Marilynn Dawson's Blog, page 10

Household Finances - Intro to the Basics

Finances. Every person alive has to deal with them, from nickels earned selling lemonaide at age 7, to wages earned at a part-time job during high school, to savings, bills, and raising a family. There is already much out there written by many people on managing various aspects of the financial picture. I'm even seeing pins showing up on Pinterest lately where average people are starting to share cost-cutting measures they have successfully implemented in their homes and businesses.

Why the sudden interest in saving a penny? The cost of living is going up but wages are not keeping pace. In fact, for many people, not only are costs rising and wages lowering, but jobs are nolonger stable either. The question arises then, how does a parent, how does a family care-giver still manage to pay the bills, put food on the table, maintain house and home, and ensure they can get from point A to point B?

First there are the basics which should be taught no matter where a person comes from in the financial ladder of life.

1) When you get paid, unless it's only a few cents, divide the amount into three parts:
A) 10% charity
B) 10% savings
C) Spending.
Starting this habit early in life is a wise thing for parents to instill in their children. The child will get used to planning and budgeting the remaining 20% and carry that habit into adult life.

2) Learn to tell the difference between wants and needs. A need is something that absolutely can NOT be done without! When we look around the globe, basic needs consist of decent food, shelter, safe drinking water, shoes and adequate clothing, and a means of transportation. What many in modern cultures get mixed up on however, is the difference between healthy food basics and edible extras, the difference between decent shelter and the dream home, the difference between water and pop or that daily coffee habit, the difference between decent and extravagent clothing, and the difference between decent transportation and grown-up expensive toys.

For example: In the cracker isle at the store, cookies do not qualify as whole-wheat crackers! They should not be listed on the grocery list. On the MLS housing listings, a 5 bedroom 3 bath 4 car garage house does not quality as adequate housing for a young family of 3. It shouldn't even be considered due to the overkill on the mortgaging situation and the effort needed to maintain the place. Just like groceries and housing, clothing is another area where people have a hard time telling the difference between needs and wants. Decent clothing is dependent on the season and the purpose. A suit makes sense for that conference, but no sense for that construction job. It isn't necessary to have 20 pairs of shoes in the closet when in reality, 5 will do the job just fine. I could go on.

When a person begins to tell the difference between needs and wants, budgeting becomes much easier to manage and stick to.

3) Learn how to create a household budget and stick to it! Doing this requires the knowledge of what is coming into the home in earnings, and requires knowledge of what is going out of the home in expenditures. It is a sad observation that most families aren't sure of one or both lists in their own homes. Once you know how much comes in every month on average, and have made a list of what goes out every month on average, it is possible to draft a budget incorporating points 1 and 2 above, and learn the steps to maintain it.

Budgets change over time as income and needs change. Budgets also change as affordability of those needs change. So it is important to revisit your budget every so often to be sure you are staying within it and that it is covering all the bases adequately.

Once these three basics are in active use in the home, when the cost of living rises, it's much easier to address and deal with.

In my book, "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate", there is a section on Groceries, and a section on Finances. Each of them contains a sample budget sheet aimed at teaching the young adult how to begin this road for themselves.

I'm available Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm to help anyone with any of these three points, or to help you get started if these were never taught to you in the past. At only $.50/minute, obtaining household financial advice shouldn't break the bank or be a hardship. Many people offering financial advice do so at outragious rates, figuring that such information is worth the pretty penny. But this author feels otherwise. Feel free to call: 1-888-MY-ETHER ext. 05040235

Regular Blog Writing

Well, the time has finally come to start thinking seriously about blogging.  Particularly with the advent of a blog aimed at getting people interested in using two toll-free numbers that could help earn funds while I am out of work.  

http://www.ether.com/CallButton/songdove/11987339.aspx  Title:     Family Budgeting Assistance

and 

http://www.ether.com/CallButton/songdove/11987273.aspx Title:     Windows-based Computer Training

A blog comes with this, touted by the Ether company as a way to encourage people that you are who you say you are, and have the knowledge you claim to offer for sale.  That blog is: http://blogs.ether.com/songdove

I have to admit, that I wasn't keen on regular blogging while the prospect of return on my time investment was low.  I'm not the type to just write to the wind, although that's getting easier the more I run into people who read what I write and find it useful.  

