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In the Land of Canaan remarkably captures both the horrors and warmth of a child's ability to survive being terrorized and sexually abused. Yet still, she finds glimmers of hope in her dark world. Francine takes a riveting look at a family deep in the thralls of dysfunction, bringing her twin sister, and their disabled older sister along in this powerful darkness to light memoir.
To Francine and her sisters, the little brown house with the mustard trimmed door was home. A condemned shack with two five-gallon buckets for toilets, holes in the walls and ceilings, and a three-legged cat named, Lady Bug, is just a glimpse into their life in Canaan, Maine. With a Naval Reserves father who mostly speaks in epigrammatic sentences ending in exclamation points and a mother who battles depression, the girls were left to fend for themselves against their uncle, a real-life giant.
In this, David versus Goliath memoir, supernatural strength, undeniable courage, and the liberating power of forgiveness are what Francine finds while living In the Land of Canaan.
About the author
Francine Westgate is an inspirational speaker, teacher, and author. She holds her minister's license through One Way Churches International under the leadership of Bishop Lorenzo Hall and Bishop S.Y. Younger. She is the wife of Pastor William Westgate, Associate Pastor of the RAMP Church International. Together they have three sons and one granddaughter. Francine and her husband lead the married Couples ministry, where they teach couples how to maintain a healthy marriage by sharing their own personal experiences. Francine has a successful blog called "I Am M.O.R.E" and has two memoirs in the works, "In the Land of Canaan: A little Girl's Giants" and "Fiddleheads," where she shares how she overcame the crippling effects of childhood sexual abuse through hope and the power of forgiveness. Francine also shares her wisdom and knowledge as she leads the Refreshed Women's Group at the RAMP Church International in Lynchburg, VA. Francine continues to travel and teaches workshops on forgiveness, where she shares her story to empower the hurting and to help them view their wounds as a means to help others. Francine loves to study and teach the Word of God and is the director of the Christian Education Department for One Way Churches International.
