The above photo is one I took last week after a microburst hit our neighborhood. We weren’t at home when it happened. When we drove onto our street, we first noticed a downed tree in our neighbor’s yard. We found a large flower pot and the lid to someone’s garbage can in our front yard. I knew we had to check our backyard to see if the winds had damaged the cabinet that holds our outdoor TV. We had a storm that ripped the doors off the cabinet a few years earlier.
When we walked out the back door, we discovered our large table and all the chair that sit around it all piled up against the brick wall that separates our yard from our neighbor’s yard. But the cabinet was intact. Then I turned to discover this.
Our beautiful mesquite tree was gone. Here’s what it looked like a few years ago after an infrequent snowstorm in our part of Arizona.
To say the least, we are heartbroken about the tree, especially one of this size. Trees are a luxury in the desert. We loved the birds that came to that tree day in and day out. Here’s a fun photo I took of a bobcat cub having fun in the tree.
Despite life’s storms, we can know that God will see us through the troubled times. We can find refuge in Him, as this verse from Pslams tells us. “Be merciful to me, O God; be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by.” Psalm 57:1 NRSV.
The characters in many of my books are living through a storm in their lives. They have to learn to lean on God and rest in the shelter of His love.
In my Front Porch Promises series, my characters deal with many kinds of storms in their lives. Here is a list of those problems.
1. The loss of a spouse
2. Single and pregnant
3. A job loss
4. Learning that your whole life has been a lie
5. Getting stranded in a strange town
6. Accused of wrongdoing that they didn’t commit
7. Dealing with cancer
You can find out more about the books in this series by clicking on the photo of the book covers. I will give away one of the books in the series, winner’s choice, to one person who matches the most books to the storm at least one of the characters is going through.
“Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.”
Merrillee Whren is an award-winning author who writes inspirational romance. She is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award for best inspirational romance manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. She has also been the recipient of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of thirty plus years, and has two grown daughters. She has lived in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Florida but now makes her home in the Arizona desert. When she’s not writing, she spends her free time playing tennis or walking while she does the plotting for her novels.
I match with 4 books
Happy Friday Merrillee! Yes we all weather the storms of life – loss, health, family, and more. Sorry about your tree. After straight line winds went through our SW Michigan neighborhood, we made the decision to take down our aged maple trees before they fell on our house in the next storm. Thanks for the puzzle of the Front Porch Promises series. While our 1960s ranch house does not have a porch, I do enjoy in the evening sitting on our front patio watching the neighborhood walk and drive by. So here are my answers:
1. The loss of a spouse – A Family to Call Ours (Book 4)
2. Single and pregnant – A Baby to Call Ours (Book 6)
3. A job loss – A Match to Call Ours (Book 1)
4. Learning that your whole life has been a lie – A Place to Find Love (Book 7)
5. Getting stranded in a strange town – A Song to Call Ours (Book 5)
6. Accused of wrongdoing that they didn’t commit – A Place to Call Home (Book 2)
7. Dealing with cancer – A Love to Call Mine (Book 3)
In SW Michigan after 2 days of extreme heat and humidity fall maybe in the air. Heat index yesterday broke the record at 115. Grandkids start school Monday. Thankful they will have cooler weather. Enjoy your weekend. Thanks again for the brain workout. This retiree appreciates it.
1.a family to call ours
2.a baby to call ours
3.a match to call ours
4.a place to find love
5.a song to call ours
6.a place called home
7.a love to call mine
I have a few of these books on my shelf that I haven’t read yet. Last week we had 106 degrees weather so was little to hot for me we haven’t got like no rain this summer so we need some it rained little last night but not much it’s smoky here from wild fires from Canada and Spokane. My sibblings start school Wednesday.
Hi Kendra,
Our monsoons finally gave us some rain but not as much as the last two years. Seems like the monsoons have brought more microbursts this year. Lots of downed trees in multiple areas of town. A few days after our storm, there was a microburst that blew out the windows in the high of a neighboring town. Kids started school here the first week in August. I have two brothers that live in Spokane, and my niece and her family live quite close to the Oregon fire. We used to own property in Elk, which is really close to that fire. I hope the gentleman who bought our property doesn’t suffer any loss. It’s a beautiful area.
Hi Renate,
You’re welcome. I saw that Chicago was 100 yesterday. I still have the city on my weather app because we lived in that area. I can’t believe it’s been 22 years since we moved from there. We’ve had a hot summer after a really cold winter for southern AZ. My mom always used to say if the winter was cold, the summer would be hot. It certainly held true this year. We have some cooler temps coming next week. But if you live in this area, you know summer will be hot, hot, hot.
Dear Merrillee,
So sad for you about your tree – I have a favorite tree that houses all my orchids and greets me every time I drive up. The problem is, the tree needs a good trimming since we can hardly park our cars under it now. But I’m scared to trim it and damage all those beautiful orchids lol.
