Weddings, such a joyful, special, stressful time! Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace: Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride by author, Leigh Ann Thomas, is the perfect gift for the mother of the bride! You’ll love meeting Leigh Ann. Leave a comment and sign in on the Rafflecopter at the bottom for a chance to win!

 

Fabulous Fridays

Weddings and the Mother of the Bride

Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace

Welcome, Leigh Ann! I so enjoyed meeting you at a recent writer’s conference. Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your family for our readers.

Thank you, Norma. What a pleasure to be a part of 2MefromHim!

I am a Jesus-follower, wife, mom, grammy, and writer. I have the privilege of being married to my sweetheart of 33 years, Roy, and we are blessed with three grown daughters, two sons-in-law, three adorable grandsons (ages 3 and under), and a tiny grand-princess barely five weeks old. Life is a crazy-busy adventure!

You write for a number of different publications. Tell us when you first realized you were a writer.

Yes, my “first loves” in writing are to encourage other women in their Christ-walks, and to inspire fellow writers.

At the age of ten, I would write simple songs and skits to entertain my family. Throughout my school years, I would dabble in poetry for extra credit, and I did win a college scholarship with a senior essay. But I didn’t “feel” like a writer until a few short years ago, when I attempted to stay busy in anything but writing. After running from God’s call to write for over a decade, I surrendered to His gentle voice, and found the courage to say I was a writer. Praise God for the sweet, sweet peace that surrender brings.

How did you come up with the idea for Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace?

Becoming the mother of the bride was a tough transition. In mere moments, I went from being mom to little ones, to having an emptying nest. I wasn’t ready to let go! I made the mistake of isolating myself and not seeking wise counsel from other moms who had walked the wedding path with their daughters. I knew I wanted to be there for future mothers of the bride.

Weddings are so emotional! And chaotic, and silly, and stressful, and wonderful—as long as we walk with the Lord on the journey. 

Share with us something about the writing process and the inspiration for your special book to help the mother of the bride navigate the intricacies of planning weddings.

The book contains many of my mother-of-the-bride experiences, but my favorite part was interviewing other mothers and listening to their stories. I had the privilege of talking with ten women in over 20 hours of interviews and learning how God worked through their wedding journeys to grow and strengthen their relationship with the Lord, and with their daughters.

Prayer and God’s Word were vital parts of the manuscript—for me as I wrote—and also to weave into Moments of Grace for the reader. I learned there is no better foundation for the emotional role of mother of the bride than God and His Word. 

Weddings can be such a stressful time. What are some things that your readers can expect to gain from Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace?

Readers will enjoy many you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me stories and will be touched by how God worked in the lives of precious mothers of the bride. There are stories about everything from “cow patties” to fainting spells, and from allergic reactions to getting stuck in a pair of Spanx! But every situation leads to the feet of Jesus, and how He desires to work in our hearts.

My goal is for mothers of the bride to see themselves in its pages and to know they are never alone—they have a heavenly Father who loves, supports, and sustains. 

There are a lot of books out there about wedding planning. What distinguishes your book from the others?

There are a few wedding tips sprinkled throughout the stories, but the focus is on inspiration and support for mothers in a unique life season. Devotional in format, it includes a unique wedding story, scripture tie-in, prayer, and a Moment of Grace challenge.

What was your biggest challenge in writing Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace?

After the interviews were complete, the stories and words flowed well, but I did have to fight writing distractions. I wrote the bulk of the manuscript over the summer months and it was easy to give in to non-writing activity (especially on a beautiful day). It was important to stay away from social media and the cellphone during my workday if I wanted to reach my goals.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

Spending time with family and friends, playing with my grandchildren, being a part of the ministries of Cool Springs Baptist Church in Sanford, NC, reading, traveling with my sweetheart, attempting various crafts, binge-watching football, and going to the beach are a few of my heart-favorites.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love to study the works of Randy Alcorn, John Ortberg, Oswald Chambers, and Andrew Murray, and to get lost in the stories of Francine Rivers, Terri Blackstock, Lynette Eason, DiAnn Mills, Eva Marie Everson, Randy Singer, and more.

Please share a favorite passage from Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace.

From an early chapter:

She’s getting married.

Oh my goodness, there’s going to be a wedding.

How do I even know where to start?

I’m going to have a son-in-law.

What do I do with a son-in-law?

What will I wear?

I need to lose some weight.

Should I change my hairstyle?

Will I be involved in the planning?

When will we meet his family?

Is my daughter ready to get married?

Have I prepared her for being a wife?

I hope I have time to lose weight.

My baby is getting married.

Lord, help! 

The news is official. Face glowing, eyes shining with love, our daughter stands before Roy and me, her hand intertwined with her beloved. As far as the young couple is concerned, no one else exists. Their future is as bright as a Fourth-of-July sky; their dreams have boarded a rocket ship bound for the moon. 

The room vibrates with squeals and laughter. Wow, a wedding! This is going to be fun. 

Wow. A wedding. 

As the sounds of celebration soar around us, a tiny bit of panic seeps in.

Wait. Is this the same little girl who used to burst into the house to share after-school news? The same child who reached for us to bandage a hurting knee or a wounded heart? The same one who promised she would never leave us? That little girl? 

We blink. Our daughter stands before us—not the adorable toddler, scrawny preteen, or teenager with braces and bruised knees, but a vibrant, beautiful woman.

Our hearts and our brains struggle to catch up with what has happened in what seems like a matter of moments. Our daughter has grown up and is ready to pledge her life to a man.

Norma, thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your ministry today!

Book Blurb:

Take a major life transition, infuse it with every imaginable emotion, sprinkle it with 1,001 must-be-made-now decisions, and what do you have?

A wedding.

You’re walking alongside your daughter as she dreams, plans, and organizes. You laugh and you cry. A lot. As you wade through the chaos, are you tempted to huddle in a corner with a box of chocolates?

This unique season doesn’t have to bring on food binges and panic attacks. With the Lord’s guidance, it can be an opportunity to walk with God in a fresh way.

Through Scripture, prayers, and the personal stories of women who’ve been there, Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace encourages and uplifts the mother of the bride.

With insight and humor, Thomas reveals how God’s peace and love can flow through you to your husband, your daughter, your future son-in-law, and others involved in this beautiful and sacred event.

About the author:

Leigh Ann Thomas is the author of three books, including Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace: Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). A columnist for AlmostAnAuthor.com, she has also written for Just18Summers.com, ChristianDevotions.us, and Power for Living. She is a contributing author in ten books and her work is included in two editions of Southern Writers Magazine’s Best Short Stories. You can find Leigh Ann on her front porch daydreaming story plots or blogging at leighathomas.com.

Connect with Leigh Ann:

Website: www.LeighAThomas.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leigh.nallthomas

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/785810.Leigh_Ann_Thomas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lthomaswrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LeighAThomasWrites/

Amazon: www.Amazon.com/author/leighannthomas

Book Link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ribbons-Lace-Moments-Grace-Inspiration/dp/1946016152/

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