Julie Arduini's Blog, page 29

Chicken Crossing by Kristen Joy Wilks

Why did the chicken cross the road?
The machinations of poultry are difficult to decipher. Add an infuriating youth pastor, a terrifying crash at highway speeds, and trap-building kids too bored for their own good and you have something a little more serious than a knock-knock joke. After the local librarian foolishly agrees to haul a trailer full of chickens over the pass, an unexpected crash sends fifteen beloved hens scattering into the wilderness. Shelby and the exasperating Jack must locate, capture, and return the chickens to his nephew before the talent show at the boy’s new school on Monday. The problem: chickens are incredibly difficult to catch. Especially when dispersed throughout the wild. When they take refuge in a coop occupied by twenty identical hens and guarded by multiple NO TRESPASSING signs and a pair of bored mountain children who have been watching way too much TV, tensions rise and feathers fly. Can Shelby thwart an alarming collection of unlikely traps and find the chickens before they are devoured? Imagination and ingenuity go so very wrong in this epic clash of inventive child verses accidental chicken thief.

DANDELION FLOOFUMS

What I love about Chicken Crossing is the author also wrote a companion book for kids!

Julie Arduini

A chicken on the run!
When her traveling chicken coop explodes and scatters everyone into the wilderness, Dandelion Floofums must rescue her boy from evil kidnappers. But how can she succeed when she has to escape insane forest humans, a plethora of pesky traps, and The Stripy Death Kitty who is intent on making her his next meal? God is clearly not a chicken or He would have taken better care of her special boy! Can Dandelion Floofums save her boy and figure out if she can trust her Creator, or will The Stripy Death Kitty win the day?

Kristen Joy Wilks lives in the beautiful woods of the Cascade mountains with her camp director husband, three fierce sons, and a large and slobbery Newfoundland dog. She spent her misguided youth falling in love with Commander Spock via Star Trek reruns, being suspended upside down over a homemade pit filled with gardener snakes, and stampeding herds of elk while on horseback. Now most of her adventures consist of preventing her hubby from filling another wall of their dining room with board games, thwarting her 3 boys’ efforts to sneak their pet chickens onto their bunk beds whenever she turns her back to fold laundry, and trying not to trip over the random teenagers that swarm her house to play all those board games. Kristen can be found tucked under a tattered quilt in an overstuffed chair at 4:00am writing a wide variety of dramatic tales or at www.kristenjoywilks.com.

Her Sanctuary, His Heart by Michelle Dykman

How does total devastation affection our faith?

Five years ago, Braelyn Kane’s daughter died. Her marriage imploded, and Forest Hill became Braelyn’s sanctuary. She’s praying for her new life to start, but she doesn’t know where to find it.

Five years ago, Drake Kane became lost in overwhelming grief, and he lost his heart to divorce. After serving in the army, Drake is looking for a new life, and he stumbles upon Forest Hill.

Neither expects to find each other . . . again.

During a chance meeting, Braelyn and Drake discover a poaching scheme that throws them into a spiral of overwhelming emotions and danger. If Braelyn is to survive, she must trust the one man that broke her trust five years ago.

Drake wants nothing more than to woo his former wife, but as deputy sheriff, his time is torn between nabbing the poachers and protecting Braelyn.

Can Braelyn find forgiveness or will she allow bitterness to ruin her sanctuary? And can Drake reclaim his heart?

Available wherever good books are sold

https://linktr.ee/MichelleDyk

https://www.christianbook.com/her-sanctuary-his-heart/michelle-dykman/9781649601032

Michelle Dykman is a reader, teacher, and debut author of If These Stars Could Talk.
After spending ten years crunching numbers, Michelle discovered her two true passions. Teaching and writing Clean and Wholesome Christian Romance novels for adults and teens.

Michelle has a Teaching degree and has spent many years enjoying the works of other Christian authors which spurred on her passion for writing memorable novels. Her teen books are written from a background of teaching and working with teens for many years and a heart for them to live full and regret-free lives.

Michelle lives with her husband and two boys in the snowy and sometimes hot rural areas of Canada and from time to time misses the dry warmth of her home country, South Africa.

You can connect with her at the following:

https://www.michelledykman.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MIchelleDykmansBooks

Tweets by Michell09579524

https://www.instagram.com/md_author/

A bit about the book:

Eight years ago my husband and I experienced the devastating loss of our unborn daughter at 34 weeks. This novel is a message that came out of that time in my life when everything I knew to be true about God was brought into question and I wrestled with my faith like never before.

Her Sanctuary, His Heart is a story of hope. Hope is the God who always keeps his promises and hope for tomorrow when the storm is raging in our hearts, when the night is the blackest God will use it for our good and for His glory.

Purchase Here: https://www.amazon.com/Her-Sanctuary-Heart-Michelle-Dykman-ebook/dp/B094H9FS9C

Ignoring My Baby—Blog

Years ago I remember writing no matter what I write, no matter how not successful or successful it is, I’ll never neglect blogging. Blog, you are my baby, my first, my favorite.

Yeah, that was before social media took off.

Back then, I also thought parenting got easier as the kids aged. HA.

Why didn’t someone tell me? Anyone? Hello?

I’ve felt a little nudge like hey, readers didn’t sign up to juliearduini.com to read guest bloggers every dang post.

So….here I am.

Honestly, blogging on a regular basis is hard because it just isn’t the place to go like it used to be. Once social media came around it was easier to post our thoughts, achievements, goals, updates, and even food choices for the world to see in a snap. Literally. If I’m blogging, I’m ignoring something else. Time is precious and authors need to market where the readers are, and for as free as possible.

For that, this precious baby, my blog, has been neglected.

I feel bad about it, but not enough to make a promise I know I can’t keep.

Because people really don’t read blogs like they used to and they sure don’t leave comments (except at my former rotation with Inspy Romance, wow those readers are faithful!)

