Good Morning,
Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please welcome Erin Stevenson with her Christmas novella, A New Hope for Christmas, part of Pelican Book Group's Christmas Extravaganza!
This Christmas, Two Lost and Broken Families Need Restoration.
Sam Jarrett was just starting to explore spiritual things when his world was shattered. Now, he's completely turned his back on God. Laura Preston is a devoted believer, leaning heavily on her faith to get her through each tortured day.
Two Chance Meetings Spark a Friendship and a Glimmer of Hope.
Sam battles God's prodding through Laura's gentle, caring spirit. When another tragedy strikes on Christmas Eve, Sam is sure that God has completely deserted him. Laura tries to show Sam that God loves him and has been there all the time, but how can Sam trust when he has no faith?
A New Hope for Christmas is a story of restored faith in a God who never leaves us, even when we can't see or feel Him near.
Read an excerpt of A New Hope for Christmas and get your copy from Pelican Book Group or Amazon!
Now, let's find out a little more about Erin!
Hi. My name is Erin and I’m a prayer warrior.
I love to pray. I’ve always loved to pray, since I met Jesus at the age of 15 and asked him into my heart. I guess I love to pray because it’s just talking with my Best Friend, Jesus. So I always look for opportunities to pray for and with people.
But for a long time, I struggled with prayer, because I didn’t understand it. Let me share two things that hampered my prayer life:
1) Someone asks me on Monday to pray for their husband’s surgery on Thursday. I send up a ‘pre-prayer’ then, but when the hour of his surgery rolls around on Thursday…I’m busy with something else, or maybe I just forget. And when he doesn’t come through surgery well, I wonder if it was because of my neglect.
2) I see a request on social media to pray for a child who is in critical condition. Hundreds are praying, thousands! But the child doesn’t survive. I prayed for him often. Did I not pray enough? But if I pray more and someone still dies, and my prayers couldn’t change the outcome, then WHY SHOULD I PRAY?
Entire books have been written about prayer, and I could write a VERY long blog on this, but I’ll just tell you one lesson that I learned when I asked God to help me figure this out. Regardless of the outcome of a situation I’ve prayed for, my prayers are a comfort to the one who I’m praying for and/or the one who requested the prayer and assure them that they are not alone. I’ve been on the flip side when I’ve needed prayer. No matter the outcome, I am blessed and encouraged just by knowing that someone is on their knees in the valley with me.
Even in a pandemic, I can still connect with people by praying for them. A while back I posted on my social media, “Raise your hand if I can pray for you today.” I made it clear that I didn’t want or need to know any details, I just wanted to pray. Over a hundred people responded! Many said they were so blessed by this. Believe me, I got the blessing!
I invite you to do what I often do, ask God, “who needs my prayers today?” You will be amazed at the names He will bring to your mind, and if you let that person know (sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t), you will be amazed at their response!
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I Thes. 5:16-18
Erin's Bio: Writing is like breathing to Erin. Stories are running through her mind during most of her waking hours, and by the time she sits down at the computer, the words flow and time ceases to exist.
Erin was raised in Illinois and has lived in many places in the U.S., including on both coasts, but is a Midwest girl at heart. She spent many years as an educator from pre-school through college levels, and currently works in training and internal communications for a global corporation.
When she’s not writing, Erin loves spending time with her children and grandchildren, and playing in the garden (which equates to mostly pulling weeds) at her central Iowa home. Her secret indulgence is plain M&Ms.
Find out more about Erin and her books by visiting her Website.
Connect with Erin on Social Media! Facebook: ESQwrites
Twitter: @ESQwrites and Instagram: ESQwrites
Thank you SO Much Erin for sharing your love of prayer with us. I know I can relate! Wishing you the best of luck and God's blessings.
Thanks for stopping by friends and supporting Erin. Hope to see you for Saturday Spotlight where we feature another Christmas book.
Meanwhile, wishing each and every one of YOU and YOUR a very Merry Christmas!
PamT
5 comments:
A perfect Christmas book! Best wishes and happy holidays.
Erin, I loved this book, and thank you for your words on prayer. I'm going to start asking God who He wants me to pray for! This was a blessing to me.
A very interesting post thank you.
I really enjoyed your story, Erin. Merry Christmas.
That's a lovely idea, asking God who he wants me to pray for. And regarding not going the answer you've asked for, I used to tell my catechism students, sometimes God says no because he has a better plan. Merry Christmas!
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