The beauty and fragility of life

December 18, 2016December 18, 2016 ~ Beth ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes I forget about this website, and then suddenly one day I remember and I have to post a new blog to update you! Much has happened since I last blogged here.

I wrote 2 new books (How To Write Your Book Fast: Making Your Writing Dreams Come True and Afflicted: A woman missionary kidnapped by terrorists in Africa, with one more non-fiction book waiting to be published at Amazon, which is the first of my butterfly cover series books: Metamorphosis: Transformed From Fear to Faith);
Our daughter Leah got her first job and has taken enormous, brave steps of faith this year toward adult independence. Ray and I are so very proud of her!
During this summer, I got a part-time job at a bakery making cookies and dessert bars, which really helped with making a consistent weekly paycheck, but resigned because it was overwhelmingly stressful, non-stop pressure, constantly busy, and hectic. I’m still working at home as a speaker and writer, but currently looking for a part-time secretarial job outside the home. If you know anyone who needs a speaker for a women’s conference or events, contact me here. You can also contribute to my small business and ministry by buying my books here.
My husband Ray has been taking a local college class (community health worker) relating to his paramedic work for college credit. He still has to do the labs for full credit;
Our oldest daughter Heather is working two jobs (about 60 to 69 hours a week) to support herself and her two precious girls Annabelle and Violet. Being a single (divorced) mom is the hardest job in the world. I was one with Heather for almost 10 years. Please keep her in your prayers;
I installed a new theme at my website that has a cherry tree picture on the home page. Cherry trees are hard to grow. They only blossom for about one to two weeks. Spiritually, they are symbolic of the beauty and fragility of life. Life is overwhelmingly beautiful, but tragically short. I believe this speaks to us as believers to do what God has called us to do and to fulfill our purpose. You can see the beautiful theme here. If you’re on your phone, you’ll have to switch to the Desktop version (scroll to the bottom of the page on your phone and click the button). But you need to be on your desktop computer or laptop to see its full beautiful effect.

Meanwhile, here in Kansas City it has been in the single digits with snow. Last night it was 2 degrees–yes, TWO! The snow is beautiful, but I hate driving in it. If you live here, or other similar places with ice and snow, stay safe and warm!

My husband Ray, who is a paramedic, agrees the snow is beautiful if you’re inside your house, sitting by a warm fireplace, drinking a Cognac; but when you’re dragging a heavy patient on a stretcher across a field in this stuff, not so much!

I’ve been decorating for Christmas here at home. This is my fave time of year, decorating the tree and house, listening to Christmas music, and drinking hot chocolate. I hate waiting until the last minute to shop, but it couldn’t be helped this year so I’m not anywhere near ready with gift-buying! Are you ready?

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

I pray you have a wonderful, blessed Christmas and new year with your family and friends. May you draw closer to Christ in this season and let Him and Christmas shine with love through your heart.

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Needing some Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones? Books make great presents. You might find something for your family, friends, co-workers or neighbor at my Amazon Author Page here.

I did it! Now what? Celebrate your accomplishments!

October 25, 2015October 25, 2015 ~ Beth ~ Leave a comment

Beth Jones International Speaker Amazon Best Seller Author — Beth Jones
International Speaker
Amazon Best Seller Author

This isn’t my main website, and I forget to update my blog here sometimes. So I’ve had other things happening since the last time I blogged here. For starters, I wrote and finished my first FICTION book! Woot! My husband Ray and our daughter Leah are avid fiction book fans and sci fi geeks.

Ray has been encouraging me for years to write a fiction book. I had every excuse you could think of, the main one being I don’t usually read fiction and I’d never written fiction before so I didn’t know how to write it. He said writers of classics like Ernest Hemingway or Jane Austen didn’t take fiction writing classes, either; just sit down and write it.

Hemingway said this is how you overcome writer’s block: “I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, “Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there.”

So I did write the fiction book–and the response to it surprised me. I have 5-star reviews at Amazon and it became an Amazon Best Seller in its category and sub-category! The book is called Storm Tossed and you can buy it here .

The other things I’ve done since I last blogged here are to upload the rest of the books I’ve written to KDP. It’s been a goal of mine for two years to get all 10 of the books I’ve written on Amazon for the Kindle. This weekend I accomplished that! You can find all my books I’ve written on my Amazon Author Page here.

The most recent one is my book on prayer and spiritual warfare–8 women’s true, inspiring stories of how they overcame their greatest spiritual battles in their own “War Room” of prayer through faith in Christ and standing on God’s eternal word.

Now what? I celebrate this dream and huge goal! This week I’m going out with my husband Ray for a nice dinner to celebrate. I’m thinking The Cheesecake Factory at The Plaza in Kansas City, MO! Yum!

Whatever dreams and goals you’ve accomplished, even if it’s a small goal, celebrate it. It’s important to acknowledge what you’ve done. Then set some new dreams and goals, and go kick butt! With God’s help you can do it.

I’m writing my first fiction book

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015 ~ Beth ~ Leave a comment

My husband Ray has been encouraging me for awhile to write my first fiction book. I’ve always bawked, saying that I’d never done that before, but then I hadn’t ever written a book before when I wrote my first one! Finally this year, I decided to just go for it and do it!

My first fiction book, Storm Tossed, is due to be released in 2015. I’ve been working on it the last several weeks. I found the beautiful cover at Istock and hired a graphic designer to design the eBook cover for Amazon. I love it! What do you think?

The book is about a Christian woman, Rachel, who travels to Destin, Florida (a play on the word “destiny” and because I love the ocean!) to get away from everyone and everything and really think and pray about her life: her deeply troubled marriage to her husband Jackson, their unhappy but extremely creative daughter Faith, the strained relationship Rachel has with her stepdaughter Autumn, and Rachel’s chaotic writing career.

When Rachel goes to Florida, it is hurricane season, but she thought she’d be okay. Hurricane Ana strikes while she is there. Rachel has to face the storm not only outside, but within herself. Only Jesus can give her the peace she needs.

It’s got a LOT of autobiography in it, which wasn’t my intent when I began writing it, but that’s the way the book is taking shape! My goal is to have it released on Amazon by July 2015.

To my surprise, the manuscript is becoming longer in length than I thought it’d be, and it’s now novella length. Ray is joking that it’s soon going to be a novel.

To be first to hear about this eBook’s release and public launch, sign up with your name and email address here at The Writing Room at the top of the page on the right hand side. You’ll also receive my free gift, A Cuppa’ Muse, and my new updates.

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I did it! Now what? Celebrate your accomplishments!

I’m writing my first fiction book