Becky Melby - Warm fiction with dollops of faith and sprinkles of joy.

Moving On

2011-11-18T07:26:00.002-06:00

I've started a new website with a new blog--Refinished Dreams--stories of tarnished dreams refinished by grace. Please come over and visit with well-known and aspiring writers as well as a lot of "normal" (non-writer) friends as they share their personal stories of God's grace in action. As I've mentioned on this blog, I love Cinderella stories. This new blog will feature real-life spiritual Cinderella stories of lives transformed by our One True Love. Hope you'll stop by, subscribe, and take a minute to share your comments. If you'd like to share your own "ashes to beauty" story, just let me know.

Booksignings Galore!

2010-10-19T08:14:00.004-05:00

Inspirational romances make great Christmas gifts! Read on to find a one-stop Christmas shopping event in your area. Hope to see some familiar faces and can't wait to make new friends.

Saturday, October 30: Cathy Wienke and I will be signing Minnesota Moonlight at Barnes and Noble in Racine, WI from 1:00 to 3:00. I will also be signing A Door County Christmas.

Saturday, November 6: Cynthia Ruchti and I will be at Lighthouse Books and Gifts in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. 1:00 to 3:00.

Saturday, November 13: Cynthia Ruchti and I will be at Lighthouse Books and Gifts in Green Bay, WI. 11:00 to 1:00.

Sunday, November 14: Cynthia Ruchti and I will be at Novel Ideas Bookstore in Bailey's Harbor, WI. 1:00 to 3:00.

Friday & Saturday, November 19 & 20: I'll be at Words of Wisdom Bookstore in Swansea, IL. Friday--6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday--1:00 to 3:00.

Saturday, November 27: I'll be at the "Crafts in the Woods" craft fair at YMCA Camp MacLean in Burlington, WI.

And the Winner Is. . .

2010-10-13T10:57:00.002-05:00

Donna Alice! Thank you for your "sparkly" comment! Please send your snail mail address to bmelby1@wi.rr.com and I'll get a copy of Minnesota Moonlight to you. Congratulations!

A Day in the Life...

2010-10-08T14:18:00.009-05:00

If you were 12-year-old boy, forced to sit at the kitchen table and desperate to leave a message for someone with no writing tools in sight, what would you use? Cinnamon! Who knew you could draw quilt-block symbols with cinnamon? I know because I just tested it for my current work-in-progress, Tomorrow's Sun.

I love the writing life. Yesterday I went to work in my jammies. Today I got to the grocery store and reached in my back pocket for my list. It read:

Jake's Dad died when he was 15.

No fat pictures of Jake.

As far as I know, I only forgot Bill's decaf. And I came home and killed off Jake's dad eleven years ago!

WEAKLY WISDOM

2010-10-04T10:29:00.008-05:00

Designed to Shine

The opening line in Stillwater Promise, the third book in Minnesota Moonlight, the 3-in-1 collection I wrote with Cathy Wienke, is "Not every princess has a prince." Sara Lewis is trying to convince herself only some women need a prince.

I disagree.

I have the privilege of speaking at a women’s retreat in Manhattan, Kansas in three weeks. The message God pressed on my heart reflects on Psalm 16:11—“In Your presence is fullness of joy.” I’ll be talking about how, as women, we are daughters of the King. That makes us princesses, ladies. I believe we were created to crave time with, and approval from, our Heavenly Prince. Time with Him is the key to true joy.

I’ll be giving examples of how, from the time we’re little, we know, deep down, we are destined to be royalty. We are princesses at heart...designed to shine our Father's glory. I'd love some examples of how we are drawn to things that glimmer and shine. Share your favorite “sparkly thing”—be it the fairy wings you wore as a child, or that sequin-smothered gown waiting for an occasion in the back of your closet. Men, what was the last glittery gift you bought for a special girl or woman in your life? Everyone who leaves a sparkly comment by Monday, October 11 has a chance of winning a copy of Minnesota Moonlight.

WEAKLY WISDOM

2010-10-04T08:02:00.001-05:00

Visit with the Door County Gals

2010-08-23T17:37:00.002-05:00

Lena Nelson Dooley is interviewing Cynthia Ruchti, Eileen Key, and myself on her blog this week. Stop by and meet my three amazing Door County sisters, leave a comment, and enter the drawing to win a copy of A Door County Christmas.

2010-07-30T16:27:00.002-05:00

I had the honor today of posting a guest blog on "Reflections in Hindsight," a site belonging to a group of fellow writers. I love their tag line: Grace in the Rearview Mirror...it's closer than it appears. Every Friday their topic is marriage--specifically lessons learned in hindsight. I could have written a book, but I narrowed it down to a single revelation that made a huge change in our marriage, at least from my perspective. (Maybe someone should ask Bill...) Stop by and please leave a comment.

WEAKLY WISDOM

2010-07-29T10:46:00.003-05:00

Does God Delight in the Works of Our Hands?

For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
Psalm 92:4

I rode my bike out on a country road this morning. Yellow butterflies flitted around the blue cornflowers in the ditches beside row upon row of tall, tassled corn. I saw my first monarch of the year. A bright yellow finch with black wings led the way for me for a quarter of a mile, dipping and rising as if riding rolling waves. A red-tailed hawk glided across the road, came to rest on top of a telephone pole, and let me get within ten yards before taking flight again, skimming the corn so closely I'm sure the the tassles tickled his belly. A cloudless sky presided over all this activity.

It was an easy setting in which to praise, to be enthralled with the works of God's hands, but I carried my own, personal, black cloud with me this morning. I learned yesterday that one of our books, which had finaled in a contest judged by readers, placed third. Third out of three. The joy of finaling faded. We had lost.

A few miles slid under my tires with the shadow of that cloud hovering around me amid outrageous beauty before I gave in and confessed to God what He already knew--I was all wrapped up in self. I began to revisit the reasons why I write. The main reason is simply that this is the way God has shaped me. He's made me a lover of words. But there's a practical, unglamorous reason, too: It's a job. I may not earn a lot, but enough to motivate my backside onto my chair every morning. In truth, if we had no need of my income, I would still write, but it would be whimsical poetry and journal entries, not hundred-thousand-word stories requiring editing and rewriting--a process that often feels like lopping off body parts.

