The Winner of 'Fruit of My Spirit' Is......

I'm happy to announce that the Random Number Generator has chosen a winner of Deanna Nowadnick's 'Fruit of My Spirit: Reframing Life in God's Grace.' That blessed person is....


Darby!


Congrats, Darby; I just sent you an email.


Special thanks to Deanna, who provided two copies of the book - one for review and one for giveaway.


This is an amazing book, and Deanna has an amazing story! I invite you to order your copy here; you will be glad you did! You will want to read it, and purchase multiple copies for family and friends! 


Thanks to everyone who entered, and please come back soon, as there are always giveaways coming your way!

‘Fruit of My Spirit: Reframing Life in God’s Grace’ by Deanna Nowadnick – Book Review and Giveaway

I enjoy the opportunity to learn about a person by reading his or her autobiography. That is the case with my latest ‘read,’ ‘Fruit of My Spirit: Reframing Life in God’s Grace’ by Deanna Nowadnick.

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Is there really a place in God’s heart for a defiant child? In His divine plans for a self-centered teenager? In His family for an adult who gets tired and impatient?

In a memoir of missteps and misdeeds, Deanna Nowadnick writes of the hugeness of God’s love and faithfulness. Reframing life in God’s grace, she discovers an indescribable, indefinable, inexplicable love that has encircled her without fail through joyous, sad, cringe-worthy, heartwarming, forgettable, memorable moments in life.

Fruit of My Spirit is for anyone who’s ever questioned God’s ability to love and forgive, who’s ever wondered about their place in God’s family or God’s place in theirs. Nowadnick offers hope for those who dare to question, who secretly wonder, and who fear to ask. Through stories of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, you will experience the enormity of God, too.

Here is the author’s biography:

This is Deanna Nowadnick’s first book. What started as short story for her sons quickly became a larger story. When not writing, she serves as the Client Service Coordinator for a financial advisor. She’s active in her church, playing the violin and editing the monthly newsletter. She loves to knit, adores chocolate, and most important, enjoys a blessed marriage to Kurt. Deanna and Kurt have two sons, Kevin and Kyle, and live in Monroe, WA.

Deanna is a terrifically gifted writer. Here is an example from her Preface:

….I know the important stuff’s on the inside, but honestly, I’m not so sure that the inside stuff’s any prettier. Perhaps I’ve been expecting God to act as my own fairy godmother, ready to pop into the scene any moment now with a twinkle in His eye and a wand in His hand. I’ve been waiting to be tapped ever so gently on the forehead and magically transformed into a loving, joyous, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, self-controlled delight in His life, adorned in a nice white ensemble, cute shoes, and fresh nail polish. In thinking that, I’ve not only trivialized God’s love and forgiveness, but I’ve missed the magnitude of His mercy that’s been shared with me over and over again. I’ve overlooked the fruit of His Holy Spirit that’s already a part of my own spirit in all that I do and all that I am. (p. xiii)

I loved reading about Deanna’s wonderful marriage to her husband of 37 years, Kurt. Here she is sharing about what a wonderful man God blessed her with:

Despite the perceived failings of our premarital instruction, Kurt and I left with simple, yet profound advice: “Try every day to do something unexpected, something special, something unspoken, and unselfish for the other person.” Thanks to the pastor, not a day goes by that I haven’t been the benefactor of an act of kindness, as I enjoy life with a man who continues to shower me with his grace. Some days it’s a kind word; other days it’s a clean car with a full tank of gas. Some days it’s the patience to listen as I rant about the insignificant; other days, it’s a calm, sincere reassurance of my skills and abilities. Every day it’s something – just for me. (p. 41)

How sweet!

She shares the one constant through the trials of life:

Through it all, God has been the only constant. As life changed, as people came and went, as a small community quietly closed its doors, God’s love and grace were unwavering, caring for all humankind while never losing sight of a young woman and her family. In a world of disposables, in a time when something’s obsolete, if not new and improved, God remained faithful. To a girl who questioned and strayed and struggled and failed, God remained faithful. (p. 81)   

WOW – this book really spoke to me! Deanna has gone through some of the same things I did as a younger person, including obstinacy against a parent (my mother, in my case), plus an eating disorder. Also like Deanna, I have learned of the love and grace of God toward me! And God has blessed me with a wonderful husband (Fred), also. For those things, I am thankful for both of us!

You can order this book here.

You can download a sample from the book here.

This book was published by Rhododendron Books and generously provided by the author for review and giveaway purposes.

