Do Dads Ever Sleep?

Do Dads Ever Sleep?

By Dr. Charles Page

Considering the pace of our modern world—dads probably shouldn’t sleep. Who’s got time?

·         Unpaid bills.

·         Undone tasks.

·         Unrealistic deadlines.

·         Untimely interruptions.

Even when fathers prepare for rest there are too many thoughts racing through a dad’s mind:

·         Unkept promises.

·         Unfamiliar circumstances.

·         Unpredictable people.

·         Unforgotten failures.

Sometimes in sleepless desperation dads can feel like throwing in the towel—wondering if they will ever be good enough to meet the challenge of living in our nanosecond culture.

Instead of looking around at the challenges facing them or within at their own inadequacies, dads must learn to look up. When we look up toward our Heavenly Father, the whole equation changes:

·         Unchanging God.

·         Unsearchable wisdom.

·         Undeserving grace.

·         Unfathomable love.

Christian dads can sleep because God’s got their back. Dads who understand that God’s eyes never close can rest in calm assurance as they lie down to sleep (Psalm 121:1-6). God’s got your back, Dad and He never slumbers or sleeps. And if God’s staying up anyway there’s no reason why you should miss out on rest. As we look up to God our helper we are reminded of several truths that give our hearts calm assurance as we lay our heads on our pillows.

1. Trust in God’s providence as we lie down to sleep.

Whatever circumstances we face—they pass through the hands of a loving, all knowing God.

2. Trust in God’s provision as we lie down to sleep. For most dads the greatest challenge is the “to do” lists that burden our minds as we lie down for rest. As dads we must learn to trust God to finish the things left undone in His way and in His time.
3. Trust in God’s protection as we lie down to sleep. Dad, you can rely on God to surround you and your family with a hedge of protection as you rest. Psalm 121 reminds us that God is watching or guarding our lives—day and night. The one who never slumbers or sleeps has your back while you close your eyes for rest.

Your Heavenly Father always knows best, allowing you to rest in the truth of the verse “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). As you close your eyes for sleep, you can trust in God’s providence, provision and protection. Allow God to do for you what you cannot do for yourself while awake. The One whose eyes never close in slumber created you to surrender. Fall to sleep in His arms.

Author Bio:
Dr. Charles Page is a sleep-deprived surgeon who completed medical school and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He and his wife Joanna live in Texas with their five children. He is the author of Surrendered Sleep: A Biblical Perspective, which releases later this summer. When the project goes live, you can find more information at: www.surrenderedsleep.com/.

Splashdown Darkwater

"It's been four and a half years since the first words of Winter were written. I started this book as a hack wannabe, but somewhere along the road I learned enough about writing to get Splashdown to notice. And then my editors promptly reminded me that I still had a long way to go! But writing is rewriting, and being an author is a process of growing and learning. I am a better writer today than I was just two months ago. And I will be a better writer still, by the end of the summer.

Winter is the story of a broken and unlovable person being transformed by God into something amazing. It's fun, suspenseful, and heart-breaking. Please join me as we officially begin the journey into Winter's extraordinary life...a journey that will take several years as the series progresses. Writing this book changed me. And it is my hope that you'll close the cover, gently set the book on the table, and sigh...having been changed just a little, too."

--Keven Newsome

Read a sample: http://www.splashdownbooks.com/wintersample.html

See the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5r8Lb6Er_A

AMAZON CAMPAIGNAmazon updates its bestseller lists every hour, and we'd like to be on one! So, if you plan to order Winter with us on June 1, could you plan to do it between 5-8 pm Central time? And if possible, narrow it further and order in the 7 o'clock hour. Order as many as you want - don't forget shipping is free if you order two copies! Invite your friends and family! Order for birthdays and Christmas! Let's make this a day to remember!

Link: Winter on Amazon

THE MAKING OF...

You've seen the Winter trailer. Now you can see behind the scenes and even see parts that didn't make it into the final version. Meet the cast and crew, find out how to make fake blood, and hear the demon-fighting heroine extol the virtues of her favourite drink!

http://www.facebook.com/v/2055179464390 (no login required)

AUTHOR CHAT

The Launch Party for Winter is in the usual place: http://tinychat.com/splashdown (no login required, or you can use Facebook or Twitter) at 8pm Central time on Thursday June 2nd. Come along, join in the fun, talk with the author and publisher, maybe even some editors, and yes, we'll be doing some ebook giveaways right there in chat as well - starting with the person who brings the most friends!

FANS OF CAPRICE HOKSTAD

Caprice is gearing up to begin writing Book 3 of the Ascendancy Trilogy, the long-awaited follow-on to Nor Iron Bars a Cage. Are you as curious as I am to see what Duke Vahn and Keedrina make of the kingdom? Now's your chance. Check out Caprice's blog post here and sign up to receive the chapters as she writes them! How cool is that!

