About Phylicia
Welcome!
Thank you so much for visiting A Quill and Inkwell. My name is Phylicia Duran, and I am a junior in college on Liberty University’s campus in Lynchburg, VA (see my blog about life at LU, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of a Degree). I hope your visit to my blog was a blessing to you in any small way!
A Quill and Inkwell’s goal is to encourage young women in Christ. In American society, teenage girls will find it difficult to maintain the purity and upright lifestyle that God requires of his children. This website and affiliates are meant to be a support to girls who are striving after Christ for their lives.
Writing: A Quill and Inkwell’s main feature is the website, or blog, which is updated at least every few days with new topics for girls to read. A forum is available for girls to discuss what is written on the blog (see the tab on the right sidebar), and my email address can be found in the Speaker Request tab for any questions or topics girls wish to see addressed on the website. Also available for order is the newly published Quill and Inkwell devotional, A Torch and a Voice. This is a ten-week devotional based on Isaiah 62, made up of posts from the website and meant to be used in conjunction with it.
Speaking: One of the blossoming aspects of Quill and Inkwell’s ministry is the speaking tour. For more information, or to schedule a speaking engagement for your youth group or church, please refer to the Speaker Request tab.
Background: I am the eldest of six children, all homeschooled. I graduated high school with my freshman year of college finished as well, due to the wonderful availability of LU’s distance program. Being homeschooled provided me with every educational benefit under the sun, and I am so indebted to my parents for the blessing of their teaching.
My five siblings are Ariella (16), Autumn (14), Anthony (12), Anders (7), and Delaney (5). Each of us are distinct in personality and interest, as is with every family. Ella enjoys the outdoors and training her horse Tommy, Autumn is an indoor computer-guru who has a marvelous singing voice, Anthony and Anders are the men of the family with a penchant for WWII aircraft and the outdoors, and Laney enjoys her dollhouse and friend, Emma. My parents are intelligent, fun, loving people — Dad is a builder, developer and realtor locally, and mom is of course our teacher but also a beautician, wonderful cook, and a lot of fun!
Our home is in northern Michigan. For those unaquainted with the snowy depths, our winters last anywhere from 
October to April — and winter always means snow. Nevertheless, we find avenues for entertainment: skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, snowmobiling, skating, and sledding well-used options for those captive winter months. In the summer our historic town of Petoskey has all sorts of festivals and events outside and indoors that we attend. Tourism is one of our main industries, due to the beauty of the bay and the marina, as well as the many resort communities along the shore. To the right is a picture of the downtown in the summertime.
Perspective: Much of what I say is colored by my background and personal experience, as with any writer. Let me clarify some of where I am coming from, while most can be understood by reading the Statement of Beliefs page on the upper tabs. In high school I committed not to date, out of the belief that my high school years would be better spent focused on family, friends and Christ. I am glad and grateful for this commitment. Now that I have graduated I am ‘eligible’ for what I call ‘dating with accountability’. I have many wonderful male friends that my parents approve of and lightly supervise my interactions with. The freedom I have to enjoy their company, without the pressure of a temporary relationship, has allowed me to grow tremendously in my walk and trust with God and my parents.
I also am a proponent of women making the most of their single years. Once I have my degree I intend to continue working until I marry and have children, after which I intend to homeschool if the Lord leads. While to some this may seem to be a “career woman” mentality, I believe that these years are best put to use using the talents God gives us to reach the world, not only our families. Our families are the support and launching pad from which we proceed into the world, prepared to use our talents for God’s glory.
Once again, thank you for visiting, and I hope you enjoy this site. My goal is uplift and honor the Lord Jesus Christ through my work, and I hope that goal is in your eyes successfully accomplished.
In Him ~
Phylicia
I love your new site – how beautiful!
You have done an excellent job in creating and composing all of this, and I am looking forward to reading much more of your writings.
God bless you, dear friend, as you write to glorify Him.
Keep up the great work!
Kaysie
My husband graduated from Liberty’s distance learning program after graduating from being homeschooled… that’s a great way to do it!
