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Comment your thoughts on today's discussion question. What else touched you about today's faith note? What Scriptures resonated with you?
]]>Fighting fear isn't easy -- let's do it together! We're going to take it day-by-day, page-by-page. Set aside 15 minutes to read Faith Beats Fear (Expanded Edition). Come online to discuss each day. Win prizes ALL MONTH -- every comment counts as an entry.
I had a great time sharing with the Young Professionals of Washington County, highlighting my journey from fear to faith. We chatted about applying my 'you have to believe it to see it' mantra and writing our own success stories, personally and for the community we serve.
]]>Watch this Facebook Live video about how I'm handling my most recent 'launch.'
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I had a wonderful conversation with author Shanita Rowsey about faith and fear as part of her EMERGE tele-summit. Take a listen and you'll hear us share inspirational tips about:
Identifying habits of fear
Facing and fighting fear
Feeding your faith
“I don’t go to church so I can get things. I go to thank God for being who He is to me…and you. His peace’ll calm that restless spirit of yours. My life may not be better than yours, but I can handle some things you can’t. The point of it is not to ask for more stuff, but guidance on how to get through stuff.”
As we approach the week of Thanksgiving, this quote from Mrs. Rosa Mae in the story “The Promotion,” from Faith Beats Fear resonated with me. I think it’s easy to count up tangible benefits in our lives, but sometimes we disregard the intangibles — the peace, mercy, grace, everlasting love, and so much more God brings to us on a day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment basis.
I remember when rumors about layoffs began to circulate at a former job I had years ago. EVERYBODY was on edge. The thought of potentially losing steady income and not being able to care for yourself or your family is incredibly scary. My friend and I huddled in my cubicle. We should have been anxious, but in an inexplicable, unexplainable way we were calm in the chaos. God (thankfully) swooped in and kept our Spirits steady. If our names were on the list, we believed He would provide for us, because our faith was our foundation.
The stuff may come and go, but having a sound mind and continual access to peace that passes all understanding is truly priceless. Never forget that.
Always keep thankfulness on your mind and your lips.
I've committed to going into this week with an attitude of gratitude! Will you join me? Share your moment of thanks in our private #FaithBeatsFear Community.
Based on the name alone, I knew the Christian Book Lovers Retreat (CBLR) would be the perfect event for me. Not only could I share more about Faith Beats Fear, but I’d get to fellowship with other word nerds. Listen, when it comes to faith and story, I can talk about these topics allllll day and night, so I found myself right at home with these ladies. Not only did I get to meet amazing book lovers and readers, but also several wonderful authors.
Created by Christian author Vanessa Miller-Pierce and coordinated by several leading women in the industry, CBLR included a meticulously curated schedule full of prayer, praise and purpose. The thing I enjoyed most about the four days of fun, faith and fellowship was the authenticity. So often you go to conferences, events, and networking functions and there’s this instinct to present your most “perfect self.” I didn’t feel that burden. I laughed. I cried. I poured into others and filled up my cup.
At the conclusion of the fabulous four days, I felt refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to get to work on my stories. Before departing, I spent a little time on the beach, finding inspiration watching the waves ebb and flow.
]]>I had a wonderful chat about fear and faith with the ladies of the Southern Fried Girlfriends podcast.
Ya'll, I did not want our conversation to end! I adore Sherry and Dee, and we have the best discussions. This was just one of them. During it, I share:
I hope you'll check out the episode and really the entire podcast because they have awesome guests and touch on real topics.
Enjoy!
Visit the Southern Fried Girlfriends Podcast site to listen.
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The world will try to convince you that you're not enough. You don't have enough money, no matter how much your bank account grows.
They'll say you're not pretty enough.
You're not smart enough.
You don't know the "right" people or you're not influential enough. And you may start to believe these things and say them to yourself. And tell them to others.
Please note that God is "able to make every grace OVERFLOW to you, so that in every way, always having EVERYTHING you need, you may EXCEL in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).
With God, you are more than enough.
