Hello everyone! Today is a very special. Two years ago today, I started my blog. My intention was to have a blog strictly with historical articles. This past year, God broadened my vision and now I have writing posts, book reviews and devotions. It’s been so much fun and I’m excited to enter my third year of blogging. Thank you so much for joining my little community! I’m so happy to have you along for the ride, encouraging me to keep going. I don’t take that lightly. God Bless you and thank you so much!

To celebrate, after I do my wrap up, I will be posting my usual story prompts and some bonus story prompts inspired by my very first book, The Land of Cotton. I hope you enjoy!

Wow! God is so good! This month has been so busy! The first week of July, we had the Southeast Old Threshers’ Reunion where we handed out a lot of FBN information. I was able to sell several books as well, but the very best part was getting to hold a church service at the little white church on the property. My dad preached, and we sang. Nearly 200 people came, including our District 13 National Representative, Ted Budd and District Court Judge April Wood and her husband. They were such a blessing. Thank God for Christians in our Political system!

The following week, we had our VBS at our church in Newport, N.C. We had a fun sea theme and taught water related lessons to our students. I was privileged to assist a good friend of mine in her class and taught on the Woman at the Well to our class of 9-10-year-olds. Very attentive listeners!

After that, we helped a friend, who is expecting her third child, keep an eye on her kids during a week of morning services. That week proved to be a little less crazy, giving us much needed down time to regroup, just in time for…

National Sword of the Lord Conference! This past week was amazing! The preaching, singing and workshops were spot on and we were able to fellowship with several good friends! We handed out FBN material and sold more of my books. I was pleasantly surprised to see Pastor Jerry Ross from Jasonville, Indiana at the conference! He is the author of Stay in the Castle. If you haven’t read this book (or any of his other books) you should definitely check them out! Can’t recommend them enough! Maybe I should write up a few reviews…

Well, I decided to try out Camp Nanowrimo this year for the very first time. While I did not win, I did get 75% of my goal completed, which was a little over 100 pages edited on my Current WIP. I hit a rock in the road and need to re-plot so much of it…I’m back to the plotting stage, but that’s alright, because that will make my edits go a lot smoother.

I have also started a blog subscription thanks to a kind young lady’s request. If you want an update when a new post goes live, just send me your email! 😊 Can’t wait for you to join our family 😉 Every email, I include a snippet of the newest post, bonus information (for subscribers only!) and two suggested posts for you to check out. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Well…the last two sections about sum it up 😊 Oh, oh, oh! I know! July 28th, we went to Beacon Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C. and got to see the Live presentation of the Patch the Pirate adventure, Operation Arctic: Viking Invasion. It. Was. So. Good. The pre-show included beautiful music videos and a fun sing-a-long with PJ Pirate (Jason Hamilton)! Also present was Princess (Meagan Hamilton Morgan), Captain of the Guard (Adam Morgan) and Sissy Seagull (Shelly Hamilton, though she was recovering from the flu and had someone stand in for her). It was so amazing! The music, the costumes, the sound effects, the acting and everything…oh, words fail me! And the we also stocked up on episodes that were missing from our collection. Ahh…the drive was so worth it 😊
 
And now for your monthly story prompts…

And your bonus prompts...!

That’s all I have for you today! Thank you so much for hanging out with me. Keep your eyes peeled for my next post! It’s gonna be so fun 😉

In Christ,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello and Merry Christmas ?
Today I’m participating in Amanda Tero’s Christmas in July event! As you know, free shipping all month is available on Coffee Shop Christmas. And to celebrate, I’m giving you the first chapter of Coffee Shop Christmas! For those of you who have already read CSC, I have some bonus story prompts for you at the end of the post.

But now, for the chapter…

The jingling of keys reached the ear of Deputy Ellis Wright. He smiled and hurried down the sidewalk. “Good morning, Ms. Katherine!”

Katherine Shannon smiled at the young policeman. “Good morning, Ellis.”

“I’ll check the place over for you this morning.”

Katherine nodded and let Ellis in ahead of her. Someone from the station always checked the building over before she opened up. Special orders from her police officer brother-in-law Dan.

Ellis flipped on the lights and scanned the front room of the coffee shop. Finding no one, he proceeded to the kitchen and store room. He returned to the counter, where Katherine was unpacking her grocery bags. “No one here but us. Do you need anything?”

“No thank you, Ellis, I believe I can manage. You’ll be stopping by later?”

