PUBLISHER’S LETTER: A Prayer of Blessing
By Linda Evans Shepherd Linda Evans Shepherd As I write to you, my Christmas tree is glowing softly in the corner— each light a tiny reminder of the miracle we…
The Prayer That Healed Broken Bones
I stepped onto the pavement and tried to swing my other foot free. As I stepped out, the gondola rocked wildly and the heavy car struck me square in the back of my rib cage and knocked me to the ground. Pain exploded through my back as muscle spasms seized me, leaving me unable to rise from the pavement. My family helped me up, but by the time I reached the ER, scans confirmed the worst: three broken ribs...
PUBLISHER’S LETTER: Scars & Authenticity
This issue is an invitation to go deeper. Beyond surface appearances, beyond polite answers. We’re stepping into authenticity—into stories that don’t hide the scars, but reveal them as places where God’s light shines through. Inside these pages, you’ll discover women who share honestly from their journeys.
When Your Plans Go Up In Smoke (Along With Your Plane)
It started somewhere between Dallas and San Antonio, where I was napping in seat 27A, minding my own business, when my eyes suddenly snapped open. Something wasn’t right. I looked up to see smoke curling out of the air vent. I blinked. Then I leaned toward the man beside me and whispered, “Is that ... smoke?”
PUBLISHER’S LETTER: Lighting the Way
Welcome to Leading Hearts—an EPA award-winning magazine created by the members of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. As AWSA celebrates our 25th year, I find myself reflecting on what God has built through us—over 1,000 strong—women committed to using our words, our stories, and our gifts to glorify Him.
The Clarity That Comes on the Way Down
Clarity doesn’t always show up at the top of the mountain—sometimes it waits for you halfway down, breathless and freezing, with a lesson you didn’t expect to learn.
How to Pray When the Waters Are Murky
When you’re wading through muddy waters, longing for clarity, it can feel like there’s nothing firm to stand on—only murky answers and shifting ground.
Soar Into Peace
Sometimes when I pray, the Lord shows me these lovely pictures. I used to think these were mere daydreams interrupting my prayer focus. I’d try to refocus, but the images continued to break my concentration. One day, in a small prayer circle, the woman who prayed before me shared the pictures she saw as she prayed. I’d never heard anyone share in this way before, but her courage inspired me to share the pictures I saw.
The Power of “Yes”
Nearly 25 years ago, while praying, I heard a gentle whisper in my spirit. The Lord asked me to invite Christian women authors I knew to join an online community.
Pray Your Way Out of the Holiday Blues
As the world sings, “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,” tragedy can suddenly zap away our joy. Loved ones can pass away, and lives can be turned upside down.