Sarah Holman's Blog, page 79

NaNo Day 6

There are some days, especially when I am trying to meet a deadline that I need inspiration. I get discouraged, tired, or overwhelmed. So here are some of the things that I do to gain inspiration.
Take a Walk: If I hit a wall, I will often take twenty minutes and just walk. It is amazing how a change of scenery and some movement will help the creative juices to flow.
Make some tea: My dear friend Elisabeth Allen sent me some tea all the way from England. I reserve it for times when I am writing and having a hard time concentrating. Pick something to eat or drink that you only do when you are writing. This will help your brain to focus.
Play a game: I actually find it very helpful, on occasion, to play a game for a few minutes every couple of hours when I am writing. I normally play a computer game that I can easily spend ten minutes on and then leave. My favorites are time management games (Sally’s Spa and Diner Dash being two of my favorites.
Read blog posts: Reading what other authors have wrote, especially if it is about their own struggles and triumphs of NaNo, can be very helpful.
How do you gain inspiration?

NaNo 5

Yes, I am a bit behind on my word count, but it is for a good cause. I have been putting the final touches on Kate's Innocence! I am so excited to be almost ready to release this book to the world!
Now, I have an offer for you. Would you like to join the Kate's Innocence blog tour? You could get a free PDF copy of the book to review, do an interview with me, or even just have me write up a post. Are you interested? You can sign up HERE?

Oh, I guess you might also be wondering about my NaNo novel. Here is the opening line:
I should have been the happiest man in the world, but my life felt as aimless as my walk along the streets of Boston. 

NaNo Day 4

Today, we are taking a look back at A Different Kind of Courage, which was written two years ago for part of NaNo.Top five posts:J is for JosephIt is Here!H is for HarrisonR is for RevolutionIndependance Day
Top Five Quotes:1. “There is a light that can only be found on the other side of darkness, there is a peace that can only be found on the other side of struggle, there is a faith that can only be found on the other side of doubt, and there is a healing that can only be found on the other side of pain.” 
2. “It is hard for people to understand helping someone if you having nothing to gain.” 
3. “No one understood the value of something that was measured with a different standard than they themselves measured by. Matthew was thought to be worthless because he did not communicate how everyone did. My father thought me worthless because I did not have the same business sense that he and my brother were born with.” 
4. “Why were people always asking me about things in my past, the things I wanted to keep hidden? But then, why did my life have to be full of details I didn’t want to share with others?” 
5. “Perhaps you should not think too hard on the political struggles. I think it is better if you find your freedom in Christ. He, unlike any man in this world, does not have expectations for you that you cannot meet. You are one of His children, and there is nothing that you can do to earn His favor, because you already have it. Find that truth, walk in the light of it, and you will be free indeed.” 

NaNo Day 3

I have been doing a lot of reading to get ready for NaNo. Today, I thought I would share some of the books that helped me the most.
Reporting the Revolution: This book was a gift from my dad and it has been a favorite ever since. This book has photocopies of newspapers from the time of the revolution. Not only do I get to see what was said, but can also tell a lot of the feelings of the people who wrote it.
Rebels and Redcoats: This book is filled with firsthand accounts of different events in the American Revolution. As anyone who knows me, I love to get firsthand accounts. This book is well arranged with many great perspectives on events.
Dear Abigail: This is by far the best book I have ever read about Abigail Adams. The author did a great job and not putting too much of her own ideas into the telling of Abigail’s life. I really loved how many of the letters she quoted and how strong the research was for this book.
John Adams: After reading 1776, I knew that David McCullough was a great historian. As John and Abigail were going to figure largely into this book, it seemed natural for me to read this book.
The Siege of Boston: I mentioned this one was really helpful for my last book. As the siege is still going on at the beginning of A Different Kind of Purpose, I will be using this book again from reference.

NANO Day 1

National Write a Novel Month Start today! This month, I will be posting everyday about NaNo, sharing my journey and bits of fun with you. Today, I want to share a tool I created last year for my sister. It is a calendar with what your word count total should be each day and inspirational quotes.
Get it HERE
I hope you find this helpful and useful for keeping track of where you are and where you should be. Keep writing!

Little Blessings

As NaNo is about to start, I was blessed with this little gem in the mail. I think everyone who follows my blog knows, I love firsthand documents! Jason, who has helped me set up both this blog and Homeschooled Authors on websites, was kind enough to send me this book.
What little blessing came into your life today?

Adventure Between the Pages: Discovering Hope

(I wrote this over a year ago, but forgot to publish it here. Since this is on my 2014 top ten list, I felt I needed to post it.)

