The In Word: The Two Letters That Will Change Your Life by Cynthia Robinson

July 27, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a one-month book tour and $20.00 Amazon Gift Card for The In Word: The Two Letters That Will Change Your Life by Cynthia Robinson. The book tour will run July 5-29, 2022.

ISBN: 978-0578952932

Genre: Nonfiction, Christianity, Inspiration

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cynthia Robinson is a 6-time published Author, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Pastor. She believes that every woman has a purpose and whether that is to be the best mother and wife or a CEO of a Fortune 500 company they deserve respect in their positions in life.

As an author has written several books to empower and inspire the women of God to reach for their best life amid bad circumstance. As a coach, she believes in the building up a woman to move forward in their journey and learning to enjoy the process. She is a motivational speaker that ignite the people to go for theirs. Pastor Cynthia is a loving and compassionate soul that knows rebelling against God only brings you to him humble.

She speaks to the hearts of men and women alike through her daily motivational messages on her social media pages and her blog entitled “My Crazy is Real,” which is on her website http://www.CynthiaRobinson.me. She works to change the mindset of women around the world to walk in the royalty they have called you in to by God.

ABOUT THE BOOK

As Christians it is somehow implied that once we are saved, we have all the skills for living a kingdom life on earth. There somehow a switch that flips on and we are downloaded with the faith to make it through all the storms. We will instantly trust God with our lives even though we were taught to not trust anybody. We are somehow just going to love God unconditionally when most of us were not loved and don’t have a clue how to receive love without conditions. We must learn the new life and way of living IN God. When we come to Jesus Christ as born-again servants of the Lord, we are not told that we need more that a service mindset with God to make into heaven. Our relationship with God can be broken down into three parts just like the Tabernacle of old. Either you are having a relationship (outer court), or you with God (The Holy) or you are in relationship with God (The Holy of Holiness). Now all are good to experience but faith, trust and love can only be when we are IN a relationship with God.

Cynthia Robinson takes you through the 3 stages of growth in God it is Have, With and IN. She explains the how’s, what’s, when’s, and who’s with familiar biblical characters and principles. Cynthia has included her own experiences waking in complete darkness right in the church.” I never know faith, love and trust in God would be like this but when you open yourself to his grace and mercy the True God can show up for you”.

EXCERPT

The “IN” word is a simple yet complex book on being “IN” a relationship with God. We cannot just be a Christian or a religious person. At the point of adoption into the family of God, everything in our lives change. We are no longer on the outside looking in. No more just being Gentiles or Jews. Not sinners doomed to hell for eternity. The confession of your mouth that Jesus Christ came to die for your sins and that His resurrection confirmed eternal life with the Godhead, we are now heirs with Christ.

With that being said, to be “IN” means we have something we must do. We are to be “IN” relationship with God. Now, I know some of you are saying, “I’m already in a relationship with God. I pray daily, I read my bible and I go to church. I sing in the choir, I minister to the young/the elderly, and I do other ministry work. I give to the poor and I do missions work out of the country. I pay tithes and offerings.” “My relationship with God is fine. Is it, really?” Everything mentioned are works for the Kingdom. It’s good, but what about the “IN” God part? Merriam-Webster defines the word “IN” as, used in a function to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits.

After reading this definition, what type of relationship do you have with the Godhead? Are you “Having” a relationship or “With” God “IN” a relationship or are you “In” relationship with God?

Let’s see…

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The Making of a Children’s Book

July 26, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

The process I went through to create ABC books

At the top of my bucket list, I wrote: “Write a children’s book”.

Little did I know how difficult that goal would turn out to be.

Over the years, I’d tried my hand at writing a book for kids. More specifically the ABCs. I combined fiction with ABCs and wrote the start of a short story:

Adam had a Banana, a Crayon, and a Dog named Ernie. He lived on Franklin Avenue in Ginger City. Adam liked to share his banana with his friend, Hank, who lived next door with his pet Iguana. They loved to play Jump rope, fly a Kite, and make juice out of Lemons.

But it fizzled out before I got to M-N-O-P.

I decided to stick with nonfiction ABCs.

In the 80s, I put together a hand-crafted book with pencil drawings and an orange cardboard cover.

Photo of first children’s book ideas created by the author, Kimberley Payne

In it, I made ABC lists and drew a picture beside them. Lists included ABC topics like A to Z Anatomy, A to Z Food, A to Z Outdoors, and A to Z Animals.

Author photo of hand-made children’s book

But nothing ever came of these ideas.

It wasn’t until — over 20 years later — I created ABCs of Gratitude (for adults) that I considered a similar version for children.

The adult book was born out of an idea our Youth Pastor shared in a group meeting. On a long car ride, he played a game of listing what he was thankful for starting with the letter A.

I liked the idea and created my own version in a Facebook Group. For 26 days we shared something we were grateful for, choosing words starting with the letter of the day.

I then gathered these into a little book called ABCs of Gratitude — Giving thanks through the alphabet for your blessings.

Book cover and an inside excerpt from ABCs of Gratitude by Kimberley Payne

Years later, I decided to create a similar book for children.

When my kids were young, we sat together in the living room after dinner to write five things we were grateful for that day. I gave each child a little lined book (bought from the DollarStore) and we would share together after we had our five things.

But I wanted a more structured version that a child could write or draw in following their ABCs. I created ABCs of Gratitude — Give Thanks for Your Blessings Through These ABC prompts.

I especially liked working in this book with my young granddaughter. Sometimes she would draw a picture, other times she would circle a word, and other times she wrote something herself.

Examples of granddaughter listing things she was grateful for in ABCs of Gratitude book

ABCs of Scripture for Kids and ABCs of Psalms for Kids were also created with my granddaughter in mind. I wanted a simple way to help her memorize Bible verses.

My granddaughter holding the ABC series of books

I choose 26 scripture verses from the New International Version (NIV) Bible for my granddaughter to memorize.

Each Bible verse is the same as in the adult version but is limited to one sentence for ease of memory. We had fun creating actions for the verses. I videotaped my granddaughter reciting and acting out the verses and posted them on my Raise Up Channel on YouTube.

These books are something that I’ve given to kids as birthday gifts and to friends with newborns.

I am happy to scratch “write a children’s book” off my bucket list, although I suspect that these may not be my only ABC books!

Guess How Much God Loves You by Karen Ferguson

July 21, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

Guess How Much God Loves You is the story of seven-year-old Lucy Lu, a colorful, creatively curious first-grader, who is starting to have serious questions about God. How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all-does God love me? After one particularly hard day of being bullied by her classmates at school, Lucy feels like she doesn’t matter. She sits with Papa Joe, who has promised to answer her questions about God, launching them onto a journey to discover God’s never-changing, never-failing, never-ending love. What follows is a wild adventure through the Bible, where Lucy and her papa find themselves in the middle of each page of the exciting story of God’s love and faithfulness for all people throughout all of history.

Book Excerpt

Lucy had always been told by her Papa Joe,

“God loves you!”

But now that she was seven years old,

she had questions about that.

Especially since some of her classmates said mean things to her like,

“You look funny.”

“You talk funny.”

And the worst one of all, “No one likes you!

Oh, yes. Lucy had lots of questions for her papa, like . . .

“Who is God?”

“How old is He?”

“Does He ever sleep?”

And the biggest one of all,

“Does God really love me?”

About the Author

Karen Ferguson is a freelance writer and small business owner with a background in K-8 education. A grateful wife, mom, and grandmom she loves words and the Word of God and is passionate about writing stories that grab and hold young readers’ attention, while teaching them all about God’s unchangeable truths, and His unchanging love for them. She wants every child to know that their life matters.

Through her company Illuminate Communications, Karen creates online content and digital products designed to touch the heart and nourish the mind, body, and spirit. She self-published her first book in 2017, a 21-day devotional called Breath of Life: Living God’s Promise of Peace in the 7 Dimensions of Wellness.

Karen loves reading, writing, staying active, and spending time with her family and their crazy Golden Retriever in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Buy the Book

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The Making of a Christian Book

July 19, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

The process I went through to create devotional books

I started following Julia Cameron’s advice in the year 2000. In her book, The Artist’s Way, she recommended that we write “Morning Pages” — three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness writing.

