Let every hindrance to joy become the soil out of which joy blossoms.

She thought about how it was so simple with animals. They gave their hearts without question or fear. They had no expectations. They were so easy to love. If people could only be like that, no one would ever be hurt, she thought. No one would ever need to learn how to forgive.

One of the greatest advantages of singleness is the potential for greater focus on Christ and accomplishing work for Him.

Model the qualities that you want your children to show to each other.

No matter what you do each day...or in life...doing things God's way is a matter of the heart.

I knew from the age of seven that I was meant to be a writer.

Be critical of but not brutal with your writing. If something isn't essential, get rid of it. Remember that good dialogue can serve a whole passel of purposes in your novel, and to overlook one of them is to overlook one of the tools of the craft. Like hitting a nail with a screwdriver, if you know what I mean.