 Another impromptu post for all of you! So I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription and I came across this neat looking book called Preacher on the Run by Jayna Baas. I was intrigued that this book was written about the North Carolina Regulators, the true beginning of the American Revolution and Baptist History! I had just started the story when who should email me, but Jayna herself! She had heard about my blog/books and was wondering if I could join the tour! Long story short, here we are today!  Preacher on the Run For Liberty and Conscience Book 1 By Jayna Baas 2020 5 Stars Website || Newsletter Signup || YouTube Channel || Book Trailer || Amazon Author Page || Paperback (direct from author) || eBook (Amazon) About the Book || North Carolina, 1771 Robert Boothe has spent the last four years leading the tyrant-hating Regulators in standing against North Carolina’s corrupt British government. Just being an unlicensed dissenter preacher is enough to make Robert a target, but he refuses to back down from his conscience. Aside from a sympathetic court justice, the village of Ayen Ford has no other champion for its poor and defenseless. Then Charles Drake, emissary of His Excellency William Tryon, comes to town with one ambition: winning the governor’s favor, no matter what it takes. And Robert Boothe just might be his last chance. All Robert wants is a safe place for his little Baptist church to live and worship God. But the established church wants him to shut up. The governor’s men want him dead. And that safe place is farther and farther away. You can run, but you can’t hide . . . About the Author ||
though she believes German writer Thomas Mann was correct in saying, “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than for other people.” She enjoys writing and reading in a wide range of genres, but her favorite story is this: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)  My Review || First off, I want to say how pleased I was at house southern this book was. Even the narrative was southern! I can normally spot a northern author writing southerners a mile away, but she did such a good job, I was sure she wasn't originally from Michigan! And y'all!!!! IT WAS ABOUT THE REGULATORS!!!!!! This is a little known bit of American history that I adore, though I haven't done as much research on it as I would have liked. I have Regulators in my background so, yes, I am so hard-core fangirling over this book! The history was fantastic, her explanation for Biblical resistance was spot on and she has an excellent Bibliography in the back! She also seperated the fact from the fiction, which I loved! The characters were well developed and perfectly imperfect. This book has earned it's place in my "books to study" catagory to become a better writer! Saul was by far my favorite character and watching him grow was amazing. I loved all the discussions on how a man is to treat a woman and the fact that we were created for the the man. It was a beautiful depiction of Christ-like love. That being said, I was a little uncomfortable with some of the husband and wife scenes. They were not inappropriate, just more than I personally care for. The only other thing I didn't like was all the negative talk towards the Cherokee. I know that in the mid 1700s there were some Cherokee attacks and I can't change that. But the reason for the attacks was never stated and from what I've read, they didn't usually attack without government provocation. This could be an exception, I don't know. Regardless, it's a sad part of our history. Being a Cherokee decedent, I found all the negativity a bit off putting without more explanation into what the attacks were about. But that's just me and it wasn't the main theme of the story. Overall, I loved this book! I would gladly hand it off to a sibling (after censoring a few spouse scenes depending on the age)! It's an excellent read and a must for all homeschoolers, North Carolinians, Revolution-Buffs and Baptists! Buy this book! Don't understand why we rebelled against King George? Think the Tea Tax excuse is lame? Find out what really happened! || I was gifted a copy of the book for promotional purposes! I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts are my own. || Character Interview With Saul McBraden! || What inspired you to join the Regulators? If you saw folks’ land being sold out from under them, and greedy officials playing fast and loose with the law, you’d likely join the Regulators, too. What was going on made me mad, and when I get mad, I want to do something about it. What goal would you like to accomplish through your resistance? What I want, and I think what most of us want, is just the freedom to worship God and make a fair living under fair laws. It might mean getting our own folks chosen to the Colonial Assembly, or it might mean cornering some officials into being accountable. You can’t change a whole government overnight. When this is all over, what would your dream life look like? I reckon I’ll always want a challenge to go after, but in between times, I’d just want a place to settle down with Elsie. A cabin, some land. Hunting, farming, some trapping maybe. And a passel