Question and Answer Session with Sara Horn, author of "My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife" and Book Giveaway

I had the amazing opportunity to join a team of women who helped Sara Horn publicize her new book "My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife."  We shared information on facebook, blogged about her book and talked with as many people as we could.

Sara also asked if anyone would be interested in doing a Q&A Session with her on their blog, and I jumped at the chance.  Sara is  down to earth and lays it all out there.  My relationship with my husband has benefited from her honest approach, humor and thirst for the truth.

One of my readers will receive a copy of her new book!

To enter to win:

1) Comment if you have read any of Sara's books or

2) Comment if this Q&A or my book review makes you want to read her books or

3) Subscribe to this blog and comment that you did so or

4) Share this blog post on facebook or your own blog and comment that you did so.

The contest will end September 7, 2013 and the winner will be announced the following day.

Please ENJOY!

#1: Were there specific events in your life that lead you to look more closely at Ephesians 5:22 and question how our culture (both secular and Christian) look at submission or was it just a general observation?

I think looking at this whole idea of biblical submission was probably a natural progression for me following my walk through Proverbs 31. I saw so much change and improvement in my marriage and my family and my relationship with God through that. My greatest heart's desire is to pursue Jesus. To apply God's Word to my life. And what probably started the submission experiment for me was the fact that this short but sharp little statement "Wives, be submissive to your husbands" isn't mentioned just once, but a few times in scripture. But as women, most of us, if we're honest, cringe when we read that. There's a lot of men who would cringe too. 

But I believe in the Bible's inerrancy and I believe there's a reason for this instruction. I just think what was intended in scripture for good, has been twisted, first by men who saw these verses as an opportunity to lord over their wives with power, who ignored the verses for themselves that outline such heavy important responsibilities (like showing love to their wives the way Christ loves the church) that they are called to as husbands, and then second, by culture, and the other extreme where women are told they don't need their husbands input or opinion and they should do as they want when they want and not allow anyone else to ever tell them otherwise. We have two widely different ideas of paths it seems like we think women should follow:  "doormat-ism" vs "feminism." I think biblical submission is really intended for somewhere in the middle.  

#2: Has your parent's divorce played any role on your wanting to follow God's lead and strengthen your own marriage?

Your parents' relationship is the first example of marriage you ever have growing up. I think anyone would say that. I want to be careful here because I want to be respectful for the 29 years that my parents did devote to each other and to their children, but there were many lessons I learned from my parents' marriage of what not to do in my own relationship. While my husband and I have had a couple of rough patches in our fifteen years and counting (year #7 was a doozy), I'm grateful that both of us are not the same people today that we were when we first got married. We've grown up - in our relationships with God and with each other, and part of that has stemmed from the challenges and the hard stuff we've walked through. Communication with each other is key; so is forgiveness, so is being willing to put each other before ourselves.

#3:  As you see your own spirit changing and becoming more in line with God's direction, there is a ripple effect that you see in your husband.  Have there been any changes in your son, Caleb, because of your healthy marriage?

Caleb will be 13 next spring (ack, a teenager! Y'all pray for me! :)). He has always seen his mom and dad as loving and caring towards each other. He's also seen us argue and have heated discussions, but apologize and hug afterwards, too. I would have to say that if he's been impacted in any way, it would be that it's more apparent that his dad is leading our family in a more vocal, tangible way, and Cliff has been very intentional in leading Caleb, especially the last several months. He no longer leaves it up to me to do most of the disciplining or even the corralling (making sure chores are getting done, instructions are being obeyed). That has been an awesome thing to watch, and see their relationship as Caleb gets older just blossom and grow.

 

#4:  Are you still working on being a submissive wife even though your book is complete?

Oh yes. This is something that I think is a daily occurrence and I don't expect to ever check it off an invisible list. Every once in awhile, both Cliff and I will catch ourselves getting lazy or less focused, and we have to reset a little bit but it's all about the journey. There will always be blessings to be found when we pursue loving God's way over our own. 

 

#5:  Any ideas on what your next book may be about?
 

There's a couple of topics, actually, that I'm looking at with my publisher. One deals with this whole idea of forgiveness and letting go of stuff that we tend to hold onto and hold in. Another delves a little more deeper into marriage. Neither will be a year-long experiment format. But we'll still keep some of the funny and definitely the real. We learn a whole lot better when we're real with each other, don't you think? :)

Thanks Wendy for the questions! Please invite your readers to check out the new book and please visit my website at sarahorn.com or find me on FB or Twitter! :)

 

My review of the book "My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife" by Sara Horn

http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-my-so-called-life-as.html


My review of the book "My So-Called Life As A Proverbs 31 Wife" by Sara Horn

http://seekhispurpose.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-my-so-called-life-as.html