This week I’m giving away THREE copies of Karen Beattie‘s book, Rock Bottom Blessings. She currently works as writing director for a digital creative agency. Karen lives with her husband and daughter on the north side of the Windy City.
I recently had a chance to ask Karen a few questions about her book:
Margaret: For readers who aren’t familiar with Rock Bottom Blessings, what is the main idea?
Karen: The main idea is that living an abundant life often looks much different than what our society and culture, and even our churches, have led us to believe. We tend to think of abundance as having a lot of material wealth, success, or having things going our way. In our churches, we often think of abundance as “being blessed by God,” but what does that really mean?
Often our ideas of abundance are influenced by consumerism, the prosperity gospel (the idea that God will “bless” us if we do everything right), or other ideas that we have picked up that don’t have anything to do with what Christ meant when he said, “I came that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.”
During a difficult time in my life when my husband and I were going through a financial crisis (like many people were during the recession), and we were unable to adopt a child because I was laid off, I set out to try to work through in my own mind what having an abundant life really means. I discovered that abundance can be found when you think you have nothing materially, or when your dreams are dying.
What were the biggest challenges or struggles during the writing process?
This was my first book, and writing it seemed like a marathon that would never end. I worked on it off and on for two years. I know many books take even longer to write. But just finishing it was a challenge for me—sitting down in a Starbucks every Saturday morning for four hours or so, and writing early in the mornings and late at night. I work fulltime as a writing director at a digital creative agency, so it was difficult to sit in front of a computer during my “off” time when I could have been doing anything else.
Another challenge was to not make the book sound too whiney. I didn’t want to feel sorry for myself—but I wanted to take a straight-eyed look at what was going on, and try to make sense of it. Not to whine or complain, but just to understand and try to encourage other people who may be going through a similar experience.
I really do love the struggle and challenge of writing a book. It felt satisfying and fulfilling to complete the book. “We write to find out what we know,” said one of my writing teachers. I was working out all of these things as I was writing. It helped me to make sense of what was going on in my life, and where God was in it all.
What do you hope will happen in the reader’s heart and mind after they finish with the book?
I hope they will find encouragement, and start to believe that when they are going through a difficult time that there can be resurrection. If you believe in the life, passion, and resurrection of Christ (what Catholics call the paschal mystery), you have hope that something good can come from the most difficult circumstances. The poet Rumi writes, “Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure.” We try to avoid struggle and loss at all costs, but hard times are inevitable, and we miss out if we don’t try to see where the resurrection is during these difficult times.
What 3 books have most impacted your life and ministry (besides the Bible)?
This is such a difficult question! There are too many books that have influenced me in some way. But these three come to mind:
Everything Belongs, by Richard Rohr
Seven Storey Mountain, by Thomas Merton
Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson
To win ONE of THREE copies of Rock Bottom Blessings, enter a comment on the original blog post at MargaretFeinberg.com. Winners will be selected and announced on Friday.
Congratulations to the winners: Debbie, Cindy Adams, Trita Clarke
Would love to read this.
I would love to read this book! I struggle with this thought so often because of our recent change in income and circumstances. Thanks for the giveaway Margaret!
Would love to read this! Sounds very thought provoking. Thanks for the chance!
oh I need this book! I’ve been feeling like I’m living anything but abundantly right now!!
