Sharing the Hope of Christmas Through Music


by Lydia Walker Athey

When you think of the upcoming Christmas season, do you feel hopeful or hopeless?

Christmas is a time where many of us are seeking peace, joy, and hope. The season often
brings up many emotions, whether that’s a lifetime of good memories spent with family, or struggles because of the loss of a loved one.

In the bustle and busy-ness of the season, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the hype and miss the subtle moments to make a difference.

Each Christmas season is an opportunity to use the celebration as a time to give, serve, and
remind each other of what’s truly important. You never know what someone may be walking through, as you pass them in the store or sit behind them in traffic. There are hurting people all around us who need the Hope that is only found in Christ.

There’s a special warmth in singing Christmas carols that has the ability to go into places that
normally may not be open to the gospel, and share the hope that is so desperately needed.
The traditional carols are full of powerful messages, proclaiming that Christ came to save the
world, and that He is the reason for the season.

You may recognize the melodies and know some of the words, but when you take a deeper look, there is so much truth found in the lyrics. Some all time favorite carols include “Silent
Night”, “O Holy Night”, “Away in A Manger”, and “O Come O Come Emmanuel”. They are all very blatant in sharing the story of Jesus, even more so than modern praise and worship
music.

In a season where many feel hopeless, discouraged, and cold, we have the opportunity to share the hope of Christmas through music that speaks to their soul. Wouldn’t it be amazing to
help lead others to a new life in Christ during the season when we celebrate His coming?

I want to encourage you to look for opportunities to share that hope in every day situations, as
you go about your daily routine. Pray that the Lord would bring people into your path, that you
can minister to and share that message of hope.

Let this season be a time of giving the greatest gift!

Bio: “Lydia Walker is a singer/songwriter and worship leader. She’s a wife and young mom, passionate about raising up the next generation to know and love Jesus. She’s recently released an album of “Lullabies” and also has an “Acoustic Christmas Carols” album, available on her website and on iTunes. Her goal is to inspire people with a message of hope.”

Website: www.rusticsongbird.com

Check out Lydia’s Christmas Album Here!

 

 

NEW RELEASE TODAY!!

“Christmas on a Mission” is FINALLY HERE!

Long awaited, for sure! I’m in love with this little novella, and I know you’ll love it too!

We’ve got a FB Live Launch party coming up on the 8th! You’re invited! Check out my FB Author Page for more info and chances to win fun prizes! See you soon!

OH, and if you LOVE the book, tell a friend!

BUY YOUR COPY HERE!

 

 

Now Available for PRE-ORDER!

“Christmas on a Mission” is now available for Pre-Order on Ebook!

Each book release feels magical, and this one is no exception. In fact, it feels a bit more magical–perhaps because the story line centers around the Christmas season.

This little gem, has it all! Food, family, humor, Christmas-crafts, service projects, the cutest little Pug on the planet, and some serious heart-tugging romance!

Pre-Order your copy today, and nab one for a friend too!

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER!

 

ABOUT “CHRISTMAS ON A MISSION”

Fitting Christmas in a shoe box has been her mission…until now.

Audria Rylatt is the school system’s liaison for homeless students. She strives to make Christmas bright for hundreds, while the season brings only heartache after her fiancé was killed in combat nearly two years ago. So when her family decides to play matchmaker, she is less than thrilled. To make matters worse, they’ve invited a soldier friend of her deceased fiancé to the family cabin for the holiday.

But she’s surprised to find this soldier, Quinton Nolan, standing at the door of heart. Faced with painful memories, the despair Christmas brings her, and the fear to love again, Audria is in desperate need of a Christmas miracle. Or at least some of the hope Christmas seems to offer so many. Can she embrace a new mission? If so, Christmas may stand to deliver a lifetime of magical memories.

“Christmas on a Mission” is a delightful story of hope, life, love, and second chances, filled with all the joy and cheer Christmas brings.

A New Novella Releases in November! “Christmas on a Mission”!