“I think so, if they’ll let me go. I-”

The no-nonsense voice of a dispatcher echoed from the scanner mounted on the counter of The Coffee Shop. Ellis was paged. Saying a hasty goodbye, he sprinted out the door and across the street.

Blue and red lights bounced off the walls as a patrol car pulled out of the police station parking lot moments later.

And then the sirens.

Katherine buried her face in her hands as the car sped off. Her lips trembled as she prayed aloud, “Lord, be with Dan and Ellis as they answer this call. Help them to stay calm and level headed.”

Her breathing was unsteady. Her voice shook, betraying the tears welling up inside of her. “Protect them and bring them back safe. Please be with the ones who made the call. Keep them safe and let the situation be resolved quickly. Thy will be done, Father. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

Katherine glanced up at the clock on her wall, her intense blue eyes taking in the numbers, 5:15 am. It was Christmas Eve and Katherine soon had coffee brewed and ready for purchase. The deep scent of roasted grounds swirled through her small shop, mingling with sweet vanilla, spicy cinnamon and sugary baked apples. But even these comforting smells couldn’t relax her.

Those sirens, she thought, brushing a wisp of chocolate brown hair behind her ear. Today, a year prior, she had heard about a convenience store robbery over the scanner. She heard her husband, Sgt. Bryson Shannon, respond that he would be heading right out. Knowing she had her scanner on at the house, he had said, “I love you, Katie!”

She blinked her eyes rapidly as she remembered the words… She didn’t know that was the last time she would hear Bryson’s voice.

She also recalled the text she had sent him, knowing his partner would read it to him. “I luv u, Bry J B careful <3.”

It hadn’t been long after that when her brother-in-law, Sgt. Dan Piper, and her sister Isabelle had driven up to her house in Dan’s squad car. Dan had hurried her to the back seat and sped off for the hospital…

Katherine closed her eyes, trying to shut out more memories. Why torture herself? Bryson was gone now, spending another Christmas in Heaven. At least his partner had survived. There was no sense in rehashing the painful memories.

Ever since that day Katherine had purposed in her heart that, with God’s help, she would not become bitter. It would only hurt worse. Besides, why should she begrudge her husband his promotion to Heaven, the only promotion he had ever really wanted? And one day she would join him.

The weeks and months following Bryson’s death had been hard. Katherine found herself waiting up nights for Bryson to come home, only to realize he never would. Then she would relive the pain anew. She was all alone in that big empty house.

But grief wasn’t her only foe. Katherine had been a homemaker all her life, and now she had to find a means of supporting herself. She and Bryson had never been blessed with children, though they had wanted them dearly. Cleaning her own house wouldn’t put food on her table, and she didn’t want to be a burden on her family. Surely there was something she could do to pay the bills!

It was Dan who had suggested she reopen the old coffee shop across the street from the police station. She was good at baking and making specialty coffee drinks…Bryson had always emphasized that fact to his co-workers. It seemed the perfect solution, and with a little help from Dan and Isabelle, the place had been obtained and fixed up.

The name was simple: The Coffee Shop. Straight to the point, just how Katherine liked it. As you entered the building, you could see the whole dining area. Three booths on the left and three on the right were perfect for business meetings of four or less. The four small tables in the middle space were usually taken by couples or single occupants. Six swivel seats lined the long counter, which were the favorite perches for her police friends.

The decorations were warm and inviting. Katherine was a lover of vintage and country pieces, adding to the charm of the small structure. She had a section dedicated to the Police Force she loved and a Military display was across from it on the opposite wall. Nothing too big, but big enough.

It looked just right: down to earth and cozy.

A small tree was in the front window adorned with homemade coffee mug ornaments sprinkled among the Nativity ones. She had also added a few squad cars in tribute to her husband. Since it was Christmas, each table had a small Nativity centerpiece and a larger one was displayed on the counter.

The bell above the door jingled and Deputy Peter Cox walked in. He was one of the young men Bryson had been able to lead to the Lord before his death. Pulling herself out of her melancholy, Katherine forced a smile as he approached the counter. “Morning, Deputy Cox. What can I do for ya?”

“I’m in the mood for something different…how about the Peppermint Mocha?”

Katherine nodded. “Coming right up. That’ll be $2.50.”

“Alright…” Peter replied, counting out the money. “Do me a favor and don’t tell the fellows I got a sweet coffee. They’ll never let me live it down!” The two laughed as Katherine gave him his change.