I’m also…

-Trying to finish the first book in a new contemporary romance series, Surrendering Hearts. It’s about a group of sextuplets who remain in the national spotlight after a tragedy. Now young adults, each sibling is trying to find their own identity as well as a love that was as strong as what their parents shared. Book 1 is Anchored Hearts and I’m plugging away.

-Rest from a tumultuous 2020/21. It started in September when I went to visit my mom to help her out when she wasn’t feeling well. She ended up being near death. I stayed two months, then kept driving back and forth for appointments. She rebounded so well after the holidays, so well. Imagine our shock when she passed away January 6th. There have been trips and a lot of business to take care of.

-Probably because of the above, I’ve had a lot of stomach stuff. It started as heartburn, then gagging, some vomiting. They found reflux and a hernia, and already there is some improvement.

-Trying to catch up on housework and family matters when I was gone.

-Watching our son take his last undergrad class, student teach, get engaged, and take his certification exam that we are waiting results on.

-Watching our daughter remote learn and actually thrive academically, earn a place in National Honor Society, attend junior prom, and soon will turn 18.

-Spending a lot of time reading and in prayer as God leads regarding our nation.

-Celebrated my 51st by traveling to Wisconsin where we now have 4 grandkids.

Writing has barely been on the radar. For that, I resigned from Inspy Romance. I’m still part of Christians Read where I am a much more faithful blogger than I am here. I am working slowly on that new series. I’d love for you to read a series preview/sneak peek of Book 1, Anchored Hearts. DOWNLOAD FOR FREE HERE.

How about you? Anything in your life you’ve been ignoring? Feel free to leave a comment or find me across social media @JulieArduini. Thank you for staying with me!

Table for Two by David and Krista Dunham, Part 2

Part 2 of an Interview with David and Krista Dunham,
Authors of Table for Two

Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders by David and Krista Dunham is a powerful, redemptive book that reveals an intimacy beyond personal stories of struggle told through a biblical counseling lens; it highlights the close-knit relationship of husband and wife and a home life where one person struggles with an eating disorder. Applying the truth of Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, they know two are better than one and understand the need to connect and jointly navigate the process together. Individuals suffering from an eating disorder—and those who love them—will find practical help, hope, and encouragement in this couple’s story.
 
Without minimizing complicated issues, the Dunhams provide practical gospel hope and biblical encouragement to those suffering and help for loved ones walking with them. They share personal narratives, interactive exercises, and biblical direction for those navigating recovery. Each chapter includes interactive exercises to encourage conversations. The Dunhams will help readers discover key components of an eating disorder and what type of assistance is truly helpful while guiding them to understand how the gospel frames the process with both truth and grace.
 
Q: What were some of the things people said or did that were well-intentioned, but really didn’t help? What did people do or say that were helpful?
 
Krista: Some people initially tried to educate me on what I was doing to my body. Even as some of the ill-effects started to set in, it didn’t matter because all those things were worth the sacrifice to me in order to get what I wanted.
 
At one point, I was given a pack of memory verse cards that were centered around the topic of food. Away from the context of the rest of the Bible, and without the solid groundwork of the gospel, the verses were trivial and were even a bit misleading at times. What I really needed was the big picture of who God is. I needed to know what Christ had done for me through his perfect life and substitutionary death. Then I could use those memory verses, in context and in conjunction with the surrounding verses, to guide me back to those major themes of the gospel and God’s character. The verses could remind me of what I knew to be true of God, and they could give me fuel in applying the complete concept of redemption. I needed bigger concepts of truth instead of just snippets of it.
 
Something that really did help was having someone who would listen without automatically giving me a solution. David was actually really bad at this at first. It is so natural for a helper to want to fix things. But when he started to listen and empathize, he was a much better helper to me. Often when he tried to come up with an immediate solution, it ended up being trite and confusing. When I felt out of control and without a plan, his response might have been something like, “Just eat three meals a day and take a walk with me after dinner. Do that every day and make it a habit.” It felt like my feelings were being boiled down to simple answers. But when he listened and prayed with me, when he was willing to say, “I don’t know” sometimes, this made me feel safe and loved and heard so that when there were clear opportunities for him to help, I would be ready to hear from him.
 
Q: What struggles did you face as a helper? How did you deal with feelings of helplessness?
 
David: My biggest struggle was trying to understand her. I didn’t take the time to dig into the literature and the resources available but even if I had, there is also some degree of separation between the sufferer and the helper. I wasn’t inside her head and so I could never perfectly understand her emotions, reactions, and logic. Her behaviors didn’t make sense to me, and as a result, I was often tempted to be impatient and insensitive. Learning to listen and simply accept Krista’s feelings as genuinely hers was important.
 
The hardest part about watching a loved one go through an eating disorder is seeing more clearly than they do what is happening but being unable to convince them to stop. You can’t repent for someone else, you can’t change someone else, and attempting to force them usually doesn’t accomplish long-term success. In a lot of ways, I really was helpless. I had to learn that being helpless and being hopeless aren’t the same thing, and that made a difference as years went by.
 
Q: What realization finally helped you turn the corner to recovery?
 
Krista: The first realization that really helped me was that my eating disorder involved sin. I was tempted to believe that it was something that had just happened to me or that it was entirely the fault of my circumstances. But I made huge strides in getting better when I recognized that I had made sinful choices and had sinfully made idols out of success and appearance. I was sinfully trying to gain control that belonged to God. After realizing the ways that I had sinned, the remedy was that I could repent to God and because of Christ’s redemptive work on my behalf, I could be forgiven. Christ was the answer to my sin.
 
But it was also important for me to realize that I had experienced suffering. I was in a car accident in which I could have died. It shook my understanding of control and made me question God’s sovereignty. I suffered because of my circumstances and then formulated ideas and actions to deal with that suffering. And it was helpful to understand that my eating disorder was creating more suffering, so that by the time I was seeking help I was dealing with the suffering from the car accident but also the suffering that my eating disorder had caused. Christ was also the answer to my suffering. He spent thirty-three years on earth understanding and entering into that suffering. And he died to redeem my suffering so that it can be used for God’s glory and my sanctification.
 
