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WORK TITLE: Choosing Real
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.bekahpogue.com/
CITY: Huntington Beach
STATE: CA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2016169688
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2016169688
HEADING: Pogue, Bekah Jane
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670 __ |a Choosing real, 2016: |b title page (Bekah Jane Pogue) about the author (Bekah is passionate about encouraging women to find their identity and freedom in Jesus. Writer and speaker. Resides in Huntington Beach.)
PERSONAL
Married; husband’s name Bryan; children: two sons.
EDUCATION:Azusa Pacific University, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Christian writer, lecturer, writing coach. Guest writer for Yellow Conference; founder of the Upcycled Jane blog.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Christian writer Bekah Jane Pogue encourages women to find their identity and freedom in Jesus. Based in Huntington Beach, California, she writes and lectures about faith, parenting, marriage, and connections. She speaks to church groups, mothers of preschoolers, women’s conferences, and college groups. Pogue is a guest writer for Yellow Conference, a writing coach, and founder of the Upcycled Jane blog. She holds a degree from Azusa Pacific University, where she studied liberal arts and Spanish.
In 2016, Pogue published her debut book, Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned. The book chronicles her transition from an overachiever and often stressed out type A personality to a more mellow person who has rekindled her relationship with God. She explains that you don’t need to prep and plan for every contingency, you just have to show up. Despite the book sometimes lacking a clear structure and direction, “Pogue’s writing is exuberant, sanguine, and personal, often including stories rooted in her own experiences as a young mother, wife, daughter,” according to a writer in Publishers Weekly.
In the book, Pogue offers advice on how women can deal with unplanned circumstances, feelings of unworthiness, loneliness, and frantic schedules. She reminds people that God invites us to notice special moments and celebrate an authentic relationship with Him. She explains that when we enjoy God’s company, He will help us view our work schedules, family, relationships, and parents as opportunities to celebrate life and see things more simply. She added that God creates the details of events we aren’t in control of, and we should recognize how He surprises us by using our greatest pains to detour us into a dependence on Him. This way, we can replace control and worry with peace and freedom.
Pogue offers details of her own life events that framed how God is using her now. On the RKfall Reviews website, a writer commented: “This is relatable material in the world that we live in. And true!!” Online at Running Through the Storm, a reviewer praised the book saying: “I love how Bekah encourages you to celebrate life right in front of you.” According to a contributor to the Reading Is My Superpower website: “Bekah Pogue’s writing style is conversational and friendly, and you will feel like you are laughing (or crying) together at your favorite cafe as you read. The chapters reflect her personality (and now I totally want to be her best friend) and help readers connect with her and what she’s saying.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, October 10, 2016, review of Choosing Real, p. 74.
ONLINE
Reading Is My Superpower, http://readingismysuperpower.org/ (December 1, 2016), review of Choosing Real.
RKfall Reviews, http://rkfallreviews.blogspot.com/ (November 28, 2016), review of Choosing Real.
Running Through the Storm, http://www.runningthroughthestorms.com/ (December 10, 2016), review of Choosing Real.
Tammy Mashburn, http://tammylmashburn.com/ (February 27, 2017), review of Choosing Real.*
ABOUT
img_2874
Hi there!
I’m Bekah, an “everyday Jane.” Welcome. Come on in. Make yourself at home here.
I write from my heart about connection, faith, parenting, marriage, books, identity, my obsession with desserts, and all things real. If you’re looking for vulnerability, down with talking about hard things, and choosing to see genuine beauty every.single.day, consider yourself invited, friend.
My first book, Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned released December 2016. I also guest writer for Yellow Conference and cheer other writers along as a writing coach. I love communicating with women, whether in small groups or large conferences, as if you were sitting on my couch and catching up as old friends. You can find me at the beach, reading, baking, rearranging furniture or flea-marketing. My creative hubs, Bryan and I have been married a dozen years. We have two energetic boys, and reside at The Pogue Cottage in Huntington Beach, where dance parties are a regular occurrence..
If you want to receive inbox love from yours truly, SUBSCRIBE HERE.
xo,
Bekah Jane
An "everyday Jane," Bekah Jane Pogue is an author, speaker and heart-felt encourager.
