Beloved Father and Shepherd of our souls, I come to You today with gratitude in my heart for the gift of family. I know You designed families to present a perfect picture of You and Your work. But so often, God, we are sorrowful people in shattered relationships. Sin and Satan have entered in to fracture our families and leave them in deep need. Today, I pray for healing of family bonds. I ask you to breathe your unity throughout each family. Where hatred reigns, let love prevail. Where anger rises, let peace endure. Where selfishness chokes, let sacrifice come forth. And where bitterness poisons, let the sweet balm of your Spirit whisper truth, light, and life. Lord, you know the deep needs of each family touched by this prayer. Some have relatives who don’t know You. Some have family members who don’t communicate with them anymore. Some have loved ones removed from them by death, illness, or the deceitfulness of sin. I ask for Your grace to allow each one to stand strong amid these trials and for Your mercy to flow in and through every unique situation. Protect us from the evil one, and knit the hearts of our families together even as you knit our own hearts more closely to Yours. In Christ’s holy name I pray, AMEN.  Do you have a more specific family prayer need? Leave a comment below or email me here. I’ll be honored to lift you and yours before...

“My bags are packed, I’m ready to go. . .” This lyric from a popular song of my childhood expresses my feelings today as I make final preparation to leave for the Florida Christian Writer’s Conference. But I have a small problem: I’m not ready to go. Several hours of homeschool, thirty minutes or so of copying handouts, and at least one trip to the grocery store precede my departure. My bags are packed, but I’m not ready to go.  Not yet. This year, as thousands of conferees prepare to attend this or other writers conferences throughout the country, they’ll pack their bags. They’ll prepare book proposals. They’ll read up on how to impress an agent or editor. They’ll edit and re-edit, agonize and agitate. They’ll scrutinize the list of faculty in an effort to decide which classes to take and appointments to make. And they’ll pray (at least I hope they will). All this measured preparation, however, won’t do them any good if they fail to pack one essential item. As last year’s Florida conference began, I made a trip to Starbucks for one faculty member who couldn’t go more than a few hours without his chai tea latte. I picked up a toothbrush for an agent who forget hers.   But what’s the must-have item, the one thing every conferee should pack? Everyone can find it. All writers need it. But just as some travelers will leave behind their blow dryer or favorite pillow, many writers will neglect to pack one thing. Instead of this necessity, some writers carry with them a bundle of pride. Unwrapped, it prevents true listening and learning because it has its possessors convinced: the world awaits their words. No one says it better—or certainly not as well. Agents and editors will line up in gratitude for the privilege of representing and publishing them. And if this scenario doesn’t happen? Accusing fingers point at the publishing professionals, not the writers. Others leave pride behind and pack insecurity instead. “I’ll never get this,” they moan. “All the information overwhelms me.” Instead of taking notes or ordering CDs from conference workshops, they allow their own fear of failure to distract them. They avoid rejection, so they don’t dare make faculty appointments. And they return home without much of the knowledge and experience the conference offers. As I close my suitcase today, I’ll make sure not to leave out teachability. I have much to learn from my interactions with other writers, from speakers and workshop leaders, and from all who love to work with words. I’ll watch not only for what people are saying but for what God is showing me through the conference. Here in Florida, I’ll...

ANNOUNCING New e-book release by comedic author, Janice Hanna Thompson: I Must Decrease: Biblical Inspiration and Encouragement for Dieters Janice, can you tell us a little about your non-fiction e-book book, I MUST DECREASE? Sure! As a comedic author, I usually write light-hearted stories. I’m known as the funny girl. I get the giggles and chuckle my way through most situations. Not everything is funny, however. When it came to my weight, however, I had very little to laugh about. Most of my readers didn’t realize the health crisis I was facing as a result of the added pounds. I needed to get things under control, so I started counting calories and watching what I ate. Out of that came my non-fiction book, I MUST DECREASE (which released in paperback in 2005). The book is set up in a daily devotional format and it meant to bring humor (as well as dieting tips) to Christians who need/want to lose weight. Why did you choose the title I MUST DECREASE? The title came as a result of a prayer time at church. I’d gone up for prayer and the gentleman praying for me used the scripture (John 3:30) as he prayed for me: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” For whatever reason, it got me tickled. I’d never thought about that particular scripture having anything to do with dieting before, but it suddenly felt right. Can you tell us about the layout of the book? Each day’s devotion offers the following: ·         Ticklers: A humorous quote or “thought for the day” to tickle your funny bone. ·         Tidbits: A “Did You Know?” area offering tidbits of information from multiple sources. ·         Traps: Common misconceptions and/or food “traps” we often fall into ·         Tricks: “Tricks of the trade” to help you stick with your plan ·         Treats: Clever snack and food ideas for the healthy eater ·         Testimonies: Personal testimonies of others who’ve faced the weight loss challenge and won (including some prominent personalities) ·         Treasures: Daily scripture reference ·         Tips: Devotional for the day, based on the daily scripture above ·         Turning Your Focus: A variety of ways you can reach out to others ·         Today’s Food Choices: A reminder to write down your daily food choices ·         Thoughts on Paper: Encouragement to keep a daily journal entry Why did you choose the humorous approach? Being overweight is nothing to laugh at, but most people who want to lose weight are tired of the serious, “Thou shalt not” approach. Many are ready for a lighthearted look at weight loss–“a practical devotional approach that offers scriptural advice in a way that encourages and never condemns. I decided to share light-hearted...

