By: JACK R EAST JR

About the Book

At the End of Our Journey is a personal testimony of the life and Christian faith of the author. The inspiration for the book came from two incredible and powerful dreams about Jack’s Christian faith. The dreams were experienced in November of 2010 on two consecutive mornings. Jack awoke from both dreams with precise and detailed memories of the events and emotions felt during the dreams. He can recall all of the events of both dreams two years later. To be able to remember all of the details of both dreams is very unusual for him and for most other dreamers.

The two dreams did not reveal anything new about his Christian faith. The first dream expressed all of the doubts, fears, and questions that all followers of the Christian faith have asked themselves many times. The second dream was a direct confirmation from God that all of the promises of the Christian faith are true and will happen for all who believe in Christ’s redemption and follow his teachings. Words cannot adequately describe the events and emotions of the second dream. The author has difficulty finding words to describe the emotions experienced in his dreams, but he can share the following conclusions about his dreams and the Christian faith with you.

He experienced the finality of knowing that he had died.
He knew the joy of knowing that his Christian faith allowed him to conquer death.
He felt hope and joy to know that his spirit had conquered death and was rising
into Heaven.

He was overcome with joy, peace, contentment, fulfillment, and the sure
knowledge that the only place he could possibly be was in Heaven. No other
place could feel so good and right.
He cannot adequately describe how it felt to know that God was there to
welcome him to Heaven where he heard his powerful and loving voice
say to him,

“Jack, I am glad you are here,
I have been waiting for you.”

How could he describe hearing God’s welcome end with the
following words…

“but, I am not ready for you yet.”

At the End of Our Journey is Jack’s attempt to share with you the wonderful experience of his life, dreams, and Christian faith. His wish is that you may also know the joy of the personal presence of God in your life and feel the full depth and beauty of His powerful love. And that you may receive a taste of what awaits for us at the end of our journey of Christian faith.

Get the PAPERBACK on Amazon!

JACK R EAST JR

Jack was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in September of 1940. In 1945 his family moved to Southern California where he lived for 30 years. He started his journey of Christian faith in 1956 at the age of sixteen. Jack married his wife Barbara in 1961 and their marriage has lasted for over fifty years. Jack started his career as a CPA, and he and Barbara started their family while living in Southern California.

Jack and Barbara moved to the far north coast of California in 1975. Jack continued to work at his accounting and tax practice as he and Barbara raised a family of three great sons. Their boys and their spouses have provided them with four precious grand children. Both family and the Christian faith have always been important parts of the life of Jack and Barbara. At age 72, Jack is still working at his accounting and income tax practice with Barbara’s help. Retirement is under consideration, but it is not their greatest priority at this time.

In November of 2010 Jack experienced two incredible dreams about his Christian faith. The dreams were the inspiration for writing a book and for this website. The dreams have started a new chapter in the life and Christian faith of Jack R. East, Jr. at age 72.

Follow JACK R EAST JR

Website | Facebook

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By: JACK R EAST JR

About the Book

At the End of Our Journey is a personal testimony of the life and Christian faith of the author. The inspiration for the book came from two incredible and powerful dreams about Jack’s Christian faith. The dreams were experienced in November of 2010 on two consecutive mornings. Jack awoke from both dreams with precise and detailed memories of the events and emotions felt during the dreams. He can recall all of the events of both dreams two years later. To be able to remember all of the details of both dreams is very unusual for him and for most other dreamers.

The two dreams did not reveal anything new about his Christian faith. The first dream expressed all of the doubts, fears, and questions that all followers of the Christian faith have asked themselves many times. The second dream was a direct confirmation from God that all of the promises of the Christian faith are true and will happen for all who believe in Christ’s redemption and follow his teachings. Words cannot adequately describe the events and emotions of the second dream. The author has difficulty finding words to describe the emotions experienced in his dreams, but he can share the following conclusions about his dreams and the Christian faith with you.

He experienced the finality of knowing that he had died.
He knew the joy of knowing that his Christian faith allowed him to conquer death.
He felt hope and joy to know that his spirit had conquered death and was rising
into Heaven.

He was overcome with joy, peace, contentment, fulfillment, and the sure
knowledge that the only place he could possibly be was in Heaven. No other
place could feel so good and right.
He cannot adequately describe how it felt to know that God was there to
welcome him to Heaven where he heard his powerful and loving voice
say to him,

“Jack, I am glad you are here,
I have been waiting for you.”

