What an amazing week this has been – and there is so much to share with you!
First, there is less than 24 hours before I meet with a group of readers here in Bellingham for a Bregdan Gathering! I can’t wait to sit down over a delicious meal to talk, laugh, learn about each other, and answer all the questions anyone has. 😊 I’m doing one in Vancouver, WA (right outside Portland, OR) on December 2nd. It’s not too late for a few of you to join us. I’m going to keep telling you so that the hundreds of new readers who are joining my mailing list every week will have an opportunity to join us. Details are below…
The response to my Blog last week about Bregdan Women was unbelievable! I love to respond to every readers who writes me, but in this case it would keep me from writing # 12 because there were so many who responded. I did, however, read every single email. I was constantly amazed, inspired, and blown-away by the women who responded. I’m going to share some of what they sent to me below.
I’m also using this BLOG to share with you the single most important thing I’ve done in my life to get where I am today. So many have asked me about this, and have also asked for help. I’m going to give you my “Secret”, and also something I just created for all my amazing Bregdan Women. Keep reading!
BREGDAN WOMEN
I’m going to share just a few of the responses I received to last week’s BLOG request. I wish I could share every one of them with you, but you’ll see more of them in a new book I’m working on in the midst of writing # 12!
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I relate to Rose as a BREGDAN woman. Rose values education and she has worked so hard and so long and it was exciting to read that she finally got her college degree. I was born the third child of a middle-class working family. While I had two older brothers, I was the oldest daughter and was expected to watch the other four younger children and help around the house. I LOVED to read and wherever I went I had my “nose in a book”as my mother used to say.
Reading took me away from all of the “chores” I had to help with. I also LOVED school and learning any new thing. I tried never to miss a day of school and remember when I was getting ready to enter high school and wanting to take the “college path” classes that my parents told me that they could not afford to send me to college and that I would be better off taking business classes, becoming a secretary and getting married. I was so shocked that I sat down in the chair in our living room and felt like I had the life knocked out of me.
I put my head down and started to cry but all the while I was telling myself that I WOULD go to COLLEGE and that I would GRADUATE and I would do it if it took me all of my life. I was so naive that I had no idea at the time that I could have gone to a school counselor and asked for help with student loans. My parents had told me NO and until I was no longer with them, I had to listen to what they said.
The BREGDAN woman that I am, did take business classes and I took accounting, I took typing, I took shorthand and I got married very young.
The knowledge from these classes are what allowed me to put myself thru college five years after I graduated from high school. It took me eight years to get my bachelor’s degree and I worked and paid for it as I went along. I always had two jobs and went to school. I valued education and could not understand those students who did not show up to class, of course, since I was paying for my classes, I wanted to get my money’s worth! At age 40, I decided that I wanted to get my Master’s degree so again, I went back to school and in three years, obtained that degree.
Like Rose, I never quit and I kept moving forward and even though it took longer than most people, I knew I was going to get the education that I wanted. Rose is such an amazing woman and I am excited to continue reading about what she accomplishes back in Virginia. I am still reading and as long as I am able will continue to learn new things because a BREGDAN woman never gives up, she stays strong, and she is educated.
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I am a Bredgan Woman but I didn’t get there on my own! For the first 16 years of marriage I was a stay at home Mom and mother of 5 children. I took a job as a nursing assistant to help supplement our income as my husband was laid off from his job and was attempting to start his own business.
A year later I was encouraged to further my education in nursing however we didn’t have the financial stability to take out a loan for my schooling. I was very disappointed but had told God if that door was not open I would accept that meant He had other plans. He is an on time God!
Several days later at my work I was told they had a grant program I signed up and little did I know that soon my life would change drastically. The first day of school my husband was diagnosed with kidney failure. I was ready to quit school but he encouraged me to press on.
I juggled school and worked weekends as my husband could no longer work. I received my LPN license a year later. Hubby was becoming sicker and needed a kidney transplant my supervisor said, you need to go back to school for your RN. If anything happens to your husband you won’t make it on an LPN salary. Again God provided the finances.
