Elaine Marie Cooper Author

Historical Fiction That Grabs Your Heart and Feeds Your Soul

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Mother-Of-The-Bride Devotional by Leign Ann Thomas

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                I so enjoyed Ribbons, Lace & Moments of Grace, a devotional written for mothers of the bride before the wedding. But I’ll let you in on a secret—it’s a blessing for mothers of the groom as well. In fact, this should be on the must read list for all parents of the bride or groom because it zeroes in on some of the key issues that can surface when preparing for a wedding. And it adds a Godly perspective to help you survive!

And the cover with purple (my favorite color!) only adds to the blessing that Ribbons, Lace & Moments of Grace is to me and probably many other purple-lovers.

So let me present the lovely mother of the brides, author Leigh Ann Thomas!

 

Welcome, Leigh Ann and congrats on this new release! When did the seeds for writing this devotional begin to take root in your writers muse?

Thank you, Elaine! From one purple enthusiast to another—it’s a joy to be here!

For me, becoming a mother of the bride was a tough transition. I went from being mom to three little girls to watching my nest become empty at warp speed. In my heart, I wasn’t ready to let go.

The idea for writing Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace, came from my mistake of isolating myself during the early stages of preparing for our daughters’ big days. I was a mess! I assumed that no one could possibly understand my myriad emotions, so in effect, I curled into an emotional ball.

I had to hit a mother-of-the-bride wall before I realized I could trust God with my worries and concerns—that He loved my daughters more than I ever could and He had plans and purpose for them.

Over time, I learned that weddings can be messy. And chaotic, and silly, and stressful, and absolutely wonderful—as long as I walked with my Lord on the journey.

 

Did you keep a journal during the preparations for your daughters’ weddings?

I didn’t keep a journal, but I did save emails with my daughters—short chats about everything from planning details to sharing our excitement over an upcoming dress fitting or food tasting. Most of the weddings were organized long-distance, so email was our life-line. Lots of “I love you!” and “We can do this!”

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I’m sure your daughters are so proud of you! What were their responses when they read this book?

My girls—Laura, Mary, and Katie—have been my biggest cheerleaders. I’ve depended on their love, support, and insights over the months of writing and fine-tuning the manuscript.

I was a little nervous when I gave them the early drafts because the book centers on a mom’s perspective (mine, and the precious women I interviewed). I knew the book would hold a few surprises concerning my thoughts and feelings during that time.

While reading, the girls laughed and enjoyed reliving shared memories. I think it brought home to each of us the blessings of walking together and allowing God to direct our hearts (even in the chaos!)

 

Do you have a sequel in mind for when — Lord willing — you become a grandmother? Inquiring GiGi’s and Mimi’s would love to read it!

Actually, my two oldest girls have been married for several years and I’ve been a Grammy for three years! Three little boys keep us extra-busy and we have a tiny princess due in May. Talk about joy! And yes, after a little more on-the-job training, I would love to write a sequel. I already have a wealth of material!

 

I imagine you do!! And congratulations. 🙂 Any writing ideas brewing in your muse for future works?

Oh, where to start! I love the devotional format so I’m working on an idea for a book of inspiration for women in transition (I know, who’s not in transition?) My heart is for women to know they are never alone—that we have a Heavenly Father who loves unconditionally and will guide and sustain us in an upside-down world.

Also, just for fun, I love to write short stories and would like to venture into longer works of fiction. My favorite part of being a writer is asking, Okay, Lord…what shall we do today? Should we try something new? Then grabbing my pen and getting busy!

How can readers access you on social media?

Website: LeighAThomas.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leigh.nallthomas

Twitter: @lthomaswrites

Amazon: Amazon.com/author/leighannthomas

Instagram: leighathomaswrites

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/785810.Leigh_Ann_Thomas

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Bio:

Leigh Ann Thomas is the author of three books, including Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace—Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride releasing March, 2017. A columnist for AlmostAnAuthor.com, she has also written for Just18Summers.com, ChristianDevotions.us, and Power for Living. She is a contributing author in ten books and her work is included in two editions of Southern Writers Best Short Stories. You can find Leigh Ann on her front porch daydreaming story plots, or blogging at LeighAThomas.com.

