Charlotte Schofield

Forgotten...

2010-09-17T06:13:00.000-07:00

Just under four years ago I miscarried. October 16^th 2006 was by far the worst day of my life. Any mother who has lost a child can tell you just how devastating a miscarriage is. I truly felt robbed, especially when a good friend got pregnant the same week I did, and had a beautiful healthy daughter. Every accomplishment that little girl has had, makes me think about what my baby would have been doing.

The Bible says that the devil came to steal, kill, and destroy. Now I can’t really state that the devil killed my baby, but the destruction his whispers caused upon my already shaking faith certainly fits his terrible character.

God does not rob from people, but when a devastation occurrence happens in one’s life, they will often hear that word replayed in their mind. Lost a job? Lost a family member? Lost a baby? Any loss that anyone could go through can feel like theft.

As the years passed I watched many friends give birth, that first girl who got pregnant the same week I did, is three months away from having baby number three! It is so hard to resist comparing myself to those women. Every time a new baby is introduced I raise my eyes to heaven and ask “Why God? Why have you forgotten me?”

Then comes the torment… over and over, week after week I would go to church and see new mothers, new babies, new families, new pregnancies. Every one broke my heart, just a little more. Honestly, I began to wonder if my heart could continue to break! Despite all the promises God had made, I began to believe that going to church was just my ‘Weekly Torture’. I started to franticly consider all my faults, and wonder if I caused this curse upon me.

For a season a strong message went out in my church about how children are Gods ‘Perfect Gift’. While that is true and biblically accurate to be sure, week after week hearing such good messages was torture upon a barren woman’s soul.

Every baby cry in a store would cause me to stop everything I did and look. I would avoid walking by the baby section so I wouldn’t agonize about wanting to see and feel every soft baby blanket, and cute infant toy. It truly effected everyday life.

On top of all this torment, I began to feel guilty for being so obsessed. With most obsessions you can stop what you are doing, and do some sort of action to change your habits. It’s very different when you haven’t been able to have children and children are everywhere you look. The guilt began to erode the little faith I had left, I was afraid that if I continued to be constantly thinking about children it would never happen. I would go through seasons of depression, and season of hope and sunshine.

Of course, the Bible has many answers, balms to sooth a hurting heart.

I knew that setting myself up for disappointment was only going to hurt me…

¹² Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick,
but a sudden good break can turn life around. Proverbs 13:12

My heart was growing so sick, and on top of that, I had the guilt of feeling I was being obsessed. God wanted to take care of that one too, let me know I was NORMAL!

Three things are never satisfied,
no, there are four that never say, "That's enough, thank you!"—
hell,
a barren womb,
a parched land,
a forest fire. Prov 30:16

Now the other three make perfect sense! Hell consumes people’s souls like no tomorrow, a desert, which would a parched land, can never have enough water to make it lush like a Maine forest! Those that live in areas where forest fires are common know that it is extremely destructive and takes, sometimes, months to fight! So why is a barren womb lumped in with these things? BECAUSE ITS NORMAL TO FEEL LIKE I DID.

You do NOT have to feel bad that you can’t stop thinking about babies, you want to be involved with very thing ‘baby’ and yet you don’t because it feels like you’re stabbed in the heart every time you see, smell, touch, hear, hey… even taste anything that is remotely related to a baby. Anyone who has struggled with this can tell you. There is NO escape from it! Even if I were to take my husband and live on top of a mountain, with no people, no books, no media, no pictures, no stores, my heart would still long for babies, the lack of them is a void in every woman’s soul.

Maybe you think, as I did, “Well, shouldn’t I be able to fill myself with God and no longer be tormented by these fears and desires?” Well of course filling yourself with God makes a HUGE difference, but you cannot deny what God called you to be! God promised children, and even deep in his presence the longing will still be there. Certainly not as intense, but still there.

I had season when I tried to fill every little hole with God, and it was amazing, but I grew frustrated, beliving that because the desire was there, I was not doing enough, or I was failing in some way. I still fill myself with God, but I’ve come to realize that what I feel is normal, and God knew that about women, which is why He put Proverbs 30:16 in the Bible.

