humble & BOLD

Free Writers' Class

4/27/2021

Do you feel called to write but aren't sure how to get started?

Dr. Valerie Harrison, from www.educationallyyoursllc.com, and I will hold free classes on Wednesday evenings this May to encourage and help you reach your goals. These classes will be held from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Free Chapel Gwinnett. Please click on link for directions and note this class is at the Gwinnett campus only. When you arrive, enter side door, go up stairs to the left and take another left to large back room by the elevators. No registration is necessary, so don't miss this opportunity. Let us help you get motivated to write!

With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

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To check out my testimony click here
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Happy 95th Birthday to Queen Elizabeth the Second

4/21/2021

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Wanted to honor and celebrate the life of an extraordinary woman who has served the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth for almost 70 years in the dutiful role of Queen and has just laid to rest the body of her beloved husband Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, after 73 years of marriage.

While her heart, mind and soul are still in a period of mourning, I wanted to take time to acknowledge her birthday and years of public service. She embodies a sense of commitment that seems foreign to many today, but her dedication to duty and the people should be observed, explained, and taught to future generations.

Just a small way to commemorate her birthday and the calling placed on her life. A reminder to ponder what has God called us to and how can we serve and pray for one another. Used this Meri Meri It's British cupcake assorted cases and filled them with a delicious blueberry muffin mix to share with my boys for breakfast, along with a lesson of history.

As I talk with my sons, I am reminded that we are to mourn with those who are in mourning and rejoice with those who are rejoicing. It's still a bittersweet time for a recent widow turning 95, but sending our love and prayers to a great-grandmother, who also just happens to be the world's oldest reigning monarch.

There are hopes of a celebration this June, since last year events were cancelled due to health concerns. In case you missed Prince Philp's funeral last Saturday, below is a video from BBC News showing how the day unfolded. I thought it poignant that Prince Philip was the one to bring cameras

Read aloud by Justin Portal Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury
at the service of Prince Philip

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
John 11:21-27 (KJV)

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INTERVIEW WITH JENNY FULTON, AUTHOR OF PRINCESS LILLIAN AND GRANDPA'S GOODBYE

4/19/2021

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Congratulations to fellow author, Jenny Fulton, on her new book, Princess Lillian and Grandpa's Goodbye, illustrated by Indra Grace Hunter. I had the opportunity to interview Jenny about her heritage, faith, recent loss and how a combination of those things entered into her writing to help children deal with the death of a loved one. Hope you enjoy getting to know more about Jenny and her beautiful children's book.

Jenny, can you share about your love of the Navajo people and about your Navajo heritage?

Sure, I’m a quarter Navajo and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. My Grandma Lillian is of the Bitter Water clan. She grew up there, was put into a Baptist boarding school at an early age, and later became an interpreter at one of the missions.

From as early as I can remember, I have loved the fact that the blood of this people runs through my veins. My eyes are brown and my skin tans dark in the summer. My hair, however, was light brown when I was young. I always wished it were darker, so I’d look more like the Natives. Although I didn’t grown up in the Navajo Nation, I heard stories about it from my dad and cousins.

When I was young, we’d make the trip to the Navajo Nation to visit family or spend time at the mission where my dad had lived for several years. I loved everything about the land. I was in awe of the mountains. My eyes soaked in the sight of the rising mesas, the rainbow-colored cliffs, the wild and untamed beauty of the terrain. My other senses were equally mesmerized. My ears listened in wonder to sounds that traveled across the mesas and through the canyons from miles away. Smells moved as easily as the noise. If someone was cooking anything nearby, you knew it.

I loved it when Grandma Lillian Litfin came to visit. She went on walks with me, made us fry bread, and talked to me like I was an adult. I loved the look of her dark brown skin and the musical quality of her speech with its Navajo tone. One time she came to visit in the fall while school was in session. We were studying Native Americans and I was able to get permission for her to speak to my class. I was proud of my heritage and excited to share both it and my grandma with my friends.

In my various trips there, including the year I lived and taught there, I’ve come to know many of the Navajo people, and they are amazing. In many ways, they’re just like everyone else. In other ways, there is something beautifully unique about them. And I’m so very thankful I share that heritage, even if in a small way.

