Do You Believe in Miracles?

Deb Kastner here with a holiday question.
 Do you believe in miracles?
My family has been through SO much this year that my answer is an unqualified YES.

First, my husband had a double-stroke in September. The first stroke was immediately treated and we thought the worst of it was over, but then he was sent down to get an MRI and stroked again. He truly thought he was going to die in that moment, but God brought him back. He's still needed on earth, and I think the Lord every day for that. Even with his new disability, every day I spend with him is a blessing.

Then my mother had back surgery and there were moments that were touch and go. I'm nowhere near ready to say goodbye to my mother, and am happy to say that, while she's still in pain, she's recovering.

And last week my youngest daughter, with my five-year-old grandson in the car, had a major automobile accident. Her car was totaled, and yet they walked away, not totally unscathed, but considering what her car looks like, with relatively small injuries. She has a painful case of whiplash in her neck, shoulders and back, and one hand is in a splint, but for what it could have been, we're thankful. And the highlight of my grandson Boo's day was riding in the firetruck, with nothing more than a cut on his neck where the seat belt was.

Let's just say my family's guardian angels have been working overtime.

And in a most unexpected reminder of Christmas miracles, my Christmas cactus bloomed--at Christmastime! I have the blackest thumb ever and if it blooms, which is rarely, it's always been around Easter.

In my latest release, Mistletoe Daddy, Nick and Vivian are awaiting a miracle of their own. I'll bet you can guess from the cover what that is!

 Christmas is a time for miracles. Has God been working in a special way in your life?

Small miracles still happen..

Jenna Mindel here, giving some serious praise for the successful birth of our puppies and the good health of their Rat Terrier Mama - our little Peanut.  We bred Peanut with a Jack Russell terrier for the pure joy of having puppies with no intent to sell them or become breeders.   This was a one time deal.   I studied, I researched, but when the time came for Peanut to deliver, things didn't go well.  Her contractions went away.   After an emergency trip to the vet's for shots to get things moving again, we returned home with bad expectations.  The vet didn't think the puppies would make it as their heart rates were so low, and if Peanut didn't deliver, she'd be in trouble too.  My husband and I prayed - Steve even called our pastor and asked him to pray.  Peanut delivered 4 healthy pups - 3 female and 1 male.  From left to right is Hazelnut, Filbert (laying down), Walnut and Almond.

God chose to touch our dog.  Why would He do that?  Amazing still, God answered my question in my devotions the morning after the delivery.  The passage told a tale of how God cares about what we care about.  And we love our little Peanut and her pups.  We're so very thankful for this small miracle!

On another happy side-note, last week I received the cover for my June 2013 release - and it's just gorgeous!

Check it out at my website www.jennamindel.com

Thank you for stopping by and let me know what kinds of miracles God's made in your life?

Bless you!

Splinter faith and pre-order splendor

Okay so I know that title was kinda cheesy...but I'm headed out the door to visit my granny Veda in the hospital.

God literally breathed life back into her a couple days ago. The extended time we've been given with her is a precious gift and I want to go treasure her. Hold her hand. Hear her voice. Make her laugh with silly stuffed dogs that wiggle and giggle. She also has a little clacker rabbit that bounces across her bedside table and causes her to smile.

For more of that story, visit my personal writing blog here.

In other news, my next release is up for pre-order now. Wahoo! Steadfast Soldier is a June release...my goodness this year is flying by. Here are some links if you're interested.

Christianbook.com

Borders

Or you can Google it.

It will also hit store shelves around May 26-June 1 or so. For those of you who follow the Wings of Refuge Series, this is Chance's story.

I'd love to know what good trait or traits that one or more of your grandparents passed down to you or to one of your siblings or to your children.

I think I have my granny Veda's ornery sense of humor. So does my Aunt Linda, her middle daughter. My niece has her selfless generosity. My mother has her kindness and gentleness and her unconditional understanding. My sister and my aunt Anna (her olded daughter) have her tenacity. My children and some of my cousins, Joey and Jodi have her high cheekbones, courtesy of her American Indian heritage. And by marriage, my dad inherited her fishing skills. Unfortunately I did not. LOL!

And today, we all have her. Just her. Live. In person. Not yet only a memory. I can't begin to explain how overwhelmed with thankfulness I am to have been given more time.

If you've lost your grandparents, you are deep in my prayers today. May God bless you with many happy memories and with the hope of Heaven that Jesus gave us when He made a way for us to reunite with our loved ones. Heaven will be one enormous family reunion, yes, but I'm also glad to treasure time and their essence this side of eternity too.

If you don't live close to your grandparents or your parents, get offline right now and call 'em. LOL! Tell them you love them and languish in the sound of their voice. If they're close in proximity or geographically, get over there and hug them a little tighter and a little longer today. :-)

Thank you for supporting our blog with your readership.

Don't forget to share what good qualities you or your family members inherited from your grandparents. I'd love to hear it in the comment section.

Have a wonderful day.

Cheryl Wyatt

Lyn Cote's Christmas Miracle

Wednesday afternoon my daughter passed out at the wheel and totaled our faithful van.

That wasn't the miracle. The miracle was that our van was totaled but our daughter is suffering only sore limbs--not even a scratch or bruise.

In case you're wondering, my daughter wasn't on illegal drugs or alcohol but in the ER, they couldn't find out what had caused her to pass out. The impact into a slender maple tree which stopped the van didn't even wake her. The First Responders had a time rousing her. And she was disoriented and remembered nothing.

We have an appointment with her primary doctor on Tuesday. She can't drive until we figure out what caused this.

She went off the road on a state highway and fortunately stayed on her own side. Not far down from where she went off the road is a lake on both sides of the road. She would have drowned if she had gone off the road there.

Some kind person called 911 from their phone reporting the accident. God bless them even if they couldn't stop.

So as you might expect, we are praising God for this miracle.

God bless all of you and keep you safe.


On Sale Now! The 2nd in the Gabriel Sisters series-Her Patchwork Family


Last year's December Love Inspired Historical, 1st in the Gabriel Sisters series
To purchase either, drop by http://www.booksbylyncote.com or for a chance to win one http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com