Kelly Harrel's Blog, page 5
March 21, 2019
Storm Proof Review and Giveaway
About the Book
Book: Storm Proof
Author: Carol McLeod
Genre: Religion/Christian life/Woman’s issues
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Go “storm chasing” through the pages of the greatest Book ever written!
What storm has blown into your circumstances? Are you—or someone you love—suffering from the trauma of plans that have been washed away, relationships that have been uprooted, or security that has been devastated? Many believers have been known to ask, “God, where are You in this storm?” or, “Lord, did You send this storm into my life?” Just what does a believer do during a stormy season? StormProof: Weathering Life’s Tough Times tackles these and other tumultuous questions.
Author Carol McLeod is a storm survivor—more than that, a victor—over infertility, depression, and cancer. She understands the spiritual, emotional, and physical challenges of the trials we face in our lives. A gifted Bible teacher, she provides “life preservers” of hope and faith through the eternal, practical wisdom found only in God’s Word.
By examining key storms in the Bible, and the lives of those affected by them, Carol guides you to uncommon comfort for your own storms, offering the shelter of hope, joy, and faith. In StormProof, you will step out of the boat to walk the waves with Peter, knowing that Jesus always comes to be with you in the midst of your storms; you will be rocked aboard a wind-driven ship with the apostle Paul, in danger of being smashed against the rocks, but be preserved by God’s power; you will watch the gathering storm clouds with Noah, holding on to faith in God’s purposes. You will also experience Jonah’s self-inflicted tempest while affirming God’s unconditional love, sit in silence with Job and ponder his questions about the greatest storm of testing, and huddle with the disciples as their boat is swamped by surging waves—only to hear Jesus’s eternal words, “Peace, be still.” You will also hear about storms of harsh circumstances that others from recent history have encountered and overcome.
Storms are common in every season of life. Yet, for a believer in Christ, the damage such storms cause can be contained, depending on how we navigate their tumultuous waves. There is a way—a triumphant way—to encounter the fierce gales of life and then exit the tempests with strength and resilience. There is a definitive way to walk through the most devastating of circumstantial tornadoes and emerge with grace, empowered for the future. There is a way to be StormProof.
Click here to purchase your copy.
About the Author
Carol McLeod is a popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats through Carol McLeod Ministries. She is the author of ten books, including Guide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue (Whitaker House, 2018), Joy for All Seasons (Bridge-Logos, 2016), Holy Estrogen(Harrison House, 2012), and Defiant Joy (Thomas Nelson, 2006). Carol hosts a daily podcast, A Jolt of Joy! on the Charisma Podcast Network, and a weekly podcast, The Joy of Motherhood, which is listened to by thousands of moms around the world. Her blog, Joy for the Journey(formerly A Cup of Tea with Carol), has been named in the Top 50 Faith Blogs for Women. After her 2013 devotional 21 Days to Beat Depression had nearly 100,000 downloads in the first month, YouVersion picked it up, where it has been read over 500,000 times in five years. She also has ten other devotionals on YouVersion, including Guide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue. Carol writes a weekly column for Ministry Today and often writes for Charisma magazine. She is also a frequent guest on and has cohosted 100 Huntley Street. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman’s Heart won a Telly Award in 2005 for excellence in religious programming. The first Women’s Chaplain at Oral Roberts University, she currently serves on the university’s Alumni Board of Directors. Carol has been married to her college sweetheart, Craig, for nearly forty years and is the mother of five children in heaven and five children on earth. Carol and Craig are now enjoying their new titles as “Marmee and Pa” to seven delicious grandchildren! She and her husband will soon be moving to Oklahoma, where Craig serves as the North American Director for Global Partners, a missions organization that plants churches in remote areas of the world.
My Review
When I first signed up to be on the blog tour for Storm Proof, I thought the storm I was preparing to walk through was the first anniversary of my best friend’s death and her birthday. Instead, I ended up with a sprained thumb which brought tremendous pain and frustration. That would have been enough since it has continued for four months now. Yet last week my husband found himself in the middle of a torrential storm of his own. At times the past four months have felt like more than I could handle. But God gave me the gift of this novel to continue to encourage my soul as the biggest storm hit.
