When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams: Hope for Today from 12 Women of the Bible Paperback – February 19, 2019

If I couldn't have a Biblical novel by Jill Eileen Smith, this is what I would want. Jill does a superb job crafting the stories of characters who don't have voices in the Bible, while remaining true to Scripture and encouraging readers to read--or re-read--the Bible accounts for themselves. Each mini-story is written with deft attention to detail and three-dimensional, authentic voices. These ladies sound like ones I would meet in everyday life and maybe offer a cup of cocoa.More than that, I appreciated Jill's thoughts on each woman's relationship with God, how each woman's story applies to us, and how we can cope when, well, life doesn't match our dreams. In this season, I find myself identifying especially with Hagar, but everyone had something valuable to say. Jill's end-of-chapter questions also probe deep, encouraging real introspection. If I had her ear, I would ask her to make this a full-blown Bible study with an interactive workbook.Rumor has it Jill is planning another book like this soon. All I can say is, hurry, please!

The author told the stories of these women in a unique way. It gave me new insight on into the hardships they dealt with, as well as possible motives for their actions. I especially like how she gave examples of modern day problems that were similar. I learned a lot about the 12 women and a few new things about myself as well.

It was better than I expected

Jill Eileen Smith joins her skill as a novelist with biblical research to explore the stories of twelve women from the Old Testament whose life didn't match their dreams. In these pages Jill takes these women's stories and points out areas where their lives relate in some way to the lives of women today.Each chapter begins with a section which narrates the biblical event from the women's point of view, then moves to how the author feels these events relate to her own, and possibly the reader's, experiences.The chapters end with thoughts to ponder and questions to spur further self-evaluation and application of lessons learned from these twelve women's lives.The lives of Eve, Noah's wife, Sarah, Hagar, Lot's wife, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah, Dinah, Potiphar's wife, Tamar, and Zipporah are explored.While I didn't always see how the dots and points the author used between the women of the Bible and women today connected in every story, there were several I did.I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest review, which is exactly what I gave.

Easy read. The writer dumbed the information down a little too much.

Such a good look at the women in the Bible and the trials they faced. So relate able, realistic, such good examples of how our lives truly go.

Book Review of "When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams" by Jill Eileen SmithHope for Today from 12 Women of the Bible"When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams" is a book every women can relate to in some way, as without a doubt most of us have encountered a similiar life situation that one of these 12 biblical women faced, because, as most of us will agree, life does not always go according to what we hope, plan or dream for.Yet, this book shows us that even though life often doesn't play out the way we thought it would, we can still keep hoping and dreaming, for everyday is a new day and a new chance, for our God is an Awesome God who can work ALL things together for good in our lives.Of the 12 Women in this book, some might be more familiar to you than others, but all of them were real women. Sometimes when reading the bible and its stories, we tend to forget it is about real people. It's stories about real people who lived real lives and went through real life experiences like we do, the only difference is that it was many years ago.Have you ever wondered when reading about Adam and Eve's story, what Eve might have been thinking and feeling? After all, she was the one who got enticed by the serpent and caused Adam to join her in eating the forbidden fruit. Ever wonder why she did that, or what was going on in her mind to cause her to do such a thing and how she felt about dealing with it all afterwards?And what about Noah's wife, ever wonder how she felt about the whole Ark building venture? The bible doesn't tell us much about her, but her in Jill's book we can imagine what she felt and thought about all that was going on in her life at that time and after the flood.And many others, like Lot's wife, why did she look back when she was warned not to? Or Potiphar's wife who seemingly had it all, yet risked everything to try to win Joseph? This book looks at women who faced abandonment, betrayal, lonliness, and wrong choices. Women who had to live with consequences of actions done by them in desperation, or done to them by others. Women who took risks and lost, or lived with regret, women who made the best of what they had and trusted God, women with problems just like you and me.This book imagines what these women might have thought and how they may have reacted and dealt with their circumstances and life choices. I believe it shows us that there is always hope for the future even though our life doesn't end up being the life we dreamed about, we can still have hope for the future, because we have God and He will help us if we ask Him to.I think this is a book that you will find yourself relating to in many ways, and one which you will want to read again and again.I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, but I was not expected to give a favorable review. All thoughts are my own.Leona J. Atkinson

This is another great book for Jill Eileen Smith. I've just recently read through it, and definitely made me stop and think of how I could better react to situations. I highly recommend it to other women.

I borrowed this book from a local library and found it applied to where I am at the moment. Because of this I purchased this ebook. I enjoyed each segment based on the females of the Old Testament (from Genesis to Exodus) -- each one well written and thought-provoking. I look forward to reading more by this author!