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Almost There: Searching for Home in a Life on the Move
Recipient of Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review!
On the move . . . again? Wondering when you will “arrive”?
Sometimes God leads people out of familiar territory so he can tell them who they are. That moment you depart, you experience reinvention, renewal, and freedom. You get a redo on the adjectives associated with your name.
Almost There is for those on the move and those who feel restless right where they are. It’s for those who struggle with not belonging, with feeling unsettled, with believing that home is out of their reach, at least for the moment. And Almost There is for those who find themselves in a transient lifestyle they didn’t expect―say, moving across the country for a new job or the military or an opportunity to begin again.
With imaginative storytelling and witty, relatable prose, Bekah DiFelice offers wisdom for those struggling to belong in a world where home is constantly shifting. When our hope of home is rooted in an unchangeable God, we are not uprooted, lost, or made homeless by change. We become found ones on the move.
On the move . . . again? Wondering when you will “arrive”?
Sometimes God leads people out of familiar territory so he can tell them who they are. That moment you depart, you experience reinvention, renewal, and freedom. You get a redo on the adjectives associated with your name.
Almost There is for those on the move and those who feel restless right where they are. It’s for those who struggle with not belonging, with feeling unsettled, with believing that home is out of their reach, at least for the moment. And Almost There is for those who find themselves in a transient lifestyle they didn’t expect―say, moving across the country for a new job or the military or an opportunity to begin again.
With imaginative storytelling and witty, relatable prose, Bekah DiFelice offers wisdom for those struggling to belong in a world where home is constantly shifting. When our hope of home is rooted in an unchangeable God, we are not uprooted, lost, or made homeless by change. We become found ones on the move.
192 pages, Paperback
Published July 18, 2017
6 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 8, 2017
Quick read- really resonated with me as a fellow military wife. I'd recommend to anyone wanting to know a little more what it feels like to move around often. She tells our story well. ❤️
June 24, 2017
A lovely, quick read. Having never moved much myself, I still related to Bekah's story of the desire to reinvent yourself: if I started over in another place, I could be who I really want to be. Of course that's faulty thinking. And of course, moving often, and away from everything familiar, does not move you further away from the God who has made home inside of you.
Bekah shares a beautiful story that has increased my compassion for military families and my desire to make a home for those who are missing it.
Bekah shares a beautiful story that has increased my compassion for military families and my desire to make a home for those who are missing it.
August 27, 2017
As a military wife, I SO related to her stories! But every story then had a great lesson to take one step further! Enjoyed it!
August 7, 2017
This author writes about her life as a military wife with the unique details of their experience but also draws broad applications for those of us in different situations. I decided to read this book in part because I wanted to learn more about the modern military family experience, and I appreciate the insight she gives to the men and women serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The book is worth a read just for the chapter in which Bekah describes how her friend stood by her while she waited to hear if her husband had survived a battle. Apart from that chapter, this book is a humorous, light read for those wanting to consider how difficult it can be to move and resettle again and again.
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.
September 5, 2017
Really hit the nail on the head for military spouse life, for me. Would be a wonderful book for a discussion group. Talks about Christian principles for supporting you in the struggles that mil-spouses have, and is just very real without being overly heavy about either. I loved it.
June 16, 2017
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Tyndale Blog Tours. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
This is a book that seems tailor-made for an audience of military wives, who struggle to find a sense of home in the face of the itinerant nature of a life where one's residence is dependent on orders that may appear suddenly without any warning, disrupting lives and forcing one into unfamiliar locations among strangers. This is a book that combines memoir elements with a self-effacing sense of humor along with encouragement for others in the same position. As someone whose life has been somewhat unstable, not often by my own choice, who has reflected on being an outsider and a stranger often [1], and even as someone who has struggled my entire life with PTSD, this book hit close to home in a lot of ways. The author's discussion of the fear and anxiety that accompany life around soldiers and veterans reminded me the repercussions of mental health problems in larger society. Despite the fact that I am not the target audience of this book, I found it to be a very worthwhile one.
This short volume of under 200 pages is divided into various chapters that are mostly chronological and topical in nature, with some flashbacks. The chapters examine the locations the author lived, with Gila and San Diego receiving special notice, while other chapters look at the way in which people try to establish habits through running or writing, how people develop a sense of comfort and familiarity, what it means for people to check out before they move, and how people become strangers even within the same homes and same rooms, disconnected from each other's lives. The author spends a great deal of time making self-effacing references to her skill at putting together furniture, or her feelings about being out of place, and also makes some sound discussions about the way that people are not always present in the moment or fully aware of the motivations behind why people do what they do. Overall the author can be said to be modest as well as encouraging, and this book will likely appeal to military wives and other women whose husbands' professions lead them to live somewhat transient lives out of their control despite their own wishes and inclinations.
