Thursday on Living Inspired: Homeschool devotions with Anita Mellot and Exploring the old west with author Miralee Ferrell

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.


We're back to our regularly scheduled show this week and have two wonderful guests lined up. The first half hour we'll be talking to Anita who has written recently published the widely praised School is Where the Home Is: 180 Devotions for Parents. Based on her experiences from eight years of homeschooling and advice she was given along the way, this unique devotional offers both practical guidance along with scriptural wisdom needed for the homeschooling journey. Then during the second half of the show, we'll be hearing from author Miralee Ferrell. Miralee will be sharing her writing journey with us as well as introducing her recent books, Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming and The Other Daughter. Don't miss this week's show.

Leave a comment below for a chance to win Anita's homeschool devotional or Miralee's Love Finds You on Sundance, Wyoming. Winners will be notified next week via email.

More about Anita: Anita Mellott, in her ninth year of homeschooling, has first-hand experience with the ups and downs, the joys and challenges of the homeschooling life. She leads a homeschool encouragement group and  contributes to Homeschool Enrichment, Novel Rocket and Crosswalk.com. She blogs words of encouragement and hope at From the Mango Tree. For thirteen years, Mellott worked as a writer/editor with Habitat for Humanity International. Prior to moving to the United States, she headed the Department of Journalism at Mt. Carmel College, Bangalore, India, and also has experience in public relations and advertising in India.

Find out more about Anita at her website.

More about “School Is Where the Home Is: 180 Devotions for Parents”
An estimated 2 million children are homeschooled in the United States. This is a devotional for those dedicated parents.

Mellott’s 180 anecdotal devotionals explore specific homeschooling issues and present biblical truths to guide parents through challenging times. Themes include:

• Homeschool Basics—fundamentals such as obedience to the call, prioritizing, decision-making
• Homeschool and You—how homeschooling affects the primary educator (and vice versa)
• Homeschool and Family—juggling parenting, marriage, education, and domestic life
• Gifts We Give Our Children—intangible gifts, from a godly heritage to freedom to pursue their dreams
• And A Child Will Lead them—discovering life and faith though our child’s eyes
• Spiritual Vitamins: inspiration for Christian life, addressing fear, faith, prayer, and more
• Faith of Their Own—intentional discipleship that nurtures children in their own faith

School Is Where the Home Is presents a unique blend of the practical and inspirational for today’s homeschooling parents.


More about Miralee: Miralee and her husband Allen have been married 39 yrs. They live on 11 acres in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in southern Washington State, where they love to garden, play with their dogs, take walks, and go sailing. Miralee enjoys riding her horse on the wooded trails near their home with her grown daughter who lives nearby. She’s an avid reader and has a large collection of first edition Zane Grey books, which inspired her desire to write fiction set in the Old West.

Miralee serves as president of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers and belongs to a number of writer’s groups. She also speaks at women’s groups, libraries, and churches about her writing journey. When she started writing fiction Miralee believed that she’d always stay with women’s contemporary, but has since branched out to historical romance. Exploring family and marriage issues, The Other Daughter follows a family of four who receive a shock in the form of a 13-year-old girl who lands on their doorstep, claiming to be the daughter of the husband/father of the family—a girl they didn’t know existed. Finding Jeena features a character from the first book and explores socio-economic issues through a single woman’s sudden job-loss and ensuing struggle for survival.

Her fourth historical romance with Summerside Press in their Love Finds You series, set in Sundance, Wyoming released in August. All the Love Finds You books are stand-alone novels, and take place in a real town in America. Miralee’s first three are set in 1877, Love Finds You in Last Chance, CA, 1902, Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon, and 1881, Love Finds You in Tombstone, AZ.  The first two have a suspense thread as well as romance and the third has a higher degree of action.

Miralee recently signed a contract with David C Cook Publishing for a three-book historical series set in Oregon (women’s fiction with a strong romance thread) releasing June of 2013.

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/miralee 
Web site:    www.miraleeferrell.com

More about Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming:
Angel Ramirez is tired of living a lie. But can she live like a lady?

On the run from a dangerous outlaw, Angel works her way across several states disguised as a boy and working as a varmint tracker and horse wrangler. After taking a job on a Wyoming ranch owned by a bachelor and his widowed sister, she finally reveals her true identity and must fight to prove her worth as a ranch hand while somehow discovering her role as woman.

Hiring a woman doesn’t sit well with Travis Morgan, and the dark-haired beauty is causing a ruckus among his cowboys. Just as Angel decides she’ll never be able to please her boss, an unexpected surprise arrives from across the ocean and makes trouble on the ranch. Will Angel leave with the person who’s come so far to claim her.

Learn to be a writer ... Secrets from the author's chair

I'm often asked for my favorite writing books. I've read many, many over the years and here are some I highly recommend. Read 5 of them and I guarantee you'll be 100% ahead of most writers out there!!

The Christian Writer's Market Guide by Sally Stewart

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Christian Fiction by Ron Benrey

The Making of a Christian Bestseller by Ann Byle

Writing the Christian Romance by Gail Gaymer Martin

Book in a Month: The Fool-Proof System for Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

Book Proposals That Sell by W. Terry Whalin

Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing by Michelle Ruberg

Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne

The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman

The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life by Noah Lukeman

A Story is a Promise by Bill Johnson

A Novel Idea: Best Advice on Writing Inspirational Fiction

The 11 Secrets of Getting Published

Fiction proposal tutorial by Mary DeMuth

Nonfiction proposal tutorial by Mary DeMuth

Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Christian Fiction by Ron Benrey

The First 50 Pages (by Writers Digest Books)

Plot Versus Character: A Balanced Approach to Writing Great Fiction (by Writers Digest Books)

The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction by Jeff Gerke

Winners from the Remembering You KindleTouch Giveaway & Facebook Party!

First of all - thank you all so much for coming. What fun. Loved chatting with you all on Facebook and live.