What I loved the most about Storm Proof is none of the stories were new. I’ve been a Christian for thirty years so I’ve read them all several times. Yet all of them were presented in a different light than I had considered before. And even in this season of frustration, questions, and pain, my heart was able to receive them. That’s a big thing when you’re going through trials. There were a few books I picked up shortly after my best friend passed away that I had to put down because it was too much for me to read while I was going through grief. Storm Proof is a book that someone can pick up at any time during their trial and be ministered to. It felt as if I was sitting across from a Christian friend and she was gently giving me advice. Not preaching at me. Not chastising me for my frustration. Just a friend, sharing coffee and a conversation about God’s Word.
In the Old Testament God tells His people to remember. Remember all He has done. As I read this book I remembered the stories of those in the Bible who faced trials of their own yet didn’t give up. Some, like Peter, blew it in other ways but in the midst of the storm he kept his eyes on Jesus and learned what he needed to. I think that’s what I love the most about this book. It not only encourages you in the midst of your hard times to keep on going but it encourages you to look for what God is teaching you or how is God is growing you. I also appreciated that I could read this book aloud with my husband as he started to go through trials of his own. Both of us were dealing with different issues, both of us had our own storms God was taking us through, but this book ministered to both of us in the place we were at. That, to me, is priceless.
One of my favorite quotes from Storm Proof is: “Faith is fertilized in the soil of questions and often thrives in an environment of thorns and rocks—as long as we are strongly grounded in our love and commitment to the Lord.”
Thank you, Carol, for sharing your own trials along the way. Perhaps that’s what made it feel like a conversation over coffee. And thank you for encouraging me in such a way that it never minimized my struggle but it maximized God’s ability. I would absolutely recommend this book people of both genders and all ages as they struggle with any trial.
More from Carol
I wrote this book and dedicated it to a lifetime friend and a woman who has survived the worst of life’s storms.
”You have danced in the sunshine…
been drenched by circumstantial downpours…
been threatened by windy situations…
and been attacked by the blinding blizzard of events.
But through it all, you have been faithful.
You have been a warrior.
You have been a worshipper.
You have kept your eyes on Jesus.
You have been StormProof.
You haven’t just weathered the tough times in life…you have rejoiced through them!
There is no one I would rather share an umbrella with than you, my friend.”
Blog Stops
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 9
For the Love of Literature, March 10
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 11
Mary Hake, March 11
Texas Book-aholic, March 12
Carpe Diem, March 13
janicesbookreviews, March 14
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 15
A Reader’s Brain, March 16
Nighttime Reading Center, March 17
Inklings and notions, March 18
The Becca Files, March 19
A Diva’s Heart, March 20
Kelly Harrel, March 21
Godly Book Reviews, March 22
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away
Grand prize of a $20 Starbucks Card and a Woman of God Umbrella
1st Place prize of a copy of Guide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue, and Whitaker House/Anchor adult coloring book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/de82/storm-proof-celebration-tour-giveaway
March 12, 2019
Love Deeply
It was a year ago today I had my last conversation with my bestie. I came to see her at home like I tried to do almost every day and found her upstairs in her hospital bed.
“I don’t have the strength to get up anymore,” she said with tears in her eyes.
I just sat beside her for several minutes saying, “I’m so sorry.”
Finally, she sighed. “It’s not your fault.”
“I know. I’m so sorry you’re going through this.” I took her hand in mine. “Let’s pray.”
I prayed God would fill her with peace, that she would feel his love, and He would help her to be strong and courageous. When we said amen, we both wiped the tears from our eyes.
Then, I took a deep breath and smiled. “So, Micah’s show went well?”
We talked for about an hour. About her kids, then about mine. That’s what we did almost every day. I would ask her how she felt when I saw her, but we didn’t focus on the cancer. I came to see her every day I could because I wanted her to feel a little normalcy in her life. Weeks before we sat on her couch in the afternoon, eating peanut butter M&M’s and watching the cooking channel.
That afternoon she looked me over and asked if I got a new sweater. It broke my heart because I’d actually gotten it several months before. We used to talk about everything. She was that friend who I shared everything with. That’s why there was no place I’d rather be but by her side for that season. We did life together, which also meant doing death together.
At her birthday breakfast, she told me about her funeral. The entire time she talked I silently prayed, “God don’t let me cry. ” I knew she needed to talk about it because Tammy was a planner. She was the most organized person I knew. It meant a lot to her that she had some say in things. So, I listened and didn’t cry. The only time I cried in front of her was when we pray together. And after we did that, I would always wipe my eyes and change the subject.
