Mattie's Choice book review with Gay Lewis

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$15.99

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About the Book:

It's 1925 in rural Oklahoma. A naïve seventeen-year-old Mattie chooses to elope with Jesse, leaving behind an ideal life with her wealthy and loving family. With hope for a happy future, she vows to stay with her husband through good times or bad, but the wonderful life Mattie dreams of is shattered by Jesse's abusive nature and his refusal to allow her to see her family.

When Jesse’s brother, Joe, brings home his new wife--the vivacious Ella--Mattie believes Ella is living the life Mattie prays to have with Jesse. As the years grow harder and Jesse and Mattie’s growing family struggles to survive The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl and illness, Jesse’s abuse worsens.

Life also unravels for Ella and Joe as he begins to abuse his wife. Ella makes the choice that Mattie has never considered.

Will Mattie keep her vow to stay with Jesse at the risk of her own life and the life of her children or will she leave him despite the vow?

A brief interview with the author

Gay, tell us what you love about this book.

I love the characters of Mattie and Ella. Mattie is naïve and blossoms as the book progresses. She was reared with wealth, but she wasn’t pampered. Her mother and father expected her to learn how to manage a household. She’s a talented cook and seamstress. Her problem? Well, she’s stubborn—almost to a fault. Her pride kept her from attempting a reconciliation with her father after she eloped against his wishes. Ella is eight years older than Mattie, and she’s much more sophisticated. Her parents died when she was young, but growing up, she too had an excellent work ethic. After the death of Ella’s parents, her aunt and uncle took her into their home in Galveston. She became a nurse, married and moved to Oklahoma with her husband. Her maturity and education gave her breaks that Mattie never had. She became Mattie’s mentor. Through her friendship, Mattie grew self-confidence. This book celebrates the life-long friendship of these two women.

Share two things you learned, either about the era, events, or publication process during the writing of this book.

Oh my! I learned so many. I’d known Frank Phillips created the oil company, Phillips 66, but I didn’t know he had also owned a bank in Bartlesville, OK. Phillip’s and Conoco merged into ConocoPhillips and are one company today. I love seeing how times and events evolve. I was surprised to learn Will Rogers raised $30,000 in Tulsa for the Red Cross during the Great Depression. People were starving, and these funds bought wheat to disperse to the hungry as well as to defray medical costs in hospitals. During the Great Depression, Oklahoma also experienced the Dust Bowl. Hospitals were overcrowded with starving, asthmatic folks. This money brought relief to them.

What did I learn about the publication process? I learned more than I can shake a stick at. I suppose the hardest lesson was how to present a controversial subject in Christian literature. Most people don’t realize that each genre has a formula with certain rules. For instance: no curse words in one, but that’s not difficult for me. No sex, and that’s easy to eliminate, but subjects such as divorce? Well, that horse has a different color. Divorce is red with horns. In other words, divorce is frowned upon in Christian novels. So is domestic violence.

Introduce us to the toughest character to write.

The toughest character to write was Mattie’s husband, Jesse Colby. I wanted to show he had a good side as well as the bad one. Was he a good person acting bad, or a bad person acting good?  He provided well, but he had skewed ideas of marriage and how to conduct himself as the “head of the house.” I wanted people to dislike him, but to also find a few qualities to admire. Maybe feel sorry for him a little even though they disliked him. We are all flawed, some more than others, and Jesse was definitely flawed. I wanted to show he loved Mattie, but he didn’t know how to express it. His warped ideas kept him from being the husband she wanted him to be as well as the one he wanted to be.

Lisa: I think you did that--but it was still hard to find anything redeeming about him.

You had a lot of ups and downs during the publication of this story. Would you like to share one or two of those moments and how you’re plunging through the rapids?

