WEEK 27: THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

Welcome to THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP!! Each week a new group of writers introduce themselves and tells you a little about their books. Check out past and previous posts and find some new books to enjoy–you might even discover the next big thing!

I’m excited to introduce you to my latest release!

1: What is the title of your book?

Heavenly Horse Sense: Inspirational Stories from Life in the Saddle

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

While horseback riding thousands of miles over craggy trails through the Rocky Mountains, I experienced first-hand the power and protection of God through my breath-taking (and hair-raising) encounters with everything from forest fires to grizzly bears.

In each experience I came away with a unique life lesson. I’ve corralled a collection of these Wild West adventures into this book.

Join me and witness God’s power through three miracles in the life of a foal named Rahab; see how you can accomplish the impossible through a stallion who overcomes insurmountable odds; and conquer the death-grip of fear over your life through Rebecca near-death experience.

3: What genre does your book fall under?

Nonfiction Devotional

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Tom Selleck would have to play me, because other than me, do you know of any other gals who would live in a tent and ride her horse around in the wilderness leading horse pack trips for 15 years?

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Saddle up and ride through the pages of Heavenly Horse Sense for an adventure of a lifetime.

6: Who is your publisher?

Harvest House Publishers

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

53 years, which is how long it took me to learn to write and to ride the wilderness

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

None, this is a cutting-edge family devotional that will keep your teens on the edge of their seat.

9: Who or What inspired you to write this book?

My desire to share life-lessons with people, combined with a couple nudges from God, led me to corral this collection of Authentic Wild West adventures.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Do you enjoy the wilderness? My readers say that they leave the hustle and bustle of the world behind and that they find themselves alongside me in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana, experiencing the sights, sounds, and adventures.

 I love keeping in touch with my readers. It’s be fun if you contacted me through my Website: http://RebeccaOndov.com and/or through Facebook.

Thank you for Hillari Delgado for including me in this blog hop. If you enjoy Regency romantic suspense, check out her new “Fatally Fun” novel Lavender Close.

Here’s the line-up for next week–for WEEK 28: THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP (December 30th). You’re going to enjoy these two authors and their books:

Barbara T. Marshall, who is the talk show host for the Barbara T. Marshall Show. She’s on a Mission to Help You Love Your Life! Described as energetic, dynamic, compelling and passionate with messages that reach right to the heart, Barbara has written Ransomed and its companion Study Guide, which helps women love themselves from the inside out. Find out more at http://www.loveyourlifeministries.org/

Linda Thomas, Who is an author of the Little Miss Frisky Children’s books. You can find out more at: http://www.amazon.com/Little-Miss-Frisky-Sister-ebook/dp/B00ACNA1U4

Join the Spring Fling!

This is so awesome—at the end of the month I’ll be doing a mailing to cowboy churches in the United States to let them know about my newly released devotional book “Heavenly Horse Sense”. I’ll be enclosing a coupon in the letter—and my publisher has offered to send a free copy to the first 50 cowboy churches that mail back the coupon to me. Wahoo! So if you attend a cowboy church or know of one that wants to be included, please email me this next week with the pastor’s name, church name and mailing address. You can get my email from my Website: http://rebeccaondov.com/Contact.html  Join in the spring fling by emailing me before April 28, 2012.

In the corral at home, Brian just tacked shoes on SkySong—1^st set this year—and I can’t wait to put some miles on. If I lived a bit further south…like in Naples, Florida, I would have loved to put some miles on with one of my readers, Linda Kay Thomas.

Talk about creative! Linda Kay Thomas sent in the photo on the right which I’ve featured as the new photo on the “Horsing Around with God” page of my Website. Linda Kay says, “Frisky and I are going for a Red Shoes Ministry prayer walk through our neighborhood. This ministry was created to attract our neighbors’ attention as we walk through our neighborhood praying for them (it was not originally intended to include horses, but when I found Frisky’s red boots I decided to paint my riding boots red too and take her with me). Frisky is the same horse I wrote my children’s story about, ‘Little Miss Frisky’ A Story About an Unwanted Pony.”

Do you have a photo you’d like to share on my Website of how you “Horse Around with God”? For more details, check it out: http://rebeccaondov.com/Horsing_Around_with_God.html

Until next time~~Happy Trails to you!

Rebecca Ondov

Don’t miss my BlogTalk Radio inteview and these encouraging words

On Wednesday January 26th at 11 am CST tune into BlogTalk Radio and listen in as

Julie Gorman of ”His Love Extended” interviews me. Here’s the link

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cwa-radio/2011/01/26/his-love-extended

Do you feel like me, “What New Year’s? Wasn’t that about a year ago?”

