Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 243

December Caravan Etsy Shop Affiliate Program Opportunity

Happy Saturday friends! 
Today I am so excited to share about the new December Caravan Etsy Shop Affiliate Program! My Etsy shopcreates unique & beautiful journals, altered books, buntings, scrapbooks, cards, artwork, memory pieces and family treasures out of everyday materials to inspire joy and hope in every part of life through handmade creations. I am looking for people to join the affiliate program who have a passion for sharing about small businesses and about these items. How will the affiliate program work? If you are chosen to be an affiliate member you will receive a special discount coupon code (10% off) for your community. Any time that someone uses this discount code you will receive rewards.
Rewards can be distributed in two different forms: cash through PayPal or credit for the shop. If you choose to be paid in cash you will receive 5% of the total sales of those who used your coupon for the month and you will be paid on the 1stof the following month. If you choose to be paid in store credit you will receive 10% of the total sales of those who used your coupon for the month and you will receive that credit on the 1st of the following month (for store credit you must use the store credit within a 3-month period or it will be void). How will I be paid? Please see above.
Please note the following: *you must choose your rewards distribution quarterly and once you choose it can’t be changed for that quarter. *for store credit it must be used within a 3-month period of when it is issued or it will be void.
Please note that because my Etsy shop does not hit a tax threshold at this time you will not need to fill out any tax forms. If this changes in the future you will be contacted immediately. Are there any additional benefits? You will receive a “welcome” package filled with fun items from the shop as a small thank you for your time and being apart of the December Caravan Etsy Shop Family. Four times a year I will be sending affiliates a surprise package filled with lots of special goodies from the shop as a special way of saying thank you.
In addition to this I have created “affiliate incentives”: Once you hit the following goals your rewards will increase for the entire time that you are an affiliate.
$500 in sales from those who have used your couponYou will receive 10% cash rewards or 15% Store Credit
$1000 in sales from those who have used your couponYou will receive 10% cash rewards or 20% Store Credit
$2500+ in sales from those who have used your couponYou will receive 10% cash rewards AND 20% Store Credit Is there any specific requirements that I need to do if I am chosen as an affiliate? Affiliates are free to share as little or as much as they would like throughout each month. The more that you share and the more that your community purchases the more rewards that you will make. Please note that in order to gain rewards your special coupon must be used. How can I sign up? If you are interested please send me an email with the following information:*Your Name*Why You are Interested in Being an Affiliate Member*Any Additional Information You Would Like Me to Know
I will be in touch within 1-2 weeks after I receive your information. Have questions? Please feel free to email me. Happy Saturday again friends! I hope that you have a day with friends and loved ones! 

Praying through Lyme Disease in Two New Libraries

One of my goals for this year has been to place my books (specifically the independently published books) into different libraries around the world, making them easily available for people to read. Growing up, the library for me was a wonderful place to go. And let me be honest, I still adore libraries as y'all know. *smiles* 
As an independent author it can be incredibly difficult to get your book into libraries for a number of reasons. As an independent author you can gain some access to libraries by making books available through major library distributors, but unfortunately this doesn't guarantee that your books will be purchased. As an independent author you have to work twice as hard to prove that you have a quality product that will fit into the collection of a library. You want to make sure that your independently published book looks professional and is well-written to be considered successful not only in self-publishing world, but in main-stream book circles. 
Many indie authors assume that libraries will jump at the chance to receive a donation to their library, but this is unfortunately not the case. Libraries, like bookstores, are a business in many ways and they will want to stock the precious space that they have with books that their patrons will want to check out of the library. Just like a bookstore, libraries do not want books collecting dust on bookshelves. Indie authors will have to work extra hard to establish why their book deserves a place on the shelf, as there is a long-standing practice of many independent authors offering to donate all of their self-published books.
So how does an independent author get their books into libraries? Like with everything else with self-publishing and marketing it takes lots and lots and lots of work. If you are in this stage and continue to press forward and don't give up! Continue to work hard! I will be sharing in the next couple of weeks some tips on how to get your independently published book into libraries but today I am excited to share with y'all two libraries that put Praying through Lyme Disease into circulation in January.  I shared with my IG community that I was so honored and humbled when the Lake Placid Public Library accepted Praying through Lyme Disease. Y'all know how much I love Lake Placid in general and it was such a treat to travel there and meet the wonderful people who work at the library. The views from the 3-story library are gorgeous as they overlook Mirror Lake and the atmosphere was a sweet community atmosphere. And y'all, seriously, how adorable is this library??? I was also so humbled and honored when the Chazy Public Library put Praying through Lyme Disease in their circulation. It was such a gift to travel there and meet the wonderful Francie who runs this sweet library. When I went last Saturday I immediately felt that I had stepped back into my childhood. There were people enjoying browsing through the shelves, a father reading a book to his young daughter, and a sewing class taking place. The atmosphere was so warm and welcoming. And y'all, seriously, how beautiful is the stone on this building that was built in 1807???
A huge thank you to both of these libraries who put Praying through Lyme Disease in circulation in January! I can't wait to share more library news with y'all in the coming months. If you know of a library that would be interested in one of my books will you please contact me and let me know? I am also very interested in getting my books into church, school, hospital, and university libraries so any tips, suggestions, or leads would be so appreciated! 
Happy Friday friends! I hope that you had a wonderful week and that you have a wonderful weekend!

