Elva Martin's Carolina Romance: Things Successful Writers NEVER Say

Elva Martin's Carolina Romance: Things Successful Writers NEVER Say: Guest Blog by Edie Melson                                                         Writers are an odd lot. I can say that, beca...

The Write Conversation : Failure: Your First Step to a Writing and Speaking...

This is a very good article by Vonda Skelton on using our mistakes and failures in life to become successful. I believe it is true, we must have failures to understand success.



The Write Conversation : Failure: Your First Step to a Writing and Speaking...: by Vonda Skelton  @VondaSkelton Okay, I admit it. I’ve failed. Many times. But the good news is, God can take my messes and use them f...

The Write Conversation : Should a Writer Stick to only One Genre or Not?

The Write Conversation : Should a Writer Stick to only One Genre or Not?: by Lynette Eason  @LynetteEason  I thought I’d blog about a topic near and dear to my heart. As you may know, I write Romantic Sus...

Novel Rocket: What I Wish I’d Known When My First Novel Came Out...

Novel Rocket: What I Wish I’d Known When My First Novel Came Out...: By Lisa Wingate Writing is the ultimate learn-on-the-job career. It’s challenging. It’s demanding. It’s busy. It can be unforgiving and...

Oh Fill My Cup - Devotional

Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head and it keeps on playing all day long? Well that happened to me the other day. I keep hearing "oh fill my cup - let it over flow". This kept going on for the better part of the day and I had a million things to do. I was cleaning, doing laundry, cooking and just had my list laying on the table and was just crossing things off left and right. Then I received a call from a friend asking me to do a favor. I was pleased I could help. Then as I moved on through my list and a few more friendly calls, I realized I was falling behind on my to do list. It was a good day. Mid afternoon came and I was on my way to pick up some of my grandchildren from school when it dawned on me. Maybe God had answered my prayer. I kept saying "oh fill my cup - let it over flow" and now it was.

Over flowing with the good I had done all day by getting my work completed at home, except for a few things, like dusting or mopping, but that will be there the next day. Now my car was filled with the goodness and love of grandchildren and laughter. Yes, my cup was full and actually over flowing with love and blessings.

Thank you God for listening.

Elva Martin's Carolina Romance: Victorian Tea Parties--Bring them On!

Elva Martin's Carolina Romance: Victorian Tea Parties--Bring them On!:



Tradition tells us that the ritual of afternoon tea began in England with Anna, the seventh duchess of Bedford. (1783-1857). At that time th...

Novel Rocket: Transforming Your Creative Process

Novel Rocket: Transforming Your Creative Process: by Allen Arnold When you sit down to write, you become aware of many things. How the words are flowing. Whether you are i...

Changing Seasons

Changing Seasons

Seek God Today

After attending a funeral, I think everyone takes a moment and reflects on their life and the comments that may be said about them when they leave this world behind. This beautiful Christian woman that left the earth last week was everything that I want to be. Would it be wrong to say, "I wish she were my mother"? I don't feel that I am being disrespectful of my mother in saying that. Mrs Marlow was soft, meek, humble, soothing, radiant, giving, submissive and comforting in every way. Her family laid her to rest Saturday in the most graceful way a family can after losing a loved one.

Now I am home and life goes on. However, I will try harder on being more compassionate, humble, meek, giving, submissive and radiant. Not so people will say these things about me when I am gone, but so I can touch those around me while I am here. So I can be an example and lift their spirits in hope and love. Show those around me that there is so much good in this world.

Life is good and we are blessed by our Heavenly Father. He wants us to continually seek Him out and enjoy the life we have here on earth. He gives us all that we have and all that we need. Seek happiness and God today.

The Write Conversation : Social Media Image—Hummingbird Faith

The Write Conversation : Social Media Image—Hummingbird Faith: by  +EdieMelson   @EdieMelson I've always loved hummingbirds, and this past weekend I finally managed to catch some cool photos of on...

SC Writers ACFW: Say Goodbye to the Exclamation Mark!!!!!!

This is a great article on how to get your manuscript rejected fast. I love to use exclamation marks and this really hits home for me. Enjoy!!!



SC Writers ACFW: Say Goodbye to the Exclamation Mark!!!!!!

SC Writers ACFW: Resources for Authors and Their Research

SC Writers ACFW: Resources for Authors and Their Research: I write historical fiction, and researching for my novels brings me the same excitement Alan Quartermain must have felt hunting for King Sol...

Elva Martin's Carolina Romance: Patriotism Winds A Blowing

Elva Martin's Carolina Romance: Patriotism Winds A Blowing: This July 4th weekend I've watched several inspiring movies about our amazing battle for liberty.  I'm so full of patriotism and tha...

