22 Jun 2015

Jesus Calling for Little Ones

by | posted in: Books, Shepherding Children | 2

Jesus Calling for Little Ones

Last night I had the privilege of hearing a seasoned missionary, husband, father, son, and leader speak about some of the most life-changing times in his life.  He mentioned that there was a period of time when he really questioned his ability to hear God – siting the Scripture “your sheep will know your voice” out of the book of John.  He went on to explain several times over a period of years that he took silent prayer retreats.  Each time never feeling like there was enough time – even two weeks worth.  At the end of that dark time, he came away with this thought – God is always speaking – but never more clearly through His Word (the Bible) – Psalm 19.

Over the past five years there has been one staple book always at the top of Christian books for women: Jesus Calling.  It has gotten rave reviews and some alarming reviews.  I do not agree with everything that Sarah Young says about her book – the presence of Jesus talking to her and then she passes that on to her readers.  But, I had the opportunity to review Jesus Calling for Little Ones thanks to Tommy Nelson Mommies.  I was hesitant, but wanted to check it out.  When we got it I love the board style book perfectly unrippable by little hands.  I loved the illustrations and the size of the book.  I took it to our Waffle House breakfast on Sunday morning before we head in to church.

She simply had a verse and then paraphrased it in her own way on the opposite page.  I would equate this book to a Message Bible for little kids.  Some of the posts on this book says that it is as if “Jesus is speaking right to little children.”  I don’t put this book anywhere near the authority level as that.  Except for the Scripture in it.  That is the infallible true word of God.  The paraphase, explanation, etc is just that – someone else’s thoughts on the verse.  It is prone to human error.  I wrote curriculum in my last ministry job before getting married.  The only part of the curriculum that was free from error was the Scripture.  I am not perfect – nor are my thought perfect.

So, if you want to hear the direct infallible perfect instructive voice of God – read the Bible.  If you want a board book for little ones that has Scripture, pretty pictures, and some nice thoughts for kids that they will understand, leave a comment on the blog or on social media.  Don’t confuse the two.  Only Scripture, not anything the book author says) is authoritative in your life, for your soul, and for your children’s soul.

18 Jun 2015

Reading the Accidental Feminist

by | posted in: Books, Women | 0

The Accidental Feminist

Reading a book by someone you know is very different than reading a book by an author whom you have no personal connection with.  You read the book with an insight into the author, eyes from seeing the author in action, and know a little bit of her heart and stories that she displays in her book.

Thanks to Crossway for sending me Courtney Reissig’s new book, The Accidental Feminist,  and I have loved it and been so praying that the Lord would search my heart while reading this book.  I’ve known Courtney since moving to Louisville in 2007 when we both worked at SBTS, then our husbands were on staff at local churches in Little Rock for about 2 years.  I’ve seen her handle marriage and motherhood with more grace than most people I know. Grace is not saying she does it perfectly, but she understands her need for the Gospel and dishes out the Gospel with such poise.  That is also what comes through in this book.

I’ve taken to doing something my husband does when he reads books: he starts with the last chapter.  So, for this book, I read the first, then the last chapter, then went back to chapter 2.  I think doing that in some books gives the reader such a proper perspective.  She starts with what she aims to do – then in the last chapter declares our need for the Gospel to do any of what she just wrote – and the in the middle pointed us to what godly womanhood in today’s world looks like (in light of our culture and our need for a Savior).

What I think Courtney does better than most authors who are seeking to write a womanhood book – is she taps into whatever stage of life you are in.  I think its because she realizes two things: she has struggled with biblical womanhood and God’s ideal plan for it in singleness, marriage, and motherhood (and infertility and miscarriages), and also she knows that she is writing to a wide audience and many women in different stages need the truth of God’s word for their lives right now.

In every chapter she gives practical and theological and cultural implications for what biblical womanhood looks like.  She focuses in on relationships, church life, home life, work life, our relationship with our physical bodies,

I loved how she did end it.  Talking about restoration.  As Eve, the first woman, was called by her husband the mother of all living (before her kids were born), there is something restorative and life giving about being a woman.  This world needs so much restoration.  And ultimately we are not the ones that give restoration – but we, uniquely designed by God as women who bear his image, can bring life and restoration and healing to this world.

