Hidden Treasures: a Guest Blog by Ruby Mae O'Dell
Howdy, Y'all!
I'm Ruby Mae, and it is such a pleasure to be here today. Thank you, Linda, for having me as a guest blogger! Today, I'd like to share a little bit of my debut novel and also a devotion to go along with it. But first, allow me to share the cover and also the blurb with you:
Alrighty then, now that y'all have a basic idea about my story, it's time I got on to the post:
Hidden Treasures is a story of re-finding your faith and confirming your trust where it really counts. It's a story of second chances at both Faith and Love. About coming home to what's important, God and His great love for us.
In Hidden Treasures, Shayla Lornette is a Christian girl who was abandoned by the love of her life and then thrown into motherhood overnight when her parents were killed. She's endured more than her share of heartbreak and is now afraid to trust her heart to anyone, save God alone. Shayla has gotten it into her mind that trusting someone enough to care or even love them means heartbreak in the near future.
Josiah Sawyer, on the other hand, has drifted away from God. He never fully trusted God with his life decisions, and as a result, he tucked tail and ran from the only woman he'd ever loved. When a tragedy brings him back home, he's surprised to see Shayla still in town, and even more surprised to discover that she's in danger. Josiah is determined to protect her and try to earn her trust and forgiveness; but at first, he fails to realize that he first must place his trust in the One Who controls it all.
I'm going to focus in on Josiah for my devotion. You see, his story reminds me so much of the story of the prodigal son. Josiah ran away from his home, his love, his family, but most importantly, he ran away from God. I won't spoil the story by going into the details, but a tragedy brings Josiah back home, back to Shayla, and ultimately, back to God.
Josiah struggles with the hurt and pain he's endured and wonders, Where was God when all that happened? If God is all-powerful, then why does He allow His children to suffer pain and go through those harsh times?
Friends, I know, we've all had our share of pain and we've all spent time in the valley with our tears and heartache. But we're never alone, God is always there for us. God never leaves or forsakes us. The only ones who do the forsaking, is us. If we're not in God's presence, it's our own fault for walking away.
God doesn't promise His children that bad things won't happen. But He does promise that all things, including the bad, work together for good to those that love God. He also promises to never forsake us, even during our time of need. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It doesn't mean God doesn't love you or is angry with you, it means He is preparing the best for you. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose. You're called according to His purpose too, my Christian friends, ever since you gave God your heart. (If you haven't, then I pray that you do so today, feel free to contact me with any questions you have:
In the story of the prodigal son, the son takes everything that would be his when his father died and went out, on his own, to live life the way he pleased. It doesn't take long for him to use it all up and be forced to become a hired help, slopping his master's pigs while practically starving during the famine that had come over the land.
Yes, God allowed all those hardships to befall the prodigal son. But why? What was the purpose? The answer: to bring him home again. After the son swallows his pride and heads home, where do we find his father? Waiting right where the son had left him, watching and anticipating his lost son's return.
The son in the story represents God's wayward child. A child that has wandered away from His presence and is trying to face this harsh world alone. A child whose heart is jaded or is too prideful to admit his mistake.
The father in the story represents God Himself. If you're that prodigal son, let me tell you, God is waiting right where you left Him and He is watching and anticipating your return. That's the good news, my friends, no matter how far we wander away from the presence of God, He is always, always, waiting right where we left Him watching and anticipating your return. The choice is yours to make, He won't drag you back into His presence, but He will welcome you back with open arms.
Next time you're going through the valley, or if you're there now, ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this valley? Have I drifted away from God and is He trying to lead me back into waiting arms? Or is this valley to be used to strengthen my walk and testimony for Him?"
You see, God sends us through valleys for one of those two reasons: If it isn't to bring glory and honor to God or to strengthen our Christian walk and testimony, then we're in the valley because we've allowed our pride and sinful nature to lead us away from God.
Allow me to share Hidden Treasures' key verse:
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34)
That verse tells us that, whatever treasure we seek for with the most time and energy is where our heart lies. It serves as a reminder to ask ourselves now and then, “What treasure am I seeking for? Knowing God and His will? Or worldly goods and pleasures that won't last?”
It helps us to continuously seek the most valuable treasure we can possess, a close relationship with God Himself and serving Him, by following His will for our lives. And that is the Ultimate Treasure; but how do we obtain this treasure?
The Ultimate Treasure is God and His gift of Salvation. The key to discovering this magnificent treasure is through God's Word, the Bible.
So often today, Christians lose sight of the true treasure in life. Instead of seeking a strong relationship with our Saviour, we set our eyes on things of the world. This ought not to be so. God gave His life for us; it should be our deepest desire to seek and to serve Him to the best of our ability. God gives each of His children a gift, it's up to us to use the gifts He blesses us with, to further the kingdom of God. Our talents are a gift from God, but what we do with them are our gift back to Him.
If you're unsure if you possess this ultimate treasure of Christ living in your life, then I pray that today you'll accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. Tomorrow may be too late, as we're not promised our next breath. Or maybe, like Josiah, you've lost your way. If that's the case, then I want you to know that God is waiting right where you left Him and He's anticipating your return with open arms. I pray that whatever the case, you'll find your way to God today. If you give your heart to God, or renew your walk with Him, please let me know so I can pray for you as you start your new, or renewed, walk with God.
I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to contact me at:
You can also visit me at my website:
Take care, God Bless and remember, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
My debut novel, Hidden Treasures, is available now at Amazon.com.
RUBY MAE O'DELL is a small town girl, who loves God and her family. She resides in one of Georgia's small historic towns with her family. She's the eldest of eight children and calls it a great blessing to be a part of such a large and Godly family. She was home-schooled all her life, which she also considers a huge blessing. Since receiving her GED, she now enjoys teaching her siblings. She found the Ultimate Treasure, God's gift of Salvation, when she was eighteen.
Since then, she has been called to share the knowledge of God through the ministry of singing, teaching, and now writing. For as long as she can remember, Ruby Mae has always been a bookworm. You can rarely find her without a book in her possession.
She first toyed with the idea of writing a novel in 2014 while living in Tennessee. But after writing the first few pages she laid it aside. Her desire to write a novel came back full force in the early fall of 2016. It was then that she started to write her first novel, Hidden Treasures.
When she isn't writing she can usually be found spending time with her family or reading. Ruby Mae was also led of the Spirit to teach other young people about the importance of purity and to encourage them to follow God's will in saving themselves for marriage. A vow Ruby Mae has made herself as she continues to wait for God to send her the man He's created for her.
