Katie Ganshert's Blog, page 19

Friday Favorite: Seven Free Devotionals

Today’s Friday Favorite is a fun bonus for readers!

Anyone who pre-orders Wishing on Willows will receive seven devotionals.

Each one touches on an important theme in the novel.

Each one includes a small snippet from the book.

I hope they leave you blessed and encouraged!

To download your copy, click on this link and fill in the requested information. My publisher will send you the download via email.

Let’s Talk: What’s one of your favorites from the week?

Adoption: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Adoption can be a wonderful beautiful amazing thing.

But it’s also messy and complicated and risky and not quite so black-and-white as I originally supposed.

World has orphans. Orphans need families. Families adopt orphans.

Sounds nice and tidy, but oh is it ever-lovin’ not.

Before I jump into an explanation, let me share a non-update update.

I haven’t blogged about our adoption lately.

Mainly because for a long while there, nothing was happening.

Well, that has changed.

I can absolutely say that thi...

Is Writing Your Vocation?

“I’ve learned two things. First, authors who write books as an avocation just to have fun or tell people they’re published rarely succeed. Secondly, authors who write books as a vocation and take their work seriously usually achieve their goals.”

~Rob Eager, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire

I had a rather obvious, albeit profound epiphany recently.

I am not a stay-at-home mother.

I am a work-at-home mother.

Now, in defense of stay-at-home mother’s everywhere, I am not at all trying to imply that stay-...

Friday Favorite: A Facebook Status Update

Yesterday, the DRC adoption community was abuzz with a heavy dose of confusion and frustration.

The latest news from the embassy set off an onslaught of fear and conjecture and what-ifs.

The timeline to complete an adoption will most likely be extended 3-6 months.

And for adoptive parents, extensions are hard.

I promise to elaborate more later, but for now, allow me to share a Facebook status update from a fellow DRC adoptive mama named Lindsy Wallace:

Waiting Foster and Adopting Mama’s, particula...

What’s Your Life Verse?

Up until a couple weeks ago, I never really had a life verse.

But then I started this Bible study and I came across Micah 6:8.

Can I just say how much I love Micah 6:8?

I read it and it’s like….manna.

Here’s the thing about me.

I tend to overcomplicate my walk with Christ.

I tend to wonder if I should be doing something more. If I should be doing something better. If I should be doing something different.

This verse is a sweet sweet reminder that the Christian life is really quite simple.

He has show...

The Secret to Writing Fast and Furious (plus a sneak peek at my latest novel)

Over the past three days, I wrote 25,000 words. By far the most I’ve ever written in so short a span.

I think there were three factors that allowed me to do it:

First, I needed the distraction.

I’ve been obsessing over something non-writing related in my life as of late and I needed to get out of my head. Nothing allows that like jumping into a story.

Second, I was nearing the end of my novel.

I don’t know about you, but every time I get to the end of a manuscript, it sort of writes itself. The...

Friday Favorite: An Adoption Map

I think most of you know that we’re in the crazy process of adopting from DR Congo.

It’s hard enough for me to wrap my mind around everything, let alone my four-year old son.

Let’s just say, he’s not getting a brother or sister the “normal” way. He can’t see Mommy’s tummy growing. The whole idea of his sibling being on a continent called Africa far far away is not an easy thing for his young brain to wrap around. And the waiting. Oh, the waiting.

So when I saw this Adoption Map idea posted by Ch...

El Roi

My good friend Melissa and I have been meditating upon a particular name of God each month.

Last month, we prayed a lot to Jehovah Jireh – the Lord who provides.

And boy, did that name ever turn into something meaningful.

This month, we’re praying to El Roi – the God who Sees Me.

Not just this far-away, all-powerful God who’s up there in heaven. But a personal, intimate God who sees every piece that is me. My past. My present. My future. My fears and dreams and failures and victories.

I love that...

5 Symptoms of Internet ADHD

If you have experienced any of the following symptoms, there is a good chance you are suffering from Internet ADHD and should seek professional help….

You get online for a very specific purpose but all of a sudden you’re inserting your face onto a virtual body that’s dancing Gangnam style and you have no idea how you got here.


You check email, then Twitter, then email, then Facebook, then email, then Pinterest, then email, then Twitter….all in the span of five minutes.


You log onto a photo stock...

Friday Favorite: A Song

Fear has been rearing it’s head in my life as of late, so today’s Friday Favorite is a song that’s been ministering to me in such an amazing way.

I love the message Chris Tomlin has for his listeners.

“We live in a time of panic, and fear, and a time of anxiety. People feel so much coming at them. From every way, we feel surrounded with so many troubles. My heart is when people hear this song, that their eyes would be opened, to realize what’s really going on. That those who are for us are more...