Naked on God's Doorstep: A Memoir [Paperback]

Marion Duckworth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 20, 2007

“Finally, I knelt by my bed, risking rejection by the One who counted most.…”

Marion Duckworth was young when her mentally ill father was institutionalized. In her child’s mind she concluded, Daddy decided to leave me. Growing up in poverty as “Crazy Izzie’s daughter,” Marion believed she was someone worth abandoning.

It would be years before Marion realized that her Father God would never stop caring for her. As she writes, “God’s love healed the wounds created by abandonment. All through the pain, He created golden moments in my plain book of days–signs that He is my very own Father.”

Naked on God’s Doorstep is the story of life in a Coney Island tenement, a cockroach-infested Manhattan apartment, and an apartment above a tavern. It’s the story of pennies saved in sewing machine drawers, of a startling midnight on the beach, and of a many-windowed living room where miracles happened. It’s a story of longing to be safe someday.

It’s a story of hope.

Marion weaves her own story of her redemption with the stories of others, sharing practical helps as well. The result is a journey of healing that guides us all in transforming pain from the past into something beautiful.

This story is for anyone who needs to know that God will never leave.…

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Duckworth's winsome story of her life will draw readers eager to work through their own struggles. Her father was committed to a mental institution when she was a child, with the resulting poverty and discrimination a heavy burden for both Duckworth and her mother. Her mother had health problems as well, eventually dying at age 47. Through the years Duckworth found solace in God, gradually facing her pain and finding understanding. I have always believed that Daddy abandoned me, she says. All these years, I've pounded my gavel and pronounced Daddy guilty. That revelation of abandonment and blame is the basis for this book. While discussion questions at the end help Christian readers dig deeper into their own abandonment issues and find strength in a caring God, readers may wish for more obvious links sooner. Yet Duckworth's honesty about herself and her troubles is engaging as she describes her mistakes and missteps as well as her victories. Those who have read some of Duckworth's other 16 books will find much to enjoy, and new readers will relish getting to know this strong woman who knows first hand about life's hardships and God's faithfulness. (Nov. 20)
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Review

“We’ve all been abandoned at one time or another. Abandonment does not mean forever broken. Marion’s experience and compassion qualifies her to speak to us through the pages of this book. As a speaker, she shares the amazing grace of God that can touch your heart and heal your hurting spirit.”
 Rev. Dr. Thelma Wells, President, A Woman of God Ministries, and author of God Is Not Through With Me Yet!

“Naked on God’s Doorstep is a revelation of our deep depravity and our supernatural opportunity to live in intimate relationship with God. Marion’s portrayal of her relationship struggles with both her earthly father and her heavenly Father evoke tears and joy. Her story of healing will bring hope and encouragement to every reader.”    
Mary Frances Bowley, President of Wellspring Living, Inc., author of A League of Dangerous Women

“In Naked on God's Doorstep, Marion Duckworth writes with an honesty few achieve. Her life has not been easy but her faith and trust in her heavenly Father shine like a beacon, guiding her readers with gentle insight.”
Lauraine Snelling, author of Sophie's Dilemma and Breaking Free

“Tenderly told, filled with the wisdom of many years and much devotion, Marion’s memoir will refresh and encourage you–no matter what your background.”
Bette Nordberg, author of A Guidebook for New Believers and Season of Grace

“Marion Duckworth’s fine writing skill and gifts for counseling and teaching make her memoir a book of hope for all who have suffered abandonment. Beyond her grippingly honest story, the discussion questions in the back of the book will help readers find the way to their own healing. Naked on God's Doorstep is an excellent addition to available literature on recovery.”
Elsie Larson, author of the Women of Valor series

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (November 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590529561
• ISBN-13: 978-1590529560
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,171,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lovely book, February 1, 2008

By 

hardtruth (Staten Island, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Naked on God's Doorstep: A Memoir (Paperback)

this is a very encouraging memoir. I enjoyed it and gave it to a friend who is struggling with childhood losses.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One Woman's Spiritual Journey, January 16, 2008

By 

Barbara Warren - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Naked on God's Doorstep: A Memoir (Paperback)

Marion Duckworth tells about her journey from a tenement apartment in Mahattan to a life spent serving God. Raised as a Christian, she was abandoned by her father's Jewish parents. Her father was in a mental institution, and her mother was the family's sole provider. Sometimes she felt like God just didn't care. They she met John and they fell in love. Life should have been wonderful, but for some reason it wasn't. Like a lot of us, Marion couldn't see how well God had watched over her until she arrived at a safe harbor. Great reminder that no matter how hard we try to run away from God, He's always there. He loves us and will never leave us. A strong story of faith.

4.0 out of 5 stars naked on God's doorstep: a memoir, May 3, 2010

By 

bibliophile pat - See all my reviews

This review is from: Naked on God's Doorstep: A Memoir (Kindle Edition)

a very interesting book, but it needs to be proofread! lots of typographical errors make for difficult reading.