Falling Home: Creating a Life That Catches You When You Fall

by Hallie Lord

Beloved speaker and radio host Hallie Lord shows how to use unexpected hardships and challenges to build a life that will make you more secure and grounded than ever before.

Hallie Lord understands the upheaval life can bring. From her parents' divorce when she was a preteen to moving eleven times in fifteen years with her family, the radical changes she faced relentlessly pushed her toward fear and helplessness. Yet by digging into her faith and through much self-reflection, she realized that even though those challenges had left her a bit battered and bruised, they had also equipped her for any difficulty that may arise.

In Falling Home, she describes the four interconnected foundations that now give her strength and security during life's

committed, supportive friendships,healthy family relationships,an intimate love affair with God, anda compassionate sense of self.Inviting readers into her hard-fought journey, Lord shows them how they, too, can embrace whatever life brings their way. With lyrical prose and a tender, inviting voice, she shares how hurts and sacrifices are also the groundwork for creating a beautiful life that can catch them whenever they fall.

 

 

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Audiobook

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2021

About the author

Hallie Lord is an author, popular speaker, host of Hallie Weekly on SiriusXM, and the co-founder of the Edel Gathering. She lives in South Carolina with her husband, Dan, and their seven enchanting children. You can connect with her at HallieLord.com.

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been a long-time follower of Hallie Lord and religiously listened to her SiriusXM show. If you’ve also been following her closely for a long time, the stories in this book won’t be new for you, which was a little disappointing for me. I felt like it jumped around a lot and wasn’t as focused as it could have been. I kind of wish she had just talked about the experiences of moving so much and followed that chronologically. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn’t really what I was expecting.

[Samantha B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't think I would when I started it, but I did.

There were some things that were a little weird about it:
-References to being metaphorically Cleopatra and Beyonce's love child? Newsflash: impossible. Mrs. Hallie, you should know that--you're Catholic.
-It's more of a How-I book rather than a How-To book, which is fine--I love memoirs! Just not exactly what I was expecting. Once I adjusted, I enjoyed that part of it.
-She was talking about how her marriage is kind of falling apart--vaguely, but...it was a bit strange? Idk. Anyhow.

Things I loved!
-Hearing the story of how she met Mrs. Jen Fulwiler from her perspective!
-All the meditations on moving, putting down roots, and so on. It felt very, very much on-time.
-Her writing voice, which is FANTASTIC and hilarious.
-Her description of her relationship with God.
-Her vulnerability.

So. All in all, this gets 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for GR.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not familiar with Hallie prior to reading this book, and I really appreciated her honesty throughout given the struggles she is currently going through. As with any inspirational book there are a few nuggets that will really hit home, and this one did not disappoint.

There is a chapter that focuses on finding your people, the ones that accept you no matter what, and setting boundaries for those that don’t. Easier said than done, no? I know that the past year has brought that to light for so many people, myself included, and it is so hard to not take everything on and feel beat down when you were just trying keep yourself and others safe. But this one sentence was the one that really got me and has stuck with me ever since I read this book. “As long as we express ourselves with love - and love and firmness are not mutually exclusive - the reactions of others are not our burdens to bear.”

Thank you to @tlcbooktours @thomasnelson @hallielord for the #gifted book to review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever read a book and just find yourself gripped?

I picked up Falling Home: Creating a Life That Catches You When You Fall, by Hallie Lord, because I’m a curious person. I kept reading it because I know a good thing when it’s in my hands. I recommend it because you need this.

Poetical. Truth-filled. Lovely. Painful. Challenging. Beauty-invoking.

Lord has captured so many things and yet…and yet, it’s so hard to put it into words.

This book examines being real with yourself and opening yourself to all that God has for you. Lord is authentic and vulnerable, and it’s not awkward. It’s inspiring, and it’s motivational in a tender, “your best friend hugs you and you don’t mind” kind of way.

It’s one of my favorite reads...ever. I’m going to be getting a paper copy of it too, because I need to flip back through and revisit the wisdom and insight. Truly, a wow read. 

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay for me. I like Hallie Lord a lot. I have not listened to her a ton, but I’d already heard quite a few of the stories already. It also felt like one book at the beginning and a different book by the end. I appreciate the author’s vulnerability and that she read the audio herself. She should not however have read the forward. Hearing her talk about herself in the third person was really confusing.

