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June 2, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Winners from the No More Frumpy Mommy Challenge Announced

Thanks to everyone who participated in the No More Frumpy Mommy Moms’ Night Out challenge! I had so much fun reading through your entries and other tips you shared.

I’m happy to announce the grand prize winner, who will receive $200 for her own moms’ night out, is . . . skiwee50!

The runner-up winners, who will receive Fandango gift cards and copies of Moms’ Night Out and Moms’ Night Out and Other Things I Miss, are:

Valarie McCoy
Rachel DeVaughn
Carolyn Deevers
Jenn Smith
Michelle Pohl
Shawna
Cassie
Deb W
Mystiqua
Elizabeth Towns

Winners, please email your mailing addresses to caitlin {at} litfusegroup {dot} com to claim your prizes. Congrats, and thanks again for participating in the challenge!

May 9, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 47 Comments

Our Walled-Off Hearts | Guest Post by Mary DeMuth (Plus a Giveaway)

Our Walled-Off Hearts

Recently, a reader on my blog wrote something quite astute: “As much as tearing the walls down hurts, it doesn’t seem to be as painful as maintaining them.”

We live in a walled-off world—walls we erect because we’ve been hurt by someone or several someones. It seems easier (and safer) to protect our hearts at any cost, brick by brick. But the problem comes when that wall becomes the very fortress that prevents joy in our lives.

I’ve so been there.

I’ve suffered relational heartache. So much so that my walls became towers of protection, and I hid my heart from risking with people. Because people are shifty, and, in my mind, were bent on hurting me. Better to build, brick by brick.

But if I’m completely honest with you, I am sad to say I’ve caused relational heartache. I’ve injured. I’ve been the cause of other people building walls. I wish it weren’t so.

So here we sit with pain between us and the people in our lives. We’ve hurt. They’ve hurt. And the wall grows.

There has to be a way through, right? There must be more to life than expending extreme amounts of energy in self-protection and preservation. What if we could find a way through the pain?

I believe there is, which is why I wrote The Wall Around Your Heart: How Jesus Heals You After Others Hurt You.

As I walked through my own relational pain and learned to deal with the bitterness that had enabled me to build a huge wall around my heart, I knew the only way out was Jesus. As the most openhearted person to walk this earth, all I could do was ask Him to please-please-please show me how to move on and live the joyful life that always seemed elusive to me.

And He showed me. Boy did He show me—through His own words.

The Wall Around Your Heart is the journey I took from embittered to openhearted, from living in reaction to the past to living joyfully in the present tense. The pathway I take you through is simply this: The Lord’s Prayer.

Did you know that this prayer is relational? Did you know there are secrets embedded in this prayer that will help you move on after heartache? Did you know this ancient roadmap will teach you how to have the life you’ve longed for—a life of abundance and hope—even after people hurt you again?

After reading The Wall Around Your Heart, not only will you reframe your relationships and learn to live openhearted, but you’ll never pray The Lord’s Prayer the same way again. This pathway has utterly, truly changed my life, and it’s my sincere prayer that it will radically alter the course of your life.

So if you’ve built a great big wall around your heart and you’ve finally grown tired of living in isolated fear, consider picking up The Wall Around Your Heart.

Tear those walls down you’ve built around yourself! #giveaway @MaryDeMuth @TriciaGoyer

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Steps You can Take

Read through the Lord’s Prayer using the PDF here. Ask, which part of the prayer am I having the most difficulty with in my relationships?
Ask a close friend, “Where do you see me putting up walls around my heart?” Dare to listen!
Write a letter of forgiveness to someone who has hurt you. Don’t mail the letter.
Look over your past two weeks & how you’ve interacted with your family. If you feel you’ve done something worth apologizing for, dare to take that first step and say, “I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

Prayer

Jesus,

I don’t want to have a great big wall around my heart. I realize it protects me, but it also prevents real joy in my life. Give me the guts and bravery I need to tear the wall down, risk again in healthy relationships, and be an openhearted person. Give me courage, Jesus, because I need it.

Amen.

About Mary

Mary DeMuth is an author and speaker who loves to help people live uncaged, freedom-infused lives. She’s the author of fifteen books, including six novels and her critically acclaimed memoir, Thin Places. After church planting in Southern France, Mary, her husband, and their three teenagers now live in a suburb of Dallas. Find out more at marydemuth.com.

