Looking Forward

I know a lot of people use the end of the year to reflect on the past year, but I'm refusing to do that. Instead, I'm choosing to look forward. It doesn't matter what I did or didn't do during 2012. It doesn't matter what regrets I might have, or what successes I achieved. What matters is what's yet to come. Where will I go from here. Where will you go?

2013 is going to be a good year for me - a great year. Why? Because I'm trusting God to make it so. Of course I know there will be challenges and probably some heart ache - that's life. Jesus didn't promise us a life of ease, but told us that we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). But He also says that He came so that we could have life - and have it to the full (John 10:10).

As I'm looking ahead to the coming year, I can't help but think of the things I want to do, and yet, this year I sense God telling me not my will, but His be done. I don't know where this year will take me, but as long as I keep my eyes on Christ, I know it will be worth it.

I do want to leave you with a few things that I'm looking forward to this year:
The launch of my newest book - "A Year of Book Marketing" is tomorrow and Mr. Monday is returning!

So for this first Mr. Monday post, I wanted to start a list of reason's that I'm thankful for my Mr. I invite you do join me as well if you want. You can link up at the bottom of this post. I'm planning on this being a series, where the last Monday of every month you can link up with new reasons you're thankful for your Mr. until we reach 100 :) Ready? Go.

10 Reasons I'm Thankful For Mr. Amazing:

1. He loves me - I know, it's a selfish reason, but he does and I'm thankful for that!
2. He doesn't smoke - We just moved to Texas, and I don't know why, but it seems like 90% of the guys here smoke! *Little known secret, when we first started dating, I smoked, Mr. Amazing never has. I quit when I got pregnant with the girls. I guess reason #3 would be that:
3. He loves me despite my imperfections (such as past habits mentioned above) - I know I already said I was thankful that he loves me, but loving me despite my imperfections really is different. His love doesn't try to change me, he loves me just the way I am. And I'm thankful for that.
4. He works hard to support our family - he really does. It isn't easy getting up every single day and leaving the house to slave away for people you don't care about. My first husband chose not to do so, and I'm thankful that Mr. Amazing isn't like that.
5. He's the perfect snuggle partner - I know, it's mushy, but it's true. My favorite time of day is snuggling with him in the morning, and I'm thankful for that time - with his old job he had to leave for work at 2 am and we didn't have that. So this is nice.
6. He's a great dad - he is. He helps the boys with their homework and teaches the girls new things all the time. He takes them for bike rides and blows bubbles so they can pop them. He's just all around awesome - I mean Amazing. ;)
7. He's thankful for me - I know, that sounds selfish too, but he is - and I love it. He isn't one of those guys that wonder's what his wife does all day. He knows I work hard and he's thankful for it. He's thankful for my love, and he's thankful for what I do with the kids. So I'm thankful for his thankfulness.
8. He's willing to help - Again, a little selfish. He helped me complete a work project this month that I was behind on, and he constantly offers to help with other things, or asks what he can do to help me out - not because he thinks I'm slacking, but because he knows it's not easy being me. He works hard all day, and is still willing to help out when he gets home. Go ahead, admit it, you're jealous.
9. He pushes me to be better myself - he might not think that I'm thankful for this, but I am. He knows I like to stay in my comfort zone and pushes me to expand my horizons - and when I'm doing so...
10. He encourages me - when I'm scared of doing something new, or feel like I'm failing at, well, everything, he encourages me and lets me know that he's there to support me and thinks I'm doing a fabulous job. :)

It's hard to stop at 10, but that's the first round. I can't wait to write more next month! What reasons are you thankful for your Mr.? List a few in the comments or write your own blog and link up below...

Just a Heads Up

I've been organizing a Christmas Book Sale for the company that I work for. It's going on now, and I knew you would want to know about it - because you're awesome like that. So, here's the scoop:

By visiting our sales page, you can score up to $200 in savings and get over 60 books for free or reduced price. There are both fiction and non-fiction books listed and tons of Christian titles.

After racking up savings on books (or before) you can also enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

So hop on over and check it out at:
http://bit.ly/ChristmasBookSale

Life is Good

The past week has been simply amazing for me. I've been recovering from a pretty nasty virus, but I just keep being blessed!

