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The Revisionary – New YA Novel Now Available!
Hello, friends! I’m thrilled to share The Revisionary with you. It is now available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats. I want to invite you to celebrate with me this week! On Tuesday, June 6 (release day), you’re invited to listen in on a radio interview I’ll be doing on Blog Talk Radio. Tonight at 7 pm (Correction: Central Time), I’ll be chatting with Write Integrity Editor Marji Laine Clubine on her Publishing Laine program. We’ll be talking about the popularity of dystopian books, world-building, and perspective. Click here to listen in on Tuesday at 7 pm CST/8 EST. Then, on Thursday, June 8, join me for a…
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The Places Graduates Go: Deserts and Gardens
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. Do you recognize this conversation from Alice in Wonderland? If you’re graduating, maybe you feel a little bit like Alice. You’d like very much to stop and ask for directions. Along the way, though, life is going to take you places you might not expect. Last time, we saw the first two, and today, we’re going to look at two more. THE DESERT Missionary explorer David Livingston trekked across Africa from west…
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The Places Graduates Go: Mountains and Valleys
You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way! Dr. Seuss penned these well-known verses which have become synonymous with graduation. They capture a sense of achievement and the anticipation of climbing the mountain ahead. Mountains are awesome to climb (We’ll talk about that in just a minute.), but there are several other places graduates will find themselves in the years ahead. Some of them are exhilarating; others are exhausting. Even if you’re not a graduate, you can still relate to these places. Wherever you are in your journey, I hope these words will encourage and challenge you to pursue your…
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Jamestown Lessons on Faith and Government
There are so many places I could share with you from my trip to D.C. and Virginia, but today, I want to leave you with just one more: Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America. The second day of the Alpha Omega Academy trip took us to Jamestown, or rather, the scale-size model of that first community that sits on the opposite side of the James River where the actual excavation site lies. There, we encountered replicas of the three ships that brought the first settlers to American soil: the Godspeed, the Discovery, and the Susan Constant. Next, we explored a Powhatan Indian village and the fort itself, including the church…
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The Lincoln Memorial and a Mother’s Day Tribute
Of all the monuments and memorials in the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial might be the most famous. (By National Mall, I don’t mean a shopping plaza with a food court. It’s the name of the national park lined with many of D.C.’s monuments.) Engraved on either side of Lincoln’s statue are both his Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address. The lesser well-known of the two is his inaugural address, which focuses on the Civil War conflict that had been tearing the nation apart during his presidency. I want to share with you an excerpt that reveals our sixteenth president’s faith and humility. Neither party expected for the war,…
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Heritage in American History: Jefferson Memorial
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of chaperoning Alpha Omega Academy’s first field trip to Washington, D.C. Students from the states and abroad converged at Dulles and Reagan airports to start a week-long tour of our nation’s capital. Never having been to D.C., I soaked up the history and culture like a sponge. Day after day, I witnessed landmarks that revealed our country’s faith-based heritage and the wisdom of our early leaders. Blessed. That’s how this trip made me feel. Not only was I thrilled to explore “history” with an amazing group of students and chaperones, but I also felt as though God had given me a gift, an affirmation…
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Street Stewardship: Our Calling and God’s Commission
As some of you know, I moved at the end of last year. After the mad rush to pack, clean, shuffle, and then repeat, I’ve settled into a cozy little place. And a bit of complacency. Do I really need to paint that room? Nope. Can I live without a pull-down attic access? Yep. Gutters? Maybe this summer. There’s nothing wrong with catching a break from home improvement projects. There is, however, a problem with complacency in other aspects of stewardship. Yes, stewardship. A home is a blessing, a burden, and an opportunity all wrapped in one. I’m not only responsible for my home itself but also for what surrounds it.…
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The Path of Resistance
Last week, I went biking on a particularly windy day. Starting down the trail, my dirt bike raced along without much effort on my part. The return home, however, was not such a breeze. With head down, I peddled hard into the wind and made much slower progress. My thighs started to burn. Resistance brings pressure, sweat, and sometimes pain; I’m not just talking about the kind that comes from biking into the wind. Life presents us with resistance. In school, we have to work hard and figure out teacher expectations to earn good grades. In our jobs, we might have to deal with unpleasant customers, co-worker conflicts, or project deadlines. Good relationships…
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If You Could Be a Superhero
If you could be a superhero(ine), what would your super power be? A while back, our youth pastor challenged the teens in youth group to design their own biblical superhero, complete with name, super power, theme song, icon, etc. Our high school girls created a superheroine they called Proverbs 31derwoman. I was so impressed with their idea, organized in such a short amount of time, that I asked some of them if they would be willing to tell us more about it here. I’m excited that they said yes! For the next two weeks, you’re going to hear from Ashley, Hannah, and Victoria as they share what their heroine can teach…
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2017 Keyword: Simplicity
Looking ahead holds such hope and excitement, but before we talk about the New Year, we should take a moment to look back and be thankful for all God has done. My word for 2016 was convergence, and the idea was to move toward a central goal or purpose. As I think back over all that God has done, I see how He guided, not as I expected, but oh so much better. Gratitude for 2016 Most unexpectedly, He opened a new job teaching online for an outstanding private Christian school. He’s surrounded me with godly leadership, a lead teacher I admire and count as a good friend, and co-teachers who…
