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Scripture Graphics #64

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Even as a recipient of reproof we have a responsibility…to be receptive, teachable, pliable. When we cease being these things, we are in great danger.


Part of being a virtuous woman is not just being busy, but being discerning. Whether it is producing merchandise or purchasing it, she perceives that it is good—she cares about quality.


How often do we pause to consider the question? And what is our answer? In the labor that we do, is there eternal profit? Is our heart focused on glorifying God and exalting Him to others? “Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed; only what’s done for Christ will last.”


This verse does not mean to live wickedly and foolishly (as verse 17 clarifies) but, “he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.” (vs. 18b) It is possible to position ourselves as righteous and wise apart from the fear of God, but this is never the wisdom and righteousness of God and it will fade away, potentially bringing us harm. It should be “fear God” first, not “be righteous and wise” first.

What book of the Bible are you reading today?

Color Index XL (this graphic designer’s happy book)

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
This book makes my graphic designing heart happy. For the longest time, I had said that I wasn’t very artsy. It turns out I just need a little direction with art. Colors are one of those things that get to me. I don’t always know what goes with what, so I tend to stick with the few, safe options that I know. Not anymore! Wow! This book is basically stuffed with color palettes—all with CMYK and RGB codes to replicate. Added to that, it begins with a few pages of color theory and information. Since I’ve never taken any art classes but just jumped into graphic designing as a hobby, this is super useful to have on hand. It explains hue, saturation, value, the color wheel, and how to use color substitutes. It demonstrates how to apply one color palette to a design and get various results. This is the type of book that I will be using for years to come and never get tired of.

*I received this book from Blogging for Books and happily provided my honest review*
P.S. I just have to include a picture of the inside. Isn’t it so cool?!?! There are about 300 pages like this.

Giver of Wonders | First Line Friday

Published on by Amanda Tero12 Comments
Do you have a favorite author? I do, and while I’ll be the first to admit that they sometimes change, Roseanna White has been on my top-ten favorites for about a year now. Recently, I got to read a new-for-me book of hers and loved it! Here’s the first line…

How many of you have read Roseanna White?
What’s a first line from a book you’re reading? (or the book closest to you)

Don’t forget, to join the fun, hop over to Hoarding Books!

My Review
Roseanna has done it again: a captivating story that pulled me in and intrigued me from page one. All of the characters were amazingly developed and original. The relationship between the sisters was so sweet and realistic. I could go on and on about the characters. I really liked them all. Petras, Cyrpus, the twins, the parents… if they were a good character, I loved them. If they were an antagonistic character, I still liked them because they were so very well done!
The storyline, though. I love a story that I can’t predict, and that’s exactly what this one was for me. I mean, I kind of figured out what might happen for Nikolaos’ life and his decisions about money, but how it would all play out, I had absolutely no clue—which is why I loved this story. I have read too many predictable plot-lines, so one that keeps me guessing with five different scenarios of possibilities… yeah. That is the kind of book that grabs my attention.
There was one aspect that I was very cautious about, and that was Nikolaos being the “wonder worker.” Stories with men performing miracles put me a little on edge because I personally believe that we are in the age where miracles are a gift of the past (now, if you read Revelations, you’ll find that miracles will be a very strong sign of the beast, but this is a book review, not a theological discussion). “Giver of Wonders” was written in an era, however, where it was possible for men to have the gift of miracles… I’m just not going to fully endorse it because I wasn’t there and claiming miracles is kind of a big thing with how we portray God. So, because of that, every time Nikolaos came on the scene, I read very cautiously and it probably hindered me from absolutely loving him. I can’t say that it was unbiblical, and according to the author’s notes, there are historical tales of the real Nikolaos performing miracles. I just… yeah… am very uncertain about endorsing the whole thing, given the era in which we now live, and how men and women today scream for miracles, many of which are not done for God’s glory. I do applaud Roseanna, because overall, the miracles and focus of the miracles was for God’s glory, to exalt and glorify Him—they weren’t just given to enhance the story.
Now, about the spiritual content: Oh. My. Word. Wow. The spiritual content in this book! Five stars for it!! The characters’ focus wasn’t just about finding out “who they were” or falling in love. There was so much woven through the whole book where they were honestly trying to seek God, follow Him, and glorify Him—even if it was at the cost of something or someone that they loved. Some Scripture was quoted, but more often than not, it was alluded to very clearly. It was a very edifying read in the spiritual sense. It left me feeling very uplifted, with my thoughts turned more toward God and actually seeking Him. That doesn’t happen often in a fiction book. This covers some tough issues about following God, marrying unbelievers, honoring parents, and keeping our desires surrendered to God. There was a scene toward the end (it’s the climax so I’m not going to give a spoiler) where one character felt like following God was to do something very unsavory. In essence it was noble, but if someone immature were to read this book and felt like it gave a stamp of approval on the action…that is the only fear I’d have.
There was definitely romance in this book. I really liked the era-portrayal of arranged marriages. It was more of a mix of arranged/falling in love, so it probably wasn’t 100% accurate, but it wasn’t completely inaccurate either. As far as the actual romance goes, there was admiration, some kissing, and such. Because the book was more about the girls’ family struggles than their romantic interests, it didn’t feel like the main plot of the book, though it was definitely there. There were quite a few mentions of prostitution and dangers of women alone on the streets, but nothing at all explicit was portrayed. Because of it all, though, I would recommend it for 18+ conservative readers.
In conclusion, this is a book I’m delighted to have on my shelves. I imagine that I will reread it a few times because it was just that good.