Court – thank you for your personal insights and your living out such a beautiful picture of grace to your boys, husband, church family, and readers.

17 Jun 2015

Cookbook Review: Infuse

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I am a sucker for good cookbooks with great photography.  I usually use the internet, but give me a new cookbook, and I readily enjoy it while sitting down with a diet coke and a snack.

This one is definitely narrow in its field, but the dishes you can then make with its recipes is endless.  These are just basics that can be used for absolutely anything: paleo, whole30, deep fried, etc.  If you like to have a homemade cocktail or a bowl of popcorn or a fresh green salad – this book is your go to.  Just keep it open on your counter and mix away!  Or shake away!

Thankful for Blogging for Books so I can try new cookbooks.

17 Jun 2015

Friendship in the Real World

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Over the past few years with the pick up in social media sites, I fear that more people (mostly women I’m writing about here) are better friends with the people on their social media networks than they are with people in their daily lives.  I am not saying those online friendships are bad, I just want to make the case that they are insufficient.

I would say that the main way I see this dominating the circles I follow are online Bible studies.  Again, I’m not saying these are bad – I’m just saying they are insufficient.  You can only be so real with people you only know through a computer (that’s why I think there are great problems with online dating).  The good thing about these online Bible studies is that you study the Word and you get to know people…but that can’t take the place of real life Bible studies if you have access to good ones.

Neither can these online friendships take the place of real life friends.  Since I’ve traveled a lot and moved a bit since being an adult, I have plenty of my best friends that don’t live in my immediate area.  Social media is definitely a way I keep up with them and know what’s going on in their lives – and they know how they can pray, encourage, and help me along in my sanctification process by loving me and loving the Gospel.

I’ve been reading a surprisingly good book A Friend in Me by Pamela Havey Lau.  It is about friendship – but more importantly, an older generation of women being grace-imparting friends to younger women.  Sounds very much like Titus 2.  I found this book for women to be refreshing because its deeper than most books on friendship.  This has been a convicting read to me in getting to know knew women, continuing relationships with women I already know, pursuing Gospel love with them, encouraging them in whatever stage of life God has them in right now, and even in my parenting and imparting the Gospel to my boys who are so little.

Thankful for this book on friendship, real life friends, and yes, social media where I can keep up with all my friends spread throughout the world.

I received this book from LitFuse in exchange for a review.  All opinions are my own.

8 Jun 2015

Healthy Families

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I was supposed to write this blog a few days ago, but time got the best of me – and I was out enjoying my family – so here it is.

Even though we were an active family growing up: sports, fishing trips, playing baseball and basketball in our yard, ballet, etc – we didn’t eat healthy.  My brother was the more active one and had a much higher metabolism than me, but I didn’t.  And my body definitely showed all the southern foods that we ate a lot of.

I remember being chubby by the time I was in 3rd grade.  Man, I hate that picture in the yearbook.  But, I stayed overweight.  I remember buying a size 12 dress pants to wear to school to fit the school dress code at my Christian school that I attended.  I played volleyball and had that baby fat white (no tan) look in all the team photos.  I even cheered, and I still have my cheerleading uniform to try it on every now and then.

But, even though I was active, the food I ate didn’t warrant a healthy lifestyle.  Going to the corner convenient store almost every summer night to get a pm snack to eat while watching the Mets play baseball.  Once I could drive I would drive over to McDs and get a Big Mac meal for dinner after the school activities.  When we would go to Chilis after basketball games I chose the most fattening thing on the menu – the chicken crispers with fries and corn – at 10pm!  No wonder I came close to 200lbs by the time I graduated high school.

I’ve struggled with weight and addiction to food and a gluttony and laziness in regards to food.  My heart and compassion and eagerness to love and guide goes out to every overweight person – but especially those in elementary and high school.

That’s why I wanted to read Who’s the New Kid by Heidi Bond.  It is a story of her daughter’s struggle with weight in elementary school and how she lost weight, changed eating habits, and became active.  What I did like about the book was the recipes and activities and the eager outlook that things can change.  You don’t always have to be heavy.

