Maturing as a Christian

Although we are at different places in our walk of faith, all Christians should be growing and maturing. We may do so at varying rates, but we should still be moving forward. When I taught school, students were expected to make a year's growth each school year, and this was factored into the achievement test scores. If a student didn't make the expected growth, they regressed. If Christians stand still, they aren't showing a commitment to Christ or a surrendering to the Holy Spirit's guidance.

If you don't mature as a Christian, it is easy to be led astray. Satan will try his best to see that this happens. But if you stay true to your faith, he is simple to defeat. In fact, Christ has already defeated him on the cross on your behalf. All you need to do is claim that victory and stand strong in the strength of the Holy Spirit within you. Keep your focus on the Lord, and He will direct your path.

There are several things you can do to strengthen yourself and mature in faith. Here are four:

1. Admit when you're wrong, when you mess up. Repent and learn from your mistakes. On a positive note, failures will help keep you humble and keep you from harshly judging others.

2. Study and apply the Word of God. Carve out however much time you can give to this daily, whether it's ten minutes or two or three hours. It's an essential, valuable part of a successful Christian life.

3. Set aside time each day for a formal prayer but then pray all during the day as needs arise, you see others requiring help, and to thank God for blessings sent your way.

4. Depend on the Holy Spirit. He will lead, guide, direct, and teach you. He will be your strength.

A mature Christian life is not a destination, a place you arrive at. It is a journey all Christians take. We won't get to full maturity this lifetime, but we'd like to get as far along the road as possible. The more we mature, the better life gets, the more satisfaction we find from our faith, and the more joy we find in the Lord. Let the journey continue.

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 Heather, Hot Springs Bride

My newest book, Heather, Hot Springs Bride, published on Friday. Heather Perry has always resented the government’s control over their lives in the national reserve. In her opinion, the government casts a dark shadow over Hot Springs, Arkansas. The land may be rich in healing waters and history, but its people are bound by leases and not ownership. Then Anson English arrives, a quiet, humble man in a wheelchair, Anson came at the insistence of his grandmother to seek relief and recovery in the bathhouses that define Hot Springs. Heather is captivated by his strength and vulnerability and watches his journey with growing affection. But when she learns the truth, that Anson supported the very system keeping her town under its thumb, her world tilts. When betrayal cuts deep, will love be enough?

I shared some of the history of Hot Springs National Park's in two blogs I posted last month (in September). In a trip there to research the book, I discovered intriguing information that gave me the understanding and historical grounding I needed to write an authentic story. The park, then a reservation, sets the background, but this is a story of two people, struggling against adversity to find a happy future despite rough spots in the road.

The book is available in paperback, on Kindle, and as an Audible audiobook. Wendy Arcega, who also narrated Bretta's Business, brings the characters to life. I'm always impressed with her work and think you will be, too. I'm glad she could work this one into her schedule. Be sure to check the book out in whichever version you prefer. 

Heather - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJ5H4BQT

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 God's Word, the Foundation of Our Faith

He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

We can't be effective Christians without making God's Word a regular part of our lives, and it needs to be much more than what might be heard in church. His Word is the foundation of our faith. It's where we learn who He is, what He expects of us, and who we are to Him. The more you read it, the more you will find yourself eager to do so, hungering and thirsting for it.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a decerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

His Word equips us for living the best life. It furnishes the armor we will need for battling temptations, sin, and evil. It gradually transforms us, shaping our character, renewing our minds, making us more Christlike, and emboldening us to walk in love and faith. It sustains us in this world and prepares us for the life to come.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet (Psalm 119:105).

It illuminates our path when we encounter darkness or the pathway grows dim. God's Word is the wisdom that transcends circumstances, anchors us through any storms, and offers comfort and peace. It is the truth of ages that never changes. It even offers love, grace and mercy when we fail and repent of those failures. If you've never done a daily Bible reading, start with a Psalm or Gospel, such as John. Let His Word speak into your day, your decisions, or your doubts and see what happens.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:
but the word of our God shall stand for ever (Isaiah 40:8).  

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35).

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Author, Marlene Bierworth 

Hello everyone. Author Marlene Bierworth here today to spend some time with you all. I have been a happy retiree since 2014, married for 54 years, 2 children, 5 grown grandchildren, and 4 great grands. I live in Canada in the summer and Florida in the winter.

I started publishing contemporary and historical Christian romance after retirement, and now have over 100 books listed on Amazon—all available in KU for subscribers. It is not simply my goal to entertain, but to also bring hope and encouragement to readers through the words and lives of fictional characters.

