By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Have you heard of the two-week rule? I often refer to it when deciding how I like a new purchase, the rearrangement of furniture, or a questionable repair job. The rule goes like this: “Give it two weeks. If you don’t notice it
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness, his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT These words from the biblical book of Lamentations were written by one who had seen the devastation of his country
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Did you know that August is Romance Awareness Month? Sounds good to me since I write Western romance. However, it’s also been six months since flaming-heart February, and it doesn’t hurt to be hit with a reminder of happily-ever-after. Literarily speaking, “romance” is a genre
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “Transition” is not one of my favorite words. It implies hard work, change, letting go of the familiar, and heading into the unknown. It takes a person from what was to what will be and often involves pain. Biological mothers everywhere know exactly what
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer If God asked you a question, what would it be? “God doesn’t need to ask me a question,” you say. “He already knows everything about me.” True, He does know everything about you, but God is relational. He asks questions of those He loves.
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer At Christmas I became the hesitant owner of a Paperwhite Narcissus Bulb Kit – Ziva. Hesitant because things looked pretty barren in that mostly empty box. However, it was worth trying if success meant the heady perfume I associate with narcissi. According to the
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer How often do our New Year’s Resolutions involve denying ourselves something in order to improve our life? Stop over-eating. Stop smoking. Give up sugar. Don’t criticize my spouse/siblings/in-laws. These are admirable aspirations and well worth our efforts. But typically, such resolutions fall by the
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 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
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” wrote Elizabeth Barrett Browning. For simplicity’s sake, let’s merely count the kinds of love. Romantic love. Empathetic love. Brotherly love. Unconditional love. Unfailing love. Mature love. Sacrificial love. Endless love – as is the
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Dawn may be my favorite time of day. It appears full of promise and new possibilities. Most of my stories present at least one sunrise that catches my characters’ attention and provides a moment of reflection and gratitude. I also find dawn mentioned during
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “I talk about these made-up people as if they were real,” I told a friend as we discussed the characters in one of my books. “I know them better than I do most real people.” “That’s because you know their hearts,” she said. “You
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer The earth was eating my driveway. Where had all the gravel gone? (Sounds like a Pete Seeger song.) My remedy: order more. But that’s not how it works. I couldn’t just call the rock shop and ask them to deliver plain gravel – even
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Ah, peace. What a priceless commodity these days. Isaiah 26:3 offers an equation for finding peace like no other. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.” The old King James English may grate on
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Have you ever read something familiar and found yourself seeing it with fresh eyes? It happens to me frequently, and lately it’s been Matthew 11:28-30. Clearly this passage speaks to me, for I wrote about it in September. Is God trying to tell me