As you may or may not have noticed, we’ve taken a pause on our blog posts here the last couple months. There are several reasons why. As I tried to juggle homeschooling my girls, my website design services, and meet writing deadlines, I realized I didn’t have enough time to do all of that well and also continue doing interviews/reviews as I hoped. After spending months struggling to keep up, I realized there was another way. One that required letting go, but also invited in rest and refreshment from the Lord. This new way to walk in means saying goodbye to the blog for now, so we can pour our hearts and time more into our families, take care of our health, and write more stories.

Starting in 2023, we’ll be taking a break here, in hopes to return with more reviews and interviews in the future. This decision wasn’t easy to make. Heather and I love our authors and readers. It’s been a joy connecting with you all for years and we will miss you greatly.

The Engrafted Word was a gift to me from the beginning. What is even more special is that YOU were kind enough to meet me here and together we grew and discovered wonderful stories. We explored many great books, but it’s the stories of the authors and readers along the way that remain my favorite. Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment with us.

I hope you continue reading and supporting great Christian fiction. My TBR pile continues to grow and I can’t wait to read more great books in the New Year. You might just catch an occasional review from us here when we read something we just have to share with you. We invite you to stay connected with us through our social media too.

To celebrate the New Year and these new beginnings, we wanted to do one final giveaway. Here’s the 2 Ebooks you could win…

A year of gospel-saturated daily devotions from renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg.

Start with the gospel each and every day with this one-year devotional by renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg.

We all need to be reminded of the truth that anchors our life and excites and equips us to live for Christ. Reflecting on a short passage each day, Alistair spans the Scriptures to show us the greatness and grace of God, and to thrill our hearts to live as His children. His clear, faithful exposition and thoughtful application mean that this resource will both engage your mind and stir your heart.

Each day includes prompts to apply what you’ve read, a related Bible text to enjoy, and a plan for reading through the whole of the Scriptures in a year.

If there is one thing she has learned in England, it’s that not all Englishmen are created equal. Because this guy was turning out to be a real pill.

Tired of spending the holidays throwing up on cruises with her parents and, you know, being dumped by ex-boyfriends, Claire Frost is determined to change her luck this Christmas. Taking time off from her flower shop, she follows her friend to London, ready to enjoy all-things England. And boy, does she. The frost-covered flowers. The frozen green hills. The bright red telephone boxes. The festive Christmas markets.

Also the men. Definitely the men.

Except, of course, her friend’s cousin. Liam Everhart is super attractive, super swoony, and super English. Too bad he’s also a super jerk. A super jerk whom she now has to spend every minute with. What a blessed, blessed relief that his Darcy/Poldark looks are overshadowed by his Darth Vader/Malfoy personality. She had enough Christmas baggage to deal with, so why would she ever add a swoony Englishman to the mix?

This is a clean, sweet, wholesome romance set in present-day London, England that features the enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity tropes, with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

ENTER HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering! Giveaway ends January 8, 2023 . The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody!

A note from Heather…

The past couple of months have been rough for me as I have been fighting the flu. So I am even more grateful to be well enough to celebrate this wonderful time of the year. As many of you know, the best part of the season is remembering what Christ did for us when He was born in a manger so long ago. His grace, love, and promises still hold true to this day.

Love and kindness are definitely two words that are close to my heart, and are actions I strive to live by, but of course, I’m not perfect. With being sick, I was reminded once again of God’s perfect love and goodness. He knows our hurts and frustrations, and He is right there beside us guiding us through the perils of life. His incredible grace is just that–incredible. This new year, try to remember a time when Jesus rescued you, and then reflect on just how amazing that is while also realizing His great love for you. That’s right–Jesus loves you!

I have so loved writing for The Engrafted Word. Working with Savanna has been a delight, and her friendship has been a gift from the Lord. Literary friends are the best! While Savanna and I have decided to take a break from this blog for a bit, don’t worry,we’ll still be around for the occasional post. Thank you for all your support, encouragement, and readership these past three years. I wish all of you a Happy New Year and the happiest of holidays! As always, happy reading friends!

A note from Savanna…

I can’t quite believe we’ve already arrived at the holidays, but I’m not complaining. I love this time of year. 🙂 And there is so much to be grateful for! God’s goodness abounds, as always.

I’m sorry we’ve been a bit silent on the blog these last couple months. Between taking care of our families, attending writers’ conferences and working on our stories, we’ve had to pause The Engrafted Word for a bit.

However, we did not want the holiday to go by without saying how much we appreciate each of you and that we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Stay tuned next week for our big annual giveaway. No holidays are complete without some great books, right?

A note from Heather…

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday celebrating with family and friends. And of course, hopefully you can sneak a bit of reading time in too! My goal this season is to read at least four Christmas books…even though I’ve purchased more Christmas stories than that. 🙂 So, I’ll have to let you know my reading progress at a later date, but for now, happy reading friends!

