Bestselling author Kimberley Woodhouse is a creative through and through. If you can’t tell from the 40-plus novels she’s written, simply look at the additional songs, articles, speaking presentations, picture books, plays and short stories she’s composed as well. In her pursuit of excellence in music and the written arts, Kimberley has recorded three albums, and many of her books have won prestigious awards. When she’s not furiously scribbling down new fiction plots and melody ideas, you can find her studying the Bible, researching fascinating periods in history (which, of course, show up in her books) and — as you’ll discover below — golfing.

Keep reading for an inspiring conversation with Kimberley about her delight in Cajun and Creole cuisine, her go-to method for keeping her creative ideas fresh every day and the habits, books and apps that re-energize her mind and spirit.

QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT

The meals we enjoy are about so much more than the food we eat. So how does a “go-to” meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?

While hubby and I — and kids and grandkids — are back in Colorado again, and this is home, our roots are in south Louisiana. We were both raised in Louisiana — Geaux Tigers! — and staples in our kitchen haven’t changed even though we lived for many years in Alaska, have been in Colorado for umpteen years and spent time in the Poconos and Montana as well.

Jambalaya, etouffee, boudin, gumbo, beignets, red beans and rice — you’ll find all of these on our regular menu at home.

And that’s the fun part. Home is where our family is. We had to move away from our beloved Louisiana decades ago because our daughter didn’t sweat. (I probably don’t have to tell you that Louisiana is hot.) And we ended up moving to Alaska. Which I can honestly say is now my favorite state. But that’s another story.

There’s no cuisine (in my opinion) that can rival our good ol’ Louisiana cooking. That’s why our favorite restaurant go-to in Louisiana is now Nina P’s Cafe in Lake Charles. They have this made-from-scratch, super yummy crawfish cream sauce that is absolute perfection over some French bread covered in cheese. Or you can get it over fried green tomatoes or, my personal favorite, over the shrimp po-boy. Talk about best-food-ever.

Whenever hubby and I get to visit family down there, a stop at Nina P’s is mandatory. Not only is it the absolute best comfort food, but the quaint establishment is a place you want to sit at the table and share long conversations with the people you love.

QUESTION #2: REVEAL

We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activity do you love engaging in that also helps you find essential spiritual renewal?

Y’all might think I’m out of my mind, but I love golf.

I know, I know, a 50-something-year-old fluffy Nana who is also an author loves to play golf? It sounds ridiculous even as I type it. But it’s true.

Golf wasn’t something I set out to do. In fact, it wasn’t even on my radar as an activity I wanted to try. That is, until my husband had bilateral knee replacements at a very young age. Always Mr. Athlete, he found those knee replacements changed things for him. He’d enjoyed golf up to that point, but then he really dove into the sport. One day, he turned to me and said, “Hey, you wanna play golf with me?”

I’m sure the expression on my face displayed a bit of panic or even possibly an ‘Are you out of your mind — you want to play golf with me?’ unspoken question. But I said, “Okay” instead. We went out and bought a starter set of clubs for me. Then I took lessons. The rest is history. Hubby and I take vacations just to play golf (and eat good food, so there’s that.)

But out on the course together, there’s something so beautiful. And I’m not just talking about the lush green of the fairways or the trickling water of the creeks and streams or the fresh air and glorious sunshine. It really is an amazing time for us to connect, to talk and laugh and to rest in the beauty of this amazing marriage God put together. When we met 35-plus years ago, I don’t think either one of us envisioned being out on the golf course together, but it’s so cool to see where God has brought us.

Now, if only my handicap could get below 20 ...

QUESTION #3: CONFESS

Every superhero has a weakness; every human too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you confront its power head-on?

My kryptonite is that I’m a perfectionist.

I literally have a planner for my planners. My husband teases me that I can “organize the snot out of anything.” But life doesn’t always go as planned. In fact, it rarely does. So I’ve learned to write in planners in pencil so that I can erase and redo. Does that help? Well, it helps my planner brain not to freak out as much, but it really doesn’t solve anything. Life is messy. Always.

The problem is, when things get out of whack and off plan, I tend to want to run away and hide. Most of the time, it’s when life has exploded and I’m really tired. Everything flies out the window. Which makes it all worse. And the cycle continues.

All of this is just to point me to the understanding that I am not in control. God is. Over the years, he’s been working on me big time in this area. I’m a control freak (thus, the planner-for-the-planners ridiculousness). Each time, I lean on him even more and learn that resting in him is vital — crucial — to everyday living. He created me with this crazy brain that loves to plan, and that is a beautiful thing, but I have to release control. That’s easier said than done, and that’s why I’m still learning and growing each day.

QUESTION #4: FIRE UP

Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?

