My husband and I volunteered for eight weeks at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem before the pandemic. The Garden Tomb, tucked away just outside the old city walls of Jerusalem, is revered by many as the site of Jesus’ burial and resurrection. During our time there, every morning as sunlight filtered through olive branches and…
A Cup of Water
How I got to Writing Now by Dr. Dwight Croy
Writing for Dr. Dwight Croy was first, desperation and survival in my early years of school. Late in the 1960’s creativity was emphasized over proper English writing. After the practical matter of writing to get good grades at various levels of education, writing came out of a development of faith and God’s leading. A life…
Redeeming the Pain by Diana Leagh Matthews
Is there someone you wish you were closer with? However, no matter how much you try, it never seems to happen? This was the partial inspiration for my latest release “Forever Changed.” There are certain family members whom I wish to have a closer relationship with instead of feeling like polite strangers. No matter how…
Remembering Normandy by Aubrey Taylor
The world is about to commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War. Many are asking, “Have we learned anything in 80 years?” But perhaps what we should be asking is, “How is our understanding still incomplete?” As an author who writes primarily from the German perspective, I walk a precarious line…
Where Memories Meet Fiction: The Real Story Behind Grave Pursuits by Elle E. Kay
Back when my son was young, we spent a lot of time camping as a family. We visited state parks across Pennsylvania, including Hickory Run, Worlds End, Ricketts Glen, and Promised Land. These were some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. I loved hiking the trails and soaking in the fresh mountain air….
Putting on a New Hat by Sue A. Fairchild
“What is the rest of Nora’s story?” “What happens to Nora?” “I want to know more about Nora!” These are the comments I heard after the release of my book Changing Tides where my main character, Gabe, befriends a woman named Nora and they begin a friendship. But by the end of the book, Nora…
How Weaving History and Faith Into Our Stories Enhances the Spirit of a Story by Donna Wichelman
My appreciation for history and geography developed in childhood since my parents traveled by car from Ohio across the United States and Canada almost every summer to visit family in Washington State. As an only child, our travels sparked my imagination, developing stories of crossing the prairie in a covered wagon, and walking the beaches…
The Misadventures of Itchy Izzy by N.Y. Dunlap
This is a season filled with reflection, joy, and love, prompting many to rediscover their faith in God’s promises. We are people who love God, and our hearts have been softened and changed by our faith, but… What if you have a friend who has never met Him yet? In “The Misadventures of Itchy Izzy,”…
Do You Have a Hurting Heart This Holiday Season? by Patti Shene Gonzales
November is rushing by faster than a flock of geese winging their way south. Before we know it, we’ll be putting our Thanksgiving turkeys in the oven and decking our halls with Christmas decorations. We are rapidly moving into the time of year when children’s eyes light up with the anticipation of Christmas morning and…
The Reluctant Pioneer by Julie McDonald Zander
The Reluctant Pioneer Inspired by a true story It happened at the Lewis County Historical Museum in Washington State more than a decade ago. I read a small placard about a pioneer mother who crossed the Oregon Trail in 1847 and suffered a sudden tragedy. What did she do, thousands of miles from home,…