Reading, Writing & Pondering

  After enjoying the first book in the Suitcase Sisters series, I eagerly awaited the second book, Gelato at the Villa by Robin Jones Gunn.  Gelato at the Villa takes readers on a trip to Italy with friends Grace and Claire. The ladies start out in Venice, and then travel to two other places in Northern Italy. I especially enjoyed traveling along and seeing the sights through their eyes. Gunn brings all of the locations to life through her rich descriptions of the countryside, the restaurants, the food, the gardens and the historical buildings. I did feel like I was there along with the main characters in the book. Grace and Claire also have some of their own struggles, like most people do in real life. Grace works in a job that isn't very satisfying for a demanding boss who isn't very nice to work for. She struggles to know what she should do in her situation--stay in the position or leave and do something else. She also struggles with some fears that she needs to let go of...

    Are you interested in owning a piece of Biblical history?  Temple Mount Soil Necklaces are a beautiful way to help you own a piece of history from the time of Jesus. The Mission We’re here to help preserve and understand the history of the Temple Mount, a site that’s important to both Jews and Christians. By creating a sustainable way to support the Temple Mount Sifting Project, we’re keeping this work alive. The Approach In 1999, tons of soil were unexpectedly removed from the Temple Mount—something that will never happen again. This soil is full of history, with artifacts from the time of the First and Second Temples. We make it available in a way that honors its significance and helps fund ongoing research. The Opportunity For the first time, anyone can own a small piece of this history—not just as a keepsake, but as a real connection to the biblical past. It’s a way to hold history in your hands, strengthen your faith, and support the preservation of t...

  Slow Burn: The Work and Wonder of the Wait by DawnChere Wilkerson is a book that I think we could all read and learn from. Life definitely includes a lot of waiting for one thing or another. We don’t ever graduate from waiting. After one prayer is answered, a new one begins, putting us back in the “space between.” Are you hoping for an illness to subside, a job to open up, a relationship to develop, or some other heartfelt transformation? This slow burn is the human experience—and the greatest invitation to become intimately acquainted with a faithful God. Waiting is hard, but it’s not a punishment; it’s a process. God is not delaying; He’s developing. He is not leaving you; He’s loving you. He’s saying,  Come closer. Let me lead you into wonder and show you how you can live wholeheartedly right here, right now. DawnCheré Wilkerson will speak strength to your soul and give you tools to live confident that God is working more powerfully than you know; wrestle with t...

  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...

  The Outsider by Katy Morgan is a re-telling of the Biblical book of Ruth for young people over the age of eight.  Ruth risks everything and goes with her mother-in-law Naomi after her husband and Naomi's husband have died in Ruth's country of Moab. They go back to Naomi's home country of Israel with the one true God. God takes care of Ruth and Naomi in ways that are unexpected to them through a kinsman-redeemer.  I thought The Outsider was well told. It was fast paced and it felt like I was right there in the Bible times with Ruth and Naomi. There is also a section of Notes from the Bible in the back as well as a book club discussion guide. This could be a good book to read as part of a home school curriculum. It could also be good in a Sunday school class or other church group to read in this age group.   I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own. 

  What to do with your Whirly Swirly Thoughts by Jennie Allen starts out with a letter to parents from the auhttps://readingwritingandpondering.blogspot.com/2025/05/what-to-do-with-your-whirly-swirly.htmlthor. In this letter she shares why she wrote the book and how she hopes it will be helpful. She also encourages people to recognize that sometimes people need more help than a book and it is okay to talk to a counselor. I like that she recognizes that and offers that advice to parents. What to do with your Whirly Swirly Thoughts does have some colorful and cool illustrations. That is my favorite part of the book. I like that it offers some advice for helping to change thoughts BUT I feel that it invites the child to stuff down the bad stuff and not really deal with it. The verses that are used make it seem that we should only think good thoughts. And yet, David and other psalmists certainly dealt with some bigger thoughts. I think God gave us all emotions and so many times in chu...

  Hearts Aweigh by Shannon Sue Dunlop is the third book that I have read by her. . .and they just keep getting better and better! Hearts Aweigh starts out with the "Shippers" meeting with Abby to decide if they will try to match her up on the ship to help her find a husband. The Shippers are 4 octagenarian women who have decided to stay on Monarch Cruise lines for their retirement years and to find some love matches for younger people. One of the Shippers has a son that has come on board for this cruise to try to talk his mom into moving back home. Spencer Randolph Masterson has a little girl named Madeleine, Maddie for short. Abby does child care on the cruise ship and is heading back home after a few more cruises to resume work as a teacher. She is good with children and has a connection with Maddie . .but what about Spencer? Hearts Aweigh offers readers a mix of romance, humor, and a mystery to solve. This book flowed quite well. It kept my interest all the way through a...