Handfuls of Purpose: Helping Our Daughters Seize and Embrace Their Destinies

By Zebedee D. King

Any season of life is the right season for love and purpose.

Ladies, are you frustrated with going-nowhere relationships? "What am I doing wrong?", you may be asking yourself. Are you waiting on God for the man of your dreams? What does it take to position yourself for Mr. Right? Are you tired of the Game? Then it is time to follow the Plan, Gods Plan for relationships--the Plan that leads to purpose.

The book, "Handfuls of Purpose", takes the reader on a journey through various seasons in the lives of three ordinary peopleRuth, the widow from Moab, Naomi, the matriarch of Elimelechs household and Boaz, the wealthy landowner from Bethlehem-judah. While each has his/her own set of circumstances to navigate in order to fulfill Gods purpose in their individual lives, by the end of the book, the reader discovers how the destinies of these three coalesce and reveal an extraordinary, composite Divine plan greater than each could have realized on his/her own.

Find out how Ruth redefined herself by leaving her old life and in doing so, seized an opportunity for new life, a new love and a new legacy. Follow Naomis tearful journey which, although oftentimes fraught with tragedy and perplexity, eventually culminated in a rediscovered purpose and renewed hope. Note the steadfastness of the humble husbandman Boaz and how the traits that he had developed through a lifetime of patient maturation helped him to become the best choice as a husband to Ruth as well as a fitting heir to an enduring legacy.

This book will not only delight you with its simple narratives, but it will also challenge with its poignant, hearty commentary and inspire you with its deep spiritual insights. Aditionally, many readers will be able to relate to the amazing testimony at the end of the book (Section 5).

"Handfuls of Purpose" is A MUST READ for mothers, daughters, friends, girlfriends, best friends, aunties, nieces; single and married who desire to have successful relationships that honor God and promise a lifetime of peace and purpose.


Testimonials:

One reader writes, "This truly is an amazing book - I highly recommend it to everyone, male and female. Ladies, youll be inspired, encouraged and educated without the feeling of being preached to. This is a "must-read!"

Another reader remarks, "I started reading your book last night and could not put it down. I am hooked on your book. It is a very good book to read. I love it!"

Still another reader, when discussing the books potential marketability exclaims, "...Your book is that good and I am proud of you!"

Other laudatory comments about the book:

* "I was totally blown away"
* "...a masterpiece..."
* "...awesome..."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781462817085

Zebedee D. King

Zebedee King is currently an information technology trainer for a large international corporation. He is an Air Force retiree whose career began as a Russian linguist and finally concluded in the areas of communications, computers and network defense. He and his wife Linda have been blessed with two children, and have recently become grandparents for the first time. Zeb is also an ordained minister. He received his calling to teach God’s word at a very young age. Born into families in which faith was the order of the day, both Zeb and Linda have been heavily involved in all facets of ministry, especially in the areas of teaching, mentoring and people-helping. Their love for God and their passion for bringing out the best in God’s people remain the driving force behind their ministry. They have occupied themselves with writing several articles on relationships for a Christian women’s magazine and for years they have conducted leadership conferences and marriage seminars and retreats. They currently lead a couples’ small group within their local assembly in San Antonio.

Book preview

Copyright © 2010 by Zebedee D. King.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission by the author.

In this book, the author quotes from a variety of Bible versions. The copyright requirements of following versions have been faithfully adhered to:

Unless as indicated, all scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scriptures marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scriptures marked as (CEV) are taken from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked NCV are taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked God’s Word are quoted from God’s Word ®, GOD’S WORD is a copyrighted work of God’s Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright © 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked BBE are quoted from The Bible in Basic English. The Bible in Basic English was printed in 1965 by Cambridge Press in England and is in the public domain.

Scripture quotations marked HNV are taken from the Hebrew Names Version, which is based upon the World English Bible, an update of the American Standard Version of 1901. The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.

Scripture quotations marked TEV are taken from The Good News Bible: Today’s English Version, New York: American Bible Society, © 1992. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Warning: This book contains strong Christian language, depictions of realistic situations set in a spiritual context and pervasive Biblical content. Therefore the language used in this book is sometimes direct, frank and colloquial, but never foul. The names mentioned in the examples are fictitious. Any references to actual persons are coincidental.

