Remembering You by Tricia Goyer

by Andrea Renee Cox

Recently, I read a pretty amazing story that resonated well in my soul. It's one of the books I read for the TBR Extravaganza reading challenge I'm hosting this month. Today, I am sharing my review of this book with you.

Let me catch my breath! This book took me on quite the ride. From the magnificent landscapes to the stories of the WWII veterans to the roller coaster romance, Remembering You contained something special that will be hard to forget. Despite having a crude joke and one expletive (those inappropriate words really kill the momentum and mood of a story for me), this book is a new favorite for me, one I can see myself rereading many times over the coming years. The emotions were deep and complex, drawing me in completely and keeping me invested. The lead's journey to discover more about her grandfather while trying to save her job really intrigued me. The conflict within her about faith and what she believed about God and prayer really resonated well, though at times it felt a smidge flat, like there wasn't enough spiritual growth in the lead. I think the reason for that might have been in the subtlety of the faith message. Perhaps another reading will help me see more depth to that aspect of the story. The pacing was good, though a couple of "secrets" were given away with too large a hint, at least for me. One "secret" in particular didn't produce a single tear for me, a weeper, because I figured it out right when the first hint was given. That did cast a shadow over the "big reveal" for me, but it was still a great finale.

Favorite Quotes 2015

by Andrea Renee Cox

Hard to believe it’s been a year since my last “favorite quotes” article, but the Christmas season is now upon us. As we all prepare for the holidays, let me share with you a few of my favorite book quotes from novels I read during 2015.

Teen Mom: You're Stronger Than You Think -- GIVEAWAY

by Andrea Renee Cox

Teen moms.

They’re often looked down upon in today’s society. But what’s so terrible about lifting these young women up, letting them know they are loved by the God who created them?

Tricia Goyer

Author Tricia Goyer was once a teen mom. Now she’s a wife, mother to six (soon to be ten, if her current adoption goes through), and a leader in the Little Rock Teen MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. Her passions include God, family, writing, and sharing her faith and experience with others.

Praying for Your Future Husband

by Andrea Renee Cox

As you know from my recent articles about the season of waiting (read Part One and Part Two), I am currently single and working on learning to be content with that. What I'm about to share with you is an article written by Tricia Goyer (it was originally posted here) that shares how to pray for your future husband. I hope you find it helpful and encouraging.

How to Pray for Your Future Husband: Understanding

by Tricia Goyer

I started praying for my future husband when I was 17 years old and pregnant with my son. I wanted someone who could love both me and my child. I wanted someone who loved God. God brought me an amazing man. John and I have been married for 23 years now. We had two more biological children, and we’ve adopted three more . . . making that six kids total! God has done more than I’d ever hoped or imagined.

My friend Robin Gunn and I wrote Praying for Your Future Husband a few years ago. The fun part is getting photos from some of the young women who prayed—wedding photos!

Of course there are women who are still praying and waiting, and we’ve gotten letters from them, too. They tell us they are drawing closer to God as they wait . . . and that is exactly what we hoped for!

In the moment, though, it’s hard to understand the wait. It may be hard for your future husband to understand, too. The best thing to do while you wait is to pray.

(And if you’re a mom, grandma, aunt or friend join the young women you love in prayer! Also considering picking up a copy of Praying for Your Future Husband for the young woman in your life!)

There are many things to pray for, but one of them is Understanding. Understanding means trusting that God has a plan. It means being willing to be open-minded about past mistakes, knowing that God’s grace is available to everyone.

Here are 6 ways to pray for understanding.

Pray for Understanding for Your Future Husband.

1. Pray God’s Word will flood his heart.
2. Pray your future husband will seek God and try to understand what God is doing in His life.
3. Pray he has a tender heart that will be understanding of your past mistakes.
4. Pray you will be understanding of his.
5. Pray that if he has his heart broken, he will be surrounded by good friends who will support him during the healing process.
6. Pray that in each of his relationships, he will develop an understanding heart and will always believe God has a different and better plan.

When you pray, rather let your heart be without words than your words without heart. John Bunyan

Friend, God has good plans for your future. Keep trusting. Keep praying! And I’ll be excited to hear where He leads you!

