Too Blessed to Stress by Mary Manners

Too Blessed to Stress

by

Mary Manners

 

Who says deadlines can't wait? Not me, because wait is exactly what my deadlines did as I enjoyed precious downtime with friends and fellow authors at the recent Wild Deadwood Reads, held in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

 



There's no room for stress with the blessing of friendship. And these ladies are the best of the best. Over the course of seventy-two hours they taught me that some things are more important than meeting a writing goal or plotting out the next series. Lovely doesn't begin to describe them.

 

 

Sometimes it's a great idea to step away from the laptop and task calendar to enjoy a little down time. Recharging one's energy also serves to rekindle the creative juices. Nothing relaxes better than laughter and an authentic carriage ride. Or ice cream. Lots of ice cream.

 

 

Yes, we enjoyed exchanging loads of books and talking a little shop, but the friendships shared were what made the weekend memorable. I'm already looking forward to next year!

 

Feeling stressed? Grab a blessing and spend a little time with friends. You might find your creativity flowing again in ways you never imagined. Even for a writer.

 

Happy storytelling!

 







 

~~~~~

 

A Pair of Promises (Honeysuckle Cove Book 7)

 

 



Brooklyn Jones loves a good mystery, and none is more perplexing than the one that led Tyler Culhane back to Honeysuckle Cove. When Tyler left to pursue his dream of becoming a baseball superstar, Brooklyn swore she’d never cross paths with him again. But now he needs her help, and she has a decision to make.

Tyler Culhane swallows his pride as he darkens the doorstep of Brooklyn Jones’s preschool. Though the two once shared a bond Tyler thought unbreakable, he managed to destroy their love—and the promises he’d made to her—with a single decision. Now, his family has fallen on hard times, and Brooklyn’s the only one who can help rescue them. But will that rescue lead to heartache…or redemption?

 

~~~~~

 

Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, 8 rambunctious chickens, and 13 fish.

Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.



God's Grace and Blessings by Mesu Andrews

After the last ACFW Conference, I had to write a fan letter to a favorite author of mine, Mesu Andrews. Like me, Mesu has chronic health issues, so I told her how much it meant to meet her. Her response to me was so inspiring, I asked if I could share it with you. Here it is, reprinted with her permission. ~ Angie

I love to hear about God's triumphs in other people's lives. And believe me...I see your life as a triumph because you haven't given up. It would be so much easier to give up. I know. Those days when you wake up and want to pull the covers over your head and just stay there... But you don't. You get out of that bed, and you walk around the back yard, and you don't fall down, and you take another step, and you keep going to the doctors, who look at you like you're crazy. Ugh. I know. And you don't give up. It's grace. God's grace. All of it. What a blessing to hear another story confirming His work in another life like my own struggle. I hate that you're going through it, but I love that He's bringing you through it--triumphantly, on your knees. ;)

Continue in the direction He leads, dear one. That's all I can say. I must confess I laughed when you wrote, "...you're a successful author." How odd to think of myself that way! Ha! I still have so much to learn and struggle with the same insecure whispers that have always tried to rob me of God's best. Perhaps "success" for me will come when I can finally rest in Him fully. No more struggling or striving to do more, be more, live better. Perhaps that's when our healing really comes. ;)

Click to Tweet
Your life as a triumph because you haven't given up. Click to Tweet
Continue in the direction He leads, dear one. Click to Tweet
"Success" for me will come when I can finally rest in Him fully. Click to Tweet

About Mesu Andrews

Mesu Andrews’ deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for her readers. She and her husband, Roy, enjoyed fourteen years of pastoral ministry before moving to the Pacific Northwest to pursue the next step in God’s calling. They enjoy visiting their two married daughters and a growing tribe of grandkids. Their Rottweiler-pitbull, Bouzer, snuggles at Mesu’s feet while she writes, and both enjoy the cozy warmth of a fire on rainy Northwest days. Mesu loves movies, waterfalls, and travel.

Biblical fiction is her favorite genre to read and write. Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell, 2011), won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year in the Debut Author Category. Love’s Sacred Song (Revell, 2012), the Song of Solomon story, received a 4 ½ star rating from RT Reviews. And Love in a Broken Vessel (Revell), the story of Hosea and Gomer, is available now and received a 4 ½ star TOP PICK rating from RT Reviews. The Shadow of Jezebel is scheduled for release in March 2014.

Love In a Broken Vessel
While unfaithful Israel breaks God’s heart, Gomer’s broken spirit tests Hosea’s faith—an epic journey of intimacy, rejection, and betrayal.

Deserted by those who love her and betrayed by the gods she once worshiped, Gomer lives a bitter existence…until one day her childhood friend reappears—Hosea. But is it too late for Gomer? Is her heart too broken to capture even a drop of love? While unfaithful Israel breaks God’s heart, Gomer’s broken spirit tests Hosea’s faith. Can the two find faith in Yahweh’s power to love?

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/embed/nI5Cav_ApPI?rel=0