Literary Friday: Midnight Hallelujah by Ebie Hepworth

 

Happy Literary Friday, Friends!  

Today I'm sharing a book written by Ebie Hepworth entitled Midnight Hallelujah: Why Hope Is Still Worth the Risk.

About Midnight Hallelujah: Why Hope is Still Worth the Risk

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: September 29, 2026

If you’re disappointed with your life, struggling with faith, and frustrated with a seemingly silent God, Midnight Hallelujah dares to speak hope into the silence. Ebie Hepworth invites you into her dark nights and imagined conversations with Sarah, the mother of Isaac, who kept her company through them as she bridges our modern struggles with timeless biblical truths.

If you are navigating life’s deepest valleys this book will help you:

• feel less alone as Ebie confides her own stories of grief showing up when least expected;
• know what it means to struggle with faith fatigue, and how to recover from it;
• experience the life-changing truth that, even in the heavy silence, God is not absent; and
• gain practical tools like “hope therapy” for navigating life’s challenges.

This book is for you as you stand in the tension between faith and reality, between what you thought God would do and what remains unseen. If you have felt the ache of silence and wondered if hope is still within reach, come and rediscover real hope in Christ Himself.

About the Author

Ebie Hepworth is a storyteller drawn to the sacred places where hope lingers and broken dreams still flicker with life. Her words rise from the trenches of real life: adoption and pregnancy loss, a miracle twin birth, and the daily ache of walking her son through a diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. She hosts the Let Me Ask You This podcast and serves alongside her husband Zac at their local church in Boise, Idaho, where they live with their four children. She carries a heart that champions others, nurturing hope in the quiet, unseen places.

My Thoughts

I have only had this book for two days, and yesterday I had a root canal.  I wish I could give you a full review, but there just wasn't enough time.  What I can give you, though, are first impressions and thoughts.

The story of Sarah from the Bible has always fascinated me.  She conceived and birthed Isaac when she was very old, and he was her first and only child.  I think most of us know her story, but one of the details in the Bible always catches my attention.  When Abraham was talking to God in his tent, Sarah was at the door listening (eavesdropping, maybe?)....and when she heard God claim that she would have a son at the same time next year, she laughed.  She laughed at God!  And of course God calls her out on it.  I love this part of her story!

One thing that is very cool about this book is the way it's organized around the different parts of a day.  The parts depicting sunrise and midmorning are in the Grieving Chapter.  Noon and high noon are in the Contending Chapter.  Afternoon and dusk are in the Awaiting Chapter.  Sunset, Nightfall, and Midnight are contained in the Thanksgiving Chapter.  I can't wait to see how the span of a day and these chapters relate back to Sarah and her life.  

We could all use more hope and encouragement, and I think I will find both in spades in this book.  I am loving it so far, and I will probably finish it before the weekend is over.

Disclosure:  I would like to thank TLC Book Tours for including me in this tour.  I received a paperback copy of Midnight Hallelujah from the publisher via TLC in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

TLC Tour Schedule:

Tuesday, September 29th: @natashasbookshelf on TikTok

Wednesday, September 30th: @the.joy.within.every.page 

Friday, October 2nd: The Bookish Dilettante

Monday, October 5th: @fullybookedinkentucky

Wednesday, October 7th: @dana.loves.books

Friday, October 9th: @beckys_bookshelves

Monday, October 12th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Wednesday, October 14th: @teaandbookstoo and Reading, Writing, and Pondering

Friday, October 16th: @gleebookadventures

Monday, October 19th:  @the_little_book_spot

Tuesday, October 20th: @booksaprilreads

Monday, November 2nd: @reading.withrach on TikTok

Friday, November 6th: Laura’s Reviews and @laurasreviews_1

  

Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: Midnight Hallelujah by Ebie Hepworth

Friday, October 2, 2026

Tales of the Traveling Tote: Florida's 30-A Beaches

Hello, My Lovelies!  Welcome to another Tales of the Traveling Tote post!

This might be the worst post ever photo-wise because I was on Grandma Duty for our family trip to the beach!

I have so many fond memories of taking our girls to the beaches of 30-A Florida.  I can remember visiting as a girl before Seaside existed, when it was Grayton Beach and Santa Rosa Beach.  Seaside was established when I was in college, and our first trip as a family to Seaside was when Shanley Belle was one year old.

Now it's time for another generation to discover the beauty of this area of Florida.

Shanley Belle, Christopher, and our Little Starling flew down from Detroit last month and met us at the beach.  Of course I was in heaven because I got to do alllllll the Grandma Things, including babysit while Mom and Dad had dates.  That's the main reason that I didn't take many photos because I was too busy!  Also, Shanley and Christopher don't want any photos of Starling on the Internet, and I don't blame them.

But she is so cute.  You will have to take my word for it!  She has the best features of both her parents, and she might even be a redhead.  The jury is still out on that one!

Below I'll share a few photos from our trip with captions.

This is a very famous view of Western Lake with the strand of pine trees in the distance.

It has inspired many artists, and we have a small watercolor of this view in our home.

We had only one rainy day the entire week we were there.  We were lucky, and the weather was also unseasonably cool.

On the rainy day we took a drive to Rosemary Beach and did a little shopping.  Shanley and I always enjoy shopping at indie bookstores when we travel.

This is the post office at Seaside.  The flag is at half-staff in honor of Dolly Parton.

La Countess de Monet would've been very upset if I hadn't taken her to my mothership, Sun Dog Books.  I didn't buy many books for myself, but I purchased several for Starling.

We've been eating at Pickles since forever.  It was one of the first businesses in Seaside.

A view of the beach from the Watercolor Beach Club.

My daughters and I discovered the neatest shop in Seaside called Poeta.

