Y’all. If you have made it to August 18th and have not heard me talk about For the Love by Jen Hatmaker, we might not even be real friends. I don’t know what to say.
Let me catch you up on the whole ordeal. Back in March, I received this fun little email.
I squealed with enthusiasm.
Because launching a book is fun, but launching a book for someone like Jen Hatmaker?
Y’all… that is a dream come true.
If you don’t already know about her… Do yourself a favor… Right now…
Open a new tab and follow her on all things social media, I’ll wait here. You’re welcome.
Now that you’re back, let me tell you just a little bit about why I love Jen.
1. She loves Jesus. Like she loves Him big and real and open and honest. She makes Him her number one priority and worries more about pleasing Him than anyone else. As a celebrity, I can’t imagine that is an easy task. But, knowing that is her heart is enough to get me behind her in nearly everything she does.
2. She is passionate about loving people. Her heart beats for works of justice and compassion. She is involved locally and globally in responsible and wise uses of service and money to reach the needy. In fact, after doing some research, I decided to become a monthly supporter of her new charity, Legacy Collective. Check it out- awesome, wise, sustainable solutions to local and global poverty and injustice.
3. Her heart beats for the local church. She and her husband, Brandon, are church planters and have been on church staff for years. In case you didn’t already know, we are a church planting family. The local church consumes a large part of our lives, hearts, and time. It is exhausting, fulfilling, heartbreaking, hard, wonderful work. Church leaders/planters and their families literally pour their lives into the local church because we still believe God is at work and we are humbled to join Him, but it’s not easy work. I think it’s because of the passion involved, the hard, sobering, humbling moments of ministry work, that somehow we (ministry leaders and their families) feel this special bond with each other- a burning desire to push each other onward. To offer an “I see you, I understand you,” to be a cheerleader on their sidelines.
4. She is hilarious. She is real, open, vulnerable, and fluent in sarcasm. If you can’t handle laughter that turns to tears, well…bye Felicia.
So back to the whole book launch team deal….
The part in the email where she says “And some of you are going to end up on the inside cover”?
We all got the opportunity to write endorsements for the book.
Let me tell you a little bit about the night I turned in my endorsement.
I was taking 24 college credits while working 2 jobs. It was finals week. I had hundreds of pages of curriculum due and did not want to write one more word or spend one more second in front of my computer.
By the grace of God alone and the extra hours to account for time zone differences, I submitted my endorsement (probably late).
My brain was fried, but I set an alarm on my phone, thought of something witty to say and submitted it. Because even though I knew I’d never be selected, when Jen Hatmaker lets you submit an endorsement, you do it.
And just like that, I went about my happy, crazy, busy, life.
I finished that insane 24 credit semester. I said goodbye to two wonderful jobs and I walked across a stage, shook hands, and moved my tassel. Graduation was all that my mind could handle.
I was sitting in my living room a few short weeks later when the following email popped up on my screen.
It’s possible I shed a tear or two.
Who are we kidding? I cried.
And as if all of that wasn’t enough, Jen is straight awesome and crazy all at the same time in that she is hosting the 500 launch team women at her house in TX in September for a giant launch team party.
I cannot say enough good things about these women and this book.
But you will hear about all of that this week along with my favorite quotes, etc. But for now, just one favorite quote!
Let me give you the details on the FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY.
You made it this far, you deserve it!
Here’s the deal.
Every person who subscribes to my blog via email gets entered to win a free book.
If enough of you subscribe, I’ll throw a second winner into the deal. So just do it. You want this book. I promise. Even if you already bought it, enter to give one to a friend!
It’s super simple!
On the right side of the webpage you are on now, there is a little section that says “WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? FOLLOW BY EMAIL” Just type your email address into the nifty little box below and click submit and you are done!
The important thing is that you subscribe BEFORE AUGUST 31. The drawing will happen the 31st, so you need to get your email in before then.
Best of luck my friends, may the odds be in your favor!
Check out the trailer and then go see all of the book details and order it HERE.