As the year draws to a close ...

by Sandie Bricker


It's been a fantastic year. There's been a lot of challenging and unexpected developments, but The Big Picture is a beautiful one.

I've written 4 books this year. Holiday and Be Still are out already, of course. The Big 5-OH! follows in February, and Always the Baker, Never the Bride in the fall. If you'd like to see video trailers for them, those are available at my blog.

In my personal life, gang, I'm happy, I'm fulfilled and I'm surrounded by love and support. Is there really anything more I could ask for?

Well, of course there is! But I digress.

Debby, Andrea and Loree have also seen amazing career developments this year, as well as family joys and personal triumphs. And we've been so blessed and honored to share some of it here with you, our readers and friends.

Because of you, we've been able to support a cause close to all our hearts (and especially dear to mine) in the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. With a portion of our royalties committed to them, and with all of the support being rallied around the world, it's very possible that we might see a reliable diagnostic tool developed in the next couple of years. That's the dream, isn't it? And beyond that ... a cure. Please, Lord, a cure.

I've heard many times out at signings or via email that women are saving their copies of Be Still for the new year, and they plan to use it as a weekly devotional. Nothing could make us happier! Other readers couldn't wait, and they breezed through all of the devotions in just a few days. That is thrilling as well!

Thank you so much for your love and support and encouragement over this year. Since the Be Still blog will begin winding down over the next month or so, I wanted to issue you a personal invitation to begin following our individual blogs, to friend us on Facebook (if you haven't yet), and to stroll around our Web sites from time to time to keep up with our lives and take us along on yours. We love and value every single one of you, and your contribution to the steam that keeps us chugging along is beyond description.

May the Lord crown your year with His goodness, and may your paths drip with His abundance, according to His word.

Feel free to bookmark the following, and we look forward to more contact with you through our individual platforms:

ANDREA BOESHAAR: Web site and Blog
SANDRA D. BRICKER: Web site and Blog
LOREE LOUGH: Web site and Blog
DEBBY MAYNE: Web site and Blog

With prayerful love and thanksgiving,
Sandie (for all the Be Still authors)

Where Two or More are Gathered

by Loree Lough

Hello, dear friends!

Sorry I haven't written in a while. A bad case of the flu, out of town guests, Christmas preparations, columns due at magazines, articles to write, seven book signings, four speeches, three workshops, and two separate book deadlines, and postings at six different blogs (sung to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas") have sorta had me by the feet! hehehehe

I'm pretty much caught up, praise His name. Except for a few more presents to buy, all of the gifts to wrap, grocery shopping for Christmas dinner (for a sit-down dinner for 30-35 friends and family), Jesus's birthday cake to bake, cookies to make, and...

...I guess I'm not as ready as I thought, am I! Well, not to worry. This is what you're all going through, so at least I'm in good company. Besides, every year this time, we make this same mad scramble. Yet miraculously, it all gets done by the 25th, doesn't it! So gather with me now, friends. Let's seek His tender mercies:

Dear heavenly Father, bless us with the peace and comfort of this holy season. Calm our jittery nerves and ease our frazzled minds so that we don't spend our energies running in frenzied circles. Grab us by the shoulders, give us a gentle shake and say "Will you please BE STILL, before you run right past the loved ones you're working so hard to please! It's my Son's birthday, after all...."

Yes, Lord, we shall remember that Jesus really is the reason for the season!

We thank You for loving us enough to give us the best gift of all... forgiveness that came by way of His holy birth. Thank you for every blessing showered upon us in the form of friends and family, a roof over our heads, food in the pantry, and the joy of the work we do to honor and glorify You.

Thank You for blessing the combined efforts of Andrea, Sandie, Debby, and myself to make our Be Still devotional a book that is truly impacting the lives of all who read it. Thank You for giving us the talent and work ethic to write it, and the good sense to understand that women with ovarian cancer--and those yet undiagnosed--will benefit from the donations the devotional will inspire. Thank You for allowing each of us to see our dreams of becoming published authors turn into reality, and for keeping us humble and ever-aware that the reason we sit down at our keyboards every morning is to bring glory and honor to Your most holy name by bringing Your word to those who otherwise might not hear it.