Father God, Today I’m crying out to you on behalf of so many who are stretching beyond their abilities. Life, circumstances, family, and failures have brought them to the breaking point. Their minds are numb. Their emotions are spent. And their hearts are hurting. Or maybe they’re not spent at all. They may be at the gate of an exciting new challenge. You’ve laid something before them so big they can hardly believe it. They’ve waited for this. It’s here. And they can’t wait to step out—or they’re scared beyond reason. Despite these different perspectives, Lord Jesus, they all—we all—need the same thing. We need You to take over. We need You to rise up within us and do that which we cannot. We need You to be the strength in our frailty, the supply in our lack, the life that bursts forth where we see only death and destruction. I pray for these dear ones today, God, these ones who go beyond limits. Draw near to them by Your Spirit and give them the deep desire to draw near to You. Allow them to experience the more brought only by Your grace. Let them know Your power made perfect in their weakness. And Father, when the stretching comes to fruition, allow them to give the praise, honor, and glory only to You. Thanks for loving these ones who keep reaching and following. Remind us always that when we go beyond what we can do, we never exceed Your grasp or Your power. We love You and pray these things in Your name—AMEN. VALENTINE PRIZE PACK WINNER: Kim (who left a comment on my review of  Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride) is our winner. I’ll contact you soon for your mailing address)....

I admit it. I’m what Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner’s character in Romancing the Stone) called a “hopeful romantic”—in real life and in my reading. I know about the romance-haters (some are my close friends). And I love other genres (especially literary fiction), too. Still, every life needs a little romance, and many readers do as well. Predictable? Often. Realistic? Maybe. Fun, encouraging, and inspirational? Not always—but the authors who write that kind of romance capture my interest and often, my reading time. Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter all belong to that group. Their new book Smitten (Thomas Nelson, 2011) puts a fun spin on the romance novel: four authors, four novellas, four protagonists (one per novella), and one town struggling to survive an economic downturn. When the announcement comes that the Smitten Lumber Company will soon close its doors, the residents of Smitten, Vermont face a big challenge. Can they recast their town as a romance capital in time to keep the lights burning and the bills paid? Can the four women who devised this master plan get others—especially the men of the community—to recognize its merit? And (perhaps most important of all) can each find happiness with a man who seems like anything but a perfect match? I enjoyed reading Smitten not because it offers dramatic plot turns or multi-layered characters but because of what it does present: a sweet serving of faith, hope, and love. The interwoven plots and characters add a unique touch, and bonus blessings like a motherless little girl, an instant father, and a celebrity wedding multiply the fun. Find out more about Smitten at www.smittenvermont.com, where you can sign a petition to “Save Smitten” as an entry into a drawing for a free e-book.  Oh—and I almost forgot—Happy Valentine’s Day! To celebrate this holiday, leave a comment that answers either of these two questions: What’s your favorite romance novel? What was your favorite Valentine surprise?  All comments earn an entry into the drawing for my Valentine Prize Pack: Love Finds You in Carmel, California by Sandie Bricker (autographed); Delight Yourself in the Lord . . . Even on Bad Hair Days by Sandra D. Bricker, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt (yes, two of our Smitten authors with an autograph from Sandra Bricker), Debby Mayne, and Trish Perry; and a nonfiction project with the intriguing title Sexy Christians (Baker Books, 2010) plus some Valentine chocolate. What more could a hopeful romantic want? Please leave your comment (please include an email link; sorry, but I can only mail to US addresses) before February 15. I’ll choose a winner at random to announce later this week.  Find a local Christian bookstore.  Find the book on Amazon,...