Are you ready for some warm beach and hotter sun? Yes, I am! I love all seasons, but I am partial toward the warmer ones. That’s why I write beach romances. Warm sun, warm sand, warm beach reads!
Three weeks ago, it was 72F in the day time over here. There I was, thinking winter was over. However, one week later, I woke up to 38F. What happened?
It’s finally spring time now where I am. In Savannah, the azaleas and daffodils are blooming. On Tybee Island, minutes away from Savannah, the seabirds fly and the ocean waves roar. These two old places by the Atlantic Ocean are some of my favorite settings for my novels and novellas, particularly my Savannah Sweethearts series.
A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about Savannah, Georgia, and today I’m going to talk about the other twin setting, Tybee Island.
Notes: Throughout this blog post are questions for you. Whether you travel a lot or read about travel a lot, let’s chat about places! As a fun treat, don’t forget to grab a free ebook copy of Ask You Later, the prequel to Savannah Sweethearts, if you haven’t already read it.
Heat up a cup of tea (or coffee or hot cocoa), and let’s travel to Tybee Island…
Even though General James Oglethorpe claimed Tybee Island for Britain, together with Savannah, the British were not the first people on the island back in 1733. Various Native American tribes have been hunting and fishing there for a long time, along with French and Spanish traders. Of course, American history buffs knew that in some ensuing battles later, Oglethorpe’s men (with Scottish soldiers among them), pushed the Spanish forces back to Florida.
Questions: Have you ever been to the Georgia or Florida coasts? How do you like those places compared to where you live? What about the nearest beaches where you live? You might be on another continent (than I am) that has a totally different geography and geology. Do describe some of the beaches in your home country.
Being on the Atlantic Ocean, Tybee Island has its fair share of sunrises over the sea. I try to mention sunrises or set some of my scenes just around that time of day in my Savannah Sweethearts books. For example, in Ask You Later (A Savannah Sweethearts Prequel), my two main characters spend some thinking time on the beach.
Do you remember that verse in Mark, where Jesus arose early in the morning to go pray?
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. – Mark 1:35
I do enjoy drinking my hot tea and reading my Bible on the beach or on a balcony overlooking the ocean. The sun rising into the sky and the swishing of the ocean waves provide a nice backdrop to my quiet time with God.
Questions: Do you like to read your Bible early in the morning or at night before bedtime or both? Do you find reading the Bible slightly different (maybe in terms of atmosphere) when you’re on vacation? How so?
In all my novels and novellas, I included Bible verses in a number of family-related scenes, wherever appropriate.
For example, in Cherish You So (Savannah Sweethearts Book 4), Nadine found herself talking about Jesus when she took a walk in the autumn woods with her dad.
In Kiss You Now (Savannah Sweethearts Book 7), Priyanka and her dad discussed God on the shores of Goa.
In Ask You Later (A Savannah Sweethearts Prequel), Leon had a lot to think and pray about on the Tybee Island beach outside the house he stayed in.
In several more books in my Savannah Sweethearts series, sometimes emotional breakthroughs happen on beaches. I won’t say more (lest I accidentally give you spoilers to my own books haha).
Questions: Have you had opportunities to talk with family members about God and Jesus Christ when you go on vacation? Sometimes the peaceful scenes and tranquil setting can be a moment of divine appointment, don’t you think? What about walking on the beach or in a park, pondering God’s Word or singing hymns with a thankful heart? What are your favorite verses that you’ve taken with you on vacations?
Thank you for spending time with me today. I hope you enjoyed reading the tidbits about Tybee Island.
Have you downloaded your free ebook copy of Ask You Later?
If you have already read it, feel free to tell a reading friend who might be new to my books. Thank you!
Happy reading and have a wonderful day in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Joyfully in Him,
Jan Thompson
USA Today bestselling novelist Jan Thompson writes clean and wholesome multiethnic contemporary Christian romance with elements of women’s fiction, Christian romantic suspense with an air of mystery, and inspirational international thrillers with threads of sweet Christian romance. Join Jan's mailing list for her latest book news: JanThompson.com/newsletter
Hi Jan, thanks for sharing another lovely setting. I imagine beaches here in Australia are similar to beaches in America- it all depends on where you are as to what the beach is like. I love quiet beaches and am blessed to have some magic ones not too far away. Beautiful sandy beaches, with sea cliffs rising to the headland. That means rockpools to explore and some sea caves.
