(Since I originally wrote this post back on February 25, 2016, I started Ephesians, then made it through the third chapter, stopped for a while, started up again from the beginning last August then stopped again. When I started to have my quiet time again last month (April 2017), my desire to go through Ephesians had passed. I instead chose a short book, Jude, and went through it in about 14 days. I was debating on whether to post what I wrote below or not as I'm no longer going through it. Then … [Read more...]
What Does True Love Look Like?
Today is Week 2 Day 3 of the study, and before we get further into studying the Bible, she first has us pray so that our heart will be able to hear what the Holy Spirit has to tell us and to have us slow down so we can hear Him speak. In doing this He will be able to stretch us as we do our study today. I truly feel every time I take the time to pray before I dig deeper into God's Word, I'm able to understand it so much better than when I don't. Page 167 1. For question one, she has us … [Read more...]
A Light in the Wilderness, Jane Kirkpatrick
Book Review by Jean Ann Williams Book Blurb: Letitia holds nothing more dear than the papers that prove she is no longer a slave. They may not cause most white folks to treat her like a human being, but at least they show she is free. She trusts in those words she cannot read—as she is beginning to trust in Davey Carson, an Irish immigrant cattleman who wants her to come west with him. Nancy Hawkins is loathe to leave her settle life for the treacherous journey by wagon train, but she is … [Read more...]
The Journey with Davalynn Spencer #acfw
Please welcome this weeks guest Davalynn Spencer for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? Strange, but my spiritual vision tends to be closely related to hindsight. I look back and see—as Pilgrim did in his progress—how God has led me, directed me, carried me, and waited on me as I’ve rabbit-trailed it off and on His path. But in that momentary over-the-shoulder view, I am awed at His wisdom. Nearly everything I have done or learned has … [Read more...]
Day 130: Paying Attention #acfw #365days
When I write about Mari, I’m paying attention to my internal thoughts and feelings I have at the time. She will be at the forefront as I write out the words on the screen. For me, it’s knowing I’m being truthful about what I’m feeling at the time. It helps me to grieve for her and heal at the same time. Sometimes it’s when I’m feeling sad and really missing her. Other times it’s about the happy memories I have of her. I know all of this requires me to pay attention to my thoughts and feelings … [Read more...]
Day 125: Approval #acfw
That one little word, approval, can mean so much to someone. To know that someone approves of something you have said or done. It gives you the confidence you might not have had otherwise. I think back on the time when Mari was in the hospital. When she had made it to her fourth and final hospital, I was told by one of the nurses about CarePages. She told me it was a way to keep family and friends updated on Mari and how she was doing. I couldn’t wait to get started. We had so many people … [Read more...]
Day 120: Writing the Event #acfw
There an old adage in writing about ‘show don’t tell.’ I’d never heard of this personally before I started to write my first fiction book. Even when I was writing the original book about my daughter I was being told to add fiction elements to her story. I’d never understood exactly what that meant until I made my first attempt. When I submitted it for comments, I was told that it was much better but I knew I needed to go deep to really convey what I was trying to say. One day I had an idea … [Read more...]
Day 115: Writing the Tree #acfw
In life we usually learn by either example or making a wrong decision. This is how we better ourselves. I love this because if I never learned from any of my mistakes what good would that be. My writing has benefited from this. If I had started to write and then didn't get any feedback/critiques on my writing, I wouldn’t have learned how to become a better writer. My writing has become stronger as a result of the time and effort I've put in. My hope is that those who have been helping me will … [Read more...]
Day 109: Just Reading #acfw
For years I have read romances and they are my favorite to read. I can remember thinking as a teenager, and even as an adult sometimes, that I'd love to write one but had no clue how to or, for that matter, any desire to do so. Today, I not only read books but I also have been doing a lot of writing. I've been working on both my fiction book as well as Mari's story (which is basically done and almost ready for beta readers). I've learned so much in the last few years. I understand better what … [Read more...]
Day 105: PERFECTION! #acfw
I don't think there's a single person out there who wouldn't want to do something and know they did it perfectly. The thing is we are human and we will never be perfect. As parents we try our very best to be the best parent we can. We want to raise our kids to one day be adults and be as successful as they can be. But no matter how hard we try we will never be perfect at it. We will make mistakes along the way. We will doubt ourselves. We have to learn from both our own mistakes and also from … [Read more...]
