It’s a little early to start announcing events that are coming up in November, but I have a few things I want to share as a preview:
Serena’s New Year’s Wish, a sequel novella to my 2019 Christmas Wish, is due to be released in November. I will be cohosting a launch party with another author who has a novella releasing the same day. Look for an invitation in the next few weeks. There will be guest authors and prizes.
I have a couple of local author events scheduled in November also. Hopefully there will be no cancellations due to Covid, but I will keep you posted as the events get closer.
I’ve had Substitute Family formatted for print and Kindle publishing. I published this contemporary novel one chapter at a time here on my blog for several weeks. It will become available in its entirety this fall.
The sweet romance, May I have this Dance, will continue to be made available one chapter per week until the book is completed. I’m not going to tell you how many weeks it will take, because I want there to be an element of surprise.
If there is enough interest in the Dance book, then I will consider publishing the book in print form and on Kindle at the close of the chapter-per-week event.
The Reluctant Billionaire continues to be available on Kindle and in print from Amazon. If you have a teen on your Christmas wish, this clean Christian romance will make a great gift. If you are local and wish to have a signed copy, contact me on Facebook or attend one of the local events in November.
Speaking of The Reluctant Billionaire, it could use some attention on Amazon. I have a few reviews that readers have posted, but if you want to add yours to the list, that would be great.
I have plans to move forward with my writing, but more than that, I know God has a plan for my life. I desire to be in the center of His will, to promote the work that He is doing in my life, above all else. I continue to pray that He will use my writing to inspire believers to a greater faith, and to introduce the gift of salvation to people who otherwise might not receive it.
As the seasons shift, I pray that you will stay healthy, work on your own happiness, and keep believing that God will work everything out for good–Even if.
Lord, I believe You will ______ (Insert your prayer request here), but Even If you don’t, I will still trust You.
There have been a lot of “Even if” situations in my life. Prayers that I’ve prayed with all my heart, but knowing that even if God did not answer them the way I wanted Him to, everything would be okay. Even if I do not get the results I hope for, I believe that God is working everything out for my good.
There’s a story in the Bible about three men who chose to serve God, even if.
At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.
18 But even if he does not,we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Daniel 3:8-30
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew that the God they served could protect them from the fire. But they were willing to go into the fire, even if God did not spare them.
We serve the same powerful God today. May we be willing to worship and praise God, even if He doesn’t answer our prayers according to our desires.
This song by MercyMe is very inspiring and I close with this link to the lyrics here:
I bent my glasses a week or so ago and had to bring out a pair that are several years old. They are bifocals, like the ones I usually wear, but there is something I noticed about this pair. When I look down at the ground, my feet appear close=er than they really are. They really aren’t, but from the perspective of my old bifocals, I look very short. (Not that I am tall at 5’2″, but I’m not as short as these glasses make me feel).
Today’s Monday Morning message is a quote within a quote. I received a small booklet called, “Grace for the Moment,” as a gift. It is quotes from Max Lucado’s books.
As I set out to write something for today, I picked up this book, which was on the stand beside my other devotionals. Today’s message, for September 20, fits in perfectly with what I was seeing through my glasses.
The Scripture that accompanies today’s devotional quote is 1 Peter 1:8.
“You have not seen Christ, but still you love Him. You cannot see Him now, but you believe in Him.”
From Max Lucado’s book:
“Some years ago, a sociologist accompanied a group of mountain climbers on an expedition. Among other things, he observed a distinct correlation between cloud cover and contentment. When there was no cloud cover and the peak was in view, the climbers were energetic and cooperative. When the gray clouds eclipsed the view of the mountaintop, though, the climbers were sullen and selfish.
The same thing happens to us. As long as our eyes are on God’s majesty there is a bounce in our step. But let our eyes focus on the dirt beneath us and we will grumble about every rock and crevice we have to cross. For this reason Paul urged, “don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to the things going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.” (Col. 3:1-2 MSG).
(The Great House of God by Max Lucado)
My old glasses give me a distorted view of my feet. If I keep my focus ahead or up, then I can see clearly where I am going.
As we go about our day today, be it sunny or gray skies, let’s keep our perspective on Christ. See other people as souls who are in need of encouragement or comfort, not as problems we have to solve.
Today’s featured book is about high school friends who made a Love Pact to marry each other if they were still single at the age of 30. This Christian contemporary romance by Liwen Y. Ho is heartwarming and a great read any time of year.
Author’s Inspiration:
I was inspired by a web series I saw on YouTube titled Single by 30. That series had the same premise of my story, which is that the main characters made a pact while in high school to marry each other if they were still single by age 30. I thought the idea was sweet and fun and had the potential for a lot of tension and romance.
About the book:
Two best friends. One little girl’s prayers. And a love pact that may be the answer to all of their Christmas wishes.
Haven Alexander used to believe in happy ever afters—before she lost her husband and became a single mom. These days, she keeps herself busy as the event planner at Freedom Ridge Lodge, helping to make other couples’ dreams come true. Her other job? Humoring Miah, her spunky three-year-old daughter, who has a dream of her own: finding herself a daddy. This task proves challenging, though, when Miah sets her sights on Haven’s childhood friend who comes home for a visit.
Jeremiah Gilbert left Freedom a dozen years ago with a bad reputation and an even worse regret: not confessing his love for his best friend, Haven. He has returned, however, older and wiser, and ready to rekindle their friendship—and more. There’s a promise on the line, one they made in high school, that he longs to fulfill. Winning over her daughter, Miah, is easy, but helping to heal Haven’s broken heart proves to be nearly impossible.
