Friday, June 16, 2017

A WIFE'S SECRET TO HAPPINESS - Jen Weaver - One Free Book

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?
Reading. I love to learn so my “must read” list is quite eclectic. I dabble in photography—most photos feature my son—and I also enjoy traveling when life allows.

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.com
A 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

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10 comments:

Lane Hill House said...

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

Unknown said...

This would be an excellent book to gift my daughter-in-law with. (5 years into marriage)
Martha
Wisconsin

Jen Weaver said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jen Weaver said...

I agree, Kathleen. And His provision is always better than anything we could come up with on our own. Blessings!

Jen Weaver said...

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.

Jen Weaver said...

Thank you for sharing this post Lena! You are such an encouragement to me!

Connie Porter Saunders said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Connie Porter Saunders said...

Sounds like a great book for all of us!
Connie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com

Jen Weaver said...

Thanks Connie! I'm so grateful for how intricately God wants to be involved in our marriages.

Sharon Richmond Bryant said...

Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.