I love celebrations! The times we remember, laugh, reminisce , dream. I love the tactile reminders of what was and is, the closure and the looking ahead. I don’t do well with stiff formalities because they usually make me want to laugh or do something distracting, but something deep inside feels satisfied when a milestone or important event is acknowledged sufficiently.
So I want to celebrate that now it’s five years that my book is out in the big, wide, beautiful world.
I maintain that the best authors don’t write because they have all the answers but because they’re the ones who are brave enough to wrestle with questions that might not have tidy answers. I have experience as a single, but I don’t do it perfectly, so the book isn’t about pat answers. My vision as I wrote was to give ladies a picture of what kind of life God is inviting them to even if theirs doesn’t have the color and shape of their expectations. I saw girls become desperate or depressed when they didn’t get boyfriends by age 26, and it grieved me because I knew that desperation or depression was never what God designed them for.
What IS our design and purpose? That’s what I explore in the book.
I’m still exploring the question. I’ve slid into the same kind of depression/desperation/despair that I’ve seen in others. During the past five years, there were times when my closest friends told me maybe it’s time for me to read my book again. ugh. (I haven’t met any author who wants to go back to read their book. Never.) There were dark, dark nights. Even dark months, when I felt only questions and emptiness and heavy sighs. That was real, but so is the bright sunshine, the wide vistas, the incredible care of the wild, unpredictable, endlessly-loving Almighty.
So I’m still learning. Still reaching forward and messing up and living as falteringly and certainly as one does when she knows where and who Life is.
I’ve loved the interaction with readers, the feedback (mostly positive, thank God), the questions it sparked off, and most of all, the embarking on a journey of wonder and knowing we are never, ever alone. Now I want to celebrate the amazing five years behind us.
I want to do a DOUBLE book giveaway to FIVE people–one for you and one for you to give away. In comments here or by Facebook message or email, tell me why you want need a copy of the book, and who you’d give a copy to. The giveaway is open from April 5-10. I want to give the book to the desperate, depressed girls I wrote it for. Will you help me get it to them? Let’s go!
Tis a Gift to Receive 
I would love to have a copy of your book. I’ve heard about it numerous times from people who have read it–all positive reviews. My longings for a companion have increased dramatically since the death of my dad a couple months ago. The same thing happened after Mom died over 8 years ago. I want someone to go through grief with me. Yes, I know the desperateness you talk about. Been there many times! Yes, I run to God over and over. But still, the longing for someone in flesh and blood remains intense.
Who else would I give a copy to? I don’t know which of my many single friends I’d bless with the extra copy! My mind starts darting from one to another, knowing numerous ones would be blessed by it. I’d probably want to read it first, and then decide who gets it–and find out who has it or doesn’t have it.
I already gave your book to my church library, but I could certainly think of some more people who would benefit from and enjoy your book!
I need this too. 🙂 I would love a copy of my own to compare, you know… (moving quickly on)… and I would dearly love to do a giveaway for the second copy on my own blog.
Anita, I’m still offering to be one of the necessary people in the chain to get this book translated to Spanish…. my friends need “La Vida es Para Vivir” so badly! Believe me, my copy has made its rounds among all my single missionary friends (and some married, too!)…. and it’s tattered because of my own frequent search for necessary-for-the-moment paragraphs. I would give both copies to friends on the field as they disciple señoritas for the Lord. ~Judy Lehman El Chal, Santa Ana, Peten, Guatemala
That’s a great milestone, Anita! I’m glad for you. I think I’ll pass on the giveaway–not sure it would be very appropriate for me to be giving it to single ladies:) Blessings on your weekend.
BTW: I (along with three others) are heading for Kansas City this afternoon to attend a Cross-cultural Training Seminar. It’s from 6:00 – 9:00 this eve. and 9:00 – 5:00 tomorrow. I look forward to it.
The reason I’d like to enter the giveaway is so I can bless TWO other gals with the book- and the lady- who has so influenced my own.
Congratulations! Five years and counting!
I already have your book–it was given to me and I have read, underlined, and enjoyed it. The “thank you” list is one of the things I have implemented, though I’ve adapted it to my situation, and tried to cultivate the habit of thanking the Lord on the spot for blessings. My memory is too short to remember every blessing till the end of the day. And I periodically think about the credit card thief and the One who rescued her. And I’m confident there are other things that have become part of my subconscious approach to life.
I know who I would give the one to (assuming she does not already have it) and haven’t decided who would be the lucky recipient for the other one. I would probably start by asking the first person on my “list” if she already has it, then if she does go to the next one, and so on, till I find someone who does not already have it. –LRM
I would love to have a copy of your book! I have read it several times over the past years… and it helped me. Now, I am newly married (me! married?!?) and would love to share your book with the single girls in my life.
Congratulations! I have never read your book , but have heard manuy good reviews and really enjoy your blog.
I would love to read it and pass it on to my daughter. I also like the idea of having one in your church library
Anita, I like your book….it has some very good points for married ladies as well as single ladies! If I would win I’d have two books to give to single friends as I already have one!
Hi Anita!
I had the pleasure of (very) briefly meeting you at SMBI a few months ago. You autographed a little yellow paper for me to place in my copy of your book. I recently re-read it, and enjoyed it once again. (I love your extensive endnotes!) So real, so practical. It truly makes me want to get out there and live with passion and purpose, for after all, life is too short and beautiful to waste. Since re-reading it, I’ve started a little journal entitled, “He loves me. Let me count the ways…”
So obviously, I’ve read (and own) your book, so I don’t need one for myself. But I’d like to give two away to friends. One friend recently poured out her heart to me in an email. She’s struggling to know how to respond now that a guy “stole” her good friend. She also yearns for wisdom in properly relating to guys, and I know your book could help her. I’d like to give the second copy to a good friend in her early forties, who sometimes struggles in knowing her place in a world of couples.
Thanks for using your gift of words to bless other daughters of the King!
I think this book is about more than just “getting married” I think its about finding out who you are. Finding your worth apart from any other identities or roles such as “wife”, “mother”, “married”. And that is ALWAYS a good kind of book to own. I would keep one copy and pass on the other to a friend.
I don’t know that I count as desperate and depressed, God help me. At least not desperate… I try to stay far away from that! BUT. I’ve heard a lot about your book and would love to read it. I also have many single friends who might enjoy it as well.
Anita, believe it or not, I still haven’t read your book. I really want to, because I think there is a lot in it that I could apply to my life though I am married. The second copy I would either give away (not sure yet to whom) or put in our church library.
I love your book! I wish all girls could read it! def gave me a different perspective. I would give it to one of my friends that I would love to be blessed, just like I was with reading it.
Anita,I love your book!It’s been a huge help to me!And I don’t know how many times I’ve read it!I hope whoever gets your books will be encouraged as much as I am each time I read some of your book!God bless you!