You don’t have to strive to not want a child, you just need to accept that you need to wait for God. Impossible you say? Well… yeah, I’m still trying to figure that one out myself, sorry, I don’t have the answer on how to wait for God in something like this, but I am comforted to know that it’s ok for me to continue to desire while I fill my heart with His love.

God has not forgotten us, He never will. That is a hard thing to remember, the line slips from my mind constantly, but God has a funny way of fixing that.

One of my little brothers is adopted. When he was adopted my parents adjusted his name, adding Zachary to his name, which I just found out means ‘God has Remembered’. This boy is fairly new to faith, but his heart is open, and he listens. He is constantly hearing from God that I’m going to get pregnant, it’s persistence almost to annoyance! I’m not annoyed in the least, by the way, but it makes me laugh. God is using a new member of my family, who was named that God Remembers, to remind me of His promises. When the direct line of communication between me and God is faulty at best, because my faith has been worn down over time, like a river over a rock, He has used someone else to keep on me, helping me to keep hoping, keep waiting, and keep building my faith, which was once so strong.

A few weeks ago, God was pressing on Zach to pray for me, so he approached one of my fathers in the faith and told him. He then collected my other little brother Caleb, who has a gift for healing, and my parents who are strong for me when I can’t be, and my husband, who is always there, hoping and waiting along side of me.

They began to pray, and I felt my hope being renewed, my faith being built. With out me ever saying it strong spiritual men in my life broke off the theft. Then my mother told me what Zachs name meant, and again with out me telling them I felt this way, broke off the feeling that I was forgotten. My father began calling out names, strong children that would be birthed from my womb. One of the first names he called out, was the name God told me to name my first son, 11 years ago.

Recognizing this was a time for healing I told my family about the torment and torture I was suffering. I was angry that the devil had over time, turned something so joyous in to something of despair and sadness. Friends who struggled for a shorter time than I to get pregnant, finally did get pregnant, and I mourned, rather than jumped for joy, knowing they would jump for joy with me when I turn came.

I’m still waiting for my day, but my hope and my faith have been renewed. God has not forgotten about me, I’m NORMAL in the way that I feel, and it’s alright to feel that way. It’s not wrong! Never feel it is wrong! It is wrong to curse God because of your pain, but its not wrong to have a desire so strong you can taste it, and feel it in every bone in your body.

If you’ve struggled with this, or know someone that has, maybe my story can help them, to renew their hope. This isn’t just for me. I feel strongly that there are others out there who are fighting, and who are despairing, and I hope that my story can remind them, they are not forgotten. With God anything is possible. When I was a baby, I was babysat by a woman who had no womb, but had the strong desire to have children. God grew a womb for her and gave her children! He is a loving God who wants to give Children by the bucket full!

Please leave comments, I’ve love to know what people think…

Calico Canyon

2008-11-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

When I got Calico Canyon in the mail, my first thought was, ‘Oh that looks like a ‘cute book’. I vastly underestimated this story! A friend of mine got the chance to read the story before I was able to pick up my copy, she was bursting at the seams wanting to tell me about it! Every time I looked over at her while she was reading it, she had this goofy grin on her face and was stifling laughter. Now I know why.

Calico Canyon is likely one of the funniest books I’ve read in a long time! I’ve had a pretty busy and draining couple of months, and this story brought a much needed smile to my face and had me almost crying in laughter.

Grace Calhoun a smart and bright girl is running from an abusive past, and finds her self running a school in a tiny Texas town. Five young terrors from the same family make her life miserable, by pulling the sort of pranks teachers have nightmares about. It doesn’t help their father, Daniel Reeves, seems to be a dull witted gruff man, who obviously doesn’t like her. He seems to think his five boys can do no wrong, and she just has a mean heart, and picks on them.

