Just popping in quickly today to let you know that a bookstore I partner with is running a birthday sale for the shop’s owner…which means 25% off used books and 10% off indie books (which includes my books: Clarion Hope and Beauty Even Here✨).
So!
If you’ve been looking to find some preloved or indie books without leaving the comfort of your own home AND support a small business AND not spend a ton of money…this is your time to shine.
And if you’re specifically looking for one of my books, here are the links for Clarion Hope (which had a birthday of its own last Saturday!!) and Beauty Even Here.
Holy Week is arguably my favorite week of the year, lodged deep in the heart of my favorite season of the year. It’s rife with emotion, reflection, tradition, and celebration – all things I treasure – and it’s centered around my Savior and His love, worth, and triumph.
It is a gift.
He is a gift.
Today I wanted to share some thoughts (shared last year in my newsletter) on a portion of Scripture that never – and I mean never – interested me until recently.
I don’t know why I always skimmed over the account of Jesus joining the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, but, apart from my childhood fascination with Jesus suddenly disappearing from the table after breaking bread, it had never stuck out to me before.
But finally one phrase in that account hit home…
“Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have you not known the things…concerning Jesus of Nazareth…and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.”
luke 24:18-21
I can almost hear the devastation and confusion, even the hurt in Cleopas’ voice as he shares his shattered hopes with the man he has yet to learn is Jesus.
And yet I almost smile in anticipation of the revelation that is to come for him. Just wait, Cleopas! He has redeemed Israel! Just in a far better, far grander way than you could have dreamed.
Just wait.
I think this story has finally stuck out to me because I find Cleopas’ disappointment and disillusionment to be so relatable. Over and over again I’ve dreamed up ways God could redeem the broken storylines that hang aching in my life, and over and over again I turn confused and hurt-filled eyes to Jesus and whisper,
“But I was hoping You were going to redeem this.”
I can picture His patient smile. Just wait, Laurel! I am redeeming this! Just in a far better, far grander way than you could have dreamed.
Just wait.
I’ll be honest; my flesh is so very sick of waiting.
I, with the disciples who ran confused after Christ’s crucifixion, want answers and healing right here, right now, and I know I’m not the only one.
But.
God has all the time in the world.
He is in no hurry.
He is good. He is righteous. He sees you, and He sees me. His heart breaks at this brokenness, too.
And He is a Redeemer, never late, ever unafraid of the clock.
So even when our hearts want so badly to scream for wholeness on our terms and on our timelines, we can lay our fears and even our anger to rest on the heart that bled out for us.
I scribbled this on a sticky note the other day and stuck it on my fridge as a reminder:
I have learned not to fear the silence of God.
God’s silence stretched on for 400 years, and then He changed the world forever.
He is not silent in confusion, indecision, or fear.
He is silent in anticipation.
Oh, what a wondrous God we get to love and serve! May He be the strength of our hearts today and our portion forever.
It’s become tradition for me to feel a sudden rush of poetic inspiration in the early days of spring and then churn out something bursting with hope, enthusiasm, and seasonal nature imagery.
This is what happened when I succumbed to the poetry bug this spring.
the hope that froze over in my heart this winter –
stagnant, stubborn, tenacious –
has thrilled to the breath of spring
and gurgles wild,
dripping from my fingertips, transforming me
to a Midas of sorts,
for all that I touch becomes
gilded in gold even as it lies dead…
for I know the Man whose voice reversed decay,
whose very breath filled the lungs Death claimed,
whose heart will never cease now to beat
for the ones whose fingertips have grazed
His hem and now lie panting,
a s t o n i s h e d
in the wake of His mercy.
staggering wonder of wonders…
He has not passed me by.
the power that pours out of Him
has not staunched this years-long flow of grief,
but it has sweetened the cup I must drink
to the dregs, for –
because of Him – His Father’s cup of wrath
shall never touch my lips.
(oh, glory!)
it is joy with Him now
to share in His sufferings:
to weep with Him for His church,
to ache with Him for His kingdom,
to pray with Him for His Father’s will
to outpace the snowmelt to the ends of the earth.
He is good,
He is good,
He is good…
He has not passed us by.
Oh, what a gift it is to feel the world coming alive again and to be reminded that we have come alive again in Christ…and will come alive again in Him. What a gift it is to walk with Him.
