Presents a fully biblical and extremely practical vision for intergenerational ministry so that women of all ages can know the blessing of spiritual mother-daughter relationships.
For many churches, women’s ministries, and women’s Bible study groups, the missing element of discipleship is the interpersonal aspect. Titus 2:3-5 clarifies what mature spiritual relationships between generations of women should look like. Susan Hunt unveils how to put that model into action with stories of biblical and contemporary women who have responded to God’s call, as well as page after page of personal encouragement, practical insight, and ministry-tested how-to’s.
Through this wisdom-packed book, churches, groups, and individuals will be equipped to reach across generational lines—and inspired to experience the blessing of nurturing, godly relationships so that every Christian woman may flourish in her faith.
MY REVIEW
A lot of women turn to Titus 2 for instruction, encouragement and direction on being a mother, wife and woman. Susan Hunt has laid a great foundation of mentoring and mothering.
One person at a time, is the heart of Susan and she guides is through the who, how and why spiritual mentoring is so important.
I recommend this book to mothers, women in leadership positions and those who have a heart to reach other women for Christ.
*This book was provided by Crossway Books free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
Doing our best as a parent is not what God wants. He wants us to do His will. The fact is most Christian parents today did not have a godly example given to them by their own parents, leaving them ignorant and confused over God's will in raising children. God, knowing that this would occur, gave us all we need within His Word to instruct us.
This book will help parents with practical tools in: Having a strong spiritual foundation. Working together (if married) as a team. Ways to meet our children's emotional needs without compromising our faith. How to disciple your children. How to instill characters such as personal responsibility and self-control. How to start over.
Every Christian parent wants to do the right thing but parenting according to God's Word does not come naturally. One needs to be discipled either by parental example or by deliberate instruction. Being a parent is one of the most important tasks God has given us to do here on earth for Him. We must choose to rely upon His Word and His grace to accomplish this important undertaking.
ABOUT PASTOR CRAIG F. CASTER
Pastor Craig F. Caster is the Founder and Director of Family Discipleship Ministries. Craig has gained a reputation among many churches as a trusted resource for equipping and ministering to families. He has developed biblically based marriage and parenting tools and has taught thousands through seminars hosted in churches around the US and Internationally. Pastor Craig has been a keynote speaker at many conferences, retreats, and family camps, as well as having a weekly radio program. He has over 20 years of family ministry experience as a youth pastor, marriage and family counselor, teacher, speaker and author. Craig has been married since 1980 and has 3 children.
Family Discipleship Ministries is a non-profit ministry established in 1994 to support, educate and train the body of Christ to serve the institution of the family. To accomplish this goal we offer Biblical resources for marriage, parenting, dating relationships, discipleship training and youth mentoring in various forms such as books, workbooks, audio, audio/video in a variety of digital formats.
The vision of Family Discipleship Ministries is to equip and support Christian churches, enabling them to meet the needs of families in their congregations . Since we began, thousands of Christians have completed our Biblical training classes in marriage, parenting, discipleship and dating relationships. Our resources have been developed to help Christian churches understand the value in discipling Christians in all areas, raising up and inspiring Christians in congregations to disciple one another in the most important ministry we will ever have, our family!
Check out a FREE online Parenting Class or Marriage Class offered by Craig.
He offers many free downloads and studies on his site, take a look while you wait for Parenting as a Ministry to come in the mail!
MY REVIEW
Being a parent, you should feel a 'call' to the ministry. Even more so, being a stay-at-home Mom, I feel that I am in full time Children's Ministry and I am. I thank Pastor Craig for writing this book and reminding me how to love, lead, encourage and discipline my kids in God's ways.
Pastor Craig has a laid a great scriptural base for each point that he communicates. I really appreciate that it is not merely his opinion, but he shows us where he bases these concepts from the Bible.
I surely recommend this to parents in every state of parenting, but I URGE parents of young kids to read this book.
*This book was provided by Veritas Communications in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
The year is 1945. The war is over and 21-year-old Betty Lake has been invited to Europe to sing in a USO tour for American soldiers who now occupy Hitler's Germany. The first nights performance is a hit. Betty becomes enthralled with the applause, the former Nazi-held mansion they're housed in and the attention of Frank Witt, the US Army Signal Corp Photographer. Yet the next night this songbird is ready to fly the coop when Betty's dear friend, Kat, turns up missing. Betty soon realizes Franks photographs could be the key to finding Kat. Betty and Frank team up against post-war Nazi influences and the two lovebirds' hearts may find the answers...in each other.
But will they have a chance for their romance to sing? The truth will be revealed under a German moon.
Meet Tricia!
Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty books including From Dust and Ashes, My Life UnScripted,
and the children's book, 10 Minutes to Showtime. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in
2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like Today's Christian Woman and Focus on the Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in the mountains of Montana.
My Review
I've tried the historical fiction a few times, and haven't been able to complete many of them. I forced myself to finish this one.
It is nothing bad with Tricia writing, story line or characters. Those are all actually great!
Tricia's writing is flowing and easy to read. Her characters were real, believable and engaging. Her story line was well researched and was intense at some points.Betty is a gal that any one of us women would want to be friends with. (I know I'd love t meet her!)
Historical fiction is just not my cup of tea. I gave it a try because it was a suspense novel and I love love love (did I say that I love) the suspense genre!
If you like historical fiction, RUN out now and pick up this book. If not, my suggest is give it a try anyway! You may change your mind!
You’ll be entered to win one of three signed copies of Songbird Under a German Moon.
*This book was provided by LitFuse Publicity Group free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
Annie is a college grad-student who is stumped about love. Her mom and dad are in the throes of a divorce, her teenage sister is obsessed with how her boyfriend makes her look, and her closest friend Jennah is on a continual ride of running off every guy she dates. Friendships, dating, romance, and marriageit's all confusing to Annie until the day a white-haired stranger appears in her life. Glaen is an unusual professor with an unusual name. Her white-haired unconventional mentor guides Annie on a path of discovery that unlocks the secrets of real relationships in a world gone phony. By abandoning herself to learn, Annie discovers the mystifying affect of how learning to tell the truth changes everything in friendship, family, and love. The solutions Dr. Lybrand offers in this book will astound and free you to quit doing the very things that take away your ability to find the love and friendship you want. More importantly, you'll discover a fresh path to the possibility of greater connections with those you care most about. You'll want everyone you love to read this book...twice!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Fred Lybrand grew up in Anniston, Alabama and studied English Literature at the University of Alabama. He graduated with honors from Dallas Theological Seminary, and earned a Doctor of Ministry from Phoenix Seminary. Lybrand recently retired as senior pastor of Northeast Bible Church to pursue writing and speaking full time. He resides near San Antonio with his wife, Jody, and their five children. Lybrand has written and published five books entitled Heavenly Citizenship The Spiritual Alternative to Power Politics; The Absolute Quickest Way to Help Your Child Change; About Life and Uganda; Preaching on Your Feet; and Back to Faith Reclaiming Gospel Clarity in an Age of Incongruence.
MY REVIEW
Some of the characters deal with some questions, the same that we are actual humans deal with! Fred did a great job with this book. A novel with a truly divine and note-worthy message!
Oh, how I wished I could have read this as a young teen! By passed all the boyfriend drama!
I'll read it again now as an adult, and share it with my girls when they are teens!
A study guide is available online here, just sign up for the Glaen newsletter!
One Million Arrows for Families: Join the Vision Will the world change your children...or will your children change the world?
The recently released book, One Million Arrows: Raising Your Children to Change the World, casts a vision for parents who want their family to live with purpose, passion, and to be counted among the heroes in the pages of “His Story.”
Using a generous supply of inspiring testimonies of both families and young people worldwide who are currently being used by God in mighty ways, author Julie Ferwerda offers three stages of raising kingdom-minded kids: gather, sharpen, and launch:
Gather up the children—your own, others in your circle of influence and, if possible, broken children who need a family. Sharpen them in the Word, raising them as disciples of Jesus. Launch them into the world, ready to use their God-given gifts, talents, and resources in order to make a difference for the Kingdom.
