Writers on Writing is a compilation of 35 interviews from writers of faith exploring where they get their ideas, what they like best about writing, and what inspires them. The writers offer insight into who influenced them to write and how their faith is reflected in their writing. They give a little snapshot into their personal lives and share writing advice. Writers on Writing is a must-read for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of what it means to be a writer who is Christian and how we may write differently but come together for the glory of God.
Featuring interviews from… Abraham Raymond Eli, Andrea Cannon, Arulnathan John, Cara Ray, Chelsey Blake, Connie Mae Inglis, Danica Davis, Debbie Sorrentino, Diane E Tatum, Ed Newman, Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers, Grace Grossman, Ida Adams, Janis Cox, Jim Taylor, Jocelyn Soriano, Joe Serwach, Kian Ameli, Kimberley Payne, Kyle Davison Bair, Lela Markham, Mabel Osejindu, Marcia Laycock, Marianne Jones, Mary Gallagher, Mishael Witty, Mukti Masih, Nancy Booth, Robert N. McManus, Ron Mahler, Ryan Douglas Martin, Susan Elizabeth Henson, Thomas McDaniels, Verbieann Hardy, and Wanda Marie Thibodeaux.
Whatever your background, you will be inspired by these incredible interviews that contain a unique look into the world of a faith writer.
Kimberley is an award-winning author. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Kimberley, who lives near Toronto, Canada, offers practical, guilt-free tips on improving spiritual and physical health.
How long have you been writing and how did you come to it?
I have been writing since I was a young child…I wrote in diaries and journalled our vacations. I wrote poems and won a poetry contest in grade school. In high school, I wrote to pen-pals all over the world and had fun writing a fiction piece for my best-friend where we were the main protagonists.
Who are some of the people who most influenced your decision to write?
My mom always enjoyed my homemade cards with poetry. My teachers gave me A++ on written projects.
But it wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I received the call to “write to bring others closer to God.” I’d say God most influenced me.
Where do you get your ideas? What inspires you?
I am a life-long learner and love to read, take courses, and participate in Bible studies. Whenever I learn something I want to share it with others.
I am inspired by questions and comments my atheist and agnostic friends and family make and many of my writings are in direct response to these.
What do you like most / least about writing?
I want to leave a legacy for my grandchildren and feel that writing allows me to do this. I’m hoping that “greats” down the line will know a little about me and about God from my writings. I like that once I’m gone I’ll be leaving a little piece of me.
I don’t like not having all the time I want to write. But then when I do have a large amount of time, I seem to fill it with a ton of other things instead — like cleaning the toilet!
How do you balance professional time with personal time?
Balance?! We’re supposed to balance these times?
What are some of your favorite things? What makes you unique?
I love to ride my bicycle and kayak in the summer, hike in the spring/fall, and snowshoe in the winter. I absolutely adore my granddaughter and like to take her on my outings.
I have a lot of things that make me unique. I took a challenge years ago on Facebook to list 25 random things about yourself. I’ll share some of these with you (but spare you all 25):
I still have two baby teeth without permanent teeth following. I’ve never had wisdom teeth…I don’t believe I need them, I’m wise enough (haha).
I don’t mind the smell of skunk.
I’ve travelled to the Netherlands four times.
I’ve worked as a personal trainer, career counsellor, professor of accounting, waitress, photocopy jockey, and door-to-door salesperson.
I’ve met Ron MacLean in a bar in Calgary.
I’m not afraid of dying — I look forward to spending eternity in heaven.
I went White Water Rafting 3 times one summer. The last time I went I got tossed from the raft (thus the reason it was the last time!)
My life verse is Philippians 4:6–7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
How is your faith reflected in your writing?
Everything I write is written through my lens of faith. I used to think that God was for Sundays and only interested in certain aspects of my life. But I’ve since come to realize that He wants all of me. Every day. Jesus is my Saviour and He is my Lord.
What are some things you learned from your own writing? From others?
Often as I am journalling I learn things about myself that I don’t really like — my pettiness, my complaining attitude, my jealousy. My writing reveals a lot about me. But I also like that God speaks to me through my writing.
What is your ultimate writing goal?
I used to have a dream to have my name on the spine of books scattered throughout Chapters/Indigo. I wanted to be known as a health and fitness guru, touring over North America giving presentations and selling my books. But now in my 50s, I’m happy to make at least $5 a month through Medium Partner Program to pay for my monthly subscription.
What advice do you have for a newbie on Medium?
Don’t get caught up in the numbers. It is easy to be drawn in by the stats, monthly pay, curation rates etc. And from there it can be very discouraging to continue.
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is a motivational speaker and writer. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Kimberley offers practical, guilt-free tips on improving spiritual and physical health. Visit her website.
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Crafting 30 different animals out of pipe cleaners, clothespins, googly eyes, and paint has never been so much fun!
Delight in this fun-filled book of clear directions and pictures of easy-to-create animals from Amazing Ant to Wiggly Worm. With only a few simple supplies you can make an afternoon of fun at home, at church or at grandma’s house.
Book Excerpt
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author. She combines her teaching experience and love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science, and faith. Visit her website.
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Featuring inspirational verses from the Bible, these coloring pages will help you relax, unwind, and enjoy some creative fun while hiding God’s Word in your heart! All the passages have a theme of thankfulness, so you’ll be encouraged to cultivate gratitude and be reminded of all you have to thank God for as you color.
The verses are printed in colorable word art with decorative borders, blank on the back to make them easier to remove and frame or display, if desired. Each coloring page is accompanied by thought-provoking journal questions that will help you dig into the Scriptures even more as you focus on their meaning and application in your life.
Hide it in Your Heart with Thankfulness is an ideal Scripture memorization aid for Christian schools, homeschool programs, Sunday schools, or your own personal use. Children and adults will enjoy learning, practicing, and meditating on these artistically presented verses from the New International Version Bible. Order your copy today and start hiding God’s Word in your heart with thankfulness!
About the Author
Annie Douglass Lima considers herself fortunate to have traveled in twenty different countries and lived in four of them. A teacher in her “other” life, she loves reading to her students and sparking their imaginations. Her books include science fiction, fantasy, YA action and adventure novels, a puppet script, poetry, Bible verse coloring books, and a fantasy-themed cookbook. When she isn’t teaching, writing, or editing, Annie can often be found sipping spiced chai or pomegranate green tea in exotic locations, some of which exist in this world.
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JumpStart is based on the BEEP Model (B—Bible Study, E—Eating Healthy, E—Exercise, and P—Prayer). My hope is that you will get into the habit of taking small steps every day to improve both your spiritual and physical health.
