Beth K. Vogt's Blog, page 40
July 18, 2016
In Others’ Words: In Praise of Others
My mother taught me how to compliment people. Not the “how to” so much as the “why.”
I remember running errands with her when I was a young girl. Usually one of the errands was a stop at the grocery store. My mom always found a way to say something nice to the cashier or to someone else as we passed them in the aisle.
Something like: “I like your hair.” Or maybe, “You have a nice smile.” Or she’d just engage them in a few minutes of conversation and make them feel noticed, and then say “thank you” before we headed out of the store to our car.
No fanfare. No hoopla. But I’m sure her words made a difference in those peoples’ lives.
I try to notice others when I’m out and about running errands — like the young woman in the bank the other day. I asked about her tattoo and learned that she’s Native American and has thirteen siblings. And yes, she has a lovely smile, too. I also complimented a woman with blue highlights in her hair. Not my style, but it looked fun on her — and we both walked on smiling.
No fanfare. No hoopla. But I hope my words made a little difference in those peoples’ lives — like my mother taught me to do.
In Your Words: When has a little praise gone a great ways in your life? Wouldn’t it be fun to look for a chance to compliment someone today? To connect with someone in an unexpected way and make a difference in their life — maybe bring a smile to their face? Go ahead, have some fun!
In Others’ Words: In Praise of Others #InOthersWords #lifequotes #relationships
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“A little praise goes a great ways.” #quotes #RalphWaldoEmerson #relationships
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I’m celebrating the release of my latest destination wedding novel with a Grand Prize Giveaway worth over $150! Join the fun and enter for a chance to win here!
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July 13, 2016
In Others’ Words: Burying Yourself Alive
How would you define self-pity?
We’ve all heard the quote about how harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person — the person we can’t forgive — to die.
But what about self-pity — an overwhelming focus on your troubles? Sometimes self-pity blares like a megaphone, but sometimes we learn to muffle the “woe-is-mes,” to make them almost silent background music of our lives. No matter the noise level of the self-absorption, we’re still making ourselves miserable.
For me, self-pity is like burying myself alive, one “no one has it as terrible as I do” thought at a time. Each negative reflection, each “poor me” murmuring, chokes out hope and squelches my dreams.
So what is the antidote to self-pity? It’s as easy as counting our blessings instead of replaying your trials — as yes, God promises to bring good out of the hard times, too. (Romans 8:28) It also helps when you have someone in your life who is bold enough — and loving enough — to confront you and take the virtual shovel from your hand. To tell you to stop feeling sorry for yourself, to stop burying yourself alive with poor-me thoughts.
In Your Words: Back to the original question: How would you define self-pity? How do you combat self-pity?
In Others’ Words: Burying Yourself Alive #InOthersWords #lifequotes #selfpity
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“Self pity is like burying yourself alive, every poor me thought is like a shovelful of dirt on…
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I’m celebrating the release of my latest destination wedding novel with a Grand Prize Giveaway worth over $200! Join the fun and enter for a chance to win here!
Enter @bethvogt ‘s $150 Grand Prize #giveaway celebrating her new destination #wedding novel!…
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July 11, 2016
In Others’ Words: The Joy of Losing
There’s certainly something to be said about receiving and the kind of joy it brings. Receiving a gift. A compliment. A raise. Unexpected good news.
But there’s also a special kind of joy that comes with giving away. Giving away some of your time to someone else who needs your help. Sometimes you might give away money — because you have extra and someone else has less. Anything you have that someone else needs: compassion, your talent for sewing or cooking or organizing or building. Or maybe you give away some prized possession you love because you know someone else will love it just as much as you do … or maybe even a little bit more.
How often do we think of giving away something as decreasing what we have? As losing? Instead, it’s the most miraculous form of multiplying joy.
In Your Words: When has losing equaled gaining for you? When has someone given something to you and multiplied your joy?
