Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Last week we looked at what it means to “be still.” Quite a challenge for busy lives that don’t have much quiet time to reflect, listen, or simply breathe. Things always press in, demanding our attention, whether they are as fleeting as the news and
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer On a recent trip to Pennsylvania to visit my daughter, I toured the University of Pittsburgh where she works – right in the middle of the city. The campus is scattered among blocks of governmental buildings, high-rise apartments, and historical churches, and the sense of
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer A child’s perspective can open our eyes to things we’ve forgotten about as adults. Like the vintage carnival-prize horse that belonged to my husband’s mother. My granddaughter discovered her great-grandmother’s prize a few years ago and let me know that she placed high value upon
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Why do we think we should have things that are perfect? Things that always operate correctly and never breakdown or wear out? Is it a latent memory in our DNA left over from the Garden of Eden where everything really was perfect (except for a
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer October 13 is release day for Book 5 of The Cañon City Chronicles, Hope Is Built. As I wrote this story, continuing into the third generation of the Hutton family, I realized there was so much more going on than a romance. The second Hutton
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Do you ever wonder how book titles are chosen? I do. All the time. Because as a novelist, I’m always looking for a good one. So why would I title my upcoming Western romance Hope Is Built? Isn’t hope given? Or found? The phrase “hope
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Park rangers may have set the flat stones in a stairstep pattern that curved up the small rise, but whoever it was, I appreciated their efforts. The path led to a lonely juniper standing boldly against a piercingly blue sky. A picturesque pose just asking
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I have a friend who often says, “Words matter.” I couldn’t agree more. Words started this whole thing – divine words, when God said, “Let there be light.” And there it was. Words also perverted perfection when the tempter whispered to Eve, “Did God really
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer One morning several years ago, a dear family friend called, and we chatted about our respective families. The conversation quickly worked around to the Lord. It always does with Pat Day, Eclipse Award-winning jockey and proclaimer of the faith. My husband, Mike, and Pat became
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer A doe and her spotted fawn make their rounds daily behind my house. They start out beneath the apple tree on the west side, skirt around my fenced backyard, jump over a low stack of firewood, and end up under the pear tree on the
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
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “Why doesn’t God do something!” Have you ever heard (or asked) that question? I have, and most of the time it’s related to what I can see, which is a very limited perception. For example, when it comes to critters, if I don’t see evidence
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Isaiah 40:31 is a familiar verse to me, beautifully poetic about soaring on wings like eagles. It was an underlying theme in one of my novels, The Miracle Tree, and I’ve also written about it for Guideposts publications. But last week I saw the verse
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Grief breaks into our lives whether we are ready or not. Usually, we are not. But with God’s help, the broken pieces can be fit back together and made stronger. For Part 1 and Part 2 of this series on grief, see July 17, 2022,
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer We all meet grief at some point in our lives. There is no right, better, or perfect way to grieve, but sharing our experiences with others can help us in our own journey. For Part 1 of this 3-part series, click here. Part 2 During