Month: January 2018

Scripture Graphics #74

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

The winds of destruction are always relentlessly pounding on us. If we step away from Jesus, He has all authority to remove Hi hand of protection and allow a little harm to come our way. He holds our salvation, but if we are not walking cautiously—staying in God’s Word, holding faith and a good conscience—we could lose some battles and “damage our ship.”


God, our Creator-example, took six days to create the heavens and earth. Not only does this give us a pattern for a six-day work week, it is also our example in patience. God could have easily created everything in six minutes, if He chose. He also could have sealed perfection for everything at creation. But He chose to take days to create, and even still today, He is working in nature and the hearts and lives of men, for thousands of years. Why, then, do I grow impatient when things take a little longer than I want?


Compared to Genesis 2:17, Eve exaggerated God’s original command. While it may have been a wise idea to not touch the tree, God never said that touching the tree was a death-penalty. When we teach God’s commands, do we add our own (finite) wisdom of application and portray it as, “God has said?” There are many areas I can think of where I embraced my interpretation of God’s command stronger than His actual command, but in the long run, it confused the simplistic, defined command I was to follow. So, how are we viewing God’s commands? Are we embellishing them then clinging to the embellished version more than the original command?


When we take one step without seeking God’s counsel, it is all too easy to take another step the same way. Abram went to Egypt by his wisdom, then led Sarai to lie to protect him and their marriage by his wisdom, and others suffered. No decision is too small or big but we should seek God’s counsel over our own.

What is your favorite story or verse from Genesis?

With Love, from Me to You | First Line Friday, Book Review

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
Oopsie, this didn’t post yesterday, so it’s a day late!
It’s not the month that we think of as “the love month,” but this little book I’m featuring fits perfectly for any season of the year!

A red heart sends a message

that says “I so love you,”

but we can send those same words

in what we say and do.

What book are you currently reading?
Share a first line!!

Connecting with Hoarding Books for First Line Friday! Hop over and connect with your first line!

My Review
What is the true message of love that we wish to impart to our children? This book does an excellent job of explaining how love is not just words, but actions and sharing God’s love to others. It goes beyond to expound that love also isn’t giving gifts, but helping, forgiving, and sharing. There is so much sound, Biblical explanation given in this children’s book! It is written in nice poetic form in words that are easy for children to understand.
The art in this book is colorful and cheerful, depicting a polar bear postman on a train. How much cuter can you get?
This is a book I’m more than happy to have on my shelves, and I intend to share it with many children in my life.
*I received this book from Book Look Bloggers and happily provided my honest review* 

Check, check…

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
I surprised myself last week in writing. I was still under the weather, battling this sick bug that’s at our house. On the days that it didn’t drain my mental capacity, I didn’t have much energy. Which, for a writer, you don’t need a ton of energy to write (just mental capacity 😉 ). So, by God’s grace and His help I was able to…

  • Write 3,742 words
  • Finish two short story rough drafts!!!!! (check, check off my year’s list)
  • Read about 50% of Fiction-Writing Modes by Mike Klaassen
For being a sick week, I feel it was an extremely productive week, and my heart is full of gratitude for the Lord giving me the strength and ability to work!
I will probably wait and release this in July (“Christmas in July” 😉 ), but I wanted to give you all a sneak peek at short story #1 finished:

And then here is the first paragraph from short story #2!
These are both in the hands of beta readers and will probably need some editing before they’re released. You can be sure I’ll mention something about them when release dates are set. 😉

From My Desk
For those of you who aren’t on social media, here are some things I’ve posted on FaceBook and Instagram the past week:

Letter writing… it has been far too many months since I’ve done this! I challenge you: send someone a handwritten note in the next week! It will be a blessing to them!


Exact goal met for rough draft. Now that’s a first!

Teaching my sister how to format books! I love being able to share the things I enjoy with my younger sisters. What interests do you share with your siblings?
Goals for this week:
This week, I resume teaching. That means I likely will not have as much writing time. So, in considering that, I would like to…
  • Write 2000 words
  • Finish reading Fiction-Writing Modes
  • Start a research book
What were you able to accomplish this first week of 2018?
What are your goals for this coming week?
And feel free to answer my questions from social media posts. 🙂 Those are always fun to read!

Scripture Graphics #73

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

How am I using the breath that God has lent me? Do I use it to praise Him? Complain? Curse? Give thanks? Share His salvation?


This was before men had the entire Word of God—how blessed we are to not only have God’s Holy Spirit to guide, but also His Word to direct us to know His thoughts and understanding!


We have a level of fear and respect for the leaders of our country that keeps us from confronting them—but we have no problem with confronting God about our opinions in what He has allowed. Do we forget that He is far greater and the best of our wisdom is more foolish than the wisdom of God? Do we have no respect or fear of Him?

Have you been faithful to your New Year’s Bible commitment? 
If so, share something from what you’ve learned in the past week!
If not, it’s not too late to pick it up and make new changes to your daily devotion time! If you need help with accountability, I’d be more than happy to help you. Just shoot me an email at amandaterobooks{at}gmail{dot}com

Beneath a Prairie Moon | First Line Friday, Book Review

Published on by Amanda Tero7 Comments
Happy New Year! This is the first “First Line Friday” of the year! 🙂 And I’ve got a fantastic book for the first one! Beneath a Prairie Moon doesn’t release until March, but you will definitely want to get it on your list to read! I know that I say this with every new release Kim Vogel Sawyer publishes, but… I think this may be my absolute favorite of hers!! Just re-reading the first line makes me want to stop and read the whole things once more. But I haven’t time for that. So, here’s just the first line…

“When’re you goinna have your letter ready, Mack?”

