Description
When Love and Purpose Meet
Ross is a recently widowed, retirement-age pastor. Athena is a successful, high-powered businesswoman. When the two marry, not everyone is happy about the union. Change must be faced as a portion of Ross’s congregation leaves and the newlyweds learn to adjust to a new family dynamic, which includes a live-in bipolar son and his young family.
How does this power couple blend their opposite personalities, demanding schedules, and families and manage to deal with ongoing change, settling the church members, and finding their way into God’s good will for their lives? Come along as these Jesus followers share their experiences of how God causes everything to work together for good in our lives—even our bad choices, weaknesses, and sins.
More than just a love story, this growing-in-faith story touches on what we all long for—belonging, being loved for who we are, finding a place of service to God, and purpose in our everyday lives. Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking questions to enrich your relationship with your heavenly Father.
Christina Custodio –
Together For a Purpose is not only a beautiful story of love and redemption but also a wonderful guide on how to navigate our own relationships/marriages. It addresses who we are as individuals brought together in a unique union of two. I loved the story of their courtship and they dealt with struggles. I was inspired to make some changes in my own marriage.
Heidi McLaughlin –
If you’ re looking for an injection of faith and practical wisdom in any area of your life, this is the book for you. Athena and Ross’s raw authenticity and humility in sharing their stories is a testimony of God’s faithfulness and a guidebook for us in ministry and marriage. I love the way they can laugh at themselves and bare their souls to help the reader find the real meaning of Romans 8:28. They’ve been through the messiness! But it is evident how praying together and trusting God’s promise has deepened their faith and love. It’s a book you won’t want to put down.
Cherie Nettles –
This statement from the book has resonated within me, “We’ve learned to choose to look for solutions to the challenges we encounter as God leads us in his way.”
This is such a powerful book about marriage, family and life and embracing all of the paths we travel while allowing God to orchestrate our steps. Great and inspirational read.
Maureen –
There’s no perfect relationship. No matter how long one is married, he or she can always use helpful advice. Better yet, it’s wonderful when a couple seeks to grow closer together. That is the point, after all. With a plethora of books out there on love and marriage, few take the perspective of “He Says / She Says.” In Dr. Ross and Athena Dean Holtz’s new book Together for a Purpose: Love and Mission in Marriage and Ministry, they share from their experience, from the heart, in a personal, vulnerable “He Says / She Says” manner. Each has experiences that are valuable to others, and their grounded biblical perspective takes individuals and couples to the Source of all love–that being Jesus. It’s a helpful tool that’s sure to strengthen not only one’s marriage but also give purpose to a couple’s mission and ministry. But it’s not merely a tool; rather, it’s a weapon in a world which doesn’t always value the holy institution called marriage. It makes a perfect wedding gift but is also wonderful for small group discussions. Indeed, this book is a sword–because couples often find themselves having to battle against lies in a society that too frequently says staying married isn’t worth it. For couples committed to remaining strong–Yes, staying in love until death do they part!–this book, again, is both a wonderful tool and a weapon.
Jill Esau –
I have read my share of marriage/counseling/personal growth types of books. I love them. There is usually at least one nugget of wisdom I can use in every recommended volume I purchase. But TOGETHER FOR A PURPOSE offers an extra kick. It combines an intimate delve into the lives of two extremely accomplished and tender folks who found a deep love at an unexpected time in their lives, then decided to share their challenges with us (me!) in a way that allows for tons of application, reflection, and hope. I read it on Kindle, but will buy several copies for gifts when it is released in hard copy form. The dual recounting of situations by Athena and Ross invite the reader into their virtual living room to not only observe, but to actually learn from their experiences over six decades. Then they top off the chapters with specific questions for us to ponder throughout the day. I learned as much about myself as I did about this remarkable couple. Very clever and effective tools have been organized in this short honest exercise in processing disappointment and grabbing the good in front of us. I highly recommend TOGETHER FOR A PURPOSE if you need a fresh look at life.