Birthday Bash ~ Author Interview with Faith Potts

Today, I've got an author interview with Faith Potts for you all! Dandelion Dust, her novel, is turning two! If you want to read my review of this novel, click here. Don't forget to head over to Faith's blog to hear more! :)

1. What is the most important thing God taught you while writing Dandelion Dust?
To cherish all that you've been given. Quite at random, I picked the word "cherish" as my Word of the Year for 2017. I had no idea then how this book-and other things in my life-would teach me what that word really means in the following months.

2. Which book that you have written (doesn't necessarily need to be published) ;) has made the biggest impact on your life?
I would have to say Freedom-my contemporary fiction novel, with military connections and suicide themes. If you'd asked me five years ago if I would ever write a book about suicide and Marines, I would have given a definite "no." But God had other plans, and the writing of that story has taken me on a crazy ride that I wouldn't trade for anything.

3. What is the main thing you want people to take away from your books? 
No matter what you've done, no matter how far you have fallen, no matter how dark it may seem-the God of mercy and forgiveness loves you in a way you cannot even begin to comprehend. No matter the pain in your heart, He has not forgotten you or left you comfortless. Our God will not forsake His own. <3

4. How has your relationship with God grown over your years of writing?
In oh, so many ways, writing has drawn me closer to God than I was before. I find it so much easier to learn from a story than a lecture. And oftentimes, when God is trying to teach me something, He gives me a story to write that reflects that lesson or moral. It's pretty great. <3

5. What is your favorite hobby?
In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, and blogging. Three things that combine rather nicely when it comes to the life of an indie author!

6. What is the silliest/most embarrassing thing you did when you were a kid?
I love this question. xD Something that I did often as a kid (and yes, I still do it sometimes) was pick apart my food. Oreos have to be split open and eaten one piece at a time. I have countless ways to pick apart Little Debbies, crackers, and granola bars. Even now, I get blamed for being the one who taught my little brother to pick apart food...it may or may not be a factual accusation...

7. What is your personality?
Ahh, I never know how to answer this sort of question... I'm the type of person who loves to dream and laugh, but has a hard time creating true and lasting friendships. I thrive on Jesus, coffee, and sarcasm. If you make me laugh or smile or feel, you're automatically on my favorite people list. Or if you prefer a more professional answer, my Myer-Briggs personality type is INFP.

8. What is your favorite book of the Bible?
Because I can never pick one favorite... I particularly love Joshua, Ruth, Nehemiah, Psalms, and 1&2 Timothy.

Great answers, Faith! Thanks for allowing me to interview you! :)

Thanks for having me, Molly! <3

Tomorrow, pick up a free ebook copy of Dandelion Dust!

O To Be Like Thee by Kassie Angle ~ Book Review

Synopsis 

"But four years ago I had never known what it was to depend on God to save a soldier's life because I had never known what it was to be completely powerless in your own strength and knowledge, no matter how much you knew. I had never known that to be truly brave, you must trust the Lord, because I had never been asked to be truly brave."

Corey Schreiber didn't want to learn those things-not like he did, anyway. It's hard enough to deploy back-to-back without your friends-or you- becoming part of the casualties. Corey can learn pretty quickly to trust the Lord on the battlefield. Will he trust God with his broken heart? 

This is a military novel written by a daughter of a vet who is gifted in research. You will find that she compels your attention throughout the 300+ pages as she exalts Christ. Vets, family of vets, first responders, and anyone who is a patriot will lose themselves in this story. 

Review

Wow. I don't even know where to begin. O To Be Like Thee was a beautiful, amazing book!

This book wasn't full of long descriptions of scenery, which I was totally okay with. The way it was written is one of my favorite styles of writing- in depth, passionate, amazing characters! The characters were real and raw. 

Typically, a book has one really important "lesson" the readers take away from the book. O To Be Like Thee had multiple beautiful lessons sprinkled throughout the whole thing. It is about God healing your broken heart. I really appreciated the faith themes woven throughout.

Now, onto the characters. Corey was an incredible character, and he reminded me of myself in more ways than one. ;) I loved how he stilled played with his younger siblings and with little Kendall even though he was an adult.

Maysen was an amazing best friend to Corey. I enjoyed hearing about their friendship!

Kendall was a little boy of about 5-7 years of age. He was so sweet, and his childlike way of looking at life was bittersweet.

The surrounding characters were awesome, too! From the little Afghan girl to the scared young medic, I felt like I got to know each and every one. The friendships between the characters were great!

