A Different Kind of Post

about three books

I am privileged to be in a writing group with three of my local friends. Two of them recently published their first books, and I want to tell you about them.

You possibly know my friend Gina Martin who writes the Home Joys blog. She is a homeschool mom of six who is passionate about words, books, and truth. Six years ago, Gina lost her husband, Ed, to glioblastoma, yet she continues to be one of the most encouraging people I know.

She has been a constant inspiration in my writing life and is the type of friend I want beside me in the hard times. If anyone gets credit for coaxing me to share my writing instead of keeping it hidden, it's Gina.

As a fellow booklover, writer, and friend, it has been delightful for me to watch this book become reality for her.

In this beautiful book, Gina studies the lives of different women in the Bible and leads us into a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ. I’ve been so fascinated by the historical information Gina has searched out and added to this book.

Along with each devotional are beautiful pictures making this book a treasure to own, but also an attractive gift to give.

At the end of each chapter, Gina has questions for reflection with lines for personal thoughts and conclusions.

I’m honored to have Gina as a friend and delighted to have this book displayed in my living room. She Shall Be Praised can be purchased at Carlisle Press.

Every Girl’s Journey is another book I'm pleased to have in my possession.

A number of years ago my friend, Regina, was feeling discouraged at the lack of appropriate book options addressing the changes that happen in the adolescent years. Through her search to find a suitable book to share with her own daughters, a book idea was born.

Regina is a friend of boundless energy who has the spunky to make seemingly impossible things happen. This book is no exception. Regina spent years pouring her own experiences, nourishing recipes, relatable stories, and detailed information into this book.

Watercolor paintings along with warm, motherly words make this book truly beautiful.

Regina tackles awkward topics with grace and doesn’t shy away from the hard things. You’ll want to read this book before giving it to your daughter. Regina talks about fun things like food and friendship, but also darker things like eating disorders and abuse. With a gentle and caring tone, she offers guidance and hope even in the most challenging situations.

This book is a wonderful tool for any mom whether she finds it easy or tricky to talk to her girl about the sensitive facts of life. And it's a beautiful and exciting book for every girl. Every Girl’s Journey can be purchased at Christian Light, or directly from Regina @regina.rosenberry@gmail.com.

And while I’m at it, I have to mention one more book.

Hope in the Dark was written a couple years ago by my friend Geneva.

Geneva wrote this book to offer hope especially to those living in dark times through the holiday season. Her is a bit of her story.

"When I was fifteen, my dad gave me an angel for Christmas. It arrived at my house wrapped by a woman I didn’t know—a woman who was not my mom. The faceless angel statue held a heart. The tag read, “With love.” I wanted to hurl it through the living room window. The shattering of glass would echo all the ways our hearts had already been broken, because how can a husband cheat on his wife, with love? How can a father choose the bottle over his girls, with love? How can a man turn his back on God, with love? This was the beginning of my own journey through dark Christmases.”

Geneva is a beautiful person whose friendship I cherish. She’s chosen to take the hardest things in her life and use them to reach out to others with hope.

Beautifully designed, this book has artwork mixed in among the free verse poetry, devotionals on Bible characters, and thoughtful journaling prompts.

If you or someone you love dreads this season of celebrations and struggles to find hope in the dark, Geneva’s words may connect with you. The devotionals are short enough to take in even when your brain and heart are exhausted. But I will say that Geneva has a way with words— she can make only a few words carry volumes of meaning. Hope in the Dark can be purchased at Daughters of Promise.

I put links in this post for where you can find these books online, but you might want to check your local bookstore first or stick around here and try to win one.

They’ve each given me a copy to give away, which I’m excited to do!

If you’d like a chance to win any or all of the three, comment below with the book title or titles you are interested in. OR send me a text/WhatsApp message indicating which book or books you’d like to be entered to win. Feel free to share this with friends who might enjoy one of these books and get your name in by Tuesday night. I’ll chose a winner for each book Wednesday morning, November 19. (I’ll ship for free in the U.S.)

This Giveaway is Closed. Thank you!

Here we are celebrating the release of the new books. L-R: Me, Geneva, Regina, Gina

And if you happen to be wondering, no, you will NOT see a book anytime soon with my name in the author’s place. It looks much easier to champion the work of my friends right now. 😄

Thanks for reading Fueled by Words! Nola