???????'s Answered

You gals asked me a few questions last week. I thought it was about time I answered. Plus, I have a winner I need to announce. But first, lets get the housework done and answer these questions.

Denise at ShortyBears Place asked, "If you had the opportunity to talk to one of the following, who would you choose, and why? Mary(mother of Jesus), Ruth, Deborah, martha, Mary(sister of Lazarus) or Sara?"

Yowza Denise, great question! Hmmm, that's a tough one. I look forward to talking face to face with every one of these amazing women one day. But, since you are making me choose, I would have to say Mary the mother of Jesus.

A mother's heart is what I understand most. And mom's are who I've been called on to encourage. The heartaches and joys of parenthood are real and experienced by every woman who raises a child up into adulthood. Who knew the pains related to motherhood more deeply than Mary?

I also look forward to asking her how she pondered things in her heart. How do you do that? Especially after an angel has just dropped in for a visit to give you a personal message from the Lord. INCREDIBLE!

Yep, Mary is the one I will be first in line to talk with.


Lauren at Walking by Faith asked, "Here's my ??? for you: why did you decide to start a blog?"

Ok Lauren, here's the almost-Reader's Digest version: When I began attending my Christian Writers Group (Inspire), they encouraged everyone to begin a blog. They wanted us to use it as a tool to remain faithful in our commitment to writing. Posting something regularly does just that.

I had no idea what it would blossom into. My occasional posts put me in contact with some incredible women. My faithfulness in writing has now become a blog and the blessed opportunity to write for two online devotion sites, Laced with Grace and 5 Minutes for Faith.

The Lord used blogging to get my attention last year when I won a $250 scholarship through Laced with Grace, so I could attend the She Speaks-P31 conference in North Carolina. And from there I met publishers and editors and writing has become a calling I believe the Lord is asking me to do for Him.

What we have planned and what God has planned are two very different plans. God's plans are always so much better, aren't they?

Susan at Runner Mom asked, "Ok, my question is about your time yesterday! Did Jesus meet you there and did He walk with you and share His Word during your time?"

Since "yesterday" is now next week, I have had two whole days now to spend at my precious friend's cabin in the mountains. And YES, the time there is wonderful. I am working on Chapter Seventeen - From Devotion to Devotion, the part of my book where I encourage parents to have daily family devotion time with their children.

The first week I wrote and wrote. Yesterday, I finished it up, cleaned it up, and tied it up in a pretty bow. When I came home I emailed it to a handful of my writing friends and they are sending me back critiques now. I will then go and make the changes I need to make. I'll begin writing a whole other chapter next week. Nine chapters done, eleven to go!

Susan at Eternity Cafe asked, "My question for you: WHEN can we have our phone call!!"

Susan and I had our phone call a couple of days after she sent me this question. We chatted while I sat in a foldup chair on the sidelines of my son's soccer practice. It was 7pm in California and 10pm in New Jersey where Susan lives. She sounded groggy at first, but she was as perky as a spring flower by the time we were done catching up at 11pm her time!

Whew! Is that it? Am I done now? I hope I didn't miss any. So, here is where it gets fun. I told you I have a gift for the winning question. I LOVED all your questions, so I had my husband pick a number between one and four...he chose the number two.

So, Lauren, you are my winner!

Scroll on down to see what you have won...I sure hope you don't already have this one!







Now, who ever thought answering questions could be so much fun?!?