CAROL STREAM, Ill. (May 7, 2020)—Karen Stiller, senior editor of the Canadian magazine Faith Today, has written The Minister’s Wife, a memoir in essays that transports you into one woman’s life, while inspiring you to think differently about your own. Karen never expected to be a minister’s wife. And the life she discovered was more challenging—and more beautiful—than she could have anticipated. As she shares her own deep-from-the-heart experiences, she welcomes us to join her on a rich, difficult, yet ultimately grace-filled journey through real-life stuff like forgiveness, marriage, family, doubt, loneliness, and much more.

We all wrestle with tough questions about life and faith, and Karen Stiller has learned that answers don’t come any easier when you’re married to a minister. What does it mean to live faithfully in our complicated world? Is there a place here for me—the real me? What does everyone expect of me, and what if I fail? In The Minister’s Wife, Karen shines a light on the rhythms and tough realities of the spiritual life for every one of us. She explores how community helps us grow; the unexpected beauty of doubt; the messy pain of families and funerals; how church can hurt and heal; and the beauty of showing up when sometimes it’s more appealing to go to a coffee shop on a Sunday morning (even when you’re the pastor’s wife).

Warm, witty, and achingly honest, The Minister’s Wife is a memoir in essays on choosing to belong and an invitation to join Karen on a spiritual adventure.

Regarding this release, associate publisher Sarah Atkinson said, “Karen Stiller invites us to peek behind the curtain and see into the private world of a minister’s wife. Everyone expects you to appear perfect—to model an ideal marriage, family, and faith—but you know you’re as flawed and complicated as the rest of us. Karen brings the life of a minister’s wife to light in a warm and winning way, writing with both utter love and raw honesty. It is an absolute privilege to publish an author of Karen’s caliber, and I can’t wait for the world to read her words. This book will be a blessing to anyone who knows and loves a minister’s wife.”

Karen Stiller is a writer with more than twenty years of experience. She serves as a senior editor of the Canadian magazine Faith Today and as a journalist who has shared stories from refugee camps in South Sudan and Uganda, the slums of Senegal, and the countryside of Cambodia. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest and The Walrus, among other publications. She moderates the Religion and Society Series at the University of Toronto, a debate between leading atheists and theologians. Karen holds a master of fine arts in creative non-fiction from University of King’s College, Halifax. She lives in Ottawa, Canada.

Karen is represented by Westwood Creative Artists Ltd.

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $100 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Contact: Katie Dodillet, katiedodillet@tyndale.com, 630-784-5275.

WHEATON, Ill.—Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by first-time author Mark Vroegop has been named the 2020 Christian Book of the Year by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). The Christian Book of the Year “represent(s) the year’s best book or Bible for its literary merit and extraordinary impact.”1 Vroegop also won the award in the New Author category. Untangling Emotions by J. Alasdair Groves and Winston T. Smith was awarded the top prize in the Christian Living category.

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (Crossway, March 2019) seeks to restore the lost art of lament in order to help readers discover the power of honest wrestling with the questions that come with grief and suffering. Drawing on examples from the Bible and his own story of loss, Vroegop walks through the steps of lament (Turn, Complain, Ask, and Trust) to show what lament is, why it is important, and how to enter into it—teaching the grieving to live between the poles of God’s goodness and the pain of a hard life. More information about the author can be found at markvroegop.com.

Untangling Emotions (Crossway, March 2019) explores how God designed emotions for good and shows readers how to properly engage their emotions—even the more difficult ones like fear, anger, shame, guilt, and sorrow—so they can better understand what emotions reveal about their hearts and handle them wisely in everyday moments. “The Bible has a lot to teach us about emotions,” write Groves and Smith. “It’s true that Scripture warns us about the dangers of emotions. . . . But it also teaches us that they are an indispensable part of being human and play a crucial role in our relationship with God and others.”

“What a joy to see the industry recognizing the value and ministry potential of these books,” comments Justin Taylor, Crossway’s executive vice president of book publishing and book publisher. “Even though both books were published well before the global outbreak of COVID-19, it strikes me that their messages—both, in a sense, about how God wants us to feel about what we feel—are especially timely in these difficult days. One of the reasons that Crossway exists is to provide resources that give hope, comfort, and biblical recalibration, so it is gratifying to know that these books are being used among God’s people.”

