Book Review- Friendship for Grown-Ups

As a fan of hers, I may be slightly biased, but I loved Friendship for Grown-ups by Lisa Whelchel. Most everyone has heard of Lisa because of the 1980’s television show “The Facts of Life”, but many more don’t know that she is a devout Christian, gifted speaker and author of many published books.

Friendship for Grown-ups cracks beneath the surface of the seemingly perfect Whelchel. She is candid and honest about her struggles with forming and developing supportive adult friendships. She is clear that this book is not a how-to for making friends, but more of a portrait of her journey, a journey that she states she is still on.
I loved hearing about her friendships and I found her story to be so relatable, she has a wonderful way of making you feel like a friend; that you were invited to read a private journal of her journey. Lisa ties everything back into scripture, relating everything to God’s amazing love for us.
As a person who has struggled with my own self identity and finding my authentic self and then struggling to expose that person to others, I related well to this book. I think that the majority of women will be able to relate and ultimately draw comfort from Lisa’s story.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.cfr/waisidx.03/16cfr.255_03.html : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I am not ashamed...

I take 20 mg of Paxil every day. If I didn't, I would be climbing the walls. I have taken Paxil for the past 5 1/2 years. Yes, I have tried to wean myself off of it a few times and at this point I am not ready to do so. I am well aware that there is a stigma attached to anti-depressants, but my sanity comes first.

I have a dear friend who has reached his breaking point. During a phone conversation this past Sunday he revealed that he has thoughts of suicide quite often. I implored him to see a counselor, to consider medication, to get help. He won't because he is afraid of what other people might think, and the thought of a future employer reviewing his medical history and seeing that he was on anti-depressants is humiliating for him.

What is more than I can bear? Two years ago I was there as my best friend buried her brother who committed suicide. I was there with her family as they viewed his body before it was cremated. I heard the gut wrenching screams of her mother as she viewed her sons lifeless body. I was there when they cleaned out his apartment. I was there and I heard countless numbers of his friends say over and over again how they wished he had sought help, gone to counseling or tried medication.

I'm here today because of the love of my family, my faith in God and a little selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor known as Paxil. Please pray that my friend seeks the help he needs.

Will the World End in 2012? - Book Review

Last week, Thomas Nelson Publishers sent me Will the World End in 2012? by Dr. Raymond Hundley. I was interested to read this book because I have always found the hype around the year 2012 to be a little more than slightly ridiculous.

This book is set up to be an easy, quick read. Dr. Hundley covers ten popular theories from the Mayans to Nostradamus to NASA regarding 2012 and he discusses the pros and cons of each. In each chapter he does an excellent job of presenting the facts in a non-biased manner which I found impressive since it states on the cover that Dr. Hundley is a Christian. He waits until his conclusion to share Christ's message with his audience.

This was a very quick read for me; I read the entrire book from start to finish in about an hour and a half. My only complaint with the book would be that he starts each of the ten theories with a fictional story relating to the theory. In my opinion this takes away from the credibility of the book and adds a science fiction-esque quality.

Overall it was an interesting book. I would recommend it to someone who is looking for basic information regarding the 2012 hype. It is by no mean an exhaustive study.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com http://BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The optinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.cfr/waisidx.03/16cfr.255_03.html : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."