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Step Into The Light Podcast introduces listeners to people who have found their way out of the dark shadows of life and those who lead others on their journey from darkness.

STEP INTO THE LIGHT

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Available archived episodes currently are EP #230 – #272

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PATTI’S BLOGS

The Over Fifty Writer (1^st and 3^rd Friday)

Patti’s Porch (2^nd and 4^th Tuesday)

Meet seasoned authors, learn about new books and find inspiration to help you along your journey. No matter how far you’ve come or where you are going, I’d be honored to travel with you. If you like what you see, please subscribe to avoid missing updates.

Step Into the Light Blog Talk Radio Show

Latest Show

12/26/2024
Episode #272 - Featuring Antony Kolenc

Antony has won several book awards, is a columnist for Practical Homeschooling Magazine, and hosts The Shepherdâ€™s Pie radio show and podcast. A previous guest on Step Into the Light, Antony returns today to discuss the sixth book in his teen historical fiction Harwood Mysteries series titled The Devilâ€™s Ransom. Join us as Antony discusses The Harwood Mystery series, it's message for teens, and his plans for an innovative and intriguing adult series due to release next year.

Recent Shows

12/12/2024
Episode #271 - Featuring Pastor Joseph Misiaszek

11/28/2024
Episode #270 - Featuring TonyaAnn Pember

11/14/2024
Episode #269 - Featuring Gayle Irwin

11/4/2024
Episode #268 - Featuring Liisa Eyerly

Recent Posts

PEACE, PURPOSE, AND POWER by YVONNE ORTEGA
7/27/2026 11:45:00 PM BY Patti Shene

FEATURED BOOK: Rest After Loss: 13 Growth Steps

AUTHOR: Yvonne Ortega

Publisher: EA Books Publishing

GENRE: Nonfiction

SERIES OR STAND ALONE: Book 5 in the Moving from Broken to Beautiful® Series

TARGET AGE: 25-55+

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME AUTHOR YVONNE ORTEGA TO PATTI’S PORCH. YVONNE TALKS ABOUT GOD’S LEADING THROUGH HER JOURNEY OF PAIN, SUFFERING, AND LOSS TO THE POWER OF PEACE AND PURPOSE.

PEACE, PURPOSE, AND POWER

Yvonne Ortega

When I faced the fact of being a Christian experiencing separation and divorce, I felt like a failure. Anger consumed me as I went through the condemnation, shame, and unrealistic expectations from legalists who didn’t know me. Those hurtful attacks did nothing for my rest or growth. The Lord placed a desire in my heart to write this book, so that others wouldn’t have to endure what I did alone.

I sobbed as I faced financial losses and restless nights. I asked God, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, to give me one hill to pay my bills. I lost my home and asked the Lord to find me and my son an affordable rental until the divorce was final and then a home for us. I journaled about how the Lord miraculously provided through each circumstance. Again, I felt the tug to write a book about the Lord’s faithfulness, love, and compassion to help us regardless of our race, color, or economic status.

Each time I needed help with household repairs and yard work, someone from the body of Christ offered. I can’t hold every adult’s hand going through a need for help, but I can do so through the written page.

No one could force me to accept Scripture, especially out of context. I had to experience grace and truth for myself. I studied, memorized, and meditated on verses that pertained to my life as a divorced woman and a single parent. Then I waited for God’s answer: yes, no, maybe later. Whatever the answer was, I learned to trust God, be joyful, and wait in peace. I desired to share this experience with others through my blog and later through a book.

If I got out of bed without first putting on the spiritual armor of God, the enemy of my soul attacked me. I felt as if I were before a firing squad, but the Lord stood between me and the enemy. I had to share my experience and that of others to encourage and support those who need a defense against the bullies in their lives. I incorporated Scripture based on the spiritual armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20).

After a bout with breast cancer, I suffered from neuropathy in my hands and feet. Because of the two types of aggressive chemotherapy and thirty-three rounds of radiation, I ended up with cataract surgery and clear artificial lenses. Stress led to ministrokes. I journaled about the health tips for self-care and nurture I learned along the way. The growth didn’t occur in my timing, but I discovered how much God loves us and wants the best for us.

