True Gold

Book Review: Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann

2012-02-07T20:35:00.000-05:00

"The image you leftwas very strong." Hands pressed to her back, she paced in short quick steps. "If what I capture is emotionally static, it fades. If not, it leaves anindelible imprint – until I transferit to the clay."

Natalie has a gift; or is it a curse? Her eidetic memoryallows her to capture emotion into her sculptures like no one else. But whenTrevor McDaniel, a search and rescue volunteer, recovers her nephew, Cody, fromthe jaws of a mountain lion and the toddler is left in the care of Natalie, andshe wonders, with this “gift”, if she’s fit to take care of Cody by herself.

Trevor’s strong protector quality drives him to take Codyunder his wing and meanwhile, a budding romance forms between him and Natalie.Trevor struggles with breaking free from his own past, and tries to compensateby helping Cody face his fears.

A psychotic stalker is somewhere in their midst, deep in theshadows. First blackmailing Trevor, then threatening closer and closer to home,putting helpless victims at risk until it finally goes too far. Can they facetheir own fears and work together to put this twisted man’s actions to an endbefore it’s too late?

I was excited to read this book, as it is a sequel toKristen Heitzmann’s previous novel, Indivisible. It was great to see charactersfrom that book make reappearances in this book. But, for this reason, some ofthe parts may be a bit confusing for someone who has never read this book’sprequel.

Kristen is one of my favorite authors for several reasons:her plot lines are complex, her writing is unique and visual, she alwayscreates likable characters, and the way she writes dialogue is natural andbelievable. She is a master at making the reader feel exactly what thecharacters are feeling. Each of her stories features a tough and athletic hero,and an elegant and artsy heroine. This book is no exception.

The only problem I have with her books is that she makescharacters drink wine. This is a very controversial subject, which is why it’snot usually mentioned in Christian books. I personally don’t like that she doesthis, as I don’t drink at all.

I do like, however, how the story is kicked off with a bang,the action starting on the very first page and pulling me in right away. Therest of the story was not a letdown either, it held my attention all the waythough.

One thing that separates Kristen Heitzmann from otherauthors is her ability to get you inside of an emotionally disturbed person’s head. Her writing from this perspective is downright creepy and really sets the mood.Not for the faint-hearted!

If you love romance, suspense, and psychological thrillers,you’ll love Kristen Heitzmann!
Read an excerpt of this novel here: http://www.kristenheitzmannbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Indelible-SC.pdf

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free from WaterBrookMultnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Please rank my review at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/16109/blogr:8242 Thanks!!!

Beauty of Winter

2012-01-22T15:16:00.000-05:00

Now that we finally got some snow (I haven't decided yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing!) my talented sister took advantage of the beauty found in winter and snapped some photos of me.

Click here to see more and leave her a nice comment!

Book Review: Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren

2011-12-28T21:35:00.001-05:00

"You arean adult now, Krista. You can fight off your own predators. But the biggest oneyou face is inside you. You know that, don't you?"

Krista Mueller returns to her home in New Mexico aroundChristmastime to visit her dying mother who was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s twelve years ago, which was the last time she saw her mother when she admitted her toCimarron Care Center.

She carries around the ghosts of what her mother used to be, allthe bad memories and blocks out the good. She’s afraid to love and forgive.

While there, she re-meets her high school sweetheart, DaneMcConnell, a doctor there, who reminds her of what it means to love with mercyand grace.

The first thing I noticed is that Mercy Come Morning has incredibly long chapters. Of 222 pages, itonly has 15 chapters. I found myself often stopping in the middle of scenes dueto lack of time to read instead of being able to find a good stopping pointwithin the next few pages.

It takes a while for this book to progress. It’s about ¾ of theway through before the plot begins to go anywhere. There is way too muchbackstory and New Mexico history thrown at you during the first half of thebook. Enter page-skimming. Because of this, I felt like I was being told astory instead of living the story as it happened to the characters. Like a hugepart of the story happened before I joined.

If I weren’t reviewing this book I would have put it down andstarted another book before I was even halfway through. But once you get pastall the history, history, and more history, a great story begins to unfold.Author Lisa Tawn Bergren weaves in the magic of Christmas with the miracle ofgiving second chances.

Needless to say, Dane and Krista fall in love and Krista findsreconciliation with her mother and loves her enough to let her go. Although itwas a little weird for me to read a story about people falling in love who areold enough to be my parents, judging by the dates and age she was during thattime, Krista would now be in her late forties (though at the end of the book Irealized this story took place almost a decade ago).

I had a little trouble connecting with the actual character ofKrista, she sometimes seems inconsistent in character. I was, however, able to connect with herstruggle to forgive her mother; in that way she was very real.

Dane seems a bit unrealistic. Of course I would like to thinkthere are men this perfect, Dane is a little too much. The struggle of thestory is more of Krista’s internal struggle to let go and love, both her motherand Dane. The relationship struggle is between her and her mother instead ofher and Dane, which is probably why this is classified asFiction/General/Contemporary on the back cover of the book instead of Romance.

Overall, I would give this book 3 stars. Just okay. Not horrible,but not great.

Decide for yourself! Read the first Chapter here.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Groupfor this review.

Please rank my review at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/15160. (5 stars please if you're feeling kind ;D) Thanks!!!

Encouragement for Writers and Other Artists

2011-12-05T14:35:00.001-05:00

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

I found this on a great blog http://encouragingwordsforwriters.blogspot.com/, which is also a great encouragement for writers.

Hope you have a great day full of little things that encourage you!

Take a Breather.

2011-11-24T10:48:00.001-05:00

Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and his disciples were on theirway, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home tohim. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening towhat he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that hadto be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister hasleft me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you areworried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeedonly one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be takenaway from her.”

Thanksgiving can be a stressful time, getting food and homesready for gatherings, but don't forget to make time for God and for family. For aholiday that is made for rest and giving thanks, we tend to forget what it'sall about. It's easy to get "distracted by all the preparations", like Martha, and forget about the important things. So let's follow Mary's example and take a breather this Thanksgiving, just to enjoy the quirky moments that accompany being with family!

Book Review: The Crossing by Serita Ann Jakes

2011-11-09T08:18:00.001-05:00

Have you ever experienced something so tragic, you couldn't forget? Where every sight, sound, or smell reminded you of a time you'd rather forget? Claudia has. 10 years ago, her teacher, friend, and confidant was murdered right before her eyes and the killer was never found.

The Crossing was a great read, full of emotional ups and downs with Claudia, her husband Victor as he re-opens the case, and their struggle to get past the pain and learn to love each other all over again.

I do have to say the first couple of chapters were a bit slow for me. After about seven chapters, the pace does start to pick up with the mystery that evidence not found during the original investigation is discovered. Many of the twists and turns in the plot surprised me, and I read a lot of suspense novels!

Serita Jakes creates a story of love, forgiveness, and putting the past behind. She certainly kept me guessing until the end who the killer was. I got close, but I never exactly hit the target bullseye. She pulled me emotionally into the case, making me not know whether to side with Claudia or Victor. She created likable characters (in fact, she had me liking one of the bad guys!). So overall, I recommend this book!

I've included two ways for you to preview the first chapter. First is visual....
The Crossing by Serita Ann Jakes (ch. 1 excerpt)

And second is an audio option. Enjoy!

I received this bookfor free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Please go to http://www.waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/13993 and rate my review!!! Thanks!

October Favorites

2011-11-03T16:43:00.000-04:00

I thought it would be fun to share my favorite things from the month of October.

First is beauty products!

Urban Decay Rollergirl Palette

I got this after it was on sale for $18. I wanted it mainly for the hot pink eyeshadow, but I ended up loving the brown eyeshadows even more! They all show up nicely and make for a great natural eye and are very smooth and subtly shimmery, which I love. I have always loved their eyeliners and the pencil that came with the palette is no exception. I also really liked the lip gloss. It says it is plumping but it doesn't burn or numb. It feels cool and minty and the color is gorgeous. Get yours before it's gone!

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

UDPP is a miracle for oily eyelids! It keeps eyeshadow from creasing better than anything I've used. Pick up yours today on UD's website. If you buy it in the "vintage" packaging (shown above), you can get it for only $10, which is a steal by itself considering it's usually $18 - $19. But not only that, you can get it for 20% off also if you order before November 5 using the Friends & Family code FFHOLIDAY11. You won't find a better deal than that!!!

Essie Mint Candy Apple Nail Polish

This is such a fun color. I love wearing it! It's bright and eye catching but not totally crazy. It reminds me of the mint color that was popular in the 50s and again in the 80s. If you don't have 8 dollars to fork out for a nail polish, a good dupe for this color is Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Polish in Mint Sorbet for around $3. I actually held the bottle in my hand when I was wearing Mint Candy Apple and it matched almost exactly!

iVi Scents

I love this company! Entrepreneur Aarin built the company up from the ground and has an amazing story. Sign up for the emails on iviscents.com to find out more and also, you get a $5 off of an order of $30 or more when you sign up! Her products are natural, non-toxic, vegan, and smell delicious! The packaging is always adorable and I love that she puts a Bible verse on her products.

Masterpiece Hairspray by TIGI

Wouldn't you love to use a hairspray that doesn't smell like hairspray? This has a fruity smell to it, and it's not sticky and has a brushable hold, so it doesn't feel like hairspray either! Plus, it adds shine, so it's like a shine spray and hairspray in one! You can buy this at your local salon that sells TIGI products.

Now on to fashion...

TOMS

I used to not like these because I thought they were overrated and too popular. But when I was in beauty school, I was looking for a shoe that was both cute and comfy because I was ruining my feet standing all day wearing flats. These are by far the most comfortable shoes I've owned and they feel like my own feet. I can stand in the all day easy! I still wear them working at the salon. They look great with any outfit!

Infinity Scarves

I love adding a scarf to an outfit to something extra, especially now that it's fall. I have liked the infinity scarf trend for a while and just got myself one from Old Navy. It's so easy to wear, goes with almost any outfit, and is super soft and comfortable.

Long open cardigans

I have a long cardigan that came with a tie around the waist to close it, but lately, I've been liking wearing it open and flowy. It dresses up my outfits and keeps me warm at the same time and gives an effortlessly stylish look to my outfit.

Zebra Print

This is such a fun trend! I was gifted by my family when I passed my cosmetology board test and zebra body pillow cover (I love my body pillow; it should be included my favorites!) and blanket from Target. They are both super soft and cute!

Some music I've been enjoying...

Write This Down

http://www.myspace.com/writethisdown

Icon For Hire

http://www.myspace.com/iconforhire

Sent By Ravens

http://www.myspace.com/sentbyravens

Above Only

http://onesheet.com/aoband/

Random Stuff

The Crossing by Serita Jakes

This is the first book I've read by this author, but will definitely be reading more from her! I won't say too much about this book in this post because I'll be reviewing it in a future post, so make sure to check back for that!

Black Sands by Colleen Coble

Colleen is one of my favorite authors and I love her Aloha Reef Series! This is the second book in the series. Romance, suspense & mystery, and Hawaii; what more could you want in a book? I read these a while back and this was one of my favorites and I'm enjoying re-reading it. You can read it yourself by going to this link and clicking "download Black Sands" and you'll download the entire book! Don't forget to buy the first Aloha Reef book Distant Echoes first!

The Middle TV Series

This is one of my new favorite shows! The Heck family is so real and relateable, and not to mention hilarious! I find myself laughing for the entire 30 minutes it airs because so much of it reminds me of my own life and the comedy that can be found in every day things.

What are your favorites from the month of October that you would recommend to me?

Beautiful Bride!

2011-10-08T16:08:00.001-04:00

Back in August, I did my first bridal hair and makeup! I recently received pictures from the wedding. Here are some of my favorites.

The bride made her own dress! How cool is that?! What a talented lady! You can see more pictures from her wedding by clicking here http://noviadistinctivephotography.com/blog/?p=1417

Book PREveiw: Outlining Your Novel

2011-09-27T15:49:00.000-04:00

I recently ordered the book Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K.M Weiland. I can't wait for it to get here! Outlining my novel is something I have trouble with. I just want to write, and sometimes that's a good thing, but mostly, it's a bad thing because I don't know where I'm going next with the story line. I'm excited to learn how to "map my way to success"!

Plus, if you order it from now until Friday on Amazon.com, you can win a ton of great prizes from the author, K.M Weiland, including a Kindle! Click on this link to learn more: http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2010/09/win-kindle-and-over-100-in-writing.html. Help boost this author in Amazon's ratings!

Taken from Amazon.com:

Product Description

Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will help you choose the right type of outline for you, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, aid you in discovering your characters, show you how to structure your scenes, explain how to format your finished outline, instruct you in how to use your outline when writing the first draft, reveal the benefits of outlining, and dispel the misconceptions.

About the Author

K.M. Weiland is the author of the historical western A Man Called Outlaw and the medieval epic Behold the Dawn. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her blog Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors (wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com), editing services, and her instructional CD Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration. She lives in western Nebraska. Visit her website: kmweiland.com.

Author Kristen Heitzmann

2011-09-09T16:30:00.000-04:00

Ever since I started reading novels, Kristen Heitzmann has been one of my favorite authors. The first "adult" novel I ever read was her Freefall. My summer reading consisted of her two latest, Indivisible and Indelible.

Her writing always takes me on such an adventure, whether it be to tropical Hawaii or to the mountains of cowboy country. She inspired me to write.

Not only is it the romance and suspense of each of her novels that I love and that keeps me turning the pages, what sets Kristen apart form other romantic suspense authors is the psychological side of them. In each of her novels, there is a dark and twisted character, but somehow you understand him or her, like you're in his or her mind.

Often times, a main character will a psychological ailment that prevents them from facing their fears or finding love. Her characters and very relatable, and the female is usually arsty and creative, while the male is usually very rough and masculine (which I do not mind at all!).

If you enjoy passionate love stories and twisted-mind mysteries all from a Christian author, I highly recommend reading her books!

Check out her book trailer for Indivisible, one of the books I read this summer.

Perspectives

2011-08-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

I stood in front of a wall with a million tiny pictures spread across my eyesight, each telling a different story. I studied each one confused to the point of a headache how these could relate to each other. A glowing mother nurses her baby in one, a filthy child in a third-world country cries in another. Each picture so different. Some made my heart break and some made my heart flutter with joy. I tried to puzzle them together in my head taking each in a methodical order, only to frustrate myself. What is this supposed to be? I screamed. I don’t understand!

With my nose pressed against the wall I looked back and forth, up and down. Some of the pictures were even too high up for me to see. I’m not the tallest person, you see. So I stepped back. Even more pictures appeared. What is this? I stamped my foot and balled my fists. I’m tired of trying to figure this out myself!

Then why are you? A voice said. I looked around but saw nothing.

Who said that? Who are you? I demanded.

I’m the Master Painter. I designed this Masterpiece which I call “Life”.

