#DOWNSTREAM - My Review Downstream by Maressa Mortimer is quite an absorbing read which I have enjoyed. Having read Books 1 and 2, it was great catching up with Gax, Marcia and Caecilia since their leaving the controlled society of Elabi to the freedom they are enjoying in Mataiox, till they respond to a ‘mission call’. As a third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone, but it will be more exciting to see how far these 3 characters have come! It was lovely meeting new amazing characters like Riu, Halit and Siate. The writer’s use of tension and vivid description grabs the reader’s attention. Examples - Khramuil, escaping from Colchuyni or Gax in danger, etc. I was also hugely thrilled to see how characters including Riu express their thoughts on Family, Prayer, Separation, Evangelism, Faith, Change, Socialism and Responsibility, the Elderly, Breadth of Life, the Book and Youth Empowerment [Levato]. Marcia, Riu, Gax and Caecilia remind one of the biblical Hebrews inside a furnace yet coming out alive! Through it all, love still finds a chance to bud in unexpected circumstances between Macia and Riu and between Gax and Caecila! Finally, the mystery of the #Downstream is revealed at the end to both characters and readers alike and it feels like how Jason captured the Golden Fleece: The ultimate symbol of change, success and accomplishment. Attaining our goals in life including salvation can involve pain, loss and sacrifices that show the journey of life is not without its ups and downs. Mortimer’s strong voice of hope cuts across through Riu: “Everything will be alright. Just trust and stay close to God. Just keep asking God to do things His way and ask for His Breadth of Life to come and fill us.” I would take that advice. And you? Grab a copy and find out!!It’s worth its 5 stars. 
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  It was a delight to be asked to join Jenny's blog Tour on her remarkable book. What an inspiration and great art based on Isaiah 49:2 - Jenny's ideas of her book is that God makes us into polished arrows and hides us in His quiver. She has cleverly used the allegory of making a traditional arrow and looking at the way God shapes us: breaking off from the old tree, stripping the bark, through His sanding, polishing, fletching, etc so we can be fired effectively into the goal He sets out for us in correct precision. Each chapter is followed by questions and a biblical example which is very useful for individual or group study.  MY REVIEW Polished Arrows by Jenny Sanders is a thoroughly researched, wordy and an intellectual read that should not be rushed! It throws in self-probing and jolting questions such as – Are these the last days? What is God asking us in the circumstances within which He has placed us? Etc. I took a pause to always ponder on such questions and I came out of it more conscious of reflecting Jesus in my life and how I meet my divine purpose in God’s kingdom. There are Target Questions that helped refresh my intake on the varied sections of the book and have helped with daily living. The writer gives her opinions objectively with wisdom and makes no judgements on how anyone else might view some of the sensitive topics discussed. The book broaches salient themes in detail using examples from various aspects of the entire Bible: Change, Forgiveness, Hope, Patience, Mercy, Unconditional Love, Righteousness and the Gospel. Her message on the metaphorical title – Polished Arrows is clear – Christians should be like arrows without splinters [e.g. pride, falseness, etc,] to be real and reflect the Lord Jesus and get their target [their calling] in His Kingdom. The writer is encouraging Christians to run their race like arrows aimed on their targets – [Jesus], as well as being like arrows in God’s bow. He is the skilled archer and master craftsman!! This concept is explained throughout the book as an extended metaphor! It is amazing and fascinating! I love and enjoy reads that remind and emphasise God’s love. Sanders says that ‘God knows all about us, every detail, every secret – good, bad, ugly but He loves us anyway. He loves us because He loves us’. In ‘Swimming against the tide’ section, about the pressures Christians face living where godly standards do not exist, she advises, ‘ not to jettison the Holy Spirit’ but to listen and get to enjoy the grace of the Lord Jesus’. There’s so much golden nuggets shared. So I highly recommend this book, worth its five stars for the rich flavour and blessings that will impact your life. Buy your copy today! LINKSFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/dancingthroughchaos/
