Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace [Paperback]

Iyanla Vanzant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 1996

Beloved friend,

When this little book was first published many years ago, it became a beacon of light for many people who found themselves time and time again in one valley or another. Valleys are nothing new for any of us. Some of you may be in a valley right now, or, since you never know what's around the corner, you may be on the brink of tottering into yet another valley. Or maybe you've just survived a valley that you swear you'll never revisit -- but guess what? That's precisely the valley you'll probably see again. And again.

Being in a valley can be a lonely and bewildering experience. This book was written to help you feel less lonely by reminding you that you really aren't ever alone since God is always by your side, but more important, you are always by your own side. No matter how dire the situation may seem, no matter how dark and bleak the valley may be, you have all you need within you to survive the valley -- any valley. Even though you may not know how you got into the valley in the first place, you do know, deep inside yourself, how to get through and out and free. You just need a little faith in yourself and a little guidance to find that faith within yourself.

When you are at your wit's end, take this little book and let it guide you toward the ever-present but often elusive light at the end of the tunnel. Faith in the Valley is designed to help you find the light when you need it most -- when you're in that damn tunnel. When you're most confused and in the dark and clueless as to how you got there (again!) and when you're trying to figure out not just how to get out, but stay out. For good.

Faith in the Valley has helped so many through so much that we felt it only fitting to issue this lovely gift edition to acknowledge the special place it holds in many hearts. Please share it with a friend who has served as your beacon in the past, or offer it to yourself as a reminder of the strength and wisdom you possess and can offer to others.

Iyanla

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Popular speaker and "spiritual life counselor" Vanzant presents inspiration and advice addressed primarily to African American women but of use to everyone. She emphasizes that we have within ourselves the resources to solve most of our problems. "We always get what we expect," she says, and adds, "It is the Father's pleasure to give you the kingdomAthe issue is, are you willing to receive it?" In Faith in the Valley, she uses "valley" as a metaphor and cites ten kinds of valleys in which we can find ourselves: life, understanding, courage, knowledge, wisdom, o.p.p. (other's people's problems and perspectives), comeuppance, purpose and intent, nonresistance, and love. "Wherever you are, play some, pray some, and have faith. When the praise goes up, the blessings come down." "Iyanla Live!" is a series of live recordings of programs Vanzant has presented. Audience responses are included. In Our Relationship with Money, she maintains that the state of our finances reflects our values and spiritual health. "Don't complain as you pay your bills. They come after you've made the phone calls, worn the shoes, used the car. The bills are evidence that you have been blessed." In Our Relationship with the World, she stresses that we are already empowered and it is up to us to act on that empowerment today, not to wait for some confluence of circumstances that may never come to be. Vanzant's no-nonsense advice is itself empowering and affirming. For public library collections.ANann Blaine Hilyard, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Joan Brady author of God on a Harley Faith in the Valley is a healing balm, skillfully applied to our deepest and oldest wounds. Iyanla Vanzant gently takes our attention off the negative thoughts which have left so much pain and destruction in their wake, and restores a new resiliency to our souls. She leaves us ready to receive love again...our own and that of others.

Julia A. Boyd author of In the Company of My Sisters Wisdom, courage, and faith sprinkled with lots of blessings and love: the message of Iyanla Vanzant comes right from the heart and goes straight to the soul. Iyanla truly loves and cares about us sisters and it shows. Thank you, sister Iyanla, for your gifts.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (May 8, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684801132
• ISBN-13: 978-0684801131
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Oprah®

More About the Author

With more than 8 million books in print, Iyanla Vanzant has truly established a dedicated fan base.
Iyanla's path to success took her through a multitude of life-changing experiences that shaped the profound insights she eagerly shares with others. A neglected, overweight, sexually abused child who was shuttled from one family to another, she became a teenage mother on welfare living in the projects of a major urban city. Vanzant took control of her life when she walked out of her second abusive marriage and entered Medgar Evers College in New York and then the City University of New York Law School. She moved to Philadelphia with her children and became a public defender for three years. Then she eventually became an ordained minister, who was committed to a message based on the principles of divine power and self-determination.