COMING SOON!!
I’m so excited about my upcoming Christmas Novella “Christmas on a Mission”!
It speaks to my teacher heart, my crafty-side, my love for yummy sweets, decorating, and my desire to live intentionally knowing we have a mission in life.

 

Fitting Christmas in a shoe box has been her mission…until now.

Audria Rylatt is the school system’s liaison for homeless students. She strives to make Christmas bright for hundreds, while the season brings only heartache after her fiancé was killed in combat nearly two years ago. So when her family decides to play matchmaker, she is less than thrilled. To make matters worse, they’ve invited a soldier friend of her deceased fiancé to the family cabin for the holiday.

But she’s surprised to find this soldier, Quinton Nolan, standing at the door of heart. Faced with painful memories, the despair Christmas brings her, and the fear to love again, Audria is in desperate need of a Christmas miracle. Or at least some of the hope Christmas seems to offer so many. Can she embrace a new mission? If so, Christmas may stand to deliver a lifetime of magical memories.

“Christmas on a Mission” is a delightful novel of hope, life, love, and second chances, filled with all the joy and cheer Christmas brings.

 

Inspirational Contemporary Romance Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How awesome is this?

The Grand Prize Winner receives 35+ ebooks, including my debut novel, “The Wounded Warrior’s Wife”, and an eReader!

What an incredible giveaway!

Be sure to enter here: https://booksweeps.com/book-giveaway/inspirational-contemporary-romance-june-2018/

Have a WONDERFUL Summer & Happy Reading!

A Worm in Time: How a Worm Helped in the Spread of Christianity

A Worm in Time: How a Worm Led to one of the Greatest Factors in the Spread of Christianity

As a middle school world history teacher, I stand over textbooks and timelines observing the causes and effects of historical events. They weave together telling the story of time, and I can’t help but marvel at God. With each twist and turn, the ups, the downs, God moves, and bends history to His will.

I’ve been able to make many observations. For example, God often uses the ill-equipped to serve His purpose. Not only the ill-equipped, but God isn’t opposed to using the secular, the ungodly, small, least likely, and even seemingly insignificant events to bring about His plans and purpose.  It’s brilliant.

Around 3,000 B.C. the Chinese began cultivating silk from a worm. The raw material provided by the worm created a luxurious fabric and a high demand from buyers.  Two thousand years later trade opened between China and the Mediterranean region sparking a greater demand for silk. The demand led to the creation of what we now know as The Silk Road or Silk Route.

Today, the World Wide Web connects us, but for over a thousand years the Silk road acted like a World Wide Web of interconnecting roadways. More than silk was traded. Merchants stretching from East Asia, the Middle East, parts of Africa, and Europe exchanged gold, spices, salt, slaves, ideas, religion, and technology. A case can be that the Silk Road affected culture more than trade. In fact, trade along the Silk Road became arguably the leading cause for the spread of Christianity around the world.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, trade declined. The roads fell into ruin, and became dangerous for merchants and their caravan of goods. However, Christianity would not be stopped. God had other plans. Eventually, the Mongols, fierce nomadic warriors from Asia, begin providing protection along the roadways and trade and travel flourish once more.

A great empire falls, and God uses violent, unmerciful, warriors like the Mongols to protect the road in which His message of Grace, Love, and Mercy is shared. Slavery, an evil crime against humanity, was a lucrative business along the routes, yet these slaves will perhaps, for the first time hear God’s message of Freedom. Robberies, and murders were common occurrences along the roadway, yet God’s mission and message could not be deterred.

Notice how God worked through the trials, dark places, thorny paths, and sinful nature of humanity that manifested along the roadways. He does that today, working in our lives, in the dark place to bring truth and good for those that love Him. It’s the thorny, darkest, vilest places that need the light of the Gospel the most. What better place for the Gospel to shine than against the backdrop of the Silk Road?

God’s Word prevails, just like He says it will. There’s no stopping it.

