Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 260

What's Up Wednesday (May 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 is so fun to connect with so many other ladies who are doing this each month!
What We're Eating this Week...  Raspberries. More Raspberries. And yes, more Raspberries. So basically, as y'all know I spend every single day working to improve my immune system through the food that I eat, drinking tons of water, and the supplements that I take. I truly believe that working on building my immune system is just as important as all of the treatment I do to kill the Lyme. And last week in my Thursday Health Thoughts I shared 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Red Raspberries. I am LOVING these little sweet berries and am eating them several times a day. Yum!
What I'm Reminiscing About...  Speaking in Phoenix at the beginning of this month. It was truly an amazing and life-changing experience for me! I am also looking forward to how this trip has opened up some new speaking engagements and I look forward to sharing that more with y'all in the upcoming weeks. (If you are ever interested in having me speak at an event, bible study, class, etc. you can find out more about what I speak on at my personal website by clicking HERE!) 
What I'm Loving...  We are moving down to camp for the summer!! Words can't express how excited that I am to welcome the summer officially as we move this weekend! Are you in the Lake Champlain area and looking for Memorial Day activities to do? Yesterday in my Tuesday Travel posts I shared about some memorial day activities happening along the lake in New York and Vermont! You can check it out HERE!
What I've Been Up To... If you follow me on instagram than you know that this week we received amazing and beautiful news. Here is what I shared on Monday evening: "Seven years ago my health started to disintegrate with "no explanation". Over the years I started to dread blood work as lots of things started to go from bad to worse, and continued to show "one more issue" after another as I was finally and accurately diagnosed with Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease, Cancer and many other health issues. After years of searching for answers, years of slow and steady treatment with my fragile body, and lots of encouragement and prayers we have joyful news!! About 10 months ago my blood work started to slightly and slowly improve. About 5 months ago it started to stabilize. And then today... finally today ...we received the beautiful gift of for the first time in SEVEN years one very important area of my bloodwork is completely NORMAL!! We are crying very happy tears, thanking and praising the Lord for this beautiful news of moving closer to healing, and grateful for this beautiful encouragement as I continue to move forward in treatment. Thank you for your continued prayers friends for this entire journey! Truly they are being answered in small and big ways!!"
What I'm Dreading...  Let's be honest... even with the amazing news I am still dreading getting a port in two weeks from today. I would welcome any encouragement that anyone has heard or experienced? Thanks friends! I appreciate your prayers for all of this! Would you also continue to pray that all of the finances come in for this trip? People have generously donated to my "go fund me page" but this trip is very very expensive and we are still praying for all of the funds to come in for it! Thank you so much friends. If you are interested in donating you can click HERE. 
What I'm Working on...  Lots and lots of orders from the shop that I was so blessed to receive! The shop is closed now until the first week of July but I can't wait to share some exciting surprises that I will be debuting at that time! I can't wait to share with y'all!!
What I'm Excited About...  As I shared last month, I am so honored, excited, and humbled to announce that my newest book, Path of Hope, was released!! You can purchase it where books are sold or on Amazon (also available in Kindle form) and you can click HERE to purchase it! I have been overwhelmed by the response that this book has received. The sweet emails, the amazing encouragement, and the way that it has been changing peoples lives is overwhelming to me. Thank you so much to each person who has contacted me, written a review, shared on social media, etc. about this book!
What I'm Watching/Reading...  Tessa Afshar's books are always poignantly written, amazingly researched, and beautifully engaging and leads me back to scripture. She is one of the most talented writers I have ever read. Her books are truly some of my absolute favorites and I recommend them to everyone I know, but this book... Land of Silence... was destined to touch me in a very personal way. Telling the story of the woman who bled for twelve years and was healed when she touched the hem of Jesus's cloak, this book had me in tears, encouraged my weary heart, and gave encouragement for this own land of silence that I am walking. I plan to do a complete review on the book, but in the meantime you can find out more about it HERE. 
One of my favorite quotes from the book is from page 96 when she writes, "Our forefathers had many dangers to contend with... on either side of them rose a wall of water like none they had ever witnessed. The wind raged, the sea churned threateningly, like a lion ready to fall on its prey. The army of Pharaoh sat on the edge of the land intending to pursue them. How easy it would have been for our people, through every step of that perilous passage to set their eyes on these dangers. How easy to give in to fears and discouragement. These are the rushing waters of our lives, surrounding us like a churning wall on every side. They are the army of our Pharaoh. But instead of growing distracted and fearful, we can choose to set our eyes on the path that the Lord opens for us. One step at a time, we can go forward, and learn to be faithful in suffering."

