#Virtualbooktour #Nonfiction #AmazonGiveaway #WritersLife #Self-Publishing. #Amazon #eBook #TheInWord #CynthiaRobinson

 

Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a one-month book tour and $20.00 Amazon Gift Card for The In Word: Two Letters That Will Change Your Life by Cynthia Robinson. The book tour will run July 5-29, 2022.

 

ISBN: 978-0578952932

 

Genre: Nonfiction, Christianity, Inspiration

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Cynthia Robinson is a 6-time published Author, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Pastor. She believes that every woman has a purpose and whether that is to be the best mother and wife or a CEO of a Fortune 500 company they deserve respect in their positions in life. 

 

As an author has written several books to empower and inspire the women of God to reach for their best life amid bad circumstance. As a coach, she believes in the building up a woman to move forward in their journey and learning to enjoy the process. She is a motivational speaker that ignite the people to go for theirs. Pastor Cynthia is a loving and compassionate soul that knows rebelling against God only brings you to him humble. 

 

She speaks to the hearts of men and women alike through her daily motivational messages on her social media pages and her blog entitled “My Crazy is Real,” which is on her website www.CynthiaRobinson.me. She works to change the mindset of women around the world to walk in the royalty they have called you in to by God.

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

As Christians it is somehow implied that once we are saved, we have all the skills for living a kingdom life on earth. There somehow a switch that flips on and we are downloaded with the faith to make it through all the storms. We will instantly trust God with our lives even though we were taught to not trust anybody. We are somehow just going to love God unconditionally when most of us were not loved and don’t have a clue how to receive love without conditions. We must learn the new life and way of living IN God. When we come to Jesus Christ as born-again servants of the Lord, we are not told that we need more that a service mindset with God to make into heaven. Our relationship with God can be broken down into three parts just like the Tabernacle of old. Either you are having a relationship (outer court), or you with God (The Holy) or you are in relationship with God (The Holy of Holiness). Now all are good to experience but faith, trust and love can only be when we are IN a relationship with God.

 

Cynthia Robinson takes you through the 3 stages of growth in God it is Have, With and IN. She explains the how’s, what’s, when’s, and who’s with familiar biblical characters and principles. Cynthia has included her own experiences waking in complete darkness right in the church.” I never know faith, love and trust in God would be like this but when you open yourself to his grace and mercy the True God can show up for you”. 

 

EXCERPT

 

The “IN” word is a simple yet complex book on being “IN” a relationship with God. We cannot just be a Christian or a religious person. At the point of adoption into the family of God, everything in our lives change. We are no longer on the outside looking in. No more just being Gentiles or Jews. Not sinners doomed to hell for eternity. The confession of your mouth that Jesus Christ came to die for your sins and that His resurrection confirmed eternal life with the Godhead, we are now heirs with Christ. 

 

With that being said, to be “IN” means we have something we must do. We are to be “IN” relationship with God. Now, I know some of you are saying, “I’m already in a relationship with God. I pray daily, I read my bible and I go to church. I sing in the choir, I minister to the young/the elderly, and I do other ministry work. I give to the poor and I do missions work out of the country. I pay tithes and offerings.” “My relationship with God is fine. Is it, really?” Everything mentioned are works for the Kingdom. It’s good, but what about the “IN” God part? Merriam-Webster defines the word “IN” as, used in a function to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits.

 

After reading this definition, what type of relationship do you have with the Godhead? Are you “Having” a relationship or “With” God “IN” a relationship or are you “In” relationship with God? 

Let’s see… 

 

 CONNECT SOCIALLY

 

Facebook           Twitter         Website          Instagram     Linkedln

 

 

 

PURCHASE A COPY

 

AMAZON             BARNES & NOBLE

 

ENTER THE CONTEST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR ORGANIZED BY WRITE NOW LITERARY

#SCRIPTINGEXPRESSIONS #VIRTUALBOOKTOUR Two Steps Past The Altar by Patricia A. Bridewell #NEWBOOKALERT @wnlbooktours

Write Now Literary is pleased to be coordinating a blog tour for Patricia A. Bridewell. This tour will run July 23-Aug 3, 2018.  Book your own tour here.

