Book 4 Update & Other News

 

I’m excited to share that Book 4 is ready to go to my editor! Glory to God!

This is a big milestone as I get closer to sharing parts of my testimony and plenty of adventures and lessons I’ve learned during five short-term missions trips and on outreaches in NY.

There’s lots going on these days between preparing for Abounding Faith’s Mighty Women of Valor Women’s Conference on April 14 and working on Book 4, etc.  If you’d like to get email updates about Abounding Faith’s books, events and other news, sign up for my mailing list! As a Thank You, you’ll get a copy of the new “4 Steps to Living Your God-Given Dreams” worksheet for FREE! Here’s the link.

If you’re being blessed by Abounding Faith’s books, posts, events, etc., wonderful!  Here are some great ways to show your support:

  • Read Books 1-3 and write kind reviews about them on Amazon or you can post them online or email them to me at info@aboundingfaith.com.
  • Tell your friends, family, small group and book club members about Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith and perhaps bless some of them with copies. The Trio is available in print and on Kindle on Amazon.
  • Follow Abounding Faith on Instagram, Facebook, TwitterYouTube  and Pinterest and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
  • Shop at Abounding Faith’s online store for yourself, friends and family.

I appreciate all your support! Together we can continue to encourage one another as we walk by faith and not by sight and live our God-given dreams!

Looking forward to staying connected and sharing plenty more updates with you! Don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list here.

 

 

Welcoming Nyack College as the Presenting Sponsor of Abounding Faith’s Women’s Conference

I’m thrilled to welcome Nyack College as the Presenting Sponsor of Abounding Faith’s Mighty Women of Valor Women’s Conference that will be held on April 14!

I applaud Nyack College’s commitment to training students to become servant leaders, industry innovators and to live a life for Christ. Ladies, if you’ve ever prayed and dreamed about going to Nyack’s College, Seminary or Graduate School I have fantastic news. Nyack College is generously offering a partial scholarship to ONE conference attendee.  Glory!

Here are the details about this wonderful partial scholarship that one lady will win at Abounding Faith’s Women’s Conference:

Prize – A $2,000  per year scholarship for one new student who enrolls at Nyack’s College, Seminary or Graduate School within 2018 or 2019.

Winner – One winner will be chosen at random at Abounding Faith’s Mighty Women of Valor Women’s Conference on April 14th. The winner must be present at the conference on April 14 to receive the certificate. Should the winner not be ready to pursue enrollment at Nyack, the winner may gift the scholarship certificate to a woman of her choosing who is actively pursuing new enrollment at Nyack’s College, Seminary or Graduate School by 2019.

If you’re not familiar with Nyack College, you can watch a short video about them below.

I’m praying for you and looking forward to seeing you and your friends on Saturday, April 14th! Space is limited. You won’t want to miss this empowering  event for dynamic women in NYC. Come expecting God to meet us in a special way! Register today!


Did this post encourage you? Get my weekly blog posts emailed to you for free by clicking here or the image below. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to the new “7 Journal Writing Prompts to Help You Wait on God Well” PDF as a free gift.

WOGW journal prompts header 1-16-17

For more encouragement, read my books Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised Land, Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Tribute to Billy Graham

As I work on the flyer for my upcoming women’s conference, I’m delighted to find this flyer that I gave out with such joy when Billy Graham came to town! My Mom and I got to serve as prayer counselors at the crusade and my Mom also served as an usher and sang in the choir! My Dad went to the crusade and my Senior Pastor got to say an opening prayer from the platform. It was truly a blessed time!

I’m still so honored to have gotten to serve at Billy Graham’s last crusade in NYC.  In Book 4 I’m mentioning how his ministry helped me during some critical times in my early Christian walk.

What a life Billy Graham lived and what a legacy he leaves behind for all of us! I feel like I’ve lost a friend but it’s also as if he’s passed the torch to us.