What I'm Listening to...  I shared this several months ago but if you haven't had the chance to listen to this beautiful song, "Jesus I am resting" yet, take the three minutes and do it right now. I promise you will be incredibly blessed! (Want to find out more about the Wissmann Family and check out more of their music? You can find their website HERE!)
What I'm Wearing...  Let's be real... I have been in comfy comfy clothes most of the last few weeks as I haven't felt that great but I am definitely dreaming of spring clothes! 
What I'm looking Forward to Next Month...  We will be at camp! Can not wait!
I would love to know your answers to these questions friends! Share your thoughts below in the comments!! *smiles* Happy Wednesday!

Memorial Day Activities on Lake Champlain

Happy Tuesday y'all! Last year I shared my suggestions for Summer things to do on Lake Champlain and also Fall Activities on Lake Champlain and with Memorial Day quickly approaching this weekend I wanted to share some of my favorite activities to do in this area on this weekend. Since this area is steeped in history, there are truly so many wonderful activities that can be experienced to celebrate the true meaning of this holiday weekend and also many exciting activities to "kick off" the early summer season! Enjoy y'all! A Salute to the Service of the Armed Forces at Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga (steeped in History) has many events that take place throughout the entire weekend, but May 30th has an entire day dedicated to salute the service of the armed forces of the United States. Starting at 9:30am and continuing throughout the afternoon there are activities all throughout the day. You can read the entire schedule HERE. There is a cost for admission, but children under 4 are free.
Crown Point Memorial Day Celebration Similar to Fort Ticonderoga, Crown Point is having a full weekend of activities, including an event to honor Vietnam Veterans on Sunday, May 29th. There is an entire list of activities that are being offered (many of them for free) that you can find out about HERE! 
Attend a Parade There are numerous parades that are taking place in the many towns and cities of Lake Champlain. You can find a listing of all of the Vermont Memorial Day parades by clicking HERE! The largest parade in Vermont, which takes places in Vergennes, begins at 11am. You can find out more details on this specific parade by clicking HERE.
Take the Family to the Farmers Market Numerous Farmers Markets open up this weekend and there is no shortage of the different types and places that you could attend. Type in "farmers market" and your town and find out the times and places. Interested in attending the Burlington Farmers Market? You can find out more information HERE!
Great Adirondack Garage Sale Every day throughout the weekend there will be the Great Adirondack Garage Sale held along a 200-mile "trail". If you are looking for a great bargain you won't want to miss this exciting event! You can find out more on their website by clicking HERE!
3rd Annual Lake Placid Wedding Show (in partnership with the knot!) Getting married? You will want to attend the 3rd annual Lake Placid Wedding Show held at Whiteface Lodge on Sunday, May 29th. This wedding show is in partnership with the knot and will feature tons of vendors from the area, boasts amazing prizes, and special activities just for the happy couple. The entrance fee is only $5 and more information can be found HERE!
Run in, Volunteer, or Cheer on the Participants of the Vermont City Marathon & Relay There are several runs that are taking place around Lake Champlain, but the Vermont City Marathon and Relay takes place in downtown Burlington this Sunday. Stop on by, participate, or volunteer in this exciting event! (Interested in finding out about other running events that take place in Vermont? Check out the "Run Vermont" website to find out about lots of other events coming up in the future! 
There are so many different things to do on Lake Champlain on Memorial Day Weekend! What are your favorites?

10 Amazing Benefits of Red Raspberries

I have always loved raspberries since I was a young girl, but didn't know all of the amazing health benefits of consuming them until I did additional research. Y'all I am so amazed at the health benefits that come with consuming raspberries and hope that it will inspire you to add this to your daily life! So what are all of the health benefits that raspberries have? 
Check out these 10 amazing benefits:

1. Eating Red Raspberries may prevent Cancer by inhibiting the abnormal division of cells and promoting the normal death of healthy cells. New Research that has been performed at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina has revealed that the human body readily will absorb the ellagic acid that is found in red raspberries. This specific acid has been clinically show to cause cell death in certain Cancer cells.