[Monica P · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book cover blurb gave the impression it would give ideas of how to create a life to catch you when you fall (whatever that means), but ended up just being a memoir. It’s a chronicle of the author’s early life and marriage. She has some nice insights, but it was mostly disjointed and ineffective at giving any insight into “creating a life.” There was no point to the book really, except for saying she’s gone through hard times and is getting through them. She’s growing and has learned to laugh again. Ok? So?
Note to Mrs. Lord: Cleopatra and Beyoncé can’t have a love child. Being a multipara, I’d assume she’d know how babies are made. Two women can’t do that, Hallie, regardless of what society and the media say.
My biggest issue is her flirtation with divorce. In the opening chapter she basically tells us that when she began to see a therapist she opened her mind to the possibility of divorce, something she had adamantly refused to do before. I find it interesting that she’s newly in her forties, her eldest child is a teenager, and she suddenly has a revelation that maybe divorce is where her marriage is headed. (Midlife crisis, perhaps?) She brings up her marriage a couple of times in the book, but never goes into detail as to its difficulties. The conclusion of the book is an essay on how she knows God will catch her when she falls, and now she can finally laugh again. No conclusion to her concern about divorce. She even states that she doesn’t know where her marriage is headed. Wow. Just leave that door open. See who sneaks his lizard-like fingers in and tears your family apart. This is the crux of my issue: she is the child of divorce. She chronicles the trauma of growing up as the child of divorced parents, but she seems to be leaving that a possibility for how she will raise her own children. Will she not break the cycle? Or will she inflict the same pain and wounds on her own children? We don’t know, because she doesn’t know! But hey, at least she can jump on a trampoline and laugh about it!
I gather the purpose of the book is simply this: the author wanted to go back over her life and find justification for the possibility of divorcing her husband. I will not be surprised to hear of her imminent divorce in the next few years. Despite the few really beautiful reflections on her miscarriage and making friends the book isn’t worth reading. I think she’s probably posted those same reflections as blog posts or Instagram stories or something. Just look those up and don’t worry about the book.

[Momma Leighellen’s Book Nook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of non fiction. I love memoirs, how to’s, and any book that is meant to inspire and encourage.

Author Hallie Lord is in the middle of a hot mess right now. Her marriage is struggling and she’s working through what that means. She also has moved about a gazillion times. Falling Home offers insight on how to cope when life throws us curveballs. She also shares how to keep first things first and focus on the important things in life, whatever that is for you since we’re all different.

“I want you to find your inner warrior. I want you to believe in her and free her from bondage. I want you to love her.”

This book is filled with personal stories of the ways the author’s relationship with God and prayer has helped her, and she wants to help others with what she has learned.

“God can walk into our desires and fulfill them in a million different wonderful and perfectly unique ways. I had been trying to turn God into a magic genie, he had been working on my heart.”

I feel like the book was a little disjointed, which isn’t surprising since this isn’t a look BACK at a difficult time. Hallie is still in the middle of it and going through it, so that uncertainty and disarray comes through in the writing. It’s also not written in a linear way, there’s no real beginning or ending. You could literally start in any chapter and not miss anything.

I feel like this book was almost more of Hallie working through her own thoughts and feelings while she’s still processing everything, verses a true “how to” book on how to cope.

With that said, there are a lot of great nuggets of wisdom speak throughout this book. Hallie’s life has been rich and full and she wants to impart what she has learned in a way that helps others. I remember Rick Warren once said “Trouble is like a train. You’re either in the middle of it, heading towards it, or coming out of it.” Hallie is in the middle of it, but even if you aren’t right now, this book can empower you for that time.

“Love given is meant to flow through us and into others. It’s not meant to be greedily consumed and selfishly stockpiled. It’s to be shared, so that it may take root in others where it can heal, strengthen, and nurture. The nature of love, in fact, is to grow and multiply and set the world on fire.”

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[wellreadtraveler · Rating 5 out of 5]