JumpStart is a 2-week program, Monday to Friday, with the weekends off to catch up on any days missed, repeat challenges you like, or take the time to rest and relax.
The format follows:
B – Each day you’ll be provided with the same scripture verse but a different word will be missing. You’ll be challenged to memorize this scripture by the end of the week. If you want to take your Bible study a step further, a “Go Deeper” question is provided. You’ll also be encouraged with a daily devotional.
E – You’ll receive an eating healthy challenge to encourage you to think about what you’re putting in your body. In addition, you’ll receive a new healthy soup, salad or smoothie recipe.
E – You’ll be provided with a short cardiovascular challenge and every Tuesday and Thursday it’ll be paired with a simple stretch. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays it’ll be coupled with a simple strength training move to try.
P – Lastly, you’ll receive a new way to model your prayer in a manner pleasing to God each day. I pray this will be a catalyst to a healthier year for you!
What better day to start a new health program than a Monday? Today begins the journey to create habits to improve your spiritual health through Bible study and prayer, and your physical health through eating healthy and exercise.
B – Bible Study
Read the verse below repeatedly over the day and commit to memorize it.
I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being. (Ephesians 3:16)
Go Deeper:
Read the Bible verses before and after the memory verse to better understand the context.
Devotional: 3 Reasons I Believe the Bible to Be True
I love to read my Bible. I especially enjoy reading the New Living Translation (NLT) Life Application Study Bible as it offers notes that help me to understand the culture, history, and context of what I am reading.
But there was a time when I didn’t read my Bible. I didn’t even really believe it to be true.
And I know a lot of people who feel this way. My own family members have questioned the accuracy and truth of the Bible.
Can we trust the Bible to be true and accurate? Does it have the authority to inform my life? Is it truly God-breathed?
Pastor Tracy of Causeway Christian Assembly in Ontario, Canada, recently preached on “Can I trust the Bible?” I found her short sermon to be right on the mark. She outlined what the Bible is and gave three reasons why we can trust it to be the Word of God. I found her sermon to be so well presented that I have shamelessly lifted it almost word-for-word and present it here:
What is the Bible?
The Bible is comprised of 66 books written by about 40 authors from different backgrounds. The writings span 1500 years in 3 different languages. It contains different literary categories including history, poetry, prophecy, song lyrics, etc.
They all tell one unified and coherent story. The creation of humanity, the rebellion of humanity, and the redemption of humanity. The Bible is God’s Word.
How can we trust the Bible is God’s Word?
1. The Bible itself testifies that it is the Word of God
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
The phrase “God-breathed” draws meaning from the creation story in Genesis. God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And the man became a living being. God made humans come to life.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful.”
God ensured that what was written was what He intended to be said. The scriptures weren’t written by men that used their own ideas. The Scriptures were God-breathed and penned by those yielded to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20–21)
2. Outside evidence proves the Bible is historically accurate
By applying the same criteria for accuracy to the Bible as is applied to other ancient documents we prove the Bible to be accurate.
With thousands of ancient writings in original language text copied from each book of the Bible, we can compare ancient documents with each other to verify their accuracy.
This process for comparison was very rigid which even involved counting letters to ensure nothing was missing.
For example, Plato’s “The Republic” was written around 400 BCE. The earliest copy we have was in the 9th Century CE; a time span of about 1300 years from when it was originally written to the first copy. And only seven copies of this exist.
No one doubts the accuracy of this document.
Now, look at the New Testament in the Bible and apply the same criteria.
The New Testament was written between 50–100 CE. The earliest copy we have was from 125 CE; a time span of only 25 years. And over 24,000 copies in Greek, Latin, and other languages exist. Greek language copies are said to be 99.5% accurate to one another with none of the errors affecting interpretation but rather spelling.
If we can trust the accuracy of other ancient documents with the same type of test we can also trust the accuracy of the New Testament.
We can say the same for the Old Testament. When the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the 20th century it was determined that the quality of biblical transmission was so rigid that even after 1000 years the copies were word-for-word identical in more than 95% of the text. And again most of the differences were spelling.
When it comes to the accuracy of the Bible, we can be confident to say that the Bible is the most accurately preserved and verified document of the ancient world.
We can trust the Bible because it says so and because it passes the accuracy test.
The Bible can be trusted for other reasons:
It accurately predicted the future
Its historical reliability is verified through archeological finds
There are no scientific errors. It tells us amazing facts about our world and our universe thousands of years before scientists discovered that they were actually true
3. The ability of Scripture to have a transformational effect
The Bible isn’t merely entertainment. As we read the words we encounter God. We learn about Who He is and how much He loves us.
We read about what He did to bring His people to Himself and what He is still doing and going to do.
We learn how to live our lives under the authority of God and as we do we experience the transformational power of a living God who would give us His living word to guide us.
And, of course, throughout every page and throughout every book we are pointed to Jesus, the One through Whom we are reconciled to God.
In a time when truth is subjective, we can trust the Bible. We can stand upon its promises. We can take comfort from the passages we read. We can learn from its wisdom. We can meet and get to know our Saviour.
I agree with everything Pastor Tracy says here and believe the Bible to be true. How about you?
E – Eating Healthy Are you guilty of eating while you’re distracted? It’s proven that we eat more when not paying attention to our food.
Solution: Do not munch your lunch (or any other food) while at your computer or in front of the television.
Recipe: Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Ingredients 5 frozen strawberries 1 ripe banana 1 stalk celery ½ tsp chia seeds ½ cup plain coconut yogurt 1 tablespoon raw honey Water for desired consistency
Preparation
Add all the ingredients into a blender or processor. Blend on high until everything is smooth.
Frozen ingredients work best if a thicker consistency is preferred. More or less sweeteners can be used, and water added to achieve desired taste and consistency.
E – Exercise
Improving your cardiovascular health doesn’t need to take hours out of your day. Try the exercise below and repeat it throughout your day.
Cardio:
Punch It Out – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and the right leg a few inches in front of the left. Raise the fists up and keep the elbows in. Punch the fist closest to your body in front of you, while rotating the torso. Give a good 10 punches before switching arms and leg stance.
Strength:
Biceps – Concentration Curl
Sit on the edge of a bench with your feet firmly on the floor about shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward.
Keep your back straight, lean forward, and place your left hand on your left thigh just above the knee for support.
Pick up a dumbell with your right hand, palm facing away from you, and brace the upper part of your right arm against the inside of your right thigh to isolate the biceps.
Curl the weight up toward your right shoulder smoothly.
After a brief pause at the top of the movement, lower the weight with control as you inhale.
Tips:
1. Never throw the weight up or use jerky motions to lift the weight.
2. Use only your biceps and work through the full range of motion.
3. Do the curl with one arm at a time to concentrate on the movement.
P – Prayer
God wants you to know Him more. The best way to do this is through daily prayer. Follow the PATH model to help you enter into a dialogue with God.
