My Freshly Brewed Life

May 8, 2013 By Barbie 8 Comments

Magazines.com Review & Giveaway!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I love magazines. I’ve had my share of subscriptions — health, diet, family, gossip. I have past issues of magazines that I love, so that I can refer to them from time to time. Although the internet has made it possible for one to receive lots of information via the world wide web, there is just something about turning the pages of a Food magazine and looking at amazing recipes, or clipping coupons from the latest subscription of your frugal favorite.

I was so excited to receive a $10 coupon code to Magazines.com and immediately headed over to pick a prize for myself. There were so many choices, some I’ve listed here:

Cooking with Paula Deen
Martha Stewart Living
Parenting Early Years
Parenting School Years
Prevention
Weight Watchers
Working Mother
Victoria
People
Southern Living
Food Network
Real Simple
Southern Lady
Crochet Today
Tea Time
Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting
Entertain Decorate Celebrate
Taste of South
Creative Machine Embroidery
Just Cross Stitch
Quilt
Quilter’s Newsletter
Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly
Creative Knitting
Quilter’s World
Sew News
Crochet World
Creating Keepsakes
Crochet
Card Maker

I chose Good Housekeeping, because it has a little bit of everything. Wouldn’t a magazine subscription make the perfect gift for yourself or that special mom in your life?

I am excited to offer one of my readers a FREE subscription from Magazines.com worth $10!

To enter, just fill out the form below. It’s a piece of cake! A winner will be picked on Wednesday, May 15th and announced on the form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Reviews/Giveaways

May 5, 2013 By Barbie 5 Comments

Inspired Blogger: Karrilee @ Abiding Love, Abounding Grace

I am so extremely excited to introduce you to this month’s Inspired Blogger! What can I say about Karrilee? She is a kindred spirit, a huge encourager and someone else I want to meet some day (what can I say, I want to meet you all!). I believe I met Karrilee through the Five Minute Friday, but really, I can’t remember, because I’m over 45 and have too much on my plate! But she writes beautifully in just five minutes and wow, what she can say in more! Her words pierce my heart and I am so thankful that God brought her into my life.

Without further adieu, meet Karrilee of
Abiding Love, Abounding Grace!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am honored to be here with you! My name is Karrilee and I have been married now for over half of my life to an amazing man, and we have one incredible nearly grown girlie… which means we are almost Empty Nesters! I am blessed to be surrounded by friends and family who I have lived life with and they have stood by me as I learn to stand up tall in who I really am. I strive to be Real… to be Authentic… and to actively live out the ‘tagline’ the Lord gave me this year: Speak Life. Be Love. Shine On.

How long have you been blogging and how/why did you start?

I have been blogging (on two blogs – one for business and one for writing!) since 2006. I started blogging for business because I was running my own website and wanted to gain a wider clientele as well as showcase my work. However, that blog has taken a backseat as my love and call to write is once again being stirred up & my ‘main’ blog is now where I spend most of my time! I started my writing blog in obedience to the Lord.

What is the purpose of your blog?

That start-up was in obedience to a call. The Lord asked me back in 2006 to give Him a year of Tuesdays. I had been feeling invisible in my church and was having trouble finding my people – my tribe, if you will – and He asked me to begin attending an Intercessory Prayer meeting at the church on Tuesday mornings where I connected with like-minded, tender-hearted, kindred-spirit women. He impressed upon me that He would meet me there, and I was to write about what He showed me during that time. So – I gave Him a year… and wrote every week. But I loved it so much – I stretched it out to several years. Eventually our group stopped meeting, and my writing became less consistent, but the purpose of my blog is still the same. To spend time with Him… and to share what He is saying. My life message is all intertwined in the intimacy of Jesus and how personal and Present He really is! He is always reminding me of His Abiding Love, and His Abounding Grace (which is where the name of the blog came from!)

What do you most enjoy about blogging?

I love hearing His heart for me – then writing it out… only to hear that it is what you were needing to know and hear as well! I love the Community that happens when we connect, heart to heart, screen to screen, blog to blog… and share real life – the ups and downs… and reach out and stand together. I love knowing that what He shows me – even when it feels personal and specifically for me- doesn’t have to stop with me! I can share it here and let the heart of the message touch others as well!

What are you passionate about?

