Tag: friends

Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is coming, but it’s never too early for CHRISTMAS!
books · inspirational · Uncategorized

Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is coming, but it’s never too early for CHRISTMAS!

Jaycee

Okay, so maybe it is a little early for Christmas. But in the wild world of publishing, it’s never too early to release a Christmas book. So…my newest book baby is born today, Love, Laughter, and Luminarias. You can find out what it’s about in the link.

What I’d like to share today is what a stinkin’ little miracle this book is for me as a writer.

I’d been working on a different holiday story and it just wasn’t going where I wanted it to. I was stuck. And by stuck, I mean, I hated the leading lady, hated how I couldn’t move the story forward, and I seriously considered my first three books an utter fluke because I must be a two-bit hack to write myself into a corner I couldn’t find a way out of. So where did I turn? Naturally, to prayer.

Which led me to reason 8,974,301 why I know God loves me. On my way to a dinner with two girlfriends from church, I was praying HARD for direction, and then…after three weeks of zero words, BAM. I had a fully outlined first chapter and character sketch for Garrett, my hero. After we said our goodbyes earlier than usual, I decided to hit up Starbucks, knowing they’d be open at least another hour. By the time I left, I had the first chapter WRITTEN, a full sketch for Nina, my heroine, AND a clear answer from the Lord. Not even kidding you, in the car on the way home I clearly heard His pressing that if I would fast from reading for the next week, then He would give me this story faster than I’ve written anything, ever. (Do you even understand how HARD that was to process?! If you’re an avid reader, you get it.) But when Jesus tells you to do something, it’s smart to snap to it and get with the program.

I survived.

And I wrote this 24k word novella in two weeks. TWO. WEEKS. Never have I done anything like that before.

And now, as I gear up for NaNoWriMo (just Google it), I feel a little more confident that I can win that, too. Which might just mean all of you who’ve been waiting on Caleb’s story, AKA the third Everyday Love book, you might just get it into your hands before next spring after all! Yee haw!

And if you love books AND giveaways, well LitRing is offering up this one, which LL&L is happily featured in! It’s only available in eBook format right now, but if you don’t have a kindle, don’t worry! Amazon offers a free app for all tablet and mobile devices! And this book is only 99¢. So go get it!

Merry ThanksChristmasGiving season!

Jaycee

 

It’s a hike, not a roller coaster.
inspirational · Uncategorized

It’s a hike, not a roller coaster.

Jaycee

A lot of people use the roller coaster as an analogy for life. I say it’s more like an intense hiking trip.

We have this trail here in Albuquerque called the La Luz trail. It’s something like seven miles long, each way.

When I was younger, a bunch of teenage boys and girls from youth group all in shorts, tees, and ball caps, some in sneakers and others in boots decided to brave the ninety-plus degree summer heat and tackle it. We started out together, laughing and joking around, and gradually, a few of the boys and I think one of the more brazen girls took the lead, determined to get to the top. A huge group of us took the middle, and eventually a few fell behind and mostly complained about the heat.

And it was hot. By the end of the day, most of us turned back, but I’ll never forget the faces of my friends who’d braved the entire hike up and then arrived late to our youth night that evening, still red-faced and sweaty, but with the pride of having also hiked it back down. I still remember feeling the regret that perhaps I’d given up too easily and the envy that I couldn’t claim to have conquered the trail with these guys. (That’s me in the center with the white tee and hat and about half the group.)

This trail starts out in a wide expanse of nature’s attempts at greenery, namely brown grasses and scattered cacti. It feels like an easy, unshaded, long walk through the desert and just when you’re pretty sure you’re going to die of heatstroke, you come upon a change in the scenery. Huge rocks line the trail in places, and the plant life looks a little thicker. If you can stick it out, then you’ll mercifully find that the higher and steeper the incline becomes, the closer you are to the treeline. Depending on the time of year, you might even still find remnants of snow the higher you go. Now, the trail has anywhere from a 9% to 40% incline, so it’s never boring. Like most of New Mexico, the surroundings change drastically with every new twist and turn you take. One minute it’s hot, dry, and rather ugly, and the next, it’s stunningly beautiful.

Now, if you’re one of the die-hards who can make it to the top (which I’m sad to say, I never did), you’ll be rewarded with an incredible view of the city. Absolutely incredible. I’ve driven to the top of the crest more times than I can count, so I know where the trail dumps out. It’s a brief walk across the top of my favorite mountain to the Sandia Peak Tramway, the longest aerial tramway in the United States, third longest in the world. A lot of people hike up the trail and take the tram back down, or vice versa. Some have friends pick up them up. The bravest make the fifteen-ish-mile round trip and know the explosive pride of victory. I found a great blog piece that really describes it well.

