We are thrilled to announce our partnership with CrossRiver Media to publish our Camp Krafve marriage book, Marriage Conversations: From Coexisting to Cherished. For a little fun in your day, here’s the video our family made in honor of our friends at CrossRiver Media. (Yep, my grandchildren are adorable! ❤️❤️❤️)
Me? A Marriage Book? You Gotta Be Kidding, God!
At first, this book began as a collection of family stories for my kids. All the stuff they would need to make a great marriage. All the stuff their parents and grandparents learned the hard way. You know, in case I died in the parking lot of a heart attack before they got married—one of my many ridiculous but real fears.
But, me write a book about marriage? No way! I simply collected stories to help my kids avoid the mistakes I made daily!
It’s Personal
For me personally, this book combines some deeply authentic family stories about marriage and life. Because my parents contributed many of their personal stories before they died, I’m grieving a little as we come to the culmination of this dream. Our family really misses Mom and Dad.
Once we had a huge pile of our personal family stories, our kids kept asking David and I for photocopies so they could share with their friends. Consequently, we decided to share even the uncomfortable stuff in a public format—a book. Honestly, the uncomfortable stuff means the most to us.
I always wanted to write a book, but about marriage. No way! Yet, when I asked God if I could write a book, his sweet Spirit whispered to start with the marriage book. Ouch! (For 3 quick tips to beat the marital blues, click here.)
The Gentle Art of Companionship
In fact, Marriage Conversations goes to the heart of why there is so much confusion about sexuality and sexual identity in modern culture. In each chapter, we present truth and tools to foster fellowship–or the gentle art of companionship–in marriages and families.
Whether you’re cherishing a delightful marriage or hanging in there, there’s something to encourage ANYONE. For those who feel like their marriage is hard, we hope you realize that’s a common feeling. You are not alone. (To get our blog, click here! Once a week, we’ll send you something encouraging, thought-provoking and fun!)
Additionally, we noticed a startling cultural phenomenon. As Christians, when we fail to make a compelling explanation of what Jesus said about sexual intercourse being the initiating act of marriage, we open the door for confusion and condemnation.
Compassionate Truth
In order to be effective in offering people compassionate truth, we need to dig deeply ourselves, understanding marriage as a picture of true companionship. By doing so, we motivate people of all perspectives.
No one understood the delight of a lasting, tender commitment better than my parents, who were married over fifty years. They gave their kids and grandkids a front row see for how challenging marriage can be, especially when life gets messy. We are thrilled to pass along the lessons we learned from them. (To sign up for free weekly ideas to foster communication and companionship in YOUR home and community, click here! And we really hope you will!)
Finding the Right Partner
CrossRiver Media Group’s Founder and President, Tamara Clymer, saw the beauty of this project from the moment she read the book proposal. We are deeply grateful to her. Editor Deb Butterfield is already working hard to hold me accountable for every word. Please pray for Deb specifically in the coming months as we tackle the heartbreaks and joys marriage includes. Also, we thank DeeDee Lake who is my CR guide through the process and is quickly endearing herself to my heart with her tender encouragement.
“We are just as excited to have Cathy join the CrossRiver family of authors,” says Tami. “She is a talented writer and speaker and puts a snappy spin on deeply spiritual truths.” (For more about Camp Krafve, click here.)
Soon, you will be able to find my author page at CrossRiver. While silly to some, my own author page leaves me breathless with excitement! (I have to remind myself not to hyperventilate every time I click to look for it. I bet I’m single-handedly driving up CrossRiver’s hits!)
Marriage Conversations: From Coexisting to Cherished is scheduled for release Valentines Day of 2021.
About CrossRiver Media
CrossRiver Media Group is a Christian publishing company based in western Missouri. Founded in 2010, CrossRiver publishes books and other materials that help Christians in their daily walk with the Lord. They publish award-winning materials in several genres: non-fiction, fiction, Bible study, and Christian living. Their authors include winners of the CSPA Book of the Year, SELAH Award, and Grace Awards. For more about CrossRiver, click here.
To submit a proposal to Cross River, click here. (I found this book helpful for creating proposals. For more help with writing books or proposals, I can highly recommend Sandra Beck to walk you through building a platform and all the other pieces of the publishing world.)
Shout Outs to Other Special Friends
Also, a special shout out to my agent, the amazing Karen Neumair of Credo Commuications. You can find Credo, by clicking here and more from Karen, here. By signing up here, I got a terrific free outline for book proposal writing.
Last but not least, we need to thank to crucial people on the team who got this project to this place. Christi McGuire serves as my personal editor. Without her I’m a messy writer. With her, I’m coherent and full of wisdom. It’s a miracle. Bless her, Lord!
The amazing Sandra Beck, social media guru, book coach, concept coach, branding expert, partner in crime, podcast expert, Dynamic Woman, emotional therapist and virtual hand holder, friend, prayer warrior, and so much more! Sandra, you make life fun and dreams reality!
The crew at Toginet who produce our Fireside Talk Radio shows each month, particularly the silent but skillful Roy Bryan. You guys make us all look good and we are grateful!
Next Up:
Please pray for Anna and I to find time to pull together the first three chapters and proposal for our book on fostering imagination in kids (and kids at heart). Obviously, we’re really excited about this project. Of course, we’ll need the right publisher who loves it a much as we do. (You guys know how creative and smart Anna is. As her mom I’m doing my happy dance about this project!! For more from Anna, click here.
May we pray together?
Dear Father, as the message in Marriage Conversations goes out, we pray we would stay true to the teaching of your Son, Jesus Christ. Bless all those who helped bring the project to reality. Help us, now, discover ways to put this book in the hands of those who will read it and be encouraged. Father, you more than anyone know how important marriage is to your kingdom on this earth. You designed marriage to reflect your love and companionship with us. We thank you for seeking us out like a bride groom seeks his bride with joyful, overflowing love. Let us be people who respond to your love with whole hearts. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
We LOVE to hear from you!
What is your favorite book and why? When you think about marriage, what’s your dream come true? How have you improved your own relationships with good communication strategies?
Cathy Krafve, Columnist, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and Christian Writer, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
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