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| Marianne Evans |
Changing
seasons, harvest time, bounty, an explosion of vivid, heart-stirring colors.
You know,
fall is my favorite season; here in the Midwest, as our trees give way to the
darkness and cold of winter, there’s a final symphony God plays against each
wind-blown leaf as it tumbles onto the dark, damp green grass. That symphony
is: Change.
I’m in the
midst of writing a series about an Indiana farm family, so I’m particularly
interested in the way God shapes and moves through our Earth. Also, I’m in what
feels like an overdrive season of change at the moment (which should make my
WIP that much more realistic, right…???), so the autumn season of 2015 has hit
closer to home than usual. Change is exciting, but it can also be draining,
ridden by anxiety, and when change comes to life across multiple circumstances,
like at home, on the job, and in my personal life, I’ve had to consciously
remind myself to go still, not panic, and hang on for God’s ride.
Our home
is up for sale. We had a tremendous flurry of activity. No offers yet, and the
activity, naturally, is tapering. Panic sets in; I fall to my knees. Writing
deadlines loom but I’m called away from my computer all the time now in
deference to house showings. Fear and frustration build as fresh word counts
die a slow and painful death. The tapestry of people and circumstances at work
ever evolve and shift. I’ve had to remind myself that endings are really only
beginnings in disguise. Opportunities. Fresh roadways to the path God has
designed for me.
That’s the
encouragement I hope to pass on today, and it’s a lesson I’ll be continuously
urging myself to embrace: I must relax into the situations I can’t control.
Yes, I’ll make every effort to create the best outcomes possible, of course,
but forcing matters only tends to crush my hope and optimism. Pray. Pray, pray,
pray. Then, surrender to whatever plan and will God has in store. It may be to
something thoroughly unexpected, but, God’s Word is truthful and faithful;
therefore, the pathway will lead to what is good. Always.
I’m praying
with you and for you, friends, and leaning into seasons of change—and the
promise of a bountiful harvest—right along with you.
~~~~~
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~~~~~
All she wants for
Christmas is her Master’s Degree. All he wants is a one-way plane ticket back
to Los Angeles.
Tiffany Zelling’s mission is to become a crisis therapy counselor using specially trained animals as comfort tools. She's focused on reaching the end of her school career, and nothing will stand in her way—not even a fantasy-world attraction to colleague Mitch Alexander.
After a year as interim Director of East Coast Operations Mitch's tenure has been a resounding success. Now, he’s set to return to California and lay claim to a well-deserved promotion. He can’t wait to leave behind the cold and snowy darkness of Manhattan, but when corporate bullying and a massive snowfall throws him together with Tiffany Zelling, Mitch wonders if heading west is his best future.
As two hearts build a pathway to love, goals shift and evolve. But as Christmas joy and hope move through the streets of New York, critical decisions must be made. Can their lives truly meld? Can Christmas at Tiffany’s be God’s answer…for them both?
Tiffany Zelling’s mission is to become a crisis therapy counselor using specially trained animals as comfort tools. She's focused on reaching the end of her school career, and nothing will stand in her way—not even a fantasy-world attraction to colleague Mitch Alexander.
After a year as interim Director of East Coast Operations Mitch's tenure has been a resounding success. Now, he’s set to return to California and lay claim to a well-deserved promotion. He can’t wait to leave behind the cold and snowy darkness of Manhattan, but when corporate bullying and a massive snowfall throws him together with Tiffany Zelling, Mitch wonders if heading west is his best future.
As two hearts build a pathway to love, goals shift and evolve. But as Christmas joy and hope move through the streets of New York, critical decisions must be made. Can their lives truly meld? Can Christmas at Tiffany’s be God’s answer…for them both?
~~~~~
Marianne Evans
is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction with over
twenty titles to her credit. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message
of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create.
Happily married
and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is
active in a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the
Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.
Connect with Marianne:
