DAUGHTER OF A PREACHER MAN
A Road Less Traveled
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
I am a survivor of brutal religious wars within a once reputable church organization, (that tore down great fathers of Faith and men of Honor). I am the child of a preacher man, who has had to survive ruthless lies and tyranny, among young preachers driven by greed for power and money. Few of us lucky ones have survived these so called ‘men of God’ who have tried to cost our parents their dignity and reputation. I have seen many of my counterparts and their families become broken, disillusioned, crushed and humiliated before their congregations, and throughout the nation. I am a survivor of manmade doctrines and small-minded Christian people. I have been battle-scarred but finally, I walk as a redeemed soul continually healing in the Light of God’s love. Many hurts are now healing, battle scars are fading and my King, reinstated to His rightful place, in my heart. Now that I can look forward, I have decided to declare violence against the sins that come against my brothers and sisters in Christ. After all, [the kingdom suffers violence… and this book is about the violent taking it back by force (Matthew 11:12], though God’s strength. At the risk of being politically incorrect, I write these words to grab preachers' kids, by force from eternal death, for they too, matter. I am not an elder or deacon in any church, nor do I hold office as a board member on any religious organization. I am not a minister, pastor or evangelist. I am neither an acclaimed author nor an authority of any kind. Forgive me if I have misquoted scripture or taken verses out of context. I hope the Bible verses I have quoted throughout this book would not seem preachy; but then again, I am a preacher’s daughter. I trust that, these scriptures will grab at your hearts and soothe your soul-wounds. I hope they will provide a new perspective and they would be as you have never heard them or thought of them before. I have written this book from a different perspective. I am the voice of a group that is easily misunderstood and even shunned. We are the group that, ‘should know better’. ‘Trust’ is hard to find and ‘true friendships’ are a priceless novelty. We fiercely guard our loved ones and matters of the heart from you, the outsiders, as you can inflict deep hurts and severe betrayal. We tend to be a recluse and rebellious bunch because we bear heavy burdens and carry deep battle scars from childhood. We cannot go to anyone with problems and family conflicts, as we are to be beacons of light and hope to other families. Just being born into the subculture of ‘preachers’ kids’ we are automatically judged by all, (the righteous and the unrighteous alike). People expect us to be perfect little robots, dutifully performing our role as ‘good preachers’ kids’. We are ‘expected to…’ by default, ‘be good, be upright, make no mistakes, be all things to all men all of the time. We are to be mature in all judgments from the moment of birth, and on and on it goes. Few can comprehend our journey toward our Father on a road less traveled.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
This reflection, though brutally honest, provides insight to the conflicts that face the children of ministers, pastors, religious clergy, deacons, and church leaders. It challenges fellow Christians, to nurture the lives of these children without punishing judgments. This work provokes congregants and leaders to nurture preachers’ kids, and provide heartfelt guidance and vigilant prayer. It encourages prayer-warriors, to guard over the hearts of preachers kids.
The book leads the reader toward self-examination and self-correction. The author makes a noteworthy disclaimer; I do not have a license in counseling, a degree in psychology or theology. I am not an elder or deacon in any church, nor do I hold office as a board member on any religious organization. I am not a minister, pastor or evangelist. I am neither an acclaimed author nor an authority of any kind. Forgive me if I have misquoted scripture or taken verses out of context. However I hope the Bible verses I have quoted throughout this book would not seem preachy; but then again, I am a preacher’s daughter. I trust that, these scriptures will grab at your hearts and soothe your soul-wounds. I hope they will provide a new perspective and they would be as you have never heard them or thought of them before. The author writes from a unique perspective, that of a preacher’s kid.
I am the voice of a group that is easily misunderstood and even shunned. We are the group that, should know better. Just being born into the subculture of preachers’ kids we are automatically judged by all, (the righteous and the unrighteous alike). We are expected to... by default, be good, be upright, make no mistakes, be all things to all men all of the time. We are to be mature in all judgments from the moment of birth, and on and on it goes. Few can comprehend our journey toward our Father on a road less traveled. This journey will be enlightening and comforting to all who read it. It will bring hope to those who are confused and lost. The book although empathetic to all parties, makes all accountable for their behaviors toward others and to the Heavenly Father. It is with great love and sensitivity that the author leads the reader to finding relationship with Jesus. Just for a moment, the reader can walk in the shoes of preachers’ kids with understanding and empathy. It brings much-needed direction and guidance. The author attempts to bridge the gap between all of you and preachers’ kids. It also attempts to reconcile the disconnection between preachers’ kids and Jesus. This work is raw and honest. It is a reflection of a lost generation who need to know the true power of redemption and the priceless gift of grace and love.
About the Author
The author is the second child of parents who are preachers. She is the first girl in a long line of female siblings. She was one of the first in her family to face the challenges and rewards of being a preachers kid. Some of these experiences were good and some bad. She faced praise, support, applause, and accolades as well as harsh judgements and severe, unwarranted criticisms that resulted in identity crises and spiritual ambiguities. Throughout her journey she questioned the authenticity of her Faith and takes us through her misguided judgements and survival behaviors. She shares her sense of spiritual and emotional persecution by both the 'righteous' and the 'unrighteous'. She shares the difficult journey towards the Lover of her soul and the healing of a lifetime of scars. Under the pressures of both the church and the public she has now become a spiritual gem, being refined and polished daily. She is one of the lucky ones who has been digging out from a lifetime of persecution and heartfelt pain, from those who should have loved and nurtured the preacher's kid. She identifies with the population who is frequently shunned and misunderstood, a population who 'should know better...' She identifies with that part of the body of Christ who is expected to accept verbal abuses and smile, understand church politics and still hold on to Faith, even before spiritual maturity. It is the author's hope that as you read this book, you will find great comfort and solace for your weary hearts. This journey was penned to heal the breech between the clergy and preachers' kids. Ultimately the author woos you to discover an intimate love with Jesus above all else. She explores how to reach for an eternal celestial love that is honest and without pretense. She reinforces a love that sees beyond the mirrored reflection, the paint, the piercings, the tattoos and the dyes, only seeing the preacher's kid, with a loving heart. Her accounts are raw, shocking, truthful, insightful and bitter sweet. Like medicine, it brings healing and restoration. The author captures the reader's heart and breaks through religious condemnation and small-mindedness on a road less traveled. The author now lives in New York with her husband and daughter, working at a subacute facility, providing rehabiliatative care to a geriatric population. In her spare time she writes songs, reads and indulges in a little writing such as this work. Her focus is on bing the best mom she can be and caring for the sick and dying. The author penned this book after disconvering that preachers' kids continue to be misunderstood, judged and persecuted by all.