Reading, Writing & Pondering

Mother-Daughter team Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph have teamed up to write another terrific book that women can relate to. I thoroughly enjoyed We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook, their first book, so couldn't wait to read their second book. In this book, Nourished, they help the reader live a more nourished life by helping the reader manage parenting struggles, cluttered surrounding , crowded schedules and feeling negative about body image or spiritual image.   I enjoyed Nourished. I found much of what they write to be helpful to me, and likely helpful to many women. They have at least two generations thoughts and ideas covered as they share ways we women can make our lives a little better. I found some helpful ideas on improving my life as we go tough a move and I try to make new friendships and renew old friendships back in our hometown. I also, appreciated the marriage ideas and the  help in seeing how God wants to nourish our lives. Overall, it was ...

This bright beautiful book is not just a reader. Make It Happen is a book to write in, make notes, and highlight to learn from Lara Casey. In fact, writing in a notebook or journal alongside the book would be useful. This is the kind of book that I really prefer to have a hard copy of to mark up but it is available in an electronic version as well. Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear, Take the Leap, Live On Purpose offers Lara Casey's story of how she started living a fulfilling life for God. While I won't post any spoilers here, I will say it wasn't a perfect path. But that is what I love about Lara's story. She shares from her heart, is real and honest about the hard things she faced and how they ultimately changed her course for the better in the end as she realized what was most important. While Lara shares her story in this book, she also shares how you can turn your anxiety, fear, imperfections, drive and dreams into a story that involves you living your ow...

The Chia Cookbook is beautifully illustrated with brightly colored pictures of the recipes. I was drawn to this book from the moment I received it. I selected it after reading, Chia Vitality, Janie Hoffmann's first book, and wanting to incorporate the seeds into more of my recipes than just my smoothies. The Preface of this book gives a history of Janie Hoffman's experience with chia seeds. Janie is also the founder of Mama Chia. If you have read Chia Vitality, this part isn't new. However, if you are new to Janie Hoffman's books, it is a nicely summarized background to the cookbook. It is also a good refresher on her background. This cookbook is divided into chapters for smoothies and drinks, breakfasts, snacks, salads and soups, main dishes and sweets, desserts and cocktails. The illustrations  make the recipes look inviting. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Recipes include| chia peach jam, chia gazpacho, Tuscon white beans and b...

Ask It by Andy Stanley is subtitled "The question that will revolutionize how you make decisions." I will be honest up front in my review and tell you that I am a big Andy Stanley fan. We often watch him on Sunday's after we have been to our own church. I find his sermons to be solid from the Bible and practical. Ask It is indeed practical and Biblical in its approach just as I expected. Andy Stanley says there is a question that we can ask when we aren't sure what to do that will work  for just about any situation. I will let you read the book to find out just what that question is so no spiller here. However, after practicing with this question for he past couple of weeks, I feel that it is helpful in giving the answer we need. At the same time, Andy Stanley says there are times we need to ask others for advice as Solomon encourages us to do in Proverbs. In the past, I have sought advice from others hat wasn't that sound, so I wish that he had talked mor...

Lean On Me by Anne Marie Miller is one of the best books I have read recently. Lean On Me is not a self-help book, but rather a memoir in which the author shares her need for community following a crisis and how that community looked for her. She shares her story in the hopes that you will take away something for yourself to be in your own community. I appreciate that Anne Marie Miller shares her story so openly. While I can't say that I agree with every choice that she made along the way, I do appreciate her honesty and her openness in sharing her story in this book.(And I know I have struggles and make choices that others wouldn't make.) It helps to see how a real person has done "community" with successes and struggles. I am in the middle of transition as my family is in the hallway of our 2nd move in 3 years. We aren't in our new location yet, but we are no longer living in our former location either. We are halfway between living in temporary housing. I...

These past 3 years have been fairly stressful for my family and I as we have done some moving around for my husband's job. I was excited to review this little book because I thought it would help us maintain our health rough the challenges. I am so glad that I did. Cherie Calbom writes about stress and adrenal fatigue quite thoroughly in this little book. She shares how stress affected her, how it affects the reader, lifestyle changes to make and dietary changes to make including juicing. The book is easy to read for a layman, colorfully illustrated and has some good recipes included. I had read some of this information in her book on juices but most of he information is new and specific to this issue. I appreciate how she talks about mind, body and spirit working together for healing. Her holistic approach seems realistic to me. I would encourage anyone to read it who is under a lot of stress. I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a ...

Over the past 3 years, my husband and I have sold one house and moved and are now in process of moving again. During this time, I have done quite a bit of decluttering and de-owning. Yet, as we prepare to move again, I wondered if I could do more so I  read Marie Kondo's book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. This is a great little book to read and learn from as you seek to declutter and organize your home or apartment. I like that the book is small so I took it back and forth the past 2 weeks as we are in transition to move. It easily fit in my purse to pull out and read whenever I had a few minutes to spare. Marie Kondo  runs an acclaimed consulting business in Tokyo helping clients transform their cluttered homes into spaces of serenity and inspiration. With a three-month waiting list, her KonMari Method of decluttering and organizing has become an international phenomenon. In the life-changing magic of tidying up, she shares her experiences, what led her to ...