I particularly liked that we were instructed to write about anything and everything. It reminded me of the free-flowing poetry I wrote in high school.

I bought an 8.5″ x 11″ spiral-bound notebook. Nothing pretty. Each day, I captured the weather, the kids’ antics, and my health concerns. Anything that occupied top-of-mind thoughts. It didn’t take long to fill a 250-page notebook.

In 2001, I gave my heart to Jesus. My writing continued to begin with everyday stuff but then it moved into deeper concerns and finally, I’d be working out my faith on paper.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12 NIV).

Although I was raised in the Catholic religion, when I was born again I felt like a new believer seeing God and Jesus through new eyes. I wrote about my experiences, what I learned, and how this new faith applied to my life.

In 2003, I attended my first Christian writer’s conference through The Word Guild called God Uses Ink (now called Write!Canada). I learned about their writer’s contests and decided to gather my writings together into a small book. I submitted my devotional book called Voice of a New Christian — A collection of 52 devotionals to a writer’s contest. I didn’t win, however, the feedback I received was worth the cost of entry.

I made the suggested changes and renamed the book, Where Life Meets Faith — A Collection of 52 Devotional Writings. I hired ByDesign Media to edit, design the interior layout, and create a cover. I submitted this book to another writer’s contest and won Honourable Mention.

Encouraged by this award, I collected more of my writings into devotionals, Where Family Meets Faith and Where Fitness Meets Faith.

These books were small with less than 30 devotions in each. I used Amazon’s on-demand publishing program, CreateSpace (now called Kindle Direct Publishing), to upload and sell as Kindle e-books.

Years later, I wanted to offer all three books in a bundle but was unable to figure out how to make them available as separate books in a package deal on Amazon.

So I decided to merge the devotions into one new book called Meeting Faith — 100 Devotions for Women on Family, Fitness and Faith. I added three new devotions to round the total to 100.

I hired a graphic artist through Fiverr.com to create the new cover and again used the Kindle Direct Program (kdp) to upload to Amazon. I ordered a proof copy to review before I made it available to readers as a paperback.

I enjoyed putting these devotions together and breathing new life into them so much that I decided to do the same with four other smaller devotionals that I had written over the years.

I took an eclectic collection of books: Where Media Meets Faith, Think Snow, Night Stories, and My Journey to the Holy Land to create Leisure Time With God — Stories to Grow Your Faith.

I hired a graphic artist to create the cover, however, I was not happy with the final product. I worked on Canva to create flyers and memes for Instagram in the past so decided to try my hand at creating a book cover.

I made a few draft covers and then posted them on Facebook for feedback. I received great ideas from shortening the subtitle to changing the font style. When I finished creating this cover I knew we had a winner.

Book cover created by author Kimberley Payne

Currently, I am working on another collection of devotional writings. These have all been written over the past few years. Originally I wanted to call the book, Voice of a Christian but I changed my mind and settled on Still Learning — Reflections From the Life of a Believer.

I’ve written 48 devotions to date and want to have at least 100 before I publish. I will likely work on creating my own book cover given my love of the last one I made.

It may not be until 2023 that I release this new book. Until then, I’ll keep writing my three Morning Pages.

Ephphatha – Be Opened by James Dina

July 16, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

Many Christians face numerous problems on a daily basis, ranging from financial stress to criticism and hypocrisy. Pastors and ministers of God are not exempted, especially when they are faced with several issues from church members whom they have fed with God’s word. Financial struggles are common in churches while they are trying to win souls into the kingdom of God and reaching out to lost sheep. It is no news that our society has reduced pastors’ ministries to a buy-and-sell commodity, especially in the western world. How do pastors and God’s ministers get out of this fix? What’s the way forward for Christians in this end time? This book digs deep into the scriptures and critically examines five different areas that will assist Christians and young ministers to survive the tactics of the satanic kingdom in this end-time period. The highlighted steps will increase church productivity, which will lead to exponential growth with a significant financial breakthrough. It reveals secrets, guidelines, and steps that make Christians and God’s servants avoid satanic deceptions, remain in God’s end-time army, and put an end to rivalry, criticism, and hypocrisy in the church. It is “a must have” book.

Book Excerpt

Is there any one of us who would not be awed into profound silence if a heavenly messenger stood before us to disclose what was to occur to us, to our families, to our friends, to our country, in far-distant years? That will be our situation when all our senses are opened spiritually. EPHPHATHA- BE OPENED For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the meek with salvation (Psalm 149:4).

About the Author

By God’s grace, James is a seasoned Bible teacher and multilingual sermon writer who has contributed more than 200 sermons (English, Spanish, French, Tagalog, and Portuguese languages) to sermoncentral.com, and the sermons are viewed monthly by about 6000 people in 170 countries worldwide. Presently, he manages a Christian blog website—mountzionblog.org—that provides resources for pastors, churches, and Christian ministries worldwide.

He preaches the word as laid down in the Holy Scriptures, and follows in the footsteps of God’s Generals, who obtained good reports with their great faith in Almighty God (Hebrews 11:2). Having been an Online Missionary with Global Media Outreach in the USA for many years, he has good experience in Christian Counselling. He manages a team of prayer warriors that intercedes for persecuted Christians and believers worldwide.

He is married to Rachael Dina and blessed with two children, Michael Dina and Michelle Dina.

Buy the Book

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The Making of a Memoir

July 12, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

The process I went through to create my memoir

Unlike a number of my friends and neighbours, I had a fantastic childhood. In fact, I didn’t suffer any serious trauma until I was 30 years old.

Growing up, I didn’t realize that I had it so good. But as an adult, I recognized the blessing of my childhood years.

In 2000, I began writing Morning Pages according to Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way. This ritual of writing three pages every morning helped me to deal with the trauma in my 30s and led to the beginnings of my devotional books, my novella, and my memoir.

I scribbled three pages of memories growing up. I wrote a few words per recollection, enough to jog my memory and enable me to write a story.

But that’s as far as I got. I had no idea how to write a memoir.

I decided to read books and take courses including, Writing a Memoir by Karen Barnstable, and Spiritual Memoir by Karen Stilleroffered through The Word Guild.

I rummaged through my “keepsakes” box and found many treasures. Included in this eclectic collection was my Strawberry Shortcake doll, Canada Fitness badges, my Confirmation sash, report cards from kindergarten to university, Brownies and Swimming badges, Science Fair ribbons, Sacramental Certificates, and a Grade 8 graduation booklet.

I also found my “Confirmation Logbook and “The Salvation History of Kim” booklets.

Confirmation Logbook and Salvation History of Kim booklets

The idea to share my religious upbringing started to form in my mind. I wanted to share with others my positive experiences growing up in the Catholic Church to show how this impacted my faith to eventually accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

But I still didn’t know how to put it together in a cohesive format.

Then I was introduced to the micro-memoir and specifically the book Heating & Cooling 52 micro-memoirs by Beth Ann Fennelly.

The short form of the micro-memoir intrigued me. The Writer says,

One thing the micro-memoir is particularly suited for is an exploration of a moment, particularly a moment that seems small or unimportant, but, when viewed from the right perspective, with the right attention, reveals itself to be central to identity. What are the moments who make us who we are?

I dabbled with writing my stories in as few words as possible. The best way I could find to do this was in poetry form.

I shared my poems on Medium including My Parents in Haiku, Praying the Rosary, and Fun With Cousins Through the Seasons

Although I was writing, I still needed a framework to put it all together.

Originally, I thought maybe I would break it into the Fruit of the Spirit and have each chapter dedicated to one attribute: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But my memories didn’t fit neatly into these attributes.

I considered the seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing of the sick, Marriage, and Ordination. But again, it didn’t fit all my stories and I only received the first four sacraments.

So I prayed about it.

The next day it came to me. Create a framework of school years from kindergarten to grade 8. Align my stories by the year they took place. Include the 4 sacraments I participated in along with photos and excerpts from my “Confirmation Logbook and “The Salvation History of Kim” booklets. Add snippets from my report cards, specific to Religion class. Build in fun facts from the 1970s and early 1980s.

I love when God answers prayers in such a clear way!

