By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer More than a century ago, the Civil War uprooted dreams, decimated families, and divided the nation. Those who survived were determined to remember the price paid by decorating the graves of their fallen loved ones with flowers and flags on Decoration Day. Gradually, the …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Thank you for joining me for this “Takeaway” series with input from all four authors in the upcoming contemporary romance collection from Barbour Publishing, Always a Wedding Planner. We have heard from Toni Shiloh, RL Ashly, and Leeann Betts. Today I share what I hope readers …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Thank you for joining me for week three in our “Takeaway” series by authors of the soon-to-release Always a Wedding Planner. So far, we have heard from Toni Shiloh and RL Ashley. Today, author Leeann Betts joins us to share what she hopes will …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Thank you for joining me in week 2 of our Takeaway series from the authors of Always a Wedding Planner. Last week we heard from Toni Shiloh, author of the first story in the collection, “Finally a Sweetheart.” This week’s takeaway thoughts are shared …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Last year an author friend approached me about writing part of a contemporary romance collection for Barbour Publishing. She and her two partners needed a fourth author. Would I join them? Yes! Always a Wedding Planner is a behind the scenes look into the …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Years ago when my rodeo-clown/bullfighter husband and I followed the circuit, we spent most of our summers on the road getting from one rodeo to the next. Headed north through Colorado one day on our way to Montana, we listened to the recording of …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Have you ever stood at the edge of the sea or a large lake and listened to waves lap against the shore? Or cradled yourself in a gently rocking boat, relaxing as you drifted with the breeze? How about making your way to shore …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer A couple thousand years ago in Jerusalem, a man named Thomas got the short end of the experiential stick. Or did he? As one of the twelve closest friends of Jesus, he spent three years hanging out with God-as-man. He saw miracles. He saw …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer We were created to live forever with God. Sin interrupted and set us on a detour to death. Jesus intervened, paid for the sin with His life and fixed us. Now, because of Him, we get to do what we were created to do …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer The mob can turn. A big event was coming to town and everyone was busy preparing, anticipating, hurrying. The Jews called it Passover. Early in the week, on a dirt-and-stone street, a crowd hailed an itinerant teacher as a king entering the gates of …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer When I lived in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, spring was obvious. Riotous, even, with flowers splashed on the hillsides and new-green grass everywhere. Some of my family still live there, and when they post photos on social media, I can almost …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Daylight Saving Time started today. At 2 a.m., to be exact. Were you awake? Me neither. I remember once asking my mother about Daylight Wasting Time. Of course she thought it was cute. But my elementary-school brain figured the opposite of saving had to …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Reading one morning from a different version of the Bible, I was caught by new wording of a familiar verse: You are my refuge and my shield. Your word is my source of hope. Psalm 119:114 In my childhood, I had learned the first …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked. Prov. 4:25-27 Stay on the path. A simple directive. As simple as the one about not …
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer It’s amazing what one may chance to see when taking a puppy out to pee. Now you know why I’m not a poet. Poetry aside, life rhythms have changed for me over the last few wintry weeks. One late night as I stood bundled …