Yes!  Thanks for asking. Where do I begin? This book went through major transitions. It took me twelve years to write, two publishers and several editors. Prism, my original publisher, merged with Pelican Book Group while this book was under contract. The transition took extra time. And then there’s this: Editors don’t always agree with writers. Sigh. (hangs head in despair) Editors like to delete scenes that writers deem important. That happened in my case. At one point, I became exasperated—to the point of not caring if this ever book saw the light of day. I’m happy to say it did, but not without a lot of frustration on my part. And I know I caused consternation to those who worked with me too!

Lisa: It's hard to trust others with our visions - especially when you've had it so long.

Mattie’s Choice is a departure from Sarah the Love Angel. What led you to this story?

I admired my mother-in-law and my husband’s aunt. They are the inspirations to Mattie’s Choice. My mother-in-law lived with a controlling husband. He never physically hurt her, but he did emotionally. He refused to allow her to see family and wanted her pregnant.  This strong woman had fourteen pregnancies. Two miscarriages and one stillborn. If he hadn’t died when my husband was a child, I guess she would’ve had more children. He was a difficult husband, but she reared eleven children to become successful, God-fearing adults. She stayed positive during hard times. She did what I couldn’t do. I revered her and believe God blessed her with tenacity and determination. She stayed true to her convictions when most of us would have thrown in the towel.

What’s next for you?

I have the sequel written to Mattie’s Choice. It’s going by the title Rebecca’s Family Secrets. Rebecca was one of Mattie’s children. She came by way of adoption. This story is a romance and of course the mystery is the secret.  I’m in the process of fine-tuning it. This is a Christian story with no divorce or violence in it.

Lisa: I look forward to reading it. I was curious about her.

What are you reading now?

I’m reading Regency Romance right now. This is a time frame I never plan to write in.

Lisa: It's always good to read outside of our field. Enjoy!

About the author:

Gay N. Lewis

A native Texan, Gay lives in Fulshear, a small town west of Houston.  She loves to travel and engage in artistic ventures.  Two videos she produced —The Canadian Rockies, English and Japanese translations, and Psalms from the Mountains, sold well in international markets. Graphic skills kept her busy as a portrait photographer, and for over ten years, she used her imaginative insight in the interior design field.

As a pastor’s wife, she writes Faith Features for various church periodicals. She also writes articles for Texas Hill Country.  Gay is also a published author for Pelican Book Group in romance and fantasy fiction. Her current series is about a dyslexic angel who comes to earth to help humans, but Sarah, the angel, is more like Lucy Ricardo with humorous antics and bumbles.

All of the Sarah books have appeared on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List. The Sarah series is available in eBook format as well as print at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Pelican Book Group, and other book sellers. Some additions are available in Amazon Audible. Each book in the series is a standalone novel.

Her latest books, Mattie’s Choice, and Clue into Kindness are not fantasy and romance. These books are women’s fiction. The stories are about abusive men and women who are addicted to an unhealthy relationship.

The books are available in print, eBook, and audio.

For more information, please go to http ://gaynlewis.com/

Gay would love to have you see her video trailers and become a follower of her blog.

http://www.gaynlewis.blogspot.com

https://www.amazon.com/author/gaynlewis
www.facebook.com/GayNLewis and also on Twitter @GayNLewis2.

Sarah has her own Facebook page. Follow Sarah on Facebook@ Sarah Wingspand

Book Review Kimberly Miller Picking Daisy

Picking Daisy

Kimberly Miller

Christian Romance

Prism Book Group, Pelican Ventures LLC

September 2017

Print $15.99

Ebook $4.99

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About the Book

Daisy Parker isn’t the woman that rock star Robby Grant would have imagined himself falling for. She’s soft-spoken, sweet, and lives by a strange code the struggling musician is recognizing as Biblical.

And he’s helpless against it.

Even if Daisy is hard-pressed to believe that a man like Robby would see her—a woman long forgotten by the rest of the world—as anything more than a step back to his career.
But Robby challenges Daisy in ways she’d long avoided.

With their mutual love of music, it seems nothing can separate them—not Daisy’s wheelchair or Robby’s ego.

