Today I welcome author:
Jennifer Slattery
To win a copy
of
Beyond I Do
of
Beyond I Do
Scroll to the end of the post
to see how to get your copy.
to see how to get your copy.
Jennifer has become a sweet friend in very short time. As you read her words below, you will instantly see how God has impacted her life. What a joy to read. I asked Jennifer to share with us how God has led her on her writing journey. This is what she said:
The Dream Giver
Have you ever received a gift from someone and felt like it
pointed to something greater? Or perhaps someone said something in conversation
that pricked your heart in an eerie, foreboding sort of way?
In October of 2009, Dr. Art Criscoe, Senior Editor of Christ
to the World Ministries, sent me a book.
One that made my knees quake. One that assured me not only
of the call, but that God planned to do a great deal within me, to prepare me
for that call.
I had no doubt the pruning process would be painful.
The book was titled, God
Meant it For Good. By R.T. Kendall, it digs deep into the life of Joseph,
exploring his deepest hurts, his worst betrayals, and the long periods of
isolation he endured, reminding the reader of the bigger picture. And assuring
them that, if called, God will likely do the same for them. For our good. For
every dream comes with great responsibility.
Though I had no idea what lay ahead, I sensed God was moving
me toward something.
Grabbing my ipod and running shoes for what I hoped to be a
clarity-inducing time, I began pounding the pavement. Mile after mile, song
after song, I sensed God’s Spirit stirring within me, asking me to surrender.
But surrender is excruciatingly hard when you have no idea
what you’re surrendering to. I suspect this is the way it is with every call.
Remember Joseph? He was given a vague, symbolic dream, one that promised
purpose and divine guidance with little by way of an action plan.
And what about Abraham? God told him, “Go to the land I will
show you.”
Um…okay. Where is this land, Lord?
Silence.
How long will it take me to get there?
Silence.
What about Moses, Esther, or Ruth? I could go on, but the
Bible is full of people who had to answer God’s call before they fully
understood what that would entail.
I imagine that’s God’s mercy, for if He showed us now all
that lay ahead, we’d probably be overwhelmed to the point of paralysis. Either
that or we’d become prideful, losing sight of the One who brings our God-given
dreams to fruition.
Over the next five years, God pushed me, pulled me,
stretched me, and squeezed me. We moved. Numerous times. My husband was sued
unjustly. Five times. I lost a dear friend to brain cancer, acquired two
chronic illnesses, experienced betrayals and rejection, and at times, was ready
to give it all up. On more than one occasion, I argued with God over the call,
asking Him to take it back.
But He wouldn’t. Rather, He reminded me of the cost—of my
salvation, of my life—asking me to give it back to Him. For “I tell you the
truth, unless a kernel of what is planted in the soil dies, it remains alone.
But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”
In essence, through trials, frustrations, and set-backs, God
brought me to a place of surrender.
And that, my friends, is when the dream began to unfold.
And in everything, find and maintain your surrender. Because
that’s how you best connect to your Powerhouse, the Dream-giver and the lifter
of your head.
 |
| A bookstore/library-hopping/coffee drinking day Jennifer Slattery and her writer friends: Susan Aken and Kelly Klepfer |
Jennifer Slatterywrites soul-stirring fiction for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless.
Jennifer loves helping aspiring
authors grow in their craft, and has editing slots open beginning in November.
Find out more here
You can connect with Jennifer on:
Website JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond I Do:
Released Sept. 2014
Will seeing beyond the present unite
them or tear them apart?
Marriage . . . it’s more than a
happily ever after. Eternally more.
Ainsley Meadows, raised by a hedonist
mother, who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on
Christmas morning, falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard,
a self-absorbed socialite psychiatrist. But as her wedding nears, a battered
woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream and ignite a hidden passion.
One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé. To embrace God’s
best and find true love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with
reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.
Read a free, 36-page excerpt click here
Beyond I Do, is currently available in print and e-book format for under $10! You can find it here: Click Here
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Reader, Jennifer leaves these last words with us: Where are you? Are you in a place of refining? If so, rejoice! For God has great plans for you, my friend. Have you just begun to sense the call? If so, set your face like flint, for a time of training is coming! Are you standing on the other side of a trial, looking back on all God has done? If so, shout His praises, thanking Him for every heartache and tear.
If you don't have an answer, that's okay, just say howdy-do in the comment section. I love chatting with you.
Thanks so much for joining our chat today.
Comments
What a great post!!!! Thank you so much for sharing. Love your outlook.
May, so thankful for your faithfulness in blogging. That takes a lot thought and planning. Thankful for you.
So nice to see you. Thanks for stopping by and chatting with us.