Chosen Vessels

Happy weekend, readers. (Do I start every post that way? Well, probably...) Yes, I'm leaving y'all again, as you may have guessed from the title. A group from my church is leaving today for a missions trip, and we'll be returning next weekend. (We're participating in the same ministry as we did last June, which I talked about here and here . ;)) Because of this, there will be no 'real' post here today or next Saturday. I look forward to getting back into the groove of things in July, which will include sharing with y'all about this trip!  Prayers for safety and a God-filled week would be appreciated! <3 Off to another adventure, ~Faith 

~ Description  It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it. ~General Robert E. Lee, CSA Marigold Ruth Bryant and Rueben Collins lived the life of farmers in Western North Carolina during the early 1860s. But times are changing. With the attack on Fort Sumpter, Marigold and Rueben’s lives are turned upside down. Meeting legendary figures in the war, they must decide what they truly believe. Follow the steps of these simple farming families and discover more about the lives of those impacted by this conflict. ~ My Rating  3.5 stars ~ My Review  Letters from Home was a nice story, that fairly accurately showed every day civilian life during the Civil War. The fact that it's set near my home made it more enjoyable, as I recognized town and landmark names.  The characters were well-done and mostly relatable. There were a lot of them to keep track of however—something that usually bothers me—but the character list near the beginning

~ Description  At some point in life, every woman struggles with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. Whether fueled by a culture of makeover shows, by the lingering memories of mean girls, or by events and regrets much more wounding to the soul, our thoughts can become so conditioned by self-doubt that it's often the primary lens through which we view ourselves or expect to be viewed by others. But what if we could rewrite the narrative? What if we could exchange our uncertainty for an abiding confidence? And what if in unearthing our worth, we uncovered our purpose as well, becoming free to unleash our gifts within community and find ourselves in complete communion with our Creator? In this fearless, funny, and refreshingly relatable chronicle of her own metamorphosis from the insecurity that once held her captive, author Kayla Aimee unfolds the blueprint for women to: • Identify the deep-seated sources of our assumed inadequacy and replace them with steadfast truths

Happy Saturday! (Actually, happy Friday night, as a very tired Faith is writing this ahead of time because tomorrow will be too busy to think about blog posts. xD) First off, a happy Father's Day to all the beloved dads out there. Y'all are super special. The protector, the leader of the home, the head of the family, and the one who's to hold it all together. I don't know what we'd do without ya. <3 Am I forgetting something? *innocent smile* Ahh, yes, the giveaway winners. Probably the only reason some of y'all are reading this. xD Okiedoke! First place (the journal and pens) goes to Abigail Harder. Second place (books and bookmarks) goes to Kaitlyn K.! Congratulations, girlies! I'll be contacting you shortly to get your mailing addresses, and prizes will go in the mail first of the week. ^_^ Have a blessed weekend, y'all! <3

Are sea monsters a real thing? What about fire-breathing dragons? According to the Bible, there is a fire-breathing sea creature who really existed: the leviathan. Amanda Tero brings this dragon to life in her newest short story, "Quest for Leviathan." Join Anath and his crew of ninety-nine rowers as they face the waves of the Mediterranean Sea and the power of Leviathan. About the Story Leviathan took the life of his father. Anath has spent three years preparing for the voyage that will end the threat of Leviathan. Yet as the Valor launches into the depths of the Mediterranean, an inward quest also begins, taking Anath to depths he is not willing to face. Amazon  ||  Paperback  ||  Goodreads Review  I've been pleased with every short work I've read by Ms. Tero. This fictional take on the tale of the leviathan fro

Greetings, readers! I'm officially back from my May hiatus! (Yes, I was supposed to post last week and forgot. xD) If you'd like to hear about my May trip, I'd suggest keeping an eye on my other blog next week. And speaking of blogs... This weekend marks three years since I joined the blogosphere! Blogging has definitely been a journey for me, and one that I have very much enjoyed. I'm not sure where life will take me in the coming years, but for now I'm sticking with blogging as a hobby. Stories by Firefly is my writer/author platform, and Chosen Vessels is my little spot to share my thoughts and my faith. A blog wouldn't be nearly so much fun without all of my lovely followers. As much as I would love to give something special to each and every one of you, it's just not a feasible plan. So I'm doing the next best thing—a giveaway with two winners! First Place will receive this darling leather journal. The front has a quote from 1 C

Hello, lovelies! I'm here today with author Amber Stokes Holcomb's blog tour for her darling novella, Where Trains Collide . This is the third novella romance I've read by this author, and they've all be super cute! :D Synopsis Inspirational Contemporary Romance Novella Two hearts racing in different directions will meet where trains collide. Burned out and disillusioned with her chosen career path, Trisha Knolane gives in to impulse and hops on a train bound for Oregon, eager to escape the stress of college for a few days. But what begins as a fun little adventure takes an unexpected turn when she discovers that her ex-boyfriend is also on board. All her hopes and dreams had once centered on Paul Benson. Now, when Trisha doesn't know where her current track will lead, Paul’s reappearance in her life only complicates matters and sparks difficult questions. Questions that could change the course of her life. A heartfelt and thought-provoking conte