Luv'N Lambert Life

A blog about living with Epilepsy, IBHS, Homeschooling and so much more

forgiveness

No More Perfect Marriages {Moody Publishers Review}

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I admit I am a huge fan of Jill Savage.  She’s one of my favorite Christian authors and my love began with her book No More Perfect Moms.  This book really touched my heart so when I saw No More Perfect Marriages, I knew it was a must read as well!

My personal relationship choices have not always been the best.  It took me a long time to learn to choose a man by God’s standards.  This isn’t something we’re taught in today’s world.  So finding the perfect marriage has been challenging for me personally.

The one thing I do know is that no marriage is perfect, just as no person is perfect.  You both have to want it.  You both have to work hard to have your marriage work.  You both have to put in all that you can to have everlasting happiness.

And you have to be Real.  Be real together.  Overlook the flaws of one another and find forgiveness.

Through No More Perfect Marriages, Mark and Jill Savage guide you through the fundamentals of creating a healthy marriage with each other.  They teach you how to forgive past mistakes and move forward to build the best love your life has known.  You learn to guard against the seven “slow fades” and grow.

No More Perfect Marriages is the perfect book to make you realize that you’re not alone and others struggle with marriage and relationships as well.  It’s a helpful book to help you find your way back to a happier and more loving marriage.  This is one book you will love!

No More Perfect Marriages is available for $11.19 through Moody Publishers in Paperback or for $8.79 in eBook format.

Jill Savage can be found online at:

Jill Savage Website: https://www.jillsavage.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillsavage.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jillsavage

An Author Interview with Lori Wildenberg {Author Interview}

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Last week I did a review of Messy Journey by Lori Wildenberg.  This week I invited Lori over to our blog for a brief interview for her to share more about this wonderful book she has written.  Messy Journey is a book that truly speaks volumes to all who have been blessed to read it, including myself.

Messy Journey deals with the sticky situations we as Christians sometimes find ourselves facing and although this book was written to be a guide for Parents, I found it helpful for my own life.  As I mentioned in our review of Messy Journey, as a person who has lived in Sinful situations for many years of my life, I’ve often felt judged for my choices by other Sinners even though today’s world if filled with constant sin. I’ve often wished there was a book that explained to me how to ask Forgiveness and to forgive myself with God’s help despite my sins and the judgments against me.  Messy Journey provides that.

You can find our review of Messy Journey here.

Reading Lori’s responses to these questions, I found that we have a lot in common.  Lori always wanted to be a teacher and a Mom, just like me and through God’s plan for her life, and mine as well, we both are blessed to be doing these things in our lives.
Lori has also struggled with the unexpected in her life but she’s been able to overcome these struggles with God by her side, just as I have.  We are nothing without God’s guidance in our lives.  Lori shows this daily in her outreach to others, both through her books and through her presence online and in person.

Now onto the interview, you’ve so patiently been waiting for:

1. How would you describe your writing in general to someone who hasn’t read any of your books?
My books are written for moms and dads in the trenches of parenting. They are for parents who are looking for another way to raise kids other than simply behavior modification or natural consequences. If families seek to encourage grace, responsibility, and interdependence my parenting books will provide faith-based, practical, and easily applicable help and support. My mission is to help families build connections that last a lifetime. My parenting philosophy is not only to encourage desirable behavior but to raise kids in a way that encourages character development and spiritual growth. It is best to work from the inside out rather than the outside in; grow the heart, adjust the behavior.


 2. What inspired you to write Messy Journey: How Grace and Truth Offer the Prodigal a Way Home?
Life doesn’t always go the way we expect. As parents, we can do everything “right” and still have a child who veers off the expected path. With my daughter’s permission and input, I share our journey— the struggles a prodigal child brings and how to live life in the middle of the mess.


3. How would you describe this book to someone in a 30 second blurb?
Messy Journey: How Grace and Truth Offer the Prodigal a Way Homeis for parents walking the difficult road with a wayward child. This book is filled with stories from dozens of Christian parents and some prodigals. It includes my personal journey with my same-sex attracted daughter. The book is vulnerable and honest. No matter why a parent has a prodigal (or if you love someone who does) this book will bring comfort, help, and encouragement.  Practical grace- and truth-filled ways of navigating a relationship with a detoured child who is rejecting faith, dabbling in sin, or wholeheartedly embracing sinful behavior are given. There is hope.    

