Golden showers burst over our heads as my family and I lay on a blanket, watching the brilliance of fireworks in the night sky. The bursts and sparkles were choreographed to a beautiful rendition of "God bless America." My husband sang along softly, sending a prayer for God's favor on our nation even as I fought a big lump in my throat. Thoughts of freedom, jubilation, and sacrifice sang through my mind and tears pricked my eyes even I whooped and hollered and celebrated.
In ancient Israel every half-century was declared a year of jubilee. Debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, and land was returned to original owners. Across the nation ram's horn were blown and families celebrated as their children and inheritance were returned to them.
In a spiritual sense we, as Christians, have been given a constant state of jubilee. Thanks to all Christ accomplished at the Cross, we are free and forgiven--our sin debts cancelled and our inheritance established. Every day we have something to celebrate--to whoop and holler and blow our horns about.
Because of Jesus' great sacrifice, we are invited to live as the children of God. We're part of the family. Never rejected. Always in the presence of the Holy One. Every single day we walk in freedom from sin and eternal damnation. Every moment of our lives we are connected to the Holy Spirit who lives within us, and He empowers us to walk in our inheritance of grace and prepares us for the glory of eternity with our God.
But do we live each day as if this is true?
Several years ago I came into a new understanding of all the cross had done for me. Though I had accepted Jesus into my life at a young age, I lived a life of egg shell walking--trying desperately to do everything right and never feeling I "lived up." A cloud of condemnation hung over me, and I was captive to self-inflicted guilt, inadequacy, and unworthiness. God's love and grace would break through on occasion, but I would quickly snuff it out in self-rejection as I allowed the opinion of others, or my own unrealistic set of expectations to determine how I saw myself. Scripture was a hand-book to discern how to be better and a measuring stick of my failures. I was imprisoned by my need to perform well.
Through a series of events God revealed Truth to me. The walk of faith wasn't so much about what I had achieved as it was about all Jesus had already achieved for me. Any good deed I did was filthy rags compared to the perfection of Jesus, but the Good News was He placed His righteousness over me like a brand new robe. I began to be clothed in HIS identity. I started to see myself as free to live outside the guilt--to be believe I was forgiven, treasured, bought-with-a price, and empowered to serve.
Early in this journey, after a particularly enlightening experience, I awoke to the Lord's Voice. He said, "It is for freedom I have set you free."
I recognized His Words as Scripture and quickly went to my Bible, hungry to know the rest of the verse. I found it in Galatians 5:1. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (NIV)
I thought about the verse and how it was so important to the LORD for me to know and remember its Truth that He actually spoke directly to me about it. I realized that the enemy would try to take away this new-found freedom. Through the words and actions of others, through my own failing and success, and through difficult circumstances, the evil one would seek to entice me back into the spiritual prison I'd locked myself it. He wanted to keep me a slave to inadequacy, failure, guilt, and performance-driven behavior.
But God's jubilee had come! I was free to live as my Father's beloved! I was free to believe that I was wholly accepted and wholly loved. I was free to walk without shame . . . in jubilant, beautiful freedom. This was my jubilee. Though Jesus has secured my inheritance over 2,000 years before, I finally accepted the right to live as a free woman.
This July, consider the concept of jubilee. Jesus returned to you your full inheritance as God's child. Have you given yourself permission to be free to receive it?
(By the way, I'll be sharing a little more about this at the More Than Conquerors Encouragement Series in Aurora on July 27th. If you'd like more information, email me: Paula@soulscents.us)
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers devotional thoughts, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to breathe His fragrance.
Fireworks photo taken from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7862527@N02/2520923912, The 2008 World Pyro Olympics in Manila, the Philippines.
June is Authors I Admire monthhere on the Inkwell.While I admire anyone who finishes a book, there isn't room to honor each of you individually, so before I go any further can I just say, "KUDOS!" to all you authors out there, published or unpublished!
I planned to write several short paragraphs on a variety of authors including some of my favorite contemporary CBA authors, but I instead found my heart drawn to the late Madeleine L'Engle. She has impacted my authoress heart perhaps as much or more than anyone I've read. My hope is that my thoughts of her will encourage your writing journey as they have mine.
Madeleine L'Engle November 29, 1918 - September 06, 2007
Madeleine L'Engle published 63 books in her lifetime of 88 years. The most famous, of course, is A Wrinkle in Time. Part of the reason I celebrate Madeleine today is that she persevered. According to the sources I checked A Wrinkle in Time was rejected 26 times. But Madeleine didn't give up.
Madeleine's perseverance and tenacity are certainly to be admired, but as I've read her non-fiction books I've also experienced her as a woman of great humor, intellect, and compassion. While her thoughts of life ran deep, she also didn't take herself too seriously. She accepted that the world was full of those more talented and intelligent than she, but believed she still had something to contribute. Her faith journey was quite unique, and it inspires me. She interacted in a culture of great intellects, many of who were agnostic or atheistic, but despite and environment that (to me) didn't seem to support faith, she emerged as a woman who not only knew God, but offered Him, in her own, unique way, to those she encountered.
But perhaps it is my personal experiences with her writing and the briefest of experiences of her as a person that made me choose her for this post. Here's my story: As a youth, my brother loved the Wrinkle trilogy and encouraged me to read them. However, they freaked me out! Something about them tested the safe little "Christian" box I had created for myself. After graduating from college, I gave them another try while teaching 3rd graders in public school. My closed mind was ready to think (a least a little) outside the box, and I was blown away by how these fiction stories impacted me. I explored new ideas I hadn't dared to think about life, God, control, freedom, good and evil. I couldn't help myself. I stayed up late one night and scribbled a long, messy missive pouring my heart out to the famous author. Not too long after I was surprised to receive a hand-written response scribbled to me on a family letter that told of Madeleine's personal life--her children and travels. Soon after my fiance took me to hear her speak, and I got my first autographed book. Somehow I felt my little 23 year-old heart and that of this woman I greatly admired had truly connected.
