Month: May 2016

Surrender

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Surrender. 

It seems that every time I work on projects with a theme, the Lord has lessons concerning that theme to teach me. As I have been working on editing and putting “Surrender” into book form, the Lord has been working in my heart regarding surrender—whether it was hopes and dreams for this project, daily choices, or my ideas and will.

We tend to think of surrender regarding life-changing issues, big things. But most often, surrender is an ongoing process involving small sacrifices. It is in daily life that we must learn to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, as this is our reasonable service (see Romans 12:1).

The songs in the upcoming piano solo book are commonly known as “invitation songs,” and the messages ring true. Have we laid all on the altar for God to control? Have we acknowledge our need for Christ and turned fully to Him? Have we truly surrendered all to Him? Are we daily seeking to be near Him so that we can say in assurance, “It is well with my soul?” Are we eagerly awaiting His eternal plans for us or do we still cling to that which will one day fade away?

God’s call to surrender is not limited to just one season to life. Wherever it is that the Lord has you, may you learn to surrender fully to Him.

More information here

Writing Challenges 01

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I really think writing “Journey of Choice” is going to be a challenge, as to place myself in Nat’s world means to place myself in a world where thinking is warped, as he is an unbeliever. I started the first chapter tonight and got stuck in the first page because I’m trying to find a criminal act for him to do (based on his street-gang lifestyle of survival). This really is a good problem, because Romans 16:19 says, “but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil” and it DOES make me grateful for how I have been raised. Yet when it comes to writing a message you feel the Lord leading you to write, it just makes one a little at loss of how to do it. 🙂

The Reluctant Duchess | Book Review

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About the Book
The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she has never felt good enough—not for her father, not for the man she thought she’d marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she’s willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping Loch Morar and the men who have jeopardized her life.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has suddenly found himself in possession of a rare treasure his enemies are prepared to kill for. While Brice has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, the last thing he needs is the distraction of his neighbor, Lady Rowena, who finds herself in a desperate situation. But when the moody Earl of Lochabar tries to trap Brice into marrying Rowena, Brice finds he’s not as opposed to the idea as he expected to be.

Rowena wanted to escape the Highlands, but she’s reluctant to resort to marrying a notorious flirt just to gain his English home. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she ’fears she’s about to end up directly in the path of everything she was trying to avoid.


My Review
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m not a huge romance fan, but if there’s one type of romance I like, it’s between a husband and wife who are learning to love each other (as opposed to unmarried people falling in love…I don’t know, it’s just me). Brice, being my favorite character from The Lost Heiress, was still my favorite character. I enjoyed reading how he learned to listen and his wife learned to love. It was really a sweet story.
Throughout the whole book, it seemed like the characters regularly sought God and prayed, which I appreciated. Some of the characters were evidently stronger in faith than others, which I thought gave a realistic aspect.
However. When I think back on the book, the main thread that stands out to me is the marriage bed. Whether it was Rowena being physically abused by her supposed lover or her learning to trust again, this theme just wasn’t in my comfort zone, even though it was done fairly discreetly. For this reason, I would not recommend this book to girls under twenty.
The continued thread of the Fire Eyes was alluring. There is something about them that are enticing and exciting. In this, though, there is a lot of discussion about curses and the spiritual realm. I don’t think I particularly disagreed with the author on this, because the conclusion I found was that there are spiritual battles being fought (which I believe is Biblical) and that the curse was not a curse of superstition, but a curse of greed. The way the author brought this about, though, was slightly confusing so I might not have fully grasped her intentions.
So, those two things pull my rating down to three stars–which I realize is just my personal preference and convictions.

*I received this book in exchange of my honest review from Bethany House*

Buy the Book on Amazon

About the Author
Roseanna M. WhiteRoseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna has a slew of historical novels available, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at http://www.RoseannaMWhite.com

A Scripture Design in 21 Steps

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It is always interesting to take screenshots of the process of my graphics design, because I never know exactly what will come out of it–and if it will even be something I like. The design I shared Tuesday, was one I had time to throw together, and here’s how I did it.
Step 1: Started with a blank 5×5 file

Step 2: Pasted the verse on it

Step 3: Separated the words into different layers
And changed the font to Trajanus.

Step 4: Aligned the layers centered
Because, at this point, I was thinking about doing a simpler graphics design.

Step 5: Distributed the text layers evenly

Step 6: Changed the key words to Windsong font

Step 7: Decided that my simple style wasn’t working…

Step 8: So I played around with the positioning of the words

Step 9: With the words done, I took a picture from my iPhone and copied it onto my square

Step 10: Selected a brush

Step 11: Started “painting”

Step 12: Tested the Gaussian Blur look

Step 13: Decided it wasn’t quite the look I wanted…
So I canceled the Gaussian Blur.

Step 14: Changed brush size and added more yellow
I intentionally made the yellow heavier on the bottom than the top.

Step 15: Gaussian Blur again

Step 16: Lowered the opacity of the background layer

Step 17: Made the text visible again

Step 18: Added a drop shadow to the text

Step 19: Decided to test some “Fibers”
In this picture, I have yellow and blue on my color pallet. However, I changed that in the next screenshot to be yellow and orange.

Step 20: Played with the fibers until it looked good.

Step 21: Lowered the opacity of the fibers

There you have it…another graphics design step-by-step.

Counting Blessings | Book Review

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About the Book

by Eileen Spinelli
Illustrated by Lee Holland

Children count along from 1 to 10, following the sweet rhyming text by beloved author Eileen Spinelli and the cute and cuddly illustrations by Lee Holland. Along with counting, this padded cover board book teaches children to see the blessings in life. With whimsy and joy, Counting Blessings captures the attention of young children, filling their minds with numbers and their hearts with happiness.


My Review
I absolutely adore the illustrations in this little book! They just make me smile. I read this book with my six-year-old sister (I read a page, she read a page), and she enjoyed it and thought it was cute too.
The rhyming has a nice flow and I like the thought of counting blessings. The only negative I can see is that it’s not particularly a Christian book, in that there are no mentions of where these blessings come from–just that there are more than we can count. However, it would be simple for a parent to take the book and expound on it with their child about why we should count our blessings and that all blessings come from God.

*I received this book in exchange of my honest review from Book Look Bloggers*

Buy the book on Amazon

Be Still, My Soul | Music Video

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In light of the hymn (“Be Still, My Soul”), I looked up Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Sometimes, we just need to be still–be still and know the truths about Who God is. 
He is still on the throne–no circumstances here on earth will change that.
He is still in control–no changes in government down here will change that.
He is still God.
He is still King.
He is still unchanging.

Are we allowing the worries and cares of today to steal our joy? Maybe we need to take a moment and “Be still and know that {He} is God.”
—
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Lyrics by Katharina A. von Schlegel