Why did you make it like this? I hate it…a lot! I could make a better painting than you could. Watch me! I whipped out my paintbrush and paint from my pocket and dipped the brush. As I lifted my brush to touch the painting, his invisible hand clutched my wrist. Hey! Let go of me! I fought to break free but his hand was strong so I gave up. What do you want from me?

I want you to take a step back, He said.

I frowned but took a step back. It was getting hard to see the pictures now.

Now another step, He coaxed.

I did. I can’t see the pictures anymore. What are you trying to do?

Stop trying to look at all the small pictures. I want you to focus on the big picture.

I adverted my perspective tried to look at it again. I took a few more steps back. I understood a little more with each step. This is how the pictures fit together! The more steps back I took a man’s face formed. Who is it?

It is my face, Said the Master Painter. By looking at the big picture, you may figured some things out, but other things are still perplexing to you. If you wait and trust in me, I will show you in my time. When you don’t understand, take the time to step back and change your perspective.

How do you need to change your perspective today?

Destroy

2011-08-15T15:13:00.001-04:00

"It began long ago...when darkness, through it's deceit, captured the hearts of the sons and daughters of light. We looked for light, but we found only darkness. We searched for bright skies, but walked in gloom. We fumbled like the blind along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. We were destined to fall. Even in the brightest days, we stumbled as if it were dark. Among the living, we were like the dead. We looked for justice but it never came. We looked for rescue but it was far from us. So He, Himself, stepped in to save us with His strong arm and His justice to substain him. He put on righteousness - His armor, salvation - His helmet. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of divine passion. He slipped out of his royal garments, left eternity to enter time, divinity to wrap Himself in humanity. The sea of glass for the ocean of seperation. He left peace and for the first time felt pain, because the very hands that held the stars were now sentenced to wear my scars. It was love that purchased this traitors heart. It's what the prophets spoke about when they invisioned light living within once again. For this reason, I am legend - predestined for greatness, built for the final hour. I was born for this. With weapons in hand, armor in place, I now march to the beat of a different drum. I will break through battle lines that have been drawn by discouragement and despair. What more is left to be said? Time has met it's end. It's now or never - collision with me, myself, and I. You see, my mission today is clear - to wake the dead. So let freedom's song rage. You're not abandoned. You're not alone. Last Day's Warriors - arise from yesterday's ash and raise your fist with us. We are the army that's charging upon the land. Defeat is no longer an option. In his victory. We stand...We rise... We give our lives...
http://www.iamammo.com/productions

Speaking of making a change, check out my other blog, Mod Style Lounge, and dare to dress modestly. We're doing a fun giveaway right now, so head over there and enter for your chance to win!

Have a great week, everyone!
Sarah ♥

Conversations

2011-07-02T16:43:00.001-04:00

Conversations so empty,

Why do we even talk?

The small talk is meaningless

And what we think is meaningful is really just talking about ourselves

Our lives.

It’s all we really care about.

Because when we ask, “how are you?”

We don’t really mean it.

We think it’s a simple question and become afraid when they tell us how they really are.

When someone doesn’t smile, we avoid asking why.

We're uncomfortable with debatable topics, changing the subject.

We shy away from real life.

All we want to hear is the good.

We don’t care to listen to each other’s problems,

To just be there and be silent.

We don’t need to fix them,

There’s only so much we can really do or say.

Sometimes we can help them figure out the next step

But ask anyone.

They just want someone to listen.

So stop talking.

And when you do, mean it.

Ask a question and care to listen.

If you think speaking your mind makes an impact,

Try listening and see what happens.

Someone might not remember what you said the last time you spoke,

But someone will remember when you didn’t.

When you took the time to listen.

Maybe when no one else did,

No one else cared why she didn’t smile.

My love, Toby.

2011-02-22T08:26:00.032-05:00

Today is my dog, Toby's, 11th birthday, but this year, we won't be able to celebrate with him. 5 days ago, we had to put him down.

Cancer had invaded his bones and the weather was taking toll on him. He was the best dog ever and will always be remembered and always be loved.

Toby

February 22, 2000 - February 17, 2011

The last picture I took of him.

This is the last picture my sister took of him. It's special because he's actually looking at the camera and he hates getting his picture taken. Isn't he adorable? I bet he's giving people looks like that in heaven to get some extra kisses and belly rubs. ♥

True Beauty Day

2011-02-12T10:48:00.002-05:00

Most of you know of my passion for girls to see their true beauty and helping them feel as beautiful as they really are. That was the reason for my career decision as a cosmetologist. I've been carrying on the Operation Beautiful mission by having the words "You Are BEAUTIFUL" written on my mirror at school. (My mom even wrote a post about this, it impacted her...check it out! http://drupp1.blogspot.com/2010/11/you-are-beautiful.html)

As I was coming home from school yesterday (after lamenting over my nail that broke off earlier) I was listening to the radio, as always, and heard an interveiw with Gracie Flanagan, the mind behind an event called "True Beauty Day".

True Beauty Day takes place Friday, April 22nd, 2011. Four years ago, she and her friend came up with the idea for True Beauty Day their freshman year of high school. Gracie's friend joked about how she really didn't want wear makeup to school tomorrow, so she and Gracie decided for the next week at school, they wouldn't wear makeup and would let their "true beauty" show. This was the beginning of the idea.

What Gracie realized is, "society has such a screwed up definition of beauty," and "every women, girl, and child is beautiful both inside and out; yet today’s society makes finding outer beauty harder and harder for millions around the world."

So Gracie decided to do something about it. She created a day where females could show their true beauty by not wearing designer clothes and wearing little or no makeup. The purpose of this was to show that "the makeup you're wearing and the brands you're wearing don't make you who you are," she says. "It's what's on the inside and what Jesus gave us that's important."

If you're attending this event or want more information, go to
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=153413924681752. If you're participating, click "attending" and come back and tell me. Unfortunetly, I will not be able to attend because of school rules that we must have our hair and makeup done everyday before we arrive, but I would love to know who is able to participate.

(Me and one of my beautiful clients/friends) =]

Love

2010-12-01T20:32:00.001-05:00

Love is...

patient: "bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint."

kind: "showing or having a gentle considerate nature."

joyful: "happy, joyous, lighthearted."

true: "steadfast, loyal, honest, just."

enduring: "abiding, firm, never-failing, unfaltering, unquestioning, wholehearted"

Love is not....

jealous: "intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness, possessive, suspicious, distrustful."

boastful: "to express pride in oneself, puff up."

proud: "showing or feeling superiority toward others."

rude: "discourteous or impolite in a deliberate way."

demanding: "to ask for something as or as if one's right or due."

irritable: "easily exasperated, disagreeable."

- 1 Corinthians 13
Merriam-Webster Dictionary

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:16-19

Fun and Opportunities

2010-10-25T06:05:00.001-04:00

Recently I had the privilege of meeting Jody Hedlund, author of The Preachers Bride and a bloggy friend of mine when she held a book signing in my area. I had a lot of fun talking to her and learned a lot from her. She really encouraged me to keep my dream of getting published even when I'm taking a "break" from it right now. Even though it feels like I'll never have time to write again because I'm so busy with school, she inspired me since a similar situation happened to her before she started writing again.

And speaking of school, I thought I'd give you some picture updates with what I've been doing...

Cut & Highlights

Cut & Color

Cut & Color-lights!

fantasy hair for class contest

Nail Art!

Fun Updo

Sophisticated Updo

And speaking of writing, I have a devotional up at RealTeenFaith.com! Read "A Third Way" as you leave.

What I've been up to lately

2010-09-06T13:19:00.000-04:00

Hey, everybody!

So I've been really busy with cosmetology school since August and haven't had much time to update. School has been a lot of fun! I've also been busy planning an online modest fashion show over at my other blog, Mod Style Lounge. This is the release:

"A Girl’s Life Fashion Week is a modest fashion show hosted here, at Mod Style Lounge, for those of us who are proud to be girls, but protective of the bodies God has entrusted us with. The event takes place October 1-8, 2010. What you’ll do is post yourself wearing an outfit that fits within the theme of each day. You must participate in at least 5 of the 8 days to have a chance to win. The themes of each day will be... (go here to read more: http://modstylelounge.blogspot.com/2010/09/girls-life-fashion-week.html)

Join the fun!!!

Before you leave, I want to share probably one of the best music videos I've ever seen. Check it out!

On my reading list...

2010-07-30T15:23:00.001-04:00

So, I have a rather extensive reading list, but these are a few I most want to read...

Seeds of Summer (Seasons of Tallgrass #2) by Deborah Vogts

I read the first one in this series (Snow Melts In Spring) a while back after winning it from an online contest. And I'll say simply...I LOVED it. I would really, REALLY love to read this one!

ON BACK COVER: When opposites attract, sparks fly--like an electrical malfunction. That's what happens when former rodeo queen Natalie Adams meets the new pastor in Diamond Falls. A heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope. Spanning the Seasons of the Tallgrass, each story in this series reveals the struggle of the people who live there and the dreams they have for the land until they come full-circle in a never-ending cycle, just as man comes full-circle in his understanding of God.

Stars in the Night by Cara Putman

I don't normally read historical fiction, but this doesn't look like typical historical. Set in Hollywood in the 1940s, it has romance and suspense. I'm actually looking forward to reading something from this era, the 40s and 50s have always fascinated me!

ON BACK COVER: When attorney Audra Schaeffer's sister disappears, Audra flies to Hollywood to find her but instead must identify her body. Determined to bring the killer to justice, Audra takes a job with the second Hollywood Victory Caravan. Together with Robert Garfield and other stars, she crisscrosses the southern United States in a campaign to sell war bonds. When two other women are found dead on the train, Audra knows the deaths are tied to that of her sister. Could the killer be the man with whom she's falling in love?
P.S there's a contest going on to win this book along with a bunch of other goodies here. Hurry, it ends tomorrow!

The Rivers Run Dry by Sibella Giorello

I've heard a lot of good things about this book (and this author) and have been wanting to read it for a while. It also has one of the most captivating covers I've ever seen. That alone makes me want to peek inside!

ON BACK COVER: When Raleigh Harmon, geologist and special agent for the FBI, is suddenly transferred from the Richmond field office to Seattle, she finds herself in strange territory. The Pacific Northwest has a whole different pace than the South does, her new boss seems determined to prove she can't handle the work, and she's desperately trying to keep her mother's sanity from crumbling altogether. But a missing hiker, a ransom note, an underground card game, and a "friend" with deadly intentions all ensure that there's no time for an easy transition. Raleigh will need all her skills and a little help—to keep the missing girl and herself alive.

The Gabon Virus: A Novel (Tsi: Time Scene Investigators) by Paul McCusker & Dr. Walt Larimore

I'll let this book explain itself, and you'll understand why I want to read it...

ON BACK COVER:

An ancient disease, a modern pandemic, and the one person who offers hope for a cure has been dead for 350 years

In 1666, a horrible disease took the lives of almost every person in Eyam (pronounced Eem), England. Helping the sick and the dying was the mysterious and ghostlike Blue Monk, whose strange appearance terrified even those who were comforted by him.
More than three centuries later the disease has returned, more virulent than before. Every day more people are infected; every hour more die.
The lives of millions rest in the hands of a bio-team -- the Time Scene Investigators -- that studies history to find cures for modern diseases. But the newest member of the team, Dr. Mark Carlson, has suffered a heartbreaking loss.
With every tick of the clock the world approaches a global pandemic. A race against time becomes a race across continents -- to find a frightened boy who is carrying and spreading the disease wherever he goes, to thwart the machinations of corporate greed and fanatical sabotage, and to find the connection between a great tragedy of the past and a potential catastrophe of the present. Our present.

This book may become tomorrow's headline.

When The Nile Runs Red by DiAnn Mills

A novel with both action and inspiration set in the war torn area of Sudan, Africa. I have never read anything by DiAnn Mills yet, but I would like to. I have a few from her on my reading list.

ON BACK COVER: Paul Farid was once a member of the royal family who openly persecuted any Sudanese who failed to practice Islam. Now he's a Christian who puts his life on the line to aid the persecuted Sudanese. His wife, Larson, is a doctor committed to giving her life for peace.Colonel Ben Alier has fought for twenty-one years against the government's mandates to control the oil, religion, slavery, and politics of Sudan. He neither trusts nor rests any hope in the newly formed government.Ben's health deteriorates while Larson finds out she is going to have a baby. Their worlds collide, and as the relational tensions escalate so does the physical danger.

Have you read any great books lately that you'd recommend to me? Please tell.

The Smaller Things

2010-07-19T14:40:00.004-04:00

While I was in Canada (I talked about getting ready to go in this post), I brought my new copy of Guys Are Waffles, Girls Are Spaghetti by Chad Eastham (which is an awesome book I highly recommend for all teens. Check it out.) and read it when I had free time (mostly on the bus on the way down and back). In one of the chapters, Chad says the only way to conquer a fear is to do the very thing that scares you. This is not a pleasant thought for me. I’d say my number one fear is public speaking. It terrifies me.

My church does a special sermon in each service after we come back from our youth trips where several youth tell a little bit about the trip. I received a copy of the sermon outline and saw I was not speaking. Relief flooded through me. A good way to end my last trip with the youth group, I thought. Sitting in the pews listening to the others talk.

But a few days before the sharing Sunday, my youth pastor contacted me and told me that a girl who was speaking was unable to come. She asked me to speak. I really did not want to, but the quote from the book came to mind. So I said yes.

This is the speech I gave twice:

“I learned an unexpected lesson in Canada.

While some people are so caught up looking right in front of them and missing the bigger picture, it was the opposite for me. I imagined the campers reading and having devotional time on the deck I was building, making the choice to give their lives to Christ for the first time. I’m not saying it’s wrong to think of the bigger picture of things at all. In fact, it’s very good! But I was missing what was happening right in front of me.

The night before we left the camp, we had a group campfire with the staff. One of the staff members shared how we impacted her greatly through our kindness. I was stunned. I never even thought about impacting them, but God used my daily interactions with them to show His glory, without me even realizing it.

While I was thinking about what might happen in the future, God was working in the here and now. God did awesome things through us while we were there for a short time, and I’m sure there’s a lot more to come through the rest of the summer.

I learned an unexpected lesson in Canada.

God likes to use the little things to show his glory.”

There was no miracle. I wasn’t suddenly cured of my intense fear of public speaking. But I did what terrifies me. I may never know what came from telling this story, but I know God likes to use the small things. Now when I have my nose in concerns of myself, I can be reminded to look around to find God waving his arms and saying, “Hey, I’m working over here! Come join me!”

Like public speaking. Gulp.

Vote for me!

2010-07-08T11:45:00.006-04:00

Here is reminder of my outfits for the week:

Vote for me! Go to Natasha's blog and leave a comment that I was your favorite! {That is, if I was. Don't lie for me. hahaha}

NEW!

Now select "Miss Sarah" on the poll, along with two other ladies if you wish!