From Hope Valley Devotionals (Week One)

Dear friend, first, thank you so much for stopping by to read these weekly devotional posts that have been inspired by "When Calls the Heart". For the next 45 Wednesdays I am going to be sharing a devotional post that I hope will be an encouragement to you! I never thought that I would write devotional posts based on a TV show before, but have been so inspired by the show that these devotional posts came about slowly as it wound its way into my heart. I first fell in love with the sweet title “When Calls the Heart” from Janette Oke’s book when I was a teenager. I loved the Canadian West series and even re-read them recently. Several years ago I saw a preview on Hallmark Channel for “When Calls the Heart” the TV show and the chords of faith, community, and love resonated deeply within my heart and I immediately became a "heartie".  At the time I was struggling as I had become bedridden due to Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease plus other health issues and felt cut off from the world. As I watched and re-watched “When Calls the Heart” I was consistently inspired by the threads that were woven deep into the show. Watching the show was an encouragement, especially during the difficult season that I found myself in. I started writing these in the early part of the Summer of 2015, when I found unexpectedly found myself bed-bound again. I hope and pray as you read through these weekly devotionals that you are encouraged to a deeper relationship with the Lord through these devotionals that have been inspired by the seemingly simple yet profound quotes from the precious TV show, “When Calls the Heart”. 
*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed, or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.* The beginning of a new adventure or a new season always comes with a twinge of uneasiness and fear. Sometimes it can seem that the new adventure was a mistake, especially in the first few days. Even with a qualified background in a new position we can sometimes feel at a loss or incompetent or even silly. 

In the fall of 2009, I found myself in this exact position. I was transitioning to a new out of state job from Washington DC to outside of Atlanta to teach high school at a new school. I was leaving behind a close-knit community that I considered a family, and one that had walked a very difficult road with me in the prior year, to live in a city where I knew no one and into a school that held a completely different culture than the one I was coming from. It was different, it was exciting, it was frightening, and at the start I often wondered what I had been thinking. I often questioned my decision, especially in the first few days. 
The move itself was stressful as my dad and I traveled over 30 hours with my car and a large (and slow) U-Haul across seven states, ran into 8 hours of traffic that made our trip longer, and suffered the death of my car’s air conditioner, resulting in the driver "enjoying" the 105 southern summer heat as the sun beat down on us. When we arrived we discovered that unlike the help we had been promised we were alone in unloading my possessions to my 2nd floor apartment. Hot and sweaty already, exhausted from our trip, and feeling quite alone and forgotten, more than a few tears ran down my cheeks as I was completely discouraged.
I looked over at my kind-hearted father who was exhausted and pouring sweat yet encouraging me through the difficult work in front of us. I looked at him with tears as I knew that he was leaving early the next day and I would truly be alone. I had lived farther away from home than this move, but this one for me was a difficult choice and decision. These beginning circumstanced only heightened my feelings of doubt.

