In Pursuit of the Proverbs 31 Woman Giveaway with Amy Bayliss
Hey girls–You are in for a treat!
I’ve asked my cyber friend Amy Balyiss to guest post today while I work on my edits to my latest manuscript (and hang out with my youngest who has a snow day today)
See? Here is the view this morning from my back deck:
So, while I fix some coffee for me and some hot cocoa for the man-cub who will be packing to go on our church youth group’s ski trip this weekend, you can enjoy her post.
Don’t forget to leave a comment. You may be one of SEVEN winners of her new e-book!
Now, meet Amy:
Amy Bayliss is a small town Cajun girl living life in the big city. She and her husband Ryan have four children, all boys, ranging in age from toddler to teen!
Amy is a writer, blogger, and she has been “following” Jesus since before Twitter made it cool. She is the author of Pursuit of Proverbs 31. You can visit her at her personal blog, Cajun Joie de Vivre.
From Amy’s Heart: I gave my life to Christ at the age of 21 but it took me several more years to grasp what that really meant.
I got caught in a vicious cycle of “doing” in hopes of pleasing Him. I thought the verses in Proverbs 31 were my ticket to holiness.
What I discovered was that it isn’t just about the words on the pages. It is about the heart behind them.
Our Father never intended for us to mimic this lady the way we have. He created each of us uniquely. Why would we confine ourselves to a template?
On my journey to discovering the Proverbs 31 woman I found Jesus. He loved me, taught me, and at times, corrected me.
I realized that as long as we pursue Him and have a “fear of the Lord” then the natural outcome is that the work of our hands is blessed. It doesn’t happen the other way around.
We each get different results because we are unique individuals with different gifts and callings but the common thread is that we make God our priority. We acknowledge Him above all else.
In this book I cover the traits that come as a result of putting God first. We are blessed with clarity to be the best wife to our husband, the best mother to our children, the best homemaker in our home, to top it off, we are resourceful, creative, and yes, even organized. Each result is uniquely yours.
I wrote Pursuit of Proverbs 31 in the hopes that other women would be freed from the bondage of good works and freely receive the love our Savior has for them and the abundant life He has promised.
It is my hope that you find yourself, the person God created, as you read through these pages.
I would like to give away 7 copies of Pursuit of Proverbs 31. In order to enter you need only comment here, on this post, and let us know what questions come to mind when you think of the woman of Proverbs 31.
Although that is the only requirement for entering, I’d be thrilled if you’d consider subscribing to our updates, “liking” our page on Facebook and “following” us on Twitter.
Thanks for having me, Karen!
thank you much. i was a Christian 40 yrs ago, but i sure wish i’d been intuned to
Proverbs 31. i pray the young women today can find you and others of you and
grow in the Lord.
God bless your ministry to even us oldies.
linda
I’m jealous of you Karen. I love snow and we have’t even had enough here in Central IL to build a snowman. Enjoy the peaceful relaxing day that a snow day gives!! See you at Hearts??
It is a daily struggle to manage myself in a way that gets me closer to being a Proverbs 31 woman………Only with His Strength will I succeed.
How do I keep going 100mi a hour, work, school and 5 kids, all while putting God before anything?
I like your story and would love to read your book! I am realizing the perfectionism in me needs to take a back seat, which I struggle with daily. Your book is going on my need to read list!
I am looking forward to reading this book. I am always looking for that “thing” God want me to know. I’ve slipped away a little and clawing my way back to Him.
I have oftened wondered how she did all of the things she did. I love how instead of focusing on her we need to focus on Jesus. It makes me feel a lot better.
:There are actually abolustely quite a lot of details just like that to take into consideration. Thatb4s a amazing point to bring up. I offer the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly you can find questions like the one you bring up where the most fundamental factor will certainly be working in honest fine faith. I donb4t know if finest practices have emerged around things just like that, but I am sure that your job is clearly identified as a fair game.
I’ve been thinking about this lately too. I see women trying to do all these things and not measuring up. And then I hear women crying out “What is my purpose, what is my job in God’s kingdom?” And the unspoken question is “How can I have a ministry when I’m at home with my kids all day?” I think the connection is found not in what this ideal woman does but in her focus. Everything she does is focused on her home and family. But that doesn’t mean the benefit stays there. Take her husband for example, what do you think a man who needs nothing can accomplish in the market place?
Anyway, It’s not about running ourselves ragged. It’s about offering our bodies as living sacrifices, focusing on the family God put us in.
I’ve often wondered is this really only ONE woman doing all these things?! ;-)
Like the others, I want to know how she balances everything! Hmmm…that tricky balance! :)
Thank you, Amy! Pursuing the Lord, not the ideal woman, is the way to becoming all He wants us to be. That is freeing. And when God says beauty is fleeting…Amen to that. :)
Does it suggest all work should be done in/for the home?
I admire the Proverbs 31 woman. I would love to read your book.
So thankful for grace, to keep starting over at working to be teh Proverbs 31 woman. Just had a conversation with my 7 year old daughter about God’s grace and having a fresh new start each day (each moment)!
I study and strive to be a proverbs 31 woman. I find a lot of it is easy and some you really have to work at. In praying and planning I found God has blessed me with a lot of ideas to help me. It is pressure sometimes though to keep it up daily. I’d love to read your book for guidance and encouragement. Thank you and God bless.
How does she do it all and stay so sweet and calm? :)
:-) Must be all her “freakin out” moments weren’t included in scripture!
I’d want to know how she was able to balance everything.
So thankful the Lord equips me to be the woman He wants me to be. It is so freeing to live up to His expectations and not the worlds! Thank you for sharing today Amy.
For years I tried to be the Proverbs 31 woman all in a day and then start over the next day. IMPOSSIBLE. I got so tired “bringing in food from a far” “sewing all those purple clothes for my children” and “buying and selling land.” :) Then I realized this was a portrait of her life. Her children rise up and call her blessed. My toddlers don’t do that. They were blessed to have a mother who exemplified all of these things in her lifetime. This speaks greater in volume. Anyone can “try” to achieve this is one day, but a whole lifetime….ONLY through HIS power can we be….The Proverbs 31 Woman!
How did she have the time and emotional energy to do everything it says she did?
I so admire the P31 woman. I strive to be more like that.
How do you hold it all together? Life is so tough with 2 boys ages 2 and 4. I would love to pick your brain about life! Since becoming saved, I have become much less stressed and overwhelmed. I just give it all to Him. My how my life has changed for the better!
I have a love-hate relationship with her.
Me too, Beccy!
Oh how that lady in Proverbs 31 has taunted, and condemed, over the years. However, I have come to learn that is not the purpose, and it was the enemy making it seem that way. Through her the Word may convict, but mostly encourage and inspire. And you are so right, we are all unique and therefore the way we live out the lessons taught through her will be unique. Thanks you so much for this post and I can’t wait to read the book whether I win or buy it;)
without the help of the Lord Jesus it is impossible :)
Amen Sherry!!!!