P: Lord, I praise You for Your love and …
A: I admit that I’ve thought, said, and done things that are wrong. Today I ask forgiveness for …
T: God, I thank You for security and …
H: Yahweh, I askYour help to grow in my relationships and …
Devotional: The Lie I Once Believed About Prayer
As a young teenager, I would take my dog for a walk in the back fields behind my house. Many times, I would sit on a rock in the tall grass and talk to God. I always looked at the sky and imagined Him up there. But my prayers felt more like wishes and I wasn’t sure whether He actually heard me.
We prayed the Our Father (Lord’s Prayer) before every meal but I never took the time to understand the prayer; it was just something we did. Like making the sign-of-the-cross (blessing yourself), it was more habit than anything else for me.
My mom always said, “Say your prayers” as she tucked us into bed at night. I would sing a prayer in my mind that I learned in Brownies:
Oh Lord, our God Thy children call Grant us thy peace And bless us all Goodnight, Goodnight.
But again, I wondered if God knew who I was. I didn’t put much stock in my own prayers. I didn’t think I had any prayer power.
Now on the older hand, I believed my eldest brother had prayer power. I believed he could bend the ear of God because he went to Bible College. He actually read the Bible and knew stuff.
So when I had a serious prayer request, I would seek him out and ask him to pray for me. I didn’t think I had any clout with God and so decided to leave the big prayers to my big brother. Herein lies the lie.
God doesn’t care if I went to Bible College. He doesn’t care if I trained to be a nun. God only wants my heart.
God desires a relationship with me and it starts with talking with Him, which is what prayer is about. It is communicating with our Creator.
God hears our prayers, and if we are genuine in wanting to be in relationship with Him, and walk in faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, we can expect to receive answers to our prayers.
I don’t need my big brother to act as intermediary for God to hear my prayers. I have Jesus to do this.
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” (Timothy 2:5)
Bonus Video
I’ve created a video series of 30-second quick tips on the 4 disciplines of Bible study, Eating Healthy, Exercise, and Prayer.
Kimberley Payne is a motivational speaker and writer. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Kimberley offers practical, guilt-free tips on improving spiritual and physical health. Visit her website.
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This short book holds a collection of devotional writings, which explore the joys and challenges of snowmobiling and building a relationship with God.
Book Excerpt
Introduction
“I’m a snowmobiler,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. I thought it was an odd comment to make to a girl he had just recently met (and in the dead of summer at that).
“I see,” I replied although I really didn’t. I was just being polite. Months later I understood what my future husband meant by that simple proclamation. He was a snowmobiler.
Around September, when the days become cooler and shorter, he starts to get a little spring in his step. The excitement and the anticipation of the upcoming sledding season carry him away. He whistles (as I sob quietly) while we pack the summer lounge chairs away in the shed. He rakes leaves with enthusiasm, as I pull in closer to the fire.
The first snowfall moves him to action. Into the garage the snowmobiles roar, released from their summer slumber. I have never seen a man spend so many hours lovingly tending to a machine.
I have learned what he meant by his claim, “I am a snowmobiler”. He thinks about snowmobiling all the time. He subscribes to four magazines that he reads daily. He talks with family about it. He searches the Internet and emails his friends about it. And I believe when he is making “vroom vroom” noises in his sleep, he is actually dreaming about it. My husband is a snowmobiler.
This has made me think. What if on first meeting a person I said, “I am a Christian.” Would they know what that meant? Would it become clearer after they talked with me for a while?
Do I subscribe to Christian publications and read the Bible? Do I talk with family and write to friends about God? Do I go to sleep with prayers on my lips?
There are many ways to describe myself—an avid walker, a recreational athlete, a motivational speaker, an author and a writer—but would I ever just say I am a Christian?
My faith permeates all that I do—well, that is my desire. But the question has just recently come to mind. How bold am I in my faith? I feel it’s a question that I’ll carry with me each and every day as I seek to know God better.
Just as snowmobiling has become a passion of mine (how could it not?) I desire to share with others the joy of having God as front and centre in my life. I am a Christian.
I hope you enjoy this short devotional and the photos that I’ve taken along our many snowmobile trips.
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is a motivational speaker and writer. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Kimberley offers practical, guilt-free tips on improving spiritual and physical health. Visit her website.
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For 17-year-old Katrina Peterson, life is never the same after she finds out she’s moving back to California. Upon arrival, Katrina learns that the town has secrets, and at the heart of them is the mysterious and popular Jared, who’s been dreaming about her long before she came to Santa Cruz. Only one thing seems to have all the answers: a map given to her by her mother. But Katrina wonders how long she can keep her own secret from Jared. Will he ever accept her for who she truly is? But, more importantly, can she? A story filled with friendship, family, love, and even faith, Iridescent will take you away to the beaches and ocean waters of Central California, and on a magical journey in this coming of age book.
Book Excerpt
I stared at the water in front of me as I inched my way toward it, the sand damp under my toes. A sunray shown against my skin as I looked out at the rose gold sunset. The light hit the waves at just the right angles, sending the entire ocean into streams of gold, orange, and rose-colored confetti and ribbon. I loved the sea–how one disturbance could send a thousand ripples in all directions, how light could change it in an instant, and how it was never one color. I loved that it sounded like it was breathing as it exhaled when it cam across the sand and inhaled as it flowed back toward the water. And what I loved most of all were the animals that I knew lived inside it.
As the water rushed toward my feet, it seemed like the water would touch them, but suddenly it retreated, leaving white foam in its place. The sun had finished its descent into the horizon, and I finally let the water hit my toes as I felt the rush of a wave against my feet. The water was no longer rose-colored or gold; it has turned to a deep blue, mirroring the sky above me. The water was warm and smooth. I sighed a moment, feeling the wind in my hair and the water against my feet. But when I looked down, my toes were as blue as the water beneath me.
About the Author
Sarah is the author of Iridescent. She is a lover of the ocean and the beach which have inspired her writing, and she is also inspired by her Christian faith. In her free time, she loves baking gluten-free recipes and painting. Something on Sarah’s bucket list is to write a full first draft on a typewriter. She is excited to continue writing the sequel to Iridescent, Book 1 of the Iridescent Series.
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Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a two-week book tour and $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway for His Strength In My Weakness by Dr. Eurita Taylor. The book tour will run Sept 20- Oct 1, 2021.