 As I looked at the calendar this morning I realized that almost 1/12th of 2011 is gone–Poof! Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? I didn’t this year because so often I forget about them a week or two down the road when the excitement wears off.

 This year I’m doing something different. Throughout the month I’m asking myself three things: Did I stay in tune with my goals? Did I make a difference in somebody’s life? And most importantly, am I staying on track with what God wants me to do? Three easy questions. If the answer is no to any of them I choose to “tune up” what I’m doing. It’s nothing fancy like a New Year’s resolution, but it’s something that’s achievable. I like achievable because it gives me a chance to pat myself on the back and it inspires me to take another step forward.

I’d like to encourage you to ask yourself those three questions, and let me know what happens.

 Have a blessed 2011!

Rebecca

12 Pearls of Christmas–Gift List

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom”! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL … there’s also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS!  Pearls – a tangible reminder of God’s grace to us all.

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Gift List
by Tricia Goyer

I’ve been thinking lately how hard it must be for Oprah to Christmas shop. I mean if you were on her “gift list” wouldn’t you expect something really, really good? The woman gives away cars and trips to Australia on her television show for goodness sake! It seems by the end of Christmas Day her friends and family would look at the pile of presents and think, “Is that it?” I mean if you knew there was billions of dollars she could spend on you, would you ever feel satisfied?

Sometimes I think we approach God the same way. We look around at our home, our family, our job, our free time and we still aren’t satisfied. We wish our body looked better, our clothes were more in style, our husband was more considerate and our kids were more … well, like the perfect little people we picture in our mind. Our careers don’t excel as quickly as we think they should and people don’t give us the attention we feel we deserve. We’re tired and anxious and the to-do list seems to be tacked to our hearts for all the pain it causes.

Often, we look around and don’t speak the words out loud, but think them just the same. “Is that it?” I mean, You’re the God of the universe and You have all things in Your hands and under Your control. Couldn’t you provide a little more money to help those bills disappear or make me a bit more content with the man I’ve chosen to spend my life with? And I thought Oprah had it tough.

Is there ever a time when God doesn’t hear the murmurs? Again, not with our mouths but in our heart.

I’ve been guilty of this–of not being satisfied with the gifts I’ve been given. Yes, there will always be more to want, but today–at this moment–I’m satisfied. And I look to Him with a grateful heart and whisper, “Thank you, it is enough. More than enough.”

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About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more information, please visit www.triciagoyer.com

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year’s Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is   {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas–Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom”! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL … there’s also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS!  Pearls – a tangible reminder of God’s grace to us all.

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Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again
by Stacie Ruth Stoelting

Feel sad this Christmas? Hey, I know the feeling. In fact, many programs have interviewed me to share about it! Last year, I tried particularly hard to share stories and tips on how to cope with grief during the holidays: I wrote a feature for CBN.com, Coping with Grief at Christmas, visited and counseled grieving people, etc.

Then irony hit: Near Christmas, two people I loved died within two days (December 15-16, 2009).

Are you or a loved one hurting during the holidays? I relate. But let me encourage you: Jesus remains faithful! As real as my pain, He met my needs and comforted me with peace unexplainable. I’m serious. He’s real.

Before I continue with tips, let me share this: If you feel suicidal, contact an emergency counseling service like the New Life Call Center at 1-800-NEW-LIFE(639-5433).

10 Tips for Hurting Hearts to Hope and Cope at Christmastime

1.    Realize and internalize it: God still loves you and wants to hear from you. He wants you to know that there is a Way out of your pit of despair. The Way is Jesus.

2.    Sometimes, our suffering causes us to forget His. Understand He understands you. He suffered more than any of us when we bore the weight of every sin and pain on the cross! In fact, Is. 53:3 describes Jesus: “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” Think of it: He took your punishment and pain on the cross. He was your capital punishment Substitute! And your Deliverer -your Rescuer- wants to hear from you. His heart hurts with yours. Will you pour your heart out to Him now? He’ll pour His love in where the fear previously resided. Let Jesus inside. Do you know Jesus on a personal, one-to-One basis?  Visit here to learn why Jesus was born to die and how to be born again. (Hey, Jesus said it: “You must be born again.”)

3.    Rather than mere gifts, make a Christmas prayer list of other hurting people. Then pray for them and request prayer for yourself, too. Contact your church. Tap into ministries (including CBN.com) that offer extra prayer support. And feel free to join my prayer e-group at http://www.PrayingPals.org or on Facebook by clicking here.

4.    End the Christmas comparison game. Don’t compare your Christmas to your neighbor’s. Don’t compare your Christmas to past celebrations.

5.    Center on the Savior! This year, trade a superficial Christmas for a real one. Deepen your appreciation for the true Christmas: the arrival of Jesus Christ to banish the effects of sin and death!

