Welcome back to Life of Heritage Corner! It’s hard to believe the first month of 2021 is over! Time sure does fly when you’re having fun! Today I’m recapping my month and sharing some of the highlights from life in the Peterson house! So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Life ||

I moved into my new house with my husband at the end of last year! So, much of this month was spent getting settled in. And I still have much to do in the office, but progress is happening 😉
 
Books||

My ambition was to read 15 books (mostly short stories), but that didn’t happen. 😉 I did, however, get in a couple books!
 
Modern Warriors by Pete Hegseth (Check out my review here!)
O To Be Like Thee by Kassie Angle (Check out my review here!)
 
Writing ||

I didn’t hit my goal here, but I did manage to get a good chunk of rereading done and got several chapters divided out! I’m starting to get inspired again, which is a relief!
Brainstorming did happen on one of my future WIPs! Some sweet family/friends were more than willing to help me out with some parts that were bugging me, so that was a blessing! Thank you so much!
 
Song ||

Our church has a song of the month, and this month’s was such a blessing! Open My Eyes That I May See… what a lovely prayer in song! I love that our church sings all the verses in the hymn book for the most part, and this song was no exception! What is something you need God to open your eyes to in your life?
 
Food ||

My sister gave me a fantastic recipe for Tacos, and they have proved to be a hit with my husband! And a topping that just up-levels the homemade taco experience even more? Salsa con Queso! It adds just the right kick!
 
Anticipated Read for February ||

This month I hope to read the Colours of Life Series by Katja L.! There are two novels and two short stories so far, so I am excited to get into them!

10 Posts You Should Read ||

I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite posts from my archives and from some of my friends!
 
From My Blog

Now More than Ever
Why the South Fought
My Writing Journey
Stories of Valor from the War on Terror
An Interview with Mrs. Armistead
 
From My Friend’s Blogs

Welcome 2021 || Soldier Girl Stories
Plot Twist! || Read Another Page
New Years Book Tag || Little Blossoms for Jesus
8 Books to Read in Winter || Little Blossoms for Jesus
22 Tips to Read More (& How to Avoid Reading Slumps!) || Little Blossoms for Jesus
 
And Last but not least…
 
Verse ||

2 Timothy 1:7 – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

This verse was very special to me this month. There have been so many new things going on in my life, and to be honest, sometimes, if you overthink, it could be a little scary. But God has been so good to me in stilling my fears and giving me so many people to encourage me through the hard times. The good far outweighs the bad!
 
That wraps things up for January! How was your month? Read any good books? What verse has meant a lot to you? Any good blog posts or songs to share?
 
Have a blessed day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

*Stares at the title of this blog post*

*Groans*

Hey, y’all! So…writing updates! *Innocent smile* So, I suppose you do deserve an update. After all, I haven’t really talked about my work in progress (WIP) since…September? Yeah, it’s been a while!

I’m currently working on book 5 in The Battle for Heritage Series (for those who don’t know) set during the War Between the States.

If you are subscribed to my blog, you know from your bonus email that I set a goal to read everything I’d written so far. And then, my goal was to finish the rewrites by January 16th. Hopefully, I would have written some new chapters.

I’m still rereading as of January 15th, 2021, when I’m writing this post. I had some unexpected stuff come up, including just not feeling well. Thankfully, it’s not the virus-that-shall-not-be-named. But no fun all the same.

Was some of it a lack of motivation? Getting settled into a new normal? Being a little homesick? Distracted? Wanting to work on a different story?

Yes, to all the above.

But it’s okay.

It’s not the end of the world if everything doesn’t go the way I wanted it to go. It’s okay if I’m running a little behind or if I just need to take a step away from the story. I’m not going to do well if I’m not motivated.

But I do need to get motivated.

So what am I gonna do?

Glad you asked!

