Are you interested in discovering the most amazing things about Africa? Often touted as the Dark Continent, some people believe that Africa is a poor and backward land. Yet, contrary to what you often read or hear, Africa is a source of extraordinary bio-diversity. It is also home to the most ravishing landscapes and majesty known to mankind. read more
When you think of the land of Africa, do you think of the fantastic wild animals? Or the beautiful mountains and floral kingdoms? How about the cultures? The strange habits of some tribes? Did you know there are over 3,000 different ethnic groups in the continent, who speak in more than 2,100 different languages. It just doesn’t seem possible. read more
For some reason, I can’t get rid of the gap on the right, but here’s introducing the new baby in the home, seven-week-old Coco. As you can see, he’s totally starving. Three feeds of CHOCOLATE porridge a day . . . he would happily settle for six! Whoever invented a chocolate porridge for a white bird? There’s nothing quite as bedraggled as a washed bird! (For best effects, make sure your sound is on!) read more
NOTE: This is NOT the cover! Cover Reveal coming soon on Facebook.
How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Psalms 104:24
“Africa is more a feeling than anything else. Once you’ve gone—and you get the feeling—you understand . . . In short, it’s a life-changing place to visit. It changes you, for the better[1]“
From its immense grasslands to its modern cities teeming with people, Africa is a continent of extremes. With its breathtaking landscapes of mountains and valleys, deserts and forests, mighty seas, beautiful beaches, and dense jungles, it is truly a magical and exciting land. And God is in this land. read more
is another Out of the Shadow book.
Would I find enough information to fill an entire book? That was my question when I first set out on this journey with Miriam. Imagine my surprise when one book became two.
Most of us know about the little girl who watched over her three-month-old brother as he sailed in a basket boat on the crocodile-infested River Nile. Her story is told in Miriam Part 1 ~ Devoted Sister, which ends as the Children of Israel gather at the exit to Goshen, their home for many decades, and prepare for their trip to the Promised Land.
Miriam ~ Gifted Leader takes up her story at around eighty years old. Yet, as we will see, this was no fragile, elderly woman. She had far more energy than I have, and I imagine more than you. About to embark on an incredible journey that would take the rest of her life, she faced adventures and horrors of terrifying magnitude. Throughout that time, she showed herself to be a gifted leader. This in a time when women were not regarded as capable of taking the lead.
This story commences as the previous book ends. I invite you to pick up your bundles and get behind our leaders as we prepare to take our leave of Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the life of slavery. We will follow Miriam as she steps out of the shadow of her famous brother, Moses, and becomes a true leader in her own right.
If you recognize this elderly lady from the previous Miriam book, you are right. She’s the same person. She’s just aged as we all do!
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If you have read this book, please will you pop over to Amazon and leave an honest review? Thank you.
When I started this series, Out of the Shadow, I wanted to take a look at some the women in the Bible who are commonly seen “under the shadow” of another person or location. Hence it is not Out of the Shadows, but only one shadow. Although they are often well-known names, you will find it surprising how little you actually know about these women.
Book 1 of the series is Naomi, Beloved Mother-in-Law, who lives under the shadow of her daughter-in-law, Ruth. Her story is contained in the Old Testament book of Ruth, yet that book begins with Naomi’s story and ends with Naomi’s story. If it hadn’t been for the bravery of Naomi, Ruth would not have converted to Judaism, moved to live among God’s people, and ultimately become part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Moved from her home to God’s “scrub bucket,” Naomi lived for years in a foreign and idolatrous land. She experienced several devastating losses before she made the first of a number of huge decisions.
Written in creative nonfiction, the story stays close to the biblical story, but is brought alive in a way that will help you identify with Naomi. Just as this lady of old faced life-changing decisions, so we too can face threatening situations trusting in Naomi’s God.
If you have read this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon for me. Thank you.
The next book in the series is Eve, Mother of All. Of course we have all heard of Eve, the very first woman who was created in God’s own image. She lived in a beautiful garden, the Garden of Eden, and she was married to the first man, Adam. Remember her? She lived a perfect life in an idyllic setting.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. As she’s drawn out of the shadow of the garden we find a real flesh-and-blood woman; the first wife, the first woman to give birth, the first woman to hold a newborn baby in her arms and ask, “Now what?”
Again, if you’ve read this book, please leave a review on Amazon. Thank you.
Book 3 Next up is Miriam, Devoted Sister. I’m sure we all know about Moses, the baby rescued from the bulrushes alongside the crocodile-infested River Nile. We no doubt also know the story of Miriam, the little girl who bravely faced the Egyptian princess and suggested a plan that would save the life of her three-month-old baby brother. But what happened to the little girl as she became a woman living in a nation under slavery?
