Day 4: Going Away Giveaways

March 2008. I was nearing my one year anniversary of being in Atlanta. I had been praying for big faith for a few months and I was starting to feel a stirring in my heart. I didn't know what that stirring would lead to, only that my heart was stirring.

Around that time, someone made a book recommendation to me. That someone was my boss. A few months later when I gave my him my verbal resignation I mentioned that reading that book he had suggested had really helped things. He said, thanks for telling me...I won't be suggesting it to my team members anymore.

Truth be told, he didn't actually make a book recommendation to me. He recommended an author to me. He recommended Lysa TerKeurst. Lysa was--and is---married to Art. Art was---and is---a Chick-fil-A Operator in North Carolina. Art and my boss, Mark, had been friends for years and I had been blessed to work on a few projects with Art and had always been impressed with the way he ran his business. I decided his wife's books were probably worth looking into. I went home, did a little research on the computer and found out that this Lysa TerKeurst lady was so much more than a little author. She had written quite a few books, recorded daily inspirational radio messages, was a gifted speaker and was a blogger with quite a following. Add all of that to her job as President of Proverbs 31 Ministries---a ministry that she founded back in 1992. I knew I wanted to read her books. I looked through the list of book titles and one in particular caught my eye---What Happens When Women Say Yes To God. I couldn't get myself to the book store quick enough.

I started reading and commenting on her blog. She responded a few times and has even commented on my blog. Yes, I pretty much fell out of my chair the first time that happened. I also began reading the book. I highlighted. I underlined. I circled. I wrote. I laughed. I cried. I worked through the Bible studies at the end of each chapter. I'm not exaggerating when I say the book changed my life.

My love for the book only deepened a few months later when through her husbands prodding I got up the nerve to give her a call. Voicemail. I stumbled through a message. Less than an hour she called me back. I still remember that phone conversation with Lysa like it was yesterday. I remember practically flipping out when I heard her voice and almost fainting when she invited me to come and visit. TO COME AND VISIT. Well, being the southern lady that I am, I hated to turn her down. We set a date and a month later I got in my car and drove to North Carolina to spend a long weekend with Lysa, Art and her beautiful children--all 5 of them--in their HOME!

It was a weekend I will never forget. I got to meet some incredible Christian women who have taken all of the principles in What Happens When Women Say Yes To God to heart. I can't say enough wonderful things about Proverbs 31 Ministries, all of the wonderful ladies that work there---many of whom have great blogs as well, Lysa or her family. The way they encouraged me that weekend and have continued to encourage me as I've walked this faith journey has been a blessing.


Reading What Happens When Women Say Yes To God helped me to get all of thoughts that were stirring around in my heart and head and sort them out to see what Good was caling me to do. I'd love to give a copy to everybody!



Here's what you need to do to be eligible to win What Happens When Women Say Yes To God by Lysa TerKerust:

Leave me a comment telling me about a book that you have read that impacted your life. Children's literature, ficion, non-fiction, inspirational...there are no guidelines. If you comment anonymously, make sure you include your name and how I can contact you.

If you want to increase your chances, you can do either or both of the following.

• Become a follower of my blog and leave me another comment telling me that you became a follower. If you're already a follower, just leave me a comment telling me that you already are a follower.


• Tweet about this giveaway and leave the URL for the tweet in a different comment.

Get to commenting. The contest will end tomorrow, JULY 31, at NOON EST. The winner will be chosen using random.org's random number generator.


If you don't win, you can purchase it here.