Living Graciously Magazine March 2023

ISSUE 1, MARCH 2023

LIVING GRACIOUSLY

MAGAZINE

PRAY HARD STAY POSITIVE

THINK FAITHFULLY

LIVING GRACIOUSLY

CONTENTS

THE MASKS WE WEAR

INTERVIEW WITH POET DOMINIQUE M.

15

POETRY

01 03 13 25 27

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR MAUREEN MYERS KOEPPEL

SNEDEKER

THE LIGHTHOUSE BY JEANNE MILLER

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROGUE PRIEST

THE MASKS WE WEAR

By Author Anoymous

I greeted a friend of mine last night and asked him how he was doing. He said, “I’m not doing very well I’m sorry I just can’t say everything is fine, because everything isn’t fine.” I told him that it was okay that he wasn’t doing fine and I was glad he was honest with me. Sometimes it is easier to mask how we are really doing. Sometimes the mask has to come off.

This conversation made me think about all the masks we wear. We wear masks at our job. We try to hide our imperfections. We pretend we don’t have problems at home. We pretend we are more confident in our position than we really are.

We wear masks with our friends We mask the debt we’ve incurred to pay for a lifestyle we can’t afford. We mask our insecurities. We pretend to be closer to certain friends than we really are so that they can help us achieve our goals or ambitions.

We wear masks at church. We argue all the way to Sunday service and paint on a smile on our way in. We pretend to be more spiritual, more put together, more mature in our faith than we really are. We fear that if anyone knew the real us, they would think less of us…so we mask our brokenness.

We wear masks at home. We pretend things are okay in our marriage when there is distance. We say nothing is wrong when our feelings are truly hurt. We don’t necessarily lie to our spouse; we just shade part of the truth. We don’t feel comfortable being our true self with our spouse because we are afraid of judgment or ridicule.

The thing about masks is that they never bring us closer to who we were created to be. Masks always make shallow what God has intended to be deep. Friendships. Marriages. Families. Churches. Everything in our lives get cheated when we choose to be fake.

It takes courage to live with no masks. What would happen if we stopped apologizing for being honest with each other and started expecting and accepting authenticity? What if mask wearing were a thing of the past in your life?

How would your friendships be different?

How would your marriage be different?

How would your relationship with God be different?

INTERVIEW WITH DOMINIQUE M. SNEDEKER

This Fabulous poet is the author of 3 books of poetry, Motherhood: The Crucicble of Love, cold. Untamed Beauty, and Motherhood: Empire of Lost Toys and Mismatched Socks

Tell us about yourself!

I am a Christian, stay-at-home mother of three boys (ages 2, 7, 9), wife to an Air Force retiree as of April, 2023, an Air Force veteran myself, and Division I athlete back in the day. I only mention those last two things to remind myself that I was a person, once, before the children. I love to cook although my children eat air and noodles with salt, but if they did eat, I would make three course meals every day. That’s my second life. I’m a chef in my pretend world.

Why did you start writing?

I started writing as a child, but really got after it when my first-grade teacher offered us a prize out of the cabinet for every book we made. Done! I exchanged wobbly lettered stories about…maybe recess? for Lisa Frank erasers, pencils, and stickers. I was hooked. I write now to figure out what I’m thinking. Writing is soothing. It brings clarity. I am addicted to it. I have no idea if I’m good at it, but I secretly love to read what I’ve written.

I exchanged wobbly lettered stories about...may be recess?

What genre is your favorite? And why?

I write poetry mostly because I’m strapped for time. I write after everyone is in bed from maybe 11pm till 1 or 2 am. Poetry gets to the point quickly, and I find I can explore my emotions and creativity without the limitations of plot or character continuity. I’d probably call everyone Johnson, oh wait I did, in an unrevealed secret novel hidden deep within my computer. Five characters are called Johnson. *head slap* That’s why I stick to poetry or if I’m lucky, personal essay. If I had a dedicated three or four hours writing in a row, I would probably write a lot more of those.

What was your faith life like growing up?

I asked Jesus into my heart as a threeyear-old. In kindergarten I experienced God while watching a slide show of a winter forest, and I was overcome with the creative beauty of it all. I knew, at that moment, God was so, so, so real. I felt the Holy Spirit tug my heart in eighth grade asking me, “So you going to give me your life, or what?” I was surprised God would talk like that, but as soon as I heard, like literally heard it, I was on my face weeping, answering yes.