2. Eating Red Raspberries helps to maintain eye health. Consuming raspberries helps improve vision and helps the eye and retina be protected from infections and other eye issues. 


3. Consuming Red Raspberries may help to improve fertility. An article in Medical Daily claims that the magnesium and the Vitamin C that is found in raspberries may help improve fertility in both men and women. One theory states that the antioxidants that is found in red raspberries helps to reduce the risk of miscarriage, promote conception, and protect sperm health.

4. Eating Red Raspberries helps maintain cardiovascular health. The amount of potassium that is found in red raspberries helps to regulate heart beat and blood pressure. Raspberries are also high in minerals such as manganese, copper, and iron which helps the production of red blood cells which helps keep our hearts happy.

5. Eating Red Raspberries helps fight obesity and helps with weight loss. Red Raspberries have a very high fiber content and are low on the glycemic index which helps our bodies feel full longer after consuming them. 

6. Consuming Red Raspberries helps prevent memory loss. Eating red raspberries can help prevent brain damage and also memory loss. One study found that the higher intake of raspberries helps to prevent and reduce cognitive decline. 

7. Eating Red Raspberries helps boost the immune system. Red raspberries are filled with strong antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Quercetin, and Gallic Acid, all which help boost and strengthen the immune system.

8. Eating Red Raspberries may help to lower inflammatory conditions and pain. Raspberries have been shown to inhibit the production of COX-I and COX-II enzymes. Anti-inflammatory products such as asprin and ibuprofen also help inhibit COX-I and COX-II resulting in the reduction of pain associated with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

9. Consuming Red Raspberries helps build healthy blood vessels and connective tissues. Vitamin C is a necessary component in helping the growth and repair of cells in the body. Consuming Red Raspberries helps the body build healthy blood vessels and connective tissues.

10. Eating Red Raspberries helps women. Red Raspberries (especially raspberry leaf) is found to be effective in helping decrease menstrual cramps, reducing pain during childbirth, and helping nausea. Raspberry leaf helps to reduce pain by tightening and strengthening the pelvic muscles that experience cramping during a woman's menstrual cycle. It has also been found to be helpful in the treatment of Cervical Cancer by helping prevent Cancerous growth.

I love consuming raspberries by themselves or adding them to my daily morning smoothie. Do you eat raspberries? Have you found any health benefits to consuming raspberries?
{Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.}

Celebrating Dreams Coming True

Do you have friends who are simply amazing? I have been beyond blessed in this department. One of my dearest friends, Katie, from Always Katie, has been a true friend for years. She has walked head on into my suffering with me, she consistently encourages my heart, faithfully prays and prays and prays (not only for me but for my future hubby & kiddos), and has lovingly and tenderly and uniquely welcomed me into her family. She has not only sent thousands of text messages and facebook messages just to help me smile on very painful days, but willingly and lovingly shares her heart and her story. She welcomes people in whole-heartedly and shares her beautiful heart. Being in Katie's presence is a beautiful reminder of what Christ-like community centered on grace looks like. She is amazing and her story of trusting Jesus with big dreams has consistently inspired me. If you don't know her beautiful and heart-wrenching story through infertility I can't encourage you enough to go and read it. You can find it HERE. 
Two weeks ago while I was in Arizona another one of Katie's dreams came true and she became a Huff Post Author!! Some of you may have seen me share this on other sites, but if you haven't had a chance to read her article on being your children's friend you must check it out HERE!! 
Congrats Katie- you are AMAZING!! Thank you for sharing your life and the beautiful love of Christ with so many of us, myself included every single day.

