Life is filled with struggles and disappointments, no matter one’s age or station in life.

And, when they come, it’s important that a person is prepared to “Pick Up Your Weapons and Fight!”

Tiara L. Hawthorne chose “Pick Up Your Weapons and Fight!” as the title of her recently released book on natural and spiritual warfare.

Hawthorne’s book was born of her personal experiences in life – abuse, a failing marriage, custody battles, so many things — and of her seven years in the Air Force.

“In the military, we prepared for warfare in boot camp,” Hawthorn said. “I began to realize that you have to be prepared for spiritual warfare, just as you are for military battle.”

Hawthorne’s book goes behind the scenes of spiritual warfare in an effort to build a solid spiritual foundation of faith.

“My book encourages Christians to be armed and dangerous on the battlefield of Christ,” she said. “We must be prepared to handle the day-to-day struggles that we all face in some ways.

“There is natural warfare and spiritual warfare. We may not all go on the battlefield to fight but we will all have spiritual battles. We must be prepared to pick up our weapons and fight. My book will help readers be prepared for what is ahead in their lives.”

Hawthorne is originally from Hampton. Va. She and her husband, Demetrius, pastor a church in the Georgiana area.

She had a successful book signing at Eternity Christian Book Store in Troy on Monday. A second Troy book signing will be from 2 until 4 p.m. Friday at Barnes and Noble on the campus of Troy University. The public is invited.