My dreams of long ago were becoming reality. It was very hard work as again I juggled school during the day tending to a sick husband on dialysis and kids in the evening, sleeping 4 hours and go to work 8 hours. Only with the strength of God did I become that Bredgan Woman.
You see to me a Bredgan woman pursues her passion in life and with a support system to lift her up and encourage her she can accomplish that which she feels she is called to do. She doesn’t quit in the face of adversity she may doubt her decisions but the strong survive it may mean a change of plans or putting them on hold for a spell but she will move forward never looking back. Always looking for an opportunity to add experience or skills to accomplish her goal.
Not only did I become a Registered Nurse, I became an MDSC then a Director of Nursing and to add to that a Medical Records Director. I had a goal to advance the quality of life and the care of the elderly. I love how you created many Bredgan Women in your series. It is with these Bredgan Women that draws my again and again to continue following them on their journeys through life. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for each of them in the future. Life is not about the destiny it’s about the journey.
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I have been thinking about your questions for the last two days because I wanted to give a thoughtful response and because your books really do provide lessons which I have taken to heart.
What does it mean to YOU to be a Bregdan Woman?
It means to me that I need to strive to achieve the dreams I have, no matter how big or how small. My dreams may change over the years or they may be completely new and different, but they are mine and I have a right to have them whether other people like them or not. It does not mean you can be rude about your desires, but it does mean that it is okay to be who you are and do what you dream. It also means to me that there is room in your heart for fear and doubt but you cannot let it take over too much space.
How would you define a Bregdan Woman?
I would define a Bregdan Woman as one that is comfortable with who she is and shares herself with others in whatever capacity she can. I have pressured myself for a long time to be more outgoing and little by little I am learning to let go of that and be who I am and give what I can. Strength is not defined in a strictly physical capacity, but in the everyday mental battles we all wage.
What characteristics does a Bregdan Woman have?
Kindness, forgiveness, compassion, strength of heart, and willingness to change. (I am sure there are many more 🙂
Why do you love the Bregdan Women?
They give me the courage to change how I operate with the people around me, to accept whole people with faults and all, and inspire me to dream and be patient with my life as not all dreams need to be carried out today.
I think while your books are very eye-opening (for past events which also mirror current ones), they are also very inspiring.
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A reader wrote this poem for her daughter, telling her they were both Bregdan Women…
My strength comes from someplace within
Maybe an ancestor I never knew
Who gave me my strength to follow through
Darkest days of life
I stand tall, hold my head high, take the challenge
My strength comes from someplace within
Maybe an ancestor I never knew
Is it passed on to you
The strength to follow through
To stand tall, hold your head high take the challenge
That comes to you.
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One more…
When I think of the Bregdan woman I imagine her as a Wagon wheel. The spokes are all her wonderful characteristics.
One is her quest for knowledge which increases her capability to understand and analyze the situations she encounters.
Another spoke is her self-confidence to be HERSELF, even if it is not conforming to the acceptance of society.
The third spoke would be her Tenacity to keep working hard to achieve her goal.
The fourth spoke would be her love, caring and kindness to to her family, friends, and fellow humans.
One of the other spokes would be the relationships and special bond with her other female comrades. This Special sisterhood (old Sarah, Rose, Abby et.)gives her more confidence, and addition strength especially when the challenges of life become too difficult to handle alone. Every action will have a reaction whether it is good or bad.
All these spokes go into the hub of the wheel. As the wheel turns the spokes move around mixing all these wonderful traits into the hub.
I believe the Bregdan woman is the Hub or center.
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I hate to stop because there are 100+ that I would love to share, but that would make for a very long BLOG. Let’s just say that every single response humbled me and inspired me.
They inspired me to do something…
When I started writing these books I never dreamed that someday I would be launching a whole campaign on Facebook called I Am A Bregdan Woman.
It goes LIVE today! If you’re not a part of the Bregdan Chronicles Facebook page, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/TheBregdanChronicles/ to “Like” the page.
The most important thing you can do is to SHARE each of the I Am A Bregdan Woman posts so that other women will be inspired.
But that is just the first step of what I’m doing…
A standard question I was asked in the response was, “How do I become MORE of a Bregdan Woman?”