After several hours we finished the laborious task and I stood in my new apartment, looking at the total sum of my worldly possessions that were haphazardly scattered before me. I felt overwhelmed at the task of unpacking, orienting to a new city, and preparing for this new life. My immediate inclination was to start to straighten up everything but I knew that it couldn’t be done at that point. The night was quickly approaching and we still had to return the U-Haul, go to the grocery store to purchase some basic supplies and somehow find towels and bedding and pillows for the bed and sofa bed. There was a lot to do before I had to take my dad to the airport the following morning. 
We took a minute and then slowly and tiredly made our way down to the cars and proceeded to check off our list one-by one of what we needed to accomplish that evening. The next few hours passed in a blur as we quickly grabbed a bite to eat, returned the U-Haul, went to the grocery store, and searched through boxes to find what we needed for the night. At last, well after midnight, I wearily crawled into bed. Foreign to my typical adventurous spirit, I felt shaky and nervous, and kept whispering to myself, "I can do this, I can do this, I can do this". The next morning found me repeating my words to myself like the Little Engine that Could as I wept and said goodbye to my dad. I wondered if I really could do what I had set out to do in this new place. 
As I waved one last time to my dad who had finished going through security, I found myself standing completely still as the crowds in the Atlanta airport rushed around me. I took a deep breath and slowly turned and walked out of the airport towards my car. Glancing at the time as I buckled up I knew that I would hit some of the Atlanta traffic I had heard so much about. I was grateful as the time in the car gave me time to think. The last year had been extremely difficult on my heart as my ex-fiance' had walked out on our relationship only a few months before the wedding altering my life plans. The verse from scripture that promises that God is always with us was of particular comfort during that season and was now as I thought about the days and weeks and months ahead.
As I drove slowly home in the Atlanta traffic I decided that I would take a detour from unpacking. All at once I desperately wanted to see the school where I would be teaching. I didn’t stop to consider my appearance, although quite truthfully I must have looked a bit rough. Despite a shower the night before I was still hot and sweaty from lack of air-conditioning in my car and sitting in traffic, and my clothes where a rumpled mess from having been packed in hot suitcase for the last five days. My hair was thrown back into a messy bun and looked like it hadn’t been combed for days. Despite this I moved forward with my detour plans. I had an inexplicable and deep longing to walk through the new school and community that I hoped to call “home”.
Nearly two hours after dropping my father at the airport and sitting in traffic, I finally pulled into the school parking lot. I ignored the cars that were parked around the front of the building and tentatively walked into the school. I received several surprised looks but I continued to walk on. I had only seen the school one time briefly before this, so I was intrigued by everything. I stopped to view pictures on the walls and glance in empty classrooms. After about 20 minutes of walking through the high school hallways, I decided to head home. I admit that instead of feeling more ready for the task before me I instead felt extremely discouraged, alone, and fragile. I looked at the empty 2nd floor hallway before me and sighed into the quiet. Not for the first time in the last 24 hours I wondered what I had done.
As I walked down the stairwell and opened to the door to the 1st floor hallway I almost ran directly into a young woman about my age. She had the largest and kindest smile and she quickly reached her hand out to introduce herself. Her kind and welcoming words changed everything. She was focused on me completely and her attitude showed that she didn’t care about my hot and sweaty appearance, my messy bun, or what I could offer her. Instead she was completely focused on welcoming me into her heart and her life. 
All of a sudden, because she took 5 minutes to intentionally step into my life, my view of the world completely changed. Liz, I was quickly to learn, has a gift for making those around her feel supported and encouraged. Over the next three years that I had the privilege of teaching with her, I and many others, were the recipients of her dedicated, personal, and intentional caring and love. Liz has a beautiful gift of seeing to the heart of people and seeing the best in them. A beautiful and rare treasure in this world.
Never let it be said that the time and intentionality of a Christian woman to listen and encourage is anything short of a priceless gift to the world.
This encounter, much like the precious conversation between Abigail and Elizabeth’s conversation in the first episode of season one, has had a huge impact on my life and the way that I view the world. It has softened me and strengthened me. Softened me to thank those who give encouragement and live in the gratitude of their care and compassion. And it strengthens and challenges me to take the time to see whom I can encourage in my daily life. It challenges me to take the time to truly consider who is before me in my life, to turn off my phone, leave the useless hours of scrolling through other people’s lives, and to intentionally see the people who are in front of me that I can offer a few words of encouragement to today.
Today, let us draw inspiration from Elizabeth’s attitude of gratitude for kind words in the midst of change and new seasons and hard times, and let us be challenged by Abigail’s strength and courage to offer kindness to those who need it. Let us look around to those who cross our paths for a short or long periods of time, to those who are hurting, and for those who are needing some extra grace and words of encouragement today. We may never begin to guess the impact that our encouragement can be on one person and the ripple affect it can have on a community.
“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”-I Thessalonians 5:11-

From Hope Valley Devotionals (One)

Dear friend, first, thank you so much for stopping by to read these weekly devotional posts that have been inspired by "When Calls the Heart". For the next 45 Wednesdays I am going to be sharing a devotional post that I hope will be an encouragement to you! I never thought that I would write devotional posts based on a TV show before, but have been so inspired by the show that these devotional posts came about slowly as it wound its way into my heart. I first fell in love with the sweet title “When Calls the Heart” from Janette Oke’s book when I was a teenager. I loved the Canadian West series and even re-read them recently. Several years ago I saw a preview on Hallmark Channel for “When Calls the Heart” the TV show and the chords of faith, community, and love resonated deeply within my heart and I immediately became a "heartie".  At the time I was struggling as I had become bedridden due to Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease plus other health issues and felt cut off from the world. As I watched and re-watched “When Calls the Heart” I was consistently inspired by the threads that were woven deep into the show. Watching the show was an encouragement, especially during the difficult season that I found myself in. I started writing these in the early part of the Summer of 2015, when I found unexpectedly found myself bed-bound again. I hope and pray as you read through these weekly devotionals that you are encouraged to a deeper relationship with the Lord through these devotionals that have been inspired by the simple yet profound quotes from the precious TV show, “When Calls the Heart”. 
*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed, or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.* The beginning of a new adventure or a new season always comes with a twinge of uneasiness and fear. Sometimes it can seem that the new adventure was a mistake, especially in the first few days. Even with a qualified background in a new position we can sometimes feel at a loss or incompetent or even silly. 

