Author Archives: Janet Sketchley

About Janet Sketchley

Janet Sketchley is an Atlantic Canadian writer whose Redemption’s Edge Christian suspense novels have each been finalists in The Word Awards. She's also the author of the devotional collection, A Year of Tenacity. Janet blogs about faith and books. She loves Jesus and her family, and enjoys reading, worship music, and tea. Fans of Christian suspense are invited to join her writing journey through her monthly newsletter: bit.ly/JanetSketchleyNews.

God and People, Reconciled

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The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
Luke 2:11, NLT*

Nobody was ready. They didn’t even know He was coming, especially not that way—as a helpless baby—and in that place and moment.

But He came. God incarnate.

Because we’d never be ready without His help.

God with us. Our salvation. Our redeemer. Our friend. Our hope.

The word “sinners” is out of favour these days, perhaps because it conjures images of pointing fingers and judging tones. But “sin” means anything that separates us from God. Sinners, thus, are those people who are separated from Him.

That means all of us, as long as we’re living in our own strength. The only One entitled to point the finger chose instead to take on human form, identify with us, and bring us back into relationship with Himself.

God and sinners reconciled.

Not a bad gift at all.

Merry Christmas and a blessed new year to each of my readers. Thank you for taking time with me.

Creator and Redeemer God, we could never earn Your favour, but You love us too much to abandon us when we fall short. As we accept Your great gift of salvation, all we can offer is our hearts in obedient trust and love. We are Yours, and we rejoice in Your presence.

∞

Singing about our reconciliation, here’s Austin Stone Worship with Hark the Herald Angels Sing (from their Christmas album, which is one of my favourites)

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Review: Christmas in Shades of Gray, by Tina Pinson

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Christmas in Shades of Gray, by Tina Pinson Christmas in Shades of Gray, by Tina Pinson (Desert Breeze Publishing, 2013)

We meet David Pareman as a terminally ill man in hospital, bitter and alone. There’s something about his voice, though, that appeals. I bought the novel after reading the opening online. Listen to how he describes himself:

It’s Christmas time, but I’m not feeling altogether festive. Given the strands of tubing attached to me and all the off sounding carols played by the machines keeping track of my body rhythms, and the packages of blood and saline tied up neatly on stands, I could be the Christmas tree… I am a Christmas tree. A Charlie Brown special—weak and spindly. [Kindle locations 83 and 203]

Chemotherapy is poisoning David, and the morphine makes him hallucinate. Still, his mysterious visitor, Arion, seems like more than a figment of the medication. In Christmas Carol style, Arion whisks David out of the hospital bed and into scenes from his past: unflattering scenes that reveal David at his worst.

Tina Pinson is wise to introduce us to David in a way that builds sympathy, because he is not a likeable man. He has ruined many lives, and parts of his story are hard to read. He finds them hard to watch, here at the end of his life.

The search for something—anything—redeeming in David’s and his children’s lives brings only despair. Reading, I assumed that Arion’s insistence on a reason why God should answer David’s prayer for his children was to bring David to realize he can’t earn favour and needs to ask for grace.

Christmas in Shades of Gray is a satisfying tale. The ending is hopeful yet realistic, and there’s a twist I didn’t see coming. If David’s sordid life tempts you to stop reading, push through to the end. It’s worth it.

Tina Pinson’s website says that she “started writing in elementary school. (it was that or get in trouble for lying).” She’s the author of the Shadows (American Civil War) series plus 5 other novels including Christmas in Shades of Gray.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Letting Christ Shine In You At Christmas (Guest Post)

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Letting Christ Shine In You At Christmas
by Nike Chillemi

Nike Chillemi

The Christmas season can get kinda funny when I start thinking about God’s will and plan for me. That’s true even though I dearly desire for God’s priorities to be my priorities.

Right after Thanksgiving, if not before, I’m in the Christmas spirit. Things seem a little lighter, a little brighter. You don’t have to be a believer to feel this. Lots of individuals who do not classify themselves as Christians have moments during the Christmas season when they get all warm and fuzzy inside and they can’t put their finger on why. I think the light of Jesus coming into the world as a tiny baby in a manger simply has that effect on people. As a writer, I love a good story and this story warms us inside.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. [Gospel of Luke: 7-11 ~ KJV]

On the other hand, my schedule is so full during this time of year that even though I’m all wrapped up in holiday goings on, I can forget the reason for the season, as they say. Then I have to remind myself to slow down and let Christ shine through me. To do this, I’ve got to push aside the decorating, the cooking, the menu planning, the Christmas card sending, and make sure I’m connected to God, listening to Him, letting him direct the show.

