Help for single ladies

Lessons Learned as a Bridesmaid is a fun yet spiritually deep book, aimed at single women.  This book, according to the author, "is dedicated to all the ladies who may not feel as overjoyed to hear of yet another friend's recent engagement. This is for the young ladies who, as happy as they may feel to see a friend marry the person of their dreams, have that little ache in their hearts that says, “God, when will it be my turn?” My story is all about how to wait with contentment for your husband that God has chosen just for you." This book feels almost like sitting down with your girlfriends over a cup of coffee or tea and talking openly and honestly about how it feels to be single and what we can do to help those feelings.  
Lessons Learned as a Bridesmaid is a shockingly honest look at the author's life and relationships, with her friends, her family and her former boyfriends.  She chronicles several times she's been a bridesmaid, but she's not made it to the altar herself, to the shock of her Haitian family.  Through speaking about the end of one of her romantic relationships, she outlines the way she sought the Lord through and in her pain and how He healed her heart.  She says, and I agree, that one main problem we as God's children have is how impatient we can get while waiting for His perfect timing, especially where romance is concerned.  
This is a great book for singles of all ages, from late adolescence on.  It includes discussion/study questions at the end of each chapter, which would be ideal for a Sunday School class or small group.  It also shows two Biblical examples of waiting on God's timing, Sarah and Hannah.  
I found much encouragement in this book, being a single, never-married person in my early thirties.  This book reminds me that God is in control and He is working all things for my good.  There are several important Biblically-based lessons to be learned through this book for all women of God.
*I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

Careful what you wish for

What if your fondest prayer was finally answered?  Would you really be as happy as you thought you'd be?
In Sunrise on the Battery, Mary Lynn finds out the answer.  She's a typical society mom, totally devoted to her kids and husband, and experiencing something of a spiritual awakening.  This includes meeting with a prayer group once a week.  Her most fervent prayer is that her husband Jackson will come to know the same Lord she has experienced.  When that finally happens, through his meeting with their priest, the results are far from what Mary Lynn thought they would be.  Jackson's new-found faith is being acted out in ways that are radically different from how Mary Lynn thought their lives would be.  
I found this story both challenging and engaging.  I totally identified with the characters and felt they were very vividly drawn out, almost to the point that they felt like real people I knew.  I could identify strongly with Jackson especially, who read voraciously, mostly to make up for something he felt he missed in his education.  I also love the imagery Beth Webb Hart uses to describe the Spirit's moving in people-e.g.-"...(Mary Lynn) felt a burning in her chest, like she had fallen asleep facedown on a heating pad.  It wasn't uncomfortable, but it felt full of energy, and she sensed that God's love for her, something wholly undeserved, was working its way into her very bones.  It was the best feeling she'd ever known.  She did not want the burning to end."  
I truly enjoyed this book and found it a good story and also thought-provoking about how we all live out our faith.  It also shows that our prayers being answered do not always end up the way we thought they would.  
I received this book free from the publisher and am not required to write a positive review, but one of my own opinion.

A long-time dream

For several years, I think since I first became aware of the event, I have wanted to participate in the 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer (see the3day.org) . I am not really sure why I want to do it; noone in my immediate family has ever had breast cancer. One of my aunts had it, but she died when I was very young so I have no memories of her. Noone in my immediate circle of friends has had it either, so I have no direct experience with the disease. I guess because it strikes 1 in 8 women it hits closer to home with me than most other diseases. I have long gone out of my way to buy products I see with the pink ribbon on the label that indicates that company supports cancer research. I have felt the desire to do that walk for several years, but for some reason it seems even stronger this year and I am starting to seriously think that I may truly be able to do the event this year, God willing.

The event involves much fundraising, and also training to be able to walk 20 miles a day for three days. I am fairly confident that I can train and be ready to walk. The main hurdle is financial. I am unable to even come up with the registration fee as of yet, not to mention the equipment that I would need. I believe that if the LORD truly wants me on that walk this year He can make a way for it to come to pass, whether that means some generous souls endowing me to walk or me finding a part-time job. I do not know if I will be able to do the walk this year, but I know that the desire to do so fills my heart and it seems to get stronger every time I hear the commercial for the walk on the radio or see one on TV. I pray fervently that this will come to pass this year.