Dream a Little Dream.....( Giveaway Winners!!!)

Congratulations to Audrey and Jessica! You both won our giveaway for this week! Please e-mail me your personal information (Name, address) so that I can send you your book, Life Savors for Women.  Thank You for participating!

Please send it to: kimchilya4@yahoo.com

Happy Friday Ladies!

You are never too old to dream! Moishe Rosen teaches a one sentence mental exercise that is an effective tool to help people identify their dreams. Fill in the blank:

If I had____________________

I would____________________

The idea is that if you had unlimited time and resources, what would you do with your life? Go ahead, go crazy!

As most of you know, Ralene and I are Christian Writers. We both dream of taking the talents God gave us and encouraging women with our faith through writing. This blog is a small manifestation of the  bigger dream to come.   Also, Ralene is currently working on her dream of one day becoming a published fiction author and has been doing so for some time now.  I  too continue to take steps of faith daily.  In fact, this past week I entered my very first writing contest held by the Women of Faith International. This was  a huge step for me because in the past I would allow fear to hold me back. I feared failure.  However, I conquered my fear by taking  hold of  God’s promises and my destiny with faith!  Faith without works is dead just like works without faith is dead.  You need both to accomplish all that God has for you!

Encourage.Empower.Extend. was as created with your dreams in mind! Ralene and I want to encourage you in becoming the woman God created you to be.  So take out those dreams of long ago and allow God to rebirth them with new life so that they take on joy once again. All things are possible with God!

The Word of God says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy. (Proverbs 13:12) Be encouraged as you make your way through this Friday and into the weekend, knowing that God is your unlimited resource. In fact, He loves to birth dreams for those of us willing to have the faith to receive them!

What would you do if there were no limits on your life?

Thank you ladies for sharing the week with me and I look forward to getting to know you all more in the months ahead.  In the next couple of weeks, we will be having some special Guest Bloggers joining us  and more giveaways  to come, so keep in touch!

Dream a little Dream Today and Always…..Kimchi Blow

Eclectic and Passionate Me....( And a GIVEAWAY!!)

  

When I was younger; I was sitting in the living room with my grandfather watching the 1984 Olympic Games on television.  Mary Lou Retton was performing and won the All Around Gold medal in Women’s Gymnastics.  I turned to my grandfather and proudly stated, “I can do that, Grampa!” His response to me was, “I like your style girl, I like your style!”  In other words, I’ve always wanted to do something big one day to impact the world like Mary Lou Retton.  However, I have come far from those naive childhood dreams and learned to simply embrace who God called me to be.  I am not saying that I still don’t have dreams but what I’m saying is that I have found contentment and joy with my purpose in this world.

 If I had to describe myself, I would say, eclectic and passionate might be two words that best convey me.  I don’t have a specific style or way about me and I like having variety; so a little bit of everything works for me. Maybe that is why I can throw down on a buffet like no one’s business! I also tend to be the creative, free spirited type.  Of course, I have those days when my inner control freak emerges; I call it just being a woman. However, I found a perfect cure for that, a dose of chocolate and shopping; it works every time!   I am known to be humorous, serious, zealous and crazy all within moments of one another.  Believe me, there is no cure for this- I’ve tried!

By nature, I am an introvert and it takes everything in me to venture out and meet new people.  I prefer staying alone within the comfort of my home and remain there for weeks with no problem.  I love and live passionately! I am also a 39 year old military wife and an Army Veteran of six years. Yes, I got suckered into being all I could be.  I have four children, whose ages range from three to eighteen years old.  I have two beautiful girls and two fun loving boys.  My children have taught me a lot about love, grace and myself.   They are without a shadow of a doubt my greatest joys and I am and honored to be their mother. My husband, Craig, is a fun- loving, caring Military Officer who flies Black Hawk helicopters for the Army. He truly is my best friend and supporter in life.  Currently, we are stationed in Leavenworth, Kansas until he completes his Masters degree.  From time to time, God will open an opportunity for me to speak in various Christian communities where I enjoy one of my utmost passions, encouraging women in the hope of Jesus Christ and helping them reach their God given potential.  

Aside from my family, I enjoy writing, cooking, photography, reading, watching movies, lots of coffee and chocolate and let’s not forget -shopping! On occasion, I will try something out of my element, like running a half-marathon, going spelunking (cave exploring) or some other crazy goals I can muster up.  Adventure is something I love to seek after!   I only get those whims about once a year and as I get older they are becoming fewer and fewer.  

Some other interesting tidbits about me:

·         I LOVE the movie, The Sound of Music. (I pretend to sing like Julie Andrews..Not!)

