Saturday, September 10, 2022

Who You Are & How To Get There by Nolan Ryan Recker

 


 

About the Book

 


Book: Where You Are & How to Get There

Author: Nolan Ryan Recker

Genre: Lifestyle

Release date: August 4, 2022

Have you ever had the thought or asked yourself the question, “How did I get here?”

You know, the kind of question examining the indirect decisions and circumstances that led you to the point life that you even need to ask such a question.

One of the oldest questions ever recorded in human history speaks to this very question we ask ourselves in moments of doubt. What if that ancient question was a question we ought to ask ourselves on a regular basis?

Journey with me as we wrestle with a question that if meant for us, today, would change everything about we view the life we choose to live.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

Author Interview

2. What was the most challenging part of the writing process for you and why?
One of the most challenging parts of the writing process is knowing when it’s “done.”
Especially as an indie author going the self-publishing route. The manuscript is always
in your hands. Even after it goes to the editors and comes back, it’s still on you to make
the final touches. The longer I hold onto the “finished” manuscript before publishing the
more tempting it is to keep tweaking and changing it.
It’s a challenge because “perfect” is a moving target. So when is the manuscript “good
enough?”
That’s life though, isn’t it? Discovering and finding contentment in what’s good enough
in many things frees up our emotional energy to focus on the things we desire to
perfect.

4. What was something new you learned while writing this book?
I learned new things about myself. I learned what I am capable of accomplishing. That’s
part of human development though. We have bigger leaps in development when we are
children. As adults, the achievements seem less frequent requiring more time in
between each breakthrough. I learned patience is key in any endeavor. It’s not that the
idea is “new,” but the level of depth to this truth was “new to me.”


5. What audience did you have in mind when writing this book?
I am in my mid 30’s, so I sought out other perspectives. I had a plethora of
conversations about the content of the book with people of all ages between 20yo to
mid 60’s. There is an underlying or undergirding connection to the ancient origins of
humanity and our search for meaning and fulfillment. Probably more now than ever,
people in the Western world have the time to think about their feelings, consider career
changes, flexibility with creating a family unit, exposure to all sorts of spiritual thoughts
and perspectives; this plurality of thoughts and potential distractions can disorient us
from living intentional lives.
The audience I have in mind is any person unsure about what to do next with a given
area of their life.
This really opens it up, but I lean on one of the oldest recorded questions in human
history. A question I believe every person would benefit to wrestle with.



9. Do you have a favorite drink or snack for when you’re writing?
Yes! Monster Khaotic Energy Drinks. Maybe this is considered a performance
enhancing drug. Ha! A well timedconsumption of this drink just perks me up and helps
me to power through. For anyone concerned, I am only a 2-3 Monsters PER WEEK kind
of guy. :D


10. What message do you hope readers take away from your book?
My hope for readers is the message of hope! I say that tongue in cheek, but that is what
I thought when reading the question. Often, when I am having conversations with
people about the direction of their life, past choices, present-future anxiety and
uncertainty; what I aim to do is help others self-discover their innate internalized
motivation. Give them a sustainable means of hope and outlook that even though life is
relentless in what it throws at us, there is something in me that gives me hope.
If my inner life has dried up, my career path is stuck, my relationships aren’t fulfilling, or
I am uncertain about the big questions of life, who and what to believe, etc. then
discovering where we are will help inform our next steps toward a fulfilling and
flourishing life.

 


About the Author



Nolan’s toughest and rewarding opportunities are being a husband and a father. As a husband and a father, Nolan wants his family members to discover and live a flourishing life. Nolan’s life experience has covered the spectrum from being a camp counselor to a school teacher to a custodian to a Lead Pastor of a church. This, is why he writes. If he wrestles with the ideas he writes about, maybe others wrestle with the same things, and if they do, would they benefit from a different perspective? He’s honored to listen to anyone who graces him with their time to tell their story; especially if it involves coffee or pizza.

