Faith
What it Means to Follow
If God has been teaching me one thing this year, it’s been what it means to follow. Dance has been one giant metaphor for my relationship with God and His leading in my writing career and personal life. While in the past I’ve always tried to follow God’s will for my life, the process in…
Speak No Evil
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 I am often guilty of forgetting this verse. Or worse, choosing to ignore it. As one who…
The Nature of Art
The opening line of Anne Lamott’s writing memoir Bird by Bird states, “The very first thing I tell my new students on the first day of a workshop is that good writing is about telling the truth.” As a Christian writer, I often wonder at how truth in fiction is achieved. After studying the parable…
When God Stops by
I confess: I don’t always go to church. Like today, the morning after a jam-packed Lindy Hop weekend with lots of fun, friends, and busyness. Not only is my body tired and achy, but my soul wants quiet…peace. And sometimes that is found at home…alone. So when I awoke this morning, I tended to my…
The Death of a Seed
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” –John 12:24 As writers, we all have our creative processes, complete with our unique ways of getting the job done and our favorite parts of the…
Entrusted with Talents
Recently the Holy Spirit handed me a measuring stick, and I’ve been carrying it around ever since. These moments when God speaks so clearly both ache and inspire at once as He remains at work in my life, changing my heart and mind. In reading through the Gospels, a familiar passage mentioning Judas Iscariot jumped…
How Long Do You Wait Before You Move On?
From the archives: This was first posted on March 8, 2012 This question is first and foremost in my mind as I think about friends and family who have waited and now are celebrating the end to their longing. A prodigal daughter and mother reunited. A divorced mother weeks away from marrying the love of…
Trusting in God
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. –Psalm 62:8 A couple weeks ago, I made a list of markets that look like a good matches for several pieces of my short fiction. I told my husband that it’s high time I…
Jonah Vine
Jonah 4:6 Then the Lord provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was happy. Remember what happened to Jonah after he finally went to Nineveh? He sat back and rested under a vine that God gave him. And when that…
Using Interruptions To Encourage and Inspire
Through God we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries. Psalm 60:12 Turning on my nightlight, I looked at my clock. Only 2:00 a.m.! I’d been laying here since 10:00 pm, unable to sleep! It was one of my rare and frustrating nights when sleep kept eluding me and…