I am always excited to start a new year. 365 opportunities ahead. It feels like a fresh start in a way. I have set some pretty hefty goals for myself in 2026! I am excited to see how the next 52 weeks will unfold. Stay tuned!

As we enter the season of Thanksgiving and are ever closer Christmas, my thoughts tend to focus on all the details of the holidays. It’s easy to get busy and caught up in all the things! Then as Christmas winds down and we start to think of the new year, a fresh start in some cases, it is an excellent time to reflect and think about what we want to include in it. I would highly recommend including this gratitude journal in your new year, and it would make an excellent Christmas gift for friends and families alike! Start the new year recording memories and things to be thankful for each week. At the end of the year you will have the book filled with memories to keep and recall the many blessings God bestows upon His children!

From Joyful Press Publishing, now available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/7NUt3sP

God Manifest Publishing Releases “Ten Little Birds” by Emily Reagan

“Ten Little Birds” is a gentle reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can lead to wonderful new connections. The story is dedicated to promoting authentic relationships and celebrating the importance of friendship. Tapping into her lifelong love of writing, Emily shares this heart-warming story with the world.

Join one little tree as it discovers the delight in making new friends and the beauty of a world full of color! In this heartwarming story, one by one, colorful little birds fly in to join the quiet tree, bringing life, joy, and a rainbow of hues.

“Every part of Ten Little Birds flutters with creativity, from the storyline to the multifaceted teaching method, to the colorful, creative illustrations beaming from every single page,” stated Olivia Truong, Co-founder and CEO of God Manifest Publishing. “I am thrilled to release this beautiful children’s book that will, without a doubt, inspire and teach parents and children alike.”

From the first vibrant red bird to a cheerful purple one, behold as each new feathered friend transforms the tree from solitary to full of splendor. With every new arrival, the tree experiences new growth, mirroring the blossoming friendships.

“Ten Little Birds” is a delightful journey that teaches counting from one to ten and introduces a palette of colors in an engaging, rhythmic story perfect for read-aloud fun. It’s a gentle reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can lead to wonderful new connections. Perfect for preschoolers and early readers, this charming book will inspire giggles, foster a love for nature, and warm hearts with its message of community.

Children everywhere will enjoy a captivating journey that cultivates compassion, inspires leadership through acts of kindness, and helps develop an appreciation for beauty and nature.

Ten Little Birds is currently available in paperback on Amazon.com. The eBook (Kindle) will be released later this year.

Buy it today on Amazon: https://a.co/d/5FwxwOU

God Manifest Publishing was founded in 2019 to provide big publisher services at a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the author’s royalties to new and lesser-known, Christian-based authors. Whether you’re seeking a professional publisher to provide the full spectrum of publishing services (copy editing, proofreading, design, and distribution), or you’re a self-publisher seeking a publishing partner to provide you with one or more of the many behind-the-scenes services that authors need, God Manifest Publishing is ready to help your book come alive. https://godmanifestpublishing.com

I’ve been busy with life, so it’s been a while since I have focused time and energy on my website and writing projects online. Five years. Half a decade. A lot has happened to say the least. Definitely hit with some hard things. Covid, enough said. Selling a home. Renting a shoebox. Buying land. Building a house. Personal health struggles that included gall bladder, food poisoning, severe anxiety, and panic attacks. Child diagnosed with lymes disease from a tick bite. Job uncertainty in the midst of building. Child in the hospital. The death of a parent and near death of the other parent shortly after. Growing from a family of three to a family of four. More job uncertainty. Other child in the hospital. The death of a friend followed by the sudden death of another dear friend only two weeks later. Friends marriages falling apart.

I have to say though, through it all, I always felt the presence of God. I knew He was always there with me. I was busy living life, and at times, feeling like I had my head just above the water, you know? I wouldn’t even recognize the me from five years ago. You grow through what you go through. I had many opportunities for growth as you can see! The year between May 2021 and May 2022 contained most of the aforementioned “opportunities for growth”. The first four months of 2025 held some real doozies as well!

There were definitely times I grew frustrated. Death, grief, various circumstances out of my control, waiting for healing, feeling stuck. Then add onto all that the frustrations of unfulfilled dreams. I wanted to write and publish books! I had so many ideas. I was ready to go. But time and time again, God gently reminded me it wasn’t time yet. I self-published a gratitude journal in 2019 and I think I sold about five copies. Three of those were my own purchases, so yeah! That isn’t to say I didn’t write anything in the eleven years since I first heard God tell me “write a book”. I have written down so many notes for various novels and stories. There were times I would be washing the dishes and it was like He downloaded an idea to me. I would stop and write the ideas down in my notebook. Numerous children’s books, even a few series ideas, historical fiction, young adult fiction, fantasy, and inspirational non-fiction. At the end of January, God made it clear to me it was time! So many stories to tell and 2025 is just the start.