Title: Two Steps Past the Altar

Genre: Genre: Inspirational Romance/Fiction
  

ISBN: 978-1732130913

ASIN:B07DCC5XFT

          Meet Patricia 

Reading and daily journal entries were the catalyst to Patricia’s first novel, Reflections of a Quiet Storm, published by an independent publisher in 2009. An avid reader, her previous published work includes two books, multiple short stories, monthly health care columns for an online magazine, and several health care articles for a local newspaper. She also enjoys reading Women’s Fiction and Romance novels, which occupy many seats on her bookshelves.

Patricia is a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, she holds Adjunct Nursing Faculty positions at two universities. She is a member of the National Black Nurses Association/Council of Black Nurses – L.A., Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Black Nurses Rock, California Association of Nurse Practitioners, and International Black Writers & Artists.

Patricia’s church home is Greater Zion Church Family in Compton, CA. She considers music, reading, and prayer as the keys to relaxation and creativity, and she loves spending time with her family.

Patricia’s short story appears in the Brown Girls Books Anthology Single Mama Dating Drama, an AALBC two-time best-selling book. Two Steps Past the Altar is her third and latest novel. She is currently working on her fourth novel.

                                                About The Book

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Sasha Edmonds, is a motivated high-flyer with a stellar track record. Being the top sales representative and having a fiancé who loves her is more than she could ever imagine. Her life spins in another direction when she discovers that her mom requires a life-saving medication and her fiancé, Damien, may be cheating. Devastated, she breaks off their engagement. 

Amid healing, she becomes captivated by Wesley, a wealthy pharmaceutical businessman who may hold the cure for her mom, career, and wounded heart. Romance transforms into a love triangle, surfeit of lies, blackmail, and deception. A story of love, trust, restoration, and forgiveness.

Where did you get the inspiration to write Two Steps Past the Altar?

 Honestly, the idea for my novel came to mind while I was working on another one. My ideas are normally inspired from real life situations, mostly from what I’ve heard or seen in the world. Other ideas pop into my head, and I start jotting down notes. I write a few chapters and come back to them periodically until I am ready to work on the project.

What sets Two Steps Past the Altar apart from other books in the same genre?

 I think the book is an interesting story that will appeal to many readers. The novel is an edgy Inspirational Romance book that exposes real-life imperfections. Sasha Edmonds is the main character, and readers will get to know her strengths and weaknesses as she struggles to deal with her mother’s illness, career, love life, and the relationship with her father.

As an author, how do you get your work out to the public?

 Work, and more work. I promote on social media and I use multiple forms of  promotional resources. I also attend conferences and literary conferences where I can meet other authors and readers. I think it is important to connect and network. I try to do book signings when the opportunities are available, and I have a blog that has been useful in promoting my books, website, and where my books are sold. I also promote other guest authors on my blog site.

How much planning goes into writing a book? How long does it take to

complete your books?

 Planning for me starts with writing a synopsis of the novel. From there I develop character sketches, plus I find photographs of them online. I search for the perfect photos that match my characters’ personalities and appearances, then I add them to a file and save until I start writing. I must know names and information about the main characters at the beginning of the book. 

In the past, my full novels were completed within five to six months. Short stories within approximately two to three weeks. Several years ago, I participated in the NaNoWrimo writing contest that required writers to complete a book within 30 days. The contest takes place every year in November. I wrote the first draft of Two Steps Past the Altarin 30 days, and I was so excited after I finished. The positive side – I completed the book with a little over 50,000 words in thirty days, and this process helped me focus on strictly writing. The negative side – Afterward, I had an extraordinary amount of revisions and rewriting to do because I could not edit during the contest. But, this was a great experience and I have no regrets. However, I will stick to the 5-6 month timeframe.

What advice would you give aspiring writers that would help them finish a

project?

 Write every day, even if you do not meet your word quota. I stopped using

word quotas. I write whatever I write, whether it’s one thousand words, two thousand,

or five hundred. Research what you do not know, and be sure to hire a professional

editor to read your book. Developmental editors are very useful, and a copyeditor

after you complete your book is, too. I use editors that are referred to me by other

authors.

What’s next for Patricia A. Bridewell

 I am working on my next book, and my goal is to write books more frequently. I have a deep passion for helping other people and lifting spirits. I believe writers are so powerful. I thank God for the gift of penning genuine stories that readers can relate to.

.

Connect Socially

Twitter| Facebook| Website|

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble

Amazon 

         

www.wnlbooktours.com

#MOTIVATIONALMONDAY #INSPIRATION #ENCOURAGMENT @pauletteharper

“Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19 AMP).

