BLOGWORDS – Friday 30 November 2018 – FIRST LINE FRIDAY – A TALE OF TWO HEARTS by MICHELLE GRIEP

FIRST LINE FRIDAY – A TALE OF TWO HEARTS by MICHELLE GRIEP

 

Welcome to First Line Fridays, hosted by Hoarding Books!!!

 

Tell us your first line in the comments & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!

 

 

 

THE BLURB:    

London, 1853: Innkeeper’s daughter Mina Scott will do anything to escape the drudgery of her life, for there’s nothing more mundane than serving customers day after day. Every minute she can, she reads and dreams of someday becoming a real lady—and catch the eye of William Barlow, a frequent guest at the inn.

William is a gentleman’s son, a charming but penniless rogue. However, his bachelor uncle will soon name an heir—either him or his scheming cousin. In an effort to secure the inheritance, William gives his uncle the impression he’s married, which works until he’s invited to bring his wife for a visit.

William asks Mina to be his pretend bride, only until his uncle names an heir on Christmas Day. Mina is flattered and frustrated by the offer, for she wants a true relationship with William. Yet, she agrees. . .then wishes she hadn’t. So does William. Deceiving the old man breaks both their hearts. When the truth is finally discovered, more than just money is lost.

Can two hearts survive such deception?

THE AUTHOR:    

I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.

THE FIRST LINE:   

In the tiny back courtyard of the Golden Egg Inn, Mina Scott lowered her copy of David Copperfield to her lap and lifted her face to the October sun.

 

 

#Blogwords, First Line Friday, #FLF, A Tale of Two Hearts, Michelle Griep

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BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 27 November 2018 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – SWIMMING IN THE DEEP END by CHRISTINA SUZANN NELSON

TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – SWIMMING IN THE DEEP END by CHRISTINA SUZANN NELSON

                         

 

THE BLURB:

Jillian Connors has the perfect daughter: loving and smart, she’s an Olympic hopeful with a bright future. But when Gabby becomes pregnant, Jillian fears that future is lost. Worse, she must confront her own secret past and hope the decisions she’s made don’t drown their whole family.

Gabby can’t believe God let this happen to her. She knew the risks, but who thinks about that when they’re in love? Now she has to face the consequences–and the disappointed stares from everyone who thought she was the perfect Christian girl. At least she has the baby’s father, Travis. Nothing can tear them apart, right?

Margaret Owens had determined dreams for her son. She’s furious that Gabby’s pregnancy jeopardizes his college baseball scholarship and terrified that Travis will be trapped in a life of struggle and poverty–the life she’s tried so hard to save him from. She’ll do anything to protect him–even if it means forcing him to leave Gabby.

Stacey Meyers is aching for a child of her own. But the son she was meant to adopt was taken before she could hold him in her arms. It feels like she’ll never stop mourning; even the move to this new town hasn’t distracted her from the pain. How can she and her husband find peace? Is there any hope of a family in their future?

And in the midst of all this . . . an unborn baby. Whose arms will hold him in the end?

 

THE AUTHOR:

 

Christina Suzann Nelson writes stories featuring women who survive circumstances to live lives closer to God’s calling. She focuses on changing legacies from dysfunction to hope.

Her first novel, If We Make It Home, released from Kregel Publication September 2017, gleaned the honor of debut of the month from Library Journal. The book was recently named a BEST BOOK of 2017 by Library Journal.

The Oregon Christian Writers named Nelson the 2017 Writer of Promise.
In 2010, she was a finalist for the ACFW Genesis contest in both contemporary and women’s fiction. Her manuscript, Torn Edges, was named the 2014 overall winner in the ACFW Phoenix Rattler competition, a finalist in the 2015 ACFW Genesis, and won third place in the annual Idahope contest for unpublished novelists. Another of her manuscripts, The Azalea Sisters, made the semi-finals in the contemporary category of the ACFW Genesis for 2015.