In the fall of 2009, I found myself in this exact position. I was transitioning to a new out of state job from Washington DC to outside of Atlanta to teach high school at a new school. I was leaving behind a close-knit community that I considered a family, and one that had walked a very difficult road with me in the prior year, to live in a city where I knew no one and into a school that held a completely different culture than the one I was coming from. It was different, it was exciting, it was frightening, and at the start I often wondered what I had been thinking. I often questioned my decision, especially in the first few days. 
The move itself was stressful as my dad and I traveled over 30 hours with my car and a large (and slow) U-Haul across seven states, ran into 8 hours of traffic that made our trip longer, and suffered the death of my car’s air conditioner, resulting in the driver "enjoying" the 105 southern summer heat as the sun beat down on us. When we arrived we discovered that unlike the help we had been promised we were alone in unloading my possessions to my 2nd floor apartment. Hot and sweaty already, exhausted from our trip, and feeling quite alone and forgotten, more than a few tears ran down my cheeks as I was completely discouraged.
I looked over at my kind-hearted father who was exhausted and pouring sweat yet encouraging me through the difficult work in front of us. I looked at him with tears as I knew that he was leaving early the next day and I would truly be alone. I had lived farther away from home than this move, but this one for me was a difficult choice and decision. These beginning circumstanced only heightened my feelings of doubt.

After several hours we finished the laborious task and I stood in my new apartment, looking at the total sum of my worldly possessions that were haphazardly scattered before me. I felt overwhelmed at the task of unpacking, orienting to a new city, and preparing for this new life. My immediate inclination was to start to straighten up everything but I knew that it couldn’t be done at that point. The night was quickly approaching and we still had to return the U-Haul, go to the grocery store to purchase some basic supplies and somehow find towels and bedding and pillows for the bed and sofa bed. There was a lot to do before I had to take my dad to the airport the following morning. 
We took a minute and then slowly and tiredly made our way down to the cars and proceeded to check off our list one-by one of what we needed to accomplish that evening. The next few hours passed in a blur as we quickly grabbed a bite to eat, returned the U-Haul, went to the grocery store, and searched through boxes to find what we needed for the night. At last, well after midnight, I wearily crawled into bed. Foreign to my typical adventurous spirit, I felt shaky and nervous, and kept whispering to myself, "I can do this, I can do this, I can do this". The next morning found me repeating my words to myself like the Little Engine that Could as I wept and said goodbye to my dad. I wondered if I really could do what I had set out to do in this new place. 
As I waved one last time to my dad who had finished going through security, I found myself standing completely still as the crowds in the Atlanta airport rushed around me. I took a deep breath and slowly turned and walked out of the airport towards my car. Glancing at the time as I buckled up I knew that I would hit some of the Atlanta traffic I had heard so much about. I was grateful as the time in the car gave me time to think. The last year had been extremely difficult on my heart as my ex-fiance' had walked out on our relationship only a few months before the wedding altering my life plans. The verse from scripture that promises that God is always with us was of particular comfort during that season and was now as I thought about the days and weeks and months ahead.
As I drove slowly home in the Atlanta traffic I decided that I would take a detour from unpacking. All at once I desperately wanted to see the school where I would be teaching. I didn’t stop to consider my appearance, although quite truthfully I must have looked a bit rough. Despite a shower the night before I was still hot and sweaty from lack of air-conditioning in my car and sitting in traffic, and my clothes where a rumpled mess from having been packed in hot suitcase for the last five days. My hair was thrown back into a messy bun and looked like it hadn’t been combed for days. Despite this I moved forward with my detour plans. I had an inexplicable and deep longing to walk through the new school and community that I hoped to call “home”.
Nearly two hours after dropping my father at the airport and sitting in traffic, I finally pulled into the school parking lot. I ignored the cars that were parked around the front of the building and tentatively walked into the school. I received several surprised looks but I continued to walk on. I had only seen the school one time briefly before this, so I was intrigued by everything. I stopped to view pictures on the walls and glance in empty classrooms. After about 20 minutes of walking through the high school hallways, I decided to head home. I admit that instead of feeling more ready for the task before me I instead felt extremely discouraged, alone, and fragile. I looked at the empty 2nd floor hallway before me and sighed into the quiet. Not for the first time in the last 24 hours I wondered what I had done.
As I walked down the stairwell and opened to the door to the 1st floor hallway I almost ran directly into a young woman about my age. She had the largest and kindest smile and she quickly reached her hand out to introduce herself. Her kind and welcoming words changed everything. She was focused on me completely and her attitude showed that she didn’t care about my hot and sweaty appearance, my messy bun, or what I could offer her. Instead she was completely focused on welcoming me into her heart and her life. 
All of a sudden, because she took 5 minutes to intentionally step into my life, my view of the world completely changed. Liz, I was quickly to learn, has a gift for making those around her feel supported and encouraged. Over the next three years that I had the privilege of teaching with her, I and many others, were the recipients of her dedicated, personal, and intentional caring and love. Liz has a beautiful gift of seeing to the heart of people and seeing the best in them. A beautiful and rare treasure in this world.
Never let it be said that the time and intentionality of a Christian woman to listen and encourage is anything short of a priceless gift to the world.
This encounter, much like the precious conversation between Abigail and Elizabeth’s conversation in the first episode of season one, has had a huge impact on my life and the way that I view the world. It has softened me and strengthened me. Softened me to thank those who give encouragement and live in the gratitude of their care and compassion. And it strengthens and challenges me to take the time to see whom I can encourage in my daily life. It challenges me to take the time to truly consider who is before me in my life, to turn off my phone, leave the useless hours of scrolling through other people’s lives, and to intentionally see the people who are in front of me that I can offer a few words of encouragement to today.
Today, let us draw inspiration from Elizabeth’s attitude of gratitude for kind words in the midst of change and new seasons and hard times, and let us be challenged by Abigail’s strength and courage to offer kindness to those who need it. Let us look around to those who cross our paths for a short or long periods of time, to those who are hurting, and for those who are needing some extra grace and words of encouragement today. We may never begin to guess the impact that our encouragement can be on one person and the ripple affect it can have on a community.
“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”-I Thessalonians 5:11-