God has been real to me in every part of my life, even in my rebellious moments 2 Timothy 1:12 says, “for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him[a] until the day of His return.” God brought me through some dark seasons. I’ve doubted, I’ve rebelled, I’ve run from Him, but in the end, I run myself right back into the loving arms of the Father

When we’ve truly given our lives to the Lord, He will bring us back to Himself through conviction and repentance. He restores relationship with Him. My story isn’t the story of the big sinner who had a huge conversion story, but the story of a young believer who took detours in her faith while trying to find the truth, and in so doing, found Him again. He has space for those who doubt and will be faithful to return those back to Himself.

For those who have never encountered the Love of the Father through Jesus and the affection of the Holy Spirit, He is so much more than a lot of religious rules and dos and do-nots. What we don’t know, anymore, as a culture, as a world, is that Jesus is searching for His lost sheep. He stands at the door of the heart and knock to offer us His light and life The frustrated, angry person feeling lonely is infinitely loved and cherished; the confused and hurting one is radically loved.

LIVING GRACIOUSLY

Friendship and peace with God was purchased for us by the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although there are standards God requires, there is the Holy Spirit to help us attain them. Once in relationship, He will never leave nor forsake us in our search for Truth, because He is the Truth. Anyone searching for Truth, will find Him in the end I hope that in everything I write, you can see His fingerprint or hear His heartbeat of love.

Does your faith inspire your writing?

Yes! Everything I put out there is designed to reflect something of God. I mostly write for a secular audience, but Jesus is in everything I do, or I hope so. I want to bring honor to God in my words and draw people to the love of Jesus.

I feel He delights in me while I write like I imagine parents do when their child begins to form letters with crayons

Zephaniah 3:17b (NIV) says, “He will take great delight in you; in his love He will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.” I think God is an active and creative Father and enjoys when people discover the gifts He’s given to us.

Tell us about a time you felt your faith calling you to write a specific piece that you have written.

I went through post-partum depression after my second child, and in the depths of my despair, the Lord found me. The rekindling of my relationship with Jesus really brought back the creativity I couldn’t find. There was a period when I felt the Holy Spirit give me poems/songs, both with words and with melodies, although I am no musician and don’t know what to do with that part. But the first poem I wrote in that series, “Old, Dry Bones,” was just an honest piece about where I was at the time, and I find that’s a really good place to start. When you’re honest with yourself and God then He can begin to correct you. He’s gentle and kind and did a lot in my heart through the creative process.

If you’re struggling with something, writing is always a good place to start I turn a lot of my writing sessions into prayer sessions, and I’ll read the Bible, pray, write, cry, read, pray, write…. You get the idea. David also did this. And you can see when he starts a psalm that he’s in chaos: everyone is after me; everyone hates me; I’m going to die. But by the end he runs into the Holy Spirit, who guides His heart into faith, “The Lord is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation” (Psalm 118:14). As I continued to write, my spirit found its way towards Truth in “Song of My Heart.”

Writing while praying really brought me out of post-partum-depression, and led to my first book, “Motherhood: The Crucible of Love,” in which I discovered the joy and pain of going through the furnace of parenthood. But that discovery was led by God as I prayed and cried my way through finding the beauty of being reshaped into mother. This is a godly thing to be reformed by heat and pressure. God does the same thing to us as He is the potter and we are the clay.

My second book of poetry, “cold. Untamed Beauty,” is just a reflection of God’s glory in the weather of North Dakota. The heavens declare the glory of God and so does the extreme weather of the North. Cue Job and his conversation with God about how He sets the wind blowing and the snow falling. We kind of flippantly get angry at extreme weather, but if we pause for a moment, we can find the glory in it too And to be clear, I mean God’s glory, not just the weather.

This third book, “Motherhood: Empire of Lost Toys and Mismatched Socks” is about finding peace with our parenting failures by recognizing that we, too, matter to God and should matter to ourselves. I’ve been struggling lately with parenting failures, either mistakes or not knowing the right way to help, and I thought this book reflected too much of that dark place of maternal overstimulation/sensory overload, and maybe just a little bit of regret at parenting mistakes. But in the final few poems I really felt the Holy Spirit guide me to that place of hope, just like He did with David, and in the end, we discover, that God sees our efforts and loves us in our struggles. And that gives me hope. For all the tired and discouraged parents out there (not because of the kids but because of our own shortcomings) please know that you are loved just as desperately as you love your kids.