But God will have His way and very often at Christmas He presents to me somebody with a great need, somebody who’s lonely… and I will welcome that person as a friend, include them at my Christmas dinner table, and/or get them a gift.

In my 1940s Christmas novel GOODBYE NOEL, pediatric nurse Katrina Lenart has been asked by the local police chief to care for an infant whose mother has been found murdered in front of a decorated Christmas tree. Katrina soon falls in love with the baby and we see Christ’s love shine through her as she sets her mind and will to protect this child from a heinous killer. At one point, Katrina risks her own life to save the infant from a kidnapping. I loved writing this Christmas story and particularly enjoyed crafting Katrina, whose faith grows and deepens as the novel goes forward through all the twists and turns of a murder mystery novel.

Purchase Links:

Amazon/Kindle, Christianbooks.com

Author Bio:

Like so many writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad and her good guys smarter and better.

She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chairman, a reader’s choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. BURNING HEARTS, the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, finaled in the Grace Awards 2011 in the Romance/Historical Romance category. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, third in the series released July, 2012, and DARKEST HOUR, the fourth in the series released in February, 2013. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning).

What Holds You Together?

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The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.
Hebrews 1:3, NLT*

Jesus sustains everything. He holds it all together: atoms and solar systems, swirling in their created dance. He draws it out, lets it continue and resonate like a lasting chord played on a piano.

When life feels like it’s spinning out of control—or when I feel like I am—this promise is my anchor. We might not like what’s going on, maybe can’t see any sense or any good in it, but it doesn’t have to break us.

We are held. Together.

When we want to quit, the choice is ours. But if we choose to pray for help, to stand and trust God to sustain us, we will see Him at work.

Majestic and glorious God, You made heaven and earth and still you choose to care for us. You sustain and nurture us and draw us into relationships with Yourself so we can thrive. When chaos makes us doubt, help our unbelief. Strengthen our faith and help us choose to rely on You. Thank You for Your promise to never fail or abandon us.

∞

I love this song from the band Fee about God’s sustaining power: “Arms that Hold the Universe.”

Review: Goodbye Noel, by Nike Chillemi

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Goodbye Noel, by Nike Chillemi (Desert Breeze Publishing, 2011)

The year is 1946. In the fictional town of Sanctuary Point, on the south shore of Long Island, New York, life is getting back on track after the war. It’s Christmas time, and spirits are high – until Katrina Lenart finds one of her neighbours dead.

Who would murder this young woman while her baby slept in the next room? With the father nowhere to be found, Katrina gets permission to care for the infant. She is, after all, a pediatric nurse. And she lives with her parents, who will babysit while she’s at work.

Katrina and the detective assigned to the case, Ian Daltry, get off to a bad start but quickly fall for one another. Ian can’t forget losing his wife in a drive-by shooting, and he’ll do anything to keep Katrina, his daughter Amy, and baby Leslie safe.

But can he do enough? Why is the baby a target? And for whom?

Katrina is equally determined to protect the baby, and she quickly becomes Ian’s unofficial helper to solve the mystery.

Goodbye Noel is a fun mystery with plenty of clues and red herrings. It gives an interesting picture of this era, where children of immigrant parents still face discrimination (Katrina’s parents are Czech) and where there aren’t enough eligible bachelors to go around. It’s an elegant time, even for middle-class people like Katrina and her family, and we get to observe a high-society soiree as well.

Nike Chillemi has written four mysteries so far in the Sanctuary Point series. Goodbye Noel is the second. For more about the author and her books, visit her Crime Fictionista website.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Meet Author D. M. Webb

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Writing as D. M. Webb, Daphne Self is the author of the novel Mississippi Nights and the devotional book 30 Days: A Devotional Memoir.

Janet: Welcome, Daphne. I see from your blog that you’re a homeschooling mom with a lengthy to-do list and a love of travel. Scotland and Florence, Italy… what puts those diverse locations at the top of your overseas wish list?