Eventually, the effects of trade on the Silk Road will lead to Christianity spreading to Northern Europe and then over to England.  Overtime England will become a Protestant nation, through non-religious reasons– check out the story of King Henry VIII. It’s not a “Christian” story, yet, God will allow Protestant Christian beliefs to grow, and ultimately those beliefs sail their way to the Americas where they become the foundation of our great nation.

Let this sink in: God used a worm to create a product, that started the largest, longest lasting, trading system, which allowed for the world-wide spread of Christianity. Mind bogglingly brilliant.

He’s relentless, reckless, and stops at nothing to further His plan of salvation to be heard by every ear possible. Why? Because. He. Loves. Us. Every last person on this planet, past, present, and future. He’s a God who has chased us through history, in and out of time, simply to be with us.

If history repeats itself, as it often does, then God is still moving in the midst of our frustrations, doubt, fear, and uncertainty. He will use the secular, the immoral, ill-equipped, time itself, and even a worm to further His kingdom purpose.

And here’s the best part, He wins!

 

About the Author:

Hannah Conway is a military wife, mother of two, middle school teacher, and speaker. Her novels are a deployment experience of their own, threaded with faith, and filled with twists and turns sure to thrill, and encourage. Hannah is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and My book Therapy. She and her family live near Nashville, Tennessee.

Check out her latest release, Up in Smoke ! Love it? Leave a Review on Amazon and let the world know!

Writing: Resolutions & Misconceptions

Writing, wow, who knew there would be such challenges to getting it done?

I’d like a hot cup of coffee, a nice QUIET place to write, and a three to four hour daily block of time to pour out the most inspired writing of my life.

And all writers start laughing now.

After a great wrestle, and I do mean GREAT, I’m resolved to the fact that there’s never going to be a perfect time or place to write.

‘Tis life, and ‘Tis the season of a bit more craziness than usual.

While I may get that cup of coffee, that nice QUIET place and 3-4 hours of daily writing time simply isn’t in my deck of cards at the moment. Even IF that perfect time/place existed, inspired writing isn’t something that often happens, nor is it necessary for writing to occur.

Life-Stuff happens y’all. The past year and a half has been emotionally and spiritually taxing. I can’t believe how much it’s impacted my ability to write, or the lack there of.

Though it’s been over a year since my mother-in-law passed away from cancer, we are all still very much grieving and dealing with the aftermath of her death. Five months after her passing, my dad suffered a heart-attack and nearly died. Praise the Lord he survived and is doing well. I also went from being a full-time writer and stay at home mom & wife to a full-time teacher, writer, mom & wife, which is a whole new world of crazy. And Just this week we quite unexpectedly assumed guardianship of our two nieces making our family of four now a family of six.  So much to process, but wow, God is SOOO Good! Sooo good. So so so good. Unbelievably good. Will definitely have to catch y’all up on just how good soon! Anyway, I digress.

I’ve prioritized, said no to things I would have usually agreed to in the realm of volunteering, but I still find myself in the juggle struggle fighting for the time to write.

I don’t have, and more than likely won’t have, the ideal writing circumstances that my mind dreams up. But what do I have? Well, looking at my calendar for the school year…I do have a window of time…about a 50 minute chunk in the afternoons four days a week where I can write in my classroom after school, door closed, lights off, before I have to pick up my kiddos from school. Score!

I also have three Sunday’s a month from 7pm-9pm (sometimes until 10pm!) available to write/plot etc. Double Score!

Now…how to be”inspired” when I sit to write? First thing to do is kick that whole concept of inspiration out the window. Here’s what I’m gonna do:

1: Sit:  So, from 2:45 to 3:35 I will be in the back of my classroom with my computer, and will turn off the wifi. (Sometimes I have to check my email like 100 times when writing… or Facebook…or Instagram…you know, just because. So wifi has to go!)

2: Pray: “God, it’s just you and me creating this story, so help me out, ’cause I’m totally not feeling the inspiration thing”

3: Write:  Write even if it’s the worst writing ever. The goal is to slap down a 1,000 words in that 50 minute session and close the computer at 3:35. If I don’t hit a 1,000, well I hit something and that’s better than a big-fat-zero.

