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You Want to Know these 21 Lessons for Life & Ministry
Sometimes, a book truly helps us to be better people and followers of Jesus. Tom Lane’s book, Tested and Approved: 21 Lessons for Life and Ministry, is one. It’s not a “self-help” book but rather a “soul-help” book. The lessons he breaks down reorient our perspectives so that we can be most effective in our callings. His message is approachable and oh so relevant for our daily lives, whether we are in ministry or pursuing our passions elsewhere. Since I’m not in full-time ministry, I’ll be sharing some of the practical personal takeaways that stood out to me as a writer and educator. Keep reading to find out how you…
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Author Chat with LC Helms on Finding Her Way Home through Writing
I’m so pleased to introduce you to our first featured writer of 2021 who is both my friend and one of my writing critique partners. LC Helms truly has a gift for writing with a literary style that has moved me to tears more than once. Please join me in welcoming her to the blog today and enjoy our author chat. Q: I love your writing journey and think it will encourage readers. Would you share how you started writing, how “life happened,” and where you are today? I have always loved reading, and my writing experiences began when I was around twelve. I spent hours in the public library…
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She Walked Before Us: Book Review & Giveaway!
Oh friends, I am so excited to share this book with you. She Walked Before Us by Jill Eileen Smith is a beautiful blend of biblical fiction and non-fiction, and I honestly haven’t read anything quite like it before. If you’re looking for a Bible study that will inspire and challenge you, look no further. About the Book Smith’s book is part Bible study, part biography, and part fiction. She examines the lives of twelve women from the Old Testament and breaks the chapters into sections. Some parts encourage the reader to imagine what these women’s lives might have been like, and other parts examine the biblical record or what…
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Website Warming Party: Scavenger Hunt & Giveaway!
I’m so excited to welcome you to our new website here at KristenHogrefeParnell.com. You may have noticed the site received a facelift over the holidays, and I’m glad to officially welcome the new year with a new website, designed with you in mind. For fun, let’s do a scavenger hunt with a giveaway prize to help you get acquainted with the new site! Just fill out a short survey to be entered in a drawing. I’m giving away one paperback copy of William Danforth’s book, I Dare You.* I Dare You is a short classic that challenges and inspires us to be our best in every area of life. Just…
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Gift Ideas for the Book Lover in Your Life
What do you get the book lover in your life for Christmas? Easy. More books. However, there is no one-size-fits-all in book gifting, and for that reason, I’d like to recap the authors I’ve featured this year. You’ll find a variety of genres and maybe something perfect for your favorite reader (and maybe for yourself). Young Adult – Speculative Fiction For young adult and young-at-heart fans of speculative fiction, I recommend these authors. You can learn more about them on their author spotlight interviews, and all books are available on Amazon. Bryan Davis, Heaven Came Down Lindsay A. Franklin, The Story Hunter Kristen Young, Apprentice Plus, one of my favorite…
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Merry Christmas, Readers! Multi-Author Book Giveaway
How lovely would it be to win a Christmas giveaway of books you didn’t have to buy? And not just one book but more than 45 books or a $500 Amazon gift card? Well, good news. I’ve teamed up with Celebrate Lit and dozens of other authors for a special Christmas giveaway. I’m giving away a Kindle copy of my novel, The Reactionary, which just won the Selah award for Speculative Fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference in November. About The Reactionary The third and final book in the Rogues trilogy finds Portia in the fight of her life. At stake is her family, the man she…
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Why Should Christians Take Care of Their Temple?
We’re all looking forward to Thanksgiving this week. More than ever, this year has taught us to value time with the people we love, and I cannot wait to catch up with some family I haven’t seen since before pandemic craziness started. Plus, I’m excited for an excuse to make James’ mom’s sweet potato casserole again! Speaking of sweet potato casserole, this week is also famous (or infamous) for people overeating. There can be too much of a good thing if it disables us from being ready for God’s use. I’m so thankful for my friend Susan Neal who agreed to share her wisdom on this topic. Susan is an…
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Author Chat with Sarah Rexford on her Publishing Journey and Passion for Helping Other Writers
One of the greatest privileges of being an author is connecting with other likeminded writers and learning from their journeys. Today, please join me in welcoming Sarah Rexford to the blog! Her agent is currently pitching her projects to publishers, and in the meantime, she’s investing in others who likewise feel called to write. Q: What do you hope readers will one day take away from your books? A lot of people want to feel heard because then they feel seen. I try to write characters that have their specific purpose in the story and move the plot forward, but also face personal questions that show their humanity. At some…
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Book Buzz on The Revisionary
Even though The Revisionary released in 2017, it remains increasingly relevant to our times. After all, living in 2020 has somewhat felt like living in a dystopian novel (where anything that can go wrong probably will go wrong). That said, my desire in writing The Revisionary and the other two books in the trilogy was to show hope through dark circumstances. Specifically, my characters find that hope by rediscovering America’s heritage. I want my readers to walk away feeling inspired to press on and do what’s right even if they’re swimming against the popular current. I’m honored to share an excerpt from this latest book review. For more details and…
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Author Chat with Tessa Emily Hall on Her New Book for Teens
Tessa Emily Hall is one of my go-to authors for young adult inspirational fiction, and when I heard she was releasing a non-fiction devotional for teens, I wanted to know more. Today, she shares about Love Your Selfie, her new devotional designed to help teen girls gain a biblical perspective of their worth in Christ. Q: What need do you see present in the lives of teenagers today that you hope Love Your Selfie will help meet? The issues of self-shame, insecurity, and comparison is nothing new amongst teens; however, I believe the measure in which teens have dealt with these issues have increased. It’s been less than ten years…