When a turn of events lands her running from her abusive past yet again, Grace finds herself married… to Daniel. It all happened purely by accident (I am serious! It was accidental!). Stuck in wilderness with six men who do not want her there Grace has to remember what it’s like to be brave, and that God is always faithful. It doesn’t help her new husband avoids her as if she were a plague, and the boys torment her at every turn. The rowdy and loud family, are constantly giving her headaches, just from the sheer noise of them all. Then Grace begins to see how, in all her running, God’s hand was always on her, and always directing her path. Truly, we plan our path, but God directs our steps. Grace learns just how true that is in her life, and prays she can show the six Reeves men.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So here is the deal, I’ve got a Q&A with Mary Connealy, author of this great story, at the end there will be a contest for a free copy! Be sure to read through so you know how you can win!

Char: Where did this story come from?
Mary: My husband is from a family of seven sons. His mom, Marybelle, is one of my favorite people on this planet and listening to her talk is both hilarious and terrifying. The woman was lucky to survive raising those boys. And she survived brilliantly. She’s eighty-nine now.
This woman is tough! She’s also smart and she has this wonderful sense of humor and she has a great knack for not sweating the small stuff.
She tells stories of pure mayhem. I don’t know how all little boys act but she was always breaking up fist fights and rushing to the doctor with broken bones and cuts that need stitches. They lived on a farm and…if she could possibly arrange it…they ran wild outside.
I got so much of what’s in Calico Canyon from Marybelle that I dedicated the book to her.

Char: I notice this is part of the lassoed in Texas series, why Texas? What do you like so much about Texas?
Mary: You know, Texas is just to utterly western that I have to stop myself from setting all my books in Texas, so Texas was easy.

Char: Your bio says you have four girls, was it hard to write the personalities and interactions between five little boys, compared to having had four girls around you all the time?
Mary: It was a serious challenge, not so much to write boys as to try and make so many little boys, whose looks were identical (except for the twins being older) be individuals.
You know the scene where Grace tells the boys how she tells them apart? As she runs down their differences, at the end of that, she glares, good naturedly at Mark and says, I know you from the fire in your eyes.” Well, I tried to give Mark that fire through the whole book. He was the most developed of the five but all the boys were real to me and I focused on having every word they said, within this parameter where they all acted so, so much alike, to be faithful to those differences.
I got the idea for Luke the so-tough-he’s-scary youngest from ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ if you’ve seen that and remember Gladys Herdman, she was the youngest and the meanest of them all.
And I liked the idea that the oldest would SEEMED to be the leader but he was very subtly taking orders from a stronger personality than his own.
Throw in Ike, the animal lover and the ‘good one’ John and I had the whole set.

Char: Who was your favorite of the Reeves boys? Mine would be John, because he reminds me of one of my brothers.
Mary: I think I secretly liked John best, too. But Mark was definitely the most fun to write. And I got to do so much with my characters through Mark, Daniel realizing he needed to be kinder to Grace so his boy wouldn’t grow up warped. Grace realizing she loved a little boy who was such a handful, to me that’s the sign of a true mother, to love their children, possibly the very most, when they’re not so lovable.

Char: Tillie was a really interesting character, a runaway slave, who had remained a slave well after the law granted her, her freedom. I honestly never really heard of that happening, I think, often, people think that the end of the civil war was the end all to the slavery in the south. I never really thought about people who might not have known the war was over, if they were kept in the dark. Where did the idea for Tillie come from?
Mary: Oddly enough, the whole idea of Tillie comes from a line in Gingham Mountain. That’s book three in the series and I didn’t have Tillie in Calico Canyon at first. In Gingham Mountain, Hannah who is trying to care for orphans who live on the streets of Chicago, meets a man she thinks is mistreating orphans. The man has taken in so many children and Hannah doesn’t like it a bit. Two of Grant’s orphans are black and when Hannah says Grant has enslaved children, one of those children gets really angry and says, “You’re a mean lady to come in here and tell Pa he’s treating us bad. You don’t know what bad is if you can say such things.”
Hannah thinks to herself that she knows exactly what bad was. She’d lived it herself when she’d been in her cruel stepfather’s hands. She has lash marks of her own, and she knew you didn’t have to be black to be a slave.
So that got me thinking about slavery and wanting to draw the distinction between slavery and other kinds of abusive treatment, but my book was set to long after the Civil War to have someone newly freed, until I started researching it and I came up with these amazing stories of black people who hadn’t been set free after the Civil War, just hidden.
So along comes the idea of Tillie.

