Archive for the ‘Author News’ Category

Use Declutter Now for Church Book Studies

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Today’s guest post comes from Lindon & Sherry Gareis, authors of Declutter Now! Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life. They are Christian Life Coaches and small group leaders from Glendale, AZ. They’re announcing a new initiative to take Declutter Now! into churches.

Declutter Now group studyDeclutter Now! tackles the clutter taking up space in many areas of life. Decluttering your heart, mind, body and soul will leave you with the time, money, energy, freedom and joy that God desires for you. Less is truly more.

Declutter Now! has ‘Gone Group’! We’re delighted to have Northern Hills Community Church in Phoenix, AZ launch an eight week book study class. Each week, a new chapter is presented and discussed. Ideas are shared, truths are revealed and hearts are inspired.

Each chapter of Declutter Now! deals with a different area of life, so we cover a considerable amount of ground. The comprehensive nature of the material is ideal for group study since there’s ‘something for everyone’. Whether you need to declutter cram-packed physical spaces, harmful relationships, unhealthy eating habits, stinkin’ thinkin’, overwhelmed kids’ schedules or an unbalanced budget, most people can relate on some level, if not many. This sets the stage for insightful and provocative conversations.

We’ve found in group environments, the nature of the dialogue not only encourages personal growth, but meaningful relationship building as Declutter Nowwell. There’s a special bonding which occurs when people speak openly about their challenges and allow their weaknesses to break through. Just this past week during the current NHCC bible study, a class member shared her embarrassment over the clutter she’s living with. Her fellow class mates offered unconditional love, support and ideas void of any judgment. The acceptance and encouragement she received gave her strength to commit to the next step of her decluttering journey. Oh how we long to see her free from the bondage she’ suffering.

Declutter Now! is more than just a book. It’s a paradigm shift; a lifestyle change. A study through Declutter Now! offers inspiration to help get you from where you are to where you want to be. Group discussion takes our ideas, practical tips and life applications to an entirely new level. Unique situations can be personally addressed, support can be extended first hand and emotional connections can take root.

We encourage you to consider Declutter Now! for both individual and group study. We’d be delighted to help you construct a plan specific to your group or organization. Please contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

 

Author Serves Sandy Hook Parents and Students in Newtown

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Pat Geyer Working with the RRT Team, photo courtesy of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

It’s been a month since the horrible shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. Ambassador author Pat Geyer, who wrote “Chaplains of the Bible” along with her husband Richard, spent days and weeks in Newtown counseling the families impacted by the shooting. She shares her thoughts about the experience in today’s guest blog post:

It has been an extraordinarily difficult several months for the people of the Northeastern United States.  Along with many other Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) chaplains, I responded to help those devastated by the record-setting Superstorm Sandy.  A few weeks later, RRT chaplains were called to Newtown, Connecticut, site of the tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. There, we ministered to family members who had lost children, and families with children who survived but were traumatized. We saw deep sorrow, shock, loss, confusion, even hopelessness.  The chaplains – through prayer and compassionate understanding – were able to bring comfort and a source of hope to those who were grieving.  We ministered to first responders, many of whom were struggling, and also others from the community; even people from across the U.S. and other countries who had come to grieve the loss of innocent lives.  They needed the comfort that only the love of Jesus can bring.

I have a saying, “Rise up, and lean on Jesus so others can lean in on you.”  We are the hands and feet of Jesus for those in

Chaplains of the Bible large

Chaplains of the Bible by Patricia and Richard Geyer

crisis.  The book that my husband Dick and I wrote, “Chaplains of the Bible,” elaborates on this principle.  It gives time-tested examples of men and women in the Scriptures who for the most part were ordinary people who helped people in need.  The 13 chaplain role models featured in the book (especially Jesus) are becoming more relevant and real to me as I continue to be deployed with RRT.  I am helping my neighbors in their great time of crisis and need through the power of the ministry of presence, effective prayer, compassionate love, and many other Biblical traits that other RRT chaplains and I lived out as we ministered in these tragedies.

The urgency of the days we live in calls all of us, whether chaplains or not, to be prepared to help others in their time of crisis.  Through our book and through many other resources that are available to each of us, anyone with a heart for the hurting in our midst can find inspiration to help those in pain.

