Keep Writing — We Need Your Voice by Bob Jones

 

“Pastor Bob, keep writing about these issues. We need your voice.”

That one simple sentence was enough to breathe fresh wind into my sails. It encouraged me, stimulated me, and reminded me why I write.

Because I know what a single word of affirmation can do, I’m intentional about encouraging other writers too.

Encouraged

We hadn’t seen each other in over fifteen years. I was their pastor when they moved to South Africa for medically related humanitarian work. Recently, they returned to Edmonton, and we set up a coffee date.

We share many values and perspectives that sometimes leave us on the margins of our faith communities. Over coffee, we spoke honestly about the cost of those convictions—the price of speaking up, of advocating for others.

Then they said something that made me pause:

“Pastor Bob, keep writing about these issues. We need your voice.”

I was deeply moved. Knowing that my writing had offered support and encouragement to someone doing hard things reminded me that words really can make a difference.

At times, the pushback to my writing has been louder than the praise. But that one comment—from someone I love and respect—was enough to keep me going.

Stimulated

God often draws my attention to people on the margins and the challenges they face. I write to understand, to give voice, and to celebrate those who advocate for others.

When I listen long enough, stories emerge—stories that invite empathy, understanding, and hope.

Motivated

I launched REVwords in 2019 to communicate hope through stories of faith.

Most of my writing centres on mental health, resilience, and hope—with the occasional book or movie review thrown in.

Lately, I’ve been writing about the people I’ve met in Ukraine, the state of the Church, and issues like Christian nationalism, immigration, women’s leadership, and justice.

The Christian landscape of 2025 looks nothing like it did five years ago. Whether it’s the post-COVID ripple effect or the influence of alt-right politics, some expressions of Christianity have drifted far from the way of Jesus.

As Russell Moore recalled, when one pastor preached, “If someone strikes you, turn the other cheek,” a congregant shouted back, “Where did you get those liberal talking points?”

It’s a different world. And it’s never been more important to write truthfully—and graciously.

An Encouragement to Fellow Writers

It doesn’t take much to encourage a writer. I know—I am one.

A text.

A short comment on a post.

A one-line email from a reader who felt seen or understood.

That kind of feedback is fuel for the writer’s soul.

A writing friend recently messaged me, “Thanks for the encouragement to write. You’ve been very instrumental in my writing journey.”

And that—more than anything—is why I’ll keep writing and encouraging.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

Thank you for reading.

I always look forward to your feedback and connection.

O is for Onward! by Bob Jones

 

     Photo by Jon Tyson, Unsplash
 

I’ve been waiting fifteen months for March 2024, the Inscribe Writers month of O and O is for onward! It’s a one-word mantra for creatives. The six-letter word that I use half a dozen times a week.

Feel like quitting? Onward!

Discouraged? Onward!

Opened another rejection email? Onward!

Pages of prose that will never survive the final edit? Onward!

The Hebrews chapter twelve great cloud of witnesses employ a one-word cheer for the struggling. Onward!

Moving onward requires dedication and a habit of refusing to give up. Challenges are always a reminder of the promise of growth and improvement.

Just as one moment can bring despair, a moment can also be a new beginning. Onward!

The world was built to develop character. We can learn from the setbacks. Onward!

Instead of trying to make life perfect, make it an adventure. Onward!

Outside your comfort zone? Onward!

When we love something, emotion often drives our actions. This is the gift, and the challenge writers face every day. The content we dream of and craft from scratch is part of us and intensely personal. Our writing is our babies. Our lives. The highs are high, and the rewards can be thrilling. But the lows can break your heart. Writers must love what they do to such a degree that writing is worth sacrifice and, at times, pain. But doing anything else, we think, would be unimaginable. Onward!

When you start to think that things should be better this year, remember the valleys of the shadow of death you walked through to get you where you are. Onward!

When the going gets tough, put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Onward!

Own your moment.

Never give up.

Write your goals.

Act your way into feeling.

Reward your successes.

Determine to repeat.

Need a word for your day, month or year?

Onward!

Thank you for reading. I write at REVwords where I move onward every day.
 

N is for Ninja by Bob Jones

 

February is the month of N.

 

Ninja is a cool word that starts with N. That’s Ninja Bob in the image in his imagination.

