tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30425320438876667062024-03-14T06:46:25.687-05:00Faith Creativity LifeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.comBlogger391125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-91713956079915441762016-10-16T14:50:00.003-05:002016-10-16T14:50:40.269-05:00We've Moved!Life is pretty complicated sometimes, and keeping up with multiple blogs is, well something someone with a full-time marketing career just can't do! But I still want to stay connected.<br />
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To make it simpler, the content from this blog is migrating over to www.michellerayburn.com where you'll find occasional posts. If you'd love to see more current posts, Facebook is a great place to stay in touch. Connect with me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Michelle.Rayburn.Author/">my writer/speaker Facebook page.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-86357130671649395082014-12-02T21:45:00.000-06:002014-12-02T21:45:14.249-06:00When Life Hands You Crumbs...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I saw this basket of cookies at a place called Mana Sushi Teriyaki Wok in Port Orchard, Washington and it made me smile. The "misfortunate" cookies are broken fortune cookies wrapped in plastic. </div>
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Isn't that a perfect example of what we can do when life hands us crumbs? We can choose to get upset, feel discouraged, or quit. Or, we can turn it around into something clever.<br />
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That's a #repurposed and #upcycled life!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-57514901802508899852014-12-01T13:46:00.003-06:002014-12-01T13:46:56.794-06:0099-Cent Cyber Monday Sale on 'The Repurposed and Upcycled Life'The Kindle version of The Repurposed and Upcycled Life is on sale on <a href="http://amzn.to/1yBuLwH">Amazon </a>for Cyber Monday (December 1) for 99 cents.<br />
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It's a Countdown sale, meaning the price will increase in increments over the next few days until it returns to the regular price of $5.49.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1yBuLwH">Click here to download at the sale price</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JRQJ6TO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JRQJ6TO&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20&linkId=LFM5TS7EOVLCXH2C" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00JRQJ6TO&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-56712317096980049072014-11-19T00:19:00.002-06:002014-11-19T00:27:45.868-06:00How Many States Have You Visited?Have you ever calculated how much of the United States you have visited? I just returned from a long road trip, and thought it would be fun to do the math. I'm not certain if I traveled through additional states as a child, but these are the states I have visited as an adult.<br />
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Someday, I will visit the East Coast!<br />
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<a href="http://m.maploco.com/visited-states/mine.php?states=AR-CA-CO-IA-ID-IL-IN-KS-MI-MN-MO-MT-ND-NE-NV-OH-OR-SD-TX-UT-WA-WI-WY"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.funkyllama.net/visited-states/ml/AR-CA-CO-IA-ID-IL-IN-KS-MI-MN-MO-MT-ND-NE-NV-OH-OR-SD-TX-UT-WA-WI-WY.jpg" /><br />Create Your Own Visited States Map</a><br />
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How about you? Where have you traveled?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-69862830699208034572014-08-28T09:00:00.000-05:002014-10-27T10:53:33.778-05:00I'm So Sorry for Your Loss...Have you ever wondered what to say when someone has just experienced the death of a loved one? I'm not even sure what I would want someone to say to me, but here are some well-worn lines that often come to mind when words elude me:<br />
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<li>I'm holding you in my thoughts and prayers.</li>
<li>We're praying for you at this time of great sadness.</li>
<li>I'm so sorry for your loss. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Worn out phrases, but heartfelt, I promise!</div>
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That leads me to wonder; just how do the ones left behind express their experience to others? How can they begin to capture and describe the life-changing event?</div>
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<li>My daughter passed away...</li>
<li>My mother went to be with the Lord after a long battler with cancer...</li>
<li>I lost my husband last year...</li>
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I once heard a well-meaning pastor give his analysis of that last phrase. His response to a widow who used that very expression was, "Oh, did you misplace him? He isn't lost! He has gone on ahead of you, but he isn't lost if he knew Jesus." </div>
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He explained how we ought to avoid expressions that refer to death as a loss, and instead we should look for alternatives to express our sympathy.</div>
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An attempt at lightheartedness, I guess. No malice intended whatsoever. But...</div>
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I've thought about this often. He meant well, but I have to wholeheartedly disagree. After watching several close friends and family go through the painful process of outliving a loved one, I can't think of a better thing to say. </div>
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I'm an outsider looking in. So, I could be completely off-kilter with my observations. However, death is a loss. Yes, I have hope knowing the truth of what the Bible says about eternal life. I know exactly where Jesus-followers go after they die. Of course, they aren't misplaced. </div>
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But for the ones left behind, it's still a loss.</div>
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Death is a loss of communication. It's the end of conversations and tender words.</div>
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It's the loss of daily phone calls to mothers and sisters, and friends. Fathers, brothers, and sons. </div>
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It's the loss of dishes done side-by-side and glances across steaming coffee cups and warm apple crisp.</div>
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It's the loss of mundane banter about weather and politics, newspaper articles, and reality TV shows.</div>
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It's the loss of potential resolution for tangled up relationships and harsh words.</div>
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It's the loss of possible restitution and redemption. For wrongs to be righted. For restoration.</div>
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For many it's the loss of the other half. The part so entwined with our own selves we can't tell where one begins and the other leaves off. </div>
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It's the loss of future road trips, laughter, and family reunions. </div>
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The absence of knowing smiles. </div>
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The loss of plans. </div>
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It is a loss. </div>
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Let's call it like it is. When someone dies, we suffer a terrible loss. But in the midst of it, we have great hope. And that calm assurance is what makes the loss bearable. </div>
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It's what makes it possible to smile even when everything is shaken. When hearts are broken. When we're torn up inside.</div>
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In the midst of the great emptiness of loss, there is also great possibility. For it is when we are the most empty we have room for God's love and hope to fill the void.</div>
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If you've lost someone dear to you, I can't begin to fully understand. I'm guessing you don't understand it all either. I care. I might not say the right things at all. But please know my heart breaks for you as you discover new losses each day. I'm so sorry for your loss.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-4882278119573877432014-06-26T17:59:00.001-05:002014-06-26T17:59:36.468-05:00The Christian Chick's Guide to Surviving Divorce<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The Christian Chick's Guide to Surviving Divorce:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>What your Girlfriends Would Tell You if They Knew What to Say</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Imagine you are newly divorced, or have just been served papers. You are a solid Christian and never imagined you’d find yourself in this position. What do you do next? Where do you turn for help? Now, imagine you walk into a Christian bookstore hoping to find something that would help you. You hope no one sees the tears on your face, so you keep your head down. You don’t want the world’s version of coping with divorce, and you hope you can find something here…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is exactly what happened to author <a href="http://perkytexan.com/">Suzanne Reeves</a>. She says she didn’t want “the usual version of surviving divorce—have a glass of wine, slash his tires, head to Jamaica, and party like you did in college. I needed godly advice from a woman who had walked in my shoes and lived to tell about it.”</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938499743/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1938499743&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20&linkId=ULRPDCYKFJDRDVYG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1938499743&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Suzanne wants to share hope with other women who are just where she was. She’s lived to tell about it, and she wants to encourage other women going through divorce.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1938499743" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938499743/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1938499743&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20&linkId=GSC6FDKFKPXWAUQK">The Christian Chick’s Guide to Surviving Divorce</a> is the book to give a friend who needs help processing the pain, praising God in the midst of the storm, learning how to forgive, and moving forward. She addresses how to learn from the pain and grow into a better person from the experience of divorce. Instead of bitterness, she urges her readers to be teachable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the most important topics this book addresses is that of children. Suzanne’s biggest piece of advice is, “You must love your children more than you hate your spouse.” Hurt, anger, bitterness, and sorrow over the betrayal doesn’t need to become the pain of the children as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The other important topic this book addresses that many won’t is how to reconcile divorce with being a Christian. Suzanne talks about going to Bible study and asking for prayer, and wondering in her heart if she would have to break her own beliefs about divorce. It wasn’t what she wanted, and she struggled with coming to terms with that loss. This book addresses divorce from a Christian perspective, with solid advice based on what scripture says about God’s love and mercy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The book also addresses some practical questions that many hope they never have to face. What do you do with the rings? What happens with mutual friends? What happens when ‘your song’ comes on the radio?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The author’s raw honesty, conversational style, and her ability to find humor in her experiences make this book read like a letter from a dear friend who understands. Suzanne has repurposed her own pain into coaching other women through the emotional struggle, shame, and discouragement of divorce to find the courage to move forward. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Find Suzanne on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PerkyTexan">Facebook</a>.