Kelly Needham met her husband Jimmy at Texas A&M in 2005. At the time, he wanted to be a history teacher and she was working toward her finance degree. Within a year and a half, they had graduated, were married, and Jimmy had released his first CD via Inpop Records.

Following the release of the album, Jimmy and Kelly began traveling the world together. She became his full-time violinist, road manager, and merchandise manager. Now, fast forwarding several CDs and five years of marriage, Kelly stays home with their one year old daughter Lively and is expecting another child in August.

About two years ago Kelly started a blog, where she regularly shares candid and inspirational posts about life and the music business.

How long have you been playing violin? When you began, did you anticipate playing Contemporary Christian Music professionally?

I have been playing violin since I was ten years old. My mom played violin and I was always anxious to learn! I am very classically trained and so I never foresaw any other kind of performance than in symphonies and at recitals. It wasn’t until my youth pastor asked me to play in the youth band that I was even aware that was an outlet for my music! I am so glad he gave me the opportunity as this was really how I got to know Jimmy when we first met.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 speaks of seasons in our lives. Having experienced life as both a traveling musician and a stay-at-home mom, how do you believe that God has prepared you for both roles? Which has been more challenging?

God has a peculiar way of preparing you for seasons in your life without you even knowing it! Growing up with two younger brothers, I often found myself at baseball games, monster truck rallies, and on a fishing boat with my dad and brothers, while my mom stayed home with my youngest sister. I was the only girl among guys many times. And consequently, that’s often what I was on the road, whether it was with Jimmy and his band members, or on a tour with a male road crew.

As far as being a mom, God has been gracious to prepare me through the unlikely season of losing three babies through miscarriage. After having experienced those losses, I am rarely tempted to complain. Many of the hard things of being a stay-at-home mom are overshadowed by the tremendous blessing it is to even have a child.

It is difficult to pinpoint which season in my life has been more challenging. Each has been difficult for different reasons. Life on the road is exhausting, in ways I don’t think people will understand until they’ve done it. You lose track of days, run on little sleep, eat out a lot, and have very little personal space and time.

Yet the challenges of being a stay-at-home mom are more of the mental kind. I spend much of my day now simply maintaining our home: feeding myself and my family three times a day, cleaning up those messes, getting out and picking up toys, laundry, cleaning, and more laundry. I often end the day exhausted and yet wondering what I accomplished. When I was traveling, I had a sense of accomplishment at the end of every day. I saw God moving, heard stories from fans of how God spoke to them, saw merchandise sold, etc. And there is something fulfilling about seeing things move forward. But to be at home simply maintaining a house, without much thanks, means you have to often remind yourself, “Yes, this is worth it, it makes a difference, and what I do is valuable.”

You and Jimmy have spoken openly about the heartbreak of your three miscarriages. What words of comfort can you share with others who are dealing with similar issues in their lives?

To those who have experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage or stillbirth, I’m sorry for the great loss you have experienced. And yes, you have experienced the death of someone dear to your heart. We have no death rituals associated with miscarriage and that is often what makes it difficult. When a full grown child or adult dies, we have a funeral and burial and it is public.

Miscarriage rarely has any of those elements, so there is often a lack of closure and proper grieving. It is a peculiar kind of grief to experience. There is much comfort found when we allow ourselves to accept that this was a legitimate human being whom we cared for and grieve it as such. If you feel comfortable, consider giving your unborn child a name and finding something to memorialize him or her (plant a tree, create an art piece for your house for your child, etc).

To those who may simply be experiencing infertility, maybe in combination with miscarriage, know that ultimately it is God who gives life and He who sustains it. He cares for you and your situation and you can trust Him and His promises that He is working for your good and His glory. And know that ultimately it is God who will satisfy all the longings of your heart, not a child.

While children are precious gifts from God, they are not the best thing: God is! Don’t look to having a baby to make you ok. Seek to find your everything in God alone in this season. And I must add, as friends around you get pregnant (which will happen and will be terribly difficult), resist jealousy with all your heart by praying for their children any time you are tempted to sin (jealousy is a sin). Those babies didn’t ask to be created when God created them, so pray for them to stay healthy and strong until they are full term.

Let’s talk about your blog, http://kellyneedham.wordpress.com. You wrote a compelling piece on the “The Influence of a Woman.” In your opinion, what is the one most important thing that contemporary women could do that would impact our society in a positive way?

Surprisingly, I think the most important thing would be for women to realize just how influential they are in every area of their lives and to what end their influence is moving people. I don’t think we realize how much our attitudes and demeanors affect those around us, especially our family. If I have a negative and complaining attitude, it will affect the dynamics of my whole household. Without realizing it, I can pull those down around me with my negative outlook and entitled mindset. Yet, when I choose to be grateful and encouraging, that will strengthen my household to have the same mindset.

We need to take our role as influencers more seriously and consider the impact our attitudes and actions have on those around us. I think that the greatest impact we will make on society starts with our families. We have a profound and life-long impact on our children and if we can raise them to be adults who care about the things of God who will then raise their children that way, we can change the world.

Jimmy’s new CD, Clear the Stage, released earlier this week. Do you have a favorite song on the project?

