Seven Quick Takes: Book Giveaway!




1. This has been a very busy week! My new book, Learning to Love with the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir officially launched on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima exactly one week ago today. My shipment of books and new business cards arrived on Wednesday along with a second shipment of books  on Thursday. There have been speaking requests plus book signings and more... Whoa! It's exciting and exhausting all at the same time. In addition, I have been conducting a book blog tour this past week which extends until Tuesday, May 24.

Today, on day 8 of the blog tour, the sweet Jeannie Ewing interviews me at Love Alone Creates. She asked me some very intelligent and insightful questions, so go check it out! Be sure to enter to win a first edition, autographed copy of Learning to Love with the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir.

If you would like to learn more about Learning to Love with the Saints and enter to win a free book,  here is the blog tour schedule:

Friday, May 13 -- Ellen Gable Hrkach, Review, Plot, Line, and Sinker  

Saturday, May 14 -- Rosemary Bogdan, Review, A Catholic Mother’s Thoughts
Book Giveaway!

Sunday, May 15 -- Carolyn Astfalk, Review, My Scribbler’s Heart Blog
Book Giveaway!

Monday, May 16 -- Lisa Mladinich, Interview, Patheos and Amazing Catechists,
Book Giveaway!

Tuesday, May 17—Nancy HC Ward, Review, Joy Alive in our Hearts
Book Giveaway!

Wednesday, May 18 -- Esther Gefroh, Review, A Catholic Mom in Hawaii

Thursday, May 19 -- Barb Szyszkiewicz, Review, Franciscan Mom  
Book Giveaway! and Catholic Mom

Friday, May 20--Jeannie Ewing, Interview, Love Alone Creates
Book Giveaway!

Saturday, May 21-- Patrice Faganant McArthur, Review, Spiritual Woman

Sunday, May 22 -- Melanie Jean Juneau, Review, Association of Catholic Women Bloggers  and Joy of Nine

Monday, May 23--Virginia Lieto, Review, Virginia Lieto , Book Giveaway!

Tuesday, May 24 -- Tony Agnesi, Review, Finding God’s Grace in Everyday Life

2. Just to give you an idea of what Learning to Love with the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir is Like, here are some comments from some of the reviewers:

"Jean has written a stunningly beautiful spiritual love story which she now shares with the world in this book. You won’t want to miss it. Walk along with Jean as you read her story and allow the saints that Jean affectionately and so aptly tells about, lead you ever deeper into a loving relationship with Our Lord."

--Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, EWTN TV Host, Speaker, and Author of The Kiss of Jesus, Bringing Lent Home with Pope Francis, The Miraculous Medal, Catholic Mom's Cafe, Rooted in Love, Angels for Kids, and many more books.


"With Learning to Love With the Saints, Jean M. Heimann has written a beautiful and moving memoir that illustrates how the holy saints' examples not only increase our faith, but give us the strength we need in difficult times. Highly recommend!" 

--Ellen Gable Hrkach, award-winning novelist and book coach

"Jean’s tender and deeply personal memoir is, a love story of how Christ wooed her soul via the example of joyful Catholics both living and in Heaven. Jean relates, in the context of her journey, precious wisdom on how to find your way home, in the midst of trials and suffering, to the arms of Our Lord."

--Leticia Velasquez, author of A Special Mother is Born and From the Hub to the Heart


"At some point, we will suffer tragedy, loss, or illness.  In Learning to Love With the Saints, Jean M. Heimann shows us that suffering can be transformed into love as we take the hands of our heavenly companions and journey with the saints through our times of trial and hardship.  Like Jean, we can learn how to love the most difficult people and circumstances by modeling our lives after the virtues exemplified by the saints."

--Jeannie Ewing, author of From Grief to Grace: The Journey from Tragedy to Triumph and Navigating Deep Waters: Meditations for Caregivers.  

