With gratitude

Thanks, y'all, for all the prayers. The manuscript for Can You Keep a Secret? is turned in! You can't see it but I do a mini version of the macarena every time I say that.

Heeyyyyyyyy, Macarena!

You totally prayed me through that last week of writing, and I totally needed it. What I didn't tell you guys was that a few weeks back my mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and last week she took a major turn for the worse. It's been hard and is getting harder. So your prayers really did sustain my writing and concentrating right up until I attached the document and hit send to my editor.

Heeyyyyyyy, Macarena!

I'm ready to take a little break and focus on my family awhile, but in the back of my head I'm percolating the next book topic. Let me know if you have ideas for me!

I'm off to a P31 conference call, followed by a meeting at my church, followed by an afternoon with my kids and my Dad, followed by open house at the elementary school tonight. Somewhere in there I also have to put away the 4 loads of laundry I washed yesterday. But it's all good because at least the book is turned in. Heeyyyyyyy, Macarena! Thank you from the bottom of my dance lovin' heart.

PS. Did I ever tell you we danced the macarena at a women's retreat Gwen Smith and I led one time ... no wait that was the electric slide. We did the slide to one of Gwen's worship songs, it was just a spontaneous eruption in the middle of worship. No, really. Seriously. Every woman there knew the dance too and joined in. Course we were on a cruise ship dance floor so it seemed a semi-natural thing to do at the time. I promise if you ever have me come speak at your church I won't dance. Unless you also book Gwen as the worship leader ... then I can't make any promises.

Guess what?

Hey Girls. I deserve 20 slaps with a wet noodle for my lack of posting here these last few weeks! I offer you my apology and I hope you'll offer me some grace. I appreciate the sweet notes you've sent saying you missed me and checking to make sure everything is OK with me. All is well, in fact, it is even better than well ...

Tonight my husband brought in the mail and handed me a large envelope with the name David. C. Cook in the return address. It contained the contract for me to sign for my next book! Oh happy day!

Do you remember me asking for prayer this past spring to finish a writing project I was working on? It was the proposal for this book - so thank you for praying. The book is called:

Can You Keep a Secret?

Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY because now I have to finish writing the other 11 chapters. I might be posting a little erratically as I work on this project - but I'll keep in touch here for sure. Actually, I might just need your help ... your feedback, ideas, cheers and stories. And I may want to quote you from some of your comments you've already posted during our Bible studies together. So stay tuned.

And know that I truly would appreciate your prayers for this project -- for uninterrupted writing time, for wisdom and inspiration, and most of all for my readers to see God afresh through these words. I can't do this without Him, and would not want to.

Now I'm off to watch the Olympics - I'm a HUGE gymnastics fan as I used to be a gymnast myself. Are you watching it too?