Finding out Someone in your Family is Gay

This unique book, Out of a Far Country, shows the redeeming love of God as He came to two individuals. The sub-titles are "A Gay Son's Journey to God," and "A Broken Mother's Search for Hope." The book was written by both Christopher and Angela Yuan. I read it a couple of years ago.

Angela, the mother, was an Atheist, and her husband had a nominal Catholic background, so they raised their boys outside of the church. Their marriage was in trouble, and their family was falling apart when Angela sought to end her life. When God intervened, she came to know Him personally. After leading her husband to Jesus, both of them prayed earnestly for their son, Christopher.

Christopher was a gay man, a drug user and seller, and had no time for God. Angela prayed that God would do whatever was necessary to bring him into a relationship with him. Christopher was at his lowest when the police raided his apartment. They found the drugs and Christopher was arrested and imprisoned.

When man is at his lowest, he has nowhere to look but up. And this is where Christopher found himself. A Bible happened to be in his cell and he began to read. Then he began to understand what his mother had been saying to him.

Christopher came to realize that his imprisonment led to his salvation and to his ridding his body of the drugs that were so prominent in his life. His conversion and his life change were dramatic, as God led him out of the mess his life was in.

Not all gay men and women have such an outstanding conversion and life change.

This book was dramatic and inspiring and I recommend it to people who want to see the drastic changes God can make when a person yields his or her life to Him.  I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah for my honest review.

Another book dealing with this subject was one I downloaded recently on my Kindle--The Edge of Grace, by Christa Allan. It is about a sister and brother, the only ones left in their family, who grew up as very close siblings.

When the sister finds out her brother is gay, she is devastated. Then when she discovers that her brother is living with another man, she is afraid for anyone to find out about it, especially her children.

This book is pretty wordy, but I finished it and found a wonderful ending. If you are dealing with a similar situation, I would recommend this book for you. It will help you come to grips with your feelings, and you will be pleased with the ending.

If such a situation comes to you and your family, you will need help in dealing with it and sorting out your feelings. Many times all we have is grace to deal with such heavy things in our lives. The Edge of Grace is a Christian novel that may help.

Lillies in Moonlight

Lillies in Moonlight is a wonderful picture of life in the roaring twenties. A broken young lady, a man scarred by war and disillusionment, and an elderly mother suffering dementia come together to show how God's redemtive grace is more than enough for each situation.

Allison Pittman spins a story with twists and turns and give a realistic look at life in the twenties in America. I had never read this author before and was pleased with the way she tells a story. She elicits sympathy for Lilly, sorrow for Cullen and his mother, and happiness for the way the story turns at the end. There was a little anger at Lilly's mother and the way she treated her, but there are Christian people who live like this. God can overcome any problem, as we see in this delightful book.

This book was provided to me by Multnomah Publishers for an honest review, at no cost to me.

My brother

It looks like it has been a long time since I posted on here. March 7, to be exact, and today is March 30. I have been writing some things and posting them on http://www.churchmouse.com/ and working on some stories about Bible characters, and I have been reading for book reviews for Christian Library Journal. I have also been getting ready for knee surgery on April 4. I never could do just one thing. I have to have at least five things going at once.

My total knee replacement is set up, the machine to exercise my leg is on the way, I talk with the anesthesiologist and the hospital people tomorrow, and it seems things are moving along.

Then yesterday, just before noon, one of my sisters called. My brother, Coy, died during the night. His home is in Arlington and he was found on the floor in the bathroom, so nobody knows for sure what happened. He had been having blackout spells for several months, he had congestive heart failure, and his heart had serious problems. He also had an aneurism and diabetes. It seems his problems went on and on. He had several stays in the hospital during recent months.

Because of my surgery in St. Louis Monday, I can't get to Dallas for the funeral. But my mother, my sisters, and Coy's wife all understand that I have to do this knee surgery now. If I cancel I have to start all over and I won't get better in time for our grandson's weddings and then the weddings of both our daughters this summer.

My brother and I were close as children, but we drifted apart. His life and mine were on separate tracks for many years. Recently, however, I began calling him about once a week and talking with him. I am so glad I did.

I've been thinking about family dynamics. We never stay at close as we intend to. I wish we had been able to do more. I wish I had spent more time with my only brother.

But I know he accepted Christ as his Savior when he was a child. I can be sure that I will see him again in Heaven. He's there now, with our dad, praising Jesus.

