An Open Letter to Myself
I’m writing the open letter to myself because I really couldn’t sit by passively any longer. I’m very disappointed in you. I’m sad that you don’t treat yourself with more care, that you don’t buy yourself the best and do the very best for YOU. You don’t take time to think through every part of the scenario, but hey, I guess that’s how you learn about YOU…. Read More
5 Creative Breakthroughs for Sensitive Writers Using The Artist’s Way
I have experienced the feeling of the creative well drying up. It’s frightening, to say the least. As a highly sensitive writer, I find that the stress of day-to-day parenting,… Read More
12 Bible Verses for Cancer Patients (Plus a Prayer)
No one expects to be diagnosed with cancer. As the medical tests roll in, so does the fear and anguish over what was, what’s to come, and what will be. Over the last year as I prayed for direction, I experienced waves of fear, grief, and disbelief when I was unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer. It hasn’t been easy, to say the least. If I’m honest, my initial response was to cry out, “Why, God?” This state of disbelief is often a mashup of denial and anger as we want to know what God is doing in our lives when trouble comes our way. These bible verses for cancer patients are shared out of my own experience clinging to God’s truth…. Read More
Book Coaching Packages for Sensitive Nonfiction Writers
As adults who may have pursued non-creative careers, these desires to write have most likely bubbled up over the years in bits and pieces. If you are drawn back to your experiences, life events, and desire to use your experiences and expertise to help and encourage others, you might just have a nonfiction book in you yet. In this article, I’d like to share more about my book coaching packages for sensitive and passionate leaders who want to leave a legacy…. Read More
What is a Funeral Celebrant and Why Do I Need One?
When my grandmother began to decline in her 90s, I knew that I wanted to honor her with a beautiful and unique memorial service. Having served at churches on the worship team and throughout the Sacramento area as a guest, or fill-in, worship leader, it felt natural to select meaningful songs and hymns to share. My family leaned on me to put the service together including prayers, poems, obituary, and other elements of the memorial service. While the term, “Celebrant” is somewhat new to the United States, it is identical to serving as a funeral officiant. The question remains, what is a funeral celebrant and why do I need one?… Read More
Losing Your Writing Voice and Finding it Again
In just one moment, things can change so quickly. It sounds trite, perhaps, or maybe even like a Hallmark movie, “appreciate what you have because at any moment, it could vanish.” We take so many things for granted on a daily basis including our health, our family, our friends, and even our ability to work. It isn’t until injury, illness, or tragedy strikes that we relish what we previously had and wish that we could reverse time. For writers, experiences of sudden trauma can cause the writing well to dry up without notice. That’s why I’m sharing about losing your writing voice and finding it again–I know I’m not alone…. Read More
10 Great Blessings from the Bible
“God bless them,” “Bless your heart,” “count your blessings,” and “#blessings” abound as social platitudes, but what does it really mean to be blessed or to bless someone else? We all want material blessings, but perhaps spiritual blessings that only come from God are the most vital and important to seek as we navigate life’s journey. For me, the way the Bible gives me hope and courage is frequently through blessings from the Bible, and so I’ve put together this list of 10 great blessings from the Bible to share with you…. Read More
Contentment at Christmas
As the Christmas shopping season creeps closer to Halloween with each passing year, I’m reminded how advertisements, media, and companies prey on our inability to be content. For a nation overly concerned with happiness, it seems that we exist in a vicious cycle perpetuated by capitalism, which is an unfortunate byproduct of our wonderful free market economy. It seems to me that the odds are stacked against us finding contentment at Christmas…. Read More
Top 15 Thanksgiving Bible Verses
As is customary on Thanksgiving Day, giving thanks for everything we have can be easy or hard depending on what’s going on in our lives. If things are tough, it’s often hard to give God our thanks; when things are going well, sometimes we forget to thank God, too. We praise God first because he loved us and sent his only son to die for us on the cross (John 3:16), everything else should be gravy. Of course, it’s never quite that simple. If you’re like me and you need constant reminders to stop and be grateful and thank God for everything, you’ll find this list of Thanksgiving Bible verses handy…. Read More
20 Unique Gifts for the Writers and Readers in Your Life
Buying a gift for someone is hard, but buying a gift for the writers and readers in your life doesn’t have to be. Those of us who love reading (and writing) would rather be discussing ideas or jotting down poems crave gifts that speak to our souls. Call us bibliophiles, nerdy, wordy, or bookish, we’ll respond nicely when you feed the beast that craves anything having to do with the written word. In this list of 20 unique gifts for the writers and readers in your life, I’ll aim to pick some great finds for you to consider for the next birthday or holiday gift. … Read More