Lily’s Promise: Holding On to Hope Through Auschwitz and Beyond—A Story for All Generations
Lily’s Promise: Holding on to Hope Through Auschwitz and Beyond – A Story for All Generations
Lily Ebert and Dov Forman
Survival historical biographies
Harper One
May 10, 2022
Kindle
321
“Heartbreaking, inspirational, and uplifting, this is an engaging story of one remarkable woman’s will to survive.” — The Library Journal
It is the Holocaust survivors who help us transform history into memory by their ability to humanize the inhumane. It is them and their words that make the past present.
These lessons, important then, remain vital now – especially when the events of the Holocaust are sometimes distorted, diminished, or denied, the testimony of victims and witnesses is invaluable and essential.
So many of us find ourselves BROKEN. But God can make all things BEAUTIFUL if you will let Him. Don’t hold on to your broken heart.
I picked up Gwen Smith’s book because I am writing a series of devotionals on emotional trauma.* I wanted to find out how others dealt with their own broken hearts and other traumatic events and how God helped them recover.
*My series can be received weekly in your email box! Click here!
We have all found ourselves broken and unable to fix it. Only God can restore our broken hearts and make us whole again. Gwen brings to mind how this life can beat us up and break our tender hearts. Each chapter tells of someone she knows personally and links her together with a Biblical woman. She then shows us that “God can use each and every person who surrenders her brokenness into His hands…no matter what.” It doesn’t matter if we are broken from past sin. Sometimes, we ourselves have sinned. Other times, those around us have sinned and we became the object of the sin. Either way, God CAN use the brokenness and turn it into something beautiful. The key is our own surrender of the heart. We must allow God to do the work in our hearts and lives. Then and only then will the beauty shine through.
Gwen reminds us that Satan would like to take us down for the last time. He wants to defeat us and convince us that God does not care. These crafty lies of the evil one can hold us back and keep us struggling in the hurt. We must let the lies go. Stop believing the lies and begin believing in the God who created us. Gwen tells us that “when we invite God into our circumstances, He will faithfully respond to our needs”. And then we will experience His peace, his presence, His power!
At the end of each chapter, Gwen leaves us with lyrics to one of her songs
I never got to hear Corrie ten Boom in person but I’ve heard many of her stories. When I saw this devotional, I quickly grabbed it up to read. True to my expectations, Corrie used stories from her life to inspire us to live the Christian life. No matter how dark the situation, we can hold on to God and find something to be grateful for. Sometimes, these things are surprising, like having flies in the room. What could possibly be good about that? Well, you’ll need to read God is my Hiding Place for yourself.
These devotions are quick reads (only two or three pages) will definitely leave you with the thought, “If she can get through that, I can get through this!”
We all know Bible reading and prayer are vital parts of our faith, but what happens when our prayer lives become stagnant and our quiet times grow stale? We need something more than just familiar verses and the command to pray. In Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Unlock Power and Praise, Lori Hatcher shares five-minute story-driven devotions that spotlight unusual prayer verses in the Bible.
Book Cover
WIN YOUR OWN COPY!
This book will certainly Refresh Your Prayers. No more childhood memorized prayers or habitually spoken-in-rote prayers with no meaning. Get this book and keep it on your shelves to occasionally refresh your prayer time. This is my honest review after reading a complimentary copy. I will draw one name for a free copy from those who comment on this page. by March 15, 2020
Is your marriage getting a little dull in the romance department?
Have you lost the passion you once had for each other? Looking for a way to challenge your romance?
Sharon Jaynes has written a little book that I’m sure will help you ignite the fires again. In 14 days she can help you spark that fire. She will take you step-by-step, offering little things you can do to reignite the fires.
Add a spark a day for 14 days
In just a page or two a day, Sharon talks about the things that will get the passion ignited for your guy. She explains what’s going on in his head and what you need to do to get his fires going. Each day she offers 3 or 4 little things you can do for your husband each day. It could be as simple as sending a sweet text or something a bit hot and sexy. She offers testimonials from women who tried them and from the men who received them. These will certainly, be an encouragement to you to try them out.
One Act of Romance a Day
Each day she challenges you to do one small act of love. She offers 3 or 4 little things you can do for your husband each day. It could be as simple as sending a sweet text or something a bit more hot and sexy. She offers testimonials from women who have tried them and from the men who received them. These will certainly, be an encouragement to you to try them out.
The Best Little Romance Reference Book
In the last third of the book, Sharon includes some great addendums.
150 additional Ways to Romance Your Husband
10 Ways to Romance Your Husband According to His Love Language
14 Tips for a More Romantic Bedroom
10 Easy steps to Writing a Love Letter
Even if you don’t complete an act every day, you will find the passion in your marriage escalating. This is a book you will want to keep in your bedstand as a reference for whenever you need to add a spark to your relationship. Go out and buy yours today!
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Back in September, God began to place a ONEWORD for 2022 on my heart. He did this by presenting the word through different avenues – preaching, reading, and even devotions. Today I want to share about two books that confirmed this word – intentional in my heart.
The Perils of A Pastor’s Wife will speak to your deepest wounds and help you find God’s Presence through it all. Sweet Sister—somewhere, somehow, somebody knows. You are not alone.
This post contains affiliate links
How did I find this book?
In order to do some blogging to assist pastors and wives, I ran a questionnaire a few months ago. Nan Jones was one that answered my questionnaire. I went to her blog to read some of her writings. After reading several of her posts, I decided I should read her book since I was in the same predicament that she was writing about. It was one of the best decisions I have made.
Who will Benefit from this Book?
“Perils ...” is written to help other pastor’s wives who are dealing with the sad situation of being dismissed by a church. This is something that is happening in alarming numbers these days. While this book was written from the viewpoint of a woman and written for women, I think men could benefit as well. It is a wonderful book for those of us journeying the path of rejection and being in transition (without a “flock”).
My Personal Experience
I found that God used the very same scriptures and resources to inspire Nan as He did me in my journey with chronic pain and then our dismissal from our last church. Hannah Hurnard’s Hinds’ Feet in High Places is an amazing allegory; Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts which set me on the right path for my journey. Her words are so gentle and encouraging. She shows us how to respond and get through it all with grace and (eventual) forgiveness.
Ministers in transition need to buy this book.
-Mandy
Have you been hurt by the church?
Have you felt abandoned by God in the lonely fires of ministry? The Perils of A Pastor’s Wife will speak to your deepest wounds and help you find God’s Presence through it all.
Sweet Sister—somewhere, somehow, somebody knows. You are not alone.
JOY IN THE WILDERNESS
This Group is expressly for men and women trying to find Joy in the Wilderness
This is a place for support and encouragement. No judgment, just a shoulder to lean on.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:19-20
Drifting from safety
When my children were small, my greatest fear was taking them shopping. My son stayed right by my side, but my daughter was the curious type. She wanted to see everything. And it would only take a moment for her to wander away from me. She was a tiny thing and could get easily hidden within a rack of clothes. I would be frantic.
We tend to get this idea in our heads that Christian leaders have everything in perfect order; that they are always holding a good hand. We think that they have had a great Christian life and have never been tempted to sin or been through troubled times. But this is far from the truth. When we look through scripture we find that God oftentimes chooses the weak or the least expected to do mighty things for Him.
I have said many times that we need to have more times of testimony. Times when we share about our troubles and weakness. And then also to share how God has gone through the fire with us. How can others be encouraged or know that God is an amazing God when we aren’t sharing these things?
As I picked up Phillip Yancey’s memoir, Where the Light Fell, I found the story of his life heartbreaking. But I learned some things in my reading that I will share with you today.
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