In this book, time-honored, often forgotten Christian precepts are juxtaposed against different modern mindsets and behaviors. Some audiences may find elucidation of Biblical precepts contrasted against contemporary thought forms to be too controversial and challenging. Others may find candid Biblical exposition and strong religious themes objectionable. Reader discretion is advised.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

43569

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the most important women in my life. First, to my beautiful wife, Linda for exemplifying the virtues consistent with a woman of decisiveness and destiny. She is the primary inspiration for this book.

I also dedicate this book to my mother, Effie Lee King and my mother-in-law, Sarah Frances Anderson, whom I love just as dearly as my own mother. They are both with the Lord, but throughout their pilgrimages here, they instilled in their children the importance of loving God and being people of character, purpose and purity. They taught us to be careful to choose relationships that will help, rather than hinder, our walk with God. Their lasting legacies passed down to their children have been a passion for God and a profound respect for others. A few days before she passed, my mother instructed me to finish this book and I promised her that I would. This book is a fulfillment of my promise to my mother and my legacy to my two daughters.

Speaking of my daughters, I finally dedicate this book to my two little cubs, Tatiana and Natalia, in the hopes that they will read the accounts of the main characters in this book and see the wisdom of continuing to follow the teachings and examples of their grandmothers and their mom.

Contents

SECTION ONE

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

SECTION TWO

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

SECTION THREE

Chapter 15

SECTION FOUR

SECTION FIVE

Foreword

Sixt een years of marriage (happily, so I thought) ended rather abruptly when my spouse came home one day and announced that he wanted to do something different with his life-he wanted a divorce! We had two young children (ages 2 and 8), a mortgage, two cars, we belonged to a great church, took really nice vacations and we had wonderful friends. We appeared to be the perfect couple.

I thought that, if I prepared home-cooked meals every day, if I kept our home in immaculate condition, kept our children home-trained and well-mannered, and if I took care of my husband’s every physical need, then I’d have a happy and fulfilled marriage. I thought that I had all of the bases covered; there was no need for my man to look any where else for anything. I was wrong! He still wanted something more. A bad girl? Someone prettier? Smarter? Sweeter? Something-I just don’t know! So he packed up and left. For sixteen years I pondered-"what do men want!?’ Because the answer seemed to elude me, I decided to turn my focus completely towards my children and my education. I didn’t date for seven years, because I was confused about what men wanted. Until the divorce, I had never had suicidal tendencies, but my children were instrumental in my maintaining my sanity and sense of stability as the transition from married life to one of singleness rocked my perfect little world.

One day I asked my brother in-law, Zebedee (Zeb) King, a barrage of questions: What are men looking for in a woman, what do men want and where are all the good men? Zeb referenced a book that he was preparing to write that would address all of my questions and asked if I could be patient while the Lord laid out the manuscript for his book. He lovingly counseled me that my first priority was to find myself rather than concentrating primarily on finding a man. He urged me to seek God because the best blessings are for the woman who includes God in her decisions from the onset. Nearly sixteen years later, Zeb has written a book that has changed my perspective about relationships; that elevated my level of consciousness about God’s ability to unite hearts. It reinforced my understanding about myself-me-the real me. What I didn’t realize at the time, is that this book would not only be a blessing to me, but to my daughter (so that she wouldn’t have to suffer one failed relationship after another), as well as to my sisters, nieces and cousins-and to females around the world who would be blessed time and again.

Zebedee Dwight King has written a book that is insightful, often whimsical, deeply philosophical, and filled with the warmth of a brother, a father and a husband. He takes great care to intently watch over his sisters, daughters and his wife, while helping female readers trust that the spirit-guided lessons from a male’s perspective are solely written to encourage, inspire and to educate. He skillfully recounts the Bible story of Ruth by integrating it into how to live the life of a godly woman today. Ruth’s story is infused with anecdotes; it cleverly demonstrates God’s love, and it adeptly recommends how women should walk-the-walk.

Women often look for compatibility in a mate; I theorized its importance, as well as that of finding my soul mate, when God allowed it to be so. In Handfuls of Purpose, the author intimates that instead of compatibility, God offers coherence in a relationship; coherence is the quality of becoming one without compromising their individualities.

