tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88479456578119370562024-02-18T20:01:17.597-07:00Teen Script: Writing Your LifeTricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-38664926907410975732009-01-25T08:53:00.002-07:002009-01-25T08:56:45.910-07:00What I've learned! Join Me.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqmStSPKqk3LOdZNSD1PW5xl-LT6j_l85azyKJXKRLZWgqRgmIXdKQn5AXBq4h9ppcrSIrg0L3auuubv_WgowKfavf8g7FZ5MmL7DhaoeC5pSveJhYQcCueOEyzHT5DvtcdDPXxZx/s1600-h/inspire+me+today.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293817342542434834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 152px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 99px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqmStSPKqk3LOdZNSD1PW5xl-LT6j_l85azyKJXKRLZWgqRgmIXdKQn5AXBq4h9ppcrSIrg0L3auuubv_WgowKfavf8g7FZ5MmL7DhaoeC5pSveJhYQcCueOEyzHT5DvtcdDPXxZx/s200/inspire+me+today.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p></p><p>Please <a href="http://www.inspiremetoday.com/index.php?affil=B5PLPUSAOV">join me</a> TODAY (January 25th, 2009) as I am the featured Inspirational Luminary on <a href="http://www.inspiremetoday.com/index.php">InspireMeToday.com.</a> </p><p>InspireMeToday.com is a website that provides the best inspiration daily, each day from a different Luminary from the fields of empowerment, health, business, family, loving relationships and more. You'll enjoy reading my 'Today's Brilliance', my personal 500-word text of the best things I've learned in life. The 30 minute interview with me and Gail Lynne Goodwin is amazing! </p><p>As my gift to you, just use the affliate code provided on this invitation to access the free inspiration! <a href="http://www.inspiremetoday.com/index.php?affil=B5PLPUSAOV">Please stop by</a>, check out the site and help us inspire the world, starting with you! Thank you for your support. We greatly appreciate you!<br /><br /><strong>When you register, please remember to use my referral code:<br /><br />B5PLPUSAOV<br /></p></strong>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-87674452937076387622008-10-10T11:19:00.000-06:002008-10-10T11:20:20.863-06:00Making wise decisions that impact the future.<a href="http://www.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2004/236/1360_109333107408.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.findagrave.com/photos250/photos/2004/236/1360_109333107408.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the eighteen hundreds two families from New York State and their descendents were studied by a researcher named Dugdale. What he found further illustrates the truth of Psalm 112:1-2.<br /><br /><em>1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.</em><br /><br />Max Jukes and his brother married sisters. They did not believe in Christian training. They had 1,026 descendants. Three hundred of them died very young. Many others had poor health. At least 140 of them served time in the penitentiary for an average of 13 years each; 190 were public prostitutes; and there were 100 drunkards in the group.<br /><br />Over a hundred-year period the Juke’s descendents cost the state $1,200,000. With inflation and more liberal welfare programs today, these two brothers and their families could easily cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.<br /><br />Contrast the misery experiences and caused by the Jukes family with another record:<br /><br />Jonathan Edwards became a Christian and married a girl of like belief. After graduating from Yale in 1720, he became a preacher. From their union, he and his wife had 729 descendants. Among them were 300 preachers, 65 college professors, 13 university presidents, 60 authors, 3 congressmen, and a vice president of the United States. Except for Aaron Burr, a grandson of Edwards who married a girl of questionable character, the family did not cost the state a single dollar.<br /><br />The mark difference between the two families was the basic training of the children which include both philosophy and practice.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-16692731623189730942008-09-19T10:16:00.001-06:002008-09-19T10:16:30.236-06:00Being Available to God part 1Being Available to God<br /><br />Thirty-six years ago there was a single, young woman about to give birth. She was young and didn’t know how she could afford a child without her parent’s help. She hadn’t talked to her former boyfriend in months. She had no idea how to reach him. How to tell him she was having his child.<br /><br />This young woman attended church some, yet her dialogue with God was stilted. How could God let this happen to her? What would her life be like now?<br /><br />A baby girl was born, and upon holding her child this young lady knew things would be okay. Perhaps this baby was a gift, not a burden as she supposed.<br /><br />This woman raised her daughter the best she could, and while she wanted to give her child more than she had . . . history has a way of repeating itself. When the daughter became a young woman she found herself in the same situation—living at home, pregnant, scared.<br /><br />The daughter knew she could raise this child. After all, her mom had done it. But what would her life be like? How could God let this happen to her?<br /><br />If you haven’t guessed already. I was the daughter. Born to a single mom, and as a teenager becoming a single mom myself. At age seventeen God gave me a son. My boyfriend was out of the picture, and I faced raising a child alone with little education, no money, and maybe according to the world, little hope for my future.<br /><br />Now if you take this story at face value, I am nothing more than a statistic. According to government research, most daughters of young mothers go on to be teen mothers themselves. They face lives of hardship, living on welfare for the most part—becoming a burden rather than an asset to society.<br /><br />Yet, I am not a statistic. And you know why I’m not a statistic? Because God doesn’t do them.<br /><br />Did you hear that?<br /><br />God doesn’t do statistics. In fact, He likes to blow them out of the water.<br /><br />You see, God has a history of seeing something that no one else does. Like seeing a king in a shepherd boy named David, seeing an apostle in a young zealot named Paul, and seeing a mighty warrior in a frightened no-body named Gideon.<br /><br />God has X-ray eyes that see right through any outward characteristics or any national statistics. His X-ray eyes scan down to the heart.<br /><br />And what did God see? He must have seen something worthwhile. Because . . .<br /><br />At age 37, I’m a multi-published author of magazine articles, Bible study notes, curriculum, and fifteen books. My book for teenage mothers was nominated for a prestigious award. I’m a national speaker, traveling to share God’s good news.<br /><br />While in my twenties I helped to launch a Crisis Pregnancy Center, helped start numerous abstinence programs, and launched support groups for Teen Moms.<br /><br />Now, if I were not a believer, all these would be things I could really tout. But honestly, I can say that it doesn’t have to do with me at all.<br /><br />It’s about:<br />A BIG God with BIG dreams.<br />A God who has made an agreement with me that is eternal, final, and sealed.<br />A God who is constantly look after my safety and success.<br />A God who is be strong in my weakness.<br />A God who sees the future, sees the past and has a perfect plan for me.<br /><br />Well, I guess the whole truth is that I do have something to do with it. It’s only a little something, but I guess it makes a pretty big difference. See God can be all those things in my life, only if I let Him.<br /><br />There is one thing I must do . . . and that is Be Available.<br /><br />Of course, I didn’t just wake up one day and say, “Here I am. God use me.” I didn’t just clear my schedule and wait for God to show up.<br /><br />Rather, the steps towards my availability were a work-in-progress. They started on the day I was six months pregnancy and accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I like to look at that as Day One.<br /><br />In those nineteen years from then to now, I’ve learned a lot.