Author: Karen Pennington
Located in: Jamestown, NY
Submitted: July 16, 2021
Tell us a little about yourself. Hi. I am Karen Pennington, and I'm an anointed mess! My great joys in life are family, friends and faith. My great passions in life are the Bible and teaching. My happy places in life are the beach and a good clearance sale. I certainly don't have all the answers, but I sure do enjoy the adventure of everyday living with Christ.
What was your motivation behind this project? The book began as an article I wrote about working through my own difficulties in forgiving someone who had wronged us. As different challenges arose in my own life, I began to began to see and explore the deep and meaningful connections between the pages of Scripture, my own story and the lives of others.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? An Anointed Mess: Discovering the Daily Adventure of Grace will inspire readers to not only seek God's grace but also become a bearer of this heavenly gift, ultimately empowering you to manage life's ups and downs with joy, faith, and integrity. It also creates lays the foundation for community by weaving biblical parallels and common burdens of today that intimately connect us with one another, such as anxiety, forgiveness, weakness, shame, and control. Engaging and easy to read, An Anointed Mess will benefit the reader as either a personal devotional or a group study. Each chapter includes insightful questions encouraging you to discover how God's Word and grace intersect with your own story.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? As I wrote and live this book, God revealed to me a grace that could transform any trial or challenge, big or small, into an opportunity for growth and deepened joy. I am now challenged to seek the eternal, adventure of living for God every day. And God never disappoints.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? I adore the humor, humility and humanity of Liz Curtis Higgs, along with her exceptional ability to tell stories with integrity and passion. The life and writings of Henri Nouwen continually challenge me to connect with God as my source before attempting to pour into others. I feel constant love and support from my husband, family, and those closest to me. My greatest inspiration comes from the pages of Scripture, which both feed and challenge me daily.