Originally I wanted to call my memoir, Watch for Children, like the yellow triangle signs found in school zones.

But then I changed it to, East City Girl — A Micro-Memoir of Growing up Catholic. This better suited my main theme of being Roman Catholic in a small town.

I hired a graphic artist to design the cover. The first cover she designed had a cathedral building that really had nothing to do with my memoir. The graphic artist thought that because I used “Catholic” in the title, the stone church would be a good fit.

Instead of letting her choose another photo, I researched and discovered a photo of the Hunter Street Bridge in Peterborough that leads into East City, the exact area where all my memories take place.

The second cover had East separated from City Girl. The graphic artist didn’t realize that “East City” is the actual location of my memoir.

The third and fourth cover drafts had font and colours that I really didn’t like.

She nailed it on the fifth draft. I loved the font, the photo, and the colours.

Once I had my cover and the stories and poems in place I put a call out on Facebook to see if anyone would be interested in volunteering to be a beta reader.

I received 20 responses!

I sent a pdf copy of my draft memoir to all 20 with a list of questions for them to answer (i.e. what did you like best/what did you like least/would you like more photos/etc.) and a deadline to return to me.

Some responded right away and gave a thumbs up to the project. Others provided some insight into what was missing. Still others took the time to go into detail on improvements I could make, including a title change.

I worked through each suggestion meticulously. Through their suggestions, I added a prologue and epilogue, a map and family tree, and many more stories.

I featured each story on Medium as a pseudo draft copy including stories like Lent Cookies, Midnight Mass Memories, and Forgive Me, Father.

I also changed the title to East City Girl — A Memoir of growing up Catholic in a small town.

Instead of asking the graphic artist to change the book cover, I used Canva to recreate the cover with the new title and added a small photo of me in my Confirmation gown.

Once complete, I resent the updated manuscript to a few beta readers for final comments. Changing my voice from passive to active and “showing rather than telling” was the main feedback I received.

I also sent it to my three brothers and my parents for their input. I received spelling changes on a few Dutch food items but overall they all enjoyed the walk down memory lane.

I made the final edits and uploaded to Amazon kdp. I wrote the back copy:

East City Girl is the story of a young girl growing up in a small Ontario town influenced by her parents’ Roman Catholic religion and Dutch heritage.
It’s a recollection filled with prose, poetry, and pictures from birth to Grade 8 in the 1970s and early 80s.
The story unfolds in a “scrapbook” format with diary entries, school projects, and report cards that draw you in from the start and transport you back in time with nostalgic memories.

The proof copy arrived days later. It felt surreal to hold the hardcopy in my hands.

This memoir had been on my mind and in the works for at least 22 years.

On February 11, 2022, it released on Amazon.

With a wide smile, I scratched “write a memoir” off my bucket list!

The Making of a Children’s Book

July 5, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

The process I went through to create a book about animals in the Bible

Full cover of Animals in the Bible by the author.

When my daughter was in grade school she often regaled me with tales of animal facts.

She’d start with, “Mom, did you know…” and then went on to share with me the latest fascinating fact that she’d learned.

As a fundraiser for her to attend camp, we collected these tidbits together into a small book and published it through Lulu.com

What I liked about using this self-publishing service was the opportunity to upload the word document online, create a nice cover, and not have to order thousands of books. However, to order a few books was expensive.

The endeavor to fundraise failed and the project cost us money. However, it was a good learning opportunity for both my daughter and me.

Years later, I created a book series called Science & Faith Matters. This series was to introduce children to life sciences through Bible stories. I targeted it to 6-to 9-year-olds, for home or school use and classroom sharing in Grades 1–3 to supplement the Life Sciences Curriculum.

The first book in the series was called Trees of the Book — Learning from God’s Creation. For the second book, I revisited the idea of fascinating animal facts by creating Adam’s Animals — Fun Facts About God’s Creation. Both books were created as 8.5″x11″ activity books.

The animals found in the Bible were presented alphabetically. A typical entry contained the verse in the Bible where the animal is mentioned, and a brief explanation of what the verse means.

A “Did you know?” section followed with six facts about the animal. I did a ton of research to uncover fun unusual facts about the animals. In my research, I discovered that some of the “facts” that my daughter had shared were not true. I’m relieved that her book did not get distributed with false information beyond her own family!

Each entry also included a picture of the animal to colour (illustrated by

Janis Cox) along with a simple word search puzzle. Puzzle solutions ended the book.

The cover design came from 99 Designs. I told them what I wanted and designers submitted their ideas and I picked my favourite cover. It cost approximately $300.

A few years later, I wanted to make it more accessible by removing the activity portion of the book and making it available as an e-book.

I re-designed the book to be 6″x9″ and removed the illustrations and puzzles.

I also renamed the book, Animals of the Bible — Over 35 Animal Bible Stories, as I realized that if people were interested in learning about animals they would not google “Adam’s Animals”.

I created the cover myself using the free Amazon KDP Cover Creator.

When I changed the series from Science & Faith Matters to Exploring God’s Word I hired a graphic artist to design new covers. She created a new cover for Trees in the Bible and for future books in the series, Weather in the Bible and Music in the Bible.

I changed the title one last time to Animals in the Bible — Learn About Animals While Exploring God’s Word to better suit the book’s contents and to help readers find the book through Google.

I re-added the illustrations of the animals but made them much smaller and placed them between the scripture explanation and the “Did you know?” sections.

Children’s book titles in the Exploring God’s Word series

In 2014, I created 30 super simple animal crafts to supplement the children’s activity book Adam’s Animals — Fun Facts About God’s Creation.

I elicited my daughter’s help to research and create the crafts while I wrote out the needed materials along with simple directions.

My church used it in its Sunday school curriculum and Vacation Bible School.

Six years later, I updated this book to match the 6″x9″ new Animals in the Bible book. I formatted it to be downloaded as an e-book as well. I created a new title 30 Super Simple Animal Crafts for Kids and created a new cover with photos of some of the finished crafts and a more detailed sub-title, Easy-to-Make Animal Crafts Kids Will Love.

Although I sell this book on Amazon, I offer it as a free download on my website.

It’s been quite the journey but I finally have a series that I feel proud to share with my daughter and my granddaughter.

I am grateful to Amazon KDP for the flexibility to self-publish and make as many changes as I want. I am already thinking of new topics to add to my Exploring God’s Word series including books on Food in the Bible, Jobs in the Bible, and Names in the Bible.

The Making of a Keepsake Book

June 28, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

The process I went through to create a book of memories for my grandchild

When our children were young, my husband and I would take turns with each child at bedtime.

I would go first to my daughter while my husband spent time with my son. I would talk about her day, pray with her, tickle her back, and then repeat a saying with her before trading places with my hubby.

I would repeat the bedtime ritual with my son.

The expression that I shared with both of my kids went something like this:

Me: How much do I love you?
Child: Up to God!
Me: When will I stop loving you?
Child: Never!
Me: What could you possibly do to make me stop loving you?
Child: Nothing!
Me: And why do I love you?
Child: Just because you do.
Me: It’s not what you say, it’s not what you do, it’s just because you are you.

Over the years, my kids’ responses could get pretty silly. Instead of saying, “Never!” in response to my question of when I will stop loving them, they would get goofy and say something like, “Yesterday!”

Or, instead of answering, “Nothing!” in reply to my question about what they could do to make me stop loving them, they would say something like, “Put a spider in your soup!”

But despite their silly years, we kept saying the expression and always came back to the true responses.

Even after my son left home at age 15 and, in anger, told me that he no longer had a mother, I would send him text messages asking him how much I loved him and then typing the answer when he didn’t respond.

Those rebellious teenage years were difficult, but I believe that the expression we shared let them know that I truly loved them unconditionally.

As young adults, my children can still rely on the truth of my rhyme.

In 2007, I decided to make the rhyme into a book for my kids to have.

Back then, there weren’t many programs like we have today for indie authors to create books. But I found an online program and put together a small 6-page “book” called, How Much Do I Love You?

Each page had one line from the rhyme and I used black and white clipart hearts to illustrate it.

Now, 15 years later, I share this same expression with my granddaughter. She delights in shouting her responses.

