Ordinary Life: I'm Here For It

 

Love this quote by Laura Ingalls Wilder:

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet simple things of life which are the real ones after all."

When you think back over your life, it's the daily little happenings that stick in your mind.

For example, I smile thinking of my childhood home and my dad saying, "Pass the rabbit food." (His term for a lettuce salad.)

My heart melts when I remember little things my children did when they were little: Lissa telling her daddy, "I gotta go home and cook," when she wanted to play with her new toy kitchen; Janae saying, "I too," when told "I love you," and Malia declaring, "Ever'thing good happens on a Sattaday."

I absolutely love recalling the grandkids sweet little voices singing happy birthday to MiMi and helping me blow out the candles on the birthday cake. 

I wouldn't take a million dollars for those memories!

In my book, I use Sister Clara's dining room table as the setting for a lot of scenes in my character's lives. There's just something about being at a table, whether having a meal, or sipping hot beverages, that embodies love and comfort. Words of understanding are expressed here. Open bibles and notepads often adorn the table as ideas are discussed. Sometimes both tears and giggles happen here.

Ordinary life happens at the table, and I'm here for it!

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Do you have favorite ordinary memories? We'd love to hear about it!

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This is Day 21 of taking my reader along a journey with me as I birth my book. I hope you consider checking in daily to see my progress.

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I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday.

What are you reading?

Writers are readers. It's a fact.

I've always been a voracious reader even when I was a child. It was my coping mechanism. When life got too much, I would disappear into a good story.

One of the reasons I want to become an author is to write stories that give people hope. Maybe they will pick up something I have written when events have disrupted the flow of their lives.

I want words of truth woven into a good story to be a way the reader can be encouraged when the book is finished and it's time to step back into the real world.

Do you have some favorite authors?

Recently, I read Carrie Watts' book, Crisis of Faith. It was written for young adults but I think everyone can get a message of hope out of it.

Another recent treasure I found is the phenomenally popular, Theo of Golden, by first-time author, Allen Levi. It was a page-turner that was definitely hard for me to put down. I think one of the things I loved most about the book was the individual stories of every person Theo took the time to discover. 

It makes me wonder ... what are the stories of everyone I come across ... and how can I find out?

Do you reach for a good story when something disrupts the way you want things to be?

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This is Day 12 of taking my reader along a journey with me as I birth my book. I hope you consider checking in daily to see my progress.

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I'm also linking this post with the writers at the Five Minute Friday community. Their prompt this week is "disrupt" and I think a good story is the way to fight against disruption when it comes - as it always will.

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I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Sweet Tea & Friends, Five Minute Friday

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy

How I Shifted to Writing Fiction

Dear Readers, my blog recently celebrated its eighteenth blogiversary and my one millionth reader. (I know one million is not a lot for 18 years, but it's still exciting that a lot of people at least read some of my words over the years) 

I started blogging with the idea of relating family stories to preserve for my kids and grandkids.

As time went on, I really enjoyed blogging about insights I had received regarding the Word of God. I began to believe some day I would write either a devotional or perhaps a bible study.

One day, I saw on Facebook that a former creative writing teacher who had visited our church was offering a free Writer's Club online. She would give prompts, and then we would write a story on the prompt and turn it it. We would meet once a week to go over what we had written and she would teach us a nugget about the craft of writing.

I am always up for a challenge, so I dove in and became a member of the club. I absolutely loved it! I was such fun and quickly became the highlight of my week.

I learned there was a reason God had given me such an imagination.

In fact, one story I had written for one of her prompts would not leave my brain. I kept thinking of more to add to the story until I realized, "Hey, this character has a story that needs to be told."

And that is how I made the shift from blogger to fiction writer.

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This post was written in response to the prompt, "shift," provided by the Five Minute Friday writing community.

It was also written as Day 6 of taking my reader along a journey with me as I birth my book. I hope you consider checking in daily to see my progress.

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I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

I can't afford to wait.

