Latest Blog Posts

Interview and Book Give Away with Author and Speaker Sharon Hoffman

21
By Vonda Skelton | November 24, 2008

I first met Sharon Hoffman at CLASServices speakers' training in Knoxville, TN, where she was a faculty member. I was immediately drawn to her welcoming smile, but it didn't take me long to realize Sharon didn't just have a beautiful smile, she was the real deal!

I can't wait for you to hear about her latest book, but first let me give you a little background. Sharon is a popular speaker and the author of four books. She and her husband, Rob, live in Maryville, TN, where Rob is the pastor of Victory Baptist Church. They've been married forever and have two adult daughters and six grandchildren. (Yeah, I know. She doesn't LOOK like a grandma, does she?) Visit Sharon's website for more information on her writing and speaking ministry.

Now don't forget to leave a comment for Sharon and you'll be in the drawing for an autographed copy of Sharon's new book, A Car Seat in My Convertible? How to Give Your Grandchildren the Spiritual Ride of Their Lives. I've read this book, and I can tell you it is full of great advice for not only grandmothers, but for all of us who have children in our realm of influence. After all, it's our calling to be sure those children–whoever they are–have the chance to see Jesus at work in our lives.

So, let's get started!

Vonda: Sharon, be honest, do you really have car seats in your convertible?

Sharon: Sure do! Books, sing-along cd's, and lots of cracker crumbs, too, I might add! (smiles)

Vonda: Well, as a grandmother of four, I know EXACTLY what you mean! So, tell us, what "drove" you to write on this topic?

Sharon: This book came out of my heart's desire to share my thoughts, encouragement, and specific Scriptures with fellow grandmoms. I embraced becoming a grandmother with open arms, finding it the most rewarding role of my lifetime.

The message I want readers to draw from the book is simple: You have an opportunity in your lifetime to leave a legacy that will impact eternity by giving your grandchildren much more than your things… give them yourself!

Vonda: So are all the suggestions from your own experiences?

Sharon: No. Throughout the book readers will find wonderful tidbits of wisdom from a variety of women. I relied heavily on a group of 100 friends, also grandmothers, to add their insights and experiences on a number of topics of interest to the modern-day grandma, including how to play with and teach precious grandchildren, being a long-distance grandmother, holiday celebration ideas – and most importantly, how to be a godly grandmother whose unconditional love impacts our little blessings for eternity.

Vonda: Does that mean we all have to be alike?

Sharon: Not at all. My personal style of grandmothering is enthusiastic, energetic, and animated, but it's important for each woman to find her own style. Don't try to be like somebody else, or not even necessarily like your own grandmother. Women today are extremely busy with gym work-outs, having cappuccinos with friends, and careers with many working full-time. Grandmothering today is totally different than even a generation ago. So I encourage every grandmother to find her own style, what works for her at this season in her life.

Vonda: In your book, you encourage grandmothers to accentuate the positive. Can you be more specific?

Sharon: Be your grandchild's head cheerleader! Sometimes a grandchild is in an environment where the parents are divorced, or argue constantly, or possibly in the grip of alcohol or drugs. Grandma's house can be the safe haven of peace they crave. I encourage grandmothers to never give up on the grandchild or on their parents. Be the one who can stand up and be the peacemaker. Don't be too proud to do that. Never, ever give up on them.

Vonda: You talk about teaching moments. Can you share a teaching moment with one of your own grandchildren?

Sharon: Sure! One evening my grandson, Jake, looked up at the moon and was confused because it wasn't at all like the one in his book. It was only half there–not full. "Moon is broken," he wailed to me. The first thing that came out of my mouth was, "God can fix it." Jake settled back into my arms, satisfied with my answer. Later that night, I remembered what I'd said. "Yes, God, You can fix anything" I believe that with all my heart and want to spend the rest of my life helping my grandchildren know that truth, as well. I want them to see through the way I live my life that God truly can fix anything we give Him.

Vonda: What else do you suggest?