UPDATE: Voting is now closed.

Shout It! Day 7 Entry

2010-07-07T13:10:00.001-04:00

It's the last day of the online modest fashion show. Boohoo!!! :'( It's been a lot of fun!

For my last entry...I call this my free-spirted look ;D

I envy those of you who have wavy hair that actually looks good naturally. My bottom layer is wavy and my top layer is straight. So it looks kinda weird. I either have to straighten underneath, or curl the top layer. But since mechanical heat curls don't stay in my hair, I had to find another option. I found the Newave Curl Easy Pro Brush. It's easy and stays all day! {end infomercial} LOL

It looks a little funny in this one because the wind is blowing it forward, but oh well. haha =]

Back to my outfit...

Top: JCPenny

Boyfriend jeans rolled up: Old Navy

Shoes: Walmart (wore these earlier this week)

Shout It! Day 6 Entry

2010-07-06T15:11:00.001-04:00

Two more days of Natasha's Online Modest Fashion Show! There's still time to enter twice to win!

This is my outfit for today...

I don't think I'll be wearing the sweater though, since it's sweltering in the 90's. Even the breeze feels hot!

Top: Forever 21

Jacket: Maurice's

Necklace: My other grandma's =]

Shorts: Kohls

Flip flops: Target

Shout It! Day 5 Entry

2010-07-05T14:16:00.001-04:00

It's so hot out today!!! I'm sweating just standing outside! I definitely won't be wearing these boots for the rest of the day. I'm thinking barefoot. =]

MY OUTFIT:

Top: Forever 21

Necklace: my grandma's

Bracelet: I made it =]

Skirt: Kohls

Boots: Walmart

Shout It! Day 4 Entry

2010-07-04T13:51:00.003-04:00

It's not too late to enter Natasha's Online Modest Fashion Show! To qualify for the prizes, you need at least two outfit entries, and there are 4 days left!

My Sunday outfit:

Top: Target

Skirt: Old Navy

Shoes: Journeys

Happy 4th!

"God bless the WHOLE WORLD. No exceptions." =]

Shout It! Day 3 Entry

2010-07-03T14:41:00.001-04:00

This is what I'm wearing today:

I ♥ my shortsleeve with a hood. It's kind useless, though, because if you're wearing a shortsleeve, you don't really need a hood. Oh, well. It's just fun for pictures like this. =]

MY OUTFIT

Top: Kohls

Bottoms: Kohls

Shoes: Payless

I don't know about you, but I personally dislike it how modesty and fashion are so often separated. You can either be modest, or be in fashion. The media likes to glamorize fashion as showing off your body. But I believe you can be modest and fashionable at the same time! In fact, I think being modest is a fashion statement in itself. When you choose to be modest, it's like breaking away from the pack and setting the standard for the people around you. When you dress modest, you show respect to yourself, others, and God and the body he gave you for only one man (your husband/future husband) to see.

Here are some of my favorite fashion bloggers who make modesty look fashionable!

I adore Elaine at Clothed Much. One day, I hope to be as stylish as she is! (Along over a thousand other people!)

I know of a lot of women who believe in only wearing skirts, but rarely are they fashionable. Nina at AllTumbleDown is one of the few ladies who can make that look stylish!

Who are YOUR favorite modest fashion bloggers?

Shout It! Day 2 Entry

2010-07-02T16:21:00.000-04:00

Today's look is a little more casual...

I'm starting to think my cat just loves the camera!

But I love him anyway. =]

MY OUTFIT

Top - Target

Bottoms - Walmart (yes, THE walmart. You can find SOME cute stuff there!)

Shoes: Walmart (again!)

Sunglasses: Dollar General (SCORE!)

Shout It! Day 1 Entry

2010-07-01T15:44:00.002-04:00

I'm participating in Natasha Atkerson's Online Modest Fashion Show, and you can too! Head over to her blog for details. Here is my entry for today:

My cat likes my skirt. More for the shade than anything. But hey, at least he hides from the sun in style!

My shoes, since you couldn't see them well in the first picture.

MY OUTFIT

Top: Target

Skirt: Charlotte Russe

Shoes: Target (love that store!)

New URL...please take note!

2010-06-28T10:20:00.003-04:00

Hey, readers! What do you think of my new blog look? Either late June 30th or early July 1st, I'm changing my URL to http://sarahattruegold.blogspot.com/. I'm pretty sure it would keep all my followers, but if you don't follow me and come directly to my blog, take note of the change.

July 1 - 7, I'll be competing in Natasha Atkerson's Modest Fashion Show, so you'll see a lot of outfit posts that week.

Have a great week!
Sarah

♥

Update: New URL is now active!!!

Name change?

2010-06-17T16:02:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking about changing my blog's title for a while. Since it contains the word "wit" and I'm not really funny in my writing style (it's okay to think so too, I know that's not the area God has gifted me in. I'm not offended!) Here's what I'm thinking. Let me know if you think it's dumb or brilliant. =]

True Gold
All that glitters is not gold. God is the only True Gold. In fact, he's better than gold.

Meaning things may look good but they're not always what they look to be. The only truly good thing is God, and nothing is good without him.

Yay or nay?

Early Saturday morning (WAY too early!), I'll be leaving to go to Canada on a service trip with my youth group, so I might not get the comments until I get back from there. You can pray that we will...

• be open to where God is working

• be willing to do the work that needs to be done

• realize service is to become more like Christ, taking on His humble attitude He modeled while He was on earth.

• realize when we serve people, we are also serving God. "…anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me." Matthew 25:40

• let it help us become a better person and experience things that may be beneficial in the future.

• see that though the situation may not glorify me, it brings God glory and paves a way for Him to change the lives of people. Because I would want someone to do the same for me if I needed to be served. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

One more thing, (since I'm getting pretty random in this post anyway) Shannon, my writing mentor, is doing an online Bible study this summer on Leah, so check it out, and leave her a comment so she knows you're participating!

♥

A blog worth checking out...

2010-06-04T13:43:00.002-04:00

Hey, everybody! Check out my sister's blog! She is working to become a professional photographer and is blogging her journey. Here are some of the pictures she took so far.

Go to http://seasonphotographybyem.blogspot.com/ to see more!

AND we did a photoshoot of YOURS TRULY this morning, so check back for those soon!!!

Dear Future Guy

2010-05-27T08:33:00.003-04:00

Katelyn drew her legs up in her favorite chair and tapped the pencil on her notepad. The words flowed into her mind and she transferred them onto paper…

May 10, 2010

Dear Future Husband,

It feels kind of weird writing to you when I don’t even know you. But I know you’re out there. Somewhere. I’m writing because I want you to know I’m praying for you. To grow in the Lord everyday and become a strong man of God. I’m also writing to make a pledge of purity to you, God, and myself. Not only sexually, but also emotionally. I pray that you’ll be able to resist temptations and stay pure for me, like I am for you. With God’s help, I will do everything I can to stay pure. I promise myself to only you. Forever.

With love, Katelyn

Years later, Katelyn dug out the letter from inside her journal. Could the guy she just went out with be the one she’d give this letter? She smiled, remembering the time they had together and re-read the letter, reminding herself of her pledge to purity. To guard her heart and not give it away, no matter what.

In a few months, Katelyn climbed into bed and grabbed her journal and pulled the letter out. Disappointment and regret clouded her thoughts...

Continue reading at http://realteenfaith.com/2010/05/27/3070/

♥

I Graduated!

2010-05-04T07:00:00.009-04:00

(pictures courtesy of my sister and my mom's friend, Jean)

The cake!

Beautiful table setting

Mmmmm....mints =]

My life in a picture timeline

Me at the display table

A hug from daddy =]

Me with the diploma and my family ♥

Mom giving her lovely speech

FOOD! Begin the party!

SO...summer is usually a really busy time of year for me. Then, in August, I'll be attending cosmetology school. I've decided not to write on a regular schedule anymore, but I hope to post some things every once and a while. Hope to see you back when I do! Until then, visit http://modstylelounge.blogspot.com/, where I blog every three weeks =]

SECURE Acronym by Beth Moore

2010-04-27T05:00:00.003-04:00

Saturday, I went to see a Beth Moore Simulcast at my church. She talked about her book “So Long, Insecurity”, and how to be a woman secure in Christ and in the world around her.

A secure woman is…

Saved from herself – I have nothing to gain from my insecurity. It will never improve anything. Insecurity is not humility, it is selfishness. When I choose to be a secure woman, I don’t have to be obsessed about what others think of me and can think of myself less often.

Entitled to truth – Insecurity is not a weakness, it is unbelief. The truth is God doesn’t make mistakes. He made me the way I am and thinks I am beautiful. I am wonderful in his eyes.

Clothed with intention – I must choose to be secure every day in every situation, even if I don’t feel secure. I can’t just wait to feel secure because it will never happen.

Upended by grace – Grace is forgiveness. Insecurity causes me to be easily offended and not want to forgive. But grace is something that I can give away yet still keep it for myself. I don’t have to worry about Jesus not giving me grace when I give it away.

Rebounded by love – I am the girl that Jesus loves dearly and unfailingly. Just like grace, love from Jesus Christ will overflow and I can give freely, even (or especially) to those who don’t love me.

Exceptional in life – A secure woman will stand out and people will notice.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

Not here this week...

2010-04-20T08:03:00.002-04:00

Hey, everybody! Check my other blog, http://modstylelounge.blogspot.com/, to find me this week. We'll be exploring fashion icons of the past decades. So head on over and check it out!

God bless!
Sarah ♥

Guard Your Heart

2010-04-13T05:00:00.003-04:00

Growing up, I’ve always heard that sexual purity is important. But lately, I’ve been hearing how it’s just as important to save your emotional purity as well.

Emotional purity? What on earth is that? I assumed it was much like sexual purity, but in this case, keeping my emotions pure for the man I’ll marry. But how do I do that?

So I asked my friend, who has a lot more experience than I do with the ups and downs of relationships what she thought emotional purity meant.

“When I start any kind of relationship with a guy,” she told me, “whether it’s dating or “just friends”, it’s my goal stay emotionally pure. This means I’ll only let him have a little corner of my heart and I’ll still have the rest of it. That way, if this guy ends up leaving me, the part he took with him can still grow back.”

I nodded at the visual. “That makes sense…” I said slowly, “but especially if I’m dating a guy, I’d want him to know I like him, too. It just sounds like I can’t show him any emotion.”

“There’s a fine line between showing emotion and becoming emotionally involved,” she explained. “Emotional involvement starts when I’m changing who I am for him. Basically what I do is stay true to myself and take small, cautious steps forward, still guarding my heart, the more serious we get. That way, I’m not giving so many huge pieces away to other guys that I hardly have anything left to give the guy I’ll marry on our wedding day.”

I trust my friend. She’s a strong Christian and what she told me sounded legit. But I always test things against the Word of God, because the world is wild as a jungle and Satan is a prowling lion. I came upon this verse, Proverbs 4:23, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

If I don’t guard my heart, I will never know what God has in store for me. Losing my heart to a guy will re-direct my life’s course, because I will have planned my whole life around him. I need to let God keep my heart, and not let anyone have it until He allows me to give a large piece of it to the man I will have a God-centered marriage with.

In what ways are you guarding your heart?

Already compromised your purity? Talk to God about it; only He can make your heart whole again.

Little Blessings

2010-04-06T05:00:00.002-04:00

This week, God gave me five little blessings. Kittens that is.

Momma peacefully with her babies (can you find all five?)

How has God blessed you this week in the little things?

My Grandpa

2010-03-30T05:00:00.004-04:00

I did this interview with my grandpa for a Christian Writer's Guild assignment. Hope you enjoy his story!

Shuffling though the pile of mail on the table, Delmer spotted an envelope with the words “Selective Service” printed across the front. A sigh slipped between his lips. This was the second time he’d received a draft letter from the military. If only the draft would’ve been just a few months later, then he’d be too old to get drafted. Last time he received a draft letter during World War II, he wasn’t able to go because work had to be done on the farm. But this time was the Korean War, and he would have to go. Delmer ran his hands through his hair. He signed as a Conscientious Objector (CO), so at least he wouldn’t be fighting. But it was a still task he wished not to do.

He settled himself into the chair to contemplate what would come next. As a Mennonite, it was against his beliefs to fight in wars. Mennonite pacifists believe God called Christians to be peacemakers, (Matt. 5:9) making peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). Jesus said, “For all who draw the sword, will die by the sword.” (Matt. 26:52) While not judging other Christians who join the army, pacifists believe war is inconsistent with Jesus’ way of peace. “I don’t believe in killing.” Delmer said when asked about his anti-war beliefs. “I was brought up that way. It’s wrong to kill.” So his only choice was the alternative, joining a program called 1-W.

In World War II, the government gave COs an alternative to joining the military against their beliefs, by having them work instead of fighting. After World War II, the 1-W program was developed by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). 1-W was the classification for people who did peace-work instead of going to war. They did numerous kinds of work, such as hospital work or fighting forest fires. Some did work for the government. “Instead of fighting and killing people,” says Delmer, “you were helping people.”

Many people in his community didn’t appreciate that Delmer wasn’t serving with the armed forces. Some people made fun of him because they couldn’t respect or understand his decision. “…I had to expect that anyway to start with, so it didn’t bother me.” He said. “I didn’t like to hear it, but there was nothing you could do about it.”

Delmer and his younger brother Ivan, both Conscientious Objectors, planned to go to Vermont together, along with a group of COs from the area, to do hospital work. But weeks before they would leave, a tragedy struck. Ivan was killed in a car accident at the corner near their home. “He was unconscious for two weeks before he died.” Delmer says. Because of his brother’s death, Delmer took the lonely trip to Vermont alone about a month after the area COs already left.

Once there, Delmer worked in a mental hospital, feeding and taking care of the patients, making beds, and cleaning the floors. He worked with the infirmities; the older patients. “I enjoyed it. It was kind of fun.” Delmer grinned. “They had their good days and their bad days like we do. But…I really enjoyed the work.”

He lived at the hospital, sleeping there at night and working there eight hours a day. “When we first started we worked twelve hours a day. “Those were pretty long days, but then…about eight months to a year later, they changed it to eight-hour days. After that, you had a lot of time on your own.” In their free time, the COs at the mental hospital would go skiing, paint picture by numbers, or hang out around town.

Delmer stayed positive and actually enjoyed his job, “It was something I had to do, I might as well enjoy it than find fault with it.”

However, the unpleasant task of disposing bodies of deceased patients was one thing he did not particularly enjoy. “[Since] I was with the infirmities….usually when they were [at that hospital], they died. So we had to take them down to the morgue in the basement.”

Delmer learned valuable life lessons while he was away from home, such as cherishing every moment, standing for his beliefs, and caring for others. But the most important lesson he learned was to trust in God. He found himself leaning on the Lord for strength to get though each day.