Char: Did you ever have a time when writing this book you just had to stop and start laughing?
Mary: You know, Char, comedy is hard work. It really is. The scene, one of my favorites in Calico Canyon, when they get married, took so long to write.
I like a scene with too much going on, chaos, lots of characters, but it’s so hard to get it all right. To put it on the page. People talking over each other. People listening to half of one person’s sentence and then the other half of someone else and having that end up meaning something that makes them mad. I wrote that scene so many times. No rewriting the whole thing, but packing it with nonsense. Tweaking it, getting the beats right and trying to make sure that, while the characters are bickering and misunderstanding and reacting comically, the reader understands what’s going on. It takes a lot of attention and time. I love it but I always dread a scene like that because I know it’s going to be so much work.

Char: Did you learn any lesson while writing this story? Anything particular that God revealed to you?
Mary: I wrote this book not that long after my father died. I was on an airplane and I happened to think of one song we had at his funeral, Great is Thy Faithfulness. That song just helped me really focus on what I was trying to accomplish with this book. Not our faithfulness to God, which is so often where our attention lies, but God’s Faithfulness to us. Once Grace was reminded of how faithful God was to her, she could live so much more bravely for Him. And once she remembered how to be brave, her life because much simpler.

Char: You mentioned in your dedication, that your mother-in-law had raised seven boys! Is this where the inspiration came for the five Reeves boys?
Mary: Definitely. My mother-in-law can tell so many unruly little boy stories, I could fill ten books.

Char: What’s your favorite “little boy stories” that she tells?
Mary: She had the first five of her boys really fast. Then my husband and one more brother are stragglers. Of the five older boys, the youngest seems to be the one who had the most brushes with death. She heard a scream one time and ran outside and he was hanging from the eaves of her roof by his fingernails.
She heard a crash once and ran upstairs, he’d smashed through a window and was just standing there, with his head through the window, a jagged circle of the window pane surrounding him. Uncut.
Once when he was three a neighbor came pulling into her yard and lifted the boy out and brought him in…naked. The neighbor had found him walking down the road like that.
She asked the kid what he was doing and he said he was going swimming. They live ten miles from the nearest swimming pool so she has no idea what was in his head.
My mother-in-law swears she was watching him but he was just determined to keep up with his big brothers and they didn’t seem to worried about leaving him behind so that left him stuck, alone in some tight spots in his young life.

Char: Is there a favorite ‘little girl story’ you would have?
Mary: My girls are little balls of fire. They could outpace most little boys for pure energy when they were kids. One family gathering, Christmas, at my in-laws (they live about three miles from us and we farm their land) I had three girls at the time, one of Ivan’s brothers had three boys and another had two girls. All about the same age. It was a nasty, bitter cold Christmas Eve and when we got there I and the other family of girls, had brought winter clothes because we knew the kids would want to go outside and play despite the weather. The mother of the boys hadn’t brought stuff to bundle them up. They had coats and mittens but no boots, scarves, snow pants. We laughed because she thought she could control the boys but the other mom and I knew our girls would be outside so we might as well be prepared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I could ask questions all day, but I won’t. Here’s how to win a signed copy of Calico Canyon: leave a comment on this blog, telling your favorite “little boy or little girl” story. You get bonus points if it’s funny, and bonus points if it taught you a lesson about God. And even more points it the lesson was about God’s faithfulness! You have until Sunday 11/09/08!

Let me Live

2008-08-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hey every one,

I made this video and would love some feedback on it. Please let me know what you think!

Don't forget

2008-07-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

Hey there,

My book reviews have become very slow recently for several reasons; a new career, and also new family members. My father - in - law recently died, and left behind two teenagers who needed a place to live. My husband and I brought them home, and have had an interesting summer so far adjusting. It's great having them with us, but adjustments are being made on all sides.

I've been insanely busy, with work, training for a new career, plus the new family, and just general life. Today in church I sat down and spent some time just listening to God, and this is what He told me.

