Mother Inferior

Working Women of the Bible: Review, Interview--and Giveaway!

Susan DiMickele and I share a passion for writing about women in scripture, so I was very excited to receive a copy of her newest book, Working Women of the Bible: Timeless Mentors for Modern Women.

 

In the book, Susan delves into the lives of scriptural working women and shows readers how these ancient women are actually excellent role models. I found the book down-to-earth, easy to read, and encouraging, and I'm thrilled to host Susan today. She was gracious enough to answer several questions--AND her publisher provided a copy of her book for a giveaway. Read on to learn about Susan, working women in the Bible, and how you can win a free book. :)

For those who aren't familiar with your work, can you tell us a little about  yourself?  

Like most women today, I wear many hats. I’m the youngest child of five daughters, a wife of 20 years, and a mother to three growing children (ages 7, 9, and 12). I’m also a lawyer, author, friend, cook, runner, and lover of dark chocolate. I write because it’s when I feel most connected to people and to God.

How many books have you written?

I’ve written two books. My first book, Chasing Superwoman:  A Working Mom’s Adventures In Life And Faith (2010 Cook) is a personal memoir. Yet after I wrote my own story—the story of a too-busy mom, wife, and lawyer trying to do it all—I knew I wasn’t finished. I next turned to the women of the Bible, and I quickly became passionate about the untold stories of some amazing women. 

What is the hardest thing about writing? 

Like so many authors, I can’t find enough time to write. Most of us have a “day” job, family responsibilities, and the everyday distractions of a full life. While I wouldn’t trade my life or the multiple hats I wear for anything, some days I wish I could just sit and write on a mountain top. Uninterrupted!

Oh, I so agree! And I truly feel your pain. :) Susan, can you tell my readers a little bit about your newest book?

 Working Women of the Bible focuses on women who worked outside the home or held positions of spiritual or political influence. In addition to Eve, we study Rahab, Jezebel, the widow in debt, Huldah, Deborah, the Proverbs 31 woman, Ruth, Esther, Mary the mother of Jesus, Martha, Lydia, and Priscilla. All of these women—faults and all—give us insight and inspiration. They speak to us as working women who live in two worlds: the spiritual and the secular world.

What inspired you to write this book?

I have always loved the stories of biblical heroines. Yet until recently, I never viewed these women as modern mentors. I made the mistake of thinking my mentors had to live next door. Yet God has a way of providing answers where I least expect it. As I read about the women of the Bible, I realized the mentors I have longed for were right under my nose. Too often, we forget that the women of the Bible worked. Hard. They made mistakes, and they didn’t give in. In many ways, their stories are our stories.

Is there a message in your book that you want your readers to grasp?

Yes, more than anything, I want my readers to see that God has been redeeming the work of women for centuries--one life at a time. Like many of us today, the women of the Bible were trying to do it all: providing for their families, caring for the elderly, exercising spiritual leadership. Trying to be strong. Trying to figure out whether God can still use our work, despite our mistakes. Even trying to be Superwoman. It all sounds too familiar. Yet too many modern women believe that the Bible is a book for that time and that place. And most of us are wondering how it really relates to me. I want to challenge that thinking.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Just do it. There will never be a good time to write. If your soul is burning with a desire to say something, you probably have something important to say. And if you have something important to say, someone will probably listen. But even if no one listens, you must follow your heart and take a chance. Otherwise, you’ll always wonder “what if?”

That's great advice. Thanks so much, Susan.

Now, it's your turn! To win a copy of Susan's book, just leave a comment answering this question: who is your favorite woman in the Bible, and why?

The Work of An Illness

“Of course, you’ll want to ask me about complications,” Dr. Ellis said. “We have almost none from the procedures done by our doctors—and we have a 99 percent success rate with this type of surgery.”