*I received this book from WhiteFire Publishing and happily provided my honest review*

Christmas CD Now Ready!

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

Hopping in briefly this evening because I just made the first order of “Christmas is a Gift” CDs!! That means they’ll be ready for me to ship to you toward the end of November!

If you’d like a copy, you may sign up here.

CDs are $12 each plus $3 shipping and handling (USA only–don’t worry, it will be available on digital platforms internationally in a few weeks).
  Christmas is - orders
Christmas is 
 The title song was composed by my sister, Elizabeth. The entire piece is up on YouTube, complete with lyrics:

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
Several years ago, I recorded my first piano album, “The Solid Rock.” At the time, I thought it very well might be the only piano album I would be able to record (God’s plans surely aren’t ours, and I’m happy about that!). Because this was a once-in-a-lifetime event (or so I thought), it was a combination of all of my arrangements at the time: year 2012. That being said, one of the arrangements featured on this CD is none other than “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Since it is nearing Christmastime, it needs a little revisit from me, as well as a delightful little sharing with you all via YouTube.
For the first time since 2012, the sheet music is now available for purchase! I am planning on working toward publishing the entire collection in sheet music form, but for now, you’ll have to be satisfied with just this one.
If you’d like to add it to your music library, MP3 singles are for sale here (or look them up on your favorite digital music server like Apple Music, iTunes, or Amazon).

Out of a Rut

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments
Last week was a complete non-writing week for me. I’m not complaining, because in that week, I was able to focus some much-needed time on WAJN projects (Christmas CD coming soon, Lord willing!!). The primary reason I didn’t spend the week writing, though, was because I wasn’t exactly sure what to do next (you may remember the article I wrote about that).
Yesterday, I spent a little time walking and praying–specifically focusing on my writing projects. You see, my original plans were that, while Book One of Nat is in the hands of beta-readers, I would write as much of Book Two as I could. That way, hopefully it won’t take as long as Nat’s story took. 
The more I thought of it, though, the less comfortable I felt about that idea. There are still a few glitches in Nat’s story that I know need to be worked out before I begin writing book two. Yet, I still wanted to get the plot down for book two. I did a little brainstorming on it last week, but the well was d.r.y.
Back to my walk. As I walked and prayed about it–praying for ideas, for direction, for anything, the Lord gave me that light bulb (i.e. “DUH”) moment: work on something else.
After all, whose schedule was I following? Mine? My readers’? God’s?
Write something else.

The instant the thought crossed my mind, I felt greatly relieved. That was my answer. And now that I knew, my writing life seemed pretty simple. After all, there’s this other story I’ve been yearning to write, but so far, the timing of when to write it hadn’t happened. I began mulling over this idea, praying about it (I had the general gist and location, but the plot just wasn’t there yet). Within an hour, the Lord provided a rough synopsis of the entire story–climax and everything! This usually doesn’t happen, so you can imagine how excited I’ve been! I’m ready to climb out of my little writing hole and race across the field of ideas, picking bouquets of words and tying them together with ribbon-like themes. My desire is to have this rough draft completed by the time I get Nat back from beta readers. But, God’s plans aren’t always mine, so we shall see.
What excitement has happened in your life lately?
What do you do when you’re in a rut (whether in life or in writing)?

