Robin McGraw - Inside My Heart: Choosing to Live with Passion and Purpose

INSIDE MY HEART

Copyright 2006 by Robin McGraw

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Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

McGraw, Robin.
Inside my heart : choosing to live with passion and purpose / Robin McGraw.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-7852-1836-X (hardcover)
1. Christian womenReligious life. I. Title.

BV4527.M3923 2006
248.8'43dc22

2006019830

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 QW 09 08 07 06

To my loving husband and best friend, Phillip.

I have loved you from the moment God brought us together.

and to

My sons, Jay Phillip and Jordan Stevens,

I love you boys so much. You are my passion.

You are my purpose.

and to

My mother, Georgia, for teaching me to walk with grace

and dignity on the good days and the bad. And to my father,

Jim, for overcoming more than a man should face and

loving me so well along the way.

and to

All women out there embracing the choices of life.

CONTENTS

Chapter Three A Daughters HeartChoosing
My Own Legacy

Chapter Four A Heart of Clarity and Conviction
Choosing to Go After What I Want

Chapter Five A Discerning HeartWhat I Learned
from My Mothers Legacy of Love

Chapter Six A Wifes HeartChoosing to Do
Whatever Makes My Husband Happy

Ichose the title, Inside My Heart, because the writing of this book was definitely a feeling rather than thinking experience. At 52 years of age I feel that despite some difficult times along the way, I have absolutely, positively got to be one of the most blessed women in the world. I choose the word blessed, rather than lucky, because I believe that God has personally watched over me, every step of the way, each and every day. Acknowledgment of His grace is not a big enough word to describe those blessings.

Greatest among those blessings has got to be my husband, Phillip. He has loved me, believed in me, supported me and lifted me up from the minute we met. From the very second I felt his strong arms around me I knew I had found the man God had chosen for me to spend my life with. When I decided to write this book, he was absolutely thrilled. Being an accomplished author he knew how much work it would be yet had no doubt that I could and would see it through. He calls himself my cautious critic because he knows that I hate being told what to do. So it was with great courage and personal peril that he gave me not only love and support, but constructive criticism along the way. Phillip, you have always been next to me publicly and inside my heart privately. I thank you for being the one that claps and cheers the loudest in my life each and every day. Our journey has just begun.

Thanks also to my dear family, Jordan and Jay, and now my precious new daughter-in-law, Erica. You boys are the greatest source of joy I as a mother could ever imagine. You will find yourselves throughout these pages, because you have been my mission in life. Watching you turn into the young men you have become gives me the strength, courage and confidence to write this book and share experiences of my life and our family with so many people around the world. Every time I looked at or thought about you two, I wrote faster and more furiously to inspire women to be simply the best they can be in hopes that they would have the rewards of the heart that I reap when I look at you. Thank you both for your help, support and love during this long process. If not another thing happens in my life the two of you have made the journey more than any woman or mother could ask.

Thanks also to my sisters, Jamie, Cindi, and Karin, and to Roger my twin brother. So many of the lessons that I have learned and shared in this book were experienced with each of you at my side. All four of you always made me feel so completely special and I know it was hard on you, knowing that I was mother and daddys favorite! HA!

Thanks also to Phillips sisters Deana, Donna and Brenda. Sometimes I think you three taught him too much about women, because Ill be darned if I could ever get away with anything! Seriously, you three have been my staunch supporters since my first date with your brother and have always treated me like family, which at times was so desperately important. Thanks for all you have been over the last thirty-five years.

A very special thanks to Grandma Jerry for being my other mother, particularly because I lost my mother so early on. Having such a rich and wonderful relationship with you has meant more to me and has filled a greater void than you could ever know. Your loving and caring spirit, always upbeat attitude and relentless courage in the face of amazing pain and challenge in your own life has inspired me to be a better woman. Thank you most for the gift of the wonderful man you raised and gave to me with such unconditional blessing. You have been a mother first and a mother-in-law second and a champion at both. Grandma, thank you for loving me, and our little family.

I also have to thank Scott Madsen, family member, friend, supporter, and world-class giver. Scott youve never said no, are never too tired to help out and always find a positive way to contribute. Your help and support while writing this book and assistance with the logistics have been invaluable. Thanks for always being there.

A special thanks also to my good friend Jan Davidson. Jan, you and I grew together as women, mothers and wives over the last twenty years. Everything we have shared, whether it is trials and tribulations or exciting adventures and victories simply would not have been the same without you by my side. You were there for so many of the things Ive shared in this book and I am so thankful that you were. It is so great to have a friend that always unfailingly revels in your successes and wishes you nothing but the best. Thanks for always being there, and I cant wait to see what the next twenty years brings to our lives.

A special thanks to Terry Wood and Carla Pennington. Although I have only known you two for the last five years, you have both shared and contributed so much to this little behind-the-scenes country girl finding her away through the maze of the public eye. Your belief in me, constant coaching and support helped me to find the right note for taking my voice, beliefs and values public. We have laughed and cried, but have definitely made a difference. Nobody could ever ask for better girlfriends. Thanks for being exactly who you are.

Thanks to Robin Cantor-Cooke for your warm, conscientious, professional contribution to this book. You are one of the hardest working mothers I have ever met: the way you balance your family and work inspires everyone who meets you.

To my agents, Jan Miller and Shannon Miser-Marven, and the dedicated and talented team at Dupree/Miller & Associates, this book would not be a reality without you, your belief in me, and your long hours of diligent work and editing. Your passionate commitment to getting this book into the hands of every woman in America has made such a huge difference. First, thank you both for being such good friends, and second, for being such cutting-edge, devoted and caring professionals. You are the best.