Let Your light shine bright in our hearts, O Lord. Let it reflect in our eyes and our smiles, so that everyone we meet, whether in a grocery store line or a Christmas party, will 'catch' our holiday spirit! Let our demeanors and our words remind them that the root word of 'holiday' is 'holy day'.

His day, Your day, given us to share. And share it we will, as proof that we are humbly grateful for all You've given us this Christmas. Amen.

Thank you, friends, for sharing that prayer with me! And now I pray that the days remaining until Christmas will be serene and beautiful, no matter the clatter going on outside your window! I pray He will shower you and yours with joys too numerous to count, and that He'll bless you and those you love with a happy, healthy, hearty holiday!

Hugs to you all!
Loree

Giving Thanks, Part Deux

by Sandie Bricker

Following in Debby's footsteps of the prior post, I'd like to take some time to give thanks as well. It's been a wonderful, yet challenging, year. However ...

1. Friends. I have been reminded this year that, despite the fact that I am family challenged, God has put some phenomenal people in my life. The scripture says that God sets the solitary into families, and He has certainly done that for me. There is my inner circle (Marian, Jemelle, David, Dianne); there are dependable and supportive writer buds (Debby, Andrea, Loree, Kristin, Debra, and on an on); there are book contracts and exceptional editors that GET ME and love my work (Barbara, Rachel, Connie); there is a "day job" that I really do love, and people with whom I work that I respect and value (Jody, Alan, John, Kate, Jen). This blog doesn't have the room to acknowledge all of the stellar people that have touched my life this year.

2. Writing. I have had book contracts a-plenty this year, and I've done some of the best work I've ever done. There have been book signings and readings where the people in attendance have touched my heart beyond what I thought possible. I have a new agent (Rachelle Gardner) that I'm really excited about, and some prospects for the future that can only be seen as God-inspired.

3. Home. I live in a cute little cracker box that I love, and I've been house hunting recently for something a bit bigger and closer to my job. I don't normally embrace change ... but this is a change I think I can really get behind.

I could go on and on. But I would be remiss in failing to call special attention to the biggest blessing in my life, the one thing that carries me through the trials and obstacles and challenges. FAITH. No matter what occurs, good or bad, happy or sad, I know that my God is in control, and that He will turn all things to good for me. That's the foundation of my entire life.

In this holiday season, I wish each and every reader of this blog health, happiness, prosperity, and the grace to persevere. I pray that you would find your true calling if you haven't already, and that you would learn to embrace the knowledge that Someone Else is in control and wants you to succeed in serving that calling.

And on behalf of the other three Be Still ladies of this blog ... See your doctor. Pay attention to symptoms. Keep up with your tests. And TALK. Talk to your mothers and your daughters and your sisters and friends. Ovarian cancer is a silent killer; break the silence.

Keep on giving thanks!

Thanksgiving is over now—at least the official day of Thanksgiving. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue giving thanks for all of God’s blessings. We should do that 365 days a year, since His blessings never cease.

I have so many things to be thankful for, there’s no way I can list all of them here. But I can mention a few things that are on my mind at the moment.