For the past ten years, Christina has been a member of Oregon Christian Writers and American Christian Fiction Writers. She attends conferences and workshops throughout the year including the national ACFW conference. Within ACFW, Christina has served as the northwest zone director.

Christina lives in Oregon’s gorgeous Willamette Valley with her husband of twenty-five years and their four children. The family owns a small farm where the kids raise animals as 4H projects.

She is honored to be a member of the steering committee for Every Child, Benton and Linn County, where she has the opportunity to influence the lives of families and children in the foster care system.

 

MY REVIEW:

WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!!

Ms. Nelson’s story grips the reader from the first page and doesn’t let up. She takes a delicate and often taboo issue by the horns, and pulls it apart from the perspective of four different women; four characters, each with their own secrets and agony, and each entwining with the others. A heart wrenching and poignant story, elegant prose, and characters so real I felt their pain.

As each character spoke, she revealed more of her struggle and pain. The burden she bore. And as each character interacted with the others, truth seeped out and answers were born, a fitting and fulfilling solution that touches the hearts and lives of the characters, and of the reader.

Masterfully handled and beautifully told, Ms. Nelson brings to light a subject so many choose to overlook. She gives a face to the pain and a heart to answers that lie waiting to be found.

 

ROBIN’S FEATHERS:

ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

 

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Swimming in the Deep End,  Christina Suzann Nelson

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BLOGWORDS – Friday 23 November 2018 – FIRST LINE FRIDAY – TWELVE DAYS AT BLEAKLY MANOR by MICHELLE GRIEP

FIRST LINE FRIDAY – TWELVE DAYS AT BLEAKLY MANOR by MICHELLE GRIEP

 

Welcome to First Line Fridays, hosted by Hoarding Books!!!

 

Tell us your first line in the comments & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!

 

 

 

THE BLURB:    

A mysterious invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home may bring danger…and love?

England, 1851: When Clara Chapman receives an intriguing invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home, she is hesitant yet feels compelled to attend—for if she remains the duration of the twelve-day celebration, she is promised a sum of five hundred pounds.

But is she walking into danger? It appears so, especially when she comes face to face with one of the other guests—her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane.

Imprisoned unjustly, Ben wants revenge on whoever stole his honor. When he’s given the chance to gain his freedom, he jumps at it—and is faced with the anger of the woman he stood up at the altar. Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they’ve been striving for isn’t what ultimately matters.

What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.

THE AUTHOR:    

I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.

THE FIRST LINE:   

Christmas or not, there was nothing merry about the alleys of Holywell.

 

 

#Blogwords, First Line Friday, #FLF, Twelve Days at Bleakly Manor, Michelle Griep

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BLOGWORDS –Tuesday 20 November 2018 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNCHARTED JOURNEY by KEELY BROOKE KEITH

TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – UNCHARTED JOURNEY by KEELY BROOKE KEITH

                                                                             

THE BLURB:

Young widow Eva Vestal assumes loneliness is God’s permanent plan for her life. She keeps busy by raising her son and co-managing the Inn at Falls Creek with her elderly father, but her heart yearns for more.

Solomon “Solo” Cotter has spent his life working with horses, but he secretly wants to write a book of the children’s stories his grandfather told him as a boy. He barters with Eva’s father for a 40-night stay at the inn, a needed respite from work to get his stories on paper.

Once Eva discovers the barter, she believes Solo is taking advantage of her father’s failing memory. But when tragedy strikes and Solo works hard to save the inn, Eva sees his true nature. As her heart stirs with feelings for Solo, she wrestles with the guilt of loving someone new.

Meanwhile, outside the Land…

Bailey Colburn arrives at the coordinates of the Land on the autumn equinox and finds nothing but ocean. The sun sets, ending Bailey’s dream of a safe and simple life with the family she’s never known. Just when she decides Justin Mercer lied about visiting a hidden land in the South Atlantic Ocean and meeting Bailey’s distant relatives, the atmosphere around the boat changes and ushers her into an uncharted world, but her entrance into the Land comes at a devastating price.