Rejection in the Single Journey

“As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious...”-I Peter 2:4-

A couple of years ago, when I first started the blog, I shared how I moved to DC shortly after I was healed from my battle with Endometriosis. It was a temporary move as I had been accepted into a prestigious summer program at American University's Law School. My time there was truly wonderful and I shared a little bit about this experience in a post recently. What I didn't share was that during this time I experienced a heart-breaking rejection.

Since I was visiting from out of state I was staying with some friends from grad school and tagged along with them to their church. One Sunday I rode with my roommate ("K"),  her boyfriend ("M"), and her boyfriends roommate ("G") met us at church. After the service we realized that I should have driven because "K" and "M' had a meeting to attend that would last a couple of hours and I didn't have a way to get home (or so they said *smiles*). "Thankfully" "G" had driven and conveniently offered to drive me home. I agreed and as he drove me home we got talking and just seemed to "click". Pretty soon we decided to get some food and you know how it goes... girl meets boy, they go out a couple of times, girl really likes boy, and then boy admits that he is not over his ex-girlfriend... and girl feels rejected. 

I am sure that I , like many other ladies who are single (and who are married) could write a lot on this subject. We have all had to deal with rejection in one way or another, but as single women we can sometimes feel that we have been rejected from the thing that we desire most: marriage. 

Sometimes a recent, fragile, emotional, or disappointing circumstance (perhaps similar to the one that I shared above) can "encourage" these feelings to be more prevalent. At other times it is simply the struggle of being single and longing to be married and feeling "rejected" from this desire be delayed at this time in life. 

But sweet friends, let us find great encouragement in the truth that while men may reject us, God will never reject us. No matter what rejection we may feel or face with another human being, we are never rejected by God. The Lord promises us in Psalm 94:14; 

"...for the Lord will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance."

Hold onto the sweet and beautiful truth that the Lord will never reject or forsake you. We have a High Priest who can empathize and sympathize with us because He experienced everything we have. He understands our weaknesses and will never reject us. What a beautiful comfort there is in knowing that He understands our feelings of rejection. 

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief..."
-Isaiah 53:3-

It is a beautiful thing to know that we can rest in this beautiful love of the Lord, a person who was rejected like we could be but who will never reject us. Beyond that friends, there is also a beautiful promise that we are chosen and precious in His eyes as I Peter 2:4 so eloquently states. 

Where have you felt and faced rejection friends? Some of my precious friends have faced rejection from their earliest days with their fathers. Others have experienced it from other men in dating relationships. Others have felt it when a husband has left them or when a fiance' breaks their vows of commitment. Wherever you have faced and experienced rejection friends, release it into the Lord's hands knowing that, “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.”(Psalm 27:10) 

Years after this situation happened, I share in my book, December Caravan, that I experienced rejection again when my ex-fiance walked out of our relationship a few months before we were to be married. A verse that meant so much to me during this time (and has remained one of my favorite verses) is from Isaiah 49:16. This beautiful and profound verse has been a balm for my soul throughout different seasons of rejection. It has remained one of my favorite verses as a single lady to this day. It simply states, "You have engraved me on the palms of your hands". This beautiful truth that the Lord would engrave my name on the palm of His hands holds such hope that the Lord will never ever reject me. How absolutely amazing!!

Happy Monday sweet friends! I pray that you have a wonderful week remembering that no matter the rejection from man, God will never reject us!

New Valentine's Day Items in the Etsy Shop (and a coupon)!

Happy Saturday friends! I hope that you had a wonderful week! 
Today I am so excited to share just a few pictures of a bunch of new Valentine's Day items that are now available in the shop! You can find the Valentine's section HERE!
There are lots of Valentines' Day items that are perfect for yourself and your decor or for giving as a small gift to a loved one this season. There are also lots of other new journals, buntings and fun goodies that you can find in the shop HERE! AND for one day ONLY please enjoy 10% off your order when you use the coupon code: VALENTINEJOY ! So hurry on over to the shop before the coupon code expires by clicking HERE! If you haven't already entered my 4-year Blogiversary Giveaway make sure you do so today! Included in the prize is a $10 Giftcard to my Etsy Shop! You can enter HERE and also check out THIS Instagram post for more entries!
Happy Saturday friends! I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Caravan Sonnet turns 4 and a HUGE Blogiversary giveaway!