I am passionate about story. I love it.

If I analyze the why behind that? Part of my reasoning is that I always learn through story. Another part is that Jesus taught through story and that resonates with me, big time.

All around us, there are stories in books, musicals and movies. These stories impact and change lives on a daily basis.

Long before my first contract, back in 2005, a friend of mine challenged me to have a purpose statement for my ministry. After much prayer and thought, I came up with one.

No matter what I write, I want it to glorify God, and my purpose is twofold:

1. I want to point people to the Truth.

2. I want to challenge believers in their walk with Christ.

Sure, it’s always great to entertain people with story, to lift them up, to give them glimpses at cool pieces of history or to simply give them a smile. But I don’t read, watch or listen to stories for just those things — I want to learn and grow spiritually too. I hope my readers feel the same way.

I just finished a series for Bethany House titled “The Treasures of the Earth” (“The Secrets Beneath,” “Set in Stone” and “A Hope Unburied”). It involves a super cool period of American History called the Bone Wars. In reading the diaries and poems of Earl Douglass (the man who found what is now Dinosaur National Monument), it struck me as such a fascinating era, understanding the link and barriers between faith and science and how difficult it must have been for him. I’m a research junkie, so I had far too much fun diving into the world of paleontology, meeting with paleontologists today and getting to know everything I could about Earl through his granddaughter, Diane. What really stuck with me is this rift between faith and science and how difficult it is for people in the field of science to stand for the Truth.

I also finished a series that is contemporary suspense that deals with the very real world of cyberterrorism. (Since my son-in-law is an expert in this area and worked for the Army Cyber Institute, it became a family affair to have discussions around the table that turned into brainstorming for this series.)

And then, “An Unexpected Grace” was recently released, which is the last book in the series that Tracie Peterson and I have been writing set in Kalispell, Montana. We have tackled a lot of tough topics in our books together, from gossip to grace and forgiveness, and we love diving into the depths of these things and showing some cool history along the way.

It all comes down to story. And sharing the Greatest Story ever.

QUESTION #5: BOOST

Cashiers, CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?

I’ve been keeping a “creative journal” for almost four decades. It became a daily habit in college. I sit down and pray and ask for the Lord to give me something new — a new idea — each day. To exercise those creative muscles. To keep my brain flowing and fresh. Not stagnant and weary.

Sometimes what I write down is the beginnings of a song (I was a music major), sometimes it’s a story idea, sometimes just a “what if” and sometimes a character (the quirkier, the better, because that’s real, right?). Sometimes, it’s building upon another idea from other journal entries. It doesn’t have to be pages or paragraphs, most of the time it’s a single sentence. But I love seeing how these ideas come. I can feel the infusion from the Master Storyteller when my mind has been blank and then, boom, there’s an idea or plethora of ideas.

As an artist, a musician and a crazy-creative (let’s just be honest here, we’re all a little weird), it is beautiful to have this connection and know that this beauty comes from the Author of all. He is the master Creator, and I get to be a little apprentice creator working under the tutelage of the greatest Storyteller.

We’re all spinning on this blue planet in an infinite universe that we can’t fathom with our finite minds. I love seeing in all the billions who have lived, we are all different and yet the same. We can digest that there is nothing new under the sun, and yet, every story can be new and refreshing.

To me, story is what connects us all. And most of us desperately need and crave connection, don’t we?

QUESTION #6: inspire

Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?

My Bible study room is my favorite place in the house. Stacks of books I’m in the process of reading or longing to read to help me grow, tons of Bible study resources and lots of notebooks, pens and highlighters fill the space along with a desk and chair and a huge comfy recliner. My goal is to spend a good two to three hours there each day. I’ve changed up my routines every few years, searching for the “perfect” one for me. The conclusion that I’ve come to? Connection with God is unique for everyone, and it can be different for us individually in various stages of life. The most important thing is to be in his Word and spend focused time with him.

A few years ago, I started a new and challenging read-through-the-Bible plan. I use a chronological one-year Bible with plenty of room for notes in the margins. And I read seven days’ reading each day. That way, if I stick to the plan, I get through the entire Bible every 52 days. (It’s really not as difficult or time-consuming as that sounds! To put it into numbers, most people could read through the whole 66 books in 70 to 80 hours. That means, if you read around the clock, it would only take a little over three days to read the entire Bible.)

This time that I spend reading the Bible immerses me into the whole story in a way I’ve never experienced before. And what is so cool to me is that even accomplishing/finishing the reading as many times as I have, something new pops out at me. Every. Single. Time. I have found that completely immersing myself in the Word like this makes everything more vibrant. The other books I’m reading, the other Bible studies I’m participating in, even the research I’m doing for the books I’m writing. When I start out with this immersive reading and then go into my other studies, I’m more focused, more present, more engaged.