of young’uns, God willing. What is one scripture that helps you in time of trouble? “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). I want to fix things, which is no surprise to folks who know me. I need the reminder that God is at work, and He doesn’t need my help. What advice would you give to someone wanting to join your cause? Be sure you know what you’re getting into. It won’t help anybody if you talk real loud and then run when the going gets tough. And Pastor Boothe talks a lot about doing things for the right reason, meaning you had better take a stand for something and not just against something. What about Pastor Boothe makes you admire him? He’s steady. Me, I’m a firebrand. I’ll go off on my own tack and realize later how boneheaded I was. Not Pastor Boothe. He thinks things through, and he makes certain sure he’s listening to the Lord. You can follow a man like that. Do you think your struggle will remain in North Carolina or spread through the colonies? I don’t rightly know. There were some Regulators in South Carolina, but things didn’t go very far there. A lot of easterners, all the way up to Massachusetts, think we’re rebels. But I hear they’ve got their own squabbles with the King’s men. I don’t know if we’re lighting a fire, or if the fire’s already lit. I’d like to think we aren’t the only ones to take a stand. Pie or cake? My ma used to make a sugar cake that she said came from the Moravians in Bethabara. But anymore I’d have to say pie. Elsie makes a dried-apple pie that I’d quit the Regulators for. Interview with Author Jayna Baas! || What inspired you to write this book? I love Revolutionary War history and strong Christian heroes, and I was tired of finding nothing but romance in the Christian fiction section of the library—not that I don’t read romance, but a girl needs a break now and then! I was also tired of “Christian” stories that had nothing deeper than a quick prayer in desperation. The Regulator Uprising struck me as the perfect setting for an action-packed, danger-filled story of lived-out faith, especially since I love little-known parts of history. Which character was the most fun to write? Alec Perry was a lot of fun. He just showed up and said, “Here I am, now tell my story”—and his story just kept taking on a life of its own! Hank Jonas was fun, too, especially in how he played off Mitchell and Alec. What can you tell us about the rest of the series? I’m aiming for three stand-alone novels set several years apart. In the second book, which takes place during the British campaign of North Carolina in 1780-1781, original characters reappear, but the story stars some new ones as well. The third book will (hopefully!) be set in the short-lived State of Franklin, late 1780s. I’m hoping book two will be ready to print by the end of next year, but your guess is as good as mine right now. And of course, all of this is subject to change without notice. Any tips on writing Revolutionary fiction? Be prepared for tons of research and challenging subject matter. History can be messy, as I’m sure you know. There aren’t always happy endings or black-and-white sides to take. I love this description by British novelist L. P. Hartley: “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” That’s very true, and it’s a writer’s job to act as a “tour guide” in that “foreign country” and make it engaging and understandable to readers without compromising the reality of it. What Bible verse sums up your mission as a writer? Well, I joke that my life verse is Ecclesiastes 12:12: “Of making many books there is no end,” but in truth, writing is my way of sharing the gospel, encouraging fellow saints, and exercising the gift I’ve been given. I don’t know that there’s just one verse to sum up all of that. As for the writing process itself, a good verse would probably be 1 Thessalonians 5:24: “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” That is a huge encouragement when I feel like I’m banging my head on a wall. Giveaway! || There is an epic give away people!  That's it for now! Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops! Week One Nov 2: Leona @ Great Books for God’s Girls Guest post, excerpt Nov 3: Madi @ Madi’s Musings Book review, interview Nov 4: Kaitlyn @ Maidens for Modesty Book review, guest post Nov 5: Laura @ Beautiful Things Book spotlight Nov 6: Malachi @ Brainstorms With Rain Excerpt Week Two Nov 9: Abby Rose @ Photos by Abby Rose Book review Nov 10: Kelsey @ Kelsey’s Notebook Guest post, excerpt Nov 11: Lauren @ Novels That Encourage Book review, interview, exclusive ebook giveaway Nov 12: Abigail @ Read Review Rejoice Excerpt, book spotlight Nov 13: Callie @ An Unfinished Story Book review Week Three Nov 16: Tara @ Tower in the Plains Book review Nov 17: Kelly-Ann @ Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama Excerpt Ryana Lynn @ Life of Heritage Book review, character interview Nov 18: Kassie @ Soldier Girl Stories Book review Nov 19: Natalie @ Kenmore Pines Book review, interview Nov 20: Michaela @ Tangled Up in Writing Book review, excerpt, guest post Tour Wrap-Up Nov 21: Giveaway winners announced in Rafflecopter widget and on Books by Jayna  Have a Blessed November!
