries. Sharing the evidence of grace completes our renewal.

Linda: Does our brokenness prevent us from fulfilling our purpose?

Tina: In scripture and today, God chooses flawed individuals to join him in the work of renovating the world. Jesus Christ was the only perfect individual to walk the earth, so everyone else would be eliminated if God only chose the immaculate to serve. The Lord recognizes our marred past and splintered present when he calls us. As the Ultimate Salvager, he sees beyond our battered state and envisions our potential after the redesigning power of the Spirit transforms us. He makes all things better than new. Even worn and chippy folks like us.

Linda: I understand you have a gift for readers. Can you tell us about it?

Tina: Readers can download a free Upcycled inspirational flip book template at upcycledbook.com. You’ll get step-by-step instructions to make a giftable, weekly inspirational flip book from old greeting cards. The pages are downloadable and printable.

Linda: Where can people connect with you and get a copy of Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose?

Tina: Visit my website, https://tinayeager.com to access craft videos and Flourish-Meant podcast episodes. You can also book life-coaching sessions or hire me as a speaker for your next event. Check out my YouTube channel for additional videos and content at https://www.youtube.com/c/TinaYeager. Feel free to follow me on Instagram or Facebook. Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose is available on Amazon and at Bold Vision Books.

Filed Under: BOOKS, Depression, Feeling unworthy, friendship, health issues, Interviews, Lonliness, Uncategorized Tagged With: author interview, depression, Feeling lost, healing through crafts, health issues, Lonliness, technology

Transformation, Author Interview with Donna Schlachter

January 24, 2023 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

AS THE NEW YEAR gets underway, we may or may not be looking forward to what lies ahead. But regardless of our situation, there is one thing we can be certain of. If we are trusting God to lead us, we need not fear the future. One tool that can be helpful as we seek God’s wisdom in the Word is having a devotional book to guide us through the Bible. Author Donna Schlachter hopes her devotional book, Transformation can do just that. She tells you more about it in my interview with her below.

Linda: Why did you write this devotional book and what is the format?

Donna: As believers or seekers, we know deep down we should read the Bible. But where to start? Some of those books in the Bible can be so dry. I wanted to create a book that readers would find relevant today.

Transformation is a 366-day devotional, so there is a devotion for every day plus Leap Year. It comes in print and digital versions, can be started any day of the year, and if you miss a day or a week or a month, you just pick up where you left off. Completing the reading is the goal, not how long it takes.

Linda: I see that you use the chronological Bible for your devotional. What made you decide to do that?

Donna: I had read through the Bible chronologically the previous year, and was astounded at how the books and chapters—and even verses—fit into the timeline of when they actually happened. Knowing that gave me new insight into the culture and context of the events. I’d not seen a devotional book that used a chronological timeline, so thought this might be a change for readers.

Linda: Why did you choose Transformation as the title of this book?

Donna: When I undertook to read the Bible through chronologically in a year, I started journaling as I went. Along the way, I realized that God was speaking to me personally through this format. I was changed—for the better. When I later felt Him tugging at my heart to compile my journaling into a devotional book, I was forced to transform my thinking about my personal quiet time. Now I could use it to reach and impact lives as God had done with me.

Linda: Do you focus on a particular theme?

Donna: As I read the passages each day, my goal was to pick a nugget from each reading, to look at a specific focus verse or verses in a brand new way. One that would change how I related to God. So the verses I use in this devotional are not the ones you see in other devotionals.

Linda: How is this devotional book different from other devotional books?

Donna: I used to struggle when I found a yearly devotional I liked, but it was August. I felt I had to keep it around until January 1^st. I did that one year, and when the new year came around, realized I’d bought—and saved—three devotional books. What I realized then was I liked each of these books for different reasons, but mostly because the topic was something I was going through at the time. Now it wasn’t of interest to me. So when I sat down to write this book, I made certain it could be started any day of the year without confusion.

You can start reading it on any date. June 19^th can be Day 1. Continue reading and complete the Bible on June 18^th of the following year. Missed a few days? No worries. Pick it up where you left off and keep going. Take longer than a year if you want..There is no prize for finishing early. I just want readers to connect with Father God and accomplish reading the entire Bible.

Linda: How does your book, Transformation speak to the hearts of people who are going through a rough time in their lives?

Donna: Each day, readers will read God’s love letter to them. They will see His sacrifice, join other believers as they journey through their lives in this world, and come to understand that they are worth the life of God’s own Son. Once grasped, this truth can carry them through even the most difficult and trying circumstances and times.

I believe that any time spent reading the Bible is time well spent. You can waste your time watching a movie or reading a book that, at the end, doesn’t make any difference in your life. If what you’re doing doesn’t change you in some way, for the better, I say, “move on.” This book will not only carry you through the Bible in a year, it will also open Scripture to you in ways you’ve never seen before. You’ll notice verses hidden between the lines, so to speak. And I believe that time spent in God’s Word will draw you closer to Him. That’s my goal: Drawing people to God by the Word.