 

 

My review:

What a moving and inspiring devotional! Ribbons, Lace, & Moments of Grace touches a chord with any parent who has experienced the life-altering transition of preparing for a wedding while also preparing to watch their child leave the nest. With both humor and sensitivity, author Leigh Ann Thomas walks mothers through the emotional journey of letting go with grace. I encourage this devotional to be read by every mother of the bride—and mother of the groom as well!

Leigh Ann is offering a free copy of her devotional to one reader who comments on this blog post. Be sure to leave your email to be entered in the drawing!

“Unbeaten” – Excerpt and Review

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There’s a brand new devotional on the marketplace. Trust me—if you’ve ever been through a trial (that would be ALL of us), you need this Bible study. It’s called “Unbeaten” by Lindsey Bell. Author Bell takes the reader through the lives of real people in the Old and New Testaments and gives insights on how their lives can teach us how to overcome adversity with hope and growth in our walk with God.

Here is an excerpt:

When God Doesn’t Fix Your Problem

By Lindsey Bell

What if God doesn’t fix your problem?


Of course, I hope He does. I hope He heals your body, provides a spouse, grants you the child you long for, provides a job, or whatever it is you want Him to do. But what if He doesn’t? What if, for whatever reason, God chooses not to heal your body?

It’s one thing to trust God when He answers your prayers; it’s a whole different story to trust Him when He says no or doesn’t say a thing at all. Will you remain faithful even if your greatest fears come to pass?

This is the question Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego each had to answer.

If God didn’t save them, would they still follow Him?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar. Their story is recorded in Daniel 3. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the citizens of his kingdom to bow down to a golden image he had created. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Most of the people living in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom obeyed. They didn’t want to face the rage of a man who was known for being hasty with his sword. Three men, however, refused to bow their faces to the ground in front of an idol. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believed God could save them from the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and from the fire.

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These men standing up to the king who held their lives in his hands is amazing in itself. Even more amazing, though, is that these men realized God might not save them — and were okay with that! Even if God does not save us, they said to the king, we will not serve your gods (Daniel 3:18).

 

Impressive faith, huh? Because of this bold proclamation, I expected God to save the men. If I had been He, I certainly would have. With a speech like that, these men deserved to avoid the heat. Apparently, though, God didn’t see it that way.

God didn’t prevent their fire, but saved through it instead. Isaiah 43:2 says…

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Nebuchadnezzar ordered the fire heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he had the three men bound and thrown in. The furnace was so hot it killed the soldiers. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in contrast, weren’t harmed at all. The flames did not singe their hair, and the text says they didn’t even smell like smoke.

When Nebuchadnezzar saw the men walking around in the fire that killed his soldiers, he jumped to his feet and said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25)

God didn’t prevent Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from being thrown into the fire. What He did instead was join them in it.

That might be what He does for us too. He might not prevent the fire, but He will join us in it.

He’ll walk with us on the hot coals and make sure not one hair on our heads gets singed. He’ll make sure when we leave the fire, there’s not even a smoke smell lingering on our clothes.

This post contains an excerpt from Unbeaten: How Biblical Heroes Rose Above Their Pain (and you can too) by Lindsey Bell (CrossRiver Media). Used by permission.

 

This post is part of Lindsey’s blog tour to celebrate her new Bible study and devotional, Unbeaten: How Biblical Heroes Rose Above Their Pain (and you can too).

 

To celebrate her book, she’s giving away a HUGE bundle of books! Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win. You can get more entries by commenting on other blogs in the tour as well. Get a full list of participating blogs here.

 

About Unbeaten:

Why does life have to be so hard?

Difficult times often leave Christians searching the Bible for answers to the most difficult questions — Does God hear me when I pray? Why isn’t He doing anything? Does He even care?

