Worship While You Wait

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  Waiting is one of the most difficult of all the spiritual disciplines. In our hurried, driven, fast-paced culture we have lost the art of waiting well. If there’s a long line at the grocery store or coffee shop, we sigh and wonder if it’s worth it. We use microwaves and Instant Pots. God, however, is in the waiting. He uses delay in our lives to sharpen us and set the stage for His future plans. We see this in the Psalmist David’s life. David was well-acquainted with waiting. Many Bible scholars feel he waited at least seventeen years before…

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Politics & Personnel–All in a Day’s Work

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I’ve never been a police chief—but I spent many years of my career in public education serving as a high school superintendent. The day I realized the overlap between those two positions was the day Jo Oliver was born. In the early years, I interviewed women and men (mostly men) police officers and had the privilege of participating in a few ride-alongs. As a member of the International Thriller Writers Association, I enthusiastically joined in on the FBI workshops hosted by the Manhattan FBI during our annual summer conference. It wasn’t until I heard a dear friend and local police…

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Who’s Got Your Back?

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  A week ago at sunset there was a wall of flames approaching our little town here in the Sierra Valley: #LoyaltonFire. More than 700 firefighters had battled it for three days before it headed down the mountain toward spent and dry meadows that bordered our town of 860. The same angry beast had jumped two state highways in other directions the day before—one of those eight lanes wide. Now it was headed our way. Because I have prayer walked my town for the last twenty-two years, I have seen the hand of God answer one prayer after another for my…

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The Story Behind the Story of Risk Management     

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  Peru. Its people call me back. Which is why I set Carly’s finale book in Peru. As a tribute to her, because she kept calling me back, to write yet another story about her. The first time I visited Peru, I learned about hidden temples and jungle monsters. I thought, “Carly could have a mystery here.” Peru was the perfect backdrop to Carly’s finale book as she made decisions about her future. Forced by health issues to slow down, pushed into a corner until she made a choice about the direction and the content of her faith life, Carly…

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A Chat with Author Cindy K. Sproles

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Greetings from Sarah Sundin in smoking-hot California! Today I have the joy of interviewing a fellow historical novelist with Revell Books, Cindy K. Sproles. Cindy has put her Appalachian background to good use, creating a backdrop for her newest story—a story with an unexpected timeliness for today! Cindy, please tell us about your book, What Momma Left Behind. Taking place in the Appalachian Mountains during the late 1800s, mountain folks face a pandemic leaving hundreds of children parentless and needing to be taken in. Worie Dressar sees fit to make caring for the children, her mission. Pan-de-mic…that word sounds familiar….

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Finish the Race

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  The second annual 5K benefit to aid the building of a local homeless shelter had ended successfully with a whopping $25,000 raised. Two walkers remained steadfast on the course. One had no original intention of walking; the other had every intention of completing the journey, no matter how long it took. That journey would take two hours. With the assistance of crutches, college-student Erin began the race. Runners whizzed past and walkers trekked toward the goal. The distance widened between Erin and other participants. Born with cerebral palsy, Erin displayed the fortitude of one who is not used to…

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Winning the Battle   

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  Yes—you are in a battle. You might see it. Maybe you don’t. Perhaps your anger flares, you lose control, your heart is broken, or you feel isolated. The enemy is trying to gain a victory. Reject defeat. Through Christ you can win. Purpose in your heart that God’s love will work in you to conquer doubt, fear, and distress. Fight. Keep fighting. Don’t give up. God will provide the power and strength. The right methods. Keep going back to him. Every minute if you have to. From Him come understanding and knowledge. Our struggles aren’t merely with people we…

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Book Review: An Impossible Price

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Book 3 in the Christian historical western romance series, Front Range Brides, is here! We posted book reviews of the first two books a few weeks ago. Here’s a summary of the 3rd book, An Impossible Price: He has to choose – keep his secrets or the woman he loves. He can’t have both. With no husband of her own, midwife Sophie Price lives to keep others calm in their hour of need. But when a handsome horse handler steps off the train with a fiery stallion, he brings anything but calm as he looks her dead in the eye and…

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A Vote For Humility

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Just before I moved to Salt Lake City in 2011, a librarian friend of a friend asked me to be the featured author at her small Christian school’s Book Fair. After I emailed her my photo and book cover images, she met with the principal and got really excited about the promotional ideas the two of them had planned. But I was not prepared for what she accomplished while waiting for me to fly in. The school sat at the top of a high hill. As we turned in the driveway at the bottom, a huge sign with my face…

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A Chat with Author Christi Grace

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Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! Today I have the joy of interviewing one of our new CAN members, Christi Grace. Christi has a fun and fascinating career as a pet sitter—and she’s collected her stories into a book. Who wouldn’t want to read that? Welcome, Christi! Please tell us about your book, My Hair-Raising and Heartwarming Adventures as a Pet Sitter (A Life of Fun, Fur, and Faith). The book is a collection of stories about the animals I cared for over a 12-year period as a professional pet sitter. The book reads as a devotional and each one…

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