All I can do is tell you what I believe is the KEY to ME becoming a Bregdan Woman – and still working to become more and more of the woman & person I want to be every single day.
And then I can give you the greatest gift I could probably ever give you! You just have to keep reading…
My “Secret” is…
JOURNALING
I don’t know if there are adequate words to express how powerful Journaling has been in my life. I have huge notebooks full of page after page of my thoughts, ideas, sorrows, frustrations, dreams, hopes, anger, love and so much more. They truly are a chronicle of my journey through life.
More importantly, I believe they carried me through all the hard times in my life – enabling me to become the woman who can write The Bregdan Chronicles.
They carried me from an abused, scared & shut-down girl into the life of a strong, confident, empowered Bregdan Woman.
Journaling has been the # 1 factor to everything I’ve done well in my life.
IT CAN DO THE SAME FOR YOU!
What do I know?
– Daily Journaling is the most potent and powerful keystone habit you can acquire to make your life better – in EVERY area.
– – Most people live their lives on other people’s terms. Their days are spent achieving other people’s goals and submitting to other people’s agendas. Why? Because they haven’t spent time to create their own!
– The most valuable thing you can do every day is to wake up and spend 30 minutes JOURNALING. Why? Because while you’ve been sleeping, your subconscious mind has been brewing, scheming, problem-solving, and learning. The best thing you can do is grab your Journal and engage in a burst of intellectual and creative flow. It will frame your entire day – thus, framing your entire life.
– – Journaling accelerates your ability to turn your goals and dreams into reality because they become forged into your subconscious mind.
– – I’ve never done anything that has generated such self-discovery. It has formed my sense of identity and created my path in life.
– – Journaling gives you more clarity about your path in life, but it also improves your ability to make small and large decisions along the way. The pages of your Journal will be the future world you are creating for yourself.
– – Journaling clears your emotions. I can’t tell you how important this has been for me. In the beginning, I had so many hurtful and painful memories to heal from. As I moved forward, it enabled me to release emotions that would have done nothing but hinder me from going where I wanted to in life. I could fully experience and understand my emotions in my Journal, and then LET THEM GO.
– – Journaling INGRAINS things in your brain and memory. A different part of your brain is engaged when you write things down.
– – Journaling allows your subconscious mind to work out problems in unique ways. You’ll be able to work out problems and get insights while you ponder and write about the things you are learning.
I could go on and on about the benefits of Journaling, but I hope I have made my point…
As I read all the Bregdan Woman responses, and as I pondered the question I was asked over and over, I knew I had the answer.
Not just the answer that you should Journal.
I knew I had the JOURNAL for you. It is something I created a few years ago, but have not done anything with – waiting for the right time. The right time is NOW.
Introducing…
The BREGDAN WOMAN JOURNAL!
The BREGDAN WOMAN Journal is like none you have ever seen. First, a Journal needs to be big enough to really allow you to journal your life – so it’s 500+ pages!
Each 8 1/2 X 11 page is lined and ready for you.
You have 16 different covers to choose from.
But that is just the beginning… It doesn’t matter what day of the year you start your journal – it will be with you for 365 days – until you’re ready for your next one.
A Journal becomes even more of a treasure when it becomes even more than a Journal. The Bregdan Woman Journals are so much more than a Journal.
You’ll find Bregdan Woman Stories – amazing people who will make you realize you can do ANYTHING with your life. (52 stories for every week of the year)
Every single day you’ll get a Bregdan Woman Quote.
You’ll be challenged with 100+ Bregdan Woman Actions for how you can make a difference with your life.
And every day you’ll have a place to write down your feelings, thoughts, challenges, hurts, disappointments, successes, celebrations, relationships, actions, experiences, adventures – all the things your life is made of.
It will empower you to move beyond your fears and doubts – becoming a BREGDAN WOMAN who can live the life you dream of.
The Bregdan Woman Journals will become irreplaceable treasures as you look back on your life!
Check them out at: BREGDAN WOMAN JOURNALS
Here are just a few of the Covers.
