“Laura exceeded my expectations.  A woman who loves the Lord and knows scripture is a powerful tool and rare!  She spoke to me in a lot areas of my life.” 
- attendee at Living Hope Church women’s retreat.

Contact: If you would like Laura to speak at an upcoming event or to write an article, feel free to contact her: laura(at)laurabooz(dot)come.

Who is she? Laura lives with her husband Ryan, and children in the mountains of Pennsylvania, where they are beginning a small-scale farm. She  has enjoyed speaking all over the country for ministries such as Pure Freedom, Marriage Savers, MOPS, AGLOW, and The Relevant Conference. Laura received some of her training through the Certificate in Women’s Counseling program from Westminster Theological Seminary and participated in a TruthXChange conference with author and speaker Peter Jones.

For five years, Laura wrote almost-daily posts for 10 Million Miles, but is currently taking a sabbatical from blogging.  She wrote and published the eBook Blogger Behave, and has written many guest posts and articles for blogs and ministries such as Covenant Eyes and Sister’s in Bloom.

Though building her home is her first priority, she cherishes a few opportunities each year to speak or write publicly about God and His Word.

Laura and her family are members of a local PCA church, where they are involved in the music, meal, and children’s ministries. Laura most enjoys spending time with her husband, homeschooling her children, writing, running, and leading a local women’s Bible study.  Some of her new year’s aspirations are to begin a flower garden and grocery-shop more like a “French girl” who brings home a wedge of fine cheese, a fresh baguette, and a bar of dark chocolate. (Doesn’t that sound so good?)

What does she write and speak about?

The Affection of Our Hearts : Despite the limitless topics of Bible studies, the theme of our existence always comes back to love, doesn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I often need to be reminded of love’s significance in my own life. Be encouraged to love God more intimately, love His word more passionately, and love others more practically.

A Fruitful Marriage: Marriage is so beautiful – perhaps the most beautiful thing on earth. As two complementary humans vow to faithfully help and cherish one another, God promises to give the grace and courage that will be necessary to fulfill those vows. Be encouraged to lay your life down for your husband, to enjoy your husband’s friendship, and to become his loving wife.

A Fulfilling Motherhood: How do we best love the precious blessings that God has given us? How do we train them and guide them so that they will love Him, obey His Word, and walk humbly with Him? Be encouraged and equipped with practical ways to build your home and establish truth for your children.

Receiving Redemption: It doesn’t take long before each of us experiences some “hard knocks” in life: some are momentary traumas, others are life-long heartaches. We must set our eyes on Jesus, who sees and overcomes our darkest valleys for us. Whether we  are mourning someone’s death, recovering from abuse, finding our footing after a divorce, or healing from years of rebellion, God’s Word instructs us on how we should live in the process of redemption. Be encouraged to forgive and receive forgiveness, to love and receive love, as well as to be reconciled to God and become a minister of reconciliation.

What have others said about Laura’s work?

“She was a wonderful orator, very vibrant, challenging and encouraging.  I took a lot of notes that will certainly guide my prayer life and walk with the Lord.”

“Laura was genuine and easy to listen to.  I felt she was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

“She did an awesome job!  I loved her fire and love for the Word.  I am praying for that same desire and hunger for God’s word.”

“Laura was an excellent speaker.  She was relevant and truly has a heart for God.  I felt God shine through her.  She was truly a blessing to our group.”

(I’m not sure you can call it “hacking” when you help manage the technical side of the website – but let’s pretend anyway.)

“Your husband could win an iPad!”.  How could I not be curious at a subject line like that?

A few nights ago I had to look something up on the home computer.  As I woke it from sleep, Laura’s email was open and the highlighted conversation was between Laura and another Allume Social attendee.  It was a brief email, simply linking to Jesse’s Vlog post about the contest to win an iPad if husbands would hack their wife’s blog and make a guest post.  It wasn’t intended for me, but the other bloggers husband.  In fact, Laura still hasn’t mentioned it to me.

