Ashley Thompson – How We Met & Romantic Excerpt

Shannon here: Ashley Thompson shares how she met her husband plus a romantic excerpt from her Contemporary Romance, His Liberating Flame. Comment or answer the question in any post dated Feb 17 – 28 to enter the drawing for a PDF Digital download of the book plus 3 other titles. Deadline: March 7th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Ashley:

Divine Mountain Romance:

I met my husband at a beautiful, rustic chalet where I was staying while attending Bible college. The lodge was nestled on 30 acres of forest land up in the mountains of Colorado. I could see the large, sparkling lake from the third floor, and the sunroof seemed so elevated that it was as if I could touch the billions of stars twinkling above my head.

I was 23 years old, and I had never dated before. I asked God to take over my love life when I was 16, and I had specifically prayed that my first boyfriend would become my husband. I had witnessed friends and family go through heartbreak growing up, and I never wanted to go through that deep pain.

God honored my prayer, and although it was hard, I waited expectantly. I still remember carrying a bag of snacks and water with me as I pushed the wood and glass doors of the lodge open so I could go outside and have a “picnic with Jesus.” As I walked through the outside corridor, I saw a young man sitting on a bench outside. I had seen many students come and go through this lodge over the past several weeks, but he was a new face. I planned on walking past him, but I felt a small nudge to say hello.

“Hi,” I said casually in greeting.

“Hello.” His voice was unusually deep.

I didn’t think about him for the next few weeks. Then one night, as I meandered out of my room after the lodge chef had rung the dinner bell, I saw him sitting on the sofa before the large stone community fireplace.

I asked him, “What’s your testimony? And why did you decide to come to this Bible College?”

While I had received polite, short testimonies from my other classmates, this man, Stephen, went into detail. He spoke with such love, conviction, and strength. His testimony enthralled me, and I began seeking conversations with him. Unlike many others, he could talk about God for hours, and he never seemed to get tired.

We became fast friends, and I was innocent enough not to detect his growing affection for me, mostly because I had my eyes set on another Stephen, who I knew from my old church. My now-husband, then-friend, helped me confess my love for the other Stephen through a message. Talk about being selfless. When my friend told me he was only interested in staying friends, I went to my room and worshipped God. I told God, “I could wait forever for a husband. There’s no rush.”

The next month, my friend Stephen told me he liked me as we watched a missionary movie. He was certainly a man on a mission, because two months after his confession, and a handful of dates, he asked for my hand in marriage.

We have been married for over ten years and have 3 beautiful girls. I have been blessed to watch my husband pastor a home church, work for a large ministry, speak on the radio, and minister to people. He has loved me unconditionally, and he is an answer to my prayers. I thank God for the years I was able to stay home with our girls while he provided for us.

Years before I met my husband, I began writing a short romantic story that became a full novel about a man with a scarlet past who is radically transformed by Jesus and falls in love with a church girl. As God would have it, my husband mirrors that man in many ways, he even has brown hair and icy-blue eyes. The characters meet in the snowy mountains of Colorado, just like my husband and me. Looking back, there are so many God-winks that I can’t mention them all. I believe in God’s ability to write beautiful love stories. If we trust Him with the pen, He will make good on His promise.

Excerpt from His Liberation Flame by Ashley Thompson:

Noble was grateful to have her company for a little while longer. They sat quietly, speaking to one another with their eyes and glancing down at their cups when their gazes felt awkward. Trisha seemed to be studying him as he was studying her.

Noble lifted his cup to his lips for another taste before Trisha asked him, “Are you saved?”

Suddenly fascinated with his hands, he gave them full eye contact instead of her. Knowing he was being rude, he set his cup down and responded, “As saved as I know how to be.” Old memories of his once love-life with Christ struck pain in his heart. He hadn’t visited those memories in a long time, and an ache for the joy and peace he once possessed threatened to surface.

“What does that mean?” she asked softly, careful of her words as she guessed this was a tender subject.

“It means for the most part…I’ve let go. I just kind of walked away from that life…Now I’m sort of wandering back and forth. I’m mostly detached.”

“I see,” she said slowly, finally able to see him beyond his natural appeal. She detected he was in pain. Moreover, she felt a strong sense of God’s love for him in her heart.

Her steady gaze unnerved Noble, but to his surprise, there was no condemnation in her eyes.

“He wants you back,” she said, leaning toward him. Her voice flowed with an unnatural love. Her visage appeared serene. Noble shifted uncomfortably. He flicked his eyes downward.

This is getting a little too personal. But what do I really have to lose?

He rubbed the back of his neck and released a short groan.

Nothing but my stupid pride.

He wanted to be vulnerable with her; to share his life frustrations, gnawing thirst, and dead faith with this seemingly caring stranger. The gains outweighed the loss. He secretly hoped what she said was true. That God hadn’t forgotten about him—although he had turned his back on God to pursue dishonest gains and self-satisfaction and sinful pleasures.

He decided to drop his mask. “How and why would God want someone like me back?” he asked, meeting her eyes, imagining his heart showed through them. If this went badly, he knew he didn’t have to see her again.

She smiled. “Someone like who?” The way she asked the question was soothing. Noble knew nothing he could confess would alter her view of him. The grace in her voice, and mercy in her eyes, almost brought tears to his. It was like he wasn’t just looking at her but seeing through her. An ocean of light and love heightened in powerful currents beneath the surface. Nobody had ever looked at him like that! He wanted to question his sanity and wondered if he was imagining things. But the radiance he saw was unmistakable. Before he had even confessed, he was met with an ocean of forgiveness.

Trisha waited a beat before continuing. “God is not interested in your sin or what you’ve done. He’s interested in you… he delights in you, and he loves you because that’s who he is. He can’t help but love.”