Interwoven throughout the book is also a call for families to get involved in the care and spiritual development of orphaned children worldwide who are being rescued, discipled, and spiritually trained to be launched back into their own countries with the life-changing Gospel. The inspiration for this call to action came from Julie’s visit to India where she met world changer, Dr. M.A. Thomas.
M.A. Thomas, known as "Papa" to many thousands throughout India, began rescuing orphaned and abandoned children off the streets in the late 70s. In India, it is estimated that there are approximately 80 million orphaned and abandoned children—more than half of the world’s estimated number in one country alone. This troubled M.A. Thomas deeply until one day when he read Psalm 127:3-5, where all children are described as a gift and reward—like arrows in the hands of a mighty man—not just one's own children. He asked God to show him how he might help restore many more children on the streets of India, the "throw-aways" of society, to the earthly and heavenly purposes for which they were intended.
It was then that God gave him the vision of gathering one million orphaned and abandoned children, sharpening them as "arrows for God," and launching them to start one million churches in the 600,000 villages and cities that have never heard the Gospel. He has been faithfully working toward the vision since, through the ministry of Hopegivers International, and today he has launched more than 16,000 orphan-arrows as ambassadors of Christ into India, Nepal, Myanmar, Burma, and he has overseen the planting of 21,000 churches.
Today, M.A. Thomas is convinced that his vision is not just for India. He believes in these last days that God is raising up a generation of young people on every continent and from every walk of life to join Him in His work to fulfill the Great Commission.
One Million Arrows brings that vision to America, engaging families in Papa's universal vision of raising their own children as effective arrows for the Kingdom, and also encourages families to invest in other arrows being shaped and sent as disciples, whether closer to home or through the many discipling orphan ministries worldwide.
Julie’s reminder to parents is that our kids don’t have to grow up in order to make a real difference. The Bible and history bear proof that young people can be doing big things right now to change their communities, their culture, their country, and even the world at large. As parents, we have to raise them to see themselves as created for a special purpose, and to use their talents and passions to make a difference wherever God plants them.
One Million Arrows has received glowing endorsements and reviews from some of the country’s best-known ministry leaders and authors such as Josh McDowell, Franklin Graham, Dennis Rainey, Ron Luce, Thelma Wells, Alvin Reid, Mark Batterson, and Steven McGarvey.
Right now, God is inviting your family to become part of a bigger story—a vision that will engage your hearts to make a radical difference. You can raise your kids to impact their culture, their community, and even their world for Christ. If you want your kids to discover their purpose, if you want them to live with a passion for the Kingdom, if you want your family to go down in His-Story, accept the mission...and leave a mark for eternity.
(My family is the family that is shown after the word "PASSION")
About the Author
Julie Ferwerda is recognized for making the Bible exciting and relevant to everyday life through her writing and speaking. Her articles are featured in many Christian magazines and websites for both adults and teens, and she frequently volunteers her time and talents to international orphan ministry. Learn more at OneMillionArrows.com.
My Review
First off when I read a non-fiction Christian book, I find myself checking out the endorsements to see if they are any that I know and trust.
Julie's book, One Million Arrows, had many; Dennis Rainey, Ron Luce, Josh McDowell, just to name a few.
As I got further and further into the book I kept having 'ah-ha!' moments. I was being inspired and convicted and encouraged, all at the same time.
Julie shares stories of families who have successfully raised arrows that are damaging the enemies grasp. Though I sometimes as I read, I felt inadequate for the job, I also felt encouraged to know that God blessed me with each of my children and I've been given a task that I can handle as long as I lean on Him to get the job done.
God has really been working on me about getting better at teaching my kids His word and getting back to regular prayer time with my kids and husband.
I regret that I did not grow up in a strong Christian home, though my parents both new about God, they never really fell head over heels in love with Him and invested the time to shape me and my siblings into arrows.
I know that it won't be easy. But it will be worth it.
Julie states it this way on page 125
"Being an arrow is a lot like signing up for Fear FActor. You know there's going to be a lot of suspense, some fun and interesting challenges, some really hard mental and physical obstacles and of course, plenty of fear as you're stretched way out of your comfort zone."
I think that is an understatement!
Are you ready to raise arrows for God?
I AM!
You can read chapter one of One Million Arrowshere.
Sophie Frangos is torn between the love of two men and the promise that binds them all together. Markos Stavros loves Sophie from afar while battling his thirst for vengeance and his hunger for honor. Dino, his quiet and intelligent brother, simply wants to forget the horror that drove them from their Greek island home to start a new life in America. One of these “sons of thunder” offers a future she longs for, the other—the past she lost.
From the sultry Chicago jazz clubs of the roaring twenties to the World War II battlefields of Europe to a final showdown in a Greek island village, they’ll discover betrayal, sacrifice, and finally redemption. Most of all, when Sophie is forced to make her choice, she’ll learn that God honors the promises made by the Sons of Thunder.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year.
Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.
Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com
MY REVIEW
In the past I have not read much historical fiction, and, wow, what have I been missing?! Warren has done an amazing job putting me right in the middle of the war.
This was the first novel I have read by Warren (though I own a couple that are still on my TBR list!)
Written from three perspectives, almost as three separate novellas, and combined together into one unforgettable story, this book is a must read for historical fiction fans everywhere.
I will be reading more historical fiction and more by Susan May Warren.
(I do caution that if you have a soft stomach there are so scenes that Warren describes that got me a little woozy and I had to stop reading for a little while. Though this 'feeling' is new to me and I have only experienced it a few times, I just felt inclined to warn you!)
Each one of us has a wealth of stories from the past – while they might not all be as sweeping and dramatic as that of Sofia and the Stravos brothers (swoon), your family history is a treasure nonetheless.
Well – let’s hear them! Were your great-grandparents ‘fresh off the boat’? Was your great uncle a war hero? Did your grandmother make unbelievable sacrifices to help or protect the family? Did your father harbor a family secret until his death? Are you related to someone famous? Do you have a family treasure? Whatever it is that is unique in your family history – share your story here! (click on the SHARE button)
One grand prize winner will receive:
• Memory Prize package containing a gift certificate to create your own hard cover photo book • 6 month membership to Netflix (to satisfy that flick fix!) • Signed copy of Sons of Thunder!
5 runners up will also win signed copies of Sons of Thunder!
You can also be entered to win a copy of Sons of Thunder by helping us Spread the Word during the blog tour!
TWEET THIS:(must use hashtag #SonsofThunder to be entered - no limit on entries! Tweet away!)
Please RT! @susanmaywarren launches new Romantic Suspense #SonsofThunder. Share your story 2 win a fab prize pack! http://ow.ly/1digM
*This book was provided by LitFuse free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
When your daughter was born, you had a thousand hopes and dreams for her. . .including that one day you'd be best friends.
But as life unfolds, even the best intentions go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. Thankfully, a harmonious relationship with your daughter is possible.
Written by a mother and daughter who have successfully navigated the minefield from distance and tension to acceptance and friendship, Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms open wide the door of communication so that daughters want to walk through it. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on proven principles, each chapter offers timeless wisdom as well as a daughter’s perspective. Often these principles apply to daughters-in-law as well.
The relationship between mothers and daughters is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But you can have the loving, authentic bond you always dreamed of—when you learn the mother-daughter duet.
About the Authors
CHERI FULLER is a best-selling, award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. She speaks to a wide range of women at women's conferences and is a frequent guest on national radio and television programs.
ALI PLUM is Cheri's daughter, a writer and songwriter, a wife, and a mother to Noah and Luke. She and her mom have weathered the ups and downs of their relationship to find one of the most treasured, honest relationships of their lives. Ali has recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and Mother-Daughter Duet is her debut into book publishing.
My Review
Though my daughters are still young, I received a lot from this book.