Genre: Inspirational Nonfiction, Memoir
ISBN-978-1545663172
Dr. Eurita Taylor is gifted to understand the unique struggles of single mothers. As a survivor of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, she penetrates their pain, frees them from binding insecurities, and directs them to His glory. Accountant by day and counselor by night, Dr. Eurita uses her personal experiences, professional skills, and Ph.D. in Christian counseling to empower women struggling with low self-esteem, homelessness, and financial stewardship.
What happens when children can’t trust the adults who are supposed to protect them?With childhood innocence snatched from her, Dr. Eurita Taylor questioned God. For years, she ran from Him and into the arms of abuse, hunger, and depression. With her personal prodigal son experience, she released the hurt, betrayal, and abandonment to make her way back to the lover of her soul. His Strength in My Weakness chronicles her journey from wallowing in pity, doubt, and unbelief to reconnecting with Her Father. Showered with grace, mercy, and an abundance of love, she understood that the power to overcome was always in reach. In this book, you will discover: • Why God wants to turn your self-hatred into self-love• Strategies to boost your confidence and faith • How to shift your perspective to see failures as steps toward success• Scriptures, prayers, and inspirations affirming that He is always with you• Forgiveness as a tool to bless others and yourselfPraise for His Strength In My Weakness “Dr. Taylor’s story told in her book, His Strength in My Weakness, is powerful, compelling, and at times, raw. She provides a roadmap which shows that no matter how difficult life can be, you can experience hope, breakthrough, and triumph with God.”—Pastor Michael Kelly, Grace Fellowship Church Columbus, Ohio “As I laid in the hospital bed and heard the doctor say, ‘You should have been dead,’ I thought about how reading His Strength in My Weakness comforted me. I am not a spiritual person and had limited understanding of the Bible references, but I read them over and over. Now I believe that He has a reason for keeping me alive.”—Cheryl Kaiser, Manager at Speedway
Answering the question below will enter the reader in a chance to win the Visa Gift Card. In my book, His Strength in My Weakness (http://hisstrengththebook.com), I mentioned that my ex-husband left me to birth our son alone. Was it our first, second, or third son?
I am giving away a $25 Visa card to the reader who correctly answers that question and posts it at Facebook.com/DrEuritaTaylor.
The story is about two young boys that are best buddies and the value of friendship.
Book Excerpt
For friends will sometimes disagree, of that, there is no doubt. But if the friendship’s strong enough, you’ll always work things out.
About the Author
Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers is a Licensed Property Manager and Author. She is currently serving as a consultant with extensive experience in managing rental communities and Homeowner Associations. Her management background enhances her talents for extensive business writing, research, and technical topics. Her creative nature and eagerness to enhance the reading skills of young children motivates her to write storybooks for early readers.
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Where Fitness Meets Faith is a fresh, insightful collection of devotional articles with reflections about the similarities between the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and building a relationship with God.
Book Excerpt
Chapter 8 Just Do It
It was a gorgeous-looking day outside. Fresh snow covered the landscape and trees were heavy with a blanket of white. The sun reflected off the field in a splash of sparkles – it appeared to be another beautiful winter day. But it was frigid. The thermometer stood at minus 20 in the sunshine. I cancelled my walk (yet again) because of the cold.
For months, my routine was to get my children ready in the morning, walk them to the bus stop and then walk around the neighbourhood by myself. However, my routine was interrupted when I started a new work schedule and so instead of walking to the bus stop I drove the children. Then other days in the week seemed to become busier and I found myself itching to get to my office to clear away the things of the day. So instead of starting my day with a walk around the block, I started to weigh it up against other conflicting priorities. Now, the act of walking had to convince me that it was worth it. So each day it was a battle – walk or not walk?
What I learned is that when I didn’t give myself the choice, I went for a walk regardless of temperature or mood. However, when I made walking an option, I had to think each day, Am I up to it? Do I have time for it? Is it warm enough or cool enough or dry enough? Each day I put myself through a dance of questions, instead of just doing it. “Just do it” (the saying made famous by Nike) has tremendous impact. If I would just walk in the morning, instead of giving myself the option, I would not have to worry about what is more important on my list of things to do. I would return from my walk refreshed and ready to face the day.
This reminds me of time spent in prayer and Bible study. When I make it a regular part of my routine then there is no question that I will do it. For months, I had dedicated thirty minutes from 4:00-4:30 p.m. to quiet time with God. The kids were home from school; I reviewed their homework and fed them a snack. Then while they had free time to play – before chores, supper and evening extracurricular activities – I would steal away to read my Bible. The kids knew that this was “Mommy’s time with God.” And so they left me alone for thirty minutes. However, now my job requires that on some days I am not home until after 4:30. My routine has changed. So on days that I am home I am no longer disciplined to take the time in prayer. Instead I wonder about what to make for supper. I tidy up the house and finish up details on the computer. My quiet time with God is now competing against my to-do list. Whereas before I would “just do it” now each day becomes a battle of what I feel is more important at the moment.
My lesson? Just do it! I need to plan out my week in advance knowing my work schedule and my “to do” list; make contingencies for those days that my regular walking and devotion time gets interrupted, and then do it without further thought.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:7 NIV).
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is a motivational speaker and writer. Her writing relates raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Kimberley offers practical, guilt-free tips on improving spiritual and physical health. Visit her website.
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Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a two-month book tour and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway for The Light Through the Pouring Rain by James Ruvalcaba. The book tour will run August 2- Sept 30, 2021.
Genre: Nonfiction
ISBN-13: 979-8575160397
Before he started writing romance stories, James worked with the special need’s population for 10 Years. He devoted his life giving back to the population. From school’s to agencies and everything in between James has worked almost every job within the community. After that, during the pandemic James decided to start writing to pass the time, but to come through on his promise he made years earlier. He devoted his life to giving back, now he devotes his life to telling his stories.
A remarkable love story that pulls on your heartstrings and leaves you inspired. A page turner that gives a first-hand look into the lives of a young couple madly in love and eager to start their lives together, only to have it all halted by a cancer diagnosis. With no clear road map on how to navigate their new normal, James and Anabel proceed into uncharted territory, hand-in-hand, with the love of their families and their faith in God to guide them.
Do you want to foster an attitude of gratitude for the next 26 days?
Each day will feature a new letter from the alphabet as a prompt for you to share at least one thing for which you are thankful.
Book Excerpt
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author. She combines her teaching experience and love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science, and faith. Visit her website.
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366 Days of Compassion is a one year daily devotional written by Jocelyn Soriano with original reflections, poems, prayers and motivational quotes on God’s compassion for all of us. Each day’s reflection is related to a Bible verse/scripture, resonating with inspiration, especially for those who are undergoing difficult times. It is for those who grieve, those who are losing hope, those who have lost their loved ones or their dreams, those who feel all alone, those whose hearts are broken, those who are judged and feel condemned.