Tricia Goyer

USA Today bestselling author Tricia Goyer is the author of more than 50 books, including the novelization for Moms’ Night Out. She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com and MomLifeToday.com. Tricia and her husband, John, live in Little Rock, Arkansas, where Tricia coordinates a Teen MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. They have six children.

Tricia Goyer has a new book coming to a bookstore near you. Here's what it's about:

Teen Mom: You're Stronger Than You Think by Tricia Goyer

Everything changes the day you discover you’re going to be a mom. It’s not just yourself that you think about—you have a child to care for, too. While you wouldn’t trade your child for the world, some days are just hard. Baby-daddy drama, dealing with your parents, and worries about school, work, and your future slam you. Your friends can’t relate to your little family, and you wonder if God has turned His back on you, too.

Tricia Goyer understands. A mom at age 17, Tricia remembers what it felt like to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. She’s also been the coordinator of a teen mom support group for over twelve years, and she’s cheered on many young moms—from all walks of life—through their journey.

In Teen Mom, Tricia pours out her heart and shares advice for the hard things you face. She also longs to provide encouragement, reminding you that you can be the mom your child deserves—not in your own strength, but in the strength God provides.

Readers, is there a teen mom (or dad) in your life who could use a breath of encouragement? Consider giving them a copy of Teen Mom the next time you see them.

Coming soon:

March 16 - Be My Guest: Elizabeth Maddrey

March 23 - (yet to be decided)

Thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to drop by next Monday for my latest article.

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Where Treetops Glisten

by Andrea Renee Cox

The last book I read in 2014 turned out to be one of my favorites for the year. Where Treetops Glisten is a collaboration novel that features the Turner family. The prologue introduces you to the family from the grandmother’s point of view, which I found to be sweet and a wonderful way to begin the book.

The storyline moves forward nearly a year to begin the first official story, White Christmas by Cara Putman. In it, Christmas of 1942 certainly will be different for Abigail Turner. Her two siblings, Pete and Merry, are off helping with the war effort, which leaves Abigail to wonder how she may help others this holiday season. Jackson Lucas faces dark times for the holiday. On the brink of losing his family’s farm, he’s desperate to find answers and a way to assist his mother and sisters back home, while working hard in Lafayette, Indiana. When Abigail and Jackson meet, the question will be: Will they be able to open up to each other enough to help solve one another's problems?

After that, we step into I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Sarah Sundin. This story sees Pete Turner return home on furlough, and he struggles to find feeling again after the difficult things he’s seen and done in the war. Can healing come to him in the form of a little girl, who searches for her daddy? Or will little Linnie’s mother, Grace Kessler, discourage any further contact with Pete when she realizes he’s her childhood bully? When their separate lives have no other option but to collide, both Grace and Pete must compromise and learn to adjust their perspectives if they’re ever to find the doses of healing they yearn for.

The third full tale in this compilation, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Tricia Goyer, travels overseas with Meredith “Merry” Turner. She works as a nurse on the front lines of the war, but the toughest battle she’ll face is the betrayal that broke her heart. It becomes impossible to shove aside thoughts of her lost love when she thinks she sees him in the midst of the Netherlands where she’s posted. Will her heart ever find solace so far from home?

Lastly, there is an epilogue, which is, again, in the point of view of the grandmother. These bookends (prologue and epilogue in the grandmother's POV) were such a darling touch to frame the features in that I was blown away by the beauty of the entire setup.

Cara Putman

Earlier in 2014, I discovered Cara Putman when I read Shadowed by Grace. As you may remember, I absolutely loved that book. Well, when I found out she’d teamed up with Tricia Goyer, I knew I couldn’t resist such a treat. Cara immediately brought to life the time period that served as a backdrop for World War II in Where Treetops Glisten. Her research must have been quite thorough, for I felt completely immersed into the lives of Abigail and Jackson, and sometimes tripped my way back to reality when real life called for my attention. If Shadowed by Grace made me an instant fan of hers, her novella, White Christmas, ensured I’ll be a lifetime cardholder (a nod to former times when members of clubs held cards stating their membership).