Now that has to be one of the hardest questions you’ve asked! Of course I love every song on the record! I am privileged to see the heart and soul that goes into each song and hear them come to life from nothing but a few lines or a few chords. But if I HAD to pick . . . I might have to say The Only One. I think the message and lyrics of that song are incredibly powerful and the concept that God alone will satisfy us is one I think we all need to be continually learning. Every sin at its core begins when we believe that something else will be more satisfying than God. And I must add that In The Middle is incredibly special to me as it is Jimmy’s song to me while grieving the loss of our three unborn children and still makes me cry when I hear it.

A few fun questions…

What’s your favorite comfort food and why?

Well lately, I’d have to say pancakes or waffles. It must be a pregnancy thing, because every time I’m pregnant, I seem to want them all the time, especially in the middle of the night. Who doesn’t want breakfast food at 10 pm anyway?!

This website features authors as well as musicians. What kinds of books do you like to read?

I love reading books that expound on the truths in the scripture. A few recent books I’ve read in this category are The Feminist Mistake by Mary Kassian, A Place of Quiet Rest by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller.

I also love a good fiction book, and specifically mysteries. I love Agatha Christie novels and actually take notes as I’m reading to try and figure out who did it. I’m never right, haha.

If you were a song, what kind of song would you be?

Probably an upbeat, cheerful worship song that makes you want to dance.

Are you a major or a minor chord?

Definitely major!

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

Gosh, how do I answer that one?! Probably the girl next door. I’d rather encourage and strengthen those around me than anything else, and so that description seems to fit the best.

Thank you, Kelly! It’s a special pleasure to have you as a guest at DivineDetour.

~ ~ ~

Follow Kelly on her blog at http://kellyneedham.wordpress.com or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/kellyneedham. For more information about Jimmy and his music, visit his website at http://www.jimmyneedham.com/. Read his interview with DivineDetour at http://www.divinedetour.com/?p=13231.

Jimmy Needham’s love of music began at an early age with musical theatre. He picked up the guitar in high school, and during college he started writing his own material. Quoting an official bio, “in some ways the success that’s followed seems accidental . . . or inevitable, depending on how you look at it.”

It was soon after his father helped him fund his first record that he was approached by Inpop Records who’d heard his music on Myspace. Now, seven years later, his fourth studio album with Inpop, Clear the Stage, has just released to high expectations. His previous album, Nightlife, debuted at Number One on the iTunes Top 200 Christian and Gospel Albums chart.

Originally from Katy, Texas, Jimmy, his wife Kelly and daughter Lively now reside in Dallas.

You studied history at Texas A&M with the intention of teaching after graduation. What sparked your musical detour?

I have no other way to explain it other than God interrupted my agenda. While studying history, I was writing songs and performing them around town at coffee shops and bars. In 2005, I made an independent CD and released it on places like iTunes and Myspace. Literally, three months after it’s released I got a phone call from the president of Inpop Records in Nashville saying he and his team heard my music online and wanted to fly down to Texas to talk about signing me.

Who were some of your early musical influences and/or who has been an important mentor, either musically or spiritually, in recent years?

I’ve had the privilege to build friendships with so many of the men who influenced me musically and spiritually over the years. Most notably, a fellow named Ross King, and Shane & Shane. God has used these men to really speak into my career a ton over the past seven years, and I’m very grateful for their friendships. Beyond them, I’ve been impacted by so many different folks. To name a few, Nichole Nordeman, Lauryn Hill, Derek Webb, Andrew Peterson, Keith Green, Lecrae, etc.

Let’s talk about your new CD, Clear the Stage (Inpop, March 2012). How many of the songs did you write? Is there a central theme for the project?

I wrote or co-wrote every song but the last track. This record is about appetite. Namely, identifying all those things which rob us of a hunger for God. Of course, not every song is centered around this point, but overall, this was the truth I wanted to convey. The theme is most summarized in songs like The Only One (which is one of my most painfully honest songs on the album) and the title track Clear The Stage. The bridge to that song still convicts me every time I sing it: “Anything I put before my God is an idol / Anything I want with all my heart is an idol / Anything I can’t stop thinking of is an idol / Anything that I give all my love is an idol.”

Is there one particular song on the record that speaks most deeply to your personal faith walk?

The song The Only One is a very honest inventory of my heart. It’s really a song that wrestles with the question, “Is Jesus the most satisfying thing in the universe to me?”

On every album I’ve made, there is always one song that I try to lay it all out there. There is something very healing about this practice for me. On Nightlights it was the song The Reason I Sing. On this album it is The Only One.

Congratulations to you and your wife on the birth of your daughter. How has she changed your life?

Three ways. 1. Joy! My heart feels so full every time I look at her, think about her, play with her. 2. I feel such a humbling weight of responsibility. God has made me a steward of this little life and I’m realizing every day how serious this task of raising her well is. 3. It makes me want to be home! I love traveling, performing and sharing the gospel, but I’ve never longed to just be with my family like I do now.

