Up All Night

I stayed up waaay too late last night.

Determined to get caught up on a lot of missed reading, I've been searching for some new author's.  This week I hit pay dirt.  I came across a book at my local library that looked fairly interesting, so I brought it home.  And read the whole thing in one day.  The book made me laugh, yet encouraged me and left me wanting more.  So off to the library I went to find out if this author had any more books and -  *dance of joy* - she does.  In fact, I found out that my new favorite author, Susan May Warren, has over 20 books and has won several awards.  And she's from Minnesota, which technically is not North Dakota but close enough, and maybe explains why she is SO AWESOME!

I love Susan May Warren's characters because they're messed up and totally imperfect and screw up...a LOT.  Kind of like me.  A LOT like me.

Like her main character in her "Josey" series - Josey Anderson wants nothing more to figure out how her wild heart can serve God and meet everyone's expectations.  And the harder she tries, the worse things get.  It seems like at every turn, she is blowing it somehow.  And then, when she least expects it, God reminds her that she doesn't have to be perfect for God to use her in beautiful ways.

For example, I love how the author speaks through Josey in book #3: Get Cozy, Josey.  Josey has messed up again and she is ready to leave town with her proverbial tail between her legs.  And then, God gives her a chance to share her heart with another woman.  Another woman who is desperately seeking God's love and God's grace.

And this is what she says:

"I learned long ago that God doesn't keep score. It's all one big lump of sin to Him. And His one big remedy is forgiveness. Just like that.  He doesn't promise to make all our problems go away. But He does promise to forgive us and to walk with us here on earth, give us wisdom and hope, and give us life after we die. One of my favorite verses says that God knows the plans he has for us, and they're good plans. But we need to seek Him to know those plans."

And in that moment Josey, the other woman and this up-way-past-her-bedtime reader is encouraged, strengthened and ready for another day - regardless of how little sleep they I got.

*sigh*

There truly is nothing like a good book.

Be blessed,



If you'd like to know more about Susan May Warren and her books, please go HERE.