So with those thoughts now running around my head, perhaps it's now time to consider a regular blogging schedule.  At this time, I'm going to start with Mondays and do my best to write something about something every Monday until work or income arrives in some sustainable form.  If viewers pick up, then I may even add some Google adwords listings to my main self-hosted blog over at:  http://songdove.fa-ct.com/wordpress-mu/songdovemusings.

Writing topics will include subject matter found in my books, as well as that taken from experience as a computer tech, and that of my faith.  From time to time something completely random may show up in the mix as well, but the goal for now is that I get something up every Monday.

This Facebook notes area has been my blog to date, and is syndicated to my series' companion website, Goodreads, Amazon, thebookmarketingnetwork.com, betterbloggernetwork.com, myopera.com, and more recently thebookclubnetwork.com.  However, four of those areas allow for blogging in their own right if I chose to.  So while the syndication is nice from this area, the Ether blog doesn't allow for it.  I almost forgot!  I also set up an announcement area over at Squidoo!  Squidoo is another area this FB Notes page is syndicated to, although just in link format.  So my Monday blogging will be interesting as I not only write, but ensure that everywhere I am online that allows for it, gets it in some fashion.  I have accounts at writing.com, Wattpad, and writerscafe that are largely languishing due to inactivity.  So there are lots of places to get the word out every week!

It should be interesting to see how it goes.  They say necessity is the mother of invention, and I guess that goes for trying to make a living financially too.  You do what you can with what you have while you wait for other opportunities to gel.  If you go to any of the places I've mentioned and want to catch up with me there, let me know in the comments and I'll put a list together of those links.

Day 25 of "40 Days of Praise: A Hymn Devotional" by David Herndon

This particular daily session focused on the hymn, "Oh For A Thousand Tongues to Sing", written by Charles Wesley as a tribute to his one year anniversary of coming to Salvation in Christ. David suggests to the reader that they should take stock of when they got saved. Do they have a date? Or a time frame? Then not merely to note that date or time frame, but to take a moment in prayer or in writing, to write a poem or in some way bring praise to God for having saved them.  

It just so happens that I got saved the first week of July at Kids Camp at Nanoose Bay Pentecostal Camp when I was 7 years old. I don't remember the exact date now, but do remember it was around the middle of the week roughly. I'm thinking perhaps a Wednesday when I got saved.

Indeed I am thankful for God getting my attention back then, and for the courage to ignore my cabin-mates and going up to the front of the tabernacle anyway to accept Christ into my heart and cleanse me from my sin. My testimony is not one of having been saved from a list of terrible lifestyle choices at the moment of Salvation. No. . . my testimony is of the keeping power of God through various storms instead, and through the consequences of various life decisions that could have been made differently. God has been there through it all, and I am incredibly grateful!

Songdove Books Now Available on iOS as well as Android Devices!

Having just discovered that Google Play has an app on the iTunes app store, this means that ANYONE who wishes, may save themselves a few dollars and purchase the entire series of "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" simply by downloading the Google Play app into their iOS device, purchasing the series via Google Play and downloading it to their device!

Therefore, I am pleased to announce that not only is "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" available there, but so is "Mom's LIttle Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate".

So if you have a graduate who prefers to read on their Android or iOS tablet, get them the app and a $10 bill, and watch them learn their first lesson in wise shopping! They will actually have a dollar and some change left over when all is said and done. Just don't tell them to spend it all in one place!

