Hello Fiction Fans!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we here at River North were just thinking about all the things we are thankful for. We thought it would be fun to ask a few of our authors what they are thankful for and this is what they said:

Captive Trail author Susan page Davis:

I’m very thankful for my family. Jim and I hope to spend this Thanksgiving with four of our six children and five of our eight grandchildren. Maybe in a future year we can get all of them together! Time spent with loved ones is perhaps the blessing I cherish most. 

Long Trail Home author Vickie McDonough:

I’m thankful for a happy, healthy family and that my husband is working full-time again. Over the past three years, he has been laid off four times, including right before Christmas last year. Also, our #3 son just returned from a year’s deployment in Egypt and will get to share the holidays with us this year. 

Pearl in the Sand author Tessa Afshar:

After losing power for a week due to twelve inches of unprecedented snow in October, I have been thanking God more than ever for the small things – for a hug from a friend, for sharing laughter with family, for my quiet times with God, for my hot water bottle. And definitely for my hair dryer!

Lone Star Trail author Darlene Franklin:

I am thankful for a faithful God who never changes, for friends and family, for the opportunity to do what I love most in the world–write. Continue reading / Leave a comment…

Psalm 46

Last Sunday I sat in the pew next to my husband and youngest son. The two story stained glass panels dwarfed the teacher at the pulpit and transfixed me as I tried to listen. It was a very long week in the days prior and I could finally relax and take in the beauty that surrounded me in the presence of love.

 I wanted to stay forever.

Psalm 46 was sung by the choir situated in the loft at the back of the long barn shaped sanctuary. The words filled the air around me and hugged tightly to my body.

                The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.  

The Lord of hosts is with us; God is with us; He is with me. How often I assure myself with these words. He is not only with me he is my stronghold. Though those words were not visible, they pressed against me like a shield.

Even now as I write this blog post I can close my eyes and feel His presence. Daily I forget though. Daily life gets more complicated and I run from before sun up until well after dark.

I cut out the section of the bulletin including Psalm 46 and taped it to my monitor stand as a reminder.

Not sophisticated but it works.

So does reading books that remind us of his truth. Art creates a space for God. That is one of the things that I love about fiction. Continue reading / Leave a comment…