 
4. How did you research or plan your book?
Both personally and professionally I have experienced the messy journey. I have personally lived-out the journey and walked alongside many families who are heart broken and weary because their child has taken a detour.

5.  Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book? 
Messy Journey is for the wounded and weary parent and for those who love them. It is also a resource for counselors, pastors, and support group leaders.  This book offers biblical truth, helpful strategies, prayers, and hope for the hurting and often lonely parent.


 6. What sparked your interest in this topic?
This is a book I didn’t want to write. Having a child who has gone astray not only causes heartache it can be isolating and shaming. No one wants the hurt, the pain that a prodigal brings. But as only God can do, in my grief He tenderized me and moved me to reach out to bring comfort and encouragement to other families facing major struggles with their child.


7. What do you hope readers will gain from the book?
My prayer is that the moms and dads reading this book feel encouraged and less alone. My hope is that by reading the stories of others and implementing the suggestions presented they feel empowered to get through the day and to never give up.


 8. How did personal experience impact writing this book?
My personal experience provides the overarching feeling of connection from the reader to author. Even if the reader’s struggle looks different from mine there are common threads and truths when one is the parent of a prodigal.


 9. How much of your own life goes into your books?
This book isn’t only about my daughter and me, it is filled with many parents and their stories. The prodigals’ substance abuse, sexual sin, and/or rejection of faith are all topics that are addressed. As society normalizes sin, Christian parents feel as if they are constantly fighting the culture. But we have a God who always wins and never gives up!


10. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a teacher and a mom. I am thankful I have been able to wear both hats. I am passionate about helping parents be the moms and dads their kids need. I never considered becoming an author. In the first parenting course I developed and taught, a few of the participants told me I should put the information in a book. I told them I was too busy raising my four kids, they could take notes. Messy Journey is my fourth parenting book. God can do the impossible, even with a resistant and rebellious heart.




I truly hope you enjoyed this interview with Lori Wildenberg and that Messy Journey blesses you as it has me.  We are none perfect and are all walking in this imperfect journey together.  Messy Journey aims to make that struggle a little easier to get through and understand, showing that we are not alone and that Forgiveness is what matters most.

Messy Journey is available for purchase on Amazon for $13.48 in Paperback or $9.99 on Kindle.




A Little More About Lori Wildenberg:

Lori Wildenberg is passionate about helping families build connections that last a life time. She is a licensed parent-family educator and co-founder of 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting. She has written 4 parenting books with Messy Journey: How Grace and Truth Offer the Prodigal a Way Home published by New Hope as her most recent. She is a parent consultant, national speaker, and lead Mentor Mom over at the Moms Together Facebook Community Page. Lori is a contributor to a number of on-line magazines. Every Monday you can find her blogging about faith and family at loriwildenberg.blogspot.com . Mostly, Lori is wife to Tom and mom of four. The Wildenberg’s home is nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. A perfect day in Lori’s world is a hike with her hubby, four kids plus a daughter-in-love, and Murphy the family labradoodle.




You can find Lori Wildenberg online at:


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Welcome to April {Thoughts From Me}

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Welcome to April!

Our April began with the Devil shining her ugly face at us.  Petty spite and anger from another at our wonderful life became the focus for a few days.  The law has been contacted and shall be handling that as necessary.  I refuse to be bullied, stalked, or slandered any more.  Mama has always said I should have been a lawyer.  Maybe one of these days I’ll listen.

The other month, I posted that I was having writer’s block.  Well, the good Lord has seen fit to allow thing to happen that have given me lots to talk about!  Talk I will with His guidance.

It was brought to my attention that some of you assume my blog is a “homeschooling” blog.  It’s not.  It’s a family-life blog that I write as a journal, to share with others who are like us and to spread the word for Epilepsy Awareness, Involuntary Breath Holding Spells Awareness and the other health issues we face.  This includes my recent battles for my own health with undetermined female bleeding issues.  Homeschooling is a just a part of the mix and always will be.