·         I once played an extra in a movie called, “A Father’s Homecoming.” (I am still waiting for my Academy Award!)

·         My family is related to Martha Washington.

·          I once met Dennis Rodman in a local restaurant in San Antonio.( He was weird.)

·         I sometimes get suckered into shows like, “Hoarders” or” My Strange Addictions”.

·         I am known for the mysterious holes that appear in my t-shirts.(Don’t ask and I won’t tell)

 At the end of the day, I am just the typical stay-at-home mom who loves her family and enjoys beating her husband at board games (rarely happens).  You can find me most days with a cup of coffee in hand, blogging a way to my heart’s content while wearing some ugly sweats and possibly planning some fun with friends.  I am simple but yet complex and I’ve come to embrace who I am and more so Whose, I am.

What are your dreams? Please share your dreams with us and I will enter you into a book giveaway for Friday.  To double your chances, have a friend join our blog before Friday and credit you as the resource for joining our site.  Then, I will enter your name twice. If you win, both you and your friend will win a free book that I was able to be a contributing author to called, “Life Savors for Women.”

So, that’s a little about me…let me hear those dreams and meet your friends! :)

And The Winner is......Michelle Peterson!!!

  Congratulations ,Michelle Peterson!  You are the winner of our first give away on "Encourage.Empower.Extend."  Please send me an e-mail with your contact information so that I can send you the Amazon gift card. My e-mail address is: raeburk01@yahoo.com.  Thank you for participating and we look forward to getting to you know more.  Thank you also for your support as we try and encourage women of today.  Have a great day!......Ralene Burke

Congratulations, Michelle!! Thank you for sharing your comments with us and a little bit about yourself. I hope that we can continue to be a support for you in this season of your life.  God speed!......Kimchi Blow

Encouragement...Pass it On!

As I write this, I’m looking at the winter wonderland just outside my window in Kansas.  The beautiful snowflakes continue to fall covering the ground with a perfect, fluffy  white blanket.  It seemed like just yesterday, we were experiencing sweltering high temperatures and humidity; and today I am snuggled warm in my home with the fireplace roaring and a cup of coffee in hand.  It reminds me of how quickly seasons change.

As women, we too experience these drastic changes.  One minute, we are single enjoying the freedom that life brings with being independent and exploring the possibilities of the future. Next, we are thrust into a world of marriage, kids, car pools, play dates, laundry, cooking dinners and all while still trying to somehow keep a little part of ourselves within.  Sometimes, I find myself wondering what happened to me. I use to be this organized, calm and sophisticated woman who had hopes and dreams but somewhere it got lost in the mix of diapers, grocery shopping and caring for everyone else’s needs.  

Don’t get me wrong, being a wife and a mother is fulfilling to me, even more than I ever thought it would be; but there are times that I wonder if this is all there is for me, certainly not.  Am I called to more than just mopping floors, wiping snotty noses and pouring coffee for my husband? I would like to believe yes, I am.  However, we forget that our seasons are part of the overall journey we are on.  We shouldn’t discount any of them, but rather embrace and learn as much as we can in each.   There is a next season, by the way, just ask any mature woman who has already done the Brady Bunch mode. 

Until we get to that next season, we must remember to encourage ourselves and those around us who might need it too.  Everyone needs encouragement.  It is an important part of our maturing and growing process.  In the Word of God, Thessalonians 5:11, it says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”  God knew we would need to help one another get through life because it is challenging. 

The sad thing is in today’s world, there is not a lot of encouraging going on among women.  Just as Ralene mentioned in a previous post , there is more tearing down and division taking place due to jealousy and hatred.  However, we have a choice to choose people and things in our lives that will  help encourage us daily.  What exactly is encouragement?  I researched the original Greek and Hebrew meaning to the word “encourage” and  I came up with the following possible definitions; to encourage someone means to urge forward, to exhort, to strengthen, to teach, to comfort, and to make firm.  I simply love these definitions. 

It empowered me to know that when I encourage myself or others I am strengthening myself or setting myself firmly in my life! Wow, how powerful is that?  How should we encourage one another?  I believe encouragement starts with the truth of God’s Word and taking hold of it.  We do this by meditating on it and applying it to our lives.  This will comfort and strengthen you daily.  Especially on those days that life seems to be dragging by and you are tempted to  lose sight of the ultimate goal ahead.  Another way we can encourage ourselves is to keep positive people around us.  There is nothing better than to have a friend who is quick to listen, encouraging and who speaks  words of affirmation to you.  Have you ever received a compliment from a friend or even a complete stranger whose words washed over you like refreshing water? I know I have.  In fact, sometimes those very words were the very thing I needed to encourage me.

