A Broken Heart Can Lead You to Rise by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

Once upon a time, the seeds of a series planted themselves in my heart. I saw a farm. A family. Midwest strong and vibrant. Within this harvest I saw three brothers. A picturesque piece of rolling land in Indiana. There were low-lying, rippling fields of soybeans. There was turmoil, faith, and overwhelming love.

For the bulk of their lives, my brother and sister-in-law, John and Mary Hilger, oversaw the operations of a 400-plus acre farm much like the one I imagined. They bore and raised six daughters, and life was good. Much like the family I imagined. You couldn’t leave their home without a heap of fresh fruits and vegetables. John’s laughter, his Christ-centered heart, resonated through all who knew him. Mary’s spiritual artwork ( www.spiritualhands.org ) was acclaimed and on-the-grow. Much like the faith I imagined.

John and Mary not only helped me research and develop my series, The Fishermen of Antioch, their example was something to which I longed to pay homage. Within their large, boisterous, loving unit, they demonstrated Christ’s love at its best. Plus, they were mentors to me and key to my spiritual discovery and growth.

So, I began to write a trio of books that honored farm families, stories that celebrated deep roots. I wanted to shine the light of respect upon those who work the earth and harvest without thinking of anything else but community provision. How much like our Father God? In John and Mary’s world, if strawberries rested on the vine after the main harvest, those without means were bussed to their farm to pick the fields clean. For free. Waste of God’s gifts was never an option.

John and Mary saw their family to fruition. As life’s golden-age came upon them, sons-in-law joined the picture. A multitude of grandchildren blessed their lives and there was retirement on the near horizon. They had plans. An art and Scripture-based ministry they’d carry out from church to church was already taking off. John’s engaging recitation of Scripture coupled with Mary’s ordained artwork brought souls to the Kingdom. They couldn’t wait to embrace an exciting new season of life. A few Christmases ago, their family gifted them with a river cruise through Europe that would take them to Germany—a long-held bucket list destination.

Before departing, John and Mary stopped by our house on their way to Detroit Metro Airport. We shared dinner, and, in typical fashion, Deacon John prayed over me as they prepared to depart for Europe. Selfless love. I prayed with and for him as well, but nothing was as special as a blessing from John…

Less than a day after they left, we received a panicked text notification from Mary that read, simply: “PRAY.” We did, of course…but that’s where the story takes a twist. Soon we discovered what prompted her outcry. Following dinner on the first night of their cruise, John suffered a massive heart attack. Thanks to Jesus alone he was in Amsterdam and was immediately transported to a world-class hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma.

We prayed, we believed, we stormed the gates of heaven. Meanwhile, all six daughters made their way to Amsterdam, battling horrific weather patterns, botched deliveries of passports, and a nightmare of bureaucracy…but by the grace of God alone, they all made it there.

Just hours before John passed away.

My sister-in-law has written a book about her journey through grief. It’s called ‘Finding Beauty in Ashes.’ The story is amazing. Meanwhile, the final book of the Fishermen of Antioch series releases in March. The result, I hope, will honor my original God-given goal, and the rich legacy of a family’s love.

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Within each story we create, there's so much more than meets the eye.

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Benjamin Fisher melds with quiet perfection into the tapestry of the Fisher family. The youngest of the three Fisher men, Ben is gifted with skills that keep machines running, crops efficiently harvested, farm structures sound and secure.

But there’s one person in the small village of Antioch, Indiana who has noticed and adored the man since her youth. Hailey Beth Thomas. Hailey Beth’s sister is marrying Ben’s brother in a spring wedding that promises to be the event of the season. Thrown together as the heady romance of an upcoming marriage takes place, love and revelation come to life.

Unknown to anyone else, Ben wants to answer a call to the mission fields of North America that will lead him far from the life he has always known. Ben longs to serve, but he wants a life with Hailey Beth as well. Hailey Beth can’t leave Antioch, but can’t bear the idea of losing Ben.

Are they meant to be together, or will God’s call pull them apart just as they’ve found a way to one another?

