About the Book

Book: Miriam’s Little Gentleman (The Heart of the Amish Book 13)

Author: Anne Blackburne

Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction

Release Date: May, 2026

Her Heart Is Set on One Man

Full of faith, hope, and romance, this series takes you into the Heart of Amish Country.

Miriam Zook has loved David Miller her whole life, and she confessed her feelings the night before he moved to Indiana and joined the Mennonite church. Miriam, having been baptized into the Amish faith, makes an income by painting beautiful vignettes of Amish life. She has never married, since no one ever compared to David, and, as she is an only child, this concerns the women in her family greatly. Now, seven years after leaving, David is back in Willow Creek to embrace his Amish roots and join the church. Miriam’s heart awakens, but can she dare to hope that he will also embrace her?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review:

Another delightful story from author Anne Blackbure.  “The Heart of the Amish” series has been a fun series with a lot of adventure. This is book 13 in the series. Each woman in this series has been blessed with a cat from the same litter from a dear friend. The cats are a purrfect addition to the story line and give a new and exciting story plot to each book.

I love that you are somewhat familiar with the characters by the time the character gets their own story. Then you get to keep up with them throughout all the books. Did I mention the cats!

Mirian Zook is an artist and has created lovely paintings of everyday scenes from the Amish lifestyle. Her painting have become popular and sought after.  

David Miller has came back home after leaving the Amish Community. No one knows why he suddenly left. This action left Miriam heartbroken and his family. David suddenly showing up has been a complete surprise. The story focuses on forgiveness and faith. It’s a beautiful story that will capture your heart.

All the books in this series are stand alone stories. I’ll warn you now that you will want to go back and read the other books in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange of my honest review

About the Author

 

Anne Blackburne lives and works in Southeast Ohio as a newspaper editor and writer. She is the mother of five grown children, has one wonderful grandchild, and a spoiled poodle named Millie. For fun, when she isn’t working on Amish romance or sweet mysteries, Anne directs and acts in community theater productions and writes and directs original plays. She also enjoys reading, kayaking, swimming, searching for beach glass, and just sitting with a cup of coffee looking at large bodies of water. Her idea of the perfect vacation is cruising and seeing amazing new places with people she loves.

More from Anne

Hello Dear Readers!

It seems like only yesterday that the wonderful Christian bloggers who work with Celebrate Literature did a blog tour for my January 1 release in Barbour’s “Heart of the Amish” series, “Plain Jane’s Secret Admirer”! Yet here we are again, with another CelebrateLit blog tour, this time for my May release, “Miriam’s Little Gentleman”.

Miriam’s story is available now to readers in print and online wherever fine books are sold, and I feel blessed to have the help of the CelebrateLit folks in launching this next tale from my made-up Amish community of Willow Creek, Ohio.

In addition to Jane’s and Miriam’s stories, my previous Heart of the Amish books in the series include, “Ruth’s Gingersnap Surprise”, “Mary’s Calico Hope”, and “Lizzie’s Little Mouse”. If you’re read any of them, you’ll remember Miriam Zook, who does beautiful folk art  paintings of Amish life scenes. Miriam was also mentioned in Ruth’s story as one of the lucky recipients of a kitten from their elderly friend, Lydia’s, cat’s final litter.

Miriam’s cat is a black and white tuxedo cat named Beau. He enjoys sitting outside in the fresh air while Miriam paints, safely wearing his natty red harness to keep him from wandering into trouble. If you read Jane’s story, you know kitties sometimes do wander off!

Miriam has been hung up on David Miller for years. She even told him so . . . but unfortunately, it was too late. David had already made plans to leave Willow Creek the following morning, running from troubles he didn’t make and couldn’t fix. Years later, Miriam and David still have feelings for one another. But are they strong enough to survive the hurt and years of separation, and to forge a real and lasting love? With God’s help, of course, anything is possible. That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy!

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Miriam’s story! This book is my fifth in Barbour Publishing’s series, “The Heart of the Amish”. Look for other great reads in the series from authors Mindy Steele, Kelly Irvin and Lisa Jones Baker.

I’m currently writing my sixth book in the series, which will feature a young woman you’ve met in some of my other stories, Rebecca Beachy. Her cat is Patches, a little orange and white boy. Together, with the help of Amish farmer Rudy Miller, they’ll figure out a way to keep a dear old woman from losing her home and business. A buried treasure and a small mystery are involved!