In Unbeaten, author Lindsey Bell shares the stories of biblical figures who went through tough times. Through this 10-week Bible study and devotional, she reminds readers that while life brings trials, faith brings victory. And when we rely on God for the strength to get us through, we can emerge Unbeaten.

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About Lindsey Bell:

Lindsey Bell is the author of Unbeaten: How Biblical Heroes Rose Above Their Pain (and you can too). She’s also the author of the parenting devotional, Searching for Sanity. She’s a stay-at-home mother of two silly boys, a minister’s wife, an avid reader, and a lover of all things chocolate. Lindsey writes weekly at www.lindseymbell.com about faith, family, and learning to love the life she’s been given.

 

My Review:

I didn’t realize how much I could benefit from this devotional entitled “Unbeaten.” I think I’d gotten so used to the “punches” in this life that I forgot I wasn’t alone in the fighter’s ring. But author Lindsey Bell reminded me.

Bell systematically goes through the heroes and anti-heroes in the Bible who not only suffered in one way or another but either soared in their faith or succumbed to despair. The author doesn’t speak as one on the outside. She is very much in the ring of despair with those of us who have been wounded by life. She has allowed God to take her on a journey of learning to forgive and to see purpose in her pain. One can almost imagine God holding her arm high with each fight bravely won. Thank you, Lindsey Bell.

 

 

A Brand New Blog

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Hi Readers,

There’s a brand new blog in town called HeartWings and it’s a group of writers offering contemplative thoughts on our faith and on being a Christian. Since my first blog post at HeartWings ran this week, I’ll share the link. We’d love to have you subscribe so these devotionals will arrive in your email inbox Monday through Friday.

If you enjoy this new blog, please share with your friends.

 

And thanks for being awesome readers!

 

For the link to my first blog, click here.

 

 

Trains, Tragedies and Destinies

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I watched the breaking news story with sadness: A train derailed and over a hundred were injured. As time progressed, the news became even more tragic as several were reported dead and many were listed in critical condition at area hospitals.

Interviews with survivors made you wonder how anyone came through this wreckage of twisted metal with their wits about them and their bodies intact.

Then I remembered a story my mother shared with me years ago. It was another train derailment that occurred during World War II.

My parents, who lived in New York City, were escorting a young female friend who was on her way to visit a soldier—her boyfriend who was stationed at a military camp in New Jersey. My parents had been married less than three years and my oldest brother had been left in the care of Grandma. The train they boarded was packed with travelers and they walked from car to car, looking for one that was less crowded. My dad looked ahead at the next car and turned towards Mom: “They’re all just as crowded. We might as well stay in this one.”

Mom, Dad and their young friend apparently found a spot to squeeze into a seat. They settled in to the noisy uncomfortable train car before it left the station. The cars lurched forward and they began their journey.

Then the unthinkable happened. Screeching metal and screams pierced the atmosphere as bodies were flung from their seats. After what seemed an endless time of terror, the train cars finally stopped, but not before massive casualties revealed the loss of many. Nearly every passenger in the car ahead—where Dad had almost taken the two women—were killed. Many were hurt in the other cars as well.

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Both of my parents and the young woman received minor injuries and the worst was that their friend’s eyes became crossed from the impact. While all three survived, the terror of the incident persisted. For months afterwards, my parents experienced post-traumatic stress whenever they rode public transportation. The slightest sound that seemed unusual set their hearts racing. Eventually, those moments of anxiety lessened and finally ceased.

My parents lived for many more years and had five more children. I was the last child, born about nine years later. My dad survived to the age of 76 and my mom to the ripe old age of 99.

There was another train accident involving my family that occurred decades before this. My grandfather, Benjamin Prince, was only in his twenties and worked on the elevated rail in New York City. The shift had ended but he continued to work on the underside of a train car, making sure it was fixed. Sadly, the engineer who showed up at shift change was unaware my grandfather was still underneath when he started up the train.

This tragedy occurred less than a month after a child was conceived. My young widowed grandmother didn’t even know she was expecting her second child—my Mom—when her husband was killed.

