The Soul-Reaching Power of Music

I’m not a cryer–my closest friends and family will confirm this. Friend Nicole Petrino-Salter even referenced me in a blog post this week, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Apparently, I’ve previously mentioned my “ice queen” status when it comes to emotions. No, I don’t cry at sappy movies. Not even during Marley & Me. Not even when >spoiler alert< Éponine …

Field Trip Time!

I’m fortunate to be part of a fantastic local writers group, MN NICE (Novelists Inspiring Christian Excellence), the Minnesota chapter of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). We’re scheduled to meet once per month–usually we invite a speaker or teacher to share with us, but about once a year we escape the meeting room and take a field trip. (Is that what …

Crafty Kindle Cover

Those of you who know me, know that I’m not crafty. Honestly, doing crafts induces rather reduces stress, so I actively avoid crafting. Yet, every once in a while I get the itch to try something, and I’m thrilled when it turns out. Now to be completely honest, I have attempted this craft before (go >here<), but I’ve modified this …

The Significance of the Veil

Today, I’m a click away, posting at Inkspirational Messages. We’ve spent the last couple of weeks talking about objects in the Bible (i.e. the alabaster jar, the widow’s offering, Light, and more), and the role they play in our lives. I’m sharing a brief history about the veil that was torn in the temple when Jesus died, and its significance …

Midsummer Already???

If you’re like me, you can’t believe it’s midsummer already, especially if you live in Minnesota where our long-for-us winter seemed to last till mid-May. Spring made a very brief appearance, but I was too busy to notice. And finally this week, I have a breather. That’s when I noticed that summer’s already half gone! And our baby goes off …

Ground-Cooked Turkey

Yes, it is book-talk Tuesday, and yes I will be talking turkey, and yes, the two do go together! If you give me a moment, I’ll explain. First off, on Sunday, my family celebrated my mom’s birthday. We’re talking 37 people counting my folks, siblings, siblings-in-law, nieces and nephews, and a couple of in-laws’ parents. A nice cozy gathering, very …

Novel Anticipation – July 2014

July brings a long list of new releases in the Christian market, but three stand out to me. Two are written by authors that I regularly read (DiAnn Mills and Sally John) and a third I’ve yet to read (Shannon Ethridge). What are you looking forward to reading this July? FIREWALL (FBI: Houston Series #1) by DiAnn Mills Tyndale After a whirlwind …