I’m now married to a wonderful man, one who is spirit-filled, strong yet sensitive, perceptive and intelligent. He listens intently to know the will of God for his life and for mine; he is my priest, my provider and my protector. He understands and fulfills his role as my covering, and he entreats God for things concerning our lives. We are not only compatible and coherent; but we are an interconnected team of two in one.

Congratulations Zeb, on the publication of your first book! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to write the Foreword; thanks for your counsel, your intuition about what women want and for being my friend. I didn’t forget your advice and I kept my focus on heavenly goals-now I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life and I’m living a dream.

To the readers, I am elated to present this Foreword for my brother in-law, Zebedee Dwight King, the author of Handfuls of Purpose. I know that this is the first of many books to come!

-Phillis Alexander (MBA), VP, Operations

AIRRS, Inc.

Preface

I HATE COPYCATS, remakes or lack of originality. So when I felt God leading me to entitle this book, Handfuls of Purpose, I immediately struggled with it. I didn’t want for it to seem as if I was jumping on the purpose or destiny bandwagons, echoing the insights of successful Christian authors and orators. I once believed that often we Christians, like society at large, tend to characterize ourselves and ministries by reuse (and sometimes, overuse) of today’s trendiest terms to rally the Church to holy action. The truth is, some words simply convey the idea better than others. I realized that when I began to write the body of this book. My reuse and seeming overuse of certain terms will be become evident at once.

Besides, since God told me to write this book, it stands to reason that He can choose a title for it and He confirmed the title of this book in the most undeniable way. Now I’m proud to be another voice, heralding the timeless truths already expounded by so many faithful witnesses. I only hope that this work can be used to confirm what many other have already so capably proclaimed.

I’m going to warn you right from the start that I love to teach. Teaching is what God called me to do from my youth and I magnify my office (Ephesians 4:11ff; Romans 11:13b). That means that I can get very verbose at times in this book. I also like to tell stories. What that means is that if I seem go off on a tangent, I assure you that 1.) It will be pertinent to the discussion at hand and 2.) I know how to get back on track with the main thought. So indulge me, okay?

What is this Book’s Theme?

Whereas there are many themes deeply woven within this book, this book is primarily about redemption and is based on the Biblical book of Ruth, a book which lends itself to the theme of redemption particularly well. This book revolves around a Biblical story that has redemption as its underlying theme. It even points to a future redemption on a much grander scale. The reader will see how Naomi and especially Ruth will be redeemed so as to reclaim their lives, love and their common legacy.

This book is also a book of destiny. We all are important to God; No one is insignificant; we are all imbued with unlimited and eternal purpose because we bear the image of our Heavenly Father. Many young people have lost hope; even young celebrities are committing suicide and engaging in self-destructive behavior because they feel that their lives lack purpose. They have been brainwashed into believing that their existence on Earth is the result of some cosmic accident-some random set of circumstances. No wonder young people are killing themselves and each other at an astounding rate. When you’re being preached to day in and day out that you and everyone else are nothing more than a highly evolved animal, and that it is all about the survival of the fittest, then it is easier for some people to take the lives of unborn, to shoot up a college campus or even to take their own lives (if they feel that they are not fit enough to keep up with the rest of the world).

I didn’t believe this before, but I have come to believe that this generation coming onto the stage now has the potential of being the greatest generation-even greater than the Builder Generation. Our young people hold the greatest potential for our advancing our culture and therefore are the ones into whom our highest hopes have been invested. I believe that this is the reason that Satan is trying so hard to cast a dark shadow over the futures of our young people on every hand. However, I also believe that God will not be outdone. God’s light seems to shine brightest in times of greatest darkness.

Finally, this is the story of fulfilled purpose and a lasting legacy. This book intends to encourage those who feel somehow forsaken with regard to realizing God’s plans for their lives. This book is a reminder to them that it is never too late for them to enjoy a fulfilled life and a hope-filled future.

Who is this Book’s Target Audience?

Although I believe the message in this book is for every woman (even men, I feel, could benefit from reading it), I particularly want to appeal to the generations of young women that have come behind my own generation. That includes my two daughters, their cousins and their friends.