As she fixed the warm drink, she asked, “How’s Amy adjusting to our town?”

Peter’s face lit up at the mention of his new wife. “She loves it! She misses her family of course, but she says our town’s like stepping back into the 40’s or 50’s. At first, I thought she meant that as a put down, but then she told me she’d always dreamed of living in a town like this. It’s large but has that small town feel. And she’s in love with the library.”

“Oh, yes. I know how she feels about the town and the library. I borrowed a new book from there, a WWII novel about the fall of Paris. I haven’t finished it yet, but I’ll let you know how it turns out.”

Peter nodded eagerly. He loved reading historical novels when he had the chance, and his wife shared that love. He took the coffee Katherine handed him. “Amy said she wants me to bring her here when I get a day off. I’ve been talking about your coffee and your chocolate chip cookies. She wants to find out if your cookies are anything like her mother’s.”

Katherine laughed, beginning to relax. Talking to others helped the unpleasant memories of the previous year fade away. “You bring her and I’ll give her one on the house as a welcome to the neighborhood. I’ll look forward to the taste testing!”

Before long Peter took his leave, and Katherine was left once more to watch the officers coming and going from the station through her front window. Dan and Ellis were still out on their call. Again she prayed for their safety…and again past memories flooded her mind.

She hadn’t been enthusiastic about entering the world of police officers when she and Bryson had first moved to the cozy town. Not that she didn’t appreciate the force and their work; she was just looking forward to less stress once Bryson left the military…but God had other plans.

Katherine soon found that with her military wife experience, she was able to relate better to the other police wives and their families. She knew what it was like to stay awake late into the night waiting for the “Everything’s alright, nothing to worry about” email, text or phone call. Many of the men on the force were younger than she and Bryson, so their families appreciated the understanding and advice from an experienced couple.

A smiled slowly made its way across her face. Katherine liked these warm, happy memories. She had become the “special aunt” to all the children born to the men at the station. They loved the new tradition of getting a free birthday cookie at The Coffee Shop and often sent pictures they had colored for her to hang up on her bulletin board.

Some boys on the force seemed to think of her as an aunt themselves. Special events were told to her, and certain trials were shared as well. She was honored that they would share their triumphs and trials with her.

Of course, these tough guys would never call it “sharing their trials”…they were too “cool” for that! But they knew Mrs. Shannon would always have a Bible verse or a story to share from her husband Bryson’s experiences that always seemed to help.

Katherine’s thoughts now went back to those first few months after Bryson’s death. There wasn’t a day that went by without one of the fellows stopping by her house, just to make sure she was alright. Sometimes they would bring their family over for a short visit or drop off a meal. They were just as supportive to her as her church and family. In fact, in a very special way, they were her family.

Katherine understood the potential danger these men faced every day and she took it seriously. What a tragedy it would be for one of these brave men to lose his life for all eternity while possibly saving another life!

This sense of urgency spurred Katherine to action. The tract rack on the counter always had plenty of material for her to hand out and small scripture plaques dotted the establishment. No, Katherine Shannon was not one of God’s lazy laborers.

She wiped down the chalkboard menu that was normally propped up behind the counter. It was smudged and needed updating. She carefully wrote the season’s specials on the board, as well as the old faithfuls.

Due to many requests, Salted Caramel Lattés had been added to the list, though Katherine personally wasn’t crazy over them. But she did like the Peppermint Mochas. Mint Chocolate was a favorite of everyone who tried it, as well as her Home-style Hot Chocolate.

To add some zest to the same old classics, Katherine had renamed them. The Squad Car Special was simply a cup of coffee and a pastry of the customer’s choice. It was a personal joke between her and her brother-in-law because of the age-old police-donut-coffee stereotype.

A laugh escaped her as she remembered Dan begging her not to carry donuts in her shop. “It’ll only make the teasing worse!”

“You don’t have to eat them, Dan,” she had defended, for she personally liked homemade donuts.

“I never should have suggested you open this place,” he mockingly lamented. She still remembered the look of “horror” on his face when he found out what The Squad Car Special was.

Just as she finished up her sign, a car pulled up outside the shop…a police car.
 

To Find out What Happens Next, Place your Order for "Coffee Shop Christmas"! And now for the Story Prompts...

Also, don't forget to check out these blog stops over the next several days...

