Hey sweet friend, When we first met Lora Bennett, she wasn't looking for an adventure. She was perfectly happy baking cookies, spending time with friends, and cheering everyone else on from the sidelines. But sometimes God has other plans. And sometimes those plans show up in the form of a cookie contest. 😁 👉 Grab your copy of Whisked Away here This month, Lora is heading to Magnolia Bend as one of twenty contestants in the Crazy Cookie Regional Contest. The prize? A commercial KitchenAid...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Hey sweet Reader, This week, I thought I’d show you how the stories actually get made — from idea to book in your hands. Because it’s a whole thing. 😅 How These Stories Come Together: When the Lord shares what’s coming next in Willow Creek, I map it out to the best of my ability. Right now it looks like a not-too-fancy Excel sheet, but it works. 😁 When it’s time to work on the next book, I pull the quick outline I made when I mapped out the season and fill it in. Once that’s done, I write the...
19 days ago • 2 min read
The Willow Creek Gazette Published on the rare fifth Sunday from somewhere near Willow Creek. It’s a rare thing around here — a fifth Sunday. Which means it’s time for a little Gazette… a gathering of notes, curiosities, and favorite reads from Willow Creek since the last one. Pour a cup of coffee and have a look around. 📰 From Around Willow Creek Readers are loving them! Get Lora's peanut butter drop cookie recipe here. Yummy and quick when in a hurry, but tip- to make them smaller, roll...
26 days ago • 1 min read
Hey there, Reader, I’m packing my bag for Magnolia Bend today. 🧳 Lora’s regional baking competition is coming up, and I can hardly tell you how proud I am of her. There’s something beautiful about watching someone you love finally let themselves dream bigger and take that brave next step… even with their hands shaking a bit. I’ve watched Lora pour love into every cookie for years. And now here she is, walking through a door God is opening right into the regional Crazy Cookie Contest! 🎉 It...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hey there, sweet friend, Last week, we were knee-deep in rodeo crafts… Glitter, stickers, kids, and Jo realizing she may have been volunteered into something before she fully understood what was happening. 😄 But this week? We need to talk about Nelda. Because our practical, composed, always-put-together Nelda has a date to the Sterling Ridge Gala. And not just any date. A gentleman named Patrick. Now, I won’t say the Bridge Ladies were nosy about it… But I will say they absolutely paused...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hey there, sweet friend, My normal Willow Creek update accidentally went out early this morning… but honestly, I’m kind of glad it did. Because I wanted to send something a little different today. A hug from one mom to another. 🫶 Motherhood was hard for me sometimes. Honestly… a lot of the time. Especially as an introvert who has always loved a quiet, calm house. 🙃 I loved my children deeply. But the constant noise, needs, interruptions, emotions, and everyday chaos (adding homeschooling on...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey there, sweet friend, You won’t believe what Ethel Sue volunteered to help with at the rodeo on Saturday… The craft booth. Which means you can guarantee there was plenty of glitter, stickers, glue sticks, and at least one child who left looking like a walking scrapbook page. 😄 But that isn’t even the surprising part. You know who offered to help her? Jo. Yes, sweet, quiet Jo from across the street. Now, to be fair, Ethel Sue may have caught her outside watering her bushes… and may have...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
For those that want to skip straight to getting the book - 👉 You can grab Ruckus at the Rodeo here 😁👍 Hey there, sweet friend, Rodeo week in Willow Creek is usually one of my favorite times of the year… Dust in the air, boots by the door, and more sweet tea than anyone should reasonably drink. The Bridge Ladies signed up to help with check-in at this year's Sterling Ridge Ranch Rodeo. And for a while… it was all going great. Until it wasn't. The radio crackled. A voice came through, rushed...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey there, sweet friend, This month in Willow Creek has been full in the sweetest kind of way. With the rodeo starting Thursday, Main Street’s been bustling with families coming for an early vacation. There boots on the sidewalks, folks peeking in and out of the shops, and that cheerful little hum that comes when a town is enjoying itself. I always love seeing Willow Creek come alive like that. There’s just something about it that makes you want to slow down and take it all in. The other...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey there, sweet friend, Thursday night at the Knitting Nook was supposed to be simple… Coffee brewing. Yarn on the tables. Lemon raspberry thumbprint cookies waiting by the pot. Then the bell over the door chimed. And Thelma walked in holding Mr. Snoozy’s leash. Empty. The room went still. Her eyes were red, her voice was shaking, and when she finally spoke, it came out barely above a whisper: “Mr. Snoozy is missing. Can you please help me?” And just like that, Ethel Sue is back on the case....
2 months ago • 1 min read