Have you ever become instant friends with someone you just met? That’s how I felt when I met today’s Words with Friends subject. Linda Evans Shepherd is a nationally-known Christian speaker, a popular Denver television host, and a best-selling author. She’s the president of Right to the Heart Ministries and the founder of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) and RighttoTheHeart.tv. The two of us met at the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference when  God (and conference director Marlene Bagnull) assigned us as roommates.  At the time, I was praying about joining AWSA, the group she founded to bring together female Christian writers and speakers. By the end of our time together, I was filling out my AWSA membership application. I hope you enjoy today’s interview, which focuses on Linda’s latest release, which I reviewed here earlier this week. Linda, your latest book is titled Experiencing God’s Presence: Learning to Listen While You Pray. Do you really think it’s possible to hear God’s voice today? When you consider that God loves us enough to put His Holy Spirit inside our very beings, it stands to reason that our intimate God wants more from us than shopping-list prayers, He wants our inner ear. After all, despite the rumor that God no longer speaks to us today, consider that millions of Christians throughout the ages not only heard God’s voice, they answered his call to follow Him in every area of their lives.  We can learn how to do the same. What are some ways we can hear God’s voice? Anyone who has ever read a scripture, such as “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me,” (Phil 4:13) and had it speak directly as a solution to a dilemma, can testify to the power of hearing God’s voice. But not only does God speak through His Word, He can speak through sermons, friends and nature as it continually worships the Creator, and also through God’s still, small voice. What does God’s voice sound like? Unlike some, I’ve never heard God’s voice vibrate inside my ears, but I have heard his gentle whisper inside my being.  He never whispers messages like; “Who do you think you are?”  You’re the dumbest human on earth.” or “What did you just say to me? Are you stupid or what?”  A voice like that is likely to be from the enemy. Instead, when I hear God’s voice, I feel his sweet spirit as he whispers, “You are my child,” “I am with you,” “Trust me, everything is going to be okay.” I can rest in knowing that I have a safety net as God will never call me to go against his word.  For...

Brrr! Fall arrived in Florida overnight as temperatures dipped into the lower 50’s. I know, I know. Where my mother lives in Ohio, they had snow flurries yesterday. We have nothing to complain about. Today, I’m helping welcome fall for the Christian Authors Network through this delightful interview with fellow Florida author Crystal Bowman. Check it out between spoonfuls of hot...

“That applies to everyone!” “I think we all need that prayer.” “You do realize you’re praying for the whole world, right?” These are some of the responses I receive when I share what have become my daily #PrayerKeeper Facebook status posts and tweets. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I’ve continued them only because they seem to minister to people. I’m wary of “praying to [myself]” like the proud Pharisee in Luke 18. If I ever sense the posts are becoming less than authentic, I’ve promised myself to stop posting. But I digress. I do realize that often the prayers apply to everyone. To be honest, that’s how they end up online. Most of the time, I’m praying for a friend, family member, or for myself and realize a particular prayer could apply to many. Those tend to be the ones I post.  So, to those who have commented to that effect, thanks for the affirmation. I’m grateful they apply to everyone. And today, I have an important question. More than a few of you have written to tell me these posts should be a book. As much as people may like them, no one would publish a book consisting only of “I’m praying for . . .” I don’t want to write what won’t sell. But I’d love your help in an informal survey. What type of prayer book would you like? Brief (but expanded) prayers like the ones I sometimes post (check out some favorites here and here)? A devotional-type book with the “praying for” and then a brief explanation of who might need that prayer and why, along with a one-or two-sentence prayer? Something else? Or nothing at all? I’m busy writing other books right now, and another author and I hope to share a how-to book to help demystify prayer. But as I look ahead, I’m thinking about how many people of all ages, shapes, and genders tell me God uses those daily PrayerKeeper posts. In the words of the wise Henry Blackaby, I want to watch where God is working and join Him. So—let me know what you think. Leave a comment below or feel free to email me through the contact link on the right. Thank you, as always, for your kind and affirming words. I hope when you see the words, “Praying for. . .” or the #PrayerKeeper hashtag, you know I am praying, often multiple times throughout the day for that same request. I appreciate the trust you place in me when you share your prayer needs. And, as always, I’m honored to lift you before...