I think I would approach fitness and health with a family member differently – but everyone, no matter the situation, should look at each situation with compassion and knowledge, and seek to counsel in love and truth.  No situation is the same.

My boys are going to be really tall.  They are going to be boys.  I don’t want them to be overweight.  I want them to be active and healthy.  I feed my boys yummy desserts, but also greens and fruit and grilled meats.  They run and play every day.  Balance is good!  I want to cook them healthy foods – but not swear off doughtnuts and macaroni and cheese.

(I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for a review.  All opinions are my own.)

 

3 Jun 2015

Daddy Loves You So Much

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Daddy Loves You So Much

You know when you are supposed to do a book review for a giveaway in May and you can’t find the book because your children love it so much that they’ve hidden it somewhere?  Yup, that’s me.  Thanks Tommy Nelson for the book.

I did find the book stuffed under a car seat in the car.  The Daddy Loves You So Much book.

This is a companion book to one that came out a couple of months ago – Mommy Loves You So Much.  So glad they didn’t leave the daddies out!

Daddy-life gets a bad rap.  I am so glad that they didn’t leave us hanging wondering if the daddies loved their little boys and girls.  My husband definitely does.

I’m so glad that Fathers Day is coming up because it is a great day that my husband gets to celebrate being a daddy to those little boys of his.  HE loves to give them their baths at night (when he’s home), he usually gets up the boys in the morning so he can have some time with them before he goes to work.  He works selling pianos right now and loves to have them come play some pianos at the store and then help him sweep up the store at the end of the day.

This book is full of wonderful illustrations and lovely created father-son/daughter animal characters.  It is a durable board book perfect for those lap-reading sessions at the end of the day.  My boys definitely love to read this one in the car looking at all the beautiful animals.  (Since they can’t read yet).

This book definitely is a great celebration of fathers.  If you would like a copy of this book – perfect for Father’s Day coming up – just leave a note either here or on Facebook about one way you love watching your baby’s daddy interact with your children – or if you are a daddy – how you love to interact with your kids!

29 May 2015

Fear and Faith : a book for every woman

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Fear and Faith

There haven’t been many books I’ve come across, geared toward women, that I think apply to all women.  May be a few by Elyse Fitpatrick, but that’s about it.  Most books for women are geared toward marriage, singleness, motherhood, etc.  This new book from Moody Publishers by Trillia Newbell (who works for the ERLC) is one book that I would highly recommend to every single woman to read.

Why?  Because we all fear.  We may not like to admit we fear – but we all do.  I will post my official review later, but suffice it to say that Trillia states her case and successfully writes about it – and points us to the gospel in all things with this book.  I want to interact personally with this book here.

I don’t think I would ever consider myself a fearful person – until I got married.  I think the closeness to other people brings that out – because there is more a fear of loss.  Before I got married I lived by myself in my own apt, I moved gladly around to different countries, I was actually quite independent – though I did have close relationships.  Now, I hate it when my mister is gone and its just me in the house with my two littles.  I have trouble falling asleep and I have to quote verses to myself in order to calm my heart.

My biggest struggle is fear of man.  I think I’ve known this tendency since I was little – but not until I came more into a relationship with Christ did I fully understand my need for salvation in this area.  A pastor recommended an Ed Welch book for me to read about 10 years ago.  So convicting – but so filled with hope that God has a special plan for our lives so we don’t have to be chained to sin in this area.

That’s what Trillia does in every area!  She lists out many fears that women struggle with ranging from tragedy, the future, to physical appearance and sexual intimacy.  In every single chapter – I was convicted by some of her thoughts (totally based in Scripture backed up by personal experience – not the other way around) – and I was placed gently in the hands of the Almighty who doesn’t want me to fear but wants me to trust completely in Him.

I see this in my marriage a lot.  This idea of us being consumed with the opinions of others (pg 24).  I always want to know what my mister thinks of my outfit, the food I cooked, etc.  I want him to realize that I cleaned this or that and am always looking for his approval.