Direct links are as follows:

"Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=f7TYk-aPDdwC&rdid=book-f7TYk-aPDdwC&rdot=1&source=gbs_vpt_read

"Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey Volume One"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/MS_Marilynn_Dawson_Becoming_the_Bride_of_Christ?id=Kv2BQyfSt_MC&feature=search_result

"Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey Volume Two"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/MS_Marilynn_Dawson_Becoming_the_Bride_of_Christ?id=wKIgo5I6S6oC&feature=search_result

"Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey Volume Three"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/MS_Marilynn_Dawson_Becoming_the_Bride_of_Christ?id=17rUu2kYGGQC&feature=search_result

"Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey Volume Four"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/MS_Marilynn_Dawson_Becoming_the_Bride_of_Christ?id=6df9A3G-7YsC&feature=search_result

"Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey Volume Five"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/MS_Marilynn_Dawson_Becoming_the_Bride_of_Christ?id=RJLdMTsj9_MC&feature=search_result

"Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey Volume Six"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/MS_Marilynn_Dawson_Becoming_the_Bride_of_Christ?id=53HVpRw_o0gC&feature=search_result

"Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey Leader's Guide"
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/MS_Marilynn_Dawson_Becoming_the_Bride_of_Christ?id=wcOxFUEyAu4C&feature=search_result

Pass this information around to anyone who may not be aware that they can download Google Play purchases onto their iOS device! They may discover a whole new library opening up for them in both epub and PDF formats.

As a side note, PC users needn't feel left out!  Click on the direct link to the book you wish to purchase and read it right in the browser of your choice.  

Been Busy Ramping up Visibility for "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate"

That's right.  In the absence of work right now, and with June's family events winding down, I've had time to get busy doing what I can to increase visibility of my latest book, "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate".

As of today, June 26th, 2013, "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate" can be purchased at the following locations in either Paperback or PDF format:

In Canada:
http://www.bookmob.ca/search/keyword/Marilynn+Dawson

Global:
http://songdovebooks.storenvy.com

Createspace.com:
https://www.createspace.com/4249405

Amazon websites:
http://www.amazon.com/author/marilynn.dawson.author
http://astore.amazon.com/becothebridof-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=4 Amazon Store
http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon DE
http://astore.amazon.de/becthebriof0d-21 Amazon DE store
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon UK
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/becthebriofch-21 UK store
http://www.amazon.es/s?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=MS%20Marilynn%20Dawson&search-alias=english-books Amazon ES

New Christian Books:
http://songdove.fa-ct.com/songsfromwordlistings.shtml - Paperback and PDF versions

Digital Versions:
AtContent.com http://p.atcontent.com/songdove/869380789747227X6.ebook/

Scribd.com http://www.scribd.com/doc/148810037/Mom-s-Little-Black-Book-Godly-Advice-for-the-High-School-Graduate - Scribd also has an Android App available in Google Play and ITunes to manage your Scribd library on your Android or IOS device.

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=f7TYk-aPDdwC&rdid=book-f7TYk-aPDdwC&rdot=1&source=gbs_vpt_read

The book is also able to be previewed at freado.com and Google Books.  Information about the book is available on Goodreads, Shelfari, eventually askdavid.com, published.com, Nothing Binding, and can be searched for on bookhitch.com.

If there is a place where you think this book should show up, let me know and I'll see what I can do to get it there.

Songdove Books Newsletter: June Edition! Exciting Stuff this Month!

**Welcome to another edition of "Songdove Books Presents:" Newsletter! **

We have a whopping 18 subscribers right now, but no one opened my newsletters for the past two months. . . *pout* Feel free to forward these newsletters to others. If you're wondering why it isn't all flashy and looking like a webpage, that's because HTML newsletters tend to get blocked more often than text-based newsletters and I want to be sure ALL of you get what you signed up for.

**This month several exciting events took place!**

First off, my series, "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" made it onto Google Books and Google Play! This means if you have an Android device, you can search for the ISBN number of any book in the series, purchase it, and download it to your phone at roughly half the cost of the printed version! I created a Pinterest board that links directly to each book on Google Play: http://pinterest.com/songdovebooks/google-play/

The second big event, was actually comprised of 3 events as both my kids graduated high school this year!!! Huge! One graduated on the 14th, we held a private formal grad BBQ on the 15th, and the other graduated on the 20th! With family coming into town, you can imagine how busy this time was!

