Marriages are in trouble. Divorce percentages prove it. My marriage almost became a statistic when I packed Dan's bags three times the first year we were married. I shudder to think what life would have been like had I successfully discarded this man I adore. This year we celebrate 40 years together. I'm so glad I stayed. Too many throw away their spouses too soon for too little reason. I thank God and my amazing husband that neither of them let go of me. That's why I wrote, "Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives." Marriages need rescued and my story could be a marriage preserver.
You would have laughed if you had spied me writing "Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives." My fingers flew across the keys--while my mind and lips kept repeating the only sentence that allowed me to be transparent: "No one is going to read this book. No one is going to read this book." I knew that if I was going to reach the heart of any marriage, I must bare my soul and reveal deep secrets unknown to anyone but me and God. When my publishing contract arrived in the mail, I wailed, "Oh no! What will people think of me?"
Then I remembered my goal: save one marriage. My heart leaped and I cried the day the e-mail arrived saying, "Your book saved my marriage." God uses our stories to help others. That's why I write.
I've been promoting my books ever since without guilt. My goal: save another marriage. Someone asked me once, "How do you feel about promoting your own book?" My answer, "I'd feel disobedient if I didn't promote my books. God gave me a story to tell. He gave me a beautiful gift book and a publisher. I must do my part to assure it is read."
This Valentine's Day, give yourself and your honey a present that could transform your life. Contact me for an autographed copy of "Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives." I'd be thrilled to send it to you.
Have a month filled with love and splashes of serenity,
Elaine
Elaine: What a great story! I am reading "Splahes" for moms, and love it. Please send me the Wives version; email me at jeanettelevellie(at)gmail(dot)com to tell me the price. Thanks! I will give this to myself for my 35th anniversay gift!
ReplyDeleteI share a lot in my book "The Secret Life of a Preacher's Wife" and it too was hard to write.
I love your attitude about promotion.
I received Splashes of Serenity for Mothers as a gift from a mentor in my MOPS group. I love it! I love that it is a quick devotional with a mighty punch. With two young children this is important to me. I really appreciate your insight and wisdom and hope you do continue to promote your books. I am buying copies for my friends!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeanette and Suzinkc! You two made my day.
ReplyDeleteElaine, I know the ambivalence you feel about sharing from your private life. I went through that too with my book, and before that with my newspaper column. I worried that my daughters would be traumatized by so much of their own lives becoming public, but they mostly got mad at me if I DIDN'T write about them! Yes, it is truly rewarding when people say you've helped them. I commend you for sacrificing some of your privacy for that God-given purpose.
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