It was a year ago today that we had our last conversation. When I went to leave I gave her a hug, told her I loved her, and that I’d see her tomorrow. The next two days when I came she wasn’t coherent. She passed away on that third day.
The Bible says to love each other deeply. That means doing the hard stuff. It means showing love when you’d rather turn away. It means going to visit even though it breaks your heart. It means believing and praying for the best time and time again. And it means you will hurt, very deeply.
About a month after she passed I sat down with my husband. Neither of us had lost someone so close to us before so grief was new territory for both of us. Some days all I could do was cry. I knew he was worried, so I told him I needed a year.
“I know eventually I’ll be okay,” I told him. “But I need you to expect there’s going to be super hard days for me for this year.”
The truth is, it’ll be hard for the rest of my life.
They say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. The truth is, I knew what I had in Tammy.
A phenomenal prayer warrior.
A sister in Christ who would always tell me the truth even if I don’t want to hear it.
A Jesus freak who not only knew the Word of God but would grow in the word of God with me.
A friend who could make me laugh like no other and never made me feel ashamed when I cried.
A super cook who wasn’t afraid to try new recipes and who was happy to invite me and the kids over for dinner when our hubbies were working.
The smartest ES who could answer any question that stumped me.
A mother who not only love my children like her own but would discipline them like her own.
A woman of God who was strong and courageous until the end.
The best bestie a girl could ever hope for because she always had my back.
I knew what I had. That’s why for a year I prayed fervently for God to heal her. That’s why I spent as much time as I could with her. That’s why I organized meal trains and visited her in the hospital and took care of her and her kids in any way that I could. That’s why I told her I loved her more in the last year of her life and gave her more hugs then I did in the twelve years I’d known her. And that’s why I have grieved so deeply. God has blessed me with many friends not to take her place but to help meet my needs. But I knew what I had in Tammy. It was amazing. And now it’s gone.
My character Adam said in Angel Discovered he didn’t wish because to wish was like to say you didn’t trust God. I know my best friend is in heaven. I’m so thankful that she’s not in pain. I’m so thankful that she’s surrounded by God’s love. But I do wish I still had her here with me. Maybe that’s selfish, but we can’t all be perfect like Adam.
It’s been a year of struggling. A year of anger, a year of rage, a year of depression, and a year of pain. But God has been here, walking beside me, bringing others to help me along. He’s been so gentle and loving as I’ve come to terms with this loss. He’s brought me to a new level of my faith, of trusting His sovereignty and resting in His grace. Grief is a horrible thing unless you surrender it to the Lord. And like most things, that’s a daily process. Sometimes a minute by minute process. But for all the pain I’ve endured, for as broken as my heart is, I don’t for a minute regret loving deeply. And I’m thankful that God has brought more people into my life during this season who I can love deeply as well.
Friends, don’t get so caught up in yourself or in the world that you miss what’s truly important. It meant a lot to me that when my best friend left this earth she knew how deeply I loved her not only because I told her, but because I showed her. In the end, that’s all that really matters.
“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.” 1 Peter 1:22
February 13, 2019
The Deceived Blog Tour
I am very excited to announce that my new book, The Deceived, will be on a Blog Tour from February 25th through March 10. Every day it will be reviewed on a different blog. My publisher and I are also giving away several prizes, so you will want to jump on some of the blogs in order to enter the giveaway. Please spread the word!
To purchase your copy of The Deceived, CLICK HERE.
Blog Stops
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 25
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 26
Texas Book-aholic, February 27
janicesbookreviews, February 28
A Reader’s Brain, March 1
The Christian Fiction Girl, March 2
Inklings and notions, March 3
Real World Bible Study, March 4
2014 and Beyond!, March 5
The Becca Files, March 6
Just the Write Escape, March 7
Multifarious, March 8
A Baker’s Perspective, March 9
Carpe Diem, March 10
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kelly and Celebrate Lit is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card plus the entire Lauren Drake Series on Kindle (The adult Danny Morton is in books 2 – 4).
1st place winner will receive a paperback copy of The Deceived.
2nd – 4th place winners will receive an eBook copy of The Deceived!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/ddd6/the-deceived-celebration-tour-giveaway
February 8, 2019
The Deceived in stock!
Click here to see me unveil my first shipment of The Deceived!
