“The Ark and the Dove” by Jill Eileen Smith is the stirring story of Noah’s wife and a stunning way to experience the Great Flood as one never has before. Zara and Noah walk with the Creator all their lives in a wicked and defiant world, deeply committed to raising their three sons to follow in their footsteps. When the Creator tells Noah to build an ark to escape God’s wrath against the evil sins of all the people on earth, Zara steps out boldly and bravely in faith, an extremely significant course of action since everyone else, with the exception of her husband, her sons, and their wives are destined to be doomed to destruction. When the animals are finally shut up inside the ark, two by two, Zara, Noah and their family embark on a mind-boggling adventure that tests their patience and their faith to the utmost, as they bravely await God’s deliverance and the appearance of dry land. In Jill Eileen Smith’s fiction, women from the margins of biblical history are dramatically brought to life as our imagination swings into full gear. In this stunning book, we view the Great Flood through the eyes of Zara, Noah’s wife. Come and experience this unimaginable adventure as the action unravels in all its thrilling excitement. This is a reading experience like no other, to illuminate our vision of the Great Flood that wipes out the evil world, the Ark that protects Noah’s family and the Dove that is the harbinger of deliverance.
“Angels On Your Side” by Marty Machowski is a very inspiring book for children about the divine presence of Angels and their dramatic protection at God’s explicit command. The graphic illustrations by Rommel Ruiz draws our rapt attention and captures our vivid imagination to make Logan’s story spring to life in a most awesome way. The turbulent storm and Grandpa’s calming presence, coupled with his expert storytelling skill, add to the solemn ambience of the atmosphere. This book reminds us of the glorious fact that God controls all the storms of our lives and His angels watch over us all the time. We don’t ever need to worry or fear about the fearsome army trying to scare us when God’s angel armies are defending us constantly. I heartily recommend this brilliantly illustrated book to win the hearts of children worldwide.
After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned . . . strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
— ACTS 14: 21, 22
In California are several fruit-tree farmers I am honored to call friends and brothers in Christ. In the midst of the tree farms are the great vineyards of Gallo wines. The grapevines are flooded at the right time; fertilizer and bug spray are added, and generally these plants are quite pampered to produce great clumps of grapes that are used to make $7.00 bottles of wine. In one section of the vineyards are found areas of very special vines that were frozen nearly to the point of death before being planted, and then their water and fertilizer are withheld; they are watched carefully to see that they constantly remain on the verge of death. The end results are very petite grapes, which, because they have been stressed, are packed with flavor and fragrance and are used to produce $200 bottles of wine.
I like to parallel the condition of the stressed grapes with the existence of many believers who submit gladly to God when He is producing stressed fruit in their lives. Job looked at others who believed in God and wondered at the ease of their life. They had become “the big vines” with less problems, no experience of loss nearly like his, and with much fruit. However, it was not $200 fruit. A stressed grape takes more care, and in that the stressed believer can rejoice, remembering that God is watching over him with special attention!
“I wanted to update the ministry’s logo while at the same time honor my dad. As I was thinking about the logo and the mission of ALMI, it reminded me of the tree my dad loved in the mountains near our cabin. The tree had been hit by lightning and the trunk had this really cool twist to it, appearing to have turned around to grow down before returning to reach skyward. He always said it reminded him of our walk with Jesus, because we can feel like we are veering off the path, but God is teaching us in the twist and always–in His timing–bringing us back to Him. Using the whole tree in the logo was a great representation of John 15, since it shows the whole fruit, vine, and parts that have been pruned. A lot of gratitude goes to Dean Piersee for working with me to create this logo. When I saw the finished product, I was in tears because it brought to life every element I had wanted to incorporate.”
“The Sweet Life” by Suzanne Woods Fischer is set in Cape Cod, a place where the sweet life might just happen when one least expects it! Dawn Dixon is on a groomless honeymoon with her mother, as Kevin, the man she loves, broke her heart and left her.
Mom, Marnie Dixon, on a sudden whim, buys a run-down ice cream shop with grandiose plans to fix it up, although she has never remodeled anything in her life. What’s more, she has never even made ice cream before! Dawn has to fix this fiasco. The ice cream shop may have unwittingly created a happy ending, one Dawn could never have expected in her faintest dreams, when it brings Kevin back into her life. “The Sweet Life” is all about the joy of restored relationships and the bright new hope of second chances. I highly recommend this wonderful book.