Finally, of course, I write with hopes of bringing glory to God. As I added that to the list, it provoked a sudden realization: If I write to please God, then surely, at times, He's actually pleased by my work! "Pleased" is not a static word. It involves a reaction. When one of my grandkids runs into the house, paper flapping in the wind, calling, "Grandma, I made this just for you!"I react with emotion. I feel. Joy, love, pride... Can we imagine God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe feeling something at the works of our hands? Is it possible to imagine Him with a wide smile, down on His knees, opening His arms to us like a grandparent thrilled over a crayon drawing? Or are we stuck with a picture of a pat on the head and an unemotional "Well done"? Or are we convinced that nothing our hands produce would ever be good enough to please Him?

Today, when I sat down at the computer, I prayed that God would help me write words that would delight him and bring him joy. The black cloud disappeared. My words were not more eloquent today, my grammar and punctuation no less flawed. But my attitude was transformed. I wrote for an Audience of One Who I believe smiles, not because of my ability, or because my words took third place, but simply because I want to delight Him. "Look, Father, I made this just for you!"

The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

WEAKLY WISDOM

2010-07-16T11:16:00.012-05:00

Stones of Remembrance

Ten months ago our thirty-five-year-old son Scott was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver from unknown causes. He ran fevers and had some level of constant pain. In January he was hospitalized for the third time with blocked bile ducts. It was so hard to see my big, strong burly son in bed, skin and eyes yellow with jaundice. The doctors' best guess at that time was auto-immune disease. Scott was given a strong IV antibiotic and told that he would probably be looking at repeat hospitalizations and possibly a liver transplant. His length and quality of life did not seem promising six months ago. He is the father of three amazing kids and you can imagine the fears his wife was battling.

While the docotors used the resources available to them, Scott's family and friends and people who had never even met him took his name before the throne of God. Since that last hospital visit, his health has appeared to steadily improve. He has regained strength and energy and we have all been hopeful, yet afraid to believe he could be healed until we saw proof. This week, Scott got the results of an MRI and recent blood tests. We have our proof! His liver enzymes are normal for the first time since his diagnosis. His spleen is back to normal size and the nodules on his liver have all either reduced in size or disappeared!

We may never know what caused the on-going inflammation and infections, but the disease process has stopped and his liver is regenerating. We are assuming the healing began with the IV antibiotics he received in January. Some people may find it hard to accept that while we give credit to the medical profession, we give all the glory to God. Nothing happens outside of His will and we are so very grateful that He chose to answer this prayer in a way that brings us such joy.

I'm in a ladies Bible study on Tuesday nights and we're using the video series "Me, Myself, and Lies" written by Jennifer Rothschild. The title of the lesson I did today was "I Will Remember." It spoke of the "stones of remembrance" God told his people to collect to remember what He had done for them. Exodus 28:9-12, Deuteronomy 27:1-7, and Joshua 4:3-9, 20-21 all speak of these stones. So I decided to go outside and find a stone to remember the glorious news we've received this week. I walked out the front door and began looking at the river rock that fills the spaces between our overgrown hostas. I wondered if God had one particular stone already chosen for me, and would I recognize it when I found it? I found a nice smooth one and bent to pick it up. As I did, my gaze landed on a reddish stone...remarkably resembling the shape of a human liver!

My "Scott's healing" stone of remembrance now sits on the base of my desk lamp. Everytime I look at it I will remember my prayer from Matthew 17, verse 15, which is marked and dated 09-08-09 in my Bible: "Lord, have mercy on my son." And I will remember, maybe always with tears, how God answered that plea.

I intend to collect more stones and hope the day comes that we need to order a whole new truckload of river rock because our garden is bare--and my desk is covered with stones!

Because every post needs a bit of comic relief, I want to beat my son to the punch on this one--I fully recognize that he's had enough (bile duct) "stones of remembrance" to last a lifetime and won't even want to look at the one on my desk!

Vote for Burt and Ruby!

2010-07-14T09:01:00.004-05:00

Pure Serendipity, the third book in our Illinois series (coming out in September), will be voted on this week as a possible ACFW Book Club selection. So I'm shamelessly asking all friends, family, and faithful readers to vote for this fun romance between two widowed empty-nesters trying to enjoy life "a little outside of normal" while their daughters try to run their lives. If you're not yet a Book Club member, a couple of easy steps will sign you up and introduce you to some great reads. Voting ends on Saturday, July 17. Thanks for your support. Burt and Ruby won't let you down.

WEAKLY WISDOM

2010-07-13T16:08:00.006-05:00

CONFIRMATION

I’ve just passed the halfway point in writing Tomorrow’s Sun, my first solo, first full-length contracted novel. I love my characters, I’m excited about the concept, but the past four months have been riddled with doubt. Sure, I can write a sweet little romance, but who am I to think I can write women’s fiction with layers of plot and multiple points of view? And what if I can’t do this on my own without my co-author’s input, encouragement, spiritual insight, and boot in my backside? Am I doing this for me or for God? Maybe it will amuse a few readers, but will it convict? Will it turn them toward the Lord? Am I on the right path?

Two days ago God, God lit the ground at my feet.

My hero, Jake, is dealing with anger over the recent death of his sister, Abby. He’s also trying to overcome his tendency to be a rescuer. Emily, my heroine, is recovering from a horrible skiing accident. After a year and a half of depending on others, she's out on her own and determined to take care of herself. And then she finds herself in a boat in the middle of a storm with Jake’s eleven-year-old nephew. Enter our hero...to the rescue.

As you probably guessed, Jake’s developing some feelings for Emily. But Emily fights his attempts to rescue her from the river, and from her demons.

So this is where I was in my manuscript on Sunday when Bill and I decided to visit a different church...just for a change of pace. The pastor began his sermon: “Many of you are familiar with the story of Abby Sunderland, the sixteen-year-old girl who tried to sail solo around the world. There are many lessons to be learned from her story, but the one I want to focus on today is how she unexpectedly needed someone to rescue her.”

A girl named Abby, a boat, a storm, an unexpected need to be rescued... God had my attention.

