Rest for the Weary of Heart I came to a complete stop last week. I mean, a screeching halt.  I was going like sixty in my writing career, doing all the things. Well, the things I thought I was supposed to be doing, or was told I needed to be doing by the wise writers of the world (WWotW). Those things included writing blog posts, newsletters, and devotions, attending writer’s conferences to pitch, network and learn (the latter I could do all day and every day, but I wouldn't have the chance to implement what I learned). And that's not to mention social media posts, and faithfully puttin ..read more

When Dreams are Dashed Everyone has disappointments—dreams dashed to the ground, along with their hopes. Not fun, is it? "Why me?" you and I say. Why not? No one is immune. We live in a sinful world with sinful people. But hold on. Sometimes, our dreams are smashed not because of an evil influence or mishap, but because God is orchestrating our lives, and has a better idea.  ***Please excuse the link format. For some reason, the website would not allow me to embed the links, but in retrospect, it fits with the theme of my post. Enjoy. . .  This happened to me last week. I was atte ..read more

Savoring Life in General It took me longer than usual to find my word for 2024. It was a few days before the New Year when I asked God to reveal it. By the time the “ball dropped,” it came to me: SAVOR. Was it an ad for a restaurant (we do have a breakfast place by that name in Wilmington) that brought it to mind? Maybe it was a devotional. I don't remember. But what I do recall was an “ahhhhh, yes—that’s it”! Lately, I've noticed I'm slowing down. I think it's part of the normal process of aging. I can't multi-task anymore. I have a need to accomplish my tasks one by one, not three at one t ..read more

​And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38 Joseph and Mary began their long journey to Bethlehem with an old donkey, a basket of bread, and a flask of water. And, yes, a small bag of coins. Joseph hoped there would be enough to pay the taxes Rome required, with a small amount remaining for necessities along the way. The journey was long and arduous, extending over hills and across the river Jordan. Being close to delivering her baby, Mary found travel difficult as she bounced and joggled along on a ..read more

Is Waiting a Choice? Unfortunately, you don’t choose to play the waiting game. Normally, it’s forced upon you. Some disciplined folks decide to wait in case something better comes along. Or, maybe they just want to add to their character or develop the Fruit of the Spirit. ​Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. During our 16 month nomad journey, we’ve had to wait numerous times. Sometimes, God didn’t reveal the next camp or ministry along our way until a few ..read more

North Carolina’s Furniture Capitol In a state that has more than its share of trees, it makes sense that a multiplicity of furniture companies made their home near the foothills of North Carolina. Does the name Thomasville bring anything to mind? If you’ve purchase oak furniture in the past, and in particular, Victorian oak design, the company you bought from was probably Thomasville.  Funny thing—it wasn’t until after we sold our home AND furniture, that it occurred to me this was the brand of furniture we owned. My hubby and I love oak, and I was partial to Victorian Era style.   ..read more

Letting Go of the Familiar Things The nomad life can be both freeing and frustrating. Freeing, because I have less stuff to deal with, and fewer responsibilities since I've left my hometown, job, church, friends, and family. Less appointments on my calendar. Fewer options for date night. But, the nomad life can be frustrating. I don't have the clothes I need for each season because I didn't count on being homeless for a year and a half. Most of my books, files and all of my photos, craft supplies to keep me busy, and, hardest of all, I have only a tiny percentage of my favorite kitchen tools ..read more

Rethinking My Nomad Life This post begins my new journey into a life of change. I call it “My Nomad Life.” We all experience change at one time or another, so I hope to give you the courage to flourish in a time of uncertainty and change.  Today, I will share some kitchen hacks I've discovered during our journey. Since our townhouse won't be finished until the fall, my hubby and I have been volunteering at various Christian ministries that offer lodging. We've found it's a double blessing. They bless us with a place to live, and we in turn fill a need neither of us anticipated. And thro ..read more

Immersed in the Woods of NC I had no idea what to expect when we arrived at our first stop in Western North Carolina. When I finally settled down and figured out my surroundings, I was surprised and amused at what I discovered. ​Hickory Cove Bible Camp, where we are volunteering until mid-March, was tucked away in a wooded area in Taylorsville, 20 minutes or more from the nearest store--unless, of course, you are talking about Dollar General, which seems to show up no matter which direction we are driving! Evidently, they are found in the remotest area, and folks are known to stop ..read more

Author Heather Norman Smith's Latest Book I am pleased to feature my fellow author Heather Smith’s latest novel, Songs for a Sunday, soon-to-be-released on 2/7/23 by Iron Stream Fiction. Not only is it a dual storyline novel with local color and heart, but it's set in the state where I will soon be a resident: North Carolina! ​ Here are a few questions Heather was willing to take on before her novel is published. Let's find out what it takes to get a story out into the world—one that treasures life in all its forms. Songs for a Sunday ​How did you come up with the idea for ..read more