What’s the first line of one of your favorite books?
(or any other one, if you’d like)
Connecting with Hoarding Books for First Line Friday! Hop over and connect with your first line!

My Review

Be prepared for gushing.

Because I love, love, loooooved this book! So a cohesive review may not be possible.


This is probably my favorite of Sawyer’s so far. I did NOT want it to end and when I passed it along to my sister, she said the same thing. I just wanted to stay with Abigail and Mack and Helena and Bill and Spiveyville. They were all so real and believable. They each had their struggles, their strong points, and their weak points.


And the men of Spiveyville. Oh wow. I mean, two women of prestigious, Eastern training coming into a town to train sixteen westerners who want mail-order brides? That is such an amazing idea and Sawyer executed it very well! I loved seeing the growth of the various characters, the vastness of their personalities. Yeah… I just loved the characters here!


As always, Sawyer portrayed strong, Christian characters (when applicable) or young Christians who needed room to grow. There wasn’t a ton of preaching in this book because the characters lived out their Christian lives. That was so very refreshing to see!


The setting was completely amazing! I loved the many etiquette tips woven throughout the book and in Abigail’s personality. It made it feel true to its era.


I forgot at times that the basis of this book was “mail order bride.” There really wasn’t much romance until the end. It was more of solid friendships being formed and developing into a relationship. There were a few hints of things, but nothing portrayed at all.


This really was just one of the sweetest, most exciting, and un-put-down-able books I’ve read this year!


*I received this book from Blogging for Books and happily provided my honest review*

Looking Backward, Looking Forward

Published on by Amanda Tero5 Comments
2017 was definitely not the writing year that I had expected, but when I look back over 2017, it was a good writing year. I didn’t get near as many words in as I had hoped, I’m not as far along in my writing projects as I had hoped, but I did make progress–and that’s what counts, right?
Looking back at 2017, I was able to…
  • Publish “Hartly Manor” (short story)
  • Publish “The Secret Slipper” (book 2 of Tales of Faith series)
  • Read 5 books on the writing craft (links to my reviews: The 12 Key Pillars to Novel Construction, Plot, The Story Cure, Creating Character Arcs, Write Well)
  • Start hosting writing days at our house
  • Finish second draft (major rewrite) of Nat’s story and place it in the hands of beta readers
  • Meet several new author friends
  • Read 9 Civil War books (fiction and non-fiction)
  • Read 2 medieval research books
  • Purchase a couple (few?) dozen Civil War books (hey, thrift stores have amazing deals, okay?)
  • Encourage others in their writing
  • Begin keeping you all semi-regularly updated with my writing progress (and hearing you all comment–that has been a big highlight of my blogging/writing year!)
  • Write some articles for Wordquill
  • Start at least a half dozen short stories and novellas still unfinished 😛
I’m sure there are plenty more writing blessings of 2017, but I’m coming off a week of sick-brain, which is fuzzy at best. 😉 That at least gives you a glimpse.

Now, we get into 2018. I’ll admit, I have some writing dreams and goals. All of these, I understand, will be carefully prayed through week by week. But you can’t hit a target if you don’t at least aim. I’m taking a challenge here–cause I usually am not one for big goals. So, with God’s guidance and direction, I shall attempt to:
  • FINISH NAT’S STORY!!! (yeah, that kinda has to be #1 with everyone breathing on my neck ;))
  • Write book 3 of the Tales of Faith series
  • Finish and publish 3 short stories that I began in 2017
  • Start book 2 of Nat’s journey
  • Read 10 books on the writing craft (any suggestions?)
  • Read 10 non-fiction/research books
Now, I’ll admit, these look like crazy lofty goals for me because I realize how little writing time I usually have. So, while these are my goals, I’m also considering what I had asked y’all to be praying for a few weeks back: a balanced schedule. It is always possible that my teaching schedule will expand, and I’m going to try my best to keep an opening for family time. But when writing time happens, Lord willing those will be my goals.
What about you? What were you able to accomplish in writing 2017? Are you satisfied with those goals? Do they help you to make different goals for 2018?

Scripture Graphics #72

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

“Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.” Job 2:9-10
These words show Job’s humility. He didn’t think he deserved good because of his faithful life to God. He didn’t say, “Look, God, I’ve not cursed You because of what You’ve allowed–You ought to bless me.” He basically said, “God is God, I am fallen humanity.” God didn’t “owe him” because of his obedience. Job just stayed faithful, not expecting good. What trust!


Whether it is the unbeliever who hardens his heart against conviction and his need of God, or the believer who goes through a season of hardened rebellion, God is still God in control. We can never “stump God.” Rather, we will find ourselves as the ones being troubled.


Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Job 14:4
Stopping here can be discouraging. Yet Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” 1 John 1:7 promises, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” With God, nothing is impossible.


Plead (Hebrew word: riyb) – to toss, grapple, wrangle, i.e. to hold a controversy…
God is all-powerful to do anything He wants to against us. Yet so often, instead of finding fault with every area of our lives and snuffing us out as would a candle, He instead imparts to us His strength!

It’s the New Year!!
What changes do you hope to make this year when it comes to Scripture reading and memory?