This week, we’re giving away THREE copies of my sweet friend, Rebekah Lyons‘ new book Freefall to Fly: A Breathtaking Journey Toward a Life of Meaning. Rebekah is the wife to Gabe Lyons, co-founder of Q Ideas, and mother of three adorable kiddos.
Everyone has to make a leap–of hope, of courage, of life. In Freefall, Rebekah wants to make sure that nothing–anxiety, despair, depression, or fear–holds you back. She shares candid and powerful stories from her own life with courageous honesty. By the time you finish reading, you won’t be able to resist the opportunity to fly into the fullness of life.
I recently had the chance to ask Rebekah a few questions about her new book, Freefall to Fly:
Margaret: For readers who aren’t familiar with Freefall to Fly, what is main idea?
Rebekah: Freefall to Fly begins with my crash and burn upon moving to New York City from the suburbs of Atlanta.
Halfway into my thirties, a restlessness began to stir the depths of my heart. An unwavering angst kept asking if I was living the life God intended. The days Rebekah established were predictable and safe. Controlled and planned. Yet as each month passed and the years rolled by, a small part of my spirit began to die. My life consisted of little more than maintaining the earthly treasure I’d been storing up. I yearned to cast it all off, to run fast toward a life wild and free.
Armed with eager idealism, I set off with my husband, three children, two toy poodles and a minivan. The months that followed became more than I could bear. The city broke my will in numerous ways, most notably crippling panic attacks and depression. While I longed to return to the safety of my old life, God held me there. Almost audibly He met me with a promise, Stay in the freefall. For only then will you find rescue.
I often tell people I came to New York searching for meaning, but instead I found surrender. And today, I’m learning that meaning follows surrender.
M: Why did you write Freefall?
R: If we were sharing a coffee and you asked this question, tears would well and we’d share an awkward silence because that’s how I roll. Then I’d say, “I wrote this book for women who are lost and yearning for purpose. Further, I wrote this for women who’ve stopped looking, believing they will never really change.”
Depression enters when we’ve lost hope for the future. When we no longer imagine a life that is free. Perhaps we’ve been burdened so long, we no longer recognize the weight we carry. Almost 1 in 4 American women are taking medication for some form of anxiety or depression, trying to cope with life. We numb to stay “normal.”
M: What’s the greatest compliment you’ve received on Freefall so far?
R: A reviewer told me this week on Facebook that she hasn’t read a book this inspiring since Francis Chan’s Crazy Love. Overwhelmed by God’s insane sense of humor, that’s a high that I’ve been riding for a couple of days. 🙂
M: What were the biggest challenges or struggles during the writing process?
R: On the New Years Eve of 2012, dear friends gathered around a table for our annual tradition of naming the prior year in a single word. When my turn came, “rescue” rolled off my tongue without a moments notice. As inquiring faces gazed back, I recounted what God had done over the past eighteen months. When the new year dawned, I knew I must write His story of redemption, while it was still fresh.
So I did. It was an excruciating season, cathartic and lonely, but one that could not be avoided.
But as the words turned to pages, and pages to chapters, my heart healed one word at a time.
Rebekah is offering three extra-special, hand selected gifts to anyone who purchases a copy of Freefall. Learn more at RebekahLyons.com.
We’re giving away THREE copies of Freefall to Fly on the blog this week. To win, leave a comment on this original blog post at MargaretFeinberg.com. The winners will be selected and notified on Friday.
Congratulations to the Winners: Jeannie S, DeAnna Haugh, K.J. Snoes
What’s holding you back from taking a leap of faith in your life?
I know that feeling of not being what the Lord would have me to be, but also feeling like I’m held back with strong bands. Recently I really took a stumble and thought I might not even keep my job. Through lots of prayer and the 40-Day-Challenge, I’ve regained a bit of my ability to stand. But still I feel like there’s more out there just waiting for me.
PI would be so honored to read this book. Would love to read a copy.
Wow…love what she said about the Lord telling her to stay in the free fall and then she would find rescue!! It’s seems like such a daunting thing, but it’s exactly what we were made to do!! Can’t wait to read this book!!
Love the title! And don’t we all “freefall” sometime or another. And then we all love to fly!! It’s in our weaknesses that He is the strongest!
I am excited to read it. I love the cover!! Be Blessed, Katelynn
I can’t wait to read this book! I love that Rebekah writes with such transparency and believe the reader will benefit from reading her story. To answer the question, I think all too often what holds me back is me and my own fears.
Margaret, I would love to read those books. The giveaway book and the other. Thank you Margaret.