Here is the list of every one who won something at the party tonight:

Congratulations to Marla Johnson! You've won a copy of Remembering You and a Starbucks gift certificate. Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Congratulations to Amber Greeson Horton! You've won a copy of Remembering You. Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Congratulations to Lisa Ahlstedt! You've won a copy of Remembering You. Email your mailing address to amy@litfusegroup.com!

Congratulations to Marietta Taylor! You've won a copy of Remembering You and an Amazon.com gift certificate. Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Congratulations to Helen Hevener! You've won a copy of Remembering You. Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Congratulations to Rebecca Billy! You've won a copy of Remembering You. Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Congratulations to Megan Oster Montgomery! You've won a copy of Remembering You. Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Photo Winners:
Congratulations to Sara Carroll! You've won a copy of Remembering You and for posting your photo on my wall! Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Congratulations to Adventurez In Child'Rearing! You've won a copy of Remembering You and for posting your photo on my wall! Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Trivia Winner:
Congratulations to Marietta Taylor! You've won the book club prize pack. You'll receive 10 copies of Remembering You for your book club or small group. Email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

Kindle Touch for You and a Friend Winner:

Congrats to Rebecca Lord from Florida! You are the winner of the Kindle Touch for yourself … and one for a Friend (your choice)! Send your mailing address (and your friend's) to amy {at} litfusegroup.com and we'll get right out to you!

Congrats to all the winners - please email your mailing address to amy {at} litfusegroup.com!

My Biggest Fan

If you've been involved in the blogging world for any time it would be safe to say that our neighborhood is filled with women's voices. Yes, there are men who blog--and do a fine job at it--but the majority are moms of young children who have finally found an outlet for the one million thoughts dancing around in their heads as they raise, guide, cherish, and lead their children ... and love their husbands on the side. (Or at least that's the blogs I read most!)

It would also be safe to say that when it comes to The Christmas Story Mary gets far more attention than Joseph. Yesterday when I was putting out my nativity set I had to look closely to figure out which one of the ceramic dudes was Jesus' father. While there is only one Mary, the shepherds and the wise men tend to crowd Joseph out.

I got to thinking more about Joseph today as I started a personal study through Beth Moore's new Bible Study, Mercy Triumphs. I was intrigued that Beth started the study with Jesus' father of all people, and here are two passages that really stood out:

"Nothing was going as planned. Most Jewish men didn't live like this. They knew what to expect. The only thing they needed to know was what their fathers knew. Their trade was his trade...The moment Joseph learned that the woman pledged to him was expecting, normalcy sprouted wings and flew like a raven to the wilderness. Suddenly the unexpected became all this carpenter could expect." Mercy Triumphs, p. 15

Reading about Joseph made me think of all the "men" out there who support the women who get far more attention for their wittiness, their insight, and their social media connections. It made me consider my own husband. It would be safe to say that in the last 8 1/2 years since my first novel got published, "suddenly the unexpected became all this computer guy could expect."

John and I often joke that he had no idea who he was marrying when he married me. I was an 18-year-old single mom. Writing, publishing, speaking, blogging, and radio were no where on the radar. As I've grown and changed, my husband has too. He's my biggest fan and the foundation on which our family stands. I couldn't do what I do without John doing what he does.

So, today I'm extending a shout-out to my husband John...

For all the days I hand over the baby after dinner and run to our room to write ... thank you.
For all the days the glow on my face is the reflection of my Mac laptop ... thank you.
For all the thousands of miles you've driven me around for research trips ... thank you.
For all the evenings you've brought home pizza or tacos because i was on deadline ... thank you.
For all the date nights that turned into brainstorming sessions ... thank you.
For being self-less, giving, supportive, understanding and being called Mr. Tricia Goyer a few times ... thank you.

I can do what I do because of the amazing man by my side. God knew what He was doing when He gave me you!

How about you? Feel free to leave a comment and give a shout-out to your man. Also, when you're setting up your nativity this year linger on Joseph just a minute longer than you normally would and thank God for the men who support the women they love.

P.S. If you're looking for a good, personal Bible study I highly recommend Mercy Triumphs! You can order it here.

When Life Doesn't Go As Planned

Nothing is going like planned.

Life wasn't supposed to be like this.

At age fifteen I planned on going to college to be a school teacher. I planned on living in the same small California town I grew up in. After having Cory, getting married, and having more kids, I planned on settling down in the (somewhat) larger California town that we lived in. John would get a good job. We'd buy a nice house. I'd homeschool and maybe write articles on the side. And maybe someday write a book. But nothing went as planned.

We felt God's stirring to move to Montana. We moved and God pointed me to stories that would be impossible to write in my own strength. The church He directed us to wasn't one I'd pick (at first). The friendships He orchestrated took me out of my comfort zone. And getting involved in started a pregnancy center...that wasn't in the plan at all.

At least we found a place to settle down for good. At least we had a nice house. Our house. We had our best friends close, a church we loved (after we realized we weren't there to be served but to serve), ministries we believed in and enjoyed, money to meet all our needs. The plan then was for our children to finish school, get married, live close and give us lots of grandkids I could spend time with. Then the plan changed. God made His plan known. You'd think I'd get used to my plans being changed. I wasn't.

MY plan for our lives in this new city 2,000 miles away was to replace all we left behind, yet once God moves you out of your comfort zone, finding an “easy fit” doesn't become an option any more. Even as I write this my heart aches. It knows what it wants, “Let's just make a plan. Let's buy a house and unpack our things. Let's get organized, set a schedule, and build a routine.” It's the plan I think about every day. It's the one I want most.

You'd think I'd learn by now not to focus too much on my plan. My plan is to make myself—my family—comfortable. God's plan has always been to move me closer to the people who need help and hope. Closer to the issues that break His heart.

