Shannon here: Tonya B. Ashley shares her current favorite Bible verse and how it influenced her fiction, plus a chance to win a print copy of her Historical Romance, Fireflies in Sacred Shadows, along with 3 other titles in my Nov Book Bundle #2. Comment or answer the question on any post dated Nov 18th – 29th. Deadline: Dec 6th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Tonya:
Stories have long been one of the ways God reaches me. He speaks to me through real-life stories, through the ones I read or write, and through the stories within Scripture. Because of that, certain verses rise and fall in my heart depending on what season I’m walking through, or what season my characters are learning to endure. I love how the Bible meets us that way, becoming deeply personal the moment we need it most.
I’ve never had one permanent favorite Bible verse. My heart tends to cling to different passages depending on what God is teaching me in a particular season. I love God’s word for the way it breathes life into us, provides solid ground when life throws shifting sand beneath our feet, and becomes personal in ways we could never anticipate.
During the season when I wrote Fireflies in Sacred Shadows, one verse stayed dear to my heart more than any other:
“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” (Isaiah 54:10, KJV)
There is such tenderness in the Lord’s voice here. It is both unshakeable and deeply gentle. Even if everything collapses—even if the “hills be removed” from beneath our feet—God’s kindness remains. His peace, His covenant love, does not move an inch. It is not fragile. It doesn’t thin out in our weakness or falter when we do. It is as steady as He is.
This was the verse that spoke to my heart while writing Dr. Ben Ewing’s return home in Fireflies in Sacred Shadows. Ben comes back from California bearing wounds no one can see. The “mountains” of his life have shifted, the landscape of his heart rearranged by loss and trauma. But God’s love hasn’t moved. His peace hasn’t departed. In the novel, Levi Snow tries to remind him of that truth:
“God’s Word assures us that even if the mountains walk away and hills crumble, God’s love will remain with you, my friend.” Levi squeezed Ben’s shoulder. “God has compassion for you and cares for you. This doesn’t mean adversity won’t find you. Rather, you can rest knowing He will be with you during difficult times.”
I wrote those words for Ben, but I borrowed them from a season when I had needed them too. Life sometimes delivers circumstances in which the familiar gives way beneath our feet. Seasons of stress, loss, waiting, disappointment, or unexpected change. In those places, our hearts can forget that His compassion is still active. His peace is still extended. His covenant still holds.
I think that’s one reason the fireflies in the story became so meaningful to me. Even in the darkest moments, when life feels like a sinkhole with no way out, hope still flickers in the shadows. The fireflies are gentle reminders that when we’re stumbling in the dark, He is still there. He hasn’t abandoned us. He isn’t out of reach. He’s waiting for us to sit with Him, get settled in Him, because He is the Light that will show us how to put one foot in front of the other
In my own life, Isaiah 54:10 has been a comfort again and again. On days when hope seemed to fade like the last firefly in the deepest, darkest of forests, it reminded me that the Light was still there, even if I struggled to see it. That is the kind of love story that never loses its beauty.
A God who stays.
A God whose compassion rests on you.
A God whose mercy and grace hold you even when everything else falls apart.
So, while I can’t claim one favorite verse forever, Isaiah 54:10 has been with me through a long, difficult chapter of life—and it shaped the heart of Fireflies in Sacred Shadows. No matter what shifts around us, this verse echoes the resounding nature of God’s compassion and peace. And in that unchanging covenant love, we can keep going… even when the mountains crumble.
Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Shannon. It’s a gift to pause and reflect on the Scripture the Lord used to shape Ben Ewing’s character—and to shape my heart while I wrote him. It has been a blessing to join you and your readers here, and I pray this verse offers someone else the same comfort and hope it offered me.
Reader Question: Do you have a favorite Bible verse or does it change with the blessings and
challenges in your life? Is there one particular verse you cling to no matter what?
Nov Book Bundle #2
Fireflies in Sacred Shadows by Tonya B. Ashley, Historical Romance, print
Fire Between Two Skies by R.F. Whong, Mystery, Advanced Reader Copy
The Broken Trail by Christa MacDonald, Contemporary Romance, print
A Pink Lady Thanksgiving by Donna Schlachter, Christian Historical Fiction, e-book
About Tonya: Tonya B. Ashley writes stories that speak to the weary and the wandering—faith-filled fiction rooted in family, redemption, and the sacredness of suffering. Whether she’s unraveling a love story beneath flickering fireflies or tracing grace through grief, Tonya’s writing leans into the belief that hope still flickers in the darkest places.
She is the author of Of Faith and Dreams, Book One in the Lost and Found Series, and Once Lost, Now Found, a prequel novella featured in the collection A Gift for All Time. Her newest novel, Fireflies in Sacred Shadows, can be read as a standalone or as part of the Lost and Found series.
When she’s not writing, Tonya enjoys time with her family, connecting with students, reading in a hammock, and junk journaling with a creative cup of coffee. Learn more & connect:
About the book – Fireflies in Sacred Shadows:
A hidden message. A broken past. A chance to begin again.
Van Buren, Arkansas, 1853.
Rebecca Hogue is doing everything she can to hold her family—and their boardinghouse—together. But when a mysterious spyglass surfaces and her reputation is called into question, the danger becomes far more personal.
Dr. Benjamin Ewing returned to Van Buren with nothing but regrets and a heart still tethered to the woman he left behind. When the spyglass reveals a coded message and Rebecca finds herself in harm’s way, Ben must face the ghosts of California and the emotional wounds he still carries.
Can Rebecca and Ben unravel a tangled scheme, navigate fragile trust, and learn to appreciate walking through hard places together?
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Tonya’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now!
Fireflies in Sacred Shadows Tonya’s Books
Come back Nov 20th for R.F. Whong!
Psalm 139:14 is my heart verse for sure: “I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.”
No, I don’t have a favorite verse.
Throughout life, my favorite Bible verses change with the blessings and challenges I face. Yet Isaiah 41:13 remains a constant anchor for me: “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” No matter the season, it reminds me that God is not distant—He is right there, guiding, supporting, and carrying me through every uncertainty.
So many verses come to mind, but I always come back to Matthew 6:33. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteous and all things will be added to you.” Keeping Him first keeps my life in order.
I don’t have one favorite, but one that’s really comforted me is “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)