Q: Did Krista’s struggle with an eating disorder influence your path to becoming a biblical counselor in any way? Did what you learned in becoming a counselor help you better understand what Krista was going through?
 
David: My desire to become a counselor was quite separate from Krista’s struggles. It would be a great story if her suffering caused me to want to learn to be helpful, but I actually continued to pursue other plans until God kept laying counseling in my lap for other reasons. While I was finishing seminary, God brought us to a church where the senior pastor had a doctorate in counseling, and he required me to sit in on cases with him. It was there that I first saw counseling as a primary means for discipleship and got hooked. After that, I ended up at a church that ministered to people who were struggling with various kinds of addictions. I ended up being hired from there into my current position as the counseling pastor at our church. I often felt like I was not really pursuing counseling, but through God’s sovereignty and direction, counseling was always pursuing me.
 
Learning more about counseling, however, did shape how I approached Krista. I began to see my failures more clearly and particularly saw the character deficiencies that brought on those failures. I also learned tons of skills in both research and counseling that enabled me to do a better job of caring for Krista. And it has helped me to go back and tell our story in a way that helps me to see what I could have done differently and how God used my failures to still carry out his good purpose in both of our lives.
 
What is interesting about our story is that I actually knew very little about biblical counseling until God walked us through many of the steps toward change in real time. It is why we are even more convinced that biblical counseling is so effective. My wife was struggling, and I didn’t know what to do. We sought God together and the solutions that he gave us each step along the way align with what we would tell counselees to do. We had no idea that it was the right way to go until we had already walked through it and could piece it back together.
 
Q: Tell us more about Table for Two . How is the book designed to be used? What tools do you provide for readers?
 
The book is written as a tool to help both sufferers and their loved ones work together through an eating disorder. So, each chapter includes both part of Krista’s story of suffering and counseling guidance. Then the chapters end with an interactive exercise for helper and sufferer to do together.
 
The ultimate goal of the book was to provide helpers and sufferers the tools they need to work on this issue together. We provide evaluative charts, a host of reflective questions, guidance on writing out a suffering narrative, and practical strategies for fighting temptation.
 
Q: What one piece of advice or encouragement would you like to share today with couples who are trying to start the journey to overcoming disordered eating?
 
The two biggest keys in our dynamic were learning to be patient and getting outside help.
 
Krista: Change is neither easy nor quick, and so learning to view change as a process and being patient with setbacks is important. David wanted to pressure me to change, and I wanted to give up when it was hard. Patience went a long way to keep us both engaged in the journey towards recovery.
 
David: Getting help is also vital. I needed to be involved in the process because I was most consistently and most intimately involved in Krista’s life. But I couldn’t do it all. Professional helpers were of immense importance to her recovery. As a spouse struggling to care for her, I needed help too. I needed someone who could not only guide me in how to care for her, but who could also support me when I was discouraged and fatigued.
 
Patience and help were the biggest difference makers in our lives. So, if you are just starting this journey, those are the best places to start. Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders
By David and Krista Dunham
April 26, 2021 / Retail Price: $15.99
Print ISBN 978-1-645070-74-0
Religion / Christian Ministry / Counseling and RecoveryAbout the Authors
David Dunham, MDiv (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary), is a pastor and biblical counselor at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Roseville, MI. He is the author of Addictive Habits: Changing for Good and coauthor of Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders. He speaks refularly on issues related to Biblical Counseling. David and his wife, Krista, have three children.
 
David blogs at www.pastordaveonline.org and can be found on Twitter (@pastor_dave619).
 
Krista Dunham has served as a women’s mentor, biblical counselor, and curriculum developer for various women’s and children’s ministries. She has a degree in early childhood education from Ohio University. Krista suffered from an eating disorder for many years and has been privileged to share her story of recovery and transformation at many women’s events. She is the coauthor of Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders.
 
David and Krista have three children and live in Michigan.

Gold Rush Bride Caroline by Linda Shenton Matchett

Gold Rush Bride Caroline

By Linda Shenton Matchett

Hear the words “gold rush,” and California immediately comes to mind. However, the U.S. was home to dozens of gold rushes throughout the years beginning in 1799 when a young boy found a seventeen pound nugget in North Carolina. Gold Rush Brides is an exciting new series that features female prospectors. Meet Caroline Vogel, protagonist in Gold Rush Bride Caroline that releases on July 15th!

LM: As I hear it, you took a wagon train from Georgia to Pike’s Peak to try your hand in the gold fields. Tell us about that.

Caroline: I need a change. A big change. Life in Dahlonega was strangling me. People treated me with pity or scorn, and finding love was an exercise in futility. My parents struck it rich during the 1829 Georgia gold rush, and frankly, every potential suitor was more interested in their money than me. I figured if Mother could find success in the gold fields thirty years ago, I had a good chance. The wagon trail ride was long and tedious, with only a few hair-raising incidents.

LM: Care to share one of those incidents?

Caroline: I don’t want to give too much away, but going through Indian territory is always dangerous.

LM: What was it like being one of only a few women prospectors at Pike’s Peak?

Caroline: A lot of the men didn’t like us gals there, that’s for sure. They seemed to resent us and often tried to talk us out of staying. A couple of times they tried to scare us off, and that was a little dicey. Some of the women couldn’t handle the physicality of the work and left or found jobs in town. Others gave up when their claim didn’t produce. The newspapers made it sound like gold was laying on the ground for the taking, and when people discovered that wasn’t the case, they lost interest.

LM: You mentioned the physicality of the searching for gold. Tell us about that.