The third big event following on the heels of the private formal grad BBQ, was the fact that NOW I can publicly market my latest book: "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate"! It was so hard not to blow my cover in the two months leading up to graduation! I thought for sure I'd given it away several times, but when the BBQ came and I handed out the gifts, my daughter and her friend were as surprised as I was, that I'd managed to keep the book a secret for so long!

Now it's possible to tell the world! The link lists below will tell you where you can find not just "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" but where you can buy "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate" as well! The list is slowly growing, which is a good thing.

**Online Daily sessions in "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey"** has finished Chapter 7 in Volume Three, and began Chapter 8 this week. It's never too late to sign up as you simply carry on whereever we are at that time. There are two ways you can sign up to receive each day's online sessions: Email only, or blog registration so that you can participate in any discussions about each day's session. For registration info, please read this link here:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/marilynn-dawson-author/announcing-daily-sessions-from-becoming-the-bride-of-christ-a-personal-journey/389302391162655

**Thank you** to whoever is visiting the devotional site every morning! I ended up with vertigo amid all the graduation stuff this month and couldn't make the visits all the time myself to ensure the daily email goes out. So to whoever began doing that for me, THANK YOU!

Once again, if you are trying to find me online, here is a list of places you can find me:

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynndawsonauthor
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/songdovebooks/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10989028-marilynn-dawson
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/songdove
Freado: http://www.freado.com/users/34318/marilynn-dawson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/songdoveMD
Chapters: http://community.indigo.ca/profile/Marilynn-Dawson/557354.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Marilynn.Dawson.Author?ref=hl
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/songdovemd
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/MarilynnDawson

Places where you can currently purchase "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate: are as follows:

In Canada:

http://www.bookmob.ca/search/keyword/Marilynn+Dawson

Global:

http://songdovebooks.storenvy.com

Createspace.com:
https://www.createspace.com/4249405

Amazon websites:
Amazon websites:
http://www.amazon.com/author/marilynn.dawson.author
http://astore.amazon.com/becothebridof-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=4 Amazon Store
http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon DE
http://astore.amazon.de/becthebriof0d-21 Amazon DE store
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon UK
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/becthebriofch-21 UK store
http://www.amazon.es/s?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=MS%20Marilynn%20Dawson&search-alias=english-books Amazon ES

Digital Versions:
http://p.atcontent.com/songdove/869380789747227X6.ebook/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/148810037/Mom-s-Little-Black-Book-Godly-Advice-for-the-High-School-Graduate


The current list where you can purchase the series, "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey".

In Canada:

Bell Tower Books:
http://bookmanager.com/1187155/?q=h.ts&opt=kw&tsf=y&qs=marilynn+dawson&x=0&y=0#
Amazon.ca:
http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ms.+Marilynn+Dawson
http://www.bookmob.ca/search/keyword/Marilynn+Dawson
Chapters-!ndigo:
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/35/search/?sc=Ms.+Marilynn+Dawson&sf=Author

http://songdovebooks.storenvy.com Currently there is a Spring discount coupon for everything in the store. Use the code: BBOCSPRING. This store features the series, as well as matching notebooks and pens.

Global:

Createspace.com:
https://www.createspace.com/3672131 Volume One
https://www.createspace.com/3933868 Volume Two
https://www.createspace.com/3958072 Volume Three
https://www.createspace.com/3958097 Volume Four
https://www.createspace.com/3958124 Volume Five
https://www.createspace.com/3960362 Volume Six
https://www.createspace.com/3964570 Leader's Guide

Amazon websites:
http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ms.+Marilynn+Dawson
http://astore.amazon.com/becothebridof-20 Marilynn's Amazon Store
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.fr/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon FR
http://www.amazon.es/s?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=english-books&field-author=Ms%20Marilynn%20Dawson Amazon ES
http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon DE
http://www.amazon.it/s/276-0127529-5185841?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=english-books&field-author=Ms%20Marilynn%20Dawson Amazon IT
http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=MS%20Marilynn%20Dawson&search-alias=books-us Amazon Japan
http://www.amazon.co.jp/-/e/B008SXA2QS Author page Japan

