A love-stretched life : stories on wrangling hope, embracing the unexpected, and discovering the meaning of family

First Title Value for Searching:

Personal Author:

Goble, Jillana

Physical Description:

307 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm.

Summary:

"This life is real and complicated, messy, colorful, good, exhausting, and exhilarating--often simultaneously. It's easy to feel overburdened by life's demands. Looking out into the world as well as under the roof of our home may cause us to question, "How did we get here? And how will we get through?" Jillana Goble has been there. With honesty, faith, and a dose of humor, her debut memoir, A Love-Stretched Life, chronicles what she's continually learning on the suspension bridge between reality and hope. A mom via foster care, birth, and adoption--in that order--for nearly two decades, Jillana has experienced life's curveballs. Her come-as-you-are posture amidst a daily reality far different than she ever imagined reassures you that you're not alone if your life isn't tidily wrapped in a bow. These stories will stay with you as you strive to love and to love well, even when--and especially when--it's hard. Whether you are widening your family circle or just trying to get through the day, Jillana welcomes you to her table, offering you an anchor of hope to hang on to as you navigate your own love-stretched life."--Publisher.

Contents:

Introduction: leaning in -- Presence that shapes you: influence -- A royal storm: a new understanding of faith -- Bonds of brotherhood: ties that bind -- We all miss the mark: empathy -- The prolonged wait: surrender -- As long as there's breath: hope -- Steadfast: attachment -- Expectations: adjustment -- Asking for help: intentionality -- Showing up: paying attention -- Neighboring: beyond the surface -- Today: surviving vs. thriving -- Family togetherness: impact -- Come as you are: friendship -- In every neighborhood: grace -- The long game: reconnection -- Mom: acceptance -- Conclusion: vibrant family in a thick gray reality.

Subject Term:

Mothers -- United States -- Biography.

Families

Parenting -- Anecdotes.

Motherhood -- Religious aspects -- Christianity.

Motherhood -- United States.

Publication Info:

Carol Stream, Illinois : Tyndale Momentum, [2022]

Subject:

Mothers -- United States -- Biography.

Families

Parenting -- Anecdotes.

Motherhood -- Religious aspects -- Christianity.

Motherhood -- United States.

Goble, Jillana

Family

Families -- Social aspects

Families -- Social conditions

Family life

Family relationships

Family structure

Relationships, Family

Structure, Family

Parent behavior

Parental behavior in humans

Maternity

SAILS ISBN:

9781496453402

Available:

Library	Shelf Number	Shelf Location	Status
Searching... Fiske Public Library	362.73 GOBLE	NONFICTION	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

"With forthrightness and a sense of humor, the author crafts a poignant portrait of motherhood, replete with hard-earned wisdom. . . . This uplifting memoir exemplifies the power of faith, hope, and steadfast love." -- Publisher's Weekly This life is real and complicated, messy, colorful, good, exhausting, and exhilarating--often simultaneously. It's easy to feel overburdened by life's demands. Looking out into the world as well as under the roof of our home may cause us to question, "How did we get here? And how will we get through?"Jillana Goble has been there. With honesty, faith, and a dose of humor, her debut memoir, A Love-Stretched Life , chronicles what she's continually learning on the suspension bridge between reality and hope. A mom via foster care, birth, and adoption--in that order--for nearly two decades, Jillana has experienced life's curveballs. Her come-as-you-are posture amidst a daily reality far different than she ever imagined reassures you that you're not alone if your life isn't tidily wrapped in a bow.These stories will stay with you as you strive to love and to love well, even when--and especially when--it's hard. Whether you are widening your family circle or just trying to get through the day, Jillana welcomes you to her table, offering you an anchor of hope to hang on to as you navigate your own love-stretched life.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Goble shares guidance from her life as a "foster, biological, and adoptive mom (in that order)" in her bittersweet debut. "Difficult and worthy are not mutually exclusive--they are often intertwined," Goble notes, recounting the sleepless nights, innumerable court dates, and pleasant surprises that came along with raising five children. When Goble and her husband were 25, they decided to "put our faith into action" and take in foster children; she discusses how navigating the foster care system taught her to celebrate small victories, and how the challenges of adopting a son with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder helped her realize that one can thrive without having everything figured out ("there are times when simply putting one foot in front of the other can be a holy act"). To stay centered, Goble recommends journaling, counseling, resting, and learning to ask for help. With forthrightness and a sense of humor, the author crafts a poignant portrait of motherhood, replete with hard-earned wisdom ("Avoiding pain is not the ultimate prize of a life well lived"). This uplifting memoir exemplifies the power of faith, hope, and steadfast love. Agent: Kathryn Helmers, Creative Trust Literary Group. (May)

Booklist Review

A moment of clarity in author Goble's late teens eventually inspired her and her husband to complete training to become foster parents. Their first fostering experience, with two brothers who had experienced trauma at the hands of their biological mother, gave Goble, a dedicated teacher, even more desire to help kids outside the classroom. As her family grew, she learned that life was full of disappointments, heartache, and unforeseen consequences. Goble decided that "a love-stretched life" was better than an easy life that is un-stretched. In this memoir, Goble includes her experiences as a teacher, a foster parent, a biological parent, an adoptive parent, and a wife that contributed to her decision to fill and expand her life even as it sometimes breaks her heart and soul. Goble's honesty about the triumphs and tears of inviting kids and their biological families into her own family is refreshing and offers insights into caring for others and finding your own way to a fulfilling life.

Introduction: Leaning In	p. 1
1 Presence That Shapes You	p. 7
Influence
2 A Royal Storm	p. 27
A New Understanding of Faith
3 Bonds of Brotherhood	p. 41
Ties That Bind
4 We All Miss the Mark	p. 57
Empathy
5 The Prolonged Wait	p. 73
Surrender
6 As Long as There's Breath	p. 83
Hope
7 Steadfast	p. 109
Attachment
8 Expectations	p. 127
Adjustment
9 Asking for Help	p. 143
Intentionality
10 Showing Up	p. 159
Paying Attention
11 Neighboring	p. 179
Beyond the Surface
12 Today	p. 187
Surviving vs. Thriving
13 Family Togetherness	p. 209
Impact
14 Come as You Are	p. 219
Friendship
15 In Every Neighborhood	p. 235
Grace
16 The Long Game	p. 245
Reconnection
17 Mom	p. 269
Acceptance
Conclusion: Vibrant Family in a Thick Gray Reality	p. 289
Meet My Family	p. 297
Acknowledgments	p. 298
Notes	p. 302
About the Author	p. 306

Available:

Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Summary

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

Table of Contents