Shirley Quiring Mozena

Beyond Second Chances continues the story of Shirley Quiring Mozena. She gladly shares details about how the deaths of her first two husbands affected her, and how she has faced a new future. She demonstrates out how it is possible to move from heartache and move towards joy. She shows the power of relying on God and on His Faithfulness. This book contains all the best features of a memoir and does an excellent job examining how relying on God can provide strength.

So if you like reading books that convey real stories filled with faith, loss, hope, and joy, check out this book for yourself. I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.… (más)

I remember reading the authors first book and thinking how passionate she writes. This book is even better with a candid look at finding love after a loss. Her life is nothing short of a journey through grief, happiness and faith. The death of a spouse would be devastating and the author shares how her life changed after that great loss.

She never lacked for challenges which pushed her to her limits at times. What was she thinking as she did extreme outdoor sports? I learned how much she loved life and how much she trusted God. He was always close as she lost a loved one and wrapped His arms around her as she picked herself up and started over. I really enjoyed the pictures she shares and allows us to get to know her family. The part about the loss of a child was heartbreaking and I cried with her as she allowed God to help her let go of her pain.

Her story was an encouragement to me because I have experienced loss last year. It wasn't a spouse but a brother who I miss every day. Reading this book showed me that grief is hard, but God is there to wipe our tears away. I loved that she found love again and how much she adored her new husband. When she mentioned Grief Share I immediately knew what she was talking about. I attended one of their groups and found it very helpful. I don't think I was quite ready to put my whole heart into the class so I have decided to attend another group in February.

We each go through difficult times and while reading this book I thanked God for always being there for me. The author is an inspiration to me as she shared her struggles and past. This would be an excellent book for a grief group or bible study to show how God is there with us during our darkest moments and rejoices with us in our triumphs.

i received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.… (más)

Because I generally do not read much, if any, of a book’s synopsis, and usually forget what it’s about anyway even when I do, Shirley Quiring Mozena’s “Beyond Second Chances” surprised me. I was expecting more general, instructive Christian nonfiction and was happy when it actually turned out to be a memoir. This is not a book that I would normally pick up, but even as someone who is not particularly fond of romance stories, I can honestly say that I enjoyed it. I would recommend it to those who have experienced loss, particularly the loss of a spouse, and more broadly to those looking for a short but inspiring story of moving from sorrow to joy.

Although I did not read “Second Chances”, I had no trouble following along with this continuation of Mozena’s story, but reading her first book would add more background. Black and white photos interspersed throughout “Beyond Second Chances” enhance the reading experience, and there is a glossary of family members appended to the story that serves as a written-out family tree. Despite being an autobiographical account about Mozena’s life after becoming widowed a second time, the spiritual faith element and writing style engage a wider audience. Most of the narrative, in which the author recounts her childhood and previous marriages, is related as part of a conversation, making it more relatable and giving it a relaxed mood. This also contributes to the cinematic feeling “Beyond Second Chances” evokes. Mozena’s faith, nurtured from childhood, demonstrates how God answers our prayers and meets our needs with what is best for us when we trust Him. As Mozena sums up, “I don’t know the future but I know I can trust my Savior. He brought me through the very hard times I’ve experienced. God is with me in the joyful times too.” He truly can take us from “heartbreak to joy” if we surrender to His loving care.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.… (más)

Having been married to my husband for 27 years I cannot fathom losing not just one husband to death but two. Yet I have witness people in my life marry for a second time after being deeply in love with their first spouse and then marrying for the second time and being deeply in love with that person as well. This book is written as a love story diary. It tells the story of Shirley, a Christian, who deeply loved her first husband who died after 40 years of marriage and six months of a debilitating illness.
Then Shirley finds love for a second time and winds up with two years of joy and more heartache of losing a second spouse. While some may not like the diary-like nature of this book, I found it worth reading. Shirley’s story illustrates the power of prayer and God’s love. The turnaround I read about in Bill, her first husband, brought me to tears of joy. Bill discovered the love and salvation of Jesus Christ.
Shirley had amazing people to walk the journey of grief and loss with her. She shows through the pages of the book how much she loved both men as well her children (biological, step and through marriage).
So if you like reading diary-style books that tell a true story of love, mercy, grief, and second chances, check out this book for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.… (más)