In Others’ Words: The Joy of Losing #InOthersWords #lifequotes #joy
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“Joy comes with giving away – losing, not gaining.” #quotes #EvelynChristenson #joy
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I’m celebrating the release of my latest destination wedding novel with a Grand Prize Giveaway worth over $200! Join the fun and enter for a chance to win here!
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July 6, 2016
In Others’ Words: You’re Not Alone by Guest Blogger Varina Denman (Giveaway)
Today I welcome author and friend Varina Denman to the blog! Varina writes stories about the unique struggles women face. Her award-winning Mended Hearts series, which revolves around church hurt, is a compelling blend of women’s fiction and inspirational romance. A native Texan, Varina lives near Fort Worth with her husband and five mostly grown children. Connect with Varina on her website or one of the social media hangouts.
I’m a bonafide introvert, and as such, I’d rather stay home than go out with a friend. Don’t get me wrong, I know some great women, but small talk isn’t my thing. I’m more at ease with two friends because I can let the two of them do most of the talking, and I can nod and mmhmm, and keep to myself.
Lucky for me, some of my best friends have the same character trait, and when we get together, we talk about how we’d rather be at home and how difficult it is to chit-chat. Of course, we don’t include each other in that assessment, because it’s EASY to talk to someone who is just like you.
But it’s strange. When my life gets bumpy, I often forget to ask my friends for help. Since my natural instinct is to stay home alone, I tend to take care of my problems myself. Or try to. My girlfriends may never know what I’m going through because I don’t think to tell them.
Shame on me. Not only did God bless me with friends, but he gave me women who understand me. They know I’m an introvert, and they get it. But still, I have to move out of my comfort zone and let them be my friends. It’s my responsibility to take advantage of the blessings God gave me and to remember that I’m not alone.
In Jilted, book three in the Mended Hearts series, Lynda Turner has forgotten how much she needs friends. Granted she has good reasons: she was jilted by more than one man, the local congregation shunned her, and her friends turned their backs. Now she must learn to trust her friends—even an attractive man—to be there for her when life gets tough.
In Your Words: Are you and introvert or an extrovert? When times are tough, is it easy or difficult for you to reach out to others and let them know you need help?
Giveaway!
Varina is giving away a copy of her latest release Jilted, which is now available online and in stores! I’ve read Jaded, and loved Varina’s writing, and look forward to reading the rest of her series. To enter, leave a comment below and be sure to include your email so I can contact you.
Contest is open to US winners only.
In Others’ Words: You’re Not Alone #InOthersWords #lifequotes #CSLewis
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“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was…
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Author @varinadenman shares about being an #introvert on #InOthersWords and the importance of…
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July 4, 2016
In Others’ Words: Listening to the Silence
How often do we think listening to someone is all about hearing what they said?
Consider for a moment those conversations when the unspoken words were the most important part of of the dialogue. You’re talking or you’re listening — communicating — but the most important words that need to be said by you or the other person go unspoken.
Maybe if the other person is watching you closely, they pick up on your body language — the tilt of your head, the way you’ve turned away, the lift of an eyebrow — and they sense the silent undercurrent of the conversation.
And what about you? Are you talking, talking, talking — and missing what’s being said even when someone else goes silent?
Sometimes it’s not that the unsaid part of a conversation is the best part — it’s the absolute most vital part of the conversation. Miss it, and you miss the point altogether.
This is why casual conversations are okay over phone or text — but trying to talk out misunderstandings are not. You miss all the unsaid parts, and too often the misunderstanding grows. Conversation isn’t just what’s being said out loud — it’s also what’s being said in the silence behind your words.
In Your Words: When has silence made a difference in a conversation? How do you ensure you don’t miss the unsaid parts when you’re talking to someone?
In Others’ Words: Listening to the Silence #InOthersWords #lifequotes #communication
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“The unsaid part is the best of every discourse.” #quotes #RalphWaldoEmerson #communication
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June 29, 2016
In Others’ Words: Pay Attention!