Right now my mister and I are not in a place of surety – meaning I don’t think we are going to be in this place in life for a long time so we feel kinda in limbo.  So, when I don’t have a vision for the future and don’t know how long it will be till we see that vision – its scary.  This book has taught me that I don’t trust God enough in this area.  I like to be in control.

I read the chapter on appearance (am I pretty enough) the wknd I finally lost all the baby weight.  I was so excited.  I mean my second son just turned 20 months old.  Its been a long time coming.  Newbell reminded me that while I should take care of my body because God desires me to – I shouldn’t focus on my looks to an extreme amount nor should I find my identity in the numbers on the scale.

Giveaway: Moody has graciously said they would give a copy of this book to a reader.  Here is how you enter: what one verse to do you go to when you are fearful?  You can answer in the blog comments or on a social media account of your choice.  Just make sure I know about it.  I will choose a winner on Sunday night.

Trillia – thank you.  This book was very helpful and was restorative to my soul.

20 May 2015

Living Well at 40 to Live Well at 80

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I love being surprised by books.  And I’m not 40 (yet), but my husband is past this mark.  And thanks to Crossway for this title.  I was intending on reading it right after the new year, but that never happened, but it has been perfect timing for me to pick up this book.

John Dunlop has written a great book, mostly for senior citizens, on how to live well and finish strong for the glory of God.  In Wellness for the Glory of God, Dr. Dunlop explores how people above the age of 40 can live well so that they finish well – not only in health, but in many other areas as well.

He does cover physical wellness.  He doesn’t talk about a particular diet, but he does talk about how our aging bodies need certain things to make them work to their highest capacity.  He doesn’t talk over his readers’ heads, but instead offers illustrations and practical steps to stir them up to good deeds in this area.

He covers mental wellness.  I actually think this chapter would be best read by children of aging parents.  This talks a lot of how to keep the mind sharp.  Again, a very practical chapter.

One thing he covers is social wellness.  He offers some advice to the aging adult – focus on others.  He gives tips on how to focus on others, ministering to them, pouring into them, getting out of your comfort zone, passing on knowledge, playing with kids and grandkids.  This is not only social wellness, but is greatly connected to the physical and mental wellness too.

In financial wellness – he covers tips on wills, leaving good financial legacies for your families, and not piles of debt to be a burden to those after you.  HE talks about giving and how that can be a blessing not only to you but also to the ones you give.

Spiritual Wellness is important.  Some aging adults find it difficult to physically be involved in church activities, but he encourages them to not their love of the Word grow dim.  Bible studies, prayer groups in your home, prayer ministries, mentoring.  Don’t spend all of your retirement years thinking you already know everything about the Word, but spend this time deepening your walk with the Lord.

Emotional Wellness concludes the book’s sections.  I know so many elderly who may struggle with two of the things Dunlop mentions: anger and boredom.  Forgiveness is such a crucial thing to emotional wellbeing.  Boredom should never be the case because this world is so big and we have so much at our fingertips.

What I figured from this book is that I need to start pursuing all these areas now – not wait until I’m 60 and my kids are in college.  Start taking these tips to heart and act upon them.  Be healthy.  Be giving.  Be smart with my finances.  And also that God intends us to be whole beings.  If we are healthy on the outside, but never help anyone or pray to our Creator, then our physical wellness doesn’t get us very far.

Whatever stage of life you are in, seek out how to best live ALL of it for God’s glory.

16 May 2015

Never Say No : a Startling Guide to Parenting (Review)

by | posted in: Books, parenting, Shepherding Children | 0

Thanks to Litfuse for the chance to read and review this book.  All thoughts are my own.

There is something to say for having a great title.  When I first saw this book come through my emails – I wanted to read it solely for the purpose of finding out what the Foreman’s had to say about parenting – based on the title Never Say No.  And they raised two creative children (Switchfoot) and I want to know how to bring out my sons’ creativity.

