Today I signed a publishing contract for my first novel with Koehler Books, the fiction imprint of Morgan James Publishing, a NYC-based business publisher. Of the 5,000 manuscripts they receive yearly, they only publish about 125. Since this is my first …
Continue Reading →“God could not have chosen anyone less qualified, or more of a sinner, than myself. And so, for this wonderful work He intends to perform through us, He selected me – for God always chooses the weak and the absurd, …
Continue Reading →Jesus spoke and acted in controversial ways. His parables were designed to shock people out of their complacency. He spent time with wicked people. He pushed against the social expectations of what Messiah would be. His birth and class standing …
Continue Reading →My imitation of Christ hits its stumbling point at wifely submission. First, I made a mess of this. We married at ages 17 and 18, expecting our first child and barely able to crawl out of the grimy sinfulness …
Continue Reading →Shame is an experience of personal humiliation, a painful emotion provoked by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace. It comes upon us in various ways. We’ve all lived it. We do something we shouldn’t have done. Our …
Continue Reading →“But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:20b-21 …
Continue Reading →When I fell in love with my husband, I wanted to learn every detail about him. I longed to be intimately acquainted with his stories, motivations, and dreams. At the beginning of our relationship, we spent hours swapping histories, each …
Continue Reading →“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves” (1 Peter 2:16 NIV). All the complex dichotomy of spiritual growth is contained in this simple little verse. Do you want …
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The fact that God does all the work in our salvation leaves us no room for boasting. Because he loves us, he gave his Son. His Son paid for our sins. The Holy Spirit works on our hearts, causing us …
Continue Reading →All of us need a clean slate, a second chance. And so, though we’re creatures of dirt, prone to sin, broken and marred by bad choices and harmful actions against us—prodigals all, the merciful God rescues us, washes us clean, …
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