Cara C. Putman's Blog, page 89

Faith Thoughts: Adoption

Helping families with adoptions is one of my favorite parts of serving as an attorney. There are such strong spiritual implications of adoption. One of the legal roles I still fill as often as possible is serving as attorney for families who seek to adopt a child. The judge and I call it happy law. So much of the law involves problems and the end of love, and adoptions are all about solutions and the creation of love. 

Adoptions matter for many reasons. One is because of the way it’s a shadow of what God does with us. Do you grasp that your identity as an adopted child shows that God had great intention toward you? It wasn’t an accident. Adoption requires intention and choice. Much action and expense is involved.

For example, today in the legal environment, families often spend multiple thousands (think $20,000+) to adopt a child. They go through months of care, worry and concern as they maneuver the legal process. They make the decision to add to their family. They choose the child and then they fight with time, money and effort to bring that child into the protection of their family.

Once the process is legally complete, the law sees absolutely no difference between a child born of the family and a child added in through adoption. Isn’t that exactly what God and Jesus did? God chose to adopt all those who were trapped in sin. Then He decided to pay the highest price He could (His son Jesus) to redeem the lost and bring them into His family. He didn’t bring us in as slaves or guest – each of which have few legal rights. Instead, He chose to bring us in as legal heirs with full rights and access.

This is so different from the natural process of parenting. For most – but not all – families, when they decide to have children, it is a simple process that costs them little. Sometimes we don’t even choose to become parents and it happens. Two come together and create a third. But this is not the process God uses. He paid a great expense and fights and immense battle to draw each of us into His family. And then He uses adoption to give us full rights as daughters and sons.
This is life changing when we grasp and understand our value to our adopted Daddy and brother.

When I walk a family through the legal process, I watch our judge ask the adopting siblings if they welcome the proposed adoptee. The siblings should be enthusiastic or it raises concern in the heart of the judge that the adoption will succeed. Jesus is excited to welcome you to the family as an adopted child of God. It’s why He came. The angels celebrate just as adoptive families’ friends and extended family celebrate.
Even the judge celebrates because it is a family requesting the addition of legal responsibilities when so much of a judge’s work is dealing with people who aren’t meeting their legal obligations.


Romans 8:15  New King James Version (NKJV)

15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Have you considered adoption?

Movie Premieres and Book Signings, oh my!

Enjoying the Premiere with Abigail

I often talk about how writing is a hard career for an extrovert. So often my writing is done in front of a computer and I wait for electronic feedback from my agent, editors, friends, readers. It can feel solitary because the face to face contact usually comes once a year at ACFW.

This past weekend, my daughter and I changed that dynamic. We put over 600 miles on the car as we drove around Indiana supporting different author events.

A treat to hang out with Colleen Coble, my mentor

The first event was bittersweet as we drove to Fort Wayne to attend the premiere of For Better or For Worse, a movie based on a novel of the same name written by my friend Diann Hunt. I loved the book and I loved Diann, so it was fun though bittersweet to attend.

Becky Philpott drove down from Michigan.

Having a book turned into a movie is most authors’ dream. I can think of several of my books that would make a great Hallmark movie! But Diann’s book was the perfect mix of humor and light-hearted romance to fit the Hallmark model. It was a delight to see how many turned out to honor Diann, who was watching from heaven. Her editor drove up from Nashville, Tennessee, and other friends drove from as far as Minnesota and the East Coast. Such love for a wonderful woman filled that sanctuary.

We drove home Sunday morning to attend church, then headed south to the Louisville area to attend a friend’s debut novel signing. (Yes, if you look at a map, that was a highly inefficient drive, but you do things like that for friends)

My friend Kristy Cambron‘s debut novel released earlier this month. (It’s wonderful in case you haven’t read it yet… Look for it: The Butterfly and the Violin). Writers often labor for years…yes, years…waiting for an editor to look at their novel and find a story that matches what they’re publishing.

Kristy Cambron signing her wonderful novel The Butterfly and the Violin.

