My Writing Journey // My Advice to Young Aspiring Authors, #1

As a child, I took scenes and passages and descriptions from various books and move them into a story. I usually ended up with it unfinished, but at the time it pleased me very much. Then I began to write little stories—2 or 3 pages, probably less than 500 words. When I was about 10,

November 11, the Day We Remember

© 2019 R. Labonté Today is the day we set aside to remember, acknowledge, and thank the heroes of Canada.  The Indian, French, and English Canadians who threw aside the religious and cultural differences and fought the invaders in 1812.  The Canadians who dropped everything and went to the trenches, the planes, or the ships in 1914, who

Little Sins

Some time ago, during the sermon, my father was talking about how you should pray before you start reading your Bible during devotions. He mentioned that you should ask the Lord to show you the sins that you’ve committed. And he began naming them: impatience, a bad thought… It struck me because I’ve never considered those

Choose Life

There are so many stories in the world. Everyone has a story. Every thing has a story. Joys and sorrows, days and nights, rainstorms and sunshine, winters and summers, smiles and tears, are interwoven. Wherever someone’s story is now, there’s more coming. New friendships will arrive. A husband or wife, Children. New homes. New neighbours.

So Much to Live For

Friend, are you struggling with thoughts of discouragement? Do you feel like you aren’t good enough? Do you feel like you’re never going to reach your dreams? Do you feel like you don’t have the privileges others have? Do you feel inadequate—not as good as everyone else? Do you hate how life is?  I’ve been

Thank You // A Tribute to Those Who Fought in Afghanistan

I was about 8 months old on 9/11. But aside from that, almost everything in this is exactly what it was like for me. This was penned by my sister, Annalissa. I wasn’t yet thought of by my parents when 9/11 happened. I was born almost a year after. Instead, I grew during the war and

It’s the Little Things

This piece of blank verse came to me while I was hanging laundry. (Never underestimate the power of hanging up laundry, peeps. While you’re at it, don’t underestimate the power of doing the most commonplace things–you’ll never believe where I composed my best piece of poetry.) I hope this strikes a chord in you. The

The Cost of Exaggeration

Exaggeration. I think we’re all guilty of it. I’m not totally against exaggeration. In fact, I’m quite an exaggerating person. My friends can testify. 😉 But since I don’t want all those embarrassing stories to come out I don’t think we’ll ask them to. I can think of several good reasons to exaggerate. (Well, more or less good

Camp 2019: Highlights + What I Learned

This Camp was my first experience of any kind of camp whatsoever. I learned so many things… and I also came back with so many beautiful memories. I’m going to be sharing them today so this might get a bit rambly. HIGHLIGHTS: Singing in the dining hall. My cabin was singing outside during the lineup

Facing the Unknown

If you know anything about me, I’m someone who hates not knowing. I hate not knowing what’s going to happen. I’m the kind of person who stays very much in my comfort zone. I have my comfort food, my comfort places, my comfort clothes, my comfort behaviour, my comfort recreations… I have a groove and I

My Mission with Little Blossoms for Jesus

I’m a reader. I’ve been a book lover all my life. I carried my favourite books under my arm when, as an 18-month-old, I went to see my newborn sister in the hospital (for your information, they were little board books of Bible stories–I think one was Moses in the bullrushes, but I don’t know