8 PILLARS OF CHICKENING IN - JJ Gutierrez - One Free Book

Welcome, JJ. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?

I am a corporate career woman turned homeschool mom, writer, speaker and soon to be podcaster. Married for 24 years with three girls…two adult daughters and 10-year-old Hope, the mastermind behind Chickening IN. I have a passion for seeing women grow in courage and faith, and often I find myself starting new small group ministries. I love my German Shepherd- Bella and most days you’ll find me sipping a glass of fresh brewed ice tea.

Have you written other nonfiction books?

This is my first book! However, I have written on my blog for over two years now, and I’ve done some guest post work.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?

I am working on several projects that include a 90 Day Devotional- Practical Tip for Overcoming Fear, and a companion workbook to go along with Chickening IN- from FEAR to Courageous FAITH.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

I am a foodie! My husband and I enjoy finding local restaurants for the food, but also, for the face-to-face conversation and connection with each other. I find it relaxing to bake, and I’ve been attempting to perfect a banana bread recipe for years! Also, we travel to Cancun every year, and it’s become my favorite place to vacation.

Why did you write the featured book?

I wrote Chickening IN for three reasons. The first is that since I was nine years old, I have been on a mission to change the legacy passed to me from my mother. A legacy of multiple divorces, brokenness, and dysfunction. This book represents the new legacy I leave my children. A legacy of courage, faith, and life in Christ.

The second reason I wrote this book is because God planted the seed deep within my heart. I tried to talk myself out of it many times, because I felt unequipped, unworthy, and uneducated. But the desire would not go away so I decided I better listen and go write the book!

The final reason I wrote this book is because I thought about other women and I wondered if they too struggled with fear, doubt, and anxiety as I have. My heart ached for the woman trapped by fear or the woman living in doubt about who she is and if she can really trust God. Over the years I have learned so much about fear and I felt God calling me to share practical, manageable wisdom and tips to all of us go from fear to courageous faith.

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?

Chickening IN is an invitation to a lifestyle of courage and faith. It’s a journey of loosening the power of fear over our lives in practical and manageable ways. With the 8 Pillars of Transformation as our guide, readers will be equipped to overcome fear and walk in faith like never before. Things like:

Identify the roadblocks that prevent courageous forward movement.

Learn the art of calculated risk taking to reduce risk anxiety.

Create action plans to overcome fear and doubt.

Learn to face your fear through the stories of people (just like us) in the Bible.

The 8 Pillars of Transformation that we will walk through are:

Facing Fear

Stepping-up to the Plate of your Life

Taking Calculated Risks

Traveling Unknown Roads

Embracing your Uniqueness 

Pursuing your Dreams

Doing it Afraid

Faith the Difference Maker 

This book is not an easy read or a quick fix. It is a process that requires deep thought and a willingness to be give an honest self-assessment. Readers can expect to be challenged … challenged to put feet to their faith and walk in courageously through the scary situations of life.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book?

God used the words Chickening IN to grab my attention. They were the vehicle He used to point me back to the Bible, the place where the most life changing words can be found. Without the Word of God, I wouldn’t be sharing my Chickening IN journey with you. Nor would I offer it to you to use as a tool against your fear, doubt, and anxiety. The power of Chickening IN lies not in the phrase, but in the truth of God’s Word that it is founded upon. Knowing the truth, studying the Scriptures, and allowing God to guide and lead your Chickening In. And I am so thankful that the power of transformation lies in God and His Word!

Please give us the first page or two from the book.

Chapter 1

A TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY

THIS IS MY STORY OF transformation. It is not just another positive transformation story, but one that shares secrets and principles as well as concrete action steps to help you have a transformed life as well! To be vulnerable and honest, my life could have been so many things ... I could have been a victim of my circumstances, I could have repeated my mother’s legacy of pain, brokenness, love-affairs, and multiple marriages. I could have sunk into a life-long depression feeling sorry for myself or become an angry person living with a chip on my shoulder. I had every right to be those things, but I wanted more. I had deep, desperate longings and needs for security, hope, and love. Life was brutal to me. It stole, extorted, twisted, and manipulated me. But, and I mean a huge BUT, God had a different plan. A transformational plan to teach me, heal me, and change me into a new person. Because of that I have learned practical ways to face my fear, create action plans, take smart chances, and be happy with who I am.

I am now able to travel down unknown roads with new-found boldness and have dreams again—BIG dreams! No longer controlled by fear and triggers of a painful past, I have been transformed. You, too, can have a transformed life. I am living proof of it! If it can work for me, it can work for YOU! We need hope, faith, inspiration, and forward movement to change. I call it putting feet to your faith, and this book is written to provide you with the practical steps that worked for me. In this chapter, I want to share with you the importance of forward movement, the roadblocks that prevent us from taking positive action, examples from my life, and the phrase that has guided me to transform and write this book.

The principles laid out in this book are not something I just stumbled upon or made up myself. If it were all about me, the foundation would fail because I am just a human being with faults and weaknesses. But instead, we need something or Someone greater. What better place to go than the Bible! In fact, what I want to share is that putting feet to our faith and taking action is God’s way of transforming us! Let’s look to the Word of God for great examples of the kind of transformation action I am talking about.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

My website: http://www.chickeningin.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com

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

You can purchase my book at:

Chickening IN: From Fear to Courageous Faith, 8 Pillars of Transformation by Amazon.com
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620206064/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fKbwEbAEZ59F9

Or at

At Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chickening-in-jj-gutierrez/1136423524?ean=9781620206065

Thank you, JJ, for sharing this book with us today. It sounds wonderful!

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