• I’m thankful for God sending His only Son. This is the most awesome thing to me—how we’re the sinners, and our sins were washed clean by the death of the only perfect One to ever walk the earth. God’s love is amazing.
• I’m thankful for my family who loves me, no matter what. My husband Wally, daughters Alison and Lauren, son-in-law Jason, and granddaughter Emma are the most wonderful blessings ever!
• I’m thankful that I can write for a living.
• I’m thankful for my agent, Tamela, who believes in me, even when I doubt myself.
• I’m thankful for friends who accept all my foibles and idiosyncrasies.
• I’m thankful for editors who help me make my writing as good as it can be, even though they don’t get a byline on the finished product.
• I’m thankful that this season’s book signings have been successful, and people actually want to read some of the stuff I wrote.
• I’m thankful for bring-a-friend week at the HSN Emplorium and the fact that I actually have a friend who calls and invites me. (Hi, Beth!)
• I’m thankful we finally ate the last of the turkey (which I love, but enough is enough), and we can go back to eating fish and hamburger.
• I’m thankful I only gained 2 pounds, even though I enjoyed both pumpkin and pecan pie—with ice cream on top!

I have so many other things to be thankful for, including Julie for helping with the signings, other writers for supporting me, Andrea, Sandie, and Loree for letting me be in the devo with them, and my cats for loving me, even when I'm not all that lovable.

The Prowler

By Andrea Boeshaar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, girls, let me tell you what happened to me! A prowler! He stalked me! And the cops can't catch him, either!!

Here's what happened, earlier in the month, this prowler crept into my house, got into my computer, and when I read an email from a business associate it just didn't make sense. I probed further and finally got my answer.

Well, I was angry about the situation. Churned up inside. Then this prowler stole into another Christian woman's house -- the very same prowler -- and he stirred her up so that she called and lambasted me over the telephone. Now, I was REALLY mad because both these incidents weren't my fault. Sure, I could have reacted better -- shoulda, coulda, yada, yada, yada. But how dare this woman call and speak to me in such a way! Patronizing. Manipulative. Not very Christian-like.

Thoroughly riled, and unable to concentrate on my work, I finally, I went to our pastor for biblical counsel. I had to forgive my Christian brother and sister and move on, but just couldn't seem to let go of the anger, hurt, frustration, and sadness bottled up inside of me–

And it all began with this vile prowler! He started it, but I felt like I should have recognized him, although I don't know what this prowler looks like exactly. But I know his name: Satan!

I was reminded today by a dear friend today that our adversary, the devil, is like a roaring lion, prowling around, seeking whom he may devour (2 Peter 5:8). He stirs up Christians' emotions. He distracts us from doing the will of God by whispering lies into our ears and then turning the focus around so it's on US and our wounds -- and not on Christ and His sacrifice. We become carnally-minded, and no more spiritually inclined than atheists, for that matter. That's pretty scary!

But my friend Jeri also reminded me that we're on the winning side. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

So this prowler isn't going away. And it's all out war. But our weapons aren't guns and bombs, but they're mightier through God, pulling down strongholds -- "casting down imaginations and every high thing" that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:4). We need to arm ourselves with the Word of God.

Oh, and did I mention that the novel I'm writing has a theme of spiritual warfare? Yep...hmm...can we say "trial by fire"?

I admit it; I shoulda known better!

Well, I’m on it now. That prowler better watch out!

The dawn of a new day

by Sandie Bricker


I am so happy today. I have a lot of things going for me, sure. Exciting things in my writing career. Fantastic friends. And the weather is finally crisp (we get about 3 weeks of "crisp" in Florida, and this is day 2). But the best part of today came to me in an email from the people at the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

I think everyone here knows that a portion of the proceeds from Be Still ... and Let Your Nail Polish Dry are going to OCRF. There are two reasons for this decision: #1 I'm a survivor. #2: My co-authors rock.

Ovarian cancer is such a horrible disease. It sneaks up on you, and it starts strangling you before you ever know it's there. The only good thing about it are the people who stand up strong and tall in their fight against it. And OCRF funds those people.



Dr. Mitchell Ho is one of the warriors. In his work at the National Cancer Institute, funded by OCRF, Dr. Ho is relentlessly working on a biomarker called Mesothelin that could lead to the eventual effective treatment of ovarian cancer. Focus on the word EFFECTIVE.

