The Resurrection

April’s First Friday Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 3 Comments

Here where I live, only in the last week or so have we really minded much that we’re cooped up because it’s been nippy and that makes for great reading weather.  I can tell from social media that many of you are also busy with home improvements and long-procrastinated closet cleanings and craft projects.  I’ve done my part to help out by sending out great reading material.

Let’s meet the recipient of April’s free gift –

Freebie Winner Carolyn www.midweststoryteller.com

Carolyn from Mount Carmel, Illinois

Lately, I’ve been asking my winners to let me know whether they’ve chosen to keep their First Friday Freebie for themselves or gift it to someone special.  On a technicality, I can’t congratulate Carolyn for winning April’s Freebie because her sister Jan entered the drawing.  Since Jan already owned “Killing Jesus” and loved it, she sent this copy along to her sis.  This book’s been getting out and about more than I have!  After journeying out west to Greeley, Colorado, it reversed course back to the Midwest and landed in Mount Carmel, Illinois. 

“Killing Jesus” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard is a gripping read whether you are enjoying it during the season of Lent and the Resurrection or any time.  Could be you’re just a history lover and, if so, this well-researched story of Jesus’ life and death will have you hooked.  If you’d like to read my “Killing Jesus” book review and see the original freebie offer, click here.

Congratulations, Jan, for winning and to Carolyn – Enjoy!

You can see past First Friday Freebies and their winners on my Freebies! page here.  If you’re not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller they might entice you to become one – First Friday Freebies are for email subscribers only.

Jan subscribed by entering her email in the subscription area here on the blog and then confirming her subscription when the confirmation email arrived in her inbox.  This is the best way to avoid missing what’s new here on the blog because you’ll get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies are my way of reaching more people with the stories, recipes and more.  When you share with all your friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  It’s one of those “I win – You win – We all win” situations!

May’s drawing will take place tomorrow on Friday, May 1st.

A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing. 

REMEMBER:  Should your name be drawn as the winner, you will be notified via the email you used to subscribe.  That means you’ll need to check your email often in the week following the drawing so that you can respond and keep the prize from being offered to someone else.

Be sure to take a moment make yourself familiar with the Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

These four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on Friday, May 1st, 2020.

If you’ve won one of my Freebies in the past, leave a comment today and let me know how you liked it.  Did you keep it for yourself?  Did you gift it to someone special? 

Pray That it May Passover

~ Midwest Storyteller

Our world has changed much these last several weeks and at no time have we been more aware of it so far than in preparing to change how we spend the next three days.

Many have taken a hit because of the corona virus.  Some have lost loved ones, some are working exhausting, back-breaking shifts while others only wish they had a job to go to.  The rest of us, here in the United States, are plodding along, wondering when we can again spend a day doing something we once took for granted – running errands.

The worldwide celebrations of Passover and The Resurrection of Christ have to rank at the top of the list of things Jews and Christians never thought they’d do without attending the largest faith gathering of the year, not to mention home gatherings to celebrate with family and friends.  We thrive when we practice our faith and share our holy days with one another and we’re feeling a bit cheated this year.

I just can’t go along with the idea that these events “got cancelled”!  Maybe we’ve forgotten that on the first Passover, Hebrew families were huddled, each in their own dwelling, partaking of a meal as instructed by God in order that the angel of death might pass over.  And what happened the following morning?  They were set free from cruel taskmasters and the bondage that had been their way of life for four hundred years.  Perhaps we’ve forgotten that when Jesus, our Perfect Passover Lamb, lay in His borrowed tomb, all his followers scattered each to their own homes, hiding.  No throng gathered at the entrance to that tomb on Sunday morning to celebrate the Big Day.  They were, for the most part, each in their homes, confused and scared. 

Neither group called it “social distancing”, but when you’re shutting yourself away from deadly plague or staying inside so that no one recognizes you and reports you to the authorities, it amounts to the same thing and reminds us that our situation is mild in comparison.

If you knew you had the cure for cancer, would you keep it hidden, or would you share it with the world, hoping to save even one who might listen?

I believe there’s an answer.  I won’t tell anyone else what they must believe, but neither will I hide “the Cure” when people all over the world are suffering.

I believe in the loving God who calls his people to pray and then answers.   I believe Scriptures hold examples, instructions and insights on how to pray.  I believe in “standing on the promises” as the old hymn goes!  I believe now is the time, this special weekend, when we’ve been offered a quiet time with just those few closest to us, to pray like we’ve never prayed before – to be bold in coming before God’s throne to ask that this plague on our health and our economy might “pass over”!

I’m asking my readers to join me and to SHARE this prayer right away with all your friends and family so that we can stand on these promises together, fasten our spiritual seat belts and see what the Deliverer will do if we will but ask.  Scripture references are included to encourage you to delve into God’s Word and see what He promises (and also so you won’t think I’ve been nipping into the hand sanitizer).

I hope this has inspired you to pray and believe for an answer.  I encourage you to print this out and read it aloud together with those you celebrate with this weekend. I’ve included a FREE easy-to-read PRINTABLE HERE.

Wherever you are, may you have a Blessed Passover and a Glorious Resurrection Day and may we celebrate next year together!

“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”  —Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

How have you adapted your celebrations during this season of social distancing?  What great food ideas have you invented because you might not have been able to get your hands on the usual ingredients?  How have you decorated when you haven’t been able to acquire a few new things?  Leave a comment and give us all your tips!