Wildflower Loop Trail, Desert Botanical Garden, Arizona

When I was in Arizona two weeks ago I had the amazing opportunity to visit the beautiful Desert Botanical Garden. I had been to the Desert Botanical Garden when I was a young child and was anxious to go back. Due to my limited energy levels I only went around the Wildflower Loop Trail and it was gorgeous.  The Desert Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located in Phoenix and has been designated as a "Phoenix Point of Pride".  The Desert Botanical Garden was founded by the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora society in 1937. Two years later it was established and the garden now has more than 21,000 different plants. Over 1/3 of these plants are native to the area, including 139 plants that are considered to be rare, threatened or endangered. There are plants that do come from other desert conditions (or plants that can adapt to desert conditions) from around the world including some from Australia and South America. There are 5 unique trails in the Desert Botanical Garden and as I mentioned I chose to visit the Wildflower Loop Trail. This trail is the perfect "fit" for those who want to see the Desert Botanical Garden but might not have a lot of energy to explore the whole site. The wildflower loop trail is close to the entrance and does offer a couple of shady areas to stand in and has a place to sit. The Desert Wildflower Loop trail highlights the wildflowers of North American deserts. I had read that at different times of the year there are not many flowers, but going at the beginning of May was the perfect time to visit. There were tons of flowers that were in bloom and the place was simply gorgeous. I also have to mention that going in the middle of the week (I visited on a Thursday morning) had very few people and crowds. This is definitely a wonderful time to visit! For me personally the time spent at the garden was absolutely priceless. The Wildflower Loop Trail stands as a beautiful reminder that even in the desert times of our lives beauty can grow. If you get a chance to visit I can't recommend enough taking the time to see this beautiful site! You will definitely not regret it!

Old Fashioned Sundays

Back when I was teaching in DC I started to find myself in a pattern that I grew to quickly dread. I found myself tired and exhausted from the week and then would give myself an "off day" on Saturday but then found that I was running around like a crazy woman after church and between Sunday night community meetings to get everything done that I needed to for the coming week. I often would go to bed on Sunday night worn out and tired, thinking to myself, "I need another day in the weekend." 
As I prayed about it and kept thinking about my weekends I remembered a story that my mom had told me about my grandfather's childhood days. My grandfather shared that his father insisted that Sunday's after church were to be kept simple and for the family and friendships. The whole day was to be centered on community. 
As a girl who loves community and people I was drawn to this idea and theme and kept returning to it as I considered my weekends. So about 7 years ago I started to put into practice the concept that my Sunday's were going to be "old fashioned Sundays" that are simple and centered solely on community. 
As I grew sick and have been fighting for my health some of these ideas have been tweaked a little bit, but the concept of keeping things simple and centered solely on community has only grown more precious. I have shared before about how precious so much of my community and relationships are online (especially being sick) and yet that I really monitor the time that I spend on social media. And Sundays are truly a reflection of that.  My "old fashioned Sunday" truly consists of connecting with my community in a deeper way. After church, I connect on the phone with dear friends and have long heart-felt conversations as I sip tea, and spend many hours writing old fashioned letters to loved ones and to the soldiers that I have adopted through Adopt-a-Platoon. I look ahead to the week, schedule in time that I want to face-time with precious friendships and make phone calls to friends that are far away. I look ahead at what is coming up in the month ahead, spend time crafting "old fashioned" home made gifts for birthdays and special celebrations and listen to music softly playing in the background. When I was healthier I loved preparing meals for my family (physical and extended friends), gathering around the table, and sharing laughter and our lives.
The time that could have been spent running around trying to finish up those last minute errands is instead translated into time getting to know neighbors, inviting people (physically or emotionally) into my life, and getting to know one another beyond a simple facebook emoji or comment. 
All of these things have brought a richness and depth to my life and I truly look forward to Sundays. I think that for every person and family during different seasons this might look unique, but the concept of having an old fashioned Sunday is something that I hope to treasure forever. Chef John Besh once said, "The tradition of an old fashioned Sunday accomplishes more than just feeding us, it nurtures us." I love this. 
Praying that you were nurtured yesterday friends and that this week is the start of an amazingly beautiful week for you. Happy Monday!

Last Day for 50% off in the Shop!

Today is the LAST day to receive 50% off everything in the shop! Simply use the coupon code SPRINGSALE to receive your discount at your purchase! 
ALL proceeds from this sale will be going to benefit my upcoming trip to California to have my port placed. After today I will be closing the shop for a month as I prepare for this trip. 
So head on over and check it out! You can click HERE to easily go to the shop! 

