by
Tena Cozby
At 24, Tena Cozby’s life changed forever. After recovering from a coma and brain surgery, a massive chunk of her memory disappeared. After her release from the hospital, she must relearn how to care for herself and recognize the people in her life.
Still, she never gave up. She recovered with God’s grace and mercy, albeit with some cognitive difficulties. Nevertheless, the author maintains an overall positive attitude throughout the ordeal, never doubting God for a second, even when things get complicated.
However, she also doesn’t shy away from the realities of how her condition affected everyone. Considering her trauma occurred when she was only married for a year, she knew that this event would likely change the dynamic of her relationship.
Aside from her marriage, she also has her immediate family and friends to think about. How would they react when the person they knew all their lives suddenly changed overnight?
The truth is, it’s not easy. However, God doesn’t give out challenges to people who cannot handle them. While we cannot be sure of His ultimate plan, we must trust ourselves to believe that, eventually, He’ll be able to come through with his promise to love and care for us.
By blessing the author with a loving husband and supportive family, she knows how truly blessed she is.
“My Second Chance at Overcoming Life’s Challenges” is not just about the author’s life after a coma. In it, she recalls other health-related issues down the road, like her seizures and cancer diagnosis. Still, despite all these challenges, the author manages to maintain a steadfast and true faith throughout.
After reading about how her family and husband stayed with her through the most challenging time, I cannot help but feel such joy for Tena. Considering the after-effects of brain surgery and having to put the pieces of your erased life back together slowly, I can’t help but root for her and am glad that she was able to tell her story in this beautiful read.
Brief yet enticing, inspirational yet realistic, “My Second Chance at Overcoming Life’s Challenges” is a heartwarming testimony of how a loving family and God can boost your morale. Coupled with photos from her life, readers can expect the author to put together her experiences more personally.
If you ever feel like you don’t have the strength to move on because of a health-related issue, reading Tena Cozby’s brief yet inspiring memoir will make all the difference in the world.
– The Moving Words Review
Official Entry: The Most Moving Book Award, Jan. 3, 2024
