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When Is Choosing the Easy Path Okay?
The last few Saturdays have brought the faintest hint of fall in Florida, just enough to encourage my husband James and me to get back on our bikes and explore new off-road trails. Several months have passed since the last time I went mountain-biking, but I was feeling pretty confident I could handle easy “green” trails. (I use the term…
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Calling Teen Writers! There’s a New Club for You
If you’re a teen writer, this club is for you! This month, I’m launching Writer’s Block, a creative writing club for young writers. Each meeting, we’ll learn about an aspect of the writing craft and have a chance to practice with a writing challenge. At some point, all of us writers deal with the dreaded writer’s block, or creative brain…
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How to Escape Tickle Sticks and Other Temptations
During a recent trip to the Florida Keys, my husband James taught me how to use a tickle stick and net to catch lobster. If you’ve never lobstered before, here’s how it works. You snorkel until you spot two long antennas peeking out of a hole in the ocean’s hard bottom. Then, you insert the tickle stick into the hole…
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20 Verses When You Need Encouragement
Hello, friends. Has anyone else felt like she can’t catch a break? The last month has had its share of challenges for me, and I know I’m not alone. Today, I want to share some of my go-to Scriptures that speak encouragement to my heart. I hope these verses will be balm on any other soul that is feeling discouraged…
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10-Point Check-Up for Your Relationship, Part 2
Last time, we looked at five check-points from I Corinthians 13 to help us evaluate if we are loving our spouse, significant other, and other loved ones well. Today, let’s round out the list with five more points. Can we truthfully fill our names in the blank? More than likely, we all have some areas needing God’s refining work. #6:…
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10-Point Check-Up for Your Relationship, Part 1
This month, James and I will celebrate our five-month anniversary! Each month, we’ve started the habit of doing a check-up on our relationship. It’s nothing formal, just a moment to pause and ask each other if we’re driving the other crazy yet. I’m glad to report that we haven’t! In all seriousness, though, I appreciate this check-up, because it invites…
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Why Your Dreams Require Band-Aids
You have a dream, right? So do I. We probably have more than one, maybe even dozens. If your dream isn’t brand new and you’ve started taking steps to pursue it, you’ve likely discovered that the path to fulfillment is something like the field of poppies that Dorothy had to cross to reach the Emerald City in The Wizard of…
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Uncommon Adventures: An Interview with Author Jessica Lippe
Please welcome author Jessica Lippe to the blog today! I’ve had the privilege of contributing to Jessica’s Christian e-zine for teenage girls, Girlz 4 Christ, and when she shared that she’d written a travel book for Christians, I wanted to learn more! As she told me, age doesn’t matter in travel, so whether you’re a young adult or young at…
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Box Jumps in the Writing Life
When my husband and I joined a gym together, he introduced me to the box jump. In theory, it’s simple, a metal platform that you jump on with both feet at the same time. You can move to higher levels as you advance in ability. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. In theory, publishing is simple too. You…
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How Can You Hear God’s Voice? Lessons from the Lake
How many of you want to hear God’s voice? That’s not a trick question. Any believer would give a wholehearted yes! By “hear,” I’m not referring to an audible voice but perhaps peace or clarity in a situation where we feel unsure or fearful. Maybe we’re struggling to see God’s hand or wanting to simply find the reassurance of His…
