Author Karen Malley writes on adjusting our expectations, even at Christmas.
We’ll decorate the house with lights, I’ll make a ridiculous number of Christmas cookies, we’ll attend the candlelight service on Christmas Eve, we’ll set up a tree and exchange presents, we’ll gather with family…
We set expectations for Christmas, and frankly, for most things in life. We think we know what life is going to hand us, but sometimes God surprises us. In my new Christmas release, the main characters attend a church service where the pastor says the following:
“How many of you have certain expectations for Christmas?” Pastor Micah took a moment to gaze around the congregation. “I’m sure Mary and Joseph did, too. I can’t imagine Mary ever expected to deliver the Savior of the world amongst animals. She certainly didn’t expect shepherds to be the first to greet her newborn child, or for him to be laid in a feeding trough miles and miles from home.” “We have certain expectations about Christmas as well. And some of those are good. But keep in mind, God’s plans for you might be different. Life isn’t always about our plans. I encourage you this Christmas to open your heart to what God has planned for you.”
Unmet Expectations
There have been many times in my life when things didn’t go according to my expectations. Losing my dad, job loss, a cancer diagnosis, dear friends announcing a divorce… None of these were things I expected to happen. But God is faithful. He never says He won’t give us more than we can handle. But He does say He’ll be with us in the midst of it all.
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Sometimes, we have certain expectations, and God goes beyond them. I’m on the other side of my diagnosis, I’m in a job I love, and I’ve been blessed to be able to write multiple books! We don’t know the future, but God does. There’s such comfort in that. He knows exactly how to guide us because He knows the way. He’s never surprised by what happens to us. So why do we fight to try to figure it out for ourselves? I’m so grateful God is willing to stand by our side. Not only that, He wants to be there with us. The Creator of the universe wants to walk with us through our struggles and our blessings. I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty amazing, in my opinion!
New Christmas Release
In my latest Christmas book, Lucy has to adjust her expectations of what Christmas will look like. I hope you are blessed by the story, and maybe learn a thing or two about God along the way!
Lucy loves her familiar Christmas traditions. Why shouldn’t she? At sixty years old, they’ve become a part of her. But this year, they’re all thrown out the window when she drops everything to drive across the country to care for her sister in Arizona. So much for a white Christmas! Between her anxious dog, her sister’s thieving kitten, and a way too attractive ice cream truck driver, will she learn that trying something new might just be what God has planned for her?
Cactus for Christmas is on sale for only 99 cents! Purchase at Amazon
Author LoRee Peery is writing about how it pleases God when we care for widowed mothers. It warms my heart to read of Christian love lived out so practically. Welcome, LoRee!
Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
1 Timothy 5:3-4
The spiritual theme for Christmas in Garland, my 2023 contribution to Pelican Book Group’s Holiday Extravaganza, is “It pleases God for children to care for widowed mothers.” This story is the sequel to Christmas House. Just when Foxx and Pepper are excited to get on with their lives as a couple, they are torn because their mothers need attention.
A Lack of Control
More and more as I grow older, I realize how little control I have over most things that touch my life. What I can possess is the ability to accept those life circumstances I can do nothing about. For example, I recently invited twenty-seven family members for a gathering to celebrate our recent six-room remodel. Seven people showed up.
Except for a second-grader and great-grandchildren, my grandchildren are grown. Three worked that day, along with one son-in-law, another grandson had worked since early morning and needed to go home and sleep. One son’s family had Covid in the house. Two other grandchildren were ill. I couldn’t get upset. Those present sat around one table and we had a lovely time of reminiscing and fellowship.
Then, I bagged up, handed out, and froze three and a half of the four purchased pizzas. I had no reason to feel disappointed or sad. Those select few around my table were there according to God’s plan, not mine.
Real Life Meets Fiction
That real-life day amounts to nothing compared to the ongoing situation of my story people. Foxx and Pepper have quite the tough backgrounds. This year’s Holiday Extravaganza, Christmas in Garland, continues Pepper and Foxx’s story, which began in Christmas House.
Pepper Rainwater is thriving in newfound faith, blooming love, and her own Christmas house. But the appearance of her mother brings back all the ugliness of growing up in a storage unit. Can she face family issues from a new perspective and forgive her parents for the past?
The discovery of Foxx Haven’s true beginnings shattered his sense of security. For the first time, he questions his father’s love and now his birth mother has entered his life. Did God really plan this mess for him? He’s such a wreck inside, how can he be the man of faith Pepper deserves?
Their mothers bring challenges and time constraints on Pepper and Foxx. He longs to show his love, she yearns to bask in his attention. How will they help their widowed mothers, make life easier for one another, heal appropriately, and look toward a bright future?