6.    Whatever your loss or pain, open up and let God be your Gain. Maybe your pain comes from another cause: a divorce, a devastating diagnosis, a job loss…the list extends. God offers to be your Counselor, your Father, your Healer, your Provider. Let Him answer your heart’s cry.

7.    Love on people. Even if you don’t “feel” like it, prayerfully do something for someone else who is hurting.

8.    Remember: Feelings change. God doesn’t. Loved ones’ deaths never kill His love for you. God’s immeasurable, unconditional love still flows to you! When you know Jesus, you know eternal love and security. Nothing separates you from His love! “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, ESV).

9.    Realize the reality of the sudden reunion. Holidays exacerbate the feeling of long separation from our loved ones in Heaven. Does it feel like it will take forever for you to see your loved one in Heaven? Be encouraged: Jesus IS coming again and it will be a time you don’t expect! So the fact that you feel like it won’t happen soon is a good thing!  Once reunited, it will feel like no time transpired. All sadness will be entirely removed!

10.    When Jesus comes back to earth, it will be a celebration greater than any previous Christmas you’ve ever experienced!

For believers, losses hurt but never win. We will celebrate Jesus together -and it will be glorious “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4, NIV). In that Day, all believers will be able to jubilantly say, “Merry Christmas to all and to all the true Light!”

Additional Help: Ready for some practical tips for coping with grief at Christmastime? Here’s one: Rearrange furniture to reduce absence reminders. To read this tip and others found in another of my CBN.com’s articles: “Coping with Grief at Christmas”, visit www.CBN.com.

Going thru a rough time? Join Stacie Ruth’s prayer group at www.PrayingPals.org.

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About Stacie: Stacie Ruth knows pain, but she also knows Jesus! After Stacie Ruth met Jesus, her life blossomed with true joy and purpose. Life’s blows hurt her, but Jesus heals and strengthens her. Now an author, actress, and recording artist, she laughs at the irony and praises God, who uses unlikely people…like herself.  Discover why she’s written a book at age 15, sung/spoken for the 43rd President, been pictured in major media (i.e. The New York Times, USA Today), and keynoted conferences since she was a teenager. To watch video clips, worship Jesus with music from her album, or get in touch with her ministry for women, visit www.brightlightministries.com.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year’s Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is   {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Stray Horse to be Auctioned

It’s a blustery Saturday morning in January and I just opened an email from a horse rescue group that tugged on my heart. It read:

URGENT!

“A gentle gray mare approximately 20 years old was picked up as a stray last week in Three Forks, Montana and will now be auctioned off on Monday, Jan. 18, 2010 at 12:00 pm.”

“A horse advocate can bid on her and pick her up, but this sweet mare needs a new forever home. (photo attached)”

I knew that because of the economy a lot of horse owners, who couldn’t afford to feed their stock, were turning them loose. My mind reeled ... If auctioned off; her prospects aren’t good as a 20 year old. She’ll probably be shipped to Canada and slaughtered. But my pasture is full. As I whispered a prayer, the Holy Spirit tugged on my heart and said, “There are people all around you who are lost and have no spiritual home; some have lost their jobs and have no physical home either. Feel compassion towards them, like you do towards this horse. Feed My sheep.”

Tears leaked out the corner of my eyes as I asked, “Lord, what does that look like?”

And He responded, “It might be as simple as a smile, or buying an elderly person’s groceries. Or it might be as complex as befriending a person who society has cast aside as a lost cause. I want you to shine My love into the world around you.”

So I’m taking up His challenge and going into “my world” and look for opportunities to touch people’s heart with a smile and whatever God leads me to do. And my parting words will be, “Jesus asked me to do this for you.”If every one of us does this, what would the world look like? Will you join me?

Rebecca

PS It’s Saturday at 1:39pm and I just heard that this horse was placed in a home–God is SOOO Awesome!

Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year!

Wow–almost 2010! When I was a child I thought I’d be ancient in the year 2000. So what does that make me in 2010?

Will 2010 be Smooth Sailing? or Will We have an Adventure?

I sawa photo of a sailboat, peacefully bobbing in calm water, with the sails down, and wondered, What distant shores has it seen? Has it weathered storms? Been dashed against the rocks? Or been in a race? This next year will it continue to stay in the safety of the bay? It reminds me of our lives. Only we can decide to unfurl the sails and head out into the unknown. The sailing might be smooth, and that’d be delightful. But after a while the blue-sky, sunny days and flat horizon would become monotonous.