Caroline: Well, the days are long. I don’t want to bore you with too much detail, but there are several ways to mine for gold, the simplest being to pan for it. That water is plenty cold, coming out of the mountains during the spring thaw. Either bending or squatting, you shovel dirt from the river bed into your pan, then pick out the largest of the rocks. You swirl the pan in a circular motion until the bulk of the sand and dirt is gone. These motions are repeated until you get down the fine grains and can pick out the gold. If you’re lucky you found nuggets which are easy to pick out and worth a lot. But a lot of the gold is flakes the size of an eyelash. Patience and stamina are crucial for any good prospector.

LM: What was the area like?

Caroline: There were a bunch of mining camps, mostly made up of tents and a few hastily built cabins. Denver City and Boulder City were two of the larger camps. The boom was initially concentrated along the South Platte River, in Clear Creek Canyon, and in Breckenridge. Some say there were over 100,000 folks who came. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. Seemed like men were shoulder to shoulder in the rivers. There were few laws, and lots of alcohol flowed through the camps, creating all sorts of problems. One of the reasons that I’m glad I know how to shoot.

LM: Tell us about that handsome assistant trail boss.

Caroline: (flushes and waves her hand) Suffice it to say, he’s alternately intriguing and infuriating.

About Gold Rush Bride Caroline:

She thinks he’s high-handed and out for her gold. He thinks she’s difficult and money-hungry. Will they discover that love is the true treasure?

Scarred in a childhood accident, Caroline Vogel has yet to find a man willing to marry her, so she heads to the Pike’s Peak goldfields to pan enough ore to become a woman of means. When she and the handsome assistant trail boss hit it off, she begins to hope her future may not be spent alone. Then she catches wind of dark secrets from the man’s past, and she’s not sure what or who to believe.

Orphaned as a teenager, Oliver Llewellyn stole to survive, then used his skills for the army during the war. Nowadays, he applies his knowledge to catch dangerous thieves for the Pinkerton Agency, so guarding a young woman during a wagon train journey should be easy. But he didn’t count on the fact she’d angered a man bent on revenge. He also didn’t count on losing his heart.

Gold Rush Bride Caroline is part of the exciting multi-author Gold Rush Brides series set in 19th century America.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3gF28M2

Bio:

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, speaker, and history geek. She writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda was a trustee of her local public library for twelve years. She was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland and has lived in historic places all her life. Now located in central New Hampshire, Linda’s favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

Links:

Website/Blog: http://www.lindashentonmatchett.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LindaShentonMatchettAuthor

Newsletter signup: https://mailchi.mp/74bb7b34c9c2/lindashentonmatchettnewsletter

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lindasmatchett

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-shenton-matchett

YouTube Moments in History: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4b-o_6cD8HkHNyFP-wZwJg?view_as=subscriber

When Waves Break by Allison Wells

Character Interview for When Waves Break

Allison Wells – www.allisonwellswrites.com

facebook.com/allisonwellswrites

Instagram: @whatallisonsaid

Featuring main characters Juliette and Eve Nicholas

Interviewer:  Welcome everyone! Today we’re talking to twins Juliette and Eve Nicholas from the novel When Waves Break. Now, you two are twins, but definitely not identical. Who do you look like?

Eve: I look more like my dad’s side, though I don’t think anybody has red hair.

Juliette: I definitely look more like Mom with the dark, wild curls.

I: How do you feel about that summer of 1968?

J: It was awful for me. I wish I could go back and erase it from happenings, but then I wouldn’t have met Booker the way I did. I think God would have had us find each other eventually, but I’m glad it happened how it did.

E: Same. I was so naive. There are definitely things I wish were different, but then, my life wouldn’t have taken the path it did. Without the mistakes of that summer, I wouldn’t have the blessings I have now.

I: Explain those blessings to me.

E: I thought I was in love. Well, I was in love, but the man I loved didn’t love me the way he should have. He lied to me and took advantage of my feelings for him. And while I wish I had been wiser at that time in my life, without Jesse, Willow wouldn’t be here. And I wouldn’t have met my husband.

J: Well, I knew I wasn’t in love. I was hardly in like. I was assaulted on my first date with someone from church, which led to some severe depression and anxiety. I didn’t know how to handle life after that and that was a season when Eve was so happy, it just compounded my sadness. But that was also the summer I met Booker and learned what it means to lean on God for all things.

I: You both came to faith after the events of that summer, right? What did that look like?

J: Like I said, I really struggled with how to recover and cope with the trauma I had experienced. But it was in a conversation with Booker that he explained things in a way I had never understood before. That God loves me for who I am, flaws and all. Of course, I had heard that my whole life, but it was that one moment that it all sank in for me. Booker helped me pray and the relief that flooded over me was amazing. It gave me the courage to overcome what had happened and turn my life around.

E: Right. Our dad is a pastor, so we were raised in the church. I thought I was a good Christian girl, but when everything happened with Jesse and I was left alone and pregnant, I seriously doubted that He cared for me. It took some convincing and some prayer, but I realized that nothing that happened was a surprise to God and that He could use our sins for His own glory. Willow is a perfect example of that.

I: How so?

E: She was conceived out of a lie. But she was born into a family of love. Because of her, I got to know Patrick McKenzie, who I had met before but was her pediatrician. I recall being in a restaurant one day with Patrick, Willow asleep in his arms, and an older lady told me to enjoy my child and husband. It was then I realized we might have a future together. And we certainly did! All because I made a teenage mistake.

I: Juliette, you were brave enough to testify against the man who hurt you. Where is he now?

J: I try not to think about him, so I really don’t know. But I stayed in touch with some of the other girls who survived his attacks. We have a close bond.

I: Your parents were accepting of you dating and marrying outside your own race in a time when that was frowned upon. Why do you think they were so open?

J: Mom and Dad always taught us that color doesn’t matter. We were taught to look at the person under the skin. I’m proud that my niece and my own children identify as Black and I think a lot of that has to do with our parents accepting them as they are, and helping us to accept people from different cultures as valuable and vital members of the community. God is love and He loves us all. Red, yellow, black, and white, we are all precious in His sight.