Playing the piano and singing positively affected my whole life. The praise and worship music reminded me that the Master was in it with me. He will also be with you in your storms.

I have written music and lyrics since elementary school and delighted in the rhyming couplets of Dr. Seuss. I read his books first to my little brother and later to my son. I included a different rhyming couplet in each chapter of my book.

God’s Word says, “You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:2 ESV). So I ask about everything including a parking spot, a postage stamp, and a bowl of hot soup. Although I include examples of not having because of not asking, this isn’t a magic formula to get our way.

For example, my son died after major eye surgery before college graduation. I asked God to take me to heaven to be with my son. He didn’t. Instead, He gave me peace, purpose, and power to remain on earth and help others through loss.

I can’t conquer the world overnight, but I learned to thank God for baby steps forward and to celebrate Christmas in July when my parents could safely travel from the Midwest to Virginia. The Hallmark Channel celebrates Christmas in July. I do, too, and include Christ.

Jesus Christ is “the light of the world” as Jesus called himself in John 8:12. In my writing, I offer readers that light. That light is eternal life.

It started for me as an adult when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and the Spirit of Christ came to dwell within me forever. He will dwell within those who believe in God’s only begotten Son. He paid the price for the forgiveness of all our sins. We must do nothing to earn this gift but believe and accept it.

May you be among the readers who accept the gift of forgiveness, peace, and eternal life.

If you facilitate a group using the book, Rest After Loss: 13 Growth Steps, I would be delighted to visit your group online through Zoom.

Blurb for Rest After Loss: 13 Growth Steps:

Divorce, custody battles, and a major move may leave you anxious, angry, exhausted, and indifferent to proper nutrition. The unexpected losses of children and health may force you to rest. Walk with Yvonne to find growth in your relationship with God, application of his Word, and fellowship with the body of Christ. Yvonne writes with transparency about the Lord she’s grown to love, trust, and serve.

Amazon Buy Link

Yvonne Ortega is the author of five nonfiction books and a Distinguished Toastmaster. She has presented workshops for writers and speakers from coast to coast and overseas. When not working on her next blog post or book, she enjoys walking, dancing, and blowing bubbles at the beach. She likes to climb the rocks at the seashore and listen to the waves. Her neighbors and other friends visit frequently and delight in a cup of hot herbal tea with Yvonne.

Connect with Yvonne:

https://www.YvonneOrtega.com

Facebook: Yvonne Ortega

YouTube Channel: YvonneOrtega01(https://youtu.be/g8bWlg9Nmmg)

GOD'S PERFECT PLAN by LAURA EDGE
7/16/2026 11:45:00 PM BY Patti Shene

FEATURED BOOK: Heart of the Matter: A Journey to Faith,

AUTHOR: Laura Edge

PUBLISHER Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.

GENRE: Memoir

SERIES OR STAND ALONE: Stand Alone

TARGET AGE: 15-90+

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME AUTHOR LAURA EDGE TO THE OVER 50 WRITER. LAURA TALKS ABOUT HER JOURNEY OF FAITH THROUGH A CHALLENGING MEDICAL CRISIS.

GOD’S PERFECT PLAN

Laura Edge

When I was a young mom, cardiomyopathy damaged my heart muscle and my active lifestyle changed overnight. Anything that elevated my heart rate was off limits. I had to quit my job and find a new, sedentary career--preferably one that involved children in some way.

God provided the perfect solution: writing children’s books. I love reading and learning about new things—why not combine my two great loves, children and books?

I didn’t know the first thing about how to write a children’s book, so I took writing classes online and joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. At my first writers’ conference, I won an award for the first five pages of my novel-in-progress, and a lovely and brilliant children’s author with more than one hundred books in print mentored me for a year.

What a confidence boost!