I nodded, my mouth dry. Neck surgery? I wasn’t sure I was on board. Still, this surgeon was one of the best in the country, and God had gotten me in to see him in a miraculously short amount of time. If he recommended an invasive procedure to cure my now-constant, debilitating headaches, who was I to argue?

Read more at The High Calling.

 

Image by Peter Kemmer. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr. 

A Quick Update: Grateful

Just a quick update: thank you so much for your prayers! My neck surgery was a big success, and I'm recovering at home. I stayed last Friday night in the hospital (which I didn't mind), because the surgeon had to do more work than he had expected once he opened my neck up.

 

I won't be able to drive or lift anything over the weight of a phone book until my follow-up appointment on April 9th. But my mom is here and my brood is treating me like a queen; friends from church are bringing tasty meals; and one family lent us a recliner, where I'm sleeping. I feel very cared for--even my sweet dog, Princess, has been hovering nearby, comforting me--and grateful.

 

I am sore and will be for a few weeks, but I am so, so glad to be on this side of the surgery. I woke up from surgery without a headache--for the first time in literally months. PTL! The brace I have to wear 24/7 is ginormous; and at times, I feel claustrophobic. But it's a small price to pay for better health and a more active life. 

 

Another answered prayer: we received the book cover art for "Wounded Women of the Bible" and it's gorgeous. We couldn't be happier. It's hard to put your baby in a publisher's hands and not have any control over how they "clothe" it. But Kregel did an amazing job. The book is actually available now for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and will officially be released July 1st.

 

Finally, the interview with Dr. Randy Carlson of Intentional Living went very well. It was such an honor and privilege to share about God's healing in my life following Post-Partum Depression. If you'd like to listen, you can click here (look for the audio archive dated 3/27/13, titled "When Parenting Brings You Down"). 

 

Thank you so much for praying, thinking of me, reading, commenting, and supporting this ministry God has called me to. It means the world to me. I pray you have a blessed Easter and a wonderful week!

Would You Pray for Me?

First, I was honored to tape a Family Life Radio interview about Post-Partum Depression with Dr. Randy Carlson of "Intentional Living" last month, and it is scheduled to air March 26. If you don't receive the station in your area, you can listen to it live on www.MyFLR.org at 1 pm central (it will be archived by then), and you can see it on the Highlights page, too--at www.TheIntentionalLife.org.

Please pray that women who are struggling with depression, especially new moms, will hear and respond to the love and grace of Jesus. I would also be thrilled if you would consider sharing the interview time and topic with your friends and family members. :)

Second, two weeks ago I had a second MRI on my neck/spine and met with a specialist about headaches I'd been having. Long story short: a bone spur in my neck is pressing--decidedly so--into my spinal cord. We saw it clear as day on the MRI. Not good--especially because my right arm is weaker than my left at this point. Waiting and seeing is really not an option, either, because the disk is severely compromised and the bones are starting to fuse. Yikes--no wonder I've been in such pain. Evidently the headaches were a gift so I would get looked at. 

Dr. Thomas Ellis, my doctor, recommends surgery to relieve the pressure. Surprisingly, t's actually a 45-minute, outpatient procedure. This particular practice has 97 percent success rate and almost zero complications. I won't be able to drive for awhile and will have to have a "collar" for about three weeks (commence the joking, folks...). The surgery is scheduled for this Friday, March 22nd, at 8 a.m.

I've had back and neck issues since a car wreck in college (twenty years ago), and have grown weary of them. I definitely look forward to having great results and feeling so much better after the surgery--but it's all pretty scary. 

Thanks for your prayers--for the surgeon's hands to be swift and sure, a completely successful procedure, no complications, and smooth recovery. Also, that God would use and teach me in the midst of all of it.

I already see God working so much in this situation--I got into the Dr. quickly (in one week instead of two to four), was able to schedule surgery five/six weeks earlier than planned, found a medicine (OTC) that has helped my headaches in the meantime, AND Dr. Ellis is in the top one percent of neurosurgeons in the entire country. Plus, the surgery is much less extensive than what I'd anticipated. Also, we have good insurance through Carey's job, and I have the time to pursue answers and heal.

