In 2000, I was a brand-new homeschool graduate being bombarded with the infamous "What are you going to do now?" question. I received more than my fair share of disgruntled looks or comments of dismay when I answered that I wasn't planning to go to college or to pursue any type of career. Instead, my parents and I felt the Lord was calling me to stay at home and serve my family and others.

Fast forward six years later and I am now a happily married wife and mother who does not have one bit of regret for going against the flow in my post-high school years. Although there were wonderful blessings in following this path, I will readily admit that there were many times when I felt as if I were the only girl out there not in college or working full-time. It was a lonely path and there were so many times when I wished I could find more encouragement along the way.

Handmaidens of the Lord is my gift to the brave young women who are challenging the status quo and seeking to pave a trail for others to come behind them. If I could have an opportunity to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with each and every Christian young lady in this country, this is the message I would want to give them.

I've never been so excited about something we've published. This book was supposed to be published last year but I just didn't have the motivation or time to do it and so I put it on the back burner. I now know why God had me wait. I needed this past year of learning, growing, blogging, and interacting with many different women and young women before I could write this book.

Instead of bashing college or pursuing a career, this book encourages young women to cultivate something which is much more valuable than a college degree or financial success – a servant’s heart.

Approx. 80 pages (final page length to be determined after all the editing is finished!)

Available for shipping by the end of June, Lord-willing!

Shannon Grubb, a homeschool graduate and daughter living at home, just read through the draft of Handmaidens of the Lord and wrote this review of it:

This is the story of several young ladies who dare to live out the word of God in their lives in a radical and practical way it is one of the most convicting and encouraging books I have ever read on our calling as young ladies living at home. What a breath of purity and holiness as we ponder what it means to be joyful daughters at home with other young ladies who are well acquainted with all the joys and struggles and most of all with the will of God laid out in the scriptures. These young ladies invite us to share in their personal journey of faith and fortitude as they live out the promises of God and reap the precious rewards!

Crystal's book is full of passion and vision to encourage young women like myself to embrace all that the Lord has for them as they joyfully serve at home and prepare for marriage. Reading this book I have felt inspired, and so much less alone in this calling than I have in a very long time. It is so easy to get discouraged and disillusioned in today's Godless society that we are surrounded by on all sides. This book was like a breath of fresh air, refreshing and invigorating to my heart and yet so practical as well. It came at such a good time and I again saw with clarity and vision what our calling is about – my heart was lifted up and I was blessed! All through this book, among the testimonies are sprinkled little tidbits of practical ideas and inspirational quotes - making this beautiful book delightfully edifying and equipping! -Shannon Grubb