Ten Core Values for the Christian life (8)

Are you enjoying this series? I sincerely hope these blog posts will give you new insights and revelation about the depth and riches of God's Word.

Let's continue with the eighth commandment: You shall not steal (Exodus 20:15).

Surely, you are not a thief 😀

But let's take this up a notch. Are you generous? Do you rather give than take? It is a sobering fact maybe, but we spend most of our lives accumulating possessions, whether they are the house, the car, the boat, the job, the money, or the mate we desire.

We think more stuff will make us happier and give us a more fulfilled life, although Jesus had quite a stern warning against storing up treasures on earth. How can we shift our all-too-human attitude of gathering into an attitude of giving? Is it truly possible to become cheerful givers? I believe we can!

🔑The key to a fulfilled life is not gathering but giving. And this is not just about material possessions, there is a deep spiritual truth hidden within the eighth commandment. We are not just called to give our hearts to Jesus, we must give it all (wallets included)! Our spirits need to be born again, our souls need to be saved, and our bodies need to be a living sacrifice. Our lives are a generous offering to God.

👉The core value I have attached to the eighth commandment is GENEROSITY.

We live a life of generosity which is the key to a blessed life.

🕂🕂🕂🕂🕂

For more on this topic, read my award-winning book 'GRACE OF GIVING' (Turning the key to enter and experience fullness of life). This book is available on Amazon in your country.

The thief and the Giver

When my brothers and I were little children, my parents purchased a record-player. Well, not exactly like the one in this picture, but it was in the early sixties. On our knees before the speaker, we listened to the same Bible stories over and over.

👉There was always someone in trouble, there was always an enemy, and there was always a way out!

I still love the Bible stories. And in a way, I have kept the childlike faith... With God all things are possible! Over the past several weeks I have been doing a lot of thinking, meditating on the Word, and asking God about the current happenings in our world.

He reminded me of the words of Jesus as recorded in John 10:10. The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.

I love that verse! It clearly speaks about the trouble, the enemy we have. The Bible calls him a thief, the devil, or satan. But it also clearly speaks about the way out, Jesus Himself. I know there are plenty of theories, ideas, and explanations about what is happening in the world right now. Some are downright nonsense, some are quite interesting. From a biblical point of view, however, I truly believe things are quite simple.

The thief is at work. He steals people's joy and peace, he kills people, and he destroys our societies and economies. We see it happen all around us. No point in blaming God, the Chinese, or the president of your country. The thief is at work on a global scale. Let it be no surprise, Jesus announced it. But Jesus did not stop His speech there, for He is also at work!

We just celebrated Easter. He came to give us life. Not just an ordinary life, but a life in all its fullness. That life is available for anyone who believes in Him and that life does not change because of what the enemy is doing.

I can only speak for myself of course; but I have decided that 2020 will not be the year to be remembered as the year of corona, the year of cancelations, loss, lack, fear, worry, doubt, or whatever. NO! It will be the most creative and productive year I have had so far. I refuse to be a victim of the thief's schemes. I am victorious in Christ. With God's help, I can scale a wall!

Spanish version of Grace of Giving

Writers and their books... a never ending story :) We write, we struggle, we sweat, we cry.... and start all over again. If it wasn't for the highlights in between, we would have gone fishing a long time ago.

I am delighted to share such a highlight with you all. The Spanish edition of my award winning book Grace of Giving is now available through Amazon, Bookdepository (free worldwide delivery!) and other internet book sellers. How cool is that?

Sometimes readers ask me where I get the translators for my books. Well, in this case I met Martha Steinebach at a weekend conference where my husband and I were speaking, in Lubeck, Germany (not the place where you'd expect to find a Spanish translator). Martha picked up the German version (which is yet another story) of Grace of Giving and came back the next day, all exited!

'I would love to translate this into Spanish', she announced. It turned out she is a native of Colombia, now living in Germany with her husband. So, that's how we met.

As soon as she started with the translation, I began my search for a Spanish publisher. After several months and many emails I came across Libreria Evangelica Logos in Alicante, Spain. They were interested in the manuscript... and well, the rest is history.