Scripture Graphics #63

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

In this world, it is easy to get caught up in “making ends meet” and “having a cushion”—but is that our own wisdom? If our wisdom keeps us from sharing our riches with those in need, maybe we are too focused on our money. If our focus shifts to money rather than ministry, it could be that our labor is to be rich, not to follow God. This does not give us permission to be careless, but it is a good reminder to check our motives.
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. (Proverbs 28:20)


If I notice a lot of strife around me, I need to stop and check: am I the one being contentious?


Envy can be one of those silent sins that we nurture in our hearts. If no one sees it, it doesn’t seem as sinful. But here, it is portrayed as worth than anger and wrath (which are outrageous and cruel). Just like we have to be on guard to not give place to wrath, we must also guard against envy.


We must ever be on guard against a hardened heart—it can happen so quickly. Is our heart tender toward the Lord? Do we fear Him and truly believe His Word? If we catch ourselves in mischief, with a hardened heart, the previous verse gives us a choice: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)


What is something you’ve learned from God’s Word this week?

Colors of Christmas | Giveaway, Tour, FLF, and Blog Hop

Published on by Amanda Tero14 Comments

Happy Friday! I’m once again jumping ahead of myself and doing a Christmas story–or two, as this case is. Be patient and scroll through the entire post… there’s a lot of great stuff packed in here!

But first… first lines from both stories!

Just have to say, that first line of “Christmas in Blue” is SO true!!! I’m a piano/violin teacher and yes, I know when my students haven’t practiced…there are just things you know. 😉
Don’t forget: you can be a part of First Line Fridays and share your link on Hoarding Books.

Now, after you get through this wonderful, long post, stop and comment!
~ Share a first line
~ Have you read anything by Olivia Newport?
~ What is a new-for-you author this month?
~ Anything else you feel like commenting 😉

About the Book

Name of book: Colors of Christmas
Author: Olivia Newport  
Genre: Contemporary Christmas  
Release Date: October 1, 2017  

Christmas in Blue Angela just wants Christmas to be over. Instead, she finds herself in charge of the town’s celebration, and everything goes from bad to worse. Can she rescue Christmas for the town—and herself? 
Christmas in Gold When eighty-year-old Astrid moves into an assisted living community and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves to stir up Christmas hope one more time.

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Review
I thoroughly enjoyed the two novellas in this book. I appreciated that they weren’t romances and that there was a strong, Christian theme in both of them.
“Christmas in Gold” is definitely my favorite of the two. I loved, loved, loved Astrid and her whole story. I really liked reading a story of an elderly woman entering a retirement center—that is not something I’ve read much of. That initially intrigued me to Astrid. But then her back story! I’m not a huge fan of back story, but wow. Her back story was VERY well written and thought out and portrayed. The flashbacks were perfect because of who Astrid was. Not everyone can get away with dumping in back story, but because Astrid was toward the eve of her years and the move jarred her, her living in the past was so very well done. So Astrid gets a five star from me.
I wish I could have liked Carly’s story a little more. Maybe I just had a hard time sympathizing with her, or maybe it was that her story was a little vague. It’s not like I did not like it, I guess I was just trying to understand the magnitude of her problem (maybe it made my brain think that this was leaning toward suspense but it didn’t reach that point, so I was just left confused?).
“Christmas in Blue”…after Gold, I was eager to see what other story was in this book. I didn’t care for it quite as much as Gold. The best way I can describe it is a Hallmark movie minus the romance. Everything that could go wrong went wrong—but then everything that could be solved was magnificently pieced together. It was just a little too perfect to be real life. I connected with Angela instantly, because I am a piano teacher as well and I rarely find books that feature music teachers. But beyond that, I just didn’t quite feel her pain. I wanted to, especially after reading Gold, but it just didn’t appeal to me quite the same. It is, however, an amazing story if you just want a “feel good” story (I usually don’t go for those). It kind of ranked more of a 3.5 rating for me.
Like I said, spiritual content in both of these were solid. Blue was a little more confusing to me—but it could have just been that by the end/climax, I was ready to be finished with the story. It brought out the beauty of healing. Gold portrayed that it is only by God’s strength that we can get through trials. I really did appreciate the emphasis on trials, and how they have potential to turn one to God.
The romance was almost nonexistent. There was absolutely none in Blue, but in Gold, there was a situation that Carly faced with a former boyfriend, and you knew that someone else was falling for her, but it was not a main part of the story at all.
There are some bomb scenes, some scenes with boyfriend restraint orders, but nothing explicit; just to mention it for my younger readers.

