Shining Stars

Congratulations to Savannah Carranza, who won the copy of Before You Meet Prince Charming! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did :)   Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. I highly recommend that you get a copy of this book, if you have not read it already!

Our next giveaway will begin February 8th – we will be featuring more home businesses. I am making a couple changes with the giveaways: first, I’ve decided to use random.org for drawing a name, as that means less work trying to keep paper slips straight! Second, beginning in January 2012, if you have won a book that was reviewed within the past four months, you are not allowed to enter a book giveaway – but you are allowed to enter the home business giveaways. Similarly, if you have won an item from the FHB giveaway within the past four months (beginning January 12th), you are not allowed to enter another giveaway, but are allowed to enter for a book.

I just want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to win and we don’t have the same people winning multiple items! Thank you all for understanding and please check back in February for our next giveaway!

I had heard about this book for quite some time and was always interested in reading it, but for some reason I never made it happen! When my sister gave me the book on my last birthday, I was delighted and enjoyed it immensely. “Before You Meet Prince Charming” is subtitled “A Guide To Radiant Purity” and tackles the subject of how to remain emotionally pure before marriage.

Although I’ve read several “emotional purity handbooks”, this is one that I can whole-heartedly recommend to girls of all ages. As one mother wrote; “It did not compromise one’s purity while reading about purity”. The author (Sarah Mally) discusses a number of topics, including the dangers of the modern dating system, setting standards and sticking to them, how to control your thoughts and guard your heart, having right relationships with young men, surrendering dreams and desires to the much bigger and better plan of the Almighty and living a joy-filled, contented lifestyle while “waiting”.

Interwoven throughout the book is a story of a princess in a castle and her struggles with these issues that we girls face. There are testimonies from other young women as well as suggested assignments at the end of each chapter. This book was an enjoyable read that offered wonderful advice and encouragement … and I heartily recommend it for all unmarried young ladies! It would also be a great book for a mother and daughter to read together.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of “Before You Meet Prince Charming”, here is what you do!

Giveaway Rules:

You must be a Shining Stars Magazine subscriber to enter this giveaway. If you are not currently a subscriber and would like to be, please leave a comment on this post to join the giveaway and include your mailing address. I will then add you to the subscription list, and remove your address before I publish the comment.

All Shining Stars subscribers are allowed one entry.

For an additional entry (leave one comment for each entry):

• Follow Shining Stars through Google Connect (on the sidebar).

• Add the Shining Stars link to your website or blogroll.

• Post about this giveaway on your own blog. (Make sure to leave the link to the post).

This giveaway ends on January 22nd.

Shalom Dear Friends!

I would like to let you know about a special purchase that Shining Stars Magazine made this week …

Left to right: Samuel (11 yesterday!), Abigail (12), Ruthie (17), Lydia (8), Tommy (19), Sarah (15 tomorrow!) and myself (21).

On Wednesday, my brother Tommy and I made the 12 hour round trip to northern Kentucky/almost-Cincinatti to pick up a printer that I had purchased on eBay. This HP 5550DN prints in color (and black and white), on 11×17 paper and it connects to my computer! :)

When we children gathered around to take a picture this evening, someone suggested that we all wear sunglasses … because it was only through sunglasses that the past issues looked okay!

Can y'all tell that we have a lot of fun around here? :)

While we are so thankful for the 400+ pound Toshiba FC22i that has faithfully copied the past fifteen issues of SSM, we are hoping and praying that the blurry covers, discolored and fuzzy pictures and streaked text will be a thing of the past and that this new printer will serve us well from now ’til kingdom come :) I don’t know how many times I looked at the copied covers and groaned – wishing that you all could see the original. I printed a couple pages today and the quality was EXCELLENT! Now I just need to figure out how to print on 11×17 paper – double sided :)

Thank you for your prayers and support … we’ve been praying for this printer to come for a long time and I am so happy that it is finally here!

First, I would like to announce the winners of the Featured Home Business Giveaway … Samantha L won the Teddy Toes blanket from Happy Heels by Hannah and Hannah M. won the tea package from Day by Day Creations. Congratulations y’all :) :)

Thank you all for participating! There will be a book review and giveaway beginning on January 8th and another FHB review and giveaway on February 8th.

Volume5 Number1 is coming together nicely – I still have some more layout/design work to do and a little more space to fill … there are a couple of things I am looking for :)  I decided to add a few regular columns – at least, that is the plan for now. We’ll see how it works out! The columns consist of:

• A Peek Into My Hope Chest
• Being Beautifiers
• Heroines In History
• Out Of The Mouth Of Babes
• Recommended Reading
• Serving Our Families

I have also thought about adding one that focuses on nutrition and healthy living. Any thoughts? At this point, I do not have entries for Being Beautifiers, Out Of The Mouths Of Babes and Serving Our Families.

Being Beautifiers ought to contain topics like “What are some ways that you make your home a pleasant and welcoming haven?” and “How do you combine modesty and femininity to present a beautiful outward appearance?”

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes will contain short stories about young children – these can be thought-provoking, inspirational and humorous.

Serving Our Families will contain ideas on practical ways that you serve and bless your family.

If any of you have anything to share that could fit into one of these columns, please let me know as soon as possible! We do not have the cover photos picked out yet, so there is still time to submit photos if you have some that you would like to share.

Thank you all so much for making this possible. This is not my magazine … Shining Stars provides a way for each of you to encourage many others with the insights and thoughts that the Father has given you. I am honored to be a part of this and join with all of you in blessing your sisters in Messiah!

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of our family’s preparations to join a conference that our fellowship is hosting this weekend, I have not yet been able to complete the FHB giveaway! I’m sorry for the delay and I will do my best to announce the winners on Monday, the 26th!