Two years later, Delmer was home but home was a lot different than when he left. “It was a rat race around here when I came back compared to when I was out in Vermont.” explains Delmer. “Everybody was busy, busy, busy.” Delmer was different as well. He was a stronger Christian and person. He overcame uncertainty, tragedy, adversity, and maintained a positive attitude though it all. This experience shaped my Grandpa to become the man he is today: the best grandfather I could ever ask for.

Why I want to go to She Speaks Conference ‘10

2010-03-21T15:18:00.013-04:00

I scrolled down the page to find my Christian Writers' Guild mentor’s critique. The underlined red font read:

Sarah,
You are very creative and you have FABULOUS ideas that would make most novelists jealous.

My heart soared and a smile pulled at the corner of my lips. I could be a novelist! All my stories hidden away on my computer could be published one day. With new found confidence, I wrote a few short stories and entered them in contests. But the questions still circled my head, “Are my ideas really good enough? Is my writing good enough?”

My mom heard about a devotion writing contest where the prize for winning was a scholarship to She Speaks, a writer & speaker conference. A devotion writing contest. Not a short story contest, or even any kind of fiction for that matter. Non-fiction devotions. Which I was sure I could never be good at. I thrived on the fiction lessons in my Christian Writer’s Guild, and barely limped through the non-fiction (especially poetry, but that’s a story for another day).

I prayed continuously about it, and strongly felt like I was supposed to enter this contest. I wrote a devotion and entered it, not expecting to win (you can read more about that experience here). When I got the phone call letting me know I’d won, I knew writing was what God wanted me to do.

The She Speaks Conference was an incredible opportunity for learning and becoming a better writer. It was a great platform for me as an author and God gave me numerous writing opportunities with some of the acquaintances I made, such as writing for realteenfaith.com and radrevolution.blogspot.com, and starting a blog with some girls I roomed with. I knew I wanted to go back the next year as soon as I left.

To be honest, I have no idea where I would get the money this year, and if I wait, it would be two years before I could possibly go back again, because of college and the financial situation it would create. Does God want me to go back again? I’m not sure. I’m still waiting for that question to be answered.

(this will be linked to the post on Monday at http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/2010/03/she-speaks-scholarship-contest.html in hopes to win another scholarship!)

Dream the Impossible

2010-03-16T05:00:00.004-04:00

“You’ll never be able to do that.”

“That’s impossible.”

“You can’t expect God to do everything. He has better things to do.”

Ever heard those statements? I have. Why do we limit God like that? In reality, He has an unlimited amount of time and can be everywhere at once. He cares about every little detail in each of our lives. I love how Luke 1:37 simply states: “Nothing is impossible for God!”

My writing mentor has often told me to “Dream big. God Does!” I’ve passed that bit of wisdom on to a lot of different people. God delights in doing the impossible. He loves setting himself up just to show what He can do. And He can do anything He wants. He does more than we ask of Him. Maybe in ways we don’t recognize at first, but it always brings glory to Him in the end, and that’s what we’re made for. God always answers prayers.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20

So there are my quick thoughts for the day. Don’t be afraid to dream the impossible.

We Are

2010-03-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

Another song by me :)

The gravel under my feet
Before me I see
A million miles of desert land, sand blowing in my face
I can see the sun
I’ve seen it for days
But I know it guides me to what I’ve been searching for

And all this time
I know you’re before me, yet you’re right beside me
So I follow the sun
And know that in the end I’ll reach what I’ve been pushing for

We are the ones, who walk this land
While they’re all sleeping
We are the ones, who know the way
While they’re all seeking

Don’t close your eyes
Don’t fall asleep
But know if you do
I’ll be here to hold you
I'll be right here
Always...

We are the ones, who walk this land
While they’re all sleeping
We are the ones, who know the way
While they’re all seeking

We are...
We are...
We are the ones who know the way...

God – Author of Romantic Suspense

2010-03-02T05:00:00.005-05:00

I am currently in a book study group and lately we’ve been talking about guys and dating. I had the chance to show them my future guy must-haves list and tell them about my standards of purity. When I was in eighth grade, not only did I make the pledge to God and myself and my future husband to stay sexually pure until marriage, I also felt led to promise to God that I would not date through high school. I had no idea why, but I just had a peace in my heart about the choice and felt it was better for me for some reason.

Now I can really see why. Most high school sweethearts don’t end up together. When I made my list, I decided I was not going to date anyone who didn’t match up. That means I’d only date a guy who I’m thinking about marrying. We talked a little about emotional attachment and planning your life around the guy once you start college (I have something coming up about this in the future), which is another downfall of dating in high school.

That’s not to say I haven’t been wishing I could just know this guy right now. But it drives me bonkers when girls talk about settling for less. Because they can’t wait for Mr. Right. Because they’re afraid he doesn’t exist.

But the thing is, I totally understand. I’ve often times wondered how long I’ll be single, and I can’t lie, I’ve worried about never getting married. It’s just how girls are created. Even at the beginning of time, God made Eve for Adam. We feel like we need a boyfriend by nature. We need to feel loved.

I’m at a point in my life where God is bringing me to a peace about my temporary singleness. He’s let me know that I’m not yet ready for a boyfriend. He wants me to learn to fully trust in Him and let Him have my whole heart before He allows me to give a piece of it to that guy.

But being content with my singleness does not mean I don’t wish I had a boyfriend. It’s just knowing that God has given me everything I need for right now. Some days it’s really hard and it feels like God is moving so slow. I like to say God’s love story for my life is a romantic suspense. He’s putting me in suspense as I wait for the beautiful romance he’s planned for me. And the suspense always makes for a great story and a worthy reward in the end.

2 things...

2010-02-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hey, everybody!

I was privileged to have the chance to interview Betsy St. Amant, Christian fiction author with Steeple Hill. Check out the interview over at Real Teen Faith: http://realteenfaith.com/2010/02/24/real-interview-betsy-st-amant/

I was also featured it a post at RadRevolution.org. Check it out! http://radrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/02/brave.html

Have a great day and a lovely weekend! ♥

Happy Birthday, Toby!

2010-02-23T05:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday my beloved dog, Toby, turned 10-years-old! I can't believe it's been a decade with him already! I love him so much, I'm dedicating this post to him with pictures instead of words, in the true spirit of how animals communicate love.

{He'll never admit he likes our cats...;)}

{For some reason that alludes me, he doesn't like looking at the camera. So we have a lot of pictures with our hands in it like this one :)}

{Me and Tobs. Happy Birthday! ♥}

Take A Stand

2010-02-16T05:00:00.002-05:00

Remember Cassidy Ladd from the Just Walk Across the Room skit series? Well, she's back with an amazing story on how she took a stand for what she knew was right!

the story of Cassidy Ladd as told to RTF Staff Writer Sarah Rupp

Cassidy pressed the eraser of her pencil to her lips and stared at the form for the school play. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare” lined the top of the page in big, bold lettering, and three questions followed. Checks marked the page beside the other two, but the third question had Cassidy stumped: “Do you mind kissing on stage?”

Her mind took her back to the day when she was sitting in her car and felt God leading her not to kiss until her wedding day. “To be honest, the idea just came out of the blue,” Cassidy says. “I’d never heard of anyone else doing it before. It was definitely God-led!” So Cassidy made a promise to God that she would save her first kiss for marriage.

But in that moment, staring at that piece of paper, it was one of the hardest decisions she had made. Cassidy enjoyed acting and was hoping for a lead role in this year’s play. She knew by saying no, she would not get the lead part.

She hesitated before slowly lowering her pencil to mark a check beside the word “no,” and explained her motive on the line asking why not.

“My heart really broke when I wrote that I wouldn’t kiss, [since A Midsummer Night’s Dream] was about love.” Cassidy says. “I was completely crushed because I didn’t think I’d get the part.”

To find out what happens to Cassidy, go to http://realteenfaith.com/2010/02/15/real-story-take-a-stand/.

My Father

2010-02-09T05:00:00.002-05:00

Tiny warm fingers curled around mine. I looked down to find Allie looking up at me with her big blue eyes. “I want my daddy. Can you help me find him?”

I smiled. “Sure.” At that, Allie took the lead to the door, leaving the nursery and the other childcare workers. The empty halls indicated the meeting must be over, and Allie’s dad would be somewhere around here.

Allie skipped ahead, blonde curls bouncing as she searched for her father. Still holding her hand, I struggled to keep up with her. I would not be seen running through the halls of a public building!

But eventually, Allie’s pace began to slow. Then it slowed some more. Soon, we were side by side once again. “Getting tired, Allie?”

Allie stopped and looked at me, her tiny eyebrows knit together and her eyes filling with tears. “Where is my daddy? I can’t find him!”

I knelt down putting my hands on her shoulders and assured her. “We’ll find him.”

She started ahead of me again, but this time, her pace was slow, she drug her feet and her head hung, her shoulders slouched in defeat. “We’ll never find him. What if he’s not here?”

To read the rest of this article, go to http://realteenfaith.com/2010/02/03/real-devo-my-father/

A Favorite Dress

2010-02-02T05:00:00.003-05:00

What was your favorite article of clothing when you were a child?

I’m going to throw out a lucky guess that you answered a dress of some sort.

It was mine, too. Just the feeling of twirling around, making the skirt flow, the freedom I felt and the way it made me want to dance. But most of all, it made me feel beautiful.

But what if you didn’t have that dress? What if you never experienced that feeling of being carefree and beautiful?

In some third-world countries, the little girls don’t know the feeling of having a favorite dress. They are lucky to have more than one outfit, not to mention a pretty dress to twirl in.

Now…

Imagine a world where every little girl owned at least one dress. What if that dress were made by you?

That’s the motto of Dress a Girl Around The World, an affiliate of Hope 4 Women International. All you need to give a little girl a favorite dress is a slight knowledge of sewing, bias tape, and a pillowcase. Yes, that’s right, what you use to cover your pillows can be a dress for a little girl in poverty.

On the site, you’ll find patterns and instructions to make a pillowcase dress. It’s easy, inexpensive, and a great way to help out!

Look at these precious faces of some girls who now have a favorite dress thanks to this organization:

Want to help out some little girls around the world? Go to http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/

White As Snow

2010-01-26T05:00:00.001-05:00

I love snow. I may seem weird to you, but I always say if it’s going to be cold, it should at least snow! Snow makes the cold more enjoyable. I love the thought of God reaching into his bag of powdery white snow and sprinkling it onto the world, decorating the trees and the rooftops of houses, and dusting the ground.

Sometimes God tosses snow onto the world, and sometimes he dumps the whole bag. When this happens, everything becomes white, covering any other color.

Isaiah 1:18 says: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

I attended a webinar last Thursday where the speaker talked about the significance of colors in writing. Scarlet and crimson, variations of red, symbolize anger, pain, and danger. Our sins are evil. Yet somehow I seem to think my sins are not as “red” as those people around me.

“Mine are more…pink. Or puce.” I might find myself saying. “Definitely not as red as him and her. So I must be okay.”

But Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…” This means in God’s eyes, every sin is the same. It all ends with the same punishment. Eternal death. It’s such a strange concept to wrap our heads around. In our world, you get more time in jail for murder or kidnapping than you do for stealing from a department store. Or as a child, you’d be likely to get more punishment for hitting your younger sibling than you would for disobeying your parents by not finishing a chore. To us, all sins are not the same. But to God, they are.

When we do something we know is wrong, but the world tells us it’s not that bad, God tells us that “little white lie” we told the other day is equal with the sins of every other sinner. We’re equal with the murderer. We are equal with the kidnapper. We are equal with the rapist or prostitute. We’re equal with the shoplifter. Even if we don’t think it’s that bad. I don’t know about you, but that really makes me think twice about feeling more righteous than those “bad people”. Because how God sees it, all sins are equal, and all sins He will equally forgive. The rest of Romans 6:23 continues, “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Not matter how bad you mess up, God is waiting there to bring you back with open arms, and make your crimson sins white as snow.

RTF Devo

2010-01-18T05:00:00.003-05:00

Sirens sound outside my house. I rise from my chair to look, but before I reach the window, a bullhorn squeals and I stop in my tracks. “This is the police,” says a gruff voice, “Come out of the house with your hands in the air and throw down any weapons.”

I frown, but turn to the front door and do as the man says. After all, you need to obey a police officer, especially if you haven’t done anything wrong, right?

When I open the door, my heart flutters in my chest as I see about twenty guns pointing in my direction. “What’s this all about?” I step out onto the porch with my hands up, trying to figure out what was happening. Maybe they just have the wrong address.

Two officers grab me and lock my wrists in handcuffs. “Hey, ouch! Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” I ask again. The officer looks at me funny, like I should know what this is about, then recites my rights. My mind swirls like alphabet soup and I can’t put the letters together to make any sense.

After he finishes and asks me if I want to give up my rights, I say, “There must have been a mistake. I didn’t do anything illegal.”

“Tell it to the judge.” He says as he hauls me into the police car. “We’re taking you straight to court.” He slams the door and gets in the drivers seat in front of me.

Straight to court? I never heard of such a thing! “Who’s my attorney? Can’t I make some calls?” I shout though the net separating me from the officer. “You don’t even know if I’m guilty!”

The officer concentrates on the street ahead, blatantly ignoring me. I must be dreaming. This could never happen in real life. Too bad I’m handcuffed and can’t pinch myself. That always works in cartoons.

To read the rest of this article go to http://realteenfaith.com/2010/01/14/real-devo-the-killer/

And after you finish, don't forget to read Part 2!

When To Say "No".

2010-01-11T05:00:00.010-05:00

I can’t tell you how relaxed I felt that I didn’t have to worry about posting for Thursday. When Monday came around I was calm and ready to post. It wasn’t easy cutting back on posting at first, but I’m glad I did it now. That made me wonder; why is it so hard to say no? Not necessarily just to bad things, but even some good things.

About a month ago, I had an opportunity to write some Christmas monologues for my church. I knew I didn’t have any time (which was one of the reasons I cut back on posting), so I prayed about it and didn’t specially feel God leading either direction, so, after talking it over with many people I respect, I said “no”. It was hard, because church is a good thing, and what if God sent this opportunity my way for a reason and I turned it down? It’s so easy to say no if you know it’s wrong, but this wasn’t.

A couple weeks later, one of my pastors told me that since I turned down the opportunity, things were headed in a direction that may be even better, and reminded me it was okay to say no to some things when responding in obedience to God.

Recently I came upon this verse, Mark 1:35-38: “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ But Jesus replied, ‘We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.’”

I realized even Jesus said no to things that weren’t necessarily bad. And if Jesus couldn’t do everything, I certainly can’t. In fact, what they wanted him to do was good. They wanted Jesus to preach to them again, but he turned them down, because he had other things to do. According to God, who he was just spending time with, something even more important. So Jesus didn’t want to fill his schedule so full, that he would miss God and what He wanted him to do. He made time to be with God, and said no to some good things in order to make room for the more important things.

