January Wrap-Up Post!

 It's time to wrap up the first month of twenty nineteen! Who is ready for this cold weather to be over with? *raises hand*

P.S. I hope this wrap-up post makes you smile! ;)

➳➳➳Late night movies so that we could stay awake until midnight to welcome the new year!➳Participating in another epic readathon (ok, technically it was last year...)!!!➳Writing book reviews➳Making soap➳Emailing➳Plotting books➳SLEDDING!!!➳Night Time Tubing➳Nature walks in the snow➳Horse farrier➳Moving horses in the barn... a lot, because of weather conditions➳Making goals➳Mapping out my writing goals➳Eating ice cream with brownies!➳More movies in the series➳Working out again➳Planning my giveaway(s) for February!➳Writing➳Participating in a book tour!➳Making snowmen➳Water coloring➳Bought a long anticipated book series!!!➳Wings of Glory by Sarah Sundin if anyone wanted to know...➳Watching movies and painting nails with a friend *winks if your are reading this*➳Making more soap (coffee and Matcha tea tree!)➳First time doing a Breakout room!➳We were so close to getting out!➳Hot tub➳Chocolate chip cookies➳Reading slump (before I got my new series!)➳Practicing for my drivers test➳Living➳Laughing➳Loving➳and Learning➳➳➳

➳At Pinterest's totally relatable quotes!➳ 

^^^ Makes perfect sense to me! 

^^^ I'm I the only one? Please, someone, be weird with me! *inserts crying/laughing emoji*

^^^ My room is in the basement, trust me, I have it down to a science! 

^^^ This is another one that makes me sound like a weirdo... :P

^^^ Yup, totally me!

^^^ I'm not a big cereal person, but when I do eat it, this is reality! 

^^^ ...Or drop your phone on your face, same thing.

^^^ And it doesn't help that it's a song! ;)

➳➳➳Hot Chocolate!!!➳My family➳The soft sound of snow falling in perfect silence➳My animals➳Memories to look back on➳Memories to look forward too➳Sparkling snowflakes➳My space heater➳Loving it when you are sitting down at the dinner table and instantly get a scene for a WIP that you have to write down before you forget #onlywriterswouldunderstand (also, can I use the "#" sign if I am not on instagram?? Because I just did and now I'm thinking that that is only for instagramers. *shrugs* idk how this stuff works!) ➳Anyway, last but not least: best friends, because having friends you trust is priceless y'all➳➳➳

➳➳➳That things take time➳That God is still in control, and always will be➳To be content➳That life is scary➳Fear cannot and will not control me➳To do unto others....➳That music moves us➳That falling off a sled can be painful on the ice!➳Never to give up➳➳➳

Overall, January was a great month! There was some really hard times, but also some really fun times. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me in February! 

➳January's Mini Photo Dump➳

^^^ Maple syrup, anyone? (ok, at this stage its more like maple water, but for all you "health nuts" out there you might be more interested in maple sap/water anyway! Maple water is so good for ya! And, it tastes pretty good too!) 

^^^ Took two days, but I love how it turned out! 

^^^ Need I have a caption for this one??? YUMMMMMM 

^^^ Soap!!! Scented Wild Rose! 

^^^ It's very aesthetic, but what is that?! A dandelion??

^^^ A crumpled piece of paper makes a very scary looking beast! Who knew! 

^^^ Snow!!! And look at the colors in the sky! 

^^^ This is a doctored picture of me holding up frozen ice from the horse water bucket! Cool, huh?

^^^ This is what happens when I am in a makeup store for a VERY long time! I draw on myself with eye liner!!! 

^^^ On a walk and had to snap this quick picture, isn't it pretty?

^^^ Aww!!! 

^^^ I love drawing in the snow! :)

^^^ Snowy horses! 

^^^ Um, if I had a bookstagram, this would be on it! I used my new scarf my mom crocheted me as the backdrop! <3

^^^ And I will leave you with this picture! Isn't Lilly a goofball!