Ultimately I found this book to be a pleasant enough read, enough to recommend it to those who are wrestling with the feeling of rootlessness in their lives, but there was one aspect of the book in particular which left me somewhat puzzled. Given the extent to which the Bible speaks of refugees and exile and vagabondage, it is a bit surprising that the author does not have a great deal of scriptural information to provide as encouragement concerning our patient wait for home in the Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed, I expected this book to place the search for home in a scriptural perspective and was surprised, and at least a bit disappointed, that the author showed little scriptural insight into those passage which describe our time here as a sojourn and our true home belonging with God, in the Jerusalem above. Perhaps the author did not wish to sound too preachy by discussing the Bible, but all the same this book presents a bit of a missed opportunity to place the itinerant nature of our lives in a larger context of believers who were similarly wanderers on the face of the earth of whom the world is not worthy, and I have to wonder whether it was a lack of interest or a lack of biblical knowledge that led the author to refrain from speaking about many relevant biblical passages concerning her struggles and that of so many others in this regard.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
This is a book that seems tailor-made for an audience of military wives, who struggle to find a sense of home in the face of the itinerant nature of a life where one's residence is dependent on orders that may appear suddenly without any warning, disrupting lives and forcing one into unfamiliar locations among strangers. This is a book that combines memoir elements with a self-effacing sense of humor along with encouragement for others in the same position. As someone whose life has been somewhat unstable, not often by my own choice, who has reflected on being an outsider and a stranger often [1], and even as someone who has struggled my entire life with PTSD, this book hit close to home in a lot of ways. The author's discussion of the fear and anxiety that accompany life around soldiers and veterans reminded me the repercussions of mental health problems in larger society. Despite the fact that I am not the target audience of this book, I found it to be a very worthwhile one.
This short volume of under 200 pages is divided into various chapters that are mostly chronological and topical in nature, with some flashbacks. The chapters examine the locations the author lived, with Gila and San Diego receiving special notice, while other chapters look at the way in which people try to establish habits through running or writing, how people develop a sense of comfort and familiarity, what it means for people to check out before they move, and how people become strangers even within the same homes and same rooms, disconnected from each other's lives. The author spends a great deal of time making self-effacing references to her skill at putting together furniture, or her feelings about being out of place, and also makes some sound discussions about the way that people are not always present in the moment or fully aware of the motivations behind why people do what they do. Overall the author can be said to be modest as well as encouraging, and this book will likely appeal to military wives and other women whose husbands' professions lead them to live somewhat transient lives out of their control despite their own wishes and inclinations.
Ultimately I found this book to be a pleasant enough read, enough to recommend it to those who are wrestling with the feeling of rootlessness in their lives, but there was one aspect of the book in particular which left me somewhat puzzled. Given the extent to which the Bible speaks of refugees and exile and vagabondage, it is a bit surprising that the author does not have a great deal of scriptural information to provide as encouragement concerning our patient wait for home in the Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed, I expected this book to place the search for home in a scriptural perspective and was surprised, and at least a bit disappointed, that the author showed little scriptural insight into those passage which describe our time here as a sojourn and our true home belonging with God, in the Jerusalem above. Perhaps the author did not wish to sound too preachy by discussing the Bible, but all the same this book presents a bit of a missed opportunity to place the itinerant nature of our lives in a larger context of believers who were similarly wanderers on the face of the earth of whom the world is not worthy, and I have to wonder whether it was a lack of interest or a lack of biblical knowledge that led the author to refrain from speaking about many relevant biblical passages concerning her struggles and that of so many others in this regard.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
December 10, 2017
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
I am not a military kid, but people often think I am.
My family has moved eight times since I was born, at an average of every three years or so. When I tell people we've moved because of my father (a scientist), the first assumption for many is that my father has a military job.
All that to say . . . I can relate on a very personal level to DiFelice's descriptions of the trials and tribulations of moving somewhere new every so often. I know what it's like to hunt for a new church, to make awkward small talk with people who might be new friends (or possibly new frenemies), to unpack all my belongings and make an impersonal new house into a home.
Or at least, to make it some part of a home. The whole point of DiFelice's book is detailing her search for home. She was thrust from her childhood home to marry her husband and follow him first to Yuma, Arizona (a tiny base in the middle of nowhere) and then, after three years and every three years after that, to a new location somewhere around the world. She was definitely a lot less prepared for moving out into the world than I am, because she'd lived her whole life in the same place surrounded by family; her quest to discover what home really is was interesting to read (and often hilarious), but I don't know that it was specifically that helpful to me.
After all, I already know where my home is: it's wherever I'm living at the moment. And also with my family. And also, to varying extents, every place I've ever lived. Because personally, I don't believe that home has to be just one place. My home is a physical place and an emotional one–it's every place I've ever lived that I still have fond memories of, it's the house of my parents and siblings who love me (no matter where that house happens to be at the moment), and it's the physical address where I live my day-to-day life at the moment. Home is like a running tally sheet, not a single focal point that almost always stays the same.
And I think, really, that DiFelice reached the same conclusion that I did. She also had some more insight into God's role in things, which I hadn't really given much thought to. But the real reason I loved reading Almost There has nothing to do with the deep philosphical insights: Bekah DiFelice is simply hilarious. I loved the funny, realistic ways she had of describing the experience of moving around and living life. I can't think of much else to say about the book (other than that it's really good and I very highly recommend it!), so I think I'll just end with a quote from her describing the drive to her first home away from her parents, in Arizona:
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I am not a military kid, but people often think I am.
My family has moved eight times since I was born, at an average of every three years or so. When I tell people we've moved because of my father (a scientist), the first assumption for many is that my father has a military job.