Readers, I'm in the last third of my life and I can't afford to wait any longer to share the story God has given me.

I'm hard at work on my fiction series in progress called "The Hesed Files," stories of how God uses His angels to participate in unfailing love and mercy. Book One, Morgan's Redemption, chronicles a family's journey through secrets, pain, bitterness, loss and transformation into children of God.

I wrote it to bring you hope. Because, all believers are being transformed into what God had planned them to be. You are, after all, His masterpiece.* But I know life can be discouraging and dark.

I want to share with you the hope I find in scripture. My passion is to show you through the words and ideas I share with you to convince you no one is beyond redemption.

Never give up praying. While there is breath, there is hope.

I also can't afford to miss telling you something the Lord impressed upon me in 2019 because I feel He wants me to share it with everyone. 

What if you believed, reqally believed, that goodness and mercy is chasing you down?**

Would that belief make a difference in your outlook? I believe it can.

Join me in the coming days and weeks. I'm going to take you with me on the journey of birthing my book. Dear Reader, will you come?

* Ephesians 2:10

** Psalm 23:6

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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I write for believers, but if you are not a believer and would like to know more, visit A Ticket Home. to find the way Home.

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This post was written in response to the prompt, "afford," provided by the Five Minute Friday writing challenge. We write for five minutes on a prompt. (Adding links, scriptures, graphics, etc. takes longer.)

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Sharing at Five Minute Friday and Sweet Tea & Friends

Come Follow My Journey Through the Phases of Becoming a Published Author

 A phase is a distinct stage in a process; a single part of a larger plan, project, or process.

As a writer, I'm in the developmental stage of achieving my dream. I've written my manuscript, I've worked on it with a coach, and now I'm in the editing phase. 

At some point, I will be in the launch phase where I encourage others to help me bring my message into the world

I found these statistics about wanting to be a writer:

80% to 81% say they want to write a book.
15% actually start writing.
3% manage to finish a full manuscript.
1% or less get a book published. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Hey! I'm excited! I'm in the 3%.

Since so many are interested in writing, I thought it might be fun to invite you follow me through the phases of being a writer.

In August, I will be writing a series of blog posts about the process of publishing a book.

I hope you will be a part of the series, read and comment. I can't know what readers want if I don't ask.

Here's my first question:  do you want to be a writer?

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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This post was written in response to the prompt, "phase," provided by the Five Minute Friday writing challenge. We write for five minutes on a prompt. (Adding links, scriptures, graphics, etc. takes longer.)

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Would you like to follow along in my Book Birthing series? Click on the links below:

Day 1 - Morning Routine

Day 2 - What's in Your Cup? 

Day 3 - Grateful for Salvation Stories 

Day 4 - The Book that Changed My Life

Day 5 - What Bible Verse are You Living This Week?

Day 6 - How I Shifted to Writing Fiction

Day 7 - The Writing Room

Day 8 - Sunset

Day 9 - Praising the Beauty Maker

Day 10 - It's Contagious

Day 11 - Gentle Humor

Day 12 - What Are You Reading?

Day 13 - We Need Reminding

Day 14 - Sharing Good Books

Day 15 - Grandparents Make Memories

Day 16 - Music to Type By

Day 17 - Tools for the Job

Day 18 - Knowledge is Never Wasted

Day 19 - Can I Ask You Something?

Day 20 - Experiencing Faith Even When There's A Problem

Day 21 - Ordinary Life: I'm Here for It

Day 22 - Grateful for the Help

Day 23 - He Is There.

Day 24 - Pantser or Planner?

Day 25 - Coming Soon!

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home. for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday and Let's Have Coffee

If You Want to Go That Route ...

I live on a state route. It runs approximately 167 miles from the tip of our state to the mid-state region. The route goes through parts of the Shawnee National Forest and has many beautiful stops. It also has many opportunities to get off the beaten path. A person could get lost; but if he found a state route marker on the road, he could easily determine the way back home.

