ACRBA tour Signs in Life by Deanna Nowadnick with interview

7 - 11 September

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Signs in Life: Finding Direction in Our Travels with God
Rhododendron Books (May 8, 2015)

By

Deanna Nowadnick

About the Book:

Signs in Life begins with a late night encounter with local law enforcement. In the harsh glare of a flashlight, Deanna Nowadnick learns the consequences of speeding through a stop sign. Other incidents follow. All are linked to the divine signs she’s encountered in that bigger journey through life.

Deanna shares humorous anecdotes and inspirational lessons from her travels with God. Readers will see the signs in life. She might be speeding through a stop sign–yet again!–while you’re carefully navigating a busy street, but we’re all part of a bigger journey, a greater purpose. We’re all part of God’s great story.

As she used to tell her  young sons, “Buckle up. We’re going for a ride.”

About the Author

Deanna Nowadnick is a native of the Pacific Northwest. When not writing, she serves at the Client Service Coordinator for The Planner's Edge, an investment advisory firm in Washington State.

Deanna is active in her church, playing the violin and editing the newsletter. She loves to knit, adores chocolate, and most important, enjoys a blessed marriage to Kurt. She's also the proud mother of two adult sons. Her first book, Fruit of My Spirit, began as a short story for Kyle and Kevin about how she met their father. It quickly became a much larger story about God's love and faithfulness.

Deanna has just finished her second book: Signs in Life: Finding Direction in Our Travels with God.

Interview with Deanna:

Hi Deanna, could you tell us a little about yourself?

First, thanks for this opportunity to visit! I live in the Pacific Northwest, Washington State specifically. When not writing, I provide administrative support for an investment advisory firm. But my real passion is writing and speaking. I just love telling stories. I’m very active in my local church, currently serving as president. I also spearhead a women’s group called Girlfriends Inspired by God (G.I.G.). I play the violin during worship, one of those hidden talents that really should remain hidden on occasion. I love to knit, take walks in the sunshine, and savor a daily bite of chocolate. Actually—several bites!

Where did you get the inspiration for your book?

As you’ll learn from Signs in Life, I’m not the best driver. Imagine having a book’s worth of driving antics! Your followers will be glad they’re an ocean and a continent away!

I’ve always felt God’s direction. I’ve always believed in His guidance. Have I always listened? Have I always seen the signs? No! But looking back, I’ve learned that God not only directs, but redirects. He’s connected my own silliness and misadventures to bigger, more important lessons in life.

In the book, we travel with Moses. Never did I expect to be strapping on a pair of sandals to journey together, but what a journey we take, that we all take. Remembering the Israelites’ trek to the Promised Land, let me add that I’ve never known the brutality of slavery or been forced from my home. I’ve never had to walk through a desert, never been nomadic. I don’t camp for goodness sakes! Still God’s traveled with all of us, meeting us wherever we are and wherever we’re going.

Can you tell us a little about the journey to make this book a reality?

After writing my first book, Fruit of My Spirit, I expected this second book to come even easier. In many ways it was harder.  Wanting to get better and better as a writer, I connected with a new editor. She took one look at an early draft and groaned, “I don’t even know where to begin!” We began chapter by chapter, paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence. It was hard. At times it was miserably hard. But together we slogged through rewrites. 

What do you want readers to take out of your book?

I truly believe we all want to be part of a greater purpose. We all want help and guidance in our understanding of God and His plans for us. And when we miss the signs, real and divine, we want to know that God will redirect and refocus us, that He will get us back on track. My pastor, Robin Dugall, says, “Life with God is not just about a heavenly destination. Our travels with God are part of His story, His purpose, travels that begin right now.”

Whenever we got in the car, I used to tell my boys, “Buckle up. We’re going for a ride.” In life we’re all going for a ride. Our travels with God are an adventure in discovery and growth, an opportunity for each one of us to repeat the words of Moses at the burning bush, “Here I am.”

Do you have a message you would like to leave for our readers?

When I meet with women’s groups, I talk about the important of all our stories. Our stories don’t have to be found somewhere between Genesis and Revelation to matter. They don’t have to appear on Amazon’s best-seller list to count. Our stories are more important than that, because they’re part of God’s great story. In the book, I quote Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar, who said, “The genius of the biblical story is that, instead of simply giving us ‘seven habits for highly effective people,’ it gives us permission and even direction to take conscious ownership of our own story at every level, every part of life and experience. God will use all of this material, even the negative parts, to bring life and love.”

To end on a fun note if you could come and visit Australia and New Zealand what would you most like to do or see?

My son Kyle traveled to Australia while in college. When I asked him what I’d most like to see and do, he replied without hesitation, “See the opera house. Hold a koala.” See picture.

Lastly where can readers find you on the net?

Website:          http://deannanowadnick.com/

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/FruitofMySpirit

Twitter:            @deannanowadnick

LinkedIn:          Deanna Nowadnick