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I was at a writer’s conference once and started chatting with the person in line behind me. No surprise there. My dad says I could carry on a conversation with a block wall. It’s a family trait :-)

Anyway, this lady and I had a pleasant conversation about life, family, her writing, my writing. Nothing spectacular. I didn’t think anything more of it than a friendly moment in time.

I finished getting my food and sat at a table when one of the other guests touched my arm.
“You looked like you were having a pretty good conversation with Angie Hunt.��
Angie Hunt? Angela Hunt! Award winning author of over one-hundred books!!

(To read more about Angie Hunt, go )

So the pleasant little conversation suddenly changed to one of those shocked moments that you write down in your journal to share with all of your posterity and even devote a blog-post to it :-)

Knowing WHO she was, changed the way I saw the situation.

It wasn’t just a sweet little moment in my day. It was momentous. Knowing WHO she was made a BIG difference on my perspective.

There’s a familiar story in the Bible about Jesus calming the sea. (And though Angela Hunt loves Jesus, knowing her and knowing HIM are two very different things ;-)

To paraphrase the Gospels, here we go:

The disciples follow Jesus onto a boat and they head out onto the sea. A big storm whips up out of nowhere, so dangerous that the disciples start to freak out. They start crying out for help, and where is Jesus? In the middle of the howling wind, crashing waves, and pelting rain…sleeping!!


The disciples wake him up and say something like, “Don’t you care that we’re all going to die?”So…Jesus tells the storm to hush up. And it does. Then he looks at his disciples and says, “Oh you of little faith. Why are you so afraid?��
Now some Gospels put Jesus�� rebuke before the calming of the storm and some after. Just imagine Jesus waking from his nap to the hurricane-like conditions and screaming through the wind at the disciples. “Why are you afraid?��
I can only imagine the disciples giving him a look like Jesus, have you seen the size of those waves? This is NOT a dream. We’re going to DIE!


When Jesus calms the storm with his words, the disciples start to freak out in a very different way, because they suddenly were struck with the truth about WHO Jesus really was. The external storm on the water suddenly flew inside their hearts. Whoa! Jesus�� words brought calm to the chaos, as God- The Creator’s- words brought order to the chaos of the universe. Proving that he truly was, who he’d said he was. Spectacular.
So, in one respect, Jesus is saying: If you guys really knew who I was, you’d be able to sleep through a storm too.


There are a few poignant truths in this story.
1. The storm wasn’t a shock to Jesus. He knew it was going to happen and went to sleep anyway.
2. Knowing who Jesus really is, helps us see the storms of life from a new perspective.
Jesus leads us into storms sometimes to refine our faith. So the question is, how do we respond in the middle of the storm? It’s easy to view in hindsight, or predict your response in foresight, but what about in the very middle when the hurt, fear, worry, and grief are the greatest?


This was convicting to me, because if I really know Him, worry becomes obsolete and fear melts into a minor obstacle. His peace settles a heart during the most frightening storm or by streams of living water and green pastures. My heart should find rest in either/or.

The great thing is �� he wants us to get to know him better, because he wants us to rest in him.


Psalm 62:1 reads: “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.��
Psalm 119:1: Blessed are they that keep his statutes and seek him with all their hearts.��
Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.��


When we know WHO holds us, who loves us, who guides us through the storm �� then our perspective on the power of the storm changes and our security in the Maker of the storm overcomes our fear.


May we take this verse to heart and find rest in His promises:
Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.��

It’s one of those ‘pull your hair out�� kinds of moments. Your nine-year-old, who struggles with math facts, sits beside of you at the table and goes into a complete meltdown over 3 digit numbers. There’s no calling him back from the depths of despair, he’s jumped in with both feet and waded up to his neckline. He’s drowning in fractions and word problems with no hope for a sure foundation.


No matter what you say, offer to pay, plead or borrow, he’s not coming back from his mental block for a few minutes…maybe millennia. He spends twenty-minutes trying to blame every other person in his life, and the dog, for the fact that he cannot do this homework. He seeks every distraction known to man and animals to dismiss his inability, but finally has to accept something. For the first time in his life, he’s realized the terrible, horrible, no-good truth:

He’s not perfect.



Oops, maybe I should have whispered that last sentence. It’s easier to bear when said in a whisper. Then maybe no one else will hear.

Okay �� so I’m going to whisper the rest of this because it might be a little too hard to hear in a big voice.

We’re not perfect.

Ouch.