*****

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of faith-affirming fiction who has won acclaim from critics and readers. RT Book Reviews named her book Forgiveness a 4.5-Star Top Pick and readers laude her books as ‘riveting’ and ‘true to heart.’ She’s a life-long resident of Michigan who calls suburban Detroit home.

The Tradition of Storytelling by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

I host Christmas Eve festivities for my extended family each year. What that means is, as you read this post, I’m frantically performing ‘white glove’ inspections of guest sleeping quarters, I’m decorating, I’m gift wrapping, I’m baking, and…I’m thinking, as always, about storytelling.

In the midst of what I affectionately refer to as my own version of ‘Christmas Cray-cray’ I stretched out in bed and read a devotional that stilled me and left me thinking about the tradition of sharing history, circumstance, and experience via the art of storytelling.

When I thought about it, I realized: This happens most especially at Christmas.

The most ancient and beautiful custom we have is that of sharing our stories and history with those we love who gather around us, sharing food, fellowship, and love. In my home, we assemble at a table overflowing with the favorite dishes we simply couldn’t do without each year: Grandma DeCou’s sugar cookies, Grandma DeSantis’ artichoke hearts following a traditional Italian feast of pasta, meatballs and salad.

Around this table, there’s reminiscence of growing up, lessons learned, people present, people passed; each moment forms the tapestry of our family table cloth, each story forms a piece of our shared lives. Christmas is a time rife with the exchange of not just gifts, but family history, some of it sweet, tender, and funny, some of it bitter-sweet.

Through it all, storytelling sparks continuity. Storytelling sparks a desire in the hearts of those who follow in our footsteps to carry on those precious traditions—not out of obligation but out of love and joyful remembrance. Out of respect for all the ways we stay connected even if logistical and heavenly distance keeps us apart.

I wonder if that isn’t how Jesus’ ministry not only built but sustained. He shared table with his disciples, and that table his disciples followed that tradition, moving Christianity from home to home, heart to heart, neighbor to neighbor, nation to nation, until nothing could stand in its way. So much like our own lives and families, right?

Nothing can stand in our way this holiday season. Share the laughter, share the tears and joys, share the victories and close-calls with those you love the most. My encouragement this month, my hope and prayer, is to share the truth that, even if you’ve heard Uncle Homer’s story a hundred times before’, maybe you can hear it for a hundred and one times. After that, remember to share it. To keep that flickering candle flame moving from taper to taper. Such is how legacies are not just born, but enriched, and passed on to the next generation.

This Christmas, light the world. Share your history, your light and never doubt its impact to shine for decades to come.

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Share your history, your light. Never doubt its impact.

The most ancient and beautiful custom we have is sharing stories and history.

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            Dustin Farrell is expected to succeed. He’s gifted with the means and ability to take the world of business development by storm…and he’s doing just that, right on plan.

As Christmas approaches, he’s called home, to Hope Creek, Tennessee. He’s been given a slam-dunk objective from his investors: Take a small, local art shop and expand it into the retail mainstream.

Lillianna Bennett, Dustin’s former high school classmate, is part owner of Purple Door Art Market. Long ago, her shy sweetness captured his imagination, but nothing came of the affectionate flame between them.

Until a reunion at Christmas Inn. Dustin presents his offer, realizing the wallflower of his youth has bloomed into a confident, talented woman with the kind of free-spirited heart for which he always longed. And he wonders: Is a life of expectation, and ‘more’ what he really wants? Will his professional quest end up compromising Lillianna if her gifts and business become part of a wider view?

Most of all, will love be lovelier...the second time around?

*****

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of faith-affirming fiction who has won acclaim from critics and readers. RT Book Reviews named her book Forgiveness a 4.5-Star Top Pick and readers laude her books as ‘riveting’ and ‘true to heart.’ She’s a life-long resident of Michigan who calls suburban Detroit home.

