Dancing with My Father: How God Leads Us into a Life of Grace and Joy [Paperback]

Sally Clarkson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 19, 2010

Let Your Soul Dance with Delight in God
 
Do you sometimes feel victimized by circumstances? Are you overwhelmed by weariness, fear, or discouragement? Do you wonder, Where can I go to claim the promise of Jesus that my joy could be made full?


When trusted author and mentor Sally Clarkson noticed a lack of joy in her own life, she realized how easy it can be, especially for women with overloaded to-do lists, to feel weighed down by drudgery and disappointment. But rather than slogging through her days, Sally wanted to know the delight of God's presence. She began prayerfully exploring how to cultivate deep-rooted joy even in the midst of difficult seasons.


In this warm and wise book, she invites you to experience for yourself what happens when you trust God to lead you into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose.


Weaving biblical insights with real-life stories that reflect every Christian woman's deepest longings, Dancing with My Father reveals how any woman, in any circumstance, can daily live in beauty and grace, joy and peace.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for
Dancing with My Father

“In Dancing with My Father, we learn along with Sally Clarkson how to experience peace and joy through all the challenges life has to offer. The scripture offered and questions asked at the end of each chapter make this a wonderful book for individual or group study.” 
—Brenda Nuland, home-schooling mom and blogger, found at coffeeteabooksandme.blogspot.com

“Sally Clarkson’s warmth and wisdom remind us to quit worrying about our footwork, lean into God's embrace, and let Him lead in this joy- filled dance called life!”
—Lisa Harper , popular speaker and author of A Perfect Mess

“Ever long for a gentle, godly mentor? One who with words and by example, graciously guides you through the maze of life, encouraging you to see with your heart, hear with your soul, and ultimately discover God in the midst of it all? You hold in your hands a mentoring manual creatively crafted by Sally Clarkson. This treasure will enable you to confidently rise above the circumstances of your life, unearthing contentment and calm as you too learn to delightfully dance with your heavenly Father.”
—Karen Ehman, national speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries and author of A Life That Says Welcome and The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized

“With grace, candor, and engaging true-life stories, Sally Clarkson helps readers rediscover the reality of enduring joy in a fallen world. This is a book well worth reading!”
— Cheri Fuller, speaker and author of Mother-Daughter Duet

“This is not another ‘don’t worry, be happy’ book. Sally gets to the heart of what true joy looks like and how to hold on to it through all circumstances of life. I highly recommend this book—and Sally Clarkson!”
—Ginger Kolbaba, former editor of Today’s Christian Woman magazine, founding editor of Kyria.com, and author of the novel Desperate Pastors’ Wives

“A breath of fresh air for weary travelers on the ministry road. With characteristic grace and wisdom, Sally Clarkson acknowledges that even the most devoted Christian suffers discouragement, disappointment, and disillusionment. She meets us in our crashed idealism and burnout—but she doesn't leave us there. With God at her side, she leads us to the gentle peace and quiet trust of a mature Christian. I’ve read all of Sally’s books; this work is her best yet!”
—Elizabeth Foss, mother of nine and author of Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home

“These pages sing a song that could change your life. In lyrical prose that truly captivates, in the rhythm of personal narrative and startling truth, Dancing with My Father invites the soul-hungry, the joy-lame, and the spirit-weary to come to the soiree and stay. This isn’t another paint-by-number, formulaic book, but an honest, thoughtful invitation to live an authentic life of biblical joy.”
—Ann Voskamp, columnist for ChristianWomenOnline.net and the San Antonio Christian Beacon, and a blogger, found at aholyexperience.com

About the Author

Sally Clarkson is a popular speaker who has worked in various ministries for more than thirty years. She is the author of several books, including The Mission of Motherhood. She and her husband, Clay, are the cofounders of Whole Heart Ministries, which encourages and equips Christian parents. The Clarkson's live with their four children just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press (January 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307457060
• ISBN-13: 978-0307457066
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sally Clarkson is the mother of four wholehearted children, a popular conference speaker, and the author of numerous books and articles on Christian motherhood and parenting, including The Mission of Motherhood, The Ministry of Motherhood, Seasons of a Mother's Heart, The Mom Walk, Dancing with My Father, and Educating the WholeHearted Child (contributor). After graduating from Texas Tech University with a degree in Speech/English, Sally joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ in 1975, and ministered to women in Communist Poland 1977-1980. Since her marriage to Clay in 1981, she has continued to minister to women and mothers worldwide. In 1994, she and Clay started Whole Heart Ministries to encourage and equip Christian parents to raise wholehearted Christian children. They write and publish books through Whole Heart Press, offer hotel and church-based parenting and motherhood events, and minister online through blogs, email newsletters, and their ministry website (wholeheart.org). Since 1998, Sally has ministered to thousands of mothers through her WholeHearted Mother Conferences. She has spoken across the U.S., and on four continents. The Clarksons live in Monument, Colorado and have home educated all of their children from the beginning. Sally loves family, reading, music, bread-baking, traveling, and long walks.

