Cara C. Putman's Blog, page 101

Overcoming Fear with Our Dreams

Part of me really wants to let today’s post simply be the graphic. Would you read it again? Maybe print it and post it where you can see it often? We all have times…

You.

Me.

The mom who’s giving the Proverbs 31 woman a run for her money.

The gal in your office who is PERFECT. So perfect you know you’ll never compare.

We all have times when fear growls at our door.

What do we do?

Holley talks about some great practical strategies. Tackle our fears. Name them. Tell our fears the truth. Refuse to feed fear a moment more.

Make the fear work for you. Let it warn you about risks, tell you what’s important to you. Let it energize you and lead you to love. Move forward.

So much easier said than done.

So this week confront one small fear. If it makes it easier, gives you accountability, post that fear here and how you will attack it. Start with the ant, not Goliath. Let God build your faith as you begin small and work your way up to the fears that seem like monsters. Ask God for help and then be sure to celebrate. Let’s do this!

Would you marry a stranger?

Today it’s my pleasure to introduce you to my friend Amy Matayo. One of the joys of writing is meeting really interesting people and Amy is one of those. Her debut novel, just released. I’ve got it on my iPad, ready to read the next time I get a break. The concept is clever and I can’t wait to dive into it. Here’s Amy:

Would YOU marry a stranger for two million dollars?

I totally would not. Definitely wouldn’t. No way, not happening. Not in a million years. Certainly not for something as trivial as cash.

Unless…

I could finally take that trip to Fiji I’ve wanted to take since watching The Blue Lagoon when I was an inappropriately underage pre-teen girl. But I loved that movie. Loved it. Fantasized about wearing a loin cloth and traipsing around carefree though lush foliage and abandoned caves. Dreamed of swimming underwater Brooke Shield’s-style with seriously cute Christopher Atkins (I might have been ten years old, but I noticed). Whatever happened to him, anyway? He was adorable in a permed-hair, blonde, native islander kind of way.

Or if…

I could hire the housekeeper I’ve dreamed of hiring since buying my first home fourteen years ago. I’ve basically lived in the slums since then. Okay, not really. But things would very likely be one-hundred percent better if someone would clean my toilets a little more often than I manage to do them myself. And don’t get me started on my windows. I’m pretty sure there’s a sun shining outside most days. It might be nice if I could actually see the light through the haze otherwise known as my dirty window panes.

And then…

I could finally plunk some money down on a chef. The sacrifice would be totally worth it for this one expense alone. Because my kids are tired of Mac & Cheese and Taco Bell on a rotating basis. But I’m a writer. I don’t have time for trivial nonsense like trying to keep all the food groups in alignment or making sure the dishes are washed. I don’t have time for laundry or regular showers either, but that’s a whole other issue.

So would I marry a stranger for money? Absolutely I would.

Now I just have to convince my husband to let me do it.

Amy

 

Shadowed by Grace to release January 1st!

I have been blessed throughout my writing career with some amazing editorial teams to work with. I’ve had phenomenal covers. And I’ve had great experiences with my publishing teams.

There’s something amazingly special about my next release though. Shadowed by Grace is a story of my heart. It’s the story I knew from reading the first chapter of Robert Edsell’s nonfiction book The Monuments Men that I had to take the story and adapt it into fiction.

The WWII generation was filled with heroes. This group of men went above and beyond the call of duty to take on a seemingly impossible task.

 

Here’s more:

She found peace in a time of war.

Desperate to save her dying mother, an American woman accepts her newspaper’s assignment to travel to Italy where she takes photographs dangerously close to the front lines during World War II. But Rachel’s real motive in this journey is to find the father she never knew, an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive at such a desperate time.

In her quest, Rachel becomes involved with what will become the Monuments Men effort to save great monuments and works of art from the Third Reich. Soon enough she will find more than she ever imagined—in war, in love, and in God.

From the first chapter of Shadowed by Grace to the last, my heart pounded with excitement. With an authentic knowledge of Word War II history, a gentle hand of artistry, and a heart for true love, Cara Putman draws in readers until they feel they’ve traveled through time to watch a story unfold of heroes and the women they love. — Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times bestselling author

I literally devoured Shadowed By Grace by Cara Putman and was unable to think of anything else until I finished it. Full of intriguing characters and bursting with engrossing details of World War II and the Monument Men, the novel revealed history I knew nothing about. Everyone should read this book and understand this unique part of our history. — Colleen Coble, bestselling author

“Cara Putman is a truly gifted author who offers strong characterization and quality research in her fiction.”

—Tracie Peterson, best-selling author

 

A Sweet Amish Story with Christmas Overtones

I loved Vannetta Chapman’s Amish mystery series set in Shipshewana, so was eager to give this book a try. Set in the Quilts of Love series, the sewing of a quilt plays a large role throughout the book. I quickly realized the characters have starred in other books, yet I could fully enjoy this one without needing to know everything about their other stories. Instead, this became a sweet story of two women who are awaiting the births of their first children and the challenges that confront them. It is a story of friendship, of devotion, and of faith.

