Some mothers and daughters finish each other’s sentences, but Joanne Sloan and her daughter, Cheryl Wray, finish each other’s chapters.
“A Life that Matters,” recently published by New Hope Publishing, is the third book for the mother-daughter writing team. The idea for the book developed as they were doing research for a previous book, “Faith Stories,” published in 2000 by Woman’s Missionary Union.
While writing “Faith Stories,” a devotional book based on the lives and experiences of missionaries, Sloan and Wray frequently were inspired by stories involving various spiritual disciplines practiced by missionaries, both contemporary and historical.
“I’ve been interested in spiritual disciplines for a quite a while. I wanted to explore the subject by looking at them in a different way than other authors had, looking at famous Christians in the past who best exemplified the disciplines and then by interviewing people today who practice these disciplines,” Sloan said. So the task began.
Sloan, having a keen interest in historical figures, concentrated on researching biographies of famous Christians to determine which spiritual disciplines they practiced. Wray concentrated her efforts on interviewing and gathering information from present-
day Christians, some who are celebrities and some not.
After identifying the 12 spiritual disciplines they wished to address, they divided up the list and began work. As their writing on prayer, Bible study, worship, personal witnessing, solitude, journaling, personal study, guidance, simplicity, stewardship, service and sacrifice progressed, chapters flew back and forth by e-mail, both writers adding from their research to fill each chapter with fascinating anecdotes from missionaries, celebrities and lesser-known people living ordinary daily lives.
Favorite stories
Sloan said she was particularly touched by author Gordon McDonald’s story of praying with rescue workers at Ground Zero and also was inspired by the discipline of service exemplified by Biddy Chambers (Mrs. Oswald Chambers) who compiled her husband’s works into more than 50 books after his death.
Wray said she loves the story in the chapter on guidance about Shirley Lashley, who followed God’s leading, sold all her possessions and became an elementary school teacher at the Jerusalem Christian School. She also enjoyed interviewing writer Liz Curtis Higgs and entertainer Chonda Pierce.
“A Life that Matters” is for anyone desiring a deeper spiritual life by concentrating on spiritual disciplines that build and empower the Christian life. Both women cite guidance as one discipline they particularly appreciate after their research and one which enabled them to complete the book.
In the early phases of writing, Sloan developed Epstein-Barr virus and was bedridden for nine weeks and hospitalized twice. She spent much of the time in bed writing and praying for God’s guidance in the completion of the book.
“Mom was quite sick during a lot of the writing and we were amazed at how the book got finished on time and so well. God really took care of Mom throughout the entire process,” Wray said.
The difficulties of writing during illness, however, led both of them to pursue guidance more as a discipline. Wray says she learned something about several spiritual disciplines she had never even considered, such as sacrifice, solitude and simplicity. Now she sees those as qualities she is challenged to practice in her own life.
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