I am in the rock bottem holding tightly to God I can see inthe shadows of this season of life that I’m beginning to feel the closest snd most abundance. Gods leading, I’m following. I survive only because its here I have the privilege the honor to give God glory in my life, to wait and see hiw He WILL restore my ashesto beauty. My deepest pain resurrected with Jesud on the cross come to life again in jiy and peace. There may be pain in the night bit joy comes in the morning and no trial of any kind can take my Jesus, my hope, my love, my Faith away. I choose abundance of what my bbelief in Jesus Christ is, after all He conqured the grave hallelujah amen
I am in the rock bottem holding tightly to God I can see in the shadows of this season of life , that I’m beginning to feel the closest and most abundance. Gods leading, I’m following. I survive only because it’s here I have the privilege the honor to give God glory in my life, to wait and see how He WILL restore my ashes to beauty. My deepest pain resurrected with Jesus on the cross come to life again in joy and peace. There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning and no trial of any kind can take my Jesus, my hope, my love, my Faith away. I choose abundance of what my belief in Jesus Christ is, after all He conqured the grave hallelujah amen
Would love to have this book to give to a friend whose daughter, Dana, lost a long battle with cancer at 3:00 am this morning. She is about as rock bottom as you can get. BUT her faith is strong and God will give her the strength to get through the difficult days ahead. Dana leaves behind a loving husband and an 11 year old daughter.
I SO need.to read this book. Struggling x18 months with my husband’s cancer and accompanying loss of income.
I think this book is very timely for where I am right now…
How timely to read your blog today Margaret. I started my day watching The link my daughter sent me of Kirsten Moores of Westmont College incredible story http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JivFci0NymU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJivFci0NymU ( cried my eyes out by the way) then i turned to my study for the day. Our study group is doing Wonderstruck and watched session two yesterday. We prayed for you- as you have been and continue on quite a journey. How “amazing” that you spoke about an uncertain diagnosis of cancer- knowing now where you find yourself. Today my study book for Wonderstruck began with “Life unravels sometimes” and I thought two things : yuck I don’t want to go back there- and how is Margaret doing as the very page I’m reading she’s talking about loosing an extended family member to cancer. And thus I turned to your blog. Then I read – rock bottom. Ok I guess we’re going there Lord. In my greatest rock bottom God brought to me three meaningful writers: Jerry Sitsers A Grace Disguised, Henry Nouwens Turn my mourning into Dancing and Brennan Mannings Ruthless Trust. I have experienced The great Who-My Lord my God- in the midst of the deep sea of Why. And I know my rock bottom brought me a deeper understanding of breadth of God and a compassion for others I so dearly lacked. I’m curious to read Karens book as I am seeking to shape the outlet to share my rock bottom as a message of hope and redemption.
I would really LOVE to win a copy! 🙂
Thanks for the opportunity. Praying for you regularly Margaret! (thank you prayer notebook app!)
It’s so easy to get whiny when we are going through trials. I welcome a different perspective that would show how to experience that joyful abundance that Jesus promised.
Genesis 50:20 is my life verse. I would love to read this book and gain insight from another overcomer!
I would love to read this book. The Fall Season is extremely hard for me and my family. With God’s grace we get through it.. The anniversary of our son’s death is in November during Thanksgiving Week.
I would love to read this
I feel like this book would truly bless my life. Thanks for the opportunity, and many, many prayers for your, Margaret!! ♥
This sounds like a “must read” book. I would love the opportunity to read this book! What a refreshing perspective on “Less is More”… Especially at a time when many are confusing their desire to “acquire and use” with the intrinsic need to depend on God for their sufficiency!
This book sounds like what I need to be reading at this point in my life…..would love to win a copy!
Sounds like a great read! Thanks for the opportunity, God bless. 🙂
This book just seems perfect. I would love to win a copy! Thanks for an amazing ministry!
I would love to read this book! Having personally experienced a total upheaval in my way of living, I am in the process of rebuilding. So this would be a help and encouragement to me.
I would love to win a copy of this book…sounds like something we all need to read! I am in the process of simplifying my life … after 64 years of living with “more” than I need.
I would luv to have this book. Sounds great.
Sounds like a great book- would love to read!
with abundant blessings if could have one here in China!
This book sounds like something I need to be reading now.
This sounds like an excellent, convicting read. We live in a society that would rather look blessed than be blessed. And some of us need to hit rock bottom to see clearly all that we have.
I would love to read this book!!!
I was going to enter because this sounds like a book I would enjoy. But reading through the comments, it seems there are others who are more in need of the book than I am.
I would love to win this book! Sounds like it’ll be a GREAT read!
I so desire to win this one!