The Books I've Visited Lately

Some women buy shoes or purses; I buy books.  Bradley and I were laughing the other night because when we got married he read all.the.time.  Like, we would finish dinner and then he would disappear, only to be found in the bathroom, with yet another book.  (Some day I'll share more about that season of life...).  Anyway, now I read way more than he does, just not in the bathroom :).

When he started teasing me a few months ago about how many books I was buying, I decided to try and reign that in a little.  I've been trying to read books we already have before buying new ones.  (Although, as I looked at this list, four of them are ones I purchased this summer...maybe I haven't done such a good job of reigning it in...)

This summer was challenging in many ways for me.  One of the things that has been helpful to me during this season has been to discipline myself to read.  Reading has always been a hobby of mine, and somehow I let motherhood rob me of this pleasure.  Instead of reading at night, or in my spare moments, I would turn to other means of 'checking out'--Netflix, a good movie, Pinterest, etc.  There is nothing wrong with those things, but I recognized an imbalance in my life, and so I've been working to have a better balance with my downtime.  By carving out time for reading I've been encouraged, convicted, and pointed to Jesus through what others have written.

Nothing compares to the Bible, no doubt!  And, if I'm not spending time in God's Word, then I shouldn't be consumed with reading books or blogs, no matter how excellent they are and how much they might point me to Jesus.  God's Word is central, and must be the primary source of  nourishment for my soul.  A friend posted a quote on Facebook that I loved:

"Visit good books, live in the Bible." -C.H. Spurgeon

I've been visiting some great books over the past few months, some of the best I've read in a long time.  I'll try to be brief in my descriptions, but I would highly recommend each of these.


Stepping Heavenward, Elizabeth Prentiss
This is not your typical "Christian living" book, but it is full of wonderful principles by which women should live.  It's fiction, written in a journal style, but the author incorporated much of what she had learned and experienced in her own life as a young woman, wife, and mother.  Reading another woman write about her struggles and passion for Jesus was refreshing.  This is a classic book that I think every mother needs to read, and re-read.  It would make a great gift for a mom-to-be.

Women of the Word, Jen Wilkin
I had never heard about this book until I added a book to my cart on Amazon, and a little notice came up saying, "others who purchased this book also bought..." and then there were several books listed.  This one intrigued me.  I love to study the Bible.  In fact, I have a degree in Bible, but over the years I've become lazy in my deep study of the Word.  The times that I do dig and study like I did in college are my favorite, and often the times that I am transformed the most.  Jen does a wonderful job of expressing the importance of God's Word, the main theme of the Bible (the progress of Redemption), and why everyone should seek to be a student of it.  She gives the '5 P's' for studying:  Purpose, Perspective, Patience, Process and Prayer.  This book is encouraging and practical for anyone who wants to study God's Word and come away transformed.

Good News for Weary Women, Elyse Fitzpatrick
Women, if you are tired--at any level--this book will refresh your spirit.  The gospel is beautifully woven throughout, speaking to the specific issues that women are facing.  We have lists of things that we require of ourselves, or that we feel others may have placed on us, and instead of truly seeking to live in light of the grace that God has granted to us in Christ, we fight either pride because we think we're following all the 'right rules' or despair because we aren't measuring up to the 'right rules'.  Elyse says, "Our highest calling is to believe in and love the gospel and then to live our lives in the light of all Jesus has already done for us."

And the Word Came With Power, Joanne Shelter
When we lived in Georgia, Bradley would often buy books that our Pastor referenced from the pulpit.  I wouldn't know until Tuesday when a random book would come in the mail.  Apparently Charlie used something from this book, and I'm glad Bradley bought it.  Missionary biographies are some of my favorite!  I love reading about how God has worked to bring the gospel to people who had never heard.  Joanne Shelter was a single missionary who worked to translate the Bible on an island in the Philippines.  Her story shows how powerfully God's Word goes forth to transform people's lives.

The Best Yes, Lysa Terkeurst
Lysa is funny, transparent, and her words are practical for every day living.  We are bombarded with all kinds of options on how to live our lives.  Choices lie before us each day, and the temptation is to say "YES!" to everything, only to later possibly regret it because we've said that a few too many times, and our souls are tired.  Lysa gives some great advice on how to make wise choices, saving room for those things which God has truly wired us to do.