This book sounds really good! I struggle with fear. I find I hold myself back instead of moving ahead by faith.
Ant to read this!
Great interview…I read an excerpt from Rebekah’s book and would love to win a copy! I can’t wait to read this book.
So identify with her comment on stop looking because of believing you will never change.
Sounds like a powerful book!
This sounds like a super encouraging read! God has destined us for great things but we must follow our hearts and have the courage to pursue and discover them!
Nice interview indeed!
I would be glad, grateful, honoured and blessed if I would be one of the blessed winners. Thanks and blessings! 🙂
“Free Fall!” What an exciting title for a book! I WILL be reading this book. At the age of 54 I thought my free falling days were completed, but finding that my greatest desire is to “free fall” in a whole new way with The Lord! So excited!
What a great concept and something that will ring true in MANY women. Especially this one. Thank you, Margaret and Rebekah!
Thanks for the opportunity to receive this book.
I’d love to give this a read!
Sounds like a great testimony!
“I wrote this book for women who are lost and yearning for purpose.”
Yup, that’s me….
We all seek purpose, believing that God created us for it…we pray to find it. Looking forward to reading this!
While I believe that God has brought me through my “freefall” (praise Him!) I would love to read this book as there’s always room for growth! It sounds very powerful!
Oh as I prayed this morning for God to show me a way to help a dear friend of mine, this is what I found! GOD IS SO AWESOME!!!! I BELIEVE THIS IS THE BOOK SHE AND I NEED TO READ TOGETHER AND DISCUSS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY AND WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW HIM TO USE YOU TO HELP SO MANY!
The description of this book speaks directly to my soul, as I’m sure it does to many other women. Can’t wait to read this book!
What’s holding me back… kids, commitments, life, getting lost in the day to day.
Sounds like a great book.
I surrendered my career to stay home with my kids. I have taken antidepressants for 20 years. Now I’m giving up my dreams to care for and watch my parents slowly die. Could this book give me a New perspective?
I would LOVE a copy of this book. Perhaps I’ll be the lucky one!
Thank you for offering!
What’s holding me back from taking a leap of faith? Too often I try to play it safe. I’m by nature a very cautious person. Sometimes that spills over into my spiritual life. I would love to read Freefall to Fly!
I have been in freefall several times in my life because of being married to THAT man! He actually celebrated his 60th Birthday doing his first ever freefall tandem parachute jump! We joke my name became Della – go – with – the – flow – Smith when we married more than 37 years ago! I would love to read Rebekah’s story of surrender to the freefall!
Been there done that way to many times. Sounds like a book I need to read to go to the next chapter of my life. At 60 I am feeling like I am doing more than I am being what God wants me to me. I am tired of it. I want to take that step of faith (free fall) but I am not sure what God is leading me in.
I would love to read this book…seems to be just what I need right now…
I would love to win the book. My life seems so compartmentized with work, husband, kids, business, finances, relationships, etc. I feel like I have never it all fully surrendered to HIM every aspect of my life at the same time. Maybe I’m not the only one struggling with that. Sounds like this book can help me get there.
This is definitely a book to put on my “must read” list. I’ve been freefalling through a battle with cancer that has tested, and still tests my faith, my endurance, and my perseverance to keep standing on God’s promises. To keep trusting Him, even, as Rebekah said, “When we no longer imagine a life that is free.” For me, a life that is free from cancer.
Also as she said, “Perhaps we’ve been burdened so long, we no longer recognize the weight we carry.” The cancer burden, or any burden, will take over your life if you’re not careful, and the weight of the burden can become bigger in our eyes than God. It is NOT really bigger than God, but trying to cope from day to day can make it seem that way.
I’m looking forward to reading Rebekah’s book someday.
Freefall looks like a great book! I have several friends who struggle with anxiety and/or depression and it is very disheartening. I find it difficult to talk to them as I don’t want them to think I am being judgemental, but I so want them to experience true freedom in Christ. I admire Rebekah for putting it out there and not being afraid to confront the issue that cause us to feel in bondage.
I would love a copy. Right in the middle of my 50’s and wondering what I have I done and what can I do with the rest of life to feel like it means something to someone. Thank you!
Thanks for the wonderful interview and letting us know about this book. I keep looking for inspiration as I endure my own freefall, trying to rebuild my life from the ground up at the age of 46.
I’d say fear is the biggest thing keeping me from taking a leap of faith….
This book looks interesting. I love memoirs! They have so much more depth and meaning. I have had a couple free falls in my life, and they are not nice at all. You lose the ground beneath your feet. Thanks Margaret for having these giveaways.
Definitely fear…..