First Line Fridays: Courage to See: Daily Inspiration from Great Literature

Happy Friday!

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today I'm sharing the first lines from Courage to See: Daily Inspiration from Great Literature by Greg Garrett and Sabrina Fountain:

"When I was a child, I wanted to sleep with my books, something my mom wouldn't allow because I slept on the top bunk, and she didn't want them falling down and hitting my sister."

What are you reading this weekend?

Have a great weekend! Happy reading!


About the Book:

Book lovers know there is something sacred in the stories, poetry, and insight of even the most secular books. This 365-day devotional celebrates the beauty of literature and its ability to illuminate elements of the Divine, present all around us. Pairing excerpts from more than two hundred literary works with thought-provoking Scriptures and brief prayers, this spiritual guide invites readers to draw closer to God through the words of both classic and modern authors.

Read my review of The Courage to See by Greg Garret and Sabrina Fountain.

Book Review: The Courage to See: Daily Inspiration from Great Literature

About the Book:

Book lovers know there is something sacred in the stories, poetry, and insight of even the most secular books. This 365-day devotional celebrates the beauty of literature and its ability to illuminate elements of the Divine, present all around us. Pairing excerpts from more than two hundred literary works with thought-provoking Scriptures and brief prayers, this spiritual guide invites readers to draw closer to God through the words of both classic and modern authors.

View an excerpt of The Courage to See on the publisher's website.

My Thoughts:

The Courage to See by Greg Garrett and Sabrina Fountain is a hardcover devotional that combines literary quotes with Scripture and a concluding prayer. This daily devotional contains 365 entries and I read several a day in order to create a timely review. However, I think it would be lovely to read only one per day and combine the reading with a time of contemplation and prayer.

As to the content of The Courage to See, sometimes the correlation between the quote and the Scripture was obvious. Other times, I didn’t see how they were related until the prayer tied the idea together. I enjoyed the differing names of God used in the prayer portions. Not just familiar ones like Holy Father, Lord Jesus, and Christ Our Redeemer, but also Risen Lord, God who Speaks, Humble Christ, and Lord of Love.

I admired the diversity of literary passages in The Courage to See. Some derive from classic works of literature while others originate from modern novels. The topics address personal issues (healing, courage, forgiveness, etc) as well as broader issues (social justice, the mystery of life, the beauty of creation, etc).

I recommend The Courage to See by Greg Garrett and Sabrina Fountain to Christians who enjoy literature and seek a daily devotional to inspire and encourage. It would make a lovely gift for any literature lover, male or female.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

September Reading and Expected October Reads

My September 2019 Reads:

Today I'm sharing a bit about what I've been reading and what I hope to read. Mostly, I'm just wondering how it is October already? 🍁🍁🍁 In September, I finished:

1. The Reckless by Marylu Tyndall. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. CALLED to Inspire by Marsha DuCille. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. The Devotional Poetry of Donne, Herbert, and Milton by Leland Ryken. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐


4. How to Survive a Shipwreck by Jonathan Martin. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review to come soon.


5. Shadows of Ladenbrook Manor by Melanie Dobson - ⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


6. One More River to Cross by Jane Kirkpatrick  - ⭐⭐⭐ - Review to come soon.


7. One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn. - ⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.

My favorite book this month was...... The Reckless by Marylu Tyndall! This captivating novel had it all: romance, adventure, suspense, and character development! My review is available here!

Expected October 2019 Reads:

In October, I expect to read:

1. Outbreak by Davis Bunn. - My local book club's October selection.


2. Unscripted by Davis Bunn - Two books by Davis Bunn this month? Yes, please!


3. Woe Is I by Patricia T O'Connor - Yeah, still working on this one....


4. How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty by Patti Breitman and Connie Hatch. - Currently reading! So many good examples of using the powerful word: no.


5. Courage to See: Daily Inspiration from Great Literature by Greg Garrett and Sabrina Fountain. - Literature combined with a devotional. Can't go wrong with that!


6. We Hope for Better Things by Erin Bartels - Ever since I read (and loved) The Words Between Us, I've wanted to read this one. Fortunately, my library had it available! 


7. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis - I've wanted to read the Narnia series for some time now and my husband recommended starting with this one.


8. A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott - A new-to-me author!

 What will you read this month?