Book Giveaway

My friend Rebecca Barlow Jordan wrote a nice review of my recent book, The Upside of Downsizing. Check it out at http://www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com/blog and perhaps you will win a free copy.

I'm also looking for cute 'senior moments' for another book I am writing. Contact me if you have one to share. Thanks so much.

Two by Two

I'm sitting across from my husband this morning in our shared home office and giving thanks that we made it this far in life--together. It's a good season. We've downsized (as in the title of my newest book THE UPSIDE OF DOWNSIZING), we're enjoying grandchildren and adult children, we're content with one another (flaws and all) and we are excited about some new adventures on our calendar, including a weekend in Sacramento for our granddaughter Shevawn's choir competition, a week-long vacation in Washington, DC, and a trip to the Midwest to visit extended family. I'm also going to June Lake in the Sierra Mountains for an all-gals' camping and hiking trip in July. Each day is precious and I'm paying extra attention to that truth as I lift my head and hands to God in praise and gratitude.

Following God One YES At A TIme

Connie Cavanaugh’s latest book, Following God One Yes at a Time, has just been released by Harvest House Publishers. This book tells you how -- one simple, immediate, possible yes at a time – to do what Jesus commanded when He said, “Follow Me.” This is “following God for dummies”; it is a simple way for ordinary Christians to follow Christ through the maze of our complicated lives.

Q: You begin by saying “God has a dream for every believer.” Could you explain that?

God does have a dream for every believer. In fact He has many overlapping, interlocking dreams for us: some big, some small; some lifelong, some seasonal; some manageable, some seemingly impossible. When His dream looks like a mountain we can’t climb, because we lack faith in ourselves and in Him, we think:
• This dream is too big; I don’t have what it takes.
• The process looks so complicated; I don’t even know where to start.
• The finish line is so far away; I don’t think I can go the distance.
• I’ve tried before and dropped out; I must be all out of chances.
• Is this God speaking or my own wishful thinking?
• People like me don’t get to do these things; I’m not worthy of this.

Q: Are these the barriers you refer to in the book’s subtitle Overcoming the Six Barriers that hold you back?

Yes, the biggest barriers to following God are internal, not external. It’s not situations, circumstances, tragedies, crises or even physical limitations but it’s things like fear, guilt, pride, shame, comparison, and doubt that hold us back from pursuing the dreams God has for us. Following God one yes at a time is about how God breaks down His impossible dream into manageable steps and once we begin to follow Him in faith, because He loves us, He sends us proofs that we’re on the right track.

Q: God sends us “proofs” when we follow Him? What do you mean by that?

Even though we talk about a God who is alive and personal, all Christians occasionally feel like He is remote and invisible. Once God gets us to say yes to His dream and begin following Him, He knows that we’re going to be battling doubts and fears so He sends us proofs that we heard Him correctly and we’re on the right track. These proofs are little assurances that we pick up in a number of ways – through our daily Bible reading or hear in a sermon or through music or circumstance or pretty much anything that God chooses to use. He’s not limited in the ways He communicates with us. These “proofs” are His way of encouraging us not to lose heart but to keep following.

Q: Where can people find this book?
You can buy Following God One Yes at a Time at most Christian booksellers and online bookstores. If your local bookstore does not carry it, they can order it for you.

It is available at these links:
Amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dca-books-english-tree&field-keywords=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time+connie+cavanaugh&x=0&y=0
Amazon.com (also available in Kindle) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_31?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time&sprefix=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time
Barnes and Noble http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?store=BOOK&WRD=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time&page=&prod=univ&choice=book&query=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time&flag=False&ugrp=1
Chapters and Indigo
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/search/?keywords=following%20god%20one%20yes%20at%20a%20time&pageSize=12

The Upside of Downsizing

Ta da! My latest book The Upside of Downsizing was just released on February 1, 2011 from Harvest House. It is now avaailable for sale from amazon.com and other online stores as well as directly from me. Send me an e-mail with your order if you wish. karen@karenoconnor.com. The book is a collection of short essays on the joy of creating a cozy life after the kids grow up and move out! Lots of practical tips as well as personal musings. I hope you like it.