The smell of home.
The more I leave this country to travel, the more I realize just how much this country is to me. There’s nothing strange…
Red spider lilies.
I first learned about spider lilies while in Thailand. I was writing a scene for my Bloodlines of Fire, and dropped a search…
I made a small meal from weeds and roots.
This little meal was constituted almost entirely of foraged plants! I call it the French fries and burger patties of the great outdoors….
The pleasure of names.
Back in the day—when I started this blog—I didn’t know the first thing about foraging. In fact, I knew laughably nothing. This was…
Growing down.
It occurred to me in a rather slow, uneventful manner that if you are growing up, you must be growing down. Think of…
On bugs and happiness.
Some people think bugs are something to smush and sweep into the trash. But I’ve found something else while feeding crickets and watching…
Can you guess the 3 loveliest things I found in Pakistan?
I thought I’d tie up some odds and ends from our Pakistan trip by covering the three sweetest and loveliest things I found…
What was a slow realization for me.
To sum up Texas, I’d say it’s hot sun and cold winters, parched ground and bare trees. If New Zealand looks like the…
Passionfruit in Texas
Before this topic is irrelevant because winter has set upon the continental United States, I thought I’d post about Passiflora incarnata, passionfruit that grows here…
Monuments and the old school (and the goat)
Just outside of Islamabad is a little village called Saidpur. With no real plans other than to look around, we drove out to…
Can pizza in Pakistan be good? (an honest review).
Hi, Going with the flow, I’m moving from my post about cheese paratha to another food-related topic: pizza! Our most memorable pizza in…
Cheese and chai (good enough to earn this post).
This seemingly nondescript paratha shop in Pakistan is unique in its own special way. It’s the Home of the World Famous Luke Damant…
First food in Pakistan! (and a funny story)
On our first day in Pakistan, my family snoozed straight through breakfast. Late in the afternoon, we slipped upstairs to our hotel restaurant…
First night experience in Pakistan.
It was drizzly, dark, and deep into the night when my tired family landed in Islamabad, Pakistan. One of our bags was choked…
The smallest cucumbers you’ll probably ever see.
In just the past two months, I think I’ve doubled the number of foraging plants I know and one of my new favorites…
Why would you call it a beautiful membrane? Spider Lilies.
The sweetest smelling flowers…
Who wants a tiny hug?
Hi, Today I wanted to share about one of the smallest hugs I’ve ever gotten. A little gecko was exploring the inside…
Apple picking!
Is there a good side to growing industrialization?
7 cities I have to see.
In all the world, there are 7 places I would love to see. The world is so large, and there’s so much I dream of…
Our international ice cream journey.
If trying new things is the way to go, then that especially applies to ice cream. If given a choice between chocolate ice…
My brother nearly dies for scenery.
There’s good way down the mountain, and that wasn’t it.
Short post. Happy Father’s Day!
Happy Father’s Day, all of you dads out there!
My family in Hobbiton.
I journeyed to another world!
The inns across 5 books….
I cannot believe I’ve come so far… only to inn here.
Trail Running in New Zealand.
I’ll show you my favorite spots!
3 things I’d never seen before.
(Please don’t drink the sulfur water.)
Not all that glitters is a worm.
Indy Wild loves bugs that….
CREEPIEST travel moment yet!
We found a foot. But no body.
First Impressions of….
Adding another country to the list!
Dragons, church, blood, and a river in Thailand. Our third visit!
If that dragon came to life, I’d be dead.
Historical fantasy with a side of monsters?
I’m impressed by this young author!
Did Indy get an indie haircut?
Indy Wild’s haircut looks so… well… sooo…. Never mind.
My favorite show + crucifixion reenactments.
Hey! I’m SO excited to share my FAVORITE YouTube channel today. This post has been overdue for so long. Travel the Road is a…
Happy Resurrection Sunday!
Easter is the day that we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead after His having been dead for three days. And aren’t we…
God’s art.
THE WORLD IS GOD’S ART. Only, He didn’t have to draw or paint it—He spoke the entire world into existence over a course of 6…
Further into the Flower.
Flower pedals stretch wide, alluring pollinators inward to the heart of the flower, where yellow puffs of pollen snuggle together. If…
Disney and Death.
In the Disney movie Frozen 2, the love-struck Kristoff makes several hilarious attempts to propose to Princess Anna, who can’t get over Kristoff’s, actually-pretty-good…
Bathrooms Are Travel Hazards?
I present to you the greatest Don’ts of International Travel, all from personal experience. 1. Don’t be scared of new animals. So many animals…
20,000 steps to life.