Happy Thursday friends! It is hard to believe that Saturday marked FOUR years of writing in this little space on the internet! What a blessing each of you have been as you have walked these years with me! I never could have dreamt all that the Lord had in store for me these past years and as I start my fourth year writing on the blog I am truly beyond humbled. 

I shared last year how I have set aside my Sundays as a time for prayer, reflection, and connecting more deeply with those whom the Lord has placed in front of me. Each Sunday I look forward to gathering with the body of Christ and then spending the day truly immersed in the present. Because I spend so much time on the internet due to my health issues, connecting with others, book projects, work projects, etc. these hours are preciously guarded and very special to me. 

But this Sunday I did something a bit different. I decided that in honor of Caravan Sonnet turning 4 I would read back through all of my old posts that I have written and shared in this space that holds so much of my heart. As I started at the beginning and read my very first post  and smiled deeply. The girl that wrote that post had no idea what the next months and years would bring and as I ponder the past I marvel at the Lord's intricate hand weaving a unique story. One that is different than I could have ever imagined. One that has seen a lot of pain and messiness and yet has fought to find a way to have joy in the midst of the difficult. One that never would have suspected that I would become an author, start speaking and sharing my story, travel and see so many beautiful things, start an Etsy shop, become the founder of Grace Engaged, and so many other things that are absolutely beautiful. 

I never could have imagined the lovely ways that this space would help me grow as I have processed through so much about myself, life, and God. Thank you so much for your sweet support, love, and prayers through the difficult days and your love and excitement through the milestones and joys of this journey. 

I receive so many different emails asking for "blogging advice". I am so humbled and while I don't think of myself as an expert I have shared in the past some thoughts and tips. If you are looking for blogging advice, please check out the posts below:

 Six Tips to Help Your Blog Make and Impact and a Difference in this World
 Six Ways to Stop the Comparison Game and Love Your Blog
 the 12 Unwritten and Important Etiquette Rules of Blogging
blogging advice: three years later
blogging advice: two years later
blogging advice: 1 year later
blogging advice from the nine month newbie
blogging advice from the six month newbie
 blogging advice from the three month newbie

But beyond the advice I want to share something that is deeply on my heart for this coming year with this blog and my personal life. There is a reason that I knew the word for the year was "rachat". The Lord is doing beautiful redemptive and restorative things in my health and in my life. I look forward to sharing more things and plans and goals for this year, but please know that I look forward to continuing to walk this beautiful journey of faith with each of you. 

I want to say thank you so much to each of you for taking the time to read, comment, and connect. I pray that you leave here encouraged to grow in your relationship with the Lord, that you are inspired to life fully and beautifully, and that you leave here inspired to the time to delight in the beauty of the days that the Lord has given. 

As a small thank you for being apart of this community I wanted to host a special giveaway of items that are dear to my heart for one lucky winner:
(1) ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible (Retails for $139)
(2) 1 Quarter of winner's choice of crate from The Novel Garden (Retails for $49.99-$109.00)
(3) Signed Copy of December Caravan (Retails for $13.99)
(4) "I am Thine" Wissmann Family CD (Retails for $12.00)
(5) $10 Giftcard to December Caravan Etsy Shop
(5) $5 Starbucks Giftcard

This giveaway will be hosted here on the blog and on my IG page with ONE winner being picked. To receive entries to win enter through Rafflecopter below and head on over to my IG page to find out how you can earn additional entries! (Giveaway starts today and ends on Tuesday, January 31st- 11:59pm EST)
a Rafflecopter giveaway


 Thank you again for living life with me this year! 
With lots of love, 

Embrace Grace Ministry- Love in a Box Program

Today I am so excited to share with y'all a little bit about an amazing program from Embrace Grace - their Love in a Box initiative. Love in a Box is a pro-love initiative launched to help save babies and help moms get plugged into local churches for spiritual, emotional, and physical support through an Embrace Grace group.  Boxes are distributed to pregnancy centers nation-wide and are given to young, single women who test positive to pregnancy tests. The box is full of gifts that will inspire hope and impart love to a mom that may be scared or fearful of her future. Each of the boxes consist of a fearless journal and pen, a Bump in Life book, a baby onesie, testimonial letters of girls that chose adoption and chose to parent, an invitation to join an Embrace Grace group and a Brave Girl Letter (that can even be written by YOU!) Y'all- I love this. Each of us has the opportunity to speak into the life of a mom that could possibly contemplating a life and death decision. We have the amazing opportunity to speak into her life, to encourage, uplift, and inspire her to choose life and to get plugged into an Embrace Grace support group at a local church. These moms are brave. Seriously, each of them are beyond courageous. Embrace Grace wants to come alongside them and help them choose life and get plugged into a support system that will love them and model the love that Jesus gives. And guess what? Embrace Grace is giving away one of these beautiful necklaces and journals. Y'all I love mine. No matter what stage of life you are in- I think that we can all agree that we want to be "pro-love" in our society. There is enough hate and anger. I want to be "pro-love". Want to enter? Click HERE to enter the giveaway!  Want to get more involved with this beautiful ministry? Here are three important ways you can connect: 1. Partner with the national organization through prayer and support at www.EmbraceGrace.com.2. Start an Embrace Grace at their local church so young women with unplanned pregnancies have a support group.3. Download and print our brave girl letter (http://egrace.co/brave) and mail to the below for us to place inside a Love in a Box: 
Embrace Grace, Inc.Attn: Love in a Box700 W. Bedford Euless Rd., Ste. GHurst, TX 76053
Isn't this a beautiful ministry? I am so excited to share it with y'all! Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