When I read the Q&A article on Dr. Ho's work for OCRF, I was overwhelmed with excitement and hope. Every grant that OCRF is able to award contributes to strides toward ending ovarian cancer ... which makes it all the more important that this simple little devotional has joined the fight. I am so proud of the part we can play in this battle. And so thankful to all of you for supporting us on the battlefield.

If you know a woman who would benefit from a devotional filled with stories and prayers that will bring her closer to God, and scriptures applied in real ways to her daily life ... please think about Be Still as a Christmas gift. I've received many letters from people ordering multiple copies of the book for this purpose, and my soul just flutters with excitement when I think of all those individual Christmas mornings that will act as the dawn of a new day of hope for women everywhere.

Join me in praying for a day when ovarian cancer is no more?

On brisk and sunny Sunday mornings

It was dark and chilly when I woke up this morning, and I almost succumbed to the urge to snuggle deeper under the covers.

Almost.

The steady tick-tick-tick of the clock and Cash's "I can't hold it another second!" whimper convinced me that if I didn't toss back the quilt, and fast, the day wouldn't start on a very happy note. Shrugging into my double-thick terrycloth robe, I couldn't help but wonder how my toes could go from toasty warm to icy cold in less than an eyeblink.

Ten minutes later, as I warmed my hands over a steaming mug of coffee, I had to grin, because wasn't it just weeks ago that I woke sticky and sweaty and whimpered that even with modern conveniences like air conditioning and remote-controlled ceiling fans, Baltimore's heat and humidity were downright oppressive?

I know what my dad would say if he'd heard either complaint: "Stop wishing your life away!"

Time... one of the few things that, once gone, we can't get back. Period. It felt good, being reminded that every nanosecond must be cherished for the treasured commodity it is. So good, in fact, that I grabbed my bible and opened to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Boy. If that isn't a lesson in time management, I don't know what is!

In a parable outlined in Matthew 25:14-30, I remembered the lesson about using God-given resources wisely... and I'm pretty sure that includes time....

Then, in 2 Corinthians 5:10 and Romans 14:10-12, more lessons in how He wants us to invest our time, talents, and treasures.

Clearly, He isn't a fan of "wishing my life away", either!

If I simply take a few moments now and then to remember that, He promises in His word, I won't waste so much time wishing for things like cool weather when it's warm or heat when it's cold!

Everywhere I look, I see so many things to be thankful for... photos of my beautiful family, the autographed books written by good friends, a cozy home that shelters me from wind and rain (and heat and cold ), a view out my window of azure skies and crimson leaves and verdant lawn.

And things that I understand but can't see, like my father's cancer going into remission, the knowledge that my grandkids are doing great in school, and awareness that no one in my life has succumbed to the dreaded H1N1 virus.

And silly things like... at the push of a button, our years-old coffeepot continues to produce my favorite beverage, and the flip of a switch can spark light into a dark room, and so far, the washing machine hasn't gobbled up the belt to my favorite robe.

Here on my desk, a copy of Be Still... and Let Your Nail Polish Dry, which by the grace of God sold out within days of its release, and copies of Love Finds You in Paradise, Pennsylvania and North Pole, Alaska, with sales that are almost as robust. I have an agent who believes in me and my work, a husband who supports this God-given career choice, and almost ten thousand letters from readers, telling me I'm the author who's "touching hearts and changing lives"!

Big things, small things, important things, and things that matter only to me... each a blessing in its own right, all gifts from my Father in heaven who has counted the hairs on my head and reads the dreams written on my heart.

Tomorrow, I believe I'll greet the day with a whole different attitude than I did today. But just in case my too-frail human spirit backslides and starts wishing for a touch of summer to warm the chill air, I've taped a big black and white quote on the mirror above my dresser. The message was borrowed from the Book of Psalms:

"Be Still and know that I am God."

As my 6-year old granddaughter likes to say, "'Snuff said."

Blessings on your week, dear friends, and thank you for your continued support of Be Still... and Let Your Nail Polish Dry.

I love you all in His name!
Loree