Pay Attention!
We hear those words a lot, don’t we?
Maybe someone says them to us … or maybe we’re the ones trying to get someone else to listen up, to focus … to pay attention to what we’re saying or what we’re doing.
We give our attention to what — and to who — is important. And so I think José Ortega y Gasset got it right when he said what we pay attention to tells us who we are. If we spend time and energy on something –or someone — that means we value them, right? Oh, sure, there are times we goof off (it’s called relaxing), but what about the things we devote time and effort to?
Our jobs
Our families
Our friends
Our ministries
Our exercise regimens
Our hobbies
Our faith
If someone asked, “What are you paying attention to right now?” What would they discover about you?
In Others’ Words: We could look at today’s quote and let it weigh us down or let it lift us up. Go easy on yourself. Take a look at your real or virtual To Do list and discover who you are. What does it say about you? What did you find out about yourself that you liked?
In Others’ Words: Pay Attention! #InOthersWords #lifequotes #payattention
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“Tell me what you pay attention to and I will tell you who you are.” #quotes #JoseOrtegayGassett…
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NYT Bestselling author Rachel Hauck and I are celebrating our Christy Awards with a fun giveaway! You can join the fun here!
Authors @RachelHauck and @bethvogt celebrate their @ChristyAward wins with a fun #giveaway!…
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June 28, 2016
In Others’ Words: Dream Come True
So yesterday … yesterday was about a dream coming true.
I sat in my office with my daughter, CJ, and watched the 2016 Christy Awards, which were presented online this year, and my novel, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, won for the Contemporary Series category.
I’m still grinning about that moment … and still not believing it.
And what’s even more fun is right before that, my wonderful friend, Rachel Hauck, won a Christy award for her novel, The Wedding Chapel. And yes, I jumped up and down and yelled for her!
You can watch the awards ceremony for yourself. It’s fun because to announce the winner, they read the opening line of the author’s book. And here’s a list of all the finalists and winners.
Some additional fun news: I also found out that Crazy Little Thing Called Love is an 2016 ACFW Carol Award finalist. And yes, I celebrated that news, too, and also HaPpY dAnCeD with my friends who are finalists! You can check out the list here.
Do you want to know how I ended my day?
With my car breaking down on the side of the road.
Yep, real life trumps writing life all the time. Today, my car got a new radiator. All fixed. And I’m still celebrating what happened yesterday … and looking forward to tomorrow … both the dreams coming true moments and the real life moments.
In Your Words: I hope your days are filled with dreams coming true … and family and friends who are there for you to celebrate you when they do. And I hope those same family and friends are there when reality shows up, because it always does. What dreams are you chasing? What realities are you facing?
In Others’ Words: Dream Come True #InOthersWords #lifequotes #dreams
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“Dream on it. Let your mind take you to places you would like to go … ” #quotes #LizaMinelli…
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Check out this @ChristyAward winner #destinationwedding romance from @bethvogt…
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June 22, 2016
In Others’ Words: Come on, Get Happy
Happiness isn’t about stuff, is it?
I’m not denying that some of my stuff makes me happy. There are photos all over my house — of family and friends and of favorite quotes and Scripture verses — and seeing those creates a sense of happiness inside of me. And then there are gifts I’ve received that I treasure because they remind me of the giver — and yes, that kind of “stuff” makes me happy.
But all of this is a circumstantial kind of happiness. Stuff wears out. Or I use it up. Sometimes I misplace it. And sometimes I’ve been known to give stuff away — not to a thrift store, but to someone else who I think will enjoy something even more than I do.
Realizing I’m not who I used to be creates an inordinate amount of happiness inside of me. I’m no longer that scared little girl that somehow followed myself into adulthood. I found my brave. I traded the habit of keeping secrets and celebrate surprises instead — and yes, there’s a huge difference between the two. I’m honest about my past. I try to pay attention to what’s happening in my present. And I’m not afraid of the future … well, most days I’m not. Still working on that.
