G10 Journeys to Mother Love: Nine Women Tell their Stories of Forgiveness and Healing
General Information:
Name of Book: Journeys to Mother Love: Nine Women Tell their Stories of Forgiveness and Healing
ISBN: 978-098189295-5
Publisher: Cladach
Year it was published: 2012
Overall theme: "We-the writers of this book- represent four different generations and come from various backgrounds and places. What we have in common in this: We are all mothers and we all have mothers (whether or not they are still living.) For each of us, coming to the place of freely receiving and giving love in the mother-daughter relationship has been a sometimes difficult journey." (9) Pretty much all the stories deal with death as well as rebirth or discovery of rejuvenation.
Common observations: I found the stories to be somewhat confusing. They were well written and brilliant but too short for my taste. Some common things they shared were the secrets, abandonment, and most took place in 1950s to 1930s and so forth. Almost all dealt with some sort of death and there was this air of things not being spoken about. In all honesty I should never have won or received this book. I entered into the giveway by accident, not realizing that it was a christian novel. Ten copies, about nearly 600 people wanted it. In all odds I had a 1:60 chance of winning. Somehow, G-d knows why or how, (I'm thinking G-d must have been in a sarcastic mood, or has a weird sense of humor,) I won it and then realized I've won a christian book. I don't know why I was chosen; besides the christian testament no christian novels grace my bookshelves; I'm also Jewish as well, I studied history, thus learning about the atrocious deeds committed against my relatives by christians, and my experiences with people who happened to be christian really soured me against the religion or spiritual experiences for that matter. I will not convert to christianity, and despite the christian messages and whatnot, I do wonder if a lot is universal; for years I was lectured to be more patient and whatnot. I'm very superstitious, and in some cases or instances do believe in G-d. If you're a non-christian and am thinking I'm converting, I'm not. Pretend that it's not a christian themed book and skip over god/jesus aspect and pretend its G-d or Allah or whoever else is speaking to you.
1. Run, Run as Fast as You Can
Author: A.R. Cecil
Message: During difficult times trust in god, and don't blame self for things that don't work out.
About the Author:
A.R. Cecil is a wife of forty-one years. She and her husband, Joseph, have four grown children and four young grandchildren. She received a MSFA (Masters of Science in Fine Art) from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. For several years, she wrote a column entitled "journeys" for the Southeast christian church's newspaper. She has published a collection of short stories entitled christmas remembered. Her most-recent book, if the fish could talk: words of comfort for the journey is an illustrated study that can be used by individuals or small groups. Mrs. Cecil may be contacted at inagreatfish@gmail.com Learn more about Mrs. Cecil and her writings at www.GreatFishBooks.com.
Issue: Feeling Inadequate
2. She Did Her Best
Author: Treva Brown
Message: Give the burdens to god for help, and he will set you free.
About the Author:
Treva Brown no longer lives a grief-stricken life, but a victory-driven life, due to her personal relationship with jesus christ who is the ultimate healer of our grief. Treva has a heart for those who are hurting, especially those affected by uxoricide (murder of a wife by a husband). She is writing a book to show grieving children of uxoricide that life did not end for them, too, and they do not have to walk that painful road alone.
Treva is also passionate about mothers of preschooler's, a ministry that encourages moms in their parenting and faith, letting each mother know that they are not alone. She serves as social coordinator on the steering team of her local MOPS group. Treva is a wife and mother of three living in Colorado. She maintains a blog at http://treva-brown.blogspot.com
Issue: Devastated by violence and separation
3. Take Care of Your Mother
Author: Verna Hill Simms
Message: Forgive the parent and trust in god.
About the Author:
Verna Hill Simms is a prolific freelance writer. She joined the Jefferson County Writers Society ten years ago at the age of eighty and is still an active member. She credits them with her writing successes. Verna's stories have been published in two Cup of Comfort books and eight other anthologies. She writes for magazines and has a column in the local newspapers, where she shares "short essays on slices of life." She is looking for a publisher for her novel, water under the bridge, and is working on her autobiography.
Verna's hobbies include swimming, sewing, gardening, and reading. She lives in the Midwest close to her family. She adds, "god has been good to me- giving me a loving husband, and now support and love from my two girls and their families."
Issue: Always "second fiddle"
4. Finding the Blessings in Alzheimer's
Author: Kerry Luksic
Message: Answer life with optimism, life isn't fair
About the Author:
Kerry Lonergan is a mother, a writer, and an Alzheimer's advocate. Her work has been published in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Star Ledger, The Main Line Times, Parent Guide News, Parents Express, and Examiner.com. Kerry's memoir, Life Lessons from a Baker's Dozen: 1 Mother, 13 Children, and their Journey to Alzheimer's was recently published by Unlimited Publishing, LLC. Kerry has an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and an MBA from Seton Hall University. She is a member of the International Women's Writers GUild and lives in Chest County, Pennsylvania, with her husband and three daughters. Visit Kerry at www.kerryluksic.com
Issue: Adjusting to changes in mom
5. Beauty from Barrenness
Author: Kyleen Stevenson- Braxton
Message: Try to heal yourself or let god heal yourself through pain, barrenness doesn't mean its the end of the world.
