Life Lessons by Laura V. Hilton

My middle daughter is learning to drive. Since we homeschool, and live in a rural area, it means there are no driving schools in the area. We called the public schools to see if they’d let my children join in their Driver’s Ed classes, but they are having trouble finding instructors for the public school kids and were unwilling to take the homeschooled ones. 

That means teaching her is my husband’s and my job. Since my oldest daughter wrecked the van the very first time I took her out driving, I was naturally afraid to take the middle daughter out. So I asked my husband to do it. He’s busy but reluctantly agreed. 

Understand, his approach is, "Just do it. Get in, get it done. Drive fast. Keep up your speed, and no taking-it-slow." He expected her to be a fully-trained driver the first time she got behind the wheel. Of course, she came home shaking, in tears, begging me to take over the lessons. I asked DH to take her again, and we ended up with the same reaction. 

Sigh. I didn’t want her to hate driving so I prayed first (I really didn't want to die) and took her out driving. We drove the back roads, and I told her, "Drive slowly. Take it as easy as you want." She was very, very slow, but I’d rather she drive like that than wrap the car around a tree or put it in a ditch. When we got on the main road, a truck passed since she was going at a snail’s pace. Then I asked her to pull over, and took over driving until we got back on another side road. 

I took her out twice more, including today, and still, she isn’t main-road-ready. For example, she’s terrified of mailboxes. If we pass one, she'll move to the other side of the road. (Local readers, beware.) But she is getting more confident with her braking. I don’t fly forward and get caught by the seatbelt when she touches the brakes anymore (well, usually). 

Have you ever noticed a parallel between driving and writing? Some writers start out full-speed and expect to be published (or self-publish) without taking the time to learn the rules and do it right. But other writers are overly-cautious, taking years and years (and even more years) to polish a manuscript, draining all the excitement and life out of their story. 

Finally, there'll come a time when you are confident at the keyboard: typing, editing, and creating without worry. This comes with time and practice. The chapters you send to your critique partners come back with minimal changes and the first draft is very near the polished, published copy. Possibly, you'll even be meeting multiple deadlines a year. 

It takes time, practice, and attention to detail to get to that point. 

Just like driving still takes attention, but you still know what you’re doing. 

The Christian walk takes time, as well, but with study, prayer, and discipleship, you'll grow as a Christian, more confident of the faith, and He that is in you. 

2 Peter 1:5-9  (KJV) says: 

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; ,And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

Lord, help me as I live for You, work for You, and try to mirror You in my life. Amen.

About the Author

Award-winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and three of their children make their home in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom, and home-schools. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor. Laura also has two adult children.

Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House: Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series, Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards). Surrendered Love and Awakened Love followed by her first Christmas novel, A White Christmas in Webster County, as well as a three book Amish series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Jamesport series, The Snow Globe, The Postcard, and The Bird House in September 2015.

See below for information on Laura's latest, The Christmas Admirer. Other credits include Swept Away from Abingdon Press. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer.

Connect with Laura
http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
visit her blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ & http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Laura_V_Hilton or @Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/

Love by the Numbers

After her fiancé dies in a buggy accident, Lydia Hershberger is invited to Jamesport to manage her Mennonite aunt’s gift store while her aunt and uncle are on a mission trip. While there, Lydia gets acquainted with her aentie’sbest friend, Bethel Bontrager, and her grown son, Caleb. Lydia is surprised to find herself drawn to the handsome clockmaker, Caleb Bontrager. But in spite of an instant flame of attraction between them, he doesn’t seem interested. In fact, pesky Caleb treats her like he doesn’t even like her.

Bright and sparkly. That’s Caleb’s first impression of Lydia. He’s always been attracted to sparkly things. In fact, his affinity for those things, and the trouble they can cause are exactly why he’s determined to change his ways and settle down. With Lydia’saentie gone, he is handling the books for the gift shop and is forced to spend too much time in her presence.

When God offers Lydia a second chance at love and family, will she take it? Or will the secret Caleb harbors cause her even more heartbreak?  

Laura V. Hilton posts the first Tuesday of every month. For more of Laura's posts, click here.

