For true believers out there, how often do we get off track with God? Put ourselves in the driver’s seat? For my debut novel, A Nanny for the Rancher’s Twins, the heroine became a believer as a teen, but without discipleship or accountability, she lived many years as a baby believer.
Hebrews 5:12-14 tells us … For though by this time, you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Are you on solid food, or still drinking milk?
The Hebrews verse tells us that solid food is for the mature. And Laney Taylor simply never grew in her beliefs.
When the book starts, Laney is just entering Serenity, Texas and her life has drastically changed from being a confident person with every moment planned and busy to transforming her aunt and uncle’s ranch into a wedding venue. Soon after she arrives, she spots her deceased aunt’s worn Bible and begins reading it again. Those moments with God give her a measure of peace she hasn’t felt in a long while because Jesus is filling her up.
John 4:14 tells us … but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Soon enough, Laney realizes she has been setting her sights on her career, and not on God. Oh my, it is easy to slip into taking charge of your own life. To not focus on eternity and the reason we are here on earth.
Do you set your sights on yourself and your accomplishments, or on God?
Laney realizes her slip up and prays to keep her eyes on her Savior. (Heb 12:2 ~ looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.)
But all those years of setting her sights on her career and not Jesus, creates some doubt in Laney. She and her aunt had talked of the wedding venue for years. They had both anticipated the opening of the wedding venue. But Laney’s aunt won’t be there, and she is concerned she missed her chance to start the business when her aunt and uncle were alive. Thankfully, with a voice of wisdom to talk this over with, she soon realizes that everything is in God’s timing.
Laney is able to rest in the Jeremiah 29:11 verse, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. By the end of the book, she is convinced that God’s plan for her all along was to return to Serenity after her aunt and uncle passed away.
Are you struggling with God’s timing or purpose in your life today?
I know Laney’s story is just a snippet, but I pray these Bible verses will point you back to the one in charge. The only reason we are here. And see how sovereign God is.
Returning to small-town Texas was her fresh start.
She never expected a ready-made family.
What could be better than running a rustic wedding venue? Event planner Laney Taylor has it all laid out…except for the serious renovations her inherited property needs. Rancher Ethan McCaw will help—but only if she’ll nanny his toddler twins. Laney’s all about planning weddings for others and shielding her own heart, but Ethan, Zoe and Tori might be just the ones to change her mind…
A Nanny for the Rancher’s Twins can be purchased locally at Walmart or Barnes & Noble or purchased online at Amazon or Harlequin.
Heidi Main writes sweet inspirational romance novels set in small towns. She lives in the central North Carolina’s suburbs, but dreams of acreage and horseback riding, which is why her novels include wide-open ranches and horses. Before starting her writing career, Heidi worked with computers and taught Jazzercise. A perfect Saturday is lounging on the deck with her husband and watching the many birds in their backyard.
You may contact her anytime at heidi@heidimain.com or find her on social media:
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