“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly
free.” John 8:36
Today I have Tanya Eavenson with us to
share a little about Sweet Freedom, a
new anthology released last month.
Thank you, Laura,
for having me. Sweet Freedom as you
mentioned is an anthology about being free in Christ. Within these pages are
real stories about fear, bitterness, and emotional wounds that will touch your
heart as they did mine.
How did you come up with the idea for Sweet Freedom?
Actually it
wasn’t my idea. =) Last fall I was sent an email from a dear friend, Jennifer
Slattery, about a project I might be interested in, an anthology about being
free in Christ. I loved the idea so I sent my reply, “Of course!”
Since Sweet
Freedom is a compilation of works, I wanted to invite several authors to join
me, and to tell you a little about their stories, poems, or devotions.
Jennifer Slattery: I like to
contemplate things past--most specifically, what God has done in my life. He's
done a lot, but perhaps what I'm most grateful for is the continual progression
toward emotional freedom He has provided. It's funny, each year it seems God
shows me a new area of bondage--to fears, pride, negative patterns of behavior,
whatever--and then He patiently, gently works in my heart and life to free me
from those things. And that is the beauty of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior. It's so much more than a question of salvation. It's a question of life
abundant--which is exactly what He promised to those who choose to follow Him. And
that is why I wanted to create this compilation. I wanted others to understand
the freedom that is available to them through Christ. And I wanted to encourage
those who are currently on a freedom journey by helping them see that God does
indeed come through in His time and His way, which is always perfect. http:lljenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com
Gail Pallotta: All of the characters in
“Stitches in Love” are kind, loving people. They want Grandma Jackie to have a
happy, healthy life, but they’re busy and pre-occupied. I wanted to show one
who took the time to realize Grandma Jackie’s grief affected her health. Then
three pitched into to help Grandma Jackie cope, and it costs each of them only
a little effort. As a result Grandma Jackie returned to enjoying something that
interested her and started spending time with a good friend. I hope the story
illustrates how people can lift up someone in times of need. To read Gail’s debut
novel Stopped Cold, a best seller on
All Romance eBooks, is at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stopped-Cold
ebook/dp/B00CBAT37I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369669132&sr=1-1&keywords=stopped+cold
Kelly Anne Liberto: My story in Sweet
Freedom is called Hidden Memories. When I was nine years old, a family friend
sexually abused me. The reason I wrote this story is to show others who have gone
through the same tragedy that God can set them free from the fear that often
comes along with being violated. There is no need to live as a victim to the
lies and lack of self-worth that one feels after experiencing this trauma. It
is true that we need to forgive those who abuse us. Because when we do, we are
free to live a life that God has designed specifically for us. In my case, the
experience did nothing to take away my voice as a writer, it only instilled the
desire in me to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. I have a heart
and a passion in particular to see the victims of sex trafficking given the
opportunities through counseling and training to live the lives they were meant
to have. Visit me at: www.kellyliberto.com
Beth Farley: There was a time in my
life where I wrote a lot of poetry to heal my soul. I wrote Give the Savior a Call (pg. 15) when my
dad was dying with cancer. I was terrorized with the thought of losing my dad
and yet I was captivated with the visions of heaven awaiting my dad. I pictured
my dad letting go of the “smoking” trap and sitting on the Saviors lap and
resting. It did not take away the pain of losing my father, but it did give me
hope that my dad was resting with Him. It was such a wonderful experience
writing with the group of gals. I was humbled and blessed to partake in Sweet
Freedom. If you would like to learn more about me, you can visit my blog at http://firsthalfday1.wordpress.com.
Tanya, would you like to leave us with an
excerpt?
I’d love to,
Laura! This is a devotion I wrote for Sweet
Freedom.
Burned
By Tanya Eavenson
Have you ever
felt burned by a loved one, a friend, or a church member? Sometimes those
closest to us are the ones that hurt us the most. Rejection and betrayal are
two words most of us know from experience. In our story, Julie had been
unsuccessfully holding on to her tattered life with her own strength. She
couldn’t see a way out of her hurt. She was in prison, chained by the pain and
the reminders of what should have been.
During these
times in our lives, God comes near. He reminds us who He is, how much He loves
us, and reassures us He has a plan for our lives. But we have to be willing to
allow Him to break those chains of hurt and grab hold of the future God has in
store for us.
John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly
free.
Do you want to be
free, truly free? Stop holding on to the hurt. Give it to the One who broke the
chains that bind us to the pain and heartache from the past. He calls us to
start anew. He calls us to live a life of freedom. Freedom in Christ.
Tanya
Eavenson and
her husband have been involved in ministry for fifteen years teaching youth and
adults. Tanya enjoys
spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime
is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. Tanya
is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and writes for Christ to the
World Ministries sharing the Gospel around the world.
To
connect with Tanya Eavenson:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tan_eave
Website: http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/
To check out Tanya Eavenson’s books: http://www.amazon.com/Tanya-Eavenson/e/B00B2UO5TE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
To purchase Sweet Freedom: http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Freedom-Give-Glory-ebook/dp/B00DPN8WAY/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376754146&sr=1-2
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4 comments:
Thanks for having Tanya and sharing something about the stories in Sweet Freedom with a Slice of Peach Cobbler.
It was such a privilege for me be included in the anthology, to meet the wonderful contributors,and to read their uplifting stories.
I know what you mean, Gail! It's wonderful to know God brought us together for His glory and to reach others with our stories.
Thanks for stopping by!
This sound like a great book. A lot of these issues are taboo in the church. Thank God these ladies were brave enough to write about these issues. www.gmail.com
Laura, loved Tanya's interview. :) Love her, too! And loved, loved, loved her debut novel, "Unconditional!"
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