La Belle Design

Nantucket Lighthouse-Brant Point: With my sidekick   It’s just over a week after our return from a family trip in Cape Cod. It was a perfect trip—great food, lots to do that everyone enjoyed, and best of all we had time with all of our kids and 2 grands. Despite the fun, it’s good to be home, especially since I’ve been bouncing from one place to another for the past month.  Just as Cape Cod is not my home here on earth, my earthly home is not my permanent home either. Hebrews 13:14 (ESV) For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. If you are a Christian, you are first a citizen of heaven. That is your forever home. While our time may begin to feel permanent, 70 to 100 years is nothing in light of eternity. I’ve been reading through Hebrews in preparation for a fall study on Hebrews I’ll be leading. If you’ve read my devotional book, Starry Night, you know that Hebrews is one of my favorite books of the Bible because of the way it ties together the ...

  This week I have Heather Wood joining the blog! Heather is the editor for several of my books and a fellow Christian Mommy writer. I absolutely love how her books mix history, faith, and romance. And her books are heavy on the history in a good way--a way that makes you want to know more about real people and the past. Her books are ones I often recommend. Read below to see what Heather has to say about her writing. 1. Tell us a bit about yourself! Where you’re from, your family, hobbies, favorite things—anything fun you’d like to share!  I was raised in a Christian homeschooling family outside of Chicago and got my BA at Appalachian Bible College. I live in Virginia now and love it! I'm always taking my four homeschooled kids to historic sites, camping in state parks, or on day trips to enjoy the mountains or beach. I've always loved to read Christian fiction and American history books. 2. When did you feel called to become an author? Why do you write? Do you have a fav...

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. You’ve likely heard the verse above teaching that we as New Testament believers are priests of God, and hopefully you’ve learned that it means we are representatives of Christ to the world. Let’s look at priesthood from another angle—how our priesthood blesses us and how it should change us.  I’ve recently finished a study on Joshua and a study that looked at the exile and return of God’s people to their land. In both studies the tasks and ministry of the priesthood were brought up.  In the Joshua study, we followed the division of the land among the twelve tribes as they first entered the promised land. Each land received a portion, but Levi was separated and scattered throughout the land into cities, so they could minister to the people in each of those pla...

Kim Griffin's review: This coming of age Christian military romantic suspense by Hannah Hood Lucero delivers everything fans of the Christian romantic suspense genre want: faith-filled character growth, twists and turns that leave you on the edge of your seat, realistic hope, and a clean romance. Phoenix Flynn has just graduated high school when revelations about her past collide with present danger. Will, a college student still processing his own difficult upbringing with an alcoholic father and an often-absent mother, finds himself drawn to Phoenix even as both face situations that force them to grow up fast. The story opens with a gorgeous beach setting before launching into intense twists that kept me engaged throughout. What makes this book shine is how well Lucero balances darkness with light. Phoenix's spunk and intelligence make her a compelling character, and watching her faith deepen while she learns to accept her worth and place in her family was moving. Will's ...