With the fast pace and the busy schedule of our lives, sometimes we tend to miss God and those more important things He wants us to spend time on. But how do you know what the “more important things” are? By spending time with God and His word, you’ll grow to be in synch with His will. This can take time. Pray about every decision. An easy way to measure importance is to ask if it puts God, then family, then friends in front of yourself. When God is first and you are last, everything falls into place.

What is God asking you to give up to make more time for Him? Like Jesus walked away from the people in the town for different people in another town, when have you walked away from a good thing for a more important thing?

New Posting Schedule

2010-01-04T05:00:00.002-05:00

From now on, I’ll only be posting on Mondays, instead of twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. The reason for this is that I’ve been so busy with my blog, I haven’t had much time for any other writing. I’m currently writing what I hope to be a novel, and I’m writing a few devotionals a month for RealTeenFaith.com. If I try to fit any other writing in that mix, I end up getting overwhelmed.

So I decided that blogging a little less would give me more time to write in my novel and more time to concentrate on writing RTF devotionals when I need to. Then when God blesses me with another writing opportunity, I’ll have more time to fit it in.

Yesterday, my pastor preached on “slowing down” and taking time to just be with God. He likes to say that’s why God called us human “beings” and not human “doings”. But so often I like to try to do things for God instead of just sitting at the feet of Jesus like Mary in the story of Mary and Martha. Serving God is great, but God cares more about having a personal relationship with me.

While I serve God with my writing, using the gift He gave me for His glory, I feel God wants me to “be still and know that He is God” more, too. (Psalm 46:10) If I cram my schedule so full of stuff, I won’t have any time for the important things, or the ultimate important thing, which is God, and a relationship with him on a personal level.

I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas season and a wonderful New Year!

Mary's Travel Journal

2009-12-21T05:00:00.002-05:00

Day 1

Traveling on a bumpy dirt road on a donkey. Really? A donkey? At least my new husband was thoughtful enough that I don’t have to walk. My back already hurts from the baby inside. I’m not sure which is worse, riding or walking. If I ride – wait – let me back up a little, explain why I’m traveling and most importantly, why I’m pregnant.

It started when I was doing my chores and a strange man came up to me. He told me he was an angel from the Lord and God wanted me to carry his son. This really confused me at first. God wanted me pregnant? I wasn’t even married! I was engaged to my husband Joseph at the time. In my culture, it’s a shameful thing to be pregnant when you’re not married. But I was raised to say yes when the Lord asks. So I did.

Then our land’s ruler had this plan to make everybody return to their hometowns to be counted. Yes, the ruler is a man. He obviously didn’t think of pregnant women like me. I tell you, someday they need to think up a better way to travel.

To read what else Mary wrote in her travel journal, head over to RealTeenFaith.com!

My Short Story Continued

2009-12-17T05:00:00.002-05:00

(If you missed the first part of the story, click here to read)

A New Friend
Walking to the door of the hospital from the handicap parking lot was like a déjà vu feeling the same every time. The automatic doors slid open to welcome Kaylee and her mom. Kaylee felt like a robot, going to the receptionist’s desk and stating her name, like she did every time she came. She took the seat beside her mom, who was scanning through a magazine.

“Nora!” someone called to Kaylee’s mom. Mom looked up and waved at the woman who had called her name. She turned to Kaylee. “I’m going to go over and talk to Lynette. If you get called back, you can go by yourself, right?”

Kaylee sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, mom.” Sometimes it seemed like she forgot that Kaylee was 16 and could take care of herself.

The automatic doors swished and whined as they opened and closed once again. Kaylee glanced over and spotted a woman, probably in her 50s or 60s wearing dark sunglasses and walking a black dog with a vest that said “Working dog, do not pet.” She went to the receptionist’s desk and waited for assistance.

“May I help you?” the receptionist said.

“Yes, I’m here for my check-up. Mary Walters.”

“OK, Mary. Have a seat, and the doctor will be with you shortly.”

The woman turned, and her dog guided her to the seat beside Kaylee.

“Hello,” she said, settling herself into the seat,. “How are you, today?”

“I’m good, and you?” Kaylee made an attempt to be friendly.

“Fine,” Mary smiled brightly. “It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?

“Yes.” Kaylee answered, but she knew the woman was blind and couldn’t really see the lovely day.

“You have a cute dog,” Kaylee commented.

“Yes, Lacie,” The dog perked one of her silky, jet-black ears at hearing her name, but she stayed lying down with her nose on her paws. “She’s been good to me.”

“How long have you had her?”

“Oh, about three years now,” Mary said, reaching down to pet Lacie. “I’m sure glad I got her. I almost didn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Well, I became blind about a decade ago. A few years back, my son decided I needed some extra help getting around. And I said, ‘No, I can get around just fine with my trusty cane.’ Mary laughed, a contagious laugh. “Stubborn old woman I was.”

Lacie shifted and laid her head on her owner’s shoes like a pillow. Mary sat back and continued, “He had the idea of getting me a guide dog. I have to admit, I scoffed at the idea at first. But the minute I met Lacie, I knew this would work out just fine, though it took me a while to learn to trust Lacie.

“Don’t get me wrong. Lacie always knows where to go, but because I can’t see, sometimes it’s hard to trust her. I can’t see her, and I can’t see where I’m going. But I can feel her, and I know she’s there. I need to let her lead me if I want to get somewhere safely. She’s saved me many times from crossing a busy street. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

New Perspective
Mary reached down to pet her dog, who still lay at her feet. Kaylee smiled inwardly at their connection. If only she had someone to lead her though life like Mary had in Lacie.

Kaylee stopped short at the thought. When had she abandoned God? It now became clear to her that He’d never abandoned her, she’d just given up on Him. Kaylee knew she needed to learn to let God lead her, and trust Him as Mary had done with her guide dog. Not demand Him for an answer and then try to do her own thing.

A nurse peeked her head out the door that lead to examination rooms. “Mary Walters?”

Mary began to get up, and right away Lacie got up too, loyally by Mary’s side in an instant, ready to lead her.

Kaylee leaned forward and watched them leave. Then, closing her eyes and propping her elbows on her knees, she folded her hands and prayed. Sure, it may be hard at times to trust God’s lead, but it would be worth it. So worth it.

My Short Story

2009-12-14T05:00:00.003-05:00

This story appeared on the website of Susie Magazine:

Learn To Trust
fiction by Sarah Rupp

Kaylee patted her finger in the small jar of concealer once more and dabbed under her eyes, trying to cover up the purplish-colored circles. She stepped away from the mirror and looked at herself. Even with her brand-new blond wig, which was a fun contrast from her normal dark brown, she was sure everyone would notice that she didn’t have eyebrows. Eye shadow or lip-gloss couldn’t make her look any better, so Kaylee didn’t even try. Her collarbones bulged under her pale skin and her cheeks and eyes were sunken.

“I’m so sorry, Kaylee has leukemia.” The doctor’s words echoed in her mind so clearly it was like it just happened yesterday, even though it had been six months since the diagnosis. Dad hugged her close to his chest and Mom stroked her arm in the lonely doctor’s office.

But Kaylee didn’t cry. She was too shocked to feel anything. Later, that night when Dad and Mom were asleep and Kaylee was alone in her room, she hugged her knees to her chest and sobbed until it hurt to cry any more.

Everything Is Different
Now nothing was the same. Nauseous, tired and bored, she found nothing better to do day after day than watch the chemo drugs drip one drop at a time through the thin tube inserted into her arm from the bag hanging over her head. The chemo drugs made her lose her precious hair and feel sick and weak. When undergoing the gruesome treatments, Kaylee wished she could slip out of her body and run straight out those hospital doors and be anywhere else but there. Why had God allowed her to go through this?

I’m so ugly, she thought as she glared at herself in the mirror. Sighing, she straightened and smiled at her reflection. This is as good as it’s gonna get. Be happy you’re home. At least you’re not puking up everything you eat, like during treatments.

“Kaylee, are you ready to go?” her mom called up the stairs, breaking into her thoughts.

“Almost, Mom!” Kaylee called back. She wished she wasn’t almost ready. She didn’t look forward to going back to the doctor, even if this was just her monthly checkup.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, her mom was waiting for her with the car keys, ready to go. Kaylee stuck out her bottom lip at Mom. “I don’t want to go out like this. I look like an elf monster.”

“A very cute elf monster.” Mom added with a smile, ruffling Kaylee’s fake hair.

Kaylee sighed. “Whatever.”

Mom placed her hands softly on Kaylee’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “You are cute. Honest.”

But Kaylee didn’t really believe her mom. Moms are supposed to say things like that. Tears pooled in Kaylee’s eyes. “I’m so small and sick-looking.”

“This will pass, Honey,” Mom said. But Kaylee saw the tears glistening in her mother’s eyes, too. “You just need to trust God.”

Kaylee didn’t want to say it to Mom, in case she’d worry her, but trusting God was something she questioned now. What kind of God would put her though all this suffering?

Come back on Thursday to read the rest of the story, or you can read it now by signing up at susiemag.com and going to this link: http://www.susiemagazine.com/Blogs/Creative-Corner/December-2009/Creative-Corner-12-11-09.aspx

Straightening the Path

2009-12-10T05:00:00.003-05:00

I had the opportunity of interviewing an incredible, godly young woman, Libbey Eicher. She was diagnosed with scoliosis, a curve of her spine and has been living large in faith ever since. You can read the interview about her journey with scoliosis at Real Teen Faith (Part 1 & Part 2), or follow her at her blog "Straighten the Path for Scoliosis".

A First Time For Everything...

2009-12-03T05:00:00.001-05:00

When I look back, I can see I’ve pretty much been writing for my whole life. I can remember back to my first book at the age of ten, handwritten in colored ink pens in a pink paper notebook, drawings scribbled all over the pages. The writing wasn’t the greatest, but, hey, it was a start.

So what about you? When did you start writing? What was your first piece like?

Book Giveaway Winners!

2009-11-30T05:00:00.006-05:00

I contacted the winners by email. So if you are listed below, check your email!!! :)

Congratulations to Beth Ann of Genuine Beauty! She wins God Called A Girl by Shannon Kubiak Primicerio!

Also congrats to Elin, who wins the other book, Being A Girl Who Leads by Shannon Kubiak Primicerio!

During the month of December, I will kind of be taking a break from my blog. I just need a short break from this so I can focus on other writing projects and things. I will be writing only once a week for the month instead of twice a week until January.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas season!

Thankful Thursday: Thanksgiving Edition

2009-11-26T05:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving, but too often we skip this wonderful holiday to get on to the rush of Christmas. So in honor of this forgotten holiday, I’ll slow down reflect on what I’m thankful for.

Today, I’m thankful for my family.

I’m thankful for my friends.

I’m thankful for people in my life who listen to me.

I’m thankful for a purring cat to bring me peace.

I’m thankful for a playful dog to bring me joy and happiness.

I’m thankful for the ability to express myself through writing.

I’m thankful for the people who support me.

I’m thankful for health.

I’m thankful for a home and bed to rest.

I’m thankful for food to eat.

I’m thankful for love.

I’m thankful for life.

I’m thankful for God, and the relationship I can have with Him through His Son.

I’m thankful for freedom to worship.

See what other people are thankful for this Thursday here.

What are YOU thankful for?

Leah’s Legacy

2009-11-19T05:00:00.010-05:00

My November article for Real Teen Faith

I slouched in my seat, looking at my hands folded in my lap. Glancing over my shoulder, I hoped to see one of my friends walking through the door of the room where my church youth group meets. No such luck. I gripped my chair as I scanned the room, full of unfamiliar faces. Being a freshman is the most awkward time, and I hate it.

My heart raced faster as I spotted Leah, an older girl, coming toward me. I looked away as I tried to calm myself. She wouldn’t talk to me anyway, I thought. She’s a senior. The chair creaked beside me, and I looked up… [Read more at RealTeenFaith.com]

P.S. Check Monday for the next Meg series for those of you who wondered. :)

Also, Check out this interview I did about the Christian Writer’s Guild for Encouraging Words for Writers.

There’s still time to enter for a chance to win a free book! See entry below for details.

Book Giveaway!

2009-11-16T05:00:00.006-05:00

This month, I’m giving away an autographed copy of God Called a Girl by Shannon Kubiak Primicerio. This book is amazing! And what’s better than a great book you could get for free? All you have to do it leave me a comment with your name and email address (ex.: emailaddress (AT) server (DOT) com, to protect you from spammers) and you’re entered! Participants must live in the continental United States. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced at my blog on November 30th, 2009.

Here’s my short teaser of the book to help you decide if you want to enter:

God Called a Girl: How Mary Changed Her World – And You Can Too
Mary was an ordinary girl. A teenager trying to find herself in life, just like you and I. But God had a bigger plan. He wanted to use Mary to change the world. And he has the same plan for you, if you’re only willing to listen and obey. Are you ready to step out and change the world?

But there’s not only one winner. The second lucky winner will receive another autographed book by Shannon: Being a Girl Who Leads, one of three in the “Being a Girl” series.

Annie Blogs.

2009-11-12T05:00:00.007-05:00

Hey everybody! Today I’m over at Annie Blogs! See what she has to say about me!

I met Annie at the She Speaks writer’s conference in North Carolina. My writing mentor, Shannon Primicerio and Annie are good friends, and Shannon introduced me to her. I was fortunate enough to talk to her for a couple of minutes in between seminars. She is a hoot! Annie was kind enough to let me email her with any questions I have about blogging.

So, go check out her blog!

And when you're done, come back here and head over to Real Teen Faith to read my article/interview: "A New Normal".

Just Walk Across The Room Skit Series | Part 5

2009-11-09T05:00:00.003-05:00

The final skit in the series is here!

Hope you liked them!

Watch Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

And while you're online, check out my interview about my fashion and beauty blog over on Shannon Primicerio's blog!

Just Walk Across The Room Skit Series | Part 4

2009-11-02T05:00:00.002-05:00

Finally part 4!

What will happen with Claire and Tracy? Come back next week and find out in the final skit!

Postponed Skits and Understanding God’s Will

2009-10-26T05:00:00.002-04:00

As you may have noticed, skit 4 is not being shown today. Because of illness in the leading actress, the skit has been postponed until next Sunday, when it will be combined with the last skit.

When I got the phone call Saturday evening that Cassidy, or “Tracy” was sick, I was devastated. I so looked forward to seeing yet another piece of my writing come to life. I wondered what God was trying to accomplish in this.

God does all things to bring glory to Himself. How could postponing the skit bring Him glory? Every Sunday, the skits went so well with the message, almost echoing what the pastor preached in his or her sermon. It could only be God. So what is He doing now?

As a human, it frustrates me how I’ll never understand what God does and why. I may never find out what He is doing in this, but I just need to trust it’s for my own good and His Glory. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What an amazing promise! In every single situation I don’t understand, God is creating opportunities, opening doors, all because I love Him and am obeying Him in His call on my life for his ultimate purpose.