Uncharted Journey weaves past and future in this inspirational story of life in a hidden land. There is always room for you at the Colburns’ house in the quaint village of Good Springs. Join the Colburn family as they discover their purpose, find love, and protect the Land. Read Uncharted Journey today.

 

THE AUTHOR:

 

Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist). Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving 80s kid. She grew up in a family who moved often, which fueled her dreams of faraway lands. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys teaching home school lessons and playing bass guitar. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY REVIEW:

This is the most exciting book yet in the series! A double treat, Uncharted Journey traces the story of two members of the Land, Eva Vestal and Bailey Colburn, with a tie between the two.

Grief holds each of us differently, and Ms. Keith portrays Eva’s grieving heart so poignantly. From the outside looking in, it’s so easy to say, “Do this.” or “Don’t do that.” Kudos to Ms. Keith for portraying Eva’s suffering in such a real way.

Bailey struggled with a different kind of grief. As conflicting as it sounds, sometimes embracing a dream isn’t so easy. What Bailey had envisioned as smooth sailing dissipates in the reality of what is lost. Accepting her new circumstance challenges her in ways she hadn’t considered.

Well written, and skillfully woven between the two, this story tugs at the heart and begs the reader to keep turning pages.

Ms. Keith ends this book with a surprise and mystery that has this reviewer anxiously waiting for the next one!

 

ROBIN’S FEATHERS:

ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

 

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Uncharted Journey, Keely Brooke Keith

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BLOGWORDS – Monday 19 November 2018 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – DIANN MILLS

NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – DIANN MILLS

 

rem note: November is brought to you by the number FORTY—because my firstborn turns forty this month.

40 Writing Tips for the Extraordinary Writer

Writers today search for tips to help them move forward in the craft. The following are 40 ways to sharpen your writing tools.

 

1. Pray for your writing ministry
2. Read in the genre you are writing
3. Read a craft how-to book each month
4. Read a marketing book each month
5. Study the bestsellers like a text book
6. Study daily a blog about the craft
7. Study daily a blog about branding, social media, marketing and promotion
8. Establish a daily writing schedule and stick to it
9. Establish goals for every area of your writing career and analyze quarterly
10. Analyze your career quarterly and make changes if necessary
11. Participate in a writer’s group, either online or face to face
12. Invest in a professional writer’s conference
13. Invest in time and knowledge to raise your visibility in the publishing world
14. Invest in text to voice software
15. Invest in techniques to learn effective speaking
16. Learn your genre and be an expert
17. Learn Facebook and post regularly
18. Learn Twitter and post regularly
19. Learn how to blog effectively and do it
20. Learn how to Instagram and post regularly
21. Use your knowledge and expertise on social media to help and encourage others.
22. Use the 80/20 rule in posting on social media.
23. Use a scheduling tool for social media posts
24. Use an app to check grammar on all writing projects
25. Mentor a serious writer who needs assistance
26. Edit everything you write before pushing Send.
27. Follow social media experts online
28. Follow writers online and post to them
29. Follow editors and publishing houses online
30. Develop a data base for libraries
31. Develop your brand
32. Schedule events not book signings
33. Visit bookstores and introduce yourself to manager or PR person.
34. Request permission to take photos with store owners and librarians. Post and tag on social media
35. Create a spreadsheet for blog posts
36. Create a social media library for all platforms
37. Create a street team.
38. Give back more to your street team than you expect from them
39. Remember your agent and editor(s) on special occasions
40. Remember your marketing and promotion team on special occasions

 

There you are! 40 tips to help you move forward in your writing career. What tip can you give that’s not mentioned above?

 

 

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

 

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian Fiction books of 2014.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, or any of the social media platforms listed at diannmills.com

 

 

#Blogwords, New Week New Fact, #NWNF, Guest Post, DiAnn Mills, 40 Writing Tips for the Extraordinary Writer

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BLOGWORDS – Sunday 18 November 2018 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – THANKFULNESS

FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – THANKFULNESS

 

 

There’s a wealth of things I could say about thankfulness. Benefits, the endless goodness of God, or an inane list of things I’m thankful for.