Recently I had another heart-connection as I read A Circle of Quiet, a non-fiction book where she shares a lot of her inner self--her thoughts on writing, faith, and interacting with the world. In this little book I was especially impacted by two things. The first is a personal story she told. She sets up the scene by talking about how she'd spent her thirties writing and being rejected while she raised her children. She believed the surrounding neighbors thought her an oddity, and she weathered what she perceived to be whispered comments about poor Madeleine who spent all those hours scribbling away but would never be published. (Whether or not the neighbors were talking, I don't know, but I have, of course, imagined just such gossip circulating about me and felt her angst!) Madeleine had told herself that her forties would be years of productivity and success, when her books actually made it into print and she began her life as a true author.
Madeleine then went on to write about her 40th birthday. It was on that very day she received another of those 27 rejection letters. She decided then and there that she wasn't spending another decade writing only to be rejected. She began to dismantle her office, telling herself she would never write again. After she'd been cleaning out the office for a while she realized that in her mind she was composing a story as she worked--a story about an author who weathered rejection. She says at that moment she realized she was a writer. She would never quit. Madeleine talked about how the decision, made in the midst of rejection, was more powerful than it could ever have been if it had been reached at any other time. Again, I had BEEN there and her words resonated deep within. I was a writer. I had determined to be one in the midst of rejection, not just success. I would persevere.
The second thing that impacted me greatly was a thought she had about what she had to offer the world. I can't find my book right now or I would give you the direct wonderful quote. But here's the heart of what she said. Madeleine was told by one of her intellectual friends that she had nothing to offer the world that had never been said. As she processed his comment, she came to believe that he was right. She may never have anything to say that the world had never heard--but it didn't matter. It had never been said the way she would say it.
Then and there I felt validated. I may not be the smartest or more original person I know. I may not even have anything especially new or profound to offer. But what I do have is me. What God wants to say through me will not be said the same way when offered by anyone else. It is the Lord's truths, offered through my fingerprints, that will leave their mark on just the people who could only hear it the way I say it. And that is enough.
My interactions with Madeleine have offered me perspective in the face of disappointment, faith that grows outside my safe little boxes, a determination to persevere, and a belief that what I say has value to the world. In my opinion, Madeleine has given me some of the most important gifts a writer needs.
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers devotional thoughts, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to breathe His fragrance.
Last night my almost twenty year old was curled up with a younger brother watching Swan Princess, a favorite from her childhood. I slipped in next to them, bummed that they'd already finished off the popcorn, and delighted in the romance.
As I watched my thoughts turned to the basic story-line of all the great fairy tales--wonderful prince fights evil, rescues beautiful and good-hearted princess, throws a royal wedding, and they live happily ever after.
And then I thought about Jesus.
Wonderful Prince leaves His royal dwelling and descends to those more lowly than Himself. By sacrificial giving He wins the battle against evil, qualifies us to be His bride, and invites us to the wedding feast, promising us a happily ever after.
And those thoughts led me to think about the grand theme in any good romance, which takes the over-arching picture a little deeper. As Kathy talked about below, in the really good romances the hero or heroine sees the true essence of the other person and calls it forth.
Which brings me full circle to Jesus.
Jesus, my Creator, sees the real me. He loves sacrificially and unconditionally. His care causes me to long for Him, and to long to be the person He sees. He calls forth more goodness and beauty than I knew I had, causing me to blossom in His love.
I love how the themes of love and redemption run true in good romance. I love it that our Creator inspires writers who, knowingly or not, tenderize our hearts for the Greatest Romance of the Ages, the romance between Jesus and us.
Our Creator has a romantic heart. How could He not? He's the one who designed red roses, vines full of purple grapes, sunsets, ocean views, and turtle doves. He gave us music, poetry, dancing, and stories themselves.
As I've begun to discover Jesus as my Lover, and not only as my Lord, my relationship with Him has taken new wings. He is the Great Romancer of my heart, whispering love like I've never known, surprising me with beauty, and calling forth the true essence of Who I am.
As writers we have the unique opportunity to write God's heart of romance, tenderizing the world for the Greatest Romance of all.
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers a free weekly devotional, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 NIV)
Once in a blue moon I am funny. Today my moon isn't blue. I weigh out with that whole dried up bones idea. Which is all the more reason I need humor, the topic for the Inkwell this month.
For many years I read a lot of women's fiction--deep, penetrating, take it somewhere stuff. And I believe someday I will again. But when the stress levels get high I grab books that have a light heart. There's something about chuckling through a story that helps me face the difficulties of life. (For my latest favorite light fare series visit this post at GraceReign about Erynn Mangum's books.) Humor is good cheer for the aching heart, and like the Scripture says, a cheerful heart is good medicine. For that reason alone I believe humor should be an important element in the stories of Christian novels. Obviously not every story lends itself to much humor, but even a serious read can incorporate a wry sort of humor.
There are a few things that make humor an important tool in the hand of a fiction writer. The most obvious is comic relief. During (or after) an intense scene the reader often needs emotional release. One way to provide this is through humor. Think about all the movies you've seen where just when the tension reaches what you think will be its climax, something funny happens. You chuckle with the rest of the audience, take a deep breath, and then are off and running with the hero again. Or after all the pain is over, the heroine quips a line that causes you believe all will be well as that wry smile tickles your lips.
Emotional relief is important, but one of best roles for humor in fiction is to help your reader let go of defenses. How many times have you heard a speaker who gets you laughing then (when your heart is wide open to him) says something that hits you between the eyes? You really hear that nugget of truth because the walls around your heart have been penetrated by humor, and you were ready grasp it.
One series that has done this for me is Sister Chicks by Robin Jones Gunn. I spent an evening reading Sister Chicks in Sombreros. I chuckled as I read, and when I closed the books I suddenly realized that within the light-hearted story the Lord (and Robin!) had placed the exact truth I needed that night. It didn't hit me between the eyes, it just saturated my heart as I chuckled my way through the sweet story.
