Special Guest: Brenda Warner {Give Away Day!}

 

Friends, I am so excited about my special guest today, Brenda Warner.

The picture above is of Kim, (Bren’s sister), Bren and I at the Super Bowl in 1999, but our friendship goes back way before the big game!

Brenda is my oldest childhood friend (in more ways than one! She’s 26 days older than me!) Knocking on the Carney’s door, wearing an orange and white striped shirt with iron-on block letters “Lynn” on the front, I made sure Brenda and Kim Carney felt welcomed to the big city of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

In the past 35 years, Bren and I have both come a long way. From being described as “Jesus Freaks” in our high school to becoming speakers for Jesus, our message has stayed the same: living a life that honors Jesus is the only life.

If you aren’t familiar with my childhood friend’s story, you can read CNN’s abbreviated version here. I’ve asked Brenda a couple of questions and then we’ll get right to our give away!

Bren, your life has been a roller coaster. From the lowest of lows when your first husband left, your son received brain damage and your parents died in a tornado to the highs of two Super Bowls, becoming a mom of seven as well as a Women of Faith speaker. What have you learned from this ride?

I have learned the only thing you can count on is God and His faithfulness. You can’t count on people or your circumstances; they can change in a minute. You can count on a faithful God who says He will never leave you or forsake and He will prove it! Even when you feel like you can’t take one more thing or one more day, He will give you the power and strength you need to make it through.

What would you say to the women who says she can’t make a difference; she doesn’t have a platform like you do.

Some people who have made the biggest impact in this world are those who have just impacted one. When you live out a life that honors Jesus each day, you don’t know who you are influencing. Make a difference, no matter how big or small, in your circle each and every day. God will honor that step.

Recently, I received an email from Brenda inviting me to be her guest when she speaks at Women of Faith next weekend in Charlotte. This year’s theme is Celebrate What Matters. I’m so excited my friend Lysa TerKeurst will be part of the Women of Faith next year!

Not only do I have tickets, I have two to give away too! I’ll also be giving away a copy of her and Kurt’s book “First Things First”. I’ll do two give aways; one for those near Charlotte who can come to Women of Faith and another for the book so be sure to let me know which one you are in for! Just answer this question at www.LynnCowell.com or in the comments below:

If you were chosen to be a Women of Faith speaker for one day, what would your message be about? (If you’re super busy, just say “I’m in!”)

I’ll post the winner of these two prizes during my peace series on Monday. For now, I’m heading to West Virginia to carry the message of Jesus’ Revolutionary Love to the girls in Petersburg! See you on Monday!

 

 

Lynn

23 Comments

  1. The book sounds great!

  2. Laura Davis says:

    I am learning to navigate through the “MOM” season of my life. I would share with others about how I am striving to “Manage Ongoing Madness into Moments for Our Master”. This is the title of my new discipleship/share group for ladies at our church. We hope to learn and grow from sharing with each other.

    Enjoy some girltime fun in Charlotte! Wish I were closer….

  3. Faith is one of my top “gifts” according to a class I took. Looking back at things, I see how I try to live that and I see that I tend to encourage people. So I think my first one would be on encouragement.

    From Texas!

  4. My message would be about loving God the most and putting Him first in our lives. Idolatry takes many forms, but our God is a jealous God. The best way to accomplish His plan for our lives it to make our ouselves a living sacrifice of praise and worship.

  5. Heather P says:

    If I were to speak at a Women of Faith event, I would try to talk about those that had gone before us and how they had lived victoriously through Christ. We will not be like Jesus until we are with Him in heaven. What a day that will be!

  6. While encouraging and inspiring women to life changing FREEDOM, I mostly notice they have a hard time moving past their past. Thus I would speak on putting the past behind.

    Blessings “In CHRIST”
    Dianne

  7. The title of my message would be “You Matter” to God, to those around you and to all of us. Each and every one of us is a treasure and I would love to especially encourage those who don’t believe it. Count me in!

  8. Angela P. says:

    If I were to speak at WoF my topic would be trusting God in times of trials. Im not in the area so Im in for the book 🙂

  9. Jessica Engel says:

    How to hold on to your faith during tough times.

  10. I am a long way from NC. (NC here stands for Northern California near Redding), so I’d like the book, maybe my friends and I will go to Women of Faith when it gets to Sacramento

    If I Were speaking at Women of Faith I would speak on Crying on my couch and how the Lord and I enjoy the night time when I can cry out to Him and He gives me Joy in the morning.

    The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
    they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
    “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”
    (Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV)

  11. If I were a speaker at the Women of Faith (ha, I wish!), my topic would be how to live your faith every day in your community.

    Nina in Charlotte, NC

  12. K Pickett says:

    Even though, I am a few hours from the conference, I would drive it just to fellowship with other ladies whose hearts and desires are that of the Lord. So I’m in for the tickets. If I were to speak at a WoF conference, I would speak about the marriage between Christ and the church. There is so much love for single women, married women, young girls and even widows in Christ. When people can understand the marriage between Christ and the church, then they would understand the intimacy we share in our love relationship with Christ.

    1. Lynn Cowell says:

      That sounds like a great talk!

  13. Peggy Clement says:

    I would like book please.

  14. I think my message would be about loving others as we do ourselves. The world would be such a better place! 🙂

  15. I believe my message would be about redemption. God is so good! Please enter me in both giveaways if possible.

  16. I see a struggle in our country on humility. Pride runs wild in our communities, and even in our churches. Would love to hear someone address this issue, and how as women we can rise above the competitive world in which we live. How to raise humble children, teens in this pride driven world. Humility/Pride is such a tool of Satan, as we can even become prideful about being humble….vicious circle. This is not typically a method of being seen as successful. Trying to learn how to help my teenagers who see the prideful move “ahead” in life, and in the eyes of people, to understand this is not God’s value system but the worlds!

  17. There is no way that I could ever get up and speak at a group event. I guess we know my topic “FEAR”
    I am unable to attend WOF in Charlotte but I would love to read the book.

    Have a happy day

  18. I am in for the book. As much as I would love to attend the conference, it is way too far for me to go at this time.
    If I were speaking at the conference, I would speak on “Overcoming Fear/Living with Confidence” I am an expert on neither of these topics. These are two areas in which I struggle, but through God’s strength and help I am learning to have victory!

  19. Laura Layton says:

    Hi Lynn,
    Totally off topic, but just wanted to say I loved hearing about Brenda Warner. We attended the same church as they did during the Superbowl fun years. We loved supporting them as a church in St Louis and seeing faith in action in their lives. Small world! Just found your blog a few weeks ago, needing some girl talk after moving to San Diego away from friends and family a few years back . Thanks for your encouraging blogs

    1. Lynn Cowell says:

      Laura, that is so cool! I had the opportunity to go to church with them when we visited and in fact, sat with the pastor and his wife at the first Super Bowl in 1999! Patsy and Jeff, right? Greg and I had a great time with them, praying and screaming during that game!

      I hope to hear from you often here! Us girls need to support each other!

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