Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Do you want to get out of your head and create more? Don't Call it Art by Austin Kleon will inspire you to "create like a kid again."  Don't Call it Art is full of inspiration to be creative in your own way--and to get out of your own way in the process. I enjoyed this book in reading the author's encouraging words to be more creative. I also liked his fun illustrations--and his fun stories he shared in the book. I flew through this book in a day because I just enjoyed his writing. It was just the inspiration I needed as I move forward into creating an art space in my office and to just plain have fun creating no matter where I am or what sort of art I am doing.  Austin Kleon is a new author for me. I was excited to learn that he has several books out so I have a whole list of backlist books that I can now read since I enjoyed this one so much! I highly recommend Don't Call it Art to any other creatives out there who need a boost of encouragement to just...

  Do you struggle with your inner critic? Or feel like you think negative thoughts about yourself?  The Christian Self-Compassion Workbook for Women may be just the helpful guide you need to re-think how you talk to yourself and how you think about yourself. This book is divided into ten chapters along with three appendixes. The book gives food for thought by guiding the reader through information as well stories shared about real life people. This book is aimed at women but there are stories about men in the book too. Outside of the floral cover, I'm not really clear on why the book is just aimed at women. I think the book could be helpful to both genders especially since the examples included in the chapters include both genders.There are questions with plenty of space to write included throughout the workbook. I have another book about self-compassion from an expert that I also found helpful. However, that book was more general and this one is aimed specifically at Christi...

  I was already familiar with Dr. Kelly Flanagan as I read and reviewed his first book, Loveable , in 2017. I remembered finding that book helpful so looked forward to The Road Less Triggered . The Road Less Triggered has a lot of good advice in it for improving your relationships on your own. I think it could also be helpful book to use with a therapist too. Dr. Flanagan divides this book into three parts: Get Calm Get Free Get Connected You have to read  The Road Less Triggered to understand what those three parts really mean.  There are three chapters in each section. Through the stories of others who have followed this advice, the reader can then apply that information to improve their own relationships. Dr. Flanagan especially follows one couple through the book to best see the ups and downs of learning this strategy. The key concept throughout the book is that the reader works to have an open heart. Dr. Flanagan explains how to do that and how to use this concept ...

  The Divine Counselor by Alex Seeley released from Thomas Nelson in April. This is a book that focuses on guidance from the Holy Spirit. I don't think many of us really think about the Holy Spirit much. Pastor Alex Seeley, co-founder of The Belonging Co., reveals how the Holy Spirit provides the deep healing, peace, and purpose beyond what therapy alone can provide. At a time when many feel anxious and discouraged, the idea of living whole, healed, and empowered sounds wonderful–but often out of reach. Counseling, self-help books, and podcasts seem to offer temporary relief, but what about life-changing transformation? In  The Divine Counselor ,  Pastor Alex Seeley introduces readers to the best therapist they’ll ever meet: the Holy Spirit. Drawing on biblical insights and personal stories, Alex endeavors to answer readers’ deepest questions and doubts, while showing how the Holy Spirit . . . advocates on their behalf, interceding when they don’t have the word...

  At some point in our lives most of us deal with some type of heartbreak or disappointment. That is just part of being human. The Wholehearted Way by Dr. Peace Amadi is a book offering a way to deal with the pain and find healing in your life.  A Five-Part Framework to Healing and Inner Peace · Understand your patterns of pain · Navigate heartbreak, disappointment, and rejection · From a credentialed PsyD professor of psychology, speaker, and coach Heartbreak, disappointment, and rejection are part of being human in a broken world. But when we experience them again and again, it can start to feel personal. Our identity and worth are shaken, and we may find that staying hurt feels easier than pursuing healing. Yet, in Christ, we are meant to be made  whole . The Wholehearted Way  expresses an approach to life that requires us to tell ourselves a bigger, better, broader story about our pain, allowing us to love ourselves fully and live abundantly. Combining b...