La Gracia de Dar is available in paperback, an e-book version will soon be available as well. If you, dear readers, have Spanish speaking friends, neighbors or co-workers who would love to read this book, please consider ordering a copy. Your kindness would be a huge help to get the ball rolling in the USA.

Am I asking you to buy a book and GIVE it to a Spanish speaking friend? Yes, I am... After all, that's really the theme of the book :) Let's call it a new kind of Give-Away.

Author to author

Translating author Lynn Austin

Last Thursday night I had the honor and privilege to meet with author Lynn Austin. She came to The Netherlands to promote her first non-fiction title Pilgrimage.

In the weeks prior to her visit I slowly read her latest release and was pleasantly surprised. The book is filled with nuggets of wisdom and truth! Lynn writes with raw honesty about the desert period she went through in her own life. Pilgrimage is a very inspirational book. I can absolutely recommend it. Give it as an encouragement to a friend or family member who is going through a hard time!

It was such a fun evening. Lynn showed photo's from her trip to Israel and shared the spiritual lessons the journey through that dry land taught her. I was asked to translate her message; how cool is that?! Many people came to the event and enjoyed Lynn's message and book signing.

Our very own Dutch singer/songwriter Christian Verwoerd (click on his name to see a video clip from Israel) was present as well, and performed several songs. His music turned out to be just right for this evening.

PS: I just received word this week from two of my foreign translators. The German translation of Breath of Life and the Spanish translation of Grace of Giving are finished and ready to be edited!

I sincerely hope your week had some writing highlights as well!

Inexpensive yet valuable Christmas presents

Yeah, I have decided to do it this December month. I have been asking myself whether 'doing it' would be considered spamming... but I have to come to the conclusion that promoting my own books falls in the following category recommendations and tips :)

And why not? The books have been and still are a blessing to readers worldwide. The award winning book Grace of Giving has been translated in German and Italian and is currently being translated in the Spanish and Macedonian language. I am thrilled to see this book going all over Europe, changing lives of believers, especially during this time of economic uncertainty. I am thrilled that pastors, leaders, missionaries and churches all over Europe are embracing the principles in the book. But, I wrote it first of all for the American public...

So, if you are looking for an inexpensive, yet valuable Christmas present for your loved ones... Please consider ordering one of my books. They're easy to read, but loaded with nuggets of truth and wisdom. They can be ordered from most internet book sellers for less than 10 bucks. I am looking forward to hear which one you all liked most!

Order now in time for Christmas!

GIVE yourselves to God (3)

"I surrender all..."Yes, we do sing that from time to time. Surrendering all, giving it all to Him. What does that really mean?

The scripture I am using as a basis for this series can be found in Romans 6:12-14, Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Offering ourselves, giving ourselves to God, means surrendering our whole being to Him. According to the Bible that is spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Sadly enough there are many Christians who struggle desperately with spiritual, emotional and physical problems (and sometimes all three). A struggle that takes up most of our time and attention, so we never get to the point where we can offer ourselves to be used as instruments in His service. But this does not have to be so, it can change! Take courage, keep reading. 

In part 2 of this series we discovered that the most important moment in a person's life is when we surrender our spirit to God (when we believe in Jesus Christ). God's Spirit comes to live in us and revives our spirit, we become a new creation. In this post we will take a closer look at our soul. How do we give our soul to God? 

According to the Bible our spirit can be renewed (born again), but our soul gets saved. We call that salvation. In Peter 1:8-9 it says that the salvation of our souls is the end result of our faith, Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Our soul does not perish, on the contrary: it gets saved. This means that, despite the fact that we become a new creation through rebirth, we keep our same old soul. The soul with all it's pains and hurts, disappointments and struggles. I do not have enough space on this blog to write extensively about the human soul (see chapter 8 of my book Grace of Giving), but for one thing the human soul consists of our emotions.

We do not receive a new and clean soul... Sometimes people say: repent and turn your life to Jesus, all your worries will be gone. This is a little bit too simple. YES! In Him it is possible to be free from all our burdens (sin, shame, guilt, sickness, pain and worries), but that does not happen automatically. It is very important that we also accept Jesus Christ as the one who has access to our soul, so He can work on it. He wants to be the shepherd and overseer according to 1 Peter 2:25, For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

GIVE your soul to Him so He can do the necessary work. He will guide and direct, heal an deliver, feed and protect your soul. Expose your secrets and tell Him: Lord, this is my inner struggle, I need your help. Please be the shepherd of my soul. The healing and cleansing of our soul is a life long process (because we keep experiencing stuff) and not always easy. But it will surely set us free!