As a mother we want the best for our daughter(s), we want them to be succeed and to be happy. That doesn't stop once they are out of our house, so as a mom to an adult women our role has changed, we've done our job of raising her. She is no longer under eighteen and we don't have much say-so in her life, so now it is time to just be a friend.
Treating her as you would your other adult friends will be a hard concept but that was one of the main points I got, that we need to step out of the Mother role just enough to be a good friend. That's not to say that you are no longer important as a mother, but your job of raising her dissolved once she turned eighteen and left your household. You can now be a friend to her, that will make a bigger impact than staying in the "boss" role.
I wish that I had that kind of 'friendship' with my mom, where she became a friend when I got married and become a mother myself. So a big desire for me is to have a great friendship with my daughters when they are adults. For now, I'll be mom first and friend second.
Product Description
Let Your Soul Dance with Delight in God
Do you sometimes feel victimized by circumstances? Are you overwhelmed by weariness, fear, or discouragement? Do you wonder, Where can I go to claim the promise of Jesus that my joy could be made full?
When trusted author and mentor Sally Clarkson noticed a lack of joy in her own life, she realized how easy it can be, especially for women with overloaded to-do lists, to feel weighed down by drudgery and disappointment. But rather than slogging through her days, Sally wanted to know the delight of God's presence. She began prayerfully exploring how to cultivate deep-rooted joy even in the midst of difficult seasons.
In this warm and wise book, she invites you to experience for yourself what happens when you trust God to lead you into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose.
Weaving biblical insights with real-life stories that reflect every Christian woman's deepest longings, Dancing with My Father reveals how any woman, in any circumstance, can daily live in beauty and grace, joy and peace.
About the Author
Sally Clarkson is a popular speaker who has worked in various ministries for more than thirty years. She is the author of several books, including The Mission of Motherhood. She and her husband, Clay, are the cofounders of Whole Heart Ministries, which encourages and equips Christian parents. The Clarkson's live with their four children just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
My Review
Having a 'study guide' at the end of each chapter is awesome! I enjoy this because I am able to immediately apply what I learned in the chapter.
Through this book, Sally teaches us that joy is a choice you must make. Sally's desire was to have joy in all circumstances in this dance of life. She has taken real-life stories and scripture to weave together a great guide for women in every stage of life to find joy in God as He leads you in the dance of life.
Sally has some amazing books and help for mothers and women. I've learned much from many of her books in the past, and here is another that I can add to that list. Sally speaks from her heart and is transparent to her readers. In books such as this one, that is extremely important to me.
One Lucky Reader will win a copy of both Dancing with My Father AND Mother Daughter Duet, courtesy of the publisher.
You MUST be a follower to be eligible.
Here's how to enter:
Leave a comment including your email address.
Additional Entries:
(Be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional post for it to be counted!)
Tweet, post on Facebook or blog about this giveaway.
Winner will be picked through a random drawing held on Sat. March 6, 2010.
*This book was provided by Random House Publishers free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
Marissa Gladstone is mourning the death of her father as she starts to drown in the lake behind her house. Neighbor and local baseball hero Sean Moffit dives into the murky water to rescue the young beauty only to find himself falling for the much younger girl. Three years later with a ring on her finger and a promise of marriage Sean skips town, leaving Marissa with a dark secret. As the months pass the pain of her father's death resurfaces and Marissa is asked to attend a youth ski trip in Vermont. But her idea of getting away for weekend is squelched when she runs into Sean's friend Hawke Davies. Unable to hide her past attraction to Hawke, Marissa must let go of what happened with Sean and open her heart to the true love she has been searching for; even when it threatens to unveil her past.
About the Author
Jessica Adriel is a Native to New England, a former runway model and a youth speaker. Her current books deal with a range of issues that plague teenage hearts and often carry into adulthood. A strong woman with a diverse past, Jessica loves talking about her encounter with God, the supernatural and the many miracles she has witnessed. With flare for the extreme her characters are out of the ordinary and their tales are simply spectacular. She resides outside Washington D.C with her family, their two cats, a bunny and Siberian Husky named Navi.
Interview with Jessica
First, I'd like to thank you for taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule to chat with us!
When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing in 4th grade because of a school project. I had a crush on Cory Feldman, so that's how it got started.
What inspired you to write your first book?
My first published book came out of an experience I had my senior year of high school when I came back to Christ. I was saved a kid but walked away while pursing a career in modeling. I made some bad choices and had some frightening things happen, so when I headed back to church, the youth pastor stopped me outside the building and said he wasn't sure they should let me back in. That devastated me. I had been searching for a story that would grab teens, so I started with that. I immediately had Marissa Gladstone in my head. The series started off just like that!
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Always. If there is no message, I won't write. The Chatham series hits on many messages. The message of Drawing Marissa is that God will draw us to Himself. The title has a dual purpose in the book. Once you realize that God is pursuing you, you can reach out and embrace His unending love.
How much of the book is realistic?
95% I'd say the only thing missing is Hawke's physical attraction to Marissa. He's our hero and in this book he keeps his hands off the girl. (He'd make any mother proud.)
What books have most influenced your life most?
Music has been more of an influence on me. I think when the Shack hit the stores, I knew my style would be accepted. People want to learn about God through fiction. That's why I write. My books have a message of either forgiveness of unconditional love.
What are you reading now?
Cathy Gohlke- William Henry is a Fine Name, Sharon Ewell Foster- Abraham's Well, (I like historic fiction)
Who are some of your favorite Christian authors?
Kristen Billerbeck, the above two and Sigmund Brouwer
Tell us something that most of your readers wouldn't know about you.
Despite being a model, I've always wanted a nose job!
Who is Jesus to you? How did you meet Him?
I am a very honest person so here is my answer. He was my friend during a frightening childhood, he was my rescuer later in life. Now he is my brother, he guides me and encourages me.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I hope to capture your heart and I pray God will use me to brighten up your world.
My Review Drawing Marissa was a quick and easy read. The 190 page book was not easy to walk away from. I read it within 24 hours of beginning it.
Marissa's story is one that sounds all too real. Having had experience working with teens, and being a teen at one time in life myself, I've seen many of them replace the hole in their heart with many things; friends, boyfriend/girlfriends, drugs, music, partying, etc. This YA book touches on many of the things that young people face these days.
Any teen girl would be able to relate to Marissa, Hawke, Sean, Stephanie and Evan and their stories. As a grown women who dealt with filling the hole in my heart as a teen with relationship after relationship, I could relate with Marissa's story.
The gift of salvation is front and center throughout Drawing Marissa, but not in a 'in-your-face throw-Jesus-down-your-throat way". Jessica does a great job of presenting the Gospel and plan of salvation in a way that teens can understand that they have a void in their heart that can only be truly fulfilled with Jesus Christ.
I own and plan to read book two in this series, Forgiving Sean. And an awaiting book three, Hawke's Tale, due out June 2010!
GIVEAWAY TIME!
Jessica Adriel will provide a download version of Drawing Marissa to one lucky winner!
Here's how to enter: You MUST be a follower to be eligible to win!
One entry for leaving a comment with a email address so I can contact you if you win!
Two entires if you are already a follower prior to entering this contest! (Being a follower pays!)
One entry for leaving a comment about something you learned from visiting Jessica's Website.
Abigail's hopes and dreams for the future are wrapped up in her handsome, dark-eyed betrothed, Nabal. But when the long-awaited wedding day arrives, her drunken groom behaves shamefully. Nevertheless, Abigail tries to honor and respect her husband despite his abuse of her. Meanwhile, Abigail's family has joined David's wandering tribe as he and his people keep traveling to avoid the dangerous Saul. When Nabal suddenly dies, Abigail is free to move on with her life, and thanks to her brother, her new life includes a new husband--David. The dangers of tribal life on the run are serious, but there are other dangers in young Abigail's mind. How can David lead his people effectively when he goes against God? And how can Abigail share David's love with the other wives he insists on marrying? Jill Eileen Smith, bestselling author of Michal, draws on Scripture, historical research, and her imagination as she fills in the blanks to unveil the story of Abigail and David in rich detail and drama. The result is a riveting page-turner that will keep readers looking forward to the next book in this trilogy.
