Rhonda's Doings !

From the Heart of a Woman  Love Letters to My Lord by Sylvia Hensel book review  So many times when author Sylvia Hensel bows in prayer, she finds herself transported to another place. She feels herself being lifted up on arms of love to a realm of oneness with her Lord. She feels as though she is the bride in the Song of Solomon. He comes to her in the midnight hours and calls her to Himself. Every nerve of her spiritual being is in tune with Him as He whispers words of love in her ear. He takes her in His arms, and they dance across the heavens while He sings over her. She is enraptured by His exquisite love for her. In those moments they share their intimate thoughts with one another. It is when His presence is lifted that she finds she has written much of what was said, and she is awestruck at the beauty that had transpired during the time they shared. These are her personal love letters to Jesus. For many years He would not allow her to share them, but...

WINNER OF SAMANTHA BAYARR KINDLE/NOOK GIVEAWAY JACKIE TESSNAIR You may choose from these three kindle/nook ebooks: Jacob's Daughter , Little Wild Flower -Book One, or The Quilter's Son (available July 2012)  You will receive email from me today!   Samantha Bayarr is graciously supplying the ebook!   Thanks, Samantha!   Thanks to all who entered and commented and followed and shared on facebook and/or twitter!  I love my followers!

  The Struggle by Wanda Brunstetter is a stirring read!   Book 3 in the Kentucky Brothers series coming July 17, 2012. When Timothy Fisher, his wife Hannah, and their daughter Mindy leave Pennsylvania to begin a new life in Kentucky, Hannah finds it hard to adjust. Will Christian County ever feel like home? Nothing Timothy does seems to please Hannah. Has the move from Lancaster spelled the beginning of the end? When a tragedy occurs, an inconsolable Hannah blames her husband for their loss. Timothy can barely rise beneath the weight of guilt, his wife’s hostility, and stress of his job. What dramatic second chance will God provide to heal their grief? Can a couple rent by gri ef find renewal? Timothy Fisher’s decision to move his family from their home in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, isn’t a happy one for his wife, Hannah. Everything she knows is in Lancaster County—her mother—her home—her friends. But what choice does Hannah have? Realizing that her pl...

A Season of Love by Amy Clipston Kauffman Amish Bakery series Book 5  Book Review In the fifth and final novel of the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, three young women are about to change their lives. Lizzie Anne and Samuel have decided to get married, and Lindsay is about to be baptized in the Amish faith and is courting Matthew. While Katie Kauffman is happy for her friends who seem to have settled their futures, she is also finding herself something of a fifth wheel.When Lindsay's sister Jessica returns to Bird-in-Hand, she finds that Jake Miller has moved on with his life. He lost hope that Jessica would ever be satisfied to settle in rural Pennsylvania and takes comfort in becoming close friends with Katie. However, it's not an easy road as Jake is Mennonite and Katie has just been baptized in the Amish faith. Her father forbids them to see each other, adamant that his daughter marry an Amish man. A Season of Love is filled with surprising twists that will grip yo...

Life , In Spite of Me   Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice by Kristen Jane Anderson  with  Tricia Goyer  Kristen Jane Anderson tells her true story in  Life, In Spite of Me, Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice.     Depression was a reality for her father and grandparents and an uncle had committed suicide,  but it was not something the family talked about.  So when Kristen began acting out as a teen and feeling like life was hopeless, she had no one to turn to for answers.   Her mother tried to intervene and took her to a counselor.  The psychiatrist told her to cut it out or she'd end up working in a McDonald's for her life's profession.   Medication did not seem to help when she took the prescribed antidepressants.    She began drinking alcohol, smoking, and partying.   At one of the parties, a young man she cared for raped her.  She hid it from everyone and took the shame on her...