PS: if this series helps you, forward it to a friend!

Blogging buzz...

After a series like Law & grace, an uneven match? it is always kind of difficult to pick up the pace of blogging again. Besides that, it's summer time and many readers are enjoying some well deserved time away from the computer. However... especially for those who are still keeping an eye on the comings and goings in blogging land, I have selected some great news items. Here they come:

• I am thrilled to announce that my book Grace of Giving will now be published in Italian (only a few months after the German version came out!). La Grazia Del Donare will be out September 1st and we are planning to make a trip to Italy to present it to several of our contacts. The paperback version will be out in Europe only. A Kindle edition will be available on Amazon soon, so if you happen to have Italian speaking family or friends.... surprise and bless them with this award winning book.
• Fellow blogger Karen Lange's upcoming e-book Homeschool Co-ops 101 (published by Helping Hands Press) is scheduled for release on August 15. A blog tour is scheduled to run from August 15-30 coordinated by blogger Diane Estrella, so you can contact her if you want to participate, and help Karen getting the word out about her e-book.
• Several writer conferences are being organized throughout the US. On the East coast the Spirit of Naples (SON), is hosting a conference for Christian writers, screenwriters and filmmakers who want to break into the mainstream media. It will take place October 3-7, 2013 in Naples, FL. On the West coast the Oregon Christian Writers Summer Coaching Conference will be held August 12–15, 2013, at Portland’s Jantzen Beach Red Lion Hotel. Known as one of the country’s best Christian writers’ conferences, it features top editors, agents and authors teaching 12 intensive morning coaching classes and 30 afternoon workshops, plus manuscript reviews, mentoring and one-on-one appointments with editors and agents.
• In order to sharpen and improve my writing skills I enter writing contests from time to time. Often I'll give poetry a try... simply because that is not where my main talent is, but I like to stretch my writing muscles a bit :) Writers Digest has an excellent list of contests and competitions, check it out and do not hesitate to try something new. You might surprise yourself!

Give-away at Diane Estrella's blog

This week Diane Estrella is giving away a copy of my latest book Grace of Giving on her blog. Personally, I love give-aways and I have won some great reads in the past, it really adds to the blogging experience. And let's face it, a book with such a title needs to be given away :)

If you would like to enter the give-away, which is up and running until January 16th, 2012, you can click HERE. It's free and it's fun.

Blogging buzz....

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! My weekend had a great start on Saturday morning...

• The Ventura County Star published an article on December 24th, 2012, about my book Grace of Giving and the award it won. It also talked about my travels, the non-profit organisation Traveling Light we started in Holland earlier this year and much more. You can read the article on-line by following this link. If the article inspired you in your writing journey, please be so kind as to click the share or recommend button at the end. Thanks!
• In 2012 I discovered a few new gems in the Christian blogging world. I really would like to highlight Blessings in His Grip, "a site designed to offer resources and helpful hints for bringing God's Word into every day prayers". Tricia and Joan post a scripture and a short prayer a few times a week. The posts are short but very powerful and practical, a great way to start the day. Please, be so kind as to check this wonderful blog idea.
• Many of you may know the blog The Christian Writers' Marketplace, written by Sally Stuart, but just in case... her blog has lots of information on writing, contests, conferences, resources etc. A must have on your blog roll if you are a writer!

Readers Favorite Award 2011

Just received news that they did not receive enough RSVP's for the Readers Favorite awards banquet in Las Vegas, which was scheduled for November 5th, 2011. So, they moved it to Miami for next year, where they'll combine it with the 2012 event during the International Book Fair. Well, I got my certificate and we've decided to fly out west anyway and enjoy Southern California while it will be winter here in Holland.

Make sure you pick up a copy of Grace of Giving if you haven't done so already! You will never look at GIVING the same way again, I promise :)

Growing in grace (4)

Let's continue with chapter 6 of Grace of Giving.