If I think about it, deep down—from a young age—I've had another plan, too. To make a difference in his world. It seems that making a difference can only happen when I allow God's plans to be worked out in my feeble body...as I take unsure steps. It's then I look to God more, I depend on Him more. It reminds me of the verse I read this morning:

God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, no matter how desperate the trouble. But cozy islands of escape He wipes right off the map. Nahum 1:7-8 The Message

It seems those cozy islands of escape have always been part of my plan. A nice house, a good family, friends and a church close by, work that's fun and impacting (but not too challenging). Teaching Sunday School to three-year-olds is the type of ministry that's right up my alley. I can do that with little effort and lots of rewards. But in the way God works, He's led me to people, situations and even book projects that don't come with an easy-to-follow curriculum guide. Instead of two pages of ideas and instructions, He's the One I have to look to for help, strength and advice.

What it all comes down to is God putting me—and my family—in places where we must look to Him for help. That's been His plan all along. That's the only good plan for sinners in need of grace and servant-children who desire to be transformed into the image of His Son.

And should I really complain? God's plan pulls me closer to the heart of the Creator of the universe who loves me completely and desires to give me a hope and a future. There can't be any plan better than that. There isn't any plan better. I just need to remind myself of that the next time my house, my work, and my life shout out, “We need to get a sense of order here!” Life will never be cozy, at peace, and organized when following Jesus is the most important thing. But the more I lean in, the more I discover that depending on Him is a good, good place to be.

Christmas. Cards or letters?

Every year I try to write a Christmas letter to go with my Christmas cards. But this year I wanted to celebrate the TWO new additions to our family! If you're looking for inspiration for a Christmas card or another important announcement, check out The Little Card Company. I asked April--one of the owners--to share a little about it.

April:

The Little Card Company was founded in 2010 by three moms on a mission to provide high-quality photo cards with fabulous, fun designs to other Christian moms just like themselves. We offer designs for Christmas and all major holidays, Birth and Adoption Announcements, Baby Dedications and Baptisms, Kids' Birthday Invitations and more!

We have a simple, yet powerful goal this Christmas – to keep Jesus at the center of the season! As a Christian company, it's our top priority to communicate the message of Jesus, especially as we approach the celebration of his birth. Each of our customizable designs reflects the warmth, joy and happiness of Christmas without leaving out the true reason for the season.

We hope you’ll stop by and take a peek at our Christmas Collection 2011 – you won’t find any “happy holidays” with us, but you’re sure to find any number of festive designs to help you share a slice of your life and an element of your faith this Christmas!

You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlecardcompany and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/littlecardco.

A special ‘thanks’ to Tricia for her kind heart and her partnership! We’ve been blessed by the connection!

Happy Thanksgiving - encore show of Living Inspired with Holley Gerth and Roper

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.


I hope you are enjoying your friends and family. If you have a moment to listen to Living Inspired today I've got an encore presentation of the interview with Gayle Roper and Holley Gerth. Enjoy and happy feasting!

The first half hour we'll be chatting with author Gayle Roper about the adoption of her two sons and how one of her sons has reconnected with his birth mother. Gayle will also be giving us a look at her new book, Shadows on the Sand. Then during the second half of the show, Holley Gerth from Heart to Heart with Holley and Incourage.me will be here to talk about her latest book, God's Heart for You. Holley will be sharing the inspiration behind the book and how the project evolved into something so much bigger than she expected.

More about Gayle: Gayle is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers ofAmerica, is the multi-award-winning, best-selling author of Fatal Deduction and more than forty other books. She teaches and leads mentoring clinics at writers conferences across the country. Gayle lives in eastern Pennsylvania.

More about Shadows on the Sand: She serves him breakfast at her cafe every morning … but he never seems to notice her.

Carrie Carter’s small cafe in Seaside, New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals … although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children—and from the year he tried to drink his reality away. While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her, to Carrie’s chagrin.

When Carrie’s dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries … and into her life. But when Carrie’s own painful past becomes all to present, her carefully constructed world begins to sink.
Will the fragile relationship she’s built with Greg implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry?

More about Holley: Holley Gerth is an award-winning writer, life coach, counselor, and speaker who loves sharing the heart of God with women through words. She’s the author of several books as well as over 2,000 greeting cards for DaySpring. Her most recent book is God’s Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman (Harvest House, September 2011). Holley cofounded a new web site for women, (in)courage, which received over a million hits in its first six months. You can also find Holley online at her popular blog, Heart to Heart with Holley that has over 23,000 subscribers.

More about the book: God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as a Woman


The personal, inviting style of popular speaker, writer, and counselor Holley Gerth inspires thousands of readers weekly through her DaySpring site incourage.me and her well-known blog Heart to Heart with Holley. In God’s Heart for You, Holley offers insightful devotions, reflective questions, and captivating poetry to reveal how, through God’s love, a woman is wholly—

Accepted and known completely
Chosen with imperfections to be made perfect
Empowered with God’s strength
Beautiful and a one-of-a-kind gift to the world
Blessed with God’s best

Bound with a lovely padded hardcover, this gathering of encouraging readings will be a wonderful gift for any occasion and a powerful treasury of God’s heart and purpose for a women to return to again and again for refreshment.

Thankful

Thankful!

Isaiah 53 (The Message)

 ¹ Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?  ^2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
   a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
   nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
   a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
   We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
   our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
   that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
   that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
   Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
   We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
   on him, on him.
 ^7-9He was beaten, he was tortured,
   but he didn't say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
   and like a sheep being sheared,
   he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
   and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
   beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
   threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he'd never hurt a soul
   or said one word that wasn't true.
 ¹⁰Still, it's what God had in mind all along,
   to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
   so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
   And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
 ^11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul,
   he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
   will make many "righteous ones,"
   as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—
   the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,
   because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
   he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

The story behind the story...

With each of my novels I write the story behind the story to put on my website. It gives a little more background on the story's birth and the real-life stories that inspire my books.

Here is the backstory for Remembering You. I was also interviewed by Guideposts about the Veteran's I've interviewed over the years. Watch that video here.

In the last ten years since I started interviewing veterans for my WWII novels, most have passed away. Some of them—realizing their days on earth were coming to an end—returned to Europe one last time with their family members to walk along paths they've never forgotten. Those trips inspired my most recent novel, Remembering You.

