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Greetings from my Epic European Vacation

I’ve just come back from traveling through some of the major cities of Europe such as Venice, Paris, Florence, London, Munich, and Amsterdam. God allowed so many of my dreams to come true during this trip. I am amazed by His love for me and by how beautiful His world is! It really is Miraculous and Lovely!

I took some time to record some short, encouraging videos from many of these cities. I pray that they will bless you!  The video above was shot in Munich, Germany where I was reminded to let God lead you and surprise you!

Here are links to a few more videos:

Don’t give up in the middle of your story! It gets better!

We must go through the valley to stand upon the mountaintop of God!

I stand in awe of all of the beauty God has created!

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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He is Risen Indeed!

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! I hope you had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday. Here’s another look at the short video I shot last year. Blessings!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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

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More than a Book Launch Party

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After all the writing and editing, and after all the prayer and planning, the day finally came for my launch event for my new book Waiting On God Well.

It’s going to take me a bit to process everything and to describe how special Saturday night was for me. But I wanted to take a moment to publically thank every single person who attended my book launch and for those who were praying for the success of the event and the book.

One of the best ways I could describe it was surreal. I had family members there mixed with a friend I’ve known since kindergarten, dear friends from high school and college, a close co-worker, and my lovely church family and co-laborers in Christ. I was so excited every time one of my friends walked through the door.

While I was blessed to get to share a bit about my writing background and my faith journey with my guests, I was also delighted to see my friends mingling together. I was so touched to hear the kind words they shared about our friendship.

My friends are a mini United Nations and come from such diverse backgrounds, but I love that we can find common ground and have stayed in contact after all these years.

Writing can be such a solitary process, but oh the joy there is in getting to share the finished product with your friends and family. These memories will last a lifetime. I’m so thankful to God for allowing this part of my waiting process to be fulfilled!

A giant Thank You to all my volunteers!  The night would not have been the same without you!

Have you read Waiting on God Well? I look forward to hearing your thoughts. If it blessed you, please leave a kind review and rating on Amazon. Thank you in advance!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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

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5 Questions for …

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It’s that time of the year when I get to celebrate my Mom’s birthday! I hope you enjoy learning a little bit more about my lovely Mom in the Q/A below. You’ll hopefully get a glimpse of what a strong woman of God she is. Blessings!

I’ve interviewed Olympians, and local politicians, and even a few celebrities over the years. But this was the first time, that I can remember, that I’ve interviewed my Mom! It was long overdue! My Mom has had a major influence on my life and my faith journey. It’s only fitting that my Mom is the first person that I got to speak with for a new series that I’d like to do from time to time. So here goes:

5 Questions for …. my Mom

What is one of your favorite Bible verses? 

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). God says that He has good plans for us. We don’t have to doubt or fear Him. He doesn’t want to harm us. If something goes wrong, it’s not His doing. We can have faith in God and know that He loves us. He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and give us the gift of eternal life. He’s our loving Father.

Who is one of your favorite people from the Bible (other than Jesus)?

I admire Moses. God spoke to Moses face to face. He was a good leader, a prophet, and obedient. He took time to be with the people and made time to be with God.

What is one of your favorite Christian books?

The Bible. It has everything that we need for our daily living. That’s where you can go at all times. It’s like medicine. You can find support and everything there. There is a Word for every situation. You don’t need to go to another book. You can read other books, but there’s nothing like the Bible.

What is some advice that you would give to other believers?

Obey, persevere, and give thanks to God at all times. Thank Him in the good and bad times. Don’t get sidetracked by following others. Follow Jesus. Persevere and you will be rewarded.

How would you describe God?

He’s All Powerful! He is our Provider. There is power in His Word. He spoke everything into existence and He created us! There is no one like our God! Nothing is impossible for Him!

 

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

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3 Ways to Have a Great Start to the New Year!

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New beginnings. That’s one of the great things about January and the start of a new year. But how much can you really change unless you leave old mindsets and attitudes behind?

So right here, right now at the start of 2015 I’d like to invite you to do the three items listed below. I’d be surprised if you don’t see a difference this year:

Leave the past behind you. Ask God to help you let go of past hurts and offenses. Forgive and ask for forgiveness. Embrace today and look forward to what’s ahead. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19).

Stay in God’s Word. God’s Word brings life. Not sure where to start? Get a study Bible, sign up for reading plans online or on your mobile phone. Sign up for a Bible study class. You can’t go wrong with spending time with God. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

Make time to fellowship with other believers. Have coffee or go for a run with that friend. Join a small group. Go visit that friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Don’t let another year pass by where you drag baggage from the past into your present and future. Make a decision that with God’s help you will make different choices. You’ll chose to love and forgive, spend more time with God, and reach out to those that He’s placed in your life. I’d love to hear how your journey goes this year! Blessings!

