Full Circle: Coming Home to the Faithfulness of God – Revised and Expanded
About The Book
One woman’s search for affirmation and significance trapped her in bad choices and caused her to lose everything of value in her life. Deceived by Scientology, mysticism, and years in a toxic and restrictive cult, she lost her marriage, relationships, home, her publishing company, and her reputation.
In this candid and heartfelt memoir, Athena Dean Holtz tells how her eyes were opened and how God restored all that had been lost, and gave her the desires of her heart, including a loving, godly husband.
Athena Dean Holtz now uses her growing multi-faceted platform to encourage and uplift others through sharing the faithfulness of God in her life and in the lives of others.
This revised and updated edition includes many additional full-circle moments in the six years of restoration since the original edition was published, along with reflection questions for individual or small group study.
Brave, honest, raw. Full of wisdom forged in the fires of experience. Every reader will be enriched by Athena’s open and revealing account of her journey into wholeness.
—The late Jennifer Kennedy Dean, former executive director of The Praying Life Foundation
About The Author
Athena Dean Holtz
Athena Dean Holtz is the co-founder of Redemption Press and recognized pioneer and leader in Christian self-publishing with over thirty years in the field. Former co-founder and owner of WinePress Publishing, she has served as a book coach, speaker, mentor, and frequent presenter on self-publishing and marketing at writer’s conferences.
Athena has spent the last 30 years in publishing, and she is a speaker, former radio host, pastor’s wife, cult-survivor and publisher at Redemption Press. She recently retired as the host and interviewer of her radio program “Always Faithful Radio,” on AM 630 KCIS in Seattle. The show was initially birthed in 2013 on AM 630 KSLR in San Antonio, Texas.
In 2014 Athena co-founded Redemption Press to fill an author-centered niche in publishing. Redemption Press takes pride in their personalized assistance in helping authors grow effectively and realistically. A full range of publishing services and guidance is available on everything from branding, copyediting, coaching or publicity with ethical and excellent service.
As a blogger and author of a number of books including, Consumed by Success: Reaching the Top and Finding God Wasn’t There, and her newest release, FULL CIRCLE: Coming Home to the Faithfulness of God which tells the whole story of the loss of her first publishing company and how God birthed Redemption Press to redeem all that the enemy stole. Her personal blog was selected as one of the Top 100 faith blogs for Christian women in 2015 by www.womensbiblecafe.com/100-top-faith-blogs. She is president of the Northwest Christian Writer’s Association, a member of Advanced Writer & Speaker Association (AWSA), and a member of the Christian Women’s Small Business Association. In 2015 she completed a limited run radio program, “Publishing Today: Clear Direction for a Changing Industry,” on the Voice America Variety Internet channel which shared publishing trends, and insights and introduces listeners to experts in the field. Those shows continue to be offered as helpful resources to authors today.
In 2014 she married Ross Holtz, the founding pastor of The Summit, an Evangelical Free Church in Enumclaw, Washington. Athena and her husband enjoy their grandchildren, and time spent on Puget Sound waters on their sailboat, and make their home in Enumclaw, WA.
Rave Reviews for... Full Circle: Coming Home to the Faithfulness of God – Revised and Expanded
“Acclaimed publisher, blogger, radio show host and pastor’s wife Athena Dean Holtz’s memoir, Full Circle, absolutely shreds the mistaken concept that good can not possibly come out of evil; that abuse–from physical to, yes, even spiritual abuse–can not possibly beautifully birth strength, wisdom, discernment, peace and pure Godly-grit that brings all of life wonderfully full circle.”
—Ronna Snyder, award-winning freelance magazine writer; former contributor, Today’s Christian Woman magazine; and author of Hot Flashes from Heaven
“Full Circle is a story of one woman’s struggle to understand her incomparable worth in Christ. Through rejection, rebellion, and fear until she found herself in the clutches of a cult, author Athena Dean experienced true redemption, freedom and renewal as she surrendered to Jesus. An important story for anyone who has wandered lost, longing to be found.