Sharon: Give positive words. Children today are faced with so much negativity. They may go through a whole day with only hearing negative and no positive. We grandmoms need to decide, "I'm going to make it my mission to have positive words come out of my mouth and I'm going to be the one who believes in this child." Whether your grandchild is 5 or 25, that belief has the potential to change the direction of a child's life. Let him know that he can come to you with anything…anything! And respond with a positive, kind, encouraging word.

When my own birth mother passed away before I was 5 years of age, I found that secure stable place in my own grandmother. I needed that love desperately. I'm so glad she was there for me.

Vonda: I love this thought: "Leave your heart." Explain what you mean by that.

Sharon: I want grandmothers to remember to live and leave what is important to you – your faith, your salvation, your love. What we pour into their little lives may affect whether or not your grandchild accepts Christ as Savior someday. We grandmoms can make an impact for all eternity!

Vonda: You're so right, Sharon. My grandmother died when I was 16, but it's amazing how often I find myself still thinking of her and her love, her acceptance, and her gentle heart.

Thank you so much for joining us today, Sharon, and for sharing your words of wisdom for all of us who have an influence on children. What a joy to know that what we pour into children's lives today can make a profound difference on their future, including their relationship with the Lord!

Okay readers, don't forget–you can win a free copy of Sharon's book by simply leaving a comment. Be sure to check back next week to see if you're the winner!

Wouldn't this make an excellent Christmas gift for the grandmothers on your list? You can order it right now right here in our own A
mazon store!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Application deadline extended for Gideon Intern (Teen Track) at the Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival!

I am honored to be teaming up again with Sarah Anne Sumpolec as a co-director of the teen track, The Gideon Intern Program, at The Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival to be held May 31-June 4, 2009. Applications are being accepted from now until January 15, 2009. If you know a creative teen, I hope you'll pass along this incredible opportunity to meet with movie and television producers, directors, screenwriters, musical artists, professional actors, and radio personalities. What better way to get started on a career path in media that makes a difference?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I Hope You'll Check Out My New Online Store!

In addition to having new products (You gotta see the Seeing Through the Lies bookmarks and bracelets–they make great Christmas gifts!), I'm also excited to now be an Amazon Affiliate! Be sure to check it out. You'll also want to check out the recommended books on the left of the Amazon store page. You'll find not only the books from the past year's interviews, but recommended books on writing. Be sure to check back frequently, as I'll be adding books often.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And in this special week of thanks, I hope you take the time to give thanks to the Giver of all good things.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your heart,

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

Putting the Art in Article Writing

0
By Vonda Skelton | November 17, 2008

November 18, 2008

Once people realize I’m a writer, they’ll often ask how I come up with good ideas. I’ve learned that when they ask, they’re usually asking about fiction. After all, what could possibly be creative about writing non-fiction? Everybody knows non-fiction is “Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.” Right? Wrong!

To be honest, some of the magazine articles I’ve written required as much creative energy as a fictional short story. The goal of good article writing is to take the information readers need and package it in a way that is interesting and entertaining. In other words, you need to package it artistically.

Here are some boring topics that ended up capturing the attention of editors . . . and giving me a paycheck in my pocket:

Teeth whitening. Think there couldn’t possibly be a creative way to talk about whitening teeth? Think again! Since it was requested by a singles’ magazine, I divided the whitening options into categories singles could identify with. First I started with a catchy title (Whiten Up, Will Ya?) and an interesting anecdote, and then listed the options, along with their explanations, in order of price:

  • For the price of a fast food meal (whitening toothpaste and brush-on whiteners)
  • For the price of a restaurant steak (whitening strips and mouth guards with gel)
  • For the price of  a weight bench (dentist-supervised, take-home kits)
  • For the price of 10-15 rounds of golf (in-office whitening)
  • For the price of  a cruise (laser treatments)

I also used some phrases that would be considered too cutesy by some, but they worked in this piece. “The price doesn’t have to be hard to swallow” and “You can fork out a little or you can fork out a lot” aligned with the subject in an entertaining way.

Carbohydrates. Can you say B-O-R-I-N-G? I started by saying carbs had been getting the bad rap for years-since the 1860’s, when the first low-carb diet book was written by an undertaker! But for this article, the primary creativity was in the subtitle, which was carried into the article as headings: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Truth About Carbs.