Dear Phy-Phy,
And you forgot to mention the morel mushroom hunting – we’ve found, what, maybe three in 18 years?
If you’re going to list me as the resident hairstylist, then you best get a picture of you in one of your fancy up-do’s on here!!
Love you,
Mom
Dear Phy,
Couldn’t you get some Third Day, or Michael W. Smith, or Chris Tomlin, or Avalon,or Frank Sinatra, or Andy Wiliams for music? Come on……pump it up a bit!
Hi Phylica
I’m so glad to hear from you and this blog is such a blessing. I’ve been reading a book about femininity and godly women and this really ties in with that. I will certainly be coming back to this site often!
You’ve got a great blog. Keep up the good work.
Michigan sounds like a picturesque place to live! I will be looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Hey Phylicia!
You’ve been awarded the “Kindred Spirit Award” at my blog. Thank you for your friendship and encouragement! You are a true kindred spirit.
God bless you!
Kaysie
You are beautiful, Phylicia! I love your picture…
TN is lovely, isn’t it? (You are too!)
Wonderful blog. You may remember me, I opened your checking acct for you some years back and we lived up the road from you in Brutus. I will definitely have my daughters read your thoughts.
Tell your mom the Sido’s said “hi”
You are absolutely delightful! I find your heart is such a captivating beauty of God’s creation. Your words speak volumes.
You an amazing gift. 
Be blessed and encouraged on your journey on the road less traveled. 
Hey Phylicia,
I just given you a blogging award… check out my blog for details!
Oh! I like your new picture!!! <3
I enjoyed visiting here! You do have a delightful blog.
What a beautiful Blog you have. And what a beautiful young lady you are. Keep up the good work. I will check here often.
Hi – I just accidentally came across your site, and it’s beautiful! I’m from South Africa, but I sure hope to try and visit your site more often. Take care and keep up the great work!
hello, I just discovered your blog and I think its great! the post you wrote on Internet Cafe Devotions was excellent! I was very excited to read it! I totally understand what you were writing about. I would love to red more of your work. I would like to add you to my blog roll if you don’t mind.
Many blessings,
Jamaican Princess.
Thank you for sharing your background with your readers. I enjoyed learning more about you.
I deeply admire your high standards in the area of dating. This is one area where so many fall short and pay dearly for it. The Lord will bless your faithfulness and accountability… good for you!
Hey Plylica,
I really like your new picture. I find your stuff very very helpful! I just wanted to let you know that you are helping one girl out in the world somewhere!! Thanks for having such good posts. Keep it up!!
In Christ,
Charity
Hi Phylicia -
I just took a peek through your website and blog… I love what you’re doing – encouraging other girls and living a passionate life for Christ! We should stay in touch.
Keep up the good work!
Marilyn
Charity,
It is so encouraging for me to hear that from you! I will try to keep this updated from now on
Marilyn,
Definitely! I would love to keep in touch with you. Our family was so delighted with Pendragon — finding a film done so excellently without anything questionable is very rare, and the ‘homeschool factor’ is of course a huge benefit. I write film reviews for Cross-Eyed Webzine and if they haven’t done a review of it yet, I hope to get one on there
Phylicia
Hi Phylicia, This is my first time here. Your blog is very nice. I will visit again. Please feel free to stop by my blog at your convenience!
In Christ, Judy
a truly beautful site!
Hi,
How are you doing.
Its been a while do u still visit my blog?
Just wondering ..
How are the speaking appointments going.
I am still focused on Prophecy and more things have been unearth via more studies and research.
Drop a note or a comment let me know if u are still interested in the topics.
You don’t have to publish this but I wanted to let you know about a new magazine being published. “Pursue Beauty” will create a haven of beauty and fellowship for young women through challenging articles, moving fiction, and lots of reader participation. Please subscribe to our blog (http://www.pursuebeauty.blogspot.com) and consider subscribing or downloading the sampler issue when it is available in September. We’re spreading the word now because we need subscribers and writers to help us build this community. Please pass this information on to any of your friends or family who might be interested.