A View from Juliette Turner's Window - Our Constitution ROCKS!

It isn’t every day you get a chance to interview a 14-year-old and introduce her first published work! A rising  9^th grade student, Juliette was a delight to talk with!  She is a young lady whose heart is to serve the Lord with her whole heart.  She hopes that God will use her to reach others of her generation and teach them the importance of our country’s founding documents and why our freedom hinges on our understanding and use of this phenomenal work.

I am going to use a combination of paraphrasing and direct quotes for this post, because, well…14-year-old girls talk quicker than my 40+-year-old ears can listen! J  She is a delightful young lady that wants to be used by God! What an exciting thing to be able to share with you!

Juliette’s mom, founder of  Consituting America.org,  believes strongly that future generations were ignorant of their founding documents.  Juliette became the national youth director for her mom’s organization, and when they drove across the nation to film the winners of the 9-17 We the People Contest (6200 ,miles with a lot of people piled in a very small RV with the refrigerator door falling off!) they discovered that indeed the kids of Juliette’s generation were woefully ignorant of the constitution and our nation’s founding documents.

Juliette saw the need to create a tool that kids could relate to and understand to help them gain the knowledge that  they were lacking.  She makes the analogy between America and a car…”America’s fuel is its knowledge of the constitution and its sense of patriotism. If the people don’t know about their constitution and lose their sense of patriotism, they can’t move forward.”

It is her heart’s desire to help others refuel their sense of patriotism, regain the power of knowledge and prevent the further loss of freedom.  “If people are ignorant of the constitution, they won’t recognize when their freedom is being taken away!”

Please join me in my discussion with Juliette!

Why are so many people ignorant about the constitution and what it contains? Where did the informational breakdown occur?  Schools are so busy trying to teach so many subjects that it is impossible for them to cover the full length and breadth of the Constitution.  So it falls to the parents and family to teach the children.  One step in that direction would be to read my book together as a family and discuss what is contains.

What is your favorite article on the Constitution? Why?  The Amendment process is so important, because it gives the people a voice in their own founding document.  Our government is founded on that freedom.

Why is important to understand our British roots?  It is important to understand that our founding fathers wanted to prevent the same lack of freedom under a monarchy in our new United States. For example, if a British citizen invented something, the king could and would take credit for the invention.  Our founding fathers wanted to preserve freedom and understanding their British roots helps us understand what they didn’t want to happen in America.

How do you feel God can use your book to bring revival our nation?  I always pray that God will use my words and actions to serve Him, and I want to serve God with this book. He has been very present in the creation of the Constitution and I think His desire is to not only preserve our constitution but to preserve our country.  America is a great nation because it brings hope to other nations.  I think God wants to preserve that in our country.

Okay, I have to ask, how did you get an endorsement from Laura Bush for the cover of your book?  I have met President and First Lady Bush when my mom served on the President’s Counsel of Service and Civic Participation under the Bush administration. Her endorsement was a huge blessing!

Who designed the layout of the book? While I was working on the essays for my mom’s foundation, I noticed a lot of unique facts that I thought would engage my generation. So I divided each section into clear, concise statements in words that my generation could relate to and engage with. I think the ultimate question that my generation need to have answered is, “Why should I care?”  I want them to understand and care about the constitution and understand that it is a non-partisan document. I want them to understand that they need a growing knowledge of the constitution. 

What gave you the idea to seek publication for this book?  I’ve always loved writing and I watched the process my mom went through to have her book published (Holding Her Head High: 12 Single Mothers Who Championed Their Children and Changed History).  I learned a lot about the process from her, and knew what I had to do to submit my work.

Any closing words of encouragement you’d like to share? The Constitution is a non-partisan document.  Again, I make the analogy with a car: You wouldn’t drive unless you had gained knowledge from a car’s handbook and learned how to operate it. So the constitution is our handbook that makes it possible to drive our car – America.

Go HERE to learn more about this fabulous book!!

