MaryHolloman

The Worst Torture (Or, What Writing Is Like)

It’s embarrassing how long it’s been since I last wrote a blog post. I could list all the reasons why I didn’t, but they probably wouldn’t sound much different than yours or anyone else’s (aside from one of my reasons being that my toddler literally demolished my computer by shoving it off my desk. IfContinueContinue reading “The Worst Torture (Or, What Writing Is Like)”

Book Illustrations, High Functioning Anxiety, and the Call to Stand Tall

One question I get often is how much input did I have on the illustrations of The Anxious Lily. Here’s a short breakdown of what that process was like for me, as well as some fun pictures of the process! When writing a proposal for a children’s picture book, a best practice is to includeContinueContinue reading “Book Illustrations, High Functioning Anxiety, and the Call to Stand Tall”

Risks Worth Taking: My Writing Story

I got a 3 on my elementary school writing test. Do you remember those? It was in fourth grade. Each student was given a prompt, and you had a set amount of time to write a story using the prompt. The highest score you could receive was a 4. I wanted that 4. I gotContinueContinue reading “Risks Worth Taking: My Writing Story”

2023 Book Journal: Reading Together

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been preparing for the second half of the school year. My 2nd grader and kindergartner love to read, so I started looking for a downloadable book journal where they could keep track of the books they read throughout the year. There’s something really cool about looking back and seeingContinueContinue reading “2023 Book Journal: Reading Together”

Grief, Advent, and Unanswerable Questions

I recently went to a routine doctors appointment where they ask you a thousand questions about your medical history. I rattled off the answers until the nurse asked the question I should have known was coming but didn’t. “How many pregnancies?” I don’t know exactly how much time it took me to answer. Probably 5-10ContinueContinue reading “Grief, Advent, and Unanswerable Questions”

Watching a Lily Grow

This past spring I planted a lily bulb. I should note that I’m terrible with plants and really anything that requires nourishment to survive. (Other than my children. I can handle that.) But being the sappy person I am, I wanted to just watch a lily grow, because I knew this year I’d get toContinueContinue reading “Watching a Lily Grow”

15 God-Focused Activities & Devotionals

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. From the moment the calendar flips to September 1, everything’s either pumpkin-spiced, plaid, or bonfire-scented. And on top of all the Fall-even-though-it’s-still-85-degrees-in-North-Carolina decor, there are the 3,264 events you can attend or sign up your family for. Is it just me, or does it seem as ifContinueContinue reading “15 God-Focused Activities & Devotionals”

6 Ways to Help Your Child with Anxiety: A Free Resource

Intrusive thoughts, fears, and worries can be paralyzing. It’s easy to tell our children (or ourselves!) to just move on mentally and “don’t worry about it.” But this is much easier said than done. Throughout Scripture, we see a pattern of not only throwing off unhealthy or sinful practices, but also putting on healthy, godlyContinueContinue reading “6 Ways to Help Your Child with Anxiety: A Free Resource”

Why Our Summer Reading Looks Different This Year

It’s that time of year again when summer reading challenges abound! I’m taking a different approach this year, and the picture above sums up why. On vacation a few weeks ago, my son grabbed one of his favorite books (Encyclopedia Brown, of course), plopped down on the beach, and sat there reading for close toContinueContinue reading “Why Our Summer Reading Looks Different This Year”

Just as He Said: A Free Easter E-Book for You

The resurrection of Christ changes everything. As an Easter gift to you, I’ve put together some writings from the last few years on the resurrection and how it has changed me. Included are 3 chapters: 4 Ways to Make Easter Meaningful for Your FamilyThe Longest Night of My LifeDeath, Where is Your Sting? Click theContinueContinue reading “Just as He Said: A Free Easter E-Book for You”