I hope you’re having as much fun reading about these remarkable young women – and their kitties! – as I’m having writing about them. Thanks for being part of our journey!

God bless you and yours!

Joyfully,
Anne Blackburne

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 27

Artistic Nobody, June 28 (Author Interview)

Life on Chickadee Lane, June 29

She Lives To Read, June 30

The Avid Reader, June 30

For Him and My Family, July 1

Guild Master, July 2 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 3

Simple Harvest Reads, July 4 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

EmpowerMoms, July 5

Holly’s Book Corner, July 6

Vickey Sluiter, July 7

Fiction Book Lover, July 8 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 9

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, July 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Anne is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/Gffm1/miriams-little-gentleman-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

The best way to teach or kids to study God’s word is to teach them how to study the word. It’s easy to open up the Bible and to just read it. Yes, that is life changing just reading the living word! I want my kids to hunger and thirst for His word. I want my kids to study and understand the culture, words, and get more in depth with God’s word.  Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids is a tool to teach your kids to dig deeper into the Bible.

My first impression of Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids was, wow! The quality of the book is top-notch. The illustrations are stunning, colorful, and eye-catching. Every page is full-colored.

There are over 750 Bible words that weave together places, people, and important things in the Bible. This is a good tool to help teach comprehension of the Word. Its age appropriate with the language for early readers and pre-teens. This is something that as a parent you can engage your children into conversations and for them to ask questions. You as a parent can show your excitement digging into the Bible.

It’s organized just like a traditional dictionary from A to Z. The layout is well thought out with the intended age in mind. Some of the definitions are vague and may need more explanations. Like any Bible tool it could need more depth and discussion. Everyone may interpret it in a different light. This gives you an opportunity to sit beside you child and guide them.

You can purchase The Explorer Bible Dictionary https://bhpub.org/uovhE

Shop summer resources for you family! https://bhpub.org/uovhE

And Don’t Miss the opportunity to add Scripture Memory Cards!

The new Scripture Memory Cards are another addition for summer. These cards make memorizing Bible verses easy and engaging.

Overall, this is a fun and engaging Bible resource for your family, homeschool, and congregation.

Giveaway: 1 GRAND PRIZE giveaway of the Explorer Bible for Kids + Toddler

Theology Series Bundle (retail value of approx. $149.99)

Qualifications: Giveaway winners must be a US resident.

To enter: Entrants must fill out THIS FORM (there’s no other way to enter) by

6/11)

Bundle contents: 2 copies of the Explorer Bible for Kids, 2 Explorer Bible for

Kids Dictionaries, Explorer Bible Stickers, an Explorer Bible Tshirt, and the Toddler

Theology Series set (6 books in set).

Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for

this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

#ExplorerBibleDictionaryMIN #explorerbibleforkids #christianstandardbible #EBFK

#learningathome #homegrownkids #splashintoscripture #scriptureforsummer

#MomentumInfluencerNetwork

 

 

I love reading and I’ve read some pretty amazing books lately. Then an unexpected gem comes to you. I was completely amazed how much I loved this book. The plot and the characters captured my heart. It was hard to not read it all in one setting. We have been in the midst of a move and my reading time didn’t allow me that luxury. 

Sixteen years ago Evan never got baptized into his Amish faith. He left to go into law enforcement after a tragic event that rocked his faith and family. He put everything into his work. His family hasn’t talked to him after getting into law enforcement. He also left behind Isla whom he loved very much and planned on marrying. She ended up marrying his best friend Owen. 

Recently. Evan moved in to help his Aunt Hazel his only connection to his family. She is elderly and helps wildlife animals that need medical help. You will fall in love with the antics of the raccoon and the pig really quickly. 

Isla is now a widow after a happy marriage and two children. She has struggled financially the last few years since he passed. Isla’s faith is rich and deep. Then the unthinkable happens she is robbed in her own home. All her savings is taken and a damage to her door. Everything is gone.

A thief has been robbing the Amish throughout their Texas community. Evan is on duty and answers the call at Isla’s home after the robbery. He sees that she needs help repairing her door. There is some tension at first between the two but Isla needs help with her door repair. 

Evan is longing for a simpler life and to find his relationship with God again. He is willing to give up his English life. First he has to stop the man that is robbing the Amish. He is getting more dangerous and is trying to hurt people he cares about.

