Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause , livre ebook

Baker Publishing Group - Bridges Johns Cheryl

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121 pages

English

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Menopause is a dramatic but largely overlooked developmental window to the second half of life. Although today's women are more aware of and actively involved in mapping their menopausal journey than generations before, many still do not see menopause as a time of important psychological and spiritual transformation. This book goes far beyond hot flashes and gets to the very heart of the midlife journey, helping women find their unique voice and speak their truth in an era of #MeToo and #ChurchToo. Coming alongside readers as a wise spiritual guide, pastor and theologian Cheryl Bridges Johns identifies seven key developmental "tasks" of menopause and gives practical ways women can embrace each one. She encourages women to view these tasks as gifts as they experience the remarkable physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation that occurs in this stage of life.Written in a warm and conversational tone, this book helps women chart a course for the future, leading them to a renewed sense of identity, a more focused vision for life, and a deeper spirituality. Each chapter includes guided questions for personal reflection and study questions for group discussion.

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Women's health

Informations

Publié par	Baker Publishing Group
Date de parution	17 mars 2020
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781493422289
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	4 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0518€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Cover
Endorsements
“Through her various writings, Cheryl Bridges Johns escorts readers into new territories of creative thinking; Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause is no exception. This book brings the reader to a deeper understanding of our Lord. It is not written to minimize issues of menopause; rather, it celebrates the mystery of our human nature and explores who we are at every stage of life. This book is for all people and will call forth greater love for our Creator God.”
— Jo Anne Lyon , ambassador and general superintendent emerita, The Wesleyan Church
“Theologically profound, psychologically rich, emotionally honest, and artfully written, Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause crosses all borders to speak authentically about in-between spaces. As one of our finest theologians—as much a seasoned mystic and earthy spiritual practitioner as an academic—Cheryl Bridges Johns has been a crucial guide in my own life, and I know she will speak wisely and prophetically into yours.”
— Jonathan Martin , author of How to Survive a Shipwreck and Prototype
“Every woman should read this book, no matter what season of life she finds herself in. Cheryl challenges historical assumptions about menopause, debunks common myths, explains the physiology and psychology, and invites us into a thrilling spiritual journey where we discover the ‘gift-filled land of menopause.’ I could not stop reading.”
— Christine Caine , founder of Propel Women & A21
“As one might expect, Cheryl Bridges Johns guides the reader to a better understanding of what happens to the body during menopause. At the same time, she adamantly rejects the notion that menopause brings down the curtain on a woman’s life. Instead, she argues (and tells her own story and the stories of other women as proof) that menopause is the ‘gateway to the second half of life’—a time of rich self-discovery, deep spiritual growth, and an enlarged vision and capacity for active involvement in opportunities to make a difference for others. The final two chapters are so inspiring and invigorating you won’t want to read them sitting down.”
— Carolyn Custis James , author of Half the Church: Recapturing God’ s Global Vision for Women and Malestrom: Manhood Swept into the Currents of a Changing World
“Johns is a gentle guide, informative and insightful as she shares her own experience to help lead us on this journey. Her words are helpful, honest, and holistic. She reminds women that as our bodies change so do our spiritual landscapes, giving us the opportunity to transform our lives and the communities we inhabit. Menopause can be precarious and painful, but it can also be filled with the potential for generative goodness that women, and the world, need.”
— Kelley Nikondeha , author of Defiant: What the Women of Exodus Teach Us about Freedom
“Every season in a woman’s life carries a unique blueprint. We are architectural masterpieces. Now imagine if each transformational season brought us unique gifts. This is what Cheryl Bridges Johns has done. She has carved out a pathway for us to learn to adapt, change, and embrace our new selves in a sacred space. She carefully explores our need to fit in beginning at adolescence and the many ways we succumb to societal pressures. She cautions us to come to terms with regrets and to emerge stronger than before. Every woman’s journey is unique, but we will each find our own authentic voice along the way. This book brings hope and spiritual renewal for women at every level.”