The ECPA Christian Book Award® program awards winners in 12 categories, including Bibles, Biographies & Memoirs, Faith & Culture, and Ministry Resources. The program “recognizes the highest quality in Christian books and Bibles and is among the oldest and most prestigious awards programs in the religious publishing industry.”2

Founded in 1938, Crossway is a not-for-profit global Christian publishing ministry that publishes gospel-centered, Bible-based content to honor our Savior and serve his church. Crossway seeks to help people understand the all-encompassing implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s word—for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone. Crossway is the global publisher of the ESV® (English Standard Version®) Bible, more than 1,000 Christian books, and an extensive list of gospel literature. For additional information, visit crossway.org.

Contact: Lauren Susanto, lsusanto@crossway.org  crossway.org

---

1. “About,” Christian Book Award, ECPA, 2019, accessed May 6, 2020, https://christianbookawards.com/about.html.
2. ibid.

 

With Mother’s Day 2020 Being Spent at Home, Minno Offers New Church at Home Content, Prize Giveaway to Keep the Day Special for the Amazing Moms and Mother Figures in Our Lives

NASHVILLE, May 8, 2020 — Due to COVID-19 lockdowns, Mother’s Day 2020 will be spent at home for untold millions of Americans. In honor of mothers and mother figures everywhere, Minno-a new, Nashville-based children’s digital media company featuring one of the world’s largest collections of Classic VeggieTales and an expertly-curated collection of media choices for Christian families-is offering a giveaway and creating new, free content to help make Mother’s Day 2020 at home a special one.

“Mother’s Day 2020 is going to be different for a lot of families in that it will be spent at home rather than at a celebratory brunch or large family gathering. Moms and mother figures deserve our thanks and appreciation every day, but perhaps never more so than in this COVID-19 world where they are wearing every hat imaginable,” said Erick Goss, CEO and Co-founder of Minno and former senior manager at Amazon. “We at Minno wanted to do something to help make the day special and to support moms’ efforts to enhance their families’ faith. We are excited to be able to offer new Mother’s Day Church at Home content, and for one special mom, a little pampering too. To all the moms and mother figures out there, thank you!”

Minno “Church at Home” Mother’s Day Details:

• Giveaway Prizes:
  • A one Year Minno Subscription for herself and three of her friends
  • Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Pack (5 pints)
  • Three-Month Flower Subscription (delivered to your door!)

• Brand new Mother’s Day activity packet for Pastors and families to use along with Church at Home’s weekly episode, discussion guides, prayers, and activities that enrich the experience of worshiping at home for children and the whole family.
• Church at Home has been used by more than 200,000 families in 160 countries. It is completely free, available around the world, and can be found here: https://www.gominno.com/lp/church-at-home/
• For families to use during the week, Church at Home features Minno’s signature “Five Minute Family Devotions.”
• Also available are the bestselling Minno Laugh and Grow Bibles for Kids and Little Ones, which feature amazing bonus resources including: maps, charts, and Bible section introductions to help readers understand each story’s place in God’s big story.
• Press and media information is available here: http://press.gominno.com

What Parents Are Saying:

• “Thank you very much! We were watching church services live and my daughter was asking for a children service. I was beyond delighted to receive such a timely email in my Inbox. You have truly been a blessing during this time of pandemic. We will continue to use Minno Church at Home daily while schools are closed. I don’t have enough words to express how grateful I am for this ministry and can’t wait to share this with others. God Bless.”
• “Thank you so much! This is a wonderful idea and resource for the coming weeks. I am so thankful for you and your work to help families keep Jesus in their lives. God Bless you and your families!”
• “Thank you for this! My daughter was sad that we will only be able to watch the adult services online. She and I are very happy about the Minno church online.”

About Minno
Minno is a Nashville-based children’s digital media company partnering with Christian parents to provide safe, values-based choices for their families. Minno’s offering includes an ad-free subscription-video-on-demand platform Minno Life, an expert-driven parenting blog, Minno Kids, its book publishing division, and Minno store, a digital shopping platform. Minno seeks to entertain, inform and inspire, encouraging kids and parents to laugh and learn together.

CONTACT: Press@inspire.buzz, 323-379-5180

Grand Rapids, MI—Baker Book House, the largest independent Christian bookstore in North America, has seen dramatic increases in website sales and third-party online sales in recent weeks as customers continue to purchase books and Bibles during the Covid-19 crisis.

“Our website sales have risen 120 percent from this time last year, and our third-party sales through Amazon have tripled over the same period,” said Sue Smith, EVP of Retail.