I match with 3 of the above – if you count the cancer in the past. Love how Christian fiction can use the storms of life to point others to Christ. Keep up the great work.
Love,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Your tree sounds lovely with all the orchids. Despite the orchids, you probably do need to trim your tree. I know it’s hard to trim a tree, but they often look better after it’s done.
That’s such a shame about your tree, glad you didn’t have more damage to your home though.
Here’s my go at matching the books:
1. The loss of a spouse – A Match To Call Ours
2. Single and pregnant – A Baby To Call Ours
3. A job loss – A Family To Call Ours
4. Learning that your whole life has been a lie – A Place To Find Love
5. Getting stranded in a strange town – A Song To Call Ours
6. Accused of wrongdoing that they didn’t commit – A Place To Call Home
7. Dealing with cancer – A Love To Call Mine
Hi Ruthie,
We were blessed not to have more damage than we did. Some neighbors had a tree in their front yard fall on their cars and their house.
Oh My! I had never heard of a microburst before. Your beautiful tree gone. How often do they happen? I live in Charleston, SC. We worry about hurricanes, but at least we have a warning.
Hi Audrey,
A microburst might be similar to a tornado, just smaller. You can google it and see how they happen. In southern AZ, this is our monsoon season when we get most of our rain. The monsoons can produce some wicked thunderstorms, and the microbursts come from those. We’ve had two that have hit our yard since we lived here. Strangely enough, we were gone both times. We used to live in Florida, so we know about those hurricanes.
We’ve had wacky weather in FL this year, too. Back in April my little city had LOTS of hail damage, golf ball size and larger (some other areas had baseball size!) and myself and quite a few others are having to get new roofs because of it, and my roof was only 6 years old! My “guesses” at the game: A Match to Call Ours: Loss of a Spouse; A Place to Call Home is the job loss; A Love to Call Mine is learning that your whole life has been a lie; A Family to Call Ours is single and pregnant; A Song to Call Ours is dealing with cancer; A baby to Call Ours is Accused of wrongdoing they didn’t do; and A Place to Find Home is being stranded in a strange town.
Hi Trudy,
That is some big hail, and hail can be very destructive.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
1. A Family to Call Ours
2. A Baby To Call Ours
3. A Match To Call Ours
4. A Place To Find Love
5. A Song To Call Ours
6. A Place To Call Home
7. A Love To Call Mine
Fun! I’m not sure I’m right, but now I’m intrigued by this series. 😊
1. A Family to Call Ours
2. A Baby to Call Ours
3. A Match to Call Ours
4. A Place to Find Love
5. A Song to Call Ours
6. A Place to Call Home
7. A Love to Call Mine
That is so scary about the tree and I love the photo with the bobcat cub in it.
a couple years ago when I had new neighbours I was coming home and heard a noise turned to see the end of a branch of a gum tree falling. it landed on the back veranda roof. Thankfully not any further but it did bust the front door open. They had gone on holiday for about a month. If it had have been a different limb it would have been on my shed or into my yard. That was scary but want’ the whole tree. (It did come out due to being so big and dangerous and never should have been planted there)
Storms can be very scary.
I was able to match 4 out of the 7. I have read a lot of the books in that series.
I am so sorry it happened.
1 Chronicles 29:11-12. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all.
I am sorry to hear about the storm and your tree. It is so comforting to know that we have a good and kind God who is always in control.
I’m so sorry about your tree! Losing a tree is like losing a friend to me. We lost a big oak in our backyard a few years ago & it took the kids’ tree house with it. 😭
My guesses are:
1. The loss of a spouse: A Family to Call Ours
2. Single and pregnant: A Baby to Call Ours
3. A job loss: A Match to Call Ours
4. Learning that your whole life has been a lie: A Place to Find Love
5. Getting stranded in a strange town: A Song to Call Ours
6. Accused of wrongdoing that they didn’t commit: A Match to Call Ours, A Place to Call Home
7. Dealing with cancer: A Love to Call Mine, A Family to Call Ours
Hi everyone,
Correct answers are:
1. A Family to Call Ours
2. A Baby to Call Ours
3. A Match to Call Ours
4. A Place to Find Love
5. A Song to Call Ours
6. A Place to Call Home or A Match to Call Ours
7. A Love to Call Mine or A Family to Call Ours
(1) The loss of a spouse – A Family to Call Ours (Book 4)
(2) Single and pregnant – A Baby to Call Ours (Book 6)
(3) A job loss – A Match to Call Ours (Book 1)
(4) Learning that your whole life has been a lie – A Place to Find Love (Book 7)
(5) Getting stranded in a strange town – A Song to Call Ours (Book 5)
(6) Accused of wrongdoing that they didn’t commit – A Place to Call Home (Book 2)
(7) Dealing with cancer – A Love to Call Mine (Book 3)
I am so sorry about the tree but Thank God there wasn’t any worse damage.