About
In Borrowed Houses
a true story of love and faith amidst war in Lebanon
by Frances Fuller
In Lebanon, a country fragmented by war, the Fullers are house-hunting, because they have a job to do— publishing Christian literature in the Arabic language. The house they find is mostly a heap of rocks, Frances thinks, but Wayne has visions of turning it into a beautiful and comfortable home. Meanwhile the Syrian occupation, an Israeli invasion, the bombing of the American Marines, artillery battles, car bombs and kidnappings impact their lives.
Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. They also compose, not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.
At the same time these stories advance Fullers’ personal story of struggling to build a publishing house, to fulfill her commitments to God and to stand by the people she loves. In the process of relating her experiences, Fuller lets the reader in on personal fears, memorable dreams, mental conflicts, some opinions on such issues as the ethics of war, and ways that she grew spiritually in times of stress. In two short segments that vary from the story format, she shares her “Twenty Rules for Surviving Civil War” and her observations on small-country and big-country ways of thinking.
The theme of borrowed houses runs through all of this, creating mystery and suspense. Wayne turns the stone stable into a beautiful and comfortable home that becomes a haven, the publishing work prospers, while powerful external forces threaten both their mission and the country they love.
“…a well written book full of compassion about a journey full of heartache and grace…a captivating story…”
A Judge, 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
…a profound spiritual memoir…”
Aliki Barnstone, professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Missouri
“…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”
Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology, Beirut; author of Whose Promised Land?
About
Helping Yourself Grow Old
Things I Said To Myself When I Was Almost Ninety
by Frances Fuller
Do you have a plan, a strategy for the final years of your life? A dream of what you want to be in your old age?
Finding no guidebook, Frances Fuller decided that she must figure out for herself how to live wisely through the puzzles and possibilities of aging, and while she learned she wrote. The result is these thirty-eight personal essays, most of them resolves, promises she is making to herself and her family. In them she deals with such issues as grief, loneliness, physical limitations, fears, duties, and with the significance of her own life story. Guided always by her Christian faith, she tries to make sense of her own past and to understand her responsibility to younger generations.
In the process she shares her daily life, enriched with memories from her fascinating experiences. Her stories and her voice—fresh, honest, irresistible—keep the reader eager for more.
Her questions are universal. Her answers create a map through the challenging terrain of old age.
Frances Fuller writes out of the overflow of a long, varied life. A child of the depression,
she has earned degrees in journalism, English and religious education, traveled
extensively, built a publishing house in the Middle East, survived several wars, and
written numerous books (some published only in Arabic), including the triple
award-winning In Borrowed Houses. Meanwhile, she was a wife for 63 years, a Bible
teacher, and public speaker while raising three sons and two daughters. Her ten
grandchildren are her hope for the world.
She wrote the final chapter of this book on her ninetieth birthday.
“Fuller’s rare openness and honesty invites others to greater self-awareness and gives permission to think, feel, and talk about everything, especially those subjects that are most difficult. It is a gift I am choosing for many older friends and their families.”
J.D., Gerontologist
“It should be required reading for all ages because we begin to “grow old” the moment we are born. I find myself thinking, “I need to read this again and take notes!” It’s full of wisdom, humor, and grace. I also have committed to rereading it annually – it’s that important!”
Amazon review
“Beautifully written book telling timeless truths, for both the old and the young. Highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to laugh, cry, and learn wisdom from someone who has lived so much life.”
Amazon review
