sunnyislandbreezes.com

.

Live as free people, but not using your freedom as a coverup f0r evil. Rather, live as God’s slaves.

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king

1 Peter 2:16, 17

I love those who love me. Those who earnestly seek me find me.

With me are wealth and honor, enduring riches and righteousness.

Proverbs 8:17, 18

Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly loved children;

And walk in love, just as Messiah also loved us and gave Himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.

But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed – don’t even let these be mentioned among you, as is proper for kedoshim.

Obscene, coarse, and stupid talk are also out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Know for certain that no immoral, indecent, or greedy person – who is really an idol worshiper at heart – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and God.

Ephesians 5:1-5

kedoshim – Hebrew for saints, holy ones

This touches me so much that I always need a box of tissues handy every time I watch it.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!

God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world,  but in order that the world might be saved through Him.”

John 3:16,17

And just as they did not see fit to recognize God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what is not fitting.

They became filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice. They are gossips,

slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents.

They are foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless

Though they know God’s righteous decree – that those who practice such things deserve death – they not only do them but also approve of others who practice the same.

Romans 1:28-32

The Thursday Night Club

and other stories of Christmas spirit

By Steven Manchester

A joyous and deeply emotional collection of three unforgettable Christmas novellas. With a series of #1 bestsellers like TWELVE MONTHS, THE ROCKIN’ CHAIR and PRESSED PENNIES, Steven Manchester has established himself as one of the premier voices of moving and heartfelt fiction. Now, he collects his three unforgettable Christmas novellas in one volume.

The Thursday Night Club: Five college friends, three men and two women, have been getting together every Thursday night to share humble meals and an abundance of laughter. But when tragedy takes one of them, leaving the others to question the fairness of life, the Thursday Night Club decides to embark on a contest in the memory of the generous spirit of their fallen brother. The objective of the contest is simple: whoever performs the kindest deed by Christmas night wins the pot – four quarters. And there are only two conditions: the benevolent deed must be anonymous, and it cannot cost a single penny to pull off. As the four friends undertake the contest, the healing begins and they become inspired beyond their expectations. There might be a winner in this competition, but it is very clear there will be no losers.

A Christmas Wish: Steph is on a search for truth in her heart as she faces the prospect of real love for the first time. Brian is out to enjoy his favorite season in a way that doctors never thought he could. And at the center of it all is their grandmother, affectionately known as Mama, a woman of remarkable commitment and charity who knows something very important about making Christmas wishes come true.

The Tin-Foil Manger: Published in this volume for the first time, this is the story of Nancy, an elderly woman with little to live for and Jeanne, the caretaker who wants to believe that Nancy has more to live for. Together, they embark on a journey to the past – a past of modest Christmases, tin-foil mangers, and abundant love – to rediscover the time when Nancy felt truly alive. Nancy’s memories and how they touch Jeanne, will turn this Christmas into one for the ages.

Rich with emotion and profound with meaning, these three stories of Christmas spirit that will strike a chord in your heart any time of year and make you look at the holiday season in new ways.

ISLAND BREEZES

Thursday Night Club: What would Jesse do? Although there’s sadness, there’s also much beauty in this novella. I grew to love these friends and began to wish I were part of their Thursday night club.

Then I realized I can be a part of the group, as you can also. You’ll figure out how as you are reading this story.

Tissue Alert: You’d better have that box handy if you plan to make it to the end of this story.

A Christmas Wish: This is about three people facing the Christmas season. Mama is there for both Steph and Brian. A wise woman, Mama knows how to bring the “reason for the season” to the hearts of her family.

Steph is facing a very challenging thing in her life. And Brian – Brian has been facing challenges his entire life. Reading Goodnight, Brian first would be very helpful in understanding him and his challenges.

The Tin-Foil Manger: Nancy is a sad woman, and her caretaker, Jeanne, is struggling to bring happiness into Nancy’s life. By urging Nancy to bring forward her memories of past Christmases, both Jeanne and Nancy arrive at a more meaningful present.

Thank you again, Steven Manchester, for blessing my world with your books. I can never get enough of them.

***Book provided without charge by the author.***

Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestsellers Twelve Months, The Rockin’ Chair, Pressed Pennies and Gooseberry Island, as well as the national bestsellers Ashes and The Changing Season, and the multi-award winning novel, Goodnight, Brian. He has written A Christmas Wish (Kindle exclusive), Wilbur Avenue (novelette), Just in Time (novelette) and The Thursday Night Club (novella), while his work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly News. Three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for Chicken Soup for the Soul series and he is the produced playwright of Three Shoeboxes. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing. Visit: www.StevenManchester.com

Now for this very reason, making every effort, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness;

and to godliness, brotherly love; and to brotherly love, love

For if these qualities are in you and increasing, they keep you from becoming idle and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

2 Peter 1:5-8

Yeshua – Hebrew for Jesus