<br /><br />#1 The first thing I learned about being available to God is sometimes being available means stepping away from status quo. For me that meant moving 1,000 miles away. Seriously, 1,000 miles.<br /><br />You see, after I gave my heart to the Lord, I birthed a beautiful son. Not too long later, God gave me an amazing, Christian husband and two more children. Then He asked us to move . . . (in a round about way.)<br /><br />First, God put us into a community of like-minded people. Our friends longed for a simple life away from the hurry and worry in California.<br /><br />Next, He placed a desire in our hearts to raise our children in a better place. A place called Montana. We’d talk about it with our friends, we’d dreamt about it, and hoped that many someday it would come true.<br /><br />Then, we decided to pray. My husband and I got on our knees and prayed that IF it was God’s desire He would make it clear. John was just graduated from college, and I was raising three small children under the age of 5.<br /><br />We knew we’d be leaving our families, leaving our friends, leaving everything we knew. We had no job in Montana, no money to move, in fact we’d never even been there before! Still, we had a desire. One we couldn’t shake.<br /><br />At the time, my husband sold computers on commission in a small store. He’d usually sell 1-2 a week. He went to work the next day after our joint-prayer, and sold 11 computers! Enough to pay off our current bills, enough to move and live on. It was the confirmation we’d been looking for.<br /><br />So we did it. We packed up our three kids and moved. Our families thought we were crazy. They were sure we were joining some commune or something. We saw Kalispell for the first time as we drove in will our stuff. Within one week we were renting a house. Within three weeks, my husband had a far better job than he had in California. Within six months we’d purchased our first house. Within one year we were plugged into an amazing church and ministering to children in ways we’d always dreamed of.<br /><br />That was lesson #1. We serve a BIG God with BIG dreams.<br /><br />You have to believe this. If you don’t believe in a BIG God with BIG dreams there’s no use being available. But when you trust that fact. Trust God completely. Trust His dreams, THEN you can also trust Him to lead you to the right path.<br /><br />Seeing God-at-work. Seeing what He did with our lives when we were available made me hungry for more. I wanted to experience God at work like that again.<br /><br />Henry and Mel Blackaby says, “Watching the activity of God from a distance can never compare with the thrill of being full involved in the Spirit’s active work.”<br /><br />You have to want God. Not want to work for Him. Or learn about Him. But want Him. You have to want to experience Him at work in your lives. You have to be hungry for what only He can give—a hope and a future.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-48708067869456171942008-09-15T20:06:00.000-06:002008-09-15T20:07:12.557-06:00Sweet September blog tour...and CONTEST!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BeYSVMaUE7tXGNxCvfFUbkeKFazNpgEssMLKUX1zD1JS-DQ6McWdJ-UeLu5AgzuPzeD9oe0c3VJbNa0-ULj-67tdOcZ1Ynz0AZbj1lhUR6P20WUC3d2QRkDuBK_NifmkRAoBwIEF/s1600-h/sweet_sept_book+small.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245207714872385378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BeYSVMaUE7tXGNxCvfFUbkeKFazNpgEssMLKUX1zD1JS-DQ6McWdJ-UeLu5AgzuPzeD9oe0c3VJbNa0-ULj-67tdOcZ1Ynz0AZbj1lhUR6P20WUC3d2QRkDuBK_NifmkRAoBwIEF/s320/sweet_sept_book+small.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Catch the buzz at <a href="http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2008/09/sweet-september-blog-tour.html">these awesome blogs</a>! <span style="color:#ff0000;">Many of the bloggers have copies of <em>Sweet September</em> to give-away! (hint, hint!) </span></strong><br /><br /><strong>Make sure to check out the fun contest below!</strong><br /><br />Harvest time at Heather Creek Farm is an exciting time, but the kids don't seem to be getting into the spirit. One day while he's wandering through the fields, Christopher stumbles across an old piece of metal buried in the ground. He doesn't know what it is, but he hides it in the shed.<br /><br />That night, the garden by the house is uprooted. Who could have done such a thing? Charlotte is determined to find out, but is distracted when she gets news that Sam is failing school. The sullen teen is indifferent and won't study. He starts spending a lot of time with Pete. Though she loves her son dearly, Pete never finished high school, and Charlotte is afraid he'll encourage Sam to do the same. How can she help him get back on track?<br /><br />A gripping story that examines the Stevenson family's history as well as its shaky future, Sweet September will bring you deeper into the loving community of Bedford and the deep ties of love that bind this broken family together. As they forge new connections, you'll be entertained, inspired, and reminded that God's grace can make all things new.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#660000;">Contest!!!!!</span></strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixegXQYeOvX3740Ednzu7xIRl1r8Fxa8FKZY-OFzj4vUXhBsJvc0ODpHQU7wMe91j8mpDIGelknI9kvzndfIXPhj9trMgKLTfsV0JxiYP_lCUZb5uDEdMHDBJknCaQS9l_mm1QHVT1/s1600-h/Sweet+September+gift.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245214352610925458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixegXQYeOvX3740Ednzu7xIRl1r8Fxa8FKZY-OFzj4vUXhBsJvc0ODpHQU7wMe91j8mpDIGelknI9kvzndfIXPhj9trMgKLTfsV0JxiYP_lCUZb5uDEdMHDBJknCaQS9l_mm1QHVT1/s200/Sweet+September+gift.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;">Since <em>Sweet September</em> is all about family, Tricia wants to meet yours.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;">Leave a comment on this post sharing <em>who</em> your favorite family member is (think beyond hubby and kids) and <em>why</em>. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;">You'll be entered into a drawing to win <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/b307/index.cfm?cm_src=hphero">William-Sonoma’s Pumpkin Harvest Loaf Pan & Quick Bread Set</a>.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">YUM!</span></strong><strong><span style="color:#990000;"><br /></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"><a href="http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2008/09/sweet-september-blog-tour.html">Go here to enter and CATCH THE BUZZ!</a><br /></span></strong><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span></strong>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-29637405069198950572008-09-11T10:56:00.001-06:002008-09-11T10:56:58.183-06:00I was so ashamed.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4mYOWKUKEfUIMkSZMRjr1xb980wRuSsC76XRYIjt4yyJ9Ndxych3zVX6chPoNGlRKjGLF6nZ60aQwllFCBMpJzTKXtrFRTCSKzx9UmvrYMTr_z3bAdx-GxmLZIrwun_oNDCz-9tXr2HD/s1600-h/pregnantteen.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244808575262512338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4mYOWKUKEfUIMkSZMRjr1xb980wRuSsC76XRYIjt4yyJ9Ndxych3zVX6chPoNGlRKjGLF6nZ60aQwllFCBMpJzTKXtrFRTCSKzx9UmvrYMTr_z3bAdx-GxmLZIrwun_oNDCz-9tXr2HD/s200/pregnantteen.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I had my son Cory when I was 17-years-old. One day I was an honor roll student and cheerleader. The next day I found out I was going to be a teen mom.<br /><br />I was so ashamed. Everyone knew and teen pregnancy isn't something you can hide. Yet finding out I was pregnant also made me grow up. It made me think about life and what I was going to do with my future.<br /><br />Before I found out I was pregnant I had no plan. I dated different guys and I drank on weekends with my friends. After I knew I was going to be a mom I knew I had a child to care for.<br /><br />I broke up with my boyfriend. He decided he didn't want to be a dad. My parents helped me as much as they could. I lived at home and I took classes from a "community school" to get my high school diploma.<br /><br />I graduated with my class, and I registered for college. It was also during this time I met someone new.