Free Fly Like Autumn Leaves

I love to watch the autumn leaves—and not just for their colors. I love to watch them fly as well.

The leaves of fall are free flying. They’re not bound by a must-follow route or a set of rules. No one tells them to drop at a perfect 90 degree angle—or any other angle. Each one is different. Each one takes its cue from the wind at the moment it falls.

Some fall headlong, landing right below their former homes. Others venture a few feet away as they drift gently through the air before finding a new resting place. Still others fly like crazy on the wings of a major wind gust, soaring as never before, looking like frolicking birds—up and down and all around, going great distances before running out of breath. Yes, autumn leaves are free flying.

Makes me want to do some free flying myself. Anyone else?

The good news is we can. As believers in Jesus, as children of God, we can free fly on the wings of his Spirit living within us. We can abandon ourselves to his leadership, whether on short straight paths, lilting walks, or adventures of a lifetime. Following the Spirit, we’ll soar as never before.

We can also free fly on the wings of encouragement. Sometimes all we need to be spurred on to try something new or go after a dream is the confidence inspired by a friend or family member who cheers us on. Sometimes all it takes is a little push. We then find ourselves free flying and loving every minute of it.

Other times it takes a little more. It takes a major gust of courage to launch our flight. The ride holds out hope of great and mighty things—but only if we’re willing to take the risk, only if we’re brave enough to step out of our comfort zones or battle whatever problems are trying to hinder our flight.

As the leaves free fly around us this autumn season, let’s ask ourselves if we’re ready to do a little free flying ourselves. Let’s abandon ourselves to the wings of the Spirit, let’s fly on words of encouragement. Let’s be bold and allow courage to carry us to new heights. Let’s free fly!

“. . . where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV

*How have you been free flying lately?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early November. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*Flickr photo by _hq_, Creative Commons License

Book Launch Giveaway for Mother of the Bride!

IMG_8433The official launch day for my book Mother of the Bride is finally here! The book has been available in limited supply on online sites already, but with the arrival of July 1st, it will now be widely available both online and in stores. I’m so excited!

To celebrate the launch of my dream come true, how about a super fun giveaway? The winner will receive a signed copy of the book as well as some other special gifts—a to-die for Peppermint Latte bar of Beigetone Soap (hand-made by my friend Nancy Douglas), a jar of True Blue Spa 60-Second Manicure Hand Scrub from Bath and Body Works, a bottle of OPI Nail Polish in the Hawaiian Orchid shade, a beautiful Butterflies Journal by Peter Pauper Press, and also the decorative container pictured above. You certainly don’t have to be a mother of the bride to win this giveaway, but I’ve designed it in honor of all mothers of the bride out there who deserve to be pampered in the midst of all their wedding planning.

But first, here’s a brief description of Mother of the Bride:

Mother of the Bride will help MOBs step away from the hurried pace of daily life complicated by a demanding new role. It will offer them the refreshment found in discovering community as they take time for themselves time to be encouraged, to gain helpful insight and practical tips, and to enjoy the feminine beauty of a book designed just for them.

Through essays featuring relevant quotes or Scriptures, personal stories, nuggets of wisdom, simple suggestions for personal pampering, journaling opportunities, communication aids, and practical tips for wedding planning, Mother of the Bride will nurture the all-important but too often neglected mother of the bride.

Mother of the Bride is the perfect gift and resource for mothers of the bride. The vendor worksheets alone (found at the back of the book) are themselves worth the price of the book. Why not make it your go-to gift for mothers of the bride you know—both now and in the future!

You may buy the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Christianbook.com, and it will be available in bookstores as well. To find out more about the book, check out MotheroftheBrideBook.com.

*****

Now for the giveaway. Here’s how it will work:

*1 entry for leaving a comment on this post here on my website. The ones on Facebook are greatly appreciated, but to be entered in the giveaway, you must leave a comment here.

*2 entries for Liking my Cheryl Barker, Writer Facebook page (tell me in the comments.) If you’ve already Liked the page, just say so. That definitely counts!

*3 entries for sharing the giveaway on Facebook or Twitter (tell me in the comments and include the link where you shared.)

*4 entries for subscribing to Life Notes, my free quarterly inspirational newsletter (tell me in the comments but be sure to confirm your subscription when you get a confirmation email.) Sign-up is to the right under “Free For You”. If you’re already a Life Notes subscriber, you bet that counts. Just mention it in your comment.

*Giveaway is open to US residents only due to customs and mailing costs.

*Drawing will be done by Random.Org.

Enter by noon CST July 20th, and I will announce the winner in my July 21st posts here and on my Mother of the Bride Blog as well.

I won’t be posting here again until July 21st. Yes, that’s a long blogging break, but I want to leave this post front and center for a while so everyone will have a chance to see it and enter the giveaway. Plus, I will also be taking a trip with my sisters—a first for us!—so I want to concentrate on enjoying that special time with them. In the meantime, why not enjoy some of the inspiration and encouragement found in previous posts? Look under Favorite Posts to the right for some posts you might especially enjoy.

And now, good luck to everyone! I will see you here again on July 21st!

Pinterest Pin - Perfect Gift and Resource

Giveaway Celebrating Launch of Mother of the Bride!

Pinterest Pin - Friend for the JourneyThe official launch day for my book Mother of the Bride is finally here! The book has been available in limited supply on online sites already, but with the arrival of July 1st, it will now be widely available both online and in stores. I’m so excited!

To celebrate the launch of my dream come true, I’m doing a giveaway for a signed copy of the book as well as some other special treats. See all the details and enter on my home page giveaway post by noon CST July 20th, and I will announce the winner in my July 21st posts on both blogs.

