Writer Debby Thompson says the inspiration for her newly published book came from her own life as well as “walking alongside women around the world who live with world changers.”
The former Schlater resident is the author of “The Leader’s Wife: Living with Eternal Intentionality.” Thompson calls the book a GPS for women who are the wives of leaders to help find their purpose or calling in life.
“I find that these women who live alongside world changers are women with a broad platform and an enormous amount of influence,” Thompson said.
“I will tell you in a heartbeat these women are the lost tribe because there are books written in every category, aspect and dimension except for this woman. There is hardly anything available to her to know how she can make the most of the opportunities she has been given.”
In her book, Thompson, 67, discusses intimacy with Jesus, authenticity with others, a passion for a leader’s wife’s calling and a purpose for their influence.
Her call to writing didn’t come until later in life after she was living in Eastern Europe.
For 33 years, Thompson and her husband, Larry, of Jackson have served in global missions with Campus Crusade for Christ International. She and her husband met while they were both students at Mississippi State at a chapel on campus during a prayer meeting.
Thompson said Larry proposed to her with a question, “Will you go with me and help me reach the world for Christ?”
The two were asked to live in Poland and do missionary work under the radar. They left for eastern Europe with their 17-month-old child to begin their work.
“All of these glorious things that we were seeing God do had to be kept quiet,” Thompson said.
She said the Lord spoke to her during this time and said, “Debby, do what I have called you to do today and take care of this baby, and the day will come when you can tell my story.”
Throughout the years, the Thompsons’ missionary work extended over 20 different European nations, but it wasn’t until the 2000s in Budapest, Hungary, that Debby found her calling to write “The Leader’s Wife.”
She said she was teaching material that was similar to what is in her book to the wives of national leaders who were set to go out and do missionary work in eastern Europe. These women had asked her if was going to put the information into a book.
“I again took this question to the Lord and said, ‘God, if this is of you, I must know it.’’’ Thompson said.
She got her answer the next morning while doing her devotional reading and saw in the Bible’s Jeremiah, Chapter 30: “The things I have said to you put in a book.”
She said, “I want someone to close this book and say, ‘My life matters, and I know the next step to take,’” she said.
The couple now lives in Cincinnati, where her husband serves as vice president of the Global Leadership Council of Athletes in Action International, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International.
More of Thompson’s work can be found on her blog at www.debbythompson.com.
•Contact Lauren Randall at 581-7239 or lrandall@gwcommonwealth.com.
