Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

faith & spirituality

Someday, my Prince will come

At first I was angry.

Well, maybe not angry, but definitely discouraged. And I’m not used to that reaction when I finish a great book. Especially not by one of my favorite authors.

Yes, it was a love story. Christian romance, if you will, though I hate that label and everything it conjures up. It was the second book in a retelling of the story of Ruth and Boaz from the book of Ruth in the Bible. Set in Scotland. Swoon.

I was hooked after the first book and had waited many weeks for a copy of the sequel to become available in the library system. When it was finally my turn, I devoured the book in a matter of days.

I loved it, for what some would say is all the wrong reasons: the Boaz character. The leading man.

If you’re not familiar with the story of Ruth, stop reading this and go find it in the Old Testament. Or click here to start reading. It’s only four chapters. It won’t take you long to read. It’s a love story, too.

Back to the leading man. He was so perfect. He rescued. He protected. He loved. He pursued. He was everything a woman could want in a man.

And there lies the problem.

I know women who say they won’t read Christian fiction because of how the men are portrayed, giving us women a standard for our husbands (or future husbands) that is unattainable.

I’ve never felt that as strongly as I did with this book. When I closed it, I wanted what the leading lady had — this perfect, handsome, all-around great-guy husband who did everything right.

And I was disappointed. Not because I don’t love the husband God has given me but because it didn’t feel like enough.

Then, I realized something.

My husband wasn’t supposed to be the ultimate source of fulfillment in my life. He would make mistakes. He would not love me the way I thought he should. He would fail. Even at his best, he would fall short of perfect.

It’s true that I would not find a man who could live up to the expectation set in this book.

But, when I compared the book’s ideal man to Jesus, something inside me changed. My husband couldn’t love me perfectly but Jesus could. And did. And does.

In the days after I finished the book, I found myself longing — not for my husband to act like the character in the book — but for Jesus. Suddenly I wanted to know more about Jesus. I wanted to read my Bible again. And pray. I could feel His closeness around me. And my heart was filled with a desire to see Him.

Most days, I’m pretty comfortable here on earth. I’m not eager to leave it, nor do I think God wants me to be. But in so many ways, the life I’m living falls short of what I want it to be. The Ruth character in the book loses everything and struggles to survive. Some days, I can identify. And she dares to hope that something better might come her way.

Fairy tales thrive on this longing — someday my prince will come.

I don’t have to merely hope or long forever.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

If I could have everything I wanted the way I wanted in this life, I wouldn’t need Jesus. Longing is part of the path that leads me to Him.

Someday, my Prince will come.

A helping hand for helping hands

Sometimes, you just don’t know what to say.

Or do.

You’ve been there, right? A friend experiences a loss, or a tragedy. A neighbor goes through a hard time. And you want to help, but you just don’t know what to do. Or if your help would be welcome or appropriate.

If this is you, then a new book by Lauren Littauer Briggs might help you find your helping hands.

The Art of Helping offers practical advice for dozens of situations where people are hurting and what you can do to help in those situations.

And I can’t stress enough the word “practical.” The tips in the book are tangible and doable. They’re also varied enough that if cooking a meal isn’t your thing, you have other options for helping.

I was impressed by the number of scenarios Briggs covers in the book. She categorizes “hurts” into sections: personal crises, health needs, and loss. The final section in the book is a general guide for prayer, gift ideas and recipes.

Another positive point of this book is that you don’t have to read it cover to cover. It’s meant to be a resource you can pick up when you want to help someone facing a specific hurt and can turn to the chapter addressing that hurt. As a future pastor’s wife, I’m excited to have this book on my shelf.

Read on to hear from the author and for more about the book.

All of us want to offer comfort and support to someone who is hurting, but we often don’t know what to say or do. The Art of Helping—What to Say and Do When Someone is Hurting addresses 30 of the most common heartaches people face and takes away your fear of involvement by helping you understand what people are feeling and going through. From over 100 interviews and her own life experiences, author Lauren Briggs shares proven advice and offers practical help with a list of what to say— and do.

Why should I read The Art of Helping?

Do you know someone who is facing a crisis and wondered what you could do to help?  Have you ever faced a difficult time and wished your family and friends knew what you were going through and knew how to help you? 

I found that during my darkest hours, no one knew how much I was hurting, what I was going through or how they might help.

This is a book you’ll want to read before you need it—so that you will have ideas of what you can do and how you can respond—when you first hear the news. We want to help our family and friends through the hard times, but the right words or actions just don’t come to mind. The Art of Helping will give you the tools and enable you to turn thoughts into action.

How will The Art of Helping change me?

The Art of Helping is your go to book when life gets tough. It is a social Bible filled with concrete, tangible action items to empower you to make a difference at times when we would otherwise feel helpless. When people get this book in their hands, they always say, “How I wish I had this book when my friend needed help.”

What are some basic Do’s and Don’ts I need to know?

DON’T wait before you make contact.
DO Respond as soon as you hear the news.

DON’T SAY “If there’s anything you need, give me a call.”
DO Offer a specific thing you can do.

DON’T put pressure on yourself to do something you don’t like to do.
DO use your gifts and talents to help.

DON’T minimize what they are going through.
DO offer caring statements of acknowledgement.

DON’T ASK “When will you be your old self again? or Aren’t you over it yet?”
DO understand that once their life is touched by tragedy, they will never be their “old self” again. They will eventually reach a “new normal” but life will never be the same.

What are some of your favorite creative suggestions in The Art of Helping?

  • A mother of two young children picked up a hurting family’s laundry on Mondays, took it home and returned it all laundered and folded on Thursdays.
  • A man volunteered to come mow the lawn once a week and do some simple “honey do” chores.
  • My sons brought their game boy to the hospital for a friend going through chemo therapy. Every few days they would bring a different game to swap.

How can I learn more about The Art of Helping?

The Art of Helping is reshaping the way people reach out to others. To view more information, visit my website: www.laurenbriggs.com. You can follow me on Facebook as Lauren Littauer Briggs and on Twitter as @Laurenbrgs. The Art of Helping is available in e-book and paperback formats through Amazon.com. If you would like an autographed copy of The Art of Helping, email me at Laurenbrgs@aol.com.

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I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speakers Services (ChristianSpeakersServices.com).