Pearl Girls

Title: PEARL GIRLS: Encountering grit, experiencing grace
Compiled by: Margaret McSweeney
Publisher: Moody Publishers
November 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8024-5862-9
Genre: Inspirational/nonfiction/Christian Living

PEARL GIRLS is a book that you’ll come back to over and over again. Full of true stories by some of your favorite authors, such as Susan May Warren, Melody Carlson, Robin Jones Gunn, among others, are stories that will break your heart and then warm it.

For instance when Susan May Warren returned home to Minnesota she discovered that her mother-in-law had sold all her belongings, not knowing that Susan was looking forward to unpacking all her earthly treasures and use them in her new home. It took a major act for Susan to forgive her mother-in-law.

Or Melody Carlson’s story about having a son addicted to illegal drugs. Could anything good possibly come out of that?

You will be inspired by the wisdom and insight in these pages. I know I was.

PEARL GIRLS is a book that is beautifully published, an ideal book to give to a loved one for Christmas. The stories are all short enough to read in one sitting, and you might even learn something.

This book contains a message that every woman needs to learn. So come to the place where grit encounters grace. And discover that God isn’t finished with you yet. $12.99. 201 pages.

About the book:

With His love and grace, God covered the unexpected pain in my life of becoming an adult orphan and transformed this pain into a pearl. We are all Pearl Girls. Each of us has been touched by God's gift of love and grace, and it's a gift that I want to share with others. That's why I am launching Pearl Girls.

Actually, my very first gift from my parents was a pearl. The gift of my name. Margaret means "precious pearl." So perhaps this is what I was always supposed to do. My heart's prayer is that Pearl Girls will be a blessing to others - to the women who contribute their literary talent to the Pearl Girls projects; to the readers who are inspired and comforted by the life experiences shared through these projects and to the women and children who will benefit from the proceeds given by Pearl Girls to various charities. This is a win-win for everyone, and each of us has a special part in making the Pearl Girls projects "blessed sellers."

After the first Pearl Girls tea in Atlanta, I went to my brother, Claude's home to help sort through our parents' boxes in his basement. It was an emotional experience and tedious process to discover what was in each box, to decide what to do with each item and to discard those belongings which we needed to let go. After several long hours of sorting, I received an incredible hug from heaven - a confirmation that Pearl Girls is something that is meant to be. I discovered a three strand necklace of painted pearls belonging to my grandmother from the early 1900s! Isn't that amazing?
Press Release: http://www.mpnewsroom.com/?p=602

Excerpt: http://www.mpnewsroom.com/images/excerpt/PearlGirls.pdf

Hi-Res cover: http://www.mpnewsroom.com/images/cover/9780802458629.jpg

It’s about Connecting Hearts and Souls to Impact the World.

As you know Margaret doesn’t keep a penny of any proceeds. When getting the word out about Pearl Girls, please let people know that 100% of the royalties go directly to two charities:

WINGS (women in need growing stronger). The proceeds will help fund a Safe House in the Chicago suburbs. It costs $50 a night to provide safe shelter for a woman and her children. During this economy, WINGS is receiving even more phone calls for a safe place to stay. Already, the Pearl Girls have provided 60 nights with the advance royalties. www.wingsprogram.com

Hands of Hope. The proceeds will help build wells in Uganda for school children. Can you imagine a child at school without a water fountain in the hallway where he or she can grab a quick sip of water in between classes on a hot day? These children have to drink from puddles and other water sources which carry diseases and parasites. It costs $12,000 to build a well in Uganda. Already, the Pearl Girls have provided funds to build ¼ of a well. www.handsofhopeonline.orgFirst and foremost Margaret would like you to highlight above all else that 100% of the book’s royalties go to Charity.

Link to buy the book online: http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Girls-Encountering-Experiencing-Grace/dp/0802458629/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253048057&sr=8-1


Link to video: http://vimeo.com/6303901

Pearl Girls from Michael J Garvey on Vimeo.

Inspired by the many women who opened their lives and shared their stories in Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace, we have created sister site, Post-a-Pearl. A place to continue the connection and encouragement the book began. I hope you will take the opportunity to connect through the Post-a-Pearl site. Please post your own Pearl story and reach out to share your own story with others. Collaborating is an important purpose of Pearl Girls. We connect to make a difference in the world.

You can find all the info and instructions on the website. http://postapearlgirl.margaretmcsweeney.com/