The Place for Pause

I'm not sure about you but rest doesn't always come easily for me. As a goal oriented person, I'm typically working on the next project, next job, next assignment, and the list is never ending.  I'm writing and re-writing my ideas, to-do's and dreams, and I rarely rest. As a matter of fact, this Saturday was the first time that I can remember since February that I sat down and watched a movie on the television.  I know it seems a bit odd, but when I was determined to finish writing my novel, my tv watching/relaxing days went out the window.

I enjoyed the break this weekend.  I needed it.  Mentally I am drained, and emotionally I'm teetering on discouraged.  I have so many ideas and dreams, but no one idea/dream is actually moving the needle forward currently, and I'm feeling a bit down.  It's time to work out another 90 day goal, I need to write about my year long experience getting up before dawn, and I need to finish editing a novel so I can force someone to fall in love with it.  I mean, so I can pitch it with passion to an editor who will publish it.

But I am struggling.  Even trying to figure out what to blog about to encourage you my friends and readers was a challenge for me today.  So instead I just decided to be real and hopefully whatever difficulty you face today, the reality that we are all struggling to move forward maybe will be an encouragement.

My pause has become connected to one of the projects the Lord started with me this year.  My pause has ministered more to me than anything, and I just love that sometimes the Lord uses it to bless others.  In just a few days, it will be almost 6 months into this project.  I had no idea I could do this for this long, or that it would be a blessing to others.

So today I want to share a page again that maybe will bless you too - and maybe you'll find a place to pause and to reflect on God's goodness and provision for us.  These words encouraged me today and I hope they can encourage you also!

If you'd like to download this page and print it out to color - just click here.

Book Review & Giveaway!!

Oh! I am so excited to be doing a giveaway!  I received a book to read and review and post on my blog, and I never expected it to be such an encouragement to me! WOW!  So below you will see the review.  But keep reading! Because there you will see the giveaway info as well!  And a bonus!  Amy has a book club Breaking Up With Perfect that will start on August 1. Check out her website www.amycarroll.org to receive more info on the book club!  I've already signed up :)  You can also be added to the Facebook closed group page by clicking here Breaking Up with Perfect by Amy Carroll

I just finished reading this book, and I am sitting here wondering how Amy crawled inside my head and wrote a story about my life.  Coming to grips with my propensity to perfection has been such a lifelong journey, and it wasn’t until after I was married I realized how very deeply entrenched my perfectionistic tendencies were.  Amy describes the Good Girl list so perfectly and I instantly identified with this idea.  What I was surprised by though, was the way she included the Never Good Enough girls.  I had never thought about this group of women in this way.  My heart has always longed to encourage and many times, the women I find myself encouraging could fall onto that list.  I had never connected the perfection problem for them as well since it’s looks different then the Good Girl list.

Her insights on friendships and dealing with conflict are needful and while I had assumed I had made such progress personally, she highlighted some needs I still have to deal with.

The added benefit of going deeper is such a nice bonus.  While my initial reading has been fairly quick, I am looking forward to going back and going deeper and using my highlighter throughout many of her pages.  Friends - if your perfectionism is keeping you from living a joy filled life, you need to take a look and consider what she has to say.

She writes not as someone who has all the answers, but someone who has been in our shoes, and still fights the battle.  She's given it to God and she's learned from her past mistakes and shares with us what she learned.

So here's the deal - I have one free copy of Breaking Up with Perfect by Amy Carroll to give away to you my sweet readers and friends!

To be eligible for the giveaway I need you to do only 3 things:

#1 - like the Encouraging Women Today Facebook page here .  If you want to see what happens more regularly, you need to check the box under the like menu to see first, or to receive notifications, otherwise you might miss out on some good encouragement!

#2 - share either the link to this blog post, or the link to the Encouraging Women Today post on Twitter or Facebook or both

#3 - comment on the Facebook page that you have completed the steps. If you also want to comment here on the blog that's wonderful too.. :)  All the comments help!

The winner will be chosen randomly from the people who tell me that they followed the steps!  Winner will be selected on Friday!