Amazingness galore :: Cheryl, Jen *and* Mary

*Giveaway now closed.*

Her graciousness struck me from our first meeting, and what a first meeting it was. Mary, looking totally darling with her thick, dark hair swinging in a pony tail, and me looking totally not darling with primary colored birthday cake frosting smeared. all. over. my chest, face, and hair. {I later realized I even had frosting on my back. How? I’ll never know.}  Unfazed by my disheveled appearance, Mary introduces herself and welcomes us to the Juniper Court neighborhood.  We schedule a playdate for our same-aged toddlers, and so begins a friendship that has spanned a plethera of mountain top and valley moments together.

While I’ve witnessed Mary’s lovely, Spirit-led nature over and over, I’ve never seen it so visible as when sorrow shows up on her doorstep . In this last eighteen months alone, Mary’s story includes an ectopic pregnancy, her husband’s deployment, her mother’s stroke and sudden death, a major move across the country, and the loss of a son. While she has walked the hardest of the hard roads, Mary still lives with hands open and eyes toward heaven. She lives the hard faith that proves genuine.

And so every time the gentle, stirring words and music of  “When Emptiness Sings” drift towards me, I think of Mary. She is indeed an amazing wonder who keeps her bow on the strings ready to play the song God orchestrates.

{subscribers, click here for video.}

But oh,

Her bow is on the strings,

And the tune resonates in the open space

To show us how emptiness sings.

Glory to God, Glory to God!

In fullness of wisdom,

He writes my story into his song,

My life for the glory of God.

Chorus of “How Emptiness Sings” by Christa Wells

Now I know Mary, and she will read this and say, “Oh Kristen, but you don’t really know me. You don’t know all the times I haven’t handled the easy and hard things well. The times I still don’t.”

And I’d just look into her dark brown eyes and say,  ”But Mary, God doesn’t expect perfection from you, only perseverance in the process. And because you do this – and a thousand other things – so imperfectly wonderfully, you are already amazing.”

“The moments you lived in your strengths, the challenges you pushed through, the ways you made a difference – they’ll all be something beautiful that you can give the One who gave everything for you.” Holley Gerth, You’re Already Amazing

{I’d also add, “And thank you Mary for not finding my frantic, frosting-covered self totally bizarre and weird. Amen.}

I’m gushing about Mary today in honor of a surprise book shower for Holley Gerth {another already amazing woman}. Her book, You’re Already Amazing, is available now at DaySpring, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Today, several of Holley’s friends are conspiring to surprise her with stories of those women in our lives who are already amazing. And if there’s one thing Holley loves, it’s her sisters lovin’ on each other by spreading around some major Jesus truth.

Isn’t she just the prettiest cover you’ve ever seen?

Speaking of major Jesus truth, Holley’s book is chock-full of it. God has used Holley’s blog and books to grow my faith over and over, so I knew I’d love this book, too. Really love it. But honestly, I didn’t know I’d really really love it this much. As in, it’s one of my all time favorite nonfiction reads. You’re Already Amazing isn’t your typical inspiring, biblically based book. While it certainly encourages my faith walk, it also gives practical ways to move biblical truths from my head to my heart, to accept them in all the deep places. And as a licensed counselor, Holley’s knowledge of why we women think and feel the way we do {the way God wired us} makes this read just plain fascinating.

Gettin’ my Holley love on.

Visit Holley’s place today and read more stories of amazing women *and* link up your own! Not a blog writing chica? Then maybe facebook or tweet a little love note about someone you think is da bomb diggedy. Better yet, tell her to her darling little face.

Finally, what’s a shower without presents? Because I so adore this book and  wholeheartedly believe in its message, I’m giving away *two* copies of Holley’s You’re Already Amazing, one for you and one for a special loved one in your life. And also? You’ll have your pick of your fave Holley Gerth canvas print, some of which are pictured below.