All that to say . . . I can relate on a very personal level to DiFelice's descriptions of the trials and tribulations of moving somewhere new every so often. I know what it's like to hunt for a new church, to make awkward small talk with people who might be new friends (or possibly new frenemies), to unpack all my belongings and make an impersonal new house into a home.
Or at least, to make it some part of a home. The whole point of DiFelice's book is detailing her search for home. She was thrust from her childhood home to marry her husband and follow him first to Yuma, Arizona (a tiny base in the middle of nowhere) and then, after three years and every three years after that, to a new location somewhere around the world. She was definitely a lot less prepared for moving out into the world than I am, because she'd lived her whole life in the same place surrounded by family; her quest to discover what home really is was interesting to read (and often hilarious), but I don't know that it was specifically that helpful to me.
After all, I already know where my home is: it's wherever I'm living at the moment. And also with my family. And also, to varying extents, every place I've ever lived. Because personally, I don't believe that home has to be just one place. My home is a physical place and an emotional one–it's every place I've ever lived that I still have fond memories of, it's the house of my parents and siblings who love me (no matter where that house happens to be at the moment), and it's the physical address where I live my day-to-day life at the moment. Home is like a running tally sheet, not a single focal point that almost always stays the same.
And I think, really, that DiFelice reached the same conclusion that I did. She also had some more insight into God's role in things, which I hadn't really given much thought to. But the real reason I loved reading Almost There has nothing to do with the deep philosphical insights: Bekah DiFelice is simply hilarious. I loved the funny, realistic ways she had of describing the experience of moving around and living life. I can't think of much else to say about the book (other than that it's really good and I very highly recommend it!), so I think I'll just end with a quote from her describing the drive to her first home away from her parents, in Arizona:
When night set in, headlights flashed bright and aggressive from the opposite direction. So many people, it seemed, were fleeing from the very place I was headed. I departed Colorado armed with Cheez-Its and gusto, and in the desert I realized that both were gone.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2017
Bekah Difelice paves a way to embrace change faithfully as she writes about the ever-evolving, temporary nature of home. A blend of memoir, essay, wit, and faith, Almost There is a poignant reflection on finding a sense of permanency and stability in a life that’s always changing.
Opening with the milestone of moving away from home for the first time, Bekah narrates the emotions, thoughts, naivetés, and surprises most all of us face when we first pack our lives into boxes and say hello to the great unknown.
Throughout the rest of the book Bekah narrates milestones and seasons like:
• Settling into a new home
• Getting married
• Creating space for each other throughout marriage
• Finding identity when things change
• Facing grown up fears
• Building community as an adult
While speaking of these in a way that anyone can relate to, Bekah also has a unique perspective. She narrates as a young military wife. Transience is part of the trade. Needless to say, she’s spent plenty of time pondering and living out events like moving on, starting over, and knowing who you are when no one around you has a clue how to say your last name.
Straight-shooting and humorous, Bekah’s story reads the way dinner with a bare-it-all friend feels. Vulnerable, but safe. Relatable, but unique. Fit with wisdom, but not preachy. I assume by her inviting tone that she’s cool with all readers being on a first-name basis with her.
When her words challenge, they do so without intruding and they also soothe:
“I wonder, too, if God doesn’t use this sort of transience to draw us to Himself, if He doesn’t occasionally wring out the things we don’t want to give him, in order to expose all the ways we don’t trust him. Out come insecurity, fear, and doubt, the lies we’ve believed about ourselves and about him. Out comes the mindless religion- the empty habits and vague affections. All the feeble hooks we’ve hung our worth on, every striving part of us tumbles out until we are emptied of our own merit, of all pretenses, laid exactly as we are….”
Most 20-somethings will be able to relate to her like a good friend, but I suspect anyone in a season of transition will especially cherish Almost There.
Though I tend to slowly make my way through 14 books at a time, Almost There grabbed me and I soaked it in quickly, neglecting my reading plans until I was through it.
I didn’t turn the final page and find myself home “yet,” but I did find myself a little steadier, a little more content with what is permanent and with the One who makes His home in my heart while I’m still on the move. Perhaps you will too.
---
This review has been written in exchange for a complimentary copy of Almost There provided by Tyndale House Publishers.
Opening with the milestone of moving away from home for the first time, Bekah narrates the emotions, thoughts, naivetés, and surprises most all of us face when we first pack our lives into boxes and say hello to the great unknown.
Throughout the rest of the book Bekah narrates milestones and seasons like:
• Settling into a new home
• Getting married
• Creating space for each other throughout marriage
• Finding identity when things change
• Facing grown up fears
• Building community as an adult
While speaking of these in a way that anyone can relate to, Bekah also has a unique perspective. She narrates as a young military wife. Transience is part of the trade. Needless to say, she’s spent plenty of time pondering and living out events like moving on, starting over, and knowing who you are when no one around you has a clue how to say your last name.
Straight-shooting and humorous, Bekah’s story reads the way dinner with a bare-it-all friend feels. Vulnerable, but safe. Relatable, but unique. Fit with wisdom, but not preachy. I assume by her inviting tone that she’s cool with all readers being on a first-name basis with her.