I received these product from Embrace Grace in exchange for reviewing this item. This post is part of the FrontGate Blogger Network. Images are property of Embrace Grace Ministry. All opinions are my own.

What's Up Wednesday (January Edition)

Happy Wednesday friends! I am excited to link up with Mel, Shaeffer, and Shay for the "What's Up Wednesday" Link up! I have so enjoyed reading these ladies posts and am excited to join in! It has been so fun to connect with so many other ladies who are doing this each month over last year and I am looking forward to connecting more in 2017. Here are all of my "What's up Wednesday" posts from 2016: 
What's Up Wednesday January EditionWhat's Up Wednesday March EditionWhat's Up Wednesday April EditionWhat's Up Wednesday May EditionWhat's Up Wednesday June EditionWhat's Up Wednesday August EditionWhat's Up Wednesday September EditionWhat's Up Wednesday October EditionWhat's Up Wednesday December Edition
 If you would like to join in and have a blog, just answer the questions above!
What We're Eating this Week...  So everyday I work to get approximately 8 cups of greens into me. To me this is just as much a part of my healing process as all of the medicine and supplements that I take. I eat a non-gluten and dairy lifestyle and am also low-sugar (my sugar comes from my fruit smoothie every morning). But this winter I am kicking it up even more and working to get 10 cups of greens into me. I don't currently juice for a variety of personal physical reasons and have read about all of the health benefits of actually chewing the greens so this is what I am currently eating. Honestly I am so sick with this treatment plan it is a bit rough but I know the healing properties will help so I am pushing through. What is your favorite green to eat? I am currently munching on Spinach as I type this. *smiles*
Interested to find out the benefits of Kale or Basil? You can find a post I wrote about the benefits of Kale HERE, and find another post on the benefits of Basil HERE. 
What I'm Reminiscing About...  The Hearties Family reunion that my mom and I attended in December. It was really a very sweet time and I have been sharing about the Hearties Reunion (which you can read about HERE) and yesterday I shared about the opportunity to meet the cast of When Calls the Heart (which you can read about HERE)
What I'm Loving...  Stay tuned TOMORROW to find out what I am loving and how YOU can win it! *hahaha* how cryptic and yet exciting is that?

What I've Been Up To... Working on lots of orders for my Etsy shop and re-stocking the shop with tons of new journals, buntings, and Valentine's Day goodies.  One of my goals for the month of January had been to re-stock the shop with 100 new items and I was so excited to reach that goal yesterday BUT I am still adding things because I have such sweet new things to add.  So head on over to the shop to see all of the new additions! (You can find the shop by clicking HERE!)
What I'm Dreading...  I shared with my Instagram community that on Monday I had a complete breakdown crying session. This new treatment session is hard. I am holding fast to the promise of Psalm 126:5, yet there are tears. Yet, I am fully believing that the Lord is redeeming and restoring. Here is what I shared:
This new week has dawned and today arrived much more quickly than I had hoped. Last Thursday, after talking with my main medical team and seeing some bloodwork results, the decision was made to dig deeper into a more intensive treatment regime. With kind and gracious words (and even a joke about a new cute doctor intended to make me laugh *smiles*), my amazing doctor encouraged me to have courage. So this morning I wrapped this scarf that has deep personal significance to me and broke down and wept at the start of this new week and treatment. My health this past weekend crashed some ...most likely a herx in relation to some new treatment, combined with stress over the last couple of weeks, and an infection that is continuing to hold on. So this morning I cried. Cried for the strength to have courage. Cried for a new phase that may be filled with sickness and a few fears. Cried because this is a phase that the Lord will meet me in. He is not put off by our tears, but instead lovingly carries us in grace. He supplies our courage when we have no strength. He is redeeming and restoring even when the road twists and turns. "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” (Psalm 125:6)
What I'm Working on...  An EXCITING new project that I can not wait to share with y'all more about in the next few days!!! Stay tuned y'all!! Seriously... I am BEYOND excited!
What I'm Excited About...  What I shared above with The Novel Garden! I can't wait to share more!!
What I'm Watching/Reading...  I am wanting to try Victoria from PBS. Has anyone else tried this yet?? I loved the movie The Young Victoria and I love this entire time period of History so I am hoping that this will be really good?! Any thoughts?
What I'm Listening to...  So my dear friends, the Wissmann Family, released a new project back in the fall that is absolutely beautiful. I seriously have this playing for most of the day. It is absolutely gorgeous. My favorite song from the project is probably #11- Glacier, but the whole thing is so good. If you want to listen to a preview of the songs you can do so HERE. (They are also currently having a sale on their site that if you use the coupon 15OFF you can receive 15% off your entire order!
What I'm Wearing...  Lots and lots of scarves. I love scarves and in the frigid weather that we have been having they are the perfect thing to wear and they are so cute! This one has a lot of personal significance to me, but I love all scarves, especially cozy and big ones to wrap up in! *smiles*
What Else is New.. SO last week I shared that this project was not going to print due to some private reasons. BUT I am really excited to share that it will be going to this blog! So starting February 1st, every Wednesday I will be posting one of the 45-devotional pieces!! YEA!! If you are interested in following along more for updates and the fan page you can connect with the IG community HERE!
What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month...  Again, not to be all cryptic but I can't wait to share more with y'all tomorrow SO stay tuned because I am sharing some BIG announcements!
I would love to know your answers to these questions friends! Share your thoughts below in the comments!!
 Happy Wednesday!

