Characters Part 3: Seeking Forgiveness with Herta Schmidt

Yesterday morning, on Mother’s Day, I woke up thinking about Herta Schmidt. She is a minor character in the Gott Mit Uns Series, yet her role in The Prodigal Sons is significant. She is the grandmother of main character, Jakob Schmidt, as a result of her husband Bernhardt’s continual lengthy absences, the matriarch of theContinue reading “Characters Part 3: Seeking Forgiveness with Herta Schmidt”

What Do We Do With Our Pain?

“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!”—Psalm 27:13 (ESV) Perhaps you’ve read the Bible story about Job. He was a godly man who was taken through horrible, seemingly inexplicable suffering. Yet in the end, he not only received much more than he’d had before,Continue reading “What Do We Do With Our Pain?”

Good Friday

As I sit at my computer, my hand is swollen and typing is uncomfortable. After lecturing my kids about the far-reaching consequences of sin and stupid choices, I am bearing the brunt of my own. For someone like me, who spent years struggling to make decisions simply out of fear of making the wrong one,Continue reading “Good Friday”

Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should go where God leads us

This is my latest offering on Author Alexis Goring’s devotional blog, Devotionals for the Heart: http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com/2023/03/devotionals-for-heart-why-we-should-go.html

January 2023 Author Update

Welcome to 2023! While I have not been doing well in my “determination” to make two posts on this blog every month, I have had a number of opportunities to share on other authors’ blogs. You are welcome to check out some of those posts below: This year I will also be sharing a devotionalContinue reading “January 2023 Author Update”

God With Us

I’ve had the pleasure of caroling twice this season, as well as doing Christmas music at church, leading the children’s choir, and singing in a choir full of wonderful senior citizens who have become my Opas and Omas (maybe I’d call a few of them Onkel and Tante, since I myself am now in myContinue reading “God With Us”

Of Babies and Bathwater

We’ve all heard that saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Too often in my life, I’ve focused on the bathwater to the exclusion of the baby. I’ve talked before about the legalistic Christian background from which I’ve come. I can’t say it’s always been that way in every church I’ve ever attended,Continue reading “Of Babies and Bathwater”

Between Fiction and Reality

It’s interesting to see my life experiences, or the experiences of loved ones, reveal themselves in the lives of my characters. This may sound funny, but sometimes it surprises me, like a great revelation. Oh, that’s where that came from! It gives me an opportunity to work through difficulties from my past that I haven’tContinue reading “Between Fiction and Reality”

“Little Fits Where Big Doesn’t”

“…it is a sin to be always seeking to hide that which God has bestowed upon us for the good of others.” – CH Spurgeon You can read Spurgeon’s entire evening devotional for January 12 here. It only takes two minutes and is well worth reading. While I can’t add much to what this greatContinue reading ““Little Fits Where Big Doesn’t””