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Deanna has graciously offered a copy of ‘Fruit of My Spirit’ to one blessed reader of my blog; thanks, Deanna! There are several ways to enter:

1) ‘Like’ Deanna’s book page on Facebook.  Please leave a comment to that effect, and make sure you leave your email address in this format – name at domain dot com.

2) Follow my blog as either a Google Follower or a NetWorkedBlogs Follower. If you already ‘follow,’ that counts, too! Please leave a comment to that effect with your email address in this format – name at domain dot com.

3) Follow Deanna on Twitter.  Please leave a comment to that effect with your email address in this format – name at domain dot com.

4) Follow me on Twitter. Please leave a comment to that effect with your email address in this format – name at domain dot com.


5) Tweet this tweet:

Enter to win 'Fruit of My Spirit' by @DeannaNowadnick from @andrealschultz. http://bit.ly/FOMSGiveaway Please RT. Thx!

You can tweet once per day. Please leave a comment to that effect with your email address in the above referenced format - name at domain dot com.

The deadline to enter is Friday, April 6, 2012 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be chosen on Saturday, April 7, 2012 by the Random Number Generator. The next to all of you!

AND THIS IS WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE: We need to tell our stories! by Deanna Nowadnick - Guest Blog Post

Periodically, I like to share a guest blog post here; today is one of those days! Please welcome Deanna Nowadnick, author of 'Fruit of My Spirit: Reframing Life in God's Grace.'

AND THIS IS WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE: We need to tell our stories!

Deanna Nowadnick, Author

Fruit of My Spirit:Reframing Life in God’s Grace

Holding my first book Fruitof My Spirit, I love that I got to tell my story. The experience reaffirmed for me the importance of telling our stories. As Oprah used to say, “Here’s what I know for sure…” I know that telling our stories is important for each one of us, for our friends and family, and even for our entire community.

·       Do it for yourself.

I have to admit that divine gratitude gave way to sheer joy and excitement when I held the first copy of Fruit of My Spirit. I carried the book with me from room to room. I thumbed the pages. As I held the book, I was reminded that there is nothing as cathartic as sharing our experiences in writing. Words, sentences, paragraphs give order and meaning to so many things thrown into our mental box of memories. Writing gives us the opportunity to share joy and heartache, success and challenges in our own words, in our own style, from our own special vantage point.  

·       Do it for your friends and family.

Shared experiences and the retelling of our shared experiences give life depth and meaning. Reminding my sons of their grandfather’s love of all things Chrysler put his gift of their first cars in context. We don’t want to bore those listening. We don’t want to monopolize dinner conversations. We just want to find opportunities—make opportunities—to share life’s experiences. And then we want to be ready to listen when they’re shared with us.

·       

    Do it for your community.

Sounds a little grandiose, doesn’t it? I don’t care how you vote. I don’t care whether you belong in a red state or a blue state. I don’t care whether you’re part of the 99% or the 1%. I don’t care about the size of your 401(k). I don’t care about those last 10 pounds.

We’re not just huddled masses. We are individual creations. We are wonderfully unique in our likes and dislikes. We are delightfully passionate about the widest variety of things in this life. And unless we share that uniqueness with each other, others will define us, definitions that ultimately divide us.  

Because life is not about whether you live in a red or blue state. It’s about living a colorful life.

Because life is not about being part of the 1% or the 99%. It’s about being part of something meaningful.

Because life is not about sound bites. It’s about each one of us, our life and our own experiences, those unique to us and those we’ve had the joy and honor of sharing with others.

Fruit of My Spirit is a memoir of short stories. More important, it’s a book about God’s love and faithfulness. And this is what I know for sure: your story is no different.

You don’t have to write a book. Just resolve to share your own story when and where you can. It might be as simple as thanking someone for a gift: “You know--my grandmother loved petunias, too.”  If you’re not a writer, take pictures. Post them to Facebook and tag each and every face. For Christmas, my aunt sent me a wonderful cookbook of favorite family recipes. I don’t cook. I’ll probably never use a single recipe, but upon opening the package, I sat down and read the book cover-to-cover. You see each page had a paragraph or two about Lorraine, most of the stories unbeknownst to me. Did you write a Christmas letter? Did you save the Christmas letter? Consider compiling them in a book for your children and grandchildren. What a delightful gift for that day when they long to know more.

It’s what I know for sure. Share your story.

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Thanks so much, Deanna, for sharing your story and your insights with us today! I will be posting a review of 'Fruit of My Spirit' here on my blog later this week; Deanna has also graciously provided a giveaway copy. So come back soon to enter to win!