Hearties Family Reunion: Meeting the Cast and Crew

As I shared a couple of weeks ago, my mom and I had the special opportunity to attend the Hearties Family Reunion that took place in early December in Vancouver. If you missed it you can read more about the Hearties Family Reunion HERE. Today I am so excited to share with y'all about what took place on Saturday - as we were able to hear from the producers and Hallmark executives and the crew of When Calls the Heart and meet the cast!  Each person that we interacted with from the cast and crew were absolutely delightful. I was absolutely impressed with the way that they were incredibly kind to each of us and made us feel like the stars of the day. Each of the stars took the time to chat with us individually and it was an absolutely wonderful day filled with lots of precious memories. The day started out with us having the opportunity to hear from the crew and some of the When Calls the Heart producers and Janette Oke about the work that they do on set. It was so fun and amazing to hear about all of the different components that go into making this very special show. Brian Bird asked the panel different questions and each answer helped us understand and see different parts of the show. After this panel we had a short break before the first set of actors came out. The room held such excitement as we anxiously awaited their arrival! When the cast came out it was precious to see how excited and surprised they were at how many of us were there! It seemed like they were a bit overwhelmed and so excited and it was neat to be able to show them how much we appreciate all of their hard work! Erin Krakow was absolutely adorable! Her excitement for life clearly showed throughout the day! Daniel Lissing is even more cuter in person ladies. *smiles* Phones and cameras were out everywhere that day! I started joking around that we were the "Hearties Paparazzi". *hahaha* Two of my favorite people from the show, Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith were so fun. They were laughing and having a great time! Lori Loughlin is even more stunning in person if that is possible. She was so precious and so wonderful to chat with. Hearing fun stories about how they were cast and the fun times on set! While we were at the Hearties Family Reunion we had the opportunity to see a little bit of the Christmas movie that aired on Christmas Day. (If you haven't seen it, it is adorable and you can purchase it off Amazon HERE.) Pascale shared about her fun entrance that she got to make when she arrives home from her honeymoon.  I have adored Pascale's character since the first day and have loved her incredibly fun and outlandish antics. To see these two interact and Pascale talk made me appreciate her character even more. Seriously she is absolutely so fun! Paul Greene is new to When Calls the Heart this year and we will be introduced to his character in Season 4. He was so incredibly nice and so sweet to talk with and let's be real. Absolutely gorgeous. *smiles* After the morning panel and Q & A session we were divided into groups and we had the opportunity to meet this part of the cast and take pictures with them. Disclaimer: The pictures which I am in in this post with cast members are not my photos but are photos taken from the day from various photographers. One of the main photographers for the day was Ardra Morse.  After we took our pictures we ate lunch and then we had a second panel with more of the cast from When Calls the Heart. Gracyn Shinyei, who plays Emily (along with every other child star from When Calls the Heart) was so well-spoken and so sweet. She was absolutely delightful to meet! One of the funniest things of the afternoon was sharing about the "Pastor Frank Doll" that had been in one of the prize baskets.  It was a huge hit with not only the attendees but the cast! *smiles* It was delightful to hear all of the cast share about their experiences and answer questions about their characters! Here are two the of the precious ladies sharing about their hopes of finding love in Hope Valley! We are all rooting for the single ladies of Hope Valley to find love!  After this panel we again were split up into groups and had the opportunity to meet the second group of actors and actresses. Again a Disclaimer: The pictures which I am in in this post with cast members are not my photos but are photos taken from the day from various photographers. One of the main photographers for the day was Ardra Morse.  It was such a beautiful day of meeting the cast and crew and such a delightful opportunity to interact with such beautiful humans. Again, a huge thank you to everyone who made this Hearties Family Reunion possible and to each of the cast and crew for taking your time to come. (One of the cast had even became a brand new father the night before and was still there!) I can't wait to share with y'all next week about the visit to Hope Valley (the set of When Calls the Heart)!
Happy Tuesday friends! I hope that you are having a wonderful week!