Imagine writing a note to encourage someone … and changing a life.

There are many ways to encourage someone—talking to them face-to-face, calling, e-mailing, and helping them in any way you can. Then there’s writing. We have each been encouraged in some or all of these ways, but our hearts respond most readily when we receive a personal, handwritten note.  Words are shared differently in a note. People express things in ways they wouldn’t or couldn’t if they were talking, and a handwritten note can be a treasured possession, a remembrance to be read again and again.

In <i>The Ministry of Note Writing,</i> author Carol Ann Mc Giffin offers guidance in the basics of note writing and provides practical advice on the types of notes to consider writing. She offers examples that will aid even a novice in developing strong note-writing skills. 

There’s just something special about a handwritten note that expresses God’s love and directs your focus to His care over you. Encouraging through note writing is a ministry that can change lives. Whether you’re writing notes of sympathy, congratulations, or thanks, when you take the time to write a note, you are opening your heart.

In Consider the Lilies, author Terry Hickey Abercrombie presents a heartwarming collection of stories and poems for her high school friend, General Wayne Downing; her dad, D. H. Hickey; and her large family—including six grandchildren. Her family and friends have provided much of the inspiration for this collection. In these personal stories of triumph over loss and of joy in the simple moments of life, she captures the true emotion and loving Christian spirit of the holidays, from the turkey she won but decided was designated for a higher purpose to the hug and kiss she received from her son on Christmas. She shares spiritual as well as emotional insights in each of her stories and poems. Consider the Lilies offers an inspiring glimpse into a life well-lived. Waiting for the Sunshine Oh! It’s so cold, dark and dreary. When I go out I feel weary. The sun won’t shine just for a while. Just to see it could make me smile. Windows are iced up as can be. Cars won’t start even jauntily. Everyone’s sick with colds and flu. Sub-zero weather makes me blue. I can’t wait till the sun comes out. It will warm everything about. Oh! To see the green grass and trees And hear birds singing melodies.

Author Connie Lounsbury admits that, at times, she has been slow to listen to how God wants her to live. Now immersed in the third act of her life, she shares her blessings, mistakes, and the secret she carried during her childhood as she learned to hear God’s voice—even in the most difficult times.

Lounsbury begins her story in 1950 on a frigid morning in rural Minnesota when, at just nine years old, she was terrified to hear her father shout, "The house is on fire!" Her father was able to save just a few items before their house burned down. He had no insurance or job, and so life was not easy for the family. As Lounsbury details her journey through childhood and the years beyond, she illustrates the importance of God’s presence during challenging times, of teaching children about God, and of living a faith-filled life. From remaking cast-off clothing to buying shoes in thrift stores, Lounsbury shares how her family somehow survived—and even thrived—by relying on love, faith, and a fierce determination to persevere despite many obstacles.

Thrift Store Shoes shares a poignant glimpse into one woman’s inspirational journey from when she first accepted Christ into her heart to today, as her life continues in God’s grace—and demonstrates that, no matter what, God is always with us.

Through the Frozen Falls offers a collection of poetry that captures the innermost emotions of author Mary Lou before, during, and after her recollection of experiencing sexual abuse in her childhood. These verses are presented in two parts. The poems of the first part were written at a time when Mary Lou’s emotions were stagnant and frozen. Hurt and angry, she felt very alone on a journey of painful discovery. In the verse presented in the second part of the collection, she finds a sense of peace and calmness surrounding her as her world thaws into an amazing sea of life and forgiveness. Through this tough, cathartic passage, she offers thanks to God, the author of her forgiveness, for providing her with the courage to share her journey of healing.

Awakened Insight

How many mixed emotions
can one mind even hold
As many new adventures
surprisingly unfold
To have such a powerful surge
of anger aimed at one
So deep and full of fire
a rage enough to stun.
And yet, I feel such caring
for another whom I adore
Such wonderful moving emotions
that I’ve never felt before.
So unlike each other
these feelings more than express
The vicious cycle in contrast
that unwillingly I must possess.
How enormous is this heartache
which measures my total mistrust
What should have been eternal love
has dissolved into pure disgust.
How through the numbness
did this spark ignite,
Without any warning,
without any fight ?

As thirteen-year-old Martha Zachary heads home from basketball practice one afternoon, her biggest worry is whether her junior high basketball team will ever beat their archrival. But when a gray-haired man with piercing eyes approaching her, Martha has no idea her life is about to change forever.

After Merlin, the wizard of legend introduces himself, he informs Martha he is on a mission from God; it is his job to both teach and protect her. Through his gentle guidance, Martha soon discovers she is destined to carry out a great calling—to lead others to the final faceoff between good and evil. Merlin assures her that she will ready, but Martha secretly wonders how she can apply the wizard’s ancient lessons to her own modern life, centered around her best friend, Anna, and her eighth-grade basketball team.

In this inspirational, exciting story, just as a teenager learns the truth behind a power greater than any other on earth, the tension peaks in a locker room showdown with a demon and his shadow army—right before the big game!

The Ten Commandments are as relevant today as they were when they were first given to Moses. The Ten Commandments for Children offers a simple yet effective guide for young children to help them understand the meaning of the commandments. By learning the essence of the Ten Commandments at an early age, children can gain a foundation to live by for the rest of their lives.

Author Mary Lane McGinnis has taken the most important words to live by and put them into terms that a child can understand:

Honor your mom and your dad, and I will bless you as I said,
With many days upon this land.

The Ten Commandments for Children can help children take the true meaning of these words to live by into their hearts.