Last Friday I found out that I won a copy of Jody Hedlund's newest book, Unending Devotion (and I LOVE Jody's books), AND that afternoon I found out that I had won Christian Womens Voice Magazine's Christmas Moments essay contest (my essay "Keeping Christmas about Christ" will be featured in their next issue).

Shelley Hitz and I started a new book marketing community for the website Self-Publishing-Coach.com that really took off over the weekend.

Our latest devotional book, "21 Teen Devotionals... for Girls!" was published on Sunday, AND that very same day we received a 5 star review of our first devotional book from Readers Favorite.

I guess that all of those amazing things happening in a row, especially when I've been over stressed and under the weather lately, have just really been showing me how blessed I really am.

Life Happens

I've been busy lately. Besides the mounds of work that I have to work through, I've been trying to make sure that work doesn't consume my life, and that only appears to make me even busier. My dad and little brother came to visit us last weekend, which was tons of fun, and the week before the kids had vacation Bible school. I always loved VBS as a kid, although I don't remember much other then the fun, it brought me tears of joy listening to the boys retell the parables that they learned during the week. The theme was "Things Hidden" and the children learned about the unseen things of God - like His kingdom and eternity. 


Honestly, I had an entire post planned out about one of the parables that they recounted to me. There was just something about listening to it from the perspective of a child that I wanted to share... but then life happened, and while I'm sure I will remember later, I can't for the life of me get my thoughts together now.

Ty's schooling is still up in the air for next year. Mr. Amazing is going to call the district tomorrow and see if he can get any answers that they wouldn't give me when I tried in the spring. Depending on how that goes, we should be making a final decision soon. It will be good to know what direction we will be going so that I can stop thinking about all of the possibilities and focus on just one. I'm leaning heavily towards public online school if he hasn't been accepted into the school we are still waiting to hear from.

Have I mentioned on this blog that I'm working on a new book? I can't remember. You can learn more about it on my other blog at: http://authorheatherhart.blogspot.com/2012/06/faith-talk.html I'm posting updates on it as I go over there, if you're interested.


Well, despite my mindless chattering, I really do have work to do... I'd best get to it!

Goodreads Giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Teen Devotionals...for Girls! Volume 2

by Shelley Hitz and Heather Hart

Giveaway ends July 07, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Are you a teen girl who is struggling to find a way to apply God's Word to your life? Or maybe you're an adult who is looking for a way of communicating God's Word to the teens in your life? Either way, we believe that these devotions can help. You can win a free paperback copy this week on Goodreads by entering our contest above.

These devos are already read daily by teens around the world, used in Bible study groups, and have even been used at events such asSee You at the Pole. We hope that as you read through these devotions (on your own or in a group) you will grow in your walk with God, and that you will be able to relate God's Word to your life in a relevant way.

You can also sign up to get these devotionals sent to your e-mail for free at: http://www.findyourtruebeauty.com/devos

*On a side note, CJ and Shelley Hitz have put together a Christian Book Giveaway Extravaganza. You can join them for a chance to win 13 print books at:  http://bit.ly/christianbookgiveaway

Mr. Amazing Monday

I've decided to take the week off from my Wife Words series. Why? Because I need to brag on my Mr. - He's amazing.

I have been working on quite a few books recently. "Book Marketing 101" came out last Friday, and Mr. Amazing has had a hand in pretty much all of them. Besides being amazingly supportive, he has also been my own personal picture maker. He edited my author photo for both black and white and color optimization. And he is illustrating the children's books that I'm writing. He's only just barely started the illustrations, but his work never ceases to amaze me. Here's an example:

This is the beginning stages of the girls for my books. He designed them to look like our daughters, and will adapt them for use in the books. Isn't he amazing?!

I am beyond thankful to have such a supportive husband. His willingness not only to stand behind what I do, but also to come along side of me to help me succeed is such a blessing.

My question to you this week is this: In what ways does your husband support/encourage you? It could be something simple like making supper to give you a night off, or letting you know that he appreciates you.

Mr. Monday: Support

The Wife Words series is continuing here for Mr. Mondays. This week's word is "Support"

Support: to uphold; back; speak for; encourage; aid 

He who finds a wife finds what is good 

    and receives favor from the Lord.