This blog entry started with a Scripture that shows the importance of cheer, but some days cheer is had to come by. I close this post on humor with this promise for you and for me.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. (Job 8:21 NIV)
Time flies. At least it seems to when I'm under a deadline. When I'm having fun, it just dances. When I'm bored, it crawls. It doesn't stop when I'm stressed, it just hurries faster. And it doesn't slow down when I'm having a wonderfully deep conversation with a friend that I don't want to end. It ticks on by and the next thing you know one of my teen boys is calling asking when I'm going to come home and feed them.
Time has its own mind and rhythm--and you want me to tell you how to manage it?
Someday when I'm home, just hubby and me in a quiet house, time will be easier to manage. I'll have a set writing schedule and my creative juices will be pumping, ready to pour onto the page at exactly 10:43 each morning. I will have won my life-long battle with time.
That's the dream.
After taking a personality test the other day, however, I suspect I'll still find time unmanageable. But I'm not ready for my bubble to be popped on this one, so let's pretend it might get easier for me as I mature. After all, there needs to be some reward for surviving my crazy, loud life with four teenagers and a revolving door of their friends pouring in and out. There's really only one constant in my day as I try to manage them. I can absolutely rely on knowing that I will be asked 133 times when I'm cooking and what it will be. Other than that, there is little continuity.
But dreams of scheduled writing times and whines about my lack thereof aren't offering you much take-home. I'm often told, "I don't know how you do all you do." I must be accomplishing SOMETHING. I think mostly I'm just snowing people--looking more poised and efficient than I am, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve--after all a gal with absolutely no concept of time still has to live in it. She just has to find her own way of doing so.
While I can't do detailed schedules (they make me break out in a sweat), I do have big picture plans. I need some quiet time in my recliner before I start my day--unless I've forgotten to blog for ACFW, then I postpone the tea and quiet meditation and instead fling a prayer to God that I can figure out something to write while barreling to my computer with a growling stomach and caffeine headache coming on.
The calendar next to my computer keeps my deadlines in the forefront of my mind--at least when I look at it and remember what it says. And my mouse pad is actually paper, where I keep a running list of what I must get done in my "work" world. I'm not a list person, but since I've hit my mid-forties my brain needs a little help.
When I am up against a big deadline I protect time (still not able to manage it). I resist the urge to head out to Starbucks with a friend or to watch the latest chick-flick with my daughter. (At least most of the time.) I block out the amount of time it takes to write the project and add at least an afternoon for all the time I'll spend sweating, feeling inadequate, and begging God to help me believe that I can actually write. Sometimes I add a whole day for this. I don't mean to, but that's how it turns out--which means the next day I HAVE to dig in and write harder 'cause I'm out of time. This actually works pretty well. Other than remembering to write for this particular blog, I'm very rarely late on a writing deadline.
The other thing that helps me get my work done is laundry. Really. The washing machine is right next to my office, so if I sort laundry for the six of us and start writing, it's the perfect set-up. Every time the dryer buzzes I get a break from sitting at the computer so I can rush to the couch and lay all those T-shirts neatly across its arm. Then I write away. The goal is that both the writing deadline will be met and the laundry washed by seven the next evening. Then I can fold laundry for two hours giving me an excuse to watch a Jane Austen flick. I warn my boys for hours in advance of that moment that the TV is MINE. And I have a built in reward for keeping my bottom in my office chair and getting the deadline met.
Between a busy season of life, a dominant right brain, and a personality that feels stifled when it gets too scheduled, I never try to manage my time. I try to live in it, roll with it, and play with it. I work hard and fast in it when I claim a space of it for my writing. And I pray like crazy. I figure if God called me to write while everything else is going crazy in my life, then He can make my fingers fly across the keyboard. And He often does.
For me time management is more of a passion than a schedule. I believe in what I'm doing, so I grab the opportunities to do my thing and work like a mad woman for that space of time I claimed between homeschooling and supper--or everyone else's bedtime and morning.
I know some of you wonderful left-brained people whose personality tests have letters in it like S, T, or J are now breathing too quickly and getting a stomachache. You'll be okay, really. I may not have the world's greatest advice, but next time I see you I'll enfold you in a great big hug and we'll both feel better.
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers a free weekly devotional, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.
In my vision for the near future there are huge sunflowers smiling in a long line against the back fence of my yard. It's a dream that could happen. My youngest and I spent an hour or so planting seeds. I'll know in a week or so if they have sprouted. Seeds need a while to germinate before they burst through the soil.
June's topic of the month on the Inkwell is "Renewing Creativity." As I thought about my own struggles with the creative process, I realized I've fought to renew creativity when renewal wasn't needed. Creativity wasn't dead, it was just resting. Some writing stalls just require patience and germination time.
Germination is the process in which a plant bursts from a seed and becomes a sprout. It first spends time underneath the ground collecting nutrients. If left dry, it will never sprout, but if it is safe in a dark, quiet environment and given plenty of water, a root miraculously breaks from the seed. Soon the skin splits and smaller roots and leaves emerge. With enough sunshine and water, a mature sunflower plant produces brilliant yellow blossoms complete with a rich brown center.
Writing, too, needs germination time. I once heard Anne Lamont, author of the famed writing book Bird by Bird, speak. Of all the wonderful, insightful comments she made, the one with the greatest take home value for this writer was: "If you're going to be an artist, you have to stare out the window."
How freeing! My artistic soul craves long, quiet retreats. Sometimes they include praise music and a journal. Other times, like yesterday, my retreat is an afternoon alone with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and the Pride and Prejudice mini-series. When I can I like to stroll a mountain trail and breathe in the sweet pine scent. Often my retreats include a novel or Bible study. Sometimes the best retreat is simply being still, musing about life, whispering with God, and watching fresh green-leaved branches dance in a cobalt sky.
