Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 27

Make Your Own ~ Body Powder

Make Your Own Body Powder

Easy Business Card Holder

I was setting up my table at a book signing over an hour away from home. I thought I had everything.Turns out, I was wrong.
I had forgotten one of the most important of display needs. A basic business card holder. See, you can just leave your cards on the table...
If you don't want anyone to pick one up.
But that's not what I wanted. I needed people to look me up on the internet, and if I didn't want to hold business cards all day, I needed to come up with something...FAST!
And the following idea was born...

Scrappy Saturday ~ Family Album

Good morning, friends!
I hope your Saturday is going
FaBuLoUs!
This morning, I wanted to share an album I created for my family using the MyMemories Suite 4 Digital Scrapbooking Software.
This is the
Side By Side Album Template


Use code STMMMS80722 to get $10 off








Don't forget to enter the software giveaway going on now! It's easy to enter, and it's worth $39.97 ~ what have you got to lose?

a Rafflecopter giveawayDon't want to wait to see if you won? No problem! You can save $10 if you use my code

STMMMS80722 to purchase the

MyMemories Suite 4 Software .



Just click the link and paste in the above code to save $10!

JRR Tolkien ~ Book Review

Have you ever wondered what made someone tick? Or, why someone was a certain way? No? Drat. I do it all the time.

Like when our son decides it's the perfect time to go feed the dog while he's supposed to be doing his math lesson. Yeah, it's times like those that I wonder what he's thinking. 

But, living with the little guy, I'm at an advantage. I can pretty much tell you why he's feeding the dog instead of doing Algebra ~ because he doesn't want to do it. Shocking revelation, wasn't it?
I didn't think so.

Be that as it may, there are just sometimes I want to know a little bit more about some of my favorite people ~ authors especially. Was so and so an instant success or did they have to struggle? Did they ever feel as though they had achieved something in their lifetime? What was their purpose in writing these things?

When I was offered a chance to review the book, J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend, I jumped at it. He's one of my favorite authors, so why wouldn't I, right?



They say, write what you know.

But what if you happen to write about things like Orcs, Hobbits, and Elves? Do you really know this enough to write about it?  In a way, yes, JRR Tolkien did write what he knew. Or, more like it, the way he saw the world. Overcoming tremendous odds, he gave us some of the best loved stories that still thrive today.

When you read this book, you're getting an intimate peek inside a complex individual that was molded by his fair share of life, death, loss, and love. Be prepared for emotional turmoil that followed him thru his life. Cheer for him when he finds his one true love, and pity him when he ultimately sets aside that love because of the wishes of another.

Not only will you meet the man behind the Hobbit, but the story of JRR Tolkien's perseverance through hardships will inspire you when you thought your hope was gone.

JRR Tolkien had a gift. He was a romantic. I know. Many a man would shudder to be labeled a romantic, but he saw life differently than most. When the regular person would see only an ordinary tower, JRR saw not a normal tower, but a different time and place with evil and good, fighting against one another and that tower, a pinnacle that holds it all in the balance.

Conjuring stories and poems on a whim, he was an immensely gifted man. A creator not only of worlds and words, but of entire languages. 

But why would he desire to write such stories as The Hobbit? To reignite a love for fairy tales to a new readership. 

He has succeeded in this and his stories live on and will continue to do so for generations of romantics to come.


Amanda Stephan~Christian AuthorBooksByAmanda.com              

Love in the Balance ~ Book Review/Tour

About Love in the Balance: Handsome Cowboy or Debonair Tycoon.
How's a Girl to Choose?