</span><span id="goog_157827503"></span><span id="goog_157827504"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author for my objective review. I also wrote an endorsement for the book. </i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-47258317565052917642014-06-23T21:15:00.000-05:002014-06-23T21:15:17.488-05:00All My Belongings: A Book Review<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many Christian authors are off at the <a href="http://christianretailshow.com/">International Christian Retail Show</a> (ICRS) this week, hobnobbing with all the names in Christian writing. Which means, it's the perfect 'cat's away, mice will play' opportunity for us to talk about their books, post a bunch of praise on social media, and stir up some new readers for them. Did I lose you at hobnob? Sorry. I love goofy words. <br /><br />Author <a href="http://www.cynthiaruchti.com/">Cynthia Ruchti</a> is among those happy ICRS hobnobbers, and I'd love to tell you about her new book, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426749724/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1426749724&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20&linkId=DMNY6NFBYMMBNSMA%22%3EAll%20My%20Belongings%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1426749724%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">All My Belongings</a>. It's won a couple of awards recently, including a first place Golden Scroll Award from the Christian Author's Network just this week. So, while she's off collecting awards, let me tell you about her book. <br /><br /><b>Back Cover:</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426749724/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1426749724&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20&linkId=776WZXAMHPTNKAIF" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1426749724&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where do you turn when changing your name doesn’t give you the anonymity you want? When running hundreds of miles away isn’t far enough? When you search for a place to belong lands you right back where you began?</span> </blockquote>
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1426749724" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One phone call destroys all the hope Becca Morrow has for a life beyond the shame of her past. Further discredited by the death of her elderly, ailing patient—the mother of the influential businessman, Isaac Hughes—Becca’s new life is shattered and her longing for love slips away. Working to clear her name, Becca must learn to see the beauty in the ugliness of dying , to accept the tenderness in forgiveness, and—at last—discover that where she belongs isn’t as much about her family history as it is about her faith in the One to whom she’ll always belong.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My Review</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All My Belongings is about forgiveness, the longing to belong, the beauty of being loved, and the wonder of godly friendships. But the thread that ties it all together is healing from a painful past. Becca, the main character has suffered from loneliness and rejection embodied by her comment, “Sometimes parents give you away, but they make you stay.” In the midst of loneliness from a painful relationship with her parents, and the fallout of her father’s “occupation” as a Kevorkian-like mercy killer, Becca has found a dear friend, Geneva, who has taken a mother-like role in her life. <br /><br />As Becca’s friend Geneva helps her change her name, relocate, and find work caring for one of Geneva’s relatives, Becca begins to open up a little about the pain she has experienced. She carries few belongings, but much emotional baggage when she moves across the country to start over. Why the name change? She doesn’t want people to know of her connection to her now imprisoned father, a connection that stands in the way of her desire to become a nurse. Without giving away the plot, I can summarize the rest of the book by saying it’s an adventure in caretaking accompanied by new friendships, a shot at finding love—at last, and some bumps in the road to starting over. <br /><br />How’s that for summarizing more than 300 pages in a paragraph or two? Speaking of plot, let me tell you what I liked without giving it away. When Geneva meets Geneva’s handsome nephew, Isaac, I had more than a sneaking suspicion of where the book was going, and I thought it odd that the foreshadowing of the ending would be so strong in the first third of the book.<br /><br />Wrong! Just about the time I had the ending of the book all planned out, an unexpected twist caught me off guard. Halfway through the book, it seemed as if the whole story was wrapping up, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Again.<br /><br />A whole new development led to several additional twists that kept me riveted to the plot. And near the end, when I again figured the story was winding down, and additional twist made this stand out from other fiction. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Many stories end with a happily ever after and leave readers with an unrealistic picture of life and relationships. In this book, the author ventures headfirst into confronting the pain of the past, rather than smoothing on some icing and calling it cake. Again, I can’t explain what exactly this means for Becca without giving away the plot, but let’s just say that she learns what real sacrifice and real forgiveness look like. <br /><br />The realistic solutions to some of life’s nasty problems make this book stand out from other fluffy fiction. There’s nothing fluffy in true forgiveness and sweet freedom from regret. Ruchti engages the reader with a touch of humor and a delightful writing voice. Her unconventional—and not the least bit cliché—descriptions will satisfy the reader who enjoys a more literary style. I highly recommend the book, and Ruchti’s other books.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-61003505956029516142014-06-12T15:44:00.002-05:002014-06-12T15:50:24.534-05:007 Elements of a Great Nonfiction Book Proposal: A Guest Post from Nick at Grammarly<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today,we have a guest post from <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/1/109993203182988419388?rel=author">Nikolas Baron</a> at <a href="http://www.grammarly.com/?q=brand&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand&utm_content=28976363406&utm_term=grammarly&matchtype=e&placement=&network=g&gclid=CjgKEAjwn-WcBRD61NHM-uqDrm4SJADrP4tPmqtJSJIBMtvu19dKaVMBHEaD-5mS1VOZv_-DHEiJY_D_BwE">Grammarly</a>. Not sure what <a href="http://www.grammarly.com/?q=brand&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand&utm_content=28976363406&utm_term=grammarly&matchtype=e&placement=&network=g&gclid=CjgKEAjwn-WcBRD61NHM-uqDrm4SJADrP4tPmqtJSJIBMtvu19dKaVMBHEaD-5mS1VOZv_-DHEiJY_D_BwE">Grammarly </a>is? Watch for a review post coming soon. In the meantime, if you've ever thought about writing a nonfiction book, you'll find Nick's guest post below helpful.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>7 Elements of a Great Nonfiction Book Proposal</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Writing a nonfiction book isn’t as simple as sitting down to the typewriter, pounding out two- or three-hundred pages of brilliant work, sending it off to a publisher, and waiting for the checks to start rolling in. In fact, most nonfiction books aren’t written until the idea is sold to a potential publisher. The book is sold on the strength of a book proposal. The book proposal greatly streamlines the writing process, allowing the editor to make any required structural changes early, before the author has invested a great deal of time and effort into the writing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The book proposal is the author’s opportunity to sell the idea of the book to the publisher. Proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar are critical, as the proposal presents the publisher with not only the idea and details of the potential book, but also a sample of the author’s writing skill. A quality proofreading software should be used to go over the proposal with a fine-toothed comb before submission, to help ensure that the presentation is of the highest quality, increasing the chances of acceptance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are as many opinions as to formatting, order, and parts of a book proposal as there are blogs and books on writing, but most agree that there are seven basic elements to the average book proposal. Formatting is generally accepted as double-spaced, in a 12-point classic, easy-to-read font like Times New Roman.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>1) The Cover Letter</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The cover letter should include a very brief but compelling selling point, also known as a “hook”. The query letter is the writer’s chance to present the editor with the “elevator pitch”. Imagine stepping into an elevator with an editor, and having only a few floors’ ride in which to sell him or her on an idea. There is no need for extensive detail, but a few compelling statistics or other points should be included if applicable.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>2) The Title Page </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The title page should include a paragraph strengthening the sales pitch, along with an approximate estimated word count of the finished manuscript. The title itself should be brief, informative, and attention-getting. Unique, one- to two-word titles are usually best, depending on the subject matter.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>3) Synopsis</b></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The synopsis gives an opportunity to expand upon the subject matter, but should cover no more than two single-spaced pages. This is the author’s opportunity to delve deeper into the subject matter and sell the book based upon the more detailed points.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>4) Author Information</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The author biography is not a history or resume. The focus needs to be on the sale - this time, the sale of the author themselves. This is the opportunity for the author to highlight expertise, blogging experience, number of followers reached, speaking engagements, or other selling points. Years of experience as an expert in a particular field, consulting work, or a blog which has a solid following and daily unique view counts in the upper thousands are examples of strong points for a bio. Personal experiences that don’t include professional expertise, or plans to blog are irrelevant, unless the personal experience is extremely unique and interesting, or relevant to a wide audience.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">5) Market and competition</span> </b></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The writer needs to demonstrate knowledge and familiarity with the audience to reassure the publisher that he or she understands the potential reader. The marketing section should contain research and statistics on the market, as well as a brief synopsis of 3-5 competing titles, with a brief explanation of the differences in the proposed book.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">6) Table of Contents and Chapter Outline</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This section lays out the blueprints for the book so that the editor can get an idea of how the ideas will be presented and in which order the information will be laid out in the finished book. Each chapter should be represented by a paragraph detailing the major points to be covered.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">7) Sample Chapters</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Typically, three sample chapters are included with the proposal to give the editor a “taste” of the book and provide proof of concept that the writer is, indeed, capable of producing quality work. Three chapters are usually a sufficient number for the editor to get a feel for the writing.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/1/109993203182988419388?rel=author"><br /></a></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bio: </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nikolas discovered his love for the written word in Elementary School, where he started spending his afternoons sprawled across the living room floor devouring one Marc Brown children’s novel after the other and writing short stories about daring pirate adventures. After acquiring some experience in various marketing, business development, and hiring roles at internet startups in a few different countries, he decided to re-unite his professional life with his childhood passions by joining Grammarly’s marketing team in San Francisco. He has the pleasure of being tasked with talking to writers, bloggers, teachers, and others about how they use Grammarly’s online proofreading application to improve their writing. His free time is spent biking, traveling, and reading.