 

One click of a search engine surfaced the notion that some people like to call themselves ninjas for doing anything well. Did you know that there is such a thing as a Ninja Writer?

 

A Ninja Writer is a writer who writes well.

 

I want to be a Ninja Writer. I am a Ninja Writer.

 

A Ninja Writer is a writer who gets better with every draft.

 

A Ninja Writer is a writer who reads.

A Ninja Writer is a writer who writes poems, posts, and publications all the way through to the end.

 

A Ninja Writer understands how to tighten loose sentences.

 

A Ninja Writer sharpens blurred sentences.

 

A Ninja Writer brings rhythm to sentences that don't flow well.

 

A Ninja Writer is a writer who acts now, does not make excuses and forgives themselves and starts again when they fail to act or makes excuses.

 

A Ninja Writer is a writer who stays focused and committed to realizing a vision.

 

What kind of Ninja are you?

Thank you for reading!

Ninja Bob writes at REVwords where he fearlessly pursues improvement every day.

I is for Internet by Bob Jones

Have you ever wondered what the “i” in iPhone, iMac, iPad or in the 20 other Apple products stands for?

May 6, 1998, when Steve Jobs launched the iMac, he talked about the story behind the name. "iMac comes from the marriage of the excitement of the internet with the simplicity of the Macintosh. We are targeting this for the number one use that consumers tell us they want a computer for, which is to get on the internet---simply and fast."

Apple Anyone?

Perhaps you can tell I’m an Apple guy. Don’t hold that against me. And I’m a fan of the “information superhighway.” The internet changed the way I write because it changed the way I read. How about you?

Thanks to specific software like Grammarly, I no longer need to be a good speller and know all the rules of punctuation. My computer, tablet, and smartphone hold me by the hand and autocorrect my mistakes. Most times that works out well. And then there is online style. In attempting to convey tone of voice have you used the online friendly ALL CAPS or worddd lengthennning?

There are two other outstanding benefits of the internet for me.

1. Writers are connecting with a real time audience.

Writing no longer happens in a void. Because of the internet, other people are reading, and often responding instantly. Readers comment, like, share, quote, re-post, and purchase content in real time.

Readers on this blog are good at responding with appreciative comments about a post within 18 hours of posting. That's what community is all about.

Making use of online word processors like Google Docs allows for editing and collaboration on a global scale.

2. Fingertip Knowledge

Curtis Bonk in his book, The World is Open, points out the benefits of “fingertip knowledge.” (The ability to access huge stores of digital information rapidly.) He points out that lifelong learning dreams discussed decade after decade in the twentieth century are being realized in the twenty-first century. It’s much easier to find appropriate examples or verify facts.

That’s how I sourced the Steve Jobs quote in this post. As a 1970’s University student looking for a similar quote, I would have been forced to take a bus to campus, walk to the library, search on microfiche, write down the quote and then ride the bus home. Hours then, minutes now.

The internet, like every other human innovation, comes with liabilities but the benefits of an iWorld outweigh the dangers.

How has the interest influenced your world and your writing? 

 

The view of Inscribe from my iMac. 

Thank you for reading and commenting and being a part of this digital community.

Bob Jones

Finding Your Mojo at Midpoint by Bob Jones

 

What do you do when you’re halfway to your goal and you’ve lost your mojo? 

 

It was a Saturday afternoon in October 2007. Niagara Falls, Ontario. My wife and I had been running for our lives. Or at least our dream. We were sidelined on the curb of an unfamiliar street among a group of strangers

 

It was our first marathon. We were two km’s past halfway. The start was invigorating, setting out with thousands of runners and a shared dream of becoming finishers. The first 23 kms breezed by. However, ten months of endurance training wasn’t enough to prevent an injury. The IT band in my right leg gave out. There were 19 km ahead of us and my leg wouldn’t let me run more than 70 metres without cramping up.

 

 

The Choice

 

Isn’t it true that the work you love doesn’t feel like work at the start of a project? You possess more than enough energy born of enthusiasm and expectations of a successful outcome. Your confidence is energized by a quick start. You get traction.

 

But then comes the middle. Frustration steps in, you lose momentum, and finishing your project is all too quickly in jeopardy. What do you do?  The key treatment for IT band syndrome is to rest from the activity that is causing the pain. What do you do if rest isn’t an option? You have a deadline to meet or a finish line to cross.

