tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-101187312024-03-07T18:19:24.509-06:00God Allows U-Turnsa global outreach ministry dedicated to changing livesAllison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-26026723791466628512007-07-27T15:01:00.000-05:002007-07-27T15:06:42.673-05:00SUBMIT YOUR TRUE STORY NOW!*******<br /><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">ATTENTION WRITERS</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><strong>GOD ALLOWS U-TURNS WANTS YOU!</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><strong>SEND YOUR TRUE SHORT STORIES NOW!</strong></span><br /><br />God Allows U-Turns is the acclaimed Christian inspirational book series with 23 books under the recognized God Allows U-Turns "brand." The editors have just announced a new CALL FOR TRUE SHORT STORIES and are compiling stories for THREE new volumes to release in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Submit true short stories for ...<br /><br />God Allows U-Turns - Parents Setting Boundaries<br /><br />God AllowsU-Turns - Boomer Babes Rock, and<br /><br />God Allows U-Turns - Writing from the Heartand Soul<br /><br />For complete writer's guidelines, visit the web site at: <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com/">www.godallowsuturns.com</a><br /><br />Submit stories to: <a href="mailto:stories@godallowsuturns.com">stories@godallowsuturns.com</a><br /><br />Make sure to sign up for our monthly "Dream-Zine" at:<br /><a href="http://www.boomerbabesrock.com/">www.BoomerBabesRock.com</a><br /><br />Check out what Allison Bottke is doing here:<br /><a href="http://www.allisonbottke.com/">www.AllisonBottke.com</a>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-37212132252587746582007-01-25T18:01:00.000-06:002007-01-25T18:07:49.028-06:00Check Out Our New Web Site!Greetings to all!<br /><br />Please visit me at <a href="http://www.boomerbabesrock.com">Boomer Babes Rock</a>! and check out the video welcome on the Home Page from yours truly.<br /><br />I also want to invite you to check out our <a href="http://www.boomerbabesrock.com/blog">Boomer Babes Rock Blog</a>, a co-author blog written by six amazing baby boomer women, including several best-selling CBA authors and speakers!<br /><br />God's Peace!<br /><br />Allison BottkeAllison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-37267227991525821462007-01-06T19:25:00.000-06:002007-01-06T19:28:07.976-06:00On an Extended Writing SabbaticalDear Family and Friends:<br /><br />Happy New Year! I pray everyone is in good health and spirits as the New Year enters it’s second week. I am heading out tomorrow for a writing sabbatical and will not be back until 1/29. While I’m gone, I encourage you to check out our brand new web site, blog, and Dream-Zine launching on Wednesday, January 10th.<br /><br />Visit http://www.boomerbabesrock.com after January 10th and sign-up for the Dream-Zine and receive cool FREEBIES! Boomer Babes Rock!<br /><br />There’s a video welcome by yours truly on the new web site, check it out and share the site with your friends. Sure would appreciate it!<br /><br />In the mean time, we’ll be making some announcements regarding God Allows U-Turns in February so make sure to stop back, okay?<br /><br />God’s Peace,Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-78745708636547665182006-12-16T12:01:00.000-06:002006-12-16T12:02:14.425-06:00Merry Christmas - We're Going on Vacation!Merry Christmas and God’s Peace!<br /><br />May the blessings of this Christmas season be upon you. We are taking the remainder of the year off from blogging and will return in January with a very special announcement. Stay tuned.<br /><br />God be with you and yours!Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-77407585818434691572006-12-10T10:02:00.000-06:002006-12-10T10:15:53.253-06:00An Unforgettable GiftPosting by Guest Blogger: Karen O'Connor<br />Day Seven of Seven<br /><br />This is my last blog on U-Turns this time around, so I want to close with this Christmas story from our family's history. I hope it will bless you as it has me.<br /><br />On Christmas morning, 1912, in Paducah, Kentucky, fourteen-year-old Charlie Flowers and his three brothers and two sisters huddled in their beds, fully dressed, trying to keep warm as the wind howled outside their small frame house.<br /><br />It was a desperate time for the family. The coal had run out. There was little money--none for gifts. Their tree with decorations made from scraps of colored paper had been given to them the night before by a local merchant who said he "couldn't sell this last one." And earlier that year their father had died.<br /><br />To pass the time, the children joked and shouted stories from their bedrooms across the hallway from one another. Then suddenly a racket from the alley at the rear of the house broke into their games.<br /><br />"Charlie," his mother called, "would you see what's going on out there?"<br /><br />Charlie pulled on his shoes and ran out back. There stood a man in a wagon bent over a load of coal, shoveling it into the shed as fast as he could.<br /><br />"Hey mister, we didn't order any coal," Charlie shouted. "You're delivering it to the wrong house."<br /><br />"Your name's Flowers, isn't it?" the man asked, still shoveling. <br /><br />Charlie nodded.<br /><br />"Well then, there's no mistake. I've been asked to deliver this to your family on Christmas morning." Then he turned and looked the awe-struck boy square in the eye. "And I'm under strict orders not to tell who sent it," he teased.<br /><br />Charlie ran into the house, his coat tail flapping in the cold morning wind. He could hardly wait to tell his mother and brothers and sisters. God had provided.<br /><br />Charlie Flowers died in 1994 at age 96. And right up to the last year of his life, not a Christmas went by that he didn't tell the story of that sub-zero Christmas morning of his boyhood when two men gave his family an unforgettable gift.<br /><br />It wasn't the coal that was remembered or cherished, Charlie often recounted--welcome as it was--but rather what two men brought to his desperate family. One, for his gift of recognizing their great need and taking the time to do something about it, and the other for being willing to give up part of his own Christmas morning to deliver it.<br /><br />That gift of so long ago has continued to warm the Flowers family from one generation to another, as Charlie's son--my husband Charles--calls to mind these two unknown men each Christmas morning and whispers a prayer of thanks. Then we as a family praise God for His gift on the first Christmas morning––the gift of His son, Jesus Christ, whom He sent to a needy world--the One who makes possible the U-Turn that brings each one of us to Him, our Lord and Savior.<br /><br />God bless each of you and my thanks to those who sent comments during the week. May Christmas this year be special for all of us and the new year, bright with the promise and hope that Jesus brings.Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-33952800488639724152006-12-09T09:29:00.000-06:002006-12-09T09:46:53.661-06:00You TurnsPosting by Guest Blogger: Karen O'Connor<br />Day Six of Seven<br /><br />I've made a few U-Turns in my life, and I imagine I'll make a few more—and not just at a stoplight. But I'm concerned with a different kind these days. I call them You Turns. I notice as I grow older that I'm more concerned with 'you' than I am with myself. What a refreshing observation that is. I'm sure if my mother were still alive she'd like knowing that. I remember a time in high school when she said with conviction, "The whole world doesn't revolve around you, Karen. You just might want to focus on others for a change." <br /><br />Now why didn't I think of that? Probably because I was 15 at the time and really did believe the whole world revolved around me.