New Zealand:
http://www.mightyape.co.nz/Authors/MS-Marilynn-Dawson/All/

India:
http://www.junglee.com/mn/search/junglee/ref=nav_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ms.+Marilynn+Dawson

New Christian Books:
http://songdove.fa-ct.com/songsfromwordlistings.shtml


Digital versions online:
http://www.scribd.com/collections/3759796/Becoming-the-Bride-of-Christ - Scribd also has an Android App available in Google Play and ITunes to manage your Scribd library on your Android or IOS device.

http://songdove.fa-ct.com/digitalbooks.shtml - AtContent.com

http://pinterest.com/songdovebooks/google-play/

So how many others in this list have had someone graduate in their family or in the families of those you know? Do they know what they plan to do with themselves after graduation? Are they going to college, university, travelling the world or getting a job? Mine plan to move, get a job, maybe an apprenticeship, and work on goals toward running an equine riding stable.

God's Word says that many are the plans of a man's heart, but the Lord directs His steps. This is a good thought to keep in mind as the next generation begins to stretch their wings and find their place in this world. I keep being reminded of Michael W Smith's song, "My Way in This World". If you get a chance to google that title on youtube, take a listen. So many times even as we progress further through life, it can seem as if we've lost our way. But God tells us that if we lean on Him for guidance and direction, and not on our own understanding, that He will direct our steps, He will guide us and grant us wisdom. Such comforting words as we enter a new phase of life.

May God bless you as the educational year ends and that period we like to call summer begins.

Sincerely,
Marilynn Dawson
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say Come. . . and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.
==============================================

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It's after June 15th! I can finally Announce "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate"

That's right!  I can finally let this book go public!!!  Up until the 15th, only those on my author page on Facebook, or those who read my monthly newsletter, or those on social networks where my kids don't go, could get word of this $10 grad gift!  One reviewer was concerned she'd miss the launch before her own daughter graduated because of that, but I made sure she got in on the soft launch in Mid-May.

I nearly blew my cover several times while this book was being written, edited, and even during the soft-launch!  But somehow, some way, it became clear at the private formal grad BBQ where this was handed out to six graduates, that I'd managed to keep it a secret from my own two graduating teenagers!  I thought for sure they'd find out a couple times over the past two months, but mercifully, they didn't!

Now I can go public and tell the world about this awesome little book!  Although I'll warn you, it's only small in print size!  The silly thing has over 300 pages!!!  But don't let that daunt you!  It has one tidbit of advice per page!  Just one.  So it's actually a very quick read if one were to sit down and go through it all in one shot.

Each facing page has a Scripture verse.  There are suggested monthly Scripture readings, suggested housework charts, grocery budget samples, note pages, and so much more!

At only $10 plus shipping, this easily fits into the affordable graduation gift category!

So if you want a gift that will outlast chocolate, flowers, banquets, food hampers, and even that car that will need replacing in 20 years' time, then get this gift!  Divided into 6 sections, this gift contains advice on spiritual matters, household matters, personal matters, grocery issues, finances, and more!

You can find this gift on Amazon at the .com, .de, .fr, .co.uk, and .es websites, as well as at storenvy.com.  

They say Mom's are multi-taskers right?  This gift will let you be there even when you're not, ready and available to answer your graduate's next question about life at a moment's notice!  Finally you can tell people are you truthfully in two places at once, with "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate"!

So Excited to have my series out on Google Play!!!

For those who have seen the Google Book Preview instructions, and for those who have seen the direct links, this may seem like triplicate.  But there is a method to my madness.  This note will get shared via RSS feed to several other sources.  So if this is the third time you've seen this, I apologize.