Buy it Here
Description: What do Brigadoon, saris, epic laser tag games, and Jesus have in common? Hope. She’s a Christian with a passion for life and a fascination with Jay’s heritage. He’s an Indian with a fledgling interest in learning about the Hope within Hope.
After reading Noble Pursuits with my friend Jessica, I was more than happy to agree that Discovering Hope be our next book to read together. Neither of us were disappointed with this second installment of the Rockland Chronicles.
One of my favorite things about Havig’s books is that they are down to earth. Her stories are about ordinary people with their everyday problems. She has a talent for making the mundane, everyday things seem very interesting.
This book is about Hope, a girl with a strong faith in God despite the fact that she lost her brother in a car accident the year before. While at college, she meets Jay, a young man from India. So begins a wonderful friendship.
One of the things I most appreciated about this book was Jay’s struggle to accept Hope’s faith. It wasn’t easy for him, and it wasn’t quick. Too many books make it sound so easy, but often it is a long struggle.
The romance in this book, like all of Havig’s books, is sweet and based on friendship, not just gushy feelings. I love the way she balances the friendship and the romance so well in her stories.There were some sad parts to this book, but it made it really, really good. I don’t have a single complaint about this story.
I highly recommend this book to those who like romance that is based on something more than feelings, stories about everyday people, and authors who are not afraid to let their faith take center stage.

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Heavy Heart, Heavy Load

There are times that I look back and smile. I see the lessons I have learned and the ways God has taught me and how I have grown and changed for the better. There are other times I shake my head and wonder how I have gone so long without mastering something that seems so basic to our faith.

Right now, I am shaking my head.

There are some people hurting in my life, and God has used them to show me that I often carry burdens that He never intended me to. I see people I care about about struggling with their faith, and I want to say the right things to make it all. I want to take away the pain I see in so many of the others around me. I see my sister who wants to be married, struggling to wait for the right guy and I want to find a way to make her happy. All of these I feel weigh me down and become burdens.

This month, some hard things have happened (on an emotional level), and I have been sick. Both of those things have caused me to stay away from blogging and to spend a lot of time at the feet of Jesus. God has been reminding me both in my time with Him and the people around me that I am not supposed to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, that is God's task.

I wish I had some great suggestions on how to do this, but I am in the middle of the lesson. I am spending a lot of time praying, and I am making sure I am sharing what is going on in my heart with at least my Mom as sharing does help.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 

Adventure Between the Pages: An Easter Carol

Buy it Here Description:Professor Scrooge is a former pastor turned atheist. He despises anything to do with Christ - especially Easter. Determined not to celebrate the day, Scrooge lashes out at all who do. But then he meets with a surprising visitor, and is led on three different journeys by the spirits of Easter Past, Easter Present, and Easter Future. Will Scrooge change his views on Christ, Christianity, and Resurrection Sunday?
Since I am familiar with both the Christmas Carol and Tetzlaff’s work, I have been very curious to read her adaptation for my favorite holiday of the year, Easter. I was not disappointed in the least.If you have read or watched any version of The Christmas Carol, you will be well acquainted with this story. As it says on the cover, this is an adaptation. She didn’t try to change the story, just translate it into a modern story about Easter and she did a wonderful job.
The setting and characters were translated well and felt very realistic, while still keeping a few of the smaller elements that made the Christmas Carol memorable. Scrooge was well done, and didn’t become ridiculous, which some versions make him.
The writing was strong, descriptive, and memorable. I know that I will be thinking about this story for many days to come. I probably will start making it a tradition to read it around Easter time as well, as it a good reminder of the joy Easter should bring into each of us.
I highly recommend this to those who enjoyed A Christmas Carol, like shorter reads, and want to be reminded of the joy of Easter.

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Faith Basics: Prayer

I have never been someone who has spent hours and hours in prayer, though I really wish I was. I start to pray silently, and my mind starts to wander. I walk outside and pray aloud and for a while I am focused, but then nature draws me, and I find myself just walking and admiring the things God has made. I pray as I am going to sleep, but struggle to keep my mind on track. I try to pray first thing in the morning, but my mind keeps going to my to-do list.
This summer, I was very blessed to work at Austin Disaster Relief Network. The people there are some of the best prayer warriors I have ever met. They were amazing examples of people who lived out a life of unceasing prayer in a way that was authentic, not forced, not just a practice that they felt made them better.
I stood in a room of frazzled volunteers and watched as taking fifteen minutes of prayer and reciting scripture completely transformed everyone, including me, into a peaceful worker. I watched as a whole room prayed for an angry caller, and his anger melted away. I also saw how prayer took the burden from my heart and placed it back on Jesus.
Prayer should:Be Unceasing: I am to pray constantly, taking everything to God in prayer. It reminds me who has the power, and who is in control.  It helps me keep my focus upward, not on the things of earth.
Be Full of Thanksgiving and Praise: It shouldn’t just be about what I need, it also supposed to be about praising God for who He is and what He has done.
Bring Peace: If we lay everything at Jesus’ feet, there is no reason for us to pick it up again.

Now, I am trying to learn to pray as I go to sleep for each member of my family, and stop throughout the day to lift people, situations, and thanksgiving to God.

Well, are you ready to join me? We are going back to the basics! Feel free to share your thoughts and/or struggles in the comments, or by using #FaithBasics.