Daphne: Thanks for having me here, Janet. It’s an honor. To answer the question, Scotland because my ancestors, the McGregors, came from Scotland. I want to travel from Oban, Scotland and across the hills to Loch Katrine. The history of the McGregors is full and rich, and I think it’s cool to have ancestors that fled the oppression during the mid 1700’s to come to America. As for Florence, Italy, I want to see the art, museums, experience the romance of Florence. Plus, I just love that name!

Janet: Oban—you just reminded me of one of my favourite Celtic songs, The Dark Island. It has the line “as the steamer leaves Oban and passes Tiree.” Yes, Scottish heritage is rich and gives lots of scope for writers 🙂 And there’d definitely be lots of atmosphere and culture in Florence. I hope you can visit both places one day. From a wish for the future to a look at the past: what got you started writing?

Daphne: I honestly couldn’t remember. Ever since I was a small child, I always wrote things. Just recently I found a small play that was written when I was about 8 or 9. Horrible, but pretty good for my age, though. I always made up worlds and stories to tell my sister and small cousins. Fanciful tales of unicorns, goblins, kings, queens, and knights. I don’t think I ever stopped writing. I always read, so in time the love of reading a good novel meshed into the desire to write one.

Janet: I understand your new devotional, 30 Days: A Devotional Memoir, comes out of personal experience and a desire to minister to others who may be struggling through a hard spot in life. Will you tell us a bit more about it, please?

Daphne: 30 Days was hard, but yet, easy to write. Hard because I was sharing some of the most private parts of my emotions and laying my sins out there to see. In 30 Days, I express through true stories the hardships of being a widow and single mother, and how at times I wanted to give up. What was the point? I had no help, not even from the church; I gave up my food at dinner so my kids could eat because we usually had nothing but a little bit; I cried and cried so many nights, hoping and praying for someone to help me, to not only alleviate my hurting, but to comfort me, to encourage me… but there was no one. So I thought… I eventually realized that God was there all the time, I just had to look for Him and reach out to Him. There was no magical solution, but through prayer and studying of His word, I learned to lean completely onto God for everything. 30 Days is a candid look at the temptations, trials, and emotions that anyone who suffers from divorce, widowhood, and/or single parenting and how faith in God helps someone through it all.

Janet: The Bible encourages us to comfort others with the comfort we’ve received ourselves. I pray 30 Days will get into the hands of those who need it most. If you could tell readers one key thing you’ve learned from your spiritual journey to date, what would it be?

Daphne: To always, no matter how small my faith had become, no matter if it’s smaller than a mustard seed, I am to keep my eyes on Him. No money, no food, no job, etc… keep my eyes on Him. Jesus will always see me through.

Janet: That’s something we all need to take to heart, whatever our struggles. Now, you also blog at Rebel Book Reviews. Is there a story in that title? And what kinds of books do you most enjoy?

Daphne: I chose rebel for two reasons: 1) I’m a southerner (even if I am trying to move north) and Southerners are proud to be known as rebels. 2) I buck against a society that tries to control people and against stifling rules that hinder freedom. So, I blog about those books and those writers I find that are inspiring, and sometimes not as well-known, but they are free-thinkers. As for the kinds of books: well written books. My shelves are loaded with every genre imaginable.

Janet: You write fiction, non-fiction and reviews… do you have a favourite area of focus?

Daphne: Oh, fiction, most definitely. 30 Days was a book where I was pushed into writing. The nagging thought would not leave me until I had it compiled and sent into my publishers. But fiction is my greatest love when it comes to stories.

Janet: Tell us a bit about your novel.

Daphne: Mississippi Nights is a novel that was reborn from one that I had written when I was 14. Back then it was called One Big Happy Family. And in Mississippi Nights, it is a big, happy family who goes through a troubling time. The youngest son, David, comes back home 3 years after his fiancé dies. He and his brother, Jeremy, are still at odds and still resent each other. David blames Jeremy for Rebecca’s death; but, David also brings home a terrible secret–his addiction. The book tells the story about the two brothers and their ability to overcome resentment and hate, and to bond together to help each other. And how David’s faith is reborn through it all. Of course, there’s a little love story thrown in there. Maggie, the preacher’s daughter, is the perfect person to cool the hot emotions that burn David. The town is fictional, but the places mentioned in the book are real. The setting is true Southern life and the love of family.

Janet: You have a wide range of life and job experience, and probably some research as well. What’s the most unusual item of trivia you’ve filed away for future writing?

