About the Book

Book: Taming the Dragons

Author: Brenda Wilbee

Genre: Christian Living / Women’s Interests

Release Date: May 12, 2020

Are you overwhelmed, in despair, heartsick, or in danger? Not sure which way to turn? Whom to trust? Once upon a time . . . the raging dragon . . . a damsel in distress. It worked out well in our fairy tales, but what about real life?

In this highly creative approach to problems all women face today and in varying degrees throughout their lives, Wilbee identifies six choices women have when beleaguered by conflict and challenge. She partners six biblical women with characters from The Wizard of Oz, naming choices for Innocent, Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, and Wizard. She then skillfully weaves in characters from other stories and tales, accounts of women from history and today, and experiences from her own life to illustrate how these choices empower women in difficult times, moving them from want to abundance—for themselves and others.

Beginning with Eve the Innocent, Wilbee asserts that while some of us might want to go back to the garden of Eden, where innocence dwells, no one can. It’s only by making choices to tame our dragons—and by walking the metaphorical yellow brick road of our inner journeys—that we can, and do, find the happily ever after of our fairy tales and the abundant life Jesus promises us all.

Each chapter concludes with a motivational section that includes journaling pages, “Something to Ponder,” and prayers for courage and hope.

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My Thoughts:

This was a thought provoking and somewhat of a workbook, for women especially, in how to live in this very imperfect world. The author takes stories from the Bible, her own life, examples from fairy tales, especially the Wizard of Oz and gives us ways to 'tame the dragons'.

I like her approach with walking with the characters down the yellow brick road and applying that to our own lives. This book is chock full of great truths and ways we can handle not living a perfect life, especially not playing the blame game with one another or ourselves.

Though I did not necessarily agree 100% with everything, she gave me much food for thought. I think that most everyone might have an idealized view of the world in their heads, I do think that is a mechanism we have to just get through the day and not necessarily ignore the evil. Yes evil definitely exists and the believer sometimes does want to hide from it, the rest of the world seems to say it does not exist at all. But we all must face it head on. As the author says many times, we are not in the garden of Eden anymore. Just like Dorothy, we long for our true home.

I received a copy of this eBook from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Brenda Wilbee is passionate about helping women in their everyday lives. The author of over 10 books with more than 700,000 copies sold, Brenda is a long-time contributor to Guidepost’s Daily Devotionals. Her work appears in Zondervan’s Women’s Devotional Bible, Inside Religious Publishing, and Guidepost’s Best Loved Stories. She holds an MA in professional writing, with an emphasis on myth, fairy tale, and folklore. She divides her time between the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the Canadian Yukon.

More from Brenda

Author Brenda Wilbee wrote Taming the Dragons to help Christian women understand that they have choices when up against conflict and challenge. In this highly creative approach, she partners six biblical women with the characters from Wizard of Oz, naming choices for Innocent, Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, and Wizard. She then skillfully weaves in characters from other fairy tales and stories, accounts of women from history and today, and experiences from her own life to illustrate how choice empowers women to tame the many dragons they face. She contends that by walking the metaphorical yellow brick road of learning choice, women find inner healing and restoration.

She begins with Eve the Innocent, asserting that even though we might like to go back to a garden of Eden, where innocence dwells, we can’t. But by making choices to tame the dragons we encounter as either Orphan, Pilgrim, Martyr, Warrior, or Wizard, we can, and we do, return to the happily ever after of our fairy tales and the abundant life Jesus, in John 10:10, tells us is ours.

Each chapter begins and ends with narrative to first explain a choice and to then offer the caveat. An Orphan asks for help, but by doing so she learns self-reliance. A Warrior fights to save herself and those she loves but has to be careful lest she become like her enemy. Each chapter concludes with journaling pages for personal thought, a study guide with Scripture to consider, and questions to ponder.