Her debut book, Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned, releases December 1, 2016. Bekah loves communicating, whether in small groups or large conferences, as if you were sitting on her couch and catching up as old friends. She loves coaching new writers in their journey.
Bekah attended Azusa Pacific University, where she received a degree in Liberal Studies, with a Spanish emphasis.
You can find her at the beach, reading, baking, rearranging furniture or flea-marketing. She and her husband, Bryan, have been married a dozen years and have two energetic boys. They reside at the Pogue Cottage in Southern CA, where dance parties are a regular occurrence.
If you’re looking for vulnerability, down with talking about hard things and desiring real join Bekah at www.BekahPogue.com.
Bekah Jane Pogue is a writer and speaks regularly at MOPS groups, women’s church groups, women’s conferences, and to college groups such as the APU Freshmen Class. She blogs at UpcycledJane.com, which gains more than 20,000 unique visitors each month.
She has published over 20 articles on parenting, marriage, storytelling, recipes, grief and intentional living, and guest blogs for Atascadero Bible Church and a number of well-known Christian bloggers.
She is married to Bryan, a middle school pastor, and enjoys investing and mentoring their post-college and young professional volunteer staff. As a mom to two energetic young boys, Bekah has a heart to encourage women to find their identity and freedom in Christ, to live intentionally, and enjoy desserts. She is very much in process, and choosing to enjoy the journey God has before her.
As she passionately shares her story, her hope is to help others experience God in tangible, authentic ways as they discover their created selves. When she’s not writing or speaking, you can find her at The Pogue Cottage surrounded by Legos and beach sand, where she’s baking, up cycling art, or re-arranging furniture. Bekah invites you to join her, and together scatter a contagious joy for sensing Him all-around.
Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life
Doesn't Go As Planned
Publishers Weekly.
263.41 (Oct. 10, 2016): p74.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn't Go As Planned
Bekah Jane Pogue. Shiloh Run, $14.99 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-63409-964-6
In her debut, speaker, writer, and founder of the Upcycled Jane blog, Pogue advises women to embrace the messy, the painful, and the ho-hum of
everyday life. She recounts how she was a type A, overachieving, to-do-list-worshipping woman until her father died and she found her faith. She
reminds readers that a relationship with God isn't like hosting a party--it's simply RSVPing yes: you don't need to plan, prep, and obsess, you just
need to show up and enjoy what's being offered. She urges women to see God in every experience, time of transition, and hardship, and to
experience genuine connection with God in even the smallest details and daily activities. "Often I live for mountaintop experiences when
practically He invites in the simplest of moments, transforming my mind to view schedules, work, and responsibilities as a way to dance in the
storm." Pogue's writing is exuberant, sanguine, and personal, often including stories rooted in her own experiences as a young mother, wife,
daughter, and friend. While at times it seems to lack a clear structure and direction, this book should appeal to fans of writers such as Jen
Hatmaker and Lysa TerKeurst, who also write for a female Christian readership. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn't Go As Planned." Publishers Weekly, 10 Oct. 2016, p. 74. General OneFile,
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p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA466616223&it=r&asid=2fd1470307a5f41817953238a16666ab. Accessed 12 June
2017.
6/12/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Gale Document Number: GALE|A466616223
Choosing Real by Bekah Jane Pogue
29633323
Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn't Go as Planned
Are you ready to release your control of needing to be everything for everyone? . . . The invitation is yours. In Choosing REAL, author Bekah Pogue walks with you into life’s unplanned circumstances--specifically frantic schedules, pain and transition, feelings of unworthiness, loneliness, and tension. . . And she'll remind you that it is in these very moments that God invites you to notice, respond, and even celebrate how He shows up in every little detail.
My Thoughts:
I love this book. It is so authentic, it deals with real life and it just gives you the ability to feel like you God created you, just the way you are. I love how Bekah encourages you to celebrate life right in front of you and helps you find. the beauty in the most unseen circumstances. I love how she challenges the reader to see Jesus in the mundane routine and in the chaos of the day. Whether you're changing diapers, preparing meals or cranky, God is using you, He loves you and YOU should celebrate life.