Molly Lovelace dreams of a life without cares in Lockhart, Texas. She also dreams of handsome wrangler Bailey Garner, her ardent but inconsistent beau. The problem is, with Bailey's poor prospects, she just can't fit the two dreams together.Then mysterious stranger Edward Pierrepont sweeps into town-and her life-and for the first time Molly wonders if she's met the man who can give her everything. But he won't be in Lockhart long and while it certainly seems like he talks about their glorious future together, she can't quite get Bailey out of her mind.What's a girl to do with all these decisions when love is in the balance? Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/iTdiA          
My Thoughts:I'll be truthful here. When I first started this book, I didn't care for Molly Lovelace at all. She was a self-absorbed, self-centered twit without regard to anyone but her own selfish desires. After reading further on, I learned to love Molly ~ even with all her issues because not all is as it seems. Raised in a home where she's groomed to marry for money or 'the family business will go under,' Molly is forced to make some very adult decisions ~ and they come with disastrous consequences.
But, like the story of the Prodigal Son, sometimes we learn the most from the mistakes we've made and we're better because of them. Such is the intricate story woven into this book. 
Although fiction, this book packs a punch, and teaches some very valuable lessons for everyone. From parents that have their own selfish desires rather than the good of their children at heart, church people who are quick to judge without knowing the entire story ~ or without enough sense to realize that all are sinners who must be saved by grace, to people who learn that owning up to their mistakes is always the best course of action, this book is a winner. 
Highly recommend.
**My thanks to Bethany House for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review. I am not required they be positive. These thoughts are my own.**

Meet Regina:    Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children. Find out more about Regina at http://www.reginajennings.com/
Follow the Book Tour!

WIN a MyMemories Scrapbooking Suite 4 Software Pack!

Welcome to Scrappy Saturday!
I wanted to start a new segment on Saturdays dedicated to digital scrapbooking.
I've always been interested in scrapbooking, but I disliked the bulk that went along with it.
I thought I was out of luck.

But then I found...


and totally lost the bulk because it's all digital!

Now, most of you know that I'm affectionately referred to as Squirrel by my friends because I am interested (and get sidetracked) by many different things. But when I find something that is more than a passing fancy, I want to share what I find with you...my loyal readers!

My Thoughts on MyMemories Scrapbooking Software:
First, like I said, I'm a scrappy newbie. Until I found MyMemories, I didn't understand what digital scrapbooking was. I heard about it, but like the old saying goes, it went in one ear, and out the other. (That's what happens when I don't get something right away.)

But, being the dedicated Sidetracked Squirrel that I am, I wanted to try this. Badly. (Don't judge! Have you seen their adorable Quick Pages? The awesome freebies? Their packs, embellishments, and papers?!)


The software was easy to download.Easy to figure out the basics.If I ran into a problem, there was a *ton* of informative pdf files and tutorials that helped me out.When I did have to ask a question, their response was quick, informative, and super polite.Easy to use.
Bottom line?
This software is worth twice the price they're asking for it. 
Don't tell them I said that, though. We wouldn't want the price to be raised, now would we? ;)

Don't believe me? That's perfectly fine. Check out a few of the things I created with it ~>

...and there's more, but I'll share them with you another day.
Still don't believe me about how awesome this software is? Okay. Tell you what.

I'll
GIVE AWAY 
a MyMemories Suite 4 Software Pack to one lucky winner! A $39.97 Value! Woot woot, how awesome is that?!
All you have to do...


a Rafflecopter giveaway



New to MyMemories? Check out the video and get started right away!
Video Tutorial ~

Quick Pages Tutorial ~


*Quick Page* Tutorial! from Lisa Jurrens on Vimeo.

Quick Page PDF Tutorial: http://webzoom.freewebs.com/lisaj/Qui...

Win a Kindle Fire from Regina Jennings and RSVP for 4/4 Facebook Party!

Regina Jennings is celebrating the release of Love in the Balance with a Kindle Fire Giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat Party on 4/4!



One "lovely" winner will receive:
A Kindle Fire A copy of Regina's Sixty Acres and a Bride and Love in the BalanceEnter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 3rd. Winner will be announced at the  "Love in the Balance" Author Chat Party on April 4th . Connect with Regina, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be many fun giveaways -- gift certificates, books, and more!