Never underestimate the power of encouragement.  In fact, let it be something you seek afterward daily.  What are some ways you need encouraging today? What are some ways that you can be an encouragement to others today?  Let your words be healing to yourself and then take that blessing and pass it on.  Ralene and I’s goal for this blog is to help be a source of that to you daily.  We want to be that best friend who meets with you at your house over coffee.  We don’t care that the children are running wild and the house is a mess.  The important thing  is that you realize that you are someone special worth talking to and worth giving hope to.  Be encouraged today and always that you are someone born with a purpose and your life matters! Have a great Monday…..

All About Me (and a GIVEAWAY)

First, let me apologize for not posting on Wednesday like I said I would. One of the things that you should know about me is that I am a military wife. Right now, my family is in transition from Kansas to Hawaii, and we took some time to go visit family. I was supposed to leave today from my parents, but because of a snowstorm, we had to leave a day early--which threw our itenerary into a frenzy. Needless to say, my blog post was one of the things that slipped through the cracks! Ah--life.

So, now you know one important thing about me. The military. I grew up the daughter of a soldier, then just happened to marry into the Army as well. It can be tough and there are lots of downfalls of being a military wife (or daughter), but there are many benefits as well and I would not change my life if given the chance. I meet all sorts of people and get to experience things that others do not--like living in Hawaii instead of just visiting for a week.

In addition to be a military wife, I'm also a mother of three adorable kids. Alana is my more serious, creative four-year-old. Kyra is my spunky three-year-old drama queen. And Connor is our newest addition at seven months old. Yes, the kids are pretty close together (which also has its pros/cons) and my house can be a zoo at times, but they're a blast--which is why I don't mind homeschooling them. The girls are both currently doing fun pre-school activities, but next fall Alana will start kindergarten at home.

My passion aside from God and my family is writing. I'm in the process of finishing up a novel (making two marketable ones) that I hope to find a home for by the end of the year. We'll see how that goes! I also post articles on my own blog, Faith, Hope, and Suspense, as well as Wives of Faith (a website for military wives), and now here.

Other little tidbits about me:

* My favorite color is purple

* I'm just as much a sucker for a good action flick as a sappy chick flick (or even a *gasp* teen drama)

* I have one blue eye and one green eye

* My kids were all born in different states

* I am allergic to beans (yes, all beans)

* I am SO excited to get to know more women through this blog!

Above all of this, though. I am a daughter of God. My passion for faith is very much a part of me and shapes how I live my life and the choices I make.

So, that's a little about me. What about you? Tell us something about you and I'll enter you into a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card! Drawing will be next Monday.

Women with a Purpose

The other day, in one of those rare moments of boredom, I was flipping through the TV channels and came across one of those reality shows with a bunch of women in the same house for whatever reason. These shows have never appealed to me, but I paused for a bit. Needless to say, I was a bit appalled. The women used every opportunity to tear each other down, sneak behind each other’s backs, and cause general chaos and dissent within the household.

Of course, this show is for TV and so somewhat embellished. However, I don’t think it’s too far from the truth when it comes to women today. We are constantly being pulled this way and that to keep up with what society thinks we should be—from the bone-thin models in magazines to the stereotypical fast lives of the rich and famous. Throw in the advances in technology, the disintegration of the traditional family, and a general breakdown in relationships/communication, and it’s no wonder women have lost who they are. Their joy. Their hope. Instead, we are in competition with one another to come out on top, to be better than the next.

It’s a sad sight to observe.

But what is one to do about it?

Kimchi and I want to help remind women of who we are and unite us under a common mission in this life. Yes, we are Christians, and this blog is from a Christian worldview, but the blog in its entirety is for all women, regardless of religion or any other walls that society would build between us.

We chose the title Encourage. Empower. Extend. because it encompasses our main goals. We want to ENCOURAGE women in light of everything they face on a daily basis as there is so much that strives to tear us down. We want to EMPOWER women with knowledge and goals that are in line with who they are, not what society wants them to be. And we want to see those same women EXTEND that freedom of encouragement and power to other women, so we can stand as one with full knowledge of who we are.

January is our launch month and what better way to celebrate than with a party! We’re going to have a full month of fun, friends, and fabulous prizes! This week and next, Kimchi and I will be introducing ourselves and our mission, along with hosting a couple of giveaways. The last two weeks, we have invited guests to share their perspectives on women today—and give away a few more prizes!

We enjoy feedback, so don’t hesitate to comment on any of our posts.

Welcome to Encourage. Empower. Extend.