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.

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.

Living with a Type 1 Kid

According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, almost 24 million Americans live with Diabetes. Almost 3 million of those people have Type 1 Diabetes, which generally strikes children, teenagers, and young adults (it can also be diagnosed in adults). More than 15,000 kids are diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes each year in America alone. That’s about 40 kids every day! Yet, despite these numbers, Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes still receives far less media attention than necessary to inform our nation’s parents and families and facilitate a change.

Emily and Sue, Photo courtesy: Sue Ayers

Sue Ayers is a mother who knows all too well what it’s like to have a child affected by Type 1 Diabetes. Her 11-year old daughter, Emily, was diagnosed with Type 1 on January 22, 2010. Tomorrow, on my blog talk radio show, Will Blog for Kids, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sue and chatting with her about Emily, life since the diagnosis, what she’s now doing to raise awareness for Type 1 Diabetes, important facts about Juvenile Diabetes, and much more.

My co-host, Michelle Devenport, will also be talking with Lisa-Jo Baker from The Gypsy Mama about her recent trip to Guatemala as a Compassion International blogger.

You won’t want to miss this show! I hope to see you in the chatroom tomorrow.

Here are the details:

Link to the show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rrradio/2010/11/05/robin-falls-kids–will-blog-for-kids

Date: Friday, November 5, 2010

Time: 11:00 AM Central/Noon Eastern

Show length: 1 to 1-1/2 hours

Call-in number: (646) 595-4478

*Online chat is also available during the show, so be sure to log into Blog Talk Radio before the show begins.

Edited to add: The link above also works for listening to the archive version of the show.

All right! So I started this blog to write about writing, and then I became so busy with my writing that I neglected to write about it. Make sense? Don’t worry. I’m still trying to figure it out too.

Not that I’m complaining about being busy with my writing projects. I wouldn’t want it any other way. After all, I am a freelance writer. Those projects are my livelihood. And, right now, I am blessed to have a writing project – a nonfiction book that I’ll share more about once it’s complete – that satisfies much more than monetary needs. It also appeals to the natural teacher inside of me that desires to share knowledge and help others learn and grow. This project allows me the opportunity and the platform to do that.

Have I mentioned that I really love my job? I do.

But… in addition to being a freelance writer, I’m also a devoted wife and the mom of two awesome kids. Oh yeah, and I’m working on fulfilling my dream of becoming a novelist. Somewhere in there – in my free time – I’m also trying to actually have a life! If my fairy godmother were to appear today, would I ask for millions of dollars or an elaborate home? Nope. I’d ask for more hours, quiet and uninterrupted hours, in my day to accomplish everything and still have time left to relax and enjoy my family. The sad thing is, I’d probably just look at those extra hours as excuses to add even more things to my already full plate!

Since my fairy godmother is apparently on vacation and a thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth hour haven’t been miraculously added to my clock, I am resolving to become a better steward of my time and energy. Today, with the help of my handy dandy Outlook schedule, I managed to have one of the most productive – possibly THE most – and least stressful work day I’ve had all year long. All because I simply took five minutes this morning to plot out a rough schedule of what I needed to accomplish and create self-imposed deadlines. There’s something about seeing what I need to do and how much I’ve actually completed to motivate me to work harder and more efficiently. Not only did I finish everything I needed to for the day, I also managed to squeeze in a few extras. And I had time to simply enjoy playing with my kids at the end of the day. That matters to me most of all.

So, I’ll be back tomorrow. But only after I finish creating my new schedule!