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Give Life To Your Dreams
[Guest Post by Dawn Wilson. Even though we have many mutual friends, we actually met in Chicago at Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s first True Woman Conference. After we were formally introduced through Pam Farrel, we became friends and learned to encourage each other in our writing. She has known me since before I was published–and is a real and true friend. Please welcome her today.] Over the years I’ve discovered dreams don’t just “happen.” Three sets of choices helped me gain clarity and move forward and give life to my dreams. They can give life to your dreams too. First, stop comparing and start accepting God’s design. We are not wise,…
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Pursue A Dream
[Guest Post by Alexandrea J. Wilson. When I met Alexandrea through social media I wasn’t expecting to find such a warm-hearted person. She seriously exudes (is that a word?) self-confidence and passion (my kind of girl). I hope you’ll welcome her once again as she shares about which dream to pursue.] I have a confession. Sometimes I can feel really lost. I mean totally and completely lost. Not the lost where you need to turn on the GPS to find out how to get where you’re going. I mean the lost where I have so many passions, so many ideas, so many questions, so many desires that I don’t know…
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Becoming My Best Self
[Guest post by Catherine Hawkins. I just met Catherine, and I am already glad we met. After submitting her first piece, I read it and thought how much I still feel this way. Maybe you or I will never quite feel like a grown up, but that’s okay too. Enjoy her piece!] When I was little, I pictured my future self as a fully functioning adult. I thought there would be one defining moment when I would suddenly say, Yes, I have become a woman, and the road after that would be solid and straight–no more of this winding uncertainty that seemed to be the mark of growing up. I…
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I Am A Dreamer
[Guest Post by Ronel Sidney. I can’t even remember how we officially met, but I remember when she offered to let me come and speak at Praise and Coffee in San Diego, CA. We became great friends because of our drive to further God’s kingdom, love for others, and writing. I love that she is a dreamer, and knew she’d be the perfect fit for this month’s theme.] I am a dreamer! I dream about having more babies. I dream about writing a book. I dream about my husband and me leading a Bible study together. I dream about moving up within my company. I dream about buying a house.…
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Follow God's Heart
[Guest Post by Teryn O’Brien. I always appreciate it when people ask me if they can guest post, especially when they know they want to write about. I am encouraged to get to know Teryn and hope you will appreciate her piece. I can totally relate, by the way.] Growing up, I believed if I followed my heart and believed in myself, all my dreams would come true. Even in Christian circles, the thought persisted. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” The context of Philippians 4:13 was often overlooked. I could do anything I dreamed; Christ would always help me. In high school and early college,…
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New Theme for April: Pursuing Dreams
This April I am introducing a new theme on pursuing dreams. When I was in my early 20’s, I had a dream about my future. I was at a concert and I had a brochure of people’s pictures and where they would end up in 20 years based on the choices they were making today. I hoped to see my picture, and when I did I was immediately excited. In my picture, I saw that I was married and we had a daughter. I couldn’t wait for this dream to come true. I became very frustrated when the years 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 went by with no…
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Living Together Before Marriage
[Guest Post by Ruth Rutherford] – Picture this, ladies: You’ve been dating an amazing guy for a while now and things are going perfectly. He is sweet, funny, smart and driven. When he looks at you, his eyes sparkle. When he smiles at you, your heart melts. And, most importantly, he really, truly loves God. You pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming because (deep breath) you think you’ve found the one. You spend nearly every waking moment together, often falling asleep in one another’s arms while watching the latest Redbox release. Rustled awake by a nearby car alarm, you look at the clock near his couch and it…
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How to Start An Online Magazine
10 tips How to start an online magazine. When I started blogging on xanga, I wasn’t sure what I was doing, which is why I only posted 3-5 times. When I started a blogspot account, I had no idea it would merge with Google and then no longer be considered the “cool” place to be (see: WordPress.org). But. My growth exploded on blogspot. I posted over 400 devotionals, and it’s also where I found my calling–writing devotionals and articles that encourage and spur others forward (Hebrews 10:24). My blog is also the place where my writing turned from hobby to business, and then to an online ministry. I realized if…
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On Depression: A Broken Dream
[Guest Post by Rachel Berry] – I certainly never thought a broken dream would end in depression. I had chased my dream of becoming Miss America for 7 years–and at the abrupt end of my journey, it wasn’t welcomed with warm memories and joyful reflections. I felt numb. And when I could feel, it was only fear, anxiety, and purposeless that saturated me. I competed in my first Miss America preliminary when I was a junior in college. I was reserved, self conscious, and carrying an extra fifteen pounds. I was excited to earn scholarship money, but what I really wanted was to win the preliminary title that would send me to…
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On Dating: Let Him Be A Gentleman
[Guest Post by Bethany Jett] When it comes to dating is it impossible to let him boyfriend be a gentleman? Dating. That mystical world where every glance, word, and touch is analyzed, over-analyzed, and remembered on a repeat cycle until the next time the love of your life crosses your path. It’s a system of doubt, joy, excitement, butterflies, and sometimes heartache. What if the odds of getting our hearts broken could be reduced? Is there any way we can steer the course of our dating lives to a place of ease and wonderfulness? Ideally, yes, but in a system where the traditional gender roles are kicked and trampled in…
