Books in the Pilgrim Prayers For... series

""But what can I do this day to these my [children] or to their children whom they have borne?"" --Genesis 31:43""There is an adjustment that must occur internally when you have felt that parenting days were finished. There is an emotional shifting that must take place when cooking, grocery shopping, and meal planning have stopped being a primary consideration. There is a major spiritual engagement that takes place when a child is put into your care that you did not plan for and birth. Prayer is essential!""--from Pilgrim Prayers for Grandmothers Raising ChildrenAuthor Linda H. Hollies has created a book dedicated to the ever-increasing and contemporary phenomenon of grandmothers raising their grandchildren. Currently raising a grandson, Hollies has firsthand experience with parenting the second time around, and enthusiastically shares her journey and insights, offering comfort, inspiration, and ways to turn a predicament into the opportunity of a lifetime.Each of the 45 chapters contains an anecdote and/or observation, a brief Scripture passage, and a heartfelt prayer, and concludes with a ""prayer focus"" to help readers center themselves.

Gracious God, Thank you for helping us single fathers learn the lesson that acquiring new skills--in particular--is a required and ongoing part of being a single parent. All the manuals we read will never get us to the nitty-gritty advice about many practical realities. Little girls need their hair combed until they learn to do it for themselves. We are grateful, O God, when we can let go of the illusion that all parenting skills are innate. Amen.--sample prayer excerptPilgrim Prayers for Single Fathers is a collection of conversations with God based on heart-felt, real-life situations. Growing out of the author's experience as a single father and the experiences of other single fathers known to him as friends and parishioners, Farmer finds God's loving presence squarely in the middle of all the extra challenges of single parenthood. Whether life goes haywire, hopeful, or hilarious, he finds God's nearness as his source of strength and insight.Farmer, in forming his prayers as part of devotional moments for busy single fathers, intertwines Hebrew and Christian scriptures, other great documents of spirituality, and all sources of news and information in the modern media.Each entry begins with a letter addressing a specific issue and continues with a Scripture passage and prayer, concluding with an interesting or informative passage. The book consists of 30 prayers.

""This book provides short inspirational stories that remind us that faith and love can endure a variety of life's trials. It offers real stories of courage, faith, and prayer which help to heal the soul.""--Melissa Mueller, Income Development Coordinator, East Region, American Cancer Society, Midwest Division, Inc. ""Without hope, patients and families cannot begin to navigate the perilous journey of cancer treatment. Northey's easy-read book provides a faith-based source of inspiration which will undoubtedly be helpful to many."" --Sandy Lardinois, Patient Services Manager, The Wisconsin Chapter of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society""As Northey points out in her own story, if faith does not heal you physically, it may heal you spiritually, mentally, or emotionally. Each touching and inspiring story contains a well-chosen Bible passage and a powerful little prayer that makes the message in Pilgrim Prayers quite clear: if you let it, faith will heal you where you need it the most!"" --Murphy Vesture, founder, Taking The Fear Out of Cancer, www.takingthefearoutofcancer.com""When the diagnosis is cancer, you need more than just medical care. You need the support of friends, family, and others--and the healing power of that support can be nothing short of amazing. In Northey's stories, we see people tapping this power and learning new lessons about life and love."" --Maureen M. Squire, executive director, Gilda's Club Southeastern Wisconsin""The first time I met Northey, I was taken by her incredible combination of intense intelligence, spirited humor, and expressive humanity. Read what she has given us. It will change you. And know that whatever you get from this, it is only the beginning of what she has to share."" -Tom Plantenberg, Executive Director and CEO, Friends of Froedtert Hospital FoundationSue Northey is Senior Vice President and Managing Group Director for the Brand Planning Department of Cramer-Krasselt, Wisconsin's largest marketing communications firm. She received her MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Northey completed treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1999 and has been in complete remission since. She resides in Franklin, Wisconsin with her husband and three children.