Sarah Sundin

I’ll Be Home for Christmas was my first sampling of Sarah Sundin, and I’ve got to tell you, it took my breath away. The character journeys all wove together perfectly, making me laugh and bringing tears to my eyes. There’s an innocent quality to her work that is difficult to bring across in novels and even harder to describe. This woman had a challenge ahead of her with Pete’s journey, but she pulled it off with grace, talent, and a big dose of faith, which I love seeing in books. She’s definitely on my list of authors to keep my eyes out for.

Tricia Goyer

Tricia Goyer has yet to disappoint me with her historical fiction novels, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is no exception. The thing I find most satisfying about her books is how she seamlessly knits God and faith into her characters’ lives. Even when they struggle to find the footing of their faith, her characters seem to emanate whatever scrap of it they’re clinging to. The journey to strengthen their faith often helps me to bolster my own faith, as well, which is something I greatly appreciate in Christian fiction novels. When fiction meets reality … that’s where I feel most at home.

If you haven’t yet read Where Treetops Glisten, now would be the time to spend that gift card money you got for Christmas. This book deserves five stars for certain, and that’s what it’s getting from me. This book easily hit my top five favorites list for last year, and I’m hoping it will hit your top ten for this year too.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

What do you think of collaboration or compilation books (books with more than one story in them, often written by more than one author)? Are you a fan or not? What is it about them that you do or don’t like? If you haven’t given them a try before now, what’s holding you back?

Thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to drop by next Monday for my latest article.

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Do you need a proofreader? Here are the services I offer.

Favorite Quotes of 2014

By Andrea Renee Cox

It’s been a wild and crazy year that swept by without giving me a chance to catch my breath. Even though 2014 is winding to a close, my proofreading job is picking up speed. I started last January, by proofreading Dianne Price’s Broken Wings.

The publishing company that released it—Ashberry Lane—had put a rush on the job to try and beat death. Dianne succumbed to cancer one week before the release of the first book in her Thistle Series. Because Dianne’s journey had touched my heart, I felt moved to help promote her books. So I bought a copy of the first one as soon as it released and let the publisher know I would help spread the word about it. When Christina Tarabochia emailed me back, she asked me to keep my eye out for typos along the way. I took her seriously … and earned a spot on her staff.

Throughout this year, I’ve worked with her and a few other clients, and word is still spreading about what I do. Currently, I’m working on back-to-back-to-back jobs, with two overlapping a smidge. I’m thrilled to be so busy and to have the privilege of juggling my schedule to have Christmas off. Not only that, but the last one I’ll receive this calendar year will be my twelfth official proofreading job, which means that I had one for every month of the year. They may have been spaced out at first and bunched together at the end, but I think it’s really neat that, in my first year of this work, God chose to bless me with exactly twelve jobs, which matches the number of months within the year. This new career is such a blessing to me, and I thank God every day that He gave me a job I love and can do from home.

Now that I’ve summed up my whirlwind 2014, let’s take a look back at some of my favorite quotes in books I read in my free time. All of these books I enjoyed very much. If you’re looking for last-minute gifts for those book-lover friends or relatives of yours, I’m certain this list should get you started.

“In a period of only a few minutes, my life had been turned upside down.”

A Simple Change by Judith Miller

“Jesse was making a studied effort to let patience have its perfect work in him.”

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton

“My head is full of ideas and thoughts, and my mouth is never reluctant to share them.”

Through the Deep Waters by Kim Vogel Sawyer

“But what was a girl to do when the memory of a kiss stalked her?”

You Made Me Love You by Beth K. Vogt

“Who knew a dream potentially coming true could feel so … scary? And yet, how long had she prayed for an open door?”

Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg

“Restaurants may have been my first love, but that didn’t mean we were meant to be.”

A Table by the Window by Hillary Manton Lodge

“Getting lost hadn’t been part of the plan.”

Somebody Like You by Beth K. Vogt

“Lord, how much more does my heart have to bleed?”

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert

“… it seems that as we plan to teach others, God often makes us the pupil first, just so we get the lesson real deep within before we try to share it.”

The Kissing Bridge by Tricia Goyer

“Sometimes you had to know when to leave so you could fight another day.”

