Wisdom Builds Her House

"An ambitious and triumphant debut. Duff weaves multiple threads-from building a house to marrying again to discovering the journals of a stepdaughter she never met-to weave a story of secrets and guilt and ultimate forgiveness. It is a story of leaps of faith and second chances, and it will fill your heart up to the brim."

-Sharon Harrigan, author of Playing with Dynamite and Half

"In this beautifully crafted memoir full of rich, sensory imagery, Carole Duff takes readers with her on her dangerous yet healing journey of growth and faith in her maturing season. This book will speak tenderly to those building a second marriage, those seeking purpose after closing the book of a long career, and those wrestling with shame and God's gentle whisper to 'leave it.'"

-Afton Rorvik, author of Living Connected: An Introvert's Guide to Friendship and Storm Sisters: Friends Through All Seasons

"Wisdom Builds Her House is a captivating memoir that delves into the profound themes of searching, and finding, grace, mercy, and wisdom. Written with heartfelt sincerity, Carole Duff takes us on an inspiring and deeply personal odyssey through her life's most profound moments, revealing a narrative filled with spiritual awakening and transformative experiences. This entrancing narrative is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a reminder that 'some truths can only be seen in darkness.'"

-Lisa St. John, author of Swallowing Stones

"A moving story of family trauma, childhood secrets, and the author's attempt to reconcile faith with her deeply ingrained expectations of perfection. Duff invites the reader on her truth-seeking and as witness to the building of her literal and spiritual house. The beautiful writing drew me in and the story kept me engaged."

-Karen DeBonis, author of Growth: A Mother, Her Son, and the Brain Tumor They Survived

"Carole Duff's memoir is the unflinchingly honest story of her leaving a productive teaching career, overseeing the building a physical home, and delving into her past to find the freedom to go forward. It's the story of important internal work, inspired by her stepdaughter's journals and led by the Holy Spirit to find the place where Wisdom has built her house."

-Judy Allen, author of Reimagining Retirement on Substack

"Never has a book title been more aptly chosen, for those four words encapsulate Carole's outward experiences, and ultimately more significantly, her inner refinement. This is a powerful story of sanctification, an exposé of being triumphing over doing, a testimony of godly becoming-for it is in becoming that wisdom is built."

-Rachel Campbell, MA (Theology), UK-based Christian writer and speaker

"Through laying the foundation, framing, and shaping her new home on a mountaintop hillside, Carole Duff simultaneously unpacks and dismantles a lifetime of ghosts in the closet in hopes of finally building that one safe place for herself and her new husband. With strength, honesty, and bravery, Duff makes her way into the past to know herself better and find herself in the tender love of the One who knows us fully."

-Sarah M. Wells, author of American Honey: A Field Guide to Temptation