June packed in a lot of traveling for this once-wannabe-traveler. Now it’s July! Already! My travels are over. I’m glad to be home. I’m glad it’s still summer.
Shall we dig into another book together?
Since we’re sisters in study, it’s only appropriate that we should do at least one book about our issues. I couldn’t be more thrilled to do Nicole Unice’s She’s God Issues…but I can’t just dive in without giving you the back story.
Choosing to do this particular book came after a couple of hours of sifting through numerous books and studies at a local Christian bookstore with a good friend of mine. A few of us want to meet weekly before school starts to do a study together, so our task this week was to choose ONE book for us to do. Turns out that is a tall order. (Do you know how many good books there are for Christian women!?)
I find it rather ironic that out of ALL the books and studies out there, we landed on She’s Got Issues. You see…a few years ago I gave in and finally decided I’d follow someone’s blog. I’d avoided it for a while, thinking I just didn’t have time. How I happened to land on Nicole Unice…I have no specific recollection. But in hindsight it’s all God.
I’m sure I read something by her in an email and was intrigued. I thought I might learn something from her, so I signed up to follow her blog. What I didn’t expect was to love her blogs. They spoke to me. I looked forward to them. She made me laugh and think…and I SOOOO related to her because she is in the same dance I am – wife, mom, friend, church staffer.
A while into her blog she revealed she was working on her first book…so we’d get bits and pieces from her about it. Then it came out. I was excited for Nicole! Then they did a DVD study for it with a giveaway. I thought, what the heck, maybe I’ll win. I did! And it has sat upon my shelf ever since. (for shame…I know…)
Then last summer she did a post about her friend, Jenni Catron, who was having this Coaching Group for women in ministry. And immediately I knew I was supposed to go. Weird. I know. One of those rare times you JUST KNOW. And it happened. And I have FALLEN IN LOVE WITH JENNI. The Coaching Group I was blessed to be part of with her continues to mold me and challenge me. I think I can count her as friend even though we’ve only been in each other’s presence four days total. LOL. It was quality time.
So, of course, now I follow Jenni’s blog too. And love it.
Feels like coming full circle, knowing that I’m finally going to read Nicole’s book. This incredible season I’ve been in because of Jenni’s teachings at our coaching group and beyond…that all started because of Nicole’s blog. I stand in awe of God. Again.
And just as Nicole was encouraging women to take part in Jenni’s Coaching Group, Jenni encouraged her readers to check out Nicole’s book when it came out. I went back and re-read Jenni’s article to see what she said about this book we’re about to study, totally expecting to giggle a bit and say, “Can’t wait.”
But what happened is I GULPED and thought… “Oh my. I might have to acknowledge and deal with a few of my issues.” Then I did giggle. Because knowing Jenni the way I do, she doesn’t do anything halfway or lightly. So why would it surprise me she’d endorse a book that would do anything less?!
So…to complete the circle, I thought I’d include the link to the post Jenni did about She’s Got Issues. Maybe it’ll give you a preview about what we’re getting ourselves into. We do all have issues… We do.
http://www.jennicatron.com/book-giveaway-day/
Meet me back here next week if you dare! I have a sneaking suspicion that God is about to reveal a whole new circle in this adventure with Nicole!
No more pretending I don’t have issues,
Shelley Johnson
Shelley Johnson 