I’m so grateful for Billy Graham’s commitment to faithfully preaching the Word of God! I’d like to share a few lessons I’ve learned from Billy Graham’s life:

Preach the Word of God with boldness! Billy Graham traveled the world sharing about God’s unconditional love for us and how we can have eternal life in heaven through Jesus. Glory! Don’t be shy about sharing your faith. Ask the Lord to give you the courage and the right words to say to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and anyone else the Lord leads you to.

Live a life of integrity! I’m so glad that Billy Graham was faithful to Christ and didn’t get sidetracked by any scandals. He lived knowing that God was watching him. Billy Graham used his gifts to glorify God.  As I listen to people paying tribute to Billy Graham, I keep hearing people describe him as a man of integrity. Let’s live a life worthy of our calls whether we’re serving in a church setting, the marketplace or in our homes.

Fight the good fight of faith! Billy lived to be 99 years old. What an accomplishment! But the true beauty is that he served Jesus until the end. The inscription on his gravestone will read, “Preacher of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ” and includes the Bible verse John 14:6 which says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” How fitting that Billy Graham would point to Christ even on his tombstone!

The Bible says that being absent from the body means being present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8 ). I’m happy that Billy is finally home.

As for us, we get to continue proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ until Jesus returns or takes us home. Don’t give in to discouragement. Don’t let the world dim your light! Keep shining for Christ and obeying His lead. Billy Graham showed us it’s possible to live a life of faith and integrity.

I’d like to leave you with a few quotes from Billy Graham that I found on this site:

  • “I am not going to Heaven because I have preached to great crowds or read the Bible many times. I’m going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in that last moment: ‘Lord, remember me.’”
  • “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”
  • “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
  • “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’”
  • “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion – it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.”
  • “God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.”
  • “I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right.”

To learn more about Billy Graham, click here.

Please feel free to share your kind memories of Billy Graham or favorite quotes from him below. Blessings!

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Early Bird Registration Now Open for Abounding Faith’s Women’s Conference

 

Don’t miss Abounding Faith’s Mighty Women of Valor Women’s Conference on April 14! Come to this lovely time of refreshing and inspiration expecting God to meet us in a special way!

Invite your friends to join you at this empowering event that includes an encouraging Bible-based word and group discussion, a time of sweet fellowship with other dynamic women of different ages and backgrounds, door prizes, light breakfast and the opportunity to buy copies of my books.

***The Early Bird rate of $20 is only available until February 28th. Reserve your spot today by registering here.

I’m looking forward to sharing more conference news in the upcoming weeks.

Hope to see you on April 14th! Register today!

So what does a Mighty Woman of Valor look like to you? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

Blessings!

Register for Abounding Faith’s Mighty Women of Valor Women’s Conference!

Audacious Dreamer and Doer, you’re invited to Abounding Faith’s Mighty Women of Valor Women’s Conference on Saturday, April 14th for a lovely time of refreshing and inspiration! Come and be blessed by an encouraging Bible-based word and by sweet fellowship with other dynamic women. This will be an intimate gathering where you can connect and pray with your beautiful sisters of diverse ages and backgrounds

There will also be door prizes, light breakfast and the opportunity to buy copies of my books Crossing Your Jordan RiverAbounding Faith and Waiting on God Well that are inspiring Pastors, Pastors’ wives, missionaries, chaplains, ministry leaders and those just starting out on their Christian walk.

*** Attention Early Birds! If you register from February 12 – February 28th, the rate is only $20!

Online registration from March 1 – April 12 is the regular rate of $25.

Onsite registration on April 14 is $30.

***Ready to get that special Early Bird rate available only from 2/12 – 2/28? Fantastic! Click here to go to the registration page. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds are available.