Remember that other story I said was taking my attention? I’ve set a goal for myself. Read through two chapters of TBIS before I allow myself to work on…

This is something I’ve literally been working on for almost 10 years. I’ve plotted it in my head. I’ve developed the characters with friends. I’ve written and scrapped several rough drafts of the first book. But now? I know where it’s supposed to go. I know what it’s supposed to be. I know what message I want to send with this story. I know the people I want to reach with this story.

Will it be coming out this year? Probably not. Next year? I hope so. Bear with me. I have a few other projects ahead of this one for this year. So let’s just sit back and see what God’s plans are. For now, I’m working on a thorough outline of the first book for this project. I don’t know how many books will be in this project. I don’t know how often they will publish; I can’t make concrete plans like that. It might go fast. It might drag. But however it goes, it will go in God’s timing.

All I will say about this story is that it was inspired by 9/11. That’s all you need to know right now 😉
 
I have a couple other projects I’m working on, but I’ll be sharing about them closer to time for them to get released. With how uncertain my schedule is at this point, I can’t pin down dates. But yeah, I’ve got four total projects I hope to work on this year! Full plate, but it’s fun! They are all so different from each other, it’s easy to move from book to book.

And now, I need to cut this short, so I can actually work on my stories! Thanks for stopping by! I know this post was a little different in tone, but I hope you enjoyed it!

Writing Prompt: Are you a writer? What are you working on this year? What are your goals for 2021? Readers, what book are you looking forward to the most in 2021?
 
Have a lovely day in the Lord, and God Bless America!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello and welcome back to Life of Heritage Corner. I hope each of you is having a blessed Memorial Day. It’s definitely gonna be different, not going to the parade, but my family is amazing, making sure I have an awesome Memorial Day Birthday!

And as you can see from the title…A SONG OF HOME IS HERE!!!

*cough*

Well, not exactly.

Let me explain.

So, the original plan was to release A Song of Home on Memorial Day. My timeline was perfect. Everything was falling into place. Then I got sick for three days with allergies. Three days that would have ensured that this book was already at the press by now. So, yeah, my timetable was upset.

I also got the opportunity to visit with my sister’s family over the past week. I was able to get progress done on my final polishing edits while there, thank God, but who wants to stay on a laptop all day when you have adorable little people asking you to play with them, hold them and randomly telling you they love you? Not me! I had a blast, loving on my littles and helping my sister and just getting an overall change of pace. It’s actually helped my editing.

So, one of the things I got finished while there was the cover for A Song of Home. The little tweaks to the back cover and all. Would you like to see it?

While I know a lot of authors have more glamorous covers, I have to admit, I really like the look of this cover. My sister was a huge help and my mom helped me settle on the right plantation house picture. Thanks, y’all!

Above, I mentioned something about a blog tour…

Yes, I decided to do one. And yes, I realize this is in the middle of a series…actually past the middle, but who’s counting? Anyway, some lovely friends of mine talked me into going ahead with it, so over the next five days, I will be posting their links here along with some something about A Song of Home here on the blog. Oh and did I mention there is a giveaway? One recipient will be gifted a set of all four of the books in The Battle for Heritage Series in eBook format! International friends are welcome! You can enter here!

So that wraps it up for the day!
Have a lovely day in the Lord!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

PS. In Honor of this Most Blessed Holiday (that came about because of Southern Ladies following the War Between the States) I have linked my previous Memorial Day post below! Don’t forget to thank a Veteran!

Happy Memorial Day! (2018)

This is the last post of 2019. Hard to believe, even harder to write.

This year, my word of the year was Stand. I had no idea how special this word would be to me.

I was challenged in several ways to stand. I was privileged to stand for life through working with Pregnant Options, attending a Pro-Life Rally, and signing a few petitions that came my way. I have been challenged to stand even firmer in my stance that the King James Bible is the Word of God by seeing the increase of people turning away from it. I’ve been inspired to stand in my Baptist Faith by reading of the mighty work God has done through my spiritual ancestors. And I’ve even be challenged to stand by the fundamental truths of American History 😉 (Try answering the question “What do you think of Abraham Lincoln?” when the one asking is a very kind northern lady and you desperately want to avoid hurting her feelings but be honest as well! Praise the Lord, He gave me a kind answer and we both left the conversation happy!)
 
