Wintersβ Day In
Spilling the tea since 2006. Wanna cuppa?
Conversations on life, faith, stories, and creativity from author and songwriter (and aspiring mermaid) Talena Winters.
Why God Didn't Stop the Shooting
So often in the aftermath of tragedy, Christians who have been raised to think of God as their protection charm turn away, and atheists mock the impotence of the God we declare to be firmly in control. But is it possible we have Godβand his view of human tragedyβall wrong?
Drawing the Line: 5 Loving Reasons to Say βNoβ
Saying "no" to trying to control things which are impossible to control anyways means saying "yes" to peace, tranquility, and more time and energy doing things I love with people I love to be with.
Melissa Keaster: Writing from the Ashes
"The Enemy came to steal, kill, and destroy my passion, but God flipped the switch on the devilβs own scheme. The thing that was meant to keep me down helped me to focus on the essentials." Read more of Melissa's amazing story in today's blog post.
2-Minute Tutorial: Write a Good Book Review
Writing reviews is probably one of the very best ways you can help your favourite authors (besides buying their books). On sites like Amazon, once a book has a certain number of reviews the platform "rewards" it by showing it in the "Also bought" lists. Some readers and book newsletters won't even consider reading a book until it has 25, 50, or even 100 reviews. But what makes a good review? Here are the "3 Rs" of writing a good book review.
Enjoying the Little Moments
Summer has been challenging for me as a work-from-home mom, but we've also made some great memories. And I am much more able to put aside my anxiety at my unfinished to-do list than I ever used to be and just enjoy the little moments.
Could Your Story Change the World?
You might think your story isn't that special, that you have nothing to give. But if you think about it, you'll probably realize that you have already learned some life lessons that others would benefit from. Have you ever wondered how your story might be a powerful blessing to others?
What Are You Known For?
This iconic building of our flag inspired some insight into being our best selves. The choice is up to us.
Mary DeMuth: Beauty in the Broken
Mary DeMuth's biography on Facebook begins, βIf you met Mary today, her joy would confuse you.β I love that. After all that Mary has been through, the fact that she is known by her joy (not surprising if you read even one article she has written) is a testimony to the healing power of Christ. His love shines through her like light through a stained glass window.
7 Things: Books for Summer
Okay, so I know that summer is already almost half over. (What? I know, right?) But there are still six more weeks for summer reading--you've got plenty of time! (Six of the seven are indie authors or were published by small presses, and several are by Canadian authors. Can you guess which ones?)
When You Just Canβt Do It All
Lately, I've been getting that too-familiar "overwhelmed" feeling. Looking back over the first six months of this year, I am coming to a difficult conclusion: I still can't do it all. So it's time to reset some priorities.
Book Review: Eleora by Melissa Keaster
In Eleora, Melissa Keaster brings to life a world as enduring as Narnia or Middle Earth and characters that will live in your heart next to Lucy Pevensie and Bilbo Baggins. It is a world where spirits walk, crime rings hold immense power, and the King, though seemingly absent, still guides the land through the magical Eleora stone--a gem of immense power.
The Healing Power of Community
Two years after losing our son, we are still completely humbled when we consider the massive wave of support we received when Munchkin died. I am convinced that the support of our community through that first difficult year had a good deal to do with the progress we made in our healing. Yes, the work of grief must be done on an individual basis. But knowing that we were never alone had a significant impact on how brave we were in approaching that work.
Book Review: Endless Change by P.D. Workman
This spring, I had the opportunity to beta-read a novel for Calgary author P.D. Workman, who writes stories in the YA genre. Since she has just released it, I get to share it with you at last!
Behind-the-Scenes of "Finding Heaven"
I think all great stories probably begin with a question that the author has to answer for themselves. Thus it was that, in 2012 while I was learning how to create a career as a writer, I also got the seed idea that eventually bloomed into Finding Heaven.