We can be strong in that grace which is ours in our union with Jesus! First of all, we have to be very serious in our relationship with Jesus. Just having Him as one of our acquaintances, along with many others, is not the unity that the Bible speaks about. Unity involves a bond that cannot be broken, not even for a little while, for whatever excuse we have. Second of all, we have to exercise our walk in grace. Second Peter 3:18   says, Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We must continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of him, just like Jesus and the early disciples did. It is not enough to accept God’s gift of grace, say thank you, and store it with the rest of all our stuff. That would be the way of the thief! The Bible calls for a new lifestyle. We must turn away from our sinful lives and grow in grace! We have to grow in the grace by using it, giving it out, and, in doing so, multiplying it. Paul emphasized this in 2 Corinthians 6:1, As God’s fellow workers, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain!

We can tap into God’s grace if we are sincere about becoming givers, the way Jesus had in mind when he spoke to the rich young guy. The man did not have the strength to do it; but then, he denied the invitation to become a disciple of Jesus. He was not in unity with him; he wasn’t willing to give it all. Is our attitude towards Jesus right? Is our commitment to live according to his teaching sincere? Jesus said in John 14:23, Whoever loves me will obey my teaching. We can become cheerful givers if we stop trying with our own strength. We have the example of Jesus, the help of the Holy Spirit, and the grace of God.

We can start off with self-disclosure. Check your attitude: see in what areas you are holding on to things. Evaluate your relationship with God. Is it a vibrant friendship, or are you bored with him? Is honesty a basis in your relationship with him? Reread the Scriptures that talk about giving and grace. Feed your spirit with Jesus’s teaching by meditating on his words, by reading it aloud, and by talking things over with him. Last but not least, check your giving. Pray over your money, bless it, and give to God what belongs to him. For starters, bring ten percent of your paycheck to the church that feeds you, your storehouse. Do so before you spend it on anything else, and watch God at work.


Be joyful in your giving, and you will notice you have entered that experience called grace.

Growing in grace (3)

In the previous post I wrote about God's grace not being a one-time moment of truth, but an ongoing experience in our lives. We need to continually live and grow in grace, the apostle Paul understood that and wrote about it extensively. So, let's go back to Chapter 6 of Grace of Giving:

Paul is gentle in his attitude towards the Corinthians; maybe he knew giving was a delicate subject. In 2 Corinthians 8:8 (NIV) he says, I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. Paul speaks the language of the Spirit, especially concerning God’s law. He no longer barks God’s commandments at his listeners: do this, don’t do that, and shut up. No, he explains the new way of obeying God to them. It is no longer about obeying a set of rules; it is all about fulfilling them in a manner of love! Romans 7:6 sums up Paul’s new way of looking at things, No longer do we serve in the old way of a written law, but in the new way of the Spirit. 

No longer is he trying to tell people what to do (remember that once he was a zealous Jew, a Pharisee, committed to the law), no longer is he driven by the outward signs of religion. Instead of stuffing the Ten Commandments down people’s throats, he urges people to change their minds, to obey God from the inside out, and to be sincere in their love for God and others. He measures the level of their giving with the sincerity of their love. 

Paul experienced God’s grace firsthand; he writes about it all the time. He saw God’s grace in many aspects of life, not just in giving. Grace, God’s free and unmerited favor, can be found throughout the history of mankind. The Bible talks about the spirit of grace, the message of grace, the grace of God, the throne of grace, and so on. 

You may wonder how to actually live in that grace and how to benefit from it. How do you know if you have received God’s grace? Listen, It is by God’s grace that you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:5)  God poured out his grace on mankind—on you and me. If it weren’t for his grace, we wouldn’t be here! God has showed us favor, even in times when we rebelled against him when we were still sinners. God poured out his grace on mankind when he gave up his Son as a sacrifice for our wrongdoing. Grace is invisible, yet it is evident in everything God has done for us! Second Timothy 2:1 tells us that grace is ours. As for you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus. 

We can be strong in that grace which is ours in our union with Jesus! 

Readers Favorite Award 2011

Yes! Praise the Lord, I am so happy. I am honored to announce that my latest release Grace of Giving has received GOLD! Today the winners were announced on the Readers Favorite website. If you decide to visit this website, you'll notice how many books have been entered in 70+ different categories. They have already entered information about the 2012 contest, so if you're an author make sure to check that as well.

