Author honors her father's legacy by providing hope and encouragement to others.
SEATTLE, Jan. 14, 2013 /
Christian Newswire/ -- When a loved one dies, those left behind often want to turn their loss into something positive to help others.
Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) began that way. So did the Amber Alert system of nationwide bulletins about suspected child kidnappings
After the death of her father, Carol Abel Lewis wrote a book.
"My purpose is to share how God worked in my life during a difficult time," Lewis says. "He always provides what we need at the appropriate time."
At her parents' home before the funeral, Lewis discovered in the kitchen a printed copy of her father's last sermon. One sentence caught her eye and ultimately inspired her book: "His grace is sufficient for the believer, no matter where we are in our lives." She includes the sermon, titled, "Matchless Grace of God," in her book.
"
When God Says No: Encouragement for Those Who Grieve" reflects Lewis's experience with her father's death, her subsequent loss of confidence in making requests of God, and how God and one of her father's sermons helped her apply biblical principles and gain confidence to pray again.
Lewis's father, Earl Abel, a pastor, experienced ill health after pacemaker surgery. He died despite the prayers and fasting of his parishioners and others.
"When God Says No" presents four principles found in Scripture that Lewis learned and put into practice during her father's illness and after his death: call on God, understand God's will, accept God's will, and continue on with life, watching for God's goodness and counting the blessings he provides.
Lewis also listened to the tape of her father's last sermon. "I worried a bit about listening to my father's voice delivering the sermon," she says. "However, it was absolutely wonderful and heartwarming." Lewis, associate professor of transportation studies and director of research for the Center for Transportation Training and Research at Texas Southern University, holds bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Iowa and a Ph.D. from the University of Houston.
In 1979, Lewis's parents prayed for God to send her a husband, and "God moved quickly," she says. She met John Lewis that year and married him in 1980. They have two daughters, a son-in-law, and three grandchildren--and look forward to God adding more.
For more information, to request a review copy, or to schedule an interview, please contact Robyn Williams by phone at 360-802-9758, by email at
robyn@winepresspublishing.com or by fax at 360-802-9992. To purchase a copy of this book visit
WinePress Books or call 877-421-7323.