Now more than ever, we need to take a stand for what we believe in. The devil is fighting hard, and man continues to call evil good and good evil. But we must stand! We have no choice! The gospel depends on it!
 
I’m eager to share my word of the year with you in my next post, and I can’t wait to see how God uses it in my life.
 
Now, my December Favorites!

Bible Verse: Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Don’t ask me why, but even more so than the actual account of Jesus Birth, this passage gives me chills. This is Who He Is! Look at all the promises in these verses, just in the names given to Jesus! What a genuinely mighty God we Serve!

Song: Good Christian Men Rejoice. It’s my official Favorite Christmas Song this Year!

Event: Our After-Christmas-Family-Gathering! Almost everyone made it in for lunch, and it was so nice having all my siblings and their families in at the same time!

Book of the Month: The Christmas Carol Society by Rebekah Jones. She’s a new author to me this year, and while I don’t approve of all her writing (and the scriptures are not King James), this book was incredibly thought-provoking. Didn’t really expect certain of the plot twists. I greatly enjoyed it!

Ministry: We performed a Christmas Play for my former home chirch, among other meetings this month! We had a lovely time acting out “The Greatest Gift” by Majesty Music. (BTW!!!! If you are not acquainted with Patch the Pirate{Put out by Majesty Music| You really need to check it out! Their latest episode was so good…and tear-jerking…)

Writing Update: I’ve been working on some personal revisions for A Song of Home, but stay tuned for the January update…it should be far more satisfying than anything I can tell you right now, Lol!

A Book I am Anticipating for January: Speak Truth in Your Heart by Sarah Mally. It’s her newest book, and I am so excited about this Bible Study! I also hope to put a dent in Jefferson Davis, American and read my Paw-Paw’s copy of Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly in preparation for book 5 rewrites…😉
 
And now for the whole reason you have stayed around this long…to see my list of 2019 Top Books!

Okay, so maybe that’s not why you are reading but, a girl can hope, right?

I specifically chose these books because they touched me personally, and I hope that if you read them, they will move you too.

10. The Real Lincoln by Thomas DiLorenzo.
This book showed me there are still people who know the truth about history, particularly about the War Between the States. The author is from Pennsylvania, giving him more credibility (though the region shouldn’t decide ones’ ability to serve the facts) and a larger platform than the average Joe could hope for. If you want the truth or some hope that real history can still be found, pick up this book.

9. Through the Tunnel by Rebekah A. Morris.
Foster kids have always touched me. Their lives are so sad in general. But this story provides hope. The forever home is out there, if not physically, then certainly spiritually. This is one of my favorite books by Ms. Morris.

8. Freedom by Faith Potts.
Now, this book will need editing for those who do not prefer Romance (like myself), but the message of this story goes far beyond any fictional relationship. This is about PTSD, a very real thing our servicemen go through daily. And it’s about another frightening reality: Suicide. Because of the romance content and suicide, I recommend this for 18+. But this book was so powerful. It was not written to entertain. It was written to educate, encourage and reach out to those in need. And most importantly, this book is about the most essential Relationship you could ever have: A Relationship with Jesus Christ.

7. The Auschwitz Escape by Joel C. Rosenburg.
This one is fiction, but so powerful. The ending wasn’t entirely satisfactory for me, but it was still so eye-opening. I’ll never think of the Holocaust quite the same way again.

6. Three People by Isabella Alden.
This is my favorite book by my favorite author. If you have never read any of her books, and need one to start with, pick this one!

