TESSA STOCKTON, Novelist
  • Home
  • Books
  • Bio
  • Blogette
     Speculative Fiction
           Biblical Worldview

         Pressing through...        

2020 Vision

1/9/2021

0 Comments

 
In hindsight, last year gave us the means to sharpen our vision for the future, to balance what is important, and find a better way to manage and appreciate life. The means to seek a clearer vision according to God’s perfect vision for us (his will, not ours) and be grateful for each day we have despite what storms around us.

We’ve been rocked—and not in a good way—by the pandemic and politics. We can’t help these things… or… can we? To some extent, we can. It’s our responses to these things that make the difference. I’m fond of the phrase, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it.” Here’s another by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “What you do speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you say.” Our behavior should correspond with the root of our beliefs. So now, I’d like to address some of my fellow believers in Jesus.
 
Call this a heart’s cry, but I’m crushed by what I see. Most disheartening, the attitude and angry speech from quite a few of my Christian peers who are spouting steam worse than an old locomotive. How persuasive is the demonstration of anger and the spirit of hate, which is contrary to God’s spirit, when the entire world rolls in hate-hysteria? Where’s the differentiation? Where’s the hope and encouragement? What difference does political affiliation make in loving your neighbor? Some of us have lost sight, are losing sight. If there was, God forbid, a massive earthquake in your neighborhood and people were trapped under rubble, would you reach in there and offer a helping hand or would you stand by and say, “What’s your affiliation? Because I’m only helping you if it lines up with mine.”
 
If you’re one of those screaming about injustice, remember that Jesus, the one in whom you believe, suffered the greatest injustice of all. Yet, he went as a lamb to the slaughter--as a lamb—for the sake of us all; not a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s coming back as a lion, but that time hasn’t come yet—and it’s his right to roar when it does. In the meantime, by his grace we’re commissioned to be examples of light, salts of the earth, human versions of God’s steadfast love. Instead, social media, especially, reeks of an old famous bar where everybody knows your name and has to prove a point, prove a point, prove a point! It’s a frenzy; it’s an addiction. Easy to get caught up in—but where is the higher standard if we do as the world does? Where are the lambs?
 
I hope that instead of heated tongue-wagging, name-calling, and other adverse reactions, we can create an element of infectious peace—even, and especially, if we don’t agree with the climate. If you think I’m saying that we need to strive much harder to live and lead by Jesus’ example, then you are absolutely right—and I’m speaking to myself first.
 
Finally, if the present affairs are just too ugly and you feel like a loner going against the whitewater current of popular hysteria, then find a nice quiet place to pray. Because in the Lord’s presence is peace. There, we can find the strength to hold higher, a shield of honor, emblazoned with the blood of Jesus, this scripture:
 
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” — Colossians 3:12-14
0 Comments

More Than a Resolution

1/2/2020

2 Comments

 
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, because every morning is like starting afresh and I strive to do the best I can each day. But I’ll often receive a scriptural theme that blankets the coming year. For 2020, it’s Psalm 63:3-4: “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift my hands."
 
Too often, it seems the urge during prayer or reflection is self-centered. That is: focus on self, do something good for self, be my better self, etc. But the more challenging life gets—and it can get pretty stinky—the more I’m certain Self can’t help with squat. 2020 will be like all the other years before it in that our days will have its difficulties. We might experience great or little change, promotions or loss—whatever it is—the only thing steadfast and better than life is the Lord’s love. So, I figure, no matter what, if we focus on that, his love, and do the best we can with what he has given us, praising him through the beautiful weather and the storms, we’ll be more than all right. And at the end of the year, if we’ve scaled a few mountains it’s because he got us there and we can look back and enjoy the view knowing he’s got this, ordaining the steps of the journey. He’s got us and we’ve got him. Breathe. Happy New Year.
Picture
2 Comments

Carry My Heart

7/29/2014

0 Comments

 
They are worlds apart. It’s true, opposites attract. Yet together they’re turned upside down and cannot find a way to coexist. But God does. 
Picture
Newly released, my latest novel from the Hearts in Africa series. Now available on Amazon.

"Sometimes people ask God to join them in what they are doing, rather than joining God in what He is doing. Emotional tension already high, Nick and Claire are jostled by circumstances as they struggle between human understanding, desire, and the will of God. In the end, they realize that He had their best interests in mind all along. From the wilderness of Washington State, straight to the heart of the Maasai in Tanzania, onto the spice island of Zanzibar and around again, the path of faith and the outcome of their relationship are ultimately made clear in a whirlwind of adventure, trials, and enduring love. Uniquely sweet, Carry My Heart is a memorable missionary romance." ~ CPP

0 Comments

Warm My Heart (an introduction)

1/24/2014

0 Comments

 
   Women threw beads and necklaces around Sarah’s neck and arms. One woman draped a red shuka, like a toga, around her and the olakaria, red ochre, came next. They painstakingly drew designs over Sarah’s face and laughed. It must have looked comical! Sarah could only imagine. Francine held up a compact mirror. True enough; the red face paint glowed bright on her much paler complexion - in spite of the thick layers of dust she had accumulated from the day’s adventure.
   
   “Look good,” Nefa managed to say with much deliberation, pointing at Sarah, addressing the others. Now only women stood facing the fire, singing. Nefa smiled and pulled Sarah fully into the circle. The dance the women executed differed slightly from the male version. They rose up and down from their ankles, and their torsos pulsated back and forth with a more drastic shimmy. They sang ear piercingly loud. Sarah had difficulty mimicking the movements. The unfamiliar cadence made her feel dim-witted, but she tried her hardest to get it. Participation in the ritual seemed an important requirement of this life. Still, she knew she must look ridiculous next to the graceful lines and beautiful movements of the taller and leaner Maasai women.