From the Inside Flap
David. It had to be. The sight of the king's son-in-law was nothing like she had imagined. In the stories she'd heard of him, he was the shepherd and singer and the man who would kill to marry the woman he loved. The last thought should have warned her of the fierce warrior who strode down the hill, gaze angry and proud. He was more handsome than Nabal, but his expression was as dark as Nabal's had been the night he had assaulted her the first year of their marriage. Adonai, help me! Her knees grew weak, and she wasn't sure they would hold her, but she reined in her donkey just the same and slipped from its back. David's pace didn't slow until he stopped within an arm's length. She sucked in a startled breath. He was so close she could feel the strength of him, smell his sweat. Unable to stand without swaying, she fell to her knees and lowered her face to the dust. "My lord . . . please, let me speak to you. Hear what your servant has to say." She stopped and waited for his response, her heart pounding. Silence spanned between them like a wide chasm. She felt his touch on her head. "Rise and speak." His voice was quiet and hoarse, as though he didn't trust himself to say more.
MY REVIEW
King David has always been one of my favorite people in the Bible to study. His heart and desire to follow God though he continually messed up is an example worth taking note of. So when the opportunity was presented to me by Revel Publishing to review Abigail by Jill Eileen Smith, I jumped on it and I am not sorry that I did!
Sometimes there is such big gaps between verse 1 and verse 2 (not as in font size or style either!) and we sometimes wonder why the "in-between" is not talked about... well, maybe so that gifted authors like Jill can use her studies of Old Testament times and her imagination to give use heart felt stories like Abigail and Michal.
Though I did not read Michal(Book One in The Wives of David series) I was not lost reading book two.. I knew enough scripture to know the time frame that Jill picked up in from scripture.
Though I was easily able to put Abigail down and not feel drawn to pick it back up immediately, I'd love to read more by Jill. She has a great gift of putting the scripture into a clear story that women can relate to. King David and the Bible seem so much more real after reading Abigail and being reminded that these women had feelings too. They weren't just characters in a story.
*This book was provided by Revel free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Nina Meier for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
New author Nina Meier is an incredibly talented preschool Sunday school and VBS teacher, having 10 years’ experience in her own church doing just that. Ask anyone under the age of 5 about Miss Nina’s handmade green lizard bag that holds her lessons on love and respect for God’s creation, each other, and ourselves. With fresh, new ideas always at her fingertips, even at a moment’s notice, no child is ever bored in her class, and she is able to laugh and dance them through a Bible lesson effortlessly.
Nina has been enjoying a career in Medical Transcription for the past 15 years, having gone back to school when her 2 sons were both in college. Her husband is a talented wood craftsman and has, on many occasions, brought her VBS ideas to life. He also builds sets for church plays that are of professional quality.
Many of Nina’s lessons on missions come from firsthand experience on the field during short-term mission trips to West Virginia, the interior of Mexico, Moldova near Romania, the Gulf Coast, and an Indian reservation in Ontario, Canada.
With such multi-faceted talent, anything this new author puts her pen to is a guaranteed winner!
List Price: $11.99
Paperback: 68 pages
Publisher: Tate Publishing (August 5, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1604628766
ISBN-13: 978-1604628760
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Bailey’s Cave Adventures
Video/Puppet Show
Scene 1 – Day 1: Bailey comes flying and crashing into the room. When dust settles, you can see him more clearly.
Bailey: “Hi boys and girls, my name is Bailey, and I’m a brown bat. Bet you never saw a bat who was always flying into things! That’s because most bats have sonar. Let me explain what that word means. Bats can see with sound better than light. They send out a sound so high-pitched that human ears can’t hear it! The sound bounces off whatever is in front of them, and comes back to their ears. This happens really fast. That’s how they find food, and keep from flying into things.”
“Well, something went wrong when I was born, and my sonar has never worked! Anyway, it’s okay because my Mom and Dad gave me a seeing-eye dog, you know, the kind blind people use, and he helps me get around, and keeps me from falling, when he’s with me. Sometimes I try to go off on my own and, well, you can imagine. He’s my best friend! Would you like to meet my dog? (Yes!) OK. Here Radar, where are you boy?”
Out from under a curtain Bailey knocked down comes a large black Lab wearing a harness w/handle.
Radar: “I see you’re doing okay, no lumps or bumps? Well, climb on up and grab hold of my harness. I have a few things to tell these boys and girls here.”
Bailey climbs up on Radar’s head, to the harness, hangs onto the handle upside down with a sigh of relief, and falls asleep.
Radar turns to audience and says, “My job is to keep Bailey on the right path, and warn him of danger. Sometimes he listens, other times he goes off on his own without even seeing where he’s going. He has to learn to trust me completely. That’s like what the Holy Spirit does for you. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “ ‘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.’ ”
Bailey wakes up.
Bailey: “Radar, I almost forgot. While I was out flying”--Radar whispers to the audience, “And crashing”-- “I heard some kids talking about going spelunking, that’s cave exploring, and someone who does that is called a spelunker. Anyway, I was thinking I’d make a great spelunker, and I’ve never been very far into the cave, I could go all the way down to the dark zone! It would be a real adventure!” (Getting excited).
Radar: “Now hold on Bailey, that sounds pretty dangerous to me. I’d feel a lot better if you let me go with you.”
Bailey: “Sure, okay, that’d be fun, who’s going to carry the flashlight?” (Turns to audience). “Could you help us with flashlights boys and girls?” (Yes!) “Great, let’s get ready to go then!”
My Review
What a talent Nina has to put such an easy kid friendly touch to some great Bible stories. Nina's lessons are short, sweet and to the point for the young pre-school group and short yet deep for the elementary age kids.
From lessons like The Birth of Samson, Love Your Enemies, The Beatitudes to lessons about God's Special Plan: The Creation Story, your Sunday School class will learn with great helpers like Bailey the Bat, Radar the Black Lab, Millie the Millipede, Greta the Glowworm, Beatrice the Blind Cave Fish. Each character has something special about them, just like the kids in your class.
Great lessons that can easily be used alone, or as a base for adding your own touch to.
*This book was provided by the author free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
A year ago, Ann and Peter Brooks were just another unhappily married couple trying—and failing—to keep their relationship together while they raised two young daughters. Now the world around them is about to be shaken again, when Peter, a university researcher, comes to a startling realization: a virulent pandemic has made the terrible leap across the ocean to America's heartland.
And it is killing fifty out of every hundred people it touches.
As her town goes into lockdown, Peter is forced to return home—with his beautiful graduate assistant. But their safe suburban world is no longer the refuge it once was. Food grows scarce. Neighbor turns against neighbor in grocery stores and at gas pumps. And then a winter storm strikes, and they are left huddling in the dark.
Trapped inside the house she once called home, Ann Brooks must make life-or-death decisions in an environment where opening a door to a neighbor could threaten all the things she holds dear.
ABOUT THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE
How far would you go to protect your family?
Ann Brooks never thought she’d have to answer that question. Then she found her limits tested by a crisis no one could prevent. Now, as her neighborhood descends into panic, she must make tough choices to protect everyone she loves from a threat she cannot even see. In this chillingly urgent novel, Carla Buckley confronts us with the terrifying decisions we are forced to make when ordinary life changes overnight.
A year ago, Ann and Peter Brooks were just another unhappily married couple trying–and failing–to keep their relationship together while they raised two young daughters. Now the world around them is about to be shaken as Peter, a university researcher, comes to a startling realization: A virulent pandemic has made the terrible leap across the ocean to America’s heartland.
And it is killing fifty out of every hundred people it touches.
As their town goes into lockdown, Peter is forced to return home–with his beautiful graduate assistant. But the Brookses’ safe suburban world is no longer the refuge it once was. Food grows scarce, and neighbor turns against neighbor in grocery stores and at gas pumps. And then a winter storm strikes, and the community is left huddling in the dark.
