Welcome to the Palace Gift Shop! It’s the perfect place to find a gift for your friends and family! 

As you take your time browsing, you find all sorts of goodies. Famous Tarsurellian chocolates from Clark’s Café, a thick trivia book containing 101 Facts About Tarsurella, and a set of adorable postcards!

And you find a miniature toy version of the palace for your little sister! Oh my goodness you HAVE to get it!

Pin this clue: Mini Silver Castle
Make sure you pin all 3 clues found on this page!


Find the next clue at https://kayleeskindofwrites.blogspot.com/ on May 16th! 



New on the hunt? Visit: https://spoonfulofsurprises.com to Pin your treasure map, and start collecting clues! 

​
This Blog Tour is hosted by Livy Lynn www.livylynnblog.com. Check out The Coronation, and her new release The Rebellion, that came out on May 8th!
 ​

​Tell us a little about your new book. What is the main story line?

The Rebellion is a sequel to The Coronation, which begins the Tales of Tarsurella trilogy. These books follow the unique lives of eight homeschooled siblings in the charming little fictitious European nation of Tarsurella. Their family ranges from ages five to twenty, and it's a sweet coming-of-age story as these Christian teens grow and learn. Except, they're not your typical homeschoolers: this Royal Family lives in a Palace, and Prince Addison is heir to the throne! The Coronation is all about Addison's journey leading up to the night of his royal coronation, and the events that happen thereafter. Addison is strongly advised not to begin ruling without a wife by his side, so the pressure of finding true love in a room full of high-class society "pure-breeds", brings a little romance and comedy into the tale.

In The Rebellion, Addison has finally found true love, but his country is in in the midst of a political uproar. Stirrings of a rebellion in opposition to the ancient monarchy demand change from the "old way of doing things", and many desire to see a democracy in place. Addison quickly discovers there's a popular website responsible for creating such civil unrest, but the author's identity is a mystery. Addison needs to discover who this powerful voice is, and shut it down, before his country is torn apart at the seams.       

How long have you been writing?
​
I started writing short stories as little girl. I believe my first story, in Kindergarten, was a Cinderella retellling (with not much difference from the original, famous plot, I might add, haha!). But my first real "original" story, was about a dog named Bozo, and all his little puppy siblings. Why was the dog named Bozo? I have absolutely no idea, haha! Out of all the names I could've chosen... 
When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

In Kindergarten, we're all asked the famous question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and amazingly enough, I said, "An author!" Now, there are many, many other things I wanted to do as well (singing, acting, writing TV scrips, producing shows, etc.) but for whatever reason, I already knew, even at that young age, that storytelling was going to be a huge part of my life. 

I struggled a bit with writing in Elementary and Middle School. It wasn't until High School where I truly started writing a lot, and started educating myself on how I could make his "author dream" actually happen. 


What inspired you to write this book?

Anyone who knows me in real life (or follows along online!), knows that I am a HUGE girly girl! I love pink, glitter, castles, ball gowns, and tiara's. As you can guess, my favorite movies are Cinderella, Pride and Prejudice, Princess Diaries, Monte Carlo - pretty much anything that has beautiful morals, gorgeous costumes, and a sweet Christ-honoring love story. Sadly, as a teen, I had trouble finding the kind of content I enjoyed watching and reading. Everything with these themes felt a tad too cheesy, and didn't hold the kind of emotional depth and spiritual food I know can be presented in entertainment. So, I decided to write my own book! I wanted to create something that contained all the elements my heart longed to see in a story, but I could never quite find.

I started writing The Coronation when I was sixteen, and I never really intended on publishing it. At that point I was focused on writing a lot of non-fiction, devotionals, and encouragement for teen girls. So I was creating The Coronation purely for my own enjoyment! It wasn't until years later when my cousins were visiting and we we're just goofing around, reading some of our latest writings, when I stumbled upon The Coronation. I decided to read it, and when they responded so positively, it caused me to think, "Hmm...what if others would enjoy reading this, as much as I've enjoyed writing it?" 