I finished my novel and submitted it to literary agents and publishers. It was rejected by one and all. I rewrote the novel and the new version was also rejected by publishers. I wrote a new novel, and it won a writing contest too. I found a literary agent who agreed to represent me. But that book didn’t sell either. I studied the craft of writing, read a ton of how-to books by successful authors, attended writing workshops, and joined a critique group. And I wrote. A lot. But all of my manuscripts were rejected by publishers and literary agents.

Discouragement replaced the heady excitement of creating something unique. I started to doubt—maybe writing wasn’t God’s plan for me. Maybe I was a talentless hack masquerading as a writer. But I kept working, kept studying, and kept learning. Through a writers’ newsletter, I saw an article about a nonfiction publisher looking for writers for a series of American history books for children.

Perfect, I thought. I love history!

But I had no idea how to write a book proposal.

Seasoned writers advise newbies-with-a-dream to follow publisher guidelines to the letter when writing a book proposal. I worked on a writing sample, studied books published by the publishing company, and agonized over a cover letter that didn’t make me sound like a complete rookie. Then I sent the publisher my proposal and crossed my fingers. A couple of months later, shock of all shocks, they offered me a book contract. Whoo-hoo! Dancing in the street time!

The book they hired me to write was a creative nonfiction title about Hull-House, a settlement house in Chicago set in 1908. I toured the Hull-House Museum and spent long days at the University of Illinois doing research. Each time I uncovered an interesting tidbit, my excitement grew. I wanted to share all the cool stuff I discovered with the world. After Hull-House was released, nonfiction publishers offered me biographies and American histories to write. I didn’t make a lot of money, but I had steady, interesting work.

In spite of the ups and downs of book sales, writing turned out to be the best possible job for a mom with heart disease and young children. It allowed me to work when I was able and step away the moment my sons walked through the door. I doubt I would have attempted it if cardiomyopathy hadn’t chained me to a desk, but I fell in love with my new career and felt blessed to have found a sedentary job with beauty and purpose.

I never set out to become a writer, but it was part of God’s perfect plan for my life. As Scripture reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

God’s plans are always better than my own. Today, with seventeen published books, I stand in awe of His faithfulness. Writing has become one of my greatest joys, and my heart rejoices that I have the privilege of encouraging others on their writing journeys as God faithfully guided me on mine.

Blurb for Heart of the Matter

Laura Edge hears the words, “You need a heart transplant,” for the first time when she is thirty-nine-years-old. Her family has just returned from a joy-filled vacation to Disney World when she develops a cough. The cough worsens, and a team of cardiologists gives her news that tears her world apart. The mother of five-and six-year-old boys must trade Little League games for hospitalizations and her favorite Italian foods for handfuls of pills.

Heart of the Matter chronicles Laura’s journey as she tries to stay alive long enough to raise her children. She learns to trust God for each heartbeat and finds faith in His goodness. A survival story with a message of hope, Laura’s memoir will resonate with anyone facing life’s greatest challenges and most impossible questions.

Amazon Buy Link

Laura B. Edge is the author of the Christian memoir, Heart of the Matter: A Journey to Faith, and sixteen nonfiction books for children and young adults. She loves to read, travel, dance, and watch football games. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Texas at Austin and studied abroad with the American Institute for Foreign Study in London, Paris, Rome, and Athens. Laura has taught reading and writing in middle schools and at a community college near her home in Kingwood, Texas. She currently works as an online editor.

Learn more about Laura at www.lauraedge.com.

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS by CHARLENE AMSDEN
7/13/2026 11:45:00 PM BY Patti Shene

FEATURED BOOK: A Cedar Haven Christmas

AUTHOR: Charlene Amsden

PUBLISHER: self-published

GENRE: suspense

SERIES OR STAND ALONE: stand alone

TARGET AGE: 16+

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME AUTHOR CHARLENE AMSDEN TO PATTI’S PORCH.CHARLENE TALKS ABOUT THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS THAT LIES BEYOND THE GLITTER AND GIFTS WE ASSOCIATE WITH THIS IMPORTANT HOLIDAY.

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

Charlene Amsden

It is mid-July. I am knee-deep in Vacation Bible School, and somehow I’m here to talk to you about Christmas.