With over 1.5 million copies sold, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of over 30 books, ranging from novels to children’s books to non-fiction. She is a Christy Award finalist, a winner of Carol and Selah awards, and a two-time finalist for ECPA Book of the Year. She writes stories that take you to places you’ve never visited—one with characters that seem like old friends. But most of all, her books give you something to think about long after you’ve finished reading it. Suzanne lives with her very big family in northern California.
More from Suzanne
The Sweet Life is a story about a mom and a daughter who, both in need of a little respite from life’s bumps and bruises, start an ice cream shop on Cape Cod…thinking it will be easy. After all, who doesn’t love ice cream?
Well, sure. That’s true. Everybody loves ice cream. But ice cream can be tricky. This I can say with authority. My husband is a serious hobby ice cream maker. He even attended Penn State’s Ice Cream School. While Steve was working on his vanilla recipe, he experimented fifty-nine times before he was finally satisfied. 59 times! Other flavors, like chocolate, can mask mistakes. Not vanilla. Too pure.
Here’s a few other things you probably didn’t know about ice cream:
The very first mention of a frozen dessert dates back to Persia in 550 BC, though it might have been sorbet-like. It’s said that Emperor Nero had ice brought down from the Apennine Mountains to produce a sorbet of honey and wine. And then there are those who insist that ice cream came out of China, and were introduced to Italy with the help of Marco Polo. Regardless of its origins, a love of ice cream has been around for a very, very long time.
Quaker colonists introduced ice cream to early America, having brought their recipes with them from England. Some argue that the French brought ice cream to America. Regardless, during the colonial era, ice cream was sold in shops in New York.
George Washington loved ice cream. So much so that he even brought ice cream making equipment to Mount Vernon! There are many accounts of “ice creem” (as it was then called) served during his administration.
First LadyDolley Madison, wife of U.S. President James Madison, served ice cream at her husband’s Inaugural Ball in 1813. Common colonial flavors were soft fruits, like peaches or strawberries, added to a vanilla custard. Dolley had a curious favorite flavor: oyster. (Ugh.)
In September of 1846, a Philadelphia house wife named Nancy Johnson filed patent #3254 for a simple hand cranked ice cream churn. Prior to this point, ice cream belonged to the wealthy. Her hand cranked ice cream churn made it affordable for everyone. Nancy Johnson’s design is still used today.
During the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, an ice cream vendor ran out of cardboard dishes. The vendor next door offered to make cones by rolling up his waffles. Voila! The birth of the ice cream cone.
The majority of American ice cream companies have been in business for more than 50 years. Many of them are still owned by single families.
For the last 128 years, Penn State University has held Ice Cream School for professionals and serious hobbyists during January (for obvious reasons). All the greats have attended: Baskin & Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Dreyer’s, Nestle’s, Blue Bell Creamery, Dairy Queen, and…my husband.
The most popular flavor in the world? Vanilla. Of course.
“The Prince and the Prodigal” by Jill Eileen Smith is the fascinating, true life story of Joseph, the pampered, favorite son of the Biblical patriarch, Jacob. His older brothers, deeply resentful of his favoured status, got rid of him by selling him to slave traders going to Egypt. They deceived their father about his fate. While Joseph is falsely accused and imprisoned, his elder brother, Judah tries to escape the haunting memory of his terrible complicity in betraying Joseph. After spending decades apart, the brothers come face-to-face in a stunning reversal of fate. Joseph, as Prime Minister of Egypt, wields great power and authority, while Judah pitifully begs for mercy. Will forgiveness or vengeance win? Jill Eileen Smith’s genuinely authentic research and highly imaginative skills are beautifully displayed in this fantastic life story of terrible jealousy, horrible betrayal, and a heartwarming reconciliation that only God can bring about, in His own divine plan and purpose, to bring glory to His name. Jill Eileen Smith pays expert attention to historical and cultural detail, as well as emotional sensitivity. Her great talent lies in exploring the plausible emotional and spiritual journeys of Biblical characters and expounds them graphically for readers of today. Jill infuses well-known Biblical stories with emotional depth and a modern sensibility rarely seen in historical novels. She breathes new creativity into well-known sacred Bible stories, causing them to spring out imaginatively, large as life, with captivating personalities, to inspire readers of today.
ANOINTED TO SERVE - Miriam Jacob 
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