Project: Beautiful Words

Hello! Hope you can pass by at the 2nd Floor Feast Books Booth so I can sign your copies of “unwritten” and “Champions”. Excited to meet you! Tambay lang ako dito sa tabi-tabi hahaha. 🤭 #projectbeautifulwords #unwritten #champions (at SMX Convention Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5J1R-qANlz/?igshid=1h0pry813olud

And it is done. Finished. Written. Published. Launched. Today, it has gone to the hands of the writers who dream of writing and finishing their books. It is done. This book has been stalled, abandoned, given up on. But still it’s been written. And if I could do it, you could do it too. “unwritten: the 5 reasons why your dream book is still a dream, and the 5 sure-fire steps to help you write and finish it” is launching here at the Kerygma Conference. Book signing tomorrow at Feast Books Booth, 2F pre-con lobby, 12:10PM. 😊 See you there! P.S. You can also get signed copies via bit.ly/unwrittenbook if you’re not attending the Kerygma Conference. Excited to see your dream books come to life! #projectbeautifulwords #unwritten #kerygmaconference #kcon2019 (at SMX Convention Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5IC1pUAyGD/?igshid=1sjwf84wtyize

It’s tomorrow! A few weeks back, Erika told me that the slots for my class were sold out less than a week after registration opened. My first reaction was, “Wow, praise God!” But it was a token reaction for good news or the thought of a blessing. But then the questions crept in: “Hala, what? Why? How?” Those people chose my class out of all the classes they could have chosen. Also it’s a whole-day workshop, so this would be the only class they’d take for the entire day. What do I even say to them? Why did they choose me? What pride, I realized eventually. They didn’t choose me. They didn’t even choose the class. God chose them. God chose us. He wanted us to write for Him. It’s that simple. So I stopped asking and started praying. For the class. For the attendees. For the team who will serve with me. And for the whole Kerygma Conference. To be a part of this huge anointed event is a blessing and an honor, a dream come true. See you all tomorrow! Let’s write beautiful words. P.S. Want to bring the workshop home with you? Grab a copy of “unwritten: the five reasons why your dream book is still a dream and the five sure-fire steps to help you write and finish it”. Launching tomorrow at KCON, and also available at bit.ly/unwrittenbook 🥰 https://www.instagram.com/p/B5EKPWNgepc/?igshid=z0hhnbslwn9n

Stranger. Preacher. Idol. Inspiration. Boss. Mentor. Supporter. Friend. I was a little girl when I was brought to this super weird event in Ultra. People were raising their hands while singing songs about God. There were people in wheelchairs who suddenly stood up. Everyone was crying and praising and shouting and clapping and it was so loud. I didn’t understand what was going on. In the middle of it all, there was this man who spoke with such authority and wisdom and love, and it was the first time I heard God speak to my heart. He was a stranger then. He is a beloved mentor and friend now. I could write a thousand beautiful words about this man who’s always been supportive and trusting, and kind and generous to me, and still arrive at this one simple description: Tito Bo is Jesus to me, and to thousands of people. How amazing is it I get to serve with him now as one of the speakers in the same weird event that I attended many, many years ago? The Lord thinks He’s very witty that way. All is grace. All is grace. All is grace. #projectkaladkarren #projectbeautifulwords #kerygmaconference #brave (at Chef Jessie's Place) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3r2OBrgFMh/?igshid=1ad3xcynfat15

The word for the year, is “trust.” The verse that came out, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). Looks like it’s going to be another eventful year ahead. 😅 Take it easy on me, Lord. Also, may take-back pa ba sa mga “Word of the Year?” Papalit, please. 🤣🤣🤣 Here’s to more stories. More words. More photos. More books. More joy. More love. Here’s to trusting that all is well, that God’s plans are good, and that He will complete what He began.🌹 Second photo is me. Always. 😂 #projectkaladkarren (at Manila Marriott Hotel) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3cPs6LAW_c/?igshid=1n5tcfuk63ert

