Every year, a single word seems to rise above the noise and capture what my heart is yearning for. For 2026, God has nudged me toward the word “restore”. It’s a word filled with hope, patience, and quiet strength. Restore implies that something valuable already existed, was damaged or worn down, and is now being carefully brought back to life. …
In her book The Wind in the Door, Madeline L’Engle explores a powerful truth: names matter. In the story, she shows that when someone misnames you, when they call you something other than who you really are, it diminishes you. It strips away your identity. And if you believe the lie long enough, you begin to disappear. The world is …
When I see the hatred poured out against Charlie, I feel it personally. He is my brother in Christ. His wife is my sister. Those who hate him so vehemently hate me too. And yet, I refuse to let that hatred plant fear in my heart. Charlie was more than a hero to me. He is a symbol of courage—of …
In her book Tramp for the Lord, Corrie ten Boom tells the story of an old woman she met in Russia in the time of the Communist persecution of Christians during the Cold War: The old woman was lying on a small sofa propped up by pillows. Her body was bent and twisted almost beyond recognition by the dread disease …
“I can’t do this. I don’t know how.” “It’s too hard. I’m not any good at this kind of stuff.” “I’m not qualified.” “I’m too old.” “I’m too young.” “What if I fail?” “People will laugh at me.” “It’s too risky.” “There are people better at this than I am.” Do any of these excuses sound familiar? I confess, several …
Mother’s Day is a day I both cherish and dread. Cherish, because of the sweet bond my three living children and I share. We giggle and play, worship and love. Yet, I also dread this holiday too. Why? Because I have two babies in heaven. I wouldn’t wish them back for anything. (I often tell my audiences that I have …
Deconstructing is all the rage these days. You can see it on cooking shows. Deconstructed lemon meringue pie or apple crumb cake. You can see it in political speeches and written texts. You can even find deconstruction when it comes to faith. If you haven’t heard of this latest fad in Christian culture, it’s a focus on untangling beliefs a …
Tara can’t wait to introduce you to her talented friend, writing partner, and cup of sunshine Ane Mulligan! The ladies start off talking coffee and how Ane got her start in writing. Tara and Ane talk drama in church, the stretch between writing for stage versus novels, theatre roots, and drama for kids. Ane shares her passion for theatre and …
Today I’m hanging out with my fun-loving, ever-talented friend Amy Earls! Amy is surprised to learn Tara was born in her hometown of Corvallis, Oregon. The girls talk about all things Corvallis and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Tara talks about how her husband doesn’t listen to female Siri and Amy shares how her tagline was inspired by youth …
Today, Tara sits down to visit with her buddy, Kathleen Denly–wife, mom, and author of beautiful historical romances! The ladies swap weird research stories, misnomers about California, Mr. Math Man, and early childhood reading influences. Kathleen tells Tara about her writing process (developing characters) and midnight inspiration. Also in this episode… Fingerprints of light, control issues, barking …