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Count your blessings name them one by one….

There are so many things in my life to be thankful for my Celebrate Lit family, my husband, my children, my health…the list can go on and on. God has blessed us with so much in just the basics.

I deserve none of it.

When I reflect on my life,  my greatest item of thankfulness is that God loves me. I only love Him because He first loved me ( 1 John 4:19). It all began there. I am a sinner that sins over and over and over again. Yet God loved me and sent His son who died to cover all my sins.

Who can not be anything but thankful?

May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving season!

Sandra Barela was awarded her master’s in English from Southern New Hampshire University. During her program, she took a publishing class & fell in love with the industry. That infatuation sparked Celebrate Lit Publicity Group where she helps authors publicize their books through low-cost blog tours & other promos. In the summer of 2016, she opened Celebrate Lit Publishing to help Christian authors bring their books to the reading world. The avid Christian fiction reader & author enjoys helping other great Christian authors succeed, one book at a time

GIVEAWAY

There are so many things I’m thankful for. It’s hard to pick just one! I think the thing I am most grateful for is that God is merciful and forgiving, even when I don’t deserve it. I have stumbled and fallen so many times, more times than I’d like to admit. Despite that, God still loves me and extends His mercy and grace to me. The fact I don’t even deserve that makes it all the sweeter and makes me all the more grateful. There’s comfort in knowing that those moments I stumble aren’t it for me. He gives me the strength to get back up again and try again. I’m grateful to have a Father who loved me so much, that He sent His Son to pay for the sins I committed against Him. It’s the sacrifice and atonement that I most certainly don’t deserve, but one I’ll forever be thankful for.

Denise Barela’s passion for fiction, her faith, and general creativity define her life. In all things, she strives to glorify God, though especially in and through her writing. She has spent the past six years working for a publicity company and five years working as the head editor for a publishing company. With an MFA in Creative Writing and a Professional Writing certificate, Denise enjoys using her education and work experiences to help authors achieve their own writing dreams. When she’s not working away at her desk, you might find her reading a good book or following Alice down the rabbit hole…

The following Denise L. Barela books are published by Celebrate Lit Publishing:

Silencing the Siren

Keeping Christmas Volume 1

GIVEAWAY

The Decision to Give Thanks

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2 NKJV)

How do you give thanks to God in the face of grief? How do you express your gratitude to Him during times of discouragement, disillusionment, and despair? Times when you certainly don’t feel grateful?

Saying “thanks” in vile circumstances is thorny…a painful action based on the will…a decision we make.

It’s more than trying to find something good in the midst of the bad. It means thanking God for the sheer awfulness of a situation or trial. That’s very difficult to do.

Sure, I can give thanks for all the positive things. I’m very grateful to our Creator for my beloved husband and my family, for health, for food/clothing/shelter, for good work, for the little privileges like sunshine and mountain vistas.

Yet God commands us to give thanks in everything. He is sovereign over our lives—allowing the good and the bad, as He sees fit, to shape us into the people He has chosen us to be. We can’t see His purposes. All we can do is trust in His constancy and goodness.

Often when I find myself in the midst of grief-laden events, my prayers become wooden—going through the motions, emotionless, prayed through tears. I offer up my wounded spirit to God. Like the father who asked Jesus to heal his demon-possessed son, I pray for help in my unbelief.

In doing so, I find consolation and strength in His presence, even when I am despondent. My heart grows warmer, more joyful, more peaceful in His presence.

Are you struggling through a time of thanklessness? Friend, put your hope in God. He knows your pain, and even when He is silent, He is working in your life. Say with the psalmist, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)

My prayer today is that, as you read this, you will find comfort in the decision to give thanks for the dreadful as well as wonderful things in your life. Set your mind and heart on Him, and praise Him in spite of discouragement. He has made it clear in His word that He loves you and will never leave you.

You can count on Him to redeem your life from the miry pit, plant your feet on firm ground, and fill your soul to the brim with gratitude.

