Cara C. Putman's Blog, page 94

The Story Behind the Story: Francesca Battistelli

If you’re like me, then you love learning the story behind the story. Whether it’s an artist’s inspiration for a painting, a musician’s inspiration for a song, or an author’s spark that launched a story, I love getting behind the curtain. That’s why I loved finding this video about Francesca Battistelli‘s newest release. The kids and I are loving the music, and I appreciated the chance to see her heart. Hope you enjoy it, too!

The Story Behind the Story

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE learning the story behind the story for books, movies and albums. There is something about having the veil of the creative process pulled to the side. If you’re like me (and you love Christian music) then you’ve got to take a few minutes to watch this behind the album peek from Francesca Battistelli. Her new album If We’re Honest is very good! I already knew I loved Write Your Story, but the other songs are equally as good. My kids and I are enjoying learning the new songs. But I loved the chance to learn a bit of her creative process. Enjoy!

Help for New Moms

I remember those initial days and months of being a mother. That transition to losing myself in the care of a child that is so dependent on me. All my carefully cultivated disciplines evaporated in the reality of a schedule and days I no longer controlled. In Mom Seeks God, Julia Roller shares that journey and the struggle to incorporate the disciplines of faith into a new phase of life. The chapters read like a journal, as if you’re sitting down with a friend and hearing her experiences over coffee. The chapters are laced with humor and reality. And in the reading she shares practical ideas and the wisdom that you aren’t alone as a new mother struggling to find time for God. This is a great book to give as a baby shower gift or to encourage a new mom who needs encouragement on the journey.

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK

The first months and years of motherhood can be the most challenging and disorienting of your life—and faith. When you’re surrounded by the happy chaos of children, how do you spend quiet time with God if the only quiet time you get is while you sleep? How can you demonstrate a solid spiritual life to your children if you don’t have time to pursue one yourself?

When Julia Roller discovered that her spiritual growth had been stunted by the busyness of life with her toddler, she embarked on a yearlong journey through ten spiritual disciplines: prayer, fellowship, submission, study, simplicity, silence, worship, fasting, service, and celebration. As she focused on each discipline, she discovered practical ways to observe them—even in the chaos of her every day.

Purchase a copy and find out more at Julia’s website.

Purpose for Everything We Do

I have been immensely blessed in life. I grew up in a Christian home with a heart to serve God from about as young as I can remember. Maybe that’s why this quote from Holley Gerth’sbook You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream resonates with me.

There is a purpose for everything we do.

In a day and age where so much tells us there is no meaning to life, I feel the need to repeat those words. Let them ooze into your spirit.

There is a purpose for everything we do. 

What does that make you think? For much of my life — okay, even earlier today — it’s created a deep desire in me not to miss God’s will for my life. Am I supposed to be writing? If so, has the season ended? Is there another journey God wants me to start? Am I using the gift and talents He gave me in a way He approves.

I vividly remember being in my mid-20′s in Washington, D.C., and needing to choose between two jobs. Then as now, my deepest desire was to be where God wanted me. And He went strangely quiet. There wasn’t a neon sign in the sky telling me which job to take. There wasn’t a clear sense of direction. Instead, when I finally sat still enough to dig deep for Him, there was a deep sense of peace and that He didn’t care which one I took. Instead, I knew He would use me in either one.

In that instance, saying “yes” to God meant just stepping forward in either role. Did God use me in the one I took? Absolutely. Could He have used me in the other? I have no doubt.

But that experience has stuck with me. There is a purpose in everything we do. At that time, the purpose may have been simply learning that God can use me wherever I go. That I take God with me, and He shines through me in each and every situation.

Do you agree that there is a purpose in everything we do? How have you said yes to God in an unexpected way?

P.S. if you’re interested in more from Holley’s books, I’ve written a series of bookclub posts at my blog. Hop over here to read them.

4 Novels you should read this spring

Y’all know I LOVE to read. Here are a few of my favorites from the last few weeks. It’s a great mix of authors, historical, and contemporary. And be sure to read to the end where I’m giving away a copy of Tamera Alexander’s latest novel A Beauty so Rare, along with Rachel Hauck’s Princess Ever After and Sarah Ladd’s Headmistress of Rosemere. These are all books I bought so I could give them away because I loved them so much. I know you will, too!

I adore Tamera Alexander’s historical romances set in post Civil War Nashville. They capture the essence of reconstruction in a realistic way while telling a story I can disappear into. This story-telling sets a high standard and leaves me wondering if she can do it again. She does!