7What an unexpected little delight this book ended up being. I love reading books that inspire and help you change your way of thinking.
Author Hallie Lord focusing on the important things in life and how not all of us value the same things and that’s ok. With a spiritual outlook and prayer as her go to coping mechanism the author shares her personal stories to teach and inspire.
One part of the book that I really related to was the chapter about how we are always changing. “ Certainly, we’ve all living in a perpetual state of evolution and constantly learning new things about ourselves.” Isn’t that so cool? We always think when were younger that we know everything and know who we are as a person but what a gift it is to constantly be changing and experience in the world and what we most enjoy. The things that we might have loved at a younger age don’t serve a purpose any longer and that Sometimes applies to objects, hobbies, and even friendships. Certain people come into your life for a reason and we can’t imagine what our life was like before them or what it would be like without them but it may be just for a short time period. Maybe they were friends you had because you work together, friendships that evolved around children, neighbors, there’s all sorts of friendships that you were tied to for whatever reason that may not last the test of time but they were important at the time.
another section I really enjoyed was talking about how it’s OK to be different. We can have our own opinions, different priorities, and different ways of viewing the world and that’s good. If you have people around you the only want to be friends with you if you’re exactly like them then maybe those are people you don’t need in your life. We’re all different shapes and sizes colors and made up from all different backgrounds but in the end we’re all human and let’s not focus on what makes us different and just enjoy each other‘s company.
I loved so much of these book and walked away with some good advice I can use going forward. If you need a little inspiration or just a book to remind you of how special you are I highly suggest Falling Home.

[Katie Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is about finding yourself knee-deep in a life or circumstances that look a lot different than the one than we may have imagined for ourselves. I have read many books that addressed the same themes but none have resonated with me the way Falling Home has. I don't know if the difference is that it was written with more authenticity or if I just can relate more to some of the life experiences of this author (#introvertlife). Either way, I think this book needed to be written because I can't be the only one.

I would also like to make the case that the wisdom contained within is universal. It has helped me frame a more gracious approach to dealing with my medical issues and recent disabilities. These topics are not part of the author's story but I am adding her perspective on healing to my shortlist of the things that are saving my life right now along with mint chocolate chip ice cream.

[Megsbookclub · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love positive, inspirational books that are about personal growth! Do you ever read them? I think from @brenebrown to @sniequist you can’t go wrong! I was so excited to read Falling Home as @hallielord is a new author for me!

I loved this book! She was so honest with her personal stories and so much I could relate to. Each chapter dived into something new from marriage, to kids, to friends, to family! The chapter about realizing how little you can plan your life and putting expectations on your spouse was so good! Yes you grew up with traditions and ideas but you have to remember so did your spouse and maybe you need to let some of those go and create a new life together. Personally I think a lot of that growth comes with age and realizing what is really important to you.

[Susannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three cheers to Hallie Lord for baring her soul and opening her home to the reader. We need more and more of Hallie Lord authors to offer modern takes of Christian life amidst the hustle and bustle of 8 kids, home economics, and moving out of our comfort zones. This is a Christian version of chick-lit that's a quick and easy read between heavier reads like St. Augustine and St. Catherine.

I knocked out a star because the author's prone to hyperbole, so much so that when she speaks about how horrible the pain was in one of her childbirths, I took it with a grain of salt.

The author writes as though she's inviting you to coffee at her breakfast nook, more than a formal bio or spiritual journey that's written down. If she writes more, I'll read it most likely.

[Jaime K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a memoir about the ups and downs of the different relationships we can all face in our lives: friendship, marriage, and family.
It's about managing life among the changes and surprises, whether good or bad.
It's about forgiveness, trust, therapy, God, and everything in between.

If you know Hallie's voice, you can hear her talking through the words. If you don't know it, then you will certainly be reading it.

I smiled, cried, and empathized.

[Nicole Tipps thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling in Love with Falling Home: A Buckeye Falls Novel by Libby Kay- From the bustling streets of New York to a charming small town Main Street, this heartwarming story about finding love against all odds will keep you reading long into the night. Though it may seem as though we are revisiting things already said time and time again, don't forget communication is key when it comes to relationships. You never know what might happen when you take a chance with this second-chance romance!

[GG · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a good reads giveaway.
I enjoyed following the author thru the ups and downs of her life, along with her growing knowledge and understanding of God.
I think this book would be a great gift for any new bride or new mom.
To realize there are so many ups and downs in everyone’s life. Hallie helps us realize that we don’t need to face these challenges alone.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Mrs Lord's upbeat perspective that as long as you remember to turn to God (or your idea of a higher power) in times of need and in times of joy, you'll gain a new way of looking at a situation. I didn't find it a form of toxic positivity either. There were lots of tidbits I took away from this book including finding your bravery, asking for help, and taking time for yourself.

[Jennifer Kirchoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. I’m not super familiar with Hallie so the stories were new to me. The book jumped around a lot which was a little head spinning but I understood it. Maybe it could have been out together better. Overall her message will probably be helpful to many women out there.

[Fr. Edward Looney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I’m familiar with Hallie’s many stories, her sharing in this book was done so in a new way and perspective. She makes herself vulnerable but also shows how her faith in God helped her through. I think many people will find this book helpful.