I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching lately about the the direction I should go with my life and my writing career. So, last Sunday I saw a sign that contained a quote by Francis Chan that I simply haven’t been able to get it off my mind since I read it. Here’s the quote:

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”

That one sentence says so much. Apparently, that alone wasn’t enough for me though. I woke up this morning with a song on my heart that won’t go away no matter how many other songs I sing. Ever have that happen? Well, I’m a believer, and I don’t believe that things happen by coincidence. God has put this quote and this song in my heart and mind for a reason. I just have to figure out how that plays into the decisions I need to make.

So, like I often do when a song hits me, I put aside the work and sat down to the piano to sing my heart out for a while. There’s nothing that fixes my attitude and my focus quite like it. Still, even after I sang and played for almost an hour, I kept coming back to that same song. For some reason unknown to me, I’m supposed to share this song with you all today. I’ve never done this before. Yes, I’ve sang, played instruments, and performed in front of people before. I’ve even been played on the radio before. But never, ever have I made a video and placed it on the big, bad Web.

But God is prompting me to do this. When He speaks, I listen. So, this song is for someone out there. I don’t know your name or what the circumstance is that you’re going through right now, but God does.

You were made for His glory. You were made for a specific purpose. You were made to praise Him in all that you do.

I’ve been hosting a coffee giveaway from Cumberland Farms on my blog for the past few days and promised to announce the winner today. I’m super busy with writing (finished a nonfiction book for my editor last night and am working on my novel today) and might not get to this later, so I’m going to jump right to the results. I know that’s what you all want to know anyhow!

First, a quick reminder of the prize: The winner will receive a one pound bag of Cumberland Farms Farmhouse Blend Coffee, a plastic travel mug (safe for the dishwasher and microwave), and two coupons for free hot or iced coffee (any size) at any Cumberland Farms locations.

And the winner is…

PinchingAbe from Making Ends Meet

Congratulations on your win! Look for an email from me today so we can get your prize shipped out to you right away.

A big thanks to all who entered and helped spread the word about the giveaway. Thank you again to Cumberland Farms for hosting this great coffee giveaway on my blog!

Giveaway: Win free coffee, travel mug, and coupons from Cumberland Farms (coffeemaker not included)

I don’t know about you, but I love getting free things. What I love even more is getting free things that are really good products… like coffee! Well, if you live anywhere near a Cumberland Farms I have good news for you. Cumberland Farms is continuing their New Year’s Eve tradition and giving away FREE coffee (hot or iced) starting at 5 pm on December 31 and going through 5 am on January 1. With over 300 store locations, there’s bound to be one somewhere nearby, so be sure to swing by and grab your free cup of hot or iced coffee from Cumberland Farms while you’re out celebrating this New Year’s Eve. Their delicious coffee is worth the drive. (Find out where the closest stores are near you.)

In addition to offering tasty hot and iced coffee at a great regular rate (only $.99 for any size or flavor) at their stores, Cumberland Farms also sells pre-ground bags of coffee so you can brew and enjoy the coffee at home. In fact, while I’m writing this I’m sipping on one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever made in my home — courtesy of Cumberland Farms! It’s called Farmhouse Blend and is made with 100% Arabica beans and has the perfect blend of aroma, body, and flavor. The strength is just right and there’s no bitter aftertaste either. I’m a coffee addict and between my years serving in the military and my career as a writer I’ve tried volumes of coffee in just about every brand, flavor, and strength. Cumberland Farms is one of my new favorites!

But you don’t have to just take my word for it. Thanks to the generosity of Cumberland Farms, one lucky reader will win the opportunity to try it for himself or herself and receive a small package of goodies from Cumberland Farms! Here’s how:

Win the Prize: A one pound bag of Cumberland Farms Farmhouse Blend Coffee, a plastic travel mug (safe for the dishwasher and microwave), and two coupons for free hot or iced coffee (any size) at any Cumberland Farms locations.

To Enter the Giveaway:

• Simply leave me a comment telling me you want to win. Make sure to include your name, email address, and blog link (if you have one).

Earn Extra Chances to Win:

Here are a few extra ways to increase your chances of winning. Please leave a separate comment letting me know about each additional option you complete.

• Follow me on Twitter (@Jobrielyn) and tweet about this giveaway, including a link back to this post.
• Share this post on Facebook.

This contest starts now, December 30th, and will continue until 11:59 PM on Monday, January 2nd. The lucky winner will be announced on Tuesday, January 3rd. (Winner must respond within 48 hours.)

**I received no payment for this review, but did receive a free bag of Cumberland Farms Farmhouse Blend Coffee, a reusable travel mug, and coupons in exchange for an honest review.**

Our search for a church

My family moved over the summer to a new, much more urban area. In addition to scouring the area for a new house and schools, we’ve also been looking for a congregation to call our new home church. We know it’s out there, it’s just a matter of finding the one that’s the right fit for our family and beliefs. Unfortunately, in our search we’ve met with some interesting twists on what a church should be. Some that, quite frankly, make a funeral home feel like a warmer, more inviting place to be.

A different type of church

A drive-in church... Good idea or going to far?

When we were driving earlier this week, we came across a new type of church neither of us had ever seen before… a drive-in church! Honestly, I’m still not quite sure what to think of this. Part of me says, “Hey, at least you don’t have to worry about walking into a church building and facing the prospect of no one speaking to you or making rash judgements about you.” The other side says, “But where’s the human interaction?” It feels so mechanical, kind of like driving through the McDonald’s drive-in and saying, “I’ll take a number 5 with a sermon about brotherly love to go, please.”

Drive in, get your preaching, & never leave the car.

I guess what it boils down to is the real “Church” is the believers who gather together to worship God, not the building (or vehicle) they choose to do it in. Although, personally, I think I’ll stick to gathering with other people in a building, complete with air-conditioning and indoor bathrooms. Call me old-fashioned.

So, where do you stand on this? I’d love to hear (read) your input.

So, I was shopping in the mall in Albany today with my family. As usual, we ended up in the bookstore. I was browsing in the gardening section and came across copies of The New Kitchen Garden on the shelf. That’s the first book I worked on as contributing writer for Hatherleigh Press! Seeing my work on the shelf was beyond amazing, and I wanted to share the news with my readers.

Check it out here:

The Kitchen Garden is now in Borders!

And here:

Hey! That's my name in the book on the shelf.

What a nice motivator to keep writing and working even harder. This is just the first of what I hope will be many books bearing my name to grace store bookshelves!