Next will be Pepper’s sister’s story in Christmas Fulfilled.
Before the busty holidays hit us, take time to be thankful for family. And always pray for the people God surrounds you with.
Author Karen Malley writes about how we don’t measure up and her new release, Moonlight and Mystery. Welcome, Karen!
How much time and energy do we waste in life trying to measure up? Maybe we feel we don’t have enough money, we’re not attractive enough, or we don’t have the right title. If we’d just get that next promotion, everything would be ok. Or maybe we just need to lose ten pounds to feel better about ourselves. Many women who stay at home with their kids feel inadequate next to working women, where working women feel inadequate next to stay-at-home mothers. We’re constantly bombarded with advertising that tells us we need a nicer car, a newer phone, or fancier jewelry. In nearly every aspect of life, we hear we are not enough.
What do you want to hear first? The good news or the bad news?
And you know what? It’s true. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In our own strength, we do fall short. But it’s not because of our looks or our job status or any of our possessions. It’s because God is holy and righteous and perfect, and we can never be good enough on our own. That’s the bad news. But the good news is, once we’ve turned over our lives to Christ, we are enough. Do you know what God has to say about us?
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love, He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17
1 John 3:1 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”
Our appearance fades. Our wealth and our jobs can disappear in an instant. But our true worth, our true identity is found in Christ. We are children of the Almighty God, who loves us so much He rejoices over us with singing!
The next time you start to feel unworthy, remember, the Creator of the universe rejoices over you!
Check out Karen Malley’s book!
In Karen’s newest novel Moonlight and Mystery, the heroine, Beth, has been told her whole life she has to meet certain expectations. She never feels she measures up. The story follows her journey of discovering her true worth in Christ. So if you’ve ever felt like you aren’t worthy, you might just enjoy reading her story!
Beth Tarrington has it all: a gorgeous fiancé, a lucrative career, the latest model car, and a high-priced condo. On top of that, the Tarrington name opens every door in town. So why is she so discontent? When everything falls apart in Beth’s life, will she finally find the strength to stand on her own two feet? Is God really willing to stand by her side, even after ignoring Him for so long?
When Jason Brooks meets Beth, his head tells him to run in the opposite direction. Beth is a high-society snob engaged to another man, and he’s not sure where she stands with God. So why does God keep bringing the two of them together? Can these two find love, in spite of everything that stands in their way?
Learn more about Karen Malley
If you’d like to learn more about Karen and her books, please stop by www.karenmalley.com. If you sign up for Karen’s newsletter, you’ll receive a free short story devotional in your inbox each week, and be the first to learn about new releases and giveaways!
Meet author Jodie Wolfe and read what she has to say about finding that peace we all desire. Jodie’s latest book was released last week, and in it, her main character faces some tough decisions. But she, like us, can choose peace.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27 KJV
Have you ever found peace to be elusive? Fleeting? You pray and ask the Lord for peace but all you experience is a constant reminder of the storm you’re going through. You can’t see past your current troubles. Every time you think you’re making some headway; you get slammed with something new that’s even harder.
You begin to question whether God is really with you. Is He really listening, or is He busy doing something else? You pray for direction, but no answers come. Or so it seems.
I’ve found myself going through trials through the years that tested my peace in God. Sometimes I floundered and didn’t do so well. Sometimes I recalled His faithfulness. What made the difference?
I need to make a choice of where I focus my attention. Am I going to keep looking at the problem and mull over the ‘what ifs’ and ‘if only’, or will I choose to focus on the truths of God? I choose to remind myself of all the answers to prayer He’s provided through the years. To study His Word to find His faithfulness. To dwell on His promises. Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds me, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Peace is an active choice we can make, even in the middle of a storm. This is something my character, Gertrude Miller, discovers in my new release, Wooing Gertrude. When her life falls apart, she’s faced with some tough decisions.
Will you choose God’s peace today?
Check out Jodie Wolfe’s latest book!
Enoch Valentine has given up finding peace for his past mistakes. He throws everything he has into being the new part-time deputy in Burrton Springs, Kansas while maintaining the foreman position at a local horse ranch. But when trouble stirs on the ranch, he questions whether he’s the right man for either job.
Peace has been elusive for most of Gertrude Miller’s life, especially under the oppressiveness of an overbearing mother. She takes matters into her own hands and sends for a potential husband, while also opening her own dress shop. Gertrude hopes to build a future where she’ll find peace and happiness.
Author Susan Lyttek is talking about change, her interpretation of Psalm 23, and how it connects to her new release, Portal Watchers. (I have to say, this book/series sounds like it would make a GREAT movie!)