The sheer joy I feel at playing with my 4-year-old grandbug prompted me to relook at the idea of creating a keepsake book.

I learned that picture books are 32 pages long, including cover pages, introductions, back flaps, and copyright information. So I needed more than just the rhyme to fill the pages.

I wrote the book rather quickly, telling the story of our relationship and what we love to do together. Along with describing the kind of fun things we like to do, I included the expression we say together.

But I didn’t know the best way to illustrate it.

At first, I searched Pixabay for suitable pictures. I absolutely loved the artwork of La Petite Femme and originally created the book using all her illustrations.

However, as much as I loved her illustrations I didn’t think they truly captured the relationship between Sophia and myself.

I then toyed with the idea of making the book more generic with the use of animals. I found some delightful giraffes that I imagined could be representative of myself and my granddaughter. I even tried my own hand at drawing.

Clipart on left, author’s drawing on the right

But, alas, I am not an artist.

My friend,

Janis Cox is. She illustrated my children’s book Animals in the Bible and has created her own children’s books, Tadeo Turtle and The Kingdom of Thrim.

I contacted her and asked if she’d be interested in illustrating. Although she had a pretty full plate already, she said she’d give it a try. I showed her the pixabay art that I liked so much and she created beautiful pictures.

They were simply adorable. Yet, they still didn’t capture what I was looking for.

Jan recommended a friend, MaryAnne Wheeler Dietrich. I reached out to her and she said that she’d be willing to make a few preliminary sketches. I sent her my manuscript and she created some beautiful artwork.

Preliminary sketches by MaryAnne Wheeler Dietrich

She even sent me a draft of the giraffes I thought so adorable.

Draft illustration of giraffes by MaryAnne Wheeler Dietrich

Both these ladies are so talented! I loved the artwork but it still didn’t capture what I was looking for.

Maybe I could just draw stick figures?

Nope!

I had the story. I had a ton of photos of Sophia and me doing all the things we loved to do. But I just couldn’t settle on the illustrations.

The photos were nice but I didn’t want a photo book.

I prayed about it.

God gave me the idea to alter the photos to create an artistic yet realistic picture.

I googled and came across Picsart — Create Amazing Photo & Video Edits With Online Design Tools.

It was a slow process to upload my photos and then apply the “Magic — Highlight” effects to create the look I wanted.

But it was worth it!

The final product is a book that captures the love between my granddaughter and me.

I hope that this will be a keepsake she cherishes today and into the future when I may be long gone.

My granddaughter, Sophia, reading our book “Oma Loves Her Little Grandbug”

My prayer is that she, too, will share joyful times and unconditional love with her own grandchildren.

The Making of an Anthology

June 21, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

The process I went through to create books with multiple contributors

Although my two anthologies have polar opposite origin stories, they were released in 2021 within a month of each other.

Writers on Writing

I didn’t start out intending to write a book.

I started with a desire to showcase the writers who contributed to our publication, Koinonia, on Medium.

Koinonia is a publication that

Janis Cox and I started in 2019 and it grew from the two of us to over 400 contributors.

Julie Ranson took over the reins in 2021 and continues to promote the values of fellowship through a Facebook group, the prayers, the scripture prompts, the recommendations of others’ writings, and more.

I started the interview series in May 2019 and featured one writer interview each Friday. The interviewee answered a series of questions, including where their ideas came from, influencers, writing goals, how their faith influenced their work, and things they learned. They included a minimum of two photos: one head & shoulder shot and one personal picture.

After reading the inspiring answers to the questions, I believed other writers would be blessed by reading these interviews if I shared them in book format.

I sent out an email to all the contributors asking them if they wanted to take part in this project. Of the 92 interviewees, 35 responded favourably.

I went to work right away.

I cut and pasted each interview from Medium into a Word document, added a bio to each writer’s contribution; then wrote the table of contents, introduction, conclusion, and information about Koinonia Publication.

In August 2021, I shared the draft of the book with the contributors. I removed some of the more specific-to-Medium questions and included the writers’ social media links in their bio. I gave them a deadline to review and submit any changes or edits.

In the meantime, I hired a graphic artist to design the book cover. I bounced title ideas around and settled on Writers on Writing — Interviews with Writers of Faith.

Once I completed the final edits from contributors, I uploaded the book to Amazon. I created both a paperback and e-book version.

Since being published in August 2021, the book has received high praise and many writers are encouraged by the interviews.

What’s Your Story

Every year at Christmas, I reflect on the last 365 days, review my goal planning notes from years past, and write new goals for the year.

In 2001, one of my goals was to write a book called What’s Your Story. I wanted to collect stories from people who were born-again Christians.

It wasn’t until 20 years later when I had contacts from Christians around the world that this goal would finally be realized.

Through Koinonia and social media, I sent out a request to believers asking if they’d be interested in being featured in a new series on Medium that would eventually be collected into a book.

I created a google form with questions for each contributor to answer including how old they were when they gave their heart to the Lord and what was their life like before and after they were saved.

Twenty-five people answered my request and sent in their stories.

In February 2021, I featured my own story as the first in the series. I featured each testimony on Tuesdays on Medium and then cut and paste them into Word format for the book.

In August 2021, I sent the first draft of the book to all contributors. They replied with feedback, edits, and necessary changes.

I hired the same graphic artist I had used for the writers’ anthology to create the title page. I kept the same title, What’s Your Story, and added a subtitle, Personal Testimonies to Encourage Your Faith.

In reading it through, I couldn’t help but smile and be warmed by the many testimonies of the saints. I uploaded it to Amazon and created both an e-book and a paperback version. The book released in September 2021.

Although the germ of the idea to create each anthology was diametrically different, I believe that each book was created with perfect timing.

Amid the uncertainty and chaos that the worldwide pandemic has brought into our lives, my prayer is that many readers will be blessed by the encouragement and hope that both these anthologies bring.

The Making of a Children’s Book

June 14, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

The process I went through to create a book about trees in the Bible

Years ago, an author shared with me that he had created his popular children’s book week-by-week. Every Sunday, he distributed a chapter to the children in his church congregation and received instant feedback from his little readers.

I thought this to be an ingenious idea and adopted it as my own.

I wanted to create an activity book that showcased the trees that are in the Bible. But I wanted it to be unique with a playful flair. Thus, I created Trees of the Book where the trees “came to life” and told the Bible story from their own viewpoint.

Originally, I picked seven trees thinking that it may be a good study for every day of the week.

But I wanted more than just a story. I researched each tree and put together facts about their bark, leaves, trunk, fruit, etc. I then added fun activities such as a word search, colouring page, maze, and so on.

I wanted to add illustrations of each tree, their leaf, and their corresponding Bible story, but I am not an artist. I knew a woman, Esther, from church, who had been drawing and painting since she was a young child. She planned to attend Fleming College of the Arts in Haliburton and we both thought this would be an excellent way for her to grow her portfolio. Esther created beautiful watercolour artwork (including the cover) for the activity book.

In 2013, byDesign Media published my 8.5 x 11 inch 26-page activity book and I called it, Trees of the Book — Learning from God’s Creation.

It received a few 4–5 star reviews but saw limited sales.

In 2020, I wanted to make the book more accessible to libraries, schools, and as an e-book so I took out the activities and illustrations, and reduced the book size to 6 x 9 inches.

I also realized that readers wouldn’t google “trees of the book” but rather “trees of the Bible” so I changed the title to Trees of the Bible — 7 Bible stories told from the viewpoint of a tree.

I then created a new cover myself using one of the illustrations that Esther originally made and self-published through CreateSpace on Amazon.

Trees of the Bible — 7 Bible Stories Told From the Viewpoint of a Tree

In 2021, I once again updated the book. I added 10 more trees, 10 more project suggestions, and line drawings of each tree. I also added 6–16 more words and characters to the “Glossary” and “People of the Bible” sections.

I changed the title to Trees in the Bible — Learn About Trees While Exploring God’s Word. This new subtitle explained exactly what the reader can expect in the book. It also is better suited for all future books in the series, Exploring God’s Word.

I hired a graphic artist to redesign the cover. She also created covers for other books I plan to write in the series, so they all have a consistent look.

Although it took many years, and a few revisions along the way, I’m quite happy with the final product.

