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Why the Resurrection Makes Forgiveness Possible
Have you ever struggled to forgive someone? Though we know intellectually that we should forgive because God forgave us, we sometime struggle emotionally to let go of hurts that others have done us. But she wronged me. You don’t know what he did to me. I’m not excusing others’ behaviors and actions. More than likely, we all have felt some form of injustice. Perhaps we have knowingly or unknowingly injured someone as well. But the point is not what people do to us but how we respond to them. We can’t control their actions, but we can control our response to it. When Steven R. Covey tells the story of Holocaust…
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Revolutionary Love
Love perseveres in spite of obstacles. Love gives without any guarantee of receiving. Love sacrifices until it hurts and then sacrifices some more. If I told you those themes are part of my latest novel, you might guess I’m a romance writer, right? Well, they are, but guess again. The Revolutionary is a dystopia. Wait. Dystopia? You mean one of those futuristic novels so dark they make the problems of our own world look like a walk in the park? Yes and no. Though dystopian novels have certain bleak characteristics, I think that setting paints the perfect contrast to the hope characters are fighting (and sometimes dying) to gain. How…
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2 Upsides of Uncertainty
I hate suspense, which is ironic since I write young adult novels packed with conflict. Relegating uncertainty to fiction seems safe, because I (as author) am in control. Uncertainty in real life, I don’t always handle so well. Please tell me I’m not alone here. Uncertainty comes in all forms, including that four-letter-word wait. Maybe you’re waiting to hear back on an interview. Any day, you could get the phone call that the job is yours—or that the hiring manager chose someone else. Or perhaps you had a medical test last week and still haven’t received the results. At other times, uncertainty comes when we’re facing a decision, and we…
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Join the March Book Madness
March is here, and we’re going “mad” for books. The countdown for the release of The Revolutionary (The Rogues, Bk 2) has begun, and in the meantime, you can take part in the pre-launch festivities. When The Revisionary released last year, you learned that my heroine Portia shares a name with my favorite Shakespearian character. Well, this famous playwright had his share to say about madness. If you’d like to help spread the word about The Revolutionary, please share any of the memes in this post. You can pre-order The Rogues, book 2 on Amazon now (in Kindle format). On March 20 (release day), both paperback and Kindle formats will be available.…
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6 Things Singles Need to Know about Marriage, Pt. 2
If you missed last week, you’ll want to look back at the first in this two-part series by Tami Myer. In these posts, she maps out a beautiful and biblical perspective on marriage for Christian singles. Today, we pick up where we left off last time with the fourth thing singles should know about marriage. If this post is a blessing to you, please leave a comment below-or share it with your single friends to encourage them in their walk. *** #4. Marriage will not complete you. Single people are not “halves” waiting for their other “halves” to join them. Two single people are two complete people. But after a…
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6 Things Singles Need to Know about Marriage, Pt. 1
Tami Myer is my friend and fellow writer who blogs about godly marriage and what that looks like. I asked her if she could share a biblical perspective on marriage for singles that we could apply to our walk now, and she graciously said yes. Whether you’re a teen, young adult, or adult who’s not yet married, it’s my hope that Tami’s two-part series will bless you as much as it has me. *** Why should singles care about the topic of marriage? If marriage is not on your radar or even on your wish list, you may think that the subject is not relevant for you right now. But regardless of your…
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How to Have a Happy Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day might be the one holiday that leaves people feeling polar extremes of warm fuzzy or arctic cold. Honestly, it’s a holiday that holds a mixed bag for me, too. I had one boyfriend call our relationship quits on Valentine’s Day (necessary but not exceptionally thoughtful). Other years, I’ve celebrated “Galentine’s Day” with my girlfriends instead. This year, I’m focusing on old and new friends alike. I guess somewhere along the way, I realized that I can celebrate Valentine’s Day, regardless of my relationship status. Let me say that again. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about our relationship status. That’s where we go wrong. We see the heart…
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Olympic Dreams Start with Small Habits
I always get excited about the Olympics, but this year, I’m especially eager in light of my recent ski trip. With my new perspective on snow sports, I know I’ll have a greater respect for winter Olympians and their skills. The games starting this week highlight the athletes’ best performances, but they don’t reveal the countless hours and early mornings that have led up to the moment. These athletes had to be intentional every day to take the steps and make the sacrifices necessary to reach this opportunity. You and I may never participate in the Olympic games, but we do have dreams God’s planted in our hearts. What habits do…
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3 Ways to Shred Fear on Life’s Slopes
Recently, this Florida girl left her state behind to experience snow and skis for the first time. And. I. Loved. It. All. Yes, I’m not too proud to say the white stuff stole my breath and claimed a space in my heart. That said, I wasn’t an instant star on the slopes. I wiped out hard and often, but by the end of the trip, I truly enjoyed skiing, despite my ungraceful moments. I learned so much on the slopes and realized that some of those same principles apply to our Christian lives. We can’t let fear keep us from growing; instead, we can intelligently channel that emotion to discover…
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Want to Do More? Start Small.
“I feel like I should do more for God,” a friend recently shared. However, she already has a full-time job and ministry commitments. How can she do greater things when she barely has time to sleep? I felt her frustration, because I’ve been there. For many years, I resented where God had me. My job wasn’t what I’d planned to do after graduation, and I didn’t feel effective or like I was making a difference. Slowly and painfully, I learned something that seems counter-intuitive: Our biggest influence is in small faithfulness now. But what if we don’t have much to give? Sometimes, the bank account may edge dangerously close to…
