Woman in Transition

By Nan McLaughlin

Woman in Transition is about the different phases women have to go through, whether single or married. The single woman, marriage, motherhood, parenting, menopause, grand parenting and how to deal with death, are just some of the subjects contained in the book.

Regardless of the struggles you may be facing, whether it be abuse, low self

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nan McLaughlin
• Release date: Jun 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9780957497214

Book preview

Contents

Dedication

Forewords

Introduction

Prologue - In the Garden

Chapter 1 - The Original Eve

Chapter 2 - The Abused Woman

Chapter 3 - Overcoming Abuse

Chapter 4 - The Rebellious Teenager

Chapter 5 - Parenting Your Teenager

Chapter 6 - The Single Woman

Chapter 7 - Preparing for Marriage

Chapter 8 - Denise’s Story

Chapter 9 - Your Daughter

Chapter 10 - The Independent Woman

Chapter 11 - Marriage

(Part 1)

- How to Support and Submit

Chapter 12 - The Betrayed Woman

Chapter 13 - Marriage

(Part 2)

- Building a Marriage

Chapter 14 - Dealing with Divorce

Chapter 15 - The Mother

Chapter 16 - How to be a Godly Mother

Chapter 17 - The Woman in Debt

Chapter 18 - Wisdom in Finances

Chapter 19 - The Menopausal Woman

Chapter 20 - Understanding the Process of Menopause

Chapter 21 - The Grandmother

Chapter 22 - Being a Wise Grandmother

Chapter 23 - Death of a Loved One

Chapter 24 - Dealing with Death

Chapter 25 - Living to a Ripe Old Age

Chapter 26 - Missed Opportunities

Epilogue - Redeemed

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Dedication

To my wonderful husband of nearly 50 years, who has loved me, supported me and encouraged me.

He is my mentor, my best friend and the one

who has always believed in me.

Thank you Bernie.

Forewords

by Dr. Beverly Wolmarans

Founder of CFC international

Nan McLaughlin, author of Woman In Transition is a long time friend of mine. She is a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother, excellent speaker and pastor with a heart for women of all ages. Her book is filled with practical advice for women in all stages of life. In one chapter she touches on the importance of a single woman being right before looking for Mr. Right. Her chapter on divorce is filled with compassion, and good words of teaching. But best of all, she always leads the reader back to our Lord Jesus Christ and His Eternal Word. Her stories and anecdotes illustrate her points without being overwhelming.

This quick read will help women of all ages. Nan’s delightful book will make a great gift for the women in your life.

by Pastor Tom Inglis

Psalmody International

Sydney Life Christian Family Church

Women are particularly vulnerable to the onslaught of all kinds of attack and have been since the beginning of time. The enemy knows their invaluable contribution to society and will do everything to discourage them as they cope with the plethora of transitions that life inevitably brings. Everyone in todays cauldron of life faces challenges and continual transition and particularly women. They have to cope with child bearing, keeping a home, cooking, washing, and spending many hours with the children while dad is at work. In addition many women give up their dreams so they can rear a family and often deal with issues of loneliness and feelings of isolation. Additionally many divorced women feel abandoned and left to survive alone. Transition seems to be at the very core of

their existence.

However this book is like a breath of fresh air to those who are gasping to know the intense love and plans God has for women. Nan introduces the reader to a loving and understanding God who is intensely interested in the fears and concerns that transition brings. She has successfully portrayed God as a loving Father who wants to help women progress through life’s challenges.

Woman in Transition is a well researched guidebook for women to live as God intended, a treasure trove of insightful gems that every woman needs to know whether a teenager, mum, grandmother or business woman. Women will be encouraged as they read through the pages of this book and discover the exciting possibilities God has planned for them.

The distinguishing feature of this book is that it is not written about women, but for women. It’s like a personal note to women from God, and I highly recommend that every woman irrespective of age should read it and tell others about it.

by Lisa Bevere

Messenger International

Author/Speaker

Reading Woman in Transition is like journeying with a friend. I trust you’ll be inspired and challenged by Nan. She is an amazing friend and mother in the faith.

Introduction

To women everywhere...

Don’t give up. Don’t look back.

You can do it. You can make it.

You are looking good.

From cradle to grave women are going to go through many times of transition. I was born in 1949, just five years after the 2nd World War. I have experienced much change in living standards and lifestyles. I have grown and changed through each season in my life. The transformation of a person is a process, not a one–time quick fix. Are you willing to enter into that process and allow God to reshape you into the woman you want to be and should be? If your answer is yes, prepare to enter the most exciting, rewarding and fulfilling time of your life. As you read and apply the principles in this book, you will experience for yourself the change you have been wanting for so long.

I have the privilege of being a minister’s wife, a mother of three and at this time, grandmother to seven beautiful grandchildren. Since 1980 I have worked alongside my husband, pioneering churches in South Africa and Scotland, with a vision to reach out to the world. I have experienced the different cycles of life that women have to go through, which, as long as the earth remains, will not change. in the callings and giftings of women, regardless of which career they choose to follow and I know that it is time for women to rise up and be all that they were created to be.

The women you will read about have no names, but you will identify with them. They come from different walks of lives and their issues may be your issues too. There is not a woman born into this earth who has not had to struggle with who she is and whether or not she is of value.

Abuse, low self esteem, insecurity, depression, addiction,

discrimination, divorce, hormone changes and the like are just some of the issues that women have to conquer.