I jogged along the road, passing a neighbor/acquaintance of mine who was walking his dog. “How are you?” “Tired.” I replied, eager to…
A Recipe for Death Or for Delight?
Armed with a recipe from Forager Chef and a bag of fresh-picked goldenrod, I determined I would make part of my dinner with…
My Greatest Project Update
How has my Bloodlines of Fire editing been going? Let me tell you. I’ve been, as often as possible, working on the…
Snow In Texas.
We’re experiencing great weather here in Texas! Even a quarter-inch of snow in Texas is a moment to record! The pile of rubble…
A parable, a life update, and a song.
Hi everyone, Hey. It’s me. The pretty much full-time absentee from his blog. But yes. I mean to get back into the posting…
From Plot to Proof in 26 days? Did I do it?
Challenged by my mom at the end of November to edit my last book, Bloodlines of Fire and have a proof copy before…
I finished my NaNoWriMo!
I completed 50k words in just one month. (what am I talking about?) I’m glad to say that it came fairly easily to…
The best Thanksgiving song–you just have to hear it.
This song has been echoing around our house today–and I think all the kids adore it. It’s good to have fun on a…
The one question you need to ask yourself before this Thanksgiving: Finding the best flavor in a holiday currently centered on food.
The fourth Thursday in November brings family and friends together to indulge in the cuisine of Thanksgiving, but what is the ultimate…
This is one of my favorite praise songs!
“Relationship” by Phil Wickham. The God who meets people in the deepest, darkest gutters of their lives isn’t looking to start a religion….
Autumnal LIfe Update.
The cold of fall is finally here! After tackling the heat of the Thai summer (or, at least, a good deal of it)…
“Lovelight” by Citizens.
This song was my absolute go-to favorite song for a while–and I’ll bet you’ll like it too. Citizens is a Christian band, sounding…
The Fiction Work of a Morning.
Between Phantastes by George MacDonald and a lot of listening to Andrew Peterson, it was certainly time to write something folksy and fairy-ish….
“Carry My Soul.” music Post.
Ready for a new song?! “Carry My Soul” by Phil Wickham. (I simply can’t get enough of this song!) Good news: Jesus Christ…
“Firestarter” Music Post. New music for you!
“Firestarter” by Manafest. The love of God has for centuries past spread like wildfire. The life, death, and ascension of the Messiah sparked…
Short Post. New Artwork.
Hi. This is an excuse for a post, but I’ve been busy, so all I’m going to do today is to share one…
The Machete of your Mind.
My machete cuts through the air and slices a flying cardboard box in half. Every time I make it all the way through…
And September draws to a close.
I’ve successfully managed to post something each day in September! There were certainly days that I stayed up late getting it done (and…
Life! Life! Eternal life!
In Pilgrim’s Progress, we have the story of Christian, a man living in the city of Destruction, and after reading the call of…
“Please”: A song for the Christian journey.
Psalms 17:6. “I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.” Mixing a rustic,…
Short Post. Sunsets.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalms 19:1) Don’t lose touch with the glory of God….
Wings LIke Eagles. Short Story.
Collapse; the one thing that all miners fear. In Columbia’s Muzo Mine, every couple months the word collapse would echo through the tunnels…
The Song That Recaps my Week.
I know I’ve been posting an exorbitant number of posts relating to music recently, but I can’t help it. This song wraps up…
How Can One Song Lay out Our Strategy Against Deadly Pluralism?
I recently came across a bit of marketing in my local grocery store that was just disturbing. At the price of being accepted,…
A New Blog for you.
Hey! Today, I just wanted to point to my sister’s blog–AdventuRose at https://bella.saturdayfiles.com/.
The one thing you need to do today.
Parallels between music lyrics and spiritual discussions hype me. I will use song lyrics to build a case, to remember something, to fight…
The second half of yesterday’s interview.
I am delighted once again to have Amy Ullrich, a young author, with me on the blog. In the first part of our…
New Music Review– Mike Donehey in Flourish.
Hello! I hope you’re doing well today! Thrift stores have a taste of magic about them. Actually, I don’t believe in magic. But…
Short Post. Rose milk again!
I recently mentioned our trying rose milk in Malaysia (read that post here), and I thought I would update my life-rose-milk condition. We…
Why you shouldn’t eat any peppervine berries (Nekemias arborea) even if i do.
I eat peppervine berries. You probably shouldn’t. While not toxic, they’re poisonous because the microscopic spines inside them can result in a chemical…
Is Indy Wild really wild? A sister’s account.
Hi, guys! Today I have Dawn Wild, my wild sister, joining the blog for a guest post. … Hello, everyone! Indy allowed me…
And Thus ends the Series… and I share my thoughts about Corners of Creation.