<br /><br />Today it's fun to see how many You Turns I can make.<br /><br />• Chatting with the grocery bagger, a young man who is mentally challenged but who has a smile to die for.<br /><br />• Complimenting the receptionist at the doctor's office on her efficiency and welcoming words.<br /><br />• Waving a driver to go ahead of me into traffic.<br /><br />• Fixing my husband the kind of lunch he loves: hot soup, cheese bread, salad with olives and a chocolate cookie for dessert.<br /><br />• Visiting a neighbor in the hospital as he recovers from bypass surgery.<br /><br />I feel good when I make You Turns. And I can tell that others like it when I do. One You Turn can lead to another and another until suddenly I find myself making another major U-Turn in my life--from self-centered to selfless. I think I'll stay the course. I like this new direction. My life is becoming brighter and I see the love of Jesus brightening the lives of those around me.<br /><br />"We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Lord, help me to keep on loving.Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-5264186196590381792006-12-08T09:13:00.000-06:002006-12-08T09:17:52.887-06:00Help Wanted––and Needed!Posting by Guest Blogger: Karen O'Connor<br />Day Five of Seven<br /><br />I never realized until now (living within ten minutes by car from three of my grandchildren) how many advantages there are to being a grandparent. In case you haven't yet experienced this divine season of life, here's a glimpse into some of what you can look forward to. As a grandmother you'll have:<br /><br />• someone to remind you to cover your legs with a towel at the beach—so the blue lines on your legs won't show.<br /><br />• someone to spot the stray hair growing out of your husband's ear so you can pluck it before he goes out in public.<br /><br />• someone to tell you she loves the feel of your hands just when you're noticing how old they look.<br /><br />• someone to jump up on the kitchen counter in one bound—to reach a bowl or a cup that is too high for you.<br /><br />• someone to tell you that your shoes are 'cool,' your earrings are just the right color, but your knit turtle neck shirt shouldn't be tucked in. "You're supposed to wear them over your jeans."<br /><br /> • someone with whom to make cookies, read bedtime stories, skip in the rain, laugh at knock-knock jokes, and fall asleep in front of your favorite cartoons.<br /><br />Being a mother is superb. Being a grandmother is supernal! Thank you, Lord, for grandchildren. Gettin' old ain't so bad after all!Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-30467958054264495252006-12-07T09:26:00.000-06:002006-12-07T09:30:27.818-06:00Spring Cleaning in DecemberPosting by Guest Blogger: Karen O'Connor<br />Day Four of Seven<br /><br />The thought of cleaning house puts some people to bed. But for others it's a reason to get up. I'm one of the latter. I don't LOVE housework but I find it satisfying in an odd sort of way. I like chasing those dust bunnies around my hardwood floors and actually catching them, and I love the look and feel and smell of a lemon-fresh bathroom. But most of all I get pleasure from wiping down the photos and art work that adorn the walls of our home, laundry room, and garage. Yes, garage. We have paintings and photos there too.<br /><br />I got in touch with this new dimension of cleaning a couple of years ago when we did a major overhaul––you know, the kind that involves painting walls, peeling off ugly wallpaper from the guest bathroom, and discarding clutter––the stuff I never should have purchased in the first place. I wonder what treasure today will be tomorrow's trash. Hmm!<br /><br />Anyway, back to cleaning. As I spritzed the glass and dusted the picture frames that held photos of my children, my husband, my parents and siblings and myself, I got misty-eyed. I even cried over some. How could that pudgy little toddler be a man of 40 today? How could my darling daughters once standing on the balance beam in their leotards be mothers of their own children? Two of my kids are 'boomers.' Where does that leave me? In the dust! (Pardon the pun.)<br /><br />Being amazed, however, has given way to gratitude. And it continues to this day, December 7, 2006, as I prepare my home for the company arriving for the holidays. I will never clean my house again with the same 'let's get it over with' attitude that marked cleaning days of long ago. Now I use the time to lift my head and my mop and broom toward heaven—blessing God and thanking Him for the gift of life, especially the lives of the people I love so much, whose framed photos I dust and hold close to my heart. Even cleaning one's house can be a kind of U-turn—from obligation and duty to praise and gratitude. ". . .give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thes. 5:18).Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-32120171672723764602006-12-06T09:22:00.000-06:002006-12-06T09:31:26.763-06:00Hob NobbingPosting by Guest Blogger: Karen O'Connor<br />Day Three of Seven<br /><br />I shop for some of my groceries at Nob Hill Market. Sometimes I refer to it as Snob Hill because the prices are a bit higher than Save-a-Lot, but I love the atmosphere, the wide selection of organic produce, and the many familiar health food brands that I favor. <br /><br />This week I pulled into the parking lot in front of the store, in a hurry, as usual, and did not make a note of the slot I chose. I simply dashed in, bought more than I came for, what else is new, and rushed through the check stand. As I wheeled my cart out the front door, a young man with a Nob Hill shirt headed me off. "May I help you to your car?"<br /><br />I smiled but waved him off. "It's okay. I can manage. Only two bags. No problem."<br /><br />He took the cart right out of my capable hands. "I insist. Besides, I like getting out in the fresh air."<br /><br />I tried to talk him out of it, but he'd have none of my persuasive chatter. Then my heart pounded—FAST! I had forgotten where I'd parked. Darn! If only I'd stop and pay attention this wouldn't happen so often. I was caught. As the man waited for me to direct him to my car, I admitted my memory lapse. <br /><br />"Good," he said. "It will take longer." Then he winked and nudged me with a shoulder. "Is that why you didn't want me to help you out?" <br /><br />"No," I lied. "I just didn't want to take you away from your work."<br /><br />He smiled—knowingly. I guess he'd heard that line before—from other grayheads like me. "What does your car look like?"<br /><br />Look like? It looks like it's lost—that's what!<br /><br />I pasted a smile on my face. "Gray, like my hair. A wagon with a rack on top." <br /><br />He spotted it and within a moment he loaded my bags into the trunk, my face returned from red to white, and I was on my way. Drat! I thought being a baby boomer was tough. Imagine what's ahead when you slip into elderly. No wonder I've had no trouble writing for the over-50 crowd. All I have to do is live my life, take a few notes, and presto, I have a book!! Help, Lord! I'm Having a Senior Moment and another Gettin' Old Ain't For Wimps. Both have sold over 100,000 copies each so I know I'm speaking to somebody out there. Maybe Allison and I should get together and write a combination that is sure to be a winner: Growin' Old Is Just One U-Turn After Another. <br /><br />Dear God, I'm so glad you've promised never to leave nor forsake me (Joshua 1:5)––no matter what!Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-25305503728661417412006-12-05T08:59:00.000-06:002006-12-05T09:13:40.852-06:00Boom! Boom! Boomer!Posting by Guest Blogger: Karen O'Connor<br />Day Two of Seven<br /><br />I remember a time when Boom! Boom! was the sound of my brother and his buddy playing 'war' with their toy guns. Now it refers to a whole group of people called boomers born between 1946 and 1964. I missed this target range by eight years. The more appropriate chant for me is Pow! Pow! Power! An investment counselor told me recently that based on my current age (68) I have a life expectancy of 110. With that in mind—I'm just a bit past middle age. Wouldn't you agree that's a powerful position to be in? Cruise lines, investment brokers, physicians, travel agents, car sales people, retirement village developers, and time-share operators are all after me and the big bucks they assume I have. <br /> Then there are the vendors who think my 'real' age is what matters. They presume I live on a 'fixed income' and I see no good reason to tell them otherwise. These compassionate individuals offer me a discount on movie tickets every afternoon, hamburgers and fries for half price on Tuesdays at Dinette Don's, a free breakfast at the Senior Center every Friday morning, a low-priced concert ticket for the local symphony––if I have it in me to climb to the rafters for a seat, and free lemonade and cookies if I stop by the bank on Monday afternoons, instead of Friday afternoons when all the 'earners' are cashing paychecks.<br /> But most important to me are God's promises, especially the one from Isaiah 46:4. "Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."<br /> Ah yes, I'm into THAT kind of pow-pow-power! And I'll keep right on enjoying these benefits till I'm 110! I've made a U-turn for life and I'm never going back again.Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-48052841087455090312006-12-04T09:19:00.000-06:002006-12-04T09:55:46.862-06:00Second ChancesPosting by Guest Blogger: Karen O'Connor<br />Day One of Seven<br /><br />U-turns, second chances, new beginnings. Sometimes I can hardly wait for them. And sometimes I feel like a kid being forced to eat those green things Mom said are good for me. Does that ever happen to you? For me 2006 has been a bit of both--anticipation and anxiety. Now that I'm at the end of this year of change and challenge, I'm excited to shout "Yeah! God! You always know what's best for me. Why do I ever doubt it?" He keeps picking me up, dusting me off, and letting me start all over again. This year the fresh start is in a new city in a new house near our youngest daughter and her family. This is something I've always wanted but never thought I could have––for all kinds of reasons I made up, like not having enough money, or time, or believing it would take too much effort, etc., etc., etc., as the King of Siam said with a wave of his hand in The King and I. I saw boulders in the road. But God removed them, one by one. He's into U-turns. He took my longing and turned it into a possibility. So here we are--in a house of our own in the beautiful Central Coast of California surrounded by acres of strawberry farmland, the Pacific Ocean nearby, and the Diablo Mountains behind us. I can see the stars at night in the cold black sky, hear the waves crash on the shore as I drive north on Highway 1 and feel the cool breeze sail down the mountains in the early morning. <br /> All this in a community of other people over 55 who, like my husband Charles and I, are also making U-turns, eager for new adventures and new friendships. As one neighbor put it, "There will be no strangers here. We're going to take care of each other." And so today I am turning again--with thanksgiving and praise for the gifts of faith, friendship, family, finances, food, fitness, fun––and second chances.Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-3773573440721004172006-12-03T10:40:00.001-06:002006-12-03T10:46:22.095-06:00Karen O'Connor - CELEBRITY GUEST BLOGGER<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtd9ujvf41aiQD9KvovLfzwsnz9EOLLkbuzVg1UPXZp53VcwhcrLvD5XDVnNk9RhtkIxtf4CPHI8CZvp2uW6GxXU6QtXqo0E1bnJ5461zdmUBQArXHzDJ58jSEIqF8rbNlbzl/s1600-h/face.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5004342661028101234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtd9ujvf41aiQD9KvovLfzwsnz9EOLLkbuzVg1UPXZp53VcwhcrLvD5XDVnNk9RhtkIxtf4CPHI8CZvp2uW6GxXU6QtXqo0E1bnJ5461zdmUBQArXHzDJ58jSEIqF8rbNlbzl/s400/face.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Starting on Monday, December 4th we're in for a big treat as author and speaker Karen O'Connor joins us for a full week of postings on the God Allows U-Turns blog!</div><br /><div>Karen O'Connor is an award winning author of more than 50 books, and is an accomplished speaker and a writing mentor with Long Ridge Writers Group and the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Group. Karen's latest successes are in the 'senior market'--boomers and beyond. Titles include: Help, Lord! I'm Having a Senior Moment! The Beauty of Aging (Regal Books) as well as "Gettin' Old Ain't For Wimps, Gettin' Old STILL Ain't For Wimps, and just completed for 2007 publication, Walkin' With God Ain't For Wimps (Harvest House). Visit Karen's web site for more information: <a title="http://www.karenoconnor.com" href="http://www.karenoconnor.com">www.karenoconnor.com</a>.</div><br /><div>Come back and visit and tell your friends!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>God's Peace! </div>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-148663531606367562006-11-25T13:26:00.000-06:002006-11-25T14:19:29.080-06:00Thanks to you!Guest blogger: <a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Amy Wallace</a><br /><br />It's been an amazing week here and I've enjoyed sharing with you all! Thanks for coming by and for visiting my websites.<br /><br />To close out our time together, I wanted to expound on my first post about how I learned to be thankful for God's "No" because I saw first hand how the answer I received instead was truly for my good.<br /><br />I really didn't like being in a cast, but I love that I kept my toddler out of the ER. (To learn more about this story, please check out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Answers-Moms-Prayers-Inspiring/dp/0736915885/sr=1-1/qid=1164483317/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God Answers Mom's Prayers </a>and the story "For This Child.") I felt a bit like a hero and it's amazing how much I was able to accomplish on the computer sitting there for 10 hours a day just writing.<br /><br />That was fun!<br /><br />In six great weeks I wrote my first novel, which is coming out in April 2007. <a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com">Ransomed Dreams </a>is about a Crimes Against Children FBI agent and a mom looking for answers into her family's death. Their stories become entwined because of an attempt to kidnap a British ambassador's daughter.<br /><br />From typing "THE END" for the first time I knew God had called me into this career ministry. In other words, God's "No" about protecting my physical health was because He had something better: an opportunity to follow Him into an exciting ride of life to learn that while obedience is sometimes painful, it's the best ever place to be.