It was the shopping hit of the trip.

Everything in the shop was quilted, and the fabric patterns were so cute.  

I purchased a nice pencil case for my art class and a journal.

I also purchased this adorable bracelet because of course I did!

;P

I will cherish the memories from our trip, and I hope that there will be many more in our future with Little Starling.  

Please visit the other participants' posts.  I promise they will have more and better photos!  

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths 

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

 Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply 

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Sketchy Reader (You're here!) 

Join us in January for fall and early winter adventures!

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

Tales of the Traveling Tote: Florida's 30-A Beaches

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Book Review: A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving

 

Happy Thursday, My Lovelies!  I am reading the best 30-day devotional I've read in a very long time:  A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God's Goodness by Wendy Speake.

About A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving: 30 Days of Rejoicing in God’s Goodness

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication date: September 1, 2026

When life is bright and blessings abound, are you quick to feel grateful and lift a song of thanks to God? What about the seasons when heartache and hopelessness overwhelm, and deep soul-sadness threatens? When life feels awful, do you find it awfully hard to persevere in praise and rejoice in God’s goodness? Discover strength and renewal in times when praise feels more like a sacrifice than a natural overflow of the heart.

God’s Word is clear: we are to bless Him at all times! But it can be difficult when we don’t feel blessed—or are simply distracted by all of our blessings. 

A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving will help readers:

• Come honestly to the Lord regardless of life’s circumstances.
• Witness the power of praise to break through spiritual barriers.
• Rejoice in trials, knowing that they produce endurance, character, and hope.
• Maintain a steadfast heart of worship when life feels unsteady.
• Thank God for His character, even when we don’t understand His ways.

In the first half of this uplifting 30-day devotional, you will explore the profound gift that praising and thanking God is to you! Then, as you progress, you will shift your focus from those personal benefits to the One who is simply worthy of your worship.

Wendy Speake, bestselling author of The 40-Day Sugar Fast and The 40-Day Social Media Fast, invites you to consider “fasting from asking” along this journey. Yes, that’s right: For 30 days you’ll turn your petitions into praise as you lift your eyes from yourself and your circumstances to the praiseworthy and thankworthy One! This 30-day “ask fast” will teach you to give God your praise and thanks at all times, every day, even when it feels like a sacrificial offering.

About the Author

Whether on the stage or on the page, Wendy Speake ministers to women’s hearts through storytelling and biblical life application. With a background in Hollywood as a trained actress, she couples the power of God’s Word with personal testimony. Known for the uncanny way she meets women in their most common struggles, from sugar-addiction and mommy-anger to deep soul-sadness, Wendy uses every opportunity to point readers to the transforming power of God’s Word and the faithful nearness of His Holy Spirit.

Wendy is the author of multiple books, including The 40-Day Sugar Fast, The 40-Day Social Media Fast, and The 40-Day Feast. She’s also coauthor of the popular parenting books Triggers, Parenting Scripts, and Life Creative.

Though originally a California girl, Wendy now lives in the great state of Texas. When she isn’t ministering to others, Wendy enjoys gardening, taking walks in her neighborhood, and fixing meals for family and friends.

My Review

I am absolutely loving this devotional!  I was not sure that I would handle an "Ask Fast" very well, but it has actually been very freeing as I trust that God already knows what I need before I ask him.  It has been very refreshing to my soul setting aside all petitions/supplications and focusing on thanking and praising God.

I like how each daily devotion is organized.  Each lesson begins with scripture, followed by a lesson.  After the lesson there is a daily prayer and a guided journal activity.  Also, you can download Wendy's The 30 Days of Praise and Thanksgiving Journal for free!  HERE is the LINK.  The journal is 143 pages long, but there is plenty of room to write scripture and the guided journal assignments.  Some of the lessons also include meditation exercises and other thoughtful activities.  I emailed the journal to Kinko's and had them to print and bind it for me, but you can answer the questions and complete the activities in a composition notebook and use the journal on your computer as a guide.  I highly recommend using this free resource because it does enhance the devotional.

I have found it very difficult to live out the above verse in my faith walk.  Give thanks in EVERYTHING?  However, scripture admonishes us to do just that.  Wendy Speake has given us a very comprehensive handbook, and I can't think of a better devotional for any Christian who wants to grow her faith during the midst of trials.  I also enjoy Wendy's voice: I like how she writes!  She balances the biblical with personal anecdotes well, and her lessons are very engaging.  With Thanksgiving just over the horizon, I can't think of a better time of year to start this lovely devotional.  I highly recommend it, and I think it would make a thoughtful gift.

Have you read a devotional you'd recommend to my readers?  If so, please share in comments!

Disclosure:  I received a paperback copy of A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.  Thank-you so much for asking me to be a part of this tour: I love this devotional!  I can't rave about it enough.

TLC Review Tour Schedule:

Tuesday, September 1st: @fullybookedinkentucky 

Thursday, September 3rd: @she_reads_truth_365

Friday, September 4th: @nissa_the.bookworm

Tuesday, September 8th: Laura’s Reviews and @laurasreviews_1 

Tuesday, September 8th: @simplystevienicole on TikTok

Wednesday, September 9th: @the.joy.within.every.page

Thursday, September 10th: The Bookish Dilettante

Monday, September 14th: @danamarielovestoread 

Wednesday, September 16th: @natashasbookshelf on TikTok

Friday, September 18th: @deannaturnsthepage 

Tuesday, September 22nd: @teaandbookstoo and Reading, Writing, and Pondering

Wednesday, September 23rd: @reading.in.azaleawoods

Thursday, September 24th: @beckys_bookshelves

Friday, September 25th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill

Book Review: A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving

Thursday, September 10, 2026