And the Winner is...

Thank you so much for your wonderful response in anticipation of the August 15th release of my new Bible study, The God of All Comfort!

And may I just say...

The blessings poured like rain when I read each blog comment. You have such a great love for God's Word! You embrace new avenues for studying Scripture in depth and look for ways to share those truths with others.

That's the whole point.

Giveaways are lots of fun and generate a necessary launch buzz, but the real treasure comes when we pause amidst life's chaos. And get still before the Lord. When we dig deep into His transforming Word. And allow Him to draw us in close.

That's ultimate comfort.

In that place where peace flows like a river, He soothes our hurts and applies His salve of love on our bruised hearts.

"For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." 2 Corinthians 1:5

PRAISE!

So without further ado, the Pre-Launch Celebration Giveaway winner is: 

LIZZIE VELDBOOM!!

Congratulations, Lizzie!! I'll contact you to send your goodies!

If you didn't win, don't go away disappointed! There are more giveaways right around the corner!

Four fellow bloggers have graciously agreed to host me on their blog to offer behind-the-scenes glimpses of The God of All Comfort and offer even more great prizes! 

So mark your calendar! Here's where and when:

     August 15th: Jessica R. Patch - Big Launch Day Giveaway
     Giving away a signed copy of The God of All Comfort,
     a Kindle Touch, plus other goodies

     August 20, 2012: Gabrielle Meyer - Launch Celebration Giveaway
     Giving away a signed copy of The God of All Comfort,
     $50 Starbucks gift card, plus other goodies

     August 27, 2012: Heather Bleier - Launch Celebration Giveaway
     Giving away a signed copy of The God of All Comfort,
     $50 Visa gift card, plus other goodies

     September 5, 2012: Michelle DeRusha - Launch Celebration Giveaway
     Giving away a signed copy of The God of All Comfort,
     $50 Visa gift card, plus other goodies

It is such a privilege to walk beside you in this faith walking we do together. If you'd like to order the study for your Fall study groups, you can find it here and here.

And before you go, there's one's thing I'd love to know that would bless me and these fellow readers:

How have you received and passed along God's comfort this week?
.

Photo from here.

New Bible Study Pre-Launch Giveaway!

It's almost here.

Following twelve months of prayer, research, interviews, writing, editing, theological review, an exciting Facebook cover design poll, and more prayer, my newest Bible study, The God of All Comfort, is set for release on August 15th through Concordia Publishing House.

It's time to CELEBRATE with you what God has done! 

Even though it doesn't officially release for another 8 days (though you can pre-order it here and here), I couldn't resist sharing the joy.

Because when the joy of the Lord is our strength, unquenchable celebration gushes.

The chaotic pace of life can deplete us and take a toll on our lives in countless ways. This study is all about comfort and the God who cradles us with it when life blindsides us. 

Let me tell you what's different and amazing about this study.

With Bible passages from 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 firmly at the center, we journey through real-life circumstances where God redeemed, restored, healed and breathed comfort into suffocating heartaches and life breaks.

My prayer is that somewhere you will find yourself in this study.

Through stories of abuse, loss, addiction, anger, cancer, spiritually unequal marriages, war, faith struggles, adoption, divorce, and so much more, we discover how God can bring soul-deep comfort, healing, and hope that only He can provide.

Won't you consider doing this study with a group this Fall?

So, the contest! Here goes:

The Comfort Prize: 

• Signed copy of The God of All Comfort
• $50 Amazon gift card
• Bag of Starbucks coffee
• Beautiful mug emblazoned with the study's lovely cover
• $15 iTunes gift card
• Signed set of my DVD Bible study, Your Strong Suit

The Rules: 

• Leave a comment below answering: "What are you hoping to learn through this study?"
• Share this post about The God of All Comfort Pre-Launch Giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter.
• Subscribe to receive my blog posts via email (enter email address over on the right).

Complete all 3 steps to qualify for the Pre-Launch Comfort Prize! One name will be drawn out of all qualified entries and the winner will be announced in this Thursday's blog post.

But above all, my prayer is for you. I cannot wait to hear what God accomplishes as you dig deep in His transforming Word and The God of all Comfort.

Thank you for helping get the word out!

.