Support Christian Historical Fiction podcast ~ Become a Patron

Author Liz Tolsma

Christian Historical Fiction

Home / Catch Us If You CAN Spring Scavenger Hunt Stop #16: Liz Tolsma’s Blog

Catch Us If You CAN Spring Scavenger Hunt Stop #16: Liz Tolsma’s Blog

Uncategorized

WELCOME, to the Catch Us if You CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt! We hope you enjoy meeting Christian Author Network members as you chase down clues for the chance to win our grand prize: $200 in gift cards from CBD, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon, plus 29 free books, one from each participating CAN author! • 2nd & 3rd Prizes: $50 Amazon, B&N, or CBD gift certificate!

 â€˘ Catch us on this hunt beginning at Noon on Friday, 03/21/14 and ending at Midnight on Thursday, 03/27/14. No need to hurry as you search for clues—you have almost an entire week! If you need help at any time during the hunt, check in here:

• Enjoy 29 stops, each featuring a different CAN author!

• Gather the clues from each post, beginning at STOP # 1 and ending at Stop #29. Follow the directions and fill out the Rafflecopter form. Be ready to provide the complete clue in sentence form, gathered from all 29 stops, within 2 days of email notification or another winner will be randomly drawn. There is no need to email/submit the clue, unless you are notified by 03/29/14. Sorry, due to international regulations and postage costs, prizes will be awarded to US Residents only. Individual contests within the hunt may vary, so please read rules presented with each giveaway.

Alrighty, with that business taken care of, we can get down to the fun!


I’m pleased to introduce Doreen Hanna at this stop.




The Challenge to Do Something When No One Else is Doing It!

I’ll never forget this particular moment in my life.

I was on the phone with a women’s ministry leader who had called to ask about me coming to speak for a Mother/Daughter event. Their theme was “Celebrate! You’re a Daughter of the King.” She asked if I had any form of reference to speak on this topic. I froze. Then suddenly I remembered what Florence Littauer stated at a speaker’s conference: “If you think you don’t know, just say yes and immediately shoot up a prayer!” I did, and truly it was immediately, that I recalled a moment when I was a young girl…

One particular morning, my grandmother had walked out of her bedroom beautifully dressed. I asked her, “Where are you going?” She boldly proclaimed, “I’m going to church to meet with the King of Kings because I am a Daughter of the King!” I had not remembered that moment for more than 40 years. I was brought back to the present as I heard the women’s ministry director asking, “Doreen, are you still there?” I quickly said, “Oh! Yes, I do have a reference in which I can speak on this topic!”  Then she told me that she’d like me to put the emphasis on calling the older women of the church to mentor the teen girls. 

As I hung up the phone I thought, “I don’t know what a Daughter of the King really looks like in today’s Christian community.” It sounded a bit old-fashioned to me. However, this prompted me to begin thinking again. Quickly the word “JAP (Jewish American Princess)” came to mind. I pondered, “How did these women become such regal ladies to carry that title?” I answered my own question – “They must have been trained to become like this.”

I immediately headed to the library and discovered a book for Jewish parents who were preparing their daughters for womanhood. I found that they had established a rite-of-passage called a Bat’mizvah when they turn 13 years of age. The parents chose a woman from their synagogue who would become her mentor for one year, solidifying all that she had been taught in the first 12 years of her life. Excitedly I read on because they had used a key word in my topic!

Further research led me to read up on Princess Diana. To my surprise, she had 5 women that mentored her for life. Lastly, I felt prompted to take a look at the life of Rahab, the prostitute that became a princess in the lineage of Jesus. She had been embraced (mentored!) by the Israelite women after she had saved their nation when she protected the Israelite spies. 

With all that I had discovered, I confidently presented the day of the event. Of course, I included my grandmother’s proclamation as well. I challenged the women in the audience of their high calling as mentors. I encouraged the girls of the benefits they could gain by having a mentor to guide them into their celebrated position in Christ, a Daughter of the King.

When I left the event that day I too was challenged! The question, “What does our Christian community have for our teenage girls?” kept coming to mind.  Of course, I could not answer anything but, “Nothing.” Because I had not seen or heard of anyone else doing it. I knew the Lord was prompting me to take action. Soon, I was researching other cultures rites-of-passage for their teen girls and saw that they were too primitive or elaborate for our average American family. Therefore, I took the lead from the Jewish community and created what is known today as the Becoming a Modern Day Princess, (a Biblically based) rite-of-passage program.

Soon, the self-published curriculum was being facilitated by moms, mentors and leaders in numerous churches, homeschool settings, and Christian schools across the country. By 2008 a true cheerleader and mentor in my own life, Pam Farrel, became my co-author and Focus on the Family/Tydale published “Raising a Modern Day Princess,” in 2010.   

The embracing response of moms, mentors, youth leaders and pastors, across the world today continues to grow as they see the value of equipping their girls to step into womanhood and affirming them through the power of a blessing as they are crowned Daughters of the King- true Modern Day Princesses.

