We laugh. We cry. And there's a Give-Away!

This is my second attempt at writing this post. The first one began innocuously enough giving you information about an upcoming cover story in the May/June issue of Bible Study Magazine about one of my favorite people, Randy Alcorn.



The article focuses on Randy's approach to bible study as well as writing, so naturally,I was very interested to see what they wrote.
I also visited Bible Study Magazine website and found out a little bit about their magazine. It honestly sounds phenomenal and something I am thinking of subscribing to.
The story on Randy is great and he opens up about his thoughts on writing fiction.
“One of the reasons I love writing fiction is that
it can help readers open up the gates of their
minds. Through good fiction that contains
biblical truth, both non-Christian and Christian
readers, who may not believe in certain things
the Bible teaches, can discover truth.” Randy says in the article.
He goes on the explore what his bible study habits are.

See? All this is good and interesting stuff. I know I'd like to read more of that article.

But as I'm writing my blog about Randy and this story, slowly I'm sliding from nicely informational post to scary,emotional post and I'm becoming a bloggy pool of sentimentality, weeping as I type.
Maybe I don't carry it quite that far, but you get the picture. And it isn't pretty.





Because when I think of Randy and his wife Nanci I cannot help but gratefully think of who they have been to me. I am pausing here to think best how to put this so I don't overstate it...





They pretty much rescued me the same as you would rescue someone from, you know, a BURNING BUILDING or a RAGING FLOOD.





They were were JESUS WITH SKIN ON. Oh, yes they were.





They housed me, clothed me, fed me, attempted to discipline me, loved me anyway, were SO THERE for me in every way a person can be there for another person.You seriously have NO idea. They introduced me to their church family where I have been ever since.


They introduced me to JESUS and HOPE and ETERNAL LIFE....and my HUSBAND.





No, I was not a part of Randy's and Nanci's family. They were not obligated to help me, to rescue me. No one paid them to take care of me.


Who does that?





They did.


Un-stinkin'-believable.





Can you say GRATEFUL?


I can.


But not without choking up.









So, all that heartfelt, but mindless gushing to say that you should all go get the May/June issue of Bible Study Magazine, (doesn't the name of the magazine just make you want to subscribe? Me,too!) and enjoy the cover story about my friend, Randy. (Yes, he talks about Nanci in the article, too!)


Also, Bible Study Magazine is teaming up with Randy's Eternal Perspectives Ministries to give away 40 copies of "Heaven." Click here to enter the drawing.


Here is a brief blurb about this oh-so excellent book:









"In the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture Heaven the way Scripture describes it¿a bright, vibrant, and physical New Earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it.






God has put eternity in our hearts.







Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live today. If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits, clouds, and eternal harp strumming, you're in for a wonderful surprise.




This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be. "



Don't ya want to read more? Me, too! (We are so much alike!) So go enter the drawing to win it.
Randy has done all the studying and reading and research and praying so we can benefit from his knowledge on this subject. You will come away changed.

Randy and Nanci helped change the course of my life. I will always be grateful and always love them both.

I think of how, when I had no family God provided them for me. I will always be just wreaked and broken by the love God showered on me when I so completely deserved the opposite and by the Alcorn's extraordinary example of commitment and grace.

In the years since I lived there, we've shared alot of life's "stuff" from weddings, work, potlucks, church stuff, speaking thingys (engagements sounds too serious and professional), mole-throwing, all things doggy, family stuff and on and on.

There have been more crying times than we wanted. Lots of praying times.

But mostly, when I think of my friends Randy and Nanci, I remember laughing.

Usually at them.

But lots of times with them, too. :-)

***Congratulations to Randy for getting the last of his revisions for his latest book into his editor today!! Yay, you're done!!! Woo hoo!!!