It is full of messages of healing, wisdom, courage and faith. It is like a close friend in whom you can find comfort and consolation just when it is darkest and most painful in your life. God’s grace is ever new and abounding, His mercy is infinite and His love is true. We need to be reminded of these things everyday so as not to lose the spiritual battle going on in the midst of us. Those who are tired can find refreshment, those who are troubled can find peace, those who are hurting can find forgiveness that sets them free.
Whether early in the morning or late in the evening, or any hour in between, one can read a simple quote like a breath of fresh air in one’s busy day. One can silently say a prayer and meditate upon the beauty of Him whose face is happiness itself. One can take a peek at a poem and find in it something like a mirror reflecting the cries of the heart both in sorrow and in deep joy.
Where is God? God is with us, but we often do not know where to look and so we do not see. God is there, pursuing us, waiting for us to take the time to call on Him in our helplessness, in the routine of our daily lives. He is the one who will fill our lives with meaning and our hearts with hope. In Him we find the home we’ve been searching for, we find a Father who will protect us and provide for our needs. We find a Friend who loves us as we are, who sees the beauty in our souls, who will never leave us even in our worst day.
The deepest wounds of the soul are healed only by compassion… People do not merely need to be clothed, they need to be embraced with love. A love that enters into their own fears and frailty, a love that suffers with them and stays with them through their darkest hour.
Book Excerpt
This life is full of beautiful things, though it is also full of suffering and pain. Many times, no matter how strong we are, we hurt. We cry from the depths of our soul and our spirit groans as we lift our prayers to heaven.
In such times, the last thing we need is for someone to come by and say that we have no reason at all to be sorrowful. The last thing we need is for someone to neglect our pain as though it didn’t matter, as though none of the things we went through were real.
Pain is real. We bleed sometimes. Though we all want relief from the pain, we also want deeper consolation.
There at the cross, we see all pain and darkness conquered in such a way that it is defeated forever. Not by disregarding it. Not by denying it. But by giving value even to our tears. By loving everything about us, including our very worst hurts.
How do you wipe away pain? You don’t. You put in tenderness, compassion and joy. You cling to hope and then you offer everything to God. And you wait, with faith you see all things anew – light shines out from darkness, happiness grows through every pain, and all things become indeed so very beautiful in His time.
rpt
About the Author
Jocelyn Soriano is a self-help author, poet, and blogger. She has published more than ten books including “To Love an Invisible God”, “Beloved”, “Mend My Broken Heart” and “In Your Hour of Grief”. You can visit her blog at itakeoffthemask.com where she has been writing inspiring posts since 2006.
Jocelyn is a CPA and Internal Auditor but has also ventured to write freelance. From time to time, she reviews books, develops her own Android applications and contributes to other publications. When she is not busy writing books, Jocelyn enjoys singing and composing her own songs. Although she enjoys the company of family and friends, she also looks forward to times of solitude and prayer.
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Every step she takes to ensure his happiness is a nail in the coffin of her own.
Miss Wetherham, a matchmaker, must agree to the devious plan of a society rogue before she finds herself destitute. Helping him gain back his lost love will protect her independence and survival. But can any amount of money protect her guileless heart from falling for his charms?
Nick Dellacort is determined to restore his pride and gain back the bride he lost. Miss Wetherham is the woman to help him do it and he’ll make it worth her while. But once he sets the devilish wheels in motion, can he persuade her to abandon the scheme and choose instead a scoundrel like him for a wedding of her own?
Book Excerpt
…Her resentment and suspicions of Nick Dellacort grew as she continued to think on the matter, and she hardly knew time passed. Breakfast was hastily consumed, the newspapers scarcely given their usual scrutiny, the week’s menu hardly gone over with cook, (including a remonstration to use only Mrs. Rundell’s book on domestic cookery, as it alone instructed on methods of economy), and herself no sooner ready to change into afternoon dress when suddenly Mr. Dudley, her butler and man of all work—her sole male servant, save for a boy—announced his arrival.
Lettie’s pulse quickened. She reminded herself that no transaction had passed between them, no monies had changed hands. She was safe from accusations and she would stay safe by sending him on his way. She held her body erect as she entered the first parlour and stopped as Mr. Dellacort, tall and sanguine, turned to behold her. He bowed politely. He made a fine figure of a man, and for some reason Lettie resented this. Very few men, since dear Steven’s passing, could turn her head, and she liked it that way. One broken heart was enough for a lifetime, thank you. She was fully prepared to survive as a widow to the end of her days.
But it would have been easier to fob off a slovenly fellow, even a peer, had he come looking less dignified and gentlemanlike. And yet Dellacort only wore what was customary and fashionable for gentlemen; close-fitting pantaloons with a watch fob and black boots; an embroidered waistcoat and white cambric shirt peeking out of a beautifully fitted topcoat; and a white stock circling his neck with a pointed standing collar Yet no duke could have looked better tailored.
She gave a small curtsey and took a seat, motioning for him to sit across from her. “Please, have a seat, sir.” “How do you do today, ma’am?” he asked, making Miss Wetherham stare at him speechlessly a moment. After last night’s rather shocking encounter, she had not expected common chit chat from him. “Oh—er—well enough, I thank you.” She studied him curiously. He seemed to be on the verge of a grin, a thing which she found disagreeable. Was he mocking her? Well, she must make quick work of this.
“May I ask the reason for your call?” she inquired in a polite tone. She looked at him innocently.
His eyes narrowed, thoughts flitting across them. In a moment he recovered and said, “Do you mean to say that you cannot recollect the reason for my being here?”
Miss Wetherham had a moment’s pang of conscience; she did, of course recollect perfectly why he’d come. And she hated dissembling of any kind. Only desperation could move her to purposely proceed in this course—but proceed she must. He had to believe it had been a misunderstanding. He must not leave her home with incriminating evidence against her, with the thought that she was in trade! “Sir, you astonish me; surely you did not conceive for a moment that I was speaking in earnest last evening.” She pursed her lips and frowned, pretending to think hard upon the matter. “Indeed, I had not the least thought that you would truly appear today in my drawing room!”
He stared at her a moment, cleared his throat, and levelled an earnest gaze upon her. “Why, I believed we had an understanding.” His eyes were piercing; his tone so soft as to be caressing. “We are to begin a courtship, are we not?” Miss Wetherham allowed one brow to crack out of place. His words startled her for only a second; they, begin a courtship? But she realised he was referring to starting a courtship for someone else—the friend he was purportedly trying to help. Even this she must nip in the bud. “I beg your pardon, but I believe you mistake the matter. I have no such recollection. My memory is frightful, I allow, but even so—.”