A great story with a surprise twist I didn’t see coming. I really enjoyed this story and didn’t want it to end. The story didn’t feel like just another Amish genre book. It felt fresh and so good. 

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product in exchange for my honest thoughts

 

Communion is an important aspect to many congregations. It doesn’t matter what your denomination is. Some do it weekly, monthly or once a year.

World Cup Communion has different packages available to fit yours needs. You can get them with grape juice or even wine. Another option is to order only the juice or just the bread alone.  Or both of them  together. You can order smaller quantities for a small gathering or larger for a congregation. The smaller bags is a great new addition for this company. 

The concord juice and bread is tightly sealed. The seal was easy to pull off. The seal was made for elderly and young alike to pull off the seal without any hassle. They also created the seal to be silent when removing.  The bread is baked at their facility and is baked fresh.  There are options like unleavened, wheat, and even gluten-free. They also have wheat wafers. All the packaging is disposable. They have a 180 day shelf life in a cool and dry place. The company says that you can even freeze them up to a year.

The cups come in a variety to meet your needs. I received three 25 cup bags: Chalice Cups, Elements Cups, and Simply Cups.

Chalice Cups look like little chalices. The chalice is a clear plastic. The bottom of the stem has a piece of unleavened bread tucked inside.

Simply Cups are clear plastic cups with the unleavened bread sealed at the bottom. Nothing fancy with the cups.

Elements Cups are just the concord grape juice in a clear plastic container.

Throughout the years I have prepared cups for communion, Havdalah, and breaking bread for Shabbat at a congregation. Putting juice or wine into the small cups is a mess despite your best effort to keep from spilling. Even with all the gadgets it still tends to be messy. Not to mention when you pass out the cups all the spills while waiting for everyone to get theirs. Then your rushing to get new cups for the spilled ones!

I tried some of the prefilled Communion Cups from World Communion Cups, it sure is convenient and easy to use. I was impressed with it being user-friendly and the quality of the product. The juice was good and the bread tasted fresh and not stale. The biggest take away I had with these was the ease. Everything is prepared from the concord juice to the bread. This would be very practical for a large gathering-not to mention convenient!

This is very practical  for home or hospital visits also. Sometimes I only have a large bottle of grape juice and you have to rush off to a nursing home or hospital because someone is wanting to do communion or have your break bread with them for Shabbat at the hospital. So your find yourself carrying a large bottle of juice and bread in a bag. World Cup Communion would be perfect for this setting. Small Bible studies both in your home or at another person’s home.

Overall I’m impressed with these communion cups. I love that you can order these in smaller and larger sizes. The different assortments to meet your needs is a time-saver and helpful. You can purchase these at: https://bit.ly/WCCInf

Facebook

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#communion @frontgatem @worldcommunioncups

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through FrontGate Blogger Network in exchange for my honest thoughts.

My kids are grown now; I still love children’s books. I love reading them and looking at the content in the books. I must be a kid at heart and love exploring the illustrations in each book! Surely, I’m not the only adult that loves all the wonderful illustrations in books.

I’m excited to share these four books with you. These would make great presents for kids for any occasion.

1. Jesus, Our True Friend by Sally Lloyd-Jones
2. Hey-O Coloring Book by Saddleback Kids
3. The Glorious Image of God by Rousseaux Brasseur
4. Deep Breath, Little Whisper by Scott Jame

Jesus, Our True Friend by Sally Lloyd-Jones

This gorgeous 93- page hardback book contains 7 Bible stories about Jesus and an introduction about our Savior coming into the world.

The stories tell the story of Jesus life in a way that a child can grasp. Simple words but to the point to convey His salvation and love for us. I felt that the stories just didn’t show all fluff but stories of Jesus’ great love and His heart for the lost, outcast, and suffering.

The stories include:

Love Becomes a Human Being

The Two Sisters Jesus Loved

Jesus and the Stone Throwers

Jesus and the Deadly Storm

Our True Older Brother

Breakfast on the Beach

Hey-O Coloring Book by Saddleback Kids

A fun and simple coloring book with over 90 pages of fun. The pages tear out easily with the perforated pages. for kids to color. The pages are thick compared to your average coloring book. 

The coloring book is based on the YouTube videos and storybook Hey-O! Stories of the Bible. The coloring pages are have Bible stories in the Old and New Testament. The illustrations are simple and not complex. A fun coloring book to add to your Bible story reading with your kids.