This book is practical, inspiring, an invitation and is a breath of fresh heart. You feel like you're drinking a cup of coffee with an old friend. I love this book and I am giving away a copy! Just leave a comment on my blog. I give this book 5/5 stars. I recommend purchasing a copy as this will make an excellent Christmas gift!
You may purchase a copy here!
Thank you to Wynn Wynn Media for providing me a copy and one to give away!
About the Author:
Bekah Jane PogueAn "everyday Jane," Bekah Jane Pogue is an author, speaker and heart-felt encourager.
Bekah loves communicating, whether in small groups or large conferences, as if you were sitting on her couch and catching up as old friends. She is a guest writer for Yellow Conference and loves coaching new writers in their journey.
You can find her at the beach, reading, baking, rearranging furniture or flea-marketing. She and her husband, Bryan, have been married a dozen years and have two energetic boys. They reside at the Pogue Cottage in Southern CA, where dance parties are a regular occurrence.
If you’re looking for vulnerability, down with talking about hard things and desiring real join Bekah at www.BekahPogue.com.
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Book Review: Choosing Real by Bekah Jane Pogue
December 1, 2016 Carrie Bekah Jane Pogue, Christian, nonfiction 4
book review RIMSP
about the book
Are you ready to release your control of needing to be everything for everyone? . . . The invitation is yours.
In Choosing REAL, author Bekah Pogue walks with you into life’s unplanned circumstances–specifically frantic schedules, pain and transition, feelings of unworthiness, loneliness, and tension. . .
And she’ll remind you that it is in these very moments that God invites you to notice, respond, and even celebrate how He shows up in every little detail.
“I was so inspired by Bekah’s words on embracing the everyday, living fully with all of our senses, and celebrating the life right in front of us. Choosing Real will motivate you to look for the beauty in the middle of the unplanned and unexpected.”
—Crystal Paine, Founder of MoneySavingMom.com, New York Times bestselling author of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode
“Choosing REAL is a fresh breath of air. The pages bring God to life; the stories inspire faithfulness; and the transparency makes the warmth of Christ’s love come alive. No doubt this book will leave you feeling lighter, stronger, and a whole lot more connected to God.”
—Kelly Balarie, Author of Fear Fighting (Baker Books), Speaker, and Blogger at www.purposefulfaith.com
goodreads button RIMSP
GENRE: Christian Nonfiction
PUBLISHER: Shiloh Run Press
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2016
PAGES: 224
“Choosing Real trusts God has a beautiful plan in the mess, in the scary, in the unknown, in the tears, and in not feeling enough.”
The tagline of this book is what drew me in – “an invitation to celebrate when life doesn’t go as planned” Can I be REAL with y’all for a minute? My life? Not going as planned.
In some ways, this is a good thing. I planned on being an elementary teacher. Instead, I was able to teach English as a Second Language to international adults for 10 years and loved every. single. second. And now I have my dream (unpaid) “job” of reading books!!! Somebody pinch me – gently – please?
In other ways, I’m not loving the “not going as planned” part of life so much. I always figured by this point in my life I’d have a couple of kids, a decent bank account, and be reasonably cute and healthy. Instead? No kids. Living paycheck to paycheck. Some days barely able to get out of bed because the pain from my autoimmune stuff is so bad. And let’s not even get into the side effects of the medications.
The joy you (hopefully) see in me online or in person IS also real and only comes from knowing that “My health may fail and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” (Psalm 73:26) And I have much to be thankful for. A husband who makes me laugh. A family who loves and likes each other. Nieces and nephews who are cute and smart and talented and sweet of spirit. An adorable dog who makes me smile.
But … celebrating? It’s tough to do that.
Yet it’s in the pages of Choosing Real that I find the freedom to say, as the author does, “This is so not how I thought faith would look, but God’s path proves more spontaneous and life giving, more inner-healing abundant than anything I was creating on my own.”
Choosing Real by Bekah Jean Pogue is a book that I will be re-reading in order to really absorb the truths here. These truths are things I know – have known – and yet somehow along the way I’ve gotten off track in applying them in the everyday. Especially when it comes to valuing rest. (The irony of this is that, even as I typed those words, a dear friend messaged me to make sure I did indeed take the nap I promised her I would take today. I didn’t.)
