Welcome to the first Saturday Spotlight in June 2019! As you well know, I LOVE introducing brand new-to-me authors and sharing their books with you. Today is no exception. Please welcome Ann C. Sullivan to our spotlight.
Tell us a little about your book.....
Look at your friend’s perfect vacations on Facebook and smiling faces on Instagram. But, you feel unsatisfied and unhappy with your life. You struggle to find contentment even though you recognize that you are blessed. Ann C. Sullivan has been there. As an active speaker, she found herself scheduled to speak about contentment at a time she was struggling with her own depression. After going through the process to address her depression, she realized she had to rethink her idea of contentment, this thing she had been speaking about for years.
In Unsatisfied: Finding Contentment in a Discontented World, Sullivan sorts through the reasons for our frustrations – Drama, Judgement, Fear, and Comparison – and leads readers on a path to genuine contentment through Hope, Purpose, and Fulfillment. Unsatisfied dares readers to believe that God is closer than you think, sorts through the reasons for unhappiness and frustrations, helps define fulfillment, and leads readers to find genuine contentment.
Unsatisfied:
Unravels our cultural definition of fulfillment.
Identifies the empty spaces the comparison game leaves behind.
Connects the dots that lead to genuine contentment.
Unsatisfied by Ann C. Sullivan guides readers to find genuine contentment.
Praise for Unsatisfied
“In Unsatisfied: Finding Contentment in a Discontented World, Ann C. Sullivan accomplishes something I wish could be taught yet fear that it can’t: She writes an in-your-face book about a deeply difficult subject, yet she avoids preaching. Rather, Ann takes a come-alongside approach and shares her life, warts and all, revealing what she’s learned and how she’s grown—allowing us to apply the morals and principles for ourselves. It’s a work of art.” – Jerry B. Jenkins, Novelist & Biographer, The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild
Sounds lovely, Ann. Please give us an excerpt....
Intro to Unsatisfied: Finding Contentment in a Discontented World
When I agreed to speak at a women’s conference out west on the topic of contentment, I had no idea I’d be battling depression. If I’d known, I would’ve cleared my calendar.
Choosing a topic for a bunch of strangers is a tricky business even without depression. It gets even trickier when a coordinator wants me to announce my topic months before I’m ready to pick one.
I’ve actually received publicity brochures in the mail detailing my talks long before I’ve written them. I’ll read the descriptions and think, Hmm, I’d like to hear that.
I love connecting with women, but let’s face it, when I land at their retreat, we’re typically strangers. I’ll stand at the podium and look out over the sea of unfamiliar faces and think, I wonder what they’re all retreating from.
Would they tell me stories of cruddy jobs or cranky spouses? Would they tell me how tough it was just getting away for the weekend? Or would they tell me it’s a great day, and they’re ready to celebrate the good things in life, like caramel lattés and girlfriends.
What, kids?
One thing I can count on, though, wherever I’m booked to speak, the moment a topic is
chosen, I know I’m going to get worked over by it, just a bit. It’s God’s way of keeping me real and giving me something worthwhile to say to the strangers who are obviously not strangers to Him.
And it happens every time. If I’m speaking on the topic of contentment, I suddenly have none. If I’m speaking on discernment, I can’t figure anything out. If I’m asked to address the power of self-control, I become the kitchen magnet that reads, “Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.”
A few years ago, I was asked to speak at a moms’ event at a large contemporary church. While I sat at my computer trying to come up with some sort of outline that would inspire the young moms, my own kids were driving me crazy. All I could come up with was:
I. Don’t have any more kids.
II. Quit while you’re ahead.
III. Bigger kids, bigger problems. (Let’s close in prayer.)
Depression can show up very quickly, usually after a crisis. But for me, depression crept up almost imperceptibly, generously offering a front row seat to the world of discontentment. All the things that used to bring me pleasure suddenly offered none.
I’m not even sure I knew what hope was until I lost it. Before then, life was full of possibilities.
Then one day, while he was home from college and grabbing the milk from the fridge, my son suddenly stopped and looked at me and said, “Mom, you gotta get a grip.”
That’s when I realized I’d been crying for six months. Maybe I did have a problem.
Oh Wow! Ann, I can certainly relate! I'm sure most of our readers can too! Thank you. We certainly with you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book!
Now please give us your bio and other info.
Connect with Ann to chat or to book her to speak at your next event.
Website Facebook
Purchase Unsatisfied on Amazon
Purchase Unsatisfied book on Abingdon
Purchase Permission to Doubt on Amazon
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
9 comments:
Ann,
This sounds like an excellent book. You touched on a theme that greatly effects our society.
Great post and it sounds like an excellent book. I am fortunate in that I've always been satisfied and happy with my life. My thought is, yes, there are many people better off, but there are many people worse off too and I'm very blessed. And, when I start to become envious of someone, I ask myself, would I want to completely trade lives with them? Meaning, trade my friends, children, family, experiences? And, the answer is always no. :)
I enjoyed reading your excerpt. Congratulations on your book and your inspirational speaking.
I think depression can sneak up on someone, much as you described. Thank you for post and congratulations on your book.
It's easy to envy others' successes. Being satisfied with one's live takes maturity and hard work. Your book sounds very inspirational.
My mother was critical. She wanted me to be perfect. She drove herself: floor exercises every morning; a "word of the day" to learn, define and use; studying herself closely and often in mirrors. I, on the other hand, was happy being me, I prayed, played hard, loved being outside, and disregarded mirrors. I have always been nosy, so I asked questions that reflected my interest in others, although I didn't always remember answers. Mother was never content...or happy. She did not care for either of her husbands. She remodeled homes, always striving for perfection. She continued loving mirrors, and bathroom scales, and personal compliments. Later in life, she could barely tolerate me. I didn't like her much either. I was nearly 50 years old when my youngest sister said Mother was always terribly jealous of me. I was astonished. At 90, still always angry with me, Mother insisted I make all decisions for her. I came when she called, to derision, insults and verbal abuse. Her last words to me were bitter and unkind. She died. I felt relief. I don't know where one finds contentment. It must be beyond self. I wish Mother could have found some.
Thank you for these comments! They are so insightful. They remind me of how diverse our journey is. Some of us seem to have a natural bent toward contentment while others seem to struggle to embrace it. And defining contentment is so personal. What works for one doesn't always work for another. Or, what worked at one time can stop working, especially if our happiness is "too" dependent on our circumstances.
When peace with God is settled, developing peace with ourselves and with others becomes possible. Learning to change the things we can while leaving the rest with HIM is essential too. But I think that's a learned skill and a gift that needs to be exercised regularly. I love hearing about how you're learning to do that!
I loved the post, and this sounds like a much needed book.
Your books sounds great. I've been aware of discontentment in my life, especially lately...what you said hits home. I appreciated you bits of humor too.
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