Jesus, You are my Rock. When I come to You with a heavy heart, forlorn and abandoned, low on faith, please restore my trust in Your good plans. Plant seeds of gratitude in my soul, nurtured by Your Holy Spirit, to bear fruit for You. I thank You every day for who You are—my loving Savior and Friend. Give me new hope and strength to face difficult seasons. In Your name, Amen.

Nancy C. Williams grew up on “Nancy Drew” books…and occasionally still tells people her middle name is “Drew,” just to get their reaction. Following in the steps of the intrepid sleuth, Williams is an adventure enthusiast who loves hiking, snow-skiing, taking photos, sharing a good laugh, and enjoying a good mystery. She’s a history buff, too, with an affinity for antiques and fascinating stories from the past. Her writing career began with five years in the “Mad Men” world of ad agencies, crafting ads and commercials for ceiling fans, soft drinks, and pest control, among others. Then, during nearly a decade of editorial work at Federal Express headquarters, Williams traveled the globe (often in FedEx jet cockpits) and collected memories of international cultures. She also taught PR at a Christian college for a decade, sharing strategies and practices to the next generation of professionals. These days, blogs and novels are at the top of her “fun stuff to-do” list. She’s serious, though, about serving Jesus Christ…as a prayer warrior and writing for God’s glory, striving to encourage others on their spiritual journeys. When she’s not writing, look for her on the Appalachian Mountain trails with her beloved husband and mini-schnauzer. Follow her weekly posts at https://lightbournecreative.com about the “privileged life” of knowing Jesus! You can also find Williams among Crossmap bloggers: https://blogs.crossmap.com/authors/e0e0e7e2-d9e9-4367-b9fd-005bef650174.

The following Nancy C Williams a books are published by Celebrate Lit Publishing:

To Love A Falcon

Jesus’ directive is clear:

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~Mark 12:31 (NLT)

Fully expressed that would include “love your neighbor as Jesus’ loves your neighbor.”

The year 2023 blasted into our life bringing many tough challenges, and opportunities to be  thankful for neighbors who love like Jesus commanded. One occurred in June while we vacationed in Idaho, 3,000 miles from home. A fifteen-minute storm ravaged our tree-filled neighborhood.

By the grace of God, very few homes were damaged or destroyed despite hundreds upon hundreds of old trees within a two-block by one mile area being snapped or uprooted. Power lines broke like matchsticks up and down every street. Everyone who saw it described a war-zone.

Neighbors who had come to our rescue several times before, kept us updated on the cleanup and restoration underway. The morning we would be flying home, they messaged to ask if we would be offended if they began cutting up the tree that was blocking our driveway and garage. Offended? Our answer, absolutely not. When we arrived home that evening, not only was the tree cut up, but the logs were all piled at the street.

Those neighbors followed God’s directive. Thankfulness to them for their servant hearts took me down memory lane through the many times neighbors had been a blessing in my life. The story below is one of them.

Jesus loves all people without consideration of any of the marks we often put on another’s worthiness. My family moved frequently. Many ‘new neighbors’ doled out their judgment of our worthiness (or better said – lack of it) in almost as many ways. But others reached out in kindness. Looking back, I remember the small ways others touched our lives. Those new friends left the big imprints on my heart. Mrs. Marge was one of them . . .

When I was five years old the first of my family’s sixteen traumatic moves in twelve years took us away from my grandparents who lived next door. Many new next-door neighbors would occupy that spot in our lives with each successive move. While none replaced the treasured place at my grandparents’ side, our family gathered other blessings from new friendships.

Our first relocation landed us in a very old home in a very tiny town. It also landed us next-door to Mrs. Marge. Her recipe for Polka-Dot Macaroons became a new family favorite.

During our daughter’s toddler years, these cookies ascended to Godsend status. When red polka-dot patches popped up on her skin with no apparent reason, an elimination diet helped us determine her allergy to wheat. What little child doesn’t love cookies! No flour required, this favorite recipe from my childhood gifted us the perfect solution – at least to the cookie portion of the challenge.

