About this item
How to invite God to step in and break the cycle of dysfunctionElizabeth Oates is no stranger to a dysfunctional family. She may look like the quintessential soccer mom now, but her childhood was full of uncertainty, abandonment, and many very dark days. Without a positive role model, an emotionally stable family member, or a consistent community, she had to forge her way ahead just to survive day to day. It wasn't until she was preparing for a family of her own that she began to learn the lessons that would lead to a more hopeful future for herself, her husband, and her children.Now she shares those lessons with other women struggling to create healthy families despite their own unhealthy family foundations. Through introspective and probing questions, Mending Broken Branches guides the reader to accept her past, understand her present, and find a vision for her future.
About the Author
Most people know Elizabeth Oates as the poster child for women who grew up as a product of dysfunctional families . . . a typical Generation X kid. Her family tree was plagued with generations of divorce, addiction, abuse, abandonment, and general brokenness. Yet, over the years, God taught her that she is more than her deep roots . . . she is a child of the King.
Elizabeth overcame her past and earned her undergraduate degree from Baylor University and her M.A. in Christian Education with a focus in Marriage and Family Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. She has authored two books, including Dealing with Divorce: Finding Direction When Your Parents Split Up (Zondervan) and If You Could See as Jesus Sees: Inspiration For a Life of Hope, Joy, and Purpose (Barbour) . All that sounds fancy, but Elizabeth knows God doesn't care about achievement . . . He cares about calling, and He has called her to share a message of hope, healing, and restoration.
Today Elizabeth lives in the suburbs of Waco, Texas with her husband, Brandon, and their four loud children, including three biological and one they adopted through foster care. Her life sounds embarrassingly cliché, yet Elizabeth knows no matter how perfect our Instagram posts, no matter how Pinterest-worthy our homes, no matter how well manicured our lawns - we all need Jesus.
In her "spare" time Elizabeth loves catching a date night with the hubs, eating ice cream, teaching yoga (to offset the ice cream) , reading, spending time with friends who don't let her get away with anything, and cheering on her kids as they play a variety of sports.
