What do you say to someone who’s feeling hopeless and asks for your help? This isn’t a rhetorical question. We all encounter family members and friends who have lost hope. They struggle to cope with financial uncertainties, job loss, or the prospect of losing their home. They confront the reality of death or illness. They mourn broken relationships and shattered dreams. […]
Continue readingWhat Does It Mean?
“I cried all the way through your book. It is an incredible love story.” That kind comment from a reader of Relentless Grace highlights an interesting aspect of writing: words may mean one thing to the writer and quite another to each member of the audience. I’m fascinated by the assortment of thoughts and emotions prompted by the same story. Some readers […]
Continue readingHumility
I’m learning that an important part of releasing a book is accepting feedback. It’s a great lesson in humility. Every sentence of the story obviously means a great deal to me. Those fifty thousand words were written, revised, edited, and revised again in an attempt to clearly communicate my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Now those […]
Continue readingRegret
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” ~ Winston Churchill Last night I spoke to a group of men at a drug/alcohol recovery center in Denver. Those guys know about adversity. I was struck by their overwhelming preoccupation with the past. In the process of acknowledging and owning their mistakes, they face a lot of regret […]
Continue readingHope
Once you choose hope, anything’s possible. ~ Christopher Reeve I dislike the abrupt endings that characterize holidays. There’s all that time of preparation and anticipation, then the big day comes and goes and we flock back to the stores. Thankfulness suddenly turns to tragedy as bargain hunters trample the poor guy assigned to open the door. That’s […]
Continue readingRelentless
One reader emailed me with an interesting comment. She said she liked the book title but that the word “relentless” usually conveyed a negative connotation for her. Apparently she encountered the word mostly in less desirable contexts. I found her comment enlightening, especially since I’ve previously stated that “relentlessness” was a character trait I seek […]
Continue readingThankful
I guess it’s fashionable to write about thankfulness and gratitude this week. It’s too bad that we need a holiday to remind us of the incredible array of gifts we enjoy for which we need to be always thankful. I can’t possibly list the people for whom I’m thankful. But I’m especially mindful of the characters […]
Continue readingWhy Relentless Grace?
When I tell people I’ve published a book, their first reaction is something between skepticism and astonishment. Once the shock subsides, they usually want to know what the book is about. That ought to be a relatively easy question. After all, I DID write it. I usually mumble something about my injury, but that answer […]
Continue readingAbundance or Scarcity?
I received one of those forwarded emails this week. I usually try to at least skim through them before hitting DELETE, and occasionally I am rewarded with a gem.
Continue readingThe Perfect Title
One of the comments people make about RELENTLESS GRACE is that they like the title. I agree that the title perfectly captures the heart of the story, and I wish I could trace the precise process that created it. Frankly, I wanted to use Amazing Grace, but someone told me that idea was already taken. I […]
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