We’ll talk with you more soon!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Award-winning author Lori Benton delivers a rich historical novel of faith, hope, and second chances.

DECEMBER 1795

A year has passed since Ian Cameron reluctantly sent his uncle’s former slave, Seona, and their son, Gabriel, north to his kin in Boston. Determined to fully release them, Ian strives to make a life at Mountain Laurel, his inherited plantation, along with Judith, the wife he’s vowed to love and cherish. But when tragedy leaves him alone with his daughter, Mandy, and his three remaining slaves, he decides to return north. An act of kindness on the journey provides Ian the chance to obtain land near the frontier settlement of Shiloh, New York. Perhaps even the hope for a new life with those he still holds dear.

In Boston, Seona has taken her first tentative steps as a freewoman, while trying to banish Ian from her heart. The Cameron family thinks she and Gabriel should remain under their protection. Seona’s mother, Lily, thinks it’s time they strike out on their own. Then Ian arrives, offering a second chance Seona hadn’t dared imagine. But the wide-open frontier of Shiloh feels as boundless and terrifying as her newfound freedom—a place of new friends and new enemies, where deep bonds are renewed but old hurts stand ready to rear their heads. It will take every ounce of faith and courage Ian and Seona can muster to fight for their family and their future . . . together.

Available for Pre-Order March 1, 2021!

If you haven’t yet read Mountain Laurel (Kindred #1) be sure to grab a copy before Shiloh releases this autumn (10/5/21). Shiloh also revisits several key characters from Lori’s debut novel, Burning Sky. If you’ve yet to make their acquaintance, good news! There’s plenty of time to meet the frontier denizens of Shiloh, New York in the pages of Burning Sky before Shiloh’s October release.

I’m SO excited to read Shiloh!! Be sure to add this one to your TBR pile! 🙂 Lori’s books are not to be missed!

Well, this news just made my week! I am so delighted to have The Engrafted Word nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Kathleen Denly.

The Sunshine Blogger Award is a peer recognition for bloggers across all genres who inspire “positivity and joy.” While there is no formal evaluation or vetting process, and no tangible prize, it is a sweet gift to receive from fellow bloggers who view my blog as “inspiring positivity and joy.”

Blogging has certainly been a joy for me these past 5 years. I’m so blessed by readers like Kathleen, who inspire me in return.

Sunshine Blogger Award rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

My answers to the 11 questions from Kathleen:

What is one lesson you had to learn the hard way?

Sometimes the challenge is part of the adventure. My hubby loves to try new things and is always challenging me to step outside my comfort zone. One of our recent adventures this year was skiing. A vacation to Colorado sounds lovely, right? But this trip proved to be HARD WORK! 😉 After 3 days on the mountain, learning to ski, facing fears and falling a LOT, I had to embrace the journey for what it was – An adventure in perseverance and having faith in my hubby to keep me from crashing! 😉

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

This one is hard for me to narrow down. A couple things come to mind.

A couple years ago, my mom, sister and I went to see Beth Moore speak. Such an amazing conference! At the very end, as Beth was about to walk off stage after two days of inspiring teaching, she held up her Bible as her goodbye. “Stay in the Word, friends. Stay in the Word.” Her simple, yet wise advice continues to bless and guide me to this day. Everything we need is found in God’s Word and in fellowshipping with Him. Staying in His Word will renew us every day of our lives.

Another quote I want to share is from Allen Arnold, who offers so much wonderful advice and encouragement for writers and Christians alike, it’s hard to pick just one point. But I love the advice in this quote of his…

“If you do only one thing today, love God with all your heart. Start there. That will lead to you loving others well. And in the process, you will love yourself well. But it all begins in intimacy with God.”

I treasure these reminders. To love and live well, we must walk close with God and love Him above all.

Why did you start blogging and is the reason you continue to blog different?

I wanted a place to gather with kindred spirits and talk about our favorite books and get to know our favorite authors. I wanted to help authors get the word out about their stories and, as a writer myself, learn from them. Connecting with fellow writers and reader friends was – and still is – my joy in blogging.

What are you reading right now and which book is next on your TBR?

I just started Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green. Her books are always fantastic, so I know this will be no exception. Plus, that cover is GORGEOUS! Next up on my list is Joanne Bischof’s Daughters of Northern Shores. (Apparently, there’s a lot of “shores” to explore.) 😉 I’m happy to read everything and anything Joanne writes and I’ve been waiting for this sequel for a long time. Can’t wait to start it soon!

What is your favorite comfort food?

Does coffee count? 🙂 In fact, I just finished my afternoon cup a few minutes ago. 🙂 It’s what keeps me going!

When you aren’t reading or blogging, what are you most likely to be doing?