Ryana Lynn Jude 22
I am thrilled to be able to share about this truly amazing book! People. This is my #1 read of 2020, I'm not even kidding. Well, actually, it's tied with Tattered Wings, but we won't talk about that, will we Kass??
Stop the Rain
By Kassie Angle (November 11th, 2020) 5+ Stars || Kindle || Paperback || Goodreads || Soldier Girl Stories || About the Book ||
He left his entire world in Iraq. So why did the war follow him home?
Harley Keane and his best friend Nigel were just kids when 9/11 rocked their world and changed their lives forever. When they're finally old enough to join the Army, all their childhood dreams seem about to come true. But war wasn't supposed to be like this. A kid's dream isn't supposed to become a living nightmare. Fellow soldiers aren't supposed to bleed out in front of your eyes. Back home, safe and unwounded, Harley feels anything but. Why would God spare him when so many others were taken? Why won't the nightmares stop, even when he's awake? And how long can he hide the truth that threatens everything he has left? When Harley's invisible scars refuse to stay hidden, will he let anyone close enough to help? And how do you go on with life when "okay" isn't okay at all? About the Author ||
My Review ||
I cried. Through the entire thing. I barely got into it and I was an emotional mess in the best possible way. I don't talk about this much, but PTSD awareness is one of my heart causes, because so many people with invisible injuries are over looked. Or you have people with fake conditions stealing the spotlight. Kassie put the attention back where it belongs.
I love Harley. Har is my baby. If you don't like him, then oh well, we just won't talk about it... cause I would not take people criticizing him well at all. *halo emoji* That being said, there is a soldier in this book that I do not hate. Kassie, you know who I'm talking about so that's that. *again, halo emoji* And my Nigel and Levi. All my soldiers in this book. All of them. Ack! Did I ever mention I love our military??? I have? Oh...Well, I just told you again! The writing was so deep, realistic and heart-wrenching. I feel like I traveled to the Middle East with them, learned about what it means to be a soldier with them, relived my personal 9/11 trauma with them and suffered with the wounded mind with Harley. This is real people. Step back from Hollywood. Let go of preconceived ideas of what PTSD is and let Harley show you. If this book doesn't affect you deeply, it's not the book's fault. My life has been deeply changed by this book. Recommended for ages 16+ Buy. This. Book. || I was honored to be asked to Alpha read this book by my friend Kassie, but she did not require me to write a positive review. All thoughts a opinions are my own. ||
That's all I have for you today! Have a Blessed Day and Visit Kassie's site for more release day fun!