NOW is the perfect time to begin Journaling.
NOW is the perfect time to provide a powerful Journal for the important women in your life.
Join me by starting your mornings (or some chunk of your day) with YOURSELF.
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BREGDAN GATHERING
There are still a few spaces available in Vancouver, WA
It’s time for a Bregdan Gathering!
Saturday – December 1
11:00 Brunch
Portland/Vancouver area
Don’t know what a Bregdan Gathering is??
It’s very simple… Bregdan Gatherings are a way for me to meet with a small group of my readers over a meal. We talk & laugh. You ask me questions. I ask YOU questions. We get to know each other, and we have a great time!
I limit attendance to only 20 people because it’s just not possible to interact with more people than that. I don’t want a large group I talk to – I want a small group I can become friends with! I have secured a private room in both locales so we can really talk.
I did my first ones in Florida last year ( 5 different locales), met readers in Chattanooga, TN, and did one in Bellingham in April of this year.. Now that #11(Looking To The Future) is out, I have some time while I am writing #12 (Horizons Unfolding)!
Here’s what you need to know:
– This is strictly first-come, first serve. I will accept the first 20 people who sign up (and yes, you may bring your significant other if you wish).
Just reply to this email, letting me know if you’re bringing anyone with you – and which city you want to join me in. If you joined me in April, you can sign up but please let me know you were with me earlier this year. I hope you’ll understand that I will choose to let new people come first. If there is room, I would love to spend more time with you!
– Please do not say you are coming unless you are sure you can. You don’t want to keep someone else from taking part.
– I will send you the location once you have been confirmed. Both are wonderful restaurants with fabulous food.
-We will start at the scheduled time, and I’ll stay until everyone is ready to leave. These are something I do for my readers, but mostly I do them for myself because it’s so much FUN! 🙂
– If you want me to sign a book(s) for you, just bring them with you. I won’t be selling any – that’s not what I do these for!
– Come casual, and come prepared to have fun. For those who are thinking I’m a serious, church-mousy type of woman… NOT! 🙂
For December 1: I’m spending 8 days in Vancouver/Portland so I decided to take advantage of being close to so many readers.
I’m looking forward to actually meeting many of you!!
And, yes, I’ll be doing more around the country – especially in the next year or so because I’ll be doing a lot of traveling. You never know when I’ll be in your neck of the woods. 🙂
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Have you made me cry?? Or laugh?? Or made me so very glad I have the best readers in the world??
If you’ve written a review of one of my books, you probably did. 🙂 Every time I get a little overwhelmed by the pressures of research or writing, I go to Amazon and read my Reviews. They never fail to give me the motivation and energy to continue forward.
As I bring # 12 (Horizons Unfolding) to life, it would mean the world to me if you would go and leave a review for one (or more) of The Bregdan Chronicles. I will consider it a personal message from you to me…
I’m even going to make it easy for you. 🙂
Write a Review for Storm Clouds Rolling In
Write a Review for On To Richmond
Write a Review for Spring Will Come
Write a Review for The Last, Long Night
Write a Review for Carried Forward By Hope
Write a Review for Glimmers of Change
Write a Review for Shifted By The Winds
Write a Review for Always Forward
Write a Review for Walking Into The Unknown
Write a Review for Looking To The Future
Some of the reviews I received this week (they brought such joy to my heart!):
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| Finished #11 Looking to the Future in 2 Days.. I can’t wait till each book comes out.. then when it does, I feel like I am coming home again to be part of the family. I never thought that I would read 11 books in one series but they are much better than even Gone with the Wind. Have you ever thought about making a series of movies out of these books? I will be one of the first to buy the whole series and watch it millions of times. Can’t wait till the next one. Can you not write them any faster?? Thank you, Ginny for a wonderful way of escaping into the unknown for awhile. |
Having thoroughly enjoyed this Bregdan Chronicles series, I often share the theme of the parts of the story, historical facts and quotes with others. My husband has now begun reading… and enjoying the books. |
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Thank you for making it possible for me to write The Bregdan Chronicles!
Blessings,
Ginny Dye
I Am A Voice In The World 