Smith credits the increases to customer loyalty, faster shipping through the store, and author recommendations.

“Christian authors, eager to get word out about their new books, are directing their readers to our store because the books ship so much faster,” said Smith. “For instance, fiction author Lynn Austin announced on Facebook that her new book ‘If I Were You’ was available for preorder through our store; we sold 200 preorders in one day to people all over the country.”

Curbside pickup started when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allowed stores to do so in late April. Callers request a book, credit card information is taken, and the book is either ordered for later pickup or picked off the shelf for immediate pickup. Customers call when they arrive, and a masked store employee brings the merchandise out to the car.

“We see a steady stream all day long of people calling and picking up their books,” said Smith. “We’ve received so many comments from people who appreciate that they can get what they need.”

She says about a third of total sales are fiction titles, with high Bible sales that Smith credits to “when we’re going through a crisis, Bible reading goes up.” The store ships to customers around the country.

Smith sees the pivot to website sales, third-party online sales, and curbside pickup as a positive sign for future traffic for the store. “This means our community is committed to us, and we hope it only grows. Also, we’re serving our many authors and are delighted to work closely with them to increase their sales and profile.”

Visit www.bakerbookhouse.com to order, or call the store at 616-957-3110.

About Baker Book House
Baker Book House was founded in 1939, when Herman Baker started the store with 500 books from his personal library. Baker is known world-wide for a deep selection of Christian titles, including new, used, and bargain books. Visit www.bakerbookhouse.com for more information.

Contact: Sue Smith, EVP of Retail, 616-957-3110, sue.smith@bakerbookhouse.com

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to congratulate art director, David Fassett, for his cover design of Bloody, Brutal, and Barbaric?, which was selected for the 2020 Association of University Presses Book, Jacket, and Journal Show.

“It is an honor, as a first-year affiliate member of AUP, to receive a cover award from among such a prestigious collection of university press designs,” said Lorraine Caulton, director of creative and customer engagement at IVP.

Jon Boyd, editorial director for IVP Academic, said, “Year after year, the show has consistently made our jaws drop in admiration for the beautiful and thoughtful work created by our counterparts at university presses around the world. Truly some of the coolest book design done anywhere in publishing happens among the academics. To be included in the 2020 show is definitely a ‘bucket list’ moment for IVP Academic.”

Now in its fifty-fifth year, the AUP show honors the university publishing community’s design and production professionals. It recognizes achievement in design, production, and manufacture of books, jackets, covers, and journals, and also serves as a focus of discussion and a source of ideas for intelligent, creative, and resourceful publishing. Open to AUPresses member publishers worldwide, this year’s competition attracted more than 650 submissions.

AUP judges selected the top forty jackets and covers from 419 entries. Boyd said, “The cover for Bloody, Brutal, and Barbaric? happened to go through an unusually challenging design and review process. (Let’s just say that some earlier alternatives featured quite a bit of blood.) One day after we got stuck as a team, David went back to the drawing board and came up with an entirely new concept, the basis of this final design. We loved it right away—and I’m glad the AUPresses design show team seems to have too.” 

Fassett joined InterVarsity Press (IVP) as a marketing designer in 2009 and was promoted to senior graphic designer in 2014. He was appointed to the position of art director in May 2017. Fassett’s other award-winning book covers include:

• Death Before the Fall: Biblical Literalism and the Problem of Animal Suffering
• The Decalogue: Living as the People of God
• Recapturing the Wonder: Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World
• Introduction to Political Science: A Christian Perspective
• Embodied Hope: A Theological Meditation on Pain and Suffering
• The Radical Pursuit of Rest: Escaping the Productivity Trap
• Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age
• After the Trip: Unpacking Your Crosscultural Experience
• Developing Clinicians of Character: A Christian Integrative Approach to Clinical Supervision

“The whole IVP team always works so hard on the insides of our books that we’re extra pleased how our art director, David Fassett, and his team makes the outsides look so great too,” Boyd said. “Bill Webb and Gord Oeste, the authors of Bloody, Brutal and Barbaric?, poured themselves into this manuscript for years. I think it’s fitting David designed so expressive and evocative a cover to complement their words. Our congrats not only to David as the designer but also to Ben McCoy and his production team who really delivered on this design.”

To see the complete collection of selected AUP jacket and cover selections visit design.up.hcommons.org.

By Aaron Wilson

TEMPE, Ariz. – Two new B&H Publishing releases that draw from the past were recognized as 2020 Christian Book Award winners by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) in a live webcast held May 5.

