The Modern Dad’s Dilemma: How to Stay Connected with Your Kids in a Rapidly Changing World

Author: John Badalament, EdM
Publisher: New World Library
Price: $14.95

Reviewed by: Brandee Musiala

John Badalament is widely known for speaking about parenting, so it’s no wonder that Patrick F. Bassett, president of the National Association of Independent Schools, referred to The Modern Dad’s Dilemma as “The refresher course that many dads need to reconnect with their children.”

We definitely expect more of fathers today than we ever have. From their child’s birth to adulthood, they are now right there by their partner’s side and very hands-on. Yet, sometimes issues like communication and finding that perfect balance between work and family can be tricky. If this sounds all too familiar to you, then you really must read through the stories of the fifteen dads featured in this book for tips on how they worked through these issues and more.

The Modern Dad's Dilemma is an invaluable asset for those who: need to find a balance between work and family, and want to model a healthy loving relationship and establish open communication with their children.

One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land

Author: Priscilla Shirer
Publisher: B&H Books
Price: $14.99

Reviewed by: Olivia Worobec

The Bible says abundant life can be ours. However, many of us don't understand what exactly that means and are confused about how to obtain it.

Author Priscilla Shirer wants us to break out of the ordinary, to have the confidence to face life with “spiritual stamina” and grab hold of the fullness and prosperity that God offers and receive blessings that really matter.

In using the example of the Israelites' trek through the desert to the Promised Land, Shirer draws on the parallels between their journey and the journey of every Christian ever since. Broken up into three parts – Deliverance, Development and Destiny – One in a Million is written in a conversational tone that is both explanatory and illustrative.

No matter the path, we can follow God with bold faith because He is there every step of the way. Good living ultimately opens the door to fulfillment and God moving on our behalf in miraculous and unexpected ways.

Selected Passage: “That's why I'm glad God didn't promise the Israelites a land flowing with nothing but milk – just as I'm glad Jesus didn't stop short in John 10:10 by merely saying, 'I came that they may have life.' Life is good, just like milk is good. But the life Jesus came to give is a whole lot more than good. It's not just the good life; it's the great life, the kind of life He intends for us to experience 'abundantly'.”

A Remarkable Marriage

Author: David J. Whitcomb
Publisher: BJU Press
Price: $19.95

Reviewed by: Olivia Worobec

“God gave His guidelines so that His people would demonstrate proper relationships in the home. Therefore, it should be especially true that God's people demonstrate successful relationships.” (5)

More than ever, families and marriages are falling apart in the modern world. Author, pastor and experienced marriage counselor David J. Whitcomb wants to give you the guidance you need to protect these institutions and thrive in your relationships.

Through straightforward principles, demonstrated with relatable contemporary examples and simple-to-understand Biblical instructions, Whitcomb is effective in getting his message across. His style of writing flows seamlessly and the divided chapters (into 30 different principles) makes reading easily digestible, as well as specific categories plainly accessible.

“Without rules, we will all do what we want to do, which results in hurting or neglecting others.” (3)

A Remarkable Marriage is an excellent guidebook for those preparing for marriage and those who are already married. It is highly recommended.

The Faces of Grief: A Woman's Bible Study

Author: Marian Talley-Cunningham
Publisher: BJU Press
Price: $7.95

Reviewed by: Brandee Musiala

There are many faces of grief and just as many ways to deal with it. Yet when Marian Talley-Cunningham found herself widowed for the second time, it was scripture that really helped her.

This bible study will arm you with helpful passages and advice as you begin to navigate your way through the loss of your loved one. So if you find yourself dealing with denial, anger, bargaining, depression or even acceptance, this is a great resource for you.

A Homeopathic Guide to Partnership and Compatibility: Understanding Your Type and Finding Love

by Liz Lalor (2004)
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Price: $18.95

Reviewed by: Olivia Worobec

Although we see the effects of illness physically, there are mental and emotional factors that run alongside it. Homeopathy takes into account the simultaneous forces at work within us.

Lalor not only looks into the underlying emotional component that affects one's health and well-being, but even goes further by linking self-knowledge to finding your ideal partner (unlike previous uses and methods of homeopathy). There is a stronger connection than you may think.

“Homeopathic constitutional analysis is based on the assumption that when you know who are you are, you also know what fulfills you emotionally,” she says.