Daphne: Minnehaha means “Little Laughing Waters”. I plan to use that in a future book. My character will be from Sioux Falls, SD and he would always wonder about that name until he meets a woman from Savannah, GA who is a walking encyclopedia.

Janet: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Daphne: I use it in 30 Days: Mark 4:39 “and he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

Janet: Chocolate or vanilla?

Daphne: Chocolate… Dutch chocolate to be precise.

Janet: Precision in chocolate is important! Do you have any advice for beginning writers?

Daphne: Never give up, never surrender! I love that statement from Galaxy Quest, but it’s true. Never give up on writing. Never surrender to defeat. Trust God to lead you and never fear where that journey takes you.

Janet: Amen! What do you like to do to recharge?

Daphne: I watch BBC series, such as Dr. Who or Keeping Up Appearances, or maybe a little Star Trek or CSI (all three). Sometimes, it’s reading a book or playing the xBox games Disney Infinity or Plants vs. Zombie. Sometimes it’s board games (I’m addicted to Monopoly. I collect them.) It just depends.

Janet: Tell us something you appreciate about where you live.

Daphne: The lakes I live nearby. Sardis Lake and Enid Lake are just minutes away. It’s a good place to enjoy nature. I appreciate spring here, but not winter. Too wet! Plus, Mississippi is one of the freest states in the nation and it’s beautiful!

Janet: Thank you for taking time to join us today, Daphne. May the Lord bless you and your family, and bless many through your words.

===

30 Days: A Devotional Memoir

Do you desire to no longer be alone? Do you yearn for understanding and hope? Do you wish for a closer walk with Jesus?

When a relationship ends, whether through divorce or death, it leaves us with heartache and sadness. Fear of loneliness overwhelms our soul. Anger at God consumes us. We are suddenly thrust into unknown territory, lost and bewildered.

30 Days brings you deeply moving stories to strengthen your walk and bring you closer to Christ. Author D.M. Webb shares her three year spiritual journey with a collection of thirty devotions designed to reach out and uplift those who have endured the turbulent emotions that come with divorce, widowhood, and single parenting.

Check out Daphne’s Rebel Book Reviews, and you can also find her at these links:

Website: www.dmwebb.com

Find 30 Days at: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Deeper Shopping. You can connect with Daphne through:

Twitter: @DaphMichele

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebbDM

Blog: www.dmwebb-writebyfaith.blogspot.com

Faith, Patience, Love and Endurance

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But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.
2 Timothy 3:10, NLT*

I don’t know about you, but when I think of the Apostle Paul, patience and love aren’t top of my list of descriptions. I mean no disrespect to this ambassador for Christ—he’s a hero of the faith. But he sounds like he was a hard fellow to live and work with.

Faith? His was more than intellectual belief. He lived it, and died for it.

Endurance? He suffered frequent persecution and abuse for his faith. One of my favourite Paul stories is when he and Silas were in prison in Philippi, singing praises to God in the middle of the night. [Acts 16:16-40]

Paul definitely knew “the secret of living [and being content] in every situation.”

Perhaps this is where his patience appeared: in endurance and in persisting in relying on God. And his love wasn’t the soft, huggy kind, but his letters reveal a passionate commitment to the well-being and growth of Christians everywhere. He thanks God for them, he prays for them, and he fights for them.

Sovereign God, You were with Paul and You are with us today. Let us learn from Paul’s example. Help us to remember and rely on Your presence and power. Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief in those times when we don’t anchor to You. Help us choose to praise You no matter what, and to keep our eyes on You instead of on the problems.

∞

Let Matt Redman‘s “Blessed Be Your Name” remind us how to live.

Review: Cecile’s Christmas Miracle, by Ruth L. Snyder

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Cecile’s Christmas Miracle, by Ruth Snyder (Helping Hands Press, 2013)

Christmas homesickness hits a young missionary nurse serving her first year in Botswana. Cecile gave up the man she loved to follow God’s call – but why is her heart still yearning for home?

This short story has potential for a full-length novel. Stopping where it does, with the miracle Cecile receives (I’m not telling what it is!) leaves plenty of scope for the imagination. Working in the limits of the shorter form, the author also doesn’t have room to fully deepen her characters.