Thank you, Doreen. As the mom of a teen-aged daughter, I can say your work is invaluable. Our girls truly need to be prepared to enter the world, equipped to handle in a Christian way the challenges that await them. Thank you, Readers/Hunters.

Ready to continue?

THE SCAVENGER HUNT CAN-DOs: Before you go, write down this STOP #16 clue: WE ENCOURAGE

WAIT! Check out this giveaway! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, proceed to stop #17, Doreen Hanna’s site! Click HERE to go!

·

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Liz,I love the covers of your books!
    I also enjoyed learning of your family inspiration to write your books.
    I have not read any of your books yet but will add to my list,
    Thank you
    mcnuttjem0(at)gmail(dot)com

  3. I didn’t sign up for the giveaway, as I’ve already read and reviewed Snow on the Tulips — loved it! I love WWII fiction. Already signed up to review Daisies are Forever in May! Can’t wait! I especially love that you’ve used personal stories to inspire your fictional ones!

    And, I was excited to read about Where the Hibiscus Blooms on Winnie Grigg’s post! That sounds great, too!! Can’t wait until that one is released!

    Stephanie
    mybabyblessings AT gmail DOT com

  4. Hi, Liz! I enjoyed your post on Winnie’s blog and learning about your story inspirations. I enjoy learning more about the authors I love, as well as meeting new authors to love! Thank you for sharing this scavenger hunt and the opportunity to be a winner.

    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

  5. I’m always glad to hear from my readers and so glad that you liked Snow on the Tulips! I hope you like Daisies Are Forever. I’m excited about its release. Thanks for stopping by!

  9. Liz, I read and reviewed SNOW ON THE MOUNTAINS. Now I’ll need to read it again after I read your blog! I think I’m getting Daisies Are Forever as well. Thanks!

  10. @Angie: Glad you stopped by!

    @Emma: Have a great weekend, too.

    @Marianne: Thanks for your kind words about Snow on the Tulips. I hope you enjoy Daisies Are Forever as well!

  11. I do not live in the US so I will not be participating in the giveaway, but I just had to say how GORGEOUS I find your book covers. The very fact that you have utilized your own family history to prompt your writing intrigues me. I have a TON of history I can use from my husband’s side of the family, and have considered doing as you have done. But… I am not there yet. 🙂 thank you for your interview. It was such a pleasure.

    Celita (Italy)
    mrsdayseye at gmail dot com

  12. I am not within the US,so I think I am unable to participate in your giveaway; but I just had to tell you how GORGEOUS I think you book covers are. The very fact that you include some of your family history in your books, intrigues and inspires me. I have some historical aspects of my husband’s family that I have thought would make amazing scenes in a book. I am not at the point of writing them yet, but… I just had to tell you that I thorougly enjoyed your interview. Thank you…

    Celita (Italy)
    mrsdayseye at gmail dot com

  14. Hello, Liz! It was so neat to read about your writing story on Winnie Griggs’ site. I love stories set in WW2, so your stories are especially intriguing to me. I can’t wait to read them!

  16. Hello Liz. I loved your post on Winnie’s website. My brother served In WW ll So I knew a lot of what things happened during that time.And, my future husband had also served in that war. He told of his squad taking over Hitler”s mother’s home for awhile. He said she and his sister were really nice, and that they didn’t like what Hitler was doing. Our family had a lot of members and friends in that war. And lost some friends. I have a Medical emblem my brother brought home to me. Loved the stories. Would love to win one of your books. Maxie mac262@me.com

  18. @bluebell – thanks for the kind comments. I hope you enjoy the books!

    @maiden star – I’m working hard on some new ideas, so keep your eyes peeled! Thanks for stopping.

    @maude – I’d love to hear more about the stories you have. I have a new blog dedicated to preserving WWII stories.

  19. Thanks Liz and Doreen for being a part of the hunt! I can’t wait to read Snow on the Tulips & Daisies are Forever! I think it’s so special when an author includes a personal story in their books!

    kam110476 AT gmail DOT com

  20. Thanks Liz and Doreen for being a part of the hunt! I can’t wait to read Snow on the Tulips & Daisies are Forever! I think it’s so special when an author includes a personal story in their books!

    kam110476 AT gmail DOT com

  21. Liz, you are a new author to me, so I was glad to read about you and your books. They sound wonderful, so I would be delighted to win either of them…I like the fact that you use personal stories to inspire your fictional ones in your writings. I LIKED you on FB and subscribed to your newsletter. I am enjoying the scavenger hunt tonight and have met a lot of new authors and read reviews on some great sounding books. Thanks for the opportunity to participate and will be anxious to see if I am among your winners. Thanks and many of God’s blessings to you.

  22. @kam – The personal stories make these books near and dear to my heart. They are my passion. Enjoy them!

    @Rats Smith: Thank you so much for liking me and subscribing to the newsletter! Glad to hear you’re having fun on the hunt. Blessings to you as well.