For an artist, these staring out the window times--times when our emotions are stirred, beauty is inhaled, and our thoughts allowed to wander and ponder--are germination times. They are the safe place that causes something that barely exists, like an idea or a thought, to expand from its small existence to something much greater. We often don't even know it is happening. But then we're loading the dishwasher or brushing our teeth and we realize a new plot line has formed, a character has been birthed, or that we possess a new devotional insight that has to be expressed.
And this happens because our creative seeds were allowed to germinate, safe from our fretting, prodding, and pushing. We gave ourselves permission to stare out the window.
When huge yellow faces brightened my weather-beaten fence last year, I was amazed at how their fresh loveliness took something worn and sad and made it beautiful. With enough resting, enough prayer--enough staring out the window--I dare believe our writing will reach the barren, beaten down places of the soul and call forth its beauty once again.
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers a free weekly devotional, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.
Your palms are a little sweaty. Safely cocooned in your bag are the one-sheets you've bled over. You walk up to the registration desk, and a sudden fear strikes your heart. They've lost your name. Or you won't be registered. If you are, they'll have forgotten to assign you editor appointments.
You give your name and receive your name tag, finding that your very worse fear has come true. Everything is in order. You've been assigned a roommate, classes, and editor appointments. You really have to do this.
You look over the sea of faces wishing fervently for a familiar one--or even a friendly one. You swallow hard and put on a smile and decide to be that face for someone else who has the panic in her eyes that you feel. You made here. You will believe in yourself. You will believe in the One who sent you. It's time to do this thing!
Truth is though I've felt the above, I'm no longer a new-comer to conferences. So here I stand, cheering you on, excited for the journey you're beginning . . . and thinking that all my sweaty palm experiences give me room to offer a little advice for surviving your first conference:
1) Plan ahead and treat yourself to something that will help you through the experience. Before my first conference I bought colored note cards and wrote my favorite Bible verse and quotes on them. Once I checked in I put them all over my room to remind myself to be courageous! (I've also been know to take a pretty tea cup.)
2) Once at the conference, don't do everything. Really. There's too much offered to attend every single option. If you're a morning person choose the morning devos and skip the late night chats. If you're a night person, take a snack and have breakfast in your room. When the amount of material stuffed in your brain becomes overwhelming, find a quiet place and be alone--or a friend and down-load--or take a nap. But do NOT for any reason attempt to conquer every single thing on that bulging schedule.
3) Pray each day that you can encourage someone. The Lord will lead you to that person, he will be buoyed for his journey, and you'll be refreshed to see God at work. It'll take the stress out of the serious pursuit of all those writing dreams and remind you that God is in control.
4) If a speaker or workshop isn't meeting your needs, discreetly slip out and find one that suits you. It's okay.
5) Be brave. Make friends. Believe that the person next to you in line or in your class is a divine appointment. My first conference I met a delightful woman who ended up being from my area. She invited me to her critique group where I've been happily learning for the last 8 years. I didn't seek her out for any reason except to be friendly, but God put us together.
6) And #5 reminds me to mention #6. Pray for the networking aspect of the conference--not just for yourself, but for each attendee. Ask God to weave it all together exactly the right way, networking those who need to meet to take the next step on their writing journeys and further His purposes. I like to imagine God putting exactly the editor and writer who need to meet together, or helping someone find a new best friend, or putting a writer with exactly the speaker who will help him learn that missing piece. I have lots of God stories about how He did this. LOVE to see Him so tangibly at work.
7) Don't compare your writing with others. Usually first time conferees discover they are starting on a new learning curve. Don't be discouraged by that. God has called you to write. He has given you the talent. Now you get to develop the skill. Don't let the prowess of advanced writers make you insecure.
8) Be teachable. Chances are something about this business is new to you. Listen. Don't barrel ahead with your opinions. Ask good questions, not to be noticed, but so you can learn. If a teacher presents a new concept, play with it, think about it, even if you don't like it at first.
9) Celebrate every positive experience, and grieve and move on from the disappointments. Conferences can be highly emotional, especially the first few times, or if you're doing a lot of pitching of a writing project. Hide and have a good cry if you need to. Give appropriate room for your emotions, but don't dwell on the disappointments. The crazy thing about conferences is you can feel deep discouragement one minute and have a fantastic experience the next. Keep your head high, and don't let the disappointments get you down. You don't know what might be waiting around the corner.
10) Trust God. Believe that HE is the one who opens doors no man can shut and shuts doors no man can open. Believe that HE has a plan for your writing and will guide you on the best pathway for your life. Relax. Enter into His plans for this conference and know deep inside that the One who brought you this far will see all this to completion in His time.
And . . .
while you're doing all of that, don't forget to HAVE FUN!!!!
Gray clouds press upon my windows. The day droops, heavy and weary. Not a day a strong cup of coffee can cure. The weariness is deeper. Physical, but more.
Still, there is grace. Grace to serve. Grace to love. Grace to wait for the sunshine.
When I was a little girl my aunt had a poem hanging above her big claw-footed bathtub. I read it over and over. Loved it. Held it to my heart:
People are like stained-glass windows They glow and sparkle when it's sunny and bright But when the sun goes down Their true beauty is revealed Only if there is a light from within.
In 2008 when my husband almost died from a serious heart blockage and a bunch of other stuff hit our family, I struggled. I so wanted people to see Jesus in me. I wanted to show the world that even though life was hard, I still loved my Lord and thought Him beautiful.
Today I feel the same. Watching the pain my children have been through this month (major surgery, a broken bone, two painful break-ups, the lists goes on) and caring around the clock for my eldest boy whose independence has been stripped away as he relies upon us to even get in or out of bed, has taken its toll. I struggle.
And yet I want to be my Father's daughter. I want His light within me to shine and draw others to faith.