Have a Blessed Day! Ryana Lynn Jude22  Nineteen years ago, one of the most vicious crimes of the 21st Century was committed against the United States. Four planes, hijacked by Muslim Terrorists, were flown into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and the last crashed into the ground at Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This year, Kassie Angle and I brainstormed and decided to get together 11 bloggers who would post about this tragedy in American History. We Haven’t Forgotten. Click Here for my Past Posts on 9/11  I was five years old when 9/11 happened. It traumatized me in a way I still haven’t gotten over. In 2011, I became enamored with researching the topic. I still don’t know all that I want to know, but then again, you can never exhaust a topic. But today, I’m not going to give you a history post. I want to share a story that I wrote in 2016 back about the Pentagon. Is it realistic? No, not really. At the time, I was just getting a story on paper and trying to express patriotism the only way I knew how. I’ve made a couple changes to the story, such as the amount of time that has passed in the story, but it is largely unedited. I hope younger me isn’t too embarrassed 😉 Why I Don’t Drive a Mustang I’m Taking His Place By Ryana Lynn “We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.” President George W. Bush It was all a mistake. And a big one at that. I should never have gone to D.C. Everything in my life was just right. Everything. Life was perfect, and I had endless possibilities at my fingertips. After all, wasn’t I an honor roll student? Didn’t I have an academic scholarship to Chapel Hill Medical? But I just had to go to D.C. on that senior trip. And I just had to tour the Pentagon that day. I had a black 1998 Mustang that I had bought and paid for. It was mine, and I cared for it and filled it with gas. I loved driving it. It was my baby. But on that trip, I realized there are far more important things in life. Of course, I knew living for God was the most important thing. I was a Christian and faithful church worker. I was the junior captain on my church bus route. I worked for our radio station on Saturdays as a volunteer. So I at least had that priority right. Anyway, back to my Mustang. I drove it to D.C. myself. Seems the bus had room for all but one person, so I volunteered to drive. On our third day in D.C., we had to vote on where we wanted to go, the Pentagon, or the White House. Knowing President Bush was out of town, I voted for the Pentagon. That was the tie-breaking vote—mistake number 2. I drove behind the bus and parked in the visitor’s parking area. We got out and entered the building and toured the center of military operations. It was terrific, and I got to talk to serval servicemen while we were there. We had just walked out the door. I reached into my pocket for my keys. I heard a motor blaring in my ear, and the next thing I knew, I was struggling to pick myself up off of the hood of a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck. My friend Ray was on the ground, screaming. I jumped down and knelt next to him. He was bleeding from his head, and his leg was broken. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, so my pre-college study came in handy. When I finished with Ray, I turned around and saw that the Pentagon was on fire, and there were many people with injuries. I did not know at the time that a terrorist had purposely flown a plane into the building. The teachers were doing their best to round up all the students, and I went from person to person doing what I could. An injured soldier was brought to my attention, and I began to work on him. He was in bad shape, and to be honest, I knew as soon as they brought me to him, he wouldn’t make it. He knew it too. He looked up at me, and my throat went dry. He wasn’t much older than me. “Take my place,” he whispered. “The World Trade Centers were attacked today by Terrorists. I’m pretty sure they did this too. Either way, we’re heading for war. Please, take my place.” “Alright,” I said, “I will if you let me tell you about Someone else who wants to take your place in another way.” I proceeded to tell him about Jesus Christ taking his place and wanting to forgive him of his sins. I was privileged to hear him ask the Lord to save him. “Remember,” he coughed. “You promised to take my place.” Mistake 3. We didn’t get to leave the parking lot until late that evening. It was then I saw what had happened to my Mustang. It had been smashed by flying debris. I was perturbed, but the thought hit me: I had almost gotten into my car before