4: Repeat & adjust the writing times as seasons of life come and go.

What will happen to my writing schedule during summer break? I will adjust it accordingly in May as school draws to an end (18 weeks y’all!! Countdown!). Maybe I will get that 3-4 hour chunk of daily writing time then! Woohoo!

Here it is then. I’m resolved to:

1: Sit

2: Pray

3: Write

4: Repeat

Now that I’m resolved, I’m gonna bring some accountability to this deal. I know just the person…a fellow writer, with writing goals of her own.

The juggle struggle is real y’all, but there’s something to be said for setting goals, making priorities, accountability, and getting it done.

What are your writing goals? What’s your writing schedule like? How do you fight and make time to write? I’d love to hear your feedback. 🙂

Happy New Year!

 

About the Author:

Hannah Conway is a military wife, mother of two, middle school teacher, and speaker. Her novels are a deployment experience of their own, threaded with faith, and filled with twists and turns sure to thrill, and encourage. Hannah is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and My book Therapy. She and her family live near Nashville, Tennessee.

Check out her latest release, Up in Smoke ! Love it? Leave a Review on Amazon and let the world know!

Sweet Surrender : eBook Giveaway & Guest Post By Author Cynthia Roemer

Hello Dear Readers! I’m honored to have my friend and fellow author, Cynthia Roemer as a guest blogger today! She’s also been so gracious to host a GIVEAWAY for her debut novel “Under This Same Sky”! Keep reading and then enter below! AND if you have a moment, hop on over to her site today where I’m offering a giveaway for my latest novel “Up in Smoke” CLICK HERE. It’s a swip-swap giveaway!


Surrendering our lives to God never comes easily. If you’re like me, you can give a situation to the Lord only to take it back again and again in a tug-of-war for control. I suppose that’s why I wrote about the theme of total surrender in my debut novel, Under This Same Sky.

My heroine, Becky Hollister, doesn’t willingly choose to surrender her will to God; instead, adverse circumstances compel her to choose between entrusting her life to Him or turning her back on her faith. It’s touch and go for a while. After enduring great suffering and loss, Becky questions how a loving God can allow such hurtful events to happen.

Under This Same Sky takes readers on a journey alongside Becky as she works through her resentment toward God and seeks to determine what His will for her might be. But just as in real life, it takes the wisdom of God’s word and the love of friends (and in Becky’s case, a godly man) to pull her through.

Becky’s story is a tale of friendship and love, but even more so, it’s a quest for wholeness and deeper understanding of a God who longs to hold the deepest desires of her heart. Fully surrendering to the Lord is something I believe we all struggle to achieve. I hope you’ll be encouraged by Becky’s story and the message of surrender it conveys.

 

  1. Why do you write?

Since my college days, I’ve had the dream of writing novels. I can only explain it as something God placed within me to do. I long to touch the hearts of readers by letting them experience growth and healing in the lives of my characters.

  1. What do you love best about your novel?

It would have to be its message—that of surrendering to God, despite our circumstances. There are so many hurting people who don’t understand why God allows bad things to happen. While my novel doesn’t attempt to answer that question, it does seek to demonstrate that God is able to work through our hardships to draw us closer to Him.

  1. What encouraging word would you like to give to others?

I’d like to encourage others to live their dream for God. Whatever He has placed on your heart to do, work toward it, allowing room for His timing. When we seek God’s blessing in what we do, He will be faithful to walk beside us. He gives us each our own special set of skills and traits. It’s up to us to discover how He can best put them to use.

 

Under This Same Sky Book Blurb:

~ She thought she’d lost everything ~ Instead she found what she needed most. ~

Illinois ~ 1854

Becky Hollister wants nothing more than to live out her days on the prairie, building a life for herself alongside her future husband. But when a tornado rips through her parents’ farm, killing her mother and sister, she must leave the only home she’s ever known and the man she’s begun to love to accompany her injured father to St. Louis.

Catapulted into a world of unknowns, Becky finds solace in corresponding with Matthew Brody, the handsome pastor back home. But when word comes that he is all but engaged to someone else, she must call upon her faith to decipher her future.