Grace of Giving has been voted best Christian Non Fiction in their Readers Favorite 2011 Awards Contest. Needless to say that I am thrilled and thankful for such recognition. If you have not yet purchased a copy of this book, this might the be the moment to win you over :) For less than 10 bucks you'll have a treasure in your hands! It's a great book for self study or group discussion. It is available at most internet book sellers, like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders etc.

Growing in grace (2)

In the previous post I wrote about God's grace not being a one-time moment of truth, but an ongoing experience in our lives. We need to continually live and grow in grace, the apostle Paul understood that and wrote about it extensively. So, let's go back to Chapter 6 of Grace of Giving:

We need to learn to be aware of his grace in our life, which will save us a lot of trouble because it is not a one-time moment of truth, it is an ongoing experience in our lives! The Apostle Paul knew that as no other. He opens the fifth chapter of the Book of Romans with the following words: Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has brought us by faith into this experience of God’s grace, in which we now live. 

Paul simply states that by faith we can live in God’s grace; he calls it an experience. Living in God’s grace is something that will manifest itself in our lives for others to see. God’s grace is a power that will back up the work we do, it will keep us from failing. Grace does not mean that we can rest on our lazy behinds and let God do all the work. Praying, “God, make me a giver,” without taking any action is not going to change anything. God’s grace will help us to become givers when we start working on it. The Apostle Paul must have experienced this quite clearly in his own life, because he describes the process in a few sentences in 1 Corinthians 15:10: But by God’s grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God’s grace working with me. 

God’s grace is working with him! That is the key to success. If we stop fighting our battles and struggling all alone, and we accept God’s grace then it will work with us! We need to team up. Success is guaranteed! From a human point of view, it is almost impossible to become a true giver in God’s kingdom; we have to let go of so many sacred cows. With the help of God’s grace, however, we are able to do this.

It truly helps to no longer look at God’s commandments as outward rules but rather as inward change. With the help of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to change our perspective and attitude from “thou shall not steal,” to “I want to give.” John 1:17 makes it clear: God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Trying to work this out without accepting the grace that Jesus freely offers us is futile. It just won’t work. With God’s grace, however, we can expect miracles, and we will recognize his mighty hand in every situation like the Apostle Paul did when he started off with telling the people in Corinth about the grace that God had given to the Macedonian churches (2 Corinthians 8).

It turned out they gave large gifts, much more than Paul expected, although they were poor. Paul recognizes the grace of God in this; the people could never have done that of their own accord. In verse 7 he encourages the folks in Corinth to start living in that grace too. But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. Wow, they must have been a super church; somewhat like many churches in America, excelling in faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness, and love. Yet, they had been missing an important point: the grace of giving. He urges them to use this gift from God. If we are serious in leaving the way of the thief behind and becoming true givers we will need to use it too.

Growing in grace (1)

During his devotional time my husband received some words of instruction for the season we are living in. One of the things was: study and live grace. The Bible is full of scriptures on grace, so that will keep us busy for a while :) We also ordered some books about grace (Philip Yancey, Joseph Prince etc.) which we will read and discuss together. We furthermore decided to read and re-read the chapter I wrote about grace in my newest release Grace of Giving. I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to share parts of that grace chapter on this blog. Although I wrote it specifically on the subject of giving, it contains many nuggets applicable to our life in general. I can only hope it will be an encouragement to you. So here we go:

Chapter 6

The grace of giving

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor.

2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV)

It is one thing to leave the way of the thief behind and another thing to become a true giver; to follow in Jesus’s footsteps and give it all you’ve got. It is one thing to say, “I do not steal,” but another thing to say, “I am a giver.” How can giving become a desire of our hearts?  How can giving become part of our new nature?

Let me ask you the following question: how can a sinner become righteous in God’s eyes? How can we, as human beings, share in God’s glory? One simple answer: grace. It is God’s grace that makes many things possible for mankind. Grace is a word that we don’t hear much outside the church, yet it is so powerful! Favor, mercy, or goodwill are more commonly used. The Penguin English Dictionary  describes grace as follows: supernatural power given by God to the soul to enable it to attain virtue and salvation. Grace is another one of God’s gifts to us! Grace is God’s free favor on our lives; we did not do anything to deserve it. When we receive that gift, we can start using it to overcome difficult situations. The dictionary says it is a supernatural power. The Bible explains more extensively what grace is and what it can do in our lives.

