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  • Belle

  • A Mildred Budge Friendship Story
  • By: Daphne Simpkins
  • Narrated by: Virtual Voice
  • Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)

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Belle

By: Daphne Simpkins
Narrated by: Virtual Voice
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Publisher's summary

From the author of the popular Mildred Budge church lady books comes a brand-new spin-off series featuring the friends of Mildred Budge and how they see the same world Miss Budge inhabits—and her, too.

In Belle, the first book in the new series, friends of Mildred Budge see life in Cloverdale through the eyes of Belle Deerborn.
Belle Deerborn lives next door to Mildred Budge. The Deerborn house is across and open field, and Belle sits out on her back stoop each morning reading her Bible and also watching Mildred live and the people who come and go. Others see Belle as living a confined and desperate life, but that's not true at all. Belle is becoming a great problem solver, is learning to manage herself more thoughtfully, and has a creative side that she is cultivating with her sewing projects.

Contrary to the reputation of caregiving, Belle Deerborn is anything but trapped, depressed, or hopeless. She has been surprised by the many evidences of God's very real help in time of trouble, and that very real help often comes from good neighbors.

One of those people is Mildred Budge, but she's not the only answer to Belle's prayers in this tender story about a long-time marriage and how it is coming to fulfilment and also, in a way, winding down. If you are a friend of Mildred Budge you will enjoy the company of Belle A Mildred Budge Friendship Story.

And if you are the aging wife or husband of a spouse with a chronic physical problem Belle’s story will remind you that you are not as alone as the circumstances around you appear to suggest. To find out more about how Belle is living out her season as a caregiver, check out this new addition to the Mildred Budge stories.

Other titles in the Mildred Budge books are:
Mildred Budge in Cloverdale
Mildred Budge in Embankment
The Bride’s Room

Short story collections and Christmas novella:
Miss Budge in Love
The Mission of Mildred Budge
Miss Budge Goes to Fountain City


About Daphne Simpkins
Daphne Simpkins is an Alabama writer who is presently best known for the Mildred Budge church lady series, but she has written on other books, fiction and non-fiction. To find out more about Mildred Budge and Daphne Simpkins, go to DaphneSimpkins.org and sign up for the newsletter. You can also follow her on Facebook, BookBub, Amazon, and Linkedin.com.

This title uses virtual voice narration

Virtual voice is computer-generated narration for audiobooks.
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What listeners say about Belle

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Belle

Excellent! Belle is such a good character, and I loved and laughed along with the day to day life of her and Sam, her husband. Sam has dementia; and Belle tells what it's like in her rollercoaster life.

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The surrendered life of a caregiver

I appreciated the attention to the details of caring for a spouse with dementia. Belle's attitude of quiet surrender to the essential cares of life and the loving patient love she showed to Sam was inspiring. I also appreciated the selfless respect and devotion shown to Sam by the church ladies and men. Would it only be so in real life. Christians need to come along side of those that are hurting, to the household of God first, but then to those in the world as Jesus directs us.

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Totally relatable.

This is a touching story. I am living this life. I am a church lady with a husband who has Alzheimer's. He was an elder and we were in church every Sunday now we do good to make it once per month. As his caretaker, this author has told my story and it is well written. I recommend this to anyone who is a caretaker but especially one caring for someone with dementia.

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