<br /><br />If you'd like to hear more about my story, what God continues to teach me through both painful and enjoyable times, or learn more about my novels and non-fictions stories, please come visit me at <a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Heart Chocolate</a>, <a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com">Defenders of Hope</a>, or my blog the <a href="http://peek-a-booicu.blogspot.com">Peek-a-boo ICU</a>. When you stop by, sign up for my newsletter and get registered to win an awesome gift pack of 23 top fiction books, a Starbucks gift card, Defenders of Hope merchandise, and Godiva chocolate. (Sound good? Come visit! ;-))<br /><br />Here's my prayer for you as we close our time together on Allison's awesome blog:<br /><br /><em>Heavenly Daddy, I pray You’ll wrap Your strong and protective arms of love around each blog reader. I give thanks to You for Allison and these readers allowing me to be here at this time. Please open our eyes to see the amazing plan You have for each and every one of us. Guide us to walk with our hands in Yours and follow Your path through the valleys and mountaintops of obedience. Heal and cleanse our hearts and help us see You. You are God. You are good. And Your ways are so much higher than ours. Thanks for knowing and doing what’s best for us. Help us trust when understanding and acceptance are slow to come. Thanks for smiling over us no matter what. We love You. Amen.<br /></em><br />Thanks again for joining me this week! May your holidays be filled with the goodness and grace of God!<br /><br />Because of His grace,<br />AmyAllison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-40975014801056076852006-11-24T14:50:00.000-06:002006-11-24T15:22:02.243-06:00More Thanks the U-Turns Way<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/331715/bookcover.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/400/442772/bookcover.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/266914/teenbook.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 62px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 95px" height="97" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/400/609924/teenbook.jpg" width="62" border="0" /></a>Guest blogger: <a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Amy Wallace</a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Allows-U-Turns-Teens-Choices/dp/0764201816/sr=1-1/qid=1164143163/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God </a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Allows-U-Turns-Teens-Choices/dp/0764201816/sr=1-1/qid=1164143163/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">Allows U-Turns for Teens</a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Answers-Moms-Prayers-Inspiring/dp/0736915885/sr=1-1/qid=1164401831/ref=sr_1_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God Answers Mom's Prayers</a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">I sure hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving! We enjoyed a quiet family time at home and it was awesome. Since this week we're talking about the incredible U-turns ministry and how God changes lives, I thought I'd share my top 10 reasons I'm thankful that are taken from my U-Turns stories.<br /></div><div align="center"><u><span style="color:#996633;"></span></u> </div><div align="center"><u><span style="color:#996633;"></span></u> </div><div align="center"><u><span style="color:#996633;">Amy's Top Ten Reasons for Giving Thanks</span></u></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><u><span style="color:#996633;"></span></u></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">1) I'm thankful I can call God Daddy.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">2) I'm thankful I have a family who loves me and who I adore and enjoy.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">3) I'm thankful I can walk. (Did I mention I'm in a cast again after yet another foot surgery? Trust me, walking is a big thing to be thankful for! For more details, check out "For This Child" in </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Answers-Moms-Prayers-Inspiring/dp/0736915885/sr=1-1/qid=1164401831/ref=sr_1_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books"><span style="color:#996633;">God Answers Mom's Prayers</span></a><span style="color:#996633;">)</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">4) I'm thankful for the gift of sight~ both to see the world God has made and for the spiritual gift of seeing deeper with discernment.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">5) I'm thankful for heart healing.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">6) I'm thankful that God says I'm beautiful.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">He says you're beautiful too! </span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">(Please check out </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Allows-U-Turns-Teens-Choices/dp/0764201816/sr=1-1/qid=1164143163/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books"><span style="color:#996633;">God Allows U-Turns for Teens </span></a><span style="color:#996633;">"If Only I Were Beautiful" to see why I know this is absolutely true.)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">7) I'm thankful for little kids' prayers and that I get to hear them every day.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">8) I'm thankful that my husband and I have careers where we use the gifts and talents God has given us for His glory.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">9) I'm thankful for an inner circle of friends who love me anyway and always point me to Jesus.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;">10) I'm thankful for blogs. ;-) And I'm thankful for the ability to make online friends and enjoythe community offered here.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span></div><span style="color:#996633;"><span style="color:#000000;">My prayer for you as we wrap up our week together on Allison's awesome blog tomorrow is that you will allow the Thanksgiving holiday to prepare your heart and open the door for a Christmas season filled with deep joy and a greater experience of God's smile over you.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><br /><div align="right">Praising Him with you,</div><br /><br /><div align="right">Amy</div><div align="right"><a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Heart Chocolate</a></div><div align="right"><a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com">Defenders of Hope</a></div>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-11672064361354656452006-11-22T19:24:00.000-06:002006-11-22T19:41:10.378-06:00You are beautiful<div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/279046/teenbook.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 72px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 112px" height="101" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/400/798372/teenbook.jpg" width="62" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#996633;">Happy Thanksgiving Eve!!! </span></div><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">Guest blogger: <a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Amy Wallace</a></span></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Allows-U-Turns-Teens-Choices/dp/0764201816/sr=1-1/qid=1164143163/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God Allows U-Turns for Teens</a><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">What are you going to say tomorrow when someone asks why you're thankful? With my family, we’ll go around the table as we eat and name blessings we remember from this past year. My children will go far beyond their five pieces of corn we give to each person to name one praise per kernel. My husband and I will too. But for me it wasn't always that way.