Here, the writer, Isaiah, is admonishing us not to give heed to remembering the former things, but to take note of what’s happening right now. He admonishes us not to recall, recollect, or commit to memory previous situations and circumstances. Isaiah issues a warning of caution to prevent our minds from drifting away from God’s present dealings. He reminds us to refuse to give the previous situations the opportunity to detract us from God’s present reality: The new thing God is doing.

As people of God, we often do the opposite of what the Scriptures state. The tendency to rehearse the past is far too common and far too easy, especially when we have made bad mistakes and bad choices.

Decisions can affect us for years, and with every decision, there are consequences. In making decisions, you are not the only person affected by your choice. Children, family, and friends might also be affected by your decisions. Many decisions we make will alter our future and set the course of our life.

It’s detrimental to live our lives this way because we can never move forward and accept the new stages in life. “What if this? What if that?” We constantly question ourselves. We long to go back and correct things. Our minds drift back in time to yesterday’s mistakes. Friends, abandon yesterday’s regrets for the sake of tomorrow’s glorious victories!

The past only hinders us, and sets a trap for us to fail. We have to kill the past including the statement, “I remember when.” Not looking back is a choice we all need to make the moment we decide to do something new. We can never second guess ourselves unless we are absolutely sure that we can retract a previous decision.

Does this sound like you? If so, take some advice from the apostle Paul—get rid of that mind set and get out of that pit! He wrote:

 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 KJV) .

#MOTIVATIONALMONDAY #INSPIRATIONALMOMENTS

Ruth 1:20-22 

And she said to them, Call me not Naomi pleasant; call me Mara bitter, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?


If you have never read this story, here we have a woman whose life was drastically changed. First, she and her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons left Bethlehem because of a severe famine.

Looking for a better life, they journeyed to Moab. While in Moab, Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, dies, and ten years later, her two sons die, leaving her to care for her two daughters-in-law. Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, but upon returning she has no husband or sons, instead a bitter heart.

Just as Naomi did not understand why God had chosen to take her through one of the most challenging experiences in life, some of us pondered as well. Just like a child growing up in life we have expectation and plans that usually don’t include bruises, flat tires, accidents and bumps in the road.


We have a choice to make, either we are going to allow the situations to make us bitter, with what He had allowed, or we are going to let the situation develop and make us into a better person, today, decided to use the situation as a catalyst to make your life better. You can do it!!!!

Paulette is a multi-published author, workshop facilitator and inspirational speaker. For more information about Paulette and her new release Secret Places Revealed © 2016 visit:  Amazon: http://a.co/7hcScoE

To book Paulette at your next event visit: www.pauletteharper.com

#GUESTBLOGGER Prosper Where You're Planted by Kathy Carlton Willis

Welcome To Nothing But Books

Today's Featured Guest Blogger is Kathy Carlton Willis 

Prosper Where You’re Planted

We were excited about our brand new home, but not so much with our new sod and landscaping. It struggled to survive the move. Of course, the 100-degree heatwave didn’t help matters. The crux of the problem was transplant shock. Those green leafies were traumatized by being uprooted from their comfortable setting and placed into strange new surroundings.

We did all we could to “love on” our greenies. We refreshed them frequently with nourishing drinks of water. But even with the proper care, the bright green leaves of grass, trees and plants dimmed to a straw-like gold. Transplant Trauma.

It takes time and the proper care for transplants to adjust to new surroundings, and then they snap out of the shock and turn green again.

I know what it’s like to be a transplant, and perhaps you do too. You wonder how it’s possible to prosper where you’re planted when you’re dealing with your own version of transplant trauma. We didn’t get to stay in the hometown of our childhood. No, God uprooted us. Took us from the comfort of what we knew and loved, and moved us to a new area that needed us. God often sends us to parched places—to rejuvenate others with refreshing green ministry.

Sometimes it takes a while to get acclimated. We go through a period of transplant trauma. Shock. The refreshingness of the lush green we offer others temporarily turns to dry hay. With the right amount of time to adjust, and with the loving care of our new surroundings, we green up again. It’s good to know it’s just a temporary condition.

Sometimes we come to a new place still grieving the loss of what we left behind. We bring that trauma with us until we come to accept it. Other times, we are eager to get started in the new ministry, but are confronted by the culture shock of the new area. We adapt. We add the water of the Word, confirming our calling to our new spot. We soak in the SONlight. We allow our Heavenly Master Gardener to tend to our needs while we tend to the needs of others.