Okay, so back to the top. I have a ridiculous penchant for viewing everything through analogies. In everything, I see a comparison to something else.

For real life, I see a hike up the La Luz. There are seasons of barren, desolate wasteland like the bottom of the trail. Multiple choices laid out, different paths to choose that lead to the top. There are rocky seasons ahead, when you have to decide whether to stick to the trail or give those boulders a good climb to see what’s on the other side. There are times when you’re ready to give up and turn back because it’s just too hard, too exhausting, too daunting to continue. All the moments when you’re surrounded by friends, and then eventually the pack is sorted out and you’re left in front, in the middle, or straggling behind. Sometimes alone.

For those who keep moving forward, the seasons of shade and growth come. Restorative seasons, with places to rest and enjoy the surroundings. Times of wonder and admiration. Moments where the trees are so thick you’re in darkness, but then the sunlight breaks through again. Climbing, climbing, all the while. Sometimes up, sometimes down, changing direction as needed but trying to stay on course even with plenty of opportunities to veer elsewhere. And then finally, the crest. Victory. The seasons of knowing you’ve made it, relishing in the sweetness of accomplishment and success.

All to turn and find it’s time to make the journey back down all over again. Maybe a nice, smooth ride like the tram. Maybe with friends who’ve picked you up. Or maybe on your feet, making those ups and downs and switchbacks through more seasons of beauty and barren desolation amid rocks and thorns and pockets of beauty.

Such is life, but it’s beautiful. My hope for you today is that you’ll enjoy the climb.

Crap, now I’m going to have Miley Cyrus singing that in my head all day. Ha! And now so will you. Like her or not, that song is lyrical genius. It’s not about how fast you get there. It’s not about what’s waiting on the other side. It’s the climb.

What are you climbing for? Who are you climbing with? As for me, I just want to get to the top and back down again with that red face, sweaty and exhausted, but knowing I did it. I made it. I have no regrets and I’d do it all again and again just to feel the gut rush and satisfaction.

Maybe this summer I’ll take my family and make that literal climb. But regardless, I’ll be enjoying life’s climb. The ups and downs, even the barren places and switchbacks–because I know that the shelter and shade of the One who made me is there, and He’s got a beautiful view and victory waiting.

Connection isn’t just a buzz word.
about me · inspirational · Uncategorized

Connection isn’t just a buzz word.

Jaycee

Cue deep breath, followed by long sigh. Okay. I can write now.

So it’s been awhile, and I’m not the most faithful at blogging. Not that I have a ton of subscribers to impress anyway, nor is that my goal. So what is my goal, you ask? Easy. I just want to have a place to write and share a little of who I am.

In this crazy busy world of polarized opinion over-sharing and character counts, I’m looking for a little something more.

Connection. I think that’s ultimately what we all crave.

Our need for connection is woven into the very fiber of our existence. We seek connection within ourselves, the world around us, in relationships with other people, and especially spiritually. Connecting ourselves to new information, texts we read, things we hear, and pretty much every experience we have is actually a vital element to learning even from a young age. We feel positively about the things we connect with personally.

So. Connection. It’s one of those buzz words all over the place these days, as people begin to realize how we’ve allowed ourselves to become isolated. And we have done this.

We join social media, but become disheartened by the climate there or distracted and disillusioned by the highlights we see peeking in on others’ lives. Maybe we take the time now and then to connect in person. Maybe we don’t. We spend a little too much time inside working, living, doing. We’re busy. Some of us put ourselves out there over and over again and receive bupkiss in return. Or, if you’re like me, you make really great friends for a while and then–bam!–they move away. (So many times! I tell you, if you want to leave Albuquerque, let’s be friends. I try not to feel cursed.)

But I digress.

So many of the problems on the rise in our country could be resolved and prevented by this one simple concept of truly connecting. Think about it. Suicide rates, school shootings, racial tensions, the polarization of public opinions. Yes, there are extenuating factors making each issue more complex. But at the very heart of things, as we lose face-to-face connection with other people, as we focus more on ourselves, as we keep from doing the things we love and enjoy, spend more time indoors and less in nature, we lose more and more connections. The very connections that make us who we are as a person, but also as a people.