Jesus, for example, had God’s grace on his life. Luke 2:40 (NIV) talks about Jesus’s childhood: And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. Grace was upon him, that tells me grace is something extra, almost like a gift from God. God’s grace was upon Jesus when he was a child. While growing older, the grace of God was no longer just upon him, but it filled him! That tells me Jesus grew in grace; he became full of it! The opening chapter of John’s gospel contains the following statement in verse 14, The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us.

Now, God did not just reserve his grace for Jesus; he gave it also in abundance to the believers, starting off with the first disciples. Acts 4:33 (NIV) tells us that “much grace was upon them all” in the same way as it was in the beginning upon Jesus. However, the disciples grew in grace too. A couple of chapters later (Acts 6:8 NIV) the martyr Stephen for example is introduced as follows, Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Grace was not just upon him, but it filled him!

Grace is so much more than a simple gift or a blessing; it is a power. God’s grace does not stop at our salvation; we can continue to live in it and grow in it. Once we become conscious of his grace, his undeserved favor in our lives, we will find out that it will help us conquer and control many difficult situations. As human beings, we have a tendency to depend on our own strength, to fight our battles all alone. We don’t have to do that because God’s grace is there to sustain us. We need to learn to be aware of his grace in our life, which will save us a lot of trouble because it is not a one-time moment of truth, it is an ongoing experience in our lives! 

Readers Favorite Contest 2011

I've been in and out of the house a lot lately, not much time for a good post (on the power of God, as promised).  So allow me to quickly share some great and exciting news.

Grace of Giving is one of the finalists in the Readers Favorite 2011 Awards Contest. This year there are more than 50 categories and they received more entries than ever. Grace of Giving is one of the five nominees in the category Christian Non Fiction.

You can see the 2011 Contest Finalists list here. 

Blogging buzz....

Thanking, thinking, pondering

It's Wednesday, my day to work at home. The sun didn't come out, so slept in (a little), which basically means I lay there thinking and pondering... My most brilliant ideas don't come early in the morning :), but today however I decided to post another blogging buzz. There simply is too much fun stuff going around that needs to be shared. here we go:

• First of all, a big thank you to all who took the time to read the interview with Susan Reinhardt. We are thankful for all your sweet comments!
• I know some of you bloggers are active on Goodreads as well. As of last year I am the moderator of the Christian Non-Fiction Books Group on Goodreads. It's growing and we have some very interesting topics in our active discussions. "Amidst the romance, thrillers, Sci-fi and YA this group offers room for discussion on faith & spiritual growth topics. After all, life is more than entertainment..." There is room for recommendations, we are looking for good devotionals and small group study books and as of yesterday you can add your blog! You don't need to be a member to see the topics, but you will have to open a Goodreads account if you want to join the group; which is really not a bad idea if you are an avid reader and/or writer.
• I love international blogging contacts. This week I stumbled upon an excellent blog, all the way in South Africa. Feel free to check out Tracy's blog, My daily walk in His Grace.
• If you are on Twitter and enjoy inspirational quotes from a Christian perspective, try CSLewisDaily for some healthy writing.
• Saturday July 23rd I'll be picking a winner in the book give-away at Toni Nelson's blog Press On. She asked me 5 thought provoking questions :) and posted the interview on her blog. If you would like to win a free copy of Grace of Giving, hop over and leave a comment!

Happy blogging!

Blogging buzz..

