We’re running late with the video this year, and you may have thought this moment wasn’t coming, but I’m excited to finally reveal our 2019 family video! And trust me, you want to watch this one. It’s CUUUUUUTE. (And that’s not even me being biased! I mean, I am, but still….)

This year was a big one for our family in many ways. New job, a published book, an amazing new literary agent, a kindergartener, a one-year-old who’s walking… There’s been a lot of incredible moments and glorious high-points for this year. But there’s also been months of grief as we said good-bye to my mom and learned what life looks like without her here.

These are the things we weigh and balance as reflect upon 2019.

There’s an extra empty chair around the dining room table this Christmas and that’s never an easy thing to face. But the table is also covered in love and surrounded by family and laughter — and those are the things we cherish most this holiday season.

And the year’s not quite over yet.

Through it all, God has been so faithful. And may have one more surprise in stock for you all… But to find out? Well, you’ll just have to watch the video. 😉

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I want to walk in her shoes. I want to follow in her legacy.

Rooting around in the bottom of my closet, I dug out a pair of black boots. I don’t know if I ever saw her wear them, but they were hers. They’re not a pair of shoes that I would have purchased for myself, but when she passed, I took them home.

Today, as the wind blew and the fall leaves rustled, I threw on a thick pair of socks and slid the boots onto my feet. With feet planted in my mother’s shoes, I remembered the path she’d walked. I remembered the woman these shoes had once held.

As a child, she helped point our feet in the right direction. Walking in the footsteps of Christ, she held our hand as we toddled along — until the day came when we learned to walk on our own.

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We’re in the home stretch. There is now officially one month left in our 2019 Reading Challenge! And, I don’t know about you, but there is something very satisfying about getting these last few categories checked off.

With the release of the 2020 Challenge earlier this month, many of us are already eagerly planning out potential reads for the new year. (If you want to participate, be sure to join our Facebook group! It’s the perfect place for book suggestions, encouragement, and all-round “bookiness.”)

Until then, I have a few more categories left for 2019. Here are my November reads:

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When my first shipment of Caribou & Sage items arrived, I couldn’t get over how thick and luxurious the fabric felt. Soft and stretchy and so well made, it was nothing like the cheap t-shirts and flimsy fabrics I find at the store. This was my first foray into the world of handmade clothes and Caribou & Sage does it just so well. **

Caribou & Sage is a Canadian company based out of Alberta, Canada and run by my friend, Jesslyn. Not only does she create kids clothes, she’s also a mom to a busy two-year-old and pilot for a charter company!

Since she uses gorgeous fabrics from small Canadian retailers, you know that you’re truly supporting local Canadian business with these pieces. In addition to her regular offerings, she also creates a wide variety of custom options, resulting in beautifully made, one of a kind items. You won’t see other kids running around the playground in these!

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It’s here!

Many of you have been eagerly anticipating the release of this year’s challenge, and the good news is — it’s finally here!

This is my third year creating and hosting this annual reading challenge and I am so excited by the amazing group of readers we’ve collected along the way. (If you’d like to meet the best group of bookworms on the internet, join our challenge Facebook page!)

The format for this year’s challenge is the same as in the past: 52 different categories to be met over the course of the year. These are fresh categories that can each be interpreted in a variety of ways, so pick a book that you think fits and start reading!

This 2020 challenge will officially begin January 1, 2020! (The challenge is released in November, in order to give you plenty of time to start planning and preparing!) 

Ready? Here we go!

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“You have two kids! How do you manage to read so many books every year?”

If I had a book for every time someone asked me this, I’d need a new bookshelf. (I mean… I do need a new bookshelf, but that’s beside the point…) I often share my love of books. I host a popular, annual reading challenge and regularly post book reviews. On average, I read 130 – 150 books per year.

And that often leads to the question: “How do you do it?”

Truthfully, I’d like to be reading more too. But as we all know, life is busy. This season is full of diapers and laundry, packed lunches and school runs, errands and grocery stores and crying babies that stretch bedtime out far beyond what’s necessary. So I get it. We all want to read more. But finding time for it? Well, that’s a different story…

BUT, despite the pressures of daily life, there are a few tricks and tips we can use to maximize the time we spend reading.

So today, I’m excited to share with you twelve of my favorite ways to read more: Read more

October has been a CRAZY, busy month for me.

If you’re following along here or on social media, you’ve likely seen numerous posts about my new book, Embrace (available now, where ever books are sold!) So many of you have already purchased books and I am incredibly grateful for your support. Writing has been a dream since I was a little girl in pigtails and it’s surreal to see a book of mine nestled in the living room shelf. In fact, I’m still pinching myself — I’m an author? Really?