Not surprisingly, words! I am passionate about writing – but I am also passionate about my family, about art and photography, about travel… mostly, I am passionate about being Me in every room and living out every one of the days He has given me. I am passionate about Speaking Life, about Being Love, and Shining His Light brightly wherever I go! I am passionate about letting people know how incredibly, ridiculously, passionately in love He is with them. I am passionate about creating space and atmospheres where we can encounter His Love… where we can extend His Grace!

Who or what inspires you?

Of course – the Lord, first and foremost! My relationship with the Father, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit is key and inspires me in all areas of my life (I love those Guys!) – and they help me to see other sources of inspiration as well. My husband inspires me… he is the most amazing, consistent person I have ever met! My daughter, of course… because she is awesome and full of joy and wisdom beyond her years. I am inspired by creation and His breathtaking attention to details… from sunsets to flowers – I see His love. So many writers who craft words together that form sentences that pierce my heart and catch my breath… who can reach right in and shift things around within me. I am inspired by anyone who exudes the Love and Grace of God on any sort of consistent basis – who live this out for years and years… for we know this is not easy – but this is our call! I believe there is inspiration all around us… I believe in the power of testimony… it reminds us that He is actively at work – and if He is at work for you, then I know He is at work for me! And you… yes YOU, sweet reader. I am inspired by those who take the time to read my heart and lean in with me, as we pursue more of Him together in our lives!

Tell us something random about yourself.

I am a miracle. I was not supposed to survive my birth. My blood type was battling hard against my mother’s and (waaaayyy) back then – well… I was in the hospital for 6 weeks, and every day they would tell my parents that I would not survive the night. Finally after 6 weeks, when it looked like they were right, and I would not see the morning light, my mother pleaded with the nurses to let her hold me. She had never been allowed to hold me – skin to skin. The doctor was horrified at hearing this and instructed them to bring me to her immediately. That was the night things began to turn around. While I was not raised in an openly Christian home – my mother would recall this story over and over throughout my life and would speak into my Destiny… telling me that I was spared for a purpose! The purpose she always spoke over me? To be love… to show others how to be love as well!

Will you share with us one of your favorite posts and what you love about it?

One thing you should know about me – I can not ever pick a favorite! It doesn’t matter if it is ice cream flavors, colors, songs, you name it – I can’t for the life of me pick just one! Can I ‘cheat’ and give you a few?

The Flow of Grace
Leaving a Mark

And lastly, how could I not include the story of my birth – this Five Minute Friday Post is based on the story above:
FMF – Cherished (pt 1)

* * *

Karilee, thank you for taking time to share with my readers. If you haven’t already met this beautiful woman of God, will you head on over to her blog today to say hello?

Filed Under: Inspired Blogger

May 3, 2013 By Barbie 28 Comments

The Weekend Brew: The Courage to Dream

I use to believe that my heart was void of dreams. At some point along life’s path, I’vc forgotten how to dream. Can a heart every really be without a dream?

For is not a dream the weight of an expectant heart, fully pregnant with the hope and promise of what could be?

I have some big and scary dreams in my heart — at least they are too me. There are moments when I want to dive head first right into the center of them. But most of the time, I hold back. I breathe in deep, forgetting to exhale to release the dreams that lay waiting to be birthed. I wait, and wait, and wait, asking God to give me a sign, a vision or a word of confirmation that my dreams are really what He desires for me.

It’s taken me some time to realize that God put these desires in my heart. These big and scary dreams, they were birthed in the heart of God for me. I want to be brave, to walk forward, to throw caution to the wind; yet still I want to make sure that His will is accomplished through the pursuit of these dreams. I don’t want to do anything that isn’t a part of His plan.

This past week a dear friend began to help me to dream again. She took my hand and said, “let’s go!” It’s so like God to send a kindred spirit to help me to hear His voice, the same voice that was whispering His approval all along.

And I can hear Him saying, “Come on, My Daughter, I’ve been waiting for you. Let’s go!”

My dear friend has given me the courage to dream again. And God has been waiting for me all along.

And so I go, confidently, in the direction of my dreams.

Now it’s your turn to share encouragement here at The Weekend Brew.
1. Share a post, photo, scripture — anything that breathes life and encourages. (Please only link one post. Multiple posts from the same site will be deleted.)
2. Grab the button to use in your post, or simply link here.
3. Visit the person who linked up before you (and a few others if you have time).