When her words challenge, they do so without intruding and they also soothe:
“I wonder, too, if God doesn’t use this sort of transience to draw us to Himself, if He doesn’t occasionally wring out the things we don’t want to give him, in order to expose all the ways we don’t trust him. Out come insecurity, fear, and doubt, the lies we’ve believed about ourselves and about him. Out comes the mindless religion- the empty habits and vague affections. All the feeble hooks we’ve hung our worth on, every striving part of us tumbles out until we are emptied of our own merit, of all pretenses, laid exactly as we are….”
Most 20-somethings will be able to relate to her like a good friend, but I suspect anyone in a season of transition will especially cherish Almost There.
Though I tend to slowly make my way through 14 books at a time, Almost There grabbed me and I soaked it in quickly, neglecting my reading plans until I was through it.
I didn’t turn the final page and find myself home “yet,” but I did find myself a little steadier, a little more content with what is permanent and with the One who makes His home in my heart while I’m still on the move. Perhaps you will too.
---
This review has been written in exchange for a complimentary copy of Almost There provided by Tyndale House Publishers.
July 6, 2017
Almost There: Searching for Home in a Life on the Move by Bekah DiFelice is a book about longing - longing to fit in, belong, feel at home. I moved away from my hometown when I got married at 18, and have now lived in my "new" town for 15 years, but I still don't necessarily feel completely "at home" here. So I thought I'd pick up Bekah's new book and see if it spoke to me. The book description says:
"Recipient of Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review!
On the move . . . again? Wondering when you will “arrive”?
Sometimes God leads people out of familiar territory so he can tell them who they are. That moment you depart, you experience reinvention, renewal, and freedom. You get a redo on the adjectives associated with your name.
Almost There is for those on the move and those who feel restless right where they are. It’s for those who struggle with not belonging, with feeling unsettled, with believing that home is out of their reach, at least for the moment. And Almost There is for those who find themselves in a transient lifestyle they didn’t expect—say, moving across the country for a new job or the military or an opportunity to begin again.
With imaginative storytelling and witty, relatable prose, Bekah DiFelice offers wisdom for those struggling to belong in a world where home is constantly shifting. When our hope of home is rooted in an unchangeable God, we are not uprooted, lost, or made homeless by change. We become found ones on the move."
Almost There is a very short book, just 191 pages, and each chapter is topical and written essay-style, so there isn't much of a beginning-and-ending flow to the book. This gave it a choppy feel at times, but it was still enjoyable. Bekah uses funny stories, spiritual insights, and object lessons to convey that we really need to be at home with Jesus in our hearts as opposed to attaching too much significance to where our earthly home is. The book was funny and relatable, but it was extremely military-heavy. I wasn't expecting this, and my family has no military experience, so I couldn't really relate to all of the military stories, moves, deployments, etc. However, it was still interesting and helpful and I enjoyed reading it. I'd especially recommend it to military wives, as I think they'd get a lot out of it.
I received a copy of this book from Tyndale in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
"Recipient of Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review!
On the move . . . again? Wondering when you will “arrive”?
Sometimes God leads people out of familiar territory so he can tell them who they are. That moment you depart, you experience reinvention, renewal, and freedom. You get a redo on the adjectives associated with your name.
Almost There is for those on the move and those who feel restless right where they are. It’s for those who struggle with not belonging, with feeling unsettled, with believing that home is out of their reach, at least for the moment. And Almost There is for those who find themselves in a transient lifestyle they didn’t expect—say, moving across the country for a new job or the military or an opportunity to begin again.
With imaginative storytelling and witty, relatable prose, Bekah DiFelice offers wisdom for those struggling to belong in a world where home is constantly shifting. When our hope of home is rooted in an unchangeable God, we are not uprooted, lost, or made homeless by change. We become found ones on the move."
Almost There is a very short book, just 191 pages, and each chapter is topical and written essay-style, so there isn't much of a beginning-and-ending flow to the book. This gave it a choppy feel at times, but it was still enjoyable. Bekah uses funny stories, spiritual insights, and object lessons to convey that we really need to be at home with Jesus in our hearts as opposed to attaching too much significance to where our earthly home is. The book was funny and relatable, but it was extremely military-heavy. I wasn't expecting this, and my family has no military experience, so I couldn't really relate to all of the military stories, moves, deployments, etc. However, it was still interesting and helpful and I enjoyed reading it. I'd especially recommend it to military wives, as I think they'd get a lot out of it.
I received a copy of this book from Tyndale in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
June 27, 2017
I highly recommend this book! I could tell you about the storyline or what you'll find inside, but I'm sure other reviewers will do so. Here's what I'll say:
1. Until stumbling upon this book, I had never heard of or read anything by Bekah DiFelice. So... without knowing anything about her, here's what I can say about her writing: The book is honest, vulnerable, and very well-written. Bekah is a wonderful story-teller. She found a beautiful balance of wisdom and humor.
2. I'm 24, single, and from Florida/Alabama. I don't relate much to her life (stay-at-home mom of two, military wife, from Colorado/Arizona/California)... and yet I saw myself in her story. It's incredibly relatable simply because of how she tells it.
3. Personally, I love to write in books. I'll scribble something in the margin, underline a sentence, star a paragraph, etc. However, unless I know the author's writing well and am certain I'll be marking up a book all the way through, I wait. I don't want to highlight something in chapter two and then realize at the end of the book I haven't marked anything else. Since I didn't know anything about Bekah, her writing, or what the book would be like, I waited. By chapter 4 I knew I would go back and re-read this book, marking and highlighting sentences in each chapter. There are so many things Bekah shares and thinks through (within the book) that I want to go back over!