Today I’m finishing off the entire Caves to Qatar series with some thoughts about what it means to belong to a certain land….
A Poem for The Rain.
It rained for the first time in a long time. I woke up smiling at the world through the window. For as long…
An unfortunate disaster due to the moodiness of Indy Wild.
Hello, this is the Indy Wild Team. … We bear unwelcome news; there will be no daily post from Indy today. It’s a…
Ten facts about the author of this blog that you probably won’t find anywhere else on this blog.
Hi, guys! I wanted to share some funny facts about myself just to let everyone get to know me a little bit better….
Exploring the Ancient Side of a Modern Qatar.
An amphitheater, an epic market… the penultimate post in the Caves to Qatar Series.
Frank Peretti’s Thrillers. Can a child read one?
Content Warnings. Mention of abortion. (there are no details of sensitive topics in this article, even though that’s what it’s about) What about…
I think I tasted Heaven at a Concert.
“Can you imagine being the center of all this attention?” I asked as we stepped aside to watch the flow of people entering…
Every Hidden Thing, by Tim Shoemaker.
Recently Tim Shoemaker published an astounding book that I really enjoyed and would like to see everyone devour like I did. Immersed…
Bloodlines of Fire Cover art Staggers writer…
After I finished my novel Bloodlines of Fire (which I hope to chop down into a novella and publish), my mother drafted up…
30-Day September Challenge! Hold me to it!
Hi! I’m diving into a challenge during which I hope to write a post a day for the next thirty days (all of…
The most encouraging article you’ll read all week…
E. G. Runyan is a book-writer and chocolate afficionado, determined to complete her mission of excavating good stories from the haystacks of bad…
A Golden Idol and some very naughty monkeys.
Today, I’m diving back into the series narrative… (if you’re new to the series, you can read the launch post here!) It was day…
My first time trying the national dish of Malaysia! + a rough time learning Malay.
Day two of our trip. Nasi Lemak for the first time! On our trip back to the US, we intentionally stopped for two nights…
The Family Returns to the City of LIghts.
Hello! I hope you’re having a great day! jI wrote (most of) this from our rental in KL the night we landed. 3:06…
To all of Thailand… goodbye. (For now, at least)
Hi! As I said in the blog series intro, my family had a rather wild trip getting from the Kingdom of Thailand back…
Don’t miss this blog launch video.
Get a glimpse of the upcoming content with a short video I made. What is this all about? I’m about to jump into…
My Life Goals? 😱
Ever deal with high expectations? Dawn Wild undertook the job of writing out all my life goals – most of which I’ve actually…
Guest Post. The Great Sand Dunes and the Climb of Life.
Today I have a guest joining the blog! E. G. Runyan is a young writer with an amazing eye for classics! Her writing…
Short Post. Petronas Towers Fan Art
The Petronas Towers are still popular at our house!! My little sister colored this picture!
Don’t miss Chapter One of My WIP, Bloodlines of Fire.
Fire has a tendency of attracting the most vile of creatures.A proverb. Sitting on a large stone in the garden, Ryla let a…
Short Post. Runner, Do you know your MOST powerful tool?
Successful running starts with a commitment. When you start a run, you make a commitment to finish it. That commitment is your most…
Struggling to be content with your skills, young artist?
Highs and lows. They come and go. This weekend, after hitting a benchmark of 25 subscribers to my email list, I flew. Life…
Happy Birthday, Dawn!
Whether I’m crawling through a slimly cave, holding ginormous bugs, or eating cricket bars, I can always count on you to join in on the wildness!
Hey, discouraged readers, Want to boost your reading time with a secret weapon?
How can you do it? How do you be a good reader, and also travel? Especially if you like to tear through weighty…
Adventure on a Malaysian Junket
My first time in Malaysia was a blast! I can’t wait to go back.
A Bible you can edit?
Introducing… The EdiBible. This amazing product has the complete functionality of a Bible, but it’s better because it lets you change anything you want…
What happens when you write too late into the night? (SCARY!)
HI everybody! I’ve got a story idea that really needs more development (you know, making people to die, foods to try, and characters…
Have you hugged an elephant today?
Howdy! During our time in the Kingdom of Thailand, I’ve shivered in the grip of a python, stood between Bengal tigers, cradled giant spiders…
Chocolate Bug Bar??
In stores it’s not unusual to find whey protein, beef, soy, egg, pea, and even bone protein… but bug protein?
Pythons and Cobras
I was excited to get to hold a python—a big one too. It felt like living metal as it coiled around my shoulders.
Short Post. SPRING!
