Monday, April 28, 2014

Bullet in the Night Releases!

Author, Judith Rolfs' book, Bullet in the Night, releases Wednesday, April 30th. However, it is available for pre-order on Amazon.



Read this short interview to get an idea of this suspenseful story.

What is the setting for your mystery Bullet in the Night?
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I consider it a great, undeserved privilege to  live in the Lake Geneva area. Of course I write about this wonderful place. My characters walk the lake path, get coffee at Starbucks and visit City Hall. They run along the side roads and my heroine works in quaint downtown Lake Geneva in a remodeled Victorian home. I hope the energy of this marvelous getaway destination creeps into my writing.
How do you develop your characters?
My fascinating characters find me. They’re composites of nobody I know who arrive full-blown in my brain. The miracle of writing is you never know who will show up at what point of the manuscript.
Some of these interesting people have complex lives that benefit from professional counseling. That’s how I can incorporate my experience as a marriage and family counselor much like John Grisham writes about the law.
What’s the theme of Bullet in the Night?
Dual theme actually. Friendship and relationships are sacred, undervalued essentials in life. My heroine almost loses a dear friend and colleague which is a wake-up call to treasure those closest to her.
The equally emphasized second theme is that people can become new creations with a little social and spiritual assistance. Even hardened criminals can change. It helps to provide them with support and direction.
 What other published books have you authored?
 I write in multiple genres. I have a new non-fiction book out called How To Be A Super Grandparent. My children’s storybook recently released is Unforgettable Stories For Kids.
 In my humble opinion no child should grow up without developing their imagination through reading my Adventures of Tommy Smurlee mystery series for kids eight and up.
 Love Always, Mom is the inspiring true story of my eighteen-year-old son’s surviving cancer and being hit by a drunk driver in the same year.
 I’ve also written books for teens, kids with cancer, women and men’s marriage and life enrichment non-fiction. View Judith Rolfs amazon author page for a full list of my books.
What advice do you have for other authors?
Experiment, don’t be afraid to try different genre. Take your time, don’t rush a book to publication. Put writing projects away for a while to let them germinate. But always, always finish what you start. I have some project that were ten plus years from starting point to print.
 Also, have fun with sentence structure, let your values shine through your characters, and please above all write happy stuff. Life is hard, but it can be so much fun, let’s convey that in writing.
Dr. Judith Rolfs, Author 

 Trust me when I say, you don't want to miss this story! A definite for your to-be-read list.

Friday, April 18, 2014

JUST AS I AM

At our Maundy Thursday service at church we sang a song that has the most pointed and meaningful lyrics for me at this time of Easter.

The song begins with the classic first two verses of the hymn, Just As I Am. But, it then breaks into the part that moves me even more.

Even though I come broken and wounded and desperate and empty to the cross, Jesus accepts me with open arms, just as I am.


That's the gospel for a broken world.

Take time to listen to this inspiring song.

Praise God, He welcomes me with open arms, just as I am.

Just As I Am song link

Friday, April 11, 2014

Heart of the Matter Interview

In case you missed my interview with Cynthia Simmons on her Heart of the Matter program, here is the link to listen to it. I am talking about leaving a godly legacy.

Heart of the Matter Interview

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Heart of the Matter Radio Interview

Thanks to Cynthia Simmons for interviewing me for her program. I talked about leaving a godly legacy. The program will air tonight at the link below. Please take a moment at 9:30 Eastern time to tune in.

Heart of the Matter Radio Interview

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Don't Be Anxious

Not being anxious is a mighty big order in the world we face each day. I will confess that recently I have not watched news programs or read the newspaper except to find out the weather forecast. All of the chaos and evil happening around us drives me to just want to bury my head in the sand.



I know, some of you are shaking your heads, saying that I need to be realistic and need to know what is going on. But, when the sights and sounds of these news stories causes me to fear or become depressed, I naturally avoid it.