The pastor went on to read from Matthew 18: “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one. . .if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

I have said, and written, many times that there’s no such think as coincidence. But sometimes we’re too busy to recognize the “Godincidences” in our lives. I came home from church on Sunday, still tingling with “Holy Spirit bumps” and listened and transcribed a chunk of the online sermon into my story. If the pastor grants permission, I’ll use it verbatim. If not, I’ll paraphrase. That message—the one I wouldn’t have heard if we hadn’t decided on a “whim” to visit another church—gave me the spiritual focus I needed at that very moment for my hero: God pursues us relentlessly...we need to join Him in relentlessly pursuing the lost. At the same time He gifted me with the confidence I’d been lacking—the belief that story is a way he allows me to help "pursue," and He may use this message in my story to reach one of “the lost.”

So at the moment, Jake is going to focus on leading Emily back to her Shepherd. (A few weeks from now. . .well, you’ll just need to read the book!) And I’m going to focus on trusting that God has a plan for Tomorrow’s Sun.

And if I needed another confirmation, I turned on the Biography channel while folding clothes this afternoon. Tony Danza was in the middle of telling about the horrific skiing accident he was in fifteen years ago. He described his thoughts at the time. I’ll be using those, thank you. And he mentioned something else—it took him eighteen months to fully recover. Just like my Emily.

God is so good.

Two New Titles!

2010-06-29T16:12:00.004-05:00

Walk with Me, Dream Chasers, and Stillwater Promise will be released this month in a 3-in-1 collection entitled Minnesota Moonlight. If you live in the Burlington area, we'll be sending out information on a booksigning soon. It's never too early to start thinking of Christmas gifts!

And speaking of Christmas...I had the joy of writing a novella in a Christmas collection called A Door County Christmas. The research for Christmas Crazy involved a few days in Wisconsin's beautiful penninsula last November with the three other novella authors. As we toured Door County, we each chose a town as the main locale for our stories. I actually ended up with two...Sister Bay and Ellison Bay. My heroine, Jillian, is the girl featured on the cover. When Jillian "volunteers" to help her uncle get his comedy dinner theater up and running in time for Christmas, eccentric actors, a hole in the roof, and an AWOL director are the least of her worries. A handsome Brazilian offers his help, but Jillian is warned that Ricky Jimmy is not who he says he is. What is she supposed to do if trusting the mysterious man with the gorgeous Latin eyes is the only way she can help Uncle Buster?

The collection will be released in September...definitely not too early to think of Christmas gifts!

Come Visit Heartsong Connection

2010-05-05T12:23:00.004-05:00

Cathy and I are guest bloggers on the Heartsong Connection blog. Be sure and read the posts for every day this week and leave a comment. http://heartsong-authors.blogspot.com/2010/05/guest-blog-with-becky-melby-cathy.html#comments

Frog Lesson

2010-05-05T11:07:00.006-05:00

A few days ago I got in on a conversation about what we do while we're waiting for God to answer. That discussion spilled over into my writing on Monday. In the book I'm working on now, both main characters have put a lot of life on hold...until. Emily, my heroine, thinks she has a debt to pay before "real" life can begin again. In the midst of her waiting time, she's following her therapist's advice--"be present in the moment"--to ward off anxiety. But while she's focusing on the smell of the lilacs and the rush of the river behind her house, she's not letting any of it touch her soul. And by putting life on hold until her major problems resolve, she's missing opportunities for friendship and even a possible romance. As usual, my characters challenge me! It's so easy to miss the trees for the forest! While I pray for good news about Scott, sit beside my mother's wheelchair, cross off the weeks and the words until my first draft is finished, it's easy to forget to live in the moment--smell the lilacs, love on the people around you, rejoice in tiny everyday blessings.

Yesterday, three of my grandsons found a tree frog in our back yard. "Squiggles," gray-green and about the size of a quarter, gifted all four of us with hours of fun. Ethan, Peter, and Cole transferred their bug-eyed friend from a bowl to a box to the kitchen floor and (skip this if you're germaphobic) the dining room table. Squiggles took numerous baths, got burried in leaves, and took a nap on a towel in the sun. His sticky toe pads were tried out on the window, the refrigerator, and bare bellies. Once again, real life gave me material for my book. I reaped a few lessons for myself and for Emily about how to handle the waiting time. Even with black clouds hovering overhead it's possible to find joy in the little things.

And yes, there will be a little gray-green frog names Squiggles in this book!

Undone

2009-12-23T17:09:00.005-06:00

Since I last posted--five months ago--my father-in-law broke his leg, my mother had a massive stroke, our oldest son was diagnosed with liver disease, I started and finished another Heartsong and began a novella, and we were blessed with another grandbaby. I have stopped trying to figure out what God is doing with our family. He knows-that's enough. And we have seen his hand over and over.

Though I trust His will, I go through each day with the feeling that I should be somewhere, or be doing something, other than what I'm currently doing. Today, the day before Christmas Eve, is no different. Our kids from Missouri are coming in two hours. We've done less than a fourth of the usual decorating, I haven't baked or wrapped a thing, two beds are sheetless and two bathrooms need to be cleaned. I, and my list, are undone.

So maybe the last thing I should be doing right now is blogging. But something just dawned on me that I need to share: Even if I cross off everything on that list, it won't really be done. In minutes there will be new spots on the mirror and the clothes we're wearing will need to be washed tomorrow. I will never be able to say, "It is finished." Those words belong to only One. And those words make all this Christmas scurrying very silly. If I cannot accept the "undoneness" and rest in Him and what He accomplished, all that I do under the guise of celebrating His birth is senseless.

If you claim Jesus as your Lord, the most important work is already finished. Stop--in the midst of unwrapped gifts and unbaked cookies--to remember that the Baby in the manger completed His task. And that--not the ironed tablecloth--is what it's all about.

May you have a sweet and blessed Christmas...without self-imposed stress.

"Research"

2009-07-20T22:16:00.011-05:00

Bill and I spent the weekend in Galena, IL doing research for the Illinois series Cathy and I are working on. Thought I'd share a few teasers:

I wrote a scene a few weeks ago about our hero and heroine from Parting Secrets being served Saganaki--flaming Greek cheese--at the Log Cabin Restaurant. But I really needed more details than I could get online. (How's that for a reason for a weekend trip?) So we sat at a corner booth at the restaurant on Saturday night--Bill in amused, patient silence--me scribbling notes about the grapevines hanging from wagonwheel chandeliers and the poster of a chef holding a frog over a frying pan while saying "Tastes like cheeken!" Two waitresses brought our appetizer on a metal plate. When they reached our booth, one doused the square of deep-fried cheese with brandy. The other added flamage while they yelled "Opahhh!!" No idea what that means, but what a fun, tasty, calorie-laden experience.