About The Wall Around Your Heart and a Giveaway

Family members hurt us. Friends betray us. Fellow Christians deceive us. But Jesus provides a path through the pain—the Lord’s Prayer.

In The Wall Around Your Heart, Mary DeMuth shows you that you can reach wholeness and healing in the aftermath of painful relationships by following the road map of the Lord’s Prayer. You’ll walk through story after story of hurt people who are led through biblical truth into amazing, life-sustaining, joyful growth.

Life is hard. People can be mean and petty and awful. But they can also be amazing and beautiful and sacrificial. God is good. He is faithful. You can trust him with your relationships. “He’ll send people to call out what is hard in your heart,” Mary shares. “And that’s a gift to you.”

Allow God to access the wall around your heart. Dare to say, “Tear down the bricks, Lord, whatever it takes.” Pray first. Ask for bravery—for yourself and for others. Risk engaging despite your hurt. Seek the shelter of Jesus.

You don’t have to resign yourself to your wounds! You can rise above the pain. You’ll usher in a new life—an openhearted way of relating to others that expands the kingdom of God. In the process, you’ll draw closer to Jesus, be healed, and become an agent of healing to others.

Mary is giving away SIX copies of The Wall Around Your Heart! Enter below. Only those in the U.S. are eligible to win.

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May 2, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 15 Comments

Behind the Scenes of the Moms’ Night Out Premiere (Part 2)

Ever want to know what happens behind the scenes at a movie premiere? Just a few days ago I got to experience just that!

If you missed the Part 1 of Behind the Scenes of the Moms’ Night Out Premiere, you can read it here.

So how did I get asked to be part of a Hollywood Premiere?

In December I was asked to write the novelization of Moms’ Night Out. What’s a novelization? Basically, I watched the movie (over and over again) and turned it into a book! It was such a great movie that I loved every minute of it.

Here is the book with, like, the best cover ever! —> And take note of my name on the front!

I couldn’t have been more pleased to share a ride to the TCL Chinese Theater with the screenwriter of Moms’ Night Out Andrea Nasfell.

Here is a photo of me and Andrea:

OK, that might be jumping a little ahead of ourselves.

Here is a photo of me and Andrea on the way to the premiere of Moms’ Night Out:

I’ve connected with Andrea a little over Facebook and Twitter, and she’s amazing! I can’t wait to see what she’s working on next!

When we got to the Red Carpet (<–deserves to be capitalized) there was what my husband called our “handler” waiting. Albert was there to lead me down the Red Carpet, and he did a fine job!

I posed for photographers, and I’m trying to get the “official” photos for those.

(They have this sweet girl labeled as Tricia Goyer. Maybe if I found the fountain of youth!!)

I posed for my husband, too. (That is my “handler” on the left.)

Then Albert took a photo of John and me!

Then I thought I was done, but no. Instead, I was interviewed!! I wasn’t expecting this, but it was fun. I talked about the novelization and what it was like writing it. Interviewers asked me about my other books and my kids. It was so easy to talk about all of it!

Everything was such a blur, but I was interviewed by 6–8 people with microphones and video cameras. I wished I would have paid better attention to who was interviewing me. John said one of the was CNN! (I also wish I could find a video clip online—let me know if you find one!)

Thankfully, my dear friend Tracey Eyster captured a shot!

Oh, there is so much more to tell! I’m just getting started!

Here are a few more things that I’ll share on upcoming blogs:

The inside of the theater and WHO I sat next to.
The after party at Lucky Strikes.
The privileges of a VIP Guest.
The three favorite people I met! (The list may surprise you.)
Red Carpet fashion
and more . . .

But until I can get to that, here are some more Red Carpet photos for you to enjoy! (These are taken from the Moms’ Night Out Facebook page. If you have not LIKED the page, please do!)

What about you? Which one of these actors would you like to meet? Leave a comment!

May 2, 2014 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Best Places to Spread Out a Spring or Summer Picnic

I don’t know about you, but about this time of year, I am ready for summer. I’m ready for flowers to bloom, leaves on the trees, stepping outside and feeling the warm sun on my skin, wearing shorts and sundresses.

Do you feel the same way?

What’s my other favorite part of summer? Spending time outside, whether it’s a family vacation, a barbecue with my kids and neighbors in our cul-de-sac, or a date with my husband.

There is nothing more romantic than a summer picnic with the man I love. Maybe you feel the same?

One way to get past the winter blahs is to start planning for a summer picnic . . . today!

