River of Thoughts

Christine Royse Niles — Changing the world one word at a time

Let’s Write A Short Story!

Welcome to Fiction Friday. Some of you, dear readers, are here because you support me and you will read pretty much anything I write. I love and cherish you guys. But I also know that many of you are also here because you are comrades-in-armspens. Many of you love to write as much as I do. This post is for you. About two months ago, as part of Jeff Goins’ 15 Habits challenge, I took a risk and posted an excerpt of a short story idea I had been playing with off-and-on for a while. You guys have been incredibly supportive, […]

Fighting Against God

The silence squeezes my chest. My heart pounds harder with each calming breath. This is not working, this fighting. * * * I sing the songs. “Where You go, I’ll go.” “If our God is for us, then who could stop us?” “You make all things work together for my good.” I show up on Sundays. I lead service projects. I serve and fundraise and take care of the kids that God has placed in our family. I pray. But I still fight God every day. I pray for guidance that I ignore. I pray for peace from drama that I stir […]

Put Down Your Signs

Today, I’m honored to share a guest post from my not-so-little brother, Adam Royse.  Adam has spent his life catching his dreams, earning a captain’s license at 18, his private pilot license at 25, and networking his way into dream-related jobs.  He’s joining me at next month’s Quitter Conference…where I hope he’ll figure out the value of Twitter. (update: follow him here!) Proud of you, Jakie! – Love, Sadie   ‘Tis the political season. Again. Last week, Mitt Romney and his merry tribe visited my tiny coastal hamlet of St. Augustine, Florida. We are an eclectic bunch here encompassing all types; […]

The Last Night

Welcome to Fiction Friday.  Each Friday, I’m sharing with y’all a glimpse into the mind of Zach the Zombie and some of his friends.  Today, we hear from the Storyteller, Arthur. You know the drill–this is very minimally edited.  I continue to appreciate grace and forgiveness for errors!  🙂   “In The Days When there Was Night,” Arthur started, “there was no peace.” Zach leaned in so he could hear Arthur’s words. “No peace.  Neighbor argued with neighbor. Leaders fought and lied and stole from people and nations alike. Darkness filled the hearts of the people just like it covered their land […]

I can’t go back

On a steamy August night, a scared little girl in a purple sweater stepped through the door and changed our lives. In a dusty Ukrainian steel-town, another compassionate little girl in hand-me-down clothes offered me berries and wrapped her arm around me as I cried. These girls had nothing.   No ipods or cell phones or TiVos or laptops. No clothes of their own. No home. No family. How could we not help them?   My comfortable life has come face to face with need and loss and emptiness. I can’t go back to life the way it was before. I’m […]