#calling – Tattoo It On Your Heart

Grit & Grace: Michael Duncan ~ Author, Pastor, Master of the One-Line Sermon Returns

Feast on a banquet of truth from one who greets life’s challenges with grit & grace. Michael Duncan: author, pastor, master of the one-line sermon returns as my guest interviewee. Undeterred by threats, he shares wit, wisdom, and some wild stories including the unlikely setting in which Jesus saved him.

Double Blessing

I’m doubly blessed this week and pray you will be too. Blessed to share my salvation story titled “Three Men, Jesus, and Me” featured on the Heart of Flesh Literary Journal site.

2025 Selah Winner Essays Online | Three Men, Jesus, and Me by Rachael M Colby

1. “It wasn’t the first time suicide knocked on my door. I vowed…” CLICK HERE to continue reading “Three Men, Jesus, and Me,” on the Heart of Flesh Literary Journal.

“Heart of Flesh is a semiannual, online and print literary journal that seeks quality writing and art with Christian themes.” Owner, author, and editor Veronica McDonald publishes poetry, fiction, nonfiction, photography, and art, and features Christian salvation testimonies online throughout April and October..

Blessed to offer encouragement with my article “The Power of One In a Writer’s Life” on The Write Conversation.

2. “When we’re not making progress as we’d hoped, discouragement can set in, and temptation beckons us to turn away from our call…” CLICK HERE to continue reading “The Power of One In a Writer’s Life,” on The Write Conversation.

The Write Conversation blog is a ministry of Edie Melson, author, editor, writing instructor, and director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. The Write Conversation hosts encouragement and instruction for writers on the craft and in their faith from a variety of contributing authors including Edie’s frequent offerings.

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Bold & Vulnerable

Vulnerability doesn’t come easy for me. But God calls us to live boldly and open-faced. Love requires we truly give of ourselves.

When Can-do Won’t Do

“God,” I said, “why is this so hard lately?” Sweat beaded on my forehead and panic set in. I usually take several hours to write the questions to lead the live Bible-based discussion, but less than 90 minutes remained before the start, and I had yet to write one. I’d attempted to write them a few times in the weeks before, to no avail.

The Hair and the Chicken

If you don’t lose all respect for me after watching this video, no worries, you’ll have another chance. Sometimes good things do come out of bad hair days.

Delay & Divine Direction

When the road stretches longer than expected and delays and detours abound, we dare not deter from the right path. The high road, though often rough hewn, long, lonely, and costly, is worthy of staying the course. In the long run, the cost of abandoning our call is higher than the pursuit of it. Shortcuts out of God’s will shortchange us and all those our life impacts. Look at the turmoil caused by Sarah and Abraham’s attempt to help and hurry God’s promise by Abraham bearing a child with Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant. King Saul lost his destiny because he stepped out of his role and assumed the duty set aside for the high priest when he failed to wait for Samuel and instead made the burnt offering before battle.

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,” Samuel told Saul. Sometimes obedience means a season of waiting and work in preparation for the journey. It takes time to train a skilled soldier, it takes time to forge and temper a weapon. Sometimes it’s the lessons learned on an arduous journey that prepare us for our destination.

“It’s good for you to be out of your comfort zone,” my son-in-law Spencer texted me.

“Remind me again,” I said, “what is a comfort zone?”

Life Lessons from the Perspective of a Writer’s Journey

I’m not able to pull off perfect, so I decided I’d be real instead. No matter our call, when we shake off the shackles of perfectionism, and with God’s help pursue excellence for His glory and the edification of others, we find ourselves on a much more peaceful and productive path. (Working on it, or rather, God’s working in me.)

#FaithOverFear from the Perspective of a Mom, Nurse, and Teacher

There’s only one explanation for Robin—Jesus. And also for her sons Miles and Jake. Robin and Jake are nurses currently caring for Covid19 patients. Miles serves as a teacher in Malaysia. Robin is also an award winning author, speaker, and leader of Higher Ground Outreach ministry for incarcerated women. What an honor to interview them during Teacher and Nurse Appreciation Week and in time for Mother’s Day, and to share their timely and timeless, inspiring and joy filled stories with you in these two videos and the article that follows.

Onward!

You cannot stay here.

Mountaintops, valleys, running with the wind and running in water, heartbreak and breakthrough, trials and triumph. — It’s been the best of years; it’s been the worst of years. I’ve braved the battleground. I’ve floundered and failed; I’ve pressed on and prevailed.

Sometimes life bulldozes. Stuff happens. Yes, “onward” is my word of the year, and no, the irony of getting stuck writing Onward did not escape me. It’s been awhile. Forgive me. Shame tried to hold me down, but God said, “Rise.”

When Failing Wins

Rachael-M-Colby-blogs.capecodonline.com-When-Failing-Wins

Challenges are more often like marathons than sprints. We’re most spent as we near the finish line, and when I can’t see the end, sometimes I falter and it’s tempting to quit rather than carry on.

“God,” I said, “I’m not entering any more writing contests if I don’t win something this time.” —I almost didn’t enter, but I figured entering my article on failing was appropriate since I’m so adept at it. Besides, the road to success is often paved with failure.

Rachael-M-Colby-Tattoo-It-On-Your-Heart-The-road-to success-is-often-paved-with-failure