So grab your copy of Love in the Balance and join Regina on the evening of April 4th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!) Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

Homesick

What is home?



Is it a place? A feeling? A familiarity? Is it comfort? What is it?



A year ago we moved from Wisconsin to Oklahoma. Wisconsin had been my home for a very long time. I loved the trees, the blue skies and the lakes. I loved seeing the birds return from their long winter journeys and the first sprouts of green peeking from beneath the white.



Fall made me settle in, cozy and safe, ready for winter’s chill. I loved my home. I loved creation and everything I knew. Then we moved.



For a long time I was homesick. I missed everything that Wisconsin meant to me. I missed the seasons and the trees turning. I missed the flowers and dark earth. I longed for what I no longer had.



Last week we made the long pilgrimage home. I was excited. I anticipated seeing the first signs of spring, of birds singing and green springing.



My excitement was palpable as we entered the state. I took pictures of the “Welcome to Wisconsin” sign, a long lost friend eager to greet me and welcome me home.



It wasn’t long before the realization settled. Wisconsin was no longer my home. It no longer held the same old appeal. It no longer beckoned me; my guiding light had lost her flame.



As I pondered “home” and what it meant to me, I began to think about my heavenly home. Jesus told us that we are only sojourners here and that this world is not our home.



I love what 1 Chronicles chapter 29 verse 15 says: “We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.”



This world is not our home. This is merely a stopping place.



Philippians 3:20 says: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”



As I eagerly await returning to my earthly home, which now happens to be in the great state of Oklahoma (yes, I miss the sunshine on my face and how the setting sun blends with the red dirt), I can’t help but hold an even deeper desire for my heavenly home. For truly that is where my heart desires to rest. In the waiting arms of my Savior is where I will finally sigh and know that I am truly home.



Thanks for taking the time to grow with me this Wednesday.



Darlene Shortridge, Scribe for Christ.

www.BooksByAmanda.com

Love is in the Air!

Today, I'm ecstatic to announce that I have had the privilege of being married to my best friend for 19 years. My heart is so full that words cannot express exactly how I feel.



19 precious, fleeting years ago, I promised before God that I would take him, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.



We've been through the cycle.



Better, worse. Richer, poorer. Sickness, health.



And I can honestly say that, I don't know how it's possible--because how much I loved him at the beginning of this journey--but I love this man more today than I did when I made those promises.

There is no one else I want to spend the rest of my earthly life with.

No one could take his place.

If I could change one thing about him, I wouldn't. Because I can't think of anything I'd have different.




He's my hero. 

He's my confidant. 

He's my heart. 

He's my gift from God. 



In His infinite wisdom, God knew I needed someone special, and I praise Him that I was willing to listen, to wait (albeit impatiently), for the one God wanted for me.











Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Eph. 5:22)

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself. 

For no man every yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church

Ephesians 5:25-29 (KJV)




Happy Anniversary, my love. I pray we have many more together.






www.BooksByAmanda.com

Love is in the Air!

Today, I'm ecstatic to announce that I have had the privilege of being married to my best friend for 19 years. My heart is so full that words cannot express exactly how I feel.

19 precious, fleeting years ago, I promised before God that I would take him, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.

We've been through the cycle.
Better, worse. Richer, poorer. Sickness, health.
And I can honestly say that, I don't know how it's possible--because how much I loved him at the beginning of this journey--but I love this man more today than I did when I made those promises.

There is no one  I want to spend the rest of my earthly life with.
No one could take his place.
If I could change one thing about him, I wouldn't. Because I can't think of anything I'd have different.

He's my hero. He's my confidant. He's my heart. He's my gift from God. 
In His infinite wisdom, God knew I needed someone special, and I praise Him that I was willing to listen, to wait (albeit impatiently), for the one God wanted for me.


Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Eph. 5:22)Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself. For no man every yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the churchEphesians 5:25-29 (KJV)
Happy Anniversary, my love. I pray we have many more together.