How did you first come to hear about Christ and when did that become more of a knowing and trusting in Him personally as the one who came to save mankind?

I first heard about Christ from my parents and Sunday school teachers. There was one Sunday school lesson, when I was no more than 5 or 6, when the teacher told us we could ask Jesus to come live in our hearts. I liked that idea, so when I got home, I knelt down by the steps behind our back door and asked Him to come live in mine. He was real; He was with me; He was my friend.

I think it was around that time, I forget the order, when another event cemented the reality of Christ’s presence. It’s a lot to go into right now, but after a traumatic even left me feeling scared and alone, I heard him tell me that He was with me. I felt his presence – it was one of peace and safety. That’s what him saving me meant to me at that time. Later learning that he saved mankind added to the love and connection that was already there.

What do you want people to understand about the Navajo heritage and how do some in that culture view Christ?

There are a lot of different ideas, even among the Navajo, about what it means to be Navajo. While some of them still hold to traditional Navajo beliefs, the number who do seems to be decreasing. Some believe in and practice a hybrid of traditional beliefs with Christianity; some have left the tradition beliefs behind to follow Christ; and some don’t follow either. Regardless of which belief system they follow, there seems to be a wide-spread belief in the spiritual. They know spiritual beings are real and they know they interact with this world.

As far as who Christ is, there is still, among some Natives, anger toward white people and Christ/Christianity is seen as a white man’s religion. Among the Christian Navajos, Christ is seen as not only the savior of the world who set us free from sin, but also as one is stronger than the dark spirits and is able to protect against them. In many ways, these Christians have a much stronger faith and understanding of Christ’s work and power in our lives today.

How are Angels viewed by the Navajo culture?

I don’t know if there is a concept of angels in traditional Navajo culture. I’ll have to ask others about this or see if any Navajo readers can weigh in on this question. There are traditional beliefs in dark spirits that roam this world and in what they call the Holy People who love them and watch from the fourth world. But I don’t know if either of those would translate into the equivalent of an angelic being, especially as we think of them.

What age did you first start writing? When did you first begin to dream about writing and what led you to write this book?

From as early as 3 years old, I’d draw pictures and tell my mom detailed stories about them. She’d sit and patiently write them down. I still have some of those. When I learned how to hold a pencil and write the words myself, I’d fill pages of stories and ideas. I was the kid that, when the teacher told us to write one paragraph, I’d write two pages.

I was probably no more than 8 or 9 when I first saw the movie, Little Women. I absolutely loved Jo and wanted to be just like her. I think that’s when the dream of becoming an author began. As I grew older, reality took over and I realized that I probably wouldn’t be able to make a living as a writer right away. So, I turned my focus to teaching and kept writing on the side as a private hobby.

I wrote this book in December 2020 after my grandpa had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. My mom kept us updated. “He’s ready to go home,” she told us. A video she later sent us confirmed it. I’ve never seen someone so patiently and eagerly awaiting his call into heaven. Shortly after watching the video, I sat down to process the bittersweet feelings of seeing someone I loved preparing to leave this world. As is often the case, I processed by writing. In this case, I took a character I already loved and tried to look at the scenario through her eyes. I also pulled from an earlier experience in my life. When I was somewhere between the ages of 5-7, my aunt died. They took us to see her in the hospital right before she went. It was scary. I didn’t like the noise or the smells, didn’t fully understand what was happening. For a long time after that moment, I didn’t like hospitals. Writing this book allowed me to pull from the past and the present to create a story that could explain death and heaven in a way that, while still sad, wasn’t bad or scary.

What’s the main take-away you want readers to remember after reading Princess Lillian and Grandpa’s Goodbye?

I want readers to see that death, while still sad, can also be a good and beautiful event. It doesn’t need to be feared. There is a great life we have to look forward to after we leave this world if we are following God. I also want to give children a visual reminder that, no matter what happens, God is always with them. He’s there to love and comfort them even if they feel sad or scared.

Jenny, thank you again for this interview! Below, you can find out more about Princess Lillian and Grandpa's Goodbye, as well as info about Jenny and her bio!

