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Jean pictured with
her husband, the Rev Brian Gibson,
minister of Railway Street
Presbyterian Church, Lisburn.
Jean Gibson of Care for the Family (Lisburn, Northern Ireland)
launched her book 'Seasons of Womanhood' in Malone House,
Belfast on Thursday 1st November. Jean is the wife of the Rev
Brian Gibson, minister of Railway Street Presbyterian Church,
Lisburn.
In her book Jean shares with us the
stories of women - all at different stages of their life
journeys - facing life with courage and faith.
There is Lynne whose husband took their youngest child to school
one morning and never returned home. No one who knew him could
believe that this church elder, home group leader and worship
leader had decided to leave his wife and children to live with
someone else. From the depths of despair, Lynne gradually
realised that God could step into the mess of her life and give
her a whole new ministry.
Elaine grew up among Protestant paramilitaries in East Belfast,
her teenage years lost to alcohol and antisocial behaviour. When
she left home at the age of seventeen to live with a prominent
paramilitary, she achieved instant status in her local
community. She soon discovered the true meaning of the word
terrorism however, as fear became the dominant emotion in her
life. At the age of twenty-three, her decision to change
direction and follow Christ had deep repercussions on the rest
of her life.
The wide range of women's profoundest experience is visited in
this book ' the joys and pains of motherhood ' infertility,
miscarriage, post-natal depression. The trauma of a broken
marriage; anorexia; the struggle of caring for a beloved,
chronically-ill relative. Nor are the challenges of later life
overlooked. Grandmother, Hilary, continues a meaningful life
into retirement and Alzheimer's sufferer, Jean, in the
frightening confusion of her memory loss, still holds onto her
faith and looks forward to being with her Lord.
Wendy Bray writes of Seasons of Womanhood, 'There are no
celebrities in this book; no guaranteed happy endings,
comfortable career choices or stories of star-struck success.
Instead, there are real lives of real faith in a real God who
show up in the toughest of circumstances for the most ordinary
of women.'
Jean's book (ISBN 9781860246272) is available from Faith Mission
bookshop, Lisburn and Wesley Owen Bookshop, Belfast, price
£7.99. It can also be ordered online at
www.wesleyowen.com or phone 0800 83 43 15 (FREEPHONE from
the UK).
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Jean signs a copy of her book for her
father, Samuel Stewart from Coleraine.
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Jean gives a brief synopsis of her
book, which shares the stories of women - all at
different stages of their life journeys - facing
life with courage and faith.
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Seasons of
Womanhood |
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Jean pictured with her parents
Samuel and Florence Stewart. Also included are
Jean's sisters Audrey Love (left) with her
husband Ivan Love and Heather Dickson (right)
with her husband Dr. Glen Dickson.
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Jean pictured with Joanne Hogg
(left) and Gwynneth McBride (right), who
provided the music at the book launch.
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02/11/2007
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