Day 1 and a Giveaway!

It’s here! Day 1 of another 40-day blogging journey! I hope you’ll join me for as many of the 40 days as you can. The more of us “traveling” together – the more entertaining the voyage (at least for me!).

It’s been 150 days since the nightmare of my husband’s suicide began. 150 days of unbelievable grief and unbelievable joy. 150 days of seeing myself at my absolute lowest and weakest and yet seeing God’s strength poured out over me like I’ve never experienced before. But, these 150 days have also shown me the blessing of being surrounded by love, through God’s chosen vessels…people.

The surrounding hasn’t always been in the flesh. Sometimes, I’ve felt the love through prayers that have been lifted up to God’s throne room on my behalf. Some of the surrounding has come with words of encouragement received through social media outlets or right here in my own little blog-universe. Some of this encircling of love from friends (some I’ve never even met in person, by the way) has come through surprises I’ve discovered in my mailbox or that I’ve discovered on my front porch. Or…some have even found the means of sending touches of love to me at work…you are very clever (or determined…ha!). Regardless, the point in all of this is to simply say THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!! You have been the scaffolding for me these last 150 days. I could never have made it this far without you. I am so grateful for all of you!

And so…I invite you to continue to journey with me in these days of new beginnings and new normals in my new life as a young widow. For the next 40 days straight, you can find me here. Yes – I’ll be blogging for the next 40 days. As I noted in my previous blog post, I’ve done this a couple of times before, and it has always been very transformational. The number 40 in God’s Word always results in a time of great transformation. So, I’m setting out on another 40-day blogging journey anticipating great things but anticipating something transformational, nonetheless, in my walk with the Lord. I pray that somehow throughout this journey – you are blessed as well!

To kick things off, I just want to give something away! I have been so blessed these last 150 days…and now, I want to bless one of you. So, here’s how it’s going to work. One person will be receiving this little gift…$10 Starbucks gift card (not pictured), Jesus Lives by Sarah Young (a companion devotional to her very popular, Jesus Calling – which I LOVE), and a beautiful journal. If you happen to be the winner and already have any of these items, then pay it forward and bless somebody else with your gift.

The “rules” for entering:
One winner will be chosen at random. You can have up to four entries using the ways identified below. You don’t have to enter all four times – it just increases your odds. But, you can't utilize entries 2-3 without responding to the request detailed for entry 1. That's the only other stipulation. So, here you go:

1. First way to enter: please leave a comment here on this post (using the comments link in blue at the end of this post). Here’s what I want you to do…ask me a question…any appropriate question, and I’ll have a Q & A session in an upcoming post to answer your questions. I know I’ve been pretty transparent since the first day I began blogging, but I’m guessing there’s something you might like to know that I could answer. It could be a general question to get to know me better, or it could be a question about Chris’ death, or maybe about the grief process…just whatever comes to mind. Now – if it’s a completely vulgar or seriously inappropriate question (I pray that none of my readers would stoop to that level), it will get deleted. Otherwise…ask away.

2. The second way to enter – tweet about this post on Twitter or post about it on Facebook, providing the link back to this particular post. After doing so…come back here and leave another comment telling me you’ve done so.

3. Third way to enter: either follow my blog (using the follow link on the right) and leave a comment here telling me you’ve done it, or if you’re already following – simply leaving a comment saying “I’m a follower already.”

4. Last entry chance: let’s be friends on Facebook. If we are already…then simply leave a comment here saying, “We’re FB friends.” If not, send me a Friend Request and then come back here and leave a comment telling me you’ve done so.

If all you have time to do is #1 – that’s great! I just want to connect with as many of you as possible in as many avenues as we have available to us in this social media crazed world we now live in. Hence, the other entry possibilities.

The giveaway will be open for THREE DAYS – through Monday, October 3. I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday the 4th. That will give you busy weekenders plenty of time to participate. Just don’t forget! I’ll continue to post on Sunday and Monday, but you can still direct people to this particular post and link up to the contest as late as 11:59 pm on Monday!

May God richly bless your lives, as you’ve been such a blessing to mine!