#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Nazareth @Nazzman!

Good Morning Friends,

After last week's sorrow I believe we can use some joy so with great pleasure I, along with Adams PR, bring to you, Christian Comedian Nazareth....

With touring on hold for most live performers this past year, the comedian known as Nazareth found other ways to bring laughter to people. In just the past few months, he reached over one million views from his Dry Bar Comedy video, received over eight million views on TikTok, and started a live Facebook show that has featured guests such as best-selling author and pastor Lee Strobel, best-selling author Josh McDowell, comedians Chonda Pierce, Mark Lowry, and Tim Hawkins, among many others. Nazareth says making people smile during a pandemic has become a priority. 

“If there is one thing we have all needed this past year it is laughter,” says Nazareth. “I started the Live with Naz show the day the quarantine started in March of last year, and it has reached people in over six different countries. I have had people dealing with depression and anxiety say the show has lifted their spirits. While I have missed interacting with people in person, this has been a great opportunity to minister to people.”

Nazareth has always seen his comedy as a means to an end. For nearly three decades, he has used his platform to help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Crisis Pregnancy Centers and other non-profit organizations around the United States. He serves as a director for a ministry that supports Christians in the Holy Land and is a co-founder of a ministry that reaches out to thousands of refugees fleeing Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iran to find refuge in Southern California. About seven years ago, he created a series of comedy shows called Laughter For All that came to a halt last year, but he hopes they will start up again soon.

“The Laughter For All events are always free events,” says Nazareth. “We produced four stadium events at the 66ers Stadium in San Bernardino, California, two large events at the Henderson pavilion in Las Vegas, an event at the Del Mar Race tracks, several events at large churches, as well as prisons and homeless shelters in Texas, California, and the D.C. area. Before the pandemic, we planned on numerous events in California because we feel like if we can change California with the Gospel, we can change the nation. At the end of each of these events, I tell the audience about Jesus, what He has done for my life and what He can do for their lives. There is nothing I have done or will ever do that is more important than sharing the love of God.”

About Nazarath:

Born in Israel, Nazareth began his comedy career after moving to the United States to attend college in Ohio. He has worked with legendary performers such as B.B. King, Tim Conway, The Temptations, and the Righteous Brothers, and shared comedy stages with Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and Kevin James. He has appeared on various TV shows and networks including Comedy Central, NBC News, and CBS, and has performed in world famous venues such as The Improv and The Grand Ole Opry, as well as on U.S. military bases across the globe. For more information visit http://www.nazarethusa.com. 

Hope you'll check out Nazareth, follow him on social media, enjoy a few laughs and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time take care, God Bless and remember...sorrow may last for a moment but joy will be found in the morning (Psalm 30:5 paraphrased)

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Gail Pallotta & Stopped Cold!

Good Morning!

Here we are on what's supposed to be a "fall" morning and about the only thing that's falling in SWLA are the leaves. The temperature is staying steady with highs in the 90's. I've always said I'm a summer person but I'm ready for cooler temperatures!

Today's guest is not new to our blog. Gail has been in our spotlight, twice. She's shared treasures, thoughts and words with us, but today we're getting a peek into her latest release, Stopped Cold.

Things aren't what they seem in peaceful Mistville, North Carolina.
Margaret McWhorter enjoys a laid-back Freshman year in high school swimming and hanging out with friends—until the day her brother, Sean, suffers a stroke from taking steroids. Now he's lying unconscious in a hospital.

Anger sets a fire for retribution inside her, and Margaret vows to make the criminals pay. Even the cop on the case can't stop her from investigating. Looking for justice, she convinces two friends, Jimmy and Emily to join her in a quest that takes them through a twisted, drug-filled sub-culture they discover deep in the woods behind the school. Time and again they walk a treacherous path, and come face-to-face with danger.

All the while Margaret really wants to cure Sean, heal the hate inside, and open her heart to love.

Excerpt: A Chapel. Something urged me to go inside. Maybe it was because I had nowhere else to turn. Maybe it was because Reverend Hopewell’s visit made me believe God would do something about Sean’s condition if I kept asking him to.

A cinder of hope sparked inside me as I walked in the tiny, narrow sanctuary with mahogany paneling and one pew. If only God would make Sean well and lead me to the drug dealers. Did God do that sort of thing? Maybe I didn’t know enough about God to be in here. He wouldn’t approve of all the hate I had for the drug dealers. Jesus preached a Gospel of love. My heart beat so fast.