I'm in good hands--and in God's hands. A friend said God had given her this passage for me, and I'm claiming it with all my heart: "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits--who forgives all your sins and HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles." Psalm 103:2-5

You bless me with your friendship...and prayers. Thank you!

The Circle of Seasons: A Chat with Kimberlee Conway Ireton

I have the pleasure today of hosting a fellow mom-writer, Kimberlee Conway Ireton. We met last fall at the Laity Lodge Writer's Retreat, and I was immediately drawn to her wit, intelligence, and talent. She was easy to be around, too--and obviously smitten with her hubby, books, and kids. :) A few weeks later, Kimberlee was kind enough to send me a copy of her book, The Circle of Seasons, and I've enjoyed it very, very much.

I think you will, too.

The Circle of Seasons is a well-written, thoughtful, and practical guide to the church year. Phyllis Tickle, compiler of The Divine Hours, calls it "a very accessible and enormously appealing overview of the Church’s liturgical year.” And Ann Voskamp says the book holds "beautiful words, deep thoughts…[which] speak my language of rhythm and liturgy and make me yearn for more God.”

I asked Kimberlee if I could interview her, and she graciously agreed. I pray our conversation encourages you, especially during this Lenten season:

--You're a mom and writer, and I connected with you right away because of that. It's a unique challenge to write when  your kids are young. How do you find/make time to write with your kiddos and hubby, and other responsibilities?

I often write after the kids go to bed. It’s not ideal, but I can usually crank out a piece if I have to. For several years, I also hired a babysitter to come watch my kids a few hours each week, so I could write. But when we put our son in Tae Kwon Do and our daughter in piano lessons this fall, something in our budget had to go.

So now, I spend my Saturdays writing at a local coffee house or two, while my husband hangs out with the kids. It makes for a crazy life, but I hope it’s only for a season and that at some point I’ll again be able to hire childcare a few hours a week. Either that, or my kids will grow old enough that I can leave them home alone. :)

--I loved the personal feel of this book. Also, I didn't grow up in a denomination that celebrated the church year, but you made it very accessible. What would you say has been the most transformative part of celebrating the church year, for you? And why?

I didn’t grow up celebrating the church year, either. I came to the practice as an adult. What I love most about the church year is the way that, if we live it, it keeps pointing us back to Christ; the whole year revolves around the life of Christ and the life of the Church, which is Christ’s body.

The church year helps me remember that even in the ordinary details of my days, I am not my own. I have been bought with a price, and in life and in death I belong to God. When I am faithful to live the seasons, they provide depth and richness to my days, and a sense that I’m living in a larger story than the little all-about-me life I usually inhabit. 

--I really liked the ideas you gave for living out the seasons of the church year in your home and family, whether or not your church celebrates it. Which is your favorite way to bring those traditions home?

In our home, every night before dinner we light a candle and say a short call-and-response litany (and yes, most weeks, we have dinner together every night). The color of the candle and the words of the litany change from season to season.

Right now, we’re in Ordinary Time, so our candle is green. Come Wednesday, when Lent begins, the candle will be purple. And then, on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, we don’t light the candle at all. It sits there, black-wicked, while we eat, to remind us that the Light has gone out of the world. 

It’s a really simple thing, but it’s a touchstone for our days, and it keeps the church’s way of telling time prominent in our lives.

--Who have you been influenced by in your faith? In your writing?

Ooh, I love this question! My faith became real for me in sixth grade when I read In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. I’ve not read it since; I was telling my friend Susan the other day that I’m scared to, because I’m afraid I’ll think it’s cheesy or lame, and I don’t want to know that about the book that was the catalyst for my taking Christ seriously and basing the way I live on his claims. My best friend at the time also deeply influenced my growing faith.

