Our Give-Away for Today!
Words a novel
"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."
Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.
Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.
Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word-Jesus Christ.
Ginny Yttrup: The opportunity to write is the fulfillment of a life-long dream. Words were my salvation as a child, until I met my true Savior, the Word. Through the tumultuous years of my childhood, I lost myself in the stories I read. There, in the world of fiction, I escaped the trauma I faced and found a place of safety and rest. Today, I enjoy the gift of combining my two loves—I write words that, I pray, reflect the glory of Jesus Christ.
As I write, speak, and work as a life coach, my prayer is that God will use my words to replace the lies so many believe about themselves with the truth of His unconditional love and grace. To see someone grasp, perhaps for the first time, the truth of God’s love, is truly an honor. Through a relationship with the Truth, Jesus Christ, the bonds of shame are loosed and freedom abounds!
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One of my favorite songs to sing a cappella is “Rejoice in the Lord Always.”
I especially love splitting into groups and singing it as “round.”
The counterpoint harmonies go off in different directions, but we come back together in the end: “And again I say rejoice!”
Rejoicing is infinitely more powerful than complaining+.
A Chorus of Rejoicing
Marianne Yelvington Hutto It's our first born's 32nd birthday. That's her at 6 in the thumbnail you see. She's still my Precious One, but her 2 little girls are giving her a "run for her money"; ha, ha.
Karen Winans I can rejoice in Richard and I getting married!! Thank you to all who made it possible!! Hugs!!
Mindy Vondersaar Bowman May 19 was the 8 year anniversary of the very first email I received from my wonderful husband!
Valari Avilez Getting my son's medicine despite insurance issues and a national shortage.
LeAnne Thornton My precious grand-daughter who was born 9 weeks early came home and is gaining weight daily. Praising our awesome God for all His blessings.
Valetta Harris Ross All three of my young adults are on the honor roll. My oldest son ending his jr. year of college with a's and b's. and middle son ending freshman yr of college the same. My baby girl is a honor graduating senior going away. Plus I am celebrating my 50th birthday soon! God is more than good!
Heidi Knudson Jacobs Diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma; dermatologist removed it ALL-no more cancer; plastic surgeon stitched it up; stitches being removed today. Praise God it's gone!
Donna Marie I rejoice in knowing by experience the faithfulness of God. The memories of past "faithfulnesses" help me to work through present difficulties, knowing that God will indeed make all things beautiful and "for good" no matter how it looks right now to me.
Colleen Lyons Wohlford I rejoice in the blessing of my 3 beautiful girls (4, 2 & 3mo). They give me plenty of opportunities to practice patience, self-control and humility and they show me little glimpses of our Saviour and his amazing grace.
Kristina Dignan I rejoice in God allowing me to quit my job to spend more time with my family. Now it's quality time. I'm so grateful for His grace, mercy, forgiveness, faithfulness, and most of all His love for me!
In sharing a variety of voices today, my hope is that we will each
- remember how much God has given us to rejoice about, and
- develop a new habit of inviting others to share what they’re rejoicing about.
Join & Enjoy Our REJOICE Link-Up!
If you're a blogger, join our “REJOICE” Link-up today! Feel free to write something new or pull from your archives.
And whether or not you blog, enjoy sharing in others' stories of rejoicing!
And whether or not you blog, enjoy sharing in others' stories of rejoicing!
Try this today: Start as many conversations as you can with, "What are you rejoicing about today?" or "What's going well for you?" or "What are you grateful for this week?"
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Please leave a comment
- responding to today’s blog, and/or
- sharing your Day #1-24 experience of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, and/or
- about anything else on your heart!
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(Catch up on any "Warm-Up Week" Blog Posts!)