 

Annie’s life is deliciously full as the Christmas season approaches. She helps her husband, Samuel, attend to the community’s minor medical needs. She occasionally assists Belinda, the local midwife, and most days, she finds herself delivering the buggy to her brother Adam. Annie’s sister-in-law Leah is due to deliver their first child before Christmas morning, and Annie is determined to finish a crib quilt before the boppli arrives. With six weeks to go, she should have no problem . . . but God may have a different plan. Leah is rushed to the English hospital when the infant arrives early, and Annie discovers the Christmas quilt may hold a far greater significance than she ever imagined.

Purchase a copy here.

Learn more at the Quilts of Love website.

Dreams: Know Your Destination

Don’t you love this verse? And the image Beth Vogt put with it is perfect. Sometimes as we chase our dreams, we’ll be in a season where we wonder if this deep longing of our heart can be fulfilled. It can. Just hang in there and keep praying.

Ask God to confirm that it’s the right dream.

I have a dream of speaking. I want to share truths that resonate in the hearts of women and free them to chase the call God has on their lives. It’s a deep desire of my heart. And there have been times that I have asked God if this is from Him? I’ve asked Him if I’m chasing something that isn’t His will for me. Or not His will at this season.

Have you ever been there? Wanting something so deeply, but then backing away? Wondering if it’s you rising up with a desire that has nothing to do with God’s best for you?

Each time God has given me confirmations. Speaking at two women’s retreats in different states a couple weeks a part. Now He seems to be opening that in a slightly different, very unexpected direction. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share more in a couple weeks.

Okay, back to the book. A longing fulfilled is a tree of life. So what’s your longing? What’s that dream that cries to be brought to life?

Without being able to answer that, you can’t take the steps Holley recommends in chapter four. You can start with a LIFE statement. Or just write down the dream. Then you know your destination. Now you can aim for it. Do you need to read a few books? Go back to school? Change your job? You won’t know until you know where you’re headed.

Then start thinking about how you get to that destination. What are the related tasks that lead to the overall goal? Break it down into tasks or steps. Be specific. What will you do? When will you do it? How can you know that task is done? If you aren’t specific, it is very easy to never do it.

When I wanted to write a book, I gave myself two years to get a contract. If you know writing, that is insane! Most people write 7-10 years. 18 months later I had a contract. God had so much to do with it, but because I had a deadline, I had my bottom in the chair writing — a lot. I cut out TV and other things because I decided this was the time to push on the dream and I had tasks to get it done. I also went to ACFW for the first time with my husband’s blessing because I didn’t know Christian fiction and Colleen Coble told me that’s where I’d learn. So we invested in the conference. It was worth every penny.

So what do you take with you? Then DON’T QUIT…not matter what. Push through the exhaustion, the doubts, the fears. Just do it. Keep working. Don’t stop too early.

Keep your dream before you and don’t forget to celebrate the incremental victories. Take time to remember what God has done for you!

Okay, so I’ve shared a bit of my story. If you’ve chased a dream, what did you have to give up to do it? How did you push through when you got tired, afraid, full of doubts? How do you celebrate the incremental successes?

If you’re preparing to chase a dream, have you written it down yet? Are you specific? Can you break it into related tasks?

Thank You from 12 Writers to Readers.

Win 12 bestselling novels from 12 bestselling novelists. All you have to do is repin (in Pinterest) the twelve pins inside the Rafflecopter Box. That’s it. Easy, huh?

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Me

If you’re over on Facebook at all, you’ve seen people telling a certain number of things about themselves. I have received a couple numbers, so I’m compromising with ten things. I thought I’d share them here, too.

Let’s see if I come up with 10 news things you don’t know about me

1) I adore cats.

2) My husband is allergic. Ergo:

3) I tolerate dogs. They are so NEEDY!

4) I am grateful for the way homeschooling my kids is so accepted. My parents didn’t experience that to this degree.

5) I love helping people identify and develop their dreams.

6) I have the world’s best kids. They aren’t perfect, but they are a blessing.

7)I was the first homeschooler at my community college.

8) Said community college named me their alumni of the year for 2012 — wanted to remind them I wasn’t 70 yet.

9) Studying is hard work.

10) I am over-educated. I’m currently in year 9: 2 at community college, 2 at university, 4 at law school, and now in the MBA program.

Dreaming: What are Your Strengths?

I’m going to slow things down a bit to make sure everyone gets a chance to read and keep up. This book is filled with activities that can help us uncover our dreams. So I’d rather be deliberate than rush through on a schedule that doesn’t work. That being said, today I wanted to mention something from chapter two.

In chapter 2, Holley writes about finding our strengths and dreaming from those as a starting point. In her Go Deeper Guide (that you can download here), she has a quick way to start identifying some of yours. I’m recreating a small part of that here, but it’s much prettier in her PDF.

Find Your Strengths: 5 Minutes

Circle three strengths that apply to you.