Did it turn out the way you first thought it would? If not, what was different?

The Coronation turned out COMPLETELY different from how I expected! Like I mentioned, I started writing it at sixteen, and then it sat on the shelf for years, and when I pulled it back out, it was only halfway done. I wanted to add a bit of depth to the (tenderly referred to) fluffiness, so I tossed in a massive plot twist, and then sat in horror as I wondered how in the WORLD I was going to fix everything! The Coronation was pantsing at it's finest (AKA an absolute mess!), so I really had to pray and ask the Lord for wisdom and answers to pull everything together. The ending unfolded far more beautifully than I could've dreamed, and when I realized a miracle just unfolded before my very eyes (this was my first completed manuscript ever! I still hadn't had any training as far as plotting, story beats, etc.) I knew God had done something amazing, and I was so excited to share it with the world!  

The Rebellion turned out exactly as planned, because, well...I actually planned this time! Haha! Unlike it's predecessor,The Rebellion was plotted ahead of time, scene by scene, and each conversation and plot element served it's purpose to drive toward the end goal. 


How long did it take you to write it? 

I actually wrote The Rebellion is a month and a half! After Beta Readers shared their excitement concerning The Coronation, I was SO excited to dive back into the world of Tarsurella and craft the sequel! The story flowed quite effortlessly, because the world of Tarsurella and the characters were already so strongly developed and vivid in my mind. I can see why author's get addicted to creating series' - they're just SO much fun! 


Did you need to do any special research?

I did do some political research concerning the variety of European governments, and the differences between monarchy's, State Churches, free democracies, etc, just so I could make Tarsurella's political landscape feel as real as possible.   


Do you have a special place or atmosphere you like to write in best?

Yes! I love writing in the peace and quiet! (No bustling coffee shops for me.) So that would be my bedroom, sitting beside my window, overlooking the lake. 


How are you like your main character?

Addison and I are very similar in the fact that we want to please everybody. We take on far too much responsibility than what God would EVER require of us, and when people aren't happy with the way we're doing things, it's upsetting. Addison feels as though his entire world is falling off it's axis, because the people are unhappy with how he's running things, and I too have felt the same way. Just like Addison, it's a daily choice to surrender and remember that God's opinion is the ONLY voice that matters! So long as we're doing our best to please Him and walk in obedience, well people are going to be mad and carry on and complain about how we're living our lives anyway...and that is totally okay. People didn't like how Jesus ran things either. ;) 


Did you learn anything new about yourself while writing this book?

I did! I learned that I am far more like Jane Akerly (a new character introduced in The Rebellion) than I thought I was! Haha. She is definitely a younger version of myself and I never expected to see so much of myself leek through her character! 


What new project are you working on now?

Right now, I'm working on Regal Hearts Season 3, which is a continuation of Regal Hearts: The Unlikely Story of a Princess, A Popstar, an Amish Girl, and an Average Girl. I've written this series in an eposidcal, TV show-style format, so I refer to each section as "Episodes." :) You can actually read the entire first episode of Regal Hearts for free, by signing up for email updates on my blog, if you like! 

I have several other "Top Secret" projects in the works, that I wish I could tell you about, but I have to wait a bit longer. ;) So yeah, if you want to stay updated with my new writing projects, I'd love to have you subscribe to email updates, and you can join the family! <3  


What advice would you give a new author?                

Don't give up. Don't be discouraged. Don't listen to all the negative voices that say you're not good enough, you're never going to make it, you'll run out of inspiration, etc. Seek the Lord in everything you do. Allow HIM to be your writing coach and mentor! He can inspire, energize you, and give you ideas! God wants to be part of your writing journey, more than anything, we just have to allow Him the space to take control! <3


How can we find your books?

You can find them all on Amazon, or the quickest way to take a peek is at Livy's Library!


Any closing comments you have for us today?