  • The “Good” heading discussed what carbs do for us and why we need them. (In case you didn’t know, carbs are NOT the bad guys!).
  • The “Bad” covered what we’ve done to carbs that make them bad for us. (The bottom line is, we’ve taken something that was created to be good for us and taken all the good out by processing, frying, and adding salt and sugar.)
  • The “Ugly” disclosed how food packagers deceive consumers with labeling. (Healthy-sounding names, like “wheat flour” are deceptive-even processed cake flour begins with wheat flour.)

And here are some creative titles that editors especially liked:

  • Unlicensed online pharmacies. Licensed to Pill?
  • Eye care. The Eyes Have It. Opening sentence: “I hate to tell you, but your mother lied.” Paragraph goes on to dispute old wives’ tales about eyes.
  • Music therapy for pain. Take Two CDs and Call Me in the Morning.
  • Humor therapy: Laughter is Serious Business

In each article, I included relevant statistics, warnings, and quotes from expert sources. And, of course, each article ended with a short conclusion that confirmed the take away.

As you can see, using your creative side, even in writing magazine articles, can mean the difference between a publishable article and one that collects dust in your desk.

After all, it doesn’t matter if we’re talking fiction or non, the bottom line is, “boring” doesn’t sell. “Well-written, entertaining, and information-filled” does!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Writing Opportunities Galore!

Hang on to your hat, gang. There are lots of opportunities this week! (And if you need some writing help, be sure to check out the Writing Instruction category in the blog archives!)

  • Thomas Nelson, the publisher, is looking for book reviewers for their books. Information here.
  • The Spiritual Mom, Carla Williams, still needs stories for a book about how a spiritual “mom” made a difference in your life-but she needs them within the next week or so. Contact Carla at for more information.
  • The Ultimate Series continues to accept submissions for upcoming books on a variety of topics. (This is one of the places Jo Rae Johnson has found publishing success!) You must set up an account to get the information. This is a paying market.
  • Cecil Murphey, co-author of 90 Minutes in Heaven, is looking for stories for a new book, Christmas Miracles, to be released in late 2009. This is a paying market.
  • Another anthology, God Sightings: Stories of His Involvement in Life’s Greatest Moments (Howard Books), is looking for just that-stories of how God moved in your life. Email Jeannette Littleton or with the word “Guidelines” written in the subject line. This is a paying market.
  • BlueRidgeHighlander.com is an amazing website celebrating the Blue Ridge Mountains. I had the joy of meeting the publishers last month and they are open to submissions about the mountains. Check out the site and see if you might have something to add. And if you do, email them through the website. Oh, and be sure to tell them I sent you. 😉
  • Readers of The Christian Writer’s Den continue to get published at Christian Devotions. Check them out and you could see your name in print!
  • The Secret Place is looking for devotions. (Elaine Carr was recently published here!) This is a paying market.
  • The RevWriter is looking for articles on specific topics. Check the editorial calendar for a list. This is a paying market.
  • WonderDads is looking for stories about great dads. Contact Jason Baker for details at

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, Brand New Books for Only $5…!!!

Okay, I can’t believe I’m doing this, but I’ve got to make room for my OWN books. So, from now until the end of the year, I’m offering my inventory of other authors’ books for only $5 each, plus $2.50 shipping for the first book and $2 for additional books! Back when I only had two books and none of them were for women, I carried other books on my book table. But now that I have four of my own (including one for women) and the jeweled bookmarks and bracelets and DVDs, I don’t have room!

This is a chance to do your Christmas shopping without leaving home–and save money, too! Here’s the deal:

I’ve listed below the books I have on hand. (Go to Amazon.com to check out the details.) All you have to do is email me with the books you’d like and I’ll put them in the mail. Regardless of the original price, it’ll only cost you $5 each, plus $2.50 for shipping ($2 for each additional book), payable by check or PayPal. And yes, I’m taking a loss on most of them, but believe me, I need the space! So, can we help each other out?

