Experience the Happily Ever After

The winner of Diane’s books are Maria Michaels. Congratulations, Maria! Now, on to my own Christmas memory.

Truth be told I have many fond Christmas memories, from the time I must have been five and my parents took me out for a Christmas Eve drive in search of Santa only to hear him ‘ho, ho, ho’ as I got out of the car to the time when it was really foggy and my brothers were concerned Santa wouldn’t be able to find our house. The first Christmases with each of our kids to the Christmas we were all snowed in. To the first Christmas hubs and I spent together in 1989 to this current one of 2013.

We’ve survived a lot of ups and downs over the years, especially since 2006 when we spent Christmas in the hospital with my mother-in-law who’d had a stroke. Only a few weeks later, as they life flighted her to the Mayo clinic in Michigan my husband and my father-in-law found themselves sliding on ice right underneath a semi-truck. My father-in-law and hubs walked away without a scratch.

From then on, Christmases had a whole new meaning. The size of the presents no longer mattered, the stress of buying the right gifts no longer mattered. Trying to be everything we could be to everyone no longer mattered. It was time to slow down, time to cherish moments as a family because we fully understood time could be snatched away at any moment. It was time to praise our Lord and Savior for every moment that was given us.

In May, hubs was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, and I have to admit I was scared, very scared. I had to wonder if we’d have any more Christmases together, especially since we were given all the statistics with malignant melanoma. But God is so very wonderful and so very faithful and He reminded me that no matter the outcome He will never leave us nor forsake us. And hubs reminded me that we need to cherish building memories, not fear they’ll be our last.

A few months after hubs’ diagnosis, we received word that my father-in-law has stage 3-4 throat cancer. Last night, as we were walking out the door to spend time with my parents and my adorable nieces and nephews, I received word that my father-in-law is in the hospital. Seems he’s not doing well. I also received word that my grandmother, who is several hundred miles away, is also in the hospital with an infection. In the midst of what seems like bad news can only be countered with love. The same kind of love that God displayed for humankind when his perfect son was birthed to a virgin, or at least the best sort of love we can share, after all, God’s word tells us to love him with all our heart and all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Luke 10:27 NV)

I also choose to be joyful and to maintain a spirit of thanksgiving, even in the midst of trials.

I just want to treat everyday like it’s Christmas, to bless people everyday like it’s Christmas, to shower them with the love of Christ everyday, like it’s Christmas everyday! To build special Christmas memories, everyday!

Merry, merry blessed Christmas.

I’m giving away a copy of The Guardian’s Promise to one commenter. Winner will be announced New Year’s Day. Since I haven’t received my author copies yet the book will be mailed out as soon as I get them.

A Kingdom in Jeopardy

An evil queen and her royal guards will stop at nothing to find—and kill—the rightful heir to the throne of Judah. When their pursuit leads them to Mira’s village, only her father’s bond servant, Ari, a man shrouded in secrets, can keep Mira safe.

Abandoning his life as a temple guard and becoming an indentured servant was the only way Ari could protect young Joash, the true King of Judah, from Queen Athaliah. But his sacred duty prevents him from confessing his feelings for his master’s daughter. With the future of their nation on the line, Ari and Mira will risk everything to save their people.

When she was younger, Christina tried to dig herself to China, loved Three Billy Goats Gruff, and had an obsession with maps. She gave up her dig to China but still jumps at the chance to travel even if it’s just down the road. She loves watching modern takes of fairytales and mythologies on the big screen and still has a huge obsession with maps. The older the better.

Born and raised in Kansas, where she currently lives with her husband and children, Christina loves to read stories with happily ever afters, research,  take photos, knit scarves, dig into her ancestry, fish, visit the ocean, write stories with happily ever afters and talk about her family and Jesus.

Her debut novel, The Guardian’s Promise, releases from Love Inspired March 2014.

*To be eligible for The Guardian’s Promise, you must leave a comment and live within the Continental United States. Winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be notified Jan 1st and posted on the sidebar as well.