Teen Mom: You're Stronger Than You Think -- GIVEAWAY

by Andrea Renee Cox

Teen moms.

They’re often looked down upon in today’s society. But what’s so terrible about lifting these young women up, letting them know they are loved by the God who created them?

Tricia Goyer

Author Tricia Goyer was once a teen mom. Now she’s a wife, mother to six (soon to be ten, if her current adoption goes through), and a leader in the Little Rock Teen MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. Her passions include God, family, writing, and sharing her faith and experience with others.

Be My Guest: Cara Putman

by Andrea Renee Cox

Please welcome my friend Cara Putman to Writing to Inspire. You might remember that I greatly enjoyed her novel Shadowed by Grace (read my review here) last year. The writing tips she's sharing today have encouraged me, and I hope they encourage and inspire you as well.

Inspiration: 4 Steps for Finding It

by Cara Putman

Inspiration is that elusive muse that writers chase.

I currently have a legal romantic suspense proposal circulating with publishing houses that is a great example of how inspiration isn’t always something that finds you. Sometimes you have to seek it. I spent months thinking and praying about what issue might interest me enough to write and live with it for a couple years. Then I spent more months beating my head against a wall fleshing out the characters and plot. During all of this life was continuing. Writing, teaching, homeschooling, lawyering, and all the other details of life.

With 20 books written, one in process, and a few more dreamed up, here are four steps I’ve learned that help when inspiration is a bit hard to find.

From the Start by Melissa Tagg

by Andrea Renee Cox

“What was a girl supposed to do after her heart dried up and took her creative spark with it?” Kate Walker wonders if she’ll ever write something meaningful or even find another dose of passion for her career.

Colton Greene’s NFL career ended abruptly due to an on-the-field injury. Now his agent is pushing him to rejuvenate his career by looking at new options.

When Colton and Kate both head to Maple Valley, Iowa to help clean up in the aftermath of a natural disaster, they decide to help each other with their individual problems. But they sure didn’t bargain on a whole new set of issues cropping up! What will they do when they don’t see eye to eye?

Be Imitators of God

by Andrea Renee Cox

Last week I left you with a question: How do we live a life that imitates God?

Let’s just jump right into the Word of God and find out.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV) says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

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Be imitators of God. We are to imitate God. What does that mean? The Oxford American Dictionary says imitate means “to copy the behavior of, to take as an example that should be followed.” Isn’t that beautiful? We are to copy the behavior of God. We are to observe and study His behavior and then follow it.

Which leads me to ask: How does God behave?