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| Marianne Evans |
So, there
I was, a 50-something, playing a spirited game of ‘chase’ through the backyard with
a chattering, giggling 14-month-old. My grandson dropped by for a grandpa and
grandma visit and the day was picture perfect. A glimpse of spring in all its
glory. I sat next to my grand-joy and watched in fascination while he plucked
grass blades and explored little sticks with the high-beam focus of a scientist
on the brink of great discovery. Then, just as quickly, he looked to the sky in
wide-eyed wonder as he examined the cotton ball clouds and bird life. His
absorption and happiness froze me still for a time.
I fell into a much-needed sense of awe that has lingered in my soul and carries me now through a somewhat dark period of unexpectedly burying a dear and close family member.
I close my
eyes and see his unencumbered joy as soft breezes skimmed his skin, sifting
through his hair. He found delight by simply bouncing on his bottom in the
cool, sweet grass. His smile and laughter, and even his singing, carried to us
while we took him on a stroller ride through our neighborhood.
His reaction to the world around him left me thinking about passion, uncomplicated happiness, and that spontaneous burst of happiness that can take a soul by storm and lift you high.
Jesus advised:
Focus on the moment. Don’t re-hash the past or fret over the future (of course,
I paraphrase here… ::smile!::) We’re not in the past any longer, and only God
knows the future. Live for now. Savor every blessing that comes to life in
every season of your life.
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Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Hearts Communion earned a win for Best Romance from the Christian Small Publisher's Association. She is also a two-time recipient of the Selah Award, Then & Now for Best Contemporary Romance and Finding Home for Best Novella. Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.
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Amy Monarch is a tireless volunteer at the Dupont Rescue and Recovery Center, an establishment for the destitute founded by her mother. There, Amy has kept her identity a carefully guarded secret. She is actually Princess Amelia Marguerite Louise DeLaGrande of Remeth. Working at Dupont offers the opportunity to serve in blessed disguise.
Fresh into a promising career in commercial real estate brokerage, Patrick Sawyer returns to the picturesque isle of Remeth intending to reconnect with his collegiate study abroad friends and figure out 'what's next' in his life. Since his father's passing, the world he knows leaves him uninspired. He volunteers at Dupont during his visit and becomes enchanted by Amy.
But Amelia is trapped within a silken web. When she reveals who she is, Patrick pulls back. He's not interested in royalty--at all--but how can she ever break free? How can she find a way to service and God's plan for her life? Most of all, how can she reconcile the call she feels toward a remarkable man who may be 'common,' yet is 'uncommon' when it comes to matters of the heart?
