Is Success God’s Will For You?
My audiobook, “I Tried Until I Almost Died – From Anxiety & Frustration to Rest & Relaxation” is now on Audible, Amazon and iTunes!
Here are the 3 retailer links:
Here are some comments I’ve received already in this first week from people who’ve been listening to my audiobook!
“I bought it this morning and I’m on Chapter 7 already! Every precious word is such an encouragement. So many great one liners and affirming biblical truths. Your testimony is powerful. His grace is sufficient!
On the other side of Grace, everything looks different! Yes!”
– Annette from Liberty Lake, Washington
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“Sandra McCollom thank you so much! I was laughing through listening to the first 3 chapters, because that is so me.”
– Angela From East St. Louis, Illinois
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“I downloaded mine yesterday! Been listening both days! The Lord is encouraging me through it! Love your voice!”
– Betty from Bell City, Missouri
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“I have been listening to the audible book “I tried until I almost died.” It is amazing – excellent quality. I really like how Sandra McCollom herself is reading it – not just someone else reading her words. Sandra’s voice is so clear and easy to understand! And I love what she says in the book. So simple but powerful! I can relate on so many different levels! Thank you Sandra, for making this available to all of us!
– Kathy from Hendersonville, Tennessee
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“I Tried Until I Almost Died” is now available as an audiobook and I can hardly contain my excitement! Where do I begin when it comes to this book?! Wow! My whole life as a Christian has changed, every misconception has been cleared away. Sandra’s passion is to help others by setting their eyes on Jesus and by doing this we discover the TRUTH, the GOOD NEWS! To have Sandra McCollom read her story- is awesome. Praise Jesus!
– Eluny from Wuxi, China
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I’ve also received some questions this week about both the Kindle and the eBook edition. As a result I am including these links. But keep scrolling because after that I have some good news to share with you and have included 2 Facebook posts within this blog post that I refer to in the video below. I had an interesting experience this week when I chose to believe a lie about myself, but thankfully, God has caused everything to work together, even my failure (believe it or not) for good!
Here are the links to the eBook edition of I Tried Until I Almost Died:
Nook (B&N)
Kobo
Google
iTunes
ePub (CBD.com)
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Here’s the link to the Kindle and paperback version:
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Here’s the link to where my book is available around the world
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And finally, here’s the link to the Korean translation
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Within this first week “I Tried Until I Almost Died” has made it to #1 as a New Release in two different categories on Amazon. That’s been exciting but it hasn’t changed me – as in – it hasn’t made me feel better about myself or better than anyone else. I’ve just been thrilled because this means more people are being pointed to Jesus!
Making Jesus Famous is what it’s all about for me. I eat, sleep and breath being able to help others by pointing them to Jesus. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best life ever!
This wasn’t always the way I was. For over 3 decades of my life, as a Christian, I craved attention. I craved fame. I craved the stage. Yep, it was pretty much all about me; yet, I was too deceived to see it.
In this video I tell you what my definition of success is as well as talking about “works righteousness” vs. “faith righteousness!” Is it our good works that insure our blessings from God or is it Jesus’ finished work?
Next, I have included those two Facebook posts for you to read before you watch the video below.
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Here’s the Facebook post I refer to in my video:
“Well, it’s a good thing I’ve been reminding people all week (including on today’s FB Live) that God’s good opinion of us never changes…no matter what. Not long after I finished recording my video I found out I missed one of the steps on my checklist during set-up and my Mevo camera did not record the video. I really could have used that recording.
This is not the first time this has happened and when Steve told me it didn’t work, I lost it and I mean I lost it big time. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been that mad. Oh my gosh. I even cussed…more than once…more than twice. I don’t condone it, but I did it. And I did it right in front of my teenage girls. Oh my gosh.
Well, guess what? God’s good opinion of me did not change one singe bit when I lost my temper. My identity in Christ remained the same. God didn’t strip it away from me because I sinned. The punishment for all of my sin was laid on the body of Jesus at the cross; therefore, I will never be punished for my sins again!
I apologized to my family for having to witness my temper tantrum, asked them to forgive me and boldly went to the throne of God’s grace to thank Him once again that all because of Jesus, I am still forgiven, still loved, still righteous, still qualified, and yes, still the light of the world.