10 Must-Follow Christian Authors on Pinterest

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Are you interested in reading Christian Books? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! Are you eager to know all the books they wrote? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! Do you want to know their interests and lifestyle? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! You will see all the books written by them there. What is more, you will know more about your favorite authors’ interests. The following list shows the brief introduction of the authors and the Christian books published from Ambassador International.

1. Carrie Daws, Ryan’s Crossing, Crossing Values: Over the years, God rewrote Carrie’s dreams to include being a stay-at-home mom and a writer.

2. Daphne Webb, Mississippi Nights: DM Webb lives, along with her two sons and a variety of pets, in the beautiful state of Mississippi. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

3. Holly Durst, Chocolate Socks: Holly’s love is writing children books. The idea for writing her first book came when Holly was given a gift of a box of chocolate and a pack of socks.

4. Jennifer Freitag, The Shadow Things: Jennifer Freitag writes fantasy and historical fiction from her home in South Carolina, where she lives with her husband and two cats. Her inspiration flows from writers like C.S. Lewis and Rosemary Sutcliff, both of whose works have influenced her first novel, The Shadow Things.

5. Lindon and Sherry Gareis, Declutter Now!: Lindon and Sherry Gareis, founders of Action Plan Ministries, debut their writing career with Declutter Now! They are small group leaders and certified Christian Life Coaches from Glendale, AZ with hearts that desire to serve God in a mighty way. They love being outdoors, love being together, and are committed to a lifelong honeymoon…

6. Marcy Lytle, Life is Fluid: Marcy Lytle is currently editor of two local magazines in the Austin, Texas area. She is married to Jon, and they have two children, Kamrin (who is married to Tyler) and Conner.

7. Renee Metzler, Total Home Makeover: Renee Metzler is a freelance author who lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters and cat. After beginning her career as a mother and home manager in 2002, and feeling “lost,” she began to research secrets to the trade of home management, and the idea of Total Home Makeover was born.

8. Steve Goode, Marriage Triage: Stephen Goode is the Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Senior Adult Ministries at Northside Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stephen’s burden and passion is to lead married couples and individuals into a deeper walk with Jesus Christ.

9. Shawn R. Jones, Pictures in Glass Frames: Shawn is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she began her professional writing career. She currently worships at the Resurrection Center in Delaware under the leadership of Dr. S. Todd Townsend and Dr. Cleo V. Townsend.

10. Tica Tallant, What Is Beautiful, Jazzy and the Dog Walk: Tica Tallent has been an educator in public schools for ten years- having earned a Master’s Degree and was selected “Teacher of the Year.”She has now begun a new business – “Professionally Blessed” where she shares her love of fashion and motivates women and men with wisdom for living a complete life.

 

And don’t forget to follow Ambassador International on Pinterest as well!

Joni Eareckson Tada: The Influence of a Mentor

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Laurie and JoniLaurie Elmore Thompson, author of Laurie’s Story: Discovering Joy in Adversity, is sharing this guest post with us on the power of having a mentor. Earlier this month Laurie taught alongside her mentor, Joni Eareckson Tada, at the JAF Southeast Disability Ministry Summit.

During my life, I have had a variety of mentors. Each person making a significant contribution to the woman I am today: Sunday School teachers, a middle school music teacher, and my mother played key roles in my life as they answered important questions and provided role models for me as I was trying to understand the world and what my purpose was in it. There were several young Christian couples who were dear to me and helped to lay the groundwork of what I would later desire in a lifelong mate. While in graduate school, my academic adviser became a mentor to me as she inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and make a difference.  I sought after some of these individuals because they inspired me-  I saw something different in their lives.

