Audra Jennings

Author Steven Estes applies the wisdom of Proverbs to help readers rediscover the joys of Christmas The shopping, the family get-togethers, the office Christmas party, the decorating, the memories of loved ones who are no longer with us . . . What should be the happiest time of the year often becomes a stressful, anxiety-ridden, and emotional season for many who are seeking perfection and trying to meet unrealistic expectations. But December doesn’t have to get the better of us. In A Better December: Proverbs to Brighten Christmas ( New Growth Press , October 2013, ISBN 978-1-936768-67-7, $12.99) , pastor Steven Estes offers gems of Solomon’s proverbial wisdom to help readers find the joy and celebration we all desire for the Christmas season. Even though Solomon lived long before Christ, and three thousand years prior to our modern observance of Christmas, his wisdom is timeless and remarkably applicable to those who long to find themselves refreshed and renewed instead ...

Lisa T. Bergren   is celebrating the release of her new book,   Glittering Promises , by giving away a $200 Italian feast from Williams-Sonoma and hosting a fun Facebook party on October 29th.     One winner will receive: A $200 Italian feast from Williams-Sonoma delivered to your door The three-book Grand Tour set Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 29th. Winner will be announced at the "Glittering Promises" Facebook Author Chat Party on October 29th . Connect with Lisa for an evening of book chat, European trivia, and prizes, and get an exclusive look Lisa's next book. So grab your copies of the Grand Tour series  and join Lisa on the evening of October 29th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the books, don't let that stop you from coming!) Don't miss a moment of the fun;  RSVP today  by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the...

It was hard to figure out what the lesson on to video should be, so we did extra songs. I'm not sure if it will get easier coming out of Romans into Corinthians. I thought they knew "O How I Love Jesus." I was wrong. We had to learn it better after the video. This is second take on "Deep and Wide" too. I thought they could make it through "Deep and Wide" without me, especially after a quick reminder in between takes. Oh, and we did "Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up in Jesus" too.  

OSTRICHES! Are you shopping this holiday season for anyone that collects ostriches (or maybe emus?) or a variety of birds hatching from eggs? If so, may I suggest these? I found these at an estate sale today, but I left them for you to buy. The heads come off like a cookie jar, but the hole into the rest of the egg is MAYBE the size of a quarter. I don't know what you can fit in and out of there. Therefore, I'm not sure of the purpose and what to call them.  Instead of buying these, I bought 5 purple glasses for $15. I should go unwrap/unpack them from the box and put in my hutch.

Those of you that know me well or much at all know I'm not the biggest fan of the Christmas season in general. I only want to hear Christmas music from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas day itself. No earlier, no later. The same goes for Christmas decorations. I'll start assembling on Thanksgiving, but I will disassemble on December 26, if not as soon as I get home from Kaufman on Christmas day itself. Yes, I have been known to put up three Christmas trees, but that's a push to be well decorated and honestly decorating depresses me to no end every year. And as OCD as I am, decorating my big Christmas tree to perfection is an anxiety attack waiting to happen. I hate it. I'm annoyed at how early stores put out Christmas decorations and push you towards shopping. I say "let Halloween and Thanksgiving have their moments!" I say this those despising Halloween on so many levels that you don't want to get me started. The best thing about Hallo...

The Journey of Josephine Cain  by Nancy Moser   follows the adventures of a D.C. socialite as she gets involved with the building of the Transcontinental Railroad right after the Civil War. Be sure to check out Nancy's fun  Pinterest board  for the book! Enter to win 1 of 5 copies of the book!   Five winners will receive: The Journey of Josephine Cain  by Nancy Moser Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 26th. All winners will be announced October 28th at the Litfuse blog . Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit the  Litfuse blog on the 28th to see if you won one of the books! {MORE ABOUT  THE JOURNEY OF JOSEPHINE CAIN } When a socialite from the nation’s capital embarks on a journey to the Wild West, her life is changed forever. A setting populated by hundreds of laborers, outlaws, and Indians is hardly the place for a wealthy general’s d...

The Home to Heather Creek series shows that God gives grace freely, even in trying times When the world around you falls apart, could it be that God is giving you a second chance? This is just one of the questions on Charlotte Stevenson’s mind as she brings her three grandchildren to live on the family farm in Guidepost Books’ Home to Heather Creek series. Following the death of their daughter in a tragic accident, Charlotte and her husband, Bob, become guardians of the three grandchildren they hardly know. Not only is it a major adjustment for the couple nearing retirement, but also a huge shock for the orphaned children to go from life as they know it in San Diego to a small farming community in Nebraska. Readers will meet the Stevensons in Before the Dawn (ISBN: 978-0824934248/$14.99) and follow their journeys in Sweet September (ISBN: 978-0824934255/$14.99) when the first two books of the series hit stores this fall. The Home to Heather Creek series is written by a...