By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer In a scene from one of my Western romance novels, the heroine struggles with memories of her Christian mother’s favorite counsel: “All things work together for good.” She struggles because things are not going well. Bad things have happened. A lot of bad things,
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Wind and water have two-sided natures. When used in creative writing, wind whispers as a cooling breeze or roars like a tornado. Water sings in a trickling stream or crashes through canyons as a flood. Winds along Colorado’s Front Range flutter through golden aspen
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer March is Women’s History Month. Several national sponsors have added their support in “commemorating and encouraging the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.” It’s an interesting topic, and more can be learned about it at the Women’s
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Ever feel like it’s you against the world? Occupationally, relationally, or physically? If it’s not one thing, it’s another – right? Just when we get our sea legs under us, a rogue wave hits, the deck rolls, and our stomachs follow. Why can’t our careers, relationships,
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Have you ever felt out of place, as if you didn’t belong? Have you ever thought a comment, piece of artwork, or something else was out of place? It just didn’t fit. A sense of place – belonging – is highly valued, and that’s why
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Last Monday we commemorated those who died in the service of our country. We remembered their character, dedication, and sacrifice. But we remember other people as well, living and deceased, because they just can’t be forgotten. We all have them—individuals we remember who
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I thought “returns” were things you took back to a store because they weren’t what you expected or because they were defective. Even online marketing mentions “free returns.” But that’s not what “many happy returns” is talking about. The short phrase derives from a
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Romantic love is celebrated on Valentine’s Day, February 14, in North America and in many countries around the *world. With unclear *origins, a great deal has been written about the observance. However, there is much more to love, and other languages, particularly Greek, have
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer It’s the little things that make me lose my patience, my cool, or my grip on appropriate vocabulary in the English language. One of those little things is pictured above. Look closely at the wheel and note the nuts holding the bolts in place
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Every time I pull up to the stoplight at the highway intersection pictured above, I exercise my free will by complying with what the sign says. The first vehicle to arrive at the light has room to stop on the other side of the
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer When the lights go out – and they will – who or what will be your power source? The power went out last week in my neck of the woods, but thankfully, the outside temp had warmed up to a balmy 30 degrees. I
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Have you ever felt like you’ve lost it all? Have you ever really lost it all? Following a recent surprise that completed a trilogy of painful events, a familiar scripture came to me with fresh perspective. God remains the strength of my heart; He
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “I do” was a high-priced promise. On this, the anniversary of my wedding, I see how those two little words spoken so long ago were life-changers. That’s one of the things I love about words—and writing them. They can open our hearts to a
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I don’t even like donuts, but this enthusiastic eater of doughy delights makes me want one. Do food commercials affect you that way? What about a billboard with an image of someone chomping into a juicy burger or slurping a double-scoop ice-cream cone? Yeah,
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Are you a troublemaker? Before you answer that question, let’s talk about what a troublemaker is and why sometimes it’s a good thing. Usually when we think of a troublemaker, we think of that kid in school who was always in the principal’s office.