</span></span></i><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-70503889723592815482014-04-14T21:23:00.000-05:002014-06-23T21:15:28.587-05:00The Turning: a Review of Davis Bunn's Latest Book<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Have you ever had a sense you ought to do something, but didn’t know what it meant? Perhaps a pull to go somewhere or say something, but you weren’t sure if you should dismiss it, or listen to it. Was it the voice of God? Or another voice? How do you know?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802411681/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802411681&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20">The Turning</a> by <a href="http://www.davisbunn.com/">Davis Bunn</a>, five people from different place in the world come together when they sense a divine command. Once they “randomly” meet up, they realize they have a job to do. At the same time, one individual begins a media campaign to brainwash American young people into believing there is no hope. Together, the five individuals wage war against the forces of darkness to show America that there is still hope. As they obey God’s direction, they see the supernatural continuously at work as God proves that he prevails in their weakness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I happened to read this book the same week I saw the movie “God’s Not Dead.” Both were powerful reminders that God is still at work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This book is different from Davis Bunn’s last few books in that there is less thriller action and more supernatural power at work. I enjoyed the book very much. There is plenty of action, but instead of violent physical attacks, the main characters experience more spiritual attack. When they do experience a physical attack, God proves he’s at work. </span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802411681/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802411681&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0802411681&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0802411681" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There were so many themes underlying the story here, but one that I loved was seeing how obedience could lead to restoration. Obedience to God was the very thing that proved there was still hope. When the group listened to him, they saw miracles happen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The other theme that I loved was a parallel to the story of Moses. God gave him a message, but he had no confidence in his speaking ability. In the book, a character named John is given a big message to share, but he has no confidence in his ability to deliver. Until he surrenders to God. Where naysayers point out his lack of seminary training or speaking experience, God empowers John to carry out the task to which he called him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The only thing I didn’t like was that I felt like the book left me hanging at the end. Although there was some resolution to the plot, it left me wanting the rest of the story. I won’t spoil it, but something on the very last page tells me the author intended it this way, and I’ll have to wait and see.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some aspects of the book remind me of the television show “24.” On the show, each episode is one hour of a day, and a whole season of the show is just 24 hours, one day. The whole book spans only 13 days. Chapters a grouped into sections that are subtitled for each day. The pacing of this intensifies the action, and I liked the technique. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All in all, I found the story captivating and relevant to today. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes some mystery and adventure without all the violence and gore of some other genres. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>I received a copy of this book from the author’s publicist for review purposes. I was not compensated for my review, nor was I obligated to write a favorable review.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Want to know more about the author, Davis Bunn? <a href="http://www.davisbunn.com/">Check out his website.</a> </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-70476935057284024822014-04-07T23:18:00.000-05:002014-04-07T23:18:08.934-05:00Blessings...What Does that Really Mean?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How do you sign your e-mails or your letters to people?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHWNywglZrHTSKvqwrFkCICHw1uw3W_x_jjDYJG48o0JUoaJG9hgpADLyRe6coyufRGYevK_8LPHTMHjyOE4XRlizKKBH6yo7pHNFMRPbbiEvPstIqfsrDWAKOVi1FVcn88PU58bQV97X/s1600/100_6118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDHWNywglZrHTSKvqwrFkCICHw1uw3W_x_jjDYJG48o0JUoaJG9hgpADLyRe6coyufRGYevK_8LPHTMHjyOE4XRlizKKBH6yo7pHNFMRPbbiEvPstIqfsrDWAKOVi1FVcn88PU58bQV97X/s1600/100_6118.jpg" height="200" width="195" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I sign many greetings with "Love, Michelle." That's because much of what I write is to family and close friends. Business correspondence, I sign with "Regards," or "Sincerely." But what about the in-between communication?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes "love" is too familiar, but "regards" is too stuffy. Then what? Warmly? Maybe. Best? That could work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Often, I sign my greetings with "Blessings." What does that mean? Do I use it too flippantly, without giving it enough thought? I hope not. To me, it says:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An abundance of peace to you.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May God bless you with his favor.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I pray God protects you from harm.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wish you much happiness.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I care about you.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hope good things come your way.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our world is so full of negative words. We hear self-serving words, cutting words, and harsh words on a daily basis. It's on television. It's in the checkout lane. It's around us in conversations we overhear. And it's even in our own written communication and conversations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a world of negative, I want to speak something positive. Lord, help me not to take my words lightly. Let my words be full of meaning that would genuinely bless others, and not empty words I toss on a page or in the air. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-46385571697354081282013-11-23T10:00:00.000-06:002013-11-23T10:00:01.071-06:00The inside scoop from author Davis Bunn on his latest work<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yesterday, I mentioned a new book from author Davis Bunn, Strait of Hormuz. Intrigued? </span><a href="http://statictab.com/j4s7yd8" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You can read chapters 1-3 of the book for free.</a><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q and A WITH THE AUTHOR</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q: The first two books in the Marc Royce series have been bestsellers and also won praise from the critics. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764209051/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764209051&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20">Lion of Babylon</a> won the Library Journal’s Best Book of 2011 award, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A18J22S/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00A18J22S&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20">Rare Earth</a> won the 2013 Christy Award for Suspense Fiction. What do you see is behind this success?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Davis Bunn: The stories have certainly resonated with readers. I have tried to develop a strong sense of unfolding drama, combined with a unique spiritual theme. This moral structure plays out both in the story and the characters. My aim is to create an inspirational challenge that remains with the reader long after the book has been set down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q: This story includes two special components from your early life. Tell us about them.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DB: My mother worked as an antiques dealer. In truth, ‘work’ was not really the correct term, because this was a passion she inherited from her mother. They bonded while my mom was still a child, going to small eastern Carolina towns and hunting around junk stores for the sort of bargains that don’t exist anymore. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Their first love was early Americana, a type of colonial furniture known as Jacobean that predated America’s nationhood. I never really shared this passion, but in two previous books I came to respect and admire those who do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And so I knew a great delight in re-entering this world in Strait of Hormuz, only this time at the very highest end. Strait takes place in the rarified world of multi-million dollar art, where the richest of collectors vie with museums and galleries for items that are no longer classed as antiques, but rather as treasures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The second special component was the location. I lived in Switzerland for almost five years, and many of the venues were places where I worked, and walked, and came to discover myself as an author.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q: In what way is the setting important to this book?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DB: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764211382/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764211382&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20%22%3EStrait%20of%20Hormuz%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0764211382%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Strait of Hormuz</a> is one of the world’s most critical waterways. Stretching between Iran and the Gulf States, the strait us home to two US fleets. More than a third of all the oil consumed worldwide pass through these waters. But the story actually begins in Switzerland, before traveling to the Sinai and then into the hotly-contested Strait of Hormuz.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q: What spiritual theme is the focus of this story?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DB: One growing area of the missionary church movement is with displaced persons. More than five million Iranians have been expelled from their homeland, or been forced to flee the current regime. This includes virtually the entire Christian population. The missionary church movement has made enormous strides in bringing peace to these families and introducing Christ into the world of Muslims fleeing a Muslim government.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q: What drew you to the missionary church movement as a theme? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DB: I came to faith in a missionary church. I was working as a consultant based in Germany. The year I accepted Christ, the Southern Baptist Mission Board founded a missionary church in Dusseldorf. I attended the church, I grew in the church, I studied under two amazing pastors, and one of them returned to Europe to marry us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was also where I learned to write. Two weeks after coming to faith, I felt called to writing. I wrote for nine years and completed seven books before my first was accepted for publication. The church, its members, and the elders all played a critical role in bringing me to where I am now. I am living testimony to the vital role played by the missionary church. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q: All three of the books in this series have given significant insight into the Muslim world, something critics have picked up on. What experience do you have with this region?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DB: For the four years prior to moving to Germany, I lived and worked in the Middle East. I was the only non-Muslim in the management structure of a family-owned company. They had three major arms: construction equipment, shipping, and pharmaceuticals. I rose to become Marketing Manager of the pharmaceutical division. