I have watched several episodes of a television show in which brides choose their wedding dresses. Not surprisingly, many of them express that they want their dress to be modern, edgy, sexy, anything but “traditional”. Generally, they all have different ideas of what traditional means. In their efforts to break with tradition, none of them seem to consider that the marriage ceremony they crave is the oldest tradition of all. Though honestly, Adam and Eve had the most untradit

I’m sitting in my home office thinking about the blessings that God has bestowed on me just this year. It has been a rough year. With the death of my best friend in February, the storms that tore part of my roof off in April, and the many other disappointments and financial losses, I have plenty to be depressed about.   Then I look at the blessings. I have a loving family, a serving church, good health, and a God who loves me enough to die for me. That is what life is about,

Her mom’s tears were dripping on her neck when she noticed it. The grey, almost blue when touched by sunlight, handprint on the side of the car. It hadn’t been there before, and it couldn’t belong to either of them. It was too big. Its fingers spread far and wide along the side of the passenger door. It was cool out there in the mountain woodland. For her, this place always felt like the edge of the world. For her father, it might as well have been the only place left in the

If you ask my wife, she will say that I’m very patient with people. That’s a good thing, I guess, but I’m not patient while waiting, and waiting is the hard part. I know that we must wait for God’s timing and do our best not to rush things. I mean, if we look at history, rushing into something that God promised has never worked out. It’s always best to wait for His timing.    I’m working on it. I know that in His presence, the only time I have is the present. John C. Maxwell

The sight of it was comical. One you had to actually see to appreciate. With the sun reflecting off the curled and twisted brass, it just about resembled a small sun snaking through the water. It took the instrument a few tries to slide up the sand, but eventually it made it ashore where it rested close enough to touch his big toe all he had to do was reach out for it.   It was a peculiar find. Unexpected, if not incredibly unlikely. Of all things, the ocean had rejected a so

Memories are odd things. They rise from the mists of our minds, often not summoned, triggered by some outside stimuli. Some are like sunshine, bringing a smile and warm fuzzies to our souls. Some are old scars, rent open, feeling fresh and raw. It happens to everyone at some point. But for a writer, at least for me, they in turn become fodder for stories; a fresh twist to a plot, a deeper look into the inner workings of a character, settings - I could rattle off a host of use

As a veteran, I can truly say God has been active in my life through all of it. Though I may not have known him, He was definitely answering momma’s prayers during my time of service. It wouldn’t be until later, much later, that I realized just how much He longed to have a relationship with me. Looking back at all the trouble I could have been or the pain I could have suffered, it makes me praise Him even more that He sought me out.   That’s why I decided to share my thoughts

As the minutes slowly ticked by, the old man stood in absolute silence. As always, standing proudly as he had done many times before. Perhaps too many for anyone else to remember, but he remembered every occasion.   Those who stood with him also remembered, because every year they stood with him. They remembered also all of those who could no longer stand with them, the hardships that they had endured, and the good times that they had shared. Each one of them still clearly et

Hey everyone, this is Carey McKinney coming from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky. I really love to share my love of Jesus with everyone, but more importantly, His love for each one of us. When I was young, I loved to read fiction and doing so, felt drawn to writing myself. I wrote a few short stories before my first book A Dose of Light in a World of Darkness was published. Those stories have disappeared through the years, and probably for good reasons. My life changed one ni

Rush your story, lose the plot.   There comes a time with every book that I write where I grow tired of my own story and how long it is taking to get to the meat of it, the real action, or the end. With each uptick on the word count at the bottom of my computer screen, I am agonizingly aware that I am nowhere near finished. There is so much more that is needed to round out the story well. The crazed side of my brain wants to rush to the finish line, regardless of the necessar

The sword was neatly tucked away, strewn with autumn leaves and unread ancient tomes. It had been lost, now only a useless trinket without a name. No one remembered its tale. No one remembered its glory. No one remembered the blade at all.   Its home stood beneath an ancient witchwood tree, its keeper long dead. His bones collected dust within a shadowed corner, the hollowed sockets of his skull bereft of coal gray eyes, and yet these old bones watched and waited. After so ma

I don’t look the part now, but in my youth, I was a competitive swimmer. The thin body is long gone; technique is faded into the haze....

Val couldn’t deny that she was a bit apprehensive about having a CT scan done but that was only because it was a new experience for her....

He was there again tonight. He was there every night. The little man waiting beside the stairs, behind the banister, close to the wall,...

Janet Slo and Janice King met at the Walmart in Springfield, Missouri. Noting immediately that they could be identical twins, the two...

This is a question I have been asking myself for months, as I maneuver the treacherous ins and outs of writing a complex third...

A low growl came from the hallway, causing Sarah and her mother to momentarily freeze and stare at each other.   “He’s in the house!” her...

The wine bottle was empty now, smudged with the remnants of the cherry red lipstick that I’d put on just for this special occasion. I set...

It was just one of those nights. You know the kind. The nights when nothing felt right. We’d gone to bed almost two hours ago and I still...

In school, we were always taught about the outline and how important it is. The basics of writing anything with the beginning, middle,...