Then that moment finally arrives when you get to hold that novel in your hand. Kristy wrote hers on her iPhone. I’m still not sure how she did that! But during the event she got to spend four hours signing books for people who have supported her throughout the long process. It was a wonderful mix of friends, family, co-workers, church family, and more. There were even a few of her writer buds like Sarah Ladd.

You might wonder if it matters to authors if you show up at their talks and booksignings. It does! Remember above where I talked about how solitary writing can be? There’s nothing like talking to a reader to recharge your writing batteries and get you ready to tackle a difficult plot point. It’s a wonderful way to encourage a writer who wonders if anyone reads and enjoys their work.  Even a quick email after you’ve read a book or a short review on Amazon or another site can be a huge boost.

With the phenomenal Regency author Sarah Ladd.

How Our Homeschool is Different from a Traditional School

 If you’re a homeschooling family, you have a list of reasons why you chose this educational form. You like the freedom. Your kids need a challenge. You want to direct your child’s education and avoid a cookie-cutter approach. Fill in your own reason below.

As we prepare for a new school year, what our homeschooling looks like will shift because our 13 year old will be taking two classes at the local high school. I didn’t really see this coming, but it’s clear to us that this is what God has for her next. He’s filled in my gaps in science with a bio-med program that is perfect for our future nurse.

But I’ve also taken the time to rethink what I like and don’t like about how we homeschool. The beginning of a new school year is a good time to reevaluate what’s worked and what hasn’t. Here are a few ways that our homeschool shouldn’t look like a traditional school.

1) My kids aren’t forced to sit quietly at a desk all day. I stumbled across this article yesterday, which reminded me that homeschooling provides many benefits beyond the academic for our kiddos. One is this freedom to move about and do what they need to help them pay attention. My 13 year old is constantly doodling, my 10 year old is continually constructing lego creations, and the 6 and 3 year old are in orbit while we do our read alouds. This is good. Slowly I’ve tested and realized that my children really can pay attention while their hands are busy.

2) My kids can move! This means work is often done on the floor, at a small library table, in a tree, in the hammock, etc. There are times I wish my kids could just sit still for a couple hours, but the reality is where we homeschool moves around. Some days I have to remove distractions from their rooms, but the reality is that sometimes they focus better when the location changes. And why not do that? Am I so focused on how I “think” school should look that I don’t allow them the freedom to move around?

3) My kids can explore on their time table. Now, I am far from an unschooler. I like textbooks and a workbook. But I’ve learned to adjust. I spend time praying and considering what will work for each child in each year. We’ve collected quite a variety of curriculum as a result. But what I’m learning is that just because the 13 year old used something doesn’t mean it’s the right way for the 10 year old to learn or the 6 year old. I have to be willing to be flexible and adjust so that learning can best happen for each of them.

4) We have flexibility! This year our flexibility will be curtailed by the 13 year olds classes, but we can still go to the pool at ten a.m., if that’s what we need. I want to do more this year to celebrate the flexibility and get our noses out of a textbook and into exploring what’s around us. Whether that’s following the Underground Railroad in our own town or going to a museum. I want to celebrate the ability to learn and adjust. I want to make sure we’re getting out and moving.

If you homeschool, what do you want to do differently this coming school year? What works really well and you want to make sure you continue it? If you don’t homeschool, what works well for your kids? What makes you most excited about the new school year?

 

Firewall by DiAnn Mills

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Firewallby

DiAnn Mills 

This book has a fascinating premise. What if everything you thought you knew about your fiance is wrong? What if he’s actually a terrorist? The pacing was pretty tight and the characters interesting. A great read for those who like romantic suspense that leaves you room to breathe.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.

Agent Grayson Hall’s number-one priority is to catch those responsible for the day’s act of terror. All evidence is pointing to Taryn and her new husband. But his instinct tells him her pleas of innocence are genuine. Is her naiveté just for show, or could she truly be another victim of a master scheme, possibly linked to the software she recently developed for her company?