One of the most amazing experiences was when I received an email from a woman named Hana. She'd heard of my book and knew I'd interviewed some of the veterans. She asked if I'd interviewed any medics. Then she told me an amazing story. Hana was born on a cart just outside of Mauthausen. Her mother had survived being a prisoner of another camp and was transported to Mauthausen at the end of the war.

Hana was just three weeks old when the Americans arrived, and she was very ill. Because of the filthy conditions she got a skin infection and sores covered her body. No one expected her to live. Yet one of the medics saw the small baby and knew he had to do something. Even though it took most of the day, he lanced and cleaned all Hana's sores, saving her life. Over the years she'd wanted to find the medic, but didn't know where to start.

I was amazed by Hana's story and told her I knew one medic—maybe he remembered who that man was. I gave Hana the contact information and I soon heard the good news. My friend LeRoy “Pete” Petersohn was the medic who'd saved her life! The two were soon reunited! After all these years Hana was able to look into the eyes of the man who saved her and thanked him. After all these years Pete was able to meet the woman he saved. “Baby!” he called out when he met her.

Remembering You is a work of fiction, but the experiences of the men are true. The experiences of the main character, Ava, are also true-to-life. I was busy with life when God pointed me to an amazing story, and to even more amazing men. I'm so thankful I took time to listen and care. I'm so thankful I allowed these men to share what … and who … they remembered most.

What a Girl Wants, What a Boy Needs part 2

Be sure to check out Part 1 from last week!

Dads and Daughters

A dad’s relationship with his daughter will shape her life. A girl looks to her father in order to understand her own value. Here are specific needs every dad can meet:

A Girl’s World. “Sometimes dads put the responsibility on the mom for raising their daughters. Instead dads need to enter their daughters’ world,” says Dr. John Townsend.

Dads do this by connecting with his daughter where she’s at, whether it’s playing dolls, reading a book together, or going for a walk.

“When a dad reaches out, he helps his daughter see he’s not some strange, frightening figure who is so different from her,” adds Dr. Townsend. “The best thing a father can do is to make it safe for a little girl to relate to him—to be a warm and inviting person.”

Intimacy Through Words. Intimacy to girls means relating at a deep, emotional level. “I drive my young daughters to school,” says Dr. Smalley. “What they want during this time is a deep emotional connection. I listen to them and respond with questions like, ‘How did that make you feel?’”

Girls also need to hear from their fathers: “You can do anything.” Girls need to understand their worth.

“One day when I was cutting out magazine photos with my kindergartner for a school assignment, I noticed that all the photos were of skinny models with long blonde hair,” says Dr. Smalley. “It was a good time to discuss society’s twisted views. Even at that young age, I told her, “Honey, that’s not who you need to be. That’s not where your value is. Your value is in Christ. Your value is in your character.”

“For young girls, their opinion of themselves is dependent on what other people say,” adds Robin Gunn, who also authors, Gentle Passages, Guiding Your Daughter to Womanhood (Multnomah). “Daddies need to focus on inner qualities, praising a girl’s character, and extolling her wise decisions.”

photo by Jessica McCollam http://www.jessicasvisionsphotography.com/

Modeling the Opposite Sex. From early on, a dad provides his daughter’s identification with the opposite sex. The character qualities she sees in her father are the same qualities she will look for in a spouse.

“It’s important that a father model how a male should treat a female,” says Dr. Townsend. “Make sure your daughter feels respected and safe.”

“How I treat my girls is going to be their expectation of what’s okay and what’s not,” adds Dr. Smalley. “I let my daughters know I’m not going to hit them, yell at them, or use swear words, because they’re more valuable than that.”

Independence. Since dads are more aggressive and goal-oriented, they are the perfect role models to teach their daughters about initiative and taking risks.

“A mom says, ‘Be safe.’ A father says, ‘I bet you can’t make it to the top.’ This male influence helps little girls not be afraid of life. It gives them a sense of their own freedom,” says Dr. Townsend.

“It’s important to teach little girls the tools that are not natural to them such as problem solving,” adds Dr. Smalley. “Dads can do things for their daughters, such as getting their bike out of the garage, or better yet, they can work with their daughters to solve the problem.”

Touch. “From the time my daughter was small, I knew the importance of touch,” says Mike Yorkey, editor of The Christian Family Answer Book. “If my daughter didn’t get hugs from me, I knew she’d look elsewhere.”

“I love to see my husband giving my daughter hugs and strokes on her hair,” says Robin Gunn. “When girls are young, dads do these things naturally, but when a girl starts to mature the physical touch doesn’t come as naturally to the father. Of course that’s when girls need this affection more than ever.”

The Blessing. “The ‘Number One’ thing a daughter needs from her father is what the Bible calls ‘The Blessing’ described in Genesis 27,” says Dr. John Trent, co-author of The Gift of the Blessing (Thomas Nelson). “The blessing represents a unique opportunity for a dad to communicate his unconditional love and acceptance to his a daughter. This reflects God’s love for her as well.”

A family blessing begins with meaningful touch. It continues with a spoken message of high value, a message that pictures a special future for the individual being blessed, and one that is based on an active commitment to see the blessing come to pass.

The gift of a blessing can be given during a special night when parents pray over their daughter—or their son. But parents must also remember that the blessings we provide occur in our children’s lives on a daily basis whenever we, as mothers and as fathers, reach out to meet the unique needs or our sons and daughters.

Being A Missionary

As most of you know John and I moved to Little Rock March 2010 to join FamilyLife. What you may not know is that in our hearts we considered this a missionary move. We made a conscience decision for John to move from a cooperate setting to a ministry one. The less money he is making in this new job confirmed that our focus was on expanding "God's mission" rather than an upward career move.

The "mission" was confirmed when we got to Little Rock. God led us to an amazing innercity church where we could share His love. Right away John got involved as an (unpaid) elementary school pastor. And just a few months after we arrived I started a weekly support group for Teen Moms. There are around 20 young women in our group. 90% are from broken homes. Most come from families who live on welfare. Only a few have cars they can drive to our meetings, so all the leaders take turns giving rides.