— Mary E. DeMuth, author of Worth Living: How God’s Wild Love for You Makes You Worthy
“Athena Dean Holtz’s Full Circle offers not only her life story but Biblical answers to the raw questions she asked during the peaks and valleys of her rugged life. …Redemption, renewal and restoration are themes woven throughout the pages of this book evidencing the author’s constant life choices to keep turning back to God, who is always faithful. Full Circle is one woman’s story showing how anyone who believes God and invites Him to join in their trials welcomes the result of His triumph. And yes, this is a modern ‘happily ever after.’”
—Dr. Sheryl D. Giesbrecht, Author, Speaker, and Radio/TV Personality
More Books by Athena
Empty at the Top: Exposing Spiritual Dangers in Multilevel Marketing
About the Book
Empty at the Top: Exposing Spiritual Dangers in Multilevel Marketing
One woman’s searingly honest personal story highlights the dirty secrets of multilevel marketing (MLM). Learn how relationships are misused for financial gain in this compelling account of a former industry insider and top producer.
This true story of Athena Dean Holtz’s climb to the top before discovering the high personal and spiritual cost is more than an insider exposé. Empty at the Top is a loving revelation and warning of how Christians can be sidetracked by deceptive sales and marketing practices.
Learn how the church has been defiled by:
- “money changing in the temple”
- deceitful recruiting methods
- brainwashing techniques
- and opportunistic practices and blatant greed.
Athena Dean Holtz shares her stirring, challenging, and convicting story of being consumed by success, making it to the top and finding emptiness, before discovering true success and happiness is found in God, not gold.
Anyone who has considered being involved in MLM, or who knows others who are, will find this book compelling and eye-opening. This new updated edition includes reflection questions for individual or small group study.
I have never been more moved by a book in my nearly sixteen years in Christian publishing and bookselling. Athena’s blunt and sobering honesty is especially moving. This book provided the answer I have been looking for.
—John Thurman, former president of Christian Publishers Resources
Rave Reviews for... Empty at the Top: Exposing Spiritual Dangers in Multilevel Marketing
In “Empty at the at Top: Exposing Spiritual Dangers in Multilevel Marketing,” Athena Dean Holtz writes an eye-opening book on the many multilevel marketing organizations in existence today. She is open and transparent in writing about her own previous involvement and how God drew her out of the company and brought her back to him. She shares the dangers, especially spiritual dangers, to a person and their family when one or both adults are involved in the organization. But she also shares the way out of these organizations and how God can and will redeem situations of the families who leave.
If you have ever been involved in a multilevel marketing organization, if you are currently in one, or if you’re thinking about joining, this is a “must-read” book!
E Cowgill
This author holds nothing back as she shares her story of how God brought her through MLM to a closer relationship with him. She writes, "You may not agree with my final conclusion, but I trust you’ll see my heart is to see the body of Christ hungering and thirsting for more of Jesus rather than success and the things of this world." So good!
Joy Wendling
The author boldly takes on a controversial topic through her very honest and raw account of her rise to the top (3 times) in MLM companies, and why she now warns anyone she can of the dangers within these organizations. It is quite an expose' of the secret deceptive and insidious tactics used to recruit your downline. This is a must read for any Christ-follower who, like Athena has and perhaps is currently experiencing great success in MLM, as well as those who are considering the pursuit of this kind of business.
Delaney Brown
Together for a Purpose: Love and Mission in Marriage and Ministry
About the Book
When Love and Purpose Meet
Ross is a recently widowed, retirement-age pastor. Athena is a successful, high-powered businesswoman. When the two marry, not everyone is happy about the union. Change must be faced as a portion of Ross’s congregation leaves and the newlyweds learn to adjust to a new family dynamic, which includes a live-in bipolar son and his young family.
How does this power couple blend their opposite personalities, demanding schedules, and families and manage to deal with ongoing change, settling the church members, and finding their way into God’s good will for their lives? Come along as these Jesus followers share their experiences of how God causes everything to work together for good in our lives—even our bad choices, weaknesses, and sins.
More than just a love story, this growing-in-faith story touches on what we all long for—belonging, being loved for who we are, finding a place of service to God, and purpose in our everyday lives. Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking questions to enrich your relationship with your heavenly Father and each other.