Chasing the Wind by Pamela Bennings Ewen - REVIEWED

About the Book: (from B&H Publishing)

At 8:47 A.M. on Wednesday, October 12, 1977, new-to-town businessman Bingham Murdock flew his small plane into New Orleans, banking it in such a way that a ray of sunshine shot through the city at light speed.

Amalise Catoir saw the flash from her sixteenth floor law office window. Finally feeling alive after the death of her abusive husband, she imagined seeing the plane was a fate for her eyes only; a special connection between the unknown giver and she, the recipient of light.
But someone else saw it, a six-year-old Cambodian refugee in foster care for whom a sudden burst of brightness reminds him of artillery fire.

Destined to cross paths with the man and the child, Amalise doesn’t yet know the deeper spiritual lesson she will learn: that we are responsible not only for the things we do, but also for the things that we don’t.

My Thoughts:

“Sometimes we have to choose what’s most important in our lives.” (p 274)

Sometimes those choices are so difficult they break our hearts.  And other times, making the right choice makes all the difference!  Amalise Catoir has been through a great deal, and she comes to the pages of  Pamela Bennigs Ewen’s novel, Chasing the Wind, broken and unsure of what her future should look like.  She could not imagine that a child would enter her life during her daily practice of law and forever make her reconsider what is most important.

There is a haunting sense of longing that lingers in the voice of Ewen’s prose.  I am always amazed at how she draws me into her story in unexpected ways, and surprises me with unexpected  emotion and plot twists.  Chasing the Wind is a book that will make you carefully consider what God is doing in your life.  You will be challenged and encouraged.  Prepare for your heart to be changed.

About the Author:

 Pamela Binnings Ewen practiced law for twenty-five years before she followed in the authorial footsteps of relatives such as James Lee Burke (The Glass Rainbow) and Andre Dubus III (The House of Sand and Fog). Chasing the Wind is her fourth novel. Ewen lives in Louisiana.

Learn more about this fabulous book and the author HERE.

Celebrate with Colleen by entering to win a $500 gift certificate to BedandBreakfast.com!

Find out what the reviewers are saying here!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $500 gift certificate to BedandBreakfast.com
• A copy of Tidewater Inn.

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 22nd. Winner will be announced at Colleen's "Tidewater Inn" Author Chat Facebook Party on 8/23. Colleen will be sharing the story behind the book, hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, and of course, there will be plenty of fun giveaways - books, gift certificates and a Book Club Prize Pack! She’ll also be giving a sneak peak of her next book too!


So grab your copy of Tidewater Inn and join Colleen on the evening of the August 23rd  for a chance to connect with Colleen and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER about Colleen's giveaway and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

A View from Lysa Terkerust's Window - UNGLUED

It was a huge blessing to sit down with Lysa Terkeurst in Orlando and discuss her new book, Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions. I felt this was an important book as I read it, but after hearing Lysa's heart on the development of this book, I am convinced that everyone would experience growth and healing if they would take the time to lay their hearts before the Father and be honest about their reactions to life and the events and pressures that are part of daily living. God really wants us to live an abundant life in Christ, and sometimes, we are our own worst enemy!

Join me as I discuss Unglued with Lysa!



Where did you find inspiration to write this book?  I had just finished  Made To Crave: what goes into my mouth and the Lord directed my to examine what ultimately became Unglued….what comes out of my mouth.  There were not written in a sequence but God designed them to work together.  I’ve seen a lot of information on emotions: women’s emotions:  stress, ect.. and there are two things I want to add to the discussion: 1) a focus on reaction in the moment when we decide if we are going to react Christlike or not 2) there is value in making imperfect progress.  

There are a lot of things in the Christian market that say to us:  Do a, b and c and you will fix your problem.  When you are dealing with emotions, it’s a bit like trying to nail jello to the wall…it’s not a 1,2,3 fix. I want to be gut-honest.  If we can only improve 10% or 20% we will improve our relationships by that much- that’s fantastic!    