When Miah gets into a dangerous situation, these old friends must put the past behind them and find new ways to trust in each other and in the One able to meet their deepest needs.
Excerpt:
Her breath caught in her lungs. It seemed like Jess couldn’t have a single conversation without mentioning her twin brother’s name. The guy Haven used to be best friends with and who was responsible for this wedding scheduling fiasco. Partly responsible, at least. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Jeremiah since they were eighteen, but she’d been following him on social media. And the day she’d scheduled December’s events into the computer happened to be the same day she found out he had gotten engaged. That bit of unexpected news had thrown her off so much, she’d gone and made a huge mistake that was coming back to bite her now.
If only she didn’t still care about Jeremiah Gilbert.
Haven decided to ignore Jess’s comment and instead asked the question that had been burning a hole in her mind lately: “Do you know if he’s bringing his fiancée to the wedding?”
“I think they might’ve broken up or will be breaking up soon.”
“Really? You think or you know?”
“It’s an inkling of mine.”
“You and your inklings.” Haven had learned long ago about the bond between the Gilbert siblings. She wouldn’t go as far as to call it twin telepathy, but there was something special that connected Jess and Jeremiah together. “What’s your inkling telling you this time?”
“That his love life’s not going so well. I thought he was finally ready to settle down with Gretchen, but he hasn’t mentioned her recently.”
“Oh yeah?” Haven tried not to sound too interested or excited at this news. She knew she’d never hear the end of it if Jess knew she’d had a crush on her brother since junior high. Had being the key word. She didn’t know Jeremiah anymore, apart from the pictures he posted online of his travels or of the gorgeous women—mostly redheads—that he’d dated over the years. He’d been fairly popular with the opposite sex and had even been named both Class Heartthrob and Class Heartbreaker. Meanwhile, she’d been voted Most Likely to be a Librarian.
It’d been nothing short of a miracle that they’d been friends. Haven chalked it up to the fact that they’d started hanging out before he’d morphed from a gangly, buck-toothed kid into a hot and hunky quarterback. Before he became more social, they, along with Jess, used to do everything together. During senior year of high school, however, they hung out less often when he started running with the wrong crowd. That was around the time Jess and Jeremiah’s dad had left their mom. Jeremiah had taken it hard and started partying and drinking and not caring about his grades. Haven and Jess had prayed every day that he’d find his way back.
Unfortunately, it’d taken a DUI three months before graduation to wake him up. Thankfully, no one had gotten hurt when he crashed his car into the church sanctuary one night, but it had shaken up his family and his future. Mrs. Gilbert moved the kids to California to escape their shame and Jeremiah decided to enlist in the Army to clean up his act.
Haven lost both of her best friends in one fell swoop, but she and Jess ended up reuniting at University of Colorado. They’d been inseparable ever since Jess moved back to Freedom after college. Jeremiah never returned, though, not even for a visit. Haven had lost any hope of seeing him again, especially when he stopped replying to her emails during his first deployment. She’d long stopped asking Jess about him, too, but she had to admit, she was growing more curious, knowing that she’d be seeing him at the wedding. She was about to ask for details about Jess’s inklings when something caught her eye.
Or rather, someone.
That profile looked so familiar. Thick dark brown hair, a straight nose worthy of a Greek statue, and a full beard. She couldn’t stop staring at the tall man standing at the registration desk ten feet away and marveling at how much he resembled Jeremiah. There was no way Jess’s twin would be here at the lodge … right?
Jess suddenly spun in place, her head cocked to one side. She scanned the area with narrowed eyes, looking from person to person, until her gaze landed on the same man Haven had spotted. “Jere?!”
The man turned around at the sound of her voice and sure enough, it was Jeremiah. His whole face brightened when he saw Jess, especially when she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. It was a sweet reunion worthy of a Hallmark movie.
Haven’s steps faltered as she watched her childhood friends hugging. She missed the old days when she’d be in the middle of their embrace. So much had happened, though, since they’d become adults, she didn’t know if their friendships could ever be the same.
But when Jeremiah looked over Jess’s shoulder and locked gazes with Haven, the huge grin on his face made her doubts fall away. It was as if they were eighteen again with their entire future ahead of them. For the first time in as long as she could remember, Haven felt hope stirring in her heart. It was a strange, unexpected feeling that made her want to run over to Jeremiah and wrap her arms around him.
Could she?
About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA a stay at home mom) and a writer by night. She creates sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).
In her pre-author life, she received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children (AKA munchkins).
Learn more about Liwen and also sign up for her newsletter to receive an exclusive free book, news about her upcoming releases, giveaways, sneak peeks and more at liwenho.com.
My kids like to do jigsaw puzzles on the dining room table. For some reason, that attracts the cats. We keep a bottle of water nearby to spray them when they jump up there, but sometimes they are too cute and I take pictures first. Here are some of the latest:
Stormy
Ash
Of course, Ash, also known as the Tiny Terror, had to lay down and roll around, messing up the puzzle. Isn’t she cute, though?
Since all of our cats are rescues, I didn’t pick any of them, they just showed up. However, if I have to pick a favorite, it would be Elsa, below. She is a cuddler. She sleeps on my bed at night and likes to be beside me otherwise. I picked her up after I took this picture and held her for a few minutes. Having a warm, snuggly cat to hold and bury my face in its fur made my bad day seem a lot better.
Elsa
Cats can be characters, but what would I do without them now? They bring joy to us.
Inspirational Author 