Discipleship is the heartbeat of Sally's life, whether it is in teaching and motivating other women, or in training and instructing her children. Through her books and speaking ministries, God has used Sally to bring encouragement and inspiration to mothers who desire to follow God's biblical design for their lives. All of her messages are filled with stimulating biblical instruction, touching personal anecdotes and illustrations, and wise spiritual insights born out of her own experience in life and ministry.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good read, but a little superficial March 4, 2010

By J. Dyrholm

Format:Paperback

I am pretty sure that I am related to Eeyore somehow. If things do not go the way I expected or hoped they would, I get very discouraged and think "Woe is me." I am not the kind of person who sees the silver lining. I get overwhelmed very easily by life, and struggle to find the good in all the bad out there. I have fleeting moments of joy, but not an every day happiness.

And I especially have a hard time finding joy in the mundane and routine of being a wife and mother. Where is the joy in scrubbing toilets and floors?

Many times I get to the point where I have spent so much time and energy making other people happy, that my tank is empty. And so it was when the opportunity came up to review Sally Clarksons' latest book came up, I jumped at the chance.

Do you sometimes feel victimized by circumstances? Yes.

Are you overwhelmed by weariness, fear, or discouragement? Yes, yes, and yes!

When the book finally arrived in the mail, I dropped my other book to begin reading it. I had never read a book by Ms. Clarkson before, and I can see why she is a popular author and speaker. She is a very gifted writer and storyteller. Reading the book was like sitting there talking with a good friend.

There were two topics she discussed that really touched home with me...not basing our joy on the circumstances in our lives and the trap of thinking "I'll be happy when..."

Especially that last one. I always find myself thinking "I'll be happy when my husband gets a raise..." or "I'll be happy when when we can take another vacation..." or "Things will be better when I go back to work...."

I am always thinking about future happiness and joy and not the present....

Overall, it is a well-written and thought provoking book, but I think she only scratched the surface of a topic that many, if not most, women struggle with today. To me, most of the book was written as a memoir. She sometimes spent more pages sharing her memories of friends and vacations, than she did delving into how we can obtain joy in difficult seasons of life.

Which brings me to my second disappointment in the book. She didn't delve into the truly difficult times women face today...loss of jobs, loss of health, loss of children and spouses, and so on. For example, she spent much time talking about the difficulties she and her family faced in finding a place for her son to live when he moved to New York, but to me that is not a good example. Not something every woman can relate to. She didn't really delve into the moments in a womans life when she thinks "God, where are you right now? Why have you forsaken me?"

But this book has encouraged me in several areas of my life, and I am interested in reading her other books about motherhood.

I would also like to point out she has a blog, I Take Joy, found at [...] . It is definitely worth reading.

Please note:

This book was provided for my review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dancing With My Father March 1, 2010

By Rochelle Southard

Format:Paperback

The second book,"Dancing With My Father", talks about having a life of joy through all the different aspects of our lives. That joy may be in memories, it may be in friendships, it may be in trials, or just in our everyday mundane lives. The key is keeping eyes and ears open in all circumstances and looking for that joy. She gives examples with her own life circumstances which were relatable. It's a great book to read when you are feeling down and need encouragement to look at the joy of life under the dark cloud.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Dancing With My Father March 6, 2010

By A. Perrott

Format:Paperback

Sally Clarkson is the author of one of my all-time FAVORITE books "The Mission of Motherhood" so needless to say, I was ecstatic to have a chance to review her latest book. And as a bonus, the topic of the book is one that I feel the Lord has really laid on my heart this year - JOY.

Unlike the previous book I reviewed, this book was chock full of wisdom from the Bible. Sally's warm writing style combined with her vast life experiences (she was a single missionary in Communist Poland for several years before starting her family) and her deep knowledge of Scripture combined to make another excellent read.

