In the bottom drawer of a file cabinet, I just discovered a thick folder filled with “poems and inspiration.” I thumbed through it as I searched for examples to use in my message for ladies Bible study. Out fell this green card. It’s signed “Beverly.” My brain strains toward a faint recollection of a women’s […]
Book Review: The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund
Note: At the end of this review, there are instructions on how you can receive up to two chances to win a free autographed copy of The Preacher’s Bride! ********* If I had not connected with Jody online, I’m not sure I would have picked up this book. Which goes to show you can’t judge […]
It’s a Two-Cup Morning
I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer. ~Martin Luther News on the radio startles me awake. Dennis forgot to shut off the alarm. I don’t want to get up. My elbow hurts, and my back aches. I know that Friday’s supper dishes line the counter–along with […]
Stories–For Such a Time as This
Have you ever found yourself tapping your foot and thinking (or begging out loud), “Just get to the point?” Getting straight to the point is apparently not that sticky. And perhaps not the strongest way to inspire action. As it turns out, there’s more power in a story. A good story fires up our neurons […]
Worry (For Writers) ~ In More Than 140 Characters
When a book leaves your hands, it belongs to God. He may use it to save a few souls or to try a few others, but I think that for the writer to worry is to take over God’s business. ~Flannery O’Connor
The Seeds Hide in the Core
Do you have a message? Do you want it to stick and spread? Then KISS. Keep it simple, silly. Because words, words and words can hide your message. You have to chomp through the apple because the seeds hide in the core. If you want the apple to multiply, you have to spread the seeds. […]
And the Wheels Turn
I am on my bike. I do not want to be. Well, I do kind of. But not really. I am not in shape, and my husband has no concept of time or distance. Well, he does, and I know he’ll turn back if I ask, but I also know he wants to share this […]
The Fragrance of Morning
I barely remember. The whispered “Bye” or the “I love you” or the brush of lips on my forehead. But his fragrance lingered. Jovan musk, I think. Mingled with the scent of yesterday’s line-dried sheets and the freshened potpourri (Claire Burke original) that fills the big shell on our dresser. And still a hint of […]
In My Mind On a Michigan Monday
The porch swing calls me this morning to bring coffee in my new Michigan mug and my bowl of blackberries and spend a little quiet time. Corn leaves wave good morning, and angelic hosta trumpets nod in the gentle breeze. I take a moment to pinch the faded heads of yellow and burnt orange and […]
12 Ideas to Find Ideas
“I wish you had a GMC,” Gracee sighed. “So you could have a TV in here.” If you’re going to be a writer, Gracee, you’ve got to look around. You miss too much treasure with your eyes on a screen–TV, Barbie computer, Nintendo. Like there. That place almost looks like it used to be a […]