And, can I admit something else to you? I also realize that all of the things happening in the world are clear signs to the end of times. Now, I know where I'm going. I'll be going to Heaven to be with my Savior. Don't get me wrong, that will be wondrous. But, I must confess that I want more time to accomplish the tasks I feel God has gifted me to do. This makes for a whole messy conflict of emotions inside.

This conflict is enough to pull me down and make me ineffective. However, as always, the Spirit leads me to a scripture that encourages and enlightens me. Let me share it with you in case you experience similar feelings.

Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

These verses tell us what we should focus upon so we can rejoice in every situation and get rid of anxiety. We must learn to not focus upon the evil but focus on the truth and what is good.



Did you catch the promises God makes to us?

The Lord is near. Thus, we have no reason to fear because He is bigger than any situation. He will be with us through the valleys and hard times (Psalm 23 reiterates that).

The peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. This verse explains that we will experience a peace that we will not understand. However, God has promised this peace that can put our hearts and minds at rest.

God's prescription for the anxiety over what I see happening in the world is not to dwell on those things. I should seek to think on the things of God. As to the things that cause me distress, I should pray and petition God about them but continue in an attitude of thanksgiving and rejoicing, not fear and trembling.


Do you find yourself being sucked into an anxiety brought on by the evil happenings in the world? Read and meditate on the verses above and see if you gain comfort from a Lord Who is near and promises peace. And, rejoice in a God who has everything under control and our best interest at His very heart.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Mothers and Daughters

Teena Stewart is my guest today. We became friends and colleagues when we worked on the historical Christian fiction anthology, Brave New Century. Teena is sharing about a new book today.



Q:  What motivated you to write this book?
A:  My desire to improve my relationship with my mother, which at best could be described as strained.  When I shared some of my frustrations with women I knew I was stunned to learn that many of them also had painful connections with their moms. I wanted to encourage women who felt there was no hope for improvement.
Q:  Tell us a little more about your book
A:  I interviewed many different women, some with good relationships and some with poor ones. Their input on why these relationships were what they were was invaluable. Everything is from a Christian perspective and gives real life examples of these bonds. Based on those examples and my own experience with my mom, I share suggestions for what we can do to bring about improvement with the understanding that we have to set aside our desire for an ideal relationship.
Q:  Why do you think so many women struggle with this?
A:  There are a number of reasons. Dysfunction can be passed down from one generation to the next. Sometimes moms become controlling because they want to prevent hurt or want to live their lives through their children because of some unmet need of their own. Sometimes there is mental illness. Sometimes the mothers have experienced deep hurts in their own lives so they function based on trying to protect themselves. Sometimes it’s personality differences. There are many different reasons. The underlying thread that I saw as I wrote this work was that it’s because everyone is broken.
Q:  What do you hope women will learn from this book?
A:  First of all, forgiveness. If we can learn to forgive it will help us move on and avoid bitterness. But also, that there are no perfect relationships and if we want a relationship to change, we are the ones who have to make it happen, and not necessarily the other person.
Q:  What is the exact book title and where can people purchase it?
A:  It is called Mothers and Daughters: Mending a Strained Relationship published through Beacon Hill. You can order it via amazon.com or most any bookstore or through my website at www.teenastewart.com.

Mothers and daughters. In perhaps no other relationship are your hopes so high, and the dysfunction so disappointing. You feel locked into a hurtful relationship that you must deal with, and it’s wearing you down. But Jesus knew we would face brokenness in the world, even in close family relationships, and still He promised the Counselor would come alongside us.

As a daughter who has struggled to maintain a healthy relationship with her mother, author Teena Stewart will help you name your hurts, face the barriers that stand in the way of a healthy mother daughter relationship and forgive what feels unforgivable. Learn to cultivate a friendship, communicate more effectively, and become a part of the change you want to see. There is hope for restoration and renewal.


Thanks for sharing with us about your new book, Teena.