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Michele Cervone Scott

Michele Cervone Scott

About

Author of Praying Through Your Adoption and the MommyForward.com blog who draws from experiences to comfort, educate, and offer hope

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls

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<p>Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King's most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor's death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn't particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame.<br /><br />This is a story of Godwine's family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers.<br /><br />This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor's reign. Unfortunately, Godwine's misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha's disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold's career was just beginning as his father's journey was coming to an end.<br /><br />Harold's siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig's case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective.<br /><br />Harold was his mother's favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig's vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig's love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.</p>

Story Behind The Book

Prayer has always been important to me. I turned to God in prayer during our infertility, and I had planned to pray through a pregnancy if that had been God's plan. While adopting our son from Russia, we experienced painful delays and obstacles, such as increased fees and additional paperwork. At a particularly low point in the adoption process, I participated in an online prayer vigil that directed me to pray for very specific aspects of adoption – from government officials to waiting children. I realized the power of prayer specifically in adoption and saw the need to help other families pray through their adoptions as well.

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<strong><em><span>Bethany Christian Services</span><br /></em></strong> Adoption is all about love. Michele Scott candidly tells us about their love amidst the real life challenges of adoption. She teaches us how to pray with scripture, giving us hope and strength. I recommend this book to all families involved in the adoption process. <br /><div class="read">~William J. Blacquiere, President/CEO of Bethany Christian Services</div><br /><strong><em><span>HOPE International</span><br /></em></strong> Praying Through Your Adoption is a powerful reminder that throughout the adoption process, you are not alone. The narrative provides a community of parents who share their joys, disappointments, and fears, but ultimately celebrate the story of how the Lord provided for them throughout the adoption process. It is an encouragement for anyone embarking on the journey of adoption - I just wish my wife Laurel and I had had this resource when we adopted our son! <div class="read">~Peter Greer, President of HOPE International and co-author of <em>The Poor Will Be Glad</em></div><br /><strong><em><span>Christian Alliance for Orphans</span><br /></em></strong> To 'defend the fatherless' and 'set the lonely in families' through adoption and foster care is to mirror God's heart. It is a sacred commitment, and a matter with spiritual dimensions that exceed our ability to comprehend. It will almost certainly carry both great difficulty and great joy. So we would do well to approach this journey like Moses at the burning bush--with reverence, humility, supplication and thanksgiving. Prayer is the wellspring of all of this, and Praying Through Your Adoption provides invaluable help for learning in practical terms how to walk this unparalleled journey with God. <div class="read">~Jedd Medefind, President of Christian Alliance for Orphans </div><br /><strong><em><span>Author Russell D. Moore</span><br /></em></strong> Adoption can be a scary experience. It's often very unfamiliar and quite unpredictable, and the stakes are high. King Jesus has given us one place to run in times of anxiety: the cry to the Father in prayer. This book will equip adopting families and their friends with exactly what we need: practical tools for praying through the process of adoption or foster care, from beginning to end. Read it, and pray. <div class="read">~Russell D. Moore, author of <em>Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches</em></div>