Noble fought the grief that threatened to mount from his soul.

A memory crossed in his consciousness like a movie screen flashing behind his eyelids. His mother’s face contorted with pain as she pleaded with him to stay home. He remembered the selfish, uncaring words he gave to his father after his dad had tried to reason with him, perhaps too sternly. His mind was made up, although his mother’s tears threatened to sway him. He left without talking much to her. Lastly, he recalled the way she crumbled on the floor, with her hands holding her head.

Guilt he had buried rose up to plague him. It was a memory he had run from and ignored for years. Now, on the brink of his consciousness, it was too painful, and he sought to retreat.

There is no way God could love me after what I’ve done.

“I’ve done too many b—” he began, but Trisha interrupted him.

“This isn’t about what you’ve done but what’s been done for you. And it’s not about who you are but who lives to redeem you.”

Stop!

He wanted to tell her to… stop. He couldn’t bear to face his shame. He couldn’t be humiliated and cry in front of her, the people in the café… and especially Rose!

He clenched his jaw and looked sternly at her to hide the pain her words were awakening. He had shoved God so far into the corner of his mind and heart that to hear his name so bluntly spoken made Noble realize he had always been there, gently knocking. And to admit and face that he had ignored and cursed at him for so long threatened to rip his heart open. He felt the weight of his evil—despite the grace he saw in Trisha’s eyes.

“It’s okay to cry,” she whispered, seeing past his fake facade.

“Not for this man, it isn’t,” he said firmly.

She hesitated. “Tears of repentance are… beautiful to him.”

“Repentance for what?” he said through gritted teeth. Despite his efforts, anger burned in those words.

Trisha pressed her lips together before apologizing. “I’m sorry for overstepping your boundaries.”

Her apology defused his temper. He sighed quietly. “I know you only meant well.”

A few tedious seconds passed by before either of them spoke.

Noble examined her for signs of nervousness. He hadn’t meant to become angry and yet he had. She sat, slowly rubbing her arm. She chewed on her bottom lip and dipped her chin. Her eyes fluttered and closed. After a few seconds, her rubbing hand rested on her lap. Her shoulders loosened from their tense position and she sat straight. Her face took on a softer quality and a tiny smile lifted the corner of her mouth. Noble felt she was with him, but also with someone else.

“Trisha?” He questioned.

Her eyes opened and a larger smile caused her countenance to glow. “I have to go soon, but before I leave, can I trouble you with one more thing?”

He nodded his head.

“Will you pray with me?”

Her request was surprisingly irresistible. A part of him wanted to run but something inside of him implored him to stay. Calling on a memory from his childhood, he slowly put his hands on the table and opened his palms, like his mother used to do with him.

She sat frozen with lifted brows as she focused on his hands. He curved and straightened his fingers several times and could tell she was surprised by his gesture for her to hold his hands. I set them on the table for a reason.

Trisha slid her soft hands over his and instinctively he encased her hands in his. She gently squeezed his hands back, closed her eyes, and bowed her head.

He stole a moment to look at her, in awe of what was happening.

How did it come to this? I simply wanted to pursue Rose before finding out her marital status. Then all I wanted was a listening ear. That’s what I get for seeking one in a café instead of a bar! At least there I could have spilled my guts to a drunkard… he’d forget me and everything I said by morning. Instead, some stranger is praying over me.

Trisha began praying, and that took Noble away from his wandering thoughts. He closed his eyes as she began.

“Dear Jesus, I know that you have orchestrated this moment from the beginning of time to reach your son, Noble, because you love him. Dear Lord, I pray that he will know with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength the height, depth, width, and length of the love you have for him. May it be to him a revelation within. I pray you’d tenderize his heart and surround him always in your presence. Saturate and dissolve him in your wondrous, fierce, and terrific love.”

Hot tears swelled in his eyes as he felt a peaceful presence—more real than the clothes on his back—knock at his heart. It was surreal but almost tangible. Noble opened his eyes, looking around in shock, but he saw no one. Yet it was undeniable that a heavenly presence was with them. And it was touching him!

Reader Question: Do you feel comfortable sharing your testimony? Why or why not?

February Book Bundle #2

His Liberating Flame by Ashley Thompson, Contemporary Small Town Romance, PDF Download

Zenith of Tea by Ruth Wuwong, Advanced Reader sign up for weekly newsletter and join launch team to download

Annie True and Brave by Jody Day, Historical Fiction, print

Recipes with Love by Erma Ullrey, Contemporary Romance, e-book

About Ashley: Ashley is a blessed wife, mother, certified life coach, teacher, worship dancer, and bestselling author with over 10 years of experience in human services. Her passion is Jesus and those He loves! To receive inspiring monthly devotionals, subscribe to her blog: Nourishment Through Words

About the book – His Liberating Flame: 

As a popular model, Noble has been anything but what his name implies. He’s spent a decade living a lucrative, infamous party lifestyle and dated more than his fair share of affluent women. However, the glamor of stardom has tarnished, and the taste of self-indulgence has soured in his stomach. The drugs and fame cannot appease the growing emptiness gnawing at his soul.

On the brink of imploding, he seeks respite from his cunning agent and intoxicating girlfriend. Noble takes a spontaneous trip to his picturesque hometown, where he’s left behind an estranged relationship with his parents.

There, on a snowy night, he encounters a captivating light in a modest barista, Trisha, who breathes hope into his soul and helps him unravel the gilded cords that once ensnared him tightly. Their fateful rendezvous is the catalyst that ushers him on a redemptive path.

But Noble’s dark past pursues him ardently, and his former addictions begin to weaken his will.

Will the celestial light he experienced withstand the encroaching darkness that threatens to engulf him?

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