January 19, 2019
How Danny Morton Changed My Life
I remember the night I created Danny Morton. I needed a strong Christian role model who Tyler Stevens, one of the main characters in The Lauren Drake series, could become friends with. Tyler was in the early stages of his faith, still worldly in his thinking. It was evident the only Christian he’d befriend was someone with a jaw-dropping testimony. Danny was a twenty-three-year-old clean-cut, Christian kid. At least that’s what Tyler thought until he saw the track marks on Danny’s arm. I prayed and typed and typed and prayed. The more I wrote of Danny’s testimony, the more I was encouraged although my heart broke. I know the pains of being a prodigal, yet I also know the same victory in Christ that Danny found. And Tyler? Well, Danny quickly became one of his closest friends.
About six months later my editor told me she wanted me to write a book about Danny.
“I’m intrigued by his testimony,” she said.
I was still writing the Lauren Drake Series so I told her I didn’t have time. Three months later I woke up in the middle of the night to Danny’s voice in my mind.
I liked Danny when I first created him, but I fell in love with teenage Danny when I first heard his voice at two am. His biting remarks made me laugh and cringe at the same time. They also made me jump up to take notes. Maybe because once upon a time I was a sarcastic teen who lived too much in my own mind. Or maybe because I had a lot of questions about God at his age too. Like Danny, I yearned for a close relationship with God even though I felt surrounded by hypocrites.
Yes, I fell in love with teenage Danny from the very beginning. It was impossible not to. His passion is inspiring. Even as young as he is, he has a dream he’s determined to pursue. All he wants is to write, which is also something I can understand.
As soon as I began writing his story, two questions came to mind. Why do teens raised in the church fall into drugs and alcohol and fall away from the Lord? Is there a way to prevent it? Finding no simple answers, I cried out to the Lord to help me understand. I asked Him to give me Danny’s story to teach and inspire others. That’s when not only Danny but his entire family came alive to me.
I thought the most disturbing thing about The Deceived might be Danny’s drugs and alcohol abuse. Yet with each revision of the book, something else became more disturbing—the way his family treated him. This novel became a personal reminder that lukewarm Christianity can destroy those we love the most.
I pray this young adult novel will be picked up by all generations. Parents should examine their own relationship with the Lord, how they treat their teens, and the pressures their teens face every day. My prayer for teens is that they’ll find a friend in Danny as well as the determination to seek their dreams and stand against the temptations they face.
One of my favorite scenes in The Deceived is when Danny goes to a party the day after Thanksgiving. Not being a very social guy, he comes up with a hilarious way to identify people. You might need to search different types of trees while you read the scene but you will laugh out loud. While Danny has a lot of great one-liners, the conversations I enjoyed writing the most were those between him and his sister, Lydia. I was blessed with a great relationship with my older brother in our teen years, and those conversations remind me of our late-night talks.
The Deceived will make you laugh, cry, and consider family dynamics and your faith in a new way. And when you get to the last page, remember, there’s more to come.
Preorders your copy of The Deceived before January 29 and you will receive the first chapter of my companion Bible study for FREE! Click HERE to preorder Book 1 of the Once Lost series.
December 21, 2018
Christmas in Heaven
If I could text my bestie who’s in heaven, I’d ask her if they were planning a birthday party for Jesus. I’d ask her if this month they are singing Christmas carols and hymns instead of the regular hallelujahs they sing every day. I’d ask if Mary was over-the-top excited as we get to be around our kids’ birthdays.
It’s really an odd feeling to be so excited knowing that my bestie is spending Jesus’s birthday with Him and heartbroken for myself and all who love her deeply at the same time. I remember after she passed some people said it would get easier. Is it easier after nine months? Well, I no longer cry before I go to sleep every night. Just seeing her name doesn’t bring me to tears. I’m not mad like I used to be. But I am sad that she’s not here with me. No doubt this month she would have made me meals, brought them over and even done my dishes because those kinds of things are hard when you can only use one hand. She would have offered to drive me places, probably texted me from the store asking what I needed because, yes, trying to push a full grocery cart with one hand is pretty exhausting. We would have celebrated me signing another book contract. And we would have celebrated my son getting into the college of his choice. It’s not easier. God knows how deeply I miss her. But then I have moments when I remember where she’s at. She’s hanging out with Jesus. If they decorate in heaven for His birthday, she would be the one to make the banner. And thoughts like that, as silly and absurd as they may be, make me smile.