Well, that's it for this wrap-up post! I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into my January! 

Also, note that this will be the last wrap-up post until after March due to some fun posts I have planned! *grins* 

John 1:12

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." 

Did you have a good January? What are some of your months highlights? What are you looking forward to in the next coming month? Who is so so excited about the giveaway's I'm hosting in February?? *raises hand for the second time in this post* Comment below! ;)

Live Without You // An Author Interview!

Hey everyone! Today I have a extra special post to share with you! *throws an abundance of confetti in your direction* It is my second time participating in a book tour and author interview!!! I was so privileged to be able to read this AMAZING contemporary novella and recommend it to anyone who wants to be reminded of God's amazing grace and astounding love! This book was beautifully written, and this new author has such great talent! I am looking forward to any other future books by Sarah Grace!

Now lets get started with this author interview!

~~~

1. Tell us a little about yourself and why you are passionate about writing, what made you decide to first start your self publishing journey?

I'm just a Jesus-loving, coffee-drinking, bookerly type of girl from the Midwest! I am a web and graphic designer, and in my spare time, I love to hang out with my fam, play music, paint, or eat animal crackers. (Don't judge me!) I have always been passionate about good literature, and have been a massive bookworm from the time I read my first chapter book at 6 years old. But I've always hated to write. Then out of the blue, that changed, and I found myself writing a novella. I actually never planned on publishing until I prayed about it and decided that was the next step God wanted me and my little story to take. :) 2. What makes this book special to you? And how does it feel to become a author? I am totally ecstatic for you! :)

What makes Live Without You special to me is that it's a part of me. Without even realizing it, I wrote so much of myself into the story. And God used this little novella to encourage me so much and speak to my heart, and I hope it does the same for others. And as for becoming an author . . . IT'S A TOTALLY TERRIFYING BUT INCREDIBLY AWESOME EXPERIENCE! :D It's a feeling like none other. :) 3. How long did it take you to write Live Without You from start to finish?

Start to finish writing, it was about 6-8 months. But to publishing-ready, it was about 13 months. 4. What characters, without giving spoilers, was your favorite to write and who did you related to the most?

Hmm . . . favorite to write was probably Tyler Collens. He's just such a fun character! And if you squished Piper and Ezra into one, you'd have a character that is pretty much exactly like me (not entirely, but close). In many ways, they are two different halves of me. 5. What is the best part about the writing/publishing process for you?

Getting feedback! I'm not going to lie - some of the advanced feedback I got had me in tears. It just blessed me so much to hear others were enjoying my work. Cover designing was also a very fun part of the process.

6. What is the hardest part about the writing/publishing process for you?

Hmm . . . probably the writing itself. It was the most fun, the most fulfilling, yet the hardest all at the same time. 7. What lesson would you like your readers to take away from reading Live Without You?

My greatest desire is that readers will come away with a greater knowledge of the wild love their heavenly Father has for them. Our Father's love is so deep and so vast, and largely untapped. For my readers to experience His love in new and greater ways would bless my heart like nothing else.

Thank you so much, Sarah Grace, for letting me be apart of your book tour! I LOVED reading your novella! I also enjoyed reading your answers to this interview! Best wishes on all of your writing ventures! <3

~~~

Click HERE to buy Live Without You on Amazon! Find Live Without You on Goodreads HERE!

Book Bio:

Piper Redding is a loner, but lonely. Everyone she loves has abandoned her and opening her heart to others is just asking for more pain. She can’t help but blame herself for her brother’s tragic death six years ago, and in her guilt, she shuts herself off from the world. No one could love her—not even the God who promised to be there for her but wasn’t.

For paramedic Ezra Bryant, failure is not an option. He’s had enough of it, and only by God’s grace is he able to put it behind him. But when a traumatic event brings Piper’s greatest fear and Ezra’s failures to light, can they use that event to allow God to mend their broken pieces? Can love triumph over fear, and grace over guilt?

~~~

^^^ So deep... <3

^^^ So heartfelt. *hands out tissues*

^^^ this was one of my favorite scenes! *smiles*

^^^ Tyler is awesome! :P

~~~

Author Bio:

Sarah Grace Grzy is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called 'Life,' she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a wood stove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other.