Fans tell me they love the characters I create and their growth through the trials on the way to their happily-ever-afters. They look forward to my delivery of unexpected twisted plots, watch for the diverse threads of mystery, adventure, intrigue, faith, hope, love, and romance, and are blessed for my threading differing degrees of the Gospel message into each storyline.

"Life is an adventure waiting to be told"

and it is my goal to

"help book lovers experience it to the fullest."

           

I have written many books in a fictional or USA setting, but when presented with the opportunity to build a storyline in Canada’s own Banff National Park, I jumped at the chance. This is a brand-new series, round one presently unfolding, with two more planned for the future. There is no more a majestic location to place historic characters and a romance story, than in the National Parks.

See Round 1 Here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9VRGMWP

 

My book—Rosa: Banff Hot Springs Bride, is #5 in the series.

Rosa has her world turned upside down after Frank McCabe, and brothers William and Tom McCardell, all Canadian Pacific Railroad workers, stumbled upon the hot springs—an event that led to the creation of Banff National Park. Indigenous Peoples and mountain dwellers knew of and used the hot springs long before the railroad arrived. Their presence was too close to Rosa’s home tucked away in the Alberta Rocky Mountain range, for comfort, leaving her on edge—especially after her encounter with Stewart and the gunmen at the springs. The naïve girl has known or experienced nothing beyond what her sheltered mother—a released captive from the Dakota tribe since childhood—and her father, a rough and tumble trapper, have taught her. Isolated, mountain living, with mostly Natives as her neighbors, did not prepare her for the surge of civilization converging at the base of Sulphur Mountain.

GET ROSA HERE: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F8BG3G8K

 

Book’s Description

When the Canadian Pacific Railroad workers discover the Banff Hot Springs while linking the east coast to the west, life as Rosa has always known it in the Canadian Rocky Mountains is changed forever.

Taking Stewart Craig, an injured man, to her cabin to heal, opens the door not only to the good, but the bad of the civilized world, whose goals are to destroy the peaceful isolation of her homeland.

Change never comes easy. The invasion of her quiet life in the Rocky Mountains and co-existence with her native friends is threatened by the arrival of the railroad workers and the higher powers that seek profits from tourism

Is Stewart a bridge, sent to help in Rosa’s transition, or is he leading her into a time of personal devastation? Rosa is torn as her heartstrings are pulled and her surrender to transformation becomes inevitable.

****

Change never comes easy. To have one’s small isolated world enlarged to such a degree must have been overwhelming for those living off the land. The healing waters of the hot springs the Natives had enjoyed for generations were no longer theirs, and with nowhere to hide from tourism and civilization, the last of the clans surrendered to the reservations farther south.

The orphaned Rosa, is faced with the same dilemma.

No—change did not come easy.

This is an elevated view of the Banff area and Tunnel Mountain.

 

The exciting thing for me is that not only did I do research online, but I actually went to Banff National Park on holidays one short year ago. I took the background picture above, and below is a photo of my hubby and me standing at the top of Sulphur Mountain overlooking Banff and the smaller Tunnel Mountain where Rosa grew up. I could almost hear her whisper, “Now you know why I love it here.”

 

8,041 feet above sea level…

No, I did not climb all of it. The gondola brought me up most of the way,

but we trekked the 33 feet upwards to Sanson’s Peak

 

Vacations are made of this!

Authors find storylines everywhere in God’s Creation.

 

BEFORE you LEAVE:

Did you check out my September release, Rosa Banff Hot Springs Bride? It comes highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F8BG3G8K

Would you like to join Dream Creations: Sweet Romance, and never miss a new release or sale?

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I put out newsletters on Friday, showcasing my books and other authors you love. Along with a bit of my life-happenings, what’s happening at my desk, parties, book funnels and much more. Join now and get a free gift:

https://mailchi.mp/dfbf1290cb6a/dream-creations-newsletter-for-book-lovers

The God Spot

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3).

Did you know there's a place in your brain that engages in a special way when you pray and connect with God. In his book, Divine Rest, Aubrey Duhig talks about this: "Our minds aren't just racing at bedtime--they're searching for closure, for meaning, for connection. Prayer and meditation don't just calm the nervous system; they satisfy this deeper longing. ... Let me share what happens in your brain when you pray or meditate before sleep, because it's more remarkable than you ever imagined."