 

More from Nolan

Hi there! The name’s Nolan & I love this book.

 

Seriously, it was a labor of love.

 

Sometimes writing for the sake of the enjoyment and scrutiny of others can lead to some pretty sad writing days. One of my favorite writers recently said something along these lines, “Sometimes, writing is opening up a blank word processor, staring at it for eight hours, closing the processor, and not writing a thing. It still counts!”

 

For me, I used to seek perfection in much of what I attempted to do. I wouldn’t try something if the odds weren’t favorable. It wasn’t until I learned that life is a lot like staring at a blank word processor. Even though I didn’t accomplish anything on a specific day or season of life, the fact that I showed up is what counts.

 

Learning to live life in this way. Discovering rhythms of creating, rest, consuming, pain, work, play, purpose, and my people; helped me to rediscover a life-story worth living.

 

A life-story worth writing.

 

I am so many things and wear so many different “hats,” but first and foremost, I am a loved human being, created in the Image of a loving and creative God.

 

I enjoy being a husband and a father.

 

I love the passion of writing.

 

When something comes together, there is no greater treasure than to put something into the world that brightens someone else’s experience of this life.

 

Wearing the “hats” of Pastor, Teacher, Coach, Friend, Advocate, etc. time and I again I would have conversations with people regarding the very things you will read in “Where You Are & How To Get There.”

 

We are all on this life journey together, and I am glad to journey on with all of you.

Blog Stops


Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 9

Texas Book-aholic, September 10

A Reader’s Brain, September 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 12

Inklings and notions, September 13

Splashes of Joy, September 14 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, September 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 15

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 16

Spoken from the Heart, September 17 (Author Interview)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 19

For the Love of Literature, September 20 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 21

Cats in the Cradle Blog, September 22


Giveaway


To celebrate his tour, Nolan is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2159c/where-you-are

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Far From Home by Mabel Ninan

 

 


About the Book

 


Book: Far From Home

Author: Mabel Ninan

Genre: Christian / Non-Fiction / Spiritual Growth

Release date: July 12, 2022

What is my purpose? Why do I exist? A sense of self and belonging are two questions many of us struggle to answer.

And what if you are a foreigner in another land?

How does one adjust to a new culture? Discover their place in a new society?

For Mabel Ninan, born and raised in India and an immigrant in America shortly after marriage, the search for those answers sent her on a journey that led to an unexpected and exciting discovery.

God revealed she was not only an earthly immigrant but also a spiritual one, created with a unique calling to impact His kingdom. Mabel’s renewed perspective imbued her with joy and hope, urging her to share the message with others.

Drawing from her personal experiences and by examining the lives of biblical heroes, Mabel sheds light on what it means to live as a citizen of Heaven on earth. Far from Home will inspire you to:

  • Embrace your identity as a foreigner on earth.
  • Make your home with God.
  • Find community and common purpose with fellow sojourners.

Explore the intersection between culture, identity, and faith in this new release from an earthly immigrant who gained a spiritual perspective.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

My Review

Far From Home is a very relevant, thought-provoking read that is as relatable to the every day person as it is educational about immigrant experiences in America. As I live in a large city myself with numerous immigrants of all sorts of backgrounds, I really felt this book helped me to empathize with their experiences and really minister to them biblically. I also feel like anyone could feel like an alien at some point and as the Bible says as true Christ followers, we are aliens in this world. I was quite encouraged by the challenge to re-identify myself with Christ and how He sees me and all that He is to me- my everything that I could truly need or want. Each chapter had relatable heart-warming as well as realistically difficult stories from the author that gave the book an ease of reading flow. This was connected with Biblical accounts to show the common thread of Christians throughout the ages and their struggle as an alien of the world they lived in physically. Each chapter contained a prayer and discussion questions so this could easily be used individually or for group study. I feel any Christian could gain valuable insight, encouragement, and practical tools to help navigate their identity in Christ from this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own. 