Will it answer all your questions? No, but it will introduce you to the One who knows the answers. Will it address every issue? No, but you will meet the God who is bigger than every issue that will come into your life.

Linda: I know you also write historical and traditional suspense and have been published in many publications. Where can readers learn more about you and perhaps purchase your book, Transformation?

Donna: The book is available on Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq You can purchase it in print or ebook. Readers can also connect with me at www.DonnaSchlachter.com where they can learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive 2 free ebooks simply for signing up for our free newsletter! They can also check out my blog at www.DonnaSchlachter.com/blog and see previous blog posts at www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com and www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com

Filed Under: BOOKS, faith, God's Word, Interviews, Knowing God, New Years, Time with God, Uncategorized Tagged With: author interview, Bible, faith, Goal Setting, New Directions

Sharing Friendship at Christmas

December 12, 2022 by Linda Rooks 1 Comment

Turtle Heart – Author Interview with Lucinda J. Kinsinger

FRIENDSHIP SEEMS MORE precious at Christmastime. As we take a break from the routine of everyday to share a cup of hot chocolate, exchange a plate of Christmas cookies, or sing Christmas carols at church together, our hearts are united in a shared moment of celebration.

Author Lucinda J. Kinsinger celebrates the special bond of friendship in her new memoir, Turtle Heart: Unlikely Friends with a Life-Changing Bond by sharing her story of her friendship with a feisty, dark-eyed old woman who unexpectedly nestled into her heart and jolted her into a deeper understanding of life and of God.

As you think about your own friends, you may want to consider this as a gift for one of them Today’s interview and a short list of books that follow may give you some ideas for someone you want to bless this Christmas. A book can make a great gift for a friend or that hard-to-buy-for person on your list.

Linda: Tell us something about this friendship that was so special it inspired you to write a book about it.

Lucinda: Charlene was an elderly Ojibwe woman and fascinated me from the first time I met her. She was small and sparky and one of the most original people I have ever met. She had come from a rough background, with an alcoholic father and a lot of not-so-nice things in her past. In contrast, I grew up very sheltered, in a Mennonite home with deeply devout and loving parents. Charlene introduced me on a personal level to a part of the world I had only read about before.

We had many other differences. I was young; she was old. I was shy; she was feisty. Our friendship was often rocky…and yet in spite of that, we connected in a deep way. She was also very lonely, and that was part of the impetus for our friendship. I would visit her and help her with things, and our friendship grew.

My friendship with her taught me that we are all made of the same human stuff, no matter what background we are from. She was a great storyteller, and her stories often opened my mind to ideas I wouldn’t have understood otherwise.

Linda: Turtle Heart is an interesting title. How did you come up with that as the title of your book?

The turtle heart in my title symbolizes Char’s longing–and all of our longing–for transformation. But there’s an interesting story behind it.

Charlene had poor health and spent many, many hours in the hospital. One time, when Charlene was in the hospital I asked her what she wanted for her birthday coming up. “I want a turtle heart,” she said. Then She told me this story.

One time, her neighbor asked her to help him make turtle soup. So they cut the turtle’s head off and cut the body open, but when they came to the heart, it was still beating. Charlene kept the heart and looked at it frequently. “The heart had four chambers,” she told me, “and they stopped beating one at a time, one every week, but it was a month before they stopped completely.”

I knew why Charlene asked for a turtle heart–her own heart had been weak since childhood–but to me her request took on a broader, symbolic significance. She was standing with all of aching humanity, with our caught personalities, our trapped sins, asking for a change of heart. It symbolized Char’s longing–and all of our longing–for transformation.

Linda: Since your book is a memoir, how do you think a memoir speaks into the lives of readers?

Lucinda: A memoir is relatable to all of us because it tells of someone’s lived experience. A memoir doesn’t preach nor claim to have all the answers, but by watching the lives and choices of the characters–in this case, of Char and me–readers will experience growth and transformation in their own lives.

Linda: How would someone who is going through a difficult time in life relate to Turtle Heart?

Lucinda: Someone going through a difficult time would relate to the pain and loneliness Charlene was experiencing in her life at the time I met her. They would relate to the questions we both asked about God’s goodness in the places in life that seem unfair. They would relate to our hunger for God and our desire for righteousness in spite of it all. And they would be challenged and inspired by the simple faith Charlene came to, in the same way that I was.

Linda: What makes Turtle Heart a good gift for a friend at Christmas?

Lucinda: Turtle Heart is an interesting read that captures your attention and compels you to keep reading. It is a book that dives below the surface of things into the underlying thoughts and emotions we all feel but don’t often say. And it is a book that points to Jesus as the one who ultimately brings hope. Life is a mystery, but He is with us, He is real, and He can give us courage to face even the most difficult circumstances and relationships.

Linda: What do you want readers to take away from your book?

