How are you planning for Christmas peace this year? It’s not too early to think about it, because the holiday season brings loads of stress (especially for busy moms).
It’s October as I write this post. I love enjoying the fall leaves, sweater weather, and pumpkin spice now. Yet I’ve learned that a little planning for Christmas now goes a long way toward a more peaceful December.
In 2016, I self-published my first book, Christmas Peace for Busy Moms. My friend Meghan hosted me in October 2018 on her blog for an interview, and she did a great job! Since she revamped her blog, I needed to repost it here in its entirety. Enjoy!
Planning for Christmas Peace
Q: Christmas Peace for Busy Moms sounds wonderful. This is very specific. Will you share with us why you chose to write this book in particular?
A: I chose to write on this topic because I had many stressful Christmases as a young mom. After those stressful years, I went on a quest to find ways to purposefully pursue peace despite situations I could not change. God showed me many practical examples in his word, and I felt led to share those with other moms through my writing.
Q: Why do you think Christmas is such a stressful time for many of us?
A: I believe our enemy Satan attacks us at Christmas because he despises the fact that we celebrate Jesus’ birth. He does not want the Savior of the world to receive any more glory. I also think he attacks our families because the family is the primary institution God uses to grow his kingdom. As moms, we fight our everyday struggles as well as spiritual struggles. Moms have such power to strengthen families and draw them to Christ at Christmas. The enemy is doing all he can to defeat you, but I give practical ways to gain firm standing in the book.
Q: As a busy mom of three, I often put the needs of others before myself—but then I find it backfires if I don’t protect my self-care time. What’s one piece of advice you can share with us other moms, about how we can take better care of ourselves—especially this holiday season?
A: I wrote a chapter about reserving one day of Christmas break for yourself. If you’re a mom of littles, you may only be able to manage a few hours, and that’s okay. Christmas is a great time to reflect on all the blessings God has given you throughout the year. It’s easier to do that when you have a self-care day. You can praise God in the bubble bath, while getting a mani or pedi or massage, or by taking a walk. You’ll destress too if you carve out a little time to yourself. Go ahead and put it on your calendar now, mama!
How are you planning for Christmas peace? #christmas #momlife #xmaspeace4moms Click To TweetQ: What was your favorite part about writing this Christmas devotional?
A: When I uploaded the book files to Create Space, I teared up. Every writer dreams about seeing her name in print and about sharing her work to encourage and bless others. I still remember seeing the little cover image on the screen and tearfully rejoicing that God helped me reach that point.
Q: What was the hardest part?
A: I wrote this book in the fall of 2016, when I was still working full-time outside the home. At the time, my children were 12, 10 and 8 years old. I was juggling so much as a busy mom, but my desire to write got me up at 4:00 a.m. so I could squeeze in writing time before work. It wasn’t easy, but it was immensely satisfying to self-publish my first book.
Q: Could you share your number one tip for writing or publishing with us?
A: My best tip is to write consistently. If there’s one thing I regret, it’s that I stopped and started too often. I began blogging in 2010 but didn’t blog regularly until 2015. If I had kept at it, I could have had so much more content from those off-and-on years. I would have also found my voice faster and connected with more writers earlier on. No matter what stage you are as a blogger or writer, whatever you are doing now will pay dividends in the future. Keep investing regularly and you’ll have a bountiful harvest sooner than you think.
Q: Let’s have a bit of fun. What’s your go-to healthy snack/lunch right now?
A: I am a foodie and I eat healthy most of the time. I adore Panera. It originated in St. Louis, so as a Missourian I’ve been enjoying Panera for over 25 years. My favorite treat from Panera is a pumpkin muffie.
Q: I hope many moms will find your book and utilize it this Christmas season. Where can we find it and how can readers connect with you online?
You can find more information on Christmas Peace for Busy Moms here. The best place to connect with me is on my blog at sarahgeringer.com. I send weekly exclusive devotions and special bonuses to my subscribers, and you can sign up in the pink boxes. You can see regular videos on my Facebook page and daily posts on my Instagram feed. I also love Pinterest. Finally, I share curated content with my biggest fan group on Twitter. Thanks in advance for the follows, and I will follow you back if you let me know that you found me here!
Moms have such power to strengthen families and draw them to Christ at Christmas. #Christmas #intentionalliving #xmaspeace4moms Click To Tweet
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