Chasing Fireflies  by Samantha Bayarr Book Review BOOK FIVE Jacob's Daughter series After tragedy struck Noah Beiler's life nearly two years ago, he turned his back on his faith and the community. No one except Rose knows he has remained in the dilapidated home that overlooked the pond that he'd grown to despise. When new tragedy strikes, he is forced out of hiding. Will chasing fireflies on a warm, summer night change his life forever? Find out in this tale of summer love... I have to say that this book was one of the sweetest, most romantic books that I have read in a long time!   I am still smiling as I reflect on the characters in the story.   Noah has exiled himself from his Amish community and buried himself in his grief, when along comes Rose.....does he save her life or does she save his?  Or does God send them to save the other's life and renew hope to both of them?   I do not want to spoil the story for any readers, so I won't go into de...

Interview with Amish fiction Author, Samantha J. Bayarr  and Kindle/Nook Book Giveaway Winner of giveaway will be able to choose one of the above: Jacob's Daughter, Little Wild Flower, book one, or The Quilter's Son (if you choose The Quilter's Son, it won't be available until July 2012) I'm thrilled to feature an interview with Amish fiction author, Samantha J. Bayarr, today.  Samantha is also graciously offering a kindle or nook book of your choice from the three titles featured above.   Leave a comment on this post to enter the contest.  I will draw a winner on Friday, June 21, 2012.  For extra entries (up to 3), follow my blog, share on facebook or twitter, and leave a comment telling me how you shared to enter.   Thanks!   What prompted you to write Amish fiction, Samantha?  Do you have any family in the Amish faith?  When I lived in Goshen, Indiana, for almost ten years, I came to enjoy mingling with the Amish.  I wou...

Spending Time with God Daily This image of Jesus is one as depicted in the book: "Heaven is for Real" This is taken from my Joyce Meyer's "The Everyday Life Bible" reading: she adds notes to scripture and thought how appropriate this one was for the talk we had here about technology recently on Amish Living: In the Old Testament, the ark of the covenant represented the presence of the Lord.  I cannot stress enough how much we need God's presence in our lives--in fact, we need His presence more than we need anything else. When God called Moses to tell Pharaoh to let God's people go, Moses was scared and insecure about his lack of abilities. But God said to him, "I will surely be with you" (see Exodus 3:10-14). Later God told Moses, "My presence shall go with you: and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14).  I love Moses' reply:  "If your presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here!" (Exodus 33:15)...

Her Restless Heart by Barbara Cameron Stitches in Time series book 1 How many of us have questioned the existence we've known since birth?  how many of us have wondered where we belong?  where we fit in?  Mary Katherine has grown up in the Amish faith and culture, but she has an Englisch friend, Jaime, and a young man from Pinecroft, Florida, who are giving her pause to question.   She feels restless and unsure of where she belongs.  The bishop is constantly asking her when she is going to  join the church and she does not have the answer yet.  Her grandmother knows of her grand-daughter's restless heart and asks her to come and live with her and work in the shop she runs, Stitches in Time.  Things are not so great at home with Mary Katherine's father and this gives her a chance to focus on the weaving and designing that she loves.   Her long-time friend, Jacob, is interested in her and wants answers from her as well, but he is willi...

Unto Others  by Samantha J. Bayarr Book Review  This book may be difficult for some to read as it was for me at points.  Samantha J. Bayarr writes this prequel to The Little Wildflower  series to explain how Jane and her family came to the Amish community.  The events that came before their joining the Amish community are painful ones.  Jane's mother is an alcoholic and is highly abusive to the family.  She is especially abusive to Jane and her sister, Nadine, and baby Lucy.   Jane finds refuge with Bradley when he visits his grandmother each summer.   He gives her hope when he introduces her to a loving God and gives her a Bible and teaches her how to read and study it and how to pray.    For me, this book dredged up painful memories of my own.  My own father was an alcoholic and it can be a painful, lonely existence for families. I want to add that my own father did seek treatment and recovery through AA and inten...