 

You face a choice. Do you give in or press on?

 

Important work of any nature, including writing, is more like a marathon than a sprint. You need stamina not speed.

 

As I tried to massage some heat into my leg, Jocelyn and I remembered a lesson God taught us 28 years earlier.

 

Finishers

 

We were in the middle of our first ministry assignment. Discouraged. Disillusioned. Done. We quit. No one blamed us, but we knew we were better than that. We learned then that its always too soon to quit.

 

Finishing a marathon was important work and we weren’t quitters. So, we started a rhythm. Run 70 metres. Stop. Massage. “It’s too soon to quit.” Run 70 metres. Stop. Massage. “It’s too soon to quit.” We have the medals to prove we are finishers. And we learned that ALL marathoners breakdown, suffer injuries, and feel like quitting at some time. Loss of mojo comes with the territory.

 

The Secret

 

Here’s the secret: the decision to finish any project is made for you before you start. When you settle on never quitting on important work, you’ll find the mojo to keep going when your momentum is gone. Pause. Embrace the pain. Start again. And again. Finish.

 

Writing this post is illustrative of the secret. I wrote it. Didn’t like it. Made some edits. Liked it even less. Lost momentum. Frustrated. Despaired that I could produce anything readable. Felt like quitting. Wrote a bit more. And some more. Now you’re reading it. Thank you.

 

Many people react emotionally to frustration, or setbacks. Successful people respond strategically.

 

You don’t have to do everything alone, so don’t be afraid to ask for help or support if you need it. Often, just sharing your burdens can be the biggest boost in getting your mojo back.

Bob writes to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.

You can follow his writing at REVwords.com

He would love to hear from you.

How Ordinary Moments Have Extraordinary Outcomes by Bob Jones

 

I’m thinking about editors.

 

You know, the gatekeepers of the printed page. What comes to mind when you think about magazine editors? Rejection? That means you likely wrote and submitted a few unsolicited pieces that didn’t make the grade. Editors bring to mind my defining moment as a writer.

In 1983 Rev. Bob Skinner was appointed editor of The Testimony magazine, the voice of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Bob had an illustrious career in Africa overseeing a publishing company. He was determined to produce a magazine that was professionally designed and meticulously edited. I was a rookie PAOC pastor and fledgling writer.

 

Back in the good ol’ days of the early 80’s, writers like me printed and snail mailed their submissions to editors and publishers. Then we waited for the next edition to see if our piece made the grade. All my previous submissions to the Testimony went unpublished. You can imagine how pleasantly shocked I was when the March 1984 edition contained my article on battling addiction. Bob gave me a shot. He wrote encouraging me to submit more pieces. I was good enough to write for a national magazine with 80,000 subscribers.

 

We don’t remember days. We remember moments.

 

Biblical writers offer a definition of moments beyond the mere sequencing of events; the ancients speak of "kairos." In his book, Life-Defining Moments, James Emery White defines a kairos moment as "time filled with opportunity.”

 

Lisa McMann is the creator of The Unwanteds and The Unwanteds Quests series for young readers and the WAKE trilogy for young adults. She had one of those defining moments in the fourth grade when her teacher said the story she wrote was the best in the class, and therefore she would be going to the Young Authors Conference where she'd get to hang out with authors all day. She was a writer!

 

J. K. Rowling sold over half a billion books. Her first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was rejected by over a dozen publishers. Finally, a small British publisher, Bloomsbury, said yes. Bloomsbury saw the potential of the book because the chairman of the publishing house gave the first chapter to his then 8-year-old daughter, Alice, to read. Upon finishing, she immediately demanded the rest of the book. And Harry Potter became a part of the culture.

 

Rejected by 27 publishers, Dr Seuss was on his way home to burn his manuscript when he ran into an old school acquaintance. When asked what he was carrying Seuss replied “a book no one will publish. I’m lugging it home to burn”. The acquaintance, an editor of children’s books, insisted on seeing it. The book, On Mulberry Street, was published to rave reviews. Dr Seuss went on to write over 60 children’s books. Seuss would say later of the fortuitous meeting, “If I'd been going down the other side of Madison Avenue, I'd be in the dry-cleaning business today.”

John Grisham took three years to complete his first book, A Time to Kill. The book was rejected by 28 publishers before Wynwood Press, an unknown publisher, agreed to give it a modest 5,000-copy printing. Grisham has since sold 300 million copies over the last 30 years.