“Devotedly: The Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot” won in the Biography & Memoir category, while the “CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible” shared the award for best Bible of 2020 in a tie.

Both titles help Christians navigate today’s world by drawing insights from spiritual giants and saints of the past.

“What an honor it is to be recognized by the ECPA for these two resources that help us glean from heroes of the faith,” said Ben Mandrell, LifeWay president and CEO.

“One of my favorite courses in seminary was church history as it helped me appreciate the backstory of our faith. I also love the way the Old Testament adds depth and color to the New Testament. What a privilege to produce resources that help believers in the modern day by gathering insights of the past.”

“Devotedly” presents never-before-published letters and private journal entries that capture the unlikely love story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot.

In the book, the couple’s only daughter, Valerie Elliot Shepard, unseals the correspondence that brought her parents together as they followed God’s will for their young lives—a calling that eventually led to her father’s death in 1956 at the hands of a Ecuadorian tribe he was seeking to reach with the gospel.

“It’s rare for a publisher to participate in history the way B&H was able to with ‘Devotedly,’” said Devin Maddox, LifeWay director of book publishing. “We are incredibly proud of Valerie Shepard, Wolgemuth & Associates and the entire team that brought ‘Devotedly’ to life, specifically because of the distinct contribution this book will be for future students of the history of the church.”

The “CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible” features the text of the Christian Standard Bible alongside study notes and commentary from the writings of church fathers of the second through fifth centuries. It also highlights biographies of 25 church fathers and features “Twisted Truth” callouts that describe how some ancient thinkers drifted from orthodoxy.

“What I love about the ‘CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible’ is in how it brings together the richness of ancient Christian commentary on Scripture with a beautiful, elegant design that makes the Bible delightful to read,” said Trevin Wax, LifeWay senior vice president of Theology and Communications.

“Our team wanted to carefully craft a Bible that offered readers spiritual insight from ancient pastors and commentators, with a design that would be worthy of such spiritual richness. We are thrilled to see such acclaim for the ‘Ancient Faith Study Bible,’ and we hope it will introduce more Bible readers today to Bible interpreters from yesterday.”

Since 1978, the Christian Book Award Program has recognized the highest quality in Christian books based on excellence in content, literary quality, design, and impact. The full list of this year’s CBA winners can be found at ChristianBookAwards.com.

B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a team of mission minded people with a passion for taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters® we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church and academic markets, titles include “The New York Times” No. 1 bestsellers “The Love Dare” and “The Vow,” No. 1 CBA bestseller “I Am a Church Member,” as well as the newly-revised Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version.

Aaron Wilson is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources.

[NASHVILLE, TENN., May 4, 2020—] Middle school. The middle of labor and delivery. The middle of the project or the cross-country road trip. The middle of anything is the hard part; starting is energizing and the finishing is rewarding. But the middle can seem endless, thankless and maybe even a little bit pointless. That’s where endurance gets tough.

For beloved and hilarious author Sophie Hudson, middle age has been a test of perseverance but also a time of great spiritual growth and insight. In her forthcoming book, “Stand All the Way Up: Stories of Staying In It When You Want to Burn It All Down” (June 16, 2020, B&H Publishing), Hudson offers a collection of stories showing that God can meet you where you are – even when things get annoying or difficult and you want to burn it all down – and give you fresh fire to get through it.

“The Lord has been showing me what it looks like to stand,” said Hudson. “You don’t have to set fire to it all and give up; instead, God can set a fire in you to help you stand up for yourself, for the Kingdom, and for those who can’t stand up for themselves.”

Standing strong hasn’t always been Hudson’s first reaction when things get hard. She says that she is more likely to try to figure out how to make it all go away, ignore it, or, better yet, burn it all down. Hudson found that the Lord, through His Word and His people, faithfully reveals how to get up, straighten up, and stand all the way up.

“God is showing me how to stand in my own life, to stand for the unheard or unseen, to stand for the generation behind me, to stand for the cause of Christ, and to stand all the way up even when what I really want to do is get back in the bed and pretend like everything is just fine and there’s nothing I can do to help.”

Written in her trademark style of humor, sass, and spiritual insight, Hudson’s latest release reveals an honest look at some relatable disappointments and frustrations of her last few years: recovering from people-pleasing, grieving the death of a parent, wondering when current events became a blood sport, parenting a teen, working full-time, aging and more. She writes about the challenges of navigating humility, disappointment and anger, but yet recognizing the Lord’s hand in every step.