                                                                               ~Proverbs 18:22             

I had the wonderful opportunity to see a supportive marriage modeled this past weekend. I was at the Colorado Christian Writer's Workshop and one of the speakers had his wife with him - he introduced her as "Ashley the Wonderful" - I loved it! She was there to support him. She came along side and assisted him, encouraged him, and backed him. It really was beautiful. Moreover, when she unexpectedly got very sick, he cancelled an entire day of speaking events to stay by her side to support her. Does that describe your marriage? 

Let's just focus on our side of things, do you support your husband? Do you care about his work and do everything you can to support him even when you can't be with him? An example of what that might look like is having a lunch for him to take with him or ensuring that he has clean work clothes each day. 

Do you support your husband by upholding him and his reputation to others?

Do you support him by backing his decisions?

Do you support him by speaking words that honor him?

Do you support him by encouraging him when he is feeling low - or even when he's not?

Do you support your husband by aiding him when he needs your help?

Our husbands need our support. They have so much pressure on them from work, family, and places that we probably can't even imagine. They need us to be their backers - to encourage them and uphold them no matter what happens. 

What's Your Passion?

A while back I decided to subscribe to my own devotions via - I know that kind of sounds silly, but I started writing them 3 years ago, and I just wanted to go back through and check for formatting or spelling errors now that I had distanced myself from them some. Not to toot my own horn, but on occasion it seems like I really need to hear the message that I wrote - I surprise myself. One of those occasions happened last week, and I just wanted to take a moment to share the devotion with you. It was written with teen girls in mind, but it definitely applies to our lives as well.

Just so you know, Teen Girl Devotionals are brought to you by www.FindYourTrueBeauty.com, and you or a teen in your life can sign up to receive them for free at http://www.findyourtruebeauty.com/devos - Anyway, here's the devotion:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 

There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

~1 Corinthians 12:4-6

I just love the fact that God gave each and every one of us unique personalities. Some of us are movie buffs, others get more into books, video games, or sports - and that's okay. That is how God created us. He created us with passions, talents and interests. He created us for different things, and with different passions. That came to my mind today while I was reading an article a friend shared on their blog. It was about how we are all passionate about different things, how we get excited about different events, books, or whatever, but the one thing that should remain the same, is our passion for our Savior. You see, even though we were all created uniquely for the glory of God, and God gave us all our own personalities and interests, we were still all created for the glory of God. We serve Him in different ways, but as Christians, we should still have a desire for Him, and for serving Him.

I guess that the point is that while God created us to be passionate people, there is an issue if that passion stops when we come before our creator. When we get totally psyched about the new outfit we just got or the new chick flick that is coming out, but we drag our feet when we have to get up early in the morning for church. When we can't wait to read our new book, or play that new video game, but we don't have the energy left to read God's Word.

God created passionate people. He sent Jesus so that we could live life to the full (John 10:10)! God wants us to be the people that He created us to be - to express ourselves. But as Jesus took the time to remind us, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Our passions reflect what is in our hearts. If we aren't as passionate about our Savior as we are about our shoes, we might need to take some time to reevaluate our hearts...

Reflection:

Are you more passionate about worldly things, or about the Creator of the world?

Application Step:

Spend sometime today thinking about our awesome God. Remember that He is the creator of the world. Without Him, your favorite pastime wouldn't even exist. Thank Him for the opportunity to express yourself, and for all of the wonderful things He has brought into your life.

Prayer:

Father God, I love you so much! Please help me to express the love that I have for you, just as much, no, more than the love that I have for the things you have created. Help me to show others that you truly are more important than my boyfriend, my favorite shoes, and everything else in my life, Lord. Help me to honor you, God. Thank you for allowing me to express myself, but help me to do so in a way that is pleasing to you. I want you to be the overflow of my heart. I want to be more passionate for you, than for anything else. Thank you for everything you do for me - especially for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. It is in His name that I pray today. Amen.

I'm linking up with Word-Filled Wednesday over at Internet Cafe Devotions. 

