Curling up with a good book—whether I’m wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter’s evening or lounging in a Pawley’s Island hammock—is, to me, one of life’s most profound pleasures. Just the anticipation of knowing I’ve got some reading time ahead—whether it’s to satisfy a hunger for learning or just to escape into a well-told […]
Books
Book Reviews: Celtic Daily Prayer and Hebridean Altars
Devotionals have long been an important part of my daily spiritual practice. I find that a short, thought-provoking devotion can help me settle down and get more focused on God. I liken it to priming the pump for drawing on the living waters of Christ. Here are two wonderful ones. Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and […]
Book Review: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
This is a book for everyone who wants to better understand creativity and unleash their own creative gifts. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert Reviewed by Elizabeth H. Cottrell 5 stars out of 5 Redefining creativity From the book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert: “Q: What is creativity? “A: […]
Book Review: Keep Your Love On! by Danny Silk
Keep your love on! Connection, Communication and Boundaries Written by Danny Silk Reviewed by Elizabeth H. Cottrell I was expecting this to be a sweet, feel-good book about love and kindness. It was, instead, a bold, hard-hitting, brutally honest book about what constitutes a healthy relationship (marriage or otherwise) and how it will spiral downward in […]
Book Review: Miracles From Heaven by Christy Wilson Beam
Miracles from Heaven: A Little girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing Story of Healing by Christy Wilson Beam Reviewed by Elizabeth H. Cottrell 4 stars out of 5 I was approached by this book’s publicist to read and review it (with absolutely no compensation or pressure for a good review), and while I […]
Habits, Good Or Bad: They Impact Our Happiness
I’ve been thinking and reading a lot about habits and the role they play in our behavior, primarily because I’m determined to cultivate better health habits and squash as many unhealthy habits as possible during 2015. It’s become crystal clear to me that understanding and knowing myself—connecting with myself, if you will—is critical to having a baseline […]
Reading Feeds Your Spirit: Spiritual Books I’ve Found Valuable
The spiritual seeker is well-served to read beyond the Bible or whatever your faith’s key source is. I believe God honors your seeking and that Truth (with a capital T) can be found in many different places. Beyond the Bible Some Christians feel the only reading necessary to their spiritual well being is the Bible. I […]
Book Review: Strange As This Weather Has Been by Ann Pancake
Strange as This Weather Has Been: A Novel by Ann Pancake Reviewed by Elizabeth H. Cottrell 5 stars out of 5 Strange as This Weather Has Been: A Novel packs a wallop on several levels, and I commend it highly to any serious reader interested in a unique, powerful, and fresh voice in contemporary literature. […]