If I, knowing nothing about Bekah or her story, found myself excited to re-read the book again - while only through the first few chapters - then trust me: this is a good book. I finished it, immediately shared about it on social media, and then said out loud to a friend in the room: I want to be Bekah's friend and I want to read all of these words again because they made me think, they invited me into the story, and it was truly an enjoyable read.
It's June and I've read 30 books this year. Hands down, this is one of the best so far. I hope Bekah will continue writing because I'll certainly continue reading.
1. Until stumbling upon this book, I had never heard of or read anything by Bekah DiFelice. So... without knowing anything about her, here's what I can say about her writing: The book is honest, vulnerable, and very well-written. Bekah is a wonderful story-teller. She found a beautiful balance of wisdom and humor.
2. I'm 24, single, and from Florida/Alabama. I don't relate much to her life (stay-at-home mom of two, military wife, from Colorado/Arizona/California)... and yet I saw myself in her story. It's incredibly relatable simply because of how she tells it.
3. Personally, I love to write in books. I'll scribble something in the margin, underline a sentence, star a paragraph, etc. However, unless I know the author's writing well and am certain I'll be marking up a book all the way through, I wait. I don't want to highlight something in chapter two and then realize at the end of the book I haven't marked anything else. Since I didn't know anything about Bekah, her writing, or what the book would be like, I waited. By chapter 4 I knew I would go back and re-read this book, marking and highlighting sentences in each chapter. There are so many things Bekah shares and thinks through (within the book) that I want to go back over!
If I, knowing nothing about Bekah or her story, found myself excited to re-read the book again - while only through the first few chapters - then trust me: this is a good book. I finished it, immediately shared about it on social media, and then said out loud to a friend in the room: I want to be Bekah's friend and I want to read all of these words again because they made me think, they invited me into the story, and it was truly an enjoyable read.
It's June and I've read 30 books this year. Hands down, this is one of the best so far. I hope Bekah will continue writing because I'll certainly continue reading.
June 30, 2017
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. I'm in the midst of transitions of my own in life and the description seemed relevant to questions and themes I am experiencing. I was surprised to find a marriage of anthology and memoir in this book--each chapter could stand on its own with its specific topics (i.e., marriage, fear, leaving home) and easily be digestible on its own with pertinent lessons--but the author's own journey through these topics made for a compelling read cover to cover. I personally find that my deepest insights come from conversations with insightful friends who are able to relate their experiences and lessons learned from them to my own, and Bekah is able to accomplish that feat through the written word. It struck me many times as I didn't feel I was reading something where the author was TELLING me something, but rather sharing. She's relatable in an uncanny way. Time and time again, a phrase or paragraph here and there would resonate deeply within, as if I were fully known by her and she could speak into my life without even knowing about it.
And really, that's what I look for in books like these--can they speak in a fresh way, relating truth to my life in a manner I haven't heard before, without being condescending or generic? Bekah accomplishes this so well, and I can't wait to read more of her writing. I'm glad she has a blog so I can pick up there!
And really, that's what I look for in books like these--can they speak in a fresh way, relating truth to my life in a manner I haven't heard before, without being condescending or generic? Bekah accomplishes this so well, and I can't wait to read more of her writing. I'm glad she has a blog so I can pick up there!
August 21, 2017
I can relate to Bekah DiFelice in her book Almost Home. Humorous anecdotes about military life and discovering the meaning of “home.”
As a military wife, I’ve moved five times.
Five times packing up memories, clothes, toys, books, kitchen items. Clearing out pantries and freezers. Having yard sales and donating items we can’t take with us.
It’s stressful living a nomadic life. It’s sometimes depressing feeling homeless.
We arrive at a new location and wonder, “What’s the point of even hanging pictures on the walls or buying curtains for this rental house when we’re leaving soon?”
We crave new friendships only to say goodbye.
As a military family, we learn to cling to each other through deployments and PCSes and other stressors than civilians don’t understand. Movies and books can only give a glimpse. This is our life.
We can find home anywhere. It isn’t necessarily our home of record or where our parents and siblings live. It isn’t where we went to high school.
I feel most at home walking along the cold beaches of Normandy, France, sitting in a café in Paris, eating moules frites in Bruges, gazing at the sunset in Greece.
My four children will most likely grow up scattered to the winds and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Then I can travel and visit and find new ideas for home.
Home is truly where the heart is.
Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
As a military wife, I’ve moved five times.
Five times packing up memories, clothes, toys, books, kitchen items. Clearing out pantries and freezers. Having yard sales and donating items we can’t take with us.
It’s stressful living a nomadic life. It’s sometimes depressing feeling homeless.
We arrive at a new location and wonder, “What’s the point of even hanging pictures on the walls or buying curtains for this rental house when we’re leaving soon?”
We crave new friendships only to say goodbye.
As a military family, we learn to cling to each other through deployments and PCSes and other stressors than civilians don’t understand. Movies and books can only give a glimpse. This is our life.
We can find home anywhere. It isn’t necessarily our home of record or where our parents and siblings live. It isn’t where we went to high school.
