Posts by ChrisMadaySchmidt
Blindsided by ‘everything but’ or following your dreams
In my latest subscriber newsletter, I talk about learning #allthings tech and marketing on the business side of writing and—quite honestly—this “old” dog is easily overwhelmed. Yet I can spend a half day trying to establish automated workflows for new subscribers—or contemplate a redesign to my website—before realizing my time to create content or revise…
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What you know + what you’re good at: finding your lane
I’ve read several meanings of the saying, “Stay in your lane,” but my favorite is: find your purpose and stick with what you know and what you’re good at. While “good” is an ideal I continue to strive toward, there have been many signs over the years pointing me toward my purpose—culminating in a contract…
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God ‘winks:’ tiny reminders that we matter
One recent morning, I prepared a travel mug with hot coffee for an hour-long drive into town. But when I reached for the natural sweetener I use, I discovered my supply was depleted. On a whim, I peeked inside my purse and found a stash of my favorite sweetener packets. During another morning, I stepped…
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The ‘fruit’ of our labor: what happens when we give up too soon
A couple weeks ago, we invited our neighbors over for dinner and I tackled a new dessert recipe. I realized that was risky business, especially if it flopped, with the nearest store a minimum of 1½-2 hours roundtrip. Although I encountered a couple glitches, I’m grateful I improvised because it ultimately received raving reviews. I…
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Summer blog series: extending hope by giving back
Giving back involves a certain amount of giving up. ~ Colin Powell Thank you for joining me for week no. 6 and the last installment of my summer blog series. Although I’ve barely made a dent in the number of ways to extend hope, I hope the posts have inspired you. Click here to catch…
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Love as sweet as honey: real-life makes the best stories
My latest five-minute romance—Love as sweet as honey—appears in Woman’s World Aug. 28 issue, available at retailers and online. The story opens when a single mom playing tourist in her hometown meets a handsome stranger over soft-serve—his charming company a reminder of how lonely she often gets—but a business deal might just lead to a…
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Summer blog series: extending hope through connection (recipe included!)
Thanks for joining me for week no. 5 of my summer blog series. You can click here to catch up. When was the last time you connected with someone and the experience lifted your spirits? What drew the two of you together—a common love of reading, a mutual focus on nutrition or fitness, a similar…
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Choosing better over bitter: the tests within the testimonies
On Aug. 19, 2004, my family’s life was forever changed. Nineteen years ago, a drunk driver slammed into my husband, Bob’s vehicle. Yet despite his chronic pain—and the deficits caused by a traumatic brain injury and broken bones—Bob’s story doesn’t end there. It lives on each year I climb atop my soapbox. It lives on…
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Summer blog series: extending hope through happy endings
You can’t just hope for happy endings. You have to believe in them. ~ Nora Roberts Welcome to week no. 4 of my summer blog series! In case you missed the first three posts, I talk about how we can extend hope through words of encouragement, acts of service and the gift of laughter. Another…
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Summer blog series: extending hope through the gift of laughter
Humor is hope’s companion in arms. ~ Ogden Nash Welcome to week no. 3 of my summer blog series! In the first two posts, I talked about extending hope through words of encouragement and acts of service. Today, I share how humor produced hope after my husband, Bob’s near-fatal car accident. As many readers know,…
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