Look beyond. Better things are coming. I’ve been struggling with my writing for a long time now, but all is well. The struggle is part of the process. And it’s never meant to last. We overcome, we overcome. Not in a day. Not all at once. Not in a long while. But we try, little by little. One more time. One more day. We try until we come out winners. Tomorrow I go under. All is well, all is well. The struggle was difficult, but necessary for the win. Tomorrow I go out, I go under, but when I come back, it is done. It is time. It is time. See you on the other side. (un)written is ready to launch soon. Thank You, Jesus. 🙏🏼 #projectkaladkarren #projectbeautifulwords #unwritten #amwriting #writing #writingretreat #donotdisturb P.S. Do you want to know how to embrace the struggles in the writing process, and how to overcome? Join me and my friends on Oct. 5 in a fundraising writing workshop, (un)written: a writing workshop for the broken and the brave. Link in my bio, or register via bit.ly/unwrittenworkshop https://www.instagram.com/p/B24XRzGgpvz/?igshid=54jjsd8wwhti

The thing is, no flower blooms overnight. No seed sprouts in a single day. No tree grows up to be tall in a short time. The truth is, every seed spends quite a lot of time buried underground, stuck in the dark for a long time, before it sees the light of day. If it’s too dark, too heavy, too dreary right now, don’t lose hope. Keep the faith. God does not rush things, but He’s doing something from above. He’s watering the ground He planted you in. He’s taking care of you. You’ll bloom. Soon. #projectbeautifulwords #projectkaladkarren (at The Lawrence Lowell Telescope) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1xmx0-gCw_/?igshid=bta5xppjqxck

I haven’t been very social for months. Maybe since the beginning of the year, actually. Most days I’d prefer to just stay at home to read or write. There’s more reading than writing, to be honest. More hiding beneath the covers when the day is over, or when the week is ending. I had neither the energy, willingness, nor desire to do anything else. I was bothered at first. I wasn’t used to being still, to being calm, to not feeling that fire in my veins that would propel me to do, do, do. I felt like something was wrong with me because I didn’t feel like doing anything. It took me a long time to accept that maybe a person’s worth isn’t based on what he/she could produce or accomplish. It took me a long time to accept that it’s okay to maybe, just /be/. But seasons change and things change. People change and feelings change. It’s good to pause, to be still, to just be. But somehow, we have to move. Get up. Show up. Open up. Because life is meant to be lived to the fullest. Maybe not always with passion or fire or thunderstorms or spectacle. Sometimes, maybe with the quiet drive and commitment to just live with peace, with joy, with love. And then, also, as we live, we let live too. We love others too. Because otherwise, if we just pass by through life, then what’s the point? So yes. Get up in the mornings. Show up in the gatherings. And open up to receive the love and the blessings. That’s it. That’s the post. #projectbeautifulwords #projectkaladkarren (at Eggs for Breakfast) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1D1PPwARbt/?igshid=1degrrwejjo6b

Titas get bruch during holidays. Nothing much to write about; just taking it easy on rest days. Tomorrow, we hustle again. #projectkaladkarren (at Eggs for Breakfast) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Dj1Lageye/?igshid=svdhwxkxop6d

Not a lot of good shots. Just a lot of good memories, from tonight and from all of the twenty years I’ve been in love with them and their music. Westlife was never just a band to me. Westlife has always been love and stories and growing up. It’s always been about making sense of heartbreaks, about building worlds, and writing people, and telling stories. Even these past few weeks, I’ve picked up my pen and started writing again, with the help of their music. Thank you for the twenty years, Westlife. Thank you for going through life with me. Thank you for helping me write my stories. And thank you for bringing me back to all those years tonight. #projectbeautifulwords #westlifetwentytour #thetwentytour #westlife #titasofmanilanakaVIPna (at Smart Araneta Coliseum) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0geNJkADUv/?igshid=1neiasvej8d3t

I’ve stopped writing for a long time. One day, I was all fired up and finishing a book, and the next, I was done. I remember sitting in front of my laptop, staring at that blinking cursor, wondering why the words won’t come out. I wondered why the fire died out. It was frustrating, because I knew I could do it. I knew I could write, but days and weeks passed without me having the capacity to do so. I couldn’t force it out, so I let it go. I realized then that this happens to the best of us: when we just can’t write. We have the discipline, the courage, the time, the heart, but maybe sometimes, we don’t have the energy or spirit for it. When this happens, let it be. But we don’t let go. We need to always remember that there is something that needs to be done, needs to be written, and even though we stopped for a while, we have to write again. I won’t tell you to never stop writing, because for most of us, it might be improbable. But I will tell you this: you have to write again. Write beautiful words, Karren P.S. There is so much to share about book writing, so much to talk about. Won’t you join me and my friends as we lay down the groundwork for writing an impactful bestselling book? Visit bit.ly/bestsellersblueprint to find out more. #projectbeautifulwords #onwriting #amwriting https://www.instagram.com/p/By_sHNlhmlo/?igshid=s464sayxqq9e