Other people who have deeply influenced my faith are Mother Teresa, my dear friend Susan Forshey, two former pastors, my grad school professors (all but one of them Benedictines), my spiritual director, and my kids (because of them I lean hard on Jesus; there ain’t no way I can raise these four young souls on my own, even with my husband’s help; we are so not enough). Also, countless writers, starting with Charles Sheldon and continuing on to the Desert Fathers and Mothers, early Celtic Christians (and their contemporary interpreters), George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, Eugene Peterson, Wendy Wright, Lisa McMinn, Ann Voskamp—I could just keep going!

I also love older devotional literature like My Utmost for His Highest and Streams in the Desert. We just don’t write like that anymore. The words are often as beautiful as the ideas, and that makes my heart happy. I think it makes God’s heart happy, too. :)

As far as writing goes, every author I love has influenced me in some way, I’m sure. I’ve only taken one writing course in my life, my sophomore year in college, but I learned a great deal from that class and the professor, Fan Gates. Most of what I know about writing comes from copious reading.

I used to read a lot more writing books than I do now, though I still love to open Strunk & White’s Elements of Style and just read a paragraph or a page. My other favorite books on writing are all about water: Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle, Rumors of Water by L.L. Barkat, and A Syllable of Water, edited by Emilie Griffin.

--What are you reading right now?

I am always in the middle of at least three books. :) Right now I’m re-reading Eugene Peterson’s Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer. I just started Pilgrim’s Inn, a novel by Elizabeth Goudge, and I’m slowly making my way through Building the Christian Family You Never Had by Mary DeMuth, Joy Together by Lynne Baab, and The Writer Who Stayed by William Zinsser.

--Any final thoughts?

Oh, Dena, I’m sure I could always find more to say, but I think I’ve been long-winded enough for one evening. Thanks so much for these questions. It’s always helpful to remember why it is that I do what I do—whether it’s writing or parenting or living the church year—because so often in the doing, I lose sight of the reasons. Your questions gave me a chance to look at and articulate the why again. Thank you for that.

You're welcome. It was a treat to have you here!

------

Want to buy the book?

Copies of The Circle of Seasons are available on Amazon for as little as $9.98.

You can also purchase copies directly from Kimberlee for $7.99 each (including shipping). Simply email her the number of books you want, your mailing address, and if/to whom you’d like your book(s) inscribed. Bulk discounts are available for orders of 10 or more.

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Confessions of a Reluctant Homeschooler

“Do you knit?” I asked my friend Stacey, who sat beside me at a table near our sons’ fine arts classes. I pointed at some moms across the room who were furiously working with their needles.

“No. Don’t knit. I can’t even cook,” she said. I’d met Stacey a few weeks earlier, when our young sons had hit it off on the playground. She had never struck me as a typical homeschooling mom.  

“And I only have three kids.”

We laughed. I only have two myself, but they’re “spirited,” so they count as six.

Of course, as I’d found out when I began homeschooling last fall, there is no one type of homeschooling mom.  That was a fallacy I’d believed for a long time; one that nearly kept me from plunging in myself. I’d always thought that in order to school my two sons, I would have to: buy a long denim jumper and—shudder!—wear it;  grow my hair out very long; and make my own soap.

Continued here.

'Tis the Season...To Be Crazy-Busy?

I'm sharing a wonderfully insightful and timely post from a special guest today--my handsome, talented hubby Carey. 

Exactly when did it happen? The response to the obligatory question “How are you doing?” used to be the equally generic “Fine” or even the occasional “I’m doing great – how about you?”  

But somewhere around the time when the internet was “new-fangled” and productivity became king, the common reply became one simple little word: “Busy.”

As a matter of fact, I did an informal survey recently. Trying to be a relatively polite Tennessee boy, I often smile at folks and ask them how they’re doing. Lately, I started keeping track of people’s responses, and it hit me one day just how many people--when forced to sum up their lives in one word--blurt out the word “busy.” Of all the words that could bubble up to the surface of their consciousness, this little word has become the adjective of choice.

