About The Book
Book: widowhood
Author: Mary Bruce
Genre: Personal Growth
Release Date: May 12, 2020
A woman may have many names and many titles, but “widow” is not necessarily one she plans for. And when the unexpected happens, she is thrust into the role of being the captain of her ship, the decision-maker, and the one solely responsible for the direction of her and her family’s future. The emotions a widow experiences as she faces her life from this new position of aloneness are as varied and unique as each widow is. But what all widows share is a calling to be a leader in the midst of the chaos of the death of their husbands.
In Widowhood: A Calling to Leadership, Mary Bruce encourages widows to embrace their new role with hope and to unashamedly rely on the resources God provides to sustain them through his Spirit and through his body, the church. She illuminates for church leaders how to direct and mentor widows in their church families and how to provide these women with opportunities to express their new God-given calling of leadership.
This book will give you a fresh perspective on widowhood. It will help widows to see the energy they possess as fuel for godly leadership, and it will help church leaders to see their widows as esteemed gifts instead of burdens.
Click here to get your copy!
About The Author
Mary Bruce is a registered nurse, a former homeschooling mother, and a widow since the weekend before 9/11. Born and raised in Waterbury, Connecticut, she still resides there and works as an associate pastor. In the early 1990s, she initiated a grassroots movement to pray in Connecticut on the National Day of Prayer. Since then she has served as a state coordinator for the National Day of Prayer Task Force and is currently its National Area Leader for the nine northeast states.
More from Mary
Have you ever wanted to wake up one morning with a new start, a brand new start?
I can say that, during the 2001/2002 school year, for 360 of 365 days that is exactly what I learned to do, wake up with a new start. Mine was the school of hard knocks. After 9/11, there were many of us who found ourselves on a daily automatic wake-up call before sunrise. No alarm clock was involved. Perhaps it was the stress of a new start for so many. It’s not like we went to bed super early so we could wake up early. Sleeping just wasn’t the same.
For me, by the time daylight started , I was already sitting on the steps of our back porch, waiting to greet the day, watching the eastern skies over the 5 acre mowed field behind our house. Each morning I would grab a cup of coffee, my journal, a pen and my Bible, wrap myself in winter coat and blankets and sit there waiting: waiting on the sunrise, acknowledging the earth’s stillness, waiting for some revelation from God or insight into my own life situation. It was not a worrisome time, that came later in the day. It was just a sitting and waiting time. Even my reading would have to wait until the dawn’s early light grew sufficient to see the print. There was nothing to interrupt, to distract from that alone time of solitude and meditation.
Then, like a shot in the dark, the 7am bell would ring out from high school across the street, a roar of automobile sounds would drift over the house, and the magic quiet spell would be broken.
In those early moments, I saw things I had been too busy to notice before. In spring, I watched fog roll over the field, literally roll on the grass from east to west, from the field to the road. In summer, I noticed nearly a whole year of early mornings without pouring rain. Pouring rain was my only hindrance to sitting outside. In autumn, I saw a female doe pulling apples off the low branches and her 3 young charges dancing on hind legs trying to reach the apples. In winter, I realized that I could sit out in freezing weather, when I did not even like to walk from the house to the car in the cold. I learned to take the outward opening storm door off before the snow fell, so that I could just open the inside door and step out. I said, “Good morning” to the Maker of the universe as my first spoken words of the day.
I don’t think I was alone. 2001 was a hard year for many widows. I was fortunate to spend each start of the day with the Maker, appreciating his faithfulness, which is new every morning – a new start. “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” NLT Lam. 3:23
Q&A with Mary Bruce
BTB — Many authors say that they have always been a writer. When did you come to realize this?
Mary — I realized this upon the publication of this first book. I’ve been writing for years, in personal journals, in letters, in policies and procedure books, in educational materials for Bible studies, but until this publication, I could not claim the name “author”.
BTB — Was there a special someone, such as a teacher, parent, or other relative, who encouraged you to pursue writing?
Mary — When I was age 22, a nursing supervisor asked me to write out my 1 year, 5 year, 10 year, 20 year and 50 year goals. This started me thinking about collecting stories, descriptions, incidents which became journal entries. Another inspiration was a soldier during the revolutionary war who wrote home to his wife that without Jesus, they would not be alive. He wrote that personal letter to his wife over 100 years ago, and it was included in a historical publication passed on to new people coming into the town.
BTB — Were there any obstacles you faced in your journey to publication?
Mary — I was working full time as an associate pastor to a moderately large church, serving a national ministry as a regional coordinator for nine states, and working as a nurse for our local daycare. These other commitments demanded much time and energy.
BTB — What types of research did you pursue?
Mary — For this book, I researched other books about widows and grief.
BTB — What does a typical writing day look like? Are you structured or informal inyour writing schedule?
Mary — I have had to be structured due to my heavy responsibilities. I have currently moved from the northeast to the mid-south and no longer carry those same responsibilities. My schedule now is to study, research and write mornings, and some afternoons.
BTB — Can you tell us a little about what inspired your book?
Mary — I was inspired by the complaints of church leaders about the lack of leadership material within the church and my recognition of the leadership qualities all widows have.
BTB — What do you want your readers to take away with them after finishingWidowhood: A Calling to Leadership?
Mary — For widows: a sense of camaraderie knowing they are not alone in the feelings they think or experience, for church leaders: a deeper understanding of ways to help widows develop their leadership skills.
BTB — Readers always want to know what is next for an author. Do you have any works in progress you can share about?
Mary — Yes, I have two children’s books in the works: one on loss and one about my new cat, which my 9 year old grand-daughter is helping with.
BTB — Anything else you would like to share with my readers?
Mary — I have just relocated from New England to the mid-south. I enjoy prayer-walking, praying with others for our nation, and piano worship with a team.
Blog Stops
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 5
Beauty in the Binding, September 6 (Author Interview)
Inklings and notions, September 7
Through the Fire Blogs, September 8 (Author Interview)
deb’s Book Review, September 8
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 9
For the Love of Literature, September 10 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, September 11
For Him and My Family, September 12
Simple Harvest Reads, September 13 (Author Interview)
By The Book, September 14 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, September 14
Artistic Nobody, September 15 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Sara Jane Jacobs, September 16
Locks, Hooks and Books, September 17
Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 18
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/fffe/widowhood-celebration-tour-giveaway
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