So to celebrate, I may have included my own book in this month’s reads. (It makes this whole book thing feel even MORE official.) 😉

And, EXTRA exciting news, the new 2020 Reading Challenge will be released NEXT month. Check back here mid-November to plan ahead for 52 brand new categories!

But for now, here’s my October reads:

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Today’s the day!

Embrace is now available wherever books are sold.

“This is my story. It’s full of cracks and imperfections, and heartache after heartache. But as you read through the next few pages, I hope you see the echo of Christ’s deep, redeeming love throughout our darkest days. I pray that our story and the stories of women throughout this book will allow you to begin reflecting on God’s faithfulness throughout your own loss. I pray that you will find comfort in shared grief and in the knowledge that you are not alone in your pain.” Embrace, Pg. 5

If you’ve been following along with me on social media, you’ll know that I’ve been talking a lot about pregnancy loss over the past month. Sharing our stories doesn’t always come easily. It’s difficult to enter into the conversation with vulnerability, to purposefully share the messy and the imperfect. But, in the sharing of what looks to be weakness, we find strength.

Grief isn’t something to be afraid of. It hurts. It’s messy. Sometimes, it’s scary. But as we walk through those fears, we find that we are brought closer to the God who promises a comfort that only He can provide. As we learn to cling to Christ, we find the freedom to grieve wholly and fully; not with empty desperation, but with deep-rooted hope.

So come. Bring it all to Him, and together, let’s learn to Embrace.

Endorsements for Embrace (2)

You can grab your copy at any of the below places, or anywhere else that Christian books are sold! (Clicking the below links will take you directly to that site’s page for Embrace.)

Amazon.com
Chapters.indigo.ca
Barnes & Noble
My website!

Anywhere else Christian books are sold!

Endorsements for Embrace (1).jpg

Want to hear from other women? Find more reviews for Embrace here:

From Enduring & Maturing: “Embrace — the book that felt like chicken soup for this grieving mom’s soul”

From Amber Thiessen, In The Vine: “Embrace — Clinging to Christ Through The Pain of Pregnancy Loss”

Embrace Book Launch Party.jpg

Last, but not least, I want to INVITE you to a BOOK LAUNCH PARTY that will be taking place on Saturday, October 26th on the MommyMannegren Facebook page. There will be giveaways, a LIVE chat with me, as well as discussion around grief and pregnancy loss. I hope that you will join us as we celebrate the arrival of this new resource.

Much love,

Liz

We’ve all heard the statistic: 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage.

The ultrasound machine that once pulsed with the echoes of life is still. There’s no heartbeat. No baby. This good-bye was too soon and the empty womb is matched only by the hollowness you feel within. 1 in 4.

A few months after my first miscarriage, I entered into a new statistic: “1 in 50.” This is otherwise known as the approximate 2% of women who experience two miscarriages in a row.

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Embrace: Clinging to Christ Through the Pain of Pregnancy Loss is available NOW!

Embrace is available for purchase on sites like Amazon and Chapters. BUT, for all my lovely readers who have been following along with this journey, I am offering you the opportunity to order directly from me.

When you order from me, two things happen:

1. You’re directly supporting me (the author), and I can’t say thank you enough for that.

2. You receive a SPECIAL copy of the book with gold foil lettering on the cover. (This version is only available with direct purchase through me or my publisher.)

Books are $20 + shipping. Upon placing your order with the form below, you will receive an invoice through PayPal. (You don’t need a PayPal account to complete the purchase.) Your copy will be shipped shortly after.

I am so honoured to share this book with you all.

Embrace Order Form

$20.00 + shipping

Hello lovely readers,

Can I just take a moment and say how thankful I am for you?

You have followed along with me throughout multiple losses. You’ve watched this blog and my writing evolve and (hopefully) grow. You have prayed and encouraged. You have reached out and shared your own stories of both heartaches and triumphs. You have turned this little group into a small but mighty community. And now, I am so excited to share with you some of the fruit of this four-year journey.

Embrace: Clinging to Christ Through the Pain of Pregnancy Loss will be released on OCTOBER 24, 2019!!!

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Fall is finally here!

I don’t know about you but autumn is one of my favourite times to read. There’s nothing like the sound of rain hitting the windowpanes as you curl up with a good book and a knit blanket. And this September, “Raincouver” has lived up to its name.

So, without further ado, here are my rainy-day reads for the month!

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