I can be thankful for that.

Through the Valley of Depression

       I've been exploring on the web today, finding new blogs that have really inspired me. I enjoy finding out about young mothers who are doing their best to present a godly influence for their children. I was introduced the other day to a blog called "Come Have a Peace" and through it, I found several others. These young women who are writing about their daily lives seem to have it all together.
       That wasn't true of me when I was younger. I married at age 19 after having known my husband for only six months.  I can truly say after 55 years of marriage, God blessed immensely by putting us together. We have served God in twelve churches and one association of churches through these years. After our retirement, we traveled in our 5th wheel trailer and Ford dually truck to help churches with construction work. Along with several other couples, we did this for ten years, until my husband's health required that we no longer drive the trailer. Since then we've been here in our little home, doing what we can in our church, and I have taken on a new career--writing.
        But shortly after I was married, I experienced depression. We were serving in churches that didn't pay much, my husband was trying to finish college and seminary, we were having babies about every two years, and it all pressed in on me until I could not handle it.
       My sweet husband talked with one of his seminary professors, who counseled me and led me through the valley of depression. But God is the one who led me out, after I allowed him to.
       My deepest regret is the time that I lost with my children, that can never be regained. However, they were pretty little, and don't remember much of it. We have a great relationship today. Our four children are scattered. One is in Missouri, two are in Texas, and one is in Germany, but we communicate. E-mail, texts, and telephones keep us close.
        People today don't believe that I once suffered severe mental depression. It is truly a tool of Satan. Satan cannot take away our salvation, but he can enter our thoughts and make Christians miserable, if they allow it. It takes strength and the word of God to withstand those fiery darts Satan sends, especially when one is already weakened by doubts and fears that Satan has put in our minds.
        I just want to say to all you young ladies, God bless you and keep you strong. I am thankful for all of you. My book A HERITAGE OF FAITH tells the story of a family who tried to follow God's will as we ministered to churches that were in decline. Check out my website if you want to know more about it.

      
      
    

Book Review: WORDS UNSPOKEN

         Words Unspoken by Elizabeth Musser (2009) was about Lissa, a young lady who had been in an accident in which her mother was killed. She wanted to learn to drive again with confidence so she could go on to college and resume her life. She signed up for lessons with a man who taught driving to people whose lives had been shattered due to serious accidents. The man proves to be a philosopher as well as a grandfather figure, and he helps Lissa emerge from her shell of heartbreak and loss.

          The book is set in the Lookout Mountains of Tennessee where one can see the beauty of the mountains while reading.

           A sub-plot of the book is the publishing business. The writer offers insight into the world of writers and their ups and downs in trying to get published. New York, home of the publishers, is described so that you feel you are there, meeting the editors and workers who sometimes use shady methods to get what they want.

           The book shows how a young person, so devastated by life's unexpected turns, becomes independent again. There were many twists and turns. The  characters are clearly defined by Musser's good writing. The ending is very unexpected when an anonymous writer of many novels is revealed.

        This book will not let you put it down.  A page-turner, for sure!

The World of Books

        Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved to read. My family moved a lot during my early elementary years, but in spite of the change in routine several times, I learned to read without any problems.
       At one school where I was enrolled, the teachers listened to me read and put me up in the next grade. I was "double-promoted" because of my good reading. They forgot to check my math skills, though. I still have trouble balancing the checkbook! But because of my "double-promotion" I graduated high school a year early.
        Later in life, after I had four children, I got my teaching degree. As I taught children with reading problems, I thanked God that I didn't have to deal with reading difficulties. My mother was a reader, and she encouraged me to become one, too. Both my sisters are avid readers, too, due to our mother's influence.
        When I was old enough to get on a bus in Dallas by myself, I could ride to the public library and check out my own books. I would put them in my satchel, get back on the bus to go home, and lovingly touch the books, reading the titles, and deciding which one I wanted to read first. There was a bench in our yard under a big elm tree where I often sat during the summer, reading my books.
        Books can take you places you can't go. My husband and I have traveled to many places, but there are other places I wanted to see. I can go on-line or get a book and experience the wonders of the place I was unable to go to physically. I can learn about feelings and problems that people overcame by reading books.
       I like to read about real people. I like to read biographies and memoirs, and I enjoy finding out how people overcame the trials and problems in their lives, and how they used those things to make them better people.
       I wrote my book, A HERITAGE OF FAITH about my family because I am sure others like to read about real people too.
       The main reason I wrote my book, though, was to tell about my husband, who was pastor of eleven churches, staff member in one, and Director of Missions for a county in Missouri during his active ministry. Our family was called to churches in trouble--churches where the people were mad at each other. Sometimes the church had split before we got there, sometimes the church had fired their previous pastor.
        God used my easy-going husband to put those churches back together and get them on the road to being loving churches again. As soon as that was done, He called us to another church where we started all over, doing the same thing again. Many experiences we had are chronicled in my book.
       If you like to read about real life experiences, you will like A HERITAGE OF FAITH. If you want to read about a family whose experiences were side-splittingly funny, you will like my book. If you want to read about the way we did it in the old days, you will like my book.
       Encouraging Christian fiction is what my book is. Hope you enjoy all 259 pages. My website contains a few stories from my book--check it out!

