It is the first Monday after Thanksgiving, so I am finally unleashed to talk about Christmas music!  In my house, it is an unofficial rule (or official maybe, since I made the rule) that Christmas music cannot be played until the day after Thanksgiving.  That’s a hard rule to follow sometimes, since the stores start spinning Rudolph and Frosty around, oh, the Fourth of July now.

Anyway, I turn thirty-something-else tomorrow, so I thought it would be fun to look at favorite Christmas songs from each decade of my life as we run up to Christmas.  Okay, it might not be as much fun for you as for me, but hang out anyway.  You might find some new favorites!

When I was a kid, my unequivocal favorite Christmas song was “Joy to the World.”  I can remember going to church even in the very middle of summer and looking it up in the hymnal just so I could read the words.  (Hymnals.  Remember those?)  I sang it as much as I could.  At the time, I didn’t know what it was about that song, but it made me happy just to shout-sing it at the top of my little lungs.  Now I completely understand it.  There is such joy in this world because the Lord has come… and is coming again!

So today, how about some “Joy to the World” (not the Jeremiah the Bullfrog version, but the real, praise God version) by my favorite band.  Y’all knew Third Day had to show up at some point, right?  And don’t worry, you’ll see them again.

Sing along, folks!  It’s CHRISTMAS!!!!

-JB

I just realized something. We are going to be doing Revelation on the last Wednesday of 2011. Now that’s funny. God’s got a sense of humor, doesn’t He?

Well, this week is II Peter. Have a word to share with us? How about dropping into the comments and joining the conversation? I John is next week! Oh, and in case I forget tomorrow… Happy Thanksgiving!

I Peter 3:9 (NIV)–The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, now wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Say it with me now:  “I love this verse!”  (I am aware I say that a lot.  It’s true, though.  I love God’s Word!)  If this isn’t the perfect picture of love, I’m not sure what is.  You know, God could have ended this whole thing at any point.  He didn’t even have to create the earth and all of us in the first place.  After all, like I said a few  weeks ago, He knew what was coming before He ever spoke the first speck of dust into existence.  At any time He pleases, He could be free of the pain we cause His heart.

But He doesn’t end it.  Not yet.  He is constantly watching, waiting for that one more soul to come home to Him, waiting for that one more confession that He is Who He says He is.  Each one brings Him joy unspeakable and sets heaven on fire with praise.

I was struck by the thought just now… What if Jesus had come two seconds before I accepted Him?  Two seconds before my husband did?  Two seconds before my daughter did?  Oh, the love.  He waited on me.  On him.  On her.  On you.  On someone we may never know this side of heaven who is in this very moment crying out to Him for the first time.  That’s amazing to me, that He is waiting on us.  Soak that in and tell me it isn’t love… one hundred percent.

-JB

So it was not my intention to post two Jamie Grace songs in a row, but my daughter has been jamming to her all week, so I suppose it was inevitable.

God blessed my family in an incredible, amazing way last week.  I won’t get into it now, but I watched some crazy things happen, and I found out that something I really thought I didn’t want was what I really wanted all along.  Admit it, that’s happened to you before, too, hasn’t it?

Well, yesterday morning, wouldn’t you know Satan finally got his kick in?  Out of nowhere, the worry started creeping in.  All week, I did a great job of letting go and letting God take care of the details.  Before church yesterday, I started to dwell on what we needed and when we needed it and wondering where everything would come from.  It lead to an almost-heated discussion with my husband, because I was getting a little bit snippy about it.

We got to church, I plopped down with my head spinning, and my preacher had us pray silently before the congregational prayer.  Something in me just kind of snapped in that quiet moment in God’s presence and I said, “Know what, God?   You gave us this thing.  I have no doubt it is in your plan and whatever needs to happen, You can pull it together just fine without my help.”  And I felt better.  No, it doesn’t always happen that fast, but sometimes He steps in with that peace and plops it in my lap when I need it most.

On the way home from church, the kiddo wanted her daddy to hear Jamie Grace (her new favorite singer, obviously), and this song came on.  You just have to love a line like, “It’s like anything, everything that’s been weighing on me falls by the wayside when I’m with You.”  Ain’t that the truth?

-JB

Boy, oh boy. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so glad to see a Wednesday! Could anyone besides me use a day to sleep in? Bring on Saturday! (Oh, wait… I have to get up at 6:00 this Saturday. Rats. Never mind.)

This week, I Peter is on tap. I don’t know if your Bible is like mine, but I Peter is one of my more “highlighted” books. This is a tough one to choose just one verse from! If you would, check out the comments below and share what stands out to you in I Peter.

I Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)–Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

If I could, I would find a way to pour this verse out to every single person who crosses my path.  This verse is a fact many of us ignore.  For some reason, many churches will talk all day about God and Jesus but never address the fact that we have a real, live enemy who is out to take us down by any means necessary.

Hear this:  there is no mercy in Satan.  He is not going to take it easy on us.  His favorite thing is to kick us when we are down and, let me assure you, those kicks can be quite subtle.  The verse says he “prowls.”  Yes, sometimes, he roars like a lion, stirs up dust, and you can see him coming six miles away.  But other times… those are the times we need to be most alert.  He can sneak up on us in a subtle gesture, a sly temptation, a slight weakness…  And before we know it, we’re in the jaws of the beast.

