(Originally Posted on December 12, 2013) Fluorescent light and a thump on the bed awake you. You blink, slowly bringing your child into focus. His eyes are wide with expectation. “Wake up! Santa came!” And though, as a teenager, he doesn’t believe in the Santa of the red hat and white beard anymore, Santa’s spirit is very much alive. You …
Last week at church, we discussed Acts Chapter 14:8-19 which tells about Paul and Barnabas healing a man in Lystra. This man was crippled and had never walked before, so those who witnessed the miracle were very much in awe. Too in awe, though, as they started worshiping Paul and Barnabas and wanted to offer sacrifices to them. The apostles …
Business-wise, this past week has been a good one for me. My first release, Chain of Mercy, was accepted for a BookBub ad (the queen-maker of book promotion sites) and that ad ran last Tuesday. Since then all of my books have been selling–a lot!–and most of them have made Amazon’s Top 100, even Top 10, of various categories. Chain …
Last week while working in the kitchen, I had the radio playing in the background and heard snippets of an interview with Christian music artist, tobyMac. One thing he said really caught my ear, the simple phrase, “I get to…” He was referring to those things we take for granted, those things we often disparage because they’re not as new or …
Last night at our ACFW Minnesota NICE meeting, fellow author Stacy Monson asked us to share blessings we’ve received from our writing. As I considered my answer, I knew there was much to be thankful for. Below’s an abbreviated list–I know there are many more. Friends – In abundance! From my Inkspirational Messages writing buddies, to my ACFW Critique partners, …
It’s no secret that I love superhero movies. I’ve become a Marvel fanatic (thanks to my family) and my favorite Disney / Pixar movie is The Incredibles. But, if you look closely at superheroes, none are great at everything, and they all have their kryptonite. They’re also strongest when they don’t go it alone. Consider The Avengers: Thor, Iron Man, …
We brought our youngest to college this past Sunday. Yes, college. Not kindergarten or middle school or even high school, but college. I have no clue how he got so old so fast! By Saturday morning he was all packed with one important exception: he didn’t have his trombone. Have no fear, he’d just brought it in for a tune-up, …
I love watching our cat, Kisses. She’s totally got a *catitude*. One minute she’s jumping on your lap and swabbing your face in kisses, then suddenly she’s nipping at your fingers. During the day, she sleeps and sleeps and sleeps and looks adorable doing so, curled up in a ball on my office chair or stretched out on our bed. But when …
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 …
MERCY … Merriam-Webster defines mercy as “kind or forgiving treatment of someone who could be treated harshly.” In other words, mercy is an unearned pardon. In Chain of Mercy, my hero Richard Brooks is granted mercy, but rather than grasp its freedom, he rejects it. By refusing to accept it, he lets mercy shackle him. This weekend Christians will celebrate …