As Robby grows into the man he’s long dreamed of being, Daisy dares to trust again. But will this sweet melody last?

My Review

A most worthy debut by Kimberly Miller. The story of a man who can’t grow up but has promise and a woman broken and abandoned by illusions of love was such an enjoyable read. I love it when I can invest in characters and want to hug them or smack them. Robby was so redeemable with the core of people who believe in him and real that I cheered for him from the start, seeing him through the eyes of his Uncle Nick, even though I wanted to dislike him and his immense ego. But contrasting him with Daisy of the title, a woman who hid behind a wheelchair while healing from life, made me realize that we should be proud and comfortable with who we are, not settle for but graciously accept the things we cannot change and come to a understanding with the aspects of ourselves that do need to be changed.

Told from both perspectives of the hero and heroine, the formula of romance, meeting head-on, and the wonderful conflict not of person but of morals makes for a refreshing twist in the standard tried and true genre. People you root for, a dilemma that could go several ways, too-good-to-be-true vicarious lifestyle of the rich and famous add up to one delightful take-me-away romantic read. While Daisy is obviously a paraplegic, there are no gruesome details about what it’s like to have to take care of a wheelchair-bound person. Daisy was strong and at ease, but there are things that have to happen that I wondered how Robby would deal with, even though he was chair-blind. He didn’t need Daisy to save him, and the author dealt naturally and organically with his faith-growth. Daisy, however, needed someone like him to force her out of her pity-party, and the two of them together were a glorious fit.

The side characters—Uncle Nick who was the instigation for the romance and remained largely out of the picture, Daisy’s friends, and Roby’s brother, and his bodyguard—were wonderful additions. I’m normally not a huge fan of companion stories, but would enjoy reading stories about any of these people. They were integral, integrated without being overbearing, and fleshed enough to hold the story together.

Wonderful job. I enjoyed the story thoroughly and recommend Picking Daisy for those who like slightly edgy but clean contemporary romance with characters who happily inhabit your heart and mind for a while.

About the Author

Kimberly Miller enjoys the seasonal weather in Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters, and one ornery cat. She teaches writing and film courses, and in her spare time loves reading, watching movies, making jewelry, drinking coffee and eating one of God’s amazing gifts—chocolate and peanut butter.

Tips for the Sandwich Generation

Stuck in the Sweet in the Middle

by Robin Steinweg

Do you ever feel you’re in that awkward, in-between stage? I sure do!

I recently spent years stuck in a crushing middle. Round and round I turned from the growing needs of aging parents to those of growing sons to those of work. I’d carve hours from sleepless nights to write, compose, or read. More often to pray. My husband accepted leftovers with grace and gratitude. Not just food, but time and energy. He was stuck in his own middle, caring for his dad and doing more for my parents than can be recorded.

Now our parents are gone. I’m living in the middle of grief, rediscovering who I am if no longer a caregiver. Looking to experience—and to pass on—the rich life Jesus came to give us (John 10:10). Know what? God shows me things I can do so He can help me move forward. I’m not stuck here. I get to be here, where it can be sweet in the middle!

If you’re in the midst of circumstances or even past them, it’s never too late to rediscover who you are. Try some of the following:

• Develop friendships with people who will build you up.
• Find ways to build others up.
• Journal what you’re going through as a way to release feelings.
•  Photo journal or doodle journal.
•  Admit if you need help.
• Get more color in your surroundings/clothing.
•  List your blessings.
• Express more gratitude.
• Find ways to expand or share your hobbies.
• Join a book club.
• Volunteer to help others.
• If you have grieving to do, do it whole-heartedly. But don’t stay there.
•  Live fully. Enjoy what God gives you to enjoy.
• Dream again. Don’t hold back—dream big. What does God have for you next?

These ideas have helped. Yes, I still pick up the phone to call my mom or find jigsaw puzzles for my dad. I still if wonder I could have, should have done more for them. Guilt and remorse creep in.

