Thursday, March 19, 2015

This Last Surrender: Giveaway Winner and Release Day!

Today is the RELEASE DAY for
THIS LAST SURRENDER: A 31-DAY DEVOTIONAL FOR WOMEN SEEKING A DEEPER WALK WITH JESUS CHRIST
by Rebekah Neal {Yes, she's my sister!} of the blog Ready to be Offered!


Thanks to everyone who entered the PRE-RELEASE GIVEAWAY for a hot-off-the-press paperback copy. The randomly-selected winner is... {drum-roll, please}

LAURA L.!
{winner has been e-mailed and has 7 days to respond}

If you didn't win, don't be sad! :-) The beautiful month-long devotional - which includes journaling/discussion questions for each day, perfect for individual or group use - is available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle formats. Personally, I'm ordering several copies to give as gifts for some of the ladies I love - I know that this devotional will be a blessing to them, as it continues to be for me! :-) What a wonderful investment in spiritual growth.

Here are the links where you can find out more about the book and purchase if you wish:

CLICK HERE for the KINDLE VERSION {opens in a new window}
CLICK HERE for the PAPERBACK VERSION {opens in a new window}

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Book Release Spotlight: Ifeoma Samuel & "My 30-Days' Journey to a Fulfilled Life"

I first "met" Ifeoma Samuel through some blogs that we both frequented. Her desire to honor the Lord and to encourage others to do the same through her writing really shone as admirable to me. 

Back in mid-winter, Ifeoma let me know that she planned to release her first book - a devotional entitled My 30-Days' Journey to a Fulfilled Life - and that she wished me to design an e-book cover for her. What a delight! Today is the release day for her devotional, and, while I haven't read it, it has already received some lovely reviews from bloggers such as Nathana Clay {CLICK HERE TO READ} and Juana Mikels {CLICK HERE TO READ}.


The Book: My 30-Days' Journey to a Fulfilled Life by Ifeoma Samuel

Description: There is more to living or merely existing. Are you living a fulfilled life? Can you live that fulfilled life you desire?There is no fulfillment outside Christ Jesus. This is an inspirational devotional book that takes you on an exceptional journey of living a fulfilled life.

Available: On Amazon - CLICK HERE!

About Ifeoma Samuel: Ifeoma is a Christian writer as well as a Sunday-School teacher, wife, and mother. She blogs at http://www.purposefulandmeaningful.blogspot.com.

Friday, March 13, 2015

This Last Surrender: Review and Giveaway!

I'm so excited to present to you a book today, the release of which I've long anticipated... my dear sister Rebekah Neal's devotional This Last Surrender! {Giveaway at the end of this post.}

The Book:

This Last Surrender: A 31-Day Devotional for Women Seeking a Deeper Walk with Jesus Christ
Releasing Thursday, March 19, 2015
In Paperback and Kindle



The Description:

Are you weary in spirit – looking for deep rest? 
Are you thirsty in your soul – needing living water? 
Do you long for a word of encouragement, helping you to persevere through the seeming monotony of motherhood, the press of modern culture, and the difficulties of the Christian life? 

Savor This Last Surrender, a 31-day devotional adapted from some of the most beloved posts from Rebekah Neal’s blog “Ready to be Offered.” Here, you’ll discover a respite – not an escape; a time of refreshment rather than of distraction; and an opportunity to surrender daily everything – heart, soul, mind, and body – to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

You’ll find each day’s selection includes nourishing quotes from past Christians who have walked the narrow way before us, as well as a heart-softening, soul-enriching selection from Rebekah. Ranging from, “Why It’s Not About Losing the Last Ten Pounds,” to “Is He Enough?”, Rebekah handles topics close to almost every woman’s heart with unswerving Scriptural faithfulness and love. 

Every daily reading includes questions for prayer, journaling, or small-group discussion.


My Review:

{Rebekah Neal}
What a tremendous blessing Rebekah's writing has been for my spirit, both on her blog and through this devotional, excerpted and edited from her blog. {Some of you may follow her blog already - Ready to be Offered.} In a way similar to Elisabeth Elliot, Rebekah tackles difficult topics that wrestle with the soul and heart of every woman who seeks a closer walk with her Lord... and she does so with grace, without pulling any punches, and with intense application of biblical truth. Often, I find my heart panged with conviction when I read Rebekah's writing; she removes the outer trappings of our often-mediocre-yet-somehow-acceptable Christian life to show us the core - the place where we need the Surgeon's scalpel.

One of my favorite parts of this devotional? Wait a second - I think that I need to list three. :-) First, I love the quotations from those who have walked the narrow way before us - These carefully-selected words truly enhanced each day's selection. Second, the thought-provoking journaling questions are wonderful, especially for delinquent journalers like myself! Bible study leaders: They can also be used for discussion in group settings. Third, Rebekah's style of writing... well, I suppose that the best way to describe it would be poetry in the guise of prose. 

The devotional - perfect for those of us who don't want to go through an entire year with the same devotional writer - works well {and is intended} for a month-long accompaniment to your Bible reading. However, none of the readings depend on one another for understanding, so they can definitely be read in whatever order you wish. Highly recommended for young women {several of the readings touch on courtship/seeking God's will, etc.} and older women {again, many readings on marriage, family life, prayer, children, and more}.

AND NOW...
I GET TO GIVE AWAY A COPY HOT-OFF-THE-PRESS!

Rebekah's This Last Surrender releases next Thursday, March 19, 2015, but I'm giving away a hot-off-the-press paperback copy during this pre-release week! Enter below and feel free to share! {The giveaway runs 3/13/15 - 3/19/15 and is open to U.S. residents only.}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I might share this post with these blogs: Strangers and Pilgrims, The Modest MomWhat Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every SeasonA Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Homestead Lady, Deborah Jean's Dandelion House, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Serenity You, Renewed Daily, Sunday Stillness, The Beauty in His Grip, Tales of a Kansas Farm Mom.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Announcing the Winner of Rachel Rossano's HONOR

Lots of writing to do today on the sequel to The Fragrance of Geraniums! :-) Peep at that word-count meter on the left... It's actually moving again, as I've now finished all that "deep outlining" and am onto the writing part.

I'm just popping in here to let you all know who is the WINNER of the Kindle copy of Rachel Rossano's newest medieval-style fantasy novel HONOR {which has, I would like to add, reached Amazon #1 bestseller status in its category this week!}.

{If you missed my review of this lovely story, you can CLICK HERE to read it.}

So without further ado, the randomly-chosen winner of a Kindle copy of Honor is...

SHARON!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

{The winner has been contacted via the e-mail address provided and has one week to claim her prize.}

To everyone who entered, thanks for participating and thank you for telling me about your favorite clean/Christian romantic novels!
There were quite a number mentioned that I haven't read yet... Hmm, my mental TBR shelves are filling up fast! {I hope that the Lord gives me a long life so that I can read all these books! Just kidding. ;-)}

If you were not the winner and would like to purchase Honor or learn more about Rachel Rossano, CLICK HERE :-)

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Grace and peace,
Alicia