Paulette Harper, editor
Nonfiction Anthology of personal essays and inspirational advice
June 15, 2021
Resilience in Hard Times are stories from twenty women who learned how to survive and pivot in the most troubling times.
People who read these incredible stories of….
How they overcame self-doubt and turned it into self-confidence.
How they faced odds and climbed those mountains to success.
How they choose to use their voices and experiences to lead them to victory.
How they decided not to allow the scars, pain, and uncertainties to defeat them.
These are stories about transformation, courage, and resolve from women who were determined to make a difference in their own lives and show others how it can be done.
These women are using their voices and influence to break chains and strongholds that once captured them.
My Review:
Twenty extraordinary authors share encouraging words,
prayers, and advice from the depth of their pain in this new collection from
Thy Word Publishing. Women candidly discuss topics from staying in love over
the long haul, parenthood, the sandwich generation, prejudice, betrayal, illness,
and every kind of dilemma that would break the heart of a lesser human—all with
a healthy appreciation for their strength of faith and the precious concept of
forgiveness for others and ourselves. “A resilient person has the ability to
bounce back and recover from horrendous events, hard times, and adverse
conditions. That’s how God created you. Yes, God created you with the bounce
back, but there are some things you need to do as well,” Paulette Harper says
in the opening selection.
Coming from all walks of life: medical specialists, career authors and publicists, homemakers, businesswomen, ministerial and educational professionals, the authors tell how they are facing down challenges from divorce to abortion, racism and sexism, physical setbacks, death of loved ones, job loss and financial difficulties, to self-doubt and suicidal thoughts. Their testimonies will promote and engender healing for everyone dealing with similar events. Each of the twenty stories relate a personal hard time and how they struggled and worked diligently to get a handle on their often heart-rending circumstance. “My hope is that by sharing this experience with you, it will guide you to recognize in yourself your deep desire for a life without worry, struggle, and pain,” Jana Marie Toutolmin writes.
Some of my favorite passages include:“I had finally realized I was never supposed to fit it! I was meant to be the STAR! My light is not to be dimmed. I am not to fit in. I am to let my light shine before others,” from The Journey to Becoming a STAR! by Alena Zachery-Ross, and “Praising the Lord through one of the hardest times in my life is what kept me emotionally, mentally and spiritually sounded,” from Pushing Past the Pain to Praise by Pastor LoNika A. Harris. Other passages of advice are equally inspired, like “Keep your prayers and positive affirmations all around you, and most of all keep encouraging people with wisdom by your side,” Tonja Harris Dews writes in I Don’t Look Like My Storm; “I knew I had to stop giving people the power to control my happiness” in Overcoming the Mean Girl Spirit by Yvonne R. Wilson, and the most reassuring of all in the final piece, Shattered Heart, by Marilyn Williams-Jerrels: “I had no clue about how God was going to help me survive, but I had faith that I would be carried.
For those who are going through a mild rough patch or a
calamity, these wonderful essays are sure to shine through your despair.
Especially recommended as a gift.
