After my return to Narnia this summer, I decided to pick up Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time). Like The Chronicles of Narnia, I haven’t read this series in years, but these five books were definitely among the …
Category: Christian Life
Rereading The Chronicles of Narnia
A couple of years ago, I started a series of “Story Studies” that covered some of the most influential childhood stories that shaped my writing. In the process of writing that series, I came to realize something: I don’t remember a lot of the books I would consider my “all-time favorites” and “major influences.” Because …
The Enneagram and Writing Characters
Ah, the Enneagram. Some embrace it wholeheartedly. Some use it as an excuse for their behavior. Some dismiss it as just another personality test. Some, who have no idea what the Enneagram even is, might be cautious. For writers, though, I encourage you to learn about this tool and use it—because I believe it’s powerful …
Easter Thoughts
As I write this on Easter morning, I am rejoicing. It’s a wild world, a time when we’re not able to gather with the rest of the Body of Christ in person, but still the Truth remains: Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! On Good Friday this year, I was struck by a new …
Unchanging
What a joy it was to worship with fellow Christians this morning. In the midst of all the craziness, all the strangeness of the past few days, worshiping with the Body and marveling at the Cross was especially refreshing today. And I was reminded of a Truth so encouraging I wanted to share it during …
March 2020 Writing Update
Trying to keep up with my writing goals and aspirations while being a graduate student is difficult. I learned that very quickly last semester. Yet halfway through the second semester of my program, I’m still frustrated with my lack of progress. My frustration, I think, is partly because writing is a deep part of who …
Baptism: Ten Years Later
Ten years ago today, I was baptized. I view my baptism as the “start” of my personal relationship with Christ. I grew up in a Christian household and came to faith in Christ at a young age—an age so young that I don’t have much memory of it. I do remember, though, my baptism at …
Book Review: Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson
Andrew Peterson’s Adorning the Dark is an artists’ retreat captured in book form. That’s the simplest and truest way I can describe its impact on me. Adorning the Dark is part-memoir of Peterson’s artistic journey and personal life, part-spiritual reminders for creative souls, part-guidebook for artists. The book isn’t just for your typical “creatives”—writers, musicians, …
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I’m Still a Writer
I didn’t write a single new book in 2019. Sure, I did edit two different novels. I created and plotted a whole new series. And this isn’t the first year I haven’t written a new novel. I didn’t complete a new one in 2017 either, and, in fact, I made more writing progress this past …
I’ll Be Home for Christmas…But What is “Home”?
Home has always been a complicated concept for me. Moving to new places every few years was a constant given for our family during my childhood. Because of that transience, I often longed for the days when I would be able to settle in one place for a long time. In particular, I dreamed of …
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