How could I explain my deep despair to God? Did He care about Sean and me? Through the blur of my tears I peered at the stained glass cross embedded in dark paneling behind the altar, the soft lighting washing over it. I didn’t need to tell God how sad I was. He already knew. Of course, He cared. He sent His only son to die for Sean’s sins and mine.

But did I know the right thing to say to God, especially in my angry state? Reverend Hopewell’s prayers sounded so eloquent when he said them for the youth group. If I ever wanted a prayer to be good enough for God to answer, it was now. The words “Ask and it will be given to you--” popped in my head. I knew they came from the book of Matthew, so I looked it up on my iPhone--Chapter seven, verse seven. I stared at the words for several minutes then turned it off and bowed my head.

‘Dear Lord, Please have mercy on Sean and healhim, if it is your will, and dear Lord, I hope it is. Mom,Dad, and I need him. I’m sorry I haven’t been a better sister, and I’m sorry about the hate I feel toward the drug dealers. Maybe you can help me get over it...if I could just find them. I love Sean so much. If he gets well, I’ll talk to him about the gifts you gave him and tell him what a great brother he is. Please let Dad see that Sean doesn’t need to be a quarterback. I ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.’

I stood and took one last look at the cross. My heart beat steady now. There was peace, hope, and answers in this room.

I walked outside with renewed strength, the crisp fall air fanning my cheeks on the way to the bus stop.

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A former Grace Awards Finalist  and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, she’s published six books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers. Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.gailpallotta.com/mainphp.html and visit her website at https://www.gailpallotta.com

Visit her online at the following places:

Blog at https://gailpallotta.blogspot.com

Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore

twitter at  https://twitter.com/Hopefulwords    (Gail Pallotta @Hopefulwords)

Thanks so much Gail, for sharing our spotlight once again!

Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends a Story & Recipe from Gail Pallotta!

Good Morning!

Gail Pallotta is no stranger to our blog but always a welcomed guest. She has shared treasures and thoughts with us and been in our spotlight twice. So, without further ado, I'm turning the blog over to her.....

I recall my mother’s kitchen brimming with Southern cooking. My father thought I should learn the art, so I could practice then for when I got married. Never mind, I was ten years old when he suggested my internship. Nonetheless, it has served those at my kitchen table well.

Many think of fatback, frying, thick batter, butter and cream when they hear Southern cooking, but nowadays many Southern cooks use olive or grapeseed oil in lieu of unhealthy choices. To my surprise, as a young adult I learned my mother and I hadn’t been frying during my youth. We were sautéing. She didn’t own a deep fat fryer, but placed a thin film of oil in a frying pan, an equally thin batter on chicken, cubed steaks, etc., and cooked them on low heat.

 She taught me a tasty dish begins with a good food choice, fresh veggies and tender meat. We squeezed squash to see if it might be too soft and okra to see if it was too hard. Potatoes and onions were scrutinized for bad spots. When preparing meat, we cut out the gristle and excess fat.

All of her Southern recipes were handed down by mouth from her mother, who learned them from her mother, so on and so forth. Here’s one of my favorites. With football season getting underway, it’s a good dish for hungry fans.

Mother’s Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients: Elbow macaroni noodles, cheese, milk, eggs, salt and pepper to taste, margarine or butter (optional)

Greased casserole dish. (I use olive oil)

The amount of noodles determines the number of servings. To serve four, prepare enough noodles for four.

Drain noodles. Fill a one-cup measuring cup with the cooked noodles and pour them one at a time into the greased casserole dish.

Measure exactly as many cups of grated cheese as there are noodles. (For example four cups of noodles and four cups of cheese packed tight) Cheeses can be all one kind or mixed—2 cups of cheddar, 1 cup of Monteray Jack, 1 cup of Colby. Use what you like. If there are extra noodles, save them for another dish. The amount of cheese must equal the amount of noodles.

Beat an egg. Stir into noodles and cheese. (Egg Beaters can be used)

Pour milk into the casserole dish until it’s almost even with the mixture of cheese, noodles and eggs. (Low-fat is fine.)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Completely cover the top of the macaroni and cheese with more grated cheese. Dot with margarine or butter if desired.

Bake on 350 degrees about forty-five minutes or until the entire casserole is firm.

