We used to live in wine country (France)–a place where one could buy a great bottle of wine for two euros. I’m not much of a wine drinker, not much at all, so I don’t understand the sacrifice of pouring forth wine. But melted dark chocolate? Maybe. There’s something amazing about taking that which is [...]

Sometimes God meets our ordinary needs with extraordinary provision. Laura and her husband Matt now have three kids and serve in Thailand at Breanna’s House of Joy. You can connect with Laura via her Life Overseas blog or on Twitter @LauraParkersays. (You can encourage others with your Thin Place Story by submitting it here.) **** [...]

I wrapped up Thin Places with this sonnet. It recounts the rescuing God who saw me weeping under the evergreen at that camp so long ago. Yesterday, I read this poem for my webcast about transitions of faith. (Check back, you’ll be able to download it for free in a few days.) As I read [...]

Yesterday I got a call from a number I didn’t recognize. I answered. On the other end was an official. She spent several minutes insinuating something about me that was untrue. It really bothered me. More than I care to admit (although I’m writing it here, so you know how it niggled me.) Later it [...]

Some of you may know that I’ve been discouraged lately about my writing career. Not big stuff, just little things toppled one upon the other. If you’re not careful (particularly in life), you can begin to think those little disappointments suddenly define you.  So I prayed. I said,  “Lord, please encourage me specifically in my [...]

I flipped through channels the other day, landing on this inane show about who looked good in swimsuits and who did not. They profiled an older lady who wore a bikini. When they showed a shot of her backside, the trendy hosts went OFF on her. Words like, “She better hide all that flubber.” or [...]

“The Elephant in the Room” is my recent addition to Christian Fiction Online magazine. It wasn’t easy to write, nor was the wisdom gained easily won. Here’s the skinny: In this business (or any business you’ll be a part of), you will interact with people of the opposite sex either in person or via email. [...]

So I had this dream. In it, a girl I once knew sat behind a desk shuffling papers. Each paper was an indictment against me, detailing what I’d done wrong. She showed those papers to anyone who would pass by, and each one would nod, look at me with disgust, and walk on by. Every [...]

Beautiful words. True words. Are you broken today? Jesus knows.

I’m reading an interesting (probably out of print) book entitled Madame Guyon Martyr of the Holy Spirit by Phyllis Thompson. The book is about a woman named Madame Guyon who loved Jesus Christ while communing with Him through prayer, Bible reading and self-denial during the seventeenth century in France. What struck me was how many [...]