The Write Conversation : Thursday Review—Story Trumps Structure—A Writing B...

The Write Conversation : Thursday Review—Story Trumps Structure—A Writing B...: by Lynn H. Blackburn  @LynnHBlackburn If you ’ve been writing for any length of time, you’ve probably been asked the ever popular ques...

SC Writers ACFW: Researching Carolina Rice Plantations

SC Writers ACFW: Researching Carolina Rice Plantations

Novel Rocket: Stay with God ~ Allen Arnold

Novel Rocket: Stay with God ~ Allen Arnold: Allen Arnold  loves the epic adventure God has set before him. From the mountains of Colorado, he leads Content & Resources for Ranso...

SC Writers ACFW: Motivation-Reaction Units (MRUs)

SC Writers ACFW: Motivation-Reaction Units (MRUs): by Susan Craft Here’s an excerpt from the draft of my manuscript, Laurel , before I edited it:   Her heart sank when she noticed John stan...

A Challege This Week

Remember when you became a Christian and where baptized into Christ?  I do believe that for those few moments afterwards you were sinless.  But all you had to do was enter back into the world of everyday living and you soon became a sinner again.  The bible teaches us that we are sinners, however, by the grace of God and following His biblical outline for our lives we can be saved.  

I remember how elated I felt that day many years ago.  I knew it was the right thing for me to do and that is how I was choosing to live my life.  No I have not always done it well, I’ve made many a mistakes, but God was there to help me through them.

My question to you today is do you have the same vigor and love for the Word as you did the day you were baptized?  Have you become complacent? It is not unusual for us humans to fall into the trap of everyday living and lose our excitement about God and His word.  

This week I challenge you to do, say or act just a little more enthused about your Heavenly Father and the wonders that He can bring into your life.

Weddings and Funerals!

Weddings and funerals, they say it brings out the best and the worst in people.  Well, I just spent time at the latter one of these and I believe that old saying is true.  Sounds funny but I enjoyed the funeral.  Of course not the fact that someone we loved has passed on, but the funeral was done how she wanted. 

You know the old story about “save your fork, the best is yet to come”, related to potlucks and a good meal.  Well dear Aunt Shirley was a character.  She was buried with a fork in her hand!  She believed that saying and wanted to be ready for whatever God was going to give her.  What a wonderful way to live our lives, always ready to take the next step that God sends our way with the attitude that it is better than what we just ate, where we have been, or what life gave us last.  

A woman with character is a true testament of Shirley.  She could do just about anything creative.  She sewed clothes, knitted hats, painted like a professional, researched the genealogy of her family, and foster parent to 20 children, wife, mother, step mother, grandmother and God’s servant in all ways.  Shirley was a giver, not a taker.  She was opinionated and strong willed and would give you a run for your money and love you till it hurt.

Shirley’s life was not easy.  She lost her first husband at a young age and had 3 children.  One son died and endless medical problems throughout her life.

I hope that when it is my time to leave this earth and “save my fork for the best”, people will be able to say these descriptions’ of me, a character that was strong willed, opinionated, talented and truly most of all a Christian that was a servant of God.  Dorcas/Tabatha

I Can’t Handle Anymore!

Have you ever wanted to look to the Heavens and say, “that’s it God, I can’t handle anymore”?  Sometimes things just pile up on us and we can’t see a way out, but we know that God provides us an escape route every time.

1 Corinthians 10:13 – There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to beat it.

That is where I am right now.  I know God has my back, but……  Isn’t it odd how things always come at you together and at the same time?  Death, heartbreak, loss of a job, financial problems, vehicles breaking down, home repairs and any other thing you can think of.  Day after day you wake up and something else shows up on your door step. 

It happens to all of us, none of us can free our self from these times in our lives, but how to get through them is the question. Of course there is prayer and we know we will survive, but how to manage our day during these times calls for real strength.  What if you are not strong?  It is OK; acknowledging that you are not strong right now is being smart and taking control of the situation.  You are allowed to hurt, you are allowed to cry and feel low.  Take the day and close off the world and be with yourself (remember you are not really alone, God is there), do what your mind and body needs.  Cry, take a long walk, take a long bath, and watch movies – whatever is needed to get you through that day.  Just remember tomorrow is another day, but you can’t repeat this method every day or it would not be healthy.  I normally only need one or two days at the most, then – yup, up go the “big girl panties” and I move on and deal with the problems one by one.

Pretty soon the sun is shining again in my soul and my life reverts back to its abnormal way.  Because normal is just a setting on the dryer – not real life.