And being the curious over-thinker that I am, this led me to the next question. Why?

Why are we so busy? And, for the record, I’m not referring to the “I’ve got a lot to do today” kind of busy. That's going to happen from time to time. I’m talking about the “I’m on a human hamster wheel of activity, my life is a blur of responsibilities and to-do lists, and I don’t see any end in sight” kind of busy.  

This is where many of the people I meet live.

The thing that puzzles me is that, with very few exceptions (family illness, etc.), the very busy-ness that we complain about is directly due to a series of choices that we've made.

We largely create our own chaos.

Whether it's a job that keeps us on edge, too many extra activities for the kiddos, saying "yes" at church, etc.--each bit of stress is usually linked to a deliberate decision that we made at some point. So, why do we do it? Why do we choose a hectic life and then bemoan the fact that we feel harried and hurried all of the time? 

Not to go "Dr. Phil" on everyone, but if we keep doing something, we must be getting something out of it.

I think that the hamster-wheel we keep ourselves on makes us feel more purposeful. We tend to define ourselves by what we accomplish, rather than who we are in Christ. So, whether we like to admit it or not, we've become addicted to activity, because on some level it makes us feel secure and important. However, as author Steve McVey points out, we can't mistake commotion for motion. Just because we're busy doesn't mean that we're moving forward.

I've thought a lot about this topic, and the Dyers definitely haven't mastered it yet. There's always an ebb and flow to life, and we get just as busy as the next family from time to time. But we decided a while back to spend a little less time going ninety-to-nothing, and a little more time slowing down, looking into each other's eyes and focusing on relationships--with each other and with God.

So in this holiday season, when we often reach the boiling point that I call "crazy busy", I believe the most productive thing we can do at times is: sit down, rest in Him, and let Him speak His steady, unhurried love to us.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
(Matt. 11:28-30)

A Mom's Favorite Words

Mother is the most beautiful word in the English language, says a survey conducted a few years ago by the British Council. According to the survey’s results, the ten most beautiful words are:

1. Mother
2. Passion
3. Smile
4. Love
5. Eternity
6. Fantastic
7. Destiny
8. Freedom
9. Liberty
10. Tranquility

Lovely words, all of them. But reading that got me to thinking: what are a mother’s favorite words? Hmmmm…..how about sleep? Yep, that would probably be it—especially if the word is preceded by the adjective uninterrupted. Ah, bliss!

Read more.

Setting Captives Free: Writers and Readers Reach Out 2012

Who we are: A group of writers and readers endeavoring to live our gratitude out loud during these 30 Days of Thanksgiving by partnering with Make Way Partners. This amazing organization rescues widows and orphans from human traffickers and offers them hope through the love of Jesus. Make Way Partners offers ongoing medical care and education to those they’re able to set free--and that’s where we come in.

What we’re doing: Helping to build a high school for 600 orphans in a dangerous war-torn area on the border of Sudan and Darfur. Make Way Partners has built the lower grades from the ground up, adding one grade at a time as funds allowed. It’s now time to build a high school, giving these kids an education beyond that of the majority of leaders in their Parliament, and in doing so equip this next generation with tools that can change the direction of their country.

Our Request: That our readers would catch this vision with us and live their gratitude out loud, too. You can donate through Make Way’s donation form. (Your donation can be “attached” to a favorite author by filling in the field asking where you heard about Make Way. Example: WritersandReaders/AuthorDenaDyer)

Quick Facts:

