Ingrid Sampo | Ingrid Anderson Sampo

Reflections of Lydia

September 7, 2020

Reflections of Lydia Note: Lydia of the New Testament Book of Acts was a purple dye worker and trader, and an evangelist sharing the Good News of the gospel of Christ. She is the central character in my upcoming historical novel, Lydia, Seller of Purple. “My name is Lydia. I have traveled from darkness to light. From Thyatira to Philippi. From sorrow to purpose and hope. “I thank God for my father who loved me, taught me the purple dye trade and helped me heal from my grief as a widow. He gave me new purpose, sending me to my uncle in Philippi who guided me into its bustling purple dye trade. It was a joy as it mirrored my childhood game—helping my Papa with processing the purple dye from the madder root. “Little did I know what awaited me in Philippi—healing born of meaningful work, dear friends, a new love, and most surprising, meeting …

Rediscovering Books

July 1, 2020

A Re-discovered Novel During our COVID Sheltering in Place, many of us have evolved into book detectives, searching our bookshelves to solve the mystery of the misplaced book we loved and let get away, far into the dark recesses of that shelf. I’ve rediscovered the superb storyteller Jon Hassler. Grand Opening, a grand tale, is one of his best. Not your ordinary coming of age novel, Grand Opening’s young character, Dodger, is part rebel with a record and part sensitive, vulnerable and terribly misunderstood. Living in small town Minnesota during World War Two, he is shunned by many. Grocery store owners and newcomers Hank and Catherine Foster, son Brendan and Grandfather take in Dodger and offer him the opportunity for schooling and work in the store. Plum, an imaginary small town in Southwest Minnesota, is typical of many small towns, friendly on the surface, but at heart somewhat malicious. Reminiscent of Sinclair Lewis’ Main Street, …

Why I Write About Women Bible Characters

February 26, 2020

I find their stories compelling and providing many life lessons. In these women’s stories, we visit the New Testament churches and their church communities. There no one suffered in want, no one was isolated. Members of the Way (an early name for Christianity) shared their joys and sorrows and helped each other grow in their faith walks. Women of the Bible reveal that no one is perfect. Often they were called to ministries for which many could say, they were unqualified or ill-prepared. But God recognized their gifts and potential and helped them to develop those gifts and grow their ministry. Doubts regarding their calling and their own abilities surfaced, yet they found God’s grace more than sufficient to counter the doubts, gain confidence and successfully go forward in ministry. Joy was abundant in their lives of faith, but for every joy, there was sorrow, loss or danger. Life under Roman rule was not …