I am in a Book!

(Piggie & Elephant obviously not my creation. But that awesome photoshopping is all mine.)

I feel like Elephant and Piggie! Why?!

I am in a book!

Like an actual book! I wrote a chapter in a book that will be sold in a real bookstore!

The book is the first (in)courage book to be released (there’s a few of ’em coming out this year!) and it’s all about connecting women to women, women to their communities and women to God. It’s called Craving Connection: 30 Challenges for Real Life Engagement. Sounds good, right?

Well. It is.

In fact, it’s better than I even thought it would be.

I have to be honest, women’s ministry isn’t exactly my thing. I mean, women who are moms who want to tell their kids about Jesus? Yeah. I get that. Women who are passionate about a Thing and want to Do Something for God? Yeah, I like that, too. But the pink boa women’s ministry teas have never been my thing. And it might just be that I’ve never been a part of a good one. Or maybe I’m the introvert that doesn’t really want to connect with women.

Regardless, this book surprised me. It opened up my heart and eyes.

I do not say that with hyperbole. As one of the contributing authors, I opted into do a big read-thru of the book with the other authors. We connected in a private Facebook group and answered the included devotional questions, responded to the book and generally cheered each other on. As we read and talked, it was amazing how the chapters, the stories and conversation kept turning around to the same themes. I mean, obviously, we all wrote about the same general ideas, but it was so cool to see the same sentiments shown over and over again.

There are also some fun challenges in the book–so we each chose 3 challenges to do. I picked the challenges without knowing which chapter they coincided with–and once I got the book decided to read those chapters first.

One of the chapters was from my friend Eryn. Whom I adore.

And Crystal. Also love.

Annnd Mary. My we-act-like-an-old-married-couple-when-we-are-together and can-complain-in-private-and-never-judge-each-other best online bud.

The other was from Kate Motaung (who I do not know at all!) and her chapter made me cry. I underlined half of it and her story has stuck with me. In fact, her chapter was very intertwined with the message of my chapter.

God does stuff like that.

God pours words and messages into hearts so other hearts can hear. He chose these handful of women to write their heartbeat words about connection, about craving connection with the people around them.

I believe the words in this book aren’t just mini blog posts collected to compile in a book and make some money. I think these words are whispers of God’s heart for you and your friends, you and your community, and for you and Him.

I’ll be sharing more about the book online as it releases (January 10th!) but want to share with you about one of the pre-order specials. If you order it by December 30th, you’ll get some extra goodies! After you buy the book, click over to the book’s website to get your gifts!