More often than not, I’m trying to keep up with my two-year-old daughter, Allison. I try to work during her nap time on other projects, such as my own novel or designing a website, but once she’s awake, we’re back to playing with Legos, reading books, working in the garden, or attempting our latest “adventure” — potty training. (Pray for me!)

Who inspired your love of reading?

Thanks to my parents who homeschooled me and my siblings, I fell in love with reading at an early age. I also was inspired by my grandma, who introduced me to Janette Oke books when I was a teenager. I’ve loved Christian fiction ever since.

Of all the pieces of clothing you own, which is your favorite and why?

Okay, don’t judge me, but the first thing that comes to mind is my sweatpants. I prefer something comfy and that’s one of the perks of being a stay-at-home mom and writer. I can work, eat, sleep and play in my pajamas. 🙂

What is the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome as a blogger?

Time! There just never seems to be enough of it to go around. 😉 Most days I’m torn between several writing projects and very little opportunity to sit at my desk. My adorable girlie LOVES to pull me away from the computer to play. And I have a hard time resisting that sweet invitation!

What is your favorite genre to read?

If you’ve followed my blog for very long, you probably already know… Historical romance!!!

Of all the blog posts you’ve written, which is your favorite? Please post the link.

One of my favorite posts I’ve written was a little “behind-the-scenes” about the day I wrote The End on book 4. Such a special memory! I posted it on my author website here: https://savannakaiser.com/reaching-the-end/

I nominate these 11 bloggers/authors:

Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

Kimberly Joy

Cynthia Herron

Faithfully Bookish

Reading is my Superpower

Cynthia Roemer

Heidi Reads

JustCommonly

Laurie Tomlinson

Singing Librarian Books

Joanne Bischof

The questions for my nominees:

1. What (or who) inspired you to start blogging?
2. How has blogging changed your life overall?
3. What has been your favorite read of 2019 so far?
4. What is one of your favorite songs?
5. If you could take a vacation anywhere, what destination would you choose?
6. When you aren’t reading or blogging, what are you most likely to be doing?
7. What would you say is the easiest part about being a writer and what is the hardest part?
8. Who inspired your love of reading?
9. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
10. What was your favorite book as a child?
11. Of all the blog posts you’ve written, which is your favorite? Please post the link.

Hi everyone! My name is Heather Snyder, and I am so excited to begin writing for The Engrafted Word. You might recognize me from my own blog—Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen, which will celebrate its four-year anniversary in February! After earning my B.A. in English and Secondary Education and my M.A. in English, I attended my first writing conference. Each author I spoke with encouraged me to pursue writing, and the first thing I created was my blog.

My blog has been a labor of love. Each year has brought more growth, and it is wonderful to see how the Lord has changed my writing and me throughout these last four years. I love writing book reviews, interviewing authors, and taking part in book tours, yet it has also been so lovely to get to know other writers in the Christian fiction world. My work with the Daily Megaphone and First Line Fridays has introduced me to so many remarkable people. I cannot wait until I get to meet them in person at a conference one day! Writing is such a gift, and it is something I do not call my own. I am so grateful for this gift that the Lord has given to me, and I am so happy to be able to share my stories with you.

Savanna is such an amazing friend, and I am so honored to be cowriting with her on this blog. There are so many wonderful things in store for you dear readers! Please do not hesitate to contact me via my blog or my social media. Savanna and I both are thrilled about this new writing journey, and we are praying for each of you. Have a wonderful day friends and happy reading!

I can’t even begin to list my top favorite Christmas songs.  I have a feeling I’d start the list and it would grow and grow with no clear end in sight.  There would be the hymns, the classics, and the old records my Mom used to play.  You can see why I start playing those beloved tunes in November… much to my hubby’s dismay I might add. 😉

I hope you’ll enjoy the few I’ve included below to share with you.  And please, be sure to share one of your favorites of the season with me in the comments below.  I’m curious… and always on the lookout for more!  Shhh! Just don’t tell my hubby! 😉

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This first one is a fairly new song to me, but a beautiful one nevertheless.  I saw the group Downhere in concert a few years ago and they sang it just as beautifully then. 😉

Next up is one I used to listen to on cassette tape.  Yep, that’s right. 😉 I recently re-discovered it on Spotify and was so blessed by this worship medley.  I fall more in love with the words  – and my Savior – every time I hear it.  I hope you’ll take the time to listen through the whole song.  I promise you won’t regret it.

If you’ve not heard of these guys below – The Piano Guys – you’re in for a real treat!  This is just one of many of theirs I love!

And last but not least, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite crooners – Michael Buble – singing my wish for all of you. 😉  Have a Merry Little Christmas!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeXFo-R60cM

What is YOUR favorite Christmas song? 

Which of these from above have you heard before, if any?