But I realize that’s the voice of our enemy, the accuser. So I intentionally turn to words of life in God’s Word. I leave my broken heart at Jesus’ feet. I embrace the blessings He sends my way.

I affirm this truth: It is Sweet in the Middle!

About the Author:

Robin Steinweg says life is like a sandwich-cookie. Whatever circumstances close in on us, it can be Sweet in the Middle. Her writings can be found in Today’s Christian Woman, Upper Room, Secret Place and The Christian Pulse. She also writes monthly for Music Teachers Helper blog.

Picking Daisy by Kimberly Miller

Daisy Parker isn’t the woman that rock star Robby Grant would have imagined himself falling for. She’s soft-spoken, sweet, and lives by a strange code the struggling musician is recognizing as Biblical. And he’s helpless against it. Even if Daisy is hard-pressed to believe that a man like Robby would see her—a woman long forgotten by the rest of the world—as anything more than a step back to his career. But Robby challenges Daisy in ways she’d long avoided. With their mutual love of music, it seems nothing can separate them—not Daisy’s wheelchair or Robby’s ego. As Robby grows into the man he’s long dreamed of being, Daisy dares to trust again. But will this sweet melody last?

$4.99 eBook
$15,99 Print
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An Interview with the Author

Kimberly, what do you love about this book?
I love that Daisy and Robby are interesting and (I hope) believable characters. I also love that I’m able to use this medium to stretch people in their perceptions of beauty and the way we often treat each other.

Share two or three things you learned either personally, publishing-wise, or about your topic while writing this book.
Although I already understood that research was so important to the success of a novel, I definitely saw that in practice with this piece. I interviewed a friend numerous times regarding her experience with being in a wheelchair—in terms of relationships and just day to day frustrations. It was beyond helpful. And the greatest compliment I got so far on the novel was when she read it and said ‘that’s what it’s like’ and pointed to a passage from the book.

Introduce us to your sweetest character.
Daisy is by far the sweetest character, but she isn’t a pushover either. While she sees the best in people and wants to help others, she also sees Robby as a human being rather than a celebrity. This is important for his growth as well as hers.

What are you reading now?
The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore (I am a huge fan of Wonder Woman and this book has been waiting on my stack of to-be-read books for some time.)

What’s next for you?
Right now I’m back to teaching for the year so my writing will likely have to slow down as I focus on that. But I do have a contract on my second novel, Forgiving Tess, and a novella I’ve submitted. I am working on editing another novel and have had several requests already for a sequel to Picking Daisy—so I’m thinking on that too. Even when I can’t write as much, I still find I’m writing anyway.

Short excerpt from Picking Daisy
“You’ve been in love, haven’t you?” Robby accused with a wicked grin.

Daisy willed herself not to blush. “We aren’t talking about me.”

Robby leaned back in his seat and put his feet up. “With me?”

Daisy laughed easily. “No.”

Robby grimaced. “Not even before we met? What about when I was on TV? Did you love me then? I’ll bet you thought I was hot. Probably told Nick you wanted my autograph.”

Daisy ignored him as best she could while she scanned the lyrics in his notebook, finding the word love scattered like bullet holes throughout. There was little worth saving in what he’d written.
She glanced up at him, still frustrated. “I think Nick wanted me to fall in love with you, but I wasn’t interested—your life isn’t…reality. Mine is.” She pointed to the notebook. “Now, for the real problem. You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re forgetting the man under all those tattoos, the guy with a heart and feelings and…it’s common sense that I can’t possibly fall in love with someone I didn’t know until a few days ago.”

When Robby looked at her blankly, she continued. “Love is more than physical attraction. It’s understanding someone’s heart, it’s…” her voice drifted off and she paused. “I’m willing to help you if you want.” Daisy gestured to the notebook. “These lyrics are crap. Stop worrying whether or not I was in love with you—which I was not—and worry how to fix these.”

 Robby slowly sat up straight, placing his feet on the floor as he did. “Yes, ma’am,” he muttered. “What now?”