<br /><br />So today I wanted to share a little about a reason to praise I wonder if you've thought of~ because God says you are beautiful.<br /><br />Do you believe that? Do you thank God for that? Most people don't.<br /><br />I didn't for years and years. I grew up in a painful home and jumped into a relationship as a teen that I knew I shouldn't be in. But I did it anyway because he said I was beautiful.<br /><br />Then he raped me.<br /><br />I didn't feel beautiful anymore. I felt like trash. And I spent the better part of my young adult years knowing God loved me, but feeling that I was "less than" everyone else. Ugly. Used goods. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">My story in </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Allows-U-Turns-Teens-Choices/dp/0764201816/sr=1-1/qid=1164143163/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books"><span style="color:#000000;">God Allows U-Turns for Teens</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> is about how I went from saying "If Only I Were Beautiful" to knowing and receiving what God says is truth. I'd like to share two quotes and what made my U-Turn happen.<br /><br />"No love of the natural heart is safe unless the human heart has been satisfied by God first." (Oswald Chambers)<br /><br />"We are not wrong to think we desperately need to be loved. We do. Our need does not constitute anyone else's call but God's" (Beth Moore)<br /><br />So how did God make those two statements “real” to me? He had me teach them to a group of young ladies who didn’t believe God said they were beautiful either. I looked deep into their gorgeous eyes and into their even more stunning souls and caught a glimpse of the beauty God sees.<br /><br />Then God led me to the mirror and said the same about me.<br /><br />I wanted to turn away because I still didn’t see what God saw. But He kept speaking to my heart over the next few weeks. I became convinced that my bottomless need to be loved, to be seen as beautiful, would be satisfied first in God.<br /><br />Or it wouldn’t be satisfied at all.<br /><br />So I stopped saying, “If only I could lose a few pounds” or “I would be beautiful if only _____ changed."<br /><br />We can all fill in that blank, can’t we?<br /><br />What I started saying instead were the words God had spoken to me. “I see you. You are beautiful. You are loved and you are Mine.”<br /><br />I still don’t always believe that. But those times are far less frequent. What happens more often now are the times I look in the mirror and smile simply because that’s what my heavenly Daddy does.<br /><br />So this Thanksgiving I’ll enjoy some turkey and pumpkin pie and I will not step on the scale later. Instead, I’ll look in the mirror and smile.<br /><br />I’ll listen to the words God says. Will you join me?<br /><br />Take a good look in the mirror. God has much to say about what He sees there. Listen closely. He is enthralled with your beauty. (Psalm 45:11)<br /><br />The King is enthralled with you. Enjoy Him.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:180%;color:#996633;">Happy Thanksgiving y’all!</span></p><br /><p align="right"><span style="color:#000000;">Abundant blessings and praise,</span></p><p align="right">Amy</p><p align="right"><a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Heart Chocolate</a></p><p align="right"> <a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com">Defenders of Hope</a></p><p align="right"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/840934/Amy2sm.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 135px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 201px" height="200" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/200/417044/Amy2sm.jpg" width="126" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p align="right"> </p><p align="right"><a href="http://www.amywallace.com"><span style="color:#0000ff;"></span></a> </p><p align="right"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#996633;"></span></p>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-39851129060153409862006-11-21T13:58:00.000-06:002006-11-21T14:55:35.675-06:00What about when you don't want to praise?<div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/444483/bookcover.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/400/28122/bookcover.jpg" border="0" /></a> Guest blogger: <a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Amy Wallace</a><br /><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Answers-Moms-Prayers-Inspiring/dp/0736915885/sr=1-1/qid=1164139209/ref=sr_1_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God Answers Mom's Prayers</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>What about when you don't want to praise?</strong></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div align="left">Yesterday we talked a little about what we're thankful for, but the thought God gave me this morning centered on when I'm not thankful.<br /><br />Have you ever felt that way?<br /><br />Everyone around you has hands lifted in praise at church, or every friend has great stuff happening and you feel any thing but grateful.<br /><br />Yep, me too.<br /><br />I wish I had written a great U-Turns story detailing an about-face from overwhelming sadness, depression, or dare I say anger at things not going the way I'd prayed. My story "For This Child" in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Answers-Moms-Prayers-Inspiring/dp/0736915885/sr=1-1/qid=1164139209/ref=sr_1_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God Answers Mom’s Prayers </a>deals with hearing God say "No" to a prayer and how I learned to trust Him and be thankful even when I didn't understand.<br /><br />But truth be told I still struggle with praise and thanksgiving at times. Life is never just what I want it to be. It's hard. It's more work than I thought I signed up for and more often than not, it just plain hurts.<br /><br />So God had me doing Thanksgiving cards with my kiddos this morning. I was so <em>NOT </em>in the right frame of mind.<br /><br />But God's funny like that. So I went through the motions until I read this quote from Francis Schaeffer, "We are not only to sing the doxology, but to be the doxology."<br /><br /><em>Praise God from whom all blessings flow<br />Praise Him all creatures here below<br />Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts<br />Praise Father, Son, and Holy</em> <em>Ghost<br />Amen.<br /></em><br />The book I was reading aloud went on to talk about the birds, how they throw their whole being into singing and that being an example of how we’re to praise God.<br /><br />Now that set my mind spinning. Birds sing because that’s what God created them to do. They don’t analyze it, argue with it, or decide they don’t want to sing. They just do.<br /><br />So can I in terms of praising God simply because that’s what I was created to do: to glorify God by enjoying Him forever and singing the song that is my life. Sad notes and all.<br /><br />So can you.<br /><br />I’m not suggesting we ignore depression nor am I saying we should “put on a happy face.” There are reasons behind why we don’t feel like praising that we need to explore with God.<br /><br />I’m praying as I write this that you’ll hear the Father call you to come talk and listen to Him and discuss those very things going on in your heart. He cares. He loves you. And He wants you to come real.<br /><br />At the same time, I think there is much wisdom to be gained in doing what Job and King David did in their dark nights…<br /><br />Praise Him anyway.<br /><br />Turn to Him and just talk to Him, remember who He is. That simple act, however hard it may be at times, is praise.