 

 According to Chip and Dan Heath, authors of, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact:

 

“Defining moments shape our lives, but we don’t have to wait for them to happen. We can be the authors of them.” And you can author them for others.

 

Who's story will your name appear in as the author of their defining moment?

 

  I write to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.

Please follow my writing at REVwords.com

I would love to hear from you.

 

AH FREEDOM MOMENTS by Joylene M Bailey

Image by Shad0wfall from Pixabay 

My first introduction to Inscribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship was at a Fall Conference many years ago. 

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting about these people. Frazzle-haired intellectuals wandering around muttering to themselves as they scribbled in notebooks? Impeccably dressed socialites gathered in small groups, name-dropping and talking about their latest book awards?

“Dahling, I spoke to Joanne yesterday – you know, Rowling? She’s coming to my fete on Friday next. Everyone will be there. Stephen King said he’d pop in for a minute or two, and Robert Munsch, of course. You should come.”

Imagine, if you will, me walking into that first assembly hall and finding, to my surprise, that ICWF people were … regular people. In fact, I couldn’t distinguish them from any other people I knew. They dressed like regular people, combed their hair like respectable persons would, and conversed in regular language that one didn’t need a dictionary to decipher. They even talked to me.

Huh, well whaddaya know? These writers are regular people.

It was a wonderfully enlightening moment. But there are two other moments in my interactions with InScribe that far outweigh all the rest, because they shifted my atmosphere. 

First moment: Don’t remember the Who, the When, or the Where. But the What was the Who who said, If you write, then you’re a writer. 

Seven words. That’s all it took. It was the confirmation I’d been looking for, for many many years. Permission to call myself a writer! Even though I'd never been published.

Second moment: In my mind's eye, I can see the Who but don’t remember his name. The Where was a WorDshop in Calgary. The When is fuzzy. 

The What was a workshop where the Who was telling us about the experience of writing his __th novel; how he never knew where his story was going, being an intuitive writer, but this time an important character just got up and left the story three-quarters of the way through, and never came back.

I sat there stunned at three of his words: an intuitive writer. 

That’s how I write! It must be okay. 

Until that point, I’d been ashamed to admit that I seldom work from an outline. I sometimes have a rough idea of where I’m heading but basically the story unfolds as it unfolds. At last, affirmation that the way I wrote was a legitimate way of writing.

These two moments, Confirmation and Affirmation, were AH moments for me. 

Not the OH! of surprise, or the AHA! of Eureka, but a relieving sigh. The release of pent-up anxiety I’d been carrying, over something I loved and couldn’t seem to quit doing – writing! 

Ahhh.

Since then, I’ve had a freedom in my writing that I’d never experienced before those moments. 

