Why we write…
It occurs to me that often when I have something on my mind, some pressing matter or concern that just won’t be brushed aside (or hushed away), I will invariably run across something in written form on the very same subject. Again. And again. And again. Finally, I get the message. Not always the message I want. Rather, the one I need.
During the writing of this book, I encountered the very same scenario. Time after time (or more accurately) page after page, I would read about women facing some insurmountable obstacle. Some were primarily emotional in scope while others were more experiential in nature. Being a woman, these stories always intrigue me, not that my situations are always so harrowing, but to me, comparatively so, I feel just like all these other women facing down their private mountains. In that, I believe all women are the same…on the inside.
Oftentimes, my mountains seem pretty insurmountable too. I wonder how I’ll have the strength to keep going, how I’ll manage to continue facing a particularly difficult situation that doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Then I think about other women and how they’ve managed theirs. As I pay closer attention, a certain theme emerges from these women and how they face down whatever obstacle is confronting them. There is a sure and certain need for courage and strength and really, a sense of fearlessness. As author Carolyn Custis James writes, “In this broken world being a woman often means doing hard things, straining your muscles, and tackling messy problems that aren’t listed in books about true femininity and may actually be repudiated by them.” I like this. I agree with this. Most of the women I know are living out this reality.
For this reason alone, I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to offer women some resource (of both the inspirational and practical sort) throughout the pages of this book. Personally, I appreciate being encouraged and uplifted, but good words don’t get me very far (or mean very much) if I don’t match them with purposeful action steps. Which is why women will not only be encouraged to look at many of life’s weightier issues from a fresh emotional perspective, they’ll also get powerfully effective recommendations from my co-author, Dr. Christopher A. Foetisch, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine.
At the close of every chapter, Dr. Foetisch offers readers valuable information and insights on staying strong, living at your healthiest best, and making sure you stay that way no matter what your age. Women will be delighted and surprised at the recommendations, choices, and options available to them. It is our hope that women can discover new ways of dealing with old problems, that every woman will be better fitted to embrace courageous perspectives, gain renewed strength, and exhibit…a good measure of fearlessness for whatever they face.
