Y'all, I am just so excited to share this news with y'all! Today is the cover reveal for my book, To Save a Life, releasing on October 22nd! I was blessed to work with the lovely Kaitlyn Krispense as my designer and let me say, y'all, she nailed it! And I'm too excited to keep the suspense up any longer so here we go!

Just look at those precious baby toes!!!! Isn't it just so precious??? I am so excited for this book to release!

And speaking of which... This book is up for pre-order on Amazon! (Click here!) I've never had one of my books on Amazon and I am so excited to be able to readch a larger audience with this story! The pre-order says it's releasing in November. That's just because I'm allowing for me getting sick or something and you can't miss your release date, haha! But once everything is finalized, I'll adjust it to the actual release date, so have no fear!

But why am I allowing to get sick? Well...

Yep! Baby Peterson is on the way! This is part of the reason I haven't been around much the last few months because I have been. so. sick. But I'm breaking out of the morning sickness and hope that nothing else will happen to give me a relapse XD  We just hit 14 weeks (approx. 3 months) and finally got to hear the heartbeat! (160bpm for those who want to know *halo*) Next month we find out what we're having and I am so excited!

Needless to say, writing hasn't really been my priority of late, but now that I'm getting my strength back, I am waist deep in final edits and I can't wait to share some snippets with you in the future! And yes, I will be giving more details about how we found out we were expecting because it's a fun one XD

Anywho! Don't forget to run over to Amazon to pre-order To Save a Life and I'll try and get on here again real soon!

Praising God for His Marvelous Gift!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello everyone! So today, I’m back with more of my ramblings and a much-requested blog post… How I met my Husband! So this rambling will fall under the Life category! Without further ado, let’s hop in!

Life ||

I always prayed that my relationship would move quickly... I didn't exactly mean 12 hours from Hello to Can I Write You...

So it all started a year ago today! On March 10th, 2020, my dad took two of my sisters and me with him to the Capitol Connection in Washington, D.C. One of my sisters wasn’t feeling well (not the virus that shall not be named *halo*), my other sister decided to stay with her at the hotel, so I was the chosen one who went with Dad that day. We walked toward the Capitol Building for our group photo on the steps when a tall, blondish/reddish-haired man with a beard walked up and struck up a conversation with us. I was a little gun shy… he was obviously from up north, though he didn’t come off like a yankee, and his accent wasn’t irritating to me. And for being from Maryland, he sure knew his conservative politics!

He talked with my dad and me and offered to meet up with us at the Supreme Court to get pictures later if his group didn’t go straight to lunch. Which they did. I figured I would never see him again.

And I was surprised that this bothered me. I realized I found him interesting and attractive, and I immediately prayed and asked God to help me NOT think about him. I wasn’t there to meet guys. I was there to be a witness and encouragement! I didn’t need a distraction. So could You please help me not think about him? Thank You!

Only… He didn’t.

Seemed like every time I turned around, I thought about our talk and wished he would just show up. I prayed hard for God to take it away from me. But He just wouldn’t! And who just happened to be there when we were waiting for our bus to pick us up?

During the rest of that day, he just kept popping up! He even went on the midnight tour with us that evening. And I figured he wanted to talk to my dad about our ministry! I didn’t know he was interested in me until he asked my dad if he could contact me to “see where God might lead this”!

Long story short, my parents and I prayed about it, and about a week later, I got my first email! Dad and Mom read it first, then my mom got me off to the side and handed me dad’s phone. I was elated!

Then the virus that shall not be named struck and quarantine happened.

My mom still hadn’t met Jacob, and I hadn’t met his parents. I knew there was no way our relationship could move forward until we had. But God had plans!

In May, I was allowed to receive one chaperoned phone call a week. And in June, God worked it all out for our families to meet! We spent the first day at their house, and the next, we went to Gettysburg for the first time since 2011! We crawled all over Devil’s Den, and Jacob and I got plenty of time to talk and get to know each other better. The next day, Sunday, June 28th, we were given our parents’ blessing to officially begin courting.

He came down in July to visit, and we came up in August, where I got to meet his extended family! Then in September, he came down for Labor Day weekend.

Mom suggested we finally get some pictures since we forgot the last time we saw each other. I put on a little makeup and curled my hair.