• Adventurous • Athletic • Brave • Calm • Capable • Caring • Cheerful • Considerate • Courageous • Creative • Dedicated • Determined • Devoted • Easygoing • Efficient • Encouraging • Energetic • Fair • Flexible • Forgiving • Friendly • Frugal • Funny • Gentle • Gracious • Hardworking • Helpful • Honest • Hospitable • Imaginative • Intelligent • Kind • Loving • Loyal • Mature • Organized • Positive • Protective • Reflective • Reliable • Resilient • Resourceful • Responsible      • Sensitive • Servant-hearted • Spontaneous • Supportive • Talented • Thoughtful • Trustworthy  • Warm • Wise • Add your own …

If you’re still wondering if the words you circled are strengths, then you can put them through the STRENGTH test:

Service: Does it help me serve God and others?
Time: Has it been present throughout much of my life?
Relationships: Do others see this?
Energy: Do I feel energized when I’m living this way?
Natural: Does this come naturally to me most of the time? Or do I know God has intentionally developed this in me even though it doesn’t?
Glory: Does God ultimately get the glory from it?
Trials: Even in hard times, does it usually come through somehow?
Heart: Does this really feel like a core part of who I am?

As a lover of all kinds of strengths and personality testing, this was easy for me. I just took a new one in August when I started the MBA program at Krannert. But I love using this to see if anything has changed. I think my top three are Dedicated, Energetic, and Servant-Hearted. But I bet my husband with have three different words for me. And my kids another 21 (4×3!)

So if you’re truly stumped, ask people who know you what words they would use for you. There have been seasons in my life where I had to do this because I was so blind to who I was for one reason or another.

Anyone want to share? Did you find this easy or hard? Did your answers change from one day to another?

Excerpts from You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth. Copyright © 201

Guest Post: Learning to Dream Again by Jennifer Maggio

I am delighted to bring a post from a friend where she is focused on discovering our dreams. Isn’t this perfect timing!

            Fifteen years ago, I found myself curled in a ball in the middle of my cold, bathroom floor, crying hysterically. I was convinced that no one could possibly understand the depths of my pain. When would this misery end? I was broken. I had no money, few friends, and no hope. How was I going to raise these children alone for 18 years? How could I make it financially? Would my circumstances every change?

            That is my story – the story of a lonely single mom, living on government assistance, running from God, and feeling I couldn’t push through. The next several years brought a winding road of highs and lows, victories and defeats. But I did push through. I made it through those early years of parenting alone. Although I hadn’t been in years, I became involved in my local church, rededicated my life to the Lord, and slowly began the journey of digging myself out of a financial and emotional hole. My heart found rest. I leaned on the Lord, when everyone else had failed me. I learned to dream again. I learned that God planted things inside me that only I could do, that my past didn’t have to dictate my future. And I never forgot what it was like to be that lonely, overwhelmed single mom.

My new book, Peace and the Single Mom: 50 Moments of Calm in the Chaos, exists to walk another single mother through the certain loneliness she has felt, but also to guide her to God’s faithfulness, to wholeness, to humor, and ultimately, to peace. It was written as my “thank you” for all God has done in my own life. It was written as my encouragement to that mom who feels no one understands.

Women don’t need just another sermon preached at them. They don’t need another book that makes them feel they are light years away from being a good Proverbs 31 woman! They want to hear about God’s grace, His faithfulness, His unconditional love. They want to learn to laugh again. My hope is that Peace and the Single Mom does just that!

            Picture Peace and the Single Mom as your girl-time with me, as we sit in your living room, sipping coffee, with our feet on the furniture.

Jennifer Maggio is an award-winning author and speaker whose personal journey through homelessness, severe abuse, and single parenting leaves audiences riveted. She is founder of The Life of a Single Mom Ministries and Overwhelmed: The Single Moms Magazine. For more info, visit www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.

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LIFE Statements: a Part of the Dream

I love this vision board from Jill Kemerer. Thank you so much for sharing it with us! How are the rest of your boards going? Mine is still an idea in my head. Sigh.

Today I wanted to look at one of the practical concepts from chapter four: The idea of defining our dreams.

It’s one thing to say we have a dream. It’s another to define it so we can begin to chase it. So get your pencils, your pretty pens, grab a pad of paper and prepare to write it down. Yes, you. Write down your dreams. You will define the following:

The what of your dream: a description of what you want to accomplish.
The why of your dream: and don’t forget to ask God if your agenda matches His.

Then flesh it out. Holley Gerth suggests using this format: I am created and called to express my faith through love especially by (verb ending in “ing”) + (what) + (who) + (how). Her example of her LIFE statement is: I am created and called to express my faith through love, especially by bringing hope and encouragement to the hearts of women through words.

Mine might be “I am created and called to express my faith through love especially by breathing life into long dormant dreams in the people around me by speaking life to them and really seeing them.” Or something like that.

Now it’s your turn. Put pen or pencil to page. Develop your life statement/s. Willing to share? What’s your LIFE statement?