Few favorite quotes:

“And you’ll learn. It’s not that you’ll lose your sensitivity. If this is what God has made you for, you’ll always be tender towards your soldiers...”

"It's amazing how deep love runs..."

Fear.

Fear. It's something all of us face at one time or another. Some fear isn't bad, it can stop you from doing something you'll regret later. However, most fear is unhealthy. Fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, fear of not being good enough- whatever it is, fear can hold us back from doing what God calls us to do. 

We need to break free from fear. 

We need to give our fears to Yeshua. 

"Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10. 

God is always with us. No matter what comes our way, we don't have to fear. 

Whether it's school, work, personal struggles, emotional struggles- the list could go on and on. The important thing is this- no matter what it is, we need to bring our fear to God. We need to give it to Him, and ask Him to take our fear away. He will. 

We need to cast out all fear, and live lives fearlessly.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan ~ Book Review

Synopsis

GOD IS LOVE. 

Have you ever wondered if we're missing it? 

It's crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe--the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and e-minor--loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss. 

Whether you've verbalized it yet or not...we all know something's wrong. 

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts--it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same. 

Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.

CRAZY, RENTLESS, ALL-POWERFUL LOVE.

About the Author

Francis Chan is the best-selling author of several books, including Crazy Love, Forgotten God, Erasing Hell, and the host of the BASIC. series (Who is God & We Are Church). Francis is the founding pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California, and is the founder of Eternity Bible College. He also sits on the board of directors of Children's Hunger Fund and World Impact.

Review

An incredible book about God's love. It was well written, and easy to follow along. I really appreciated the way Francis Chan wrote this book- it was raw, and real. This book discusses and faces the hard questions. Following God is not easy, but its worth it.
If you want to read a book about God's amazing love, this is a great choice!

Few quotes: "Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy. Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers." "True faith means holding nothing back; it bets everything on the hope of eternity."

Freedom & Beloved ~ Cover Reveals!

Today, I am participating in helping release the covers of two books- Freedom by Faith Potts, and Beloved by Kaitlyn Krispense! 

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Beloved by Kaitlyn Krispense 

Synopsis

Life hurts.
Cara Richards just doesn’t care anymore. Alone and unloved, she decides that there’s
only one response to the nightmare that has become her life.

When an unwelcome intervention disrupts Cara’s plans, her life is changed in a way
that she never imagined. Regardless of how tough she believes herself to be, she’s
unprepared for another foster family. She’s even less prepared for five foster brothers,
one of whom is convinced that God is the answer to all of her problems. Though she
prides herself on a resilient heart, her life continues to spiral into a world full of
questions.

Is death really the answer? Does God actually care? Can everyone truly be loved, no

matter what?

Add to Goodreads

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Author Bio:

Kaitlyn is a farmer's daughter that loves the Lord, her family, and her books. Psalm
46:10 gives her inspiration, her brothers make her laugh, and there's nothing quite like
the excitement of opening an unread book for the first time. Writing takes up much of
her free time, whether actual writing takes place or writer's block, in which case she's
probably browsing Pinterest.

Blog // Goodreads

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Freedom by Faith Potts

Synopsis

Having just returned to American soil from the desert sands of the Middle East, James
Greene is done with his life. 'Double amputee' doesn't seem like a strong enough phrase
to label the physical and emotional pain he bears. Add the lack of love and
communication with his family members, the demons that haunt him day and night,
and he can find nothing worth living for. Ending it all is the only way out.

Alexandria Lorance is a not-so-ordinary physical therapist, content with aiding in
her patients' recoveries. Her work gives her fulfillment, but alone in the silence, she still
endures the hidden scars of a past, unhealthy relationship. Reminding herself that true
healing is found in Christ alone, she seeks to show kindness and love to everyone she
meets.

When these two broken ones' paths intersect, the spark of friendship is ignited,
bringing hope and joy to both. Can they step out of the darkness of suffering and into
the freedom of grace?

A Marine, broken by war. A therapist, scarred by words. A chance meeting in a

parking lot bonded them together. But can love grow in these two hurting hearts? Or are

they truly too broken to ever find lasting happiness?

Add to Goodreads

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Author Bio:

Saved by God's grace, Faith Potts is a teenage writer and homeschool graduate, living
with her family and beloved yellow labs in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s
not weaving stories, consuming large amounts of coffee, reading stacks of books, or
studying American Sign Language, she can be found laughing harder than is healthy,
daydreaming, and—of course—blowing dandelions.

Website // Blog // Facebook // Instagram // Goodreads

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Aren't these covers awesome?! To celebrate the releasing of these two novels, there will be a blog tour in September!