One person who has had a tremendous impression upon my life is someone I did not even realize existed until I was struck by a tragic Lauries Storyexperience at the age of 14. Someone gave me a copy of her book when I was in the hospital. Perhaps this friend didn’t know what to say or how to respond to my circumstances, or perhaps it was because this hero’s story had impacted her in some way. Either way, Joni Eareckson Tada quickly became my hero and my inspiration while I lay in a hospital bed in Albany, GA in 1982. I was thrust into the world of disabilities due to a drunk driver and I was overwhelmed quickly. As I read Joni’s story, I found someone who understood my situation and she not only survived,  she overcame! Her story came into my life shortly after I accepted Christ and it filled me with encouragement and strength when so many of my friends did not know what to say. Joni helped me to see my faith in God from a new perspective. Whether or not He chose to heal my paralysis, I came to believe that He cared about me and could use my life for His glory. The passages of scripture I learned as a child came to life as I read her story! It was a divine appointment!

Over the years, I read more of Joni’s books and learned more about her ministry, Joni and Friends. I had the opportunity to meet her for the first time in person in the 1990s and I was starstruck. I stumbled with my words as I tried to come up with something to say to this woman God heroically used in my life. She was beautiful, humble and radiated the joy of the Lord-she was everything I desired to be! As the years passed, I had more opportunities to meet her in person and even spend time in conversation with her and her husband, Ken. I have become more active in her ministry and have even spoken at some events and hosted a workshop. As Joni has had an impact upon my life, I hope that I too can be an encouragement to others in sharing my life story. I realize that Joni is not perfect and I should not worship her, but I have come to realize the value of a mentor and how God uses such people to encourage us. Now that I am older, I see that we each have an influence on every single person we come into contact with. Will people remember what I have said or all that I have done? Probably not.  My goal is to have a positive influence so that people never forget how I made them feel and how I inspired their walk with Christ. So, thank you, Joni, for doing that for me!

The Forgiveness Project: A Study for Churches

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The Forgiveness Project is an 11-week church-wide study of Anna McCarthy’s powerful new book, Forgiveness is Not an Option. In the video and article below Anna explains why she believes this is a powerful tool desperately needed in today’s congregations.

The Forgiveness Project from Voice of One on Vimeo.

Betrayed, hurt and confused. As I sat in church every Sunday, I would ponder what God must have thought of everything I had gone through and if healing and freedom was truly possible. I was broken…yet on the outside everything looked “fine”. I longed for peace; I desperately wanted to believe that God had a plan which included piecing my heart back together, but I was completely lost as to what that looked like or how I could find it.

I had never heard a sermon on how to heal from the kind of hurt I had experienced…the types of heartaches that many of us have endured. How do you forgive the unforgivable? Is it really possible to be “free” from the scars of abuse, betrayal or mistreatment? Can I really love someone who hurt me so deeply? What does God feel about those things?

These questions propelled me into a 3 year journey with the Lord. I researched everything I could in the Bible on forgiveness, hurt, pain, abuse and mistreatment. And, what I found was more than I expected. I not only found healing and the ability to supernaturally love and forgive; I found a side of God that I had never known. I wasn’t simply patched back together, merely surviving with the “hope” of my life eventually changing. No, I was alive again and thriving! I was finally the “me” that I was created to be all along. I was free.

Forgiveness is not an optionThis stirred in my heart a passion to equip the church in this desperately needed area. Because, sadly, I was only one of many, who fill churches each Sunday appearing to be “fine”. Yet, if you scratch beneath the surface it doesn’t take long to see the signs of a life plagued by hurt. Insecurity, fear, anger, depression, anxiety and an inability to see outside themselves are just a few of the symptoms of a broken life. Once you begin to open your eyes, you will see a church that is hungry for this message.

I long to see the church restored and whole again. One that is unafraid to address these issues and offer hope and healing in a much needed area. That is the heart behind The Forgiveness Project, which is an 11 week church wide study of the book, Forgiveness Is Not an Option. This book is filled with scripture and addresses every aspect of forgiveness from the onset of hurt, why broken people break others, God’s perspective of abuse and betrayal, forgiveness, learning to love your enemies, not repeating destructive relationship patterns, healing and restoration.

Our ministry has created a church kit tailored to bring The Forgiveness Project to your church. It comes complete with small group leader study guides, a fully prepared 11 week sermon series, DVDs packed with powerful testimonies of forgiveness and much more. This is an exciting series that you do not want to miss!

