Christian, what if I told you that you are already in Heaven—that you don’t have to wait until you pass from this life to go there? I understand if your brain is going tilt-tilt right now. Mine did too when I first heard this sounds-too-good-to-be-true news. But then again, the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ […]
Motley Musings
Our Mountain Celebration
Last month, my man and I celebrated twenty years of marriage. I posted a tribute to him on that day, sharing our match-made-in-Heaven love story. And that post, hands down, got almost three times more traffic than my most popular post to date! Those stats reminded me of something important. Most readers enjoy it when […]
Are You the Ideal Candidate for My Launch Team?
No man (or woman) is an island. My efforts alone will not get my book into the hands of every believer in Christ who longs to enjoy a richer love relationship with Him. Are you one of those believers? If so, you might be the ideal candidate for my debut book launch team. I’ve got […]
Don’t Throw in the Towel!
Have you ever felt like a featherweight in this boxing match called life? Are you being pounded by a daunting heavyweight opponent, also known as the pain and suffering that come from living in this fallen world? If so, you don’t want to miss this post on the message in “We Win,” the seventh track on […]
Bye-Bye Lies!
The first time I heard “Hello Beautiful,” the sixth track on MercyMe’s album Lifer was in the spring of 2017. I had my earbuds in while I was walking around my neighborhood savoring the emergence of new life in its vibrant shades of green. The song right before it was “Even If,” Lifer‘s debut, award-winning single. (I […]
This Man of Mine
He’s my best friend on this earth, my truth-teller when I’m whiny, and my hard-working-so-I-can-stay-home-and-write cowboy. Today’s post is a tribute to my husband of twenty years (July 19, 1997), Steven Dean Francis. Two decades of marriage may not seem like much to most people, but it is nothing short of miraculous for me. My […]
Because Life Ain’t Always Pretty
MercyMe’s debut single, “Even If,” from their album Lifer has enjoyed sweet success since its release in February 2017. This hit song dominated the Billboard and radio charts with a 19-week streak at No. 1, received a 2018 GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, earned a nomination for Top Christian Song by the 2018 American Billboard […]
Have You Ever Been Kissed Awake?
Have you ever been kissed awake? This question might remind you of the sweet, memorable line by little Pattie-Cake Spencer in the 1963 film, Spencer’s Mountain. (The Waltons was a spin-off from this movie.) Her oldest brother, Clayboy, has come upstairs to wake her up, but she doesn’t want to get out of bed yet. […]
Have You Heard the Best News Ever?
If you are one of many redeemed saints who can thankfully and enthusiastically shout to Jesus, “You Found Me!” then “Grace Got You,” and you are now a “Lifer” in Him. And if that’s the case, it all started when you heard and responded to the “Best News Ever“—the gospel of grace in Christ Jesus. […]
Has Grace Got You?
If grace is a party, there’s no doubt in my mind that MercyMe’s 2017 album, Lifer, will be chosen as the official background music for it. It’s not at all hard for me to imagine Jesus, the saints who have gone before me, and a heavenly choir of angels celebrating up a storm to this […]
