Today in my study of “Women of the Bible” by Spangler & Syswerda, the story of Ruth jumped out at me concerning friendship and family. If you are a mother-in-law and have been blessed with a daughter-in-law who not only loves your son, but has become a close friend with you, consider yourself blessed. The story brought friendship to the forefront for me. Many of my friends, some in Colorado and others out of state have come to mind. Reflection on how each one came into my life and how they have blessed me in so many ways has made me smile. Think of your best friend, mother-in-law, or daughter-in-law, and how you can brighten their day. Maybe a phone call or a Thinking of You greeting card. Of course, having lunch or coffee with them is always a plus. Some of these friends have influenced me to write, whether directly or indirectly. Remember: “To have a friend is to be one.” Hope this brought you some wonderful memories of your friends.

Regarding where I’m at with my writing, my second book, “Natalie’s Cowboy,” a working title is stewing. I finally succeeded in chronologically placing the chapters, but it needs more tweaking before I submit it to my critique group. For those of you unfamiliar with a critique group, it’s a special “band” of writers who take time to look over your work and make comments or grammatical corrections as how to improve your manuscript. Your first draft may look good to you, but from a reader’s perspective can be “messy.” These men and women are not harsh, at least in the group I’m in, and offer good advice for improvement, which I feel all writers can use. You cannot take anything personally from their remarks, but decide whether or not you can use their knowledge and skills to improve your work.

I’d like to recommend some good reading for you. “Texas Boudreau Brotherhood,” Books 1-3, by Kathy Ivan. These stories are clean reading about “brothers” who were adopted as children, by a loving couple. Each book includes suspense and a special woman who comes into each brother’s life.

“Relic Hunters Taskforce,” a three-book set, takes you on separate wild adventures of a female professor and her body guard searching for lost Christian treasures while, of course, the bad guys tail them through their travels. Ruth Hartzler, the author spent a great deal of time researching facts and weaving fiction for exciting reads.

“As Sure As The Dawn,” by Francine Rivers is a riveting page-turner. The story is Biblical fiction set in the time after Christ’s resurrection where persecution of Christians is rampant. The story is about an angry and brutal gladiator captured from his home as a young man who needs a mother for his baby boy. The child is adopted by a Jewish Christian woman. The two need each other causing acute conflict. Excellent reading, but then, anything by Francine Rivers is.

Hope you enjoyed today’s blog. See you next time, and God bless!