And so I love this space and the time that I put into it. Because when I miss, I feel it, all the way into my bones. It takes a lot of intentionality and discipline for this time, but I need it. I crave it. And I find myself wanting to get back to it as soon as I can.

QUESTION #7: FOCUS

Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and your heart?

The top three resources I’d like to share and recommend are books that have changed me and made me mull over the truths inside them over and over.

The first would be Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “The Cost of Discipleship.” I go back to read it every few years. What a challenge to be all and spend all that we have for the sake of Christ. It’s a sacrifice that our self-centered society doesn’t understand. And one I need to be reminded of often.

The second is “Delighting in Jesus” by my dear friend, Asheritah Ciuciu. I had the privilege of reading it early for endorsement, and it’s the first and only book that I have read through twice because I loved it so much and couldn’t get enough of the truths inside it. And that was before it was released! I’m going through it again now. Not only has this been life-and-heart-changing for me, but I’ve seen it touch the lives of people I’ve given it to as well. What a joy and wonder to delight in Jesus!

No. 3 is a fiction book that I have read multiple times. “Safely Home” by Randy Alcorn.

I’m one of those who sees the impact of story on lives (probably why I’ve written more than 40 books myself!), and this book has resonated with everyone I’ve talked to who has read it. Man, is it a challenge to the reader as we journey with the characters. It’s definitely a story that makes you think about your life, makes you appreciate the freedoms we have here in the U.S. and really makes you look at yourself in the mirror and ask if you’d be willing to lay down your life for Christ.

This book and “Not My Will” by Francena Arnold are the top two on my fiction list and stories that have stayed with me for decades. That’s the kind of book I love to read.

We all have things we cling to to survive or even thrive in our fast-paced, techno-driven world. How have you been successful in harnessing technology to aid in your spiritual growth?

My answer to this is twofold. One, I’m re-reading (well, this time, I’m listening to the audiobook) “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer, and it is kicking me in the rear end. Two, I’m using a simple app on my phone called The Forest App.

One: the book hits us right where we live in our very tech-primary world. We’ve all gotten so busy that we can’t see the forest for the trees. We wonder why we’re exhausted all the time and wish there were more hours in the day so we can get everything on our lists done. But is that how we are supposed to live? I love this book so much and am challenged and inspired to ruthlessly eliminate hurry.

Two: the Forest App is a simple app that allows you to choose an amount of time for “focus.” You start the timer, and a little plant or tree begins to grow. It tells you to put your phone down. If you get distracted by your phone while the time is going, your little plant or tree will die. (Now, because I have some OCD and perfectionist tendencies, I have never seen that happen, and I think that’s the point of the app — training your brain to stay away from your phone.)

This app is great because it helps me focus. Reminds me that my phone is probably my biggest distraction (can you relate?) and that I want to be present with people or my work and not be sucked into looking at my phone all the time.

QUESTION #8: dream

God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?

A story that has been on my heart and mind for 20 years is written and finally being released by Bethany House in September 2025. It’s called “A Song in the Dark.”

It’s really different from other books I’ve written — it takes place in Europe in the years leading up to WWII. I haven’t tackled this time period yet because when I first had the idea for the story, WWII was at the end of the time period to be labeled historical fiction, and now, it is a huge genre on its own. It also gets into some difficult history with the Nazis and the people they deemed unworthy of life.

As the heroine is also a pianist — the music aspect is very near and dear to me — and as she is blind, you can probably understand why it was a tough story to tell.

Now, I’m faced with a bit of anxiety — nervousness — over how it will be received. Will people see the Truth in the story? Since this has been in my heart for so long, will they love it as much as I do?

The few who have read it this early have told me it has touched their lives in huge ways. One told me they thought it was my best book yet. These things are very encouraging, but I find it even more difficult to think about this story hitting the shelves — being birthed into the world — and the what-ifs.

As much as I am excited about this story of my heart, I am anxious. And I’m praying that God would use this story for him. He gave me the story. I need to leave it in his capable hands.

Will you pray with me about this?

If you struggle with perfectionism like Kimberley does, we hope you paid attention to her solution — because it was powerful.

Need a reminder? It was surrender. Total surrender. Not the half-in-half-out kind where you can still feel at least a little bit in control but rather the kind that holds nothing back. That gives of oneself completely and tells Jesus, “I’m all yours.”

Today, if your desire is to grow in that kind of surrender, may these passages encourage your soul:

“For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron. 20:12, ESV).

“O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore” (Ps. 131, ESV).

“Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9, ESV).

Amen.

Kimberley Woodhouse