Books by the Holmans
After 15 years of living on the mission field I have learned a few things. One of them is that it is hard to be a missionary. Cross-cultural living has a unique set of challenges that missionaries are rarely prepared to meet. Another thing is the importance of mission committees who comprehend the struggles missionaries deal with. Joe seeks to identify some key areas both missionaries and mission committees need in order to be successful.
In this study, Pastor Joe helps those who truly want to follow Christ learn how to do it from the heart. Instead of focusing on changing outward behavior, we learn how to concentrate on the Person and Presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. He is here. His Presence changes everything.
I am not an expert. However, I did and am still doing a lot of field research in the topic of parenting. I guess you could say that I have lived in a laboratory for over 30 years. In the last thirty years, we have:•Changed over 42,000 diapers.•Prepared 192,680 plates. •Had preschoolers for 25 years.•Had teenagers for 19 years (We have 8 more years to go…we will have had teenagers for 27 years when finished)•Have experienced seven children leaving the nest to live on their own. Two more will leave us this year.•Five married children with one more to wed in November of this year. In spite of this experience, we still feel inadequate as parents. This book is the actual letter we write to each of our children as they leave our home for college or life. We go over it chapter by chapter the last six months of their lives with us. I hope it can give you a little guidance in writing your own for your children.
On Monday, June 25, 2018 at 3 pm, Joe and Denise received a simple text from their son. Seth said he had not felt good, had gone to Urgent Care in Tampa Bay Florida, and ended with “Doctors think that I have pneumonia, LOL”. In just 4 days’ time, their good-looking, 6’2,” blonde, healthy firstborn went from vibrantly alive to unavoidably dead involuntarily making Joe and Denise members of the grieving parents’ society, the worst club in existence.
How Can My Son Be Dead?, uses Joe’s and Denise’s Facebook posts, emails, and phone texts, to chronicle how they came to be members of that club and provides a real time glimpse into how they cope with the fact that they hate being in the society.This all takes place in the context of Joe and Denise believing that Jesus redeems sinners, brings dead things back to life, and makes old things new. Their prayer is that their experience somehow serves you.
All our lives we have made up stories to entertain and teach our kids. Anytime we had to wait in line, in the car, driving, etc., we would add to the story. Using a science fantasy format, this story traces the lives of four different teens who have been called by God to do extra-ordinary things.
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The fun part of this story is so manny of the events are based in real life. All of the programs designed to help the poor are ones the Holmans or friends have done. Talks about goal setting, character, and the existence of God help point kids to living proactively. Join the journey and learn a lot as you do it.
A Ghanaian proverb says: If you want to travel quickly, go alone. If you want to travel far, take a companion.
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The journey of the prophesied four continues as they learn more of their creator and purpose. They are heading to the final battle and along the way will need to find and train apprentices.
Just like the first book, this book is full of insight, character lessons and learning to examine your worldview.
I once told Denise, "I want to live in such a way that no one has to lie at my funeral."
That is the heart of this book. One day we will be the focus of a funeral. What will people say about us? What will they remember? Who do we want to be? What do we want to do?
It is all summed up in a Eulogy. People take a few moments and share who you were in their lives, what type of person you were and what they remember most about you. What do you want them to say?
This book is to help us BE the person we one day want to BECOME. It is choosing now to be the person you want remembered then.
Denise and Joe have been married since 1984. They were best friends before getting married and their friendship has grown over the decades. Throughout their ministry and marriage, they have had the opportunity to help other couples grow closer and more intimate. They believe most couples underestimate the importance of a healthy sex relationship and under emphasize the importance of a healthy friendship. This book is designed to help people have a great relationship, which leads to great sex, the result of is a better relationship that leads...you get the picture.