July 7, 2018
Author  Alicia G. Ruggieri
http://www.aliciagruggieri.com/category/abrighterdestiny/
Discount: The House of Mercy e-book
 
July 8, 2018
Author Sarah Holman
www.thedestinyofone.com
Discount: Emmeline
 
July 9, 2018
Author A.M. Heath
https://amheathblog.wordpress.com/
Giveaway: In the Shadow of Thy Wings
 
Author Kelsey Bryant
https://kelseysnotebookblog.blogspot.com/
Discount: Suit and Suitability ebook
 
July 10, 2018
Author Kelsey Bryant
https://kelseysnotebookblog.blogspot.com/
Discount: Second Impressions ebook
 
July 11, 2018
Author Rachel Rossano
https://www.rachelrossano.com/blog
Discount: The King of Anavrea ebook
 
July 12, 2018
Author Amanda Tero
http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/
Free eBook: Hartly Manor
 
July 13, 2018
Author Kate Willis
https://onceuponanordinary.wordpress.com/
Free eBook: Enjoy the Poodle Skirt
 
July 14, 2018
Author Kendra E. Ardnek
knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com
Vlog and Giveaway: The most romantic fairy tales
 
July 16, 2018
Author A.M. Heath
https://amheathblog.wordpress.com/
Giveaway: Out of the Ashes

Author Jessica Greyson
Blog: http://www.jessicagreyson.com/

July 17, 2018
Author Rebekah Morris
www.readanotherpage.com
Discount: The Unexpected Request
Free: Choices for Max
 
July 18, 2018
Author Emily Ann Benedict
https://www.facebook.com/Emily-Ann-Benedict-164350249985/
Discount: Perception, a Vintage Jane Austen Novel
 
July 19, 2018
Author Erika Mathews
www.restinglife.com
Discount: Promise’s Prayer ebook, Overrun By His Love
Free: Gather ‘Round The Fables
 
July 20, 2018
Author Ryana Lynn
www.lifeofheritage.com
Blog post: character interview.
 
July 21, 2018
Author Rebekah Morris
www.readanotherpage.com
Sale: to be announced
 
July 23, 2018
Author Amanda Tero
http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/
Discount: Journey to Love, Befriending the Beast, The Secret Slipper
 
July 24, 2018
Author Rebekah Morris
www.readanotherpage.com
Blog: Special upcoming release announcement
 
July 25, 2018
Author Emily Ann Benedict
https://www.facebook.com/Emily-Ann-Benedict-164350249985/
Giveaway: The Father Christmas Confessions.
 
July 26, 2018
Author  Faith Blum
www.faithblum.wordpress.com
Blog: Special upcoming release announcement and book sale
 
July 27, 2018
Author Alicia G. Ruggieri
http://www.aliciagruggieri.com/category/abrighterdestiny/
Discount: A Time of Grace: The Complete Series
Blog: Spotlight on new book
 
July 28, 2018
Author Abigayle Claire
https://theleft-handedtypist.blogspot.com
Giveaway and discount: Andora’s Folly
 
July 30, 2018
Author Alicia G. Ruggieri
http://www.aliciagruggieri.com/category/abrighterdestiny/
Discount: The Mystery of the Missing Cufflinks
 
July 31, 2018
Author Amanda Tero
http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/
Giveaway and new release: “Finding Christmas Joy”

(Please note that I do not endorse social media.)

And DON'T FORGET THE GIVEAWAYS!

GRAND GIVEAWAY
“Christmas Is a Gift” CD (Amanda Tero)
$5 Starbucks gift card (Amanda Tero)
Ebook copy of Coffee Shop Christmas  (Ryana Lynn )
“A Christmas Disaster” paperback (Rebekah Morris)
A Holy Passion softcover (Alicia G. Ruggieri)
Ebook copy of Martin Hospitality and Andora’s Folly (Abigayle Claire)
Trust and Obey notebook (Faith Blum)
Kendra E. Ardnek - paperback of The Worth of a King (Just as soon as it comes out.)
eCopy of book one and two in the Father Christmas Series (Emily Ann Benedict)
Audiobook of Sufficient Grace (Jessica Greyson)
Audiobook of Emmeline (Sarah Holman)
Ebook of Overrun By His Love (Erika Mathews)