I was really surprised by this book and how much I liked it. It was practical, not at all saying your children should run the home or the universe.  They had an underlying focus on the grace that Jesus offered to us at the cross, and how that enables us to parent with eyes focused on Him and handing out more grace.  “Everything is grace.  Be thankful.  Give grace away.” (pg 21)

I think really in the overall picture – they still tend to be more man-centered in this book then I would naturally point to.  With good goals – like spending time with your children, bringing out there gifts, giving them grace, etc.  But maybe, we could point them to their Savior and His Will for their life and what God gave them to do for his glory.  I think it is really semantics – I do believe the Foremans would say the exact same thing.

I would recommend this book for parents of school-age children or pre-teens. I think that is where it is hard to connect and communicate with your children and help them to see their amazing purpose in the world – to shine Jesus!

11 May 2015

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet (Ramblings and Giveaway)

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Every Bitter Thing is Sweet

One of the best books I’ve read lately, one that has captured my soul in a time of hurt and healing, is Every Bitter Thing is Sweet.  I was introduced to it by a few friends on IG and she spoke recently at my former church in the RDU area.  It has indeed been a book that I will re-read in different seasons of life.  I will be doing an official review of it on another site, but here I just wanted to give some personal reflections – and have a giveaway (Thanks to Zondervan.)

First, just two notes…This book may not be for you.  It is a memoir of Sara Hagerty’s journey of a wife, adoptive mom, and now a mom.  It is one written on a painful journey and how God met her in her time of need.  There are Scriptures at the back of each chapter – dive into those verse.  Even if you know you know them, read them again.  Scripture is good for our soul – as Psalm 19 says, “It revives the soul”.

“I was a different woman than the one I had been before my life unraveled, because God had become to me a different God than the one I’d contrived to be when it all was working as it should.” (pg 180)

2014 was a difficult year to say the least.  I had a 2 year old and a newborn.  We moved states and my husband changed jobs.  I learned new meanings of the word trust.  I cried so much.  Hurt was a regular part of my vocabulary.  But, what I’ve been learning even into 2015 is that God is an amazingly, close Father and I am in so desperate need of the Gospel every minute of my life.  When we walk through valleys, our God shows up so clear to us – because He is often all we have – and that is a beautifully hard thing to learn.

“She was finding a new identity.  She was walking out the fulfillment of our feeble prayers.  Her heart was growing.  Pain had made space.”

Friends, I’m not there yet.  Not completely.  There’s more space, but not near as much as there should be.  I’m learning every day how to trust again, how to be selfless (which I’m so not, and that’s not humble modesty).  I’m learning to lean into Jesus and his Word.  I want God to be daily re-creating me more and more into his image.

Perfect for Mother’s Day (even though it was yesterday)

“If my chief end as a mother is anything less than knowing Him and carrying His glory in my life, I will walk through these years empty.” (pg 156)

I need to hang this on my mirror so I see it every day.  Notice she didn’t say to have the cleanest house, have the best “work from home” business, or have the most well-dressed kids.  She said to know Jesus and carry his glory.  Reflect his glory!

“He wants us to make a habit out of coming near.  Because His response to our pain will be safe.” (pg 146)

In the presence of God is the only safe place there really is – because there there is no sin.  God is perfect and holy and gently.  He will not break us.  He will shape us into the image of Jesus with gentleness.  Other people – in response to our circumstances – will bring us (even more) pain.  Don’t set your hopes on other’s responses.  Focus your hope of the Lover of your Soul.  He is good.

“Delight and life from a tongue can change a soul.” (pg 101)

This needs to be the air I breathe to others.  Conviction shouldn’t be the first thing on my mind.  Critique shouldn’t be the first thing on my list.  I know God’s Word calls us how to live and I want to know how I can bring life (not sappy optimism) into others.  I want to love on others like Christ would.  That is a hard balance.  If you see others living in sin, tread lightly, be gentle, allow the healing words of Christ and gospel to speak through you – not the harsh words of condemnation.  Remember when you are speaking that there is no condemnation in Christ – so if your words leave someone feeling condemned – that’s not Jesus.

Giveaway Question:

I have one copy of this book to giveaway.  If you’d like it – please answer: What is one thing you’ve learned about God as you’ve walked through a difficult season?