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After a long day of travel, including a four-hour layover in Houston and a lengthy bus ride from Managua to Chinandega, we arrived at Amigos for Christ around 1:30am local time (2:30am at home). We rose four hours later and joined the rest of our group for a delicious breakfast of pancakes, pineapple, rice, and …
As we finalize preparations for our trip to Nicaragua, I’m experiencing a broad range of emotions–mostly excitement, but if I’m being honest, I should mention anxiety, fear, and anger as well. Yes, anger. This week, Travis has battled a nasty eye infection, and Brooke has been fighting a virus that resulted in an ear infection. …
My 11-year-old daughter and I attended Books by the Banks in Cincinnati this October. When we entered the Author Pavilion, she rushed over to meet Chris Grabenstein, the author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Both of my girls were drawn to the book by the challenging puzzles that were woven into the story. After …
This time last year, I had finished my first manuscript. A friend encouraged me to submit the first five pages to the 2015 ACFW First Impressions Contest. I followed her advice and entered my writing to be judged by three industry professionals. I had worked hard to revise the piece to the best of my …
While listening to the radio as we drove home from an orthodontist appointment yesterday, my girls and I heard how Tim Tebow had stopped signing autographs to pray for a baseball fan who was unresponsive after suffering a seizure. The DJ announced that the man regained consciousness as a result of the prayer. (I can’t …
As students in our school district geared up for Homecoming, our middle school organized Spirit Week. One day they dressed up in clothing from a specific decade. The next day they wore crazy hats. On the third day, their costumes were inspired by a favorite Disney character. They wore school colors on Friday to show …
For this giveaway, Suzanne Woods Fisher generously offered two signed copies of the first book in The Adventures with Lily Lapp series she wrote with Mary Ann Kinsinger. Both of my daughters enjoyed these sweet tales of a little farm girl who often finds herself in trouble. Enter the giveaway for your chance to be …
As I finished polishing the manuscript I planned to pitch during the ACFW Conference this summer, I was challenged by a critique buddy to choose a song or two that captured the theme of my book. The manuscript is titled Camp Galatians. Seventh grader Beth Shapiro doesn’t trust others, especially not her classmate Erick Moulder. …
In the winter of 2013, I had the opportunity to join a team of women on a mission trip in Mexico. Since my return to the States, I have prayed for an opportunity for our family to go on a mission trip together. Earlier this spring, I received an email from our church, inviting us …
Background vector designed by Freepik Now that most schools are back in session and many homeschoolers are diving into their curriculum, I thought it would be fun to create a Back to School scavenger hunt for young readers. Head to a store or bump around the internet (with adult supervision, of course) to search for …