Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Teach Me to Feel by Courtney Reissig is sub-titled Worshiping Through the Psalms in Every Season of Life. The psalms are among my favorite parts of the Bible maybe because I feel a little less crazy when I see some of the ups and downs of the psalmist's emotions. In Teach Me To Feel , Reissig shares some personal stories, her emotions that relate, and the psalms.  I like how down to earth this author is. I found this book to very easy to read and relate to. I have been through miscarriages and I had a fairly difficult time birthing my son, although my story is different than hers. The book starts off with her sharing this story and her tangled emotions. I could relate to a lot of what she wrote. She covers 22 emotions from grief and envy to pain and worthlessness throughout the book so actually there is a lot to relate to through the whole book. She also covers gratitude, contentment and hope. From one end of the spectrum to the other, I could relate to her stories in this ...

  Every day is full of emotional highs and lows. Do you know how to manage your emotions? Joyce Meyer has a new 90-day devotional book, Managing Your Emotions , that could help you do just that. At the start of Managing Your Emotions , Meyer has an introduction explaining why she wrote the book, her struggle with emotions in the past, and how the book could be helpful to you. Then there are 90 days worth of readings. Each day starts with a Bible verse, then has a short reading related to emotions, and ends with a prayer.  Managing Your Emotions is easy to read and understand. I always appreciate Meyer's down-to-earth approach in her books. They are easy to read and easy to relate to. She doesn't come off as someone who is "above you." Rather she is a human pastor struggling right alongside you. This book is a good size to stick in your purse, briefcase or book bag since it measures roughly 5 by 7 inches in size. I have to add that I like that cover with the mix of su...

  Do you struggle with big feelings? Feelings you aren't sure what to do with? I Cry In Corners by Chari Orozco might be just the book that you need to help you manage those emotions. I Cry In Corners will turn the reader towards Jesus. Each chapter focues on an emotion with a look towards Jesus to handle that emotion. Orozco deals with overwhelm, loneliness, fear, insecurity, anxiety, disappointment and more. Throughout the book, she shares stories from her own life that relate to each emotion. Some of her stories deal with big hard things like being unable to get pregnant while others deal with smaller issues. We all have big and small issues of our own that bring out our emotions. She also shares from the Bible and how she believe Jesus deals with those emotions. The author is down-to-earth and the writing is easy to understand and relate to. For those who want help in dealing with emotions, or someone who they can relate to, they may want to read I Cry in Corners . I received...

  When I was an older teenage girl, there were times I worried about things. Sissy Goff's new book, Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety , is a good book for teenage girl's today who face that same struggle. I wish I had had this book growing up. Brave starts out with a not to the parent who bought the book. i will be honest, I thought this was kind of a strange way to start the book as I was buying my own books as a teenager and no parent would have bought it for me. However, there is some good advice for parents in this chapter as well as a reference to book for parents by the same author for those who may be interested. Then she has an introduction for the teenage reader. The next chapter is Goff's rules for reading the book, which are really just some good advice to remember that it is your own book and you can answer and do what you need to do to process the answers on your own.  Brave is then divided in to three sections: Understanding is the f...

Are you struggling with negative thoughts, anxiety, or stress? Are you looking for a holistic method to improve your thought life and your health? Dr. Daniel Amen has a plan to help in Feel Better Fast and Make It Last . Feel Better Fast and Make It Last from the "brain doctor"  uses what Dr. Amen calls the BRAIN-XL approach. This is an acronym for the program that Dr. Amen recommends for lasting change. B is for Brain. In this section, Dr. Amen shares both short and long-term techniques for healing your thought life and making lasting changes. R stands for Rational Mind. In this section, Dr. Amen helps readers learn to conquer worry and negativity so they feel happier. Part 3 is the letter A for Attachments where Dr. Amen gives advice for improving relationships and eliminating relationship hurts. I stands for Inspiration and in section 4, Dr. Amen helps readers learn to live with passion and purpose and to avoid depression. N stands for Nourishment. In this section, D...