 

But today, I just want to offer thanks to our heavenly Father for being Who He is. For loving me and holding me in the palm of His hand.

 

As we enter the holiday season, and as we celebrate in whatever way this week, may be thankful to Father for His love and devotion and faithfulness to us.

 

 

#Blogwords, Front Porch Fellowship, #FPF, Sunday Devotion, Thankfulness

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BLOGWORDS – Friday 16 November 2018 – FIRST LINE FRIDAY – THE UNFINISHED GIFT by DAN WALSH

FIRST LINE FRIDAY – THE UNFINISHED GIFT by DAN WALSH

 

Welcome to First Line Fridays, hosted by Hoarding Books!!!

 

Tell us your first line in the comments & then head over to Hoarding Books to see who else is participating!

 

 

 

THE BLURB:    

Patrick Collins is seven years old, and on his Christmas list are only three items. He wants the army to find his father. He wants to leave his grandfather’s house. And, for reasons even he doesn’t understand, he wants the soldier that’s tucked away in his grandfather’s attic.

Set at Christmastime in 1943, The Unfinished Gift tells in an engaging, simple style the story of a family, and reminds us of the surprising things that affect powerful change in our hearts–like a young boy’s prayers, a shoebox full of love letters, and even an old wooden soldier, long forgotten. This nostalgic story of forgiveness will engage readers everywhere.

THE AUTHOR:    

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of 20 novels, including The Unfinished Gift, The Reunion and When Night Comes. He has won 3 ACFW Carol Awards (finalist 6 times), 4 Selah Awards, and 4 times his novels have been named as finalists for RT Reviews Inspirational Novel of the Year.

For those who haven’t read Dan’s books, reviewers often compare him to Nicholas Sparks and Richard Paul

THE FIRST LINE:   

December 20, 1943

When the black sedan stopped at the traffic light, Patrick rose quietly to his knees in the back seat and peeked out the side window.

 

 

#Blogwords, First Line Friday, #FLF, The Unfinished Gift, Dan Walsh

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BLOGWORDS – Thursday 15 November 2018 – WREADING WEDNESDAY-on-THURSDAY – FEATURED BOOK– TEAL PAISLEY TIGHTS by BARBARA BRUTT

WREADING WEDNESDAY-on-THURSDAY – FEATURED BOOK – TEAL PAISLEY TIGHTS by BARBARA BRUTT

Welcome to the Blog Blitz & Giveaway for Teal Paisley Tights by Barbara Brutt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Happy Release Day to this debut author!

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Teal Paisley Tights
Author: Barbara Brutt
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Release Date: November 15, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

THE BLURB:

Life post-graduation was supposed to see the launch of paisley-loving Jadyn’s art career, or at least an art gallery showing one of her watercolor paintings. Instead, this Pittsburgh native is locked into a low-paying, buttoned-up consultant position with an impossible boss. When another colleague is dismissed, Jadyn inherits extra workload, including the company’s biggest client. If she loses him, she’s fired.

Jadyn people-pleases her way through life, resulting in extra work opportunities and a community classroom of art students. But when two guys appear on her doorstep, she just might not be able to people-please her way out of this love triangle. At the end of the day, she can’t please everyone.

Then, because of a small spending problem, Jadyn is evicted from her apartment, and she must move in with her know-it-all sister. Jadyn needs to decide between a job transfer that would place her near her love interest, or a full-time art career with all its risks.

Stretched like canvas between responsibility and dreams, she must choose. Will practicality always win?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

 

THE AUTHOR:

 

Barbara Brutt, a born and raised Pittsburgher, spent her growing-up years with her nose in a book. After claiming her bachelor’s degree in English, she plunked down hard into a smattering of jobs from shop girl to communications director with a healthy dose of nanny and house-cleaner. Flying to new adventures is her favorite, especially on an airplane or aerial silk. Barbara adores ice cream and only buys purses that provide room for a book or two.

