The Very Inspiring Blog Award

These things are always fun! Thanks, Amanda Fanger, for giving me a nod at her own blog, which you can find here. Amanda is a reporter for her local newspaper and an aspiring novelist who blogs about her writing journey. Definitely keep your eye on this gal!

 As part of this blog award, I have to share seven things about myself. So in no particular order...

• I love milkshakes.
• I love Hawaii, particularly Waikiki. My husband and I went there for our honeymoon and have been back two times since.
• My favorite band is Switchfoot.
• I'm passionate about animal rescue and have two of the most adorable rescued Cocker Spaniels. You never would've dreamed I found them at the Humane Society and animal shelter.
• When I was young, my mom used to keep a "diary" for me before I knew how to write. Many of the entires involved stickers and references to everything being my "best friend." I'm so thankful to have parents who have encouraged my calling from such a young age.
• I love milkshakes. Oh wait, I already said that. I'm also a vegetarian.
• When my head hits the pillow each night, I think to myself, "I am living a dream." Some days I still can't believe that all of this--all of you readers and the relationships I've established with those in the writing industry, even my heroes like Rene Gutteridge-- is real. And for that, I continue to be so, so thankful, and so very in awe of God's purpose.

Now, to spread the love around! I nominate the following gals for this award:

• Angie Dicken--my fabulous critique partner, now agented by Tamela Hancock Murray!
• Casey Herringshaw--who you no doubt already know-- because let's face it, she's adorable
• Gabrielle Meyer-- I had the privilege of meeting Gabrielle at ACFW this year, and let me just say, she scatters sunshine all around. LOVE her. Definitely check out her blog if you haven't already. This gal is going places.
• Kristy L. Cambron-- As if being the most gorgeous pregnant woman in the world (who now has a new baby) weren't enough, Kristy has an equally adorable blog. She writes vintage romance... isn't that a cute tagline? Love it, and I love her. Definitely stop by her blog.
• Lindsay Harrel-- Who doesn't love Lindsay? I was SO happy we finally had the chance to meet at the ACFW conference. Lindsay is an incredible writer, and I expect you'll see great things from her sooner rather than later!
• Rene Smith-- Don't let Rene's easy-going demeanor fool you. This lady is a Genesis winner and has nabbed a superstar agent. She's a stellar person and writer. Don't miss the cool stuff she's doing at her blog!

Hope you enjoy browsing through these blogs and "meeting" some of these ladies. Do you have any other favorite blogs you frequent? Would you share the links with us?

ACFW Conference :)

I had SO much fun at the ACFW Conference this past weekend and am having a hard time believing it's already over! The whole thing feels like a dream. A very tiring, very memorable dream full of laughter, nerves, and wonderful friendships and opportunities. I don't know where I'd be without this organization and am so thankful to those who listened to the pressing of God when He laid it on their hearts to start ACFW.

Some highlights of the conference...

• Using the word "peeps" in a conversation with Becky Monds. Thankfully, she laughed.
• Stalking the appointment board and driving poor Casey Miller flat crazy.
• Lots of laughter with my roommates Angie and Amy, staying up until welllllll past our bedtime. The rooms were so quiet, we couldn't sleep!
• Making connections with past and present heros, like Allen Arnold, Allison Pitman, and Rene Gutteridge.
• Wonderful workshops, thanks to which (shout out to Rachel Hauck!) I think I'm finally going to shake my terror of brainstorming.
• Worship with other storytellers, the shapers of the world of fiction. What a privilege.
• This piece of pecan pie.

Here I am with The Alley Cats. Love these ladies! So excited to be an Alley Cat this year. :)

I was so happy to be able to spend some time with Sarah Forgrave this year. Love this girl!

Lindsay is SO much fun!

This year I had the privilege of meeting the cutest pregnant woman of all time, Kristy Wedge Cambron. Love this girl! 

Roomie pic! Angie, Amy, and I before the banquet. I pretty much have the prettiest roommates in all the land. Such great times with these women!

Mentor of the year herself: Allison Pitman. After spending some time with her this year, I can tell you the award was well-deserved.

My editor and friend from the e-zine I write articles for, SciendaQ. Happy to meet you, Cat! So fun chatting!

Casey is absolutely the cutest! Such the glittering social butterfly! Loved getting to meet you this year, Casey! 

One of my favorite moments of the conference... meeting Rene Gutteridge.  

Beth Vogt is so PRECIOUS. I could talk to her for hours.

Cara, Amy, and I

My friend and published author, Krista Phillips! So fun hanging out with her this year!

These ladies are so much fun. Linsday Harrel, Katie Ganshert, and Gabrielle Meyer. You should see the picture that followed this one!

And last but not least, here's a short clip from the MBT pizza party this year, featuring Lindsay Harrel, Karen Ball, and Susie May Warren. They had me laughing so hard with this song.