    Does the Christian life feel complicated to you?  Uncomplicate It by Hosanna Wong is a book that gives you permission to live your life in a less complicated way in your own uniqueness. This book is divided into four parts: This is Your Permission Slip, which encourages you to be your own person and to live your life in your own unique way, the way God made YOU. The second section covers roadblocks to living that way--busyness, distractions, grief, shame and more. The third section gives shortcuts to better living the Christian life through your own personality, playing, pruning and more. The fourth section is called The Great Uncomplicating: How do you live life as the real you and how do you make sure it lasts?  There is a lot to think about in Uncomplicate It . It is a thoughtful and easy to read book in that the author writes as if she were talking to you over a hot beverage at the kitchen table.  From the Publisher:   What if enjoying life w...

  I have followed Jessica Turner for several years so I wanted to read her story in I Thought It Would Be Better Than This .  Jessica tells her story of her 16-year marriage that ended when her husband came out as gay in 2020. This book is full of heart and hope for anyone who is in that situation. That isn't me. However, I did find a lot of helpful information in this book anyway. I would also add that I have a relative that came out as gay so I could relate to that issue in some other ways than as a spouse.  I especially like how Jessica goes through all of the areas of her life that were affected and changed as a result of going through this experience. It touched her life in many ways. I can understand that too. She shares how she had to grieve her marriage and learn to forgive others and herself. She shares how she held on to friendships and made new friendships. She shares how she learned to take care of herself on her own through exercise, eating healthy alone, mak...

      Ready As You Are: Discovering a Life of Abundance When You Feel Inadequate, Uncertain, and Disqualified •  Publisher:  Thomas Nelson (February 4, 2025) •  Hardcover:  240 pages Brittany Maher and Cassandra Speer, leaders of the online community Her True Worth, issue a liberating call to stop waiting for permission to pursue your God-given purpose and to step into your calling today with what you already have in hand. Are you eager to walk in the calling and purpose God has for your life but are feeling uncertain? Maybe you’re not sure if you’re educated enough, or if it’s the right time, or if you even have the authority to take a step forward. Perhaps you’re at a standstill and are holding out for ideal conditions, or even an invitation, before you act. Brittany Maher and Cassandra Speer say it’s time to stop waiting to live on mission. God wants to use you now, right where you are, with the tools you already have. In this book, they...

    Do you ever feel lonely? I imagine many of us have those moments when we feel lonely from time to time. The New Loneliness by Cindy McMenamin is a book designed to "nurture meaningful connections when you feel isolated." The New Loneliness is divided into three parts: The first part is Reconnecting with God. This section focuses on realizing that God is always with you, that He always loves you, and the you are created for a purpose. The second part is Reconnecting with Your Heart. This section is all about having a better mindset. It encourages the reader not to enter into comparison, to make time and space for friends and not strive for busyness, learning to be yourself and more transparent to others, and learning to love again after you have been hurt by others.  The third section is Reconnecting with Others. This section is encouraging Real Life connections with other people and less on-line connections. The author definitely shows this book is up-to-date for ou...

  TLC Book Tours Book Spotlight: When you’re tangled up inside, it’s hard to find clarity. Yet so many of us guilt-trip or gaslight ourselves instead of working our way through complicated feelings.  You should be a good friend , even though you feel hurt by past betrayals.  Y ou should be content , even though you feel lonely or unfulfilled.  You should just have faith , even though you feel discouraged by unanswered prayers. This jumbled-up knot is a cry for gentle care and patient attention, but most of us haven’t been given the tools required to unravel it. Imagine you had a guide—a   way out of the chaos   and into the calm and clarity you need to face life’s challenges. Drawing from over twenty years of research and clinical practice,  I Shouldn’t Feel This Way  guides you through a groundbreaking 3-step process that has helped tens of thousands of people find emotional freedom and surprisingly simple breakthroughs. Dr. Alison shows you...