What’s one of your favorite dishes? 

MMMMM, Gail that sound delicious! Thanks for sharing.

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A former Grace Awards Finalist for an earlier edition of Stopped Cold and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, she’s published six books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers. Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.gailpallotta.com/mainphp.html and visit her website at https://www.gailpallotta.com and Blog at https://gailpallotta.blogspot.com. You can also visit/connect with her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore and Twitter https://twitter.com/Hopefulwords? (Gail Pallotta @Hopefulwords)

Also check out Gail's brand new YA release, Stopped Cold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo & Pelican Book Group 

The high school in Stopped Cold has a twitter page! https://twitter.com/MeriwetherCS

Meriwether Christian  @MeriwetherCS. The heroine, Margaret, would love to have you follow Meriwether High.

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back weekly for more Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight's.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Gail Pallotta & Hair Calamities & Hot Cash!

Good Morning!

I pray your New Year has started off blessed.

Today's guest has shared treasures and thoughts with us, now Gail gives us a sneak peek into her newest release, Hair Calamities and Hot Cash!

Welcome Gail...take it away....

“A comedic romp from small town to big city in search of missing money, hair catastrophes, and love. A truly fun read”—Cynthia Hickey, author of the Shady Acres Mystery series.

What happens when a New York stockbroker crashes his car into Eve Castleberry’s North Carolina beauty shop...on the same day the young widow’s defective hair products are causing wild hairdos? Soon Eve finds herself helping the handsome stranger hunt the thieves who stole his client’s cash...and hot on the trail of two of the F.B.I.’s most-wanted criminals! Romance blossoms amid danger, suspense and Eve’s hair-brained plan to get back the money.

Excerpt

The bright May sun beaming through the window of my beauty shop created a stripe across the black shampoo bowl. Every day the ache in my heart reminded me that Eve’s Clips was my life now. I leaned Joyce Westmoreland’s head back and scrubbed her blonde locks. Then I reached for the conditioner on the metal shelf behind the shampoo bowl. The bottle was empty, and it was the last one I had. That ne’er-do-well Durbin Brown hadn’t delivered my products.

A breeze hit me in the face as the door swung open, the pink flowered curtain flapping. “Hello, where have you been? You were supposed to come on Monday.” I held out the container. “I’m out.” My insides boiled at such bad service, not to mention that my creepy new salesman reminded me of Ichabod Crane.

He plopped down several cardboard boxes, ripped the top off one and handed me Strawberry Fields Conditioner.

“Thank you.”

Durbin pulled a small pad out of his pants pocket, flipped it open, and tapped his foot. “I’m writing a bill for you.”

The building shook. Metal crunched. Bricks fell amid loud scraping.

My nerves vibrated. Durbin’s mouth twitched. Joyce bounded out of her chair, her blue eyes wide.

“Quick, under the vanity,” I yelled out.

Joyce shot to it like a bullet, but Durbin froze. I grabbed his spindly arm and pulled him behind me, the heels on his black boots scraping across the gray laminate floor. “Get under here.” I couldn’t help but use a harsh tone. He hunkered down, and I scooted beside Joyce. He nuzzled into my shoulder and shivered like a wet puppy. My head spun as the walls shook, shards of glass fell, and sheetrock dust trickled into the air.

Hair Calamities and Hot Cash can be purchased at Amazon (Kindle), B&N (nook), Kobo and Pelican/Prism Book Group

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A former Grace Awards Finalist and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, she’s published five books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers.

Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.gailpallotta.com/mainphp.html 

Visit her online at the following places:

Website at https://gailpallotta.com

Blog at https://gailpallotta.blogspot.com

Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore

twitter at https://twitter.com/Hopefulwords?lang=en (Gail Pallotta @Hopefulwords)

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-pallotta-b368b220/

Amazon page. https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Pallotta/e/B00IN9A640

Wow, Gail, sounds like a great book! Certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course more Saturday Spotlights.

Until next time take care and God Bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts with Gail Pallotta

Good Morning!

It is always a pleasure to have returning guests to visit with us and today's guest is no exception. Gail has shared Treasures with us and been in our Spotlight so please welcome her as she shares some thoughts with us.....

At Christmastime we think of gifts, especially the ones we buy and give to each other, but some of the greatest gifts we receive are free. I believe prayer is one of these.