Check it out for more Word-Filled posts by visiting: http://internetcafedevotions.com/

Spread Your Influence

You've heard of the "Great Commission," right? After Jesus was ressurrected from the dead, and just before He ascended into heaven, He gave what we know as the "Great Commission." He commanded us to go into all of the world and share the good news of what He had done. Have you done that? Have you traveled the world preaching the good news to all creation? Probably not. Many of us would say that we aren't called to be missionaries, yet others would be quick to add that the "Great Commission" applies to us all. 

Take me for example, it is completely unreasonable to suggest that I go to Lebanon to share what Christ has done with the Muslims there. Even though my husbands parents were missionaries there, and he was actually born there, it would be pretty much impossible for us to go there now. You see, we have 4 small children, and the cost of getting there just isn't practical for us. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that there are lots of Christians that can relate to that. Which is what prompted this post. 

There is another way.

While I have never personally been outside of the connected United States of America, God has used me to touch the lives of people in Australia, Africa, Europe, and other countries. How? Through my writing ministry. And He can do the same with you. 

Christian author and speaker, Shelley Hitz, recently gave a seminar about self publishing books at Grace Christian Church in Sterling Heights, Michigan. I had the privilege of watching the video recording of the conference and all I can say is WOW! 

She pointed out that 80% of people say that they want to write a book someday, and then she went on to equip people to make that day today. The best part is that she does it all with Christ in mind. Suggesting that people pray about what God would want them to say in a book, and how they can use that to bring Him glory, because publishing a book allows you to go places that you would never be able to reach otherwise - it spreads your influence.  

Obviously, you don't have to go to a seminar to self publish a book, but I learned so much about self publishing through watching Shelley's seminar that I wanted to let you know about it. If you have ever said, "I want to write a book someday." I encourage you to check out Shelley's website, Self-Publishing-Coach.com, download her eBook, Self Publishing Books 101, for free (or purchase a paperback copy from Amazon.com) and/or signing up to get your own copy of her latest seminar that was created with Christian authors in mind. 


While my personal passion and talent is sharing Christ with the world through writing, I understand that not everyone is an author. If you don't have a passion for writing, I highly encourage you to find another creative, yet practical, way that you can preach the good news to all creation.

Just Stuff

It's been a busy month so far! After returning from our Spring Break vaca to Texas at the beginning of the month, my mom came to visit us last weekend and just left yesterday. I can hardly believe that it's already mid-April!

Besides all of that, a lot has been going on in regular life too. I'm fighting hard to stay afloat and trusting in the promise that with God all things are possible.

I got 4 new books in the mail this week:

A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent
Write His Answer by Marlene Bagnull
Uprooting Anger by Robert D. Jones
and Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about each of them, but have no clue when I will actually get a chance to read them...

I also got a new plant for my office (Mr. Amazing bought it for me... he's pretty awesome like that, he even picked out the coffee cup flower pot):

These flowers are so fragrant that you can smell them all the way in the living room! I love them!!!! 

Okay, besides the new stuff that I've gotten, a lot is going on with work too. I've picked up numerous new clients, and I'm loving it! "Teen Devotionals... for Girls! Vol. 2" is coming out this month. I've started working on a True Beauty book for young girls (more on that later). And I'm working on a couple of other projects as well. I get exhausted just writing about it all... 

But, enough about me! What have you been up to lately? I'd love to hear from you.

Did you know that Melyssa over at Daze of Us just published a book? I interviewed her on my other blog this week if you want to check it out... 

NaNoWriMo Help!

November is fast approaching, and I must admit that I don't have a clue what I am going to write my novel about this year. Last year I had an idea in September, and it burned in my head all through October. Practically drove me nuts that I couldn't write it down, then in November I had to start at the beginning all over again. So this year, I have put off coming up with my plot, and now that it's a week away, I have nothing! :(

Here are my thoughts: I wanted to do a modern-day Bible story, but am really struggling with coming up with a good scenario. So thought of doing a novel about a modern day St. Nicholas, but my only problem is that he was Catholic, and I don't know too much about the Catholic religion. I'm sure I could learn, but that might take a while and would require a ton of research! So here are my options:

A) Write about the Catholic St. Nicholas and lead him to Christ at the end of the story. Do the research, and get over the time requirements...

B) Alter the story enough that he is raised in a Christian home instead of a Catholic one.

C) Pick an actual Bible story like Esther, Ruth or Martha and Mary (just a few random examples) and make it a modern-day story?

