Pastors’ Wives | iPad Mini Giveaway and Facebook Party with Lisa Takeuchi Cullen

Book Description:
What’s it like when the man you married is already married to God? asks Pastors’ Wives, an often surprising yet always emotionally true first novel set in a world most of us know only from the outside.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer forTime magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.


I'm a third-generation pastor's wife, so when I saw a work of fiction focusing on the lives of pastor's wives, I was a bit intrigued. I wondered how the author would portray the inner workings of a pastor's family.

I have to admit that she was right on the money on a lot of the struggles faced by pastors and their families: the demanding schedules, the isolation/loneliness, the pressure to perform and present a positive image. Of course the novel is much more dramatic and exciting than my everyday life (which would be expected, since no one really wants to read 400 pages about going to Ladies Bible Study and washing dishes).

I liked that the author showed the humanity of the characters; their struggles with issues of faith, their past choices, and their purpose/role in ministry. I think it's good for "outsiders" to recognize that the pastors and their families are just normal people with their own issues and struggles. We're not super-human and we're not immune to difficulties. I found myself identifying with several of the different characters at different points in the story.

It's obviously a fictionalized account of life as a pastor's wife, but when it comes to the basics, Cullen does a good job of capturing the unique challenges faced by the families of those in full-time Christian ministry. I read the entire book in two days. I didn't want to put it down. It's kinda like a "Real Housewives of the Mega Church" - there's plenty of drama, and the plot and characters hook you in right from the beginning.

It was a fun read. Fair warning, there are a few mild obscenities in the book, although the book is about pastor's wives, it is not necessarily Christian Fiction.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is celebrating the release of her debut novel, Pastors' Wives, with an iPad Mini Giveaway and connecting with readers on Facebook on May 23rd!

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 22nd. Winner will be announced at the "Pastors' Wives" Author Chat Party on May 23rd. Connect with Lisa for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Lisa will also be giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Pastors' Wives and join Lisa on the evening of May 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

I received a complimentary copy of the book to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed are my honest thoughts of the novel.

The Heiress of Winterwood - Book Review and Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Amelia made a deathbed promise to her friend Katherine - a vow to care for her newborn child, Lucy. Nine months later, Amelia has no wish to ever be separated from the infant. Her betrothed, Edward Littleton, wants nothing to do with Lucy and insists that the child must leave the Winterwood estate after their marriage. Just months away from her 24th birthday, Amelia must choose between receiving her inheritance (which can only take place if she's married by 24) or remaining with Lucy. Unless, there is another way . . .

Captain Graham Sterling struggles with the ghosts of his past. With the death of his wife, Katherine, Graham must find a safe place for Lucy before he can return to his duties at sea. When the beautiful, Amelia Barret proposes marriage in order to continue caring for Lucy, he struggles to determine if he can accept such an arrangement. Does he even want to marry again?