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
Change and the issues of dealing with it have been a theme and an instigator in the last couple of books I’ve been working on. We know change happens. Some changes we look forward to, even if they mess up our status quo. Others, in fact probably most of them, we dread.
God, Sheep, You and Me
God knows we need to grow and become more and more like His Son. He also knows we’re like sheep. Sheep resist change.
Now, I’ve never raised sheep, but I have helped herd them a couple of times. With my car. Trust me when I say, they don’t want to move. They don’t want the changes the shepherd has planned for their own good. Even honking a horn won’t dissuade the most stubborn of them from remaining in the rut it has found with a bit of brown grass and dirty water.
In light of what sheep are and how they behave, I’d like to say we totally miss the tone of Psalm 23. We see it as calm, reassuring and pastoral. We read it and see swathes of green grass, hear the birds chirping and feel ready for a nap. Uh-uh. It’s all about change. We should read it as an action-adventure novel.
Think about it.
It starts with the idea that we will not want. In order to not want, we have to follow the shepherd. First, he makes us lie down. Emphasis on the make. When sheep get agitated to the point that they no longer obey the shepherd, he will force them down, his hand on their backs until their breathing regulates and they see him.
From that point, he can lead them past water that might be brackish or poisonous, and they will follow without trying to drink. Before the next set of challenges, he will restore them with food and water. Then they follow him through narrow, craggy paths through the mountains, down into dark and dangerous valleys, and into the presence of predators. It’s only trusting the shepherd that makes any of the changes and obstacles good. Dwelling in his house forever is an attitude, not an absence of conflict.
In The Portal Watcher Series by Susan Lyttek, three young men (all around 14 as it begins) have their world upended. Without wanting to, they find themselves embroiled in prophecy and the instigators of change. Other than vague references, they don’t even know the Creator Tel who has singled them out for this fate.
But like the sheep that need to be forced down to see the Shepherd, the love of the helpless will use their inner characters to pursue good. Because as we know, when David says “surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life”, he means that God will follow him as well as lead him… Making certain he does what will change him and his world for the better. Or as David says in a later Psalm, You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me.
As Garth, Ne-tel and Bern find themselves hemmed in by their desire to protect the dinosaurs, change will happen and they will grow for their good. Whether they like it or not. And isn’t that how the best of changes in our lives often begin?
New release by Susan Lyttek
A world oppressed. An Ancient Prophecy
When Bern, Ne-tel, and Garth witness the appearance of a portal through which emerges a great flying creature, the three do not realize this is an event long foretold. These beasts, these dinosaurs, will be sent by the Creator Tel to aid his children in a time of great oppression.
Queen Subja rules Telantia with cruelty and malice. She controls the masses with her unnaturally powerful servants, the Vil. But the appearance of the three pterosaur eggs signals her reign over Telantia is nearing its end.
But the creatures have been sent to three young men. How they stand the face of such evil?
Sometimes the ordinary can accomplish the extraordinary.
Katherine Robles is here to tell us a bit about her new book, Falling For Forever – which releases today! Welcome, Katherine!
Years ago, when my kids were little, I went from working part-time at the Y, to part-time at a school cafeteria, to full-time as a school paraprofessional in the span of three years. Each job change added more hours and higher pay. One memory stands out vividly from my first week at the paraprofessional job. I was in the staff lounge with my new co-workers, feeling rich because I was making $8 an hour more than I had been three years before, and listened in shock as they complained that we don’t make enough money! No matter how much we earn, there will always be someone earning more.
Is It Wrong To Want Success?
Is it wrong to want success? A promotion, a raise, accolades for a job well done? Of course not. But that desire needs to be balanced with submission to God’s sovereignty and gratitude for God’s provision.
In Falling For Forever, Hillary aspires to climb the corporate ladder and have an influential life. But her dissatisfaction with her circumstances causes her to judge those around her harshly and almost costs her the love of her life. In Philippians 4:11, Paul says that he had “learned to be content whatever the circumstances”. Did you catch the keyword there? He learned contentment. Which means that we can learn it too. A great way to start practicing contentment is by giving thanks.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Father, thank you for providing for my needs. Help me work heartily to please You and not man. You cherish and value me, and that is enough. Amen.
A Bit About Falling For Forever
Hillary is stifled by an entry level IT job in the Virginia suburbs and longs to move to Washington D.C. where she can make a difference in the world. When Javier comes to her rescue in Great Falls National Park, Hillary likes everything about him except for the gorgeous fiancee hanging on his arm. But things are not as they seem and he enlists her help to renovate a homeless shelter. Romance blossoms over paintbrushes and pipes until a career launching opportunity arises. Hillary can chase her dreams, but they might cost her Javier’s heart.
