Book MYView: Dancing With My Father by Sally Clarkson

With all the bad news we hear almost on a daily basis, it seems joy is a commodity that is in short supply – at least sometimes in my house. I don’t mean happiness; sure I’m happy, but when something bad happens, it’s easy for me to teeter right over into despair. For instance, I fell into a blue funk after hearing about the devastation in Haiti and then in Chile, and don‘t get me started on the jobless rate and the state of health care. Needless to say, Dancing with My Father came right on time.

After reflecting on hopeful times in her life like when she got married, was expecting her first child, or excited about starting a new job, Sally Clarkson struggled knowing she wasn’t really joyful anymore. She then found it necessary to reclaim her joy. Not wanting her circumstances to decide her joy, she embarks on a journey to find spiritual rest in God. As she puts it on page seven, “I wanted to be a child, delighting in the life, at peace with God, living in the grace of the moment. I wanted to live above the pull of depression and cultivate a heart of joy from which others could draw. I wanted to know what it really meant to be filled with the reality of God, the love of God, and the joy of God, every day, no matter what else was going on in my life.”

I know after repeatedly hearing bad news I tend to feel weighed down by all the things happening in the world and in my personal life. I really liked how the author used dance to describe our relationship with God. When we dance with our father, we choose to take steps to follow his direction, and trust in his leadings. Dance keeps us moving and focused on God. There isn’t a chance to be immobilized by fear over what we’re hearing or seeing around us if we continue to keep dancing — one step at a time.

If you find peace and joy hard to hold onto, I recommend reading Dancing with my Father to revive your faith and increase your joy. This book would make a good devotional because at the end of each chapter you'll find questions to help you "find your rhythm in God's joy."

Will you miraculously find joy despite your circumstances? Probably not right away. Knowing how to dance takes time and practice. However, as you continually put the book's principles into practice, I’m sure you will at least show progress. After all, that’s what this spiritual journey is about anyway. My favorite spiritual teacher always says, “You may not be where you want to be, but at least you’re not where you started.”


Author Bio:

Sally Clarkson is a popular speaker, known across the nation and internationally for her work with women. She is the author of several books, including The Mission of Motherhood, The Ministry of Motherhood, and Seasons of a Mother’s Heart. She has worked in various ministries, including Campus Crusade for Christ. With her husband, Clay, she is cofounder of Whole Heart Ministries, which encourages and equips Christian parents. The Clarksons, parents of four, live near Colorado Springs, Colorado.



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Bonus book to help you develop a stronger relationship with your daughter.



When a daughter is born, her mother has a thousand hopes and dreams for her, especially that they will be best friends one day.

Unfortunately, even the best of intentions can go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. But a harmonious relationship is possible.

Award-winning author Cheri Fuller and her daughter, Ali Plum, have been there and have discovered the keys to a healthy relationship. In Mother-Daughter Duet they share their story—each from her own perspective—in which they have experienced distance and tension, growth and challenge, and, ultimately, acceptance and harmony. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on several basic principles (letting go; listening; respect; setting boundaries; and more), Mother-Daughter Duet: Getting to the Relationship You Want with Your Adult Daughter helps moms repair the breach so that daughters want to draw close.

The mother-daughter dynamic is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But mothers and daughters can achieve mutual respect and learn to celebrate their differences when they learn the two-part harmony of the mother-daughter duet.

Author Bio:

Cheri Fuller is a best-selling, award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. She speaks to a wide range of women at women’s conferences and is a frequent guest on national radio and television programs.

Ali Plum is Cheri’s daughter, a writer and songwriter, a wife, and a mother to Noah and Luke. She and her mom have weathered the ups and downs of their relationship to find one of the most treasured, honest relationships of their lives. Ali has recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and Mother-Daughter Duet marks her debut into book publishing.