Iyanla combined her professional skills with her life's lessons and embarked on a writing and speaking career. Her mass appeal is evident in her overwhelming success as an author. In the Meantime was a #1 New York Times bestseller, where it spent 20 weeks on the list, and she has had numerous other major bestsellers. As a nationally recognized speaker she has sold out such prestigious venues as New York's Jacob Javits Convention Center, Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, Atlanta's Civic Center, and the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. Vanzant is also familiar to the daytime TV audience from her role as a regular contributor on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Acclaimed journalist and producer Barbara Walters recognized Vanzant's extraordinary appeal, seeing in her a "breakaway talent" with the potential for huge success in daytime television. With Walters and partner Bill Geddie on board to executive produce, Buena Vista Productions to develop the show, and Buena Vista Television as distributor, the road to Iyanla was forged.

Vanzant has received numerous accolades for her work. In 1992 Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley named October 21st "Tapping the Power Within Day" in honor of a workshop she presented in that city for African-American women. In 1994, the National Association of Equal Opportunity in Education, an organization comprised of the presidents and administrators of the 117 predominantly Black colleges in the United States named her Alumni of the Year. She also was awarded an "Oni" by the International Congress of Black Women as one of the nation's unsung heroes, and she served as the national spokesperson for Literacy Volunteers of America in 1998.

In 1999 she was listed among the 100 Most Influential African-Americans by Ebony magazine. Later that year, she was awarded the 31st NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Literary Work, Non-Fiction" for Yesterday I Cried. She also earned her first Honorary Doctorate degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from the City University of New York, Medgar Evars College. In 2000, she earned her second honorary degree, Doctor of Divinity, from the Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, Ebony has named her one of their "55 Most Intriguing People," Vibe magazine tabbed her one of "100 Leaders of the New Millennium" and Newsweek recently included her as one of the "Women of the New Century."

The mother of three and grandmother of four, Vanzant lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband Adeyemi and Mr. Coco, their cat.

To learn how Iyanla can help you get started on your journey toward spiritual

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a thought provoking book filled with inspiring words of love, November 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace (Paperback)

I first saw Iyanla Vanzant on Oprah (another truly inspiring woman) the more I watched this exceptional women the more I was astounded by her life and work. I looked up her books on the internet and read the excepts from each. These excepts were not lenghty but in that time I found a need in myself to discover more. The short excepts made real sense to me. So I went and purchased the book 'Faith in the Valley'. It made me wake up at night and listen to my thoughts that were deep in my stomach and not only to listen but to take notice of them, good and bad. To listen to faith that for so many years I had simply let into the fringes of my life and never into the core. Iyanla Vanzant is thought provoking, inspirational and gifted. I have all her books now. She is a writer and teacher that would inspire Mother Teresa.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, Liberating, February 1, 2000

By 

Tammy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace (Hardcover)

Once again, Mrs. Vanzant has outdone herself. Faith in the Valley is exactly what the title implies. Iyanla seeks to help the reader shed light on life's dull situations. Iyanla writes that its okay to feel what you feel when you feel it. Don't hide your emotions; seek God; He will lead you to the truth of the situation. Know that everything no matter what happens is for the best, and move on. We have all been through, or are going through situations that may seem as if it is the end of the world. Mrs. Vanzant reminds you that if you are still breathing, functioning and waking up the next day every morning that everything is fine. In fact, everything was always all fine. Things may not always go your way, they will go God's way and God's way is always the best way. In Faith in the Valley Mrs. Vanzant puts in words what our intuition has been telling us all along, that same intuition that most of have been ignoring all along. If you are or have ever felt anger, fear, hate, resentment, confusion or any emotion that has kept you in a state besides that of peace and love, Mrs. Vanzant wants to take you on a journey toward peace. Mrs. Vanzant's message is powerful; it possesses the power of love. Mrs. Vanzant's message is liberating she urges you to seek truth. If you have ever doubted yourself, your existence, your purpose, Faith in the Valley holds a wonderful, powerful and liberating message for you.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for daily reflection, October 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Faith in the Valley: Lessons for Women on the Journey to Peace (Paperback)

I can not express how insightful and helpful this book is! It really makes you look deep into the reason(s) why you thought you needed a book of affirmations in the first place. This book is perfect for those "why me" and "I really can't take any more" moments when you feel like life, and everything in it, needs to give you a break. If you're a woman experiencing a lot of change in your life and it seems like you just can't handle another crisis (or is it a crisis afterall?), this is the book for you. I carry it in my purse!