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the requirements of this job was to take instruction in the Koran and Islamic history from an imam who taught at the local university. I think this experience played a major role in my coming to Christ. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Q: How can readers find you on the Internet?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My website and blog are at www.davisbunn.com</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/davisbunnauthor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/davisbunn/ -- check out my “Strait of Hormuz” board at http://www.pinterest.com/davisbunn/strait-of-hormuz/ </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Twitter: @davisbunn - http://twitter.com/davisbunn</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWneEi8CNMtC111dyaTva9DPydst1MFcEStusyyDj5s2t218pEMAcCvfrptGVanIqgkQM2nxTIEwDmHkbw8vUDAfYaZfEKcgA0GTkxUZC0Lq1cS6K4qQ1B9VQtjgulvFOGBOIIRZwsUaEd/s1600/davis+bunn+and+wife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWneEi8CNMtC111dyaTva9DPydst1MFcEStusyyDj5s2t218pEMAcCvfrptGVanIqgkQM2nxTIEwDmHkbw8vUDAfYaZfEKcgA0GTkxUZC0Lq1cS6K4qQ1B9VQtjgulvFOGBOIIRZwsUaEd/s1600/davis+bunn+and+wife.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;">Pictured: Davis Bunn and his wife, Isabella Bunn</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Davis Bunn is a four-time Christy Award-winning, best-selling author now serving as writer-in-residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Defined by readers and reviewers as a "wise teacher," "gentleman adventurer," "consummate writer," and "Renaissance man," his work in business took him to over 40 countries around the world, and his books have sold more than seven million copies in sixteen languages. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><i>Strait of Hormuz</i> is the series finale of the popular Marc Royce Adventures. Library Journal named <i>Lion of Babylon </i>(Book 1) a “Best Book of 2011.”<i> Rare Earth (</i>Book 2) won the 2013 Christy Award for best suspense novel and was a CBA top 20 best-seller.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-22582231418891333572013-11-22T17:32:00.001-06:002013-11-22T17:32:32.256-06:00Strait of Hormuz, a Tastefully Written Thriller<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Are you looking for adventure?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have followed fictional character Marc Royce through Iraq and Africa, and now through Switzerland, and in true Davis Bunn style, the journey didn’t disappoint. This just-released third book in the series continues with agent Marc Royce working on a covert mission for the U.S. State Department in Geneva, Switzerland. For readers who haven’t read the first two books, this one, titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764211382/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764211382&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20"><i>Strait of Hormuz</i></a>, contains enough back story to pick up without feeling lost, but I highly recommend the first two books, simply because it adds to the depth of the characters who reappear in this book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m a fan of Davis Bunn mostly because he has drawn me into a genre that isn’t typically my style. How? He does action, danger, and even violence so tastefully that my mind can fill in the details needed, without having every gory detail painted on the page. This book has its share of mystery, danger, gunfire, and betrayal, which kept a fast pace for readers who like action. It also has a softer, more relational theme, which brought balance to the plot. </span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764211382/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764211382&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0764211382&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0764211382" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are several threads that don’t seem to connect until near the end of the book. I enjoy that mystery. Royce is on assignment that begins with an explosion in an art gallery, and ends with, well, of course I won’t tell you how it ends. It had plenty of intrigue to keep me hooked all the way to the end. I like how Bunn weaves a faith element into the story line without it feeling pasted in. In this book, I learned something about Messianic believers without it seeming like a history lesson.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There were several aspects of this story that would make it suitable for the big screen, and I’d be thrilled to see that happen. The ongoing action, an attack from a mysterious motorcade, an assassination attempt, a chilling scene where Royce and his team encounter a vessel on the Red Sea, the multilayered relationships of Royce and his team, wondering if any of them was a mole, and much more. It was one of those books that played like a movie as I read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love that this and Davis Bunn’s other books have the potential for a broad male and female audience. The trilogy makes a great gift for the reader who likes a tastefully done thriller.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>I received a complimentary copy of Strait of Hormuz from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my
honest review.</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>PLOT SYNOPSIS</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An under-the-radar phone call from the U.S. State Department puts Marc Royce once again on assignment—ferreting out rumors of a clandestine operation stretching from Asia to the Mideast. At stake is Iran’s threat to blockade the narrow Strait of Hormuz, cutting off vital shipping routes and escalating global tensions beyond the breaking point.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Under the guise of investigating money laundering via high-end art purchases in Europe, Royce finds himself in Switzerland with only sketchy information, no backup, and without a single weapon other than his wits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">His appointment with a gallery owner in Geneva is a dead end--the man is on the floor with a bullet through his chest. But it turns out Royce does have backup. The Mossad has sent someone to keep an eye on this undercover op, which is of more than casual interest to the Israelis. And it's someone Royce knows...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Want to know more about the author, Davis Bunn? Check back for tomorrow's post with a question and answer session on how he came to write this book, and more.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>SWEEPSTAKES</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Click this image to find out how to enter the to win.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-12435195300700429602013-11-18T08:00:00.000-06:002013-11-18T08:00:04.355-06:00Five things I figured out in Branson, Missouri<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This month, I had the opportunity to take a bus ride to Branson, Missouri with the music students from our local high school. It was an opportunity to learn how puffy my feet could get and how stiff my back could become during an all night, all day ride. I learned how to operate my iPad, dig through a backpack, eat a snack, pick up a dropped cell phone from the bus floor, and more while keeping my elbows within my 18-inch allotted space. But, that's not all I figured out during the five-day trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Despite statements people might give about the American teenager and the lack of manners in the next generation, I sat beside two wonderful gentlemen at one dinner show, and witnessed multiple occasions where teenage boys were polite to me on the trip.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYf9_rJ6Ty5ISzVxADaGy43SqHtcUrt58YqHI6ppf3F3njMrM8lcMTNxnOdTfUG9fNZoWklo0dCb-_1YgkRcnfSeteKkNhm1i-XEvkIv-mFNqG2sW8pcMYiEPNhCb1f32VO8DcxP9OIlw/s1600/100_6449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYf9_rJ6Ty5ISzVxADaGy43SqHtcUrt58YqHI6ppf3F3njMrM8lcMTNxnOdTfUG9fNZoWklo0dCb-_1YgkRcnfSeteKkNhm1i-XEvkIv-mFNqG2sW8pcMYiEPNhCb1f32VO8DcxP9OIlw/s640/100_6449.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the Showboat Branson Belle for a lunch cruise.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. The gospel is alive and well in the Bible belt. Up north, we've become accustomed to people saying happy holidays and pretty much avoiding Jesus in public venues at Christmas. Not in Branson. The gospel was given at every Christmas show, and the music was decidedly Jesus-centered.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OSdQZ8n-ZzlARsXO94FaBH5-ZR6bEnHKHYTqffis5u-e6Q72-0Zwju5QI6Tze0rIROXejPP62wdmB8zPY8peGvkKsGLUGjjHY7b1wWqKN9Zs9wls1FawIFnXE76GTZXCC4aqIrUKUfzj/s1600/100_6502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OSdQZ8n-ZzlARsXO94FaBH5-ZR6bEnHKHYTqffis5u-e6Q72-0Zwju5QI6Tze0rIROXejPP62wdmB8zPY8peGvkKsGLUGjjHY7b1wWqKN9Zs9wls1FawIFnXE76GTZXCC4aqIrUKUfzj/s640/100_6502.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Haygoods family in concert during the Christmas portion of the show.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. The loss of life on the Titanic stands as a testimony to what excessive faith in human ability can do. Despite its unsinkable promise, the boat went down within two hours of hitting an iceberg. Worse, the number of lifeboats in proportion to the number of passengers was underwhelming. A reminder to never trust so much in human power that I am irresponsible in my preparation. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcwesYIcScZrFNjY4khAPT2VZe1DexGWMTYgaw9ehWrWBis_jVXAsKpFN2CphSgbd592K7Hk8F1mQyDxD40eWewbz8QsKWTY0UTuTkLKq-UlO512lFRAD-WOVveq8Rx85jzAfTX_IwfqO/s1600/100_6615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcwesYIcScZrFNjY4khAPT2VZe1DexGWMTYgaw9ehWrWBis_jVXAsKpFN2CphSgbd592K7Hk8F1mQyDxD40eWewbz8QsKWTY0UTuTkLKq-UlO512lFRAD-WOVveq8Rx85jzAfTX_IwfqO/s640/100_6615.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Titanic museum in Branson.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Never get so preoccupied that you miss the little moments, even if they belong to someone else. As we walked past this little chapel at Silver Dollar City, I noticed a couple saying their wedding vows in the window. The bride wiped away a tear and then reached for her groom's hand. A moment of joy borrowed from people I'll never meet.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU4svFyZXvjS3Bs2pfbVyzCjtWVEA7j5d9NEBJj5-HI98FmtXPsY4MM8frtfspOhVxb0gNKScumTzh8fX5B-RZUqxEfydORdZ07Gj90WogggF5dqDp3MB4Kli8yajqDO1Py6Uszr2yPw8/s1600/100_6684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU4svFyZXvjS3Bs2pfbVyzCjtWVEA7j5d9NEBJj5-HI98FmtXPsY4MM8frtfspOhVxb0gNKScumTzh8fX5B-RZUqxEfydORdZ07Gj90WogggF5dqDp3MB4Kli8yajqDO1Py6Uszr2yPw8/s640/100_6684.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Silver Dollar City, Theme Park</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Always notice the beauty around you, even if terror looms in the foreground. No, I did not ride this terrifying monster. Instead, I looked past it to God's artwork in the sky. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwnsDEiWsZcPS95JZuZKxglpFFE_USIGLvwe976ZjYusoNm-wob5MMqOukkud7kGZ_Xaf0u2bMSeMjpHYiktVvAZZKhafWFEZScEKMiuRZqpfWFgLqPKXf4Qs2qpqcXp7N54AjVPraQXF/s1600/100_6714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwnsDEiWsZcPS95JZuZKxglpFFE_USIGLvwe976ZjYusoNm-wob5MMqOukkud7kGZ_Xaf0u2bMSeMjpHYiktVvAZZKhafWFEZScEKMiuRZqpfWFgLqPKXf4Qs2qpqcXp7N54AjVPraQXF/s640/100_6714.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Silver Dollar City</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I won't forget my trip. I left Missouri sleep-deprived and over-nourished. But I figured out that there is good everywhere if you look for it.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-15782298208225698172013-10-16T09:00:00.000-05:002013-11-18T13:29:38.172-06:00What happens when life doesn't go the way you expected?