This has been a summer of family connection. A trip to Idaho in July (my paternal family) and this past week, another to Maine (my maternal family). I’ve traveled more to see family since my parents passed away than in all my adult years combined. Why is it that it often takes a great loss to realize the importance of …
Purpose-Driven Heart
When I was 20 and preparing for my (first) marriage, my mom urged me to rethink what she felt was a rash decision. She wasn’t against my first husband (that was my dad’s argument) but that I was quitting school. Of course, I threw logic back at her, “But that’s what you did.” What was good for her was good …
Joanne Kraft
Let me introduce you to my friend, Joanne Kraft. This is one woman who never ceases to amaze me. When I first met her at the Mount Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2009, she was already widely published in parenting magazines. At that time, she was working on her first book—Just Too Busy: Taking a Radical Sabbatical. I think she’d be …
The Measure of Success
My debut novel, Surrendered, was released just over three months ago. There was much anticipation, excitement, and a little anxiety warring inside me as that day approached. This has been a dream of mine since childhood, and I know it was God who put the desire to write (and to be published) on my heart. So, of course, I prayed …
Picture Perfect
“One of the main reasons we struggle with insecurity: We’re comparing our behind-the-scenes with everybody else’s highlight reel.”—Steven Furtick #crashthechatterbox I love this quote because it’s so true, especially in today’s society. In my parents’ generation it was about keeping up with the Joneses, but it takes on a whole new level with the implementation of social media. My Space …
Crash the Chatterbox
May I be completely transparent here? When people tell me God speaks to them, I’m more than a little envious. Why them and not me? Is it because I’m not spiritual enough or important enough? Am I not praying correctly or meditating enough (or at all)? Am I too self-involved to hear His still, small voice? If any of you …
If Only They’d Listen!
If you’re like most parents, you pray for your kids. Even if you’re not much of a pray-er, you pray for your kids. When mine were small, I probably prayed more for them to sleep well than anything else, and I’m pretty sure it was for my benefit rather than theirs. The older they got, the more intense the prayers. …
Review of Risking Love
About the Book Book: Risking Love Author: Toni Shiloh Genre: Christian fiction, contemporary fiction, diverse fiction Release date: June 25, 2019 Nikki Gordon lives with a perfect trifecta of noes. No guys. No dates. No way. The past holds her bound with ropes made of fear-infused steel, and she’s determined that no one will ever cut through them. If only …
Cacophony
Writing novels as a career is an odd thing. I never gave it much thought the first several years I was doing it, because no one was knocking at my door to offer me a publishing contract—the old “don’t call us, we’ll call you.” But they didn’t. Call me, I mean. Once I got an agent, she said, “Just keep …
How to Live Big!
Inspiration for stories (and life in general) often comes from someone else’s life. It’s amazing to me that some people live BIG while others just live. Last week, my husband and I visited Dollywood for the first time. I’m not particularly a fan of Dolly Parton’s music (and since her husband of over 50 years isn’t either, I’m in good …