Aleigha, thank you SO much for having me on your blog, it's such an honor! 

And for all you writers out there - KEEP WRITING! If there's a book on the shelf you don't see, but wish it was there, write it. Your ideas need to be heard. You have a unique voice, and the Lord can use you in spectacular ways, if you're simply willing! Just like the boy with the scrawny loaves of bread and fish - when we offer our gifts to the King of Glory, He can use them and multiply them in such spectacular ways! 

Oh, and readers, I hope you'll come check out the whimsical land of Tarsurella! <3 

Livy is an AMAZING author! But, even more than that, she's an absolutely AMAZING person!!!

Be sure to check out her books! (And, by the way, The Rebellion is AMAZING too, so be sure to get your copy today!) 

​Have you ever played Hide and Go Seek in the dark? How about Four Corners or Cops and Robbers?
All these games have one thing in common.
Darkness.
In order to win the game, you have to maneuver your way through the dark to find what you’re looking for.
I don’t know about you, but I find “walking through the darkness” to be pretty tough. I stumble around, tripping over stationary objects. I might run into a wall or two. I typically don’t end up winning.
We live in a world of darkness.
We can either spend our days trying to blindly find our way through the darkness, or we can let the light of Christ lead our lives.
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) 
Just like our Father is the light of the world, He bids us to follow His example and be lights for Him. Why? So that they might see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:16) 
 
4 Ways We Can Be Lights for Him
 
 Equip ourselves
Just like it’s vital for a soldier to gather the necessary items before going into battle, we too should put on the armor of God, read our Bibles daily, pray fervently, attend church, and memorize scriptures. All these things will help prepare us so that we will be ready when we step out onto the battle field.
 
 
Remember that people are watching
Am I saying to act like a hypocrite when you’re around people? No, not at all. But remember that while you’re at the grocery story, someone is watching you. While you’re pulling through the drive through at Starbucks, someone is watching you. While you’re dropping your children off at baseball practice, someone is watching you. You never know who might be looking, so remember to put on the fruits of the spirit and always be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within you.
 
 
Put on a happy face
We have the cutest children’s book. It’s a precious moments story about a sad clown who “put on a happy face.” It’s adorable! Just like that clown, we, as Christians, should “put on a happy face.” Smiling through trials, doing our best to show that yes, we’re still hurting, but we’re still trusting and peaceful because we know the Lord holds our future in His hands. If you know me, you know how much I believe in the power of a smile. I talk about this more in my devotional book, “Hidden Treasures.” Just the smallest smile could be all a person needs to brighten their day.
 
 
Be a “light-catcher”
In order to be a light for Christ, you have to have light, right? So, be a “light-catcher.” Make sure that the things you’re doing are things that are bringing glory to His name. You’ve probably heard the saying “you are what you eat.” Well, how about the one that goes “you are what you read?” or “you are what you watch, what you look at, what you do.” What you put inside your mind will come out in your thoughts, words, and actions. So, let’s make sure we’re putting light in our hearts and minds. Let’s be “light catchers” for Christ, so we can then share His light and love with others.
 
 
My entire “brand,” my whole purpose with my stories, is to share the light of Christ with others.
This world is a cold and dark place, and it’s only getting darker.
 
Let’s try our best to be lights for Him in the midst of this darkening age.
 
Let’s be “light-catchers” together.
 

Hi friends!
I just wanted to share with you something I got from two of my writing friends, Jason and Peter.
​They’re launching a new blog called Awkward Truth that I’m super excited about! And they need your help.

Here’s what Jason said:

‘My friend, Peter Rogati, and I are starting a blog focused on discovering God’s absolute truth in His relational and natural creation, even and especially when it’s awkward.
But before I launch I need your help.
I’ve created a two-question survey. Your answers will shape the direction of this new project.
Will you take a few minutes to:
1.Complete the survey yourself 
2.Forward this survey to anyone you think might be interested
Here’s the link to the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z53QKJP
Thank you so much for your support!
In Christ, 
Jason’”


​
I think this blog is going to be AMAZING and I can't wait for it to launch! 