I look forward to writing other books in the series, including Animals in the Bible, Weather in the Bible, Music in the Bible and more!

Leisure Time With God by Kimberley Payne

May 12, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

Leisure Time With God is a collection of devotions from Where Media Meets Faith, Think Snow, Night Stories, and My Journey to the Holy Land.

Can God speak to us through movies, hobbies, travel, and dreams? The Bible is very clear that God can and does speak to us in a variety of ways. Kimberley Payne shares in short, simple stories the truth that God may have something for us to learn about our lives.

Best described as an emotional treasure of personal reflections, each devotional in this book holds a lesson of wisdom that can be applied to one’s life.

Book Excerpt

Author’s Note

Leisure Time With God is a collection of stories from Where Media Meets Faith, Think Snow, Night Stories, and My Journey to the Holy Land.

Over 60 devotions explore the movie scene, the joys and challenges of snowmobiling, night time dreams and their interpretations, and personal reflections of my pilgrimage to Israel.

I pray this collection of four small books in one will encourage and motivate you in your daily walk with God.

Where Media Meets Faith

Introduction

Where Media Meets Faith is a collection of short devotionals about movies and television shows that I’ve watched and what I’ve gleaned from them.

Movies included in this collection are The Passion of Christ, Time Changer, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bruce Almighty, The Little Mermaid, Murdoch Mysteries, Back to the Future, It’s a Wonderful Life, My Name is Earl, and Scary Movie.

Although most of these films are intended for a secular audience I’ve found that God has been gracious to show me Christian truths through them.

About the Author

Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Visit her website.

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Naked & Not Ashamed: The Transformational Devotional Experience by Chanelle Coleman

May 3, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a one-month book tour and book giveaway for Naked & Not Ashamed: The Transformational Devotional Experience by Chanelle Coleman. The book tour will run May 2- 27, 2022. ISBN: 979-8985407600 Genre: Spiritual

Chanelle Coleman Wesley is a native of Milwaukee Wisconsin. She is the creative powerhouse of CeCi’s Ink, an innovative storytelling company that conveys stories through poetry, books, playwrights, blogs, fashion, and motivational speaking. Chanelle is significantly inspired by her late mother’s, Brenda J. Coleman, penchant for prolific storytelling and developing a strong sense of faith. As a survivor of abuse, Wesley believes in passing on the communication skills she developed to cope in those environments. She is also an accomplished playwright with her latest project, a gospel stage play entitled The Beautiful Truth About an Ugly Lie to be released soon. She strives to empower individuals who have lost their ability to advocate for themselves by challenging them to recognize the power of their voice. Her greatest accomplishment, however, forever remains becoming a mother to her six beautiful children and “GiGi” to her two adorable grandchildren.

Naked & Not Ashamed is a transparent conversation between Sisters. One that allows both the writer and reader to expose themselves without fear or sense of condemnation. It’s a journey towards healing that allows us to dialogue without masks, charades, or pretense. We explore familiar stories of women in the Bible. These powerful narratives of trial, triumph, failures, and flaws show the resiliency, redemptive and transformative power of encountering Christ. I also reveal personal experiences of my own Christian walk with all its ups, downs, twists, and turns. But the most amazing part of these chronicles is you! Right now, you are writing your story. Are you living with pain, grief, and regret that needs to be released? This book is designed to help you see your own undeniably powerful narrative. I want to challenge you to see the hand of God in your life and urge you to find the ability to tell your story. We accomplish this through journal prompts, activities, prayer, etc.

Tony instantly began screaming and yelling. I continued to bite down harder. I continued biting and grinding my teeth until I couldn’t bite anymore. I let go. He fell back onto the bed. I jumped up out of the bed, my heart was pounding, terrified I opened the door, and I was met with darkness. Hurriedly I ran out past the dining room, through the hallway to the kitchen. Panicked, I reached the back door. I began pulling on the door, but it was locked. Fear seized me as I began fumbling with the knob trying to unlock the door. The latch finally twisted up and I raced up the back-hallway stairs. At last, there was light. I ran as fast as I could through the open kitchen door. The light continued to welcome me as I forged ahead running through the hallway past the bathroom and my aunt’s and grandparent’s bedrooms, the dining-room and into the living room to the couch where my grandmother was sitting. I distinctly remember her shocked expression as I pounded towards her as she sat there speechless, on the couch holding my baby brother. I felt relieved and a sense of security momentarily came over me until my grandmother spoke. She stared at me, with her mouth opened in shock. She screamed, “Chanelle, you’re naked! Where are your clothes?” Momentarily, I had forgotten that I was naked, but the awful realization of my nakedness began to cover me like a garment. It was the evidence of my pain, humiliation, and fear. I stood there breathlessly as I gasped, painting for air, naked and ashamed, I told her my story.

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God Loves Your Work: Discover Why He Sends You to Do What You Do by Larry Peabody

April 12, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

If you know God loves your work, you can—as Paul put it—”work at it with all your heart.” But too often even Christians find it hard to engage fully with what occupies them for hours every day. This book will help you relate your work to God’s eternal Kingdom purposes. Here you will find not just one or two but several biblical reasons for getting up and going to work.

During your lifetime you will spend, perhaps, 100,000 hours working in paid or unpaid work. Will you see spiritual significance in those hours? In the end, will they really matter? These easy-to-read chapters will help you view your daily work within a new and much larger perspective. For example, what if you were to begin seeing your work as a worship offering that God gladly receives? Or what if you were to discover how he intends to use your work to further your own spiritual growth?

Get set to move from “Thank God, it’s Friday!” to “Wonderful, it’s Monday again!”

Book Excerpt

Have you ever thought of your ordinary, daily work as an offering? As an activity that can be offered in worship God gladly accepts? “Wait!” you may be thinking. “Like texting and driving, worship and work don’t mix. Each has its own proper place.” Sadly, too many Christians see worship and work that way.

It seems that a great many believers segregate the two in their thinking. Sundays for worship, weekdays for work. A neat way to compartmentalize. But stay with me for a bit. Let’s see if we ought to keep work and worship in separate drawers.

From the earliest Bible records, worship has involved offerings. Cain and Abel both came to God with offerings. God, we know, accepted only what Abel offered. Abraham trudged up Mt. Moriah, thinking he would have to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice—but God himself provided the animal for the offering. Tabernacle and Temple worship involved a whole range of offerings. The ancient Israelites offered a variety of animals: bulls, rams, lambs, doves, and pigeons. Some offerings included barley, wheat, red wine, yeast, and honey. All need for those Old-Covenant offerings, though, ended when Jesus offered his own body and blood on the cross. That’s why we no longer offer the slaughtered animals.

Does this mean New Covenant worship involves no offerings? Hardly. We are still to bring offerings to God—but not all those brought to the Tabernacle or Temple. Our offerings don’t atone for our sins. Instead, they spring from gratitude for the one-time sacrifice Jesus made for them. For example, one offering God still wants us to bring is praise. As Hebrews 13:15 tells us, “let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.”

Worship as Body-Offering

But there’s another gratitude-sacrifice we can bring to God—one explicitly connected with worship. Paul wrote to the Christ-followers in Rome that as they gazed on God’s mercy in Jesus, they were to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Rom. 12:1). What’s happening here? This one sentence connects offerings with bodies. Connects bodies with sacrifices. And connects bodily sacrifices with spiritual worship.

Have you ever considered your human body as a worship instrument?

“Not so fast,” someone might object, “bodies are so physical. How could they be spiritual? Praise songs and Bible and prayer and church meetings—those are spiritual. Bodies, on the other hand, are just biodegradable dust. They’re so mundane, so ordinary. They get dirty, sweat, need baths, get sick, and finally die. Souls and spirits—those are spiritual. They live forever. Aren’t they what we should be offering to God in worship?”

But wait. When Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days,” what did he mean by “this temple”? Well, you say, “He meant his own body—the temple of his body. But of course he could say that, because he was Jesus—God in the flesh.”

True. But what did Paul go on to say about your body? Don’t you know, he asks, “that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit” (I Cor. 6:19)? So our physical bodies become spiritual instruments because of the One who lives in them—the Holy Spirit. And because these temple-bodies of ours are spiritual instruments, we can offer them to God in spiritual worship.