We spent most of Saturday walking around the quaint town taking pictures. So now I have a visual of the Trolly Depot clock under which Steven twirls Jeanie (Parting Secrets) in an impromptu dance, and the gazebo where Wade and Angel (Pleasant Surprises) get married. It's such an artsy little place that I'm now thinking Ruby's love interest (Pure Serendipity) might have to be an artist. But first we have to figure out who he is!

Hope the teasers peak your interest!

Living It Out

2009-07-12T19:25:00.007-05:00

This was a weekend of good-byes. On Saturday we attended the funeral for my husband's cousin who died unexpectantly of a stroke. Then this afternoon we said good-bye to Jen, the daughter of another cousin, and her husband and kids as they head out to and new life and career in Idaho. As we said a tearygood-bye, Jen talked about looking to Bill and me as examples of parents whose kids have turned out well. I was humbled by her comment and this weekend of good-byes has me thinking about the messages we give when we don't even know anyone's watching.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has sat at a funeral and wondered what people will say about me after I'm gone. What kind of a legacy am I leaving for my kids and grandkids? Are they seeing integrity, compassion, and love for Jesus in my daily decisions and attitudes? As a writer, will the words I leave behind touch hearts and lives after I'm gone? Our latest release, Stillwater Promise, has a message about marriage I believe in passionately: Marriage is work, but so, so worth it. Don't ever give up. It is an extreme privilege to have a forum for writing out my convictions in story form, but if Bill and I aren't living out this principle before our kids and grandkids daily, my words in print will sound hollow.

My question to you is: How are you purposefully imparting wisdom to the next generation? What are you doing to "live out" what you believe?

Helping A Sister Writer

2009-04-16T13:07:00.004-05:00

One of the amazing things about being a Christian fiction writer is the community that surrounds you. I have witnessed so many beautiful examples of "rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn." Sadly, today's post is about the latter. A sister writer, Sara Mills, lost her husband last week. He was only 40 and died suddenly of a heart attack. Sara, who is left with young children, was about to launch promotion of her second book, and now won't be able to do that. So members of American Christian Fiction Writers are doing what they can to help her.

This interview ran the day before her husband's death. I'm reprinting it here to give you a taste of her books in the hope that you will consider purchasing them. Miss Fortune and Miss Match are delightful books set in NYC in 1947. Please follow the link at the end to buy the books.

Q: Tell us how you got the idea for Allie and these books.
A: I got the idea for Miss Fortune in the middle of the night, when all good ideas come to me: One sleepless night I was watching The Maltese Falcon and I started to wonder how different the story would be if Sam Spade had been a woman. She'd never have fallen for Miss Wunderly's charms and lies. She'd have been smart and tough and she would have solved the case in half the time it took Sam because she wouldn't spend all of her time smoking cigarettes and calling her secretary Precious. The thought of a hard-boiled female detective got my mind whirling. I paused the movie and sat in my darkened living room thinking about how much fun a female Sam Spade could be. Intrigued but not yet ready to dash to my computer, I changed disks and put on Casablanca (my all time favorite movie ever). The sweeping love story, a tale full of hard choices and sacrifice was what finally made the whole idea click in my mind. If I could just combine the P.I. detective story of the Maltese Falcon with the love story from Casablanca, and make Sam Spade more of a Samantha, I could have the best of all worlds.
Q: These books are so good, I wish I'd written them. How did you set the stage to capture that gritty PI feel without being dark?
A: I find that a lot of PI stories are gritty and dark, focusing on the worst of the humanity, and while I wanted the Allie Fortune mysteries to be exciting and tension-filled I didn’t want them to be stark and hopeless. One of the things I tried to do to counteract the darkness was to give Allie a multi-layered life. She has cases, relationships, friends and family, all of which I hope combine to make the stories textured, rich and full of life.
Q: Allie is a character I'd love to have coffee with. What did she teach you while you wrote these books?
A: Allie was a great character to write. One of the things I learned from her was that human relationships (man/woman, mother/daughter, friends) are complicated and full of unspoken rules and expectations. Allie is a rule-breaker at heart and it complicates her life on a regular basis. One of the storylines I loved most is Allie’s relationship with her mother and how it grows and changes and how it’s shaped her. Another dimension of Allie’s character that really taught me a lot was her willingness to do whatever was needed to help those she loves. There is no price on that kind of friendship and it’s a characteristic I’d like to see more of in myself. Okay I admit it, I’ve got a bit of a friend-crush on Allie. LOL.
Q: One last question: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would that be and who would you take with you?
A: If I could go anywhere right now I’d head to Monterey, California (I’m writing a book set there right now) and I’d plant myself on the beach with a notebook, writing my story as the waves crashed. Sounds like my idea of heaven on earth. There’s something about the wind-shaped Cypress trees and the crash of the surf in Monterey that calls to me. I don’t know why, it just is.

Miss Fortune, Allie Fortune Mystery Series #1 By Sara Mills / Moody Publishers
In 1947 Allie Fortune is the only female private investigator in New York City, but she's kept awake at night by a mystery of her own: her fianci disappeared in the war and no one knows if he's still alive. Until Allie finds out, she will have no peace. When there's a knock on her office door at four in the morning, Allie suspects trouble as usual, and Mary Gordon is no exception. Mary claims someone is following her, that her apartment has been ransacked, and that she's been shot at, but she has no idea why any of this is happening. Allie takes the case, and in the process discovers an international mystery that puts her own life in danger.
Meanwhile, the FBI is working the case as well, and she is partnered up with an attractive, single agent who would be perfect for her under other circumstances-if only she knew whether her fiance was still alive.

Miss Match, Allie Fortune Mystery Series #2 By Sara Mills / Moody Publishers
FBI agent Jack O'Connor receives a letter from Maggie, a woman he used to love, saying she's in trouble in Berlin. The FBI refuses to get involved, so Jack asks Allie Fortune to help him investigate. Allie and Jack pose as a missionary couple who want to bring orphans back to the United States.
A child finds important documents that everyone in the city - Soviets and allies alike - want for themselves. Maggie refuses to tell Jack what the documents are, saying if things go wrong, they are better off not knowing. Through the course of the search, Allie's past is brought back to her, half a world away from home.