I feel most at home walking along the cold beaches of Normandy, France, sitting in a café in Paris, eating moules frites in Bruges, gazing at the sunset in Greece.
My four children will most likely grow up scattered to the winds and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Then I can travel and visit and find new ideas for home.
Home is truly where the heart is.
Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 21, 2017
I’m not a military wife; neither am I in the author’s season of life. But I am at heart a restless soul, longing to find a sense of home in places where I’ve been surrounded by people but felt acutely alone. Like a close friend asking all the right questions, Ms. DiFelice invited me into the deeper places of my soul, challenging me to ponder my expectations about where and what home really is.
She hits on themes that are universal – self-worth, fear, trust, commitment and community. She drew me in with her stories, made me laugh out loud with her wit, cry with wonder, and then bam! - zeroed in on a heart issue. Her own openness and vulnerability gently encouraged me to face the tightly-held, tired assumptions that just don’t work anymore, and even better, the rot of my own selfishness, all the while making me feel loved, honored and understood. She’s like the wisest best friend I wish I had, coaxing me toward the best version of myself and my life.
I had a light-bulb moment in one context, especially, realizing that I had always expected home to just come to me instead of my being intentional about creating it. No wonder it didn’t happen!
This book is delightful, comforting, encouraging and inspiring. I know I’ve grown by reading it.
She hits on themes that are universal – self-worth, fear, trust, commitment and community. She drew me in with her stories, made me laugh out loud with her wit, cry with wonder, and then bam! - zeroed in on a heart issue. Her own openness and vulnerability gently encouraged me to face the tightly-held, tired assumptions that just don’t work anymore, and even better, the rot of my own selfishness, all the while making me feel loved, honored and understood. She’s like the wisest best friend I wish I had, coaxing me toward the best version of myself and my life.
I had a light-bulb moment in one context, especially, realizing that I had always expected home to just come to me instead of my being intentional about creating it. No wonder it didn’t happen!
This book is delightful, comforting, encouraging and inspiring. I know I’ve grown by reading it.
June 21, 2017
As a wife of a visionary and pioneering husband my life seems to consistently be in transition. We are constantly dreaming of the next thing to start, and the next neighbor to invest in. "Almost There" felt like my life had been written down and placed in front of me (minus the military aspect). I devoured this book, and wanted it to keep going on and on. Chapter 5 on fear had the greatest impact on me, specifically this quote on page 71: "I prayed this way because I worried that disaster might come on account of me if I didn't pray hard enough against it, as if a lack of spirituality might put blood on my hands or the whole world might fall to pieces if I didn't dictate how he should hold it together." Also on page 73, "I figured I could either delude myself into thinking the worst wouldn't happen or anchor myself to the believe that God would be a good shepherd even if it did." Whether you are in the midst of a move, marriage, kids, or company in your home this book hits at all the heart strings. I would recommend it to any and every person I meet!
June 21, 2017
What I found in this book was so much more than a good read - it engaged me emotionally and challenged me in more ways than I could list! Beyond not wanting to put it down as soon as I began chapter one, I found myself tearing up and cracking up and hanging on Bekah DiFelice's thought provoking points and conclusions. The writing feels like a conversation with a dear friend and with each chapter I felt so many of my own experiences and feelings validated and understood. I loved how each topic of searching came with very raw, relatable, and "messy" emotions and yet the chapters concluded on such a playing field of peace - always circling back to the truth that Christ is our true home and unchanging stability. This will be a book I not only recommend but share with so many friends...not to mention rereading it myself! A definite "must read" for anyone!
"I believe that God is fostering the fullness of life within us by placing us in contexts that require us to tenaciously remain in him, to strain for what it means to be fully at home" - Bekah DiFelice
"I believe that God is fostering the fullness of life within us by placing us in contexts that require us to tenaciously remain in him, to strain for what it means to be fully at home" - Bekah DiFelice
June 24, 2017
I'm not the target demographic for Almost There, nor is it one that I expected to have drastic impact. However, I marvel at how it was the exact message I needed at this season of my life. I have no doubt the same is going to be said by many who also give it a read.
DiFelice shares her experiences of living a transient lifestyle as a military family, setting up homesteads in new cities, meeting new friends, experiencing the need to redevelop a marital home following deployments and more. A lot of the time, we call this “finding the new normal.” However, Difelice shows that it’s more about finding home and pursuing God. To live the way he designed us and guides us. As she shows, we are constantly redefining home. And we’re doing that according to our sense of personal belonging, identity and purpose.
This is a great summer read written in a common and authentic narrative. Many people will find it to be insightful, profound, and uplifting during many different seasons of live. Note: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.provided me with a complimentary copy.
DiFelice shares her experiences of living a transient lifestyle as a military family, setting up homesteads in new cities, meeting new friends, experiencing the need to redevelop a marital home following deployments and more. A lot of the time, we call this “finding the new normal.” However, Difelice shows that it’s more about finding home and pursuing God. To live the way he designed us and guides us. As she shows, we are constantly redefining home. And we’re doing that according to our sense of personal belonging, identity and purpose.
This is a great summer read written in a common and authentic narrative. Many people will find it to be insightful, profound, and uplifting during many different seasons of live. Note: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.provided me with a complimentary copy.