Work as a Body-Offering

When you get up, get dressed, and begin your day’s work, what instrument do you use to do it? Your body—the “house” that the whole you lives in.

If your work is driving a delivery truck, you use your hands on the steering wheel, your feet on the pedals, and your eyes on the road. Computer programmers use their brains. Singers used their vocal cords. And so on. In other words, this spiritual instrument, this temple of the Holy Spirit, gets involved to accomplish whatever the work may be, whether it’s paid or not. Paul urged the Roman believers to involve their bodies as spiritual vehicles: “So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (Rom. 6:13, NLT).

When Eugene Peterson came to Romans 12:1 in The Message, here’s how he put it: “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life — your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life — and place it before God as an offering.”

Did you catch that reference to work in there? You are to place your “going-to-work . . . life . . . before God as an offering.” Yes—one’s work-life. Work done by the spiritual instrument of the body, the work itself, can be offered to God as an acceptable act of spiritual worship. This is not some radical new idea. Centuries ago, Martin Luther said, “Seemingly secular works are a worship of God and an obedience well pleasing to God.”

A Hebrew Word for Work and Worship

Or go back much, much further in history for a look at a surprising word. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term avad is sometimes translated as worship. For example, at the burning bush God told Moses, “when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12). That English word “worship” translates avad.

Now for the surprise. In the fourth of the Ten Commandments, God said, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” (Exodus 20:9). Here, the word “work” translates avad. The same word that means worship also means work.

What links worship and work so closely that the same word can describe both? Deuteronomy 6:13 makes the connection: “Fear the Lord your God, serve him only.” The word “serve” in this verse also translates avad. In worship, we serve God. In work, we serve God. Do you recall what Paul told the Christian slaves in Colossae about their work? He said, “It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:24).

Kamalini Kumar, a nurse, says, “Nursing is my profession, my daily work. But it is also an important way I worship God. For me, work and worship have become like two blades of a scissors; one is useless without the other. I see now that work is a ministry performed before God.”

The First Workplace Offerings

Cain and Abel made the first “offerings” we read about in the Bible. Both men offered something from their work. Cain, the farmer, offered what grew from his plot of ground. Abel, the shepherd, offered part of an animal from his flock. So each man offered that which stood for his work. God accepted only one offering. In the letter to the Hebrews, we learn why. Abel made his God-pleasing, workplace offering “by faith” (Heb. 11:4). Apparently Cain did not because, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).

Our job descriptions define us as accountants, project managers, installers, or what have you. Those are useful as role descriptions. But they do not tell us who we are. Among other biblical terms that reveal our identity is that word “priest.” For Christians today, it takes faith to see ourselves doing our work as priests.

What do priests do? For Old Covenant priests, a large part of their work involved making offerings. For New Covenant priests, work makes up one of our major offerings. “Whatever you do,” Paul instructed the Corinthian Christians, “do it all for the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:31). That “whatever” wraps in everything, including our work. We are to offer, submit, donate our work to God as worship.

“What is That in Your Hand?”

The little drummer boy saw his drum-playing as worth little compared with the fine gifts of the magi. In a similar way, you may have considered so-called “secular” work unfit to offer to Jesus, the King. At the burning bush, Moses did not think he could do the work God was asking him to do—the task of delivering the Israelites from their Egyptian slave masters.

And so God said to him, “What is that in your hand?” Moses knew it was nothing but an ordinary staff. God told him to throw it to the ground. He did, and it became a snake. God then told Moses to take the creature by its tail. When Moses did so, it turned back into a staff.

What is that in your hands? What work has God given you to do? As you do your work for God’s glory, you turn it into a worship offering. As Matthew Kaemingk and Cory B. Willson say in Work and Worship: Reconnecting Our Labor and Liturgy, “Gathered worship in the sanctuary must become scattered worship in the streets.”

About the Author

Larry Peabody serves as adjunct theology-of-work professor for the Bakke Graduate University. His first book, Serving Christ in the Workplace was published by Christian Literature Crusade in 1974. Job-Shadowing Daniel: Walking the Talk at Work was published in the spring of 2010. Curing Sunday Spectatoritis: From Passivity to Participation in Church was published by Urban Loft Publishers in 2015. Peabody has served as a state employee, business owner, church planter, and senior pastor.

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My Sister Helped Me Heal: The Power of Kingdom Sisterhood by Chavon Anette

April 5, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a two-week book tour and free book giveaway for My Sister Helped Me Heal: The Power of Kingdom Sisterhood by Chavon Anette. The book tour will run April 4- 15, 2022. ISBN: 978-0578380049 Genre: Religion / Christian Living / Personal Growth

ABOUT THE VISIONARY

Chavon is an Amazon #1 International Bestselling Author, Transformational Speaker, Leadership and Life Coach, and Talk Show Host. She is the CEO of Purpose Unwrapped, LLC and non-profit Power and Grace Leaders, Inc. Also, a board member- COO- of an Accreditation organization- Governing Council. Chavon is affectionally known as the Fire Leadership Coach. She marries practical and spiritual tools to empower and equip kingdom people to lead in the world. Formerly a high school educator, her mission is now to help Kingdom people Break Fear, Build Faith, and Lead Confidently online and beyond. She believes it takes commitment, confidence, and courage to impact culture. She is also a transformational speaker who speaks with great passion in a way that empowers and challenges her listeners. She has been featured as a speaker on ABC news, TCT Today, Virginia Wesleyan University, and at conferences and other events such as globally recognized Comeback Champion Summit and Sister Leads Conference. Chavon has published 4 books that are available on Amazon, and she has been a part of 7 anthologies. Three anthologies became Amazon #1 Bestsellers- Undeterred, (International Bestselling) Unveiled Transparency, Called to Intercede and Sister Leaders. Now, She is in the process of birthing out My Sister Helped Me Heal Anthology where she is the visionary. Chavon Anette was the 2021 Servant Leader of the Year Award Recipient from ACHI Magazine. Also In 2021, she was nominated for ACHI as Entrepreneur of the year, mentor of the year, author of the year, and TV personality of the year. In 2018, Chavon was nominated for ACHI as Author of the year and Educator of the year, and in 2019 she was nominated for ACHI as Educator of the Year and Orator of the Year!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Chavon Anette and an amazing group of women join in an Anthology to share their story about the Powerful gift of Kingdom Sisterhood. The book is about real stories of Sisterhood That helped people move – from broken to whole – from hidden to walking in purpose – from rejected to accepted – from insecure to confident – from afraid to bold as a lioness.

EXCERPT

“Look at her”- my eyes meet my friend- “I support and love you.” “Look at her”- my eyes shift to my next friend- “I support and love you.” “Look at her”- my eyes turn to my other friend- “I support and love you.” “Look at me”- my eyes are at my friend creating this moment- “I support and love you.” It was moments before I would speak for my first in-person event. God led my friend Kiyanni Bryan to instruct me to turn and look at all my sisters in the back room with me – Lakia Perez, Ciara Mason, Melissa Daughtry, and herself, and allow them to say those words to me. With tears rolling down my eyes, the reality of their words sinking in brought me to a new level of freedom and deliverance. It can weigh on you when you have had to manage the fights of ministry and fights in your personal life. It never means quitting or giving up, but with the right people around you, it still means making sure you position yourself to heal in the areas where you have been wounded.

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Living God’s Way by Peter Orr

March 17, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

This book translates Jesus’ Kingdom-descriptive parables into modern instances kids can relate to, without first imagining themselves as grown-ups.

The Kingdom of Heaven (or the Kingdom of God) is a complex concept for humans to grasp. That’s one reason Jesus expressed it through stories in a context his audience could appreciate. He used adult characters and situations; yet he said, “Let the children come to me, don’t stop them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

Kids need to be clearly assured that Jesus declares them capable—even exemplary—of Kingdom involvement! Identifying this from a young
age will cultivate the simplicity and humility one will need throughout their life to participate in God’s Kingdom.

Book Excerpt

Many of the stories Jesus told were to help us understand what God’s Kingdom—living God’s Way—is like. Can you see what God’s Way is like in these stories?