Our kids have gotten involved too. Leslie has helped start a Cru (Campus Crusade) Bible study at the University of Arkansas Little Rock. She also is a youth leader and is active in sharing her faith in all aspects of her life. Nathan helps John in children's church. And since our Teen Mom Support group is in the inner city, Nathan also mans the front doors that we must keep locked. Nathan deals with the drunks and the homeless people who often come by looking for a handout. Every week he tells me the same thing, "This is not Montana."

Moving to Little Rock has been a stretching experience to say the least. We are learning to live on less. We are learning to minister to very needy people who are very different than us. Recently we lost two of our three cars in two different accidents. We are learning to work together to make sure everyone gets to where they need to go. And we're clinging to this Scripture that my friend Robin sent me:

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!” (Isaiah 31:1, NASB95)

We have less chariots to trust in, that's for sure!

While our "mission" was in our minds when we moved, what we've failed to do it let others know what was on our hearts. As a positive and upbeat person, I'm great about focusing on the good things and trying to ignore the challenges, yet sometimes the best thing we can do is to invite others to join us in prayer.

Won't you pray for us? Pray we will be more diligent in seeking the Lord for every challenge we face. Pray we will grow in understanding of those we minister to and learn to share Jesus in ways that will touch their hearts. Pray we will continue to adjust to living on less and trusting God with all our needs.

Looking back I have no doubt we will see these first years in Little Rock as a growing experience. God has already been at work, and we know He is STILL at work in ways we can't see! One blessing He's given us is the new book contracts and increased sales of my books. In a down economy I've seen my book sales grow. Only God can do that! Thank you for all YOU do in supporting my writing ministry.

May God continue to use our hands, our hearts and our words to reach others for His glory, and any prayers you can offer are greatly appreciated!

Win a Kindle for yourself ... and one for a friend! Remembering You Giveaway

I am excited to announce that Remembering You has released and available wherever find books are sold. This novel is near and dear to my heart. For more about the story behind Remembering You, visit my book page. 
To celebrate I've teamed up with my publisher, Guideposts, for the Remembering You Giveaway! We're giving away a KINDLE Touch for you ... and for the friend of your choice. How fun is that?

Then on 11/29 I'll be wrapping up the release of Remembering You with a Book Chat Party!

During the first half of the party I'll be chatting, sharing a sneak peek of my next book, and giving away a ton of great stuff (my other WWII books and gift certificates to Starbucks and Amazon.com). Then we'll head over to my website for a Live Chat! Readers will be able to chat with me via video or text.

Read what the reviewers are saying about Remembering You here.

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Brand New Kindle Touch and a Kindle Touch for a Friend (winner's choice!) 
• A copy of Remembering You by Tricia Goyer for each

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on November 29th. Don't miss your chance to win a Kindle Touch for yourself ... and to "remember" a friend this holiday with a Kindle Touch for them!

Winner will be announced at the Remembering You Facebook Party on 11/29. So grab your copy of Remembering You and join me on the evening of the 29th for the big announcement, an author chat, a trivia contest (How much do you know about WWII?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

Reach the world right where you are!

Guest blog by Susan Meissner (Be sure to tune into Living Inspired today at 3:30 PM CST to hear my live interview with Susan!)

Every day, two million people around the globe are searching for God, for meaning, for hope, for love. And they are looking on the Internet, using search engines like Google to find the answers. If you’re like me, you want them to get the right answers.

Global Media Outreach feels that way, too. They launched a program a couple years ago that routes seeking people to websites that give them the true answers, right out of the Word of God, from real people, not just auto-responders. The program is called Online Missionaries. If you’ve wished you could help people find Christ in the farthest reaches of the world but knew you didn’t have the skills or the call to be a field missionary, then you don’t have to just wish anymore. GMO’s online missionary program trains people just like you and me to answer people’s questions about God from every corner of the world.

I have been an online missionary since May and I’ve personally responded to nearly 100 people from countries such as the Philippines, India, Iraq, and Nigeria.  Some people just want to know who Christ is. Some want to know how to live the Christian life. Some want to know if God answers prayer, or if He is loving, or if He forgives. They are coming to Global Media Outreach websites from Google searches that lead them to online missionaries like me. Sometimes our email conversations will last several weeks, sometimes just a couple days. Sometimes I won’t hear back from them. But I always pray for them and send them a verse from the Bible that reaches them right where they are at.

Becoming an online missionary isn’t difficult: You need to apply, have two people ready to give a spiritual reference, and watch the short training videos. Then you will have 30 days of training with another online missionary while you actually start answering emails. You don’t have to use your last name and you never have to talk about where you live or give any other personal info. All correspondence takes place on the GMO server, so your identity is completely safe.

You can sign up to answer as few as three or four emails a week, and you can set your inbox for away-time when you go on vacation. There’s also a wonderful collection of online resources to help you answer people’s questions about God. And you can save responses that you have composed that you might want to use again for someone else who has the same question.

Here’s a great website to help you get started or to just get more information.

I have been amazed by the people I have met while being an online missionary, and I’m grateful for the ability to use my computer, something I am on every day, to help people find Christ and know Christ. 

I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone might have. (Here are a few GMO websites – the very same ones people are directed to when they go onto Google and type, for example, “Who is Jesus?” - http://looktojesus.com/ and  http://www.godlife.com)

Thursday on Living Inspired: @TameraAlexander and @SusanMeissner

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.

This week on the show I'll be talking to Tamera Alexander and Susan Meissner - two wonderful authors. We'll be taking a peek at the women behind the books. We'll find out a bit about their own stories, as well as hear about their newest books. Mark your calendars and don't miss Thursday's show.

Both ladies have a copy of their books to giveaway. Leave a comment {HERE} for a chance to win one. Winners will be notified via email next week.

More about Tamera: Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.

For more information please visit www.tameraalexander.com.