Cancer Fighting Prayer Shawls  I crocheted this off-white prayer shawl for the mom of a little one-year old who is battling cancer.  As I crocheted, I prayed for peace, comfort, strength for the mom and dad, and healing for little Abby.  This is the little duck lovey blanket that I crocheted for Abby.  I prayed for healing for her as I crocheted it. I hope it brings her much joy and fun as she recovers and heals.   Pray for Abby and her family.  Pray for all those who are currently fighting the valiant struggle with cancer! Father, Abba, thank you for the love you have for us.  Thank you for your healing power.  You are the great Physician.   Please lend your healing powers to this precious child, Abby and her family.   Give them strength and peace for the journey.  Be with the doctors and nurses and guide their steps and hands.   Be with all those who are fighting cancer, Father.  Touch their bodies a...

James River State Park in Virginia We drove through James River State Park today with our little dog, Cocoa. The forest ranger gave Cocoa two little bags of "doggie trail mix" when we stopped by to get a tag to drive through.    The park is actually in several counties:  Appomattox, Buckingham, Nelson, and Amherst.  It is quite large.  There are cabins to rent, primitive camping sites, electric/water hookup sites for camping, kayak, canoe, and tubing rentals, horse riding trails, and boat landing, 3 fishing ponds, and fishing in the river....lots of beautiful wildflowers everywhere!   The mountains are easily seen from most all the locations and we just enjoyed the beauty of God's creation.  The James River is the largest watershed system in the state of Virginia, by the way.   

Family Friendly Blogger

AND THE WINNER IS: LORETTA!!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!  You will receive email from me to get your address to mail them on Monday, July 9.   Thanks to all who entered!  we'll do this again sometime!   Blog Hop Giveaway:  Crochet Dishcloths and Hotpads (May vary in design)  Comment to enter....to earn extra entries: follow my blog, share on facebook, or share on twitter.  Leave one comment telling me how you shared.   Leave your name and email in comment so I can contact the lucky winner!!    Winner will be drawn on July 7, 2012.     http://livingstonhallpublishers.blogspot.com/2012/06/giveaway-blog-hop.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&ut

 Waiting for Morning review  by author, Karen Kingsbury I've done it myself.....when someone I love has been late arriving home, I've gone over and over it in my head.  I have imagined them being killed, in a car accident, kidnapped, injured, and yet, never ever really thinking it will happen.  Hannah experiences it when Tom takes the two girls for their annual camping trip before they must head back to school.    They are late arriving home and Hannah begins to worry.   In the meantime, a man Hannah has never met has been sober three weeks when his boss comes in and fires him.  Brian Wesley tries desperately to make it home to his wife, Carla, and little Brian, Jr. without making a stop by a local bar.  He fights it with all that he has within him and then, he just can't take it anymore.  He makes a big mistake and goes into the bar and starts ordering and drinking. Two hours and probably fourteen beers and whiskeys later...

ARMCHAIR BEA Blog Interview with blogger: Rhonda Gayle Nash-Hall                                                                                                photo courtesy of nina of nina reads Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been  blogging? Why did you get into blogging?   I am a 50-yr. old retired teacher, on disability due to health problems.  I have always loved reading and taught my daughters to love it too.  I have 3 grown daughters, 4 grown stepchildren, and 11 stepgrandchildren.  I have just been blogging a few months and got into blogging due to my love of reading and writing, and free books and connections with authors.  :) Tell us one non-book-related th...

Review of Arms of Love  by Kelly Long Book's back cover: The year is 1777. America is in turmoil.  And Amish life is far different than today. Pennsylvania in the late 18 th  century, once called William Penn’s Woods, was an assortment of different faiths living together for the first time in American history. Included in this tapestry was a small and struggling population called Amish.   Surrounding this peaceful people were unavoidable threats: both Patriots and the British were pillaging land and goods for the sake of the war, young Amishmen were leaving the faith to take up arms and defend freedom. A simple walk in the untamed forests could result in death, if not from bullet or arrow, then from an encounter with a wild animal.    Amid this time of tumult, Adam Wyse is fighting a personal battle. To possibly join the war efforts and leave his faith, which would mean walking away from the only woman he’s ever loved: Lena Yoder. B...