By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer The man named Job spent a great deal of time observing God through His handiwork and had some interesting things to say about the Creator. In chapter 26 of his ancient book, we find one of Job’s lists of God’s amazing deeds and attributes
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Tomorrow is November 3, election day in the United States of America. Most of us who are voting have already done so. But all of us are affected by the turmoil of this year’s political races. So may I encourage you this week, rather
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Perspective is key. With a change in perspective, we often see a difficult situation differently. Viewing something from another angle may show us that things aren’t as bad as we thought. We may recognize a pending answer and not just an overwhelming problem. We
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer If you’ve been to an American rodeo, you know the only moment of absolute silence follows a downed rider who fails to rise under his own power. Apprehension sucks the collective breath of the crowd as they wait to see the cowboy push to his
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Do you read? Today is National Read Across America Day. As an author and educator, this is a national observance I can get behind wholeheartedly. Words and stories take us places and afford opportunities that may otherwise be unattainable. For example, the ability to
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Last week I left it all behind. Well, sort of. I took my laptop because I was, after all, planning to write. Which meant I also needed my smart phone and Nikon camera. Now that I think about it, I lived more off-grid when
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “May all that you read be uplifting.” Have you seen that line? I use it at the bottom of my email and quarterly newsletters, and I include it at the end of most of my novels. However, it’s more than a poetic parting. Life
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I ask why a lot. Do you? Why did mother die? Why did that guy cut me off in traffic? Why did I lose my job? Why has life not gone as I planned? Maybe I’m asking the wrong why. Maybe I should
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Hide and seek – is it only a child’s game? Not necessarily. Adults like to figure things out, hunt for buried treasure, and make ground-breaking discoveries. It is in man’s DNA to investigate and unearth. Personally, I believe God intended it to be so,
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer In early June, I enjoyed a personal writer-research stay at Badger Creek Ranch, a working cattle ranch tucked into the high country of Colorado at 8,800 feet. While there, I was often reminded to drink water. “Don’t wait until you’re thirsty,” a staff member
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Recently, I spent time with my youngest granddaughter watching a hummingbird through my office window. To her, the tiny bird was a marvelous, magical creature. She was fascinated by the movement of it’s tail. I understood how it worked, knew it functioned as a
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Last Monday, on Memorial Day, we commemorated the men and women who have died in the service of our country. But they’re not the only people we remember because some people—deceased or still living—are hard to forget, for reasons both good and bad. Who do
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Today I’m guest posting on Amanda Geaney’s blog, Christian Shelf-Esteem, where I discuss writing Christian fiction. Did you know that some people think believers should not write fiction? You can read what I have to say about this subject at Amanda’s blog. In the
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer What is it about a mother that makes her do things for her children all the time? Even when no one’s looking. Even when no one knows. Even her children. I believe it’s the God-gene she carries – not in a biological sense, but
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer In the 1980s, during rodeo’s off-season, my husband worked with the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, serving as a chaplain five years at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He also spent one race meet at Aksarben (now dismantled) in Omaha, Nebraska, and one