The Masterpiece

The Masterpiece

by Francine Rivers

A graffiti artist living on and off the streets meets a doormat divorcée who lost her confidence when she was seven. Between the two of them, they have enough baggage to fill Grand Central Station. But they live on the West Coast. And she works for him. And he hates everyone. Almost.

This Christian romance is filled with twists and turns, and I especially love that this author seems to care more about building characters and letting them learn the life lessons they need more than she cares about getting her characters hooked up and walking down the aisle.

The hero and heroine both have a rich story, peopled with interesting characters and motivations. They’ve both experienced childhood trauma and found very different ways to cope. And as a result, they are both in need of deep healing which only their Heavenly Father can provide.

I loved peeking into the artist’s studio as well as watching the concept of hope bubble up into situations where there didn’t seem to be a shred of hope possible.

I’m embarrassed to say this is my first time reading Francine Rivers. I’ve got some catching up to do. The Masterpiece is a wonderful story. A worthy romance. And Kingsbury is an extraordinary talent.

Do you think of Graffiti as art or crime? Or both? Leave us a comment for a chance to win this week's prize!

Jennifer Fromke writes from NC, where she pines for colder temperatures all year long. Northerners by upbringing, she and her husband of 26 years have raised three Southern-ish children. Jennifer reviews books at Shetalksbooks.com and offers a free short story when you sign up for her newsletter here.

Clouds

Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?

Job 37:16

Thin gray clouds hovered just below the peaks of the mountains, making me wonder if a forest fire was in progress. One sniff of the air convinced me it was that rare phenomena in the Southwest, moisture.

Clouds floating past the large picture windows of my mountain home always grab my attention. At almost 7200 feet in altitude, I see a lot of them. At times they start out dark gray and full of moisture which never materializes. Sometimes, they are big and fluffy, but the promised rain still fails to materialize. Beautiful, yet disappointing.

My father-in-law was a great appreciator of clouds, finding shapes in them which he would point out to anyone willing to listen. Living in The Netherlands for half of his life, part of it during the Nazi occupation of WWII, he had seen plenty of clouds, both literally and figuratively. Perhaps the blue skies of the Southwest made him appreciate clouds more because they are not always the harbingers of storms.

When we moved to the mountains we thought the sun would set quickly, causing us to miss the brilliant colors of the evening sky. Wrong! The altitude seems to allow for more interesting cloud formations, streaked with amazing colors every day. My favorite was the pink thunderstorm one summer evening, far across the valley, catching the last rays of the setting sun.

Life is full of clouds, a sudden job change, unexpected illness, a broken relationship, or an untimely death. We can’t choose the kind of clouds that enter our lives. Sometimes clouds bring frightening storms we can’t escape and we cry out for help. Clouds can forewarn of storms, but their absence may not always portend a perfect day. They affect our mood and sometimes change our plans.

One thing is certain, clouds will come. The only thing more certain than clouds is the love and care of my heavenly Father. He promises to stand by my side through the storms, just as He rejoices with me in the good times.

Developing the habit of appreciating clouds makes me more open to the working of God in my life, and less fearful of the storms. Looking for God in the clouds and storms of life enables me to trust Him for the sunshine to come. Clouds may hide the sky, but God is always there.

© Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, February 26, 2015

About the author:

Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, winner of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.

Connect with Norma:

Website: www.normagail.org

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Norma-Gail/e/B00ILHXBAK/

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NormaGailwrites

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7874459

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Norma_Gail

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2

Book Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http:// lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/

 Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173