Expectant Hope
One that’s been very good for my heart. My word for 2008 is Expectant Hope. Beyond the other words God has given me, this phrase both terrifies and excites me. I’ve spent a lot of years being afraid to hope, afraid to live in a state of expectancy because all too often life dashes hopes on harsh reality. Much like my main characters in Healing Promises. It wasn’t until I finished writing the story that I saw how much my life paralleled the main characters’ struggles. So it shouldn’t have surprised me when God gave me a word exemplifying the journey through Healing Promises. A journey of hope even when life hurts. A journey of expectation that is focused on God because He promises He will bring from every tear and trial something good for our soul. I pray, if you haven’t already, that you’ll talk to God about what He has in store for you this year. Not to get a detailed list, but to have a place to focus your prayers and watch Him work. I hope you’ll stretch your arms wide and reach up with expectancy to receive what God has promised. The most important of His amazing promises is Himself and His never-failing love. I pray too that as you reach for Him this year, you’ll receive not only the sunshine and gifts, but also the storms and struggles as coming from His hand. And that you’ll say with Job, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be His Name. May He become ever closer and more real as He wraps His loving, nail-scared hands around you and whispers in your ear, “You are my beloved child. With you I am well pleased.” You are amazing! In this month we set aside to focus on love, help us remember You are love. All the time. Always for us, no matter what lies ahead. Strengthen our hearts and our bodies for the road before us. Keep our eyes focused on You. We need You. And You are always there. Holding us, loving us, and continually smiling and cheering for us. Thank You. Amen.
Top Three At the end of every year and the beginning of every new there seems to be an abundance of lists to be found, heard, and viewed for the best of everything under the sun. Books. Movies. Songs. People Magazine’s Sexiest Men and Women of the Year. And so on. But what if you had to list, not your favorite entertainments, but the three most important things to do in life? What would they be? My answer hit me out of the blue this week as I was working on a sticky writing situation. It came as a list of three simple words. Words that have taught me how to live a dream. Words that are vital for living your dream well, no matter what that dream is. The first is Pray. Pastors know this. Missionaries know this. So do lots of amazing moms I know. And a number of equally amazing writers. Without prayer we’d be lost. We’d be struggling to figure life out, unsure and afraid of what’s around the corner. But through prayer, we have access to a holy God who not only knows everything about everything, but He wants to share His truth and wisdom with us because He loves us. If you’re like me, there are times I pray and still struggle to figure life out and not be unsure and afraid. That’s why I’m incredibly thankful for another aspect of prayer that expands the intimate group of God and me to include many more folks. A wise writer-friend strongly encouraged me early last year to ask a group of people if they’d be willing to pray with and for me on a regular basis. I’d been struggling with so many aspects of the writing life and the current project I was working on that her idea of a prayer group was like water to a desert traveler. This amazing group of pray-ers and I have been together for a year now, and without their incredible support, I don’t know if I’d have survived the writing life thus far. They not only pray, but they also encourage and exhort me to keep looking to Jesus and seeking Him. If I could offer one piece of advice for how to live a dream and do it sanely, it’d be to ask God to bring a few people to mind who you can ask to pray for you regularly. Praying as I send my awesome prayer group an update before I write on Saturdays is an incredible, peaceful and soul settling way to start my writing day. So, number one on my list of important things to do as you live a dream is pray. I’ll share the next two words in upcoming newsletters, so stay tuned. In the mean time, I hope you’ll be thinking about your top three. What wise words would you like to pass on to the next generation?
What's New 
Keeping Kids Safe Here’s a great tip for keeping our kids safe, submitted by one of our newsletter community. Lee writes, “We were always told that there should be a secret code word that the children are taught. If anyone can't repeat the codeword, then the child is told never to go with that person...no matter what.” This tip is echoed on the FBI website for kids and it’s something we’ve discussed with our children as well. It’s an easy and simple thing to do, especially if you make it a game to see who comes up with the perfect word. If you have a tip to share, please email me at amy@amywallace.com! I’d love to add your name and tip to the website and highlight you in the newsletter. It’s a great way to build community and help one another in protecting our precious children.
And the winner is…
Be sure to let your friends know! And maybe if they win, they’ll share some yummy chocolates.
Subscriber Specials Would you like to have a signed, pre-released copy of Healing Promises? When the author copies arrive, I’ll have a few influencer books not already designated and would love to send you one! All I ask is that if you enjoy the book, please choose one or more of the ideas below to spread the word about Healing Promises. If you have a creative idea that’s not on the list, please email and let me know! Influencer Ideas Contact me for bookmarks and/or stamped postcards to give out to friends and family or church and local bookstores. Do a blog review of Healing Promises. I’ll be happy to send book cover jpgs. And if you let me know when you post, I’d love to stop by and say hello. Post a review on Amazon, CBD, Barnes and Noble. Ask your local library to carry Healing Promises. Recommend Healing Promises to a local book club. There are discussion questions included in the book. And I’d love to visit your book club, either in person or via speakerphone to answer questions and talk with readers. Tell your friends and family about Healing Promises. Also, and most important, please pray that Healing Promises will connect with readers and many hearts will be touched, encouraged, and drawn closer to the Lord.
More ways you can help spread the news Word of mouth is the very best way to let people know about great books. If you enjoy Healing Promises, please add it to your Amazon Listmania, Shoutlife favorite novels, Shelfari, or other online community favorites. Another great way to spread the news is to point friends and family to my websites: Defenders of Hope and the new Heart Chocolate website coming February 14th. It would also be awesome if we could exchange blog links. My site seeing list is in need of updates and I’d be honored to have the Heart Chocolate blog listed on yours.
Knowing there are people praying for me as I walk this writing journey is a huge encouragement to my heart. Thank you for lifting these requests to the Father!
A prayer for you: Jesus, You have lovingly fashioned each of these precious people reading this newsletter. They are written on Your heart and you call them by name. I pray they’ll experience Your love in a new and deeper way this month and in the months to come. May they know without a doubt how extravagantly, amazingly, and completely You love them. Thank You so much for blessing my life with them and for loving each of us with Your everlasting Love. Amen. Abundant Valentine blessings,
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For a few years now, I’ve followed my amazing mentor in seeking the Lord for a word that captures what He has to teach me in the coming year. It’s become an exercise of prayer and faith.
Stay tuned for an extra special drawing just for newsletter subscribers! We’ll be picking a name on February 29th and giving away our first Healing Promises gift pack, including a Healing Promises mug, a Starbucks giftcard, a box of Godiva Chocolates and a pre-release signed copy of Healing Promises.
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