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book winners and new life: unmasked giveaway

12:05 pm By

Frame The Clouds coverI’ve had the chance to offer three different book giveaways in the last couple of weeks, which I have to say is so fun! I love giving gifts! I am delighted to announce the winners today.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the launch of life: unmasked last week. Your posts were exactly what I had hoped for — honest, bare, God-filled, hopeful. I sensed a real coming-alongside-one-another in your contributions. I hope that you did too. Please take a few minutes to visit one or two of those who posted and share a word of encouragement with them.

Have you done your post for this week’s life: unmasked yet? You can do anything — write for a few minutes or for an hour, simply post a photo, or record a video. I’m giving away a copy of Christa Wells’s CD “Frame the Clouds” to one of this week’s life: unmasked participants, so make sure you link up before midnight this Saturday.

 

Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love“Smack Dab in the Middle of God’s Love“

Congratulations to Stacey, a teacher who won a copy of Brennan Manning’s beautiful new book for children.

 

 

“Will There Be Faith? A New Vision for Educating and Growing Disciples”

The winner of my very gently-used copy of Thomas Groome’s excellent book on educating for faith is EmJ, a pastor who I know will get much good out of this book for her church. Congratulations!

 

 

grace for the good girl by emily p. freemanGrace for the Good Girl“

Emily Freeman of Chatting at the Sky graciously agreed to give one copy of her new book to a writer in our very first life: unmasked link-up last week. Chrystal won this book after linking her honest confession of her concerns at reentering church ministry (which I can completely relate to). If you’ve always been the good girl who fears that God will love her less if/when she fails, this book is for you.

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Filed UnderGiveaways, Life: unmasked, Reviews Leave a Comment

Smack Dab in the Middle

7:30 am By

I’m often frustrated by the Christian books marketed to children, and to their parents. The children’s Bibles are filled with fragmented stories selected apparently at random out of the Bible and illustrated with chubby-cheeked white-skinned cherubic children. The stories in fiction are stilted and artificial. The rhyming books… oh the rhyming books. Everyone thinks they can write like Dr. Seuss. News flash — you can’t. Instead, they produce books of agony — torturous to read because of heavy reliance on the stale and worn or on the so-creative-I-don’t-know-how-that-rhymes.

It is rare and refreshing to find a book beautifully illustrated, well-written, and portraying children from all over the world. So today, I have good news! I have found such a book. It’s called “Smack Dab in the Middle of God’s Love” and it’s a children’s book written by Brennan Manning of “Ragamuffin Gospel” fame.

Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love

The main characters were Willie Juan and Ana, who live in a little village in Mexico. They aren’t your stereotypical family, which is refreshing — they are unable to have children of their own. But they open their doors to the children of their neighborhood, make and share sopapillas, and tell them stories about God, who they refer to as “Abba.” The children in the book are from all over the world (as you can see from the cover), and the illustrations are rich and beautiful.

The story is well-written and flows naturally, while still addressing things important to children. Willie Juan asks the kids what they think Abba will ask them when they see him in heaven. The things they mention are caring for their family members and caring for their animals. When little Irene mentions being afraid of Abba because he is so big, Willie Juan answers, “Irene, you don’t have to be afraid. Abba loves you very much.” (This is my favorite part of the book.)

Children are often fearful about the world and unsettled by life. (Adults are too.) This story reinforces what I want my children to understand about God (and what I need to remember about God). God loves them, God gives them good gifts, and God wants them to take care of and enjoy those gifts. As Ana says, “Every good thing comes from smack-dab in the middle of Abba’s heart.”

I loved this book. If you have kids, or if you are still a kid at heart, or if you appreciate a well-crafted story and beautiful illustrations, you will love this book too.

Guess what!?!? I get to give one lucky reader a copy of Smack Dab in the Middle of God’s Love away (not my own copy [cuz I'm keeping that!] but a new one, shipped directly to you from the publisher)! Leave a comment to enter (be sure you leave a valid email address so I can reach you if you win). You may enter multiple times if you share this on Facebook or Twitter, and if you like my Facebook page. Be sure to leave separate comments for each thing you do. I will select a winner via random number generator on Monday.

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Filed UnderGiveaways, Kids, Parenting, Reviews 12 Comments

Christa Wells CD Giveaway

8:37 pm By

Frame The Clouds cover

At the Relevant Conference in October, I received a copy of “Frame the Clouds” for myself, and 5 CDs to give away to you! I’ve greatly enjoyed this album, finding encouragement for the place I’m at in my walk with God. She has a beautiful voice that reminds me of Sarah McLachlan.

Christa has an impressive list of other songwriting credits, including “I Will Carry You” (recorded for the Selah album “You Deliver Me”), a breath-taking song written for Audrey Caroline, Todd and Angie Smith’s baby girl who passed away the day she was born.

I don’t enjoy fluffy pseudo-Christian music, the kind that glosses over the hard things and sings about God as if He were your boyfriend — that music cheapens faith. Christa’s lyrics are not fluffy or cheap. They are written from a heart that has walked difficult as well as easy sections of the Christian life.

As I wrote in my post “Peace,” her song “On the Mountain” reminds me that we’re all climbing, that the struggle is the norm, the expected.

But of all the songs, “A Thousand Things” is my favorite. Christa sings God’s promise to take our pain and heal in and through it. These words…

But in spite of the ache that doesn’t go away
You’ll be sharing your story one rainy day
And at the next table somebody catches your words…

…You didn’t know

A thousand things are happening in this one thing
Like a thousand fields nourished by a single drop of rain
So honey, wrap yourself in promise
while you wait the morning light
A thousand things are happening tonight

But in the midst of the most exquisite pain…

…the praises you sing of a sovereign God reach the girl whose last hope is gone
she never thought there was purpose in anything here
now the seed has been planted and it’s taking root there
You didn’t know

…A thousand miracles you’ll have to wait and see

I am thrilled to bless five readers with their own copy of this CD. Think of it as a Christmas gift from me to you. I’m trying something new this time: you may enter up to three times.

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Please comment for each separate entry. I will select five winners using random.org after 9pm EST next Friday, December 10.

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Filed UnderAd-free, Giveaways, Reviews 18 Comments
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