My husband (Peter) and I have two vastly different stories of faith miracles. He begged and pleaded with God from a desperate place in a jail cell, and God told him yes. The miracle is that he was set free. I begged and pleaded with God from a desperate place on my bedroom floor as […]

This Book is For You Loving God's Words in Your Actual Life Releasing August 2021 Are you fairly active on social media, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? Do you have a profile with Goodreads? Are you open to the idea of starting one? Do you have an active blog or another place of influence where you […]

You guys. It’s time. I’ve been writing this book for two years, and I finally get to show you. This Book Is For You Loving God’s Words in Your Actual Life Most of us have complicated feelings about the Bible. We don’t understand it. Or we’ve been hurt by people who use it. Or we […]

This little book turns Seven Years Old this week. She's basically a first grader, out in the real world, tying her shoes and reading books on her own. I'd like for you to please notice Tucker, working the line and meeting the people. Now, please notice Tyler, working so hard to work the Sharpie. Peter […]

A Christmas Special: Give my book for Christmas!   For $20, I'll send to you a *personalized, signed copy* of the book of your choice, including gift wrap and shipping.   Straight to your door, complete with my love and doodles.   Available Books: ~ Just You Wait ~ You Can Do This   Available […]

Sometimes I like to pretend like I’m having coffee with you. This is one of those times.

Do you want to live your life on purpose? I am honored to partner with a terrific team of authors, speakers, teachers, and podcasters for a free event next week: The Life on Purpose Summit Learn how to find your purpose and recognize your significance without adding one more commitment or service project to your agenda with […]

“Tarbled.” adjective: wind-blown; lacking precision but compensating in charm; messy but cute. ~ ~ ~ "I am a lover of messy people; a tarbled mom of two teenage boys who are likely late to school and wearing mismatched socks; I have been known to absent-mindedly doodle in the margins of overdue library books; I have […]

“Because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, How alive am I willing to be?” ~ Anne Lamott I wrote a piece last week that got chewed to bits on the interwebs. Chewed. To. Bits. I mean, not by everyone.  Probably not by you. But enough people pecked […]

"You start this time," he said. I groaned audibly.  "OF course you would say that." "I have to confess something to you right from the top... this is the day, maybe like every day, that I think I have nothing to offer to the world.  I have nothing.  This is it." He bubbles with laughter.  […]

My brother and I have been working on a little something during quarantine, and we are excited to set this little bird free to fly today. I could tell you paragraphs about how much fun we hare having, how he makes me laugh in every single episode, how we are exploring endless topics together, things […]

So many new things are happening in these crazy times, you guys. Like the fact that I seem to have become a homeschooling mom who bakes pies and walks several miles a day. It's like that game on Facebook where you're supposed to post a status that makes people think you've been abducted.  Like if […]

Don't you love when a great podcast pops up in your feed? My friends Juli and Hannah invited me to join them on Authentic Intimacy waaaay back in December. (Hannah was even wearing the most charming Christmas sweater on the day of our dialogue.) But it's crazy how the conversation from so many weeks ago […]

In the writing world, your "Platform" is the broad term for "the people who listen to you." The size of your platform matters quite a lot to publishers. After all, if they're going to invest in your writing and give you a contract, they want to know who's waiting in line to buy this book. […]

Strapp held his wife’s hand as he drove, stealing glances at the photograph she held. This was the only picture they had of their son, a photo they received from their social worker. The boy looked to be about six years old, and he had dark skin, darker eyes, and black hair. Strapp and Julie […]

“Hi. I should introduce myself. We’re actually really good friends,” she says as we pass each other on the sidewalk, each of us walking our dogs AGAIN. “You just haven’t met me yet. But I read your stuff every day. We have coffee together.” I love when this happens. When the cyber world around me […]

"Where do I register?" You can Register by Clicking Here. "What is this weekend about?" "What does the registration fee include?" You have been so gracious to send me your questions, and I have answers to them all. We are delighted to partner with The Berlin Grande Hotel in Berlin, Ohio, located in the heart […]

The Pen and The Page is coming to Ohio this summer, and registrations are live today! The Pen and The Page is carefully crafted for writers of every level to explore writing as a sacred pathway of worship. Whether you’ve written books or simply enjoy scribbling your thoughts, something truly magical happens when you invite […]

What advice would you give to the younger you? ⠀ ⠀ “Love Hard.  Especially because I now know what that would cost me... to love hard. And I would do it all again. I wouldn’t have spared myself any of the pain that I have gone through by loving hard, and by loving what death […]

Registrations are open for The Pen and The Page: March 13 - 15, 2020 The Pen and The Page: Writing as Worship The Pen and The Page is carefully crafted for writers of every level to explore writing as a sacred pathway of worship. Whether you’ve written books or simply enjoy scribbling your thoughts, something […]