A few fun questions…

Whether on tour or off the road, what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Chipotle, Chipotle and Chipotle! Seriously, if you want to make me a happy man, just get me a Chipotle gift card. P.O.Box 963, Nolensville, TN 37135. : )

This website features authors as well as musicians. What kind(s) of books do you enjoy reading?

Any book that exalts in Truth and relishes in the Gospel is my cup of tea. Some of my favorites are The Pursuit of God by Tozer, God Is the Gospel by Piper, Redeeming Love by Rivers, and How Shall We Then Live? by Schaeffer.

Are you a major or a minor chord?

Diminished.

In the story that is your life, are you the tall, dark stranger; the romantic lead; the mythical warrior; the mad scientist; or the child in an adult’s body?

I think I’m more the comic relief.

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.

Until a few months ago we had a German Shepherd named Bailey. We sold her recently because it was too much to take care of her with my travel schedule. Don’t hate me.

Thank you, Jimmy. It’s a pleasure to have you as a guest at DivineDetour. May God continue to bless your music.

(Visit DivineDetour tomorrow for a very special interview with Jimmy’s wife Kelly.)

~ ~ ~

For more information about Jimmy, his tour, and his music, visit www.jimmyneedham.com.

To purchase Clear the Stage logon to:

Growing up as a home schooled kid, Cara C. Putman graduated from high school at sixteen and college at twenty. She completed her law degree at age twenty-seven. Now an attorney, college lecturer, wife, mom, and women’s ministry volunteer, she also writes—prolifically.

Cara began her writing journey in 2005; her fourteenth novel releases this spring. Her books cover several genres—from historical and historical suspense to contemporary romantic suspense and mystery. She has also written one non-fiction title, The Complete Idiots Guide to Business Law.

She and her family live in Indiana with a dog named Jessie.

After establishing a law career, you added author to your resume. Was writing always a goal?

I first started writing when I was fourteen. One semester I wrote all my favorite authors asking for advice on writing. I received so many responses—letters my mom put in a scrapbook for me a couple Christmases ago. The beauty of being homeschooled is that my mom let me write as part of English, so I wrote and wrote and then hit walls. But the dream never died. I love how God resurrected the dream in His timing.

How does your faith play into your writing?

I write in part to share God’s truth. And I’ve learned that He is always teaching me something as I write. Often I don’t know the exact spiritual truth that will be highlighted in the story, but as I write, it comes out. And there’s always a connection: that God is with us even in those dark times when we can’t see Him. And when we lean on Him, we can be stronger than we ever imagined.

Let’s talk first about A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island (Barbour Books, April 2012). Please tell us about it.

Attorney Alanna Stone vowed long ago to avoid Mackinac Island. Although it may seem the perfect place to heal, for Alanna it holds too many memories of a painful past.

But an exhausting high profile case and an urgent plea from her parents have brought Alanna home. Moving into the house next to Jonathan Covington doesn’t help her. Jonathan may have been her first love, but he was also her first lesson in betrayal. Now Alanna must protect her privacy and her heart. Then secrets and a murder intersect, and she’s thrust into controversy again as tragedy turns public opinion against her and potentially her family.

Jonathan has stubbornly resisted the urging of his family and friends to date, believing he’s already found the perfect woman. With Alanna’s return, he begins to wonder if he’s waited too long for someone who isn’t the right one after all.

You also contributed to Rainbow’s End (Barbour Books, May 2012). Please tell us about that.

Rainbow’s End is a collection of four novellas that are set in the Missouri Ozarks during a geo-caching competition. I’d never been geo-caching, so it was fun to learn about that process.

Join a geocaching adventure in the spectacular Lake of the Ozarks wilderness, with Lyssa, the reluctant volunteer whose former nemesis is now her chief sponsor; Madison, a city girl paired with an outdoorsy guy who gets on her very last nerve; Hadley, who doesn’t know enough about guys to realize she’s met a womanizer; and cautious Reagan, who meets an equally cautious guy. Will they find the treasure they’re looking for . . . or something else entirely?

Detours in life can be frustrating—kind of like plot twists in the stories we write—but the outcome is often more intriguing than our original plan. Can you tell us about a recent “detour” in your life—or in one of your character’s lives—that taught you something?

I recently thought God had opened a door at my dream publishing house. Instead, I got a not yet. That’s lead to a season of praying and learning how to take my writing another level deeper. I hate hearing not yet! Still I know that I don’t want to be one step out of God’s will and where He wants me. So I’m relearning yet again to release this journey to Him and His timing.

What advice would you offer to writers who are trying to juggle writing with a career and family?

Be prepared to give something up. For me that was T.V. (I watch one show a week when it’s new.) And be prepared to set your own deadlines. If it’s just something that would be nice to do sometime, you’ll never start writing and it will be very difficult to finish a book. So you have to set intermediate goals. For example, five days a week, I will write 500 words or I’ll write 2500 words a week. Those goals are critical to turning a book into reality.

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

I love ice cream sandwiches. I don’t know why, but they’re one of my favorites and it’s a celebration food as well as a pick-me-up when things aren’t quite going right. The other celebration food would be Dutch apple pie. Skip the cake and give me a pie : )

This website features musicians as well as writers. Do you have musical, as well as literary, talent?