Celebrating Love by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

I’m an unapologetic royal watcher.  I’m also an ever-hopeful believer in fairytales. By that, I don’t mean I hold to unrealistic expectations in perfection – but I do believe in the power of love to overcome daunting odds. I suppose that’s the reason why my genre of choice, as an author and reader, is romance.

So, join me for a few moments at the just-celebrated wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (now TRH The Duke and Duchess of Sussex!). The fascinator's, the dresses, the pomp and pageantry, the stunning wedding gown and sparkling tiara! In a blink I was swept into the world of Windsor. The day just sparkled with sunshine and blue skies.

Then came Bishop Michael Curry’s sermon about the transformative power of love.

His words, to my mind, put the ‘Royal’ in this historic event. They got me thinking about the nuances of love, the struggles of love, the victory of love over daunting odds.

Let me share some of the quotes from this amazing, passionate sermon. Truth resonates, so does a level of encouragement I latched on to immediately.

‘We must discover the power of love. The redemptive power of love. When we do that, we will make the whole world a new world.’

‘There’s power in love. Don’t underestimate it. Don’t over-sentimentalize it. Just know it. There’s power in love.’

‘There’s power in love to lift up and liberate when nothing else will. There’s power in love to show us the way to live.’

‘Imagine our homes and families when love is the way. Imagine our neighborhoods and communities when love is the way. Imagine our governments and countries when love is the way. Imagine our world when love is the way.’

I realize anew, after watching a royal wedding that took me to church, the reasons why I gravitate toward books based on the discovery of love. The stories, the truth of love's power, calls me. Love celebrates the best of who we are and what we can become.

Could anything be more encouraging as we go about our writing journey?

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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?

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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. Readers laude her work as “Riveting,” “Realistic and true to heart,” “Compelling.”

Her Christian fiction debut, Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Her follow-up novel, Forgiveness, earned Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year honors as did her book Hearts Communion. She is also a two-time recipient of the Selah Award for her books Then & Now and Finding Home. 

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. You can connect with Marianne at www.marianneevans.com.

Write Like Nobody's Watching by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

Encoragement
noun

    ·         The act of giving someone support, confidence or hope.

    ·         persuasion to do or to continue something.

    ·         the act of trying to stimulate the development of an activity, state, or belief. 

      Four years ago, I was approached by the lovely and gifted Annette Irby to become a monthly contributor here at Seriously Write. My assignment? Share words of encouragement as we work our way through this crazy but wonderful writing journey.

This month, as I considered what topic to cover, I looked through some of my old posts and realized I’ve never discussed something I’ve faced that you might be facing, too: How to maintain an encouraging, upbeat and productive writing life when you feel anything but.

I’ve been a professional writer in some form or fashion for most of my adult life. I’ve been around long enough to know the writing business will deliver enough ups and downs to leave me feeling like I’ve just ridden Space Mountain at Disneyland.

That’s okay. Ups and downs are part of any worthwhile endeavor. The secret to longevity, however, is persevering. So, the encouragement I want to share today is a secret I’ve discovered to hanging on to everything that’s good about my writing ministry when everything else seems to go south. I’m generally a positive, upbeat person, but at times a sense of futility leaves me beached on the shores of creativity. Every strong effort forward leaves me two steps behind, disappointed in reach, productivity, sales. Sometimes life encroaches on precious writing time, or I rejoice, yet feel unworthy when I watch I see others succeed in their publishing dreams with seeming ease.

A recent bout with those demons left my husband to share these inspired words that I want to share with you: “JUST WRITE THE BOOK.” His point was this: Don’t focus on outside circumstance and white noise. Don’t focus on reaching readers, on sales, on acceptance/rejection from a publisher. Doing so diminishes the joy God wants to deliver through the gifts He’s bestowed. Focus on what inspires you and then, just DO IT!

WRITE. Write like nobody’s watching. Write for joy. Write to share the message you long to convey. Don’t get caught up in the things you can’t control. Remember: lasting success takes work and relentless commitment. Success requires the sure knowledge that you were meant to put your keister in a chair, your fingers to the keyboard, and craft a compelling story.