When young Lucy is kidnapped, the two are desperate to solve the mystery. Thrown together by their mutual love of the child, they race against time to rescue her.
~~~
I've recently discovered regency romances, and I've fallen in love. The Heiress of Winterwood does not disappoint. I stayed up way too late last night just so that I could finish reading the book. I literally could not put it down. There's a little bit of mystery, a bit of romance, a bit of drama.

This is a Christian historical fiction novel, so in addition to the relationship between the characters, there is insight into their relationship with God. The novel contains several references to the Psalms. I didn't feel that it was overly preachy or cheesy.

It's a fun, easy read, and I love the glimpse into this time period.

If you're a fan of Austen or the regency period, I think you will enjoy this latest offering from Sarah Ladd. The characters are lovely, and the plot kept me turning the pages (even when I knew I should be going to bed). I look forward to reading more of Ladd's work in the future.

About the Author: Sarah E. Ladd has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. Heiress of Winterwood was the recipient of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever. Find out more at www.sarahladd.com or http://litfusegroup.com/author/sladd 

PLUS!! You have a chance to win a really neat prize pack - enter to win a Downton Abbey, Kindle Fire prize pack! Just click on the button below! To be directed to the entry form. 

Enter Today - 4/15 - 4/30
I received a copy of the book to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed are my honest thoughts of the novel. 

Win a Conscious Box from Educents

        



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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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PLUS, if you aren’t the grand prize winner, you can still get a 3-month subscription to Conscious Box for less than $12/month by heading over to Educents.com. For one week only, Educents will be offering the Conscious Box for 40% off!  In addition, ALL profits from the sale of this box will be donated to The One Fund, which will provide funds to help those families most affected by the tragic events that unfolded during Monday’s Boston Marathon. So enter to win, and then head on over to buy the Conscious Box for yourself or a friend to celebrate earth day and support our fellow Americans in Boston!

                              

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Rescuing Hope: A story of sex trafficking in America

We'd like to believe it doesn't happen here, that girls don't get abducted from the streets and sold into prostitution. It's easier to turn away and pretend that those type of crimes take place in the dark corners of third world nations. Not in our country. Not in our cities.

Unfortunately, children, teens, and women of varying ages are trapped in the sex industry. Their bodies are sold without their consent, and they live in fear for their own lives if they dare defy the pimps that control where they live, what they eat, and who they see.

It's hard to imagine a fourteen-year-old girl trapped in prostitution in Atlanta. As a mom, my heart breaks to think of someone's daughter in that situation. Author Susan Norris, tells the story of Hope in her novel Rescuing Hope. Although the story itself is fictional, the book is based on research conducted with survivors of sex trafficking, their families, detectives, and even a former pimp.

Due to the nature of the topic, the book does have a high amount of sexual content and includes references to rape and abuse. As difficult a topic as it is to discuss, it's a conversation I definitely think we need to be having with our pre-teens and teens. The book is labeled as young adult fiction, but as a mom, this is the type of book I would want to read first and then discuss alongside with my teen if they were at an age to handle the content. I would give it at least a PG-13 rating.

It took me a little while to get into the book at first, but before long I was captivated by Hope's story and had to find out what was going to happen. I read the whole book in one morning.

It's an issue that needs to be addressed, and although I might not be able to charge into the inner cities and knock down the doors of underage brothels, I can do my part to raise awareness and support organizations that do the hard work of rescuing and restoring women and girls.

If you'd like to get involved in the fight for freedom and awareness, check out these organizations who are out on the front lines:

Wellspring Living: www.wellspringliving.org

Out of Darkness: www.outofdarkness.org

Resolution Hope: www.resolutionhope.org

Not For Sale: www.notforsalecampaign.org

Norris includes information on more organizations involved in ending the sex trade in the appendix of the book.

The book is available for sale at Amazon:



I received a complimentary reader's copy of the book to facilitate my review. The opinions are my own.

Life List vs. Bucket List

Perhaps you've heard of a Bucket List - a list of things you want to do before you "kick the bucket." Recently, I read another blogger talking about a Life List. Although the two are pretty much the same in principle, I like the term Life List much better. The truth is, we never know when we'll kick the bucket, so why not be intentional about the time that you have right now.

Here are a few of the items on my Life List. Some of them are practical and let's face it, some of them are pure fantasy, but they would sure be fun.

1.Audition for Wheel of Fortune - I know the odds of getting on the show are about the same as the odds of winning the lottery. It must be the 80-year-old woman in me, but I love me some Wheel of Fortune. It's one of the few TV shows that I like to watch regularly.