She outgrew the allergy, but Polka-Dot Macaroons remain one of her favorites to this day. Her own daughters love them, too. Friends and activities keep us from baking together often these days, but at 9-years old our now fifteen-year-old granddaughter was an aspiring baker/chef. She asked to make them often and excitedly shared them with her mom. With each batch we baked, I remembered that first move and Mrs. Marge with a thankful heart.

9-year-old (at the time) Baker/Chef Emmy (complete with pink chef coat) and the Polka Dot Macaroons.

Polka Dot Macaroons

Yield: 2 ½ dozen

Preheat oven to 350

1/2 tsp salt                               3 cups corn flakes

3 egg whites                            1 tsp vanilla

¾ cup sugar                             1 cup chocolate chips

Add salt to egg whites. Beat salt and egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until stiff peaks form. Fold in remaining ingredients. Drop by tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheet 2” apart. Bake 15-18 minutes. (Meringue cookies like meringue on a pie may brown lightly.) Let cool for 1-2 minutes before removing from pan.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT make these on a rainy or damp day. They will be very sticky and rubbery if you do.

Lynn U. Watson is a devotional writer, occasional quilter, reflexologist, and great-great-grand-daughter of a baron from Southwest Germany. Lynn combines her passions and her heritage Stepping Through Time Stitching Stories of Faith. Snippets of her family story inspire her fiction writing. She and husband, Steve, make their home in Bartlett, TN, where Jasmine the resident feline considers herself Princess of the Palace. Her debut novel, Tangled Promises, releasing May 21, 2024, from Celebrate Lit.

God has truly blessed me in my life. He’s given me a loving family, a supportive church family, and a home with a roof over my head. I have a wonderful job where I’m helping others through a gift of teaching. I have a sweet fiancé who takes care of me. What more could I ever want?

It can be easy to get wrapped up in daily life that we fail to see the bigger picture. To compare ourselves to others and then get down about our own life. This pretty much describes me this past year. After graduating college, I had the hardest time finding a job in my field. I was an English major working in a hospital as a sitter, and was very discontent. I’d watch friends and acquaintances from my alma mater graduate college and get jobs, start their careers and I felt incredibly stuck. I’d apply to jobs and not get any response besides either crickets or rejection. But then, a little over two months ago now, I started a new job as a tutor/teacher at a learning center. I was incredibly excited because finally, I was doing something in my field, that I was passionate about. At this job, I am teaching students of any ages and a variety of challenges, how to read, spell, and do math.

Looking back over the year, I see God’s plan. Honestly, being a sitter helped grow me and actually prepared me in some ways for my current job. So I am not only thankful for my current employment, but also for my previous one. And I am thankful that I got to wait on God’s timing and not my own, because if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Becca Tews is an aspiring author, with experience working as a Virtual Assistant for authors and publishing groups. She also works as a tutor/teacher, sharing her own love of reading with others. When she’s not working or writing, you can find her behind a good book, discovering new coffee shops, or serving at church. Find out more at https://www.beccahope.com/

Becca has blessed Celebrate Lit by serving as our Virtual Assistant.

Thanksgiving

What am I thankful for? It’s easy to give the cliché answers of “My health” or “My family.” But thankfulness is more profound than those things.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to share Christ through my words. I’m thankful for like-minded friends who support and encourage me. I’m forever grateful for a Savior who loves me despite me and reminds me I am His. I’m even thankful for my light and momentary troubles (2 Corinthians 4:17) because I can see Christ actively working in me during difficult times.

It takes effort to cultivate a grateful heart. Having YOU as a friend makes it much easier to find reasons to be thankful.

“Every once in a while, God allows you to stub your toe as a kind reminder to be grateful for the miraculous body attached to it.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich.

Heidi and her husband of 30+ years live in South Carolina. Besides writing Christian fiction with relatable characters in life-changing stories, Heidi relishes time with family and friends. She enjoys scrapbooking, playing games, traveling, and building bridges with her grandsons that must fall with a loud crash and usually involve a monster truck.

Her Celebrate Lit book, A Deeper Love, released on Oct 31, 2023.

