Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
Last weekend, I taught at a writing conference. Each time I teach at a conference, I become increasingly aware that our lives weave a story. Some lives are stories of abuse, neglect, betrayal, and struggle. Other lives involve miracles, healing, and thankfulness. Life stories are powerful. Your personal story is unique and multifaceted. Each life […]
Several days ago, I sat in a long drive-thru line for over fifteen minutes after ordering. Horn blasts from the car behind me occurred several times, as if those in front of him could hurry the process. When I finally made it to the window, the eyes of the young attendant glistened with unshed tears […]
I can count on one hand the times I’ve won a contest, so last weekend, I was surprised to learn my book Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well won first place in the SCWC Notable Book Awards for traditionally published nonfiction. I had already decided which of the finalist would win, and it wasn’t […]
This week, I was surprised and excited to learn I am a finalist in the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) First Impressions contest. For me, writing fiction is like writing with my non-dominant hand, or perhaps the non-dominant side of my brain is more accurate. I think and write nonfiction, which is my “native tongue,” […]
While waiting to check out at the grocery store, I overheard the man in the line beside me talking to the person in front of him. “The world is so much meaner than it used to be,“ he said. Because I didn’t hear what was said prior to his comment, I don’t know the rest […]
Last week, I learned of several in our community who died from COVID-related complications. This week, I know those who are struggling with multiple health conditions or new diagnoses. I look around me at church and count multiple people who lost a spouse or other family members in the past year. Honestly, as we near […]
In recent weeks, I have become increasingly aware of those in various types of pain. A friend and also a family member who are experiencing physical pain. Extended family members endured the emotional pain of watching the physical pain of a loved one’s final days on earth. Others suffer pain related to aging or chronic […]
Spring is here in all its glory. This season, when nature dons a new green frock festooned with multicolored floral accents, is a time of warmth, renewal, and the refreshing prospect of new beginnings and hope. Perhaps winter with its drab, barren landscape, chill, and for some, illness, has taken a toll on you, and […]
Recently, my husband and I had the misfortune to sit near a family with four children at a local restaurant. The problem was not with the children, but with the parents, who were, at best, critical, and at worst, verbally abusive. One child, the oldest girl, was the main target of criticism, but the other […]
My 16-month-old granddaughter, Emerald, is adding words to her vocabulary at an exponential rate, parroting almost everything she hears others say. Sometimes, she doesn’t quite get the full word, but mimics the tune or changes the first letter to something easier to say. “Da-do” is thank you, and my grandmother name, “Glam,” is often “Blam” […]