<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830843086/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0830843086&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0830843086&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So many of the blog posts I see on the internet beautifully demonstrate a repurposed and upcycled life. I had the privilege of meeting an author this summer whose story is a great inspiration for us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://leewolfeblum.com/">Lee Wolfe Blum</a> (author of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830843086/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0830843086&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20%22%3ETable%20in%20the%20Darkness:%20A%20Healing%20Journey%20Through%20an%20Eating%20Disorder%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0830843086%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Table in the Darkness: A Healing Journey Through and Eating Disorder</a>), <a href="http://leewolfeblum.com/?p=515">posted an excerpt from Welcome to Holland </a>by Emily Perl Kingsley that reminded me of how God repurposes and upcycles in our lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What happens when you sign up for Italy and end up in Holland? Lee quotes Kingsley, who says, "But, if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things…about Holland."<br /><br />Lee says, <i>"So, don’t let addiction, comparison, or perfectionism steal any more of the life you were meant to live. Even if it is the life you didn’t imagine, or the struggle you didn’t want to have. Start seeing the tulips and the Rembrandts! It can be beautiful!" </i></span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Be sure to read the<a href="http://leewolfeblum.com/?p=515"> full post </a>for the rest of the story.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-64350340008010996252013-10-14T08:00:00.000-05:002013-10-14T08:00:00.800-05:00Finding Treasure in Africa, Amid the Challenges<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYxlOa0advaFOmdxtfiwkN6bo9UmYXR5PxfDKrmYdq8x0YKJ2P9Ls1U6wt2035Z4OOUXMkEAMMv76hc8a9TxtyGAOkmDGBMoZT8IVr5L703Lj9oVSvRrrxWrib6UC-v9tOCpkY-H8BeU/s1600/MichelleBookCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYxlOa0advaFOmdxtfiwkN6bo9UmYXR5PxfDKrmYdq8x0YKJ2P9Ls1U6wt2035Z4OOUXMkEAMMv76hc8a9TxtyGAOkmDGBMoZT8IVr5L703Lj9oVSvRrrxWrib6UC-v9tOCpkY-H8BeU/s320/MichelleBookCover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://us.cdn1.123rf.com/168nwm/hibrida/hibrida1112/hibrida111200002/11590463-africa-map-with-countries-made-of-ethnic-textures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://us.cdn1.123rf.com/168nwm/hibrida/hibrida1112/hibrida111200002/11590463-africa-map-with-countries-made-of-ethnic-textures.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My friend Kristy has a blog on Babble called <a href="http://www.babble.com/babble-voices/into-africa-kristy-carlson/2013/03/25/christines-story-one-mother-in-africa/?fb_action_ids=10151389021148233%2C10151389019943233&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210151389021148233%22%3A353131148126590%2C%2210151389019943233%22%3A498654153530608}&action_type_map={%2210151389021148233%22%3A%22og.likes%22%2C%2210151389019943233%22%3A%22og.likes%22}&action_ref_map=[]">Into Africa with Kristy Carlson</a> and her stories are great demonstrations of making the most of a difficult circumstance. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I call Kristy a "friend" rather than an acquaintance because Kristy's husband grew up in my home area, her parents are good friends of mine, and frankly, Kristy has a writing voice that makes me feel close to her. She is raw, and real, and so easy to connect with. Kristy and her husband Ben are living in Africa working to help the people of Burundi get a fair price for their coffee beans and they are building a coffee washing station so more of the crop can processed locally and be sold at the peak of perfection. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Kristy tells the story of an African woman who she met. Kristy says,</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There are a million more differences between my story’s and Christine’s,
and yet we are both linked by motherhood. Meeting her was a “moment”
for me. There is something about who she is and this little family she
is holding together that is inspirational and motivational at the same
time. Christine is a survivor of genocide, an orphan with courage and a
mother with hope. I believe that mothers like Christine can provide
more, be more and give more back to their families with just a few more
skills under their belts. My friend <a href="http://www.thecriesofachild.org/">Samantha </a>believes
the same. She is pioneering a program to help Christine provide for her
children and I can’t wait to help. It’s a program full of hope and I,
for one, am ready to see Christine and her lovely little people out of
the animal stocks and living a better life.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://us.cdn3.123rf.com/168nwm/catalby/catalby1201/catalby120100034/12085445-africa-map-with-colorful-landscape-of-fantasy-with-grass-baobab-trees-and-giraffes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://us.cdn3.123rf.com/168nwm/catalby/catalby1201/catalby120100034/12085445-africa-map-with-colorful-landscape-of-fantasy-with-grass-baobab-trees-and-giraffes.jpg" /></a>You'll have to hop over to Babble to<a href="http://www.babble.com/babble-voices/into-africa-kristy-carlson/2013/03/25/christines-story-one-mother-in-africa/?fb_action_ids=10151389021148233%2C10151389019943233&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210151389021148233%22%3A353131148126590%2C%2210151389019943233%22%3A498654153530608}&action_type_map={%2210151389021148233%22%3A%22og.likes%22%2C%2210151389019943233%22%3A%22og.likes%22}&action_ref_map=[]"> read Kristy's full story and others</a>. I know you'll be hooked as soon as you see how her stories connect with a repurposed and upcycled life. Kristy has been through many ups and downs in her life in Africa, but she demonstrates how God can use those ups and downs for his glory. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kristy considers the circumstances of others when she gets to thinking about her difficulties, and often she sees how her situation isn't as bad as it could be. What difficult circumstance can you recall that didn't seem as difficult when you realized what someone else was going through?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-8386753288242204362013-10-12T21:57:00.000-05:002013-10-12T21:57:00.959-05:00The Story Our Scars Tell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYxlOa0advaFOmdxtfiwkN6bo9UmYXR5PxfDKrmYdq8x0YKJ2P9Ls1U6wt2035Z4OOUXMkEAMMv76hc8a9TxtyGAOkmDGBMoZT8IVr5L703Lj9oVSvRrrxWrib6UC-v9tOCpkY-H8BeU/s1600/MichelleBookCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYxlOa0advaFOmdxtfiwkN6bo9UmYXR5PxfDKrmYdq8x0YKJ2P9Ls1U6wt2035Z4OOUXMkEAMMv76hc8a9TxtyGAOkmDGBMoZT8IVr5L703Lj9oVSvRrrxWrib6UC-v9tOCpkY-H8BeU/s320/MichelleBookCover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In an essay from Mary Martin Wiens, she explains how she came to terms with the scars and imperfections on her body,and how she sees them now as lines of a story. Here is an excerpt from Mary's essay. Be sure to hope over to the <a href="http://www.stevewiens.com/2013/03/06/these-are-the-lines-of-a-story/">full post</a>, because the whole article is beautiful. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://ak4.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/2362046/preview/stock-footage-close-up-of-eyes-of-a-woman-looking-away-in-usa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://ak4.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/2362046/preview/stock-footage-close-up-of-eyes-of-a-woman-looking-away-in-usa.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We journey from a seed in our mother’s womb until we are planted in the grave with ever-changing bodies. Time scratches out its passage across my looks and the looks of all those I love. All our lives, our bodies manifest evidence of an existence marked by gains and losses. We gain and lose pounds, muscle, bruises, teeth, and hair. We lose elasticity and gain wrinkles. We gain scars. Our bodies process and carry our experiences, not without complaint, but with an unfailing perseverance that is worthy of both gratitude and honor. And one of the very great privileges of this life is to cherish the bodies of those I love through all their gains and losses for as long as I get to have them. We do not get to have those we love forever. In that final losing, every turn of the head and expression of the face becomes poignantly precious. So, may I have eyes to see them now.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.stevewiens.com/2013/03/06/these-are-the-lines-of-a-story/">Read the full post</a> </span><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-74270215741515243212013-10-11T08:00:00.000-05:002013-10-11T08:00:01.543-05:00Finding Forgiveness for Past Mistakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYxlOa0advaFOmdxtfiwkN6bo9UmYXR5PxfDKrmYdq8x0YKJ2P9Ls1U6wt2035Z4OOUXMkEAMMv76hc8a9TxtyGAOkmDGBMoZT8IVr5L703Lj9oVSvRrrxWrib6UC-v9tOCpkY-H8BeU/s1600/MichelleBookCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYxlOa0advaFOmdxtfiwkN6bo9UmYXR5PxfDKrmYdq8x0YKJ2P9Ls1U6wt2035Z4OOUXMkEAMMv76hc8a9TxtyGAOkmDGBMoZT8IVr5L703Lj9oVSvRrrxWrib6UC-v9tOCpkY-H8BeU/s400/MichelleBookCover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This trash to treasure story comes from an anonymous reader. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A big hug to a precious woman who was brave enough to be honest with her mistakes and sensitive to the truth that God's love forgives and forgets when we own up to our sins.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://us.cdn2.123rf.com/168nwm/fuzzbones/fuzzbones1105/fuzzbones110500030/9627676-please-forgive-me-message-and-coffee.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">You Will be Forgiven</b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />Even in our very worst moments, God is there, answering the prayers we haven’t even sent to Him. He knows our every need before we do.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My first husband and I were having marital difficulties even before our second child was born. By the time she was 18 months old there seemed to be little left of our seven year-long marriage. We’d tried counseling, we’d moved to a different state, nothing seemed to help. I could blame the troubles on my husband, but I won’t go there. This story isn’t about his transgressions, it’s about mine.<br /><br />I don’t know how it happened – well I guess I do know, but I don’t understand how it all spiraled out of control. I started seeing another man, a friend of my husband’s. He was kind and gentle, he listened to me and he didn’t judge me. Most important to me, he didn’t do drugs and he certainly did not deal drugs.<br /><br />The affair went on for over a year. The lies. I could have drowned in just the lies alone. The lengths I went to to cover those lies. How I held down a full time job, kept house, and raised two children, I will never know. Certainly God wasn’t going to make this easy on me. Yet I kept it up for 13 long months.<br /><br />At the time, I thought of myself as a Christian. I went to church, took the kids to Sunday School, prayed when I was in need or when I was thankful. I knew there was an omniscient God and that His Son was my Savior. Yet I lived a second life, a life outside of my family and my faith.<br /><br />I came to a decision. Not the right one, I didn’t want to quit seeing this other man. I wanted to leave my first husband for him. I told myself that we would continue sneaking around until sometime after the divorce was final. Then suddenly we would appear to the outside world as if we had just started going out.<br /><br />God knew that wasn’t the way this story was going to end, so He stepped in and saved me from myself when I least deserved it. <br /><br />The night I was going to lay out my plan for this other man, he spoke up first.<br /><br />“A girl I dated in high school called me up out of the blue. She was my first true love and I had asked her to marry me, but our lives were going in opposite directions. I guess I still love her and I want to see if this can work out for us.”<br /><br />“What?” I could not comprehend what he was saying. How could he dump me when I had made all these plans?<br /><br />I drove home alone in a daze. How could this happen to me? What was I going to do?<br /><br />A gentle voice whispered in my ear. “Even in your darkest moments, I am here.”<br /><br />How was that possible? How could God see me commit the worst of all sins and still be there for me? How did I deserve that kind of love?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://us.cdn2.123rf.com/168nwm/fuzzbones/fuzzbones1105/fuzzbones110500030/9627676-please-forgive-me-message-and-coffee.