No Longer Broken Is One Year Old!

It's been one year since No Longer Broken was released. It's crazy to think that it's been out that long. It's been a great year.

Emily and I have been writing for so long, and we have always wanted to share our writing with others. We have always wanted to make a positive impact with the writing that we do.

We feel so blessed to have been published. We had dreamed of getting a book in print for years, and to have eLectio Publishing choose to work with us and publish our book was an honor.

This past year was amazing. And we hope that people will continue to read our book and be touched by it.

Check out an author interview that we did on SarahRuut.com and was published today here.

Thank you for supporting our writing!


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

You'll Take Me Back Always

Christian music is a great source to give us encouragement. One song that came to mind the other day was Jeremy Camp's, "Take You Back." This is such a powerful song with great message.

God will always take us back.

No matter what we have done.

No matter how much pain we are in. We can count on him.

God loves us and forgives us. He is full of grace and mercy.

If you don't know this song yet, then give it a listen now.




Thank you, God, for loving me always.


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

Have No Fear

When we see bad things happening in the world around us it is easy to get wrapped up in all of that. To become afraid.

We fear pain and death. We fear losing a loved one. We fear war. We fear evil.

And, while those are all very real and scary things, God tells us in Proverbs 3 that we don't have to be afraid.

Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.
Proverbs 3:25-26

Does this mean that we will always be safe, and that nothing bad will ever happen to us? No. But God will be with us. He is with us always, and he doesn't want us to fear.

Over and over again the Bible tells us not to be afraid. Jesus says it multiple times in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 6.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34

Jesus tells us not to fear tomorrow. To not look ahead and worry about what is going to happen to us or if bad things are going to happen, but to trust him. To rely on him to see us through.

God is in control. Good day or bad, sunny or stormy, God knows what is going on in our lives. He will not let us stumble and fall. He will hold us even through the hardest days that we face. And we can trust him because he made us. He loves us. He watches over us always, as it is said in Psalm 121.

He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber.
Psalm 121:3

So, do not fear. Even when disasters happen, even when your life feels rocky and everything is uncertain, God has it all under control. He is watching over you. He is not sleeping on the job, but he is there for you. You can trust him. Have no fear.


By Bethany Acker, Co-Author of No Longer Broken

Our Grandmother, an Avid Reader

Our maternal grandmother was a great person for many reasons. (Our paternal grandmother was, too, but we'll save that for another time.) She was happy despite the pain that arthritis caused her. She made jokes and got people to laugh at them and the stories that she told. She cared about her grandchildren. She was generous. I loved her very much.

One of our grandmother's wonderful traits... she was an avid reader. She loved all kinds of books. She devoured books quickly. She was always reading. The librarians in her hometown knew her pretty well.

I love that my grandmother loved to read. I like to think that part of the reason that I enjoy both reading and writing is because of her. Whenever we would go to her house when I was young, she would always have her books sitting around.

There was a period of time when we would go to my grandma's house to clean on a weekly basis. Those cleaning visits were not complete until someone had given my grandma a ride to the library so that she could stock up on books.

My grandma didn't have the best vision in her later years so she would read large print books. That cut down on the number of options open to her. She would pick up anything and everything when we were at the library, simply eager to read.

I remember one time when we took my grandma to a library other than her hometown one. This one had multiple floors and new book options for her. I carried her books around for her, and she kept adding to the stack in my arms. By the time we got down to the main floor and I deposited those books onto the counter to be checked out, my muscles were sore and my arms were shaking.

My grandmother passed away eight months before Bethany and I received our contract for our debut novel. I wish that she would have had the chance to know that we were going to be published. I wish that we would have been able to share No Longer Broken with her. I know that she would have been proud of us.

I am so thankful for the wonderful woman that my grandmother was, and the time that I got to spend with her. I am thankful for her love of reading, and the fact that I have inherited that.

By Emily Acker, co-author of No Longer Broken

Happy Independence Day!

Dear God,

Thank You for all of the freedom that you have given us in America.

Thank You for the freedom to worship You.

Thank You that we can write Christian books and have them published in this country without fear of legal trouble.

Thank You for those who have stepped up and fought for our freedom.

Thank You for the history that our country has.

Thank You for the whole concept of freedom.

Thank You for the ways in which you have made us truly free.

Thank You for everything that You do.

Amen.

By Emily Acker, co-author of No Longer Broken