She Stays

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Summary: A testimony to marriage and friendship.
Review: A truly inspirational book showing what faith and friendship can accomplish. Gives true meaning to "Let Go, Let God." Bettye is a hero. It took great courage to write this book but I know by the many times I have read it and others have too, that it touches everyone in someway. Bettye, Ricky & Andy gave a precious gift-themselves-in the hopes of helping others.

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Summary: a tribute to their marriage& an inspiration to all
Review: i have read the book three times,and it has been loaned out seven times, it makes all couples realize how precious true love is and no sacrifice is to great for that kind of love. bettye & ricky should feel a great deal of pride in in this book it took alot of courage to write this book but thank god they did

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Summary: This is a wonderful book that has truly inspired me.
Review: I have read this book three times! Ihave gone thru some very hard times in the past year and many,many times when i felt like there was no hope i would go back to this book and find just the right inspiration i needed to go on.The book makes you realize that even though Ricky is a superstar,Bettye and Ricky are still real people and go through the same kinds of problems we do.It was very kind of them to open theyre lives up for all the world to see just to help others. I for one feel they are two very wonderful and special people who because of this book have helped me to realize that no matter how far gone someone seems to be, with God and someone praying for them that refuses to give up all things are possible! This is a wonderful book ,written by a special lady about a special couple!

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Summary: IT CAN HAPPEN TO THE BEST OF US
Review: I just finished Mrs. Shelton's book, "She Stays" this past month. Like my Mom, I read it all at once. I loved it. It is the greatest book I have ever read! I am so happy for Mr. and Mrs. Shelton. I am so pleased that they were able to find God like that. Also to Andy, I hope I can have a friend like her, through the miracle of God. I feel like Mrs. Shelton is my Aunt, and I am so happy for her. It is so great that she can have a happy marriage with Ricky Van Shelton, and share their awesome story with the world! I am 16 yrs. old, and plan to have my own daughter read "She Stays" some day.

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Summary: God Is Always there.
Review: I was really depressed after I read this book.I can't imagine why anyone would go through so much heartache and humiliation for such a self-serving, egotisical, selfish man. I don't believe that someone can be suddenly "saved" and his battle with alchohol is instantly won. What happens when he falls off the wagon, does she go through the same nightmare again? She's married to an undisciplined boy, I hope she sees the light and finds herself a real man.

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Summary: God is Faithful
Review: Once I began reading this book I could hardly stop. The Lord used her testamony to minister to me. I have been called by God to go through the same thing. I had to stop and cry several times because my prayers were her prayers and God has led me to do the very same thing in that I am to be still and trust the Lord with the outcome.

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Summary: Love Is Not Always Easy.
Review: This book is partly autobiography and parly inspirational, depending on what you get out of it. It was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, a Christian firm in Nashville, TN.

While country singer/songwriter Ricky Van Shelton was pursuing his dreams, the dutiful wife waited at home on their 150-acre ranch outside Nashville, in Davidson County. He'd collected fifties model cars, Coca-Cola signs, cowboy memorabilia, and a life-size cigar store Indian, but his absence hurt.

Bettye had earned a degree in music business from Belmont University, (called Ward Belmont College for Young Ladies initially) in a beautiful setting where a strange-looking metal statue of a phoenix has its home hid behind some magnolia trees there (almost unnoticed now) on campus. When my son Zach was a student of creative writing at Belmont, he introduced me to this mythological character which had arisen out of its own ashes and it was fairly new at that location. Perhaps Bettye thought of this statue as she tried to rescue her marriage from ashes (almost).

Before he became a star, they'd enjoyed happy, fun-filled, but simple, life. Afterwards, it became a struggle and turmoil in her personal life which threatened to destroy their marriage. She had the courage to endure and fight for what she knew was worth keeping.

She confided to a woman she scarcely knew who was engaged to her husband's producer. They became close friends and Andy Landis wrote: It was a privilege to have been called to your side; "I wouldn't have missed it for the world." I wrote those same words to a person I met three years ago, quite by chance, and value enough to try to tame some of my innate impulsiveness and enthusiasm. James Van Praagh wrote in his book TALKING TO HEAVEN: "So often in life it is our desire to be loved that we tend to fall victim to our own making. Because we believe it is what is expected in order to have the love of someone else, we compromise who we truly are. We create an image. We have given our power and a piece of ourselves to the beloved. We have left our centeredness and given away a part of our self-wholeness. We can never be truly happy until we live our own lives."

With the help of her new friend, Andy, Bettye discovered this and worked hard to salvage what she could from the ashes of a slightly-chipped (not broken) marriage to the person she truly loved. This intimate story shows that there is a way to 'heal an unmended hurt.'

It portrays a woman (two women, really) who have intelligence, compassion, integrity, and enough grit for 'tough love.' It takes a strong person to endure and perservere. Bettye's 'angel in the flesh' confesses to being a 'late bloomer.' So was I. It is as much her story as the Sheltons, as we follow her own personal demons and triumphs.

'She Stays' is a featured song on the 'Common Ground' CD (a duet sung by Andy Landis and Ricky Van Shelton), as they pay tribute to Bettye's courage and commitment to her marriage -- which she saved through the pain of forgiveness. The song was written by Allen Shamblin in collaboration with Andy Landis. It was included in this CD of 'Songs of Faith, Love and Inspiration,' a compilation including other country music singers.

Rating:
Summary: God Is Always there.
Review: This is a true and wonderful story that shows the miracles that God can deliver if we are patient to let Him do His work in His own time. We can see, first hand, the power of prayer at work!

I started this book and could not put it down. Since I am going through much the same thing with my husband and have seen the changes that prayer can make in a relationship, I can attest to the truth that you will find in this book.

This book is a must read for anyone having difficult times in their marriage. It will give you hope and a model to follow as you pray for God to bring you together, closer, and more united than you have ever been.

Thank you Bettye and Andy.