by marian | Jan 13, 2024 | Blog
UpdatesSince the beginning of 2019, I have found myself in an extremely busy season. I have had changes in every area of my life. One of the biggest changes was that I decided to leave behind my career as a professional educator and I took the bold step to go to seminary. The same semester that I graduated, I starting working as a hospital chaplain. Becoming a chaplain is a very fulfilling calling. Daily I have the opportunity to listen to hurting people who share their emotional and spiritual needs with me. Their suffering and heartache is an opportunity for me to be present and extend a listening ear and...
by marian | Oct 8, 2017 | Blog, Uncategorized
I love it when I go to a conference and get to hear a brand new author–at least “new” to me. For me, this year, it was Glenys Nellist. I have to say I wasn’t sure what to expect from her session title, “Retelling God’s Story For Children,” but it was, by far, one of the best sessions I’ve ever gone to. Glenys is genuine and super funny and full of wonderful ideas and tips on writing. I just loved it when she said that we need to have an encourager in order to be a writer. She’s so right. I know this for a fact because I have one. It’s my mom. She is always, I mean always, encouraging me. She tells me that I can do it with God’s help and that He can use my gifts for His glory. Thanks, Glenys, for reminding me of that. And thanks, Mom, for always encouraging me. “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”–I Thessalonians 5:11...
by marian | Oct 9, 2016 | Blog
I was so blessed to get to attend the Breathe Writer’s Conference once again this year! The speakers and classes were amazing! One speaker called it a feast and that’s exactly how it felt! I was stuffed full of great thoughts and encouragement! I think it’s going to take me a few days to digest it all! I’d like to share the highlights over the next few days, but the one that stands out is that we need to approach our writing with the view point of a missionary. We don’t have to worry about who will accept it–or not. We are simply called to be faithful in our writing and let the Lord take care of the results! ...
by marian | Sep 30, 2016 | Blog
I will not forget your Word.–Psalm 119:16 I forgot my cell phone today. At times during my day, it was inconvenient to have to use a landline when it would have been so much faster and quicker to just make a call with my cell phone. While forgetting my cell phone was a minor nuisance, forgetting God’s word is another matter. Without it, I lose my sense of direction and don’t know which way to go. With it, I have a clear purpose for living. I need to be intentional about making God’s word the main priority of my life. It’s not really the top priority or one of the top ten on a list of important things to do daily to be successful. Rather, it’s the main one of all. That means everything else in my life is filtered through it. It permeates and saturates all the other priorities so that God’s word infuses every part of my life. It’s kind of like baking a cake. That aroma of an almost-finished cake seeps through the house and fills every room so that it beckons me to find my way to the kitchen and have a slice as soon as it comes out of the oven. That’s how God’s word should overwhelm us with it’s goodness and sweetness. It should have an undeniable impact on literally every aspect of our lives. It’s daily as well as moment-by-moment living that follows the Lord’s ways. It’s constantly abiding within the plan of God. And it organically becomes an overriding influence on my Christian walk so that it all naturally aligns with God’s word. A follower of Jesus that...
by marian | Apr 24, 2016 | Blog
When the moment came to finally pick up the boxes with my CD’s, I couldn’t wait! I was about to see the fruit of years of work. With a trembling hand, I opened the first box. There it was! My shiny, new CD! It seemed like I was experiencing a miracle from God right before my eyes. I couldn’t get over it! Was it actually here? Was I really holding it? It just didn’t seem real as I fought back tears of joy and gratitude. God was so unbelievably good to me! It took me a few days to get over that exhilarating moment! But I knew that I had to get back to earth as soon as possible–and return to my usual practice routine. I had less than three weeks til the CD release date and there was so much to do. April 25th finally dawned and I remember spending most of the day warming up. As I tuned the last string, I remember thinking, “This is the day I’ve been praying for for so long. I just can’t believe it’s finally arrived! Thank you, Lord, for answering my prayers!” Once again, I felt overwhelmed at God’s kindness and love. There was no way I could fight back the tears. I’ve made it a practice to be intentional about remembering moments and days in my walk with God. When I pause to remember, I can clearly see a gracious Father that ordered my every step. He had a perfect plan in place. He was not taken by surprise about anything. All the blessings of this life come from His hand. His grace is undeserved. His mercy unending. His love...
by marian | Jul 9, 2015 | Blog
Hello Friends! Just a quick update on my CD Giveaway Week. I’d like to give more of my friends a chance to win one of these five signed CD’s and so…the deadline is now extended until Saturday! Be sure to like my musician page and stay tuned for the winners’ names! ...