A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. Sarah Grace is a freelance web and graphic designer, and when not working, spending time with her ever-growing family, or reading, she can be found painting, playing the piano, or fangirling with her sisters and friends. She inhabits the State of Great Lakes, and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else—unless it meant she could have a baby penguin, in which case, she’d gladly move to the South Pole.

~~~

Connect with Sarah Grace on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and sign up for her newsletter HERE!

Not to mention she is also hosting a EPIC giveaway for the release of Live Without You!!! There will be three prizes (love that mug)!!! Enter HERE!

Also, click HERE to go to the main book tour's launching pad!

Romans 7:8
"But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Have you read Live Without You? Do you like reading Christian contemporary fiction? Are you super excited for the launch of this new novella?! Let me know in the comments below!

Does My Problem Qualify for Peace that Surpasses?

Today's post goes hand-in-hand with last weeks poem, therefore I am making it into a two part series! I will post both last week and this weeks posts in my "Blog Series" page! 

Also, notice the lovely new arrows and sign off graphics that I will be adding to each post to make things more aesthetic! *winks* 

~~~

Does my problem qualify for peace that surpasses all understanding? 

I found myself asking this question when I was going through a rough time in my life. I felt like I was at the end of my rope, but when I saw those around me going through so much more than my “petty problems” I questioned whether or not I qualified for peace. I am so blessed. Can my small (compared to others) problem qualify for God to give me peace? Is His peace needed elsewhere to help someone who has a more worthy problem? If you have ever had these thoughts, let me tell you this:

There is no qualification process when it comes to God’s peace. 

God’s peace is given to comfort and calm His children, no matter how big or small their situation. 

All kinds of problems weigh us down and eventually we become so tired and so worked up that we don’t even know if “peace that surpasses all understanding” is even out there. We worry, we hyperventilate, we cry, we feel hopeless. These problems that we face can be set off by the tiniest of things but go way deeper. Things that are unsettled from months or even years past can resurface themselves with a vengeance no worldly peace can quench. 

Peace from the world is temporary, it lasts for a moment until we can cover up our true feelings, pushing them down, and locking them away. That is, only for them to come back up again in the future. 

Peace from God is felt deep down, a peace that starts from the inside first. It’s that still small voice when the world around you is in chaos. It’s that presence you feel when you are calm and still, despite the circumstances. God’s peace is felt the strongest in the times when all you want to do is sink down on the kitchen floor and bawl your eyes out. The moment that seems hopeless is the moment when God works in our weakness and shows us Hope. 

Some might feel a peace settle over them in a Divine Presence. I have read about how people will be in a stressful situation and then they will pray. Immediately they will feel a peace that surpasses all understanding. Umm, am I the only one who has not experienced this? I’m not saying this cannot happen, but I do believe that peace comes to different people in different ways. 

Peace doesn’t always come in a form of perfect calmness and control. It doesn’t always instantly settle over us. Peace can be known in the craziness. 

Finding peace is when your exhausted, when your at your lowest of lows, you’ve hit rock bottom, and yet you know…And because you Know, you take a step of faith, and ask God to give you peace.

 Peace is knowing that God is in control even when your not. It’s knowing that He is with you and that you are not alone. It’s knowing that He has a plan for you. It’s knowing that He is all-powerful and faithful. It’s knowing that He is the ultimate giver of the peace you so desperately need. It’s knowing and believing in His peace.

I challenge all of us to start searching for God's peace in our lives. Because, there is no qualification process when it comes to God's peace!

Have you ever felt like true peace from God is hard to feel? Have you ever doubted that peace that surpasses all understanding even exists? How can we find this peace in our stressful situations and painful problems? 
Also, stay tuned for next week, because I have a fun bookish related post!!

Lets talk in the comments below! 