If you are wrestling about anything, try writing Try prayer writing Just try it It helps

You can find Dominique at www.dmsnedeker.com, or follow her on FB, IG, TW and TT @dmsnedeker. Find her books at B&N, Amazon, Walmart or Target.

Old, Dry Bones

Dominique M. Snedeker

I have no passion (in my heart), Like an old dry stone Long since come to settle, Not in the midst of a multitudinous Waterfall, Nor a foundation to the many Heights, But as a decoration in the yard of a Mediocre House

I am dry dust. I crumble at a whisper I puff away not in The roaring gale, nor the Lashing hurricane, But I float away on Nothing, like dandelion seeds. It takes nothing to move me.

But it takes everything to move me A steadfast rock, Hard, cold. Stuck.

Yet You have planted A word in my heart, That must grow Roots, shoots, and leaves.

Your promise never Deters, Never turns away, Never doubts and Remains, like a mother Hovering over her babe, Nurturing, feeding, drawing That speck into being, Into flame.

Your promise is Your love, and it Surrounds me Deep and wide, Enfolding my cold Dark heart in the Depths of the earth Secret, hidden, Till I at last Emerge as a treasure, A diamond, Fit to adorn Your crown.

Old, Dry Bones

Dominique M. Snedeker

I have no passion (in my heart), Like an old dry stone

Long since come to settle, Not in the midst of a multitudinous Waterfall, Nor a foundation to the many Heights, But as a decoration in the yard of a Mediocre House. I am dry dust. I crumble at a whisper I puff away not in The roaring gale, nor the Lashing hurricane, But I float away on Nothing, like dandelion seeds. It takes nothing to move me.

But it takes everything to move me— A steadfast rock, Hard, cold. Stuck.

Yet You have planted A word in my heart, That must grow Roots, shoots, and leaves.

Your promise never Deters, Never turns away, Never doubts and Remains, like a mother Hovering over her babe, Nurturing, feeding, drawing That speck into being, Into flame.

Your promise is Your love, and it Surrounds me Deep and wide, Enfolding my cold Dark heart in the Depths of the earth— Secret, hidden, Till I at last Emerge as a treasure, A diamond, Fit to adorn Your crown.

Song of My Heart

Dominique M. Snedeker

Worthy is the coming King, crowned in thorns and righteousness.

I will bend my knee in honor; I will bow my head in surrender, for worthy is the Great I am.

Be enthroned in my words, be crowned with my life, let my very breathing bring You glory.

For I choose to give my very essence to You, and for You—

My Captain and my King.

My eyes are full of Your Power; for me there is no other. Come, my King, come!

I surrender to You everything I have, everything I was, and everything I will be to You my Captain and my King.

You are crowned in blood and lives, like a robe, in love and splendor.

I bend my knee and bend my life.

I offer up this heart to my King of Kings.

Fingerprints

Dominique M Snedeker

From cold. Untamed Beauty

Published November 2023 by Hear Our Voice Publishing

Brown skeleton branches silhouette Against the blank canvas of Snow-packed earth and wintery sky.

For days, sun-thaw has crisped the top and we

Crunch and crackle through the crust to Squelching snow beneath.

Weeks before, frost adorned the limbs in Frozen diamonds; Nothing manmade could ever echo the Opulence of inspired ice. No queen Could ever be so lovely as those frozen trees.

Soon, snow will thaw, beading pearls Along seams of bark, hanging from New shoots, from buds like cold opal studs.

Then mud will suck at our boots, Slush shushing under our wheels, But hidden beneath all the yuck, Will be glorious, transient green.

Who can fathom the mind of the One who turns death into life and Fashions the delicate light to Dance on frozen water, Draping the seasons in epic glory?

LIVING GRACIOUSLY

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROGUE PRIEST

The Rogue Priest is an inactive Anglican Priest who has been kicked out of some of the finest churches in South Carolina. He's also a former member of the missional Society of St. Patrick and St. Aiden of which he managed to get booted from as well. He currently resides in the backwoods of Bethune, South Carolina where he puffs on fine cigars, indulges in brown liquor and wrestles with his pagan Scottish and Norwegian ancestors.