Even though the cold wind still blows outside, you can start planning the perfect summer getaway. Spend time with your spouse considering the perfect spot to get away.

Do you like the ocean or the mountains? Would you rather stretch out a blanket on a mountain meadow or on the sand?

Do you want to be in a locale where there’s lots of restaurants and shops to explore, or do you want to be in a small quaint town?

Dreaming about where you’d like to go is something you can do together. Dreaming is almost as fun as going—especially when you do it together. Take a little time this week to dream about where you’d like to go, then compare lists!

Consider these four locations as a starting point for finding your perfect picnic place!

Halstatt, Austria

I traveled to Halstatt with my husband, John, in 2002. It’s a picturesque village of less than 1,000 people in Austria. Halstatt is known for its salt mines, dating back to prehistoric times. John and I stayed in an old hotel overlooking the town square, and during our first moments we were able to watch a local celebration. The town square is a beautiful place to have your picnic, or there are numerous other places overlooking the lake. And after the picnic is done? Here are our top three things to do there:

Visit the salt caves. A wonderful gondola took us to the top of the mountain where we toured the caves. The tour was fantastic.
Visit the Beinhaus (bone house). Visiting a bone house might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but John and I love exploring local culture. There are more than 1,200 skulls in the bone house, 600+ which have been painted with designs. Since the cemetery is so small, without the possibility of expansion, and since cremations used to be forbidden, 10-15 years after a person’s death the skull and larger bones were removed to make room for the next occupants.
Museum Hallstatt. There are rooms filled with exhibits and information files in many languages, including English. The archeological displays were fascinating!

Crescent City, California

Growing up, one of our favorite things to do was “go to the coast.” Crescent City was about four hours away from our northern Californian home. There are wonderful beaches in Crescent City, and it’s not as crowded as many other places. Spread out your blanket to watch local surfers—and the seals that try to outdo them. Things you don’t want to miss:

The Redwoods. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State park is just one of the local places you can view these amazing redwood trees. There are wonderful hiking trails, and walking among the giants you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into another world.
Battery Point Lighthouse. To reach this lighthouse you have to go at low tide. The lighthouse itself is small and homey—it looks like something from a movie. This lighthouse is staffed by volunteers who stay in the lighthouse a month at a time. They keep the place tidy and conduct tours with the help of docents.
Beachfront Park. I have photos of myself playing here as a child. You can go from running in the grass to running on the beach in only a few steps. It’s a great place to collect sea shells!

Looking to #travel this summer? Here are @TriciaGoyer’s must-see places:

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Keep reading to find out the other two must-see places!

I have a few books on sale right now! Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

May 1, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 24 Comments

Behind the Scenes of the Moms’ Night Out Premiere (Part 1)

In December I was asked to write the novelization of Moms’ Night Out. What’s a novelization? Basically, I watched the movie (over and over again) and turned it into a book! It was such a great movie that I loved every minute of it. (Don’t tell my editor, Dawn, but it almost didn’t feel like work.)

Here is the book with, like, the best cover ever! —> And take note of my name on the front!

And, because I had a chance to write the novelization, I also got invited to WALK THE RED CARPET for the premiere. (Yes, those words do deserve all caps!)

To say the Moms’ Night Out Premiere was a dream come true isn’t really accurate, because honestly I never really dreamed that BIG. Even in the weeks leading up to the event I did poorly when it came to my expectations.

What did I expect?

1. To find a friend to drive John and I to the red carpet.

2. To get out. To have people say, “Who is she?” To snap one photo, and then to usher me inside.

3. To see some of the stars from afar.

4. To spend most of the time chatting with some awesome blogger mamas who I knew would be there. (Which I was REALLY looking forward to.)

5. To go to the After Party and continue to watch the actors from afar.

6. To go home completely happy.

What did I get? SOOOOO much more!

The Big Deal

A few days before I left for Hollywood I received a detailed account of how the Red Carpet would play out. It was timed in great detail. I was impressed! Here is a glimpse of that:

Yes, my name is listed among the likes of Patricia Heaton, David Hunt, Sarah Drew, Sean Astin, Alex Kendrick, and Kevin Downes. Um, just a little giddy over that.

Farther down in the email was a list of all the talent would would be there:

The list went on.

My name was a little lower on the list …

But I’m not complaining! I’m listed as TALENT!

Our instructions were to gather at the Roosevelt Hotel. (I hope I’m not giving away an industry secrets by sharing this information!!)

