A Different Kind of Hope: Giveaway Winners!

HOPE is a seed God plants in our hearts

to remind us there are better days ahead.

Thanks so much for going through the A Different Kind of Hope series with me!

I decided to give two Hope and Encouragement card packs per post because there were so many comments! I used the random number generator to choose them.

So look for your name below and send me an e-mail (holleyg@dayspring.com) with your address if you won!

You can find the Hope and Encouragement card pack as well as several others on DaySpring.com (psst...they're having a great After Christmas Sale right now—up to 75% off!).

And as a little thanks, you can use my friends and family code (holley20) to get an extra 20% off everything on DaySpring.com.

And now the winners...

PART ONE

Lauri and Shelli

PART TWO

Grace & Peace and Cathleen Johnson

PART THREE

Amber and Cindy Faulkner

PART FOUR

Sarah and Amy V.

PART FIVE

Diva and Larie

PART SIX

Jeanine and Kristen

PART SEVEN

Patty and Laura

Congratulations! And thanks again to everyone who left comments!

Subscribe by Email

Share |

Happy Bloggy Birthday

Update:Thanks to all of you for celebrating my bloggy birthday with me! And congratulations to Kristina! The random number generator chose her comment as the winner for the necklace below. Kristina is a sweet friend of mine and I know you'll love her blog as much as I do so I hope you'll stop by to say hello! The necklace is still on sale at www.dayspring.com and you can use my friends and family code (holley20) for an extra 20% off too.

 

I'm heading to the She Speaks conference in North Carolina. While I'm there my blog will celebrate a birthday! I kicked it all off with this post so I'm sharing it again...

 

I recently read a story about a newly discovered underground cave. One scientist called the cave “a beautiful anomaly.” An anomaly is something unusual, or in other words, weird. The scientists were delighted with this cave and dubbed it a national treasure.

Through that story, God got me thinking about how we all have underground caves in our lives. They may be quirks, regrets, hidden habits, or any number of things.

We usually work hard to keep people away from them. But perhaps they’re actually “beautiful anomalies” (or that’s what God can make them) and we should invite people into those places.

So I’ve decided to kick off this blog by sharing some of my underground cave stuff with you. It ranges from silly to serious.

My Top Ten Beautiful Anomalies

1. I change the lyrics to eighties songs and sing them to my dog.
2. I eat really weird, spicy things that make my friends shriek “Holley!” in the middle of restaurants. 
3. When I’m thinking really hard about something I totally zone out. For example, the other day I put deodorant on my lips instead of chapstick.
4. I have trouble getting out of bed on time. I even put chocolate on my alarm clock and it still didn’t work.
5. I’m more afraid of failure than I am of snakes or spiders.
6. I wasn’t “popular” in high school…and I wanted to be.
7. I have a baby in heaven.
8. I’m unusually fond of turtles and short, fat dogs.
9. I’m named after my Grandpa Hollie and he’s my hero.
10. When I get really nervous, I sweat and think there’s something in my nose.

(By the way, all of the above are still true. I could add a few more like "11. I have an embarassing tendency to wander into the men's room--especially at conferences." Good thing there won't be any men at She Speaks!) 

Just in case you’re beginning to wonder, the point of all this is to declare up front that I don’t have it all together—and no one who comes to this blog is required to either.

Yes, I’m a Christian greeting card writer. But I’m also a wife, daughter, friend, and mixed up, messed up, saved-by-grace girl who gets by in spite of herself every day.

I imagine (or at least hope) you’re a lot like me too.

And you know what? God loves us that way. He knows all about our underground caves, our quirks, the things we think make us weird. Those anomalies may even be part of the story He is writing and we are living out.

I believe God has “beautiful anomalies” too. And His infinite capacity to love us as we are will always be one of my favorites.

What birthday would be complete without a gift? This one is for you--my fabulous readers! I'm giving away one of these sterling silver God's Heart for You necklaces from DaySpring...

It comes with a mini-card I helped create that has this message...

In God’s heart, you are…

created
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. PSALM 139:14 NIV

chosen
The Lord has chosen you to be His treasured possession. DEUTERONOMY 14:2 NIV

celebrated
He will take great delight in you…
He will rejoice over you with singing. ZEPHANIAH 3:17 NIV

cherished
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. JEREMIAH 31:3 NIV

Just leave a comment or become a subscriber by midnight on Sunday and you'll be entered!

 

I recently read a story about a newly discovered underground cave. One scientist called the cave “a beautiful anomaly.” An anomaly is something unusual, or in other words, weird. The scientists were delighted with this cave and dubbed it a national treasure.

Through that story, God got me thinking about how we all have underground caves in our lives. They may be quirks, regrets, hidden habits, or any number of things.

We usually work hard to keep people away from them. But perhaps they’re actually “beautiful anomalies” (or that’s what God can make them) and we should invite people into those places.

So I’ve decided to kick off this blog by sharing some of my underground cave stuff with you. It ranges from silly to serious.

My Top Ten Beautiful Anomalies

1. I change the lyrics to eighties songs and sing them to my dog.
2. I eat really weird, spicy things that make my friends shriek “Holley!” in the middle of restaurants. 
3. When I’m thinking really hard about something I totally zone out. For example, the other day I put deodorant on my lips instead of chapstick.
4. I have trouble getting out of bed on time. I even put chocolate on my alarm clock and it still didn’t work.
5. I’m more afraid of failure than I am of snakes or spiders.
6. I wasn’t “popular” in high school…and I wanted to be.
7. I have a baby in heaven.
8. I’m unusually fond of turtles and short, fat dogs.
9. I’m named after my Grandpa Hollie and he’s my hero.
10. When I get really nervous, I sweat and think there’s something in my nose.

Bless Your Nest

Update: Kimba from A Soft Place to Land won the giveaway this week! (Thanks, random number generator.) I hope you'll stop by Kimba's wonderful blog and say hello! And if you still want the print, it's on sale at DaySpring.com and you can use my friends and family code for an extra 20% off anything you order (holley20). There are several other fun designs by Jeanne!

I've been appreciating my home a lot more lately. Perhaps it's because I've spent so much time away from it during the last four years of grad school. Whatever it is, I find myself smiling as a wash dishes (weird--I know), enjoying the view into my backyard, and thinking of new colors to paint the walls. So I'm doing a little giveaway of this print by DaySpring...

It was designed by a very talented friend of mine, Jeanne Winters. She has a wonderful site and I hope you'll stop by for some inspiration and creative ideas.

Here are some other fabulous women who do a great job of making home a place I want to be. I think you'll really enjoy them too!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Melissa - The Inspired Room

Nester - The Nesting Place

To enter the giveaway for the print above, just leave a comment by midnight on Sunday. Or if you're not a subscriber already then sign up and you'll be entered as well (if you leave a comment and subscribe that's two entries).

Wishing you a happy weekend, heart, and home...