ONLY YOU CAN BE YOU

We are all so very different. I look at my four children, all from the same mom and dad, and see four very, very different beings. They all act completely different, they learn different, they like different things, they are all so unique. The same can be said for my brother, my sisters, and myself. Four of us all from the same mom and dad, yet oh so different.

While differences are so wonderful, sometimes it can be hard to find that place where we fit in. Especially for children. Often times kids follow other kids just trying to fit in.

In their brand new children's book, Only You Can Be You, mother and son team Sally and Nathan Clarkson help our kids understand that what makes them different makes them great. They also learn that "the Maker of everything made us that way."

This book is beautiful! The illustrations, done by Tim Warnes, are colorful and fun. The rhyming words are catchy. And the message is one our kids (and dare I say us adults) need.

If you are looking for a children's book, I highly recommend Only You Can Be You. To order, click the banner below.

CHRISTMAS BLESSING GIVEAWAY

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year! I love everything about it. The lights, the sounds, the decorations, the extra family time, it is all wonderful. I have many memories of Christmas that I deeply cherish.

I remember my mom and grandmother sitting at the kitchen table carefully painting ceramic ornaments for our tree. I remember big family gatherings on Christmas Eve with my dad's side of the family. I remember Christmas mornings opening gifts with my parents and siblings, then eating Christmas cookies for breakfast! I remember having Christmas dinner with my mom's side of the family. And now I have many precious memories of Christmases with my husband and children. I am grateful for every single memory.

What are your favorite Christmas memories? I'd love to hear, please share in the comments below.

And now, for our 8th Annual Christmas Blessing Giveaway!

One blessed reader will receive $250 in Paypal cash! We pray it is a blessing to you this holiday season.

This blessing was brought to you by these blog:
Woman to Woman Ministries
Jenifer Metzger
Skill Trekker
A Delightful Glow
Joanne Viola
Rachael Gilbert
Katie Hornor
Coffee With Us 3
Awe Filled Homemaker
As For Me and My Homestead

Giveaway Rules: No purchase necessary. Must be 18 to enter. Void where prohibited by law. **Open to US/Canada residents only.** This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or associated by Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest. By entering this giveaway, you agree to release Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Woman to Woman Ministries, and all participating bloggers of all liability. Contest ends at 12:01am EST on December 15, 2019. Winning entry will be verified. Winner is randomly chosen by Rafflecopter and will be emailed.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FRESH START BIBLE

Sometimes we need a fresh start. A do over. Thankfully, we get that fresh start every single day with God. It doesn't matter what our past held, we repent and start over. Gateway has a new study Bible, the Fresh Start Bible. The Fresh Start Bible will help you understand Scripture in a fresh way as you learn to fully live for God.

The Fresh Start Bible includes:
New Living Translation
Fresh Start Journey: 52 important questions about the foundations of faith
Intersections: 59 key Bible characters and events
Road Signs: Practical teachings that illuminate Scripture and inspire spiritual growth
Worship Way: Discusses the What, Whom, Why, and How of worship
Freedom Path: Explores the spiritual freedom available to every believer
Bible Reading Breakthrough: Explains the importance of reading God’s Word every day
Leader Guide for Small Groups
Bible Book Introductions
Cultural and Historical Articles
Topical Scripture Lists
Charts, Tables, and 18 Full-Color Maps
Presentation Page
Jesus’ Words in Blue

The Fresh Start Bible is wonderful for men, women, teens, seasoned Christians, and new believers. Everyone will be blessed by this Bible!

To order the Fresh Start Bible, click the banner below:

Proof You Can Overcome Any Obstacle

Contributed post.

Sometimes, all it takes for you to overcome an obstacle is to really believe that you are capable

of doing it. It might sound cliche, but eradicating your limiting beliefs to overcome this hurdle is

half the battle. Here are a few reasons you can overcome the next one:

• You have survived 100% of your worst days - we’ve all had terrible days, and everybody reading this has survived each one of them. 
• You wouldn’t have an obstacle to overcome if it wasn’t there to teach you something - you have to think of life as happening for us, not to us. When you switch your mindset, great things can happen. 
• There are people who love you - you likely have family and friends who care about and love you. A strong support network is key for overcoming just about any obstacle. 

Here are a few more reasons and ways you can overcome things that may be holding you back:

You Are Unique

There may be things about you that are entirely unique - things that nobody else can do quite

the same. Perhaps you’re great at making friends with just about anybody, or talking your way

out of any situation. The key to overcoming obstacles is recognising your unique set of skills

and how they can get you ahead. 

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There Are All Kinds Of Support Groups

If, for whatever reason, you can’t speak to your family and friends about what’s going on, you

will usually be able to find support groups both in person and online that could help you. There

are abortion support groups, addiction support groups, depression support groups, and more.

Talking to other people may be the first step to getting help.

You Have A Purpose

Everybody has a purpose. Some people know what theirs is from birth, most often though,

people don’t have any idea what their purpose is. It won’t usually come knocking on your door,

so you need to give your life purpose. What matters to you? What do you love to do? You do

have a purpose, or you wouldn’t be here. You can overcome anything otherwise you wouldn’t

be here facing it in the first place. When you find your purpose, you should be able to overcome

obstacles more easily. 