D) Take one of Jesus' parables and write about it in a modern setting.

I'd love your input! I only have a few day's left before I wanted to have the teaser paragraph written and I don't even know what to write about :( Thoughts anyone?

Diligence

A while back I was reading this fabulous book that contained a quote from Mary Fish's father, that has really just stuck with me. "Are you idle, my child?" he would ask her. I must admit that I am idle much more than I wish I was. Lately, I have been learning how to be more diligent with my time. I want to take each moment captive for Christ's work. This has drastically changed the way that I live. I'm only using the computer in the evenings (if at all) each day. This has freed up my time to get more cleaning done. I have spent more time being a mom (and less time being an author/editor). My priorities were mixed up. I've got them straighter now, although I am still working on it. This has helped me learn to do everything better. I have been able to focus on the task at hand, instead of feeling torn in a million directions. I actually feel like I'm getting more done then before, just not as frequently, if that makes since.

While I don't always get to check my e-mail everyday, no one has died because they had to weight over 24 hours to hear back from me. I have also put a t.v. in my office so that if the kids need to be near me while I'm working, they can sit quietly and watch a movie (I have headphones so I can listen to something if I need to, or turn on some music to drown out the t.v. so I can concentrate).

We have started a more set routine for school. While we still don't have access to our school room, we are working on being more diligent anyway (instead of making excuses). We don't play until the school day is done, and then I make sure that I spend some time with the kids doing non-school things each day. Even if I just force myself to sit down and watch a movie with them, it makes them happy. Yesterday we rearranged the boys room, and made it easier for them to keep clean (and set consequences for if they didn't). The girls room is next, but probably not until late next week. :)

I know we still have a long way to go before I can say that my life is back in order, but for now the kids are happier, I am happier, and my house is cleaner. It's great! I love moving in the right direction!

Bad blogger me

Okay, I'll admit it, I'm a bad blogger. I haven't blogged consistently for months. Here's my excuse: I'm a stay at home, work at home, homeschooling mom, housewife, AND there are still two guys living in my basement. Yes, you remember, the two that asked to stay for a couple of nights back in JULY. Yeah, them. We have asked them to leave several times, but they still haven't found a place to live. This is killing our electric bill, toilet paper expenses, and homeschooling (as they are sleeping in our school room). :( Me no likey! I do like them, they are great guys and I can't wait to get the one guys little boy back into my arms. But I'm ready to have my house back. I use to have a good day laid out. I would get up, spend my quiet time with God, go to the basement to start laundry and work out, then shower and get the kids up. I can't workout upstairs, because you can't jump upstairs. It shakes things. It would also wake up everyone in the house. I do not feel that I should be going down to do laundry while two men, neither of which is my husband are asleep... It's just not right.

Mr. Amazing is being transferred to a new store...again. At this store it sounds like he will have more of a chance to promote, but he's not getting his hopes up. I'm still trying to convince him to move to Texas so I can be neighbors with his mom. :D Okay, that's not the ONLY reason that we are talking about moving to Texas, and it is both of us, not just me. We're prayerfully considering it together, and waiting on God to direct us.

Oh, let's see... Homeschooling. It's not going the way I want it to. The kids (and I) are learning tons, but it's stressful and un-organized. I think I could organize it better, but I want to be back in our school room, and hopefully will be soon, so organizing it has to wait until then, or I will waste a ton of time organizing it twice!

Work is going pretty good. I really enjoy it, I just wish I had more time to get things done. I also have a ton of devotions floating around in my head, but can't find the time to write them down either... I have to prioritize... I have one book on my list to edit. Well, technically 2, but I haven't been sent the 2nd one yet.

Our family has had severe colds for the past week. Alexa and I came down with them on Wednesday, Followed by Kainen and Mr. Amazing on Thursday night, and then Ella Friday. Today Ty's nose has started to run. :( I took the kids to the doctor on Friday, Kainen just has a cold, Alexa has a double ear infection, and Ella has fluid behind one ear. :( I'm feeling tons better than I was on Thursday when Ella cut a chunk of her hair off (although I'm still not 100%).