July 17, 2017
This really is a GOOD READ! Using her own imaginative storytelling, she invites you into her life using her wit and wisdom to gently steer you towards redefining what your definition of "home" actually is. Every story, every embarrassing tale she tells, you find yourself saying "YES! YES YES! She totally gets me!" She so lovely articulates our inherent need to grasp for stability, for permanence, for home-- and yet the unachievable nature of our quest. I finished every chapter with that strange "happy- sad" feeling. Like how you feel after listening to Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" or after watching an episode of "The Wonder Years." You feel the beauty in her every idea, but the sting of the realization that you might possibly have some reconsidering to do. Some work. Some redefining. "You and I confront so many surprise endings in a single lifetime, and perhaps this is how we discover what is disposable and what is essential." This is one such insight from Chapeter 3. Happy-sad right?
Buy this book. Read this book. It's a beauty!
Buy this book. Read this book. It's a beauty!
June 22, 2017
This book described We've never had the amazing way with words as Bekah has throughout this entire book to describe the strength, courage, motivation, unknown, adventure, and rebuilding you have to do in each location. I've just recently (this year actually) realized my emptiness in not feeling "home" these past years were because of my lack of building my faith. Bekah DiFelice brought in faith as a building block to feel a sense of peace - truly hits "home". I cried, laughed, and felt every emotion you spoke of. I am already recommending it all family members and fellow spouses to understand the the struggle in finding a sense of home in new places that we go. We have lived in 6 houses and towns in the past 10 years, each having to start over. As an introvert expressing my emotions and struggles to others are one of the most difficult things I have to overcome. This book shapes those struggles so picturesquely.
June 23, 2017
Bekah had me laughing out loud with her witty, intelligent quips and comparisons as well as unashamedly sobbing over the powerful truths she unearthed over real struggles that I could completely relate to. (I follow her blog too and her relatability in the book is totally par for the course. I feel like she writes the way I talk and that keeps it fun, like I'm hanging out with a precious girlfriend)
Her chapter on identity and how it is usually deeply associated with our geographical location brought me so much understanding and healing over the struggle I've been having with a big move my family and I recently made. I'm SO grateful for this book and I find myself recommending it to all of my friends whenever we're talking about just about anything in life. It's an easy read but packed with deep insight, gentle solutions for real life struggles, and hilariously gripping real stories from Bekah's life that kept my pages turning.
Her chapter on identity and how it is usually deeply associated with our geographical location brought me so much understanding and healing over the struggle I've been having with a big move my family and I recently made. I'm SO grateful for this book and I find myself recommending it to all of my friends whenever we're talking about just about anything in life. It's an easy read but packed with deep insight, gentle solutions for real life struggles, and hilariously gripping real stories from Bekah's life that kept my pages turning.
October 16, 2017
In its simplest form, this is the non-fiction story of how Bekah Difelice found herself redefining "home" as she became a Marine spouse and began the frequent moves associated with being a military family. But she goes much deeper than that as she explores deployments, health scares, fish-bowl base life, and her Christian faith through all her moves-physical, mental, and spiritual. I laughed out loud and choked up at different times. It is well written, and Difelice makes many good points relatable outside of military life. But.....
Although a now retired military family, I didn't feel I am the right audience for this. This is the perfect book to give a new military spouse or the parent of a new military member. I enjoyed reading it in a been there and done that way rather than something that offers any pertinent insight into my own situation. I plan to gift some copies but don't think I'll be re-reading it.
Although a now retired military family, I didn't feel I am the right audience for this. This is the perfect book to give a new military spouse or the parent of a new military member. I enjoyed reading it in a been there and done that way rather than something that offers any pertinent insight into my own situation. I plan to gift some copies but don't think I'll be re-reading it.
June 19, 2017
Some of us have roots that go deep into where we have established a home. We may live not far from where we grew up as children, but others have known many places. For those folks, “the impermanence of home tends to be one of life’s most recurring surprises”.
That has been the life of Bekah DiFelice as the wife of a former Marine. It raises questions many of us have never considered such as: “Is it possible to build a permanent sense of home in a rootless life? If home is where the heart is what can we love that will quiet the restlessness within?”
In Almost Home, Bekah’s first book, she invites the reader into her very personal journey of impermanence and how she has discovers resilience along with valuable lessons about love, faith, and relationship that anyone can apply to his or her life whether one that has been rooted in the same place or not.
That has been the life of Bekah DiFelice as the wife of a former Marine. It raises questions many of us have never considered such as: “Is it possible to build a permanent sense of home in a rootless life? If home is where the heart is what can we love that will quiet the restlessness within?”
In Almost Home, Bekah’s first book, she invites the reader into her very personal journey of impermanence and how she has discovers resilience along with valuable lessons about love, faith, and relationship that anyone can apply to his or her life whether one that has been rooted in the same place or not.
June 22, 2017
This book is REALLY GOOD. A mix of humor, heartfelt stories, and serious context, this book will have you laughing, crying, and nodding your head in agreement. As a Christian, a military member, and a military wife, I relate to this book from several different angles. I understand the desire to find a home on the move, to want to quickly establish roots when you first arrive in a new city, knowing you will be leaving in three short years, and I understand the challenges of long distance relationships. Bekah eloquently describes the hardships of life in an extremely relatable manner, bringing the reader along with her in the most understanding way. This book invites the reader into a community, shared experiences, and most importantly, into a life with Christ. Highly, highly, highly recommend!!