Advice For Overcoming An Obstacle Now

Are you faced with an obstacle right now and you just don’t know what to do? Below you’ll find

some advice you can use now:

• Stay in the present moment - it’s no good focusing too much on the past or the future.
• Stay in the present moment and focus on what matters.
• Speak to somebody you trust - an outside perspective could help. 
• Become more self aware - be mindful of your thoughts and feelings and pay attention to how they affect your decision making. 
• Engage your own creativity - sitting down and forgetting about the obstacle for a while, rather than focusing on it, can actually help you to come up with a solution. Do something where you can get into a flow state like painting. 

How will you overcome the obstacles in your life? 

JENIFER'S GIFT GUIDE

Today I want to share some of my favorite products with you. All of these items would make wonderful Christmas gifts! Many of these shops are offering incredible Black Friday deals, some have even started early!

{in}Courage Devotional Bible - The (in)Courage Devotional Bible is one of my favorite Bibles! With 312 devotions by 122 (in)Courage community writers, 10 distinct thematic reading plans, 66 book introductions connecting each book of the Bible to the whole biblical narrative, stories of courage from 50 women of the Bible, journaling space,and more, women are going to love this Bible. There are 5 cover options including a special edition Candace Cameron Bure designed cover. To order the (in)Courage Devotional Bible, click HERE.

Write the Word Journal - Does growing in your faith feel complicated? It doesn't have to! Write the Word journals have helped of women find a simpler way to dive into God's Word and grow their faith. Each journal has a theme such as the garden, worship, fruit of the Spirit, contentment, joy, hope, faith, renewal, prayer, and forgiveness. The journals have a Scripture prompt, then you simply write the Word! There is something very powerful about writing out Scripture in your own handwriting. These journals make great gifts women wanting to grow their faith. There are even Write the Word journals for kids! To order Write the Word journals, click HERE.

Powersheets - Do you know someone who loves goal setting? Or maybe someone who really doesn't, but wants to work on it? The Powersheets are the perfect gift! Powersheets help you learn what matters most to you, what you really want to cultivate in your life, then helps you plan out your goals. Powersheets teach you that little by little progress is far better than perfection. Powersheets are perfect for women in all seasons of life. To order Powersheets, click HERE.

Simplified Planner - The Simplified Planner is a wonderful gift for any woman! This planner comes in a weekly or daily edition, each edition has 6 covers to choose from. Each planner has simplified prep work, simplicity tips, and much more. Plus, there are matching accessories such as mini notebooks, pens, bookmarkers, and more. To order a Simplified Planner, click HERE.

Quiet Time Companion - The Quiet Time Companion is a wonderful gift for any woman who loves to journal her way through her quiet time. This journal offers not only daily quiet time pages, but also sermon note pages, prayer request pages, prayer lists, and a Bible reading plan. To order the Quiet Time Companion, click HERE.

Highlighters & More - The Daily Grace Co has the perfect highlighters for your Bible! These gel highlighters do not bleed through thin Bible pages. The highlighters say pray, abide, reflect, praise, believe, and dwell. Plus, there are scented highlighters, pens, coffee mugs, Bible studies, jewelry, and so much more. Use code THANKFUL to get 30% of everything at The Daily Grace Co! To order from The Daily Grace Co, click HERE.

Cozy Pom Pom Throw - This is seriously the softest blanket ever! 50x60 inches, this Pottery Barn blanket is the perfect blanket for snuggling on the couch with a good book or movie. It comes in 7 beautiful colors and can be monogrammed. To order the Cozy Pom Pom Throw, click HERE.

Echo Show 5 - We love our Echo Show 5! This Alexa device does so much. Our family loves music and has music playing constantly. Before, this meant we were changing cds every hour or so, listening to commercials on the radio, or draining our phone batteries. Now, we just say, "Alexa, play praise and worship music" or whatever we may be in the mood for. I can also listen to podcasts! We can ask the weather; traffic reports; listen to audio books; set alarms or timers; add to a shopping list; quiz yourself on state capitals, sport facts, presidents, or other interesting info; look up recipes; and so much more. I also love the sunrise feature! When you set an alarm, fifteen minutes before the alarm is set to go off, the screen slowly brightens with sunrise colors. There is also a camera (this feature can be shut off for privacy) so you can drop in from another device or your phone to check on the kids or chat with the family. The Echo Show 5 is a wonderful gift that anyone will love. To purchase, click HERE.

FabFitFun - FabFitFun is a subscription box that any woman will love! You get eight to ten full size, high end products, for only $50! Gift an entire box, gift the entire year of boxes (four boxes each year), or split up the box and have eight different gifts! Used code WINTERFUN to save $10 on your box. Order before December 1st and use code DOUBLEUP to get a free mini box with an additional 4 mystery products. To order FabFitFun, click HERE.

Loopy Case - Loopy cell phone cases are the only cases I will ever use! They have tons of cases and their cases come with a finger loop. Help your loved ones keep a hold of their phone and stop the drop with Loopy! To order a Loopy, click HERE.

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