How could he describe hearing God’s welcome end with the
following words…

“but, I am not ready for you yet.”

At the End of Our Journey is Jack’s attempt to share with you the wonderful experience of his life, dreams, and Christian faith. His wish is that you may also know the joy of the personal presence of God in your life and feel the full depth and beauty of His powerful love. And that you may receive a taste of what awaits for us at the end of our journey of Christian faith.

Get the PAPERBACK on Amazon!

JACK R EAST JR

Jack was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in September of 1940. In 1945 his family moved to Southern California where he lived for 30 years. He started his journey of Christian faith in 1956 at the age of sixteen. Jack married his wife Barbara in 1961 and their marriage has lasted for over fifty years. Jack started his career as a CPA, and he and Barbara started their family while living in Southern California.

Jack and Barbara moved to the far north coast of California in 1975. Jack continued to work at his accounting and tax practice as he and Barbara raised a family of three great sons. Their boys and their spouses have provided them with four precious grand children. Both family and the Christian faith have always been important parts of the life of Jack and Barbara. At age 72, Jack is still working at his accounting and income tax practice with Barbara’s help. Retirement is under consideration, but it is not their greatest priority at this time.

In November of 2010 Jack experienced two incredible dreams about his Christian faith. The dreams were the inspiration for writing a book and for this website. The dreams have started a new chapter in the life and Christian faith of Jack R. East, Jr. at age 72.

Follow JACK R EAST JR

Website | Facebook

Enter to Win a $50Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $50 amazon gift card, sponsored by author JACK R EAST JR!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This book blast is hosted by Crossreads.

We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

Have you ever seen a young person on the street, asleep under old newspapers, or panhandling? How about walking up and down an area, looking available? The plight of homeless teens on the streets is largely over-looked. But, have you ever wondered what drove them there in the first place?

That was the question I had in mind when I wrote my novel, Jasmine. First, what sort of thing would force a fourteen year old to run away—and then, how did she survive? What would have become of her?

There are many reasons young people live on the streets—and none of them have to do with fun. Most of them are escaping from something (verbal/physical/sexual abuse/neglect) and running to a place that ends up putting them in even more danger (drugs, sex trafficking, crime, imprisonment, perpetual homelessness, disease). Here are some facts gathered from The National Clearinghouse On Families and Youth:

Every day, approximately 1.3 million runaway, thrown away, and homeless youth live on the streets of America. Children, both boys and girls, are solicited for sex, on average, within seventy-two hours of being on the street. Approximately fifty-five percent of street girls engage in formal prostitution; seventy-five percent of those work for a pimp. About one in five of these children becomes entangled in nationally organized crime networks and is forced to travel far from home and isolated from friends and family. A girl will first become a victim of prostitution between the ages of twelve and fourteen, on average.

If you’re like me, all those statistics feel overwhelming. What can you do? First, if you know a young person in trouble, get involved. Encourage them to reach out to professionals that can help them. Secondly, support organizations out there doing the work to get them back off the street and making safe havens. Please donate to the Portland Rescue Mission’s Shepherd’s Door (designate women and children’s recovery) and at Door To Grace . Both of these incredible ministries aid in rescuing, healing and restoring.

~April McGowan

April McGowan loves to read and write inspirational fiction. Her novel, Jasmine, releases digitally in June and to paperback in September. She and her husband, two children, and her ‘mews’, Spookers, live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. April is a member of Oregon Christian Writers and American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not writing, homeschooling her two children, or playing board games, you might find her at her drum kit, imagining she’s on a world tour. Hey, it could happen. Follow her blog at http://aprilmcgowan.com

“We shall devote ourselves whole-heartedly

to prayer and the ministry of the Word.”

Acts 6:4 Phillips

One morning in my study and quiet time, the Lord led me to read Exodus 17:11-16…again. You know this Old Testament story. Readied on top of Mount Horeb, Moses lifted his hands and his rod in praise, while Joshua fought the enemy in the valley below.

In my quirky mind, I hear the song from the commercial for Sure deodorant: Raise your hands, raise your hands, if you’re sure! Silly, I know. But that’s the way my brain works.

On the mount of victory with hands of surety uplifted into the air, Moses’ mouth spoke prayers and praises into the atmosphere and Israel prevailed; when he lowered his hands, the enemy prevailed.

However, Moses grew weary and his arms became heavy, so Aaron and Hur came alongside to give support. Because of their assistance, victory came that day.

