When You Can’t See God

Magic Springs wore me out last week. Correction. The heat, combined with my children’s nonstop energy, wore me out. The amusement park nestled in the outskirts of Hot Springs, Arkansas is a popular place to take families for summer fun where they can zoom down water slides, swim, splash in freeze zones, play games like bumper cars or catch a …

The Thief: The Problem with Comparing

Jean size. That dreaded number on the scale. Checking account balances. Facebook friends. Instagram and Twitter followers. Awards and degrees. Points scored by your child at his last game. Job performance evaluations. So many numbers and none of them are good or bad when rattled off in isolation. The only time we have a problem with any of the above …

Visiting Fox 16 News

Several of you have asked me about my recent visit to Fox 16 News in Little Rock, AR. The entire staff was so incredibly warm and welcoming and Pat Walker was a true delight. After learning that so many of you requested to watch the interview, Fox 16 graciously sent me the link. Here’s a quick look at life, music, …

Butterfingers: Interruptions & Learning How to Be a Servant

Back and forth I went. Kitchen to bedroom, bedroom to living room. Every time I sat down to write, it seemed I heard yet another cry. “Mom! I need you!” “Mom! The dog just peed on the floor!” “Hey, honey, have you seen my socks?” “Momma! I want candy!” Through the chaos of barking dogs, calling children, buzzing dryers and …

Trolls on the Bridge: How to Keep Negative Feedback from Shredding Your Heart

I recently read this quote by Allen Arnold and it resonated deeply. “If God is pleased with your latest creation but the world ignores it, how do you feel? The answer reveals who you are creating for.” Excellent question. I fall into this trap far too often. I hope people like what I’ve written. This new blog was a step …

“To Do” or “To Be”?: Exchanging Checklists for God’s Presence

Not long ago, I finished up a beautiful study on the book of Hosea by Jennifer Rothschild. She challenged her readers to do something I love: to make a to-be list instead of a to-do list. I’m prolific at creating master to-do lists. They give me a sense of control, a sense of accomplishment and keep my cluttered mind from …

Learning Joy in Failure

  The Arkansas State Police is a happening place to be, especially in the motor vehicle office and even more so from one to four when they are administering driving tests. I recently took a family member to fill out some paperwork, which provided me plenty of time to sit in the waiting room and watch people coming and going. …

Amazon Customer Reviews on the Bible: Putting Criticism into Perspective

Receiving a long awaited publishing contract is a euphoric feeling. It’s also terrifying for someone like me, a recovering people-pleaser. I love absolutely everything about the creative process. From spinning a story world into existence, breathing characters to life or muddling through their spiritual and emotional transformations, I find the entire journey exhilarating. I even love the grueling grind of …

The Civil War, Messy People and Jesus: Why I Write

  With my debut book release with Tyndale scheduled for summer of 2018, this week I’ve begun the daunting task of writing another story. It’s set in one of my favorite time periods…the Civil War. This isn’t a new assignment for me. This will actually be the fourth Civil War story I’ve penned, uh, typed, but the research involved is …