Author Heidi Gray McGill Archives

When Discouragement Talks You Into a Bad Plan

a single worn dirt path curving through a quiet field at early morning light, leading toward a distant horizon where the sun is just beginning to rise. On the path, subtle footprints trail off into the light. The mood is hopeful but honest, not overly bright or triumphant, more like the moment right before dawn breaks. Muted golds, soft blues, and warm neutrals. No people, no faces, no readable text or words

When the diagnosis was hard and the season was already heavy, I did what David did. I said it in my heart instead of asking God. Here is what that cost him, and what it is costing me.

Comfort and Approval as Idols I Never Saw Coming Until Now

I sat in church hoping someone else was listening to the sermon. I never imagined the message was for me, until a crockpot roast and my husband’s quiet observation proved otherwise.

Why My Characters Wait (And Why “I’m a Christian” Isn’t Their Reason)

Why do my characters wait? It’s not the reason you’d expect. New on the blog: what closed door really means in Christian fiction, and why “no spice” doesn’t mean no heat.

When Serving God Looks Right But Feels Empty

Praise team leading worship in a church gym in the late 1990s, mic stands and cords on the gym floor

A personal look at Mark 11 and the fig tree Jesus cursed, and what happens when serving God stops flowing from real worship.

A Prayer For Whoever Is Struggling Today

I don’t know what today handed you. I just know I prayed this for you before I knew your name. A prayer built from Ephesians 3:14-21, written for whoever needs it right now.

Matters of the Heart Audiobook Free on YouTube

The Matters of the Heart audiobook is free to watch on YouTube right now. Meet Hans Korhonen, a soldier searching for peace after the Civil War, in a cut scene that sets his story in seconds.

What My Grandson’s Dinosaurs Taught Me About Patience

Grandmother listening patiently while grandson explains dinosaur facts

My grandson can talk dinosaurs for five minutes straight, and half the time I only catch every third word. God used that frustration to show me the real difference between patience and convenience.

Free Spanish Christian Fiction This Week

My second novel is now available in Spanish, and it’s free in eBook format from July 28 through August 1. Here’s the story behind the translation and why Spanish reaches further than most people realize.

Are You in the Ark? A Devotional from Genesis 7

Genesis 7 tells the story of Noah’s ark, but it’s also a picture of God’s rescue. This devotional asks the deeper question. Are you in the ark?

The Joy I Hear When God Sings Over Me

The author standing in a field with arms raised, looking toward Heaven. Music notes from the clouds rain down over her.

A friend’s joy while singing an old hymn led me to Zephaniah 3:17, the verse where God exults over His people with loud singing. If a quartet’s harmony can move me to tears, what does God’s own song sound like?