John and I were earlier because we were so worried about traffic and being late. When we entered the first one we can was Trace Atkins and others striding through the lobby. He’s so tall, and the excitement of the day was starting to hit me. Maybe my heartbeat quickened just a little. Later, I saw him taking photos with the contest winners:

In the lobby familiar faces began showing up. In addition to Trace, we saw the cute kids who played Brandon and Bailey with their moms. Little “Bailey” squealed as she twirled in her pretty pink dress. “This is my first time wearing high heels.” (I tried to get a photo of them, but they were bouncing around and the shot is blurry.)

John and I chatted with some of those gathered. And then some of the “big names” showed up, and the “vibe” of the room changed. Even though no one was staring, glances were being shot at actors like Sarah Drew, Kevin Downes, and Abbie Cobb who were walking around. And, of course, the energy “pumped” up when Andy and Jon Erwin showed up! It’s funny, but when you’re in a room like that you “know” where everyone is and who everyone is talking to even if you’re not gawking or staring. (I tried not to do either!)

As we talked with some of the actors and producers, I didn’t want to be one of “those people” so I didn’t take any photos. So here are their faces … just picture them mingling, all dressed up. (Don’t worry, I did get some photos at the After Party!)

Are these cool folks, or what?!

Finally, it was my turn to ride over to the Red Carpet. The photo at the top of this post is me right as I was climbing into the car that would take us to the Red Carpet. Do I look a little happy here?

Tomorrow, I’ll share more of what it was like on the Red Carpet itself. Leave it to a novelist to turn this event into a saga!

What would you find most exciting about a Red Carpet event?

If you want to read Part 2 of my adventures, go here.

April 30, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 9 Comments

Congrats to the Winners of The Kissing Bridge Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who entered my “Beautiful Bridges and Special Kisses” giveaway. I loved reading about your favorite bridge and your most special kiss, both on your blogs and in your comments! The five winners of a collection of ten Amish novels are . . .

Amy Bateman: Amy shared her favorite bridge, which is in Omaha, Nebraska! It crosses the Missouri River, so you can technically be in two places at once: Nebraska and Iowa! This bridge is going on my list of places to check out.

Jennifer Smith: Jennifer shared her special kiss: with her newborn son! After five years of trying to get pregnant, Jen and her husband finally welcomed their newborn son into the world. Such a sweet story!

Rachel DeVaugn: Rachel shared a story of weight loss and her grandpa being able to give her a kiss no matter what the number on the scale said. So inspiring!

Audrey Grant: Audrey’s story is a bit different. When she was younger, she was scared of bridges, water, and drowning. She faced her fear on what is now her favorite bridge and through that experience came to know Jesus as her Lord and Savior!

Tori Close: Tori’s favorite bridge is in my old hometown of Kalispell, MT. Tori shares a beautiful story of faith you have to read.

Winners, please email your mailing address my assistant Caitlin to claim your prizes!

Congrats to the winners of @TriciaGoyer’s The Kissing Bridge #giveaway!

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Read about my beautiful bridge and special kiss!

THANK YOU for supporting the latest release in my Amish series Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors. The Kissing Bridge is the story of a young woman caught between a stifling Amish community and the unnerving outside world and the daredevil bachelor determined to find an Amish woman who can quench his thirst for adventure. Find out more here.

I have a few books on sale right now! The Swiss Courier and Chasing Mona Lisa are only $1.99! And Generation NeXt Marriage is $2.99. You can also get my four World War II novels in the Liberators Series for $13.99.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

April 29, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 15 Comments

Behind the Scenes of Dancing With the Stars

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter you know that Monday nights are my night for hanging out with my Grandma and live tweeting Dancing with the Stars.

So Monday nights I’m usually sitting on my grandma’s bed, watching her small TV. Last night I was wearing this:

And I was doing this:

Can you see John and me? We’re in the top right. That’s me with the white sweater, my arms raised! Thank you, Darlene, at Time Warp Wife for capturing that shot!

My impressions from the inside:

1: The studio is smaller than you think. They do lots of sweeping shots to make it seem bigger.

2. The dance pros and stars are exactly the same when the camera is off as it is when it is on. Maks is still a ham. Val is quieter. Derek practices every spare moment.

3. Candace did awesome!! I was so proud of her. She seemed really focused and peaceful. I was praying for her in the room.