I am also on a spiritual journey. It has many twists and turns along the way and it would be easy to follow a rabbit trail and end up far from where I started.

My pastor, Jack Oliver, once said this: "Whatever has my attention determines my direction."

Just like finding a mile marker helps get us back on the route we intended to travel, getting our eyes fixed on Jesus gets us back on our spiritual journey Home.

In our travels, we often run across many distractions ... things we think will make our journey easier or more productive. Things we don't see any harm in doing. Maybe we join forces with a group who seems like-minded but we soon realize they are leading us down the wrong path.

What do we do? We get our eyes back on Jesus. He is big enough to get us on the route Home.

The answer is always to seek Him first.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."  Matthew 6:33 NKJV

 

It's a simple strategy ... but it works! 

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Today's post is a response to the prompt, "route," provided by the writers at the Five Minute Friday community.

I'd also like to offer a little prayer I wrote about God's protection on our journey:

SHADE

The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 New Living Translation

Abba,

 

I stand on Your Word; so, I believe You are watching over everything happening in my life. You are protecting me – even from bad decisions because you know my heart is to honor You.

 

When the heat of humiliation threatens to overwhelm me, Your shade will protect me.

 

You are watching over me and only allowing what is best for me to touch me.

 

Help me to remember this. Don’t let me get stuck when I wonder if I took the wrong steps. Help me keep moving forward, always keeping my eyes on You. If I have not seen what You want me to see, I pray you will open my eyes and heart to see them.

 

Help me to get Home to You with honor.

 

In Jesus’ mighty name, so be it, amen.

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday, InstaEncouragements Link-Up

The Short End of the Stick

The short end of the stick is an idiom for getting an unequal deal. 

It reminds me of when we were little, my mom would make us share a Pepsi. If I poured it into glasses, sometimes the level of my Pepsi was a little higher than my brother's. (Just being real here.)

Of course, my brother would yell, "Hey no fair. Jerr gets more Pepsi than me."

He got the short end of the stick.

My mother solved the problem by saying "Jerralea, you pour the soda into two glasses. Tim, you choose what glass you want."

I worked at pouring equal amounts after that.

If only injustice could be solved so easily in today's world!

If you're short-sighted it does look like people get away with doing terrible things. You might think, "What's the use of doing good. People do what they want and it seems nothing ever happens to them."

But in the long run, the law of sowing and reaping comes into play.

A man will sow a certain kind of seed. And he will reap a harvest from that seed.

Good seed brings forth a bountiful harvest.

Bad seed produces bad things.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Galatians 6:7 NKJV)

In the end, it will matter what kind of seed we plant.

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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This post was written in response to the prompt, "short," provided by the Five Minute Friday crew of writers. We free write for 5 minutes on the prompt. (I always take longer to add scripture and a graphic.)

Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday and InstaEncouragements Link-Up, Let's Have Coffee

 

Our Part Is Obedience

As a blessing hunter who shares encouragement for the journey Home, I love to share scriptures and prayers with my readers. I totally believe the Word of God and I trust the Lord is good and will work out all things for our good.

But, I must point out that we believers have a part to play in answered prayer as well.

Our part is obedience.

For example, He asks us to choose. 

Joshua 24:14-15 New Living Translation  ¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Are we going to hold back, or follow with our whole heart? 

He wants us to trust and believe:

Mark 5:35-36 New King James Version
³⁵ While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” ³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Jairus received his daughter back when he obeyed the command to believe.

He invites us to seek:

Matthew 6:33 New Living Translation Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 

Once you decide to take the focus off yourself and place it on Him, things will fall into place.

And, He asks us to ask!

Matthew 7:7 New Living Translation “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Don't give up! 

He wants to shepherd us: 

Psalm 23:1 New Living Translation The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 

 

A sheep must follow the Shepherd. Our part is obedience. 

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Today's post was written in response to the prompt "part," proviced by the Five Minute Friday Community. The post took 5 minutes to write. Adding scriptures and a graphic took longer.