Lucinda: First of all, I want readers to have a clear picture in their mind of the fresh and vital person that was Charlene.

I want them to gain sense of the bigness of God and the simplicity of faith, things I learned from Charlene. You see, in the beginning, I wanted to help her know God—and through our friendship and through reading the Bible I gave her, she did come to know God in a deeper way. But she also helped me to grow in my understanding of God. She had a simple, pure love for him and a worship for him that sprang naturally from her love and appreciation of nature. She helped me to see how BIG God is, and how he reaches around to all people, not just people in churches.

Most of all, I want readers to come away with questions—the good kind of questions that lead one to see life in a different way. I designed Turtle Heart, not to give a lot of answers, but to lead readers to think.

Linda: As you know, the tagline for this blog is “Finding Hope in Unexpected Places.” How does Turtle Heart touch on the theme of hope?

Lucinda: Well, first of all, Charlene was totally unexpected in my life. That’s actually a line from the book: “She was not the old lady I had expected.” Our friendship was unlike any I expected to have. But our friendship brought two people hope. She found hope in a friend that brought love to her loneliness and in the pages of the Bible I convinced her to read. I found hope in seeing how God touches the lives and hearts of people from many different backgrounds and in seeing how her growing faith in Jesus gave Charlene the courage to meet the hard places in her life. When I first met her, she was scared to die, but at the last, she wasn’t scared anymore.

I hope Turtle Heart will bring many other people a deeper faith and hope.

Linda: Where can we buy your books?

Lucinda: Turtle Heart, as well as my other books, are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can also contact me directly at lucindajkinsinger@gmail.com for an autographed copy shipped to your address.

If you’ve still got people on your Christmas list you need presents for, here’s a list of other books I’ve featured this year that might make good Christmas presents for someone on your list.

For some inspiration, one of the following two books might be just the gift for one of your friends:

Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father: 90 Days with the One Who Wants to Meet All Your Needs, Author Rebecca Barlow Jordan shows the reader how to talk with God intimately and honestly about their deepest needs. As a bestselling, award winning author of 13 books, and with the pen of a poet and the heart of a disciple, Rebecca’s passion is helping readers find intimacy with God. In this new book, she wants to show the reader what it means to be His child.

Reflections on the Names of God by Ava Pennington is a devotional that explores each of 60 names and attributes of God from 3 individual perspectives: who God is, how this name or attribute changes us, and how it changes our relationships. Every name God calls himself and every name his people called him holds clues to who he is, how he relates to his children, and the promises he has made–and kept.

For someone on your list who is health conscious right now, you might want to consider Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer by Ginny Dent Brant.

Author Ginny Dent Brant’s diagnosis sent her on a quest to discover what caused her to contract cancer, what she could do to survive it, and how she could help others prevent it. She discovered we can help our doctors by changing what they have no control over—our lifestyle and health habits. By doing so we build our immune systems and reduce toxic loads.

For some fun and romance, you might want to try a romance novel by author Karin Beery.

In Avoiding Marriage, Jessica Miller has made a mess of her already confusing life. Now, she’s back in Boyne Heights, and she’s determined to fix her reputation, even if that means working for her ex-boyfriend and avoiding her grandmother’s attempts to find her a new one. https://www.amazon.com/Karin-Beery/e/B07HQ2GZQS

To add a little excitement for those long, cold winter nights, one of your friends might enjoy my new suspense thriller, Pieces of Dark, Pieces of Light.

With time travel, suspense, relatable characters, positive themes of hope, and even a hint of romance, Pieces of Dark, Pieces of Light is a thriller appropriate for teens or adults alike, taking the reader on an exciting journey through a myriad of dangers and landmines across two continents.

Looking for a book for a child on your list?

My children’s book, The Bunny Side of Easter, is an exciting adventure about four little animals lost in the forest, who face some scary moments and overcome them because of a little rabbit’s heroism. And, yes . . . this is a story about the Easter bunny, but it’s also about how the rabbit got in the moon by being a hero. We all know Easter heroes are heroes all year long so share this bunny story with your child this Christmas. This little bunny will warm your child’s heart and yours — no matter what the time of year.

Filed Under: BOOKS, friendship, Interviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: author interview, Books for Christmas, Christmas gift list, friends

Day-votions with Your Faithful Father – Interview with Author Rebecca Barlow Jordan

June 23, 2022 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

WHEN LIFE GETS HARD and we don’t know where to turn, author Rebecca Barlow Jordan wants to remind us that we have a faithful heavenly Father who wants to meet our needs. In her new book, Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father: 90 Days with the One Who Wants to Meet All Your Needs, Rebecca shows us how to talk with God intimately and honestly about our deepest needs. As a bestselling, award winning author of 13 books, and with the pen of a poet and the heart of a disciple, Rebecca’s passion is helping readers find intimacy with God. In this new book, she wants to show you what it means to be His child.

Linda: What led you to write your book, Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father at this particular time?

