Guest Author, Sharon K Connell

 

I always love reading Sharon’s stories.

 

Wyoming Called

 

Someone wants to get their hands on the Dunne land and isn’t particular how they go about it. Who are the strangers milling about the property, and why do they keep showing up?

 

While riding his motorcycle into Wyoming, Brett Gallagher winds up on an abandoned road. His world collides with Crystal Dunne, he’s knocked off his bike, and Crystal rescues him from an approaching mountain lion. But while he heals from the accident, tension runs high between the two of them.

 

The Dunnes need his help, but should he stay? Could this chance accident be the Godsend they all needed?

 

Purchase Links:

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1957246057

eBook: https://www.amazon.com/Wyoming-Called-Sharon-K-Connell-ebook/dp/B0DFR1WB7N/

 

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/sharonkconnell

 

Website www.authorsharonkconnell.com 

 

Other books by Sharon K Connell:

 

Trust Never After

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1957246006 https://youtu.be/9QyaRXSD5Kk

Amethyst Lights

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923795 https://youtu.be/dy4i84Tugx8

Tall Pines Sanctuary

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923787 https://youtu.be/BzlXYTM2_Do

Ko'olau's Secret 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923752 https://youtu.be/t0sJi8btmA8 

Sharon's Shorts~A Multi-Genre Collection of Short Stories https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923744 https://youtu.be/s0HrpWm2qPM

Treasure in a Field 

www.amazon.com/dp/1732923736 https://youtu.be/WFwFDANNs1Y

Icicles to Moonbeams Novella 

https://amzn.to/2OfcHYi https://youtu.be/-LBMY7Pe2vo 

His Perfect Love 

http://amzn.to/2iCMALI https://youtu.be/GHMZ2Tb9sqM

There Abideth Hope 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/173292371X https://youtu.be/bQ7FT6PPLrs

Paths of Righteousness 

www.amazon.com/dp/1732923701 https://youtu.be/bBC25TioE9c

A Very Present 

Help 

http://amzn.to/2yuF4eE https://youtu.be/3a75HKgSkao

Mock Cheesecake from Kathy's Kitchen

My friend Marilyn, who was once my boss, recently told me about mock cheesecake, and I found that this works well in Kathy’s kitchen. Marilyn’s recipe is below.

 

Ingredients:

1(8 ounce) package cream cheese

1(8 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/3cup lemon juice

1teaspoon vanilla

1graham cracker crust

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat cheese until light and fluffy.

2. Add condensed milk, blend well.

3. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.

4. Pour into crust and chill until firm.

5. Top with canned pie filling or the fresh fruit of your choice.

 

We had this with cherry pie filling. Very yummy. Next time I want to use some fresh berries.

 

I went looking for more recipes, and found this online.

 

No-Bake Pudding Cheesecake

 

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1-1/4 cups of finely-crushed graham cracker crumbs (about 9 long graham crackers)

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling:

• 12 ounces very soft cream cheese (1-1/2 cups)

• 2 cups cold milk

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 package (3-3/4-ounce) Jell-O Instant Lemon Pudding & Pie Filling (or any flavor you wish)

• Optional garnishes: Whipped cream, fresh berries, canned fruit pie filling, chocolate curls

Directions

Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar and melted butter in a large bowl. (If you used a food processor to make the graham crumbs, you can use it to blend in the sugar and butter, too.) Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the graham mixture in the pan and use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumbs into a firm, even layer. Put the pan in the fridge.

For the filling

Blend the very soft cream cheese with a hand or stand mixer on high speed until it’s creamy and smooth. Add in 1/2 cup of the cold milk and blend until combined. Pour in the rest of the milk, the 2 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla and the pudding mix. Beat everything together for two minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice.

It’s important that the cream cheese is at room temperature and soft for a successful cheesecake. Cold cream cheese will make the texture of the cheesecake look curdled and lumpy. Slice it into cubes to help it warm up more quickly.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust in the pan, and use a rubber spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill the cheesecake for at least two hours until it’s set and very cold.

Use the ends of the parchment to carefully lift the cheesecake from the pan, and set it on a cutting board. Cut the cheesecake into 9 slices and place them on a serving platter or individual plates. Top each slice with garnishes like whipped cream, fresh blueberries or raspberries, strawberry or cherry pie filling, or curls of dark or white chocolate.

Store leftover cheesecake slices covered in the fridge for up to one week.

 

I chose chocolate pudding and lazily used a ready-to-go graham cracker crust from the store. We topped it with whipped cream. I am so happy to have new desserts to add to our menu. 

Psalm 23, Our Comforting Shepherd

            A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

    He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

    he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Even 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.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

 

Father, what a beautiful picture, you as the comforting shepherd who walks beside me. You insist on my rest. You strengthen my faith. You show me what is right. Father, not only are you with me in my hardest times, but you give me honor before any who would fight against me. What a joy that I can live with you forever. I love you, Lord. 

Guest Author, Jodie Wolfe

 

Thank you, Jodie, for sharing with us. I like quirky. :)

 

An Insight into the New Release, Convincing Lou

By Jodie Wolfe

When I set out to write the final book in my Burrton Springs Brides Series, I had no idea the wild ride the Lord would lead me on as I went through the writing process. Amid brokenness and pain from a heartbreaking situation, I could relate to my heroine, Ellie Lou Williams, as she struggled to find God in the midst of the fire God took her through. But despite all her difficulties, Ellie Lou learns anew of the Lord’s faithfulness. I was reminded of this too as I wrote the book.

