Ta-Da...

Patti Jo--you won again! I don't think that has ever happened before.

Congratulations, you are this week's winner in the random drawing, for the second time in a row. Please email us at heartsongblog at gmail dot com with your choice of either Romance Rides the River, Romance Rides the Range, or 10 Heartpoints to be used for future shipments of Heartsong Bookclub books.

From The Vault

Romance Rides the Range
HS904

Sarah Anderson escapes her stepfather and his unruly children and heads for California and her brother Seth, trusting God to keep her safe on the perilous journey west. Matt Sterling rescued Seth from danger and taught him to become a top hand on the Sterling ranch. Betrayed by one selfish girl, Matt has vowed the San Joaquin River will run dry before he ever gets involved with another woman. He's better off fighting cattle rustlers, floods, and drought to make his spread one of the finest in the valley. Why, then, is he so concerned about Seth's sister?

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 54:17)

A familiar verse from Genesis 12 popped into [Sarah’s] head. Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.

Leave? Sarah held her breath and stared at the pale moonlight peeking through the cracks in the attic roof. Run away? She shivered in the dark. How could she just up and leave? She had no place to go, no money to get there. Worse, she would be alone—dreadfully alone.

Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Sarah held her breath in wonder. All those Bible verses she’d learned as a child were coming back to her, just when she needed them most. But again, the word “how” kept rearing its ugly head—mocking her, urging her to stay and accept her future.

Do you remember the first Bible verse you learned as a kid? or later in life? or a verse that's meant a lot to you? You don't have to know the address and just a phrase will do.

Guest Blog with Colleen Reece Day Two

“Finding the Way,”

One of my greatest concerns when God called me off my government job into writing for Him was, “Lord, to whom can I witness, other than through my writing? I’ll be spending most of my time in my office working. Who can I encourage? Who can I help?”

I’m sure God smiled. Again. The first thing He did was open a door I didn’t know existed for me: teaching writing classes. My brother persuaded me to contact the local community college, even though I didn’t have a degree. “They use instructors who have expertise in their fields for the Continuing Education program,” he said. “One of the women at church works at the college. Ask her who you should contact.”

Her answer? “Me. My boss is head of Continuing Education.”

A few days later I was hired for an evening class and an afternoon class, wondering why I’d allowed my brother to talk me into it. I’d never even been to a writing class—and was so scared on my way to the first session I thought I’d be sick! After a mighty prayer, God settled me down. As the saying goes, the rest is history. Since then I’ve taught hundreds of classes, spoken at a multitude of conferences, and discovered that as long as I talk about writing or what God has done for me (preferably both) all is well.

Rewards? Oh, yes. A few years ago an award-winning children’s author came to me at a conference. “I have to tell you,” she said in a choked voice. “You changed my life. Literally.” I learned that years earlier, believing God had called her to write for Him, she’d gone to a Christian writers’ conference. She took a manuscript that represented blood, sweat, and tears. The editor for whom it was intended turned it down. Dreams shattered, she started to leave, but ran into one of the conference leaders.

“Go to Colleen Reece’s class,” the leader advised. “She’s teaching how to get started. She knows. She’s a full-time Christian author but it’s said that she freely confesses she could insulate her house with rejection slips!”

The discouraged writer came. She listened to the things God had put in my heart to encourage others. She learned one rejection didn’t mean all was lost. She left the conference determined not to give up. She didn’t, and is only one of many whose lives God has allowed me to influence. I rejoice when I see former students and those I’ve mentored go on to reach thousands, perhaps millions of readers that I never can.

Romance at Rainbow’s End, final novel in my trilogy, will be out in early 2011. The hero must decide whether God is telling him (as He told Moses—and me) that he’s “stayed long enough on this mountain” and if it’s time to leave all and follow.

Joshua’s decision will affect countless lives.

Colleen's question to each of us: If God is calling you to write, what is stopping you? Lack of time? If you write only one page per day, five days a week, by this time next year you will have completed a 260-page book. What’s more important than answering God’s call in your life?
OR
Has God ever opened a door you never expected--like he did with Colleen and teaching? Maybe even one you never thought you wanted.

Guest Blog with Colleen Reece Day One

“Making God Smile”

Question: How do you make God smile?
Answer: Tell Him your plans.

I am a classic example of how true this is.

When I was a young adult and for years afterwards, I believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that my best service for God would be working with teens at Christian youth camps and retreats. I put everything I had into becoming an effective counselor, an interesting presenter, and a topnotch campfire leader. The rewards were great: seeing young people’s lives changed and knowing that in a small way, God was allowing me to be part of those changes.

I was also privileged to lend a listening ear and often had the opportunity to witness to co-workers during my twenty-four years as a school and government secretary. During those years, I learned the value of accepting God’s timing instead of my own. One specific incident stands out.

My parents were well-liked: a woodsman and a teacher in my small, western WA hometown. Everyone knew and respected me, as well. I was “their” school secretary. The roughest, toughest loggers and mill workers always gave me a smile and pleasant word. I knew without being told that if needed, they would mop up the ground with anyone who got out of line with me.