Barbara talks books, aerial silks, faith, and travel on her website and blog at barbarabrutt.com.

CONNECT WITH BARBARA: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 

 

 

EXCERPT:

No.

An overdue rent notice threatened me: Pay up or move out. I had one month. My mind sped through options. I didn’t have rent money because my cash flow was shot from the daily expenses: occasional retail therapy, my art hobby, and a slight coffee addiction. My full-time job hadn’t lived up to its promises. I worked all the time and still couldn’t pay the rent. And night jobs usually involved poles or polos and ball caps.

My eyes wandered the apartment. Heated ceramic floors. Lush carpets. Modern amenities. Those beautiful things had been my downfall. Mel had warned me that I should find a cheaper apartment at first, but I wanted to go big or go home. Now, I might be going home to Mom after all.

 

 

TOUR GIVEAWAY:

(1) winner will receive (US only)

• a pair of teal paisley tights (one size fits most)
• $15 Starbucks gift card

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 15, 2018 and last through 11:59pm November 22, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

 

#Blogwords, Wreading Wednesday-0n-Thursday, Featured Book, Teal Paisley Tights, Barbara Brutt, JustRead Publicity Tours

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BLOGWORDS – Wednesday Tuesday 13 November 2018 – WREADING WTUESDAY – FEATURED BOOK– AN UNLIKELY COURTSHIP by HEIDI KIMBALL

BLOGWORDS – Wednesday Tuesday 13 November 2018 – WREADING WEDNESDAY – FEATURED BOOK– AN UNLIKELY COURTSHIP by HEIDI KIMBALL

WREADING WEDNESDAY – FEATURED BOOK – AN UNLIKELY COURTSHIP by HEIDI KIMBALL

 

                                                                             

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Series: Regency House Party
Genre:  Adult, Historical, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Indie
Publication date: September 9, 2018

THE BLURB:

One can only be careless with so many hearts before he ends up breaking his own.

Lord Anthony is an outrageous flirt with a devil-may-care attitude. The last thing on his mind is settling down. When the Countess Du’Breven invites him to her house party, promising to see him married, Anthony finds the prospect diverting and accepts. But when he meets a damsel in distress unwilling to accept his help, Anthony realizes his attraction to her may be his downfall.

Isabel Townshend is at her breaking point, caring for her ailing father and her innocent younger sister. She has a family secret to protect and no time for handsome young men, even at a house party with so many eligible bachelors. When Lord Anthony disturbs her well-laid plans, Isabel realizes her determination to protect her family may cost her future happiness.
With hearts at odds and defenses drawn, will Isabel and Anthony be able to put aside their differences and find love at last?
​
An Unlikely Courtship is one of five books set in the Regency House Party Series. While each is a stand alone story, watch our characters mingle together with others from the books in the series. The stories can be read in any order.

​GOODREADS | AMAZON

 

 

THE AUTHOR:

 

At a young age Heidi perfected the art of hiding out so she could read instead of doing chores. One husband and four children later, not much has changed. She has an abiding love for peanut butter M&Ms, all things fall, and any book that can make her forget she is supposed to be keeping her children alive.
​
Heidi currently lives just north of Boston, in a charming old town in southern New Hampshire.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | WEBSITE

 

 

 

 

 

THE GIVEAWAY:

Enter the giveaway HERE.
​
Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

 

 

#Blogwords, Wreading Wednesday Tuesday, Featured Book, An Unlikely Courtship, Heidi Kimball, Singing Librarian Tours

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BLOGWORDS – 12 November 2018 – NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – TERESA TYSINGER

NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – TERESA TYSINGER

rem note: November is brought to you by the number FORTY—because my firstborn turns forty this month.