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://us.cdn2.123rf.com/168nwm/fuzzbones/fuzzbones1105/fuzzbones110500030/9627676-please-forgive-me-message-and-coffee.jpg" /></a>I spent the next two decades asking daily for God’s forgiveness. The blanket of shame didn’t lift though; I didn’t think it was possible that He could really forgive me. Over time and with lots of prayer, I came to realize that I needed to forgive myself first. I needed to accept that I am a poor miserable sinner but that all of my stains were washed away long ago by the blood of Jesus<br /><br />Yes, God forgave me. And finally I was able to receive His forgiveness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Do you have a trash to treasure story to share? See how you can <a href="http://faithcreativitylife.michellerayburn.com/p/share-your-story.html">Share Your Story</a> here too.</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-56872296331187090052013-10-10T13:26:00.001-05:002013-10-10T13:26:09.695-05:00What Message Might Christian Signs Send in Between the Lines?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wherever you stand on one side or the other of a hot-button issue, how do you feel about how a Christian ought to present their side to the world? Should we sit back and ignore the other side of an issue, or should we be "in your face" about it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I believe the tone we convey is the more poignant message than the message we spell out in words. The best-intended thoughts are wasted if our tone conveys something opposite from our intentions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What do you think about the following examples? This isn't a debate about the issues, so it doesn't matter which "side" you are on. Instead, I want to know what tone you hear in the message just as it is presented. What does it say to the other side, good or bad?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1.</span><br />
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<a href="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/131009132732-creationists-billboard-story-top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/131009132732-creationists-billboard-story-top.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A billboard in Times Square from Answers in Genesis, <a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/09/creationists-battle-atheists-in-latest-billboard-war/?hpt=us_t2">featured on CNN</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2.</span><br />
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<a href="http://jimgrieme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/abortion-protest-signs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://jimgrieme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/abortion-protest-signs.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Featured in a blog post commentary from a pastor named <a href="http://jimgrieme.com/2013/06/27/the-ugly-christian-part-3/">Jim Greime</a> (<i>I am not sure if he took the photo or got it from somewhere else).</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3.</span><br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Westboro_Baptist_Church_in_New_York_by_David_Shankbone.jpg/800px-Westboro_Baptist_Church_in_New_York_by_David_Shankbone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Westboro_Baptist_Church_in_New_York_by_David_Shankbone.jpg/800px-Westboro_Baptist_Church_in_New_York_by_David_Shankbone.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A protester photo attributed to members of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Westboro_Baptist_Church_in_New_York_by_David_Shankbone.jpg">Westboro Baptist Church</a>, a controversial group. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. </span><br />
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<a href="http://i.cdn.turner.com/ireport/sm/prod/2010/12/23/WE00515335/1502324/DSC0015jpg-1502324_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/ireport/sm/prod/2010/12/23/WE00515335/1502324/DSC0015jpg-1502324_lg.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A billboard in New York sponsored by Times Square Church. <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-532050">More info</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What message does each of these signs say to you? If you feel negative about any of them, what is it about it that gives you that feeling?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, think about the creator of the sign? What do you think they intended to accomplish with the sign? What is the message they <i>want</i> to get across? How successful do you think they are are creating a change in their audience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'll weigh in after you've had a chance to think and comment.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-53612050813297296792013-10-10T12:00:00.000-05:002013-10-10T12:00:00.840-05:00The Question to Ask in the Middle of a Difficult Time<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In a <a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/a-question-that-changes-everything.html"> blog post</a>, Michael Hyatt shares about a time when he had every reason to ask, "Why me?" and a bunch of other similar questions. And then he shares how he learned to shift his perspective. Hyatt says: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">At this point, I could have asked myself several questions:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/michael-hyatt-speaking1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="http://michaelhyatt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/michael-hyatt-speaking1.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why am I so clumsy?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why did I have both hands full?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why does this have to happen now?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Why did I have to be in such a hurry?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What did I do to deserve this?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The problem with these questions is that they are completely unproductive and disempowering </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">They are natural, of course, and probably even necessary. It’s all
part of the process of grieving a loss. But ultimately there are <i>better questions.</i> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">One of the best questions you can ask when something negative happens is this: </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">“What does this experience make possible?”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/a-question-that-changes-everything.html">Read the full post</a> to find out what positive benefits Hyatt found in having broken foot, surgery, and recovery. A fantastic example of repurposing and upcycling. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-68645151066596609182013-10-09T21:33:00.001-05:002013-10-09T21:33:23.914-05:00Are you a pessimist, or optimist?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pTJNdmw8fNfGgEaO2Q2rz0lKyXsGxc6LIPe7yaVtYwVHuvrZWick22rXxi7gpqCjmm-T8Pz-HHJ70raYzK6DoRLGUTmE-D89MZlhmEcfwAKYNC1duxjYOyF4PoHmR_tIJJB1OTzeGTI/s1600/Inspiration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pTJNdmw8fNfGgEaO2Q2rz0lKyXsGxc6LIPe7yaVtYwVHuvrZWick22rXxi7gpqCjmm-T8Pz-HHJ70raYzK6DoRLGUTmE-D89MZlhmEcfwAKYNC1duxjYOyF4PoHmR_tIJJB1OTzeGTI/s320/Inspiration.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-15115896499606336042013-10-09T15:30:00.001-05:002013-10-09T15:30:19.626-05:00When God Turns Difficult Situations into Learning Experiences<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As a means of simplifying my life a bit, I am merging my Repurposed and Upcycled blog with Faith Creativity Life, and creating a topical category for posts related to God's repurposing of our difficult circumstances. This is a post I originally featured on Feb. 7, 2013.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Repurposed and Upcycled</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By: Robin Hakanson Paulsen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Repurposed and upcycled are not two words that I thought should exist for me 10-20 years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Obligation and shame more accurately described how I felt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Growing up as the oldest of five in a Christian home, I was responsible and followed the rules. I tested those rules often during my teen and early adult years. The things I “got away with” wouldn’t necessarily be considered criminal by most standards.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As a young adult, I jumped in and out of relationships, looking for “the one.” Don’t we all?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I thought I had found “the one” in a man who seemed to be everything that I was not, but wanted to be. He was driven, confident, professional, in-charge and spiritual. He was on the fast track in the professional realm, he was obtaining a master’s degree and he attended church every single weekend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All of these attributes were foreign to me and my college-age friends. Not that we were irresponsible, but these things all seemed like “the next step,” which was not the step we were on. We paid our bills, went to class and/or our jobs and were more focused on how we would invest our time and paychecks on the weekends. Not odd for most people I know in their early twenties. After meeting and dating this man, I felt I had purpose in this type of life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until the day that I shared two lines with him. Neither of these lines contained words. They presented themselves on an early pregnancy test.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At the time, I would have to say there was a mutual feeling of responsibility, but not a mutual feeling of happiness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We became engaged without a proposal of marriage. It was just an expectation and I went along with it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We went to pre-marital counseling through his church of choice. I had questions that no one in this church could answer, and in spite of every red flag, I went along with it. I later recognized that my identity was required of me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After marriage, everything looked happy and portrait-worthy. My husband made enough money for me to stay home and tend to the house and his needs. Shortly after, our son was born.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the next five years, three girls would follow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I admit to feeling fortunate that I was able to stay home with my kids. I would joke that my husband worked hard so I didn’t have to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But that wasn’t true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I worked hard to keep up a perfect image. But everything in my life was calculated and controlled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I begged to get counseling. He conceded once, and then never again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nothing and everything changed in one night. It started off similar to every other night: I had the kids fed and cleaned up for bed. They were upstairs playing while I was cleaning the kitchen. Their father walked in from work, clearly upset. He heard the kids who were having fun, but loud.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The next few seconds happened like they occurred in slow motion. A briefcase was slammed. Angry words were shouted. Threats towards the children were made. Angry actions began like they were accustomed to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until I shouted back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No. I would no longer allow this scenario to take place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He didn’t think I would fight back; didn’t see anything wrong with our relationship and refused to accept responsibility. He threatened me with all the ways he had controlled me in the past; told me that no one would believe me, said that if I left him, I would be putting myself and the children in poverty, and said the Christian community of friends I had would believe I was a fraud.