You May Be Over the Hill, But It Isn't Over
If you’re in mid-life, have you ever wondered if everything worth doing happened in the first half of your life? In Embracing Your Second Calling, author Dale Hanson Bourke challenges the woman in midlife to find meaning. I passed my 40th birthday last year, so I was eager to read the book.
Each chapter is well-designed with sidebars and callouts for practical application of the content. There are points for action, boxes for reflection, and boxes for tips and resources. While attractive, sometimes I found it difficult to break from what I was reading on the page to read a sidebar. Still, they were more noticeable than if they were at the end of each chapter. These action points would make this a good book for small group discussion.
Throughout the book, the author uses the story of Naomi and Ruth from the Bible to illustrate an example of women in the second half of their lives who do not just shrivel up and die. By coming back to that story in each chapter, the book has continuity.
The author is genuine enough to discuss her own failures. By dealing with her own shortcomings with humility, she’s a role model for women who have let their past hurt and disappointments lead to bitterness. If there’s any message to take away from this book it’s that it is never too late to change. Instead of a midlife crisis, readers can learn how to experience significance in the second half of life. The author says it’s about developing a resume of soul work and finding peace (pg.12)
Bourke has a narrative style that comes across more like a personal conversation than a lecture, which makes the material pleasant to study. My only disappointment was with the quality of the book itself. While I was reading it, the cover started peeling. There is semitransparent layer over the cover that is separating and peeling away from the printed layer. At $17.99 cover price, this would disappoint readers.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Each chapter is well-designed with sidebars and callouts for practical application of the content. There are points for action, boxes for reflection, and boxes for tips and resources. While attractive, sometimes I found it difficult to break from what I was reading on the page to read a sidebar. Still, they were more noticeable than if they were at the end of each chapter. These action points would make this a good book for small group discussion.
Throughout the book, the author uses the story of Naomi and Ruth from the Bible to illustrate an example of women in the second half of their lives who do not just shrivel up and die. By coming back to that story in each chapter, the book has continuity.
The author is genuine enough to discuss her own failures. By dealing with her own shortcomings with humility, she’s a role model for women who have let their past hurt and disappointments lead to bitterness. If there’s any message to take away from this book it’s that it is never too late to change. Instead of a midlife crisis, readers can learn how to experience significance in the second half of life. The author says it’s about developing a resume of soul work and finding peace (pg.12)
Bourke has a narrative style that comes across more like a personal conversation than a lecture, which makes the material pleasant to study. My only disappointment was with the quality of the book itself. While I was reading it, the cover started peeling. There is semitransparent layer over the cover that is separating and peeling away from the printed layer. At $17.99 cover price, this would disappoint readers.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson publishers in exchange for my honest review.
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