GRAND INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY
eBooks of “Finding Christmas Joy,” “Noelle’s Gift,” and “Hartly Manor” (Amanda Tero)
Ebook copy of Coffee Shop Christmas  (Ryana Lynn)
The Unexpected Request Audio (Rebekah Morris)
Audiobook codes for A Mighty Fortress and Be Thou My Vision (one each) (Faith Blum)
A HolyPassion e-book (Alicia G. Ruggieri)
Ebook copy of Martin Hospitality and Andora’s Folly (Abigayle Claire)
The Worth of a King e-ARC (Kendra E. Ardnek)
eCopy of book one and two in the Father Christmas Series (Emily Ann Benedict)
Audiobook of Sufficient Grace (Jessica Greyson)
Audiobook of Emmeline (Sarah Holman)
Ebook of Overrun By Your Love (Erika Mathews)

Have a blessed day and Merry Christmas ?
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello everyone and happy July! While I’m a lover of Autumn, July is one of my favorite months, only topped by May…my birth month ? We have a lot going on this month and I can’t wait to share it all with you in the July Wrap Up!

Before I wrap up June, I’d like to inform you of an amazing opportunity for you that will be open all month! In accordance with a Christmas in July Book event that Amanda Tero put together, I will be offering FREE SHIPPING for COFFEE SHOP CHRISTMAS! ALL MONTH!! Remember, the book is $7.00 alone, plus $3.00 shipping and handling, $10.00 total…BUT, if you take advantage of this sale, you can get two books for that same total, no shipping, because if you buy more than one copy of CSC, they are $5.00 a piece! Stock up for Christmas while the sale lasts!
Also, check out these blogs for a fun, month long party!
Blogger List and Schedule
 
July 1, 2018
Author Sarah Holman
www.thedestinyofone.com

July 2, 2018
Author A.M. Heath
https://amheathblog.wordpress.com/
 
July 3, 2018
Author Faith Blum
www.fathblum.wordpress.com,
 
July 4, 2018
Author  E. Kaiser Writes
http://ekaiserwritesablog.blogspot.com/  
 
July 5, 2018
Author- Amanda Tero
http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/
 
July 6, 2018
Author Ryanna Lynn
https://www.lifeofheritage.com/blog
 
July 7, 2018
Author  Alicia G. Ruggieri
http://www.aliciagruggieri.com/category/abrighterdestiny/
 
July 8, 2018
Author Sarah Holman
www.thedestinyofone.com
 
July 9, 2018
Author A.M. Heath
https://amheathblog.wordpress.com/
 
Author Kelsey Bryant
https://kelseysnotebookblog.blogspot.com/
 
July 10, 2018
Author Kelsey Bryant
https://kelseysnotebookblog.blogspot.com/
 
July 11, 2018
Author Rachel Rossano
https://www.rachelrossano.com/blog
 
July 12, 2018
Author Amanda Tero
http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/
 
July 13, 2018
Author Kate Willis
https://onceuponanordinary.wordpress.com/
 
July 14, 2018
Author Kendra E. Ardnek
knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com
 
July 16, 2018
Author A.M. Heath
https://amheathblog.wordpress.com/
 
July 17, 2018
Author Rebekah Morris
www.readanotherpage.com
 
July 18, 2018
Author Emily Ann Benedict
https://www.facebook.com/Emily-Ann-Benedict-164350249985/
 
July 19, 2018
Author Erika Mathews
www.restinglife.com
 
July 20, 2018
Author Ryana Lynn
www.lifeofheritage.com
 
July 21, 2018
Author Rebekah Morris
www.readanotherpage.com
 
July 23, 2018
Author Amanda Tero
http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/
 
July 24, 2018
Author Rebekah Morris
www.readanotherpage.com
 
July 25, 2018
Author Emily Ann Benedict
https://www.facebook.com/Emily-Ann-Benedict-164350249985/
 
July 26, 2018
Author  Faith Blum
www.faithblum.wordpress.com
 
July 27, 2018
Author Alicia G. Ruggieri
http://www.aliciagruggieri.com/category/abrighterdestiny/
 
July 28, 2018
Author Abigayle Claire
https://theleft-handedtypist.blogspot.com
 
July 30, 2018
Author Alicia G. Ruggieri
http://www.aliciagruggieri.com/category/abrighterdestiny/
 
July 31, 2018
Author Amanda Tero
http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/

(Disclaimer: I have not read all these blogs/books so I cannot fully endorse them.)
Each of these ladies have giveaways/discounts/free books available at different times, so be sure and visit each stop!

We also have a give away going on!