Today, I cut the kids hair. Ella's hair is really short. I'm not as skilled at cutting hair with scissors as I am with clippers. I mean let's face it, it's a ton easier to buzz hair than it is to cut straight lines on a child that won't sit still... But, I think it turned out pretty good:

I almost cried when I cut it. I loved her hair. :( But, God is teaching me that I can't put her glory in her hair, anymore than I can mine. Hair is part of our external appearance and has nothing to do with our eternal salvation (which I really already knew, but obviously I valued it too much).

Anyway, I'm sure that there is more, but the kids don't think they can leave me alone long enough to write an entire sentence, so I'm just gonna go ahead and post this. Sigh.

Philippians 2:14

I'm having a Philippians 2:14 kind of day. You know, one of those days where you have to keep reciting Philippians 2:14 in your head to remind you not to complain. I posted on Facebook a little bit ago that I was having one of 'those' days, and when a friend responded with a kind message I broke down in tears. It really is one of 'those' days. I know that I'm not suppose to complain, and I don't really think that venting is biblical, unless of course you are venting to God, and casting your cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). But what is a girl to do on one of these days, where the smallest thing makes you break down?

I love my kids, I love being home with them all of the time, and I really don't want to trade it for the world, but I'm just overwhelmed! My writing career is taking off, but it's hard to concentrate with kids arguing over who gets to play with a certain block of clay! Part of me thinks that I should just set my career aside until the kids are older, but that means a drop in income, and at our current state, that might cost us supper ever other night. Another part of me thinks putting the children back into public school would give me the time that I need to get things done, but the very thought makes me sick to my stomach. So the last part of me is left thinking that there has to be a way to make this work! Which of course brings me to Matthew 19:26 and Philippians 4:13.

Sigh, and all of this is written to procrastinate because I'm having trouble getting my work done that is due today. So. I should go. Philippians 2:14.

One time only

I mentioned last Thursday that I was hired on to do some more work from home, and I knew before I signed up that I couldn't use this blog for anything related to that. I promise that I will not fill my posts full of work from home ads, or push the products that I promote on you. However, I feel that it would be wrong to not at least fill you in on what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it. I know that there are many other moms out there just like me, that would love to be able to have another income without leaving the home, but are afraid of getting scammed. So, here is my one time only post about working from home.

I have been volunteering for Shelley Hitz for years. I started out volunteering as a prayer partner and mentor for teen girls on her website FindYourTrueBeauty.com, then I started writing and editing devotions for that site. When she started up her new website (Self-publishing-coach.com) earlier this year, she asked me to do some freelance work for her, so I did. She recently asked me to come on as the affiliate manager for that website. I spent a lot time in prayer over this decision. I spoke with my husband and analyzed our finances, and rearranged my schedule. You see, I already have a ton of things I'm doing (I'm sure you can imagine as a homeschooling mom with 4 children, that I am very busy!). I didn't want to commit to the hourly requirement that she asked of me without making sure that it was doable, and that it was what God wanted. After much prayer, God lead me to accept on the condition that I step down from one of the other websites that I have been volunteering for for 3 1/2 years. It was a hard decision to make, but it's what was right for our family. God provided the right replacement for me and really just worked every aspect of me stepping down in a way that made me (and the others involved) know it was from God.

To tell you a little about Shelley's website, she started it because she has self-published several books for her and her husbands ministry (including our devotional book), and she wanted to help others do the same thing. On her website she provides tons of free information, videos, and even free resources. However, she has also published several fabulous products to help authors succeed. The income from this website has allowed her to quit her job as a physical therapist and go into ministry full time. Her and her husband actually just bought an RV that they are planning on living in while they travel around the country for speaking engagements. For me, helping Shelley with this website is just another way to support her ministry.

So this is why I am telling you. If you would like to help support Shelley and her husband C.J., and earn money at the same time, you can check out the affiliate page at her website here.

As I said, I will not be using this blog to promote products, or working from home, but if you are interested in following me on this journey, I will be posting more about it at my other blog:

By the Grace of God

Today I have just been meditating over everything that God has done in my life over the past several years. In 2009 I signed up to volunteer for the website FindYourTrueBeauty.com authored by Shelley Hitz. It is such an amazing ministry for teen girls that I was excited to play a small part! Well, not too much later than that a woman on a site that I was volunteering for for Christian moms asked about devotions for teen girls. I told her that I knew of a fabulous ministry, but I didn't know if they offered devotions. So, long story short, I asked Shelley about it and they didn't, but she asked if I would be interested in helping her get some started, and I have been writing devotions for her ministry ever since (you can see them here).