Take a moment to fill out the survey! 

Today's post is a book review in honor of the upcoming release "From Death to Life," by pastor and father, Allen Nelson.

Isn't that the most AMAZING cover you've ever seen?! 

Now for the review, (written by my father!)

​
​From Death to Life: How Salvation Works
​
This is the title of Pastor Allen S. Nelson IV’s new book on the subject of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation).  I started reading this book some time ago and have really enjoyed it for several reasons.

1. It glorifies God

Dr. John Piper says:
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him”
By saying something glorifies God or God is glorified in us don’t think we add to God’s glory in any way.
As puritan writer Thomas Watson says His glory is intrinsic.
“As light is to the sun is the glory of God to Himself and He cannot be without it.”
Being satisfied in Him means to understand that He is the prima causa (the first cause).
He is all powerful God who created all things for His own glory and He can do whatsoever He desires with His creation and it is good.
Ecc 3:14  I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.
Bro. Nelsons book is a good work of a regenerate heart and his desire is for people to know the Christ of scripture and thereby pass from Death to Life.
John 15:8  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
 
2.It brings clarity and unity in the body on how salvation works
Ephesisans 3:6 speaks of the mystery that the Gentiles are fellow heirs of God’s grace. From Death to Life brings to the forefront what has been revealed to us in the Bible.
This book simply asks the question:
“What does the Bible say?”
I have seen people shy away from the clear and repeated teaching of scripture regarding the sovereignty of God when it comes to salvation. 
 
 
The Bible clearly and repeatably teaches and history shows us that God’s rule and authority is supreme and folks that’s good news.
Realizing that God is sovereign over salvation is to REJECT autonomy.
au·ton·o·my
noun: autonomy
(of a country or region) the right or condition of self-government, especially in a particular sphere.
a self-governing country or region.
freedom from external control or influence; independence.
synonyms:
self-government, self-rule, home rule, self-determination, independence, sovereignty, freedom
This is the lie from the beginning.
Gen 3:5 …and you will be like God…
So either God is (and He is) in control of all things or we are.
I find the first idea a little more comforting. How about you?
GOD is in control!
Glory!
How does teaching with clarity on this subject bring unity you might ask?
Only through submission. When we embrace the full council of God’s word regarding the glorious doctrine of salvation unity may be found. Therefore, we must reject autonomy and bend the knee to the authority of scripture.
 
3.The book aims to see the body edified through application of these biblical principals
 
1 John 1:4-6  And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
Much more could be said but I will stop now.
This book is an overview of God’s word on the work of salvation.
1Pe 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully
How about you? Can you say you have conducted a thorough careful study of the scriptures on this topic?
Psa 107:10  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons. 

This book will be an invaluable tool for individuals and families as a devotional resource. I will be using it as I teach my family God’s word during our evening devotion time.
The implementation of these references is telling. Bro. Nelson’s only appeal and authority is that of scripture. They also show a shepherd’s heart and his desire is to see the body of Christ grow into maturity and for the joy of our great salvation to be more fully realized.
 
_______________________________________________________________

Stay tuned, readers! Once this book releases, I'll post a link so you can buy your own copy! This is definitely a book to add to your collection. 


Until next week week, friends. Keep letting your light shine! 

Okay, well it's not classified any more. =) 

And here it is, folks!!!! 😍

The TOP SECRET treasure map that starts the big adventure in A Marvelous Redeemer! 😎

And of course, I had to take the mysterious writings off the map for the present time.
We couldn’t have people solving the mystery BEFORE they read the book, now could we?! 😯

I can’t take credit for the drawing, a dear friend of mine drew it. I’m so pleased with how it turned out! <3

I’m eager to share A Marvelous Redeemer with you all so that you can see how important this map really is! 📚

And, how it pretty much ruined the life of the MC. 😭
Okay, I’ll stop talking before I spoil something! 😉

Do you like these little sneak peeks? Would you like to see more as we draw nearer to the release of A Marvelous Redeemer? Let me know in the comments! 😀

Until next week, friends! Keep letting your lights shine!