  Stuff I'd Only Tell God: A Guided Journal of Courageous Honesty, Obsessive Truth-Telling, and Beautifully Ruthless Self-Discovery by Jennifer Dukes Lee is a journal that I would say definitely belongs between you and God if you are going to use it and be honest in it. I have some things in common with Jennifer Dukes Lee. I am from Iowa. She is from Iowa. I am a trained journalist who has worked as a reporter with newspapers and so has she. She likes to ask questions and learn about other people and things in the world. So do I. I have followed her on social media and read others books she has written. With all of those things in common and already liking her work, I had to get this guided journal. Oh, and I do like to journal so that also makes this book up my alley. Maybe Stuff I'd Only Tell God is up your alley too? Stuff I'd Only Tell God is a paper back guided journal with an introduction by the author and well-organized sections with titles like, Me and My People,...

    Are you in a place of heartache and looking for hope? Kayla Stoecklein became an unexpected widow when her husband, Andrew, who was also the pastor of their large church in California, committed suicide. Unexpectedly, Kayla became a widow and a single mom to three young boys.  In Rebuilding Beautifu l, Kayla shares her difficult journey to help others find hope and healing—and to learn to dream again. I felt this book was a good balance between learning to grow through the pain and healing from trauma, to learning to really live again in the aftermath. It is a book that could offer hope to many women who have gone through some really difficult times and a reminder that God cares for each of us in the midst of challenges. From TLC Book Tours:  In  Rebuilding Beautiful , Kayla shares the life experiences that have turned into lessons, including acknowledging the pain; making the choice to start healing; finding courage in uncertainty; embracing God’s ...

  Born to Shine by Kendra Scott is a mix of an autobiography and a business book. Part of this book tells Scott's story and how she grew up in the Midwest. Then she also talks about how she created her jewelry business carrying her Kendra Scott name. I honestly wasn't familiar with her jewelry but I found the book to be interesting and enjoyed reading it. Scott talks about her Midwestern roots and growing up in Kenosha, Wisconsin. As a Midwestern gal myself, I could understand the family values and hard work ethic that was a thread woven through her family. Her parents divorced and when she was in high school, her mom moved to Texas when she re-married. Not long after, Kendra moved to Texas to live with her mom and ended up staying there for many years. She started her business there and continues to run it from Texas. While her personal life was interesting, I also found how she created her business to be interesting. I have a background in fashion and a mother who worked in ...

    It’s   time to start a project that will grow a grateful heart.  The Weekly Gratitude Project  is a 52-week guided gratitude journal that offers a life-changing journey through reflection prompts and inviting questions to guide you into a deeper relationship with God. This yearly gratitude journal features beautifully illustrated journaling pages that will help you discover more intimacy and joy in your spiritual life. The Weekly Gratitude Project  is: Perfect for a beginner in faith and practicing gratitude, but strong and thought provoking enough for someone who already has a solid foundation An easy-to-use journaling format designed to help you focus on adding more gratefulness into your day A helpful companion for individual worship, Bible studies, and small groups Each week includes: A biblical theme to focus on A short but impactful Bible verse to help you reflect and meditate Inspirational insight to guide your thoughts and jumpstart y...

  Crazy Joy: Finding Wild Happiness in a World That's Upside Down by Mary Katherine Backstrom is a fun collection of Backstrom's insights and experiences related to finding joy within our life and circumstances. Crazy Joy begins with Backstrom introducting herself and a bit about who she is and why she wrote this book. Right off the bat, she tells the reader about her challenges and how she has chosen to see better things in the midst of them many times. Throughout the book, Backstrom invites readers to be who God created them to be and not to live life to meet other people's expectations. She encourages people to see their strengths and not to compare themselves with other people in real life or on social media. Most of all, she encourages readers to find the joy in the midst of all the messes in life.  Crazy Joy is refreshing in that Backstrom is honest and up front about who she is. I like that she is that way. She invites readers to be themselves and to love themselv...

