Reading, Writing & Pondering

  It doesn't matter our age, there are times we are all tempted to worry. When Worry Whispers by Joyce Meyer is aimed at children ages four to seven. This 32-page book is a good-sized jacketed hardcover book measuring about 9 1/2 inches almost square--a great size for reading aloud or reading alone. I think When Worry Whispers is on target for what kids may worry about and how they feel when they worry. This book is a Christian-based book with talk about God and a Bible verse at the beginning of the book. The illustrations by Marcin Piwowarski is colorful and eye-catching. I like that they include children of all colors in the pictures. This is a good book for both those struggling with worry and to remind kids that aren't worrying yet that they don't need to because God cares for them. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

There is not doubt about it, there is a lot of scary stuff going on in our modern world. It is enough to worry adults, let alone kids.  Sissy Goff offers advice to young girls on how to overcome their worry and anxiety and focus on how brave they are instead in her new book, Braver Stronger Smarter: A Girl's Guide to Overcoming Worry and Anxiety . Braver Stronger Smarter was written for elementary aged girls but it can be used by girls of any age to learn practical ways to deal with worry, anxiety, and other overwhelming emotions. Actually, the book also offers girls who don't deal with those issues now a way to handle those emotions if they do come up for them. The book is divided in to three sections: Understanding, Help and Hope. Each section contains three chapters with some good advice and learning tools for girls in each section. Parents and caregivers are also encouraged to read the companion book, Raising Worry-Free Girls , as they work with a young girl. Braver St...

I honestly think many of us struggle with occasional anxiety and bouts of worry in our day and age. Even though we know God is there, it isn't always easy to default to faith. Trade Your Cares for Calm by Max Lucado offers solid advice and encouragement to focus on God instead of fear. Trade Your Cares for Calm does take content from several of Lucado's other books on fear and enouragement and compiles some of his best tidbits into this inspirational book. There are 10 chapters of Lucado's encouraging words. Each chapter has Bible verses, gorgeous nature photos, and stories and tips on keeping worry under control. There are also pages to journal to help figure out why you are worried and how to start to think differently about your problems. The ribbon marker helps you keep your place so you know where you left off. Trade Your Cares for Calm would be a great book to keep or to give as a gift to someone facing worrisome challenges--medical struggles, financial prob...

Many of us are struggling with stress, worry and anxiety with so many challenges in our world today. In Live The Let-Go Life by Joseph Prince, Prince uses Scripture and other stories to help readers learn to live free from stress, worry and anxiety and find a more fulfilled life in Christ. Some of the chapters in Live the Let-Go Life are: Just Look at the Birds, The Rhythm of Rest, Tune In to Peace, Above All Things, Guard Your Heart, Becoming a Person of Rest, and Stress-Free Parenting. Each chapter looks at Scripture related to the topic and Prince uses stories to illustrate how God has worked in other believer's lives. As a whole, I found L ive the Let-Go Life to be uplifting and encouraging to me as I seek to live for God and deal with the every day stresses of life. I think there would be helpful information in this book for most people. Prince does encourage me to look to God as I face struggles versus giving in to worrying. However, if I am honest, I had some mixed ...

 "You were always meant to be brave." Annie Downs shares her own story and encourages readers to not let fear hold them back on her new book, 100 Days to Brave . The introduction of 100 Days to Brave is a letter to the reader that starts with Dear friend. Downs shares how all of us reading the book probably feel like there is more to life than this. We all have a different "this" but we all need courage to go after our life's hopes and dreams to find our best life. Downs encourages readers to journal alongside this book for 100 days to find the journey God has for you. Downs says she wants to be the friend across the table from you to process and think through the road to your most courageous self. While I have not gone through the book for 100 days yet, for the purposes of this review, I have read the readings. For each reading, Downs shares a Bible verse for the day, a short reading that offers a brief story or example relating to the verse, and then q...