I took eight years of piano lessons, so I love music. But . . . I’m not very good at it : )

If you were a song, what kind of song would you be?

I would be a praise song. I love turning on some praise and worship and belting out the tunes with my kids as we dance and worship.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

What a great question! I want to say I’m the strong, female lead. But I think most would probably say I’m the girl next door. Don’t necessarily stand out that much, but someone others trust.

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.

We have a pound puppy named Jessie. She’d love to be a farm dog who can run freely, but we live in town without a fence. I’m a huge fan of cats—not as needy as dogs. But my husband is allergic, so it must be true love!

Thanks, Cara! It’s nice to have you at DivineDetour.

~ ~ ~

For more information about Cara, visit her website at http://www.caraputman.com/ or her blog at http://blog.caraputman.com/.

To purchase A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island logon to:

To pre-order Rainbow’s End, logon to:

by Linda Cox

I laughed till I hurt. The last thing I saw as my Boston Terrier, Mr. Buster von Baer, disappeared over the back of the sofa was four doggie feet sticking up in the air. Apparently the warmth of the sunshine had lulled him into a deep sleep as he lay precariously on the back of the sofa. And then he rolled over. The wrong way. Thankfully onto a pile of pillows.

It’s easy to fall asleep in the sunshine. Been there myself. And while that makes for a pleasant nap, there are places where falling asleep won’t provide either a pleasant nap or a soft pillow to land on.

We can be lulled deceptively to sleep if we allow questionable practices into our personal life, even our church or national life. How easily they can become sinful habits which pull us away from the truth of God’s Word. Maybe it’s a questionable book to read, movie to watch, song to listen to, place to frequent, person to hang out with. Even a pastor who doesn’t preach God’s Word. Or laws that don’t protect the innocent.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked ….

Just “walking by” something questionable can’t hurt us, can it? But then we walk by again. And again.

… or stand in the way of sinners …

Soon we find that, instead of “walking by,” we are “standing” in that questionable place for longer periods of time.

… or sit in the seat of mockers. Psalm 1:1

And then we find ourselves “sitting” there, getting comfortable until we accept, even enjoy “it.” So comfortable, in fact, that we fall asleep. And roll right off the back of the sofa, just like Mr. Buster.

But unlike Mr. Buster, we may not land on soft pillows. The consequences of our fall may stay with us. And that sinful habit may be very hard to break.

What’s sad is that our fall could have been avoided if we had only heeded the Psalmist’s words in verse two.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night.

Delighting in God’s Word, meditating on it, and storing it in our hearts can keep us from falling asleep in the wrong places.

But even when we do, as we invariably will, we have a faithful Savior who will pick us up, dust us off, and grace our restored life with His Sonshine. Now that’s a comfortable place to be.

Linda Cox is a regular contributor to DivineDetour. She recently retired after twenty-five years as a district office secretary for the State of Illinois. Her first loves are studying the Bible and reading, but Linda occasionally tries her hand at writing. Her work is published in All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa (Thomas Nelson), The One-Year Life Verse Devotional (Tyndale), Life Lessons from Grandparents (Write Integrity) and the Love Is a Verb devotional (Bethany House). She and her husband live on a farm with their two indoor/outdoor farm mutts.

Messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s new book The Harbinger (FrontLine/Charisma House, January 2012) currently sits at the top of ECPA Bestseller list and at #9 on the NY Times Bestseller list. The novel, which is based on Cahn’s extensive research of events related to 9/11, draws its premise from Isaiah 9:10, and reveals an uncanny parallel between the history of ancient Israel and the present days of the United States. The book, part prophecy and part history lesson presented in fiction format, is a call for America’s return to its spiritual heritage.

Cahn is the leader of Beth Israel, based in Wayne, New Jersey and one of the largest Messianic worship centers in the world. His personal faith journey took him from Jewish roots, to atheism, to becoming a spiritual seeker who played in a rock band during his college years. At the age of twenty, he surrendered his life to God’s direction.

Why did you choose fiction as the vehicle to tell your story?

I originally wrote The Harbinger as pure non-fiction—more as a teaching. But when I was finished, I was led to change the format. The Lord uses metaphors, pictures, images, symbols, stories, narratives to communicate spiritual truth and prophetic revelation. The Harbinger is filled with many deep mysteries, so putting it in the form of a narrative makes it much more accessible, easy to read, for believer or non-believer. Ninety percent of The Harbinger is the revelation of the mysteries, but the revelation is framed and conveyed through the story, through the mouth of “the prophet.” Once I began to write in this way, from the mouth of the prophet, the words just flowed out, as if the book was already written.

Had you ever previously considered writing a novel?

I’ve had in my mind several books along this nature—communicating spiritual truth or prophetic revelation in the form of a narrative—but I never thought of doing this for The Harbinger until I finished the first draft.

What was the first of the harbingers that you discovered and how did that lead to the other eight?