The Seeker

As an old curmudgeon I have reserved the right for myself to rant on occasion. Today will be one such occasion. One of my greatest pet peeves is to hear religious folk talking about "finding God" or "finding Jesus." I didn't realize He was lost. As a matter of fact I do believe the Bible says that we're the ones who are lost.

Let me let you in on a little theological secret (it's really not a secret): Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. You never find Him. He always finds you We may be playing a game of divine hide and seek but God isn't the one trying to hide - we are. We're the ones who try to hide and keep running away. This game started in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve hid from the Lord. The Lord was the One searching for them. Nothing has changed since then. Granted, God may have changed His search tactics but He's still the One doing the seeking.

"Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He is the seeker; we are the ones who are running."

(R.C. Sproul)

Find The Rogue Priest on Facebook

FINDING JESUS

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 23:19 (ESV)

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 7:8 (ESV)

Instead of the Father Himself walking through the Garden He sent His Son to carry on the mission. When Jesus had completed His mission in Palestine He sent the Holy Spirit to finish up by seeking throughout the entire World. The Holy Trinity has been hard at work since the beginning of time as we know it to bring us back into the fold.

If you're a Christian today it is only because God deemed it to be so. You didn't find Him. He came and found you. Don't forget how this game is really played.

POETRY

The collection of poetry and short stories is copyrighted to the author of the work. No portion of these short stories or poetry may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Look Me in the Eye by Isab3elle Thomas

A Mother's Love by Char Turner

Matthew 17:20 by Char Turner

Expressions by Char Turner

A Gift from God by Amy G. Strayer

The Day After by Amy G. Strayer

In Quiet Moments By Robin Charlton

LIVING GRACIOUSLY

Look Me In The Eye

By Isabelle Thomas

To those who look down on me, To those who claim I have no right to be

To those who cannot look me in the eye

To those who deny me respect

I do not look up to you I will not prostrate myself to you I will stand tall and be true to myself

For as a human being, I am your equal

Just remember that in the beginning

We all come into this world naked and helpless

And in the very end, your possessions, your successes

None of it will protect you from the sands of time

You can fight the ravages of age, Take a scalpel to the wisdom in your face

But when the dark rider comes

He will know you, despite your tricks.

And when he comes to the door

You and I will find ourselves equally naked and helpless

He will not be impressed by fancy clothes and pretty rings

He will not care about large homes and fancy things

He will look into our hearts to see who we truly are

He will strip away the veils and masks we have worn

He will find the essence, the light that drove us

Gave us purpose, the compass to guide our actions

He will no more look up to you than he will to me

He would no more prostrate himself to you than he would to me

He will stand tall and be true to his purpose

For as mere humans, we fall to his scythe… as equals.

A Mother’s Love

By Char Turner

What is in the face of a mother?

It’s like a treasure trove, There’s so much to find And unpack.

You can find exhaustion, Not the least of all treasures, Written in the bags

Beneath her eyes, The creases and wrinkles

Scattered throughout.

You can find joy, The sparkle in her eyes. Fulfillment, The smile on her face And in her heart. You can find frustration

In the furled brows, The flared nostrils, The breathing before speaking

You can find love

Spilling out of every pore,

It’s in the hugs and kisses, In the words that protrude Out of her mouth, Covering her children

Like a blanket. It’s in her prayers, Every night, Lifting up her children

Calling out their giftings And talents

For all to see, For God to use Rise up, Children of God. Your time is now.

Char Turner

Char is a stay at home, homeschool mom of five children (one in heaven). She loves Jesus and loves finding little treasures in His Word She also enjoys cooking, but not deciding what to cook, and tacos. Oh, and writing. You can usually find Char at her home or at church, and you can always find her at Facebook.com/charturnerwriter.

19 LIVING GRACIOUSLY

Matthew 17:20

By Char Turner

You say even the smallest faith

Can move mountains

From here to there, But what if the mountains You refer to Are not literal mountains, But the mountains we create Within our minds?

The ones that stop us, Make us take the long way around, The ones that hold us back. What if

In faith

We said, “move mountain!” And it was gone? This is the faith I want. I want the faith

That boldly declares nothing will hold me back, That declares Your word to the lost, The hurting, The broken. This is the faith I want to share, With the hopeless,

The faithless. Mountains of my mind, Be moved!

We have work to do, We have the Gospel to share.