All the Joshuas who battle the enemy need their Moses, Aaron, and Hur in the background praying with uplifted hands. That means you and I need each other’s support. So, in your prayer efforts, do not let your hands be weakened nor your knees go unbent that the enemy not defeat us in our battles.

Hebrews 12:12 in The Amplified says, “So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees.”

Solomon warned, “Through lowering of hands, the house leaks.” (Eccl. 10:18 Masoretic Text) This slackness applies not only to our physical house but to our spiritual house as well. According to the definitions, if through inactivity, negligence, or idleness, we lower our hands from lack of prayer and praise, then the house begins to weep.

In order to counteract this and prove God’s greatness in battle, we need to be diligent as sister and brother hand-raisers and knee-benders in prayer for one another. To ensure a victory in these difficult times, join with me in agreement to this…“We shall devote ourselves whole-heartedly to prayer and the ministry of the Word.”

Raise your hands, raise your hands if you’re sure!

By Mary E Hanks

About the Book:

Ty wants to make things right. Winter can’t forget their past.

Winter Cowan is scheduled to speak in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A city she’s avoided for ten years because of Ty Williams, her ex-husband.

But what are the chances of Ty showing up in church? And didn’t she already forgive him? Even though he broke her heart and ruined their short, six-month marriage? She had to forgive him to go on with her life. To preach the gospel. To share God’s love across the nation.

Then, like a tidal wave, the word “Forgive” crashes over the worn sands of her past. Winter realizes her heart does still rip a little each time she remembers what Ty did to their marriage. To her.

And just as she feared, Ty shows up at the meetings in Coeur d’Alene. Only this man is someone she wouldn’t recognize if she saw him on the street. He’s older, sure, but he’s…different. Radically changed from the guy she once knew, he stands before her in a prayer line, crying—crying!—and humbly asks her forgiveness. This man who broke her heart, betrayed her, is now gut-wrenchingly sincere in his apology, prays for her like a long-lost friend, tenderly reaches into the forgotten places of her heart, and he has a request.

One unbelievable request that could change everything…

Download on Kindle | Purchase Paperback

Mary E Hanks

Mary E Hanks is an author of 2nd chance stories and a playwright/director for youth theater. When she’s not writing novels, she’s usually working on a play. She loves encouraging young people to share their talents, and an added bonus is getting to “see” her words brought to life onstage. At present, she’s directing her 24th production.

Mary served as a pastor’s wife in Alaska and also worked in Christian education for many years. She and Jason have been married for 37 years and have raised four children. They now live in the country near Blanchard, Idaho, a place where deer and wild turkeys play in their front yard.

A romantic at heart, Mary believes we all need a 2nd chance sometime.

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I think it was January 2009 when I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers online Novel Track. Novel Track is designed to motivate writers to set a word count goal, sit down and write a book only looking ahead, not stopping to edit or change anything, but keep writing.

I decided to finally write a historical novel inspired by my maternal grandparents. I set a goal of 10,000 words. In five weeks I had 80,000 words.

I never met my grandfather who passed away before I was born, and being the eighth child of my family I didn’t know Grandma well. But I picked up interesting tidbits about their lives. Grandma had been orphaned in her teens, and not everything went smoothly. Grandpa traveled about the country in a wagon with a Passion of the Christ moving picture show.

I used a number of things from my grandparents’ lives, but in no way does it mirror who they were. For one thing, not everyone agrees about what happened and I’m too far down the line to know. A fact that has been verified, though, is that Grandpa’s father, my mother’s grandfather, was murdered. Great grandfather’s second wife was young enough to be his daughter, and the wife’s lover beat and kicked my great-grandfather until he died of the injuries about a month later.

The young wife was pregnant when she married from what I can gather. Although I don’t know for sure it was the case, in my story the old man needed a cook and the young woman needed a husband because of her situation, and the marriage appeared the Christian thing to do. But in my book, my main character, William, who travels with the Passion of the Christ show, struggles with anger and the desire to kill the young man who murdered his father.

The main part of the story, however, revolves around Jenny, who is trying to escape from her uncle, a judge, who attempts to take a razor strap to her for speaking to young men, and makes Jenny uncomfortable with the way he looks at her.

In order to escape, Jenny dresses as a man but the judge and his hired gunslingers post a reward for her return and chase her everywhere she goes. William saves her from a rattlesnake, and the two often meet during their travels.

