How Did the Wise Men Know

... there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel ... (Numbers 24:17)

Have you ever wondered how the wise men or Magi knew enough to follow the star to find the newborn King? Some scholars believe it might have been due to Daniel's writings. The young man was taken into exile in Babylon/Persia around 600 BC and rose to a position of authority. In fact, he was placed over the "wise men" of Babylon (Daniel 2:48). There, his prophecies would have been preserved and studied by later generations, and the Magi were likely from the Persian or Babylon regions. Daniel 9 contains the famous "Seventy Weeks" prophecy, which many interpret as pointing to the approximate time of the Messiah's arrival. It is possible the Magi might have been familiar with this and were watching for signs. That text along with others, like Numbers 24:17 and Micah 5:2, could have given them plenty of clues. Their journey to Jerusalem showed they may have suspected the Jewish Messiah would be born in Israel, and Herod's advisors confirmed that Bethlehem was the location prophesized. Of course, the wise men also followed the mysterious star, now known as the Star of Bethlehem, which they believed signified the birth of a great king. It led them to Bethlehem and Jesus. The journey would have taken them about four months. Although Herod told them to report back to him on what they found, Matthew 2:12 tells us they were warned in a dream not to do that, so they returned to their own country by another route. Their journey had been a huge success. They had found the Savior. May more people find him this Christmas season.

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My Books by Locations

In a recent blog, I mentioned I would like to eventually have a book set in each state.  It's not a top priority because I set my novels in the place that's best for the story, but it is in the back of my mind. In addition, when I write in multiple-author projects, they sometimes have stipulations as to the locations. Many of those have been set in the West.

That being said, here is how this is stacking up right now. Fourteen states have no books set in them. North Carolina has the most with eighteen. Texas comes in second with ten, and New Mexico is third with five because of a series set there. In addition, three are set in England. I've also listed some of the books that are on my schedule to be published. Here's how it looks:

📍 Alabama

(no entries yet)

📍 Alaska

• (Appalachian Meets Alaskan coming in June 2027) 
• (Alaskan Angel coming in 2028)

📍 Arizona

• Simon’s Shame
• Mistaken Bride

📍 Arkansas

• Heather, Hot Springs Bride

📍 California

• Tessa’s Time
• Zoe: Prairie Roses Collection (Santa Fe Trail & California)

📍 Colorado

• Runaway Brides of the West, Candace
• Mason’s Memories
• Boone’s Burden
• Daphne’s Determination - Western Home & Hearts

📍 Connecticut

• (no entries yet)

📍 Delaware

• (no entries yet)

📍 District of Columbia

•  Taking Stock (DC & North Carolina)

📍 England

• Time Told Tales, Book One
• Time Told Tales, Book Two
• Veronica’s Violets - Victorian Valentines

📍 Florida

• South to Freedom (South Carolina & Florida)

📍 Georgia

• (The Marriage Mix-Up coming in 2027)

📍 Hawaii

• (no entries yet)

📍 Idaho

• Annie’s Uncle

📍 Illinois

• Ingrid’s Intention (Chicago, Illinois)
• Annette’s Assignment (Chicago, Illinois)

📍 Indiana

• (no entries yet)

📍 Iowa

• (no entries yet)

📍 Kansas

• A Few Bumps in the Road
• The Writer’s Rescue – Rich Man Takes a Bride

📍 Kentucky

• Walnut Cake by Wylene
• A Journey for Jillian (Kentucky & Oregon Trail)

📍 Louisiana

• (Marcel's Mission coming in 2028)

📍 Maine

• (In from the Cold coming in November 2026)

📍 Maryland

• Past Storms (Maryland & Wyoming)

📍 Massachusetts

• (no entries yet)

📍 Michigan

• Andrea: Christmas Quilt Brides

📍 Minnesota

• Upside-Down Cakes by Dana
• Lily, Christmas Quilt Brides

📍 Mississippi

• (no entries yet)

📍 Missouri

• Second Choice Bride (Virginia, Missouri, & New Mexico)

📍 Montana

• Inman’s Impersonation
• Gwendolyn’s Groom 

📍 Nebraska

• Solomon’s Secret
• He Leadeth Me

📍 Nevada

• Sauerkraut Cake by Sophie
• Ava, Disabled Daughters (coming in June 2026)
• Jo, Disabled Daughters (coming in July 2026)
• Chloe, Disabled Daughters (coming in August 2026)

📍 New Hampshire

• (no entries yet)

📍 New Jersey

• (no entries yet)