If you’re missing someone special this Christmas, let me know so I can pray for you. If you know someone grieving the loss of a loved one, pray for them. Pray for the peace that surpasses all understanding. Pray for the strength to get through each day. Pray that in the season of our Savior’s birth they would feel God’s love so greatly even though they hurt so deeply. It would also touch their heart if you let them know you’re praying for them. I received one of those texts today at just the right time. It was a great reminder that in this process of grieving, God is with me every step providing what I need.
Thank You, Jesus, for walking with me through this difficult time. Thank You for the love You continue to pour out on me. Thank You that though there are times I feel alone, You are always with me. Thank You that one day I’ll be in heaven with my bestie and we can once again celebrate Your birth together.
December 8, 2018
Exciting News!!
Christmas came early to the Harrel house. First,
there was a contract for The Beloved, the second book of The Once Lost series. Then there was the completion of the front cover for The Deceived, book 1 of The Once Lost series. Join me at the cover reveal party of The Deceived on December 17th at 4 p.m. on Facebook. It will be a great time of celebrating God’s goodness…and we will be giving away free books!
November 27, 2018
My Identity
In a few hours, I’ll climb into an MRI to get images taken of my hand. My left hand. My dominant hand. The hand I write with. To say I might be a little anxious, well, that’s an understatement.
A few hours ago when I woke because my pain meds had worn off I was reminded of the seriousness of the situation. I can’t use my hand. While it sounds all fine and dandy to say I can just voice text the rest of my next book, I’m a writer. My thoughts, the dialogue, the story, has always flowed through my hands and onto the paper or keyboard. I think best when I’m typing. Yet here I am, voice texting this blog. And when I go back to edit it, I’ll only be able to use one hand. Writing is extremely difficult right now. But then again, so is daily life.
I prayed this ridiculous prayer about a month ago that every mother and wife probably prays at some point in her life . “Lord, let them know how much I do for them. Give them a glimpse of how I take care of them, what I sacrifice for them.”
I didn’t expect God to answer my prayer by incapacitating me, but then again, we don’t get to choose how He answers our prayers. Which reminds me of His sovereign. He allows nothing in my life without His permission. His hand is upon me. And ultimately, my identity is found in Him. Not in the words I write. Not in the acts I do for my family. Not even in the love I give to others. My identity is found in the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. He loved me enough to die for me. Period. Not because of what I achieved or because of who I would become. But because of who He is.
I could need surgery on my hand. I might have months of pain ahead of me. And I understand that my hand may never be right again. But as I climb into that very loud MRI tube in a few hours, I’ll think about the times I did before. When I was dealing with out-of-control back pain. When I ended up with brain trauma. I’ll recite Psalm 139:15. And I’ll remember God’s faithfulness to pull me through then as He will now. In all those situations, He restored my body. He redeemed the pain. And the loss I experienced was nothing compared to the growth I gained. That’s the blessing, my friend, when we keep our eyes focused on our Creator and not our problem. It’s a constant surrender. But it’s in the surrender that peace is found.
November 16, 2018
Eight Months
Eight months ago my world was turned upside down. Even though my best friend was on hospice and God taking her home relieved her suffering, my world was still turned upside down. That’s what happens when you lose someone you love.
I think about her daily. Often times it’s with thankfulness in my heart. I’m thankful for the many Bible studies we did together. I’m thankful for all the meals we shared. I’m thankful that we homeschool our kids together. And I’m thankful that she was beside me to walk through life’s up and downs for twelve years.
But now she’s gone and in this, the eighth month of learning how to get by without her, I’m discovering some new truths about grief, faith, and life in general. One that I learned a few months ago is that emotions aren’t bad, it’s how you deal with them that matters. I have a cracked flat iron to remind me of the day I allowed rage to take over. I wasn’t myself, and I knew it, but in that moment I couldn’t control it. A few months later when I shared with a therapist what was going on in my life, and in my heart, he said something that made me pause.
“I wonder if you even realize how angry you are.”
I knew I was but I didn’t know how to deal with it. I didn’t think it was right to be mad at God. And I didn’t want to be mad at him. There’s this amazingly confusing conflict within my soul that I could be so incredibly joyful that my best friend is in the arms of Jesus, and yet I feel so much pain at the same thought because it means I don’t get to see her for as long as I live. I tried to dance around my anger. I quoted scripture to myself as any spiritual person would do. I told myself God was sovereign and I believed it. And I acted like somehow this was all okay even though everything that’s within me tells me it’s not.