He left to freshen up, and I went out with my sisters to pick a good spot in our wooded area. Jacob came out and surprised me with a dozen roses. Then he told me he would only give roses to someone he really liked… someone he loved.

Now in our family, you can’t say I Love You until you are getting engaged.

I busted out crying, then finally told him yes, I would marry him!

The next few months were a blur as we wrestled with the perfect date, location, and attendants. We were married on December 19th, just nine months and 9 days after we met!

Is that how things typically go in our family? Do I recommend people just getting married willy-nilly?

No.

But this wasn’t anyone else’s story. This was our story. This was God’s plan for us. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world! God makes no mistakes!

A few more fun facts, though…

About two weeks before I met Jacob, I prayed and at last gave up the struggle over being single at 23. It was hard. I referred to it as my Jacob wrestling with the Angel moment. I had no idea I would marry a Jacob 😉. One week before I met Jacob, a close family friend encouraged me to pray that I would meet my future spouse this year. Not get in a relationship per se, just meet them. It was a week to the day before God had our paths cross! Then I found out on my wedding day that my sister had explicitly prayed that I would meet my Husband at Capital Connection. God is so good!
 
Liberty ||

I’ve been thinking about the Founding Fathers a lot of late. What a statesman John Adams was; How much I despise Alexander Hamilton (is he even a Founding Father??); Wishing George Washington had stood up to the Muslim Corsairs; How grateful I am that Thomas Jefferson did stand up to them; How inspiring Patrick Henry’s speeches were. And it got me to thinking… what other stories don’t we know about the Founding Fathers just because they aren’t as famous as Benjamin Franklin? I have no idea who Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, and John Penn are, and they signed for North Carolina! Have you ever heard of John Jay? How about William Floyd? May I encourage you, reader, in this day and age who wants to erase even the famous from history, that you take a little time to read about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? To research the ones who ratified the Constitution? To read up on the men who lead our people on the field of battle? Who stirred up the people to see what was happening right in front of them? Who are the Sons of Liberty? Was the Boston Massacre really a Massacre? Where they all honorable men? Well, no. Did they make mistakes? Yep, they were human, just like us. But how will you even know who these people are if you don’t take the time to care? How can we lose our history if, in our ignorance, we never had it?

Pick up a book on the Founding Fathers today.
 
Literature ||

So y’all know I love to read! Today, I want to share about a book I finished last month! A full review is coming, but people! The Color Red by Katja L. was. So. Good. If you ever get the opportunity to read it, you really need to! The style is charming and full of words to expand your vocabulary, and it’s written in such a way that it just sucks you right into the main character’s head! Like I said, a full review is coming, but please, add this book to your Goodreads TBR!
 
Well, I need to wrap this up! I hope you are all having a lovely day in the Lord!

What’s going on in your life? Share about your favorite Founding Father! Read any good books of late? Comment below and fill us in!

God bless you, and God bless America!

Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I am so excited to share a review with you about a new game! It’s not yet on the market, but Lord Willing it will be soon!

Wet a Hook is a fast passed card game created by David and Alisha Robinson of ARRCOM Games and FBN Radio! Think about combining Old Maid, Uno, Phase Ten and Dutch Blitz into one game. That’s Wet a Hook! It took us a few goes to get the hang of the game, but once we did, we all enjoyed it! The artwork is charming for young players and pun-filled as you see the play on names the artist created! And with all the cards this deck comes with, I can easily see kids inventing their own games! The possibilities are endless!

(Pictures to come! I miss laid my set while moving 😉)

If you are interested, please use the photos to help spread the word!
*I received a complementary deck of cards for promotional purposes. All thoughts were my own!*

What is one of your favorite games? Do you enjoy game reviews?

Have a blessed day and God Bless America!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello and welcome back to Life of Heritage Corner! Today I’m sharing my very first post of 2021! Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
King James Bible

There is something in the human DNA that just appreciates a new beginnings. Isn’t it nice that God made sure our lives would be filled with them? Today, I want to look at some of the New Beginnings we can rejoice in!

A lot of people like to set goals and make plans every year. Some fall through, some get done and new things pop up. Isn’t it nice to get a fresh chance to try again every 365(6) days? You just never know what you might accomplish!

