Book Review: Jump off the Hormone Swing

I recently read Lorraine Pintus delightful book, "Jump off the Hormone Swing". Lorraine's in-depth research on women's hormonal issues is written in a way that had me laughing out loud, crying and then asking myself, "why couldn't I have had this information years ago?" Written from a point of view as one who has endured a life of PMS ups and downs, Lorraine wrote not only from a physical and mental perspective, but also from a spiritual one as well. Many medical books have been written on the topic addressing the physical and mental affects of women's hormonal issues, but few address it from a refreshing personal and spiritual perspective as Lorraine has. Also, an added plus to the book is the wisdom she shares from the more than 1,500 women she surveyed about PMS. Lorraine's vast experience over the past decade in addressing women's issues through hers and Linda Dillow's "Intimate Issues" conferences and book has definitely her given her a voice to speak into our lives once again on such an important topic as this one.

Are you having issues with hormonal swings such as PMS or perimenopause? Lorraine has several practical suggestions on how to overcome and make the most of the highs and lows that seem to come during inopportune times. Learning how to listen to our body and appreciate the intricate ways the Lord made us, will help us accept and receive the gift God has given women. She encourages us to lean on His strength and truth in times of weakness, which gives us an ability to see Him at work within our lives.

I hope that many of my PWOC sisters and other women will use this wonderful book, along with its companion 10-week Bible study, in order to bring much needed knowledge and understanding to the way we are uniquely and beautifully created as women.

You can read more information about this book and 10-week Bible study by going to her web site at: http://lorrainepintus.com/. You can also view her corresponding videos on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LorrainePintus

© Brenda L. Marlin 2011

peace like a river - part six

We jumped back in our vehicle once again to complete our journey south to New Orleans. I began playing my new found song, "You Said", by Hillsong. I noticed in the words, it said, "the harvest is here, the kingdom is near..." Another reference to the word "harvest". Could it be that the word was beginning to unveil another meaning other than the harvest associated with Thanksgiving Day?

As we drove through Mississippi and on to Louisiana, I noticed a little word that would pop up from time-to-time. Anyone who knows me, understands that the Lord works through my great fascination to discover the "treasure", the hidden kingdom secrets tucked away in His Word, His creation and His people. Every once in a while, I sense a nudging from the Spirit of God to notice something. At first, it might not seem like a big thing, such as one word, or some sort of object, but then later it becomes like a constant flashing neon light. The best way I can describe this is similar to that of your becoming pregnant. Suddenly it seems like everyone else is pregnant as well. You didn't seem to notice all the pregnant women around you until you became aware of your own situation. In the same way, once I become aware of something the Lord is showing me, I suddenly become aware of the "something" all around me. He is faithful to always ground it with His written Word in the Scripture I am studying.

In this case, I was beginning to notice the word "pearl". After noticing the word "harvest", "pearl" began surfacing over and over. There was reference to Pearl, Mississippi and then Pearl River, which ran through both Mississippi and Louisiana. And then yet another word popped up, "shore" in the state of Louisiana. I had three distinct words echoing in my mind over and over, which became puzzle pieces for me to ponder and pray about over the next few days.

It was dark when we arrived in the city of New Orleans, so we didn't see much of anything other than buildings lit up by surrounding lights. We located Steven's home and unpacked everything, visited for a bit and then went to sleep.

© Brenda L. Marlin 2010

Peace like a river - part five

We decided to stop at the traveler's favorite on the road friend, "Cracker Barrel" for a quick bite of lunch. This friendly little roadside restaurant chain reminds me of the famous "Stuckey's" of the past. Do you remember "Stuckey's"? If you do, you would probably be about my age. It was my family's favorite roadside stop whenever I was a child. "Cracker Barrel", the new version of the old "Stuckey's". Once seated, I noticed the word, "harvest" on a few pictures and on a woman's nursing uniform. Of course, it was the Thanksgiving Day holiday, so naturally there was a logical reason this word would emerge this time of year, but perhaps there was another reason.

