Showing posts with label new year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new year. Show all posts

Thursday, January 17, 2019

A New Year's Non-Commitment


Yes, I do realize that we're 17 days into the New Year and you haven't heard from me for much longer than that. I'm afraid that, if I apologize for my absence, I may start to sound like a broken record 😑 So, in place of that apology I'm going to try and not try.

Monday, January 8, 2018

Create Explore Read with Me in 2018


For those of you who have followed my blog for a while you'll probably have noticed a few things recently. I've been posting less (oops!) and over the last few years the content has mostly been filled with interviews and the occasional guest post. While I don't mind that, I also don't think it's the direction I want to continue in.

Friday, January 8, 2016

New Year, New Thoughts & New Things


Welcome to a new year on the blog! I'm so excited to have you here whether you've been reading for a while now or this is your first time here. I'm going to use this post to introduce myself to you newbies (I use this term with affection) and then outline some things at the bottom of the post that you will all be able to look forward to in the New Year.

But first...what is this "Joy" I speak of? Well, glad you asked ;-) Joy is my word for the year. I was recently reading through 1 Thessalonians 3:9 where it says, "For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God." And it hit me. Joy. Am I giving joy to those around me?

It's not your typical "joy" verse about having joy and enjoying your own joy. It was more than that to me--joy that is seen by (and felt by) others. I asked myself, have I been joyful? Could others thank God for my joy? And I wasn't sure I could absolutely say yes to that.

So there you have it--my focus for the year. I'm actually really excited about it because I know that having joy that is firmly rooted in Christ doesn't mean I'm happy all the time. It means that I have confidence in whom my trust is in--the Lord. It means I find joy in all of my situations--good or bad. It means I value others above myself and consider their joy as greater than my own selfish desires. There' a lot there, but I'm looking forward to what I'll learn this year.

Thanks for the shirt mom!
Get to know...me!

Here's a list of "facts" about me as an introduction. I...
  • am a writer (what? really?...yes!)
  • am an only child
  • love the snow
  • grew up in a SMALL town
  • love books (no surprise there)
  • crave coffee...all day, e'ry day
  • am a professional photographer
  • love dogs and cats (like a lot)
  • run 
  • get creative with recipes (if I use them at all)
  • love to craft (though I don't have that much time)
  • play the flute, saxophone, guitar, viola (poorly), and piano (kind of)
  • am slightly obsessed with Instagram
  • really love sweatpants/sweatshirts of all kinds
  • secretly (not so secretly) am working on a scifi/dystopian thriller :D
  • love museums
  • love Hallmark movies (especially the Christmas ones)
  • think dark chocolate is the best thing ever (second to coffee)
  • am inspired by being outdoors and basking (if I can use that word w/o sounding silly) in nature
  • like large words...haha
  • could live with rain and clouds 98% of the time and be happy
Photo by: Jannicka Matyte
Coming up this year...

I am so excited for what this New Year will have in store for it. I can't know everything that will happen, but I have a feeling that there will be some incredible things ahead.

If you love reading, are interested in writing and honing your craft, want to learn more about your favorite authors (or find new ones), or just like to follow along with the craziness that is, well...me, then you've come to the right place!

Just a few of the things I'm looking forward to...
  • New {Writer Wednesday} post format and questions
  • New authors to the blog for guest posts, interviews, and New Novel News posts
  • More giveaways (because they are my favorite things to do)
  • More adventures that I'll get to share with you all
  • And these new topics for guest posts and my own content for this year:

Books Are My Adventure Travel Mug
January: New Year
February: Romance
March: Exploring genres
April: Social Media & Marketing
May: Dreams/Dreaming
June: Writing Craft Month
July: Freedom 
August: Writers Conferences
September: All Things Fall
October: NaNoWriM
November: Thankfulness
December: Spread The Christmas Joy (year 3)

There's one more surprise for February but, to find more about it you'll need to sign up to get my newsletter which will be going out next week. There'll also be a giveaway option in the newsletter so there's double incentive to sign up!
(Click here to learn more about my newsletter)

There you have it friends, not everything that you'll see in the New Year here, but definitely some of it. I am so looking forward to the journey 2016 will take us on and I can't wait to share it with you all.