With both their lives and reputations on the line, and the media outcry for justice increasing with each passing minute, Taryn and Grayson have no choice but to trust one another . . . and pray they can uncover the truth before they become two more casualties.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Firewall, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops.

DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills

 

Author Interview with Melanie Dobson

Today I’m delighted to reintroduce you to my friend Melanie Dobson. She writes great historical fiction, and I’m delighted that her latest book is set in France during WWII with a strong contemporary story running parallel to the WWII story. She’s joined us today to talk more about her book and how she created the idea.

Chateau of Secrets is a beautiful story that moves back and forth between present day and WWII. How did you develop the two threads?  The historical plot was based on a true story that quickly came to life on paper, but I struggled with the contemporary journey of Chloe Sauver (the granddaughter) until I began telling her story in first person. I slowly weaved together scenes of Chloe’s fear and doubt with the story of her grandmother’s courage and faith, and after I finished the first draft, I rewrote and rewrote to coordinate the secrets, both past and present, being revealed.

Much of the WWII thread is based on real people. How did you discover their stories? Several years ago, a friend shared her grandmother’s incredible story with me. Genevieve de Saint Pern Menke was a courageous French noblewoman who hid Allied airmen in the tunnels under her family’s château even as the Germans occupied her home. The Menke family partnered with me as I wrote this novel, and Ann Menke, Genevieve’s daughter-in-law, graciously invited me to their family’s manoir and former château in Normandy. Genevieve left a beautiful legacy as an elegant, courageous, feisty Norman woman who was strong in character and devout in her faith.

If people only have one opportunity to go to France, where should WWII lovers visit? The region of Normandy is a beautiful place. The Norman people still express gratefulness for the sacrifices American soldiers made during the invasion, and the Utah Beach Museum hosts amazing exhibits about the war, D-Day, and information about daily life in France under the German occupation.

This isn’t your first novel — you’ve won many awards for earlier books. What did you learn as you wrote this novel? It was such an honor for me to learn the stories of French people who secretly resisted the Nazis during World War II, some of them working with the Allied Forces and hiding members of the French resistance even as German officers occupied their home.  I also learned about the thousands of Jewish men who were conscripted into the German military during the war—I had no idea that Hitler “aryanized” men of Jewish descent so they could fight for him.

What do you hope will stay with readers long after they close the covers and place the book on a bookshelf? Château of Secrets is about seemingly ordinary people who stood against evil, often working in secret as they fought against the Nazis and protected innocent people. As I wrote this story, I was reminded that there are many opportunities today as well to stand against evil and protect those who are suffering. I hope readers will join me in remembering that it is always extraordinary to sacrifice finances, time, and even our pride to help someone in need.

Thanks so much for joining us today, Melanie. Where can people connect with you? I love to connect with readers! The best places are at www.MelanieDobson.com or on Facebook.

Cara again. I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about Melanie and her latest novel. If you’re a WWII fan, where would you like to travel? If not, where’s a destination that tugs at your imagination?

Summer Days

Summer.

A time of rest and relaxation.

Well, that’s the theory. At our house, summer is blazing by fast and furiously. But there are a few things we do that are traditions for us.

The first is pick blueberries. This is something we started our first summer in Lafayette. The ironic thing is that I hated blueberries as a kid. I remember picking lots of them in Georgia, and being the only person in my family not eating them. Now I LOVE them. And I love the way that our family spends at least two mornings a summer picking blueberries. There’s something calming and peaceful about spending a morning in the sunshine picking bucketfuls of the blue goodness. I love that my kids get reminded where food comes from — not the grocery store.

It also teaches them patience when one or two are ready to be done and the rest of us are still filling our buckets.

The other thing we love to do is relax by the pool. Our neighborhood has a community pool that when the weather cooperates is a wonderful place to escape for a couple hours. We love to take friends with us or just relax as a family.