We traveled even farther down into Mississippi. David and I commented how much it looked like Louisiana. We reminisced over our days at Ft. Polk, LA, the army's hidden treasured spot of the south. It was a place where families and friendships flourish, because there was no place to go besides Wal-Mart. Like that of Louisiana, the terrain of Mississippi was flat, full of stately pine trees and long roads.

As we kept driving, I spotted something past the tree line, massive amounts of little white travel trailers. They were all stacked neatly next to each other in rows and columns. As we drove on, we continued seeing these trailers, there seemed to be no end to them. David said, these were the homes the government provided the homeless hurricane Katrina victims. It looked like a massive trailer home gravesite; almost erie in some ways, yet very surreal.

I flashed back to a memory I had from a flood that Steven and I had been in years prior in New Braunfels, Texas. A storm had dumped over 20" of water within a very short period of time, which turned the once peaceful Guadalupe River to raging flood waters. Almost all the homes situated along the river's banks were swept away. It was a horrible scene, one that was almost unfathomable to think about. Following that storm, people set up little white trailers similar to these. They set them up on the foundation that their once "permanent" home sat on.

I thought about how difficult it must have been for those whose homes were destroyed by raging flood waters. All those little white travel trailers represented a family or individual whose life had been torn apart by the storm. They had to start over with what they had left and what they had been given. In spite of the difficult situation they found themselves in, families made memories in these little homes. All the raw pain from the grief of loss would be deposited here and then hopefully left behind when they moved on. Yes, the pain could still be felt, but it would be a more distant ache as people began rebuilding their lives. I would guess there could be some good that would potentially come out of these little houses. They represented the places where tears would flood from the soul and onto the faces of the thousands who were affected by these devastating storms of life. I'm sure each little white travel trailer represents memories too painful for words to convey. Yes, they are now on the side of the road--hopefully as a sign that many have been able to move on to a better place.

© Brenda L. Marlin 2010

Peace like a river - part four

We drove through Georgia and then on to Mississippi. We began sensing that we were getting ready to see some interesting things from a first person point of view, verses through the eye of a TV camera. I found it quite interesting that I was feeling this way considering that over four years had passed following the Katrina hurricane. Certainly, most of the devastation would have been cleaned up by now.

We were still in the more northern portion of the state, so we had yet to venture into the more affected areas of this state. As we drove further south, David and I would take turns listening to our music selection. At one point, we weren't listening to anything other than ourselves. I began singing a song in my head over and over. I could only "play" one part of it in my mind. For the life of me, I couldn't remember the name of the song. If only I could remember the name of it, then I could find it on YouTube and play the actual song all the way through. The line kept replaying over and over in my mind "...ask and I'll give the nations to you...oh God, that's the cry of my heart..." It was if it became a prayer of sorts, which went from a little song rolling around in my head, to a major drum beat. I felt it rise up in me and give me great faith. I had no idea what the Lord was preparing to do, but this was the beginning of a God sized "download", which would become the prayer assignment of a lifetime.

I text messaged my friend and asked her if she was going to Disney's Magic Kingdom. She and her family drove down there to spend time together over the Thanksgiving Day Holiday. She replied back, "We were there Sat and Sun. At Epcot today. Praying 4 the nations". I text back telling her that I kept singing a portion of a song and then told her the few words I could recall. She responded, "Your glory will fill the earth, like water the sea!" It was like we had tapped into a code that only she and I understood. I recalled I had prayed that while flying over the top of the earth on our way to Korea this past spring. I was getting charged up in my spirit. I could sense that a kairos moment was upon us. Then, she called me and asked me if I knew the name of the song that I was telling her about. I said, "no". She put me out of my misery and gave me the name of the song, "You Said" by Hillsong. "That's it!", I exclaimed. After we hung up, I immediately went on a search for the YouTube version of "You Said".