4. People are just people. There were a lot of faces of “stars” in the room. There were many people I knew the name of. (Juan Pablo and Mrs. Brady!) and there were a lot more people who I recognized from television or movies but didn’t know their names. But from the balcony they were just little blurs and we were all there for the same reason. To watch some good dancing and have fun. Well, sort of … which leads to #5.

5. I think the people in the balcony had WAY more fun than the people in the floor level seats. We were cheering. We were dancing. I was pumping my arms in the air. It would be hard to always have to be “on.” To know that everyone is watching you. To be “known.” I liked just being one of the silly fans.

Go behind the scenes of #DWTS with @TriciaGoyer!

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6. Some stars behave badly. There was one female actor (not one of the dancers) who was ranting in her cell phone when we were exiting the building. She was upset because her “publicity” there wasn’t handled well. It gave me a bad opinion of her and I’d guess those things are pretty common in Hollywood.

7. True behind the scenes stuff: DWTS planners are VERY organized. We had clear directions where to go, what to do, and where to sit. Our names were on the seats when we got there. The crew was amazing. They really seemed to work together well. There was an “entertainer” during commercial breaks who interacted with the crowd and kept the energy up. They encouraged us to call out stars names, cheer, boo, etc. It truly felt like we were part of the production.

8. I’d totally do it again! Afterward John and I went to the Cheesecake Factory, too, and I told him as we left, “That was the best date night ever!” Thank you Guy and Amber Lia at Storehouse Media for making that possible. Love you guys!

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April 29, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 25 Comments

My Writing Desk | Richard Mabry (Plus a Giveaway)

My crowded (I prefer the term “cozy”) writing area, where with a simple twist of my chair I can move from desk to computer. I use a laptop attached to a monitor and keyboard, so if I have to leave home I can simply unhook, drop the laptop in a carrier bag, and work while I get the car serviced or whatever else comes up. (Jim Bell calls this “snatching time to write.”)

Get a sneak peek at where @RichardMabry’s novels take shape (cc @TriciaGoyer):

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About Richard

A retired physician, Dr. Richard Mabry is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels of medical suspense. His previous works have been finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader’s Choice Award, and have won the Selah Award. He is a past Vice-President of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas. Find out more about Richard at his website.

About Critical Condition and a Giveaway

It began as a quiet dinner party honoring Dr. Shannon Frasier’s colleague, but became a nightmare when a man was shot on her lawn, reviving emotions from a similar episode a decade ago. Then a midnight call from her sister, Megan, causes Shannon to fear that her sister is on drugs again.

Her “almost-fiancé” Dr. Mark Gilbert’s support only adds to Shannon’s feelings of guilt, since she can’t bring herself to fully commit to him. She turns for help to her pastor-father, only to learn that he’s just been diagnosed with leukemia.

Shannon thought it couldn’t get any worse. Then the late-night, threatening phone calls begin, the rough voice asking, “What did he say before he died?”

With everything around her in a critical state, simply staying alive will require all the resources and focus Shannon has.

Critical Condition is available here or from your favorite bookstore.

Richard is celebrating the release of Critical Condition with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway! Enter the Kindle giveaway here, then enter to win a copy of Critical Condition below! Only those in the U.S. are eligible to win.

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April 28, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 8 Comments

Help for Mayflower, Arkansas Tornado Victims

Our good friends Dan and Kristin are FamilyLife staff and adoptive parents who homeschool! We attend church with them and they are an amazing, godly couple!

This is what is left of their home:

If you would like to help them, our church has set up a Tornado relief fund.

I will continue to up date you on their needs and how we can help!

April 26, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 31 Comments

Hello, Hollywood!

I was never one to dream about Hollywood growing up—of going there, or being a star, or seeing my name in lights. Instead, I wanted to get married, have a few kids, and become an elementary school teacher. I imagined living my whole life in the small town I’d grown up in. Just thinking of that made me content.

Nothing I dreamed of came true—not that I’m complaining. And I’m ending up in Hollywood, not with my name in lights, but with my name on the cover of a book.

Tuesday I’m attending the premiere of Moms’ Night Out. As the author of the novelization I’m told I’ll be walking the red carpet, but I have no idea what that means. Is there a manual I can buy somewhere? A quick how-to guide that will keep me from looking like a fool? Not that people will notice me, because there will be stars there. Real movie stars that have Twitter followers in the millions.