The first harbinger was 9/11 itself. In the wake of the calamity I prayed to the Lord and was led to the Isaiah chapters 9 and 10, which focus on the last days of ancient Israel, with the first sign being the initial attack on the land. A while later, I was standing on the corner of Ground Zero, my attention was drawn to an object, the fallen sycamore. It was the first puzzle piece of a biblical mystery that began unfolding. The more I searched, the deeper and larger the mystery became. First the Harbinger of the Sycamore, then of the Gazit Stone, then of the Erez Tree, the Tower, and finally that of the Vow and the Prophecy.

The book underscores a chilling reality, that the United States is increasingly turning its back on the God of our founders. Yet the task of turning around a nation seems overwhelming. How can individual Christians make a difference?

The Lord gave a word to Solomon that applies:  “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and seek My face and pray and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

We, as God’s people, are called to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth. If America is growing increasingly spiritually darker, it’s our calling to shine all the more brightly. It’s for us to pray, more than we’re praying, to seek His face, more than we’re doing, to put out from our lives anything that has no place, and to live in a manner worthy of the high calling with which we have been called.

When you were a young man, before God placed a detour in your path, had you planned to pursue music as a career?

As a teenager, I had a rock band. Music was one possibility. But the Lord caused me to (be) hit by a locomotive train—literally. After that I decided that I better put my plans away and follow His.

Are you writing a sequel to The Harbinger?

Right now there’s so much happening with the success of The Harbinger that I haven’t had any time. But there are things in my mind and heart concerning the sequel. Before I write more I want to have time to be in the Lord’s presence.

Thank you, Rabbi Cahn. It’s a pleasure to have you as a guest at DivineDetour.

To learn more about Rabbi Cahn and Beth Israel Worship Center, visit http://www.bethisraelworshipcenter.org/. For more information about The Harbinger, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Harbinger-Jonathan-Cahn-Official-Site/181938411873118.

To purchase The Harbinger, logon to:

Betsy St. Amant is a multi-published author in several media: Christian novels (Barbour, Steeple Hill, Wild Rose Press,), magazine articles (Christian Communicator, Praise Reports: Inspiring Real Life Stories of How God Answers Prayer), and newspaper.

She is a fireman’s wife, a mommy to a busy toddler, and an avid reader who enjoys sharing the wonders of God’s grace through her stories. Betsy and her family live in Louisiana.

You have a number of non-fiction credits, including working with your hometown newspaper. When, and why, did you decide to pursue fiction?

Fiction was ALWAYS first. I started writing stories when I was seven years old. I knew I wanted to be a fiction author when I grew up, and after I turned twelve and started reading Robin Jones Gunn’s “Glenbrooke” series, I knew I wanted to write Christian fiction romance. I got serious about publication at age eighteen and started attending writer’s conferences and attempting to figure out the industry. I joined the ACFW, got an agent after a few years (Tamela Hancock Murray with the Steve Laube Agency), and the rest is history!

I, to date, have one novel with a small press (2007, Midnight Angel via The Wild Rose Press, White Rose line); two short story ebooks by the same; six published Love Inspired novels through Harlequin, another one contracted for next Spring; and a YA through Barbour Publishers titled Addison Blakely, Confessions of a PK; as well as several contributions to other magazines and published compilations. I ventured into journalism for my local newspaper when my husband (a fireman) was laid off a few years ago and I was desperate to freelance and garner some income! : )  Turned out great and I love it. Such a difference from fiction, but it balances me well I believe.

How does your faith play into your writing?

Whole-heartedly! Some of my novels might have a stronger faith thread than others but at the heart of all my books is faith and Christ. I don’t preach or beat my faith over the head of my readers, and I might not use churchy terms or a lot of Scripture, but I write as I live—realistic characters who mess up and need forgiveness. : )

Let’s talk about your latest book Addison Blakeley: Confessions of a PK (Barbour, January 2012). It’s your first YA novel. Please tell us about it.

This story is dear to my heart. It’s about a sixteen-year-old preacher’s kid who has never had trouble being the good girl, until the bad boy next door captures her heart. For the first time in her life Addison has to figure out why she believes the things she believes—because they were passed down to her through her preacher dad, or because she accepts them for herself? Why does she make the choices she makes?

The story is her journey to answer these questions. Add some best friend drama, her dad’s interest in dating for the first time since her mom died, the unwanted attention from the school jock as well as the sweet but where’s-the-chemistry boy in English class, a school talent show, and a new foreign exchange student, and you have trouble! But don’t worry, I made sure Addison had lots of mochas to help her through! ::wink::

Besides entertainment, what do you hope readers will take away from it?

I really hope Addison’s story helps teens who grew up in the church and think they’re “good” take a second, more thorough glance at their faith and prompt them to answer the same hard questions. We can’t have faith through our family. It has to be personal and real to us individually, regardless of who our parents are or what they do.

Writers deal with emotions—and, therefore, experience powerful emotions when writing. Please tell us about one of the funniest, most difficult, and/or otherwise most memorable moments you have experienced as a writer.

Writing the end of Addison’s story was rough. I had what I wanted to say in my head but it was hard to get it translated onto paper realistically and in a non-preachy way that would be approachable to teens. I wanted to be honest and real, and really capture those feelings and that moment of breakthrough. It was hard! I felt a heavy load of responsibility for the reader and I still do, to be honest. That has been different than any other book I’ve ever attempted. Thankfully, the majority of reviews so far have declared I got it right—but for the grace of God!