   After the dance, Sarah asked, “What does this dance, this song, mean?”

   “God…give us…children!” Nefa proclaimed.

   Sarah darted out of the circle, covering her reddened face. The women cackled after her. One of them stated, in quite good English, how Sarah was too old to be an unmarried woman. And wouldn’t she dance with them again, this time asking their Engai, God, for a man, too?

Loosely based on real life events and a deep love and appreciation for the Maasai, I’d like to introduce Warm My Heart, the first novel of my Hearts in Africa series.
Picture
Sarah heads into the bush of East Africa to become a missionary to the Maasai. Mitch, having made his home there, is driven to serve God out of a guilt-ridden past. In a harsh and dangerous environment where faith is challenged, circumstances draw them together. Yet the pain and secrets of the past rise up to stand in the way of what they both want but can’t seem to have, each other. How can they retain the power of love between them when they have so much to overcome?

0 Comments
    Picture
    TESSA STOCKTON, AUTHOR, BLOG - Pressing through life, love, a few things that matter, and a lot of things that don't.


    ​​LATEST NOVEL:​

    Picture

    Picture

    For Tessa's new
    ​book alerts:

    SUBSCRIBE
    FOLLOW ON AMAZON

    --------

    VIEW BLOGGER PROFILE
    Goodreads: Book reviews, recommendations, and discussion

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Acfw Bookclub
    Africa
    Aging
    Allegorical
    Angst Fiction
    An Hour In Heaven
    Animals
    Anna Bolena Opera
    Anna Netrebko
    Annie Lennox
    Answered Prayer
    Argentina
    Author Interview
    Ballet West
    Barber's Adagio For Strings
    Biblical Worldview
    Blogging
    Bluegrass Underground
    Book Giveaway
    Book Tours
    Branding
    Breaking Pointe
    Bruce Judisch
    Choices
    Choreography
    College-age Characters
    Compassion
    Contemporary Romance
    Contests
    Contract
    Conviction
    Creativity
    Culture
    Cumberland Caverns
    Dance
    Dark
    Dark Horse
    Death & Life
    Debate
    Deep Sorrow
    Definitions
    Dirty War
    Disappointment
    Discipleship
    E Books
    E-books
    Empathy
    Enovella
    Equine
    E Readers
    E-readers
    Estratasphere
    Expression
    Fairy Tales
    Faith
    Fantasy
    Fantasy Romance
    Fear
    Fiction
    Films
    First Nations
    Flamenco
    Forgiveness
    For Maria
    Friends
    Georg Mertens
    Giants
    Globus
    Goddess Fish Book Promotions
    Gogol Bordello
    Grace
    Grief
    Guitar
    Gustaw Szelski
    Gypsy Music
    Hanna Senesh
    Hanukkah
    Heart Seeing
    Heart Seeing
    Hesitation
    Hidden Children
    Hiking
    Historical Fiction
    Hoodoo
    Horses
    Hummingbird And The Flower
    Hunger Games
    Hype Vs. Humanity
    Icfw
    Impatience
    Influential Literature
    Influential Music
    Inspirational
    Integrity
    Internet
    Introspection
    Introvert
    Invitation To Dance
    Irrational Love
    Irritations
    Jacque's Whistle Stop Cafe
    Jenolan Caves
    J.R.R. Tolkien
    Katia
    K. Dawn Byrd
    Kindness
    Leo Tolstoy
    Lessons From The Open Road
    Life
    Losses And Gains
    Losses And Gains
    Love
    Lya Luft
    Maasai
    Many Tribes
    Marguerite Duras
    Marketing
    Meekness
    Mermaids
    Mermen
    Midweek Slump
    Mini Vacations
    Miracles
    Missionaries
    Missions
    Motorcycles
    Muse
    Musicals
    National Dance Day
    Native Americans
    Nature
    Nephilim
    New Release
    Night Owl Reviews
    Nostalgia
    Novella
    One Church
    Opera
    Outdoors
    Palace Of Mirrors
    Paranormal
    Peace
    Personality Types
    Perspective
    Pets
    Pirate
    Poetry
    Politics
    Promo
    Publicists
    Publicity
    Publishing
    Pump Up Your Book
    RED
    Regret
    Religion
    Reminiscing
    Remorse
    Rerelease
    Reviews
    Richard Smallwood
    Richard Twiss
    Risk
    Romance
    Romance Genre
    Romantic Mystery
    Sailor Envy
    Sandy Hook Tragedy
    Sanity
    Sea God's Siren
    Secrets
    Shattered Identity
    Smuggled Mutation
    Soul Mate Publishing
    Speculation
    Speculative
    Spiritual Affirmation
    Steven D. Scheibe
    Storms
    Supernatural
    Suspense/Thriller
    Sytycd
    The Brother's Keep Series
    The Civil Wars
    The Met
    The Paganini Duo
    The Phantom
    The Secret Of The Love Letters
    The South
    The Unforgivable
    The Unspeakable
    Total Praise
    Trails
    Tree Lord's Oracle
    Trials
    Unruly Guides
    Vampire
    Versatile
    Violence In Literature
    Violin
    Wade Robson
    Waiting
    Wandering
    Wbir
    Whiter Shade Of Pale
    Wiconi International
    Wild Mustang
    Wind's Aria
    Wings Epress
    Wip
    Wisdom
    Writers
    Writing
    Wwii

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    July 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

"For news to be good it has to invade bad spaces."—Matt Chandler
​
CONTACT

COPYRIGHT © 2021 TESSA STOCKTON. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Books
  • Bio
  • Blogette