<br /><br />Instead of recalling all the hurt, remember the times God Himself—with nail-scarred hands—carried you through.<br /><br />Instead of focusing on what isn’t right, praise God for the little things that are right and consider that your journey through pain and joy is working in you something good.<br /><br />Also, instead of trying to “be the doxology” consider that you already are. And God welcomes the words or groans of your life song as He sings right along with you.<br /><br />Praise Him.<br /><br />Tomorrow, I’ll share my continuing U-Turn toward praise in the form of my story in God Allows U-Turns for Teens about date rape and my healing almost two decades later.<br /><br />“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15)<br /><br /></div><div align="right">Trusting and praising anyway,<br />Amy</div><div align="right"><a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com">Defenders of Hope</a></div><div align="right"><a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Heart Chocolate</a></div><br /><div></div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/619941/Amy3sm.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/200/664375/Amy3sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-45564303598413473212006-11-20T13:49:00.000-06:002006-11-20T14:32:57.291-06:00What are you thankful for?Guest Blogger: <a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com">Amy Wallace</a> <div><div><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Answers-Moms-Prayers-Inspiring/dp/0736915885/sr=1-1/qid=1164054268/ref=sr_1_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God Answers Mom's Prayers</a></em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><em></em> </div><div><em></em> </div><div> </div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/639387/bookcover.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/400/430870/bookcover.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><br /><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><br /><div align="left"><strong>What are you thankful for?</strong></div><br /><div>I'm thankful for ripped tendons and scars. Why? Because almost five years ago I took my eighteen-month-old daughter's place in the ER and learned that when God says "No" to my request for protection, what He's really saying is "I have something better."</div><br /><div>For me God's "better" meant a painful surgery and six weeks in a cast. Those six weeks of having my wonderful husband take care of our children, cook, clean, and do all my mom duties plus his allowed me to write my very first fiction novel, <em><a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com/">Ransomed Dreams</a></em>. Plus, my surgery left me with a scar that I look at now and remember that God's "best" is often difficult to comprehend, but in the end it is always GOOD.</div><br /><div>You can read more about this experience in "<em>For This Child,</em>" my very first U-Turns story in <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Answers-Moms-Prayers-Inspiring/dp/0736915885/sr=1-1/qid=1164052636/ref=sr_1_1/103-7938944-9767030?ie=UTF8&s=books">God Answers Mom's Prayers</a></em>. </div><br /><div>Welcome to Thanksgiving week at God Allows U-Turns! I hope you'll join me again tomorrow as we look at more of the myriad reasons we have to give thanks.</div><br /><br /><div></div><div align="right">Abundant blessings,</div><div align="right"><a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Amy Wallace</a></div><div><br /> </div><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/1600/279920/Amy1sm.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 128px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px" height="177" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1611/1235/200/887775/Amy1sm.jpg" width="132" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div align="right"> </div><div align="right">Please visit me at <a href="http://www.amywallace.com">Heart Chocolate</a></div><div align="right">or <a href="http://www.defendersofhope.com">Defenders of Hope</a>.</div></div>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-78663195309415832422006-11-13T07:30:00.000-06:002006-11-13T07:38:24.797-06:00This Blog "On Temporary Hold"Greetings to All!<br /><br />As you may know, the Blogger/Blogspot program made a swtich to a Beta format and I'm afraid it's caused havoc on my blog design template. Until I can get things figured out, I'm afraid there will be very little activity on this Blog site. Thanks for your support and encouragement and please check back soon, okay?<br /><br />In the mean time, please make sure you are signed up to receive our periodic e-blast mailings via our Bravenet email service. You can visit my <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com">web site </a>and scroll down to the Bravenet button on the right side of the <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com">Home Page </a>to register. We never sell or share our mailing list.<br /><br />Have a blessed week!Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-22455839357215736692006-11-12T23:25:00.001-06:002006-11-13T10:55:32.373-06:00Thank You to Nancy Anderson!Bravo to Guest Blogger <a href="http://www.nancyCanderson.com">Nancy Anderson </a>for an excellent week of postings. I sure enjoyed revisiting her work in the various God Allows U-Turns publications. Hope you did, too!<br /><br />Check back next week for a special announcement from me....<br /><br />Until then, have a blessed day!Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-1163262313530330482006-11-11T10:05:00.000-06:002006-11-12T23:20:32.895-06:00AFFAIR REPAIR<div align="left">Guest Blogger: <a href="http://www.nancyCanderson.com">Nancy C Anderson </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1760/922/1600/ron%20&%20nancy%209-4.0.jpg"></a><a href="http://www.nancyCanderson.com"><br /></a><br />My husband, Ron, and I have been married for 28 years and we have a healthy, strong marriage now, but it has risen out of the ashes of my infidelity.<br /><br />The most dramatic U-Turn in my life (other than my becoming a Christian at age 16) was<br />my decision to stay married to Ron, despite my “love” for my coworker Jake. My book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/082542013X/qid=1112489096/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/102-5716873-5542511?redirect=true&n=507846&s=books&v=glance">Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome: How to Grow Affair Proof Hedges Around Your Marriage</a> tells the whole story, but here’s a snippet about my defining moment of change.<br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><strong>I wondered if there was any way out of the chaos I had created. I went into the living room, sank into the sofa, held a pillow to my chest, and called out —to God. I had been avoiding Him for months. My guilt and shame had built a wall between us. But, brick-by-brick—as I confessed each sin—I tore down the wall—and let the Light in.<br /><br /></strong></span><span style="color:#006600;"><strong>I prayed, “Lord, please show me your will for my life.” Then, I remembered the simple words that Jesus said to the adulteress woman. “Go and sin no more.” I knew exactly what I had to do. I surrendered my will and my heart to the Lord and asked for the strength to walk away from Jake and make a full confession to Ron.<br /><br /></strong></span><span style="color:#333333;">Ron forgave me and we started over. That was 26 years ago, and now we have a ministry helping other couples who think marriage problems are fixed by divorce. We know that repentance, love and forgiveness fix marriages—heal people.