The House that Wanted a Family is a unique and charming story told from the perspective of a house. The house is for sale and sits empty, waiting for a family. It’s a book you’ll want to read again and again…to a child or yourself. The house will be waiting.

Do daddies love their children only when they are sleeping, or clean, or quiet?

No!

Do daddies love their children only when they are awake, or messy, or loud?

No!

When do daddies love their children? All the time!

Dog lovers of all stripes will enjoy the captivating stories of the author’s pets, and his thoughtful musings about them and their lives with him and his family. Convinced that his pooches have all been blessings from God, Sam further sees the Creator using them to graphically illustrate vital life principles. In Talking Dogs those principles emerge from a new perspective as you catch an over-the-shoulder view of Sam’s experiences with his beloved furry companions, and the wonderful Scriptural insights that have flowed from those relationships.

“Every pet lover will enjoy this great book by my friend Sam Mason. It’s a page-turner filled with refreshing scriptural insights on living the life God wants each of us to enjoy.”

- BOB GASS, author of the The Word for You Today

“This book is full of great lessons about how the way dogs interact with us can teach us about our relationship with God. I really enjoyed reading it. I’m not aware of any other book like this. As a great dog lover all my life, I highly recommend Talking Dogs.”

- JOHN P. MCTERNAN, author of As America Has Done to Israel

“As I read Sam’s book I was reminded of a line from the greatest of all dog book authors — Albert Payson Terhune. Terhune said that humans were unlucky because they didn’t see their God until they died while a dog saw his god each time he looked into his master’s face. This book might just help you find a deeper relationship with God by getting to better know Him through the canines He sends into your life. I know that has been true for me.”

- ACE COLLINS, best-selling author

When B.J. Taylor first read about rescue dog Charlie Bear, she gazed at his photograph and knew right away he was the dog for her. She just hoped her husband, Roger, would agree. Thankfully, he did, and in the subsequent year, both B.J. and Roger soon discovered that Charlie Bear was brought into their world for a very special reason—to teach them about life, love, and second chances.

Charlie Bear shares an intimate look at the first year in the life of a dog nearly labeled “unadoptable” by his foster mother due to his long list of behavioral issues. As he begins his new life, Charlie Bear ferociously guards his food and toys, throws temper tantrums, and is sensitive to touch. Although B.J. doubts their sanity in adopting Charlie Bear after he repeatedly attacks their other dog, Rex, she is determined to make it work for the sake of her husband, who has fallen in love. But when B.J.’s world begins to fall apart, she shares how time, patience, and faith helped her realize that Charlie Bear was not the only one who needed a second chance—she did, too.

Charlie Bear offers a loving tribute to a rescue dog that eventually sheds his headstrong ways, becomes a loving member of a family, and ultimately changes three lives forever.

When 21-year old military wife, Betty Whalen and her five-month-old daughter, Kim, embark on the 13,000 mile trip from New Jersey to Taiwan to join her husband, Betty never dreamed the trip, undertaken in the days before jet travel and disposable diapers, would take nine days, during which Kim would be hit with colic and diarrhea.

Adding to the challenges the young mother would face was an unnecessary two-hour round trip by bus to San Francisco because of misinformation about her visa given to her by a flight operations specialist at Travis Air Force Base, California, her first stop. The error resulted in a tedious three-hour delay which caused Betty to miss a flight to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. Two days later upon arrival at Hickam, she faced another three-day wait. Then another exasperating four days in the Philippine Islands.

On Taiwan, Betty was the youngest American “Round-eye” to meet the legendary Taiwanese President, Chiang Kai Shek. While there she gives birth to her second daughter in a missionary hospital only to lose this child suddenly three years later. Upon her family’s return by ship, with two babies under two, from Taiwan, the angry Pacific Ocean brings their ship breathtakingly close to capsizing. During the voyage, 20-month old Kim faces emergency surgery on a ship that was bucking so badly, the surgeon was unable to stand upright without assistance.

Back in the states with a family of four, Betty hones the shopping practices that enabled her to multiply her dollars and earn her the designation: Queen of Thrift. Her four basic principles: never pay the retail price, know the brands, shop the discount stores, and be patient, have paid off big for her. They can for anyone willing to try them.

When a new baby shrimp called Pee Wee is born, there is a hush in the sea. His mom and dad are concerned because he is tiny and his whole backside is shiny. The doctors and nurses work hard to save him. Then one day, they realize that something bigger than all of them has changed their sea, the place where they all live—and that change is responsible for Pee Wee’s unusual problems.

Set on the Gulf Coast right after the devastating oil spill, A Shrimp Called Pee Wee tells a tale of what can happen when disaster strikes. The story of Pee Wee the Shrimp shows how life in the sea was affected by the oil spill in the Gulf, but it shares a story of what it’s like to be born a little different than everyone else and how the love of family and friends supports the life of a child with challenges. Join Pee Wee and his family on their adventure in the Gulf.

Angels remain a mystical, inspiring subject for many. For Martha Mason Rickey, their appearance as statues on gravestones and cemetery grounds often evoked an emotional reaction, be it sadness, joy, or serenity. But it was how they changed throughout the seasons that compelled Rickey to document them through her camera lens.

Filled with beautiful images, Angels for All Seasons is an inspiring look at angel statues as they appear throughout the year. Grouped according to the seasons, each photo provides a starting point for meditation, relaxation, or enjoyment, and invites a closer study of these heavenly beings.

Allow yourself a moment to reflect upon the beauty of angels as seen through the eyes of Martha Mason Rickey in Angels for All Seasons.