"Never Ever Be The Same — A New You Starts Today" excerpt and Book Give Away!

NEVER EVER BE THE SAME — A New You Starts Today is the promising title of a book released this week. If you comment below, you'll enter a give away to receive a free copy sent to your home. 

Contest ends Midnight, January 24, 2015. Thank you to all who commented below. The winner of Never Ever Be The Same  is Stephanie Nickel!!! Enjoy!!!

 Authors and husband/wife team Kathy Collard Miller and Larry Miller aren't related to me, except we share the same passion for Christ and for marriages that glorify Him. We also share similar marriage stories each having almost thrown away a marriage God wanted to bless. When God saves your life and your marriage, it's worth writing about. Thank you, Kathy and Larry, for writing your stories so others will Never Ever Be The Same.

Be blessed by the  following excerpt from Never Ever Be the Same, and  ask yourself, do you love or do you love well?

Do We Love Or Do We Love Well?

by Kathy Collard Miller and Larry Miller

Do we love others or do we love others well? All of us love imperfectly. But loving “well” means we love them for their benefit rather than what it does for us or how it makes us look. We're not talking about perfection but we are talking about desiring another's good. We've all been around someone who is supposedly expressing love for us but it is disingenuous because it is really about them looking good or getting what they want. We don't really feel encouraged or cared for.

I, Larry, may be wrong but I sensed a lack of loving well when I received an e-mail from a man who was considering buying one of our marriage books for his wife. He wrote, “I choose to love my unsaved wife as I love myself. She has a lot of issues and it's my hope, prayer and confidence that my example, the light that I allow to shine in our home, and the love that I extend to her, just as God has done for me, will be a part of what God uses to save her.”

I didn't have any kind of relationship with this man to be able to inquire into his motives. But I could sense that he might easily come across to his wife as thinking himself better than her. I wondered if he communicated a belief that he never needed to repent of anything and that she should be grateful for the way he puts up with her.

And I also wondered, “What is his motive for needing to explain?” Does he speak to others with this same kind of superior attitude? If his wife shares with him the superior attitudes she senses, how would he respond? I had a deep sense that he wasn't loving her well. Unfortunately, he had concluded he loved her so well that he was amazed his sparkling and pristine example of Christ's love hadn't compelled her to become a Christian.

Here are other common ways we do not love well:

A husband buys his wife for their anniversary (or birthday or Christmas) what he wants for himself, not what she values. He looks forward to the admiring looks from his friends when he uses the item himself.

A wife plans an elaborate surprise birthday party for her husband, but he would rather enjoy a weekend away with her. But the accolades the wife gets at the party motivates her to throw another party the next year.

We’ve all been guilty at one time or another, but we may be able to avoid this error by focusing on how God loves us well. He always responds to us for our greatest good and desires our greatest benefit. Let’s make a commitment to do the same for those we love.

How has God shown you that kind of loving “well”?

This article is excerpted from Never Ever Be the Same (Leafwood Publishers) which offers Christians hope that they can change their ungodly reactions through identifying their self-protective strategies and trusting God instead. The authors are Kathy Collard Miller and Larry Miller and includes biblical principles, insightful stories, and helpful instruction. It has individual and group discussion questions.

Kathy Collard Miller and Larry Miller are speakers and authors. They have been married 44 years and Larry is a retired police lieutenant. The Millers live in Southern California, and have two grown children and one grandson. Visit them at www.LarryAndKathy.com. Kathy blogs at www.KathyCollardMiller.com.

Never Ever Be the Same is available at your local Christian bookstore and in both print and digital versions at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ITmLfy 

CBD: http://bit.ly/1AuJZSX

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1BJz3lC

Remember to leave a comment below for an opportunity to receive a give away copy of  Never Ever Be the Same. 

Splashes of Serenity on your day!

"Partly Cloudy With Scattered Worries" Author Interview and Book Give Away!

Since I'm all about Splashes of Serenity, I dove into the pool of people posting an interview with Kathy Collard Miller, the author of Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries. Who doesn't want to find serenity or peace in all kinds of weather? Kathy Collard Miller shows us how. Be blessed as God covers you with His umbrella in the thunderstorms of life.

Leave a comment on this blog and you will be entered in a drawing to receive a free copy of Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries. The winner's will be picked out of basket (or perhaps an umbrella) on November 9, 2013. Congratulations to Talker445, the winner of Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries.