I struggle to read my Bible in the morning- it is hard enough getting up and ready then getting the boys up and ready to go. I enjoy listening to music that is centred around Bible verses- Sons of Korah, Andrew Peterson’s music for example. I find myself singing these/the verses in my head throughout the day. There is something special about being on holiday and taking it slower and being deliberate .
Blessings:)
I have been to Georgia but Rossville near the Tennessee border and Atlanta. The closest beaches to me are a country Hour away. (an hour in the country compared to the city is a lot further). We have a few coastal towns that distance and many have what they call beach shacks at these places (although what I call and shack and they do is totally different). The beaches are the white sands with sand dunes, some are better to swim than others (one is called Long Beach not cos its long but because its a long way out to really be up to your neck in water). They are not surf beaches so quite good for swimming.
I do devotions first thing in the morning after I feed the cats (otherwise they would be yelling at me)
I normally go on holiday alone. (I live alone) I will catch up with friends when I go to the city but when I have gone overseas I have stayed with Christian friends or in a hotel. You are making me want to go back to Georgia to see my friend (who’s daughter had a baby on my birthday)
Hi Jan! Thanks for sharing. I have been to both the Florida and California Coast. I am blessed to live less than a mile from the beautiful pristine sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. Love walking the beaches in spring and fall in the evening , since summer is tourist season and winter is frigid. In SW Michigan we are known for our romantic sunsets. The last few weeks we even get glimpses of Chicago 80 miles away. Our local photographer Joshua Nowicki has some great pictures. Start day with spiritual songs and Bible reading in the evening. Best wishes.
I’m not a big beach person so I don’t mind not living close to one. I will say that it is fascinating to watch and listen to the waves though. I like to read my Bible in the morning before I head off to work.
Hi, Jan! I live on the Florida coast, so I have been to Tybee Island and Savannah a few times, and I just adore both places! Thanks for sharing, and I love your books!
Jan, your pictures made me miss the beach this morning. I used to live on Amelia Island, FL. I used to walk the beach almost daily. Then we moved to the desert. Quite a switch. I love the mountains and cacti here in the desert, but every so often I miss a walk on the beach.
Oh, beach. I just love the beach. Really. My grandparents have a beach house, so my family goes every year. It’s a treat. When I was young I used to spend so much time there, and as I grew older, I just didn’t go as much.
This year my husband, son, and I took a 3-week vacation (my friends still tease us that we “stayed away for the whole summer” because it just felt like a long time, longer than most of my friends stayed away at once). It was amazing to be able to share my love for the beach with my son. We told him many time how “Our Father in Heaven” made all of the beautiful things he too has learned to love (little Sam’s first word was “water” when he was around 10 months old so I’m pretty sure beach ranks pretty high on the things that he loves).
We love visiting our son and spending time on the beach in Panama City, FL. When I am there I can’t help but be in awe at the greatness of God and his love for us that He would create such a beautiful place for us.
Thank you, Wemble! Those beaches sound lovely! Australia is on my bucket list. Hope to visit it some day!
I agree about taking it easy on holidays/vacations. I do love laidback seasons!
Thanks again for commenting!
Thank you, Ausjenny! Hehe re: “country hour” — that’s something I don’t experience in the city — where we SIT in traffic for a whole “city hour” LOL!
I have a cat too! Yes, they are demanding, aren’t they!
Congrats to your friend who has a new baby granddaughter! Hope you get to visit her again!
Thanks again for your comments!
That sounds lovely, Renate! Must be nice to live where you can see (literally) all four seasons. Over here in Georgia, you get somewhat cold-ish and then you know that it’s spring again because winter is over!
Love my Bible reading times too, and I try to set aside parts of my day for devotions.
Thank you for commenting!
Thank you, Ellie! I do love to read my Bible in the morning as well! It kicks off the day with the Word of God, and then of course, there are opportunities to be “tested” throughout the day. :-)
I’m landlocked right now, but growing up on an island, the beach is always at the back of my mind. As I write this, I can hear the waves!
Thanks again for commenting!
Hi Paula Marie! Florida is so lovely! My family and I spent Thanksgiving on the Gulf last November (I was sick with a bad cold, so I literally walked on the beach only ONE TIME that week).
Me too re: Savannah & Tybee. I was hoping to get back there to see the azaleas this month, but with a book deadline, the vacation has to wait…
Thank you again for enjoying my books. Book 8 (Find You Again) is coming soon, and I can’t wait for you to read it!