Fortunately, it’s one of those delightfully chilly Pacific Northwest days where the rain taps at the windows and a cup of coffee feels like a necessity instead of a luxury. If I squint a little, I can almost imagine December has arrived early.

As Christians, perhaps Christmas should never feel far away. Neither should Easter. The two are forever intertwined. Without Christmas, there would be no Easter. Without Easter, Christmas would be little more than the birthday of a remarkable man. Instead, Christmas marks the moment God stepped into our broken world.

I keep one Christmas decoration displayed all year long. It reminds me of John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (KJV) Christmas isn’t about presents beneath a tree. It has always been about the greatest gift ever given. That truth became the heartbeat behind A Cedar Haven Christmas.

When I first imagined Georgie Ward, I knew she wasn't looking for romance. She was looking for safety. After years trapped in an abusive marriage, she wanted only one thing: to build a peaceful life for herself and her young son. Then Jackson Brenneman wandered into her life.

Jackson isn't flashy. He isn't trying to rescue anyone. He's simply a good man who quietly shows up, keeps his word, and chooses to stay. Sometimes that's exactly what healing looks like.

As I wrote Georgie's story, I discovered it was more personal than I'd expected. Many of my fans know I'm also a survivor of domestic violence. Although I've now spent twenty wonderful years married to a kind, gentle man who has shown me every day what love is supposed to look like, writing Georgie's journey meant revisiting memories I would much rather have left buried.

I found myself reliving pieces of my own story so I could write hers honestly. Then I had to do something equally important. I had to temper those memories. Violence isn’t the focus of A Cedar Haven Christmas. Pain may begin Georgie's story, but it doesn't define it. Grace does. Hope does. Love does.

Love is the real magic of Christmas. Not sparkling lights. Not cinnamon rolls. Not beautifully wrapped presents. Those things are wonderful, but they're only reflections of something far greater.

The miracle of Christmas is that God specializes in entering broken places. He doesn't wait for our lives to become neat and presentable. He comes into the middle of the mess and begins rebuilding from the inside out.

Sometimes that rebuilding looks miraculous. Sometimes it looks wonderfully ordinary. It looks like a frightened little boy discovering trustworthy men. It looks like friends who quietly show up with hammers and paintbrushes. It looks like forgiveness. It looks like laughter returning to a home where fear once lived. It looks like learning that dependable is far more romantic than dazzling.

And sometimes it looks like discovering that second chances aren't fairy tales after all.

If A Cedar Haven Christmas leaves readers with anything, I hope it's this: No matter what you've survived, your story isn't over. The God who came as a tiny baby in Bethlehem is still in the business of transforming lives. He still brings beauty from ashes. He still replaces fear with hope. And He still writes endings far better than we could ever imagine for ourselves.

That has always been the true magic of Christmas.

Blurb for A Cedar Haven Christmas

When waitress Georgie Ward finds a note on her shattered windshield that reads, You’re next, she knows her violent ex-husband has returned to Cedar Haven. The police can’t locate him, and anonymous calls keep coming. All Georgie wants is to protect her ten-year-old son and survive Christmas in one piece.

She doesn’t expect Jackson Brenneman, the quiet man in booth seven, to become her safest place.

Jackson came to town to oversee construction on a movie star’s mansion—not to get involved with the locals. But when Georgie’s past turns deadly, he steps in with steady hands, fierce protectiveness, and a faith he thought he’d lost.

Just when their fragile connection deepens, Hollywood glamour swoops in and Jackson’s old scars convince him Georgie deserves someone shinier.

But grace doesn’t replace broken things—it rebuilds them.

This Christmas, love, danger, and second chances will test them both… and lead them toward the family neither expected to find.

(A Cedar Haven Christmas is a stand-alone novel in the True North Brotherhood universe.)

Charlene Amsden is a Christian fiction author who writes suspenseful stories of faith, hope, and second chances. A former teacher and children’s ministry leader, she now calls a small island in the Pacific Northwest home—where her neighbors include orcas, bald eagles, and the occasional black fox. When she’s not writing, she’s serving her church, sipping coffee, or dreaming up her next page-turner.