📍 New Mexico

• Second Choice Bride (Virginia, Missouri, & New Mexico)
• Sterling Orphans
• Poor Relations
• Returning Neighbor
• Southern Belles

📍 New York

• (no entries yet)

📍 North Carolina

• Cleared for Planting
• Sown in Dark Soil
• Uprooted by War
• Transplanted to Red Clay
• Promise
• Peace
• Pardon
• Mountain Mishap
• It All Started at the Masquerade
• Deceitful Matters
• Unexpected
• Off the Streets
• Without a Dream (North Carolina & Texas)
• Maneuvers
• Buy the Book
• Going the Extra Mile
• Taking Stock (DC & North Carolina)
• Forget-Me-Not Cookies by Fern

📍 North Dakota

• Willa’s Woes 

📍 Ohio

• Morrow's Mishaps (Ohio & Wyoming)

📍 Oklahoma

• Grandma’s Match for Garrett (Tennessee & Oklahoma)

📍 Oregon

• Through the Wilderness (Oregon Trail, & Oregon)

• A Journey for Jillian (Kentucky & Oregon Trail)

📍 Pennsylvania

• When Winter Is Past
• A Bird in the Hand (Pennsylvania & West Virginia)

📍 Rhode Island

• (no entries yet)

📍 South Carolina

• Hurting Hero (North Carolina & South Carolina)
• South to Freedom (South Carolina & Florida)

📍 South Dakota

• Beckett’s Brides
• The Miner
• Building Something Beautiful

📍 Tennessee

• The Prodigal Pastor
• Grandma's Match for Garrett (Tennessee & Oklahoma) 

📍 Texas

• Dust Storms (Texas & Wyoming)
• Runaway Brides of the West, Aida
• A Match for Marshall
• A Match for Cord
• Fruitcake by Fran
• A Match for Silas
• A Match for Merle
• A Match for Milton
• A Match for Reece
• Without a Dream (North Carolina & Texas)

📍 Utah

• Carmen’s Wedding Dilemma
• Malachi’s Mountain

📍 Vermont

• (no entries yet)

📍 Virginia

• Second Choice Bride (Virginia, Missouri, & New Mexico)

📍 Washington 

• Noah's New Bride

 

 Seasons of Prayer

This, the Christmas season, is a call to pray. But then, every season is. Albert Richardson says it very well in his book, The Kneeling Christian. "Do we really believe that our Lord never made a promise which He could not, or would not, fulfill? Our Savior's three great commands for definite action were: Pray ye. Do ye. Go ye."

"... without obedience to the Pray ye, it is of little or no use at all to Do this or to Go. ... In fact, it can be shown that all the desires of success and all the failure in the spiritual life and in Christian work is due to defective or insufficient prayer. Unless we pray aright, we cannot live aright. This may appear, at first sight, to be gross exaggeration, but the more we think it over in the light Scripture throws upon it, the more convinced we will be of the truth of this statement."

"For, after all, prayer is not just putting into action good resolutions to pray. Like David, we need to cry, Create in me a clean heart, O God, before we can pray aright (Psalm 51:10). And the inspired words of the apostle of love need to be heeded today as much as ever before: Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight (1John 3:21-22).

Let us make this holiday season and every season of our lives a season of heartfelt prayer.

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Annie's Uncle

In my new book releasing on Friday (12-5-25), Cody Taylor's brother and sister-in-law tragically pass away in Alaska, and he suddenly becomes the guardian of his young niece. He's determined to give her a safe and loving home in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, but Annie's first year in the new school is marred by relentless bullying. Cody hopes this year will be better, and he will work to make it so.

Greta Branstetter arrives in Coeur d'Alene, eager to begin her new role as the town’s schoolteacher. She’s surprised to learn she must live in homes of some of her students and navigate the school board’s strict rules for teachers. Despite the limitations and a group of unruly boys intent on bullying, Greta is committed to making the school year a success for herself and her students. As Greta and Cody’s path intertwine, their shared mission to help Annie and end the bullying blossoms into something deeper. Annie’s Uncle is a heartfelt journey of hope, healing, and the transformative power of love that often finds you when you least expect it. It is a heartwarming story of resilience and the unexpected bonds forged through courage and determination.

The novel also has a strong connection to Christmas. In fact, the heart of the Christmas season shines through the faith and families of these characters. Cody’s sudden role as the guardian of his niece reflects a deep commitment to family, while Greta’s courage to stand against injustice in her schoolroom embodies faith in goodness and redemption. Together, they nurture Annie through grief and bullying, showing that love and resilience can heal even the deepest wounds and affecting others in the process. Much like Christmas itself, the story reminds us that hope often arrives unexpectedly, binding people together and offering redemption through compassion and courage. It’s a celebration of the season’s true spirit—light breaking through darkness and love winning in the end. Order your copy of this special book today. Click here.