The bottom line is, we need to know who we are.   I had a friend tell me once that Satan has a “character study” on each of us.  He knows just where to tempt us to make us turn our heads.  He knows every weakness.  So we need to know our own weaknesses in in order to be “alert,” and we need to know who we are in Christ, because those are our strengths.

The good news is God’s grace.  He has that way of prying open the jaws of the enemy and setting us free.  But how about we keep those teeth far from us in the first place?

-JB

Not much to say here. Just this… If you haven’t checked out Jamie Grace, you SO should! Some mornings, you just need that little extra bounce in your step. (And hello… It features Tobymac. How can you go wrong?) If this doesn’t do it for you today, nothing will. Happy Monday!

-JB

If you know me (and you are aware of the fact my husband is a 22-year Army veteran), then you know my heart is with soldiers and their families.  Our men and women in uniform have my heart, and anyone who loves a service member is a member of my extended family. The military is a life that few outside will ever understand.

When Edie Melson approached me at ACFW conference last year and told me about her idea, I immediately told her to sign me up.  Her dream then was to publish a book of devotions and stories from wives, parents, friends… anyone who loves a soldier and has sent them to war, anyone who knows the fear that can creep up and slap you when you least expect it.  Well, today is the day that dream comes true.

Today is the official release date for Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home.  I am so excited about this book, and even more excited that it releases today, on Veterans Day.  That’s perfect timing, wouldn’t you say?

And there’s more!  Today also marks the launch of the website Winning the War at Home, a resource for military family members and anyone else who wants to drop by and say hi.  Edie, April Gardner, and I will rotate weeks discussing military life and other things that move us at the time.  It would be wonderful if you joined us over there.  If you stop by the third week of each month,  you’ll find me there chatting away.

Below is the book trailer for Fighting Fear:  Winning the War at Home.  Below that, you’ll find links to purchase the book.   I hope you’ll check it out and visit the website.  This is all so close to my heart, and I’m so honored Edie has allowed me to be a part of this.  It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to reach out to people who love their service members.  It makes my heart grow a whole lot more than three sizes to be a part of this!

You can purchase the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online retailers, or your local bookstore can order it for you.

-JB

Wow.  A few weeks of short little letters from the Bible and then we’ll hit Revelations. I am so excited!  I am already thinking in Revelations.  Can I just pick the entire book?!?  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  This week, we get to read the amazing book of James, which I once heard referred to as “The proverbs of the New Testament.”  (I wrote that in my Bible, but I have no idea where I got it… It wasn’t from me, that’s for sure.)  Cool thing about this book is that some people believe Jesus’s earthly brother wrote it.  That sets me off on wondering what it would be like to be the half-brother of the Son of God.  There’s a tough one when you go to school, isn’t it?  Think he ever heard, “Why can’t you be more like Jesus?”  Come to think of it, maybe we all need to aim for that one, huh?  Anyway, comment below, if you please, then we’ll hit I Peter next week.

James 4:17 (NIV)–Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

and

James 1:22 (NIV)–Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

Okay.  Ouch.  This one has been thrown at me a couple of times this week from various sources.  James hits this concept a few times in a few different ways, which is why I chose two verses.  This reminds me of that old saying, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car.”  It’s overused maybe, but it’s true.

Too many of us today think we’re good to go if we go to church, here the sermon, and get home in time to watch the NASCAR race on TV.  (Or football.  If you’re into boredom.)  I speak to myself on this one too.  Sometimes, we forget there is actual action involved, actual warfare involved, actual people who need us to get up and do something.

I know I can get into the habit of griping and complaining about the state of the world and the junk on TV, but somehow, in all of the complaining, I forget to pray or to take any action.  Then I read James and God goes, “Hon, you need to stop running your mouth and start getting those hands in action.”

Again, ouch.  Anybody else feeling that sting?

-JB

Hello, all!

I love good book news.  I really do.  It is especially sweet when a good friend has her book published! Oh, and we all know I’m a Southern fried, sweet tea, NASCAR kind of girl so… even better that Suzanne’s book is set on a few Southern Sunday ovals, right?

Okay, enough about me.  Suzanne Hartmann’s debut novel, Peril: A Fast Track Thriller, debuts on November 18.

A top-secret agent with enhanced strength must use her extraordinary abilities during several high-profile assignments—from the White House to NASCAR tracks—and struggles with trusting God to protect her when unwanted publicity threatens to expose her secrets. As the danger builds, she becomes a terrorist target and realizes the only way she can save her life as she knows it is through death.

Intrigued?  Want to know more?

Visit Suzanne at Fast Track Thrillers.

Check out her Facebook Page.

And click the book cover below to see the trailer for Peril.

Congrats, Suzanne!!!

Lots of good reading abounds for November with these selections from ACFW authors. Think Christmas shopping perhaps???