So I clicked the link and watched Jesse’s Vlog, and although the contest seemed simple enough, I honestly didn’t give it another thought until we prayed for Laura last night in preparation for her time away.

No… I wasn’t reminded about the iPad.

I was reminded about how Laura bristled at writing her thoughts and musings in anything but a leather bound, well-worn notebook.  With a pen.  In different colors if we had them.  In fact, I’m pretty sure one of the first conversations revolved around what in the world a “blog” was and what the word meant.   (seriously, this is not one of our finer technology abbreviations)

I was reminded of the journey of the last few years and how it played out through 10MillionMiles… how I’ve treasured seeing Laura use her gifts to the Glory of God – the exact reason I thought it might be a good outlet in the first place. (look, it was one of those rare times I thought of something good first… let me enjoy it.)

I was reminded at how my wife, who sacrifices and gives so much of herself, has been blessed to be filled up by others giving of their gifts too.  All in this little corner of the Internet where passionate, Christian women simply keep loving Jesus, loving each other, and trying to spur one another on to be more like Him.

What more could a husband ask for when his wife is using her gifts?

In the last five years, 10MillionMiles had 1,071 posts and 3,879 comments.  And during that time, Laura has had the privilege of attending three Allume conferences.  For me, that looks a little bit like:

• A video of Vivienne, age 2, reciting numerous scenes from Charlie Brown’s Christmas.  (oh, where does the time go…)
• Vivienne and Lia making their cooking videos
• The Vlog series on homeschooling and teaching our kids Godly character
• Homeschooling tips, tricks and successes
• sharing about the struggle and restoration of our early marriage
• Laura introducing Angie Smith at the first Allume who wrote about the lose of her stillborn baby, just months after Laura had delivered our third daughter, Juliette, stillborn.
• sharing with hundreds of online friends weeks later when Christ, in his Grace, allowed us to get pregnant with our fourth child, Malachi
• knowing I could post a prayer request on Laura’s blog days after Malachi’s birth as we watched him  become lifeless, a result of being tongue tied, and knowing that hundreds of people would jump to action (and man, did you ever!!!  Thank you!!)
• watching Laura learn to manage her time in the blog world better, so she could give her full attention to what matters most… so that she can give her best when she does take the time.
• writing a small ebook about that time management and how to put the eternal value of your blog into perspective, a project we tackled together.  That was fun.
• Laura, faithfully sharing God’s Word at the second Allume… and watching the tweets roll in as she spoke, evidence of a message well delivered.
• Choosing to put the blog aside for now – choosing instead to listen carefully to the Holy Spirit and, once again, focus on what is most important to Him… particularly the domain (and the people in that domain) that He’s provided for us.
• being sad (honestly), that Laura put the blog aside.  The first second thing I fell in love with was Laura’s wit and ability to communicate.  And she does that so well in writing that I do miss seeing it all flow out where I get a better glimpse of some of the things going on in her heart that just haven’t been put into spoken words yet.
• (but) having a wife that is faithfully following Christ – wherever that may lead.

And that’s probably just the top 100 posts.

Even as Laura has taken a break from full-time, personal blogging for most of this year, the friendships have continued and strengthened.  God has given Laura a greater passion to reach those closest to us through a community blog – and I’m pretty sure He’ll continue to bless her faithful efforts.

And I’ll be smiling the whole time.

Because it’s no secret.  Not only did I marry WAY up… I also get a front-row seat to watch each day what Christ is doing in Laura and how He’ll use it to encourage others, spread His Truth, and bless His name.

To reach out to our community, our family has decided to open a blog called PennsValleyFamily.com. We hope to encourage our neighbors by discovering local treasures and providing an online hub for all of the flea markets, tractor pulls, horse auctions, and chicken pot-pie dinners that are happening in our hometown.

Of course, I can’t help myself but to post some thoughts on parenting, farming, and life-in-general, so even if you live in Australia, you might discover a treasure or two over there. Come on over and say, “Hi”. 