The problem is I'm so . . . HUMAN. I never seem to handle these things the way I wish I did. The creative melancholy within me plumbs the depths of the pain. After several nights of little sleep I'm not always a nice person. And I find it's been hard to write encouraging spiritual words when I'm drained of energy.
I want to be superhero Paula, woman of God who leaps past life's storms with a single bound. Instead I'm just plain ole me. Paula who cries out to the Lord to make her faithful no matter what.
And maybe in that tiny little thing, some light leaks out. Just when I think I'm not shining at all something happens to show me He is still being seen. The other day my son said his dad and I were his latest heroes. You don't hear that from a seventeen-year-old too often. Maybe all that lifting his injured leg, bringing him food, and commiserating with him is showing Jesus after all.
When writing the spiritual thread in our novel, perhaps this is the key to reach out and massage the hearts of our readers. Instead of superheroes, we write real people who don't always react the way they want to. Instead of faces set like flint, mouths that spout "hallelujah," and emotions that never seem raw, we write characters who are human, yet whose light leaks out even when they don't think is.
I once heard a well-known Christian leader say that the most spiritual thing he does is to get eight hours of sleep each night. I'm not sure how much of that comment was tongue in cheek, but I get his point. Without renewal of the body, mind, and spirit, our spiritual life sags and our passions dim.
Seems like God's people are dealing with a lot of struggle these days. Broken relationships, crushing financial burdens, health issues, and a plethora of other hardships are pulling upon our reserves. Many of my friends are plain ole tired.
My personal journey has been much the same. The Refiner's fire has been almost relentless for the last several years. If I made a list of all I've dealt with you guys would probably show up at my house with a truck-load of chocolate. Then again if you were really honest with me, I bet I'd need to share my stash.
Many of us have been fighting the good fight harder than we've ever fought it before. If we were to look at the spiritual thread of the last few years of our lives, we'd see a reoccurring theme: stretching, stretching, stretching . . . and I don't know about you, but flexing all those spiritual muscles has sometimes left me aching and worn. And as a writer that dry crust feeling has often manifested itself in lack of creativity and productivity, which of course makes me feel even more empty inside because my passion lies latent.
Renewal is essential for anyone, but for a writer it is paramount. Here are some things that have helped me as I've navigated stormy waters that toss me upon a rocky shores and leave me there to shrivel up.
Know and Rely on the Love God Has for You. God is Love. The most important epiphany of the last five years of my life sounds quite simple, yet it is profound: Knowing and relying on God's love really is the foundation of life and the only road to survival. I can only stand in the storm when my roots go down deep into the soil of God's love. When everything else crashes around me, God's love remains steady and sure. We really cannot lose His love. And it really is enough.
Be Playful As much as I've not wanted to be the person who faces hard times by gutting them out, I've fallen prey to that method of survival. There is some merit to putting on your game face and just getting through the hurricane. But in seasons of long-term struggle, we have to play. While I've believed this for some time, I'm often not very good at living it. But last year at the Colorado Christian Writer's Conference (CCWC), I had the opportunity to attend a clinic called The Joy Of Unblocked Creativity.* Guess what many of the assignments included? Play. I made sand art. I did drama. I danced. I put on dress up clothes. And guess what? Back in my room between sessions words began to flow. Beautiful, creative fiction appeared on my screen after a year of not being able to create that type of writing. Since the clinic I've begun writing a new genre where I can be more playful. I sense God saying to lay aside some of my deeper writing for a while and lighten up! The season He's called me to walk through requires a lot of emotional stamina. And right now I don't need my writing to plum the depths of my soul. I need for it to help me giggle--and just maybe when it's done it'll do the same for someone else.
Build in Margin Anne Lamont once said, "If you want to be an artist you have to have time to stare out the window." I take her thoughts a step further. If you want to be an artist who represents God's heart, you have to have time to stare out the window, yes, but you also need time to stare into the Savior's face. Create white space so both your spirit and your artistic soul can experience, not just navigate, life. Do it every day. Plop yourself in a chair with a cup of tea and just sit. Make time for spiritual disciplines, but rest in them. Instead of doing, doing, doing, allow time to listen and process. And find creative ways to have extended white space. Last year I was completely worn-out when I left for CCWC. I needed desperately to disconnect from life's demands. I often found myself wrapped in a blanket on the tiny little deck outside my room during that conference. I just sat there and stared at the sky. I drank in smells of spring and let the breeze tease my hair. I felt the sunshine on my bare toes as they peeked from beneath the blanket. Sometimes I prayed, sang or read my Bible. But a lot of the time I just WAS.
Cut the Unnecessary Drama. Frankly my life is one big soap opera these days. I've had enough bleakest moments in my family to bring several novels to their climax. I don't have time or energy to spin my wheels in unnecessary drama--I've got enough of the real kind.
Discern Who and What Gets Priority In this season I've had to be intentional about my priorities. It's meant cutting out some really good things and backing away from some relationships, but only by doing that can I give myself to the people and responsibilities God has led me to.
Intercede There has been SO much junk that I've had absolutely no ability to change, control or shape in the last few years. I can't fix the pain my loved ones and I have had to navigate. But I can pray. In prayer my inadequacies give wing to God's adequacy. My lack of control gives way to His sovereignty. My desire for change coupled with a complete inability to bring it about gives way to mountain moving prayer and deepening faith that trusts HIS methods instead of my own. Prayer is a refuge. A peaceful place. A safe trust.
Cultivate Your Prayer Buddies. I wouldn't have survived the last three years if it weren't for a tight circle of praying friends who've proven trustworthy, who hear my heart, and who stand with me in prayer. It's as simple as that.
May God renew you.
Paula
* If you're feeling like dried out crust, consider taking a time out and signing up for the Unblocked Creativity Clinic at the Colorado Christian Writer's Conference. Here's a testimonial from an attendee from last year: I came to the 2009 CCWC emptied of creativity and heavy with the burdens of the past year. The Lord sent me to the Unblocked Creativity Clinic. There He asked me to play, to process, and to praise. Back in my room I wrote fiction for the first time in over a year. The words started coming again, more beautiful than before. I left the conference with renewed hope and energy. (Okay, okay, so that attendee was yours truly.)