To learn more about Sara, go to http://www.saramillsbooks.com/.

Come Visit Lyn Cote's Blog

2009-03-04T10:33:00.003-06:00

I'll be making an appearance on Lyn Cote's blog tomorrow. Lyn is a multi-published inspirational writer, also from Wisconsin. Stop by and learn about my gutsy grandma: http://www.strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com

Dream Chasers Has Arrived

2009-02-19T18:24:00.003-06:00

The big brown truck that makes dreams come true pulled up in the driveway and left behind a box of pretty blue books. Dream Chasers, the second book in our Minnesota series, is now a touchable dream-come-reality. It's available through Heartsong Presents. (If you live close to Cathy or me, you can save postage.)
I'm still in awe that God allows me to do what I love and get paid for it. Not a lot, but enough for some fun things like Christmas and birthdays. Just this week I was able to give Bill a belated Valentine--a floor! )Take a tip from a romance writer--anything from Menards or Home Depot is the fast track to a man's heart.) He and our boys have finished off a family room in the basement, but, due to our new commitment not to use charge cards, we were going to wait on flooring. But a royalty check that I didn't expect will cover the cost. A Pleasant Surprise...which just happens to be the name of the Illinois romance we're working on now!

Brand-Aid Winner

2009-02-19T18:20:00.002-06:00

I know this sounds contrived, but you have to believe me...it was a totally fair, unbiased drawing... All the names went in--and my editor, JoAnne Simmon's, name came out! A Starbuck's card is winging its way to Ohio. Thanks again to those of you who left comments...and those of you who said you would if you could put it into words. Even that meant a lot.

Brand-Aid Contest ends on Saturday!

2009-02-12T17:03:00.002-06:00

Check my January 31 post for details.

I was interviewed...

2009-01-31T12:28:00.002-06:00

by award-winning inspirational author Margaret Daley and will be featured on her blog this coming week. Check it out at http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com/

Brand-Aid Contest

2009-01-31T12:24:00.002-06:00

Christmas is over, writer’s block is stashed away with the ornaments, and I’m back to accumulating dust in direct correlation to word count.

I've been reading a lot about branding lately. For a writer, that essentially means defining your unique niche, sticking to it, and making sure all of your communications reflect that definition. It all seemed a bit claustrophobic since I’m playing around with chick-lit and women’s fiction and not sticking solely to romance. And then I stumbled upon this simple phrase: Tell the reader what emotions your stories evoke.

So simple/so profound. I can do that!

But I’m not going to...just yet. Instead, I’m going to ask you. Yes, I have a tagline I love...warm romance with dollops of faith and sprinkles of joy...but that doesn’t really describe what the reader feels. So (assuming you’ve read Beauty for Ashes, Garment of Praise, Far above Rubies, Over the Wall, Walk with Me, or a work in progress) if you’re brave enough to offer a couple emotion-filled lines, you’ll be in the running for a $10 gift card of your choosing. I’ll put all posts in a hat (well, most likely a mixing bowl...) and let one of my grandkids pick the winner on Valentine’s Day. Thanks in advance!

A Strange Christmas

2009-01-31T12:04:00.005-06:00

This was the first Christmas since 1974 that we didn’t spend with our oldest son. Since Scott, Kristen, Reagan, Sawyer, and Sage weren’t able to make it up to Wisconsin this year, we mailed their stockings to Missouri. So sad. And for the first time since 1981, our Aaron was not here on Christmas Eve. NOT so sad! Because God, in his awesomely perfect timing, added another stocking to our mantle...on Christmas Eve!! Aaron and Adrianne gifted us with grandbaby #9 at 6:39 p.m. on December 24. Lillyanne Alice Lola Melby came into this world with tons of dark hair and kissably fat cheeks. What a gift!

Part of the reason our Missouri kids weren’t able to be here was because Scott flew out of St. Louis on December 27, on his way to three weeks in Egypt. Read about his adventures at http://bluebottledesigns.blogspot.com/

Stuck Plot=Clean House

2008-12-16T19:26:00.007-06:00

Nothing motivates me to clean and organize like problems with my work in progress. Since Cathy and I haven't figured out a dramatic-enough crisis for Angel (the party planner) and a good enough reason to keep her and Wade (the guy who rescued her when she hit a deer) apart, and what in the world to do with Matt (the guy she saved with the Heimlich)...I've cleaned behind the dryer and the couch and organized the pantry with little labels on the shelves. The shopping is done, the gifts are wrapped, the house is decorated, and packages are on their way to Missouri. The Christmas letter, however, involves writing and also comes under the heading "Procrastination." My hope is that getting all this stuff done ahead of time will free up enough brain space for a plot breakthrough. If not, I'll have some serious catch-up to do. Any stuck plot solutions out there?

In the meantime, I'm counting blessings in the snow. A husband who can blow out all the candles on his cake in one breath is one of them. A grandson who celebrated his "half birthday" on the same day is another. And the gluten-free chocolate cake I made for both of them is yet one more!

Little Things

2008-12-03T06:52:00.015-06:00

So many things crowded my brain this morning...creating too much noise for sleep. So I tip-toed down the stairs, laptop tucked under my arm, to greet a scene this writer rarely sees in winter (or any season for that matter). What is it about a sunrise that seems to wash away the concerns that can seem so huge in the dark? I was reminded all over again that God's promises are new every morning.

Now that I'm up, I'm choosing to focus on all that is beautiful. Choosing is the key here. I wasn't born with a "half full" disposition, but one baby step at a time I'm learning to pick praising over whining.

So here are some of the recent joys I'm thanking God for on this amazing snowy morning: Our grandson Cole turned two last week. He requested "Coo-coo pie" for his birthday, so his dad baked him a chocolate chip cookie pie. Notice, to the right of the boys, their little sister ready to join the fun literally any day now. We'd appreciate prayers for a quick and safe birth for little Lilly.

Cousins Keira and Oliver spent a lot of quality time together this past weekend. As long as we kept them from grabbing each other's ears and eyeballs they got along just fine!

