"fear, faith, and a fistful of chocolate" by debora coty

About the book (from the back cover): Are you ready to strip fear's power over you and become the confident woman you were meant to be? Maybe it's time for a healthy dose of truth gift-wrapped in humor.

With her own brand of off-beat wit and near-wisdom, inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses heart needs of women worn down by everyday fears—financial, health, relationships, loss, pain, the unknown, the what ifs—both real and imagined.

With fresh spiritual insight, Debora shares hope, true life stories, scriptural lifelines, and a few LOL's along with simple, practical tips for sidestepping fear with faith. And a fistful of chocolate!

My take: What are you afraid of? For me, the answer is simple, though it varies based on what I'm currently experiencing: dying alone (when I'm sick), being raped and/or killed by someone who breaks into my house (when I'm living alone—for some reason, having a roommate completely erases this fear), getting cancer (when I find an odd lump or stare too long at that mole I've had my whole life), a close family member dying (when someone's late or unreachable by phone when they shouldn't be).

You know what all of these fears have in common? I cannot control whether or not they come true. What I can control is how I deal with these fears, and the best aid for dealing with my fears is the Word of God. That's the big takeaway I got from Debora Coty's Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate.

You could read the book through from start to finish, but you'll probably want to go straight for the chapters that deal with your personal struggles—that's what I did! Each chapter deals with a different fear or a way to combat fear. Even though not every chapter directly applied to me, I still enjoyed reading the whole book (after I checked out those sickness and death chapters!)—and oftentimes, I found myself laughing aloud at one of Debora's illustrations.

Near the end of the book, she said something that will stick with me for a long time: "Face it, sister, you have no control over what creaks in the night, ... the longevity of your internal organs, ... when your loved ones will be called to eternity, or a thousand other possibilities you can invent. You can't control what God does or doesn't do. Because He is God. He's the one in control. He always has been and always will be."

She often says that fear is our way of trying to control a situation over which we have no control. (Yes, there are other fears, as well, but this is the type of fear I always seem to have!) That makes so much sense to me. I know that I want to stop being afraid—I don't want my fears to control me; I want to live my life to the fullest while resting in the knowledge that God has everything under control!

I am very glad I had the opportunity to read this book (it came at the perfect time!), and I highly recommend it for anyone who struggles with fear (and who doesn't?). I'm sure I'll be pulling it out again and again when fear strikes. 5 out of 5 stars.

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About the author: Debora Coty is an occupational therapist, a piano teacher, and a freelance writer. She's also involved in the children's ministry at her church and is an avid tennis player. Debora began writing to fill the void when her last child left for college, and it has since become a passion. Debora has a real knack for getting across sound biblical concepts with a refreshing lightheartedness as attested in her monthly newspaper column entitled "Grace Notes: God's Grace for Everyday Living."

About the giveaway:
Celebrate the release of Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate with Debora Coty by entering her Kindle Fire Giveaway and RSVPing to the March 7th Author Chat Party on Facebook!

One "sweet" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• A Debora Coty Library (Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate, More Beauty, Less Beast, Too Blessed To Be Stressed, and Everyday Hope)
• Chocolate (Every good thing begins with chocolate!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/6/13. Winner will be announced at Debora's "Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate" Facebook Party on 3/7. Debora will be hosting an evening of chat, fun trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Debora via Skype.)

So grab your copy of Fear, Faith and a Fistful of Chocolate and join Debora and friends on the evening of March 7th for an evening of fun. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 7th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."