by September McCarthy The world has created idealistic versions of what being a mom is. Women seem to be given choices of which version of mom they would “like to be.” Stereotypes come in all shapes and forms: working mother, stay-at-home mother, helicopter mother, soccer mom, devoted mom, and cool mom. Sure, we find our people, our style, our groove. We can choose to stay home or a career, and yet, we are and always will be “mother”—the woman up at night cradling her baby,

by Sarah Sundin “Never in her life had Dr. Ivy Picot imagined herself a criminal.” Before I was a writer, I was a pharmacist. Although I no longer practice pharmacy, I’m still fascinated by health care. Pharmacy had appealed to me as an opportunity to use my skills to help people—to prolong life and reduce suffering and to increase understanding. Compassion shines at the core of the health care professions. But what if caring for the suffering was illegal? On rare occ

by Becca Kinzer “He’s coming! Dave Barnes is coming! I can’t believe he’s coming!” Honestly, I don’t remember if those were the exact words my friend said back in 2022 when she found out Dave Barnes was coming to her house. All I remember for certain is my exact response. “Who?” “Dave Barnes.” “Who?” “Dave Barnes!” Didn’t matter how loudly my friend shouted his name, I still didn’t know who he was. “Yes, you do,” she demanded before listing off a few of his songs.

by John Bevere If we look at Jesus’ return through the perspective of a single event rather than through the eyes of God’s glorious master plan, we’ll lack the eager expectation that enables us to stay diligent in our obedience to the end. We are vulnerable—easy prey for distraction, discouragement, or deception. God drew up this master plan for His kingdom before time began. There are numerous Scripture passages i confirming this truth, one being Isaiah 46:9–10 (ESV):

by Jane Kirkpatrick It's my fan's fault. Suzy Wintjen, who reads my books based on the lives of historical women, drove several hours thirteen years ago to a signing I had in another state just to tell me about the woman anchoring With the Enduring Tides . Mary Edwards Gerritse was the first woman to deliver mail by horseback along the often treacherous and rugged North Oregon Coast in the 1890s. She was married with four children at home when she made that momentous choice

by Jason VanRuler, MA, CSAT “Friends, do I have permission to go deep with you?” This is how I start many of my keynote talks, because I’ve learned over time that if you give people a choice to go somewhere meaningful with you, most will. Most people love to talk with people who go deep. You know, those people who, instead of asking you about the weather, end up talking with you about that dream you have but are afraid to go after. Because when you have these types of c

by Lindsey Goff Viducich “Slow down!” “Pay attention!” “What did I just ask you to do?” “You need to calm down!” These are phrases many children with ADHD hear every day. When a parent first learns that their child has ADHD, the emotions can be overwhelming. Parents may worry about school, friendships, or what the future will look like. As a parent, an educator, and someone who was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, I found myself asking a different question: What if neurodiv

by Irene Hannon When I’m not writing, I love to sing. I especially love performing in musical theater productions. Through the years, I’ve been blessed to play the leading role in numerous classic musicals, including South Pacific , The King and I , Brigadoon , Anything Goes , and Oklahoma . In fact, you might recognize the title of this post as the name of one of the songs in the last show. And it’s an appropriate way to describe my leap from being an audience member to be

by Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore Ask most people what Christ means, and they’ll probably tell you it’s Jesus’ last name. As if Jesus had been born to Mary and Joseph Christ in Bethlehem and eventually started the religion that bears his family name. But Christ isn’t a last name; it’s a Greek title that means “Anointed One,” or “Messiah” in Hebrew. Somewhere between the first century and today, we’ve forgotten what that title actually means. When the first followers of

by Karen Witemeyer When it came time to brainstorm a new historical romance series, I knew I wanted to focus on a group of strong women, but I wasn't sure what their connection would be. Sisters? Friends? Co-workers in a corset factory? I like my heroines feisty and independent, and the more I thought about it, the more I began leaning toward a group of spinsters. In the 19 th century, women were expected to marry and set up households, often by the age of eighteen. Some