I’m accepting who I was, who I am, and who I’m becoming. I love the imperfect person I see in the mirror — and I notice those imperfections less and less. I know what I value — things like honesty and compassion — and I strive to achieve them on a daily basis.
And that, my friend, is happiness.
In Others’ Words: Who are you and how has that contributed to your happiness?
In Others’ Words: Come On, Get Happy #InOthersWords #lifequotes #happiness
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“What a man is contributes much more to his happiness than what he has.” #quotes…
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My next contemporary romance, Almost Like Being in Love, releases in less than a week! So, it’s time for another giveaway! Enter here to win one of two copies of my newest destination wedding novel!
Enter your tweetsTIME FOR A #GIVEAWAY! Win copies of @bethvogt’s upcoming release Almost Like Being…
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June 20, 2016
In Others’ Words: Trusting God Whether You Fall or Fly
Trusting God has been a major theme in my family’s life this year. I know we’re not the only people choosing to trust God as we face challenges. Some of you — dare I say all of you — could share “do I trust God or don’t I trust God?” moments.
My daughter CJ chose the word “trust” as her One Word for the past school year. She said she expected trusting God to be easy, but she learned that trusting God is hard — especially when you’re facing a difficult situation that doesn’t change. One where it doesn’t seem like God’s hearing your prayers. Where it seems like He’s not doing anything to fix things in an unfair situation.
And yet, in the end, she learned that God is trustworthy because of who He says he is … not because of how things look like day in and day out. That’s a tough lesson to learn as a freshman in high school … and a vitally important one.
There were days my daughter felt like she was falling … and God caught her. And ultimately … ultimately her faith in God took flight. She chose over and over again to trust God, no matter what. No matter the circumstances. No matter her emotions.
In Your Words: Are you flying? Are you falling? When God pushed you to the edge of difficulty how have you found the freedom to let go and trust Him?
In Others’ Words: Trusting God Whether You Fall or Fly #InOthersWords #lifequotes #faith
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“When God pushes you to the edge of difficulty, trust Him fully because two things can happen:…
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June 15, 2016
In Others’ Words: Speak Up
There are times when the truth you try to speak faces opposition.
Your voice is drowned out by someone else’s voice — or by a clamoring of voices.
Rather than being encouraged to speak up, you’re told to sit down. To be quiet. You’re told you’re wrong … or that you’re truth is unwanted.
These are the times when you have a choice to make: to be silent or to speak your truth, even if your voice shakes. To speak your truth, even if it’s challenged. To speak your truth — the truth — even if it’s unwelcome or denied or invalidated by someone else.
It’s said “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:32. Yes, we need to know the truth about God because knowing Him brings us everlasting freedom. But we also need to know our truth — the truth of who we are in God’s eyes — not who people say we are. We need to know our story, not accept some mangled up version of our story that’s been handed down from generation to generation like a family heirloom we have to keep whether we want it or not.
I’ve been reading in the book of Mark, and one question Jesus asks people is, “Who do you say I am?” It’s not a trick question — He wants people to get the answer right. He wants people to know the truth about who He is. I also think God asks us, “Who are you?” And He wants us to get the answer to that question right too. He wants us to know the truth about who we are. And then he wants us to speak that truth … even if our voice shakes. He wants us to be true to ourselves … no matter what.
In Your Words: I hope you’ve had a good week, one where truth has flourished in your life. And I pray you are speaking your truth every day. What does that look like for you?
In Others’ Words: Speak Up #InOthersWords #lifequotes #truth
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“Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes.” #quotes #truth #speakup
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I’m celebrating the upcoming release of my destination wedding, Almost Like Being in Love, with a giveaway today, Thursday, June 15th, over on my Author Facebook page — and you can win a copy for you and one for a friend!