(Could you tell I discovered the world of emojis? 😂 It wasn't too obvious, was it? 😬 Actually, I didn't JUST discover it, it's just that posts are so bland without them! 😭)

Okay, this is me, signing off! 😊
​
(scroll down to see the not-so-top-secret-anymore treasure map!) 

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ALMOST THERE! =) 
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JUST KIDDING. KEEP ON SCROLLING.
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THIS BLOG POST WAS REALLY ABOUT THE VALUE OF PATIENCE. HA. =) 
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​I'M REALLY DOING THIS FOR YOUR SAKE. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO TYPE ALL THESE DOTS?!
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TA DA! <3 

LADIES AND GENTS, I PRESENT TO YOU THE TREASURE MAP. 

​A dear friend of ours won his toughest battle on Friday.
​
Some people might say, “he lost his battle with cancer.”
But I say, “he won it.”
You were a fighter, Jonathan, and you never gave up. You didn't LOSE anything. No, on the contrary. You won the greatest reward EVER. And the reward you’re now experiencing is beyond any of our imaginations. Perfect peace, a perfect body, a beautiful home in the presence of our Savior. And that’s just scratching the surface!
The day of your burial, Jonathan, was blistery and cold. It seemed that when you left, you took the sunshine with you.
Our hearts grieve for those left behind, those whose lives feel empty because you’re no longer in it. It hasn’t even been a week and you’re already so sorely missed.
But we don’t grieve for you, friend. Because we know that as Charles Spurgeon says, “Death is no punishment to the believer. It is the gate of endless joy.” And that’s just what you’re experiencing!
We’ll never forget you, Jonathan. Your testimony will continue to change lives.
I think I can speak for everyone when I say, “we’re greatly looking forward to the day we meet again.”

​Do you want the peace that Jonathan had? Do you want the calm assurance that when you pass from this earth into the glory of Heaven, that’ll you’ll live with Jesus for eternity?
Friends, we’re ONE step away from the grave. We’re ONE accident away from death. It could be ten years from now, or it could be ten seconds. We don’t know our death date. Because of that, we MUST be ready at a moments notice. We must be ready, because if we're not, it could be too late.
 
If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, let me share these scriptures with you. And even if you do know Him, these are great scriptures to memorize, because you never know when you might need them to share with others.

“I’m a good person. God will let me into heaven since I’m a nice guy.”

Romans 3:23  – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:10  – “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 5:12  – “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.”
​
 
“What’s the big deal with sin anyway? Some sin is fun, and it doesn’t hurt anyone.”

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
 

“But, why would Jesus die for ME? He didn’t do anything wrong, it doesn’t make sense.”

Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own LOVE toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
 

"How can I be saved?" 

Romans 10:9-10 – “…If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
 

“How do I know if God really heard my prayer?”

Romans 10:13  – For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

 
“What do I do now?”
Romans 10:17  – "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
​

Friends, our lives are SO short. Our time on earth is but a vapor. (James 4:14)
I talked last week about not holding on to your skeleton. The person you used to be has died, there’s no room for him any longer!

Let’s not waste a single minute of our lives, friends.

Let’s be lights for Christ doing our best to use our gifts and abilities for His glory. 

When I was little, I had a "heart transplant."
Little did I know then, that it would affect my life forever.
 
 
Have you ever thought about the fact that when you gave your life to Christ, you actually had a “heart transplant?” It says in Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
 
That sure sounds a lot like a heart transplant to me! =) 
 
But have you ever thought about the fact that once you’ve given your life to Christ, nothing is ever the same again?
 
At least, once a true conversion happens you should never be the same again. You should be different in every aspect of life. You should talk differently, walk differently, hear differently, look differently, see the world through a different set of glasses.
 
