I’m pleased to welcome Diana Leagh Matthews to the blog this week.
Leagh shares God’s love through her story from rebel to redeemed. Her day job is as a volunteer coordinator, but at night she writes and hunts genealogy. She gives programs as a speaker, teacher, vocalists, and presents historical monologues. Leagh (pronounced Lee) is the author of Carol of the Rooms, History Made Real, 90 Breath Prayers for the Caregiver, and others in the Breath Prayers series. She also writes the history behind hymns at DianaLeaghMatthews.com. While there you can sign up for her monthly newsletter where she shares all her news first.
Leagh has a devotional to share with us!
The Chains We Carry
By the time I finish connecting my little Maltese’s leash, his chain rattles. You see, he has steel hooks on his vest which clack against one another. But that’s not all. Also attached to his leash are his training clicker and lights for nighttime potty outings.
There are times when we need to leave his leash on for a few moments, either as we prepare to leave or once we’ve arrived back home. He has a habit of being a little escape artists, so it helps to be able to catch him if he makes a break for it. Yet, as he walks around the house, he pulls his leash with him. We hear the clacking of his accessories on the floor, and they sound like chains rattling.
In “A Christmas Carol,” the story opens with Marley and the heavy chains he carries around with him. This is a well-known aspect of the story and one that I incorporated—although with a few modifications—into my new release “Carol of the Rooms.”
In the “Carol of the Rooms,” Terri Neely is the Scrooge character. As she explores her past, present, and future, her story is accompanied by the soundtrack of her life. Terri’s chains may be invisible, but she is carrying around emotional shackles of heartache, betrayal, and her own personal torment.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been like Terri, where the past weighed me down way too much. While those who caused the pain had moved on, I continued to live in the past and relive those moments instead of looking forward and embracing the lessons learned and how far I’ve come.
God commanded in Isaiah 43:18 to “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.” (ESV) When we hold onto the past, the way Terri did in the “Carol of the Rooms” we are robbing ourselves of the blessings the Lord has for our lives.
In the following verse, the Lord says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)
More than once the Lord has made ways that I never would have imagined or dreamed. Often, these answers came after praying and asking what I should do.
What areas of the past do you need to release? What new thing is the Lord doing in your life?
To celebrate her new release, Leagh is hosting a Christmas extravaganza with special guests, giveaways, and a ton of fun. Please join her at https://www.facebook.com/groups/994850748295488
Driven. Divisive. Dissonant.
Terri Neely is propelled by greed and ambition. She refuses to let anyone—except for her beloved Gramps—past her hard exterior. Long ago, her faith waivered, and her love of music turned to hate.
That is until an accident forces her to view the soundtrack of her life as she visits her past, present, and future.
Can the songs in Terri’s life change her heart and restore her faith before it’s too late?
Connect with Leagh
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DiLeaghMatthews
Twitter/X https://twitter.com/dileaghmatthews
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dianaleaghmatthews/
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/dileaghmatthews/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-leagh-matthews-19187544/
If you like the classic The Christmas Carol, you’ll love this modern retelling. Terri has been through a lot in her life, and it has left her selfish and bitter. Only her dear Gramps still sees the good in her. When she’s given a chance to see how the soundtrack of her life affects those around her, she must decide whether it’s time to change her selfish ways. While the premise is familiar, Terri’s path is not predictable and I kept turning pages to learn how her life would turn out. Carol of the Rooms is a creative, well-crafted, and inspirational story!
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