Something for Every Reader Give-Away!

A note from Jocelyn: I am so excited to be part of author Joanne Bischof's "Something for Every Reader" blog tour to celebrate the release of My Hope Is Found, the grand finale to her Cadence of Grace series! She's here today with  a devotional thought, and at the end of the post you may enter to win her book, plus mine! Be sure to check out the other stops along the blog tour to enter for other terrific book packages as well.

Weeping vs. Joy

by Joanne Bischof As a writer works on a novel, we often think of a verse that might fit the story. An epigraph, of sorts. As I was writing Be Still My Soul, I knew that the opening verse would be Psalm 30:5. And as author Jocelyn Green was working on Widow of Gettysburg, she knew the opening verse would be Psalm 30:5, too! When we became friends, neither of us knew about it until later on when our books came out. We had a good laugh.

Truly…it’s the perfect verse for both books. A great many stories, really. Because in many ways, this verse encompasses the beauty of a story. That though weeping may endure for a night…joy comes in the morning. It’s the journey we sometimes travel in life, the thread woven through a tale. But why the weeping? Why can’t life just be easy and grand and always delightful? I think because it’s part of the story. It’s part of our story, at times. I look back over my life and I see the valleys of shadow… the seasons of life when nothing made sense and the darkness felt ever-present. Have you ever had a time like that? It feels big and heavy and we wonder if the sun could ever rise again. It’s that moment when—as we are faced with nothing but loss and emptiness—God reaches down and we feel His touch. His ever-present goodness. That promise that no matter what, He is by our side. He will never leave us or forsake us. It’s what we cling to. Resting in the comfort of His faithfulness. And then suddenly, the mountain comes into view, the shadows fall away. We never know what it’s going to look like but then, there it is… that light on the horizon. Golden, warm—freeing. For joy comes in the morning. The sun hits us and we feel it through every inch of our bodies. Hope infusing our every limb. A glance back shows the valley, and while at the time, we may have yearned to be free of the darkness, we also know that it’s because of the valley, that we can experience the full joy of the light.

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Can you think of a time when Psalm 30:5 unfolded in your life?

About Joanne

Christy Award-finalist and author of The Cadence of Grace series, Joanne Bischof has a deep passion for Appalachian culture and writing stories that shine light on God’s grace and goodness. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her husband and their three children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, folk music, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life.

The Give-away

Thanks for visiting us on the “A Book For Every Reader” blog tour! Leave a comment below to be entered to win not one but TWO books! One of Joanne’s and one of mine: Widow of Gettysburg. (Click the book covers for more information on each story.) Also, to enter in the grand giveaway prize which includes some country goodies and an e-reader, simply hop on over and fill out the entry form: http://www.joannebischof.com/extras/blogtour/ You’ll also find the official details. Winners will be drawn on September 28^th and contacted via email. Thanks for joining us!