Trapped inside the house she once called home, Ann Brooks must make life-or-death decisions in an environment where opening a door to a neighbor could threaten all the things she holds dear.
Carla Buckley’s poignant debut raises important questions to which there are no easy answers, in an emotionally riveting tale of one family facing unimaginable stress.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Carla Buckley is the debut author of The Things That Keep Us Here (Delacorte Press, February 2010.) She was born in Washington, D.C., attended Oberlin College and The Wharton School for Business, and has worked in a variety of jobs, including a stint as an assistant press secretary for a U.S. senator, an analyst with the Smithsonian Institution, and a technical writer for a defense contractor. Orion in the UK and Wunderlich in Germany pre-empted rights to The Things That Keep Us Here and Buckley’s next book, and Random House has purchased audio rights. She is the Chair of the International Thriller Writers Debut Program and currently lives in Ohio with her husband and children. She can be reached at www.CarlaBuckley.com, on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/carla.buckley), and Twitter (http://twitter.com/CarlaBuckley.)
For a full interview with Carla, check out the Pump Up Your Book! author interview.
MY REVIEW
Wow! What a page turner! I was captured from the first page.
The first night I read some before I bed I dreamt about what was going on. Carla's writing is very easy to read and she has a captivating voice in her writing.
Though there are a few swear words, I did not find this book offensive, I found it real.
Bravo to Carla Buckley in her debut novel! I'd love to read more by her. I had vivid dreams (okay nightmares) of her story. To me, that makes a great author! I not only thought about the story she created, I dreamt about what I'd do and how I'd care for those closest to me.
Thanks Carla for the amazing adventure, but maybe not so much for the nightmares!
*This book was provided by the author free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
“It is said that as Cahira, daughter of the great Irish king Rory O’Connor, lay dying of a wound from a Norman blade, she lifted her hand toward heaven and beseeched God that others would follow after her, bright stars who would break forth from the courses to which they are bound and restore right in this murderous world…”
To Kathleen O’Connor, Cahira’s story is nothing more than a charming legend—until her research divulges that several of Cahira’s heirs did, indeed, leave the traditional roles of womanhood to fight for right. Stunned, Kathleen realizes she herself bears Cahira’s mark. Is Kathleen destined to continue the legacy in the twenty-first century?
To discover how the histories of these women relate to her own future, Kathleen must delve deep into the past to learn the truth about The Heirs of Cahira O’Connor…
Aidan O’Connor was raised among pickpockets and prostitutes in a Dutch colony on Java, Indonesia. But when a world-famous cartographer discovers her natural artistic talent, she is given a chance to leave her troubled life behind. Disguised as a boy, Aidan joins her benefactor at sea and begins the work of drawing the flora and fauna of the new world. This fresh beginning leads her into adventure--and to a great love. But can this love survive the force of Aidan’s past…and her ambitions for her future?
About the Author
Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With nearly four million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 100 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to nonfiction books, to novels.
Now that her two children have reached their twenties, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards--one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.
Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.
Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
Also in 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree. She completed her doctorate in 2008 and was accepted into a Th.D. program in 2009. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.
You can find more about Angela and her books here.
I have not had the chance to dive into this one yet. It is high on my TBR list!
At a bargin price of $5.99, can you afford not to owe this book! What are you waiting for... hurry to your local Christian bookstore and buy it!
ON A SIDE NOTE:
I have also had the opportunity and pure joy of reading The Novelist by Hunt and she just has an amazing way of getting you understand the love of God.
In this fantasy story, Hunt takes you into the world and mind of a writer, Jordan Casey Kerrigan.
Not only do you follow the writer in her life as a wife, mother and college professor, but you are taken into Jordan's current writing, The Ambassador.
Great fantasy read!
Other books by Angela Hunt that are on my TBR list include:
The Elevator
The Pearl
*The Golden Cross was provided by WaterBrook free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
Product Description
Beginning her new life in a small Oregon town, high school English teacher Jessica tries desperately to hide the details of her past. Yet two individuals remain determined to discover the painful truth: the jealous woman who is Jessica's immediate superior, and Kyle Buchanan, a handsome, compassionate paramedic and dreamer. Will Jessica's past destroy her future? Or can she find a deeper peace that will end her need to keep Secrets? Readers will find out in this bestselling former Palisades release, now the first book of the new Glenbrooke series by bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn.
About the Author
Robin Jones Gunn is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than 45 books, including 8 in The Glenbrooke series. She is also the author of the nonfiction work, Mothering by Heart. Robin and her husband, Ross, live in Portland, Oregon, with their teenage son and daughter.
My Review
Robin has been a favorite author of mine since before I really enjoyed reading for pleasure.I picked up my first book from her at age twelve when I needed a book to read for school book reports.
As a teen, I read the complete Christy Miller series, and I hated reading at the time!
Now, as an adult who loves to read I thoroughly enjoyed the complete Glenbrooke series by Robin.
Secrets is the first in the series (and in my opinion the best in the series.) I really loved the fact that Jessica is a girl that knows when she needs to surrender.
Robin Jones Gunn can reach any audience with her captivating writing style and voice. I have found other authors that I enjoy, but Robin is by far my favorite still, maybe it's because she got me through the awkward teen years, or maybe because she has been given such an amazing gift. Who knows!?
I encourage everyone who loves romance, God and a great story to pick up Secrets from WaterBrook and begin the journey of exploring love, God and the quiet little town of Glenbrooke.
And, to make it even better~ Secrets can be picked up at the low cost of only $5.99! Great story, amazing journey and easy on the pocket book... who could ask for anything more!?
*This book was provided by WaterBrook free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa McKay and her husband, Luke, serve at a thriving church in Alabama. Together they are happily – if not always properly—raising three rowdy boys and one dramatic girl. In addition to being a wife and mom, Lisa is also a popular conference speaker.
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (February 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1434767264
ISBN-13: 978-1434767264
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
My Husband’s Calling is My Calling Too
Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.—Proverbs 19:21 (NASB)
I once had an interesting conversation with a woman whose husband had enrolled in seminary to prepare for ministry. “He can take classes all he wants, but I didn’t sign up for the preacher’s wife thing,” she said. Since she didn’t believe her husband would actually follow through, she went on to tell me she planned on humoring him until the day his calling affected her. And if that day ever came? Well, she’d just cross that bridge when she came to it.
He is still in school. She is still in denial.
Around that same time I attended a pastor’s wife conference that included a panel discussion at the end. Lined across the stage, five women in different seasons of ministry shared the thing they found most difficult about being married to a minister.
I’ll never forget the response of the youngest woman. She was the mom of toddlers and was obviously distressed. “The hardest thing for me is everyone wanting a piece of my husband and not acknowledging me in the least,” she said. “I feel like the person in the background who is only here to take care of the kids so he can be free to take care of everyone else.”
I was grieved by her raw response. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around that girl and assure her she had it all wrong. That she was an integral part of her husband’s ministry. That her calling in that season was her children. That no amount of public success possibly mattered if her heart and home were in shambles. The sad thing is that I’ve met many more like her in the past fifteen years during my own life as a minister’s wife. If anything, this has intensified my desire to embrace and encourage women whom God has charged with supporting the men He has ordained to proclaim His Word.
The fact that I just typed that last sentence still baffles me. You have no idea how surreal it is for me to be writing this book. There are many of you reading who have been Christians as long as you can remember and always knew you would marry a preacher. Many more of you grew up as the child of a minister and swore you would never marry one yourself, only to find yourself eating your words. Some of you have pursued callings to various vocational ministries and met your mate in college, seminary, etc. Some of you married men who were already serving in the church. However, based on my blog surveys, a lot of your serene lives were turned inside out when your husband experienced God’s call to ministry some point after you were married.
And then on the lunatic fringe are girls like me whose life and marital background weren’t exactly résumé worthy.
A Match Made In Heaven?