Don't forget Me

When life is busy

When circumstance stands

against you, holding you

Don't forget Me

My desire is for you

My heart cries out for

you to even just glance

in My direction

I miss you, those moments

our eyes would meet

are the moments

My heart is filled with joy

There are times your

one glance caused Me to

burst in to dance

a song erupts from

My heart, just for you

My dreams for you consume Me

I dream of nothing else

above all desire you

Your love

Your affection

Your attention I crave

When you are with Me

I can not help but to Dance

with pure, passionate, abandon

you have undone Me

and nothing but your all

is what I desire

So dont forget Me.

The Restorers Journey

2008-04-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

By Sharon Hinck

I was so excited when I got my hands on this book; I devoured it in record time. As an avid Restorer fan I was certainly not disappointed with the story. The 3rd book grabs you right from the get go and takes you on a terrifying journey back through the portal as now young Restorer Jake has to learn what it means to be a hero.

Bad guys lurk around every corner, as baffled Jake finds things have changed in the clans in a drastic and disastrous way. When every ally could turn at any moment Jake is faced with wall after wall. What does it mean to be the Restorer? Can any one in these turbulent days even believe the Restorer is for real? Will he have the courage to follow the One, and do what He asks?

I enjoyed this book from cover to cover; there were moments when I was forced to put the book down due to real life. I can tell you, I was about ready to pull my hair out at times. I was infuriated by what happened, and things only ever got worse before they got better. When things don’t seem like they can get worse, they do. This was certainly a turbulent trip, but well worth it!

Visit Sharons Site http://www.sharonhinck.com/

Where would the cows hide?

2008-04-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

Where Would Cows Hide?
By D.C. Stewart

Synopsis from the back of the book: Twins Brad and Charlie, didn’t want to join their parents on vacation in Hawaii. A little sister can be annoying, but there little sister, Zoey, was over the top. “The three of us aren’t going to Hawaii.” She told them. Her parents were shocked by her statement even though it was true. This was not the first time Zoey offered surprising knowledge of future events, nor would it be the last. Arriving at their grandparent’s cattle ranch in Oklahoma, the twins learn of the disappearance of cattle from the ranch. This knowledge would set off a series of events that would challenge any detective. There were the mysterious neighbors, the strange lady at church, and a psychic lazy dog, and a weird little sister to keep the twins totally confused in their efforts to solve this strange mystery.

Review: This book was incredibly fun! For a book intended for tweens it was fun even for an adult. You were quickly led from one place to another, trying to keep up with tweenage boy twins. Between running from snakes, falling in the river, ducking baby sitting, avoiding the creepy lady at church, and mending fences on the ranch, the two boys discovery a mystery that threatens to harm their grandparents. Unless they can figure it out.

The two boys face incredible danger, from a bad guy that is all sorts of scary, but they are determined to collect the proof they need, so the adults will believe their incredible story. With limited time they don’t find all they need. One night with time so short things come to a head and the boys are forced to try and tell their story with little to no proof. When the adults don’t listen to the boys, they take matters in to their own hands, and find out that maybe their sister isn’t so crazy after all, maybe God does talk to little Zoey, and maybe God is looking out for them too. I can’t wait to get this book in to the hands of my 13 year old sister and 11 year old brother, I am certain they’ll enjoy it!

Interview with D.C. Stewart
Q: What inspired this story?
A: This story began to bloom when I found out I was pregnant with twins. I began to think about the adventures I had with my younger brother on our family's ranch, and wondered what sorts of adventures my own kids would have as they got older.
Q: Why Tween age story lines?
A: Some of my favorite books remain with me to this day from that period in my life. Those stories during my tween years inspired my love of adventure books and movies, and made me want to write that kind of book.
Q: How difficult was it to write realistic tween's and their thought processes vs. adults?
A: Since most people who know me would tell you I never really grew up, it wasn't a stretch to get into the mindset of a tween. I grew up a tomboy, with a brother, boy cousins we played with all the time, and all my brother's friends, so keeping true to a tween boy's perspective wasn't too hard either.
Plus, kids today have a much more mature thought process than adults want to give them credit for. Working with the youth in our church taught me that kids hanging out with their friends may not act like they have a clue, or talk like they have a clue, but when they are talking with you one on one, they know exactly what's going on.