COMING IN JULY

Odd Little Miracles, a collection of 22 short stories by Fred Warren... You may have read a few of these online, or even quite a lot, but now we gather them together into a book for the first time! From wizards to aliens, funny to pensive, this collection is one you won't want to miss. In print: $5.98 and as an ebook: $2.99.

Book Review: Patchwork Dreams

Patchwork Dreams by Laura V. Hilton

The Amish of Seymour

c. 2011

Whitaker House

ISBN 9781603742559

Romance

When an Amish girl gets more than a taste for the outside world during her rumschpringe year, will only her family and anyone desperate for even a ruined woman accept her?

Becky Troyer had no intention of leaving her Plain world in Missouri when she used her chance to taste the larger world before committing to join the church, and finding it more than she wanted to chew. Once, she wanted to be a teacher; now she has a child of her own to care for, and no husband. Jacob Miller, a young man from Pennsylvania, also has some hard choices to make when his father sends him to Missouri for some time away from his worldly girlfriend. When Jacob meets Becky, his mission to make her smile and find a husband for her turns into a personal quest that rocks both their worlds.

I loved Hilton's portrait of the strong silent Amish men, who could also handle an infant with aplomb. Hilton mentions in her acknowledgements that she visited with an Amish family, which I appreciated. Having Amish neighbors, I read parts of the book to my husband, and was amused to pass an Amish family playing volleyball just when I got to that part in Hilton's story.

A couple of typos distracted only slightly from my reading enjoyment. Although the conclusion was foregone, I enjoyed the pacing and predicament of the young couple, from Becky's dilemma over whether to accept the hand of another man who'd already buried two wives, to Jacob's quasi-Amish girlfriend showing up at the Troyers'. Some repetition with the characters' "do I or don't I love him/her" slowed the story in some parts, but overall, but those who enjoy Amish fiction will find a fresh twist in Patchwork Dreams.

I received a copy of this book from Kathy Carlton Willis Communications for tour and review purposes.

Patchwork Dreams - the Tour!

I will be posting my review on Wednesday - come back to comment for another chance to enter the drawing.

Book Summary Becky Troyer has committed the ultimate sin, and finds herself on the edge of her Amish community. Jacob Miller believes he was sent to the Old Order Community in Missouri to help out a distant cousin. Instead, he discovers he was part of an arranged swap—sending men from his Pennsylvania district to the Missouri district to bring new blood into the Amish community. Becky dreams of marriage, but doesn't dare hope that anyone would choose her—not with her history. Can God use the lies that have affected Becky and Jacob to bring them together? Or will Jacob rebel and head home to his first love? Author Bio Laura Hilton graduated with a business degree from Ozarka Technical College in Melbourne, Arkansas. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, she is a professional book reviewer for the Christian market, with more than a thousand reviews published on the Web. Prior to Patchwork Dreams, she published two novels with Treble Heart Books: Hot Chocolate and Shadows of the Past, as well as several devotionals. Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Arkansas. To learn more about Laura, read her reviews, and find out about her upcoming releases, visit her blog at http://lighthouse–academy.blogspot.com/. An Interview With Laura: How has being published changed your life? Well there’s a lot of administrative stuff that I didn’t know about beforehand. And a lot of things that take me out of my comfort zone. I’m naturally a shy quiet and private person, and suddenly I have to be more willing to talk about what I’m doing. What is your current work in progress? I am starting the third book in the Amish of Seymour series, which will be Becky’s friend, Annie’s story. What would be your dream vacation? Oh, well, I would love to spend a month or two in Michigan (our whole family loves Michigan and we missed it when we moved away) and just poke around the lighthouses, waterfalls, etc. that make the state great. Also, if I ever have a chance to go overseas, I would love to see Big Ben and visit some of the European castles. Also, I’d love an extended stay at an Amish bed and breakfast. How do you choose your settings for each book? Well, most Amish books are set in Ohio and Pennsylvania because that is where the largest communities are. I chose to set mine in Seymour, Missouri, because there is an Amish community there. Missouri is an untapped setting for Amish stories, and it was close enough for me to drive up there for research. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? Oh, Beverly Lewis. When I grow up I want to write like her. I’d love to talk writing with her. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? My most difficult obstacle was trying to write in the living room with five children! I’ve gotten pretty good at blocking out noises though. Unless the children are fighting or crying I can work through it. Comment on this post and be entered in the drawing for:

Amish Gift Set $50 Value Grand Prize Giveaway: * 1 apple mug * 1 apple scented candle in decorative tin * 1 small packet of Starbucks coffee * Amish made rose petal soap * Beverly Lewis' Amish Cookbook * Simple Joys of the Amish Life by Mindy Starns Clark * $5.00 McDonald's Gift Card * Amish Popcorn * Autographed copy of Patchwork Dreams