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

"Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist at Thomas Jefferson University, has spent decades studying the 'God spot' in our brains using SPECT scans. When people engage in focused prayer or contemplative meditation, something extraordinary occurs. The Prefrontal Cortex Lights Up: This is your brain's CEO--responsible for attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation. During prayer, it becomes hyperactive, creating what Newberg calls "a state of focused calm." The Parietal Lobe Quiets Down: This region helps you understand where your body ends and the world begins.  When it goes quiet during deep prayer, people report feeling 'at one with God'.... The Amygdala Shrinks: Your brain's alarm system literally becomes less reactive. MRI studies show that people who meditate regularly have amygdala that are 8% smaller than non-meditators. But here's what makes this research particularly fascinating for Christians: The brain changes are most pronounced when people pray to a personal God rather than engaging in generic mindfulness."

My meditation shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord (Psalm 104:34).

"Dr. Amy Wachholtz at the University of Colorado compared three groups: those who practice secular meditation, those who used spiritual meditation with generic terms like 'universe,' and those who prayed to God using personal language like 'Heavenly Father.' The personal prayer group show the greatest reduction of anxiety and the most significant improvements in sleep quality. The implications are profound: Your brain is literally wired for relationship, even--or especially--with the divine." Science is telling us what believers have known through the ages. We are made by God, belong to Him, and do better when we turn to Him.

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 Heather Is Coming

In my soon to be published novel, Heather, Hot Springs Bride, Heather Perry helps her family run a boarding house in Hot Springs National Reserve. Anson English and his grandmother come to take advantage of the waters at the bathhouses, hoping to strengthen Anson's legs, injured in a riding accident and confining him to a wheelchair. The reservation had become popular for all sorts of health concerns, especially since the Civil War. Anson goes to the newly constructed Fordyce Bathhouse, the most luxurious one.

Here is some of what Anson experiences:  As soon as they checked in at the bathhouse, Stedman pushed him into the men’s section of mahogany changing rooms. To Anson’s dismay, the rooms were small, little more than a closet, and wouldn’t accommodate a wheelchair. Stedman helped him maneuver from his chair to the bench seat in the room, but it wasn’t easy. In fact, one of the attendants came to help. There he undressed and wrapped a sheet around himself like a Roman toga.

The men’s bathing section was more impressive, and since he doubted the other bathhouses’ facilities would have been any more accessible for a wheelchair, he found himself glad that Grandmother had insisted on the Fordyce. The eye-catching marble fountain in the center of the room drew his attention at once. It featured a statue of Hernando de Soto, the Spanish explorer who was believed to be the first Caucasian to see a hot springs in America.

Anson liked the soothing sound of the flowing water. The ceiling above the fountain held a gorgeous stained-glass scene depicting an aquatic design. The calming colors and intricate motifs created the feeling of being under the sea. Even the walls in the large rectangular men’s bathing hall were made of decorative tiles in pretty designs as was the floor. The marble-line bathing pools, complete with marble partitions and mahogany doors, added to the elegance.

The hall also had other amenities such as massage rooms, steam cabinets, and cooling rooms. They had thought of everything except accommodation for wheelchairs. An attendant adjusted the settings and filled the tub with water the right temperature. Then he helped Stedman get Anson into the water.

The thirty minutes of soaking in the hot mineral water went faster than Anson expected. He also found the experience more pleasing than he’d anticipated. He suspected it was more than just the water itself; it was the whole experience, including the ambiance of the place. He left feeling a little weak but better than he had in a long time. He just doubted it would last.

Be sure to get your copy of Heather, Hot Springs Bride, now on preorder and releasing on October 3.

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 Obey

If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

Part of living a Christian, God-pleasing life is being obedient to Him, not out of fear, but in reverence and love for who He is. Scripture shows us that obeying the Lord is foundational, not optional. There are consequences for making poor choices and wrong decisions. The stories of biblical kings, prophets, and others give vivid illustrations of this.

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim (Judges 2:11).

Think of how many times the Israelites suffered for their disobedience in the Old Testament because they turned from God and sought to worship the pagan gods of those around them. These stories serve as powerful reminders of the consequences of sin. God is merciful, yes, but He is also just. Obedience invites blessings, while rebellion and sin bring correction.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

We need to fully submit to God's commandments, His guidelines, and His will. This isn't always easy. Satan works hard to convince us otherwise, appealing to our desire for control and independence. He whispers deceptive thoughts to plant seeds of doubt and distraction. We often call these rationalizations -- subtle excuses that lead us from God. However, we can stand firm in our faith, resist the enemy's lies, and let our trust in the Lord send Satan fleeing. Let's choose that path.

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