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We separated and divorced. Some things he said to me that night were true; some in the Christian community decided to look the other way. But in my mind and heart, I knew it wasn’t too late to model healthy independence for my kids. I could still teach my son that it is not okay to treat a woman this way. And I could teach my three girls that it is not okay to let someone treat you in this manner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This night all led to what I now consider my “upcycled” life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">God created something new out of old patterns and behaviors. And none of it could have happened if I didn’t start out the way I did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Statistics show that one in four women in churches today are in or have experienced an abusive relationship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One-third of American woman have reported being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And one in every three high school students has been involved in an abusive relationship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are more than just statistics to me. These are people in my church, in my country and potentially, in my own home. I believe that because I have my own story that is still being lived out, I can help come alongside those with their own stories of control and abuse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=13/02/07/1845.jpg"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img align="right" border="0" height="281" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/13/02/07/s_1845.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="259" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I share my story when I can, when God presents the opportunity around me. The subject matter does not make me feel better about myself and how I started out, but it does show me how God can use my story that already exists to help others walking through a controlling and abusive situation. This is how God has shown me that he can repurpose things for his glory and hope for others. What I once thought of as a curse, I now feel honored…that God would choose to repurpose my story for his good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Robin Hakanson Paulsen is a freelance journalist, licensed massage therapist and mother to four from Iowa. You can get to know her through her blog: <a href="http://www.write-on-mom.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Write-On-Mom</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: grey;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thank you for your guest post on The Repurposed and Upcycled Life, Robin! We appreciate your honesty and openness. Readers, remember, Robin's story is copyrighted and belongs to her. No material from this blog post may be used with out permission from the author. --Michelle </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-53699539829194232092013-09-24T08:00:00.000-05:002013-09-24T08:00:08.802-05:00Q and A with Author Davis Bunn<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yesterday, I told you about Davis Bunn's latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143367940X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=143367940X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20">Unlimited</a>. Today, I would like to tell you more about the author, and about the upcoming movie with the same title. </span><br />
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></b>
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">About the Author</span></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEr_YIG4YcxzApK1v2guD0nn4RM2p7k7dJzJ_bRpR_RXxkZ90c95ikgHHy3j1xBH1hd7rMx7cp_-2R80fsk2dxTvn1N9ju21lL9a9yHUTJsQ2HKStzqfWuq0WJudGj6qkrI1Fa0RazsKR/s1600/Davis+Bunn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEr_YIG4YcxzApK1v2guD0nn4RM2p7k7dJzJ_bRpR_RXxkZ90c95ikgHHy3j1xBH1hd7rMx7cp_-2R80fsk2dxTvn1N9ju21lL9a9yHUTJsQ2HKStzqfWuq0WJudGj6qkrI1Fa0RazsKR/s1600/Davis+Bunn.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.davisbunn.com/">Davis Bunn</a> </b>is a
four-time Christy Award-winning, best-selling author now serving as
writer-in-residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University in the United
Kingdom. Defined by readers and reviewers as a “wise teacher,” “gentleman
adventurer,” “consummate writer,” and “Renaissance man,” his work in business
took him to over 40 countries around the world, and his books have sold more
than seven million copies in sixteen languages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Unlimited</i> is Davis’s
first screenplay to be released as a major motion picture. The book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143367940X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=143367940X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20">Unlimited</a>,</i> is a novelization of the
screenplay.<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Q & A
with Davis Bunn<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>The storyline in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143367940X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=143367940X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20">Unlimited</a>
is inspired by true events. What actual events inspired the story?<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Harold Finch was formerly the
founder and CEO of the first management-leadership consulting groups in the US.
In the mid-seventies he sold the company to H&R Block for over a hundred
million dollars—back when a hundred million actually meant something. Answering
God’s call, he has spent the past three decades traveling the world, teaching
his concepts for free and helping underprivileged children learn that they do
indeed have both a purpose in God’s eyes, and the potential to succeed. His
experiences form the basis for this story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>What ignited your idea for the
characters to create a device that would convert raw wasted energy into useable
power?</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I actually wrote the screenplay
for the film before writing the novel. This happens occasionally—<i>Godfather</i> and <i>Love Story</i> were both conceived in this order. While working on the
film script, the producer and Harold and I were discussing what might work as a
basis for the story’s suspense element. We were looking for something that had
the means of revealing this ‘unlimited’ potential in people. I don’t actually
remember who first came up with the idea of wasted energy, but soon as it was
said, we all jumped on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Simon Orwell, the protagonist in
Unlimited, is a brilliant, cynical electrical engineering student who
finds danger irresistible. Did you model his character traits after yourself or
anyone you know?</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alas, we all know a <i>Simon</i>. These days, this type of person
is all too common. An individual with huge potential, who allows himself or
herself to become distracted by the multitude of temptations that basically
define modern life. And yes, I do know several such people. Some turn this into
hugely productive directions, thank goodness. Usually to do so requires divine
help, a clarification of focus, and strength they must reach out and ask to
receive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Many of the characters in the
story are orphans. What parallels do you see between the orphans in the story
and real-life spiritual orphans?</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A beautiful question. While
researching the core components of this story, orphanage leaders repeatedly
stressed the need to teach orphans to believe in themselves and their natural
abilities. Too often they see themselves as lost, without purpose, without a
role to play, without chances, without love. What made this story work, I
think, is how Simon Orwell shares these same feelings about himself. And how he
comes to realize God is the only one to fill this need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>The title, Unlimited, has
multiple layers of meaning. What does that title mean to you?</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Unlimited</i> was the
title brought to me by the film’s producers. When I first began working on this
story, it was just that, a title. But as I grew to know Harold, and heard him
teach, and read his lesson plan, and then actually applied what he has come to
call his ‘Dynamic Life Retreat’ (see Harold full teachings on his website,
HaroldFinch.com) I have come to agree with them in their choice. Bringing God
into the equation of life’s direction, success, and reaching full potential
does reveal the true meaning of <i>Unlimited</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Movie Trailer</b></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZLd5MCOR3rg" width="560"></iframe></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-50366825557593802772013-09-23T20:07:00.000-05:002013-09-23T21:29:07.870-05:00Davis Bunn Releases New Book, 'Unlimited'<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where would you turn if you were stuck in Mexico without a
passport, your car burned up, and the one person you knew is missing? In
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143367940X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=143367940X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20">Unlimited </a>by <a href="http://www.davisbunn.com/">Davis Bunn</a>, Simon Orwell
crosses the border into Mexico to meet up with a professor he knows well, but a
simple presentation on a new energy machine turns into a nightmare. With past
regrets and a hit man both on his tail, Simon has to decide whom he can trust,
and figure out how to get to the bottom of the death of his friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Unlimited' the movie releases October 16, and after reading the book, I'd really like to see it! Check tomorrow's blog post for a movie trailer and an interview with Davis Bunn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>My Thoughts on the Book</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The book is action-packed from beginning to end, and keeps
the reader engaged. I like Davis Bunn’s writing style and I like the characters
he creates. Even the “bad guys” have some redeeming qualities which I like. It
keeps me connected to the story, and wondering who really are the good guys and
bad guys. I like that the book has a lot of action, but it’s tastefully done in
a way that keeps me hooked as a reader but not so freaked out that I can’t
sleep at night. I also like the way the dialogue keeps the action moving
forward. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bunn’s characters are all multi-dimensional. Simon is
processing some unfortunate circumstances from his past, as well as past
indiscretions. The reader sees his journey and I felt his responses were
realistic and not canned. Other characters are also processing emotional
baggage: being orphaned, abandoned, afraid of the drug cartel, wounded and
needing to forgive, trust issues, and more. I like that Bunn weaves in an
element of faith without pasting in unrealistic conversions or preachy moments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The book is well done, and I highly recommend it to both
male and female readers who like a little action along with characters on a
journey of self-discovery. My only drawback would be that about 3/4 of the way through, I figured out a significant part of the mystery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>I received a free review copy of the book from the
publisher. I am not obligated to write a favorable review. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Synopsis</b></span><br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=143367940X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143367940X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=143367940X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=143367940X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Simon Orwell is a brilliant student whose life has taken a
series of wrong turns. At the point of giving up on his dreams, he gets a call
from an old professor who has discovered a breakthrough in a device that would
create unlimited energy. He needs Simon's help.<br />
<br />
Upon crossing the border, nothing goes as the young man planned. The professor
has been killed and Simon is assaulted and nearly killed by members of a
powerful drug cartel.<br />
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Now he must take refuge in the only place that will help him, a local orphanage.