“JUST WRITE THE BOOK.” Focus solely on sharing the gift and message God delivered. Doing so, I firmly believe, will lead you to persevere.

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‘JUST WRITE THE BOOK!’

‘Write like nobody’s watching!’

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Every saint has a past…and every sinner has a future

Country music bad boy Chase Bradington is on the comeback trail. Fresh from rehab for alcohol addiction, and transformed by the power of Christ, Chase is battling to rediscover the music he loves and a career he nearly ruined. Then he meets up and comer, Pyper Brock, and instantly sparks ignite.

Pyper knows of Chase’s reputation, so despite a rampant attraction to the handsome and talented icon, she soundly dismisses his romantic overtures. Decades ago, her father, in a drunken rage, tossed her and her mother onto the streets. No way will Pyper make the mistake of falling for a man whose done battle with the bottle.

What happens when Chase’s quest to win Pyper’s love breaks down chains of resentment and eases the long-buried wounds of her childhood? And what happens when Pyper’s father shows up in Nashville, clean, sober and seeking a chance to apologize?

Can Pyper follow a pathway to peace when it comes to her father? Can she fully trust Chase? Above all, can a sin damaged past be released in favor of forgiveness?

~~~~~

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. Readers laude her work as “Riveting,” “Realistic and true to heart,” “Compelling.”

Her Christian fiction debut, Devotion, earned the Bookseller’s Best Award as well as the Heart of Excellence Award. Her follow-up novel, Forgiveness, earned Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year honors as did her book Hearts Communion. She is also a two-time recipient of the Selah Award for her books Then & Now and Finding Home. 

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. You can connect with Marianne at www.marianneevans.com.

Time by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

Time. It’s the most precious commodity we have, and we each have it equally. 365 days in a year, 24 hours in a day, 60 seconds in each precious minute. Spend it wisely. With purpose. With love and gratitude for all you’ve been given.

Time. It’s on my mind because 'time' is where I’ve been most besieged recently. Let me set the stage. Over the past few months, I’ve been polishing up my WIP, a Christmas novella I intend to deliver to my editor in a couple of weeks. However, each and every time I come upon the freedom to work on my writing and devote full focus to my book, life happens. Meaningful, important events, circumstances, obligations, that nonetheless encroach on the mission I hold most precious. My writing.

Time. Rationing time is always a choice. I have the freedom to choose how I allocate those hours, minutes and seconds. That’s the beauty, and pain, of time. I have a family to care for, I have a full-time job, I have publishing contract deadlines, I have a grandbaby I want to spend time with and spoil. Juggling time has become a monumental issue for me of late, and I came upon a quote that lent me some peace, and I hope it does the same for you. It comes from an actor I respect and admire very much, Jim Caviezel. Jim says: "Freedom doesn't exist to give you the right to do as you'd like; freedom exists to give you the right to do as you ought."

That's my conviction recently when it comes to writing and finding time to write. I have the choice to do as I wish - to forsake many important things in life, or I can do as I ought, and trust God to bring me where He wants and needs me to be with the time and energy He allows. It's not easy, but I'm going to try my best to always--always
 choose God's way.

How are you facing and handling time management issues? I'd love to hear about your journey, and your words just might encourage others.

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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. Then & Now and Finding Home both won the Selah award for Best Romance and Best Novella Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America, most notably in the Greater Detroit chapter where she served two terms as President.

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Country music bad boy Chase Bradington is on the comeback trail. Fresh from rehab for alcohol addiction, and transformed by the power of Christ, Chase is battling to rediscover the music he loves and a career he nearly ruined. Then he meets up and comer, Pyper Brock, and instantly sparks ignite.

Pyper knows of Chase’s reputation, so despite a rampant attraction to the handsome and talented icon, she soundly dismisses his romantic overtures. Decades ago, her father, in a drunken rage, tossed her and her mother onto the streets. No way will Pyper make the mistake of falling for a man whose done battle with the bottle.