*I received this book from CelebrateLit and happily provided my honest review*
Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

Guest Post from Olivia Newport

We All Have a Story
I’m younger than most of the people I exercise with. It started when I had a lot of pain in my feet and needed low-impact classes with the option of sitting down and learned I didn’t have to be a senior citizen to take their classes at my gym. Then I discovered how tough most of them are. Years later, though my feet are better, these are still my people.
A couple of years ago, while we waited for the younger and allegedly-but-not-really-tougher crowd to clear out of the group exercise room so we could invade it, a woman I would not have guessed to be 80, because she could out-cardio and out-lift me any day of the week, mentioned she had been widowed since she was 39. And she’d been widowed the first time at 19. And she’d grown up in Germany while Hitler was intent on destroying Europe and life was not easy.
Then the changing of the guard happened and I was left with my mouth gaping. I knew I had to hear this story. The next week after class, we went across the parking lot to Culvers for lunch and I scribbled notes on the backs of a pile of brown napkins while Astrid talked. Later she let me read the account of her life that she had written herself.
Astrid faced so many tragic circumstances, but she would be the first to tell you that God was with her even before she knew how to call on him. Many people with her life story would have found plenty of reason to wallow and stagnate. But not Astrid. Truly she is one of the most hopeful people I know.
Her story was the beginning of Colors of Christmas, which includes two stories. Astrid’s is “Christmas in Gold,” and the other is “Christmas in Blue.” Astrid inspired me to write about hope for a time of year when the Christian message resounds with hope yet so many people struggle to grasp hope for themselves. I pray these stories will help many recover a sense of hope afresh.
Olivia Newport chases joy in Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.
To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away a grand prize of a Christmas Bundle Bonanza which includes 7 Jumbo rolls of Christmas wrapping paper, 2 sets of stick-on gift tags, 2 packages of Christmas cards and envelopes, 2 collections of Christmas novellas—18 stories in all, and a signed copy of Colors of Christmas!!
Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c319

Blog Stops

Books N Baubles, October 17
Bukwurmzzz, October 17
Bigreadersite, October 19
A Greater Yes, October 22
Mary Hake, October 22
Daysong Reflections, October 22
Baker Kella, October 23
Remembrancy, October 24
Carpe Diem, October 25
autism mom, October 25
Bibliophile Reviews, October 25
A Reader’s Brain, October 26
By The Book, October 26
The Power of Words, October 26
Pause for Tales, October 27
Splashes of Joy, October 27
Karen Sue Hadley, October 28
Vicky Sluiter, October 29
Pursuing Stacie, October 29
Just Jo’Anne, October 30

Cover Reveal: ‘Tis so Sweet by Faith Blum

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

Once again, I’m here with news of another release by Faith Blum!

I actually got the first look at her cover, as Faith honored me to be her cover designer! Follow Faith’s blog for information as soon as it releases! I’m looking forward to this story, as it features characters from my favorite of her books, Lily of the Valley. Anyway, enough chatting. Behold, the cover!!!

Trusting God is hard
Eleanor Miller has never lacked for anything, but she wanted to become a schoolteacher anyway to instill the love of learning into other children. Unlike what happened with her brother, Grover.
Grover hated school and authority. He rebelled any change he could. When he almost killed a man, their family was torn apart and he was disowned.

Eleanor understands her father’s decision, but she worries she will never see Grover again. Will she find out how sweet it is to trust Jesus in everything no matter what happens or will she stop trusting Him completely?

About the Author

Faith Blum is a 20-something author of multiple books in various genres. She loves to write, read, play piano, knit, crochet, sew, watch movies, and spend time with her husband.  She lives in Wisconsin in a small town with her husband and cat where she can write to her heart’s content during the day. Faith’s goal in her writing is to encourage Christians in their walk with Christ.