Get your church or small group involved! Free study guides and bulk discounts of Forgiveness is Not an Option are available:

  • 11-25 books 15% discount
  • 26-50 books 25% discount
  • 51-100 books 30% discount
  • 100+ books 40% discount

Email [email protected] for more information!

Ambassador Authors in the Media

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Times ExaminerSeveral Ambassador International authors have enjoyed sharing their stories and expertise recently with a variety of media outlets around the country. Here is a rundown of where you can check out these interviews:

Jim Geyer, author of Dad and Mom’s Country Wisdom: Everything I Know about the Bible I Learned on the Farm was featured in a front page article of The Times Examiner on Wednesday, July 25.

Stephen Goode, author of Marriage Triage: A Guide to Healing for the Hurting Spouse, was interviewed on WRHI’s program Palmetto Mornings on Wednesday, August 1. Listen to his interview on marriage, Chick-fil-A and recent Hollywood break-ups. Marriage Triage was also featured on Charlotte Area News.

Renee Metzler, author of Total Home Makeover: A 20-Day Plan to Renew Your Space and Spirit, was interviewed for the website HomeMakingOrganized.com. The article features Renee’s tips in time for National Simplify Your Life Week.

Devotional Wherein the Lilies Grow by Jo Crosby received a great review from By the Book.

Bob and Kathy Basmadjian, authors of Abraham’s Journey: A Celebration of the American Dream, were interviewed on July 23 by Pastor Rick Tocquigny on his program Life Lessons Radio.

Dick and Pat Geyer, authors of Chaplains of the Bible, were interviewed by several radio outlets including for an upcoming broadcast of Wayne Shepherd’s First Person program.

Celebrate National Simplify Your Life Week with Help from Ambassador Authors

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Total Home MakeoverThe first week in August is National Simplify Your Life Week. What better way to celebrate than by clearing the clutter from some area of your life– whether it be your closets or your finances. Two new books from Ambassador International are designed to help you simplify your life.

Declutter Now!: Uncover the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life by Lindon and Sherry Gareis: Negative clutter can invade every area of your life—not just your closets. Relationships, finances, kids, jobs, health and spiritual well-being are all adversely impacted by the unnecessary and harmful stuff we accumulate and hold onto. That could be physical junk or emotional baggage. Declutter Now! will help the reader let go of those negative influences that impact our quality of life and our relationship with God. Since decluttering removes what you don’t need and gives you more of what you do, it only makes sense your spiritual journey will benefit too.

Total Home Makeover: A 20-Day Plan to Renew Your Space and Spirit by Renee Metzler: Transform your home with daily and weekly routines, family training, and room-by-room organization. Renee Metzler gave up a full-time career to become a full-time mom and home manager ten years ago. But she quickly realized she had never learned the skills necessary to do this job well. This book is a quick-start manual that will help any home manager do their job with excellence, taking your life from chaos to order. Each day includes prayer, a ten-minute coaching session from Renee and daily to-do list to help you turn your home into a haven.

As a special offer for National Simplify Your Life Week, anyone who orders a copy of Total Home Makeover or Declutter Now! by August 15 will receive a FREE digital copy of the book from iTunes. Simply email your receipt to [email protected] to take advantage of this offer. To help you jump start your plan, authors Sherry and Renee are answering questions about simplifying life:

1. How have you personally tried to simplify your life recently?delcutter now

Sherry: Interestingly, Declutter Now! is largely responsible for our most recent wave of simplification. Writing a book, and all the elements associated with it, has demanded that we say ‘no’ to some events or commitments that we would have otherwise said yes to. We’ve simplified our schedule to make room for the priorities. Not always easy, or fun, but necessary!

Renee: I have focused on three areas: food, fashion and storage. In terms of food, my husband grows a beautiful kitchen garden each year.  I’m trying to use fresh vegetables daily to create simple and healthy meals. For fashion, I made a New Year’s Resolution to NOT buy any new clothes this year in an effort to avoid a cluttered closet and save money for my children’s Christian school education.  Storage-wise, my chaotic confession is the little red barn at the edge of our property.  It’s adorable from the outside and hideously disorganized from the inside.  It’s my summer organizational project.  To keep me motivated, I’ve planned an End-of-Summer Party for close friends and family.  This dinner party will be hosted in … the little red barn.  Talk about motivation!