E: Yep. What she said.

I: I think that’s all the time we have for today. If you haven’t read the story of Eve and Juliette Nicholas, pick up their book, When Waves Break by Allison Wells, at a retailer near you.

Allison Wells is a wife, mother, and sweet tea addict. She writes what she calls “gritty Christian fiction,” books that show the hard truths of life but ultimately are stories of redemption in the end. She loves to bring a word of hope to readers world-wide. Her motto is, “Life is short, eat the Oreos.” Visit her website at www.allisonwellswrites.com.

David and Krista Dunham: Table for Two

Part 1 of an Interview with David and Krista Dunham,
Authors of Table for Two

Breaking free from an eating disorder is difficult and complex. Those who are suffering often feel misunderstood and struggle with feeling alone and afraid, ashamed to tell those closest to them. At the same time, their loved ones also feel helpless and ill-equipped about how to help and care for them. Within this dynamic, hurt, disappointment, and neglect often thrive. From the unique perspective of a  husband and wife team, Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders  shares Krista Dunham’s journey to freedom from her eating disorder while David Dunham shares insights as the loved one coming beside her.
 
Krista suffered from an eating disorder for over ten years and, by God’s grace and through biblical counseling, overcame it. She openly and honestly shares her experience, describing what she did, what she needed, and what proved helpful in the process of change. Alongside her story, David shares what he did, how he failed, and what he learned along the way as a biblical counselor that was helpful to Krista.

Q: Could you tell us a little of your story? When did you first realize you were fighting a battle with food?

Krista: Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I had always been very active with a naturally thin frame. But when I started college, I stopped playing sports and started eating more late-night snacks. I gained the normal “freshman fifteen,” but very quickly felt like I needed to get my weight back under control. I started monitoring my intake of sweets and started going to the gym. But after a car accident forced me to look death in the face, I realized that I did not have the kind of control over my life that I thought I had. Instead of looking to God and being amazed at his sovereignty and control for allowing me to live, I tried to gain my own control. The car accident ended up being a tipping point for me. The moment that I could be alone with my feelings about what had happened, I ate everything in my room and immediately felt like I needed to get rid of it all by purging. It was that moment that I realized I was facing something much bigger and scarier than I even understood. From that point on, I was no longer in control of my diet and exercise. My diet and exercise were controlling me. I didn’t want anyone close to me to know what was going on, but I was terrified of what was happening to me, so I reached out to my boyfriend who lived eight hours away from me at the time. Together we ended up finding help through a combination of medical professionals, nutritional guidance, and biblical counseling. I benefitted from having a helper by my side to ask questions, hold me accountable and reinforce the help I was getting from other sources.

Q: Did you realize Krista was struggling, or did she have to tell you? How did you respond to the news?

David: When Krista told me that she had an eating disorder, it was a complete shock. I had no clue that there was anything wrong. I owed my ignorance to several factors: (1) We were hours apart attending different colleges, (2) I didn’t know anything about eating disorders, so I wouldn’t have even been able to identify the signs if there were any, and (3) Krista was good at hiding these behaviors. Initially I was shocked and deeply concerned. I tried to be compassionate and understanding, and because I am a planner, I started developing a plan of action on how I was going to help Krista. Over time, however, my motivation waned and my frustration grew. Because I didn’t know enough about the issues, all of my plans were incredibly simplistic and naive. Eventually we got to a place in our relationship where we just didn’t really talk about it until some sort of crisis arose.

Q: Physically and psychologically, what is an eating disorder? What are some of the underlying motives that drive an eating disorder?

An eating disorder is a pattern of destructive eating habits which significantly impair physical health and psychosocial functioning. There are three common types of eating disorders, though there are a host of variations on these: anorexia (a form of self-starvation), bulimia (a cycle of binging and purging), and binge eating (a compulsive consumption of massive amounts of calories at one time). The motives are as diverse as the individuals who engage in the behaviors, but there are several common ones we can identify. One of the more dominant motives is control, which manifests in an effort to counterbalance feelings of insecurity in other areas of life. I control my food or my weight because it’s one area where I feel like I can have that level of power. Other motives include self-medication, appearance, pride, and self-punishment. In each case a sufferer is looking to their destructive habits to provide something for them to which God offers a better alternative.

Q: How does an eating disorder impact the loved ones of a sufferer?

No suffering or sin is ever limited in its effect. My love and concern for Krista, for example, meant that I often felt anxious and frustrated because of the harm she was causing herself. No one wants to see their loved ones killing themselves, and functionally, that is what destructive eating habits are doing. Her restrictions and anxieties also meant that there were certain social events that we couldn’t attend together. Meals with friends and family were a big deal, so we struggled to have people over or go to their homes because such events were problematic for Krista. Ultimately, an eating disorder impacts your relationships with those you love. In order for Krista to engage in her behaviors she needed to cut off more and more social events and relationships. People and activities threatened her routines and threatened to expose her behaviors, so she kept people at arm’s length, even me. This created lots of stress on our relationships, which was compounded by my own poor responses to her.

Q: How does Biblical counseling provide a framework for overcoming disordered eating?

The Bible is far more robust on counseling issues than many realize. In particular, we have found the Bible presents us with a framework for problems that drives us back to the heart. The “heart” in the Scriptures is related to our desires, will, and thoughts, and it is out of the heart that both the “mouth speaks” and we act. As we approached Krista’s destructive eating habits, we began to see from Scripture that these were more than just behaviors, they were behavioral responses to desires. Further, the Bible provides us ways to analyze those desires and channel them in healthy and God-honoring ways. Through Scripture’s overall depiction of people, problems, and change we have developed a philosophy of counseling that provides a framework for working through eating disorders. We call it the Four R’s: Responsibility, Relationship, Restructuring, and Remaining. The Bible treats us as both sufferers and sinners and yet it invites us to take responsibility for our actions, attitudes, and desires. The Scriptures also encourage us to see the importance of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and with God’s people. Scripture’s teaching on change urges us to both put off destructive habits and replace them with godly ones, so there is a restructuring of our whole lives that must take place as we work through eating disorders. Finally, Scripture invites us to hope and persist in godliness as we move throughout life.

