1. Perseverance in Publishing

I laughed aloud when my agent, Dawn Fredrick, ask me to write my annual NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) post on perseverance. “Yes,” I said. “I know a little about the topic.”  She came to the right woman. Writing requires courage, audacity and faith. Publishing demands many things, including a boatload of perseverance.

Read my post on perseverance.

2. Our Bodies Tell a Story

I’m so heartened to know that The Episcopal Center for Embodied Faith exists. I’m proud to have an essay, “Claiming Our Flesh,” published on their site. In part because of a serious injury at an impressionable age, I have seen my body as an interesting and powerful (albeit limited) home. This essay explores why I think God cares about my body and hopes I can embrace it as a gift.

Read my essay on bodies.

3. New Millennium Writings

My second child landed in the hospital a week after he was born. His stay lasted three weeks. Because he was unconscious, I had a frightening amount of time to think. To distract me from the beeping machines, I turned to writing, and two essays formed. One of them, “The Silence and the Cry,” was chosen as a finalist in the Monthly Muse essay contest.

Read the winning essays.

4. Deseret News

Because of my essay in Beyond the Offering Plate, I had an energizing conversation with Jennifer Graham of Deseret News. She wrote an article on obesity and what role, if any, the church should play in this growing health risk. It was quite fascinating to read the full article and see what role my voice ended up playing in the larger conversation.

Read the full article.