So how do we find connection when we have an infinite list of reasons to remain distracted, isolated, withdrawn, or in our little family bubble?

I find it’s easiest to start physically. I’ve recently gone back to practicing yoga, and my Christ honoring instructor pointed out how important it is we feel connected to the very ground under our feet. She wanted us to really feel the floor with our hands and feet while the rest of our bodies are twisting like pretzels. And guess what? It makes sense. That physical connection opened my heart back up to checking out the world around me, and looking for other broken connections.

When I look up and around, the first thing my eyes are always drawn to are the Sandia Mountains.

This isn’t even that great of a shot. But look at those pretty Watermelon Mountains (in case you wondered what Sandia means). Every time I look at them, I marvel at the way they never look the same. And I mean never. You could do a time-lapse over a year and it would be a crazy mix of colors, clarity, brightness, depth, and mystery. I could write an ode or sonnet about all the things I love about my mountains. As long as I can see them, I feel connected to my home. I come back to ABQ from a long trip, and as soon as I catch sight of them my heart wants to leap from its chest and sing, “I’m home! I’m home!” Sure, they’re small compared to the mountains further north or across the world, but they’re mine.

When I turn away from the mountains to face west, I catch an expanse of the most incredible sky in the world. Yes. I said that. New Mexico has incredibly blue skies, and the sunsets here are like nowhere else. Whenever I’m driving westward in the late afternoon, I feel like God has painted a spectacular work of art just for me. Just. For. Me. I don’t care how many people live here and see it. He did it for me, and you can’t tell me differently. Because connecting to the artistry and beauty of creation opens my heart and spirit to connect with God himself. And a spiritual connection is ultimately what we’re all created for in the first place. So get out there and connect to your world, your environment. Experience it. Put down the distractions more often and let your love for a place ground you and start healing those wounded places.

Once you’ve reset yourself again, you’re ready to get out there and make human connections again. And let’s face it. We all go through seasons of isolation and withdrawal. We get tired and frustrated and it’s easier to not put ourselves out there anymore to avoid the hurt. Or we become “too busy,” allowing our busy-ness to make us feel more important and significant. All that does is elevate us onto a different plane away from the very thing we need most, other people. Even you introverts out there. You need your people. Small, controlled doses with plenty of solo time after, but you need them, too. And you extroverted introverts (like me) who need to be surrounded by people, but it’s like pulling teeth to get you there past the dread and temptation to cancel. I see you, I know how you are. Suck it up, buttercup, and make a plan with somebody and stick to it. You need it.

I won’t go on about all the ways we can foster our interpersonal connections because what each of us needs varies greatly from person to person. I just want to encourage you to find a small way to actually do it. Start with your little world around you. Throw yourself back into something that you love, or pursue that person you’ve lost touch with. Reconnect with your faith, even if it’s just a quick prayer of “Hey, God, I’m still here. Sorry I’ve ignored you lately.”

Make one connection today, and maybe another one tomorrow.

If we all just got outside ourselves for a minute, think of the good we could do in this world.

Favorite Reads of 2017
books · Uncategorized

Favorite Reads of 2017

Jaycee2 Comments

I read a lot. And I mean a LOT. Always have. My favorite books are often Christian fiction, though it takes patience to weed through the meh to find the treasures. These books, all released in 2017, were my favorite Christian fic of the year. In no particular order: The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner, The Esther Paradigm by Sarah Monzon, Until I Do by T.i. Lowe, and Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano. Three more books that were excellent this year and deserve a mention for the beautiful way they handle emotionally charged situations are Just Maybe by Crystal Walton, Always by Jenn Faulk, and Believing in Tomorrow by Kimberly Rae Jordan.

Each book on the list is a rare gem of originality in a world of stories that often don’t stand out. These books reach out and elicit such a strong, emotional response, inspiring deeper thought and reflection, encouraging the reader to reach out of the everyday and make an impact on other people. All shed light on what the Christian life SHOULD look like, often pointing out where the church too often falls short, and yet offer hope and grace and beauty with restoration.

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck—Absolutely the funniest, most original contemporary romance I have ever read. Bethany Turner writes about a woman scorned who becomes a racy romance author…and then becomes a Christian. Sarah is immediately thrown into a whole new world with new rules and expectations and lingo. Her observations are honest, witty, and raw at times. Navigating this new life isn’t easy, but the super cute pastor she immediately connects with just might send her over the edge. Be prepared to laugh out loud, feel frustrated at the setbacks, and cheer for her triumphs.