Yes, InScribe is to me all the things mentioned in previous posts: Community, Encouragement, Training, Networking, Friendships, Fun... But more than anything, I’m grateful for the two moments that forever shifted my atmosphere.

~~~~~

Joy is a regular person who manages to keep her hair combed most of the time. Except when she's close to a deadline. She doesn't know J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, or Robert Munsch personally but enjoys their work very much. She writes from a tiny cluttered study in the home she shares with The Cowboy and Babe, Jubal the Snowman, Reggie his pet reindeer, and his friend Beverly Mouse, who is afraid of almost everything. 

Find more of her writing at Scraps of Joy.

Shadows Cast by Light - Marnie Pohlmann

 

Shadows. I picture the scene in Peter Pan where Wendy sews Peter’s shadow onto his heels. While we enjoy the story of these lost boys, some who look for deeper meanings say Peter’s shadow represents the physical part of Peter, a child who died young so will never grow up. Peter is the spirit and the shadow symbolizes the physical boy because only physical matter casts a shadow.

The wind does not have a shadow. Clouds blown by the wind may cast a shadow, but clouds also have specks of matter in them. Yet we do not see shadows on cloudy days. Shadows can be seen only when light is cast onto something physical.

Projecting this into the Christian realm, mightn’t we be shadows? We are physical. We are a representative of an unseen Spirit. So, when the Spirit’s light shines, does it not cause us to show His unseen Spirit, like a shadow? Is the purpose of a shadow to make the unseen, seen?

I have had shadows influence my life. Some have been scary. But shadows who have influenced my writing style, my voice, and my desire to write, while intimidating, are not scary. Let me tell you about some.

As I post this blog, we are in the middle of the Inscribe (Virtual) Fall Conference. Did you think I was going to say we are in a pandemic called COVID? We are in that, as well, which is the reason our Fall Conference changed from in-person to virtual. I hope you have been able to take in some of the Conference. It has been spectacular. Meeting with Christian writers from across the country is priceless. Many writers from Inscribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship have been my mentors.

I first heard about Inscribe at a poetry workshop in the small town of Big River, Saskatchewan. I didn’t realize at the time how impacting that workshop would be in my life. Has God ever put you in isolation so He could do something big in your life?

When we moved from Big River to Saskatoon, I took a huge risk and called the local Inscribe group to find out how to join them. Linda Hall was the leader then, and it was in that group where I met Janice Dick, Joy Bailey, Sheri Hathaway, and others. They allowed me to believe I could write for fun, never needing to share my writing. God was pushing me into His will.

One year I was able to go to Conference in Edmonton. Sheila Webster phoned me before Conference to invite me to share at the author's reading. I felt I not only had nothing to share, but I was also intimidated by these published authors who treated me like I was a writer, too.

The president the year I went to Conference was Marcia Laycock. She may not remember, but she spoke with me that weekend. The President! Spoke to me! I knew God had placed Inscribe into my life as a billboard. Don’t we always want a sign?

When we left Saskatoon to return to northern BC, I missed meeting with Christian writers. Again, I took a risk and “put out there” in our new home that I was hosting a local Inscribe Christian writers’ group. Shortly after, Tracy Krauss and her husband dropped in at our church. This prolific writer who makes publishing seem a simple task is now our President. Her visit was the encouragement I needed to maintain my membership with Inscribe.

Tracy invited me (challenged is a better word) to post in the Inscribe Writers’ Online blog - every month. I had never been that consistent in writing except in my journals. I had not shared much of my writing where strangers could read. But I took that opportunity and continue to post in this blog.

One summer evening in Barkerville for a wedding, Wally and I were staying at a bed and breakfast. Wally was ill, so I put on his “social” hat. His hat doesn’t fit me well, but I went down for evening tea. As I chatted with a couple, they asked polite questions. I answered vaguely. Then I boldly stated, “I’m a writer.” Terry, the more outgoing of the couple, immediately said, “so is Alan!” I apologetically clarified I only posted on a Christian writers’ blog. Alan Anderson and I then realized we were speaking with a fellow Inscriber. The Spirit shines through this compassionate couple, but there was no mistaking the mallet God used in this “chance encounter” to push me further along this path of words.

Ruth Snyder, then President of Inscribe, encouraged me to help. She introduced me to what goes on behind the scenes to keep Inscribe running. When I met Bobbi Junior I immediately loved her. This spunky woman worked full-time, had health issues, and volunteered many hours. She was Inscribe's treasurer, mainstay, and problem-solver. During all that, she still published two books. The executive team mentors all around them, with God's light shining brightly to reveal their faith-filled shadows.

So many other Inscribe members have been and continue to be my mentors. I find Inscribe writers are faithful to God and to their writing projects. The group inspires me to continue to develop as a writer.

Scripture says, “But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.” (1 John 2:27 NLT) 

Yes, the Spirit of God teaches me. Sometimes He does so by shining His light through mentors who cast His shadow on me.

Do you feel God's light directing His shadow onto your writing? Is His shadow nipping at your heels to be sewn into your writing life? Inscribe is a fellowship of writers who allow God to be their shadow.

Marnie writes from northern BC. 
God continues to cast His shadow onto her life while she walks with Him and grows as a writer.

Lynn without an "e" by Lynn Dove