by Toni Shiloh Rooting for the hero is part of the reading experience that turns a good book into a fantastic read that readers will want to return to time after time. I’ve had many bookish heroes and heroines as I’ve been reading since I was a child: Nancy Drew, Elizabeth Bennett, Gilbert Blythe, Harry Potter, etc. But before I had books and the different worlds they offered me, I had a real-life hero who taught me about the importance of perseverance. My grandfather has

by Crickett Keeth What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, a life that matters ? • Financial wealth? • Material possessions? • Great achievements? It is so much more than that. The best investment we can make during our time on earth, in addition to our own spiritual health, is investing in the lives of others. But what does that look like? How do we spur others on to become all God created them to be? How do we live a life worth emulating and one that continues to ha

by Tracie Peterson Minnesota has always been a fascinating state to me and in particular, the city of Minneapolis has captured my attention. In this new series, A Minnesota Legacy, I was determined to create a generational series set in Minneapolis. Faithful of Heart is the start of that tale. 1870 Minneapolis offers an interesting setting. The town had its start back in the 1850s wilderness, but by 1870 was a bustling city of 13,000 people. Situated on the banks of the

by Connie Mann I love asking writers how their stories came to be. Everyone’s process is so different! Though I wish stories appeared in my mind’s eye in one nice, neat package, God’s creative gift doesn’t work that way in my brain. It’s a much more messy, layered process, like a mental crock pot into which I toss unrelated, interesting tidbits of information. After everything simmers a while, I start asking: what if? What if this place could be tied to this fact, could in

by Dana Mentink Two hours. That’s about the length of time I believe I’d maintain my composure if stranded in the wilderness. It’s possible that number is generous. I have zero sense of direction, and I can’t see beyond the end of my nose. I’m the kind that can’t find her car in the parking lot. The one time I traveled internationally I lost my passport before I even got out of the airport. So would I survive a situation where every means of communication and assistance was

by Elizabeth Goddard I had so much fun writing Deadly Currents because I got to include all the adventurous elements I love—and honestly, I figured some of them might get cut. I mean, a ghost ship? Pirates? Wasn’t that a little out of my lane? But somehow, it all worked. I wove it together with the kind of romantic suspense I always write—stories that carry a redemptive thread, often anchored in the theme of forgiveness. In Deadly Currents , I wanted to explore forgiven

by Jill Eileen Smith Most of us are familiar with the story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. Though her story only appears in the Gospel of John, she is famous (or infamous) for having had five husbands, and the man she had at the time she met Jesus was not her husband. Many people assume that she was a promiscuous woman. We imagine her getting bored with man after man and changing husbands like we might change clothes or addresses. When I sat down to s

by Gary Chapman The 5 Love Languages explains how everyone has a primary love language, one that resonates most deeply. But it’s rarely the only way that person feels loved. A secondary love language can be incredibly important, and neglecting it can lead to feelings of disconnection or dissatisfaction. For instance, someone whose primary love language is physical touch might also need words of affirmation to feel truly loved and valued. If their partner focuses exclusively

by Scott James I sat at my desk with coffee in hand and the Psalms opened before me. It was early in the morning and I could hear the kids beginning to rattle around in the next room. Just as I was keying in on a particular verse, one of my little guys shuffled into the study still wiping the sleep from his eyes. He plopped down on the couch in front of me and eased into the morning by chatting me up about his grand plans for the day. I confess that part of me wanted to gua

by Deborah Clack Where is your happy place? It can be a spot you visit regularly. Or it can be a place that exists only in your imagination. That thing that popped into your head when you first read the question. That place. Maybe you’ve never shared it with anyone. Maybe you, like me, have a penny jar you throw spare change into to save for a return someday. Wherever that place is … could you write a story about it? Would it be a fantasy formed with a brand-new world? A