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Oh, I can use any excuse for comfort food! Anything chocolate, or the candy Nerds, and of course Diet Coke. My seasonal favorite treat is candy corn, by far. Or cheesecake. Or Mexican food. Or a Quarter Pounder with cheese. Okay, do you see why I just joined the gym? ::wink::

This website features musicians as well as writers. Do you have musical, as well as literary, talent?

I actually laughed really, really hard here. I wish I did! But no. I mean, my three-year-old says she likes the way I sing but that’s hardly an indication of real talent. If I could suddenly be good at any instrument without effort, I’d pick the fiddle. It enchants me.

If you were a song, what kind of song would you be?

Something bluegrass—twangy (I have a southern accent) and fun and sincere

Are you a major or a minor chord?

I actually wouldn’t know the difference. Yikes! I’ll let you decide ; )

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

This one I can answer! It’s back to book examples. lol  At one time I’d have been the little girl attempting to walk in high heels but I feel over the years of my career I’ve developed and become more confident and strong in what I write and why I write it. So I’m going to say the strong female lead. Life and faith have shaped me into that character. Still far from super heroine status ; )

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.

I had a brown and white paint horse named Bo when I was in junior high, and he was awesome. Actually, he was terrible—the owners that sold him to us lied about his age and level of training (he was two, not four, and greenbroke at best, definitely not trained for children!), and we had several adventures on him including hospital visits and bruised chin bones and sprained fingers—but he was my first horse and was therefore perfect : )  He was a giant puppy. Such a stubborn sweetie (sort of like my husband! hehe).

Thanks, Betsy! It’s nice to have you as a guest at DivineDetour!

Thanks for having me! Blessings!

~ ~ ~

For more information about Betsy, checkout her website at http://www.betsystamant.com/ or her blog at http://www.betsy-ann.blogspot.com/.

To purchase Addition Blakeley: Confessions of a PK and other books by Betsy, logon to:

Jennifer Slattery makes a second stop at Divine Detour this week with a challenge to reach out to others—and live out your faith.

Do you ever catch yourself saying something, then clamp your mouth shut with the realization you’ve become your mother? Or maybe you’ve glanced behind you to see your child rolling their eyes . . . just like you . . . at something that normally gets you annoyed. It’s rather sobering how pervasive a parent’s reach is. I find it quite humbling. And challenging. Each day as I watch our daughter grow I’m reminded of the power of my unspoken words.

Lately my daughter’s talked a lot about her future dream–or perhaps future mission would be more accurate. It’s quite a unique vision, and one that brings tears to my eyes. When she grows up she wants to get her veterinary license and treat the pets of the homeless. She plans to open a private practice to fund her mission. (Now obviously, she’s thirteen, so her plans may change.) This dream unites her two loves–animals and others, in a Christ-centered way.

But here’s the funny thing . . . I’ve never told her she needs to serve the homeless. I’ve never talked with her about her future ministry, except in terms of living life in full surrender. However, she’s served with us at homeless shelters. She’s helped distribute bagged lunches to those standing on street corners. She’s stood beside me as I’ve talked with them, shaking their soiled hands and taking the time to look them in the eye . . . . And clearly, those moments have left a lasting impact.

This “on the job training” applies to every area of life. In our home, we all serve together. Not only because it’s great family time, but because we want our daughter to develop a servant’s heart. We want her to understand church isn’t a place to rest your behind, but instead, where you extend the love of Christ. We are here not to be served, but instead to serve. Only lectures, no matter how logical or eloquent, won’t produce the results we want. Our children learn best by doing. By living life in community and continual surrender and by watching their parents do the same.

You see, compassion is caught as much as it is taught, and our children watch us very closely. When we turn up our noses at the less fortunate and pop off justifications for walking by, they learn to do the same. When we speak words of judgment, they develop an attitude of cynicism. Their hearts are pliable, easily swayed by every experience.

Jump forward twenty years. How might our world be if we modeled lives of compassion, raising children with compassion who created positive change in their world?

Our family took a mission trip to El Salvador last year. Although missions are important, that wasn’t why we brought our daughter. Our primary goal was to train “others” thinking. During our visit, our daughter experienced what life was like for the impoverished. She spent time among girls her age who live in an orphanage without a mom or dad to tuck them in each night.

The experience changed her. And it is our prayer, our hope, and in many ways our confidence, that her experience will in turn lead her to initiate change.

What can you do today to show your children the world beyond them? You see, our first tendency is to look upon ourselves. As parents, we long to shower our children with blessings and shelter them from every difficulty. But surrounded by abundance, what kind of adults will our children grow up to be? They already know how to look out for themselves. It’s our responsibility to help them turn that focus outward.

