Shoes.

I can't tell you how many times I've been frustrated because the things I 

thought I was ready for just weren't happening.

I'd pray: God, I'm ready for this! Please! I'm ready.

But nothing would happen and I'd start to wonder if He even believes in me.

Did I do something at some point in the past that made Him decide I wasn't 

cut out for the job? 

Why is everyone else advancing, succeeding, doing, experiencing...

and here I am... nothing. 

I've been there.

For LONG periods of time.

God, when will life change? 

When will things start looking up???

So today I saw this:

Our daughter is 5. 

She wants to be 25.

(It's actually pretty hilarious half the time.)

She was playing quietly for a while, so I thought, 

when she came wobbling out of the bedroom in my shoes. 

"Look at me, Mommy!"

Of course I told her she was beautiful. 

But I also told her to be careful; that her feet weren't quite big enough to fill those shoes...

and that she might fall. 

mmhmmm... yep. You got it. 

It hit me like a wave of perfect clarity. 

He does believe in you. He does want to use you. 

Maybe your feet just aren't big enough to fill those shoes yet.

Maybe you still have some growing to do.

I know I do!

I look back now on those times when I was stomping my feet and begging to be used

and I kind of laugh to myself. 

Thank you, God, for making sure my feet are always grown enough to fill the shoes I'm needing to wear. 

#maturity

Change it.

I changed my desktop picture today in honor of Maya Angelou, who passed away. 

She said:

"If you don't like something, change it. 

If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Don't complain."

At this present moment in my life, I am full to the brim with 

changes. I am making a place for myself as a writer, while staying true 

to the purpose for which I want to BE a writer...

To see lives changed. 

I am losing weight. Lots of it. I made a decision that my physical

appearance DOES matter. Not because I want to please others, but because 

I want to please God. And I'm not pleasing God by being unhealthy when, for me, 

healthy IS an option. And healthy = confidence. Confidence = more impact. 

There are some things that I can't change. I was in a car accident ten years ago and my spine is really 

messed up. Besides some chiropractor care, I have to just adjust the way I work out. 

I can't do a lot of the things other people can in terms of impact. 

Oh, well. 

I'll get over it. 

In this case, I have to adjust my attitude and accept my limitations.

Also,

Before I changed my desktop picture today, it was this:

To remind me that the world is a whole lot bigger than my own point of view. 

Sometimes it's our attitude that needs to change, in order to earn a place in the lives 

of the people around us. That doesn't mean our moral compass changes or that

we forget our values. It simply means we remember that each person we encounter is approaching 

life from a different point of view. 

So, all that to say:

If you can change it, 

CHANGE IT. (I can change my body. I can build confidence by working hard.)

If you can't,

determine whether it's your ATTITUDE that needs to change. (Don't try to change people. That's not your job. Rest assured it is Someone's job and He isn't slacking. He's just asking you to love like He does, then get out of the way.)

Above all that:

DO NOT COMPLAIN.

That accomplishes nothing and most of the time takes you backward in your progress or at best

a complete stand-still.

Always in love,

L

Waking up.

And on that note, there is not age limit to your dreams!

If it's still alive in your heart, do something about it! 

We are responsible for the dreams the passions placed inside of us. 

(Click here to follow my good friend, she'll pump you up.)

I have conversed with more than one individual who feel too old to do the things they once wanted to do when they were young. I say, "Not so, friend!" 

Listen, if it's still in there, 

if it still nags at you when you lie down to sleep,

if you feel like you're selling yourself short of your potential...

DO

SOMETHING

ABOUT

IT.

Do the same things, you'll be the same person.

Change something, you'll begin a domino effect. 

And you just might motivate those around you to do the same.

I believe in you. 

Always in love,

L 

To title now or later.. that is the question...

What can I say? Procrastination is my biggest struggle as a writer/creator. 

More often than not, I sit down to write, put on my headphones with my favorite get-in-the-mood music blasting, only to be sucked in by Facebook or videos or general aimless-nothing. I am very easily distracted. There are times when writing comes easily. Quite honestly it can be as natural to me as breathing. I love to do it but more than that, it becomes a natural response to my brain's thought process. I think something and I have to write it down. I've been like this for as long as I can remember. 

There are also many other times when I have to chide myself and force my fingers to type or my pencil to write. This generally happens when I'm exhausted (I'm a mother after all...) or when my brain is so full of other cares and concerns (even as basic as the dishes are staring at me...) that I can't seem to focus in. 

One way or another, creativity is a hard career. It requires of you an extreme level of discipline, especially if you are self-employed. And procrastination partnered with distractions is the biggest roadblock. It becomes a habit after a while. You allow yourself to slip once and it becomes twice, three times, ect. Eventually you are staring at your self-made deadline, your palm pressed into your forehead, wondering how you will manage to meet it without completely flopping the entire project. 

Especially if you have an audience anticipating your work, you MUST discipline your time. Otherwise you are giving anxious fans a product of half-effort.. and they'll know. 

Always in love,

L

An announcement of sorts!!!

Book announcement!

Book #2 is well on it's way! Ok, ok so I can't tell you much more than that YET, but I will tell you that it is right in line with To Be Free! If you enjoyed Vin's character and want to get to know him better, stay tuned for book #2! <<< Title to be announced soon!

That's all folks!

<3 L

Book Update!

So many exciting things are happening with my debut book To Be Free! The most exciting to me is seeing it being downloaded in multiple countries around the world! Countries such as Denmark, Canada, Italy, Australia, UK, and more are downloading and reviewing it. I am so grateful and can't wait to share the next book with all of you! <3

To download a copy of my debut novel: To Be Free, click here!

My freshman year of highschool I was placed in a Speech and Debate class. Our first assignment was to memorize a monologue and perform it in front of the other students a week later. I was given a dramatic monologue. The week flew by way too fast and there I was, shaking and sweating and panicking. My name was called. I made my way to the front of the class. When I opened my mouth, the words came out shaky and I suddenly felt so thankful I was given a dramatic monologue. The shakiness would add to the performance. It did. I aced it and the teacher looked on at me in hopes of recruiting me to represent the school in Speech and Debate tournaments. I left the room feeling vibrant, accomplished, and, hey, a little cocky. Ok, that's a lie. I marched straight to my counselor and dropped the class. Why? Because I freaked out.

What does that story have to do with me as an author? ...Nothing. Except maybe to say: I'm not gonna drop this one. 

I welcome you to my blog! I hope this can be a place to cultivate a love of reading, writing, and imagining. Moreover, I hope we can be real here and live our lives transparently in a way that will help each other grow. You matter so much to me. You matter a great deal more to God. Let's hang out and rediscover that. 

I wrote a book called To Be Free. Grief is ugly and snotty and messy and it was important to me that that came across. The main protagonist, Annora, is a mess. She's lost and depressed after losing the last of her family. The book is her journey during the months following her tragedy. It's a drama, it's an inspirational, and it's romantic, ladies! 

So, thank you for stopping by and please come back often! I will be reviewing books I've read, ranting about how they emotionally effected me, and blabbing endlessly about innumerable topics. 

See you soon!

Love,

L