Have you ever had anyone longing for you to do something for them?
Play a game? Make a favorite dessert or meal? Take them to a special place?
What did you feel as they entreated you?
Special? Needed? Flattered?
Probably you wanted to do what they asked, especially if they were important to you. But maybe you also felt a little uneasy, nervous about whether you could do what they wanted. Perhaps their desire challenged your time, your skills, your resources, or your competing goals.
Well then, you know how I felt when some of you began asking me to write a study guide for Hannah’s Promise.
At the time I began receiving requests from readers of Hannah’s Promise, I had already jumped into the novel, Joel’s Wife. It was fun, writing and thinking about how much you would enjoy it. I didn’t want to stop.
One day while walking together at the marina, I appealed to one of my devoted readers, Jenny, for confirmation on my decision. “I’m going to wait until after I finish Joel’s Wife to write a study guide. This novel is going to be such an amazing story! My readers are waiting for it.”
But Jenny shook her head and said, “We readers need your help in applying the insights from Hannah’s Promise to our own lives. Even more than we need another great story.”
I doubt I rolled my eyes, but I know I felt like doing so. Just what I need, I thought. Another project to juggle!
But. . .
Well, I really do care about you, my appreciative readers. And from the comments of others of you, I realized what Jenny said was true. So I began sharing time, jumping back and forth between working on my novel and the study guide.
Writing the guide wasn’t easy for me. I wrote it three times with totally different approaches and divisions, wanting to create the very best for you. After a year of experimenting and praying for God’s wisdom, I settled on a plan that seemed right. After that, it was much easier. Even fun.
Still, I felt a bit insecure, unsure of how well it would work. That’s when Marge (another of those enthusiastic readers) offered to test the devotional and discussion guide in her women’s class at church.
Would you like to hear the comments they made? I included them in the description of Hannah’s Promise Devotional and Discussion Guide that I put on Amazon where my books are on sale. You will find a link at the end of this blog to deliver you safely to the exact place.
While on the Amazon page, I have a request for you.
If you have read Transformed in Bethany or Hannah’s Promise, leave your comments to help others know how these books impacted you. If you have not yet read my books, take time to see what others are saying.
Of course, if you are already one of Hannah’s devoted friends, I’m sure you’ll want be one of the first to order Hannah’s Promise Devotional and Discussion Guide. Those who have reread Hannah along with the guide have expressed amazement at how much they benefitted from this more interactive encounter.
If you haven’t yet made friends with Hannah, you have a delightful experience ahead of you! Don’t wait any longer.
“Hey! What about Joel’s Wife?” I heard some of you thinking.
Well, be happy! We don’t have long to wait. Really!
I know you’re excited, but before going to Amazon, enjoy the verses below. They may be an encouragement to those of you who are also finding that it is much harder and takes a lot longer to accomplish your goals than you wished it did.
“What does the worker gain from his toil?
I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 NIV
So let’s keep up the good work, friends! AND here’s that link I promised.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=arlene%20pinkley%20ussery&sprefix=arlene+pin%2Caps%2C270&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aarlene%20pinkley%20ussery
Make comments about this blog by clicking on the COMMENTS tab to the right of the title.
Play a game? Make a favorite dessert or meal? Take them to a special place?
What did you feel as they entreated you?
Special? Needed? Flattered?
Probably you wanted to do what they asked, especially if they were important to you. But maybe you also felt a little uneasy, nervous about whether you could do what they wanted. Perhaps their desire challenged your time, your skills, your resources, or your competing goals.
Well then, you know how I felt when some of you began asking me to write a study guide for Hannah’s Promise.
At the time I began receiving requests from readers of Hannah’s Promise, I had already jumped into the novel, Joel’s Wife. It was fun, writing and thinking about how much you would enjoy it. I didn’t want to stop.
One day while walking together at the marina, I appealed to one of my devoted readers, Jenny, for confirmation on my decision. “I’m going to wait until after I finish Joel’s Wife to write a study guide. This novel is going to be such an amazing story! My readers are waiting for it.”
But Jenny shook her head and said, “We readers need your help in applying the insights from Hannah’s Promise to our own lives. Even more than we need another great story.”
I doubt I rolled my eyes, but I know I felt like doing so. Just what I need, I thought. Another project to juggle!
But. . .
Well, I really do care about you, my appreciative readers. And from the comments of others of you, I realized what Jenny said was true. So I began sharing time, jumping back and forth between working on my novel and the study guide.
Writing the guide wasn’t easy for me. I wrote it three times with totally different approaches and divisions, wanting to create the very best for you. After a year of experimenting and praying for God’s wisdom, I settled on a plan that seemed right. After that, it was much easier. Even fun.
Still, I felt a bit insecure, unsure of how well it would work. That’s when Marge (another of those enthusiastic readers) offered to test the devotional and discussion guide in her women’s class at church.
Would you like to hear the comments they made? I included them in the description of Hannah’s Promise Devotional and Discussion Guide that I put on Amazon where my books are on sale. You will find a link at the end of this blog to deliver you safely to the exact place.
While on the Amazon page, I have a request for you.
If you have read Transformed in Bethany or Hannah’s Promise, leave your comments to help others know how these books impacted you. If you have not yet read my books, take time to see what others are saying.
Of course, if you are already one of Hannah’s devoted friends, I’m sure you’ll want be one of the first to order Hannah’s Promise Devotional and Discussion Guide. Those who have reread Hannah along with the guide have expressed amazement at how much they benefitted from this more interactive encounter.
If you haven’t yet made friends with Hannah, you have a delightful experience ahead of you! Don’t wait any longer.
“Hey! What about Joel’s Wife?” I heard some of you thinking.
Well, be happy! We don’t have long to wait. Really!
I know you’re excited, but before going to Amazon, enjoy the verses below. They may be an encouragement to those of you who are also finding that it is much harder and takes a lot longer to accomplish your goals than you wished it did.
“What does the worker gain from his toil?
I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 NIV
So let’s keep up the good work, friends! AND here’s that link I promised.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=arlene%20pinkley%20ussery&sprefix=arlene+pin%2Caps%2C270&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aarlene%20pinkley%20ussery
Make comments about this blog by clicking on the COMMENTS tab to the right of the title.