What other things have you learned in the journey of writing this book?  Don’t miss this chance to rejoice!  If we pause in the moment and add an element of Thanksgiving it make a lot of difference in our reactions.  I think there is Biblical example to follow…Daniel was praying open prayers of thanksgiving when he was arrested…Jonah prayed prayers of Thanksgiving in the belly of the fish…Jehosephat sent people before his army sending  songs of thanksgiving unto the Lord and won the battle without having to raise a sword!  There is power in the Lord when we stop in the moment to offer thanksgiving to the Lord in the midst of our circumstance - not because the circumstances changed or ended and not because the circumstances were pleasant …but in the midst of the circumstance!  Phillipians 4:16 

Is there a way we can learn to practice godly reactions?  Things that help people look at things clearly and in order?

 I’m a mom to 5 and I have learned I cannot hang my identity in Christ on the fragile choices of my children.  Balance is elusive on a day to day basis, so I’ve learned to categorize my choices. 

1)Keep Jesus at the center of it all

2) What are the tasks that I can FULLY delegate?  (older children can do their own laundry) (assistants can answer email)

3) What are tasks that I can delegate with supervision (assistants can turn bog post into a devotional)

4) What tasks are those that only I can do : Stopping in the moment and asking God what He wants you to do (example: write article for Focus on the Family or keep a movie date with my daughter..) Only I can be a mom to my children and love my children as a mom 

If we don’t stop to ask God what He wants us to do and make decisions based on emotions in the moment, the cycle pulls us further from God and further into the madness of this cycle and causes us to get further behind…further stressed and make other gut reactions that keep the cycle spiraling downward and away from God. 

What do you hope readers will take away from your book, Unglued? 

I hope my book can help others not to go the extreme of stuffing emotions or exploding emotions…and stay centered on soul integrity (defined in your book on p52) :  “Soul Integrity is honest that’s godly.  It brings the passion of the exploder and the peacemaking of the stuffer under the authority of Jesus where honesty and godliness embrace the balance of each other.” 

We change our reactions based on the type of relationship we are reacting to:  I’ll react differently to something you may do because we don’t have a shared history, and react very differently  to my mother when she does the exact same thing because we have years of accumulated history. 

When we can’t keep our emotions/reaction in line with godly principles we have unglued moments that indicate that something is wrong and needs to be addressed. 

What words of encouragement would you like to leave with your readers?

Progress is possible if we are brave enough to look at the reactions we are having and examine them before God. We must be honest and realize that my reactions have a direct impact on all of my relationships.  If I want to measure how effective my life is going to be, I have to look not only at my carefully planned actions but my in-the- moment reactions!  What happens to me in that moment matters, because it determines what kind of influence I’m going to have in other people’s lives and on the important relationships I have in my life.

Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst - REVIEWED

About the Book: (from Harpercollins)

Lysa TerKeurst admits that she, like most women, has experiences where others bump into her happy and she comes emotionally unglued. We stuff, we explode, or react somewhere in between. What do we do with these raw emotions? Is it really possible to make emotions work for us instead of against us? Yes, and in her usual inspiring and practical way, Lysa will show you how.

 

Filled with gut-honest personal examples and Biblical teaching, Unglued will equip you to: * Know with confidence how to resolve conflict in your important relationships. * Find peace in your most difficult relationships as you learn to be honest but kind when offended. * Identify what type of reactor you are and how to significantly improve your communication. * Respond with no regrets by managing your tendencies to stuff, explode or react somewhere in between. * Gain a deep sense of calm by responding to situations out of your control without acting out of control. Sessions include: Session 1: Grace for the Unglued Session 2: Freedom for the Unglued Session 3: Four Kinds of Unglued Session 4: A Procedure Manual for the Unglued Session 5: Lingering Words for the Unglued Session 6: Imperfect Progress for the Unglued

Show More

Show Less

My Thoughts:

“ His truths and examples from Scripture are powerful enough to redirect me to the divine natures I’m meant to have.  Having a predetermined plan from Him will help me stay calmer when I start to feel unglued”   (p 107)

Lysa Terkeurst has written a very important book that is built around a very foundational truth…God’s Word.  This is a very important book to read if you are concerned that your reactions to the stimuli in life are less than godly.  In fact, Lysa believes that any time we come unglued or stuff our emotions inside, that is an indicator that there are spiritual and emotional issues that need to be addressed.   God’s Word is where truth is found to redirect and refocus our lives and change our reactions. That is important, because how we react affects our testimony in the lives of others.