Are you yearning to prosper where you’re planted? Repeat this phrase with me: “Transplant trauma is temporary. God’s tender loving care is permanent.”

~+~

Kathy Carlton Willis writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith—whimsy and wisdom. She shines the light on issues that hold readers back and inspires lightbulb moments. Almost a thousand of Kathy’s articles have been published and she’s written several books, including Grin with Grace and Speaker to Speaker: The Essential Speaker’s Companion. She and husband Russ live in Texas with Jazzy, their hilarious Boston terrier. Learn more at: www.kathycarltonwillis.com

#MOTIVATIONALMONDAY #Inspirational #encouragement @pauletteharper

When the Odds Are Against You

As people of God, we are all faced with issues that seems to unbearable to handle. We believe God to do something big, different and out of the norm. For some of us we have been promised great ministries, financial breakthroughs, mended marriages, healings and the list goes on. Whatever we are believing Him to do there is a process we must go through to get what He has promised.

It’s going to take time, patience and fortitude on our part while waiting on the promises to be manifested in our lives. God is going to do what He has promised and all He requires from us is to believe, receive and obey.

Here are three points of reference while waiting:

• Trust that God will keep His promise regardless of how difficult the circumstances

In Genesis 18: 11”Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah as with [young] women. [She was past the age of childbearing]”

Here in this passage there are several things going against Sarah & Abraham. They are old and Sarah was passed the natural state of bearing children, yet God gives them a promise.

“And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, this man shall not be your heir, but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.” Gen 15:4

God gives a promise to Abraham, but God doesn’t give him all the details. Our nature is to ask why, when and how. The only information God gives Abraham is that he will some day have a son. No matter how difficult it is to believe, we must believe that God will not promise us anything and not deliver. After 25 years of waiting Isaac was born. Yes, it took 25 years of waiting. Can you wait that long for your promise to come to pass? Let me tell you it will be worth the wait. Don’t settle on anything less than God’s best for your life.

• We must press through the opposition

If we are going to received anything from the Lord, we must be persistent. Unfortunately nothing will come easy. Our opposition will come from our flesh, the devil, the world and people. In the process of waiting we must strengthen ourselves for the battle that lies ahead. Webster defines press as the ability to go forward with energetic or determined effort, to force one’s way. In order for you to receive you must be determined to press your way through all the doubt, fears, naysayers and uncertainties.

• Rejoice while waiting

When God gives us a promise, in order for us not to be discouraged, we must learn to praise God as though it is already done. The Word of God tells us to walk by faith and not by what we see or hear that will be contrary to the Word. There are times in which we must encourage ourselves. “My tongue shall sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous”. Psalm 119:172. The message that David is relaying is that we must choose to praise God knowing that He will fulfill every Word that He has promised.

No matter what we are facing, no matter how difficult it becomes to believe, remember when God speaks a Word be assured that He will do what He has promised. He remains faithful. Hold on to the promises of God especially during these turbulent times. 

Paulette Harper is an inspirational speaker and has authored several books in the genre of inspirational fiction, nonfiction and children's books. As a speaker, she shares solid, effective principles that will help her audience to navigate through the journey of life and reach the ultimate destination of living to their fullest potential. While addressing real-life issues, Paulette’s presentations are inspiring, enriching and encouraging. Her ability to share and connect with her audience comes from her own life’s journey and experience.

Paulette lives in Northern Calif.

#MOTIVATIONALMONDAY Standing Under Intense Pressure #christianliving #inspiration @pauletteharper

Standing Under Intense Pressure

 Around 605 B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar had a huge golden statue made and erected in Babylon. He then commanded that all people should fall down and worship the statue when the signal was given. Most everyone did this, since the consequences for refusing were to be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. 

There were three men, however, that refused to bow to the golden statue because of their loyalty to the Lord God of Israel. Their names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The king was furious when he learned of their defiance of the decree, and called the three to appear before him. Then, he gave them one last chance to bow before the statue, reminding them of the fate awaiting them if they refused, and pompously flaunting his power by asking them what god could possibly save them from a fiery furnace.

Have you ever been faced with death, loss of a job, loss of a love one, divorce, calamity or living in distress? I bring you good news today. Just as the three Hebrew men were faced with an eternal sentence of death, many of us are in the same situation and circumstances. No this is not the good news but keep reading......

