In this compelling true story of the loss of a full-term baby at birth the author shares her emotional pain of experiencing extreme grief. The reader is taken on an engaging journey through the heartbreak, pain, guilt, and anguish of grief, but soon discovers what the author ultimately discovers: recovery through hope found in God's compassion and the comfort she receives from many friends. The story includes vignettes of other women who also have experienced the loss of their baby, as well as an exposition of pertinent Biblical passages dealing with grief and God's comfort. This book is a must read for anyone who has experienced the loss of a child. It is the ideal gift to give someone who is struggling through the emotional pain of grief and suffering. Excerpts from the book: "I could not believe a baby, who looked so perfect and whole, could be so gone from me... forever." "The play unfolded before our eyes, it was for our benefit, and its production Hand was God Himself. It was as though He were showing us that the pain and grief we were experiencing had only one equal: His love... and it did not stop pouring out on us." "We spiritually threw ourselves into His loving arms. We had to look beyond human kindness and love. Then we could see that it was our God in heaven holding us near Him in our sorrow and suffering." Linda Sustrick Schafran teaches elementary school in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, where she resides with her husband, Phil. Originally from Lincoln Park, Michigan, she has lived in Dallas, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. She and her husband have three grown children and two grandchildren. Contact her at: [email protected]

Henry Finlay recounts the transformation of marriage through the eyes of Parliamentarians over the last 100 years, breaking new ground in his account of fundamental changes in modern Australia's attitudes.

This heartwarming picture book reassures children that a parent’s love never lets go—based on the poignant lyrics of JJ Heller’s beloved lullaby “Hand to Hold.” “May the living light inside you be the compass as you go / May you always know you have my hand to hold.” With delightful illustrations and an engaging rhyme scheme, this book offers the promise of security and love every child’s heart longs to know. From skipping stones and counting stars to climbing trees and telling stories, every moment is wrapped snugly in the certain warmth of a parent’s presence and God’s blessing. With poignancy and joy, this bedtime read captures the unconditional love parents want their children to know but so often fail to express amid the chaos of daily life.

Delivering inspiration and "parenting comedy at its finest,"* here is one woman's story of ditching her fairytale dreams and falling in love with her unpredictable, chaotic, imperfect life Kristina Kuzmic has made herself a household name, speaking directly to mothers from the trenches of parenthood via her viral videos and social media presence. She is now bringing her message of self-acceptance, resilience, and joy to book readers. With a refreshingly unpretentious, funny, and galvanizing voice, Kuzmic goes behind the scenes to reveal how she went from broke and defeated to unshakably grounded and brimming with thankfulness. Illuminating the hard-won wisdom from a life always spent one step behind--whether it was as a high school student new to America, a suddenly single mother to two kids, remarried and juggling two teens and a toddler, or the unexpected recipient of Oprah's attention and investment--Hold On, But Don't Hold Still is the book every mother needs to reassure her that she's not only fine just as she is, but that she already has more tools and support than she can possibly imagine. Sparkling with wit, this heartfelt memoir is like a long coffee date with a best friend, or the eleventh-hour text message that gives you just the boost you need to get through the night. *The Huffington Post A VIKING LIFE TITLE

A clinical psychologist’s exploration of the modern dilemmas women face in the wake of new motherhood When Molly Millwood became a mother, she was fully prepared for what she would gain: an adorable baby boy; hard-won mothering skills; and a messy, chaotic, beautiful life. But what she did not expect was what she would lose: aspects of her identity, a baseline level of happiness, a general sense of wellbeing. And though she had the benefit of a supportive husband during this transition, she also at times resented the fact that the disruption to his life seemed to pale in comparison to hers. As a clinical psychologist, Molly knew her experience was a normal response to a life-changing event. But without the advantage of such a perspective, many of the patients she treated in her private practice grappled with self-doubt, guilt, and fear, and suffered the dual pain of not only the struggle to adjust but also the overwhelming shame for struggling at all. In To Have and to Hold, Molly explores the complex terrain of new motherhood, illuminating the ways it affects women psychologically, emotionally, physically, and professionally—as well as how it impacts their partnership. Along with the arrival of a bundle of joy come thorny issues such as self-worth, control, autonomy, and dependency. And for most new mothers, these issues are experienced within the context of an intimate relationship, adding another layer of tension, conflict, and confusion to an already challenging time. As Molly examines the inextricable link between women’s well-being as new mothers and the well-being of their relationships, she offers guidance to help readers reclaim their identities, overcome their guilt and shame, and repair their relationships. A blend of personal narrative, scientific research, and stories from Molly’s clinical practice, To Have and to Hold provides a much-needed lifeline to new mothers everywhere.

To Have and to Hold (1899) is a novel by American author Mary Johnston. It was the bestselling novel in the United States in the following year (1900). To Have and to Hold is the story of an English soldier, Ralph Percy, turned Virginian explorer iIPn colonial Jamestown. Ralph buys a wife for himself - a girl named Jocelyn Leigh - little knowing that she is the escaping ward of King James I, fleeing a forced marriage to Lord Carnal. Jocelyn hardly loves Ralph - indeed, she seems to abhor him. Carnal, Jocelyn's husband-to-be, eventually comes to Jamestown, unaware that Ralph Percy and Jocelyn Leigh are man and wife. Lord Carnal attempts to kidnap Jocelyn several times and eventually follows Ralph, Jocelyn, and their two companions - Jeremy Sparrow, the Separatist minister, and Diccon, Ralph's servant - as they escape from the King's orders to arrest Ralph and carry Jocelyn back to England. The boat they are in, however, crashes on a desert island, but they are accosted by pirates, who, after a short struggle, agree to take Ralph as their captain, after he pretends to be the pirate "Kirby". The pirates gleefully play on with Ralph's masquerade, until he refuses to allow them to rape and pillage those aboard Spanish ships. The play is up when the pirates see an English ship off the coast of Florida. Ralph refuses to fire upon it, knowing it carries the new Virginian governor, Sir Francis Wyatt, but the pirates open fire, and Jeremy Sparrow, before the English ship can be destroyed, purposefully crashes the ship into a reef. The pirates are all killed, but the Englishmen (and woman) are rescued by the Governor's ship.

Emma has a knack for doing things badly. at eighteen she married her high-school sweetheart just days after graduation. Three years later she s a twenty-one-year old divorcee with a 15 month old daughter looking at life in a different way. She moves to Utah with a broken heart and a head full of shattered dreams hoping to start over. She also tries to find her place in the LDS church again, but it s easier said than done. As always she doesn t fit the Mormon mold and wonders if she ever will or if she even wants to.Andrew Davidson s life is going exactly according to plan. He has the lifestyle he s always wanted and spends his days working hard at his development company and his weekends enjoy the perks of a rich bachelor. When he learns of a substantial inheritance through the father he never knew, he can t say no. Even if it means he has to marry something he never planned on.When Andrew makes Emma an offer she can t refuse, a marriage of convenience in exchange for a portion of the inheritance, she feels life is taking a turn for the better. She knows everything will be fine so long as she doesn t fall in love with her temporary husband. But as with everything else in Emma s life, things don t go as expected. Before she knows it she s fallen in love with Andrew, but holds no illusions that his expectations of their merger have changed. However, Andrew is caught up in conflicting feelings of his own and when he finds himself faced with everything he never wanted, he desperately seeks answers.