Sunshine in the Haze

I’ve been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger award, which is basically a Q&A for bloggers who strive to be a light for their readers.

This is the first time I’ve been nominated for something like this, so I’m excited to participate!

Thank you, Hannah Ruth, for nominating me!

The Rules:
Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog.
Thank the person who nominated you.
Provide a link to your nominator’s blog. (Faith, Fiction, & Fairytales)
Answer your nominator’s questions.
Nominate up to 11 bloggers.
Ask your nominees 11 questions.
Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts.

What are three words who describe you at your core?

Determined, reflective, and adored.

1. When I truly set my mind on something, I will probably exhaust myself until it is completed.
2. I’m constantly reflecting on who I am and who I want to become. This is the fuel for most of my blog posts.
3. I chose the word adored because everything I am today stems off this single word. I am adored by God, so He calls me to greater things. I am adored by my family, so I am able to respond to God’s calling with an army of support behind me.

What is a book that has touched you at a soul level (other than the Bible!!)

I have read a lot of good books, but the two that stand out to me the most are The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham and When I Close My Eyes by Elizabeth Musser.

I read The Hope of Azure Springs when I was an insecure teenager who hated her body and couldn’t believe the compliments I received.

This book touched my bleeding perspective of myself and guided me back to God’s creation.

When I Close My Eyes simply rocked my world. It’s the best book I’ve read in a long time.

At the time of reading it, I was struggling with deep, sad thoughts. While the darkness was temporary, I related with the main character in the book. It was encouraging to see her battle depression with the sword of Scripture.

Who is your greatest mentor? Why?

Many people have mentored me in various problems, but none of them would be considered my mentor.

Nonetheless, I find myself looking back on those situations and grazing advice for current things I’m facing.

Who is your current favorite musical artist?

Josiah Queen is my favorite artist right now. He has a raw approach to his songs.

My top three favorites from him are:

• I Am Barabbas
• Garden in Manhattan
• Fishes and Loaves

What is your vision of a perfect afternoon? Outside? Curled up on the couch with a book?

Give me an afternoon in the park or on the beach with a coffee drink in hand and my husband sitting beside me.

I’m not picky when it comes to where I am. I just want to be near the people I love, or enjoying a bit of alone time in my home because I’m “peopled out”.

How many years have you been blogging, and why did you start?

I’ve been blogging since 2018 (six years), but I’ve been consistently writing for only four years.

I started blogging after God laid on my heart to share his sunshine. Since then, my mission has been to illustrate how His light breaks through the haziness in our lives—the confusion, pain, anger, and doubt.

God had to wrestle me a bit to get my attention, but I eventually realized that His purpose for me is more important than avoiding man’s judgment.

What is a fact about you that others might find strange?

When I was younger, I had a major crush on Jack Frost from the animated movie Rise of the Guardians. 🙈

It took me forever to answer this question, so I’m going to pass it along to the amazing people I tag. Lol!

What is your go-to recipe when cooking for friends/family?

A box of brownies or apple crisp.

There’s something pure about filling the house with the scent of something sweet.

What is your absolute favorite Bible verse?

I have a lot of verses I go to often, so here are 5 of my favorites in no particular order:

• Psalm 30:2. This one has stuck with me from my childhood.
• Proverbs 3:5-6. Two verses that my mom talks about a lot. She even underlined them in one of my Bibles.
• Proverbs 31:10-30. I’ve been studying this proverb over and over, hoping to write it upon my heart.
• James 4:7-10. I love this passage because of it’s simplicity. It’s straightforward on the matter of humility.
• 1 Peter 3:3-4. The perfect example of beauty.

What are the last three books you’ve read? Which is your favorite of them?

The last three that I’ve completed? If I’m remembering correctly, the last three were:

• Dressed to Drill by Kate Carlisle
• When I Close My Eyes by Elizabeth Musser
• The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham

Of course, When I Close My Eyes is on the top of the list. My second pick would be The Letter Tree (so good!), and in third place would be Dressed to Drill (mild curse word warning, like h*** and d***).

What is the biggest thing you want to impart on your blog’s readers?

I want my readers to know that God is real and His love runs deeply.

Pain is not the end of their story. God has much more in plan for them.

Doubt will come and go, but the Lord’s presence will shine through for the one who seeks Him.

11 Nominees & 11 Questions

I can’t think of 11 bloggers, so I’ll list 5 instead! A few other bloggers I follow haven’t posted in a long time, or switched platforms (and I missed the memo). If you have already been tagged, you can ignore this.

Five amazing nominees:

Allison Marie Alexander

Pearl Christine

Let’s Run Free (Alannah Faith)

Fearless Lane (Laura)

The Grace Haus (Leah Grace)

Autumn Grace

My eleven questions to you:

1. What is your favorite season of the year? Why?
2. Who is your role model?
3. What time of day do you write the most words?
4. What is your favorite topic to write about? Why do you feel it’s important to share?
5. Iced tea or a steaming mug of tea?
6. Are you a gaming addict?? What is your favorite console (Wii, Xbox, PlayStation, the Switch, etc.)?
7. What is a fact about you that others might find strange?
8. Which household duty is your least favorite (making your bed, washing dishes, etc.)?
9. Do you have a nickname? Do you like it or no?
10. When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
11. Best question for last: Which novel could you read over and over?

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Hey, Sunshine Crew! What is your favorite Bible verse? Any strange things about yourself you’d like to share? 🙈

If you love this post, subscribe to my newsletter to read more from me! I’d love to officially welcome you to the crew.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Keep praying and hoping,
Autumn Rebecca