Lindsay Harrel's Blog, page 2

Where Ingratitude Begins

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.” – Maya Angelou

Lately, I’ve been thinking about gratitude.


 


Mostly, how I don’t have enough.


 


In the last few weeks, I’ve heard two messages on gratitude. During a Bible study by Priscilla Shirer, she says that we can’t have peace without gratitude. That one really got me. Because it’s so true–gratitude helps us to be content with where we are. But when we are discontent, peace feels far, far away.


 


And then last weekend, my pastor said, “We are wired to notice what we don’t have instead of what we do. This is where ingratitude begins.”


 


Okay, guys. That one just knocked me flat.


 


Because how often do I do that VERY thing? How can I enter my home and see the things in it that aren’t perfect (like the horrid kitchen countertops with tile and grout? *shudder*) instead of the ways it’s filled with the love of my husband and two little boys?


 


Why do I look at my career and think, “If only x and y would happen, I’d be happy?” Because once upon a time, the life I’m currently living WERE my x and y.


 


I’m literally living the very life I asked God for several years ago. I’m blessed. I know that. But do I really act like it?


 


Are my prayers filled with “thank you” … or “please, God…more?”


 


I’m not saying it’s wrong to ask God for things. Of course he wants us to share our hearts with him.


 


But let’s not get so caught up in the WANTING that we become discontent in the LIVING.

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12 Days of Christmas Giveaway — Day 10

On the tenth day of Christmas, my favorite authors gave to me …

Welcome to Day 10 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway, where 10 authors are giving away more than 78 prizes — including a Kindle Fire HD 8!

All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter form below. Choose as many of the activities as you want. The more you do, the more entries you gain. A winner will be chosen every day, and the winners announced on Liz Johnson’s blog. The grand prize winner will be chosen at the end of Day 12.

Today’s winner will receive:

An advanced copy of my March release, The Heart Between Us

and a travel writing journal

 

plus

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

Deep Waters + ornament by Jessica R. Patch

Book cozy from Susan Tuttle

The Memory of You + $5 Starbucks gift card by Catherine West

A Child’s Christmas Wish by Erica Vetsch

On Love’s Gentle Shore + tote bag by Liz Johnson

The Gift of Twins by Gabrielle Meyer

The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride by Jill Kemerer

Christmas Captive by Liz Johnson

 

And don’t forget to stop by Karen Barnett’s blog tomorrow to see what prize is added then.

 

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? I’ve still got some small things to buy, but I’m pretty set! Now to wrap them all!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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COVER REVEAL: The Heart Between Us

Back in January, I signed a two-book contract with Thomas Nelson. Needless to say, I was thrilled (understatement of the year!).

The first novel, The Heart Between Us, releases in March of 2018. A month or so ago, I got to see the cover that the team at Thomas Nelson created for it.

It. Is. GORGEOUS!!

But I had to keep it a secret. Bah!! So hard.

I’ve finally been given the go-ahead to share it. I’m in love and I hope you’ll love it to.

So without further ado…

Don’t you just LOOOOOOOVE it? The team did a fabulous job capturing the…well, heart of the story. Plus it obviously incorporates the travel motif, which is part of what made this book so fun to write.

This isn’t the official back cover copy, but here’s a little blurb to tell you a little about the book:

Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide and living with her parents in her small Minnesota hometown, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.

When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.

As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most.

Tell me what you think in the comments!! 

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I Just Read a Life-Changing Book

Have you ever read a life-changing book? I just did.

Late last year, I saw several of my friends posting about the book Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. Okay, not just posting. RAVING.

I’m friends with a lot of writers and readers, so I see book recommendations come across my social media feed quite frequently. Still, I decided to give this book a try. I asked for it for my birthday and my husband gave it to me.

And let me say, it lived up to the hype.

I have read this book in chunks, a little at a time. It has changed my thinking in so many ways. Its subtitle is “Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living,” but it’s really about so much more than that.

Every time I read a section, I underline like crazy (those of you who don’t believe in marking up books, avert your eyes!!). Then I write the underlined words in my journal, to cement them in my mind.

Like these: “When I practice silence for just a few minutes, when I practice allowing myself to be seen and loved by the God who created me from dust, I start to carry an inner stillness with me back into the noise, like a secret. There’s a quiet place inside me that I bring with me, and when I start to feel the questions, the fear, the chaos, I locate that quiet, that stillness, that grounded place.”

