Description:
She got married in MADE OF HONOR.
She became a mother in IF THE SHOE FITS.
Now, in HAPPILY EVEN AFTER she's dealing with Queen Liz, the mother-in-law gone wrong.
Tracey Blackman let her mother-in-law plan her wedding, even when it meant that her best friends had to wear pink ball gowns. Now, she's a mother herself and it's not so easy to just go along... Her husband, however, has no problem doing so. Will the real Mrs. Blackman please stand up? To make things worse, her husband's business hangs on the hips of an all-too-friendly business partner. Though the women at her new church tell her not to worry, Tracey isn't sure whether to chase after her husband or run home to her old friends. Order now and watch a couple strive to live happily...even after things go wrong.
Tami's Thoughts:
I know this sounds crazy, but this book made me cry! I loved it! I thought Marilynn Griffith did an amazing job of infusing humor and wisdom into the storyline. This story speaks to me in a way that few books ever have.
Here's one of the lines that got to me:
"I don't want to play friends anymore or to play church. Things are too crucial at this point. Everything I do, everyone I love, it all has to be real." (page 145) Tracey's new friend Brenna says this to Tracey after telling her some of the hard lessons she has learned watching her husband have affairs in the church with no one acknowledging it. I grabbed on to this because I have come from a place where everyone always pretends everthing is okay and everyone spends so much time worrying about appearances and faith isn't real or gritty or any of the things that I needed it to be. As long as we looked good on the outside and told everyone we were fine and obeyed all the "rules," then everyone was happy. I am in a different place now and a different church, but the masks still remain and the struggle to make it look like I have it all together is exhausting and I, like Brenna in the book, just don't want to do it anymore. I want to be real. I'm just not sure how to go about doing that in my world now. (If anyone has any suggestions on how to develop "real" friendships with other women, please let me know!)
Part of the "appearance-based" love that was my growing up life also was focused on my weight. I am not a small woman. I've always been called "husky"--isn't that a nice word? NOT! So reading of Tracey's back and forth struggles to accept her body was also extremely powerful for me. Tracey's mother-in-law constantly belittles her and makes jabs about her weight and her mothering skills. I love how Tracey's conversations with God help her reminder that He loves her and values her "above rubies." So the other section in the book that brought the tears was on page 159...
"And then, in my spirit, I felt God's healing. I spoke a new blessing, one I'd written the night before.
You are enough, Beloved. You, daughter, are far above rubies, redeemed with the value of the world. Rise up, daughter, and walk. Rise up, daughter and follow Jesus. Do not trust your eyes. Trust His word...
...As my grandmother had always told me, "You've got to know how to make your own love. Some folks just don't have it to give." I hadn't really understood that back then, but I got it now."
Tomorrow is the start of the CFBA blog tour for this book, but I couldn't wait to post about it. I feel somewhat silly going on so much about a fictional story with fictional characters, but the story of Tracey is real to too many of us. I just have to figure out what I'm going to do about it for myself.
If you can relate to what I'm saying, be sure to check this book out. I never expected it to speak to me in such a powerful way. I am grateful that God used this book in my heart.
Check out Marilynn Griffith's website here: http://www.marilynngriffith.com/