“Laura exceeded my expectations.  A woman who loves the Lord and knows scripture is a powerful tool and rare!  She spoke to me in a lot areas of my life.”
- attendee at Living Hope Church women’s retreat.

Contact: If you would like Laura to speak at an upcoming event or to write an article, feel free to contact her: laura(at)laurabooz(dot)come.

Who is she? Laura lives with her husband Ryan, and children in the mountains of Pennsylvania, where they are beginning a small-scale farm. She  has enjoyed speaking all over the country for ministries such as Pure Freedom, Marriage Savers, MOPS, AGLOW, and The Relevant Conference. Laura received some of her training through the Certificate in Women’s Counseling program from Westminster Theological Seminary and participated in a TruthXChange conference with author and speaker Peter Jones.

For five years, Laura wrote almost-daily posts for 10 Million Miles, but is currently taking a sabbatical from blogging.  She wrote and published the eBook Blogger Behave, and has written many guest posts and articles for blogs and ministries such as Covenant Eyes and Sister’s in Bloom.

Though building her home is her first priority, she cherishes a few opportunities each year to speak or write publicly about God and His Word.

Laura and her family are members of a local PCA church, where they are involved in the music, meal, and children’s ministries. Laura most enjoys spending time with her husband, homeschooling her children, writing, running, and leading a local women’s Bible study.  Some of her new year’s aspirations are to begin a flower garden and grocery-shop more like a “French girl” who brings home a wedge of fine cheese, a fresh baguette, and a bar of dark chocolate. (Doesn’t that sound so good?)

What does she write and speak about?

The Affection of Our Hearts : Despite the limitless topics of Bible studies, the theme of our existence always comes back to love, doesn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I often need to be reminded of love’s significance in my own life. Be encouraged to love God more intimately, love His word more passionately, and love others more practically.

A Fruitful Marriage: Marriage is so beautiful – perhaps the most beautiful thing on earth. As two complementary humans vow to faithfully help and cherish one another, God promises to give the grace and courage that will be necessary to fulfill those vows. Be encouraged to lay your life down for your husband, to enjoy your husband’s friendship, and to become his loving wife.

A Fulfilling Motherhood: How do we best love the precious blessings that God has given us? How do we train them and guide them so that they will love Him, obey His Word, and walk humbly with Him? Be encouraged and equipped with practical ways to build your home and establish truth for your children.

Receiving Redemption: It doesn’t take long before each of us experiences some “hard knocks” in life: some are momentary traumas, others are life-long heartaches. We must set our eyes on Jesus, who sees and overcomes our darkest valleys for us. Whether we  are mourning someone’s death, recovering from abuse, finding our footing after a divorce, or healing from years of rebellion, God’s Word instructs us on how we should live in the process of redemption. Be encouraged to forgive and receive forgiveness, to love and receive love, as well as to be reconciled to God and become a minister of reconciliation.

What have others said about Laura’s work?

“She was a wonderful orator, very vibrant, challenging and encouraging.  I took a lot of notes that will certainly guide my prayer life and walk with the Lord.”

“Laura was genuine and easy to listen to.  I felt she was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

“She did an awesome job!  I loved her fire and love for the Word.  I am praying for that same desire and hunger for God’s word.”

“Laura was an excellent speaker.  She was relevant and truly has a heart for God.  I felt God shine through her.  She was truly a blessing to our group.”

After 5+ years of blogging, I’m writing what could be my last post.

Quite honestly, I don’t want to begin.  Nor do I want to end.

I’ve loved blogging over these past five years. This space has been the home to stories about our children, our books, our chickens, and our thoughts. It has been a place where I can meditate on Scripture, work out a problem, promote a great idea, stand on a soapbox, and share a personal story. You, my readers, have been like a great and constant gust of wind that has filled my sails for 5 years, and kept me writing, writing, writing.