Cast into prison for not bowing down to the King’s god and the King’s demand, left the three Hebrew men with only one option and that option was to continue believing that the living God of Israel would came to their defense.  Because of their disobedience to his orders, the King ordered the heat to the furnace be turned up seven times more than usual.

Do you feel like you are under fire? Are you bombarded with money issues, downsizing on your job, children rebelling, conflicts with family, turmoil everywhere, drama with the ex, pressure from coworkers, or challenges in ministry? Whatever the case may be, you find yourself in the furnace of affliction. You know the old saying if it ain’t one thing it’s another.

Just as the King offered the three Hebrew men another opportunity to bow down, you will be given another opportunity to either stand for what you believe or give way to the demands of the oppressor.

What will you do? Here is what the King said “Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

For the people of God there can not be any compromise. We must absolutely without doubt stand up for righteousness and defend the Gospel. Paul put like this: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

Whatever situation you find yourself facing, you have the ability to stand and endure.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [saw and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered, True, O king.” (Daniel 3:24)

Know this that the enemy is watching you to see if you are going to crumble and buckle under the difficulty. He’s looking to see if you can handle the heat and how you are going to respond. He is hoping you die under the pressure. The enemy is trying to desperately break your spirit. He’s hoping you give up, and doubt what God is going to do.

“He answered, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” (Daniel 3:25)

God is ready to loose you from the hand of the enemy; from darkness to light; loose you from those grave clothes; loose you from sin; loose you from everything that binds you. Loose the shackles, chains, restraints. As long as God is with you, you will walk through every adversity, trial, test, tribulation, hardship, attack, setback and so forth.

The enemy must get his grip off you. David said it like this: Yeah, 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. (Ps 23:1)

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who believed in, trusted in, and relied on Him! And they set aside the king's command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. (Daniel 3:28) 

If you stand firm in the midst of the fire, God will promote you! We may not like the place that we are in, it might be rough, and tight, everything is coming at you, and the test might have intensified but hold your position, hold your ground, stand firm for you shall see the salvation of the Lord.

The Author: Paulette Harper 

Paulette is the author of That Was Then, This Is Now, 

award winning Completely Whole

and soon to be released Secret Places Revealed 

Visit her at: www.pauletteharper.com

#MOTIVATIONALMONDAY #inspiration

"You are never too old to set another goal

 or to dream a new dream." C. S. Lewis

#MOTIVATIONALMONDAY Finding the Purpose of Life #completelywhole @pauletteharper

Finding the Purpose of Life

5 Ways to Grow:  Completely Whole

“So many of us allow bad experiences to get the best of us and we don’t learn how to turn those experiences into stepping stones for us to grow spiritually, emotionally, financially or socially.  I would be the first to agree that life can be hard and challenging however if we take a look back and begin to analyze how to use those bad experiences to help us in one area of our life, we will never look at bad experiences the same.”

Coming from Paulette Harper‘s book Completely Whole, which provides women and men with keys to living a life on purpose, spirit, soul and body.

Here are her five suggestions on learning how to live a happier life.

1. Accepting that sometimes the “Why” will never get answered.  When we can accept that many times we won’t be able to change the outcome and accept what has happened, and realized that it happened for a purpose and rest in that, we are better prepared to handle all experiences. 

2. There is no easy way out. Many times we want to escape the bad experiences by not dealing with them head on, but that won’t solve anything. Stop for a moment, look at the situation and make the necessary changes that are required to be more empowered.

3. Realize that God is in control. Our lives are totally in the hands of someone who knows how all things will pan out. Trust Him in every situation, knowing that He will guide you as you look to Him for help.

4. Forgive yourself and others.  In life people will hurt us. That includes family, spouses, children, and parents.  As you forgive others for their trespasses, God will forgive you of yours.

5. Pray that God will show you what it is He is trying to teach you.  Allow this opportunity to let God reveal to you what lessons are to be learned. Treat each experience as a great opportunity to grow and mature.

Read the first chapter: http://bit.ly/2a0Gkq8

Please leave a comment... What motivates you? 