Celebrating the "Ordinary" Accomplishments While Living With a Chronic Illness

"This is a sponsored post for Self Care Catalysts. I have been compensated through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. All opinions remain my own and I was in now way influenced by the company."
When I first was diagnosed with Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease I had no idea how much in my life would change. So much of it already had changed (losing my independence, moving back home to my parents house, having to take time off of teaching, etc.) and my days had become filled with medical appointment after medical appointment and I was literally struggling to just take one moment at a time. In the midst of all of this I didn't realize how many other things that I used to do on a daily and ordinary basis all of a sudden shifted and changed too. 
When I was healthy I didn't think about having a regular sleep schedule, getting up in the morning, showering, washing my hair, drying my hair, putting on make up, going to work, going to the grocery store (and other stores like Target or clothes shopping), making my meals, grading papers, going for a walk or run, getting my hair cut, eyebrows waxed, etc all happening in one day. I didn't think about all of the energy that each of these things took to just "complete" a day. But I definitely do now. 
Those ordinary and routine things and tasks that people tend to do everyday without needing assistance (things that we often refer and think of as things for daily living) are often times extremely demanding for a person living with a Chronic Illness. Many times when people think about someone living with a disease they tend to focus on the medical aspects of coping with our diseases, and unfortunately there is a lot of times that things go unspoken about. The daily life things that encompass so much of who we are, or who you think you are and then are challenged to re-examine these beliefs. 
I have learned a hard but important lesson in this journey. At first I felt like I was "sacrificing" who I was in accepting help with some of my daily routines and needs. I would try to "push through" even though so many people were asking how they could help. Unfortunately by denying their help I was often left more in pain, more exhausted, and then left without being able to enjoy my time with my loved ones like I wanted to do.
So I learned to accept help. I am so grateful for loved ones who help me with cooking my meals and now daily celebrate my accomplishments of now being able to do a lot of my own cooking (I love to cook) even if it is done sitting down a lot of the time. *smiles* I say a simple "thank you" to loved ones who help me with drying my hair so that I can spend the time coming to the table later on and enjoying their company. I have learned to let go of what I thought made me "more beautiful" by applying make up and doing my hair everyday and focus more on who I am and my loved ones. I have learned that I am a "girly-girl" to my core, but have also learned what being a woman is really about. Back in September when I went cruising I remember saying to a woman on the trip on one of the last days of the cruise (I was beyond exhausted at that point) that I was going to skip doing make up in the morning because I wanted to spend the energy meeting up with friends instead. Her response was to belittle this decision saying that she would never be seen in public without makeup and that her mama raised her to "have pride in her looks" and she even went as far as to lift her eyes and say, "are you sure about that?". I admit that I cried because the implication was that I didn't have pride and that I wasn't pretty enough to be seen in public without make-up. As time continued this fall and I fought for my health and my life in a new and extreme way I see how far I have truly come - not only in this fight for my health but in my heart. I have learned that I don't need to do anything physically in order to leave my house or engage with those who are loved ones. True friends have embraced me even when my hair is not perfectly groomed or I didn't put on make up for our face-timing. Loved ones have sweetly held my hand and held my heart as I have been incredibly sick and able to offer nothing, especially my looks. This journey has taught me a great lesson and I have learned a great prize in this journey. What is on the inside is the most important. 
Each day as I do things that most people find are easy and ordinary (cooking a meal, taking a shower, putting my contacts in, doing my make up, walking, etc.) I celebrate. I celebrate how far I have come in healing. I celebrate learning more about myself in this journey and becoming the woman I want to be - especially in my heart. I celebrate treasuring every moment with those that I love because I have had to "sacrifice" some of what I thought was important for what really is. I celebrate love. I celebrate those who unlike that woman on the cruise aren't concerned with my appearance but love me for being me. I celebrate these accomplishments of  the "ordinary" while living with a chronic illness because I know how big the ordinary actually is. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Want to read more and hear more stories from other chronic illness bloggers? Check out Self Care Catalysts (http://www.selfcarecatalysts.com/) which is a company that creates health-based apps including Health Storylines. They are launching a Self Care Movement that started this week! Check out their website to find out more!

50% off Spring Sale in the Shop!