Over the past couple of years this has grown from volunteering as a prayer partner, to writing and editing devotion, to doing freelance work for Shelley's other website self-publishing-coach.com. Which indirectly led to me getting hired by another woman to do editing for her. I would have never dreamed 2 1/2 years ago when I signed up to pray for her website, that it would lead me to where I am today. God has used this exponentially in my life, and the life of my family. I got to meet Shelley and her husband last fall when they were on a ministry trip and passed through Colorado. You can read about that here.

Well, this week she has hired me on to help her with a higher level of commitment. I'm excited for the new opportunity and just amazed at how God has allowed me to help support my family financially while still being able to be a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom! It truly is amazing! I am so thankful for the way God has provided, and continues to provide for all of our needs. I am also thankful that the work I do for her on her self publishing website is helping her to be in ministry full time! Her and her husband are Christian speakers that travel all over speaking to teens and adults. They have been doing this part time since before I met them, but God has just now blessed them with the opportunity to do so full time. It has been such a joy to watch their ministry grow!

What are you thankful for? Write a post and link up with Lynn over at Spiritually Unequal Marriage!

Thankfulness

We are arriving at another thankful Thursday and I am yet again finding myself overflowing with thankfulness. I have been noticing lately how thankful my family is. And while at times it can get a little annoying, like at supper when all four of my children take turns thanking me for their food, then they go around the table again thanking me for their drinks, then their forks... Of course I have to say your welcome to each individual child for each item. But I really am thankful that I have such a thankful family. It's easy to feel taken advantage of and unappreciated in today's world, and I love that my children actually voice their thankfulness.

I am also thankful that I am sitting here writing this in my newly set up office. God has been been fulfilling so many life long dreams lately, that it about brings me to tears with how much He has given me. I have always dreamed of being a writer and an editor, and as of last month I truly am a freelance writer/editor. It still seems so surreal that someone will pay me to do something that I love, but it's true. God is just solidifying His plans for me by having the pieces fall into place around me. It truly is just amazing. I have no other words to describe it. Just because I am so thankful, I wanted to share a picture of my office with you:

I am also thankful that my husband had today off. I got so use to having him home that I am missing him terribly now that he is working again. The kids are feeling it too, and it was just such a blessing to have him here today.

Are you overflowing with thankfulness this week? Why not take some time to write about it and share your blessings with us? Don't forget to link up over at Lynn's blog Spiritually Unequal Marriage by clicking the button below:

Writer's Workshop: Prompt #5

It's time for MamaKat's writer's workshop! This week there were so many great prompt's, but I just couldn't resist number 5. I know I have written quite a bit about thanksgiving already, and I will write some more about it later, but for now I will forget thanksgiving, and write about that time I fell down!

It was around 2 years ago on a cool winter morning, I opened my front door to carry my then one year old daughter out to the van. I took the first step down and that was the end... or was it the beginning? My daughter and I fell down the three cement steps in front of our home. I made sure to land so that she wasn't hurt but my elbow was throbbing and I couldn't get up. My oldest son just stood there looking at me as the tears started rolling down my face. I cried for him to go get his dad who was still in our room getting ready...I don't even remember where we were going, but I know we never went.

Paul came out and got Ella and took her in the house before coming to help me up, and back inside. The pain in my elbow was agonizing. We decided that it was best to take a trip to the doctor to make sure nothing was broken. We got a sitter, and headed out. The doctor rudely told me that I was fine, and said that they could give me a sling if I really thought I needed it. I couldn't move my arm without pain, so feeling like a big baby I accepted.

I wore the sling to the baby shower that I was now late for (a 2 hour wait at the doctors will do that to you), but I opted to take it off before going to work that night. I mean after all, it was all in my head right? No. The doctor called my husband that night to tell him that my elbow was cracked and I needed to come back in for further x-ray's to see how bad it really was. When I hung up with my husband I turned to my boss who asked me what my phone call was about. I simply told him I had a broken arm and got back to work. His face was comical, but my arm really did hurt. I never did go back to the doctor, after the way I had been treated earlier, I thought if it wasn't bad enough for them to see on the first x-ray then it must not be too bad, and I would just let it heal.