Speaker Bio:
Nancy Gavilanes is an Author, Speaker, Life Coach, Evangelist and Entrepreneur who has a passion to encourage people to grow in their love for and their faith in God! That love has compelled her to go on short-term missions trips to five countries (and counting) and on numerous outreaches in New York City. She has a master’s degree in journalism from New York University and has written for various publications including The New York Times. She is the author of Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised LandWaiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! She has spoken to various groups including to Christians working at the United Nations as well as at Nyack College, The Bowery Mission’s Women’s Center and has given her brief testimony at her home church Times Square Church. You can learn more about Nancy at www.AboundingFaith.com.

If you have questions or are interested in sponsoring this empowering event for world-changing women in New York City, please email info@aboundingfaith.com.

Gifted to Serve

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

Don’t you love that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts to be a blessing to others? What are you doing with the unique gifts God gave you? Have you asked God how He’d like you to use those gifts to honor Him?

I hope you’ll take time to continually seek God’s will for your life and Pray, Dream, Do and Repeat!

What has God placed on your heart to accomplish this year? Feel free to share it below.

If you’d like help living your God-given dream, I’d be delighted to be your Life Coach. You can learn more about life coaching and book writing coaching at www.AboundingFaith.com. Blessings!

 

Did this post encourage you? Get my weekly blog posts emailed to you for free by clicking here or the image below. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to the new “7 Journal Writing Prompts to Help You Wait on God Well” PDF as a free gift.

WOGW journal prompts header 1-16-17

For more encouragement, read my books Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised Land, Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Announcing Abounding Faith’s Second Women’s Conference!

“I was encouraged to pray and seek God for my life’s purpose.”

That’s how an attendee summed up her experience at last year’s women’s conference. Glory! It’s time for us Audacious Dreamers and Doers to reunite at this year’s Abounding Faith Women’s Conference! Come be inspired and connect with women of diverse ages and backgrounds who are on this faith journey with you.

Ladies, you won’t want to miss this beautiful time of refreshing and empowerment! Save the date and invite your friends. Registration details to come.

**If you’re interested in sponsoring this inspiring event that will encourage and empower women in New York City, please email info@aboundingfaith.com. Blessings!

 

Did this post encourage you? Get my weekly blog posts emailed to you for free by clicking here or the image below. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to the new “7 Journal Writing Prompts to Help You Wait on God Well” PDF as a free gift.

WOGW journal prompts header 1-16-17

For more encouragement, read my books Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised Land, Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

5 for 5

In honor of my fifth Blogiversary, I’m taking a look back at posts from past years. Below are links to posts that ran in January over the years. The lessons still ring true. I pray they bless and encourage you. If you have a favorite post from the past that you’d like me to re-visit, please let me know and I may feature it again. Blessings!

Help is on the Way January 2013

I once heard a sermon where the pastor mentioned that we pray one thing and God does 10,000 things in order to bring to pass the answer to our request. The photo above helps to remind me that God does hear my prayers and that His answer is on the way. [Read more by clicking here].

 

In Full Bloom January 2014

Lessons from the Lilies

This week, I’d like to share some lessons I was reminded of from these two lilies in the same bouquet. They caught my attention because at first they were all closed up. They were sealed tighter than in the picture on the left side. Then, in typical fashion, as the days passed they opened up so that their beauty was on full display. [Read more by clicking here].

 

Freedom in Facing Your Fears January 2015

Lessons Learned From Daring to Finally Use my Flat Iron

Ladies, I’m pretty sure you’re going to be able to relate to this post. Fellas, hang in there. Just substitute the mentions of the flat iron with something you fear. [Read more by clicking here].

 

3 Ways to Grow in Your Faith January 2016

If you desire to grow in your faith in Christ this year, congratulations! There’s no better time than today to start. Whether you’ve been a Christian for most of your life or you’re new to following Jesus, I’d like to help you on your faith journey. [Read more by clicking here].

 

7 Bible Verses to Boost Your Hope! January 2017

Are you struggling to wait on God to fulfill His promises in your life? Are you afraid that you’ll never see a breakthrough in your finances, personal life, or ministry work?  If so, I’d like to encourage you not to give up! God is Faithful and will move in your life in His perfect timing and in His perfect way! [Read more by clicking here].