Unglued was a God appointment in my life, just as I feel like it will be in the lives of many others.  I want to encourage everyone to read this book with an open heart before God.  It will change your life.  I am so thankful that Lysa was obedient to God and wrote this book!  I highly recommend this book to everyone!

About the Author:

Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author, national speaker and the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries. She is the author of fourteen books (including a Gold Medallion finalist and a People's Choice Award finalist) and numerous magazine articles. She has told her remarkable life story on national television and radio, including Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.

Mindful of Him by Hollis Hughes - REVIEWED

About the Book:

Mindful of Him is a tale of heartbreak and triumph set in the 1950s. Separated from his young wife, and with both of his parents recently deceased, Rob McLain sets off on an adventure for which he has longed since childhood. Travel with Rob as his journey not only takes him to beautiful places, but also crosses his path with influential men who help him through his loneliness. Five months into the trip, Rob has a moonlight encounter that changes his life forever and overwhelmingly convinces this young skeptic that God is indeed mindful of him!
Through it all, he receives answers to life's deepest questions. What does he learn? What happens to his wife? Do they get back together? Does he make it back safely?

Find the answers to these questions and others dealing with faith, creation, nature, and more in Mindful of Him, which will keep you reading long after you had planned to turn out the lights. Mindful of Him was inspired by the writings of Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer, the giant of 20th Century Christian philosophers.
My Thoughts:

“When all we can imagine are grief and loneliness, looking so far ahead can be very frightening. When our right-nows are far more than we can handle, looking down the long road of the future can be terribly overwhelming.  Don’t try to take on a lifetime of despair all in one day – each day in its trun has enough of its own.  Try asking God to give you the strength to get through this day…tomorrow, ask Him to help you get through that day.”  (p. 243)

These words were meant for me, and I found them near the end of Hollis Hughes novel, Mindful of Him.  This is a story set amid the Depression, and the young couple at the center of an emotional, spiritual storm must find their way, day by day, through some very trying circumstances.  What do they discover? Ultimately, that God is with us, making Himself known to us, in very personal, intimate ways no matter how far and fast we try to run from Him.  I am so thankful for His patience, mercy and grace in my own life, that I was immediately drawn to these two young people trying to sort out some very trying circumstances.

I believe every young couple must sort through these very universal truths at some point in their marriage.  They must all face a time of decision, of trusting God instead of their own meager strength. I could really relate to the characters in this novel, and while the plot was not as complex as some I’ve encountered, the truth rings true and it touched me deeply.  How wonderful to be so loved, so pursued by God!  I hope you will enjoy this story as much as I did.

I am compelled to warn readers that there is some language that peppers the story. Not gratuitous, but it’s there.

About the Author:

On a cold February day in 1928, Hollis Hughes was born in a ramshackle house with no insulation, plumbing, or electricity. Growing up on a farm during the Great Depression, Hollis spent his youth chopping wood, tending the family farm, milking cows, and tending to livestock. Following college graduation, Hollis worked as a high school teacher and counselor for 38 years, and operated a successful rhododendron nursery.
When Hollis’ wife developed Alzheimer’s disease in 1988, he spent the next twelve years taking care of her. Today, Hollis is retired from education. He is a fly fisherman, hiker, and gardener. He is a member of the American Camellia Society, and a lifetime member of the Birmingham Botanical Society. Hollis and his wife, Lera, make their home in Alabama.