December 11, 2018
This book drew me in from the first page. And I found myself laughing before I'd gone on to the second one. Not laughing as in "knee-slapping" but the kind of chuckle when something is put in such a way and you can relate to it so much, that you simply can't help yourself. More like a healing-giggle, if there's such a thing.
I didn't expect to find myself relating so deeply to this book. After all, it's written by a military wife and all her many moves in those first few years of marriage. But when she talks about change and growth and love and fear....she's talking about womanhood. And that's something I can relate to all too well. And something she's captured with unusual charm and honesty.
So if you're looking for a well-told, witty story of a woman's journey toward finding - and creating - a beautiful home, then this is my top pick!
I didn't expect to find myself relating so deeply to this book. After all, it's written by a military wife and all her many moves in those first few years of marriage. But when she talks about change and growth and love and fear....she's talking about womanhood. And that's something I can relate to all too well. And something she's captured with unusual charm and honesty.
So if you're looking for a well-told, witty story of a woman's journey toward finding - and creating - a beautiful home, then this is my top pick!
July 7, 2017
Just finished reading this book! I have three kids under 5…so to get to finish a book is nearly unheard of. But this one was such a good read I couldn’t put it down. So many of my own feelings were finally put into words worth reading! I would read something and tell my spouse, “Read this. This is what I was trying to say when I was so upset after that last move.” I’m pretty convinced this should be required reading for anyone in the military or whose address changes frequently!
Bekah’s writing challenged me to dig in to each new address and claim territory there. She reminded me that every place my foot touches is a place worth being; a place where I can and should bear the weight of loving and living well, no matter the cost. She reminded me that no matter my address, my Home never changes...and that makes for an excellent read!
Bekah’s writing challenged me to dig in to each new address and claim territory there. She reminded me that every place my foot touches is a place worth being; a place where I can and should bear the weight of loving and living well, no matter the cost. She reminded me that no matter my address, my Home never changes...and that makes for an excellent read!
June 21, 2017
I enjoyed the insight this book gave me into the world of a military spouse. I've moved a few times, but mostly in-town, so I couldn't relate to the idea of being in new places and trying to find a "home" there, in the deeper sense of the word. However, I was recently married and I loved the concept of building a home in a new place/situation. In that sense, I found the themes easy to relate to personally.
This is an easy read and enjoyable. I found myself laughing out loud a lot and underlining so many good thoughts to look back on later. I would suggest this for anyone who may feel unsettled by a recent move or change in their life situation. It is encouraging without being "preachy" and I didn't find the themes of Christianity to be overwhelming or off-putting.
This is an easy read and enjoyable. I found myself laughing out loud a lot and underlining so many good thoughts to look back on later. I would suggest this for anyone who may feel unsettled by a recent move or change in their life situation. It is encouraging without being "preachy" and I didn't find the themes of Christianity to be overwhelming or off-putting.
June 26, 2017
Have you ever struggled to find "home" in the midst of change or less than ideal life circumstances? Bekah beautifully captures the feeling of being out of place through her experiences as a military wife. Though I'm not a military wife, I so resonated with feeling out of sorts in where I've been placed. She gently nudges your heart to a recognition that home is something found in Jesus. My favorite thing about her writing is how she so perfectly captures a feeling with her words. You know when you read something and you have to stop and think, "yes! That's exactly how that feels." This book is littered with those moments. I also loved that I felt like I understood the military life a little more clearly after reading it.
July 10, 2017
Though I am not a mother nor am I the wife of a man belonging to Uncle Sam, this book spoke to me. It spoke to the uneasy restless nature of my soul and to my longing to connect with the higher power in life. The book read as if Ms. Difelice and I were old friends out to coffee just talking about life; there was laughing, some sadness, and an overall feel of... wow yes I completely understand the feeling or situation. Her book put into words ideas and thoughts that were always there but never completely brought to light in my own life. So if you have ever felt like a wanderer or are one now or even looking for a fun read, I would recommend this wonderful book.
June 25, 2017
My husband and I read this together, and we could not put it down. Its a fast read full of relatable moments for any couple who is figuring out life together. Truths about life, love and the frustration that inevitably accompanies both are illuminated through stories that made us laugh and cry through the eyes of the author as we accompanied her on her journey to define home. If you have a spouse, dog, hamster, hobby, pinterest account, or a table this book will have a meaningful moment for you.
August 1, 2017
I received this non-fiction book and felt the author was a good storyteller. However, I had a difficult time getting into the book as I don’t feel I was the target audience. The target audience appears to be spouses of those in the military, and being single and not in the military or having a family member in the service, I found it difficult to relate to.
I did also feel that the author was stretching to meet a page quota, and I felt that some of the stories and examples became a bit repetitive as I was reading.
I did also feel that the author was stretching to meet a page quota, and I felt that some of the stories and examples became a bit repetitive as I was reading.
June 13, 2017
This book is about a woman moving around the country and finding home no matter where she stops along the way. I found this book to be full of faith and hope. She talks about friendships and trusts. The author made this book feel more like a conversation instead of reading a book. Overall, I found this to be a good read that would be a great gift to give anyone who is moving away from home. **Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.**
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