Anyone in love with Regency?

Julia over at The Writers Alley had a great post about Jane Austen yesterday. And today, I have Regency author extraordinairre, Ruth Axtell Morren. Now Ruth writes more than Regency, but most of her books have been during that era…and incredibly memorable.

Oh my goodness, she has such a beautiful way of bringing out the Gospel within the romance of her characters. It’s truly amazing.

So… let’s see what inspired her First novel?

The idea for my first published novel, Winter Is Past, came from the Lord, pure & simple.  He had me go through a process in my own spiritual walk, whereby I had to put my writing on the altar–and be willing to completely give it up, if that was HIS perfect will for my.  This period lasted about 2 years. At the end of it, the Lord gave me a dream. That dream became the seed of the idea for Winter Is Past. It was for a regency romance, an era I had never even considered writing in, even though I loved to read regencies.  It took me another 2 years to research/write/edit/submit it in contests, before it sold–and I was offered a 3-book contract.  God’s timing or what?

Wow Ruth, I love this story – and your perseverance. And the novel? Winter Is Past – it was the first one of your novels that I read. FABULOUS!!

So, has anyone here been inspired by a dream?

Inspirational Thought:

I John 3:11-16

 ¹¹ For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. ¹² Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. ¹³ Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,^[b] if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. ¹⁵ Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

 ¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

What does love look like?

Jesus – his example.

Giving of ourselves isn’t easy. It requires sacrifice.

In case you’ve never realized it – love is an ACTION, not just a feeling. We cannot see the feelings, but we see the actions that take place because of the feelings inside.

The most inspiring thing in all the world is love. Real love.

Not only does it inspire more love, but random acts of beauty.

Jesus’ life did that.

Will ours?