"It is one thing to read about God working through the great saints who seem so distant from us. It is quite another to see him working through someone who keeps journeying on, because God’s love is working in and through them. This book is inspiring and uplifting and I recommend it knowing that it can do for others what it has done for me. " 

--David Torkington – Spiritual Theologian, speaker and retreat leader, author of Wisdom from the Western Isles.

"Jean M. Heimann's blog and first book are dedicated to telling the stories of saints. In Learning to Love With the Saints, Jean shares her own surprising and inspiring faith story, tracing a path walked with growing devotion and conviction." 

--Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS; freelance writer and editor, blogging at Franciscan Mom and author at Catholic Mom

"Jean M. Heimann's Learning to Love With the Saints is wise and full of beauty, a memoir to be savored and brought to prayer. Read it and be blessed, and then share it with someone you love."

--Lisa Mladinich, catechist and workshop leader, author of True Radiance: Finding Grace in the Second Half of Life

"Journey with Jean Heimann in this memoir and you'll find yourself growing closer to God and learning about His mercy."
 - Sarah Reinhard, author and blogger, SnoringScholar.com



3. The Feast of Corpus Christi is May 29 this year, so let's get started on the Novena, which begins today. 

Novena Honoring the Body and Blood of Christ

I thank You, Jesus, my Divine Redeemer, for coming upon the earth for our sake, and for instituting the adorable Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in order to remain with us until the end of the world.
 I thank You for hiding beneath the Eucharistic species Your infinite majesty and beauty, which Your Angels delight to behold, so that I might have courage to approach the throne of Your Mercy. 
I thank You, most loving Jesus, for having made Your- self my food, and for uniting me to Yourself with so much love in this wonderful Sacrament that I may live in You. 
I thank You, my Jesus, for giving Yourself to me in this Blessed Sacrament, and so enriching it with the treasures of Your love that You have no greater gift to give me.
 I thank You not only for becoming my food but also for offering Yourself as a continual sacrifice to Your Eternal Father for my salvation. 
I thank You, Divine Priest, for offering Yourself as a Sacrifice daily upon our altars in adoration and homage to the Most Blessed Trinity, and for making amends for our poor and miserable adorations. 
I thank You for renewing in this daily Sacrifice the actual Sacrifice of the Cross offered on Calvary, in which You satisfy Divine justice for us poor sinners. 
I thank You, dear Jesus, for having become the priceless Victim to merit for me the fullness of heavenly favors. Awaken in me such confidence in You that their fullness may descend ever more fruitfully upon my soul. 
I thank You for offering Yourself in thanksgiving to God for all His benefits, spiritual and temporal, which He has bestowed upon me. 
In union with Your offering of Yourself to Your Father in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, I ask for this special favor: (Mention your request). 
If it be Your holy Will, grant my request. Through You I also hope to receive the grace of perseverance in Your love and faithful service, a holy death, and a happy
eternity with You in Heaven. Amen. 

O Lord, You have given us this Sacred Banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
You have given them bread from Heaven. 
Having all sweetness within.

Let us pray. God our Father, for Your glory and our salvation You appointed Jesus Christ eternal High Priest. May the people He gained for You by His Blood come to share in the power of His Cross and Resurrection by celebrating His Memorial in this Eucharist, for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen. 

O Jesus, since You have left us a remembrance of Your Passion beneath the veils of this Sacrament, grant us, we pray, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of Your Body and Blood that we may always enjoy the fruits of Your Redemption, for You live and reign forever. Amen.

4. Spring is here and it's planting season. Here is what our garden looks like so far. It's coming up -- at least part of it anyway!



5. A reader wrote me about the struggle she has with virginity in this sex-crazed world and asked for advice. If you would like to add your own ideas, please mention them in the comments.

6. Today is the Feast of St. Bernadine of Siena, who is the patron saint of communication.  A Franciscan friar and preacher, St. Bernardine is known as “the Apostle of Italy” for his efforts to revive the country's Catholic faith during the 15th century.

7. I have met Alveda King and really like this life-affirming lady.


Have a wonderful weekend!
Jean       

 For more Quick Takes, please visit Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum.

                                                                     


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