I was thinking that I’d really like to recommend other writers and resources online, rather than just always posting my own stuff. There are so many awesome speakers and writers online, and I love sharing stuff that I love!!
So I thought I’d start a regular feature, passing on a recommendation once a week for you, okay?
Here’s the first one:
_________________________________________
DUH.
Of course, my VERY first recommendation is my Bestie, Natasha, and the writing she shares at natashametzler.com
Natasha has been my best friend since we were pretty young. I was 17 and she was 14 and we initially bonded over algebra. I think we did about two algebra lessons and then we just switched to talking about books, sewing, books, babysitting, books, youth group, books, boys, and books. (Spoiler: I married her brother.)
We even started writing a book series way back then called the Kendall Brides. We were pretty psyched. It was a series of inspirational romances about all the women who married into the same family in the mountains of Tennessee. It was so romantic.
I sent a pitch letter to Bethany House, not realizing at the time that A) you should send to an agent, not a publisher, and B) an agent wants a completed manuscript, not just a smoking fancy first chapter. (If you would like to read one of those chapters, please message me. You will be impressed.) And C) We were really, really poor writers, if enthusiastic.
But I digress.
Anyway, after that I found bloopdiary.com, and then opendiary.com and we both starting “blogging.” This was around 2001. We were both pretty thrilled with the concept. My name was superbrianna and hers was something better like LivingforHim. We had so much fun posting and making friends in that community.
After awhile I stopped posting, for several reasons, but mostly for this reason. I got married and had 3 kids, and a few years later she got married… and had infertility.
Tasha’s blog really took a different direction when she began walking through that struggle. Instead of the simple homemaking, inspirational, and mother things she would have found easier to write, she began documenting her journey through infertility with faith.
Her writing grew into a book called Pain Redeemed. It’s a story of God’s presence in the midst of a trial. If you feel like you’re crumbling under the weight, I think this book will really minister to you- whether your pain is from infertility or something completely different.
After the release of this book, she continued blogging. She pursued other veins of writing- about her and her husband’s Dairy Farming, devotionals she calls WordSnacks, and then more recently, about their venture into the world of older child adoption. She contributes writing at several other sites, too.
And the newest venture, which I’ve written lots about here, is the Christmas book.
You can read her own words here, about how she came to write the book in the midst of her pain. How the Love of the Lord came out in a joyful story of the Gospel, in spite of- or perhaps because of– the pain and the suffering she was experiencing.
Anyway, there’s a lot more. I’m sure you know by now that I was especially blessed that she asked me to illustrate her story.
But she’s got so much more over at natashametzler.com.
I’d really, really, like you to head over and explore her site for yourself. I think you’ll find she’s really good at ministering to your hurting places.
She’s one of my best friends, because she’s been so good to me. I think you’ll find that what she has is good for you, too.
Love,
Brianna
PS. If you liked this recommendation, please tell her I sent you! And if you have a recommendation I can share, please let me know. 🙂
briannasiegrist.com 