Jenny finds she has little faith God is going to help her after everything that happened in the past. Her father died of consumption and her mother was killed in a buggy accident. Then the judge drove off Jenny’s brother by abusing horses and when Jenny’s brother intervenes, the judge takes the horse whip to him.

Although Jenny and William make a connection that hints at romance, when he goes back to Iowa his old girlfriend latches onto him and his heart still finds he’s attracted to her. But why did she put up such a fuss when William brings in the man who killed his father?

He heads back to Colorado with not everything in Iowa resolved. Jenny can’t wait to see him again, but her life takes many new twists, too.

Will the judge make her return to the horse ranch? Will William conquer his anger and come out spiritually victorious? Will Jenny regain her faith and accomplish her dreams and teach school?

As in real life, complications arise unexpectedly.

The questions for myself? Will I show and not tell? Will I use deep point of view?

Amazing how we can study and know how we should write, but it’s something else to follow through and do it. Hopefully, Jenny’s story as The Lady Fugitive, will be ready to go to market soon.

Ada Brownell

JOE THE DREAMER: THE CASTLE AND THE CATAPULT http://buff.ly/XeqTvH
SWALLOWED BY LIFE http://amzn.to/Jnc1rW
CONFESSIONS OF A PENTECOSTAL http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088OP460
Blog/website: http://www.inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com
Stick-to-Your-Soul Encouragement

When I lived in Uganda, West Africa, driving anywhere was an adventure in frustration due to the huge, sometimes car-sized potholes in the road. Sometimes it seemed better to just give up and stop trying. However, giving up meant not going anywhere.

Writing is similar. There are all sorts of “potholes” that show up–an offhand comment from someone, the arguments we put in our own heads, Satan’s lies–that get in the way of where God wants us to go.

However, unlike in Uganda, the potholes in our thinking can be conquered, bridged over with truth until they’re just bumps to get over rather than massive craters waiting to swallow us whole. Here are a few of the bigger potholes, and the truths that bridge across them.

1. There is so much already out there. Why should I bother?

This is a legitimate question and one that will keep you from moving forward if you let it. However, the wonderful thing about being a daughter of the King of kings is that He has a distinct and important purpose for your life. If He has called you to write, there’s a reason for it. You may not be able to see where your voice is needed, but God has a place for it.

2. Someone else could do this better.

I’ve thought of that as a mom with health problems, but God still gave me 2 kids and told me to raise them. He did not give them to anyone else–anyone “better.” Because they are mine, because God assigned them to me, I am the best mother in the world for them. In the same way, if God has given you a message to share with the world, you are the best person to give that message.

3. I don’t have a broad enough outreach for my message.

A little boy gave Jesus one lunch once. Jesus could have used it to feed one person. Instead, He used it to feed thousands. But remember, the little boy had to give the one lunch first, even though it was laughably inadequate for the need.

4. I’m not a “real” writer yet, so maybe I shouldn’t put my words out there yet.

Just because someone else is farther along than you doesn’t mean you should feel overwhelmed or intimidated, any more than a child should feel overwhelmed that most of the people in the world are older than he is. It’s not a child’s job to catch up to everyone older. He is growing at the exact age and stage of development God intended for him and his life. Don’t compare your details to other people’s details. God makes individual plans for His kids, not group ones. =)

5. If I don’t write, I won’t fail.

Not true. If you are meant to write, not writing is the only way you can fail. This comes down to obedience verses fear. Did God tell you to do this? That’s all you need to know.

Those potholes are big and daunting, but next time you face one, throw a bridge of truth across the void and drive right over it!

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 Thess. 5:24

Kimberly Rae has lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. Her books on international human trafficking and missions (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) are all Amazon bestsellers. Her currents projects include a teen series on human trafficking and her Sick & Tired Series on living with chronic health problems. Find out more at www.kimberlyrae.com. Sign up for Kimberly’s newsletter and get a free download of her award-winning book, From Africa With Love!
Website: www.kimberlyrae.com
Blog: www.kimberlyraeauthor.blogspot.com
Twitter: KimberlyRaeBook
FB Page: Human Trafficking Stolen Woman

When he came back to Jerusalem again, however, he discovered that people who were supposed to be serving God full-time were out farming. Why? Because the provisions they were supposed to get had been cut off. Why were the provisions cut off? Because somebody had taken over the storeroom for those things and made it into an apartment for his relative. Who was his relative? Tobiah.