Specifically, this book is for women who are or who want to be women of distinction. By women of distinction, I do not mean women who are self-absorbed, flamboyant or condescending. Rather, I mean those who are not satisfied with mediocrity or the status quo.

This book is for women who have come to the realization that she will not reach her full potential as a woman until she establishes and cultivates a vital relationship with her God and right relationships with others. She is not satisfied with being a copy of the convoluted credos of her culture.

She is not a slave to the latest fads nor a clone of some personality that appears successful on the outside, but whose life is hanging on a thread within. This woman does not try to be different just to be different. She DARES to be different because she knows that she is unique. She is not different necessarily by DESIRE because there is really nothing wrong with trying to fit in and acclimate. But she understands that she is different by DESIGN. She has answered the call that God has seated deeply in her bosom to reach her highest potential as a special, unique creation of God. She has come to realize that being a successful person is not so much a matter of attainments. Rather, it is the manner in which she stewards all of the opportunities and relationships that God grants her for His glory and her ultimate good. She wants to establish her feet on sound, time-honored truths that consistently bear the right type of fruit. She doesn’t want her life to be a mere echo of someone else’s homespun philosophies.

This is not a book that characterizes women as victims nor is this a book some man-hating manual that’s designed to make women feel better about themselves by downplaying the importance of the men in their lives. This book characterizes women as overcomers who realize that their destinies are in the Hands of God and synergistic with those of other people whom God has called to glory and virtue. These women also understand that fulfillment of their destinies require their personal, active participation.

Handfuls of Purpose in Matters of the Heart

When you start reading this book, particularly the relationship areas, you will immediately discover that it was not written for bad girls who are looking for bad boys. There are numerous books out there for women who have that focus. Additionally, there is no shortage of bad boys looking for bad girls so the odds are good that these groups will find the other.

This book is not interested in showing women how to catch men with the objective of holding them prisoner, a slave to their whims. The media is preoccupied with ways to use manipulation in order to catch and keep a man. However, once women employ some of these methods, they are often at a loss as to what to do with the men after they catch them. All they know is to continue to use manipulative tactics in order to keep him in check and under her control.

No, in order to narrow my focus, I had to narrow my target audience so I am primarily writing this book for good women who are frustrated with the going-nowhere relationships with bad men or good women who want to avoid such relationships altogether. By reading this book you’ll notice that my terminology will be best understood by women of faith, those who have committed their lives to God. These are the women that want to please Him in all that they do and even in the decisions that they make. This includes the romantic ones.

Whereas the principles in this book may have widespread appeal and applicability, my intentions are clear-to cause God’s daughters to consider Him in all of their choices on relationships and to help steer them from looking into the devil’s territory for their associations, particularly with regard to romantic relationships with men.

This book is a product of decades of talking to women from all walks of life regarding their longing to have sound, satisfying relationships with men. Unfortunately some have given up in their heart’s quest and conceded that there are simply no good men. They feel that God has forgotten them with respect to giving them a good man. I challenge women in this book by reminding them that the choice in all areas of life is, has and always will be theirs. People are not victims if they are allowed to exercise the power of choice. I want to implore my readers to choose wisely and prayerfully, remembering that we are the sum total of our choices, whether good or bad.

No, this book is for good women, godly woman, women of divine destiny for whom worldly options are no options. These women cannot compromise themselves with empty solutions because they have the stamp of eternal purpose on their hearts. These women must depend upon God to establish, repair, and present relationships because of their desire to be pure both in spirit and in body. So in this book, we are drawing a line in the sand.

What is the Tone of this Book?

I wrote this book as different persons. My perspective while writing this book is threefold. Primarily, I write this book based on my experiences as a father, an uncle or a male mentor to his daughters, nieces or young women in general. I have two daughters and many nieces that I want to instill sound Biblical precepts into. In this book, I attempt to dispense ages-old wisdom to young women in the hopes that they will carefully consider the paths that are laid before them and to habitually make well-informed, thoughtful decisions. The intent for this is so that those young women will avoid many of the pitfalls in their lives brought upon by rash and poorly-thought-out courses of action at critical decision points in their lives. The end result is that they will come to realize that to be a woman of distinction is to make a conscious effort to live deliberately so as to avoid having their lives spent in futility and self-destructive activity that have left so many older women broken, used up, mishandled, remorseful and depressed, primarily as a result of the choices that they have made.

