Friday, January 3, 2020

About the Book

Book: Fire Women

Author: Joanna Sanders

Genre: Non-fiction

Release Date: October, 2019

Combining biblical instruction and discipleship, Fire Women is a testimony to the powerful benefits of submitting even the most intense desires to the authority of Jesus Christ. It’s an intimate view of a woman with almost-untamable passion and the God who delivered her to live the passionate life she truly desired.

Having been married twice, Joanna candidly reveals a stark contrast between her two marriages, as well as the impact of her choices through three decades of being burned—and nearly destroyed—by the desire of the flesh. In hopes to inspire passionate women to godly living, Joanna shares practical applications from the difficult lessons learned within an intense five-year refining period between marriages and an honest account of a landscape laid ruin by a life of sin. Written from the perspective of one fiery woman to another, readers will hear of the worth of living God’s way, the importance of dying to self, the true measure of passion in God’s eyes, and that not all flame is bad . . .

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Joanna Sanders is a graduate of Villanova University and Moody Theological Seminary. She’s the founder and head writer of Colossians46.com, which provides biblical content support, writing, and editing. She loves helping other authors realize God’s purpose through their stories and reflecting His glory back through their words. It has been her lifelong dream to finally write her own story. Joanna writes and edits for several Christian publications and publishers and has a heart for women’s ministry.

Most importantly, she is wife to Geoff and mom to three godly-men-in-training. Cookies, pasta, music, and the beach also play integral roles in her life.

More from Joanna

My parents named me after a song about a woman who consumed her lover in such a way that even long after she had left him, he continued to find glory in the short, but intense way she had loved him. It was like my parents knew I would love with a fierceness that could not be contained, that would subject me—and those around me—to a thousand deaths by my own hand. They knew before I was born. This has been a long journey.

I spent many years trying to figure out my intense passion, wrestling with it, even trying to extinguish it by choking out its oxygen. I didn’t realize there was indeed a healthy place for it. In fact, I felt like each time I looked around this world, I could only see that there was no place for it where it wouldn’t set flame to those around it as well.

I hadn’t viewed my intense passion so much as a gift before, especially since it got me in more and more trouble as I followed it. But now I see it as a gift. My passion is what has driven me to finish this book and, God willing, hopefully inspire you with my testimony. My passion is what gives me endurance and drive to persevere, to finish well in all areas of my walk, and to meet Him at the finish line.

If you are a passionate woman like me, join me in the journey. I can’t wait to show you how I learned, and Who I learned was able to handle my passion. The same road is waiting for you.

The author reminded me of my teen years as she mentions Teen Beat and Tiger Beat. I couldn't wait for the new issues of these magazines to come out each month. I also hung posters on my wall of some of the celebrities highlighted in the magazines. I will expose my age with this statement but I really liked Bobby Sherman. I read everything I could about him. Then the Beatles become a favorite of mine. Those magazines I thought were full of exciting articles but little did I know that those magazines made me think I would able to attract someone like the stars featured in the magazines. It also made me think at times i wasn't good enough.

I have to admit that I was having trouble following what the author's points were in the book at times. I did like the brief chapter about sexual purity. I do know that the Bible teaches us to not have intimate contact with someone until marriage. It is certainly been a subject that many people have had to face. The good news is that God does forgive us and will lead us back to Him. I can't tell you how many times in my younger days I heard guys tell me, "If you love me you will have sex with me." For me in my mixed up thinking I thought I would lose this person if I didn't give in and I had to prove I loved them so I wouldn't lose them.What a vicious circle I was trapped in and had no one to explain to me that what I was thinking was wrong.

I did relate to the part about thinking the grass was greener on the other side. Oh how I know the hard way how false that statement is. The enemy loves to tell us we can do better than who we are with and it's okay to have wandering eyes. God designed intimacy to be pure and sacred between spouses. The enemy has distorted that by making us insecure, feeling unwanted and reminding us that it is okay to be intimate with someone even though we aren't married to them.

The author is bold enough to tell us the truth about sexual purity in a way that is easy to relate to. She gives us personal accounts of her struggles and doesn't hold anything back. Oh how I wish I had a book like this to read years go. I have made very bad choices but I also know that God has forgiven me.

There are some points the author makes in the book that I didn't agree with. This is my own beliefs and I will leave it up to readers to decide for themselves. At times I felt the author repeated things and almost contradicted herself. The premise of the book is good, but I didn't like some of the judgmental ways she presented her point of view.One of the things I struggled with was the mention of older women teaching the younger women about the word of God. For me that reference means older women who are more mature in their walk with Jesus, not necessarily because of their age . There is much to be said for a younger woman who is strong in her faith to help others who are baby Christians. People get saved at different ages.

The overall book is about sexual purity which I believe is important to understand. The author does give scriptures and uses people from the bible to illustrate her points. I liked some of her points but others I didn't agree with. I do appreciate her transparency and her ability to talk about subjects that may be uncomfortable to some. I will say that the book is from her heart and it is evident how passionate she is about the many topics she covers in the book.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.