 Daisy had broken through. She drew a deep breath. It felt so good to be in control of something again she promised herself to stay focused and not let go. She drew a line over the entire page and smiled.

“Now we start over.”

About the Author
Kimberly Miller is a writer of novels and screenplays. She also teaches college-level writing and film courses.


When she isn't writing, you can find Kimberly reading, making jewelry, watching movies, or spending time with her family camping.

Connect with her on

Twitter 

Facebook

web:

https://kimberlymmiller.wordpress.com/

http://millerkm.weebly.com/  

National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer: A Word that Strikes Terror

by Joanie Shawhan

Are there certain words that trigger pressure in your chest or tightness in your throat?

For me, that word is cancer.

I am an ovarian cancer survivor.

My Story

During the summer of 2006, Every time I had another bout of nausea, I brushed thoughts of ovarian cancer from my mind. Surely these spells were too infrequent to be cancer.

But in September, I rolled over in bed and felt a grapefruit-size mass in my abdomen. I closed my eyes and dismissed the whispers of ovarian cancer.

Several weeks later, I almost shot off the table when my physical therapist palpated my spine to isolate the location of my back pain. It’s not in my back, it’s jabbing through my abdomen!

My gynecologist suspected a uterine fibroid and ordered an ultrasound. Even in the dark room, I saw the ultrasound tech lock her eyes on mine. Something is seriously wrong.

Gripping the ultrasound report in her hand, my doctor said, “You have ovarian cancer, the size of a cantaloupe.” She rattled off all that needed done—scheduling tests and surgery. I barely heard her words. Was she talking to me?

When I walked into the hospital on surgery day, I exchanged my scrubs and nurse shoes for tieback gowns and skid-free slipper socks. The surgeon removed a volleyball-size tumor—ovarian cancer.

Today, I am cancer-free. During my treatment, I lost myself to ovarian cancer, but in losing myself, I found a new purpose and calling. Today I have an encouragement ministry to women undergoing chemotherapy. I advocate for and educate women and healthcare professionals regarding ovarian cancer. I write articles so that other women won’t put off getting checked out if they have any signs or symptoms, like I did.

September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer is the most lethal of all female cancers. The symptoms women experience prior to diagnosis may be vague or similar to other diseases. This causes some doctors to rule out other causes before they discover ovarian cancer, which is why it is often not diagnosed until later stages.

  

Contact your doctor if the following symptoms of ovarian cancer persist: ·         Gastrointestinal symptoms: Bloating, indigestion, nausea, feeling full or loss of appetite ·         Pelvic or low back pressure or pain ·         Urinating more frequently ·         Changes in bowel patterns ·         Tired or low energy

             

           

Ovarian cancer used to be called the silent killer, but survival rates are high if discovered in the early stages. Learn from my story. Will you listen for the whispers of ovarian cancer?

About the Author

Joanie Shawhan is an ovarian cancer survivor and a registered nurse. She writes encouraging articles for women undergoing chemotherapy. Her publishing credits include Coping with Cancer magazine and God Still Meets Needs. She speaks to medical practitioners in the Survivors Teaching Students program. Check out her blog at www.joanieshawhan.com.

Book Review Susan Karsten Regency Romance

A Match for Melissa

Susan Karsten

Inspirational Historical fiction—Regency romance

Prism, a division of Pelican Book Group

July 2017

eBook $4.99

Print $15.99

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About the Book

Melissa Southwood goes along with her ambitious father’s matchmaking schemes until one event throws all into question.

Amidst balls, carriage rides, dinner parties, and danger, Melissa must navigate an arranged courtship as well as the attentions of another nobleman.

Which aristocratic suitor will win her heart?

My review

A very sweet and highly inspirational Regency romance. Karsten’s debut shows a true enjoyment of the historical era. The story comes from the nouveau rich who desire to be part of London’s elite at any cost—marrying into it, if no other way.

