Book Review: High Desert Haven

On July 30, 2012July 29, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Book Review2 Comments

I have to start by saying that I’m not much of a historian, but decided to give this book a try. This book gets you from the prologue, you start wondering what’s going to happen to Nicki, therefore you’re not going to put it down.

This is a story of a woman who starts by being sold to a man for marriage and ends up teaching us the strength of faith throughout her life. Through her story we confirmed that God will show up and show out on time in your direst moments.

This book not only talks about provision. This book has action and lots of it. There were times where I had to sit up straight asking myself when are they going to catch this evil man. It also shows how God’s vengeance always comes to those who are bad to his children.

What I also liked about this book is that it shows what living in community looks like. Now with our lifestyles we rarely get to experience that life, where neighbors would help each other and really worked together for the well being of the community.

I recommend this book to any Christian, romantic, historical fiction buff. I really enjoyed it.

Lynnette Bonner

Born and raised in Malawi, Africa. Lynnette Bonner spent the first years of her life reveling in warm equatorial sunshine and the late evening duets of cicadas and hyenas. The year she turned eight she was off to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya where she spent many joy-filled years, and graduated in 1990.
That fall, she traded to a new duet–one of traffic and rain–when she moved to Kirkland, Washington to attend Northwest University. It was there that she met her husband and a few years later they moved to the small town of Pierce, Idaho.
During the time they lived in Idaho, while studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin the Shepherd’s Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.
Marty and Lynnette have four children, and currently live in Washington where Marty pastors a church.

Book Description

Is Jason Jordan really who he says he is?
Everything in Nicki’s life depends on the answer.
Oregon Territory, 1887
When her husband dies in a mysterious riding accident, Nicki Trent is left with a toddler and a rundown ranch. Determined to bring her ranch back from the brink of death, Nicki hires handsome Jason Jordan to help. But when William, her neighbor, starts pressing for her hand in marriage, the bank calls in a loan she didn’t even know about, bullets start flying, and a burlap dummy with a knife in its chest shows up on her doorstep, Nicki wonders if this ranch is worth all the trouble.
To make matters worse, terrible things keep happening to her neighbors. When her friend’s homestead is burned to the ground and William lays the blame at Jason’s feet, Nicki wonders how well she knows her new hand…and her own heart.
A desperate need. Malicious adversaries. Enticing love.
Step into a day when outlaws ran free, the land was wild, and guns blazed at the drop of a hat.

Lynnette Bonner

http://www.lynnettebonner.com

WF: Hold me

On July 27, 2012July 26, 2012 By Naty MatosIn WorshipLeave a comment

Have you heard people say that they are in love with love? I think that phrase tends to be misused. If you’re in love with love, then you are in love with God who is love itself.

1 John 4:8

Whoever does not love does not know God,

because God is love.

He deserves all our affections and this song really inspires me to shout out of the rooftops how much I love the Lord and how blessed I feel that he loves me

Happy Friday

WF: Worship Friday

If you want to read about a woman’s journey to finding that love, pick up your copy of The Road Home. It’s available for your Kindle and Nook.

Are You Weary?

On July 23, 2012July 23, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Inspirational ThoughtsLeave a comment

Have you ever felt like you’ve given everything you have to give? Have you ever lost hope, not because you don’t think that good things can come up, but because you’ve poured out so much that you believe that you won’t have the energy to even receive the blessing?

The good news is that we serve a God whose well never runs dry. His mercies are new every morning and what is dead he can bring back to life. When all hope is gone, when our energy has been used and wasted he says to rest in him that he will give us the strength like eagles.

Do you know how strong an eagle is ?

It can lift a full grown Fox from the ground
It can fly at high altitudes.
It’s almost like a flying human with sharp senses and a lot more strength.

Yes, you don’t have the strength, but he’ll be strong for you. Yes, you don’t have hope, but he provides you with faith. You may feel dead inside, but just like Lazarus he can bring you back to life, and since all you need to move a mountain is a mustard seed size faith, trust in the Lord, speak to the mountain, speak to the pain that in Jesus name what’s been dead will not only come back to life, but he will make brand new.