]]>We spotted this snapshot of the #FaithBeatsFear devotional on Facebook and totallly agree! Faith Beats Fear is the type of book can go to time and again and get a fresh look and refreshing message!
Spotted on Social is a series that captures mentions or highlights of Faith Beats Fear on social media. If you posted something recently, feel free to comment or e-mail us the link to info@faithbeatsfear.com so that we can share.
]]>I am a huge fan of vision boards! I've used them as a way to imagine a future for myself and stay on top of my goals for at least a decade. I was excited to facilitate a Vision Board Workshop for the Second Washington Baptist Missionary Association. I shared with them my tips, testimonies and examples of various vision boards I've created -- big ones, small ones, themed, yearlong, etc. There are so many ways you can approach visioning!
The thing about vision board making is it's not just about searching for and pasting pretty pictures. You'll have questions. What do I want? Do I really need that? How would I ever achieve that? You'll feel uncomfortable. Maybe I don't deserve that. Why do I want that?
It can be an uncomfortable process, especially for the ambitious or perfectionists.
I challenge participants to work through those questions. I encourage grace and action. The perfect example of this happened when one of the teens declined a magazine. "There's nothing in there for me!" she proclaimed. It was a business magazine with a stuffy looking exec on the cover. I pressed her to at least check it out. Interestingly enough a word that fit one of her goals was on that magazine!
This exchange reminded me of how often we do the same thing. We bypass opportunities because they don't look like what we expected or wanted. Or maybe it's not coming from a person or place of familiarity, so we overlook it.
When we quote the popular Hebrews verse, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," we have to recognize two things:
1. Some of our opportunities are hidden "within the pages" or "behind the door" but we have to take action and open it.
2. Despite how it looks, we have to hope and expect something to get something.
]]>People frown on the sound of Southern words, you know. You could be a genius, but say ‘ain’t’ and leave off some letters here and there and they’ll swear you’re a fool.” ~Mrs. Rosa Mae Townsend
“Who is Rosa?” a gentleman asked me during my Faith Beats Fear book event. Throughout the evening I’d displayed “Quotes from Rosa,” and in the book’s introductory notes I share that she is my “part griot, part gossiper.”
Mrs. Rosa Mae “tells it like it is” and will likely remind you of that Grandmother-Auntie-Mother who cares deeply for her family and community. She’s not based on a “real person,” but she has an authentic voice. She’s full of advice and firm about her faith, doling out both whether you ask for it or not!
In the early stages of Faith Beats Fear I struggled with her as my narrator and a character. I’ve never written a book in first person. She speaks with a dialect and I’ve always been taught not to use accents as they’re ‘distracting to the reader.’
Then, one day I hesitantly submitted a script in my screenwriting course that included characters who spoke like real people that I know. My professor’s comments: “You have a great ear.”
So when it came to the short stories in Faith Beats Fear, I listened to Mrs. Rosa Mae. I didn’t always agree with her placement of words, but I chose not to judge her. As a writer, you have to listen to you characters and trust in their story — real or fake.
Over the next couple weeks, I’ll continue to share quotes from the book, so that you get to know Mrs. Rosa Mae. I like her. I hope you will too.
I’ve never really been a “morning” person. I’m a night owl. Something about the darkness and quiet of the night gets my creative juices flowing. I tend to write into the wee hours, which can make getting started in the morning a bit of a challenge. So if you’re like me and need a little boost at daybreak, here are 7 small action items that can help you get your day going.
1. Drink a glass of water. You’ve been fasting all night. Get your system going.
2. Meditate for 5-10 minutes. I typically listen to this guided meditation on gratitude.
3. Pray. Writing my prayers down works better for me.
4. Wake up to music. Instead of the typical alarm, get up to your favorite tune.
5. Do not check email, Facebook, etc.
6. Read a daily scripture. I use bible app to get a notification every morning.
7. Stretch for 5 minutes.
All seven of these actions can take under 10 minutes, but will pay off all day. What do you do first thing in the morning?