In my twenties, I could probably count the number of books I read on one hand. In my thirties, I started reading a lot more. While focusing on the Bible, self-help and inspirational type books, I also found my love for reading again in general. I now read books for financial guidance, spiritual growth, business, and books just for fun.
I think of my friend Sean, an avid reader, who left this world way too soon when I look at my nightstand. When I would go visit my dear friends Sean and Audrey, Sean’s nightstand would always have a stack of books that he was in the process of reading. I couldn’t understand reading more than one book at a time. And now my enjoyment for reading has increased and I am doing the same. This stack makes me smile because I think of a him- a wonderful, caring person who made everyone he met feel like the most important person in the world by how he treated them.
Once a month, I want to giveaway a book. It might be Janet Evanovich one month and Dave Ramsey the next. I think it will be fun!
So for this first giveaway, I’m choosing a book by Stormie Omartian called The Power of a Praying Wife. Being divorced myself, this may seem like an odd choice. Let me tell you, that’s why the power of this book is so strong. It completely changed the way I felt towards my husband when things were completely falling apart.
When our marriage was on its last leg, I picked up this book. It’s easy to fall into a habit of noticing the negative things about a spouse when your marriage is already not going well. You stop appreciating the good cause you’re focused on the bad. At this point, there was very little good to acknowledge in our marriage so focusing on the bad was extremely easy. When you focus on the negative, it makes it increasingly difficult to enjoy life let alone each other.
This book’s chapters are very short and end with you praying a specific prayer for your spouse. In the course of the month while reading the daily prayers, things were changing. I was focused on being grateful for what he did provide and my heart was appreciating him again. It was changing the way I felt about him. Things were still not good between us but I felt like there was hope because I changed MY thinking and focused my prayers on him in a specific positive way.
Alas, I’m giving away a book about marriage when mine did not survive. That may seem a bit odd but I think it speaks volumes of how influential the book was for me. It personally gave me hope at a time in my marriage, when knowing what I know now, had no hope for saving. While I never wanted divorce to be part of my story, my marriage ending actually saved me. That gives me even greater hope for the rest of my story. God has a plan for all of us. Sometimes the path to get us to where we need to be is not a bowl full of cherries. But if we trust Him and follow His lead, the chapters beyond the storm are even better than what we could have scripted ourselves. Stormie Omartian has also written and the The Power of a Praying Parent Husband and The Power of a Praying Parent. Check them out! Is your marriage strained? Is your marriage better now that it ever has been? Regardless, please, read this book. My prayer is that sharing this book will help another marriage successfully get through the rocky patches or make a really good marriage even better. I want to be able to help my friends celebrate their 50th wedding anniversaries, not give them advice on another topic I’m becoming quite versed in… being a single parent.
Want to enter for a chance to win?
Comment below. Want a second chance to win? Share this blog on your Facebook page. In order to get the second entry, you must share the blog with your privacy setting as public (very important) so I can view on your page. Then make a second comment in the comments with your Facebook profile name and say you shared it.
That’s it. You only have until Thursday, February 25th to enter. Winner will chosen randomly and announced within a couple days after the drawing has ended.
Good luck!
~ Heather
heather@sweetlemonadelife.com
I can not even tell you how much I’m enjoying following your blog. And I too started picking up self-help books over the past year and it has changed my life. I truly wish everyone understand the power of reading.
🙂 As another woman who turned to praying and changing her focus thank you for sharing your story! If I don’t win this book, I am going to have to get it!!
My friend gave me a gift of The Power of a Praying Parent when I had Mikel….3 kids and 14 years later, your post reminded me of this and I should probably re read it. I bet it takes on a whole new meaning.
Great choice. This is a wonderful book.
I would love to win this book. I’ve only been married a little over 3 years, but I am always looking to God to help me be a better wife.
Love the blog…would love the book!
Oh and shared!
I have a few of her books but not this one. She has wonderful books!!:
I love reading your blogs and learning your stories. When I get as younger I hated reading, except for the Pizza Hut Boom It Club…lol but more and more as my Faith has grown I’ve been reading self help books, inspiration booms, devotionals, and many Christian speakers books. I’ve heard Stormie’s books are great but haven’t been able to check one out yet…what an amazing story you have.