<br /><br />John Goyer was the son of a pastor. He was kind and caring. He loved me and my son. We started dating when Cory was two weeks old and we were married when Cory was 9-months old. We are still married today, and we have two more children. In fact, I had three children by the time I was 22-years-old.<br /><br />Marriage is not easy for anyone, but John and I made a commitment for life. We've struggled at times (like when an old boyfriend emailed me and messed with my emotions!), but overcoming our struggles have brought us closer. I'm 37-years-old and I've been married 18 years! A success if I say so myself.<br /><br />More than that, John believed in my dreams. I wanted to be a writer, and he encouraged me. I attended writer's conferences and I wrote while my kids napped. We were dirt poor, but John made my dreams a priority.<br />I still don't have a college education, but I trained myself to be a writer at home. I read books on writing and sent out queries and proposals. I received many rejections at first, but I didn't give up.<br /><br />In 1997 a literary agent noticed my talent. I was still unpublished, but Janet Grant took interest in me. Today I'm the author of 300 articles for national publication. I'm also the author of 15 books for publishers like Random House, Harper Collins, and Focus on the Family.<br /><br />We should do all we can to prevent teen pregnancy ... BUT we should also offer hope to teen moms. Teen pregnancy is not the end. In fact, it could be a key moment when a young woman makes positive decisions to live a better life for herself and her baby.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-38557711415576363242008-09-09T10:45:00.003-06:002008-09-09T10:52:50.657-06:00Working to eliminate teen pregnancy!What's the buzz echoing over the airwaves? The media attention over the fact that Bristol Palin, daughter of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin is pregnant at 17-years-old.<br /><br />With the buzz, two questions are on our minds. If a teen finds herself pregnant are the parents to blame? Or should we point our fingers at the teen’s own bad choices?<br /><br />We ask because the issue hits home. If someone like, Governor Sarah Palin, who has her act together well enough to be on the Republican ticket is facing her daughter’s teen pregnancy, what hope is there for the rest of us?<br /><br />If you don’t want your daughter to be one of the one million teen girls who find themselves pregnant every year, consider this:<br /><br />1. Be a Role Model. Our kids often follow where we lead. Consider your life. Are you living with integrity? Are you only having sex within the bounds of marriage? The saying, “Do what I say not what I do” never works.<br /><br />2. Talk about what love is. Love is not sex. Going “all the way” with someone doesn’t prove your love. (No matter what they show on television.) True love is shown through life-long commitment and by valuing the other person. Remind teens that they are the one responsible for setting sexual limits on a relationship. Remind young women, “Sex won't make him yours. A baby won't make him stay.”<br /><br />3. Remind kids it CAN happen to them. Having sex, even so called "protected" sex, can lead to pregnancy. It can happen even to kids from a good family. The only way to 100% prevent pregnancy is to not have sex.<br /><br />4. Emphasize that even “good girls” get pregnant. Having a good report card, being a good person, having an important parent, or being conscientious will not protect you from pregnancy. According to teenpregnancy.org, 1 in 3 young women get pregnant at least once before they turn 20--good girls included.<br /><br />5. Let your daughter know that most teens wished they had waited. Sex before marriage can not only lead to pregnancy, but there are other health concerns, such as STDs. There is also emotional baggage. According to teenpregnancy.org, 60% of teens “wished they had waited longer” to have sex.<br /><br />6. Encourage your teen to plan her actions BEFORE the situation arises. Talk about set boundaries and not putting herself in situations that will cause her to compromise those decisions. Help her make good plans for her future and stick to goals.<br /><br />7. Talk about media’s wrong messages. The media (television, radio, movies, music videos, magazines, the Internet) are chock full of material sending the wrong messages. Just because we see everyone in Hollywood having sex and having babies, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Babies are a responsibility, not a fashion accessory.<br /><br />8. Encourage secondary purity. Teens can say “no” even if they’ve said "yes" before. Today your daughter can make the right choice and choose abstinence.<br /><br />9. Realize parents can only do so much … but make sure it’s done! As a parent, you cannot be around your child 24/7. Yet, we can do our best to prepare our daughters. Don’t wait.<br /><br />10. Let you kids know you are available to talk about every issue in life. It's also important for parents to open up a two way conversation, not a one-way lecture. Parents can do this by turning the above topics into questions such as: What are your boundaries? Do you think sex proves you love someone? What do you think of the messages media gives out?<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Let your voice be heard...</span></strong><br />Does the fact that vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's unwed teenage daughter is pregnant alter your opinion of her as a White House hopeful?<br /><a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/features/poll.html">Answer here</a><br /><br /><br />Need help talking to your teens? <a href="http://triciagoyer.com/Youth.html">My Life, Unscripted </a>(Thomas Nelson) is a book for teen girls, encouraging them to script their lives instead of being caught up in the drama and emotions of the moment.<br /><br />A former teen mom, Tricia Goyer is also the author of <a href="http://triciagoyer.com/Youth.html">Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom</a>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-58404083728244034182008-09-08T11:56:00.001-06:002008-09-08T11:56:22.861-06:00Request-A-Book!<strong><span style="font-size:130%;">New Contest...Request-A-Book and Win a gift card to CBD!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></strong>Want to help me out? I'd love to get my books into more libraries--YOURS!<br /><br />To participate in <strong>Request-A-Book</strong> all you have to do is check out your local library (you can probably do it on-line even) and see if they carry any Tricia Goyer books. If they don't, simply fill out your libraries Request A Book form or give the request to your librarian. And, if they only have a few Tricia Goyer titles, then request one or two they don't carry.<br /><br /><strong>When you're done</strong>, send me a little note via my contact page on my website (<a title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=" acs53gkipamizuiuj8ixi_fofkm9jydx2zke="" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001zeq67AwBtuW0-FjRjeMXzvgFQ25IwdjFSl89qqMDvm09ERKsq09UDRK_ijIvqENbhVXK7GuD9QFj2-IatKtahH_UBEVB8FLsQPqtrz-AcS53GKipamiZUIUJ8IXI_FOfkM9JYdx2zKE=" target="_blank" linktype="link" track="on">here</a>) to let me know.<br /><br />I'll enter your name into a drawing for a <strong>$25 gift card to CBD</strong> (<a title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=" og3mm25r1bpagw54ciucjnvjm74mtpjertiihyztwypadats3gbznajiyehrnnru4v3d6c2tw="=" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001zeq67AwBtuUqa1gVxCNIoWUp7jCxr6pdfO2uVA0Jfl6y-OG3mM25R1bPaGw54cIucjNvjm74MTPJeRtiiHyztWyPaDaTS3gBZnAJiYEhRNNRu4V3d6C2Tw==" target="_blank">www.christianbook.com</a>)! Fun. Easy.<br /><br />You can find a list of my books and ISBNs <a title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=" cpt_nm9uyixiohgzrhnesh8yqyrup6drztcy5uh21hub96lstpgwflbig_c9j0wut20w_afic="" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001zeq67AwBtuVbY5iV5Dam1mqYKxSVYtvSsR8G7AWNBpvbGZydb05Ym_BwmXxGQa4GD-CPt_nM9UyIXioHgzRhnEsh8YQyRUp6dRZTcy5uH21HUB96LsTPGWfLBig_C9J0wuT20W_afic=" target="_blank" linktype="link" track="on">here</a>.The contest ends 10/15/08! Winners will be announced in the next newsletter and on my blog!Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-72100043812677155772008-09-03T10:27:00.001-06:002008-09-03T10:27:26.102-06:00TWITTERdom<a href="http://assets0.twitter.com/images/twitter.png?1220402971"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://assets0.twitter.com/images/twitter.png?1220402971" border="0" /></a><br />I've been doing a lot of writing lately, at 160 characters at a time. Twitter is sort of like blog, but only shorter. It's a way to keep track of what your friends are up to. It's also a great way to meet new friends.<br /><br />You can check out my profile at:<br /><a title="blocked::http://twitter.com/triciagoyer" href="http://twitter.com/triciagoyer">http://twitter.com/triciagoyer</a><br /><br />If you're at all interested at what I do all day ... that will tell you!Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-18461364719603842692008-09-02T12:03:00.001-06:002008-09-02T12:03:27.753-06:00That Girl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbirmP2qf2Gj_7z0L6izWPpBXkV-CGK6koZgTp0ASuNu2JXTNIbgZk2l39nmrf0AoklDHdLBrlBueKFOFPfiq_T3RaPh-AFLd5GuSjfaTURz4HhyhGOC2GxVPr8vvgVck99PY_-yTeQsU/s1600-h/corey+and+intern.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241485294036594002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbirmP2qf2Gj_7z0L6izWPpBXkV-CGK6koZgTp0ASuNu2JXTNIbgZk2l39nmrf0AoklDHdLBrlBueKFOFPfiq_T3RaPh-AFLd5GuSjfaTURz4HhyhGOC2GxVPr8vvgVck99PY_-yTeQsU/s200/corey+and+intern.bmp" border="0" /></a><br />I just had to brag on my son. I knew you'd all appreciate it. This is a poem 19-year-old (never been kissed) Cory wrote. This is a photo of him with the girls he interned with at church this summer--his friends. Isn't the poem sweet?<br /><br /><br /><strong>That girl, by Cory Goyer</strong><br /><br />That girl<br />I don't know her hair color<br />I don't know her smile<br />I don't know her laugh<br />I don't know the color of her eyes<br />Or her favorite song<br />I don't know her passions<br />I don't know the thing she hates<br />I don't know her face<br />I don't know where she likes to hide<br />Or the twinkle in her eye<br />I don't know if I know her<br />But I know she is that girl<br /><br />I would give my life for that girl<br />I would give up everything for that girl<br />I would die for that girl<br />I would live for that girl<br />I would love that girl<br />I would care for that girl<br />I would take care of that girl<br />All for that girl<br /><br />I know she is beautiful<br />I know she is smart<br />I know she is wonderful<br />I know she is funny<br />I know she is amazing<br />I know she is mine<br />I know she is that girl<br /><br />She may not know it yet<br />For I surely don't<br />She may mat not love me yet<br />But I know she will<br />Because I know I will love her<br />With all that I have<br />She may not even know me yet<br />But she will know me more than anyone<br /><br />She may has a past<br />Wrong things<br />Regrets<br />Sorrows<br />But I will not see these things<br />I will wipe away her sorrows<br />I will not remember her wrong doings<br />I will not regret<br />Because if everything<br />She has ever done<br />Will lead her to me<br />Then I thank her past<br /><br />So God I pray<br />I pray for that girl<br />I pray you let me wait<br />I pray you let her wait<br />I pray for her safety<br />I pray for her happiness<br />God lead me to that girlTricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-362421898019616682008-08-28T08:30:00.001-06:002008-08-28T08:30:56.956-06:00Guest Blogger...Mother Inferior, Dena Dyer!I think this what Dena talks about here applies no matter your age!<br /><br /><a href="http://denadyer.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/15/dena_s_new_headshot__b_w_11.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://denadyer.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/15/dena_s_new_headshot__b_w_11.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#333399;">The Swimsuit Blues</span></strong><br />by Dena Dyer<br /><br />Here's a little end-of-summer reflection to (hopefully!) brighten your afternoon:<br /><br />The other day, our workplace had a cookout/swim party. Because my kids love to swim and my spouse was helping at the grill, I was the designated swim-parent.<br /><br />Oh, joy.<br /><br />So I had to get into my suit for the first time in a year. It was not a pretty sight. Since I’m nearly forty, my suit is a “smart” suit, which means it’s made of forgiving fabric and is black with vertical—not horizontal—stripes, for obvious reasons.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the help stops there. My arms and thighs, God bless ‘em, are fully exposed. And can you say “whiteout”? I needed to apologize to my fellow swimmers for burning their retinas with my paleness. Oh well, at least the pool changing area had no mirror.<br /><br />You know, on four out of five days, I feel pretty good about myself. After all, I’ve lost over fifty pounds since having my second child (yes, I ate for two—or was it five?—during pregnancy). I could tone up, but who has time when they’re juggling home, family, and work? I’m lucky if I can squeeze in a walk twice a week.<br /><br />But speaking of squeezing, as I stuffed my post-pubescent body into the Spandex sausage-casing, I rethought my fitness regime. By the time I got one leg through its hole, I was vowing to do one hundred leg lifts a day. After hoisting my other leg up and through, I decided to perform several hundred sit-ups before breakfast. And after sucking in, pulling the swimsuit over my belly, and sticking my arms through, I decided that was workout enough.<br /><br />Swimsuit season always makes me reconsider my “absolutely not, never, no way” stance on plastic surgery. After all, who couldn’t use a little nip and tuck here and there?<br /><br />And I’m not alone. The numbers of women who’ve gone under the knife has increased to such an extent that a prominent Miami plastic surgeon has written a children’s book explaining why Mommy is getting a nose job and breast implants (really!).<br /><br />It’s called My Beautiful Mommy and is written for readers ages 4-7. The book describes a mom explaining how she’ll appear after surgery. The daughter asks, “Why are you going to look different?” and the mother replies, “Not just different, my dear—prettier!”<br /><br />Yikes!<br /><br />But maybe the author is onto something. Why not create a whole series of books to help kids understand their mommies:<br />• My Cellulite-Free Mommy, for kids whose moms have had liposuction. (“Not just firm, my dear—less pockmarked!”)<br />• My Stylish Mommy, for children whose moms regularly spend way too much on accessories. (“It’s from your college fund, darling—can you say, ‘Prada’?”)<br />• My Tabloid Mommy, for those with moms on the front page of Star magazine (“I’m just wearing this towel over my face until we get in the car, sweetums.”)<br /><br />Actually, when I stop beating myself up long enough to consider the costs, not to mention the risks, of plastic surgery, I come to my senses. The only reason I’d consider it is because our culture places such a high value on outer appearances, and I tend to get swept up in all the midriff-baring mania.<br /><br />The things I read and watch--whether they’re lies on the front of a tabloid magazine or the truth from God’s word---determine the state of my heart. So when I immerse myself in His truth, I remember that God adores me, whether or not my arms are toned. He delights in me more than I can fathom, even though I will never have “abs of steel.” He loves every single part of me, from the stretch marks on my thighs to the tiny dark hairs sprouting on my chin.<br /><br />And you know what else? My hubby and two sons don’t care what my measurements are, or how perfect I look. They love me simply because I’m me. In fact, they constantly tell me how nice I look. The other day, I woke up with some serious bed-hair. As I sat at my computer in a torn t-shirt and faded sweat pants, my sweet, thoughtful and obviously vision-impaired four year-old said, “Mommy, you’re pretty in your day clothes, your pajamas, or even on a date.” :)<br /><br />And that, my dear readers, is worth ten Prada bags, fourteen tummy tucks, and at least a thousand sit-ups.