A Million Little Ways, Emily Freeman
I've been wanting to read this book ever since it came out last fall.  I finally found a used copy online and finished reading it last weekend.  I'm so thankful that I waited!  God has been uncovering things in my heart over the last few months, and reading this book was such a help to me.  I could write an entire post on all of the ways I love this book, but I'll save that for maybe a later time.

The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller
By far, the best book I've ever read on marriage.  He collaborated with his wife to write this one, and they did an excellent job.  The first chapter is a little bit tough--lots of statistics on marriage--but it wasn't long until I couldn't put it down.  One of the things I loved most was that I wasn't just challenged in my marriage.  The gospel is woven throughout this book, and I was convicted about areas in my heart that needed reminding and changing, yes in relation to my marriage, but also in relation to my walk with the Lord.  We are given the power for our marriages by the Holy Spirit; the love we have received from God pushes us to selflessly love our spouse; we commit to each other's holiness.  One of my favorite quotes:

"The rest of the world sees us wrinkling up, but using marriage's powers in the grace of Jesus, we see each other become more and more spiritually gorgeous.  We are clothing, washing, adorning each other.  And someday the whole universes will see what God sees in us." (169)

Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis
I shared on Instagram back in August how I somehow made it through a classical Christian education and four years of Bible college without ever reading any of C.S. Lewis's books (the exception being the Chronicles of Narnia).  I've taken it upon myself to remedy this, and started with the first book in a four-book collection we have.  I'll admit, it was a tough read.  But I'm glad to have read it and I learned things about C.S.Lewis I never knew.  I plan to go back and read the other ones in this collection, but I needed a break from deeper reading.




What books have you read lately?

Reading Lately

Each year I have a pile of books that I want to read, and as the year progresses, I add more to the list and tend to put off some of the older ones.  This year I've been trying to read books that I already own {with the exception of two}, before purchasing any new ones.  There are quite a few that I'd love to have copies of, but I'm sticking to my plan, and so far it's going quite well.

Here's what I've been reading lately:

//Grace Based Parenting, Tim Kimmel.  An excellent read for any parent or grandparent.  And it's not all about forgetting discipline and structure in your home.  This book is full of practical and philosophical information on how to have a home that is centered around God's grace.  Living, teaching, and exemplifying grace to my kids is tough; this definitely challenged and encouraged me.

//Choosing Gratitude, Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  My mom gave me this for Christmas, and it truly helped my attitude at the beginning of the year.  I was struggling with anger and discontentment, and as the Lord worked in my heart, teaching me to be thankful in everything {again--I just can't seem to get this!}, I started seeing my day-to-day challenges not as negative but as good.

//Radical, David Platt.  This book took me almost an entire year to read.  I felt convicted and challenged.  My dad heard that I was reading it and jokingly said, "Don't read that one!  It will mess you up!"  Mess you up in a good way, that is, to think of life in a way that contradicts our American norm.  If you are comfortable with your life, then you should probably read this book.

//Don't Make Me Count to Three, Ginger Plowman.  I've had this book on my stack every year since I became a mom in 2008.  And, I've read the first half of it about 5 times.  I finally finished it.  The main lesson I learned from this book was the importance of Scripture in training our children.  It takes time, energy, and a lot of thought -- which are running low in my life -- but if I want my kids to really understand how to live life in relationship with God, then they need to know how Scripture applies to the situations they encounter everyday.

//A Praying Life, Paul Miller.  One of the best books I've ever read.  And it is transforming my prayer life.  I was mostly challenged to pray big and not to overspiritualize my prayers.  If you're not sure what I mean by that, read the book :).

//Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, Crystal Paine.  This book caught my eye while in Barnes & Noble one day.  I promptly went home and bought it online {much cheaper}, and loved it.  Some of the principles Crystal shares have helped me in practical ways over the past month or so.  For example, I believed that myth that all good homemakers had a 'laundry day'.  And it drove me nuts!  Crystal suggests doing one load of laundry every day, and it really has transformed my outlook on this overwhelming task.  I'm still working to get my loads folded and put away before the next day arrives, but it's coming.

//Hope for the Weary Mom, Where God Meets You in Your Mess, Stacey Thacker and Brooke McGlothlin.   I've been asked to share some of my story with a group of women who are going through this study, so I thought it would be helpful to read  it first.  As a woman who often feels like things are a mess, I appreciated so much the biblical reminders and practical advice.