Rebecca: As a young mother, I had a deep hunger to know God more intimately, and a longing to understand His character and His names. So I began noting His names and attributes in the margins of my Bible during my quiet times. As I read through different Bible translations and versions through the years, I discovered hundreds of names and traits.

I’ve been wanting to write a book about God’s faithfulness ever since. I authored 12 other books, including a series for women that I trademarked the name, Day-votions®. But I kept journaling in my Bible and began to notice more of God’s activity. Over and over in Scripture, I would see, “The One Who….” and discovered how truly faithful my heavenly Father was. And how many verses dealt with Him as being not only the “Supplier” of our needs but as being the “Supply” Himself.

I’ve written an encouraging blog for years, trying to help people grow closer to the Lord. Emails started coming in from people, asking me to pray for them. They expressed needs, experienced heartaches, and desperately wanted answers.

When the pandemic began to spread throughout our world, I knew it was time to write this book. Never had I seen so many universal needs. People were discouraged and had endured so many losses. I wanted to encourage others by helping them see God’s unchanging love and faithfulness in every situation, but especially in our most pressing ones. I ultimately decided to write this new book about God’s faithfulness under my “Day-votions® umbrella name.

Linda: How have you experienced God’s faithfulness in your own life?

Rebecca: That’s a great question, Linda, and that was the basis and underlying reason for writing this book. When has God not been faithful?

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Looking back over my life, I can truly see God’s footprints of faithfulness everywhere I turned.

When I was younger, I’d see depression, fear, disappointment, or discouragement as roadblocks. I’d experience heartache, financial need, marriage issues, and parenting woes. Much too often, foolishness or confusion tried to upend desired wisdom. I cried out to God for help, but sometimes the process of healing was painful and messy. I despised having “needs.”

But life is messy and painful at times, and we will always have needs. I wanted to know my heavenly Father better, but not that way! Strangely enough, the majority of times I experienced His faithfulness was in the way He met those needs—and not always the way I expected.

He has brought me through times of depression and refilled my life with joy. When my marriage hit the wall, my husband and I wrestled through the pain of restoration and fell in love all over again—because God heard our cries, and we learned how to do the hard work involved. God provided jobs when we had none. He sent us on vacations, prompting others to gift us with special trips. When one of our daughters went missing, God brought her safely home. God’s grace, love, and faithfulness brought us through those and so many other challenging trials.

Linda: So how would you describe your new book, Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father.

Rebecca: Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father: 90 Days with the One Who Wants to Meet All Your Needs (2022) is a devotional based on God’s attributes and activity, with truths drawn from his powerful Word, to help readers renew their hope, joy, peace, and trust in the One who is faithful and unchangeable.

Linda: At the beginning of your book, you ask readers, “What if your needs were God’s personal invitation to experience His faithfulness in a greater way?” That’s a pretty thought-provoking question. Can you tell us why you asked that question and how that relates to your book?

Rebecca: I wanted to help others see their needs in a different light, but also to understand how deeply God longs to meet those needs for us.

None of us want to call ourselves needy. Most of us consider needs as unwanted enemies.

But not God.

Our Faithful Father knows that we can do nothing apart from His intervention. Yet we often try to meet the deepest needs of our lives on our own.

Whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, we encounter problems and challenges from the moment we are born. Haven’t we all experienced fear? Distress? Disappointment? Pain? Don’t we all need encouragement? Peace? Comfort? Intimacy? Hope?

Our needs line up like fence posts, trying to imprison us. But our Father’s faithfulness knows no boundaries. He sees our needs differently because He created us. He knows how helpless we are without Him and that our needs can actually draw us to Him.

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) tells us the reason why we can turn to our faithful Father: Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Linda: Tell us about the format you used to write your devotions.

Rebecca: Twenty years ago, when I wrote my Daily in Your Presence series, no one had used the particular devotional format of sharing heart-to-heart, two-way prayer conversations with God. I wanted continuity from those books because they also featured God’s names and attributes, and readers responded well to them. So I kept that same format in Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father, only lengthened the prayers and added new features, like more Scriptures (over 450 Bible verses written out), a daily challenge to apply the truths, and a page for journaling thoughts and prayers. My new devotional has 90 three-page devotions, but still has a daily truth to memorize or solidify the chapter.

Linda: What is your desire for your readers? And what do you hope they will learn or take away from your new book?

Rebecca: My desire for readers of all my books is the same: that they will be encouraged and come to know God more intimately. I pray they will discover God’s heart and embrace their faithful Father as the Heart Mender, the Thirst Quencher, the Joy Filler, and the Grace Giver.

As far as what I hope readers will take away with them? That’s fairly subjective. As a pastor’s daughter, I know God often works in unexpected ways. I remember so many times when a church member would shake my dad’s hand after the service and say: “I really appreciate your words.” And they would complete what they heard in the sermon. But my dad hadn’t said that at all.

