Gratitude Day 363

Sun., Nov. 17, 2019

Luke 10:41-42: The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.

Self-promotion isn’t my deal.

In fact, it goes against most every grain in my body to even type these words and talk about something so near and dear to my heart.

But here goes.

Today, the first book that I have authored officially launches. On Nov. 17, 2019, The Mary Experiment: When DOING and BEING Collide, is available for all the world to see, read and explore.

It’s a book about life. Finding an appropriate tension between doing, working and constant activity versus being, sitting and experiencing a more realistic pace of life.

This recovering Martha has felt challenged by this her entire life. She still struggles with when to sit. When to do. When to be. When to “git ‘er done.”

I’m still discovering more about this every day. Quite honestly, I’ve accepted the reality that this WILL be a place where I will feel stretched most days of my life.

And this is OK.

Why did I create my own Mary Experiment? Over and over, people have shared with me their struggles with this issue. I’ve watched friends and listened to people opened up their hearts about whether they were making right choices. I don’t have all the answers. I simply wanted to create an opportunity for the Martha’s of this world to know they aren’t alone. And for Mary’s to learn a little more about their Martha friends.  

The real reason I wrote this book? I heard God speak to me. Interestingly, via Hubby Rick. He literally stopped me in my tracks when he asked, “When will the things that I say are ‘most important’ truly become my top priorities? When will I be available for something other than work?”

Rick’s words challenged me to look deeply into the story of when Jesus visits sisters Martha and Mary. Martha is BUSY. Mary SITS at Jesus fit. Rather than saying one is “right” and the other is “wrong,” why can’t we have both? Likewise, what does this story say to modern-day Mary AND Martha’s? How can I encourage myself and others to create more joy, peace and contentment in our lives?

From this context, The Mary Experiment came to life. For the next few days, the Kindle version of The Mary Experiment is FREE! I pray folks will download the book and begin their own Mary Experiment. Just as Hubby Rick needed to get my attention, possibly, this book might get your attention. Or you will share this with someone you know who struggles with these issues.

If you prefer a non-Kindle version, a paperback version is available as well. Here’s the Amazon link for either version: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Experiment-DOING-BEING-Collide/dp/1734228008/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZC6CE7Z46H09&keywords=the+mary+experiment&qid=1573937653&sprefix=the+mary%2Caps%2C339&sr=8-1

There are questions and a prayer at the end of each chapter. I encourage you to use the complete Journal and Reflection Questions guide available here for free to develop your own Mary Experiment: https://app.convertkit.com/forms/designers/1110952/edit

As challenging as it is to self-promote something I’ve written, I do so for one reason. God spoke to me. Possibly, God will use me to speak to someone else. It took me awhile to listen. Honestly, I AM STILL trying to listen to God. My deepest prayer is that the words of this book will become an opportunity for someone to re-examine their choices and life. If just one person thinks, “I can so related to this book. I feel like she’s talking to me,” I will feel like God has worked through me.

For God speaking to me via Hubby Rick, I am grateful. 

Dear God – When we are BUSY, it is so easy to keep going and not STOP and examine WHY we are so BUSY. Thank you for speaking directly to me. I pray the words of the Mary Experiment will bless and speak to someone else. Amen.  

Blessings –

Dianne

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