Some Assembly Required
I recently had the opportunity to chat with authors Michelle Medlock Adams and Bethany Jett about their new book, Platinum Faith.
How did writing this book increase your own faith?
Bethany: The book was hard to write because I had to do some soul-searching and face the reality of where I wasn’t as strong in my faith as I may have thought. It was humbling, for sure!
Michelle: Bethany and I joked that as we wrote each chapter, it felt like we were being challenged in that particular aspect of faith. You know how they always say, “Don’t pray for patience” or you’ll be tested in it? That’s kind of how we felt as we wrote about knowing our worth and not being reactive in difficult situations and being easily shaped and standing when you’ve done all else. But, in the end, we both grew in our faith. For me personally, I received news that my 14-month-old grandson, Bear, was diagnosed with an inoperable brainstem tumor just as we were beginning the journey of writing about having Platinum Faith. Of course, when I received the news, I certainly didn’t feel full of faith. I felt full of fear. It was a turning point in my life, and I wrote about the struggle I had in the midst of facing this bad news head on. That’s in chapter one, which is called “All In Faith.”
How does the ideas behind Platinum Faith fit into raising kids?
Michelle: As any parent will tell you, it takes all kinds of faith to raise children—especially in today’s world. Every aspect of Platinum Faith that we cover such as: being malleable and being responsive and not reactive applies to raising children. In fact, we reference our kids several times throughout the book. In chapter 10, I wrote about giving our children to God as we delve into the platinum property that God’s presence is heavy. (Platinum is quite heavy when compared to gold or silver.) I specifically talked about the time that Abby, my sophomore in college, came home and told me that she was sure she’d found the guy she was going to marry…and that he felt called to missions. While I was so happy for her, I was also so afraid of losing her. I remember thinking, “What if he takes her to the mission field somewhere far, far away and they get married and have children—grandchildren I’ll never see?!” I had to stand on Psalm 55:22 and continually cast my cares on God, knowing that Abby was His, and that He would protect her and lead her into the plan He had for her.
It takes faith—platinum faith—to truly give your children to God. Sure, we all go through the baby dedications at church and “give” our kids to God in front of friends and family, but we often take them back. This faith walk, like parenting, is a journey. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and some days, we can grow weary. But on those days, we can press into our Heavenly Father and He will carry us.
How can we as moms helps our kids recognize their own worth in God’s eyes?
Michelle: Good question. One of the properties of platinum is that it’s so rare and valuable. I cover that in chapter 4. I truly believe that until we can grasp just how much our Father loves us and treasures us, it’s hard to walk in faith. It’s hard to trust Him because we aren’t sure if He loves us. That’s why it’s so important for us, as parents, to make sure our children understand their worth and help them see themselves through their Heavenly Father’s eyes. If we can raise our children to know their value in Christ Jesus, then they will be able to withstand difficult circumstances, like when a bully says awful things about them. If we can teach them verses like Jeremiah 31:3 that says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love,” it’ll begin to build that foundation of faith.
I not only write books for women, but I’ve also written more than 50 books for kids, and one of my all-time favorites is simply called How Much Does God Love You? I wrote that book in such a way that little kids, ages 1 to 4, could discover just how much their Heavenly Father loves them. It’s so important that our kids realize God’s love is unconditional and that nothing can separate us from His love.
Raising kids, working, volunteering—we often pack a lot into our busy lives. How do you stay true to your callings in the midst of the mundane?
Michelle: Ironically, Bethany and I also have a book for moms coming out in November called, They Call Me Mom (Kregel) dealing with this very topic—how to wear all of the hats that moms wear: carpool driver, bad dreams slayer, cheerleader, disciplinarian, late night project maker, etc. Some days it is a hot mess, but even on those hot mess days, we can rejoice in the fact that we are called and equipped. God never calls us without equipping us. But, He also wants us to have dreams that are way bigger than we feel qualified to fulfill. If we could handle it all on our own without God, that wouldn’t take any faith at all. But, as we grow in our faith and learn His voice and follow after Him, we can accomplish much for the Kingdom.
Bethany: It’s one of the biggest sources of mom guilt, ever. Each activity, chore, deadline is a choice to spend time with my family or away from my family…and I’m so guilty of working too much and not spending enough time with my kids. So much of our callings actually helps our family, so it’s hard to find that elusive balance. Staying true to our purpose includes being the best wife, mother, daughter, friend that we can, so it’s a daily prayer for God to grant discernment and wisdom with our time If anyone ever figures out how to balance everything, I’ll be the first in line!
What would be the one thing you want a reader to take away after reading your book?
Michelle: One thing…I guess it would be that God didn’t call us to have perfect faith. He says in His Word that we are attaining from glory to glory, so I would want women to know that it’s a journey of faith. We’re all given a measure of faith, but let’s not settle there. Let’s press into the things of God and strive for Platinum Faith. It’s about progress, not perfection.
Bethany: Along with what Michelle said, I want women to give themselves a little bit of a break. We strive for perfection because we think it gives us value and yet we need to stop, breathe, and know that this faith journey is just that.
About Bethany and Michelle
Business partners, co-authors, and besties Michelle Medlock Adams and Bethany Jett share enthusiasm for helping women, equipping other writers, and encouraging everyone they encounter.
Both Michelle and Bethany married their college sweethearts, were cheerleaders and went on to become cheer coaches, and have the same love for shoes, thrift store shopping, and reruns of Frasier and The Office.
An Indiana native, Michelle is a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter and the author of over 90 multiple-award-winning books, including earning top honors from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Hoosier State Press Association. When not writing or teaching writing, Michelle enjoys bass fishing with her hubby Jeff and cheering on the Chicago Cubbies and all Indiana University sports teams.
Hailing from Tampa, Fla., Bethany is an award-winning author and ghostwriter who is pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts degree in communications, specializing in marketing and public relations. She is a military wife, work-at-home momma-of-boys, suspense-novel junkie who describes herself as “mid-maintenance” and loves cute shoes and all things girly.
Because of their shared passions, this dynamic duo collaborates on many projects, including their first two books together releasing in 2019, They Call Me Mom and Platinum Faith. Together, they formed their premier literary agency Platinum Literary Services, are popular teachers on the writer’s conference circuit, literary agent scouts for Cyle Young Literary Elite agency, and much sought-after speakers at women’s events and retreats.
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