Weddings Then and Now

        This summer we will have three weddings in our family.  Our grandson, Daniel, the second of our grandchildren, is marrying Molly on May 28 in Midland, Texas. They are both still in school, and will continue their education--Molly in nursing and Daniel in law. Daniel also plays a mean guitar and has several guitar students. I love to hear him play.
        Our younger daughter Cindy will marry Ben on July 1. Cindy has two children, a boy aged 7 and a girl aged 14, and Ben has three daughters, ages 7, 13, and 18. Fortunately, all the kids get along great. So they are going to have a full house! Our older daughter Debbie will marry Owen on July 9. Debbie has one boy still at home, who will be a junior next year. Her other three children are either in college or out on their own, as are Owen's two children. A lot of adjustments will be made by all these family members after all these weddings.
         As I was reading the paper this morning, I noticed the page about weddings and it got me thinking. Weddings used to be pretty commonplace. Our families had been through the Great Depression and money was scarce. People just got married, rather than spending a lot of money on big weddings and great parties. At least, that's the way it was in my neck of the woods.
        I read the questions asked to the couples featured in the paper and thought about how that related to me and my husband. How did you meet? How did you get engaged? How did you choose your ring?
        We met in college in June, and were married in November of that same year.  We were in a Baptist college in Texas, he was a preacher and I knew God wanted me to be a preacher's wife.  We saw no reason to wait around, we decided to get on with our life. Not a lot of planning went into our wedding.  We sent out invitations, I wore a wedding dress and veil, and my mother took care of the reception, which was at our house. My dad officiated at the ceremony at our little church, and one of my college friends was the only bridesmaid. One of my husband's brothers was his best man.
        My husband related a funny experience before the wedding. He and his brother, George, were waiting in a little room before the ceremony began. His brother went over to a small window, opened it, and said, "Hey, boy, come over here and stick your head out this window." My husband said, "Why?"  George said, "That's your last breath of free air.  Enjoy it while you can, because after tonight, it's all over!"  He still married me, in spite of George's dire prediction.
        After the reception we drove to our little duplex in the town where we attended college. On Sunday we moved our church membership to a church where a friend was pastor, and on Monday we went back to class.  Oh, and on Saturday night after the wedding we drove to my husband's hometown of Fort Worth, bought a used refrigerator, and moved it into our apartment.
          How did we get engaged?  He said "Will you?" and I said, "Yes."
          How did we choose our rings?  We only had a little money, so we went to the local jewelry shop in Decaur, Texas, where we attended college, and bought matching wedding bands that we could pay cash for. An engagement ring was out of the question for us. We were still paying for college! And we knew that Seminary was coming next.
          In spite of the "regular" wedding and the inexpensive reception, our wedding was memorable, and we've stayed married for 56 years.
         My parents were married in a small ceremony and they wore regular clothes, not even wedding finery. They were married for more than 60 years before my dad passed away.
         It's wonderful to have those great memories, a big, beautiful wedding, and many friends wishing you well.  We didn't do it that way, but we are glad those who want to and are able to, can.  But the real thing is not the wedding, it's the marriage.  If love and commitment are present, and if each one honors the other over self, the marriage will last.  If God is part of the union, and if the couple worships together and prays together, they will stay together. Selfishness has no place in a lasting marriage.  It's a lot of give and take, but mostly give. If each partner gives and gives, willingly, not grudgingly, then the marriage will be a long and happy one.
          I wish that for my grandson and for each of my daughters and their mates. I hope they have as great a marriage as we have had. We didn't have much money, but we've had a wonderful life!