Julie's Journal

A journey with God, family & everything in between

Recent Journal Entries

Consider the Spiderwort

Consider the Spiderwort

When I step off the porch to begin my walk, I spot the Virginia spiderworts bordering the sidewalk. Dainty flowers sit atop upright but flimsy stalks and the leaves stretch long and thin. And the flowers – oh, the flowers – exquisite and delicate and lovely. I’m most...

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September Holidays and Celebrations

September Holidays and Celebrations

Have fun with the family this month and make every day a holiday. September 6-12 Ampersand Day Labor Day Read A Book Day Teddy Bear Day National Breakfast Month National Day of Encouragement Truck Driver Appreciation...

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September Holidays and Celebrations

September Holidays and Celebrations

Have fun with the family this month and make every day a holiday! September 1-5 International Bacon Day Hummingbird Day Be Late For Something Day National Wildlife Day National Cheese Pizza...

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On My Walk With God

Fascinated and awestruck by the Creator’s manifold riches, Julie Lavender enjoys sharing stories of God’s creations and is convinced that God uses His masterpieces to teach us more about Him. Whether it’s the humankind, a member of the animal kingdom, or one of God’s natural beauties, Julie loves boasting about God’s workmanship that she encounters on morning prayer walks or adventurous hikes with the family or daily life experiences. Join Julie on a walk with God, learning about the Almighty Creator, one creation at a time.

Consider the Spiderwort

Consider the Spiderwort

When I step off the porch to begin my walk, I spot the Virginia spiderworts bordering the sidewalk. Dainty flowers sit atop upright but flimsy stalks and the leaves stretch long and thin. And the flowers – oh, the flowers – exquisite and delicate and lovely. I’m most...

read more

365 Ways to Love Your Child

Moments don’t have to be monumental to be momentous in the eyes of a child. In fact, some of the little moments spent with kids make the most lasting memories and become lifelong treasures. Julie encourages parents and kid caregivers to make the most of every opportunity to make a memory. Julie says, “You won’t regret later that you sometimes went to bed with a sinkful of dirty dishes, but you may wish you’d spent more time outside playing with your children or reading that book ‘just one more time.’” Join Julie and friends as they offer creative suggestions for activities and books, gestures, and expressions of love to show a child how much they are treasured and adored by a parent, grandparent, or caregiver, and most importantly, by God.

Love your child by letting them see your imperfections…

Love your child by letting them see your imperfections…

Jane Jenkins Herlong "sweet tea wisdom & Southern-fried humor" Jane Jenkins Herlong is a Sirius XM Humorist, international best-selling/award-winning author, professional singer, recording artist and award-winning professional speaker. That's a mouthful of amazing...

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Make Every Day a Holiday

Julie loves an excuse to celebrate and found lots of little moments to turn into festivities when her kids were little. She collected holidays over the years and found that each day offers more than one opportunity to celebrate. After all, each day is a gift from God, full of new mercies and God’s goodness and deserves celebration. Remembering Psalm 118:24 that says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it,” Julie encourages families and loved ones to make every day a holiday and to give thanks for each little moment.

September Holidays and Celebrations

September Holidays and Celebrations

Have fun with the family this month and make every day a holiday. September 6-12 Ampersand Day Labor Day Read A Book Day Teddy Bear Day National Breakfast Month National Day of Encouragement Truck Driver Appreciation...

read more
September Holidays and Celebrations

September Holidays and Celebrations

Have fun with the family this month and make every day a holiday! September 1-5 International Bacon Day Hummingbird Day Be Late For Something Day National Wildlife Day National Cheese Pizza...

read more

The Road to Writing: Enjoy the Path to Publication and Appreciate the Scenery Along the Way

Julie’s writing journey began when she fell in love with children’s literature while teaching little ones in three states as an elementary school teacher. But truthfully, her love of literature started as a youngster when, even though her farming family had little money for extras like books, she was the student who ordered the most at every book fair. When she became a stay-at-home mom with their first child, Julie pursued writing opportunities and made every mistake imaginable. That’s when she decided she should research, attend writing conferences, and study the craft of writing.

Her lengthy writing trek – over thirty years now – brought many adventures, a variety of published credits, and a host of writing friends. Julie’s excited to see where the writing road leads next, and she can’t wait to connect with others here to discuss all-things writing.

Add newspaper writing to your resume

Add newspaper writing to your resume

Part Two A steady stream of fresh content fills the pages of newsprint, seven days a week for larger cities, six days for medium-sized ones like my hometown, or once a week for the next county over. That’s where the freelancer comes in. Newsrooms can’t afford to pay a...

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Add newspaper writing to your resume

Add newspaper writing to your resume

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it: Newspaper articles are a great way to earn writing credits for beginning, as well as, experienced writers!!! Have you ever considered writing for your hometown newspaper? Newspaper writing is a market that is often overlooked by...

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