The Glorious Image of God by Rousseaux Brasseur

We are created in His image is the theme throughout this book. A memory verse is included in the book from  Genesis 1:7.

The story weaves it’s way through creation and how we are made in His image. We are His Masterpiece and our unique among all of His creation.

Through His love He showed grace to us in the garden when we needed to be restored. The story ends with His resurrection and a reminder that no matter who we are that we are made in His image.

Deep Breath, Little Whisper by Scott James

Our relationship with Jesus is one of the most important things we can teach our children. Not only do we teach them to read the Bible but to spend time talking to Him. Prayer is very important tool in our relationship with Him. Kids seem to grasp prayer easily but its more than just words but a relationship and sharing your heart with Him. Not just morning and bedtime prayers. Taking your worries and even if it’s just a little whisper.

These are a delightful set of books that are a good addition to your home library or as a gift. You can purchase this book at : https://amzn.to/46jMIqg

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All of my words and thoughts about these books are my own honest thoughts.

@zonderkidz @rousseauxbrasseur @scott_h_james @thestoryofgodsgreatlove @zonderkidz  #kidsbooks #zonderkidz #kidseastergifts #sponsored #ad

 

About the Book

Book: Titus and the Christian Coin: An Adventure of Faith and Freedom

Author: Dennis Conrad with Co-Author Derinda Babcock

Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction

Release Date: November 7, 2025

When Titus refuses to deny his Christian faith, Roman persecution destroys his family and condemns him to a brutal life in the copper mines of northern Italy.

Underground, surrounded by despair and danger, he must choose between hatred and hope, revenge and redemption.

From a mine collapse to an emperor’s audience hall, Titus’s journey spans the Roman Empire during Constantine’s transformative reign.  Alongside Tribune Felix, he discovers that true freedom comes through forgiveness, not force. Authentic historical details bring ancient Rome to life while timeless themes of faith, friendship, and courage inspire modern readers.

This gripping adventure combines accurate historical research with compelling storytelling. Readers will witness early Christian persecution, experience Roman culture, and walk through Constantine’s palace while following Titus’s transformation from broken slave to Roman citizen.

An unforgettable tale where archaeological accuracy meets heart-pounding adventure, proving that faith can triumph over the darkest circumstances and that God’s love never abandons His people.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

My daughter and I have enjoyed several of Dennis Conrad’s previous books. My daughter was delighted to see one of his books for older kids/young adults. This time around Dennis Conrad has teamed up with another author Derinda Babcock. My daughter is a coin collector and loves history. This was the perfect book for her. Having a daughter that is a struggling reader and finding a book that captivates her is a bonus.

The story centers on faith and freedom. The era is 312 AD during Roman rule. Titus a young boy refuses to deny his faith. Both his parents died in the arena for their faith and Titus is about to experience his own persecution for his faith.  Titus is taken from his home and family to work in the copper mines of Northern Italy. It’s a dangerous place working in the mines. Slavery is a hard and merciless life. Despite all of this Titus clings to his faith even when everything looks dark. Titus struggles and feels despair but he always finds strength to endure the hardship through his faith.

Titus shows grace and kindness to everyone in the mines. Through his courage and bravery he saves a Roman citizen. Most slaves would look the other way with his supervisor being a Roman citizen. He can’t look the other way and ends up saving his life in the mines. Now, Titus finds himself with an opportunity to be granted freedom. The road to getting his freedom isn’t an easy one. He has to rely on his faith to trust a man with his life.

The ended was very satisfying as it gave you a glimpse into the young boy becoming a man.

The book has maps of the journey and a glossary in the back of the book. There is information about coin collection along with some good resources.

This was a wonderful book that kept my daughter and I captivated to the last page.

I received a compl9imentary copy of this book in exchange of my honest review

About the Authors

DENNIS CONRAD is a retired Professor of Speech Communications. He’s taught in the U.K., Central Asia, and Asia. His picture book, Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin, won Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference First Place, Kudo’s Award, for best children’s book. He is a Fellow of the National Writing Project and an Amazon Bestselling Author. Dennis is a life member of the American Numismatic Association. His books are available on Audible.

 

DERINDA BABCOCK is an author and graphic designer. She lives in southwestern Colorado near the base of the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. In her previous career as an English as a Second Language teacher, she worked with students of all ages and many different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The richness of this experience lends flavor and voice to the stories she writes.

