Contact:
Whitney Kelley, 972.267.1111 (o), whitney@alarryross.com
Kristin Cole, 972-267-1111 (o) or 615-289-6701 (c), kristin@alarryross.com
Rick Warren's Wife Pens the Story of Her Life-Changing Journey From Suburban Housewife to International AIDS Advocate
Orange County, CA – While most would consider it difficult, if not impossible, to find anything positive or redeeming about the escalating HIV/AIDS pandemic, author and advocate Kay Warren does just that in her debut book Dangerous Surrender: What Happens When You Say Yes to God, published by Zondervan and scheduled to arrive in bookstores in November 2007.
"I believe that AIDS is one of the most devastating atrocities I will ever witness in my lifetime," says author Kay Warren. "This disease ravages not only the vital organs of a human being, but their entire body, their entire being, their families, their communities, and now entire countries."
Four years ago, Kay honestly admits that she did not pay attention to the looming AIDS crisis, attributing its spread and limitations to the white, male, homosexual population. And she will quickly add that even if that were true, it shouldn’t have mattered. Even so, it was only after picking up a news magazine on her coffee table and being drawn to the staggering figures of African orphans that the issue finally caught her attention.
"I was ignorant; I was self-righteous; and I was prejudiced," Kay admits about her opinion of AIDS and those who are affected by the disease. "If nothing else has come of this, I have been humbled and broken and recognize that until I reach out and do what I am capable of, then I will continue to be part of the problem. I don’t want to be part of the problem; I want to be part of God's solution."
That life-changing moment propelled Kay to become what she termed as 'seriously disturbed' by the pictures and statistics of this pandemic. Going to bed each night and waking up each morning, she couldn’t get the numbers and images out of her mind.
In her book Dangerous Surrender, Kay chronicles how she was transformed from a typical suburban housewife and mega-church pastor's wife to a now internationally recognized HIV/AIDS advocate, regularly consulting and communicating with heads of state, business leaders, humanitarian aid foundations and cutting-edge researchers from the medical field.
"I knew that I could no longer ignore the travesty playing out on the world stage in front of me," Kay continues. "But I was one person, and there were millions of people living, suffering and dying with HIV/AIDS. Unless God was behind this prompting to get involved, there was no way that I was equipped to even go one more step forward."
So many people are burdened by the societal ills, natural disasters, manmade tragedies, and health plights in their families, neighborhoods or communities and look at God asking, 'Why are you letting this happen?'" she says. "I am pretty confident that God is looking right back at us and asking the same thing. I didn't have an answer when I was confronted with the issue of AIDS, so my only response was to surrender to His leading."
While Mrs. Warren draws on her own personal experience in the context of HIV/AIDS, the book is more broad in its intention to communicate to the reader both the humility and power, the freedom and the duty, as well as the privilege and the pain of obeying and totally surrendering to God as He unfolds His plan for our individual lives. The "Getting Started" sections at the end of each chapter prompts the reader to consider what is in their own lives that they are not surrendering to God, whether it be their finances, their marriage, their children, or their careers. The possibilities are as varied as the individual.
"It has been so much more than a lifestyle transformation, and it has certainly been a process, not a transaction. It has truly been an overhaul and a crystallization of everything I believed about God, everything I believed about my responsibility as a Christian, and everything I believed about the human condition," Warren concludes. "What the world intends for evil, God will use for good. And even in the midst of this atrocity or any other tragedy that the world can throw our way, love, compassion, kindness, humility, outreach, ministry -- and yes, even hope -- can be demonstrated and bring joy where there otherwise is none."
Kay Warren is a Bible teacher and advocate for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. She and her husband, Pastor Rick Warren who is the author of the bestselling book The Purpose Drive Life, began Saddleback church in their home in 1980 with seven people. The church now has an average weekend attendance of more than 22,000 people, and has sent out over 7,400 of its members into 68 countries around the world to participate in the P.E.A.C.E. Plan. Additionally, this year Saddleback Church will host the third annual AIDS and the Church Conference, with speakers representing domestic and foreign governments, business leaders, medical leaders, and an extensive roster of HIV/AIDS and humanitarian aid advocates from around the globe. For more information about the Warrens' AIDS initiatives, Saddleback Church or the P.E.A.C.E. Plan, visit www.purposedriven.com.
NOTE TO MEDIA: Advanced Reader Copies are now available and can be requested by contacting A. Larry Ross Communications. To schedule an interview or request press materials, contact Whitney Kelley at (o) 972-267-1111, (m) 214-457-1398, or whitney@alarryross.com; or you can contact Kristin Cole at (o) 972-267-1111, (m) 615-289-6701, or kristin@alarryross.com.
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HarperCollins company, is a world leader in Christian communications and the leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in San Diego and Miami, Zondervan conducts events and publishes its bestselling
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