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander — Historical Romance from Bethany House; To create something that will last is Claire Laurent’s most fervent desire as an artist. It’s also her greatest weakness. All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He’s determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.

Bound by Grace by Amber Stockton — Historical Romance from Barbour. When Charlotte Pringle’s father disrupts her idyllic relationship with Richard Baxton by announcing he’s been working on a marriage arrangement to secure her future, Richard despairs over the loss of the woman he’s come to love, until his niece persuades him to fight.

Fatal Reality by Jonathan Wakefield — A Thriller/Suspense from OakTara — In this race only the winner will be allowed to live.

Gateway Weddings; Romancing America by Myra Johnson — A Romance from Barbour. Three Missouri women enter the gateway to life, love, and longing.

Hope and a Future by Betty Arrigotti — Romance from OakTara; Will Marjorie Gloriam overcome her fear and trust God to be a Friend with plans to give her Hope and a Future?

I Can Do Better All By Myself by E. N. Joy, –Biblical Fiction from Urban Fiction (Kensington). The singles ministry at New Day Temple of Faith is beginning to unravel, and the pastor is considering dissolving the ministry. Some members believe the only way to hold it together is by getting their pastor to join. And why shouldn’t their leader show support by joining, considering the pastor’s own single status?

Katie’s Way by Marta Perry — Romance from Praise (Penguin). A quilt shop brings Amish and Englisch together, and trouble follows…

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble — Romance from Thomas Nelson. Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson’s baby was stolen and never found. Eden blamed herself, Clay lost himself in work. Their young and rocky marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.

Mind Over Madi by Lynda Lee Schab — General Fiction from OakTara; All men cheat. At least, that’s what Madi’s mother has always told her.

Peril by Suzanne Hartmann — Thriller/Suspense from OakTara; A top-secret agent must trust God to protect her many secrets when she accepts high-profile assignments but can she trust Him when He leads her to reveal her secrets and takes her to death’s doorstep?

Promise Brides by S. Dionne Moore– Historical Romance from Barbour; Love is the same, no matter when, no matter where-it never comes without sacrifice.

Protection for Hire by Camy Tang– Thriller/Suspense from Zondervan; Tessa Lancaster’s skills first earned her a position as an enforcer in her uncle’s Japanese Mafia gang. Then they landed her in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Now, three months after her release, her abilities have gained her a job as bodyguard for a wealthy socialite and her three-year-old son. But there’s a problem or two … or three ….

The Land of Darkness; The Gates of Heaven Series by C.S. Lakin– Speculative Fiction from Living Ink (AMG); Jadiel is twelve and things couldn’t get much worse—or could they?

The Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough– Historical Romance from Moody Publishers; When Riley Morgan returns home after fighting in the War Between the States, he is excited to see his parents and fiancée again. But when he arrives he learns his life will never be the same again.

The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson– Historical from Zondervan; An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude a recluse. She must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

The Rancher’s Courtship by Laurie Kingery– Romance from Love Inspired; Though Caroline Wallace can’t have a family, she can still have a purpose. Becoming Simpson Creek’s new schoolmarm helps heal the heartache of losing Pete, her fiancé, to influenza. Then Pete’s brother arrives, trailing a herd of cattle and twin six-year-old girls.

Thyme for Love by Pamela S. Meyers–Romance & Mystery from OakTara; April Love has always dreamed of being a chef. But she didn’t expect a former fiancé or murder to be part of the recipe for her new job.

Turnabout’s Fair Play by Kaye Dacus– Romance from Barbour; When Maureen O’Connor begins scheming to match her grandson Jamie with Flannery McNeill, the last thing she has in mind is a romance of her own.

So, I’m sitting here at Panera, getting ready to revise/rewrite this final scene in Freefall (isn’t that an awesome title? Thank you, Emily!). I wound up taking the day off work to get this done.  To be honest, I keep glancing at the clock and thinking, “Hm, right now my seventh graders are…”  and “Right now, it’s 2nd period, and…”  I guess it’s good to love your job, huh?

But that’s not what this is about.  This morning, when I got up and it was writing day, I realized I couldn’t write at home.  (This is due in large part to the fact there is laundry that needs to be washed, a floor that needs to be vacuumed, beds that need clean sheets…  Those are distractions.)  Then I realized that, the last time I tried to write at Barnes and Noble, I got completely distracted by cookbooks.  All those cookbooks.  So pretty.  So colorful.  (I tell my kids you can turn my head quickly with “shiny things.”  Cookbooks are “shiny things.”) It hit me there is only one place where I get head down, screamingly productive.

Panera.

Hm.  This is not good.  There are pastries at Panera.  And coffee.  And it’s not exactly convenient to run off to Panera every time I need to go searching for my muse.

When I got here, I realized something else.  I prefer a corner/wall booth.  I like to feel like I’m settled in and in a cozy little nook.  I can’t write in the middle of the room.  Really, Muse?  Really?  Must you be so picky?

This has got to change.  I think, with the book coming up next, I am going to have to retrain myself.  I need a little nook at home.  There ought to be some corner of my house that doesn’t need to be dusted, right?

Don’t answer that…

-JB