Happily Even After by Marilynn Griffith

ABOUT THE BOOK
Superwoman doesn't live here!

I marry a gorgeous executive, have a baby, lose all the weight (most of it), and move to a fine house in the suburbs with a welcoming new church. Wait...did I say welcoming?

One teeny waaah! and new mothers and their crying babies are exiled to a separate room. At least there's some enlightening conversation. Like about my husband and issues I didn't even know about!

And then there's my aptly named mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, who can't stand me.

I'm about to lose my mind! So it's high time for a visit to the Sassy Sistahood for some much-needed advice about men, marriage and motherhood!

The Sassy Sistahood: They get by with a little help from their friends.


MY REVIEW:

This book was a joyful surprise to me. I’d never read any of Marilyn Griffith’s work, and I was able to pick this up and dive right in. After the first couple of chapters, I found myself shaking my head….”What kind of book am I reading? Romance? Chick-Lit?” I wasn’t sure. So I kept reading. What I found was one woman’s very personal journey through the first year of marriage and motherhood. Her journey wasn’t always pretty, but God was working in her life and the lives of those around her to create something powerful and useful in His service.

I love the way this story moves along so smoothly, and then nestled among the scenes are gems of truth - beautifully written. Let me share a couple. On Page 115 Tracey concludes, “Maybe sometimes the paths of others curl up behind them and the only road left to follow leads to a rugged, bloody cross.” Or how about on page 142…” For whatever reason, this was where God had planted me. My job was to get rooted and grounded and despite inclement conditions, manage to bloom. This conversation felt like a handful of fertilizer.” What about this piece of advice on page 159, “You’ve got to know how to make your own love. Some folks just don’t have it to give.”

From Chapter 10 forward, things get very real. God starts moving in folks’ lives, and things begin to come alive! God grabs hold of one character’s life who at that point you had really learned not to like very well, and listen to her prayer on page 231..”Make each of our words as polished as gems as we speak to others. Help us to understand the power of our sweetness, our honey, even when the days are bitter. Help us to consider the shades and shapes of our words we give away from this day forward. Knowing that what we speak may be worn by those we love for a lifetime. Make us mothers on a mission. Mothers with a ministry in our mouths. In Jesus’ name, A-men.” Talk about powerful!!

If you want to explore family and church relationships in a fresh, very real way, read this book!! Like I said, it’s not always pretty. Marilynn Griffith deals with some of our very false fronts that we wear sometimes when we gather to worship. Her story tears away what is false, reveals what is hidden and lays it all at Jesus’ feet. I will definitely be looking for more of her work! I thank God for Marilynn Griffith!!





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marilynn Griffith is mom to a tribe, wife to a deacon and proof that God gives second chances. While best known for her colorful novels about friendship, family and faith, Marilynn is also a speaker and nonfiction writer.

Her nonfiction has been included in CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE CHRISTIAN WOMAN'S SOUL and several other devotionals and magazines. Currently, Marilynn is editor of the SISTAHFAITH:BELIEVING BEYOND SHAME anthology. She is also the founder of Faithchick.com, a blog for faith fiction readers.

Marilynn is the author of six novels dealing with issues such as teen pregnancy, AIDS, abstinence, stress relief, single parenting and marriage. Her recent fiction titles include TANGERINE and IF THE SHOE FITS.

Marilynn has served as Vice President and Publicity Officer of American Christian Fiction Writers. She speaks to youth, women and writers about believing beyond boundaries and daring to reach dreams.

Marilynn lives in Florida with her husband and seven children whom she taught at home for seven years. When not chasing toddlers, helping with homework or trying to find her husband a clean shirt, she can be found scribbling furiously on her next novel.

To book Marilynn for media interviews, speaking engagements, Serious Fun fiction parties or book club call-ins, please contact her thru her WEBSITE.