Please welcome guest blogger Paula Moldenhauer to Inkwell Inspirations today, celebrating the release of her new series of devotionals, just in time for 2016.
What I found was joyously stunning.
What I found was joyously stunning.
Recently I read through hundreds of devotionals I’d written
over a span of more than ten years. I was deciding which devotional thoughts I
wanted to include my latest book project, SoulScents ~ A Journey in the Son’s Embrace, which offers four volumes of
devotional reading: Awaken, Rooted, Bloom, and Flourish. As I
read, made my choices, and edited my heart rejoiced because I still believed it
all.
The journey of the last ten years has been arduous, but the
glorious truths our sweet Savior taught me along the way stand the test of
time.
I may have been naïve in 2004 before the big storms hit.
Back then I wrote in wonder as I absorbed new understanding of who Jesus
is. I may not have understood how deeply
the concepts I penned would be tested. I certainly didn’t understand what I was
praying as I offered my thoughts of praise and surrender, nor did I guess how
God would take me at my word.
But I’m delighted to report it’s all true.
I edited word counts and clunky sentences, but the
foundational concepts which I so naively typed many years ago needed no
revision. And guess what? The devotionals I penned a few weeks ago are again written
in wonder as I “absorb new understanding of who Jesus is.”
In 2004 I invited readers to go with me on a journey into
the heart of Jesus. I declared we’d never run out of places to discover, and we
never have. He shows us glimpses of His character then allows life experiences
to solidify the understanding of the insight. Over time He takes initial
understanding deeper and reveals new wonders of His Person.
To be vulnerable, our family rode some difficult waters
after the earlier devotionals were written. In spring of 2015 I tried to write
about the really hard years, but I often dissolved into tears at the computer.
The Lord called me away from those efforts and invited me to
spend time with Him. I journaled, did some more Bible study in the Song of
Solomon, and rested. Truth be told I spent a lot of time talking to my plants
last summer! And the Lord, always the Healer, did what He does best and healed
me.
In the fall the Lord released me back into focusing on
development of Soul Scents. I wasn’t
really surprised (although I was very pleased) when those months of seeking God
resulted in devotions for volumes 3 & 4 of this collection. Even though I
believed I was not productive last year, I was writing the rest of this series
without knowing it.
I love how organic that is.
I’m excited to offer fellow travelers a year’s journey in
the Son’s embrace. It begins with volume 1, SoulScents: Awaken, and continues with a new devotional book releasing each
quarter of 2016.
Author, speaker, and mom of four, Paula Moldenhauer
encourages others to be released into full potential through freedom in Christ
and the empowerment of God’s grace. Published over 300 times in non-fiction
markets, her first devotional book series, Soul
Scents, releases in four volumes beginning with Soul Scents: Awaken. Paula’s first two novels released in 2012.
Sometimes empty-nesters, Paula and her husband, Jerry, enjoy four adult
children and a wonderful son-in-law. Paula loves peppermint ice cream, walking barefoot
and talking to her flowers. For inspirational articles, book information, and
speaking topics visit: www.paulamoldenhauer.com
Congratulations on your long and productive journey! God bless you as you continue on. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you DeAnna!
DeleteWelcome to the Inkwell, Paula! I loved hearing your story, and the reminder of how sweet God's faithfulness is. It grows more and more dear to me each year.
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me. And your words of love for Jesus bless my heart!
DeleteSo nice to meet you, Paula! Thanks for sharing about your journey. It was encouraging to me! Blessings.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Niki for the introduction!
Nice to meet you, too, Susanne! Loved being here!
DeleteI'm just a few days in to the first portion of Soul Scents and can't recommend it more highly. I'm generally not a fan of devotionals, but this is real stuff for real people. SO encouraging. Thank you, Paula, for obeying God and sharing your heart!
ReplyDeleteThank you for having me, Niki, and for your words of encouragement. They mean a lot!
DeleteThis is beautiful, Paula. Thank you for sharing with us.
ReplyDelete