Dellacort’s mouth wavered but then a look of decision crossed his eyes. He shot up from his chair and stood before her in so quick a movement that Lettie was too stunned to move or even finish her sentence. To her utter dismay, he took her by the arms and lifted her from her chair. She gasped.
With his eyes only an inch from hers, he said, “I am crushed that you could forget. Do you not recollect—this?” And in the next second his mouth came down upon hers. Miss Wetherham, for some inexplicable reason, allowed the kiss. Nick tightened his arms about her and drew her up against him, while she, utterly beside herself in shock, did nothing at all. Her mouth, of its own accord, seemed to return the kiss! Before dear Steven’s passing, she had been a married woman, a happily married woman, and her mouth knew, even if she did not at this moment agree with it, that when a man kissed you, you kissed him back. Dellacort’s mouth was warm and welcoming.
But suddenly the image of dear Steven transposed itself on her brain. A frowning image. She returned to her senses—she was kissing a virtual stranger, not Steven! This was Dellacort!
What was she doing?
In a rush of mortification, she pushed him away and hurried behind the chair, staring at him in sheer disbelief. “I—I—am beyond speechless!” She looked toward the door. “GO! Go at once! And never return!”
“But Lettie, dearest Lettie,” he said, moving a step toward her.
Her eyes widened even more as she backed away further and pointed at the door. “How dare you behave so ill to me! What abuse is this? How dare you!”
“But last night,” he said, looking deeply into her eyes.
“You know perfectly well nothing happened last night to—to—account for this!”
He stifled a smile, but with laughing eyes said, “Why did you pretend to forget what actually did transpire last night?” Her mouth, opened to vent yet more outrage, shut suddenly. “That is of no consequence; I may choose to forget a conversation if I wish!’
“But you didn’t forget. You only pretended to. Why?”
She glowered at him and took a heaving deep breath. “I may choose to pretend to forget a conversation if I wish! I owe you no explanation!”
“And I merely chose to pretend to remember one. We’re even, then. Do you still feel wronged?”
She gasped. “You are a rogue, Mr. Dellacort!”
He smiled. “I’m afraid I can be; your misbehaviour in ‘forgetting’ was the only inducement I needed to misbehave myself.” Here he bowed. “I beg your pardon. Now, can we get on with the real reason for my call? Which you are well aware of?” …
About the Author
Linore Rose Burkard is a serious watcher of period films, a Janeite, and hopeless romantic. An award-winning author best known for Inspirational Regency Romance, her first book (Before the Season Ends) opened the genre for the CBA. Besides historical romance, Linore writes contemporary suspense (The Pulse Effex Series, as L.R. Burkard), contemporary romance, and romantic short stories. Linore has a magna cum laude English Lit. degree from CUNY which she earned while taking herself far too seriously. She now resides in Ohio with her husband and family, where she turns her youthful angst into character or humor-driven plots.
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Write Now Literary is pleased to be organizing a two-week book tour and Amazon Gift Card Giveaway For Such A Time As This, by Waletta Dunn. The book tour will run August 16-27,2021.
Genre: Christian Fiction
ISBN-13: 979-8529440100
Waletta Mason Dunn (W Mason Dunn) is the author of More Than Sisters, Faithful Father, A Family Dilemma, Positions of Compromise and Tell Me Your Story: A Family Journal.
Waletta is a Louisiana native. She was born in Shreveport and raised in Bossier City. Reading has been a part of her life from a very young age.
Graduating from Texas College in Tyler, Texas, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She also holds a Master of Public Administration from The University of Oklahoma. For over twenty years, she worked for higher education before deciding to write full time. She currently resides in Tallahassee, Florida with her husband, Donald.
Kiesha Jackson’s peaceful life is about to change!
Her mother receives military orders to Afghanistan. Keisha goes to live with her grandparents in Magnolia, Florida. The new high school principal is far more concerned with protecting her career than protecting innocent students. When Kiesha unintentionally breaks the school’s zero-tolerance policy, she enters the school-to-prison pipeline.
Will Keisha muddle in the injustice of it all? Or will she become a conduit for change?
A row of sparsely planted shrubs extended along the front of the house. She watched a large lizard leap from one of the front windows onto the decorative plant before knocking on the front door. After a moment, the door swung open to reveal a petite blond-haired, blue-eyed woman holding an adorable blond-haired, blue-eyed toddler boy. The child removed the sippy cup from his lips and tendered a delightful gum-filled smile. Chaos lay on the other side of the threshold—scattered toys and clothes, and a child dancing with Barney the Dinosaur blaring from the television. The clamor of screaming children reverberated out from other places in the house.
The woman wrinkled her nose before speaking. “Hello? May I help you?”
“Mrs. Vickers?”
“Yes?” The woman curled her lips.
Shirley squared her shoulders and sized her up. “My name is Shirley Jackson. I understand you had a problem with my daughter this afternoon.”
“Excuse me?” asked the woman with a confused look on her face.
The toddler threw his sippy cup on the floor.
“My daughter, Keisha, was the teenage girl you chased in your van this afternoon.”
Mrs. Vickers jaws dropped, and her face drained of color. “I …I don’t know what… she was throwing rocks.”
“No, she wasn’t.” Shirley stared her down. “You also felt the need to shout a few racial epithets out of your van window.”
Mrs. Vickers eyes grew large and bulgy. “I’m not prejudice or anything. I have black friends.” Vickers crinkled up her nose and mustered up a fake smile.
Shirley raised her hand and cut her off as she opened her mouth to speak. “Congratulations. I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here to warn you. Stay away from my daughter. Don’t say another word to her. If you see her walking down the street, don’t even speak to her. Not one word. Nothing!”
“Walk by Faith: Poems to Encourage Yourself” is a collection of sixty pages that will motivate you to love your spirit, soul, and body. This book of positive power talk will increase your confidence throughout every trial and triumph of your life. You have what you say..so speak success.
Book Excerpt
Use your heart not your eyes
The Devil is sly
He can only lie
He’ll use his tricks and try to disguise himself as the nice guy
But he’s there to deceive
You into giving your power like eve
Post pics with u just to be seen
He got his girl back
U on the wrong team
Make u cook n clean
Never his turn just mean
Good looks appeal to the eye
But the guilt will make you cry
Baby girl run while there’s time
My brother use your heart not your eyes
Can’t you see she just wants a good high
To Take your money and say goodbye
Use your car to take a drive
Make a check on her list
And see who else can hit
Vent to you bout another
Then go back to him
Making you suffer
She’s mesmerized by the vibe you give
Playing the game intuitive
Use your heart not your eyes
Wait for real love this time
Don’t force nun get to know
The person and the soul
Go deeper then that
Learn the spirit in fact
Is it holy or demonic
Cmon be honest
You can be judge free
Pray and plant the seed
But beware of deceit
You live for Him not the Earth
Your story is different you’ve been rebirthed
Don’t dim your light
I know temptation can seem nice
But the pain isn’t slight
Your reward is perfect just right
God has got the right one in plain sight
About the Author
Lauryn Griggs is a self-published author whose debut book “Walk By Faith: Poems to Encourage Yourself” has been listed on Amazon.com’s top ten in the top 20 ranking in Christian Poetry, top 50 in Inspirational and Religious Poetry, and top 100 in Women’s Poetry during it’s first month of initial release in February 2021.
