In my novel, The Healing Jar (Book 3 in The Prayer Jars series), some of the characters are in need of emotional and spiritual healing that resulted from their past or present circumstances.
Is there something in your life that needs emotional or spiritual healing? Have you found answers or help by reading God’s Word. If so, what particular scripture verse or verses helped you the most?
The Bible is full of wisdom and direction for our lives. One of my favorites verses for emotional or spiritual healing is found in Psalm 147:3 (KJV): “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”

While visiting the town of Belleville, Pennsylvania this spring, I enjoyed eating at Taste of the Valley restaurant. This is the area where The Brides of the Big Valley novella collection is set, and there are some scenes in two of our stories that take place in the Taste of the Valley. We enjoyed eating there on two occasions, and my favorite selection was the Apple Roads salad.

We also had fun visiting with one of our Amish friends while we were in The Big Valley area, and we had the chance to stop by several Amish-owned shops.

If you have visited an Amish community, what is your favorite place to eat? If you have not had the opportunity to visit Amish country, where would you most like to go?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Amish people I know, it’s their ability to accept things that happen to them as God’s will. Recently, one of our dear Amish friends was in a terrible accident, where her buggy got hit from behind. When the vehicle hit her, the impact was so great that it demolished the buggy, killed the horse, and injured my friend’s neck and spine. This sweet Amish lady kept an attitude of acceptance throughout her hospital stay, and is now at home recovering, where she is still keeping a positive attitude and a smile on her face. Some of her family and friends who have visited her say that when they leave this young woman’s home, they feel as though she has ministered to them, instead of the other way around. She even told one person I spoke with that if something good came out of her accident, it would be worth all the discomfort she’d been through.
Life isn’t always fair, but if we learn to appreciate what we have and trust God with our future, we’ll feel a sense of peace and acceptance. Remember this week to accept what you must and change what you can. Look to the future with a sense of hope and thank God for each new day. What do you have to thank God for today?