 

I’m so encouraged by this verse from Isaiah 43:2 (NIV).

 

When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

 

Did you notice the verse doesn’t say if you pass through these things, but WHEN? I love the comfort that can be found in God’s Word. How He promises to always be with us.

 

I hope you’ll want to journey with Ellie Lou as she learns to trust the Lord no matter what she’s going through.

 

Here’s a sneak peek at the book:

 

Blurb

How hard can it be to round up one delinquent groom?

 

Ellie Lou Williams will do just about anything to save her ranch, even going undercover as a man to round up a fella who is late to his own wedding. The reward will more than cover the money she owes the bank and solve all her problems.

 

Caleb Dawson agrees to one final job as a deputy US Marshal before he starts his new life away from the trail and tracking criminals. What he isn’t counting on is a mysterious bounty hunter who’s determined to undermine his every step.

 

Will one reach their goal first? Or will they learn to lean on God and work together?

 

Bio

 

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers (FHLCW). She's been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, knitting, and walking. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

 

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.jodiewolfe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jodie-Wolfe-553400191384913

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodie-wolfe

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/JodieAWolfe

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15220520.Jodie_Wolfe

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jodie-Wolfe/e/B01EAWOHXO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

MeWe: https://mewe.com/jodiewolfe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-wolfe-3955b2bb/

 

Purchase Links

https://qr.pbgrp.link/convlou

 

We Need to Clean the Refrigerator

        We’ve been saying that to each other for a while, but we never seemed to find the right time. Last week was the right time.

 

About four o’clock Tuesday afternoon, I was on the phone with my mom, and the power went out. I talked to her for a minute, maybe about how we were supposed to have a storm that afternoon, but soon I realized she wasn’t answering. My phone had cut off.

 

At least five tornadoes occurred in the Cleveland and surrounding counties that afternoon, which is unusual for this area. More than three hundred thousand people were without power. Ours didn’t come back on for 75 hours.

 

God was so much better to me than I deserved that afternoon. Before the power went out, I had a weather alert on my phone, saying we were in a tornado warning and everyone should move to a basement or other safe area. I checked the weather forecast, and it said we had a thunderstorm warning.

 

I couldn’t hear anything going on outside, so I wondered if I’d misunderstood when it said a tornado warning. I can’t hear a lot from outside, but I can usually hear strong wind or thunder. Murray said there was very little tree damage he could see on our street and no damage at our house. There was much property damage throughout the community, including on nearby streets, but praise God, no reported injuries.

 

I was so not careful. I just sat in my armchair, by a window, all afternoon, not aware of how serious it was. God was so good to me.

 

The running joke around our house for the next three days was, “Could somebody turn the fan on? It’s so hot in here.”

 

On Wednesday, I felt really depressed, like I couldn’t do anything. I had braille I could read, and knitting to do, but I didn’t feel like doing much. I confess, that afternoon, I went to bed for the entire afternoon.

 

Thursday morning was when we normally have garbage pick-up, so that morning, we threw away more than thirty pounds of meat. And that was just the beginning. We stock up when we see a great sale. That’s not quite what we had in mind when we talked about cleaning the refrigerators.

 

Thursday morning also, when we plugged my phone in on the charger we had from the car, it started talking, saying the time. I said, “Is that my phone? My phone is talking!” I was so delighted.

 

By noon that day, I could receive and send texts, and after six that evening our son Caleb called me, and I had a conversation on the phone for the first time in two days. I felt like my world had changed.

 

That day, I felt much better and read over both the braille manuscripts I have to grade. I figured I’d be able to go through them much faster once the power was back on and I could work on the reports.

 

We thank God for how much better things were for us. Some people without power needed to be on oxygen; others had difficulty getting food. Murray and Sarah were able to shop for us and Murray could charge phones and other devices for us when he went to work. They did not lose power at his office, about seven miles west of us.

 

We got really tired of fast food by Wednesday night. I’m not sure we did much better after Murray and Sarah had gone shopping. One meal was chips and salsa. On Friday evening when the power came back on, we were having doughnuts and Cheez Its. Murray suddenly said in a quiet, amazed voice, “Kathy, the power’s on.” “It is not,” I said, but then the fan was on, and I realized I’d just heard the microwave ding.

 

We called my mom and Murray’s aunt Melody right away to tell them we had power, but I said to them, “We can’t talk long. We need to go and use some electricity.” 

Psalm 22, The Trust of Jesus and David

            For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.

Verses 1-3: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

    Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?

My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.

6,8: But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.

“He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him.

Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”

9-11: Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.

From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

13-14: Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me.

16-19: Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me;

    they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me.

They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

But you, Lord, do not be far from me.

    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

22,24: I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one;

he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

30-31: Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.

They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

 

Jesus quoted from this psalm on the cross, and other verses were describing what happened to him that day. Parts of this also describe David and us, too, during times of sorrow and struggle.

 

Yet through all the pain and terror, Jesus and David knew that God is holy, that he was still the one to trust.

 

Lord, I want to better trust you, to better praise you.