2. Why should simplifying our lives be our goal?

Sherry: In Declutter Now! we talk about how ‘less can be more’, and this is much ‘more’ than just a cliché’. Our lives get cluttered with material stuff, unhealthy relationships, draining careers, poor health habits, financial burdens, and the like, leaving little room for the things that matter most. It just makes sense to simplify in order to have the time, money, and energy for the true desires of your heart.

Renee: Simplifying is about making room for what’s really important. We only have a short-time here on earth. We must choose to live for eternity (the spiritual kingdom), not the here-and-now (this physical kingdom). It’s about saying, “No.”  We can choose to turn from the clutter of this world:  material possessions, television, Facebook, chasing after worldly success, money, and status. It’s about saying, “Yes.” We can choose to invest more in the things that are eternal, that will go on living after this physical world passes away.  Things like a relationship with Christ Jesus, speaking words of encouragement and hope to our spouse, playing with and training our children.

3. How can your book help people simplify their lives?

Sherry: We address how to declutter eight different areas of your life by providing practical tips, life application strategies, and engaging stories. We help people gain an awareness of areas that should be decluttered and then encourage them to take action and make it happen! It’s our Declutter & GO! concept!

Renee: Total Home Makeover is a 20 Day Plan to Renew your Space and Spirit.  Each day, you will (1) renew your spirit by seeking the living God through {Prayer, Bible Reading and Journaling}, (2) renew your space in our daily couching session {called Let’s Chat} where you’ll learn one secret to managing your home more efficiently, and (3) apply what you just learned by completing the daily to-do list {called Get Moving}.  Partner up, earn rewards, use worksheets, learn a smarter way to manage your home, and laugh at my stories as you journey from chaos to order for a Total Home Makeover.

Feeling inspired by Renee and Sherry to simplify life? Don’t forget about our special offer just for National Simplify Your Life Week. From now until August 15 anyone who orders Declutter Now! or Total Home Makeover can forward their receipt to [email protected] to receive a FREE digital copy from iTunes as well.

 

Mississippi Nights Featured in Mississippi Magazine’s “Best of Mississippi 2012” Issue

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mississippi mag july aug 12The July/August issue of Mississippi Magazine features their compilation of the “best of Mississippi 2012.” And we’re excited to see Ambassador International fiction Mississippi Nights included in the issue. Mississippi Nights is the first of six books featured in the Heritage and Culture section of the magazine.

Mississippi Nights is the story of two brothers and one death. When Firefighter David Boyette’s fiancee dies in a car fire, he blames his brother, Sgt. Jeremy Boyette, for her death. Three years later, David returns home with a dark and devastating secret. With the help of family, a woman’s love, and a small child’s devotion, can David overcome insurmountable odds as he and Jeremy face the bitterness that enslaves him? Together the brothers must decide if the bond of brotherhood is stronger than resentment and hate.

Author DM Webb is a Mississippi native and she is passionate about her home state. She also drew from her experience as a volunteer rescue worker to write with conviction and accuracy. So if you’re looking for one of the best Mississippi authors, check out DM Webb’s Mississippi Nights.

Author Beth Marshall Spotlights Fallen Soldiers

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american widow projectBeth Marshall is a grief counselor and the author of A Time To Heal: A Grief Journal. Recently Beth had the opportunity to interview Taryn Davis, founder of The American Widow Project, a growing group of around 1300 young military widows. The average age of a service member killed is 26, creating a very young generation of military widows.

When Taryn was 21 years old her beloved husband, Michael was bravely serving our country in Baghdad, Iraq. Just 90 minutes after talking to her husband he was killed by a roadside bomb. In the wake of Michael’s death, Taryn didn’t know what to do with the unpredictable waves of sorrow she was feeling. She set out to find and talk with other young women who knew what it was like to be a young military widow. The American Widow Project has fulfilled a desperate need for these young widows. “By understanding how finite life is you can actually live a more fulfilling life,” says Taryn.

In honor of the Fourth of July holiday, we encourage you to listen to Beth’s moving interview with Taryn Davis. Beth’s book is a wonderful resource for anyone who has lost a loved one.