First Friday Book Faves and Link-Up - June 2014

What are you reading?

That's the question we will be asking COF contributors and you, our readers, each month. Is there a book that you just can't seem to put down, that's teaching you a profound spiritual lesson, or making you laugh amid your struggles? We want to hear about it!

There are two ways you can join us! Tell us in the comments what you are reading or use the LinkUp below to share your blog post about a favorite book you've read


Angele Tanyeri

The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret to America’s Future by Jonathan Cahn

One of The New York Times Best Sellers, this book is captivating.  It is written in the form of a fiction, but what it contains within the story is real. The Harbinger contains the ancient mystery that holds the secret of America's future. Hidden in the biblical verses from the Book of Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretell recent American events like 9/11 and the collapse of the global economy down to the exact days. The revelations are so specific that even the most hardened skeptic will find it hard to put down. Personally, after having studied the importance of understanding the historical-cultural context when reading Scripture and applying it to modern life, this book is taking me on a journey that is changing the way I see the world today.


Denise Trio

Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons 

In Freefall to Fly, the author chronicles her story as a wife and mother of three who is struggling with depression and anxiety. Even though I'm not a wife or mother yet, it's a relatable account of a serious issue that is plaguing our society. Rebekah’s story of moving to New York City with her family, living through the subsequent violent bouts with anxiety, depression and panic attacks, and riding the waves of healing and relapse is powerful and inspiring. The book provides words of comfort to women dealing with the feeling of never being enough. The story also points out that there’s purpose in our pain that can help us live this one life well, no matter what age or stage of life!         


Kimberly Coyle

The Sea House by Elizabeth Gifford

I recently finished reading The Sea House, an historical novel set in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. If you’re looking for a great summer read or a book that will prompt an interesting book club discussion, you might consider this one. It’s a story about secrets, redemption, and the things that haunt us. The house itself holds a secret under its floorboards, a secret which the new owner discovers and sets out to resolve. As The Sea House unfolds, we see the characters coming to grips with their past, and we recognize that accepting our past is always a part of our future.

@KimberlyACoyle


Kimberly Amici

Have a New Kid by Friday by Kevin Leman

Right now, I’m reading Have a New Kid by Friday. When my husband and I first had kids, I devoured parenting books. However, most of the information I read about correction I couldn't apply because my kids were so little. Now that they are in grade school, I find that I don't remember much of what I learned. Have a New Kid by Friday is full of simple instructions with practical applications. It also reminds parents of the bigger picture—that attitude, behavior, and character are foundational and that it’s up to us to lay that foundation. This book is taking me back to basics, no gimmicks or flash-in-the-pan tricks... and I love that.   


Micalagh Moritz

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

I just finished The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, one of my favorite authors. This book is a work of fiction, and though long, it is engaging and worth reading. It is written as a memoir, pieced together from journal entries, letters, and newspaper articles. It tells the story of the childhood and young adulthood of a boy who traverses the Mexican culture of his mother, and the American culture of his father in the 1930s and ‘40s, a fascinating time in the history of both countries. The main character, a budding writer, rubs shoulders with famous people throughout this story, providing commentary on culture, the power of the Press, empires, art, and what makes life meaningful. The book uses history to reflect on the present, and where we hope to be in the future.       


Tell us in the comments what you are reading or use the LinkUp below to share your blog post and be entered to win a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries: 101 Stories of Hope, Healing, and Hard Work featuring  a story from our very own Executive Editor Elise Daly Parker.



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