5. Wedding Score by Amanda Tero.
This book was such an encouragement to me, particularly in the Bible Study section of the story. It was profound, compelling, and very touching. I hope to re-read it soon, it was so encouraging in waiting on God’s time in all things.

4. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.
I’ve wanted to read this book ever since it came out. And this year, I did. It’s deep, and definitely not for young people without being editing first. But it’s a compelling story and one we can all learn from today.

3. Let’s Roll! by Lisa Beamer.
If you’ve read my testimony, then you know how much 9/11 has impacted my life. This book has only endeared the heroes of that day to me even more. I will never forget. I hope you won’t either. But this book will ensure that you don’t.

2. Worth Dying For by Rorke Denver.
It’s by a Navy SEAL…😊 But Seriously, this book explains some of the core values of the American Spirit. And in teaching us what things are worth dying for…He has shown us some things worth Living for.

And finally...





1. O To Be Like Thee by Kassie Angle.
I know you saw that coming, but this book really did touch me deeply. It’s powerful. Heart-wrenching…and real. For those of you looking for a Clean Military Read not meant to be forgotten…yeah, get this book ASAP.
 
And that, my friends, concludes the blog posts of 2019!
God Bless and Keep Standing!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Another month had come and gone, and CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE! Need I say that this is one of my very favorite Holidays?!? November was busy as usual but in a good way! We had a lovely month, and I can’t wait to share a few things with you!

November Favorites

Bible Verse: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

This verse has become very special to me over the last several months, and even now, it has permanently become one of my favorites. The visual picture of God as the Father of Lights…it’s breath-taking and mind-boggling. We serve such a truly awesome God. All I can picture is the Northern lights. With our God being the Father and Creator of Lights like that, can you imagine what Heaven will be like? And knowing that every good thing that happens to us, all the blessings we receive, are special gifts just for us from God, is such a special feeling!

Song: I know…I’ve mentioned this song multiple times, but Every Good and Perfect Gift by Adam and Megan Morgan is still on my radar and was an especially loved song this past month.

Event: Getting to gather with my family for thanksgiving two weeks in a row! It was such a blessing to spend time with family, especially those we don’t get to see as often. We had a wonderful time!

Book of the Month: Worth Dying For by Rorke Denver. Mr. Denver is a Navy SEAL and this book…wow, it was profound. He explained why he thinks there is such a divide between military and civilians, how the problem can be fixed, and the whole reason Americans fight. Why we are so dedicated to what we believe in. It was a rare, raw glimpse at the Warrior’s Heart and is not something I will soon forget. His analogy about Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs was so good. Now, there were one or two words I had to mark out, but not used often. After editing, I would gladly hand this over to a 16-year-old. I’m not sure that I agree with everything that he said, but you know, few people agree on everything. Personally, I think every American should read this book, especially our politicians and our up and coming generation.

Ministry: Revival! We had a lovely week of revival with a pastor friend of ours in Liberty, N.C. We got to sing a new song for us girls, God of Wonders (ever heard me talk about that one? 😉). The services were excellent and God did a work in hearts.

Writing Update: We are still editing book 4 of The Battle for Heritage Series and am happy to report that it is going well. I am also drafting Book 5 and making headway. We’ll probably take a break due to Christmas, but we are right on track with our new goals! Also, since Christmas is such an inspiring time of year, I try to take some time to work on future Christmas stories, just for the fun of it!

A Book I am Anticipating for December: Quick note on last month’s anticipated read, The Real Lincoln was so good! 5 stars! If you are interested in that time era and learning some oft-hidden truths about the war, read this book! I’m really looking forward to all the Christmas books! I love this time of year, and I’ve heard about a few new ones I want to check out, as well as reread a few, like Wind Chimes by Victoria Minks and Behold by Faith Potts! Might even dig out my copy of Faith Blum’s O Come All Ye Faithful! And I just realized all of these are collections…
 
And Now, Some Writing Prompts…

That's all for now!
Merry Christmas!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22