You may be struggling through some difficult situations in your life right now and I trust this book will give you some of the answers you are seeking. I have been open and honest as I share from my own experiences and the way I have overcome many challenges by applying the priceless principles of God’s Word in my life.

The bible also contains the many mistakes that men and women of the past have made and they were put there so we don’t have to repeat them.

I found the solutions I needed in the bible to get me through some hard situations in my life. God gave me His word to steer me and keep me on track when I felt utterly overwhelmed and dejected. The life–giving message the bible contains transformed my life and I know it will do the same for you if you will diligently apply it trustingly.

God bless you.

Nan

Prologue - In the Garden

He opened his eyes. How long had he been sleeping? Something was different. His last recollection had been of him talking with God. God saying, You shouldn’t be alone Adam. He stretched again and opened his eyes wide. He was awake now. God was walking toward him, but He was not alone. Someone walked with Him.

Adam stood up and looked with awe and wonder. He couldn’t take his eyes off this beautiful creature. Strange feelings were rising up in him, different to any he had ever known. She was beautiful. He wanted to love her, cherish her, and protect her.

God spoke, Adam, this is your completion. She was taken out from you. I shaped her and formed her. Adam called her woman because she was taken out of man.

She loved walking in the garden and drinking in the beauty and peace, which surrounded her. The flowers were vibrant with colour. The cooling water from the river was so refreshing and the fruit from the trees was so sweet and satisfying.

She was content. She was loved. She was cherished. She was protected. She had all she ever needed or desired.

She found herself in the middle of the garden and came upon the forbidden tree. What was it she had not to do, eat the fruit or touch the fruit? It didn’t matter, she had been forbidden to go near it. If she did she would die. What was die?

The serpent came to her and said that God had lied to her and Adam. He said that she would not die but rather, would become very wise and that God was afraid they would be wiser than He was. What was afraid?

The tree looked good. What harm could a taste of the fruit do? Adam, taste this fruit. It will make you wiser and you will be more like God.

As they stood together their eyes were opened and they saw their nakedness and they felt vulnerable. They were ashamed. They hid their shame from God and from one another. They heard Him call, but they were afraid. These feelings of fear and shame were new to them. They knew they had done something terrible and irrevocable.

God knew, and He cursed the serpent. He cursed the earth and banished them from the garden. From now on Adam would have to work the ground. Toil and sweat would be his portion. The woman would bear children in intense pain and suffering. One day they would face death. They knew what that was now and they were afraid.

Adam was angry with God. He blamed Him for bringing the woman to him. He blamed her for being deceived. It was all her fault! She deserved the pain and the shame.

God killed animals and used their skins to cover their shame and banished them from Paradise. Adam named his wife Eve, meaning – the life giving one.

Chapter 1 - The Original Eve

God never created anything without purpose.

First and foremost, man and woman were created to have a relationship with God.

Man was made (manufactured) out of the dust of the ground. This refers to the body, but the spirit of man was created, and woman was inside him.

It was God’s intention that man should have dominion over the entire earth and all creation as we see it.

Genesis 1:26 & 27 (Amplified Bible)

God said, Let Us (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame beasts, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image and likeness, male and female He created them.

God sees Adam needs a help–meet, so He puts Adam to sleep and makes (builds) woman. It was there that God separated male from female. Adam wakes up feeling a bit empty on the inside, opens his eyes, sees woman and says, Here is my completion. He names her Woman.

Genesis 2:18–25

Now the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone: I will make him a help meet (suitable, adapted, complimentary) for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam: and while he slept, He took one of his ribs or a part of his side and closed up the place with flesh. And the rib or part of his side, which the Lord God had taken from the man, He built up and made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. Then Adam said, This creature is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of a man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall become united and cleave to his wife and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not embarrassed or ashamed in each other’s presence.

So it was in the beginning:

The perfect marriage. The perfect couple. The perfect man. The perfect woman. Having a perfect relationship in fellowship with God. They lived in perfection.

Then something happened that changed everything. The serpent beguiled the woman and she was deceived. She in turn involved Adam in the deception and both of them disobeyed God by eating from the wrong tree!

Genesis 2:16–17 (Amplified Bible)

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat of every tree in the garden. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.

God had told them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If they did, He said they would die. Up until that time there was no death, but because of their disobedience, their relationship with God was broken and man became separated from God.

As if that was not bad enough, Adam had given away the responsibility of governing the earth to Satan. He gave away his authority and dominion. Satan took Adam’s authority and used it against him.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified Bible)

For the god of this world has blinded the unbeliever’s minds (that they should not discern the truth) preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ the Messiah, Who is the image and likeness of God.

Three times in the gospels Jesus called Satan the ruler of this world.

John 12:31 (New King James Version)

Now is the judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

John 14:30 (New King James Version)

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

John 16:11 (New King James Version)

Of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

That doesn’t mean that God has lost ownership of the earth. It means that the devil is the god of this world’s system. That’s why the system often stinks!

Sin came into the world, the earth became cursed and no longer was everything perfect.

Romans 5:12 (New King James Version)

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all have sinned.

Not one person born of woman comes into this earth without bearing the stain of sin. It is because of sin that people want to blame someone. It is never their fault! The woman blamed the serpent. The man blamed the woman and God! God gets the blame