In the same way, I believe God speaks to us, including our readers, in unique ways—but never contrary to what is in His Word. These snippets of Amazon book reviews from some readers (both men and women) of Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father were both humbling and unexpected. I think they show the kind of takeaways readers can expect to find. In many ways, they exceeded my hopes for reader “takeaways”:

“The devotionals in the book seem to be customized for me and meet a need in my life every day.”

“I couldn’t have known God would put this book in my life at exactly the right time. Two dear people in my life have been diagnosed with cancer in the same week and I desperately need time with my Father….What I love most? While the reader can read through the book chronologically, one can also focus on the most needed topic on any given day. If I’m in the middle of chaos and don’t know what to do I might want to read Day 39: When You Desperately Need God’s Help, The One Who Is Ready to Help You. When I’m overwhelmed by anxiety, I can turn to Day 69: When You’re Feeling Anxious and Distressed, The One Who is Your Only Rock.”

“No matter how high my stress level goes, each time I press pause and pick up this book, my heart is led to ‘green pastures and quiet streams for rest and refreshment.’”

“From day one I was reassured of God’s faithfulness in all areas of my life.”

“A stunning work that provides a biblical response to the struggles we all have as Christians.”

“In a very relevant and deeply personal exchange between your Faithful Father and yourself, you will experience God in real and loving ways.”

Linda: Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Rebecca: You can find Day-votions® with Your Faithful Father: 90 Days with the One Who Wants to Meet All Your Needs on Amazon, and you can find out more about me and my books when you visit my website. You can also connect with me on Pinterest or Goodreads.

Filed Under: BOOKS, faith, God's goodness, God's Word, Interviews, Knowing God, Time with God, Trusting God, Uncategorized, Where is God? Tagged With: author interview, faith, God's love, peace, Who is Jesus?

They Don’t Tell: Child Abuse: A Mother’s Perspective – Author Interview with Lisa Gray

May 30, 2022 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

WITH WHAT’S BEEN happening in our country this last week, our hearts and minds have been taken captive by thoughts about our children and the horror some of them had to endure at the hands of a heartless and cruel individual. But our hearts also go out to the parents and the pain they’ve experienced as they try to comprehend the incomprehensible awfulness of what happened.

There’s another horror story some children endure and other mothers who are gripped with pain in the discovery. In Lisa Gray’s book, They Don’t Tell: Child Abuse: A Mother’s Perspective, Lisa broaches a subject that is difficult to talk about, but she shares it from the vulnerability of a mother who has experienced the pain but discovered the healing.

Linda: Lisa, I know this is a dark subject, but I believe you’ve told me the book is not about darkness, but about hope. Please tell me what you mean by that.

Lisa: I believe we need to always be reminded that even in the darkest of situations, there’s always hope because we serve the God of Hope!

Linda: So now that we’ve given away the ending – that there is hope—tell me what They Don’t Tell: Child Abuse: A Mother’s Perspective is about.

Lisa: A mother’s heart, a heart that has been broken, shattered, stomped upon, torn apart and left in utter disarray. The revelation of knowing your child has been violated by those who were “supposed” to care and nurture them is unlike any other pain I’ve ever experienced in my life!

Linda: So please tell us why you decided to write They Don’t Tell: Child Abuse: A Mother’s Perspective

Lisa: I felt the Lord wanted me to share my story, my journey back to health and wholeness for myself and my family. The book is meant for those who like me felt so alone, so isolated AND felt guilt and shame! I was supposed to provide safety, protection, and security. That was not my daughter’s experience.

I have to say I listen to Bishop T D Jakes a great deal, and I remember thinking to myself, “Why does he always talk about sexual abuse?” I know it happens. My head is not buried in the sand, but does it really happen THAT much? I mean does it happen enough to warrant him continually talking about it ad nausea? Well give me a chance now, and boy oh boy have I changed my story! Today I say. “Bishop preach!” Linda, today I understand that while I was thinking those very thoughts, I never knew that sexual abuse was happening in my own house, under my own roof, to My own daughter.

Linda: That’s heartbreaking, Lisa. Tell us how you were able to deal with it?

Lisa: Well let me assure you, it was not easy. It was a process that took time, prayer, and—if I can be honest—I’ll admit there was some self-pity, some self-loathing, and many questions of why and how could this happen. I’m a good person, I love the Lord, this is not supposed to happen to Christians like us.

Linda, many times I had to fight the enemy in my mind…which is why the Lord tells us in scripture to take every thought captive…not to just sit in it, not to soak in the negativity but to fight.

There were days where I would fight with worship music, there were days when I would fight with scripture, there were days when I would fight with scriptures. I would put scriptures all around me to remind me that God was faithful. There were sticky notes on my refrigerator, my bathroom mirror, my car review mirror…because the assault against my mind was unrelenting, but only for a season.

I can say my family and my church family rallied around us also and supported us greatly through that season.

Because God is the same yesterday, today and forever we can stand on his word, and he will and does bring us through!