Living God’s Way is like… when you plant a seed. You do the good work of putting it in the ground. That’s your part! The rest is up to the sun, the rain, the birds, and the bees.

Over time it will grow naturally, into a sprout, then a sapling, then a whole tree! God invites us to be part of growing goodness in the world.

About the Author

God wanted another artist, so God made Peter and gave him a love of drawing, design, and—just for kicks—puppetry. He has written short stories, scripts, and comics, but this is his first book. Peter lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with his even more beautiful wife and two sons in whom he delights. He also loves comedy, which involves two unrelated ideas resolving simultaneously—much like parables.

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Bitter Truth by Janet Sketchley

March 10, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

Who would want Ciara dead? And why?

Against all odds, Landon Smith and her ordinary-hero neighbour Bobby Hawke survived a murderous plot six weeks ago. Now, she’s determined to leave solving mysteries to the experts—like handsome local police officer Dylan Tremblay.

But when a friend is nearly killed in a daring daylight attack, Landon can’t sit this out. Not when she knows the anger of being a victim.

Her faith tells her to leave room for God’s vengeance. Her heart says to retaliate.

The fight to expose Ciara’s enemy will uncover secrets and betrayal that could cost Landon her life.

Book Excerpt

Chapter 1

Thursday

What if I can’t do this?” Landon Smith twisted her fingers together in her lap until they hurt.

“Don’t let one toxic prof get inside your head.” Bobby Hawke looped the Corvette around another curve in the narrow coastal road. “She’s behind you now. Transferring to Halifax means a fresh start.”

“I ran away.”

“You made a strategic decision to regroup.”

Landon snapped her stretchy bead bracelet against her wrist. How could she explain her mounting anxiety when she didn’t understand it herself? She’d survived day one on her new campus. Next stop was a South Shore, Nova Scotia beach walk to unwind. Zero stress.

Except the drive from the city had given her time to think about the mountain of readings and the visible cliques among the other undergrads.

“Twenty-four isn’t that much older, but I feel like…” The hypnotic unfolding of the faded pavement drew her gaze. The throaty power of the convertible’s engine had them skimming the shore like a white seabird. “I feel like a trade-in car with dull paint and flat tires. What if I can’t keep up?”

The rays sparkling off the Atlantic Ocean dazzled her vision and churned the nameless dread in her gut, compounding the slipstream effect from the open roof. She ground her molars against a rising tide of heat. Spewing in Bobby’s Corvette was not an option.

Bobby slapped the vent control, and cool air blasted her cheeks. The car slowed. “Need me to pull over?”

Eyes closed, she inhaled deeply. The searing sensation ebbed, leaving a manageable queasiness. She gulped. “I’m good now.”

He eased back up to the speed limit. “You were getting kind of green around the gills.”

An oncoming police car chirped its siren once before whipping past.

Landon twisted to peer after it. “Was that Dylan?”

Bobby slowed again and jostled them onto the gravel shoulder, tires crunching to a stop. “Whoever it was just got a call. They’re coming back.”

Red and blue lights flashed, and the white cruiser paused alongside, its passenger window lowering. Constable Dylan Tremblay acknowledged them both with a nod. “There’s a pull-off around the next bend. Follow me.”

He cut the roof lights and drove on.

“Wonder what’s up.” Bobby signalled and eased the Corvette back onto the pavement.

Landon’s heart flipped. “Something’s happened at the inn.”

With the trouble at the Green Dory Inn this summer, Dylan had been the responding officer so many times that he and Landon had become friends. When she decided to extend her stay in Lunenburg, he’d adopted a protective big-brother role. Not that he or Bobby had more than five years on her.

She focused on the cool air streaming from the dash vent, but her nerves coiled tighter and tighter until she could barely breathe. As soon as Bobby cut left onto a grassy area and stopped beside the police car, she ran after Dylan toward the lone picnic table.

“Dylan, what’s wrong?”

He chose the bench with his back to the Atlantic. Behind him, the land fell away to where short, choppy waves sparkled like a net full of diamonds. The playful light contrasted with his unsmiling expression.

“Sorry about the theatrics. This needs more than a roadside chat.”

About the Author

Janet Sketchley is the author of the Green Dory Inn mystery series, the Redemption’s Edge Christian suspense series, and the daily devotional books A Year of Tenacity and Tenacity at Christmas. She likes her fiction with a splash of mystery and a dash of Christianity. Why leave faith out of our stories if it’s part of our lives? Janet writes in Atlantic Canada, and you can find her online at her website.

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East City Girl: A memoir of growing up Catholic in a small town by Kimberley Payne

February 12, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

East City Girl is the story of a young girl growing up in a small Ontario town influenced by her parents’ Roman Catholic religion and Dutch heritage.

It’s a recollection filled with prose, poetry, and pictures from birth to Grade 8 in the 1970s and early 80s.

The story unfolds in a “scrapbook” format with diary entries, school projects, and report cards that draw you in from the start and transport you back in time with nostalgic memories.

Book Excerpt

My childhood bedroom had enough room for a single bed, a 6-drawer white dresser with a gold-trimmed mirror, and a small table tucked in the corner. The wallpaper displayed patterns of blooming pink and purple flowers. Holly Hobbie danced on my bedspread.

Although it was the smallest bedroom in the house I was happy it was all mine and I didn’t have to share space as my brothers did.

I kept it neat and tidy without Mom having to remind me. I also kept my bed made. It was easy since I went to sleep lying on my back (with my stuffed dog, Fonzi, under my arm) and awoke in the same position.

Mom cleaned the sheets on my bed regularly. She’d hang them outside to dry, even in the dead of winter. Then she’d iron them before putting them back on the bed.

I savoured the crisp, line-dried smell of the sheets.

At night, Mom would come into my room and tuck the sheets around my body. Snug in my warm bed, I’d close my eyes.

Sometimes she would tell me a made-up story. I treasured her stories.

She’d always say, “Don’t forget your prayers” after kissing me and leaving to turn off the bedroom lights.

And I never did.

I prayed, “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Oh, Lord our God thy children say, grant us thy peace and bless us all. Lord, I pray for the poor, the sick, the needy, the crippled, the paralyzed, the lame, and all those who need help.”

I usually had no trouble falling asleep, but on those nights when I was still awake after saying the short prayer above, I’d start reciting the “Our Father”.

My mother created an atmosphere of security and affection with this simple bedtime routine. A routine of prayer I continue to this day.

About the Author

Kimberley is an award-winning author. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. She also combines her teaching experience and love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science, and faith. Visit her website.

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In Him – You Are: Trusting God with Who You Are, What You Have, and How He Sees You by Danny Davis

February 8, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

Embrace your faith and tap into a boundless source of love, strength, and abundance through Christ.

Artfully blending a heartfelt message of faith with poignant reflections and timeless Biblical wisdom, this touching book seeks to open your mind and heart to Christ, encouraging you to embrace your faith and walk closer to God with the lessons of Scripture.

In Him – You Are challenges you to place your trust in Christ and experience the boundless love that propels us into a rich, fulfilling, and abundant life. As an enlightening antidote to pain, stress, and fear, this illuminating book shows you the path to Christ, gently reminding you that you’re a treasured child of God.

In Him – You Are welcomes readers of all ages and from all walks of life to accept an invitation to live the way God intended, freeing yourself from past trauma and failures to be reborn with the confidence to become who you were meant to be.

Book details:

• Thought-Provoking Reflections and Prompts For Readers To Practice Self-Discovery
• Rich Spiritual Wisdom and Timeless Biblical Lessons
• Includes Practical Insights For Living a Victorious Christian Life
• Challenges and Inspires You To Confront The Lies That Keep Them From Living Fully
• And Much More…

Perfect for both devout Christians and newcomers to the faith, In Him – You Are will take you by the hand and show you how to foster life-changing spiritual growth. No matter what kind of issues or trials you’re struggling with, this guide gives you a new perspective that will shape the way you look at yourself, the world, and God. Are you ready to create the life that God intended for you?