I’d love to hear from you. How has serving helped you train your child to be a fully devoted follower of Christ? How has it helped you draw closer to God? How has reaching out to someone else changed your perspective or blessed you in some way? Share your “Reach Out to Live Out” stories with us so we can spur one another toward good deeds. To participate in my “Reach Out to Live Out” campaign, send a photo, video, or story of you reaching out to someone else and tell us what you gained from the experience. To find out more, shoot me an email at jenniferaslattery(at)gmail(dot)com, and make sure to visit my devotional blog at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com.

Jennifer Slattery lives in the Midwest with her husband of sixteen years and their fourteen year old daughter. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, Internet Café Devotions, Jewels of Encouragement, and the Christian Pulse and maintains a devotional blog at Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud.

Laura V. Hilton is a pastor’s wife and the homeschooling mom of five children. A professional book reviewer for the Christian market—with more than 1000 reviews posted online—Laura made her fiction debut a few years ago with Treble Heart Books.

In 2011, Whitaker House released Laura’s Patchwork Dreams and A Harvest of Hearts. Her third book in the series, Promised to Another, released earlier this month.

Laura and her family reside in Arkansas.

Creativity is often innate. When did you first know you wanted to write?

I’ve always wanted to write. Even when I was about eight years old, I wrote stories.

How does your faith play into your work?

My faith is a very important part of who I am and it plays into every area of my life. It’s natural for my faith to be in my writings.

Let’s talk about your new book, Promised to Another, third in your Amish of Seymour series (Whitaker House, March 2012). Please tell us about it.

Promised to Another, Amish of Seymour, Book Three

Annie Beiler is an Amish school teacher. She was in love with an Amish man, Luke Stultz, but Luke left the Amish community during his rumspringa, but not without begging Annie to go with him. Now Luke is back, trying to win back Annie’s love.

Joshua Esh may be Amish, but he has been bitten by the travel bug. He sees the opportunity to relocate from Pennsylvania to Missouri as a way to satisfy his longing to see another place yet remain with people of his faith. Josh quickly notices the beautiful Annie, but Annie is slow to respond. With Luke in the picture, and Josh’s admission that he willingly left his district, will either man be steady and dependable enough to win the gift of Annie’s heart?

Can you tell us about a recent “detour” in your life—or in one of your character’s lives—that taught you something?

My son somehow managed to cut his leg open very badly when he was putting his knife into his pocket. I still can’t figure out HOW he did it; it was a closed knife that he claims popped open. But, it was a very bad cut. I was facing a tight deadline but I was the only one available who could drop everything to take him to the hospital. He had to get twenty stitches, and his muscle stitched up; it was bad. But I learned that no matter what I have planned, life does happen.

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Chocolate. My favorite is a Hershey’s Symphony with toffee candy bar. Both a comfort food and a celebrate-I-reached-my-wordcount food!

This website features musicians as well as writers. Do you have musical, as well as literary, talent?

Musical, not so much. I do sing specials in front of church, but only because they’re desperate, I think. My one son plays piano very well, and I have another son that wants to be a musician and has a phenomenal voice.

If you were a song, what kind of song would you be?

I’d be a love song. Probably something from the ’70s or ’80s.

Are you a major or a minor chord?

I wouldn’t have a clue.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

I probably am most likely the little girl trying to walk in high heels.

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.

We have a Siberian Husky named Nanook who thinks he’s a child. He’s scared of thunderstorms, hates rain, and thinks I’m the safest person in the house when he’s scared. He literally tries to crawl in my lap.

Thanks, Laura! It’s nice to have you as a guest at DivineDetour.

~ ~ ~

For more information about Laura, visit her blog at http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/.

To purchase Promised to Another logon to:

by Linda Cox

Let not those who hope in You be put to shame through me, O Lord God of Hosts; let not those who seek You be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel.

Psalm 69:6

The above verse from Psalm 69 reminds me of the pastor’s wife who taught the adult Sunday School class I attended. She often mentioned praying that nothing she said or did in the class would cause one of us to stumble in our walk with the Lord or fall away from our faith.

While I had given much thought about bringing people TO the Lord, I realized I hadn’t spent much time thinking about things in my life pushing them AWAY from Him. Her words were the “wake-up call” I needed. And now her prayer has become my prayer, not only in life but in my writing as well, whether it be a short story or simple devotion.

This is especially true for my devotions featured on Divine Detour. What a privilege and honor it is to be a part of this wonderful website. This devotion marks my one-year anniversary as a Divine Detour “regular contributor.” Wow!

Thank you, Kathy, for allowing me to do this, for your help and encouragement along the way, for choosing some amazing photos to enhance the words, and for being a mentor and friend beyond compare. I am truly blessed!

And I pray that as long as I keep writing, none of my words will in any way cause anyone to stumble in their faith journey with our Lord.

To You alone, O Lord, be all the glory.  Amen.

Linda Cox is a regular contributor to DivineDetour. She recently retired after twenty-five years as a district office secretary for the State of Illinois. Her first loves are studying the Bible and reading, but Linda occasionally tries her hand at writing. Her work is published in All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa (Thomas Nelson), The One-Year Life Verse Devotional (Tyndale), Life Lessons from Grandparents (Write Integrity) and the Love Is a Verb devotional (Bethany House). She and her husband live on a farm with their two indoor/outdoor farm mutts.

