Happy almost new year!
I hope you were able to spend some time with family one way or another during Christmas!
We’re now looking ahead to the new year and I think we’ll all be glad to have the calendar switch to 2021, even though we also know that’s not going to magically zap everything back to normal. (Wouldn’t that be nice though?)
I like to spend this week between Christmas and New Year’s remembering the blessings of the year. I frequently think of the portion of the Jewish Passover Seder where the wonderful acts of God on behalf of Israel are recounted and the gathered respond with “It would have been enough.” There are always blessings to find, and I pray that you’ll look back over your 2020–a year I think we can also all agree was not the year we would have chosen–and find the evidence of God’s hand visible and undeniable in your life.
I know I can.
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Mandi Blake’s winner was Penelope!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Specials this Week
The Hope Springs box set (books 1 – 3) by Valerie Bodden is 99c through the 29th.
Restoring Christmas by Julie Arduini is free today.
StoryChats @ InspyRomance
We’re on a 2-week break for Christmas and New Year’s right now, but this is a great time to catch up!
We’ve got some great episodes coming up in January! Listen to our new weekly show on your favorite podcasting app, through the player on our podcast tab, or watch us on YouTube!
Wherever you listen or watch, please be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? There’s no specific takeover host this week, so I’ll be posting some random tidbits here and there, but it’s still going to be fun! Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Sally Bayless talked about adding more love to a Christmas romance.
On Tuesday, Deb Kastner described her epic Christmas tree fail.
On Wednesday, Merrillee Whren reminded us of the greatest story ever told.
On Thursday, we closed for Christmas Eve
On Friday, we closed for Christmas Day
On Saturday, Laurie Larsen shared a gift from the Matchmaking Moms.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Liwen Ho
Tuesday: Melanie Snitker
Wednesday: Narelle Atkins
Thursday: Shannon Taylor Vannatter
Friday: Closed or New Year’s Eve
Saturday: Toni Shiloh
New Releases
December 2020
Cadence of Cranberries (Urban Farm Fresh Romance 10) by Valerie Comer
Forgiven by the Hero (Heroes of Freedom Ridge 6) by Tara Grace Ericson
Becoming Us by Jaycee Weaver and one other
Ride with Me (Chapel Cove Romance 10) by Marion Ueckermann
January 2021
Hope for Family (Hope Ranch 5) by Elizabeth Maddrey
For the Love of Joy (A Coastal Hearts Novel) by Janet W Ferguson
An Unlikely Proposal by Toni Shiloh
Daisy’s Decision (Dixon Brothers 4) by Hallee Bridgeman
Opening Her Heart by Deb Kastner
Pray for Me (Vacation Sweethearts 5) by Jan Thompson
Longing for Lily (Bloom Sisters 5) by Tara Grace Ericson
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
Actually we’ve had another outreak close by, so I spent the day quietly at home. It was refreshing resting and recovering from surgery alone and gave me time to reflect on the true nature if Christmas. Hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas in fellowship.
PS: Some birds flew into the apartment and left their calling card on the 2020 calendar, thank the Lord it was not 2021, looking forward to a 2021 with lots of hugs and kisses for everyone.
Big hugs. I’m glad the birds missed the new calendar! Hope you recover quickly and safely.
Dinner with extended family, ate way too much! Good IR reading. :) Blessings all around.
Yay for eating too much! (I have to be excited, we did the same thing.)
Hi Elizabeth! Thanks for your reflective post. I also spend this last week of the year Counting my Blessings. This old hymn is inspirational. 2020 has been a year for the record books, both personal and world wide. In January this mother’s heart was breaking with her middle son, who was coming to grips that his wife cheated on him, was filing for divorce, and fighting joint custody of their 3 year old daughter. Then Covid hit. Usually in March we celebrated our older sons’ birthdays. This year we moved youngest son back home from Texas to Michigan. Glad we did. In September Oma’s Virtual Academy opened to grandkids – grades 10, 7, and 1. Starting in third grade oldest grandson wanted to be home school by his Oma. Finally in 10th grade his wish was granted. Life has settled to a new normal. In October oldest son at age 41 earned his small plane license. Unfortunately not in time for his daughter’s 7th birthday. God has been good – all three sons have jobs, grandkids enjoy their unique school experience (especially Oma’s lunches and field trips), and for Christmas we were able to see youngest and middle son even though we wore masks and social distanced. Our hearts are heavy with the turmoil, loss and fatigue around us; but light that we live in a beautiful small town resort with hard working farmers who supply us with tasty fruits, vegetables and more. We have a roof over our heads, food on our table, warmth – so blessed. This to will pass. Count your blessings, name them one by one – see what God hath done.
I’m so grateful your family has you, Renate. So much to grieve this year, but also a reminder that family is a place where we experience Christ’s love first hand.
So many blessings even in the midst of this crazy year! Thank you for the reminder.
Well, I need it myself a lot, so figured others might as well :)
Even in the midst of pain, there are many beautiful blessings, not the least of which was having my Mom for 96 and a half years. God has been showing me how much He cares through friends I’ve known since before elementary school to neighbors I’ve just waved to in passing and now speak to. I always knew He’d see me through, and He’s showing me time and again He’s with me. So glad I have great books to read, too!!!
Love this, Trudy.
Happy New Year to you!
Thank you! And to you!
I cherish the sunrises/sunsets and other gifts of nature always reminding me God is still God.
My youngest is so aware of and amazed by nature on a constant basis that he has helped me see how the heavens declare the glory of God in new ways almost daily.
Just hubby and I and my mom. We are her caregivers. My brother was supposed to come but didn’t as we received a foot of snow.
Goodness! That’s a lot of snow! I’m grateful that you were still with your mom though.
We had a Very nice Christmas, our daughter and her little family live in the same town as we do, so we had Christmas Eve dinner here at our house and Christmas day dinner at her house. We called our son and his little family on Christmas day, they live 6 hours away so they didn’t get to come, it wasn’t their year to be here for Christmas, and even if it would have been they would have not traveled due to COVID. I called and stayed in touch and have been staying in touch with my siblings. COVID is a Big reminder to Not take Anything or Anyone for Granted. Very Thankful to God for our health. Thank you so very much for your very beautiful and inspiring post. God Bless you and your family.
Love the reminder not to take people or things for granted. That is for sure a lesson from this year.
Are you all ready for 2021? It certainly has brought its ups and downs, and way too many downs for our family, but at this time of year we are usually buried under many feet of snow. This year – Nothing. It came a few days before Christmas making the world around us beautiful, and then it warmed up on Christmas day and has all disappeared. We haven’t had to lift a shovel yet this year. Thankful for those blessings and for all the promises we have for a mansion in a better place someday.
Sandra
Indeed.
We had a little sprinkle of snow on Christmas day which is super unusual for our area, so it was a nice change. And it was gone by lunch on Saturday, which given how people drive when there’s snow, was actually nice too :)
While there was a lot of awful in 2020, there was good, too.
Congratulation to the winner.
Happy New Year!
God is good all the time ❤️