Melissa visits her former companion, now serving as housekeeper to her bachelor minister brother, and comes across a wounded man. They later meet again through their mutual desire to serve others. The wounded man is none other than Lord Russell, reluctantly stepping in to take over the manor at his brother’s death. His new responsibilities and near-death experience lead him toward a change of heart and new-found faith.

While Melissa’s father is determined to use her as a stepping stone into high society, she is determined to find a faith-filled soulmate. Lord Russell would like nothing better than to marry a soulmate as well, but first he has to stay alive.

Karsten’s tale is the first of a series, and is a multiple-character story with many twists and a large cast. I look forward to reading future books.

About the Author

Susan Karsten lives in a small Wisconsin town, is the wife of a real estate broker and mother of three, mother-in-law to one, and grandma to two baby boys. Her hobbies include fitness (mostly jogging with her friend, Sandy and her friend's dog, Millie), quilting (definitely taking a back seat to writing), and reading. Her love for writing developed while in college where she earned a BS degree in Home Economics, with a minor in Speech. Having home-schooled her children, and with child-rearing days at an end, Susan now invests time in writing fiction and working at a bank. With a contracted three-book Regency historical romance series, a humorous chapter book, and a cozy mystery complete, she is working on a Regency novella. Her personal blog can be found at Graciouswoman.wordpress.com.

What I Gain Through His Pain with Nicole Benoit Roy

                          

Write Now Literary is pleased to announce 

What I Gain Through His Pain 

by Nicole Benoit-Roy. 

Virtual Book Tour.  August 1-31, 2018. 

@wnlbooktours @nicoleroy52

ASIN: B0746QSMG3

Genre:  Christian Non-fiction

                                               

About The Author

Nicole is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in educational leadership at Andrews University. She directs the Children Ministries Department at her church. She works as a special education teacher by day, a literature evangelist by night, and writes during the wee hours of the night. She enjoys reading and playing the piano (beginner). Nicole struggled with college writing, which lead her to eventually drop out. For this reason, one of her many goals in life is to become a best-selling author to the glory of God. Nicole and her husband, Roosevelt Roy, have been married since 1994, and are the proud parents of a handsome brown-eyed son, Nolan. They currently live in Brooklyn, New York.

 

    About The Book

In a society filled with easy Christianity and cheap grace, Nicole Benoit-Roy takes her relationship with Christ to a much deeper level. Since becoming a Christian, she has been learning about her newfound Savior, Jesus Christ. She is an educator who vows to be a student for as long as she lives. The more she learns about the cross of Christ, the more she realizes the importance of it in her life. As she meditates on His suffering, she concludes that His pain is the reason for every blessing in her life. In this book, "What I Gain Through His Pain," she shares her story about the benefit of the cross as she expresses gratefulness for His pain.

Excerpt

Something Fishy

Daddy practiced Voodoo, but even as a child I considered it foolish. During summer vacations in Haiti, the family expected my sister, my next younger brother and me to go to Lèogane. As the summer months drew to a close, my father lined up every child in the house to bathe us with a special Voodoo water made with crushed leaves.

As I got older (though not much older), I grew to detest the act and so I decided not to go on vacation anymore. I thought it ridiculous to allow myself to be bathed with stinky water. I never believed in the Voodoo stuff either. I had a good sense of who I was since early childhood. I knew God made me, and no evil could harm me (Now I know evil can’t touch me without His permission). That knowledge made me very bold and never afraid of any Voodoo stuff. My father had a special table with a white small washbasin and other Voodoo items on it. No one was supposed to touch them. However, on many occasions, I pretended to be cleaning just to touch and rearrange everything on that table. I held no fear. I just knew they lacked any authority over me. It's weird though, no one told me that Voodoo held no potency. It was always a gut feeling. I was always very bold about expressing my belief every chance I got.

My father use to hold Voodoo ceremonies where kids in the house were expected to eat out of special wooden bowls. All that I shunned eventually. Because my brother Kesnel and sister Carol were twins, the ceremony held every year honored the twins (a Voodoo ritual) even though Carol died as a baby. Those were the kinds of things that made no sense to me, leading me to refuse to take part in them as soon as I grew old enough to say no. With me so hardheaded and strong-willed, no one in my family could force me to take part once I said no. Not even my father.