 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational writer with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband and their two college-aged sons. Under This Same Sky is her debut novel.

 

 

 

 

Contact Links:

Website:  http://cynthiaroemer.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaRoemer/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com@cynthiaroemer 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35002701-under-this-same-sky?from_search=true

 

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Under-This-Same-Cynthia-Roemer-ebook/dp/B06XZNPSRR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492640140&sr=8-1&keywords=under+this+same+sky

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Marriages Up in Smoke

No one gets married with the intent of getting divorced…I take that back. Leanna and Garrison, the characters in my latest novel, “Up in Smoke” do. And actually, I’ve heard stories of other couples that have done the same thing. Crazy, right?

But, for the most part, I’d say it’s safe to say that MOST couples never intend to divorce. However, nearly 50% of couples will divorce.

Ugh.

It breaks my heart.

It seems everywhere I turn, marriages are falling a part…even the couples in our church are being struck down. Why? Why is this happening? I get that things happen, people make choices, and sometimes choices are made for us against our will.

I’m tapping my pencil, clicking my tongue, wracking my brain trying to grasp why so many marriages are going up in smoke…here’s what I’ve come up with…

1: Transparency

As a society we tend to act like we’re okay when we’re not. Marriage is hard, and it’s okay to admit that, and it’s okay to get help, and glean from the wisdom of others.

2: Sanctity

Perhaps as a society we don’t understand the sanctity of marriage…it’s holiness. It’s a God ordained institution…a ’til death do us part deal. It’s worth our attention, our devotion, our time, energy, and our priority.

3: Purpose

Maybe we don’t understand the purpose of marriage. There’s an end goal, a goal that reaches past our life and into the generations to come. Marriage is a reflection of God’s love for us, and it also serves a safe, strong environment to raise up children. Our actions, good and bad, will be seen for years to come…we are a product of our ancestors, and we have a job to raise up the next generation teaching them about God, and showing them what relationships are meant to be.

I can analyze why marriages are struggling, but that doesn’t help us know HOW to stay together. HOW do we do ’til death do us part and not do it in misery?

1: Be transparent: plug in to a church or solid group of friends; share and care for each other

2: Realize the sanctity of marriage; care for your marriage; protect it; go on dates; make each other a priority

3: Realize marriage has a purpose; it’s worth the ups and downs; it means something that we can’t even really begin to grasp; it’s purpose reaches into the generations…we shape the future with our marriages.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, advice on this topic. 🙂 Any ways you have made your marriage stronger? Need us to pray for your marriage? Let us know. 🙂

 

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Teaching Tools for the Writer: Become a Dynamic Speaker by Adding SPICE!

Recently, I wrote a post for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) called Teaching Tools for Writers: 4 Steps to Building a Public Speaking Platform. Check it out here.

The focus was on building a speaking platform focusing using four steps.

Today I’d like to focus on sharpening our public speaking skills and wowing our audience with engaging and interactive presentations.

As a 7th Grade World History Teacher, I’ve learned a few things about how to make an audience fall asleep and drool during class, and a few things that keep them on the edge of their seat wanting to know more.

Figured we don’t want to bore our audience to the point of drooling, so let’s add some SPICE, aka The Key To Awesome Presentations:

Short

Passion

Image

Color

Experience

 

S: Short

If using a slide format to present, or providing handouts, keep the information as short as possible. We’re offering snippets, thoughts, bits of info, not a dissertation. Wordiness is killer on the attention span—even for adults. And, it’s insulting. Give one word, no more than six words per slide, and let the reader/student/attendee take notes based on what they find significant.

Fewer words also increase the likelihood of remembering.

Caveat: Some slides may include more words than six words. For example, a slide focusing on a particular scripture, or a slide with group discussion questions. But as a rule of thumb, work to keep the great majority of slides as short and sweet as possible.

