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Renovating Our Homes and Hearts, Part 1
My kitchen is currently two different colors: blue and chestnut. From an outside perspective, it looks ridiculous. From where I’m standing, it’s a huge win. Last March, my husband and I bought our first home together. Cosmetically, it was a real fixer-upper. Both bathrooms were pink, the kind of pink that only belongs in Pepto-Bismol bottles. The kitchen sported a cave-like drop-down ceiling and baby blue cabinets. Dear 90s, if only you knew the pain you’ve caused. I’m incredibly blessed that God gave my husband the ability to watch almost any YouTube video and figure out renovations himself. I don’t possess that gift but am more than happy to embrace…
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Peace Pirates: Review & Giveaway!
You might be surprised to see this book on my blog. I’m kind of surprised myself. After all, this is not a mom blog. (Hello, I’m not a mom yet!) However, this blog is all about thinking truthfully and living daringly in everyday life, and when I reviewed the book concept for Peace Pirates, I realized it fit our theme here perfectly. Ashley Willis’ premise with this book is to fight the “pirates,” or anything that steals the peace from motherhood, by using biblical truth. It’s such a simple concept but so powerful, because every day, all of us (mothers or not) face choices, confront thought patterns, and deal with…
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The Marriage Ark: Review & Giveaway!
Are you single seeking a relationship, dating, engaged, or married? If you fall into any of those categories, The Marriage Ark is relevant for you. Author Margaret Phillips, a licensed marriage and family therapist, uses Noah’s ark as a metaphor for building a marriage that will last. The preparation, choosing a foundation to build, applies to any reader, single or someone with a significant other. She makes the case that before we can do anything else to ensure a strong, healthy relationship, we must first examine ourselves. She says, “When I think of preparing the ground for marriage-the building site-I find the site is YOU. Yes, you and the heart…
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Fresh Start Bible: Giveaway and Review
Many people wait until New Year’s for new beginnings, but any time of year is perfect for a fresh start. What better way to grow our relationship with God than learning more about His Word? The Fresh Start Bible is designed to help us do just that. What’s Unique about the Fresh Start Bible? The Fresh Start Bible uses the New Living Translation (NLT) for its biblical scholarship as well as easy-to-read, dynamic writing style. A forward by Jimmy Evans includes his personal testimony and 52 lessons he wrote that address fundamental questions, such as: Who made me? Why do people die? How can I be saved? Why should I…
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Two YA Authors to Read this Spring PLUS a Giveaway!
Spring weather in Florida is blissful and hints that summer is just around the corner! Maybe you have an official spring break, or maybe, you’re in my camp and don’t technically get one. Regardless, you can still hop in to some spring reading. If you’re a sunshine girl like me, I suggest grabbing a beach towel, some sun protection, and a book you’ve been wanting to read to enjoy the best of both worlds (in my case, Florida and fiction). Perhaps you’ve finished your current read and are looking for something new. If you enjoy young adult fiction, here are two authors worth adding to your list. Also, be sure…
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Adored: Book Giveaway & Review
Each year about this time, I start thinking about a daily devotional book to supplement my Scripture reading. Some of my favorites in the past have included Charles Stanley’s Every Day in His Presence and Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. When people ask me for recommendations, I sometimes hesitate because while I enjoy the ones I read, they might not be the best fit for everyone. That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to Lindsay A. Franklin’s Adored, a daily devotional intentionally designed for young women (middle or high school age). The short selections for each day touch on issues relevant to today’s teens and offer biblical perspective on…
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Grateful Giveaways & Book Specials
This week, the Florida Christian Writers’ Conference starts! Several years ago, I discovered this conference and am so grateful I did. If you’re a writer and would like to learn more how conferences can help you in your craft, visit my For Writers page. Each year, I usually leave this conference sleep-deprived but with my cup “brimming over.” I’ve made amazing friends there, enjoyed teaching workshops, and soaked up ideas through the workshops of other writers, editors, and agents. (For any who are reading this post and attending FCWC, I hope you’ll join my workshop called Friend Your Audience on Social Media.) The people are the best part of writers’ conferences, but one…
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The Revisionary – Coming June 2017
I have two exciting announcements today! First, I want to congratulate the winner of the random drawing for the Women of Faith books. Drum roll, please. The winner is … Trudy! Thank you to everyone who participated! Remember, even if you didn’t win, you can still get these outstanding resources on Amazon or elsewhere. Also, I’ll be doing several more giveaways this year that you won’t want to miss. Now, for my second big announcement: In partnership with Write Integrity Press, I’m thrilled to share some details about my new young adult fiction novel, releasing this spring! The Revisionary is a dystopian suspense story laced with American history and flashbacks to its…
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Giving God Your Future: A Review & Giveaway
The title of this Women of Faith Bible study immediately grabbed my attention. Since I was a teenager, I’ve wondered about God’s will, how to know it, and how to live it out each day. After all, doing God’s will today determines where I’ll find myself tomorrow. Although my desire was in the right place, my motivation wasn’t. I mistakenly thought if I followed the straight and narrow, I’d be able to better manage my life with fewer surprises. Instead, God’s will sometimes means I have just enough light to see the next step. For a planner like me, that’s been hard. (If you can relate, chapter 3 “It’s My Life”…
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Christmas Giving & Book Giveaway
Giving is one of the most beautiful parts of the Christmas season. As Karen Ehman explains in her book Listen, Love Repeat, there’s more than one way to give. Yes, people primarily think of gifts, but giving of one’s time is often even more valuable. A friend shared a story how someone had decorated her tree and house for Christmas a few years ago after she had her baby, and that gift of time meant more than any present. Are you looking for opportunities to give? Am I? Let’s not be so wrapped up in our own schedules that we miss opportunities to bless others. To paraphrase Mother Teresa, how…