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We Gather Together

One of the beloved Thanksgiving hymns, We Gather Together, traces its roots back to the late 16th century in the Netherlands. Written in 1597 by Adrianus Valerius as Wilt heden nu treden, it commemorated the Dutch victory over Spanish forces at the Battle of Turnhout. At the time, Dutch Protestants were forbidden to worship openly under King Philip II of Spain, so the hymn became a powerful expression of both faith and freedom. Its words celebrated God’s providence and protection during persecution, offering hope to believers who longed for the right to gather in worship.

The hymn was originally set to a Dutch folk tune and later translated into English by Theodore Baker in 1894. Over time, it found its way into American hymnals, where it became closely associated with Thanksgiving. While the text itself never mentions harvest or gratitude explicitly, its opening line, “We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing,” resonated deeply with the spirit of the holiday. By the early 20th century, it was a staple in Protestant worship services, often sung at family gatherings and church celebrations during the Thanksgiving season.

Today, We Gather Together remains a cherished hymn across denominations, symbolizing unity, resilience, and divine guidance. Its history reminds us that worship is both an act of thanksgiving and also a declaration of faith in times of trouble. The hymn’s enduring popularity lies in its timeless message: that God is present with His people, guiding and sustaining them through every challenge. Below are the lyrics that continue to inspire generations of worshippers.

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing; 
He chastens and hastens His will to make known; 
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. 
Sing praises to His name; He forgets not His own. 
 
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, 
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine; 
So from the beginning the fight we were winning: 
Thou, Lord, wast at our side—all glory be Thine! 
 
We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant, 
And pray that Thou still our Defender wilt be. 
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation; 
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free! 

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Bridging Fact and Fiction

Over the ten years I've been publishing, I've developed several methods to improve my writing. One of the most effective is using a real town in the same general location as my fictitious town for research. That way, if I want to know how many churches might have existed, I can look up the real town. This approach gives me more creative license, reduces the heavy research required when using an actual setting, and still makes the book feel authentic. 

For example, the new series I just started is set in Nevada in 1882. I'm using the mining town of Austin, located in the high desert, as the counterpart to Summit Reach. I lived in Roswell, New Mexico, for two years, and it's also in a high desert, so that experience helps as well. But it is convenient to google Austin's history when I have a question about Summit Reach. I could just invent the details, but then I risk getting important facts about the region wrong. Accuracy matters to me, and I strive to be as historically precise as possible.

Ultimately, blending fact and fiction is what makes novel writing both challenging and rewarding. By grounding my stories in real places, using my background in history, doing extra research, and allowing logic to fill in the other details, I create worlds that feel believable without being bound by strict documentation. This balance keeps the research manageable, the creativity flowing, and the reader immersed in a setting that feels alive. For me, that’s the heart of storytelling—building a bridge between history and imagination that readers can walk across with confidence.

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Paul Changes Course

Philippians 3:4-8 & 13-14

Paul's background was one of prestige and promise. He was not only a Pharisee, deeply committed to the traditions of his people, but also trained under Gamaliel, one of the most respected rabbis of the time (Acts 22:3). This education placed him among the intellectual and spiritual elite of Judaism, giving him credibility and influence. His zeal for the law and his rapid advancement in Jewish circles (Galatians 1:14) suggest that he was destined for significant leadership within the religious establishment.

Yet, Paul chose to walk away from all of this when he encountered Christ on the road to Damascus. In that moment, the course of his life changed forever. What had once been a source of pride--his heritage, his education, his status--became insignificant compared to the value of knowing Jesus and serving him (Philippians 3:7-8). The very things that had defined his identity became secondary to his new calling as an apostle to the Gentiles. His surrender of worldly honor highlights the radical transformation that takes place when someone encounters the living Christ.

Paul's story reminds us that following Jesus often requires letting go of worldly ambitions and an emphasis on material possessions. He could have pursued power, recognition, and comfort among the Jewish leaders, but instead chose a life of hardship, persecution, and service for the sake of the gospel and His Savior. His example is a blueprint and inspiration to believers today. He reminds us that true greatness in the kingdom of God is not measured by prestige, power, or positions, but by faithfulness to Christ and the willingness to serve in His name.

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