<br />----------------------<br />copyright 2008, Dena Dyer<br /><br /><br />Want more info? Visit my website: <a href="http://www.denadyer.com/"><strong>Mother Inferior</strong> </a><br /><br />Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this devotional, stop by my website and sign up for my newsletter!Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-52850306809758366742008-08-27T08:42:00.001-06:002008-08-27T08:42:29.938-06:00Spread the Bread!"Do you know a TEEN writer or artist?<br /><br />The global nonprofit organization, Spread the Bread, (<a title="blocked::www.spreadthebread.org" href="outbind://32-000000006AC598950EB7C44889D9CAD6D163E946845A3000/www.spreadthebread.org">www.spreadthebread.org</a>) is launching a new teen eZine called Planet Bread. They're looking for teen writers and artists with submissions that share real-life messages/stories of HOPE, INSPIRATION or GRATITUDE, using their world as their lens.<br /><br />Contributors can decide how theyd like to communicate their submission: feature article, opinion piece, poem, cartoon, photograph, blog, video or something else?<br /><br />The eZine will be launching the last week in October.<br /><br />For more information,e-mail: planetbread@gmail.com and put "eZine launch" in the subject line.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-79468148176772779662008-08-26T09:48:00.000-06:002008-08-26T09:49:35.277-06:00Teens build houses!My two oldest just got home fom Mexico! They traveled there after leaving the Czech Republic and one of the things they did was build a house for a family. The program is called <a href="http://www.homesofhope.org/">Homes of Hope</a>.<br /><br /><br />Leslie building house in Mexico.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850649140413602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAnwHpOa-bqhqMnEtAMveqPMMTFnq8GMKa_O-xasRHAMcEM5hBFGg3fGPqqmQfNpDG_n7DEss90Ug7rDbTOr9MnGZt_ITMqAetoWXwECd_vCA-fBp4vkmAqEpCAyY930INmMxywiS/s400/Leslie+building+house+in+Mexico..JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Cory building a house in Mexico.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850390590742610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiQ_bGq6IKTv5_pqA_n4gJiIqsXk4oqivDp3KvAIW_pKtHMIkdEp25Ous2_O5UUuUuQjMCODx8tDoJyIholDLCeq9-Ucj9n8MCkbd9ykvR1lsdAzyWsw469ErhrMqV4FXg3-1m9Aj/s400/Cory+building+a+house+in+Mexico..JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />In this photo Leslie is helping to lift a wall.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850585626422434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlHgVIBYuoaej9xa-mpytFeSepF0g4YKuXM5seQ7gucwskrgX74xRwwg79M-XBPec-dSvbBPsLF1ALIJw19BeIPL0RQqasJKFrjOO_Rp011BFcSYtbB-R0sTFdlrFYu1ZxG2oLZ5V/s400/lesley+lifts+wall.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Special gifts from the team.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850777864856242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwRsIv91TuMM8KlQH6ihXqMy8gAuWMVYyRSO8dkHnY4zPWrXISNI-ub1paHQgVG9wbAA7Yl1IhyphenhyphennquB8av0lOFh8IhkJg33UP0WNuxo0IFhK-mkJvyuyBL0zZ05-wUJW-C8JMVTxt/s400/special+gifts.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />The house builders with the family they built the house for!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850456240239762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspcfx7AzsrfHSw6F_9_m3EemtSdZ_NEmaP45ma8BI2uJXT2eOjXTOkBIRTSTVfPmt_R4fau-SIbICOMoPKqEGjPMjp1-j1LrBcZE2iSl0Ym9Klx7cP9bix3wa5KhsfoAwoeSx3Gfi/s400/group+with+family.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />shingle girl<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850705758383138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNHLRhy3bYWA2b0xNKcV4XugTprWxSK7NWAvl0gFSlDH_b7JfAIQbA0mJAtV-b-o5OpZSOmtcR6wgfasGgqcHLbYEk5zyvDeAS4UO3WePOWWbkX6-xC0CoZImpm9OvfF4LZaG6z5D/s400/shingle+girl.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Cory hauling trusses<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850843362593682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Q3dXGjh_HgyABcrkgwPk8bokQbo2rcSSzINuDqxHCH-dv0R1jmcvq3cihwtWGGTeBeBEIQISbNiDlwVn-qBnMYLKrJ-MnZKli9W2jadNaj687YFlkzfxJJ8C_77pZCMlj0KlMveq/s400/trusses.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Brother and sister teamwork<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850264344073122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo6WyZCstAQ8FaIf9ZBVU3pgVN8iuxxMs6vydiHCEplhAdk41egaqHws9i8Ha9Jxfwr3ltFq9F78Ji0EbDpWQiAz0dPOZ47LSNHnOyKwqm5dGJbgq5INwW6TLcOFGZaSvnysA3VbE/s400/bro+sis.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Leslie nailing up drywall<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850523929429746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBymt5nZTBhyphenhyphena4EwshLV8cZXgZHi7MzUqXJkmYzQwnS1SbYtXWAlSgWutNwxrQHizW9SEG8U9fwe_vX9PNRFQe-gYko2K4NrUW3ARDr0XLGlLbUR83Ti0TgekRDUfMrX-r6R9UgRM9/s400/les+drywall.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Cory painting <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238850324298885762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitayNI8YLOEd4kjfc4OMvi5C0JpeKHrGdyZjTimt8EO2iEKQB5kFLTMteg7XuTN39Wj3j1egM9UXU8903Ngn04OOHuJE9NtIYVwDeH6HOsj0b3215oIekt9H7v-ZEHGQG7QwbXrG0F/s400/corey+painting.JPG" border="0" />Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-54565679268147912932008-08-22T08:39:00.001-06:002008-08-22T08:42:39.844-06:00Do you hate gym class?Check out this great website!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ihategymclass.com/I_Hate_Gym_Class.html">http://www.ihategymclass.com/I_Hate_Gym_Class.html</a><a title="http://www.ihategymclass.com/Resources.html" href="http://www.ihategymclass.com/Resources.html"></a>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-51519143321838034522008-08-19T09:46:00.001-06:002008-12-08T14:49:37.289-07:00"My Favorite Memory" contest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgil98AUq02dKQp7WXO6q4k7xcGiE4ebZinqZmJpBQJ0Bp-ChDKbkHyRPLfVtN-ai8mSSejToyK1xA4Vr35mJas2DUP-c5SAJR59D-LzlKKXRVt_TdssBjPE-kDTap2TRjqwaBTy1dB/s1600-h/sweet_sept_book+small.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229230076135470114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgil98AUq02dKQp7WXO6q4k7xcGiE4ebZinqZmJpBQJ0Bp-ChDKbkHyRPLfVtN-ai8mSSejToyK1xA4Vr35mJas2DUP-c5SAJR59D-LzlKKXRVt_TdssBjPE-kDTap2TRjqwaBTy1dB/s200/sweet_sept_book+small.jpg" border="0" /></a>Earlier this month I announced the "My Favorite Memory" contest and asked you to send in your favorite childhood memories to be entered to win 1 of 10 copies of my new book <a href="http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2008/06/home-to-heather-creek.html">Sweet September</a>!<br /><br /><br />Over the next few weeks I'll be posting those entries on <a href="http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/">It's Real Life</a>. What a treat it has been to read the stories!<br /><br />Here is the first one entry...<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#00cccc;">Christy:<br /></span></strong>My favorite childhood memory is really a collection of memories. My mother's brother played bass in a country/western band in the 1970s, so many of our weekends were spent in bars and supper clubs listening to them play.<br /><br />I was an only child, and my parents took me with them far more than leaving me home with a babysitter. I always felt incredibly grown-up to sit with them at a table. If I happened to see someone I knew from school, I felt even more excited. Because of Uncle Leon, all the guys in the band knew me on sight, and that gave me a little bit of cachet. I knew nearly every song in every set by heart, but my favorite was Mac Davis' Oh Lord It's Hard to Be Humble, and I requested it nearly every weekend. When I would walk up to the stage, you could nearly see the guys sigh in consternation. I loved dancing with my parents to the fast songs like Peppermint Twist. One of my favorite freeze-framed mental images of my dad is him in a pearl-button snap Western style shirt shaking it to Amie. I loved watching my parents dance because the love between them was palpable. Even better was when Dad would scoop me up in his arms, and we'd all dance together. By the end of the evening, I had overdosed on Shirley Temple cocktails and would fall asleep in the backseat to the sound of my parents quiet conversation. To me that was family and love and fun all rolled up in one.