And Know

And Know 

Written by Brooklyne 

Be still 

And know

That I am God

Have faith

And know

That I am faithful

Find Joy

And know

That I am merciful 

Praise Me

And know 

That I am exalted

Seek Me

And know

That I will be found

Honor Me

And know

That I will guide you

In the plans I have for you

Believe in Me

And know

That you are saved

Trust in Me 

And know

That you are Mine

Hope in Me

And know 

That you are safe

In my arms 

Lean on Me 

And know 

That I am your Rock

Cast your burdens on Me

And know 

That I am strong

In your weakness 

Be still

And know

That I am God! 

Sometimes we have to take a step back from our situations and Know. We have to Know that we are in capable hands, because God cares for His children.
We have to Know that He is stronger even when we are weak and frail.
We choose to Know because where is the hope in doubting?

Have you ever felt like it is super hard to be still and Know? 
How are ways that we can stop doubting and start Knowing? 
Comment below! 

TWENTY NINETEEN!

Today, I'm posting two letters. Sometimes I'm weird and I write letters to things that aren't people. It wouldn't feel right without doing something for the New Year, so I thought writing these letters would be a way to end last year and begin this year! I have also linked to some of my blog posts throughout 2018 that I want to keep alive. Also, at the end of this post, I am giving you some really important insider information about what's happening on Showers of Blessings in the new year! 

(So, if you are new to Showers of Blessings or even if you are not a new follower, feel free to check out the older blog posts linked below in context to what I'm saying in the letters. Also for new followers, one of my nicknames is "Ben" so just letting you know so you don't get confused...)

~~~

Dear twenty eighteen, 

For a year that has gone by so fast, you have sure put a lot of changes in my path. Overall, you were a good year, you definitely had your ups and downs. This year was filled with many blessings, but also so many challenges. But through those rough patches, I am a better person for it, because I grew closer and closer to my Savior.               

This last year, one of the things that I am so thankful for is to have been given the opportunity to start a blog and join this amazing blogging community (aka the blogosphere), where there is just as many deep and heartfelt posts out there as there are fangirl confetti. I have "met" so many girls that share the same interests as I do and it is so awesome to see how God works through Showers of Blessings! I can't wait to see where He takes this blog in the new year. 

There were so many adventures I went on in 2018! I tried many new things and went on quite a few vacations. I went zip lining, parasailing, mud runs, and triathlons for the very first time in my life. I stepped out of my comfort zone and did things like shadowing future job options and taking my written driving test to get my temporary drivers license.

In this last year, I have also realized my dream for writing a book and becoming self-published! 

In 2018, I turned 18, which is a milestone! 

This past year, I have and still am learning about trusting God in the unknown, even when I don't know Why certain things happen. I am so grateful to have been given another year. 

Twenty eighteen, I will look back on you with fondness, because even through the tough times, I would like to think of those times as refining me. I don't mean to sound melancholy, but goodbye 2018. May I always remember the memories I made in this year! 

Love, 

Ben 

~~~

Dear twenty nineteen, 

I have to admit, saying twenty nineteen does not have near as good a ring to it as it was saying twenty eighteen. You know, new year, I'm not scared of you like I probably should be.   Your just another 12 months, 52.143 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, and 525,600 minutes. No, I didn't do all that math by myself! Ok, so you might be just a little bit intimidating, but... moving on! 

Twenty nineteen, you will no doubt have your many ups and downs, your joys and trials, but it is my hope that I will turn to God in those bad times as well as the good times. 

In this next year, I want to accomplish my goals, but also rely on His plan for this year. I want to be able to step out of my comfort zone more and be bold for God. I want to cultivate my writing and if it is in His will, I might just become a author and not just a writer. I want to love those around me and cherish the time I have with those who are with me through thick and thin. I want to be still and know that He is God. I want to watch Him paint my Brokenness into Masterpieces. I want to find my Special Mission.