Tobiah was an Ammonite. The Ammonites were people who had refused to help the Israelites when they came out of Egypt. So God said in His law that Ammonites were not welcome in the Congregation of Israel. Yet one of them was living in the Temple, taking up space that was supposed to be for the storage of food for God’s servants. Nehemiah threw out everything that belonged to Tobiah and put back everything that was for God’s servants.

Later Nehemiah found people who had married foreign women and had children who didn’t even know how to speak Hebrew, the language of the country where they lived. Nehemiah pulled these mens’ hair and reminded them that marrying foreign women, unless they became true servants of God, was forbidden.

At the end of the book of Nehemiah, and in several other places, Nehemiah prays that God will “remember me for good.” Christians today are taught to be tolerant, to accept everybody, to love everybody, but that’s not how Nehemih operated. He threw people out. He pulled some hair. He knew that you can’t serve God halfway, that you can’t just obey Him halfway. It’s all or nothing.

It’s true that we are not under the law, but under grace, and that God loves everyone and wants to see them come to Him. It’s also true that God is holy and needs His church and His people protected from corruption.

These sins — mingling with foreigners who didn’t want to change to follow God — resulted in the captivity the Israelites just returned from. Foreigners prevented God’s servants from getting what they needed to live and turned their husbands’ and childrens’ hearts away from service to God. Nehemiah threw them out, and maybe it’s time for us to throw out the corrupting influences in our churches.

Mary C. Findley

http://elkjerkyforthesoul.wordpress.com

This is part II of a post I started last week talking shop and having fun with published authors about their process. I know you’ll find their answers as interesting as I did. And when you’re finished, check out their books and blogs, especially if these excellent authors are new to you. Here are Dona Watson, Ashley Ludwig, Dineen Miller, Nancy Farrier and Joanne Bischof. Welcome ladies!

First, here are the questions:

1. What’s something funny or ironic that happened to you while writing/researching one of your books?

and

2. What’s one thing you find most helpful when developing a character?

Welcome Dona Watson, who writes, reads and breathes fantasy fiction. Her most recent release, Deathchaser, is in the online magazine, Sorcerous Signals. Hey, Dona!

Hi! First of all, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share. Writing can be an intriguing adventure.

1. While researching for a science fiction novel that I’m working on, my main character needed to break into the computer network of a corrupt government. However, in order to make it believable, I needed to know how the technology works. I searched Google diligently, and when my son, the technology guru in our house, ran diagnostics on our home network, he noticed that we had become the target of someone with very advanced technology trying to break past our extremely secure firewall—and succeeded. We traced the incoming signal and realized it was very likely we had become the target of the NSA, who had flagged my searches!

2. When I’m developing a character, I try to mentally put myself in their shoes to imagine how they would respond emotionally to certain circumstances. Another way is to imagine I’m the interviewer and ask my characters what their story is, then record their answer. As long as they’re talking to me, life is good. Like they say, “Writer’s block is when your imaginary friends stop talking to you.”

Ashley Ludwig writes sweet romance, and her stories will sweep you away, I guarantee! I love Ashley’s writing voice. You’re up, Ash!

Ironically, my answer to question 1 dovetails into question 2! I love writing sweet romance, but have always been a huge fan of romantic suspense. While veering from it (By Another Name, and His Darling, which both explore re-finding your joy after an abusive relationship, I find myself back in my wheelhouse of Romantic Suspense. While All or Nothing is a historical romantic suspense, my current characters live in a contemporary setting. I love developing characters, getting them in those impossible dilemmas, and helping them sort it all out. I find inspiration in things that happen every day, especially in moments when I’m developing character back story. I discovered something MOST disturbing about a villain for my next manuscript (Working Title) In Seconds when listening to a country song, “Don’t Lie.” I asked my hubby, “Doesn’t this guy sound creepy?” He and my kids laughed at me, saying, “That’s not what this song’s about…” but apparently my subconscious turned the *ahem* nice guy in the song, into a sinister stalker. Just wait. He’s absolutely HORRIFYING. But no match for my hero.

2. When I sit down with a new story, I let my characters bounce around a bit. I start at the meet, and they usually whisper their names, and their names gives me clues as to their personalities. I read that you can put the same two people in MANY different situations, and see how they play off of each other. Everyone has weaknesses and strong points, even villains. The most challenging is making my heroines likable, and my villains truly evil.

Come back on July 1rst fo more…