Dear Catie… It’s a little hard to believe you’re starting over again. We moved houses. You moved schools. Sophomore year and you’re having to deal with #freshmanproblems again. It’s a bit scary—for me, at least. There’s so much at risk here. The years of high school feel like stair steps to the grand goal of...Continue Reading
Someone in your life needs this sparkly-funny Bible study. It’s pretty much a party-in-a box–but with Jesus. 10. That girl at your church who helps at VBS…or in the nursery…or in the 10. That girl at your church who helps at VBS…or in the nursery…or in the praise band. (Or, you know, that one teen...Continue Reading
This post originally appeared on the CPH Blog. First, the bad news…. our teen girls are in crisis. I’m worried about them and you should be too. My oldest daughter, Catie, is in high school and my younger daughter, Elisabeth, is in middle school. We’re living the teen girl life around here and I see what’s...Continue Reading
I write for teens and for moms, so talk to them both a lot about what’s happening in their lives. Over the past few years, something has changed. Daughters now have all the information. Like never before, they are able to use social media, YouTube, Amazon, vlogs, and Pinterest to figure out life on their own. More...Continue Reading
This is a reprint of a story I shared in Love Rules. It’s about how God loves us and redeems the most dead parts of us. Ultimately, this is a story about Good Friday. No one is ever really ready for a dog. You think you are, but you can’t imagine the bolt-upright-in-bed terror...Continue Reading
Summers at camp are unlike anything else. If you don’t have plans for this summer, try it. Apply with the nearest camp….or look for one across the country. I’m reposting this in honor of Last Summer at Eden‘s Birthday. Here’s the book trailer, which talks about a few of these. Enjoy! You should work at camp...Continue Reading
If you’re on the island for Spring Break or to visit the beach this summer, check out the Hurricane Ike Tree Tour. Our family loves driving (or, in nice weather, walking) around and spotting the beautiful creations these artists have made from dead oak trees. I write about this tour in my book, Family Trees...Continue Reading
Let’s celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week with some Last Summer at Eden love. My Young Adult novel tells the story of Poppi, who wants to save Camp Eden, a beautiful place with a mysterious problem that might close it down. Check out what people are saying about Last Summer at Eden here. Or watch the (30-second) book video below. You’ll...Continue Reading
It’s cold outside and if you live in Houston it’s crazy wet too. No problem. This weekend is the perfect time to knock out the hardest kids on your Christmas list. In our family, that’s the boys. We have a little (8 years old) and a tween (11) and I’ve searched for gifts that will...Continue Reading
So, all this has happened at once: this is my 1,000th blog entry, at the same time I’m working on my tenth book (Shine). Also, 20 years ago I began classes for my Masters degree in Creative Writing and also began writing professionally. The fact all these multiples of ten coincided felt significant–and the right...Continue Reading
