Kind Words from Shannon Popkin
How we met…
I remember vividly the first time I heard her name. I was taking a personal retreat for Maundy Thursday but had set aside time for a call with a literary agent I was trying to impress. Blythe Daniel told me that Kregel Publishing had used a new hybrid book and Bible study format with great success with an author named Shannon Popkin. As soon as I Googled her, I wanted to be her friend.
First, we have the same haircut.
Second, she’s brilliant.
Shannon is super sharp but so approachable, which is probably why I didn’t hesitate to reach out to her. Before you know it, we’re making dinner over the phone together, planning a live episode on Instagram, and she invited me to stay at her house during a conference!!!
God gave me the agent, the publisher, and a book contract… and was even so kind as to give me a very special friend.
“If you’re at the end of life as you know it, you need a cup of hope, and that’s what Amy is serving. Like a neighbor who welcomes you in, Amy masterfully blends words on the page—thoughtful lessons from 1 Peter—which will both comfort your soul and coax you into the saddle, ready for the trials ahead. You’ll go from starting your sentences with, ‘Hopefully…’ to having your hope fully rooted in Jesus and all he has for you.”
Who she is…
Shannon writes, speaks, and teaches God’s Word, then lives like it’s true (which happens to be the name of her podcast). She combines her gifts for humor and storytelling with her passion for Jesus and the truth of God’s Word. Her latest book is Comparison Girl, published by Kregel (visit ComparisonGirl.com to learn more). She has had the privilege of being featured on FamilyLife Today, Revive Our Hearts, The Gospel Coalition, Proverbs 31, and was a blogger at Revive Our Hearts for many years.
GIVEAWAY
Shannon gave me wonderfully kind words… so I’m giving you her wonderful words!
It’s impossible to repay my friend’s kindness, but I can pay it forward!
Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of the journaling workbook for Comparison Girl: Lessons from Jesus on Me-Free Living in a Measure-Up World by Shannon Popkin!
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If your cup is empty...
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More endorsements for
Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope?
If you could sit down for an espresso with these incredible women, this is what they would tell you about Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope?. They are authors, speakers, and Bible study leaders whose candid endorsement you can trust.
Jennifer Rothschild
best-selling author and Bible study teacher
“I have known Amy Lively for many years, and I have got to say, this lady is the real thing. She doesn’t just write about living with hope and loving your neighbor, she lives every word she writes. You’ll see what I mean in Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope? Amy serves as a wise guide and companion on your journey to rediscover the hope that Jesus brings.”
Lynn Cowell
author and speaker
“If you’re looking for a cushy, fluffy, make-me-feel-good-about-myself book, this is not the study for you. If, however, you yearn to grow deeper as a disciple of Jesus by learning what true spiritual maturity is and how to get there, this study of 1 Peter will help you mine each gem and do the hard work as Peter challenges us to do. Thank you so much for this resource, Amy!”
Amy Carroll
coauthor of Esther: Seeing Our Invisible God in an Uncertain World
“In Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope? Amy Lively achieves two of my favorite things: engaging teaching and deep Bible study. This thoroughly researched study of 1 Peter weaves the scriptural threads of Peter’s story together in ways that will challenge the mature Bible student and thrill the newest. As I connected my story to Peter’s in the book’s practical exercises, I had both ‘aha’ and ‘oh ouch!’ moments. This is the resource you need to fan the flame of hope.”
Peggy Bodde
founder of Sacred Work and author of Sacred Work: Equipping Christian Women to Lead with Strength
“Reading Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope? is very much like having a trusted friend speak hope into the hardest places of your life. Amy is a gifted teacher, and her words are just the right mix of clever, funny, and profound. Each chapter offers biblical support and tangible steps to help us walk away from hopelessness and toward whatever God has planned.”
Jennifer Hayes Yates
author of Just Like Us, Seek Him First, and Seeking Truth
“Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope? is a beautiful, honest, and in-depth journey into 1 Peter that will leave you inspired, encouraged, and yes, even challenged, but in a good way. You’ll come away a little humbler, a little more thoughtful and introspective, and best of all, a whole lot more able to set your hope fully on Christ, who has overcome all the trouble of this world.”