Do you have a word for the year? Or maybe a new focus or revelation for 2016?  If so, I'd love for you to share in the comments below! Also, feel free to introduce yourself--I can't wait to spend this year with you all dear readers!

Friday, January 16, 2015

New Year, New Thoughts

Hello dear Thinking Thoughts readers!

First off,  Happy New Year (though slightly belated). I'm not having too much trouble adjusting to 2015...though I haven't written it many times so that could be why?

I though I'd share some thoughts this morning about the new year, this blog, my writing, and life in general. You see, I'm a thinker and, given some alone time over Christmas, I did some thinking. Surprising, eh? Then again, this blog is called Thinking Thoughts so it shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

I had time to reflect over the last few years and I'm blown away. This little blog (which basically started off as me just sharing my thoughts about everything and anything) has grown into something I'm proud of. It's a place for people to talk about writing, reading, and life.

I love that.

I couldn't ask for more, and yet there is more! I've gotten to make friendships through my blog, connect with writers I admire and look up to, be introduced to amazing books, all while being really honest about things that God is doing in my life. And before I go any further I just have to say...

THANK YOU

Without you, my dear readers, I'd be talking to myself...well, I do that anyway, but you know what I mean. And I wanted to make a few "resolutions" (though I shudder to call them that) for this blog for 2015:

1. I resolve to continue to seek out authors and books to share with you! 
Yep, simple but true. One of my favorite parts about this blog is the fact that I get to shout about authors and their books. Come here and I will guarantee that you will get to know authors better and be introduced to their books.

2. I resolve to post more frequently. 
I grimace even as I type this because sometimes I'm just terrible about consistency. It's not like I don't have 1 million and a half ideas floating around in my head...it's just hard to make the time to get them out in a concise manner. But I will TRY!

3. I resolve to create opportunities for you to engage here more. 
Now this one takes your participation as well. One of the things I love about a blog is the chance to chat-it-up while living hundreds or thousands of miles apart! I want Thinking Thoughts to be a community where we can "talk" to one another. I'll do my part by leaving some questions at the end of most posts, but you have to do your part to chime in. No wrong answers here, just honest communication.

Me in the cold in nature <3 br="">
So...what do you think? Sound good? I think we have a good thing going here ;) I'll keep up the giveaways - trust me, I've got some great ideas for the future, and you keep visiting. Sounds like a win-win to me.

And, if you haven't already, feel free to connect with me in these other fun, social places:

Emilie's Author Facebook Page 
Emilie's Tiwtter
Emilie's Instagram{@eahendryx}
*Remember, I'm a photographer too so you'll get a lot of scenic pics here haha!
Emilie's Photography Facebook Page
*Since we're talking about photos I figured I'd include this too
Emilie's Photography Website



How has your New Year started off? Did you have any resolutions? How is it going so far?

(See what I did there ^ Now it's your turn...)

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The Day After Christmas

Hello thinking thoughts... readers!  I hope and pray that your time with family and friends was extra-special during this season but, more than that, I pray that it will prompt us all to live with renewed hope and joy in this coming year.

I have been working on a weighty post about hearing and doing.  It's not quite ready yet ...but I wanted to let you know it should be up tomorrow and Friday (yes, it's a 2 part post).  I'm excited about what the Lord has been showing me during this special Christmas season even if it's been a heavier topic than I'd originally anticipated!

I'm also looking forward to the New Year and some surprises I'm cooking up (not literally) for you, my faithful readers!  I'm talking about more giveaways (maybe of some fun, homemade crafts in addition to books), increased book reviews, and even a little String Along Fiction as I think I'll call it.  I'm toying with the idea of sharing sections of a story with you on a weekly basis.  This would not only cause me to be up to speed on my writing, but will also let you catch a glimpse into my fictional writing - not just my thoughts on theology or books. 

As 2013 approaches, I have felt the Lord nudging me in the direction of publishing more and more.  I have so many book ideas - some finished, some not - and I cannot wait to share them with you!  I am actively working on editing a few finished manuscripts and I am excited to keep you all up to date on the process.  Hopefully 2013 will see me enter into the world of publishing with a bang!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to read about hearing and doing ;)