<br /><br /></span>We have had the privilege of telling our story on many national shows including Montel Williams, The 700 Club, FamilyLife with Dennis Rainey and Revive our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss. You can read more at <a href="http://www.joyfulmarriage.blogspot.com">JoyfulMarriage.blogspot.com </a><br /><br />It’s been great being with you this week! Blessings, <a href="http://www.nancyCanderson">Nancy C Anderson </a><br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PS: ATTENTION BABY BOOMER WOMEN! Allison Bottke will be the Featured Author of the Month for November at America's #1 web site for baby boomer women.<br />Visit Allison's main web site at <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com/">http://www.godallowsuturns.com/</a> and click on the National Association of Baby Boomer Women logo to join the NABBW or to visit the free forums at Boomer Women Speak. Join Allison in the Featured Author Forum in November and learn how wise, warm and witty baby boomer women are connecting, encouraging and supporting one another every day.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-1163097908980443512006-11-09T12:16:00.000-06:002006-11-12T23:20:32.777-06:00Teenage Thievery<div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Guest Blogger: </span><a href="nancyCanderson.com"><span style="font-family:arial;">Nancy C Anderson<br /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Well, it’s Thursday and I promised to tell you about my shoplifting adventure.<br /><br />The full story appears on page 183 of Allison’s book titled, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764201816/qid=1125119466/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10?v=glance&s=books&tag2=thegodallowsu-20"><span style="font-family:arial;">God Allows U-Turns for Teens<br /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In my small hometown of Winona, Minnesota, there was only one discount store, and I stole from it—and got caught. The police took me to the station where my father came to get me. He was silent as we drove home, but had much to say as we sat in our living room discussing my behavior. Here’s an excerpt from “Yes, Daddy, I Promise”<br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#003300;"><strong>I said, “Each time I stole, it got easier. Until now. I can see how wrong it was.” tears bit </strong></span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"><strong>my face as I said, “Please forgive me…I‘ll never do it again. Stealing was easy…getting </strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"><strong>caught is hard.”<br /><br />He said, “Yes, and it’s going to get harder. Tomorrow morning, we will go to all the places </strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"><strong>on your list and you will ask to speak to the manager. You will tell him that you were a </strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"><strong>shoplifter and list the items you stole from his store. You will apologize and repay him. </strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"><strong>I’ll loan you the money, and you will work all summer to pay me back. Do you </strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"><strong>understand?”<br /><br />With my heart slamming, and my palms sweating, I nodded.<br /><br />The next morning, I did exactly as he asked. It was impossibly hard, but I did it. That </strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"><strong>summer, I repaid my father the money, but I will never be able to repay him for the </strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#003300;"><strong>valuable lesson he taught me. I never stole again.<br /></strong><br /></span>To read the whole story, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764201816/qid=1125119466/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10?v=glance&s=books&tag2=thegodallowsu-20"><span style="font-family:arial;">order God Allows U-Turns for Teens at Amazon.com</span></a></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Tomorrow's post will be about my marriage U-Turn. It's a doozy--you won't want to miss it!<br />Blessings, </span><a href="http://www.nancyCanderson"><span style="font-family:arial;">Nancy C Anderson</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span></div><div align="left">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div align="left">PS: ATTENTION BABY BOOMER WOMEN! Allison Bottke will be the Featured Author of the Month for November at America's #1 web site for baby boomer women.<br />Visit Allison's main web site at <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com/">http://www.godallowsuturns.com</a> and click on the National Association of Baby Boomer Women logo to join the NABBW or to visit the free forums at Boomer Women Speak. Join Allison in the Featured Author Forum in November and learn how wise, warm and witty baby boomer women are connecting, encouraging and supporting one another every day.</div>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-1163005538932641272006-11-08T10:39:00.000-06:002006-11-12T23:20:32.652-06:00A soldier's story<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/1600/military%20prayers.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/320/military%20prayers.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Happy Wednesday from <a href="http://www.nancyCanderson.com">Nancy C Anderson!</a> I’m on my third day of<br />blogging with you and I have a new story about a brave soldier.<br /><br />This one’s from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0736916660/qid=1124984005/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1?v=glance&s=books&tag2=thegodallowsu-20">“God Answers Prayers—Military Edition” </a>and it’s on page 34.<br /><br />My Great, Great, Great Grandfather, Henry B. Rowe, wrote 29 letters which taught me about bravery, honor, and prayerful perseverance in the face of fear. He was a Yankee farmer, who wanted to preserve The Union and free the slaves, so he became a soldier—and marched south.<br /><br />His letters from the battlefront, addressed to his wife, were poetic; filled with love and faith. He writes,” May heaven’s choicest blessings rest upon you and the children. Be true and faithful soldiers for Christ and I will be the same for my country. And if I fall for my country, then it will be an honor to you. I pray that we may meet again where wars will never separate us.”<br /><br />Those letters are more significant than any history book I will ever read, because the words were written by a man whose blood still flows through me. I am a writer as he was a writer. I am a Christian because faith can also flow through families.<br /><br />In his words from Winston North Carolina, March 16, 1865 he writes about loving his “enemies.” “Yesterday, I stopped at a house and there sat a woman with three children, not a thing in the world to eat. I saw that her baby girl was sick with the measles so I gave the mother my rations and passed on. She thanked me kindly with tears in her eyes…and so it goes. God speed the day that we may be a free and happy people.”<br /><br />Amen.<br /><br />(To read the whole story, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0736916660/qid=1124984005/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1?v=glance&s=books&tag2=thegodallowsu-20">get the book from Amazon</a>)<br /><br />Tomorrow’s post will be about my father’s reaction to my shoplifting charges. It is from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764201816/qid=1125119466/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10?v=glance&s=books&tag2=thegodallowsu-20">God Allows U-Turns for Teens.