My current read is Shattered Dreams, by Larry Crabb.  We shouldn't be surprised by challenges and trials, but when they come at unexpected times and in unexpected ways, it can really shake us.  I can't give a full report on this one yet, but I will say that I wish I could take a few days and read it cover to cover, soaking in everything he says; there's a lot to digest.

Stepping Heavenward -- I've started this one, but haven't gotten very far.  It's going on my nightstand for my bedtime reading.   

What are you reading right now?  Do you have any recommendations for me?

Reading List for 2012 & A Book Recommendation

The beginning of a new year is one of my favorite times.  I feel invigorated, driven, motivated, and excited for all that is in store.  This year has been a bit different, as we've been sick, my husband has been on a new schedule, and I'm already feeling VERY pregnant {still have 14 weeks to go!}.  However, even in the midst of all of that I've tried to carve out some time to think about this coming year and be more purposeful in how I spend my time.  It's so easy to get on the computer and get lost on Facebook, my blog list, Pinterest, or even just sit and do things that don't really achieve any real purpose in my day, or in the greater scheme of my life.  This year, I've decided to try and work against this struggle of wasting time and energy; instead, I'd like to set goals in various areas of my life that I hope will enable me to be more organized, more productive, and more importantly, more fruitful for the Lord.

One of the ways I've decided to work on this is to make a reading list for my year.  I always loved the beginning of a new semester in college when I could place my syllabi next to each other and make a list of all the reading required for each class that semester.  It was fun to map out how I would finish it all and make it to the end!  Now, I get to make my own reading list, based upon the things that I feel I need to change in my life, truth on which I need to reflect, or subjects in which I need to educate myself.

So, here's my stack thus far:
 

 They're not stacked in any particular order, and I haven't really decided which ones I'm going to delve into first.  One of my goals in reading this year is to keep a Book Journal.  I always underline, highlight and mark up my books, which I'm sure I will continue to do, but this year, I'm going to add a separate journal that will be for specific lessons, thoughts, or ideas that I take away from the books I read.  Hopefully, this will help me as I go back through the year to remind myself of what I've learned.  {I don't have said journal yet, but it's on my list to buy tomorrow when we run errands!}.

Now, for my recommendation.  The wee little book at the top of this stack is a gem, for all of you moms who might be reading this that have little children.  It's called Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches.

Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches

My sister-in-law gave this to me for Christmas and I picked it up to read the other night after the kids were in bed.  An hour later, I had finished it--it was THAT good!  I'm sure it helped that I had a pretty exhausting day parenting my toddlers {correction, dealing with whining, sitting at the table for an hour to finish dinner, pooping in the panties, etc., etc., etc.} but even without that, her insights and real-life examples, combined with truth from God's Word were an excellent encouragement and gentle rebuke to me as a mom.  I plan to read back through it once I have my book journal so I can make some notes of specific things I learned. {Perhaps I'll post some more on this book later...}  If you're mothering children in the little years right now, this would be a great book to read!  

{You can simply click on the link of the book title above and it will take you right to Amazon to order}.

I realize this is a big list right now, but it's my goal and I'm hoping to finish these {some I've started several times, just not finished, so I hope to read them all the way through this time!}.

In case you can't read the titles, here they are:

Don't Make Me Count to Three
Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment
The Marriage Builder
War of Words: Getting to the Heart of Your Communication Struggles (Resources for Changing Lives)
Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting
Shepherding a Child's Heart
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home
Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ (A Study Guide to the DVD Featuring John Piper) (John Piper Small Group)
Large Family Logistics

I'm looking forward to all that I will learn from these books this year.

What's on your list?

Book Recommendation

About two weeks ago I was looking through my status updates on Facebook, and came across a link for a book that sounded great.  Feeling especially overwhelmed and inadequate as a parent that day, I quickly went to Amazon and ordered the book.  I have NOT been disappointed!  Because this book is centered around the Gospel, it not only gives insights into parenting, it also challenges my faith, encouraging me to fear God more.   

I've only read a few chapters, so I can't speak for the book in its entirety, but of what I've read thus far, I would highly recommend it.  There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter, so it could easily be turned into a small group study book.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I am!

If you are interested in purchasing, simply click on the picture and it will take you directly to Amazon.