October 14, 2013

Meet Kate Battistelli -- A WARRIOR FOR CHRIST

Last Monday I had the incredible privilege to eat lunch with KATE BATTISTELLI. We talked for hours. I shared much of my "warrior" story with her and she shared her story with me. I can't say enough about how kind and genuine she is, and what a great example of living out your faith she is. It is such a honor to have met her and to now share her warrior story on my blog. 

Warrior stories are when God does something tragic in someone's life and in the midst of the pain they just can't see why. BUT eventually God reveals to them the purpose for it all. 

God took Kate down a dark road, but today she can look back and see exactly why He did it. You will be blown away by her story! God is so amazing!

So first let me introduce you to her, then I will share her incredible story and the power of God through it all!!

Kate Battistelli is a wife, former Broadway actress, and mom to one of Christian music’s most celebrated new recording artists—Grammy-nominated, Christian contemporary singer-songwriter Francesca Battistelli. Kate currently writes a popular blog at TheKitchenPrincess.com, volunteers at ESTHER Single Mothers Outreach, and is thoroughly enjoying her newest role as grandmother to Francesca’s children, Eli and Audrey Jane.



THIS IS HER WARRIOR STORY

THE BEGINNING: (quoted from Growing GREAT KIDS)

"To make a long story short, I got the role of the understudy (on Broadway) and happily packed my steamer trunk and went out on the road. I faithfully rehearsed my part, never thinking I would ever really get the chance to perform. But when preparation meets opportunity, miracles can happen! LIFE COMES AT YOU FAST About two months into the run of the show, I arrived at the theater around 7:15 p.m. for the 8:00 p.m. curtain, only to find out the leading lady was sick and I was going on for the first time as the leading lady in forty-five minutes! I knew my part well but had never worn the costumes or handled the props, let alone been onstage with Yul Brynner! I was freaking out, but I had to focus and get ready. The night turned out well, and I got to perform the role of Anna for two weeks while the leading lady was out with pneumonia. In the end, Yul Brynner (who not only starred in the show but was also one of its producers) preferred me in the role, so he bought out the leading lady’s contract and offered me the role of a lifetime! It was an amazing time for me. I was privileged to play the part of Anna more than a thousand times, before more than a million theatergoers, over the next two and a half years!

The best part of the entire experience, though, was meeting my husband, Mike. He joined the tour about six months into the run of the show as the associate conductor, and as he likes to say, we literally fell in love across the footlights!

After performing eight shows a week for the next two and a half years, we left the tour, moved back to New York City, got married, bought a little condo in Greenwich Village, and began our new life together. A year later we found ourselves answering an altar call and giving our hearts to the Lord. Franny was born a year later, and we thoroughly enjoyed our new little family amid all the excitement of living and working in the hustle and bustle of New York’s music and theater world.

It wasn’t long, though, before we began to feel the tug on our hearts to lay down the business we had worked so hard to find our way in and follow what God had in store for us next. Bucking conventional wisdom but following what we believed was God’s best for our family, we eventually left New York and our careers behind to embark on building a new life that included moving to the suburbs, starting a new business, and homeschooling our little girl."

(quoted from GROWING GREAT KIDS) Battistelli, Kate (2012-01-03). Growing Great Kids: Partner With God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child's Life (p. 15). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

To read the rest of this AMAZING story (BELIEVE ME YOU WANT TO--IT'S SOOOO MOVING!) PLEASE CLICK ON THIS NEXT LINK which will connect you to her blog. BUT COME RIGHT BCK AND ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF HER BOOK!!!


THE REST OF THE STORY



Are you back? Wasn't that a touching story???? It seemed like God had taken something from her, when all along He just had much bigger plans for her family than she did!! It just gives me goosebumps all over my body :)

Now onto the goodies! Here's what the prize is:

An autographed copy of Growing GREAT KIDS.

THE BLURB:

Help your child become everything God made them to be
Successful adults don’t happen by accident. It takes wisdom to raise your children with a strong sense of their destiny in God and a deep knowledge of their gifts and callings.
In Growing Great Kids, Kate Battistelli shares what she and her husband, Mike, learned about parenting during the journey of raising their daughter—Dove Award–winning recording artist Francesca Battistelli. Using anecdotes to illustrate the insights she and her husband gained, she provides practical advice including:
  • How to dream God’s big dream for your child
  • The value of humility and integrity
  • How to interpret God’s seasons in a child’s life
  • The power of a parent’s words, and more


Here's what people are saying about it:

Courtney wrote in her review: "She uses amazing scripture verses to make her points. At the end of each chapter she gives you questions to answer that help you think about your parenting style and find the things you can improve on."

Pat Fenner wrote: "Unlike many parenting books I've read over the years, Kate Battistelli offers views and a vision of a much bigger picture. Dealing with issues such as integrity, honesty, character and calling, this is no "how to" book."

Simplyme wrote: " I was inspired by how much Kate showed she relied on God to help her in her role of mom. The focus on praying really stood out to me in a HUGE way. That is something that I will do more of now."


There are many chances to enter and you have all week to enter multiple times :) One winner will be chosen at random on Sunday. The more times you enter the better your chances are :)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 comments:

Amber said...

The winner is Chelsea Renne :) You have mail, Chelsea.

David P. King said...

Good to meet you, Kate, and thanks for spotlighting her book, Amber! :)