Dear Readers, I first
met Jen when God brought her to the critique group that meets in my home, and
she was pregnant with their first child. During the time she was with us, she
had her baby and developed this book. We were involved in most of that
development. I highly recommend this book for all wives, but especially wives
in the first ten years of marriage.
What would you like
for our readers to know about you personally?
I’m a mess, and I love Jesus. Sometimes when people hear
that I’ve written a marriage book, there’s an assumption that I have it all
together—or that I think I do. I don’t, and I claim it. I am a woman in
desperate need of Jesus, and He meets me every day right where I am to draw me
closer to Himself. I aim for my writing to echo that call as I share from my humorous
blunders and painful seasons to extend truth and comfort from what Christ
brings to me.
Tell us about your
family.
My husband, Jared, and I met through the church we attended in
California .
We both served in our church’s young adult ministry and ended up co-leading a
small group together. At the time, neither of us was looking for a
relationship, but as we spent time serving, teaching, and praying alongside
each other, we fell in love. Jared and I wed in 2008, moved to Texas in 2010, and welcomed
our son Dillon on Thanksgiving Day 2014.
Have you written
other nonfiction books?
This is my first full-length book, and I pray the Lord will
entrust me with other books to write in the future. I also have a beautiful
devotional, 31 Days of Encouragement, that’s available as a free download on my
website.
Do you have any other
books in the works right now?
I’m in the brainstorm phase of another book but it’s too big
of a jumbled mess to talk about yet.
What kinds of hobbies
and leisure activities do you enjoy?
Why did you write the
featured book?
A Wife’s Secret to Happiness grew out of conversations I had
with the Lord. He kept talking with me about themes of authority and
submission, and how my faith can be cultivated and demonstrated in the way I
live as a wife. I truly believe it all started because God wanted me to learn
these concepts, and He knew if I started writing, I’d have to study and pay
attention. As I started experiencing the freedom and blessings that come from
applying these truths to my life, I couldn’t share it fast enough.
What do you want the
reader to take away from the book?
I hope every reader hears God’s desire to be involved in her
marriage. That as she reads each chapter, she’d hear His affirmation of her
identity and worth. That she’d identify enemy lies and heavy burdens so she
could leave them behind, and that she’d leave this book equipped, empowered,
and excited to follow the Lord’s instruction for her life in greater measure.
Is there anything else
you’d like to tell my readers about you or your book?
While applicable to wives of any tenure, I especially have a
heart to share this message with younger wives. As a millennial woman myself, I
encourage my peers to believe God and follow His plan for their marriages. I
write as a friend going through many of the same seasons of life with them. And
I’ve heard that A Wife’s Secret to Happiness makes a great wedding gift. ;)
I don’t know who told
you that, but I agree wholeheartedly. Please give us the first page or two from
the book.
Chapter One: The
Blessing Three Strands
Picture me wearing Manolos.
Yep, that’s right. Bold. Modern. Romantic. I pair the
gorgeous shoes with killer abs in couture gowns. My prince brings treasures
from afar as little woodland creatures do my housework. Even my morning bedhead
radiates beauty.
Do you ever wish married life worked like a fairy tale? Yep.
Me too.
I chuckle as I write these words, cuddled on the love seat
in my Texas-sized bedroom. Barefoot in shorts and a T-shirt, with two-day-old
hair and an empty bag of mint chocolate Milanos. Hey, that’s close to Manolos,
right?
We know not to trust the fantasy of carriages and horsemen.
Yet somewhere in our relationships, we’ve felt the draw to something more. Not
something prettier—although we wouldn’t mind—but something deeper. As a wife or
bride-to-be, you’ve already heard the whisper in your spirit—the call to a
marital experience different from what you’ve seen so far.
Maybe the rumble comes from places of disconnect. Knowing
married life could be more—dare we believe, should be more—than the common
parade. I’m talking about big things, finding commonalties past the shaky
ground of shared interests. Life with a partner, not a roommate, and enjoying
every aspect of intimacy—to intercourse and beyond.
We long to build marriages we love in the small moments. Not
romanticized tales of perfect hair, homes, and husbands—because who can live up
to that? I disqualify myself from my own daydream when he leaves dirty clothes
on the floor or releases air biscuits in his sleep. We pretend not to notice
these things, until pressure-cooked words erupt like Mount
Vesuvius . Or maybe that’s just me. We’re looking for genuine joy
in the middle of the mess and learning to make peace with each other’s . . .
quirks. Sound like something you want? Yep, me too. We need God’s presence as
the blessing of the third strand.
Where on the Internet
can the readers find you?
I blog at thejenweaver.com
and I’m on all social media platforms as @thejenweaver.
Thank you, Jen, for
sharing this book with me and my readers. It with great pleasure that I
introduce them to this wonderful book.
Readers,
here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this
blog.
A Wife's Secret to Happiness - Christianbook.comA Wife's Secret to Happiness: Receiving, Honoring, and Celebrating God's Role for You in Your Marriage - Amazon Paperback
A Wife's Secret to Happiness: Receiving, Honoring, and Celebrating God's Role for You in Your Marriage - Kindle
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.
You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us
where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America . (Comments containing links may be subject
to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the
number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of
eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any
pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on
this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You
will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz,
Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave
your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
10 comments:
What joy in reality ~ sharing love and affection beyond what you can do on your own. The Lord will lead us to further J*O*Y. His grace prevails as we come alongside. Blessings! Kathleen ~ Missouri
This would be an excellent book to gift my daughter-in-law with. (5 years into marriage)
Martha
Wisconsin
I agree, Kathleen. And His provision is always better than anything we could come up with on our own. Blessings!
I love that Martha! It's been such a gift to see how many mothers (and mothers-in-law) have been able to use this book to start conversations, share experiences, and pass wisdom down to their married daughters.
Thank you for sharing this post Lena! You are such an encouragement to me!
Sounds like a great book for all of us!
Connie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks Connie! I'm so grateful for how intricately God wants to be involved in our marriages.
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.
Post a Comment