GRAND GIVEAWAY
“Christmas Is a Gift” CD (Amanda Tero)
$5 Starbucks gift card (Amanda Tero)
Ebook copy of Coffee Shop Christmas  (Ryana Lynn )
“A Christmas Disaster” paperback (Rebekah Morris)
A Holy Passion softcover (Alicia G. Ruggieri)
Ebook copy of Martin Hospitality and Andora’s Folly (Abigayle Claire)
Trust and Obey notebook (Faith Blum)
Kendra E. Ardnek - paperback of The Worth of a King (Just as soon as it comes out.)
eCopy of book one and two in the Father Christmas Series (Emily Ann Benedict)
Audiobook of Sufficient Grace (Jessica Greyson)
Audiobook of Emmeline (Sarah Holman)
Ebook of Overrun By His Love (Erika Mathews)

GRAND INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY
eBooks of “Finding Christmas Joy,” “Noelle’s Gift,” and “Hartly Manor” (Amanda Tero)
Ebook copy of Coffee Shop Christmas  (Ryana Lynn)
The Unexpected Request Audio (Rebekah Morris)
Audiobook codes for A Mighty Fortress and Be Thou My Vision (one each) (Faith Blum)
A HolyPassion e-book (Alicia G. Ruggieri)
Ebook copy of Martin Hospitality and Andora’s Folly (Abigayle Claire)
The Worth of a King e-ARC (Kendra E. Ardnek)
eCopy of book one and two in the Father Christmas Series (Emily Ann Benedict)
Audiobook of Sufficient Grace (Jessica Greyson)
Audiobook of Emmeline (Sarah Holman)
Ebook of Overrun By Your Love (Erika Mathews)

Be sure and enter! And now, without further ado, the wrap up!

We’ve been hither and yon telling churches about FBN Radio! Our two highlights were as follows. We were able to help out three nights of a revival in Liberty, N.C., two of which my Dad preached! At the end of the month, we traveled to Oakland, Maryland for an FBN Sunday with Pastor Dennis Leatherman at Mt. Lake Independent Baptist Church. We had a lovely time, updating the church on FBN’s latest activities and enjoying a time of fellowship. The day after the services, we were able to swing by my older sister’s house to see her and the little ones! #auntlife!

As many of you know, June 14th was release day for The Rivers of Sorrow, my 3rd book in my series on the War Between the States. Be sure and pick up your copy! In fact, if you are in Denton, N.C., I will be selling copies of all of my books at the Southeast Old Threshers Reunion at the Farm Park. My family and I are working at the Reid Plantation House on the property, giving tours of the house. Come see us if you happen to be there June 2-4 ?

As of this month I am beginning my new WIP! Book four in The Battle For Heritage Series!  And the title is…A Song of Home! I can’t wait to get started on the re-writes!

June 1st was my 5-year graduation anniversary! I was privileged to attend the NCHE Homeschool Book Fair with my family. And I unashamedly purchased 20 book ? some for research, some fiction pieces to check out and ten missionary biographies. I’ve read one so far and have really enjoyed it.

June 14th was the release day for my brand-new book, The Rivers of Sorrow! Order your copy here! And I realize that by some oversight, I didn’t post my back-cover blurb here on the blog, so we’ll remedy that here ?


Life is not a bed of roses. It's often riddled with thorny trials that will make or break us. The same is true for the Mason family and their friends.

Richard shook his head, "General, sir, I am honored beyond words that the men regard me so highly...but I am only nineteen, sir."

"Days away from twenty," Jackson remarked, glancing down at a paper before him. "I want you to take this as an opportunity from our ever-kind Heavenly Father. He has His hand of blessing upon you, Lt. Mason. Don't turn away from His plans for you."

Join the Mason family as the war continues to rage around them, threatening at any time to take a dear one from them. War can bring out the best and worst in people, and when nerves are strained to the breaking point, will they be able to do what they know is right? And if they fail, will the wallow in defeat or arise the victor over their circumstances?


June 26th, my nephew was born! Welcome to the family! I’d love to show you a picture, but I’d rather not post his picture on the internet, since it’s so public and all. Thanks for understanding. But believe me, he is cute as a button!?
Also super excited to find out that the Supreme Court overthrew a law in California which forced Pro-Life centers to advertise for planed parenthood! They no longer have to showcase this murderous organization at centers dedicated to preserving life! God is so good!
 
I have three more story prompts for you this month. Hope you enjoy!