So, it’s you I must thank. Because of your enthusiasm, I’ve learned how to write better here. I’ve learned (a little bit) about how to respond to comments and emails; I’ve learned (a little bit) about how to express my thoughts for a limitless audience.  I’ve learned that people will love and support me even if I can’t come up with anything profound or helpful for weeks on end. (Your support has been such a gift!) Here, I’ve learned (even more) that I’m not alone. I have friends all around the world – some as close as blood relations, others as distant as strangers across the ocean – but all friends, here.

Lately, I’ve been reminded that to everything there is a season, and that my beautiful season of blogging is ending for now. I’m hoping that it will cycle back around again just like the spring rain we anticipate when February spins and tips us closer to the sun.

I’ll certainly keep this space open and ready for a new post when the time is right. (As always, there are still a dozen posts swirling around in my brain and I can’t believe I’m cutting them off. I wanted to write about how I’ve come to believe in a low-carb/high good fats fertility diet, how I’m loving the band Gungor, how Lia had an “I Love Cheese” birthday party, and how I still endorse Hard Lotion, Covenant Eyes, and microfiber cloths, but those posts will have to either find another outlet or wait until I return. Oh! I also wanted to write a post about how you’ve just got to read Tim Keller’s The Meaning of Marriage AND listen to Mark Driscoll’s series on marriage: both are gourmet, delicious, nutritious food for the heart and soul of a marriage. They are not a dime a dozen; not your average marriage material. You’re just going to love them, I know it! Oh, shoot. I have so many things I still want to tell you. How am I ever going to not blog??) I just need to take a deep breath and get on with the good byes. (This is much more painful than I thought it would be.)

As it turns out, it’s time for me to take the precious time that I have been pouring into my blog, and invest it into more reading, private writing, and Bible study. I feel very strongly that this is very important for me to do right now. I’ve known that it was coming for a while, but I’ve loved blogging so much that I’ve put it off as long as possible. It’s as if my “blogging sailboat” has bumped up against a strange new shore, and I have some exploring to do. Thank you for helping me arrive here.

You can access the archives at any time. Review our VLOGS, my book recommendations, thoughts on marriage, or even my thoughts following our stillbirth experience.  I’ve tried to include each post under an appropriate category so that you can find what you are looking for easily. Over time, I’ve even included some of my favorite blog posts under the “BEST OF” category. I hope you like them, too.

And, of course, you can always buy Blogger Behave for your friends, coworkers, neighbors, and local service workers. So, by all means, feel free to stop by the Blogger Behave site any old time.

If you’re new to the “world of blogs” and somehow stumbled upon 10 Million Miles as a starting point, I recommend you check out Sisters in Bloom or Allume so that you can meet lots of lovely writers at once and find what you’re looking for. If you like my writing style and topics, you might like a few bloggers whom I admire: Molly Piper, Rachel Jankovic, and Marla Taviano.

May God bless you, may you know how much He loves you, and may you walk in His ways so that you are protected, guided, and blessed.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading my writing.

Your time has been a gift to me.

Here’s hoping I’ll be back soon.

Here are some links that have put wind in my sails lately:

* Thanks to my sister for this encouraging article: “Don’t Carpe Diem”.

* Thanks to a dear friend for pointing me in the direction of Women to Women, where I could take a free online assessment of my health and find some encouraging material about making more beneficial choices towards my well-being.

* And, thanks to Susan Cain for looking into us introverts and giving me some courage to be more, well, me.  I’ve added her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking to my extensive 2012 reading list.

After cranking out a full American Girl shopping trip, it’s hard to slip in the proper mindset for the French Girl shopping trip, evidenced by the fact that I forgot the dark chocolate! Oh, dear. But I did purchase organic kale for our morning green smoothies, and that’s good, right? I’m happy with my simple beginnings: some posies and a triangle of brie. Needless to say, the French girl would never check off the fact that she just completed a French girl shopping trip. But, I’m still an American girl who makes resolutions and checks things off. So, January: check!