Book by Pastor Linda G. Hodge

LANCASTER, Calif.—In her self-help book “Women Under Construction,” Pastor Linda G. Hodge describes walking through a home still under construction, where she passes by scattered piles of rusted and dirty nails, varying in shapes and conditions, calling it all sin. But she then redeems the incomplete home by explaining that God, the Master Builder has a way of revitalizing those bent and ugly nails to complete the home to its fullest potential.

The book is a guide written to help the broken find their way back to wholeness. Hodge wrote it as a “blueprint” to show women a path to establish a purpose in life.

Positioning herself as a construction site manager, Hodge compares the fundamentals of renovating a home to rebuilding a woman’s spirit.

She goes on to address several heart-wrenching issues, including sexual molestation and self-love throughout the book, offering healing help to women who have been through it all.

Hodge became a minister 29 years ago and has co-pastored alongside her husband, Fred, at Living Praise Christian Center for 15 years. Through her experiences, she’s seen the darkness and heaviness of life torture women who felt they had no way out.

“I decided to write the book because through the ministry, I have encountered so many women, single and married, that have so many issues, so many needs, and they need help,” she said. “My desire is to help build women from the inside out. I see the need, women are crying, being abused, experiencing all types of challenges and I felt this book would give them the fortitude and the strength to bounce back. I cover every facet of a woman’s life; her soul, her mind, I talk to every woman, and this book is for every woman.”

Hodge understands the sorrow and heartache of being a broken woman.

“Having been abused in a previous relationship, I understand what some of these women are experiencing,” she said. “For the last 29 years working in the ministry, studying the Word and being obedient to the Holy Spirit, I have learned some wonderful things and I feel I must share with women who want to bounce back from adversity, push forward and become the woman that God has purposed them to be.”

Now a successful pastor, wife, mother of five and grandmother of seven, Hodge is anxious to share her words of wisdom to women everywhere.

And through her church, which was originally established in Chatsworth, she has reached hundreds of abused and broken women with outreach programs like Women of Virtue & Excellence Network (WOVEN), an organization for women in the ministry and throughout the community. Also, Sister-to-Sister, Winner’s Circle, and an annual Toy Drive help both domestically abused and homeless women and children.

For more information about Hodge and “Woman Under Construction,” visit www.knowledgepowerbooks.com or visit www.livingpraisechurch.org.

"Woman Under Construction," by Linda G. Hodge,co-pastor of Living Praise Christian Center in Lancaster, should serve as a motivational manual forwomen. who are feeling overwhelmed by their relationships, jobs, past traumas and worries about the future, the author says.

"Women today put a lot of work into concealing their pain," she said. "A lot of women are shattered and have issues.

"I wrote this book to help them heal."

Hodge said she first got the idea for "Woman Under Construction," which makes its debut Wednesday, after conducting a women's fellowship course in January.

"I decided to use the analogy of a house because of my own experiences with one," she said.

Hodge said she and her husband, Pastor Fred Hodge, purchased a house a while back that was not what it appeared to be.

"It was beautiful," she said. "It had a beautiful gate, waterfall, pool, a barn - everything I ever dreamed about.

"But the plumbing was bad, the pool leaked, the barn had problems - everything started falling apart. We had to rebuild and repair so many things."

Hodge describes her book as a Christian-based manual in which she takes on the role of work site manager when renovating a woman's spirit.

She said she interviewed women of all ages - single, divorced, widowed, married and those who wish to be married - when conducting research for the book.

"I tried to make it practical, yet fun," she said. "It's full of anecdotes and personal stories that can make you cry, laugh and reflect."

The Hodges, who live in Palmdale as they minister to the two campuses of Living Praise Christian Center, in Lancaster and Chatsworth, have been married for 28 years.

They have five children and six grandchildren.

"Woman Under Construction," published by Knowledge Power Communications of' Valencia, is available from Amazon.com, www.knowledgepowerbooks.com or www.livingpraisechurch.org.

bantel@avpress.com