Friday, May 30, 2014

Elaine W. Miller: Offering Hope In The Happily Ever After

Everyone's Story welcomes another Elaine, author and speaker Elaine W. Miller. Elaine first caught my attention with the title of her non-fiction book WE ALL MARRIED IDIOTS. My own husband and I have been married a long, long, very long time and having been through valleys and peaks and then some, I thought the subject of making a marriage work would be an uplifting read, especially tossed in with a hefty dose of faith and humor. Check out Elaine's book trailer, her special Giveaway offer, and see if you agree with what she has to share. Both of us Elaines are looking forward to hearing from you.


Book Giveaway:
Elaine is offering to one randomly chosen commenter her or his choice of one copy of WE ALL MARRIED IDIOTS or SPLASHES OF SERENITY: BATHTIME REFLECTIONS FOR DRAINED MOMS or SPLASHES OF SERENITY: BATHTIME REFLECTIONS FOR DRAINED WIVES. The winner will be announced here on Friday, June 6th, between 5-6 PM EST. To be eligible, please leave your contact information within your comment. Thanks!




Elaine's book trailer for WE ALL MARRIED IDIOTS:



Our Words Can Impact the World by Elaine W. Miller

From one Elaine to another, thank you, Elaine Stock, for encouraging writers through "Everyone's Story."

My writing story began in a file cabinet. There I stored personal journals about life and faith. With no plans to be an author, my only hope was that after I died, my family will discover the journals and my grandchildren will learn a little bit about grandma and God.

One Sunday I went to church. Well, I actually go to church every Sunday. My husband is a Pastor. That life-changing Sunday Dan preached on the Parable of the Talents. In that parable God becomes angry with the lazy servant who buries his talent. I listened to my husband and my heart heard God ask, What good are those journals buried in your file cabinet if no one reads them? I knew I was to write a book.

Having no idea how to write a book, I attended Montrose Christian Writer's Conference. At my first writing class I learned "Write what you are passionate about." A little embarrassed, I confess I'm passionate about my bath. Well, God and my family are right up there with baths on my passion-o-meter. So, I wrote about baths, God, and my family.

My first book, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms, published several years later after attending more conferences, being rejected, getting published in magazines, joining a critique group, writing and rewriting and all the work a published writer must do. A sequel, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives, released a year later.

I remember writing Drained Wives with my eyes shut, praying no one would read it. This book divulges marriage troubles few knew (including my mother-in-law and the elders of our church). Effective writers must be honest and transparent, or who will find us credible?  

After reading Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives my mother-in-law still loved me, and the elders kept Dan as their Pastor. Phew!

My readers, though, asked for more.

A friend wrote: "You have a great marriage story. Write a deeper book. Tell us what God says about marriage."

You see, I packed my husband's bags three times our first year of marriage. Now married 43 years, I shudder thinking of life without my wonderful man. We were almost a marriage casualty, but God restored love in our hearts that remains today.

God can take a dead marriage and make it alive again. I know. He did it to mine.

We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can digs deep into our lives and God's plan for marriage.

Why that title? With the high divorce rate, I know there are a lot of people thinking they married idiots. Dan and I had an argument many years ago when I thought (but did not say), I must have been an idiot to marry that idiot. Laughing at my own idiocy, I realized that makes me an idiot too. Later I learned the word idiot is derived from the Greek word common man. We are all common man and common woman. There is only one uncommon man — Jesus Christ. When we look to our spouses to fulfill needs that only Jesus can fulfill, then we have marriage problems.

High divorce rates are universal. Last February I spoke in Russia (the country with the highest divorce rate) and Bosnia. What a thrill to realize We All Married Idiots being translated into Russian, Bosnian, and Spanish. Certainly, I never dreamed God would use the journals in my corner office file cabinet to reach the world for Christ.

My life writing verse is Psalm 102:18 "Write this down for the next generation so people not yet born will praise the Lord.”  

Elaine's Ah-hahs To Tweet:
Have we really all married idiots? Author Elaine W. Miller on Everyone’s Story. (Tweet This)

Author/speaker @ElaineWMiller: How God used her private journals to reach the world. (Tweet This)

#BookGiveaway of WE ALL MARRIED IDIOTS—a Christian perspective! (Tweet This)

Author's Bio:
Elaine W. Miller is a popular international author and speaker known for sharing biblical insights with warmth, enthusiasm, and humor. A member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, she has been encouraging audiences for over 25 years. Elaine and her husband, an ordained minister, have been married 43 years. Together they have led many marriage retreats and counseled numerous hurting couples. Residing in upstate New York, Elaine and Dan enjoy a beautiful and sometimes idiotic life together. Three married children and 10 grandchildren complete their joy.

Places to connect with Elaine:


36 comments:

  1. Thanks for your encouragement to writers. You are a blessing, Elaine Stock.

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    1. Thanks for the lovely words. Here's the thing, Elaine--this blog/forum has turned out to be one of the best personal blessings of my life. Weekly I am touched to the core of my heart and am uplifted in faith by the amazing support I receive from viewers and guests, which you are no exception. You all make it easier to be one foot in front of the other on a daily basis.

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    2. One foot in front of the other is great advice for writers. Sometimes we just need to put one word in front of the other and see the sentences that come onto our paper on a daily basis.

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    3. I'm a pastor's wife, but I'd never tell the congregation I married an idiot. LOL. They might agree. Oh horrors! At this moment, I know several newly weds going through marital trauma. I'll recommend this book to them. Thanks for this.

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    4. Thanks for stopping by, Gay. I'm thinking Elaine's book may just prove to be a valuable source of encouragement.

