Physically, this past decade or so has held one thing after another. Somewhere along the way, outside of all the have-to’s, perseverance and caring for my body started to mean rest and acceptance more than anything else. I’ve lost physical strength, though other kinds of strength were gained in the process. But now it’s time to get up out of gratitude. To get up and walk. To take some stairs […]
I lost track of how many “final” drafts my book had, but there were a few key people I most relied on for feedback. Not just that “hey, great job” pat on the head, but solid feedback. I desperately wanted and needed to hear where I’d gotten it wrong. Not just punctuation, but the content. “Please, save me from myself – tell me. Help me get it right. I want […]
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew […]
“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” Proverbs 25:2 Last night, I wrestled for hours for words that refused to come. There were all sorts of things I could have said, including things I’ve said before. And all sorts of lines I could have quoted. But not a single one crystallized what I’d been trying to pull out […]
Inspired by students in Littleton, Colorado, who came up with Offline October a few years ago to promote mental health and real face-to-face connection in the wake of suicides in their community, I decided to extend my late-September social media break to include all of October. It was a modified break, though, with a few exceptions, because it quickly became a deeper fast from things much more specific and personal. […]
Originally written September 11, 2019. I took one photo that morning, and this happened, Magpies – two thieves. Half-blinded by the sun, I didn’t even see them. There was just this wild flutter in front of the lens and the burst of the sound of them taking off as I pressed the button. Jerking my eyes from the frame, I saw the two birds flying away. Then I glanced down […]
Why we write is a fair question, especially when we put the word “Christian” in front of the word “writer.” I wrote this piece last summer (July 2019). So close now to releasing the book I allude to in it, here I am stepping out into clearer view. May this first post be a reminder to never forget my first love. Why do we write? There are so many perfectly […]
Cheryl Velk 