Be of Good Cheer!

The holidays can be stressful and this year has been full of difficult situations for everyone. I believe that the Bible has messages that are valid for us today. Consider 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 8 – 10.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Because of the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ this message of hope is possible. Beyond all reason, I choose to be genuinely cheerful.

This doesn’t mean that I am not initially affected by difficult and stressful times. I believe I have a choice in how I respond. I have a variety of tools to assist me. Yesterday I reached out to a friend with whom I knew I could be authentic and she would listen and laugh with me.  I find joy in the spontaneous laughter of my grandchildren. I play a board game Nick and laugh with him when he wins the game. I make a gift for a friend anticipating the image of her opening the package when it arrives in the mail. I read a book that makes me think about things that are important to me. My personal daily devotionals of scripture study, prayer and meditation help ground me. I make sure that I get enough sleep and find time for relaxation, which for me currently is watching Christmas movies and video chats with friends. I send messages of love and support through emails and social media to those I care about. Each of these things and more help me find balance and peace in my life in spite of current events.

Whatever it looks like for you, find things that bring you peace and joy. Choose to be cheerful. 

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  1. Merry Christmas, Eva! It’s been too long since I’ve seen a blog entry. Hugs to all of you for Christmas, and may God bless you all with health and good cheer.

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Announcing that I have finished a book with the working title of “The Fairy Fort.” I am currently pitching it to publishers. Keep checking back to watch the progress of my newest novel.

Here is a quick glimpse of the story.

Sarah Doherty is an 18-year-old living in rural Ireland at the tail end of the Great War. Plagued by severe epilepsy, she is protected by her parents and lives a sheltered, secluded, lonely life. The Fae, local Irish fairies, interfere with her life. She falls forward a century in time through the local fairy fort of standing stones. She had a seizure in 1918 and woke up in 2020. The 21st century world includes life-saving prescriptions, physical comforts and the independence and freedom she seeks. The locals are welcoming and Andy Mclaughlin, a handsome young historian, is intriguing. She doesn’t want to return home.

Then a letter arrives from Boston divulging the story of Sarah and Andy’s lives that are deeply entwined in the previous century. They are not yet in love but as they seek to verify the letter through online resources, they feel a growing obligation to their unborn family and to each other. What would happen to their posterity living in Boston if they don’t return to 1918? Even if they do make it back, her parents can never know what happened to her or that would change everything.

This Young Adult time-travel romance explores the question: Do we have the freedom to make choices or is free will an elaborate illusion?

This is my third book. I love reading time travel romances. I am an advocate for epilepsy awareness because my 43-year-old son has intractable epilepsy. As a genealogist specializing in Irish research, I live part of the year in the village where the story is based. I wrote the book to help young adults understand that difficult situations can change your life. Sometimes miraculously.