My Mother of the Bride Book Coming Soon!

April 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

3D-photo-with-reflection-smallMothers of the Bride, 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 all of you mothers of the bride a beautiful hardcover book designed especially for you.

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:

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.

*Hope it blesses all of you mothers of the brides!

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

Filed Under: appearance, books, celebrate, dream, encouragement, help, joy, Mother of the Bride, new thing, praise, refresh, thanks, wisdom, writing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Wedding Day Photo: A New Life Together Ahead

February 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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Mother of the Bride, here’s a dreamy and romantic wedding day photo to add to the list for the photographer. One that hints at the new couple’s future, one that makes us ask what must they be talking about, what must they be thinking?

This walking-away-into-their-future-together shot should be fairly easy to pull off regardless of the wedding or reception venues. If you’re lucky enough to have something picturesque like a bridge at or near your location, that could be perfect, but in all honesty, a good photographer can capture the couple’s stroll into the future on about any walkway or sidewalk at its most beautiful spot. If the new Mr. and Mrs. are holding hands and talking or looking at one another as they walk away, that’s what will make the photo anyway.

So why not show this idea to your daughter, MOB? Bet she will want a shot like this that will help capture her and her sweet guy’s dream for the future. So much possibility, so much emotion!

*You might also like to read Wedding Photo Idea: Hideaway Moment, Gift Idea: The Newlywed’s Instruction Manual, and A Prayer for the Newlyweds.

*The latest issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out this week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Don’t miss out on the One-More-Chance Starbucks Giveaway over on my home page. Deadline to enter is Feb. 10th!

*Flickr photo by Corey Ann, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: bride, dream, groom, life, love, Mother of the Bride, new thing, photo fun Tagged With: , , , ,

Give God the Glory

June 22, 2015 by 6 Comments

522072241_f26a5973aa_zWhen we do something well or endure a particularly difficult situation and come out still standing, who usually gets the credit? Do we openly give God the glory or do we let pride spring up and bask in the glow of any success or accolades?

In the Old Testament, when Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret his dream, Joseph could have easily taken credit for his extraordinary ability to do so. Instead he said, “‘I cannot do it . . . but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” (Genesis 41:16) Joseph gave God the glory. He acknowledged the source of his success in interpreting dreams.

When we experience success, do we remember that even though we may have worked hard or persevered or trained, it is ultimately God who grants success? It’s natural to feel a sense of pride in a job well done, whether in a task or weathering a life storm, but if we forget where our strength and abilities come from, then we rob God of his glory.

Let’s remember these words of David in Psalm 18:32-26:

“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.”

God is the source of our strength, the giver of our abilities, and the One who prepares our way. Let’s be quick to give him the glory he alone deserves. Let’s give God the credit!

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1

*What would you like to give God the glory for today? I give him all glory for any abilities I have with the written word. He always empowers, he always guides and provides!

*See also Deuteronomy 8:18

*Flickr photo by Matt McGee, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: dream, pride, success, thanks, Word of God Tagged With: , , , , ,

Waiting for the Right Time

January 12, 2015 by 8 Comments

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(Don’t miss some exciting personal news at the end of this post!)

“The day for building your walls will come, the day for extending your boundaries.” Micah 7:11

Are you waiting to move forward or grow in some way? Does it seem like it’s never going to happen?

Some of us may be waiting until our children are older so we can go back to school and pursue a new career while others may be waiting until a time of caregiving is passed so we can move forward with our plans and dreams. Still others maybe waiting until present financial obligations are met before branching out with a new venture or interest. Personally, I’m waiting on God’s will and perfect timing regarding publication of my book so I can move forward with that project. All kinds of scenarios find us waiting for the right time for our dreams to unfold.

The Old Testament prophet Micah’s words to the nation of Israel in the scripture above offer us encouragement and hope today as well. He assured them that a time of building their walls and extending their boundaries would indeed come. And the same can be true for us. Just because a goal or dream is not coming to pass on the timetable we hoped for doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause. Instead of giving up, it may be that we just need to trust God and wait for the right time to move forward.

So what can we do as we wait for God’s perfect timing? The specifics can be different for each situation, but certain general actions can help us in almost any waiting situation. Here are a few that can help:

1. We can pray regularly for our hearts’ desires, asking God to bring them about at just the right time, in just the right way.

2. We can recruit others to join us in prayer about the matter. The prayer support of others is always a comfort and a help.

3. We can take some steps to be ready to move forward when the time is right. Maybe we can do some research, take a class, hone our skills, network, save some money, tie up some loose ends, or give attention to any number of things that could help put us in the best position possible when the right time comes.

4. We can faithfully carry out our present responsibilities and learn the life lessons God has for us in our current season. We can be at peace, knowing we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing in this stage of our lives.

5. We can look forward in faith to the day when extending our boundaries will come but can also be open and alert to any change of plans that God may lead us to.

Whatever strategies we employ, let’s be encouraged by the scripture above. Let’s not lose heart, but instead, let’s trust God. He will grow us and extend our boundaries at just the right time, in just the right way!

“But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands;” Psalm 31:14-15a

*When have you had to wait to extend your boundaries? Are you currently in a waiting season?

*Important personal news: God has heard our cries for mercy—our daughter Kristin and son-in-law Shawn are now the parents of beautiful twin boys! And yes, that means I am now a grandma! Woohoo!! The entire family is so incredibly grateful for this double blessing from God after such a long wait. Little Isaiah and James are truly gifts from Him. Thanks to each of you who have prayed for this day with us! More to come in a future post and also find more info on my Facebook page!

*Flickr photo by Andrew Bartram (WarboysSnapper), Creative Commons License

Filed Under: dream, goal, hope, time, vision, wait, Word of God

Press On: God Rewards Perseverance

December 2, 2013 by 12 Comments

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The business of pursuing dreams and achieving goals is not for the faint of heart, is it? No, seeing our dreams and goals come to pass requires lots of hard work and tireless perseverance. But God has a way of rewarding those things, doesn’t he?

Many of you know I’ve been climbing towards the goal of book publication for a long time now, and today I’m happy to report that I’m one step closer—a big step for which I’m praising God. Credo Communications has offered to represent me, and Karen Neumair is now my literary agent. That’s right—I have an agent!

God is so faithful to reward our hard work and perseverance. After years of working to become a better writer and to develop a platform and online presence, God has helped me secure an agent who will be able to get my book proposal in the right hands—the hands of editors and publishers who will hopefully like what they see and decide to take a chance on this ordinary girl from Kansas. Most publishing houses will only review proposals that are submitted through an agent so you can see why I’m so excited about being offered representation by Karen and Credo.

So today my word of encouragement to those of you pursuing a dream or striving to attain a goal is to press on. Don’t give up. Keep taking one step after another—even tiny steps. Those little steps have a way of adding up and bringing us to the point of a being able to take a very big step. And remember, sometimes it’s little steps alone that bring us to the very brink of seeing our dreams or goals realized. I haven’t yet reached my goal so I will be pressing on right along with all of you.

Let’s thank God for being a God who rewards hard work and perseverance. A God who gives the strength and determination to press on. A God who rejoices with us as He blesses our efforts with wonderful results.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

*All glory and praise goes to God for giving me the strength to press on. What dream are you pursuing? What goal are you striving to attain?

*Photo by my husband Don

Filed Under: books, challenge, determination, dream, fighter, goal, perseverance, victory, work, writing
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