<br /><br /><br />It's not too late...<strong><span style="color:#00cccc;">Submit your own favorite childhood memory</span></strong> <a href="http://triciagoyer.com/contact.html" linktype="link" track="on">here</a> and be entered to win 1 of 10 copies of <a href="http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2008/06/home-to-heather-creek.html">Sweet September</a>!<br /><br /><span style="color:#00cccc;"><strong>Contest ends August 31st. The winner's will be announced September 5th!</strong></span>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-72381537340133366792008-08-15T20:12:00.001-06:002008-08-15T20:12:08.510-06:00Cardboard Testimonies<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/RvDDc5RB6FQ' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/RvDDc5RB6FQ'/></object></p><p>Very Powerful!</p></div>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-56128865453858723472008-08-01T13:07:00.001-06:002008-12-08T14:49:37.438-07:00My Life, Unscripted<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrE-h_15-gxI9BaRI-s_Gcl_tZKnsoWgzQcdXkoK_WGCmd_eV1MtL0wwlGKchnh0O70IAS32c1k86tYoZztimbZZBFhnT8anNdQNMqNCKp2EikN56VUKhLkhGdvQSE7M-Zh7coT-MHtoc/s1600-h/my+life+unscripted.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229628266622511010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrE-h_15-gxI9BaRI-s_Gcl_tZKnsoWgzQcdXkoK_WGCmd_eV1MtL0wwlGKchnh0O70IAS32c1k86tYoZztimbZZBFhnT8anNdQNMqNCKp2EikN56VUKhLkhGdvQSE7M-Zh7coT-MHtoc/s200/my+life+unscripted.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Is featured this month...<br /><br />check it out here: <a title="blocked::http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/blitz_life.html" href="http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/blitz_life.html">http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/blitz_life.html</a>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-80583864384244382732008-07-29T12:12:00.001-06:002008-07-29T12:12:37.196-06:00What would yours be?<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RvDDc5RB6FQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RvDDc5RB6FQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-63312606876014995742008-07-01T11:38:00.003-06:002008-07-01T11:43:34.187-06:00What do teens want from Christian fiction?I stumbled <a href="http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/blitz_teen.html">across this survey</a> in Christian Fiction Online Magazine.<br /><br />Brian Michael Zick operates as a relatively unknown illustrator, writer, and <a href="http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/pictures/DCFC0230.JPG"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 79px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 78px" height="127" alt="" src="http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/pictures/DCFC0230.JPG" border="0" /></a>teenager. He showcases his work on <a href="http://kid-made.com/brian/">his website</a>. Living as a homeschooler, his interests vary from computers, and reading, to skateboarding. He also expresses a strange interest in letters and fonts.<br /><br /><strong>Christian Fiction And Teens</strong><br />What do teens want from Christian fiction? Or perhaps the better question is: Do teens read Christian fiction?<br /><br />A friend and I asked twenty-five teens at the Catalyst, a skateboard ministry and youth group at New Hope Church in Sierra Vista, to answer my second question. We also asked “Why not?” to those who answered negatively.<br /><br />Survey results from New Hope church (please note that many of the teens at the skate ministry are from the neighborhood and not Christians who attend the church):<br /><br /><strong>“Do you read Christian fiction?”<br /></strong>Yes - 5<br />No - 20<br /><br /><strong>“Why not?”</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Don't read - 7<br />I dunno - 6<br />Never been introduced - 2<br />Can’t read - 2<br />Don’t feel like it - 2<br />Only read Playboy- 1<br /><br />That only five of those surveyed read Christian fiction is a little disconcerting. So I had my friend run another survey at Battle of the Bands (for homeschoolers), Veterans Memorial Park, Sierra Vista. With the second survey, my friend also asked for a comment from those who responded.<br />Survey results from Veterans Memorial Park:<br /><br /><strong>“Do you read Christian fiction?”</strong><br /><br />Yes - 6<br /><br />Comments:<br />Like it because it’s tense with a spiritual message - 2<br />Very encouraging - 1<br />Only thing to read in the house - 1<br />Read one book and liked it - 1<br />Like C.S. Lewis because it appeals to non-Christians as well as Christians, and it has a good message- 1<br />Christian fiction is reading material that you can actually get something out of rather than just entertainment -1<br /><br />No - 8<br />Comments:<br />No comment - 2<br />Never got into it - 1<br />Too busy - 1<br />Don’t care for it, like classics better - 1<br />Don’t read as much anymore - 2<br />Can’t find any good books - 1<br /><br />This time, six out of fourteen teens read Christian fiction—a bit more promising. It seems a higher percentage of teens in the Christian/homeschool community read Christian fiction than those we surveyed at the church.<br /><br /><strong>Conclusion</strong><br /><br />Although Christian fiction offers many great books, based on my survey only 28.2 percent of teens read these books. Authors and publishers need to get the books to teens, because teens aren’t coming to the books. Hopefully one day more teens will pick these books up and read.<br />Though teen fiction is in the bookstore, that doesn't guarantee teens are going to read them. Whenever I go into a bookstore, most of the teens I see browsing around are in either the graphic novel department or looking at game guides. So it appears most teens aren't even hanging out in the section where they'd stumble upon Christian fiction.<br /><br />A good marketing plan to get teens interested in books would be using word of mouth, or even discussing novels at youth groups, or creating a new kind of book. Like maybe Christian Manga. “Manga” is Japanese for comics, and Manga generally fills 90% of the graphic novel section. There are many kids who only read this style of writing.<br /><br />I've never seen a Christian Manga graphic novel, but maybe someone has come up with an idea first. It takes a dedicated artist and talented writer to come up with something interesting, but I believe there's a need for this style of fiction.<br /><br />Christian Manga: a new genre?<br /><br /><br /><br />Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-71455796110046258262008-06-25T13:00:00.001-06:002008-12-08T14:49:37.465-07:00A new adventure begins...<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5500/1432/1600/CFBAreviewer_gif.0.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5500/1432/320/CFBAreviewer_gif.0.gif" border="0" /></a></div><br /><center><span style="font-size:130%;">This week, the</span></center><br /><center><a href="http://www.christianfictionblogalliance.com/"><span style="font-size:100%;">Christian Fiction Blog Alliance</span></a></center><br /><center><span style="font-size:100%;">is introducing</span></center><br /><center><span style="font-size:130%;color:#993300;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601421249">Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione</a></span></center><br /><center>(Multnomah Books - June 17, 2008)</center><br /><center>by</center><br /><center><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"><a href="http://www.perfect-praise.com/">Chuck Black</a></span></center><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;color:#ff6600;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR:</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5blpZEw_NlF_epeoLWJ_ItrR3LzcDdkYCJsbLVSFyYC0I_YUr-ujCyRcruZlshV6JdOFGoXRVTh4U1L2G38LlBFFy44Y9iM0RlWZ3pMFKRSyziv_kuhObeMbdf1eti1E0Rxa3JboqWtg/s1600-h/chuckblack.