</a>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-1162922619970699172006-11-07T11:53:00.000-06:002006-11-12T23:20:32.513-06:00I am Woman. Hear Me Roar?<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/1600/u%20turn%20women.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/320/u%20turn%20women.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hello Again, I’m <a href="http://www.nancyCanderson.com">Nancy C Anderson</a> and I’d like to tell you about another U-Turn Story in my life. When I married Ron in the summer of 1978, I thought we’d continue in our blissful, romantic mode. I was wrong. I turned into a nag-a-holic thinking complaining and criticizing would give me the control I wanted. Then, one morning, I had a U-turn moment:<br /><br />Here is an excerpt from “I am Woman. Hear Me Roar?" This story begins on page 206 of<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764201808/qid=1125122027/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11?v=glance&s=books&tag2=thegodallowsu-20">God Allows U-Turns for Women:<br /></a><br />“I carefully spooned the vanilla nut de-cafe into to the pot, as I remembered the day I forgot the filter. The coffee was bitter and full of undrinkable grounds. I had to throw it away.<br />Then it dawned on me, the coffee, without filtering, is like my coarse and bitter speech.<br />I said, “Oh God, please install a filter between my brain and my mouth. Help me to choose my words carefully and speak in smooth and mellow tones. Thank you for teaching me the “Parable of the Coffee Filter.” I won’t forget it.”<br /><br />Ron and I recently celebrated our twenty-eighth wedding anniversary and I’m happy to report that my “filter” is still in place—although it occasionally springs a leak. I’ve also expanded the filter principal beyond my marriage and I have found it amazingly useful when I speak to telemarketers, traffic cops, and teenagers.<br />__________________________________________________________________<br /><br />Tomorrow, I'll tell you a story about my great-great-great-great Grandfather's Civil War letters<br />which are quoted in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0736916660/qid=1124984005/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1?v=glance&s=books&tag2=thegodallowsu-20">God Anwsers Prayers-Military Edition</a>Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-1162836419893516562006-11-06T11:54:00.000-06:002006-11-12T23:20:32.411-06:00This week’s guest blogger- <a href="http://www.nancycanderson.com">Nancy C Anderson<br /></a><br />I met Allison about 4 years ago at a Christian book convention and we “clicked” right away. She invited me (and my best friend <a href="http://www.tonyaruiz.com">Tonya Ruiz</a>) to a luau, sponsored by her publisher, and of course, we went--and we’ve been pals ever since. As Allison became a publishing “machine” she included my stories in four of the books under the U-Turns umbrella.<br /><br />The first one I’d like to chat about is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0736915885/qid=1122304048/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14?v=glance&s=books&amp;n=507846&tag2=thegodallowsu-20">“God Answers Moms’ Prayers” </a>My story is called “Timmy’s Ring.” (page 168)<br /><br />My son, Timmy was diagnosed with a terminal chromosomal disorder before he was born--when I was about 3 months pregnant. My doctor and many friends suggested that I get an abortion. I struggled to decide if my “pro-life” position was just my talk—or my walk.<br /><br />Here’s a short excerpt:<br /><br />“That afternoon, I prayed, “Lord, I believe abortion is wrong, but on my own, I don’t have the strength to fall in love with a baby who is going to die. Please show me how.”<br />I kept saying it, even before I meant it. “I choose to love this baby with all my heart.” I willed my words into actions. In faith, I moved my hands as I timidly caressed my stomach. In faith, I moved my lips as I mouthed the words, “I love you.” No sound came out. I kept repeating the phrase until my brain found the secret passageway to my heart and I was free to taste the bittersweet tears of loving a child who would never love me.”<br /><br />Four months later, Timmy died, wrapped in my love, on his birth-day- 6-22-1990<br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Tomorrow’s post will be more fun. It’s about nagging wife-me!<br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />PS: ATTENTION BABY BOOMER WOMEN! Allison Bottke will be the Featured Author of the Month for November at America's #1 web site for baby boomer women.<br />Visit Allison's main web site at <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com">http://www.godallowsuturns.com</a> and click on the National Association of Baby Boomer Women logo to join the NABBW or to visit the free forums at Boomer Women Speak. Join Allison in the Featured Author Forum in November and learn how wise, warm and witty baby boomer women are connecting, encouraging and supporting one another every day.Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118731.post-1162321100682719252006-10-31T12:50:00.000-06:002006-11-12T23:20:32.293-06:00Guest Blogger - Nancy C. Anderson!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/1600/book_greener.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/320/book_greener.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/1600/nancy.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1155/768/320/nancy.jpg" border="0" /></a> Greetings!<br /><br />I just told my fiction editor at <a href="http://www.bethanyhousepublishers.com">Bethany House </a>that if I had an audio version of the theme song from Rocky, I would be playing it now. <em>Why is that?</em> I just hit <strong>“SEND”</strong> on the final revision of my second novel.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com">ONE LITTLE SECRET </a>is officially completed, at least on my end. For those who know what this is like…I’d love to hear how you celebrate this momentous occasion, and for those to whom this kind of deadline is foreign, what do you suggest? <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com">ONE LITTLE SECRET </a>will release in summer 2007. <br /><br />I’m heading out on Friday to speak at the <a href="http://www.beautyandthebook.com/BooksAlive.cfm">BOOKS ALIVE</a>! Event in Jefferson, Texas, sponsored by the <a href="http://www.beautyandthebook.com">PULPWOOD QUEENS</a>, if you live nearby come see us! I’ll be sharing my debut novel: <a href="http://www.godallowsuturns.com">A STITCH IN TIME.</a> This is a fund-raising event for Hurricane Katrina survivors and there are almost one dozen authors on the roster. Check out the <a href="http://www.beautyandthebook.com/BooksAlive.cfm">Press Release </a>to find out more.<br /><br />Our Guest Blogger for November 6-12 is Author and Speaker <a href="http://www.nancycanderson.com">Nancy C. Anderson</a>. Nancy’s book, <a href="http://www.nancycanderson.com">AVOIDING THE GREENER GRASS SYNDROME </a>was featured on the Montel Williams Show where Nancy and her husband appeared as guests. You’ll want to <a href="http://www.nancycanderson.com">visit her web </a>site to find out more about her and make sure to stop here daily to read her posts and share them with friends!<br /><br />I think I’m going to take a hot bubble bath and read a good book! No more computer work for me today, if that’s okay with ya’ll?<br /><br />That’s what’s on my mind today,Allison Bottkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17614789012696938657noreply@blogger.com0