Peace of Mind
An email from a relative reminded me today that life is fragile. After watching his wife lay gravely ill in the hospital for the past week, its tenuous nature is more apparent than ever. He’s openly sharing struggles and triumphs. And their appreciation for prayer is apparent. In the midst of their trials, which are tremendous, he’s finding things to rejoice about. Oftentimes, though, it’s just the opposite. In talking with some whom I know are hurting, there seems a pervasive attitude that if they admit they have difficulties, this would cast some sort of shadow on God. They feel pressured to put on a happy face, not be sad, not grieve. I, myself, have been told this. Try as I may, it’s been hard for me to understand. But I think I’m finally glimpsing...
Read MoreAnd So This Is Christmas
The other day I had an opportunity to share my faith with someone who was confused about Jesus’ deity. And, as when anything like that happens, my faith deepened as I went about finding the verses of the Bible to share with him. As it’s Christmas, the time of year when Christians choose to celebrate the birth of their savior, I thought I’d share a bit of what I found for my searching friend. I think the misconceptions of the world often infiltrate our ideas of who Jesus was. I often hear through the media that He was just a good man, or that He never claimed to be God, or that He was a just a prophet. Rather than listening to what others say, I think the best source of information is the fountainhead—the Bible. I’ve linked all the verses to read in...
Read MoreOne Foot in Front of the Other
Right now, uppermost in my mind, is the beginning of our school year. We homeschool our children—have from the very beginning, and intend to go all the way through high school. People not familiar with homeschooling usually ask me what the benefits are of schooling at home. First and foremost, it’s created a bond in our family that I don’t think we’d otherwise have. It’s also allowed my children to not only learn about our faith, but see it lived out in our daily lives. God’s definitely not just for Sundays around here. They also have opportunities to try out many different areas of focus—where as the public school system just can’t afford the staff to do that. We hold a belief that God grants each of us a gift—and that gift is to be used to...
Read MoreGuest Post: Dialogue–Snappy Dialogue, That Is
Coming Up at Clash of the Titles, October 10-November 4, 2011 The first annual, Tournament of Champions! Over a FOUR week period, SIXTEEN previous COTT champs will face-off in EIGHT different mini-Clashes. Only ONE will take home The Laurel Award. With Clashes, games, and prizes galore, you won’t want to miss this month-long celebration! ******** *Guest post by Lisa Lickel Dialogue lets your characters be heard. It’s their voice; their conversation amongst themselves. It’s how they tell their story. Dialogue is talk. Discussion. Arguments. Jokes. Questions and answers. Foibles. Mystery. Mesmerism. It’s the muscle on the skeleton of the story. The writer’s ability to conquer natural dialogue comes out of how well we know our characters. The...
Read MoreAnticipation
I’m getting ready to attend the Oregon Christian Writers’ summer conference. It’s something I wait for every year, and I’ll most likely blog about all the wonderful things I’ve learned once it’s over. Usually, the things I come back talking about have little to do with classes-but everything to do with God’s encouragement and blessing (either in my life or the life of another attendee). I’m anticipating, as I always do, hanging out with a large group of believers that all have one thing in common: passion for writing. I liken it to finding family you never knew you had, but you experience that connected feeling as soon as you meet each other’s eyes. And there is no end of opportunities to encourage one another. Last summer I was very nervous...
Read MoreDon’t You Quit
I’m noticing two reoccurring themes in my life in the past three years: serious illness and the encouraging words of others telling me not to quit, to keep on praying and trust in God’s providence. First, it was my son, then my husband (who are both doing very well now) and this year it’s my turn. Although, all in all, I’d rather have been skipped. I’ve recently been diagnosed with an immune deficiency. I’ve had it all my life—often sick throughout childhood into adulthood—but it wasn’t until this year it really clobbered me. This is typical of genetic immune disorders. That doesn’t make me feel any better, but it adds clarity! I have to admit there’s been many times in the past few months when I have been at the end of my rope, unable to...
Read MoreComing in June
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