Thanks again for your comments!
Thank you, Merrillee! Amelia Island is on my bucket list. I’ve been to Jacksonville, Daytona, Ponce Inlet, New Smyrna, and down the coast to Miami, but not yet to Amelia. IDK how we missed that lovely place, but some day I will go there, Lord willing!
Yes, I miss the beach too. I’m in a landlocked metropolis, so maybe it’s not as sharp a contrast as a desert! IDK how you adjusted hehe! I’m a tree/forest person too, and while I love looking at cactus photos, IDK if I can live there all the time… But to visit, that’s another place on my long list of bucket places!
I do miss walks on the beach myself. Hope you can get to one soon!
Thanks again for commenting, and have a wonderful weekend coming up!
I already have it on Pre-Order!
Thank you, Priscila. That sounds lovely indeed, to take your family to the beach. I would love to stay for at least a month on the beach somewhere (to write my books) but alas, it’s hard for my husband to get away from work for even more than a week. We’d both have to retire to do that, and as an author, “retirement” is not in the picture. I write all the time, but I am flexible and can write on the beach, if I must. HAHA.
I agree with you about how wonderful God made the beaches and oceans. God put together this amazing world. Indeed, “this is my Father’s world.”
That’s incredible that your son’s first word was “water” :-) I think my son’s first word was “no” and I’m sorry for that because I had to tell him “no, no” a lot. But the first verse he memorized was at three years old. Matthew 6:33. I was astounded he could recite the entire verse. Truly children are God’s gift, and I thank God for them.
Thank you again for your comments. I hope you can get back to another beach vacation soon! Can you hear the ocean now? I hear it all the time… (I left my childhood island home, but the island life is still in me.)
Have a marvelous weekend in the Lord!
P.S. In Share with Me (Seaside Chapel Book 1), my main character’s grandpa also owned a beach house, and she remembers all the times she walked with grandpa on the beach when he was alive.
Hello, this is a wonderful post. A great reminder. Sounds like a great place to visit.
1 – I have never been to Georgia’s coast lines. But when my family (many many years ago) went on vacation in FL, we stopped at a number of beaches. All seven of us had a blast. Needless to say, it was the first time on the beach and mom didn’t figure in the sun glancing off of the water, so being slathered with sun block really didn’t work. All seven of us were burnt. And since we have a lot of Irish, German blood, well you get the picture.
2 – I enjoy doing my quiet time in the mornings. Sometimes that doesn’t happen, so I fit it in when I can. Now that I am an empty nester, it is a lot easier in the mornings. As far as doing my quiet time on vacation. I find it more difficult. My husband and I had talked about this and he has the same problem. So what we decided is that when we go down to breakfast, we would do it together right after we eat. It has worked wonderfully.
3 – Yes I have had many opportunities to talk about Jesus to family and friends. I do this all the time. I like to share what I learned in my studies, at church, etc.
Thank you, Pam! The Gulf coast is lovely! I’ve visited Panama City several times. I agree about the amazing creation that God made. The sunsets over the ocean is just amazing to me every single time I see it.
Thanks again for your comments. Have a wonderful weekend in the Lord!
Thank you very much, Lori! Praise the Lord for opportunities to share Jesus in our community!
I do agree that it’s hard to have quiet times on vacations, especially when the place is small and we go with relatives (in our case, because we can’t afford bigger vacation rentals LOL).
With so many people packed into the vacation place, I often have to get up before the crack of dawn or find somewhere outdoors to have my quiet time with the Lord. I remember in some of my beach vacations, I literally had to bring a pallet to the beach and read my Bible on the beach. In Ask You Later, I wrote about a breakfast picnic that my main characters had on the beach, and that came from my own experience of having to go out of the vacation condo to read my Bible in the mornings.
I’m an empty nester too! Yes, there’s a bit more time now for me to read my Bible in the mornings when all is quiet. The cat is getting the idea (but not quite yet) that he is not supposed to come over and sit on top of my Bible notes or the Bible itself when I am trying to read and pray. LOL.
So glad that you enjoyed your time on the beach. Florida can get hot. I’ve been sunburned myself in Florida (and I grew up on a tropical island where I was rarely sunburned). So yes, lots of sunblock and hats needed!
Thank you for commenting!
I love to read my Bible in the morning. Loved the beautiful pictures.
Thank you very much, Paula Marie! You’re awesome!
Thank you, Kerri! Me too!