Book Blurb for Princess Lillian and Grandpa’s Goodbye

Can two worlds exist at the same time?
Little Princess Lillian learns the spiritual world can interact with the physical. Imaginary is used to explain a reality, how heaven reaches down to earth as a young girl observes her grandpa awaiting his entrance into his eternal home.

How do you explain death and heaven to a child?
Led through a long hall in a hospital, Princess Lillian holds her mom's hand as an angel whispers comforting words.
Incorporating bits of Native American and Christian tradition, an intimate celebration of a loved one's passing occurs as a family says good-bye to a man eager to meet his best friend, the King Above All Nations.

Purchase the Book

Personal Bio
Jenny Fulton is a wife, mother, children's book author, YA fantasy author, blogger, and freelance writer with a B.S. in Bible, a B.S. in elementary education, and an endorsement in K-12 ESL. After graduating from Grace University in 2007, Jenny worked as a teacher in a variety of cultural and educational settings, both abroad and in the United States. She is a storyteller, a follower of Christ, and a seeker of truth.

An enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, Jenny grew up hearing stories from her dad about the supernatural workings on the Navajo Reservation. Her days are now mostly spent raising her three young daughters (homeschooling two of them) and writing as much as time and opportunity allows.

Jenny is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Faithwriters.com, and is an author with Capture Books.
Connect with Jenny:
Website: https://heart-soul-mind.org/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JennyFultonWriter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyannfulton/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorFulton

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APRIL is School Library Month, and here's how we celebrated!

4/16/2021

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April is School Library Month and there are two other days that relate as well. For instance, April 13th was National Library Workers' Day and the 14th was School Librarians' Day. To celebrate, we ran a free ebook promotion in honor of my favorite school librarian, Ms. Razek, from Briarwood Christian School. That special ran from 4/12, Monday morning, through 4/14, Wednesday evening, and we were pleasantly surprised and excited to see how many people took advantage of this promotion (screenshots below), as The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake ranked very high in four different categories on Amazon's Top 100 Free list . . .

#1 in Children's Maturing Books
#2 in Children's Multigenerational Families
#3 in Children's Diet & Nutrition Books
#4 in Children's New Family Experiences

In Amazon's Top 100 Free, The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake ranked . . .

#1 in Children's Maturing Books

#2 in Children's Multigenerational Families

#3 in Children's Diet & Nutrition Books

#4 in Children's New Family Experiences

Please help us spread the word with any of your favorite librarians, media specialists, and librarian worker friends, as we hope to get this book into libraries for all children to enjoy! Special thanks again to Ms. Razek and Briarwood Christian School for creating such a fun and cozy environment to discover a love of reading.

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MEANING OF THE PASSOVER LAMB EXPLAINED

3/28/2021

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Happy Passover and welcome to Holy Week! If you've seen signs that read Worthy is the Lamb but didn't understand the meaning, I hope to share some touching insights with you.

It starts back to the first sacrifice written about in Genesis 3:21, where Adam and Eve are clothed by God after sin entered the world through disobedience. If you've ever worn leather, you know it is very warm, which tells us the temperatures may have fallen too, and the fig leaves (man's idea) wasn't going to be enough. Also, the fact that a beautiful animal, one that Adam named, had to die would show us all that there is no remission of sins without the shedding of blood, and that sin has a high cost. If you read Genesis 4:4, you'll see that Abel understood this and did what was favorable in the Lord's sight. To understand more, I highly recommend this article from abideinchrist.com.

In Genesis, chapter 22, God tested Abraham and told him to take his son and offer him as a burnt sacrifice on a specific mountain. Now for years I didn't understand why God would ask this of Abraham because later He says in Jeremiah 19:5 (NKJV)- (they have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or speak, nor did it come into My mind). So why would God ask this of Abraham? Well hold on, the answer is coming!

As Abraham and his son were climbing the mountain, his son asked, "where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”

From Genesis 22 (NIV) -
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Originally, the Jewish people sounded the ram's horn as a reminder of God's faithfulness and provision, but over time, as the Jews were dispersed to different regions, some horns like this one of an African Kudu were also used.

When God called His people out of Egypt, He gave them specific instructions about what to do!