Every woman who has ever lived, no matter how old she is, is someone’s daughter. Ultimately, every woman who has ever lived is God’s daughter, and as such, each has His full attention and adoration. He only wants the best for His girls. And just like a natural father would, He definitely wants to ensure that His daughters enjoy a rich, full life and a future filled with hope and purpose. One of the best ways to facilitate this is to place the right people into the lives of the daughters that He loves so dearly. That includes the men who will share a unique bond with His daughters throughout their lives.

I also write this book based on my experiences as a brother, a cousin or nephew. This book has been born from the burden of having seen so many women in my family whose lives have been riddled by people and life, in general. I have sisters-natural, spiritual and otherwise who feel that their hope is dried up and that they’ve squandered their future.

When I talk to them now, I notice that they look tired. Some have even had bouts with deep depression. Now that they are in their forties, fifties and older, the bright smiles from years back have changed to deep sighs as they wistfully ponder all of the missed opportunities and the poor decisions that have robbed them of their dreams and have placed them in the predicaments that they are now in. They are so remorseful about the mistakes strewn behind them along their pathway that they cannot see the light still beaming before them.

I have many sisters, sisters-in-law and female cousins that feel deprived of happiness and all of life’s best. Some have not yet come to the realization of the fact that their own decisions and subsequent actions have greatly contributed to their misfortunes. They are still looking for a ship that may never come in. They still exhibit the restlessness that characterizes a significant part of our society. Others, on the other hand, have come to attribute their current dissatisfaction with life in general to the choices that they have made, but they are left feeling hopeless, that things cannot turn around for them and that what they are getting now is the best that they can ever hope for. They feel that their present circumstances are just deserts for their living an undisciplined life. That we reap what we sow is true; it is a spiritual law. However, I know of spiritual laws that are just as true. They are redemption and restoration. I want to tell my sisters that they can reclaim the dreams, dignity and the destiny that God had originally designed for them. I also want to help champion my sisters’ purity as brothers typically do. In this book, I want to offer them guidance and leadership in order to keep them on the path of purpose.

Finally, I write as a friend. I offer a frank perceptive discussion of my topics based on years of interaction with my friends and associates-both men and women. I have many friends of the fairer gender. I simply want to let them know that there are men out there that are truly concerned with their progress, without exploiting their transparency/vulnerability. There are men that want to nurse their spiritual and emotional health. We’re not all the same. Some of us have your back.

There are safe havens for your heart, but only in God and the people that He places in your life. Let God bless you with the people whose heart that He knows and tries. (Jeremiah 17:9, 10)

Actually, this book in nothing more than an impassioned monologue in which I speak to the heart of my kinswomen. It started as a series of dialogues with all the women in my family over the years-my grandmother, my mother, my mother-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, aunts, cousins, daughters, nieces and female associates. If other readers find precepts in this book that will help them, then that establishes the fact that we all share a common destiny and a common core of experience. These situations are all based on my personal experience and are not intended to characterize every conceivable situation. Your situations may very well be different. But by talking to many people through the years, I’m inclined to believe that there are at least a few of you out there with whom this book will strike a familiar chord.

Incidentally, I believe that men could benefit greatly from reading this book as well. Just as for women, this book can be used for men to gauge themselves against the right requirements of God’s Word concerning some of the qualities of a purposeful man. Just as the main character of the Book of Ruth exhibits many of the same virtues as the Proverbs 31 woman, the book delineates many positive character traits in God’s ideal man. It is like a mini guide for the Proverbs 31 man, although I’m actually working on a book primarily for men in this same genre. Be prayerfully on the lookout for this exciting book!

How is this Book Written?

Although this book presents its information in a poignant manner, it is by no means meant to be a book of rebuke. I tried to write this book out of a sense of compassion, for contemplation and not of condemnation, out of a spirit of redemption and not of derision. I will endeavor to be frank without being vindictive. It presents a series of lessons learned from the experiences of many, with the Biblical text as its primary pedagogue.

