As much as I hate to admit it, I've hosted worries and anxiety over the years. Most of them would be called common and justified by my friends but none of them are good for my physical or spiritual health or for relationships and all of them would have been vanquished by allowing God to be in control. Giving God control is easy to advise but not so easy, for some of us, to put into action.
Debora Coty's book Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate discusses common fears and fears that you may not have recognized. She uses humor, godly wisdom and practical application to flesh out and extinguish each fear. The book covers the fears we keep private, such as humiliation, rejection, guilt and loneliness and the fears we're more apt to share, such as financial problems, fear of the unknown and death - our own or that of a loved one.
Author Debora Coty conducted a survey of 500 women between the ages of 18 and 80 in an attempt to name the real fears women struggle with. She gathered the information from speaking events, surveys sent to churches and from her website.
- Loss of a loved one
- Debilitating disease
- Failure
- Old age/senility
- The unknown
- Loneliness
- The need to depend on others
- Rejection
- Specific Critters (snakes, roaches, rats, etc)
- Being judged unfairly
Coty writes, "Fear is really about losing control. About things over which we feel powerless sneaking up and whacking us over the head. Things looming in our future, taking shape in the present, or haunting us from the past - sometimes our adult behavior is influenced by unconscious fears from past events that affect the habits, quirks, and perspectives we have today." Chapter 2, page 21
Coty uses her natural sense of humor to draw readers out of habitual worry and anxiety. She does this, not only for a momentary chuckle, but with compassion as she maps the way into life full of the security of knowing God has everything under His control.
Each chapter begins with an inspirational bible verse, is full of personal stories and biblical wisdom, and ends with five application questions that are great for personal introspection or group discussion in a woman's bible study.
I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, because we all foster fear and anxiety. Debra Coty's humor and compassion work to bring hidden fears to light. Her practical steps help us to release our hold on life so we can let God have control.
Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate was provided free of charge for a fair and honest review. I was not paid for the review.