Twitter - @jennyhsanders Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jennysanderswriter/ Threads - jennyhsanders Blog - https://jennysanderswriter.co.uk/about/ Publisher - https://instantapostle.com/author/sanders-jenny/ Link tree - https://linktr.ee/jenniferhsanders64 Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jenny-Sanders/author/B0892XFB2S?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1717399369&sr=1-2&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true THE WRITER’S CALENDAR OF MONTHS
I was overjoyed as the biblical shepherd who found his lost sheep when I found my notes on Paul Karensa’s ‘Calendar pattern’. It’s designed to plan a story plot by fitting in characters, locations, conflict, climax and resolution around the 12 months. It gave me the idea to imagine what each month offered Christian writers like us. A kind of best fit. So here we go!! January: The month of New Year/ new beginning. You see yourself in a new light; You mentally make new resolutions with God; Life happens but, ‘The One who calls you is faithful’ gives you resilience; Time to declutter stuff ; You begin to think of your new/existing writing projects; Put in sight your writing paraphernalia… February: The month of Valentine. You share love and prayers to loved ones; You do your writer duties around social media, ACW, work, family, etc; You give off time to be you but Life happens; ‘The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue’ and strengthens you; You plan to start goals not achieved in January; You write ideas … March: The month of the year’s first quarter; You reassess yourself ; You feel imposter syndrome; The season of Spring offers a fresh start and inspiration; You work on edits, blogs, reviews, newsletters, book launches etc; Word counts begin to swell; Life happens but ‘your soul rises and praises the Lord’… April: The month ushers Easter; You self-rebirth ; You are inspired from the bloom of new life in nature; You introduce humour in your writing ; You write to commemorate the Easter season; Life happens in the midst of your family, work and personal stuff commitments; You are reminded ‘to be of good cheer’… May: The month brings warmer days; Your chapters may have started or increased; Your word count may look healthy or still discouraging; You encourage yourself in the Lord for feelings of discouragement, writers block or not being on the writing board; It is proper spring; You may spring to a big or little action; ‘Peace be within you’… June: The month that is half year; You are jolted by the Holy Spirit; ‘You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you’; You are inspired to make huge strides of progress in your writing career; You update your blogs, Get active on marketing, ACW posts, decrease your ‘to be read pile’; You enjoy success/ good news on publishing/review July: The month of vacations, sunshine and school holidays; You are inspired to write a romance, historical, adventure or a thriller; Your word count is healthy. You go on holidays; You are refreshed to engage in career exploits, podcasts, audio books, author interviews; You share your author skills on social media; You taste the Lord and He is sweet… August: The month of the long hot summer; Your energy is breathing hot sparks which you pour into your writing; You call on Him and He tells you hidden things; You may consider professional service / publishing routes; You may revisit social media /writing classes; You may go on a retreat or make a start on your writing and finally crucify procrastinations… September: The month of the last quarter; You have been busy with life and writing; You write despite when life happens; ‘In this world you have tribulations’; You fall seven times but rise to write;’ Those who will rebuild you are coming soon’; You have reached an impressive word count; You are encouraged… October: The month of perfection is true for you; You ‘encourage yourself in the Lord’; You acknowledge God called you to write; You overcome writer’s block and imposter syndrome; You finish your draft; You begin to slow down and think of Christmas, family and life outside being a writer… November: The month of winter; You are inspired to write for advent; You make publishing decisions; Your writing goes on a low key; You do a cover reveal; Life happens and you say, ‘Father take this cup from me’; He says He has ‘armed you with strength for every battle’. You experience some writing miracles… December: The month of Christmas and the year’s end; You wonder where time went; You join in the yuletide celebrations; You deserve a break; Your birthing a book[s] intoxicates you; You spoil yourself; Or was the birth wishful thinking all along? You ‘encourage yourself in the Lord’ for the new year…
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