About Tamer's new release: A Lasting Impression
A fake. A forger. More than anything, Claire Laurent longs for the chance to live an authentic life, to become the woman she wants to be. And she'll be given that choice. But will it come at too costly a price?

Claire Laurent's greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she's forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville only a year after the War Between the States has ended, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe. She considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But after he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged the man. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville's society, Claire believes her dream to create a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach--but only if her fraudulent past remains hidden.

The Federal Army has destroyed Sutton's home and confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family's honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him and to right a grievous wrong reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined--as well as the woman he loves.Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves--and each other--for who they really are.


More about Susan: Award-winning writer Susan Meissner is a multi-published author, speaker and workshop leader with a background in community journalism. Her novels include The Shape of Mercy, named by Publishers Weekly as one of the Best Books of 2008. She is a pastor’s wife and a mother of four. When she's not writing, Susan directs the Small Groups and Connection Ministries program at her San Diego church.

Visit www.susanmeissner.com for more information.

About Susan's new release: Sound Among the Trees

A house shrouded in time.

A line of women with a heritage of loss.

As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn’t believe that Susannah’s ghost haunts the antebellum mansion looking for a pardon, but rather the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past.

When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband’s home, it isn’t long before she is led to believe that the house she just settled into brings misfortune to the women who live there.

With Adelaide’s richly peppered superstitions and deep family roots at stake, Marielle must sort out the truth about Susannah Page and Holly Oak— and make peace with the sacrifices she has made for love.

Newsletters: Connecting with your readers

One question I get often as how I create my email newsletter. For years I did it on my own, but in the past six years my assistant Amy Lathrop has been doing it for me. Because Amy does such an amazing job she started Litfuse Publicity Group - a full service marketing, publicity and author services company. For more information visit the Expertise page at the Litfuse site. Amy and her team at Litfuse were also kind enough to share with you how they create newsletters for me and some of their other clients.

~~~

Thanks Tricia! Newsletters are a great way to connect with your audience. A well-done newsletter will boost traffic to your website, drive book sales and keep your readers up-to-date. It should be clear and concise - short, sweet, and to the point. And fun, it should be fun to read.

Below are a few ideas for a great newsletter. This isn't a list to follow for every newsletter, but rather choose a few for each newsletter - feel free to alternate to keep your newsletter fresh. Follow these guidelines and you will be a newsletter writing pro in no time.

A few things to keep in mind: It's important that your brand be consistent. Hire a professional to design your newsletter template so that it tastefully matches your website. This is a fairly inexpensive expense, but so worth it. Most web designers offer this service. Also, make sure your newsletter includes links to your website, social sharing links & social media sites. This is very important to stay connected and build your subscriber base. Speaking of building your subscriber list, be sure to include a button on your website that allows people to subscribe to your newsletter while at your site. Another way to build your base, is to run fun contests and offer giveaways (books, gift certificates, etc) to people who sign up to receive your newsletter.

Catchy Title 
A good newsletter will have a title that catches the eye – Maureen’s Musings, Notes from the Therapist’s Chair, Newsy News: Catching Up with Suzanne. You want the title to grab your reader’s attention and compel them to continue reading, however, at the same time you do not want a title that is confusing or lengthy.

Images
Images help break up the monotony of words. They do not have to be grand and fancy photos, but a quality photo (keep those fuzzy, out-of-focused snapshots to yourself) nonetheless. Consider including a face shot or a photo of you in your everyday life – readers always like to see the face on the other side of the computer. If you don't have access to photos, consider purchasing stock photos from someplace like www.istock.com.

A Note from You
A note from you should always be one of the first things the reader sees. It will tell what the reader can expect from that edition of the newsletter. It should also be personal. You don't have to bare all in the first paragraph, but be real. This is not the place to list all your recent awards, accolades, books or speaking events.

Inspiration of the Day
Inspiration of the day is a fun little tidbit to include. You can have words of wisdom, a thought provoking question, an inspiring story, an idea or two of what you could do with your husband/kids/family or something as simple as what is on your heart. The important thing to remember is to know your audience and be sure to write for them.

News
News, perhaps, is one of the easiest things to fill. Update readers on your work, recent articles published or awards received. Inform readers of upcoming speaking engagements or events, such as book signings, release dates, or blog tours. You could also include an update on what is going on with your family.

Articles/Host Giveaways
Articles are the body of your newsletter. Here you can offer a how-to, write a short article on your area of expertise and follow up with a free PDF download with ideas and links to any resources mentioned in your article (readers always love free downloads). Make this section/s readable, educational and don't loose people with jargon.

Another idea is to recommend a book or product that you love and then host a giveaway for said item. Reader’s love giveaways.

Other good ideas are: book excerpts of a favorite book or what's on your nightstand, interviews with someone you think your audience would be interested in, or share favorite recipes – always a favorite around the holiday seasons.

Conclusion 
Wrap up your newsletter with a heartfelt “Thank you for reading”, maybe give them a nibble at what is to come in your next newsletter, and always encourage them to forward your newsletter on to their friends.

One last thing - I mentioned earlier that it's always a good idea to have links to your website and social media in your newsletter. You'll also want to make sure you include links to the resources, books, articles, people, etc mentioned in your newsletter. That way it will be very simple for your reader to learn more about something you've mentioned or highlighted.

Newsletters do not have to be rocket science. They are a great tool for reaching out to your readers and increasing your fan base. Do consider your images and layout, however, and remember that your content is the key thing to consider when creating a great newsletter.

~~~

Litfuse Publicity Group exists to create noise and create a stir in the marketplace for our clients. Visit our site and you will soon discover something unique. We love our clients. We offer a wide variety of services ranging from blog tours, media PR, social media and Facebook launch parties, interactive websites, blog development, author assistants, direct mail, event planning, marketing, and more. If you need your own nest put in order, look no further. Put all your eggs in one basket. Contact one of the hens today, www.litfusegroup.com.