The chapter that focuses specifically on rest (Chapter 2 – Enjoy the Journey) and the one which talks about finding freedom in an online culture (Chapter 7 – #REALISTHENEWPERFECT) are the chapters which are lingering with me the most so far. These both convicted and encouraged me … and wrapped me in peace.
Bottom Line: Bekah Pogue’s writing style is conversational and friendly, and you will feel like you are laughing (or crying) together at your favorite cafe as you read. The chapters reflect her personality (and now I totally want to be her best friend) and help readers connect with her and what she’s saying. From the major losses in life (cancer, divorce, anxiety attacks) to the “Cheerio-sized” losses (flat tires, Internet is down, insecurity), Pogue offers us an invitation to experience God in our day-to-day realities. To see the connection between “real life” and faith. To let Jesus present Himself to us as so very Real even as He shows us – “YOU matter”.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Barbour Books. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Really good!!
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about the author
bekah-pogue
An “everyday Jane,” Bekah Jane Pogue is an author, speaker and heart-felt encourager.
Bekah loves communicating, whether in small groups or large conferences, as if you were sitting on her couch and catching up as old friends. She is a guest writer for Yellow Conference and loves coaching new writers in their journey.
You can find her at the beach, reading, baking, rearranging furniture or flea-marketing. She and her husband, Bryan, have been married a dozen years and have two energetic boys. They reside at the Pogue Cottage in Southern CA, where dance parties are a regular occurrence.
If you’re looking for vulnerability, down with talking about hard things and desiring real join Bekah at www.BekahPogue.com.
What about you? How do you find rest in an online culture?
Monday, November 28, 2016
Choosing REAL by Bekah Jane Pogue
Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn't Go as Planned by [Pogue, Bekah Jane]
Here is the book summary:
Are you ready to release your control of needing to be everything for everyone? . . . The invitation is yours. In Choosing REAL, author Bekah Pogue walks with you into life’s unplanned circumstances--specifically frantic schedules, pain and transition, feelings of unworthiness, loneliness, and tension. . . And she'll remind you that it is in these very moments that God invites you to notice, respond, and even celebrate how He shows up in every little detail.
And now, my review:
Choosing Real in life is a wonderful thing! This book had great parts to it and I really liked her experiences that she shared. She went into details of life happenings that framed how God is using her now. Comforting others with the ways she has been comforted. I thought she had great challenges and addressed things like living in a Facebook/Instagram world and remaining REAL. Also, the importance of putting that away to embrace what God has placed right in front of you. This is relatable material in the world that we live in. And true!! Life flies by and those things should NOT be number 1, or even have a high place in our days full of people and relationships in our mission for the Lord.
Like every book, every person has a opinion of what being real is. I have an idea of REAL that at times is different than this author. I've seen her REAL before, but it's not all that REAL to me. Check it out and see what you think.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Real-Invitation-Celebrate-Planned-ebook/dp/B01HHJIKBW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483726777&sr=1-1&keywords=choosing+real+by+bekah+pogue
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/choosing-real-bekah-jane-pogue/1123611041?ean=9781634099646
https://www.christianbook.com/choosing-invitation-celebrate-life-doesnt-planned/9781634099646/pd/099646?event=ESRCG
CHOOSING REAL BY BEKAH JANE POGUE: BOOK REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY
Posted by Tammy L. Mashburn | Feb 27, 2017 | Book Review, Books, Reading, What's On My Bookshelf | 22 |
“Real is the new perfect. The kind of authentic-reflecting real, where a freeing relationship dwells; where love, joy, peace, patience, and grace abide; where second, third, and fourth chances reside.
I’m inspired to settle into His perfection instead of attempting authenticity on my own.”
Bekah Jane Pogue from Choosing Real
Welcome! I’m so glad you are joining me today! Sign up here and have new blog posts delivered directly to your inbox and stay in touch with more Gifts of Grace as we journey through the wilderness.
I stepped into 2017 with the word open. This word has had me shaking in my boots. Pondering what God might me call be to open with.