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers devotional thoughts, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Most of us love a good romance. If you don't believe it, check out the sales figures of romance novels, chick flicks and the like. I've always loved a good romance. I've been accused of being a hopeless romantic. I guess I can't argue too much. In high school I filled my boy friend's car with balloons and handmade hearts on Valentine's Day. He called me to report a "Valentine explosion."
I must still love romance. One thing that confirms it is that last Monday AND Tuesday I told myself I needed to write my monthly column for this blog. The problem is I never remembered to do it! See, I've started this new romance novella and . . . well, I got so lost in writing romance, I forgot to write ABOUT romance. While I'm sure nobody was breathlessly waiting for my next Inkwell post, I did feel kind-a bad about letting the blogging world down.
But instead of wallowing in guilt, I thought I'd post a few days late to share a few tricks with you that are working in my latest story. (And can I just say that I haven't had so much fun writing in YEARS?)
I'm sure what I'm about to tell you will not rock your world. You may even say, "I knew that" or "what a cliche." Here's the thing. When writing a romance novel, it really WORKS. Are you ready?
Opposites Attract.
There it is. My story is so much fun to create (and I hope to read) because I purposely set up several areas in which my characters are diametrically opposed. The heroine is passionate, fanciful, loves to celebrate, loves to serve people, and believes in going for your dreams. My hero is logical, no nonsense, afraid to celebrate, a little self-absorbed, and cautious about dreaming.
Can you see how much they need each other?
I can't wait, absolutely can't wait, until they become more and more involved in each other's life and discover how desperately they need what the other has to give.
(PS I loved Margie's blog, above. Beginning to know Jesus as my Bridegroom is taking my relationship with God to new depths. If you're interested in the way Christ has been romancing my heart, check out the posts on the Song of Solomon listed on the side bar of my blog.)
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers a free weekly devotional, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.
I'm staring at this blank screen while I crunch popcorn covered with left-over nacho cheese sauce from my kids' New Year's Eve party, a party which was attended by 13 people under 21, and not a single adult besides my husband and me.
I suppose it could have been different with a little effort on my part. All it would have taken was some brain power directed at what I wanted instead of using up my energy making sure each of my children had at least one special friend coming and that the house was adequately stocked with junk food and a huge kettle of healthy soup. If I'd taken a moment to identify and invite a few friends, the evening might have included something for me other than staring at my husband as the roar of teenagers emanated from the basement and vacuuming silly string out of the carpet until almost 2 a.m.
Then again, while I'm no sacrificial saint, I don't really look back on that evening with regret. Instead I feel the glow that grew inside when my son, with his broadening on-the-brink-of manhood shoulders, put his arm around me and said, "Thanks, Mom."
So what does my little story have to do with characterization? Pause a moment and think through everything you've surmised about me from those paragraphs. What all did you learn? (I'd love to hear about it in the comment section!)
In case you didn't guess, the above paragraphs attempted to help you know my character by SHOWING.
I could have just told you like this:
I'm a forty-four year old married mom of four who was bored on New Year' Eve 'cause my children had a bunch of friends over, but I didn't. I take mothering, hospitality, and homemaking seriously. I could learn to think a little more about my own wants and needs, but overall I'm pretty content creating memories for my children.
Both scenarios say close to the same thing, but I'll bet you connected a lot more with me when you discovered who I was as the story unfolded than you did when I simply told you how I perceive myself. I'll bet in the first scenarios there was an unconscious decision about whether or not you and I could be friends. You probably just blazed through the second scenario, bored.
Showing who a character is mirrors real-life relationships. As humans we connect with new friends as we watch them. We get to know their strengths, their quirks, and how they respond to life. We don't make a new friend because she says, "Hi, I'm a mother and wife with blond hair, green eyes, and four children. You can trust me." We deepen our relationship with someone because we've grown to trust them a little more as we've observed how they interact with their world. We offer friendship as we get to know them. And while we may appreciate that twinkle in our friend's green eyes, we'd love her no matter her eye color.
It's the same with a good book. We choose to engage on an emotional level with our characters not because we're told they are tall, dark and handsome, or pert and clever, but because we see how they respond to life and draw our own conclusions about who they are. It's FUN to get to know someone new, whether on the page or in the room with you. If we looked at them and instantly knew everything about them, it would spoil the adventure of pursuing them and glimpsing their heart a piece at a time. When we write we should invite our readers to befriend our heroes and heroines by SHOWING who they are.
Back to our examples. Often it's the little details that draw us into a character's world. It doesn't really matter that I eat left-over nacho sauce, but don't I feel more real to you because you know that? When we read these little details we subconsciously plug the information into our perception of the person. For example, I must not be too stuffy if I'm cleaning out the left-over cheese sauce from the fridge. And it's pretty certain that I'm not lactose intolerant or a granola mom who never allows junk food.
Those little details also bring up subconscious questions. Maybe you're wondering how heavy I am if I sit around eating cheese sauce. And just how much junk food are my kids allowed? Am I irresponsible with food? Or was the cheese sauce just a party treat? Or maybe I'm fairly balanced. After all I DID have a kettle of homemade soup on the stove next to the chips and dip.
But why was there silly string on the carpet? Do I have no authority in my home so my kids buy a mess in a can and destroy my carpet? Or maybe I'm a fun, easy going personality who BOUGHT the stuff thinking a few minutes of giggling chaos is worth the 45 it took to clean it up. Isn't it contradictory that I would be relaxed enough to allow silly string on the carpet, but instead of going to bed and leaving the mess I'm vacuuming at 2 a.m.?
Unless you know me pretty well, you don't know the answer to these questions. That's why you come over for a cup of tea and watch me for a while--or keep reading that novel to unlock the mystery of that character.