The Esther Paradigm—One of the most original books I’ve read in ages. Sarah Monzon takes the tale of Esther, modernizes it and spins it on its ear in a beautiful story of childhood friendship turned to love. This book honors God and his word, while also honoring the Muslim religion and Bedouin people. The missionary heart comes through loud and clear in a suspenseful mystery that is thoroughly engaging from start to finish. It was hard to put down. Sarah Monzon does original really well. Her Isaac Project is another worthwhile read.

Until I Do—A rare gem love story of a long-married couple struggling to keep it all together. Told from both the husband and the wife’s perspectives, TI Lowe writes an emotionally gripping story of two people who love each other but are overwhelmed by the frustrations and trials of married life. This book pulled at me to examine my own marriage and what I need to be doing to safeguard it, nurture it, and keep it healthy. Never preachy, this book is certainly an emotional roller coaster as the couple has to find not only where they belong in regard to each other, but with their children, friendships, and with the Lord. I laughed, I cried, and I went and read everything else she’s ever written that I hadn’t already devoured. Its sequel is also fantastic.

Lady Jayne Disappears–Fans of Jane Austen, Bronte, Dickens, Sherlock Holmes, and other Victorian era tales will absolutely adore this book. Somehow, this award winning debut author has managed to take elements of each of these authors’ styles and twist them together in a tale of intrigue, romance, and mystery that sheds light into the dark places of Victorian society, makes witty social commentary, and captures readers’ attention from the first sentence. It calls into question the difference between religion and truly being like Christ, becoming his hands and feet while also finding one’s place in the world. Her observations into the mind of a writer are keen, making this by far my most highlighted text yet.

Believing in Tomorrow—Kimberly Rae Jordan is one of the first Christian romance authors I was introduced to as an adult. This Callaghan and McFaddens addition is easily the most emotionally gripping of all her books. Sammie has grown up in a Christian family who lives their faith in action everyday. Like so many, she makes a few critical mistakes that have lasting consequences. While she struggles to feel forgiven and redeemed, her baby daddy can’t seem to figure out why this condemning faith is so important to her. They each make the journey to know Jesus and his grace while coming to find love as well. The way she handled the gift of grace and restoration makes me respect KRJ even more than I already did.

Always—I make it no secret Jenn Faulk is one of my very favorite authors. She writes fun, often lighthearted stories that guarantee a happy ending. What I love most is that she is never afraid to point out the crazy, good, bad, and misguided things the church is often guilty of that so often cause division and wounds in its people. And yet, she always, always unifies things by reminding readers it’s all just about Jesus anyway. Always is the difficult story of a young girl who finds herself pregnant without knowing exactly how. Jenn walks us through Brooke’s healing and the restoration of her dearest friendship in such a heartfelt, sweet way. She takes a very difficult subject and treats it gently but honestly.

Just Maybe—Crystal Walton’s Write Me Home series is beautiful, emotional, and fun. Just Maybe is the 3rd story in the series, (the second, Begin Again, is my absolute favorite) and it does not disappoint. She takes often overused mistaken identity-baby on the doorstep-billionaire daddy (which usually would put me off) story concepts and twists them into an original story that is sweet, heartfelt, and clever. Former characters make appearances to give things a nudge and drop truth bombs, while the leads have so much to figure out that readers keep turning pages just to put the pieces together and make sure this pair can get out of their own way to find what they need. With all the feels, there’s also humor and several pop culture Easter eggs.

So there you have it. For a girl who reads a few books a week, it is rare to read a truly memorable story. I like most stories, but the ones that stand out and make a positive impact on the world are rare. Books that encourage the spirit, the mind, and the heart, are beautiful to behold and deserve to be shared. While I’m at it, I need to mention Jennifer Rodewald’s The Carpenter’s Daughter (from 2016). I didn’t include it above because I was trying to stick to 2017 releases. But go get that one while you’re at it because it’s so, so good. Oh! And the Isle of Hope series by Julie Lessman. Eek! The FEELS!!

I hyperlinked the books to Amazon for convenience. I think nearly all of them are available to read free on Kindle Unlimited, too. If you’d rather purchase to support an author, then I’ll say thanks on their behalf as I send you to go buy books.Whether you buy or borrow, be sure to leave a review when you’re done. It’s the very nicest thing you can do for an author. Then, go find them on social media and follow, like, whatever. Engage with them. We LOVE it when readers do that.

Happy new year, my friends, and happy reading!