“As difficult as these last few years have been—as deeply as they have challenged me—I’m more aware than ever that these are the days,” said Hudson. “This is the time the Lord has ordained for me to live and love and give Him glory. Sure, these days have marked a humbling, refining stretch of life. But these days have also been wonderful in ways I never could have imagined.”

Hudson is a popular blogger and podcaster at BooMama.net and “The Big Boo Cast.” Her previous books include “All in All Journaling Devotional” (2017), “Giddy Up, Eunice” (2016), “Home Is Where My People Are” (2015) and “A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet” (2013).

For more information about “Stand All the Way Up,” visit www.standallthewayup.com.

Sophie Hudson loves to laugh more than just about anything. She began writing her blog, BooMama.net, in November 2005, and much to her surprise, she’s stuck with it. Hudson hopes that through her stories, women find encouragement and hope in the everyday, joy-filled moments of life. In addition to her blog, She speaks regularly to groups across the country and co-hosts “The Big Boo Cast.” A graduate of Mississippi State University, Hudson loves cheering like crazy at college football games and watching entire seasons of TV shows in record time. She has authored five books: “Stand All the Way Up” (2020), “All in All Journaling Devotional” (2017), “Giddy Up, Eunice” (2016), “Home Is Where My People Are” (2015) and “A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet” (2013). Hudson lives with her husband and son in Birmingham, Ala.

B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a team of mission minded people with a passion for taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters® we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church and academic markets, titles include “The New York Times” No. 1 bestsellers “The Love Dare” and “The Vow,” No. 1 CBA bestseller “I Am a Church Member,” as well as the newly-revised Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version.

God Hears Her Launches May 11 with Hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Eddy

Grand Rapids, MICH., May 11, 2020 – God Hears Her is a new podcast for Christian women seeking friends to come alongside them in the hurts, joys, and struggles of the everyday. The podcast explores the stunning truth that God hears you, God sees you, and God loves you because you are His. Listeners will find faithful, authentic hosts and guests who share the wisdom of a God who can carry all their worries.

This community of women will connect weekly for a 25-minute episode to learn, to laugh, and to let you know that you are not alone. Launching May 11, Season One welcomes several of America’s leading spiritual thought leaders, including Margaret Feinberg and Philip Yancey, into the conversation. 

The God Hears Her podcast brings together hosts Elisa Morgan, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program Discover the Word and former president of MOPS International, and Eryn Eddy, founder of the lifestyle clothing brand So Worth Loving and an influencer with more than 300,000 social media followers. Throughout the podcast, Eddy and Morgan bravely share their personal stories and welcome guests to do the same, offering hope and encouragement to listeners.

Morgan had a difficult childhood. After her parents divorced, Morgan felt responsible and took care of her single mom who struggled with alcoholism. As an adult, she was on a quest to have the “perfect family.” The Morgans were unable to have biological children, and they waited five years for their first adoption. During her 20-year presidency at MOPS International, Morgan’s son struggled with substance abuse and her 16-year-old daughter became pregnant.

“It felt like my second family fell and broke,” Morgan says. “But God has shown me that brokenness is nothing to be ashamed of. God’s people are broken, and we need to say so. God can use us far more after we’ve been broken.”

Eddy began her lifestyle clothing brand So Worth Loving as a refuge. She needed to be present with other people’s stories before she could be truly present with her own.

“Divorce broke me,” said Eddy. “My heart had to be shattered in order to see the hole that God wanted to fill all along. I had resisted accepting or believing that God could love me so recklessly and beautifully. The enemy watches our vulnerabilities and uses his findings against us. But God always brings beauty back in.”

In addition to the weekly podcast, God Hears Her is an online community of women who love Jesus and want to share His message through written resources, everyday inspirations, and Scripture. This collection proclaims to women, “God is with you, God is for you, and God hears your heart’s cry!”  Visit GodHearsHer.org to learn more.