These train tragedies remind me of two things: Our lives are fragile and God is in charge of the length of our days. It is a reminder to me that I must use my time wisely while here on earth; God has a purpose and a destiny for each of us. It also reminds me that God is watching over those whose time has not yet come and will keep us safe until that day when He calls us home. It is both sobering and comforting.

“Man’s days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” Job 14: 5

Jesus said: “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” John 16: 22

 

Rectifying the Situation

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The flight attendant’s voice pierced through the crowded jet cabin as we neared our destination: “Ladies and gentlemen, after we have landed, please remain in your seats until we have rectified…the situation.”

As a frequent flyer to visit my grandkids, those were words I never recalled hearing before.

What exactly was the situation that needed to be “rectified?”

Most of us were in complete ignorance of any problem. But we knew that we needed to go along with the crew’s instructions. All we could do at that moment was stay in our seats, follow the directives and wait for the airline personnel to deal with the “situation.” It took faith and obedience on our part to cooperate with the big plan that, ultimately, could protect our lives.

After we’d landed and sat quietly in our seats with our belts still buckled, we all gasped at the sight of armed police walking down the aisle and removing a passenger. Rumor filtered towards the back where I was sitting—murmurings that this passenger had tried to open the emergency exit inflight.

More than one set of eyes widened with disbelief as we realized that we had been in danger—yet one man sitting nearby had witnessed the event and interceded. He likely saved us all.

It somehow seemed a fitting incident to occur on Easter week.

Most of us walk through our day, oblivious to danger. Many sail through life, unaware that there is a situation that needs to be rectified—namely, our sin.

We can be so caught up in our journey that we fail to notice that the flight is nearing its destination. Had it not been for the one passenger who interceded on our behalf, for our safety and concern, none of us knows what the outcome might have been.

Humanity has our own intercessor in the spiritual world of darkness. His name is Jesus Christ. And on this Holy Week of remembering His death, burial and triumphant resurrection, let us not forget that He has rectified our sin situation. But it is up to us to cooperate with His plan and, by obedience, acknowledge our need for His salvation.

May your Easter be blessed.

 

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV

 

 

Tea and Scones and Jesus

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Bleary-eyed, I dragged my carry-on luggage down the freezing jet ramp toward the airport terminal.

I hadn’t slept one moment on the red-eye flight and could barely focus on my destination to a connecting flight that would take me home.

I need some caffeine.

The crowded walkways were filled with others who seemed far more energetic than myself.

They must have already had their coffee—or at least got some sleep last night.

Every coffee shop seemed packed with caffeine-cravers except for one. It seemed to have a temporary lull in the line. Hurrying as fast as my weary legs would drag me, I positioned myself in the short row of customers.

Since I was fighting a cold, I decided that tea would be a wise choice. Perfect with the fresh scones displayed in the window, I thought.

The four ladies behind the counter rushed to fill customer orders. They moved in dance-like synchronization, never colliding with their co-workers. But it was obvious they struggled to complete their busy tasks of grabbing muffins and making lattes.

One of the baristas seemed especially frazzled at that moment and my ears perked up when she voiced an audible plea. “Jesus. Help me, sweet Jesus.”

I felt a smile creep up my cheeks. “At least you’re asking for help from the One Who can help you.”

She paused for a moment with a delighted expression and inhaled her pleasure with a smile. Lifting her lovely brown hand high in the air in a “high-five” maneuver, I gently met her palm with my own. We exchanged smiles of sweet fellowship, connecting in a way that believers in Jesus Christ do. In the midst of the busy throng, Jesus had connected our spirits with His.

We both grinned through the business transaction, grateful in the knowledge that wherever we go, He is there. And so are His believers.

It was a moment of joy and encouragement that overshadowed the weariness and the cares of this world—the connection of fellow Christians.

It was a gift to carry in my heart and refresh my soul.

 

“All the believers were one in heart and mind.” (Acts 4:32 NIV)

“Encourage one another and build each other up.” (1Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)