My husband, Luke, and I married young. I was a mere eighteen and he a strapping twenty-one. Can I just be honest and tell you there were never two individuals any more needy or any less likely to be serving behind a pulpit?
I always cringe when we run into old high school friends. The question of what we’re doing now always comes up, and there is one response that we can count on when we share that Luke is a pastor—after the laughter dies down, that is.
“Luke, you are a preacher? And Lisa? You are a preacher’s wife?! Okay, joke’s over. Now what are you really doing?”
We would be offended if we weren’t just as baffled.
I forgive our flabbergasted friends because I can’t hold their excellent recall against them. They remember the dangerous combination of the wild boy and the bitter girl whose marriage was tumultuous at best. Surely, the future they envisioned for us was set in a divorce court rather than a sanctuary. They were within days of being absolutely correct.
There is no human reason why Luke and I should still be wed today, much less serving the body of Christ. Even though we were not yet believers, our union started off well enough. But we soon faced the heartbreaking yet all too common reality of many young couples: The stress of working different shifts, having more month than money, and living the separate lives that developed in the midst of it resulted in our parting ways and filing for divorce two short years after the ceremony.
I despised the not-yet-preacher, and the truth is I loathed myself as much as him. We had hurt each other in a million ways, and all I could think of was getting away and starting over. We were within a week of our divorce being final when one night I received a bizarre phone call from him. He told me he had started going to church and wanted us to rethink what we were doing.
I went off the deep end! I spewed, “So you are turning into a religious fanatic—and you think that is going to fix everything?” I was so full of hate and bitterness, and it still makes me blush to think of all the horrible things I said to him about his newfound religion. He continued, very patiently, to call and tell me he was asking God for a miracle as the clock ticked toward the day our marriage would be legally over.
One night during the critical week before the divorce was final, I had gone to bed, still convinced divorce was the only answer. For some reason, I woke up around two a.m. and the tears began to flow. I missed my husband so badly I could barely lay there. I remember thinking, “What is wrong with you? You cannot stand him! It’s almost over, just hang in there.” I realize now that voice was Satan’s, bent on thwarting God’s plan for us. If you ask me how I know prayer works, or how I know God can turn a cold, black heart into one that can feel love, laughter, and joy (Ezek. 11:19), I will point you to that night because it is the one that changed everything.
I called Luke the next day. One conversation led to another, and we called the lawyer to stop the divorce proceedings. I tentatively moved back home with him, and we began visiting churches. I was still not very thrilled about the “God thing,” but I knew for some reason I wanted my husband back and this would play a part. Would it ever!
One night soon afterward, my hubby came to me in our living room and told me he had just prayed for salvation. He’d gone to church his whole life, but it was only at that time he truly accepted Christ as his Savior. I grew up in a totally different denomination, so this Baptist way of doing things was a little traumatic for me. I was glad for him, but I still wasn’t so sure what that meant for me. For personal reasons, organized religion held no real appeal, so I was very afraid of how having my husband become so radically different was going to affect me and our life together. Seemingly out of the blue, I began having feelings of not being good enough for this new man, and shame over my own sin slowly entered my heart.
For me, salvation was not a lightning-bolt experience but rather an intellectual process at first. I needed to understand it. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the Cross is foolishness for those who are perishing but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” I know the Spirit of God enabled me to believe what I was hearing because obviously I could have still walked away a scoffer. We were attending my husband’s childhood church, and the pastor became a dear friend and mentor to us both. He started a small group in his home, and I was able to ask all my questions in a very nonthreatening environment. That man was very patient with me as I asked everything from “What does ‘once saved, always saved’ mean?” to “When do you think the rapture will happen?” Sometime in the midst of those sessions, I realized I had already made a decision. That decision was for life—both for Jesus Christ and until-death-do-us-part with my husband. I asked the Lord to “officially” save me and soon afterward made that public in the body of people who had prayed so faithfully for us both.
If this had been the end of the story I would have been happily-ever-after indeed. Little did I know our tale was only beginning.
The Call
Over the next weeks, I watched Luke transform in front of my eyes. Where once stood a rough-around-the-edges construction worker, I now found a softened gentleman. Where turmoil had churned, peace now reigned. A thirst for the world was replaced by an unquenchable longing to drink up every bit of the Word that he’d neglected for the past years.
I’m in no way suggesting that a called minister is on a plane above any other Christian, but what I will say is that even in my own spiritually immature state, what I saw happening in Luke seemed to be so much more fervent than what I saw in other men. And as for my own walk, Luke’s desire made me long for more. If I can be so biased, Luke was special—an opinion I still hold.
I tell you this because I want you to understand that after Luke finally told me he believed God was calling him to minister, my head was shocked, but my heart wasn’t. Something in me perceived our life had taken a twist that surpassed simply returning to our old lives a renewed version of our previous selves. We both were experiencing intense restlessness in our jobs. I had just left an entire career on a lark. And Luke, who had always loved his trade and coworkers, began dreading the alarm clock every morning.
Have you ever read the book The Return of the King in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy? In the end Frodo the hobbit leaves his home, the Shire, after risking his life to save it. When explaining to his best friend, Sam, why he has to go, he says, “There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same.” In much the same way, the dailiness of our lives had taken on a sense of not-quite-belonging in the place that had always been familiar. Accepting the fact that God was calling us to serve Him in some capacity was like turning a dial to the last number on a combination lock. The “rightness” of it clicked, and suddenly the future was wide open.
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
Luke and I began to pray and seek God for what He wanted us to do—definitely a first in our married lives. I have no biblical basis for what I am going to say next, but I believe God answers the prayers of baby Christians with a shout instead of a whisper. God has taught us how to discern Him more through prayer and His Word now, but in those early days He had to throw out the flashing neon signs before our own lightbulbs lit up.
The first two of those signs were named Al and Doyle. Both of these men mentioned the name of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College within two days of one another. Al had just returned from a Constructors for Christ project, during which they had built new one-bedroom duplexes for married students without children. Doyle was a longtime supporter of the school. These days I call that type of communication from God a double affirmation, but then we were still thinking, “Hmmm.… That’s odd. I wonder if we are supposed to look into this?”
And God was saying, “Ya think?” while restraining Himself from knocking our foolish heads together.
Luke hesitated contacting the school to request information because he had no hopes of getting in. What I’ve not yet told you is that he didn’t graduate high school. What dropout had any kind of chance to go to college? He finally mustered the nerve to call, and we scheduled a visit. We still didn’t know for what. Both of us realized we wouldn’t be able to go right away but thought maybe the school could give some pointers on what Luke could do to become a student someday.
We traveled to the college and were in love at first sight. The campus was set in the mountains and was absolute lush, peaceful perfection. Arriving there felt like coming home, which at the time was heartbreaking because we knew this place couldn’t possibly be in our near future.
The following day we met the director of admissions, Jay. He was and remains one of the most boisterous, joyful, encouraging people we have ever known. Luke explained his full situation—particularly the part about not having a diploma. Luke expected to hear, “Sorry, son, but you don’t belong here. Come back in a year or two when you are good enough.” Instead Jay chuckled and said, “No problem!!”
No problem? How is not having a high school diploma not a problem?!
Brother Jay enthusiastically went on to explain there was a special program in this college for men who did not have a high-school degree. They would take regular college courses and also be tutored for high school in the freshman year. Students had two semesters to pass the GED, at which point they would have official student status and all classes would count toward a fully accredited degree.
And just like that, there was Neon Sign Three, and it blinked wildly, “Road Open!”
One patient, gracious God gave us three signs in an overwhelming answer to our many prayers—and they all pointed toward our new home. (One of the homes Al built, no less!)
Absolutely Certain (I Think)
Well, enough about us—for now anyway! Since I’ve shared a little backstory with you, I’d like to talk about what I believe is one of the foundational principles of our lives as ministry wives: the nature of our own call.
I realize each of our inductions into a life of ministry was met with different levels of enthusiasm. It’s not every woman who looks forward to low salaries and high expectations. Of frequent moves and misunderstood children. Of criticism and conflict. These are just a few stereotypical pitfalls that can understandably cause a woman to put the skids on any plans her man has for serving in vocational ministry.