More from Dennis

The Dairy Cow: The Origin of My Life as a Writer

By the Author of Titus and the Christian Coin

There it was at my fingertips. It was the evidence I needed to prove I’ve been a writer since childhood.

Imagine my surprise when I found The Dairy Cow in my garage. Not just any cow. It was the one I had drawn a picture of and written about in the 1960’s.

I walked by the image and ten lines of writing every day growing up because my mother placed the famed picture in the hallway on the way into my bedroom.

Why would something like this be so important to a man who has written an award-winning children’s book, Marcus and the Emperor’s Coin, and The Two-Cent Piece about the first coins with the words “In God We Trust?”

From starting school until fifth grade, I was a slow reader. My teacher took me aside one day after class and asked, “Have you ever had your eyes checked?”

My response. “No, but my father wears glasses.” After an eye exam, and glasses were prescribed, I could see.

My grades started improving. By the time I was in high school, I was given a scholarship to the six-week University of Kansas Speech and Debate Institute. It changed my life. I earned a master’s degree in Speech Communication. One year, I became Speech Coach of the Year. I ended my career as a Professor of Speech Communications.

The picture of the cow and the little I wrote about the history of cows is an heirloom from a bygone era.

Writing the earliest manuscript of Titus and the Christian Coin, my current young adult novel, required skills I acquired over a lifetime of writing including my writing and illustrating The Dairy Cow.

May God bless you and your family,

Dennis Conrad

Blog Stops

For Him and My Family, March 12

Simple Harvest Reads, March 13 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, March 14

Guild Master, March 15 (Author Interview)

A Simple Texas Girl, March 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 16

Fiction Book Lover, March 17 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 18

Vicky Sluiter, March 19 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 20

For the Love of Literature, March 21 (Author Interview)

Capturing Luminous, March 21

Lily’s Corner, March 22

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, March 23

Artistic Nobody, March 24

The Bookish Pilgrim, March 25

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Dennis is giving away the grand prize of a $100 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/Vpjph/titus-and-the-christian-coin-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

There are so many Bibles out on the market and you can find just about anything to fit your niche. I’ve reviewed quite a few over the years. I’ve seen many amazing features in Bibles throughout the years and some features that have made me cringe.

What it comes down to is that the Word of God isn’t watered down or changed for me. Unfortunately, I have seen some that are just that. I can look beyond the fads and the majority of translations and features as long as the Word of God’s hasn’t been altered drastically.

The New Living Translation is an easy translation for many to understand and I have found very appealing to many individuals.

I have the beautiful Grace & Bloom, LeatherLike cover. If you want more of a traditional elegant cover you can purchase that also. They have a beautiful Sage Green cover and others to choose from. I use to like simple covers but, now I lean towards something that catches my eyes.

Some features include the Wide Margin that is for journaling. You can write down sermon notes or scripture references. There are faint lines for writing notes. I have friends that doddle and add their own own art for portions of the scripture. The paper isn’t extremely thin but certain pens or markers may bleed through. I am not a journaling type of a gal or a doodler. I’ll write scriptures or notes in my Bible but, that is my extend of writing in my Bible. It’s just not my niche.

The Filament feature is very practical and you can scan the pages to access over 25,000 study notes, 1,500+ devotionals, over 350 videos, maps and infographics, topics, and much more.  There is also a decent library of worship music. You can dive in deeper study on topics. It’s a nice feature for those who like to access these types of features. The Filament App is free.

The Bible has a single margin. A few scripture references and a tad bit of notes. If you are looking for a Study Bible then this is were you will use The Filament App. This isn’t a study Bible in itself if that is what you are wanting. The words of Jesus are Red-lettered.

There is a Tyndale Verse Finder in the back for a word/topical study that will direct you to varies scripture verses.

Another feature I like is the Visual Overview of the Bible. It has several key events that are laid out in a visual format. Everything from maps, the plaques of Egypt, the Feast of the Lord, and several other visuals that put the scripture in a visual aspect. I thought this section was nicely done.

You can find out more about at  https://bit.ly/NLTWideMarginFG

If your interested in purchasing you can click on this link https://bit.ly/NLTWideMarginFG

@tyndalebibles and @nltbible @frontgatem #studybible #biblejournaling

Disclosure:  I received this complimentary product through FrontGate Blogger Network in exchange for my honest thoughts.