Q: How does the book help a couple to communicate more openly? Can you share one of the interactive exercises from Table for Two ?

David: Part of what made navigation of the issue so difficult for us early on was that I didn’t know what to say or what to ask. I would sometimes ask Krista, “What can I do to be helpful?” but she didn’t know. So we often didn’t talk about the subject at all. The book is designed to help focus the conversation between sufferer and helper in very specific ways. Dialogue about this issue tends towards either pressured accountability or vague generalities. We wanted to provide good questions that allow for deeper conversation and greater understanding. We also wanted those conversations to orient people towards attainable recovery goals. A good example is the interactive exercise at the end of chapter 2. The exercise found there focuses on sharing and listening. Sufferers are invited to share answers to specific questions about their experience of their eating disorder. These are answers that are not often freely given but which reveal the seriousness of the problem, the internal logic behind some of the behaviors, and their readiness to change. The helper’s assignment is to fill out a listening evaluation and identify areas of strength and weakness so that they can improve in their listening skills. As sharing and listening become healthier in a relationship, the relationship itself gets healthier, and the healthier the relationship, the better the help.

Q: Do you still struggle with eating? How are you now helping others who are in similar situations to what you found yourself in?

Krista: In the book I describe what I have experienced as “victory” or “freedom” or “recovery” because destructive eating habits no longer dominate my life and my thoughts. My eating disorder does not control me anymore, so in that sense, Christ has won, I am free, I am healed. But I do explain in the book that there has yet to come a point that I am 100% free of all temptation about food and body issues. I am being sanctified, but I will never be sinless. As I say in the book, “Food issues are still in the background of my heart,” and that may always be true. So, my recovery is not that I will never struggle ever again, but that I struggle less, and when I am faced with temptation, I know how to face it in a godly way. This is the “already/not yet” concept that we all experience in sanctification as we wait for the return of Christ. Christ has already defeated Satan on the cross but, right now, Satan still has some power, so we have not yet experienced the fullness of that victory. We have been given the power to have victory over sin in this present age, but in the age to come, that victory will be full and complete. I may still have some food rules that try to creep back into my daily habits, or I may still have a sinful thought or two when I climb on the scales at the doctor’s office, but the question is: How will I fight? How will I use the strategies I have in place to get ahead of those issues before they turn into full-blown attack? That is where I need to be honest with my helper, I need to write down what I’m thinking and counteract it with the truth of Scripture, and I need to pray (repent, if necessary) and ask for God to help. Recovery is not that I am free from temptation, but that I know how to deal with temptation so that it leads me to sanctification and not to sin. From the time I started to experience more freedom, I wanted to help others to see the way out. I didn’t want anyone to experience the lost and helpless feelings I felt when I didn’t know where to turn for help. I started by sharing my testimony at women’s events at my church. From that I was asked to talk to a health class at a local school. I try not to shy away from chances to share my story because it is the story of what Christ has done in me and through me. I have shared my story in individual conversations and in large groups. I have also pursued education in biblical counseling in many different avenues in order to prepare myself for opportunities to counsel others in the same way I was counseled. I am currently working toward getting a master’s degree in biblical counseling.
Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders
By David and Krista Dunham
April 26, 2021 / Retail Price: $15.99
Print ISBN 978-1-645070-74-0
Religion / Christian Ministry / Counseling and Recovery    


 
David Dunham, MDiv (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary), is a pastor and biblical counselor at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Roseville, MI. He is the author of Addictive Habits: Changing for Good and coauthor of Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders. He speaks refularly on issues related to Biblical Counseling. David and his wife, Krista, have three children.
 
David blogs at www.pastordaveonline.org and can be found on Twitter (@pastor_dave619).
 
Krista Dunham has served as a women’s mentor, biblical counselor, and curriculum developer for various women’s and children’s ministries. She has a degree in early childhood education from Ohio University. Krista suffered from an eating disorder for many years and has been privileged to share her story of recovery and transformation at many women’s events. She is the coauthor of Table for Two: Biblical Counsel for Eating Disorders.
 
David and Krista have three children and live in Michigan.  

Fiction Finder: July 2021 New Releases

July 2021 New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

General Contemporary:

Rocky Mountain Restoration by Lisa J. Flickinger — Josephine Thorebourne doesn’t deserve happiness. Not after the mess she’s made. Mid-voyage, on the steamship Jameson, she learns of the tragic loss of her family’s money. Money she stole with the hopes of turning a profit. What should be a delightful voyage up the Canadian coast turns into a journey of regret. Josephine seeks the solace of the man she loves, only to find out he’s an imposter. Left with no other choice, she must return to her home town of Stony Creek and face the anger of those she’s betrayed. Owen Kelly was given the opportunity of a lifetime to steward on the SS Jameson. The work meant he could escape his difficult upbringing along the wharves of Chicago. When his heart falls for the woman in cabin eight, Owen must decide if he will continue his work on the ship or follow the love of his life to her Rocky Mountain home. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

 

Rescuing Her Heart by Cindy Ervin Huff — On visitation rounds as a lay preacher, the last thing rancher Jed Holt expects is to be shot at from the barn next to a burned-down homestead. But the soot-covered woman hiding inside needs protecting, and Jed is the man to do it whether she likes it or not. Delilah James’s nightmares began when she came to Kansas as a mail-order bride. Her husband was nothing like his letters. Now that he is dead, she can’t shake his abuse from her heart. Trusting men tops her never-again list, and taking a job on the Holt ranch as a housekeeper is a means to save money and bring her parents west. But her attraction to the compassionate former chaplain both angers and confuses her. Jed has his own nightmares from a POW camp and understands Delilah better than she knows. Can two broken people form a forever bond? (Historical Romance from Iron Stream Media)