Expressions

By Char Turner

It’s the little things That make my heart soar.

It’s the genuine ‘thank you’s,’ The giggles, I’ve made you laugh, It’s not so easy to do, Now that you are growing older. It’s the serious talks, The rise And the fall

Of your maturity level, To meet the needs of your audience, Which astounds me. It’s your independence

That makes me happy And sad,

At the very same time. When did this happen? Where did the time go?

My little boy, Is now a little man, Following in the footsteps of his father, Like a shadow, Your own version of your dad, Your own expression of him.

And now I see,

We are all expressions Of our Heavenly Father, With unique personalities He created in you and me, In every human, So we could see Him Eight billion different ways.

A Gift From God

By Amy G. Strayer

The horse and driver are ready. They call us to join them and without hesitation we board the carriage.

As we quickly travel down the snow-covered road, the wind rushes across our face bringing tears to our eyes.

Over the hills, under the trees, then suddenly we stop. We pause for a moment first looking and listening.

The sun shines brightly on the freshly fallen snow, creating a brilliant light. Behind us is the dripping of the melting snow from the strong row of holly trees.

Gently flowing beside us is the brook with sheets of ice forming at the curves.

We follow the winding stream deeper into the woods to a spot first touched by animals.

Animal prints grace the snow looking as if there may have been a gathering just as the snow stopped.

We turn and run quickly back to the carriage

Time flew by quickly and the night was getting late.

As we travel toward the city lights, we turn and look back at the snow-covered forest. So peaceful, so fair, a gift from God. We promise to return on our second honeymoon.

The Day After

By Amy G Strayer

Alone, all curled up in a chair staring out into the darkness.

The steady beat of the rain on the shingles is all that’s to be heard.

The darkness of the day has carried into the night. The only light is from the sliver of the moon hanging lifelessly in the sky

The night grows late the air becomes cooler. A chill from the breeze and the distant sound of thunder. No rainbows at night, no hope, no promises, no color in the sky.

Lightning flashes and disturbs the darkness; thunder breaks the silence and rain brings the peace.

Time moves on and so does the storm

The leaves on the trees drop water into the puddles below.

A sunrise brings light and hope to a new day.

The golden rays draw toward the ground and warm everything around.

The works of nature add beauty to any day or evening.

God sends his message of dreariness and sun filled days to follow.

Letting us know, through the touch of a sunbeam, that things will get better, if given time.

In Quiet Moments

By Robin Charlton

Inner stillness, that’s the key

To appreciate thy wondrous majesty

Spinning spheres of eternity

Blending with ethereal symmetry

The human and creation in harmony

With quietness and serenity

Could we find our destiny

Through such softness and tranquillity?

From a sanctuary of inner peace, The stress of life shall gently release, A still, guided meditation

Summoning a fine, healing vibration

For in these quite moments, sublime

We share, together a moment in time.

My name is Robin and I live with my lovely wife in a place called Welwyn Garden City near London. I believe in three things, one is myself, two is mother nature and three, that there is something higher that is trying to help humans evolve and be better. During lockdown, there were few cars on the road, no planes flying overhead and everything seemed to be cleaner and brighter and my journey into poetry began.

I began to write poems about being a volunteer, or on Climate change, Trees, Bluebells and quite a few on human qualities, like Trust, Gratitude, Friendship and Fairies. I enjoy writing them but not as much as sharing them.

Poetry for me has been a way of expressing the sentiments I have about living here on this Planet. Poems are a simple reflection of how I feel about living.

The Lighthouse

By Jeanne Miller

There’s an old song called The Lighthouse, that says, “Jesus is the lighthouse…” but my thoughts today represent another concept concerning lighthouses. Let’s examine a lighthouse for a few moments. What is the purpose of a lighthouse? Where are they typically built? What is the foundation of a lighthouse? What makes a lighthouse so effective? How do our lives reflect the light? These and other questions will be discussed as we look closely at the lighthouse.

What is the purpose of the stately lighthouse? Lighthouses are typically built above harbors or inlets from the sea In daylight, the sailors can navigate around the deadly reefs or dangerous rocks, but at night, in the raging storms, the lighthouse shows the safe way into harbor. When the storms come, the lighthouse leads ships into harbors that are surrounded by deadly coral reefs or dangerous rock formations. Our purpose as Christians is to be a lighthouse in the dark, stormy times of life.