When I was a little girl I had a lot of trouble fitting in.  I was a bit geeky looking and bit my nails to the quick.  I wasn't a social butterfly, and did not make friends easily.  I was a people pleaser, still am to some extent, so I followed along with the herd mentality of the time, even if I didn't agree with the "herd".  I had a wild imagination that I allowed to run wild on paper, so I became known as a "story teller" in elementary school.  I loved to write grand adventures, and used as my characters all the students in my class, including teachers (who oftentimes were depicted as villains).  Everyone enjoyed hearing their name mentioned in my stories, and so I gained notoriety and some vain enjoyment in being the centre of attention for a little when I would read aloud my stories in class.  My teachers encouraged my writing, perhaps seeing some potential in me that was otherwise lacking in other subject areas at school.  

When I was a teenager, I continued to write and enjoyed writing satirical articles for the local community paper and our school newspaper.  Again, it allowed me an opportunity to express my thoughts and opinions that I could not voice in person.  Most often people agreed with my stance, but occasionally someone would oppose my view, and I took their criticism personally and would retreat to my "corner", unable to write for weeks.  I still have difficulty having my writing critiqued.  Although I no longer take it as a personal affront, I still do not like to read negative reviews.  I step out of my comfort zone each and every time I enter a writing competition because I am so nervous about what judges may say about my writing.  Yet, I also enjoy honing my craft, so I have learned to accept and learn from constructive criticism, but it has taken years to overcome my fear of critical evaluation.

I was an avid reader from a very young age, disappearing whole-heartedly into a book, where I lived, breathed and took on the persona of the main character.  It was like being teleported to a new plane of reality for me every time I immersed myself in a book.  I can remember the first time I went into our school library in grade one and signed out my first chapter book.  THAT book changed my life, and in some ways is partially responsible for the career trajectory I took in becoming a teacher and a writer.

I would never presume to think my writing comparable to this incomparable writer, but it would behoove me to say that throughout my life her books have greatly inspired and influenced my own writing.  I do not feel this author's "presence" when I write; I have no belief in that whatsoever.  However, there are many times when I write, that I will challenge myself to emulate this author's capacity to write predominantly from personal experience.  The first time I read "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery, I knew I wanted to write novels geared towards youth and young adults, but would also captivate the attention of readers of all ages.  Montgomery's headstrong, young heroine, Anne imprinted herself on my heart. I related to Anne in so many, many ways.  She was geeky too, but had a wild imagination like myself.  Like Anne, I was constantly correcting people how to spell my first name: Lynn without an "e" please!  Anne wrote articles and stories and became a teacher, and reading about her adventures as a writer and teacher, fostered a longing in me to have the same kinds of adventures.  Of course, as I got older and continued to read other novels written by L.M. Montgomery, I became more and more enamored and impressed with the strong, heroines she wrote about in her books.  Over many years, I have compiled the complete "Anne" collection, as well as add twenty or so more books written by Lucy Maud Montgomery.  

L.M. Montgomery depicts women as strong individuals who follow their dreams despite trying circumstances.  Again, I relate so well to these women.  My life in general has been a series of overcoming challenging situations.  Like me, those heroines have made their share of mistakes, but they challenge themselves and others to forge ahead despite what they may face.  They are humourous, they take risks, they are unstoppable, and that gives them credibility in my eyes.  I also enjoy how faith is interwoven throughout Montgomery's books.  She is not preachy, allowing the reader to surmise how and from Whom her heroines gain their strength.  

Another attribute I applaud in the way Montgomery builds her characters, is the real attention to detail.  Her characters are so believable that the reader develops a close affinity with them.  Anne became my lifelong friend as a young reader!  I cared about what happened to her in each book.  Long after the last page was turned, I wanted to learn more about her. I remember memorizing the poem "The Highwayman" because Anne did!  In every Language Arts class I have taught in junior high, I have taken special pleasure in introducing my students to that epic poem, regardless whether or not it was on the school's curriculum outline.  

When I started to write my first novel, I was very mindful about character development, especially depicting my heroines to be strong, confident individuals, yet be vulnerable as well.  I wanted them to have teachable spirits. I believe that L.M. Montgomery would have approved of my efforts.  

Perhaps one of the most important lessons I learned after reading "Anne of Green Gables", was embedded in a line that Anne spoke: "Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it."  I can't help but think that L.M. Montgomery may have had this Bible Verse in mind when she penned that line. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases: his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

My writing and daily living is wrapped up in that philosophy.  

Lynn Dove is the award-winning author, of the YA “Wounded Trilogy”- a contemporary Christian fiction series with coming-of-age themes.  A wife, mom, grandmother, and free-lance writer with articles published in several magazines and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her blog, “Journey Thoughts” is a Canadian Christian Writing Award winner.  Readers may connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and at lynndove.com