Won't you join in on Kathy Collard Miller's facebook party being held today, November 2, 2013. Lots of free prizes! https://www.facebook.com/events/1431207380424833/1431938777018360/?notif_t=event_mall_reply

 An now to the interview. Thank you, Kathy, for sharing your heart with readers.

What is your book about?

My book helps women, in particular, to trust God more and thus worry less. It is filled with stories from my own life and the lives of others who learned how to do that very thing, along with Biblical principles and practical instruction. But that's not all! (Oh sorry, wrong commercial). I've also included Discussion Questions that a group or an individual can use. Plus, every chapter highlights a woman from the Bible who either struggled with worry or one who overcame her worry. And as if that's not enough, (this is sounding like a commercial), I've closed every chapter with a “Letter From God” which speaks to the reader about what she learned in the chapter.

Who is your book for?

As you can tell, my book is primarily for women readers but I believe men would benefit from it also.

Why do you think people worry?

Of course, there are many reasons but here are a few. We may have experienced some hurtful things in childhood and blamed God. So our hearts are fearful of turning control over to Him. We may think that worry gives us power in another person's life. I remember worrying when my teenaged son had to fly across country by himself to a Christian golf camp. I worried he would miss his connecting flight until God whispered, “You're worried because you want him to need you. Let him need Me.” Oh, how revealing. I could then release that worry and let God show Himself strong. Additionally, people worry because they really do think worry does some good. One woman told me, “Well, of course, worry works; after all, what I worry about doesn't happen.” I'm sure she was joking (I think!), but in our hearts, we can think it does some good. Unfortunately, worry only makes us tense and then we react in ways we regret. Plus, God isn't honored.

Give us the history of your book.

I'm very excited that Partly Cloudy is being reborn. It's the same book that was published in 2005 and now Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas saw it's value and is re-releasing it. Can I be honest about something I'm worried about, er, I mean trusting God for? I didn't add anything to the original book and it wasn't until the process was too far along that someone encouraged me to add an update. So offering the same material is a concern because those who already read it won't need it. (Did you know you can be concerned and it doesn't have to turn into worry?) So I'm trusting God that my readers will want to be reminded of the material, knowing that none of us overcomes worry completely.

Why did you write Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries?

God was working and tranforming me to trust Him more and I wanted to share what I had learned. My desire is to help readers trust God more by being convinced of His greatness, sovereignty, power, love, and involvement. We can say we trust God but then we give in to anxiety, People Pleasing, controlling others, regrets, fear, and trying to provide for ourselves when God says to wait on Him. Our responses actually reveal that we don't trust God as much as we think we do.

What is your ultimate desire for your ministry?

I've been in ministry for a long time—my first article was published in 1978 and my first book in 1984. Hard to believe since I'm not that old! But in all these years, I've been motivated to minister in such a way that women see God in truth and then take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Much of our worry is because we believe lies about God and we allow any thought to permeate our minds as truth. Although I'm learning like everyone else to trust God more and more, I desire to help every woman know she can believe God wants the very best for her and then want His glory.

Are you available for speaking, especially on this topic of overcoming worry?

Oh yes, I love to speak on lots of topics, including overcoming worry. I especially love speaking at women's retreats because I can have extended contact with the women. I can be reached at Kathyspeak (at) dc (dot) rr (dot) com.

BOOK SUMMARY AND BIOGRAPHY:

It is possible to worry less through trusting God more. Regardless of the storms of trials, temptations, worry, uncertainty, confusion, or regrets that you're facing, you can trust God more. Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries offers a conversational style, personal testimonies, practical illustrations, and solid biblical teaching for breaking anxiety and the devastating effects of worry. Each chapter includes Discussion Questions for individuals or groups, along with a “Letter from God.” In addition, a profile of a woman in the Bible who struggled with or experienced victory over worry is featured in each chapter to inspire every reader to see God's hand in her life.

Kathy Collard Miller is a speaker and author. Her passion is to inspire women to trust God more. She has spoken in 30 states and 7 foreign countries. Kathy has 49 published books including Women of the Bible: Smart Guide to the Bible (Thomas Nelson) and she blogs at www.KathyCollardMiller.blogspot.com. Kathy lives in Southern California with her husband of 43 years, Larry, and is the proud grandma of Raphael. Kathy and Larry often speak together at marriage events and retreats.

 Order Partly Cloudy at: http://www.amazon.com/Partly-Cloudy-Scattered-Worries-Collard/dp/193849976X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383398982&sr=1-1&keywords=Partly+Cloudy 

May God splash your life with serenity and peace on those cloudy days,