And of course, this post wouldn’t be finished without a June Blog Round-up! If you missed a post, click the title to read ?
 
Soldier Life // Cooking
Quest for Leviathan Blog Tour
Praying With Whom? A Devotion
What? Another Post?
Writing 101: The Brainstorming Stage Pt. 2
10 Totally Random Facts About...Gettysburg!

Thank you for joining me for another month! I hope you’ve enjoyed the articles you’ve read here! It’s a joy and a privilege ?

Writing for Him,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello everyone! Another month has gone by! Time sure does fly when you are having fun, right? That was certainly true for my family this month! So without further ado, let’s get into today’s goodies!

Again, we were local this month, hitting churches in Salisbury, Charlotte, Aberdeen and Archdale, to name a few! I was privileged to assist a lady in downloading the FBN App on her phone (Something you should do if you haven’t already!), something I haven’t done very much. I’m more of a computer person than a phone person 😊

June and July promise to be very busy, with some travel coming up. Very excited!

Y’all…It’s at the printers as I type! The Rivers of Sorrow revisions, which I have been slaving over since 2016, have finally come to an end! The book is set to release sometime around the middle of the month, an exact date has not yet been set though. Keep your eyes peeled!

Now, I am focusing on getting blog posts written up for y’all to enjoy, as well as prep book 4 for rewrites. I am also participating in Go Teen Writers 100 for 100 writing challenge, working on a little story idea I have for the far distance future…I just need to get some of it on paper while it’s on my mind. I do not indorse everything on Go Teen Writers’ Website, but they do have some great resources!

So many neat things happened this month! I got to see the Goodyear Blimp go over my house, I had my first eye appointment (Thank the Lord, nothing's wrong with my eyes! Just a little strained from working on the computer), and most importantly, JERUSALEM BECAME THE CAPITOL OF ISRAEL! Yes, I'm slightly excited about that ;)

For my birthday, which was this past week, my family took me on a day long trip to the NC Zoo!  We haven’t been in nearly ten years, and we had a blast. Below are some sneak peeks of the trip!

A lady at the zoo informed us that they are planning to add an Asia exhibit and an Australia exhibit in the near future!

On Memorial Day, we attended the Thomasville Memorial Day Parade. Below are a few pictures. It wasn’t as big this year, thanks to a flash flood warning…it never came 😊

I decided to give y’all three more Historical Fiction Writing Prompts. I hope you’ve found them helpful and a fun inspiration!

And last but not least…the cover reveal…and no, I am not going to be one of those super mean authors that makes you scroll down to see the picture.

What do you think? I’m super excited for this book to release and I plan to give you little tidbits of info on the book in the next few posts. If you missed any of this month’s posts, I’ve included a round-up for you below!

April Wrap Up // Plus 3 Writing Prompts for You!
Book Review // Moby Dick
10Totally Random Facts About...Stonewall Jackson!
Writing 101 // I Have a Story...Now What? The Brainstorming Stage Pt. 1
Happy Memorial Day!

Hope everyone has a blessed June! Let the adventure begin!

In Christ,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello everyone and happy May Day! This month is my favorite :) I'm a May baby and my birthday always falls around Memorial Day, so it can't get much better than that can it?

Today, I'm giving you a brief update on how things went last month and giving you something you may or may not have seen out there before. So let's get started!

Ministry:

As you know, my family and I represent the Fundamental Broadcasting Network full time, so we've been doing a lot of traveling this month! We didn't venture out of North Carolina, but we made several contacts and were able to give out a lot of information! The people were very receptive and several want us to come back some time. Also, my dad got asked twice to preach, just because we dropped in!

Writing:

Okay...wait for it...The Rivers of Sorrow is out of the Team Edit Stage! YEAH! Last week, I delivered copies to all but one of my final editors. I am so excited! Stay tuned for a release date!

Also, I was able to get a reprint ordered for Coffee Shop Christmas (I only have 9 copies on hand) and I got new business cards!

Now, for the fun part!

I love story prompts, but one thing I haven't been able to find is Historical Fiction prompts. They probably are out there, but I just haven't found them. So, I thought I'd give you a few I came up with, just for fun :)

So, feel free to have fun with those! Tweak them as you see fit and let them inspire that twist in your story that you needed. If your not writing a story, give it a shot! 2,000 words is a pretty good short story. And who knows...it might inspire you to write more!

In Christ,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22