2019 Oh! The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Blog Hop

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Congratulations to Madonna D. from West Virginia, the winner of the $15 Amazon gift card!

Because the first day of school is usually in the fall, August is considered one of the best months for tourism as people scramble to fit in one last fun-in-the-sun vacation. This summer, I visited the Twin Cities in Minnesota. I’d never been before, and a friend who’s moving there wanted to scout for apartment locations. I hadn’t taken a vacation in over three years, so this sounded like the perfect opportunity to get away and see something new.

So off we went, exploring downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul, various suburbs, and the Mall of America, which is a community unto itself. The weather, which we hear so much about in the rest of the country, was perfect – sunny skies, mid-80s, a light breeze. The calm surface of the lakes reflected the glorious sunlight, and people walked, biked, or skateboarded to their destinations all around us.

To celebrate summer vacations, I’m joining The Kids Did It blog and The Mommy Island blog to participate in the 4th Annual Oh! The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Event, which runs from August 6-20, 2019. The winner of this giveaway will receive a $15 Amazon gift card.

Enter through the Gleam form below for your chance to win!

One entrant will be selected to win a $15 Amazon gift card. Open for entry in the Continental US/Canada Only, 18 years and older from 08/06/2019 through 08/20/2019 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will have 24 hours to respond to notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. See Gleam form for official rules. Event hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for fulfilling prize obligations from sponsors or self-sponsoring bloggers.

Staci’s 2019 Oh! The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Blog Hop

Echoes of Joy: A Devotional for Animal Lovers


Blurb

Do you have a favorite memory of a childhood pet? Perhaps you have a furry family member in your life right now. In Echoes of Joy: A Devotional for Animal Lovers, author Staci Mauney recalls the lessons she’s learned as a pet owner.

From taking care of rabbits and birds to caring for dogs and cats, animals have always been a part of Staci’s life. In this 30-day devotional, she chronicles her adventures with her sassy Yorkshire terrier, Lilly, as well as other pets she’s had throughout the years. Through the antics of her pets, she has developed a deeper relationship with God and grown in her faith.

These messages will encourage you in your walk with Christ as Staci reveals spiritual truths she’s learned. You will feel joy and your spirits will lift as you consider the wonders of the animals with which God has entrusted us.

Day 1

Calming an Anxious Heart

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil 4:6)

Lilly, my Yorkshire terrier, has separation anxiety. It’s plagued her since she was a puppy. When I would leave for work, I could hear her nails click-clacking across the floor as she ran to hide under my bed. Over time, she adjusted to our routine.

Now that I work from home, I see signs of her separation anxiety coming back. If I leave for a significant amount of time during the day, I know I’ll have a shadow when I get home.

To relieve some of her anxiety, I leave the TV and lights on when I’m gone. I take her for walks and for rides in the car when I go through a drive through. She rides in the backseat, happy as can be, barking at random passersby.

Like Lilly, we can let anxiety get the best of us when we feel uncertain or face a new situation. I’m not qualified to speak about anxiety as a medical condition. But I can speak about anxiety as an emotion that threatens to overwhelm us. I’ve faced that type of anxiety, and it can stop us from making decisions, interacting with others, or moving forward. It can be very isolating.

When we face situations that cause us to worry or fret, we should give thanks instead. Offering thanks for a difficult situation seems contrary to our natural reaction, which is to turn inward and focus on the problem. When we give thanks for the blessings in our lives—even those stressful situations—our eyes turn from our worries and onto God and the good things he has done for us.

The Lord gives us peace and calms our anxiety when we let him: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col 3:15). We should cling to him as he takes our fears away. And we will feel his peace, no matter our circumstances.

Dear Jesus, thank you for calming my anxious thoughts. You provide peace that passes all understanding when I give you my worries. Help me to always give thanks and turn my attention from myself and onto you. Amen.

Buy the Book!

Thanks for stopping by and reading a little of my Devotional for Animal Lovers! Remember to visit the other blogs listed below that are participating in this hop and enter to win more wonderful prizes! Good luck!

66 thoughts on “2019 Oh! The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Blog Hop”

  1. My favorite vacation spot is to go to the wine country–calm and relaxing and beautiful.

  2. I like the Caribbeans, the calming colours of the sea, lovely corals to see on snorkelling trips

  4. We love going to Florida where I lived for awhile when my kids were real young.

  9. It’s been a long time since any vacation, but sure wouldn’t mind going back to Disney World or D.C.

  11. We live in San Antonio, Texas….sooooo it’s a tourist town….we like to stay at a hotel on the Riverwalk when we get a good deal….a little staycation…..we actually have about 6 people per room, but it’s fun!

  18. I have an affinity for water. Rivers, oceans, lakes, even ponds soothe my spirit and bring me peace, especially during troubled times.

    I grew up near the Mississippi River and Memphis.

    The river is my favorite vacation spot. It’s home to me. Walking along its banks, listening to it rumbling toward the sea washes away all my worries, and brings me infinite peace.

  37. We used to go the Okanagan in British Columbia, when I was a kid. That is my favourite vacation spot.

  39. Right now my favorite vacation spot would be any, because it’s been a while since I’ve had one! 😉 But I’m definitely longing to return to the beach, so I suppose that will for sure be in my future.

  44. Don’t get to go on many vacations but I love going setting by the river at my home and reading.

  47. I love to vacation in Hawaii, but for a more affordable experience, we like Ormond Beach, Florida.

  54. My favorite vacation spot is right here in Nova Scotia, Canada. There is so much to see and do here.

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