Now that’s way cool.

Just Walk Across The Room Skit Series | Part 3

2009-10-19T05:00:00.006-04:00

Please welcome Cassidy Ladd and Laura R.!

Watch: Part 1 Part 2

If you're reading this on Tuesday (Oct 20), you can check out my post about self-confidence and inner beauty at my fashion and beauty blog: http://modstylelounge.blogspot.com/

Video Contest for Teens!

2009-10-15T05:00:00.009-04:00

How Do You Text It?
Hosted by Real Teen Faith (http://RealTeenFaith.com/)

Admit it, you're obsessed with texting. You can text anywhere – especially places you’re not supposed to – like through your book bag in algebra class when you think the teacher isn’t looking. And I bet you’ve texted in some of the weirdest places and would love to brag to the world about it, and make a little cash while you're at it. You’re in luck, because that’s what this contest is all about! So grab your video camera and take a video of yourself or get a friend to videotape you doing crazy stuff while texting in all the weirdest and coolest places you can fit into a clip under thirty-seconds. For more info about entering this contest, visit http://realteenfaith.com/2009/10/13/real-contest-how-do-you-text-it/. But hurry, contest ends November 26!

Feel free to share this information in your sphere of influence. You can repost it as a blog, tweet about it, facebook it, or whatever you can do. This contest is being spread completely by grassroots. If you're in contact with teens, or know someone who may be interested in this contest, pass it on!

For more info, check Real Teen Faith editor, BJ Hamrick's blog: http://authorbjhamrick.blogspot.com/2009/10/teens-host-video-contest_14.html

Just Walk Across The Room Skit Series | Part 2

2009-10-12T05:00:00.003-04:00

And now for another installment of the JWATR skit series!

While you're surfing around online, check out a new blog about fashion, beauty, and modesty I started with some friends: http://modstylelounge.blogspot.com/

This Thursday, instead of the Meg series, I'll be doing something a little different, so check back for that! :)

Just Walk Across The Room Skit Series | Part 1

2009-10-05T05:00:00.008-04:00

I wrote a skit series for my church's sermon campaign "Just Walk Across The Room" after the book by Bill Hybels. The video isn't very good quality since I recorded it with my digital camera, but it'll do. :) Play the video to watch it!

The wonderful actress is Cassidy Ladd. Remember that name. She's great! Oh, and no, that deep voice isn't the real God. ;) It's another amazing actor named Chris H.

And, yes, I'm still doing the Meg series, but for the next five weeks, I'll be doing this series Mondays and the Meg series Thursdays.

Characters are Everywhere!

2009-09-21T05:00:00.008-04:00

Anywhere I go, I see unique people. Unique in how they dress, how they talk, and how they act. Potential characters are everywhere, just waiting to be used in a story. I recently read “Getting Into Character” by Brandilyn Collins, and have been opening my eyes to certain things people do, or as Brandilyn calls them, “mannerisms”. The book is amazing. I highly recommend it for all writers of fiction!

I was sitting in church, listening to the sermon, when I noticed an interesting man. I began to write on my sermon notes:

Sunlight filtered through the stain glass windows, like a distorted rainbow-colored checkerboard on the church floor and across the benches. In the front bench sat a man in his fifties, hunched over, looking up through his bushy eyebrows, large ears wiggling as he chewed a piece of gum. What he had left of his grey hair stuck straight up and wrinkles deformed his forehead as he concentrated on the pastor.

Real Teen Faith

2009-09-17T05:00:00.010-04:00

Hi, everyone!

Tommorow I'm over at RealTeenFaith.com, so be sure to check it out. I'm so humbled that the new editor of Real Teen Faith, BJ Hamrick, asked me to be a part of the RTF team!

I'm so excited about this, I'm including a sneak preview. This is the first anyone (besides BJ) has seen this! That's right. You, my readers, get the first peek! Don't you feel special? :)

Lists – Not Just For Christmas

Could the way society presents dating be messing with God’s ultimate plan for relationships? Is the media so in love with the idea of dating that we forget it’s supposed to be a special experience?

Since eighth grade, I’ve prayed God will help keep me pure and wait for the right guy to come along who I would eventually marry. I even made up a list of characteristics this special man of my future would have.

Making a list is a great thing to do while you’re still single. We all think we know what we want in a dating relationship, but very few of us write it down and really think about it. I talk with many girls in the middle of “boy drama” who wish they’d made a list.

Head over here tomorrow (Friday the 18th) to read the rest!

Ready

2009-09-14T05:00:00.003-04:00

Here are the lyrics to a song I wrote:

In this secret place where I hide away
You came to with open arms and asked me to come
Help me run to you past these barricades
All I want is you

And I am ready
‘Cuz you are worthy
You’re the only one who won’t fail me
I’m holding out my hand
Lord, please take it now
Come and rescue me

I am ready for You
Won’t You come into me?
Take my heart and fill it up and take my life and make me whole again
In this life
I just need more of You to humble me and lift me up and make me more like You

Help me pull this line of masking tape
Up from on the stony ground on which it lies
Help me cross the line and find your plan divine
All I want is you

And I am ready
‘Cuz you are worthy
Human-set lines cannot stop me
Give me courage to roam this world so new
So I can give you glory

I am ready for You
Won’t You come into me?
Take my heart and fill it up and take my life and make me whole again
In this life
I just need more of You to humble me and lift me up and make me more like You

Won’t you come into me?
Take my heart and make me whole again
In this life
More of You make me more like You

I am Yours
Make me whole again
I am ready
For You to take my heart and fill it up and take my life and make me whole again

Overwhelmed.

2009-09-10T06:00:00.003-04:00

I admit, sometimes I hate writing.

My twitter update said it all. If we’re all being honest, we writers all hate writing once in a while. Writing is something I love, but sometimes I just don’t want to do it. I’m plagued with deadlines, plus my last year of school, and work. Adding a blog to the mix hasn’t done me much good in that either. I hear of some people who say God is just telling them to slow down.

I wish that was the case for me.

Instead, God has been throwing awesome writing opportunities at me. At first, I loved the work and loved the way God has been supplying me. But lately I’ve felt, well, overwhelmed.

The next morning I received an email:

Sorry you’re overwhelmed… You truly have a gift, Sarah. God has kissed you with this gift of writing and to make people feel something. God has not given you a spirit of fear as the verse says. As He told Joshua, “Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS” [Joshua 1:9]. He told Joshua that multiple times. God appointed Joshua to take over for Moses (after Moses died) and lead the Israelites into the Promise Land. God told him to “be strong and courageous for I will never leave or forsake you”….loosely translated by your memory-loosing mother. If not already, get into a habit of praying when you get stuck. I’ve done that before and it is amazing what will “pop” into your head! I’m still working on making that a habit myself.

Love you and He has big, big plans for you!!!
Mom

Thank you, Mom! I love you, too!

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV

And one of my favorite verses:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

For more on this subject, head over to my friend, Bonita’s, blog and read this post: http://encouragingwordsforwriters.blogspot.com/2009/09/43-creativity-killers.html

Running Away

2009-09-07T06:00:00.005-04:00

Lizzie Gordon always thought she had a pretty good life. That is, until a couple of years ago. Lizzie flicked on the brights that pierced through the darkness in front of her car, illuminating the road. She glanced in her rearview mirror at her son, Isaiah, sleeping in his car seat, his head lolled to one side, his mouth slack with sleep. Lizzie smiled. She loved Isaiah and would do anything for him. But he was the beginning of her life’s downhill slide.

Four years ago, Lizzie became pregnant with him. She backed up her memories further. All the way to the eighth grade. Noah was a charming boy, and Lizzie fell for him all the way. Three years later, they were still dating and Lizzie felt sure he was the one. After all, a guy should treat a girl like a princess, right? At least that’s what Lizzie thought, walking arm-in-arm with him through the park, getting late night phone calls and moped rides to Patty’s Pizza. His genteel manners even caused her prim and proper mother to approve of him.

Then, Lizzie’s senior year in high school came around, and off to the senior prom she went with none other than Noah. Lizzie always thought she could control herself, but in the moment, in the back of Noah’s car, where Noah had opened the door for her and gentlemanly escorted her from earlier, all self-control left her and she caved.

That was when her life changed. Instead of spending the summer with her friends and talking about future plans before leaving for college, Lizzie was stuck at home, nauseous with morning sickness. When the school year rolled around again, instead of heading off to college, her plans were deteriorated as she became an unprepared eighteen-year-old stay-at-home mom.

Now Lizzie needed to get away. Away from everything and start over. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel as the road took a slight curve. What was the use of inheriting wealth in Huntington Beach, California if that’s where all her problems lie?

Lizzie focused her thoughts on the road ahead. She had herself and her son to take care of. She couldn’t let her mind review the past.

Not now.

Not ever.

Personality Conflict

2009-09-03T06:00:00.004-04:00

I wrote this dialogue between the future love interests, Milana Mikay Clarke and Travis Brinkley. I love it how their opposite personalities promise potential conflict. This scene takes place at the University Hospital, where Milana is a nurse in training.

“I thought you worked on the Lifeflight.” Milana went around the desk and picked up the clipboard, clicked her pen, but paused for his answer before writing.

Travis leaned against the desk and folded his strong arms. “I do. I work here to relax.”

“Relax?” Milana looked down at her clipboard, cynically smiling as she wrote. “And I bet you rock-climb and water-ski to relax, too.”

As Milana looked up, Travis flashed a handsome smile in her direction. She looked back down so he wouldn’t see her blushing.

“Yeah,” he said. “What’s your idea of relaxation?”

“Curling up on the couch with a good book.” She looked up again perked one side of her mouth at him. “Sitting outside at night admiring the stars.”

“Oh, okay, I see.” He raised one eyebrow at her. “And you do Pilates?”

“My friend teaches a class.” She set the clipboard back on the desk and dropped the pen in the shirt pocket of her blue scrubs. “And you lift weights.”

“You got it,” he flexed his arm and grinned at her. “Hey, I gotta go. I’ll see you around?”

Milana nodded. “Bye.”

Vacuuming

2009-08-31T06:00:00.014-04:00

Vacuuming is like a dance. Precise, constant movement to reach every inch of the floor. Consistent motion is a thing of beauty. Push…pull, push…pull. The carpet tickled the bottom of Meg’s feet and the whir of vacuum cleaner encased her eardrums.

She pushed the bumper of the vacuum cleaner into the last corner and tapped the button to turn off the motor with her toe. Ever since she’d taken up the job of a housekeeper, she’d been to some pretty interesting houses. But this house, by far, was most interesting.

If houses could talk, this one would. It would tell Meg its stories of old: how it withheld rain, wind, thieves, and ornery children. Its Victorian style gave the house a certain old mystique.

Pictures lined the wooden shelf on the clean white wall beside her. Most were black and white photos, some were sepia. Though the photos were framed, the edges were jagged and the corners looked sticky, as if they sat in a photo album for decades. She wondered what prompted Ms. Tyers to take them out and frame them. The old woman seemed secretive. Meg didn’t see her very much since she was usually gone by the time Meg got there to clean her home. Though the idea didn’t settle well with Meg’s curious mind, some mysteries may never be uncovered.

Thankful Thursday

2009-08-27T06:00:00.007-04:00

Click here to see what others are thankful for today.

Dear God,

Thank You. Thank you for being You; my great and awesome God. You’re amazing.

Thank You for my family. Before I was born, You knew me. You knew just what I needed in a family. You knew I needed supportive parents, a sister I can always talk to, and a brother who is always around when I want to hang out. You knew what annoys me about my family now will help me deal with people in the future.

Thank You.

Thank You for supplying me with my needs: a house, a bed, food, a car; even the little things I so often take for granted, like my computer or TV. Thank You for safety, thank You for health.

Thank You for life.

Thank You for rain, for sunshine. Thank You for the good times in life and thank You for the times I think are bad. Help me see that the outcome is always for the better.

Thank You, Jesus.

Thank You for allowing me to be homeschooled. Before I even knew I liked to write, You knew that being homeschooled would allow me to make time for my writing. Writing is my favorite form of worship. May this wonderful gift you’ve given me always bring glory to You.

Thank You, Lord.

I love You.

Always Yours, Sarah

There is so much to be thankful for, no matter what kind of situation you’re in. What can you thank God for today?

Piece of a story

2009-08-24T06:00:00.003-04:00

This is a piece of writing from a story I wrote:

The door flung open before Blake could even reach it. His mother stood there, apron tied around her short, stocky figure, flour dusting her graying head of hair. “Blake!” She called to her son. A smile almost bigger than she was spread across her face. “I’m so glad you came!”

“You know I wouldn’t miss my sister’s college homecoming for the world.” Blake smiled at his mom, towering over her. Despite the fact Blake was now taller than his mother, he knew that to her, he would always be her little boy.

Mom drew Blake into a quick hug, then pulled away. “Well come inside out of this blazing heat!” She scolded him as if it were his fault he was standing outside.

Blake stepped inside and scanned the room. Balloons and streamers covered foyer’s ceiling and over the entryway to the kitchen/dining room, a big banner read Welcome Home Lexi!

“Wow, look at this place,” Blake sniffed the air like a prairie dog. “Something smells really good, mom,” he told her as she scurried past him.

“Speaking of that,” Mom said, heading underneath the banner-clad entryway, “I’d better go check on that cake.”

Just as she finished saying that, the timer beeped, and he heard Mom pull open the oven. Blake followed the smell of chocolate cake into the kitchen where Mom had her head in the oven, checking on the cake. The timer wailed again, indicating time was up, and it would like to be shut off.

“Oh shush,” Mom told the timer as it beeped once again. Blake leaned over and pushed the oven’s “timer off” button above the stove near the oven’s built-in digital clock.

Mom came out of the oven with her cake, and spun around to set it on the counter top, nearly bumping into Dad as he carelessly strolled though the kitchen.

“Watch it, old man,” she told him, as she carefully placed her fresh cake on the counter. “You’re gonna get burned one of these days.”

“Sorry mother,” was Dad’s response.

Blake smiled at his parent’s playful banter. For them, it meant their relationship was going well.

Mom began to frost the cake just as the doorbell rang. Mom looked up and squinted though the foyer at the door. “Oh, Alexis must be here. Blake–”

“I’ll get it,” he said, before Mom could ask him. He strode out to the door, and opened it to see Alexis standing on the porch steps, her blonde hair blowing in the breeze, framing her pretty face.

“Hey, sis,” Blake drew her into a hug. “I missed you. How was college?”

Lexi pulled out of his hug and met him with her blue eyes, identical to his. “I missed you too.” She smiled that bright smile of hers. “College was great, but I’m glad to be home.”

“Let’s go inside before mom starts hollering at us to get out of the blazing heat.” Blake moved two fingers on each hand as he quoted Mom. Lexi giggled, and Blake opened the door to let her in.

Family Vacation Gets Bugged!