About the Author



Born and raised in the minority Christian community in India, Mabel moved to the US in 2008 shortly after getting married. In nearly thirteen years of her marriage, her family has called ten different places across two continents and seven cities home. The challenges Mabel faced as an immigrant on the move led to a spiritual crisis that drew her nearer to God’s side where she learned valuable lessons about how to live as a citizen of heaven. Her mission is to inspire believers to embrace their pilgrim journey on earth and boldly pursue their heavenly calling.

A contributor to Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures: Daily Devotions for Animal Lovers 2022, Mabel’s writings have appeared in The Upper Room, CBN.com, Leading Hearts Magazine, and (in)courage.me. She hosts a YouTube podcast called Immigrant Faith Stories where she shares testimonies of immigrants, refugees, missionaries, and cross-cultural ministry leaders. She has been serving in various roles in women’s ministry for almost a decade.

Mabel enjoys reading, traveling, and dancing, but nothing gives her more joy than having conversations about the Bible.

Mabel is pursuing M.A. in Theological Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She lives with her husband, son, and Maltese pup in Northern California.

 

More from Mabel

When the idea of this book was birthed in 2018, I wanted to publish a collection of letters to my son. I wanted to keep a record of God’s faithfulness to me in a foreign country. How He became my all in all when I had nobody to call my own. How He gave me His all when I was empty. I hoped my stories and learnings would strengthen not only my son’s faith but also other immigrants like me. But God had a different plan for this book.

By 2019, the book underwent a complete change in its content and organization. It also targeted a different group of readers. I wrote for those who were coping with changes, those who wanted a deeper walk with God, those who found it difficult to belong or cling to hope in the midst of suffering, and those who were tired of going through the motions. My agent and I replaced the title of the book from This is not Home to Far from Home.

After facing rejecting from almost eight publishers, Far from Home found its home in Harambee Press, an imprint of Iron Stream Media that publishes ethnic writers. I was thrilled!

Far from Home is a nonfiction book but it is also part memoir. I’ve described what life was like growing up in India and I also recount a few experiences as an immigrant in the U.S. What makes Far from Home unique is also that the book introduces the reader to another culture, the Indian/South Asian culture. Some parts of the book read like a devotional while others are rich in biblical character studies and teaching.

Overall, I feel the book reflects who I am—an Indian, an America, an Indian-American, a storyteller, an immigrant, and a Bible teacher—though that was not my aim. I find it fascinating that I could be myself and tell my stories and use all aspects of my identity to declare the goodness and greatness of God.

There is a need for more diversity in our stories. I’m not saying this because diversity is the new buzz world these days. We need diverse voices and ways of worship because they reveal God’s power, beauty, and creativity. Testimonies from other cultures can open our eyes to a new way of experiencing God and His Word. They engage our brains and touch our hearts in a unique way. Reading books by diverse authors can enlarge our capacity for empathy, push back our defenses, and even turn our fear of the unknown into appreciation.

I hope my writing helps you see God from a different lens, a different angle. I hope it makes you want to read books by authors from varied cultures, races, and ethnicities.

And my desire, more than anything else, is that Far from Home convinces you that you’re never really far from home. In the triune God, you always have a home here on earth while you await a better one in heaven. A home that will be shared with people from all nations, tongues, and tribes.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, September 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 2

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 3

A Reader’s Brain, September 4

Beauty in the Binding, September 5 (Author Interview)

Boondock Ramblings, September 5

Inklings and notions, September 6

deb’s Book Review, September 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 8

Simple Harvest Reads, September 9 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 11

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 12

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 13

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, September 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 14


Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mabel is giving away the grand prize package of a Paperback copy of book, customized notepad and bookmark (these eco-friendly products made by rural artisans in India help sustain endangered art forms and secure livelihoods), access to digital resources (recipe booklet, teaching videos, and audio prayers), and a $30 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/21362/far-from-home-celebration-tour-giveaway