I miss you already, writing friends!

You are: Loved

Last week, we talked about seeing ourselves as God views us, as the people He has called us to be. Today I want to break that down a little bit and ask, "What does that actually look like?"

As I was thinking about what I wanted to blog about this week, a concept came to mind, and I really believe someone reading this needs to hear it today, so I hope it ministers to you. The concept is this: God loves you. I mean, really loves you.

Check out what Isaiah 43:4 says... "Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you".

The rest of the chapter is definitely worth reading, but for now, let's just break down those adjectives that are used in this verse to describe God's people. Precious. Honored. Loved.


But do we really live with this perspective? How often do we walk around as if instead, the adjectives over our heads are common, guilty, sinful? Has Christ not paid our ransom once and for all and called us His own?

I think that when you've been around church for a long time, you begin picking up a sense of false guilt, which is unfortunate. You start putting unrealistic goals on yourself, and then feel awful when you don't measure up. I didn't read my Bible for thirty minutes, and then pretty soon, we don't read our Bibles at all. I am preaching to the choir, by the way, when I say that. I'm not focused enough during worship, and then pretty soon, worship becomes another Sunday chore. Little by little, we take the gifts of God in our lives and adopt a false sense of guilt toward them. Instead of picking up these gifts, we leave them at the altar, and we pick up the very chains God has freed us from.

Remember what God has called you? Precious. Honored. Loved.

How would our mindset and actions change if we believed God when He tells us He loves us? Think of how a relationship changes once you know there's true love there. God is not out to trick us. We need not guard ourselves from Him. In actuality, it's the opposite. He's desperately calling us to so much more. He's laid out all these dreams and gifts in front of us, and He's cheering us on, begging us to pick them up and see what He has planned for us.

I challenge you today to claim the verse that says you have the mind of Christ. It's not a fight. It's already been bought for you. All you have to do is reach out and take it as your own. Become conscious of the way you think about God. Are you afraid of His punishment and disappointment? Do you feel ashamed? Or do you really believe you are what He has called you? Precious. Honored. Loved.

You are His own, and nothing you can do or have done will change His love.

*********

This is totally random, but I couldn't pass up the chance to share it with you. Today I got to meet up with my critique partner, Angie Dicken and have lunch! This woman is such a blessing in my life. It's like God knew I needed her as a friend, and didn't let the physical space between us keep that from happening. Here's a picture taken shortly after our excursion in the Godiva store.

Therefore, Encourage

Yesterday, I met one of my friends from college at a coffee shop and talked about writing. Talking with her has been such a privilege because for years now, I have considered her one of the most talented writers I know. Throughout my graduate work, she was this ever-shining beacon of faith amidst the cynicism that often accompanies a secular university. We don't even know each other that well, but I have always looked up to her.

Recently, after taking several years away from writing, she's felt God calling her back to the craft in a new way. I sat there listening as she explained what a cool thing it's been to watch God use her education training in a direction she never would've expected. She's been coming up with all these article ideas left and right, and the more she writes, the more that comes to her mind.

As she continued to tell me about her journey, I felt myself getting excited, because I can see what's ahead of her. I can imagine and envision things she's yet to even imagine or dream.

I often feel this way about Angie Dicken, my critique partner. You may think I'm biased because I adore her, but I promise I'm being fair! She really is as great of a writer as I make her sound. Side note, you can find here blog here if you're interested: http://www.supamomthoughts.blogspot.com/ . So Angie writes historical romance, and she has this ability to intricately weave cultures. She also is mind-boggling good at constructing the story world so that you as the reader just want to jump right in to the setting alongside the characters. Because she writes something more unique, she hasn't had as easy of a sell as some others who fit the formula mold. But the thing is, I see God's hand all over her writing, and mark my words, she is going to make it BIG someday because her skills and voice are unmatched. When I'm reading Angie's writing, even her first drafts, I am always floored by how beautiful her prose is, and I wish she could see how truly talented she really is.

Do any of you subscribe to Bible Gateway's verse of the day? Well, the verse today was 1 Thessalonians 5:11. It says, "So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."

Aren't the effects of community and encouragement amazing? I look at my own writing, and how far a little bit of encouragement or kindness has taken me, especially when spoken from someone I look up to. And then it dawned on me--what if I have the power, the ability, to uplift other people in the same way?


What if I can see a vision in other people's lives that they can't see in themselves? And if that's the case, what am I going to do about it?

So as you go about your day today, I pray you feel the encouragement of others who God has put alongside you in this journey. Maybe you see amazing fruit coming out of someone's life. Speak words of vision into them, because chances are they don't see the same thing in themselves.

Do you have any people in your life who this applies to? How have you been affected and encouraged by community? What can we do to foster an environment of encouragement?