It was also brought to my attention that some of you don’t know how to pronounce my children’s names.

Winston is pretty simple.  He was named for his Papa, my Dad. Win-ston.  It’s an easy name.

Emmalee is NOT Emily.  It is Emma Lee pronounced all together, though she was named for one of my dear friends Emily.  I just really dislike the “ILY” spelling of that name so I changed it to something I liked much better.  She’s also named for her Great-Grandmother Elma and the Lee for her bio-Dad’s family name.  Her Great Great Grandmother’s name was Emma as well.

Laycie is pronounced the same as Lacy though her spelling is different.  “Lay-cee”. I wanted her to be different so I gave her a unique spelling like her sister.

Jackson is just that: Jack-son.  Simple like his big brother’s name.

Each of these names were chosen for unique reasons for my children after I prayed about them for a long time.  Some of y’all know the story of how I chose Jack’s name when I was unsure about it.  I had a photo shoot that day and when I arrived his name was written on a wall.  It was then and there I knew it was to be his name.  God provides signs everywhere.  Just today Jackson was telling me he is Jackson and not any other name.  God knows who we are meant to be.

Our life is just that.  Our life.  I share it for others who are like us that just need someone they can relate to.  I know there were many days in my life when I felt like no one understood my life.  I know there were others who were like me but I couldn’t find them.  Blogs weren’t a thing then and growing up people definitely didn’t talk about Epilepsy.  Things have changed now.  People are generally more open-minded though there are still many who are not.

Now you can judge me on every single word I post here.  You can bash me.  You can nitpick all I have to say.  But really what good is it going to do? I’m still going to write what I feel.  I’m still going to say what I think.  I’m still going to be me and keep being me.  After all, opinions are like assholes, every one has one.

I, personally, try to keep my opinions on others and their lives to myself for the most part.  I am not here to judge and condemn anyone.  There is a bigger presence for that and we will all face the truth one day.  I’m not the one you need to be worried about because I’m just a little insignificant person on this Earth trying to make it through life just like the rest of you.

So here’s the thing.  You live your life and we will keep living ours.  We are happy, in love, high on life and there isn’t a soul in this world taking that away from me this time.  My children are the light of my life.  They bring me indescribable joy.  As does my husband.

No one’s spite or jealousy or negative remarks will change that.  I know his heart and he has never lied to me.  He has changed from the person of his past and he is becoming the person he’s always longed to be with my help and his determination.  I’ve done my medical research and I will stand beside him and not give up because I know the truth of it all.

“Sometimes the love of your life come after the mistakes of your life.”  (I know mine and Don’s both have.)

We all have mistakes in our past.  Every single one of us. There is no one better than another.  It’s how we choose to live after these mistakes that make a difference.

I have personally chosen to learn from the mistakes of my past and move forward but some people chose to dwell on these mistakes and allow them to destroy them inside instead of embracing what God has blessed them with.  They become so wrapped up in the “wrongs” they fail to find the “rights”.  They feel owed.  But let me tell you.  None of us are owed anything from one another.  None of us are owed anything in this life.

We all start from nothing and we are hear to learn God’s Love, Mercy, Grace, Faith, Hope and all the things He wishes us to know.  But even He doesn’t owe us anything because we were given the greatest gift we could ever receive: Life upon the Death of God’s Son.

God Forgives.  God Loves.  God gives Grace in our mistakes.  God gives Mercy even to those who we feel do not deserve it and He expects us to do the same.  Not an easy thing, I know but it can be done.  I personally live my life trying to do just these things.

It’s easy to hold a grudge.  It’s easy to let the hatred we develop when we feel wronged overtake us.  It’s hard to follow God’s guidance and allow ourselves to let go, lay it as His feet and Forgive others.
Life is a learning process.  We come in this world to learn, to develop, to follow the things He is teaching us.  Sometimes we fail.  Sometimes we succeed.  But no matter we continue to live.

Being consumed with the life of others does us no good because we are here to live our own lives.  Being upset because someone has gotten the better of you and acting out does no good because that person is still going to get the best of you in the future and their words really should not matter.  We are all just people.  Just here living.  Make the best of it and let go of the rest.

God bless all of you,

Dana Lambert – Hodge