being blown across the parking lot. I would have been killed. God had spared my life. Students were admitted to the hospital, and I was checked over for injuries. All things considered, we were blessed. A police officer deemed me a hero. I just shook my head. Our bus was in good shape, but there was no way I could fit in there. We had too much stuff, plus crutches and wheelchairs. We weren’t sure how I was to get home. A Lieutenant in the Army found us discussing the problem. “You’re the boy who helped out the day of the trauma,” he said matter-of-factly. When it was confirmed, he said, “My aide and I will drive him home. We’re heading back to Ft. Bragg this afternoon.” Mistake 4. On the way home, we talked about the incident and expressed our outrage. The aide was a Corporal, not too much older than me. Of course, they talked about recruitment with me. I listened intently, remembering my promise to the dead soldier. Cpl. Bean talked up the army big. Out of the clear blue sky, the Lieutenant said, “You should be a combat medic. You’ve got guts. I saw you go into the danger zone twice to rescue people.” I shrugged. “I couldn’t just stand there.” “Yes, you could have, but you didn’t,” Lt. Michaels reminded me. Upon reaching home, every Marine in the vicinity tried to recruit me. I steadfastly refused to join them. I’d made a promise. As soon as I graduated that April (I challenged the exams to get out early), I left for basic training. I was the youngest guy there. And who should be my junior drill instructor but Cpl. Bean. He didn’t take it easy on me. Instead, he pushed me harder. By June, I was deployed to Afghanistan. That was nineteen years ago, and I’m still serving. I have a wonderful Christian wife, five kids, and twins on the way. I’ve been able to make a difference in more ways than one. I’ve been able to save physical lives and see spiritual lives saved by my Savior, Jesus Christ. I’ve even led a few locals to the One Who can give true peace and Joy. At the present time, I have no intention of stopping…I think I’ll be here until this war ends or they kick me out. I drive a medically equipped convoy through the deserts. I’m keeping my promise. I’m taking his place. I’m serving my country and my Savior. Looks like those “mistakes” weren’t mistakes after all… So that’s why I don’t drive a Mustang. “Duty. Honor. Country.” Douglas MacArthur  But the attack on September 11th, 2001, wasn’t the only historical event that took place on that day in history. 11 years later, on September 12th, 2012, another heinous crime occurred. The Benghazi Massacre. I’m not going to go into great detail on this. It hurts too much, knowing we had options at our disposal that would have given this event a vastly different outcome…and they were not used. (We need to pray more for our leaders to make Godly decisions!) On September 11th – 12th, 2012, The U.S. Embassy in Libya was attacked by Muslim Terrorists. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and Diplomat Sean Smith were killed in the attack. Ret. Navy S.E.A.L.s Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods gave their lives, the only ones who stepped forward to defend them. War was not declared on Libya or on the Islamic group that attacked them. Instead, our then president apologized to the terrorist for a film that offended them, triggering the attack (or so they claim). No action taken. Just an apology from the man currently representing the victims’ country. Another person responsible for sending them help (and didn’t) has thus far been let off the hook. Justice has not been done in the murder of these innocent men. For the most part, they have been forgotten. We all have heard of Benghazi…but did you know the names of the victims? I’ll confess that before I wrote this, I only knew one: Glen Doherty. In May 2018 at the NCHE Homeschool Book Fair, I met a man selling multiple history/military books. (Anyone surprised?) I bought three from him (for research purposes 😊) and one was a suggestion from the seller: Navy SEAL Sniper (not a recommendation. I haven’t read the whole thing yet.) This was the 2nd, and very special, edition. It hit the press in 2013. One of the co-authors was Glen Doherty. It was through reading the intro pages that I learned about his sacrifice on September 12th, 2012. I encourage you to read up on Benghazi. We must not forget the 2nd 9/11…and we must not forget the men who gave their lives. I haven’t forgotten.  I’d like to thank all the girls who pitched in to help with this tour! Please stop by their blogs today for more great tributes to the heroes and victims of both 9/11 tragedies.