Blessings!

If you want to read a powerful story of redemption and hope in how God can get us out of the wildest situations, pick up your copy of The Road Home today! Available for Kindle and Nook. If you want to have a chance to win a free Kindle copy enter a comment in our Topic of Discussion post. The winner will be announce this Friday 27th.

Milestone Birthday…

On July 18, 2012July 17, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Inspirational ThoughtsLeave a comment

Tomorrow is the designated day to celebrate another year gifted by the Lord to me. As those who have followed me from some time I do inventory twice a year. For my birthday I do inventory of my life and at the end of the year I do inventory of my career.

This year, it’s one of those milestones birthdays, I’m turning 18. Naty why are you lying to your readers?, LOL! Tell the truth, it’s the big 4-0. Milestone birthdays tend to place in perspective where you are in life. In the past couple of weeks I looked at where I thought I would be when I got to be this age. Although the answer was, no life didn’t turn out how I expected, I actually like where I am right now.

My life experiences have given me the wisdom to know that if I would have gotten the things I wanted on my timetable I would probably not be the person I am today. Those same experiences have allowed me the relationship with God that I have today and I wouldn’t change that for anything and actually gives me the opportunity to grow closer to HIM in this relationship.

No, I’m not living my dream, but once I surrendered to Christ I’ve started to live the dream He had for me when he created me and it was a dream more beautiful that I could have ever dream. For that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for another year of life. This has been a year of growth and good lessons.

Be encouraged my friend, he always has a better plan.

Bookrix: A great place to start

On July 16, 2012July 11, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Writing Happenings2 Comments

When I was giving my first baby steps toward becoming a publish author, I knew I needed a lot of help and useful feedback. I had a lot of friends who could read my manuscripts, but I was afraid they would be partial due to our relationship.

I also liked the concept of writing contests. As a writer, I know how important is to be organized, meet deadlines and make sure that you present the best of your work to your readers. Bookrix is always hosting some contests for their writers to participate. The winners are selected by votes from others in the community. Winning is always more fun, but the times I competed was more for the training experience and that is worth it, especially for those aspiring to a writing career.

At the time I ran into Bookrix, I was already blogging, but I had not shown my fiction writing to other peers. This is a large community that gives you that opportunity. The Bookrix community is very diverse and you can obtain feedback from readers, writers with minimal or extended experience.

I found a very supportive community and great information to better my craft and my writing style.

One of the questions that beginning writers ask frequently is where to start their careers. Bookrix is a great place to write, to start building a platform and improving their writing.

Read the first Chapter of my new novel “The Road Home” for free at Bookrix or if you have decided that you want to read the whole book, you can obtain your copy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

WF: God of Wonders

On July 13, 2012July 12, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Worship2 Comments

The desired Friday has arrived. As we all get ready to enjoy the weekend, regardless if you have big plans or not, don’t ever forget He who created you and allows you to enjoy every breath. He who provides everything you have around you and allows you access to it. He who created the sun to warm us up ( a little too much last week) but then sent us the rain to water and refresh us this week (at least where I am)

Let’s worship the Lord, the God of Wonders.

WF: Worship Friday

Looking for a weekend read that will keep you in suspense but will inspire you, get your copy of my new novel The Road Home. It’s available in Kindle and Nook. You can also win a copy of this book by commenting on a hot topic: How do Christian Parents Deal with Sexually Active Teens? Enter your comment and you will be entering for a chance to win a copy of The Road Home on June 27th here at The Rising Muse.

Topic for Discussion: How do Christian Parents Deal with Sexually Active Teens?

On July 11, 2012July 3, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Writing Happenings15 Comments

I started thinking the other day about this and figure it could be a great topic for a healthy conversation. As always I clarify that I’m only a mother to a four legged child and that she was fixed very early in her life, so I personally have not and probably will not have to deal with this issue.