The birth of a new little one is such a beautiful beginning! I always look forward to the next pregnancy announcement! And what girl doesn’t dream of being a mom some day? I know I’ve not let go of that dream! 😉

This is another new beginning the majority of the population dreams of! The chance to start a new family from two existing ones is one of the greatest gifts God has given us!

The greatest new beginning anyone can experience! The acceptance of God’s free gift of salvation is the start of a brand new life, one filled with the Joy of Jesus and the Hope of Heaven.

Writing Prompt: Can you think of another new beginning to thank God for? When did you experience the new beginning of Salvation?

Rejoicing in Jesus,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

It has happened.

2020 is over.

A new year is here! I just love new years…

Okay, so hello, hey, howdy! It’s been a good while since I’ve been around here consistently and I’m so glad  to be back! To anyone who is new here, welcome to Life of Heritage Corner! We are so glad to have you here with us!
You heard me right. I said we!

If you saw my Merry Christmas post, you are aware that I got married last December! You have no idea how hard it was to keep that a secret! I wanted so badly to share, but I had to wait for the right time. But as of December 19th, 2020, I am now Ryana Lynn Miller Peterson!

Now I know you probably want details, and I am more than eager to share a few, but I am working on a special post to share with you in February! But for now I can tell you this. His name is Jacob and he’s a preacher and Bible teacher!

That’s not the only thing that has changed for me. This Tarheel Gal is now in living in Maryland! Don’t worry, I’m still the same southern girl I’ve always been 😉 I’m just living in boarder territory now! So, with that in mind, I suppose I should be updating everyone on just what to expect here on the blog!

As of right now, I am resuming my posting schedule of Mondays and Fridays (Psst! Subscribers get bonus content and bonus posts on Wednesdays!), but there is gonna be a slight change. Book reviews will be extra posts as a rule, with more writing/history type posts coming your way. But don’t worry, my book list posts and spotlights are still going to be making their way onto the blog, as are my devotions and missions spotlights! Devotions will be as close to the 1st as possible and Missions spotlights on the first Monday of the Month. The following Mondays will be writing/bookish posts with history coming up on Fridays!

I don’t know about y’all, but 2020 was an amazing, busy and crazy year for my family! I have to shake my head as I see all the negative remarks about 2020 and laugh at silly remarks I made to my family, mostly in jest. Aside from the political unrest, fearmongering, and losing two special people to cancer (nope, they didn’t catch the-virus-that-shall-not-be-named), 2020 was one of the best years of my life! Here’s just a sample of the reasons why!

Three nieces got saved this year!

My cousin got married!

We were able to help my grandpa organize several aspects of his house and clear out a building for out of town company!

I published a book and made good headway on 3 more!

My sister had a baby!

I got to work at the polls! Yep, it was in person and I enjoyed every minute of it!

We were able to take my grandpa and my uncle (who is down syndrome) with us on a trip to Tennessee to see the Christmas Dixie Stampede!

I married the man of my dreams and moved to a new state! And just saying, I love our apartment 😉

On a bittersweet note, my grandma (Dad’s mom) and grandpa (Mom’s dad) are no longer suffering with cancer and are safe in the arms of Jesus, at rest at last. I miss them terribly and while I am so happy for them, I am very sad for me… I miss them more than I can express. As a result of these funerals, my dad’s cousin got saved and we were able to witness to nearly a dozen lost family members! God is so good even in our hardest trials!

I have been doing word of the year segments for going on three years now and I have enjoyed it so much! In 2019, I chose the word Stand (Click here for that post) and in 2020, I chose the word Vision (Click here for that post). And no, I didn’t pick it because of 20-20 Vision. I hadn’t even thought of that until two months after I chose it! So, without further ado, let’s unveil the Word of the Year 2021!

REJOICE

But let those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them: let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee.
Psalm 5:11
King James Bible

As Christians, we have so much to rejoice in! And as a personal goal, I am trying to find something to rejoice about everyday, small things, big things, things that don’t make sense and things that do. Will I succeed? That is yet to be seen, lol, but it’s the goal!

Well, I do believe that is all for now! Thank you so much for joining me for yet another year here at Life of Heritage Corner!
 
Writing Prompts: Do you do a Word of the Year? If so, what is it? What was your 2020 highlight? What is something you can rejoice about today?
 
Writing for Him,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22