Linda: Lisa, that is such a powerful reminder of how to persevere through difficult times. Yes, God is faithful! What do you want readers to take away from your message in your book, They Don’t Tell?

Lisa: Linda if there’s anything I’d like for your listeners and my readers to know, I want to remind them that the enemy comes after our faith, and our resolve to judge the Lord faithful…even in the storms of life. He really wanted me and others to walk away from the Lord and curse the Lord because of the trial and the storm. I would never do that. I understood that our LORD is faithful through every trial, every storm. And I understood my children, my family, my church family, even the community was looking to see how I was going to handle this. Instead of running from God and to alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, food, whatever vice we use as false refuge, when the Bible clearly tells us the Lord is our strong tower, we run to him and are safe!

Run to him, Run to the throne of grace and plead for Mercy, judge the Lord faithful throughout all the circumstances. His mercies are new every morning, for you and your family!

Linda: After this terrible incident of child abuse happened to you and your daughter, where are you now in life? And how is your daughter?

Lisa: This is myself and my daughter Nikki now—after the storm, after the hurt, after the trauma, after the healing, and after restoration has taken place in both of our lives. We are better, stronger, more resilient, and determined that what we went through others can go through as well and survive! We walked this out together, and now are compelled to open up our lives and hold our heads high because like any of you who’ve experienced this—we have nothing to be ashamed of!

Linda: Has this experience of dealing with child abuse taught you anything new or transformed your thinking in any way?

Lisa: The Lord has taken me into a new area for me, one I never truly understood, but now I do. Generational curses. Although we don’t realize it, we actually have understood them along certain areas of our lives because every time we go into a medical facility they want a breakdown of our medical history. Well, Linda, hidden in those familiar medical patterns are the generational iniquities that have been repeating throughout our generations. Now I work with individuals and families to uncover, and uproot those patterns—of cancer, heart disease, brokenness, sexual immorality, etc. My website is : Bloodline Curse Breakers.com. I can also be reached through email at kidsdonttell@gmail.com or by phone at 1 (202) 810-5687.

Linda: Do you have any final thoughts to share:

Lisa: Yes, this was a HORRIBLE situation, but when we give it to God, trust him, lean on and into him through the process, he will turn it around for our good. His word cannot return to him void, and what the enemy meant for bad, God turns it around for our good.

Now I get the opportunity and the honor to share God’s word and his redemption all around the world. My daughter is well and flourishing, and my ex-husband is serving a prison term of 15-40 years for the violation.

Linda: Where can people find your book, They Don’t Tell: Child Abuse: A Mother’s Perspective?

Lisa: The best place to find the book is on Amazon or they can reach out to me at the above email. You can also find out more about me and my book on my website at bloodline cursebreaker – Author counsellor speaker

Filed Under: Abuse, BOOKS, Children, comfort, Feeling unworthy, God's goodness, Grief, Hope, Interviews, Pain, Sexual abuse, Trying to understand, Uncategorized, Where is God? Tagged With: author interview, child abuse, children, Feeling lost, grief, hope, invisible God, peace, sexual abuse

Reflections on the Names of God, Interview with Author Ava Pennington

March 17, 2022 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

WHO IS GOD? How do we see him, and what is God really like? How do the different qualities of God impact us in our daily lives? According to author Ava Pennington, one of the ways to understand more about God is to learn the names of God and what they mean. In her new book, Reflections on the Names of God, Ava delves into sixty names and attributes of God. Did you know there were that many? Wow! I didn’t. Her devotional book provides new insights and understanding into the person of our God in a very unique way.

Linda: Tell us about your new book, Reflections on the Names of God.

Ava: Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully (Revell Books, 2022) released this month. It’s an abridged, hard cover gift book edition of the original one-year devotional, Daily Reflections on the Names of God.

Every name and attribute of God reveals something about His character and His ways. Reflections on the Names of God is a devotional that explores each of 60 names and attributes of God from 3 individual perspectives: who God is, how this name or attribute changes us, and how it changes our relationships.

Linda: Why did you write Reflections on the Names of God?

Ava: I’ve always been curious about the many names of God in the Bible. Some were familiar, such as Yahweh Jireh, The Lord Will Provide. But others were confusing, such as Yahweh Nissi, The Lord My Banner. And then there were names that sounded frightening, such as when God referred to Himself as a Consuming Fire.

Bottom line—I wanted to learn what God said about Himself and why He chose those particular descriptions. Since I belonged to Him, it’s important to me to understand who I belong to!

Linda: What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

Ava: As they read these devotions, I hope readers will benefit in four ways:

The more they learn about who God is and how He works, the more they will see how much He loves them, which will make it easier to trust Him.
The names and attributes of God combine to give us a full picture of who God is, revealing His glory to His children.
The more they learn about who God is, the more they will learn about themselves in relation to Him.
Becoming familiar with God’s names and attributes will help them see the priority He places on their relationships.