Symphony of Secrets

2008-02-15T22:12:00.001-08:00

Amy Johnson’s life feels like it is about to tumble out of control. A worshiper of music she doesn’t understand why her teen aged daughter who could be a wonderful musician suddenly wants to be a cheerleader of all things! Her daughter is growing up, asking questions that scare Amy right out of her wits she has no where to turn but to her precious flute.

Conflicted by a sense of purpose and the thrill of solving mysteries Amy strives to figure every little thing out. Her blundering attempts leave her red faced and questioning her sleuthing skills. Ever the meddler, when Amy lands the chance of a life time to play in the Symphony, she is compelled to figure out who is sabotaging the concertmaster, dooming the Symphony, which is near to loosing its funding.

In the middle of risking her dream job, Amy is near obsessed with finding out what is going on in the Symphony, while ducking questions from her daughter about her father, and trying to suppress the old ghosts from her past that threaten to steal every thing that matters to her. In the middle of trying to blend in the Symphony, she’s also trying to understand the ‘Cheerleader mom’ thing, who gets those always happy, and bubbly people any way? Add on top of that her daughter finds an interest in God, an interest that makes Amy run the other direction, why would God want someone like her?

Can she balance her life and figure out who is hurting the Symphony? Will the Still Small Voice leave her in peace? Will the darkness of her own heart consume every thing that matters to her?

When I finished reading Symphony of Secrets I emailed the author with one question… “Whens the next one?”

Lady of Milkweed Manor

2008-02-14T21:57:00.000-08:00

Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen

Not every one is perfect, even those whom society thinks should be. A minister’s daughter by the name of Charlotte Lamb makes a mistake and is cast out of her home. Thanks to a most distant family member who cares about Charlotte, she is provided shelter as she lives, waiting for the day she will hold her own little child.

Charlotte is taken from her status in life to the lowest ends she could imagine. Raised to be a sweet lady she is an outcast even among the outcasts. She has a heart of gold and longs to love, and be loved. She is forced to make difficult choices, ones any mother would hardly be able to bear, but for the good of her child, she must make the most difficult choice she could imagine. It a broken heart, she gives her new born babe to a rich man who’s wife lost their son that very night, the mans wife was not to know that her child died, and another was brought in his place.

Though her heart is broken, she is thrust in to a desperate situation, trying to help a babe who’s mother is effected by a mental illness caused by her pregnancy. She knows the day will come when she will have to say goodbye to the second child of her heart, but she hangs on as long as she can, and prays that God will guide her, and restore her.

I very much enjoyed this story, set around the 1800’s, in England. It was one of those heart warming stories, which showed the journey of a young woman trying to find her place in the world. When every thing crumbled around her, she made the choices she needed to and faced her life not knowing where the next step would take her.

Visit Julies Web Site

The Bride

2008-02-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

The Bride by Rhonda Calhoun.

Set with the poetic language of Song of Solomon, this story book recreates Song of Solomon to make it more easily understandable. You follow the 12 year old shepherdess through her teenaged years as she learns to grow and mature in love for the Bridegroom king. She is followed by her friends, Comforter, Goodness and Mercy, as they guide her, and help her understand just how much the King loves her. She endures a fall to Compromise, rejection of her family, she is taunted and misunderstood. Her heart is to please the King, and nothing else.

This recreation opens your heart to the Bridegroom, reminding you just how much Jesus loves you. He is always there, and his closest friend Comforter is always with you. It is a beautiful way to explain just how relevant the book Song of Solomon is to Christians. There were many details that I enjoyed about this book, but one of the picture I loved the most was how the bride was amazed how the Comforter did all he could to glorify Jesus, and Jesus in turn glorified the Ancient of Days. The other part that still stands out in my mind is a conversation Jesus and the Father have several times. Jesus is gushing about how lovely the bride is, and how excited he is about their marriage.

If any one ever asked me what Song of Solomon was all about, I would refer them to this book. Because of the poetic language, I would recommend taking time to read it. In the back of the book are scripture references for nearly every line in the book. It is a great way to refer from this story to things said and done in the word of God.

