How He Loved Us
My favorite song for Holy Week is listed here. Check it out on YouTube then consider how grateful we should be for what Jesus did for us.
Admirable Women
During this International Women’s Month, I like to focus on some of the admirable women of history. So many women are strong prayer warriors and women of determination — it is difficult to choose just a few examples. But for the sake of this blog post’s length, I’ll focus on just three examples. Abigail. One
Searching for Rest
Someone recently asked me, “How do you rest?” My oxymoron reply, “I have to intentionally work to find rest.” Except for the times when life throws me in bed with an illness, I have to plan for rest. My strong work ethic was forged on the family farm where every day’s chores began at sunrise
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Remembering
As a wordsmith, I sometimes get stuck on one word or one phrase. Then I chew on it awhile, do some research, and determine what I can learn about the topic. For several months, the word ‘Remember’ has been my focus. Throughout scripture, we find the phrase, ‘And God remembered.’ At first, it feels unsettling.
3 Steps to Finding a Story
Sometimes writers make the process too hard. They work and work on an idea to the point of wrapping their brains around their toes, feeling total frustration, and giving up entirely. Sure, creating a novel takes a lot of creativity, time, and inspiration. But the basic guts of a story can happen in just three
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What Killed Jesus?
Since we are deep into the Lenten season, it seems the perfect time to address the question: What really killed Jesus? It is ironic that a man, a craftsman, who spent his life learning to fashion chairs, stone walls, and tables from rough wood — died on some of the same material. The mallet, an
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Finding Mission in Memoir
A few weeks ago, I added another chapter to my memoir. While I know it will need more pages — when the future unfolds itself — I feel a sense of accomplishment. This memoir is for only one person — to leave a written legacy for my beloved son. I want my son to know
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Roadblocks to Writing Success
When we know the root of the problem, then we can deal with it. This principle follows us all through life: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and in our writing craft. Throughout the years of coaching writers (since 2012), I have seen these roadblocks stop writers and stall their creativity. So let’s look at the roadblocks that
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Definitions of Success
Before writers can determine their goals, they need to define what success means to them. With a variety of directions to take, each writer should spend some time reflecting on their particular definition of success. The possibilities include: Literary Success. To achieve literary success as a writer, it is imperative to work with an agent
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Identify Your Cornerstone
While teaching a Bible study on the book of Ephesians, I studied Ephesians 2:20. In this verse, Paul reminds the first century believers that Jesus is the chief cornerstone. He is the foundation of what they believed, but also the all-important building block for us to remember. The cornerstone was the first stone set for
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