Yeah, yeah, I know you would admit to it, but do you believe it? Sometimes I don’t. I either kick myself so hard when I fall that I can’t stand for a week, OR (and more likely) I pretend I wasn’t wrong. I never admit to it. I ignore the little gnawing at the base of my heart and push it off as not taking my B-12s, when the truth is…I was wrong.

Pulling shark teeth would be easier than trying to get my 17-year old to admit when he’s wrong. Whew. Pride the size of Jonah’s whale, but…his mom has the same problem. In fact, most of us do.

We blame our day, or our health, our finances, or in-laws…our children, or spouse, our education, or background…whatever it takes to keep the little finger from pointing backwards and finding our chests. Not me.

It’s hard…I don’t like it �� but who does?

When we hold onto pride, one of the ugliest things happens. We place ourselves above our humanity and make little idols of our own hearts. Then, we compare our goodness to others�� badness and forget the basic element of grace��

Jesus didn’t come for perfect people. In fact, if we looked at the list of people Jesus hung around with most, you wouldn’t find a perfect person among the entire bunch. Most would have scoffed at the notion of being called ‘perfect�� or even close.

A woman caught in adultery, a hotheaded disciple, a traitor-tax collector, a theif…a bunch of cowards and…sinners.

That’s the point!

One thing they all had in common was they were sinners, and they knew it. In fact, when Jesus sat down at ATE with some of those imperfect people, the religious leaders started whispering about him (and not in a nice way either).

The story goes like this in Matthew 9:10-12

10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners�� came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners��?��

12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.��

Jesus came to save those who know they are broken and couldn’t be fixed. Who know they screw up and can’t make things right. Who know no band aid, no amount of sacrifice or good works can change their history and mistakes.
He came for the ones who KNOW they are sinners and are searching for Someone to be the bridge between their imperfection and God’s perfectness.

Jesus became that bridge by offering His own perfection, His life for the ungodly. He didn’t come ‘to call the righteous, but sinners.��
If you know you are imperfect��
If you look back on your past, see your shades of gray, and feel ashamed��
If you’re struggling with the depths of hurt, confusion, anger, or sadness��
There is hope.

Jesus

”let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.�� �� Hebrews 10:22

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness�� I John 1:9

I am visiting today to tell my writing journey. Please come by and join the conversation.

The Seekers helped encourage me so much as I was trying to ‘find my feet�� in this writing gig.

I had the wonderful opportunity last weekend to have my first booksigning even at Barnes and Noble. There was a great turnout, and despite my discomfort at being the center of attention, I loved getting to share the experience with friends who have followed my writing journey a looooonnnnggg time! Particularly my college buddy, Jessica, (namesake in the book) and some of my coworkers and friends from my FIRST JOB in Charlotte, NC (15 years ago!!!). They drove all the way to Asheville to celebrate with me. Wow!!

So, as you can see I decorated my table with some fun stuff. A box for the $50 gift card raffle, scones and gingerbread (straight from England as a gift from my wonderful cousin-in-law, Judy), books (0f course) and��.lifesavers.

Why lifesavers?

Well, if you’ve read The Thorn Bearer, you get the reference. It’s a ‘sweet�� theme between my hero and heroine throughout the book, but on a much deeper level there is reference to a “Lifesaver�� working his ‘sweetness�� throughout the lives of all the characters.

Also…my poor characters are getting on a sinking ship! Who wouldn’t want a life saver, right?

Tragedies, tensions, and difficulties strike us all. Maybe they don’t all involve childhood secrets or sinking ships, but some can be just as life-threatening, debilitating, devastating, or life-altering. In essence, there are going to be times in life where we are all in danger of drowning under the flood of living in a fallen world. Whether our tragedy comes at our own hands (as a few of my characters discover) or at the hands of others, we are certain of one thing��. no one gets out of this life without some stings and pains along the way, that’s why we all need a true LifeSaver.

There are doctors, counselors, family, and friends who can help us during our broken times, but their reach can only make it so far, because the ultimate issue at the heart of every person, is sin. It’s the whirlpool beneath our skin tugging us under, further and further, and without some divine intervention, we will (inevitably) drown.

But there is a Rescuer for this particular darkness…and only one.

The Ultimate LifeSaver.

John 3:17 �� (Jesus said) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (ESV)

Colossians 1:13-14 (from The Message paraphrase)

God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

Psalm 91:14-16 (from The Message paraphrase)

“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,�� says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!��

God’s best care is at the soul level. Through Christ, He does what no one else can do �� cleans our hearts and rescues our souls. The sort of sweetness He brings through His healing goes beyond the trials, sufferings, pains, and heartaches (that will continue to come) because we are still living in a broken world and waiting for a heavenly one.

