11 Women Share the Faith of Helping Beyond the Pretty Dress
Celebrating Black History Month with authors across South
Florida recently, Freeman Thomas Books (a Pecan Tree Publishing
Imprint) released its first company-developed title BEYOND THE
PRETTY DRESS. BEYOND THE PRETTY DRESS on the surface
is about women who have chosen or have been chosen to do
ministry beyond traditional walls and pews. In a deeper sense, it
is about laying aside traditional and denominational beliefs and
thoughts and seeking in a very intimate sense one’s purpose and
spiritual calling from life, pains, traumas, loss and awakenings.
Claudette Freeman, Publisher says, “The ministry of Jesus was
unconventional. He served, taught and interacted in manners
that ruffled the feathers of the religious lawmakers and keepers.
Women, by creation, are nurturing; therefore, when they are
nurtured into the power of unconventional ministry – often
through lonely, barren, valley- like experiences orchestrated by
God - they in turn can more intricately and dynamically reach those
who are wearing figurative hand me downs of experiences. They
are better able to discern the weariness in one’s countenance
and the heaviness in one’s wardrobe. More importantly, they are
not afraid to touch what Contributing Author Yvette Freeman
Rowland calls a certain woman – whomever she may be, whatever
story she is living.”
their faith. Women who have been addicted to narcotics and lost
their world; women who feel God is putting them into enemy
territory to show Himself in a different manner; women who have
tragically lost a loved one; women who serve in pastoral roles
yet suffer with depression or alcoholism. Women with HIV/AIDS
or similar illnesses. Women who have faced life in its hardest,
darkest and seemingly most condemning moments. Women who
find themselves interceding for and empathetically feeling the
sorrows and hearing the cries of their fellow sisters (or brothers)
and know there is more that they could or should be doing.
Some of the themes readers will find themselves discussing
include: Expressing compassion to those surviving medical
diagnoses related to illnesses with stigma. Deprogramming
church mindsets to embrace authentic God/Kingdom principles.
Embracing and engaging the lessons from our hard places for
our own healing and the healing of others. Allowing the building
of one’s faith and strength to create.
The mission of BEYOND THE PRETTY DRESS, is to say to women
who know there is something within that is waiting to explode
when it comes to helping others – release the Dunamis power of
God without apology. These women often feel confined by church
instructions to serve only within their local church. While that is
important, the greatest ministry biblically, is in daily journeys.
Freeman says their hope is to give strong encouragement
to those sisters. And part of the book’s mission is to also talk
to others who may find themselves where these women were
and give them living testimonies of overcoming, victorious life,
abundant recovery or God’s original plan and purpose for their
lives; and the courage to walk out their process to seeing that
purpose manifested.
The contributing authors of BEYOND THE PRETTY DRESS are
women who faced their moments and found transformation in
The 11 authors and special guests
whose stories are gathered in
BEYOND THE PRETTY DRESS are:
Carol Williams, Maryland
Kathei McCoy, Washington
Cyteria Freeman, Florida
Yvette Freeman Rowland, Texas
Kimberly McGrew, Oregon
Tricka Brown, Florida
Janice Lewis, Florida/Kenya
Maria Pinkston Bazile, Georgia
Chosen Thummin, South Carolina
Crystal Lee, Florida
Debra Wadlington House, Illinois
The foreword is written by Rev. Anika Wilson
Brown, Washington, DC
The closing prayer/exhortation is written by Min.
Tania Maxwell Carroll, Florida
A special poetic prophetic statement by
Min. E. Chantaye Watson, Georgia
For ordering and other information, visit www.pecantreebooks.com.