Have you ever noticed that most adventures don’t happen in the safety of the calm bay where the sailing is smooth? They’re out in the middle of the ocean with big black clouds billowing overhead and lightening striking all around you. Best of all, when you get back to shore you are revived. Adventures do something for our spirit. They add sparkle to our lives and put a spring into our step. Adventures sharpen our prayer lives and show us how big God really is.

So for this next year I pray that you unfurl your sails and launch out into the deep–for an adventure of a lifetime! May the Lord surround you with His blessings in 2010,

Rebecca

Come visit me on my Website for the latest exciting news!! Http://RebeccaOndov.com

Rebecca Ondov’s Christmas Letter

From My House to Yours: Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

 A couple days ago I left work in the early afternoon to cut my Christmas tree. Sunrise, my golden retriever, panted and stuck her head out the back window as I drove my white Subaru up the winding mountain road, which narrowed to merely a ledge clinging to a cliff. As we climbed above the valley, the gravel gave way to snow—and ice! With white knuckles I gripped the steering wheel and wondered, “Was this a good idea?” Then I giggled. The icy road, which clung to the cliff, was a tad nerve rattling to drive and resembled my year. Here’s a glimpse of my exciting and white knuckled 2009:

• January – July 1^st: I jumped off the cliff New Year’s with a contract to write a 250 page book of my true-story adventures from the 15 years I worked from the saddle in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana. The night I signed the contract I must have had a long day brokering lumber because I forgot to do the math on the deadline, but by February I figured it out—writing 250 pages in six months is like writing 25-10 page papers—and I was working full-time—YIKES!!! All of a sudden my mornings started at 3am with my white knuckles holding a stout cup of coffee and my lips murmuring a heart-felt prayer that went something like this, “God, … HELP!” The good news is I met my deadline and Horse Tales from Heaven: Reflections Along the Trail with God is on the press and will be released Feb 1^st, 2010.
• July – August: As soon as I pushed “send” on the manuscript I signed up to take a course called Social Media University. For this cowgirl who brokers lumber (a totally non-technical world) the new jargon about twitter and tweets was like flying on a toboggan down a slippery slope.
• August: To my delight my parents came out from Minnesota to visit for a couple weeks. We had a great time exploring Montana and munching on fresh tomatoes and green beans out of my garden. Also Harvest House Publishers offered me another book contract. I’m thrilled that they will be creating an art gift book by taking a couple stories out of Horse Tales from Heaven and pairing me with a very famous horse artist named Chris Cummings (sure glad that there one in this dynamic duo who is famous). Horse Tales from Heaven: Gift Edition will be on the book shelves June 1^st, 2010.
• September: I vaulted off the slippery slope when I built my own Website: http://RebeccaOndov.com in which I’ve added links so my friends can connect with me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and I’ve even stated my very own blog. And there’s an embedded a video of Sunrise, my puppy, swimming in a lake close to the house—the scenery is spectacular! Come join me and sign up for my newsletter and for an opportunity to win a free book.
• September – November: By now my saddle horse SkySong thought for sure he was retired after standing in belly deep grass all summer. He looked shocked when I loaded him in the horse trailer and we headed into the mountains for rides again.
• December: Once again I cut a perfect Charlie Brown Christmas tree which is sagging under strands of twinkle lights and red bandana bows. The rest of the month? My horseback riding friends and I are gearing up for winter riding with new mittens, rabbit fur hats, wool pants and long johns.

 Hope your 2010 is filled with adventures & joy!

 Rebecca

 

God’s Still Small Voice

While I was in the barn last night, after feeding the horses, I scooped up Czar’s horse blanket into my arms to take back into the house. But when I walked out of the barn something scratched inside of me, saying, “Put the blanket on Czar.”

Czar’s my 29 1/2 year old bay gelding, who I bought when he was a month old. Winters have always been hard on him–especially the last few. In blustery weather he gets hypothermia without a blanket. And the little farm house I lease, only has a barn big enough for the hay, not the horses.

I looked up at the gray clouds. They seemed still. I scanned the horizon and no storms were boiling over the mountain peaks. Something tugged at my spirit again, so I shrugged my shoulders and slipped the blanket on Czar, who seemed to roll his eyes as if to say, “But Mom—it’s still nice outside.”

The wind was howling this morning when I woke up. I opened the door to let Sunrise, my golden retriever, outside and a blast of snow blew in. A full-blown blizzard was assaulting our little mountain valley! Who would have thought in October that we’d have a January blizzard? Tears came to my eyes as I thought, “Thank you God for telling me to blanket Czar!”  Then I was humbled as I meditated about how much God cares for us and our animals. Best of all, God makes the relationship with Him so simple, just listen and follow then He’ll lead me to green pastures.

Would you like the opportunity to win a free book? Visit my Website now and sign up http://RebeccaOndov.com