About the Author:
Kyleen Stevenson-Brazton has an MA in Literature from the University of Wyoming, and M.Ed. in Secondary English Education from Oklahoma City University. As an undergraduate English major at Oklahoma City University she received the Jean Boyle Award for Excellence in Writing and was named the Most Outstanding Student in the Arts and Sciences Department and present the Virginia Goff Memorial Award for OUtstanding Senior in English (1994)
Kyleen served Care Net Pregnancy Center as Post-Abortion Healing Coordinator 2003-2007. She has led several post-abortion healing groups, given her testimony at numerous churches, and present a workshop at Ramah International in 2006, on how infertility complicates post-abortion healing.
Kyleen is co-owner of Fashion Crossroads, Inc, a chain of two women's retail clothing stores in Casper, Wyoming (www.ffashioncrossroads.org).
Her published writings include "Sing O Barren Woman" in Deliver Me: Hope, Help and Healing through Trust Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy. Dianne E Butts, ed. (Connections Press, 2011) and "From Barreness to Restoration Joy" in At the Center Magazine (autumn 2005).
To learn more, visit Kyleen's blog: http://singobarrenwoman.wordpress.com/
Issue: After Abortion and Cancer
6. When I Feel Forsaken
Author: Catherine Lawton
Message: Imagine god is with you during the most painful moments and imagine him comforting you to help you let go of the pain.
About the Author:
Catherine Lawton is the author of several books and many articles, essays, and poems. She and her husband, Larry, are the parents of two grown children and their spouses, and the grandparents of five.
After living most of their lives in northern California, the Lawtons now reside in northern Colorado, where they enjoy worship and fellowship in their local church, gardening, hiking and camping in the Rocky Mountains, travels to the west coast and east coast, practicing and performing with the gospel quartet, Mountain High Sound, and the dialy work of Cladach Publishing, their family business. More about Catherine can be found on the web at www.cladach.com/Lawton.html.
Issue: Unmet Emotional Needs
7. Finishing Well
Author: Ellen Cardwell
Message: Try to let go of the pain and resentment towards the not biological parent.
About the Author:
Ellen Cardwell was raised in San Francisco and lived most of her adult life in teh East Bay. The majority of those years were spent raising two children and helping her husband with his business. On becoming empty nesters, Don and Ellen moved to a pretty little twon on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas.
After becoming a widow and seeking god's direction for the future, Ellen attended a christian writer's conference at Mount Hermon. There she heard Ethel Herr state our goal is to glorify god, not to be published. That remains her motivation as she continues learning the craft.
As Ellen began putting into words what god had put in her heart, she found a way to reach others beyond her immediate circle of influence. For instance, the devotionals written for the upper room are translated into thirty-nine languages and read by two million people worldwide. Now Ellen is expanding her range into writing longer pieces that allow for further development of ideas. Visit her on the web at: www.ellencardwell.com.
Issue: Stepmother Blues
8. Walking My Mother Home
Author: Ardis A. Nelson
Message: god makes really crazy connections and coincidences.
About the Author:
Ardis A Nelson is a a wife of twenty-nine years and a mother of two teenage young men. She has what she considers "extended family" in Spain, including a young man who she affectionately considers her son, and his mother.
Residing wit her family and miniature schnauzer named Zoe, in the suburbs of Seattle, Washington, Ardis's hobbies and spare time are devoted to photography, scrap-booking, reading, and memoir writing.
Her ministry passion is facilitating spiritual growth and support groups for women. She has been active in organizing women's retreats and events, speaking at women's functions and sharing her testimony at recovery group meetings. Her writing includes e-devotionals for her church and regularly blogging at www.ardisanelson.com/makingmebold/. She can be contacted at info@ardisanelson.com.
Issue: Distanced by Mental Illness
9. White Knuckles
Author: Loritta Slayton
Message: follow the messages and emotions to live a more satisfied life.
About the Author:
Loritta was raised in sunny California with one younger brother. She learned early that she had musical and artistic abilities, which she still sues passionately today. Her mother taught her beginning piano lessons and provided art lessons for her at a young age. She also brought her to a personal acceptance of the lord at the age of five. Loritta attended the early grades in a private parochial school, and then six years of boarding school before college. She and her lifetime mate celebrate their thirty-seventh wedding anniversary this year. They moved to Loveland, Colorado, twenty-one years ago with their three daughters. The girls are grown and married and now there are six grandchildren. Loritta's mother instilled in her a love for flowers and also invested time in helping plant many flowers in the garden Loritta enjoys today.
Loritta loves to share about the faithfulness of the lord and how god's word has been the light on her path.
Issue: Angry and frustrated with mom
Quick notes: I won this book on goodreads.com thus this review will appear in its entirety on goodreads as well as the blog
4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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