Sunday, August 26, 2012

Introducing Guest Blogger Katie Ganshert

Katie Ganshert is a writer who used to make a living as an elementary school teacher. Given my background in education and desire to make a living as a writer, I instantly connected with Katie's life story upon reading her blog earlier this year. Eventually, I connected with Katie and asked her to write a guest post for my blog. Gratefully, she agreed! Katie is a very talented author whose first book, Wildflowers from Winter, released May 2012 is a wonderful portrayal of how God can work in our lives to bring beauty out of pain.

So without further ado, here is Katie's first guest post for my blog:

Faith and the Writing Journey

Written by Katie Ganshert

I always loved writing as a little girl. Instead of watching TV, I’d curl up in bed and fill notebook after notebook with penciled stories.

I had no idea, at the time, that God was working in my heart long before I ever knew Him. Hindsight is the coolest, because of course now, I can see His hand in my life. I know with absolute assurance that He plants dreams and passions in our hearts for a reason.

My debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter, hit shelves this past May. It was a huge, giant dream come true. And I’ve loved every minute of being a published author. However, I can’t help but look back with fondness on the uncomfortable, sometimes confusing road that led me to this place.

It was a journey that was littered with doubt and deferred hope and excruciating bouts of waiting. I wrote novels and I got rejections from agents and editors and all I could do was get on my knees and surrender my dreams over and over again.

Until something pretty amazing happened.

My prayers changed from Lord, let me be published to Lord, give me more of you. I began to praise God in the midst of the waiting and the rejections. Because both were drawing me closer to Him. And drawing closer to Him is a pretty breathtaking thing.

I’m discovering that this side of publication is no different. I still have dreams. I still have fears. I still have desires and hopes and doubts. Publication is everything like I thought it would be and nothing like I thought it would be. I’m continually having to take my dreams and my fears and my expectations to the foot of the cross and hand them over.

As I travel this journey, I realize more and more that the point isn’t publication or making the best-seller list or winning awards.

The point is obedience and surrender.

It’s learning to trust that if God has put stories in our heart, then all we can do is write them. Write them the best way we know how, then get on our knees and trust Him with the rest. Come what may.

Question for You: Have any dreams or passions in your life strengthened your faith?

Leave your answers to this question in the comment section.
-- 

Author Biography: Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the Midwest, where she writes stories about finding faith and falling in love. When she’s not busy plotting her next novel, she enjoys watching movies with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends over bagels. She and her husband are in the process of adopting from the Congo. You can find her online at her blog and on Facebook.

Great news for you (the reader): Katie would love to send my readers a welcome packet. If you'd like to receive one, please visit her website and click on the Welcome Packet button.

Exciting news for you!

Dear friends,

I have an exciting new feature coming soon to my blog, "God is Love"! :)

The feature is....*drum roll*...GUEST POSTS! :) I am sure most of you who visit blogs on a daily basis are very familiar with guest posts! For those of you who may not be, a guest post is simply when the creator of a blog asks someone they know or admire to be a guest on their blog through writing something for the creator of the blog which is then posted on the creator's blog. So in my case, my blog is, as you can see, "God is Love" and I have invited a few remarkable writers--some that I personally know and some that I admire and met through blog world-- to write a guest post on my blog! And I am blessed to learn that most so far have said "yes"! :) As you can see, I am so excited about this exciting news and I hope you are too!

If you are not excited yet, I'm sure you will be once you start reading the guest posts because these writers you're about to experience are amazing in their own wonderfully unique ways! Writing is their passion and connecting with people through words is what they do best! My writers come from all walks of life-- male, female, married with (or without) kids, single, building (or settled into) their careers, homemakers, you name it, I plan to bring it! :) And I bring it to you with the hope and prayer that their written works will both inspire, encourage and uplift your mind, heart and soul to experience the compassionate heart and character of God who loves you as one of His own children. :)

So stay tuned! :)

Love,

Alexis

Saturday, August 25, 2012

YOU are invited to BIBLE BOOTCAMP



Dear loved blog readers,

Yes, I said you are loved because it's true-- you are LOVED BY GOD! :)

And I would like to invite you to set aside 30 minutes a day in which you can spend time with God!

Here's how: Pastor Paul Graham of Restoration Praise Center is operating a Bible boot camp-- yes, BOOT CAMP-- every morning for the entire month of August from 5:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. And guess what? You don't have to leave your house to attend! Simply log into the official Bible Boot Camp URL which is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/prayer-without-walls and you can watch the session! :) Like the gift of salvation which Jesus Christ offers to all who believe in Him, Bible boot camp is being offered to you and anyone in the world with Internet access for FREE!

So are you ready to as Pastor Graham says, "Flex your spiritual muscles"? Are you ready to learn more about Jehovah Jireh a.k.a. Jesus Christ as your Provider? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions or even if you said "maybe" or "no," I invite you to tune in for just one session-- just one! And you most likely will be led to viewing more. :) Did I mention that you don't have to be an early riser to attend Bible boot camp? It's true! The episodes are recorded and stored online for viewing at your convenience! For example, here's today's episode ... http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/24949648

I am sorry for not telling you about this sooner but you can still see the live episodes every morning (weekends included) until August 31! It's never too late to tune in since the sessions are stored on the website! :)

Take care, tune in and be blessed! :)

Love,

Alexis


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Artist Spotlight: Tamela Mann



Tamela Mann, simply said, is an inspiration! And I am sharing this song, "Take Me To The King" which is now available online and in stores, to prove it. :)

The song is honest, the message is presented with hard-hitting yet incredibly uplifting honesty and as a Christian, it gives me HOPE because we've all been there when we're so worn out and downright depressed with the hard knocks delivered to us by life BUT even then, we are reminded in the lyrics of this song that there IS a GOD and HE is KING of the UNIVERSE! Even when the world around you feels like it's spinning out of control, know that God is STILL in control of everyone and everything! And He is accessible to us through the power of PRAYER.


So if life has beaten you down, look up and remember God is: 1) REAL (2) just a prayer away.

Approach God's throne of grace boldly so you may find help in your time of need (read Hebrews 4:16).

God bless you!

Love,
Alexis