As Luke was processing the call God placed on his life, I was blessedly ignorant of all the things I just listed. My church experience was limited to a few years of attendance as a child, so I really had no comprehension of the chew-’em-up-and-spit-’em-out reputation of churches where ministers are concerned. Naïveté is not always a bad thing—especially when knowing all the details could result in being too fearful to take the leap into God’s plan for your future.
But what part do you play in what God is asking your husband to do? Has God called you in the same manner as him? My short answer is to state plainly that every wife has the God-given role of being a faithful helpmeet no matter if her husband is a banker, a mechanic, or a schoolteacher. However, there are unique challenges and more assured uncertainties for the wife who has the high charge of supporting a man directed to leave the familiar behind and follow God’s call into the unknown. What are some of those challenges, and how should we who find ourselves in this situation react? Let’s learn from someone who has gone before us—Abraham’s wife, Sarah.
A Woman Out of Control
We meet Sarah in Genesis 11:30 and are told simply, “[She] was barren; she had no children.” In the Middle Eastern culture, Sarah’s dignity was directly tied to her being married and having babies. Since she was childless, she would not have risked staying behind without her husband, no matter how unsure she may have been about Abraham asking her to leave Ur. There was nothing but shame for Sarah in Ur without Abraham.
And conversely, there was nothing in Canaan for Abraham without Sarah. It was out of Sarah’s infertility that God would perform one of His most awesome works—the miraculous birth of a nation consecrated to Himself. Abraham could have found any number of women who weren’t suffering from the heartbreak of barrenness to be his wife. However, the supernatural birth of Isaac was the requirement for properly illustrating God’s glory through human hopelessness.
Long before Abraham met Sarah, God purposed for the two of them to be the human agents through whom He would bless the nations. Neither of them could have participated in God’s plan alone—each needed the other. That concept is no different for those God continues to call today to spread the good news throughout the world.
When I think of all the quirks and hang-ups that Luke and I both have, it is amazing to realize that for the most part we do not have the same ones. Luke is painfully shy; I’m the social extrovert. Luke is compassionate to a fault where I am more critical. Luke doesn’t understand drama, and I am a master of it; therefore, I am able to help him comprehend the underlying issues women have when he has no clue how to proceed. God placed us together as a team to complement one another’s weaknesses and to nurture the spiritual children He has entrusted to our care. I have total and complete faith in Luke’s ability and he in mine, and yet neither of us believes for a second we could have any measure of ministry success without the support of the other.
To the reluctant ministry wife, I understand your fear. I know your need to have some input on how and where you are going to raise your family. Even the wondrous event of God entering into covenant with Abraham on the assurance of an heir was not enough to keep Sarah from trying to control the way in which the promised child would come into the world. And thirteen years later, Sarah laughed when they were told once again she would have a son. Abraham’s seed could only be reckoned through Sarah, and that required a separate faith on her part—a willing participation in what God purposed to accomplish through their son, Isaac. Sarah wasn’t perfect. She could be harsh and unbelieving and manipulative. However, Hebrews 11:11 tells us God gave her strength to participate in the creation and blessing of nations because “she considered Him faithful who had promised” (NASB).
My personal feeling is that we can make the idea of serving in ministry way more complex than God ever intended. In the case of Abraham, God promised children more numerous than the stars in the sky and the sands on the seashore, but He didn’t ask him to birth them all! He gave Abraham charge over one piece of that promise—beloved Isaac. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the enormity of what God is asking us to do that we forget the Big Picture is composed of individual frames of obedience. I’m guilty of shutting down physically and mentally when the job seems way too big—and all God has asked of me is to trust Him one day at a time. It’s much easier to walk into the unknown if we can focus on being faithful with what is required of us today, trusting God for His faithfulness in all our tomorrows.
It’s Simple, Really
Are we called alongside our husbands? Absolutely. Is the life we are called to complex? You bet. But, based on my personal experience and the example of Sarah, I believe we are asked to do three things that will simplify our thinking and therefore help us to not only accept but look forward to a certain future.
We are called to trust.
1 Peter 3:6 says, “Just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, … you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear” (NASB).
This verse is found in a passage describing how a woman’s beauty is to be found internally instead of externally (verses 1–5). Among other things, Peter describes how a woman should be in willing subjection to her husband, even if he is not a believer. Dread shouldn’t motivate her in yielding to him, but rather a healthy fear of God’s mandate to honor her husband. Sarah’s singular obedience was dually blessed. She wanted to obey God by following Abraham. God’s laws are not arbitrary and are not given without benefit attached. Sarah’s reward was the gift of inclusion into the blessing of the nations that God had intended through Abraham. If we seek to surrender our lives to God’s will through His call on our husbands, we will be given the blessed distinction of being a daughter of Sarah.
So what does this type of obedience look like in a minister’s wife? Certainly the amount of reluctance you are feeling towards this role will dictate the type of faith it will take to accompany your husband into the unknown. Hear me well when I say that no matter how much initial trepidation I feel when God asks something of our family, He has yet to call Luke to a task without also piercing my own heart. It is always heartbreaking for me to talk to ministry wives who do not express any sense of calling toward their husband’s work. The reasons are endless, but most often the wife incorrectly believes that his ministry is just another vocation and has nothing to do with her, or she absolutely wants nothing to do with a life with trappings holding no obvious appeal.
You may ask, “Is it wrong if I don’t want my husband to be a preacher? Can anyone blame me if I don’t want to leave what is comfortable and predictable? What if I don’t want to move away from my extended family?” And bigger still, “What if I don’t trust my husband to discern God’s voice?”
If you find yourself feeling this way, then it is time to look past your wants and even those of your husband and straight to the face of God. Ask Him what He requires of you. Are you willing to trust Him with your unknown? Are you willing to obey even if you believe your man has some static in his radio? I wish I had an easy answer here, but in reality these questions can only be hashed out in some sincere facedown time with the Father. Because I continually remember the comfort and reassurance He has offered me with these same fears, I can promise you He’ll invade your heart with a much-needed peace in the midst of the pain that often goes along with hard-fought obedience.
Luke and I had no idea in the beginning what our exact ministry would look like. Would we be missionaries? Would he be behind a pulpit? Would we work in a parachurch organization? We had no clue. In the same way, be assured you won’t always know every detail of what God is asking of you. However, though the what may be unclear, we can always trust the motivation of the Who. Our faith in His promises and the assurance of His continual blessing upon the nations through our obedience in spreading His Word is enough to follow our man wherever God leads.
We are called to participate.
Hebrews 11:11–12 says, “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore” (NASB).
I can identify with Sarah on so many levels. Though she is heralded as a model of faithfulness, we know she behaved badly in her doubt. Just think about her side for a bit. God made these covenant promises to Abraham but never mentioned Sarah’s name once until she was ninety years old—some twenty-five years after God first appeared to her husband. She knew God promised Abraham an heir, and when the plan she hatched to speed that along resulted in Hagar’s pregnancy, Sarah may have felt left out by God entirely.
Are you like the girl in the beginning of this chapter who felt no one needed her? Do you ever feel left behind to cook, clean, and take care of babies while your husband spends the better part of his days ministering to everyone but you? Are you convinced he is having a blast crusading for the kingdom while you are stuck at home in the castle—as Cinderella no less?
Obviously the season of life you are in dictates to what degree you are able to participate in the work of the church. Listen closely, young mothers! Your ministry in this stage of life is to those precious babies in your care. If you have your own desires to serve in things such as women’s ministry, Bible study, administration, etc., your day will come. Some of you are able to soldier on and do these things in addition to caring for your toddlers, but many are just not able to do it all. And you know what? You aren’t supposed to. If you find your home is suffering and your kids are begging for your attention, then they—not church ministry—take absolute precedence. Never, ever apologize for making your family first!
