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# Deanna Nowadnick: Inspirational Writer and Motivational Speaker

## Sitemaps
[XML Sitemap](https://deannanowadnick.com/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Posts
- [Pain in Life (and 2 Asterisks to the Streak!)](https://deannanowadnick.com/pain-in-life-and-an-asterisk-to-the-streak/): Yes, I’m walking with a cane as I heal from spine surgery. Arthritis has taken its toll on my back, making the past several months excruciating, the pain radiating all the way down to my ankle. There were times I cried—in the middle of Fred Meyer, at the end of a long day, before I’d even made it to the shower. There were times the pain took me down to the ground.
- [Brave Writing Adventures](https://deannanowadnick.com/brave-writing-adventures/): I love storytelling and I’d like to be your guide in this brave writing adventure. You and I have been extraordinarily brave in some special ways. We’ve taken brave steps, made brave decisions, changed in brave ways. Life might be asking you to be extraordinarily brave right now.
- [Calla Lilies and Arrogance](https://deannanowadnick.com/calla-lilies-and-arrogance/): A bouquet of calla lilies continues to help me remember an important lesson in arrogance. Too often I've thought I've know everything. I haven't!
- [Finding Stillness](https://deannanowadnick.com/finding-stillness/): What do you think of when you think of stillness? An uncomfortable void that needs to be filled? Something you’re waiting for in your next life?
- [Giving Up and Giving In: Stepping Off the Scale](https://deannanowadnick.com/giving-up-and-giving-in-stepping-off-the-scale/): My friend Michol shared a 21-day Spirit-filled devotion of prayer to start the year. The side note said “and fasting.” Like giving up something?
- [When Dead Santas Line the Streets](https://deannanowadnick.com/when-dead-santas-line-the-streets/): Our neighborhood was brightly lit and beautifully decorated for Christmas. Two weeks later dead Santas were everywhere. The air removed, the inflatables collapsed, some a crumpled heap in the front yard, some a wrinkled mass of nylon across the sidewalk.
- [Dandelions and Courage](https://deannanowadnick.com/dandelions-and-courage/): We turned the corner before she could answer—and saw them! Beautiful yellow dandelions in the tall grass of the vacant lot. Sally ran ahead, but I froze, fearing those snakes. My shoulders sagged. If I was going to have my own bouquet, I’d need to leave the path.
- [God’s Definition of Success](https://deannanowadnick.com/gods-definition-of-success/): God’s law sets us apart. God’s law shows us who He is. They tell us what’s important to God. They show us what success is all about.
- [The Gift of Opportunity](https://deannanowadnick.com/the-gift-of-opportunity/): A week ago my husband Kurt and I took a small airplane ride over Seattle. I was more than a little fearful. The adventure was not something I would have signed up for on my own, but it was a gift from my son and his family. I felt like I needed to go. But I was more than a little fearful.
- [My Ordinary and God’s Extraordinary](https://deannanowadnick.com/my-ordinary-gods-extraordinary/): In my excitement for what's next, I can miss the wonder of the moment, the awesomeness of now, right now. God treasures our hopes and dreams; He also loves when we stop mid-stride and say, "Wow!"
- [Doing It Better Together](https://deannanowadnick.com/doing-it-better-together/): You’ll often hear me talk about God putting us in relationship with Him and each other. I’m learning how to do that better-together.
- [I made a mistake!](https://deannanowadnick.com/i-made-a-mistake-a-big-mistake/): The mistake started with me. I can blame the home office for not catching the error. I can impugn their processes. I can bemoan their inability to make things right at the precise moment I thought they should make things right.
- [Do You Handle Hard Well?](https://deannanowadnick.com/handle-hard-well/): But then Coach Lawson adds it will never get easier. What happens is we learn to handle hard well.
- [Overwhelm: The Best Kind](https://deannanowadnick.com/overwhelm-the-best-kind/): When have you experienced overwhelm-in a good way? How have you been able to honor God's bigness in your life?
- [Are you crushing it?](https://deannanowadnick.com/are-you-crushing-it-are-we-supposed-to-be/): Are you crushing it? Are we supposed to be? This is that time of year when great resolves and wonderful goals can start to feel crunched, not crushed.
- [Travels with God in 2024](https://deannanowadnick.com/travels-with-god-in-2024/): Did you travel over the holidays? For many, it’s a “planes, trains, and automobiles” time of year. Any travel plans for the new year? Travels with God?
- [Let It Be](https://deannanowadnick.com/let-it-be/): Have you ever said, “Let it be, God, according to Your word”? In a prayer? Out loud?
- [God’s Thoughts and Wonderous Ways](https://deannanowadnick.com/gods-thoughts-and-wonderous-ways-november-2023/): It’s easy to look back on our past and think, really, God? We know that God's thoughts are not our thought, so we discount who we are and what we've been called to do.
- [Our Stake and Crossbar](https://deannanowadnick.com/our-stake-and-crossbar/): God's love is our stake in the ground. His people are the crossbars of support in our life. The cross reminds us of both!