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    5. Ha Gayle! You made me laugh. If you read We All Married Idiots, you might be able to say to the congregation, "My husband married an idiot. And so did I!" I hope you recommend Idiots to those newlyweds. They are in my heart in prayer tonight. Thanks for the comment!

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  2. I tweeted, then posted on FB and almost forgot to post a comment. lol Loved this post. While I'm not married now, I have to read Elaine's book! And I have a couple of friends who desperately need it. :-)

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    1. Oh, how I know the feeling, Pat (grinning). Yet, on a serious note, this idiot concept can be drawn out to many--if not most--relationships since there are such a diverse lot of us in this world. Well, at least us writers aren't lacking for conflicting personalities!

      Thanks so much for passing the word along on Elaine's segment. You're a sweetheart.

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    2. Patricia and Elaine you are right about singles needing to read We All Married Idiots. In fact, this book is a hit among college students and I've been asked to speak at college campuses.

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  3. Elaine Miller and I met at Philly a few years ago through a mutual friend. She's a lovely lady and a joy to be around.

    Thanks for a peek into your writing journey. I've been journaling for years, and it's a great way to get the writing wheels moving forward.

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    1. Thanks for your visit, Susan. I wonder if that was the same Philly conference I attended--small funny world if I were there at the same time as you two wonderful ladies & didn't know it.

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    2. I'm teaching at Montrose Christian Writer's Conference this July. Hope to see many good friends their. Writer's Conferences are a great way to connect with people who think the way writer's think and to learn from each other.

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    3. Susan, I remember well Jeanette and I screaming when we met in the hall. You were kind to claim us as friends. Happy to read about your writing success

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    4. And here's a tipoff to you, Elaine & viewers, Susan Reinhardt will be Everyone's Story's guest beginning next Friday… not that I'm rushing the week away with you, Elaine.

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  4. Thank you for sharing Elaine's books and message with your readers. Elaine's heart to encourage others and strengthen, and renew marriages, is contagious. Once you read Elaine's books, you'll want to share the truth within each, with your friends, family, and neighbors. I keep a stock of all three of her books and give them as birthday, wedding, and anniversary gifts. A good book is priceless yet a well written book, with a message of hope and renewal is a treasure. I gift treasures, how about you?

    Thank you again for sharing my friend Elaine W Miller's gift to encourage, inspire, and renew.

    Lisa M Buske
    http://LisaMBuske.com

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    1. Lisa, thanks for visiting. Elaine has a special & lovely friend in you.

      Hope to see you again.

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    2. Lisa, you are a sweet gift God sent to me at a writer's conference, of course. Your book, Where's Heidi, is filled with hope for those hurting and grieving losses? What God did in your life after the abduction of your sister is a story of hope the world needs to hear. Thank you for writing your story.

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  5. Elaine,
    What a fun and much-needed book in our society today. Thanks for having Elaine (the other one : ) visit your blog.

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    1. I'm glad you stopped by, Cynthia. We all need encouragement on so many fronts in today's testing times.

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    2. My goal was to make people laugh and cry tears of hope and understanding of the complexity of life issues. We all need to laugh more and not get upset about things that won't matter five hours from now.

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    3. You're so right, Elaine!

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  6. I love that you can reach people all over the world.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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    1. Mary, thanks for your visit… and all the ways from Australia!

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  7. Divorce is universal. Thankful words of hope can reach people around the world.

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  8. What a wonderful example of how God takes our experiences - both positive and negative - and turns them around for good to bless others. A great redemption story!

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    1. Welcome to Everyone's Story, Sarah. I agree--it never ceases to awe me how God custom-designs each one of our lives to glorify Him and to bless others… we just have to be open to how He can use us.

      Hope to see you again.

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    2. Our marriage is a miracle saved by a God who resurrects dead marriages! Thanks Sarah

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  9. Elaine Miller, thanks for sharing your writing journey with us and not keeping everything in that filing cabinet. Love the title of your new book, and the insight that "idiot" means "common man/woman." Well, it is pretty common!

    janet dot sketchley at gmail dot com

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    1. Janet, heartfelt thanks for visiting this evening. Yes, I also learned something new when Elaine explained the meaning of that pretty interesting word.

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    2. Now when we make silly mistakes, my husband and I just laugh and say "We're a couple of idiots!" It is freeing!

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    3. My husband and I still haven't arrived at that point, but I can see how that shared confession would indeed be freeing… I might just suggest that to him :)

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  10. Elaine, it's so good to see how God is blessing your work as an author and speaker around the world. I know that your latest book, We All Married Idiots, is having an amazing impact. Marriage is so important to God and, therefore, should also be to us as Christians. Thanks for your inspiring post. Your enthusiasm and zeal for strengthening relationships is quite evident. And, thank you, Elaine Stock, for hosting Elaine Miller this week on Everyone's Story. Blessings to you both and keep up the good work!

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    1. So nice of you to visit, Dr. Fraser. Thanks for the kind words.

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    2. Thank you, Dr. Fraser, for fighting for marriages too! You interviewed me for your blog and you have a new book too. Check out Dr. Ryan Fraser folks! Blessings!!!

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  11. Elaine, from one Elaine to another, thanks so much for guesting on Everyone's Story this past week. You've been a joy to host, sharing encouraging thoughts on how to make relationships work, and of course, trusting God.

    Thanks too for the fabulous Giveaway. And the winner of one of Elaine's books (winner's choice!) is….

    Sarah. Happy reading! Both Elaine and I will contact you shortly.

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    1. Congrats Sarah! I look forward to hearing which one of my books you would like. Blessings to you as you read. Thanks Elaine for hosting my books and thoughts this week. What a great time!

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