Book Title                                                     Author                          Reg. Price

10 Minute Time-Outs for Busy Women         Grace Fox                    11.99

10 Minute Time-Outs for You and Your Kids Grace Fox                    11.99

½ Price Living                                              Ellie Kay                      12.99

A Woman’s Guide to Family Finances          Ellie Kay                      12.99

Every Marriage is a Fixer-Upper                   Pam Farrel                   10.99

The Home: Secrets of Success for Women   Karen Whiting                 5.99

Honey, Hang in There!                                  Sandra Aldrich              12.99

I’m Too Young to be This Old! (original)          Poppy Smith                10.99

Love Extravagantly (original                           Marita Littauer               11.99

Men are Like Waffles Women are Like SpaghettiBill & Pam Farrel    11.99

Men Read Newspapers, Not Minds (original)    Sandra Aldrich              10.99

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees                        Ellie Kay                        5.99

My Turn to Care                                              Marlene Bagnull            12.95

Parenting Power in the Early Years (original)  Brenda Nixon                 12.95

Red Hot Monogamy                                        Pam Farrel                   11.99

Rest Stops for Busy Moms (hardback)              Susan Titus Osborn       12.99

Resurrection Morning (hardback)             Max Lucado                    9.99

The Heart of a Teacher (hardback)                   Wayne Holmes              14.99

Time: Secrets of Success for Women              Karen Whiting                  5.99

Twenty-Third Psalm for the Single Parent (hardback) Carmen Leal        12.99

Wedded Bliss?                                                 Kristy Dykes                  10.95

When I’m in His Presence                                Anita Donihue
7.95

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now, I leave you with these words, taken from the letter to the Ephesians, but also written to us:

I urge you to live a life worth of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

And the Beat Goes On…

10
By Vonda Skelton | November 10, 2008

November 11, 2008

Ahhh…the melody of words. Don't you love it? Melodic writing truly is music to the ears.

But the melody I want to talk about today isn't necessarily created through the use of lyrical, literary, or eloquent words. It's the rhythm of a well-crafted sentence, created when we develop an ear for the beat.

Here are two versions each of four passages, none of which would be considered eloquent, and yet I believe they demonstrate varying levels of music through the beat. Which do you like better? (BTW, the first three examples are in the voice of a 12-year-old girl).

Example #1:

  1. I knelt beside her and pulled back a branch of waxy green leaves. "You mean that skinny kid with the spiked hair? The one over there by the cemetery?"
  2. I knelt down on the ground beside her and pulled back a branch of waxy green leaves. "You mean that kid over there by the cemetery? The one who is skinny and has spiked hair?

Example #2:

  1. It felt like sandpaper on sunburned skin.
  2. It felt like sandpaper on a day-old sunburn. 

Example #3:

  1. One day we'll strike it rich together, and then we'll have lots of food and the mailbox will be full of money instead of past-due bills, and we'll have nice clothes.
  2. One day we'll strike it rich together, and then we'll have nice clothes and lots of food and the mailbox will be full of money instead of past-due bills. 

Example #4:

  1. It's not that she really lied or anything. She just kinda stretched the truth. Made it a little more exciting. After all, a great story must have a WOW factor. And the fact that God said not to eat the fruit just wasn't WOW enough. So she invented another rule: They couldn't touch the fruit, either. It was a minor point, but it was a major problem.
  2. It's not that she really lied or anything. She just kinda stretched the truth. Made it a little more exciting. After all, a great story must have a WOW factor. And the fact that God said not to eat the fruit just wasn't WOW enough. So she invented another rule: They couldn't touch the fruit, either. Minor point. Major problem.

So, what did you think? Did you have a favorite between each of the two choices? I sure did, and I'll tell you why.

Example #1: I liked A best. First of all, the overall writing is much tighter. The B version includes unnecessary words, such as down and on the ground. Let's face it, have you ever seen anybody kneel up? And since the scene had already been established as being outside, it's redundant to say she knelt on the ground. Also, the dialogue is stilted and too wordy. How often do we say, "He is skinny"? In conversation, we're more likely to use contractions. And I like ending with cemetery rather than hair. Not only does it have a better beat, but it leaves the reader with a more powerful image. Isn't a cemetery more visual than hair?