I have always lived a busy life. Go, go, go. That’s just me. Except, what if it’s not? Or what if it doesn’t have to be? What if I spent my time instead pursuing things I’m passionate about, things that really matter to me? What if I gave priority to God, to family, to friendships, to my writing? How vastly different could my life be if I made space in it for those things?

The book is also largely about expectations, and how we seriously need to fling them off if we’re ever going to live a peaceful life. That’s hard for a perfectionist like me. But as the title suggests, I’d rather be PRESENT in this life than PERFECT. Perfection is overrated. It’s unrealistic and a nonexistent ideal, to be honest. It’s unattainable.

And yet, I’ve lived my life as if it was attainable.

This life-changing book has been a vessel of hope and light in my world. God has used Shauna’s words to reach me and teach me, and I’ll be forever grateful.

YOUR TURN: What life-changing book have you read lately?

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12 Days of Christmas Giveaway — Day 11

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my favorite authors gave to me…

Can you believe it’s already Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway? If you haven’t been following along, it’s not too late to get your name into the drawing. I’m participating with nine other authors to give away a slew of amazing prizes!

Each day, the prize builds with another book or book-related prize, and your Rafflecopter entries will roll over — so there’s another chance to win tomorrow!

The eleventh day of Christmas winner will receive:

One More Song to Sing by Lindsay Harrel (that’s me!)

plus

Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin

An adorable bookmark from Susan Tuttle

Yuletide Redemption by Jill Kemerer

The Gingerbread Pony by Patricia Bradley

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson

His Prairie Sweetheart by Erica Vetsch

A Family Arrangement by Gabrielle Meyer

Concealed Identity by Jessica R. Patch

Watercolor Dreams audio book by Sherry Kyle

Hazardous Holiday by Liz Johnson

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below by following these authors on social media and signing up for their newsletters. An entry today will roll over to tomorrow and make you eligible for the GRAND PRIZE…all of these prizes plus a $25 Amazon gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don’t forget to visit Liz Johnson’s blog for the twelfth and final day of our Christmas giveaway!

The post 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway — Day 11 appeared first on Lindsay Harrel.

The Day I’ve Been Waiting For {Plus a Release Day Giveaway!}

As I wake up this morning, I have to remind myself to BREATHE!

Because my debut novel, One More Song to Sing, has officially released. It’s out in the world. No more dreaming of being a published author. I actually am one.

(cue excited squealing)

For anyone who has ever dreamed a dream — IT IS POSSIBLE. I am proof. 

The book is available for purchase in both ebook and physical versions. You can shop at the following places:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

iTunes

Kobo

To celebrate the release of my first book, I’m doing a giveaway. The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card (perfect for all those other books you want to buy or Christmas shopping) and a copy of my book! This contest is open to international readers, but you’ll receive an email gift card and the ebook version of the book if you win.

The Day My Dreams Came True {Plus a Giveaway!}

I’m a planner. I like to know what to expect.

But sometimes, the best things in life are unexpected.

A few weeks ago (okay, March 13 to be exact…), I received an email from my agent. She told me she’d like to chat because I was being offered a contract for one of my books.

*swoon*

I mean…it was the email I’d been dreaming about. I always thought I’d have some clue that it was coming. But it definitely took me by surprise.

I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I’m THRILLED to have my first publishing contract. I’m so excited to work with Ashberry Lane to release a book that’s near and dear to my heart. Come December 1, 2016, people will actually get to read my book.

Of course, I’m also terrified. Just being honest. Because that means that people will be reading. my. book. Ahhhh!!! (Okay, mini freakout over.)

But seriously. I’m so thankful for all the people who have supported me and helped make this dream become reality. And I thought it’d be fun to celebrate with a little giveaway!

Here’s how it works. Sign up for my mailing list below by April 30 and I’ll randomly draw one subscriber to receive a $15 Amazon gift card. (And don’t worry — I’ll never give your information to anyone else and I won’t send you a bunch of spammy emails!)

Thanks for celebrating with me. I can’t wait for you to meet the characters who have been part of my life for so long.

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How I Know I’m Meant to Be a Writer

My story is like that of a lot of authors: I knew I wanted to write since I was a little girl.

I’d fill pages and pages with my stories (and pathetic stick art too!). I dreamed. I crafted. I created.

Along the way, I lost my vision for writing fiction and pursued journalism instead. But about five years ago, I could no longer ignore the call of the fiction world. I just knew I had to be part of it, because it was already part of me.

