Stress Point Giveaway with Sarah Martin
While I ready myself for our Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference next week (and feed three freshman football players after their morning workouts1) I am having a few friends offer giveaways.
Today, meet my friend Sarah and hear about her book Stress Point.
About her:
Sarah Francis Martin has a passion to encourage and relate to women in their twenties. Her relevant and conversational style will lead young adult readers to live out the kingship of Christ in everyday life in order to find godly success, purpose and well being. Her ministry, LIVE IT OUT!, is a space for 20-somethings to connect with one another and grow closer to Jesus (www.liveitoutblog.com).
About her book:
Want to ditch the drama and thrive through your twenties? Body image. Friendships. Career. Money. Dating. All these issues and more serve as points of stress for the 20-something woman, and combined they can make for a decade of drama in a girl’s life. Sarah is the slightly older girlfriend who’s been there, done that, and got the not-so-cute t-shirt. Through this interactive Bible study, Sarah helps young adult women address each stress point by encouraging them to wait on the Lord, worship Him, and make Him the focus of their lives.
Her interview:
~ Sarah, what prompted you to write Stress Point?
After working with the She Seeks, a division of Proverbs 31 Ministries for 20-somethings, I noticed that our readers were in need of resources that speak directly to the single/college/career stage of life. I thought this would be an awesome opportunity to share with young adult women how they can put Jesus in the center of every single area of life.
~ What do you feel are the greatest stressors a woman faces in her twenties?
In addition to the typical stress of dating and navigating relationships during this decade, the topic of money, career, body image and making a difference in the world are just a few stress points. This is such a transitional and even weird stage of life where young adult women are navigating life now that they are “officially.” It is difficult to work through these stress points when we don’t have a center of focus on Jesus.
~ What do you hope your readers discover as they experience your book?
It is my prayer, hope and dream that young adult women will see that they are not alone in their stress points. I also hope and pray that after they’ve conversed with me by reading the book, they will put Stress Point down, pick up their Bible and have some meaningful conversations with the Lord.
~ Anything older women can glean from your book?
Absolutely. We all face stress points in life yet often lose our way as to what matters most. I think women older than 20-somethings (our “slightly older girlfriends”) will learn how to what I call, LIVE OUT! the Kingship of Christ in every area of their life.
Also, Stress Point is a great resource for parents of 20-somethings. Not only would they get a glimpse into the mind and heart of their daughters, Stress Point makes for a great graduation gift!
Thanks Sarah!
Now, if you would like to be entered into a drawing to receive a signed copy of Sarah’s book, answer this question:
~IF YOU ARE IN YOUR 20’s: What is the biggest stresser you face?
~ IF YOU ARE IN YOUR 30’s OR ABOVE: What is one piece of advice you wish you could go back and give your twenty-something self?
Go……..
(Winner announced Friday)
I wished I had been plugged into a Women’s Bible Study. I slacked accountability!!!
The one piece of advice I would give to my twenty-something self is this: “You’re not fat, so quit worrying about it and enjoy your life!!”
I’m in the *above* category. I want to encourage women of any age to enjoy these years and not just look ahead to the job, the man, the kids, etc… Enjoy just being who God made us to be and to wait more upon Him, not *rush* through your days.
I would give myself advice that I need to give Jesus my life and my family and follow Him completely each day. He gave me unconditional love and that is what I should have been doing years ago with my family. It has taken over 20 years to make me realize how hypocritical I have been living my “Christian” life.
I am in my 40s and the piece of advice I would give myself is…….my family is my work and my ministry.
I am in my mid 20s. My main stressors are: keeping a good home while still working 40 hours a week and not letting work take a toll on me. Then there comes the pressure of being model picture perfect… the body, the clothes, the make-up…….
One thing – Delight yourself in the Lord and He will grant you the desires of your heart. Ps37:4
My biggest stressor is balancing work, family, and ministry! I’m tugged in so many directions and am continually working on boundaries! However, I will be 30 next week (my next biggest stressor of my 20’s), so I’ll also share some advice for my 20-something self – don’t rush life!
Instead of looking outside at what everyone else is doing/ saying/ wearing/ Use these fresh single years to focus on what’s truly important – your relationship with Christ” and everything else will fall into place in God’s timing!
Looking back, I would make sure I only dated committed Christians, and that would mean to only marry a committed Christian.
Stop trying to plan everything out and enjoy each gift that God has given. It WILL be okay.
