A winner, a scholarship chance and a new book!

So sorry I didn't post on Sunday like I said I would, but time is just getting away from me.
I loved both comments about favorite bible verses, thank you Amy and Monica!!  I have chosen Amy to win the NLT Life Application Study Bible.  Congratulations!!  Amy, you were one of the first people I ever knew outside of my family.  We were best friends growing up and then went our separate ways.  Re-connecting with you through Facebook has been a real blessing to me.  I hope you enjoy your new bible!!  Please send me your mailing address through a private message on facebook or to beckster1024@hotmail.com.

I read an exciting post yesterday on Lysa Terkeurst's blog.  Have any of you heard of the She Speaks Conference?  It's an annual conference put on in beautiful Concord, North Carolina by Proverbs 31 Ministries.  I only recently learned about this conference, but from everything I read it sounds wonderful!  There are three different tracks for the conference:  a speaker's track, a writer's track and a women's ministry track.  I have been struggling with my call recently.  I have felt a "tug" to do something more, but have no idea what.  The She Speaks Conference looks like the perfect place to explore our "tugs".  Lysa Terkeurst is giving away a scholarship to this conference!  You can read all about it here.  Check it out and maybe I'll see you there someday! :)

Guess what I received in the mail today?  You're right, a new book to review!!  I just received "Lazarus Awakening" by Joanna Weaver to review for Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House.  It's my first book from Random House and I'm very excited.  My book group friends and I are reading Joanna Weaver's first book, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World".  I've really enjoyed the study and can't wait to dive into "Lazarus"!  Anyone interested in doing an online book study on "Lazarus Awakening"?  It includes a 10-week bible study.  I'd love to read it with you!  Leave a comment here if you would like to participate.

Happy Tuesday everyone!!!  Have a blessed week!

~Becky

Reviews, a Giveaway, and taking a dive!

So I know it's been a few weeks since I posted and I have a bunch of reviews and "life" to post so tonight I thought I'd "dive" in.

First, a giveaway!!!!  Tyndale House Publishers has given me a certificate for a FREE Life Application Study Bible, NLT.  This is my first giveaway on my blog and I am so excited.  I know a lot of bloggers leave the giveaway until the end of their posts, but I'm just too excited to keep it to myself any longer. :)  Leave a comment on this post and tell me what your favorite bible verse or story is.  I'll pick a random comment Sunday night, March 6th, and you will win a new study bible in time for Lent.  Isn't that exciting??

And now for my "dive".  There are so many life stories to tell about the last 3 weeks, but the "Wow God" moment that stands out the most to me happened on my way work yesterday morning.  To give you a little back story, my boss at work gave his two weeks notice and last Friday was his last day.  He is greatly missed and more than a few people tried to talk him into staying.  It was a very hard choice for him, but he needed to be closer to his family and we all understand. On Friday it became apparant to me that I would be responsible for a lot of his duties in the interim period.  Now I should tell you that my boss was the CFO and the company had $250+ million in revenue last year and I found out I would be monitoring the cash accounts among other things starting Monday.  Needless to say I had some butterflies driving to work yesterday morning!  It wasn't that I doubted my abilities, but I was nervous with everything seemingly piled on me at the last minute and I didn't want to make a mistake.   So there I was driving along listening to LIFE 101.9 when this song by Steven Curtis Chapman came on.  I LOVE the song and immediately started singing along and then I realized what I was singing.  Here are the lyrics:

Dive by Steven Curtis Chapman

The long awaited rains

Have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground

And carved their way to where

The wild and rushing river can be found

And like the rains

I have been carried here to where the river flows, yeah

My heart is racing and my knees are weak

As I walk to the edge

I know there is no turning back

Once my feet have left the ledge

And in the rush I hear a voice

That’s telling me it’s time

to take the leap of faith

So here I go

I’m diving in, I’m going deep

in over my head, I want to be

Caught in the rush, lost in the flow,

in over my head, I want to go

The river’s deep, the river’s wide,

the river’s water is alive

So sink or swim, I’m diving in

There is a supernatural power

In this mighty river’s flow

It can bring the dead to life

And it can fill an empty soul

And give a heart the only thing

Worth living and worth dying for, yeah

But we will never know the awesome power

Of the grace of God

Until we let ourselves get swept away

Into this holy flood

So if you’ll take my hand

We’ll close our eyes and count to three

And take the leap of faith

Come on let’s go

I really felt like I was in over my head at work, but after I heard this song I knew everything was going to be ok.  God was watching out for me and I knew that even if I made a mistake at work I'm still a child of God and Jesus loves me no matter what!  You know what?  I made it through the first two days just fine even with more surprises. :-) 

I wish you "Wow God" moments in your week, too!

Don't forget to leave a comment here for your chance to win a new bible!