Does Your Life Feel Like Boot Camp? by Zoe M. McCarthy

I read The Red Platoon by Clinton Romesha. This true story of an American military camp in Afghanistan under a horrendous, well-coordinated attack is not for the squeamish on any front. But I’m glad I read it. The soldiers’ gruesome battle, which lasted one long day, lost seven American soldiers and wounded many others. Their day came across to me as a metaphor in four ways for our Christian walk.

Zoe M. McCarthy

1. Successfully bearing harsh treatment in boot camp and receiving additional training and experience are paramount to survival.

Battle of Kamdesh

The surrounded American soldiers, camp doctors, chain of leaders inside and outside the camp, and air personnel (who eventually were able to come to the camp’s aid in helicopters and advanced technical airplanes), were trained physically, technically, and strategically. And many had prior combat experience.

Mistakes happened, but the experienced men were able to function and act under extreme stress because they knew what to do and how to do it. Their preparedness foiled the likely massacre.

In contrast, the Afghan National Army soldiers assigned to the American camp lacked training. Their response to hundreds of Taliban raining down all manner of fire on the camp was to leave their posts and hide.

Christian Walk

When we’re trained in God’s Word and keep our faith through our trials, we become stronger and gain the knowledge and experience to face whatever befalls us and to help others through their hardships. We know what to do and how to do it.

2. When soldiers are experienced, equipped, and prepared for the worst of situations, courage comes naturally.

Battle of Kamdesh

Nothing went smoothly with 300 Taliban shooting from higher ground at 85 American and 35 Afghan National Army soldiers. But repeatedly, the experienced American soldiers put themselves in harm's way, individually or in improvised teams to save the camp. Some begged their leaders to go under fire to try a strategy to rescue others. When called, the experienced soldiers, without question, performed their duties. I was awed by their courage.

Christian Walk

When we’re prayed up, well versed in God’s word, trust God in every circumstance, and obey His command not to be afraid or worry, we can possess unlimited courage when we’re called. Even if our hearts are beating like crazy.

3. When soldiers bond, they love and risk their lives for each other.

Battle of Kamdesh

Much of the time, what was foremost in the experienced soldiers’ minds was to get to a truck or building where their buddies were trapped and out of ammunition. Even for their dead, they risked their lives to keep the Taliban from taking their bodies to use in TV propaganda.

Christian Walk

Our unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, as branches on Christ’s vine, enables us to love each other in our hearts and with actions. When we pray for and support each other, the Body of Christ is strong. We are also able to love and forgive others and our enemies.

4. When soldiers obey their commanding officers and perform with excellence for their country, they are honored for their faithfulness.

Battle of Kamdesh

Faithful American, Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha sometimes had to force himself to see the wisdom of his commanding officer’s decisions, but he obeyed with respect. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership and actions during the Battle of Kamdesh. This is the USA’s highest and most prestigious military decoration.

Christian Walk

We know Christ’s leading is best, and when we obey, we are faithfully about our Father’s work. God awards us with heaven’s highest honor—our salvation.

When were you prepared to do what God called you to do?

Training in God’s Word and boot-camp trials prepare us for whatever may befall us. Click to Tweet.

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is: Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Her first novel is Calculated Risk. She has two more contemporary romances and a nonfiction book to help writers ready their manuscripts coming out soon. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys leading workshops on the craft of writing; speaking about her faith; planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren; and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John. 

Calculated Risk
by Zoe M. McCarthy

Learn more about Zoe M. McCarthy at her website: http://zoemmccarthy.com

Calculated Risk

What happens when an analytical numbers man meets a mercurial marketing Rep? Romance is a calculated risk…

Jilted by the latest of her father’s choices of “real men,” Cisney Baldwin rashly accepts an invitation to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a sympathetic colleague and his family. Nick LeCrone is a man too much her opposite to interest her and too mild-mannered to make her overbearing father’s “list.” Now, Cisney fears Nick wants to take advantage of her vulnerable state over the holiday. Boy, is she wrong.

Nick wants little to do with Cisney. She drives him crazy with all her sticky notes and quirks. He extended an invitation because he felt sorry for her. Now he’s stuck, and to make matters worse, his family thinks she’s his perfect match. He’ll do what he can to keep his distance, but there’s just one problem—he’s starting to believe Cisney’s magnetism is stronger than he can resist.

Purchase links for Calculated Risk: http://zoemmccarthy.com/books