Welcome . . .
Hi. If we haven’t met yet, I’m Denise, and I’m committed to doing “online life” a little quieter and a little simpler.
I write about “the quiet life,” a term coined by a writer named Paul who lived a couple thousand years ago. It’s a vision for living counter-culturally in a loud and restless world, which is the subject of my latest book Sanctuary.
What you can expect…
Here at Substack, every new article is free to all subscribers, but a few days after a new article is published, it will join the archive behind a paywall. Subscribers, however, will still have access to all the content in their inboxes.
For newcomers, a few perennial pieces remain unlocked to give an idea of what you can expect in this newsletter. You can read them here:
To learn more about the purpose of this newsletter, click here.
A little about me professionally…
I’m a teacher, editor, author, and speaker.
With an M.A. in English, I’ve enjoyed teaching college courses in literature and composition. I’ve also taught English in both private and public K-12 schools.
For several years I served as an editor, working with dozens of Christian women writers in online spaces. I’ve also served as the General Editor for this CSB Women’s Devotional Bible with LifeWay.
I’ve written a few books too, and I think you’ll find a fairly consistent theme in everything I write — you’ll also find I have a fondness for em dashes and scare quotes.
A little about me personally…
When I’m not in front of a screen, which is happening more and more, I’m taking long walks outside and having long talks with friends.
Admittedly, though, I’m a homebody. I love reading old books, sipping hot tea, writing with actual pens, and snuggling with my two small dogs who are convinced they’re humans with paws.
My husband, Jeff, is my best friend. He always makes me laugh. We’re originally from California, but we’ve become the latest transplants (refugees?) to the Carolinas. And we’re loving the deciduous trees.
Jeff and I have three adult kids, and we think they’re pretty amazing humans. But I don’t write much about them because, throughout my “online life,” I’ve been committed to honoring my children’s privacy.
As a writer, I’m a storyteller.
As a mom, I’m a story protector.
When I say “story protector,” I simply mean I believe it’s my responsibility as a mom to let them tell their own stories when they’re ready.
As much as my life has been influenced by my experiences as a wife and mom, my life remains indelibly shaped by the God who rescued me from certain demise, which I wrote about in my first book Deeper Waters.
I will spend all my days declaring this truth: No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done or what might have been done to you, there is grace for you and everything you have been through. There is real hope for new life. Not because I can make it so, but because God can make it so.
So, more than anything, I want you to know: You are welcome here. No matter what. Life is a journey, and the journey is made so much sweeter when we sojourn together.
Shalom.
Denise
Other Places Where My Writing Has Appeared…
First 5 App (also by P31)
To learn more, you can visit my website. And, yeah, it’s totally free to subscribe.