God Delights in you!

Today's Verse

From the New Living Translation

"For the LORD delights in his people;
  he crowns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.
  Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds."

Psalm 149:4–5

Encouragement for Today

Do you feel in your heart that God delights in you? This passage says that God actually enjoys who you are. He is thrilled with you as one of his people—especially as you trust in him humbly. That just makes God want to crown you with all kinds of honor and victory. Can you let this honor become a cause for rejoicing, even as you lie down for the night? Sweet sleep can come with this kind of meditation.

—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

What Ever Happened to Modesty?

I know I am an old lady, that is OK, I get that.  But what has happened to any sort of modesty in this world?  I can't turn on the TV without being bombarded with almost completely naked people, espeically women.  Sure they put a little flag over their breasts and private parts, but what makes people think that the curve of a woman's back into her hip is not sexy.  Some of the most sexy scences I have seen in movies or read in books are where the writer tells you how sexy it is without saying the words. 

Romance is sexy ladies.  Imagination is sexy.  The mystery of the unseen is sexy.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHOW YOUR NAKED BODY!

Evidently you do not realize you are God's child and God does not approve of being immodest. Come on girls, you really do need to think more of yourself than to show it all off.  You are better than that.  Try being different for a change, dress modestly. Dressing modestly is fun, beautiful and alluring.  There is nothing more beautiful than a self confident woman dressed appropriately and holding herself in God's light.

Please ladies, think highly of yourself and dress appropriately.

So you want to be a Writer!

I have decided to follow my dream and try my hand at writing.  No not the great American Novel, just lovely Christian romance novels.  I love reading them and think I can do a good job.  So I joined a group, immediately jumped in and became active with this group form ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).  All is well, except I am finding out that there are all these rules for writing.  I had no idea that there were so many things to know before just sitting down and belting out a book.  I am having a great time learning all the new stuff.  Who knew this old lady could learn things at my age :).  I guess it is true, you are never to old to learn.  I'm taking on-line classes and have met some of the most wonderful people while persueing this new avenue of my life.  Most of you know I have always written here and there, but now there is a purpose to it all.  Now is the time for me to focus and learn the craft and put to use the things I am learning. 

I'm so excited about this new adventure that I am taking. I hope to take you along with me as I go.  I will share what I learn and show you my attempts at writing here on my blog. 

So follow along and have some fun.

Who was Mary - Mother of Jesus?

She was a young woman from Nazareth in Galilee. Mary would have been approximately 12 or 13 yrs old when the angel of Gabriel came to her and told her that was going to deliver a baby boy and He was going to be the Holy One. Can you even wrap you mind around that thought. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be the mother of Jesus.  As a mother I know how I love my children. I would do anything to protect them and keep them safe.  Imagine raising your child knowing all the time that He was special, and not just to you, but to the world. You were carrying God’s child and raising Him for the Heavenly Father. This had to be an awesome responsibility that Mary carried with her always. 

Fast forward to the days of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus is a grown man now around 30 and starting His journey spreading God’s word, the Gospel. Mary must have been so proud of Him. I know when I am proud of my children I feel like I could explode and normally do with tears, and telling everyone about them and their accomplishments and how wonderful they are.  But --- Mary, we aren’t told much about how she felt about her son or the days of her raising Him. She was a human mother just as you and I are. Did she have bad days? Did Jesus act up as a child like other little ones do? I don’t know, I guess that will need to wait till I get to Heaven and ask God.

Fast forward to His crucifixion. What was she feeling on that day?  Can we even think or comprehend the depth of her pain as she watched Jesus being beaten. Your child being whipped with straps that had nails or razor like items on the straps to make sure the whipping cut His flesh. She would have seen His beaten body, the look in His eyes, His broken spirit. She would have felt His pain as her own while she watched Him being nailed to the cross. As they ripped His clothes from Him, as they laid Him on the cross and spread His arms to drive long ragged nails through his writs and feet.  Was Jesus crying? He was human, I believe He did. Did He scream in pain? I believe He did, He was human. Did He understand why this was happening? Yes, he did, He was Christ the Son of God.

But Mary was all female, all human, with all our understanding and feelings as a mother. Was she standing, or had she crumpled to the ground unable to stand on her own feet from grief. Her precious son was dying before her eyes and she could not stop this event from happening. She could not go to Him and hold Him in her arms while He took His last breath. Do you feel her pain? Think about Mary and her emotions, and then go hug your family. God allowed Mary and Christ to go through all this pain and agony for you and for me.

May God Bless!

Lillian Humphries