Visit Harvest Home

Life, Life, Life

2008-01-23T21:21:00.000-08:00

This week a lot has been happening in the way of praying for the end of abortion. I whole heartedly participate in this! I wanted to list a few rescourses on my blog reguarding this issue. One of which is bound for life.

Bound for life is a great! I highly recommend checking it out! Get the band, take the vow, only vote for those people who stand up for Gods heart in this matter.

I was sent the article below, and thought it was rather interesting, the books recommended here may be of great help for any one found to be pregnant and not knowing what to do.

If any out there know someone who is considering abortion, be bold! If they can not handle the child, tell them you will take it and raise it. Plead with them to not commit murder. the blood of the innocent cry out, don't let another voice be silenced.

Refer any friends in need of help to Carenet. It is a wonderful Crisis pregnancy aid center. I know people who have relied on the help this organization has given.

HOLLYWOOD MAMA DRAMA

How Babies Have Replaced Bling as the Cool Fashion Accessory and Why You Need to Know What to Do if Your Friend Buys Into This

There's a baby boom in Tinsel Town, and many of its biggest stars are taking part. Already this month, singer Christina Aguilera and her husband welcomed a son, and Nicole Richie, girlfriend of rocker Benjie Madden, gave birth to a daughter. Others are mamas-in-waiting, proudly showing their expanding bellies and giving interviews on when their engagement may take place. Still others allow the media to guess who the father might be.

Popular magazines cover every moment of their pregnancies and likely would have sent reporters into the delivery room if allowed. Designer diaper bags have replaced designer purses as the cool new Hollywood accessory. Baby showers take precedence over wedding showers, and the wedding does not necessarily come before the birth.

It all looks so glamorous and exciting. Who wouldn't want a beautiful bundle of joy to lavish love and kisses on? And yet, sometimes that bundle arrives under circumstances that are not God's best. Take, for example, Jamie Lynn Spears. One moment she was a squeaky-clean teen television sensation and star of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101. The next, she's in the news not for her acting but for being a pregnant teenager. With one decision, her reputation is now in shreds and her television show is under the threat of cancellation. One decision; huge dilemma.

This week is Sanctity of Life week. And because of the Hollywood Mama Drama, it is also a perfect time to understand that mama drama doesn't only happen in Hollywood. Every year nearly 1 million teen girls find themselves pregnant, and unlike Hollywood stars who have the money and fame to carry them, these girls wonder what they should do. Many choose abortion, and because of this they not only sacrifice the life of their child, but this decision also brings heartache they must carry for the rest of their lives. Perhaps YOU can be the one who can make a difference.

Who was the first one Jamie Lynn Spears turned to when she found out she was pregnant? Not her mom. Not her sister. She turned to a friend. What if you were that friend?

As a teen what can YOU do when a pregnant friend comes to you for advice?

Remain calm and loving. Your friend most likely feels alone, frightened and extremely sensitive about her pregnancy. The most important thing you can offer is your continued friendship.

Show God's love and forgiveness. Your friend may have been looking for love by giving herself intimately to a guy. Now she might feel ashamed and unworthy of love at all. Point her to God, who loves her unconditionally.

Celebrate life. She may consider this baby a "mistake"--a barrier between her and "normal" life. Lovingly remind her that no matter how the baby was conceived, he or she is a gift from God.

Be available to share ... and to listen. Your friend has big decisions to make, and although you can't make those decisions for her, you can be available to help her consider her options. Share information you've discovered on fetal development and on the physical and emotional trauma of abortion. Most of all, be willing to listen to your friend's deepest concerns.

Find help. Your friend is most likely in need of more answers than you can give. Visit a local crisis pregnancy center with your friend, or call CareNet for help at 1-800-395-HELP. Encourage her to tell her parents and to seek the counsel of a pastor or youth pastor.

Partner with her to make better decisions in the future. My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson) is a book for teen girls and encourages teens to script their lives instead of being caught up in the drama and emotions of the moment. Read it together. Talk about the importance of making good choices.

Give her a book to help her face her unique issues, such as Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being Young Mom (Zondervan).