Working with teenagers at the church and watching some of the things they post on social media it makes me wonder how are Christian parents approaching the issue of their children being sexual active. As a general consensus amongst believers is that sex is supposed to happen within the boundaries of marriage. Let’s part from the premise that as parents you have favor the position that abstinence is the favorable choice for spiritual, emotional and health reasons.

Here’s the question: What would you do if even after you have advocated for abstinence, you find out that your child is sexually active?

I really would like to hear from you on this subject. I think parents and anyone working with teenagers could benefit from this discussion.

As a token of my appreciation, all those who comment will have their names placed in a hat for the chance to win a kindle copy of my new book The Road Home. On the subject, you can find out how Desiree managed the discovery of her teenage daughter being sexually active?

The winner will be announced on July 27th here at therisingmuse.com Looking forward to hear your comments and for those who have read the book already feel free to express how you felt Desiree handled the situation.

Fear of what’s coming

On July 9, 2012July 3, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Inspirational ThoughtsLeave a comment

I remember when I was a child and I had done something or I thought I had done something, the hours waiting for my mother’s reaction to my behavior or actions was total agony. Even now as an adult, expectation is not one of my favorite experiences. Can you imagine how Jesus felt that night before knowing exactly what he was about to go through?

Let’s see what the scripture says: Luke 22:41-44 ”He pulled away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?” At once an angel from heaven was at his side, strengthening him. He prayed on all the harder. Sweat, wrung from him like drops of blood, poured off his face”

Hematidrosis (also called hematohidrosis) is a very rare condition in which a human being sweats blood. It may occur when a person is suffering extreme levels of stress, for example, facing his or her own death.

Think about how stressed out Jesus was to get to the point of sweating blood. The worse stressful day of your life can’t compare to it, how do I know? Did you sweat blood? The knowledge that you are going to die and in the way you’re going to die, the pain that you’re going to endure and for people who are not grateful for it and then he still loved us so much he went through with it.

There are no words for how amazing this is…If Jesus was able to endure all this pain for us, He will get you through anything you may be afraid of. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”Proverbs 3:5-6

Give yourself the opportunity of reading this powerful story of forgiveness, faith, friendship and redemption. It will change your life. The Road Home, available to you in Kindle and Nook

WF: Draw Me Close

On July 6, 2012July 5, 2012 By Naty MatosIn WorshipLeave a comment

Falling in love with Jesus is quite an experience. Feeling a love that’s unconditional, when everything in life is based on performance, is refreshing but sometimes hard to accept.

Just like any relationship, our relationship with the Lord needs to grow, mature, and go through different levels. We should also keep it fresh and within the realms of our first love. Our relationship with Jesus requires work, because we require work to be closer to him.

I found this song and it reminded me of that desire to just be closer him in a deeper intimacy in this loving, growing relationship that He always provides. Let’s worship the Lord on this Worship Friday!

WF: Worship Friday

Looking to be inspired by a powerful story of redemption and forgiveness, check out my new novel The Road Home, Available in Kindle and Nook

4th of July, What are we celebrating?

On July 4, 2012July 3, 2012 By Naty MatosIn Articles1 Comment

The 4th of July is one of those celebrations marked with family and friend gatherings, BBQ’s and fireworks. Do we really know what we are celebrating beyond having a day off and the opportunity to have fun?

I’ll make the history lesson as short as I can. On July 4th 1776, Americans became independent from the sovereignty of Britain and were not only declared an independent nation but founded this nation on some principles that in 2012 we seem to take for granted. If you want to read the whole document you can do it here. But today I would like to point out the one that stood out for me.

All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

2012 is an election year

Let’s pray that this country makes the right decision. Let’s pray that we elect someone who will uphold the rights in which this nation was founded. But as believers, let’s make the commitment that whoever ends up being elected, we will continue to pray for his protection and wisdom, in steering this nation.

This is my prayer:

That for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.(1 Timothy 2:2)

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. (Proverbs 2:10)

Let’s not forget who is really in control. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)

Happy Independence Day!