I wish to Stay Awestruck of of my Creator and live more fully because of Him. I wish to be a witness through the words I write and also to the people I meet. I wish to strengthen my trust, knowing that I have a Trust Rope to hang on too when I'm falling. I wish to be more knowledgeable of the Bible. I wish to find True Joy and not just search for temporary happiness. I wish to be a better sister, daughter, and friend.

So many adventures await in the year of 2019, and it is my hope that I will be ready for all that this coming year brings.

In 2019, I will learn a abundance of new things, and in this next chapter, I will grow. I will grow stronger and closer to Jesus. Because He will never fail me. His love for me never fails. So, hello 2019, may I live this year with memories and not just dreams! 

Love,

Ben

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without boarders,

 let me walk upon the waters 

wherever You would call me. 

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my Faith will be made stronger 

in the presence of my Savior"

Happy New Year y'all! This time of year is not just for looking back on the last 12 months of our lives, but also looking forward to what the next chapter has in store of us! That is why I wrote these two letters and I thought I would share them with you. Maybe they can encourage you, because if you are anything like me, change can be hard. So, I am praying for you in this new year, may we all stand strong in Christ! 

I encourage you to write a letter to 2018 and 2019. You don't need to share it with anyone, you could hide it under your bed if you want! But it's good to acknowledge the good times and the difficult times over the year. 

I see a lot of girls around the blogosphere that are picking words for their years. I thought this was a really good idea and started thinking about my word all the way back in the early weeks of December. And I have to admit, it was so hard picking one word, there are so many words that I could pick! Words such as courage, joyful, simple, trusting, faithful, bold. All of these are so good, but the word I chose wasn't of that list. 

I chose a humbling word Unfinished. 

God is refining and molding me. I am not done yet. Although my Creator is perfect, I am still a work-in-progress. He is writing my story and He knows the paths I will take. I want to rely on His plans. I don't know exactly why I picked this word, or why it stood out to me. To me it's like describing a semicolon. "There is more to be said" it's unfinished. There is so much ahead of me, so many things to be discovered and opportunities to take, I have barely scratched the surface! :)

~~~

New year blog changes: 

Don't worry, nothing big at all, because I am rather happy with my blog design! I'm not sure when I will get these changes up, but I would like too soon! I want to tell you all some of my ideas and give you a heads up as to whats going on. 

-I am going to put some quotes on my sidebar.

-Reorganize my Pages and add Pages.

-Maybe tweak the header.

-Figure out how to do a picture and About Me intro on the sidebar.

-Change my sign-off signature. 

-Maybe post a (life or writing or bookish or tag) post once a month on a day other than Wednesday?

Tell me your thoughts on these ideas! I want to hear what Showers of Blessings' readers like about my blog and how to make it more user friendly and better displayed. 

Posts to look forward too: 

January will be the usual posting schedule of posting every Wednesday trading off between a devotional and poem. The last Wednesday of January will have a wrap up post as usual.

For each Wednesday in the month of February, I am celebrating my one year blogging anniversary! That means that I will be doing some really fun posts and hosting a GIVEAWAY!!! Yes, your read that right! I am already starting to put the giveaway prize together and let me just say, I wish I could win it! (Ya, that sounded really bad, I know!) 

March will be another fun month because I have asked each of my immediate family members to take over my blog for every Wednesday and post whatever they would like too! They could talk about some of there interests, life on Winds of Faith, photo dumps, recipes, devotionals, interviews, whatever they would like to share! It's going to be a blast! 

***Because those two months are already planned, I am going to NOT be doing monthly wrap-up posts for February and March. I know you all really like reading my wrap-ups, so I am by no means stopping them, but I do not want to take away from the other things I have planned (plus I need that extra Wednesday!) Wrap-up posts will continue on after March.***

So tell me what you think of my ideas! 

Have you ever written your year a letter? What did you do to celebrate the New Year? Is there anything fun that you are looking forward to in 2019? Were you able to look over the older posts linked throughout the letters? What is your word for twenty nineteen? Do you have any changes you would like to see around Showers of Blessings? Comment below! :)

P.S. This is my 50th post!!!