The words punctured my mom like a pin deflating a balloon. Her shoulders slumped, and she suddenly looked every inch of her nearly six decades. “Emily,” Mom’s voice broke on a harsh sob. “Oh, my darling daughter. No, it wasn’t worth it. Not at all. I didn’t read the Bible. I merely thought if I …
My hand flew to my throat. I could nearly hear the squeal of breaks, the screams of passengers, and the crunch of metal at the collision. Her voice dropped even lower. “The man next to me was covered in blood. Clearly, he was gravely injured, probably dying. But he focused not on himself, but on …
I eyed the desolate landscape, then looked at my mother, who I’d never seen shed a tear. “What are you talking about?” “How do I even begin? I know I’ve not been a good mother to you. And part of the reason has to do with that cross.” Her voice steadied as she told me …
by Sarah Hamaker This is part one of a short story I wrote a few years ago. Enjoy! It’s always startling to find out your mother has a secret, especially when it’s not an ordinary, run-of-the-mill secret, but an I’ve-never-told-a-living-soul secret. My mother, Norma Jane Brookings, began unburdening this secret with a simple phone call. …
For more than 40 years, Deb Brammer has written for Christian publication and served as a full-time missionary in Taiwan and New Zealand. In her books, you’ll find realistic characters who deal with cross-cultural experiences and care about ministry. Her most recent series is the Art Spotlight Mysteries. How do you come up with titles …