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214908000311129234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5blpZEw_NlF_epeoLWJ_ItrR3LzcDdkYCJsbLVSFyYC0I_YUr-ujCyRcruZlshV6JdOFGoXRVTh4U1L2G38LlBFFy44Y9iM0RlWZ3pMFKRSyziv_kuhObeMbdf1eti1E0Rxa3JboqWtg/s320/chuckblack.jpg" border="0" /></a>Chuck Black first wrote Kingdom’s Edge to inspire his children to read the Bible with renewed zeal. This captivating expanded parable led him to write the Old Testament allegories, Kingdom’s Dawn and Kingdom’s Hope. Chuck added three more titles to the series, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/159052750X">Kingdom’s Call</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590527496">Kingdom’s Quest</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1590526821">Kingdom’s Reign</a> which were released in May of 2007.<br /><br />Chuck is a former F-16 fighter pilot and currently works as an engineer for a firm designing plastic consumer products. He has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and served eight years in the United States Air Force. Chuck and his wife Andrea have six children and live in North Dakota.<br /><br />It is Chuck’s desire to serve the Lord through his work and to inspire people of all ages to study the scriptures in order to discover the hope and love of a truly majestic King and His Son.<br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:100%;color:#ffcc00;">ABOUT THE BOOK</span></strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5G-ITfQSChq-tcB-T-uwgh0rF7URAHktpaPAxDW2cMeMWKEHUBb0Lw94vOPlS-F8XGWk92lhobTvQkYCUhfBtYLylnpGI7hg6-BVlJFnx-hwS3VR7mYf5HO3puF-waTd1XlZKTNzbSL8/s1600-h/SirKendrick.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214904624232907314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5G-ITfQSChq-tcB-T-uwgh0rF7URAHktpaPAxDW2cMeMWKEHUBb0Lw94vOPlS-F8XGWk92lhobTvQkYCUhfBtYLylnpGI7hg6-BVlJFnx-hwS3VR7mYf5HO3puF-waTd1XlZKTNzbSL8/s320/SirKendrick.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><strong>A dangerous new order threatens the mission of the Knights of Arrethtrae. Only loyalty to the King can bring victory!</strong></em><br /><br />As the Knights of the Prince await His triumphant return, they are steadfast in their mission to take His story into the kingdom and recruit as many as are willing. But when a new and dangerous threat is revealed, their mission is jeopardized.<br /><br />Sir Kendrick and his young charge, the impetuous Sir Duncan, are sent on a mission to discover the identity and origin of a secretive new order known as the Vincero Knights. They travel to the city of Bel Lione where Lord Ra has been enticing young people in the kingdom to join his festivals, after which many choose not to return home. Their families keep quiet for fear of repercussion.<br /><br />When Sir Duncan disappears while trying to discover the truth of Lord Ra’s castle, Sir Kendrick attempts to find and enlist the help of a mysterious warrior. Time is short for he must save Duncan and call upon the knights of Chessington to join in the battle against the evil Lord Ra.<br /><br />Journey to Arrethtrae, where these knights of noble heart live and die in loyal service to the King and the Prince. These knights are mighty, for they serve a mighty King. They are...the Knights of Arrethtrae!<br /><br />If you would like to read the first chapter, go <a href="http://thestorybeginnings.blogspot.com/2008/06/sir-kendrick-and-castle-of-bel-lione.html">HERE</a><br /><br />Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-8554102592697752182008-06-23T13:30:00.002-06:002008-06-23T13:34:40.418-06:00Robin Jones Gunn answers back...Last week, Courtney asked this question on the post "<a title="http://teen-script.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-askedabout-robin-jones-gunn.html" href="http://teen-script.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-askedabout-robin-jones-gunn.html">You Asked...about Robin Jones Gunn</a>":<br /><br /><strong><em>Dear Robin Jones Gunn,I love the book I promise. But my friends and I are wondering if Todd and Christy ever have kids.</em></strong><br /><br />Here's what Robin had to say... <a href="http://www.robingunn.com/assets/images/KatieWeldonsmall.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 127px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 161px" height="208" alt="" src="http://www.robingunn.com/assets/images/KatieWeldonsmall.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hi Courtney,<br />I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed “I Promise”! I started writing another series about all these characters called “The Katie Weldon Series”. The first book in that series is “Peculiar Treasures” and the second book, “On A Whim” will be available fall of 2008.<br /><br />Please come by my website: <a title="http://www.robingunn.com/" href="http://www.robingunn.com/">http://www.robingunn.com/</a>. You can sign up to receive my email newsletter. I often offer drawings for free books to readers in the newsletters so watch for those drawings!<br /><br />May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you close to His heart, Courtney. You are one of His Peculiar Treasures.<br /><br /><br /><br />Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-48054395811203567842008-06-16T10:36:00.000-06:002008-06-16T10:37:02.194-06:00InterviewHi there!<br /><br />I just wanted to remind you that I'll be on Moody's Mid-Day Connection Today!<br /><br />If you don't get it on your local radio station tune in here:<br /><a title="blocked::http://www.moodyradio.org/middayconnection.aspx" href="blocked::http://www.moodyradio.org/middayconnection.aspx">http://www.moodyradio.org/middayconnection.aspx</a><br /><br />You can listen LIVE at 12:00 p.m. CST. (Or 11:00 a.m. Montana!!)<br /><br /><br />Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-46042939189468232822008-06-09T09:08:00.001-06:002008-06-09T09:08:57.047-06:00Who I Am Makes A Difference www.makeadifference.com/BR/<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/sN_LPTNQEqM' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/sN_LPTNQEqM'/></object></p><p>So powerful..yet so simple!</p></div>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-33010929428059405232008-05-22T11:49:00.001-06:002008-12-08T14:49:38.395-07:00Sometimes we forget...My kids are VERY creative. Being homeschooled, they usually had 2-3 hours of school work and the rest of the time they goofed off ... or entertained themselves. Creativity is the result. They write songs, write stories, read, and do video productions ... just for fun.<br /><br />Also, they've recently "taken over" their youth group's drama department. This week Cory, Leslie, and Nathan are doing a skit on the theme "I am Bold." Nathan (14) has amnesia and he is very timid. The other two tell me that he's actually an accomplished and well-known person, and they enourage him to Be Bold.<br /><br />The point of the message, of course, is to remind us who we are in Christ. Sometimes we forget.<br />Okay, most of the time we forget.<br /><br />Anyway, here are a few of the illustrations the kids came up to to prove Nathan's success. I thought they were great!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmi7cyW9jyqKJG-NKO0M7DNEUQbvp-AYcRa6jRhHevTu3wx_2Hd8q_RZhBo20RwwSUyG9-f68BH8oe9WRF-p7PpYwaqpyJBAyIs5piXaPqk43N9OMXJo2c5a8vussLp0s3odd_iy_2sRAe/s1600-h/nathan+penny.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202873273934350418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmi7cyW9jyqKJG-NKO0M7DNEUQbvp-AYcRa6jRhHevTu3wx_2Hd8q_RZhBo20RwwSUyG9-f68BH8oe9WRF-p7PpYwaqpyJBAyIs5piXaPqk43N9OMXJo2c5a8vussLp0s3odd_iy_2sRAe/s320/nathan+penny.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzkbkdzYOq_rYP3_gAc5b8jKsx-uedDq2PSdMsAoW0MYU_T0x9ItuFmdnXHp8fiwQtgR9uIRP4QKlqTHEH97i8r_W5o9I5Gj3TyLBpgsvwy4Euj6kXxmVzBINKHiGOY3RpAqnpxfmHGjE/s1600-h/nathan+mona.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202873205214873666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzkbkdzYOq_rYP3_gAc5b8jKsx-uedDq2PSdMsAoW0MYU_T0x9ItuFmdnXHp8fiwQtgR9uIRP4QKlqTHEH97i8r_W5o9I5Gj3TyLBpgsvwy4Euj6kXxmVzBINKHiGOY3RpAqnpxfmHGjE/s320/nathan+mona.