But he is efficient :-) He will use our trials here to make us more and more fit for our new homes and to bring about in us the Ultimate Plan of the Ultimate LifeSaver, because he’s not in it just for today…but for eternity.

Over one hundred years ago, a surprise attack by German forces began the second battle of Ypres. This battle ended on this day��.100 years ago. Besides the loss of life, and celebration of a much-needed British victory, The Second Battle of Ypres introduced a hideous and debilitating new weapon: Poisonous gas. The cloud, carried on a gentle afternoon breeze, first hit the French troops, blinding their eyes and cloaking their lungs until they suffocated. Horrendous-type warfare no one had ever witnessed. By debilitating and killing the first wave of Allied forces, the Germans made a quick advance into Allied territory.

Those soldiers who were not killed, retreated in a fog of confusion brought on by this unexpected new weapon.

Four battles and one month later, the Allies were able to regain their hold of Ypres and push back the Germans, but the losses were great �� especially for the French and many civilians who were close enough to be infected by the gas.

Losses during this battle alone were estimated to be about 59,000 British and 10,000 French.() (and that was for only one battle)

As we remember men fallen in war during our US Memorial Day, the estimated loss of American life within the two years American was involved in World War 1 is estimated as over 100,000. ()

The United States involvement in WW1 changed the outcome of the war, and the sacrifices made by these brave men will not be forgotten.

Let us remember the lives lost both in our country and the many lost in other countries who had been struggling years longer in this Great War.

I realized this week was my 7th year at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. I’ve visited either as a day-guest or a full-guest and garnered wonderful knowledge over those years, but I think the thing I’ve enjoyed most from Blue Ridge are the friendships.

I had the opportunity to sit beside Lynn Blackburn at our FIRST BOOKSIGNING at Blue Ridge (after all those years of waiting) and we talked about how coming to Blue Ridge was like visiting old friends. There is a sweetness in the small-town feel of Blue Ridge and a mutual encouragement of all these other writers journeying along with you.

And then there is celebration! Authors winning awards! Book signings! First-time teachers!!

One of the highlights for me was hanging out with my super duper agent, Julie Gwinn and her partner in crime Dan Phillips.

There were so many sweet connections made at this conference over time. I met Dee Dee Baxter years ago and absolutely LOVE visiting with her. Ane Mulligan is always a delight.

And of course! There is genre night!!

What have you enjoyed about conferences? Do you have any long-standing conferences where you’ve met some great people?

Even in the midst of furious deadline crunches for writing book #2 in the Penned in Time series, there are just some upcoming releases I am excited to get my hands on! First off, (of course) is the lovely Laura Frantz’s newest! The Mistress of Tall Acre looks and sounds delightful!!

And this one by Susan May Warren! I love the cover!!

What about you? Are you looking forward to any upcoming releases?

Originally posted on :

Ashley Dougall has a terminal disease and forgiveness is the only cure.

Ashley Dougall’s father stole her innocence, her selfish fiancé stole her heart, and unforgiveness is slowly stealing her life. Drawn by the desire to help others, she tries to escape haunting memories and enlists her services as a nurse in war-torn Europe. Along with her childhood friend and fiance’s brother, Samuel Miller, the fragile threads holding Ashley’s life in place one-by-one begin to snap. From the deck of the ill-fated Lusitania to the smoke-filled trenches of WWI, Ashley must choose between forgiveness of the past, life in the present, and a Savior who is willing to help her face them both.

About (from her website) ��

I wrote my first story when I was a nine year- old, freckled-faced tomboy in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Coming from a long line of oral storytellers��

622 more words

God uses the smallest people in my life to make the biggest impact on my heart.

My kids.

There are so many ways I see their understanding and growth at a younger level mirroring my spiritual growth  at an older level.

And sometimes, their simple statements wipe the dust of ‘life�� off of gospel truths I’ve allowed to become dimmed over time.

I remember a great example from a few years ago: I was with my youngest daughter, Phoebe. We needed to pick up two quick items from the grocery section of Wal-Mart �� time was short and money was tight. As we did a quick tour of the snacks there was a sale rack filled with little girl bathing suits.

Phoebe gasped. Low and behold there was a Little Mermaid bathing suit ON SALE and just her size. She oohed and ahhed over it for a moment and then asked the inevitable question: “Can I have that one, Mommy?��

It was a cute swimsuit. A GREAT price.

