Guest blog with Debby Mayne

God's love is abundant in our lives, even when we don’t see His hand. Such is the case with Mandy in Portrait of Love, the third of my West Virginia books, when she doesn't get the promotion she wants and her needy sister returns after failing as an actress and giving up in Hollywood. To make matters worse, her new boss Tony is related to the owner of the company, so his promotion seems totally unfair. Mandy isn't sure if the fact that Tony is attractive is a good thing, since she has to see him everyday. At least she still enjoys her job—taking pictures at a children's portrait studio. And she's good at it, too!

I love writing children into my stories because they can lighten the mood, add a different perspective, and show the character of the adults around them. Not all grownups know what to say or do around kids, so the little munchkins also add opportunities for comedy.

My own children were hilarious, and some of the memories from their childhood gave me tons of material to sprinkle into my stories later. As a mom struggling to make ends meet, I tried to take advantage of portrait specials and coupons at the photography studios nearby, so we could go freeze moments of their lives…and then do it again six months later. I remember and appreciate one of the children's photographers who pulled all kinds of tricks out of her hat to get my kids to smile.

The heroine in Portrait of Love knows how important these pictures are, so she tries to help the parents every way she can, just like the photographer who snapped shots of my kids. As Tony's appreciation of Mandy's skills grows, so does his attraction. Mandy learns more about Tony's heart, and she realizes God's plan for her is so much greater than anything she could have dreamed. Every once in a while, something happens that makes Mandy wonder how everything could possibly work out. Each challenge is followed by a blessing.

Many times when I think I know what's best for me, I'm set back a few steps, only to find out later that the Lord had something so much sweeter in mind for me. I have to constantly remind myself to pray for His will rather than mine. Some of this is reflected in Mandy throughout Portrait of Love. Unlike Mandy, I don't have a needy sister, but I've had family members rely on me at times when I could barely stand on my own. As time goes on, I realize that my challenges are often followed by blessings.

Question of the Day: In this digital world, film and photograph prints are becoming a thing of the past. So, do you print out pictures or have them printed somewhere, or do you put them on CDs and jump drives and view them on computer screens?