This month has been a bit cool. The high yesterday was around 68 — perfect for blueberry picking, not so great for the pool. But one consistent factor is that we like to spend our summer activities with friends.

It’s a chance to reconnect with people that the business of the school year can make it difficult to spend time with. Connecting with people is my favorite part.  I value friendship, so making the time to spend time together is important to me…and to my kiddos.

What do you do in the summer? Do you have traditions that make the time meaningful? Things that let your kids say remember when we did this last year and the year before that?

 

Free Episode of Adventures in Odyssey

I’m really excited that those of us in the OAC are getting to hear the newest saga from Adventures in Odyssey before anyone else! And you are invited to hear the first episode from this album!!!! There are several story arcs within it. My kids are enthralled with all things Odyssey. It’s not unusal to have three kids listening to three different episodes on three different devices. Even though I got a 3 month trial to the Odyssey Adventure Club for free, we are joining for a year because our kids are begging us to do so. And at $5 a month (the special was extended!), it’s a great form entertainment for the kids (and parents). You can check out the deal here.

Just yesterday my son and I listened to three episodes in quick succession as we drove back from a swim meet. Because I was jumping into the middle, he kept pausing the adventure so that I’d know what was going on. Loved it!

For a limited time, you can listen to a new episode of Adventures in Odyssey for FREE! Album 58, The Ties that Bind, will be available this fall for digital download and CD purchase, but if you join the Odyssey Adventures Club, you can listen to the full album now!

It’s a time of surprises as Wooton becomes the celebrity guest at Comic-Connellsville and Whit finds himself in conflict over the upcoming “Let’s Get Together Festival” in Odyssey. Plus, hear an interview with writer-director Paul McCusker about the entire 14-part series.

Album 58 was inspired by Focus on the Family’s The Family Project, a 12-session small group experience that explores the theological, philosophical, and cultural underpinnings of the traditional family, and combines that information with inspiring stories and practical tools to help 21st-century families thrive. One way families can carry out God’s design for families is by serving their community—right where God has planted them, being His hands and feet together. Want to serve your community with your family, maybe make a day of out it? Here are some fantastic ideas from some Adventures in Odyssey bloggers and club members:

 

Make scarves through the year and deliver them to your local homeless shelter at the start of winter, or regularly donate food to your local food bank. —Shirley
Our family likes to help with Meals on Wheels. We also do reenactments of the Civil War and WWII to help educate people on history. I like to show my kids that we should be servers and givers by taking meals to people who need them (i.e. baby just born, someone died, someone had surgery, etc.). —Erin
We have been visiting a nursing home with friends once a month. The kids just sing and then we fellowship, but the ladies love it! —Lisa
We make lap blankets for nursing home residents and take the time to visit with them. We also collect food for the local food pantry. —Donna
We make blessing bags to give to the homeless when we encounter them. We also donate clothes and food to a local shelter. —Amy
Our MOPs (Mothers of Prechoolers) group supports our local Pregnancy Support Services with donations, gifts, and notes. We also supports the Durham Rescue Mission, which helps people break free from addictions and restore families. —Melissa
We live in a very rural area. Our church serves two of the poorest zip codes in the state, and about a decade ago, they started operating a food pantry out of a closet. It has expanded since then, so we now use the closet for storage, but the pantry is basically a classroom. The kids and I serve over there a lot. My 17-year-old and I go to Care & Share (50 miles away) to get food to bring back to the pantry. All of us help unload and stock shelves. On pantry days, everyone can get involved with helping people go through the line, playing with the kids, carrying boxes out to cars, etc. There are so many hungry folks, especially in the summer when school breakfasts and lunches aren’t available, and helping a bit to put food on some tables is such a blessing for us all. —Debra
We pack food bags each month for the homeless and needy through a thrift store that offers an outreach to the community. We also help clean our church and our Sunday school. —Michele
We work through our AHG troop to do several service activities a year. My girls just recently made bracelets they are selling, which 100% of the profits goes to Hope House in Africa to help young girls. —Sarah
Our church works with a homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta. We cook food ahead of time, and when our schedules allow we ride down with the group to serve the food. My son always reminds me when we haven’t been for awhile, so it’s something he looks forward to. —Maria
We do lots of random acts of kindnesses within our community: pay for others’ meals, leave change at a vending machine, hand out Gatorade/granola bars to people on the side of the road asking for food. We also love to support Mobile Loaves and Fishes. —Kathryn

Did that provide some ideas to give your family service activity the kick-start it needs? What other ideas do you have for serving your community? Share in the comments!