Honestly, there’s not one thing that should stay the same. Why? Because your old man has DIED. And when someone dies, they’re ALL dead. They’re gone. Half of them doesn’t remain on the earth, while half of them goes onto heaven. 
 
And that folks, should be us.
 
A walking skeleton is pretty easy to spot, wouldn’t you agree?
 
Let’s not be walking skeletons of the people we once were. Let’s be NEW creations in Christ and live our lives so differently and set apart that people look at us in envy and want what we have.
The day we give our lives to Christ, let’s forsake our old man and throw him away for good. Let’s not cling to the skeleton of who we once were.
 
Five Ways You Might Be Holding on to Your Skeleton

1. If You Still Desire The Old

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” ( 2 Corinthians 5:17)
 
When you give your life to Christ, you become new. You shouldn’t desire the things you once did. Your fleshly desires should be replaced by heavenly, godly ones. A little ice cream isn’t a sin. Watching movies won’t kill you, but having these things as the focal point of your desires, thoughts, and motives, is a sign that you might be holding a little too tightly to your skeleton.
 
​
     2. If You’re Not Quick to Love, and Forgive
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (​Colossians 3:12-14 )

When you give your life to Christ, you realize that the amount of patience, compassion, humility, gentleness, and forgiveness He has towards you is overwhelmingly big. Likewise, we should act the same way towards others. We understand that through our sin, the Lord forgave us. So shouldn’t we be readily available to do that for others? Lastly we see that as a new man we need to PUT ON  LOVE. Which, as Colossians says, is the BOND of unity. Without love, there will be no unity.
 
     3. If You’re Still a Slave to Sin
“Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6 )

Once your old man dies, (or as Romans puts it “it’s crucified with Christ”) then we should no longer be slaves of sin. Sin shouldn’t own us. Will we still sin? Yes. Will there still BE sin? Yes. But, it shouldn’t rule us anymore. And when we sin, our spirit should grieve.  
 
 
     4. If You’re Not Bearing Fruit
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." (John 15:1-8 )

I talked about this a few weeks ago. So, just to expound briefly here, if we’re new in Christ, we are branches in Christ. He is the vine, and in Him, we MUST bear fruit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we’re not bearing these things we need to take a look at our lives. Because the branches that don’t bear fruit, as it says in John 15:6, are cast into the lake of fire.  


     5. If You’re Not Renewing Yourself Daily
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16 )

When we give our lives to Christ, we should yearn to be more like our Father. Most little boys want to be “just like daddy when they grow up,” right? So we, as Christians, should desire to be like OUR Father and to learn about Him, and please Him, bringing glory to His name. In this way, we renew our inner man daily by reading His word, praying, fasting, attending services with other fellow believers, and encouraging and exhorting each other in the body of Christ.  
 
 
Friends, are you holding a little too tightly to your skeleton? Have you not fully forsaken the old man? Have you done these things, yet still can brush up on any of the points above?
I know there’s always room for improvement for me.
 
So, let’s work on them together.
 
Let’s try our hardest to be Lights for Christ in the midst of a darkening world. 

It's here folks!! 

Check it out!!! 

There's a riddle that goes something like, "You're standing on a bridge and you see a boat full of people. Yet, there isn't a single person. Why? Because they're all married." 

Well, I've got one for you this morning. "There's a room full of breathing men. They all have heartbeats, they all have pulses, yet, every single one of them are dead." 

Why? 

Well, because the death I'm talking about isn't physical. It's spiritual. 

They are all breathing, walking, talking, living, men. Yet, spiritually, they're deader than the ham on Christmas morning. 

Sometimes it's easy to spot these dead men. (Know that when I say "men" I also mean "women.") 

Yet, other times, they are so good at covering up the stench of death that we don't even notice. 

But today, we're not going to be focusing on other people. Today, we're going to be focusing on ourselves.
How do we know that we are alive in Christ? Well, these five points below are a big indication of our salvation. Also, if we look at this the other way around, we can spot these dead men rather quickly. If these men (and women) don't follow these five points, then it's time to look closer at the situation. 


