Friendly Friday

es, I realize it's late today. :-) This week has been very busy for me and I'm thrilled that many of my readers have already received their books!  For those of you waiting for emails, I'm hoping to get caught up very soon; thanks for your patience with me. 

     For today's Friendly Friday, I'd like to share those who have supported this book with much anticipation and excitement! In order of appearance: 

• Meg Moseley, whose novel about a woman’s battle to break free from a cultic group releases next year, wrote a touching announcement entitled "Freedom for Quivering Daughters". Meg's beautiful endorsement of this work is a treasure.
• Cindy Kunsman's "First Entry in My Quivering Daughter's Diary" made me cry, too. I am so pleased that she wrote the Afterword to my book, and her reflections after reading the finished work are especially tender for me.
• Karen Campbell has posted "Quivering Daughters Hot Off the Press" and will be holding a giveaway in a few weeks during her upcoming Patriarchy Two podcast series. Karen is one of the very first people I interacted with online who showed interest in this book, and I am so honored that she also has written a lovely recommendation.

The past few days have been very surreal for me. I hope to write about some of this soon, but for now I'd like to say only: thank you for all of the encouragement, the prayers, the emails and messages, and the support I've received over the last year and a half of research, writing, and exploring the issues of authoritarianism, patriocentricity, and spiritual and emotional abuse. It means more to me than I can even express. With tears and humility I continue to fall before our Abba, Father, and daily ask Him to bless these words and those who read them; that His Spirit is present even within these pages and will, through them, bring comfort and hope to His precious daughters. 

In His Service,

Hillary

How is Your Father's Day?

ou won't want to miss Resolved2Worship's excellent post on parenting. I am currently reading and reviewing Rachel Held Evan's new book, Evolving in Monkey Town, and hope to post it sometime this week. If you've read it or want to read it, please stay tuned and join the discussion! In the archives here at the Quivering Daughters blog, Dear Anonymous continues to be a hot topic; I will reply as I can but if you like, please feel free to add your own thoughts to the comment thread.

I receive many interesting questions and feedback through (or because of, perhaps) this blog. I hope and pray that God gives me wisdom in how I write things so that I can convey truth and "what I really mean" because these subjects are serious and while there are always times that clarification is necessary, I endeavor to communicate in ways that limit when I have to say "What I meant was..." This includes current hot issues such as grace and forgiveness for past hurts and for those who we feel contributed to them, or the fact that most of our parents really do live how God has convicted them and this isn't about airing dirty laundry  ~ and many other things. I sometimes feel at a loss of how much more clear I can be...and I am open to suggestions! *smile*

Someone asked me recently, point blank, if I still loved my parents. As in currently, now, today. Honestly? I love them more than I ever have.

Perhaps this seems incongruous with writing about the hurtful effects of spiritual and emotional abuse in the family structure. Although there have been many repercussions (fruits) spiritually, emotionally, and in other ways that I've encountered and had to work my way through, hand in hand with the Lord, it is because of this that I can sit here today in obedience to His calling. Additionally, it is understood that not every family will practice the same things in the same manner. (For example, when I was growing up, Vision Forum didn't even exist ~ although I have many readers who now experience the teachings and beliefs that are promoted by them. And for another example, in their wisdom, my parents did not get into Gothard like many of our homeschooling friends did. And yet I have many readers who were part of ATI. And the fruits of those teachings ~ some of the effects on the daughters of patriarchy ~ are some of what I address in this blog. ) Does this mean that any of our families were all wrong? No, and I don't know how else to state that I'm not saying they are. I hope and pray that where I lack in my communication the Lord will help me. 

In the next few weeks I hope to post What My Family Did Right.
So how is your Father's Day? 

Friendly Friday

his week has gone by super fast with lots of excellent material in the blogosphere. Whether you are a newlywed, hope to be married one day, or are celebrating your 25th anniversary, you will love Darcy's hilarious, yet seriously helpful article, "10 Truths About the Man You Marry." If you are a homeschooler or plan to homeschool, Luke Holzmann wants to tell you why "Sonlight Won't Take a Stand" and invites discussion regarding his curriculum's choice to "educate, not indoctrinate." Lewis writes about "Word Games" ~ special, internal language familiar to those within fundamentalism and patriocentric households. For those who love photography, especially when adorable children are involved, visit Adeena's "Life by the Creek." If you or someone you know is caught up within domestic violence, "The Dorcas Network" by Jocelyn Anderson seeks to respond "compassionately, effectively, and Biblically to the sin and trauma of domestic violence."

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Fridays at Quivering Daughters are dedicated to my blogger friends...the ones who take the time to follow this blog or who pen words that inspire, challenge, or encourage me throughout the week. What have you found particularly intriguing or inspiring? Please feel free to leave a link in the comments so others can visit, too! God bless you.

Friendly Friday

ollow Jesus! That is my mantra. To be honest, I wince a little using the oh-so-self-aggrandizing term supplied by Google ~ "followers." And yet, those of you in the blogworld who regularly keep up with my articles here, or who write things in your own spaces that inspire, challenge, and encourage me...I am so blessed by you! And I want to honor you and others whose words have made an impact on me throughout the week. So to keep things simple and to show those whom I follow, or those who follow or link to this blog my appreciation, Fridays at Quivering Daughters will be dedicated to these friends.

I am always inspired by Kelly Langner Sauer's blog, "A Restless Heart." She infuses words with longing and serenity while her lens captures moments I want to climb into and remain for a while. Every nook within her space is lovely, but visit her recent post featuring a poem for her husband, entitled "Love Does". 

Shadowspring reminds parents to "Show, Don't Tell" when it comes to communicating faith to their children, especially through education.

I've poured over the photography at  My Pinecraft World lately because not only is her work exquisite, but because, in many ways, it's so familiar. We did not grow up Mennonite, but we attended a Mennonite church for a short time when I was very young and used Rod and Staff curriculum for our schooling. The little girls could be my sisters, at least as I remember them from so long ago. *tear*

It's likely that I will feature Ann many times because she always speaks to my heart. As an artist and writer and perfectionist, I torment myself sometimes wondering if I've given my best, my all. If I've communicated what God wants me to say. If He would look at me and ever say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." That's actually been a silent plea of mine for all of my life. Thanks to my dear friend who sent me this link from A Holy Experience.

I always love to meet new friends and discover new spaces for thought and contemplation! Please add your own favorites in the comments so that I can check them out this week.