Saturday, February 8, 2020

About the Book

Book: Unwanted No More

Author: BJ Garrett

Genre: Memoir

Release Date: December 1, 2019

I can still feel the emptiness in my heart. So many memories of ugly…

As a preteen shattered by a sexually abusive father and an absent mother, B. J. Garrett is left unprotected, unloved, and unwanted by the people who should have loved her most. Instead, BJ finds herself wanted by the wrong people for the worst reasons.

Her search for self-worth leads to sexual promiscuity and unplanned pregnancies, which only further warps her view of love, leaving a trail of broken relationships. It’s not until losing everything to the blaze of a house fire that the course of BJ’s life takes a turn toward a God whose love is pure. With the shadow of shame lifted by her newfound faith, BJ makes a startling discovery—she’s been wanted all along, and her new love-filled life comes with a call to ministry.

Written with soul-searching vulnerability, this story shows that regardless of what you’ve done or what’s been done to you, there is hope and redemption in a relationship with Jesus. Unwanted No More reminds you that no matter how ugly your past, you can experience unconditional, beautiful love and a life of purpose.

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

B. J. Garrett serves as the executive director for Christ-Centered Abortion Recovery & Education. She holds an associate of divinity degree from Baptist Missionary Theological Seminary, and she has served in church ministries as a youth director, singles director, missions director, and women’s ministry team leader. She and her husband, Jay, live in Texas and enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.

More from B.J.

All my life I have battled with feelings of being unwanted and unloved. Somewhere between the insanity of the Jerry Springer show and the emotional outcry of the Oprah show, the unbelievable redemption details of my life are unfolded onto the pages of this book.

Spunky. silly, and sassy are the three words that best describe my personality. I believe the Lord gave me a love for hamburgers to make sure I never return to a life of selling my body to make ends meet. Spending time with my grand kids who are basically perfect is my favorite pastime. I love being Jay’s wife and serving beside him on the mission field. By God’s amazing grace, I have come full circle, receiving complete forgiveness and healing from a childhood full of abuse, teen pregnancy, sexual promiscuity, abortion, and working in the sex industry. If the Lord can use a story like mine, rest assured He will use a story like yours!

If like me, you have ugly in your past, I want to encourage you that no matter what you have done, no matter what has been done to you, there is hope and healing through Jesus Christ.

I knew this would be a difficult book for me to read because this book could almost be my life story. The author and I share similar backgrounds. As she began to share her story of abuse from family members, tears streamed down my face. You could feel the hopelessness she felt as she had no one to help her. Parents are suppose to protect their children, but for the author that never happened. It is easy to understand how abandoned she felt as she was shipped from family member to family member.

Her decline into a rebellious person was her way of escaping the pain of rejection. It was difficult to read about her abortions, but I appreciate how her testimony will help others. I was appalled when she went to a church to get help only to be verbally abused by the pastor. The words he called her were horrific and I know she felt dejected once again. I too have been rejected by churches and pastors. In this story I wanted to point out how honest and open the author is about her life. We as a Body of Christ need to do a better job of helping others without judging.

Through our test is our testimony. I have always said that I would not change anything about my past. It has made me who I am today. If my testimony can help one person, it has all been worth it. I believe the author sharing her testimony will reach those who feel lost, unloved and rejected.

All the author desired was to be wanted and loved. As her life began to change, she found the greatest love of all. God opened His arms and embraced her with unconditional love. I would recommend this to anyone who has gone through a similar situation like the author. It would be a great tool to use while ministering to someone who has been abused, rejected and lost.

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