She tackles the topic of how we can have joy in spite of our circumstances - not just in the extremely difficult moments like loss of a job or a loved one, but also in the everyday, boring, details of our lives that we often tend to view as drudgery. She writes:

"I often meet with women who are distraught, upset, and feel distant from God. Though usually very sincere of heart and wanting to walk with God, they find great disappointment and disillusionment because they have believed in the religious formulas they've been taught. They don't realize that their prayers and lives have been more about...what they hoped life would be and then telling God how He should act on their behalf: `God, since I'm a reasonably mature adult and I think I know what would be the optimum way for you to work in my life, I want you to bless my plan. Please give me healthy kids, when I want them - I'll use birth control until I'm ready and then I want you to work a miracle. And I'd like a good marriage, a nice salary, a lovely home..."

Ouch! I could relate to having subconsciously thought similar things in my own life.... But as Sally points out, real joy doesn't come from living a perfect set of circumstances :

"...joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit; it comes not from outside circumstances but from within ourselves as we learn to appreciate the value of God's kingdom."

and:

"I have realized that often the difference between two people who both are in difficult circumstances is that one believes in God's presence and provision in the midst of her circumstances, while the other has allowed the intensity of the situation to determine the state of her heart."

Good stuff. Hard, but good. I would recommend this book to anyone because I believe that this is a subject that almost all of us have struggled with and almost none of us have mastered.

This book was provided for review by Waterbrook Multnomah. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Dancing With My Father March 1, 2010

By L. Slawson

Format:Paperback

This book was also interesting but included more Scripture and Bible references, more of a how-to. It includes personal stories and lays out what to do to have a stronger, healthier relationship with God. This would make a terrific addition to a woman's study group!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Dance with Joy and Grace! March 5, 2010

By Andrea Schultz

Format:Paperback

Sally Clarkson ([...]) is a popular speaker who has worked in various ministries for more than thirty years. She and her husband, Clay, are the founders of Whole Heart Ministries ([...]), which equips and encourages Christian parents. They live with their four children outside of Colorado Springs, CO. Her blog is entitled `I Take Joy' ([...]).

Her latest book, `Dancing with My Father,' suggests that we should let our soul dance with delight in God. This is from the back cover of the book:

When trusted author and mentor Sally Clarkson noticed a lack of joy in her own life, she realized how easy it can be, especially for women with overloaded to-do lists, to feel weighted down by drudgery and disappointment. But rather than slogging through her days, Sally wanted to know the delight of God's presence. She began prayerfully exploring how to cultivate deep-rooted joy even in the midst of difficult seasons.

I am involved in a women's small group at church called Gracestoration ([...]), which looks at different aspects of grace. So I am working on that area. But there is a lack of joy in my life, too; there is less joy than the Lord would like me to have. So I was anxious to learn what Sally discovered.

A turning point came for Sally when she was observing the joyful dance of a little boy at a park in Krakow, Poland:

I knew I stood at a crossroad that would determine what kind of a Christian I would be from this point forward: victorious, lighthearted and free - or downcast, weighed down, and wounded. I realize that I didn't want to cross the finish line of life gasping for spiritual breath, clenching my teeth as I wearily crossed into the presence of God.... Although I didn't want to be a Pollyanna, pretending away sadness, pain and difficulty and denying the real grieving that comes with loss and disappointment, I did want to find the good in all things, to experience the reality of God's joy anew right in the middle of my trials and stresses. (p. 7)

Sally places special emphasis on Jesus as the source of joy:

In the past couple of years, I have realized that it is as I ponder Jesus - think about Him, study Him, read about Him, model Him - that my life becomes more fully what it is supposed to be in all areas. Jesus is the ultimate portrait of living with joy. But even more, I have sought to understand what it means to love Him with my whole heart, as He so desires. If Jesus, the man anointed with oil of joy and gladness was about serving others to the point of laying down His life for them, then serving others and giving myself to the cause of Christ must be the place in which I will find joy. (p. 198)

Sally, in her postscript, states that we all have to make the choice from our heart, before God, to follow His Son and to live a life of joy and grace. It is an easy choice, isn't it?! I appreciate that Sally made that journey, and shares her finding with us!

This book comes complete with discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which I intend to work through. I think this book would work wonderfully well for a women's small group.

Other titles by Mrs. Clarkson include `The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity,' The Ministry of Motherhood: Following Christ's Example in Reaching the Hearts of Our Children, and `The Mom Walk: Keeping in Step with God's Heart for Motherhood.'

This book was provided to me for review and giveaway purposes by Waterbrook Press
Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea - [...] Read more ›