 

Did this post encourage you? Get my weekly blog posts emailed to you for free by clicking here or the image below. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to the new “7 Journal Writing Prompts to Help You Wait on God Well” PDF as a free gift.

WOGW journal prompts header 1-16-17

For more encouragement, read my books Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised Land, Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Happy 5th Blogiversary!

How in the world has private me been blogging for five straight years? Only God could do that!

I still remember how hard it was to launch this blog. There were tons of reasons why I shouldn’t have started blogging.

I have a master’s degree in journalism from New York University and have written for various publications including The New York Times, but I wasn’t used to writing publicly about my faith. I was trained to tell other people’s stories. But the more I started to share some of my insights and life lessons I’ve learned, the more positive reaction I got from readers.

I’m not techie by any stretch of the imagination. I remember spending hours reading and watching videos about the technical side of starting a blog. I made tons of calls to the support lines for help the weekend I launched my site. I still marvel that this site ever went live.

I was also going through a very rough time in my life. I was in tears most of the time I launched this blog. This blog easily could have been one big rant, but I was determined to create something beautiful and to write words that would inspire and uplift readers.

All my fears and concerns could have stopped me from publishing my first post, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that God wanted me to start this blog and that it was time to honor Him with my writing gift. What a journey it’s been!

I was worried that I might quickly run out of things to say, but God has been faithful to give me ideas for what to share here. As I poured out my thoughts on the screen, God filled me with fresh ideas (or manna) to help others on their faith journey.

I’ve written on good days and not-so-good days. I’m grateful that this blog has been a safe place for me to share my writing, photos, videos and designs.

By God’s grace, I’m still here. And you’re still here, too! I pray you have been encouraged by my posts!

I’m delighted that I’ve written three books during these years of blogging, and I’m thrilled that Book 4 is with my early readers. I plan to share parts of my testimony and some blog posts in my new book so stay tuned!

This year I also plan to have my second women’s conference. I will be sharing more info shortly.

In the meantime, I hope you will enjoy the Miraculous and Lovely moments in your life! God really is closer than you think, and He desires to spend precious time with you! Blessings to you on your faith journey!

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45)

Did this post encourage you? Get my weekly blog posts emailed to you for free by clicking here or the image below. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to the new “7 Journal Writing Prompts to Help You Wait on God Well” PDF as a free gift.

WOGW journal prompts header 1-16-17

For more encouragement, read my books Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised Land, Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Happy New Year & My One Word

Welcome to 2018! I pray you’re filled with God’s love, peace and joy in this new year! I pray that you will know Jesus in a deeper way and that you will dare to live your God-given dreams and SOAR!

As I’ve been praying and thinking about my “One Word” for this year, the word that keeps coming to mind is beauty. I will seek to see God’s beauty in my everyday life. Yes, I will rejoice in the Miraculous Lovely moments throughout the year.

God’s beauty is all around us. We just need to stop and cherish those moments.

I had plenty of time to soak in God’s splendor during my recent trip back to the Caribbean. The sunrises and sunsets on the ocean were truly breathtaking!

I’d like to start this year off by sharing some of those photos with you. I pray they will inspire you. God is so creative!

 

I’ll be sharing more pics this week on Abounding Faith’s Instagram page.

Many blessings to you this year, and remember that God promises to give us beauty for ashes.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Did this post encourage you? Get my weekly blog posts emailed to you for free by clicking here or the image below. When you sign up, you’ll also get access to the new “7 Journal Writing Prompts to Help You Wait on God Well” PDF as a free gift.

WOGW journal prompts header 1-16-17

For more encouragement, read my books Crossing Your Jordan River: How to Possess and Prosper in Your Promised Land, Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough and Abounding Faith: 30 Bible Heroes Who Will Inspire You to Believe God for the Impossible! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. Check out Abounding Faith’s online store here. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.