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Disclaimer: As one of the OAC bloggers I have received a 3 month membership to the OAC for purposes of review and other Adventures in Odyssey resources from Focus on the Family. These opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Meet Kristy Cambron & Her Debut Novel & Giveaway

Today I’m delighted to introduce you to a new friend of mine in this writing journey. Kristy Cambron is an author who’s first novel, The Butterfly and the Violin, just released. Her book is the perfect blending of a contemporary and WWII story — but not only is the book WONDERFUL, she’s become a sweet friend who radiates Jesus. I LOVE her debut novel so much I have to share it with you. It is beautiful and haunting. Breath-taking and page-turning. You’ll love it! If you love WWII fiction, you must go buy it immediately!

So Kristy’s here and I want to introduce her to you and tell you more about her book. First, lets all take a moment to enjoy the GORGEOUS cover. Ahhhh. Okay, now onto the interview! Be sure to read to the end so you can enter the giveaway.

The Butterfly and the Violin takes readers back to WWII in Austria and a concentration camp. How did you get the idea for this novel?

The idea for Adele’s story had been in the recesses of my heart for more than a decade, since I was a young college student in art school. It was then that I first learned that prisoners created art inside concentration camps – under penalty of death if caught in many circumstances. The majority of the artists did not survive and to this day, most remain unknown. The thought of creating art while facing death made me want to understand it more. I began reading anything I could find on the subject – in particular, Elie Wiesel’s Night had a profound impact on my desire to write this book.  

One element that I loved about this story was the incorporation of art inside the concentration camps. It’s a largely unknown story. Can you give us an example of how people continued to create inside the camps?

I think the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz is just one of many examples. There was an official orchestra where musicians played to survive. I had the unbelievable opportunity to interview a survivor from Auschwitz-Birkenau when researching this book. I asked her about the orchestra – did she remember it? Did she see the musicians? What did the music sound like? She told me something I’ll never forget: each prisoner’s survival story was so unique, so terrifying, that they could have all heard the orchestra and remembered hearing a different song. I think that’s what connected me to Adele’s character most. Her experience had to be unique and so raw in places, but the artistic self-expression was something that united many of the prisoners.

What surprised you most as you researched and wrote this book?

That the art even existed! I learned about the art of Auschwitz more than a decade ago, when completing my undergraduate work in art history. One of my professors began showing slides of watercolors, sketch drawings, even paintings found hidden on the walls inside the camp – and I think every student in that room was shocked to silence. None of us had ever heard of it before.

The heroine had to learn how to love God regardless of what happened to her. Have you walked this same journey?

I’m open about my family’s journey in 2013. It was a year of totally new things – a leukemia diagnosis for my Dad, a first publishing contract, visiting a chemo center for the first time, first book signings and my dream of becoming an author, losing my Dad to cancer… The ups and downs of this life, whatever they are to each of us, they don’t stop when you become a Christian. I think that was a tough thing I had to realize. Being a Christian is not about perfection. It’s messy sometimes. We have hope in Christ, but our faith can be sorely tested when the big storms come. I had to really dig deep this year, and cling to Christ like I never have before. Through the pain of loss, challenges, and the uncertainty that can come in life – they’ve been difficult, but He has made me stronger through them.

What do you hope stays with readers after they close the cover on this novel?

