Atl., January 24, 2008 – Writer, pastor, and singer, Gwendolyn Phillips Coates, in her new book, Waiting On My Lunch Date, shares from personal experience how to prepare for and how to handle the death of one’s spouse. Mrs. Coates takes you from the grieving process through the healing process.

“I never thought about becoming a widow,” says Pastor Gwendolyn, as she is affectionately called. “It has taken me totally by surprise. It was not on my agenda!” 

Death is a reality, and many married couples simply do not think about it, and many more do not want to accept the fact that their spouse will, one day, die. That being the case, many are not prepared for death mentally, emotionally or spiritually. As a result, they are caught off-guard, and thus, are unable to function after the death of their spouse. But through the pages of Waiting on My Lunch Date, you will find that there is hope. Life does go on. Life can go on for you if you have experienced the death of your spouse.

In Waiting on My Lunch Date, Rev. Gwendolyn shares with us the two-fold purpose of her book:

(1)   To help you through the grieving process by sharing her experience when her husband died, in hopes that you will come out of it full of hope and ready to continue living.

(2)   To create a spark in husbands and wives and an appreciation for each other because no one knows when their marriage relationship will end by the death of a spouse.

So, if you are struggling mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually over the death of your spouse, then Waiting on My Lunch Date is the right book for you. If you know of someone, male or female, who is going through the grieving process, then show them you care by giving them a copy of Waiting on My Lunch Date.

Rev. Gwendolyn Phillips Coates is a native of Los Angeles, California, founder/president of God Answers Prayer Ministries, a non profit corporation (CEO of God Answers Prayer Records & Philabob Music) and former senior pastor of Walker Chapel AME, Seattle. She has independently produced and released two solo CD's Grateful, It's Christmas—Rejoice! and is in pre-production for #3 - Songs From My Soul.  Pastor Gwendolyn is a contributing writer to the Wisdom & Grace Devotional Bible for Young Women of Color (Nia Publishing) and develops Bible studies.

Pastor Gwendolyn currently lives in Kent, Washington.  She is a widow and has three adult children: Faundsworth (Michella), LaNicia, and Philip; and two grandchildren: grandson Mikkel and granddaughter Mikalah.

For speaking engagements or book signings, contact Pastor Gwendolyn Phillips Coates at gap1995@gap-ministries.com or call 1-877-GAP-PRAY. For further information please visit: www.gap-ministries.com. 

Meet Pastor Gwendolyn Coates, at Another Chance Women’s Conference & Sister’s Summit, April 18-20, 2008. For more information e-mail: gappray@msn.com.

Waiting on My Lunch Date is available wherever fine books are sold, including: Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and BlackCBD.com.