http://amandatero.com/ https://beautifulthingsbylaura.com/ https://bookslifeandchrist.wordpress.com/ http://therosesheart.blogspot.com/ http://akansasfarmersdaughter.blogspot.com/ http://maidensformodesty.com/ https://photosbyabbyrose.com/ http://fireflysstoryspace.blogspot.com/ http://jessaswhimsicalwritings.blogspot.com/ www.lifeofheritage.com www.soldiergirlstories.com Have a blessed day… And Never Forget… Ryana Lynn Jude 22 Hello everyone! Time for another devotional already! How time flies! I have entitled this devotion A Vision for America, but I guess it’s actually more of a prayer list for America. I challenge you to take this list, make it your own, and pray with me for our nation. If you are outside our country, we covet your prayers, but adapt this list for your home country! And if you feel so led, drop us a note to tell us a little about the needs of your country and how we can pray for you!  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;…” Psalm 33:12 “For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20 (All Scriptures are from the King James Bible) A Prayer for our Leaders||
A Prayer for our Nation ||
A Prayer for Those Who Protect Us ||
A Prayer for All of Us ||
God Bless America Ryana Lynn Jude 22 5 Things Military and Ministry Kids Have in Common || A Collaboration with Author Kassie Angle!8/29/2020
Hello! Today, I have a fun collaboration with Author Kassie Angle to share with you today! We are expounding on a total of 10 things that Military and Ministry kids (MKs) can relate to! So click here to read her post first, then slide on down to read 6-10 here! (PSST! If you are subscribed to my email list, you get to know my take on the first 5!) Note || I can only speak for myself on these issues and my own personal experience. Attitude is everything, and if you are raised with a selfless mindset, that makes all the difference!  6| We’re okay with moving around more than normal. Ministry kids vary, but a lot of us have moved several times. Traveling a lot during the year counts too 😉 I have personally moved five times in my life, living in four different locations. Military kids can undoubtedly sympathize with me here! When dad gets stationed somewhere else, its pack up and go. The same is true for Ministry kids. We go where Dad and our family has been called to! And I’ve been excited every time! There was never a choice in the matter, and that didn’t bother me. It’s not my choice to make anyway. Just accept it, embrace it, and enjoy the ride! 7| We make friends easily or not at all, at the same time. My siblings are my best friends, not gonna lie. I don’t need other people to change that for me. While I certainly enjoy having friends as we travel, I get along just fine (I’m one of seven kids, y’all, things are never dull 😉). That being said, as a ministry kid, I have learned the importance of a friendly spirit, while being on guard. Are these people going to be a good influence on me? Can I help them in some way while I’m here? Can I bring honor to God through my relationship with them, no matter how long or short term it is? I can’t vouch for anyone else, but most of my friends are much older or at least a few years younger than me! My generation tends toward cliques, and I want no part of that. Some places we go, I don’t “hit it off” with anyone. Other places, it’s like we’ve known each other for life! The long and short of it is, I’m not looking for friends. It’s just a bonus when I find one! 8| Homeschooling’s just easier. Yes, yes, yes! I cannot fathom trying to be a ministry family while trying to attend a school, Christian or not! We need to be flexible, and (in an average year XP), we have a lot of out of town meetings. It’s not possible to always leave everyone behind (we sing when our dad preaches), and no school on earth would put up with us being gone so much, lol! I can imagine that being a military kid would also benefit when you’re never sure when Dad will have some time off for a quick trip to visit family. And who wants to do school when dad just got home from Afghanistan in the middle of October??? Seriously! So as homeschoolers, when things come up, and we need time off, we can double up to take days off or make-up days we missed. Also, ministry/military kids tend to be some of the most patriotic kids around (I am not saying you have to be in the ministry or the military to be patriotic 😉), so we tend to reject mainstream educational trends. With homeschool, we know precisely what our kiddos are learning and can make sure that what they learn is Biblical and Historically sound! 9| There’s a distinct culture we can’t explain. And hence I try to come up with a way to explain this. The short answer is, it’s impossible, but anyone in either group is nodding their head right now. We have our inside jokes and favorite books/films. We have our favorite events of the year and the games we play. We understand each other pretty well, and we know when one of us is being a little over dramatic about a situation 😊 I mean, you don’t have to be one of us to play with us or talk with us, but you might not understand all of our references, just saying 😉 10| At the end of the day, we’re really proud of it 😉 Not proud in the sense that we are boastful. I think a better word for it is grateful, appreciative that God chose us for this, even when we didn’t. I am so thankful to be a ministry kid, and I hope my kids someday will have the same privilege. God is so good, and He writes the best life stories.
Are you letting Him write yours? That's it for now! Don't forget to swing by Kassie's blog if you haven't already! Have a blessed day! Ryana Lynn Jude 22 |
Ryana Lynn
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