Example #2: The B sentence is my choice for a couple of reasons. First, sunburned skin simply isn't as descriptive a simile as a day-old sunburn. And again, take a look at the last word in each sentence. Ending the sentence with sunburn leaves the reader with a vivid picture. Skin is just skin. Sunburn is red and painful and hot. Ouch! 

Example #3: If you chose B, we're on the same page. I prefer the way the items build in both the length of the phrases and in the intensity of the need. After all, nice clothes are good to have and food is necessary for life, but if you have lots of money in the mailbox, you can have both! And oh, can you hear the better beat?

Example #4: I know you had to read a lot of the same sentences, but I wanted you to feel and hear the beat in the first paragraph in order to hear the change of rhythm in the second. Can you see and hear that changing to short, choppy phrases in the B sample made the point much more powerful?

So, did we make the same choices? I'd be happy to hear your thoughts. In the meantime, I hope we all make an effort to develop the rhythm of writing. After all, we want our words to be music to our readers' ears!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kudos To…

I forgot to remind you last week to let me know about your publishing successes, so this month's list is short. ;-(

1.      Jo Rae Johnson (SC) has received word that her article, Garden Sense, will be published in The Ultimate Gardener book in March 2009! Jo Rae just keeps adding to her anthology collection. Congratulations!

2.      Susan Dollyhigh (NC). Susan's story, What Does a Quarter Buy?, was a grand prize winner in Women of Faith's Shine the Light contest in the September/October issue of Connection Magazine. Hoo-wee! Hey Susan, could you get us all in to see Patsy Clairmont? 😉

3.      Jennifer Thomas, Ph.D. (NC). I was thrilled to see that Jennifer's book, The Five Languages of Apology, co-written with Dr. Gary Chapman, was on the Christian Booksellers Association best seller list-again! Congratulations, Jennifer!

4.      Elaine Carr (SC) will have a devotional in the Spring 2009 issue of The Secret Place. It will appear in both the magazine and on their website. Way to go, Elaine!

Congrats to all these writers. If any of you have been blessed with a publishing credit, received a contract, or placed in a contest, please go ahead and let me know and it'll be included next month. I don't want us to miss the opportunity to celebrate with you!

And don't forget to check back next week, where you'll find a list of writing opportunities posted just for you. Who knows-maybe you'll be on the kudos list in 2009!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll Be on The Harvest Show (TV) and Along the Way (Radio) This Week!

Most likely, by the time you read this, I'll be on my way to South Bend, Indiana, for an interview on The Harvest Show this Wednesday, November 12. The show will be live at 9am (ET) and is also taped for later showings. You can watch it live here and email a question, if you'd like. (Just go easy on me, okay?)  I hope you'll check your local listings for a showing in your area.

And on Friday, November 14, I have the privilege of being interviewed on the Along the Way radio program in the upper midwest. If you're not in the area, you can catch it live through internet streaming here. 

I hope you get a chance to catch one or both of these programs. And even if you can't, will you pray that I'll speak with confidence and assurance? After all, I'll be sharing the truths of God, and that's a reason to be confident and assured!

Thank you for your encouragement!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Year is Almost Over…

…but I still have a few more events for 2008 and would love to see you there!

  • Anderson, SC. Anderson County Museum Mistletoe Market, November 14-15. Come and yet your Christmas shopping done!
  • Maryville, TN. Victory Baptist Church Women's Event, November 22. For more information, call the church at .
  • Moore, SC. Poplar Springs Baptist Church Women's Event , December 2. Call the church for more information: .
  • Simpsonville, SC. Westside Church Dinner Theater, December 6. I'm thrilled to be part of the cast of  "Christmas Crosstalk," an entertaining reminder that Christmas isn't just another holiday, but the opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Oh, I LOVE drama! Call the church at for more information. (Reservations required.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As we go through our week, I pray our eyes will be open to the opportunities to be servants. As Jesus said:

"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

God and the Telemarketer

3
By Vonda Skelton | November 3, 2008

November 4, 2008

You may not believe this, but I know it for a fact: God talks on the telephone.