What happens when Chase’s quest to win Pyper’s love breaks down chains of resentment and eases the long buried wounds of her childhood? And what happens when Pypers father shows up in Nashville, clean, sober and seeking a chance to apologize?

Can Pyper follow a pathway to peace when it comes to her father? Can she fully trust Chase? Above all, can a sin damaged past be released in favor of forgiveness?

Releasing 11/1/2016 ~ Available for pre-order now at Amazon.com in PRINT and E-BOOK formats

God Understands When Life Gets Hard by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

I’ve never been comfortable letting God know I’m upset. I’ve never been comfortable letting God know I’m fearful or disappointed by any given set of circumstances that might be going on in my life. Doing so, to my mind, was equal to faithlessness and irreverence. I’ve always feared letting God go deep into any negativity I feel because, after all, who am I to question His plan?

Sometimes, though, I just can’t seem to help my fallen nature.

I suffer from what I refer to as left brain/right brain syndrome. What does that mean? It means I’m governed in equal parts by raging creativity and a detailed, task-oriented pattern of life. I create fictional worlds and characters that become a piece of my heart and soul. That’s the free flow, and I resent intrusions into that precious space. At the same time, I work hard to be ‘productive’ as well, and respect deadlines and marketing efforts. Then, there are my nine-to-five job commitments and times I want to spend with my family and friends. Those desires stem from love and the more organized, ‘effort equals results’ side of my nature.

After eighteen years of 'home,' we’re preparing to move. That’s a lot of work and emotion to dive through. I’m on multi-book deadlines with edits sliding in on previously contracted titles. Invariably, those are the moments when I stroll across friends and colleagues who seem to effortlessly glide from one thing to the next with great success. Am I just not ‘doing it’ right? The two sides of my nature go to war and I find myself overcome by additional issues like care giving and work responsibilities. Stress levels increase. I try to remain tied to God’s call, but slide on an ice patch of anxiety.

My faith leads me to know God is always there. Jesus is supporting me. The human part of me, however, begins to rant, and rave, and wonder if, given all God has to do in a world filled with troubles far greater than mine, He truly has the time (or inclination) to focus on my insignificant problems. In those moments I hear one calming, soothing word. Precious.

We. Are. Precious. Plus, time and again, God’s Word tells us He longs for relationship with us. Not servitude, not blind obedience, not false affection. Relationship. That means the good and the bad. That means love and devotion and persevering. It can also mean yelling and crying…and coming to terms. God understands the ‘tough.’ When I face the ‘tough’ – I think of Jesus in the garden at Gethsemane. Even He cried, bled, pleaded with His Father for a reprieve.

But He followed His Father’s all-perfect will. I pray to do the same. I can’t express how many times I’ve looked back on periods of my life – both happy and sad  - and realized the countless ways God kept tabs on me.

He loves me – warts and all – rages and all. He loves you in just the same way. What a blessing, and I hope that truth encourages you this week.

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God understands when life gets hard

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Aiden Balfour has always craved stability, independence and security. He’s led a rocky life but always treasured his summers in Northern Michigan with his best summertime friend, Olivia Masters.

Olivia is dedicated to preserving the life she’s known and always treasured at her grandparent’s home high on a bluff overlooking the pristine waters of Avalon. With their blessing, she’s turned the expansive piece of property into a quaint, restful bed and breakfast.

But developers are circling—and they’re led by none other than Aiden Balfour.

Now an ambitious businessman, he’s determined to turn the lake into a tourist mecca. A successful business owner, Olivia is equally determined to stop him...no matter what his hold on her heart.

Can the innocent joy and love of their youth be reclaimed? Can Then…and now…ever be reconciled to a future overflowing with love, and hope?

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Then & Now is part of the Pure Amore imprint at Pelican Book Group. Pure Amore is a ‘book of the month’ subscription service featuring Christian romances centered on the concept of pre-marital purity and abstinence that doesn’t surrender one moment of the thrill to be found when two people fall in love. Check out Then & Now and the other wonderful Pure Amore titles at Pelican Book Group.

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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:

Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Pinterest