There are two things that a person can do about life lessons. When an opportunity for such a lesson emerges, either a person can learn and complete the lesson, or they can ignore and repeat the lesson-as many times as necessary. What’s so wonderful about life’s lessons is that God places various teachers (people, circumstances, etc.) throughout your life who often guide by sharing life lessons that they themselves have learned. The Book of Ruth is literally dripping with life lessons. It is our intention to unearth some of these timeless truths from this goldmine of wisdom.

I don’t want this book to be just another commentary on the Book of Ruth. Rather, I want it to unearth valuable and practical insights, precepts and examples into the types of decisions that please God and assure a hope and a future. The primary focus will be on decisions regarding the various relationships that we all encounter through life because I have concluded that wholesome relationships, more than anything else, determine as well as demonstrate, our success as a person.

This book uses role modeling as its primary teaching venue. I believe that role modeling is very effective in that it takes concepts and precepts and incarnates them, demonstrates them and makes them more easily emulated than just spewing out maxims.

When someone models, he or she puts on an attractive outfit, and showcasing it properly, to cause onlookers to want to buy the product. Their objective is not for you to just see the outfit, but for you to see yourself in the outfit. In effect, they’re saying, This can be you, too … That’s how they nab you.

Some of this material is expository, some will be didactic, and some will simply be the rantings of a father or a brother, or even the faithful wounds of a friend (Proverbs 27:6). I make no apologies, though. This isn’t something that your mother, grandmother nor pastor haven’t already tried to tell you.

Some people will find the principles shared in this book to be old fogey, non-progressive and irrelevant. I make no apologies for this, either. To serve my generation of readers, I have simply taken timeless principles from an age-old saga of redemptive love and placed it into a contemporary context, like others have done for their respective generations. Some things simply have stood the test of time. Truth is one of those things.

Neither do I blush for my extravagant use of Biblical references, character profiles and analogies. I firmly believe that the Scriptures are the perfect law of liberty. I believe that they are designed to make one wise and are the ultimate source of real power. Therefore, I believe that the scriptures are the perfect reference for women and men who want to be liberated, wise and empowered. And the best thing about all of this is that this source of power is no Secret. It is near you, in your heart and in your mind (Romans 10:8). Whereas so many through the ages have claimed to be keepers of hidden wisdom, God doesn’t do that. In Christ, the whole repository of wisdom is accessible to all who will but ask (Colossians 2:2, 3; James 1:5)

There are many books that claim to be progressive in dealing with decision making and relationships, I personally have found no more progressive and liberating book than the Holy Bible. I am and have been enthralled with the deep spiritual and practical insights found within its pages for decades. The longer that I read it, the more excited I become of it, and I’m generally a hard man to impress. This is a fascinating book wherein the wisdom of God is revealed. Countless others over several millennia have discovered that the Word of God is as relevant today as when it was first dictated by God’s holy apostles and prophets and it speaks with freshness and clarity in every new generation. God’s book is truly the Good Book.

Although I believe that I will be around for a long time-long enough to publish many more books for which I already have manuscripts, I want to leave this book as a legacy to my daughters and others, with the hope that they will avoid the pitfalls in decision making and relationships that I’ve seen many of their older relatives and associates have made. Hopefully, they and my other readers can take what I’ve written and expand on it to incorporate their own unique insights so as to make the book more relevant and accessible to more women of faith.

Acknowledgments

ALTHOUGH THE WORDS and the mistakes are my own, many women are responsible for the writing of this book, particularly all of the women whom God has placed into my life during the years of my pilgrimage. By these, I mean my mother, mother-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, nieces, aunts, cousins and all of my female associates, whether in church or in the workplace. Next to God, they have been my most constant teachers. They have taught me about the many issues of life, not only by their words, but by their examples. All of the joy, pathos and drama of their lives have been played out before me, as it were, on life’s center stage. I have mourned at their missteps and rejoiced at their redemption. In all of this, I have learned and this book is an attempt to share what I have learned to any who would listen.

So, needless to say, there are more people that have contributed to this book than I can name within this volume. Countless family, friends and associates have offered me glimpses of their lives and experiences