In A Beauty so Rare, Eleanor Braddock is not a beautiful woman in the traditional southern sense, so she has resigned herself to a life of singleness. because of her father’s illness she has to find a way to support herself. The story weaves in the plight of war widows and orphans while also pulling in an element of European royalty. Trust me: it works beautifully. And in the telling, the author addresses true beauty and the importance of looking beyond the superficial to the heart and essence of a person. I finished the last page with a happy sigh for a story well told, quickly followed by a sad sigh because now I have to wait for her next book!

If you love antebellum historical romance with strong Christian threads, you will adore this story that transports you to that time in Nashville. I loved this book so much be sure to keep reading so you can enter a giveaway for it!

In Sadie’s Secret, Pinkerton Agent, Sadie Callum has to decide whether the right twin brother is in jail.From there, she has to untangle the threads to find the real Will Tucker, all the while keeping her overprotective family at bay. Sadie is this delightful mix of a fun character who has spunk, verve, and a desire to honor her family while avoiding stifling. It’s an almost impossible balancing act, but such a fun read. The romance is sweet and delightful. And the redemption of Will Tucker almost brought me to tears. All in all a very satisfying conclusion to this fun historical mystery/romance series.

Now, I don’t only read historicals. The next two books are romantic suspense, the first with an Amish flair and the second unputdownable.

I enjoy Vannetta Chapman’s Amish based mysteries in large part because the Amish and English characters interact in real and dynamic ways. Murder Simply Brewed is no exception. A man dies while at work in an Amish village/resort. At first nobody suspects anything, but as other strange things begin to occur at this getaway, the manager and the Amish employee who found the body begin to wonder if more could be at stake.

There is more than the mystery though, as one couple experiences romance and another begins to explore what could be. The characters are enjoyable, the interactions real, and the mystery kept me guessing for quite a bit of the book. All in all a great read for those who love a mystery in an Amish setting.

Raptor 6 is the latest release from Ronie Kendig. She writes high-octane military novels. I loved the missionary angle that comes into play in this book set in Afghanistan. Zahrah just wants to help the Afghan children but has an expertise that makes her valuable to the anti-US forces. This book moves fast and honors the men and women who fight in the military while including a beautiful romance. It’s another excellent military read that will keep fans of Tom Clancy’s books coming back for more.

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Writing Tip: Easter Eggs

In honor of Easter, here’s a delightful short film from Pixar on Easter Eggs. Those are fun little surprises buried in a book or movie that delight readers and viewers who find them. They are fun to include as you write more books. For example, in my Christmas novella that releases in October, I have a fun tie back/Easter egg that connects the story in a very loose way to Shadowed by Grace. For readers who haven’t read Shadowed by Grace, it won’t mean anything. But for those who have and catch it, it’s a fun surprise.

Age is Merely a Number

Today I have extensive edits on a book due, so I’m pulling forward a post I wrote several years ago. The ironic thing is this a still an area I’m still fascinated by. How do the generations we’re born in impact our life choices. I’d love your thoughts on this important topic!

My friend Tricia Goyer forwarded the following commentary from law.com: Age is Merely a Number. In it the author, Kerry Jean Moore, evaluates whether generational differences really make a difference or if it’s all a matter of work ethic.

There’s been a lot of buzz  about what Generation X wants in their careers. As a proud member of that generation, I agree with some of the general conclusions. As a generalization, Gen Xers value family highly, and we’ll make career sacrifices in an attempt to minimize the fall out on our children. I work part time very intentionally. I could be a full time attorney, but because my children are young, my husband and I have determined I will only work three days a week (now it’s even less than that in the law. I teach at Purdue, because I love it but also because I can limit it to a couple afternoons a week. And I write books because I love the creative process, and can do it in the midst of our family life.) We both guard this flexibility jealously. I am fortunate to have found a firm that is glad to have me the hours a week I can and places a high value on family.

But I am also an ambitious, driven person. I love challenge and get bored when things fall into a routine. Fundamentally, that’s one reason I tackled the challenge of law school, a judicial clerkship, and actually practicing. I want to make a difference in people’s lives when they are in the middle of a crisis. Rarely do people call an attorney just because they thought it would be fun. Some event usually necistates that call.

Regardless of their generation, most lawyers are motivated by similar things. As Kerry Jean Moore, author of the commentary on law.com puts it:

“The fact is all talented lawyers want the same things. They want to be valued as individuals, they want challenging work for which they will be recognized and rewarded, and they want the freedom and independence to manage their own work and their own schedules. These are universal, not age-dependent, desires, and they are ones that every law firm can — and should want to — accommodate.”

What do you think ? Is age just a number? Are these values something that all generations, regardless of name, value?

Grace to Finish the Task

When I decided grace was my word for the year, I didn’t know what that would mean. Over the last week, I’ve been praying about it and asking God to give me insight on what He’s trying to teach me.