Book Excerpt

Our Triune God is sufficient within Himself. He does not lack anything. You are, whether you want to admit it or not, insufficient on your own. You lack the ability to save yourself from yourself; therefore, you need help outside yourself. There is good news! The God who lacks nothing makes you complete in Him. No amount of individual talent or treasure can make you complete or whole. Any sufficiency you have is firmly rooted in the eternal power of God. God’s completeness is the foundation of your wholeness. In Him you have everything required to live a life of fullness and abundance. You possess every resource required to endure suffering and humbly accept the victories brought by Christ. However, you must remember two key words—in Him. These words prove pivotal because outside of Him you can only rely on your limited resources for successful living.

About the author

Danny Davis, author of Rural Church Turnaround, is on a pursuit to bring transformation to individuals and communities. Davis uses the wisdom gained over 30 years in ministry to help others grow in their relationship with Christ. He and Sherry equip leaders and train church planters in Uganda, East Africa. When not writing or speaking, you’ll find Danny and Sherry enjoying a movie or catching up with their adult sons. Keep up with the Davis’ at their website — http://www.davisinafrica.com

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Meeting Faith-100 Devotions for Women on Family, Fitness and Faith by Kimberley Payne

January 7, 2022 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

Three Books in One

Meeting Faith is a collection of 97 encouraging devotions from Where Family Meets Faith, Where Fitness Meets Faith, and Where Life Meets Faith plus three bonus devotions.

These devotions show the similarities between the challenges of raising a family, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and living life while building a relationship with God.

In the devotions, Kimberley shares stories from her personal life with candor and humour. She tackles everyday circumstances and common topics like worry, fulfillment, and happiness and brings scriptural solutions to deal with the problems.

The readings are written in a clear, conversational style which makes it feel like Kimberley is sitting across from you, talking to you about life and faith. Without being preachy, she finds answers in the Scriptures and points to God for strength.

If you’re looking for a book to encourage and motivate you in your daily walk with God, this devotion does a beautiful job of bridging true-life application with faith lessons. Even if your story is not exactly the same, the conclusion never changes as it reminds us of how much our Father loves and cares for us.

Book Excerpt

God’s Timing

My son asked, “Mommy, can I watch a movie?”

My answer was, “Yes, in ten minutes.”

His response started out as mild whining and then escalated into a full temper tantrum because he had to wait ten whole minutes. These ten minutes may have felt like a very long time for a child, but not the parent.

Just as we ask for our prayers to be answered God may indeed be saying, “Yes, but there is unfinished business that needs to be taken care of first.” However, we assume that since our prayer is not answered right away, God has answered, “No” or maybe He did not even hear our prayer.

I remember when I had listed my home to sell. I wanted to sell it the very first day and even expected the very first people to view the house to make an offer. You can imagine my disappointment when the first showing did not yield the desired results. Neither did the second, nor the third, fourth or fifth showings. I was distraught. I thought God was ignoring me. Maybe I had done something wrong and He was punishing me. Maybe He didn’t even hear my prayers. Maybe we weren’t supposed to be moving. All kinds of thoughts ran through my mind and I entertained each and every one.

What I know now, that I did not know then, was that God’s timing is very different than mine. Looking back, I know there are many good reasons that we were not ready to move when I wanted to. It is said that hindsight is 20/20, but God knows the past, the present and the future. We should not question His timing. We should accept that He knows best and accept that our prayers will be answered in His timing.

My son may not have understood why I asked him to wait ten minutes but I knew that I had to finish peeling potatoes for his dinner that evening, and if I did not do it then it may not have been done. I asked him to wait for his movie in order for him to have a nutritious dinner later. I knew the reason and that was good enough.

We should expect the same when we pray to God. Know that He knows best and He has the best timing. And many times His answer is, “Yes, but wait”. So instead of becoming impatient and trying to handle things in our own strength, we should live in the knowledge that God has heard our prayer and leave it up to Him to answer in His awesome time.

Instead of being happy that he would eventually get a movie my son pouted about when he would get what he had asked for. How many times do we pout about God’s timing instead of being grateful for what we do get?

“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).

About the Author

Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Visit her website.

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The Vikings of Loch Morar by William Burt

December 21, 2021 by Kimberley Payne

About the Book

In this sequel to The Lake Lights, Jonathan Oliver is chasing down an intruder on Lake Oswego’s Iron Mountain when he is trapped inside a cave holding staggering secrets from Oregon’s distant past. One of these relics sparks a remarkable spinoff from the Oliver family’s anti-gravity inventions. Together, Jon and his father incorporate their breakthrough into a revolutionary submersible design. At the invitation of Dr. Graham MacKenzie, the Gyrosensors team travels to one of Scotland’s wildest and remotest regions—and its deepest lake—to develop their secret prototype. While staying at Dr. MacKenzie’s retreat center, they meet a pretty but mysterious Frenchwoman. Across the loch, the reclusive caretaker of a Victorian-era hunting lodge is hiding monumental secrets of his own. During the prototype’s construction and sea trials, Jon and his family confront enemies on land, in the air and under the water. In the end, Jon rekindles a long-lost love and finds an ancient, holy treasure-hoard.

Book Excerpt

Prologue

Over the wind-whipped ocean waves they had voyaged, their sleek, high-prowed ships bearing fearsome figureheads. The seafarers had just pillaged a village on a peninsula jutting from the northeast corner of a dragon-shaped island.

Ordinarily, a celebration would have been in order, but the slaughter of unarmed holy men weighed heavily on the men’s hearts. Their chief prize was a splendid relic encrusted with gold and precious gems. The old monk had begged them not to take it, telling them of its significance and ancient origins. They listened to his tale of a foreign god of flesh and bone who healed the sick and raised the dead. In the end, they let him go but slew his defenseless companions.

Leaving behind little but ashes and death, they discussed the monk’s captivating story amongst themselves as they sailed around the island, searching for a place to overwinter. They also needed to replenish their stores of food and water before setting out again in the spring.

On the isle’s western shores, they entered a promising inlet and portaged to a long, freshwater lake dotted with islands and fringed by wooded hills and rugged mountains. Satisfied with the location, they sheltered in a shallow lakeside cave with a stream running through it.

The local natives were quick to defend their territory with clubs and spears, but their crude weapons were no match for the swords of the battle-hardened voyagers. After several one-sided skirmishes, the lake ran red with native blood.

The handful of those unfortunate souls who were captured alive as slaves appeared terrified of the water. When questioned, the captives babbled in their broken pidgin of a nameless horror that inhabited the lake, its islands and its shores. The newcomers dismissed this fanciful tale as nothing more than primitive superstition. For their part, they found the deep, rambling lake to their liking. Salmon and sea trout abounded in its frigid waters,
and red deer foraged for food in the lush forests above it.

Then on a frosty October morning, the seafarers discovered the truth in the local legends. Their chieftain, a bearded giant named Krossbyr, had taken a small boat alone out on the lake to catch fish when its dark waters boiled to a froth, and a nightmarish ship’s figurehead
emerged from the seething depths. Overwhelmed by waves, the boat capsized, and unable to swim, Chief Krossbyr perished.

His companions buried him with lavish honors and rich plunder in a natural grotto they had discovered beneath the lake. Leaving that ill-fated place, they sailed westward, never to return.

About the Author

William D. Burt is the award-winning author of the seven-title Christian allegorical “King of the Trees” series and of his new Creation Seekers series: The Lake Lights (Book 1) and The Vikings of Loch Morar (Book 2). All nine of Burt’s titles have been awarded five stars by Readers’ Favorite reviewers. Two of his first series titles (out of three submitted) were finalists in the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest: The King of the Trees and The Golden Wood.

The King of the Trees subsequently won the 2014 Silver Medal in the category of “Christian Fantasy/Sci-fi.”

The Creation Seekers series is William Burt’s first foray into the realm of science fiction. The titles in this series feature the adventures of a fictional Oregon family of brilliant scientists and educators who turn the world upside down with their revolutionary inventions and discoveries.

As an Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at Western Oregon University, Burt served as a successful grant-writer and program coordinator. He holds a B.S. in English from Lewis and Clark College and an M.S. in Deaf Education from Western Oregon University. Until his retirement, Burt was an RID-certified sign-language interpreter with over forty years’ experience. His interests include reading, foreign languages, botany and mycology. He is married with two grown children and five grandchildren.

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