{"id":141307,"date":"2024-07-26T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=141307"},"modified":"2024-07-25T15:48:49","modified_gmt":"2024-07-25T20:48:49","slug":"one-prayer-away-offers-inspiration-for-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/one-prayer-away-offers-inspiration-for-women\/","title":{"rendered":"‘One Prayer Away’ Offers Inspiration for Women"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Devotional features inspirational messages, prayers, encouragement for women<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

by Erin Garrett<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Lauren Fortenberry<\/strong> sat down to write “One Prayer Away: Healing Words to Speak Over Your Day<\/strong>,” she had a clear mission: to create a resource for women facing life’s toughest challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0University of Mississippi<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0instructor’s\u00a0debut book<\/a>, a 90-day devotional<\/strong>, is a collection of inspirational messages, prayers and encouragement that Fortenberry hopes will reach women precisely when they need it most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My prayer <\/strong>is that women who need this book will find it,” said Fortenberry, a writing instructor in the\u00a0Department of Writing and Rhetoric<\/strong><\/a>. “It is a 90-day journey to the heart of God. It is a journey to healing, to forgiveness, and I think it’s a journey to God’s peace and hope.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inspiration for “One Prayer Away” (Zondervan, 2024) came from Fortenberry’s personal experiences, particularly when her father was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lauren Fortenberry (left), writing instructor in the University of Mississippi Department of Writing and Rhetoric, and Amy Schumacher-Rutherford, a speech instructor in the department, participate in a reading at Off Square Books in Oxford. Photo courtesy Sonum May Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“I felt like everything in my life collapsed,” she said. “My grief<\/strong>, my emotions<\/strong> \u2013 so much of my life fell apart. I looked for any book that could speak to what I was feeling, and I found nothing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this challenging time, Fortenberry developed a daily routine of prayer and Bible<\/strong> reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I learned how to trust God with the pieces of my life,” she said. “I really learned how to cultivate a rich prayer life with God.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortenberry’s writing journey began nearly nine years ago on her 30th birthday. She launched an online blog<\/a> that features a blend of poetry and prose. Some of those pieces “went viral” and were featured by NBC’s “Today”<\/a> show and ABC’s “Good Morning America<\/a>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stephen Monroe, chair of the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, praised Fortenberry’s work both as an author and an educator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lauren Fortenberry, writing instructor in the University of Mississippi Department of Writing and Rhetoric, has penned ‘One Prayer Away: Healing Words to Speak Over Your Day,’ a 90-day collection of inspirational messages, prayers and encouragement for women. Photo courtesy Sonum May Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“Lauren Fortenberry is a wonderful teacher,” he said. “Her own writing practice informs her approach in the writing classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“She cares very much about UM students, and we are lucky to have her as a colleague.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Fortenberry hinted at future projects and said she would be open to writing another book. She said she is grateful for the supportive writing environment in Oxford and at Ole Miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signed copies of “One Prayer Away” are available at Square Books in Oxford. The book is also available at most major retailers and as an audiobook, recorded by Fortenberry at a studio in Oxford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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