2. Publish a Book - I think everyone who loves to write aspires to be a published author. This has been a goal of mine since I was a little girl scribbling out stories in a spiral notebook.

3. See the Aurora Borealis - I would love to visit Alaska and witness this wonder first hand. 

4.Complete a Marathon - I completed a half-marathon in November 2012, but I'm contemplating training for a full marathon in celebration of my 30th birthday in 2014. 

5.Have a six-pack - And I don't mean a six pack of sodas, I mean those snazzy things that people have at their mid-section. My six-pack is currently hiding under this super soft, fluffy pillow. It's great for people to take naps on, not so great for fitting into my pants. 

6. Pay off my Mortgage - Right now, that's scheduled to happen in 2041. My goal is to have a home paid off waaaaaaay before then (preferably before my boys head to college in 14 years). 

7. Visit Hawaii - This would preferably take place after I had acquired aforementioned six pack, not that anyone other than the hubster would see them. I've never worn a bikini in my life . . . I don't think that's going to make the life list though. 

8. Attend a Broadway Show in NYC - I envision a super awesome girls weekend. I don't think my husband would appreciate the splendor and glory that is a musical, now a Yankees game, he could totally go for that. 

9. Memorize a piece of music on the piano. I've been playing the piano for over 20 years, but for the life of me, I have yet to successfully memorize and entire piece of classical music. 

10. Go snorkeling - I've snorkled in nasty lake water, but that doesn't count. I would love to see some beautiful fish.

11. Enter something in the County Fair.

12. See New York City at Christmastime.

What I'm doing to accomplish my Life List

1. I continue to watch Wheel of Fortune. I'm honing my skills, folks. I signed up to be notified when there's an audition in my area. 
2. I'm actually working on a book proposal right now. My goal is to finish the proposal by 4/30 and begin looking for an agent. 
3. I'm thinking a trip to Alaska would make an excellent 15th anniversary trip. 
4. If I want to run a marathon during my 30th year, I would probably need to start training in the spring of 2014, with a goal to run the marathon in the fall of 2014. 
5. I'm actually starting an online Biggest Loser Challenge this week. It will help me be accountable for diet and exercise choices. 
6. We're completely debt free, apart from our mortgage and we live within our means and use a budget. I'm currently paying a little bit extra on our principal  each month. Ok, it's only $9 extra, but every little bit helps. 
7. Perhaps Hawaii can be our 10th anniversary trip. 
8. I need to talk to my girlfriends and see if I can scrounge up some interest.
9. I would like to memorize Deux Arabesque by Debussy.
10. Maybe I could check this off my list when I go to Hawaii

Of course, this isn't a final list. I'm sure I'll add to it along the way. I also have personal/spiritual goals that are a little more private. I'm just learning the importance of being intentional and setting goals. 

Some cool things I've already crossed off my list:

LIFE EVENTS

1. Married my handsome and charming husband. 
2. Gave birth to two incredible little boys. 
3. Bought our first home.

PLACES/THINGS I'VE SEEN

1. Traveled to South America (Brazil), Central America (Guatemala), and Europe (well actually, just the UK - Scotland and Ireland). I've also been to Mexico and Canada. 
2. I've gone for a swim in both oceans. 
3. Been to Ireland on St. Patrick's Day.
4. Visited Loch Ness
5. Seen Braveheart's real sword.
6. I've stayed in a 200 year old estate in the Highlands of Scotland. 
7. Visited Disney World and Universal Studios.
8. Seen the Hollywood Sign.
9. Hiked around the Grand Canyon (and got lost . . . that's another story).
10. Visited Roswell, NM.
11. Toured Carlsbad Caverns
12. I've toured the Hershey Chocolate factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
13. I've gone for a swim in one of the Great Lakes.
14. I've toured the White House.
15. I've been to the Smithsonian (I even got to see Mr. Rogers sweater and Oscar the Grouch). 
16. I've been inside the St. Louis Arch.
17. I've visited Iguacu Falls in Brazil.
18. I've been inside a rainforest. 
19. I've been to Yosemite National Park.
20. Attended a Coldplay Concert
21. Been to the top of Pikes Peak. 
22. Ridden an ATV across the Continental Divide. 
23. White Water Rafting in Colorado.
24. Danced a jig on top of the Wallace Monument in Scotland
25. Peed on the side of a volcano (classy, I know). 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. I've been on TV (I was in the studio audience at a taping).
2. I've been on the radio. 
3. Ran a 5k.
4. Ran a half-marathon
5. Solved a Rubik's Cube
6. Debt free (with the exception of our never-ending mortgage).
7. Studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
8. One of my quotes was printed in a magazine. 
9. I've ridden every ride at Six Flags Over Texas (or at least I did in 2006 - not sure if they've added more since then.)
10. I've climbed to the top of Guadalupe Peak in Big Bend National Park (the highest natural point in Texas).

UNUSUAL THINGS I'VE EATEN

1. Haggis. 
2. Chocolate covered squid jerky.
3. Calf Fries
4. Frog Legs
5. Alligator
6. Drank a pot of tea in a castle courtyard. 

RANDOM

1. I've gotten to pet a dolphin
2. I've fed a giraffe. 
3. I've touched a Toucan
4. I've ridden an elephant. 

It's been fun to take a trip down memory lane. You never realize the neat things you've had an opportunity to do until you start writing them down. 

What's an item on your Life List? or What has been the most exciting item you've crossed of your list so far?

Romans 12:21

Psalm 34:18

A friend shared this verse at MOPS this morning. As we continue praying for those impacted by the Boston bombing, we ask that God would be near to those who are brokenhearted and that He would save those who are crushed in spirit.