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new ebook Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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

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4 of My Favorite Bible Verses

I’m continuing the look back at some of the short, encouraging videos I’ve shot in 2014 and 2013. This time I’m focusing on the videos where I share about some of my favorite Bible verses. I hope you enjoy these videos that are around 30 seconds each. To view the rest of my 20+ short videos, feel free to visit my YouTube Channel. Blessings!

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement and 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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God’s Love in Every Season

I thought it would be nice to take a look back at some of the short, encouraging videos I’ve shot in 2014 and 2013. It’s fun to see all the seasons changing. It’s even better to remember that God loves us no matter what season of life we are in! I hope you enjoy these videos that are around 30 seconds each. To view the rest of my 20+ short videos, feel free to visit my YouTube Channel. Blessings!

Winter 2013

Spring 2013

Summer 2014

Fall 2014

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement and 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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Lessons From Imperfect Nails

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“I was admiring your nails from a distance,” said my colleague after a recent meeting.

What a nice compliment, right? But instead of saying, “Thank you,” I quickly blurted out something more like, “Oh, just keep admiring them from a distance. If you look closely, you’ll see how messy they are.” And I began to share all the flaws before she could spot them.

Stay with me. This incident is about more than simple nail polish or learning how to take a compliment. As I was having this conversation, I got a picture of what many of us do when we don’t want others to get close to us.

We try to keep people at a distance because we don’t want them to see how messy we can be. We want them to stay far away in hopes that they won’t discover our flaws.

Isn’t it sometimes easier to push people away instead of letting them see the real you? Especially if you feel like the real you is chipped, faded, or somehow missing the mark.

If you’re tired of hiding, may I suggest you:

Ask the Lord to show you who to trust. There are people around you who love you and want to get to know you better. The Lord will make them clear. Once He points them out, take step after step towards letting them into your world.

Be honest about your faults with trustworthy people. Chances are they probably can see your imperfections before you mention them or they can see them even clearer than you can. Pray and then take a risk and share with them some of what you’re struggling with. If they truly are your friends, they will love you even with your imperfections.

Remember that no one is perfect. Stop striving to be perfect in everything and in every way. We all make mistakes, we’re all learning, and as the Bible says we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). That means we all need a Savior! When we sin, we can ask Jesus for forgiveness and He is Faithful and just to forgive us (I John 1:9). We can also confess our sins to those trustworthy believers that God has placed in our lives (James 5:16). That helps to bring healing!

Be rooted and grounded in God’s love for you! He loves you. Plain and simple. He’s not surprised by your flaws and weaknesses. He loves you anyway. His Grace is enough to help you in your weak areas and to transform you into the image of His Son Jesus. Even if others reject you, God’s love remains.

The next time you’re tempted to shrink back and hide, I hope you’ll ask the Lord to give you courage to be transparent with others!

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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

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If A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words …

This week I’d like to let my pictures and the Bible verses do most of the talking. I hope that you will be blessed by these photos that I took during my vacation this summer. I pray that you will take time to stop and enjoy the Miraculous Lovely sights, sounds, and smells in your everyday life. They are a reminder of God’s Amazing Love for Us and a display of His Creative Hand at work!

PK Lake pic

 

PK Cross pic

 

PK Kayak

You can find more images like this on my Pinterest page.

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

The Holy Bible, King James Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769; King James Bible Online, 2014. http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/.

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Celebrating Life!

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Those who know me well have heard me say that I don’t just celebrate my birthday, I celebrate my birthmonth. Yes, the Roctober celebrations are in full swing. I’m enjoying dinner and dessert with my family and friends. I’m finding ways to pamper myself as well. Why limit the party to one day when you can celebrate all month long, right?

But along with rejoicing, I tend to get very pensive and do a lot of reflecting around my birthday. I take inventory of the highs and lows of the past year and then future focused me likes to plan and set goals for the upcoming year.

Trying to figure out the future though can fill anyone with worry, doubt or fear. That’s why I’m learning to not fret so much and to rest in knowing that God has everything under control.

The verse that comes to mind is found in Psalm 139. That’s one of my favorite Psalms and the verse I’m referring to is, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16)

Let’s stop and think about that for a moment. Before we were even born, God knew us. And before we ever took one breath on this earth, God had our lives all planned out. Nothing surprises God!

Sometimes we get so stressed trying to figure out God’s will for our lives or what our next step should be. We worry about missing God’s plan for our lives or get upset that we haven’t achieved certain goals yet. But as a dear friend recently reminded me, God is not limited by time.

I can be content and enjoy today because I know that I’m right where God wants me to be for now. I can praise God and celebrate what’s to come because I know that God has ordained beautiful things for my future.

The same is true for you! Continue following Jesus and let Him unfold His good plan for your life day by day.

Blessings to you! May you find plenty of reasons to laugh, smile, and sing today and every day.

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

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For more encouragement and 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. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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

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