The story of Passover, written about in Exodus, chapters 11 and 12. provides many types and shadows of things that were to come. Also, the sacrificial lamb was to live within the household for 3 days. Getting attached to the lamb was part of understanding the sacrifice. As they left Egypt, they left a life of slavery.

Some 1500 years later, John the Baptist utters an unusual phrase as Jesus approaches him.

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 (NIV)

So remember how I didn't understand why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? Well, God was showing mankind that not only was He NOT going to allow Abraham to sacrifice his son, but that He would GIVE OF HIMSELF, in the flesh, as an everlasting sacrifice for our sins. And that's why the phrase, Worthy is the Lamb, refers to Christ and what He accomplished on the cross for all of us during Passover!

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12 (NIV)

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Book Signing at antiques in Old Town in Lilburn

3/19/2021

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Signed copies of The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake will be available during the Spring Open House at Antiques In Old Town in Lilburn, Georgia, this Saturday!

They have and amazing event space in the back of their historic building, so if you're in the area, stop by and check them out!

Just another shout out of thanks to Daddy O' Brien's Irish Ice Cream Pub in Sugar Hill, Georgia for their amazing hospitality! We had a wonderful turnout and lots of happy customers!

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Happy St. Patrick's Day and why we celebrate!

3/16/2021

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Most people don't know the interesting history of St. Patrick and why he returned to Ireland after escaping? Where did his love for the people of Ireland come from and what did he share with them about the three leaf clover? After watching this, you'll come away with a different perspective of St. Patrick's Day and three and four leaf clovers.

Also, so thankful to my blogger friend, Sandra Black, for sharing this video snippet of her reading my book, The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake, to her grandchildren in her beautiful Irish accent. You can check out her blog at www.sandrasark.com.

Happy out!

With love,
Christina
Stay humble & be BOLD!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

Please share, subscribe and comment below.

To check out my testimony click here
Let's get connected!
Instagram @humbleandbold
Facebook Humble & Bold
Twitter Christina @humble_bold
Pinterest humble&BOLD by Christina
Youtube Humble & Bold
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-myers-a44355

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Book Signing at Daddy O' Brien's Irish Ice Cream Pub In Sugar Hill

3/11/2021

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Excited to announce another book signing event! This time we will be at Daddy O' Brien's Irish Ice Cream Pub this Friday in Sugar Hill, Georgia. We've really enjoyed partnering with local bookstores and unique restaurants in sharing this sweet story with the community.

Daddy O' Brien's has so many wonderful flavors to choose from, but for the book signing of The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake, they have crafted an awesome Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream (with gourmet and infused versions) and added it to their menu. * Not shown in pic below, because we're saving that for you! But I did try a sample, and it is delicious!

School’s out for some this Friday, but if not, come after classes are done! Visit
Daddy O'Brien's Irish Ice Cream Pub tomorrow afternoon and make some sweet memories!

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Melt Crayons & Make some new Gifts out of the Broken Pieces

2/11/2021

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Here are the easy steps to taking old broken crayons and turning them into something completely new and bold! This project is fun to do with your children, so I recommend playing some sweet tunes, while enjoying the process . . . which can be very relaxing.

1) Pick out your color scheme for a new, bold look to match the occasion for little gifts.
2) Peel all the paper off and sort mixture of chosen colors into mini muffin/cupcake bakeware with shape of your choice. I look for different bakeware shapes at my local thrift shops.
3) Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

3) After you see how long it's taking to peel and chose your colors, preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

4) Place in oven till melted, approximately for 8-10 minutes.

5) Turn oven off and let sit. With oven mitts, carefully remove tray to avoid spilling wax.

6) Sit on top of oven or another heat safe, flat surface to allow for complete cooling.

7) Pop out and enjoy looking at each unique design!

Hope you enjoy this step by step process. Love to see what designs you come up with, so send us a pic!

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VAlentine Gift for Picky Eaters

2/8/2021

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One of the cuties in this photo is a picky eater and the other is not. Can you guess which one is which? If you have Kindle Unlimited, check out The Little Boy Who Wouldn't Eat Cheesecake and send a Kindle ebook to the picky eater you love!