Used to this way of life, I was unpleasantly surprised when I moved to a city and encountered a married boss who showed budding signs of admiration—obvious enough that even this naive “country girl” could not mistake the signals. I squelched him, but all joy in my job fled. I began to pray that God would get me out of there. Immediately.

Weeks passed. I realized I was losing my joyous outlook on life. At last I prayed, “Okay, God, whatever You do is all right with me” and determined to make the best of the situation.

God left me on the job for another six months. During that time He gave me the opportunity to witness to a co-worker so deep in misery he was almost impossible to work with. I invited him to church. He came, again and again. A few months later, He re-dedicated his life to Christ and was baptized in a rushing stream. God eventually called him to become a minister.

I continued to serve at camps and on the job until I was in my early forties. Then God dramatically led me into a different and unexpected path.

One of my favorite Old Testament stories is found in Deuteronomy 2:3. God told Moses that he had “compassed the mountain” long enough—in other words, stayed long enough on that mountain. Now it was time for Moses to move on. God had other work for him to do.God did likewise with me. In 1977, He called me out of my satisfying rut. For several years I’d been writing Christian drama and skits for in-church presentations, as well as short inspirational articles and stories. Now He needed me to write full-time for Him.

I gave up camp counseling and with mixed emotions began to follow the winding road He laid out before me, a road that has brought me to where I am today.

Has God ever changed your direction mid-stream?
or
What is one of your favorite Bible stories?

Romance Rides the River by Colleen L. Reece

HP 923
ISBN 978-1-60260-994-5
HISTORICAL

Rampaging rivers threaten lives and love.

Life on the Diamond S will never be the same after Dori Sterling descends on the ranch like water gushing through a broken dam. Cattle disappear. An uninvited guest drives the Sterlings to distraction. And a trip into the Sierra Nevada threatens to end in disaster.

Young Seth Anderson is determined to fight adversity and keep the faith, but he can’t prevent rivers from flooding. Neither can he halt the more subtle but equally powerful undercurrents menacing the ranch and the girl he loves.

Can a dedicated young man and a rebellious girl safely navigate troubled waters and get past the log jam that blocks their way to finding happiness?

“How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him: [Peter] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22, KJV).

Seth beckoned to Dori.

“Our turn, Copper,” she told the sorrel. He snorted and stepped into the flooded stream. All went well until they were halfway across. A floating tree, several branches still intact, barreled down the stream and blocked their way. Copper swerved to avoid the obstacle. The current caught him broadside. He staggered and regained his balance, but had already been swept past the bank where Seth and Splotches [Dori's pinto mare] waited.

Terror filled Dori, but she hung on for dear life. “You can do it, Copper!” she screamed, sticking in the saddle like a burr. The sorrel tried again and again, but he could not out-swim the tree. Tossed by the current, it stayed between horse, rider, and the opposite bank. Dori didn’t dare try to turn back. The bank was too steep to climb even if they could make it.

They rounded a sharp bend. A short distance ahead, another stream gushed white water into the one where she and Copper were trapped, changing it into a river. Unless they could get out before they reached that point, it meant certain death. Only God could save them now.

COLLEEN L. REECE was born and raised in a small western Washington logging town. She learned to read by kerosene lamplight and dreamed of someday writing a book. God has multiplied Colleen's “someday” book into more than 140 titles that have sold six million copies. Colleen was twice voted Heartsong Presents' Favorite Author and later inducted into Heartsong's Hall of Fame. Several of her books have appeared on the CBA Bestseller list.

On a scale of one to ten, how well do you swim? (1 is not at all and ten is excellent)

And The Winner Is...

PATTI JO

Congratulations, you are this week's winner in the random drawing. Please email us at heartsongblog at gmail dot com with your choice of either Maid to Love, Gaining Love, or 10 Heartpoints to be used for future shipments of Heartsong Bookclub books.

From The Vault

GAINING LOVE
Hs #901
by Jennifer Johnson

Zoey is a fitness trainer who has turned her life around and back to the Lord. She has faced the consequences of poor choices before. Her next major hurdle is getting on top of her credit card debt by controlling her impulse shopping. Mark can't believe a beautiful, godly woman like Zoey could be interested in a balding, out-of-shape former quarterback like him. And Zoey fears Mark will run when he learns her three-year-old cousin is really her illegitimate son. God has forgiven their sins. But will Mark and Zoey extend grace to one another?

“What good is for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose of forfeit his very self?” Luke 9:25

At just 27, bank loan officer Mark White is overweight and already suffers from high blood pressure—a condition that contributed to his father’s early death. Determined to get back in shape before it’s too late, Mark joins a gym.

Zoey Coyle is a fitness trainer who has turned her life around and back to the Lord. She has faced the consequences of poor choices before. Her next major hurdle is getting on top of her credit card debt by controlling her impulse shopping.

Do you, like Mark or Zoey, have an area of constant stuggle? You don't have to share the struggle--just a yes or no, if you like.
OR
As Jennifer mentioned earlier this week: Is it hard to sell yourself? Or are you a natural born salesman?