Linda: What surprised you most about what you learned?

Ava: The biggest surprise was in finding hope and encouragement in every name and attribute of God, even in the names that originally made me feel uncomfortable. When I cut through the noise of who others said God is and focused instead on who He said He is, I realized that every name written thousands of years ago is precious to me today.

Linda: How has God used the message of your book in your own life? For instance, how does it impact your prayer life? My husband often talks about how the names of God help him have more focus in his prayers. Have you found this to be true?

Ava: Yes, learning the names of God has helped me Relate to God differently. Faith in God is not blind faith. I can confidently rely on who God is by what He revealed about Himself in His Word. And because He is unchanging, the God of the Bible is the same today.

In terms of prayer, learning the names of God encouraged me to Pray differently. I’m not praying to an impersonal force out there in the universe, I am praying to our very personal God. And whatever the subject of my prayer— whether worship, thanksgiving, interceding for others, or asking for myself, there is a name or attribute God has revealed which helps me relate to Him in that area.

Finally, knowing the names of God caused me to Teach and share Christ differently. Everything about who He is and how He works is relevant to us today. Knowing His names and attributes gives me specific words to describe who He is. It also helps me when others speak of who they think God is, because then I have a starting point to say, let’s look at who God says He is!

Linda: What’s your favorite name or attribute of God in this book?

Ava: It may sound like I’m avoiding the question, but I don’t have any one favorite. The more I’ve studied the names and attributes of God, the more personal He has become to me. Different names speak to my heart depending on my circumstances.

One thing I can attest to: I have never been in a situation where I haven’t been able to draw on a particular name or attribute of God to touch my spirit with healing, hope, and encouragement.

Linda: What does the topic of this book mean to you in your current season of life?

Ava: After being married for 40 years, I’ve been a widow for the past 4 years. Definitely a time of adjustment as I navigate this new season of life. I so appreciate the different names and attributes of God as they draw me into even deeper intimacy with my Savior. Now, more than ever, they give me strength for this present life and nurture my hope for eternity.

Linda: What is the difference between your new gift book edition of Reflections on the Names of God and the original version? How would potential readers decide which to get?

Ava: Although the original edition is no longer in print, print copies may be obtained from online sources. It’s still available as an e-book if readers prefer that format. And if readers are interested in a one-year devotional, they can explore e book as an option. The new devotional is an abridged edition with 180 devotions. The smaller size and hardcover make it a great gift for yourself or others.

Linda: How can people find out more about you and your books?

Ava: You can find Reflections on the Names of God on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Christianbook.com, and you can find out more about me and my books by visiting my website at https://www.AvaPennington.com .

Filed Under: BOOKS, Easter, faith, God's goodness, God's Word, Interviews, Knowing God, Time with God, Trusting God, Uncategorized, Where is God? Tagged With: author interview, Easter, faith, God's love, invisible God, Knowing God, Names of God, prayer, Who is God?

Righteous Relationship Reset, Interview with Author Sherri Downs

January 19, 2022 by Linda Rooks Leave a Comment

CAN YOU “RESET” your marriage, and in effect, start over? Author Sherri Downs believes you can. In her book, Righteous Relationship Reset, she shares personally how God reset her own marriage by meticulously unwrapping the message God gave her when her marriage was in trouble. I recently did an interview with her on her Marriage Matters podcast, where Sherri seeks to provide listeners with hope and help on their marriage journeys. Sherri has a real heart to see marriages strengthened and uses her multi-media talents to do just that.

Linda: Sherri, tell me why you wrote a book about marriage reset?

Sherri: I identify the word reset in the terms of a fresh start. I’ve often heard “we serve a God of a second chances.” So, after experiencing devastation in my marriage, which, I share in my book Righteous Relationship Reset, I began to petition God to reset my marriage as if the devastation had never happened. As God began to restore and reset my marriage, I began to feel the call to share the message of hope, restoration, and a fresh start.

Linda: Why do you think marriages sometimes need to be reset?

Sherri: Unfortunately, we live in a broken world system and there will always be forces both natural and spiritual that will test our humanity. And the fact of the matter is, sometimes we pass, and sometimes we fail. Marriage is a relationship that is designed to be till death do us part. Humans are not perfect. On the contrary, we are flawed, and in marriage we will make mistakes. Those mistakes will need forgiveness and an ability to start afresh and reset. Now a reset doesn’t wipe away consequences, but it does give you a chance to not allow them to hold you back as you choose humility and forgiveness.

Linda: What do you believe was the intent of God for marriage?

Sherri: God created marriage with the intent that man and woman would live in harmony with one another. The newly created beings were to be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth. God took the expression of the relationship and created a covenant with Adam and Eve which would mirror the trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The two human beings were pure yet untested.

Linda: What does reconciliation look like in marriage?