GIVEAWAY

When God gave me a diagnosis of inheriting the breast cancer gene, it took an appointment surrounded by other women with no hair or eyebrows for me to adopt a different approach of gratitude. Of course, I’m grateful for my family and a home, a fantastic church with godly pastors, but the Lord shook me by the shoulders to show me all the mercy and wisdom He has for my life.

My birthday will remind me to be grateful for my parents as I was born on Mother’s Day and my dad passed away the day after my birthday. Christmas heralds not only Christ’s birth, but many family birthdays and anniversaries. A beautiful sunset reminds me that God gave me the ability to see colors. The same stars and moon are seen by family members in different states.

Picking thankfulness over complaints isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. Love God, choose joy, and pursue gratitude.

An adrenaline junkie, S.E. Clancy has skydived and worked as a 9-1-1 dispatcher prior to releasing stories in anthologies, publishing contemporary Biblical retellings including True and Mercy. Her young adult novel Victoria Grace the Jerkface (WhiteFire Publishing) is a semi-finalist for the 2021 ACFW Carol Awards. A bit of a sci-fi nerd, geek, and self-proclaimed dork, there isn’t much she won’t try at least once … unless it involves mayonnaise, because that stuff is just gross.

SE Clancy’s book in collaboration with Illustrator Hannah Prewett, Our Daily Kale, will release in 2024.

“This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

(Psalm 118:24)

This powerful verse serves as a daily reminder of one of the things I’m most grateful for: the precious gift that we receive anew with every sunrise.

It’s a verse I hold dear to my heart, so dear that I begin each morning by praying it, grounding myself in the understanding that regardless of life’s challenges, God’s presence is unwavering, and His grace abounds.

Think about it: not only did God create the vast expanse of the universe and all that inhabits it, but He continually creates, offering us a fresh start with each new day. The Creator of all, who set the stars in the sky and painted the world with colors, still takes the time to craft each day, tailor-made for us.

So, even when life’s burdens, disappointments, or chaos try to weigh us down, we can find solace in the knowledge that God’s love and care are unwavering. Our circumstances may change, but His faithfulness remains constant. In Him, we discover reasons to rejoice, regardless of what difficulties we may face.

Today, I invite you to look beyond your circumstances and turn your gaze upward. Recognize the beauty and generosity of the Lord, who paints each day with His love, grace, and countless blessings. Embrace the day as a divine creation and rejoice in the presence of the One who holds your past, present, and future in His loving hands.

Like me, I think you’ll find that thanking God for each day will soon bless you with strength, hope, and joy.

Edwina Kiernan is the Christian author of six novels, four of which are award-winning.

An enthusiast of classic novels and history, Edwina combines her faith, imagination and research in hope-infused tales set in times past.

A lifelong word admirer, with Welsh and Irish heritage, she started writing stories early in childhood.

She is a committed follower of Jesus (the Living Word), and endeavors to use her pen to point others to Him.

When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist.

The following Edwina Kiernan books are published by Celebrate Lit Publishing:

A Vanishing Act

I am thankful for family traditions.

During the month of November, I am often reminded of big family gatherings. My childhood home was often the hub for all my family members to gather. My grandparents and other relatives and friends would come over, and our house would be overflowing with people. Many of my fondest memories include sitting around a table playing games and telling old family stories or jokes. Now that I have a family of my own, it is time to carry on this tradition with my own family.

Rachel Skatvold is a Christian author and stay-at-home mom from the Midwest. She enjoys writing Christian romance and devotionals. Rachel has published over a dozen novels, including books in the Hart Ranch Series, set in the Montana wilderness and the Ladies of Ardena Series, set in medieval times. She is also a contributing author in the Whispers in Wyoming and Brides of Pelican Rapids Series. Other than writing, some of her hobbies include singing, reading and camping in the great outdoors with her husband and two young sons. You can find more information about Rachel and her books on her website: www.rachelskatvold.com.

The following Rachel Skatvold books are published by Celebrate Lit Publishing:

Her Merriweather Hero

The Elnora Monet

Hooper Safe Haven

Stranded on Sparrow

Returning to Breakers

Wheelers Design