Chapter Nine of Sierra’s Story and a chat with Shellie

Welcome, my friend! I’m glad you’re back. I’ve got one grand napping, and one occupied with a cartoon. That means my time is limited and there will be typos. Consider yourself warned. LOL!

You may have noticed that your happy hostess has continued to tinker with the format of this podcast/newsletter hybrid ever since I called it quits on live radio to make more room on my plate for family and ministry. You’re smart like that. So, where are we? Well, frankly there’s no “formula” out there for what I’m doing. Most podcasts are precisely that, audio. They don’t come with a newsletter. (And vice versa.) But, hey, I love coloring outside the lines. Always have.  

And so, I tinker.

I’ve recently been opening with show notes and then moving into our chat. Today, I’m flipping things upside down. I realize if you’re reading this on your favorite podcasting platform like iTunes or Spotify, it may seem odd to find the show notes opening like a newsletter, but if you’re reading this via email, or on the website, it will likely seem more natural for you to begin with the newsletter. I call that six of one, half a dozen of the other. That said, if you’ve been waiting for Chapter Nine to drop, feel free to scroll past this visit and find the audio clip below. It’s all good, either way! 

(If you’re reading on a podcast platform, you can go to ShellieT.com to see the pics referenced here. THX!)

It took longer than usual for our summer temps to arrive, but they are here in full force. Unfortunately, Lake Providence is still swollen from the rains, docks remain underwater, and our lake remains closed to traffic. Summer isn’t summer for me until the float boat is in the water and water sports have begun, so I’m super eager for the lake level to return to normal. Hank is also eager to take his place back at the helm. 

 

Meanwhile, my herb and veggie gardens are flourishing. Yesterday I harvested some cucumbers and a bit of fresh dill and whipped up some homemade refrigerator pickles. Here are some pics and here is where you can find that recipe.

 

 

Shiloh’s haircut is showing signs of growing and I’m still laughing about your feedback on that horsey debacle. One of your fellow community friends, Mr. Kermit, reminded me that the difference between a good haircut and a bad one is three days. Poor Shiloh. His is taking a mite longer! LOL!

The grands continue to grow as well, like weeds! It’s hard to believe I’m preparing for the FIFTH Annual Pops and Keggie Kamp, but I am! (Some of you will remember the first one.) There will be the usual lake activities, great grandparent visits, and farm fun, and of course it will all revolve around our daily devos where we plant God’s Truth deep in our hearts. This year we’ll talk about developing an ever increasing hunger for God’s word and our verse will be, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light on my path!” Psalm 119:105

On that note, allow me to leave you with a few words I penned recently contrasting the empty hope and divisive rhetoric saturating our public discourse and the sure and steadfast hope that is Jesus, Light of the World. 

“A Sure and Steadfast Hope”

I am awake to the glory of God shown to all mankind in the cross of Christ and I’m critical of all theories that label and divide us.
Identifying people by race and presupposing who they are or aren’t, and who they will be or can never be because of the skin on their bones isn’t progress. It can’t heal human hearts and it only causes further division, rather than uniting us. Christ followers should recognize such teaching as being contrary to the gospel.

Our hope is sure and steadfast and found in Jesus alone where, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

Man’s best programs and efforts are powerless to educate the evil out of human hearts; what stems from man can’t heal man.

Only One has the power. Only One prepared the Way with His Cross. Only One can unite submitted hearts of every race into a single brotherhood. Jesus. This is the good news we’ve been given to share: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” ~Jesus. John 12:32

Believe it. Live it. Share it. 

Message me if I can pray for you.

Hugs,
Shellie

P.S. This is for my dear longtime reader from Hilton Head, SC. I haven’t heard from you since your Joe passed away. I miss your regular correspondence. I’ve tried to reach out via email with no response. I don’t want to be pushy, but I’m getting worried. If you should see this, please message me. I need to know how you are doing. Blessings, friend. Someone in Louisiana loves you.

 

Show Notes 6/24/21

We’re knee deep into Sierra’s Story and there continue to be more questions than answers. Fun, right? For newcomers to this podcast, I’m dropping one chapter a week this summer as a gift to my readers and podcast listeners! We’ll go back to regular programming in the Fall. For now, I offer you Chapter Nine. In today’s episode, we meet Brandon’s childhood friend. He’s been living with his own guilt over Brandon’s passing and confronting it with Sierra could bring some unexpected healing– or exacerbate her grief. Meanwhile, Charles continues to weave himself into Sierra’s family. Will Sonny wake up before it’s too late? Join us as the story continues to unfold.  

Find Chapter Nine wherever you like to listen to your podcasts, or just click here.

 

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