That we’re all in our own journeys through this life. We all have different challenges, struggles, defining moments… I’d love all of us to have God-given strength that is very real in our lives, especially at our weakest moments. I hope readers can see some of themselves in Adele– just like I did in writing her– and know that they can rely on Christ for every one of the barriers that arise in our lives, no matter how large or small. He is a very real, very loving God who has infinite care for the challenges we face.

Can you give us a sneak peek at what’s next for you?

Absolutely! My next book is A SPARROW IN TEREZIN, Book #2 in the Hidden Masterpiece series. The story centers around the children’s art of the Theresienstadt transport camp (also known as Terezín), the Nazis’ propaganda camp north of Prague. It follows a key character from the historical storyline in THE BUTTERFLY AND THE VIOLIN (which I can’t share because it would be a major Spoiler). It also introduces Kája Makovský, a Czech-born journalist who survives the worst of The London Blitz in 1940, only to be later transported to Terezín when trying to help her family flee Nazi-occupied Prague at the height of the war. Here in the camp, Kája uses her love of art and of storytelling to help the children – all under the age of fifteen – cope through the horrific experiences of the Holocaust.  A SPARROW IN TEREZIN will release from Thomas Nelson (Harper Collins Christian Publishing) in April, 2015.

 This is another GREAT cover, Kristy!  Where can people connect with you?

Twitter: @kcambronauthor – Facebook: Kristy L. Cambron – GoodReads: Kristy Cambron  Website: KristyCambron.com

Now for speed-fire round of quick-hit questions:

Favorite food? Italian

Coffee or tea? Yes, please.

World traveler? Not yet – here’s hoping!

Dream vacation? Museum-walking in Paris, while holding my husband’s hand

Favorite movie? Classic 1930s-40s films, Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Favorite TV show? Downton Abbey, Little House on the Prairie

Favorite book? Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, and Night by Elie Wiesel

Favorite place to write? Everywhere! I write chapters on my iPhone wherever I am.

Funny quirk? I don’t wear pink

Secret love? NFL football (Go Colts!)

Most memorable Mom-moment? Saying, “Stop playing with the puke bucket!” – more than once

Why I write? Jesus Christ is everything to me, and I want every story to tell someone about Him.

Life verse? Joshua 1:9NIV – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

From reading those answers, I think you can see why Kristy and I are becoming writer friends. We are eerily similar — except for the puke bucket comment! Here’s more about her book, then be sure to read to the end for a giveaway of her book!

“In her historical series debut, Cambron expertly weaves together multiple plotlines, time lines, and perspectives to produce a poignant tale of the power of love and faith in difficult circumstances. Those interested in stories of survival and the Holocaust, such as Eli Weisel’s Night, will want to read.” —Library Journal, Starred Review

“. . . debut novelist Cambron vividly recounts interwoven sagas of heartache and recovery through courage, love, art, and faith.” —Publishers Weekly

A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz—and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl—a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover, the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul, who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together, Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting’s subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: in the grim camps of Auschwitz and in the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

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7 tips for Finding Time to Exercise

Life is busy. Way too busy for most of us. We know we need to take care of ourselves, but in the shuffle of activities and responsibilities, that can easily fall by the wayside. So how can we find the time to squeeze in exercise? Here are a few tips that work for me.

1) Find an activity you can do as a family. Do you all have bikes? Go on a bike ride in the neighborhood once or twice a week. Hitch the bikes to the car and head to a state park with bike trails. Instill a love for activity in your children as they join you in the activity. Find family fun runs that you can train and participate in as a family.

2) Vary your activity. Your body can become fatigued and your mind bored if you do the same thing all the time. So vary the activity from running to yoga to bike riding to swimming to workout videos. Invest in a variety of videos with a variety of time commitment. Some days you only have 20 minutes, but with the right video you can still have a great workout. Other times I want to hit one area of my body with some extra attention. Utilizing a variety of videos and magazine workouts keeps me interested and engaged. Sometimes it feels like I’m returning to an old favorite, other times it’s the challenge of a new workout. Each time, my body gets the benefit of moving and exercise.