That night, after my counseling session, I sat for the longest time not knowing what to say to God. It took quite a while for me to gain the courage to state the truth out loud.
“God, I’m mad.” I know, not real deep, but it was the honest truth.
That’s what I felt like God whispered to my heart, “It’s okay to be mad but you need to bring it to me. I can handle it.”
So I did. I grabbed a notebook, and I started to write. I told God exactly how I felt, why I was mad, why I was frustrated that things didn’t go the way I wanted them to. In that process, there was a release of the burden that was in my soul. I’d cried for months before. I’d said how much I missed my bestie. But I hadn’t dealt with the pain of the emotions I was carrying. While God is sovereign and good, I forgot that He is also a Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace.
There was a struggle and a laying down not only of my will but of my anger.
The band Switchfoot has a song called I Won’t Let You Go. The first time I heard it was the day I experienced uncontrollable rage. I was weeping by the second verse. It was as if God was addressing my pain exactly.
“If you could let the pain of the past go of your soul,
None of this is in your control,
if you could only let your guard down,
If you could learn to trust me somehow,
I swear that I Won’t Let You Go.
If you could only let go your doubts,
if you could just believe in me now,
I swear that I Won’t Let You Go.”
A lot has happened since my best friend has gone to be with Jesus. I got shingles for the second time this year, my husband had a second heart attack, and now this week in the midst of trying to finish the last book of the Once Lost series apparently I have overstressed my left thumb, which is my dominant hand. The doctors say I only need to rest it and be off my computer for four weeks. It truly felt like he said all I needed to do was not breathe for the next month. I’m sitting at my computer voice texting this blog which isn’t at all fun, but a writer’s got to write. I know all the amazing words of wisdom Tammy would have said in the past eight months. I’m pretty certain she would have been making me meals this week and offering to come over and help with anything I needed help with. And she would have prayed for me. Lots of amazing faith-filled prayers that move mountains. All that stirs up my grief yet again. But I tell you, after eight months of dealing with grief, it’s now too heavy for me to hold, which reminds me it’s not my burden to carry. So I cry, and I pray, asking the Lord to lift it from me one more time.
People say time will heal but I believe only the Lord can heal. Maybe it gets easier over time when I turn it over to him faster. In the midst of this crazy week, I voice texted something for The Redeemed that really touched me. The main character, Danny, said, “The physical act of death isn’t pretty. But when your hope is in the Lord, it’s your happily ever after.”
I’m thankful that not only did I get to be by my best friend’s side through the years but that I got to see her happily ever after.
In eight months my son will be off to college, my baby will have her driver’s permit, and God willing, the first book of the Once Lost series, The Deceived, will be out and the publisher will be working on the next two as I write a new series. Amazing how much can happen in eight months. There will be pain. There will be laughter. And God will be there to carry all my emotions and pain.
Regardless of how your life feels turned upside down, God won’t let you go, my friend. I promise He’s there. He can carry the burdens you were never meant to carry.
October 15, 2018
Book Review and Giveaway—Renewed
About the Book
Book Title: Renewed
Author: Leigh Powers
Genre: Devotional
Release date: November, 2017
Ministry is a privilege, but it can also be a painful experience. Unrealistic expectations, church conflict, forced resignations, and our own struggles with burnout, loneliness, and insecurity can make church feel more like a place of wounding than a place of healing. How can wounded leaders find the courage to reject bitterness and keep loving the church?
Renewed is a forty-day devotional for women in ministry, ministry wives, and lay leaders who have been wounded by their congregations. You are not alone. God sees your pain. He knows your hurts. And he is waiting to bind up your broken heart. This forty-day journey into the healing love of Jesus will help you find the courage to stop hiding and start loving the church again.
Click here to purchase your copy!
About the Author
Leigh Powers is passionate about helping women find hope and healing in God’s Word. A pastor’s wife and mother of three with fifteen years of full-time ministry experience, she is a freelance writer, Bible study and devotional author, and a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She blogs regularly at www.leighpowers.com. You can usually find her with either a book or knitting needles in her hand—and sometimes both.
My Review
I had the pleasure of reading Renewed by Leigh Powers. The first sentence of the description caught my attention because yes, I’ve been in ministry in the church for years, and yes, I’ve been hurt. Badly. Not once but twice. It was painful enough that when we started attending our current church, I made excuses for over a year as to why I couldn’t serve. But I knew the bottom line—I didn’t want to be hurt yet again.