Leslie McLeod
blogger and artist
“I always considered hope one of the most dangerous words in the English language. Hope is a setup for heartbreak. Who needs that kind of pain? So when I got my hands on Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope?, I kept my expectations modest. Trust Amy to blow that attempt sky-high. Her humble and relatable voice blends story, rock-solid biblical teaching, and no-nonsense, practical wisdom in such a delightful way I was scarcely aware of my heart’s crossover from ‘nope’ to ‘hope.’ I came away with a confidence in my loving Father I never knew possible.”
Sharon Jacobs
grateful gramma, harried homemaker, and blessed Neighborhood Café host
“Amy’s study about hope came at God’s perfect time. The world has been in a shutdown of fear and uncertainty about the future, but Amy’s journey through 1 Peter reminds us of where our hope truly lies. Encouraging, challenging, and definitely worth reading.”
Katie Zintek
speaker and women’s ministry director
“Amy is that friend that encourages you and exhorts you in the same breath. She will pick you up, dust you off, and encourage you to keep running with fresh perspective on the very real and rooted hope we have in Christ… I appreciated the invitation to dive deep at the end of each lesson, and her hands-on resources are a treasure. Armed with engaging stories from the early church and from her own life, Amy invites us to remember together the grit from that great cloud of witnesses that came before and beckons us onward. Sure, we aren’t home yet, but books like this and friends like Amy make the wait that much sweeter.”
Bailey T. Hurley
author of Together Is a Beautiful Place
“Amy Lively’s latest study, Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope?, invites each reader to engage in deep Bible learning while also remaining practical for every person’s walk of faith. Each lesson is rich with historical context, honest application, and a challenging takeaway that will leave readers spiritually satisfied and anticipating the hope they will find in their hard places. Every reader will close this book with a Christ-centered approach to their hardships, as Lively makes the first-century letter of 1 Peter come to life for the twenty-first-century Christian.”
Trinda Windle
women’s ministry team
“This beautifully written, biblically rich deep dive into the life of Peter is a must-read. Full of scripture and real-life application, Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope? encourages readers to trade hopeless fears and hopeful fantasies for a firm and living hope found only in Jesus. Great for personal use or group study, this book is a resource you’ll find yourself returning to again and again.”
Lara Price
pastor at Life Church Vineyard
“With Amy’s encouragement, turn your hopefullys into hope fully in the Lord. What a difference a space makes! Jesus tells us that in this world we will have trouble. How will I respond when trouble comes? This book challenges me once again that my conduct, especially during those times of trouble, speaks louder than words for my own personal relationship with God . . . and to those watching. This is a great resource for groups to do together.”
Debbie Dittrich
retreat speaker and Bible teacher
“Suffering is something most people want to avoid, causing hopelessness and fear. But in reality, suffering is our privilege and a precious tool in the hands of our good, good Father, designed to conform us to the image of his Son, Jesus. Amy has taken deep truths about suffering and pointed us to the One who alone can provide all we need for any situation we face. Amy masterfully leaves us with grounding truth in one hand and a cup overflowing with hope in Jesus in the other.”
Thank you, Amy, for inspiring me to begin our Just Us Girls Neighborhood Coffee Cafe years ago in Josephine, AL. Ladies have stepped up to host meetings in their homes and it has become a treasured time to gather and fellowship and grow in God’s work. We meet fall and spring. Thank you now for introducing me to Shannon Popkin. Would love to win her book to share at our meeting. I plan to recap tomorrow at our first fall meeting how we began because of a lady named Amy Lively who encouraged me to step out in faith. God has blessed us in Josephine with this ministry beyond measure.
Teresa, wouldn’t it be wonderful if God arranged it so we could meet in person! You’ve been such an encouragement to me as you have maintained the precious gift of neighborhood friendships in Josephine for over a dozen years now! Shannon’s books are wonderful for talking about with friends!