For everyone else however!!!  "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" has finally made it onto Google Play!  This means that all you Android users out there can log into your Google Play account, and purchase this entire series and take it with you on your phone or your tablet!

I've taken the work of locating the ISBN's and done it for you, creating a Google Play board on Pinterest.  If you click through each image in the Google Play board, you will end up on that volume's page on Google Play where you can complete your purchase and initiate your download on the spot!

http://pinterest.com/songdovebooks/google-play/

Please pass this on to all your Android-loving friends!

Review of "Devotions From Genesis" by Nicole Love Halbrooks Vaughn

"Devotions From Genesis" by Nicole Love Halbrooks VaughnNicole asked if I'd review her devotional, "Devotions From Genesis" back in January 2013. I was looking for devotional avenues at the time and agreed, choosing to do it Monday to Friday every week. At 50 chapters in Genesis, I thought at first I'd be done by mid-March, but discovered that Nicole had other plans.  

Nicole draws parallels from the characters in Genesis to God's desire to interact with mankind throughout the Bible and how we might apply that to ourselves today. She divides Genesis into three parts: Discovering God's character through the fall of man, learning obedience to God and the consequences of disobedience, and the final section, learning about the parallels between Joseph and Christ.

This is a fresh look at the Book of Beginnings. I very much enjoyed all the Scripture she used throughout the study. Not once did she take any Scripture reference out of context, which is a big thing for me. Her use of Scripture even in her closing prayer of each session is sure to help the reader who might not be familiar with the thoughts she expresses to God.

This study is not a workbook. There are no places to answer questions or to write things down. To that end, the devotional reader will want to keep their journal nearby to jot down thoughts, Scriptures, and answers to questions that the text might raise for them. Many find it a healthy practice to keep a prayer journal or a study journal nearby anyway, so going through this particular study will continue that habit.

This study is also not a historical expose' of the times in which the events occurred. Nicole's primary focus is on the spiritual applications of the events and people in Genesis moreso than matching up those events to verifiable records. That would require a much more indepth look at the book of Genesis and has been covered by other authors. As a devotional, there isn't room for this kind of discussion.

So if the reader is interested in how the lessons found in Genesis apply to their lives today, this is the devotional to pick up. Read each chapter in Genesis before you carry on in the text. This gives a great background for the day's session. If you are not pressed for time, taking time to open your Bible to each of the remaining Scripture references for that day will help to internalize that day's thoughts as well. Then, if you are like me, you will be tempted to write out your own commentary on what God is teaching you as you travel with Nicole through the pages of Genesis. It was all I could do at times not to begin writing my own commentary of what God was teaching me. But to keep from potentially overshadowing Nicole's efforts for the purposes of this review, I refrained except for a couple times.

Great read, great devotional, nothing out of context, even the prayers have Scripture in them. . . I give this devotional a five out of five.

Songdove Books Newsletter - May 2013

Welcome to another edition of "Songdove Books Presents:" Newsletter!

You'll noticed I've changed the title, as there are now two book titles under the Songdove Books imprint: "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" which consists of 6 volumes and a Leader's Guide, and the latest, "Mom's Little Black book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate".

"Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate" went live on May 9th and is now available for ordering from Amazon.com. Being as this is a gift for my own graduating teenagers, this book won't be widely publicized until after June 15th, the date my kids get it as a grad gift. I am telling you, my newsletter readership now however, so that if you wish to purchase it for your own grads, you have time. The cost is $10, so it fits into the "affordable $10 grad gift" category. If you want to order a copy for the graduate in your own life, please let me know.

This book contains Scripture verses, devotional calendars, grocery budget examples, note pages, as well as godly tidbits of advice with every turn of the page. You can view a sample section by going to my Facebook author page and clicking on the "Mom's Little Black Book" tab beside the BBTC Chapter One tab.

Meanwhile, Online Daily sessions in "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" has completed Volume Two and began Volume Three as of Monday, May 27th.. It's never too late to sign up as you simply carry on whereever we are at that time. There are two ways you can sign up to receive each day's online sessions: Email only, or blog registration so that you can participate in any discussions about each day's session. For registration info, please read this link here:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/marily...