And Monday I’ll be going to Dancing with the Stars. I’ve watched the show for many seasons, but I never imagined myself THERE. And, also while I’m in Hollywood, the producer friends that I work with at Storehouse Media have set up some appointments with me to talk to studios about turning some of my books into movies and television shows. <—- Read that last sentence again. I’ve read it over, like, five times because it doesn’t seem real, even to me.

Find out @TriciaGoyer’s #Hollywood adventures and the #MomsNightOut red carpet premiere!

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Like Allyson in Moms’ Night Out, but life is normally like this (that’s sanitizer in her hand!):

And this: (That’s marker on the wall)

And this: (Writing is my sanity)

But since I’ll be in Hollywood, it’ll be more like this:

Only I’ll be in this dress:

What about you? What dream has come true for you that you never imagined would?

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April 24, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 22 Comments

3 Steps to Finding the Grace to Chase a Dream | Guest Post by Cara Putman (Plus a Giveaway)

3 Steps to Finding the Grace to Chase a Dream | Guest Post by Cara Putman

Once there was a fourteen-year-old who quickly realized her favorite authors simply could not write books fast enough. Because she was young, she decided she could write books, too. Her mother smiled and allowed her to write as part of her English. Slowly two novels grew on an old computer, paragraph by paragraph, page by page. She loved creating ideas, research, writing. The process delighted her soul, and she wondered if she’d found what she was created to do.

Then life got busy. College, a career. A husband and a family. Writing was pressed to the perimeter of her life by the busyness of a full life.

Most days it was enough.

But some days, the whisper to write became a roaring ache to try. When this occurred, this girl-turned-woman would take the dream to God, hold it in open hands, and ask Him if this was His dream for her. If not, show her so she could kill the dream and focus on His will for her life.

Have you given up on a #dream? @Cara_Putman has encouragement for you:

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In due time, He announced it was time to follow her dream. Nine years later she’s awaiting the publication of her eighteenth and nineteenth books later this year.

You may have already guessed: I am that girl. I know what it’s like to have a dream burning inside me and wonder if anything would ever come of it. I want to encourage you. If this is you. If you’re convinced your dreams have disappeared under a pile of laundry, dirty diapers, and grocery lists, that there are ways to live with grace until the appointed time for the dream to burst to life.

Here’s what I learned on the journey:

Hold the dream loosely. Pry your tight grip from the dream and offer it to God. Ask Him for wisdom to know if this is the time or the dream. Seek Him first. A dream without Him at the center is simply not as fulfilling.
Prepare when you can as you can. For me that meant continuing to read voraciously. Through that I had a core understanding of what made a story and characters work. I might not have known all the lingo, but I intuitively gained an education. It also meant I read how-to write novel books. Each time the itch would resurface, you’d find me in the stacks looking for another book, so I could get structural understanding.
Be prepared to run when God gives you the go-ahead. The years since God told me it was time to test the dream have been a whirlwind of work. It has required immense discipline and stick-to-it-iveness. I’ve had to let go of things to make room for the dream. Are you willing to do the same?

Waiting for a dream is hard. But with God’s grace, the waiting can be a time of preparation and drawing closer to Him.

Want to win a copy of @Cara_Putman’s latest book? Check out @TriciaGoyer’s blog:

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Steps You can Take

Hold the dream loosely.
Prepare when you can as you can.
Be prepared to run when God gives you the go-ahead.

About Cara

Cara C. Putman graduated high school at 16, college at 20, and completed her law degree at 27. An award-winning author of seventeen books with more on the way, she is active in women’s ministry at her church and is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. Putman is currently pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration at Krannert. She serves on the executive board of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization she has served in various roles since 2007. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana. You can connect with her online at her website.

About Shadowed by Grace and a Giveaway

Rachel Justice is desperate to save her dying mother. She doesn’t want to leave her, but she accepts her newspaper’s assignment to travel to Italy and photograph war images. No one knows her photography is a cover and that Rachel is really seeking to find the father she never knew, hopeful to get some help with her failing mother. Dedicated to her mission, Rachel is focused on completing it. Soon, though, she finds her priorities and plans changing when she is assigned to Lt. Scott Lindstrom, on mission as a Monument Man. Their meeting will have far-reaching consequences. Will this derail her plans? Will she ever find her father? Is her faith enough to carry her through?

You can read the first chapter here.

Cara is giving away THREE copies of Shadowed by Grace! Enter below. Only those in the U.S. are eligible to win.

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