Stay the course!
❤ Laurel
P.S. I thought it would be worth noting that if you love poetry with both spring-flavored nature imagery and a Lent+Easter bent, you can find that in Beauty Even Here.✨
One of my dear friends just published a children’s book, and I loved it so much I just had to dedicate an entire post to it. With Easter coming up, it seemed like an especially good time to share, as this book would be a delightful Easter-time gift for the little ones in your life.
// the blurb //
On a big farm, the cows are all loved by their Farmer—including Tiny Bull and Big Sister Cow.
When the Farmer goes on a long journey, he promises to come back and make the farm the most amazing Farm in the whole world (maybe with a roller coaster!). But even though he leaves the Helper with the cows, their jobs aren’t always easy while they wait for the Farmer.
Tiny Bull faces adventures, danger, biting flies, and Angry Bulls. Other cows forget about the Farmer, are lazy, and just have fun all day, but Tiny Bull and his sister must keep obeying because one day, the Farmer will keep his promise. Can they keep going until he does?
I grew up loving allegories like Max Lucado’s Coming Home and Jennie Bishop’s The Squire and the Scroll: beautifully illustrated stories for children that are even more meaningful to read as an adult, due to their rich parallels to the spiritual life.
It’s no wonder I loved this book, then. I smiled and teared up while reading it, as it’s written in such a funny and sweet way (I can picture kids giggling over some of Hosanna’s descriptions!), yet it’s so deep and reflective of the reality of our existence as the Bride of Christ waiting for the return of our Groom.
I came away from this book more excited for Christ’s return and with a renewed desire to live faithfully in the meantime.
And can we talk about the illustrations??
One of my biggest problems with the children’s books coming out these days is the sad lack of beauty in the illustrations. (Must all bookish artwork for kids be ugly, choppy caricatures?)
I was delighted, however, by the whimsy and beauty in Hannah K. Dukes’ watercolor pieces for this book. They’re just so happy – a perfect pairing with Hosanna’s cheery, upbeat writing style.
All hope for children’s literature is NOT lost!
I think the above photo was one of my favorite illustrations. The idea of a cow drinking lemonade made me smile.:)
// to learn more //
You can purchase a signed copy, paperback or hardcover, directly from the author here. If Amazon is more your style, you can find it there, too!
Even if you’re not in the market for children’s books, I hope the bits of this sweet story brightened your day! Are there any children’s books you’ve loved?
I’ve been wanting to do a giveaway for a while now, and thought that late February would be a good time to do so for two reasons:
1.) After Valentine’s Day, there just aren’t that many fun things to be celebrating! The weather is nasty, spirits tend to be low…of course a good book or two would help.;)
2.) The books I’d like to share with you would make good late winter/early spring reads, as they’re written for those who are struggling to find joy, hope, and beauty in their current life circumstances.
I’d like to send a book (and maybe even a handwritten poetry card??) to two of you!
One person will receive a copy of Ruth Chou Simon’s Now and Not Yet. Goodness, I loved this book. I think you will, too.
Another person will receive a copy of yours truly’s book of poetry: Beauty Even Here. I’ve gabbed about this one a lot already, but looking through it the other day I remembered that there are a few poems in here that make it perfect for Lent and Holy Week! So there you go.
To enter:
Simply leave a comment on this post! Bonus (not actually, but I’ll be proud of you!) points if you share one thing that you like to do to make the drearier days of the year more lovely, or share a book, song, or Scripture that helps point you to hope and beauty.
If you do want a REAL bonus point, just make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter and let me know that you are in the comments!
I’ll pick two winners on March 13th and reach out to you in the comments.
Stay the course, friends! The days are getting longer, and the day is drawing nearer when Christ will return for His Bride. There is always something beautiful up ahead. ❤
To hope is to wait with your heart intertwined, knotted up, tied to God Himself. To be a people of hope is to let go of hoping in all the things of this world, and have all your hope, all your heart, all your aching, waiting expectations, bound to Jesus.
Ann Voskamp
Things worth remembering…
Building a book tree with a sister
Studying Malachi
Seeing Sidewalk Prophets in concert at last!!
The drive home with sad songs and 40 ounces of Nighty Night Extra
Several outrageous rounds of Who What When Where Why
That was hope. Not a violent jolt or reawakening, But the constancy of living as though each moment was worth it, Rising up under pain because by the power of the living God it will not end us – It will not end us; it will not end here.
I didn’t end up reading this one all the way through like I did last year, as I was reading another Advent book (see below).
Advent: a collection – Hannah Hodgson
If only Hannah’s books were available for purchase all the time…her poetry blesses me so much and I want to share it with the world. If you want to catch a glimpse of her poetry, though, go follow her on Instagram!
I so wish Mary Oliver had had a better grasp of theology, because if that had been the case this collection would be absolutely flawless. The beauty of her thoughts and way of expressing them is so natural. I adore her poetic style.
A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes…and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.
dietrich bonhoeffer
From the journal…
Oh, Father, help me to catch a vision for something greater than my own life story!
You’re never late, I know.
You have never skimped a single one of your children, Father, and I pray that I would know that deeply, even if Your richness and generosity meet me in this same position of life next year.
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
Luke 10:21
What are you tucking into your book of memories from this December?
Stay the course!
Laurel
P.S. My short story, Grace Werner’s Perfectly Imperfect Christmas, is available to you for FREE when you sign up for my weekly newsletter! You can do that here. ❤
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)
And in the tidepools of all the tears there is sea glass and shells, a cradle of mercy; you are producing beauty housed in the presence of God.
One of my very favorite poets finally released a poetry collection!! Hannah portrays grief and loss in the light of the resurrection so beautifully and with such poignance. Sadly this collection was only available for a limited time…but you can read some of Hannah’s poetry over here on her Instagram account. I highly recommend it.
The sound of voices so close made Ralph more eager than ever to escape. “No!” he shouted, his voice echoing in the metal chamber. “I won’t have it! I’m too young to be dumped out with the trash!”
Her loneliness was so great that she felt a physical need of bringing happiness to some living thing…
I finally finished this book! Towards the end there were a couple of characters that drove me crazy, but it was definitely worth the read and the ending was powerful.
It is sure to be well with us when we feel and know our own folly, and are heartily willing to be guided by the will of God.
charles spurgeon
From the journal
Oh, Miracle-Worker, may I rest content, joyous even when healing hands seem stilled.
Don’t let my soul live paralyzed!
What made this past month memorable for you?
❤ Laurel
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)
If you’ve been around the blog for some time, you may or may not have noticed that I haven’t been posting the content I used to share (rambling life observations, mostly!) as consistently as I used to…or at all.
Part of that has been life shifting, part of it was my brain slacking off, and much of it is me reevaluating how I’m using the writing platforms I have.
I’ve really come to miss writing the rambling, more thoughtful posts I used to share here, but as my readership has grown (and as I’ve matured slightly) I’ve decided to start writing them again…but only for my newsletter gang.
The blog will not be going away! I’ll still post my monthly review posts, a bit of poetry and perhaps some book recommendations. But if you’re here for weekly, more casual and heartfelt reads that feel more like catching up over a mug of tea, you’ll want to make sure you’re signed up for the newsletter, because for the next few months at least (hopefully longer!!), that’s what I’ll be sharing over there.
Thank you much for your patience as I navigate the shifting priorities of these platforms!
Releasing on November 1st, 2024, this is the third book in a non-magical fantasy series, The Chronicles of Elira. The book is available to preorder in ebook, paperback and special edition hardcover!
The blurb:
Years have passed, the world has shifted, and the Eliran people have faced unimaginable loss.
Elgon, ensnared in a royal catastrophe, must navigate betrayals and personal grief. With his kingdom’s fate hanging by a thread, he clings to a sliver of hope, waiting desperately for the return of his most trusted knight.
Malcolm’s quest is a treacherous odyssey, fraught with danger and shrouded in secrecy. With a charge to rescue and protect, the weight of his past mistakes threatens to crush him. Can he redeem himself in the eyes of his brother and king, or will their secret mission be discovered and ended by their enemies?
Rosalie, isolated in a castle tower for most of her life, knows little of the world beyond her prison walls. Rescued by a mysterious stranger and propelled towards her destiny, she embarks on a perilous adventure. Will she survive the grueling journey, or will the trials of a lost heir prove too great?
A knight on a quest, a lost princess, a malevolent foreign ruler, and a secret of epic proportions will alter the fate and future of Elira forever.
Laurel Luehmann 