Deborah Malone
By Debra Minneman I used to smoke pot. Now I am a pot - used by the Master Potter. I am the clay in His hands. O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8) This scripture is appropriate for me and… Continue reading FINISHING WELL – PART ONE
What if we could conduct an honest search of our hearts to determine if there’s something we’re afraid of? And what if we could name those fears out loud - to God, to someone we trust? Jesus said; “Peace is what I leave you; it is my own peace that I give you...Do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Direction and clarity came as I wrote each lesson. Incredible details resurfaced. Five years with setback after setback, but I trudged forward. Everywhere I went I took a pen and pad to scribble down a few more sentences - in the car, at the doctor’s office, in the waiting room, on vacation.
by Ellie Gustafson Anyone looking objectively at my life would think it close to idyllic: Born to a stable family in America, I enjoyed a great childhood, a Wheaton education, marriage, kids, church involvement, writing career, and good health. Privileged, in so many ways. Why was I so blessed? I could have been born in… Continue reading Come Get a Hug!
by June Chapko Roses have been a part of my life since childhood. I remember the delight on my mother's face when she received even a single rose; one I'd carefully plucked from a wild bush on my way home from our little neighborhood library. She would smile, give me a hug and place the… Continue reading Grandmother’s Yellow Rose
by Lisa Nelson “But He said to me, ‘ My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (II Cor. 12:9) My high school basketball coach used to tell us, “Success comes in 'cans.'” Unfortunately, it ended up taking me several years beyond high school to buy into this… Continue reading Lisa’s Story Part II
The next thing I remember is Jason racing into the bedroom and finding me on the floor. He knelt on the floor, gathered me in his arms, and reached for the phone to call 911. He just kept saying, "Don't leave me. Please don't leave me!" I could see the terror in his tear-filled eyes as he repeated it over and over.
by: Lindsey Brackett When I started writing Still Waters, I knew two things: Edisto Beach would be the setting and my late maternal grandmother would inspire a character. Much of the novel contains tidbits of true Edisto history, as well as scenarios connected to my family's history. Years ago, my mama offhandedly told me… Continue reading Real Life Romance in the Lowcountry
by Allyson Stanley Could it be I was that naïve, or was there something more to my decision? How could I have gone against everything I knew to be right? Some call it the seven year itch, I call it stupidity. The grass in my yard had lost its luster. On the other side of… Continue reading Scorched Fields
by Danita Clark Abel Looking back , I have a clear image of what God was trying to do for me. But on that day, all I could see was despair and uncertainty. Surrounded by packing boxes, I sat on the floor of my master bathroom and slowly moved the contents of my cabinets, into… Continue reading Even With My Flaws God Still Loves Me
Where Hope Blooms 