Shadowed by Grace by Cara C. Putman

“I’ve got a scream could peel the paint off the Titanic, you know.”

All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti

“She’d managed to wring an address out of the postmaster, now all she needed to do was convince a madman to hire a female secretary before he blew her to bits.”

Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer

Marc: “I started to [pray], but it’s not like I can expect God to perform a miracle.”

Abe: “Why not?”

Second Time Around by JoAnn Durgin

“Faith isn’t just a matter of what you believe; it should be seen in the way you live and the way you treat others.”

The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

“A man’s horse dropping dead in the middle of nowhere left a man with few options.”

A Cowboy for Katie by Debra Clopton

Phillip: “There’s a baby in here, buddy—not a bomb.”

Erik: “I’d rather handle a load of dynamite.”

A November Bride by Beth K. Vogt

“God made you with unique skills and talents. Ask Him how to use those for Him and His glory.”

White Christmas by Cara C. Putman

Where Treetops Glisten by Tricia Goyer, Cara C. Putman, and Sarah Sundin

 

“I guarantee no woman has ever fallen in love with me after one kiss. It takes at least twenty. I happen to be quite resistible.”

I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Sarah Sundin

Where Treetops Glisten by Tricia Goyer, Cara C. Putman, and Sarah Sundin

“Could her choice to be joyful make that big a difference to all the men around her?”

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Tricia Goyer

Where Treetops Glisten by Tricia Goyer, Cara C. Putman, and Sarah Sundin

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What were some of your favorite books of 2014? Care to share any quotes that stuck with you? What books are you looking forward to reading next year?

Thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to drop by next Monday for my latest article.

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Do you need a proofreader? Here are the services I offer.

The Kissing Bridge

By Andrea Renee Cox

“The day of her sister’s death had also started Rebecca on her path to leaving the Amish.”

Graduating from high school, going to college, becoming a nurse… none of these things describe an Amish girl, but because of her sister’s death, those are things Rebecca Troyer strives to do. She won’t be caught unprepared for another emergency, not when she can learn the skills that could help save lives. Abandoning her family and Amish ways, she sets off on a journey to gain a worldly education. On the way to Portland, she makes a pit stop in West Kootenai, Montana, to visit a friend.

Caleb Hooley is on a life-changing journey of his own. After watching his grandfather fade away, he wants to live the adventurous life his grandfather always dreamed of. When this Amish bachelor goes on a week-long trek into the wilderness, falling in love was the furthest thing from his mind.

When Rebecca decides to join the traveling party, will one week be long enough for both she and Caleb to discover a Love greater than the tentative one growing between them? Will they choose to remain Amish, or will they leave everything they’ve known to explore the possibilities the world has to offer them?

The Kissing Bridge by Tricia Goyer (the third installment in her Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series) is an adventure not to be missed. With humor and spunky characters, this story digs deep into who you think you are and who you want to be. While Rebecca and Caleb were figuring those things out for themselves, I found myself getting tidbits that had to do with what I was going through in my own life. I consider them little confirmations of what God was busy doing in my life while I read this novel. He often works through novels with me because reading them is one of my favorite hobbies (I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love reading).

“The harder part is relinquishing how I think things should happen and opening my heart up to what God wants.” That’s a lesson we all have to learn eventually, to let go of trying to control every situation. Sometimes we’ll be in control, but most of the times we won’t. Things happen that throw our plans out the window. We have to make clutch decisions and alter our plans, but God always knows what’s coming for us and provides options. Which door will we go through? Which opportunity will we take? Praying about what God wants for us is our way of tuning in to what God wants, letting Him lead us. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, trusting God, but it’s always the right thing to do. And His blessings abound when we trust Him. We are His children, after all. Why wouldn’t He bless us when we seek His will for our lives?

 

Tricia Goyer
Author of The Kissing Bridge

Thank you to Tricia Goyer for adding me to her reviewer list. I appreciate the complimentary book in exchange for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed The Kissing Bridge and highly recommend it to anyone who loves adventure. Especially the kind that happens through the pages of a book.

Readers, it’s your turn to weigh in. What journey are you taking with God these days? How does relinquishing control to what God wants play a role in your life?

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