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- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Zondervan (November 7, 2017)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0310350565
- ISBN-13: 978-0310350569
About the Book:
The world knows Candace Payne as “Chewbacca Mom,” the wife and mother of two from Dallas who captured the hearts of nearly 200 million people around the world with nothing but a toy Chewbacca mask, a smart phone, and infectious laughter.
Candace’s viral moment of simple joy became Facebook Live’s top video. But what the video doesn’t show is Candace’s storied journey of daunting obstacles on the way to the joy-filled life—extreme poverty, past trauma, and struggles with self-worth.
Laugh It Up! tells the rest of the story behind the woman in the mask. Like most of us, Candace has often felt overlooked, undervalued, and insignificant. But she has also discovered the secrets to unshakable joy that no circumstance can take away, and Laugh It Up! will help you discover and experience the same.
Join Candace to discover the gift God has given us all to experience life to the fullest. All you need to do is answer “yes” when joy, whom Candace personifies as a friend, calls you to come and play.
- Do you feel tempted to give up on your dreams? Joy stays the course.
- Do your knees knock when thinking about the future? Joy hopes for what can be.
- Do you feel unseen and unnoticed? Joy is content whether backstage or center stage.
- Do you feel crushed under the weight of regret? Joy loves you enough to weep with you, but also enough to help you move on.
When life punches you in the gut, it can be difficult to muster a smile—much less a laugh. But with humor and power, wit and wisdom, Candace lights the way forward to a life that is free indeed.
My Thoughts:
I have to be honest. I fell in love with Candace Payne when I stumbled upon the Wookie Mom video on Facebook. I lost count of how many times I watched it (I still look for it and watch when I need to laugh).
And then all of the media attention came her way, and the little green demon of jealousy began peeking over my shoulder and whispering in my ear..."Why couldn't you do something like that?" or "All of this attention for putting on a mask and laughing?"
Thankfully, I flicked the green thing back where he belongs, and I was just thankful for the laughter. For the joy. And then I found out she was writing a book.
Here he came again. My dream? To write. And to publish. But I'm a sucker for a new book, so when I was offered the chance to read it early and to help influence and launch, I was all over it.
I'm so glad Candace made that goofy video, and the world took notice, and gave her a platform so she could ultimately write this book. See, the world didn't notice Candace Payne and give her a platform.
God did. He did it all, from showing her the madk, to nudging her to buy it, to making the video, to sending it viral...because He has something He wants all of us to hear.
He made us for joy. Pure, laugh til you pee joy. Life is falling down around me but I still have joy. I just said goodbye to my best friend but I feel joy bubbling up.
His joy. Not Candace Payne's joy. His joy. And it was so critical that we get His message, He moved the pieces of Candace's not so easy life around in order to show us raw, unfiltered joy.
Then He moved things around so that Candace would get the opportunity to write "Laugh It Up", so she, through her total, transparent, gut-wrenching, honest book, could prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that THIS was His message all along...
"The joy of the Lord is your, is my, is Candace's strength". Maybe a large portion of the world will check out now that God's in the mix. But I hope not.
Because, if they do, they will miss the chance to really know Chewbacca Mom as she really is. And they will miss His joy. His love. His message of hope and healing through Jesus Christ, His Son, dying for us so that we can be His, and find His joy.
So, no, I haven't been blessed with the opportunity to write and publish my book. But I get to tell you about Candace Payne and her amazing book.
And that brings me such joy. So, thank You, God, for that discounted Wookie mask at Kohls that day. And thank You for Candace Payne and her marvelous laugh. And thank You for joy. YOUR joy. So I'm giving "Laugh It Up" my "For Such a Time" stamp of approval.
And, God, if You could ever give me that book writing opportunity? ? I mean, You heard Candace's prayer for that impossible gift she asked for. . .and to know what I mean, you'll just have to read the book! ;-)
And then all of the media attention came her way, and the little green demon of jealousy began peeking over my shoulder and whispering in my ear..."Why couldn't you do something like that?" or "All of this attention for putting on a mask and laughing?"
Thankfully, I flicked the green thing back where he belongs, and I was just thankful for the laughter. For the joy. And then I found out she was writing a book.
Here he came again. My dream? To write. And to publish. But I'm a sucker for a new book, so when I was offered the chance to read it early and to help influence and launch, I was all over it.
I'm so glad Candace made that goofy video, and the world took notice, and gave her a platform so she could ultimately write this book. See, the world didn't notice Candace Payne and give her a platform.
God did. He did it all, from showing her the madk, to nudging her to buy it, to making the video, to sending it viral...because He has something He wants all of us to hear.
He made us for joy. Pure, laugh til you pee joy. Life is falling down around me but I still have joy. I just said goodbye to my best friend but I feel joy bubbling up.
His joy. Not Candace Payne's joy. His joy. And it was so critical that we get His message, He moved the pieces of Candace's not so easy life around in order to show us raw, unfiltered joy.
Then He moved things around so that Candace would get the opportunity to write "Laugh It Up", so she, through her total, transparent, gut-wrenching, honest book, could prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that THIS was His message all along...
"The joy of the Lord is your, is my, is Candace's strength". Maybe a large portion of the world will check out now that God's in the mix. But I hope not.
Because, if they do, they will miss the chance to really know Chewbacca Mom as she really is. And they will miss His joy. His love. His message of hope and healing through Jesus Christ, His Son, dying for us so that we can be His, and find His joy.
So, no, I haven't been blessed with the opportunity to write and publish my book. But I get to tell you about Candace Payne and her amazing book.
And that brings me such joy. So, thank You, God, for that discounted Wookie mask at Kohls that day. And thank You for Candace Payne and her marvelous laugh. And thank You for joy. YOUR joy. So I'm giving "Laugh It Up" my "For Such a Time" stamp of approval.
And, God, if You could ever give me that book writing opportunity? ? I mean, You heard Candace's prayer for that impossible gift she asked for. . .and to know what I mean, you'll just have to read the book! ;-)
Until the next page turns,
Deena
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