I am having a HUGE spring sale at the shop! Starting today through Sunday everything is 50% off!! Simply use the coupon code SPRINGSALE to receive your purchase. 
ALL proceeds from this sale will be going to benefit my upcoming trip to California to have my port placed. After Sunday I will be closing the shop for a month as I prepare for this trip. 
So head on over and check it out! You can click HERE to easily go to the shop!  Thank you again for all of your support of my shop! A portion of all proceeds goes to charity and the rest of the proceeds go to help cover my necessary medical treatment and medical bills for this upcoming port surgery. Thank you again for all of your support!  I hope that you are having a wonderful week! 
Y'all know how I love making things pretty and this is one exciting way to do that and encourage joy in our everyday lives! You can also order a custom order which could make a wonderful graduation gift!
There has also been numerous other items to the shop! Thank you so much for your continued support of my shop! All proceeds go to help me cover medical bills and treatment costs in the fight for my health!
Please use the coupon code: SPRINGSALE to receive 50% off your entire purchase. 
Happy Wednesday sweet friends!

Stranded with... 3 Books (and a giveaway!)

I'm so excited!!  Y'all may remember last month that I linked up with Shay and Erika's new link up "stranded" and shared three things that I would take from my medicine cabinet. Each month there is a different topic (see below for all of the topics) and today, we're blogging about what three books we would take with us if we were stranded on a deserted island.
Let me be clear. As much as I would like to be on a warm island and visiting happy sandy beaches right now (like one of my favorites, Coco Cay *smiles*) I don't think that I would fair well on a deserted island. Hahaha. Obviously, while I dream of being on the Amazing Race, I am not hoping to be on Survivor which I associate with being stuck on a desert island. Or the movie Castaway. Not fun.*hahaha*

Last September I wrote a post entitled, "the 5 books that have impacted my life the most" and there are definitely going to be a few crossovers today. So here are my 3 books (and narrowing it down to three was hard!)... (1) My BibleWithout a doubt, the Bible has been the number one book that has impacted my life. On good and bad days I find a love letter from the most important in my life (Jesus) and fall more in love with my precious Savior. On difficult days, scripture shouts to my hurting heart and reminds me of the truth of who Jesus is. (2) Evidence Not Seen - A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungle of World War IIA couple of years ago I shared here on the blog about this book and the impact it has had on my life. This book tells the story of Darlene who was a young newlywed in the pre-World War II era and her experience as a missionary in the jungles of New Guinea and then her four years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. The title of this book is perfect because she truly is honest in her experience of the way that the Lord often appeared silent but His hand was continuously orchestrating protection over her each and every day, providing "evidence not seen". There are so many nuggets of truth and encouragement that I have walked away from after reading this book and I have made it a tradition to read this book once a year in the Spring or Summer. Each time I do I am struck again by this woman's faith in God despite her horrific circumstances. You can read more of my thoughts about this book HERE if you are interested! (3)  The Mark of the Lion Series ( A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, and As Sure as the Dawn)  I picked up the first book in the Mark of the Lion Series at a used book store when I was 14 years old and was looking for some encouraging Christian fiction. From the first sentence of the book (“The city was silently bloating in the hot sun, rotting like the thousands of bodies that lay where they had fallen in street battles.”), to the last, I was transported back to ancient Jerusalem, Germania, Rome, and Ephesus to a time that was frought with war, danger, and the faith of those mentioned in Hebrews 11. The Mark of the Lion series follows the story of a young slave girl (Hadassah) and Marcus, who is the brother of her owner. Hadassah experiences extreme horror and yet struggles to share her faith with the family that she serves as she grows to love each of them. At the same time the book also follows the story of Atretes, who is a captured soldier from Germania who is forced to become a gladiator. I don't want to ruin anything for you, but I can't recommend this series enough. You will be challenged to fall more in love with Jesus no matter what your circumstances are, and challenged to think about how we share the love of God with those we love the most.
So these are my three books if I'm stranded on a deserted island that I would bring! (seriously there could be a ton more!!)  Hahaha!  What books would you bring?  I'd really love to know!!  Comment below (or link up!) and share this with us!  
And to see the other topics for the rest of the year (obviously next month picking out my three books is going to be impossible - hahaha!):


AND in honor of doing a book post I am giving away one of my books (winners choice) to a lucky reader! To enter simply comment below on which book you are hoping to win and a short reason why! I will be announcing a winner on Saturday, May 14th!! 
Happy Wednesday friends!