The desired automated emails are not going out until someone visits the site each day. But the daily sessions themselves ARE being posted to the site at 6am every day Monday to Friday unless there is a short week. Use short weeks to catch up on anything you missed, or to go back over something you felt needed more time to ponder.

Here is a list of places you can find me:

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynnda...
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/songdovebooks/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10...
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/songdove
Freado: http://www.freado.com/users/34318/mar...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/songdoveMD
Zianz: http://xianz.com/n/songdove
Chapters: http://community.indigo.ca/profile/Ma...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Marilynn.Daw...
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/songdovemd
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/MarilynnD...

Places where you can currently purchase "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate: are as follows:

In Canada:

http://www.bookmob.ca/search/keyword/...

Global:

http://songdovebooks.storenvy.com

Createspace.com:
https://www.createspace.com/4249405

Amazon websites:
http://www.amazon.com/author/marilynn...
http://astore.amazon.com/becothebrido... Amazon Store
http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon DE
http://astore.amazon.de/becthebriof0d-21 Amazon DE store
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon UK
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/becthebrio... UK store
http://www.amazon.es/s?_encoding=UTF8... Amazon ES

The current list where you can purchase the series, "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey".

In Canada:

Bell Tower Books:
http://bookmanager.com/1187155/?q=h.t...#
Amazon.ca:
http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss...
http://www.bookmob.ca/search/keyword/...
Chapters-!ndigo:
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/3...

http://songdovebooks.storenvy.com Currently there is a Spring discount coupon for everything in the store. Use the code: BBOCSPRING. This store features the series, as well as matching notebooks and pens.

Global:

Createspace.com:
https://www.createspace.com/3672131 Volume One
https://www.createspace.com/3933868 Volume Two
https://www.createspace.com/3958072 Volume Three
https://www.createspace.com/3958097 Volume Four
https://www.createspace.com/3958124 Volume Five
https://www.createspace.com/3960362 Volume Six
https://www.createspace.com/3964570 Leader's Guide

Amazon websites:
http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss...
http://astore.amazon.com/becothebrido... Marilynn's Amazon Store
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.fr/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon FR
http://www.amazon.es/s?_encoding=UTF8... Amazon ES
http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B008SXA2QS Amazon DE
http://www.amazon.it/s/276-0127529-51... Amazon IT
http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=ntt_ath... Amazon Japan
http://www.amazon.co.jp/-/e/B008SXA2QS Author page Japan

New Zealand:
http://www.mightyape.co.nz/Authors/MS...

India:
http://www.junglee.com/mn/search/jung...

New Christian Books:
http://songdove.fa-ct.com/songsfromwo...


Digital versions online:
http://www.scribd.com/Songdove
http://www.atcontent.com/Profile/song...

Lastly, let me mention another book that I had the privilege of being part of this spring. "21 Days of Faith" by Shelley Hitz. This is a compilation work contributed to by myself and 20 others, each of us sharing a story from our own lives about the impact faith in God has had. My story is about employment at the beginning of the year and how my desire to spend private time with God and fit some level of exercise into my day resulted in a part-time job that paid almost as well as the previous full-time job I'd just been laid off from. You can find this book in my list of books on the Amazon.com listings above. It is only in Kindle format at this time.

Life continues it's adventures doesn't it? As I prepare for my teenagers to graduate next month, in just 3 weeks' time, my faith-journey continues. God continues to point out areas where I need to surrender one more time, areas where I need to exercise forgiveness, hand over little roots of bitterness that if left to themselves, could grow into nasty weeds. Each of us are on this journey together. It is my prayer that as you use the material found in these books and in the companion website, that your faith-walk will flourish and that your story will encourage others to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

May God bless each and every one of you as we move forward in our respective spheres of influence. God is writing a faith story in you too.

Sincerely,
Marilynn Dawson
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say Come. . . and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.
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