Sherri: We are all called to be more like Jesus, and the ministry of Jesus is reconciliation. Forgiveness does not always equal reconciliation. However, reconciliation comes as one follows the leading of Holy Spirit and the display of true repentance. God requires that no one become a doormat to destructive behaviors. True repentance has the attributes of honesty, acknowledgement of offense, remorse over the action, accountability, and actions that display evidence of change.

Linda: In marriage, you’ve said in your book, Righteous Relationship Reset, that unrealistic expectations can rob couples of embracing the beauty of relationship. Can you explain what you mean and how one can change this?

Sherri: Unrealistic expectations are a result of an assumption we should receive something from someone which they do not have the capacity to give. The only person that can meet all our needs is God, and we are to live with the understanding that He is our ultimate source. This is not to say that we are never to expect things from our spouse. However, proper communication to verbally express those expectations is key. Then after the expectations are verbalized each can come to an understanding whether they can be met by the other spouse. I believe when we accept each person for who they are while providing grace to grow we may experience a beauty of evolving as a couple.

Linda: That is such an important point. But you stress another point as well. When and how does one place proper boundaries around their marriage?

Sherri: I’ve come to understand that boundaries are needed around everything. The world is an expression of that—streets, oceans, forests, continents, and seas all have boundaries. If boundaries did not exist, we would all live in chaos. Our lives need boundaries as well, finances, relationships, children, and our marriage. I regret not coming to the realization of the importance of enforced boundaries in my early years. Maybe someone told me, but the revelation didn’t become real until I experienced the devastation from not enforcing them around everything. We must intentionally start a marriage thinking about the important things which will make a marriage last.

If you’re already married, you may want to stop and have serious conversations to address areas of chaos. Chances are those are the places where there are no enforced boundaries. If apparent chaos is not present, sit and think about areas where boundaries would be beneficial and put them in place together.

Linda: Where does one start to rebuild a marriage?

Sherri: When a marriage has been torn down, the first place to start to rebuild a marriage is repentance, forgiveness, and commitment to the process of rebuilding. When a marriage is destroyed, it’s like a demolition of a building that took time to construct. When that building is destroyed the only way to rebuild it is by placing the bricks back one at a time. Brick by brick the building is restored.

Linda: Do you believe any marriage can be saved?

Sherri: I believe any marriage can be saved if both parties are willing to do marriage God’s way. The only marriage which cannot be saved is the one who’s hearts have turned cold towards God. When we allow Holy Spirit the opportunity to soften our hearts, He can restore anything. No one goes into a marriage saying, I want to be divorced. There was once an intention to be married for a very long time. Humility is key for both spouses along with allowing Holy Spirit to lead the way to restore the marriage better than it was before. I always say, “God specializes in resurrecting dead things, even a broken, devastated marriage.”

Linda: Any final thoughts?

Sherri: God had a specific intent in mind for marriage. Culture has perverted marriage by inserting doctrines that contradict God’s Word, Will, and Ways. Kingdom citizens are encouraged to view marriage with spiritual lenses. “I heard it said that ‘a perfect marriage is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other,’ and I agree. God desires to bring His will into our marriages, but someone must choose to do marriage God’s way.”

Linda: How can people find more about you and your book, Righteous Relationship Reset?

Sherri: To connect with me or purchase my book, Righteous Relationship Reset, visit www.touchdownsenterprise.com or my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSherriDowns Readers can also email me at info@touchdownsenterprise.com

Filed Under: BOOKS, communication, Conflict, Expectations, forgiveness, How to win, marriage, Marriage problems, Reconciliation, Surrendering to God, Uncategorized Tagged With: author interview, books for marriage, hope, marital reconciliation, Marriage, marriage in crisis, Marriage resources, seeking answers, troubled marriage

PRAYING PERSONALITIES: AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH JANET HOLM MCHENRY

NOW I SEE:: AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH JANET PEREZ ECKLES

Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? – Rising Above the Fear of Rejection – Interview with Author Gail Porter

Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose – Interview with Author & Mental Health Counselor, Tina Yeager

Transformation, Author Interview with Donna Schlachter

Sharing Friendship at Christmas

Turtle Heart – Author Interview with Lucinda J. Kinsinger

If you’ve still got people on your Christmas list you need presents for, here’s a list of other books I’ve featured this year that might make good Christmas presents for someone on your list.

For some inspiration, one of the following two books might be just the gift for one of your friends:

For someone on your list who is health conscious right now, you might want to consider Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer by Ginny Dent Brant.

For some fun and romance, you might want to try a romance novel by author Karin Beery.

To add a little excitement for those long, cold winter nights, one of your friends might enjoy my new suspense thriller, Pieces of Dark, Pieces of Light.

Looking for a book for a child on your list?

Day-votions with Your Faithful Father – Interview with Author Rebecca Barlow Jordan

They Don’t Tell: Child Abuse: A Mother’s Perspective – Author Interview with Lisa Gray

Reflections on the Names of God, Interview with Author Ava Pennington

Righteous Relationship Reset, Interview with Author Sherri Downs

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