Linda and Kathy, friends since second grade, are pictured here a “few” years later.

Margaret Brownley is a New York Times best-selling author who has written more than twenty-five historical and contemporary novels. Her books—from thrillers, to mysteries, to suspense, romance, and even one non-fiction—have won numerous awards, including the Reader’s Choice. A Lady like Sarah was a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist.

A successful general market author, Margaret made the decision a few years back to write inspirational fiction, leading to her Rocky Creek Series. Her latest novel, Dawn Comes Early—the first in her Brides of Last Chance Ranch Series—releases this month.

Margaret and her husband, who is her “real life hero,” have three grown children and live in Southern California.

Your Rocky Creek Series was set in Texas, and your latest book, Dawn Comes Early, is set in the Arizona desert. How did a girl from Southern California develop a love for Western fiction?

I love writing about the old west because that’s when women came of age. The westward migration freed women in ways never before imagined. Women abandoned Victorian mores and rid themselves of confining clothes. The gun may have won the west, but it was the women who tamed it. They brought churches, schools, newspapers and helped build community. These are the heroines for whom we like to cheer. It must have been a shock to the male ego to have to deal with such strong and unconventional women—and that’s at the very heart of my stories.

I also like writing serious themes with a touch of humor and the old west lends itself nicely to laughter, don’t you think? Since people lived so close to the land it’s also a perfect setting for an inspirational novel.

Has God ever provided an unexpected “detour” in your life that turned out to be positive?

My writing certainly took a detour following the loss of our son. I was writing for the secular market and now I’m writing inspirationals. Going through a crisis of faith resulted in a closer relationship with God.

I’m so sorry for your loss. How does your faith play into your writing?

Faith is an essential part of who we are and that shows up no matter what you do. One of my frustrations in writing for the secular market was not being allowed to explore a character’s faith (or lack of it). I don’t think it’s possible to fully develop a character without including his or her relationship to God.

Everything that happens to us changes our faith in some ways, sometimes for the better, but not always. The same is true of our characters. We know to hold a protagonist’s feet to the fire, but sometimes forget to show how the experience affects spirituality.

Let’s talk about Dawn Comes Early, the first in The Brides of Last Chance Ranch Series (Thomas Nelson, March 2012). Please tell us about it.

Dawn Comes Early

Brides of Last Chance Ranch

Heiress Wanted

Looking for hard-working, professional woman of good character and pleasant disposition willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona Territory.

Must be single and prepared to remain so now and forever more.

Her latest dime novel banned, twenty-nine-year old Kate Tenney finds herself without a publisher or other means of support. An advertisement for a woman willing to learn the ranching business seems like the perfect solution for a displaced western writer who has no intention of getting married—ever.

Trouble begins the moment she steps foot in Arizona Territory. The west is nothing like she wrote about in her books. Not only does she have to deal with a hard-nosed ranch owner, and nefarious outlaw, but a traitorous heart. Deserted as a child by her father, grandfather and others—even God—Kate does not trust men and has no intention of falling for Luke Adam’s charm. She’s determined to learn the ranching business and prove to the doubting ranch owner that she’s up to the task—if it kills her. If only she could stay away from a certain handsome blacksmith and his two matchmaking aunts.

What sparked the idea for the story?

The idea for the Brides of Last Chance Ranch Series came to me after reading an old newspaper article in the New York Times dated 1891. A group of fifty ladies of the First Church of Millford formed a society of old maids in 1861. Each member vowed she would not marry. Each woman paid five dollars on admission with the principal going to the one who remained unmarried the longest. Thirty years later all but fifteen of the original had married. I was never able to find out who won the prize—and sincerely hope no one had—but the concept intrigued me and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

What advice would you offer to writers—young or older—who are just starting out?

Enjoy the journey! Being published comes with its own challenges, so you really have to enjoy each step of the way or you won’t survive. Surround yourself with a support group and celebrate every success. Celebrate when you finish a chapter; enter a contest; pop a query in the mail; or sign up for a writing workshop. This is what kept me going the five years it took me to sell my first book and it will keep you going, too.

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Anything I don’t have to cook is comfort food, but no celebration is complete without chocolate. It comes from the cocoa bean so that means it counts as a vegetable.

If you were a song, what kind of song would you be?

I’d be a high-kicking Broadway tune.

Are you a major or a minor chord?

I guess it depends on the day of the week. On my major days I can’t get enough of people. On my minor days I just want to hide in my shell and write.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

I write about strong independent women and I guess that fits my personality to a T. I also prefer high heels to sneakers—truly!

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.

I’m in between pets at the moment, so all my pets are imaginary. Luke Adams, the hero in Dawn Comes Early, has a delightful wolf dog named Homer. In the second book, Waiting for Morning, Dr. Caleb Fairbanks owns a little dog named Magic, modeled after the winner of my “Your Dog in My Book” contest.

That sounds wonderful! I love dog characters! Thanks so much for stopping by DivineDetour.

Thank you for having me!

~ ~ ~

For more information about Margaret and her books, visit www.margaretbrownley.com.

To purchase Dawn Comes Early logon to: