participating in a local road race with siblings + friends
feeding cattle (punctuated by hysterical laughter) with a sister
seeing the northern lights for the very first time
contagious laughter
FaceTiming the brother
getting sunburned
acquiring badly needed new windshield wipers and proceeding to keep them in my back seat for weeks
shopping adventures with a sister
Ultimate Frisbee
I don’t worry about my small salary, ’cause I am getting a happiness and a joy in service that money couldn’t buy…
Peter Marshall
What I’ve been reading
A Man Called Peter – Catherine Marshall
“I’d like this clearly understood,” he went on, grinning like a small boy, “I’m not going to get mar-r-ied till I’m good and ready. I’m good enough now, but I’m not ready.” This remark soon went the rounds.
I don’t even feel like I’m reading a biography when I’m reading this…Catherine Marshall has such a gift for storytelling and description, and Peter Marshall was such a character!
Three Blind Mice – Agatha Christie
The fact that her breakfast had been excellently cooked and served, with good coffee and homemade marmalade, in a curious way annoyed her still more. It had deprived her of a legitimate cause of complaint. Her bed, too, had been comfortable, with embroidered sheets and a soft pillow. Mrs. Boyle liked comfort, but she also liked to find fault. The latter was, perhaps, the stronger passion of the two.
I listened to an audiobook of this short mystery. I so enjoyed this one. The characters were so intriguing, and the ending completely blindsided me! If you want a good snowbound mystery that won’t take too long to read, here’s your book!
Crooked House – Agatha Christie
Curious thing, rooms. Tell you quite a lot about the people who live in them.
I still don’t know what to say about this one. The ending was so dark, but it was clever. Most of the characters just didn’t come alive for me, either. I don’t know that I would recommend it.
Dead Man’s Mirror – Agatha Christie
Godfrey Burrows came in with a pleasant eagerness to be of use. His smile was discreetly tempered with gloom and showed only a fraction too much teeth. It seemed more mechanical than spontaneous.
This was an enjoyable short mystery!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis
“Why not now?” said Edmund. His face had become very red and his mouth and fingers were sticky. He did not look either clever or handsome, whatever the Queen might say.
I’m reading through this classic for the first time, and am once again enjoying C.S. Lewis’s style of storytelling.
This Will Not Last – Laurel Luehmann
when the world knocks the breath from my lungs, You fill them once more with Your own
Yes, I’m rereading my own book. XD
Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
James 3:16
From the journal
I want to know You for who You are, not for who I think You are.
How is Christ changing the way I live my life? How is He altering my heart, my desires, my priorities? The way I spend my seconds?
I know You will provide, and I know Your timing is best. I lay down any thoughts of “I know better” and give this mess to You.
What were some of the most memorable parts of your April?
This poem comes from the second section of Clarion Hope: recovering Eden. Quite possibly my favorite section, it really hits on what Paul expresses in Romans 8 — “…the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now…even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”
We see the brokenness of a sin-riddled world and we weep. Yet in the middle of that, we recognize that redemption is coming…that the perfect fellowship of Eden will one day be restored because of Christ’s perfect sacrifice.
And so begins the countdown to Clarion Hope’s release day!
I’m going to be sharing a post a day until release day, so either buckle up or shut down your computer, depending on how you feel about Clarion Hope spam. XD
I wanted to kick it off by sharing a poem that comes from the first section of Clarion Hope.
The first section is titled fading scars, and it captures the emotions that fluctuate as we find ourselves to be broken people in need of healing…falling at the feet of the Healer. Regret, despair, gratitude, relinquishment…this section has it all.
Here’s one of my favorite poems from that first section.✨
ghosts
etch the tale in silver: how
we’ll break the chains of the past asunder,
and kindle a fire of
paper-thin ghosts
that once proudly bore our faces…
(for that’s you and me no longer.)
If you resonated with the themes of fading scars or enjoyed ghosts, you may want to get your hands on a copy of Clarion Hope. If you order today, it just may arrive in time for you to read it on release day!
It does not matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies – whether it comes between you and God, or whether it presses you nearer His heart.
Hudson taylor
What I’ve been reading
The Gryphon Heist – James R. Hannibal
“Also you are very small, no? You need the help.”
Eddie turned and walked away.
Man, oh man, was this an exciting read! I was very pleasantly surprised to find that, not only was it void of junk, it also had some cool forgiveness elements, as well. A great balance of action, banter, character depth, and plot twists.
Becoming Elisabeth Elliot – Ellen Vaughn
“He is my Rock. it is on Him I count, not on the purity of my own heart…His promises depend on His character, NOT MINE. This is the only foundation for faith.”
Yes, I’m still reading it…yes, I’m still loving it. (It does get a bit descriptive with some of the injury scenes, so if that’s something that disturbs you, be forewarned.)
The Magician’s Nephew – C.S. Lewis
The Bear lobbed the whole sticky mass over the top of the enclosure and unfortunately it hit Uncle Andrew slap in the face (not all the bees were dead). The Bear, who would not at all have minded being hit in the face by a honeycomb himself, could not understand why Uncle Andrew staggered back, slipped, and sat down. And it was sheer bad luck that he sat down on the pile of thistles.
I just finished this one! It was so fun to read it again.
(I also got to beta-read a dual-timeline novel that hasn’t been published yet.)
Teach me never to let the joy of what has been pale the joy of what is.
Elisabeth Elliot
From the journal
…thank You, Lord, that the love does not come from my meager resources, but from the incredible depths of Your love.
Purify my heart, Lord…let self-will die a quiet death in me.
Help me to live in pursuit of Your heart, Father. And yet it is not a pursuit…for You ask me to knock, and tell me it will be opened to me, and all I must do is keep in step with Your Spirit.
What memories/lessons are you taking away from February?
As I’m looking at the above graphic, I’m thinking about how wrong it feels that 2023 will be here in less than two months…but I’m also so excited because it means this next book will be here in less than five months!
Book #2 will be another poetry book (surprise, surprise!), but as of yet, I’m not sharing many more details. There will be a cover reveal with a blurb coming soon, but for now I’m letting you guys guess as to what this next book may hold. Here’s your clue:
I love the way that music communicates where the written word falls short, and so I’ve been compiling a playlist of songs that share the themes I’m writing about in book #2. If you’re into music, go ahead and check out the playlist…and let me know in the comments if you have any guesses as to what the themes of book #2 might be!
Also…if you would be willing to be praying for me as I finish compiling these poems and start the manuscript on its journey to publication, I would be so grateful! God has truly been the one carrying Book #2 (and me!) through this process, and I can’t finish it on my own. I’d so appreciate prayers that:
I would be diligent in writing the rest of this poetry (my deadline for that is November 30th, and I have 12-15 to write yet😅).
God would give me the words to say and the way to say them.
Technology would cooperate with me! XD
Thank you so much for showing up to read and chat with me. I appreciate your support and encouragement so much, and I can’t wait to get this next book to you!!!
Laurel Luehmann 