This past year, I needed stories. With each new loss and struggle that my family faced, and with the depth of fear and pain in our communities around the world, I prayed for peace and comfort, but my heart felt worn and beaten. I wasn’t really sure we’d find a safe way through the losses as they piled up around us. What I longed for more than anything was the reassurance of the truth that no matter what, God knows and good wins. “Yes, there is ... Read More about Ever After: The Best Fairy-Tale Retellings for Christian Readers
Book Lists
9 Easter Books You and Your Kids Will Love
Spring is in the air here on our little plot of land. Black-eyed Susans are popping up, the yard is shaded by a fresh, green canopy and our first brood of bluebirds has already fledged! It makes me thankful to stop and take a breath of springtime air and realize Easter Sunday is still ahead of us. I am looking forward to seeing my two nephews hunt Easter eggs. This year, two of my sisters are getting baptized at Easter, too. However, I'm even ... Read More about 9 Easter Books You and Your Kids Will Love
5 series by Michael Phillips that you’ll want to read again and again
I thought I could reread just the first few chapters of Michael Phillips’ books. I was wrong. These books are just as enthralling and intense the second time around. They are not the kind of books you can sample and set down--even if you have read them before and already know the ending. When I first read them, The Journals of Corrie Belle Hollister were my favorite of Michael Phillips’ books. This was natural, I suppose, since pioneer stories ... Read More about 5 series by Michael Phillips that you’ll want to read again and again
Ultimate List of Free Kindle Books for Christian Readers
How does a booklover pack for an extended out of state trip without going over the weight limit or leaving her beloved stack of books behind? I’m the girl who never left the house--even for a grocery run--without a book in my bag. Packing for my first long trip posed a unique challenge. When it came down to deciding between clothing and books, books won. Who needs an extra pair of shoes when it means leaving out a favorite title that was ... Read More about Ultimate List of Free Kindle Books for Christian Readers
6 Collections of Humorous & Authentic Real-Life Love Stories
While over-the-top sentimentality and gushy romantic novels aren't my cup of tea, I do love real-life love stories. They're unique, authentic, and often humorous. They display God's endless creativity mixed with the realities of life in a fallen world. They give hope that true love should be highly esteemed. If you're single, real-life love stories can reassure you that God works through all different kinds of circumstances. Don't read with an ... Read More about 6 Collections of Humorous & Authentic Real-Life Love Stories
5 Romance Novels I Will Want My Children to Read
I don’t remember when or where I was introduced to him, but it was love at first sight. Generally speaking, I don’t believe in love at first sight, but when it comes to books, it’s a different matter altogether... And George MacDonald’s tales definitely caught my heart, causing me to devour each and every book of his I could possibly find. The depth of MacDonald’s stories and the thought-provoking conversations of his characters struck a ... Read More about 5 Romance Novels I Will Want My Children to Read
How to Live in Peace with Your In-Laws
She came fluttering into my personal space, squealing like she’d made the best thrift store find in a decade. “I’m so glad to meet you! I have the perfect man for you! He’s right over there, see? And very handsome, I must say. “But you know the best part about him?” she added. “His parents are dead, so no in-laws!” She squealed again and hugged me. Have I mentioned that I’d never met this woman before? Yeah, I wasn’t impressed. But ... Read More about How to Live in Peace with Your In-Laws
How to Find the Connection You Crave in Your Friendships
It’s embarrassing to admit it but somehow I have reached my mid thirties and still am not exactly sure how to crack the code of creating authentic, especially local, friendships. No matter how I try, I feel perpetually floundering when it comes to making friends as an adult. Even though my introverted self would have denied it back then, making friends really did feel much less complicated as a child. But one of the things I crave the most as ... Read More about How to Find the Connection You Crave in Your Friendships
12+ Historical Novels to Fascinate Every Age
As a historical fiction author, I'm often asked what gems of the genre I recommend. I love being asked for book suggestions, but I always follow up with a few questions first because there are so many facets (and sub-genres) to historical fiction! Here are my questions and answers, and most importantly, the titles of my favorite historical novels for every age. Whatever your taste in history or books, browse the list below for ideas on where ... Read More about 12+ Historical Novels to Fascinate Every Age
when fear and anxiety produce tunnel vision
I like to imagine myself in a Jane Austen novel--engaging in witty banter with a handsome member of the landed gentry, whirling around a ballroom into the wee hours of the morning and taking trips to Bath. But if I’m honest, I find myself identifying less with an Austen heroine and more with one of her other characters: Mr. Woodhouse. In the first chapter of Emma, Austen describes Mr. Woodhouse as “everywhere beloved for his friendliness and ... Read More about when fear and anxiety produce tunnel vision
25 Classic Stories that Have Delighted Generations
I looked around the table when we were last at my parents’ and realized four generations were talking about books. My sister-in-law and my daughter were discussing the Redwall series (they’re both ardent fans, the younger thanks to the older’s introduction). My parents were telling us about a new series they found called The Queen’s Thief (not to be confused with The Book Thief). My husband and I were sharing with my grandparents about our ... Read More about 25 Classic Stories that Have Delighted Generations
Audiobooks That Touch the Heart
When I was a little girl and my dog was hit by a car and had to go to the veterinarian, I turned on my favorite Your Story Hour tape about Clara Barton. My mom questioned my choice, but it was somehow comforting to me about listening to the story of a Civil War nurse while my dog was undergoing surgery. There's something about audio books and dramatization that can't be found in a book or matched by a movie. Maybe it's because audiobooks can ... Read More about Audiobooks That Touch the Heart