Remember Tea Time Thursdays? Throwback to those times we ran an online show where the only thing we did was laugh and laugh and laugh, and sometimes interview people. It was for work, but during those times, it didn’t feel like it, because we were having so much fun. When Tin and I are together, we just laugh all the time. Sometimes we even laugh at inappropriate times, like maybe in the middle of a seminar, but we can’t help it. The littlest things set us off. But even though we always make a fool of ourselves, when Tin and I work together, we WORK. Quite well, in fact. It’s like our minds are connected, and we would finish each other’s thoughts and complement each other’s ideas. Many great things were born during those times we brainstormed together, along with a great team. It also helps that we share the same passion and we work in the same ministry. As much as I love helping authors write their books, Tin loves creating ideas on how to get those books to the right people. It’s what we did every day when we worked together. There were a few misses, but there were also good hits. We want to keep helping authors (and we want to continue having fun while working together), so Tin and I decided to trace every little thing we did right on how to make a book become a bestseller. And we came up with a blueprint for this, which we are so, so excited to share in our first ever joint workshop: The Bestsellers’ Blueprint. It’ll be a blast. It’ll be informative. It’ll be fun. And it will really, really, help you write your dream book and turn it into a bestseller. 
Won’t you give me and Tin a chance to help you? Visit bit.ly/bestsellersblueprint to join us on August 16-17, 2019 for a fun and powerful learning event. #teatimethursdays #projectbeautifulwords #workshop https://www.instagram.com/p/By7V-6egnq7/?igshid=1oim9dpak2lso

It’s always cold out here, so I try to chase the sun as much as I can. Isn’t that the way life’s supposed to be? Some days, you chase the light. But when at times there’s no light to be chased, you try to be the light instead. I believe that we all have a whole lot of light and love tucked in our hearts. That’s how we survive even the coldest winters; that’s how we go through our darkest nights. That little light in your heart goes a long, long way, beautiful. Let it shine through. #projectkaladkarren #projectbeautifulwords #sunday (at Flagstaff, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/karrenzs/p/BvpuQefhrbQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1k4rbrdu4x2so

When I sent my resignation to my boss and mentor, @brotherbosanchez, he thanked me, and prayed for me. And once, long ago, in one of our emails, he had a message that I will always remember and do my best to live by: “Karren, always with the light of Jesus. Bring His light and love everywhere you go.” Thank you, Lighthouse. Thank you, SVP. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. #lighthouse #lightofjesus #projectkaladkarren https://www.instagram.com/p/Bua9iJZBIpt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18kulviiqds1y

Then and now. Salamat. Mahal ko kayo.🌹 #projectkaladkarren (at Kerygma Books) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bua8u83B5Zb/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10qdjqs0rl9n9

Today is my last day as the head of the Sales and Marketing team. Honestly I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I had wanted to just spend my last day with them, pack the last of my things, and then fade away quietly into the night (ha ha!). That was my plan. But of course I knew in my heart that my team wouldn’t let that happen. So they concocted this elaborate plan to surprise me, which, to be frank, I could smell as far back as a week ago. 😂 I had to play along and pretend I didn’t know anything, but they were so obvious, from the get-go. (Mauna, generic pala, ha?!) Mahal na mahal talaga nila ako, at habangbuhay kong ipagpapasalamat sa Diyos yung pagkakataon na makatrabaho ko sila. 💕 Salamat sa pa-surprise, sa pagkain, sa mga regalo, sa padasal, sa honoring, sa pagmamahal. I love you, Sales and Marketing family. It was my honor and pleasure to serve with you. #projectkaladkarren #kerygmabooks #projectbeautifulwords (at Hi Rice Grill) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuazRB2hGu2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=esocft0jchey