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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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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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Author Chat with Laura Thomas on Romantic Suspense and Her Heart for Readers
Laura Thomas is one of my new favorite romantic suspense authors, and once you get to know her, you’ll see why that’s no surprise! She is not only a gifted writer, but also someone whose desire to provide heart-warming encouragement to her readers shines through the pages. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did! Also, Laura has graciously offered to give away one e-book copy of her latest release, The Orphan Beach. To enter, simply leave a comment below or share this post on social media. Q: How did you first discover your writing ability, and how have you seen God use it in unexpected ways? I…
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Renovating Our Homes and Hearts, Part 3
If you’ve been following along with our kitchen remodel story (now on day four), you can only imagine how eager we were for Monday to come. Having already waited an extra two days to use our kitchen, I silenced my alarm when it went off and ignored the snooze button. “Hurry up and get over!” I told the day. Yet once it started, the day dragged by. Pound. Whack. Thud. Pound. Pound. All. Day. Long. We started to get nervous when the crew wasn’t done by dinner time. Then the project manager arrived, and James and I offered Gatorade and snacks to the workers. Finally, they reached the last part…
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Renovating Our Homes and Hearts, Part 2
Day one of kitchen renovations went so quickly that we had high hopes day two would complete the job and let us get our home back to normal. Seriously, have you tried not using the kitchen sink for a full day? Go to your kitchen right now and thank God for your sink. Okay, back to the story. Around noon on the second day, we started getting worried. “He is coming, right?” I asked James. Although the AC duct guy was almost done, the electrician had just arrived, and we hadn’t heard a word from the project manager. “He’s supposed to,” James said and shot off a text. By two…
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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…