Studying movies as examples, from The African Queen to American Splendor, Lalor looks at character and emotional personalities, as well as relationship types. By observing individualized and custom approaches to life, the author is able to categorize a number of constitutions. By seeing where you match up, the result is self-understanding and finding what makes you feel fulfilled in a relationship.

“A constitutional analysis encompasses who you are, how you operate in the world, how you interact with people, and, most important for this book, what you are like in your relationships.”

A truly unique application backed up by research and experience, Lalor's book takes self-knowledge and compatibility to a whole new level.

Angel of Light: A Personal Journey Through Imagination to Find the Spirit

by Richard James Cook (2001)
Publisher: Fountain Publishing
Price: $16.00

Reviewed by: Brandee Musiala

Few of us can't imagine anything more tragic than the death of a child. In the face of such a tragedy, Richard James Cook managed to channel his grief into the poems and artwork that are of Angel of Light: A Personal Journey Through Imagination to Find the Spirit.

Not to be read without a box of tissues nearby, Angel of Light chronicles the short life of Cook’s daughter Laura who was diagnosed with a rare heart disease in her first year of life. The Cooks’ were then faced with the reality that Laura would need a heart transplant. Unfortunately, despite the transplant, Laura passed away when she was just four years old.

When his journaling gives way to poems, passages and paintings that helped Richard James Cook work through his loss, the spiritual closure is evident. The paintings in which Laura is depicted as living on in heaven are especially telling.

As emotionally charged as this book is, I believe it is the depictions of Laura living on that may help someone in a similar situation. All in all, bittersweet.

From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself Into a Weapon of Mass Reduction

by Carole Carson (2007)
Publisher: Hound Press
Price: $14.95

Reviewed by: Brandee Cote

From The Biggest Loser to Village on a Diet, it seems that we can’t get enough of a great weight loss story. Not only are they inspirational, but for the subjects themselves, the shows' popularity brings accountability. For those of us who have struggled with weight loss, we know all too well that in those moments of weakness, it’s harder to give in when you have a weight loss partner to answer to.

Carole Carson’s weight loss journey is a great testament to that. Tired of the self-loathing, she courageously spoke publicly about the shame of being obese in her local newspaper. She also made a commitment to continue to be open about her weight loss. So as Carole went from 'fat to fit', she took a community with her and after two months of encouraging each other, they collectively lost 8,000 pounds!

If you’re about to start your own weight loss journey, I definitely recommend reading this book and pairing up with a friend for support and motivation.

Happy Days, Healthy Living: From Sit-Com Teen to the Health-Food Scene

by Cathy Silver
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Price: $18.95

Reviewed by: Olivia Worobec

Cathy Silvers is most known to audiences as “Jenny Piccolo” on television's Happy Days, but now she is doing something to make sure our days stay happy by speaking on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Her book is divided into distinguishing parts of her life.

i) There are passages on growing up, with plenty of stories on Cathy's father (Phil Silvers, the famous entertainer and comedy actor), along with how the influence of show business, the experience of public speaking in school competitions, and her talent led her to win a role on Happy Days, becoming a successful actress in Hollywood right off the bat.

ii) There is Cathy's adult life: going to college, getting married, projects she took on (such as helping the homeless in form of fundraising when she was living in Washington, D.C.), having kids, a health scare, and how she was led from being a “fast food mom” to changing her lifestyle for the better.

iii) The end features insight from leaders in healthy living – from the fields of nutrition, beauty, health, and environment.

Forewards by Garry Marshall (creator and executive producer of Happy Days) and Ron Howard (Happy Days, now a famous Hollywood director), and other passages by former co-stars (Erin Moran, Marion Ross, and Henry Winkler), give a nice inside perspective of their experiences with Cathy. All mention her unrelenting energy and charisma.

We always hear about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. This book takes it even further, revealing facts that most individuals aren't aware of and would be shocked to hear. It shakes the reader out of their reverie to realize their lifestyle and diet is not good for them. Even more importantly, it inspires thinking for the better – helping to conduce real change.

Live Longer, Live Better: Taking Care of Your Health

by Peter H. Gott, M.D. (2004)
Publisher: Quill Driver Books
Price: $14.95 or $23.50 (CAD)

Reviewed by: John Worobec

Dr. Gott, America's most popular medical columnist, addresses health concerns (in an organized manner) to assist those seeking information and interesting possibilities for their medical issues. Besides the clinical side of medicine, Dr. Gott does mention things that are naturalistic in methods and natural/herbal aids, but also warns about the quantity and/or use that could be detrimental or non-existent in value to health. (Note: It is not a replacement for a personal one-on-one medical advice from a qualified physician).