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjd9JyqPK81hB2geAuMzg9hsM1k_y7ou7jLbsuX6YsblfS75UvHe8r33JAWosy5S8mMV48xDRjAsGOBYymU92tawOeynhmaow6BffebqZhIld4eexm6PctL25hZ6GP8bU058x7B4ZdUpx/s1600-h/nathan+karate+kid.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202873067775920178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjd9JyqPK81hB2geAuMzg9hsM1k_y7ou7jLbsuX6YsblfS75UvHe8r33JAWosy5S8mMV48xDRjAsGOBYymU92tawOeynhmaow6BffebqZhIld4eexm6PctL25hZ6GP8bU058x7B4ZdUpx/s320/nathan+karate+kid.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxkzMF-4g8JSO8aq5kh1li3K1yS_v1vKG0v5GJSd5UamKL0TUSJj8bTALP26V8d0qo9ZC7h8_f5t6q2FRbWChsQDWX2ZeEeXlk9BKIzWbSwmbAs8gr7rAxkbBmHX1k6B1rr1tWyUkjIql/s1600-h/nathan+iwo+jima.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202873003351410722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxkzMF-4g8JSO8aq5kh1li3K1yS_v1vKG0v5GJSd5UamKL0TUSJj8bTALP26V8d0qo9ZC7h8_f5t6q2FRbWChsQDWX2ZeEeXlk9BKIzWbSwmbAs8gr7rAxkbBmHX1k6B1rr1tWyUkjIql/s320/nathan+iwo+jima.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuKbF-9zPFlzj8NuEaMjKGizHYea-veyilVYQmcJ_5RSXvPJVgxSxAHnEgwkWzwBMhO_Hp4gXNlx-jCp06VaL88P0tqRS-f_UyydUjW6Y-1Iytmvv1yw-d_NjWu9rkzAHiYc7FFZ2KIOQ/s1600-h/nathan+cliff.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202872818667816978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuKbF-9zPFlzj8NuEaMjKGizHYea-veyilVYQmcJ_5RSXvPJVgxSxAHnEgwkWzwBMhO_Hp4gXNlx-jCp06VaL88P0tqRS-f_UyydUjW6Y-1Iytmvv1yw-d_NjWu9rkzAHiYc7FFZ2KIOQ/s320/nathan+cliff.JPG" border="0" /></a>Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-34960238092586477912008-04-17T11:16:00.000-06:002008-04-17T11:17:36.279-06:00Do Hard Things!<a href="http://www.therebelution.com/img/kickers/alcorn_dht_endorsement.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 397px" height="444" alt="" src="http://www.therebelution.com/img/kickers/alcorn_dht_endorsement.jpg" border="0" /></a> See...you don't have to be old and serious to make a difference!<br /><br />ALEX AND BRETT HARRIS founded TheRebelution.com in August 2005 and today, at age 19, are among the most widely read teen writers on the Web.<br /><br />The twins are frequent contributors to Focus on the Family's webzine <a href="http://www.boundless.org/">Boundless</a>, serve as the main speakers for <a href="http://www.therebelution.com/conference">The Rebelution Tour</a> conferences, and have been featured nationally on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and The New York Times, as well as in publications like WORLD magazine, Breakaway, and Ignite Your Faith. Their first book, <a href="http://www.therebelution.com/dohardthings">Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations</a>, will be released on April 15, 2008, by Multnomah Books.<br /><br />Sons of homeschool pioneers Gregg and Sono Harris and younger brothers of best-selling author Joshua Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye), Alex and Brett have a passion for God and for their generation. Their personal interests include politics, filmmaking, music, basketball, and soccer. And food. They like food.<br /><br />When they're not traveling around doing conferences, Alex and Brett live with their parents and three younger siblings near Portland, Oregon, where they attend <a href="http://www.hofcc.org/">Household of Faith Community Church</a>. They plan to enter college together in the fall of 2008 -- and continue to write, speak, and blog.<br /><br /><strong>What is a Rebelution you ask?</strong> If this is all news to you, <a href="http://www.therebelution.com/about/rebelution.htm">The Rebelution</a> is "a teenage rebellion against low expectations." It is not just another youth ministry. Though it is not at all legalistic, it does not indulge teens in their usual laziness and consumerism. It is rooted in <a href="http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2007/06/do-hard-things-and-the-gospel/">the Gospel</a> itself and in God's eternal purpose in sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins. It speaks to teens as young adults who are expected to shoulder real responsibility for making their own family, church and nation godly and strong. It asks teens to stop living like guests in their own homes and instead take their place on the family team. It's battle cry is <a href="http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2005/10/a-lesson-from-the-vikings-do-hard-things%e2%84%a2/">Do Hard Things</a>. Think about that.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Win a copy of the book for yourself...or your parents! Leave a comment on this post!</span></strong><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.therebelution.com/img/kickers/dht_is_out.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>About the book:</strong> The next generation stands on the brink of a "rebelution."<br /><br />With over 16 million hits to their website TheRebelution.com, Alex and Brett Harris are leading the charge in a growing movement of Christian young people who are rebelling against the low expectations of their culture by choosing to "do hard things" for the glory of God.<br /><br />Written when they were 18 years old, Do Hard Things is the Harris twins' revolutionary message in its purest and most compelling form, giving readers a tangible glimpse of what is possible for teens who actively resist cultural lies that limit their potential.<br /><br />Combating the idea of adolescence as a vacation from responsibility, the authors weave together biblical insights, history, and modern examples to redefine the teen years as the launching pad of life and map a clear trajectory for long-term fulfillment and eternal impact.<br /><br />Written by teens for teens, <strong><em>Do Hard Things</em></strong> is packed with humorous personal anecdotes, practical examples, and stories of real-life rebelutionaries in action. This rallying cry from the heart of revolution already in progress challenges the next generation to lay claim to a brighter future, starting today. <a href="http://www.therebelution.com/dohardthings/book_preview.htm">Read an excerpt.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.bookschristian.com/se/product/books/Alex_Harris/Do_Hard_Things/331359/Do_Hard_Things_Hardcover_Book.html">Buy the book here</a><br /><br />Stop Lurking! Every week I will draw names for a free Tricia Goyer book from those who comment on my blogs. Winner's choice! Tell your friends.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8847945657811937056.post-66013863049143210922008-04-01T11:05:00.002-06:002008-12-08T14:49:38.496-07:00Look who won an iPod Nano!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZz7DZrdJ6EJLaKznYSxgSKQXuYxTUGk2Q8fxM6pE4wPW29YnoBb6_hk-r77tBkLBDmx_OX2WVR2vPRMQc_gPpW6eibhyphenhyphent0F5ZwskLtoLvBVl9ddiH8Go9QTJISvUc50UbsQ7Pshb4Ww/s1600-h/my+life+unscripted.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151313086284583970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZz7DZrdJ6EJLaKznYSxgSKQXuYxTUGk2Q8fxM6pE4wPW29YnoBb6_hk-r77tBkLBDmx_OX2WVR2vPRMQc_gPpW6eibhyphenhyphent0F5ZwskLtoLvBVl9ddiH8Go9QTJISvUc50UbsQ7Pshb4Ww/s200/my+life+unscripted.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Check out the <strong><span style="font-size:180%;">My Life, Unscripted Video Contest</span></strong> for teens <a href="http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=14294f7e414eae4fd9cd">here</a>! And go <a href="http://triciagoyer.com/Youth.html">here</a> for the contest rules.<br /><br /><br />Lauren<br /><a title="blocked::http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=" href="http://www.godtube.com/view_video.phpviewkey=01e7a8efd20ad9c25089">http://www.godtube.com/view_video.phpviewkey=01e7a8efd20ad9c25089</a><br /><br />and<br /><br />Ruthcel<br /><a title="blocked::http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9uzTLQMZyI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9uzTLQMZyI</a><br /><br />We'll be giving away one more on December 31, 2008...details to follow.Tricia Goyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15896666883413222867noreply@blogger.com2