- [Letting God Handle It](https://deannanowadnick.com/letting-god-handle-it/): Last week my friend sent a text regarding a devotional she’d just read. It talked about our preparing versus letting God handle it.
- [Seeing God in the Details](https://deannanowadnick.com/details-seeing-god-in-the-details-matthew-25-21/): My grandson Enzo notices the details. I want to notice the details too. And more specifically, I want to notice God in the details.
- [Those Labels: Handle with Care](https://deannanowadnick.com/those-labels-handle-with-care/): How can we make sure our labels bring us together as God's people in God's family? How can we make sure those labels remain inclusive, not exclusive?
- [What’s Real and What’s True](https://deannanowadnick.com/whats-real-and-whats-true/): When we walk with God, He will always connect us with what’s real and what’s true—in the world, in our relationships, in our personal life. Some days He will direct us; other days He will redirect us.
- [When God Stretches Us](https://deannanowadnick.com/when-god-stretches-us-in-big-way/): When we say “Yes!” to God's call, that's when He can stretch us! Yes, He may stretch us, but He will also strengthen us.
- [Words of Loving Kindness: April 2023](https://deannanowadnick.com/words-and-deeds-of-loving-kindness/): "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
- [Chapter 1: Love and Meeting Kurt](https://deannanowadnick.com/love-meeting-kurt/): Today is my husband Kurt's birthday. We met this month 49 years ago, a story of love I shared in Book 1: Fruit of My Spirit. What God's able to do with a cringe-worthy introduction!
- [Wonderfully Blessed Seasonal Changes](https://deannanowadnick.com/seasonal-changes/): Change can be hard, but at times, change can give us wonderful new opportunities.
- [Great Questions ~ Interesting Points](https://deannanowadnick.com/great-questions-interesting-points/): Great questions and interesting points arise when we think about God's awesomeness. And it can start with a single word!
- [Living Out God’s Glory](https://deannanowadnick.com/w-o-l-k-episode-44-living-out-gods-glory/): I want my life--my words and deeds--to be living out God's glory, to give God glory. I pray you might be living out God's glory too.
- [An Order of New Towels ~ A Delivery of Kindness](https://deannanowadnick.com/an-order-of-new-towels-a-delivery-of-kindness/): For weeks I fussed over an order of new towels. When my delivery got delayed again and again, I let frustration reign and anger rule. And then a stranger delivered kindness.
- [What do God’s possibilities (our opportunities) look like?](https://deannanowadnick.com/gods-possibilities-our-opportunities-2/): When I start to see God at work, when I'm feeling that something's up, my first reaction is often, "God, I'm kinda busy right now. Not a good time. Really, God, not a good time." But that's not how God operates. His work is not about our will, our way, our when. It's about His will, His way, His when--and His glory.
- [Harder Conversations and Awful Discussions](https://deannanowadnick.com/harder-conversations-and-awful-discussions/): How do we have the harder conversations? I have to start by talking less and listening more. This doesn't mean we remain silent. It just means we listen first.
- [A Lesson in Grace (from the Roof of My Car)](https://deannanowadnick.com/a-lesson-in-grace-from-the-roof-of-my-car/): When I started Morning WOLKs with God, I expected to share antics and vulnerabilities, connecting all with bigger, more important lessons in life. I just didn't expect to have fresh material EVERY WEEK! This time we get a lesson in grace from the roof of my car. Yep, the roof.
- [When A Small Thing Gets Big–Yet Again](https://deannanowadnick.com/a-small-thing-gets-big-yet-again/): On the last day of vacation, a small thing became a big thing and not in a good way. A small thing can make me smile. A small thing can also make me cringe.
- [Beautifully Pieced Together](https://deannanowadnick.com/beautifully-pieced-together-wonderfully-flawed/): I’m a passionate advocate for words of loving kindness. “Walk the WOLK,” I like to say. Walk the words of loving kindness. But it’s not always easy to walk the WOLK, to walk the words of loving kindness, and often my prayer has been “Change my heart, O God.”
- [God’s Possibilities ~ Our Opportunities](https://deannanowadnick.com/gods-possibilities-and-opportunities/): Over the years I've learned to treasure the possibilities and the opportunities, not something I've always done. I've also learned that the best opportunities, the right opportunities, are God's possibilities.
- [The Gift of Encouragement](https://deannanowadnick.com/the-gift-of-encouragement-wolk-episode-38/): A gift of encouragement? My mother-in-law's life has been one of love and kindness and service, a gift of encouragement to all.
- [Celebrating What He Said](https://deannanowadnick.com/what-he-said-about-us/): Last weekend my husband, Kurt, and I celebrated 40 years of marriage. Knowing I wanted to talk about us this week and knowing I wanted to share his thoughts, I asked him, “Kurt, when you think about our time together, what stands out?” Here's what he said.
- [What He Did, What We Do, What God Does!](https://deannanowadnick.com/wolk-what-he-did-what-we-do-what-god-does/): This is a story I don't love. Even though this is a story about what he did, this is not a message about guilt or innocence, but one of God's love.