We had Thanksgiving dinner at my mother's house with five and nine-tenths of our grandkids there. My little mom is 91 and still hosting holidays! One of the traditions she loves is putting an apron on my brother and watching him carve the turkey. He does an artful job.

Well, time to focus all this blessing-counting onto the fact that I can sit in my jammies, cozied up to a nice warm laptop, and "go to work." I just passed the halfway point in Pleasant Surprises, the first story in our Illinois series and I'm gaining ground on A Sweet Mess. Last week Cathy and I got our first look at the cover for Dream Chasers, coming out in March. It's blue and beautiful and I'll be sharing it soon. So, as I go off to work, I leave you with a reminder to choose praise over whine and savor all the little blessings. Take a lesson from my granddaughter Keira--imagine this kind of joy (Yes, that's a smile!) over a piece of celery and a camera!

Pumpkin Praline Fudge

2008-11-25T12:34:00.002-06:00

One of the joys of working on A Sweet Mess, the women's fiction book I'm writing, is that part of my research is learning the art of fudge making! In keeping with the season, here is a Thanksgivingy fudge recipe. I must admit I haven't made it...yet, so please let me know if you try it. I'd like to come up with a recipe for this that doesn't use marshmallow fluff--that stuff is ridiculously sweet!

Pumpkin Praline Fudge
Ingredients:
· 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chopped
· 1.5 cups granulated sugar
· 1.5 cups brown sugar
· 2/3 cup evaporated milk
· 2/3 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
· 1 tsp ground cinnamon
· 1/2 tsp ground ginger
· 1/4 tsp nutmeg
· 1/8 tsp cloves
· 1/8 tsp allspice
· 12 ounces white chocolate, chopped
· 7 ounces marshmallow cream or fluff
· 3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Preparation:
1. Prepare a 9x13” baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray or lining it with foil.
2. Combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk, pumpkin, and spices in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches soft-ball stage, 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
3. Take the pan off the burner and stir in the white chocolate until it melts.
4. Scoop the marshmallow cream and stir it into the candy until smooth. Add the chopped nuts last and stir until well combined.
5. Spoon the candy into the baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
6. Allow to cool and harden at room temperature until firm, preferably overnight.
To Serve: Cut into 1x1 squares.

Multiple Deadlines

2008-11-11T12:02:00.002-06:00

I used to hear published authors complain about multiple deadlines and my thought was "I wish!" And then this week I got a little taste of it. I'm still not complaining! Cathy and I just finished going over the galley for Dream Chasers--our chance to read through the whole book just as it will look in print and make final changes. The next thing on my list is to fill out the cover art form for Stillwater Promise. (Picture a snowy Minnesota scene) . Tonight we will get together to sign the contract for Pleasant Surprises, the first book in our Illinois series. And while all this fun stuff is going on, I'm working at doubling my words-per-week to meet our Heartsong deadline and hopefully to finish A Sweet Mess, the first book in the Fudge Fairy, Inc. series I'm working on alone. I would love to get this manuscript done by Valentine's Day. I have a "nod" from an agent and a couple publishers--meaning they're at least willing to look at it when it's finished. If any of you feel prodded to pray for this project, I'd be grateful.

Another Contest!

2008-10-23T17:03:00.002-05:00

It's Here!
Holding a book you've authored in your hands for the first time is much like cradling a child you've just given birth to. Two days ago I finally got to "hug" a copy of Walk With Me! It won't go out to the Heartsong book club until December, but I have a few copies. If you'd like to be one of the first to read and write a review, post a 50-word-or-less reason why you want to read this romance. Be creative and ping my heartstrings with your plea!! (Family and critique partners excluded--you'll get your own copy anyway!) I'll pick a winner on November 6.

The Eyes of God

2008-10-23T16:20:00.007-05:00

My greatest joy at this stage in life is to have every one of my kids and grandkids under the same roof. We were blessed with that this past weekend. Eighteen of us plus little Lilly who we won't meet for another two months. I could sit for hours and just watch all the different interactions...my four daughters-in-law sorting through baby clothes together...my four manly sons scattering like leaves in the wind when I sneak up with the camera... I love the baby swapping as Keira and Oliver get passed around a circle of aunts and uncles. The six "big" kids took over the island in the kitchen with pipe cleaners, colored puff balls, googly eyes, and lots of glue. Reagan, Sage, Ethan, and Peter created cute little creatures, wacky glasses, and hats. Sawyer, our resident scientist, constructed an H2O molecule and a DNA chain! Things turned silly when googly eyes started sprouting on foreheads!

I won't claim that this deep spiritual thought came to me in the midst of the goofiness, but when I looked at the pictures later it occurred to me that the eyes of our Heavenly Father are always on these kids. I love this verse from Zephaniah: "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Years ago I read that verse and it hit me with enough force to leave a lasting mark. God spoke these words over Jerusalem, but I believe they apply to His children as individuals, too. Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, stands over us and rejoices with singing!

Knowing that we each get such tender, unique attention from Him prompts me all the more to pray for my kids and grandkids. I started praying for my boys (and their future wives) when they were babies and God has been so faithful and generous with his answers. What a privilege to pray for the next generation. Of all the things we try to do as parents and grandparents to raise our offspring in the ways of God, I believe with all my heart that prayer is the single most important thing. And it's NEVER too late to start!

New News

2008-10-09T11:31:00.003-05:00

Trish Perry, author of the very fun book The Guy I'm Not Dating, interviewed me on her blog this week. Stop by and leave a comment to be eligible to win a copy of Walk with Me: http://www.trishperrybooks.com/

More news: Heartsong Presents offered Cathy and me another 3-book contract! We're praising God and getting to work on this series that tells the stories of three generations of women who call Galena, Illinois home. On Sunday of this week, hubby Bill is running the Chicago Marathon. Guess what I'll be doing while he's running for almost four hours? Research! You can look forward to a romantic scene in Grant Park because, due to the timing of this new contract, our hero in book one, Pleasant Surprises, just became a marathon runner! Although, the romantic scenes I've had with Bill at the finish line are always a little...restrained. It's hard to hug a sweaty guy covered in Mylar!

Because I was recently (this morning!) asked by a friend if I would ever consider writing a romance about a "mature" woman, I want to point out that one of the heroines in this Illinois series is in her forties and another in her sixties. And, yes, they all fall in love!!