The Oxford dictionary defines freedom as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate because of what it means to me as a proud American citizen. I remember all of the sacrifices made so that I can enjoy my freedom! I don’t take these freedoms for granted and know that every generation has to continue the fight to uphold them! This year though, I also found myself thinking about freedom in a different light. I have some friends who are currently dealing with terminally ill loved ones. As we have been praying for healing (either in this world or in heaven), I realized I was praying for their freedom…….living on this earth without the restraint of illness or the best kind of freedom, eternal freedom with our Father in Heaven! You may also know someone battling an illness or addiction, suffering abuse, going through financial trouble, etc. Pray that they are able to break free from these struggles. Freedom isn’t just red, white, and blue!

If you are looking for encouraging content as a creative or entrepreneur, then you need to check out Stellar Day Media! The founder and CEO, Jessica Williams, is a sweet soul with a gift and passion for encouragement. Sarah Humphrey, Acquiring Editor, shares her expertise and is always ready to dish out the encouragement as well! The weekly podcasts are wonderful and the online magazine is filled with uplifting and helpful content. Definitely worth checking out!

https://www.stellardaymedia.com/

As both contributing writer and contributing photographer, I am excited to have an article and some of my photographs featured in the April issue of Stellar Day Magazine:

https://www.stellardaymedia.com/magazine/april2020

I spent 2019 on “sabbatical”. I changed things up and took a break from normal routine. My motto for the year was Search, Discover, Create. And that is exactly what I did. I spent time searching! I tried new things, explored different interests, and researched new creative pursuits. I was able to discover where I wanted to focus and how to move forward to pursue my dreams and passions! I didn’t just apply what I learned to one area of my life. I uncovered new ways to break from boring routine as a mom, as a friend, and how I went about my daily life in general. I discovered new ways of doing things that I could integrate into how I went about my days.

I encourage you to take a sabbatical, a break from normal routine, and discover new things about yourself! I am excited to move forward in 2020 with more focus and see what I can accomplish in 366 days……thank you leap year for the extra day, it might come in handy because I plan on doing some big, new things!

It’s the same cycle for many of us every year….we make our New Year’s resolutions fully determined to start right after the holidays…….and yes, New Years day does count as a holiday. If that happens to be on a Friday, can you really start on the weekend? That just doesn’t seem right, does it? Okay, Monday it is! The new week of the new year starts. By then I’m already thinking five days until the weekend! When is the next holiday? I hate running, why did I put that on the resolution list? I know I need to exercise, but it sure seems like this list was made to torture myself and loved ones who live with me. New Year’s resolutions….aren’t they meant to be ignored and forgotten about by the end of the first month anyway?

Do something different in the new year…..have a vision for the upcoming year, not a to do list containing things that may or may not be realistic to achieve. You don’t want a list of items to complete that you inevitably abandon. 2020 is a blank slate…..what do you want to see in it? What do you want to see happen in your life in the next year? Think about what you envision this next year to hold for you. What are you praying and believing for? Has God given you a word for 2020? What has He been revealing to you? Spend some time in prayer to hear what God is speaking to you about this next season! Then turn your vision into something physical that you can see everyday. Do a personal vision board, family vision board, or both.

Creating your vision board:

You can go as simple as a piece of construction paper or poster board, or even fancier with a framed bulletin board or magnetic board. Whatever you already have or want to go out and get, great! You just need a blank canvas to start with. You can get really into it with decorative paper, a title or sign for the board, fancy push-pins. It just depends on your style and personal taste.

Next, think about what you need to see in front of you on a daily basis to encourage you and make that vision a reality. Planning a much anticipated family vacation? Put a few pictures on your board of your family and the destination you want to go to, a reminder of why you are budgeting and saving for the trip. Perhaps there is an inspirational quote that you want to be the “theme” for the upcoming year. Write it out and stick it on there! Anything that symbolizes your vision, put it on the board. My vision board a few years ago included a map and photographs taken out of a travel magazine for the new state my family and I were planning to move to. When we got discouraged as we waited for the whole process to play out, we would see our vision in a tangible way on the board and be encouraged! We remembered what God told us and where He was leading our family. Don’t feel pressured to fill up the board right away…..I added some things here and there throughout the year.

Create a vision board! It is easy and also something you could get together and do with your friends. And once you have that done, you’ve already accomplished something in the new year, win-win!

I finally mustered up the courage to start fulfilling my goals and dreams! My first book is officially published! Available now on Amazon, Cultivating a Thankful Heart is a journal to collect keepsakes over the year to remember God’s goodness and faithfulness. Now to start working on my next book for you!

Cultivating a Thankful Heart