I’ve been reading about Elisha the prophet in my morning Bible studies. I came across the account of the Widow’s Oil this morning. (2 Kings 4) Of course this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this account, but for some reason it hit me with fresh impact this morning. Here’s the situation. Elisha is the most powerful prophet in the …
Today’s Parables
This fall I’ll speak at a retreat sponsored by Voice of Joy ministries (you can check out a few details here.) Voice of Joy is an outreach ministry headed by Amy Barkman, my mom. She conducts this women’s retret every fall, and I enjoy participating whenever I’m able, because she always has such fun themes. One year the theme was …
Exciting News – Holt Medallion Award of Merit!
This weekend I received a phone call that absolutely MADE my day! My book, A Daughter’s Legacy, has been awarded an Award of Merit in the Holt Medallion contest! I am absolutely overjoyed to be recognized with this award, and especially because my book is in the company of some really terrific books by some amazingly talented authors. There are …
My Dog BJ
I’m really excited about the release of a new book this month – The Dog Next Door. It’s a delightful collection of heartwarming stories all about dogs, and I’m honored to have a story included. My story is about my baby, BJ. BJ was a black standard poodle I rescued from a puppy mill several years ago. He was the …
Author and Perfecter
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2) Writers love this verse. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I love it because it describes one more connection between me and my Lord. We’re both authors. Of course, His work is much deeper and more important than mine, but this verse describes …
Kentucky Rain Keeps Comin’ Down
Elvis had it right. Seems like I’ve been walking in rain for days and days, “…walking through, with the rain in my shoes.” Literally. Yesterday Mom and I splashed through parking lot puddles and got rain in our shoes. Yuck. Today as I stared at the gloomy sky and wet grass outside my office window, that song kept going through …
Where’s My Chocolate Ice Cream?
I received an email from a reader the other day who had just read Stuck in the Middle. She asked a question that rolled around in my mind for close to a week before I answered it. This one required a lot more thought and prayer than the typical reader question. She asked, “How do I get my chocolate ice …
He’s Riding Herd Over Me
I’m working on a fun book right now. It’s set in the old west, during a cattle drive. When I started, I knew almost nothing about cattle drives, but now I can say I’m a bit more educated – and a lot more fascinated. Now, I’m not going to turn my Journal into a lecture about the old west. But …
Website Mystery Challenge – The Resolution
We’re finally at the end of our Website Mystery Challenge! Did you solve the clues and discover the identity of the killer? How about that cryptogram – did you figure it out and decipher the extra clues? Now it’s time to find out how you did. The Resolution: Detective Collins saw Mrs. Butler eavesdropping on his conversation. He followed her …
Website Mystery Challenge – Post #7
We’ve come to the final clue in our Website Mystery Challenge! Detective Collins is hot on the trail of the killer. Have you followed the trail and figured out the identify of the killer? Here’s one last chance to add an important clue to your list. Collins assesses al the clues, and lays them all out. Sandra had a motive: …