My children are no longer babies, but I am just as busy with them in other ways. Diaper changing and bottle feeding have given way to homework and taxi service to whatever sport they are playing at the moment. Though I consider myself active in ministry, there are many things I don’t do. For example, I don’t always make it to the funeral home every time someone passes, due to the simple fact that I would have to bring my kids and I don’t particularly think they enjoy going any more than I enjoy having to get them dressed and wrangling them once there. I do have a tradeoff, however—I help with the meal if we are hosting one for the grieving family. The kids can hang out in a back room, and the stress is greatly relieved for them and for me. Not to mention our darling church ladies always fix the kids a plate from the leftovers. This is my way of letting the family know I love them, I care, and I am taking part to the best of my current ability without making myself crazy.
No matter if you are a seasoned ministry wife or a relative newbie, there is always one thing your congregation will pick up on loud and clear—your willingness to serve despite your inability. Do you work outside the home but do your best to participate in the body when possible? The church knows this and for the most part will understand. (Oh, there will always be exceptions!)
However, what they will not easily forgive is when you take a seat in the back and refuse to play a part—able or not. There are many women who are embittered by the demands the church has placed on their family’s life and time, therefore they refuse to support their husband’s ministry or the church body in any way, shape, or form. We’ll discuss in a later chapter the delicate balance between home and church life, but let’s just say for now that this attitude is extremely unhealthy and can be a huge detriment to your husband’s relationship with the church. The support the congregation perceives your husband receiving from you and your willingness to care for them even if you aren’t able to do all that you’d like is a bridge between their hearts and your man’s. Just like Sarah, your participation in his call is not only nice but necessary for him to effectively live out what God will do through him, whether you realize it now or not.
We are called to hope.
A life in ministry ultimately calls us to one thing: a hope for a greater glory than current circumstances reveal. I can’t think of a higher charge than the invitation to participate in God’s good intentions toward His creation. Sarah considered God faithful in His promises towards her, and because of that, she was able to look past the difficult years of childlessness and hold the manifestation of God’s blessing in her own arms.
Many years ago I watched a mafia movie (I don’t have any idea what it is called) where a gangster was teaching his young son about trust. The boy was on a ladder, and the father repeatedly told him to fall backward into his arms: “Don’t worry! I’m your father. Do you really think I’d let you be hurt?” The boy was more frightened of his dad than the fall, so he let go of the ladder. As he fell the dad stepped to the side and let him crash to the ground. His son stared up in surprised pain as the father said, “Never trust anyone.”
I think many of us have the mindset that God is the father who is setting us up for a huge fall and that we can’t trust Him to keep something painful from happening to us. The difference is He is standing in your unknown saying, “You can ALWAYS trust me!”
He never promises our lives won’t hurt, but you know what? He will always cushion us. Certainly there are hard days but in the midst of them you will find laughter, just like Abraham and Sarah. Sometimes those giggles you share will be born out of pure joy and at other times from incredulous unbelief. The thing to always remember is that you and your husband are in this thing together. There is no part of what God intends to do through either of you that isn’t intimately intertwined with the love and support of the other. God has appointed your husband according to his gifts, and your first priority as his wife is to affirm him in this role. However, many of you have desires for ministry that will involve taking off in your own direction. That doesn’t mean you supplant your hubby, but in the appropriate season, there will be many ways in which your own talents will broaden the scope of what he is able to do alongside you versus going it alone.
If You Say So
One of the coolest things about this book is the fact that these are not just my own observations! I mentioned in the introduction that I have a blog called The Preacher’s Wife (www.apreacherswife.com). Blogs are explained in greater detail in Appendix A of this book.
As part of the research for this project I asked a series of survey questions to the ministry wives who hang out with me online. (I’m excited to tell you there are a lot of them!) These Round Table discussions provide advice and encouragement from women who are serving in the trenches just like you. More than anything, I pray this book confirms the fact you are not alone in your circumstances, your joys, your struggles, or your opinions. I am so thrilled to introduce you to an online community of women who absolutely understand where you are coming from. I’ve also gathered comments from laypeople. I think it is imperative that we hear from both perspectives in order to understand one another’s hearts and hopefully build stronger relationships.
Now let me be clear: I am in no way saying that “virtual” friends should replace your flesh and blood ones. What I can tell you is that I have met many women in person that I’ve first made contact with online through my blog and they’ve become my dearest confidants. Blogs are but one fresh and relevant way to establish connections with women who will support you in your role as a ministry wife. We’ll discuss those various avenues in a later chapter centered on friendships.
For ease of identification (and to show off my excessive-texting-abbreviation skills), my blog friends will be known as the M2M Girls (as in, Married to Ministry Girls). Make sense? Let’s see what they had to share about their perspectives on calling.
Round Table
“I never wanted to be a pastor’s wife. When my husband felt called (before we got engaged) I had doubts. But, what God wanted and had planned was far greater than I knew at the time. He eventually convinced my heart to follow Him.”—Sarah @ Life in the Parsonage
“I feel like my highest calling is to be my husband’s supporter, his encourager, his helpmate. I believe that my service in the home, especially at this season in our lives with small children, is the biggest call in that ministry. He could not focus on doing the greatest part of his calling—preaching the gospel—if I didn’t do mine.”—Crystal @ Life Is Nothing Without Him
“As a layperson, I think it is obvious when a wife doesn’t share her husband’s passion for ministry. I don’t believe a pastor’s wife has to be everyone’s friend or attend every church event. But I do think you can tell by her general demeanor if she is ministry-minded. And, rightly or wrongly, the vibe I get from her reflects on her husband.”—Lori (layperson)
“I felt a call to ministry years before I met my husband, and deep down I hoped that call meant I would marry a minister. My challenge came several years later when he started thinking about leaving the ministry and I thought, ‘Wait a minute. I married you as a minister, so you have to stay one!’ I came to realize that I was married to him—a person, not his title—and I would love him no matter what.”—Kecia @ Kecia’s Journey
“I don’t know of any other occupation that my husband could have that would require me to be a part of the ‘package deal’ (for free) except the ministry. That took some getting used to!”—Sherry @ Life at the Parsonage
“It’s easy to spot a woman who’s happy for and proud of her husband’s life/accomplishments/calling. It may not be easy for her to ‘follow’ when she is in the background with young children (early on), but she is proud of her man’s walk and character. That is a beautiful thing to see.”—Darnelle (layperson) @ All Things Work Together
Now That You Know:
How are you responding to God’s call on your husband? Seek out a seasoned pastor’s wife and ask her to share her experience with you for reassurance.
Take the power away from the vague fears Satan will give you about the uncertainties you face by writing down what scares you. Search out the truth of God’s Word to apply to each. Afraid of moving away from family? Claim Matthew 19:29. Worried your family will not be provided for? Pray Psalm 37:25.
Laypeople: Has a man in your congregation announced a call to ministry? He is often congratulated and much is made over his decision, but his wife may be struggling in his shadow. Take the time to encourage her by pointing out the gifts she has that will be an asset to him. If there isn’t a new minister in your midst, consider writing a note of encouragement to your existing pastor’s wife to let her know what a vital part she plays in her husband’s work.
MY REVIEW
Though I am not a Pastor's Wife, I have been a Youth Pastor's Wife and pray to be again in the future (not that I am trading husbands, but that we know we are called to be Youth Pastors. But at this season in time we are both right where God wants us.)
What a great resource Lisa has created. This job does not come with a manuel, but Lisa has done a super job providing a lot of help in many areas.
I gifted a copy to my Pastor's Wife, she's been a PW for many many years, but she was grateful for this awesome book.
If you are a PW (Pastor's Wife) buy yourself a copy!
If you have a PW, then buy her a copy and yourself a copy.
Being in the position of PW isn't easy. All eyes are on you, waiting for you to fall, mess up or just plan falter, so you will be able to understand your PW a little better if you read this book.
Don't forget to let her know you are praying for you. Thats' one of the best encouragement a PW can receive!
*This book was provided by B&B Media free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This did not sway my review and opinion of this book in anyway.
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