Blog Tour: Come Back to Me

Today I'm happy to be part of the book tour for Come Back to Me by fellow Catholic Writers' Guild member Carolyn Astfalk. 

I had the chance to read this story the past couple days and it was a great read! First, it was short, and I appreciate that in books because I don't have a lot of extra time. It was wonderful to have something I could read and enjoy in a short period of time. This was a very engaging story that kept me swiping on my Kindle. 

Astfalk writes about real life in all its messiness. Her characters are multifaceted and dealing with struggles readers can relate to. Faith is part of her stories, but it isn't portrayed as something that fixes everything. Rather, belief in God is what provides strength in the hard times.

Alan Reynolds slid into marriage. When his wife kicks him out, it looks as if he may slide out just as easily. Forced to bunk with his newlywed younger brother and his pregnant wife, Alan gets a firsthand look at a blissfully happy marriage while his wife rebuffs his attempts at a reunion.

Caught in the middle, Alan and his wife’s mutual friend Megan grows increasingly unhappy with her own empty relationships. If that weren’t enough, her newly sober brother has found happiness with Jesus, a goody-goody girlfriend, and a cockeyed cat.

When Alan and Megan hit rock bottom, will there be grace enough in their bankrupt lives to right their relationships and find purpose like their siblings have?

Purchase Come Back to Me on Amazon

Author bio:

Carolyn Astfalk resides with her husband and four children in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where it smells like either chocolate or manure, depending on wind direction. She is the author of the contemporary Catholic romances Stay With Me, Ornamental Graces, and All in Good Time, and the coming-of-age story Rightfully Ours. Carolyn is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Teen Books, Pennwriters, and is a CatholicMom.com and Today’s Catholic Teacher contributor. True to her Pittsburgh roots, she still says “pop” instead of “soda,” although her beverage of choice is tea.

Please check out the other stops on the blog tour:

Mon., Feb. 24 - Sarah Reinhard, Snoring Scholar

Tues., Feb. 25 - Barb Szyszkiewicz, FranciscanMom

Wed., Feb. 26 - Ellen Gable, Plot Line and Sinker

Fri., Feb. 28 - Theresa Linden, Things Visible & Invisible

 

Explore Mary's Magnificat

In Exalted: How the Power of the Magnificat Can Transform Us, Sonja Corbitt offers a verse by verse study of the Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55). The Magnificat is Mary’s prayer of praise when her cousin Elizabeth acknowledges that pregnant Mary as “the mother of my Lord.”

Corbitt is known as the “Bible Study Evangelista” and brings a solid knowledge of both the Old and New Testaments to her discussion of Mary’s song. She not only describes the historical and theological background of the Magnificat; she strives to explore the ways the Magnificat has meaning in each of our own lives. She challenges us to believe that, like Mary, God can do great things with our lives if we surrender our lives to Him. The question we should ask ourselves is not, “What do I want to do for God?” but rather, “What does he want to do with me?”

Corbitt also invites us to see the hand of God at work in our lives in every circumstance. The key point is to be humble like Mary. “One of the most pervasive impediments to going all-in with God is the fear we will lose ourselves by doing so . . . And yet what we miss in our unwillingness to be humbled in the exaltation he intended for us all along.”

One of the interesting things I learned is that Mary’s name comes from the same root as “myrrh” which means “bitter.” In the Bible, one’s name reveals much about the person. Myrrh was present with the magi, on the cross, and in the tomb. Myrrh was also used in the tabernacle incense used in front of the Jewish holy of holies. Mary was a “myrrh bearer,” experiencing great bitterness in terms of the suffering that she would endure. “Mary received her suffering as a precious gift, because the object of her suffering was her son.”

Exalted can be used by individuals or groups. At the end of each chapter, there is a review, invitation, and a God prompt to help readers go deeper in their spiritual lives. We, too, are called to give praise to God with both our words and our lives.

Looking for a Lenten Devotional?

A number of Lenten Devotionals have crossed my desk recently. With Lent right around the corner, I'm sharing the ones that caught my attention:

The Living Gospel: Daily Devotions for Lent 2020 
Deacon Greg Kendra of the Diocese of Brooklyn and The Deacon's Bench Blog offers this Lenten book designed for use for 2020. Each day offers an opening prayer, scriptural passage, reflection, suggested action, and closing prayer.

Deacon Kendra says that during Lent, "we want to return to God. We want to be home." It is a time to fan the fire of the light of Christ within us.

Living Water: Catholic Prayers for Lent - Mary Marrocco

If you are looking for a devotional you can use for one minute per day, this is the booklet for you. Each day offers a short scripture passage and prayer. It can used for any Lenten season.

Messages of Trust for Lent 2020 by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran

Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran, both from the Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland, offer scripture passages, reflections, and prayers for Lent 2020. Saturdays feature a Psalm and Sundays offer an overview of the theme for the coming week.

"As you make your way through these brief scripture passages and messages about growing in trust, we pray that you will experience the gift of disorientation. We pray that your heart will be touched and your mind will be stretched to grow.

"In turn may you receive another gift - the gift of reorientation. This occurs when we synthesize new insights and understandings with old paradigms. . . . Our minds and hearts are expanded to receive more of the blessings and grace of God."

Living Lent with Laughter and Love by Fr. Thomas J. Connery

Laughter is not the first thing I think of when I think of Lent, but Fr. Connery uses humor to teach spiritual lessons. Most of the Lenten reflections include a joke, but it always serves a greater purpose. Each day's reflection includes a scripture passage, reflection, and prayer. It can be used for any Lenten season. If you are looking for a different approach to a Lenten devotional, this one is for you.

Lent with the Saints by Connie Clark

This is billed as a Lenten devotional, but it could be used any time of year. It offers profiles of saints along with a short reflection. It will introduce or reacquaint you with these holy men and women.

"Reading about and reflecting on the often difficult, but ultimately joy-filled lives of the saints helps us to join in their joy and love for the Lord."