Pray continually. See myself as Christ sees me. I am more comfortable in my skin than I was in my 20s. That is a good thing!!!!!
I would tell the 20 something me to quit it with the sex out of marriage. Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes it worth it and the right guy is deserving of more than just that anyway. Lawdy, the stuff I would tell me!
I would tell my twenty-something self to just live life and don’t worry about the current situation. God’s got it handled and everything is on a need-to-know basis…He’ll let you know when He thinks you need to know!
I am 48 My #1 piece of advice for my young self would be…When you just attend church and listen to what someone else has learned from the Bible it is like a glass of milk when you need steak and potatoes! You will be satisfied when you open up God’s word for yourself. He will come and meet you there. Oh and DON’T be afraid to say to God, “What does that mean? I’ve never heard that before!” Keep asking, seeking and knocking He will open the door. :)
(Not available then…but I love BibleGateway.com to read the Word online, my Strongs KJV (free iPhone app by Brian T. Webb) and my YouVersion (free iPhone app with audio of the Word I listen when I walk, travel, can’t sleep, etc).
I am an older girlfriend (42 to be exact)…if I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was 20ish…I would tell Robin to spend time in God’s word, don’t worry about having a perfectly clean house, spend time with friends and family for they may disappear quickly, listen to the older generation and take in their wise wisdom, don’t spend every dime you have trying to keep up with the neighbors next door and simply be yourself. God made Robin in His image and wants me to be happy and love Him and myself for who I am. I am trying to take this advice now before it is too late. May you have a blessed day filled with sunshine and laughter….
Smiles & Blessings,
Robin :)
I’m 60! I would tell myself at 20 or my daughter, at 26, to bring all your concerns to God in prayer and trust Him with your life. I would also say not to give attention to what people think of me, only what God thinks. He knows me best and knows what’s best for me. He’ll tell you if you ask Him!
I am only two years away from 40, so I would say that I wish I had known in my 20’s that it was okay to not have my life all figured out!
Oh, I would love to receive this book. I have a daughter almost 25 years (next week). Many struggles in her life. Some coming to a peak as we speak. I have returned to counseling myself, so I can be a Godly influence, instead of a stressed out mess! Due to her many poor life choices.?.
I am not 20 something. I am the mom of one 20 something and 2 daughters that are not close behind. My biggest advise I would give myself and I try to let them know. God is in control and you have time to take it easy on yourself. I try to insist that the girls take one summer off from working before going full bore into adulthood. I wasn’t able to do that for my 21 year old, but God is doing it to her. She has a job when school starts, but has not been able to get a summer job. God has provided through her church and she is looking up for God’s protection, provision and presence in her life.
So, My advise is to the young me: Let God be your provider, protector and feel his presence in your life before you attach yourself to a man for life.
Love Me
If I get the book I will read it and give it to My girls.
I am 29, so I will answer both. The hardest parts of my twenties were the big decisions and changes I made. Getting married, having children, staying home with my Kiddos, changing from my single friends group to the play group with other mommies. I absolutely love my life, but sometimes transitions and changes can be very difficult to adjust and grow through.
As for what I would tell my twenty something self: don’t worry about what other people think, and don’t try to fit in to the world. God is waiting for you to allow him to transform you into who he wants you to be…and it is WAY BETTER than anything the world can offer :)
Oh, how I would love to go back to my 20s and tell myself to not waste my time on the boys that I’m physically attracted to and instead look for the good guy. I spent my 20s looking for the wrong type of guy, and now that I’m in my mid-30s and ready for the nice guy, there aren’t any single ones left!
I am 52 and have been married for 21 years. If you do the math, I did not get married until I was 31. I accepted the Lord and started praying for a Godly husband when I was 19. I did not meet him until I was 30. Waiting on the Lord is very hard but very worth it. We have the relationship the many women dream of. It is far from story book perfect; there have been health issues, layoffs, money issues, life stuff, etc., you get the picture. But through it all we are side by side as a couple. Wait for God’s best in your husband, don’t give in and think because He is taking too long that there isn’t someone for you.
30s
If I could go back to my 20s, I will tell myself to slow down and not rush life. So many young girls in today’s society want to grow up, get married, and have babies right out of highschool. Enjoy life; keep your eyes toward God’s goodness and don’t settle for what everyone esle is doing. Make a point to live life and not let life live me.
Get rid of the belief that I have to do everything perfectly.