3) Remember to stretch afterward. This can be an easy step to skip, but if you don’t stretch you will experience extra soreness the next day which can make you less likely to exercise in the future. It seems so simple and unnecessary, but you’ll thank me if you stretch.

4) Find an activity you can do with someone else during a season you otherwise wouldn’t exercise. For me this means that my husband and I train for the Indianapolis 500 Mini-Marathon each winter/spring and then run it together. We’ve done this for five years and it’s just become a part of our year. I love it because it keeps me moving in the winter by giving a whole new meaning to deadline — 13.1 miles can’t just be whipped out (at least by me!). And it makes it more enjoyable to run the race together. Some years I’m pushing him, other years he’s pushing me, but all the time we’re encouraging each other.

5) Set stretch goals. Try a mini-marathon. It really is possible to go from no activity to running a mini in 3 months (Ask me how I know!) Use tools like Hal Higdon’s training schedules to get you there. There is a great sense of satisfaction in doing something you had to work hard to achieve.

6) Realize how interconnected your muscles are. Did you know that lower back pain can be caused by tight hamstrings? Stretching can help alleviate much of that and make exercise more fun and less painful.

7) Choose to live a lifestyle that focuses on activity. Are there stairs? Take those rather than the elevator. Push the lawnmower rather than ride one. Turn an activity into a squat or a lunge. It doesn’t have to be difficult to find time to add exercise to your life. You just have to commit to doing it. What do you do to incorporate it into your life? And don’t forget that A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island is on sale for 99 cents in eformats right now. It’s a great time to try this contemporary romantic mystery.

4 Ways Readers Can Help Authors

Readers often ask me how they can help their favorite authors. I love to get that question because it is so very easy to help your favorite authors.

1) If you read a book and like it, then please post reviews. Don’t give spoiler details, but let other readers know why you liked it. Did you connect with the characters? Love the plot? Get engaged with the setting? Was there a spiritual thread that has stuck with you after you reached “the end?” Then write a quick review and post it any number of places. My favorites are: Amazon, Goodreads, Christianbook.com, and Barnes & Noble. You don’t need to stop there. It usually takes me 4 or 5 minutes to copy a review to those places, and it helps authors!

2) Tell your friends about the book. Word of mouth is still one large way that readers discover new-to-them authors. If you loved a book, then be sure to tell friends and family that are readers about it. You can use social media tools like twitter, facebook, Google+, etc. But also tell them in person. It’s very natural to talk about what you’ve been reading.

3) Give books as gifts. Not everybody is a reader, but many people love to get books as gifts. Especially if the book is tied to genres or places that they enjoy. For example, do you know someone who loves WWII? Then there are a dozen new Christian novels out that showcase different parts of that war. Books like Shadowed by Grace, The Butterfly and the Violin, Chateau of Secrets, and Saving Amelie. Know someone who loves to travel? Then look for books like A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island and they can travel without leaving home.

4) Ask you local and church libraries to purchase a book. Many readers utilize their libraries, and this is a great way to get a book into more readers’ hands. That’s one reason I’m running Operation Library. I’d love to have you participate!

It’s super easy. All you have to do is ask your local library (school, church, public) to add Shadowed by Grace to its collection. Many libraries will add books if they know their patrons are interested. And many have made it very easy to request books. If your local library has a website you can start by checking for an online request form.

This is a great way to help your favorite authors. When my books are in a library, more readers have a risk free way to try my books and see if they like them. It also make it possible for readers to discover my books who wouldn’t otherwise run across Christian fiction.

Other ways you can help are to let other people know about this opportunity by posting it to Facebook, twitter, pinning the image on Pinterest, Instagram, etc. I’ve added lots of ways to enter. And I’ve got lots of goodies to give away. The more the word spreads, the more goodies I’ll add to the pile.

Please use the form below to let me know what you’ve done. But don’t forget to leave a comment letting me know which library you asked to add my book to its collection. 

Thank you so much for your help!

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