The unexpected has stripped me of my former life. I have learned to embrace who I am in this season. Embrace a simpler, quieter way of life. But I was sensing more. Sensing changes needed to be made.
BAM! Bekah Jane Pogue’s book Choosing Real fell into my hands.
Somewhere in my journey, the layers I had been stripped of had come back in sneaky and unexpected ways. I had begun a search to find my true authentic self once again.
Another year on this journey, another birthday, had set me up for an honest evaluation.
Choosing Real gave me affirmation and equipping in life’s unplanned circumstances. Bekah’s words urged me forward in the search for true authenticity. Releasing my own self imposed expectations. Giving me space and breath in choosing real. Choosing, embracing, living fully as God would have me to, real and authentically in Him.
“As I stepped into the pain of loss, into foggy weeks of numbness and standing outside of my body, life shifted. They say suffering does that, and it’s entirely true. And freeing. Alone with my thoughts, I recognized self-made habits I’d built around control.” Bekah Jane Pogue from Choosing Real
I came away from this book with clarity in the tender places God was asking more of me.
If you are longing to find authenticity, find the real you and your identity in your Maker, Choosing Real is a must read.
I recommend this book to any woman who’s identity has been muddled, or perhaps lost in today’s society of be more, do more, have more. The comparison and competition cycle social media demands of us.
Purchase your copy of Choosing Real today and find freedom from control.
“Our minds are like empty rooms to fill with the thoughts we choose, the very thoughts that create or destroy a safe abode. Here’s the catch. Every thought follows a choice: Do you want truth or lies inside that noggin?
Bekah Jane Pogue from Choosing Real
***
Here’s the fun part! I am giving away a copy of Choosing Real! To be eligible, you must comment directly on this blog post by Thursday, March 2, 2017. A winner will be chosen and announced on Friday’s post! Be sure and sign up here to find out who the winner is!
I loved this book and I believe you will too!
Gifts of Grace
Review: Choosing Real by Bekah Jane Pogue
Choosing Real
Sometimes, life doesn't go as planned. In those moments, it can be tempting to question God's presence and purpose. In Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn't Go As Planned, author Bekah Jane Pogue uses personal stories and an exploration of scripture to help readers encounter God in the midst of life's unplanned circumstances, including loss and transition.
According to Bekah, “every circumstance, person, and feeling is an invitation to see God's genuine heart in the middle of it.” To encounter God, we must choose to be real. “Choosing Real trusts God has a beautiful plan in the mess, in the scary, in the unknown, in the tears, and in not feeling enough.”
I read Choosing Real in the midst of Holy Week, a crazy time in the life a church worker. As a result, I was particularly captivated by the chapter entitled, Enjoy the Journey: An Invitation to Rest in the Midst of a Frantic Schedule. Bekah's words served as a valuable reminder to me, just as I'm sure they will for other readers, “If rest is God's idea, surely He wouldn't tease us with the notion of it. His heart is never to shame but to offer peace in a life tempted to run frantically. To rest means to be filled up by the One who enjoys us right in the middle of the rush.”
As a perpetual worrier, another significant chapter for me was Who Am I? An Invitation to Claim a Jesus Identity during Transition. For the last two months, my congregation has been going through a significant transition – hiring both an interim senior pastor and an associate pastor. It's been a difficult time for my colleagues and I. This chapter is one that gave me hope and comfort, reminding me that “Faith isn't moving past the fear; faith tolerates the tension and relaxes into His compassionate comfort.”
As the mom of a young daughter, I often wrestle with what, if anything, I should post about my daughter on social media. To this end, I loved Bekah's #realisthenewperfect challenge, which she addresses in the chapter of the same name. According to her, “Real is the new perfect. The kind of authentic reflecting real, where a freeing relationship dwells; where love, joy, peace, patience, and grace abide; where second, third, and fourth chances reside... Authenticity shares without fear of how it will be responded to.”
All in all, Choosing Real is a highly-relatable book that blends authentic storytelling with wisdom garnered from Bekah's own life. Young moms will find this book particularly satisfying as they will frequently see themselves in it. However, even those who aren't young moms will benefit from Bekah's wisdom and example as they pursue an authentic relationship with God and others.