Learn more about Hollis by visiting http://www.winepresspublishing.com/authors/hollis-hughes

A Veiw from Ginny Yttrup's Window - ICRS Orlando

I was able to share dinner with Ginny Yttrup, and Linda Attaway while attending the International Christial Retail Show in Orlando.  It was such a true blessing to sit and talk, laugh and enjoy fellowship with these two very special ladies!  Ginny had just won a Christy award for her first novel, Words, the night before, so we were able to share that excitement with her as well!  What a blessing to be able to share this time together!  We discussed her latest work, Lost and Found, over dinner, and I want to share her thoughts with you now. I hope this blesses you, and invites you to spend time reading Ginny's novels!

Where was that story for Lost and Found inspired in your heart?  It came from my own life…I was in the midst of unraveling my life from a very destructive relationship.  A friend quoted Madame Jean Gione. And  I asked myself the question: “What would a modern day Madame Jean Gionne look like?  So I began to take my emotions and the experiences I had had and began to weave a story around her life and my own life.

What do you hope that your readers will take away from this novel? What character resonated most with you?  The main character Jenna.  I spent my whole life as a people pleaser, placing people in the place that only God should be in my life and allowing them to have more control over my life than God did.  So I wrote Jenna character very much out of my own experience and my own heart.

Was there someone in your life similar to Skye? No…I had a group of female friends that were speaking truth into my life. So Skye was kind of a conglomeration of all of those women.

The pastor that counsels Jenna in the book sort of pushes the boundaries of what is appropriate in a male/female relationship between counselor and someone of the opposite sex needing counseling. What was your purpose in writing their relationship so near the edge?  There is potential for both positive and negative reactions.  Because I was loosely basing this story on the life of Madame Jean Gione…she was accused of having an affair with her spiritual director – and she did not. But that was part of her story.  I also wanted to created some tension in the story. But my main goal – my heart was to show a man – a godly man – who faces temptation  and turns away.  I think we all encounter people who we feel a real connection with, and we have a choice  - do we pursue it? do we run from it? do we bring in accountability to help us? – and I wanted to show a strong godly man who made the right choice.  There are a lot of godly men who are willing to help others of the opposite sex while reflecting God’s love to women in a totally appropriate way.

Then there is Amy – someone who has emotionally isolated herself. What was the inspiration for her character?  Matthew 10….he who loses his life for my sake will find it….I wanted to show that struggle…someone who was searching so much for her own life…and she experiences transformation. 

It’s hard to write an antagonist like that.  I wanted to portray the fact that she had wounds in her life, and I wanted my readers to be drawn in by her character and want to find the back story.  She was fun to write!

Your next project?  Invisible comes out in February.  I’m in the editing process now. This is the story of three women longing for invisibility. Their lives intersect and they struggle to find healing. First, a lady struggling with her weight…doesn’t know what that is blocking her from doing in her life. A young girl struggling with anorexia..the strongest character in the book. A counselor running from God.  And there is a thread of romance that runs through the book.  The overall theme is letting go of shame – which I totally understand.  I’ve struggled with my weight my entire life, and the abuse I experienced  early in life…and I wanted to write about letting go of shame and embracing who you are in Christ.  The quotes I pair with this story come from St . Augustine. I want to show readers that throughout time…the sins are the same, the struggles are the same, forgiveness and healing take place through God the same way. God never changes.

God is doing a lot of neat things right now. I’m doing a lot of speaking, retreats.  I never wanted to speak, but I felt like God was calling me to speak. When my publisher knew I was going to write issue-driven fiction, they asked if I would be willing to share my story, and they made it possible for me to be prepared for speaking engagements. God has brought me to those opportunities.

 It seems that God is using fiction as a springboard into ministry.  That is exciting to see!

What do you want to share with your readers?  The one topic that keeps coming up in my work is truth. The truth first and foremost is Jesus Christ. We are told that the truth will set us free. I like to explore that in my fiction. What does it look like when we speak truth? What does it look like to live truth? What does it look like to take the Bible and live it as truth?

I also want to explore an intimate relationship with Christ. If I can inspire that in the life of my readers then I will be one happy author!