As we draw her out of the shadow of the baby in the bulrushes, we learn that she grew up in Goshen, at a time when her people were slaves to the wicked Pharaoh. Her parents were Godly people who not only taught Miriam about the God of their forefathers, they instilled their faith into their little boy who would leave them at the age of three to grow up in the Egyptian palace.
Miriam, Devoted Sister, ends at the point when the Hebrew nation gather at the border of Goshen, about to embark on their amazing venture: the journey to the Promised Land.
Once more, if you’ve read this book, please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon for me. Thank you.
Book 4When I first set out on this journey with Miriam, I wondered if I would find enough information to fill an entire book. Imagine my surprise when one book became two.
And so the 4th book in this series is Miriam, Gifted Leader. This takes up Miriam’s story at around eighty years old. Yet, as we will see, this was no fragile, elderly woman. She had far more energy than I have, and I imagine more than you. About to embark on an incredible journey that would take the rest of her life, she faced adventures and horrors of terrifying magnitude. Throughout that time, she showed herself to be a gifted leader in a time when women were not regarded as capable of taking the lead.
This story commences as the previous book ends. The Children of Israel gather at the exit from Goshen, about to embark on the journey of a lifetime. I invite you to pick up your bundles and get behind our leaders as we prepare to take our leave of Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the life of slavery. We will follow Miriam as she steps out of the shadow of her famous brother, Moses, and becomes a true leader in her own right.
As before, if you have read this book, please will you pop over to Amazon and leave an honest review? Thank you.
And so in four books, I have covered three characters. Many have asked me, “Who next?” We will be taking an in-depth look at another lady out of the shadow (there are plenty!) and continue with the series. This lady was another slave, but in a very different type of shadow.
I am also in the process of compiling a book of 365 brief devotional messages based on some of the women of the Bible.
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The Young Miriam
Miriam! What a fascinating woman. Over the last months, I have spent time in her company. What a joy it has been to unpack her life story.
When I first set out on this journey, I wondered if I would find enough information to fill an entire book. Imagine my surprise when one book became two.
Miriam—Devoted Sister, tells of a little girl who saves the life of her baby brother, Moses. We trace her girlhood years as she faces the horrors of belonging to a large and rapidly-growing nation of slaves, owned and ill-treated by the Pharaoh of Egypt. Despite their conditions, her parents, Amram and Jochebed, manage to instill in their daughter a rich faith in the one true God, Yahweh. We draw Miriam out of the shadow of her famous brother, Moses, and get to know the young girl growing up in Goshen, Egypt.
The Elderly Miriam, still beautiful but a lot older and wiser
Miriam—Gifted Leader, takes up Miriam’s story at around eighty years old. Yet this is no fragile, elderly woman. As she embarks on an incredible journey that will take the rest of her life, she faces adventures and horrors of terrifying magnitude. She shows herself to be a gifted leader in a time when women are not regarded as capable of taking the lead.
In this book we are encouraged to pick up our bundles and get behind our leaders, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, as we take our leave of Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the life of slavery.
You will be encouraged by the way God used this woman who was well past her prime and her, at times, head-strong attitude. Miriam was a normal woman, far from perfection. That gives me hope. I am also far from perfection, and I suspect you are too.
See the Out of the Shadow series to date here on my Amazon author page:
The Out of the Shadow series is what it suggests. It covers women from Scripture commonly thought of under the shadow of another person or place.
Each book stands alone, and they don’t need to be read in order.
Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoy a book, consider leaving a review on Amazon.com. Even a line or two is a huge help.
If you want to be among the first to know about Shirley’s new books, please leave your name and email address below. This will not sign you up to receive heaps of spam or lengthy newsletters.
Originally written in November 2017. Updated August, 2018.
Would you agree?
That’s where the idea of a street team comes into being.
It all began for me when my friend, Marion Ueckermann, mentioned the term to me during a Whatsapp call. I immediately asked if I could join hers to see how it worked. And, of course, I turned to Google to learn more.
How to be Part of a Powerful Street Team. Read more here. Click To TweetAt iUniverse I found this: “A street team is a group of volunteers who band together to promote an author and his or her book. Members of a street team are motivated by their love of an author’s work to promote it to as many people as possible.”
I learned a good deal from various sources, but most of all from a guest post by Jennifer Probst, a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
In Jennifer’s words, “A street team is a dedicated group of readers who like your work and are interested in helping promote your books. These readers are interested in helping to promote your book because your relationship with them is mutually beneficial. They get to hang out online with one of their favorite authors and receive exclusive material, and you get help with promotion to share new releases, giveaways, and special events.” read more
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This site by the same author offers encouragement & inspiration to all who are on a journey through cancer.