Gold Rush Bride Caroline by Linda Shenton Matchett — Scarred in a childhood accident, Caroline Vogel has yet to find a man willing to marry her, so she heads to the Pike’s Peak goldfields to pan enough ore to become a woman of means. When she and the handsome assistant trail boss hit it off, she begins to hope her future may not be spent alone. Then she catches wind of dark secrets from the man’s past, and she’s not sure what or who to believe. Orphaned as a teenager, Oliver Llewellyn stole to survive, then used his skills for the army during the war. Nowadays, he applies his knowledge to catch dangerous thieves for the Pinkerton Agency, so guarding a young woman during a wagon train journey should be easy. But he didn’t count on the fact she’d angered a man bent on revenge. He also didn’t count on losing his heart. (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Hollywood is Not Home by Annmarie M. Roberts — Would you trade fame for privacy? Movie star Maggie Malone has a glamorous lifestyle with everything money can buy―except privacy. Hounded by the paparazzi and ridiculed for her faith, Maggie secretly struggles with severe anxiety and loneliness. All she desires is to be herself–southern girl by birth, ranch lover by heart. When an anonymous benefactor invites Maggie to participate in a secret project, will her hopelessness find a new direction? Or will she become another celebrity travesty? What if she discovers Hollywood is not Home? Her faith, family, love, and future hang in the balance . (General Romance from Ambassador International)

The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik — Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of an 19th Century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage. In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naïve woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

 

General Historical:

If it Rains by Jennifer L. Wright — It’s 1935 in Oklahoma, and lives are determined by the dust. Fourteen-year-old Kathryn Baile, a spitfire born with a severe clubfoot, is coming of age in desperate times. Once her beloved older sister marries, Kathryn’s only comfort comes in the well-worn pages of her favorite book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Then Kathryn’s father decides to relocate to Indianapolis, and only the promise of a surgery to finally make her “normal” convinces Kathryn to leave Oklahoma behind. But disaster strikes along the way, and Kathryn must rely on her grit and the ragged companions she meets on the road if she is to complete her journey.
Back in Boise City, Melissa Baile Mayfield is the newest member of the wealthiest family in all of Cimarron County. In spite of her poor, rural upbringing, Melissa has just married the town’s most eligible bachelor and is determined to be everything her husband―and her new social class―expects her to be. But as the drought tightens its grip, Henry’s true colors are revealed. Melissa covers her bruises with expensive new makeup and struggles to reconcile her affluent life with that of her starving neighbors. Haunted by the injustice and broken by Henry’s refusal to help, Melissa secretly defies her husband, risking her life to follow God’s leading. (General Historical from Tyndale House)

 

 

Romance Contemporary:

Make You Feel My Love by Robin Lee Hatcher — In 1895, Cora Anderson jumps on a cross-country train to escape New York society and her domineering father. She leaves with only some spare clothing, jewelry that once belonged to her grandmother, her cherished violin, and hopes for an uncertain future. The tiny town of Chickadee Creek is idyllic and welcoming, but it’s only a matter of time before Cora’s new friends discover the secrets of her past. More than a hundred years later, Chelsea Spencer is fleeing a dangerous situation of her own when her great aunt’s antique shop in Chickadee Creek becomes the perfect haven. At the same time, up-and-coming Hollywood star Liam Chandler has returned to the town of his ancestors to grieve some painful family losses and ponder the direction of his career. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing (Thomas Nelson and Zondervan))

 

A Future to Fight For by Mindy Obenhaus — Widow Paisley Wainwright’s so close to taking her Texas event-planning business to the next level by turning Renwick Castle into a wedding venue. Only one thing stands in the way: her longtime rival, Crockett Devereaux, who wants the building to become a museum. When the building’s owners insist they collaborate to implement both plans, can Paisley and Crockett put their differences aside…and fight for their dreams together? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

The Cowgirl’s Sacrifice by Tina Radcliffe — Needing time to heal after a rodeo injury, Kate Rainbolt heads to her family ranch to accept the foreman job her brothers offered her months ago. But the position’s already been filled by her ex-boyfriend, Jess McNally, and the only open job reports to him. With Jess as her temporary boss—and turning into something more—might he finally convince Kate to put down roots? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

The Yes Dare by Kathleen Y’Barbo — After spending most of her adult life as a football wife and mother to twin sons, fashionista Coco Sutton is learning how to be single and fabulous. Emphasis on Fabulous. The sports trophies, memorabilia, and heavy masculine wood furniture in the home she used to share with Ryan have been banished to the attic, and her home is now a cozy haven of plush candle-scented comfort. She’s got big plans that include owning a boutique or maybe an art gallery, but she never planned to take on the biggest challenge of her life: staying single. Then her best friend gives her a copy of a book called The Yes Dare, and all her plans are turned upside down. (Contemporary Romance from White Glove Publishing)

 

Romantic Suspense/Thriller:

Her Sanctuary, His Heart by Michelle Dykman — Five years ago, Braelyn Kane’s daughter died. Her marriage imploded, and Forest Hill became Braelyn’s sanctuary. She’s praying for her new life to start, but she doesn’t know where to find it. (Romantic Suspense/Thriller from Ambassador International)

 

Lethal Cover-Up by Darlene L. Turner — Some secrets are dangerous…But uncovering the truth could be deadly. Border patrol officer Madison Steele knows her sister Leah’s fatal car crash was no accident. Someone’s willing to kill to cover up a pharmaceutical company’s deadly crime of distributing tainted drugs. Now they are after Madison to tie off loose ends. But with her high school sweetheart, Canadian police constable Tucker Reed, at her side, can Madison expose the company’s deadly plan before she becomes the next victim? (Romantic Suspense/Thriller from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