All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday and Sweet Tea & Friends

Remember the Benefits

Hey, I need to tell you about a benefit package that is out of this world!

It contains better benefits than any company I know offers.

Yes, I'm talking not only material benefits but some that apply to your peace of mind and make living so much richer and fuller.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits. Psalm 103:2

 

Yes! You can discover all sorts of perks when you read Psalm 103 - reserved only for His children.

Things like:

• All sins forgiven (verse 3)
• Diseases healed (verse 3) Think of the co-pays and deductibles you won't need to pay. 
• Redeemed from destruction (verse 4) Not only will you save money from not having to rebuild your life, but think of the time saved!
• Crowned with love and tender mercy (verse 5) I'm envisioning love and mercy crowning our heads and dripping down to our toes.
• Fills your life with good things ...(verse 5) Take time to make a list of all the good in your life - I bet there are more blessings than you thought.

And those are only the things listed in the first five verses.

Read the whole thing to discover more, including my personal favorite in verse 8 - He is slow to get angry with you.

What a deal!

Five minutes cannot tell you all there is to tell included in this wonderful believer's benefits package. Do yourself a favor and read the whole psalm.

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This post was written in response to the prompt "benefits" given by the Five Minute Friday community to challenge writers to free write for five minutes.

My post was written in 5 minutes, but looking up scriptures and graphics took longer.

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Keep reading to see a prayer based on Psalm 103:1-5 that the Lord laid on my heart in March of 2025:

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

Psalm 103:1-5 New Living Translation

Father,


I love all this psalm of David! It is such a blessing. Today I’m focusing on all the good things You give your children. Forgiveness, healing, redemption, love and tender mercies … and then You throw in an abundant life filled with good things and top it off with renewed youth! Wow!


I claim these things right now in the name of Jesus.


Our part is to never forget these benefits You have given. With everything in us, we are to praise You.


Lord, I ask You to help us remember this on the days the enemy is pressing in with doubt and discouragement. When he whispers deceitful words to influence us that You don’t care about the desire of our hearts, or that You are too busy blessing others, and You have forgotten about us.


Help us to see that maybe Your tender mercy is that it would not be good for us to have desire right now … Help us trust You – because all these good things You’ve filled our lives with show us You care.


In Jesus’ name, so be it, amen.

Adapted from a previous post. All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday

He Keeps Us Going

 I love to define a word before I write about it. Just reading the definition can spark a creative spin on the word.

Today, I'm looking at the word "sustain."

To sustain means to support, maintain, or keep something going over a period of time. It can also mean to endure a burden, provide nourishment, or officially uphold a legal argument. [1, 2]

 

 

GO

Last week, I shared how diving into the Word of God was The Beginning of Everything Good for me while going thourgh the trial of bipolar disorder with my husband.

Today, I'm thinking about how the Word of God not only let me know God's will and character, but also sustains me. Hearing from God keeps me going each and every day. 

The Word encourages me to have staying power and not give up.  It assures me God will work everything out for my good. (See Romans 8:28). I learn I have a future and a hope just by diving into its pages. (See Jeremiah 29:11).

Why wouldn't I avail myself of the support God's word offers me?

It's worth everything to know how dearly God loves me. Read this:

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5 NLT)

He loves. He helps. He keeps us going.

Why not reach out?

STOP

The word sustain also reminds me of a fun post I wrote a few years back when I had a visitor at the church office who claimed he was The Stabilizer of the Universe. Click on the link to read and bring a smile to your face.

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This post was written in response to the word prompt, "sustain," provided by the writers at the Five Minute Friday community. The post took me 5 minutes to write but longer to add graphics, links, and scripture. It's a lot of fun so you should totally join us!

Adapted from a previous post. All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy. 

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Thanks for dropping by the Journey! I want to always share my post, A Ticket Home, for those who might not know the way Home.

Sharing at Five Minute Friday, InstaEncouragements Link-Up