Description
Joan M. Blake discusses leaving her native island of Trinidad and Tobago and embarking on the greatest mission of her life: going to America alone. Throughout her life as a wife and mother, and through relationships with family, friends and acquaintances, she shows by her personal testimonies, how life deals out times of great joy, as well as crises. When such crises come, it is so easy to crumble under one’s storms and turn inward to loneliness, anxiety, fear, anger, un-forgiveness, and bitterness. It is only by having an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son, who has all the answers, and by committing every detail of one’s life to Him, that one can enter the narrow gate of faith and find rest. Resting is standing on the promises of Jesus, putting one’s trust in Him, who gives one the ability to overcome emotional upheavals and the turmoil of life, and to find comfort, hope, and purpose in the midst of them.
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Robert G Yokoyama –
Standing On His Promises is a honest and insightful book.
Standing On His Promises is the kind of book that strengthens my faith in God. Joan Blake has gone through many different experiences in her life. She has survived all of them with her strong faith in God. She is very candid about experiences of dealing with a daughter who has special needs. I especially like her experiences with her son Rese. He is a successful barber after having legal troubles early in life. She also writes about dealing with anger and forgiveness. There is a prayer and a reply from God after each chapter. These responses are composed up of verses from the Bible. The location of these verses can be found at the end of the book. I wish that the scripture from these prayers and responses were in the chapter itself instead of at the end. It would have made this book easier to read. This book makes me want to take my Bible out and look up these verses myself. I don’t mind having to do this. The verses are so meaningful. It is worth the search. Joan Blake describes the food of Trinidad in the first chapter. She makes the food so appetizing. I would love to try a dish called Roti, which Blake describes as a flour wrap filled with beans and chicken. This is a very insightful book.
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Faith A. Draper –
Outstanding story, wonderful devotional book
Standing on His Promises: Finding comfort, hope, and purpose in the midst of your storm is a heartfelt tells the life of author Joan M. Blake shared with the reader in her own words. But the book is much more than a simple autobiography.
At the end of each chapter of Standing on His Promises: Finding comfort, hope, and purpose in the midst of your storm Blake shares a prayer based on Bible scripture, then her reflection on the situation in that chapter. She ends her chapters with a few simple questions prompting the reader to reflect on their own lives and similar situations.
An example of Blake’s prompting questions from the first chapter reads: “Do you remember a time in your life when you wanted freedom? Jot down why you wanted freedom. How did you use the freedom you obtained? How have you learned from your experiences?” There is also space in the book for you to make note of your responses to the questions.
From her life on the island of Trinidad and Tobago to traveling to America alone just after high school graduation to marriage, children, and grandchildren Blake allows the reader into every detail of her life. We meet her family, friends, and acquaintances and are involved in the relationships she had with these people. Each time however Blake brings it back to the reader asking them to look at their own lives.
Blake at no time comes across as `preaching’ rather the opposite. By sharing her `storms’ as if she were talking to a dear friend and her feelings during difficult times she gives the reader the comfort of knowing they are not the only ones who have these struggles. At the same time she shows the importance of having a relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Not just during the good times in our lives but turning those problems however large or small.
The reader can relax and read about the foods of Trinidad, the struggles of a woman in a strange country and even enjoy vacations with the family. Or, it can be read as a deep bible study or even used as a devotional.
One of my favorite parts of Standing on His Promises is the chapter “Struggling to Know God’s Will” but the book also covers such topics as dealing with anxieties, fears, sickness, anger, and quilt along with may others.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes but was not obligated to give a positive review. The above is my own opinion.
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Richard R. Blake –
Finding Strength in Times of Crisis
“Standing on the Promises: Finding Comfort, Hope, and Purpose in the Midst” is a heartwarming combination of memoir, inspiration, and encouragement, seasoned with a message of hope and joy for the reader in times of crisis.
This is Joan Blake’s (no relation to this reviewer) story. Joan tells of growing up in Trinidad, of her education in Boston, of her marriage, early days of starting a family, and of how she learned to find peace and rest in the midst of emotional chaos, devastating disappointment, and other painful experiences.
The prayer poems of inspiration with accompanying responses and reflections included in each chapter are a unique feature of the book. These original prayers are as moving and relevant to the individual reader today as they were to Joan during her various times of crisis and specific need.
“Standing on the Promises: Finding Comfort, Hope, and Purpose in the Midst” is engaging with a strong message, timely and needed. The format offers solid encouragement for the individual reader, small group discussion, or for using in a mentoring relationship.
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Lora Bryant Davis –
It was a good book talking about the struggles of a young lady …
It was a good book talking about the struggles of a young lady who was in a foreign country with foreign traditions and food.
It talks about a lady who looks towards God for guidance in life and I recommend it to all people.
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Happy Gardener –
Great reminder
Standing on His Promises is a good reminder to all of us how God is with us all the way through those good and trial times. I like that this writer tells her story in a real way. Often times you see someone who is well accomplished and you don’t know what they have been through. I like the transparency and total focus on how she came through– God’s Love. A great read as it encourages individuals to trust God and find comfort in Him even through trials. Thank you
Dee
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Daniel Wallace –
Joan’s book “Standing on His Promise” is an excellent text that should appeal to everyone . Her ability to intertwine prayer and prose is genius as she gives the reader a portion of her own life in each chapter as we get to know her while also providing us with prayer to guide us . Joan gives us her life perspective through her recollections as well as how she was able to find guidance through God’s teachings and love. A must read.
Rev. Sharon A. Buttry, MSW –
There are so many examples in Scripture of people who waited on God to learn of their unique purpose. This book reminds me that God is shaping and equipping each and every person according to God’s plan and timeline, giving us hope for the future. in spite of setbacks and challenges, this book inspires confidence for anything the future may hold.