Don’t you love this first sign of the coming season, found on my morning prayerwalk? (I’m holed up in a hotel writing while my two youngest daughters attend a conference). I celebrate these beautiful gifts much more now that I live in Florida than I did growing up in Ohio. But what do I do when I’m not writing, editing, or driving my children to Christian conferences? Funny you should ask. I spent much of the summer in travel, most of it writing-related. But this fall, I’ll spend most of my time at home. I still homeschool my youngest daughter and teach a weekly class at our homeschool co-op. And yes, I have lots of writing and editing to do. My work-related travel is either to speak and teach (usually on writing, prayer, or homeschooling, but sometimes on other topics as well) or to do research for a book or magazine project. I serve two nonprofit organizations with my writing as well as my prayers, and this fall, both have events where I’ll serve. Here’s where you can find me out and about through the end of the year: Saturday, September 21: Speaking on “Master the Memoir” for Adventures in Christian Writing, Calvary Assembly in Orlando, FL; 10:00am, Educational Building, Room 105 (all are welcome) Friday, October 25-Sunday, October 27: Serving on the Leadership Team, Word Weavers Florida Chapters Retreat, Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center, Leesburg, FL; www.word-weavers.com  (My good friend, novelist Joyce Magnin, is keynoting here) Friday, November 1-Sunday, November 3: Speaking on Prayer for iGO, Awe Star Ministries’ Annual Missions Conference, First Baptist Church, Owassa, OK; www.awestar.org Wednesday, November 20-Sunday, November 24: Serving as writer, judge, and volunteer, The National Bible Bee, Sevierville, TN; www.biblebee.org Feel free to let me know if you’re interested in having me come to your area to speak or teach. You can find more information here, but feel free to write me through the “contact” link on my home page, too. Fall blessings to each one! And don’t forget to leave a comment about your connection to one or more of these events. I’d love to see you at one or...

One of the ways God grants me relationships with other authors is through AWSA, the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. This fellowship of more than 300 women, founded by author and speaker Linda Shepherd, exists to promote cooperation, not competition, between women whose ministry lies in the area of writing and speaking. Although Janet and I haven’t yet met in person, our contact through AWSA has made us fast friends. I was delighted to present a review of her new book earlier this week, and I’m delighted to welcome her to Words with Friends. Dear God, He’s Home! A Woman’s Guide to Her Stay-at-Home Man (New Hope Publishers, 2013) is the third book in the “Dear God” series by author and speaker Janet Thompson. Janet is the founder of  Woman to Woman Mentoring and the author of seventeen books, including: Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer; Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby?;  Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter; The Team that Jesus Built; and the Face-to-Face Bible study series. Janet and her stay-at-home man, Dave, are enjoying this season of life in the rural mountains of Idaho. Greetings, Janet! What inspired you to write a book about living with a stay-at-home husband?                                                                           Dear God, He’s Home! is the third in a “Dear God” series. The first two are Dear God, It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey and Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby? A Companion Guide for Couples on the Infertility Journey. Each of the “Dear God” books mentor women who are on a journey that I’ve been on myself. I know the loneliness and need for support and understanding that isn’t always available, so I write to mentor and encourage these women. The best compliment is when someone tells me it seems as if I’m sitting right beside her while she read my books. In Dear God, He’s Home!, I chronicle the difficulties and joys my husband and I encountered during the various seasons of him being a stay-at-home man: multiple layoffs, illness, disability, and now, retirement. I understand the strain on a marriage of a husband suddenly being home 24/7, regardless of the reason. As in all of my books, I offer various perspectives from other women who are willing to share their stories to help others going through something similar. Please tell us a little about your research. How did you encounter other wives with stay-at-home husbands? What struck you about their experiences? Whenever...

 “Honey, I’m home!” For the most part, that expression evokes happiness (or at least satisfaction). But when the reason for a husband’s homecoming is job loss, illness, a return from deployment or other work-related travel, retirement, or even a personal choice, those feelings—and family life—can turn upside down. In those seasons of life, the most typical response may match the title of today’s review book: Dear God, He’s Home! A Woman’s Guide to Her Stay-at-Home Man by Janet Thompson (New Hope, 2013). Our family has experienced the short- and long-term effects of a husband and father’s homecoming due to unexpected job loss. And so has the author, who writes about her family’s losses and lessons with poignant, powerful transparency. In this book, Janet, the founder of the Saddleback Women to Women Mentoring Ministry, pulls together biblical truth, personal stories, and positive advice in a unique, interactive format. Dear God, He’s Home sugarcoats neither the author’s story of those of the many others she includes. As her family travels through season of shock, adjustment, support-seeking, grief, restoration, and more, Janet shares pages from her journal. She also includes stories from many other wives and family members (sometimes including the men themselves) affected by a stay-at-home man and the reasons for his homecoming. The book also includes “Mentoring Moments,” in which Janet takes time to share the truths God has taught her through her times of difficulty and helps readers apply them to their own lives. Brief “God’s Love Letter to You” (sections of Scripture for personalization) and “Let’s Pray” sections help keep the focus on God rather than the stay-at-home situation. Each chapter closes with a “Your Letter to God” section in which the reader has the opportunity to respond to the material in regard to his or her personal situation. “For Discussion” questions provide a safe format for discussing the material with a spouse, friend, or small group. And an information-packed “Sanity Tools” section at the end of the book gives helpful resources ranging from helps for conflict resolution to “10 Ways to Speak Well of Your Husband.” The short segments and brief chapters of this book make it an easy but thoughtful read. I believe this format would also allow a woman in crisis to pick it up, read a few pages or a chapter at a time, and receive practical, biblical truth. Love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:7). In this way, Dear God, He’s Home! is a love story, one that encourages readers to cling both to the Lord and to their relationships, persevering through the trials and trusting God for the victory. Have you traveled or...