Let's think about the two scenarios again. In the first I told how my son, on the brink of manhood, noticed my efforts and thanked me. That said a lot about who I am. It said there was relationship between me and my kids. You felt the aching pride I had in my boy who is crossing the line to adulthood. You heard his kind words and saw his affection.
In the second scenario you don't know much about that. You know I tried hard to serve my kids, but you don't know why. Is it because I love them, or because I have a strong sense of mom duty? Do my kids interact with me, or am I just the servant who keeps the chip bowl refilled? Have I waited on my kids hand and foot resulting in self-serving egocentric brats, or do the kids see and appreciate my efforts?
This aspect of our example brings up an important component of showing in character development. How our character interacts with others and how they treat him says more about who he is than if we simply TOLD the reader. I could have written, "I have a good relationship with my kids who are grateful for the things I do," but you wouldn't have experienced it. If you don't experience it, you're never really sure if you can believe it. You also miss out on the joy of the moment. Wasn't it sweet to picture that big kid hugging on me?
Next time you set out to develop a character for your novel, think about showing him to your reader. Let his personality unfold through his responses to life, little details about him, and his relationships with others. If you do, you'll help your reader make a new friend.
Oh, and if you're wondering what I'm going to do now that my nacho sauce is gone, I'm headed to the living room where I recently found silly string dried onto the light fixture.
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers a free weekly devotional, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.
Just a quick reminder that THIS Friday and Saturday is HIS Writer's big Used Book and Media Sale and Author Book Signing. That's Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of December. Though the temperature outside is predicted to be "frightful," the warmth of friends, good coffee, and books will be "delightful." (Sorry, one of my favorite winter songs plays through my head as I type this with the snow falling outside my window and temperatures lower than they've been this year!)
I talked tochairman extraordinaire of the Used Book and Media sale, Niki Nowell, last night. Donations have been generous, and the sale has much to offer. We have lots of Christian fiction, but we also have non-fiction, DVD's, CD's and VHS. For you writers out there, we have several writer's conferences on tape and MP3. We even have children's movies and books. So stop by, chat with us over a cup of Joe, pick out a few things, and help start a scholarship fund for HIS Writer's members!
We're also excited about our 16 ACFW authors who will be signing their latest releases. (Click over to our events page for specific signing times and listing of authors and books.) Our authors love to chat with readers, and we're looking forward to good fellowship. While you're there, pick up a signed copy of a book for a loved one. What better gift than a personalized book that shares the love of Jesus? So come and see us. We're going to have a blast and want to see YOU there!
Join us at Daz Bog Coffee, 1050 104th Avenue, Northglenn, CO from 9 - 3 each day. (Daz Bog is located just west of I-25 and 104th ave. Take 104th west past Huron. The next left is Croke. Daz Bog is on the corner of Croke and 104th Ave.)
A writer, speaker, and homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver chapter of ACFW, and enjoys leading a Bible study group for high school girls. Her writing appears in magazines, book compilations, and devotionals. Most recently she’s written curriculum for David C. Cook publishing. Her devotional website, Soul Scents, offers a free weekly devotional. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, Paula loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to live His fragrance.
Join HIS Writers and 15 wonderful ACFW authors on December 4th and 5th at Daz Bog Coffee, 1050 104th Avenue, Northglenn.
Enjoy this double event that is all about the books you love! Shop for the holidays by buying a signed book from one of our authors (schedule below), or stock up on your favorite books or other media for killer prices at our Used Media Sale. (Profits will be applied toward scholarships for writers!)
Megan DiMaria is the author of Searching for Spice and Out of Her Hands, both of which are set in the Denver area. An energetic speaker, she enjoys encouraging women to embrace life’s demands and delights. She also serves writers as the assistant director of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild Rocky Mountain Region. Before penning her first novel she worked as a radio and television reporter and wrote for newspapers and magazines.
Alison Strobelestablished herself as a powerful voice in Christian fiction with the release of "Worlds Collide" in 2005. Her second release, "Violette Between" was a Rita Award nominee two years later. Both books have received accolades from reviewers and readers. Alison Strobel combines thought-provoking themes and relatable characters to create un-put-downable contemporary fiction.
When they're little, our kids are on our feet. When they're big, they're on our hearts. How will Linda manage when she realizes it's all out of her hands?
What if you had the chance to relive your life with a loved one you'd lost--but had to give up your future to do it?
Kathleen E. Kovachis an award winning author and the Rocky Mountain Zone Director for American Christian Fiction Writers. Her first published novella, Merely Players, landed her on Heart Song Presents' list of favorite authors and is included in the anthology, Florida Weddings. Kathy also placed in the Faith, Hope, and Love Inspirational Reader's contest. She has two sons, five grandchildren and one on the way. She loves writing spiritual truth . . . with a giggle.
An author and Website designer, Amber Stockton lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Stockton. They delight in their baby daughter, Victoria, and chase after their border collie. Amber's eight Christian romance novels show how God can sustain his people through difficult experiences. She enjoys weaving her stories into an historical backdrop.
Romance sings as two people learn to forgive with the help of a melodious alpaca.
Journey back to Colonial Delaware, where love blossoms with the dawning of a new nation.
Donita K. Paul crafts her award-winning fantasy stories from a Hobbit Hole in the shadow of Pike's Peak. She retired early from teaching school, but soon got bored--and thus was born several romance novels and the popular Dragon Keeper Chronicles. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year contest and were nominated for the coveted Christy award.
Stuart Vaughn Stockton is a website designer by day and a science fiction author by night. He has been building the mythos of Galactic Lore and Sauria for twenty years. Stuart lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, Tiffany, and their baby daughter. Stuart is the basis for "S-Man," a science fiction novelist character in the popular Kanner Lake novel series by Brandilyn Collins.