We were in a hurry. I had to get to work. She had to get to school. Things at work were tense. Things at home were busy. And the budget was ultra-tight.

I had to say ‘no��.

Her smile faded, but she didn’t say anything until we’d paid for our two items and walked out the door.

As I placed her in her carseat, she looked up at me and said, “Mommy, even if I don’t have that Little Mermaid swimming suit, God has given me a happy heart. Because God gives us happy hearts, doesn’t he?��

I almost melted in a pile of tears on the pavement.

God spoke to me through my daughter and reminded me of a simple, yet profound truth. Joy is a God-given constant �� regardless of the circumstances.

Happiness changes based on the circumstances and disappointments. The trials or heartaches.

But joy is from God �� and God’s love doesn’t change.

The point is this: Gratitude is wearing God-colored glasses to view our lives.

It doesn’t mean we’ll always be happy with our circumstances, but it does mean that at the heart of who we are there is solid peace and hope beyond our circumstances.

There is a certainty of being loved far greater than our human minds can ever comprehend.

There is knowledge that even though we can’t understand the situation, it had to sift through the fingers of a loving Father before it reached our lives.

I’ll leave you with two fabulous quotes by author Charlotte Bronte, whose life was certainly not what anyone would call ‘happy�� or ‘easy��.

She lost her mother at a young age, suffered from poor health her entire life, and watched all of her siblings die at young ages before her. The only Bronte

to marry, she at the age of 38, along with her unborn child.

Here are two of her quotes:

“Cheerfulness, it would appear, is a matter which depends fully as much on the state of things within, as the state of things without and around us.��

“I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward.��

Words to remember.

Titles make up books! (and interestingly �� they’ll also help you win some cool prizes in the Spine Poetry Contest) Want to know more �� check out the rules at the bottom of the post.

Every life has a story �� and in most cases life involves a tangle of challenges, joys, sufferings, fears, and victories. Hopefully, though, most lives don’t include the difficult and heart-wrenching past of my heroine, Ashleigh Dougall in my debut novel, The Thorn Bearer.

The title for this book took two years to emerge from the plethora of titles littering the proverbial trashbin, and it hits at the novel’s core. What thorn are you bearing?

What thorn are the characters in this novel bearing?

For Ashleigh Dougall, the ‘thorn�� she bears, in part, stems from the suffering experienced at the hands of her father, but even more than her shame is the bitterness rooted like a wild thistle deep within her heart. For other characters this ‘thorn�� pierces their lives so deeply it’s skewed their vision, guided them down roads they wouldn’t have taken otherwise, and distanced them from good relationships. Like a splinter, this thorn of unforgiveness gives Ashleigh (and some of the other characters) a constant aggravation, biting into her hope with its continual reminder and stealing away the joy offered to her in her present. Especially when it involves her childhood friend, Sam Miller.

Now, don’t you think The Thorn Bearer is a much better name than the book’s very first title��. Are you ready for it?

A Rose in the Attic?

What on earth was I thinking?

Now for the rules!!!

The task:

Simple.

Grab your favorite books and create a “poem�� or loose “limerick�� from the titles. Something as simple as:

�� All your favorite authors in one stack

�� Similar titles

�� Similar spine colors for a lovely mosaic

�� Titles that when placed in a stack tell a simple story or rhyme

�� All of one author’s books in one stack

IMPORTANT: Be sure to post a link to your spine poetry in the PromoSimple form for your entry to be counted!

Ready for step two?

Take a picture and post it on social media, tagging one or all of our authors: , @KCambronAuthor, @CarlaLaureano, @BethVogt, @CathWest

Want extra credit?

Visit each of the blogs (listed here: ) Pepper Basham, Kristy Cambron, Carla Laureano, Beth Vogt, Catherine West and build a spine poetry entry for each author. You can enter as many times as you’d like!

The prizes:

You didn’t want to do this just for the fun of it? Well, okay then. :- ))

Any spine poetry is entered to win a prize basket with a copy of each of our author’s books:

The Thorn Bearer by Pepper Basham

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

London Tides by Carla Laureano

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt

Bridge of Faith by Catherine West

If you create a Spine Poetry with any of our authors in one collection, you’ll be entered to win THIS mother lode:

Hand-crafted journal

Hand-crafted Swarovski crystal bracelet

Pride & Prejudice DVD

Signed copy of The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Yesterday’s Tomorrow by Catherine West

Signed copy of Somebody Like You by Beth Vogt

To sign up for the contest, follow this link: