As a special part of the Just Commonly blog tour, I asked Author Patricia Beal to share her story of resilience, knowing she’s earned her stripes in terms of having a wonderful outlook despite very difficult circumstances such as the “biggies” she mentions below. When you meet her, all you see is her dazzling smile, witty sparkle, and you can feel the power packed in such a special person, like a gem with petite elegance and grace. I’m thrilled to share about her new novel, A Season To Dance, and host her giveaways below. And she’s been even more generous,…
Every Little Crumb Counts – How To Not Waste Lessons From Loss
In the wake of recent wildfires, floods, and disasters I want to encourage any of you in the midst of these tragedies, or supporting families who are affected by them. You’ve found yourself suddenly thrust into the center of a stage you never wanted to be on—one filled with sadness and hurt. Reflecting on the last ten years since we lost everything in a wildfire and also went through rough medical challenges with family, I’ve gathered some thoughts about how a similar series of losses have helped us in unusual ways. Every crumb of lessons we’ve learned has been helpful…
Our 10-Year Wildfire Anniversary
Today is our 10 year anniversary from the Witch Creek wildfire in San Diego. My son Jonathan wrote this for our MakeUsSmile.com thank-you website a few years ago. This year, we’ve moved to the Bay Area and again lost 1/3 of our possessions (somehow the movers misplaced them!) so we keep learning to hold “things” loosely and remain resilient in the face of challenges. That Night…What Happened With The Fires You can focus on the worst, or you can focus on the best We try not to focus on the bad part, but in case you’re wondering, here’s some of…
10 Things To Expect As Friends Rebuild Their Lives
Do you have a friend who’s had a sudden loss of property or huge life change? Here’s 10 things that you may want to anticipate as you partner to help them through this difficult season of life as they rebuild and start again. Decisions are hard – whether they’re dealing with doctors in a hospital or stacks of paperwork that suddenly replace their former home, a victim of trauma from fire or flood will have a hard time making small decisions. We all used to call it “fire brain” and try to joke, but it’s really difficult. When they hesitate,…
Hope for Recovery with Hurricane Harvey Victims, How You Can Help
That feeling when you have nothing. No toys for your children, just the shoes on your feet and maybe a couple of photos in the car or a computer. No pans to cook dinner in and no stove on which to prepare it. No sense of home or permanence. Thinking of getting through the day is awful, and the word “recovery” seems so hard and distant. And I can imagine what questions are swirling through the minds of those wonderful survivors in Houston with Hurricane Harvey. But I don’t want to leave you feeling alone. Or if you want to…
Safe In His Embrace with Author Darlene Turner
We all look for a hiding place when stormy times come. Someone to keep us safe and offer help. Author Darlene Turner is a spunky, spark of delight when you first meet her, but beneath the surface has a deep, tender faith earned through rough years dealing with divorce, a husband who was secretly homosexual, and building a new future for her life. No wonder her suspenseful fiction has won so many awards – she’s turned every life lesson into great stories with a Canadian twist. I’m so grateful to share Darlene’s story with you as part of the #LetResilienceArise…
Author Loretta Eidson’s Journey from Depression to Deep Healing
When I met author Loretta Eidson at an ACFW conference a few years ago, I discovered we both had completed Jerry Jenkins’ writing courses. I knew she was special and her sweet southern drawl and joyful smile immediately drew me in. And she was so funny, too! But it wasn’t until much later, when our writing friendship deepened over time, that I knew of the dark moments she’d endured as a mother of a son who’d made bad decisions that cost him years in prison. I asked Loretta to share her story of faith and decision to persevere through depression…
A friend hurts…Don’t stand by idly waiting to help
Recently people keep asking me for advice about how to help others in need. You see, I’ve walked through very dark seasons of life with losing all our possessions, surviving wildfires, dealing with death or sickness, chronic pain issues, financial challenges, and more. You name it. We’ve seen it. Surprisingly, one of the hardest lessons to learn was to accept help. When you’re a giver the last thing you want is to need help from others. I’ve learned so much about grace and hope from being at that deep point of need. My children not having shoes or toys. Not…
Time To Go! Your New Start
The final part of our New Beginnings Series! Done with that! Well, sort of… When the mists of crisis finally begin to clear, how ever do you find your equilibrium and breathe new life into your dust-covered dreams? First, congratulations! You’ve made it through either a busy season in life that was a big distraction, or perhaps a complete change in lifestyle that required your full focus for a while. Whatever brought you through, take a moment to celebrate! Hearts lifted! It’s time for your gratitude to overflow. You may be more weepy and sensitive or still require a bit…
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