 

P: Passion

Sometimes we need to tell our face that we’re having a good time. If we aren’t into what we’re speaking about, our audience won’t care either. Add passion. How? Well, sometimes it’s a fake it ‘til we make it thing where we are consciously making ourselves move around the room/stage. We are consciously adding dramatic pause, changing the pitch of our voice, adding facial expressions, even cracking jokes.

That may mean writing out the lesson word for word, and then reading over it aloud in order to get a feel of where elements of passion can be added. Over time, and with practice, passion will flow—we can’t help it, and when passion flows, it’s contagious!

I: Image

We are visual, and many of us are visual learners. We connect ideas, beliefs, and concepts to an image. That old saying “a picture is worth a 1,000 words” is pretty spot on. However, adding an image(s) to our presentation can evoke emotions. And when an emotional connection is made, coupled with a passionate presentation, and short snippets of info, BAM—something happens in our brain. Things stick better, which brings us to the C in SPICE:

C: Color

We should use color, and boldness, in our presentation.

For starters, no slide background should ever be plain ‘ole white. In fact, avoid a white background all together. Go with a colored background, and use white as the letter for a bold, memorable effect, if white is a must have.

Bold and enlarge the points we want our audience to remember, not the title. We don’t want them to remember the title of the presentation, but the concepts. So Bold, underline, and enlarge the font for those points.

Let’s recap.

Add SPICE to a Presentation

So far, we’ve learned to keep our presentation short using one word per concept, no more than six words per slide.

Adding passion is a must, and including an helps our audience make deeper connections to our presentation. We’ve also learned the benefits of using color and boldness. Now let’s look at the E in SPICE.

E: Experience

We want to allow our audience to experience the lesson or presentation. A mental field trip of sorts. How?

Tell stories. Tell stories that appeal to the senses: touch, sound, smell, taste, and site.

Stories, especially stories with drama, intrigue, romance, and action activate more parts of our brain allowing us to experience what we’re learning, which allows us to remember better. Jesus knew this, and taught with stories.

Where can an analogy, or personal story or testimony be added into the presentation?

Want to add a deeper level of audience experience? Add even more crowd interaction with Quizlet Live! Oh friends, the fun we have with this little gem! Used it not long ago while speaking at a Military Wives’ Conference, and it was a hit!  Any topic can be created from Bible Trivia, Elements of Plot Structure, The Point of This Lesson etc.  Want more info?

Stay tuned for my next post on Quizlet Live for the Speaker!

So, there it is! SPICE up your presentation and rivet your audience!

 

Want example of a presentation?

Check out one I recently used Here

 

Not sure what presentation format to use when prepping a talk?

Check out these Free or Nearly Free Presentation Formats that Rock!

  • PowerPoint is an oldie but goodie. Images, audio, and video can be added, and PowerPoint also has fun features that can add animation to each slide and/or point. Stick to the SPICE model, and it will provide a presentation that kicks, pops, and sparkles.
  • Google Sides is free on Googledocs and works very much like PowerPoint. I was raised on PowerPoint, so I’m not as savvy with Google Slides, but my students are pros at it, and actually like it better than PowerPoint. Not sure how to get started with Googledocs, which is awesome? Sign up for a Gmail email account…that’s it.
  • My personal FAVORITE presenting format is Prezi! It adds movement, color, images…oh I get all goose-pimply thinking about how great it is! It works very much like PowerPoint, and will admit there’s a little bit of a learning curve there, but it’s worth playing with. LOVE IT!

 

Prezi has a free version, and a paid version. So far I’ve only used the free templates. Check this one out!

 

Hope you found this post helpful!! Feel free to share this post, leave comments or questions.

 

Many Blessings,

Hannah R. Conway

Military Wife, Momma, Author, Speaker, Teacher, Lover of coffee, chocolate and books!

Join my Letting Freedom Newsletter Here!

Need something else to do? Why not Help me Launch my latest book, Up in Smoke, coming out this Summer! You’ll get a FREE Advanced Reader ECopy!  Join the Launch Team: Conway’s Convoy here!

Looking for a Speaker at your next event, conference, book club or conference? I’m in! Let’s chat! Contact me here!