Pedal Pushers -- Thoughts that spur me on while biking country roads

2008-10-08T17:24:00.004-05:00

Finding Beauty
I went out for a ride around four this afternoon. My bike and I made long flat shadows as the sun inched toward the trees. Most of the oranges and reds are muted now, but I was struck by the beauty in the browns and tans. Crinkled-paper leaves on corn stalks, closed and rusted heads of Queen Anne's lace, weeds that hid all summer in green grass, are now blushing red. To think that all of this richness comes only in the process of dying...

I could chase that metaphor down a lot of paths, but I chose to ponder why it is so hard for me--and I imagine I'm not alone--to find beauty in the death of a vision. I thought back to the years when I joked of wallpapering a room with rejection slips. My goal was to see my first book published by the time I was 25. But with two little boys, I couldn't wrap my brain around tackling a novel, so I worked on poetry and short stories. In my "office"--a corner under the bare beams in the attic--I typed them out in triplicate, sacrificing a few trees in the process. And then I waited for the mail. And waited...and when it came I filled file folders with rejection slips. Why was it that I felt the calling to write but wasn't getting anywhere? Maybe I'd read the signals wrong. Another son was born, 25 came and went, as did my thirties... Maybe, I thought, I should just stick to journaling, leaving a legacy only for my future grandchildren.

And then one day in 1992, the phone rang. Without preamble, Cathy, my friend of 18 years, said, "I just threw a book at the wall. We can write better than this!" And so it began. By this point I was raising four boys. Cathy had three children. But we took up the challenge. And then came the unbelievable moment when Heartsong accepted Beauty for Ashes.

Looking back, of course, I can see the beauty in those discouraging days. In 1977, the year I turned 25--the age I'd planned to be published--I called myself a Christian, but really didn't know what that meant. I had so much to learn...about life, about the Lord, and about the craft. By 1994, when Beauty for Ashes came out,the genre of Inspirational Romance, which didn't even exist in 1977, was gaining attention. Heartsong Presents was a new line, looking for new writers. God's time, God's project.

I want to learn from the canvas I stared at on my ride today. I want to recognize that rust and brown and tawny gold are just as beautiful as summer greens and vibrant reds. The lesson I want to hang on to is...even as I long for spring, I can enjoy the journey and the beauty of the season and know that God is never late. And that would be my prayer for you.

Thrill of the Hunt

2008-09-30T10:55:00.004-05:00

Thrill of the Hunt, a short story I wrote, is in the October edition of the Christian Fiction Online Magazine. Check it out at http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/thrill_of_the_hunt.html.

Another Fabulous ACFW Conference

2008-09-30T10:14:00.006-05:00

I've been home for nine days since the conference, putting all I learned into a joy-filled, tear-jerking ending to Stillwater Promise, the third book in the Heartsong Series I'm writing with Cathy Wienke.

Angela Hunt was the keynote speaker. She is such a gracious lady. It's easy to imagine those who are well-published as being up on some untouchable pedestal, but Angie was so real and approachable as she presented the realities of the writing life with hope and humor.

One of the highlights of the week was the booksigning at the Mall of America. Imagine 125 authors sitting at tables that lined the middle of hallways while shoppers walked by. It was so much fun to talk to avid Christian fiction fans and to observe a few people who didn't know such a thing existed!

The Barbour Publishing editors arranged a unique get-together for their authors on Friday night at the conference. They blessed us with tickets to the Aquarium on the lower level of the Mall and after walking under glass arches where sharks swam overhead we had a room all to ourselves with snacks and desserts and time to meet and catch up with editors Becky Germany (L below), JoAnne Simmons (R below), and Susan Downs, and other Barbour authors.

By far the best part of the week was connecting with friends. I met people I only knew by name from the ACFW loop, and others I've met at past conferences. (Like Zoe McCarthy, L below, and Cynthia Ruchti, signing A Cup of Comfort for Writers, R below) What an amazing experience. And then to have the privilege of worshiping with all those friends! Wow....

Next year's conference will be in Denver. If you're a fiction writer, start sticking your pennies in the cookie jar. This time of learning and connecting is SO worth it!

From gooey to heart-warming to certifiably wacko...tagline contest entries ran the gamut.

2008-09-10T03:57:00.004-05:00

From Cynthia Ruchti (a Wisconsin resident and finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest--soon to be famous for her edgy fiction spiked with startling humor.):
Becky Melby--sweeter than marshmallow fluff, funnier than marshmallow fluff stuck to the seat of Pastor's pants
Fiction with wit and grace, which is ENTIRELY different than Will and Grace
Writing fiction for fun and very little profit (This is, sadly, one of my favorites!)
A chuckle and a chortle and a lettuce-eating tortle
Official fiction writer of the not-all-motorcycle-riders-are-bowlegged club (Cynthia hasn’t met my sweet motorcycle-riding man yet!)
Amusing and moving and books you should be choosing
(Want more of Cynthia’s writing? Check out her sites under Favorite Links)

From Dan Brown (Yes, yes I’ve known him for years. I’m even related. Think he’ll endorse my next book?? Okay, so it’s not that Dan Brown. This one is a pastor serving at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, but he could well be a published novelist or author of children’s books one day. Keep on writing, Dan!):
Christian fiction that glorifies God
God glorifying romance writing
Writing fiction for the glory of God and the joy of His people
Proclaiming the Truth of God through fiction
Fiction that changes lives with the truth of Christ

From my oldest son, Scott, his wife Kristen, and three of my amazing grandkids. Reagan is 12, twins Sawyer and Sage are 10. Kristen’s mother, Grandma Carol, lives with them and bakes fabulous bread, decadent desserts, and sews dreamy little girl clothes. (See link below)
Kristen: Christian fiction for the realist, the dreamer, and the wild at heart
Where Christian fiction meets real life...but the guys are always hotties and the heroines have red hair (Another one of my favorites...just a bit too long to print on business cards! And, hey, they don’t ALL have red hair!)
Christian fiction that makes ya feel good all over, more n' anyplace else (that's Kristen's hillbilly entry--they live in the Ozarks!)
Christian fiction...yeah, you KNOW you wanna read it!
It's my Christian romance and I want it NOW!
Off the shelf and into the world (This one’s worth stealing, writer friends)

Reagan: Go away, I'm sleeping!
Sawyer: Christian fiction, even for kids who love science
Sage: Christian books that my Grandma writes

Grandma Carol:
Christian fiction that whets the appetite and feeds the soul
Christian fiction, take it like a daily laxative to feel clean through-and-through (Come on, fiction writers, you know you want to borrow this line! It’s free for the taking!)
Christian fiction for blessings packed down and running over
Christian fiction to soothe the cares of the world
Christian fiction....like Christmas every day!