First post

2008-01-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, my blog is officially open! I do like this set up a whole lot better than myspace, which is what I've been using until now. Getting more and more involved with other writers I've found it important to have a decent sort of blog to post on. I want to start posting book reviews and interviews. I think it is important for any one who has an interest in Christian Fiction to promote it however possible. I've been passing my books around friends in my church, and am now adding this new avenue for getting the word out... There is good Christian Fiction out there!

I remember 10 years ago I didn't know that there was. I stuck to Starwars and Startrek books to get my fiction fix, with out diving in to books that might be a bit shady. I thought all Christian fiction books were boring, and not worth my money, what little I had at age 14. Boy was I wrong!

My introduction in to Christian Science Fiction was Kathy Tyers' Firebird books. I happened across the first one at a local bookstore that was getting ready to shut down. Thinking it sounded sort of 'Trekkieish', I bought it. I was hooked on the first chapter, and to this day those books are among my all time favorites.

It was a long time before I'd find any other Fiction Books, when I was a teenager I was silly... I thought that all good fiction was science fiction, unless it was the Chronicles of Narnia. I was scared of fantasy, scared it would have some strange mumbo jumbo in it, that would taint my mind. My father was on top of every book I read, ensuring I did not fill my mind with junk. There were a few books he forbid to read, because they were so new age, and I was too young to realize it. Looking back, thank the Lord for a Godly man with a sensitive spirit to guard the things I read!

I remember my introduction in to other realms of Christian Fiction. I was cleaning my room and found a book my grandmother gave me. I had never read it, figuring it would be boring, I just set it aside. I was the sort that hated cleaning, (in fact i should be doing it now, but this blog is more important, *winks*). In my attempt to avoid cleaning my room I started reading that book. It was the Golden Cross by Angela Elwell Hunt. Again, I was hooked. I bought all the Cahira O'Conner books and have them on my shelf still to this day. I've gotten many of my friends to read them.

In the middle of all this I found I have a heavy burning desire to write stories myself. When I was 14, a friend of mine got me involved with PBEM RPG's. I learned a lot about writing and still participate in them, for fun and practice. I met my husband through one such game. I've been very blessed to be given a husband who wants to write as well. We write together!

The older I get, the heavier this burden gets, but I had no idea where to start. Last year, I found a Christian Book store in my area and decided to pick up a few books. I found one that dove in to the fantasy world, Karen Hancock's Guardian King series. I was so excited about those books. They were great! And there was nothing 'weird' about them. I was very eager to find more books. I went back time after time looking for more books, hoping to find something that would change my life, and help me. I kept passing over this book with a brown haired woman holding a sword looking at a city. I think I said to my self three times 'Maybe I can afford to get that book next time'.

Maybe God held that book for me, but after several months I finally picked up Sharon Hincks, The Restorer. I think I read that book in record time. It awoke a hunger in me to read the word of God. How else are you to stave off the tricks of the enemy? I think I annoyed every one I was around, I couldn't shut up about that book! (I still can't by the way!)

When I finished the book I decided to send an email to two authors. I wanted to share with them how much I enjoyed their books, and how excited I was to know that good Christian women can write such effective stories! It gave me so much hope that my stories might one day be effective to others.

I sent the longest letter to Sharon Hinck. I was so excited when I woke up the next morning and found an email back from her. I hope you know just how much I appreciate you talking to me Sharon, I feel God has used you greatly to urge me forward! She advised me to do several things, one of which was get on a yahoo group called acfwbookclub, also to try and find a Christian Writers group in my area. Well I did the first one right away, and I read those posts every day. The Christian writers group I'm still working on. There is one in Maine, but its a good distance away, and they meet when I have to work.

While I am learning to write, and trying to work out my stories I decided to get myself as deep in to this world as I could. I've asked to be part of a book reviewers listing, and created this blog to post such reviews. I hope to be able to interview other authors and learn from them. Soon very soon, I hope God will open the doors of my mind even more and I will be able to get a book out. I have... I believe six floating around in my head right now. Its rather confusing some times, but I trust God will work it all out, and help me to write books that will impact others and draw them closer to HIM. That is my mission. I am only a scribe, meant to tell the stories that will draw people to the true Author.