If you’d like me to speak to your group, lead a retreat, edit your work, or pray for you, please contact me at www.juliebcosgrove.com
My Story:
At thirteen, I dedicated my life to Christ when He saved me from being engulfed in a fire. Yes, I know it was God who acted. No one else was around. At that time, I didn’t think my life as worth saving. He did. If you want to read that story, here’s a guest blog I did called Up in Smoke.
I decided that God wanted me to teach others about His mercy and grace. So, I set out to make that my career. As a religion major at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, I received the American Bible Society’s Religion Major of the Year Award. I then studied for three semesters in seminary – until life happened and God shut that door. I got married, had a son, and became a working mom. It would be thirty years before He opened a window – writing and speaking about Him. When my husband was alive, we moved a lot. No, we weren’t military. He just had a hard time finding a stable company in the construction industry. They have a tendency to come and go, so we did as well. It became harder and harder for me to find employment since we moved every 18 months to 2 years.
Three people in three states told me I should write for a living. They always liked the articles I wrote for the church bulletin or newsletter, or my catching-up emails. They said I had “a knack”. I had taken creative writing in high school and loved it. Yeah, I was the nerd who actually liked to do research papers. I’ve always adored the aroma of libraries. Anyway, I took a quickie online course and began to bid freelance work. I got several jobs right off the bat. I figured this had to be a God-driven thing, so I told Him I would tithe my writing day first to Him. That was in 2008.
In the past fourteen years, I’ve published literally hundreds of web content and articles with secular and Christian themes, and I’ve led over 25 retreats, workshops, and Bible studies. I write devotionals on a regular basis for several Christian websites and publications.
I’ve authored six nonfiction works and 16 novels with three mroe under contract – all of which are available on Amazon.com in paperback or Kindle: (Learn More in the MY WRITING tab or go to my website :juliebcosgrove.com
I am also a faith-based and cozy mystery editor for Elk Publishing and Roaring Lambs Publishing as well a freelance editor on the side.
I will keep writing, editing adn speaking because our Lord’s acts of merciful grace need to be shared. Since His mercies are new every morning, this is one topic that will never run out of ways to tell it, because we each have a story. We each have the opportunity to discover His loving tap upon our souls during our day.
Yeah, I guess you can say He has blessed that promise I made to Him back in 2008 – but then He always does that when His children are in obedience. Not that I have been the entire time, nor has it been a smooth path. In the process, I lost my husband, lost both of my cats the same year, lost the use of my right hand until I had surgery to release a pinched nerve and got 70% of it back, and have had other challenges such as being wheelchair and walker bound. I’m not getting rich, but am eking by. He knows my needs – the greatest of which I discovered when I was thirteen: Jesus saves.
So, I must write and tell others of His mercy and grace. These are available to us each and every day. You just have to have the “faith eyes” to see it. Sometimes, it is like a game of Hide and Seek, but He can always be found.
Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil – pointless.
*NOTE: Any info you leave in the comment section will only be used for the intended purpose to contact me. Any replies I make will be through this secured WordPress site and sent only to you. I will not share any contact information to anyone else. By commenting, you accept this agreement.
Header picture of storm clouds purchased through membership in dreamstime.com – by Olga Vasilkova “Clouds Over Mountains”. Fire photo also through dreamstime.com.
Wow! Julie what a journey! This blog is such a blessing. I am looking forwards to following your future posts! 😀
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thanks steve- I like your food4 part of your blog – great idea!! May God speak through your keyboard
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I love your faith-filled posts Julie. God Bless You 🙂
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I notice your (great) articles are having very few scriptures now – is there a reason why?
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God is showing me where and how to find Him in my day, so I let that stand as He gives it to me.
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