Yesterday was the first day of spring! What a wonderful time of year. The trees burst forth with new growth. Tender folds of…
Fallen Wings
God saw a bird fall from heaven yesterday. The day was gorgeous. The cerulean sky, dotted with the occasional cloud, seemed to hang…
Running Again to Win
Races aren’t easy. They aren’t supposed to be easy. Races are agony
Short Post. My Newsletter.
Please consider signing up for my newsletter. If you have had an email for long, you’ve probably, like me, developed a healthy spam…
The Greatness Project
Recently, I did a short schoolwork assignment that is still changing me. I had to write a list of ten people who I…
Short Post. You Gotta Cut it Out!
It’s the sad truth but if you want to truly shape and eventually hone your body of writing, you have to put it to the fire and beat out the imperfections.
Glow-in-the-dark Star-Map
I love star-gazing. I just can’t stop myself from pulling out my star map on a frosty winter’s night and lying on the…
SNAKE!!
This is going to be a bit of a ramble, but I got into a bit of trouble for this—so let me rhapsodize….
You’re Missing out on these books if you like Christian Fantasy.
These books are a must read!
WHAT IS THAT SMELL?
HI. I wanted to tell about the two grossest things that I have eaten in Thailand. For my first entry, I say, frog…
Short Post. A NEW COVER!
HI. A friend of mine has been designing some really epic covers for my book. I think this one looks particularly incredible.
Siam Insect Zoo
Those are the bugs I got to hold at Siam Insect Zoo, Thailand. But if you know me, or if you really don’t…
Give the Gift of Fire
I made a very special line of Indy Wild gifts…
Forget the Lions and Bears…
Pure power. Pure, unbounded, unmeasured, feline power rippled beneath the tawny pelt. The feel of a tiger was not something I thought I would ever testify to… but here, I was watching and feeling it firsthand.
A Humorous Interlude.
We went somewhere today that inspired every single fantasy writing bone in my body (there are, after all, 206). Cut straight from a fantasy book itself, the coffee shop we stopped at was otherworldly.
Book Update
My book. You’ve probably been scouring the bookstores and harassing sales clerks about the new book they should have… Okay. So, maybe not….
Small Post. Giant Beetle.
Ever seen one of these? They can be quite intimidating, but once you get used to them, it’s not so bad. I thought…
Fight to Write.
You can be the writer you want to be.
Let it Fester.
Let it fester. Now that doesn’t exactly sound like good advice for any good guy, but actually, it makes sense. Let me back…
Free Minecraft Skin!
Want a free Minecraft skin?
Pixel Art.
I’ve been doing pixel art for a long time, mostly because my programming brother has always encouraged me to keep trying. He likes…
Precipice; Chapter One.
The young inventor released his white-knuckling death grip on the 9mm Glock and eased his weapon down cautiously—drops of sweat were collecting…
The Fiery Tool.
Perfect for; entering the lair of a deadly gold-hoarding dragon, storming the castle of an evil despot, or lighting a pyre for a fallen comrade while on a conquest
Writer’s Block
You jump a wall. You can run through a swath of dragon fire. You can cut your way through a mountain. You can…
Want to write faster?
Recently, I was reading the blog of a writer whom I very much admire, and he mentioned something called ‘sprints’. Some reason I…
Making a Minecraft WOLF.
Want to draw a really cool wolf in Minecraft?
The Clapping Water
The sound of clapping water drives a feel of horror, of actions beyond our control. Most of all, it beckons us to feel, hear and taste our own failure.
The Hunted.
“Is anyone here?!” He yelled down the street. Only his voice responded in an echo. Nothing more.
I’ve written that, too.
When that first draft feels like it’s not worthy to burn in a bonfire, take heart. You’re not alone.
the Salvation of Sablecroft
“I thought that was a myth.” Sometimes those words only echo back as a hollow misconception.
Keeping Chickens from your Strawberries.
Is there a way to stop hungry chickens from dining on our fruits? I discovered one!
Packing Advice… In a way.
It only grew darker the further out we went. Our van bounced off the road and the tires munched gravel. We wound through the labyrinthic roads that led through a forest of immensely tall pines. Something was awesome about this place…
Running and more running
My first race, it’s aftereffects and something you should probably know
The Fading and the Emerging
Are you ready for the Spring that is overtaking us? Life is returning to the dead bones left behind from a dreadful winter….
A Book Excerpt
If you like this, stick around for maybe a couple hundred years until I can write the rest of the book. Author problems….
The TRIANGLE OF SURVIVAL
Life is not always easy. And sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. When it doesn’t and its just you and the wilderness,…
The Path of Adventure
The day shall not be up so soon as I, To try the fair adventure of tomorrow. —William Shakespeare, What is adventure?…