Has Your Daily Routine Become a Substitute for Jesus?

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Our lives can easily slip into a routine that substitutes Jesus-driven devotion for performance-driven actions. We don’t intend for worldly concerns to take our Lord’s place. Priorities hammer our schedules, and we slip into what others expect of us. We go through our quiet times and church activities as before, but our mindset changes. The transition …

The Wings of Poppy Pendleton

DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Guest Post By Melanie Dobson @MelanieDobson  When I began writing The Wings of Poppy Pendleton, I traveled to my setting in New York to explore the mysterious Thousand Islands and tour its Gilded Age castles. Since one of my main characters—a hard-working man named Cade—was an island caretaker for about seventy years, I wanted to learn everything …

Dear World, You Make Me So Uncomfortable – (Winners Announced!)

DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Guest Blogger: Lori Roeleveld @LoriRoeleveld Dear World, I have a confession to make. Many of you people make me uncomfortable. It’s true. But, I try hard to hide it for a million reasons. Reason one: I don’t see Jesus ever being uncomfortable – ever. Read the gospels. He walked through this world like He owned it. (Okay, He did, but …

Walking in Integrity

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills What does integrity mean to you? The dictionary offers several clues as to what the word means: moral, sound principles, honest, righteous, incorruptible, and the list goes on. Perhaps a few names came to mind, like many righteous people in the Bible, historical figures, a family member, a friend, or someone who highlights the news by …

They Became Strong in Battle

DiAnn Mills @ DiAnnMills By Guest Blogger Debbie Wilson @DebbieWilson DiAnn Mills’ romantic suspense books always weave high-stakes drama with characters you cheer for. Did you know Bible stories do too? When I started writing on the men and women in Hebrews 11, I realized their stories were too rich to skim over in one book. As I considered the themes, …

10 Reasons to Rest and Relax

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Do you feel guilty about taking a break to rest and relax? Sometimes I fall into that pit. My thoughts tell me stepping back from the day-to-day stress is wrong, as though life will ding me for not keeping to my schedule. Should we take time to be free from our obligations and responsibilities? Enjoy a …

Life Happens – and Sometimes It’s Funny

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Most of us wander through life and occasionally something humorous happens. The memory of the event brings a smile to our lips . . . maybe a giggle. One of those funny happenings met me recently on a flight from Houston to Greenville, North Carolina. The hour grew late when I boarded the plane, and I’d …

The Walk To the Cross

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Holy Week commemorates Jesus’ walk to the cross. Although a handful of His followers were with Him, none knew what was ahead. They professed to love Jesus and even die with him. But when their lives were threatened, many abandoned Him. I’ve often wondered if I’d have had the courage to stay during His trial, flogging, …

What Does Hope Mean to You?

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Hope is as much a part of our lives as breathing. We thrive on a better tomorrow and long for a spark of optimism in a world that appears to have turned upside down. Your hopes, dreams, and aspirations are not the same as mine, but that doesn’t change the importance. In our still moments, we …

Raising the Bar on Christian Fiction

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Have you ever heard a reader say they didn’t read Christian fiction because of poor writing? Either the characterization, plot, dialogue, setting, emotion, or description disappointed them. Professional writers always evaluate their craft to raise the bar and attract readers to an outstanding story. Some Christians write for the Christian market, and others write for the …