#BEHINDTHESCENES #Secretplacesrevealed #Bookexcerpt #inspirational #fiction #romance #wnlbooktours

Secret Places Revealed

@pauletteharper

A broken man, a woman on the run, a love that won’t be denied

Single—and very content--real estate developer Aaron Blackman is determined not to be in another relationship. He’s experienced enough drama to last a lifetime. The only thing garnering his attention now is his growing business. And he plans to keep it that way. Then Simone Herron waltzes into his life, beautiful and confident. Fighting to keep his promise to himself—to remain single-- he soon discovers that when it comes to love, some promises must be broken.

After losing her fiancé in an untimely death, Simone Herron relocates. She desperately needs to put the past behind her and start a new chapter in her life. While love is the farthest thing from her mind, she experiences an attraction to the handsome Aaron Blackman that frightens her. She's built a wall around her heart, but can she find the strength and courage she needs to welcome love again? To do so, she must conquer her fears and allow God to put all of her broken pieces back to together.

Simone Herron wanted to escape from the pain, and from life. At this time of the year, she always felt utterly lonely. Simone had family and friends, but it wasn’t the same. This was year number five without Joshua. As if she weren’t already miserable, the holiday season had arrived, with all of its cheery fanfare. She wished she could skip over November and December and head straight into January.

Pensive, Simone stared out her fifth floor Park Avenue office window in the center of Manhattan, New York—the city that never slept. Below her, hordes of people bustled to and fro, arms laden with shopping bags. Tourists gawked at the beautiful and spectacular views from Times Square to Central Park. Who wouldn’t love it? But her heart was no longer enraptured by its beauty; the Big Apple wasn’t the same anymore.

Simone turned away from the window. Even the business of the city and all it had to offer could no longer mask her restlessness. Something was missing. Could a move be the answer to her restlessness? It would keep her distracted and her mind off her personal life.

As a paralegal for a prestigious law firm, Armstrong and Armstrong, she worked with some of the most gifted and intelligent lawyers. Sitting in a leather chair, she mindlessly shuffled the papers. For the past few years, she’d spent her Thanksgivings volunteering for the dinner drive at Sheppard’s Gate, a women’s shelter. Christmas, was spent singing carols with her church at Faith Bible Center. When had her life fallen into this monotonous rut? 

Maybe it was the fact that she’d had to bury her fiancé a few months before their marriage…but that was five years ago. Could she still be mourning the loss after five years? Did a piece of her die with Joshua? She should have been enjoying life. 

Her life was like a puzzle, parts of it missing and scrambled. Joshua was gone and she was still alive trying to remember how to put one foot in front of the other.

People told her time would heal her wounds and it would get easier day by day. And they were right—some days. People also told her never to question God, but those that knew Simone knew her to be inquisitive. There were days she felt she had moved on and there were days when the feelings in her heart and the dreams of him were as real as the love they’d once shared.

She couldn’t understand why God had taken the only man she’d ever truly loved. Joshua was her soul mate, her friend, the love of her life, her future children’s father. The more she got to know him, the more she realized that meeting him had been something divine. He felt the same. They’d met while attending college in Manhattan. There was a connection between them the first time their eyes met.

She spent time thinking about what their children might have looked like. Would they have had his dark eyes and curly black hair, or maybe brown eyes like hers? The idea of not having a family hurt her to the core. Her parents were married for decades before her father suddenly died from a heart attack. For now, the dream of falling in love and having a family was tucked away somewhere in the back of her mind, preserved in the hope of a second chance.

Simone wasn’t sure she believed there was such a thing as getting back to a normal life. She accepted what life had dealt her and was allowing it to bring her to a place of surrender. She learned to accept that when life brought pain, God would give her the strength to go through it.

Simone became teary-eyed as questions swirled around in her head. Why, with all of her great accomplishments, did she still feel like there was a void in her life? She needed a change. A fresh new beginning would do her wonders. A move would make her feel differently.

She scanned her office. Her eyes drew to the plaques on the wall, awards she had received from her boss. Then she focused on the plaque on her desk, a gift from her pastor. Her favorite scripture was engraved, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose—Romans 8:28, KJV.” 

She knew God was in control, but sometimes, it was more difficult to accept when His plan superseded her own. She’d heard all the sermons. She was in all the prayer lines. She had plenty of oil poured on her head. But the pain, at times, remained unbearable. She was resilient, but felt weak, as though she hadn’t slept in months. Externally, Simone had it altogether, yet she felt detached. She was a fighter at the end of her fight.

Pre order a copy on Amazon