Over the years I’ve heard different ministers suggest the way to pray, most of them following the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6: 9 - 13. Nearly all of the pastors include praising God for all the blessings He’s given us, asking Him to forgive our sins and to provide for our needs while they emphasize it’s important to ask for God’s will to be done.

A few well-known prayers, other than the Lord’s prayer, include one by Moses from Exodus 33:13. “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.” (NIV).

Most of us have heard the following from Numbers 6: 24  -26, many times.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (NIV)

Another is Jabez’s prayer from 1 Chronicles 4: 10, used in the book, The Prayer of Jabez.

“Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” (NIV)

God placed mankind in the Garden of Eden and planned to have a relationship with us, but the plan was broken by sin. Still He’s left the door open for us to have conversations with Him through prayer. Testimonies abound of people who have been healed, protected or helped through prayers. It allows us to speak individually and in groups to God, to thank Him for His blessings, ask Him to fill our needs and forgive us. It’s one of the most powerful gifts we possess.

Do you know of anyone who’s received a Christmas miracle through prayer, or of someone who’s been helped or comforted with prayer at any time? If so, please share.

Bio: Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A former Grace Awards Finalist and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, she’s published five books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers.

Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.gailpallotta.com/mainphp.html 

Visit her online at the following places:

Website at https://gailpallotta.com

Blog at https://gailpallotta.blogspot.com

Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore

twitter at https://twitter.com/Hopefulwords?lang=en (Gail Pallotta @Hopefulwords)

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-pallotta-b368b220/

Amazon page. https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Pallotta/e/B00IN9A640

Gail's latest book, Hair Calamities and Hot Cash can be purchased at Amazon (Kindle), B&N (nook), Kobo and Pelican/Prism Book Group

What lovely thoughts, Gail, Thank You for sharing!

Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures with Gail Pallotta

Good Morning and Welcome!

Gail is not new to our blog, she shared the spotlight back in May so please welcome her back as she shares something she treasures with us......

I treasure many things, but I chose love. We hear and see so much about hate in the media. However, if I shut it off and open my eyes God’s love is all around me. I see it in smiles and acts of kindness. It fills the fellowship hall and sanctuary of my church. It’s preached in the sermons and shines in the members. It’s shared with family, friends and even strangers.

My family recently turned a stressful situation into a fun time. I chattered with my daughter, who visited from out of town, then glanced at my email. The final PDF copy of Hair Calamities and Hot Cash stared at me. My heart fell. How could I do the things I’d planned for her visit and proof the book? Finally, I mentioned the task, and my husband printed a copy. We divided up the pages of the book, each of us proofing a third as we sat around the kitchen table until the wee hours of the morning, laughing and sharing passages.

In addition to family, God’s given us the care and love of friends. Whether it’s getting together for fun or meeting in a time of crisis or frustration, friends make life better. Even some strangers have a way of showing love. I’ve noticed when I power walk at the mall, most folks smile, and many who are doing the same thing I am, wave and say, “Good morning,” “I like your shirt,” or offer some other greeting that seems to say, “We’re all in this together.”

A friend of mine stood in a fast-food restaurant one day waiting to order. An elderly couple in front of him counted their pennies, but didn’t have enough to buy two meals. They decided to split one, but my friend laid money on the counter and said, “Why don’t both of you get what you want.”

With so much love around me, I hope, like my friend, I’ll pass it on.

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta is a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A former Grace Awards Finalist and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, she’s published five books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers. Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.gailpallotta.com/mainphp.html. Visit her website at https://www.gailpallotta.com; Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore.

A comedic romp from small town to big city in search of missing money, hair catastrophes, and love. A truly fun read”—Cynthia Hickey, author of the Shady Acres Mystery series.

What happens when a New York stockbroker crashes his car into Eve Castleberry’s North Carolina beauty shop...on the same day the young widow’s defective hair products are causing wild hairdos? Soon Eve finds herself helping the handsome stranger hunt the thieves who stole his client’s cash...and hot on the trail of two of the F.B.I.’s most-wanted criminals! Romance blossoms amid danger, suspense and Eve’s hair-brained plan to get back the money.

Purchase Hair Calamities and Hot Cash at Amazon (Kindle) and B&N 

Wow Gail, what a sweet thing for your family to do! It's always wonderful when we get unexpected help. Thanks for sharing!

Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time....Good luck and God's blessings.

PamT