There, Simon meets Harold Finch, the orphanage proprietor who walked away from
a lucrative career with NASA and consulting Fortune 500 companies to serve a
higher cause.<br />
<br />
With Harold's help, Simon sets out on a quest to uncover who killed the professor
and why. In due time, he will discover secrets to both the world-changing
device and his own unlimited potential.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Want to read the first three chapters? <a href="https://www.facebook.com/davisbunnauthor/app_137541772984354">Check Davis Bunn's facebook page for how you can get them free.</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Sweepstakes / Giveaway</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You could win a $50 Fandango gift card plus UNLIMITED, Davis
Bunn's new suspense novel. Ten additional winners will receive a copy of
UNLIMITED. Enter right now by clicking this link: <a href="http://woobox.com/mp5qew" target="_blank"><b>http://woobox.com/mp5qew</b></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span><u><span style="color: blue; mso-themecolor: hyperlink;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY4SbBo53hVI6PjKMKVNgVshBcJEQbnnlvP-Ip3ag01S38MeT8FlZHkpH6eJY0YVc9NsQraDpGAmH70qrIK3CvO8AwWF6S4egQowuJRiEdLNtPjm2MwgJiSXZn7GbUOhCzjy7ZPRv9S44/s1600/PinToWinUnlimited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFY4SbBo53hVI6PjKMKVNgVshBcJEQbnnlvP-Ip3ag01S38MeT8FlZHkpH6eJY0YVc9NsQraDpGAmH70qrIK3CvO8AwWF6S4egQowuJRiEdLNtPjm2MwgJiSXZn7GbUOhCzjy7ZPRv9S44/s400/PinToWinUnlimited.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note: Pinning is NOT required to enter (the pins are just
for fun). Simply enter your name and e-mail address in the form on Davis Bunn’s
Facebook page. You can enter once per email address per day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rack up lots of bonus entries each day by sharing the
contest with your Facebook and Twitter friends!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-41487097940242045962013-09-18T22:36:00.000-05:002013-09-18T22:36:31.123-05:00Book Feature: When the Morning Glory Blooms<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/142673543X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=142673543X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=142673543X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=wwwmichellera-20" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When can a mother’s nightmare also be her greatest blessing?
When her teenage daughter gives birth to her first grandchild and continues
being a teenager. In Cynthia Ruchti’s book, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/142673543X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=142673543X&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwmichellera-20%22%3EWhen%20the%20Morning%20Glory%20Blooms%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwmichellera-20&l=as2&o=1&a=142673543X%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">When the Morning Glory Blooms</a>,
readers walk through the journey of mom ‘Becky’ as she parents both her
daughter Lauren and her grandson. It’s a heart-tugging story that draws the
reader in, wondering, would I be as gracious as Becky? But that isn’t the only
story in the book. Woven throughout the book are the stories of two other
women, Anna, and Ivy. The stories take the reader through three different eras
with the women, with an underlying thread that ties them all together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That thread is what makes this book special. Each woman is
affected in some way but premature motherhood. By this I mean mothers who are
young, single, and striving to figure out what to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ruchti artfully weaves a theme into the book without
preaching at readers or bashing unwed mothers. Instead, she draws the reader in
to explore the subject in a way that leaves them wondering what they would do
in similar circumstances. Gone is the judging, replaced by a climate of grace
that only comes from a writer who has lived it and understood the complexity of
loving a young person through the process of stumbling and getting back up again.
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A great read. I loved the blend of historical and
contemporary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Want to know more about the author? Check out <a href="http://www.cynthiaruchti.com/">Hope that Glows in the Dark. </a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042532043887666706.post-22235655397542157672013-08-19T23:20:00.001-05:002013-08-19T23:20:55.399-05:00Becoming, Not Finding a Soul Mate<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I met my husband when I was 15 years old and we started dating the summer I turned 16. We were young, and immature, but our relationship is nearly three decades old. How did I know my husband was the right one for me? I didn't know from the moment our eyes locked across the church sanctuary. Nor was it love at first date.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I ran across a <a href="http://theartinlife.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/my-husband-is-not-my-soul-mate/">blog post</a> recently in which the author declared that her husband is not her soul mate. The author's observations about marriage and the daily commitment it takes are precisely right. But the concept of a 'soul mate' captured my thoughts. I can't declare that I don't believe in soul mates, because that isn't true. I do. The problem arises with how the term is defined. Here is how it is often perceived:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A girl makes a list of the qualities she wants in a husband. She waits because God has this one man picked out for her and when they finally find each other they will live happily ever after. Translated, she must search until she finds that one person God chose for her. The heavens will part and her heart will flutter when she meets that man.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What's wrong with this? It sets up a fairy tale with expectations potentially too high for any human to reach. And there is no biblical support for the concept as define this way. The idea of a list of characteristics that the perfect mate will have is also flawed if we have created such a list without consulting God in any way. There is no biblical indication that God will bend his will to meet mine. Rather, it's the other way around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, I refuse to throw away the idea of a soul mate. The problem is with how we are misguided in our definition of the term. I believe my husband is my soul mate. Here is why:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I believe in God's sovereignty and I believe he will lead me to make decisions that are in my best interest, if I keep my heart surrendered to his leading. I believe that when two people keep their hearts in tune with God, he will lead them to the best mate who complements each. When God is in charge of a marriage, two people become soul mates because their souls are each so tied to God that they become one with each other. Rather than a mate chosen for me from the beginning of time, my husband is a godly man who crossed my path at a time when we were both open to God's leading in our lives. And the list of qualities I'd dream of in a husband? Godly and loving were the only two items that needed to remain on the list. The rest were artificial 'needs.'</span></blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9V1zfM2smbhCwrqepiqtppL3WmS_fg4XaJS81EUieSgbT9wH3Hi8OhsJTQ_-S8Yrr3ZoSFOOu8SijY5lrzrixknDYxM_U3HMj6JERlMMAUfzcqNr9fVcE3vfiPv2lE9kmKs_DwZRo-BS/s1600/wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9V1zfM2smbhCwrqepiqtppL3WmS_fg4XaJS81EUieSgbT9wH3Hi8OhsJTQ_-S8Yrr3ZoSFOOu8SijY5lrzrixknDYxM_U3HMj6JERlMMAUfzcqNr9fVcE3vfiPv2lE9kmKs_DwZRo-BS/s320/wedding.jpg" width="240" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">God does have a plan for every person's life. For some, it is to marry. For others it isn't. For those who do marry, it is impossible to make a wise choice in a mate without involving God in the process. In this, he does lead us to the right person for us. Many might reject the idea of a soul mate based on the divorce rate in our country. Far too many people go contrary to their own conscience in marrying, having been swept away by an illusion of commitment with no real depth in the relationship. As soon as reality sets in and the relationship becomes work, they decide their spouse wasn't their soul mate after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In contrast, I believe my husband became my soul mate the moment he slipped a ring on my youthful finger nearly 24 years ago. I committed to love him, through the ups and downs, no matter what came our way. I pledged to hang in there, even when the infatuation wore off and I didn't feel as in love. We committed our souls to God, the the ever-present glue that binds us together. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">God did have the two of us set apart for one another. Not in some predetermined match program guided by our wish lists for a spouse, but because God knew I would need a patient man who knew how to handle me when I flip out. I would need a kind and gentle husband to soothe my rough edges. And my husband would need a wife who would pep talk him through days of raising support for full time ministry and keep a well-organized home to balance his child-like fun-loving spirit. He brought us together because He determined it, not because we dreamed it to be in a list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The future husband I created in my mind when I was fourteen or fifteen years old was founded on foolish immaturity. God brought me a man who had a depth I couldn't have imagined at that young age.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HYgyZxnGV1rwkeLzXSdnoejDqh7Qjup7ONnuY0BomEMhz80XVHoxATd0EvLOqZRvx_ONXzaQ3A5W67NyhDHZzJvL8ePQHTgvIeUcdIR_2oLUVND3LGWaFHniDGUIHcEvlQETyhl6Uo1w/s1600/Phil+and+Michelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HYgyZxnGV1rwkeLzXSdnoejDqh7Qjup7ONnuY0BomEMhz80XVHoxATd0EvLOqZRvx_ONXzaQ3A5W67NyhDHZzJvL8ePQHTgvIeUcdIR_2oLUVND3LGWaFHniDGUIHcEvlQETyhl6Uo1w/s320/Phil+and+Michelle.jpg" width="267" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A soul mate does not mean a perfect mate. It means our souls are both committed and dependent on God to help us get through every imperfection we bring to the union. That we work through our conflicts and stay true to the promise we made. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We aren't like two kids in love anymore. We sit in our recliners at night, one sleeping, the other on her laptop writing blog posts. We poke each other all night long to get the other to stop snoring. We argue sometimes and act selfishly. Yet, we're more soul mates now than ever before because the grace of God has carried us through so much. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We didn't find our soul mates. We became them.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883192683631964901noreply@blogger.com2