Did I focus on what I had done wrong and feel guilty and condemned? NOPE! Like I explained in my FB Live today, that would be me dishonoring Jesus and His finished work by adding in my own self-righteousness works of guilt and condemnation in an effort to help pay the price for my sin. I don’t do that anymore. Instead, I focused on Jesus and how He paid the price for all of my sin – past, present and future sin – in full!
Every single time I do something like this it just makes me fall more deeply in love with God! The Father understands that His girl, Sandra McCollom, just temporarily forgot who she truly was.
My family may have seen me lose it and they may have heard me cuss, but they also saw that I did not feel the need to be ashamed of myself or remove myself from God’s presence because of what I did…not for one. single. moment!
Just in case you’ve ever wondered why I often say my spiritual life has taken off like a rocket since my grace awakening in 2012, it’s because of this right here. Sandra McCollom does not remove herself out from under the waterfall of God’s grace (His unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor) NO MATTER WHAT!
This is the reason I’ve gone from losing my temper on a very regular basis to not being able to remember the last time I was this mad!
Jesus came, died and rose again FOR ME and I WILL receive every single solitary thing that He died to give me!!!!
I hope this encouraged you.”
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Follow-up Facebook post written the next day:
Hey, guess what? I didn’t cuss today. Isn’t that great?! If you have no idea what I’m talking about I invite you to click on the link to my post from yesterday that I’ll leave down in the comments.
My teenage girls told me today they could not stop laughing yesterday. I can understand. I acted like a complete lunatic for about 5 minutes. Man I wanted to throw that Mevo camera through the window so bad.
How did it all start? How it always starts with any of us. I believed a lie. The lie I believed was that I was too stupid to ever get that Mevo camera to work right. I was believing the bad news about myself.
But then, thankfully, I repented (changed my mind) and decided to to believe the Good News again, that all my sins are forgiven, that I’m still righteous, loved, accepted, qualified, called, anointed, chosen, a masterpiece, and that God will never, ever change His good opinion about me.
God’s amazing grace is so transformative! Please keep receiving it.
The religious Pharisee would hear what I did yesterday and be afraid that maybe I would think I could just go ahead and start cussing all the time because, “Hey, I’m forgiven anyway.”
Hahahahahaha! I’m sorry, but that’s laughable. Any person who thinks like that definitely does not understand the power of true grace!!!
Are you kidding. I’m so in love with Jesus and so thankful for everything He has done for me. That person I turned into for about 5 minutes yesterday. That’s not who I truly am. I’m God’s girl. He loves me sooooo much. He never stops loving me!
Learning to receive His UNCONDITIONAL love for me has, hands down, been the most life transforming experience of my existence.
#CussFreeLiving#AllBecauseOfJesus
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It’s simply amazing how many people have been encouraged by these two posts this week. If you’re on Facebook I invite you to find my page and read the comments on these two posts. In addition to this, a friend of mine read the first post to her small group at church. She said it helped them so much to know they do not have to be perfect in their actions to receive God’s grace. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Receiving God’s grace and refusing to stop receiving it is what causes us to fall more deeply in love with Jesus and changes our hearts from the inside out!
This video is not part of “The Real You” series that I’ve been sharing. This is a separate 19 minute video that God put on my heart to do after I found out about the good news concerning my audiobook.
Note: Be sure to click on the settings gear and change the video quality to HD after clicking on play.
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
Sandra McCollom
Sandra
You have been such a blessing to me. When I listen to your blog, I can see and hear Jesus speaking through you. I just finished your book. Pages are ear marked and highlighted to reflect your words of encouragement. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus
Anissa, That all makes me so happy. No greater honor than to point others to Jesus! I’ll add your comment about reading my book to my other scrolling book testimonies on this website. Thanks for sharing!
I just love being able to have the audible to sync with my Bluetooth in my car!
That’s awesome, Gaylene! Thanks for your feedback on my audiobook. I really do appreciate it!
Thanks, Sandra. You explain everyday life situations so well. I am so glad you know your identity in Christ, and that you show how to graciously apologize too. You are a really good teacher. God bless your future endeavors in the Mighty and Merciful, Matchless Name of Jesus.
Thank you, Lisa! I never seem to run out of stories – haha!