I previously read and reviewed Love Heals by Becca Stevens so I was already familiar with this author so happy to read her latest book. In Practically Divine, she invites readers to see the divine in everyday life. She shares how love can heal and how seeing the divine in our lives can help us to better connect and improve our lives and the lives around us, even in the midst of a pandemic, disagreements and strife. It was an uplifting book overall but there are places where she shares some stories about the abuse. While I didn’t find it triggering, some people might. One of the aspects that I like about this book is how down-to-earth and real the author is. There is, however, a few minor cuss words. The overall tone of the book is encouraging and uplifting in the midst of her realness. I received a copy of this book from Harper Horizon through TLC Tours. All opinions within this review are my own.

  All Things Lovely by Jenn Johnson really is a lovely book. This book has gorgeous pictures, encouraging words and tips to live a better life in several ways. All Things Lovely is divided in four parts: Home, Heart, Health and Hospitality. Each section has three or four chapters just full of advice on making your life better in each of these areas. I liked how honest and real Johnson was throughout the book reminding us all that we aren't perfect but we are striving to do better each day. I could relate to much of what she shared personally. I also was inspired by her advice to do a bit better in each of these areas of my life. She does share with her Christian faith as part of her life and there are Bible verses throughout the book. There is some good advice about organizing. There is some helpful tips on guarding your heart and doing the right things.  Throughout the book, it all feels real and inspiring. There are even recipes like taco dip and pumpkin cookies. I love the ...

    Is your life hectic? Do you long to slow down and be still? Some days we just have too much noise and anxiety in this day and age. Instead of focusing on all the hard things, get a copy of Stilte: The Dutch Art of Quietude by Marjam Van Der Vegt and learn to slow down. Stilte is a little book measuring 6.25 inches square with a Delft-looking cover. Even though it is small, this book has a lot of great information and encouragement in it for living life that is both slower and more focused on the world that God made around us. The book is divided in to four parts: Silence as a Basis, Silence in Motion, Silence by Concentration and Contemplation, and Silence through a change of Scenery.Within these four sections there are forty "keys" to practice to learn to better be still and to grow as a person and as a Christian. Each key has an explanation for what it is and what to do to better learn the key. Some of them have some great practical exercises to help you learn and gro...

  I don't know about you, but there are times when I am on social media and I just get tired of all of the competition. I wonder if I am doing any real good. Built to Belong: Discovering the Power of Community over Competition by Natalie Franke is a great read if you share similar feelings. Natalie Franke offers a lot of truly helpful advice in Built to Belong . She offers easy to follow steps to finding your community and to improving your communication both on-line and in person. I like how practical her ideas are and how she offers examples to show how they can work. I also like how she encourages readers to see what they have to offer and has ideas on finding a community and spending less time endlessly scrolling. Franke's writing is easy to read and understand. The whole book is definitely something we need to read with the way we interact in today's world. This would be a great book to discuss in a book club or with a group of like-minded readers. In the back of the ...

  Do you want to scatter more acts of kindness but struggle with a busy schedule? Or maybe you just aren't sure where to start? Make Their Day by Karen Ehman has 101 ideas for spreading kindness to people you know and those you don't know. Make Their Day is divided in to eight chapters and an introduction. In the introduction, Ehman suggests instead of complaining about all the bad news that you hear every day, instead you "light a candle in the darkness" with acts of kindness (Matthew 5:16). The other chapters offer ideas for acts of kindness to different groups of people: In Your Circle of Friends, Within Your Own Family, Throughout Your Day and around the Town, Across the Miles or through the Screen, For Those Who Hurt or Need Help, Among the Household of Faith, On Holidays, Holy Days, or Just Because, and By Opening Your Home. In the back of the book, Ehman has included a few recipes and printables.  As a whole, I enjoyed Make Their Day . It was quick to read al...