What a Girl Wants, What a Boy Needs part 1

Moms look at their daughters and think, “a little me.” They smile understandingly at the importance of pink, fuzzy pajamas and painted toes. The same thing happens when a father sides up to his son. Men know what brightens a boy’s day—dodge ball, dugouts and dirt, of course.

Yet relationships become more complicated when it comes to parenting a child of the opposite sex. A mom yelps in horror when she spots her young son scaling the outside of the jungle gym. A dad cringes when asked to play ‘fairy princess’ with his daughter . . . yet again. What’s a parent to do?

Moms and Sons

From the beginning, a mother is a life-source for her son. Even the Bible speaks of a mother’s training beginning at birth. “You made me trust in you even at my mother's breast,” we read in Psalm 22:9 (NIV). But as a son matures, his list of needs grows too.

The Softer Side of Love. “Men are conditioned to be harder,” says Dr. Greg Smalley, president and CEO of the Smalley Relationship Center. “A mother’s gentle nature helps a boy become more rounded and balanced. A mom encourages the softer side of love.”

“By virtue of her nurturing, comfort, and structure, a mother shows her son that reaching out to an external source is a good thing,” adds Dr. John Townsend, co-author of Raising Great Kids (Zondervan). “When a mother teaches her son to reach out, she also prepares him to trust in God.”

Healthy Connections. It may be surprising, but one of the most important things a boy needs from his mom is for her to “step back.”

“When a son gets older, he will find more connections with his dad or with friends. Oftentimes, moms will feel abandoned,” says Dr. Townsend. “Some mothers have a hard time letting go.”

As a boy matures, his natural tendency is to move away from the parent not like him (his mother), and move toward the parent like him (his father). A mother’s job is to make sure her son doesn’t feel guilty for this natural tendency. Moms need to encourage the father and son connection.

Intimacy through “Doing. ” Moms think of “intimacy” as heart-to-heart talks and cuddles on the couch. Boys see it another way. “Men, boys included, define intimacy as ‘doing things,’” says Dr. Smalley. “Oftentimes moms will attempt to draw out their sons through conversation. Instead, I encourage moms to kick the ball around or play a game of ping-pong, and then seek to communicate.”

“With my young son, the best communication came on days when I gave him my time and myself,” says Robin Jones Gunn, author of Mothering By Heart (Multnomah). “It may have taken four hours of play to get to an eight-minute conversation out of my son, but those eight minutes were priceless.”

Strict But Loving Authority. Moms have a hard standing their ground. Yet experts agree that boys need to see their mothers’ strength.

“Sometimes a mother is afraid to show her power because she doesn’t want to hurt her son’s feelings or wound his self-esteem,” says Dr. Townsend. “A mother shouldn’t be cruel, but a strict and loving mother will produce a boy who is not mean and self-centered.” A mom can show this power by being firm in her directions and her consequences.

“The objective of any parent is to correctly portray authority—to show her children what God is like,” adds Robin Gunn. “Does God let us get away with sin? Never. It grieves Him and breaks His heart. The best thing I can teach my son, is to obey God . . . by learning to obey me first.”

The Value of Emotions. Our society gives a clear message that boys need to be tough. Boys hear, “don’t cry” or “suck it up.” Moms need to show that there’s value in emotion.

“It’s important for moms to teach compassion, empathy, and consideration—relational tools that are not natural to males,” says Dr. Smalley.

“When I was growing up, once a week my mom took me to McDonalds for breakfast,” he adds. “I later learned it was for the purpose of teaching me how to share my feelings. My mom combined ‘doing something’ with sharing feelings.”

Guidance. The best way for a mom to build her son’s self-esteem is by teaching him practical skills like housework, laundry, or how to take out the trash.

“Moms need to encourage their sons to take initiative, to have responsibility,” says Dr. Townsend.

Equally important is a mother’s tutorage on relating to females. “The way a boy treats his mom, is the way he’ll later treat his wife,” says Dr. Smalley. “If a mom lets her son walk on her, dismiss her feelings, use anger or physical force, that’s the way he will also treat other women.” Moms teach their sons respect by deserving respect.

The Need To be Heard. When boys want to talk, the most important thing a mom can do is put down the dishtowel, give her son eye contact, and be fully engaged.

Moms can also make listening noises, such as “Hmm.” Also, don’t be too quick to give advice. Instead ask, “How does that make you feel?” or “So what are you going to do about this?”

“It’s huge for boys to be able to voice their frustration, anger, and insecurity,” says Robin Gunn. “Allowing your son to consider his own plan of action is like passing the baton of decision making. Once a boy talks through his feelings, moms can praise good decisions. A mom’s affirmation also opens the door to future conversations.”

Spiritual Heritage, Family Style

I count it a blessing that my children come from a family of faith, with grandparents and great-grandparents who have followed Christ for many years.

My husband, John, and I want our children to understand their spiritual heritage and to know that faith isn’t just a Mom and Dad thing. So over the years, we’ve created opportunities for them to connect with extended family and to learn about their relatives’ testimonies of faith.

Here are a few ways you can do the same:

Encourage your children to write e-mails or call family members to share prayer needs. Use webcams and Skype with your children to pray with long-distance family members. Also, choose monthly prayer pals.

For example, one month your child may be praying for Grandma and the next month an uncle. Create a special e-mail address for your child for the purpose of sharing prayers, using a free service such as Gmail or Yahoo. If your child can’t write, have him or her draw the request to mail to family members.

Find new ways to make Jesus the focus of your extended family’s celebrations. For Valentine’s Day, my mother sends valentines to my kids with special Scripture verses for them. And a few years ago my father-in-law led a Passover celebration in our home. In addition to showing our children how the Jews have celebrated for thousands of years, he also pointed out how Jesus’ life and death was a fulfillment of the Passover.

Consider creating a holiday journal to pass around at gatherings. Write down special memories or thoughts. During Thanksgiving have each person write something he or she is thankful for. At Christmastime have your family members jot down the words of a favorite Christmas hymn. For the new year, have relatives note how the Lord blessed their family in the previous year.