— Gricel Medina , speaker, church planter, and pastor ordained through the Evangelical Covenant Church
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2020 by Cheryl Bridges Johns
Published by Brazos Press
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.brazospress.com
Ebook edition created 2020
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-2228-9
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled GNT are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version-Second Edition. Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Published in association with Books & Such Literary Management, www.booksandsuch.com.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the memory of Waneda Brownlow.
Missionary. Teacher. Advocate for women’s rights. A woman reborn in her fifties.
Until her last breath, Waneda was in her heart “fifteen, a happy fifteen.”
Contents
Cover i
Endorsements ii
Title Page iii
Copyright Page iv
Dedication v
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction 1
1. Puberty and the Relational Self 17
2. The Gift of Uncovering 35
3. The Gift of Anger 69
4. The Gift of the Authentic Self 91
5. The Gift of Expanded Time 119
6. The Gift of Spiritual Freedom 145
7. The Gift of Vision 179
8. The Gift of Courage 195
Notes 211
Index 221
Back Cover 227
Preface
SEVEN TRANSFORMING GIFTS OF MENOPAUSE is not meant to be an exhaustive treatment of menopause or a medical textbook. It serves as a developmental and spiritual guide, pointing out some major landmarks for your menopausal journey. Consider it the Lonely Planet version of menopause, taking you down some roads less traveled so that you can discover the hidden sweet spots.
Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause is an encouraging work, designed to help you take note of the gifts in the rich ecology in the land of menopause. It is not another impossible standard for women to reach. There is no pressure to receive all the gifts. Feel free to take what you wish. Leave the rest. You may be at a place in life where you are ready for only one or two gifts. Don’t worry. Years from now you can revisit the gifts, perhaps finding it possible to receive a couple more. You are free to disregard things that have little relevance to your life as you use this guide to blaze your own trail. While women face common challenges, there is no one-size-fits-all journey through menopause.
Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause is a gentle space. I write as an older woman desiring to take you by the hand to lead you through the rough terrain toward the wonderland of menopause. Along the way, I will ask you to consider things about yourself, your past, your present, and your future. If at any time these questions become too difficult or painful, feel free to move to another section.
Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause is designed to be a safe place where you can read, ponder, remember, pray, and cry. It provides space to express regret. It gives you permission to speak the unspoken. It provides nonjudgmental space for anger and tears. In other words, it is perfectly okay to be a hot mess while exploring this book.
Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause is a deeply personal space. At the end of each chapter, you will find questions designed to help you reflect on your journey. These questions will assist you in probing your psyche to find healing and experience growth. They offer an opportunity for you to place your unique experiences in dialogue with the material.
Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause is a communal space. If you so choose, you can participate in a reading/discussion group for this book. At the end of each chapter, I have provided group activities and questions designed to facilitate open and honest dialogue. You may find that traveling in the company of women will help make the menopausal journey more beneficial. It is hard to travel alone. You are more likely to make it through to the other side if others are encouraging you along your journey.
Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause is a sacred space where you can discover a deeper, more mature relationship with God. I am writing as a Christian, but you do not have to be a Christian to benefit from this book. Women of all faith traditions are welcome along on this journey. There is no “Christian menopause” or “Jewish menopause” or “Muslim menopause,” but our faith traditions color and shape the developmental tasks of menopause. Some faith traditions hold to a more traditional view of “a woman’s place.” For that reason, women from more conservative religions may find some sections of this book to be especially challenging. I encourage you, whatever your faith tradition, to look for opportunities to discover a deeper, more mysterious, more loving God.
Throughout this book you will discover personal stories about women. When only first names are given, I have used pseudonyms in order to protect anonymity. In many cases, I have altered the stories, changing dates and locations.
A word of warning: the journey into the land of menopause is not for the faint of heart. The gifts found in this land are not easily claimed. As you travel, people will try to convince you that the transformation you are undergoing is not for the good. They will tell you that it i