On one occasion, something terrible happened in my family, causing my father to be the focus of suspicion. I felt his pain afterward. He needed so much to have someone on his side. Unfortunately, not even his favorite little girl was willing to be that someone.

In desperation, one evening in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, he pulled me aside. In a private conversation, he explained his own version of the incident after he visited my mother in the U.S. in 1982 for the first time.

He said, “Nicole, I know you’re getting older. You can understand what I’m about to tell you.”

I was 14 years old then.

“When I went to New York,” he continued, “I swear I did not take your mother’s soiled panties. It’s only after I came back to Haiti I saw them in my suitcase. I swear I did not take them.”

I listened attentively, but my eyes stared at the cement floor as we sat on the edge of my bed.

“You believe me, don’t you, my girl.” He held onto my left arm as if begging me to say yes.

I’d heard the rumor that he wanted to use her underpants to hurt my mother through witchcraft so often that I’d already made up my mind of his guilt.

My father returned to Haiti finding himself in an awkward predicament. At that age, I was naïve and awfully honest.

“Well, I can’t say whether you did it or not. I wasn’t there. You’re the only one who knows if you did it or not,” I said.

Suddenly, the look he gave me told me he wanted another answer. His eyes turned red. His pain turned into hatred.

I knew then I was not his favorite little girl anymore and I would pay.

In retrospect, I realized I could have answered differently had I known better. I still feel his pain even now as I write about it.

As soon as my mother found out her panties were missing, she demanded that my father purchase a plane ticket and return them to her.

When he did, she burned them in his presence.

My father continued to make his regular weekly visits from Lèogâne bringing us fresh produce every time. Our relationship was never the same, however. At times, I’d purposely stayed away to avoid seeing him altogether, not showing up until after he left. He was the enemy of the family. He knew it. That made him very uncomfortable and angry.

During one of his visits, he threatened to beat me because I did not greet him. Of course I put up a fight. He tried to pin me to the ground. I escaped from his grip and ran to a nearby stony hill. I picked up a stone and made the motion to throw it at him, but an invisible power stopped me. I knew Who kept me from flinging the stone, and I’m glad He did. Deep down inside I really loved my father. I believed that he gave me so much love and attention that he made it possible to never feel insecure about myself.

During my college years at Stony Brook University in New York, our father-daughter relationship remained broken. I recall lying on the bed in my dorm room reminiscing about my childhood. My entire family lived in the U.S. by then. My mom and dad separated shortly after the panties incident, although they waited to divorce until eleven years later. I finally realized the pain my father must have gone through to have his whole family against him, and the pain he continued to feel every time he and I met.

“Look at Nicole, the daughter I loved so much. Now, she can’t even talk to me,” he sometimes said.

At that time, we were on greeting terms. As I empathized with my father, I decided to put an end to our broken relationship. I picked up the phone.

“Hello,” he said.

“Hi, daddy, how are you?” It felt uncomfortable saying “daddy” but I also realized that doing the right thing was never easy.

“Who’s this?” he asked.

“This is Nicole,” I said. “I just call to tell you that I love you. Bye.”

“Ok,” he said.

I hung up the phone, feeling a burden lift from my chest.

For the first time I began to understand the power of forgiveness. I still had a long way to go.

Our relationship continued to improve after that phone call. My father is now ninety-two years old, and I love him as if nothing ever happened between us.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 5:16, “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you.” (NLT). I desire to obey God's Word. Through this experience, I learned that making mistakes is what we (humans) specialize in the most. What’s essential is that we learn from them.

Connect Socially

Website: http://nicoleroyministries.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicoleroy52

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/identityinjesuschrist/

Purchase Links

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Amazon paperback

Tour hosted by Write Now Literary www.wnlbooktours.com