About Elisa Morgan
Elisa Morgan (MDiv) was named by Christianity Today as one of the top fifty women influencing today’s church and culture. She speaks internationally, writes for the Our Daily Bread Ministries Devotional and co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program Discover the Word and the podcast God Hears Her. Elisa has authored more than twenty-five books including The Beauty of Broken: My Story and Likely Yours Too. For twenty years, Elisa served as CEO of MOPS International and now is president emerita. She serves on the board of Denver Seminary and her blog reaches thousands. ElisaMorgan.com

About Eryn Eddy
Eryn Eddy is the founder and CEO of So Worth Loving, a lifestyle clothing brand bridging the gap
between not talking about self-worth and talking about it. Since starting in 2011, Eryn has grown her company to include customers in all fifty states and in thirty countries. Eryn and her work have been featured on CNN and MSNBC, as well as Southern Living and O, The Oprah Magazine. Eryn is co-host of the God Hears Her Podcast and her debut book So Worth Loving releases January 2021. This creative has a pastime of singing with her music being featured on MTV, VH1 and the Oxygen Network. She enjoys oil painting, trail walks, and getting lost in a book. ErynEddy.com 

About Our Daily Bread Ministries
Our Daily Bread Ministries helps millions of people connect with God each day. For more than 75 years, our purpose has remained the same: to reach people with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all. Our vision is to see people of all nations experiencing a personal relationship with Christ, growing to be more like Him, and serving in a local body of His family.

 

Karen Kingsbury’s Let Me Hold You Longer Featured in Tear-Filled Tribute

CAROL STREAM, ILL. (May 4, 2020) – When Jessica Hundley decided this past weekend to film herself reading Karen Kingsbury’s Let Me Hold You Longer (ISBN: 978-1-4143-8987-5, Tyndale House Publishers, 2004) to the class of 2020, she couldn’t have imagined what would follow. Hundley, a library media specialist at Hardin County schools in Elizabethtown, KY, read the highly emotive book in an equally poignant way, and it resonated with viewers to the tune of 1.5 million views in the first 48 hours. The video, which has now been viewed 2.7 million times, is available here:
https://www.facebook.com/KarenKingsbury/videos/10223335159753668

“I’m still overwhelmed with the response,” said Hundley. “This is so amazing. Karen’s book is beautiful on so many levels. I’m tickled that it has reached so many people.”

After Hundley posted the video on her Facebook page, it was brought to Kingsbury’s attention. The New York Times bestselling author sought permission from Hundley to post it on her social pages and did so midday Tuesday. In just over 24 hours, it reached one million views, and the video has now been viewed more than 2.7 million times. The video has driven sales of the book as well. Published by Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse), it has reached as high as No. 13 among all books on Amazon and No. 20 on Barnes & Noble.

Let Me Hold You Longer, which has sold more than 400,000 copies since its initial printing in 2004, features heartwarming illustrations and a sweet, reflective tone that encourages parents to savor not only their children’s firsts, like first steps and first words, but the lasts as well.

With the tenderness of a mother speaking directly to her child, Karen reminds us not to miss last days of kindergarten and last at-bats in Little League amid the whirlwind of life. Adapted from a poem in her novel Rejoice, the book allows mothers and grandmothers everywhere to identify with the tenderhearted reflections on its pages.

A link to additional information about the book is available here: https://www.tyndale.com/p/let-me-hold-you-longer/9781414389875

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $100 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Nashville, April 30, 2020 – The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH) reported today that a combination of pre-COVID-19 trends, the impact of the pandemic on church attendance since mid-March, and the unpredictable rates at which congregations will return to regular activities for the remainder of 2020, will result in sales levels that are 40% to 50% lower than the same period last year.

“Taken together, these factors require that UMPH make major adjustments in spending now, including a reduction in force starting June 13 affecting approximately 70 of the Publishing House’s 296 workforce,” said Rev. Brian Milford, President & Publisher.

“The planned staff reduction will begin mid-June and is a wrenching decision that I deeply regret” said Milford. He noted that UMPH is completely self-funding through its own operations and receives no grants from the UMC’s general funds.

“For 230 years UMPH has only spent what it was able to earn through the publishing and sale of resources including Sunday school curriculum, worship resources, small group studies, Bibles, and other products,” said Milford. He explained that over the decades UMPH has contributed nearly $50M toward UMC clergy pensions and millions more for products that were needed for the Church’s outreach and mission but could not earn sufficient revenue to pay the cost of their development. “UMPH is a ministry that can only continue to serve the Church by practicing vigilant and prudent stewardship,” he added.

“The Board of Directors and staff are saddened by the hardship and heartbreak for those who through no fault of their own are affected by the planned staffing cutbacks,” said Milford.  Persons whose jobs will end June 13 will receive their full salary and benefits through that date because of the federal Paycheck Protection Program. To help with their transition they will also receive severance payments from UMPH and additional benefits under the CARES Act for which they qualify.