Four Life Lessons You’ll Likely Learn by Forty

 

I had every intention of finding an original angle for Robin’s series highlighting the number 40. But here’s the thing, friends: in January I turn 38. Forty is tip-toeing behind me like Snidely Whiplash, the creepy mustache-twirling villain from the old Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. (Yes, before my time, but the best iconic villain that sprang to mind.) Do you see age as a threat? I actually don’t – not at all!

Instead of quickening my pace and trying to lose 40 around the next corner, I’m actually gearing up to throw 40 an epic welcome home party. For those of you giving your screen an I-don’t-buy-it side eye, let me explain. As I approach 40, some things are becoming crystal clear. I guess you could say, I’m finally learning some life lessons my younger self wasn’t capable of understanding.

 

Here are four lessons you’ll likely learn (and celebrate learning) by the time you turn 40:

1. You’ll never have all the answers. In my 20s I got married, earned an advanced degree, and my husband and I bought a home. We were crushing this life thing! Fast forward a few years and my 30s included selling a home during the biggest recession in my lifetime, realizing my student loans could follow me to my grave, and raising a baby. (There’s nothing like having a child to make you realize how little you know.) Now at 38, I’ve not only accepted the fact that I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve embraced the not-knowing. It’s not our calling to know everything. There is real freedom in acknowledging the answers aren’t always ours to have.
2. The little things are really the big things. I used to be slightly obsessed with creating picture-perfect birthday parties, Instagram-worthy holiday meals, and other grand gestures to fill our life scrapbooks. And while all of those things are wonderful, as 40 approaches I’m realizing that it’s the moments without any kind of spotlight that stand out to me the most: lying next to my 10 year-old singing the same lullaby I sang to her in her nursery, unwrapping Christmas ornaments and remembering the story behind each one, holding my husband’s hand during worship at church. It’s the day-in-day-out moments that really make a lifetime of memories.
3. It really does take a village. I’m still learning this life lesson, but it’s really coming into focus as 40 draws near. You’ve heard the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Let’s edit that to read, “It takes a village to live life.” Better. God created me to be an introverted, INFJ, Enneagram 4 (Google those personality types if you’re not sure about them). Despite my natural loner tendencies, I have been blessed beyond belief the times that I invite someone in to be a part of my village. For me, my villagers have included other moms, pastors, my daughter’s teachers, neighbors, and co-workers. When we share both the good and bad, high and low with others, I believe we live into the true Earthly experience God intends for us. It’s better than trying to prove we can go it alone.
4. Kindness is your greatest asset/tool/weapon and believing so doesn’t make you naive. Y’all, this world is a harsh and unyielding environment. We encounter so much uncertainty, shady characters, and reasons to surrender. Yet in my almost 40 years on this planet, I’ve never felt more empowered than when I chose to be kind. Genuine kindness diffuses hate, prejudice, disappointment, hopelessness, loneliness, and despair. When drawn like a sword, I dare say kindness could avoid war and eventually alleviate rampant poverty. Someone once told me that this belief was naivety on my part. I may not have all the answers, choose to revel in the little things, and surrender to my own limitations and need to accept help. I am also 100% convinced that understanding my superpower is kindness and can be used as a renewable energy to fight all sorts of evil this side of heaven makes me more confident than in my teens, 20s, and 30s.

 

With each month I inch closer to 40, I pray that these lessons burn deeper into my heart. I pray that for you, too, no matter your age. We’re being refined, you and I, sometimes by fire and sometimes by gentle rolling waves. Whether the refining force is chaotic or gentle, I welcome the lessons that mold me into God’s image a little more every day.

Here’s to 40!

 

 

 

Teresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina now living in Nashville. When not working as a communications/graphic design professional, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. Her debut novel, Someplace Familiar is available here. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications. Teresa loves Jesus, coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings!

Get to know Teresa more online…

Website: https://teresatysinger.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresatysingerauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresatysinger/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmtysinger

 

 

 

#Blogwords, New Week New Fact, #NWNF, Guest Post, Teresa Tysinger, Four Life Lessons You’ll Likely Learn by Forty

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