Reading, Writing & Pondering

  I believe health is holistic and that is how God made us to be--body, mind, and spirit/soul all work together for our best health. For that reason, I like Prayer in Motion by Jennifer Tucker. This is her third book and I previously enjoyed Breath as Prayer too. Prayer In Motion helps me better understand and visualize what God meant in the Bible when it says to pray without ceasing. This book starts out with a story about Saint Patrick and how he started praying daily. I am enjoying working through this book. There is information on somatic praying, embodied prayer, prayer while walking, and so many other types of praying. I also especially liked her Nature Inspired Movement prayer as someone who finds her happy place in nature. Also, as I am a practical person,  the  grounding techniques, movement activities, and connection practices are truly helpful for me in easing stress and promote rest and restoration Prayer in Motion is a book that will be on my keeper shel...

  A More Beautiful Way to Live by Bethaney B. Wilkinson was a beautiful book to read for me. A lot of what this author said resonated with me and while I am sure we have differences, she really felt like a kindred spirit. A More Beautiful Way to Live is divided into three sections: 1. Groundwork 2. Cultivation 3. Sustenance There are three practices within each section that make up the 9 practices the author recommends to unlearn anxiety, fear and urgency through time, body and soul. I share interest with Wilkinson in that she likes to garden, write in her journal with a fountain pen and read, among other activities she shared. These are all activities that I enjoy too--well, I haven't used my fountain pen much, but I plan to use it more now :). At the end of each section, and in other parts in between, she gives suggestions for writing in a journal and self-reflection. I learn well this way so I especially liked that aspect of this book. I could also relate to some of her strug...

  Brave the Page: How Writing Our Hard Stories Brings Healing and Wholeness by Megan Febuary released on June 3, 2025. I just started this book and am looking forward to learning how the writing process can help heal my own hard stories. When you’ve endured a traumatic experience or loss, it can feel like your mind, body, and spirit have been hijacked. Frightening, negative, or depressive thoughts intrude out of nowhere. Muscles tighten, teeth grind. Your sense of self-worth plummets. Amid all the swirling chaos, you may even question your faith and the goodness of God as you long for peace, wholeness, and holy calm. One of the best and most effective weapons against the turmoil and pain you feel is quite possibly within arm’s reach right now. It’s waiting in your desk drawer, in your car’s glovebox, at the bottom of your purse. It’s a pen. And if you wield it with courage, it can open the door to freedom. Weaving personal storytelling with research-based insights, gent...

  I think there are a lot of us in this day and age that struggle with sleep at times. Give it to God and Go to Bed by Laura Harris Smith, N. D. looks at sleep struggles from a Christian point of view. Give it to God and Go to Bed helps you look at the issues and struggles that you have that may be stealing your sleep. She encourages you to look at the stressors in your life, your environment at nights, spiritual warfare, your inner voices, struggles with social media, inner spiritual struggles, struggles with other people, and more. Smith is a naturopathic doctor who encourages people to look at all aspects of their lives to have their best health and to live the best that they can for Christ. There are 10 chapters in this book just full of good information. At the end of each chapter, there are questions to ask yourself. She really encourages readers to take the time to answer the questions. Then at the back of the book, she has a 10-day program to help readers make lasting cha...

Many times when we are young, we feel invincible. Then as we grow older, we start to feel some health issues beginning. Laura Harris Smith shares her remedies and spiritual prayers for healing whatever may ail you in Get Well Soon . Get Well Soon is divided in to three parts: Part One: Employing Your Spirit and Mind for Bodily Healings. In this section, Smith goes in to great detail to merge the body, mind and spirit for healing. She breaks down verses in the Bible from the original Greek and she shares experiences from her own healing. She also shares her history and what her degree means. Part Two: Blessing and Healing Prayers for Your Whole Body. In this section, Smith gives prayers to pray over every system in the body and prayers for specific issues in the body. Part Three: Get Well, Stay Well. In this smaller, final section of the book, Smith offers advice for how to handle stubborn illnesses that are difficult to treat. She also leaves a benediction at the end of the book ...

As the calendar changes into a new year, many of us make resolutions about having better bodies and better physical health. The New You by Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson is a new book to encourage readers to consider their health from all angles. The New You is divided into 5 parts: Small steps to the New You, Small Steps to Better Physical Health, Small Steps to Better Spiritual Health, Small Steps to better Emotional Health, and Small Steps to Better Mental Health. The authors of this book look at the health of the whole body working together to help a person feel better all the way around. Each section contains a few chapters with tips, advice and personal stories to encourage the reader to improve that area with small steps at a time--instead of biting off too big of chunks to make lasting changes. At the end of many chapters, there is a list of small steps and questions to ask yourself to make changes in your own life. At the end of the book there is a four-month pl...