Later that week was when the real pain started. I woke up unable to move my head. My neck throbbed. I tried to go about my day, but it wasn't easy. At one point in time I went to lay down on the couch and got half way leaned back when the pain over took me and I fell the rest of the way. I was stuck. My neck hurt so bad I couldn't get off the couch. I had two babies sleeping in the other room, and my husband and the boys weren't home. I was terrified. By the grace of God my husband got home before the girls awoke and helped me off of the couch.

This pain lasted several days before it started to subside. I thought I was healing, and someone, somewhere, at sometime told me there was nothing you could do to treat whiplash, so I didn't go to the doctor, after all, I was healing right? Wrong!

The headaches started about a month later. At first I would just get a slight headache that would last for a day and then it would be gone. For someone not prone to headaches I thought this was horrible. Looking back, it would be like comparing a skinned knee to a broken bone. My headaches grew in intensity and severity. They started lasting for weeks at a time. I couldn't focus on anything.

I went to the eye doctor thinking I needed glasses, I didn't. I have never been so crushed to hear that I have amazing eye sight. Something was wrong with me and I wanted to know what. My mother-in-law kept telling me that my headaches started about the same time I had fallen, and I kept not listening to her. My head hurt, and I couldn't figure out how a broken elbow could have caused that.

Then it finally happened. I came down with the flew and when it was over I couldn't stand up without feeling like my head was either going to be ripped in half or explode... or maybe both? It was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. We got me to the doctor who ordered an MRI, this came back with nothing. I mentioned that my mother-in-law thought it had to do with my fall, so they x-rayed my neck. I had severe whiplash. My doctor proscribed me this highly addictive, crazy side effect, insanely horrible pain medicine and said that a trip (as in one or two visits) to the chiropractor would heal me! Woo Hoo!

For any of you who have ever had chiropractor care, you should know that was the biggest line of who ha ever. My husband recommended his old chiropractor to me and I have been seeing him now for close to 3 months. I am off the stupid pills (really, they interfered with my ability to think clearly, and if I forgot to take them they caused insane withdraw headaches so I couldn't think at all). I am doing so much better, and well on my way down the road to recovery. All of this just from a one fatal step. One slip on the ice.

One small step for me, one major change in my body.

NaNoWriMo?

I have been struggling with NaNoWriMo. I have a few issues right now. One of them is with my novel. While it is turning out amazingly great, and I think it's really well written and very interesting, I am struggling with some of the things about it. It's kind of hard to explain, I think the novel itself isn't the issue, but God is teaching me some things right now, and I am having issues writing this particular novel while I am learning them. Part of me thinks that this is such an amazing novel that I really want to finish that I should keep going, and part of me thinks I need to put it down for now, and see if it is something that God wants me to finish later.

I hate not finishing things, so this is really hard for me. However, with everything going on right now, I really can't picture myself finishing it any time soon. So I will probably just put it down and unofficially withdraw from NaNo this year. I thought about switching and writing a different novel that God has put in my head, but there are 9 days left. I would never even get caught up to where the current word count on my other novel is. So I am going to wait and pray.

Writing! Wait, what?

I got lots of writing done today! I edited one devotion for FindYourTrueBeauty.com and I wrote 2 (well, almost, I have a few finishing touches to put on the last one).

I also was inspired to compile a list of Scriptures for homeschooling. I am about 75% done with this (I will post it when it is complete). I am so thankful that I took the time to do this. It is something that I have needed to do for sometime and I know it will be oh so helpful in the days to come.

NaNoWriMo? Oh, yeah... Nope, not one word! I have thought about it off and on, but these other things have to take priority over it. So for today, the half way point for NaNo I will have a big RED square on my calendar. It won't be something that bothers me though, because I will know that I prioritized my time, and got things done that needed to be. I will see it as knowing that NaNo does not control my life and is not an obsession. My life belongs to God, and the things I did today will help others grow in their relationship with Him and will help me in my own walk with Him as well. The red square will be remind me that I was wise with my time and that is more precious than red rubies (Proverbs 8:11).