She wrote a myriad of poems that constitute her debut book of poetry during her middle school and high school years in Metro Atlanta, Georgia. Being able to express the life-affirming power of God, full of heart and hope, is what gave her the ability to share her message with you.
She still lives in Metro Atlanta with her family and attends Belmont University pursuing music education and songwriting. When she’s not busy in class, she’s preparing herself to run collegiate track or learning how to play the guitar.
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Did you know that lions can go five days without drinking water? Learn more about lions and other creatures found in the Bible – all part of God’s marvelous creation.
This entertaining and educational book offers children loads of fun while they learn about the Bible.
Inside you’ll find:
* Bible stories about the animal * Fascinating facts about each animal * Illustrations of animals in each classification
This engaging and instructive book is an introduction to animals and their Bible stories ideal for 6-to 9-year-olds, for home or school use and classroom sharing in Grades 1-3 to supplement the Life Sciences Curriculum on Animal Life.
Book Excerpt
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author. She combines her teaching experience and love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science, and faith. Visit her website.
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A scatterbrained take on spiritual formation in the modern age written by a product of the modern age. Follow a Gen Z as he urges his contemporaries to detox from the surrounding culture and immerse themselves in the ways of Jesus. “Do Not Lose Heart” is an at times in-your-face call to stop drifting through the waters of Western culture and reengage with the spiritual disciplines, community, and sacred rhythms of the historical faith.
Book Excerpt
Reading this book may make your life harder
That’s the first line of the book, but it could definitely use a bit of explanation
Western culture experienced a fundamental shift in priorities that can be traced back to the mid eighteenth century when our leading philosophers made a departure from moral realism, which was a worldview that prioritized the objective moral good for the world and community ahead of your own, for moral romanticism, a system of ethics that puts the needs and pleasures of your self at the center of the universe.
Fast forward, and we now live in a culture that Idolizes happiness. Whatever is good for you and you alone must be given the highest priority.
But what this mindset overlooks is the fact that happiness is only one emotion on an entire spectrum of emotions. So, while we may experience things like fear, depression, or anxiety, we tend to shove these emotions down and desperately claw our way, or fabricate our way, to happiness. So we cling to quick fix remedies like drugs and alcohol, affirmation from the opposite sex, more likes on our pictures or followers on Instagram or staring at tik tok videos for hours rather than just owning up and facing negative emotions or adversity in our life.
Dealing with anxieties by shoving them down or distracting puts you on a perpetual cycle of apathy. Apathy is a sort of stalemate that we put ourselves into where we numb ourselves rather than face problems head on.
So now, because we grew up in a culture where we were taught that quick-fixes and instant gratification were the way to go, most of us now live in persistent states of apathy. Not only are we taught to not care, we’re taught to not care that we don’t care.
This lack of feeling becomes a problem when your faith requires all of your heart soul mind and strength.
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt, along with every biblical writer and theologian in history, makes it explicitly known that avoiding pain, worry, fear, or adversity only weakens you. The same thing goes for our muscles. If we don’t exercise they get weak and if we don’t use them at all, can even go into states of atrophy. And so it is with character. If we hide from all things that don’t feel like happiness, we never grow.
It’s almost as if Jesus was right.
So, this book tries to dig down to the heart of that issue. Emotional and spiritual growth, can never, by any sort of logic, be done the easy way. But we keep going, we pick ourselves back up again, and do not lose heart.
About the Author
A Generation-Z seminary student based in Kalamazoo, Michigan that is passionate to see renewal in the Western church.
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In the Bible, trees are often used as location markers and gathering places. They are also used as symbols of success and are highly valued.
Would you like to learn about God’s creation? Trees are a part of the stories of characters such as Abraham, Elijah, Noah, Solomon, and Moses.
Each of the chapters includes a Bible story told from the viewpoint of the tree, and fast facts to help identify the specific tree.
Challenging questions support each story. Glossary and “People of the Bible” sections and project suggestions are provided to enhance your learning.
Surprise your friends and family with your tree knowledge and gain a renewed appreciation for God’s creation!
Book Excerpt
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author. She combines her teaching experience and love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science, and faith. Visit her website.
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Sophia is Oma’s granddaughter. They love to play together indoors and outdoors in every season.
Oma asks Sophia, “Why do I love you? ”Sophia answers, “Just because you do.” Oma smiles and says, “It’s not what you say, it’s not what you do, it’s just because you are you.”
This is the story of the joy and love shared between a grandparent and her grandchild.
Oma Loves Her Little Grandbug is a book that both children and adults will enjoy.
Book Excerpt
About the Author
Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author. She combines her teaching experience and love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science, and faith. Visit her website.
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Hannah grew up in foster care. Her mother had passed away, and her father had abandoned her. She had deep self-esteem issues and was always fighting for her survival. When she left the home at 21, she met and fell in love with a rich, young man who showered her with a lot of care and concern.
But things begin to go downhill when she became pregnant with his child. She was abandoned yet again by the man she loved. Hannah vowed to herself that she will do whatever it takes to protect her baby. At the same time, she hardened her heart so she will not be hurt again.
During the lowest period of her life, she met Joshua. He was older than her, established in his career, a godly man who was active in church ministry. From the moment he laid eyes on her, Joshua was drawn to Hannah. He saw an innocent girl who was lost. He wanted to protect and take care of her. Joshua was sincere to her and kept relentless pursuing her. But Hannah was too broken to receive the love and care that she was receiving from him. She kept withdrawing herself away from him but, he never gave up on her.
Will there be a happily ever after for Joshua and Hannah? Can Hannah get past her brokenness to receive love in her heart again?
Book Excerpt
How It All Started
Ethan and Joanna sat in the office of their marriage counsellor. The office was located along Aljunied Road, amidst a row of shophouses. While waiting for the counsellor, Joanna admired the decor of the office. It was tastefully furnished in vintage style. The walls were painted in a light blue color. The vissle grey-coloured sofa gave the room a nice, homely feeling. Joanna breathed the vanilla scent of the Yankee candle that was placed in the corner of the room. It brought back fond memories of the farmhouse in Perth. Joanna and Ethan had stayed there during their honeymoon in 2018. That seemed like a long time ago, although it had only been a year.