5 Ways We Should Be Living Today 

     1. With Love (Mark 12:30-31) 
John said that other people will know we are Christians by our LOVE. (John 13:35) 
I said that sometimes it's hard to spot a dead man. But friends, trust me, if we're alive in Christ, people should be able to spot that from a million miles away. 
We should have love SO abundant that it's pouring out of us like Old Faithful. Love isn't only a sure sign of our salvation, but it's also commanded by God. (Mark 12:30-31) 

     2.  With Fruit (Galatians 5:22-23)
If we have the Holy spirit living in us, we should have such an abundance of fruit that we could start our own farmers market! Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 
They should ALL be a part of our daily lives. 

     3. With Love for the Church (Acts 2:42-47) 
I know we already talked about loving others. But having a deep, yearning desire to be with His people is also very important. Sundays are a day of refreshment, a day to edify, strengthen, and exhort our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
If we don't have a desire to be with His people, we might just want to check our spiritual pulse.   

     4. With Godly Actions (2 Peter 1-7)
A simple action can sometimes speak louder than a thousand words. Are we quick to volunteer? Are we always ready to lend a hand to the homeless, widowed and orphaned? Are we fast to put our own desires last, and others first? 
This, my friends, is where true joy is found. By putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. 


     5. With a Heavenly Mindset (Romans 12:2) 
My friends, this world is NOT our home. Of course we can be content, happy even, but our contentment shouldn't stem from worldly pleasures. It shouldn't come from ice cream, marvel movies, or The Greatest Showman. It shouldn't manifest itself in the next big adventure, a fancy car or a million dollar home. 
While all these things can have their proper places in our lives, our joy, our worth, our contentment, should be found in Christ. 
Don't get attached to this world, friends. It will fail you. EVERY TIME. 
Attach yourself to Christ who will NEVER fail you. Who will never leave you nor forsake you.  

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So, friends, let's make sure we aren't like those dead men. And if we find ourselves by a "dead man," let's be quick to tell him about Jesus. Quick to listen, and pray.  

Let's all keep in mind our heavenly goal, while trying our hardest to be Lights for Christ. 

YES! Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've all been waiting for! Okay, at least the moment I'VE been waiting for. =) 

And, yep, you guessed it, start scrolling if you REALLY want to see the cover for A Marvelous Redeemer! 
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ALMOST THERE! 
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JUST A LITTLE FURTHER!!!
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BAM! 

And ladies and gentlemen, the AMAZING cover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 



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And the synopsis: 

When Amira put her faith in Christ, she knew life wouldn’t be easy. But hiding her conversion from her Muslim family soon becomes the least of her worries.
Forced to leave the only home she’s ever known, she travels to the island of Gabeburough, trying her best to make a fresh start.

Two escaped convicts and a treasure map. A leafy paradise that becomes her home. Amira begins to wonder, where is her Redeemer when she needs Him the most?


Caleb Haddington is prince of Carpathia. Life should be perfect, but he can’t get a certain dark-haired girl out of his mind. Amira was his best friend when he lived in France, but her letters to him have suddenly stopped.

Her last letter is filled with terror that her faith will soon be discovered.

Only a single hope keeps him alive; when the time is right, he’s going after her. He’ll bring her back and prove to the kingdom that he’s a man.
But the journey proves to be more perilous than he’d ever imagined. Ridicule, comfortless days and the threat of a hurricane are just the start of his problems. Lying becomes easy for Caleb until his own life crumbles before him. Brought to his knees under the pressure of his actions, he comes to realize the sweetness of his Savior. Forgiveness, grace, and mercy are granted fully to those who ask.

Caleb and Amira soon discover that they don’t just serve a gracious Savior, but a wonderful, magnificent, marvelous Redeemer.
 

I CAN NOT WAIT to share this story with you all! 
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Keep letting your lights shine!