Each chapter fields a definitive topic in which Dr. Gott explains possible situations/scenarios that could play out based on his experiences, and his views from a medical perspective, as well. The index in the back of the book is very comprehensive in finding a more specific need. Therefore, there is no need to read the whole book or chapter(s) to become knowledgeable about a specific affliction.

All in all, it is a guide for taking charge of your health.

Breakfasts with Archangel Shecky: And His Infallible, Irrefutable, Unassailable, One-Size-Fits-All Secrets of Success

by Gene Perret (2008)
Publisher: Quill Driver Books
Price: $19.95

Reviewed by: Brandee Cote

Who doesn’t love a good success story? Written by three-time Emmy Award winner, Gene Perret, this hilarious portrayal of a guardian angel attempting to turn a Philadelphia wannabe comedian into an entertainment star is hard to put down.

“Is Shecky really an angelic visitor from the other side? Or is he just a blowhard deadbeat who’s trying to con a few free drinks and a meal or two from a kid who wants desperately to make it in the comedy profession? Well, that’s part of the mystery that makes this tale so captivating.”

This book is a light-hearted, fun read that will have you applying Archangel Shecky’s advice to your chosen goals!

No Matter What, You Can Rejoice; Reflections for Teens

by Michelle Grover (2008)

Publisher: BJU Press

Price: $8.99

Reviewed by: Brandee Cote

In No Matter What, You Can Rejoice; Reflections for Teens, Michelle Grover hopes to help today’s coming of age youth realize just how great God and their relationship with him can be.

Grover has a way of presenting the issues that youth are often faced with in a very analytical, yet nurturing way. Her thought-provoking questions to the situations and Psalms that are presented throughout the 12-lesson workbook will undoubtedly, help one build a strong bond with their faith.

Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life

by Karen Maezen Miller (2010)

Publisher: New World Library

Price: $14.95

Reviewed by: Brandee Cote

Written in the same vein as the popular Eat, Pray, Love, this book is about embracing the little things in life – especially in the wake of personal trials. Whether it'd be finding “happiness at the bottom of the laundry basket, the love in the kitchen sink, and the peace possible in one’s own backyard.” Miller discovers that it’s these seemingly mundane things that offer great opportunity for personal growth.

“And I was missing it, because I thought life was something other than my life. I thought life was something envisioned and achieved. I thought it was manufactured from ideals and earned through elbow grease. I thought it was yet to arrive, and so I missed everything that had already come. I was blind to my marriage and my absence from it. I saw my job almost exclusively as a necessity, and rarely as the exhilarating invention that it was. My home was a headache, a pile of rust and dust. I was certain that I never wanted a family: not one more person to clean up after. And I had never examined my mind, my heart, or my hand in any of this.”

A captivating yet easy read, pick this one up if you’re in the mood for a little self-examination.

In Search of My Heart: An Encouraging Story of Healing from Childhood Abuse

by Rebekah Huetter (1998)

Publisher: Words of Hope Publishing Company

Price: $16.95

Reviewed by: Brandee Cote

Few things are more difficult than being a survivor of child abuse. Perhaps the greatest blessing to come from all of that pain is the ability to pick yourself up, and lend some of that strength earned to help others. Rebekah Huetter manages to do just that by candidly recounting memories from her stolen childhood. Her courage will no doubt inspire others to also reclaim their lives.

Despite its heavy subject matter, this book is one filled with hope, promise and encouragement. It should be read by those who are ready to pick themselves up, work through their pain, and move on.

Noah and the Ark

by K.W. McCardell and Antonella Chirco

Publisher: Bible Rhymes Publishing

Price: Become a member on BibleRhymes.com

Reviewed by: Olivia Worobec

This animated Biblical story comes alive with delightfully illustrated scenes of friendly-looking animals. The story is even expanded on with fun details.

The movement of the characters and animals, with sound effects and background music, adds a lot of dimension to this story, making it more tangible and real.

All in all, a very warm and uplifting read.

“The good Lord had said that he’d make it through

His family and animals, they’d make it too” (23)