2009-08-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

There’s something with a Rupp family vacation that always turns into a quite interesting story. I wrote this in January of ’08 for a Christian Writer’s Guild assignment.

“Was that a bat?” My mom asked with terror in her voice and eyes.

“Yes, as a matter of fact it was.” the tour guide at Ohio Caverns in West Liberty Ohio answered. “You’re very lucky to see a bat in the Caverns. Not everyone gets to see one flying down here.”

My family and I stopped here on our way to Logan, Ohio to rent a cabin in the Hocking Hills area of Southern Ohio for our family vacation in November. Just as Mom’s heart rate was starting to slow to a normal beat, she caught sight of another bat flying around the corner of the intersecting tunnels in the cavern. She shrieked and grabbed onto my sister.

“Sorry,” Mom apologized to the tour guide, “I’m scared of bats.”

“That’s alright,” He replied. “You did well compared to some of the other people who’ve come into the cavern scared of bats.” Chuckling, he continued, “One man was so scared when he saw a bat that he got down and wrapped his arms around my ankles!”

A few hours after that adventure, we arrived at our cabin, a one and a half story wood house, with a loft and a basement. The owner of the cabin was waiting there already, uncovering the hot tub on the back porch, ready to show us around. He led us up the steps on the wrap around porch to the front door and stepped inside. Before us was a homey living room with an overstuffed couch and chair and a big screen TV. The stairs to a two-bed loft with a balcony, where we kids would sleep, were visible as soon as we walked in the door. Across the room from the doorway was a table for eating and a kitchen came into view as we walked around the corner. Other doorways led to a master bedroom, a bathroom, and a basement, which was home to the games, such as foosball and eight ball.

As we stood in the kitchen, the owner went over the guidelines we needed to know about living in the cabin for a few days. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a small black object buzzing in and out of the indented ceiling near a light. I whipped my head around to see a wasp buzzing right towards me!

Ducking to avoid it, I stifled a scream. I hate wasps, and I soon found out that little guy wasn’t the only one living in the house. The house was filled with little black pests! First bats, now wasps. What next?

“The pest control is coming on Friday,” The cabin owner quickly told us. Friday was the day after we would be leaving. “But they probably won’t bother you.”

Yeah, right.

“But,” The man grabbed a fly swatter and swatted the wasp who was hanging around our heads. “Here’s your weapon in case you need it.” He said, handing dad the fly swatter.

I laughed a little at his attempt to humor, but I knew this vacation was not going as I planned. Wasps were not in my plan.

My siblings, Emily and Alex, and I were originally assigned to sleep in the loft, Emily and I would sleep in one bed and Alex in the other. But when we found out the loft was where the wasps were living because they liked the natural light coming from the two picture windows on the ceiling, Alex’s eyes grew large and, hauling all his pillows and blankets with him, he decided he wanted to sleep down on the couch in the living room tonight. As soon as he left, I grabbed my things and leapt for his bed. Ahhh…my own bed.

But after a few days, my sister Emily and I ended up sleeping in the foldout futon in the basement, because there were just too many wasps up in the loft. Dad would spend hours up there swatting at them. At first, we thought they were squeezing through the doors to the balcony, but we shut it tight that night and still, we woke up to more wasps in the morning.

One night before bed, I had to go to the bathroom, so I walked confidently into the basement bathroom. I knew there wouldn’t be any wasps down here in the basement because, so far, we hadn’t seen any and there’s no possible way for them to get down there. I flipped the light switch on, and much to my surprise, a wasp began to buzz toward the brightness of the light. I slammed the door and ran upstairs.

“Dad,” I called breathlessly. “There’s a wasp in the basement bathroom.”

Dad sighed loudly and reluctantly followed me down the stairs.

He opened the bathroom door, turned on the light, and closed the door behind him. It was quiet for a while, and then Mom came down, joining him in his quest for this little insect.

Then after a while, the silence was broken, and I knew they must’ve found the wasp.

“Ahhh!!!” Mom screamed. “Get it!”

I heard a smack from dad using the fly swatter, or “the weapon.” “Take that!” he said. No wonder the cabin owner called it a weapon. “And that!” Smack! “And that one’s for all your buddies!” Dad said slapping it some more.

Later, Dad searched the basement for possible ways a wasp could get in. The door to upstairs was not a solution because we never left it open. Dad moved over to the fireplace and looked up the chimney.

“The flue’s not shut all the way,” Dad noted, pulling on the flap that lets the smoke out when a fire is burning. Once he got it shut, he went upstairs to shut the other fireplace’s flue.

The next few days, we didn’t find any more wasps. That’s probably where they were coming in, I thought to myself.

On the day we were going to leave, Mom was filling out a page of a tablet about our time at the cabin that we’d been encouraged by the cabin owner to do. After she finished filling it out, she and Emily were looking through other peoples’ comments about their time they spent at the cabin. One couple said that they woke up to an owl in their cabin one night!

Strange to say, but I sure am glad we only had wasps.

Stormy Skies

2009-08-17T06:00:00.002-04:00

Raindrops tap-danced on the roof to the rumbling music played by the clouds that released them. Soft rain fell straight down, misting the blades of bright green grass. Some birds waited out the rain in the still dryness of a tree, chirping a bit to entertain themselves. Water gathered in low spots on the street, some drops finding their way to join, causing several centrifugal ripples.

Zoe leaned on the window frame and gazed outside. Though the sun peeked its rays from behind a plump, white cloud to the east, more storm clouds slid across the sky to the west. The brightness of the sun caused the storm clouds to look all the more malicious. Like the sun’s evil smirk on Zoe’s neighborhood. Like everyone, even the sun has a bad side. Zoe wouldn’t trust anyone who seems like they don’t. She learned that lesson the hard way. Men like Garrett cannot be trusted. Zoe would never make that mistake again.

Click here for an older post I wrote about Zoe.

What I Leaned This Week – How To Be A (Future) Wife of Noble Character

2009-08-14T06:00:00.006-04:00

As you may already know, I have been praying for my future husband for years. I have even made up a list of characteristics he must have – or should have. Some of the things on that list are going to be hard for the poor guy to live up to. That got me thinking: what am I doing to prepare myself for this amazing man of my future? Shouldn’t I be practicing character that’s hard to live up to as well?

I read Proverbs 31:10-31 this week and it talks about being a “wife of noble character”. Now this is a difficult list to live up to. We don’t necessarily have to get up before dawn every morning to make breakfast and search near and far to find wool and flax, busily spinning and twisting the fibers. Unless you really want to, it’s a little outdated. Now we buy our clothes and blankets from a store and have pastries you can pop in the toaster oven for 5 minutes and voila! they’re done.

But we can learn a lesson from this Proverbs 31 woman. The lesson is hard work and discipline. Those are virtues that I admit I sometimes lack. If I disciplined myself better, I could get more writing done and read my bible more. This woman is also a servant. She works hard to serve her husband and children and they respect her for that.

Here’s a list of other characteristics this wife has:

She is trustworthy – her husband knows she won’t cheat.
She honors and respects him.
She works honestly without complaining.
She never hesitates to help others in need.
She is confident in herself.
She can laugh and not worry about the future.
She is wise but corrects in kindness.

So along with the hard work and discipline I mentioned above the list, this is what I’ll be working on now to prepare myself for my man in the future. What will you do? Or what did you do? Or what are you doing? Comment and let me know!

To find out what other bloggers learned this week, check http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2009/08/what-i-learned-this-week-3.html

My Encouragement

2009-08-12T06:00:00.009-04:00

Writing is hard. Anyone who says it’s easy must have never tried it. I’m the kind of girl who is constantly crafting plots in her head and creating new characters. But as soon as I open up that new Word Document and see the blank white piece of virtual paper, I suddenly have a writer’s blackout. Sometimes, we writers need a little encouragement.

According to the Webster’s Dictionary, to encourage is to inspire with courage or hope. There are two specific people in my life who have done just that for me.

1. My mom. She has been so supportive of me from the very beginning. She’s never too busy to read anything I write and always takes the time to edit it. Sometimes I wonder if that’s a good or bad thing.☺ I remember the first time I wrote a book. It was about talking animals who lived in a little kingdom. Understandable for an eight-year-old to write about. But my mom encouraged me to write what turned into a three (ten-paged) book series. As I matured, so did what I wanted to write about. Mom signed me up for a writing program called the Christian Writer’s Guild, which was way beyond our budget, because she believed in me. That alone gives me encouragement.

2. Through the Christian Writer’s Guild, I met my mentor and friend, Shannon Primicerio. I’ve had the opportunity to meet her in person twice, and she is full of advice for young writers like me. She has been a great encouragement to me in my writing journey. In everything I wrote, she was always there to push me and tell me how I could do better. Though it was frustrating at first, I can now look back and see just how much my writing improved. But how I am encouraged the most by her is that, even though I’m no longer with the program, I can still keep in touch with her, ask questions, and get feedback on my stories via email. She never hesitates to recommend me for scholarships, and she encourages me to enter contests and keep on writing.

Then there are those little moments of encouragement, such as emails from girls I don’t even know, telling me they hope to write as well as I do someday, and women I met at the She Speaks conference who told me they prayed for me that day.

But most encouraging of all is my Heavenly Father. He’s always filling my mind with new and unique ideas, inspiring me with His marvelous works, and bestowing courage and hope in my daily life. I recently came upon this verse from The Message version which has been an encouragement to me, especially when that blinking cursor is taunting me. “I'll write the book on your righteousness, talk up your salvation the livelong day, never run out of good things to write or say.” Psalm 71:15.

Check out http://www.incourage.me/ for more encouragement from gals who know writing is tough.

Unpacking My Suitcase

2009-08-10T06:00:00.004-04:00

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m still not fully unpacked from a weekend at the She Speaks Conference in North Carolina. Sometimes it’s a real pain. I did unpack my clothes to wash them and put my bags of toiletries in the bathroom. But it’s the little things that litter the bottom; pencils notebooks, band-aids and chapstick. Even in my toiletry bags, cotton rounds, dental floss, and toothpaste still lay inside.

That made me wonder…are there little things in my “suitcase” I don’t want to get rid of that God wants me to give up to Him? I get rid of all the big stuff that everyone can see, but it’s the little stuff no one knows about that I don’t want to unpack. I zip up my suitcase and drag it behind me so no one can see the shameful little things I’m carrying with me.

In Luke 14:33, Jesus tells us, “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Everything. For me, it’s my dreams that are so hard to give up to God. I feel like if I give them up, I’ll never accomplish anything. Last weekend at She Speaks, we had the opportunity to go in the prayer room and look for our names on a sheet of paper. My name was written on a slip of paper carefully laid on the words, “Jehovah-Jireh”. The Lord will provide.

I didn’t think anything of it at first, but when I came home, I clearly felt the Lord telling me that I must give up one of my dearest dreams to Him before he allows it to happen. Give it up to Him and He will provide. Jehovah-Jireh. I know His plans are bigger and better than any of my dreams.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

She Reviews

2009-08-06T06:00:00.007-04:00

First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who prayed for me while I was at She Speaks. I could feel all the prayers as I glowed with a confidence that usually stays hidden in atmospheres such as conferences. It’s going to be hard to squeeze this amazing experience into a brief blog entry, but I’ll try! Here it goes…

On Thursday at 3:00 in the morning, we hopped in the mini van and, after traveling 13 hours with my family from Ohio to North Carolina, we finally arrived at the hotel where my family would stay. The next day, I headed over to Embassy Suites Concord Convention Center, where I stayed with my awesome roommates, Kaley, Emma, Eden, Rachael, and Rachel, and the coolest chaperone ever, Vern.

My first Breakout Session was “Top Tips from a Veteran Publisher” with Sandy Vander Zicht. It was very informative. I learned that I need to eliminate the unnecessary words ~~that~~ I tend to put in to my writing. Then I joined the RadRevolution for a pajama party and watch A Walk To Remember, with our own personal censoring, courtesy of a RadRevolution team member.

Saturday, I attended “The Pathway to Publication” with Susanne Scheppmann. Susanne told us about rejection, and said once you get rejected you know you’re a writer, because at least you tried! Someone once told me that writing rejections come before acceptance, so the more rejections I receive, the closer I am to publication! “Magazine Writing 101” with Glynnis Whitwer helped me learn how to launch my writing career by getting my name out there. In “How to Write a Book”, Lysa TerKeurst used the analogy of a pineapple to help us look at something intimidating (like a blank document with a blinking cursor) and make it manageable by slicing it into bite size pieces. I quite enjoyed “Book Proposals that Get Noticed” with Mary DeMuth. She is so funny! She taught us how to write a winning book proposal while keeping the lecture interesting by sprinkling it with humor.

Highlights of this experience for me include:

Having supper with my writing mentor, Shannon Primicerio. She gave me a lot of great advice to get me through my first writer’s conference. Thanks Shannon!

Listening to Jennifer Rothschild speak at a General Session. She has an incredible story and I leaned a lot from her.

Hanging out with Shannon and Annie Downs,

Getting my winning devotion critiqued by Suzanne Eller,

Meeting Bonita, who wrote about me in her blog,

Meeting Emily from Chatting at the Sky, who, in her enthusiasm when I told her I read her blog, took a picture of me.

She Speaks was so amazing! I hope I can come back next year.

Off to the Conference!

2009-07-30T06:00:00.009-04:00

By the time you’re reading this, my family and I will be on the road in our mini-van cluttered with suitcases and “necessities” for living away from home. You know how that goes. I thought I should let you know that I won’t be posting Monday, since I will be on the road back to home. But to tell you the truth, I have mixed feelings about the She Speaks conference. This will be my first ever writer’s conference. I’m super excited, yet a little scared and nervous just because I’m not quite sure what to expect.

When I first got the phone call from Proverbs31 Ministries, it seemed like the conference was forever away. Now it just snuck up on me and all of the sudden I’m heading down south for the experience of my life. I’m excited, and also a bit anxious. I have to find my way to many of my sessions on my own. What if I get lost? What if I don’t know anyone?

I studied Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby with my Youth Group this summer. One of the things Mr. Blackaby said in his book is, “A God-sized assignment is one that you cannot do on your own. If God doesn’t help you, you will fail.” Wow. We learned that God uses God-sized assignments to bring glory to himself. I think back to the story of Moses. When God asked Moses to do a God-sized task, Moses replied in Exodus 4, verses 10 through 12, “But Moses pleaded with the Lord, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.’
Then the Lord asked Moses, ‘Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.’” (NLT)

I can be so like Moses sometimes. Lord, why did you choose me? Why not send Aaron? And plus I hate public speaking. But that’s a different story.

I also think back to the devotion I wrote that got me to the She Speaks conference in the first place. Isn’t it ironic? I’m going to be doing some of my own stepping outside my comfort zone this weekend. God brought glory to Himself through the sprout as well as through Moses. Through the sprout by sharing “fruit” with the world and growing close to Him. Through Moses, by leading the Egyptians out of slavery and into freedom to worship Him. So, this weekend, I’ll be looking for God’s hand bringing Himself the glory through God-sized assignments. Will you?