Cecile’s Christmas Miracle is a feel-good Christmas story, and each aspect of the miracle is clearly from God. Whether or not you appreciate Divine intervention in your fiction, this one’s worth reading for the glimpse into rural mission life at Cecile’s clinic – and for an idea of the dangers facing villagers at the hands of profit-hungry businessmen and politicians from the nearby cities.

Ruth L. Snyder is a Canadian writer serving as President of InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship. Cecile’s Christmas Miracle is one of the novellas in Kathi Macais’ 12 Days of Christmas collection. For a little background information on Cecile’s Christmas Miracle, click here.

[Review copy provided by the author.]

Pushing Through, by Jennifer Maggio

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Today we have another guest post, from award-winning author/speaker Jennifer Maggio. Jennifer has a passion for single moms. I’ll let her tell you more. Read to the end to see how you can win a free ebook:

Pushing Through

by Jennifer Maggio

Fifteen years ago, I found myself curled in a ball in the middle of my cold, bathroom floor, crying hysterically. I was convinced that no one could possibly understand the depths of my pain. When would this misery end? I was broken. I had no money, few friends, and no hope. How was I going to raise these children alone for 18 years? How could I make it financially? Would my circumstances every change?

That is my story – the story of a lonely single mom, living on government assistance, running from God, and feeling I couldn’t push through. The next several years brought a winding road of highs and lows, victories and defeats. But I did push through. I made it through those early years of parenting alone. Although I hadn’t been in years, I became involved in my local church, rededicated my life to the Lord, and slowly began the journey of digging myself out of a financial and emotional hole. My heart found rest. I leaned on the Lord, when everyone else had failed me. And I never forgot what it was like to be that lonely, overwhelmed single mom.

My new book, Peace and the Single Mom: 50 Moments of Calm in the Chaos, exists to walk another single mother through the certain loneliness she has felt, but also to guide her to God’s faithfulness, to wholeness, to humor, and ultimately, to peace. It was written as my “thank you” for all God has done in my own life. It was written as my encouragement to that mom who feels no one understands.

Single moms don’t need just another sermon preached at them. They don’t need another book that makes them feel they are light years away from being a good Proverbs 31 woman! They want to hear about God’s grace, His faithfulness, His unconditional love. They want to learn to laugh again. My hope is that Peace and the Single Mom does just that!

Picture Peace and the Single Mom as your girl-time with me, as we sit in your living room, sipping coffee, with our feet on the furniture.

[Janet’s note: Jennifer has graciously offered a free e-copy of Peace and the Single Mom to one of you… leave a comment, and I’ll draw a name on December 14.]

◊ ◊ ◊

Jennifer Maggio is an award-winning author and speaker whose personal journey through homelessness, severe abuse, and single parenting leaves audiences riveted. She is founder of The Life of a Single Mom Ministries and Overwhelmed: The Single Moms Magazine. For more info, visit www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.

Flee. Pursue. Enjoy.

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Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
2 Timothy 2:22, NLT*

…not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25, NLT*

The Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy are ones we need to hear today in our fragmented, too-busy world.

Run from—the NIV says flee—”anything that stimulates youthful lusts.” This includes more than just provocatively-dressed women wreaking havoc with men’s hormones. It’s anything that catches our eye/ear/heart and we want it. For those of us who aren’t young anymore, it can even be things that promise to help us feel/look/act young again.

Pursue “righteous living, faithfulness, love and peace.” They don’t grow without an investment of our cooperation and effort, even though God is the Master Gardener.

Enjoy the companionship of other Christians. As we spend less time in meaningful church experiences, and we find fewer believers in the workplace and neighbourhood, we’re losing our support system. We need the companionship, encouragement and challenges of other Christians. We are, after all, a body. Not a collection of single units.

Dear Father, please help us recognize when to run away—to run to You. Strengthen us to pursue the life You’ve designed us to live. Remind us of the importance of Christian companions. I especially pray for those who know You but have drifted away from church and Christian community, that You will bring Christians into their lives and help them recognize their need for fellowship and unity. Lord, we are weakest alone, and You call us to be strong in You and to not give up meeting together. Remind us when we forget, and please forgive our forgetting.

∞

Let Geoff Moore‘s song, “The Body of Christ,” remind us we need each other.

About Janet Sketchley

Letting Christ Shine In You At Christmas by Nike Chillemi

Pushing Through

by Jennifer Maggio

Letting Christ Shine In You At Christmas
by Nike Chillemi