Part of me feels extremely guilty. It seems like the word should involve an in-depth study, stacks of books, a concordance, maybe a couple Greek and Hebrew lexicons. But so far this year, I’ve found a couple books and look at the covers before I go to bed. That’s the extent of energy I have. Teaching, homeschooling, taking classes, writing, and mothering have about sucked me dry.

But then I’ve felt God whispering into my heart that He is still well pleased. Just typing those words brings tears to my eyes. Well pleased? When I’m not spending hours diving into Him? I long to…at least I think I do, but finding the way has been impossible.

You see that photo is a very partial list of the things on my plate.

Then last night at one a.m. He dropped an idea for a new book into my head. One I’ve been praying about and for. His timing made me smile. This weekend I’ll wrap up line edits on the second book releasing this fall and then I have no idea what’s next. And in His grace, He waited until I was almost done, to release this next idea. Oh, it needs lots of massaging, but at least now I have one! And that is cause to celebrate.

So what am I learning about developing the GRACE to finish the task? Pray about everything I’ve got on my plate. Ask Him for wisdom and insight. For favor. And for the sun to stand still when it seems impossible to get it all completed.

1) Remember ultimately who you are working for. There are times believe it or not where I develop a bad attitude about a project or colleague. In those times He has reminded me that I am ultimately working for Him. He’s the One I have to please, so I am to work as unto Him.

2) Organize the tasks. If that means I have to write a task on the to-do list only so I can scratch it off, then do it! If that’s what it takes to feel momentum, then take it.

3) Integrate smaller tasks with the bigger tasks. But move. One bite at a time, one task at a time, one moment at a time.

How do you find grace to finish the tasks before you?

Review: Dating Like Airplanes: an invitation to soar

As the parent of one teenager and three more who will become teenagers, I’m always looking for tools to help as we coach our kids through dating/courting/finding a spouse. In Dating like Airplanes, Caleb Breakey issues an invitation to do dating differently. He honestly talks about how hard it can be to know how to do relationships the right way, in a God-honoring way. After walking through Scriptures, he challenges his readers to go into relationships with a purpose. Know why you’re in it. What do you hope to gain or learn from it?

This resonated with me. When my husband and I decided to move from being friends to dating/courting, we went into that season with the intention/purpose of deciding whether we would get married. Everything about our time together pointed to that. We even had a checklist of experiences we felt we needed to have as we walked that path. It gave clear purpose to what we were doing together  and where we were headed.

The focus of Dating like Airplanes is to show people how they can have a relationship that focuses on living the Golden Rule toward others, of living a lifestyle of giving and purity. In real terms, he suggests how to create an environment in your relationship that supports purity. He also explains how to celebrate your differences and take steps to become the person your future spouse will need. Sandwiched in between the chapters are vignettes from many others about their relationships, both what they did well and what they would avoid in the future.

This is a very approachable book. One that can serve as a big brother coming alongside with some helpful advice and perspective. You can read the first chapter here.

3 Steps to Sharing Your God-Sized Dream Story

I am a story girl. I love to learn about the ways God has moved in other people’s lives. That often comes through story. In fact, one of the classes I’m taking right now has reinforced just how much of a story girl I am. In this class we have a standard textbook, but we also had to read a novel. In operations management? Yep, that was my reaction. But the novel made the concepts from the textbook come to life.

That happens when we share our stories.

In our stories, the movement of God comes into colored relief. In chapter ten of You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream, Holley Gerth shares several stories from ordinary people about how their crazy, God-sized dreams have come to life. As she says, “there’s no way to do your God-sized dream perfectly, but there are a million ways to do it well.”

I need to hear that. Maybe you do, too. And maybe you feel intimidated about sharing your story. Maybe your dream doesn’t seem big enough. Real enough. Don’t accept that lie. Somebody needs to hear your story of your faith journey.

So how do you share it? Here are a few tips.

1) Stop and look back. You can’t share what you don’t remember. That takes intentionality on your part. A determination to look back and see how God has moved through you. To remember the times you’ve partnered with Him to see a dream — no matter the size — come to life.

2) Celebrate those steps and milestones. Cultivate a lifestyle that readily celebrates what God has done. Not out of pride, but out of a heart that acknowledges you can do nothing without His help and empowerment.

3) Look for God’s daily interactions in your life. Journal them. Pray that God would open your eyes to see the ways He’s moving. As we do that it becomes so much easier to share your story. Because you realize it isn’t really your story. Instead it’s a testimony of God’s goodness and activity in your life — and it’s all to bring glory to Him.

Are you at a place where you have to do it afraid? How can you start today?