Brochures, Pop, and Prayer

2009-07-27T06:00:00.003-04:00

I wrote this in January of ’09 for a Christian Writer’s Guild assignment.

Go out on the streets and pray for people? That’s just not my thing. Walking up to a random person and saying, “Can I pray for you?” can prove to be, well, awkward. I made sure I teamed up with the most outgoing, people-loving person I could find. That way I wouldn’t have to do any talking. Holding a box of pop in one hand (or soda, as they call it here in Reading, Pennsylvania), and brochures that tell about who Christ is and how to accept him in the other, I roamed the sidewalks of the busy city, following my partner around. I had full intentions to be the one who handed out the pop along with the brochure and smiled, managing to escape every opportunity that involved speaking. So she prayed for a couple of people, and I did my job; and very well, I might add. Hey, it’s not easy handing out pop and brochures all day. I mean, you have to…to…okay, I’m lying, maybe it is easy. But I’d do anything not to talk to people.

Our time wandering the streets was almost over, but we still had one last pop to give away. “Look, there’s someone we haven’t seen yet,” my partner began to walk toward a middle-aged man standing on the sidewalk. “Hello sir,” she said to him, “would you like a soda?” “Yes, thanks,” said the man. “It is pretty warm out here.” “Would you like prayer for anything? We would love to pray for you.” my partner added. The man rattled off a list of things he needed prayer for. It broke my heart to hear all the hurt of these people we talked to. “Would you like to pray, Sarah?” My partner whispered to me. “U-uh, yeah.” I stuttered. No! What was I thinking? I sighed. I need to do this. Lord, give me the words and the courage. I shot up the quick prayer to the Almighty, took a deep breath and began to pray out loud.

New Beginning

2009-07-23T06:00:00.006-04:00

This is a short piece of writing I did when I was sitting out by the campfire:

The fire crackled and spit ashes to the sky, curling its orange and yellow fingers around the blackened logs, grabbing at their crispy white edges. Birds still sang their favorite tunes one last time before the sun made it’s way behind the trees below the mauve and crimson sky. A cool breeze slithered up Lacey’s jacket sleeves, and she shivered and hugged herself tighter. She scooted her chair closer and let the radiating heat warm her face. A new beginning. Underneath the new logs were grey coals, the sullen remains of old logs that used to be. Like a past that never went away. No matter how many more layers of logs try to cover it.

Another Monday

2009-07-20T07:26:00.007-04:00

Beep, beep, beep!

Kendal groaned and threw a pillow over her head. She reached out her hand and searched for her alarm clock, whacking it when she found it. Another Monday.

Have you ever felt like Kendal? I know I have. Groaning as I roll out of bed, not wanting to go to school or work after a nice weekend of relaxation. Now I have to start yet another week.

A couple weeks ago, I attended the Mennonite Youth Convention in Columbus, Ohio. It was an awesome opportunity for young Mennonites to worship and learn together. Worship sessions were twice every day, along with a variety of various seminars to choose from. On the last day during the worship session, a speaker by the name of Greg Boyd said something that stuck with me. He said that every morning when he reluctantly rolls out of bed, he says, “God, this day is Yours. What do You want me to do today?” I thought about that for a while. How much less would I take for granted with that kind of attitude? Taking one day at a time to ask God his will. Maybe God will provide words in a good conversation with a fellow student or co-worker who doesn’t know Christ or is struggling with his or her relationship with Christ. Or maybe God will curve your lips in a smile that will change someone’s day…or life.

Beep, beep, beep!

Kendal smacked her alarm, threw off her blankets, and swung her feet over the side of the bed. She opened the curtains to a new day and smiled. “God, this day is Yours. What do you want me to do today?”

A Piece of Writing

2009-07-16T11:43:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone. This is a shorter entry today, but it's one of my favorite pieces I've written. It belongs in a story. Hope you enjoy!

Zoe sighed and went around the counter, opening the back of the clear glass case under the countertop. She needed to head over to Mom’s house and get the boys soon. She would already be late picking them up. She took out the baked goods one by one and placed them in the cardboard take-out container in slow motion, hoping to give her mind time to sort her thoughts out. Zoe didn’t know what she thought anymore. She closed the box and went out to her car, locking Zoe’s Coffee Corner’s door behind her. She stole a glance at Lance’s apartment window, half-hoping he would be watching her like he did, just to make sure she made it out to the car safely. But the lights were off in his room and no one looked out the window softly smiling at her. Cold gusts of wind blew through the empty streets, picking up snowflakes and sending them swirling like a tornado. Zoe shivered and unlocked her blue Chrysler Neon and tossed the baked goods from the coffee shop in the back, and made her way around front, into the driver’s seat. What had she expected anyway?

Skit

2009-07-13T12:08:00.002-04:00

I wrote this in January of ’09 for a Christian Writer’s Guild assignment.

(laying on sleeping bags in a bedroom in their PJs)

Girl 1: This youth group sleepover has been awesome!

Girl 2: I know; I want to stay up all night!

Girl 3: Come on guys, you know I need my beauty rest!

(Girl 1 rolls her eyes)

Girl 2: (scoffs) Whatever.

Erica: Hey, I have an idea: let’s talk about our crushes!

(Girls 1, 2 and 3 nod excitedly, Serena hugs her pillow and looks away)

Erica: Okay, I’ll start. I have a HUGE (draws the word out) crush on Bailey McBride. He is so hot!

Girl 1: Gosh, Erica, we already know that! Like, everybody knows that. But, anyway (lowers her voice) I have a crush on Johnny Childers.

(all girls except Serena and Dana: “oooooooo…”)

Girl 2: Oh my word, I have, like, a massive crush on David Turner!

Girl 3: (Whining) Hey, wait a minute! I have crush on him too!

Girl 2: No way, he’s mine!

Girl 3: No fair! I should at least have a chance with him!

(Girl 2 hits Girl 3 with a pillow and it starts a pillow fight between them)

Erica (stands on her sleeping bag): Girls!

(Girl 1 and Girl 2 stop)

Erica: How about you, Dana?

Dana: Well, most of you know already that I’m dating Kyle Wright.

Girl 1: Oh really? Do you have a picture?

(Dana gets out a picture and they begin passing it around. After the picture circulates back to Dana, she puts it back in her bag.)

Erica: What about you, Serena?

Serena (quietly): I don’t have a crush on anyone.

Girl 2: Oh, come on. You’ve gotta have a crush on someone!

(Serena shakes her head)

Girl 3: She’s just saying that.

Erica: Do you still think boys have cooties or something?

Adult (Youth Sponsor): (opens the door and comes in the room) Lights out!

(turns off the lights and leaves)

(giggles in the darkness)

Erica: Ahhh! The cootie boys are coming to get us!

(laughter)

(in school hall)

Serena (shuts her locker door): I knew I shouldn’t have gone to the youth group sleepover last night.

Dana: Be like a duck, Serena.

Serena: huh?

Dana: Have you ever seen what happens when ducks get splashed with water?
Serena: Yeah, their down is water-resistant so the water can’t get through.

Dana: Right, and the water just rolls off.

Serena: (smiles) So I should just let their comments roll off me like water on a duck’s down.

Dana: Exactly.

Serena: Clever, Dana, clever. (sighs) But it’s hard; I feel so humiliated.

Dana: Just because you’ve committed to wait for the right guy to date doesn’t give them the right to make you feel bad about your beliefs.

Serena: I know, but this is when it gets difficult. I’m a junior in high school and I don’t have a boyfriend, while everyone else does.

Dana: What about those two guys you talk to a lot here at school?

Serena: They’re nice guys in all, but they don’t match my list. If a guy asks me out who doesn’t match my list, I have to turn him down, because I know he’s not the one.

Dana: Tell me more about the list.

Serena: Well, when I was in 8th grade, I gave my future to God. For me, that meant also giving up dating. I just felt God calling me to live that way; to save myself physically and emotionally for that special guy God has planned for me to marry. But I was worried about dating someone who wasn’t the right one. I first heard about the list from a friend who graduated last year. She wrote down everything she would like to find in a guy, and also wrote down things she felt like God was telling her about him.

Dana: So what’s yours like?

Serena: First and foremost, I wrote he must be a Christian serving God with his whole life. Then I wrote that he must be pure, you know, not wasting his virginity on other girls before he got to me. Then there are the personal things, such as: he should be funny, kind, loving; stuff like that.

(fashionable, confident looking girl (Meghan) walks up)

Meghan: What are you guys talking about?

Dana: (with attitude) Why do you care, Meghan?

Meghan: (tauntingly) Well, I was sure I heard Serena mention a “he” just a while ago. I thought you were anti-boy or something.

Serena: Where did you hear that?

Meghan: (slyly grinning) Oh, I have my sources.

Dana: You heard it from Erica, didn’t you? She’s the biggest loudmouth I’ve ever known!

Meghan: No comment. I have things to do. (stalks away)

(Erica walks by. Megan and her wave at each other and hug)

Dana: (rolls her eyes) That’s exactly the reason I don’t say anything when I’m around Erica. I learned it the hard way.

Serena: Really? How?

Dana: Before Kyle and I started dating, I was telling some of my friends that I liked him. And as you can probably guess, Erica happened to be around, and before I knew it, my secret crush was all over the school. I started chewing out my friends before I figured out none of them were to blame.

Serena: So what did you do?

Dana: Became a duck.

(Dana begins to walk away)

Serena: Hey, wait up! (quacks)

Dana: (laughs) Welcome to the family!

O Poetry, How I Loathe Thee!

2009-07-10T09:23:00.001-04:00

I wrote this in July of '08 for a Christian Writer's Guild assignment.

I lie on my bedroom floor with my hands on my head,
The thought of writing a poem makes me want to go to bed;
Sighing as I get up off the floor,
Day after day, I’ve come to dread this horrible chore;
I stare at the blank document on the computer screen
Overwhelmed.

It’s almost time for my poem to be due,
What to write, I don’t have a clue;
O poetry, how I loathe thee!
It makes me want to flee
And go to a place where I don’t have to rhyme,
I feel like it’s wasting all my time!

This assignment is going to drive me crazy!
It’s not that I’m being lazy,
I just don’t know what to write,
I’ve been trying to think with all my might;
Sitting here like a bump on a log,
Wondering why my poem makes me work like dog.

King Solomon I will never be,
Because to me, a tree is a tree!
While I write this poem, I must be honest,
I’d rather be at the orthodontist!

Poetry is an ugly, hairy troll
Waiting to jump out and scare me,
I’m sure all this rhyming will soon take its toll.

I do not like green eggs and ham,
Because a Sam I Am
NOT!
Writing poetry, I’m clearly confused,
I can never find the right words to be used.

Now then, let’s talk about fiction:
To me, it’s my addiction,
How I long to bask in its presence,
When we can come together like two long lost peasants.

It’s the place where my mind can roam,
And I feel most at home,
The characters wait patiently in my mind,
Beckoning me to go back to writing the fiction kind.

Because I know that I know nothing about poetry,
When I finish this poem my mind will be free;
Held captive no more
By this big ugly sore,

With a little bit of desperation,
And a lot of frustration,
We are nearing the end,
And I cannot wait to send
This poem in to my mentor
Where I will never see it again.
Goodbye my friend!
This is officially the end.

Dialogue

2009-07-08T10:36:00.002-04:00

I wrote this in September of ’08 for a Christian Writer’s Guild assignment.

“Bye mom!” Shauna called as she grabbed the car keys and started out the door.

“Wait a minute, young lady,” Shauna’s mom caught her in the doorway, “Where do you think you’re going?” She arched her eyebrows giving Shauna that oh-so-familiar mother look.

“To Matt’s party,” Shauna answered.

“Matt?”

“Yeah, you know; the tall, cute, blonde guy from school?” Shauna shifted and leaned against the doorframe. “He’s having like, food and games at his house and the whole school was invited.”

“Shauna, how well do you know this…Matt?”

“Well, he’s a junior, the same grade as me, and, well, he’s cute!” Shauna smiled and winked at her mom, then after getting another “look”, she reasoned, “Chill out mom, it’s not like anything is going to happen. Other kids will be there too. My friends will be there.”

“Will Matt’s parents be home?” Mom said.

Shauna rolled her eyes. “I don’t know!” She sighed loudly. “I need to get going or I’ll be late. I told Chelsea I’d be there at seven.”

“You are not going anywhere until you finish what you’re supposed to do tonight. You still have homework, and you need to fold those clothes.” Mom’s raised voice usually either meant she was angry or worried. Shauna guessed it was a mixture of both, but felt no empathy for her mother at the moment.

“Why can’t I do that tomorrow?” Shauna complained.

“That’s what you’ve been saying for the past week!” Mom practically yelled. “You need to do it tonight.”

Shauna stormed back inside and slammed the door. “Or you could fold clothes for once!”

“I don’t think I should allow you to go after using that tone with me,” Mom said. “You will not be going to that party and that’s that.”

Shauna tossed the car keys across the table, and they flew off the other side and onto the floor. Shauna didn’t care. She ran up the stairs and slammed the door to her room as loud as she could.

Sorry for the abrupt ending; I could only make it one page long. But this is what I feel like sometimes :) I love you mom! So how do you think the story should end?
A. Shauna will forget about it and act like nothing happened
B. Shauna will make up with her mom
C. Shauna will stay mad at her mom until she gives her what she wants *insert eye-roll*

Time for your feedback!

My First Publishing Success!

2009-07-06T19:18:00.002-04:00

My thing is fiction. It's what I write best and it's what I love. So when my mom came up with the idea that I should enter a devotion writing contest for teen girls, I wasn't so sure. The prize for this contest was a scholarship to a writer's conference in North Carolina. Conference equals a lot of people and I'm a very introverted person. So I couldn't have cared less about this idea.

I also like photography. The picture you see on this post is mine. We have a garden of beans and they were just beginning to make their way through so I got out my camera and began to take pictures. As I played with the angles of my camera on the rows of beans, I spotted a tiny green stem pushing through the soil. I could just hear it grunting breathlessly as it tried to break through. "I know exactly how you feel," I whispered to the sprout. For my whole life I've been the quiet girl, trying to break though the hard, clumpy dirt. That night as I laid in bed, God inspired me to write. It didn't match up with the rest of the devotions on the site, which was what they wanted to see, but I strongly felt God guiding my fingers as they bounced on the keys. I finished my devotion and sent it in, more because I felt I was supposed to do it rather than I wanted to do it. A couple weeks later, I got a call telling me I was one of the winners. I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. I just stood there with my mouth hanging open like an idiot. But when I got off the phone, it hit me. I won a contest! I never win anything! (which is actually sadly true.) To read my winning devotion click here: http://radrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/06/time-to-grow.html. The conference takes place July 31-August 2. We'll see how God helps me grow!