© Brenda L. Marlin 2010

Peace like a river - part three

David and I woke up early the next morning and began thinking about our day ahead. We packed up and headed to the hotel’s reception area to have breakfast and check out. As I was packing, I noticed a guest comment card, asking for feedback on our experience with the hotel. As I read over it, I was delightfully surprised that they were members’ of a group of Christian run hotels. I knew in my spirit that there was something remarkably different about this hotel, now I knew why.

The reception area was beautifully appointed with Christmas decorations, warm furnishings and a blazing fire roaring in the fireplace. We sat in the dining room and ate a quick bite of breakfast with some enjoyable guests then headed off for another day of adventure.

The day was beautiful and sunny as we headed down through Tennessee and then on to the very corner of Georgia, through Alabama and Mississippi and eventually to our final destination of Louisiana. As we drove through Alabama, there were indications everywhere that the state was being besieged in a sea of red. Flags, signs and football paraphernalia colored the landscape of the state. College football was in its peak season and the “Roll Tide” state was one of the contenders for the big prize of winning the national championship. There was definitely no lack of support or enthusiasm for the state’s favored college team. Since David and I are from Texas, we felt a little odd driving through the “competition’s” territory. You see, Texas was the opposing contender for the national championship. I felt somewhat relieved that I didn’t have any Texas burnt orange or UT stickers on our truck. There’s nothing like finding oneself knee deep in the middle of the adversary’s territory, without having some form of protection. We continued driving stealthily through the state, fortunately, unnoticed.

© Brenda L. Marlin 2010

Peace like a river - part two

Hours went by as we made the long journey southward. We became a little road weary, so we decided to stop right outside Chattanooga, TN and stay at a little hotel just a hop, skip and jump away from the highway. It was convenient to stay there and would allow us the ability to get up bright and early the next morning, get something to eat at their "hot" breakfast bar and then be on the road again.

We had never stayed at this little hotel before, nor was it recommended to us. It was part of a large chain of "highway" hotels, which gave them some credibility in our minds. For David and I, it is always a leap of faith in deciding where we will stay in a town we know nothing about. We tend to like it that way, because we always discover something new on our adventures. After checking in, we were quite surprised by the coziness of the surroundings of the hotel and the interior of our room. In all the road hotels we have stayed in before, none conveyed the same level of charming personality as this one.

After being on the road all day and night, I am surprised I noticed much of anything, but once in the room something out of the ordinary caught my tired eyes. To my delight, I saw a Bible sitting on top of the nightstand conveniently placed near the reading chair. "Refreshing", I thought to myself. I usually have to open the drawer to see whether or not the hotel agrees with my opinion on having a Gideon Bible in the room. It used to be a given, but now-a-days, that is not always the case. I knew this hotel property must be different and made a mental note to check it out in the morning. Sleep was top of mind now and David and I were ready for it.

© Brenda L. Marlin 2010

Peace like a river - part one

I was headed down to New Orleans with my husband, David. We were going to visit Steven and his girlfriend for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Driving down to New Orleans was a wonderful way for David and I to hang out together for a good amount of road time, especially since I had just finished traveling all over the world attending PWOC regional conferences. Yes, it was road trip time once again, but this time it would be with David and I was very glad about that.

It had only been four years since hurricane Katrina barreled through this popular gulf coast town and brought its seemingly unrelenting devastation. We didn't know what to expect to see on this trip. Reports seemed to have faded away into a distant memory on what was once one of the most reported on catastrophic events of our time; but every so often, a brave reporter would peek in to see if things were progressing. At least that was my impression.

When I thought about this tragic event, images of all the damage and human suffering flashed through my mind. I recalled images such as the Super Dome filled with people in and around it seeking shelter from the harsh elements; and images of people walking on bridges, which allowed them to remain on higher ground than the rising "sea level"of water, and then all the helpless images of people standing on roof tops desperately hoping for someone to come to their aid. Overall, I recalled numerous images of people needing to being rescued from the water that ravaged their town and then some who wouldn't be rescued at all. For most, it was the end of the life they once knew.

We wondered what would our trip entail. We were very excited about seeing our son in his new hometown, yet curious about what we would see and experience once we arrived.

© Brenda L. Marlin 2010