- [Grace Alone](https://deannanowadnick.com/wolk-episode-37-grace-alone/): Missteps are always hard to talk about. Hearing "You're forgiven" is a blessing--at all times, in every way. Grace alone!
- [Seeing the Unseen, Hearing the Unspoken](https://deannanowadnick.com/seeing-the-unseen-finding-god-in-the-details/): Are you able to see God in the details? I was at a memorial service and God was never mentioned. Nope, not once. But he was everywhere!
- [Divine Gifts](https://deannanowadnick.com/divine-gifts-meant-to-be-regifted/): When we walk the WOLK, when we walk the words of loving kindness, we get to share God’s love, joy, peace, and hope. We’re part of a divine regifting strategy. Yes, divine regifting.
- [We’ll Figure It Out](https://deannanowadnick.com/well-figure-it-out-together/): How do you stay connected in your walk with God--your W-A-L-K, not your W-O-L-K? I’m especially thinking about when you're in the moment. Who has God placed in your life for those times of celebration? Those times of challenge?
- [Our Walk with God–and Those Stumbles](https://deannanowadnick.com/our-walk-with-god-and-those-stumbles/): I’ve had a life of stumbles—as a child, as a young adult, just last week. But our walk with God is not about what we do. It’s about what God’s does in, through, and around all of us. He directs and redirects. He gives us a gentle nudge, words of caution and correction. In the moment I rarely saw it. Looking back, I can’t miss it.
- [When Words of Loving Kindness Are Hard](https://deannanowadnick.com/when-words-of-loving-kindness-are-hard/): Words of loving kindness are easy when life is easy. They're not so easy when life gets hard. Not every conversation is a time of great joy. Some discussions are harder than others and words of loving kindness are harder. Oh, the lessons I've learned--the hard way!
- [Be Bold. Be Brave. Be You.](https://deannanowadnick.com/be-bold-be-brave-be-you/): As a woman of faith, do you think about being bold and brave in being you? Do you ever use the words “bold” and “brave” to describe yourself? As a woman of faith, I’m going to be so bold and so brave as to say the answer needs to be a resounding yes!
- [Celebrating Our WOLK Together](https://deannanowadnick.com/celebrating-our-wolk-together/): This week we're celebrating 30 weeks together--30 weeks of antics and vulnerabilities that have hopefully connected to bigger, more important lessons in life, 30 weeks of words of loving kindness for ourselves and each other.
- [Journey of Gratitude](https://deannanowadnick.com/wolk-episjourney-of-gratitude/): The trays of slides were an unexpected surprise, long-lost treasures found tucked away in the garage, and my reaction to a long-forgotten vacation photo stunned me. It was a vivid reminder of an important journey of gratitude.
- [When Small Moments Get Big–and Not in a Good Way!](https://deannanowadnick.com/when-small-moments-get-big/): Silly moments can lead to serious moments. They can also lead to petty ones. Small moments can take us to beautiful places; they can also set us up for icky ones, if we’re not careful.
- [When Small Moments Get Big](https://deannanowadnick.com/when-small-moments-get-big-2/): Earlier this month, I watched the first of nine emergency vehicles rush into my neighborhood. When I went outside, I found my buddy standing alone in the rain under a tree, medics hurrying around him. I learned his grandma was not doing well. Minutes later I would learn how some small moments together would get very big.

## Pages
- [Easy Peasy Writing Guide](https://deannanowadnick.com/easy-peasy-writing-guide/): I love storytelling and I’d like to be your guide in this brave writing adventure. You and I have had some extraordinary experiences. We’ve taken brave steps, made difficult decisions, changed in unexpected ways. Life might be taking you on an extraordinary journey right now.
- [Privacy Policy](https://deannanowadnick.com/privacy-policy/): Effective Date: 04/01/2023
- [Speaking](https://deannanowadnick.com/speaking/): I’m available to speak at both smaller and larger events (a Christmas tea, kick-off luncheon, women’s retreat, etc).
- [Blog](https://deannanowadnick.com/blog/)
- [Home](https://deannanowadnick.com/): Signs in Life begins with a late night encounter with local law enforcement. In the harsh glare of a flashlight, author Deanna Nowadnick learns the consequences of speeding through a stop sign. Other incidents follow.
- [Writing](https://deannanowadnick.com/writing/): After becoming a wife and mother, I started writing these crazy family letters about life with our two young sons, letters that usually began with crying or some kind of melt-down. My own! Mom would always call and say, “You need to write a book!” I’d look across the kitchen table at those two little boys sitting with bowls of artificial flavorings, dyes, and preservatives and reply, “Mom, I can’t get a grocery list put together.” Not a real inspirational or motivational time.
- [About Deanna](https://deannanowadnick.com/about-deanna-nowadnick/): I'm a woman of faith who is passionate about connecting our delightfully ordinary stories to God’s extraordinary love and faithfulness.
- [Contact](https://deannanowadnick.com/contact/): Feel free to Reach out! Let me know if I can answer any questions.I look forward to hearing from you!