News items and miscellaneous thoughts

Well, it was one of those weeks again... I have a vague feeling that I misplaced a few sticky notes, forgot some appointments and missed several blog updates. As I am trying to bring order on my desk (and in my 'recent downloads' folder) I like to wrap this week up with a few news items and miscellaneous thoughts:

• During this month of July, I am the featured author at fellow blogger Toni Nelson's blog Press On. She asked me for an interview and mailed me five (five only) questions. Well, she has a way of cutting right to the bone, because it took me forever to answer those questions. Feel free to visit her blog and see for yourself. She's hosting a book give-away too, all you have to do is leave a comment on her blog.
• Nothing makes a writer happier than positive reviews, right?! My latest release Grace of Giving received another wonderful review, this time on Christian-Book-Review. They're hosting a give-away as well. Check it out if you like reading reviews.
• For all you blogger fanatics, you don't want to miss Daily Blog Tips, even you pay them a visit once a week, you'll learn something new. Well, I do...
• Fellow blogger Diane Estrella is forever hosting give-aways as well as book reviews, thoughts, photo's and lots more. Fun stuff!
• I recently discovered Listopia (vote for your favorites) on Goodreads and placed Grace of Giving on some lists in order to be able to participate. If you're on Goodreads and you enjoyed reading Grace of Giving, please be so kind as to cast your vote HERE. Yes, I am asking for a favor :) but it's a holiday weekend and the 4th of July is our wedding anniversary...
• The blogging news of this week was that Karen Lange and Susan Reinhardt are working together on a novel. I think that is a quite the adventure and who knows they will inspire others to start a similar adventure. I'll be hosting an interview with Susan this month. Make sure you don't miss it!

Have a great weekend everyone, happy blogging!

Friday Round-up

Cover of my first Dutch book

Writing is a multi-faceted business

Today I am following the example of blogging friend Susan Reinhardt who has just posted her 161st Friday Round-up on her blog Christian Writer/Reading Connection. I love Fridays with Susan, she always has the coolest links to other blogs and websites.

My Friday round-up is more of an update on works in progress. The last few weeks have been really busy here in our small house in Holland. Many projects are pending, and I am learning that the life of a writer is not just reclining at a desk and thinking up new stuff to share with the readers. As a matter of fact, I am learning that writing is a multi faceted business. Just to mention a few of the projects I am working on:

• Next week my first Dutch book will be released in Holland. It is the translation of my book Breath of Life and is called Levensadem. My Dutch publisher gave it a new cover, which I think is absolutely awesome! We have scheduled a book presentation on July 4th 2011, also our wedding anniversary!
• I am ready to review and edit my fifth book in the USA and I am planning to send it to Tate Publishing within the next few weeks. The work title is My Neighbor's House and it deals with the 10th commandment.
• Because sales are going well, I have scheduled another book give-away on Goodreads, I am giving away three copies of Grace of Giving and one copy of Breath of Life. Feel free to check it out if you are on Goodreads. Just for fun I like to give away a free copy of my book Respectfully Yours on this weblog, why not! All you have to do is leave a comment and your email address and share this post on any other social media. I'll ask my husband to pick a winner next week!
• Last week a new web community has been introduced here in Holland, called Jarsons. I am co-owner of this internet business and wrote most of the web content. Although the website is currently only available in the Dutch language, feel free to take a look. Talent development is our main goal.
• I am also writing the web content for our new non profit Traveling Light. The blog is still under construction, but definitely worth visiting. The first project that we want to sponsor is the purchase of a rehabilitation center for men in Ukraine, the Onyfrievka project!
• I just received an e-mail from Readers Favorite informing me that my book Grace of Giving is one of the contestants in the Readers Favorite 2011 Award Contest. By August 1st 2011 I will receive a list with the finalists. So, please pray with me for favor :)

As I a juggle to find balance between my part time job and this writing business I am happy to say that I love all this action! I am expecting big things and have decided long ago that I am willing to pay the price. Have you?

E-book Grace of Giving

Within minutes on your e-reader!

Nowadays a book is more than well... just a book! The reader must make his or her choice between paper backs, hard backs, audio books and e-books! Personally I prefer a paper back, I love to write my notes in a book, underline sentences and highlight the parts I want to remember! My books are also available as audio books, because for many people is is simply easier to listen than to read. Up to now I have not mentioned the e-book on my weblog. Where have I been?

Of course Grace of Giving is available as e-book! Within minutes and for a few bucks you can have it on your e-reader, Nook or Kindle (and many other devices). Is that awesome or what? Order here!

PS: We'll be traveling for a few days because we're speaking at a Kingdom Conference in Germany. So let me wish you all a happy weekend!