by Valerie Murray | Feb 22, 2019 | Blog, Book Reviews, Faith |
Whispers and Wildflowers by Sarah Beth Marr will take you on a 30-day retreat to draw closer to God. Each devotion reflects a gardening theme for your heart. If the busyness of life is stressing you out, this devotional will help you find spiritual rest. This book...
by Valerie Murray | Feb 19, 2019 | Blog, Facing Fear, Faith |
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” Timothy 2:13 I left the conference a few hours early. My dreams felt poked by a pin, slowly deflating any hope I had to write. Critique appointments were helpful, but edits had me doubting my...
by Valerie Murray | Feb 8, 2019 | Blog, Facing Fear, Faith |
My 15-year-old did something brave last week. She auditioned for the school play, Into the Woods. I stopped my chores and listened to her while she practiced at home. My ears didn’t hurt. In fact, it was enjoyable. I heard potential. Maybe she was even good?I coached...
by Valerie Murray | Jan 22, 2019 | Blog, Facing Fear, Faith |
During the opening session at the West Coast Christian Writers Conference, we were asked to stand up and say to the person next to us, “I am a writer.” It was then I realized I wasn’t the only one who struggled to call myself a writer. Almost everyone I met battled...
by Valerie Murray | Jan 20, 2019 | Blog, Book Reviews, Faith |
**This post contains affiliate links. I ran to my mailbox when I saw pictures of my friends holding a journal and a manifesto they received from hope*WRITERS. I wasn’t sure if all members received the gift, but of course, we did. Why I love hope*WRITERS! The hosts,...
by Valerie Murray | Jan 18, 2019 | Blog, Book Reviews, Facing Fear, Faith |
In True You: Letting Go of Your False Self to Uncover the Person God Created, Michelle DeRusha prunes open her soul through quiet reflection and discovers a deeper relationship with God. She comes to peace with her authentic self and learns to embrace her unique...
by Valerie Murray | Jan 14, 2019 | Book Reviews, Facing Fear, Faith |
When Amber Garza’s health continued to decline, she began to spiral into a life of fear, depression and anxiety. After enduring unexplained illness for a year, gallbladder surgery and then a C-Diff infection, she felt like she was going to die. Amber’s memoir, Peace...
by Valerie Murray | Dec 7, 2018 | Blog, Christmas, Faith |
Sometimes God reminds me of His presence when I least expect it. Last week at Walmart, I backed out of my parking spot at the same time as someone else. It wasn’t a big deal; no one was hurt. But I had my four kids with me and was flustered trying to remember what...
by Valerie Murray | Nov 30, 2018 | Blog, Book Reviews, Christmas, Faith |
I saw the movie, A Case For Christ with my family last year. We loved it! While trying to disprove the newfound faith of his wife, the award-winning journalist, Lee Strobel, ends up becoming a Christian. He is now a Christian apologist and has written many books about...
by Valerie Murray | Nov 9, 2018 | Blog, Book Reviews, Faith, Parenting |
Lori Schumaker is one of the first bloggers I made a heart-to-heart connection with. We became friends by commenting on one another’s blogs. Our paths continued to cross on the internet and she became a member of the close-knit blogging/prayer group I’m in. When she...
Hello there! I'm Valerie, a mom of four and wife of 27 years. My writing inspires others to cultivate courageous faith and find solace in trusting God, especially in moments of fear and uncertainty. Join me on this adventure as we explore the beauty of trusting God when we are afraid. 