Many years ago, I was putting together a talk on having a gentle spirit. As usual, I searched my concordance for appropriate verses and found many that applied to both men and women. But since I was preparing to speak to women, I typed 1 Peter 3:3-4 into my notes and then wrote, “Ladies, we must pray earnestly and daily for a gentle and quiet spirit.” (Hang in there with me, men…this is going to be for you, too).

I leaned back in my chair and gazed at the life-changing words I had just typed. The cursor blinked like a heartbeat on the screen. Then, as every Christian writer should do, I prayed. “Oh, God, what do You want me to say next? What words of wisdom do you want me to share with these women?”

The phone rang.

Now, I don’t know about you, but God had never called me on the telephone.

“Hello.”

“Is Gary Skeleton there?”

Grrrlll. A telemarketer. I could feel my blood pressure rising. In case you haven’t noticed, my name is Skel-ton, not Skel-e-ton. I didn’t even try to hide my frustration. “There’s no Gary Skeleton here!”

So she spelled it for me. “There’s no G-A-R-Y Skeleton there?”

“There are no skeletons in this house!” I yelled, and slammed down the phone. Grumble . . . grumble . . . grumble. How dare she call at this very moment, when I’m trying to hear from God?

My eyes refocused on the screen, and there, pulsating in rhythm to my heart, were the incriminating words, “Ladies, we must pray earnestly and daily for a gentle and quiet spirit.”

GULP.

I guess you could say God called me on the phone that day. He called to tell me I’d better keep praying–because I was a long way from achieving the spirit He was looking for!

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus says to come to Him because He is gentle and humble of heart. Gentle. Humble. Hmmm. I don’t know about you, but there are many times people would categorize me as anything BUT gentle and humble. In all honesty, there are times that words like selfish, self-centered, and know-it-all come to mind. When I sincerely look at my life and my attitudes, I’m saddened to see the many times I’m so far from gentle and humble.

Not exactly a picture of Jesus.

In this day of filling every moment with “stuff” and rushing here and there in an effort to get it all done, what does the world see (or hear) when they come in contact with us? Are we so busy looking out for number one that we miss the opportunity to be a gentle representation of Jesus? Are we so busy trying to get our work noticed or published or paid for that we miss the divine appointments God has for us to be an encouragement to someone else?

Oh, how sad it would be to gain success in the eyes of the world…while tromping over the very ones God planned for us to reach! If we truly love Jesus and hope to point others to Him, we must take on His character. We must be gentle and humble.

When the rejections come and the friends go; when the sales are low and the cost is high; when those we’ve been mentoring suddenly dash past us on the road to publication, can we be gentle and humble and genuinely happy?

Yes, we can. Because we want to be like Jesus…gentle and humble in heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don’t Forget I Love to Write Day!

I hope you’ll seriously consider how you can encourage the art of writing as we celebrate I Love to Write Day, November 15. Could you speak to your child’s class? Help an elderly person write a letter to a loved one? Teach your grandchildren how to write a thank you note?

Don’t let this special day get by without celebrating the joy of the written word!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Who Won The Ark, The Reed, and The Fire Cloud by Jenny L. Cote?????

Amy at the Momlogic.com blog! Amy, email your address to me and Jenny will send you your own autographed copy. I know your children will enjoy it!

And readers, it’s easy to be a winner here at The Christian Writer’s Den. Just leave a comment whenever we have an author interview and your name could be drawn. The blog is posted here at my website, at Momlogic.com, Greenvilleonline.com  PinkCollarClub.net, CelebrateMoms, and Shoutlife. But even then, very few people post comments for some reason. So don’t be shy–you could win a free book!

(Amy, don’t forget to send me your address!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today’s the Day to Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Don’t miss your opportunity to speak your mind and your heart. VOTE TODAY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I leave you with these words, written in the 5th century B.C., but still applicable to America today:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

(Lamb photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net)

Read entire post »