She turned to look at her husband, Ethan. They were both seated on a two-seater reclining sofa, near the window. But they were not facing each other. She watched as he played games on his mobile phone. She knew he was avoiding any form of small talk between them. Joanna sighed and turned to look outside the window. There was a deep sadness in her heart. She missed their dating days where they had a lot to talk about that. Those days were filled with so much fun and laughter. Everyone used to be envious of them as a couple because they were always so close. But that had changed and they had drifted so far apart.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to put away your phone for a while, you know,” Joanna whispered, as she nudged him on his elbow.
“They are not here, aren’t they?” Ethan turned to look at his wife. He didn’t understand what the fuss was about. They had time to spare and he would rather play a game than sit in awkward silence with his wife.
Joanna fixed her hair and tried hard to contain her emotions. Ethan was always complaining about her emotional outbursts and had advised her to seek therapy. That was the last thing Joanna needed; to be seen as someone who is emotionally unstable. She sighed with exasperation when she noticed that her husband was still playing games, without giving her any thought.
She kept quiet and clenched her fists tightly in her lap. She was slowly starting to resent her husband and she hated that feeling. She kept her head down so no one will notice her shutting her eyes so tightly to avoid crying out. The last thing she would want is to have another quarrel in front of total strangers. Although the marriage counsellor was recommended by a church leader, Joanna hardly knew them. It was already bad enough that she had to air her dirty laundry in front of them.
According to her leader, the counsellors were a married couple who served actively as volunteers in their local church. Both of them were well connected in the church community and were respected members of the congregation. It was the same church that both Ethan and Joanna attend with their respective families. Although they had a large congregation, the community was still small and people knew each other. She couldn’t risk having her family find out what was happening in their marriage.
“It is much better than to sit in silence with you,” Ethan retorted, after a long minute of silence. “You know I don’t have any faith in all this. I don’t even know if this will work, Jo.
Do you know what we need?” He glared at his wife. “A miracle!” With that, he slumped back in the chair and continued to play his game on his mobile phone.
Joanna took a deep breath and tried to hold back her tears. Ethan did not mince his words at times. He didn’t care his words cut to her very core. She didn’t deserve this from him after all that she had sacrificed for him. It pained her to see that their relationship had ended up like this.
She had heard of people having miserable marriages, but she would have never imagined having one of her own. She looked out the window and thought about their past, the days where life was less complicated. They used to be very close friends as they were growing up in the same neighbourhood. They hang out in the same cliques, so they often met each other. They even attended the same secondary school as teenagers.
Eventually, they started spending more time together after joining a study group in their school. As Joanna lived two blocks away from Ethan, he will walk her home after their study sessions. During those walks, they will share with each other their dreams and passions. Things moved progressively between them and they became a couple after knowing each other for more than ten years. Their families supported the idea of them being a couple as long as they promised not to get into a serious relationship until they had graduated.
Upon their high school graduation, Joanna and Ethan decided to take a break from each other to pursue their own individual interests. While Ethan joined a local polytechnic, she pursued her degree in Perth. They remained as friends despite being apart from each other. When Joanna returned to Singapore three years later, she resumed her friendship with Ethan.
They could easily pick up from where they had left as they have always been in touch.
“It is so good to have you back home,” Ethan hugged Joanna when they met for coffee.
“It is good to be back too. What have you been up to?” Joanna asked as she sipped her cup of tea.
“I am helping dad at the law firm with some business develop-ment. I wanted to gain experience as I work on my part-time diploma.” Ethan shared his plans with her. “Enough about me, tell me about yourself?”
“I am thinking of moving to Paris to pursue a course in fashion. Dad finally relented, and he is happy to let me chase after my dream. Isn’t it exciting?” She shared excitedly.
Ethan felt the air leave his lungs. He really missed her and wanted her back. He had dated other girls when Joanna was away but it was never the same. He kept quiet and contemplated his next move. The next day, Ethan met Joanna’s father for coffee. He knew her parents well and had constantly kept in touch with them. Joanna’s father shared his reluctance of having his daughter travel so far to further her studies. He felt it was unsafe for her but he did not want to disapprove of her decision. The timing was perfect for Ethan, and after much persuasion, he got the approval to court Joanna.
He proposed to her three months later. Although Joanna was ecstatic, she still wanted to go to Paris. She suggested that Ethan wait for her to finish her studies. But Ethan wanted to get married as soon as possible. He promised to fulfill her dreams when she completed his part-time diploma. After much hesitation, Joanna reluctantly put her plans on hold to marry Ethan.
It was a tough decision to make but she was willing to do it for him. At first, everything was going smoothly for both of them. Their families helped to chip in for the wedding as they did not have much savings. His family was well off and he was the only son. His parents were happy to pay for the entire wedding expenses. Joanna’s parents helped to pay for some of their household items to ease the young couple’s financial burden.
Six months after their marriage, things began to fizzle out. They got thrown into reality. Ethan spent more time in the office as he worked as a legal associate in his father’s firm. Joanna found a job as an executive in a logistics firm. She resented her husband for pursuing his career while she had to give up her dream. She often wondered what her life would have been like if she had gone to Paris. They quarrelled most of the time. When Ethan was upset with Joanna, he will not talk to her for many days in a row. Joanna recalled how he used to make time for her when they were dating. He will always try to please her. Now, he was always working late at night, leaving Joanna alone at home to take care of the house.
About the Author
Based in Singapore, Shivon Gunalan is passionate about empowering women to find their identity. A visionary by nature, she enjoys connecting people to build community. Her desire is to nurture other women to be bold, and to achieve their full potential of who they are.
Shivon is interested in working with women who have suffered traumatic experiences, abuse or feelings of condemnation. She wants to help these women find their emotional & inner healing, so they can be liberated.
As an author, Shivon found her calling in recreating biblical stories to fit the modern context. Her first book “A Divine Connection (2020)” was based on the story of Issac and Rebecca, while her second book, “A Scandal of Grace (2021)” was based on Hosea and Gomer. She felt that a woman can only find their true worth and self-esteem when they encounter the love of God. She uses the books as a tool to showcase God’s love to the readers through the lives of her characters. She is currently working on her third book titled “Own Your Crown.”
She is also active in her YouTube Channel “The Living Room” which features the inspiring stories of brave women talking about women empowerment.
Shivon spends most her free time reading, travelling, going for walks, hanging out with her friends. Her favourite authors include AW Tozer, Matt Batterson, Sharon Jaynes, among others. Shivon Gunalan social media platforms Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
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