One of the characteristics I appreciate the most about Leigh is her godly honesty. She doesn’t water down the pain she endured. She doesn’t slander people in the church. She shares her hurt, disappointments, and fears in the light of God’s characteristics and grace. Those of us who serve KNOW the right answers. We can quote the scriptures. But when the people we love on and serve seem to turn on us, the pain paralyzes us. It can leave us hurt and unable to trust our brothers and sisters in Christ who we are supposed to do life with. Yet the truth is the church is filled with sinners saved by grace. Christ calls us not only to forgive but to love and continue to serve.
The book is broken down into four parts: Lament, Letting Go, Looking Up, Loving Again. Since I am not a pastor’s wife, I found some of the stories in the Lament section hard to relate to yet the scripture was applicable. And since my hurt was in the past, the first two sections were a strong reminder of the process I went through while the last two were more instructional to me. That is another benefit of this book. Regardless of where you are at in your journey through the pain, Renewed will meet you where you’re at. My first ministry hurt happened twenty-four years ago, yet I was ministered to through the Looking Up section of who I am in Christ and what He does for me. The Loving Again section gives the believer the courage to move forward and trust God as he/she continues in the ministry.
I would hesitate to say this book is for everyone, however, if you are a woman in ministry or someone who was in the ministry and hurt, it is a great resource.
Thank you, Leigh, for your honesty and for your godly example to continue to serve despite the hurt and your desire to help others along in the process.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook complimentary of the author and Celebrate Lit, and was under no obligation to post a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Continue to the end of this blog for a $50 Amazon card giveaway.
Guest Post from Leigh
I love ministry life. Several years ago, a young woman from Southeast Asia came to my English as a Second Language class for a year. Her English wasn’t very good, and I had to tug to get a word out of her. She came every week, but I wondered how much she was getting from the Bible stories we did during each class. At the end of the semester, I asked our class to share what they wanted to tell their friends and family when they went home. She looked up at me with big brown eyes. “I want to tell people about Jesus.”
Those are the ministry moments that thrill us. It is a privilege to help people find freedom in Christ, teach God’s word, worship with the congregation, and walk alongside people in their moments of joy or sorrow. On those days I can’t imagine choosing another life. Then there are days that make me want to hang it all up and go work at Wal-Mart. Days when anonymous letters get slipped under the office door. Days when you’re the brunt of gossip, when loneliness is like an ache in your bones, or when you start sending out resumes for new positions because you aren’t sure how much longer you’ll have the one you’ve got.
Ministry can be tough. Over the years I’ve met many women who have experienced the painful side of ministry. Church conflicts, forced resignations, depression, loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, and our own struggles with faith can take a toll. That painful side of ministry can make us start looking for an escape hatch.
I wrote Renewed in the middle of a difficult ministry season. It was a hard season, but it was also a season where Jesus showed up for me in an almost tangible way. At the same time, I was also hearing stories from other ministry wives and women in ministry that sounded all too familiar. I started putting words on the page, hoping that somehow God would use them to bring healing to other women in the same way he had brought healing to me. That outpouring of hurt, healing, and hope eventually became Renewed.
Some of you reading this are nodding along right now because you’ve been there too. You love the church, but you’ve seen how ugly it can be when we get it wrong. You’ve got wounds of your own, and sometimes you wonder if you can ever risk your heart again. If that’s you, I want you to know that there is hope. God has not abandoned you. God sees your hurt, he knows your pain, and he is waiting to bind up your broken spirit. He’s waiting. Turn to him, and may you find your spirit renewed.
Blog Stops
Bibliophile Reviews, October 6
amandainpa, October 7
A Baker’s Perspective, October 7
The Becca Files, October 8
Mary Hake, October 8
Living Life Free In Christ, October 9
Genesis 5020, October 10
A Reader’s Brain, October 11
More Of Him, October 12
proud to be an autism mom, October 12
Godly Book Reviews, October 13
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 14
Carpe Diem, October 14
Kelly Harrel, October 15
Texas Book-aholic, October 16
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 17
Bigreadersite, October 17
Janices book reviews, October 18
Real World Bible Study, October 19
Little Homeschool on the Prairie, October 19
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Leigh is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d4ee/renewed-celebration-tour-giveaway