Ask family members for special books or Bibles. My maternal grandfather died in 1999, and my husband’s grandfather passed away a few years earlier. In both cases, we asked for special mementos—our grandfathers’ Bibles. There’s something special about looking in the pages and seeing underlined passages or handwritten notes.

I’ve also collected old sermons from my paternal grandfather. If you have a family member who writes in journals, get permission to make a copy of it for your children.

Personalize your thoughts. Give kids fabric markers to create their own quilt squares. Have them write their favorite Scripture or memory of God’s faithfulness. Then ask extended family to do the same. At a gathering, collect the squares to sew together to form a quilt. This could become a family heirloom for passing to the next generation. Or buy a ceramic plate and permanent markers and ask family members to write down a personal prayer or Scripture for your child.

Map your ancestry. If you have family members living around the country, mount a map on your wall and tack family photos to it. Also include photos and dates for places that family members visit during mission trips. This will show your children how your family is sharing their faith in different regions of the world.

Or go deeper and research with your children your family’s ancestry and share your findings with extended family at reunions or through the Web. Post videos on YouTube or utilize digital scrapbooking services to share with loved ones.

Start a circle letter. Begin by writing a letter and including it in large manila envelope. Send it to a family member, who will add his or her own letter. Pass it on through as many family members as you’d like to include. When it returns to you, remove your letter and add a new one, then send it on again.

You can photocopy the other letters, too. You’ll not only get to read what’s happening with everyone, you’ll also have a stack of letters for a keepsake. Having these treasures, and reading them over, will not only lift your faith, but it will also connect hearts through generations.

Originally posted at Thriving Family
Copyright © 2010 by Tricia Goyer. Used by permission. ThrivingFamily.com.

A Veteran's Day Thank You from Tricia Goyer

One of my WWII veteran friends Jim Meyers who passed away

A message for my veteran friends:

Two Holocaust Survivors at the Gusen Memorial, honoring the American Veterans

My World War II Veteran friend Wilfred McCarthy

My Grandma with my Uncle Joe a World War II Veteran

This week on Living Inspired: Shannon Ethridge and Carla Coroy!

To listen to the interview: go here and click on the player in the upper right corner of the screen. Thursday at 3:00 pm Central.


If you're married, single or a mom - you won't want to miss this weeks' show. Our first guest will be Shannon Ethridge, she'll be talking about Every Woman's Battle and Every Young Woman's Battle. Then during the second half hour we'll be talking to Carla Ann Coroy about her recent book, Married Mom, Solo Parent. If you've ever felt like you're doing this "mom thing" alone - be sure to tune in for Carla's segment.

For a chance to win a copy Shannon's or Carla's Married Mom, Solo Parent leave a comment {HERE}. Winner will be notified next week via email.

More about Shannon and the Every Woman's Battle series:


Shannon is a million-copy best-selling author, speaker, lay counselor, and advocate for healthy sexuality with a master’s degree in counseling/human relations from Liberty University. She has spoken to youth, college students, and adults since 1989 and her passions include: Challenging adults and teens to embrace a life of sexual integrity, encouraging married couples in their pursuit of sexual and emotional fulfillment, counseling women who have looked for love in all the wrong places and equipping parents to instill sexual values in children at an early age.

Her passion for healthy sexuality actually began in Mortuary College. Her first career choice, becoming a mortician, led Ethridge to work on dead bodies. Many she embalmed were young people who had died from AIDS or committed suicide as a result of an HIV positive diagnosis. Because of her own promiscuous teenage years, she knew it was a miracle that she was standing over the embalming table rather than laying on top of it. These experiences inspired her to begin speaking boldly and bluntly to teen, college-age, and adult audiences about the benefits of sexual integrity. She has taught and counseled thousands of young singles and married couples over the past decade. She is the author of 18 books, including the best-selling Every Woman’s Battle series, the 5-book Completely His series, and her new book for the mainstream market, The Sexually Confident Wife.

Shannon has been featured on The Today Show (MSNBC), appeared on the cover of Today’s Christian Woman Magazine, and is a frequent guest on international radio & television shows such as The 700 Club, Life Today with James & Betty Robison, FamilyLife Today with Dennis Rainey, and New Life Live! with Stephen Arterburn. She has also been published in numerous magazines such as Focus on the Family, Brio, and LifeWay and is the winner of a Gold Medallion Award for Excellence in Publishing.

Although grateful for the opportunities to influence this generation as a writer and speaker, Shannon remains most passionate about her role as a wife and best friend to her husband of 20 years, Greg, and a mother and cheerleader to their two children, Erin (18) and Matthew (15). Visit www.shannonethridge.com for more info.

More about Carla Ann: Carla Anne Coroy has served full-time with organizations such as Youth for Christ and CrownFinancial Ministries, and is currently developing an international mentoring organization for youth and a ministry to wives who parent alone. She runs the Married Single Mom blog at www.carlaanne.com/blog. She speaks regularly and serves as a staff writer for an online Christian women’s magazine Mentoring Moments for Christian Women. Carla Anne lives in Canada with her husband and four homeschooled children.

More about Married Mom, Solo Parent: For married women who feel like single parents. Bookstore shelves are full of parenting resources for moms who are newly divorced or widowed. But where do moms turn if they feel like a single parent--but they’re not? Whether he is away on business, deployed in the military, or obsessing over a computer game, dad may not be available for a variety of reasons. Moms who parent in this situation still need help and don’t necessarily relate to the advice given in divorce recovery or single parenting resources.

Married Mom, Solo Parent is a common-sense, down-to-earth look at the struggles wives and mothers face when their husband is not actively involved in family life. Writing from her own experience as a married single mom, Carla Anne Coroy will help wives and mothers sort through their questions, such as: Can I do this alone? How do I raise kids to honor their father? How do I give my children a healthy perspective of marriage if they never see one in action? With practical suggestions, anecdotes, and biblical teaching, this book will encourage moms to see their position as a high calling, to find healing for their worries and frustrations, and to tap into God’s strength for help in facing the daily challenge of being a married mom, solo parent.