Also, fyi, I won’t be posting here again until July 21st. I want to leave this post front and center for a while so everyone will have a chance to see it and enter the giveaway. I will also be taking a trip with my sisters—something  we planned long before I knew the launch date for my book—so I want to concentrate on enjoying that special time with them. In the meantime, scan the blog post titles in the archives to find just the help you might be looking for right now, MOB. You will find a wealth of ideas, tips, and advice there.

But first, MOB, head on over to my home page and enter for your chance to win a copy of Mother of the Bride. If you don’t happen to win, you’ll have to be sure to treat yourself to a copy. I hope it will be a wonderful encouragement, help, and blessing to you!

*See sidebar for links to buy the book!

Dream Like Crazy

13026914033_d92fcaf0b0_zDo you have a dream? If so, be encouraged by my post today. Over seven years ago I wrote a piece called “Dream Like Crazy” for my very first Life Notes newsletter, and the dream I shared in that piece is in the process of coming true right now. That’s right, my first book will be released on July 1st!

So won’t you read “Dream Like Crazy” today and rejoice with me at how God is honoring the dreams of little ordinary me. Hope it encourages you to pursue those dreams of your own!

Dream Like Crazy (written in November 2008)

Are you a dreamer? I am. When I sleep, I dream like crazy, but for the past several years, I’ve become a dreamer of a different sort. I’m a writer now, and writers have to be dreamers. Not only do we have to dream up ideas and words, we must have vision—dreams and goals—if we hope to have our work published.

My writing dream didn’t start until I was 40 years old. Just as the world was telling me I was over the hill, I saw a new hill to climb. And even though I’ve had to take a couple of detours along the way, I’ve been climbing slowly but surely ever since. One step at a time.

The dream to touch other lives through my writing has grown over the years. When I began, I just hoped to have some articles and poems published, but within a few years, a desire to write a book took root as well. Now I have more than one book project tumbling around inside my mind and out onto my keyboard. I continue working at my ongoing goal of having more of my work used in various publications, compilation books, and on greeting cards, but now my dream encompasses seeing books of my own published as well.

A book sounds like a pretty big dream for a small-time gal like me, doesn’t it? Especially given the fact that my over the hill 40th birthday is now a distant memory. You know what keeps me pressing on, though? I believe God has given me my dreams and called me to write. I’m just following his lead.

As far as traditional book publication goes, I know the odds are stacked against me. In the publishing world, the market is more competitive than ever before. Some might say, “Why bother? Why go to all that effort? You’ll probably never get a book contract.” And you know what? They may be right. If so, I’m okay with that. I still feel incredibly blessed to have any of my work out there touching the lives of others.

Even so, I’m not ready to give up my dream of book publication. Those voices could be wrong. Jesus said, ‘”…with God all things are possible…'” (Matthew 19:26), and after all, God is the One who has given me my dreams as well as the ability to write. I’m just getting ready for his blessing. Just doing my part to see my dreams become reality!

*Do you have a dream? Take it to the Lord and get ready for His blessing!

*Sign-up for my free Life Notes newsletter is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Moyan_Brenn, Creative Commons License

Mother of the Bride Book Coming Soon!

Friends, it’s almost here. Mother of the Bride—Refreshment and Wisdom for the Mother of the Bride releases July 1! Those of you who are on my Life Notes email list (sign-up is free and to the right!) and those of you who follow me on Facebook got your first look at the cover a few days ago, but I wanted to be sure to post it here as well. I absolutely love it!

BroadStreet Publishing has done an amazing job of bringing my vision for the book to life. Last summer when I spoke to them about it, I told them I wanted the book to be beautiful, something that would pamper and minister to MOBs by just holding it in their hands. And I think they hit the ball out of the park. I’m so pleased to be able to offer mothers of the bride a beautiful hardcover book designed especially for them.

Mother of the Bride is at the printer (and is actually available for preorder now), and I am busy with all kinds of marketing preparations. I plan to have a local launch party for the book so if you live anywhere in the vicinity, I’d love to have you join me for that. Closer to time, I’ll create a Facebook event to keep you informed of date, time, and place. Very exciting, huh?!

I can’t tell you how grateful I am to God for the incredible blessing of seeing this book published. My prayer is that it will be a blessing to all who read it and that many, whether mother of the bride or not, will decide to make it their go-to gift for mothers of the bride they know now and in the years to come. Thanks for joining in my joy!

“Come let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving . . .” Psalm 95:1-2a

Here’s a more detailed description of the book for those who are interested:

When women become mothers of the bride, they take on a delightful but demanding new role. While trying to maintain life as they knew it before their daughters’ big announcements, mothers of the bride are also called upon to magically morph into wedding planners, help their daughters navigate the journey to the altar, and establish new and loving relationships with their prospective sons-in-law and their families. With all focus and finances dedicated to the brides and the weddings themselves, the needs of mothers of the bride are often overlooked.

Mother of the Bride helps these special women step away from the hurried pace of daily life complicated by their challenging new role. It offers them the refreshment found in discovering community as they take time for themselves—time to be encouraged, to gain helpful insight and practical tips, and to enjoy the feminine beauty of a book designed just for them.

Through essays featuring relevant quotes or Scriptures, personal stories, nuggets of wisdom, simple suggestions for personal pampering, journaling opportunities, communication aids, and practical tips for wedding planning, Mother of the Bride will nurture the all-important but too often neglected mother of the bride.

*Have you ever been a mother of the bride? Will you be one in the future? Do you know an MOB now?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, will come out in early May. Sign-up is free and to the right!