I had a few years of a sort of “honeymoon” period–that time when the words came easy and I allowed myself to swim in the ocean of possibilities, to soak up all the learning, to imagine everything coming my way. I just knew in my heart that I was going to be published one day. One day soon! That all the hard work would pay off and I’d get there earlier than most do.

Oh, Lindsay. *pats the Lindsay of five years ago on the head*

Let’s back up a bit. School and other academic endeavors always came naturally to me. I say that not to brag, but to help you understand–I was used to success.

And when I dove into this writing journey, I expected the same.

So imagine my surprise when just recently–after nearly five years of learning and immersing myself in this land of fiction writers–I get back critiques from my craft partners that demonstrated I still didn’t “get it.” Not that they said it that way…they were so encouraging and helpful!

But that’s how I felt. I couldn’t believe I STILL struggled with character arcs and plot. I mean, come on! What was wrong with me? Why wasn’t my hard work paying off?

I remember praying and asking God, “When am I ever going to get to the point when I won’t need their help? When I won’t need YOUR help?”

And oh, man.

That’s when it hit me. I will never get to the point when I don’t need God. Or my craft partners. Or just help in general.

That was pure pride talking.

You see, for me, writing is a humbling experience. It’s something I can’t possibly do on my own. It’s something that draws me closer to God, if I let it. It’s something that’s truly a challenge for me. That doesn’t come easy. That requires ALL of me…and a little bit more.

That’s how I know: I’m meant to be a writer.

Whether you’re a writer or not, I pray that you can find that thing–the thing you’re meant to do, that puts you constantly at the Lord’s feet asking Him for help.

*Photo courtesy of stocksnap.io

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What It Really Means to Be Strong

Our culture really values people who are strong — especially when that strength is in women.

I mean, don’t we all long to be seen as a strong person, someone who can handle whatever life throws at us and make it through — no matter how difficult the trial?

Strength has been on my mind lately, because I’ve been dreaming up a character who values strength in herself. She has always seen herself as strong. And it made me think — what does it mean to be strong?

I remember when my mom was dying from cancer and people would tell me how strong I was. And I thought, really? You think I’m strong? I was sitting there doubting whether God even existed and nearly cursing His name — but it was all on the inside. No one knew. So they thought I was strong because I was surviving.

I looked strong on the outside. But there’s a difference between looking strong and actually being strong.

Then, yesterday morning, this verse popped up on my Bible app: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10)

Coincidence? I think not.

So what does it mean to be strong? I’m guessing it has something to do with relying on the Lord. Leaning into Him when we’re too weak to stand on our own. Allowing Him to be our shield against the rain and wind that pelt us and threaten to snap us in half.

And ultimately, being okay with our own weaknesses.

I’m not so good at that last one. But admitting that we are weak actually enhances His strength in us.

For as Paul said in 2 Corinthians: “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Friend, embrace your weaknesses. They are not weakness like the world sees it. They are opportunities to rest in the Lord and in the power of His might.

*Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

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To Stay in a Moment

This weekend, I rewatched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It’s a movie about a guy who daydreams. A lot. His daydreams bring him into a world where he’s a hero. An adventurer. A passionate artist. Someone who isn’t afraid of anything.

At one point in the movie, the man Walter admires most (a photographer) says this — and it stopped me in my tracks:

“If I like a moment…I don’t like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it.”

Rephrased, this could apply to my life. I’d say:

If I like a moment, I don’t like to have the distraction of

worry…
or wondering what if…
or thinking constantly about the future…
or looking to the next great thing…
or pretending that I’m okay with a busy schedule…
or flitting from one thing to the next because I have to.

If I’m honest with myself, I tend to see a beautiful moment, make a mental note about it, and move on — far too quickly. But what if instead, I truly took time to savor it? To set down whatever I’m doing and relish in it? To put away the mental pen and simply enjoy it?

Moments like

playing with my son on the living room floor, even thought laundry is piled around me
tasting a new recipe (or new ice cream flavor…)
rereading a lovely turn of phrase in a book, and allowing the words to wrap around my soul
nestling against my husband and letting him stroke my hair, without caring what time the clock reads

Because we can’t get these moments back.

A camera or worry or busyness or time or whatever it may be CAN get in the way of the moment itself.

I find myself daydreaming about a full life.

But the cool thing about The Secret Life of Walter Mitty? Walter’s daydreams become less frequent as he really begins to live his life in reality.

So let’s stop dreaming about living a full life — and just live it.

*Photo courtesy of stocksnap.io

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