The last, and yes, the least...my firstborn just turned 34, but you have to know I grounded him for this one:
Scott: Christian fiction for the emotionally weak and socially introverted. (Now don’t that just make you want to run right out and buy his mama’s books?)

Thank you all for your support!

This is how I want my stories to feel...like hot chocolate on a snowy day! Thanks, Tiffany, for putting it into words. And thanks to Sawyer and Sage for the perfect picture to capture the feeling!

A bit more info on the winner, Tiffany Kinerson:

Tiffany and her husband live in Kingwood, Texas, with their two boys and a 90-lb. black Lab. She is an American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest finalist and also a finalist in the Romance Writers of America "Get Your Stiletto in the Door" Contest for her current WIP (Work In Progress). It’s called Stand on My Own Two Hands, and I've had the privilege of a sneak preview. Funny, insightful...and set in Alaska! Here it is in a nutshell: An uptown girl from Houston runs off to Alaska to prove herself and along the way learns how to stand...not just on her own two feet (anyone can do that), but on her two hands. Because with God all things are possible.
Tiffany is also a contributor to a great blog for moms: http://www.momstories.org/

WE HAVE A WINNER!

2008-09-05T14:52:00.004-05:00

Thank you to all of you who submitted amazingly creative tagline ideas for my blog. As you can see, we have a winner! I’ve chosen one that really spoke to my heart.
Tiffany Kinerson, a writer you’ll be hearing about soon, sent this: Warm romance with a dollop of faith. . .drink it in. (I've tweaked her idea just a teensy bit.) Tiffany added, “Your stories remind me of the kind of thing that I'd want to make a cup of coffee and run a warm bath to read. Pure comfort.” I’ll be seeing Tiffany at the ACFW conference in Minneapolis in less than two weeks, so I can personally deliver her gift certificate for Barnes and Noble--which she can use at the HUGE booksigning at Mall of America--check previous post for details.
A close runner-up came from Cynthia Ruchti, another writer on the verge of publication. I really like this line and intend to use it somewhere: Love means never having to say it’s fiction.
Again, thank you to everyone who sent suggestions. Tune in next week for a list of some of the funniest lines you’ll ever read. I was literally spitting food at my computer screen as I read some of your submissions!

Walk with Me is Editor's #1 Contemporary Pick for 2008!

2008-09-02T19:31:00.004-05:00

A simple little two-line e-mail from our editor last week left me in shock...and praising God while doing a happy feet dance! JoAnne Simmons, Heartsong Presents Editor, simply said, "Just wanted to let you know I mentioned you in my blog post today on http://www.editcafe.blogspot.com/. Thanks for your hard work!" I assumed she had mentioned that Walk with Me, along with four other books, will be released next month. It turned out to be a bit more than that. Take a look at the Edit Cafe' blog entry for August 29 and you'll understand my little dance.

Pedal Pushers -- Thoughts that spur me on while biking country roads

2008-08-26T16:04:00.005-05:00

My timing is off--His isn't.

While riding on the bike trail this morning I came around a turn and before me was a bridge that crosses the Fox River. On the opposite side of the river, was a maple tree in full fall color. Neon orange and yellow and apple green. My first thought was "Wow, Lord, how beautiful!!" My second thought was, "But it's way too early! It's not even September yet. I'm not ready for fall!" As I crossed the bridge and rode past the blazingly beautiful tree, I thought of all the events in my life that have produced that same ridiculous response from me. The first that came to mind was the day I found out I was going to become a grandmother. (Warning...tears forming...this could get sappy.) My first thoughts: "A baby...how exciting! My firstborn is going to be a father!" My second thought: "Wait a minute. I'm only 42. I have a nine year old. I'm not ready to be called Grandma!"

How wonderful that God so often ignores us! Because let me tell you, the birth of Reagan Savannah Melby two days before Christmas that year changed my life forever...and I am SO, SO grateful! If I'd waited to be "ready" I'd still be single, childless, and probably living at home with Mommy! We never know what's around the next bend. Chances are we won't feel ready for it. I saw a poster once that said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." You never know, that thing you think you're not ready for might just end up changing your life forever...like the gorgeous young lady who is now taller than Grandma Becky and, by the looks of things, will probably be strong enough to carry me around in my old age!

Contest!

2008-08-25T12:10:00.004-05:00

I'm new to blogging and I got stumped with the second line! So I'm asking for your help. I need a one-liner under my name that describes the kind of fiction I write. Something like "Christian Fiction that Rings True," but without cliches, please! If you've read anything I've written, you're eligible. Please email your suggestions to bmelby1@wi.rr.com. I'll pick the winner on September 5 and that person will receive a $10 gift card to an as-yet-undecided-but-fabulous store or restaurant. I may even post the runners-up so that author friends can steal them. And I'll be sure to post the slightly-off-center entries I expect from my sons (pictured at right--makes a mother proud...).

Pedal Pushers -- Thoughts that spur me on while biking country roads

2008-08-25T09:09:00.005-05:00

This morning I was riding my bike--very appropriately on Church Road--and pondering the fact that I'm way too isolated and insulated these days. I don't recommend self-deprecation as a great way to start the day, but that's where my head was at eight a.m. on this blue-sky day. As I was beating myself up for not interacting with my neighbors and not being actively involved in ministry over the summer, a mama raccoon darted across the road ahead of me. Two babies streaked behind her faster than I'd ever seen raccoons move. What an amazing visual...and answer to my whining! Rather than focusing on what I'm not doing, I need to chase after God with the same kind of desperation those baby raccoons felt. Like Psalm 42 says..."As a deer pants after the water, so my heart pants after You."

How often does my interaction with the Lord involve desperation for Him alone? A few tears whisked on the wind this morning as I cried out for more of Jesus.

If we seek Him first, ALL these things will be added...including serving.