What is the position of the lighthouse? They are high above the water, easily seen for many miles from the sea below. Our lives should be high above the sin of this world. Why? So those lost and sinking can see Jesus through us.

What is the foundation of the lighthouse? Most are built from stone or brick, to withstand the wind and waves of the sea. More modern lighthouses are built with reinforced concrete, cast iron and steel. Without a strong foundation, the lighthouse cannot stand. We too have a solid foundation in Jesus Christ. Without Him, we would fall fast and hard.

The lighthouse has globes and windows at the top of the building. These allow the bright light clear passage on a dark stormy night. They must be kept clean to give a clear signal. The salt water can cause dust and grime to cling to the surface which makes cleaning a daily task. Our lives are windows which people look through to see God. Are we clean? Giving a clear light to the savior?

Finally, there are light bulbs. In the early days of lighthouses these were actual lamps, that had to be lit every night. Electricity has made this job a little easier, but the keeper of the lighthouse must ensure the light is shining brightly. A 60 watt light bulb is not the job for these light houses Originally some were powered by candles There are now some solar lighthouses. The light can be fixed or rotates in all directions to sufficiently guide a ship safely through the dark, stormy night.

Who is our light? In John 1:4-5 we are told, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world,” (John 9:5) and “When Jesus spoke again to the people he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Jesus is our light, when we choose to repent and follow him, his light will shine through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What is our job? Our responsibility? Our purpose? In Matthew 5:16 Jesus tells us, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” What does the world see through our lives?

To Ponder: How are we doing as Jesus’ lighthouses? Do we need to clean our windows or recharge our connection? Perhaps our foundation needs to be re-established.

Jeanne Miller

My husband, George and I are pastors at Carnegie Church of the Nazarene in Carnegie, OK. We are a blended family, and now have a large tribe of 8 children, 7 spouses, 33 grandchildren and 2 greatgrandsons. We are truly blessed. I have been journaling for 61 years, since I became a Christian at age 8 I have taught numerous Ladies Bible Studies; 2 years ago I taught Genesis to our Sunday night Bible Study group, one chapter at a time. It was a very rewarding study. I love the Lord and His Holy Word. I love sharing it’s gems with others, whether through Bible Studies or writing.

Christian Author: Maureen Myers Koeppel

AUTHOR OF WARPED

Sitting down with the beautiful, talented Christian author Maureen Myers Koeppel about her new book Warped and her insprirations for writing and her faith.

Tell us about yourself!

I am a mother of three daughters - two who still live at home. I am also a widow, we lost my husband and the girls father in November of 2021. I also have a Bachelor's in Christian Ministry - oh and I'm an intern at my local church and teach Bible Study - it makes my inner nerd very happy.

Why did you start writing?

I have always have a vivid imagination and lived in a whole other world in my head. One day it occurred to me, I was already a writer, I just hadn't put anything down on paper. So I thought over some of my imagination stories and landed on the woman who would become Elizabeth Strong and the beginning of her series began to take shape.

What genre is your favorite? And Why?

I pretty much read anything within reason. I am however, cautious about what I read, because I want to only put good things in my head and heart to glorify God.

What was your faith life like growing up?

When others would have used the challenges I faced growing up as a reason to not believe in God, it made me hold on to God even more tightly. I am a thinker and I take time to pray and make a decision, however, once I have made a decision I rarely change my mind. The same goes for my belief in God. Once I decided God was real and I wanted Him I haven't looked back.

LIVING GRACIOUSLY

Does your faith inspire your writing? Absolutely it inspires my writing.

Tell us about a time you felt your faith calling you to write a specific piece that you have written.

Elizabeth Strong's story is a good example of feeling that calling to write a story. I saw what science fiction was doing in the secular world, I wanted to rewrite their narrative, instead of everything being related to evolution I wanted God to be at the center of it all. Elizabeth's story from the beginning flew in the face of the notion of evolution because we discover later on her ancestry goes back to early biblical days.

As for when I began to know writing was my calling it was after I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree. It was becoming increasingly apparent that I do not have the emotional stamina to deal with many of the things a pastor must deal with each day. I can do short burst of a lot of energy but then I need to rest. So I spent a lot of time in prayer and as I did, the story finished itself.

Warped is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, and Target.

by Maureen Myers Koeppel