Born and raised in Colorado, award-winning author Nancy Wentz graduated from the University of Colorado. Two of her short stories were winners in the National Writers Association Short Story Contests. Nancy has a great love for history and English literature, and, in their pursuit, found her creative outlet by incorporating aspects of both into her writing. Her voice is unique in that it reflects a classic nuance not typically seen in modern writing.
Tipper, a young emerlindian, soon discovers that her actions have unbalanced the whole foundation of her world, and she must act quickly to undo the calamitous threat. But how can she save her father and her world on her own?
On an alien world on the verge of war, one young warrior discovers the weapon that can save his Empire, but may also doom his world.
A young prophet battles a powerful mafia family with a generational curse of demon possession dating back to the 16th century . As he navigates the spiritual world and the streets of Depression-era Colorado, he has only one weapon.
As the wife of a high school football coach, Candee Fick has climbed metal bleachers in all kinds of weather (with three children in tow) to witness firsthand the battle for field position and points. In addition to discovering the benefits of a comfortable stadium chair, she has seen many lessons about life illustrated on the playing field.
Patrick and Donna Schlachter believe the best way to strengthen your faith is to life it out. As such they are active in various ministries to the community. They've written Quiet Moments Alone with God, 100 Answers to 100 Questions about Loving Your Husband, and Living By Faith.
Kimberly Woodhouse's enthusiasm and positive outlook on difficult circumstancesmakes her a sought after speaker around the country, and a well-loved author. Her family's story has been on the front pages of newspapers and magazines, but when they were chosen for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, they were catapulted further into the public eye inspiring many with their perseverance and faith. Their story, Welcome Home: Our Family's Journey to Extreme Joy, offers hope and triumph.
Explore what life and football have in common through the eyes of one who has to -- er, gets to -- watch a lot of games. For football lovers and those that love them.
Explore and expand the depths of relationship with God as you step into the peace of His presence
It can be “Pure Joy” to be a parent. But, how does joy evolve out of devastating reality? Journey with the Woodhouse family as they cope with rare medical disorder, mountains of bills, and loss of their home in this poignant, heart-warming story.
11 am - 1 pm: Historical, Military and Political Sagas
Mike Angley is the award-winning author of the Christian mystery/thriller series, The Child Finder Trilogy. When his debut novel, Child Finder, launched in June 2009, the Library Journal placed it on its Summer Reads List and called it, “a compelling debut novel,” and “a real find.” Child Finder also won the 2009 Silver Medal for fiction from Military Writers Society of America. A retired Air Force Colonel and Special Agent, Mike draws upon his 25-year career as inspiration for his writing.
Erin Rainwater is a nurse and author who writes wholesome historical stories that stretch beyond the confines of formula Romance. Her novel True Colors (set in the civil war era) was awarded the 2009 Gold Medal for Historical Fiction by the Military Writers Society of America, and 1st Place in Historical Fiction by Branson Stars & Flags Book Awards. The Arrow That Flieth By Day is set in post-Civil War Colorado. As a former Army nurse, Erin was privileged to care for the bodies and spirits of soldiers and veterans, including repatriated POWs and MIAs. Her military experience has helped in writing her novels.
Stephen E. Wright is a fanatical off-roader and high-power rifle competitor living in Colorado. He has written for both television and film and now enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters. As both a Christian and a political junkie he finds the current divisiveness in the American political landscape fascinating, and it's from this rift he drew the inspiration to write his latest novel, Off Road.
When Air Force Special Agent Patrick S. O’Donnell discovers he has a psychic ability for finding missing children, he’s drawn into a Top Secret government program that exploits his skills. But this secret community has an even darker underbelly, and when those close to him die mysteriously, his own family gets trapped in a twisted web of government intrigue.
Her war is not with enemy soldiers but with battles of the heart and will. Only truth can conquer this type of foe. And truth is in short supply.
Off-Road is a uniquely American novel about God, guns, big trucks ... and the Archer family, caught in the middle of the new civil war of red state vs. blue state. It's bad enough camping with your"redneck" family, but what's up with the guns?
Award winning author Mary Davis has published over a dozen books, including Newlywed Games (a Crossings Book Club alternate feature selection), The Captain’s Wife (a Readers Favorite 2009), Reckless Rogue (2009 ACFW Book of the Year finalist), and Love Notes (2008 ACFW Book of the Year 1st place historical novella). She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and enjoys teaching writing at schools and writer's groups. An avid crafter, Mary lives in Colorado with her husband of over 25 years, her three grown children, and a zoo of pets.
After thirty-five years of marriage to her real-life hero, Debra Ullrick still feels like a newlywed. An award winning author of Christian romance, she loves to weave humor, real-life drama, and inspiration into her stories, helping her readers find hope in a chaotic world. Debra, her husband, and their daughter worked on ranches for over twenty-eight years. Her passions include mud bog racing, monster trucks, classic cars, and watching Jane Austen movies.
In the mist of Washington's cascading waters, three young women dream of love. Can trust be restored and dreams fulfilled so that love can move into these women's lives?
Due to a devastating past and present, Olivia Roseman no longer believes in a loving God. When she's hired to airbrush paint Erik Cole's monster truck, she's determined to resist her handsome employer's charms and his God, but Erik doesn't make either one easy.
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Golden showers burst over our heads as my family and I lay on a blanket, watching the brilliance of fireworks in the night sky. The bursts and sparkles were choreographed to a beautiful rendition of "God bless America." My husband sang along softly, sending a prayer for God's favor on our nation even as I fought a big lump in my throat. Thoughts of freedom, jubilation, and sacrifice sang through my mind and tears pricked my eyes even I whooped and hollered and celebrated.
nd homeschooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God’s grace and intimacy with Jesus. Her website, Soul Scents, offers devotional thoughts, and you can visit her blog at GraceReign. Paula serves as president of HIS Writers, the north Denver ACFW chapter. A devoted Pride and Prejudice fan, she loves good conversation, peppermint ice cream, and walking barefoot. Her greatest desire is to be close enough to Jesus to breathe His fragrance.
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