• Make Way Partners was founded by Kimberly L. Smith and her husband. 
• Read more about this incredible ministry at Kimberly’s blog.  
• Download a free chapter of Kimberly’s book Passport Through Darkness. 
• If you prefer using a check or money order, you may address it to Make Way Partners, P.O. Box 26367 Birmingham , AL 35260.  
• Spred the Word: In addition to donating, everyone can be of incredible assistance by using the power of social media to spread the news of this drive. When twittering or pinning this drive please use hashtags #WritersandReaders2012 or #WR2012. (My twitter handle is @motherinferior2)
• Enlarging the Vision: As we were set to launch, one-fourth of our population was impacted by Super storm Sandy and many areas remain in distress. We’ve adjusted our sails to respond to the heartache in our own country as well. As you make your donation to Make Way Partners, please consider making a matching donation to relief efforts underway for our neighbors on the East Coast. We believe strongly our being mobilized to respond to the needs of our neighbors at this very moment is no coincidence. We’ve been given much, let us give much. One place to donate is World Vision. Another is Samaritan's Purse.
• Get the backstory on this campaign.

Hot Buttons: Helpful New Resource for Parenting Teens

I am thrilled to tell you about a brand-new, exciting book series. It's a fabulous, creative resource for parents of teens. 

 

Nicole O'Dell helps address the Hot Buttons in teens' lives before the issues become problems. From dating to drugs, modesty to purity, morals to popularity, today's teenagers face all sorts of tough issues. How they respond to these hot-button issues can have lasting effects on who they want to be and who they actually become. What if parents can help their teens prepare for these hot buttons-before the issues become a problem? 

The uniquely packaged Hot Buttons Series is an accessible, quick-reference resource that parents can use to equip their children to make the right decisions, even in the face of peer pressure and outside influences. More than just another how-to manual, the books offer practical real-life situations that parents can read and discuss with their preteens. 

Author, mom, and broadcaster Nicole O'Dell provides short scenarios followed by three or four responses that a teen might choose in that particular situation. Parents are then encouraged to help their children explore the issue, ask questions, and discuss the options, so when a similar situation comes up in real life, the teens are already prepared to respond. 

I was pleased to receive four of the books from Nicole's publisher (Kregel, who is also the publisher for my 2013 release, Wounded Women of the Bible) and found them to be practical, easy-to-use, and honest. I look forward to using them with my sons (now, with my 14 year-old and later, with my 8 year-old). The world my husband and I grew up in differs greatly from our sons' world, so any resource that can help me bridge the generation gap from a biblical worldview is a welcome addition to our household. This series is no exception.  :)

Hot Buttons Dating Edition offers practical real-life situations that parents can read and discuss with their preteens. Topics include: physical activity, missionary dating, and violence/abuse in dating relationships.

Hot Buttons Internet Edition helps parents prepare their teens for online challenges they may face. Topics discussed include: internet activity, file sharing, social networking, and internet predators.

Hot Buttons Drug Edition braves the scary world of substance abuse, equipping parents with facts, warning signs, and real-world scenarios on: alcohol; Marijuana and other drugs; inhalants; and prescription drugs.

Hot Buttons Sexuality Edition offers the facts about teen sexuality, backed by statistics; specifics for how to talk frankly about sex with your kids, discussion about the growth of homosexuality and bisexuality among teens; and compassionate advice for guiding your teen to reclaim purity.

 

Watch for future Hot Buttons books on subjects like bullying, image, prejudice, friendships, politics, and more! 

Meet Nicole: 

Youth-culture expert, Nicole O'Dell is the host of Choose NOW Radio: Parent Talk and Teen Talk, and the founder of Choose NOW Ministries, dedicated to guiding teens through tough issues and helping parents encourage good decisions. Nicole writes and speaks to preteens, teenagers, and parents about how to prepare for life's tough choices.

As an author, O'Dell writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her popular YA fiction includes the Diamond Estate Series and the Scenarios for Girls interactive books that feature alternate endings, allowing young girls to decide the outcome for the main character. Her nonfiction for teens includes Girl Talk, which she wrote with her two daughters based on their popular advice column. O'Dell resides in Paxton, IL, with her husband and six children--the youngest of whom are toddler triplets. Find out more about Nicole at http://nicoleodell.com.