 

Speculative Fiction/Fantasy:

Journey to ChiYah by Kimberly Russell — JADE PEPPERDINE HAS A PROBLEM: Her life is crumbling beneath the weight of the past, events of the present, and fears for her future. Things need to change, but she doesn’t know where to start. Answers come in the form of an unexpected opportunity when Jade finds herself stuck in a mythical land. She meets Mayor Dudley, who insinuates she is emotionally broken and in need of repair … a fact she’d just as soon ignore. He offers to help her get home if she is willing to face her issues through a process of restoration. Frightened and skeptical yet out of options, Jade grudgingly agrees. And soon figures out that change is a journey, not a destination. (Speculative Fiction/Fantasy, Independently Published)

 

 

Western:

A Man with a Past by Mary Connealy — Falcon Hunt awakens without a past, or at least not one he can recall. He’s got brothers he can’t remember, and he’s interested in the prettiest woman in the area, Cheyenne. Only trouble is, a few flashes of memory make Falcon wonder if he’s already married. He can’t imagine abandoning a wife. But his pa did just that–twice. When Falcon claims his inheritance in the West, Cheyenne is cut out of the ranch she was raised on, leaving her bitter and angry. And then Falcon kisses her, adding confusion and attraction to the mix. Soon it’s clear someone is gunning for the Hunt brothers. When one of his brothers is shot, Falcon and Cheyenne set out to find who attacked him. They encounter rustled cattle, traitorous cowhands, a missing woman, and outlaws that take all their savvy to overcome. Ajs love grows between these two independent people, Falcon must piece together his past if they’re to have any chance at a future. (Western from Bethany House (Baker) Publishing)

 

 

Young Adult:

 

 

You, Me and the Stars by Michelle Dykman — He thinks she’s shallow, she thinks he’s a nerd. What happens when they are forced to work together?
(Young Adult from Ambassador International)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

 

 
An Unexpected Legacy by Amy R. Anguish, Smoothies brought them together but would the past tear them apart? (Romantic Suspense)

 

 

  Where Hope Begins by Heidi Chiavaroli, This is Book 2 in The Orchard House Bed and Breakfast Series, a contemporary twist on the well-loved classic, Little Women. (General Contemporary)

 

 

 
Discovering Emily by Carlene Havel, How can Emily rebuild her life after her husband deserts her? (Contemporary Romance)

 

 

 
The Father He Deserves by Lisa Jordan, A determined dad. A wary mother. Making amends is never easy… Injured in a kayaking accident, champion Evan Holland returns home to train rescue dogs. But his unexpected partner is the woman he left behind, Natalie Bishop. And she has a secret: a son Evan never knew he had. Now Evan must prove he can be a real father. But earning Natalie’s trust back will take hope, forgiveness—and risking everything on forever… (Contemporary Romance)

 

 

 
Amish Country Threats by Dana R. Lynn, Her brother was murdered. Will she be next? (Romantic Suspense/Thriller)

 

 

 
Secrets in September by Doreen McAvoy, Will was looking forward to eighth grade. Will he even make it past September? (Middle Grade)

 

 

 
It’s Mystery…Birds by Janetta Fudge Messmer, Follow the Early Birds, plus one, on an RV journey where snooping around leads them to more than clues. It may even include a little matchmaking amid criminal activity. (Mystery)

 

 

 
Trapped in a Hot Air Balloon by Mark Wainwright, When angry siblings find themselves trapped and terrified in a runaway hot air balloon, their situation spirals out of control, forcing them to confront their fears in order to survive the crash landing. (Young Adult)

 

Janetta Messmer: It’s a Mystery…Birds

IT’S A MYSTERY…BIRDS

In all honesty, I didn’t want to do another book in the Early Birds series. But Rosie, one of my characters, doesn’t know when to quit talking (J), so I got busy and wrote It’s a Mystery… Birds.

Here’s the back cover copy of Book #5:

And the mayhem has to include Rose Wilford, Betsy’s bestest friend in all the world. Especially since she ‘happens’ to show up at the writer’s conference, and she isn’t a writer. While she’s there – Rosie invites Dillon to join them on a girl’s trip in her RV. The famous writer accepts.

When Betsy Stevenson signed up for the writer’s conference, she thought she’d see her Houston friends and learn more about the craft of writing. However, rain, canceled flights, and a chance meeting with Dillon McCloud (a mystery writer and keynote speaker) turns her life into a back-to-back adventure.

Monday morning, they’re on the road. And they are no more than fifty-five miles when suspense and intrigue come knocking at the RV door. Not to mention seeing lingerie where you’d never expect to find undergarments.

It’s a mystery, for sure.

Follow the Early Birds, plus one, on a journey where snooping around leads them to more than clues. It may even include a little matchmaking amid criminal activity. Is there actually a crime, or is it all a marketing ploy for the mystery author to sell her latest novel?

I think the reason I drug my feet had all to do with my branching out and doing a mystery instead of my usual MO (comedy). It’s a first for me, but I’m not sure it’ll be the last time I tackle it. The intrigue, suspense, a possible homicide, and matchmaking—what’s not to love?

I’m so glad I wrote Book #5, and it’s funny – I’ve already had one of my faithful readers ask, “Will there be a Book #6?” Right now – NO – but you never know.

BIO: Turning Life into Comedy is Janetta Fudge Messmer’s tagline. She loves to laugh, and it’s why she writes Christian Comedy (with a touch of Romance). She’s also published a Christian Historical and a Devotional. For Janetta, writing and traveling go hand in hand since she, her hubby (Ray), and their pooch (Maggie) are full-time RVers. Most days, you’ll find them out sightseeing…but first Janetta has to sit down and write a few words.

You can find Janetta at:

www.janettafudgemessmer.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/nettiefudge  

E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com

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